Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series 2022
This is a page to view the recordings from the 2022 webinar series. To view the schedule for and sign up to attend any of the webinars in 2023, visit Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series 2023.
Take your gardening knowledge to the next level—from gardening with native plants to techniques to extend your season.
This online series offers education for experienced gardeners.
Topics and dates
Webinars are the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 12 noon (Pacific). The series runs from February through November and will be announced as speakers are finalized. Check back for new and additional webinars throughout the year.
- February 8: The Science and Practice of Seed Starting: Secrets to success when growing by seed
- March 8: Local Beauties: Native Plants for Ecologically Enhanced Gardens and Landscapes
- April 12: Plant Grow Harvest Repeat: Succession Planting
- May 10: Growing Great Roses!
- June 14: Irrigation Choices and Design for the Home Garden and Landscape
- July 12: Best Ecological Ways to Control Pests in Green Spaces
- August 9: Should You Leave Your Leaves? How autumn yard maintenance affects overwintering insects
- September 13: Compost Can-do: develop a system that meets your needs
- October 11: Soil Fertility and Nutrient Cycling in Garden Beds & Home Landscapes
- November 8: Growing the Good Stuff: from Sweet Potatoes to Bitter Melons
How to attend
Details and registration: See below for webinar details and to register.
Watch online: This webinar series will be available on Zoom and broadcast live on our Facebook page.
Cost: Free
Who can attend: Open to the public, OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers receive 1 Continuing Education Credit for each class.
Watch the recordings
Recordings of the webinars are posted below after the event.
The Science and Practice of Seed Starting: Secrets to Success When Growing by Seed
Ready to improve your seed-starting savvy? Let’s start with a quick review of seed anatomy, physiology, and genetics, before examining how seeds’ physical and chemical characteristics control dormancy and germination. We'll then look at how environmental factors affect seed storage, seed saving, and germination and conclude with cost-effective systems that home gardeners can use for sowing seeds and growing seedlings.
Presenter: Dennis Brown has been a Master Gardener since 2010. He has degrees in Horticulture from Iowa State University (BS) and the University of Maryland (MS) and in Plant Biology from the University of California Santa Cruz (PhD). As a graduate student and postgraduate research associate, he studied seed germination in grain crops and taught laboratory classes in plant physiology and systematics. Dennis was an environmental permitting and compliance specialist for 25 years and also helped design, construct, and maintain phytoremediation systems. He regularly speaks to community groups about gardening and produces videos on timely gardening topics for the OSU Extension Master Gardeners.
This event already occurred.
Local Beauties: Native Plants for Ecologically Enhanced Gardens and Landscapes
Native plants are a hot ticket in Oregon gardens for their beauty, as well as their suitability to local climates and their ecological benefits. As climate change and human activity threaten biodiversity, many gardeners are seeking plants that support insects, require little to no supplemental irrigation, and are easy to grow. This month, we welcome a panel of ecologists and nursery trade professionals from across the state who will discuss everything you need to know about incorporating native plants into any landscape, from small garden beds to large-scale habitat restoration projects. These experts will show you how to evaluate site conditions for proper preparation, tell you how to get your hands on seeds and plants, give examples of some favorite species in action, and share maintenance and irrigation tips to keep your garden and landscape projects thriving.
Presenters: Nikkie West is the co-founder/owner of Sparrowhawk Native Plants in Portland, Oregon and former manager of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program for Portland Audubon. Kathryn Prive is a founding member and executive director of the nonprofit The Understory Initiative and the coordinator of the Rogue Native Plant Partnership. Rick Martinson is president and co-owner of WinterCreek, a landscape/nursery company that works exclusively with native plants of central and eastern Oregon and focuses on designing and creating landscapes that are self-supporting and provide habitat for a variety of species.
This event already occurred.
Plant Grow Harvest Repeat: Succession Planting
We all have longer growing seasons than we give credit for. Succession planting—carefully planned, continuous seed sowing—can provide a steady stream of fresh food from early spring through late fall, and in areas of Oregon, year-round. In this webinar, learn how to layer success across perennial and annual crops, what techniques and tools to use, and get inspired to grow good eats in as many months as possible!
Presenter: Meg McAndrews Cowden is a wildly inspirational and popular instagrammer and blogger zone-pushing her Minnesota zone 4 a/b garden to maximum production. Her book Plant Grow Harvest Repeat will be published by Timber Press in March. She’s a graduate of Oregon State University’s College of Forestry.
See recording from April 12, 2022, 12 noon pacific
Growing Great Roses!
There is a common misconception that roses are hard to grow. Luckily, nothing could be further from the truth! In this workshop, we will explore types of roses, how to select great varieties for different gardens or landscapes, and tips for planting and maintaining roses so they will thrive for many years to come.
Presenter: Mark Windham is a professor and distinguished chair in ornamental pathology in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee. His research has focused on diseases of dogwoods, hydrangeas and roses. For the last seven years, Mark has been part of a multistate team working to find resistance to Rose Rosette Virus. He also developed the first management plans for homeowners and landscape professionals for this disease. Mark teaches Introductory Plant Pathology, Diseases of Ornamental Plants and SEC Football (his favorite class). He is a long-time member of the American Rose Society and a past president of the Holston Rose Society in Knoxville, Tennessee.
See recording from May 10, 2022.
A PDF of the presentation deck is available for download.
Irrigation Choices and Design for the Home Garden and Landscape
A well-designed irrigation system can help minimize weeds, conserve water, and keep your plants thriving—not to mention spare your body when it’s too hot or you’re too tired to drag out the hose—but a walk down the irrigation aisle at your home supply store can be a bit overwhelming. This presentation will guide you through the principles of irrigation design, demystify terms like “flow rate” and “irrigation zones,” and illustrate the differences between sprinklers, sprayers, and emitters, helping you choose the right one for your needs. It will also cover how to choose the ideal runtime and frequency, based on the plant, soil, and atmospheric conditions.
Presenter: Alec Kowalewski, PhD., has over 20 years of research experience and multiple publications related to landscape management obtained while employed at Michigan State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia, and Oregon State University. Alec is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University and teaches several undergraduate and continuing education classes in the Department of Horticulture. Alec also provides Extension material for stakeholders in turfgrass and landscape management.
This webinar already occurred. A link to the recording is available below.
A PDF of the presentation used in this webinar is available.
Best Ecological Ways to Control Pests in Green Spaces
Blasting vegetation with broad-spectrum sprays can damage beneficial insects and other species who would otherwise be your allies, which can create an ideal environment for pest takeover. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a common-sense approach that aims to suppress pest populations and allow a sustainable balance in the environment. In this presentation, you’ll get to hear directly from Oregon’s leaders of the Oregon IPM Center at OSU, as they cover pest identification, resources, and control options.
About the presenters: Silvia Rondon, Chris Hedstrom, and Isaac Sandlin are part of the Oregon IPM Center. The center aims to achieve economically sustainable pest management for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest while reducing the use of pesticides to protect human health and the environment. We provide high impact science and education while promoting and supporting integrated pest management in agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, such as urban and structural IPM, school IPM, in collaborations with Oregon's natural resource and infrastructure agencies.
See recording from July 12, 2022, 12 noon pacific
Should You Leave Your Leaves? How autumn yard maintenance affects overwintering insects
To clean up or not to clean up, that is the question. In this webinar, Max Ferlauto, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland, outlines his research about the effects of leaf litter removal on overwintering insects. He also discusses ways to increase the ecological value of properties.
Presenter: Max Ferlauto grew up in Arlington, Virginia where he gained an appreciation for native plants and insects through the local Master Gardener program. He received his bachelor's degree in Plant Ecology from Juniata College. He is now a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland Entomology Department in Karin Burghardt's Lab. He studies how landscaping practices, such as leaf litter management, affect urban ecosystems.
This webinar already occurred.
Compost Can-do: develop a system that meets your needs
Learn how to manage home-scale organic waste and turn it into a stable soil amendment. Plants grown in sandy soils, clay soils, and anything in between benefit from the nutrient- and water-holding capacity of compost amended soils. The secret to a sustainable backyard composting operation is finding one that fits your lifestyle and needs.
Presenter: Linda Brewer has 30 years of experience teaching composting to the general public. She is a certified professional soil scientist and research assistant in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University. She is the Ask Extension contact for any questions containing the words soil, manure, or compost. She gardens on 65% clay soil in Benton County OR and composts much of the organic waste generated by her household.
This webinar already occurred.
Presentation materials used in this webinar are available here.
Follow up answers to questions asked during or after the webinar are available here.
Soil Fertility and Nutrient Cycling in Garden Beds & Home Landscapes
You don't have to leave it to luck when growing a garden when you know a soil's nutrient balance. Instead of crossing your fingers or throwing potentially unnecessary—or even harmful—fertilizers at the problem, you might consider taking a deeper look at your dirt. In this class, we will review how nutrients move through garden ecosystems, discuss the importance of soil testing, and learn about the ways to ensure your soil fertility is in balance, so that you can bet on your next crop’s success.
Presenter: Stefan Seiter grew up in Germany, where, after high school, he was in an agriculture apprenticeship program and worked on several farms. He completed his undergraduate coursework at the University of Hohenheim near Stuttgart, before coming to Oregon for his graduate studies. Stefan received his Masters and Ph.D from OSU-Horticulture working on research in soil nitrogen cycling, cover crops, and the integration of trees in annual cropping systems.
After graduation, Stefan worked for the NRCS and OSU Extension and led a nationwide program to develop soil health assessment tools. He continued his career as an Assistant Professor in the Sustainable Systems program at the University of Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania before serving as Agroecology Extension Specialist at the University of New Hampshire. In 2003, Stefan returned to Oregon to become Program Chair of the Horticulture and Crop Production programs at Linn-Benton Community College -- a position he held for 16 years.
Since the fall of 2019, Stefan serves as Senior Instructor and undergraduate student advisor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Oregon State University. Among other courses he teaches the course “Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems” which also covers the topic of this presentation.
This webinar already occurred. A recording will be posted here in the next two weeks.
Resources referenced during the presentation:
Growing the Good Stuff: from Sweet Potatoes to Bitter Melons
Many vegetable gardens contain the classic tomatoes, lettuce, and parsley, but have you ever tried growing sweet potatoes, okra, luffa, or bitter melon? In this presentation, we will discuss diverse types of specialty and culturally relevant vegetables, fruits, and herbs and how these can be grown in home gardens in Oregon. Topics will include methods for extending the growing season, how to address challenges like daylength in subtropical vegetables, and where to get locally adapted seeds. With knowledge, care, and tips from our presenter and other intrepid gardeners, you can learn how to grow the flavorful foods you love to eat.
Presenter: Todd Anderson is a Doctoral student in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University, working in blueberry breeding and genetics at the USDA Luby Lab. His research is on developing heat tolerance in blueberries. Todd is also an avid hobby gardener and grows various types of Filipino and Southeast Asian herbs and vegetables in his community garden plot. He's been experimenting with growing specialty produce in Oregon, testing tips and tricks from people in the area, and learning from gardeners growing tropical vegetables in similar climates in the United Kingdom and British Columbia.
This webinar has occurred. See link to recording below.
Looking for recordings from the 2021 series? See last year's recordings here.