CCE Erie CLOSED February 17, 2024 Monday, February 17, 2025 8:30 am - 4:30 pm ========================================= Communities in Bloom Spring Gardening Classes 2025 Saturday, February 22, 2025 9:00 am - 11:45 am REGISTER HERE2025 marks the twenty-first year of ‘Bloom’ classes offered by the Master Gardeners of Erie County. Classes will be of interest to both beginning and veteran gardeners. Classes are offered on two dates and locations:Saturday, February 8Aurora Senior Center,101 King Street, East Aurora 140529:00 – 10:15 am ‘Building a Climate Resilient Garden’ Peggy KoppmannAs our climate changes, gardeners can look to increasing biodiversity, selecting the “right plant for the right place”, adapting watering routines, and other strategies to create a garden that can better adapt to our evolving environmental conditions. 10:30 – 11:45 am ‘Critter Management’ Mary Kamien & Michelle DunhamIt is not possible to make your garden completely critter-proof, but there are ways to minimize their impact on your garden. We’ll cover some strategies to deal with hungry critters who think your yard is a buffet and some plants they typically avoid. Saturday, February 22Mansion at Knox Farm State Park, E Aurora9:00- 10:15 am ‘Plant Propagation Methods’ Carol Ann HarlosPropagating plants is fun, rewarding, and FREE. We’ll cover leaf, stem and softwood cuttings, layering, and division as methods of expanding your collection of indoor and outdoor plant varieties 10:30 – 11:45 am ‘Can We Preserve Boxwoods on our Landscapes?: A Look at Box Tree Moth and Other Insect and Disease Threats’ Margery Daughtrey, Cornell University and Sharon Bachman, CCE ErieUsing the lens of integrated pest management, we will look at what is required to grow healthy boxwoods, the pests that threaten them and alternative shrubs you might consider for your landscape. We will also cover monitoring programs for Box Tree Moth (BTM) and the use of bio-controls. (Following the session, we will check nearby boxwoods to see if we can find BTM overwintering. They overwinter as caterpillars!) Fee: Master Gardeners: $20/each date Public: $25/each dateREGISTER HERE ========================================= WNY Pesticide Applicator Training for Treatment of Hemlock Trees Friday, February 28, 2025 9:00 am - 12:30 pm WNY Pesticide Applicator Training for Treatment of Hemlock Trees - Free Event - Friday, February 28th 9:00am- 12:30pm Registration 8:30 am Chestnut Ridge Park – McKinnon Lodge  6121 Chestnut Ridge Rd,  Orchard Park, NY 14127 Pesticide credits in application REGISTER HERE The Eastern Hemlock (Tsugacanadensis) is a valuable tree species in our local ecosystems. Hemlocks on the landscape support cold water habitats for trout species, create habitat for countless other native plant andanimalspecies,andalso enhanceoutdoorrecreationexperiences.Unfortunately,Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is an emerging invasive species threat in our area attacking hemlock trees. The Cornell University New York Hemlock Initiative works to protect hemlock trees in New York State and beyond.They are working with Erie County Forestry and Parks, regional NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) staff and CCE Erie to offer this pesticide applicator training for professionals who can use this training to protect hemlock trees on our landscapes. The Workshop will provide two hours of classroom training followed by demonstrations in the field. Topics covered: Overview of HWA HWA Management Options Appropriate Treatments for HWA Good Things to Know as a Pesticide Applicator REGISTER HERE ========================================= Master Gardener Education Day Saturday, March 8, 2025 8:30 am - 3:00 pm The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Erie County Master Gardener Program will host ‘Celebrating Gardening’, our 2025 Master Gardener Education Day on Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The cost of event includes lunch.The program will feature two outsanding speakers: Kim Eierman is an author, teacher, ecological landscape designer, and environmental horticulturalist, specializing in native plants. Kim will give two presentations: “Beyond Sustainability: Using Our Landscapes as a Source of Environmental Change” and “Creating A Succession Bloom in the Native Garden.” Kim is the founder of Ecobeneficial LLC. EcoBeneficial - Advancing Ecological Landscapes & Native PlantsThe second speaker is Margaret Lapp, Director and Curator of the South Park Arboretum at Buffalo Olmstead Parks Conservancy. She will speak on “Purposeful Plant Selection for Sustainable Gardening Solutions.” Olmsted's South Park Arboretum Secures First Curator | Margaret Lapp.Registration ends March 5, 2025.REGISTER HERELocation: Classics V Banquet Center, 2425 Niagara Falls Blvd, Amherst, NY 14228Cost: Advanced registration is required. Space is limited. General Public: $60; CCE Erie Master Gardener Program Volunteers: $45; Out of county Master Gardener Volunteers: $55. Cost of event includes lunch.For more information, contact Jolie Hibit at (716) 652-5400, x176, or jah663@cornell.edu. Registration is not complete until payment has been received. Payment for the class is due by March 5, 2025. The registration fee is non-refundable. For persons needing accommodations, please contact Sharon Bachman at 716-652-5400 x 150 or sin2@cornell.edu five business days prior to the event. Registration: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/MGEducationDay-2024_214 =========================================