Jackson County Master Gardeners Announcements
July 2025
July
Sharing Gardening Information
As I was sitting in my husband’s hospital room reading a book, his nurse came in and asked what kind of book I was reading. I told him that I was reading a murder mystery. He asked if I read any other genres. I said that I usually read historical fiction – mainly World War II, and gardening books also. He was surprised to find someone else who liked to read books on gardening. Over the next couple of days, we talked about what gardening books we would recommend, what plants we liked to grow in our garden, what challenges we had with gardening, and why we liked to garden. It turns out that we are both passionate about gardening – but with different viewpoints.
We were strangers before we started talking about gardening, but gardening gave us some common ground outside of what was going on in the hospital room. By taking the time to talk and listen to each other, we learned many things about gardening from a different perspective. Sometimes all it takes is to be willing to talk and listen to others.
He recommended that I read the book “The One-Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka. I have never heard of this book. I checked it out and the reviews were fairly positive. Since he was so passionate about this book, I decided to read it after I finish my current book. Maybe I will learn some new gardening information or find affirmation for what I already have learned. Either way I will learn another perspective.
As Master Gardeners, we have several opportunities to learn more about gardening, including all the variety of components which are involved. Some of these learning opportunities include:
When we learn gardening information, it is important to share what we have learned and be willing to learn from others. Here are some ways to share information:
Enjoy your garden and share what you learn!
Hello Gardeners!
As we move through July, we will start to see our veggie gardens come into fruition. Gardeners often joke about being so overwhelmed with zucchini that we sneakily leave some on the neighbors’ doorsteps in the dead of night. Bring your extra produce to our Plant A Row collection at SOREC on Wednesday mornings starting July 16th! We will be collecting and weighing produce Wednesday mornings in the Gather Garden throughout the growing season. Whether you have 5 tomatoes or 5 pounds of tomatoes, your donations make a difference.
We have partnered with ACCESS Food Pantries to collect fresh produce from gardeners for donation. Last year, the Master Gardeners donated a bit over 1,000 pounds of produce to ACCESS! What an amazing team effort when we all pitch in a little bit here and there. Most of the produce was sent out of ACCESS warehouse on Thursday mornings for delivery to ACCESS housing locations.
ACCESS accepts a wide range of produce but is looking for some key items this year. If you have extras, please donate your spare onions, garlic, tomatoes, tomatillos, and peppers. Consider adding more of these crops to your garden for future year’s donations!
Can’t make it on Wednesday mornings to drop off your produce? You can donate directly to ACCESS’s warehouse on weekdays from 9:00am to 3:00pm at 2205 Joseph Street in Medford. The donation door is on the back side of the building.
Happy harvesting!
We are excited to announce our very first Annual Shirt Design Contest, open only to our members! This is a fun way to publicize our organization and broadcast the JCMGA name. It’s time to flex our creative skills and appeal to the garden enthusiasts in our community!
The Ideal Shirt Design Would Include, But is Not Limited To:
Time Frame:
Personal satisfaction will be earned by the chosen winner of the contest, along with name recognition and designer credit, and their Bio featured at the sale. The winner will also receive a free shirt as a huge thank you for their time and talent.
So please try your hand at creating a design that portrays the garden and the critters that we hold so dear as members of JCMGA, and have some fun with it!
Please Direct Questions to Alice Ingraham by either email or phone:
541-621-8888
Have you received your copy of the Membership Directory and checked your information? We had a couple of members who did not receive their directory via bulk mailing so if you did not get yours, let me know and we will get you one. If your contact information needs to be corrected or updated, please let me know so I can get it right.
Remember; if you did not want your address listed, you need to pick up your copy at the Southern Oregon Research & Extension Center (SOREC) office on Hanley Road.
We have a few members who renewed after we went to print. We will produce an update/correction sheet and email it via Mailchimp for your use.
You can contact me via text at 541-601-2134 or email me at jcmgamembership@gmail.com.
We are so excited to announce the start of a brand-new Garden Beet monthly column that showcases you – our well-seasoned Master Gardeners! We’re calling it “Growing Knowledge: A Homegrown Advice Column by Jackson County Master Gardeners.”
The mission of JCMGA is “To learn, practice, and teach the art and science of gardening in the Rogue Valley.” This is the reason we all signed up to be a part of this great association, isn’t it? Our existing programs certainly provide many opportunities to do the learning and practicing parts. But if you’re anything like me, you have found it harder to find the time and venue to do the teaching part. Let’s face it: not all of us can teach a class or write a full article for The Garden Beet.
That’s why our Media and Technology Working Group came up with this quick and easy method for you to share some of that wealth of gardening knowledge you have been amassing in your brain. Each month, we will send you an email that gives you a new topic. All you will have to do is hit Reply, and write one or two sentences of advice about that topic. If you have a source, you can briefly cite it. Include a photo if you have one. Hit Send, and then wait for the next edition of The Garden Beet, where you will see your contribution in a collection of sound practices and sage advice created by our membership. Just think of the education we can provide when we combine our knowledge and experiences in this way!
We will share “Growing Knowledge” with our wider community by also posting it on our JCMGA Facebook page and, of course, on our website. So, when you send your contributions, be sure to let us know if we can assign your name to it, or if you prefer to use initials or a pseudonym.
In addition to the notoriety of having your work published, and the satisfaction of making a contribution, Grace says she is able to award half an hour of direct education to your volunteer hours each time you perform this service. Score!
Please keep an eye out for the Mailchimp coming your way the first week of July. The first topic is going to be tomatoes. So start thinking of those tips, tricks and talents you have used to grow your best tomatoes, and get ready to share!
We can’t wait to see what emerges from your Master minds!
We are looking for new, and experienced, members of Master Gardeners to serve on our Jackson County Master Gardener Board of Directors for 2026. Could that be YOU, or someone you can recommend?
Please consider becoming a member of the board – the governing body of the association. The board adopts the budget, sets policy, and generally oversees the present and future direction of JCMGA. Meetings are held the second Friday of each month. Most board members also sit on one or more of the association’s working groups. Your input is important, and fresh perspectives on how we move forward are the key to our success.
The following positions are to be elected this fall:
Contact Linda Millus, President-Elect, at lmillus@outlook.com if you want to nominate yourself or someone else.
Please submit any nominations by September 1st.
The Winter Dreams Summer Gardens Working Group has developed an amazing lineup of presentations for this year. Dig into four days of virtual gardening immersion seminars taught by 16 presenters, all designed to help you plan next year’s spectacular garden.
Join us October 17,18, 24, and 25 from the comfort of your own home via Zoom.
Registration begins in August.
Here is a taste of what you can expect and who will be sharing their knowledge with us.
Right Plant, Right Bee: Matching Bees to Flowering Plants with the new Melittoflora Tool 
Presented by Andony Melathopoulos
Oregon has the richest dataset of bee-plant interactions in the U.S., thanks to almost 100,000 observations made by volunteer Master Melittologists. We explore this data using the new Melittoflora tool designed to help make you make more precise plant selections in your garden.
Andony Melathopoulos is an Associate Professor of Pollinator Health Extension and leads up the Master Melittologist program, which is the first program in the U.S. dedicated to surveying wild bee populations. He is also the host of the weekly podcast PolliNation.
Using Woody Plants for Year-Round Interest
Presented by Neil Bell
Woody plants can provide presence year-round in the garden, whether they are deciduous or evergreen. Much of this can be attributed to their size, habit, foliage and flower, and other less remarked-upon characteristics like aromatic foliage or bark pattern and color. We’ll discuss the wide array of shrubs that provide appeal for each season in the mild climate of the Rogue Valley.
Neil Bell was Community Horticulturist for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Marion County and Polk County from 2000 to 2021, overseeing both County Master Gardener programs during that time. He has also conducted numerous landscape evaluations of shrubs for unirrigated landscapes since 2000, including Ceanothus, Cistus, Grevillea and manzanita. He is still employed one day per week by Extension to assist with evaluation of 116 olive cultivars at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora. Neil lives on 5 acres of Polk County bush west of Monmouth, where he continues to learn how to garden with wildlife, plentiful weeds and limited water.
Native Equivalents for Common Nursery Plants 
Presented by Susie Savoy
Non-native ornamental plants support 29 times less biodiversity than native ornamentals; however, most plants sold in nurseries are not native. Thankfully, some local nurseries and plant growers are working hard to supply the growing interest in native plants and there is a wide selection of native plants to choose from that can replace non-native ornamentals. Come learn how to help native pollinators and biodiversity by growing native equivalents for common nursery plants such as aster, checkermallow, clematis, coneflower, currant, fuchsia, honeysuckle, iris, lupine, turtlehead, redbud, sunflowers, and much more!
Suzie Savoie is co-owner of Siskiyou Ecological Services and Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds, and is co-author of Native Pollinator Plants for Southern Oregon. Suzie provides native seed collection services, online native seed sales, native nursery plants, and native plant consultation. For 21 years she has been using native plants for gardens and habitat restoration on her property in the Applegate Valley, and she enjoys helping others do the same.
Achieving Abundant Apples: Pruning and Training Home Orchards 
Presented by Grace Florjancic
Pruning and training fruit trees is a journey that begins in year one. Proper pruning can not only increase your yield of fruit but also improve your tree’s overall health. In this presentation we will focus on apples, but the same concepts apply from almonds to Bartlets to cherries. Join Grace Florjancic in this presentation to learn the guidelines for pruning your trees through the years.
Grace Florjancic is the Master Gardener Coordinator for Jackson County. Grace has a degree in microbiology and horticulture from Virginia Tech. Part of their undergraduate research included management of the research apple orchard and the installation of a new orchard. Prior to her work with OSU Extension, she has worked in research greenhouses and botanic gardens in Virginia.
Electrifying Yard Work & Landscaping
Presented by Alan Journet & Kathy Conway
Have you ever thought of trading in your noisy gas-powered yard equipment for quieter electrical tools that start with the flick of a button?
Kathy and Alan will explore why electrification is generally favored among those of us concerned about climate change issues, and the benefits for the everyday user of yard equipment. We will identify what kinds of yard equipment are available locally in electric powered models, and will discuss the cost of these items in terms of purchase price and operation. We plan to provide information appropriate for professional landscapers and gardeners.
Alan hails from the UK where he attended the University of Wales, earned a doctorate in entomology from McGill University (Montreal), and then undertook a four-year excursion to Australia. After decades teaching biology and environmental science at Southeast Missouri State University, he retired in 2010.
Native Oregonian Kathy Conway attended Southern Oregon College, University of Oregon, and Lewis and Clark College. She then earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction at Southern Illinois University. Kathy taught high school and then university level in the areas of mathematics and methods of teaching math, science, and social studies to preservice elementary students at Southeast Missouri State University. She also retired in 2010.
Upon retirement, Kathy and Alan relocated to Southern Oregon, built an energy efficient passive/active solar home in the Applegate Valley, and collaborated with area residents to form Southern Oregon Climate Action Now, where they serve as co-facilitators. Currently at SOU, they teach ‘Living with Climate Change: Rogue Valley.’ They are the proud owners of several electric yard tools and recently purchased a battery-powered electric vehicle.
Our Western Monarchs: Will they be Listed as “THREATENED” and Why Should We Care? 
Presented by Robert Coffan
In 2019, the total known population of Western Monarchs plummeted to a scant 20,500 – a 99.4% loss in the last 20 years – followed by another ten-fold drop to less than 2,000! What happened and why? Will they be listed as “threatened”? Can they recover? What can we do to help?
The presentation will include an introduction to the iconic monarch butterfly and issues that plague our migrating western population. We will share what we can do to help restore monarch habitat and help many other pollinators throughout the seasons.
Robert Coffan is the co-founder of Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates and founder and former Chair of Western Monarch Advocates. He has a BS in hydrogeology and is a former Adjunct Professor at Southern Oregon University. Robert has lived in the Rogue Valley for 25 years, enjoying researching the biodiversity of the basin. He is fascinated by the beauty and life processes of the Monarch butterfly and other pollinators, and has joined forces with others to help restore their habitat and bring the population back. Robert never loses sight of the importance of preserving and caring for this beautiful and diverse part of the world we call home on planet Earth.
Community gardens are shared spaces that promote engagement with neighbors, gardening education, and better access to fresh food. They are a wonderful way to spread the joy of gardening and all its many benefits! Due to our successful fund-raising efforts, JCMGA was able to lend support to five local community gardens with grant awards this year.
Thanks to the outstanding leadership of Sherri Morgan, our Garden Grants committee has refined organization, criteria for awards, and efforts towards advertising, with the result of two additional gardens requesting grants this year. Good job and thank you Sherri! Also, a shout out to Sandy Nelson for managing our Facebook notices and letting the public know that JCMGA is supporting these community gardens. Thank you Sandy!
The Community Outreach Working Group is planning a visit to the winning community gardens and potentially others in the fall. Dates are not yet set, but will be announced later in the summer and members of JCMGA will be able to join.
In addition to providing grant money, JCMGA hopes to further support community gardens through education. Our Speaker’s Bureau provides educational presentations on gardening topics to community groups, clubs, and other organizations. This is one way to engage with our mission of educating Jackson County communities and expanding science-based knowledge for the home gardener. Colet Allen will engage with the contact person for the respective community gardens and determine if this is something that they might like to offer to their gardeners.
There are quarterly Community Garden Network meetings that Sheri Morgan chairs. If anyone you know is interested in working on, or starting a community garden, they are welcome to attend! At the meeting they can find knowledgeable people to answer questions and provide support, and perhaps make new like-minded friends. More information can be found on the JCMGA website.
Awards given for 2025:
| Community and contact | Project(s) | Location | Grant Amount Rewarded |
| Rogue River Food Garden
Helga Bush |
Repair and upgrade the irrigation system | 4733 West Evans Creek Rd
Rogue River, OR 87537 |
$1,000 |
| Holly Street Community Garden
Dana Kline |
Re-roof existing garden shed | 929 S. Ivy Street,
Medford, OR 97501 |
$1,150 |
| Eagle Point Community Garden Shari Lawson | Replace existing fencing | 1409 Siskiyou Blvd,
Medford, OR 97504 |
$250 |
| Providence Community
Health Foundation Lila Farney |
Replace the Garden Shed | 940 Royal Ave, Suite 410,
Medford, OR 97504 |
$250 |
| Blue Heron Community Garden
Sandra Wine |
Purchase new bench and irrigation parts | 109 Abby Street,
Phoenix OR 97535 |
$350 |
Seed to Supper Success!
Seed to Supper was a great success this spring. We held classes at Rogue Retreat’s Hope Village for their residents. Through the class, we were able to not only talk gardening but also get our hands dirty planting the community beds. Residents were able to direct sow crops from seeds, plant transplants, identify some good and bad bugs, and have a multitude of conversations about each other’s experiences in the garden. The residents of Hope Village are in charge of watering and harvesting the garden this summer.
Looking forward to next year, there is plenty of room to expand the program. We have many Master Gardener volunteers interested in helping with this program to spread our reach. Rogue Retreat’s Kelly Shelter also has beds that residents can learn in and plant in addition to having classes at Hope Village. Spring is a busy time of year but there is an opportunity for a fall Seed to Supper class to cover winterizing a garden with cover crops and our cold hardy crops. I am looking forward to continuing this partnership with Rogue Retreat and seeing what learning and hands on experiences we can share with the community!
Oregon State University Extension
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