CCE Otsego Master Gardeners

CCE Otsego Master Gardeners Master Gardeners are community volunteers with extensive training from Cornell Cooperative Extension in many phases of the science and art of gardening.

Master Gardener Volunteers provide environmentally sound information and encourage individuals, communities, and horticulture professionals to implement horticultural practices that foster land and community stewardship. They educate the surrounding community about:
•Landscapes
•Vegetables
•Fruits
•Herbs
•Houseplants
•Beneficial and harmful insects
•Plant diseases
•Integrated pest management (IPM)


•Wildlife management
•Soils
•Birds
•Composting
•Water conservation
•And much, much more

Call the Master Gardener Helpline at 607-547-2536 ext. 228 for assistance.

It's June - Time to Catch the Garlic Scapes!Garlic scapes are the "flower stalks" of hardneck garlic plants. Hardneck ga...
06/12/2026

It's June - Time to Catch the Garlic Scapes!
Garlic scapes are the "flower stalks" of hardneck garlic plants. Hardneck garlic produces a scape from the center of the leaves in June. Most researchers agree that it is beneficial to remove the scape. Research at the University of Maine has shown that leaving the scape on the plant will reduce the eventual size of the harvested bulb by as much as 48%. Removing the scape does not affect the in-season growth or the storage life of the harvested bulb. It is best to remove the scape early in its development, rather than waiting until the scape further elongates and curls as harvesting at this later point reduces the harvested bulb size by 9%, but it is amazing how fast they grow.

MG Chris Burrington experimented by cutting the garlic scape on one garlic plant, then leaving the scape on an adjacent plant. What do you see?

Some suggest pulling the scape from the center of the plant rather than snipping, but research reveals that leaving a hole in the center of the plant can lead to water collection and opening the plant to rot or disease. The easiest way is to snap the scape where it is emerging out of the leaves, and snap it with your thumb and 1st finger. Or you can cut the scape with sharp scissors. Young chopped scapes can be used in cooking to provide a mild garlic flavor or to make pesto. Woody scapes and the flower at the end do not have good flavor. Keene Garlic has a tasty recipe.
More information and recipes below:

https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2063e/
https://harvesting-history.com › 9-must-dos-to-grow-ga...
Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=keene%20garlic
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-crisper-whisperer-what-to...

Please take a look at some of these important resources from Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership and@NYS Dep...
06/11/2026

Please take a look at some of these important resources from Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership and@NYS Department of Environmental Conservation! Let's all do our part to help stop the spread of invasive species!

06/11/2026

🌿 Help Protect Our Waterways During New York Invasive Species Awareness Week! 🌿

Join CRISP, the Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA), and the Capital Region PRISM on June 13th from 10:00 AM–1:00 PM for a volunteer event focused on removing invasive European frogbit from local waterways.

European frogbit forms dense floating mats that block sunlight, reduce oxygen levels, and negatively impact native aquatic plants and wildlife. By helping remove this invasive species, you'll make a direct difference in protecting healthy aquatic habitats.

💧 Learn about invasive species management
🌱 Contribute to local restoration efforts
🤝 Volunteer alongside fellow conservationists

📅 June 13 | 10:00 AM–1:00 PM

🔗 Register and learn more: https://givebutter.com/NYISAW-Frogbit-Pull-with-OCCA-and-CR-PRISM

Japanese Beetles After hitching their initial ride on imported ornamental plants in 1916, Japanese beetles decided North...
06/11/2026

Japanese Beetles
After hitching their initial ride on imported ornamental plants in 1916, Japanese beetles decided North America was a good place to live and have made a presence year after year since. Today, these pests can be a serious nuisance to gardeners and farmers throughout North America, feeding on over 300 different species of trees, shrubs, and garden plants. Adult Japanese beetles are voracious eaters. In their larval stage, before they fly, these pests live in the soil as white, C-shaped grubs that chew directly on the roots of turfgrass and garden plants.

The safest and most effect ways to get rid of these green, garden thugs, is to go out in the early morning, when they are sluggish, and scrape them into a bucket of soapy water with a small coating of oil. Send them on a one-way trip on the Bucket of Doom.

Avoid commercial Japanese beetle traps. They use strong pheromones that attract more beetles than they kill. Also, avoid squashing the beetles, as satisfying as it may seem, in dying, they release strong pheromones that attract more beetles.

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2021-07-01-what-do-about-japanese-beetles

Growing Watermelons - Did you Know?On a hot day, an icy cold slice of watermelon is like a gift - sweet, delicious, and ...
06/10/2026

Growing Watermelons - Did you Know?
On a hot day, an icy cold slice of watermelon is like a gift - sweet, delicious, and thirst-quenching. But did you know of the many health benefits this wonderful fruit contains? Here are some of the benefits from Mayo Clinic research:
,
Watermelon — the disease fighter
Watermelon has more lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene is an antioxidant linked to decreased risk of cancer, heart disease and age-related eye disorders.

It is the perfect sweet treat that is nutritious and tasty.
One cup of watermelon contains:
46 calories
12 grams of carbohydrates
865 international units (IU) of vitamin A
12 milligrams of vitamin C
170 milligrams of potassium
0.1 milligrams of vitamin B6
Zero fat, cholesterol or sodium
Vitamin A is important for skin and eye health. Vitamin B6 is important for the immune system and nerve function. Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system and aids in the absorption of iron. Potassium is helpful in lowering blood pressure and is important for nerve function as well.

Watermelon hydrates
92% of watermelon consists of water. It is perfect for staying refreshed and hydrated on a hot summer day. Compare those benefits to the common processed bottle of Colorfulade children are given after sports.

No room in the garden? Savvy Gardening offers tips on growing watermelon in pots or grow bags. You still have time if you plant the seeds now.

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-wonders-of-watermelon

https://savvygardening.com/growing-watermelon-in-containers/

Winter Sowing - What's Growing?In January, Master Gardeners Chris Burrington and Celia Oxley presented a workshop on Win...
06/09/2026

Winter Sowing - What's Growing?
In January, Master Gardeners Chris Burrington and Celia Oxley presented a workshop on Winter Sowing. Wondering what happened to the seeds we winter-sowed in January?

As spring warms the soil, seedlings emerge at different rates. Some are already visible, while others are still developing underground. Winter sowing uses recycled containers as mini-greenhouses, allowing seeds to experience natural winter conditions and germinate when the time is right. "Winter sowing was popularized by Trudi Davidoff on GardenWeb in 2000."

Remember the perennial gardener's adage: Sleep, Creep, Leap.
These photos show this year's winter-sown seedlings from MG Chris Burrington and a two-year-old pollinator garden from MG Francine Stayter. The lupines were also started through winter sowing! Francine's purple pollinator patch includes winter- sown verbena bonariensis, anise hyssop, and tiny native asters.
We'd love to see some of the plants you germinated from Winter Sowing, too. Share your results in the comments. We know not all seeds germinate on the same timetable. Be patient. It's worth it.

Photos: Chris Burrington and Francine Stayter
Design Assistance: Chatgpt
- https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2021-12/All the Dirt on Winter Sowing Power Point.pdf
-https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2021/02/winter-seeding-shortcut-spring

Grow Your Own!According to the Federal Reserve, US tomato prices were highest in April — $2.69 per pound. That's 40% hi...
06/09/2026

Grow Your Own!
According to the Federal Reserve, US tomato prices were highest in April — $2.69 per pound. That's 40% higher than tomatoes were a year earlier, significantly outpacing the 17% increase in overall food costs over the same time period, according to Hortidaily. In fact, tomato prices have risen higher than any other food product in the last year, as reported by the Associated Press.

What happened? Supply chain experts report that the deep freeze in Florida reduced the supply, but about 90% of the tomatoes consumed in the U.S. come from Mexico, where bad weather also impacted the tomato crop. Mexico's top agricultural consulting firm attributed higher prices to "an internal supply shock caused by frost and weather damage." Some varieties of tomatoes, like saladette, rose in price even more - 87%

It's not too late to plant tomatoes. This may be the year to GROW YOUR OWN!

Let's Talk Eco-Friendly Practices for LawnsThe Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University offer actiona...
06/07/2026

Let's Talk Eco-Friendly Practices for Lawns
The Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University offer actionable, eco-friendly practices to maintain a sustainable yard for relaxing, playing, or entertaining. Here are a few:
Smart Mowing
- Let it grow longer - 3 - 4"
- leave the clippings as mulch
Natural Soil & Water Management
- Water less but deeply
- During hot periods, allow your grass to go dormant (turn brown). It will naturally bounce back when the rain returns.

There are many more tips in the links.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/lawn/through-thoughtful-practices-lawns-can-be-climate-friendly

https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/healthy-lawn-healthy-environment-caring-your-lawn-environmentally-friendly-way

Peonies are Blooming - It's June!Peonies are wonderful flowers that bloom at the transition between spring and summer. ...
06/06/2026

Peonies are Blooming - It's June!
Peonies are wonderful flowers that bloom at the transition between spring and summer. Those who study phenology use peony blossoms as a signal that it is safe to plant heat-loving melons such as cantaloupe.
Peonies also give us a chance to see biological mutualism in action. Ants on peonies serve as an example of biological mutualism, where two organisms of different species benefit from the activity of one another. Peony flowers provide food for ants, and in turn, the ants protect the blossoms from other floral-feeding insects. It's an enduring myth that peonies need ants to blossom. Peonies can open beautifully without ants. In a cold, rainy spring, peonies without ants may become deer lollipops.
https://peony.mbgna.umich.edu/peony-history
Photo: MG Francine Stayter

Where Have the Seeds Gone?Overheard yesterday in one of our local stores: " All the seeds are gone!" If you were waitin...
06/05/2026

Where Have the Seeds Gone?
Overheard yesterday in one of our local stores: " All the seeds are gone!"
If you were waiting to plant until the weather settled down, or are planning to plant a second or third season garden and you need seeds - get them quickly if you're buying locally.
Some local stores have taken down their seed displays for the season already. Their merchandising cycles and our climate don't always match and you could find it hard to locate the seeds you want. You have mail-order options, but the shipping and handling charges, while fair, put that option outside your garden budget.

Please share locations where seeds are still available.

Address

123 Lake Street
Cooperstown, NY
13326

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16075472536

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