Dial up for expert, friendly advice

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

High and dry Colorado has proved to be an enlightening experience for the horticulture expert at the Larimer County Extension Office.

Alison Stoven took the job in December 2005 and experienced her first winter of strong winds, parched soil and withering plants. Like many who came before her from the Midwest, she had to delve into the intricacies of making plants grow and thrive in a harsher climate.

"It was a huge learning curve," she said, "but everyone was so supportive. There are a lot of Midwesterners here, and they helped nurture me."

Stoven developed her love for horticulture at an early age. Her grandfather was an extension-trained master gardener. Besides learning from him, she also worked at a wholesale nursery during high school, and decided that should be her career. "I liked getting my hands dirty," she said.

Stoven grew up in Minnesota, earned her bachelor's degree in horticulture from Iowa State University and received her master's degree from Ohio State University--all places with plenty of rain. Her studies included a year in England and an education internship at a public garden in Georgia. "I loved teaching people, seeing their faces light up," she said.

As the horticulture extension agent, Stoven is training more master gardeners, sharing information at farmers' markets and answering questions for anyone who visits the office. She enjoys doing the research to solve a problem, whether it is a plant disease, pest, soil or water issue.

"There are many different ways of gardening," Stoven said. "Everyone can do it."

Master gardeners are volunteers trained by Colorado State University and Cooperative Extension. Last year, Larimer County's 77 master gardeners and apprentices volunteered 4,611 hours, valued at more than $83,000 in services. A new class of 20 is receiving training now.

This spring, they will once again ramp up the master gardener hotline at 498-6000 to answer gardening and landscaping questions, but callers can also leave messages at any time and get a return call from a master gardener.

On Saturday mornings, July 7 through Oct. 13, master gardeners host the Larimer County Farmers' Market in Old Town Fort Collins at the corner of Remington and Oak streets. In August and September, master food safety advisers join the crew to answer questions about canning and preserving.

The first Saturday of each month is Little Sprouts Day at the market with fun activities for children. Stoven said her goal is to develop more horticultural programs for children.

There is a generation gap in knowledge about cooperative extension programs, she noted, so many are not taking advantage of the research-based information readily available. An abundance of advice can be found at the extension web site www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/LARIMER/hort&mg.htm.

The master gardeners will also have a monthly call-in radio program on KRFC 88.9 FM starting in May. The program airs Saturday, 8 to 10 a.m.

In addition, advanced master gardeners have organized a tree team that is available for house calls for a nominal fee. Stoven suggested tree owners call in to discuss their problem first and then schedule an appointment if necessary.

County residents also are invited to visit the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, in north Fort Collins. "We welcome walk-in clients with plant samples and insects or any question," Stoven said.

Last spring, she received numerous questions about turf because there had been no snow cover that winter. Mites were the cause of many problems, she said, and they are easily controlled by watering. In the fall, pine trees were dropping needles because of drought stress.

Stoven recalled a new resident like herself asked if he could grow tomatoes here. She has found, in fact, "a lot of things might grow better here than where they came from."

Callers should not by shy. Newcomers especially can be assured they will find a listening ear and heartfelt compassion for their horticultural woes when Stoven answers the phone.