The Gateway Gardener July-August 2015

Gateway Gardener

JULY/AUGUST 2015

THE

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Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

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Celebrating Succulents!

Container Cacti and More!

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Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

July/August 2015

Volume 11, Number 5

Founded in 2005 by

Robert Weaver & Joyce Bruno

Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Barbara Perry Lawton Garden Book Author and Garden Writer Connie Alwood Master Gardener Diane Brueckman Rosarian Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Mara Higdon Gateway Greening Michael McVey Irrigation and Lighting Professional Steffie Littlefield Nursery Professional Abby Elliott

Nursery Professional

Jennifer Schamber Nursery Professional

Scott Woodbury

Native Plant Specialist

Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published monthly 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.

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From the Editor

a native willow, Missouri Wildflower carries them. Scott also has promised to give away a limited supply of seedlings at this fall’s 10th anniversary celebration of the Shaw Nature Reserve Native Plant School October 17th.

s I write this, we’ve yet to emerge from a long spell of wet, hot weather that, to say the least, has not been conducive to gardening.

About the only good thing I can say about the month of June is that it provided excellent weed-pulling conditions, along with plenty of material to work with! Still, when I’m tempted to complain, I think about gardeners like my friend Evelyn Alemanni in the San Fernando Valley area of Southern California, a region in the midst of a prolonged—historic, even— devastating drought. Evelyn, though she would have every right to complain as the creator and caretaker of a beautiful, nationally recognized garden, has chosen instead to roll with the punches and transform her water-needy garden into a water-stingy one with ample reliance on succulents. And, taking it a step further, she’s shown through photographs in her new book, Succulent Bouquets, how even flower arrangements made from succulents can last for weeks with little or no water! You can read more on page 4, perfect timing to tie into this month’s Henry Shaw Cactus and

Succulent Society Show and Sale July 18th and 19th, where you can learn more about all manner of cacti and other succulents!

Some native willow species can tolerate drought as well, though most will feel more at home in the soggy soils they’re finding so far this summer in our region. Scott Woodbury writes about these underused natives on page 6. Warning: they’re so underused, you may not be able to find them readily at retail, which is why we didn’t offer a Top 10 list. We try not to frustrate our readers by teasing them with descriptions of great plants, only to find out they can’t immediately add them to their garden; but every once in a while, our knowledgeable contributors just like to expand our plant universe a little. If you decide you want to try

Finding plant availability locally is just one solution offered by the Missouri Botanical Garden’s GardeningHelp.org website.

Glenn Kopp, Horticulture Information Manager for MBG, has provided us with a superb introduction to this great resource for gardeners.

You can i.d. plants, put together a list of plant suggestions to meet certain criteria, get help with gardening problems, and much more. Learn more on page 8.

Now, with our bi-monthly summer edition complete, I find myself with a free month ahead and looking forward to some sunny, summertime activities—or rainy day reading. I’ll roll with the punches as well. Happy summer, everyone, and…

Good Gardening!

On the Cover...

The heat of a typical St. Louis summer is nirvana for the likes of most cacti and succulents. But did you know succulents can make great flower arrangements inside?

Read more on pg. 4, then go to the Henry Shaw Cactus Society Show and Sale to learn more on how to grow them! (Photo by Evelyn Alemanni)

IN THIS ISSUE 4 6 8 10 11 12 14

Celebrating Succulents!

Native Willows GardeningHelp.org Life on the Farm Helping Roses Beat the Heat Blending the Garden Upcoming Events

Celebrating Succulents!

By Robert Weaver

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n January, 2013, Southern California gardener and FOTGG (Friend of The Gateway Gardener) Evelyn Alemanni embarked upon a New Year’s resolution to create and photograph a new floral arrangement from her garden every day of the year. The resulting photos were published in a four-volume set of books, Fleurs du Jour, followed by special editions featuring rose arrangements, flowers from bulbs, and caladium-based arrangements. Then came the historic California drought that continues to this day, forcing Evelyn to rethink and redesign her award-winning garden. Gone were many of the water-needy plants, and in their place, Evelyn began discovering the wide, wide world of succulents. These are the subjects of her eighth book, Succulent Bouquets.

others can be irritating or even dangerous to handle. Other helpful sections offer advice on making cut flowers last, and how to conserve water in the garden beyond growing succulents.

Evelyn Alemanni

But mostly, the book is a lovely introduction to the unique beauty and variety of the cacti and succulent world. “As I created these bouquets,” says Evelyn, “I was amazed at the range of colors and textures that these drought-tolerant plants offer and all the design flexibility they present because they need no water. In addition, as a frugal Opuntia paddles, native to Missouri, gardener, when I’m ready to replace the form a backdrop for agave attenuata and bouquets, I can replant their elements back aeoniums. Sedum angelina, which is also into the garden.” hardy in the St. Louis region, is used as a filler.

Like the others in the series, Succulent Bouquets is full color, 140 pages. Books can be previewed and Like the other books in the series, Succulent Bouquets inspires by purchased on Alemanni’s website, www.allea.com or on Amazon. the beautiful photographs alone; but it is much more. Evelyn also com. Images from the books are also available as prints. includes helpful floral arranging suggestions as well as growing Evelyn Alemanni is an award-winning horticulturist, writer, and tips for many of the plants. She also urges caution, warning that photographer whose garden has some succulents don’t make good companions in containers, while received numerous local and national awards. She is also an America in Bloom judge and board member, and has been to our region several times to promote America in Bloom and to judge participating communities, most recently Washington, Missouri.

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The Gateway Gardener®

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July 18th-19th

hough many of the succulents and cacti Evelyn grows in her beautiful Southern California Zone 9.5 garden aren’t hardy here, you can find out which ones are, or those that can be grown in containers overwintered indoors, at the Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale. The HSCSS is celebrating its 73rd year by offering thousands of unusual as well as standard specimens of cacti and succulents of all sizes and shapes for viewing and purchase. Members will be on hand to offer plant information care sheets and to answer questions from novice as well as more experienced growers. Bring the entire family and stop by the Kid’s Corner where children 12 and under will be encouraged to examine and take home

JULY-AUGUST 2015

The Gateway Gardener®

finger-friendly succulents. HSCSS members will bring their best plants to the show for judging in over 150 categories, which include classes for specimen and decorative entries as well as allied interests. Visitors can see the prizewinners with other entries and the sale plants when the show and sale opens.Those attending the show and sale are invited to register to win a showquality succulent as an attendance prize. The winner must pick up the prize before noon on Sunday, July 19. The society has a long history with the garden and has held meetings at the Missouri Botanical Garden for more than 70 years. For more information, visit www.hscactus. org/SHOW or contact HSCSS President Mike Hellmann at 618-444-7860. The show and sale are included with Missouri Botanical Garden admission of $8 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under. St. Louis City and County residents enjoy discounted admission of $4 and free admission on most Wednesday and Saturday mornings until noon.

Missouri Botanical Garden members are free.

Evelyn Alemanni

Henry Shaw Cactus and succulent Society Show and Sale

5

Naturally Natives IfYou Don’t EatYour Willow,You can’t have any pudding!

V

Text and Photos by Scott Woodbury

iceroy caterpillars eat willow leaves. So do many other showy butterfly and moth species including red-spotted purples, hairstreaks, mourning cloaks, sphinx moths, cecropia moths and the darling underwing moth all of which are nutritious bird food.

Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, states that there are 456 butterflies and moths that lay eggs on willows, their second favorite food next to oak trees.

Makes me wonder why we don’t plant more willows in our gardens.

Carolina willow (S. caroliniana), silky willow (S. sericea) and both the tall and dwarf varieties of prairie willow (S. humilus var. humilus and var. tristis) in an attempt to test their usefulness in gardens and make them available to gardeners.

There are eleven species of willow native to Missouri. Growing at Shaw Nature Reserve are diamond willow (Salix Fall color on a diamond willow (Salix eriocephala), sandbar willow (S. interior), eriocephala).

Dwarf prairie willow (S. humilis var. tristis) tops out at 2-3 feet in Ozark prairies and will probably grow 3-4 feet in gardens. Its taller cousin (S. humilis var. humilus) grows 5-6 feet tall in the Whitmire garden. Both varieties are woody shrubs and can tolerate drought conditions. Prairie willow is available at Missouri Wildflowers Nursery.

Silky willow (S. sericea) and diamond willow (S. eriocephala) are also relatively small willows but inhabit wetlands in Missouri and Illinois rather than prairies. In nature silky willow grows 4-5 feet tall and diamond willow can reach 5-6 feet. They tolerate constantly saturated soils and are a good choice for poorly drained landscapes and creek areas.

Carolina willow (S. caroliniana) and sandbar willow (S. interior) are big shrubs or small trees growing to about 1015 feet tall with very fine-textured leaves. Carolina willow is clump-forming and sandbar willow is strongly rhizomatous.

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The Gateway Gardener®

JULY-AUGUST 2015

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants

Know The Pros!

Green-Industry Experts You Should Meet!

Each month, we are introducing readers to one of our area’s green-industry professional individuals or businesses. In this issue, we invite you to get to know...

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Diamond willow (Salix eriocephala).in flower..

They are flood-plain species that tolerate flooding and scouring and so protect creek banks and gravel bars from erosion. Their size can be controlled in gardens by cutting back to the ground every 2-3 years.

At the 10th anniversary celebration of Native Plant School, Shaw Nature Reserve will be giving native willow seedlings away as long as our supply lasts. Don’t miss this special event on October 17 from 1-5 p.m. in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden. RSVP at www.shawnature.org/nps.

The title to this article is a nod to Pink Floyd’s song Another Brick in the Wall.

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Their composting facilities process roughly 600,000 cubic yards of green material annually – more than one-third of all yard waste generated in St. Louis County. In addition to composting yard trimmings gathered by the area’s major waste haulers, they receive and compost material collected from landscapers, homeowners and food scrap haulers.

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their complete line of soil and compost products! More than just compost, St. Louis Composting also has an array of mulch and soil blends to fit any gardening need! St. Louis Composting is a member of the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) program. This is an on-going quality testing and disclosure program that insures through the process of regular sample tests that their compost products meet the STA program requirements and all related product quality and testing requirements prescribed by the state and federal regulations. Delivery of bulk products is available all year long or stop by one of their six locations.

What’s New in 2015

Salix Humilis Prairie Willow Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for more than 20 years.

St. Louis Composting has expanded! They now have a facility in Pacific, MO (18900 Franklin Road) to better serve customers further west. They also have one of the only covered soil domes in the area. When it may be raining outside, the soil is still nice and dry at St. Louis Composting!

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StLouisLandscape.org 7

GardeningHelp.org

by Glenn Kopp phone or online via email.

The MBG Plant Finder

Based on email we receive, people worldwide love our Plant Finder.

It is by far the most accessed area of GardeningHelp. The searchable database provides detailed descriptive and cultural information as well as gorgeous plant images on over 6800 plants. You can even hear a plant’s scientific name pronounced. Cultural information is targeted for Midwest gardeners but gardeners anywhere will find the information valuable.

From the Missouri Botanical Garden homepage (www.mobot. org), click on the “Gardens & Gardening” menu item, then select “Help for the Home Gardener” to access GardeningHelp.org--or just go to www.gardeninghelp.org!

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re you looking for online gardening help? If so, here it is.

GardeningHelp.org is Missouri Botanical Garden’s online gardening information website. It provides thousands of gorgeous plant pictures, authoritative information and great inspiration 24 hours a day 365 days of the year via the web.

Begun in 1991 as a small database of plant information for the Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening, GardeningHelp.org has grown to an online plant and gardening information website accessed worldwide. It is one of the most visited websites for gardening information in the country delivering over 14 million page views of information worldwide in 2014. Still, its primary mission is to provide St. Louis gardeners with top-quality gardening information. It is used by Garden staff and volunteers when answering gardening questions either in-person at the Garden, by

The searchable database is especially loved by landscape and garden designers looking for plants that fulfill specific criteria, for example, plants that grow in shade, have blue flowers and bloom in May. Need pink flowers in bloom for a wedding? You can find them here. A link on a plant’s profile page will take you to a map of where the plant is growing on the MBG grounds. The Plant Finder is also an invaluable resource for our Master Gardener trainees and it provides ready printouts for clients requesting detailed information on a plant.

To assist gardeners in selecting the best plants for their garden we also offer “Tried & Trouble-free” plants as well as “Plants of Merit” selections. You can’t miss with these.

Pests and Problems

No garden escapes pest and problems and, as you might expect, we are called upon regularly to diagnose plant problems. Our online Integrated Pest Management (IPM) pages are where we turn for detailed information on over 200 of the most common garden pests and problems in the St. Louis area. With this detailed information, pest images and solution strategies these pages are invaluable for the Kemper Center’s Plant Doctors, Horticultural Answer Service volunteers and staff helping clients identify their garden pests. The pages provide recommended solutions with the correct products and proper timing. They can help you, too, as you solve your gardening problems!

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We use IPM strategies that are environmentally sound where simple, non-chemical and less invasive strategies are used before more aggressive ones. Gardeners can choose the control strategy that best meets their situation. Strictly organic strategies are also noted.

Over 60 Kemper Center Factsheets also provide concise gardening information on popular gardening topics, such as, Butterfly Gardening, Rainscaping and Lawn Planting and Maintenance to name but a few.

Are you looking for a gardening calendar to help plan your monthly gardening tasks? Our Gardening by Month Calendar will do that and our Pest and Problems Calendar highlights the most common plant problems for each month. We use these in our monthly volunteer trainings. You have free access to them as well!

Popular with new vegetable gardeners is our page packed with links to information on growing vegetables. There is also a page for fruit gardening.

Visual Guides and Factsheets

For excellent plant lists, visual problem-solvers and instructive how to’s, don’t miss our Visual Guides. With over 80 guides you can learn to: Select The Best Shrubs for Missouri Replace Bush Honeysuckle with Native Plants Identify Tomato Problems See How to Repot Your Orchid Glenn Kopp is Horticulture Information Manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden housed in the Kemper Center for Home Gardening where he oversees the Kemper indoor staff and Plant Doctors. Glenn began building and developing the Garden’s Gardening Help website in 1991 when the Center opened. With the help of staff and several dedicated volunteers, website development is ongoing.

When a Live Person is Required

GardeningHelp.org is filled with “self-serve” information but sometimes you need a live person. We can provide that as well. Staff at our Horticultural Answer Service answer gardening questions Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to noon by phone (314-577-5143) and our Plant Doctors at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening answer gardening questions or diagnose plant problems Monday-Saturday Home-Grown 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in this walkFlowering Shrubs in service. Email question can Sun Perennials be sent to PlantInformation@ mobot.org In 2014 over 25,700 Small Trees questions were answered.

Hostas and Ferns

Summing it Up

Don’t miss all this gardening help that is just a few clicks away. Just go to www.GardeningHelp.org and explore!

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Listen to The McGraw Show M-F 6-10am

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Experience Life on the Farm

by Stephanie Littlefield

F

or many in St. Louis, July and August are the months to get out of town.

For some this means a long trip to far away lands to visit beautiful gardens and landscapes, but for others it can be a series of weekend road-trips to the countryside to see wide open spaces, experience nature and leave the noise and pressures of urban life behind. There are many charming geta-ways in Missouri and Illinois that can be day trips or overnights at quaint lodgings.

If you are interested in gardening, organic vegetables, craft beverages, free-range livestock and good food make plans to visit the rural communities with farmer’s markets and craft fairs. These are great family outings, educational and entertaining.

destinations open to visitors for this once a year tour. Visit a pumpkin farm, get lost in My family farm and winery, Edg-Clif a corn maze, experience an Ozark trail ride, Farms and Vineyard, in Potosi, is involved explore a local vineyard and winery, pet an in the Washington County Home Grown alpaca or shop for antiques, local crafts and Farm Tour , Aug 29th, and we are hosts fresh produce. End the afternoon Saturday for the Saturday night event, The Field with the Harvest Field Dinner showcasing Dinner. You can go at your own pace on locally produced foods. This event features this self-guided tour or enjoy a relaxing bus appetizers, local wine and a leisurely ride as you view the beautiful hills of the four-course, farm-style dinner set on a Ozarks. There are 13 farms, ranches and vintage farm and beautiful vineyard. While exploring try local Handcrafted in St. Louis lodgings like Trout L “Stand Up and Garden” ocal De l i v I n ery Lodge on Sunnen stal from your deck or balcony & Ava lation ilab Lake or the B&B at le www.GutterGardens.com Franklin Farms & Sold exclusively at Creekside Gardens in Collinsville, IL or Vineyard.

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authentic farm and country events are just minutes away from St. Louis. Most gardeners enjoy learning more about growing and harvesting local foods. It’s quite the experience to leave your comfortable city home and see what life is like on the farm.

You may like it so much you’ll find your own piece of land to call your home away from home. Tour real organic vegetable farms to learn how to make your own garden plot more productive. Help harvest grapes and learn how your favorite wines are made. Try a pick-your-own for fresh out of the field raspberries, blackberries or blueberries this season! For more information on local farmraised products, visit the Agri-Missouri website, and while you are buying local, you can bring home a real farm experience.

Resources: www.homegrownfarmtour.com, www.agrimissouri.com, www.visitmo.com, www.missourifarmersmarket.org, http:// agebb.missouri.edu/fmktdir/, and www. edg-clif.com.

Steffie Littlefield is a horticulturist and garden designer at Garden Heights Nursery. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticulturist Association and past president of the Horticulture Coop of Metropolitan St. Louis.

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JULY-AUGUST 2015

Helping Roses Beat the Heat!

By Diane Brueckman

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his spring was great for our roses. We had ample rain and cool temperatures, just what roses love. If your garden was like mine, the roses and everything else including the weeds grew bigger than ever. Keeping up with the weeds was a real challenge. I must admit to using a preemergent for weed control in some of my beds. This is a first for me. I was careful to read the directions and only used products that were safe for roses. My weed problem is not gone but it is reduced. I also used mulch paper under my mulch to stop some of the weeds. That technique has always worked until the weeds sprout in the mulch but they are easier to pull out of the mulch and by the end of the season the paper is gone.

The heat usually comes with a lack of rain.

Roses need at least 1 inch of water a week but in extreme heat up to 4 inches is not too much as long as your soil drains well. How to apply the water is always the debate. The big rule is do not water late in the day. Roses need about 6 hours to dry in order to prevent disease. Overhead watering is frowned upon by many but I do it with little ill effect, again early in the day so the roses can dry off.

Another rule is do not water a little every day.

I soak my roses once a week if we have not had sufficient rain. A good layer of mulch helps retain moisture until the next week.

The ideal system is a drip system. A system that does not get water on the foliage and delivers the required amount of water evenly

to all of your roses. If you have this type of system, measure how much water it is giving your roses in a given time. Remember, water travels down into the soil not across. It is possible, especially with a soaker hose, for one side of a bush to get all the water it needs while the other side does not. For that reason, I would recommend using above-ground emitters (3” or 4” high) rather than soaker hoses.

There are disadvantages to an in-ground sprinkler system. For people like me it is too restrictive. I am afraid I would be changing it every year. I am always changing beds and moving plants. Some people hand water each rose. The trick is to get enough water on the rose. One long-time rose grower I know counts to 25 as he waters each rose. He knows how much water he is giving the rose by predetermining what his hose delivers and he can see that the water is delivered evenly around the bush.

Try to spray only in the early morning or in the evening when the temperatures are cooler.

Most chemicals should not be applied when the temperatures are in the 90s, I hesitate to spray when it is over 85 degrees. Blackspot spores die when it is over 95 degrees but anthracnose likes the warmer temperatures.

If you like to use a liquid fertilizer on your roses the same rules apply. The fertilizer can burn the foliage if it is applied on a hot sunny day or if the roses are poorly hydrated. Using a dry organic fertilizer such as my “Chicken Soup” will provide the plants all the nutrients they need without the danger of burning either the roots or the foliage.

One more thought for those of you who have roses in containers. Roses in containers need to be watered more often than roses in the ground. Containers dry out and heat up more quickly than the flower beds, especially dark colored containers. I have moved some of my miniature roses to whiskey barrels to see if the larger containers work for some of the larger minis.

Along with the heat and humidity comes increased disease pressure for blackspot and anthracnose, especially on the Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas and other disease prone roses.

It is essential that you Diane Brueckman is a retired rosarian keep up your spray with Missouri Botanical Garden, and program but you currently owns Rosey Acres in Baldwin, must take precautions Illinois. You can reach her at (618) 785in the heat. Spray 3011 or droseyacres@egyptian.net. only when your roses are well hydrated.

For a Beautiful Weed-Free Lawn!

Weed Out with Q • Controls crabgrass and broadleaf weeds in lawns.

• Available in ready-to-use handheld spray, ready-to-spray hose-end sprayer, or concentrate.

Look for these and other ferti-lome products at your favorite independent nurseries and garden centers.

For plant care and information on over 8,000 plants, visit www.fertilome.com

JULY-AUGUST 2015

The Gateway Gardener®

11

The Cornucopia Corner Blending the Garden Text and Photos By Jennifer Schamber

M

ost fads come in some sort of a box or a package, but when it comes to the “green smoothie” craze, there are no gimmicks or tricks to it. It’s really so simple: grow it, pick it, blend it, drink it! There are no rules to making them, just use what you have available in the garden or kitchen.

those bits have so much of the nutrition and vitamins.

Any blender will work, a good quality blender will definitely last longer, a lowgrade blender used daily for smoothies may only last a couple months, so investing in a good blender is certainly recommended.

The power packed into smoothies can be noticed Smoothies are not to be within the first day of confused with juices. The process of juicing eliminates consuming one. Eventually these can become part of a the seeds, fiber and skin of the fruits or vegetables, while daily routine and can even smoothies retain all those parts (except bigger seeds) and become a partial or full meal replacement once a day, or leave much less waste. From a gardener’s standpoint, we maybe just a snack. The “side effects” can include improved want to use every last bit of our harvest, especially when energy all day long without the need for caffeine, clearer skin, a clearer mind and loss of excess weight. Most people will say the reason they drink them is because of the way they make them feel, and these “side effects” are just an extra bonus! Of course, when paired with a healthy diet, the list of benefits goes on and on.

Farm Tour & Field Dinner August 29, 2015

When planning a garden for smoothies, the main focus is on greens. This is easy in early spring and fall, but the summer and winter months can be tougher, so be ready to supplement with greens from the farmer’s market or grocery store. To extend the fall crop into the winter, consider building

Garden “Go-Go” Smoothie Serves 2 2 cups of coconut water ¼ cup of chia seeds and/or flaxmeal (or Qi’a Original flavor) ¼ cup orange juice 1 cup packed fresh spinach 1 cup packed kale 1 frozen banana 1 cored pear or apple Optional: 2 tbsp honey

www.homegrownfarmtour.com 12

Combine all and puree in a blender until smooth.

Enjoy the power of the garden!

The Gateway Gardener®

JULY-AUGUST 2015

Tips for Growing, Buying and Cooking Fresh, Locally Sourced Food for Your Table a cold frame, which can add several months to the growing season by also giving you a head start in the spring. The best time to start a fall garden is in August, so start thinking about seeds you may want to sow and locate areas of the garden where you can plant more greens. A good goal might be to incorporate at least one ingredient from the garden for each smoothie. So maybe you pick up a watermelon at the store and blend it with a cucumber and some mint from the garden in summer, or add your own greens to some fresh apples from the farmer’s market in fall.

Kids may shy away from green smoothies at first, so try starting them with fruity versions first, then start adding in greens and other veggies over time. Carrots may be a good one to sneak in, they tend to make the smoothie thicker, so adding a little extra coconut water or other liquid base can help. Another trick is to always let them help you make your smoothie, they are more likely to try something that they’ve helped grow and make. Over time, kids will become accustomed to seeing you drink them, so it won’t look like “yucky muck” in a jar, but fresh veggie goodness straight from their garden.

Jennifer Schamber is the general manager of Greenscape Gardens in west St. Louis county. She is a past president of the Landscape & Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis and past vice president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metro St. Louis. Greenscape Gardens is the national 2015 winner of Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s Revolutionary 100 Award.

July/August Harvest

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

Vegetables Artichoke Beans Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Herbs Horseradish Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Okra Onions Peas Peppers Popcorn Potatoes Pumpkins

JULY-AUGUST 2015

Radishes Rhubarb Squash (summer) Sweet Corn Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Turnips

Tips

• Never throw away bananas or berries! Freeze them before they go bad and throw them into smoothies!

• Smoothies seem to taste best when in glass containers, try mason jars! You can even purchase special lids that have a hole for straws.

• Adjust your recipe based on what is in season, it can be different every time.

• Make two batches at a time, smoothies will usually taste great up to two days after preparation. Some parts may separate but they can be shaken back up.

• Consider adding a protein supplement if you are using the smoothie as a meal replacement.

• Always use organic growing methods in your edible garden.

Some of the best plants to grow for smoothies include:

Kale Spinach Swiss Chard Collards

Sorrel Mint Cucumber Watermelon

Eco-Friendly Nutrient Vitalizer 1.2 - 1.3 - 0.4

Berries Apples Pears Peaches

For more information go to www.biopreferred.gov

Happy 4th of July

LLC

23551 Hwy 11, Triplett, MO 65286 www.naturesenv.com 573-514-5250

Fertilizer Derived from: 100% Dry Processed Cow Manure Digestate

Fruits

Apples Apricots Blackberries Blueberries Canteloupe Gooseberries Grapes (Wine) Nectarines Peaches Pears Plums Raspberries, red Strawberries Watermelon

The Gateway Gardener®

U City in Bloom

Biennial Garden Tour History and the Gardens Sunday,

Sept. 20, 2015 • 1 – 5 p.m.

Reception following in City Hall Tickets: $15 in advance $18 day of event on City Hall Lawn Call: 314-973-6062 Charge tickets at www.ucityinbloom.org

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Upcoming Events So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant society today!

FUN FOR KIDS

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 October issue is September 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 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.

July 11th and Aug. 1st 11am-2pm—Hillermann’s First Saturdays for Kids. Bring the kids to play in the garden and enjoy a FREE activity. July: Make a Fish Plant Bowl. Aug.: Plant Hairy’s Hair.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist. 636239-6729, Hillerman.com.

July 11th 9 am-Children’s Garden Club. Fun in the Garden. FREE. Chesterfield Valley Nursery, 16825 N. Outer Rd., Chesterfield. Hosted by St. Louis County Parks and Recreation.

Aug. 1st 9 am- Children’s Garden Club.

Fall Harvest, Seed Garden. FREE. Downtown Gateway Greening.

CLASSES, LECTURES AND EVENTS Through Aug. 23 Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined. The Missouri Botanical Garden plays host to an international exhibition of 22 lighted works of art from Zigong, China. Following critical acclaim and rave reviews from visitors during the 2012 Festival, the Garden has commissioned new sets crafted from silk and steel to once again offer visitors from around the rd

NEED A SPEAKER for your Garden Club or Group?

Master Gardener Speakers Bureau volunteers are available to speak to garden clubs, church, civic and other groups.

Choose from over 50 different programs, from Aromatherapy to Winter Damage, Birds in the Garden, to Soil Preparation, Daylilies to Orchids.

Explore the complete list of topics at www. stlmg.org. Look for the Speakers Bureau tab in the top margin.

(A $50 fee funds Master Gardener programming in our community.)

world the opportunity to see an event rarely staged outside of Asia. Open Thursday-Sunday evenings through July 31. Open nightly from August 1-22 from 6-10 p.m. May 23-July 31: $22 adults, $11 members, $10 children (ages 3-12), $5 for member’s children. August 1-22 $26 adults, $13 members, $10 children (ages 3-12), $5 for member’s children. For tickets and more information visit: www. mobot.org/lanternfestival.

July 7th, 14th, 28th, Aug. 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th 10am-noon—Herbs & Heirlooms Tuesdays. Connect with some of the oldest friends of mankind: herbs. Drop in to explore the culinary, sensory, beauty and uses for the herb featured each week. The first 100 participants will pot an herb to take home and receive a plant profile sheet with care tips and ways to use your new plant.

In the Missouri Botanical Garden Herb Garden, weather permitting.

Included with Garden Admission.

No registration is required. For more information, visit www.mobot.org.

July 7th, 21st, 28th, Aug. 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th 6-7:30pm—EarthDance Apprenticeship Classes.

(7/7) Permaculture 101. (7/21) Field Trip to Three Rivers Community Farm (directions at www. threeriverscommunityfarm.com).

(7/28) Bug Safari: Examining Pest Management Methods (held at EarthDance Organic Farm School, 233 S. Dade Ave., Ferguson). (8/4) Preserving the Harvest: Simple Methods. (8/11) Field Trip to Thies Farm, 4215 N. Hanley Rd. (8/18) Practical Soil Stewardship and Cover Cropping (held at EarthDance Organic

Farm School.) (8/25) Starting from Scratch: Methods of Propagation.

Classes held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 33 N Clay Ave Ferguson, MO 63135, unless noted.

Classes costs $20/ea. Please register at www.earthdancefarms.org/whatwe-do/classes-2/.

July 11th 10am-3pm—Town & Country Garden Tour. Attention Garden Lovers and Gardeners! Come explore 8 beautiful gardens tucked away in the yards of Town & Country homes. Tickets available June 1. $15 in advance. See Mary Olsen at the Municipal Center, M-F, 8:30am-4:00pm, 314-587-2804. $20 day of tour at Longview Farm House, 13525 Clayton Road, 10am2pm. Payment by check only.

Event held rain or shine.Visit www. townandcountrygardenclub.com or contact Pam Jokerst at 314-276-9461 or pamjokerst@gmail.com for more info.

4-6:30pm—Fairy Garden Party.

Bring your family for an evening of merriment. FREE refreshments, door prizes, specials. Talk at 5pm on Mini Landscaping for Containers and Gardens. Learn the unique care tiny plants need along with mini-gardening design tips and techniques. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070.

July 14th 7-9pm—Tap Root Speakers Series.

Guest Speaker Jesse Gilbertson, Director of Horticulture for U-City in Bloom, and VP of Greater St. Louis Bonsai Society, will speak on “Miniature Wonders, The World of Bonsai.” Sponsored by The Missouri Community Forestry Council. $10.

Schlafly Bottleworks Crown Room in Maplewood. Call 636-970-3000 to pre-register or register at the door.

July 18th 10am—Maintaining Perennials and Rejuvenating Your Summer Garden. Learn aggressive pruning techniques that will help you achieve strong, more compact plants and many more blooms in your garden. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070.

6-10pm—Night Blooms – Music in

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The Gateway Gardener®

JULY-AUGUST 2015

the Garden. Join staff after hours for Night Blooms on the patio, featuring local musician Nathan Gilberg. Café Angelina will be open and serving wine, beer and light fare. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

9am-5pm—St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale.

Lots of unusual plants- Cephalotus, Sarracenia, Venus Flytraps, etc. Free Venus Flytrap for all kids 12 and under from 11am-1 pm. Missouri Botanical Garden in Beaumont Room.

July 18th-19th 9am-10pm (Sat.), 9am-5pm (Sun.)— Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale. Choose from a wide array of cacti and succulents shown and sold by the area’s top growers, including thousands of rare specimens and starter plants priced from $1.50. Cactus Society members will be on hand to answer questions and give plant care advice. Missouri Botanical Garden, Beaumont Room. Entry included with Garden admission. www.hscactus.org.

July 24th 9am-5pm—Henry Shaw’s Birthday.

Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw’s 214th birthday celebration. Admission is free for all visitors. Missouri Botanical Garden.

July 25th 10am—Refresh your Window Boxes and Containers. Learn about the hot summer delights that are dripping with color now and will continue to look good well into fall. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Aug. 1st 8am-noon—Mid-Illinois Iris Club Plant Sale. Plants dug from members’ gardens and from two commercial growers, all are priced delightfully low. Caseyville Township Community Center, 10000 Bunkum Rd. in Fairview Heights, Il. 10am—Successive Blooms—Keep Your Garden in Bloom Spring Till Fall. Learn the techniques needed to keep your garden in flower all season. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

9am-5pm—Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Sale.

Choose from a wide array of new cultivars and old favorites from

JULY-AUGUST 2015

the area’s top growers, who will be on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Proceeds benefit the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Aug. 5th-9th Washington Town and Country Fair. Join Hillermann’s at their booth at the fair. Ask gardening and landscaping questions and check out the latest gardening items. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

Aug. 8th 10am—Low Maintenance and Long Blooming Gardens. Learn about the showiest, longest blooming plants available and techniques that will keep your garden in top form all season. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Aug. 15th 10am-noon—Arboretum and Rain Garden Tour. Forest ReLeaf’s CommuniTree Gardens Nursery in Creve Coeur Park is home to over 22,000 trees representing more than 120 different species or cultivars of species, over 95% native Missouri.

Come learn tree identification, explore how rain gardens attract wildlife and cut costs, and see examples of species that thrive in hard to grow areas. An official Monarch Waystation, their greenhouse features many hard to find native species grown from seed.

For more information and to register: moreleaf.org, 314-533-5323 or email info@moreleaf.org.

4-6:30pm—Monarch Mania Gardening for Wildlife Garden Party. FREE refreshments, door prizes, FREE plants with purchase.

5pm talk on Monarch Mania Gardening for Wildlife. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070.

Aug. 15th-16th 9am-5pm—Greater St. Louis Iris Society Show and Sale. Choose from a wide array of new cultivars and old favorites sold from the Missouri Botanical Garden’s displays. Experts from the Greater St. Louis Iris Society will be on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Proceeds benefit the Missouri Botanical Garden. MBG Ridgway Center.

Discover which varieties are flowering along with the garden practices that will produce the longest-blooming, heaviest producing plants and more. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

6-10pm—Night Blooms – Music in the Garden. Join staff after hours for Night Blooms on the patio, featuring local musicians the Linemann Brothers. Café Angelina will be open and serving wine, beer and light fare.

Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/ events, 636.798.2555.

Aug. 29th 10am—Tried and True Garden Plants. Learn about the plants that are superior producers, with exceptionally beautiful flowers, fantastic forms and superior habits. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Washington County Home Grown Farm Tour and Field Dinner.

Explore farm country and celebrate the growing season in historic Washington County. The event kicks off at the Washington County Courthouse Farmer’s Market in Potosi, MO with an information

booth, and local craft displays along side market delights of produce, homemade jams, breads and honey.

Set out from the Courthouse Square with your farm tour maps on the free, self-guided tour featuring 12 or more venues highlighting the diversity of local farms and 250 years of history in Washington County. The farmer’s market opens at 8am and most farms are ready for visitors by 10am. End the afternoon with the Harvest Field Dinner showcasing locally produced foods and featuring handcrafted cheese appetizers, local wine and a leisurely four course, farm-style dinner set in the vineyards at Edg-Clif Winery near Potosi, MO. Tickets are $55/person and proceeds benefit the Washington County Farm Tour Scholarship Fund.

For more information visit www. homegrownfarmtour.com or call Debby Bust at (573) 438-8555 to make reservations.

Dig Deeper

www. gatewaygardener. com/Upcoming-events

Show & Sale

July 18-19, 2015 Don’t miss the biggest cactus & succulent show in the Midwest!

See hundreds of award-winning plants, then choose from thousands of rare specimens and starter plants priced from just $2! Free Kids Corner, too!

Sat.: 9 am–10 pm | Sun.: 9 am–5 pm (HSCSS Show and Sale FREE with Garden admission) www.hscactus.org/SHOW

Aug. 22nd 10am—Best Fall Gardening Tips.

The Gateway Gardener®

15

Compost can reduce water consumption and add nutrients to your soil!

Visit St. Louis Composting’s six area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified Compost, Mulch Products and Soil Blends VALLEY PARK, MO

BELLEVILLE, IL

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5841 Mine Haul Road 618.233.2007

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

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18900 Franklin Road 314.355.0052

(This is a drop off facility only) 11294 Schaefer Road 314.423.9035

13060 County Park Road 314.355.0052

Visit us online at www.stlcompost.com

ENRICHING THE SOIL NATURALLY SINCE 1992