June 17, 2025 - Create a Pollinator Paradise

Stacy Small-Lorenz, Ph.D. Extension Specialist, Residential Landscape Ecology

Madeline Potter, UME Entomologist

Did you know that over 70% of our native wild bees nest in the ground and rarely ever sting? Or that flower shape can influence pollination—like blueberry flowers, which require buzz pollination to release their pollen, a method used by a specialist bee adapted to this task? Not to mention that a whole world of unsung pollinator heroes beyond bees could benefit from our support right now! 

Join us during National Pollinator Week for an exciting Bay-Wise/Water-Wise 2.0 Advanced Training "Create a Pollinator Paradise" featuring special guest, University of Maryland Extension Entomologist, Maddie Potter and your regular host, University of Maryland Extension's Residential Landscape Ecologist and Bay-Wise Living Landscapes Program Lead Dr. Stacy Small-Lorenz, to learn about simple pollinator conservation strategies and tools that you can use to teach Maryland residents to recognize and support the native pollinators that help our beloved plants to bear fruit and multiply. 

Resource Links: Create a Pollinator Paradise

QUIZ

Maryland Living Landscapes Metric

Trainer Key Points from “Create a Pollinator Paradise”, MD Living Landscapes Metric, Habit 4, Training Webinar, June 17, 2025 

Maryland Pollinator Week Toolkit | University of Maryland Extension

Maryland Pollinator Flashcards | University of Maryland Extension

“Meet the Beneficials: Natural Enemies of Garden Pests” Visual Guide | University of California

Common Maryland Bees Guide | MD Department of Natural Resources

Habitat Planning for Beneficial Insects Guide | Xerces Society

Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks Webpages | University of Maryland Extension

Monthly Ask-A-Master Gardener Plant Clinic Webinars (monthly key pests, pathogens, beneficials, and abiotic concerns) | Maryland Master Gardener Program

“Ask Extension” Question Form | University of Maryland Extension

National Pesticide Information Center

“Integrated Pest Management & Working with the Public” Webinar | University of Maryland Extension

“To Rake or Not to Rake” Webinar | University of Maryland Extension

May 22, 2025 - Shrink Your Lawn Footprint

Stacy Small-Lorenz, Ph.D. Extension Specialist, Residential Landscape Ecology

Dave Clement, Ph.D. Extension Specialist, Plant Pathology

Did you know that 1.3 million acres are devoted to lawn in Maryland? Observe "No-Mow May" with us by learning about a variety of ways to reduce your lawn's environmental impact, turfgrass alternatives, and sustainable lawn care practices promoted in the MD Living Landscapes Metric.  

QUIZ

Maryland Master Gardener Handbook

Conserving Healthy Soils Issue Brief

MD Lawn Fertilizer Law

MD Lawn Fertilizer Schedule for Residential Lawns (UME)

Turfgrass Technical Update

Excess Thatch in Lawns

Groundcover Options

Brown Patch Lawn Disease

Organic Lawn Care

Lawn (Turfgrass) Removal Methods

December 19, 2024 - Identifing Stormwater Issues on Properties

Mr. Eric Buehl - Regional Watershed Restoration Specialist

While other land uses are making strides in decreasing polluted runoff that impacts the Chesapeake Bay, urban stormwater runoff is on the rise. Learning how stormwater is generated, how it moves across the land, and what can be done to reduce it at the homeowner-scale is critical in cleaning up the Bay. Join Eric Buehl, Regional Watershed Restoration Specialist, as he shares useful information to help identify and mitigate stormwater runoff issues on residential properties.

November 21, 2024 - So you want to be Baywise? Fall Edition

Demand for Bay-Wise certification is growing around the state, which shows that Marylanders are getting the message about the importance of living landscapes for healthy, climate-resilient watersheds. How can we meet that demand effectively in ways that educate, inform, and empower residents with actionable, seasonal first steps toward becoming better stewards of their landscapes, even while certification waitlists grow? 

October 17, 2024 - Talking the Talk:  How to communicate with our clientele

Bay-Wise Master Gardeners are an integral part UME's ENR - Home Horticulture program.  Our volunteers extend University research and resources into every corner of our communities.  As a representative of UMD and UME, it is important to understand your role as an educator, the line between education and advocacy, the nuances to get people to do our bidding, and when it's time to leave good enough alone.

Sept 19, 2025 - In With The New