The Gateway Gardener October 2017

Gateway Gardener

OCTOBER 2017

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

FALL in Love With Pansies Again Fall Containers with Fire and Ice Evergreens With Color Seed Saving Basics

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Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

OCTOBER 2017

Volume 13, Number 8

Founded in 2005 by Joyce Bruno & Robert Weaver Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists Diane Brueckman Rosarian Bill Dalton Organic Lawn Professional Abby Elliott Nursery Professional Matt Even Gateway Greening Steffie Littlefield Nursery Professional Jennifer Schamber Nursery Professional Scott Woodbury Native Plant Specialist

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.

A

From the Editor

s I write this, it hardly feels like autumn, as the equinox came without putting a dent in the sweltering temperatures and continuing drought. But, with the hurricane and earthquake devastation bringing suffering to so many, to complain would seem trivial and insensitive.

Besides, the calendar tells us it’s fall, and the goldenrods, asters and seasonal aisles at the pansies can be right for fall, drugstore confirm it, so we’ll as Jennifer Schamber instructs in her article on cheery fall play along. containers, which, she writes, Fall is for Planting. Fall is can be fiery hot or icy cold! for Harvesting. And Fall Learn more about creating is for Decorating. So with beautiful containers to decorate those assignments on our toHalloween through the winter do list, we offer a number holidays on page 6. of suggestions for all in this issue. First, it’s time to put Color is equally variable in pansies in their rightful place the landscape, even when one alongside garden mums, kale thinks of a favorite of the winter and other more traditional fall garden, the evergreen. On page ornamentals. Pansies come 4, Steffie Littlefield explores in many colors perfectly the surprising amount of color complementary to the warm in this category, including hues of the harvest season, and reds, golds, blues and more. when planted in the fall, will Evercolor, she suggests, might often continue to bloom right be the more appropriate term. through a mild winter, or at One nearly evergreen we’d least rebound in spring. Read like to see less of—it’s the first more about pansies on page 8. to leaf out in the spring and last Even the cooler-colored to lose its foliage in the fall—is

On the Cover...

While often thought of as a spring ornamental, pansies are perfect for the cool days of autumn, and come in a variety of colors ideal for matching with harvest season decor. Read more about pansies on page 8. (Cover photo by PanAmerican Seed.)

the dreaded bush honeysuckle.

Yet, precisely because it does screen for so much of the year, many homeowners are reluctant to part with it.

I resisted for many years myself, sharing my neighbor’s appreciation for the privacy it provided our backyard activities. But, I finally started removing and replacing the plants one or two at a time, and in less that 10 years now have a more eco-friendly native screen fully in place and functional. Scott Woodbury promotes this strategy in more detail on page 18.

By the time you read this, I’m confident we’ll be enjoying the cooler more seasonable temperatures of fall. Which will make it much more comfortable to plant, to decorate and harvest. If not, we’ll just sweat and do it anyway. We’re gardeners.

Good Gardening!

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Evergreens with Color 6 Fall Container Hot and Cool 8 FALL in Love with Pansies 10 Hort History: Westover 11 Fall Lawn Renovation 13 Saving Veggie Seeds 14 Cornucopia Corner 14 JT’s Fresh Ideas 16 Putting Roses to Bed 17 Bird/Native Plant Matchmaker 18 Honeysuckle Replacement 20 Dig This!

22 Upcoming Events

‘Rainbow’ drooping leucothoe, which lives up to its name with streaks of cream, pink and burgundy paint brushed on its leathery foliage.

Nandina ‘Tuscan Flame’

Moving into the part shade we

are ‘Tuscan Flame’, ‘Burgundy Wine (also goes by All-AGlow™) and ‘Fire Power’, which also boasts lime green leaves in the summer months!

Other unexpected shade plants include Aucuba japonica, or Gold Dust Plant, with sporty gold dots and a tropical look, and

4

False Cypress ‘Boulevard’

Iseli Nursery. Randall C. Smith Photo

now showing yellow edges as in Wedding Ring® boxwood, splashes of lime green/gold in ‘Golden Dream’ boxwood ,and white stripes on the leaves of Emerald Moon™ boxwood.

All of these are good for areas with low light conditions and all Let’s start with one of the can be kept small or allowed to most commonly used shrubs, grow larger. boxwood. New varieties are Another good shrub group

False Cypress Soft Serve®

The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

Proven Winners

Boxwood Wedding Ring®

for the shade are the nandinas (Nandina domestica) or “Heavenly Bamboo” (Invasive Note: Nandina domestica is on the invasive plant/noxious weed list in some parts of the country, mostly the southeastern US, but is not listed for our region).

These plants have feathery like foliage that emerges pink to red in the spring, and then turns bright red or even burgundy in colder weather. My favorites

Garden Debut

he big news in Fashion is “What’s Trending!”

Well in decorating, clothing design and landscape design “Color” is what’s trending and durability and easy care is what’s requested by clients. Evergreens have always been the bones of the garden plan and the most low maintenance plant choices. But an all green landscape is not what people want anymore.

They want color! So bring on the “EVERCOLOR” plants. Mostly shrubs, for low maintenance, that keep their leaves or needles all season and add bright color to the landscape.

by Steffie Littlefield

Proven Winners

T

Ever...Greens, Blues, Golds and More!

False Cypress ‘Lemon Thread’

Juniper ‘Fire Chief’

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Juniper ‘Blue Star’ shrubs, but my favorite here is the ‘Blue Star’ juniper with Hinoki Cypress its soft sky-blue branches ‘Fernspray Gold’ mounding less than 2’ tall and gently spreading or cascading if The Arborvitae group also used along a wall. has lots of color and shape variation. From the round, lime- Use any of these colorful plants green Annie’s Magic Ball®, along with your dark green bright yellow and vase-shaped hollies, pines or magnolias ‘Fernspray Gold’ (actually a to give the garden life and Hinoki Cypress, a lookalike all season interest. Soften the to the arborvitaes), and cone- combinations with ornamental shaped and gold ‘Filips Magic grasses and flowering Moment’, to the craziest gold perennials. Add structure with and red dwarf/mounding shrub, stone accents or brick edges.

Fire Chief™.

It will all come together for a yearlong view of beauty and When you have full sun to deal nature. with go for the hardy spruces 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 partowner of Edg-Clif Winery, Potosi, MO. www.Edg-Clif.com.

OCTOBER 2017

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Bailey Nursery

Iseli Nursery, Randall C. Smith photo

and you’ll find lots of beautiful blue globe shrubs that can stay can try some really interesting small or are grafted on standard shrubs whose texture is soft trunks to make a topiary. And with overlapping scales of in the juniper family there are many colors. The false cypress lots of gold and blue creeping or Chamaecyparis pacifera family comes in blue-gray with ‘Boulevard’, bluish green with Soft Serve®, and yellows with ‘Lemon Thread’. These are mostly mounding to pyramidal at maturity.

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In Fall, Containers Blow

Hot... and Cool

by Jennifer Schamber

F

all is the favorite season for many gardeners for many reasons. It’s the time when the air feels more crisp in the morning, and the smell of the fire pit floats through the sky at night. It’s when the soil is warm and moist, perfect for new roots to establish and a little bit of extra rain greens up the lawn for one last hurrah. For some gardeners, this season is the highlight of year, especially if Mother Nature delights us with a particularly vibrant foliage show and offers a bumper crop of berries and seeds for our feathered friends. Others enjoy the bounty of the fall vegetable garden, with sweet potatoes to harvest along with abundant greens and cole crops. Even though many of our gardens may look tired and ready for a long rest, fall marks the start of the celebration season, when we turn our focus to gathering our friends

and families in our homes. That’s why this is the favorite season for decorating the front porch with the many shades of autumnal colors. Here are a couple of inspiring color palettes to greet guests for the upcoming seasonal celebrations.

Fiery Fall

Oranges, reds and yellows dominate this color theme that is usable straight through November until Thanksgiving.

These colors pair perfectly with stacks of pumpkins, gourds and sprays of corn stalks. Hardy woody shrubs, like nandina, can be incorporated to provide structure and offer year-round interest. Rudbeckias, celosias, crotons, ornamental peppers and pansies take center stage of this show-stopping theme.

Keep in mind that some of these plants are not hardy below 40° F, so they may need to be protected indoors during cold snaps or when in danger of frost.

A Change In The Air

Deep purples and silvery grays set the tone for a color theme that carries through from fall all the way through the winter season.

Heirloom varieties of white, gray and beige pumpkins are scattered and stacked on the porch until Thanksgiving. White birch poles create a dramatic “thriller” element to containers and contrasting perfectly with the dark foliage of kales and cabbages. Dusty millers, heucheras, millet, curry and eucalyptus sprigs are good companions to white and purple pansies. This theme translates well

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The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

into the winter season by incorporating cut greens when those become available in midNovember.

Regardless of what the rest of our yard looks like in the winter, a well-dressed front porch makes us all feel good when we meet our friends and family at the door.

Container designs created by Janet Passiglia of Greenscape Gardens & Gifts.

Jennifer Schamber is the General Manager of Greenscape Gardens, and plays leadership roles in the Western Nursery & Landscape Association, GrowNative!, the Landscape & Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis and the Horticulture Co-op of Metro 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.

OCTOBER 2017

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7

FALL in love with Pansies Again

P

as they are edible and pair well with lettuces. They can also be candied and used to decorate sweets or other dishes.

Cool Wave® White spreading pansy brightens the warmer tones of typical harvest decor. class to over 400 garden pansy several species, including Viola varieties. tricolor. Oftentimes the names “pansy”, “viola”, and “violet” Garden pansies (Viola x are interchangeable. However wittrockiana) are a mixture of Modern pansies are classified by the American Violet Society as having largeflowered blooms with two slightly overlapping upper petals, two side petals, and a single bottom petal, with a slight beard in its center.

PROTECT YOUR ASH FROM BORERS! They’re considered annual bedding plants, used for garden sh Tree & Shrub A , decoration during cooler e ld ra s her e Systemic Insect Drench ! planting seasons. Pansies come Em rer i ouis o in a rainbow of colors: from B t. L • Provides one full year of protection S crisp white to almost black, and against listed insect pests, including flat-headed borers such most all colors in between. They as Emerald Ash Borer. are also a great addition to your • Easy to apply as a soil drench spring or fall vegetable garden

In the late 1830s the classic pansy “face” was discovered in a chance sport that produced a broad dark blotch on the petals.

It was released to the public

by James, Lord Gambier with the name “Medora”. Further hybridization of V. tricolor, V. lutea and a blueflowered species of Russian origin, V. altacia, led to breeders selecting plants for more unusual pansy colors, different color combinations, and a larger flower size.

Pansy Categories

Most pansies fall into a few categories: Large (3 to 4 in.),

SyngentaFlowers

PanAmerican Seed

ansies are such a friendly faced flower!

But I bet you didn’t know until the 19th century most people considered them a weed. Today, the pansy is a hybrid plant cultivated from those wildflowers in Europe and western Asia. Much of the collection and cultivation of pansies can be attributed to plantsmen and women in the UK and Europe more than 200 years ago. For example Lady Mary Elizabeth Bennet, daughter of the Earl of Tankerville, and her gardener crossbred a wide variety of Viola tricolor (common name “Heartsease”) and showcased their pansies to the horticultural world in 1813.

Further experiments around the same time eventually grew the

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The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

SyngentaFlowers

ft. wide and overwinter in fall gardens. Today’s garden pansy varieties can fill any sunny space – large or small, hanging overhead or growing underfoot – with soft fragrance and happy blooms.

WonderFall™ Yellow with Red Wings

help retain humidity. A fine spray or mister can be added if the media dries. Germination occurs in 10-20 days. When shoots appear, remove covering and move the flat to a brightly lit but cool room to continue to grow. Continue to grow cool.

Start Your Pansies from Separate seedlings into larger Seed containers after two sets of While many retail garden leaves appear. Begin to feed centers offer pansies in handled with diluted plant food. packs, hanging baskets or individual pots, many gardeners How To Grow For transplants or purchased finished plants, space your pansies 6 to 10 in. apart in a well-drained and fertile soil location. The best location is an area that receives morning sun. Adding granular or timerelease nutrition to the soil is encouraged, especially for trailing pansies as this increases Majestic Giants II Fire still start their own pansy flowers their vigor and number of from seed. To germinate, start blooms. Offer plenty of water your pansy seeds indoors at planting and during their with a soilless mixture (this adjustment period to help helps prevent disease on the establish roots and minimize Sakata

Medium (2 to 3 in.) Multiflora (1 to 2 in.) and a new category of Trailing pansy. Some modern Large-flowered pansy series are Majestic Giant, bred by Sakata (where Majestic Giant White Face was a 1966 AllAmerica Selections Winner); Delta, bred by Syngenta; and Matrix, bred by PanAmerican Seed.

Medium-sized pansy series include Crown by Sakata and Imperial from Takii & Co., Ltd. (Imperial Blue won an AllAmerica Selections in 1975).

Multiflora pansy series like seedlings). Plant seed 1/8in.

Maxim and Padparadja won deep with a light cover and a AAS awards in the early 1990s. gentle watering.

New on the scene for hanging baskets and ground cover are WonderFall™ from Syngenta, and Cool Wave® pansies from PanAmerican Seed, the makers of Wave® petunias. These trailing pansies spread over 2

Pansies prefer darkness for germination.

The media temperature should be 60-65°F and keep air temperature at 7075°F. The media should stay damp (covering with a plastic wrap or damp newspaper will

stress. Mulching can help retain moisture and reduce any weeds that may compete with your plants.

Mulching can help retain moisture and reduce any weeds that may compete with your plants. Pansies planted in the spring will enjoy the warm days and cool nights of the season. Most V. wittrockiana will begin to diminish or go out of flower as nighttime temperatures begin to rise in the summer. When planted for fall outdoor decorating in the St. Louis region, pansies can continue to bloom for weeks and even months in a mild winter, hunkering down when extreme cold weathers arrive, then perking back up during occasional mild breaks.

This information was provided by The National Garden Bureau with thanks to PanAmerican Seed as the author.

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St. Louis Hort History Edited by Robert Weaver

Westover Nursery: Memories of the Region’s Largest Nursery

Above: photo from a 1932 catalog depicting the “display grounds” at that time.

Below: Henry Endres in an undated photo estimated to be circa 1920 or earlier.

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I

n the early 20th century, most plant nurseries were started by farmers, usually beginning as roadside produce stands that sold a few annuals and other plants. Westover Nursery’s founder, Henry Endres, Sr., was all about ornamental plants from the very beginning. Inspired by his mother’s love of flowers and perhaps gifted with the genes of a great-grandfather who was a noted botanist in Germany, Henry—and in fact all five of Mary and John Endres’ sons--became horticulturists. Emil was an inspector of the forestry department of the City of St. Louis and a competent “tree surgeon.”

Henry and two other brothers, William and Fred, worked for periods at the Missouri Botanical Garden. But of all of them, Henry seemed to excel. He studied floriculture and worked at MBG for 4-1/2 years from around 1906-11, then was selected by the directors of the famed Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in A document certifying Henry Endres’ England “from a long list work at Kew Gardens in England in of American applications” 1912.

The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

for a scholarship at Kew, where he worked and studied from 1911-1912. After that he was scheduled to go to the Berlin Botanical Garden, the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, and the Glasnevin Garden in Dublin, to continue special courses of plant instruction at each place. But there is no record that he did so, and perhaps because of the building tensions leading to the breakout of World War I in 1914, he returned home.

Back in St. Louis Henry started a small landscaping company. As did most The Westover 1921 catalog. landscaping companies of the time, Henry grew the plants he installed. But unlike most others who grew limited selections in the ground, Henry put his horticulture education to use and grew a wide variety of container-grown perennials, trees and shrubs. And in 1915 he purchased 31 acres on Olive St. Rd. just west of North and South Rd. in University City, the new home of Westover Nursery.

A view of one of the vast growing fields, circa

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The nursery’s 1947. reputation for quality and variety of plants soon built a large clientele, and almost immediately, the nursery expanded across Olive St. Rd. with another 28 acres, then spread east with yet another

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An undated interior view.

OCTOBER 2017

(Continued on next page)

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(Westover Nursery, continued from previous page) 28 acres, and within 10 years was growing plants on 97 acres along Olive St., not only selling plants to his landscape customers, but to other landscapers as well, and to a growing walk-up retail trade.

By the early 1930, Westover Nursery had grown to become the largest nursery in the region, and one of the largest west of the Mississippi River. Hundreds of head of mule reportedly were put to work cultivating fields, hauling plants, clearing land and doing all the other chores handled in modern times by heavy farm equipment. An onsite bunkhouse was home to seasonal workers.

A 1932 catalog put the nursery’s footprint at 164 acres along Olive St. Rd., with 50,000 sq. ft. of greenhouses and cold frames, with an offering of “thousands of Plants, Evergreens, Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Roses, Perennials, Bedding and Westover Nursery 1932 catalog Potted House Plants….”

By that time another “Tree Farm No. 2” location had been added “west of the town of Creve Coeur.”

study business, with the intent of returning to the nursery to operate the business side.

But World War II interrupted his plans and he joined the Marines in 1942. The War had an effect on the landscaping industry, and by the time Henry, Donald Andrews in an undated photo.

Jr., returned, the nursery had been acquired, in 1945, by one of its business partners, Anthony Guenther. He, along with his son-in-law, Donald Andrews, and subsequently Donald’s sons Craig and Gary, continued to operate the nursery business for another 43 years.

A St. Louis Post-Dispatch article once described the nursery as “a cool, quiet, peaceful place, filled with a profusion of colorful blooms and hanging baskets of greenery. Enormous goldfish swim amid a stand of towering umbrella plants. For children, there is a gumball machine and several playful kittens.” Several people, in fact, when told of this article, fondly recalled the kittens.

Post-war years saw an increase in development along Olive St. Rd. with an associated increase in land value. Bit by bit, parcels of the nursery property were sold off, and in 1982, the Andrews closed the Olive St. Rd. nursery due in part to the aging condition of the greenhouses, and consolidated the business at the west location on Clarkson Rd. Six years later, when the state decided to widen the The catalog described the owners as “practical and scientific road, the state purchased the property and Westover Nursery, by nurserymen” who, despite the short growing season, insisted on then known as Westover Greenhouses Co., became a part of St. growing their own plants rather than shipping them in from warmer Louis’ horticultural history. climates because the “plants would do better than those grown in far Today, the Westover spirit lives on, however. Henry Endres away localities,” touting the “Westover ACCLIMATED STOCK.” Sr.’s grandson, David Endres, has recently retired from his own Henry’s son, Henry, Jr., worked at the nursery during school landscaping business, Endres Horticultural Services, Inc., where breaks, and went to Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, to his son Stephen is carrying on the Endres heritage. (In fact the Endres logo artwork represents a decoration that once adorned his grandfather’s home mailbox.)

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The Westover name continues on as well in the Westover Realty, a real estate company in Kirkwood, founded by Henry Sr. and Henry Jr., and where Donald Andrews’ son Craig Andrews is now an owner and broker. A retail strip on part of the footprint once held by the nursery is called Westover Shopping Center. And a couple of residential streets, Westover Place and Westover Ave., also pay homage to the business that was once among the biggest, most popular and scientifically innovative nurseries in the region.

Photo credits. Kew document and 1932 catalog images were scanned from documents provided by David Endres. 1921 catalog image courtesy Biodiversity Heritage Library. Henry Endres photo provided by Marilyn Filbrun. All other photos courtesy The Archives of the University City Public Library.

The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

Save Seeds For Sustainability

S

avvy gardeners are known for not letting anything go to waste. They are the compost kings and queens. They are smart about how they water. They use every inch of their garden to plant something amazing.

So when it comes to seeds, why would that be any different? Saving seeds for vegetables is simple and wallet-friendly. It allows gardeners to be sustainable within their own garden.

bring them inside. Cut the cucumber open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. To get the excess goop and coating off, rise and swirl seeds in a sieve gently.

Spread them on wax paper to dry. Mix them occasionally to ensure even drying. Store when the seeds feel rough but not slippery.

Lettuce

Lettuce plants need to flower before you can harvest their seeds. One lettuce plant can produce a lot of seeds, so you don’t need to worry about all of them. When the flower heads are dried out and have puffs of white, the seeds are ready to be harvested.

Saving Seeds Basics

Saving seeds is easy to do. Its three simple steps: harvest the seeds from the vegetables, dry the seeds and store the 123rf.com seeds. Of course there’s a little more to know, but it’s truly that straightforward.

Depending on the vegetable you want seeds from, there’s a little bit of washing to do too. We have outlined three popular vegetables to get you started.

Peppers

Peppers are the easiest vegetables to get seeds from. When they have changed colors and are ready to eat, the seeds are ready as well.

Cut the peppers open, scoop out the seeds onto a ceramic or glass plate and lay them out to dry. Make sure the seeds are lying flat, not stacked on top of each other. Twice a day move the seeds around to ensure they aren’t sticking together.

When they break, not bend, in your hand they are ready for storage.

Pinch off the flower heads and collect them in a bag.

Bring them to a table and break them open so the seeds fall out. Some of the flower may stick to the seed, it is fine. It won’t disrupt the germination of the next season. Allow the seeds to dry and store.

Storage

Airtight containers work best for all seeds described. If taken care of, these seeds can last a few years! Keep them at room temperature and they will be ready to go when planting season begins.

This article first appeared in the Espoma Company blog August 27, 2017, at https://www.espoma.com/espoma-blog/.

Reprinted with permission.

Be sure to use ceramic or glass as the seeds will stick to paper.

Cucumbers

At the end of the season, pick off overly ripe cucumbers and

Lake St Louis Garden Center Great ideas for the home and garden this fall...

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The Cornucopia Corner

The Most Underrated St. Louis Growing Season

By Matt Even

I

always had a hard time understanding why there isn’t t may be because I was raised on potatoes, a second round of fall plantings. Let me make full heads of broccoli, and yes, rutabagas the case for fall food crops. (northern Minnesota)…but I just don’t To be clear, every legitimate resource understand why St. Louis gardeners you will find on fall crops will tell you don’t grow more fall crops. that you should transplant from Investigations July-August in our area, into a few and they’re right. local nurseries This may sound proved me counterintuitive, correct. Sales but you need for fall vegetable that amount of starts are a time for many fraction of spring longer growing seedlings. Why is this? crops like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, I see many gardeners leave kale, swiss chard, and collards in their beds for the full summer, but have and collards. These crops take typically between 6575 days to become fully mature. Crops such as lettuce, beets, spinach and radishes can mature in as little as 30-45 days, so you can get away planting those a little later, if those are your fall choices.

Crustless Apple pies Frost Tolerance Vegetables organize into three categories of frost Ingredients 6 large baking apples, halved vertically tolerance: and cored Courtesy: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a43894/crustless-apple-pies-recipe/

Jt’s Fresh Ideas

12 tbsp butter, melted 1/3 c.sugar, plus more for sprinkling 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon 2/3 c old-fashioned rolled oats Vanilla ice cream, for serving Warm caramel, for drizzling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place each apple half flat side down and use a paring knife to create thin slices all the way across, making sure to stop slicing right before the bottom of the apple (so it stays together as one piece). Transfer apple halves to prepared baking sheet.

Lightly brush apple tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until apples are soft and caramelized, 23 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven. In a small bowl, combine remaining melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and oats. Once cool enough to handle, spoon mixture inside apple slits.

Return to oven and bake 10 minutes more.

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Top each with a scoop of ice cream, then drizzle with caramel and serve.

Recipe courtesy of: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a43894/crustless-apple-pies-recipe/

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

You can e-mail us at: info@gatewaygardener.com

A fantastic Fall dessert!!

Enjoy...

Jt

Light Frost – 28-32 degrees Fahrenheit Hard Frost – Temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit Killing Frost – Temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit (will kill most food crops)

Vegetables that are considered “Hardy”, or crops that will tolerate hard frosts can withstand some of our regions colder nights, while still growing and thriving.

If you plan correctly in late summer, you can be Matt has worked on organic farms from Northern Minnesota to Austin, TX, and has been growing food since he decided to put his Sociology degree to good use. The past 6 years, he has lived in St. Louis working as an Outreach Manager and Educator for Gateway Greening, helping to start urban agriculture projects across the region.

You can reach Matt at (314) 588-9600.

The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

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

Here are some fruits and veggies you might find in the garden or at your local farmers’ market this month:

Vegetables

Radishes Rhubarb Spinach Squash Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Turnips

Beans Beets Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Greens Herbs Horseradish Kohlrabi Lettuce Okra Onions Peas Peppers Popcorn Potatoes Pumpkins

Fruits

Apples Blueberries Canteloupe Grapes (wine) Nectarines Pears Plums Raspberries, red Watermelon

become bitter, tough, and jump into survival mode.

Essentially, they are edible, but not as tasty as younger plants.

Removing greens that are from the spring and replacing them with new fall crops also is protective for your garden. Crops that last longer in your garden beds have a greater chance of contracting diseases and funguses, which can potentially over-winter in your garden. Planting a fall garden is a good cultural practice for your taste buds, and the future health of what you plant in your soil.

If you plan your garden correctly in the St. Louis region, it is possible to have fresh greens for Thanksgiving.

That statement is not a guarantee, however. Seasons change, weather doesn’t cooperate…sometimes it does. Gardening is a roll of the dice, and embracing uncertainty is part of the YOUR TREES DESERVE THE BEST CARE game. That’s why there is something called a harvesting in late November. If we reach temperatures bumper crop. That wasn’t below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, most crops will die or created from seasons of be significantly damaged beyond an edible state. consistency.

Taste

It’s true that some crops like collards, kale and others can survive from spring to fall in our region and still produce food. However, that doesn’t mean we should plan on it. As crops age, they also take energy from foliar growth and re-direct it to their own reproduction.

As plants send energy toward reproduction, they also

Embrace the autumn season and the resiliency of fall food crops. If you plan to sow the right crops next year, you may be enjoying fresh food into the winter of the Midwest.

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The Gateway Gardener™

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Putting Our Roses to Bed

by Diane Brueckman

T

he seasons seem to fly by and winter is not far off. If we learned one thing from last winter, it is that even a seemingly mild winter can be devastating to our gardens, particularly our roses. It is important that we prepare our roses properly.

A well-winterized plant will come through even an unpredictable winter season.

123rf.com

My routine is to stop deadheading in October and only pluck off the spent petals.

Let your roses develop hips in fall, it will add interest to the garden, just another plus to growing roses. Deadheading is pruning and pruning does initiate more growth. The idea is to convince the rose to shut down and stop putting out more blooms. Today’s roses are blooming machines and they will continue to bloom as long as the weather is warm. The roses need to store energy for next year’s growth.

clean except for the weeds that arrive no matter what you do. I have always sprayed my roses with horticultural oil and insecticidal soap to kill any pests lingering on the canes.

I am amending that practice on the advice of Dr. Mark Windham, plant pathologist from the University of Tennessee. His advice is to use a surfactant at the lowest rate with a 1% oil solution.

When we have had a couple of nights in the 20s and the ground has frozen, apply your mulch. A good cover of 8 to 10 inches is sufficient. It is not necessary to cover the roses to the tops of the canes. Many roses will die back to the top of the mulch but the bud union and lower parts of the canes should be OK. Don’t be concerned if the roses leaf out during a warm spell in January or February. Just ignore it and wait until April before uncovering your roses. It has always been my practice to cover newly planted roses their The rest of the winterizing routine is weather related. I do first year in the garden, even those that are supposed to be add organic fertilizer in fall usually in November when the winter hardy. Sometimes it takes a year for a rose to fully temperatures are in the 50s at night. Do not give the roses a establish. high nitrogen or quick release nitrogen fertilizer after August as that will only encourage the rose to put out new growth. An A few more tidbits from the Kansas City conference. Both organic fertilizer will stay in the soil and help to break down Dr. Cloyd and Dr. Windham believe using a wide spectrum the mulch in spring giving the roses a boost when conditions insecticide is likely to cause outbreaks of other pests. For are right. Potassium is good to help with the overall health of instance, using an insecticide that kills mites may also kill the plants and increasing vigor and winter hardiness. Green the predatory mites that keep the two spotted mites under sand and kelp extract are good sources of potassium but I control. They also suggested the possibility that herbicide use my own Chicken Soup for Roses in fall. damage may be mistaken for RRD. One difference is Round-Up® will cause the distortion to the foliage and bloom When the roses have stopped producing new growth and but also causes a chlorophyll deficiency (yellowing of the the leaves are getting their fall “color” you can start to cut leaves). Remove the damaged area and closely monitor the back. The temperatures are usually in the 30s and 40s with plant for new symptoms. If the new growth is normal your an occasional light frost. It has always been my practice to plant is OK. Monitoring your roses is the key to keeping this take out all of the dead, diseased and crossing canes in fall. disease at bay. Totally disease resistant plants are still in This past August, I attended a conference in Kansas City the future. “Top Gun”, a new plant from Week’s is disease where Dr. Raymond Cloyd, an Entomologist from Kansas resistant to many diseases but did get RRD in a test bed in State University, spoke on our favorite eryiophid mite (vector Delaware. for Rose Rosette Disease). It has been established that the female can over winter on the canes. Since the mites are most active late in summer, cutting off the tops of the canes Diane Brueckman is a retired rosarian may get rid of an overwintering female population.

My next step in winter prep is to remove all leaves from the plants and clean up any leaves or petals that are on the ground. This seems very time consuming but it is worth it in spring when uncovering is much easier and the beds are 16

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™ OCTOBER 2017

Margy Terpstra, hummerhavenltd.com

Bird/Plant Matchmaker Another filter allows you to search plants that produce berries or nectar or nuts are seeds, or that attract butterflies or host caterpillars. You can also filter for the types of birds you want to attract.

The database is helpful in itself, but the site also includes local resources from which you might gain additional information. The search for my zip code included contact information for the St. Louis Audubon Society, Audubon Center at Riverlands, Missouri Native e’ve been writing a lot in Plant Society, Missouri Prairie recent years about the Foundation, and several nurseries value of native plants, especially native trees and shrubs, in supporting bird populations (most recently in last month’s issue).

Now, just in time for this year’s fall planting season, the National Audubon Society has developed a helpful tool for nature-loving gardeners everywhere.

W

Audubon has created a database that allows you to simply plug in your zip code to access a list of local native plants that will benefit and attract your favorite local birds. It is timely, genuinely useful, unique, and innovative. Check it out at https://www.audubon.org/ native-plants.

Once you enter your zip code (and your email address if you want them to respond by sending your plant list to your email, but it’s not required), you’ll get a list of hundreds of native plants suitable for your area. The list includes a photo of the plant, a brief description, and pictures of the birds that are attracted to that plant.

You can refine the list by filtering to search for only trees or shrubs or perennials or other plant types.

OCTOBER 2017

that sell native plants.

Any garden—whether it’s a small balcony container or a big backyard—can be a sanctuary and recharging rest stop for migrating birds.

With climate change threatening more than half of North American birds in the coming decades, why not make it a little easier for both birds and garden lovers? Regardless of whether you have a green thumb or where you live, you can learn how to make your own contribution to helping the planet.

Tod Winston, Plants for Birds Program Manager, National Audubon Society, contributed information to this article.

The Gateway Gardener™

Learn More About The Native Plant/Bird Connection

The Missouri Community Forestry Council Tap Root Series November 15th, 2017

T

he average suburban landscape may support 2030 bird species, while a bit of careful planting with Missouri natives may support over 100 species! Trees are a key element when landscaping for birds, providing food, shelter and places to raise their young, but native species are essential.

In one measure alone, there is simply no contest between native and non-native tree— the variety of butterfly/moth caterpillar species they support.

The natives feed on average 10 times as many! This is critical since all of Missouri’s songbirds feed insects to their young, with caterpillars making up a big, fat majority of those insects.

For an exploration of this phenomenon, the birds in our area and the songbird/tree connection in total, join Mitch Leachman, Executive Director of the St. Louis Audubon Society, as the featured speaker at the Missouri Community Forestry Council Tap Root Series on Wednesday November 15th at 7 pm. As of our publication date, the location had yet to be determined. See our November issue for more details.

Mitch Leachman, St. Louis Audubon Society, contributed to this article.

17

Naturally Natives A Spoonful of Sugar may help the Honeysuckle go down

by Scott Woodbury

G

iven the choice between keeping large invasive, non-native bush honeysuckle shrubs to screen an ugly view, or replacing them, homeowners often choose to keep the honeysuckle. The thought of living with an ugly (or noisy) view for a few years while waiting for a replacement to fill in can be a bitter pill to swallow.

So here is a remedy (a spoonful of sugar) to help you take a step in the right direction. You don’t have to remove all the honeysuckle at once, replace 10 to 20 percent of it instead.

In subsequent years, repeat the process until the job is done.

This may be the way to go if you have a lot of them, but will be helpful even if you have five or six. You shouldn’t have to give up much view each year and you will be amazed how painless the process can be.

How does it work? Fall and winter are great times to begin identifying and cutting down large honeysuckle shrubs.

In October and November Fewer than 10 years ago, a honeysuckle hedge separated these two honeysuckle leaves turn light properties, where now native arrowwood viburnums, possumhaw yellow and plants have bright hollies and a redbud tree provide the same privacy to better red berries. Leaves are arranged in pairs on either side of the stem ecological advantage. (called opposite). Also, branches bigger than a half-inch have vertically striped bark. This is a great time to scout for plants big and small. Mark them with colorful ribbon or flagging tape so you can come back to them when they are bare twigs and look much like other shrubs in the woods.

bring it back to what matters

Other native shrubs that look somewhat similar in winter include spicebush (Lindera benzoin), deciduous holly (Ilex decidua), gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum), hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), and rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus drummondii).

Mark these with a different color ribbon and do not cut them down.

Proud contributor to the Parkway Southwest Middle/Circle of Concern Community Garden.

GreenscapeGardens.com 314.821.2440 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester, MO 63021 Located 1 Mile West of I-270 on Barrett Station at Dougherty Ferry

18

Once you have plants identified and marked, it is time to begin removing some of them.

Start at the edge of the patch.

You will need a very sharp Honeysuckle is easily identified in the fall as its hand or chain yellowing leaves are among the last to hang on in saw.

Dull the autumn landscape. blades will make the work miserable, so start with new or newly sharpened equipment. For plants with stems two inches or larger, begin cutting the branches at shoulder height. You may need to cut these “tip” branches smaller for easy handling or removal. Next cut the lower “trunks” at ground level and remove the stems. They will resprout The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants next spring, but will be easily cut back with hand pruners.

If you continually remove the resprouts, they will eventually die. This method works when you are removing just a few shrubs. To avoid resprout altogether, either dig out the stumps by hand or remove with a stump grinder (for rent or hire).

If you are comfortable using herbicides, spray the fresh-cut stumps immediately (within Oppositely arranged yellowing 60 seconds) following initial leaves and bright berries cutting with a 10 percent are good ways to find the concentration of glyphosate honeysuckle in your landscape.

(Roundup® or similar) or an 8 precent concentration of triclopyr (Brush-B-Gon® or similar). The best time to do this is in fall. Next best time is in winter when temperatures are above freezing. Third best is any other time.

Expect some resprout when not cutting in fall. If this happens, spray a 2 to 3 percent concentration of glyphosate on resprouted stems in spring or summer when they are 6 to 12 inches tall.

grow as densely as bush honeysuckle in heavy shade, so limbing up and thinning canopy trees will improve shrub density and screening potential. Trim canopy trees before installing replacement shrubs.

Select the biggest plants you can afford, but keep in mind that small seedlings grow surprisingly fast in good soil.

If your soil is heavy clay or compacted from construction, loosen by digging and turning with a shovel. Then add and till in compost or a combination of good quality topsoil and compost. Increasing the soil elevation with added topsoil adds some cost but will increase the height of your screen and will improve growth rate when soils are very poor. Add mycorrhizal fungi whenever you plant to improve plant vigor especially when leaves are slightly yellow. They can be purchased at most garden centers in a powder form, which is mixed in the soil around the planting ball when planting. This really makes a difference in plant health (fuller, greener leaves) and growth (faster rate). Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep and water regularly (once a week for an hour or two) when it doesn’t rain.

So what are you waiting for? Here is your spoonful of sugar: go slowly with honeysuckle removal. Remove and replace bush honeysuckle a couple at a time, if that suits you, and in a few years you will begin to see results in the most delightful way.

Honeysuckle photos by Scott Woodbury, Replacement hedge photo by Robert

Spring is the best time to replant, and September is the next best Weaver. time. Replacing a honeysuckle screen quickly involves selecting the right species, using a larger size plant, planting in good soil, Looking for mulching, and watering regularly.

Something Unique for The best native shrubs for screening your Garden?? in part shade or at the edge of the woods include rough-leaved Come Stroll Thru Our Butterflies, bees, dogwood (Cornus drummondii), Gardens and Discover hummingbirds, and the Pleasure of Plants! hazelnut (Corylus americana), songbirds that is! bladdernut (Staphylia trifoliata), Natives, Not-so-common Trees, Let Forrest Keeling and wild hydrangea (Hydrangea Shrubs & Perennials partner with you arborescens). See the Resource to bring natural Guide at www.grownative.org beauty to your for suppliers of native trees and home habitat!

1674 N. Bluff Rd shrubs.

Collinsville, IL 62234 Keep in mind that very few plants (618)344-8841

If you plant them, they will come!

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.

Visit Forrest Keeling’s all-new Habitat Headquarters in Elsberry.

Forrest Keeling Nursery forrestkeeling.com

OCTOBER 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

in the back yard to the back forty!

19

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News •

Become a Master Gardener

• • •

Pruning Propagation Techniques Landscape & Garden Design Integrated Pest Management

Each person accepted into the Master Gardener volunteer training program agrees to give 40 hours of volunteer work and acquire 10 hours of continuing education in the same calendar year they took the course. There are a lot of opportunities for each throughout the year. As a volunteer training program, Master Gardeners are expected to maintain the volunteering and continuing education requirements annually.

Master Gardeners, such as many in this group taking a break from Kiener Plaza maintenance work in 2010, contribute to gardening and beautification projects all over the region.

(Reprinted from the Master Gardener website) Master Gardeners are adults of all ages who love gardening and want to volunteer their knowledge and enthusiasm with people in their neighborhoods, schools, parks and communities. You can become a St. Louis Master Gardener by taking the training course coordinated by University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Registration for the 2018 class is now open. The course is held from January through May on Thursday afternoons or evenings at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Training classes cover a variety of horticultural topics. Missouri Botanical Garden staff, University of Missouri Extension faculty and qualified professionals in our community teach classes in the following topics: • • • • • • •

20

Plant Relationships, Anatomy, Growth & Development Soils, Composting & Mulching Native Plants Lawn Care Flower Gardening Woody Ornamentals Vegetables

Applicants should understand that a lot of studying will be required to pass the course. Students report an average of 10 hours outside of class per week.

Students will need to have access to a computer to communicate with the instructors by email and take one test online each week. An additional test each week is taken in the classroom. Students are expected to arrive on time and attend all 18 sessions.

There are traditionally two separate class options, though this hasn’t been confirmed for 2018.

• Thursday

afternoon sessions from 1 to 4 p.m.

• Thursday evening sessions from 6 to 9 p.m.

Training classes will begin the first week of January and will continue through the second week of May. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, firstserved basis. Apply as close to the enrollment opening as possible as class size is limited and usually reaches capacity quickly.

Please email Holly Records at recordsh@ missouri.edu to be included on the list of interested participants.

Local Garden Centers Earn National Recognition Each year, Garden Center magazine, a print and online publication serving independent garden centers across North America, publishes a list of the Top 100 garden centers of the U.S. and Canada.

The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

In addition to recognizing the garden centers on the list, their September issue also PULL-OUT POSTER f e a t u r e s INSIDE profiles of a select number of those honored. This year, coming INDEPENDENT GARDEN CENTERS CREATING MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES FOR CUSTOMERS IS A PRIORITY FOR MANY BUSINESSES in at No. 54, AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE GARDEN RETAIL INDUSTRY. not only was Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, Missouri, profiled, Sandi Hillermann McDonald and her brother Scott Hillermann were featured on the issue’s cover.

MEET THE 2017 TOP 100: 12 COMPANIES JOIN THE LIST www.gardencentermag.com

Siblings Sandi Hillermann McDonald, president, and Scott Hillermann, vice president, Hillermann Nursery & Florist, No. 54

September 2017

THE TOP 100

THE TOP 100

The Hillermann profile recognized the 66-yearold company’s ongoing efforts to adapt to the changing garden center retail environment. These adaptations include traditional programs such as offering gardening classes for children and adults to more outside-the-traditional-gardeningbox programs, such as a series of pottery-making classes and parties in the Pot Shop. Hillermann’s also has acquired a liquor license so they can take advantage of their location in the heart of Missouri’s wine-making country to sell wine and craft beers, and also offer wine- and beer-making classes and selling the supplies as well. Sandi said the impetus for those moves came from repeated requests through their floral department to have champagne delivered with flowers.

Other innovative activities include Paint n Sip ladies’ nights, where customers enjoy wine while exploring their creative talents. Often proceeds from these events benefit a local charity. Hillermann’s also offers beekeeping supplies and classes, and has three demonstration hives on the nursery property.

In addition to the retail businesses, Hillermann’s has long provided a long list of landscaping services to residents of Washington and surrounding communities, including landscape design and maintenance, irrigation and lighting. “We’re always looking at doing new things to continue to grow,” said Sandi.

This Farm and Greenhouse’s’ Pumpkinland.

and Greenhouses at the 75th spot. Thies has two retail locations, one on Hanley Rd. in North St. Louis County, and the other in St. Charles. It also operates a large growing operation in St. Louis County. In the magazine’s profile of the 100+ yearold business, it praised Thies Farms for “evolving through six generations of family ownership into a Missouri staple and renowned source of knowledge for up-and-coming gardeners.” Fran Thies, store manager of the St. Charles location, cited the business’ strengths as being the growers of the plants they sell, and their programs of classes and education, which “helps cultivate our customers.”

A major part of Thies’ identity has always been produce sales, and along with that they offer many cooking and canning classes. The St. Charles location even features an in-house bakery.

Like Hillermann’s, Thies has recognized and taken advantage of the growing interest in natives and pollinator plants, including butterfly gardens and rain gardens. They have demonstration gardens on site at the St. Charles location to help customers envision how these gardens work.

Of course, Thies Farms has long been an October destination for St. Louisans, and Fran Thies says the month remains their biggest single month of the year. Their fall-themed “Pumpkinland”, featuring corn mazes, tractor rides and more, will draw “about 5,000-6,000 people a day on October weekends.”

Congratulations to these two regional gardening stalwarts!

Also featured in the Top 100 list was Thies Farm OCTOBER 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

21

Upcoming Events Meetings, Classes, Entertainment and More Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at 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 January/February issue is December 1st.

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122 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 w w w. G a t e w a y G a r d e n e r. 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 22

Hillermann join a garden club or favorite information.

Nursery & Florist, www. plant society today! hillermann.com.

FUN FOR KIDS Oct. 6th 8:30am-4pm—Grow Native!

Oct. 7th 9am—Children’s Garden Workshop: Restoration of Club. St. Louis County Parks Oak-Hickory Woodland and Recreation Children’s and Bush Honeysuckle Garden Club.

FREE. Management. Learn from Haefner’s For the Garden. seven expert speakers on 6704 Telegraph Rd. an on-going woodland honeysuckle removal 10-11am—First Saturday and restoration project at Kids. Bring the kids to play Shaw Nature Reserve-in the garden and enjoy an from woodland canopy activity – Pot a pie pumpkin! thinning techniques and $10. Hillermann Nursery & considerations with Missouri Florist, call 636-239-6729 to Department of Conservation RSVP, www.hillermann.com. Forestry District Supervisor Gus Raeker to woodland CLASSES, LECTURES fire management with The AND EVENTS Nature Conservancy’s Doug Ladd--and five other th st Sept. 30 -Oct. 1 presenters. Cost: MPF/Grow 9am-5pm—Greater St. Native! member: $40; nonLouis Dahlia Society member: $50. Includes lunch Show. New cultivars and old and morning and afternoon favorites are shown by the refreshments. All details area’s top growers, who are and registration information on hand to give plant care at grownative.org. advice and share information abou their organization. Oct. 6th-7th Missouri Botanical Garden, Best of Missouri Market.

Ridgway Center, Orthwein “First Look Friday” Oct. 6th, 6-9pm. Enjoy an early chance Floral Display Hall. to shop and dine at the Best

th of Missouri Market. Sat. and Oct. 5 5:30-7:30pm—Taste of Sun. 9am-5pm: Over 120 Franklin County. Benefits regional food producers and Foundations for Franklin crafters offer fresh produce, County Inc. Experience baked goods, fresh and dried fall fun, local restaurants, flowers, herbs, handcrafted music and spirits from all items, baskets, wooden over Franklin County. Limit toys, custom jewelry and 200 guests. $25 per person. more. Live music and a Kids Over 20 vendors will be here Corner with cow milking, donating time and products. pumpkin decorating and Call 636-239-6729 for barnyard animals. 9 a.m. to

5 p.m. Outdoors under tents, rain or shine. $15 adults (ages 13 and up), $7 children (3 to 12), $7 members, no charge for member children. Buy tickets in advance online at www.mobot.org. Please note: No trams, free hours or early morning walking hours on signature event weekends.

Visit www.mobot.org for more information.

Oct. 7th 9-10am—Sips & Tips Fall Series—Lawn Care. Come for coffee and a casual conversation about lawn care. Bring your questions and share your thoughts.

Call 636-239-6729 to RSVP. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, www.hillermann. com.

1 0 a m — Tr a n s i t i o n a l Holiday Containers from Halloween to Winter Holidays. Discover how easy it is to create fantastic holiday containers to transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving and into the winter holidays.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

10am-noon—Wine Class 3 with Harvey Jasper.

Racking, clarifying and degassing. Call 636-239-6729 to RSVP. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, www.hillermann. com.

1pm—Oh Deer! What to do about deer. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

The Gateway Gardener™ OCTOBER 2017

Oct. 12th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: Native Wild Edible Plants. $17 ($14 Garden/ SNR members).

Classes are held behind the Bascom House at Shaw Nature Reserve. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 or visit www. shawnature.org.

Oct. 14th 9am-2pm—Autumn Herb Gathering. Mary Ostafi, AEA, LEED AP, Founder and Executive Director of Urban Harvest STL, will present “Elevated Herbal Agriculture at FOOD ROOF” at 10 am. Kathy Klug, RA, CCHAP, Proprietor of Lavender Moon, LLC, will discuss “Essential Oils and Herbal Infusions in Skin Care and Therapeutic Products” at 11am. Enjoy herb tastings, herbal demonstrations, purchase unique herbal gifts food items, herbal books, cookbooks and calendars.

Presented by the Webster Groves Herb Society. Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves. Learn more at wgherbs.org.

10am—Preparing Your Garden for Winter. Learn useful tips and techniques that will benefit your plants come spring, such as the important timing for pruning roses, shrubs and perennials to keep them in maximum blooming form. Learn the varieties that should be cut back and covered, and the others that should be left alone. Mulching and composting, along with other garden care will be discussed.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 OCTOBER 2017

Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. 8:30am-3pm—MPF/Grow workshop is made possible in FREE. Call (314) 965-3070. Native! Workshop: Soil partnership with Deer Creek Health for Native Plant Watershed Alliance, which th Landscaping, Habitat is hosting Dr. Ingham for a Oct. 18 9:45am—The Book of Restoration, Sustainable series of learning activities on Eggs. Author Dr. Mark Agriculture, Vegetable Thursday, Nov. 2 open to the Hauber discusses his book Gardening, and Water public. Learn more about Deer of egg photography. Lunch, Quality. Speakers include Creek Watershed Alliance’s attendance prizes, raffle. $25 Dr. Elaine Ingham, events on Nov. 2 at http:// per person, No reservations internationally acclaimed soil www.deercreekalliance.org/ after Oct. 4, 2017. The microbiologist of Corvallis, speaker-series.

Christy Banquet Center, 9000 Oregon, who is the founder, Veterans Memorial Parkway, president, and director of Nov. 4th O’Fallon. Hosted by Fleur de research for Soil Foodweb 10am—Holiday Plants— Lis Garden Society. Call (314) Inc.; Doug Peterson of Des Growing Tips for Colorful 277-6186 with questions.

Moines, Iowa, regional Displays. Discover the most soil health specialist for beautiful holiday plants, with st Oct. 21 Missouri and Iowa; and Dr. the best colors and forms. In 1-3pm—Pop-in Pumpkin Alice Tipton, post-doctoral this session you’ll be inspired Decorating. Purchase a researcher on mycorrhizal with fun and creative ways to pumpkin and decorating is fungi at the University use them in centerpieces and free. Designs available for of Kansas. Host sponsor: arrangements. You’ll learn all ages. Frisella Nursery, St. Louis Community proven tips for growing, frisellanursery.com/events, College, Meramec, 11333 making flowers last, and 636.798.2555.

Big Bend Rd, St. Louis, propagation. Sugar Creek MO 63122. Cost: MPF/ Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn 10am—Preparing Your Grow Native! member: $40; Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Garden for Winter. Learn non-member: $50. Student Call (314) 965-3070 for useful tips and techniques fee, with valid student ID: reservations. that will benefit your plants $20. Registration includes come spring, such as the morning refreshments and important timing for pruning lunch.

Vegetarian/vegan roses, shrubs and perennials option available. Details at to keep them in maximum grownative.org. The Nov. 3 blooming form. Learn the varieties that should be cut back and covered, and CORRECTION: the others that should be THE GREAT RIVER ROAD CHESTNUT left alone. Mulching and ROAST AT FORREST KEELING composting, along with other NURSERY DESCRIBED IN THE garden care will be discussed.

SEPTEMBER 2017 ISSUE OF THE Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

GATEWAY GARDENER AS TAKING FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

PLACE ON OCTOBER 24TH WAS Oct. 29th 1-5pm—Makers Market.

Meet other Missouri makers and shop their wares. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/ events, 636.798.2555.

Nov. 3rd

The Gateway Gardener™

MISTAKENLY PICKED UP FROM OLD INFORMATION, AND IS NOT BEING HELD THIS YEAR. THE GATEWAY GARDENER REGRETS ANY CONFUSION OR INCONVENIENCE OUR ERROR MAY CAUSE READERS OR FORREST KEELING NURSERY.

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For the GREENEST lawn on the block Top Dress with STA-Certified Compost this fall to reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil Top Dressing will reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil. Visit St. Louis Composting’s six area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified compost, mulch products and soil blends.

BELLEVILLE, IL 5841 Mine Haul Road 618.233.2007

VALLEY PARK, MO 39 Old Elam Avenue 636.861.3344

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO 11294 Schaefer Drive 314.423.9035

FLORISSANT, MO 13060 County Park Road 314.355.0052

PACIFIC, MO 18900 Franklin Road 636.271.3352

stlcompost.com STLComposting

Step-by-Step Guide to Top Dressing: - Core aerate the lawn, concentrating on the most ........heavily trafficked sections.

- Apply a ½ inch layer of Field and Turf compost, using ........the Ecolawn Top Dresser - Smooth the surface using a rake or weighted drag ........mat to break down soil plugs and backfill holes - Spread grass seed, lightly rake, and water – making sure all seeds are covered with soil/compost layer to .........guard against winter damage - Water as needed, keeping the soil moist until seeds ........germinate

ST. LOUIS, MO 560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612 BEFORE