CMGA General Info

Spring has arrived in Flagstaff with many bulbs including these daffodils.
Photo by Cynthia Murray.

Welcome to the Coconino County Master Gardeners Association blog. The mission of the Master Gardener Program is to create a corps of well-informed volunteers, and to deliver quality horticultural education programs adapted to our regional high elevation environment. The purpose of the association is to provide support for those volunteers and Master Gardener graduates, continuing education, and opportunities to participate in community programs that increase the visibility and participation in the Master Gardener Program.
The Coconino Master Gardener Association (2009) began in 2009. This blog contains information on:
-How to become a member
-Volunteer and Education hours reporting
-Calendar of Events
-General gardening information articles
-Master Gardener Association Documents and forms
-References and Resources
-Interesting Websites and Blogs
-Old Gardening Etcetera columns
-Recipes
-Book Reviews
-How to contact Board or Committee Members
Meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Thursday from 600pm - 8;30pm. We meet at the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church at 1601 N. San Francisco. This includes continuing education and a business meeting.

Reporting Master Gardener Hours

All master gardener trainees and certified master gardeners need to report their hours.
Beginning in 2010 certified master gardeners need to have 6 Education hours and 12 Volunteer hours in order to maintain certification.The on line reporting system allows you to report Education or Volunteer hours. You can sign in to record hours in the right hand column under Recording Volunteer and Education Hours. Just click on the U. of A.
If you have any questions or concerns about the new reporting system, please contact Brenda Smith (A - M) or Sue Madden (N - Z). Their contacts are listed at the bottom of the blog under
Contacts.



Ideas for hours------
--Attend monthly meetings
--Work on an association committee
--Work at an informational booth for the Master Gardeners
--Be a speaker about gardening topics at a variety of venues

--Host a garden tour
--Work at a fundraising event (Plant Sale - Garden Tour).
--Work at a MG site (Olivia White Hospice, the Arboretum, Riordan Mansion, or school gardens (many others)). Check out the Assoc. Doc. & Forms under Volunteer Sites.
--Work in the Extension office
--Write an article for the newspaper column -Gardening Etcetera
-Volunteer with the Seed Library
Be creative! There are many ways to fulfill your hours. Just remember for volunteering it needs to be a non-profit endeavor or an approved for profit site.

Change in Contact Information

Have you moved or changed your e-mail address, but would still like to be contacted about high elevation gardening information from the Extension? The Coconino County Extension Master Gardener Program has a site that will let you change your information on-line.

Click here to change your contact information!

Event Calendar

Thursday, April 10, 2025

AZ Native Plant Society Meeting

 

Amelia Blake - Propagating Native Plants
Growing uncultivated plant varieties can be challenging, they often have seed dormancy, unique soil needs and don’t grow well in containers. Because of this, many native plants are not available in the nursery industry and native plant enthuses are left to cultivate their own. Amelia will discuss strategies for successful native plant propagation.
Amelia Blake is co-owner Lily of the Field Nursery which focuses on growing native and heirloom plants that are especially well adapted to the Flagstaff area. Amelia spent her childhood working with plants at the NAU Research Greenhouse during her father’s stint as greenhouse manager. She received her B.S. in Plant Sciences from the University of Arizona in 2014. She then worked at Native Plant and Seed for 3 years before opening Lily of the Field Nursery in 2020 with her husband. She sells at most of the local markets, runs the Gardener’s Market in east Flagstaff each spring, and sells by appointment from their home in the Upper Greenlaw neighborhood.
The meeting will be held at 7 PM on the third floor of the NAU Biology Building on North Campus. For a map of campus, access below:
https://nau.edu/.../2019-GIS-Campus-Reference-Map_12.pdf
If attending virtually, register in advance for this meeting at:
https://bit.ly/FlagAZNPS25
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
AZNPS talks are free and open to the public.

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Sustainability Earth Day Celebration


✨ SPOTLIGHT: Earth Day Celebration
Saturday, April 19 | 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Bushmaster Park (3150 N Alta Vista Dr)

Join us in celebrating Earth Day with live musical performances, hands-on workshops, delicious food, and a chance to connect with dozens of local organizations through interactive activities for all ages. Don’t miss the new Bike Zone offering free tune-ups and electric bike demos!

Looking for sustainable ways to get to the event? Mountain Line is offering free bus rides on all routes throughout April 19, or join the Community Bike Ride! Complimentary bike valet is provided for all cyclists.

Morel Mushroom Workshop

 

Adult Workshop: Morel Mushrooms with Mike Dechter
Saturday, April 19th
9:00am - 11:00am
 

Join Arizona Mushroom Society Executive Director, Mike Dechter, for an in-depth exploration of morel mushrooms in Arizona.

This workshop will cover where and when Morchella species grow, key indicators and tools to help you find them, and best practices for a successful hunt. To complete the experience, Mike will prepare a sample of delicious morels from last year’s harvest for participants to enjoy.

Click here to register!


Saturday, March 29, 2025

Drop Off Day - City of Flagstaff

Upcoming Events

Dates:

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

Time:

10am-2pm

Location:

Coconino County Health and Human Services Building, 2625 N. King Street

Rules and Requirements  

Accepted

The following items were accepted during the last event:

  • Aerosol cans
  • Batteries
  • CFLs & LEDs
  • Fluorescent tubes
  • Expired or unwanted medications, vitamins, or supplements 
  • Medical syringes
  • Electronics: computers, printers, flat-screen TVs, etc.
  • Sensitive documents for onsite shredding (2 boxes/ person max)

Not Accepted

  • No CRT TVs.
  • Liquid waste such as paint, automotive fluids, and other chemicals should be taken directly to the Flagstaff Hazardous Products Center and will not be accepted at this event.
  • No illegal drugs
  • No electronic waste or paper from commercial sites
  • No car seats

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Plant Sale Volunteers

 

To: Master Gardeners and Future Master Gardeners


The CMGA is starting to plan for the 2025 Plant Sale to be held on May 24.  We are in need of 15-20 volunteers to help with parking, general assistance for visitors, staffing a Q&A table, set up/tear down, and assisting in other ways. There are usually two shifts between 8 am and 3pm on Event day, plus prep work to be done on the two days prior.

 

This is an excellent way to get involved and to earn volunteer hours toward getting or maintaining Master Gardener certification. Plus, it is a lot of Fun!!!! 

 

For all inquiries and to sign up to volunteer please send your contact information( including phone number)  to us both at dnashmg2@gmail.com. and rguzley@sbcglobal.net    We will send you an acknowledgement that you are on the list within a week. 

 

Thanks so much,

 

Volunteer Committee Coordinators

 

Denbie Nash  832-527-2215  dnashmg2@gmailcom

 

Ruth Guzley   530-321-9926  rguzley@sbcglobal.net

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Restoration Soils Site Visit

 

Our site visit will be on March 13, 2025, from 3 to 4 p.m. Our site is located at 2661 N El Paso Flagstaff Rd. It is an open invite for all Master Gardeners, agriculturalists, and anyone else who would like to see what we do at the site. We will share what we do at Restoration Soils and answer any questions patrons might have. 

Restoration Soils invites you to an open house to tour our industrial composting facility on March 13, 2025, from 3 to 4 p.m. Our thermophilic facility is the first permitted operation in Northern Arizona, and we are excited to show you the progress we have made in building a more circular waste stream and producing nutrient-rich compost and soil amendments. Feel free to come out to the Restoration Soils site anytime between 3 and 4 p.m. Our site is located at 2661 N El Paso Flagstaff Rd. 
If you are interested, RSVP by emailing compost@restorationsoils.com.

Restoration Soils produces and sells nutrient-rich compost, garden soils, top soils, compost mulch, organic ground cover, boulders, and more! Let us help you regenerate your soils and improve productivity of your gardens and green spaces. Call or email for delivery options or on-site pickup for truck, trailer, or buckets. We also offer a monthly residential compost pickup program, where we pick up your compost at your residence twice a month for $20 a month. Visit our website www.restorationsoils.com for more information. 
Call or email us at compost@restorationsoils.com or (928)250-1040 if you have any questions or if you are looking to purchase from us. 

Thank you,
Grace Crothers 
Restoration Soils


AZNPS Meeting

From: Susan Holiday 

Title: Analysis of Potential Hazards to the Future Conservation of the Endemic Alpine Species Packera franciscana 


Bio: Catherine Young, a junior from the NAU School of Forestry, will be presenting the important conservation breakthroughs that she has made for the “Threatened” alpine sunflower Packera franciscana. The species is only found near Flagstaff, AZ above the tree line of the San Francisco Peaks. She successfully established the first captive population of these plants outside of a greenhouse setting. Her observations in the field suggest that a new hybrid zone has formed within the last 10  years. She has also created the first tissue culture protocol to produce genetically identical plants to those in the wild. The most recent developments are laying the foundation for her future project that will look to predict the response of the species to potential hazards such as climate change, competition with hybrids, and wildfire.

The meeting will be held at 7 PM on the third floor of the NAU Biology Building on North Campus.  Come to the door nearest the bus stop on 617 S. South Beaver Street at the corner of Beaver and Franklin. For a map of campus, access below:

See you there!

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Community Garden Plot Application

 

Community Garden Plot Applications Open March 1!

Get ready for the growing season! Plot applications for Bonito, Hal Jensen, and Southside Community Gardens are open during the month of March. Returning gardeners can renew their plots before new applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Priority is given to those without home growing space or who qualify for SNAP. Annual plot fees are $65, covering water, infrastructure, and resources. Need assistance? Full and half scholarships are available—just apply online!

The plot application will be available on March 1, 2025. If you have any questions, please email gardens@flagstaffaz.gov!


 



Farmer & Rancher Resource Fair
March 6 | 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
AquaPlex (1702 N Fourth St)


Calling all farmers and ranchers! Join the Sustainability Office, Flagstaff Family Food Center, and Foodlink for a day of networking, learning, and resource sharing. Connect with fellow farmers, explore local services, and hear expert presentations on food systems. Plus, enjoy a resources expo featuring agricultural agencies and organizations supporting local growers.
 
For more information, contact Steven Thompson at steven.thompson@flagstaffaz.gov.

Growing Wild Seeds Workshop


 

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Free Crafting Workshop


 

 Arizona Native Plant Society

 Desert Botanical Garden Phoenix, Arizona 

 21st Annual Arizona Botany Meeting

 1-2 March 2025 

The Desert Botanical Garden 

1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, Arizona 

Theme: Exploring the Botanical Diversity, Ecology, and History of Arizona’s Native Flora See AZ Native Plant Society 

Website for Details and Registration: www.aznps.com or 


Annual Eagle Celebration

 


Family Science: Annual Eagle Celebration
Saturday, March 22nd
10:30am &12:30am

Join Willow Bend Environmental Education Center for an exciting experience with Liberty Wildlife as we explore the incredible world of bald eagles! Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Tim Macy, Liberty Wildlife will be traveling from Phoenix to bring live eagles up close for this special event in Flagstaff. Special thanks also to Arizona Watchable Wildlife Experience and Arizona Game and Fish for their support in making this event possible.

10:30am-11:30am Eaglets: Family Eagle Presentation (Ages 4-12)
Designed for families with young children, this program offers an interactive, engaging experience, concluding with a live eagle encounter. Sign up for Eaglets here.

12:30pm-1:30pm Fully Fledged: Community Eagle Presentation (All Ages)
Join a local biologist for an in-depth look at bald eagles and witness these majestic birds up close. This engaging session is open to all ages but is not specifically designed for young children. Sign up for Fully Fledged here.

2:00pm-4:00pm Bonus Field Trip:
Watchable Wildlife Bird Viewing (Free!) Stick around for an optional bird viewing field trip at Kachina Wetlands Preserve (weather permitting).

Eaglets and Fully Fledged Admission:

Monday, February 24, 2025

Earthday

Earthday

11am-2pm    Bushmaster Park  

 

 

Celebrate Earth Day with us on April 19 at Bushmaster Park! Enjoy live music performances by local bands, learn about sustainable practices, and connect with local organizations. Stay tuned for more details and updates in March and April. 

Register Here and Learn More

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Rooted in Planning

 


Propagating from Hardwood Cuttings Workshop

 


Mini Moss Art Workshop

 

Come to our next Mini Moss Art Workshop!
Hi there again,
We noticed another small hiccup in our previous email—the "Buy Tickets" button had the wrong link. Oops! 😅 We’ve fixed the issue, and you can now easily grab your tickets for our Mini Moss Art Workshop.

📍 When: Sunday, February 23rd, at 3 PM
📍 Where: @DrinkingHornMeadery

Click below to secure your spot for $50

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Forestdale Farm's CSA 2025

 

Forestdale Farm’s GardenShare CSA is back for 2025! 


Sign up SOON to get $15 off your share of locally grown starts for your gardens this year! 
You can sign up here

What you will get:
We will provide over 25 varieties of vegetable, herb, and edible flower starts (40+ total plants per share) distributed from May-June. All seeds are certified organic with an emphasis on heirloom and open pollinated varieties. This includes cool and warm season crops. Extra starts and seeds for direct sowing will be available for purchase as well. We will also have garden supplies available such as potting mix, compost, frost cloth, etc at each pick up.
 
Early Sign Up (sign up before April 1st 2025): $150
Cost after April 1st: $165

We can also except EBT!
***Double Up Food Bucks are earned when buying starts from us 

 Please email farmforestdale@gmail.com for questions on EBT

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Open House Restoration Soils

 


Hello Composting Advocates!

Restoration Soils invites you to an open house to tour our industrial composting facility next Wednesday, January 29th from 3-4 pm at 2661 N El Paso Drive.  Our thermophilic facility is the first permitted operation in northern Arizona and we are excited to show you the progress we have made in building a more circular waste stream and producing nutrient rich compost and soil amendments. Feel free to come out to the Restoration Soils site anytime between 3-4 pm. 
 
As the new Community Compost Coordinator for Restoration Soils working on residential/commercial compost pickup programs, grants, community outreach, and social networking, our team looks forward to seeing you next week. Please RSVP if you know you will be able to attend.  

All are welcome and feel free to share this invite and let us know if you have questions!

Thank you so much,

Grace Crothers
Restoration Soils

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Comfort in Your Teacup

 

Adult Workshop: Comfort in your Tea-Cup

January 25 @ 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

$30

The winter chill is here, warm up by building your own tea!

This workshop with Ashley Doyle from Cinderfly Apothecary is designed to uplift your spirits in the midst of winter while teaching you how to craft personalized tea blends, for self-care or to share with loved ones! With February on the horizon, we will focus on selected herbs known for their affinity with the heart. Participants will enjoy demonstrations, tea tastings, and the opportunity to create their own tea sachets. Don’t forget to B.Y.O.M. (Bring Your Own Mug)!

Cost: $25 members, $30 non-members. Registration required.

To register, please click here.