Montgomery County Master Gardeners - Maryland

06/22/2026

During National Pollinator Week, join Madeline Potter, UME Faculty Specialist for Entomology & IPM, for an interactive lunch-and-learn webinar about Maryland’s Moths. Did you know Maryland is home to more than 2,000 species of moths? While many go unnoticed, moths are important pollinators and a critical part of our local ecosystems. Join us as we discover the diversity of Maryland’s moths, the plants that support them, and key ways to observe and conserve these insects. Designed as a train-the-trainer program, this session will equip you with ready-to-use resources, educational materials, and conservation gardening practices to help inspire others to appreciate and protect moths and other pollinators in their own greenspaces.

A free lunch-and-learn webinar on June 24, 2026 from 12PM to 1:30PM (EST).
Registration required. To register visit: go.umd.edu/mothwebinar

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully at [email protected] or (301) 226-7616 on or before June 13, 2026.

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, s*x, gender identity or expression, s*xual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

06/20/2026

Cut iris flower stalks down to the crown when they are finished blooming. Leave the foliage alone. If your iris are overcrowded after flowering lift and divide them. Check rhizomes for iris borer.

Identify and manage iris borers on iris.

06/20/2026

Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is a flowering tree native to Eastern Asia. It was introduced to the U.S. in the mid-1700s and has since become invasive. This species is the preferred host plant for the invasive insect spotted lanternfly.

How to identify and manage invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima).

06/19/2026

As its name indicates, ground-nesting bees are bees that nest in the ground, mostly by digging their nests. Ground-nesting bees are found in several families of bees, and being a soil nester/digger is actually one of the most common nesting strategies among solitary bees. In these bees, once the female finds a good nesting site, she starts excavating it to create an underground nest, which often has several brood cells, in which the larvae develop. These nests are usually found in spaces where the vegetation is sparse or the soil bare, and can sometimes be built along with other nests of the same species, leading to communal nesting areas. It is because of this preference for relatively open ground that it is often recommended that at least some uncovered ground is left in our green spaces, which helps provide habitat for their establishment.

The summer is almost here, and if you are like me, you have already been outside and seen a bunch of tiny bees digging, digging, digging, and buzzing around flowers. Who are these little ladies? An…

06/19/2026

Make sure to register for the July 1st Natives at Noon with Basil Camu and learn how we can help heal the Earth based on his expertise developed at Leaf & Limb. Spread the word - you don't want to miss this one! The webinar is free, but you must register to attend. (Live only - it will not be recorded.)

To register visit: go.UMD.edu/NANWebinarSeries

06/18/2026

Entomologist Dr. Michael Raupp, "The Bug Guy," talks about how there are more reports of ticks at emergency rooms this year.

06/18/2026

Aphids are becoming more abundant. Allow local predators like lady beetles and parasitic wasps to control the aphids. Avoid high nitrogen, quick releasing fertilizers as studies have shown these fertilizers can boost aphid populations. Horticulture oil can be used on heavy aphid infestations.

Learn how to identify and manage aphids on indoor and outdoor plants.

06/18/2026

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is an invasive species and spreads by seeds dispersed by birds and small mammals. If branches arch over and touch the ground, they can root; new stems can also arise from rhizomes (spreading roots). A single shrub can form a dense impenetrable mass. White-tailed deer prefer not to eat Japanese barberry, which allows it to spread more easily as native plant competition is browsed. The shrub's dense foliage and low branching creates an ideal, humid environment for black-legged ticks (deer ticks) which can carry the pathogen that causes Lyme disease.

How to identify and manage invasive Japanese barberry.

06/14/2026

It has been 21 years since Bug of the Week started, The fireflies are still celebrating.

Fireflies celebrate 20 years of Bug of the Week – Fireflies, Lightning Bugs, Lampyridae June 8, 2025 The underside view of an adult firefly reveals the whitish light organs where photocytes, cells that produce light, are located. Large eyes help fireflies find the glow of mates at night. M.J. Raup...

06/13/2026

Tomatoes are the most common and beloved vegetable crop for home gardeners. They require relatively little space and can yield 10 to 15 pounds or more of fruit per plant.

Growing tomatoes in a home garden and diagnosing common tomato problems