CORVALLIS, Ore. — From climate change to wild bees, native plants to growing mushrooms, the Joy of Gardening conference offered classes for new and experienced gardeners alike.
Sponsored by the Oregon Master Gardener Association, which supports the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener volunteer program, the two-day conference drew 150 people to the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on Oregon State’s Corvallis campus.
A long line formed after Andony Melathopoulos, OSU Extension pollinator specialist and keynote speaker, described the search for Oregon’s more than 800 wild bee species. He shared stories of volunteers locating rare bees unseen for decades, including an alkali bee nesting only in salty, crusty soils of Eastern Oregon.
Melathopoulos credited OSU Extension’s Master Melittologist program for driving the Oregon Bee Atlas, the world’s largest database on native bees and their host plants. The atlas is part of the Oregon Bee Project, a statewide collaboration to safeguard Oregon’s bees.
“Our Master Melittologists are essential to populating the Oregon Bee Atlas,” he said. “These data are essential to conserving Oregon’s native bees.”
Soil science inspires
Kicking off the conference, James Cassidy, senior instructor and soil scientist in the College of Agricultural Sciences, energized the audience with a talk on soil as a living system.
“It’s all about soil,” Cassidy said. “Soil is the most diverse habitat on the planet — a single pinch contains over a billion living organisms. To maintain and improve soil, minimize disturbance and add organic matter.”
Mulch made simple
Continuing the soil theme, Signe Danler, OSU Extension online horticulture instructor, demystified mulch. Not all mulch performs the same, she noted. Arborist chips and bark mulch excel at suppressing weeds, protecting soil and conserving water — but the best “mulch” is a densely planted, diverse garden.
“The right mulch applied at the right time reduces maintenance,” Danler said. “Almost anything is better than bare soil.”
Sessions spanned mushrooms, fire and more
Other OSU Extension speakers and topics included:
Brooke Edmunds, Extension horticulturist and interim statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener volunteer program — raised bed gardening.
Alicia Christianson, Extension forester in Douglas County — growing shiitake mushrooms.
Logan Bennett, Extension small farms coordinator and Master Gardener volunteer manager in Douglas County — pesticides and pest management; biological control of pests.
Carrie Berger, Extension Fire Program manager — fire-resistant landscaping.
LeAnn Locher, Extension Master Gardener volunteer outreach coordinator — connections between gardening and Food Hero, an OSU Extension program that helps low-income Oregonians increase fruit and vegetable intake.
Sarah Cameron, Oregon Season Tracker coordinator — the contributions of community scientists.
Attendees left with practical tips and renewed motivation to build resilient, pollinator-friendly, water-wise gardens at home.
Previously titled Joy of Gardening conference draws enthusiastic crowd to OSU
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