Green River Area Extension Master Gardener Association

06/14/2026

Saturday, Extension Master Gardeners Melissa Decker and Julie Stallings introduced visitors at the GRAEMGA Master Gardeners booth at the Farmers' Market to Hugelkultur, the German word for "mound gardening ". This method has been practiced for hundreds of years. In Hugelkultur, mounds are created using decaying logs and woody debris as a base with yard waste and compostable materials and food scraps in the middle followed by 12 to 16 inches quality topsoil, compost, and manure on top.
As the wood and raw compost materials decompose, they act as a sponge, creating a self-watering and self-fertilizing bed.
This method is excellent for moisture loving plants and crops such as zucchini, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, and nitrogen fixing legumes.
The best tree woods to use are maple, poplar, oak, alder, apple and birch. Pine can be used but needs to be thoroughly aged prior to using. DO NOT use the wood or leaves of Black Walnut, Black Cherry, Cedar, any pressure treated wood or railway ties.
Hugelkultur is a good solution to gardening on a slope. It can be used on flat ground or in a Raised Bed. Using this method in a raised bed saves money on soil, but beds must be 18" to 24" tall to accommodate for the proper amount for all the layers. It is also important to add additional soil as the bottom 2 layers settle as they decompose.
You can start the base of the Hugelkultur in the fall, giving it a chance to settle over winter. This also lessens the nitrogen depletion in the early process.
The benefits of Hugelkultur are many. As the wood and compostable materials break down, beneficial fungi, worms and microbes are helped. The composting process slightly heats the soil adding a little to the growing season. Hugelkultur reduces waste using compostable materials and debris that would otherwise be taken to a landfill or burned. Lastly, it reduces the amount of water needed to irrigate the plants during growing season.

Below are fact sheets from the article below.

For the full article, read:
Sustainable Landscapes: Creating A Hügelkultur For Gardening with Stormwater Management Benefits | Oklahoma State University https://share.google/LKb7oQVMfgR5MU2Aq

06/13/2026

This Saturday at the Farmer's Market, GRAEMGA Master Gardeners shared information on Hugelkultur or mound gardening.
This type of gardening has been around for hundreds of years but became popular again around 1980. Now, it is gaining more attention as a method of sustainable gardening.

06/11/2026

Tonight is the night for The Owensboro Regional Farmers' Market Thursday Night Market event!
Don't worry about dinner, there will be plenty of food trucks with plenty of choices.
Enjoy the local vendors and be sure to check out the free activities at the Extension office booth and the Master Gardener booth to learn about growing container gardens.
Make it a great summer evening at The Farmers' Market.

06/11/2026

Found a tick? Learn how to remove it safely with guidance from UK Extension Publication ENTFACT-618 at https://entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef618

06/10/2026

Green River Area Extension Master Gardeners got a special treat June 4th. Extension Master Gardener Roger Humphrey invited gardeners and friends to a tour of his home garden. The invitation was open from 3:30 pm after the monthly meeting until 7 pm so that visitors could arrive on their schedule and take their time. The pictures are only a sampling of guests and even a smaller sample of Roger's garden. Every Master Gardener has their own gardening style. As soon as you drive up to Roger's house, you know you are entering something special and unique. The Humphreys hired a designer to help make their garden and yard handicap accessible. Roger incorporates environmental gardening trends of native plants, replacing as much lawn as possible with plants or hardscaping instead of grass, and planting with nature and pollinators in mind. He both follows and breaks rules to create a haven of tranquility and whimsy.
Roger's garden is a journey. Hopefully, he will invite us again in the fall for another look.

Correction:
In the last group photo, Becky Martin's name is spelled as Beck instead of Becky.
(I continue to be a human of error)

06/10/2026

At the June 4th GRAEMGA meeting, Annette Heisdorffer, the Horticulturist for the Daviess County Cooperative Extention Office and Extension Master Gardener Coordinator, gave a presentation of the roles of the Master Gardener for the upcoming fair. Annette gave a thorough presentation on what to look for when judging horticultural exhibits, as well as preparing entries for judging.
Master Gardeners do a large part in the fair by setting up the area and tables for judging and display. In addition to serving as a welcoming committee, they check in entries and give tips and suggestions to entrants for the best possible entry. Master Gardeners serve as judging for horticulture entries. After the fair closes, Master Gardeners clean up and close down their stations.
Several Master Gardeners also have entries.
Information for entering in one or more horticulture categories can be obtained by calling The Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service office at 270-685-8480.

We hope to see you at the Daviess County 2026 fair!
July 15th to July 18th

06/09/2026

Just a reminder: Tomorrow is Webinar Wednesday

Skip the harsh chemicals and let nature lend a hand! Join our webinar on natural pest control and learn simple, effective ways to manage garden pests using beneficial insects, companion planting, and eco-friendly strategies. Your garden (and pollinators) will thank you!

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/UKHWWJUNE26

06/09/2026

Here's a cute handy dandy project for your garden.

06/09/2026

Thursday, June 4th, after the GRAEMGA monthly meeting, the Demonstration Garden volunteers, comprised of friendly and energetic Extension Master Gardener Interns, were busy weeding, hoeing, watering, and putting down fresh mulch. Committee chairs Craig Jones and Russ Carter keep everything running smoothly. They keep volunteers scheduled for Garden maintenance and upkeep throughout the spring and summer, then cleanup in the autumn. The Committee decides where to donate their produce once it is ready to harvest. Tours and talks are welcome, just call the Daviess County Extension Office for info on scheduling.

Apologies for some name errors. Unfortunately, once the original post is posted, I am unable to edit picture captions or add captions to any pictures added later.
The correct names have been added in the comments, but just in case, here are the corrections:
4th picture: Mary Anne Steel is watering with the UK blue watering can
5th picture: Shannon Paul is in charge of the fairy garden
6th picture: Lisa Tarpley pauses from picking up weeds
16th picture: Pete Jarboe and Michelle Reed give a friendly hello
17th picture: Michelle Reed is weeding.
Thanks to Susan Behl for helping me keep everyone straight. My notes were correct but I guess my mind was wishing to be outside gardening.

06/08/2026

A few end of the evening pictures from the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden Know and Glow Firefly Festival hosted the first of June were captured and sent in.
Extension Master Gardener Melissa Decker and daughter Lucy were evening face painters for the event .

Pictures courtesy of Melissa Decker