Click on the table below to enlarge it. Click this link to open the PDF.

Keynote Speakers:

Friday 8:30 – 10:00
What Does Climate Change Mean for Gardeners?, Philip Mote: * what changes have already been observed in the Northwest * what changes scientists are pretty sure will happen * what individuals can do * speculation about surprises*

Saturday 8:30 – 10:00
Vision of Master Gardeners in Oregon, Gail Langellotto

Class Descriptions:

1-A Friday 10:15 – 11:30
Break Free from PowerPoint: How to Engage Adults for More Impactful Learning, Rachel Suits: This presentation will walk you through some tips on how to integrate more experiential learning opportunities into your presentation materials. You will learn: More about experiential learning and how students learn, Simple ways to break up material and allow students to engage in learning, How to create activities that require critical thinking and application of presentation materials.

1-B Friday 10:15 – 11:30 (and TOUR 2-G Friday 1:15 – 5:00)
OSU’s North Willamette Research & Extension Center– Close-Up Look at Agriculture Research and Development and Why It’s Important to All of Us!, Michael C. Bondi: Note: NWREC is offering an indoor lecture class in the morning about agriculture research at NWREC followed by a field tour of NWREC in the afternoon. Use the following description for both classes… Helping Willamette Valley farmers be successful is the mission of OSU’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center. This presentation will describe key agricultural industries in the Valley and the work OSU is doing to improve the productivity of the land, increase the profitability of farming operations, and minimize environmental impact. Learn why agriculture is important to all of us–whether living in the city or rural areas.

1-C Saturday 10:15 – 11:30
Backyard Wine Grape Production, Steve Renquist: I will discuss how to grow wine grapes in a sustainable fashion in Oregon. You will learn how to: Choose varieties to suit your climate, Train young wine grapevines, Prune wine grapes, Use sustainable disease and Insect control methods and Manage crop load to get ripe fruit.

1-D Friday 10:15-11:30
Organic Pesticides, Kaci Buhl: In this advanced pesticide course, the presenter will discuss the breadth of organic pesticides available for home gardeners, and what makes them “organic.” You will learn about a wide range of organic insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides and will learn how to search for currently registered products that meet OMRI standards for organic production, using the northwest database called PICOL. You will have opportunities to ask questions and discuss best practices with your local peers.

1-E Friday 10:15 – 1130
Citizen Scientist (In the Garden), Brooke Edmunds: Interested in citizen science? In this session you will learn what citizen science is, the different levels and ways to participate, and how you can get Master Gardener volunteer hours while contributing meaningful research data. OSU and regional projects will be highlighted as well as resources for getting involved.

1-F Friday 10:15 – 11:30 WORKSHOP
The Art of Nature Printing – Beautiful Botanicals Workshop, Heather Fortner: This is a fun workshop in which you look at leaves in a specific way-texture, venation, and shape in a process of printing leaves onto paper or fabric. You will be amazed at how a simple leaf translates into a work of art. We will be applying inks to the surface of leaves selected for this process, and then pressing them onto a surface to transfer the features. The results are truly beautiful botanicals. You will learn about selecting and identifying leaves suitable for the process, as well as learning the basics of design and color. This is an art workshop in which Mother Nature is your mentor. Class is limited to 16 participants, Class fee: $5.00

1-G Friday 10:15 – 11:30
Avoiding the Green Meatball! When and How to Prune Flowering Shrubs, Neil Bell: There is a bewildering array of flowering shrubs available to us and despite what you might see in some landscapes, they are not all prunes the same way. In this session, we will explore how to identify flowering and growth habit of a diverse group of flowering shrubs and learn when and how to prune them for best effect.

2-A Friday 1:15 – 2:30
Evaluating Master Gardener Projects, Amy Jo Detweiler: You will learn about the steps to take in evaluating ongoing master gardener projects. This class will cover the intent and purpose of a project review, project selection, how to conduct the review and present a case study done in Central Oregon.

2-B Friday 1:15 – 2:30
Behind the Scenes Peek at OSU Research, Brooke Edmunds: Get a behind-the-scenes peek at what is new and upcoming from OSU research programs including updates from plant breeders, horticulturists, plant pathologists, entomologists & more! You will learn about the latest OSU research updates that may affect your gardening practices, new plants being developed and how you can stay current with the latest recommended growing practices.

2-C Friday 1:15 – 2:20
Warning: Orchid Growing Can Be Addictive!, Sue Volek: Orchid cultural requirements, Three key factors to success, Outdoor and native orchids in Oregon, Challenges for the home grower, and Resources for further info.

2-D Friday 1:15 – 2:30
Slime Time – Snail and Slug Id, Biology and the Development of Novel Tools for Their Management, Rory McDonnell: You will learn about the general biology of slugs and snails, the basics of snail and slug identification, how to identify the most common pest species in the Pacific Northwest and novel methods that are being developed to help manage pest species.

2-E Friday 1:15 – 2:30
Garden Food Safety: Best Practices for the Edible Garden, Sara Runkel: Do you grow fruits and vegetables in a home garden, community garden, or school garden? In this presentation you will learn how to identify food safety concerns in the edible garden and how to minimize risk. Topics covered include garden site selection, fertilizers and amendments, irrigation water, animals in the garden, harvest and post-harvest handling, and gardener health and hygiene.

2F Friday 1:15 – 5:00 TOUR
NWREC Tour: The North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) is a 160-acre farm located south of Wilsonville. It combines the research and Extension or outreach activities of Oregon State University to serve the needs of the region’s agricultural industries. NWREC researchers and Extension faculty focus their work and programming on Oregon’s most important local agricultural commodities including: nurseries, berries, fresh market vegetables and seed production, and Christmas trees. In addition, two special programs at NWREC cut across these four commodity areas—small farms and specialty crop registrations. Agriculture is Oregon’s leading industry. About one-third of Oregon’s total $4.8 billion farm gate value income comes from farm operations within a 40-mile radius of NWREC. Most of the state’s nursery operations, Christmas tree farms, berry and vegetable farms, and food processors are located in the North Willamette Valley. Come and join the tour of this fantastic research station! The tour will be led by Mike Bondi, Director of the
Research Station and the OSU Extension Administrator of the region. Take his class in the morning at Linfield and join him in the afternoon for a stroll through various sites and learn more about what they are currently working on and how Master Gardeners help in their efforts. An added treat: berries will be in full production!!
Fee: $19.00
Transportation: A bus will take you from Linfield College to the NWREC and back.

2G Friday 1:15 – 5:00 TOUR
Oregon Garden Tour: The Oregon Garden is a stunning, 80-acre botanical garden, featuring more than 20 specialty gardens showcasing the diverse botanical beauty of the Willamette Valley and the Pacific Northwest. They have educational specialty gardens for everyone, from the Sensory Garden and Rose Garden to the Children’s Garden. Visitors will also encounter one of the largest collections of miniature conifers in the country in the Conifer Garden, and a 400-year- old Signature Oak, which is an Oregon Heritage Tree, in the Oak Grove. The Wetlands Habitat, which cools the City of Silverton’s treated waste water through a series of pools, brims with local wildlife. The Garden also promotes sustainability through green roofs, composting, edible landscaping, barley straw algae control and more.
Join your fellow MG’s in a one-hour tour followed by a 30 minute session on promoting demonstration gardens. Then enjoy a beautiful day in the company of gorgeous plants on your own. All this and earn continuing education credits too!
Fee: $29.00
Transportation: A bus will take you from Linfield College to the Oregon Gardens and back!

3-A Friday 3:00 – 4:15
Putting the Pieces Together: How Do the State and County OSU MG Programs Fit Together, Joy Jones: New graduates and some veterans of the OSU Master Gardner Training Program often struggle with figuring out who all the players are and what each role is in the running of the county and state MG programs.

3-B Friday 3:00 – 4:15
What’s That Plant?, Linda McMahan: Naming a plant is sometimes a lesson in creativity and persistence. Fortunately, help is available as “keys,” forcing us to make choices leading toward an answer. We will explore, hands-on, various kinds of keys and how to use them.

3-C Friday 3:00-4:15
Roses: Pruning and Care, Katherine Johnson: Does the thought of growing roses scare you? Do you fret that their maintenance and upkeep will be just too much? Don’t let rose care worries stop you from enjoying these amazing beauties. Let this rose care expert teach you how easy it is to plant, care for, and prune roses. Learn why you prune, when and how to prune, and basic care of roses.

3-D Friday 3:00 – 4:15
Cedar Mill Japanese Beetle Eradication Update, Clinton Burfitt: How Oregon Department of Agriculture forms partnerships with community groups industry and other governmental agencies to combat invasive species related issues.

3-E Friday 3:00 – 4:15
The Natural Suitability of Dwarf Conifers in Urban Spaces, Sandy Dittmar: Dwarf conifers are the perfect answer for those desiring a spectacularly landscaped outdoor living space, whether on a small urban property or a condominium deck. Our busy lifestyles command their low maintenance needs. You will learn: what a dwarf conifer is; the assortment of shapes, sizes, textures and colors to choose from; seasonal changes for year-round interest and color.

3-F Friday 3:00 – 4:15 WORKSHOP
Table Centerpieces, Carole Schuldt: In this presentation you will learn basics of centerpiece design including balance, line, color, shape and texture. How to maximize presentation and utilization of containers and flowers. Class is limited to 20 participants, Class fee: $20.00

3-G Friday 3:00 – 4:15
Oddball and Not So Oddball Plant Problems That Always Crop Up, Neil Bell: The challenge of dealing with gardens and their problems is that there are a lot of different garden plants out there and they all have their own idiosyncrasies. In this session, we will look at some oddball problems that crop up all the time and some oddities that make problem diagnosis challenging, but interesting!

4-A Saturday 10:15-11:30 TOUR
Community Gardening Development and Operations, Heather Stoven, Alan Wenner, Linda Mason: This garden is a prime example of raised bed organic gardening and features many innovations adapted from member ideas and features automatic drip irrigation, food bank production and both crop sequencing and crop rotation. Over ½ of the garden is used for Yamhill County Food Bank production and produces approximately 14,000 pounds of fresh produce annually. It is a year around garden with planting and harvesting most months of
the year. You will learn about the basic organization, funding and planning of a community garden, how to attract and keep volunteers, some new ideas we have incorporated into our garden and about large scale organic gardening. Located at the McMinnville Community Garden, 325 NE Burnett Road, McMinnville.
Fee: No Cost!
Transportation: On Your Own; the McMinnville Community Garden is approximately 2 miles from Linfield and will take about 5 minutes for travel.

4-B Saturday 10:15 – 11:30
Garden Bees of Western Oregon, Gail Langellotto: We collected bees from 24 MG-tended gardens in 2017. What species did we find? What influenced bee abundance and diversity? Come to this talk to find out!

4-C Saturday 10:15 – 11:30
Gardening Trends in 2018, Ethan Hockstein: Pitch perfect pines, garden tribalism, and the impact of soil regeneration science on the home garden are all top gardening trends for 2018, according to Monrovia. In this presentation you will learn: the trends of not only what we garden but how we garden in 2018, some of the new plant releases for 2018 and how Monrovia works with Independent Garden Centers and Consumers to help both ‘Grow Beautifully’.

4-D Saturday 10:15 – 11:30
Current and Future Exotic Garden Pests in Oregon, James R. LaBonte: You will learn: (1) of the ongoing onslaught of exotic invertebrate introductions into Oregon, (2) about the primary pathways by which these species are introduced, (3) recently introduced exotic garden pests already causing significant damage and their potential for future damage, (4) and about those exotic pests not yet in Oregon but likely to be in the near future.

4-E Saturday 10:15-11:30
Don’t Eat or Touch that Plant, Janet Weber: We learn so much during our MG training regarding how to grow plants and how to diagnose diseases and pests, but we rarely learn very much about which ones are poisonous. Some plants can be toxic to some people, while never affecting another. There are some plants that can have toxic parts, while having parts that are completely safe. Here you will discover common and not-so- common poisonous plants (and their parts) and others you never dreamt would even be toxic. Plus learn how you can educate others on plant safety. Understand why some plants are poisonous; become familiar with plants that contain safe and toxic parts; learn which plants can cause harm to humans and how via mechanical injury, dermal irritation, allergies and ingestion; and how to educate others about plant safety, to avoid poisonings and what to do if one occurs.

4-F Friday 10:15 – 11:30 WORKSHOP
Succulent Frame Garden Workshop: Marcia Sherry: Have fun learning how construct a vertical, succulent garden from a typical shadow box frame, step by step. First there will be a demonstration and then a “hands-on” project. Yes, you will be playing in the dirt! Each participant will take home their own, beautifully created Succulent Frame Garden to hang on a wall. All materials will be provided including a few plants. Please bring your own small wire cutters and scissors. Class is limited to 16 participants. Class fee: $20.00

4-G Friday 10:15 – 11:30
Gardening with Native Plants, Aaron Anderson: Why garden with natives – Ecological and aesthetic benefits of native plants; How to garden with natives – Considerations in the garden; Example plants for home use.

5-A Saturday 1:15 – 2:30
Gardening Is Not Farming: An Examination of Urban Garden Soils, Mykl Nelson: I will present my major findings and conclusions from my graduate research project. I examined the composition and differences between urban gardens, both raised and in-ground beds. You will learn: why we need new studies in the realm of urban agriculture; what parameters I found to be highly elevated, and which were limiting, and about the capacity for production to be had from urban soils.

5-A Saturday 1:15 – 2:30 (and 6A Saturday 3:00 – 4:15)
Junior Master Gardener: How to Start Your Own Youth Garden Program, Part 1, Kelly Noack & Jim Liskey: During this training we will cover easy, fun, research-based activities that students grades K-8 complete within the Junior Master Gardener program. This course is designed for Master Gardeners interested in sharing their love for healthy living, vegetables, and kids! Tips and tricks will be shared on how to best manage a classroom and build trust with youth of all ages, as well as has to set up a new Junior Master Gardener program within your county association.

5-B Saturday 1:15 – 2:30
Gardening Is Not Farming: An Explanation of Urban Garden Soils, Mykl Nelson: I will present my major findings and conclusions from my graduate research project. I examined the composition and differences between urban gardens, both raised and in-ground beds. You will learn: why we need new studies in the realm of urban agriculture, what parameters I found to be highly elevated, and which were limiting and, about the capacity for production to be had from urban soils

5-C Saturday 1:15 – 2:30
Beginning Iris…, Chad Harris: We are fortunate with our soils and climate that many of the species and hybrids of the iris world thrive here in the Pacific Northwest. Here you will learn some of the many iris that are easy to grow whether in dry, wet, sun, or even shade, there is an iris for all aspects of the home garden.

5-D Saturday 1:15 – 2:30
Knee Deep In Weeds, Chip Bubl: This program will explore changing weed dynamics, new species of concern, and innovations in weed management. You will learn some weed biology, new approaches to weed management and how to identify some new weeds of concern.

5-E Saturday 1:15 – 2:30
An Introduction to Rain Gardens, Part 1, Bruce Bennett: Rain Gardens are surfacing across the country.  Many of them are built and paid for by local municipalities.  What do those cities know about the benefits of these wet spots in the ground that you don’t?   We’ll look at the benefits rain gardens could have in your yard and how to build them.  For the ‘eastsiders’ in the crowd, we’ll discuss how dry creek beds can be designed to serve a similar purpose.

5-F Friday 1:15 – 4:15
Monrovia Tour: Monrovia is a privately owned nursery company and is one of the leading nurseries in the United States. They supply more than 5,000 garden centers with approximately 22 million healthy plants in over 2,000 varieties. Monrovia is constantly introducing new plants with 300 plant patents and over 3,000 plant varieties. They are headquartered in Azusa, California and they operate nurseries in Visala, California, Springfield, Ohio, LaGrange, North Carolina, Cairo, Georgia, and our very own Dayton, Oregon!! Their nurseries cover 4,700 acres. It was founded in 1926 by Danish immigrant Harry Rosedale. He started with 10 acres of land in Monrovia, California. He played a pivotal role in developing the practice of growing plants in containers, thus avoiding the stress involved in uprooting a plant for sale. They began shipping the container plants around the country in the 1950s.

Join 20 Master Gardeners as they take a 2-part tour of the Monrovia Dayton nursery. Ethan Hockstein will meet you at the nursery. The group will be divided into 2; one group will tour the display gardens while the other group is taken by van around the property with Ethan; then they will switch!
Fee: No Cost! Limited to 20 Participants
Transportation: On Your Own; the nursery is approximately 10 miles from Linfield and will take about 20 minutes for travel.

5G Friday 1:15 – 4:15
Bonsai – Gardening with Living Art, Keith Wingfield: Participants will learn the history and origins of the art and culture of Bonsai. You will be able to observe Bonsai trees from Keith personal collection from very large to palm size and ranging in age from a few years to decades. You will learn about the cultivation of tree for Bonsai training and styling and learn about the processes necessary to maintain the health and development of these magnificent pieces of living art over decades. Participants will be provided with an extensive handout accompanied by diagrams of the horticultural processes for the creation of the look of ancient and aged mature trees in miniature and about the year round care and maintenance of ever evolving pieces of art.

6-A Saturday 3:00 – 4:15 (and 5-A Saturday 1:15 – 2:30)
Junior Master Gardener: How to Start Your Own Youth Garden Program, Part 2, Kelly Noack & Jim Liskey: During this training we will cover easy, fun, research-based activities that students grades K-8 complete within the Junior Master Gardener program. This course is designed for Master Gardeners interested in sharing their love for healthy living, vegetables, and kids! Tips and tricks will be shared on how to best manage a classroom and build trust with youth of all ages, as well as has to set up a new Junior Master Gardener program within your county association.

6-B Saturday 3:00 – 4:15
Seed to Supper: Gardening Outside the Box, Devin Dinihanian: In this participatory session, we will cover the Seed to Supper program overview, and then spend the remainder of the time focus on effective strategies for facilitation, ‘Popular Education’ techniques and good strategies for reaching nontraditional audiences. You will learn: background and context for the Seed to Supper partnership between Master Gardeners and Oregon Food Bank, how Seed to Supper is organized and what the statewide satellite partnership responsibilities are and basic techniques and skills in leading community based education with low income beginning gardeners. Proven approaches for broadening the recruitment of your target audience.

6-C Saturday 3:00 – 4:15
Loving Alliums, Especially Garlic, Pat Patterson: We shall explore the “love ’em” or hate “em” Alliaceae with special emphasis on the edibles: Garlic, the stinking rose, a bit of history and use. Handouts!, Shallots, chives and onions, A quick look at how to grow and some types and uses. Alliums can be beautiful. Mostly pictures.

6-D1 Saturday 3:00 – 4:15
Growing Hydrangeas in the Home Landscape,  Heather Stoven: Hydrangeas are a popular shrub grown in many landscapes throughout the country. Grown for their attractive and showy blooms, these plants can add appeal to any garden. This presentation will address the different types of hydrangeas, their culture and maintenance, as well as tips for their success.

6-D2 Saturday 3:00 – 4:15
Seed Saving, Rose Marie Nichols: TBA

6-E Saturday 3:00 – 4:15
Rain Gardens: Maintenance and Plants, Part 2, Bruce Bennet: We discussed the environmental reasons to develop rain gardens in our own yards in the first part of this two-part discussion.  Perhaps some of us will go beyond just thinking about the benefits and actually build one!  In that case, what are some of the maintenance issues that could arise?  How do we overcome them?  Where do plants fit into the scheme of things and which ones provide the best bang for the buck?  You’ll enter the presentation with questions and leave with the answers and resources you need.

6-F Saturday 3:00 – 4:15 Workshop
Building Birdhouses, Seamus Ramirez: In this Rustic Birdhouse making workshop, the participant will pick a precut house (made from repurposed wood) to assemble with screws and a screwdriver. After you have assembled the house you will be able to pick from a large variety of items to decorate your own personal work of art. In this workshop you will learn to appreciate the primitive, the incomplete – yet finished, and the imperfect. Through this hands-on class you will begin to understand “Rustic” as a true art form. After this class you will have learned to slow down and to take the time to find beauty in what may seem ordinary and to turn the “ordinary” into something beautiful. Moreover, you will learn to smile when your work has flaws. Class limited to 15 participants, Fee: $15.00

6-G Saturday 3:00 – 4:15
Unusual Edibles, Phil Gouy: TBA

At-A-Glance
2018 G2
EVENT SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, July 12 TH
12:00 – 5:00 REGISTRATION and SILENT AUCTION “Drop Off” begins
5:30 – 7:00 Volunteer Appreciation Social on campus

FRIDAY, July 13 TH
7:30 – 12:00 REGISTRATION OPENS and SILENT AUCTION Drop OFF
8:30 – 10:00 Welcome, Keynote Speaker
10:00 – 10:15 Morning Break
10:15 – 11:30 Breakout Session 1
11:30 – 1:15 Lunch and Silent Auction Opens
1:15 – 2:30 Breakout Session 2 and Tours
2:30 – 3:00 Afternoon Break
3:00 – 4:15 Breakout Session 3 and Tours
5:30 – 6:30 Evening Social w/Live Music
6:30 – 9:00 Annual Awards Banquet

SATURDAY, July 14 TH
8:30 – 10:00 General Session with SFE Project Awards, State Coordinator Presentation
10:00 – 10:15 Morning Break
10:15 – 11:30 Breakout Session 4
11:30 – 1:15 Lunch and Silent Auction Closes
1:15 – 2:30 Breakout Session 5 and Tours
2:30 – 3:00 Afternoon Break
3:00 – 4:15 Breakout Session 6 and Tours
3:00 – 5:00 Silent Auction Claims