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long with its showers that have kept my lawn mower busy, April marks the beginning of increased calls and office visits to the Extension office by gardeners seeking advice! I really do enjoy visiting with folks and helping them find solutions for their gardening problems; however, some of their questions can be a bit off the wall! One such question was about the medicinal uses of broad-leaf plantain, a common lawn weed of European origin. Yes, doing a search for information did reveal that there are a number of medicinal applications for this plant!
After a busy March, I have now turned my attention to working on the schedule for Master Gardener basic training classes. Master Gardener training for the Southeast Kansas sector floats between the Wildcat District and the Southwind District. Every other year Wildcat District host the training, this year is the Wildcat District’s turn. The training will be held at the Southeast Area Research and Extension center in Parsons beginning in September.
Master Gardener training consists of a series of eleven required lessons taught by state Extension specialists and local agents (some lessons are presented as pre-recorded videos). Each lesson is approximately two and a half hours long and is either presented in a morning or afternoon session. Classes are scheduled on six different Fridays during the fall (Friday scheduling is necessary so as not to conflict with other Master Gardener training events held during the week in other parts of the state). At least fifteen persons must be sign up for the training program to proceed (this is the minimum number of persons required by K-State Extension Horticulture department). The schedule is just about finalized and will give it to Mattson so she can begin working on advertising and promotional materials.
My other activities during April included presenting a lesson on the selection, planting and care of ornamental grass for southeast Kansas. This lesson was presented to the Independence Garden Club on April first. Tara, Kylie and I helped Will Morris with a 4-H STEM event at the Fab Lab at Independence Community College on April 2; my responsibility was to supervise the building of rubber-band powered ballistic missiles. The 4-Hers made these projectiles from card stock, blue duct tape, and water pipe insulation. On April 3, I presented a lesson on container gardening for the students at Zion Lutheran School in Independence. On Saturday, April 6, I held a Gardener’s Q&A clinic at the Olson’s Ace Hardware in Parsons for their spring event.
James, Wendie, Jeri and I attended the Kansas Association of County Agriculture Agents (KACAA) spring workshop in Holton, Kansas. This workshop included educational tours to various industries in Northeast Kansas, guest