Horticulture

Coshocton County's first Master Gardener Program was initiated in January 2001. There are currently 24 active Master Gardeners in Coshocton County. In 2007 they volunteered 1164.25 hours to beautifying and educating our community and spent 449.00 hours continuing to educate themselves!

Work continues on several projects: Our own Parking Lot Garden, the Weaver's Garden at Roscoe Village, various plantings at Lake Park and the Ohio Flag Garden. We are collaborating with Clary Gardens and 2008 is the second year for the Display Garden.

We are holding several educational programs for the public in 2008 so keep checking back!

Coshocton County Master Gardeners will be bringing "The Real Dirt" to listeners of Coshocton's local 99.3 WTNS Radio. The program will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will be approximately an hour in length. Programs will normally be held the 4th Friday of each month through the year and will provide pertinent information to local gardeners.

July 29, Lunch & Learn at Clary Gardens, 12:15-12:45 p.m. Bring your own lunch and enjoy a quick educational program on a variety of garden topics. Free of charge. Meet in the Tan House at Clary Gardens, 588 West Chestnut Street, Coshocton.

July 24, The Natural Greenhouse, 7:00- 8:30 p.m. at the Coshocton Public Library. Gini Coover, author of The Natural Greenhouse, will provide practical information on building greenhouses and growing plants and food for private use and profit. Call 740.622.0956 to register.

Soil Testing Back in Coshocton County!

A basic soil test is an excellent way to measure soil fertility. It is also an inexpensive way to help maintain good plant health and maximize productivity. The Coshocton County Extension Office is once again offering soil testing for the following:

Home gardens – including vegetable and flower

Turf and ornamentals

Production agricultural crops

The Extension office will mail all submitted soil samples to Spectrum Analytic, Inc., a comprehensive testing lab in Washington Court House. Basic soil test packages cost $15 each. More detailed tests are available for an additional charge.

A basic soil test package includes a summary of soil pH, buffer pH, organic matter, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, calcium, magnesium, cation exchange capacity, and percent base saturation of cation elements. All soil tests will also provide an outline of recommendations for reaching desired yields.

It is best to test soils after harvest in the fall or in the spring. When testing soil from year to year, it is best to collect samples at the same time (say every October or every April) to avoid extreme changes in soil-test information.

Instructions on how to take a good soil sample are available in the Extension office. A soil probe will also be available for use.

We have continued the Ohio Flag Garden at the Park. This year's flowers include red and white impatience and blue ageratum. Barb is the 2008 chair of this garden. (view pictures of the Flag Garden here) Warning: there are several images and it will take a while to download.

Phenology Garden at Lake Park:
New in 2004, the Phenology Garden project is a state-wide research project coordinated by Dan Herms, OSU Extension Entomologist, OARDC Wooster, and Denise Ellsworth, OSU Extension-Summit Co., Horticultural Educator. The trees and shrubs planted in the OSU Phenology Garden network sites (34 sites, in all) will monitored for the first and full bloom, which will assist with identifying insect activity by the amount of "growing degree days". Knowing an insects life cycle can encourage more effective pest control and also saves in time, money and energy. Marcia & Helen have been monitoring and collecting data for this project. Click here for more OSU Phenology Garden information and site locations.

Weaver's Garden at Roscoe Village:
A new garden in 2003 for Roscoe, Judi is the 2008 chair of this project. Specializing in plants used to dye materials used for weaving in the 1860's.
Click here for images for the Weaver's Garden (Warning: there are several images and it will take a while to download.)

Parking Lot Garden:
Started in July 2003, the median in front of the County Services Building (where the OSU Extension Office is housed) had been neglected. Two locust trees had been cut down in 2002 and all that was left were about 24 misplaced and mangled Cotoneaster... That all changed on July 30, 2003. Click here for images (Warning: there are several images and it will take a while to download.) Teresa is the 2008 chair of this garden.

Display Garden at Clary Gardens
New in 2007! Hopefully in two years this garden will be approved as an All-American Selections Display Garden. Over 40 varieties of annuals are growing and blooming. Click here for images of the Display Garden.

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