Cowlitz County Master Gardeners

08/24/2026

This flexible, fully online course gives you science-backed skills to succeed in gardening—anywhere. 📢 Only offered once per year—don’t miss your chance!

• WGS Registration is now open.
• WGS Last Day to Register is September 30, 2026
• Classes start on October 5.

Learn more about earning your Washington Gardener Certificate or becoming a WSU Extension Master Gardener at: https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu

08/23/2026

💡 Discover New Skills While Making a Positive Impact
From plant diagnostics to public outreach, Master Gardeners do it all. Ready to grow your knowledge and serve your community?

🗓️ Apply by September 16th to be part of something meaningful. Applications for the 2026-2027 EMG Program in Cowlitz County received after September 16th may be considered if time and space allow.

Apply for EMG Program here: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6M4Ia3PWxgya5ds

08/17/2026

🌿 The Washington Gardener Certificate course registration opens today, August 17! Gardening in Washington comes with its challenges—weather, soil conditions, pests, and diseases—but we've got you covered! Learn science-based best practices to confidently manage landscapes, no matter where you work, live, or garden in our state. 🌱

• WGS Registration opens today, August 17, 2026.
• WGS Last Day to Register is September 30, 2026
• Classes start on October 5.

Learn more about earning your Washington Gardener Certificate or becoming a WSU Extension Master Gardener at: https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu

🌱 🌿 💧 🐝 📚 🏡 🔬

08/16/2026

🌟 Join Us! Empower Communities to Bloom and Thrive
As a Master Gardener, you’ll gain new skills, connect with others, and make a lasting impact.

🗓️ Apply by September 16th to be part of something meaningful. Applications for the 2026-2027 EMG Program in Cowlitz County received after September 16th may be considered if time and space allow.

Apply for EMG Program here: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6M4Ia3PWxgya5ds

08/16/2026

Tip of the Week:

Time to top your Tomato plants!

Topping tomato plants means cutting off the growing tip near the top of the plant so it stops putting energy into new leaves and flowers and instead focuses on ripening the fruit it already has.

Why top tomatoes now

In mid-to-late summer, topping can help because:
More energy goes to existing fruit instead of new growth.
Green tomatoes ripen faster before cooler weather arrives.
Airflow improves, which can reduce disease pressure.
Tall plants become easier to manage and are less likely to flop or break.
Late flowers are removed, since they usually won’t have enough time to become ripe tomatoes before the season ends.
This is most useful for indeterminate tomatoes—the vining types that keep growing until frost. Determinate/bush tomatoes usually should not be topped unless the plant is damaged or out of control, because they set most of their crop at once.

How to top tomato plants

Find the highest fruit cluster you want to keep.
Go 1–2 leaf sets above that cluster.
Use clean pruners to cut off the main growing tip above those leaves.
Remove any new flower clusters that are unlikely to ripen in time.
You can also pinch out very small suckers near the top if the plant is still pushing lots of new growth.
Water consistently afterward, and avoid heavy fertilizing with nitrogen.

When to do it

A good rule is to top indeterminate tomatoes about 4–6 weeks before your expected first frost. In your area, doing it around now can make sense if nights are starting to cool or your plants are still producing lots of flowers and new vine growth.

Quick caution

Don’t remove too many leaves around the fruit—tomatoes still need foliage to feed the plant and protect fruit from sunscald. Keep healthy leaves, especially those shading exposed tomatoes.

Enjoy your harvest!

08/10/2026

🌱 Unlock the secrets of gardening in Washington state! Our flexible, expert-led online Washington Gardener Certificate course offers research-based insights from horticulture professionals. Don’t miss out—this course is only available once a year! 🌿
• WGS Registration opens August 17, 2026.
• WGS Last Day to Register is September 30, 2026
• Classes start on October 5.

Learn more about earning your Washington Gardener Certificate or becoming a WSU Extension Master Gardener at: https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu

🌱
🌿
💧
🐝
📚
🏡
🔬

08/09/2026

🌼 Cultivate community. Share your passion. Grow with us.

🗓️ Application Deadline: September 16th. Applications for the 2026-2027 EMG Program in Cowlitz County received after September 16th may be considered if time and space allow.

Apply for EMG Program here: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6M4Ia3PWxgya5ds

08/06/2026

Tip of the Week:

🍅 Do you pick your tomatoes at the blush stage during the summer?
Most gardeners know to bring green tomatoes indoors at the end of the season. But have you ever tried harvesting them at the blush stage—when they're just starting to turn pink or orange—right in the middle of summer?

Extension research has shown that tomatoes picked at the blush stage will continue to ripen indoors with the same fresh, vine-ripened flavor. Plus, you'll reduce losses from cracking, birds, slugs, squirrels, insects, and diseases while encouraging the plant to keep producing more fruit.

❓Have you tried this?
Did your tomatoes still taste like they were ripened on the vine? We'd love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Extension

08/03/2026

Looking for gardening inspiration?
Listen in!

🎧 Sneak Peek Sunday: The Evergreen Thumb Podcast

Looking for a little gardening inspiration? Tune in to the episode 78 of The Evergreen Thumb Podcast as Erin Hoover interviews Dr. Bryce Battisti thisTuesday, August 4th..

Bryce holds a Ph.D. in Sustainable Agriculture Education from the University of California, Davis, and has taught biology in colleges and universities both in the U.S. and abroad. A passionate backyard gardener, he especially enjoys growing perennial food crops and pruning fruit trees.

Since joining WSU Extension in 2023, Bryce has helped modernize the online Master Gardener training program and played a key role in founding Washington Green School. He also designed, coordinates, and hosts the flagship Washington Gardener Certificate course, helping gardeners across the state build research-based horticultural knowledge.

Whether you’re interested in sustainable gardening, lifelong learning, or the future of gardening education in Washington, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Listen to past recordings at:
https://evergreenthumb.mastergardenerfoundation.org/episodes/
🎙️ Happy listening!