- Author: Saoimanu Sope
Although training is required to become a University of California Master Gardener, the benefits of gardening can be experienced by anyone and everyone.
“As long as you're willing to get your hands dirty,” said Laurie Menosky, a UC Master Gardener volunteer in Orange County, “you can learn to grow all sorts of things.”
In early April, Menosky partnered with ETN Medical Infusion (a clinic in Orange County) and the Sustainability Program for Student Housing at UC Irvine to teach students how to grow tomatoes. Menosky welcomed all in attendance, including families with toddlers who seemed fascinated by the 60 tomato plants atop one of the tables in the room.
The UC Master Gardener Program is a part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. During her presentation, Menosky taught participants how to choose varieties that fit their taste and growing environment, how to cultivate a thriving environment, and how to control pests and diseases using integrated pest management practices.
“We have 16,000 residents at UCI and sustainability is one of our values. One of the ways we engage students is through on-campus gardens,” said Rachel Harvey, sustainability program manager for UCI Student Housing and a UC Master Gardener volunteer in Orange County.
UC Irvine has one teaching garden reserved for undergraduate learning, and three gardens operated and maintained by graduate students. “I was on the waiting list for a garden plot for a while, but it was totally worth the wait,” said Johanna Rinaman, a fifth-year Ph.D. student studying physical chemistry.
While the highlight of the event for many people was the opportunity to take a tomato plant home, another important takeaway was how gardening can be a good activity for your mental health. Sarah Nghiem, family medicine specialist at ETN Medical Infusion, who worked closely with Menosky, was instrumental in developing the mental health content for the day, encouraging attendees to attempt gardening with a mental health perspective.
Nghiem and her team received funding from the Orange County Health Care Agency through the Mental Health Services Act to work with transitional aged students (15-24 years-old) on understanding the importance of mental health, which led to the collaboration between UC Irvine, her alma mater, and the UC Master Gardeners of Orange County.
“I didn't do any gardening during the winter, and I felt a lot more anxious and depressed during that time,” Rinaman said. “I know gardening improves mental health because I've immediately felt a difference whenever I spend time with plants.”
Rinaman, whose father taught her a lot of what she knows about gardening, said that having access to a 4 feet by 6 feet plot to grow her own food is one of the many things she loves about UC Irvine.
Like Rinaman, Menosky turns to gardening to decompress, especially during the long days of summer. Teaching others about the physical and mental benefits of gardening gives her an opportunity to share her experience and, hopefully, help others find new ways to manage stress.
“We often have attendees come back years later telling us how our information has helped them and how much more they are enjoying their time in their gardens,” she said.
To conclude her presentation, Menosky instructed participants to line up for their own tomato plant. Attendees took their plants outside to transfer them from a small pot to a grow bag – a type of container that helps root structure development.
Cassie Ekwego, a third-year transfer student studying civil engineering, couldn't hide her excitement after carefully lifting her plant. “I don't think I realized how attentive you need to be when working with plants,” said Ekwego, reflecting on what she learned from Menosky's presentation.
Now that she has her own plant to care for in her own home, Ekwego is eager to put her new knowledge to the test. “I love tomatoes, but this is going to be a huge responsibility for me,” she said.
Randy Musser, UC Master Gardener program coordinator for Orange County, said that while he enjoys talking to avid gardeners, bringing gardening to new people in the community is special to him. “This tomato workshop is particularly exciting for me because it is an opportunity for the UC Master Gardeners to grow our connection to UCI and young people just starting off on their gardening journey,” said Musser.
With a generous contribution from UC Master Gardener volunteer Sheila Peterson, Musser was able to purchase enough supplies to help attendees, like Ekwego, jumpstart their gardening experience.
Students, whose stress levels can skyrocket throughout the school year, value opportunities to be outdoors, try something new and be in community. “The garden is a different type of classroom. It's a place where students can learn and experiment, hopefully in a way that reduces stress,” said Harvey of UCI Student Housing.
Ekwego, who tried gardening for the first time while volunteering at UC Irvine's teaching garden, is just one of the many students inspired by their experiences. “Gardening reminds me that it's OK to get my hands dirty,” Ekwego said.
- Author: Thomas J Getts
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Students, it is the time of year to apply for the CWSS Student Scholarship! Awards will be given to both graduate and undergraduate students ranging from $1,000-2,000. Any students interested in Weed Science should apply! Click here to submit an application and for further instruction.
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This year in January at the California Weed Science Society (CWSS) annual conference, we had numerous outstanding students present their recent research in the field of weed science. In total we had 12 students participate in the contest, but there is always room for more! If you know of any undergraduate or graduate students who are interested in weeds, I would encourage them to get involved with the CWSS. It is a great conference with many networking and learning opportunities.
This year we had one winner in the undergraduate student poster contest.
- 1st Place Undergraduate Student Poster - Sawyer William Claussen, California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo (Steinmaus Lab) - Biannual Crop Rotation as an Effective Weed Management Method
For the Graduate Student Contest, the two prize winners were from UC Davis!
- 1st Place Graduate Poster - Stephen Chang, UC Davis (Hanson Lab) - Evaluating the Effect of Endothall-treated Irrigation Water on California Crops
- 2nd Place Graduate Poster - Erika Escalona, UC Davis (Fennimore Lab) - Evaluating Bacterial Diversity and Efficacy of Steam Fumigation Treatments in the Salinas Valley's Lettuce and Spinach Fields
Fresno State swept the oral competition this year!
- 1st Place Graduate Paper - Robert Willmott, Fresno State University (Shrestha Lab) - Cover Crops Combined with Strip Tilling Reduces Herbicide Use in Silage Corn
- 2nd Place Graduate Paper - Jennifer Valdez Herrera, Fresno State University (Shrestha Lab) - Developing an Integrated Management System for Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) Control in Small Grain Crops in the Central Valley
If you see any of these excellent students, make sure to give them a big congratulations! And encourage students you know to apply for the scholarship program!
- Posted by: Gale Perez
The memorial fellowship was established to provide financial assistance to students pursuing careers in rice production science and technology. The award was presented at the annual California Rice Field Day (Aug. 25, 2021) in Biggs, CA.
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Guess what, undergraduates! Cornell AgriTech in Geneva has received the green light to proceed with the 2021 season of the Summer Scholars Research Program, which offers students the opportunity to work with faculty, their graduate students and postdocs, and staff on horticulture, plant pathology, and entomology research projects. The goal of the program is to provide undergraduates with the opportunity to plan and conduct experiments, evaluate data, communicate results, and learn about opportunities in agricultural and food research.
Dr. Lynn Sosnoskie (Assistant Professor of Weed Ecology and Management) and Dr. Yu Jiang (Assistant Research Professor of Digital Agriculture) have partnered together to develop and exciting project to assist with pigweed (Amaranthus species) identification. From the Cornell website:
Some specifics about the Summer Scholars Program:
- 9-week internships to conduct research in a faculty program at Cornell AgriTech
- Gain research experience and learn about the diverse agriculture and food systems in New York
- Additional professional enrichment programming and field trips will be offered
- Benefits include housing and a $4,825 stipend
- Program anticipated to start on June 9, 2021 (June 8 travel) and run through August 6, 2021 (August 7 for travel)
- As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we will post specifics about testing requirements and other pandemic-related requirements.
- Students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to be eligible for USDA NIFA funding.
- Students must be 18 years of age by June 8, 2021.
- Students must have completed two, and preferably three, years of college level study in one of the life sciences by June 2021.
- For answers to frequently asked questions, please visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-agritech/our-expertise/student-programs/summer-scholars/program-information/summer-scholar-faqs
- For a complete list of project descriptions, please visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-agritech/our-expertise/student-programs/summer-scholars/projects
- For application instructions, please visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-agritech/our-expertise/student-programs/summer-scholars/application-process
Applications are due on February 5, 2021 and academic reference letters are due on February 12, 2021, so don't delay!
If you'd like more information about the project, please feel free to contact Dr. Sosnoskie at lms438@cornell.edu.
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Katie Driver, a Ph.D. student in the Al-Khatib Lab at UC Davis, was awarded the 2018 D. Marlin Brandon Rice Research Fellowship. Katie's work focuses on controlling bearded sprangletop in California rice fields. She has identified populations of bearded sprangletop that are resistant to the herbicide clomazone and is investigating the mechanism and level of this resistance. She is also conducting experiments to learn more about the biology of the weed, including germination requirements, flooding tolerance, and competitiveness.
The memorial fellowship was established to provide financial assistance to students pursuing careers in rice production science and technology. The award was presented at the annual Rice Field Day (Aug. 29, 2018) in Biggs, CA.
![Katie Driver, UC Davis Ph.D. student, accepts D. Marlin Brandon Rice Research Fellowship award during the Rice Field Day 2018. (Photo courtesy of California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation) Katie Driver, UC Davis Ph.D. student, accepts D. Marlin Brandon Rice Research Fellowship award during the Rice Field Day 2018. (Photo courtesy of California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/55042.png)