A monthly publication of Cullman County Master Gardener Association, Inc.

Issue 17, Volume 6 Editor: Ellen Hall

The Germinator

June 2013

Current Month:
June 20 10:00 MG Mtg.

ALABAMA GARDENING CALENDAR

From ACES publication ANR-47

Pgm: Donna Shanklin Internet for Home & Garden Help & Maggie Walsh Entering Volunteer Hours June 29 Festhalle Soil Testing

Looking Ahead:

July 18 10:00 MG Mtg. Aug. 15 10:00 MG Mtg. Aug. 24 Farm Yall Festival

FRUITS AND NUTS Layer grapes and continue spray programs. Thin apples and peaches if too thick. SHRUBS- Lace bugs may be a problem on azaleas, pyracanthas, dogwoods, cherry laurels, and other shrubs. Water as needed. Fertilize now. Keep long shoots from developing by pinching out tips. Good time to take cuttings from semi-mature wood for rooting. LAWNS Follow a schedule of fertilization and watering. Lawns should be mowed weekly Planting may continue if soil is moist. Continue weed spraying if necessary. ROSES ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS Keep old flower heads removed to promote continued flowering. Plant garden mums if not already in. For compact mums, keep tips pinched out. Watch for insects and diseases. BULBS Foliage may be removed from spring bulbs if it has yellowed and is becoming dry. Watch for aphids and thrips on summer bulbs. MISCELLANEOUS If scale insects continue on shrubs, use materials other than oils. Set houseplants on porch or outdoors in shade and pay close attention to the need for water. If desired, air layer houseplants. VEGETABLE SEED Plant beans, field peas, pumpkins, squash, corn, cantaloupes, and watermelons. VEGETABLE PLANTS Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and sweet potato vine cuttings.

Inside this issue:

MG Calendar Alabama Gardening Cal Minutes Treasurers Report Officers MG of the Year Awards Dinner Photos Recipe 2 2 3 4-5 5 6

1 1

Doris Simmons brought this stem from her Bigleaf Magnolia to the Awards Dinner. Gosh, it would make a beautiful corsage for the Jolly Green Giant.

June 2013

General Membership Minutes Cullman County Master Gardeners Association May 17, 2013
Laughter, chatter and the aroma of good food permeated the room when the CCMG Awards banquet got under way May 17. Charles introduced the newly certified Master Gardeners who had earned their 50 hours of volunteer time. They are Betty Bissot, Marion and Janice Carrell, Steve Cartee, Leo Creel, Nancy Gatlin, Larry Givens, Jean Kessinger, John Lynch and Dr. Jane Teeter. Class members who also earned their certificates are Darcy Brasher, Donna W. Brunson, Peggy Williams Calvert, Donna Cornelius, Abigail H.M. Davis, Sara Gilbreath, Janna Greer, Ben Johnson, Ben Knighten, Natalie M. Livingston, Patty McCrary, June McGriff, Mike OLaire, Denise Michele Powell, Sandra W. Sanford, Paula D. Smith, John Thrasher, Jennifer B. Underwood, Jeff Waddell, Brenda Joan Williams, and Linda Wilsford. President Teresa announced the star awards. Earning bronze stars were Nancy Gatlin and Hank Lansky; silver were Hulon Knight, Lora Raley, Carl Don Reid, and Jackie Thrasher; gold were George Flint, Phil Gatlin, Mary Reid, Maggie Walsh and Teresa Goodwin. Full time volunteers who earned gold badges were Pete and Donnie Douthit, David Waddell and Charles Wunderlich. After a very close election Holly Hirsbrunner was named Master Gardener of the year. Hardiest congratulations to all of the award winners. Respectfully submitted, Barbra Fields, Secretary

Treasurers Report for May

CCMGAI Checkbook Balance as of 4/30/2013 Receipts from May 1,2013 - May 31, 2013 Strawberry Fest Plant Sale Merchandise Sale Bloomin Fest Plant Sale Total Receipts Disbursements from May 1, 2013 May 31, 2013 Strawberry Festival Other IRS form 1023 filing fee Chamber of Commerce Dues Awards Dinner Bloomin Fest Total Disbursements CCMGAI Checkbook Balance as of 5/31/2013 $720.00 $ 10.00 $ 5.00 $735.00 $ 85.00 $ 400.00 $ 84.00 $ 128.72 $ 30.97 $728.69 $11,622.00

$11,628.31

June 2013

2013 Officers/Committees
Officers: President: Immediate Past President: First Vice-President: Second Vice-President: Treasurer: Secretary: Board Members: Teresa Goodwin Charles Wunderlich Maggie Walsh Don Nelson Phil Gatlin Barbra Fields Margaret Schwaiger Jackie Thrasher Imogene Hamilton Charles Pinkston Charles Wunderlich 256-352-6591 256-734-7521 256-841-4937 256-784-5234 256-747-3385 256-784-5045 256-734-1272 256-352-4203 205-647-1323 256-737-9386 256-734-7521 256-739-7100 256-739-5356 256-784-5234 256-347-4580 256-734-5479 256-734-5396 256-590-3115 256-841-4937 256-775-7407 256-590-3115 256-734-5396 256-352-6591 256-347-4580 256-739-5356 228-860-6773 256-734-7521 256-747-3385 256-841-4937 256-841-4937 256-636-6058 256-586-8445 256-841-4937 256-841-4937 256-747-3385 256-747-1812 256-734-7083 256-747-2057 256-352-6591 256-352-6591 256-739-8679 256-734-5479 plowgirl37@yahoo.com charles.wunderlich@yahoo.com mw230058@gmail.com dgnelson@centurytel.net philgatlin@bellsouth.net thru 2013 thru 2014 jackiethrasher@att.net imoh1@bellsouth.net cpinksto@auburn.edu charles.wunderlich@yahoo.com stevecartee@gmail.com mocarrell@yahoo.com dgnelson@centurytel.net ddouthit@localnet.com hghirsbrunner@gmail.com ellenhall55@aol.com mw230058@gmail.com jraley2@aol.com ellenhall55@aol..com hghirsbrunner@gmail.com plowgirl37@yahoo.com ddouthit@localnet.com mocarrell@yahoo.com cdonreid@yahoo.com charles.wunderlich@yahoo.com philgatlin@bellsouth.net mw230058@gmail.com mw230058@gmail.com lulutubbs@yahoo.com mw230058@gmail.com mw230058@gmail.com philgatlin@bellsouth.net ekbissot@gmail.com plowgirl37@yahoo.com plowgirl37@yahoo.com

Extension Advisor: AMGA Advisory Council: Committee Chairs: Auditing

Steve Cartee Marion Carrell nd Awards (2 VP) Don Nelson BloominFest Pete & Donnie Douthit Class Refreshments Vanda Antaillia Club Gear Holly Hirsbrunner Communications: Germinator Ellen Hall Garden Pathways Maggie Walsh Publicity Lora Raley Cookbook Revision Ellen Hall County Fair Booth Holly Hirsbrunner Crop Registration Teresa Goodwin Demonstration Garden Pete & Donnie Douthit Marion & Janice Carrell Festhalle Soil Testing Don & Mary Reid Charles Wunderlich Finance (Treasurer) Phil Gatlin Grant Maggie Walsh Intern Mentor Program Maggie Walsh Jr. Master Gardener Cynthia Tubbs Membership David Waddell Nominating Maggie Walsh Programs (1st VP) Maggie Walsh Rain Garden Phil Gatlin Scrapbook/Historian Betty Bissott Social: Picnic/XMAS Party April Kimbrell Alena Cook Awards Banquet Teresa Goodwin Strawberry Festival Teresa Goodwin Sunshine Everett Wier Volunteer Hours Vanda Antaillia

Whats in YOUR Expedition?

Whats in YOUR garden?

June 2013

One of CCMGAIs Designing Women, Holly Hirsbrunner Takes the MG of the Year Award
Submitted by Jennifer Underwood In a very close election, Holly Hirsbrunner, a woman of many hats, was named the 2013 CCMGAI MG of the Year at the awards banquet May 17th. Hollys background in Interior Design has helped her fashion designs for a multitude of CCMGAI projects, including the County Fair Booth, Club Gear, and plant tags used at festival sales. She also drafted the Agriplexs Rain Garden plan, for which we will all be suiting up to plant this fall. Holly has been involved in several committees since joining the MG program in 2004, and will be chairing the Printing Committee at the 2015 AMGA conference. Maybe youve selected recipes with her on the Cookbook Committee, gardened alongside her at one of the MG work-day events, registered vegetables with her during Crop Registration at the Cullman County Fair, or know her as one of the Junior Master Gardener instructors. The CCMGAI has provided a welcome home for her many interests and talents. Growing up in East Tennessee, she attended school at the University of Tennessee, where she studied Interior Design. She and her husband, an orthopedic surgeon, lived for a brief time in Orlando, FL, where her husband did his residency. Her husbands business partner later brought them to Cullman, AL. In addition to her generous volunteer work for the CCMGAI and First Baptist Church, she is also employed as a substitute teacher at CHS. A large, shady area in front of her house that would only seem to grow azaleas was her inspiration to take the Master Gardener class in 2004. Her interest in the program had been piqued by advertisements she had seen, and Holly welcomed the opportunity to get to know local residents and give back to the community. When asked what projects were the most important to Holly, she replied, I hope that the information Master Gardeners give out at the Festhalle and at the County Fair will be an encouragement and a help to the Cullman community. She also hopes that the Rain Garden will be educational as far as how to make the low spots in Cullman County beautiful. As far as what Holly would like to see the CCMGAI achieve in the future, Holly said that she would like to see MGs become more involved in the Help Line. She participated in the Help Line for a summer and really enjoyed it. She emphasized that this is a really great way for interns to continue their gardening education (and earn their volunteer hours), as the extension office provides an abundance of reference material.

June 2013

To interns, Holly would especially like to say that by completing the MG class, [interns] have only scratched the surfacethe more you volunteer and are involved, the more you will learn. Besides helping to give back to the community, volunteer work puts you in contact with plants, plant problems and solutions, and growing habits that helps to expand your own knowledge base. This very designing woman does a fine job of illustrating how volunteer work for the CCMGAI can help to positively impact the local community. All of us are bestowed with certain gifts and talents, and we are pleased that Holly has found many opportunities to use here creatively with the CCMGAI. Congratulations on being named MG of the Year, Holly; you earned it!

More photos from the Master Gardener Awards Dinner

Pictured are the 2013 interns who attended the Awards Dinner on May 17. Proudly displaying their certificates of class completion, left to right: Brenda Joan Williams, June McGriff, Darcy Brasher, Abigail H.M. Davis, Linda Wilsford, Sarah Gilbreath, Denise Michele Powell. Attending but not pictured: Mike OLaire.

In this photo are 6 of the 10 newly certified Master Gardeners from the 2012 Class. Left to right: John Lynch, Dr. Jane Teeter, Nancy Gatlin, Janice Carrell, Marion Carrell, Larry Givens.

June 2013

Got Squash?

Try my Squash

Gratin.

Submitted by Ellen Hall Recipe is pretty general no measurements. Use baking dish to hold the amount you want to make (I like my 3-qt. dish I had a lot of squash to use). Additional ingredients are based on what is in your refrigerator. Ive done this several times this particular combination was very good. Preheat oven to 400. Cut squash (yellow or yellow/zucchini combo) in half lengthwise and lay cut-side up in pan; fill baking dish with single layer of squash. Toss in halved cherry or grape tomatoes, strips of bell pepper, maybe some baby bella mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with olive oil or canola (I used canola since hubby doesnt like olive oil). Toss on some real bacon bits for added flavor. Roast in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; toss on some croutons or bread crumbs, then cover with your favorite cheeses (I used gouda and 6-cheese Italian blend). Put back in oven for about 15 minutes. Serve with toasted French bread for a main dish. Or serve as a side dish with meat or chicken.

Cullman County Master Gardeners Association, Inc. P.O. Box 1483 Cullman, Alabama 35056