Sharing Success and Educating Each Other
Seeds for Thought is the quarterly newsletter of the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State.
Issues are published on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. All content is submitted by WSU Extension Master Gardeners.
Submission Guidelines
Articles should be in a Word or Google document with JPG photos attached separately. Photo credits must be provided and the identity of MGs in the photos is appreciated. Fliers or announcements of upcoming events are also welcome in JPG format. Please email submissions to newsletter@mastergardenerfoundation.org
| Publication Date | Submissions Due |
| February 1 | January 1 |
| May 1 | April 1 |
| August 1 | July 1 |
| November 1 | October 1 |
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Seeds For Thought
A newsletter of the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State
February 2025 – Volume 25, Issue 1
From the President
~~ Tana Hasart, MGFWS President
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Life’s patterns are interesting and varied. Two years ago, we moved into a new-to-us home, my 37th since being married. The house is solid – a 1950s-era structure renovated from top to bottom. And then there is the outdoor space. Using permaculture principles, raised beds are installed, a small fruit orchard is established, and fences are close to being replaced. On this summer’s to-do list is a bird fountain, a pollinator bed, an herb spiral – and the list goes on. So, what does this have to do with the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington? Well, a lot.
Our organization was founded as a result of the Advanced Education Conference challenges. It was becoming financially difficult for counties to host the AEC, thus the MGFWS stepped into that early role. Two years ago, a version of strategic planning engaged the MGFWS in statewide work to support technological innovation, offer professional development training, improve documentation that guides non-profit board operations, and other such strategies. Expanding services to local boards, investing in their success, and making use of templates created to improve effectiveness and efficiency are now part of our “calling.”
And for the parallels? The MGFWS is building on a firm foundation of good practice. We are using proven methods where possible and then learning how to update them to see overall improvement across the state. Sustainability over time is a guiding principle. We observe and interact with local foundations to find what is needed. Your energy is captured and stored to help with tasks. We integrate rather than segregate, making sure the needs of small and large foundations are considered. And we creatively respond to change.
January included time to update our strategic plan. During the coming months, you will learn about the focus of the MGFWS Board over the next 2-3 years. We want to thank each of you who support this work and trust that our efforts are tangible examples of how we live out our mission and dedicate our time.
– Tana
From the Statewide Program Leader
~~ Jennifer Marquis, WSU Extension Master Gardner Program Statewide Leader
My yard has been snow covered since mid-December. I’m itching for spring. The Northwest Flower and Garden Festival (NWFGF) is a tell-tale sign that longer days filled with sun and warmth are just around the corner. In my estimation those days cannot come soon enough.
Check out the seminars available for WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers on the festival website. Click on “Seminars” and then “WSU Master Gardener CE Credit” to view a list of pre-approved classes.
If you plan to attend the show, you can send $2 per ticket purchased back to MGFWS by using this link: https://bit.ly/25NWFG_WSUMG (no need to enter a promo code). Discounted advanced tickets are $23 each for adults through February 18, 2025.
Extension Master Gardeners participate in the NWFGF with the support of the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State and the many local Master Gardener Foundations that so generously donate to ensure we have the opportunity to share our program priorities.
It’s annual reporting time for Program Coordinators as they gather the data you shared throughout 2024 and report it to county commissions and WSU Extension. Next, we will aggregate the data and testimonials to tell a compelling and impactful story about the differences Master Gardener volunteers make in our communities. We’ll begin putting together the 2024 impact report in March. Take a look at the 2023 report to see how we use the data and results to tell our story.
Thank you to all who helped collect the data. Because of you, we are getting better at describing how what we do makes real and meaningful change.
It is also goal-setting time. We launched our program evaluation plan in 2024 and about 5 counties participated. We received about 200 responses. In 2025, I’d like to have at least 10 counties participate and receive 1000 responses. We ask our Extension Master Gardener volunteers to help us reach this goal, working with your Program Coordinator and educational outreach teams to incorporate established learning objectives into your talks.
To plan with the end in mind, use the Program Priority Toolkit and associated tools of the trade, including templated PowerPoint slide decks. The tools can be found in our Program Priority Library.
Thanks in advance for helping us reach our goal of 10 participating counties and 1000 evaluation responses.
Here’s to melting snow and warmth from the sun to awaken my garden and yours. Soon the birds will be chirping, butterflies will be fluttering, and the bees will be buzzing. Until then, find a good book and curl up by the fire — or better yet, attend the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival. I hope to see you there!
– Jennifer
An Irrigation Project for Thurston County Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens
~~ Pam Roberts, Thurston County Master Gardener
The Master Gardener Foundation of Thurston County is celebrating the completion of the first phase of a substantial project to replace the irrigation systems in all three of our Demonstration Gardens. The Foundation supports infrastructure in the three beautiful demonstration gardens maintained by the WSU Master Gardener Program: Dirt Works Demonstration Garden and Nursery, Closed Loop Park Demonstration Garden, and Olympia Farmers Market Gallacci Garden.
A committee of volunteers, chaired by Marie Kirk, MG and Barbara Baker, Foundation Member, has been working for several years to plan this complicated process. Representatives from each of the three demonstration gardens sit on the committee. The Committee is collaborating with municipal structures which are involved separately in the management of the gardens, including the City of Olympia, Thurston County Public Works Solid Waste Department, and others.
The irrigation project is a collaboration among Thurston County Master Gardeners, its MG Foundation, municipal entities, and a contracted third party.
Photo courtesy of Pam RobertsIn accordance with principles of best practices in the garden and to show conservative water-wise use of resources, the Irrigation Committee chose to begin this project with Dirt Works Demonstration Garden. The Dirt Works Demonstration Garden encompasses an ornamental garden, a food bank garden, and a year-round plant nursery, and is approximately 35 years old.
It sits on land owned by the City of Olympia, which charges the Program for water use. Water leaks were becoming more common due to the aging infrastructure of the original water lines within the garden.The committee received welcome consultation from the City of Olympia in its research. After consideration of various approaches to this project, they determined that the use of a professional vendor was the best option.
Therefore, a contractor was engaged to do the work, which was 100% funded by the Foundation. The Irrigation Committee plans to take its next steps in the Olympia Farmers Market Gallacci Garden. This is a smaller garden, open to the public 24/7, with its own set of complications.
Closed Loop Park Demonstration Garden sits over a closed landfill, which takes on yet a different type of issue. Our Grant Committee is planning to seek funding for these projects in the future.
The Irrigation Committee has matured in its approach to these projects and anticipates new challenges and successes in the future.
Good news footnote: The bill for Dirt Works water has already been lowered! Physical effort in wrangling hoses is no longer necessary to water the nursery.
For more information about drip irrigation, WSU offers a Fact Sheet: https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/drip-irrigation-for-the-yard-and-garden
The irrigation project saves time and money, while eliminating the need for hose wrangling by Master Gardeners. Photo courtesy of Pam Roberts Poison Oak: Friend and Foe
~~ Carolyn Ann Smith, Jefferson County Master Gardener Intern
Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold or silver. The resulting “repaired” pottery becomes a cherished work of art. There is no attempt to hide the damage. The breaks are adorned and embellished as if to declare that the pottery is not broken but rather without fault in its newfound embodiment. Some art historians propose that the illuminated repair is a physical expression of the spirit of the Japanese mushi which connotes “living in the moment” and acknowledging the inconstancy of the human condition. Buddhists in Japan likewise embrace the concept of wabi-sabi in kintsugi which centers on the acceptance of the ephemerality and mutability of life.
The kintsugi lacquer is tapped from the Japanese poison oak tree, Toxicodendron vernicifluum. The lacquer is rich in the chemical urushiol (yu-ru-she-ol). Urushiol is a toxic phenol also found in the Pacific poison oak plant and shrub, poison ivy, poison sumac, the fruit of the cashew nut tree, and parts of the mango tree.
The Pacific or western poison oak shown at right, Toxicodendron diversilobum, is a perennial deciduous shrub or vine that leafs in February and March. It grows quickly in the next few months as a shrub up to 5-6 feet high or as a vine up to 45 feet long.
The irrigation projec
It is found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Baja, California. In Washington state it is most common on the Puget Sound shorelines and along the Columbia River. Leaflets are irregularly lobed or scalloped similar to the oak leaf. There may be 3-9 leaflets that grow alternately on the stem. Small greenish-ivory flowers are in clusters with male and female flowers on different plants. In the fall there is attractive foliage of a pinkish hue. Urushiol is present in all parts of the plant (roots, stems, leaves, flowers) and even remain toxic in the stems and roots when the plant is dormant in the winter.
Poison oak plays an important role in the ecology of an area. Birds such as the American robin feed on its berries spreading seeds through its droppings. The urushiol oil does not affect wildlife as it does humans, so deer and livestock, for example, can eat its nutritious leaves. Poison oak is part of a specialized group of plants known as nitrogen fixers. These plants can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable from for other organisms to create a stable and fertile ecosystem.
Despite urushiol’s remarkable ability to bestow new life to a broken bowl, it is toxic to the sensitive human being. An estimated 50 million cases of the poison oak and poison ivy allergic rash occur every year in the United States. The rash starts as an itchy redness at the contact site but can spread and progress to blisters over the ensuing weeks. Since urushiol is oily, it sticks to skin and clothing and is hard to clean off. The rash cannot spread from person to person by touching the blisters, but the oil remaining on clothing can spread to another person on contact with the clothing. Repeat encounters with urushiol can make rashes worse with subsequent exposures.
Notwithstanding the disagreeable, nasty rash endured by the sensitive human beings who encounter the urushiol of the Pacific poison oak, we perhaps might try to recall urushiol’s kintsugi gift to us —- knowing with tranquility that existence is transitory yet sublime— replete with all its imperfections.
This article was originally published in the Port Ludlow Voice.
The Evergreen Thumb: A Podcast for Home Gardeners
Erin Hoover, Grays Harbor County Master Gardener, continues to publish fresh Evergreen Thumb podcasts with gardening tips and insights every other Tuesday. Last month, Erin interviewed Lewis County Master Recycler Composter Program Coordinator Jason Adams about vermicomposting as well as clinical psychology doctoral candidate & cognitive aging researcher Catherine “Katie” Luna on how gardening supports cognitive health in later life.
Each episode’s show notes include a brief episode description, the audio podcast, a transcript, and an excellent list of resources for further reading. The Evergreen Thumb can also be found on your favorite podcast app.
The archive includes an impressive set of experts sharing their knowledge on a diverse array of topics, including growing food, seed saving, helping pollinators, improving soil, and managing weeds and pests.
Sign up to receive email notifications of new episodes at Join Our List. It’s a great resource to share with our local gardening communities. The Evergreen Thumb is produced by WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers and sponsored by the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State.
Seeds for Thought is a quarterly publication of the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State. Submissions, corrections, and comments can be emailed to the Editor, Barbara Faurot.
Seeds for Thought Copyright 2016-2025 Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State
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