Posts filed under EDUCATION
Terminal Buds and Their Buddies
What is a terminal bud anyhow? It sounds like a bud that is about to depart the botanical world. Most plants, including trees and shrubs, have buds.
It turns out that there are several different kinds of buds. They all contain the promise of the future growing year but serve different purposes.
A terminal bud is one that grows at the very tip of a branch, twig, or stem. It’s in charge of how much that plant will grow in the next season. Lateral buds grow on the side of the stem or twig. When a lateral bud grows above where the leaf has been attached to the stem, they are called axillary buds.
Rogue buds may develop in unusual places on a plant. They are called adventitious buds and might develop on roots or even on the sides of mature tree trunks.
Buds can serve three purposes. A vegetative bud produces leaves or shoots. A flower bud produces a flower, or a mixed bud produces both shoots and flowers.
The terminal bud produces cells that make the stem grow longer. It produces cells that make leaves. It determines how much a plant will grow in height during the year.
If a terminal bud is damaged or dies back, the next closest lateral or axillary bud will step up and take over. It becomes the terminal bud of that stem or twig.
A rose bud can be a terminal bud if it is on the tip of the plant. It is the biggest bud and will bloom first. A head of cabbage is an extremely large terminal bud and brussels sprouts are large lateral buds.
Buds are usually formed at or near the end of the previous growing season. They are small and often hidden by scale structures. They stay dormant until the days lengthen and warm in the early spring. Then they begin their enormous job of bringing the tree or plant to life for another growing season. They swell in size until the new shoot or leaf or flower bursts from its hiding place.
Spring has arrived.
Submitted by Bonnie Hinman
Photos from internet stock
Master Naturalist Training “Embrace Your Passion for Nature”
Are you passionate about the outdoors? Do you have a curiosity for the natural world and a desire to positively impact your community? If so, the Master Naturalist program might be just what you’re looking for. The Missouri Master Naturalist Program is a community-based natural resource education and volunteer initiative with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the University of Missouri Extension as partners. Our goal is to cultivate a group of dedicated volunteers in Missouri who are well-informed and eager to promote the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas. Our program brings together adult individuals from diverse backgrounds, all united by a love for nature and a commitment to lifelong learning.
On July 30, 2024, we invite you to join us for an information meeting to learn more about the Master Naturalist program. Discover how you can be part of a vibrant community that enjoys exploring Missouri's habitats, educating the public, gathering field data for citizen science, and working together on hands-on restoration projects, area cleanups, and testing water quality in our beneficial streams. At the meeting, you will be introduced to our training opportunities, hands-on service projects, and the camaraderie that comes with being a Master Naturalist. This is your opportunity to ask questions, meet current members, and find out how you can contribute to our local conservation efforts.
Pre-registration is required to attend. Click here to learn more and register:
Master Naturalist Information Meeting Registration
We hope you don’t miss this opportunity to turn your passion for nature into action. We look forward to seeing you there and embarking on this rewarding journey together!
What our members say…
“ The Chert Glades Master Naturalist chapter is a fantastic group for anyone with a passion for the natural world. The interests and expertise held by different members are so vast and diverse that you can get answers to questions you didn't even know you had. It is the kind of community that can make you grow as a naturalist, a community organizer, an educator, and a part of the environment."
Emily B.
Class of 2022
"Hard to limit it to just a few lines, being part of a group with similar interests is always rewarding. Learning from others with varied skills and backgrounds makes projects rewarding."
Jill F.
Class of 2005
"I would recommend the Missouri Master Naturalist program to anyone willing to learn how we can make a positive impact on our environment. My goal is to learn as much as possible about nature so that I can inspire my children and grandchildren to take care of Mother Earth. The MMN program in my opinion is one of the most important volunteer opportunities in our community."
Patrick C.
Class of 2022
"If you’re passionate about nature, Missouri Master Naturalist can help find your people! Becoming a naturalist is a journey that lasts a lifetime. There is always something new to learn, understand, and share."
Val F.
Class of 2005
“When I first read about an upcoming training class, I knew immediately that I would love it. Ten years later I still love it.”
Bonnie H.
Class of 2014
“I always thought I had a good understanding of the principles of conservation and nature. However, after joining the Missouri Master Naturalist Program, I have developed a new understanding of the essential need for native plants and trees to the ecology. I have also learned the importance of involving our community, an effort requires all of us for success in restoring our natural world.”
Cynthia N.
Class of 2020
“I thought I knew a lot about plants, animals, birds, and nature in general until I went through the core training in 2007. There is not a day since I graduated from the training that I haven’t learned something new. You get out of the program what you put into it. The Chert Glade Chapter is a very active group with volunteering, working, and educating the general public & one another with a wide variety of topics.”
Karen G.
Class of 2007
2024 Fall Training Information Date
Save the Date
Fall Training Being Offered
Missouri's Native Champions
G.O.A.T. stands for 'Greatest of All Time,' as in the ultimate champs. In Missouri, this means superstar plants that do wonders for nature…native plants that birds, bees, and butterflies depend on to thrive.
If you're a gardener curious about these amazing plants, swing by the 'Goats in the Garden' event at Empire Market on March 9th. The Missouri Master Naturalist, Chert Glades Chapter, will be there to reveal Top 10 picks for different interests and garden situations.
Do you want to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden? Are you trying to save water, or do you have a problem with too much water? Is your yard all sun or all shade? Are you trying to connect children to nature, or do you just want things to look pretty?
Drop by our table and discover which plants might fit your needs in the very best way. Let's level up Missouri's green game, one awesome plant at a time!
Look for us on March 9, 2024 from 10:00 - 2:00
Empire Market
998 E 3rd St, Joplin, MO 64801
Plant a Native Garden
Earth...Our Planet...Our Home Sweet Home!
If you are looking for other ideas to transform and invest in our community, visit the official Earth Day website at www.earthday.org. We invite you to explore our archived website blogs for more localized investments at www.chertglades.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out the Missouri Department of Conservation at www.mdc.mo.gov and find details on outdoor activities, discovering nature, and many other conservation-friendly topics. We all provide the spark needed to keep our planet earth the very best home sweet home!
Other resources:
What makes a home? A home provides shelter and comfort to safely weather all of life’s storms. We want our home to be a peaceful, playful place where friends and family feel welcome. In order to thrive, share, and better care for others, we invest in our home. As another Earth Day approaches, it is a good time to think about how we might “invest” in our one and only planet Earth, the home for all of us!
Joplin is celebrating Earth & Arbor Day on Saturday, April 22nd. (click here for event details). This year’s theme, “A New Earth,” recognizes the importance of investing in nature and the native plants that sustain us. In order to maintain healthy communities and keep them content and growing, all of us must invest the limited resources of our planet in new and potentially transformative ways.
The Missouri Master Naturalist, Chert Glades Chapter will offer several informative, creative booths at this year’s event. They are meant to suggest and inspire ideas for actions you can take. Simple choices and small investments can bring surprisingly large returns! Since we share this planet with all creatures, great and small, we need an investment we all can get behind!
Planting for pollinators, and creating more effective outdoor lighting are just two changes that are already making wiser use of resources. Do you know how and why this helps planet Earth? Come play with us and find out! We will have sample native plant ideas, tempt you to paint birds real and imagined with watercolors, craft constellation viewers, and discover citizen science projects for both kids and families.
By: Amera Wild, an active member of Missouri Master Naturalist, Chert Glades Chapter, Missouri Stream Team, Conservation Federation of Missouri, Missouri Prairie Foundation, Wildcat Glades Friends Group, Dark Sky International, The Missouri Birding Society, and the Trumpeter Swan Society
A New Adventure Begins
Congratulations to our graduates of the Chert Glades Missouri Master Naturalist Class of 2022!
Prairie Days
George Washington Carver National Monument is the place to be for Prairie Days, Saturday September 10th. Take a step back in time with games and toys that your grandparents could have played. Find out how the kids can become a Junior Ranger. Make some candles, churn some butter, and lye soap. Enjoy the variety of music under the tent, smell the smoke from the fire pit that has Dutch ovens cooking over it. The visitor center will show a film of George Washington Carver’s life and accomplishments.
Take a hike through the prairie and visit the Cemetery. Visit and learn from the many exhibits in the front lawn of the park.
Come on out and enjoy the day! Event runs 10 AM - 3PM
