Continuing Education

Tickets are sold out, but you can join the waitlist. 

Event date: Wednesday, September 27 from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Event location: Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093

Join University of Maryland Extension Food Gardening Specialist Jon Traunfeld for a seed-saving workshop in the University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Learning Garden at the State Fairgrounds! There will be flowers and veggies available in the garden to practice what you learn. All materials will be provided. Please bring a water bottle and lunch for yourself. We will be spending some extra time after the training to harvest and save seeds from the garden to hand out at next year's State Fair!

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before September 13, 2023.

Event date: Friday, October 13 from 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM

Event location: Baltimore County Extension Office, 1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030

Kokedama is a ball of soil covered with moss on which an ornamental plant grows. The idea has its origins in Japan where Kokedama are very popular. Kokedama is a style of Japanese bonsai, where a plant's root system is simply wrapped in moss and bound with string, transforming it into a sculptural art form. Loosely translated, ‘koke’ means moss, and ‘dama’ means ball. The original Japanese form of Kokedama had miniature sculptured bonsai trees displayed on handmade pottery or pieces of driftwood.

Young Choe is a kusamono artist who studied traditional art in her native Korea before moving to the United States and earning her BS in horticulture from the University of Maryland. While volunteering at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, she brought her artistic talent together with her knowledge of horticulture to create kusamono. As her interest developed, Young traveled to Japan to study the unique art form with the master kusamono artist, Keiko Yamane, a former student of Saburo Kato. She worked for many years with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) including the U.S. National Arboretum. Young is considered a leader in the field and enjoys conducting workshops and lectures nationally as well as internationally.

UME MGs: Use the code UME_MG_Koko_Ticket during your Eventbrite registration to receive a discount on your ticket!

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before September 29, 2023.

Event date: Monday, October 30, 2023 from 12:00-1:30 PM

Event location: Zoom webinar

Pollinators and other native wildlife need your help this autumn! Did you know one of the most valuable actions you can take to support pollinators is by providing them with winter habitats? Join University of Maryland Extension Horticulture Educator Madeline Potter to learn more about sustainable gardening and landscape practices for this season. This research-based webinar will address the growing buzz about leaving your fallen leaves on the ground as well as other landscape practices that can support wildlife through the upcoming winter months. Learn how to teach others about the importance of supporting native moths, butterflies, bees, fireflies, and more this season so we may create flourishing ecosystems for an abundant spring and seasons to come!

Madeline Potter is a University of Maryland Extension Agent Associate for Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator for Howard County, Maryland. The overall focus of her extension program is educating others on sustainable horticulture, particularly as it pertains to sustainable pest management, conservation of beneficial arthropods, and management of invasive species. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Horticulture, a minor in sustainability, and a high honors certification in entomology from the University of Maryland, College Park. This past Spring 2023, Maddie successfully defended her Master’s thesis and received a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Maryland, College Park

If you need a reasonable accommodation for this event, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before October 16, 2023.

Event date: Wednesday, November 1st from 10-11:30 AM

Event location: Accokeek Foundation, 3400 Bryan Point Rd, Accokeek, MD 20607

From tidal wetlands to woodlands, this guided experience will increase your knowledge of the native flora and fauna in the park as well as its indigenous cultural significance both past and present. Participants will walk through one of the 6 Piscataway Park trails and discover trees and other plants indigenous to Piscataway Park, learning and using key identification techniques to identify plants significant to the Piscataway People both past and present. This is an outdoor 1.5 hour walk with periodic stops, through mildly uneven terrain, during which participants will cover a distance of less than 2 miles.

Please dress appropriately for the weather, wear closed toe shoes, bring bug repellant/sunscreen or other appropriate measure, bring a refillable water bottle, and pack lightly as we will be walking for a good portion of the tour. Materials such as ID cards, ID sheets and pencils, etc. will be handed out during the hike.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before October 18, 2023.

Event date: Friday, December 8th from 12:00 PM- 2:00 PM

Event location: Washington County Extension, 7303 Sharpsburg Pike Boonsboro, MD 21713

UME Agents Annette Cormany, Ashley Bachtel-Bodkins, and Sarah Llewellyn will begin our program with an educational session about our native evergreen plants. Following the presentation, we'll channel our new appreciation for these hardy trees and shrubs by creating our own holiday wreaths!

Most supplies will be provided, but please bring your own pair of gloves and hand pruners.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before November 24, 2023.