With such an enthusiastic response, we'll be charging ahead to another great program year for Master Gardeners in DuPage County. I am so grateful for all your support in 2003 and look forward to working together in '04. Be sure to put on your "creative hat"- we're always looking for new ideas and new ways to accom-plish our work efficiently and effectively.

Terri Gregory's one-year anniversary as Horticulture Assistant was Oct. 28. Her interest, support and contributions have made a great impact on our programs and I very happy she is on staff.

Finally, it's hard to believe that I spent the entire weekend gardening. Somehow we got inspired even though it's the "end of the season." Karl noted we did the equivalent of an entire front yard landscape, even though we "just added" trees, shrubs and vines to our woodland garden. Our challenge was to make sure we did not disturb too much of the existing maple's root system, and yet, add more vertical elements of greenery. I believe the buzzword is layering. It was a tricky job that took quite a bit of planning. Now we'll wait to see how things fare through the winter. Already the birds love the additions... something I am very happy about. (According to my neighbor, it looks good too!)

MG State Award winners: We would like to congratulate the following Master Gardeners who have contributed "far beyond the norm" as volunteers for Extension in DuPage county: Nanette Kalscheur, Sandy Lentz, Dee Rushing, Larry States and Elaine Weil received the Outstanding MG Award in September at the State Conference. In addition, our Newsletter Committee members, Pat Pieper (Leader), Joyce Ernst, Deb McCullough, and Ambi Pellegrini, were awarded the Teamwork Award.

BIG JOB Thanks: This year, our MG Intern Barb Urick stepped forward and provided terrific leadership on the Butterfly Garden Project. We appreciate all the planning and follow-through this role demanded. Barb did a wonderful job of scheduling all the volunteers throughout the garden season and keeping Susan informed as well as the staff at Willowbrook Wildlife Haven. This involved many hours and attention to detail. The garden was beautiful and fed many butterflies and birds!

In 2002, MG Susan Crady launched and organized the first Wood Dale Flower Garden Contest. This is a community-wide contest, and involved establishing criteria, finding judges, marketing the contest. This year she has once again provided leadership and since it has grown in popularity, MG Jennifer McKeown joined her for 2003. There were 28 gardens nominated and 12 judges involved with the project.

Though the Graue Mill Garden Reclamation Project may not have "moved along" as quickly as we had hoped, nevertheless, MG Team Leaders Carol Strelecky and Laura Michilich and many MG's did an outstanding job of getting the three landscape beds "cleaned" of invasive and exotic plant species, such as garlic mustard, buckthorn and poison ivy. Not an easy job, especially when the heat and humidity kicked in this summer. The good news is the landscape design has been wholeheartedly approved and we'll be planting the landscape bed next year.

The monthly garden lessons at Easter Seals have been a wonderful success and we thank MG Elaine Weil for her continued leadership and the MG's for inspiring these preschoolers to try new things and succeed. Also, the dedicated teams of Hort. Therapy, Caroline Jacobsen, Judi Pines and Manijeh Mievelle, (at Marianjoy) and Betty Jeppsen, Pat Hussey, and a rotating team of MGs, at The Terrace, have brought gardening and related activities to residents and patients year round. Also, we cannot forget to thank Dee Rushing for coordinating the MG Help Desk at the Naperville Farmers Market every Saturday from June to mid-October.

Attention Speakers Bureau Members: The date for the Speakers Bureau Kick-Off meeting has been set for Thursday, December 4 at 10:00 am. The location will be the large conference room at the office. All speakers are strongly encouraged to attend. Please call the office and let us know if you can make it. All hours are counted as 2004 hours.

Note: If you are interested in becoming a member of the Speakers Bureau, please contact Susan to discuss the possibility.

Kids' Programming: The Master Gardener program is expanding its arena to include more lessons and projects for youth. Master Gardener Elaine Weil has been a pioneer in this area and has implemented several programs at Lester School in Downers Grove. At the meeting, Elaine will explain to us what she has done, and how we can help. We hope to use this school as a model for kids' programming and to eventually offer these programs to other schools.

Mark your calendar for Monday, November 24 at 10:00 am. We will meet in the large conference room in the Extension office to discuss kids' programming. Please call the office if you plan to attend. All hours are counted as 2004 hours.

Newsletter Committee: Some MG's have expressed an interest in joining the Gardening Thymes newsletter committee. We will be scheduling a planning meeting in January. If you are interested, please contact the office.

"Lost and Found": If you are missing your Cross mechanical pencil, please call the office. Thanks to Dolly Moneka for finding it on her shift at the MG Help Desk.

Do you have a plant to share with your fellow Master Gardeners? How about a piece of equipment you would like to sell or trade (or donate)? Is there a plant you are looking for that one of us might already have? We'd like to put you in touch with each other. Contact Pat Kosmach at Pkosmach@aol.com or 630-279-1655. She will take the information and put all of it together for the next newsletter.

The 2003 State Conference of Master Gardeners was hosted by Will County but occurred in DuPage County! For most of you, that's not news as many of DuPage County Master Gardeners had a chance to attend some of the activities and programs. What a great turnout! What fun! And what an opportunity to visit with old friends and meet some new ones, especially as all share a love of gardening.

One old 'friend' that we had a chance to visit was Cantigny and its gardens. This is a picture of part of the annual garden with a pine tree of 'character.' It was nice to see it once again with a grand display of ground cover at its base.

One of the new 'friends' I met is really an old one. I hadn't been to Cantigny's Idea Garden in a couple of years. My, how it's changed–and for the better! The fences are no longer, and it is filled with new plants and its arrangement is entirely different. That's what an idea garden should be. September found the color to be spectacular, so I hope the newsletter editors are able to share the view.

The 'people' friends were certainly as welcoming and vibrant as the 'garden' friends. Doctor Allan Armitage, the renowned horticulturist from the University of Georgia, autographed each book with a special invitation to visit him at his home. In addition to being the keynote speaker, he stayed the day and helped celebrate at the evening costume party.

One new friend for me was Nancy Kuhajda, the Will County Master Gardener Coordinator. She asked me a year ago to help with the photography; and since I always have my camera along, I agreed to take some pictures. That was the easy part. Nancy and her crew spent many, many hours during the past year to make this year's conference a success. I think they succeeded spectacularly! The line-up of speakers was outstanding–from Allan Armitage to Tony Tyznik. I hope those of you who were able to attend the seminars found them as informative and rewarding as I did.

Decatur will be challenged to make next year's conference as successful as 2003. I hope to see all of you there!

- By Ron Ory

Another great year of gardening is winding down and our Master Gardener opportunities have been fun, educational, inspiring and as always, a joy to be involved in. Now we need to look ahead to the season of rejuvenation and "rest." There is nothing like crisp autumn days and cold winter nights to remind us that as the plants, trees and flowers need to take a break, so do we. The holidays will be here soon and our gardeners wish lists should be made and cer-tainly checked twice, maybe even three times, as to not miss a single thing we found we absolutely can't live without come next Spring. So, warm up some hot cocoa, take a last look around the garden and finalize the last details before the snow flies. Then before you know it, it will be time to start counting the days until that groundhog predicts our return to the soil and the toil. For now, here are just a few things to consider...

Inspect & Repair and Show Them You Care...

Be a good detective and check all trellises, arbors and other garden hardscape. There are many opportunities over the cold months to fix or correct problems that have befallen prized possessions in the garden. A little sandpaper, a touch of paint, some gentle cleaning or a few nails, hammer or screwdriver can change a rickety garden structure into a "like new" ornamentation. Spring sneaks up on us and before you know it, vines and other perennials will begin their annual climb and "embrace," and it will be far more difficult to spruce up the garden without damaging the tender new growth. Some garden decor might even fair better if you can just bring them indoors, out of the harsh elements, and avoid the major atten-tion all together. The decorations we bestow upon our gardens speak greatly of our own identities... our way of drawing others in... whether whimsical, joyful, simple or elegant, they are placed there with care and only need care given to last indefinitely. (But there are always exceptions, and if you're just plain sick of seeing the same old things, hey, find them a new home and go shopping!)

So many leaves... And I don't Have That Many Trees!

Garden clean-up is on-going and just when you think you have raked the last of your leaves, the wind blows in all of your neighbors leaves to test your patience! Just remember, fall leaves are a gift! They are that wonderful "brown" compost ingredient necessary to fulfill the recipe for rich soil amendments. Some leaves decompose faster than others, but most leaves are welcome additions to any compost pile. Keep in mind that they will work their magic much faster if you reduce their size. Try putting your leaves in an empty trash can and use your string weed whacker as a "hand mixer/chopper." As always, wear protective gear (goggles, long sleeve shirts or jackets.) and do small amounts at a time. This shredding method is just one of many ways to break up the leaves to an easier decomposing state. The lawn mower is a great tool for this job and so are your kids. There is nothing like piling up a fresh batch of colorful, dried leaves and jumping in! The more they jump, the finer the leaves will sift out at the end. Heck... Jump in yourself, I bet those wonderful memories will begin to flow and make your day!

Dressed in Holiday Style...

Enjoying the evergreens during the winter months is a natural joy. During the warm season, these silent beauties blend in and backdrop our gardens and become somewhat overlooked behind the colorful flowers that surround them. As the seasons change and much of the garden becomes barren, drab and lifeless, we again see the splendor of the rich, deep greens that never leave us. The lush boughs, the varied sizes and shapes, and the magical movement when the wind blusters make the evergreen all the more desirable. I don't think there are enough words to describe the appearance of evergreens the morning after a fresh snowfall. It is truly a wonder of nature. From pines to holly, spruce to arborvitae, we must remember to give them our special attention and care. Watering evergreens is so very important in our zone, because they are not dormant; they are just gently napping from time to time. Keep a hose accessible so that if our winter is dry, a drink is possible. (Just remember to disconnect the hose from the house faucet to avoid damaging your water pipes.) You might also consider using an anti-transpirant spray to prevent water loss. Be sure to follow all manufacturer's recommendations and use care in application.

Dressing evergreens for winter with colorful lights can be pretty but those hot lights can also be harmful. Instead, why not dress the trees with pinecone bird feeders, fruits, and garlands of cranberries and popcorn. You might get a bonus from your efforts by being able to watch local wildlife and the winter birds feast on your goodies (oops, decorations I mean).

Other trees in the landscape need observation too. Young, newly planted trees are unintentionally victimized by wildlife, particularly rabbits, mice and deer. It is a good idea to place some wire mesh around the young, tender tree trunks to keep the animals from nibbling the bark away and causing irreversible damage. Also consider protective cloth or other safe wrap for the young trunks to aid in avoiding winter sun-scald.

One last hint... If you choose to do some trimming of greens as decorations, refer to your manual or consult a local tree nursery to make certain that you will not harm or endanger your evergreen. If all is "OK", you can use fresh cut branches to decorate those "now empty" hanging baskets. Just remove the dried up, dead flowers and leave the soil in the pot. Soak the soil thoroughly with water and insert the boughs and branches in a pleasing arrangement. Keep the basket watered whenever there is a thaw and your hanging baskets will continue to dress up the house with a seasonal feel. (Pinecones, berries and other additions can be made to make it even more festive.)

Happy Holidays to all - May your every garden wish come true!

- by Joyce Ernst

Each year since 1990 the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) nominates a perennial selection as its plant of the year. Their nomination is widely publicized and plants of merit are brought to the public's attention. Past plants have ranged from the mundane, but important, such as Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' (Black-Eyed Susan) to choice selections such as the grass Calamagrostis x acutifolia 'Karl Foerster' (Feather Reed Grass) and Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'. This year the plant of the year is the Shasta Daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum 'Becky'. Shasta daisies were previously in the genus Chrysanthemum which may be more familiar to you. I tested this plant last year and can report on two year's history.

Many of us have grown and enjoyed Shasta Daisies in the past. This bright, cheerful white daisy is typical of cottage gardens and is one of the most popular daisies. I have grown the variety 'Alaska' with success in the past and the varieties 'Aglaya', 'Marconi' and 'Snow Cap' with less success. Since I have confidence in the PPA's selections, I decided to test two pots of 'Becky' last year and see what was special about it. Two gallon-sized plants were bought and planted in late May 2002.

Shasta 'Becky' started blooming last year around June 10 and flowers continued into November with deadheading of the spent blooms. The plants in my garden were about 30 inches tall and the flowers were a clean white and held up well above the foliage. The stems were sturdy and staking was never required. The plants were vigorous in well-prepared soil and they developed nicely. When the garden was prepared for winter, I cut back the stems to basal foliage and looked forward to this year's garden.

Early this year I saw that significant root growth expanded the width of my Shastas so I divided them into six clumps and spread them around the garden. Heavy flowering started this year on June 5 and continued through September 21. As I write this article on October 21, I still have two healthy flowers that persist in the cooler weather.

I can report that I am enthusiastic about the attractiveness and performance of this variety. Shasta Daisy 'Alaska' cannot come close to matching 'Becky's' garden performance in my opinion. I have since used this perennial elsewhere in my garden. The plant probably benefits from division and resetting every three years and should be grown in full sun (6 hours) in well-drained soil. Shasta Daisies tend to be intolerant of excessively wet soils in the winter and I always mound my beds when they are planted. I have had reliable Shastas by this technique in years when others have lost theirs over the winter.

Shasta daisies can be a major player in the summer border and combine well with ornamental grasses, Russian sage, artemesias and daylilies. This Shasta can help bridge the awkward summer into fall garden (August) and could be important in cottage style gardens and in white gardens. Next year's plant of the year will be the Japanese Painted Fern, Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum." You might test both of these in your garden.

I was enjoying the last few warm days of summer when, all of a sudden, the temperature dropped! Can you believe it! Just about the time you're on easy street, when you can finally take the time to smell the roses, the temperature drops – killing my garden Cannas (now they have to be dug up), ...and all my annuals (more work - they're dead), ...and trees dropping their leaves (tons of work), ...and all my vacationing house plants have to come inside. So Fall chores begin!

My houseplants have been doing very well at "summer camp." They've had tons of water, light, warmth, humidity and fertilizer. Everybody is doing so well, it's really a shame to bring them in. Bringing in those vacationing plants is more of a thinker than you might have thought. For the continued well-being of your plants, there are several issues to be considered, however, light is usually the most limiting factor affecting the growth of inside plants. Each of your plants has a special light requirement so you need to observe your inside light for best placement. How much does the plant need and how much will it actually get? To keep plants in enough light throughout the season, they may even need to be moved. Watch your plants. If the leaves become smaller, the cause most likely is lack of enough light. Burn spots or pale foliage usually means too much light

Light intensity is your first consideration for plant placement, because it influences food manufacture, stem length, and leaf color. If all other plant requirements, such as water, nutrients, and temperature are met, the brighter the light, the more food produced, the more vigorous the plant. Light intensity is measured in units called foot-candles, commonly using a photographic exposure meter. For interiors, 100 ft-candles is considered about the minimum light intensity for most plants. If a meter is not available, you can still get a reading. Take a white piece of paper and hold your hand 12" above it. If you can see the shadows of your fingers, then the light intensity is roughly 100 ft-candles. Most plants require a higher light intensity for adequate growth and happiness. Typical intensities and indoor locations are highlighted below. What is your plant's light requirement?

LOW Light – 75 ft-candles

• North window location – sky blocked by trees / buildings.
• A few feet away from an East or West window with most of sun blocked by trees / buildings.
• Up to 15-20 feet back, or well to either side of a Southern window with no obstructions.

MEDIUM Light – 150 ft-candles

• Directly in front of North window – no obstructions.
• Directly in front of East or West window with half of the sky blocked by trees / buildings.
• A few feet back or just on either side of an East or West window with no obstructions.

GOOD Light – 300 ft-candles

• Directly in front of East or West window – no obstructions.
• Directly in front of South window – half obstructed.
• Five feet back or just either side of a South window – no obstructions.

DIRECT Light – 1500 ft-candles

• Direct light means that the sun's rays fall directly on most or all leaves of the plant for a minimum of 3-4 hours, on a sunny day. Think sunroom, greenhouse or large southern facing window.

What is the quality and quantity of your inside light? Do you turn the lights on say at 7 a.m. and out at 8 p.m.? When you have consistent light your plant will love it. How many hours of light is your plant getting? What is the duration of light? The more light - the more food produced - the better the plant health. (Remember they need a rest too; do not supplement with light for 24 hours straight.)

But trying to re-acclimate yourself to a routine, after a great vacation, is hard to do. Imagine how your plants feel. They have had all of the best for about 3 months. You need to try to find the most light in your house first, and then slowly acclimate your plant, over a 4-8 week period, to lower and lower light levels. Don't be alarmed if leaves start to fall. The plant is just getting rid of sun leaves. Sun leaves have less chlorophyll, are thick, small in size and large in numbers. Shade leaves (plants that are grown in shade) have more chlorophyll. Their leaves are thinner, larger and less in number. So the incoming plants that were in perfect light are now being placed in lower light. Some plants may drop their summer sun leaves and make room for shade leaves – hence a leaf drop.

Now that we've seen the light, let's look closely at what our campers have brought home with them. Probably the best thing you can do for your incoming plants is to check each one closely for any insects. You know the aphids, scale, mealy bugs, mites and white fly – oh my! White spots on your leaves probably means spider mites or white fly. Cotton masses on stems mean mealy bugs. Dark bumps on leaves or stems may mean scale. Sticky spots under the leaves may mean aphids or scale. All of these critters are small but mighty, so look closely at your incoming campers. Your plants may have been invaded while outside and these critters could just "turn up" during the inside acclimation period. Coming home can be stressful for your plants!

What is your plant's light requirement? Observe your inside light. Start bright first, then after a time, move the plant to that decorative spot. Decide if the pot is big enough (remember when repotting, don't go any larger than one pot size up at a time). Keep the plants evenly watered and most important – OBSERVE your plants. Watch for any changes, and your little trees and plants will do just fine till "Summer Camp 2004."

- by Ambi Pellegrini

I look forward to sharing information about unusual herbs with my fellow MG's. Comments, suggestions, ideas....e-mail me at hockeymom@iname.com

Chervil
In this issue, finally, an herb that we can eat! Chervil is delicate, almost frothy in appearance, with soft, lacy foliage. It grows to be twelve inches tall, but may be gathered when it is four inches or so high. A member of the parsley family, its leaves are more delicate in flavor than those of its relative, and it is a component of the French culinary herb combination called "fines herbs." Chervil is a welcome addition to green salads, and is especially good with eggs and fish. Fresh chervil should be added close to the end of cooking so that its flavor is not lost.

Chervil is one of the few herbs that does not need full sun. In fact, it does best and has the most flavor when grown in well drained soil in light shade. It is a cool season herb, so just about the time there is enough for a generous handful to add to your salad, you find that it has begun to bloom.

It blooms - small white flowers on compound umbels - in late spring, and then dies. If left to seed itself, it will do so lightly, and provide both a spring and an early fall crop. Don't disturb the soil around the old plant; chervil seeds need light to germinate.

Chervil is ephemeral, but definitely worth growing. One writer has described chervil's small white flowers by moonlight as looking like fairy dust.

Fall crop report: As I had planned, I dug the curry plant from my garden this week, hosed it off thoroughly, checked for unwanted critters or diseased leaves, and potted it in standard-issue potting soil. Because it seemed leggy, I cut it back by nearly half, to around five inches. It now resides on the basement table under the grow lights - 16 hours on a timer - with a mixed assortment of houseplants and other horticultural experiments. We'll see how it does.

There are two other herbs there; a huge woody rosemary and a small bay. Both had been sent to "summer camp" in the herb garden, with their pots simply sunk into the soil up to their rims. This is better for them, I think, than the twice-a-year uprooting which results from emptying the plant out of its pot and setting it into the soil, then repotting it in the fall. These also got the same treatment - thorough hosing, and in the case of the rosemary some fairly severe pruning; the prunings are now hung up to dry, to be used in cooking all winter.

- By Sandy Lentz

If you have an event you want everyone to know about, please contact Deb McCullough. I need the info one week before material is due in the office.

Many of these events require advance registration and/or fees. For more information or directions to these locations, please call them.

November 15	Chicago Botanical Gardens: Basic Pruning for Homeowners
November 22-23 and December 6-7	Morton Arboretum: Garden of Gifts Holiday Sampler 10am-3pm
November 22	Cantigny: Holiday Greenhouse Walk - All about Poinsettias, 9:30 am Green House
November 25	Chicago Botanical Gardens: Forcing Bulbs for Indoor Color
November 28-January 4	Chicago Botanical Gardens: Celebrations! A Festival of Lights, Flowers & Music
November 3	Chicago Botanical Gardens: Winter Containers at the Garden
December 8	Sterling Morton Library Lecture Series - Sarah's Garden Restoration 7:30-8:30 pm
December 14	Morton Arboretum: Ready, Set, Let's Grow! Shopping for Plants by Mail 2-3 pm

- By Deb McCullough

"The Garden Thymes" is the official newsletter for DuPage area MG's. If you misplace your copy, it can be found at our DuPage County Extension website. From time to time, you may have something you would like to share with fellow MG's or perhaps include an article of your own. We would love to hear from you!! As always, your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

• Issue #1 – January 4
• Issue #2 – February 27
• Issue #3 – April 30
• Issue #4 – June 18
• Issue #5 – August 21
• Issue #6 – October 29