Prince George's County

Prince George’s County MG Annual Report 2006

1. Basic Information
# of active MGs    33
# of interns    23
# of volunteer hours    2,549.20

2. Plant Clinics
# of active plant clinic sites    15
# of plant clinics    15
# of residents served at plant clinics    250+

3. Bay-Wise
# of new yards certified as Bay-Wise (MGs and other residents)     0
# of total Bay-Wise certified yards (all years combined)     0

4. Composting
# of composting demonstration sites    0
# of residents who received a compost bin    0

5. Classes taught
# of classes/workshops taught by MGs    30
# of residents educated    700

6. Awards/recognition

5 MGs (Ernestine Ashley, Esther Mitchell, Irene Jewett, Jack and Alva Worthington) were recognized at a dinner by the Prince George’s County Beautification Award Committee for their award winning yards and gardens.

2 MGs (Ellen Johnson and Barbara Bragg) received MG of the Quarter Awards for their service to the group and to the community.

MG Barbara Bragg received the Prince George’s County 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award this January 2007 for her work in 2006 with the Apple Grove Elementary School. This award included with a certificate, folding portable chair, and a plaque.

6 MGs receive the Prince George’s County 4-H One Step Beyond Award for their participation in the 4-H Project Day. This award included a t-shirt.

10 MGs received the Prince George’s County 4-H Green Thumb Award. This award included 2 flower pots and an organizer

1 MG received the Prince George’s County Friends of 4-H Award. This award included with a certificate, folding portable chair, and a plaque.

7. Grants:

8. Partners:

Apple Grove Elementary School, 4-H Program,
Prince George’s Co. Memorial Public Library System,
Maryland Park and Planning
Patuxent Elementary School

9. Highlights from past year:

1. Our Open House was a big success as residents learned about Vegetable, Herb and butterfly gardens and the Master Garden program. Our demonstration gardens were blooming and bountiful and several participants attended the fall training class as a result of the Open House.

2. We did 15 Lectures and Plant Clinics with the PG County Memorial Library System reaching well over 250 people who had plant questions and who came to learn about Year Round Color in the Garden, Preparing your Garden for Spring, Shade Gardening, Gardening with Native Plants, Preparing Your Garden for Winter and Holiday Greenery. Those who came with plant problems were happy to learn about their plant problem and how to solve it.

3. We were well represented in several areas of the County during the Georgeous Prince Georges Day where we planted various plants and trees to beautify the PG County.

4. In the Youth Department, 11 MGs worked with the 4-H After School Project and provided instruction in soil preparation, plant selection and placement, mulching, and planting procedures as well as hands-on experience in planting to 20 students. 2 gardens in the front of the school and 3 container gardens in side areas were installed by the students. Also, 2 MGs did two all day workshop on Gardening at the Patuxent Elementary School Educational Week.

5. A presentation was made by a MG at the NAACP Convention Homes of Color booth on traditional gardening practices of African Americans and the Cooperative Extension influence on African American gardening. Also on the Kojo Nnamdi Radio Talk Show, Esther discussed the Marmorated Stink Bug and Emerald Ash Borer along with the Horticulture Specialist at the US Botanical Gardens and the VA Cooperative Extension Agent.

6. 11 MGs and Interns provided advice and administrative assistance to 2 seminars held by the MD Dept of Agriculture and other agencies on the Emerald Ash Borer. We talked with residents before and after the information sessions, and answered additional questions.

For more information, contact Robin Hessey

Last updated: 07/2/2007