Introduction

This text is an updated version of the Master Gardener Manual, which was originally published by Washington State University Extension in 2011 and was used to train WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Newly titled The Pacific Northwest Gardener’s Handbook: Growing for the Future, this book represents a years-long culmination of multidisciplinary expertise intended for training Extension Master Gardener volunteers, to count toward continuing education credits for green industry professionals, and for anyone interested in learning more about horticulture and environmental stewardship.

WSU Extension founded the Master Gardener volunteer program in 1973 out of a need to deliver horticultural education to a broad audience. A sociological, grassroots movement was born, and now university-trained Master Gardener volunteers deliver gardening and environmental stewardship education across the United States and beyond. Today’s volunteers engage with individuals, groups, and organizations to address critical issues facing local communities, such as water quality and conservation, soil health, pollinator health and habitat, food insecurity, plant biodiversity, wildfire preparedness, and climate change. Extension Master Gardeners also educate people on the health benefits gained from gardening and being outside in and around nature.

This publication is just one of the resources that WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers receive during the extensive training program which includes lectures, online courses, and field tours. Written almost exclusively by WSU faculty and staff, this content is tailored to and for the climates of Washington State.

The preface Connecting People and Plants is from the Georgia Master Gardener Handbook from University of Georgia Extension and was collaboratively developed by the Consumer Horticulture Extension, Research, and Education Coordinating Committee (SCC-85), organized through the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors. Chapter 26: Greenhouse Construction and Management was adapted from the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in collaboration with the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and City Blossoms. Chapter 28: Creating a Sustainable Home Landscape was adapted from the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Solid Waste Division; City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities; and Saving Water Partnership. All adaptations were completed with permission.

Please visit with WSU Extension Green School or WSU Extension Master Gardener Program website for more information.

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank Tonie Jean Fitzgerald, WSU Extension Master Gardener Program leader from 2008 to 2014, for her foresight to develop this updated handbook, which was first published in 2011 as the Master Gardener Manual. It is because of her leadership that WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers benefit from such a robust curriculum.

Thank you to all the WSU faculty and staff, current and retired, as well as WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers who wrote, reviewed, and revised the chapters in this updated publication. And a special thanks to all of the non-WSU associated faculty and staff from other universities and agencies who wrote, revised, or reviewed the chapters. This will be the first edition of The Pacific Northwest Gardener’s Handbook: Growing for the Future that underwent peer review. Thank you for sharing your time and expertise in support of the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program and community horticultural education. This long-awaited update will be happily received by all who use it to teach and learn from.

A special thanks to those who granted copyright permissions for us to adapt materials to fit our needs, including Sheri T. Dorn, senior public service associate and state Master Gardener coordinator at the University of Georgia, for Connecting People and Plants; Kate Kurtz, organics and landscape resource conservation planner and program lead for Seattle Public Utilities with the City of Seattle, Solid Waste Division of King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and the Saving Water Partnership for permission to adapt Natural Yard Care: Five Steps to Make Your Piece of the Planet a Healthier Place to Live into the culminating Chapter 28: Creating a Sustainable Home Landscape; Andy Pressman at the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in collaboration with the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and City Blossoms for allowing us to adapt the Greenhouse Manual—An Introductory Guide for Educators into Chapter 26: Greenhouse Construction and Management; and the International Society of Arboriculture for Chapter 12: Trees and Woody Landscape Plants.

Thank you to Jim Kropf, WSU Extension Natural Resources program director, for your guidance updating this handbook. You truly believe in the power of the Master Gardener Program volunteers to deliver on Extension’s mission.

Thank you to Rachel Bomberger, WSU pesticide review manager, who reviewed each chapter of this handbook for accuracy in any pest management recommendations and who was always willing to engage in lively conversation about how best to be clear and articulate about the WSU Extension Master Gardener role in recommending pesticides.

I would be remiss if I did not give a shout out to the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences’ publications team for bringing this handbook to press: Lagene Taylor, publishing coordinator; Gerald Steffen, creative manager; Joe Roberts, editor; and Niki Roberts, graphic designer.

And, finally, to Noelle Hart, WSU Extension curriculum coordinator and Bryce Battisti, educational developer: thanks to the both of you for expertly managing this project and all its moving parts. Your ability to wrangle people, dates, reviews, conversations, and reminders with such skill and grace made this project a fun one to be a part of.

Contributors

Sean Alexander, Extension Forester, Washington State University*

Arthur L. Antonelli, Extension Entomologist Emeritus, Washington State University

Andy Bary, Senior Scientific Assistant, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University

Carol Ramsay Black, Urban IPM and Pesticide Safety Education Program Director, Department of Entomology, WSU*

Van Bobbitt, Horticulture Instructor/Arboretum Coordinator, South Seattle Community College

Charles Brun, Extension Educator, WSU Clark County Extension

Michael R. Bush, Entomologist, Washington State Department of Agriculture Yakima County*

Craig Cogger, Soil Scientist Emeritus, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University*

Samuel D. Cotner, Extension Horticulturist, Horticulture Department Professor and Head, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Janean H. Creighton, Associate Professor, Forest Ecosystems & Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Associate Professor of Horticulture, Washington State University*

Paula Dinius, Urban Horticulturist, Chelan County Extension, Washington State University*

Katie Doonan, Extension Coordinator, Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University*

Tianna DuPont, Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources Unit, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, Washington State University*

Tonie Fitzgerald, WSU Extension Master Gardener Program Leader, WSU Spokane County Extension

Carrie Foss, Extension Urban IPM Coordinator, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University*

Guy Gifford, Landowner Assistance Forester, Washington Department of Natural Resources*

Jenny Glass, Extension Educator, Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, Washington State University*

Paul R. Grossl, Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, Utah State University, Logan

Amy T. Grotta, Oregon State University Extension Forestry Educator, Columbia and Washington Counties, Oregon

Toni Gwin, Associate Professor, Pacific County Extension, Washington State University*

Noelle M. Hart, Curriculum Coordinator, Master Gardener Program, Washington State University Extension*

Gwen Hoheisel, Regional Extension Specialist, Washington State University*

Jamie Holden, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Washington State University

Richard T. Koenig, Professor of Soil Science, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University*

Teresa C. Koenig, Adjunct Faculty Member, Department of Horticulture, Washington State University

Tim Kohlhauff, Urban Horticulture Coordinator, Spokane County Extension Master Gardeners, Washington State University*

Jim Kropf, Pierce County Extension Director, Agricultural and Natural Resources Unit, Washington State University*

Chad Kruger, Director, WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center (TFREC) and Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources (CSANR)*

Tim Lawrence, Associate Professor and Extension Director, Washington State University Extension Island County*

Casey Leigh, Master Gardener, WSU Chelan/Douglas Master Gardener Program*

Ray Maleike, Extension Horticulturist, WSU (retired)

Jennifer Marquis, WSU Extension Master Gardener Program State Leader*

Connie Mehmel, Chelan County Extension Master Gardener, Washington State University*

Carol Miles, Vegetable Extension Specialist, Washington State University*

Tim Miller, Extension Weed Scientist, Washington State University*

Laurel Moulton, Extension Educator, Clallam County Extension, Washington State University*

Al Murphy, Chief of Community Protection and Assistance, Bureau of Land Management *

Todd A. Murray, Director, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University*

Jeff Olson, Oregon State University Extension Horticulturist, McMinnville, Oregon

Dave Pehling, Zoologist, Snohomish County, Washington State University Extension*

Mary Robson, WSU King County Extension Agent (retired)

Bernardita Sallato, Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources Unit, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, Washington State University*

Kurt Schekel, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Washington State University

Patrick Shults, Extension Forester, Washington State University*

Bob Simmons, Associate Professor of Water Resources, Washington State University*

Gwen Stahnke, WSU Extension Turf Grass Specialist (formerly), Walla Walla Community College Turf Management Instructor (retired)*

Dan Sullivan, Professor Emeritus, Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University

Douglas F. Welsh, Professor and Extension Horticulturist, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Wendy Sue Wheeler, Program Director, Extension Specialist, WSU Pesticide Resources and Education Program*

Sandra Williams, Wildfire Prevention Education Program Manager, Washington State, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, Washington

National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)* City Blossoms*

City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities*

King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Solid Waste Division* Saving Water Partnership*

United States Botanic Garden (USBG)*

University of Georgia Master Gardener Extension Program*

Note: Job titles correspond to position at time of writing and may not reflect work status at time of publication. (For those who were not directly involved in this updated handbook, position reflects status at time of 2011 publication). *Authors who updated material for this edition of the handbook.