Happy Thanksgiving from the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Huntingdon County.
Penn State Extension offers information on home gardening, garden pest management and plant identification. We also have information on the invasive pest, spotted lanternfly, reported in Huntingdon County. If you are a homeowner and would like more information about the spotted lanternfly or want to request a group presentation, please contact the Huntingdon Extension Office. https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly
Poison Prevention Program — Let’s learn about Poison Safety with Mr. YUK! Penn State Master Gardeners partner with the Penn State Pesticide Education Program to deliver the Poison Prevention Program to 1st graders across the commonwealth.
Pennsylvania 1st grade students learn 3 lesson topics including Pests, Integrated Pest Management and Poison Safety using Mr. YUK. The lesson meets first grade State Standards in Healthful Living (Standard 10.2: Health and the Environment; E) as well as Environment and Ecology-Humans and the Environment (Standard 4.5: Integrated Pest Management; B). Delivery of the 30-minute lesson takes place during the spring months each year to align with National Poison Prevention Month in March. The Master Gardeners will be contacting area school 1st grade teachers to meet the registration deadline of Dec. 9.
Webinars — Penn State offers a monthly schedule of interesting and valuable webinars available to the public. Here are some upcoming webinars available to the public in December. Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinars. Registrants will also receive access to the webinar recording for viewing at any time.
Join us for Garden Hotline Live! Winter Woes, Whims, and Wisdom as we answer winter gardening questions submitted from across Pennsylvania. Do you struggle to keep your plants, both indoors and out, cheery all winter long? Fear not, the Penn State Master Gardeners are here to help! https://extension.psu.edu/garden-hotline-live-winter-woes-whims-and-wisdom. The free webinar will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9.
Second Saturday Gardening Series: Seed Starting Methods — An Overview will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. Cost is $10. Seeds are the most economical and satisfying way to fill your garden spaces. Learn about traditional and unconventional methods to start your own seedlings at home. We will also consider the germination needs of vegetables; annual, biennial, and perennial flowers, fruit, and native plants. https://extension.psu.edu/second-saturday-gardening-series-seed-starting-methods-an-overview
Tuesday, Dec. 13, join a free webinar that features two sessions, one from noon to 1 p.m. and another from 7-8 p.m. The topic is Pennsylvania Forest Seminar: The History of Pennsylvania’s Forests frames its exploration of forest history in Pennsylvania with broad strokes from anthropological and evolutionary historical narratives on both the North American and Eurasian continents preceding the William Penn charter. It attempts to ask questions about a Pennsylvania forest history that might have been in an effort to envision an improbably desirable but still possible forest of the future. https://extension.psu.edu/pennsylvania-forest-seminar-the-history-of-pennsylvanias-forests
For more information on these programs, or any gardening questions, contact the Huntingdon County Extension Office, 10622 Fairgrounds Road, Huntingdon. You may also reach the Huntingdon County Master Gardener coordinator, Deb Ridgeway, at dcr5367@psu.edu or the MG Garden Hotline at 814-643-1660.