2022 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners
Gardening Workshop Series
Series Price: $35 for all 8 presentations
Registration is CLOSED
Welcome to our Annual Gardening Workshop site and this year’s Gardening Workshop Series. The lectures are a series of webinars, provided by Zoom. We hope you will join us!
We are offering eight (8) one hour presentations with additional time after each for questions and discussion. Our speakers are University professors, Extension educators, professional gardeners and accomplished Master Gardeners who will share their knowledge, experience and beautiful photographs of plants, flowers, and garden insects.
The sessions will be held in October, starting with two sessions on Tuesday, October 18, and continuing every Tuesday and Thursday at noon until Thursday, October 27. We hope you have already benefited from the Zoom experience but assure you it is easy and enjoyable from your home.
The schedule of presentations and speakers follows with a link to register at the end. Please join us for eight hours of delightful, educational and inspiring presentations.
Registration deadline is October 12th, 2022 (CLOSED)
Series Price: $35 for all 8 presentations
Registered participants will be granted access to all recorded presentations until November 23. We will send a link to the recordings after each Workshop Series presentation. Please be advised that unforeseen technical difficulties may occur, so we can't guarantee a recording for each session.
Tuesday, October 18
Noon - 1:15 pm
Keynote Speaker
Linda Gilkeson, PhD
Resilient Gardens in a Changing Climate
Our regional climate is changing as the global climate changes with extreme weather events reaching record levels last year. What does this mean for our food gardens and landscape plants? Learn how extreme weather affects plants, including trees, and how to design resilient food and ornamental gardens, help plants survive 'weird weather' and ways gardeners can help mitigate climate change.
Tuesday, October 18
1:45 - 3:00 pm
Linda Gilkeson, PhD
Preparing Our Gardens for Winter
With an emphasis on protecting soil and preserving beneficial insect habitat, the presentation covers what to do (and not do) in the fall for landscape and food gardens. Tips for fall vegetable harvests and winter protection methods are covered, as well as what to plant in the fall to increases next year’s food supply for pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Linda earned a Ph.D. in Entomology from McGill University in 1986, and then moved to British Columbia to work for a company that produces biological controls. From 1991 to 2002 she worked for the provincial government, promoting programs to reduce and eliminate pesticide use. She was head of the provincial State of Environment Reporting Unit for the next six years, then the Executive Director of the Salt Spring Island Conservancy until the end of 2011. Linda now devotes her time to writing, teaching and consulting. Linda is the author of “Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest,” the beloved and best-selling guide to vegetable garden success, “Resilient Gardens in a Changing Climate”, and “West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control”, among other self published books.
Thursday October 20
Noon - 1:15 pm
Danielle Gunn, MS
Vole Management
Danielle will be discussing vole biology and effective vole management methods to help home gardeners control their vole problems. Implementing an integrated approach to managing these rodents through the use of monitoring for vole signs, habitat modification, protecting desirable plants, and use of effective rodenticides will help limit vole related damages on affected property.
Danielle Gunn is the Agricultural Extension Educator on the Fort Hall Reservation located in Southeastern Idaho. Danielle specializes in the subject areas of beef cattle, range, weed, and rodent management. She has an Associates of Science in Equine Science, a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science and Education, and a Master of Science in Animal Science with an emphasis in range management. Danielle has worked with rodent management issues for several years and has been invited to speak to numerous organizations regarding vole management. She was honored to give an international presentation regarding her work in 2016. Danielle also owns and manages a small range beef cattle herd that gets her in more trouble than she can handle at times!
Thursday October 20
1:45 - 3:00 pm
Alec Kowalewski, PhD
Irrigation Design, Installation, and Maintenance
This presentation will teach attendees the principles of irrigation design and installation including how to measure the water flow rate at your home. After this participants will learn how to use this flow rate data to determine the number of irrigation zones and valves required in the landscape. Automatic valve options for homeowners will be provided. Next a discussion regarding sprinkler, sprayer and emitter spacing and installation will be presented. Finally, common irrigation system malfunctions and remedies will be shared.
Alec Kowalewski, PhD has over 20 years of research experience in landscape management and multiple publications obtained while employed at Michigan State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia, and Oregon State University. Alec is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University and teaches several undergraduate classes in the Department of Horticulture. Alec also provides Extension material for stakeholders in turfgrass and landscape management.
Tuesday, October 25
Noon - 1:15 pm
Tobey Nelson
Small Space Gardening - How to Make Your Garden Feel Larger
Small gardens can be tricky to get right. Sometimes we assume that since our space is limited it can't be useful, and we miss out on making the most of our garden. This class is for those who feel challenged by the size of your garden, or just want ideas for how to maximize any usable space. Tobey will offer some tricks and strategies for making the most of your small garden space.
Tuesday, October 25
1:45 - 3:00 PM
Tobey Nelson
Pots with Pizazz
Take your container garden game to the next level! Get insight on attributes to consider when selecting a container. Learn a few design principles that will have you thinking about your plant selections in a new way. Get loads of tips – and even learn some soil science – to give your container gardens the very best foundation for rocking success!
Tobey Nelson is an official plant-a-holic. The seed of her obsession germinated with a BS in Landscape Horticulture from Michigan State University. After 28+ years of growth designing, installing and maintaining gardens, her focus has bloomed to include floral design and botanical art. Her mission includes environmentally responsible approaches such as drought-tolerant plantings, supporting local farmers, and sustainable floral design methodology. Her loose, naturalistic style is the result of a life-long friendship with plants.
Thursday, October 27
Noon - 1:15 pm
Kate Yturri
Insect Pest Whodunit
Taking a page from forensic botanical science or CSI for plant problems, Kate will describe and show the “clues” to identify the insect pest causing plant damage in your garden, as well as what to do about it, if anything!
Kate Yturri is a SJC Master Gardener who aspires to improve her skills as an amateur entomologist. She has lived in Washington for 30 years and retired to Orcas Island 10 years ago. She loves gardening in her edible and ornamental gardens, but especially enjoys identifying and observing the insects who live in them. Her goal is to share information that will help gardeners identify the insects in their garden and protect them.
Thursday, October 27
1:45-3:00 pm
Mary Bannister
Wild About Dahlias
Mary will share her passion for and experience with dahlias. She will discuss growing and caring for dahlias with an emphasis on varieties and propagation.
Mary Bannister is a retired geologist and worked in water resources management for many years. She has been a life-long gardener and was bitten by the dahlia bug about 30 years ago. She is active in the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society (mbdahlias.org), and grows about 200 dahlia plants on her plot in Watsonville, California. She has shown dahlias at the Santa Cruz County Fair and dahlia shows in the Central Coast. She is married with two grown children and one granddaughter. She has originated dahlias named "Lisette", "Joey P.", "Joey's Sister", and "Poppy Wild" after family members.
Gardening Workshop Series
Series Price: $35 for all 8 presentations
Registration is CLOSED
Welcome to our Annual Gardening Workshop site and this year’s Gardening Workshop Series. The lectures are a series of webinars, provided by Zoom. We hope you will join us!
We are offering eight (8) one hour presentations with additional time after each for questions and discussion. Our speakers are University professors, Extension educators, professional gardeners and accomplished Master Gardeners who will share their knowledge, experience and beautiful photographs of plants, flowers, and garden insects.
The sessions will be held in October, starting with two sessions on Tuesday, October 18, and continuing every Tuesday and Thursday at noon until Thursday, October 27. We hope you have already benefited from the Zoom experience but assure you it is easy and enjoyable from your home.
The schedule of presentations and speakers follows with a link to register at the end. Please join us for eight hours of delightful, educational and inspiring presentations.
Registration deadline is October 12th, 2022 (CLOSED)
Series Price: $35 for all 8 presentations
Registered participants will be granted access to all recorded presentations until November 23. We will send a link to the recordings after each Workshop Series presentation. Please be advised that unforeseen technical difficulties may occur, so we can't guarantee a recording for each session.
Tuesday, October 18
Noon - 1:15 pm
Keynote Speaker
Linda Gilkeson, PhD
Resilient Gardens in a Changing Climate
Our regional climate is changing as the global climate changes with extreme weather events reaching record levels last year. What does this mean for our food gardens and landscape plants? Learn how extreme weather affects plants, including trees, and how to design resilient food and ornamental gardens, help plants survive 'weird weather' and ways gardeners can help mitigate climate change.
Tuesday, October 18
1:45 - 3:00 pm
Linda Gilkeson, PhD
Preparing Our Gardens for Winter
With an emphasis on protecting soil and preserving beneficial insect habitat, the presentation covers what to do (and not do) in the fall for landscape and food gardens. Tips for fall vegetable harvests and winter protection methods are covered, as well as what to plant in the fall to increases next year’s food supply for pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Linda earned a Ph.D. in Entomology from McGill University in 1986, and then moved to British Columbia to work for a company that produces biological controls. From 1991 to 2002 she worked for the provincial government, promoting programs to reduce and eliminate pesticide use. She was head of the provincial State of Environment Reporting Unit for the next six years, then the Executive Director of the Salt Spring Island Conservancy until the end of 2011. Linda now devotes her time to writing, teaching and consulting. Linda is the author of “Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest,” the beloved and best-selling guide to vegetable garden success, “Resilient Gardens in a Changing Climate”, and “West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed and Disease Control”, among other self published books.
Thursday October 20
Noon - 1:15 pm
Danielle Gunn, MS
Vole Management
Danielle will be discussing vole biology and effective vole management methods to help home gardeners control their vole problems. Implementing an integrated approach to managing these rodents through the use of monitoring for vole signs, habitat modification, protecting desirable plants, and use of effective rodenticides will help limit vole related damages on affected property.
Danielle Gunn is the Agricultural Extension Educator on the Fort Hall Reservation located in Southeastern Idaho. Danielle specializes in the subject areas of beef cattle, range, weed, and rodent management. She has an Associates of Science in Equine Science, a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science and Education, and a Master of Science in Animal Science with an emphasis in range management. Danielle has worked with rodent management issues for several years and has been invited to speak to numerous organizations regarding vole management. She was honored to give an international presentation regarding her work in 2016. Danielle also owns and manages a small range beef cattle herd that gets her in more trouble than she can handle at times!
Thursday October 20
1:45 - 3:00 pm
Alec Kowalewski, PhD
Irrigation Design, Installation, and Maintenance
This presentation will teach attendees the principles of irrigation design and installation including how to measure the water flow rate at your home. After this participants will learn how to use this flow rate data to determine the number of irrigation zones and valves required in the landscape. Automatic valve options for homeowners will be provided. Next a discussion regarding sprinkler, sprayer and emitter spacing and installation will be presented. Finally, common irrigation system malfunctions and remedies will be shared.
Alec Kowalewski, PhD has over 20 years of research experience in landscape management and multiple publications obtained while employed at Michigan State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia, and Oregon State University. Alec is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University and teaches several undergraduate classes in the Department of Horticulture. Alec also provides Extension material for stakeholders in turfgrass and landscape management.
Tuesday, October 25
Noon - 1:15 pm
Tobey Nelson
Small Space Gardening - How to Make Your Garden Feel Larger
Small gardens can be tricky to get right. Sometimes we assume that since our space is limited it can't be useful, and we miss out on making the most of our garden. This class is for those who feel challenged by the size of your garden, or just want ideas for how to maximize any usable space. Tobey will offer some tricks and strategies for making the most of your small garden space.
Tuesday, October 25
1:45 - 3:00 PM
Tobey Nelson
Pots with Pizazz
Take your container garden game to the next level! Get insight on attributes to consider when selecting a container. Learn a few design principles that will have you thinking about your plant selections in a new way. Get loads of tips – and even learn some soil science – to give your container gardens the very best foundation for rocking success!
Tobey Nelson is an official plant-a-holic. The seed of her obsession germinated with a BS in Landscape Horticulture from Michigan State University. After 28+ years of growth designing, installing and maintaining gardens, her focus has bloomed to include floral design and botanical art. Her mission includes environmentally responsible approaches such as drought-tolerant plantings, supporting local farmers, and sustainable floral design methodology. Her loose, naturalistic style is the result of a life-long friendship with plants.
Thursday, October 27
Noon - 1:15 pm
Kate Yturri
Insect Pest Whodunit
Taking a page from forensic botanical science or CSI for plant problems, Kate will describe and show the “clues” to identify the insect pest causing plant damage in your garden, as well as what to do about it, if anything!
Kate Yturri is a SJC Master Gardener who aspires to improve her skills as an amateur entomologist. She has lived in Washington for 30 years and retired to Orcas Island 10 years ago. She loves gardening in her edible and ornamental gardens, but especially enjoys identifying and observing the insects who live in them. Her goal is to share information that will help gardeners identify the insects in their garden and protect them.
Thursday, October 27
1:45-3:00 pm
Mary Bannister
Wild About Dahlias
Mary will share her passion for and experience with dahlias. She will discuss growing and caring for dahlias with an emphasis on varieties and propagation.
Mary Bannister is a retired geologist and worked in water resources management for many years. She has been a life-long gardener and was bitten by the dahlia bug about 30 years ago. She is active in the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society (mbdahlias.org), and grows about 200 dahlia plants on her plot in Watsonville, California. She has shown dahlias at the Santa Cruz County Fair and dahlia shows in the Central Coast. She is married with two grown children and one granddaughter. She has originated dahlias named "Lisette", "Joey P.", "Joey's Sister", and "Poppy Wild" after family members.