President’s Letter – August 2025

Dear fellow Master Gardeners and Interns,

The end of summer and early fall will offer plenty of opportunities to make a difference! 

In July, we welcomed the 2025 intern class into our ranks. Please be sure to encourage our newest volunteers as they contribute to our programs and gain experience.

From August 8-16, it's all hands on deck volunteering at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg.

In September, while our traditional Garden Discovery Day at the Fairgrounds has been canceled, some modified versions of gardening classes for children have been developed. These Garden Workshops will take place over several Saturdays and Sundays in September at the Derwood Demo Garden. Planning is moving quickly on a variety of activities for children, so be on the lookout for more information about this volunteer opportunity.

We will welcome 4th graders to Derwood in October for Close Encounters with Agriculture. Children will rotate through learning stations covering barn animals, plants and nutrition, and environmental sciences. It's a great chance for MGs to learn something new and work with many of the UMD Extension staff. We will need lots of volunteers to help with student instruction and many other duties. Watch for more detailed information in August and September.

As we look ahead to 2026, the MG board is actively seeking MGs or interns who are interested in serving our organization in a leadership role. Please consider volunteering your time and talents to help lead our board, programs, committees, or task forces. For more information, please please refer to the separate announcement on this topic in this month’s newsletter.

Sincerely, 

Linda

Have Your Landscape Bay-Wise Certified

By MG Buffy Elliott

One of the easiest ways you can support public education about the protection of our waterways starts in your own neighborhood – by having your property Bay-Wise certified. Since its inception in 1996, the Bay-Wise Program, sponsored by the University of Maryland Extension, has shined a spotlight on voluntary, ecologically sound practices residents can take to help protect the Chesapeake Bay and local waterways. Master Gardeners statewide have certified 3,024 client landscapes and 301 nonresidential landscapes over the years. A Bay-Wise certification site visit takes 1½ hours maximum, and is a fun and inspirational process.

MGs Linda Barrett, Michaela Barnes,
and Carol Roman

Take the case of a recent Bay-Wise site visit to fellow MG Michaela Barnes’ residence. MG President Linda Barrett, Bay-Wise apprentice MG Carol Roman, and I met briefly in front of the property. With the former Bay-Wise “Yardstick” metric in hand, we toured the Barnes property. Michaela explained her family’s history at the location, including the invasive plants such as English ivy (Hedera helix) and Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) that she and her husband removed years ago. Today, the Barnes property hosts more than 50 different native plants. We marveled at the pollinator garden in their sunny front yard, and the use of Packera aurea in the side yard to manage a tight property line between neighbors.

Around back, we noted their compost bins and well-fenced vegetable garden, and took in the space they use to manage and recycle fallen leaves. Michaela’s strategy for leaving the leaves (and even the leaves of some of her neighbors) means she always has rich compost to turn back into her garden. We discussed water management, from directing downspouts to divert water into flower beds to the consideration of a rain barrel. Strolling through a shady side garden with a zen vibe, we admired a clever DIY water feature created by Michaela’s husband, David, to support wildlife. Lawn practices were discussed, from mowing high with an electric mower to allowing some clover and wild violets for more diversity. Michaela talked of future projects and the decision to keep their mature Natchez crape myrtles, which fill her upstairs windows with a view of gorgeous white blooms.

After the yard tour, we sat down to methodically review each of the sections of the Bay-Wise evaluation tool. We talked about the rebranding of the evaluation tool itself, as we move from the “Yardstick” to the revised Maryland Living Landscapes Metric.  Having more than met the requirements for certification, paperwork was signed and we received a small donation to cover the expenses of the sign. Back outside in the flower-filled front yard, we grabbed a quick photo with Michaela and her new sign. And, because this was a Master Gardener landscape, once the official visit was over, Michaela passed on a few native plants to her guests: lyre-leaved sage (Salvia lyrata), woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus), and tall thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana). Now, doesn’t that sound like fun?  

MG Michaela Barnes

MGs who are certified as Bay-Wise have the distinction of receiving a special sign when the Bay-Wise team comes to call. Beyond certification, signage with the term “demonstration landscape” gives MGs a little more gravitas and motivation to help spread the word. As of now, 26 Montgomery County MGs have had their landscapes certified as Bay-Wise Demonstration Landscapes. We can easily double that number in a year’s time if more MGs download the metric and submit a request for a site visit. Be assured that each Bay-Wise certification visit is a no judgment zone. The site visit is all about encouragement and education, meeting people where they are.

Is your landscape Bay-Wise? The Bay-Wise program is active through the fall. A team of Bay-Wise trained MGs is standing by to add your property to our growing list.

August 2025 MG Recognitions

By MG Linda Barrett

This month we honor the organizing efforts of multiple Montgomery County Master Gardeners for various educational events.  

MGs Jeanette D’Amour and Joel Patton are the co-chairs of the Gaithersburg Library Plant Clinic. Jeanette and Joel are being recognized for their partnership with the library. They helped secure MG speakers for adult garden talks, as well as MG presenters for workshops on garden topics for kids.

Photo: MG Linda Barrett

MG Sue Kuklewicz stepped in to help coordinate the Community Events committee this spring. She
solicited MGs and interns to staff MG tables and answer gardening questions at several recent events.

Below from left to right, MGs Lana Shea, Mikhail Kozlov, Todd Montgomery, and Mercy Luhanga (not pictured), as well as MG Interns Mimi Abdu and Dominique Lorang-Leins are being recognized for their volunteer work with Urban Gardening. Lana is a co-chair of the committee and helps coordinate people and topics for monthly demonstration workshops. Mikhail transports the tent and tables each month to the Silver Spring Farmers Market. Mimi has volunteered for several events and is a fabulous intern volunteer. Todd led a session on mosquito prevention; Mercy led one on container gardens; while Dominique was one of the leads for our water garden session. 

Thanks to all of our dedicated volunteers!

MGs Glean Vegetables and Flowers in July

By MG Robin Kogelnik

Throughout the growing season, Master Gardeners regularly visit Red Wiggler Community Farm and other local farms to gather fruits and vegetables for donation to organizations dedicated to reducing food insecurity in the county. On July 2, 2025, a small group of MGs gathered brassicas as well as flowers.  Here are MGs Linda Barrett, Tom Stahl, and Melanie Zeck at Red Wiggler Community Farm. 

We gleaned three kinds of kale and collard greens. Summer apprentices at Red Wiggler assisted with the gleaning.

We also picked sunflowers and zinnias.

The gleaned brassicas and flowers were all donated to Manna Food Center and Vietnamese American Services.

All photos: MG Robin Kogelnik

Sourcing Plants from Unexpected Places

By MG Pat Kenny

On an impulse, I recently bought some healthy looking basil plants that were crowded in a pot for sale at Trader Joe's for $4.49. I was inspired to see what I could do with them! Could they be transferred to the garden? I hope my adventure may be of interest to my fellow Master Gardeners.

The basil I bought appeared to be Ocimum basilicum 'Genovese', a popular green garden basil. It is not known for its resistance to the wind-spread downy mildew, but we shall see how it does this summer. Here are the steps I took after I got it home:

June 18: I watered the pot, unpotted the plants, wrapped the rootball paper in a towel soaked in drained water, and harvested the top leaf clusters for dinner. I hoped that topping the crowded plants would slow above-ground foliage production and encourage them to concentrate on new roots. I began loosening the root ball with gentle hand massage and use of a fork. Then I rewrapped it and protected it outdoors in a dark, high tunnel.

June 19: I did more gentle but determined work with the fork to make space between the plants and find the ones with the thickest stems. Then I gently laid the strongest seedlings on a damp paper towel. I figured they could grow new roots if separated into their own pots and nurtured for a while before being transplanted into garden soil or larger pots. 

June 19: I potted these individually into potting soil amended with some perlite to mimic the original growing medium. When potting or planting basils and many other mint family members, the lower leaves are gently removed and the plant is settled lower in the soil to develop roots at those sites. I watered the chosen 13 plants with a little warm water from above to allow root-soil contact and also spritzed them a bit. Then they were allowed to rest in a dark, cool basement overnight.

June 20: I set the newly potted plants in trays under lights in a warm half-attic crawl space for a day. I watered with about 1/2-inch water from below only.

June 21: The seedlings were set outdoors in shade for a while, because fresh air and breezes are known to strengthen plant tissues. The next day I moved them to bright partial shade. 

July 11: The plants were moved to new locations, some in clay pots, some in plastic pots, and some in garden soil to compare growth and watering needs under different conditions. Notice the new top growth, showing that the plants have firmed up a bit. The tallest seedling was chosen for a special plastic pot, with surface stones added in an attempt to discourage diggers. 

The first serious harvest was to happen soon afterward, taking a good 1/3 to 1/2 of the above-ground plants. The strongest plants were shared with neighbors, while the less robust ones were used in culinary creations.

I've had my fun with this experiment—I feel fulfilled!

All photos: MG Pat Kenny

President’s Letter – July 2025

By MG Linda Barrett

Hi everyone, 

While recent weather may have contributed to some soggy gardens, Master Gardeners have been keeping busy with a variety of activities. In case you’ve missed any monthly MG meetings, keep in mind that we record the meeting announcements and speakers. These recordings can be accessed using the Monthly Meetings and Events page on the MCMG website. 

During the month of May, 50 first graders visited the Derwood Demonstration Garden. After dividing the students into groups, Garden Educators read them a story, led garden tours, and provided lessons on soil and beans. The children loved “Ms. Pam” (MG Pam Hosimer, University of Maryland Extension Snap-Ed coordinator and MG co-chair of the Garden Educators) and all the Garden Educators. One little girl said, “I love the garden.”

We had a wonderful Spring Potluck Picnic at Derwood on Thursday, June 5. The food was outstanding, and it was great to sit and chat with friends. We distributed five, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service pins at the picnic. If you missed picking up your pin, check the Ballard Room at Derwood for your pin. If you’ve asked Steve for a new MG badge, those are also available in the Ballard Room on the bookshelf.

We held our first planning meeting on June 12 for a 2026 Spring Gardening event. Educational activities will focus on the Derwood Demo Garden and also feature information tables on a variety of garden topics. Planning will continue over the summer and details should be available in the fall.

Our new intern class started on Monday, June 2. Classes are in person on Mondays and online on Wednesdays from 9 am-3 pm. The Intern Job Fair was held on Monday, June 23 from 1:50-2:50 pm. Committees created informational displays and interns signed up for activities that they might be interested in to fulfill their volunteer service requirement. 

Looking ahead, we have four large-scale volunteer opportunities coming up soon:

• The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is August 8-16. MGs and interns will sign up for three-hour shifts at the fair.

• Garden Discovery Day will be held on Saturday, September 27 at the Fairgrounds. Children of all ages are invited to engage in garden related classes. Lots of MGs and interns will be needed to help with logistics, teaching classes, and assisting with classes. 

• Harvest Festival is Saturday, October 4 and we will have garden tours, Tussie Mussies, and several information tables set up.

• Close Encounters with Agriculture will be held four days a week throughout the month of October. MGs and interns will be needed for logistics, teaching classes, shepherding kids, etc.

I truly appreciate everyone's commitment to the MCMG mission and hope that you will volunteer for some of the upcoming activities. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Linda

2025 Interns Tour Derwood Demo Garden

 By MG Dave Ottalini

MCMG Intern Class of 2025
Photo: MG Linda Barrett

The 2025 class of Master Gardener Interns got a close-up tour of the Derwood Demonstration Garden during their class on Wednesday, June 11. This was the first time we’ve been able to provide such a tour, with the class moving to a daytime hybrid in-person/Zoom format. Led by Demo Garden co-directors MGs Mary Jo Eagan and Wendy Thomas and a number of other current MGs, the class was broken down into smaller groups and taken through all the areas of the garden, including the shade garden, vegetables, trees and shrubs, composting, therapeutic horticulture, herb and aromatic garden, kitchen garden, children’s garden, water garden (the frogs were croaking beautifully for everyone!) and the butterfly garden. As a bonus, the interns got to taste fresh blueberries and snap peas!

Photos: MG Dave Ottalini

MGs Host Learning Events for Scouts

By MG Alison Edwards

MG Hank Keegan

Montgomery County Master Gardeners were instrumental in providing educational support to local Scouting programs in May 2025. MG Hank Keegan, who has been involved in Scouting for many years as Cub Master, Scout Master, and Merit Badge Counselor for Gardening and Plant Science, took on a leading role in two events, one for a Cub Scout den and one for Boy Scouts.  

Cub Scout Event

Photo: Anna-Maria Travis

In early May, a group of six Kindergarten-aged Cub Scouts, each accompanied by a parent, visited the Derwood Demonstration Garden as part of their scouting activities. Hank engaged the young scouts in learning about where food comes from, how plants grow, and the basics of gardening. The scouts toured the garden and historic barn, and they also planted seeds in self-watering flower pots they had previously crafted. The visit fulfilled multiple Cub Scout educational requirements, including visiting a garden, learning about different gardening methods, discussing the basic skills needed for gardening, and planting some seeds. MCMG received an effusive note of thanks from the Cub Master for Hank’s assistance in providing the kids a memorable experience.

Boy Scout Event

MCMG Coordinator Steve Dubik
speaks to Scouts
Photo: MG Hank Keegan

On May 17, a Boy Scout event was held at Derwood as part of the Gardening Merit Badge program under the legacy Grow It Eat It program. Eight scouts participated in a comprehensive day of learning, covering topics such as water gardening, beekeeping, nutrition, gardening safety, and composting. Hank led the event, with support from MG Maxine Glazer, who led the composting discussion, and MG Dave Ottalini, who talked about pollinators and distributed wildflower seeds. The group also heard from Montgomery College Professor Raymond Bosmans, who led the water gardening discussion. The scouts toured the Demonstration Garden and visited the UMD Extension Office, where they met MCMG Coordinator Steve Dubik.

Thanks to Hank and all of the folks involved in these events for expanding the scouts’ understanding of sustainable gardening practices and environmental stewardship.

White Oak Day 2025 Serves Community

By MG Alison Edwards

MG Kat Kahn accepts
County Council proclamation

Montgomery County Master Gardeners’ participation in White Oak Day 2025 contributed to another huge success, with MGs distributing over 900 vegetable, herb, and pollinator-friendly flower seedlings to local residents, dispensing gardening advice, giving tours of the White Oak Youth Garden, and piquing kids’ interest in gardening with a planting activity. This was the culmination of a large volunteer-powered effort begun months earlier by HarvestShare with significant support from MGs. During the event, MG Cat Kahn received a County Council proclamation recognizing HarvestShare’s contributions to the people of Montgomery County—a testament to the program’s impact.

Preparing the Ground

Each year, HarvestShare launches preparations for White Oak Day by recruiting MGs and other local volunteers to start seeds, with a focus on supporting food production. The volunteers transplant seedlings into larger pots as needed, harden them off, and prepare them for donation. Seedlings require 6 to 10 weeks of nurturing and are carefully timed to be ready for dropoff to HarvestShare by mid-May. At least 22 MGs participated in the seed starting aspect of the effort this year; more than 40 total individuals contributed plants, including extra starts from their personal gardens.  

MG's Valerie Button, Sue Kuklewicz, Mary Lou Johnson, 
Linda Weiss with sign recognizing seed donors
Photo: MG Cat Kahn

MG Linda Weiss sorts seedlings
Photo: MG Cat Kahn 

Some of these seedlings were distributed to county residents, community gardens, and HarvestShare food production gardens that donate surplus produce back to the community through HarvestShare. Plants that weren’t immediately distributed were housed in HarvestShare’s pop-up greenhouse, where they received daily care until the giveaway event. As they grew, managing them became a monumental task—imagine trying to contain an 18-inch tomato plant in a tiny pot! (This is why volunteers are asked to put seedlings in 4-inch pots.)

The MCMG event leads, MGs Cat Kahn, Sue Kuklewicz, and Emma Brennan, worked closely with the White Oak Recreation Center staff to plan logistics, including equipment, layout, and scheduling. They then recruited volunteers to help with setting up tents and tables, sorting and organizing hundreds of plants, and providing educational support to attendees. Cat notes that MG educators are easy to recruit as this is a highly rewarding—even if exhausting—event.

The Big Day

On June 7, 2025, White Oak Day came to life. Volunteers helped transport the seedlings to the Recreation Center site and organize them for easy selection. MGs then assisted county residents in selecting plants tailored to their gardening conditions, experience level, and culinary preferences. Some 178 families from 22 different zip codes received plants in the giveaway. Concurrently with the plant giveaway, children enjoyed a planting activity with volunteers, and visitors learned more about the youth-oriented activities at the White Oak Youth Garden. Some of the day's MG volunteers are pictured below.

L-R: Terese Bouey, Alan Black (local farmer and HS volunteer), Sally Swift, Sue Kuklewicz, Val Button, Mary Lou Johnson, Alison Edwards, Cat Kahn, Kara Singh, Emma Brennan, Linda Weiss, Enko Csikos, Ellen Mann

Photo: MG Linda Barrett 

Cat, Sue, and Emma expressed their heartfelt thanks to all of the MG volunteers who devoted time and energy to delivering a huge benefit to the community at White Oak Day.