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
Seed Saving
All the Dirt on Native Seed Collecting - Join Charles County Master Gardeners 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 and storing seeds from native plants.
Winter Sowing
All the Dirt on Winter Sowing - Join Charles County Master Gardeners 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 PowerPoint Presentation.
All the Dirt on Winter Sowing Native Plants - Join Charles County Master Gardeners 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 Charles County Master Gardener Molly Moore.
Vegetable Garden Planning – In this PowerPoint edition of the Charles County Master Gardener 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 Charles County Master Gardener GIEI Education Project, the team covers general problems of vegetable gardens, common problems of tomatoes, common problems of other vegetables, and provide a substantial list of resources.
Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening - All you need to know about starting a vegetable garden and maximizing 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.
Garden Anywhere - Container gardening allows you to grow vegetables and flowers anywhere, no matter how small your space.
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 caring for your lawn and winning 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 have seriously degraded our soil. Learn how you can build back healthy soil to improve your garden and the environment.
Regenerative Gardening - Growing food successfully and sustainably in a changing climate - How to grow your garden to adapt to already occurring 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 storm water 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
Just for Kids - Activity Books
Just for Kids - Videos
Just for Kids - Additional Websites
Butterfly Garden and Habitat Program - Learn how to start a butterfly garden, select plants that invite adult butterflies to your garden to feed.
Good Bugs and Bad Bugs Student Booklet
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.
Just for Parents and Educators
Maryland Department of Agriculture - Publishes 8 brochures on helpful topics for homeowners. Download and scan the QR codes or visit their website for more information.
U.S. Forest Teacher Resources - Factsheets and activities on Plants Alive, What is a wildflower, Wildflower Parts, Pollinators, Bees as Pollinators, State Flowers in MD , Butterfly garden and Habitat program and much more.
NC State Extension Grow For It Curriculum
Soil Science Society of America Teachers Resources
USDA National Resources Conservation Service
USDA National Resources Conservation Service Soils - Activities to teach kids about our land, soil, and conservation