2021 MGV Annual State Conference

  MGV Virtual State Conference

Thank you so much for joining us for the 2021 MGV Annual Conference.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.  Please take just a few moment to complete the evaluation below.

Thursday Recordings  Friday Recordings  Conference Evaluation
Awards Program Recording

Thursday, October 14, 2021

9:00 am

Confessions of a Plant Nerd
Keynote Presenter: Joe Tychonievich, Author and Horticulturist

Join us, from the comfort of your home, to hear Joseph Tychonievich describe some of the lengths that gardeners will take for the love of their plants. His entertaining conversation – Confessions of a Plant Nerd – will have you laughing out loud. 

Bio

Joseph Tychonievich gardens in his South Bend, Indiana yard. And in a friend's yard. And with lights in the basement. He pretends that this is necessary research to write his books and magazine articles about gardening. Thankfully his husband accepts this, and the unpredictable deluges of vegetables he grows, with grace. Joseph is the author of several books including The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food: Step-by-Step Vegetable Gardening for Everyone and Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style. He is the editor of the North American Rock Garden Society quarterly journal.

Joe Tychonievich Recording
Joe Tychonievich Handout

10:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1

Herbs R Us
Susan Liechty, Master Gardener Volunteer, Delaware County, The Ohio State University

Featuring the top 12 herbs and their uses. How to grow with success, harvesting techniques, and the many uses to transform your life using herbs.

BIO

Susan Liechty is a self-taught herbalist, an advanced Master Gardener in Delaware County joining in 1995 and is a founding member of the Delaware Unit of The Herb Society of America in 1997 and has served as a Past-President on the national Board of Directors of The Herb Society of America, She completed the Backyard and Local Food Specialization program in 2010 and is currently chairing the Advanced Herb Specialization program for 2022. 

Susan Liechty Recording
Susan Liechty Handout

Cooking with Herbs for the Holidays (Online cookbook, compiled by Susan Liechty)


Breakout Session 2

GE's vs GMO's
Lee Beers, Extension Educator, Trumbull County, EERA Leader, The Ohio State Univeristy

Keeping up with the science of crops and food can be challenging. This session will discuss the science behind GMOs, Genetic Engineering, and other biotechnology used in crop development.

BIO

Lee Beers is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator for Trumbull County. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Penn State University, The Behrend College, Master of Science in Botany and Plant Pathology from the University of Maine, and is working to complete his PhD in Plant Science from the University of Maine. Lee has been serving Trumbull county since 2015.  Lee is a member of the Agronomic Crops Team, Extension Nursery and Landscape Team, and serves as the Area Leader for Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, and Trumbull Counties. He is also a Certified Crop Advisor. Lee works to help residents of Trumbull county improve their gardening, farming, and land use practices. 

Lee Beers Recording
Lee Beers Handout

Breakout Session 3

Garden Trends of 2022
Katie Debow, Garden Media Group, President and Author

Katie will disccuss what's hot and what's not in gardening for 2022, based on the Gareden Trends Report analysis.  The annual Garden Trends Report is one of the most published garden studies in trade and consumer news.

BIO

Katie Dubow is president of Garden Media Group, a second-generation women-owned and run public relations firm specializing in the green industry. Author of the annual Garden Trends Report, Dubow presents the report world-wide – from Italy to Chicago. Dubow is also a guest host on QVC for Cottage Farms, judge at the Philadelphia Flower Show, the inaugural recipient of the Emergent Communicator Award from GardenComm, president of the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association, and a member of the Forty Under 40 from Greenhouse Product News.

Follow along @KatieGMG and on Facebook at KatieGardenGirl

Katie Dubow Recording
Katie Dubow Handout

11:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1

Weird Things in the Woods
Jim Chatfield, Assistant Professor Emeritus and Joe Boggs, Assistant Professor, Entomology, The Ohio State University

From erumpent pustules to dryad’s saddles, from the beech blight aphid poop eater fungus to human gypsy moth pheromone carriers, there is a seemingly endless variety of weird things in the woods. Come join us and put your weird on!

BIO

Joe is an assistant professor in Extension and has a courtesy appointment with the OSU Department of Entomology. In Extension, he is an Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Specialization: Tree/Shrub Diagnostics, Applied Entomology, Non-Native Invasive Pests, Urban Forestry. He averages over 100 teaching presentations per year.  He's published articles in the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Magazine, Landsculptor (Michigan Green Industry Association), the Buckeye Arborist, the Society of Commercial Arboriculture Newsletter, and the Canadian Groundskeeper.  He has provided educational outreach on Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) since the beetle was discovered in Ohio in 2011 garnering over $100,000 in funding for outreach efforts.  Joe is a frequent contributor to the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL) blog [bygl.osu.edu].  His weekly radio segment, "Buggy Joe Boggs Report," runs from April through October on the Saturday morning show, “In the Garden with Ron Wilson,” (iHeartRadio: WKRC, Cincinnati; News Radio 610 WTVN, Columbus).  The Cincinnati show is syndicated to 34 radio stations in 12 states.

Jim Chatfield is an Associate Professor Emeritus and Extension Specialist (retired) with the Ohio State Univertity, Department of Plant Pathology and Hort and Crop Sciences. Jim received his B.S. – Botany, Ohio University, 1975 and M.S. – Plant Pathology, Ohio State University.   Extensive green industry Extension workshops throughout the United States, especially in Ohio and the Midwest. Includes plant problem diagnostics, plant materials, plant selection, and plant pathology topics. Typically do approximately 75 programs (1-6 hours) per year to commercial green industry and consumer horticulture groups. His area of expertise include:  Community tree evaluation, landscape horticulture, plant selection, plant diagnostics, plant pathology, and practical botany.

Boggs and Chatfield Recording

Breakout Session 2

Spotted Lanternfly Update
Amy Stone, ANR Extension Educator, Lucas County, The Ohio State University

Amy will provide an update on the biology and lifecyle of this invasive pest, and discuss the current distrubution and ways to avoid it spreading further.  

BIO

Amy Stone is an Extension Educator with Ohio State University in Lucas County.  She began working with Extension in 1992, and has been in Lucas County since 2000.  Amy has earned degrees from Owens Community College and the University of Toledo including a Master’s Degree in Vocational Education.  Her specialization is horticulture and has evolved to include invasive species and began with a local infestation of the gypsy moth in the county in the mid-nineties.  In 2003, Amy collected and submitted the first known infestation of the emerald ash borer in Ohio.  Amy worked on EAB for nearly ten years on USDA project dollars from APHIS and the US Forest Service.  Work with Purdue University and Michigan State University, along with the USDA Forest Service on Emerald Ash Borer University continues.   As Ohio faces numerous invasive species threats, Amy is part of an Extension team to address those threats through outreach and education efforts. 

Amy Stone Recording
Amy Stone Handout

Breakout Session 3

Groovy House Plants
Liz Huges, Owner, Groovy Plants Ranch

Nothing makes a house feel more like a home than the addition of houseplants.  Join Liz virtually at the Groovy Plants Ranch where she will tell us about some beautiful plants to bring your living or working space back to life.  

BIO

Houseplants have always been a staple in homes and offices. Over the last 18 months with many people feeling stuck in their homes there has been a huge boom in houseplant appreciation. In this talk Liz will show you some of her favorite houseplants for ease of care and grooviness. She will also go over care for a few different groups and answer your burning houseplant questions. 

Liz Hughes is the owner of Groovy Plants Ranch along with her husband Jared. Liz has her MFA in fine art and was an art teacher for 10 years before joining Jared at Groovy Plants Ranch. Together they have built a store that is known for its excellent selection, cleanliness, friendly and knowledgeable, and eccentric details like a hippie van. Liz teaches many fun and educational classes at GPR, creates educational content for online customers and coordinates most of the onsite events. Liz spends her days balancing being the owner of a busy business and watching her and Jared's 2 daughters ages 1 and 3. 

Liz Huges Recording

Friday October 15, 2021

9:00 am Creatures and Critters:  No One Gardens Alone
Keynote Presenter: Carol Michel,  Author and Horticulturist

From the seen to the unseen to the mythical, you're never alone in your garden. You may be surprised to find a toad sitting beside a rabbit who just talked to a dinosaur.​ Through this light-hearted presentation, find out who's helping, who's hindering, and who's just hanging around in your garden.  

BIO

Carol J. Michel is an award-winning author of several books including five gardening humor books and one children’s book. As the holder of degrees in both horticulture and computer technology, she spent over three decades making a living in healthcare IT while making a life in her garden. She started writing about gardening on her blog called May Dreams Gardens which lead to numerous magazine articles, her books, and a podcast called The Gardenangelists. She was recently named a GardenComm Fellow by Garden Communicators International.   

Carol Michel Recording
Carol Michel Handout

10:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1

Weed ID and Ecology
Alyssa Essman, The Ohio State University 
Weeds continue to be one of the most troublesome pests in lawns and home gardens, and identification of weeds is the first step in managing them. OSU Weed Scientist, Alyssa Essman will cover some of the most common home and garden weeds and some tips on how to control them.

BIO 

Alyssa Essman is a Weed Science Research Associate with Dr. Mark Loux at Ohio State. Primary area of research focus includes the use of cover crops as an integrated pest management tool, and how cover crops interact with weed populations and herbicides.

Alyssa Essman Recording
Alyssa Essman Handout

Breakout Session 2

The Many Colors of Buckeye Trees
Ann Chanon, PhD., Extension Educator, Lorain County, The Ohio State University

We will look at the various flower colors in the buckeye family and how the pigments change as the flowers develop.  I will also touch on advances in fall color for Aesculus giving the trees more seasonal interest.

BIO

Ann developed her love for woody plants and flowers at an early age and turned her passion into a profession by earning a B.S. in Horticulture from Ohio State, M.S. in Horticultural Science from Texas A&M, and Ph.D. in Horticulture and Crop Science from Ohio State. The emphasis for all three degrees was woody plant improvement. In her previous role as Research Associate at the OARDC, she contributed to a number of projects including, germplasm improvement and domestication of a new crop species, and studies on fruit quality.

Ann Chanon Recording
Ann Chanon Handout

Breakout Session 3

Garden Allies
Frederique Lavoipierre, American Public Gardens Association, Consultant and Author

Join Frederique Lavoipierre virtually, who will tell us about the wonders of the birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects that inhabit our yards and gardens are overwhelmingly on our side—they are not our enemies, but instead our allies.

Bio

Frédérique Lavoipierre was the director of education at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, where she shared her enthusiasm for native plants and insects. Prior to working at the Garden, she was the founding director of the Sustainable Landscape Professional Certificate Program at Sonoma State University, where she also revivedthe Garden Classroom program, and established an entomology outreach program. Frédérique holds a M.Sc. in biology, with an emphasis on ecological principles of sustainable landscapes. Her research focused on plant/insect interactions. Prior to her graduate work, she founded and operated an organic nursery specializing in heirloom vegetables and culinary herbs from around the world. She currently lectures, teaches, and works as a consultant. She serves on the editorial advisory group for the American Public Gardens Association magazine, Public Gardens and is on the content committee for the Pacific Horticulture Society. Frédérique authored a ten-year long series, Garden Allies, for Pacific Horticulture Magazine, and continues her contributions to the Society. Frédérique authored a ten-year long series, Garden Allies, for Pacific Horticulture Magazine, and continues her contributions to the Society.  https://www.workman.com/products/garden-allies

Frederique Lavoipierre Recording
Frederique Lavoipierre Handout

11:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1

Gardening For Cut Flowers
Donna Aufdenberg, Field Specialist in Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension

Have you ever wanted to fill your home with beautiful bouquets? Join us to learn which flowers work best for cut flowers. Start to finish, we will cover the basics of planning, planting and harvesting cut flowers planted in the garden.

BIO

I have been with University of Missouri Extension as a horticulturist for 19 years.  I am headquartered in the Southeast Region of Missouri near Cape Girardeau.  I work with home gardeners and commercial growers as well as assist over 60 Master Gardeners in two counties.  I love and live horticulture!  My favorite parts are flower gardening, vegetable gardening, growing herbs, working in the greenhouse and helping others learn to grow.  I live in Jackson, MO with my husband and two 14-year-old girls

Donna Aufdenberg Recording
Donna Aufdenberg Handout

Breakout Session 2

Garden Journaling
Donna Balzer, Horticulturalist, Speaker, Author

Keeping a diary that records your successes, failures, and noteworthy events in the garden is a wonderful way to learn and grow as a gardener. You will find that if you begin a garden journal this season, it will become a trusted and essential resource for your garden in coming years.

BIO

Why would you take time every day to write down a single sentence about your garden? Because it will sharpen your observation skills, make you a better gardener and teach you better than anything else. After thirty years answering garden questions on radio across Alberta, Canada, three seasons as a Television host on HGTV’s internationally aired show Bugs & Blooms, and twenty years writing about gardening, Horticulturist Donna Balzer has accumulated a wealth of gardening information and experience. Speaker, author and gardener, Donna started with a degree in Agriculture with a specialty in Horticulture but is now focused on growing and cooking food and teaching others to do the same.

Are you excited about health and healthy eating? Donna has two greenhouses and a big vegetable garden at her home in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island in Canada where she grows food year-round. Donna is also an award-winning media personality, author and garden consultant.  

Her podcast is called “Helping Gardener’s Grow.” Her books, No Guff Vegetable Gardening and the Three-Year Gardener’s Gratitude Journal are Donna’s way to give back to gardeners because “No Seed Left Behind” is her mission in life.

The  Three-Year Gardener’s Gratitude Journal helps gardeners’ learn and grow by tracking their personal history. Need to know more?  Check out Donna’s web page:  http://www.donnabalzer.com

Donna Balzer Recording

Donna Balzer Garden Video Clip

Garden Gratitude Journal Video Clip


Breakout Session 3

Saving the Planet One Garden at a Time
Frederique Lavoipierre, American Public Gardens Association, Consultant and Author

Changing humanity's environmental behaviors has become increasingly urgent. Public gardens are an ideal setting in which to engage visitors on how to be part of the solution. Climate disruption, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss, food security, pollution, and more are natural topics for public gardens to address. Even gardens with a primary focus on beauty can create engagement on the role of plants in nature.

BIO

Frédérique Lavoipierre was the director of education at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, where she shared her enthusiasm for native plants and insects. Prior to working at the Garden, she was the founding director of the Sustainable Landscape Professional Certificate Program at Sonoma State University, where she also revivedthe Garden Classroom program, and established an entomology outreach program. Frédérique holds a M.Sc. in biology, with an emphasis on ecological principles of sustainable landscapes. Her research focused on plant/insect interactions. Prior to her graduate work, she founded and operated an organic nursery specializing in heirloom vegetables and culinary herbs from around the world. She currently lectures, teaches, and works as a consultant. She serves on the editorial advisory group for the American Public Gardens Association magazine, Public Gardens and is on the content committee for the Pacific Horticulture Society. Frédérique authored a ten-year long series, Garden Allies, for Pacific Horticulture Magazine, and continues her contributions to the Society. Frédérique authored a ten-year long series, Garden Allies, for Pacific Horticulture Magazine, and continues her contributions to the Society.  https://www.workman.com/products/garden-allies

Frederique Lavaoipierre Recording
Frederique Lavoipierre Handout