Abby Dowling and Maureen McCulloch/Master Gardeners
| Special to The Times
Can potatoes be part of a healthy diet?
While there has been debate over the nutritional value of the root vegetable, researchers have reported that potatoes are packed with health benefits.
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The mission of the Penn State Extension Master Gardener volunteer program is to provide scientifically based education to Pennsylvania residents on gardening and horticulture topics.
Our program covers an array of subjects, including proper planting and maintenance of trees and woody ornamental plants, perennials, vegetables and herbs, in addition to soil health, watering, tool care, and more.
A couple of weeks ago, we were excited to apply our knowledge and experience during a planned visit by Scout Troop 9444 of New Sewickley Township at the Vegetable, Herb & Fruit Demonstration in Brighton Township, Beaver County. The Scouts requested we speak about topics relevant to their pursuit of the Scout Gardening Merit Badge. It was a true privilege for us to be involved, as obtaining the Gardening Merit Badge is no easy feat.
Obtaining the Gardening Merit Badge requires an understanding of many relevant topics, including but not limited to soil health, environmental conditions, various planting techniques and Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which includes identifying pests and diseases. To attain the badge, Scouts must be able to apply this knowledge in a garden of their own.
First on our agenda was the topic of pollinators and their role in food production. This is a broad topic, including honeybees, solitary bees, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds. We limited our discussion to many kinds of bees, including communal non-native honeybees, communal native bumble bees and the numerous native solitary bees and their roles in seasonal pollination. Approximately 70% of all fruits and vegetables require pollinators, and declines in certain pollinator populations will affect local food supplies.
Next, we discussed the importance of being able to properly identify and address garden pests and diseases, including knowing the difference between good and bad bugs as well as recognizing fungal, bacterial and viral plant infections versus plant stressors caused by environmental circumstances and cultural practices such as improper watering or fertilization.
Related to this topic is Integrated Pest Management. This subject and conversation can be quite detailed and lengthy, but we limited the discussion to the four key points of IPM: cultural controls, mechanical/physical controls, biological controls and chemical controls. Knowing when and how to apply each type of control is critical in safe environmental practices, and knowing your threshold is an important factor in determining when and how to address pest issues.
Finally, we touched on the numerous career opportunities agriculture and biology sciences offer, including traditional agriculture, landscaping, greenhouses, and retail garden centers. These paths can also lead to potential careers such as land management, forest management, medicine, pharmaceuticals and materials sciences.
Our evening was filled with engaging conversation and was quite enjoyable. Scout Troop 9444 came prepared to learn new information and was quite knowledgeable in many areas already. Their knowledge of pollinators was especially impressive. We also learned from them about the gardens they are working on; several are growing their own personal gardens. We are grateful that the Scouts provided us the opportunity to share our knowledge with them and to discuss the challenges we all face as gardeners.
We love the chance to interact with the public in this kind of way, including energetic youth like the Scouts! If your group would like to visit one of our demonstration gardens or have a Master Gardener come speak to your group, please reach out to our hotline at beavermg@psu.edu.
Abby Dowling and Maureen McCulloch are Penn State Master Gardeners in Beaver County.
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