Clemson Extension

Lunch Box Lecture Series for May 21, 2012 at 12 noon:”Adaptive Gardening “

The Lunchbox Series May 21, 12 noon will be “Adaptive Gardening ” by Amelia Cotty and Linda Olsen Richland County, SC Master Gardeners. It will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church 2724 Whiskey Road, Aiken, SC(between Powderhouse Road and Brookhaven Drive)

Explore ways to garden with less demand on your body and on your time while learning how to make gardening accessible for everyone, no matter their circumstance.

“When we can adapt, we can cope with whatever comes our way and this making gardening—and life—more fun.” Linda Olsen

If it hurts to garden or if your gardening is limited by physical disabilities caused by aging, illness, injury or arthritis or even visual impairment, learn how gardening can become enjoyable with the right tools and techniques. Gardening does not have to stop because life has changed.

The Lunch Box Lecture Series: This free series of lectures is open to the public and takes place on the third Monday of each month, January through October. Lectures start at noon and run for an hour. You are invited to bring your own lunch or snack to enjoy during the lecture.  No reservation is required. Additional parking is available next door at South Aiken Church of God.

After the lecture, a team of Master Gardeners will be available to answer gardening questions. The Gardening Almanac for Aiken and Vicinity will also be available for sale ($15 cash or check payable to AMGA). For more information, visit www.aikenmastergardeners.org or call us at (803) 649-6297 Ext. 122 weekdays (8:30-11:00 am).

Save the date: June 18, “Teaming with Nature: Non-chemical Turf Care and Soil Improvement” by Alvin Bey

About our speakers:

Amelia Cotty, Richland County Master Gardener: I am a native of Rock Hill, SC; a graduate of Winthrop University; wife, mother of three, and most importantly a proud grandmother of six. Despite being a descendant of avid South Carolina gardeners, I never got the appeal of working in my garden until I had three teenage children and a husband in politics! I literally ran away from it all into the garden. After retiring in 1995 from a career in early childhood education, I took the Master Gardener course and loved it. So I went from nurturing children to nurturing plants, which had the advantage of not involving much paperwork or parents!!

I spent the next several years redoing my own landscape and as I result, I managed to wear out my knees. After trying all the usual antidotes, I finally underwent bilateral knee replacement (both knees at the same time) in 2006. It was hard work but I have never regretted it. This program includes some tricks of the trade I have learned that I’m happy to share with all.

Linda Olsen, Richland County Master Gardener: I have been a Master Gardener since 2003 when I also retired from Richland School District Two. During my time at Richland, I wore many hats, but my final hat was as the Coordinator of the Technology Training Center where I developed classes for faculty and staff in the emerging area of technology. I learned along with everyone else how technology can enhance all aspects of our lives and have put that to work in combination with my love of all things gardening. I am not a creative person, but I can adapt the heck out of other people’s ideas and this has served me well as a Master Gardener.

My major interest in the field of herbs took a bit of a turn when I noticed that I, along with most folks that I knew, were looking for ways to continue gardening with less demand on our bodies and our time. It has been interesting to find ways to make gardening accessible for everyone, no matter their circumstance. When we can adapt, we can cope with whatever comes our way and this makes gardening, and life, more fun.

__________________________________________________________

Meet a Master Gardener at the Aiken Farmers Market June 2nd!

Meet A Master Gardener at the Aiken Farmers Market. The Master Gardeners are at the Aiken Farmers Market from 8:00 A.M. until noon on the first Saturday of each month from March through November. We are there to answer lawn and garden questions and identify plants, weeds, and any other mystery items that the public brings. This is a free service.

__________________________________________________________

McCorkels Giant Plant Sale June 14-16

Open to the public three days only!
Thursday and Friday – 8am to 4pm & Saturday – 8am to 2pm As a wholesale container grower, our plants are usually only sold to retailers, contractors and wholesalers. Twice annually, we open our doors to the general public for the Giant Plant Sale. This is your opportunity
to select from thousands of discounted plants in 1-15 gallon sizes. Plan to come early and get your new plants while supplies last! We’ll see you there!

• First come – first served. All sales are final, no refunds,no returns.
• Plants must be picked up at time of purchase.
• All orders are self-loading. Bring your carts and wagons. Motorized vehicles NOT permitted without handicap permit.
• Cash, check and Visa/Mastercard accepted.
• Plant Sale will be held at our Neals Mill Farm.
5936 Mattie Harrison Rd, Dearing, GA 30808.
Entrance between Neals Mill Rd and Luckey’s Bridge Rd.
Automated information line: (706) 595-6052 Also check out www.McCorkleNurseries.com to find a retail garden center near you that carries
our plants year round.
• If you can’t attend these dates, let us put you on our electronic mailing list. Go to www.McCorkleNurseries.com and click on the contact us page. Fill out the form and tell us you would like to be added to the Giant Plant Sale E-blast.
Thanks!
Summer Special

• 7 Gallons for $7 Bucks!
• 15 Gallons for $15 Bucks!

(plants such as Leylands, Magnolias and Cryptomeria)Also available -
Beautiful azaleas, hydranges and roses!!
JUNE 2012SAVE THE DATE!
GIANT PLANT SALE!14-16
While Supplies Last!

__________________________________________________________

 

2011 Plant sale and swap a success!

According to rave reviews from all participants, yesterday’s plant swap and sale was a huge success. The displays were popular with adults and children alike, the turf samples were a big hit (as always), we sold more than 10 almanacs, traded plants with friends, and sold great plants at reasonable prices. The “free to a good home” table was very popular, and you only had to set an item on the table, turn your back, and then look at the table again and your item was gone. People love free things!

Four Master Gardeners sold their own plants, and seemed to sell most (or all) of what they had. The AMGA had a few plants left, and we plan to take some of them to Banksia and sell them at the Garden Show later this month. Many thanks to the hard-working members of the event committee, including Steve Baker, Kathryn Darwin, Pam Glogowski, Susan Leith, George Montgomery, Janet Peterson, Phyllis Schultz, and Joyce Timmerman. And thank you to all the other hard-working Master Gardeners who made the morning a success!

Pam Glogowski

AMGA VP

 

————————————————————————————————————–

The 2012 Aiken Master Gardener Almanac is now available

The sixth edition of Master Gardener Almanac for Aiken and Vicinity is now available  and will sell for $15 to the public. It will be sold at the Aiken County Agriculture Building at 1550 Richland Avenue, East in suite 500.  It will also be sold at the Farmers Market at Richland and Williamsburg Streets on the first Saturday of each month when the Master Gardeners are present. The new almanac has been completely revised and increased in size to 82 pages.