February 25, 2020 – Orientation and Seed Starting

February 27, 2020 Master Gardener Class 2020

Greetings,

Thank you for your excellent questions today! As promised, I’ve created this website for you to be able to access past assignments, announcements and quizzes (instead of digging through emails).

Homework due by next Tuesday

  1. Enroll using our online enrollment form (email Kate for password). Mandatory
  2. Read the “Volunteerism Frequently Asked Questions” handout in your binder.
  3. Read Entomology (email Kate for password).
  4. Read the following sections of the Botany Primer (PDF) p. 6-14, 42-45, 50-51.
  5. Test the volunteer hours reporting link in my signature below. Please enter 1 hour for your total volunteer hours for your test submission.
  6. Quiz (note: some items were not mentioned in class, but the answers can be found in your handouts and prior reading assignments)

Onion seed/seedling care

  • Please give them a small amount of water to allow the seed to have good contact with the potting mix.
  • Place in a plastic baggie. An old bread bag or newspaper bag will work well. Keep the bag closed until germination.
  • Don’t fret if you don’t have supplemental lighting. A south-facing window might be enough to keep them going. They won’t be as hardy and robust as those grown under supplemental lighting, but it’s worth a shot.
  • If you absolutely don’t have a space for the seedlings (or have a voracious and naughty cat), please bring them back to class and I’ll happily grow them in my office for one of our food security/school gardening projects.
  • Initially keep it in a warmer spot (top of your refrigerator) and then move to a slightly cooler spot (60s) after they germinate.
  • Once they’ve sprouted, roll the bag down, but keep under the pot to catch any leaks from watering.
  • Water only when potting mix is dry.

Mentioned in class (no endorsement intended)

Miscellaneous

If all parking lot spaces are full when you arrive, please park across the UMA access road (not the main road) in the Bangor Hall lot. For safety reasons, we can only have cars parked in designated spaces.

Upcoming events of interest