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Just for Gardeners

   JUST FOR GARDENERS

Master Gardeners | Soil Tests | Organic Gardening
Master Gardeners at the Warren Farmers' Market: 2008 Season Schedule | Farmers' Market Photos
Reflections on Gardening: More Than Blooms | Hollyhocks and Four O'Clocks
Connections: The 2008 Victory Garden | Strength Training in the Garden | Garden Report - Golden Beets | All About Garlic | Freezer Tips

Master Gardeners is a volunteer program sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension
bullet How Master Gardeners Help
Master Gardeners are community volunteers trained by county extension agricultural agents.  Once they complete their training, Master Gardeners begin volunteer service.  They cooperate with service agencies and community groups on a wide range of gardening projects.  They often provide hands-on training through demonstrations for home gardeners, clubs, and organizations.  Their talents and energy are directed toward providing a link between their community and Penn State Cooperative Extension.
bullet Why They Can Help
Master Gardeners have a strong interest in gardening, a willingness to learn, and, most important, the desire to help others.  Certified Master Gardeners have had training in plant science, integrated pest management, pesticide safety, plant propagation, soil science, plant diseases, and insect pests.  Many Master Gardeners focus on a particular subject area such as vegetable gardening or landscape design.
bullet What They Can Do For You
Master Gardeners are willing and able to assist individuals and groups with:
plant selection
weed, insect, and disease identification
composting
landscape design
pest control
park improvement
vegetable gardening
tree pruning and care
community gardening
.... and more
bullet Volunteer Activities
Master Gardeners fulfill their volunteer commitment to:
work with groups on community beautification
create demonstration gardens
teach plant science to school-age children
teach horticulture to adults
answer gardening questions
teach environmentally sound gardening to community groups
write articles for the news media
establish gardening programs for special-needs audiences

 

The Master Gardeners
This website showcases the activities, articles, and programs supported by the Master Gardeners of Adams County, PA and Frederick and Carroll Counties, MD. It is designed to give gardening enthusiasts, near and far, the opportunity to utilize the knowledge of our local Master Gardeners.  Articles can be accessed by topic, season or author.

See Warren Penn State Extension Center Horticulture/Gardening for more information and links to local and regional gardening topics. Email: WarrenExt@psu.edu
Connections: Tomato Canning Alert
By Nancy Yergin, MS, RD, LDN, Forest County Penn State Extension

9/4/08 If tomatoes are infected with Late Blight - are they safe for canning? A cautionary note from Extension Specialist, Luke F. LaBorde, professor in Penn State's Department of Food Science says no, they are not. Late blight is a common disease in tomatoes caused by the fungus Phytophthora
infestans. The disease thrives in cool, moist conditions and can wipe out an entire tomato crop within just a few weeks of infestation.

Infected tomato plants initially develop water soaked lesions on the leaves and stems. Under cool and moist conditions, the fruits may become infected initially with firm, dark brown lesions that rapidly become enlarged, wrinkled, and somewhat sunken. The rotted areas are usually located on the top of the fruit and may remain firm or become mushy. Both green and ripe fruits can be infected. Green fruit that is picked early and ripened indoors may develop symptoms before it is ready to eat. The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (1994 ed.) recommends that canners select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm tomatoes for canning. This does not mean that the fungus itself is harmful to eat. Instead, the recommendation is based on the fact that fungus infected fruit may have a higher than normal pH that could make it unsafe for canning. This is true for other fungal infections of tomato as well.

Fruit that shows severe symptoms of late blight, especially internalization of the mold into the tomato fruit, should not be used for canning. Although the USDA Guide recommends using only vine-ripened fruit for canning, tomatoes that have been picked green and allowed to ripen indoors may be canned if they show no symptoms of late blight.

Tomatoes that are damaged by frost are also not recommended for canning because the softened tissue may be quickly invaded by fungus. If the canner insists on recovering a frost damaged crop, the fruit should be picked the morning after the frost and processed that day.

Remember as always to follow the USDA Guide's recommendations for acidification: To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use one tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid.

Questions or comments on this or other columns? Nancy Yergin can be reached via email at NLY1@PSU.EDU.

More Connections articles.

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

Test Your Soil 

Soil test kits are available for purchase from the Warren County Extension Office, 609 Rouse Ave.  Youngsville.  The kit comes with instructions on how to properly collect soil samples.  You mail the samples to Penn State.  They will return the results to you and make appropriate recommendations. 

Information on the Soil Fertility Testing Program -  services, fees,  and soil information resources is also available at the Penn State soil test website.

Organic Gardening Web Resources

Avant-gardening: Creative Organic Gardening
Includes information on composting, soil and a free e-newsletter

Beginning Organic Gardening
For the beginning organic gardener. Lots of articles and fact sheets.

Natural Organic Gardening sources at The Dirt Doctor (www.dirtdoctor.com)
Information about organic businesses, non-profit organizations and publications recommended by the Dirt Doctor

OrganicGardening.com
Organic test gardens with photos, growing topics from A to Z, and lots of seasonal information

The Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program
Publications and online resources at this A Penn State website that include fact sheets on insects, including pictures.

Soil Amendments (at the Colorado State University Extension Service website)
Soil amendment refers to any material mixed into a soil...Using organic soil amendments is a great way to turn otherwise useless products, like fall leaves and livestock manure, into compost for improving soil tilth.

Web Resources at the Michigan State Horticultural Gardening Institute
Scroll about half way down the webpage to access the list of recommended Organic Gardening web resources.  " A complement to our efforts to promote and teach gardeners in all growing zones how to make gardening decisions and choices in relation to their environmental impact, the resource links below provide guidance on sustainable gardening practices, plant selections, conservation practices and site assessment."

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Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to info@warrenag.org
Copyright © 2008  Future of Warren County Agriculture Task Force.  All rights reserved.
Updated:  10/08/08