WSU Master Gardener Program

08/20/2026

Emerald Ash Borer discovered in Washington State🌿

📢 : Emerald ash borer has been detected in Washington State near Vancouver. This highly invasive and destructive pest kills up to 99% of ash trees. So far, this pest has not been eradicated in any area where it has been discovered.

Washington has prepared for the arrival of this pest by creating resources for government organizations and individuals. Check out our press release to learn more about this pest and get resources on what you can do now to prepare. https://agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/news-and-media-relations/news-releases?article=47256

08/20/2026

Friday Fun on Thursday!😂

08/20/2026

After years in the making, the new Pacific Northwest Gardener’s Handbook: Growing for the Future will be part of the Washington Gardener Certificate curriculum and the WSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program, empowering students with research-backed knowledge to cultivate sustainable gardens and connect with nature. 🌎🌱
Join us in celebrating a greener future! 💚

We are working on a printable version that will be available for a small fee. As soon as it becomes available we will make an announcement on FB and on the website.

In the meantime, individual chapters can be printed.
https://extension.wsu.edu/pnw-gardeners-handbook/

08/19/2026

Listen & Learn🌿

What if your garden could keep working for you after the growing season ends?

In our latest episode of The Evergreen Thumb, Erin talks with Twinflower Wilkie, a WSU Extension Master Gardener in Ferry County, about cover crops and their role in protecting and improving garden soil.

Cover crops can help retain moisture, protect soil from erosion, cycle nutrients, and provide habitat and food for pollinators and other beneficial wildlife. Twinflower also makes the case for letting your garden go a little wild and embracing the benefits that can bring.

🌱 Learn how cover crops can protect your soil and support a livelier garden.

Listen to the latest episode of The Evergreen Thumb at https://buff.ly/avzdAnG or wherever you get your podcasts.

08/18/2026

Wildfire Smoke & Safety

Wildfire smoke can affect food safety in several ways--from ash settling on gardens and produce to power outages that impact refrigeration.

Washington State University Food Safety Extension has reliable, science-based guidance to help families understand what may be safe, what should be discarded, and how to handle food during and after wildfire events.

Learn more:
Special WSU Extension podcast series highlights food safety after wildfires

"Wildfire Food Safety: Making Safe Choices After a Wildfire” series talks about food safety in the aftereffects of a fire.

08/17/2026

🌱 REGISTRATION OPENS TODAY! 🌱

Ready to grow your gardening knowledge with science-based, research-backed information from WSU Extension?

Registration is now open for the Washington Gardener Certificate through Washington Green School!

This comprehensive online course uses a variety of learning methods to help you build practical gardening skills and deepen your horticultural knowledge.

🌿 Use what you learn to:
• Become a more knowledgeable and confident gardener
• Supplement your résumé
• Strengthen your horticulture-related business
• Build a strong foundation in research-based gardening practices

Whether you garden for yourself or want to expand your professional knowledge, the Washington Gardener Certificate is an opportunity to learn, grow, and put reliable horticultural information into practice.

📅 Registration is open!

👉 Find course details and registration information at:
https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu

08/17/2026

Yes! We are looking forward to listening to the newest episode of the Evergreen Thumb Podcast this Tuesday, August 18th!🌿

🌱 Sneak Peek Sunday | Evergreen Thumb Podcast 🎙️

What can cover crops do for your garden—especially when summers are dry and growing conditions are changing?

For our upcoming episode of the Evergreen Thumb Podcast, we head to northeastern Washington to hear from a WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer whose garden has been growing a little wilder—and wiser—for decades. 🌿

Our guest has gardened in Ferry County since the 1970s, watching the region change from longer, colder winters to the conditions gardeners experience today. After a career advocating for crime victims and their children, she became a Master Gardener volunteer in 2012 and continues to learn from the land around her.

One of her favorite tools? Cover crops.

🌱 They help retain precious soil moisture
🌱 Add nutrients and organic matter
🌱 Support pollinators and other beneficial wildlife
🌱 Protect and improve the soil
🌱 And add a little wild beauty to the garden

🎧 Coming Tuesday August 18th, on the Evergreen Thumb Podcast!

Whether you grow vegetables, flowers, or a little bit of everything, this episode may inspire you to think differently about what you plant when your garden beds aren’t producing a crop.

08/17/2026

🌿Registration opens tomorrow, August 17th!🥳

Grow smarter with the Washington Gardener Certificate course! Learn all about Washington’s unique soils, climate, and plants while gaining expert-led gardening and landscaping knowledge from Pacific Northwest horticulture professionals. 🌱💡
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!

Register at:
https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu/home/registration/

08/13/2026

🌿 Attention, WSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers!

Refresh your gardening knowledge with the Washington Gardener Certificate course!

Strengthen your skills with updated, science-based, research-proven horticulture information you can confidently share with the public while volunteering at Ask a Master Gardener clinics, educational events, demonstration gardens, and other community outreach activities.

Whether you’re looking for a refresher or want to stay current with the latest research-based gardening practices, the Washington Gardener Certificate is a great way to keep learning—and strengthen the knowledge you bring to your Master Gardener service.

🌱 Ready to register? Reach out to your county coordinator to receive the Master Gardener registration code. Registration opens August 17, 2026.

Lear more at:
https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu

Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep sharing research-based gardening information with your community. 🌿