How is it that insects and other organisms can control the growth of plants for their own benefit, often creating outlandish and colorful structures called plant galls? Does it hurt the plant? Should galls be controlled? If so, how? These are questions Christine Heycke will address during her Zoom presentation, Thursday, June 24th from noon to 1:00 pm. She will explain what plant galls are and provide lots of images of galls that may be seen on walks, hikes, and even in one’s own garden and back yard.

Heycke will discuss life inside the gall, how galls are both beneficial and detrimental to humans, the need for gardeners to be aware of galls’ potential effects on ornamental and edible plants, and if action is needed, which remedial efforts are most likely to be effective.

Join Christine Heycke’s presentation on Zoom using this link

Christine Heycke became interested in galls after watching a webinar on plant galls some years ago. She began reading books and research articles on galls, joining the British Plant Gall Society to get more information on various types of galls and correspond with people who study them. As a teenager, Heycke had a strong interest in plants and insects and wanted to be an entomologist. Instead, she became an urban planner, which is not as unrelated to entomology and plant galls as it may sound. Both fields of study look at interactions between organisms and the built or natural environments. Those interactions are what fascinate her. Although she has spent most of her life in the Pacific Northwest, Heycke lived in Germany for several years and spent a year in South Africa as an exchange student. She is a master gardener with the Jefferson County Extension who enjoys traveling and learning foreign languages.

Green Thumb Education Series Presentations are held from 12 to 1 pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of most months. Talks are currently only being offered by online streaming, due to current social distancing concerns with COVID-19. Please see instructions for accessing the live stream. Presentations and associated printed materials will be archived on the local articles and archived presentations portion of our website. These events are free, but donations to help support the WSU Clallam County Extension Master Gardener program are appreciated.