Re: Re: Help with H. americana!

Well, Kitty, I'm all for anybody learning about gardening and I'm
sure that the MG programs encourage that, I just still have a bit of
an internal problem with the title one gets at the end of the program
because of its limited duration when considered against 30-40 years
of hands on experience, which is what I consider necessary to begin
to master even a bit of the vast world of hort.

I totally agree, Jerry Baker is a complete snake oil salesmen;
charlatan first class.  I understand many have protested his use of
MG, but I am sure he cares...right...all the way to the bank.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Shadyside Garden Designs

----------
> From: Kitty <kmrsy@comcast.net>
> > I think I have a built in problem with someone calling themselves
a
> > Master Gardener when they really are not....takes years of
experience
> 
> I agree Marge, but you have to look at the program as it was laid
out in the 
> 70s.  A Master Gardener is a volunteer who has taken a broad
overview 
> horticulture course from the extension agent in order to help the
agent with 
> ph calls from residents about home horticulture issues.  That's
all.  Though 
> the program varies from state to state, basically an MG takes 40-50
hours of 
> classes (not credit hours, buta actual hours) in a few months' time
and then 
> takes a test.  If they pass they are an intern; if they complete
their 
> volunteer time, the next year they are called an MG.  And if they
contribute 
> a dozen hours and listen to a few seminars within the 2nd year,
they are 
> given the name Advanced Master Gardener.
> 
> When I became interested in gardening I couldn't get into the MG
classes so 
> I took the 4yrs of hort classes from Guelph instead.  I am so glad
I did as 
> it gave me a much deeper understanding of the subject matter
(though, of 
> course, not nearly as extensive as I might have gotten if I could
have 
> pursued a BS).  I have no immediate family, sig other, or any other
equally 
> important interests, so I am more dedicated to my hort experience
than most 
> of the other MGs.  But according to the organization, we are all
Master 
> Gardeners, whether or not we've mastered anything.
> 
> Hey, look at Jery Baker.  He calls himself a MG and I think he's a
quack.
> 
> Kitty
> neIN, Zone 5
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 2:27 AM
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Re: Help with H. americana!
> 
> 
> > Well, one does have to make allowances for volunteers tho' I'd
have a
> > bit of trouble being nice about doing so in the face of idiocy:-)
> >
> > I think I have a built in problem with someone calling themselves
a
> > Master Gardener when they really are not....takes years of
experience
> > and some fanatical devotion to become a real 'Master' at
anything; a
> > crash course does not do the trick.
> >
> > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> > mtalt@hort.net
> > Shadyside Garden Designs
> >
> > ----------
> >> From: Kitty <kmrsy@comcast.net>
> >>
> >> Marge,
> >> I do rather agree with you re our MGs, but then they are
volunteers
> > and have
> >> families and live long distance from the gardens. I guess they
> > don't like to
> >> start too early in the season.
> >>
> >> They do shred the leaves somewhat, but they pile them too high
imo.
> >>
> >> > have nothing against Impatiens - more appropriate for a
woodland
> >> > garden than coleus IMO
> >> Chuckle...they love Coleus.  Now they don't use Impatiens, but
they
> > love
> >> scattering coleus everywhere. Sigh.
> >>
> >> > does not sound like that group are really interested
> >> > in gardening as I understand the term.
> >> A lot of MGs are just dabblers.  They take the crash MG course
and
> > then they
> >> decorate rather than garden imo.  But as I said, these are
people
> > with all
> >> sorts of interests and this is just a small portion of their
lives.
> > Don't
> >> get me wrong, some have a lot of expertise, but more of them are
> > just having
> >> some fun.
> >>
> >>
> >> Kitty
> >> neIN, Zone 5
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
> >> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 1:01 AM
> >> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Re: Help with H. americana!
> >>
> >>
> >> > Another oldie.....
> >> >
> >> > Nah....hederafiolia is a fall bloomer - can start mid-late
summer
> > if
> >> > it gets enough water to wake it up.
> >> >
> >> > Your MGs make me wonder if they're actually "Master"
gardeners.
> >> > Leaves are fine, but they have to start coming off early March
> > or, as
> >> > you rightly point out, they smother the early plants and it's
> > much
> >> > better to chop them than leave them whole if time
permits...and
> > not
> >> > put them down a foot thick unless you intend to start a new
bed.
> > I
> >> > have nothing against Impatiens - more appropriate for a
woodland
> >> > garden than coleus IMO, but it appears your group is just
using
> >> > whatever to extreme and neglecting all the lovely things they
> > could
> >> > be growing if they had sense enough.  Pity.
> >> >
> >> > Think, considering, you're right to just get them what they
ask
> > for
> >> > and forget it; does not sound like that group are really
> > interested
> >> > in gardening as I understand the term.
> >> >
> >> > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> >> > mtalt@hort.net
> >> > Shadyside Garden Designs
> >> >
> >> > ----------
> >> >> From: Kitty <kmrsy@comcast.net>
> >> >>
> >> >> Mine were Cyclamen coum, purchased in 2003.  I guess I
thought
> > C.
> >> >> hederafolia would also bloom in February.
> >> >>
> >> >> As to these MGs...they tend a garden called the Woodland Fen.
> > They
> >> > have the
> >> >> standard fare of Hostas, ferns, Hellebores, some Astilbes,
> >> > Heucheras, a
> >> >> couple of Toadlilies.  Beyond that, they used to cover the
whole
> >> > thing in a
> >> >> layer of Impatiens, which made me cringe. Fortunately, they
> > stopped
> >> > that
> >> >> practice. Now they fill in everywhere with coleus. oh well.
> > Since
> >> > the
> >> >> current group took this garden over several years ago,
they've
> > lost
> >> > all
> >> >> their Trilliums, most of their Barrenworts, and almost all
new
> >> > ephemerals I
> >> >> got for them.  Why?  Their method of putting the garden to
bed
> > is
> >> > to heap
> >> >> leaves over everything until you can't see anything at all.
> > That
> >> > in itself
> >> >> might not be too bad as the winter winds do remove some of
that.
> >> > However,
> >> >> they don't uncover the garden until latest April, maybe May. 
So
> >> > what's the
> >> >> point of Cyclamen? or Trillium?  I think they've just
smothered
> > or
> >> > neglected
> >> >> the early stuff becuase it doesn't perform when they are
paying
> >> > attention.
> >> >> Anyway, I've stopped suggesting lovely woodland plants and
just
> > get
> >> > them
> >> >> what they want.
> >> >
> >> >
> >
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