- Author: Rose Marie Hayden-Smith
On Friday June 5th, UCCE Ventura will launch a local campaign as part of UC ANR's statewide giving day, which we're calling “Big Dig Day”...a day to “dig deep” to support the UCCE programs that you care about in Ventura County.
Ventura County Master Gardener Program
We invite you to support our mission to extend research-based knowledge about home gardening, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to our communities. Our program is driven by 209 active volunteers who use UC science-based information to offer solutions to gardening, landscape, and pest challenges. Last year, our volunteers donated 12,561 hours of service to the program.
The Master Gardener Program helps Ventura County grow in many ways, including:
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Offering water-wise workshops to help residents optimize use of a scarce resource
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Staffing a helpline to answer questions for home gardeners
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Working with other community organizations to maintain 9 demonstration gardens throughout Ventura County
- Delivering dozens of educational and hands-on outreach programs and talks each year
Ventura County 4-H Program
Since 1914, the Ventura County 4-H Program has served generations of youth and families. Our motto is “To Make the Best Better.” Through our volunteer-driven experiential programs, we help Ventura County youth develop life and leadership skills that enable them to succeed. In the last 100 years, Ventura County has changed. But some things never change, including our belief in the power of youth.
4-H grows here:
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7,300+ youth reached across Ventura County each year
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14 community and 2 military clubs providing educational opportunities in STEM, healthy living, animal husbandry, leadership, and civic engagement
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Outreach programs delivered in classrooms and virtually that connect youth with one of our county's most important resources: agriculture
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Efforts driven and supported by 150 motivated and highly-trained volunteers
Help us serve even more youth by donating on “Big Dig” Day.
What We're Asking
Now more than ever, we all know the value of community. In times of crisis and beyond, we are here. We live where you live.
By donating to the Master Gardener Program and the 4-H Program, you help us extend the knowledge and resources of the University to our community. Join us on 6/5 and #DigDeep to support our UCCE programs.
Mark your calendar, spread the word, and stay tuned for more details.
#BigDigDay #DigDeep
- Author: Annemiek Schilder
In this weekly blog, Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Director, UCCE Ventura County and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center, shares her observations about the natural world across the seasons. As she says:
"Gently observing your surroundings with curiosity will teach you some amazing things. There are so many fascinating things happening under our noses, only wanting for an observant eye."
The flowering spikes of the octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana), currently in bloom in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at HAREC in Santa Paula, are seriously impressive at more than 12 feet tall. Octopus agave is a drought-tolerant plant native to the Mexican desert where it grows on rocky ground. The gray-green smooth, twisting leaves with flexible spikes at the tips give the plant an octopus-like appearance. Like other agaves, it is monocarpic, flowering only once in its life before it dies.
Agaves belong to the family Asparagaceae and are therefore related to asparagus. Indeed, young flower spikes may resemble giant asparagus spears. Flowering usually occurs between 6 and 25 years of age. The plant invests all of its energy into producing a spectacular flower display as its last hurrah. The copious small yellow flowers start opening at the bottom of the spike, moving upwards in waves. Flowering may occur over a period of 4 to 8 weeks.
Agave flowers are a magnet for pollinating insects and hummingbirds. However, in their native habitat, nectar-feeding bats, such as the lesser long-nosed bat and the Mexican long-tongued bat, play an important role in agave flower pollination. This may also explain the height of the flower spikes. Bats pollinate at night and are critical for seedset. In the absence of these specialized bats, fewer than 5% of the flowers may produce seed. Commercial cultivation of agave for tequila, which involves cutting off flower stalks, as well as pesticides and habitat destruction have been put forward as reasons for the current endangered status of some of these bat species in Mexico.
In addition to seeds, plantlets called “bulbils” may be produced in large numbers on spent flower stalks. These bulbils are exact clones of the mother plant and will root readily when planted in soil. While clonal reproduction is a good short-term strategy for plant survival, it does limit genetic diversity which makes the species less adaptable to environmental changes in the long term.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
The Master Gardeners of Ventura County will host one of their seasonal home-garden workshops in August. This workshop will focus on "Growing Enviable Orchids and Roses," and will include a continental breakfast, snacks and a docent-guided tour of the Faulkner home.
Gardening experts will guide orchid and rose enthusiasts with techniques to turn their blooms into showcase beauties.
The Master Gardeners love to share their expertise and love of gardening. Workshops are held on Saturdays so more members of the public can participate.
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2014
Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Location:
Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center
14292 W. Telegraph Rd.
Santa Paula, CA
Fees:
General Public - $20
Master Gardeners - $10
For more information see this flyer; link here to register.
