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December 28, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

Board Member Interview with Jayne Heaton

Jayne became a certified Master Gardener in July 2016. At the AGM in April 2021 she was elected to the MMGA board as treasurer.

Newsletter (NL) – How long have you been gardening?

Jayne Heaton (JH) – I have been an avid gardener for my entire life – ever since I could dig holes in the ground and plant seeds. Gardening is in my blood. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a gifted gardener and gardened for many of the great estates around Sheffield in Yorkshire, England up until his passing in 2012 at the age of 100. It was at his knee that I developed a respect for the earth and a passion for growing things.

NL – What kind of a garden/s do you have?READ MORE

December 28, 2021 In Information Presentation, Uncategorized

Program Information Presentation

Welcome to our MMGA 2022 Information Session!
When: Jan 5, 2022
Time: 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Please join us to learn about the Master Gardener program.
You are required to register in advance for this meeting. Registration closes at 5 pm (Manitoba time) on January 5.

November 17, 2021 In Uncategorized

Herb Basics

Master Gardener presenting in the Community

Herb Basics
Teresa Lopata, Master Gardener & Master Composter
Winnipeg Public Library – Zoom
November 16/21 – 6:30-8:00pm

Master Gardener and Master Composter Teresa Lopata will cover the basics of growing herbs including where to plant, how to store, and the use of various herbs.

October 31, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

Board Member Interview with Elsie Kathler

As many of our members will already know, Elsie Kathler was MMGA Education Standards Director from 2016 – 2018. At the AGM in April 2021 Elsie joined the MMGA board again when she was elected into the newly created Vice-Chair position.

MMGA Newsletter (NL) – How long have you been gardening?

Elsie Kathler (EK) – I have been gardening most of my life. As a child, I enjoyed planting and tending the vegetable, fruit and ornamental gardens on our farm together with my parents and siblings. Finding and gathering wild edibles such as fruits and mushrooms in the forest was always an adventure for our family. As a teenager, I helped my uncle, a Horticultural Research Scientist, with his field trials at the Morden Research Station. My passion for gardening continues to grow each day.READ MORE

October 30, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

Sturgeon Creek Greenway Trail – A Volunteer Project

By Diane Daignault, Master Gardener and Project Manager

On many mornings I walk my dog Pippin along the Sturgeon Creek Greenway Trail in St. James.

There is a section along the trail which has a naturalized tall grass prairie; approximately 3000m2 with various types of grasses, such as big bluestem and various native plants; purple prairie clover, blanket flower, prairie rose, smooth aster, stiff sunflower and wild flax.READ MORE

October 30, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

Hunter Gate Park

By Hélène Wilson, Master Gardener

My Park Beautification Project was presented and accepted early this year by the town of Renfrew, Ontario. This large park is situated in a relatively new housing development; it has been resting there, covered in turf, for approximately 7 years. In 2020, four benches, four trees and a gravel path were added by the town.READ MORE

October 30, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

How to Create a Beautiful Border

By Janet Epp, Master Gardener

Recently, I discovered videos on YouTube by The Middle Sized Garden based out of England. In a video titled How to Create Stunning Borders, the hostess, Alexandra Campbell, interviewed Tom Brown, the head gardener at West Dean Gardens in Sussex. And in another video, titled Create an Outstanding Perennial Border – how to choose and combine plants, she interviewed Steve Edney, the owner of No Name Nursery in Kent, England. I was so thrilled with the suggestions, that I grabbed a pen and scribbled down key points. I’ve compiled the following 10 essential tips.READ MORE

October 30, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

Garden Planning in Changing Times

By Darlene Belton, Master Gardener

It’s been some year so far! A frigid winter leading into first a cold, then suddenly a hot and dry spring, then a blistering hot, humid and dry summer, followed by a lovely lingering fall. And now, the forecast for another La Nina winter threatens to plunge us into a series of frigid polar vortexes from December through February 2022. Will there at least be a decent snow cover? Not known yet, so we have to prepare for, well, everything.READ MORE

October 30, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters

“Raising” a Garden takes a Village – Part 1/2

By Catherine Lee, humble Master Gardener in Training

After recently retiring from an enjoyable career educating and counselling, I felt it was time I went back to the classroom to increase my knowledge of my life passion, playing with garden-related stuff outside. Yes… flowers, weeds, bugs, small critters, mud. It sounds suspiciously like going back to my childhood, in an educated way. I was able to find the MMGA easily on the internet, and it directed me to Assiniboine College for courses. I was very enthusiastic and hopeful. As an MGIT, I have finished all the courses but one, and have thoroughly enjoyed each one of them for the differences and knowledge they offer.READ MORE

October 29, 2021 In Newsletter Articles, Newsletters, Uncategorized

Specialty Pruning

By Diana Dhaliwal, Master Gardener

By now most of us are very comfortable with the basic three D’s of pruning: removing Dead, Diseased and Damaged branches and opening up shrubs and trees to let in more light to lower branches. In addition, spring- flowering shrubs (shrubs that bloom on the previous year’s growth) are pruned after flowering; summer-flowering shrubs (those that bloom on new wood) are typically pruned in early spring.READ MORE