Cobb Fire Dept Extends Burn Ban Due to Drought

Straight from the website of Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services:

"In response to recent dry weather and drought conditions, the Cobb County Fire Marshal’s Office has instituted a temporary ban on outdoor burning to include the burning of yard debris. Beginning October 28, 2016, leaves, pine straw, and other yard debris may not be burned until the ban is lifted.

The ban is expected to be lifted when significant rainfall is received and notification will be sent out when burning may resume. The Fire Marshal’s Office will also stop the issuance of Large Yard Waste and Bonfire permits during this time."

Georgia Pesticide License Review

A review of the materials for the Georgia Pesticide General Standards and Category 24 Ornamental and Turf pesticide license exams will be offered in Cobb County on October 25, 2016.

When: Tuesday, October 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Cobb County Extension, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta,  GA, 30060, second floor classroom

Registration fee: $15

To register, please call 770-228-7214 or email bhorne@uga.edu 

or register online through UGA's Marketplace.

Plant Trees and Shrubs in Big-Enough Holes

Many trees and shrubs are transplanted most successfully in the cool months of October through April. However, even the most wonderfully healthy plant will struggle if it is set into an inadequate or improperly prepared hole in the ground.

In the publication "Soil Preparation and Planting Procedures for Ornamental Plants in the Landscape," UGA's Gary Wade says that a big enough hole will be "at least twice as wide as the root ball" and only about as deep as that same root ball.

The temptation is to add compost or other organic amendments to break up the red clay that is in many of our yards. Wade says, though, that all that organic matter "can act like a sponge in the planting hole, absorbing and holding too much moisture and causing the roots to stay too wet."

He says that, instead, it is best to pack the same soil removed from the hole back in around the root ball. Be sure to remove and wires or burlap before planting, eliminate air pockets by watering-in the plant, and apply mulch in a doughnut-like circle around the plant to protect it from weeds and lawn-mower damage.

New Local Food Grant from Food Well Alliance

Food Well Alliance has scheduled an information session to be held at Cobb Extension about its next Local Food Grant.

The session will be Monday, August 23, 10:00 a.m., at Cobb Extension, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, 30060, in the second floor classroom. This is in the white, metal, 2-story building that shares a parking lot with the Tag Office and is across the street from MNI Nurseries.

See the flyer below:

Green Industry Update, June 9

A Green Industry Update is scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2016 at Chattahoochee Tech. in Marietta, GA.

Re-certification Credits: Category 24 = 2 hours; ISA = 2 hours; Private = 1 hour

The program begins at 9:00 a.m. and features Dr. Alfredo Martinez speaking about Turfgrass Disease Management, Ben Copeland speaking about the New Bermudagrass 'TifTuf', and Brian Watters speaking about Irrigation Troubleshooting and Management.

The location is Room F-2147 (in building F) at Chattahoochee Technical College
980 South Cobb Drive
Marietta, GA 30060

The fee is $15, and can be paid in advance. To register, call Beth Horne at 770-228-7214, or email bhorne@uga.edu. You can also send payment (check made out to University of Georgia) and registration information including the name and date of the program, your address and contact information, and any dietary concerns or restrictions to the following address:

Center for Urban Agriculture
Attn; Beth Horne
1109 Experiment Street BAE #109
Griffin, GA 30223

School Garden Teacher Training Sessions Set

UGA is offering school garden teacher training sessions again this year to help teachers get the most out of their school gardens.

Two sessions, one in Cartersville (Thursday, June 16) and one in Savannah (Monday, June 13), will cover the basics of  healthy soil, planting for the school calendar, food safety, and pest management, along with lesson plans for use in the garden.

An additional session for teachers with more experience in the garden, to take place in Marietta (Tuesday, June 21st), will cover pollinator spaces, composting, more on food safety, grant writing, and advanced planting techniques.

All sessions include the following:

• Online education
• Learning experiments to be completed at home
• In person workshop taught by Extension professionals
• Participants will receive a certificate of completion
• Network with other educators and subject experts

 The $30 fee for each session includes the at-home learning package, lunch on the workshop day, and workshop materials.

Additional information about dates, times, and class content, and links for registration for the 3 training sessions is on the School Garden Teacher Training webpage of the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture.

NOTE: Georgia Organics is offering scholarships for each training location, for the first five teachers from schools that earned a Golden Radish award. If registering from a Golden Radish school, please contact Becky Griffin (beckygri@uga.edu ) prior to registering.

Master Gardener Plant Sale April 22-23

Looking for special plants and yard accessories to enhance your landscape, support pollinators, and/or provide delicious fruit? The Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County (MGVOCC) have set the date for this spring's plant sale and fair, and all of the above (and more!) will be offered.

In addition to proceeds from the "Through the Garden Gate" garden tour that is held the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend, the Garden Fair and Plant Sale provides funds that support MGVOCC projects across the county, including community and school gardens, demonstration and historic gardens, and educational speaker series.

The Garden Fair and Plant Sale will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 22-23, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location will be the Equestrian Center at Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road, SW, Marietta, GA 30080. Admission is Free.

The basics:

Monarchs Across Georgia will be selling milkweed and other host and nectar plants for pollinators at this event.
 

This free event will feature hundreds of plants from the gardens of Cobb County Master Gardeners, as well as some wonderful offerings from our specialty vendors.  Featured items include ferns, hostas, fruit trees, native plants, perennials, annuals, herbs, compost, sod, rain barrels, yard art & sculptures, trellises, planters, birdhouses, botanical apparel and so much more. 

For additional information and a list of vendors, visit the website of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County.

Upcoming Events and Classes

A Few of My Favorite Things: Native and Non-Native Plants

Tuesday, March 8, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Presented by Master Gardener Carmen Cudd as part of the Gardeners Night Out series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  At Mountain View Regional Library, 3320 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA, 30066.

Thyme to Read Book Club

Friday, March 11, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. This month’s book is Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, by Ben Montgomery.  At the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Small is the New Big: Small Gardens with Impact

Friday, March 11, noon – 1:00 p.m. Presented by Pam Bohlander as part of the Lunch and Learn series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  At the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Vegetable Garden Seminar

Saturday, March 12, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Joint presentation by Extension offices of Douglas and Cobb counties and the Douglas County Master Gardeners will cover plant selection and seed starting for the vegetable garden. Lithia Springs United Methodist Church, in the Fellowship Hall, 3711 Temple St, Lithia Springs, GA 30122. $6 fee.

Bluebird Trail Walk

Saturday, March 19, 10:00 a.m. – noon. Learn about bluebird conservation with trail founder and Cobb Master Gardener Jim Bearden, in association with the Atlanta Science Festival. On the 2.3-mile Bluebird Trail at Green Meadow Preserve Park, at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA, 30127.

Cherokee Medicinal Plants

Saturday, March 19, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Learn about traditional Cherokee uses of plants in medicine with Cobb Master Gardener and garden founder Tony Harris, in association with the Atlanta Science Festival. At the Cherokee Garden at Green Meadow Preserve Park, at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA, 30127.

Grow Your Own Food: From the Ground Up

Tuesday, March 29, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Presented by UGA horticulturist Bob Westerfield. This is the first class of a four-part series. Class Fee for series is $35. Preregistration by March 15 is required. All classes to be held in the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. For information call 770-528-4070.

 

Grow Your Own Food: What to Plant When

Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Second class of a four-part series. Presented by Amy Whitney, Cobb Extension staff member and Cobb Master Gardener. Class Fee for series is $35. Preregistration required by March 15. All classes to be held in the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. For information call 770-528-4070.

Tomatoes 101: From the Turtle to the Table

Thursday, April 7, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Presented by Renae Lemon, Cobb Extension staff member and Cobb Master Gardener, at Kemp Memorial Library, 4029 Due West Rd NW, Marietta, GA 30064.

Thyme to Read Book Club

Friday, April 8, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. This month’s book is Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, by Marta McDowell. At the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Sow Now, Reap Later: Spring Garden Planning

Friday, April 8, noon – 1:00 p.m. Presented by Amy Whitney, Cobb Extension staff member and Cobb Master Gardener, as part of the Lunch and Learn series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  At the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive. Marietta, GA, 30060 (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Planning Your Spring Vegetable Garden

Tuesday, April 12, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Presented by Master Gardener Sandra Moore as part of the Gardeners Night Out series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  At South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton, 30126.

Grow Your Own Food: When Bad Things Happen to Good Plants

Tuesday, April 19, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Third class of a four-part series. Presented by Kim Toal, Fayette County Extension agent. Class Fee for series is $35. Preregistration required by March 15. All classes to be held in the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060.  (Final session, "Into the Kitchen," will be held on May 3, same time and place.) For information call 770-528-4070.

Upcoming Events and Classes

Suburban Home Vegetable Garden

Tuesday, February 9, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Master Gardener Vicki Baroni will tell how families can grow vegetables and some fruits with ease. Part of the Gardeners Night Out series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  At West Cobb Regional Library, 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane NW, Kennesaw, 30152.

Thyme to Read Book Club

Friday, February 12, 10:15 – 11:30 a.m. This month’s book is The Scent of Scandal: Greed, Betrayal, and the World’s Most Beautiful Orchid, by Craig Pittman. In the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Compost and Soil Amendments

Friday, February 12, noon – 1:00 p.m. Learn how poor soil can be turned into plant-friendly soil with Master Gardener Eddie Rhoades. Part of the Lunch and Learn series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  In the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Seed Starting Workshop

Tuesday, February 23, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Learn how to start vegetable garden transplants from seeds, with Master Gardener and Cobb Extension staff member Amy Whitney.  In the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060.

North Georgia Gardening Symposium

Thursday, February 25, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For homeowners, Master Gardeners, and landscape professionals. Re-certification credits available: 3 hours for category 24, 1 hour for Private pesticide applicators, 5 CEUs for ISA Arborist (A) and Municipal (M). Chattahoochee Technical College, North Metro Campus, Building D, Room 400, 5198 Ross Rd., Acworth, GA, 30102. Program cost $35 includes lunch and breaks. Register by February 22 at 770-528-4550, or online.

Orchids 101

Thursday, March 3, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Presented by Master Gardener Sondra Nierenberg, this is the first of three presentations in an Orchid Care series. In the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Second class is "Orchid Diseases" on March 10, same time; third class is "Re-potting Orchids", March 24, same time. Registration and $15 class fee (for 1 or all in series) are due to the Cobb Extension office by Feb. 20.

A Few of My Favorite Things: Native and Non-Native Plants

Tuesday, March 8, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Learn about favorite native and non-native plants for home landscapes with Master Gardener Carmen Cudd. Part of the Gardeners Night Out series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  At Mountain View Regional Library, 3320 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA, 30066.

Orchid Diseases

Thursday, March 10, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Second of three presentations in the Orchid Care series. In the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060.
Registration and $15 class fee (for 1 or all in series) are due to the Cobb Extension office by Feb. 20.

Thyme to Read Book Club

Friday, March 11, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. This month’s book is Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, by Ben Montgomery.  In  the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Small is the New Big: Small Gardens with Impact

Friday, March 11, noon – 1:00 p.m. Learn how to have a home garden that lives large regardless of size with Master Gardener Pam Bohlander. Part of the Lunch and Learn series of Cobb Master Gardeners.  In  the Training Room of the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).

Vegetable Garden Seminar

Saturday, March 12, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by Cobb and Douglas County Extension offices and Douglas County Master Gardeners, this seminar covers plant selection and seed starting for the vegetable garden. Lithia Springs United Methodist Church, in the Fellowship Hall, 3711 Temple St, Lithia Springs, GA 30122. Advance registration and $6 fee are requested. For information, call 770-948-5429.

Bluebird Trail Walk

Saturday, March 19, 10:00 a.m. – noon. Presented by Master Gardener Jim Bearden in association with the Atlanta Science Festival. On the 2.3-mile Bluebird Trail at Green Meadow Preserve Park, at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA, 30127.

Cherokee Medicinal Plants

Saturday, March 19, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Presented by Master Gardener Tony Harris in association with the Atlanta Science Festival. At the Cherokee Garden at Green Meadow Preserve Park, at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA, 30127.

Re-potting Orchids

Thursday, March 24, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Third of three presentations in the Orchid Care series. In the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060.
Registration and $15 class fee (for 1 or all in series) are due to the Cobb Extension office by Feb. 20. 

Grow Your Own Food: From the Ground Up

Tuesday, March 29, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Taught by UGA Horticulture Specialist Bob Westerfield. This is the first class of a four-part series. Class Fee for series is $35. Preregistration and payment by March 15 are required. All classes to be held in the second floor classroom at UGA Extension/Cobb County, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Call 770-528-4070 for information about the series.