Becky Griffin

Becky Griffin helps school and community gardeners succeed! This includes organizing school garden teacher training with county agents, assisting schools with STE(A)M goals, and creating resources on starting and sustaining successful gardens. Becky is a Georgia Certified Beekeeper and works with community and school gardeners to increase beneficial insect habitat. She is the coordinator of the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, happening this year on August 19th and 20th, 2022. She is also part of UGA's Native Plants and Beneficial Insect Working Group.

4th of July in the Community Garden

July 4, 2017 by Becky Griffin

In honor of our nation’s birthday, we are looking at some vegetables that our founding fathers, and mothers, may have grown. Take notes so you can include these as you plan your future garden plots. You will have a history lesson in the garden!

A display of patriotism at the Woodstock Community Garden.

Tennis Ball Lettuce was one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite lettuce varieties. He said “it does not require so much care and attention” as other types. The seeds were first sold in the United States in the late 18th century. During the 17th and 18th

Tennis Ball Lettuce - Photo courtesy of Monticello — Tennis Ball Lettuce – Photo courtesy of Monticello

centuries it was common for gardeners to pickle the lettuce in salt brine. It is a parent of our current butterhead lettuces having light green leaves which form a small loose head. In our area sow seeds early in the spring.

Yellow Arikara Beans have a very interesting history. They were named for the Dakota Arikara tribe that Lewis and Clark met while traveling on their “Voyage of Discovery.” They were selected by Native Americans for use in the short growing season of the Northern Plains. Lewis and Clark sent some bean samples back east and they were enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson who said the bean “is one of the most excellent we have had: I have cultivated them plentifully for the table two years.” Plant these warm-season beans about 2 inches apart, 1 inch deep. Keep rows 36-49 inches apart. They are a bush type bean that is drought tolerant and can handle an early cold snap. They can be harvested for snap beans or the preferred way, letting them dry on the vine and using them for soups and stews.

Costoluto Genovese is an indeterminate Italian-type tomato with ribbing. Think of a small pumpkin-shaped tomato. Although the large amount of seeds can be a problem for some, it has great flavor in sauces or soups. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first Americans to plant tomatoes and he wrote extensively about them. These plants should be started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost. Plan for 85-90 days to maturity and they will need staking.

Costoluto Genovese Tomato - photo courtesy of Monticello — Costoluto Genovese Tomato – photo courtesy of Monticello

Thomas Jefferson left the most detailed farming records of any of the founding fathers. We know that colonials shared information about farming as well as plants and seeds. Martha Washington made sure fresh vegetables, fruits and berries were generously served from the Mount Vernon garden to visitors. Diaries from guests discuss the wide variety she offered. Mrs. Washington once commented “as vegetable is the best part of our living in the country.” Some of our Founding Fathers liked the garden better than others. Later in life, Benjamin Franklin gave up trying to grow much food instead visiting the local farmer’s market. This is still a great option for us today!

Information for this post came from Thomas Jefferson’s Garden and Farm Books, www.monticello.org, Seed Savers Exchange, and experience. Seeds for these plants can be ordered from a variety of heirloom seed organizations. For more information on growing any type of heirloom vegetables contact your local UGA Extension Agent.

Happy Fourth of July and Happy Gardening!

They’re Back! Japanese Beetles in Your Garden

June 28, 2017 by Becky Griffin

Did you know that Japanese Beetles (Popillia japonica) feed on over 300 plant species? Plants in the rose or cherry families seem to be a favorite targets. The first one in my North Georgia garden appeared on June 1st.

In the past gardeners reached for an insecticide to handle the problem. Sevin spray, Carbaryl (1-naphthyl N-methylcarbamate), was a popular choice. However, Sevin is a broad spectrum insectide that kills other beneficial insects! Sevin kills over 100 different insect species, including bees.

If you want to attract the beetles to your garden, add a pheromone trap. You will attract them from all over your area. Seriously, they will bring more beetles to your garden. Maybe you can talk a neighbor into purchasing one!

There is an easier way to handle a Japanese Beetle infestation.

Fighting Back!

A jar of soapy water is your best weapon against Japanese Beetles.

To control the beetles simply pick them off of your plants and drop them in a jar of soapy water. Be aware that they will fly away so act quickly. So practice your technique of grabbing or forcefully knocking the insects into the jar. They will drown quickly.

When I was younger my family planted a fruit orchard. When the orchard was young one of my jobs was to pick off Japanese Beetles and deposit them into a jar of gasoline I carried around the orchard. Wow, the gasoline was not needed. Soapy water works just as well.

Worst case scenario, hang in there. They won’t be around for long!

Happy Gardening!

Pollinator Week 2017

June 21, 2017 by Becky Griffin

It is Pollinator Week 2017! Since last year the rusty patched bumble bee has been put on the Endangered Species List and honey bee keepers in the United States reported hive losses of 33% over 2016-17. How can the average Georgia gardener help our pollinators? These steps are easy and will make a real difference to our pollinating insects:

Read Georgia’s Pollinator Protection Plan

University of Georgia entomologists collaborated with stakeholders across the state to develop Protecting Georgia’s Pollinators. There is a role for every Georgia citizen whether you are a farmer, a landscaper, or a homeowner.

Plant Flowering Plants

Adding flowering plants to your food garden attracts pollinators and as a bonus can also attract other beneficial insects. To attract butterflies, adding plants that sustain the caterpillar stage of the butterfly is important. The University of Georgia has done research on pollinator plants and has suggestions for plants that do well in our climate.

There are many pollinator plants that thrive in our Georgia climate.

Plan for a Succession of Bloom

Strive to have plants flowering as much of the year as possible. Even during the winter months if temperatures rise above 50 F, bumble bees and honey bees are flying and looking for nectar and pollen.

Winter Honeysuckle (*Lonicera fragrantissima*) is not a true honeysuckle and blooms in the winter months.

Create a Water Source

Adding pebbles or stones to your birdbath makes a wonderful water source for small insects with delicate legs. By cleaning the birdbath once a week you will avoid any mosquito problems. If you don’t have a birdbath the drainage pans used to catch the water running out of potted plants can be used.

Wisely Use Any Pesticide

Examine your use of any pesticide. Is the pesticide really necessary? Your UGA Extension agent can assist you with any pest situation and guide you in deciding if a pesticide is the best answer. Make sure you thoroughly read and follow any pesticide label. The label is the law.

Have Your Garden Certified as a Georgia Pollinator Space

The Georgia Pollinator Spaces program is an initiative designed to recognize gardeners that consciously make an effort to improve pollinator health by creating pollinator habitat. To get inspiration take a look at some of the gardens that are part of the program.

However you decide to celebrate Pollinator Week be sure to check our daily pollinator posts on the UGA Community and School Garden Facebook page.

Happy Pollinator Week!

Mummy Berry in Community Garden Blueberries

June 14, 2017 by Becky Griffin

Mummy Berry is a disease that can be controlled easily by home gardeners.

You probably have seen them and not given them much notice, growing among your blueberry fruits. They look like something just went wrong in fruit development. These are mummy berries and they are actually part of a fungal pathogen, Monilinia vaccine-corymobosi. This is a blueberry disease!

Mummy berries are caused by a pathogen

Over the season mummies fall off of the plant and oversummer and overwinter on the ground. When conditions are just right in the spring, these bodies will germinate and can produce 650,000 disease-causing ascospores. The ascospores can re-infect your plants creating a disease cycle.

Mummy Berry Disease Cycle from Jade Florence, Oregon State University

Control is not difficult for hobby blueberry growers

This disease affects leaves and affects the fruits when the pathogen is spread to the flower bloom, by wind or by insects. For commercial growers this can be a serious problem. For the casual blueberry grower it is much easier. Simply remove the mummies and throw them away. Also, check the ground to remove those mummies that have fallen.

Remove mummies from the blueberry plant area

For those of you interested in pathology, Jade Florence has an excellent article, Mummy Berry, in The Plant Health Instructor. If you are unsure if mummy berry is your problem, contact your local UGA Extension office for assistance. If you don’t have blueberries in your community garden, they are a great addition and easy to plant.

Happy Gardening!

Insect Scouting Hints

May 24, 2017 by Becky Griffin

Insect scouting is an important part of integrated pest management, whether you are a large scale farmer or just “farm” a 4′ X 8′ raised bed. Here are some hints to help you scout successfully so that you can manage garden insect pests:

Hint #1 Look under plant leaves

Damaging insects often stay on the underside of leaves or in leaf crevices and plant whorls. Check those areas carefully.

Hint #2 Look for insect eggs

Insect eggs are small and by spotting and removing them you limit future damage. Squash bug eggs are a good example.

Hint #3 Confirm insect identification

The majority of insects are not harmful to your plants. Many are actually beneficial and can help you manage pests. If you are unsure of an insect identification contact your local UGA Cooperative Extension office for confirmation. Oftentimes you can send your agent a photo and that is all he/she needs to assist you.

This lady beetle larva looks menacing but is really helpful in the garden. Photo: bugguide.net

Hint #4 Scout at night

Some insects do their damage at night. Grabbing a flashlight and scouting after dark could yield some interesting results.

Happy Scouting!

Simple Raised Beds for Your Georgia Garden

May 17, 2017 by Becky Griffin

Josh Fudor, UGA ANR Agent in Cherokee County, developed this simple raised bed design that is perfect for community or school gardens. This is the plan that we use in our teacher training workshops and the teachers appreciate the simplicity.

Simple Raised Beds for Your Georgia Garden — Teachers find this raised bed design easy to construct.

Gardening in raised beds is an easy way to get started growing great vegetables. The benefit of raised bed gardening includes: ease of management, prevention of soil compaction, better drainage, longer growing season, and ease of soil improvement.

Raised beds can be constructed out of just about any material and there are a number of kits available that are quick and easy to assemble. With a few tools and minimal time commitment the ambitious gardener can construct their own and save money.

Materials List

Qty.	Material	Cost
3	8’ 2”x10” Boards (cost will vary depending on choice, i.e. cedar, pine, treated) We will use treated pine for this example	37.00
16	1⁄4” x 4” Galvanized Lag Screws	14.50
16	1⁄4” zinc plated washer	1.90
1	Cubic yard or 27 cubic feet of soil/compost mixture	40.00
* Prices may vary depending on location and if delivery is required	Total: $ 93.40

Tools Needed

Saw-hand or electric powered
Speed square
Tape measure
Drill
1⁄4” socket driver bit
3/16” drill bit for pre-drilling
Safety Glasses and gloves

Step One:

Choose the straightest boards with little to no knot holes. This will make things much easier and make for a longer lasting finished product.

Step Two:

Cut one of the 8’ 2×10” boards in half. 8’ boards should 96” long but be sure to measure first just to be safe.

Step Three:

Make a notched cut out of the ends of all the boards. These notches provide added stability to the bed without the use of additional reinforcement. A 10” board is actually 9 1⁄4” wide so the mid-point of the board is 4 5/8” a cut 1 1/2” deep is needed to ensure the boards are flush at the corners.

The graphic below shows what the cuts should look like on all 4 of the boards when done, note that the notches are cut out on opposite sides of the board, this should be done on all boards.

Step Four:

Once all 4 boards have been notched on opposite sides of the board, lay them out to form the box. If cuts were made to proper measurements the boards should fit together smoothly. Pre-drill 2 holes in each end of all the boards approximately 3/4” from the end of the board. See Figure 2 below:

Step Five:

Afer holes have been pre-drilled place one washer on 4” lag screw and drive them through the pre-drilled holes. 16 lag screws will be inserted with 4 on each corner.

Step Six:

Position bed in a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight on a North-South axis.

Happy Raised Bed Gardening!

Celebrating Compost at Marietta City Schools

May 10, 2017 by Becky Griffin

To celebrate International Compost Awareness Week I asked Michelle Gambon, a Cobb County Master Gardener who volunteers at Marietta City Schools, for a great compost story. Anyone who knows Michelle knows she is passionate about composting and inspires those around here. She sent us this:

When asked to reflect on the value of compost six grader Jaylin Cabrera, Marietta City Schools wrote:

What is composting? By: Jaylin Cabrera, 6^th Grade, age 11

Composting is nature’s process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Composting transforms garden and other vegetable waste into a dark, rich productive soil amendment that gardens call “Black Gold.” Composting is nature’s way of recycling . Composting is also a natural biological process. Composting comes in many different ways for example worm composting.

What is compost? Compost is an organic matter , such as raw food scraps from fruits like apples or bananas,fallen leaves ,and coffee grounds ,that has been decomposed and recycled to use as fertilizer for growing new plants . Why is composting important ? Composting is beneficial in many ways it is used as an organic fertilizer for soil and greatly contributes to a cleaner environment by composting your raw food scraps you are reducing the amount of trash that is put into a landfill and recycling pollutants in the air.

Celebrating compost at Marietta City Schools — Jaylin Cabrera , writer and lover of compost

During each lunch period an average from 13 to 18 pounds of vegetative waste is saved from the landfill. Under the guidance of a Cobb County Master Gardener volunteer, our Middle Grades Earth Ambassadors compost over three lunches twice a week totaling 540 pounds per week 2655 pounds per school year. That is a lot of “BlackGold.”

We are proud of biodiversity full of good bugs and beneficial organisms. We are always sure to keep all levels of brown and green waste true to science therefore keeping temperatures uninhabitable for anything dangerous. We are smart about the food chain and are sure to never have any animal byproducts in our compost, keeping it’s kept strictly vegetative. Because our students are so knowledgeable there is never any worry of inviting critters with eyes, (beside a bird or two who want a snack.) Teachers in Science Math, Social Studies and ELA offer many outdoor classroom experiences benefited through our diverse ecosystem.

Thank you, Michelle and Jaylin, for the great things you are doing!

Happy Compost Week!

Farm to School Week and the Golden Radish

May 3, 2017 by Becky Griffin

The Golden Radish Award is a way to recognize school systems who engage in farm to school activities. University of Georgia Extension is proud to be a partner in this very worthwhile program. Across the state UGA Extension agents work in Farm to School efforts. This includes Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents (ANR), Family and Consumer Science Agents (FACS) and 4-H Agents.

UGA ANR Agent James Morgan assisting students in their school garden at Turner Elementary School.

Farm to School Successes in Georgia

From the project website, almost one-third of Georgia school districts were recognized for their farm to school work during the 2015-2016 school year. Awardees collectively:

Served 39 million school meals that included local food
Held 8,246 taste tests of fresh, local food to students
Taught 3,406 garden, food and nutrition lessons to students
Tended 575 edible school gardens
Hosted 1,935 hands-on cooking activities with students
Incorporated farm to school into 390 staff professional development opportunities
Championed and sustained district-wide policies or procedures into 29 schools districts

How Can You Earn the Golden Radish?

If you work in a school garden you could be on the way to earning the Golden Radish award. Having an edible school garden and conducting student taste tests are two of the ways to start qualifying for the award. Other possible criteria include hosting a farmer to your school, integrating farm to school activities into school curriculum and having students work with local chefs to create delicious meals. If a teacher from the school attends any of UGA’s school garden teacher trainings, that also counts towards the award.

Applications are Now Open

Applications are now open for the 2017 Golden Radish Award. Applications are due by June 30, 2017 and the online application is easy to use and with save and return capability! Application details, award criteria, and examples of programs and activities that meet the criteria requirements are available at the website.

Let Extension know if we can help!

Happy Farm to School Week!

Fayette County is Famous for this Garden

April 26, 2017 by Becky Griffin

There is a garden in Fayette County that is considered the model for gardens donating vegetables to local food banks, Plant A Row Garden for the Hungry sponsored by Fayette County Master Gardener Association and Fayette County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers. In 2016, their garden yield was 22,194 pounds of produce. That is alot of food! Potatoes, okra, peppers, corn, peas, watermelon, are all grown on the one acre garden plot.

How do they consistently get such a high yield?

I sat down with three of the gardeners, Lester Bray, Vauna Bellury, and Ginger Vawter to ask that question. This garden is run by volunteers with many people working several hours a week. It is a labor of love as they know that what they grow will be on the plates of people who really need the food. Meeting this need is a driving force for all of the gardeners.

Fayette County is Famous for this Garden — Lester Bray

Their horticultural secret is plasticulture.

The garden uses plasticulture to keep down weed, insect, and disease pressure. Recently they acquired the machine that punches holes in the plastic. Until then, all of those planting holes were punched by hand. They have had so much success with this method that Mr. Bray has written a book on the subject. He says he wants to get the word out that this is the way to grow food in Georgia.

The information is posted on plasticulturefarming.com. Mr. Bray allows anyone to download the information free of charge.

The gardeners use the garden to grow food all year long. Many gardeners enjoy a break in the cool-season but many cool-season crops (broccoli, spinach, onions, peas, lettuce) grow well in Georgia.

This garden is known throughout the region. Others who want to start a Plant a Row visits with Mr. Bray and his crew to get tips. A peach grower reached out to the group to help him distribute extra peaches. It has snowballed into an incredible operation.

Fayette County Extension Agent Kim Toal says, “Our volunteers dedicated to this project and to the individuals it serves embodies the true spirit of a volunteer and giving back to our community. Not only do our volunteers do an outstanding job every year to provide nutritious food to those in need, they willingly share their knowledge at garden workdays and to other organizations interested in starting a similar garden.”

To those of us who garden in the Georgia soil their garden is an inspiration. For those in Fayette County that have fresh vegetables and fruit on their plates the garden is a true blessing.

Be inspired!

Earth Day 2017

April 19, 2017 by Becky Griffin

Happy Earth Day week. How will you celebrate? Here, we are celebrating the bees – honey bees and native bees.

The decline in managed honey bee colonies in the United States is well documented. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports a decline from 6 million colonies in the 1940s to approximately 2.3 million in 2008. In 2015, beekeepers reported hive loses of 40%. This is a global problem with countries worldwide trying to understand bee loses. There are even calls for a coordinated multi-country initiative. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a term used to describe a certain type of mysterious honey bee deaths. No one can pinpoint the cause of CCD but scientists have proposed that many factors combine for a synergistic tragedy. The factors considered include habitat loss, poor honey bee nutrition, varroa mites, and pesticide issues. Several of the issues affecting honey bees also affect native bees.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is looking at a more proactive approach to protecting bees, especially honey bees. In 2013 the agency proposed specific pollinator protection language for products containing imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, or dinotefuran – all neonicotinoid insecticides. The agency has expanded this policy with the January 12, 2017, updated “U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Policy to Mitigate the Acute Risk to Bees from Pesticide Products”. The 2017 document is the result of an earlier proposal that was amended following public comment. This policy is designed to help managed honey bee colonies. The thought is that the measures taken to protect honey bees will inadvertently protect native bees as well. What can we as Georgia citizens and gardeners do to protect our bees?

Read the Georgia Pollinator Protection Plan

This plan, created by a collaboration of experts and stakeholders across Georgia. There is a role for every Georgia citizen.

Limit insecticide use.

Make sure you know for sure what insect pest you are battling. Confirm any pest identification with your UGA Extension Agent. Have your agent help you devise a suitable integrated pest management plan for this pest.
Spray only when other measures have failed.
Thoroughly and carefully read the pesticide label and follow instructions. Remember, the label is the law!
Spray only when other measures have failed.
Do NOT spray blooming plants.
If you have weeds in your lawn that have blooming flowers, mow them down. This eliminates the flowers that the bees would visit.

Create bee habitat

In Cherokee County, Georgia, construction of new homes and apartments has exploded over the last twelve months. This means that natural bee forage is being destroyed at about the same rate. Cherokee County is a snapshot of what is going on all across the United States as we lose our wild spaces.

Add pollinator habitat to your garden. You will find this helps bees and other beneficial insects as well. Choose plants suitable to your climate and have include things that bloom throughout the year. Visit the pollinator spaces webpage to get ideas.

Pollinator Garden at the Healthy Life Community Garden in Griffin, Georgia.

Support Your Local Beekeepers

Get to know your local beekeepers. Their bees provide pollination to your food crops! Do they sell their honey?

Learn what insect are in your garden

I ask each of you to spend some time this week in the garden just observing the insects that visit your space. Take a chair out with some sweet tea and just watch! Allow yourself to be fascinated by insect biology – what they look like, how they move, what flowers they visit, how they interact. Send photos of what you find to me at beckygri@uga.edu. I will repost photos on our UGA Community and School Gardens Facebook Page so we can all see what is flying in our gardens.

Happy Earth Day 2017 – Celebration of the Bees!

+ More