Successful Gardener
​is on vacation in July

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Successful Gardener
May 2 at 7pm
Small Space Gardening
with Erin Hostetler

Farmer Erin is a Charlotte native. She's a farmer, teacher and an all- around-do-it-yourself'er. She has been farming for the last 5 years and has extensive vegetable production experience with large-scale, Certified Organic operations, sustainable agricultural practices and urban farming.

​Erin is most passionate about teaching people how to grow food for themselves and guiding folks on their green thumb journeys. She currently lives near Mountain Island Lake on a 1.6 acre homestead where she and her boyfriend tend a small backyard goat herd, pasture-raised chickens, a few raised beds and a healthy compost pile. 

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Educational Meeting
July 18 at 7pm

The title may be a little intimidating but Dr. Niland will be covering a myriad of topics including how insects can regulate their own internal temps and how they can diapause (suspend development) waiting for favorable conditions. She will also cover examples of insects pests. This will include their thermal limits and how those limits can impact forecasting insect populations, planting dates, and pest management. This educational opportunity will give you a better insight into pest management and who can’t use a hand with that.
Erika Niland is an Associate Professor of Biology at Wingate University where she earned her B.S. in Biology. She followed that up with a M.S. in Entomology and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Georgia. Erika is originally from Pennsylvania and continues to root for the Pirates and Steelers despite many years down south. She and her family reside in the Wingate community. 

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Educational Meeting
May 16 at 7pm
Tips for Terrific Tomatoes
​with Mary Roberts

After twenty years as a corporate instructor and project manager, Mary used her passion for growing plants organically into a business that supplies market farmers and home gardeners with over 250,000 heirloom vegetable, flower and herb plants each year.

In addition to growing hard-to-find plant varieties, Mary also conducts on-farm classes to help beginning farmers and gardeners learn the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture. 

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Successful Gardener
​June 6 at 7pm
Dirt vs Soil with Aaron Moore

Educational Meeting
​June 20 - TBD

Aaron Moore is an Area Specialized Agent servicing Union, Anson and Stanly Counties in North Carolina. Aaron’s work is centered around Small Farm production and marketing as well as local food systems.

​Aaron grew up on a small family farm in the piedmont region of North Carolina and loved the lifestyle and experiences of farm life. This love of agriculture lead Aaron to pursue both his education and his career in agriculture. Aaron has over 12 years’ experience in the agriculture and green industry working for Universities and private industry. 

Our scheduled speaker has had to reschedule due to a conflict. We will do our best to offer a new educational topic. 

​Stay tuned here for an announcement.

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Successful Gardener
is not held in July

Please visit our gardens and bring the whole family. Enjoy a picnic on one of our tables located in shaded areas of the garden.

​Check out the flowers that are blooming in our gardens and enjoy a self-paced scavenger hunt with  your kids. Scavenger hunt supplies can be found in the mailbox near the greenhouse.

Educational Meeting
July 18 at 7pm
Danger Zones: Thermal limits of Insect Pests 
with Dr. Erika Niland 

Erika Niland is an Associate Professor of Biology at Wingate University where she earned her B.S. in Biology. She followed that up with a M.S. in Entomology and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Georgia.

​Erika is originally from Pennsylvania and continues to root for the Pirates and Steelers despite many years down south. She and her family reside in the Wingate community. 

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Past Classes

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 Successful Gardener
​April 4 at 7pm
Women Botanists with Jean Woods

We are excited to welcome Jean Woods of the NC Native Plant Society.

Jean is a Past President of the NC Native Plant Society, has been Chair of the Education Committee, and the local Chapter Chair. In addition, she has served on the board of the Catawba Lands Conservancy and the Friends of Plant Conservation.

Jean is a graduate of the Certificate in Native Plant Studies program at UNCC, and was involved in its establishment. Jean learned to love gardening from her father and grandmother and comes from a long line of people who like to dig in the dirt and look at flowers.

Education Meeting
​April 18 at 6pm 
A Walk and Talk in our
Teaching Gardens

Please join us as Gary Dudley the Teaching Garden Chair 2019 takes us on a tour of the Cottage and Woodland gardens. Come see what's in bloom and enjoy the peaceful birdsong as we walk through the cool shade of the Woodland garden.

Carole Larrimore, our medicinal herb specialist and the driving force behind the creation of the Heritage Trail, will be on hand to answer questions about the medicinal herb bed.

​Please notice the time change for this event.

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CLASS LOCATION:
Union County Agricultural Center
3230-D Presson Road
Monroe, NC    
Questions?  Contact us at:  

ucmgwebsite@gmail.com

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February 2th: Successful Gardener 
​'Trees and Shrubs 101'
... presented by Annie Howell, one of our own Union County
Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.

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March 2nd: Successful Gardener
'Pruning Hydrangeas'
... presented by Deborah Dillion, our Union County Extension
​Horticulture Agent

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March 16th: Educational Meeting
'Pests and Diseases'
... presented by Dr. Erika Niland of
Wingate University

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April 6th: Successful Gardener
'Atmosphere and Intro to Weather'
​... presented by Don Corbett

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April 20th: Educational Meeting
'What Plants Talk About'
... movie with popcorn & drinks

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May 4th: Successful Gardener
'Walk and Talk in the Gardens'
​... presented by Mary Sipe, Tracy Brown and Carol Larrimore, UCEMG Volunteers

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May 18th: Educational Meeting
'Creating Curb Appeal'
... presented by Mary Sipe

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June 1st: Successful Gardener
​'Medicine Wheel Garden'
... presented by Laura A. Domingo

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June 15th: Educational Meeting
'Preserving the Harvest'
... presented by Haley Napier, Union County Extension Family Consumer Science Agent

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July 20th: Educational Meeting
TBA
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August 3rd:  Successful Gardener
​​'Lawns'
... presented by Debbie Dillion

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August 17th: Educational Meeting
'Ferns'
... presented by Paula Gross

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September 7th: Successful Gardener
TBA

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