1

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Table of Contents:

1-3 Note from the President 3 Call for Nominations 4-5 Garden Talk 6 Mastering Urban Tree Health and ID 7 IPH Annual Gala and Program 8-9 New CCMG Website 10 Preparing the Ornamental Garden for the Winter 11 State Master Gardener Award Winners 12-15 Five Acre Farm Daylilies ‘Beauty for

a Day’ 15 Four Seasons Webinars 16-18 The Journey from Hobbyist to Hybridizer 19 Coordinator’ Report 20-23 June Impact Report 23-26 July Impact Report

• Please send all contributions for

the Cultivator to Lori Garrett, Lorikgarrett@gmail.com.

• Submission deadline for the next edition is October 15th.

• All submissions must be your own original work.

the cultivator

September/October 2019 The newsletter for Master Gardeners serving

Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties

A Note from the President

by Christie Roszkowski

The gardening season is on the wane. How can that be? Remember the

spring when we couldn’t get out into the garden because of the rain? And

now for the past two months, we’ve looked to the sky with hope anytime a

small cloud appears. Despite the lack of rain, the Idea Garden looks gor-

geous because of the dedication of the Master Gardeners in watering faith-

fully. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the rain will return in the late sum-

mer and fall so that the garden continues to shine.

Last month’s note discussed two new strategies that are part of the frame-

work to guide Champaign County Master Gardeners over the next two

years. This issue’s note focuses on:

Strategy 3: Diversify Master Gardener education programs to increase

participation by both MGs and the public.

The brainstorming sessions held at the end of last year clear indicated that

Master Gardeners were interested in new and different programs to

achieve our mission, “Helping Others Learn to Grow.” While recognizing

that the monthly programs on the fourth Tuesday of each month provide

excellent presentations, a subcommittee (Bev Herman, Bonnie Specchio,

Tabitha Elder, and Christie Roszkowski) reviewed the issues and made sev-

eral recommendations to diversify our education programs:

• Offer a few daytime programs in addition to the fourth Tuesday even-

ing programs;

• Restart Garden Chats at the Idea Garden;

• Offer a program or programs at a location other than the Extension

building;

• Complete development of a Speaker’s Bureau; and

• Investigate opportunities for field trips.

2

the cultivator

Already this year, we have begun implementation of these recommendations. On March 26, Master Gardeners Juanita Gammon and Susie Smith presented Landscape Design Basics and How to Implement Them (above) as a noontime program at the Extension Auditorium. They shared a wealth of information about designing a garden that was illustrated with the design of the new entrance garden at the Idea Garden. Another lunch-and learn-program, Winners of Trial Plant Testing 2018, was presented by Master Gardener Ann Tice. Attendance at these two events (66 at Landscape Design Basics and 46 at Winners of Trial Plant Testing 2018) demonstrated that day-time programs will draw an audience. Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists are exploring the possibility of coordinating future lunch-and-learn programs. Restarting Garden Chats at the Idea Garden posed some problems because neither the Idea Garden Committee nor the Program Committee was willing to assume full responsibility for these programs. Tabitha helped overcome this bureaucratic issue after talking with new Master Gardener Nancy Crawford. She has agreed to coordinate the Garden Chats while acting as a liaison to the Program Committee. Nancy already organized three Garden Chats this year:

• Tool Care and Maintenance with guest lecturer Larry Thurow (July 10); • Children's Intro to Butterflies (photos below) with Master Gardener Nancy

Crawford leading an art project and Master Gardener Janet Townsend giving an educational presentation (July 20); and

• Great Annuals for Your Garden presented by Master Gardener Ann Tice (August 7).

Again, attendance at all was excellent, and 33 children (accompanied by parents or guardians) were a new audience that we have now introduced to gardening and the Idea Garden. We are exploring new venues for Master Gardener programs. Both Champaign Public Library and Urbana Free Library have expressed an interest in sponsoring gardening programs with Master Gardeners at the libraries. We look forward to testing these sites in the upcoming months.

Larry Thurow

3

the cultivator Tabitha Elder has done a fantastic job organizing and

setting up our Speaker’s Bureau. An online form is avail-

able for those interested in having Master Gardeners

present to their groups. Tabitha is compiling an online

list of topics to help those who may be interested. She

also hosted a program to introduce and recruit Master

Gardeners to the Bureau. Future workshops to help in-

terested Master Gardeners hone their presentation skills

will also include PowerPoint assistance. Master Garden-

ers and Master Naturalists also are looking at ways to

coordinate their speaker resources.

Finally, the Program Committee is investigating options

for offering field trips to Master Gardeners. These trips

were popular in the past, but University rules have im-

peded providing field trips in the last couple of years.

The Committee is hopeful that at least one trip can be

planned for next year.

Diversification of Master Gardener programs provides

exciting volunteer opportunities for Master Gardeners,

especially those who may no longer be up to the manual-

labor tasks of working in the garden. The Program Com-

mittee, expertly chaired by Bev Herman, has welcomed

new ways to share gardening information. The Program

Committee also welcomes new members who could con-

tribute creative ideas for programming. To volunteer,

please contact either Bev or Tabitha.

Congratulations to these newly Active-certified Master Gardeners!

Davida Bluhm Nancy Crawford Cindy DeBrock

Jeanne St. Peter Chris Wagener

Call for Nominations for CCMG Advisory Board

The Leadership Development and Nominations

Committee requests nominations for candidates

for the following Advisory Board positions:

• President

• Vice President

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• 4 At-large members

Eligibility:

1. Candidates must be available to meet on the second

Thursday of each month at 9:00 AM a the Extension

Office.

2. Only Certified/Active Master Gardeners are eligible

to serve as officers.

3. At-large positions are open to both Certified/Active

Master Gardeners and Master Gardener interns.

4. Officers serve for 1 year, beginning January 1.

5. Officers may not serve more than two consecutive

terms.

You may nominate yourself or others and may include

nominations for one, some, or all of the positions.

Nominations should be submitted no later than

September 15th.

Click here for details and to submit a nomination.

The Committee will recommend a slate of officers, and

the election will take place at the Champaign County

Master Gardeners Annual Business meeting on Tuesday,

November 12, 2019 @ 6 P.M. at the Champaign County

Extension Auditorium.

4

the cultivator Garden Talk

Article and photos by Maggie Dougherty-Roberts

[Originally published in PrimeLife Times]

In the summer, there is a little pattern to many of my days. In the morning, while

the night cool lingers, I head outdoors. First I go to the screened porch to check

and see if any chrysalids have eclosed and if there are any butterflies ready to be

released. Sometimes I am able to witness the emergence of a new butterfly,

which is always a delight, but most often I miss this special moment as I cannot

delay too long. There is milkweed to gather and wash, aquariums to be cleaned,

caterpillars to discover. I head to the garden with my camera, looking to see

what is blooming and who is visiting. I make a mental note of the favorite flowers

of butterflies, honey bees, bumble bees and birds. When I get to the pollinator

garden, I always startle the rotund rabbit who lives there. He darts under the

hawthorns, smug that he has escaped unnoticed. But I see the tell-tale evidence—the many asters nibbled upon

—this is not my first rodeo.

I replenish the birdbaths and water the flower pots. I look for humming-

birds around their feeders; I’m thrilled if I see one and happy that I have

some of their favorite flowers to entice them to stop by our garden. I listen

to the chortling sound of the purple martins as they converse before head-

ing out for a day of hunting aerial insects. I check on any newly planted

flowers to see if they are wilty and drag the hose to give them a nice drink

if they are. When people ask if we have an irrigation system, I say “yes, it’s

a vintage system—it’s over 65 years old.”

Plants are like people to me. I anthropomorphize them. I describe them as if they

have human characteristics. If they look droopy in a spot, I say that they are

“pouting.” If they don’t do well where I have planted them, I say that they don’t

like it there, as if they had a choice. If they are difficult to maintain, I say that they

are too demanding for my garden, like a spoiled child. My motto: I don’t have time

for finicky, high-maintenance plants. I will try two or three locations, but if a plant

does not thrive in any of those, bye bye.

I do admit that a change of location is the answer sometimes. There is a saying in

the gardening world, “Right plant, right place.” I had a Kerria japonica that I tried

in an area I thought would be a good spot—partly sunny, medium moisture. But it

did not like it there at all and sulked. I moved it to a full-sun bed with soil that

dries out at times and it has thrived there; it must not have read its own descrip-

tion in the catalogue!

That actually happens quite a bit. I had a miniature Japanese willow that was described as 3 feet by 3 feet so I

tucked it into good spot. But within a year it was at least 6 feet high and nearly as wide, an over achiever! I was

Red admiral butterfly on echinacea

Bumblebees on Monarda

Painted lady on anise hyssop

5

the cultivator constantly trying to keep it within bounds, trimming it and the other

plants nearby while their branches intertwined. Plants have a mind of

their own! Sometime I will plant three of the same plant in nearby prox-

imity and two will thrive and one will pout and sometimes die. They had

the same conditions, what was the deal? I describe them like children.

This one needs to be given a little extra attention. This one is a “bully,”

taking over everything nearby and putting itself all over the yard, like

silver queen artemesia and bouncing bet and lemon balm. Sometimes a

plant is “busy”, spreading itself happily with no malintent, like bee balm

and oxeye daisies and anise hyssop. If a plant grows readily, I say it is

easy. If it stays in place and performs well, it is well behaved.

I have many plants in my garden that reseed themselves and herein lies the

problem. If those plants are favorites of birds, or bees or butterflies, I have a

very hard time removing any of them. Right now, we have dozens of sunflowers

all over the yard, planted compliments of the birds and squirrels. Oh, we plant

them every year because they are a big favorite of our winged friends, but we

don’t plant them in all of these locations. And yet, it is difficult for me to remove

any of these stray seedlings, because I know they will be very popular when

they bloom. And who doesn’t smile when they see a happy sunflower?

Milkweed, Asclepius syriaca, is another one with no respect for bed designs or

boundaries. Unplanted by me, a common milkweed showed up in our front yard

several years ago. These spread by underground rhizomes and, like badly behaved

children, pop up wherever they like with no regard for what is already there. But

because I need to collect so much milkweed to feed the monarch caterpillars, I pre-

fer to use this large leafed milkweed to the other types in our garden. Now the

front garden bed has milkweed everywhere, towering over some of the more mild-

mannered perennials. I know I need to be stricter with it, but I will wait until the

monarchs are heading south in mid-September before I start wrangling with it. Two years ago we lost a 25-year-old ash to Emerald Ash borer, so the shade bed

beneath needed to be relocated. Finding a new home for all these plants in a well-

established (some might say overgrown) garden was a challenge! A garden is ever

changing. Just when you think all is well, a well-established plant will not return

after a cold winter or will succumb to the summer drought and heat. Perfectly

spaced perennials will double their size and look jumbled and crowded. I remind

myself of the garden adage: “First year, sleep; second year, creep; third year, leap!” Trees that seemed so far apart

when planted 10 years ago now shade an area that needs sun and are battling branches of another tree that

seemed far away. And weeds, sneaky and tenacious, programmed to survive, try their best to out-compete all other

plants. This is a battle I will not win, there will never be a w.w.w.—”world without weeds.”

A garden is dynamic, full of life, ever changing. A garden keeps us humble and entertained and exhausted.

A garden is never finished…

Monarch on sunflower

Buckeye on stiff goldenrod

Bumble bee in Penstemon

6

the cultivator Mastering Urban Tree Health and Identification

Registration for Mastering Urban Tree Health and Iden-

tification Advanced Training is now available at this

address: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/

registrationNew/?RegistrationID=200065. You will be

asked to sign in using the exact same email address and

password you use to log your volunteer hours. Regis-

ter by November 1 for this current class group.

Thanks to a grant from the USDS Forest Service, in

cooperation with the Illinois Department of Resources

and Illinois Extension, this training has been developed by a team of educators over the last two years. You may

remember hearing about the program last summer when we called for volunteers to participate in the pilot group.

Mastering Urban Tree Health and Identification is a train-the-trainer model of advanced training for Illinois Mas-

ter Gardeners and Master Naturalists. This training has several components:

• Online course modules that you work through at your own pace (you’ll get access to the online modules

immediately after registering).

• An in-person workshop to be held at multiple locations throughout the state (dates for these workshops

will be announced soon).

• A promise from you to devote a portion of your volunteer hours to developing your own tree walk, assisting

with a local tree inventory, or other tree-related community project in your county.

The registration link above gives you access to the online coursework and reserves your spot in an in-person

workshop (you’ll sign up for your workshop location at a later date). This course costs $40, which must be paid by

credit card at the time of registration.

Your registration includes:

• Access to 7 online modules that count towards 10

hours of Continuing Education for MGs and MNs;

• Registration to the hands-on workshop location of

your choosing, which includes lunch and all

handouts (sign up available at a later date); and

• A completion certificate and Tree ID recognition pin.

As an Extension Master Gardener and/or Master Naturalist,

you have a login and password that you use to track your

volunteer hours—you need that login information to com-

plete your registration. Once your registration is complete

you will use that login and password to access the online

component of the training.

7

the cultivator ILLINOIS PRAIRIE HOSTA SOCIETY

15th Annual Meeting, Gala Luncheon and Program Holiday Inn Express (former Hawthorn Inn) 101 Trade Centre Dr (just off S Neil St) - Champaign Sunday September 15, 2019 Meet-and-Greet Cash Bar - 1:00 to 1:30 pm (paid separately by the attendee) Luncheon in Grand Prairie Room– 1:30 to 2:30 pm Program – 2:30 to 4:30 pm Program by Bob Solberg, Green Hill Farm, North Carolina “Travels with Bob: The Search for Hosta sieboldiana in Japan” In July 2018 Bob traveled with Mark Zilis and his son Andy to Japan to observe hostas in the wild and try to determine if H. sieboldiana is a legitimate species or just a European hybrid. Along the way, the town of Sa-gae was visited and H. fluctuans documented. They also visited several nurseries with many unusual hosta cultivars. Come along for the ride. In addition, each attendee will receive a free Green Hill Farm hosta from at least 10 different cultivars that will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Yay! Due to the cost of bringing in our speaker, we have two prices for the meal: Members and Non-Members (who are always welcomed to join us). There will not be a “speaker only” arrival time as in the past, you must attend the dinner for the program. RESERVATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2019 and no refunds will be given after that date. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please sign me/us up (use one form per person or family) for the annual meeting, program and luncheon plus dues renewal. The Holiday Inn Express is preparing our luncheon buffet which will cost $25.00 per member, including tip, tax, and gift hosta. Luncheon will be a buffet of several dishes including Pasta Pri-mavera, seasonal blended roasted vegetables, salad, sheet cake and beverages. Remember, family member-ship applies to all in family in same home, but dinner price is per person, a non-family member is a guest. Attached is my check payable to IPHS. Name/s: ______________________________________ E-Mail ____________________________ Phone No. __________________ Buffet - per Member _____ @ $25.00 = ________ Buffet – per Non-Member _____ @ $35.00 = ________ Membership New ___or Renewal _____now for 2020 – Individual/Family $15 ________ Total ________ Send your reservation to: Carol McClure, 1413 S Western Ave, Champaign, IL 61821 For questions please email Mary Munoz, cmgm65@gmail.com (IPHS Use Only) Date received: ___________

8

the cultivator New Champaign County Master Gardener Website

By Tabitha Elder

To provide more flexibility with our websites, Extension has migrated

to a new website design on a new server.

If you use the website to register for

events, you will find those located at

the bottom of the Unit 13 (Champaign,

Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion) homep-

age (go.illinois.edu/cfiv), as opposed to

the right side of the screen.

• You will still be able to find the CCMG website at https://go.illinois.edu/ccmg.

• Nothing will change with the shared Box drive website.

• Nothing will change with the volunteer reporting site—these are all separate webpages.

Please contact tabithae@illinois.edu if you have questions.

9

the cultivator

The new Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, Vermilion County homepage (go.illinois.edu/cfiv) features a quick link to the “Become a Master Gardener” page.

The new look at go.illinois.edu/ccmg. Notice the webpages remain on the right side of the page for “About this Program,” “Become a Master Gardener,” “Community Projects,” etc.

10

the cultivator

11

the cultivator State Master Gardener Award Winners

By Tabitha Elder

We are pleased to announce the following State Master Gardener Award winners, who were

recognized at this year’s State Master Gardener Conference and Awards Ceremony on Sep-

tember 6th at the Hyatt Place Hotel in East Moline. Congratulations!!!

Christie Roszkowski – Outstanding Master Gardener

Christie is a voice of reason and decisive in her leadership roles, ensuring that use of Extension resources always

aligns with the Master Gardener mission and objectives. She has proven to be an effective leader, motivating and

encouraging volunteer involvement, that has allowed us to partner with new entities and provide new program-

ming to the public. Her efforts have improved our overall impact and diversified our reach.

Phyllis Williams – Outstanding Master Gardener

Phyllis has been a model leader for Champaign County. She is a valued educator for Master Gardeners and the pub-

lic and is always educating others about what she has learned. Phyllis uses her expertise in diagnosing plant dis-

ease and plant identification needs through her role as IPM Co-Chair. As Chair of the YingYing Garden project, her

ability to be an effective communicator and steward of resources brought the U. of I. campus and greater Cham-

paign-Urbana community together.

Crisis Nursery Garden Redevelopment Project – Teamwork Award

Jerry DeWitt, Kate Dobrolvny, Rich Fiese, Bruce Kloth, Marcia (Biddle) Lenzini, Jessica Lopez,

Mary Nielsen, Alice Pfeffer, Tom Seals, Tony Soskin, Kathy Young, and Kathy Wise

The Crisis Nursery Team came together to turn a negative into a positive, looking at the destruction of existing

gardens as a new opportunity to provide better horticulture education to the individuals that they serve. This

allowed for improved partnerships with local entities and Extension’s SNAP-Ed program. Through these innova-

tive improvements, the team has been able to feed 4 families each week during the growing season, provided

nutritional supplements for at least 3 kids per day during the growing season, and provided horticulture education

to families in crisis.

12

the cultivator 5 Acre Farm Daylilies

"Beauty For a Day" By Deborah McMillin

Photos by Deborah E. McMillin and 5 Acre Farm Daylilies (from website)

used with permission

The July Master Gardener educational program was set in the agriculture

belt of rural southern Champaign County; destination—5 Acre Farm

Daylilies, located along a rural one-lane asphalt road off State Highway

45. As well as their own hybrids, the acreage grows hundreds of varieties

of hardy daylily beauties created by more than 150 American and Canadian hybridizers. With a spectrum of colors,

choice of bloom size (1" to 10"), and height (from 6" to 6'), a complementary daylily could be found there for a gar-

dener to add to a landscape that will provide not only "beauty for a day" but, with careful planning, every day from

spring to fall.

In 1994, our hosts, Rod Kroemer and Jim Wuersch, bought what they called "trash property"—five acres with a

house in rural Tolono, Illinois, in the midst of miles of corn and soybean fields. Over time they rehabbed the resi-

dence, cleared the property, and enclosed it with an unobtrusive electric fence to keep out the deer. The trees they

planted are now mature and gave us much-needed shade from the afternoon sun as our group gathered for their

introduction to the 5 Acre Farms Daylilies.

We may have been fortunate in the timing of our visit this year. The deep, long, winter freeze followed by excessive

early rains in the spring had set back nature's timing nearly three weeks. The early daylily bloomers were bloom-

ing with the early mid-blooms, creating a kaleidoscope of color in the daylily beds on the day of our visit.

Rod and Jim gave us the backstory of how 5 Acres Farm Daylilies turned into an unexpected "retirement gig" and

business. Rod had retired from school teaching and Jim has been an Urbana Police officer. The farm was an out-

growth from holidays, enjoying gardening, and collecting daylilies, their favorite flower. While vacationing in

Maine in the summer, they would visit Valente Gardens in North Berwick and a friendship was formed with Ron

Valente, a daylily hybridizer who also sold daylilies as part of his business.

In 2001, Ron passed away, leaving his business, including his

own daylily introductions, to his wife Cindy. In 2004, when

Cindy decided to sell the business, Rod and Jim decided to buy

inventory as well as the Valente crosses that already had years

and years of work that would be disregarded without their in-

tervention. They realized there was plant material and seed-

lings good enough to introduce to retail, but that nothing

would be done with them unless they took over the seedlings,

evaluated them, and had Valente's name attached to them as

new introductions. With the Valente family entrusting to them

Ron's work and notes, plants were shipped from Maine to Illi-

nois. This allowed them to continue Ron's unfinished work and

start their new business in rural Tolono.

' Penny's Worth' & 'My Yoke is Easy'

'Daniel Mann'( Valente 1995)

13

the cultivator 'Owls Head Light'( Valente-Kroemer-Wuersch 2019), is the last of the 54 daylilies to come from the hybridizing work started in the mid 1980's till 2001 by the late Ron Valente. The driving force behind the business partnership of 5-Acre Farms Daylilies for the last fourteen years was their desire to fulfill the legacy of their mentor and friend, Ron Valente.

Rod and Jim had prepared for our

group of thirty Master Gardeners an

entertaining primer on daylily mainte-

nance and care tips that all gardeners

can use, whether they have a few

clumps of daylilies in their landscape or

a hundred or more.

Daylily Maintenance and Care Tips

Dividing Daylilies

It is time to divide your clump of daylilies when flower size diminishes,

height drops, and bud count is reduced.

Rod exhibited the division process for us with a theatrical performance us-

ing a custom made sharp tool called the "Daylily Divider."

• Shear back the leaves before dividing, to a length of about six to eight

inches. This allows the plant to grow new roots that can support the

water needs of the foliage.

• Carefully dig around the plant.

• As you divide your daylilies, avoid going through the crown with any

tools. Your goal, as much as possible, is to prevent injury to the plant, which can release pheromones that are

a calling card for insects to come for an unwelcome visit.

• You can leave dirt on the clump. You do not need to wash it off before replanting.

Since daylilies propagate vegetatively, each division that you plant from the original will be reliable in keeping that

cultivar's original characteristics.

Planting new bare root - or replanting newly dug daylilies

• The crown should be flat on the ground with good soil contact for the hair roots.

• Fill dirt back in very firmly around the plant.

• Rod emphasized that your planting should be flooded with water so there are no air pockets.

Planting shipped bare root daylilies

• Place in water overnight to hydrate the root system.

• A useful tip—If not planted the next day, hold them in water but change the water every other day and rinse

off the root system before putting them back in the water.

' Owl’s Head Light’

Jim Wuersch

14 - Rod using the Daylily Divider

14

the cultivator Spacing daylily plantings

• For a Victorian Garden, plant on 24" centers.

• For "air and breath" in your garden, plant on 30" centers.

• For visible mulch between your daylilies, plant on 36" centers.

They did use peat when first establishing the garden beds as there was limited garden compost available at the

time. Now that the garden beds are well established, they annually apply premium chip mulch (lasts for them

slightly longer than shredded) from the Landscaping Recycle Center in Urbana. The mulch adds to the soil as an

alternative to compost. Advice given was to use mulch that has had at least a year to go through the decay process

and a pre-emergent, such as Snap Shot (which they use on newly laid mulch), to be rid of any leftover weed seeds

if that is a concern. If you choose to use a commercial fertilizer, prepare it at half the strength recommended; you

want to urge your daylilies to grow.

Maintenance tips

• Deadhead for tidiness and aesthetics; deadheading does not give the plant incentive to re-bloom.

• If a plant is a re-bloomer, it will have that genetic trait built into it independent of deadheading.

• A June re-bloomer will take seven weeks of rest and then bloom a second time.

• At least 1" of water a week is key for a re-bloomer to do well.

• For winter clean-up, after the daylily no longer has blooms, cut the fans back with a "ponytail" cut about 5”

to 6" above the ground and mulch.

Daylily rust (Puccinia hemerocallidis) is a problem in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10, where it overwinters with

the milder conditions. Typically daylily rust does not survive winters in our USDA Hardiness Zones 5 and lower.

We have had a dry, hot summer and 5 Acre Farm Daylilies, in the southern part of the county, is not on the Mahom-

et aquifer. Their 90-foot well would not support an irrigation system for the size of their garden. They do have the

ability to haul water, but with the overabundance of water we have had this past spring they need only to do select

hand-watering of key plants—a testament to the hardiness of the plants in the beds.

A unifying motif in the daylily beds was artistic metal yard art from the late Jeff

Chilton of Philo. A long-time welder and metal fabricator, he created geometric

sculpture, often in designs shaped of molecules. Rod and Jim told the story of Jeff,

who just showed up one day with several pieces of his outdoor art in his pickup

truck. They agreed to display the art to sell in the garden as they were soon host-

ing the regional meeting of the American Hemerocallis Society. His "molecule" art

sold well, so Jeff continued to bring his art to the garden. Rod and Jim now sell the

durable weather-resistant garden art for Jeff's widow, Athan, who has continued

to bring some smaller "rusties" pieces that are also displayed among the daylilies.

After Rod and Jim's presentation we were given the opportunity to note any

daylilies we might want to purchase for our own garden this fall. With colors of

near pure white to deep crimson plus blends and multi-colored patterns, it is

Sculpture by Jeff Chilton

15

the cultivator

appropriate that the genus name Hemerocallis, is

derived from two Greek words meaning "beauty"

and "day" referring to the fact that each flower lasts

for a day. What a fitting name for a flower that gave

us such pleasure on our July trip to Five Acre Farm

Daylilies.

For the Serenity Garden (within the Master Gar-

dener's Idea Garden), our group will choose an ap-

propriate colored daylily suitable for a meditative

moment for the numerous visitors that pass through

the public garden. On a humid July day, I found a

touch of "Beauty For the Day, "in the "backyard" of

Champaign-Urbana that offers the opportunity to

pass along the elegance of a flower whose story lasts

for more than a day.

Visit Jim and Rod's inventory at

http://www.5acrefarmdaylilies.com

Address:

5-Acre Farm Daylilies

1578 County Road 300N

Tolono IL 61880-9719

Phone:

217.621.8474

Email:

rodk@5acrefarmdaylilies.com

‘Beauty for the Day’

Live Webinar - Fall Gardening

September 17 @ 1:30 p.m. CDT (via Skype for Business)

Gardening doesn't have to end when the calendar turns to

fall. Join Ken Johnson, horticulture educator to learn about

the crops that can be grown as well as other garden and

yard activities to do in the fall.

Live Webinar - Tree Compartmentalization

October 8, 2019 @ 1:30 p.m. CDT (via Skype for Business)

Just think about the amount of tree energy expended to

seal over pruning cuts and compartmentalize rot and decay

within the boles of our urban trees. University of Illinois

Extension Horticulture Educator, Ryan Pankau, will review

the processes at play when trees perform the amazing feat

of blocking pathogens with their natural defense mecha-

nisms.

Live Webinar - Gardening for Birds

December 3 @ 1:30 p.m. CDT (via Skype for Business)

If You Plant It, They Will Come…A Plan to Attract Birds; i.e.

Gardening for the Birds is not just a program with a plant list

but a thoughtful way to incorporate birds, and all their joy,

into your garden. Join Peggy Doty, Extension educator, to

consider not only the bird’s needs but also the needs of you,

your family, children or grandchildren, pets, and of course

the current plants in your garden.

Register at go.illinois.edu/fourseasons.

Preparing the Ornamental Garden for Winter

Tuesday, September 24 @ 7 p.m.

Champaign County Master Gardeners present Preparing

the Ornamental Garden for Winter with guest lecturer,

Peter Lichtenberger, at the Champaign Extension Auditori-

um, 801 N. Country Fair Drive.

In this free program, Peter Lichtenberger, Allerton Park

grounds crew supervisor, will provide guidance on how to

prepare your gardens for winter. Peter, who holds a degree

in horticulture from UIUC and is an arborist certified by the

International Society of Arboriculture, will discuss plants to

cut back, those to leave standing for their own good and as

"housing" for beneficial insects, and those that benefit by

being divided before winter. He will also describe fall ferti-

lizing, mulching, and other best practices to ensure a vibrant

garden in the coming season.

16

the cultivator The Journey from Hobbyist to Hybridizer

By Deborah E. McMillin Photos by Deborah E. McMillin and 5 Acre Farm Daylilies (from website)

used with permission Rod Kroemer and Jim Wuersch, hosts for the delightful Master Gardeners day trip to 5 Acre Farm Daylilies, and de-

scribed in my previous article, “Beauty for a Day,” graciously treated me to a private tutorial on daylily hybridiza-

tion. I learned how they introduced new “beauties,” as they call them, that include improved or new traits. Their first

"Christmas" daylily was a participant with Jim and Rod over a time spam of five years of patient and diligent work.

Jim said that it was with encouragement from others that he learned to hybrid-

ize, starting with the work begun by their mentor, Rod Valente, whose work

they continued after his death. Jim has been able to move his hybridization pro-

gram forward another generation by incorporating Valente's genetic material

(and others) into his own breeding program.

Jim pointed out to me an example of this— ‘Junie’s Starburst,’ a Wuersch-

Kroemer introduction that is a cross between ‘Look Into My Eyes’ from the

Valente Collection and Baili Watercolor from the Stamile collection.

From Jim's viewpoint, before you start the physical process of pollination, every hybridizer has to develop a target,

concentrate on a particular trait of a daylily, and have a solid focus on that niche. His niche is on big flat reds and

ruffled edges. Even though his heart lies with reds, he does get purples he will be introducing since they are in the

same color range. There is no way to tell what the plant is going to give them genetically and what it is predisposed

to pass along (dominate genes being easier than recessives), so for this duo their plants are their partners.

Currently, one-half to two-thirds of the daylilies being bred industry-wide are

tetraploids, which produce a sturdy, thick stem, heavier flowers, overall a larg-

er plant that holds up to weather conditions better than diploid daylilies. Day-

lilies do not easily pollinate themselves nor are they prone to insect pollina-

tion because their anthers are so widely spaced from the pistils that insects

are not interested in them. But pollen can manually be taken from one flower

and dabbed onto the pistil of another bloom.

Rod and Jim use round string disc tags (left) that are numbered with the cross and a

hybridizer log (with sequential numbers used) where crosses are recorded as pod

parent first and pollen parent last. The tag is looped around the bloom below the

flower that has just been pollinated. If the pollination was successful, a small green

seed pod will form at the base where the bloom was. In about 6 to 8 weeks the seed

pod will be mature and the pod, now brown, will start to crack; the seeds are now

ready to be harvested. Each seed from that pod is lined out because each one is going

to have a different genetic outlay and a different possibility, even though from the

same parents.

' Junie's Star Burst' (Wuersch-Kroemer 2015 )

'Therese's Spirit' (Wuersch-Kroemer 2017)

17

the cultivator Each seed is placed in a 1x2" plastic bag with a seal on top and the cross number that will track the seedlings for

the next several years. The baggies go into the crisper drawer in the refrigerator for an artificial winter. Jim has

found that their percentage of germination increased to 80% when seeds are cleaned, put into plastic bags, and

into the crisper drawer with very little delay.

In February, the seeds are planted in one-inch cells on heat mats at 70 degrees. Their “modest” greenhouse can

take up to 2,000 seedlings. Jim commented that when you are dealing with seeds that you have bred, you do not see

the uniform germination that commercial growers obtain with their seeds. He calls it dealing with "wild cards."

In June, year 2 of the seedling's life, as many as 1,500 to 1,600 seedlings looking like blades of grass, are planted 9"

on center in the juvenile beds. Year 3, there may be a smattering of blooms, but at that time nothing is considered

reliable. After the third year breeders can start to evaluate each plant and make some choices. If seedlings have

inferior traits—poor bud count, muddy colors, not opening correctly, have bloom in the foliage—those seedlings

are not worth continuing. The few plants that show positive potential are dug out to be put in the Select Garden

near the front of the property where they can be monitored closely and given ideal conditions to get the clumps to

multiply as quickly as possible.

The fifth year is the final year of evaluations. By then, if they have not been considered worth growing on, they ei-

ther meet the mower or the compost pile. By the end of the fifth year, the genetic life of a daylily has been set. There

will be just a few seedlings out of the original cast of 1,500 plus that will have their numerical number replaced

with a name and, once they have a minimum of ten fans, introduced to the public.

In 2010, 'Prairie Evening Star' was their first hybrid daylily registered under

their names, Kroemer-Wuersch. I asked Jim how he felt after his first five years

as an "amateur in genetics" (as he calls himself), making this daylily available

to the public. He compared it to "Christmas every morning, because you never

know what you are going to get when your seedlings start to bloom." He said

that he walks the seedling beds every morning to see if anything looks decent.

After seeing so many seedlings with inferior traits, "when you see a plant that

has good bud count and branching plus good color saturation and blooms at a

reasonable height, you know it immediately; it really stands out. It is incredibly

exciting...when you hit the right plant, especially the first one." But, he finds it

scary, too, because he may like it but that doesn't mean others will like it also.

Jim may consider himself an "amateur" but he has a small program to do broken patterns. It is a real challenge

since it requires a lot of line breeding. He has a large seedling class; 3rd generation of line breeding he just planted.

It will be two to three years to see the results. At that time he will seriously evaluate to determine if it is worth con-

tinuing since it is cumbersome to produce the numbers that are necessary.

To be successful in the business presenting your own hybrids (the duo now have 20 introductions), Jim stated that

it is important to acknowledge the customer opinions and pay attention to any reaction and feedback. Jim and Rod

find that the daylily clubs that come to visit are their most important judges. The members of a daylily club grow

‘Prairie Evening Star’ (Kroemer-Wuersch 2010)

18

the cultivator

daylilies in their own gardens, have

looked at daylilies from other hybridizers

and they do have a good eye. When a

daylily club gives an opinion or is drawn

to one of their cultivars, that is important

to them.

Daylily hybridizers certainly have a sense of humor. They may name their new

introductions after spouses and family members, musicians and conductors,

dogs and cats, friends, customers, and places on the map, to name a few.

Ron Valente named one of his hybrids after a horse, 'Libby's Trail'. 'Joe and

Flo,' one of their three new introductions this year, was named for Jim's par-

ents, Joe and Florence. 'Tim's Choice,' a second introduction this year from Jim

and Rod, was named after Tim, a customer who came to the garden frequently

with his wife. When Tim first saw the flower he said he "really, really liked it."

A daylily that is bright gold, yellow-eyed, light-green throat and ruffly with

browns and reds—the colors of a sunrise—was approvingly noticed by several

of us. Aptly named 'Prairie Summer Sunrise,’ it was introduced by our host

duo in 2018. It was a favorite of mine, so I ordered it as a birthday gift to be

shipped this fall to my daughter, Cara, for a sunny spot in her rocky garden

in Arlington, MA.

Deep red is one of my favorite colors. Take away for my garden was ‘Smugglers

Passion,’ a black-red-velvet with a white edge.

Jim and Rod’s goal at 5 Acre Farm Daylilies is to get their daylilies out into

people’s gardens where they can enjoy them, not just for a day, but from

year to year.

Visit Jim and Rod's inventory at http://www.5acrefarmdaylilies.com.

‘Libby’s Trail’ (Valente) 'Joe and Flo'

(Kroemer-Wuersch 2019)

'Tim's Choice' (Kroemer-Wuersch 2019)

'Prairie Summer Sunrise' (Wuersch-Kroemer 2018)

'Smuggler's Passion' (Branch-Natte 2004)

19

the cultivator Coordinator’s Report

by Tabitha Elder

It’s been a great summer with the Champaign County Master Gardeners! Garden Walk was a huge success. This

was the 25th year of the event, and even though it rained all day, the net profit to date is $13,481.00. Thank you

to all volunteers who helped make Garden Walk 2019 happen!

In updates around the Extension office, the Idea Garden Committee and Program Committee appointed a liaison

to focus on seasonal education programs at the Idea Garden. Nancy Crawford, a 2019 trainee and newly active

certified Master Gardener, committed to this role. Collaboration between the two committees has proven success-

ful. Three events were held at the Idea Garden this summer, including Tool Care with Larry Thurow on July 10.

The next program focused on children’s programming for ages 5-9, a demographic that we do not normally reach.

The program, Children’s Intro to Butterflies, was on July 27. Children learned about the life cycle of butterflies from

volunteer educator Janet Townsend, then painted butterfly wings with their thumbprints on small terra cotta pots.

There were many first-time visitors during this event, and the children enjoyed the fairy garden and squash tunnel

in the Children’s Garden after the program. The last event was on Wed., Aug. 7 for Great Annuals in the Garden

with Ann Tice. Using evidence from the Trials Team evaluations, participants learned about general care of annu-

als, learned which annuals have done well in the gardens this year, and what to look for on the market next year.

Overall, more than 90 participants enjoyed Idea Garden programming this summer.

On August 2, Master Gardener Christina Nordholm presented A Visit

to Megan’s Garden at the Urbana Free Library. Her talk and slides

described the planning and planting of the new garden, which can be

viewed from the windows of the Children's room and seen outside.

Participants viewed the garden and mural from the Children’s Li-

brary window (right). Thank you, Christina and Christie Roszkowski,

for working on this project and Friends of The Urbana Free Library

for the funds to support the garden installation. The new partnership

has allowed for future collaborations with the Urbana Free Library.

Hosting new programs outside of the Extension Auditorium helps us

to provide horticulture education to new audiences and helps cross-

promote the Master Gardener program. Throughout this year’s gar-

dening season, we have received many inquiries about how to be-

come a Master Gardener. To make it easier for those inquiring, the

interest form link is available on our website (go.illinois.edu/ccmg)

under the “Become a Master Gardener” page. We currently have one

trainee in the summer online course, one trainee has been inter-

viewed and is ready for class to start this winter, four others are in-

terested in the winter class, and another four are interested in taking

the online class. One question on the interest form asks where they

heard about the program, and many respond that they learned about

Champaign County Master Gardeners when they visited the Idea Gar-

den or when they were on the Garden Walk. Please keep sharing

how the Master Gardener program benefits you!

L to R: Celeste Choate of the Urbana Free Library and

Christina Nordholm, Master Gardener, admire Megan’s

Garden from the sidewalk.

20

the cultivator

21

the cultivator

22

the cultivator

23

the cultivator

Champaign County Master Gardener Impact Statement—July 2019

Spotlight Events

Successful Summer for Programming at the Idea Garden

The Idea Garden Committee and Program Committee appointed a liaison to focus on seasonal education

programs at the Idea Garden this past spring. Nancy Crawford, a 2019 trainee and newly active certified

Master Gardener, has committed to this role. Collaboration between the two committees has proven to be

successful. Three events were held at the Idea Garden this summer, including Tool Care and Maintenance with

Larry Thurow on Wednesday, July 10.

The next program focused on children’s programming for ages 5-9, a demographic that we do not normally

reach. The program, Children’s Intro to Butterflies, was on Saturday, July 27. The children learned about the

lifecycle of butterflies from volunteer educator Janet Townsend, and then painted butterfly wings with their

thumbprints on small terra cotta pots. There were many first-time visitors during this event, and the children

enjoyed the fairy garden and squash tunnel in the Children’s Garden after the program.

24

the cultivator The last event was on Wed., Aug. 7 for Great Annuals in the Garden with Ann Tice. Using evidence from the

trials team evaluations, participants learned about general care of annuals, learned which annuals have done

well in the gardens this year, and what to look for on the market next year. Overall, more than 90 participants

enjoyed Idea Garden programming this summer.

Above Left to Right: Larry Thurow shows the result of a properly sharpened shovel. Champaign County Master

Gardener Janet Townsend shows children the lifecycle of a butterfly.

Monthly Impacts

COMMUNITY GARDENS (Direct Impact) JDC – (Direct Impact)

- Monthly Total = 8 youth

- Annual Year Total (Jan. –Dec.) = 56 youth

COMMUNITY SERVICES/OUTREACH Educational Programs (Monthly Programs, Garden Walk, Speaker’s Bureau, Garden Tours) –

(Direct Impact)

30 attended a Daylily Farm Visit

31 attended Tool Care and Maintenance

33 children participated in Children’s Intro to Butterflies

Monthly Total = 94 people impacted (+ 44 people from June)

Annual Year Total (Jan. – Dec.) = 1,515 people Horticulture Hotline (Direct Impact)

- Monthly Total = 43 client requests answered (-18 from June)

- Annual Year Total (Jan. – Dec.) = 224 people Monthly Overall Impact Total = 137 (+9 people/impressions from June)

Annual Year (Jan. – Dec.) Overall Impact Total = 1,739

25

the cultivator JULY VOLUNTEER HOURS REPORTED

Monthly Volunteer Time (Planning and Active Volunteering) = 605 hours (value = $14,937.45 or $24.69/

hour https://independentsector.org/news-post/the-new-value-of-volunteer-time/)

Annual Year Volunteer Time Total (Jan. through Dec.) = 5,744.5 hours (value = $141,831.70)

2019 Interns Completed Internship – 3 (total 3 of 22 or 14% complete)

2018 Interns Completed Internship – 13 (total 17 of 27 or 63% complete)

MARKETING/PUBLICITY STATISTICS

Other Publicity

CCMG publicity materials distributed (CCMG brochures, program flyers, and program bookmarks)

- Farmers Market traffic on July 6 at Urbana Market and July 30 at Champaign Market

Horticulture e-Newsletter (https://go.illinois.edu/ExtensionNewsletter)

Monthly Newsletter – 1,006 sent, 451 click-through/open (44.83%), 879 total opens to date According to MailChimp, the average email click through rate is 28.49% for hobby industries….we are double the

average! Website Stats – (Direct Impact)

735 views on https://go.illinois.edu/ccmg homepage

Idea Garden Stats – (Direct Impact) 415 views at https://sites.google.com/site/ideagardenccmg/home (+110 from June)

25 QR Code scans from primary information sheets (+3)

Advisory Committee – 2

hours

Other Approved Activi-

ties –

Idea Garden – 372.75

hours

UI Extension Telnets/

Webinars – 2 hours

Other Approved CE – 50

hours

Garden Walk – 2 hours

The Cultivator – 21 hours Membership Committee

– 0 hours

Master Gardener/Master

Naturalist Monthly Pro-

gram (CE) – 20.75 hours

Program Committee –

2.25 hours

Juvenile Detention Cen-

ter –

0 hours

Advanced Training – 0

hours

Communications Com- Horticulture Hotline & Crisis Nursery – 98.5

UI Extension Council – 0 Senior Grow Boxes – 4.5 Hosta Garden – 2 hours

Leonhard Recreation

26

Facebook Stats – CCMG Page (Direct Impact)

Total Lifetime Likes

The total number of people who have liked your Page. (Unique Users)

1,075 (+41)

Total Frequency

The number of people who had any content from your Page or about your Page enter their screen. This in-

cludes posts, check-ins, ads, social information from people who interact with your Page and more. (Unique

Users)

11,243 (+1,091 from June) This information was exported from page data key metrics in Facebook.

Content

Educational, program announcements, cross-market area programs, and CCMG community involvement. Facebook Stats – Idea Garden Page (Direct Impact)

Total Lifetime Likes

The total number of people who have liked your Page. (Unique Users)

137 (+35 from June)

Total Frequency

The number of people who had any content from your Page or about your Page enter their screen. This in-

cludes posts, check-ins, ads, social information from people who interact with your Page and more. (Unique

Users)

13,432 (+9,955) This information was exported from page data key metrics in Facebook.

Content

Educational, program announcements, cross-market area programs, and CCMG community involvement.

Idea Garden Guestbook Comments – (Direct Impact)

7/10/19 – “One reason to love Urbana!” – Collier

7/21/19 – “An inspiring garden!!!” - Renata

7/29/19 – “The touch sensory plant was the best. So beautiful and cool!” - Sofia