The Gateway Gardener June 2019

Gateway Gardener

JUNE 2019

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

e m o lc We o the an t ric iety e oc m A er S nif o C

Captivating Conifers Ancient, Diverse and Beautiful

Tips for Continuous Blooms The Practical Potager Garden Lesser Native Plants FREE Courtesy of:

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The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

JUNE 2019

Volume 15, Number 5

Founded in 2005 by Joyce Bruno & Robert Weaver Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists Diane Brueckman Rosey Acres Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Abby Lapides Sugar Creek Gardens Steffie Littlefield Edg-Clif Winery Jennifer Schamber Greenscape Gardens Scott Woodbury Shaw Nature Reserve

Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published 9 times/year by Double Dig Communications, Inc. to promote enjoyable, successful gardening and livable landscapes in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area. The magazine is distributed free to the public at designated garden centers, nurseries, garden gift shops, lawn equipment rental, repair and sales establishments, and other locations supporting sound gardening, lawn and landscaping practices.

Please send letters-to-the-editor, questions, event announcements, editorial suggestions and contributions, photos, advertising inquiries and materials, and any other correspondence to: The Gateway Gardener Magazine® PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Phone: (314) 968-3740

info@gatewaygardener.com www.gatewaygardener.com The Gateway Gardener® is printed on recycled newsprint using environmentally friendly soy-based ink, and is a member of the PurePower® renewable energy resources network.

I

From the Editor

’m sure I’ve repeated this quote before, perhaps several times, but our late and dear friend Cindy Gilberg was fond of saying “Gardening is a verb”— so much so it was the title editors chose for her posthumous collections of native gardening articles. By that she meant gardening is an ongoing active pastime. Despite the elusive search for that Holy Grail that is the perfect maintenance-free landscape, most gardens won’t survive a laissez-faire approach, or at least won’t be at their best.

One chore requiring occasional application involves the use of pruning equipment. Of course plants don’t require deadheading or shearing—no one goes out and beheads plants in nature, now, do they (except rabbits and deer)?

But there are several reasons to do so, including prolonged bloom period, control of overzealous seeders, and control of overall size. Abby Lapides discusses these and other techniques in her “Search for Continuous Blooms” on page 4.

Failure to regularly attend to this task in my own garden is just one flaw that leads to frequent disappointment in my horticultural outcomes. My vegetable garden is the site of others. I’ve written before (after

(Manfreda virginica). Oh, there’s nothing showy or spectacular about it, producing as it does a relatively insignificant flower atop lanceolate succulent leaves resembling the popular houseplant aloe. But those modest flowers open in the evening and give off a dance-hall floozy scent that attracts Sphynx moths and other night-time pollinators. Scott Woodbury advocates for this and other similarly under appreciated natives on page 8.

nearly 15 years, I think I’ve written before about nearly all my gardening foibles) about the paucity of my veggie garden plantings and harvests. I visit many of the community gardens in Gateway Greening’s amazing network and am awed by the density of plantings in a typical 4’x8’ raised bed. Returning to my 10’x30’ plot, a paltry handful of tomatoes, peppers and green beans stare back at me begging for companions to make more efficient and productive use of the space. Jennifer Schamber has a few suggestions for companion planting on page 6. I should heed her advice.

On the Cover...

There is no end to the variety of plant size, shape, texture, color and other characteristics you can add to your garden with conifers.

Read about a few of them on page 10. (photo by Bruce Buehrig)

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Good Gardening!

Returning to Cindy Gilberg, one of my favorite plants in my native garden was a gift from her, our native American aloe

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Tips for Continuous Blooms JUNE 2019

Finally, we welcome attendees of the American Conifer Society’s Central Region Annual Meeting to St. Louis, and join them in their encouragement to check out the wide world of conifers with an intro to this fascinating plant category beginning on page 10. I tried to add a new conifer to my garden this spring, a native shortleaf pine courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation’s Arbor Day giveaway. Sadly, it joined my previously alluded to list of gardening failures. Still, I dig on…

6 8 10 14 16 18 18 20 21 22

The Practical Potager Garden Lesser Native Plants Captivating Conifers Perennials and Shrubs for Cut Flowers Keeping Your Roses Happy JT’s Fresh Ideas Growing Popcorn Dig This Pollinator Potpourri Upcoming Events

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Top Tips for Continuous Blooms

by Abby Lapides

W

hile there are many fantastic perennial plants and shrubs that deliver fabulous flower shows almost all season, they still need some help from a director. Follow the tips below to encourage maximum blooming from your garden stars.

waves of thick blue spikes, but they need a shear after blooms are spent for this to be optimized.

At the base of the plants you will see a low clump of leaves that is known as basil foliage. After the gorgeous blooms have faded you may cut everything off that is above this basil foliage. This Salvia ‘May Night’ w i l l cause the plants to regrow all the foliage and flowers above the basil foliage and bloom again just like the first flush. Repeat multiple times throughout the season, up until late summer.

Additional plants that benefit from a shearing are catmint, cranesbill, mallow and fern leaf bleeding hearts.

Deadheading.

Tickseeds produce massive amounts of showy flowers in summer. These tough beauties produce flowers all summer long, but when spent flowers are removed, even more flowers will appear. Once a flower is past its prime, it’s time deadhead by removing spent Coreopsis Uptick™ to flowers. When deadheading, cut Gold and Bronze the entire flower stalk off to the foliage. Deadheading encourages more blooming and keeps the plant looking cleaner. Plants that respond well to deadheading include coneflower, thrift, pinks, Perform a strategic cut before budding. Some plants put on a most roses, stoke’s aster and corydalis. spectacular display only once a season, but if you perform strategic Shear back plants after flowers are spent. Different from cutting before buds are set you can sneak a repeat show of flowers. deadheading, many perennials and shrubs benefit from a harder Bee balms produces masses of cut-back. Sages are profusely blooming perennials that produce firework looking blooms that last for about a month. Cut back a portion of the plant before buds begin forming, around late May, to enjoy a second wave of these gorgeous blooms. To do this correctly look down over the plant and place a stick or your hose through the middle of the Monarda plant cross-wise—like cutting a ‘Cherry Pops’ pie in half—then cut about one

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prime time.

Photos courtesy Walter’s Gardens, Inc., except for liatris, by Robert Weaver. Illustrations by the author.

third to one half of the height of the plant on just one side of the stick. I like to cut back the half of the plant that’s the front side of where it will be most viewed. That way if I forget to cut back the first spent flowers I’ll still be able to enjoy the second wave. Other plants where strategic cutting maybe used are hardy mums, asters, beardtongue and daisies.

Plant similar varieties for succession. Blazing star plants provide summer nectar to many butterflies and pollinators. There are eight varieties of blazing star that are native to Missouri and each one blooms for about a month, usually at different times. If you plant a few of these varieties the blooming period is extended, which will make you and the butterflies quite happy.

Keeping plants happy and healthy. Be sure to give plants the correct light, water and soil conditions to maximize bloom output.

Amend your soil with compost to break up thick clay soils, making it easier for plants to access their required nutrients. Be sure to weed so there isn’t a competition for nutrients. Mulching inhibits weeds and keeps soils cool and moist. St. Louis tends to have alkaline soil and water. If planting acid-loving plants, amend or fertilize to help lower soil pH. A happier plant will bloom longer and put out more flowers consistently than a plant in stress.

Follow these tips and your garden will put on a show deserving of Abby Lapides is owner and a speaker at Sugar Creek Gardens Nursery. She has degrees from the University of Missouri, and is a member of the Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis.

You can reach her at (314) 965-3070.

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The Practical Potager Garden

by Jennifer Schamber

concept is used in designing edible garden spaces, but rather than pairing flavors, we pair synergies. A “potager” or kitchen garden, is an old-world European style of gardening (although these same principles have been used around the world) that grows plants together that benefit from being close because their interactions and cooperation produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. These plants that play well together also help to better use the space, produce increased yields and enhance each other’s flavors. This can be artfully designed in a small space that is beautiful, practical and functional.

Now, let’s take a great chef, like Katie Collier of Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria, who can masterfully combine ingredients, and take a look at her approach to her outdoor hether or not we consider ourselves good cooks, most of garden space. At her us can take an herb and pair it with what tastes good with Rock Hill location, the it. If you’re going to roast some carrots with a dab of outdoor patio space honey, it might be good to add thyme and parsley, and we all know is an extension of her that potatoes and chives are a good match. Some things were made kitchen. It demonstrates to be eaten together, and in doing so, these ingredients bring out the what types of flavors best in each other. In potager and permaculture gardens, this same and fragrances can be found in the food served there. You’ll find potted Celebrate DAD in June lemon trees, tomatoes, Japanese maples and Outdoor Fountains basils, and a range of * herbs that enhance the 25% OFF! flavors of the foods.

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Of course, we can’t expect to feed our entire family on a regular basis with our garden (although kudos to those who do!), living with and interacting with a potager-style garden gives us a greater appreciation for how food grows and a better understanding of how complex and yet at the same time, how simple it can be to grow and combine the right ingredients. Allow for this space to be a representation of the foods we intend to serve and eat and make it a goal to harvest at least one thing from the garden every day.

Even if it’s as simple as a sprig of mint in your tea, celebrate each successful harvest, no matter how small and enjoy the flavors each season has to offer.

All photos by Hillary Fitz, taken at Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria in Rock Hill, MO. Not only do these ingredients taste great together, they also grow well together in the ground or in containers. Basil has been known to be an effective natural deterrent for whiteflies, mosquitoes, tomato hornworms, aphids and asparagus beetles. Some say that basil even improves the flavor of tomatoes when planted nearby.

Another great companion plant for tomatoes is carrots. Tomatoes love the hot sun, while carrots appreciate the cooler soil found under the canopy of the tomato leaves.

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Planting the right recipe in the garden is easiest by starting with a list of what your family eats. Then look to see if any of these make a good match and plant those together. After that, figure out at least one companion to go with each of what you are planting. Most herbs make great companions, so it’s usually best to intermingle them with the vegetables rather than keeping them segregated in a separate garden space.

Jennifer Schamber is the General Manager of Greenscape Gardens, and plays leaderships roles in the Western Nursery & Landscape Association, GrowNative! and the Landscape & Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis. She has earned Green Profit Magazine’s Young Retailer Award, and Greenscape Gardens was named the National Winner of the 2015 “Revolutionary 100” Garden Centers by Today’s Garden Center Magazine.

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Naturally Natives Lesser Native Plants need More Attention text and photos by Scott Woodbury with cobalt blue flowers, and For two weeks I have noticed that is bumblebee pollinated. It nobody has purchased a single closed gentian at our visitor grows best in part shade with companion plants like clumpcenter plant sale area (Shaw forming star sedge and oak Nature Reserve sells plants at the sedge that prop it up and allow visitor’s center during the month of April). I asked Mervin Wallace it to shine. at Missouri Wildflowers Nursery Another worthy plant relegated about it and he mentioned that to the sidelines is leadplant they don’t jump off the sale shelf (Amorpha canescens). It is the for him either. It got me thinking smallest native woody plant, about underutilized native plants topping out at two to three feet that merit attention. I admit in height and spread. It prefers that bottle gentian (Gentiana Leadplant and dry, well-drained soil and andrewsii) is a slow grower, dislikes poorly drained clay soil.

Butterfly milkweed it flops when young, prefers It grows in full sun or part shade slightly acidic soil and that it can and is as happy as a mussel in a gravel bar when planted in rocky easily be overrun by more aggressive plants, but with a gardener’s areas. Plants are finicky and grow slowly, which may be why it attention, it is worth the effort. It is a stunning plant visually, sits out games on the bench. It is slow to leaf out in spring which makes it as attractive as a wet cat; looking scrawny at first but leafing out nicely by late May. Leaves are silvery gray and contrast nicely with other dry- loving companion plants like fame flower (Phemeranthus calycinus), American aloe (Manfreda virginica) and prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa). In 3 to 5 years they may grow 2 feet in height and width. They transplant poorly because of stout, deep taproots. It is said that when early settlers plowed the 3832 Barrett Station Road Manchester, MO original prairie (with mules) through lead plant roots, the ground www.greenscapegardens.com made snapping sounds, hence the lesser known common name, a family-owned nursery devil’s shoestring. cultivating connections with the natural world

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I see few people using wild onions in the native garden. That’s a shame since there are a small number of species that are showy and one that is a delicacy, wild leek. We have attempted to grow wild onions for decades but plantings often went downhill within a few years after planting. Recently we are having greater success.

The onions seem to be responding positively to our new practice of adding mycorrhizae to seedlings in the greenhouse before planting outside, and planting them in well-drained soils. We add a teaspoon of MycoBloom mycorrhizae to each pot, our greenhouse production is thriving and plants are also thriving in the garden. Liz Koziol, owner of MycoBloom is producing local ecotype strains of mycorrhizal fungi in Kansas City, which produce Nodding onion obviously healthier native plants The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants and gardens. Nodding onion (Allium cernuum), glade onion (A. stellatum), wild leek (A. triccocum) and meadow garlic (A. canadense) are available commercially. Glade onion and meadow garlic prefer full sun, nodding onion likes part shade and wild leek grows in full shade.

aroma attractive to moths and people. Plant this one where you can experience it in the evening or at night. It is the narrowest perennial of all, topping out at 3 to 4 feet in height, yet is only 12 inches across at the base so this one fits in tiny spaces and can tolerate extreme drought and part shade though it prefers full sun.

Indian physic (Porteranthus stipulatus) is another one that sits on the shelf for no reason. It has a unique ferny texture in spring and summer and grows in dry open woodlands. In midsummer it produces white flowers with a pink blush on two-and-a-half-foottall stems. It is a well-behaved perennial that is clump forming and long lived. Its finest moment is in autumn when it turns reddishpurple.

This gardening season look for the lesser native plants that merit attention. Others that are worth a try include feathery blue star (Amsonia ciliata), heart-leaved golden Alexander (Zizia aptera), Robin’s plantain (Erigeron pulchellum), Riddell’s goldenrod (Solidago riddellii) and wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana).

Happy gardening!

Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for more than 20 years. He is also an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s GrowNative! program.

Mountain mint is another one that seems to be shunned. With a name like mint I understand because spearmint and peppermint are aggressive suckering weeds. But mountain mints are clumpforming and non-aggressive, especially hairy mountain mint (Pycnanthemum pilosum). This one has grayish green leaves that have more menthol than any of the other species, so it makes a fantastic tea. Also the plant is showy in winter when left standing.

This is the tallest species of mountain mint topping out at 3-4 feet.

It can be reduced in size by cutting the leaves back in late April by 50%.

American aloe

It’s possible that this next plant seems too good to be true. Could American aloe (Manfreda virginica) truly be hearty in Missouri? Yes, it is and it blooms at the same time as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in early summer. Its flowers open in the evening to attract Sphynx moths at night.

It does this by producing sweet

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Captivating Conifers

by Jerome D. Balinger

Y

attractive cones.

ou can make your garden dramatically more interesting in terms of plant size, shape, color, texture, scent, and year-around interest by using just a few of the more than 600 species and 3,000 cultivars of conifers.

Size

A miniature, as described by the American Conifer Society (ACS), can grow less than an inch a year: imagine a 10-yearold tree less than a foot tall! A dwarf is less than five feet and an intermediate less than 12 feet at 10 years of age. While tiny trees are ideal for rock, railroad, container and fairy gardens, they can provide interest anywhere — even among flowers. You don’t need an estate to grow conifers.

Bruce Buehrig

The so-called “evergreens” commonly seen in landscapes are seldom the most beautiful or the most interesting specimens available. But with thousands to choose from, there’s no need to be boring; there’s a conifer for everyone and every situation, Equally important to gardeners and usually more than one.

Conifers are central to the landscape of area gardeners Chick and and garden designers are shape, That’s not all: they are low Bruce Buehrig. color and texture. maintenance, and they increase Shape in value, year after year.

Many are miniatures, prized for their slow growth. Others are The traditional conical Christmas tree is only the beginning: conifers cultivated for their unique shape or color, and still others for their can be upright (wide or narrow), globes, buns, vases, mounds, weeping, oval, horizontal, ground-hugging or irregular. Note that these are genetic forms that require little or no pruning. Skillfully pruned conifers such as bonsai, niwaki and topiary are something else. Once pruned to a specific shape they no longer qualify as low maintenance, but for some people this type of pruning is a relaxing hobby, not a chore. The results can be stunning.

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Texture is determined by leaf length, shape and density, branch structure, and to some extent the light reflectivity of the plant’s bark and leaves. Texture can range from hard to soft and even lacey

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or frilly.

Pinus contorta var. latifolia ‘Taylor’s Sunburst’ showing the bright yellow new growth with red imature female seed cones. This will last for about one month and then the needles turn to green.

Color goes far beyond the familiar shades of green, with cultivars of blue, yellow, gold and gray. In addition, variegated varieties have stripes, spots and patches featuring white, cream and yellow. On certain spruces, firs and pines, the underside of the needle displays contrasting colored stomata of white, silver or blue, which can be quite attractive and eye-catching.

In spring, lighter shades of new growth contrast with the older, darker foliage. Spring also brings new cones, which on some varieties can be as colorful as flowers: pink, red, blue or purple. A few “evergreens” even have interesting seasonal color changes, morphing to yellow, bronze, gold or plum, and some drop their needles in winter.

Dennis Groh

Dennis Groh

Color

Cones on Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’ The only way to truly comprehend and appreciate all this magnificent diversity is by seeing living specimens. One excellent venue is the Missouri Botanical Garden, which also offers the very important benefit of displaying conifers that will thrive in the St. Louis area. Unfortunately, many conifers do not do well in hot, humid summers. Some horticulturists claim that several full-size trees that are popular elsewhere, such as white pine (Pinus strobus) and Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), are not at home here, but they have smaller cultivars that do tolerate this climate.

Others disagree. ACS member Bruce Buehrig has several white To top it off, several conifers have very interesting and attractive pines more than 30 feet tall in his two-acre hillside St. Louis bark, and the aroma of pine, cedar, and others, is legendary. cont’d on next page

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Dennis Groh

cont’d from previous page

trees don’t survive in the wild because they are smothered and outcompeted by larger plants. Only collectors and propagators can assure their survival.

However, conifers as a group are no slouches when it comes to survival. They have been around for 300 million years and some are among the world’s oldest living things (as well as the largest). The history and botany of these gymnosperms — non-flowering plants that preceded the flowering angiosperms — are as fascinating as their beauty and diversity.

Picea Jezoensis Yatsubusa garden. He says proper siting and watering are the keys to success.

“Blue spruce are widely grown in St. Louis,” he adds. “They do have a tendency to contract disease as well as ‘opening up.’ This includes the smaller varieties.”

St. Louis nurseries offer many smaller conifers in containers at reasonable prices. Gardeners often prefer to pay less and let the plant grow, but conifers can be found in pints, quarts, gallons, and ball & burlap. It’s worth noting that a plant costing less than $50 today could be worth hundreds in a few years.

Buehrig adds that most area nurseries offer a one-year guarantee on conifers. This provides the customer with some assurance that the plant will survive in St. Louis. But then too, nurseries don’t stock plants that aren’t likely to survive.

You might also want to visit an ACS reference garden, perhaps Powell Gardens, in Kingsville, Missouri, one of eight in the Central Region. ACS provides grants to assist in developing gardens highlighting the beauty, diversity, and utility of conifers, and to educate the public about their use in home landscapes. ACS members provide expertise, assistance and plant donations.

The origins of these unusual plants can be a major study in itself, one some coniferites pursue quite enthusiastically. Most new varieties result from witches› brooms, which are genetic deformities found on otherwise normal trees. These growths can yield an assortment of sports or mutations, either from seed or by grafting. Miniature

But this again is a field unto itself, one that for most gardeners can wait until after they become acquainted with at least a few of the vast number of cultivars in existence. The easiest way to get up to speed in a hurry is at a website such as www.conifersociety.org.

It›s easy to find a conifer you’ll fall in love with. But beware, conifers are like potato chips: you won’t be satisfied with just one!

If you learn too much about these ancient, diverse, and beautiful trees, you’re likely to acquire ACS — Addicted Conifer Syndrome.

When that happens, welcome to the club!

Jerry Belanger, retired editor and publisher of Countryside and its sister magazines, has written 10 books on raising small livestock and country living. He now edits newsletters for the American Conifer Society and the Northern Wisconsin Hosta Society, gardens, and bakes bread.

M

American Conifer Society Central Region Annual Meeting St. Louis, MO June 28th-29th, 2019

embers of the Central Region of the American Conference Society are gathering at Sheraton Westport for their annual meeting. Keynote speaker Dan Billman of Kirkwood Gardens will address the group, asking the question, “Can the Central Region be a Conifer King?” Saturday will feature tours of 5 area gardens that seem to answer that question in the affirmative. Events aren’t open to the general public, but the group invites conifer enthusiasts who aren’t members to find out more about the organization at ConiferSociety.org. Welcome to all the attendees!

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Perennials and Shrubs for Cut FLowers

by Steffie Littlefield

O

ne of my favorite to cut them

uses for the plants in my garden is and make table arrangements to share with the visitors to the winery. There are lots of annuals I grow for this purpose but those are not blooming and s l i ready to start cutting until fod f a mid to late June. For me D the season for cutting flowers is year-round.

With the first warm days comes the lovely narcissus blooms. I have planted many different varieties giving me a month o r two of material to cut along with other complementary plants such as the hellebores, Virginia bluebells, Greigii tulips like ‘Robin Hood’ and grape hyacinths. These have naturalized in my garden and have returned each spring for many years.

Next is the blooming shrub season with forsythia, lilacs, viburnum, and spirea being the stars of the show with some of my later narcissus, and charming Spanish blueColu bells, which are also naturalized in Gol mbine woodland settings. Comden and plementing Alex and these ers are the woodl a n d phlox, white trillium and the beautiful stems of variegated Solomon’s seal. Bursting into bloom and perfect for cutting are blue/lavender iris and peonies.

The bouquets are made complete with dames rocket, flea bane, columbines and deutzia. Look for golden alexander and oxeye daisy to combine with the Iris Pseudacorus (yellow flag iris) and mock orange for clean yellow and white bouquets, or add my favorite baptisia, false indigo, in late spring.

As we graduate into the summer months there are so many choices from coneflowers to black-eyed Susan, tall garden phlox, fluffy goats beard, downy skull cap, Queen Anne’s lace, monarda, milk14

weeds grown to benefit the butterflies, and the hydrangeas.

I love to add the tall purple liatris or blue salvias for height and indian pinks for color. Later in the summer comes the rich gold flowers of goldenrods to combine with aromatic asters, turtle head, sedums and airy seed heads from the grasses.

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As the weather turns chilly my bouquets are filled with beautyberry stems, red twig dogwood, winterberry and some evergreen cuttings from the pines, junipers and magnolias.

Pods from the sumacs and cones from the pines, mixed with holly sprays are fun to make weather proof arrangements in pots of loose soil or sand to hold them all winter. I even collect the horse chestnuts or buckeyes of both my red rod n e and Ohio horse d Gol chestnut trees to put in jars on the tables with acorns and small stones for some natural winter decorations.

Many of these same plants are important to grow to support the pollinator population as well. So only cut a few from each plant and en-

joy your flowers both on the table and in the field. So by planting hardy perennials and shrubs you can create a pallet of cutting flowers you can count on for the whole year.

Steffie Littlefield is a St Louis area horticulturist and garden designer. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticultural Association, Missouri Botanical Garden Members Board and past president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis. She is part-owner of Edg-Clif Winery, Potosi, MO. www.Edg-Clif. com.

The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

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15

Keeping Your Roses Happy

by Diane Brueckman

S

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pring can lull us into thinking all is well, roses are lush and blooming.

What more could we want?

Time to sit back and relax? Not so fast. It’s time to think about keeping them happy and healthy.

With summer comes the heat and humidity that promotes disease and reduces the bloom. There are things you can do to beat the summer stress on roses.

The other water tip and maybe the most important is to water thoroughly once a week or in extreme heat twice a week.

When you water, measure the amount that your sprinkler is delivering to your beds. A minimum of one inch a week but up to 4 inches a week is okay, as long as your beds drain well.

Roses do not like wet feet. Wellhydrated roses bloom better in the summer heat.

One of the most important things is to keep your roses well hydrated.

I have had When conditions are right for questions on watering recently blackspot (when weather is hot and thought I might clarify what ‘Pearly Gates’ climbing rose, photo courtesy Weeks Roses. and humid, and nights are damp proper watering is for roses. It and cool) , it is time to give the roses a preventive spray with a is not necessary to have a drip system to keep foliage dry, after all fungicide. The roses need to be well hydrated when you spray Mother Nature waters overhead. The key is to water early in the them or you could burn the foliage. A good time to spray is in the day so leaves can dry off in less than six hours. Again, Mother evening after a morning watering.

Nature does not follow instructions and rains whenever she feels Healthy roses are also well fed roses. I like to use organic fertilizer because it is harder to burn the plants. You can use liquid or dry fertilizer but keep the Nitrogen (N) lower than the Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Too much N will give lots of green growth, loved by bugs and fungi, but not much bloom. If you use a liquid feed do it early in the day before the sun can scorch the leaves. A high P (middle) number on the fertilizer will boost the bloom YOUR TREES DESERVE THE BEST CARE output.

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The other practice that encourages bloom is proper deadheading. The more you deadhead the more bloom you will get. It is important to cut back to a five-leaflet leaf but leave at least two five-leaflet leaves on the cane for the biggest bloom. Cutting to a three-leaflet will produce a smaller bloom.

Just remember your roses will outgrow pruning mistakes.

Diane Brueckman is a retired rosarian with Missouri Botanical Garden, and currently owns Rosey Acres in Baldwin, Illinois. You can reach her at (618) 785-3011 or droseyacres@ egyptian.net.

The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

The Cornucopia Corner

Tips for Growing, Buying and Cooking Fresh, Locally Sourced Food for Your Table

Grow Popcorn for Decoration or Snacking!

Courtesy Espoma®

Not much of a veggie eater as a child, I wasn’t much of a veggie grower either. But I do remember how much fun it was to grow and harvest popcorn! Your kids will love it, too, and you can enjoy eating it or using for fall decor. It’s too late this season to start, but save this for a fun gardening project next year.—Ed. Note

E

veryone loves corn on the cob. It’s a staple of summer picnics and barbeques.

Everyone loves popcorn too, but most people don’t realize you can grow your own. This is a fun and easy way to get kids involved in gardening. Seeds are relatively large and easy for kids to handle. It’s fast growing and making your own popcorn is a real treat.

and plant it. Most store bought popcorn isn’t fertile because of the heating and sterilization processes it undergoes. You’ll need to buy fertile popcorn from your local garden center. There are a few heirloom varieties that make great popcorn and are beautiful too, you’ll want to use them for fall decorating.

You’ll Need Fertile Seed No, you can’t open a bag of popcorn from the grocery store

Jt’s Fresh Ideas Sweet Corn SalSa

Choose a Bright, Sunny Spot Plant corn in full sun, with well-draining soil. Mix in some organic fertilizer such as Espoma’s All-Purpose Garden Soil and Bio-tone Starter Plus to refresh your soil. While these varieties of corn are somewhat smaller than eating corn, they still need plenty of room.

Space the seeds, 2 per hole, eight to ten inches apart with 18-24 inches between rows. Keep in mind a stalk of corn only produces one or two ears, so plan—and plant—according to your harvest expectations.

Ingredients

4 ears of sweet corn 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 medium tomatoes, diced ½ red onion, finely chopped ½ cup loose packed chopped cilantro juice of 2 limes (or 3 limes if they are not really juicy) 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp salt 1 tsp granulated sugar ½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Cut the kernels off the cobs. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and quickly sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

This Sweet Corn Salsa is GREAT on

Recipe and photo courtesy of: www.savingdessert.com

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

You can email us @ info@gatewaygardener.com

18

Strawberry Popcorn?

One heritage variety named Strawberry ‘Strawberry’ has short cobs, just Popcorn 2-4 inches long with ruby red kernels. ‘Dakota Black’ has 6-8 inch long cobs with kernels so deep purple they look almost black.

Think Halloween decorations! Perhaps the most beautiful is called ‘Glass Gem’. The kernels are yellow, orange, pink, purple, green and orange with a glossy, glass-like transparency. They are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat!

fish, chicken or tacos. Served with tortiilla chips, it is a terrific appetizer or party snack.

While sitting by the pool, enjoy this salsa with your favorite tortilla chips!

Jt

They’re Thirsty Popcorn is a thirsty plant. They will drink about 2 inches of water a week if it doesn’t rain. Add a layer of mulch after planting to help hold moisture in the soil. Using soaker hoses is a very efficient way to water, very little evaporates and the water is taken up slowly and deeply. You should begin to taper off watering when you near the harvest time, about 100 days.

They’re Hungry!

Feeding your popcorn is just as important as watering it. All corn needs nitrogen. Using a product like Espoma’s Plant-Tone is a great choice. It’s an organic, long lasting, slow release fertilizer.

It’s a good idea to feed popcorn when it’s about knee high, when the silk forms or if the leaves start turning yellow. Or, simply feed plants once a month.

The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

Protect the Kernels If you garden with kids, making a scarecrow is an absolute must!

And, it may actually help to keep the birds away. If birds are overly interested in your sprouting corn, you could try using a chicken wire tunnel over each row.

Let the Corn Dry on the Stalks In a dry autumn, leave the corn on the stalks until they are dry. The husks should be papery and dry and the kernels should feel hard.

If it’s a wet fall, harvest the corncobs and bring them indoors to finish drying. Simply pull back the husks and spread them out on newspaper, out of direct sunlight. Popcorn is generally harvested in October, 85-120 days after planting depending on weather and when it was planted.

Pop Quiz If you’re not sure if your popcorn is dry enough, do a pop test. Put a few kernels of corn into a hot pan with a little bit of oil. If it pops, it’s ready. If it sticks to the pan, it’s not ready and needs to be dried longer. You can either pop your corn the old fashion way, in a pan with oil or put one cob in a paper bag and pop it in the microwave.

Keep a close eye on your microwave cooking time, until you know how long it takes for your popcorn to cook. Unpopped popcorn can be stored in an air tight container all winter.

This article first appeared in an enewsletter published by Espoma, the organic plant food and potting soil company, and is reprinted here with their permission. Photo courtesy Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds / RareSeeds.com

June Harvest Here are some fruits and veggies you might find in the garden or your local farmers’ market this month: Vegetables Asparagus Beets Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Herbs Horseradish Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Okra Onions Peas Radishes Rhubarb

Spinach Squash (summer) Sweet Corn Tomatoes Turnips Fruits Apples Apricots Blackberries Blueberries Canteloupe Cherries Gooseberries Nectarines Peaches Plums Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon

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19

Dig This!

In Memoriam

Ronda Anson

St. Louis Master Gardener Alma Reitz, the first woman “Answer Man” at the Missouri Botanical Garden Horticulture Answer Service (HAS), passed away on Wednesday, May 1st, at the age of 102. After retiring from Sears as a human resource manager, Alma began what would be a Alma Reitz long second career as a volunteer. Initially she volunteered for a number of years in the Garden Gate Gift Shop. Then, in 1977, she broke ground by becoming the first woman in the Garden’s “Answer Man” gardening answer service. Thereafter, it was officially renamed the Horticulture Answer Service.

(Today, the HAS phone-in service and Plant Dr. Desk walk-in service are staffed by more than 50% women.)

In her capacity there, Alma trained the current head of the HAS Chip Tynan. She had been a member of the St. Louis Master Gardener’s since 1985 and a longtime avid gardener, and continued to answer area residents’ gardening questions well into her 90s.

Alma also volunteered at the Saint Louis Zoo for a number of years and was a longtime “Zoo Mom” to the hippopotamuses. She loved the hippos!

She was known by fellow volunteers and friends for sharing her many “Alma-isms” including this one: “There is no better exercise for strengthening the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

Going Potless!

Maypop Coffee and Garden Shop is going beyond recycling plastic pots; they’re virtually eliminating the pots altogether! Anyone that buys flowers every spring knows that it doesn’t take much before the plastic pots really start to stack up. Horticulture plastic is notorious for being contaminated, and most municipal recycling centers won’t accept it in your single-stream recycling program. That’s why many garden centers around town have plastic pop recycling trailers and encourage gardeners to return their plastic pots to be recycled in a separate program.

But Maypop is trying to take it a step further. This spring, they are launching their own initiative to inspire a solution that will deal with an industry-wide problem by introducing a plastic-free plant line called “No Pot, No Problem”.

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These potless plants are contained by “elle pots”— imagine a brown paper towel wrapped around the roots, and you won’t be that far off. These pots are then contained in single, plastic trays.

Maypop Coffee and Garden Shop

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News

“Worldwide, horticulture executives are aware of the problems that our plastics pose, but everyone is too nervous to take the next step forward,” says Maypop Owner Tammy Behm. “Growers are already producing plants in this way, but they are concerned that retailers won’t buy them, and retailers aren’t sure if there is consumer demand for it. We’re a small fish in a big pond, but we wanted to take the plunge and see what happens.”

Behm got the idea in conversations with global horticulture leaders during her travels to industry leader summits in France, The Netherlands, and Washington DC. She is happy to let Maypop serve as a case study for all the bigger fish of the industry, but its success hinges on the feedback loop. In order to let the average consumer communicate directly with the decision makers, Behm and her team are using the name of the program as a hashtag that executives can access on any social media platform.

“The idea is that as you shop, you can take a photo of your potless purchase and tag it with #nopotnoproblem when you post,” says Marketing Director Laura Caldie. “The enthusiasm around this project is almost more important than the sales. We actually have the eyes and ears of these large corporations on us, and they’re very likely to follow our lead if people demonstrate that they care about preventing plastic pollution in this way.”

Potless plants are already on the shelves at Maypop, with more arriving in the weeks to come. In the first year of the program they are offering select annuals and perennials from a few growers, but would love to scale up in the future.

“For all the convenience of single use plastics, the environmental impact just isn’t worth it. What Maypop is undertaking isn’t rocket science; it’s a common sense reaction to the scale of pollution we see today. We already know it’s just fine for the health of plants, because they’ve been around a lot longer than plastic. The only real question is if it’s fine with you.”

The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

Don’t Miss

the 9th Annual st. Louis Region-Wide

sustainable Backyard tour! sunday, June 23, 2019 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

FREE! take a self-guided tour of green and organic outdoor spaces throughout st. Louis city and county. see how others have integrated sustainable living practices into their yards and learn what you need to know to go green.

Pollinator Potpourri

Each year, the national organization Pollinator Partnership designates a week in June National Pollinator Week. This year, that week is June 17th-23th. Locally, there are several ways you can celebrate the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

Showcasing green living practices such as lowimpact lawn care, composting, using recycled materials, organic gardening, chicken and beekeeping, native plants, water conservation, renewable energy and more.

Pollinator Week at the St. Louis Zoo

Celebrate pollinators all week long at the St. Louis Zoo’s Insectarium, where you’ll find demonstrations on attracting bees to gardens, how to identify different bee species, beekeeping and keeper chats. On Tuesday the Zoo hosts its Annual Pollinator Dinner featuring a menu including honeybee-pollinated beverages and tasty treats. Before and after dinner, learn what you can do to conserve pollinators and the habitats and foods that depend upon them. You can try to get reservation online (Google it), but the event usually sells out quite early. Put it on your calendar for next year!

Pollinator Programs Around Town

Our Upcoming Events Calendar is buzzing with classes and other programs highlighting the importance of pollinators all month long.

Many of them are held at a local independent garden center near you, where staffers are also happy to help you select plants for attracting and feeding pollinators. Plus, the month is full of garden tours, so you can get out and see for yourself how the right plants in the right landscape can go a long way to helping give pollinators the food, shelter and breeding habitat they need to keep doing the job that WE need!

There are also several groups in the region that emphasize the importance of pollinator health and would be happy to get you started or answer your questions about how to create your perfect pollinator habitat garden. Just a few include: St. Louis Audubon Society (StLouisAudubon.org/BCH/) St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation (StLouisCo.com/Parks-and-Recreation/Pollinator-Pantry) GrowNative!/ Missouri Prairie Foundation (GrowNative.org) Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter (StLWildOnes.org)

What Can You Do?

How can you make your garden and landscape more pollinator friendly? Two things will go a long way! First, plant native plants!

Lots of flowering plants will provide nectar for bees and butterflies, but only native plants will feed their babies. And be sure to plant a variety of plants that flower throughout the season. Second, use pesticides very, very sparingly or better, not at all! Pesticides not only kill important pollinators, but they also kill beneficial insects that help keep pest insects under control.

JUNE 2019

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Upcoming Events O’Fallon, IL. Tour tickets not required at the sale/raffle. Drawing is at 1pm. Call (618) 939-3434 for more information.

Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at www.GatewayGardener.com, so check there for the latest details.

Give us the details of your upcoming gardening, lawn or landscaping event and we’ll add it to our website and include it in our next issue. Deadline for printing in September issue is August 1st.

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122 Fax: (314) 968-4025 Email: info@gatewaygardener.com

GARDEN CLUBS AND PLANT SOCIETY MEETINGS Interested in Joining a Garden Club or Plant Society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at www.GatewayGardener.com. Don’t have access to the internet? Just call us at (314) 968-3740, or write us at PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122, and we’ll get the information to you. So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant society today!

Fun for Kids June 1st 9am—Children’s Garden Club.

Pollinator—Summer Bowl Tradition.

FREE, no reservations required, everyone welcome. The Children’s Garden Club is designed to educate and bring delight in gardening to children with projects they do themselves. Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Rd. 10am—Hillermann’s First Saturday Kids. Bring the kids to play in the garden and enjoy a FREE activity. Make a Fairy Flower Garden. $20 supply fee. Call to RSVP. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, (636) 239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

Plant Shows, Sales and Tours June 1st 9am-3pm—St. Clair County Gardens in Bloom Tour. Eight gardens in O’Fallon, Illinois, area. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of event. Children 12 and under free. A plant sale and raffle will also be held on tour day at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 111 O’Fallon Troy Road,

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June 1st-2nd 10am-5pm Sat., 10am-4pm Sun.— 25th Annual Hermann Garden Tour and Plant Sale. Two Tours in 2019: the popular Town Tour, a walking tour of gardens in downtown Hermann, and the Country Tour, a driving tour to country gardens. This year’s feature will be three artists’ gardens where you will find plein air artists at work. The $15 ticket includes visits to at least five private gardens both in town and in the country and the Garden Demonstration Area. There is also a Garden Party/Silent Auction on Friday evening May 31st from 6-9pm at the Historic Hermann Rotunda. Visit the Hermann Garden Tours website at www. hermanngardentours.com for up to date events, ticket prices, and photographs.

“Like” us on Facebook at Hermann Garden Club Tours 2015. Call (573) 294-6242 or email bartowmollow@centurytel.net.

June 2nd Noon-4pm—New Town at St. Charles Garden Tour. Explore beautiful gardens of New Town. Crafts, treats and a Wreath Raffle in town hall the day of the tour.

Tickets are $10, and available at Marsala’s Market, The General Assembly, or email terristeffes1117@gmail.com.

June 8th 10am-4pm—Garden Conservancy Open Days. The Garden Conservancy is a national nonprofit dedicated to saving and sharing outstanding American gardens.

Since 1995, the Garden Conservancy’s award-winning Open Days has welcomed more than one million visitors into thousands of inspired private landscapes – from urban rooftops to organic farms, historic estates to innovative suburban lots – in forty-one states. This year in the St. Louis region, four private gardens in Clayton, Creve Coeur and Kirkwood will participate. Visitors may begin the tour at any of the locations. The Open Day is rain or shine, and no reservations are required. Admission to each garden is $10, payable in cash or check; children 12 & under are free. Call 1-888-842-2442, or visit www.opendaysprogram.org for more information.

9am-5pm—The St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale. Missouri Botanical Garden, Beaumont Room.

Lots of great plants-- Venus flytraps, Sarracenia, Drosera,etc. For further info contact stlcarns@gardener.com.

June 14th-15th 4:30-8:30pm Friday, 9am-1pm Saturday— Madison County Garden Tour.

Celebrating 20 years of garden tours in Madison County, IL. Tour six home gardens in Edwardsville, IL. Tickets

are $12 in advance and $15 day of tour.

Children 10 and under are free. Container raffle at Market Basket, 447 S. Buchanan Street, Edwardsville, IL. Call 618-3444230 for more information.

June 15th-16th 10am-4pm—CWE Home and Garden Tour. The Central West End Home & Garden Tour, the most anticipated annual home tour in the St. Louis region, featuring the homes of Kingsbury Place. Kingsbury Place was founded in 1902 and designated a City Landmark in 1973. This year’s tour offers a peek inside five homes including the legendary Southern Comfort Mansion.

All of these magnificent homes were built circa 1910 and showcase a variety of architectural styles: Arts and Crafts, Georgian Revival, English Regency, Colonial Revival, and Italian Villa. CWEA Member tickets $20 online and at the door.

Non-member tickets, $30 online and at the door.

June 22nd 9am-5pm—20th Annual Kimmswick Daylily Sale. Features approximately 90 different daylilies from Carrol Wrather’s state-inspected garden containing over 600 different varieties. 1200 freshly dug and bagged plants. Purchase new and older varieties not available for sale in nurseries and garden centers. Discount on large purchases. Be sure to arrive early for the best selection. 6005 4th St., Kimmswick, MO. 9am-1pm—St. Louis Master Gardener Garden Tour. Explore 6 beautiful gardens from around the St. Louis area. Open to all Master Gardeners and their guests. $10 per person registration may be paid at the University of Missouri Extension website.

In case of rain, the tour will be held on Saturday, June 29th. More information and a link for registration will be provided on the Master Gardener website.

9am-3pm—2019 Soulard “Art in the Garden” Tour. Self-guided tour begins and concludes at the Soulard Station at 1911 S. 12th Street. Features seven private gardens.

Each garden will host local musicians providing an entertaining backdrop and a local artist creating an original work of art inspired by the environment around them.

After the tour, return to the Soulard Station for live music in the wine garden. Pieces of art created by the featured artists will also be available for viewing and purchase. The tour benefits the Beautification Committee of the Soulard Restoration Group. Tickets are $20 per person when purchased in advance online at www.soulard.org.

Tickets may also be purchased for $22 per person the day of the tour at the Soulard Station (1911 S. 12th Street).

June 22nd-23rd 9am-5pm—64th Annual African Violet Show and Sale. “Violets on Wall Street”

is this year’s theme presented by the Metropolitan St. Louis African Violet Council. Horticulture-Design exhibits, educational culture information and supplies, plus African Violets, Episcias, and other Gesneriads available. Missouri Botanical Garden Orthwein Hall, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis.

9am-5 pm—Pond-O-Rama 19th Annual Pond and Garden Tour. Sponsored by The St. Louis Water Gardening Society, the self-guided tour includes more than 20 water features that range from choice small ponds to magnificent large ones located in both Missouri and Illinois. The tour is divided geographically by day with about half the gardens available for viewing each day. Tickets, good for both days, are $15 per person, and are available at garden centers across the area. Children 17 and under are admitted free. All persons age 18 and over must have a ticket. The ticket booklet includes maps to all tour locations.

For more information about the St. Louis Water Gardening Society and its activities, including Pond-O-Rama, visit the SLWGS website at www.slwgs.org or call (314) 995-2988.

June 23rd 11am-4pm—Sustainable Backyard Tour.

Visit dozens of area home landscapes promoting sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting, composting, keeping chickens, bees or goats, using renewable energy, repurposed materials, native gardens, and more. For a tour map or to register your garden, go to www. sustainablebackyardtour.com or search the same on Facebook. The Gateway Gardener is proud to be a sponsor of this tour.

June 30th 12:30-4pm—Bittersweet Garden Club 20th Annual Garden Tour. Tour five beautifully landscaped gardens in the Jefferson City area. Discover fresh ideas to enhance your own garden. Help fund scholarships for local students. Cost $10 in advance, $12 at the garden, 12-under free.

Rain or shine. For more details call 573694-0660 or visit BittersweetGardenClub. com. Jefferson City, MO. July 6th 10am-5pm—Daylily Daze. Hundreds of blooms on display. Growers enter blooms 8:30-10am. Open to public. Missouri Botanical Garden Beaumont Room. 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis.

Classes, Lectures and Events June 1st 9:30-10:30am—Garden Stroll with Ann Million. Class takes place at Ann’s extraordinary garden in Crestwood. Sugar Creek Gardens. FREE. Call (314) 9653070 for reservations and directions.

8:30-Noon—St. Louis Urban Gardening

The Gateway Gardener™ JUNE 2019

Symposium. Hosted by Brightside St. Louis with partners University of Missouri Extension, Missouri Conservation Department and the City of St. Louis, this year’s Gardening Symposium offers a variety of workshops and presentations led by experts in their respective fields to help gardeners learn how to plan, plant and care for a neighborhood or home garden. Cost is $15/person, waived for St. Louis city residents who are interested in participating in the Neighbors Naturescaping program.

Register online and get more details at www.brightsidestl.org, or call 314-4002115. Space is limited, so sign up early.

The first 100 people to register will receive a free gift courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Demonstration Garden at Brightside St. Louis, 4646 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, 63110.

June 1st.

9:30-10:30am—Continuous Blooms with Perennial Plants. Learn the secrets of a breathtaking ever-blooming garden.

You’ll see the showiest perennials along with the longest blooming and heaviest producing plants available. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

10am—Wine Class with Harvey Jasper.

“Filter the Wine” will be the topic, with discussion and handouts. The steps for the wine are proposed since the grapes/must/ wine will dictate the timing of each stare.

FREE class. RSVP at (636) 239-6729.

Hillermann Nursery and Florist.

9am-4pm—Green Living Festival. Hosted

by EarthWays Center and sponsored by Ameren Missouri, The 18th annual Green Living Festival, formerly called the Green Homes Festival, lets visitors explore the links between sustainability and a healthy environment. Experts will offer tips to make your lifestyle, workplace, community and residence greener. The Green Living Festival is included with Missouri Botanical Garden admission of $12 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under. St. Louis City and County residents enjoy free admission on Saturday before noon and are $6 thereafter, with proof of residency. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis.

June 4th and 8th 9:30-10:30am—Best Summer Gardening Tips. Hear about the problems that may be lurking and the garden chores you can expect, plus learn about the longest blooming, heaviest producing plants.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070.

June 6th 9:30-10:30am—The Beautiful Herb Garden. Join members of the St. Louis Herb Society as they share herbs that are tasty as well as pretty. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

June 8th 9:30-10:30am—Ask the Plant Doctor

JUNE 2019

Q&A. Master Gardener Jan Gown will be available to answer your questions.

Jan is a member of the Missouri Botanical Garden Answer Service team. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

June 9th 9am-noon—Beginning Nature Photography. Professional photographer Katy Dalstrom-Houlne will discuss basics of nature photography, from composition to the basics of using your camera to take great pictures. Following this introduction, participants will spend an hour on the grounds of the McCully Heritage Project taking pictures, followed by time to look at pictures with Katy and the group.

Participants should bring their camera, and be prepared to spend at least an hour outdoors. Registration for the event is required. Registration cost: $25. Call 618653-4687 or email: mccullyheritage@ gmail.com to register, or register online.

McCully Heritage Project, 592 Crawford Creek Rd., Kampsville, IL. tinyurl.com/ photographymhp.

June 11th 9:30-10:30am—Easy Care Shrubs and Perennials. Learn about the shrubs that provide exceptional impact with little or no pruning. Also learn about perennials that will reward you with the interesting and beautiful plantings with little or no care.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. Call (314) 965-3070.

June 13th 1-4 pm—Native Plant School: Gardening with Native Groundcovers. Instead of using exotic invasive groundcovers like English ivy, winter creeper and periwinkle, try alternative native grouncovers that are useful for reducing maintenance.

Session includes hands-on tours and demonstrations. Audience participation encouraged. $17 ($14 Garden members).

Classroom behind the Joseph H. Bascom House. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 ext.

6007 or visit www.shawnature.org.

June 15th 10am—Pollinator Perennial Garden Make-N-Take - Create a pretty container garden for your deck or patio that pollinators will find irresistible. Bring nature closer to home and help the birds, bees and butterflies. Celebrate Pollinator Week June 17-23 with your new pollinator garden. $40.00 supply fee. Call 636-2396729 to sign up. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann. com.

10am—Wine Class with Harvey Jasper. “Bottling” will be the topic, with discussion and handouts. The steps for the wine are proposed since the grapes/must/ wine will dictate the timing of each stare.

FREE class. RSVP at (636) 239-6729.

Hillermann Nursery and Florist.

10am—8 Annual Bill and Friends Valley of the Flowers Car Show. Come by and see vintage and specialty cars th

The Gateway Gardener™

on display on Hillermann’s parking lot. Contact Bill Landwehr at 314-5782219 for questions about the car show.

Hillermann Nursery and Florist.

June 15th and 16th 9:30-10:30am—Gardening with Missouri Natives. Learn about the long blooming sun perennials, along with delightful shade plants to ensure successful low-maintenance landscapes. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

June 18th 6pm—St. Louis Zoo’s 11th Annual Pollinator Dinner. This annual dinner focuses on diverse foods that pollinators help to provide. Before dinner, pick up seeds and enjoy a honey tasting and a honeybee-pollinated beverage while viewing displays about pollinators, food, agriculture, gardening and habitat restoration. After dinner, sip mead and enjoy a presentation about the conservation efforts of the St. Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute Center for Native Pollinator Conservation as well as other organizations around the country. Reservations are $50 for adults, $25 for children 2-12. Contact the Zoo for reservations.

June 22nd 9am-noon—Webster Groves Herb Society Display. Meet members of the Webster Groves Herb Society at Missouri Botanical Garden for a complimentary exhibit. Recipes, tasty treats, tips and

tricks for summer cooking with herbs.

9:30-10:30am—Houseplants for Health and Happiness. Learn the best houseplants to remove indoor pollutants, make us happier and decrease pain and stress.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070 for info, no registration required.

10am—Perennial Maintenance Seminar. Learn techniques and tips on dividing and maintaining your perennial gardens. FREE class. Please call 636-2396729 to RSVP. Hillermann Nursery & Florist. Hillermann.com.

June 24th-25th 10am-2pm—Hands On Floral Arranging Workshop. Accredited Master Flower Show Judge Madelyn Hucker with conduct the workshop covering the Principals and Elements of Design. The class will cover traditional floral techniques and creative floral methods. Moolah Shriner Center, 12545 Fee Fee Road, St. Louis 63146. For more information call 314-772-2849 or email maryofficer@sbcglobal.net.

June 29th 9:30-10:30am—Plants That Work. Learn the plants that staffers have found to be the most beautiful, tough and long lived.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070.

19th Annual Pond-O-Rama June 22 & 23, 2019 Pond-O-Rama is simply the most spectacular garden and pond tour of the summer!

See SLWGS member ponds from 9-5 PM each day Tickets are $15.

Garden club and group discounts are available.

For ticket locations, call

(314)995-2988

or visit our website

www.slwgs.org 23

It’s Summertime!

Apply certified compost to reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil.

Ask your landscape contractor to spread STA-Certified Compost for your next project. Or visit one of our six area locations for the largest selection of STA-Certified Compost, Mulch Products and Soil Blends.

VALLEY PARK, MO

PACIFIC, MO

BELLEVILLE, IL

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO

39 Old Elam Avenue 636.861.3344 5841 Mine Haul Road 618.233.2007

18900 Franklin Road 636.271.3352 11294 Schaefer Road 314.423.9035

Visit us online at www.stlcompost.com

ST. LOUIS, MO

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

FLORISSANT, MO

13060 County Park Road 314.355.0052