Charles ENR

Charles County Master Gardener Resources

The Compost Newsletter

THE COMPOST is published quarterly and distributed to our membership. It contains timely gardening information and articles on Master Gardener projects in the county. Sign up to receive this newsletter.

Master Gardener Videos, Webinars, and Classes

Defensive Gardening

Landscape Design for Defensive Gardening - Charles County Home Horticulture Educator Julia Rycyna partnered with Security professional Michelle Caracaus Long of Security by Design Consulting LLC to present on landscape and environmental design and how to use these practices for crime prevention.

During the presentation, we discussed using some of the plants listed on the UME webpage Plants for Mixed Privacy Screens. A handout on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Principles was also provided. You can also view and download the handout.

Seed Saving

All the Dirt on Native Seed Collecting - Join Master Gardeners of Charles County Molly Moore and Marlene Smith in this recorded presentation as they introduce 10 simple steps to ethical native seed collecting, and share their personal experiences. You can also view and download the PowerPoint Presentation. This presentation is based on the Lake County Seed Collection Guide for Native Gardeners.

Veggie Seed Saving - How to collect, process, and store seeds from different vegetable families.

Native Plant Seed Saving - Techniques for selecting, collecting,g and storing seeds from native plants.   

Winter Sowing

All the Dirt on Winter Sowing - Join Master Gardeners of Charles County Molly Moore and Marlene Smith in this recorded presentation as they introduce 10 simple steps to winter sowing and share their personal experiences.

You can also view and download the PowerPoint Presentation.

All the Dirt on Winter Sowing Native Plants - Join Master Gardeners of Charles County Molly Moore and Marlene Smith in this recorded presentation of their live workshop held on January 7, 2023, at our extension office in Bel Alton. They cover the “what and why” of native plants, share their 10 simple steps to winter sowing, and share their personal experiences with native plant gardens.

You can also view and download the PowerPoint Presentation.

All the Dirt on Winter Sowing Veggies, Herbs, Annuals & Natives (2024) - In this updated edition of "All the Dirt on Winter Sowing" series, Master Gardeners Molly Moore and Marlene Smith provide updated information on the winter sowing method for germinating seeds. They also include lessons learned from the experiences of other Master Gardeners and expand on companion planting of native plants in the vegetable garden.

All the Dirt on Winter Sowing Veggies, Herbs, Annuals & Natives (2023) – In this PowerPoint edition of their “All the Dirt on Winter Sowing” series, Master Gardeners Molly Moore and Marlene Smith showcase the what, why, when, and how of the popular winter sowing method of germinating seeds. This time, they include vegetables, herbs, annuals,, and natives, along with their experiences and outcomes with companion planting in the vegetable garden, as well as some of projects that use the winter sowing method.

Gardening

Starting a Garden - Learn to start a garden from scratch—in the ground,  containers, or raised beds—in this Charles County government video with University of Maryland Extension’s Kaitlyn Baligush and Master Gardener of Charles County Molly Moore.

Vegetable Garden Planning – In this PowerPoint edition of the Master Gardener of Charles County GIEI Education Project team’s new series, Michelle Chenault, Beth Grem, Lori Guido, Kathy Jenkins, and Meg MacDonald cover the four P’s of vegetable gardening: Planning the site; Preparing/testing the soil;, Planting/selecting food crops; and Producing/maintaining a vegetable garden.

Vegetable Garden Problems - In this PowerPoint edition of the Master Gardener of Charles County GIEI Education Project, the team covers general vegetable garden problems, common tomato problems, common problems for other vegetables, and provides a substantial list of resources.

Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening - Learn what you need to know to start a vegetable garden and maximize your harvest, from selecting your plants to succession planting for longer growing seasons.

Plant This, Not That! - Learn about great native plants that you can substitute for common invasive plants from botanist and Washington County Master Gardener Ann Aldrich.

Adding Native Plants to Your Landscape - How to incorporate more native flowers and other plants into your garden and yard to support local wildlife and pollinators.

Unique Fruit for Home Landscapes - Fruit trees and bushes can add ornamental interest and culinary value. In other words, you can have your landscape and eat it, too!

Small Fruit for the Home Garden - Dig deeper into the best varieties of small fruiting trees and plants for Maryland gardens.

Building raised beds - How-to steps for building and filling your raised beds.

School & Youth Gardens

Growing Healthy Youth Gardens - How to plan a school or youth garden and engage kids at every step.

Lawn

Lawn Basics - Turf expert Geoff Rinehart teaches the basics of lawn care and how to win the battle against pesky weeds.

Sustainability & Climate

Composting - Easy steps to composting at home and creating your own gardening “black gold.”

Healthy Soil - Conventional methods for agriculture and landscaping methods have seriously degraded our soil. Learn how you can build back healthy soil to improve your garden and the environment.

Regenerative Gardening - Grow food successfully and sustainably in a changing climate. Learn how to adapt your garden to ongoing climate change while helping reduce future climate change.

Regenerative Landscaping - Learn how to create beautiful residential, commercial, and municipal landscapes that will reduce carbon emissions, improve soil health, help manage stormwater, and save money.    

Climate Change & Native Plants - How climate change is affecting native plants in our region and what that means for your garden.

Other Resources

University of Maryland Extension - Charles County YouTube channel

Bugwood Image Database

Plant of the Week - U.S. Forest Service

Plant of the Week - Natural Resource Conservation Resources

          

Just for Kids - Activity Books, Videos, & Websites

Activity Books

Videos

Websites

Butterfly Garden and Habitat Program - Learn how to start a butterfly garden, select plants that invite adult butterflies to your garden to feed.

Plants and Animals -  Learn about Native Plants  and Pollinators

U.S. Department of Agriculture Kids Activities - You can play a role in protecting our nation’s crops, forests, parks and trees from hungry pests! Enjoy these games and activities as you learn more about invasive species, and ways you can help stop their spread.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Kids Activity Book - What does the word “agriculture mean to you? Activities to teach kids about farming, livestock, and how farmers provide food for the world. 

Wildflower Kids Activities  

 

Just for Parents and Educators