The Gateway Gardener June 2012

Gateway Gardener

June 2012

THE

速

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

14K Gold in the Garden

Native Bloom Boom in June!

Strike it Rich with Bright Foliage (and Flowers!)

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From the Editor

Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

June 2012

Volume 8, Number 5

Publisher Joyce Bruno Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Barbara Perry Lawton Garden Book Author and Garden Writer Connie Alwood Master Gardener Ellen Barredo Bowood Farms Diane Brueckman Rosey Acres Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Cindy Gilberg Landscape Design Mara Higdon Gateway Greening Glenn Kraemer G. R. Robinson Seed Co. 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 Fax: (314) 968-4025

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.

T

It’s not too late to make some additions to the veggie garden either. Sweet potatoes are best started when the weather and soils warm up, say Mara Higdon on page 13, and there’s still plenty of time in the season for them to grow a bountiful crop If you have a new garden for the fall. vision to fulfill, or just a few problem areas to fix, June is So, if you were just too busy Perennial Gardening Month and potting up container annuals or a great time to get it done. Too otherwise enjoying the beautiful much green in your garden? spring to implement your Consider adding some 14K perennial gardening dreams, dig gold foliage and flowering in! Because time flies. perennials recommended by But time flies. After a windstorm Steffie Littlefield on page 6. And wiped out two mature trees in June is the season when native February 2011, turning a shade perennials burst into bloom, garden into a clean slate, I set as Cindy Gilberg describes on about reinventing that part of the page 8. garden as a sunny bird-friendly empus fugit. It’s as true in the garden as it is in life.

Sometimes we put off making changes or additions to the garden, especially perennial gardens, because the immediate result rarely matches the vision.

We set out with an image of a garden magazine cover photo landscape, and after spending a small fortune at the garden center, we shake the dirt from our gloves and kick the mud from our feet, step back, and… sigh. The newly planted garden just isn’t what we’d imagined.

garden. The first picture here was taken in May last year, after I’d finished installing the first round of perennials, trees and shrubs. Sigh….But fast forward just a little over a year later, and the space has filled in nicely.

Good Gardening!

On the Cover...

You can strike it rich in the garden with 14K gold color.

This Coreopsis ‘Tequila Sunrise’ not only brightens the garden with its flowers, but when not in bloom, you can take its variegated gold/ green leaves to the bank as well! For more 14K golden plants, see page 7.

(Photo courtesy North Creek Nurseries.)

FEATURES 14 Grow Native! and Missouri Prairie Foundation 16 America in Bloom in Missouri

DEPARTMENTS 4 Lawn Care Simplified 6 14K Gold in the Garden 8 Native Blooms Boom in June!

10 Garden Rewards 11 Eurasian Collared Dove 12 The Cornucopia Corner 18 Dig This 19 Growing Citrus 20 Pests in the Rose Garden 22 Upcoming Events

Lawn Care Simplified

by Barbara Perry Lawton

I

f you follow Glennon Kraemer’s guidelines in The Gateway Gardener for cultivating cool weather grasses, you are well on your way to having a beautiful lawn.

Unfortunately, being human, we often miss some of the details or think that we can solve a lawn problem better.

One of the most common errors in lawn care is to mow too short.

I guess owners want the velvetgreen look of a putting green.

Wrong! The cool season lawn grasses (fescues and bluegrass) will never look like a putting green. I’ve often told people they should set their mowers as high as they will go. More specifically, the lawn should be mowed to a height of 3.5 to 4.0 inches. The second recommendation is to mow often, never cutting off more than 1/3 to ½ of the grass blades’ length. Keep the mower blades sharp so they will cut rather than beat the grass. Keeping the grass long will help discourage weeds.

Most weed seeds, including crabgrass, need sun to germinate and grow.

dogs have access to the lawn.

Since male dogs typically raise their legs on trees, this is not as bad a problem with them.

Perhaps the easiest means of prevention is to train the dog away from tender lawn. Another means of prevention is to lower the acidity of the dog urine by adding brewers yeast to the dog diet—check with your vet to get a specific recommendation.

If that’s not possible, watch carefully and when you see a fresh spot, saturate the urine spot with water, enough to wash away the urine. This problem can be challenging to say the least.

Kind of Tall Turf-Type Fescues

Experts agree that the tall turf-type fescues will serve the St. Louis region best of all. I recently corresponded with Kevin Morris, executive director of the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program in my search for the specific varieties to seek. He suggested the following list of cultivars that have performed well in southern and transitional zones. They are Catalyst, Monet, Tanzania, Spyder LS, Wolfpack II, Bullseye, Rhambler SRP, Falcon V and Braveheart.

Soil and Moisture Like all other plants, the lawn grasses need to have soil that has Check with the internet to find specific sources in our area. Many good texture in order for grass roots to penetrate deeply—the mixes of tall turf-type fescues contain more than one of the modern deeper the roots, the tougher the lawn will be. The soil should be cultivars. regularly moist, the equivalent of an inch of rain each week will be enough for an established lawn. Newly seeded lawns should be Final Words kept moist until the seeds have germinated and the grass is growing To simplify the whole lawn challenge, I often tell people to mow well. Beware of over-watering, a common problem with automatic high and often, and fertilize once a year in the fall. It’s worked for me in a couple of different situations. irrigation systems.

Add more organic matter by allowing grass clippings to fall back on Barbara Perry Lawton is a writer, author, speaker and the lawn. Never bag the clippings. Be sure to mow when the grass photographer. She has served as manager of publications is dry. If you mow during wet weather, the grass clippings will for Missouri Botanical Garden and as weekly garden lump together, thus spoiling the effect of your organic additions. If columnist for the Post-Dispatch. The author of a number your lawn becomes compacted due to foot traffic or other pressures, of gardening and natural history books, and contributor plan to contract with a professional lawn care company to have it to many periodicals, she has earned regional and national core-aerated, or you can rent the machine and do it yourself. honors for her writing and photography. Barbara is also

Shade

If you have a lawn area that is predominantly shade, don’t even try to grow lawn grasses, the blues and fescues. They will not grow in shade. Some people think they can get around this by sodding but that is only a temporary solution. The sod will not thrive in shade.

Substitute ground covers or organic mulches. They will look much more attractive under trees and in other shady sites than dying grasses.

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5

14K Gold in the Garden

by Steffie Littlefield

Hosta ‘Fire Island’

T

here is a plethora of new plants at the nursery that have a spectacular leaf or foliage color that helps them shine in the garden as if they were 14K gold. This gold color adds life and sparkle to a sometimes-monotonous green

landscape. Where do you want to add the brilliant glow of gold? You can brighten a shade garden, liven up a sun border or even punch up the impact of a shrub border with gold foliage accents.

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Hosta ‘Fat Cat’

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to 24” tall and 48” wide.

Want a little more texture? Try an ornamental leaf heuchera like H. ‘Harvest Lemon Chiffon’. When planted in morning sun the beautiful lemon color really glows in the part The most obvious gold shade garden. You can add even more texture plants can be found in with Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa the hosta aisle. Here ‘Aureola’). A former Perennial Plant of we have lots of new the Year, this shade tolerant grass is a fun large- and small-leaf addition to the mixed planting. Another is hostas to add contrast the sedge Carex ‘Evergold’, which is happy and interest to the with morning sun and afternoon shade. deep shade planting.

A special new one is If deer or rabbits are plaguing your hosta Hosta ‘Fire Island’ bed try Hypericum ‘Brigadoon’ with lovely with its unique green-gold foliage that runs up and down reddish stems and the stem, or Japanese Aralia ‘Sun King’, an yellow gold leaves or outstanding bold accent plant. One of my the new large Hosta favorites is the gold-leaf Dicentra ‘Gold ‘Fat Cat’ which grows Heart’ with lovely pink bleeding heart

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6

The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

Campanula ‘Dickson’s Gold’

blooms.

‘Angelina’ courtesy Ball Horticultural Co.

To ramp-up the color value in the sun border, look for Gaura ‘Corrie’s Gold’ with unique gold foliage that is topped off with light pink flowers. Another stunning show is the contrast of bright purple flowers and gold foliage on the Centaura ‘Gold Boullion’. Don’t pass up spiderwort ‘Sweet Kate’, for fun spikey foliage, or Campanula ‘Dickson’s Gold’ both with bright blue flowers and good for sun to part shade.

Coreopsis ‘Tequila Sunrise’ courtesy North Creek Nurseries.

All other photos courtesy Walters Gardens, Inc.

For a tough-as-nails border plant that doesn’t need much water but loves sun, try ‘Angelina’ sedum for beautiful soft mounds of gold to add to the rock garden. For the wetter garden add golden creeping Jenny to trail around rocks by the pond or to fill in as a ground cover. The delicate looking golden leaves lie flat to the ground and can trail between stones in a path. Other bright additions to the sunny border are Coreopsis ‘Tequila Sunrise’ and Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’. Love those gold-striped leaves and yellow flowers.

Coreopsis ‘Tequila Sunrise’

Adding rich, bold color to your perennial garden doesn’t always mean adding flowers.

Gold foliage will brighten your landscape faster and longer than short-lived blooms.

Look for these 14K gold winners and other colorful plants at your local Independent Garden Center. Remember, June is Perennial Gardening Month!

Dicentra ‘Gold Heart’

Photo Credits: Hosta ‘Fat Cat’ and H. ‘Fire Island’ red stem insert courtesy Q & Z Nursery, Inc. Heuchera ‘Harvest Lemon Chiffon’ and Sedum

DRAI

Sedum ‘Angelina’

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 Horticultural Association and past president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis.

& AINS DENS T N U R FO R GA WATE

NAGE

E SCAP LANDTING and LIGH RS PAVE

Heuchera ‘Harvest Lemon Chiffon’

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7

Native Blooms Boom in June!

T

text and photo by Cindy Gilberg

he fast-paced parade of Missouri’s spring woodland flowers slows down in late May and a whole new crop of early summer flowers begins to appear. Numerous insects are drawn to these flowers in search of pollen and nectar, to feed on the leaves and some even prey on other insects. All this insect life, in turn, becomes favorite tidbits that birds seek in order to feed their newly hatched young. It is a time of abundance and there are many attractive June-blooming natives that can easily be incorporated into even the most traditional landscape design. Be sure to blend them in with native plants that flower at other times of the year to ensure season-long interest.

For full sun

to part sun sites

The

following

native

species

Foxglove Beardstongue thrive in dry to average soil and are drought resistant. Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is one of the showiest and most

For More Information About Native Plants: Missouri Department of Conservation Grow!Native program: www.grownative.org Missouri Botanical Garden Native Plant Garden, Classes and Plant Finder: www.mobot.org Shaw Nature Reserve Whitmire Wildflower Garden, Native Plant School and other special events: www.shawnature.org Wild Ones a non-profit organization with local chapters: www.for-wild.org

familiar of the natives that bloom in early summer. Slow to emerge in spring, it grows quickly to a height of 2 ft. and puts on a show of bright orange flower clusters in June. Milkweeds are most notable as the host plants for the monarch butterfly. The flowers attract many other butterflies and insects that come to feed on the nectar. Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea) is not as well known but is readily available from specialty nurseries.

The cone-shaped flowers on this clump-forming perennial are frequented by many insects, including butterflies. Dalea, about

1½ ft. tall, is a good candidate for smaller gardens with dry soil.

The pale coneflower (Echinacea pallida), a cousin of the more familiar purple coneflower, performs very well in hot, sunny and dry locations. Its central cone, a great landing pad for insects, is a favorite of many butterflies. The petals are pink and naturally hang down, in contrast to the horizontal petals of purple coneflower. For front of the garden, along paths and in rock gardens, try Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa). Only about 6”-8” tall, this petite plant has unusually large flowers for its size. Big yellow flowers open in the late afternoon, staying open until the next morning—hence its name evening primrose. Ripe seeds are borne in equally large and unusual seed capsules that, to me, look like paper torpedoes.

For shady sites A choice plant to include in the shade garden is Indian pink (Spigelia marinlandica). Deep red flower buds open to reveal a bright yellow, star-shaped interior. Spigelia is a 2 ft. tall, clump-forming plant that has become a favorite of many shade gardeners. Wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) also blooms at this time, bearing many flat-topped white flowers with

Carex ‘Evergold’

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Hosta ‘Fire Island’

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The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

an ultimate height of 4 ft. It is a good choice for gardeners wanting a habitat garden since its flowers attract many insects and its thick branching provides shelter and nesting sites for small birds. In mid to late-June, black cohosh (Actaea aka Cimicifuga racemosa) becomes a prominent bloomer.

Also know as fairy candles, its flowers are 5 ft. tall spikes covered in an abundance of small ivorywhite flowers. It grows well in dry to average soil and doesn’t require staking. This plant is yet another that is frequented by many pollinating and nectaring insects.

One more to try for either full sun to average shade is foxglove

beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis).

A short plant, growing 1-1/12 ft tall, this beardtongue is so named due to the fact that its spike of white flowers resemble the nonnative foxglove (Digitalis). It begins to bloom in early June and thrives in average to almost moist soils.

Reserve (SNR). Walk through this garden in different months and see the plants in a garden setting.

Throughout the rest of SNR’s property, trails lead you through

a variety of habitats where you can see the plants in their natural environment.

When deciding which plants to add to your garden, refer to websites such as www.grownative. org and the Plant Finder at www. missouribotanicalgarden.org. Of course the best way to determine what native plants to add for blooms at different times of the season is to visit the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature

Cindy Gilberg, horticulturist and Missouri native, focuses on garden design, consulting and teaching, and also works part-time in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, emphasizing the use of native plants in home landscaping. You can reach her at cindy.gilberg@gmail.com.

The Whitmire Wildflower Garden is located at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO. Hours: 7 a.m. – dark. Visitor’s Center Hours: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekends.

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Garden Rewards

By Joyce Driemeyer

W

can be trimmed back and added to mixed bouquets of summer perennials. The gray or some variegated foliage is a great filler, instead of ferns.

ith scissors in hand, June is a perfect time to reap the benefits from your herbs. If they are not in full lush growth, you have a problem!

It is a perfect time to harvest fresh tender picot-edged leaves of salad burnet. Use the cucumber-flavored leaves to flavor vinegar for salads. Use a clean 8-12oz. glass bottle, add a number of tender burnet stems and 3-4 chive blossoms, fill container with white wine vinegar, cap with a plastic—not metal—screw top. Put the bottle in a dark closet for several weeks or longer. Use vinegar to make salad dressing with olive oil, or splash fresh tomato slices with the vinegar.

By cutting back blooming stems of basil, the plants will become bushy and continue to thrive. Bring in fragrant flowering stems and enjoy in a bouquet. Flowering stems of sage and thymes can also be enjoyed in a small chairside container. Pruning these plants will stimulate new growth of foliage for continuing harvest, drying and storage of leaves for culinary purposes. Flowering chives need to be cut back to the base and they will send up new growth for the summer. Use the blooms for flavoring or add to salads for color.

Foliage of wormwood and other Artemisia

“F lo w e r i n g stems

of

sage

and

thymes

can

be

cut

and

enjoyed

in

containers.”

Passionate about Perennials?

JUNE is Perennial Gardening Month!

In the vegetable garden, plant basils near tomato plants and use dwarf marigolds around edges of the bed to ward off not only insects, but squirrels and rabbits which do not like strong-smelling plants.

In my own garden for color impact, I have a border of purple coneflower (Echinacea) and Spanish lavender (Lavender stoechas), which blooms all summer. This lavender is tolerant of humidity (unlike most lavenders) and although not hardy here, can be potted up in the fall and brought inside.

After 30 years as a landscape designer, Joyce Or vis now retired. She has been a sit o GrMBG since 1969 and a eenh ivolunteer ur o u wMaster ses t 15 since 1985. She is hat’s Gardener grow o see SPRa past i g f member of the Herb also ING nboard ‘08!! or Society of America, and is a current board member of the St. Louis Herb Society.

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The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

On The Fly

I

Eurasian Collared Dove

By Connie Alwood

Dan Kassebaum

my yard, I have seen it in many places in have never been back ended, but the city, including Tower Grove Park and that’s not because I haven’t tried. In throughout the Hill neighborhood. Several March 1991 I was driving through of my birding companions living both in Homestead, Florida, on my way to the the city and in St. Louis County have them Everglades National Park. On the front lawn coming to their feeders. We still don’t know of a small residence in Homestead stood what impact the Eurasian Collared Dove three birds—a species that I had never seen will have on our native Mourning Dove. I’m before. Of course, I slammed on the brakes. guessing not much. Rock Pigeons (pigeons That’s what birders do. Fortunately, no are in the same family, Columbidae, and one was behind me. I immediately pulled are basically just larger than doves) are also over, rifled through my 1984 edition of the an introduced species; yet the Mourning National Geographical Bird Guide and tried to find the dove that I was looking at. It had thought that its place of origin is India and Dove has held its own against them and a thin black collar, sandy gray coloring and Pakistan; however, today it is found from then some. Both the Eurasian Collared and a squared tail with a white terminal band. Europe throughout the Middle East and Mourning Doves make little stick nests that It was just slightly larger than our native all the way to China. In the 1970s in New are fragile little messes; however, what they lack in architectural skills, they more Mourning Dove. Nope, the field guide than make up in fecundity. They did not include this introduced “In the countryside, the Eurasian breed year round.

Eurasian Collared Dove.

Collared Dove can be found wherever a granary silo can be found. And you thought there were no free lunches.”

In October, 1997, I saw this dove for the first time in the St. Louis area in Carlyle, Illinois. Fast forward to 2006: while visiting my brother in San Luis Obispo, California, I watched while approximately 50 Eurasian Collared Doves descended from the telephone wires into his side yard where he had just delivered them a bucket of cracked corn for breakfast. After feasting away, the birds would return to the telephone wires in his and his neighbor’s backyard. My brother did not know the origin of this alien species. For that matter, he didn’t even know their name.

Because it is an introduced species, the Eurasian Collared Dove is fair game for hunters at any time of the year. My brother claims that he Providence, Bahamas, Eurasian Collared Doves were released into the wild. The just enjoys watching these birds; however, species quickly piggybacked from the we all know that corn fed game produces Caribbean Islands to the coast of Florida. good tasting meat. And the next day I only With people like my brother feeding birds, counted 47 birds in his side yard. it took less than twenty years for the species to go from coast to coast. Today the species can be found even in some northern states.

Connie Alwood is a Wherever people feed birds, the dove has Master Gardener and flourished. In the countryside, the Eurasian co-author of Birds of Collared Dove can be found wherever a the St. Louis Area: granary silo can be found. And you thought Where and When to Find Them. there were no free lunches.

As its name suggests, the Eurasian Collared Dove is almost all over Eurasia. It is Although I have yet to see this species in

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The Gateway Gardener™

11

The Cornucopia Corner Overland Farmers’ Market

June Harvest

2500 Woodson Road Overland, MO 63114 www.OverlandFarmersMarket.com

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

Hours: 8am-12:30pm Saturdays May-Oct. Visit us for locally grown seasonal produce, homemade bread and sweetrolls, entertainment and special events. Food available for purchase. Centrally located and accessible by public transportation. Have fun and eat well. We look forward to seeing you at the market!

2012 Farmers’ & Produce Markets Ferguson Farmers’ Market

20 S. Florissant Rd. Ferguson, MO (314) 324-4298 Knoelker@sbcglobal.net www.FergusonFarmersMarket.com and FACEBOOK Hours: May 5th-Oct. 27th, Sat. 8am-noon Open for our 10th season with fresh, local and organic produce and fruits grown within 100 miles and picked within 24 hours by the friendly farmers who grow them. Special events weekly with chef demos, food contests, kids’ art activities and fresh produce samplings. 48 tents include live music, food booths, specialty bakery goods, meats, cheeses, artisans, plants, and many farmers. GET FRESH. SHOP LOCAL.

Historic Soulard Farmers’ Market

730 Carroll Street St. Louis, MO 63104 (314) 622-4180 http://stlouis-mo.gov/soulardmarket.com Hours: Open Year Round - Wed. thru Fri. 8am to 5pm, Sat. 6am to 5pm.

Soulard Market is the oldest farmers’ market west of the Mississippi and continues to be a unique and vibrant venue for shoppers from the metropolitan area. Vendors offer fresh veggies and fruits, handmade cheeses, fresh flowers, meats, poultry, seafood, unique spices, clothing, jewelry and prepared food items. Free parking close to the Market.

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any of us think of visiting our local farmers’ market for fresh in-season fruits and veggies. But take a look at the market listings on this page, and you’ll see there is so much more to enjoy at your local farmers’ market.

Baked goods, organic meats, artisan cheeses, handmade clothing, jewelry and artwork. And food for the soul as well, including live music and other great entertainment for children and adults.

So visit one of the participating farmers’ markets or produce markets supporting this page, and feed your head and stomach!

We’ll publish this guide monthly through the growing season.

Asparagus Beets Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Herbs Horseradish Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Okra Onions Peas Radishes Rhubarb Spinach Squash (summer) Sweet Corn

Jt’s

Tomatoes Turnips

Fruits

Apples Apricots Blackberries Blueberries Canteloupe Cherries Gooseberries Nectarines Peaches Plums Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon

Fresh Ideas

Quick Pickled Cucumbers 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup vinegar (rice wine or apple cider) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes, overnight is best!

Enjoy!

Jt-

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

You can FAX your recipe to 314.968.4025 or email us: info@gatewaygardener.com.

The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

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

Sweet Potatoes Nature’s Super Food!

By Mara Higdon

G

rowing sweet potatoes is relatively easy and yields a bountiful harvest that can last for months. Native to South America, the sweet potato is known as a “super food” or nutritional powerhouse.

They are very high in beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and dietary fiber. They also provide smaller amounts of potassium, manganese and folic acid.

together. Sweet potatoes prefer full sun, but will do fine in gardens that provide them a bit of afternoon shade in very hot areas.

Once planted, water well and keep them weeded till the vines establish themselves.

From here I do very little to maintain the sweet potatoes. The vines keep the weeds at bay although they do appreciate a regular watering which keeps The growing season for the sweet potatoes from sweet potatoes is about 4 cracking. Harvest in the fall months from when they are when the vines begin to turn planted. As they enjoy warm yellow. However, it is best to temperatures, it is possible refrain from watering heavily to start your sweet potatoes 2 weeks from your harvest later in summer.

Sweet time. Sweet potatoes bruise potatoes grow from slips that easily and can grow near the are planted directly into the surface of the garden bed so ground when the ground has be cautious when digging. warmed and all chance of frost has passed. Space the To cure and store sweet slips about 12 - 18” apart with potatoes, knock the dirt off 3 - 4’ between rows. Smaller, of them and let them dry more compact varieties can outside for several hours. be planted a little closer There is no need to wash them off with water. Then

place them in a dry protected area with good airflow. The sweet potatoes should store for several months in a cool dry dark area of your pantry or basement.

A few good varieties to try are: Carolina Ruby – 80 days, red/orange ; Georgia Jet – 80 days, red/red, vine; Beauregard – 90 days, orange, vine; Centennial – 90 days, orange, vine, fresh; Nancy Hall – 120 days, cream/white (25).

Stuckmeyer’s Farm Market and Greenhouse 249 Schneider Rd. Fenton, MO (636) 349-1225

Hours: April-Oct. Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm Visit our family-operated farm market and greenhouse. We offer a large selection of flowers and vegetable plants from early spring thru mid-summer. Fresh, homegrown vegetables are available mid-April thru October. The month of October is family “Farm Fun Days” featuring hayrides, pumpkins and Stuckmeyer-grown mums!

Stuckmeyers.com

Schlafly Farmers Market Schlafly Bottleworks

7260 Southwest Avenue Maplewood, MO 63143 (314) 241-2337 farmersmarket@schlafly.com www.schlaflyfarmersmarket.com

M a r a Higdon is the Program Director at Gateway Greening, Inc. They focus on community development through gardening throughout the St. Louis area. You can reach her at (314) 588-9600 x22 or by email at mara@gatewaygreening. org.

Come and buy local, farm fresh eggs, pork, lamb, beef, herbs, mushrooms, artisanal loaves, flowers, pasta, chocolate and more, straight from the source.

non-food homemade items like soaps and homegrown flowers are also fair game.

Clayton Farmer’s Market

The Land of Goshen Community Market

For more information, visit https:twitter.com/#!/ StLouisFoodSwap or http:// stlouisfoodswap.blogspot. com/.

www.ClaytonFarmersMarket.com

Hours: April-Oct. Wednesdays 4-7pm.

Homemade Food Swap

D

o you bake, ferment, can or grow your own food?

Then you might be interested in the STL Food Swap!

What’s a food swap? Simply, it’s an event to exchange food, specifically homegrown, homemade foods canned, fermented, or baked by the swappers themselves. This is an opportunity for food fanatics to show off their delicacies and try new culinary ideas. Plus,

JUNE 2012

On the Illinois side visit www.facebook.com/ trentonfoodswap or h t t p s : / / t w i t t e r. c o m / # ! / trentonfoodswap.

The Gateway Gardener™

8282 Forsyth Blvd.

Clayton, MO 63105 West of Straub’s in Clayton

Hours: May thru Nov. 3rd, Saturday mornings 8:30am-12:30pm Enjoy the festivities and experience the bounty! Toe-tappin’ live music and fun kids’ activities. Fresh-from-the-farm local products, regional specialty foods and mighty fine arts & crafts await dedicated market-goers. Whether you pull up a lawn chair & visit with friends or grab a bite & stroll with a cuppa, “We’re a stop along the road to anywhere.”

South of the Courthouse Edwardsville, IL (618) 307-6045 www.GoshenMarket.org Hours: May 12-October 20th Saturday mornings 8am-noon An open-air farmers’ market that is a great source for locally grown, fresh, naturally ripened farm products, tasty baked goods with locally grown ingredients, and wonderful art and gift ideas. Live entertainment and free demonstrations add to the festive atmosphere. A safe, wholesome place for kids and the whole family.

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Conservation assembled a team of Grow Native! members to look at options for moving the program to another home. The Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) was approached, and after looking at a variety of options, the team decided that MPF would be an ideal fit for the program.

Missouri is also blessed with nursery entrepreneurs skilled at propagating plants for use in landscaping from seed from natives growing in our original ecosystems. The Grow Native! landscaping education and marketing program works to increase both supply and demand for native plants, to help horticulturalists produce more natives for more home, corporate, and municipal landscapes.

MPF, a 46-year-old, nonprofit prairie conservation organization, protects prairie and other native grassland communities through land acquisition, management, education, and research. MPF owns and manages more than 2,600 acres of high quality, original prairies and some prairie reconstructions. The organization also works with numerous public and private prairie landowners on joint prairie protection projects, supports native grasslandwildlife conservation and

the Department of Agriculture began Grow Native! to promote the use of native Missouri plants for landscaping. Because of Ten years ago, the Missouri the program’s educational and Department of Conservation and marketing activities, the use of

June is Perennial Month

Allen Woodliffe

issouri is blessed with more than 2,000 native plants.

This botanical richness blankets our forests, glades, wetlands, savannas, stream banks, and prairies, providing habitat for wildlife and pollinators as well as income and spiritual renewal for people.

native plants in the state has increased dramatically.

Recognizing the constraints placed on this program by government agencies, the Missouri Department of

“Your Summer Lawn and Garden Headquarters!”

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(314) 962-3311

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The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

agriculture policies, and has an active outreach program including the production of the Missouri Prairie Journal, and many hikes, workshops and other prairie-related events throughout the year.

MPF is thrilled to add Grow Native! as a new program.

Given that roughly 30 percent of Missouri was once prairie, and up to 70 percent of the state contained some assemblage of prairie species, our native grasslands are significant seed sources for many of the native plants we enjoy gardening with today. In addition, through the Grow Native! program, MPF will continue outreach to many audiences about the benefits of natives for landscape beautification, improved wildlife and pollinator habitat, stormwater control, and carbon storage, so that appreciation and support for using natives, as well as conserving intact native ecosystems, will grow.

The Grow Native! program will be fully transitioned as part of MPF by July 1, 2012. The Grow Native! website, with its extensive plant information, buyer’s guide, and other resources, will remain www. grownative.org.

Stay tuned for more information on how you can benefit from Grow Native! and how you can be involved in the program.

For information on MPF, how to become an MPF member or a Grow Native! professional member, please call 888843-6739, or contact info@ moprairie.com or grownative@ moprairie.com.

Pruning, Fertilization, Planting, Spraying, Trimming & Removal

Join MPF’s free 3rd Annual Prairie BioBlitz on June 9 and 10. See www.moprairie.org for details. All welcome!

Be Good to Your Trees. CALL Today!

Carol Davit is executive director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation

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The Gateway Gardener™

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Find these and other fine products at the locations listed below:

Garden Heights Nursery 1605 S Big Bend St. Louis, MO (314) 645-7333

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15

America in Bloom Blossoms in Missouri Again

by Robert Weaver

Hermann Joins Repeat Participant Washington in the 2012 Program.

H

ermann, Missouri, has been named one of Missouri’s Top Ten Dream Cities, has earned the title as the “Prettiest Town in Missouri” every year since 2007

by Rural Missouri magazine; and was named among eleven of “The Prettiest Small Towns in America’ by Forbes Magazine.

Now it’s testing the waters to see how it might fare in adding another title to its resume as a particpant in the national America in Bloom program for 2012.

Come SEE our NATURAL SWIMMING POND on the

insight from the evaluation and use the information to make improvements before any future competition.

America in Bloom is a national program that strives to enhance communities by assessing levels of achievement in a variety of categories, including Floral Displays, Landscaped Areas, Urban Forestry, Environmental Efforts, Heritage Preservation, and Overall Impression. Two judges from the organization visit the community for Historical Preservation will be a key component of Hermann’s evaluation, then submit a report evaluation. In the background is the Museum at the German that critiques both the successes School, named one of “Fifty Hidden Treasures in America” by and areas that may need work.

National Geographic. Photo illustration by Tony Carosella.

The true value of participating in Hermann joins Washington, enhancement program this the program is the information Missouri, as representatives year. Washington is back for its gleaned from this report as a from our region taking part second consecutive run at the point for future community in the national community competition, having competed improvement. last year for the first time Hermann certainly stands and earning the Community to score big in the Heritage Involvement Criteria Award Preservation category with its in its population category (we rich history, and it hopes to featured Washington’s efforts come alive in the Floral Display in the July/August 2011 issue). category, too. The Maifest Hermann is taking part as a Council donated nine floral urns Participant Only, meaning it that will be in full bloom this will gain the evaluation, but is summer along historic Schiller not competing against other St., and is also offering a $100 communities. They hope to gain

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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.net

The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

Constructed in 1886, the Festhalle Building was restored in 2007 as the Inn at Hermannhof. Photo illustration by Tony Carosella.

prize for the best window box display in the Historic Downtown District. The Hermann Garden Club is also actively involved in drumming up financial and volunteer support.

Good luck to both these great Missouri communities as they blossom for America in Bloom!

Mini Excavating Services

Underground Utility Installation • Water Services • Downspout Drains • Stump Removal • Grading Excavation for Foundation Drainage Issues • Trenching • Site Prep for Retaining Walls • Ponds • Bobcat Work

This statue of Germanic leader Arminius, beautifully surrounded by roses, greets visitors as they arrive in Hermann. Photo by Bill Fields.

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The Gateway Gardener™

Pond-O-Rama Pond and Garden Tour June 23 & 24 Pond-O-Rama is simply the most spectacular garden tour of the summer!

See 45 SLWGS member ponds.

Tickets are $15.

For ticket locations, call (314)995-2988 or visit our website, www.slwgs.org 17

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News Bellefontaine Springs Beautification Project

The Bellefontaine House in Waterloo, Illinois, a survivor of the first American settlement in that state, was restored by the Monroe County Historical Society and today is open to the public as a historical site located near the house’s namesake “beautiful springs.” Recently the spring’s landscape received a facelift courtesy of a community effort just in time for the hosting of the traveling Smithsonian Exhibit, The Way We Worked.

The beautification project was started by Mayor Tom Smith and landscaper Doug Sparwasser. With Mayor Smith’s efforts to secure an Environmental Grant from Illinois American Water, a Farm Credit Community Improvement Grant, and local donations from the Waterloo Lodge No. 27 I.O.O.F. and Waterloo Lions Club, the project was funded. Countless hours of labor were performed by many with Doug Sparwasser providing the guidance to the local Girl Scouts Troop 745, Boy Scouts Troop 323, and the Shooting Stars 4-H Club. Other significant contributors were Curt Sondag, Monroe County 4-H Federation, Monroe County Master Gardeners, Waterloo High School FFA, Kinzinger Truck Service, and Heartland Turf Farms.

With the efforts of everyone involved, the area was cleaned of brush, then flowers, shrubs and trees were planted, natural stone benches were installed, and a cedar foot bridge was built by the Waterloo High School FFA. The area now is truly a focal point and wonderful place to visit.

Japanese Government Supervisor

Honors

Garden

Ben Chu, South Gardens Supervisor for the Missouri Botanical Garden, has been awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recognizing his outstanding contributions to Japan-US relations in his cultivation and promotion of the Japanese garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden, specifically the Japanese cherry blossom trees.

Consul General Okamura Yoshifumi presented the 18

o f f i c i a l commendation and award during the S a k u r a P l a n t i n g Ceremony April 22 in the Japanese Garden. This ceremony m a r k e d Japanese Consul General Okamura the 100th Yoshifumi (left) presents the anniversary of commendation to Ben Chu. the gift of cherry blossom trees from the people of Japan to the people of the United States and the gift of 20 new cherry blossom trees to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Chicken Chatter

Backyard chickens are a hot topic these d a y s .

Festus and Shrewsbury are a couple of area communities that Left to right, John Loyet and Jennifer h a v e Schamber of Greenscape Gardens, and been deEllen Barredo of Bowood Farms chat bating— chickens with P. Allen Smith. and so far disallowing—backyard chickens, while other communities are embracing the sustainability benefits of raising urban poultry. Recently a group of chicken enthusiasts gathered by the “Coop de Rupe,” as Kirkwood chicken enthusiast Bill Ruppert describes his backyard chicken domicile, to discuss a wide range of poultry problems, including how to smooth ruffled feathers of neighbors and city councils. Heading the discussion was none other than P. Allen Smith, national media garden guru, chicken lover and spokesperson for Land O’Lakes Purina Feed’s line of chicken and poultry feed products. Mr. Smith was in town to help dedicate the new “Community Coop,” a demonstration coop for backyard chicken owners at Gateway Greening’s Bell Garden. The coop is sponsored

by Land O’Lakes Purina.

The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

Growing Citrus Indoors and Out

by Ellen Barredo

A

In my opinion, a tree-form citrus is the easiest to care for although harder to find available.

A citrus tree’s height is right at window level and may be kept at 4-5 feet in height and width.

The citrus in a tree form also holds the blooms NOSE level. But alas, the bush form may have to suffice as the tree forms are difficult to come by.

Homes in winter are darker and warmer, and have much drier air. Provide the proper, care, light, humidity, cooler temperatures and you will be awarded with fragrance and fruit!

A heated sunroom or south facing location indoors works well for wintering your citrus.

Citrus require a minimum of five to six hours of sunlight indoors in winter. A grow light ensures proper light levels. When outdoors place in full sun.

Which Types to Grow?

Although many citrus plants make excellent container plants, there are a few varieties that fit pot culture better than others. Generally those that grow and flower freely or hold their fruit for extended periods of time give the indoor gardener the greatest rewards.

Choose these for fruit: Lemon – It is less dependent on heat for fruit production; Citrus limon ‘Meyer’ is popular disease-resistant variety. This plant often flowers and fruits at the same time. Choose a tree form over a bush form.

Kumquat – A very durable, white flowering and fragrant plant. Varieties include Fortunella margarita, F. japonica and F. crassifolia. Most kumquats also bear and hold their fruit well.

Delicious! Wet them, roll in sugar and eat them skin and all. Wow! Kaffir Lime—Citrus hystrix has aromatic foliage and is used in Southeast-Asian cooking.

A very, very hard to find plant.

Sour Oranges –varieties include Calamondin orange. The Calamondin orange has a long history in container culture as it holds its fruit for months and has a compact growth habit.

A variegated form is available and has very beautiful foliage.

JUNE 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

‘Meyer Improved’ Lemon

Monrovia

citrus tree is an incredible indoor/ outdoor plant. The shiny, dark green leaves and fragrant blooms of citrus trees are a delight. The added bonus, brightly colored, tart fruit follow the blooms. Wow! (When indoors for winter you may have to be the “bee” with a small paint brush moved from flower to flower to achieve fruit development.)

Key Lime—Citrus aurantifolia is also known as the bartender’s lime or the Mexican lime.

This is also the favored lime for Key Lime Pie. A recent introduction is two varieties of plants in a pot. Called a fruit cocktail plant, the pot contains a Meyer Lemon and a Key Lime.

JoAnn’s Greenhouse’s, a wholesale supplier to area garden centers, has recently brought in additional citrus plants for people to plant and enjoy. These citrus include several varieties of oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit. (Ssshh…I even heard there are other tropical fruit trees for purchase!) Inquire at your local garden center!

Size and Type of Container

Choose a pot 14-18” across for your citrus.

Please make sure the pot has good drainage; drill extra holes if needed. Avoid a tray outside; it may fill with water during periods of rain.

Choose a light colored pot to keep the roots cooler.

Soils Citrus trees need a premium soil mix. They will also enjoy a liberal addition of Turface or Espoma Soil Perfector to help hold air in the soil. Never use ordinary garden top soils for container citrus. Once confined in a container, most garden soils are too dense and water drains too slowly for citrus.

Watering and Fertilizing

Plants in containers generally require more frequent watering than the same plants in the ground and citrus are no exception. During hot, dry, windy weather, daily watering may be necessary. Please check, don’t water out of habit. Once the top 2 to 3 inches of soil are dry, soak the root mass until water drains out the bottom of the pot. In some situations, water will quickly drain out the bottom of the pot without

soaking the root mass. This happens when the root mass dries and shrinks slightly, pulling away from the edges of the container. To help rewet the dried root mass, place three or four drops of a mild dish soap in your water bucket.

Water two to three time consecutively. The soap will help the water soak into the soil so the root mass can expand to fill the container again.

Frequent watering causes needed nutrients to wash through the soil more quickly. Controlledrelease fertilizers are desirable and less likely to wash through soil. Going organic? Espoma Citrus Tone is just one of many natural fertilizers to try! Soluble liquid fertilizers generally provide more exacting control but also require more frequent applications, every other week or so. There is also a new Jack’s Classic Citrus Food that is diluted in water and applied. Exactly how long fertilizers last depend upon the specific fertilizer and your watering frequency.

Insect and Disease Prevention

Scale and spider mites are two common pests to watch for. Prevent spider mites by maintaining proper plant care. Spring and fall oil sprays can help with scale. Consult your local garden center for professional help. If you plan on eating your fruit you must choose insect control wisely.

There are some serious diseases that can occur.

These diseases made the availability of citrus more difficult until recently. Several Florida nurseries have been able to ship citrus once again. If you think you may have a citrus disease visit this web site - http://www.ipm.ucdavis. edu/PMG/C107/m107bpleaftwigdis.html.

Going outside

When moving your plants outdoors in spring (or back indoors in fall), make the transition gradually. In spring, move plants from indoors to shade to sun and in fall from sun to shade before going back indoors. Also, before moving the plant indoors, shower it completely with warm, soapy water to wash off any bugs. Pests that you don’t notice outdoors can become problems once inside.

Ellen Barredo may be reached at Bowood Farms (314) 454-6868.

She is also co-hosting monthly on AM 550 KTRS, the Inside Out Show with Host John Shea, Saturdays from 12-3 p.m.

19

W

Watch for Pests in the Rose Garden

By Diane Brueckman

e all enjoyed the mild winter and so did the overwintering pests. This spring, the roses were blooming in April and the aphids were there to enjoy the feast. It is more important than ever to patrol the rose garden and look for the bugs and diseases. I have been good about not spraying for insects in my yard, so my predators have kept the aphids in bounds. Rose sawfly damage Rose sawfly larva Still, it will be a long season and not a pretty and leaves. Look for distorted or twisted one if you do not catch the bad guys early. growth, possibly blackened. The larvae Look for damage and then the culprit. If are actually tiny maggots that create deep your foliage is turning yellow and dusty furrows in the tender growth and feed on looking, check the undersides of the leaves the juices. Their life cycles are very short, for webbing and tiny spider mites. The 2 to 3 weeks depending on the weather. mites suck the chlorophyll out of the leaves, Several generation of this pest are possible especially the older leaves. In the case of in a single season. The best way to control spider mites, a strong spray of water aimed rose midge is to prune out infected parts of from beneath the plant will wash off eggs, the plant and destroy them. larvae and adults. This method of control Have you ever walked out to admire your will not harm the predaceous mites that roses and found your foliage has been feed on the spider mites. Spider mites are eaten to shreds? You may be looking at partial to dry conditions where there is the work of the rose sawfly larvae. There poor air circulation. Keep your roses well are 3 different species of sawfly that attack watered and clean up the fallen leaves and roses but the treatment is the same for all any weeds that may host the mites. three. The females lay their eggs in slits Another pest that is not seen until the damage occurs is the rose midge. The rose midge is a tiny mosquito-like fly. The adults do not feed on the roses but lay their eggs in the lush terminal growth of flower buds, leaf axils and unfolding leaves. They hatch in about 2 days and feed on the new buds

they make in a leaf. The larvae, which look like slugs, feed on the leaves and eventually tunnel into twigs to pupate. A strong spray of water will knock them off the plant and they are not able to make their way back up.

If you only have a few, handpicking will take care of the problem or for large infestations a contact insecticide will work.

There are many types of cane borers

including the sawfly. When pruning your roses, if you see a hole in the center of a cane cut it all the way down to white pith.

The cane will eventually die where the borer has tunneled so remove it.

Thrips are a very annoying pest. These tiny sliver-like insects reside inside the unopened flower buds of roses. You know they are present when your buds do not open. Sometimes the buds start to open but the petals are marred with brown streaks and spots. Peel back the petals of suspect buds and look for the brownish slivers that move. Those are the thrips (approximately 1/8th inch long). They seem to be the most prevalent in early to midsummer. Prune off the infected buds/blooms and destroy.

Contact insecticides are difficult to use because the thrips are well protected in the buds.

These are some of the most common pests we see on our roses. There are others, just remember not all bugs are bad. Look for damage and look for the villain then find a solution. It might be a spray or just removal by hand.

D i a n e Brueckman is a retired rosarian with Missouri Botanical Garden, and currently owns Rosey Acres in Baldwin, Illinois. You can reach her at (618) 785-3011.

Bring Conservation Home

• Dreaming of your own wildlife sanctuary?

• Fascinated by hummingbirds, butterflies or creepy/ crawlies?

• Not sure how to get started or which native plants are best?

Call (314) 599-7390 or check out our habitat assistance and certification program at:

StLouisAudubon.org/bch 20

618-235-2004

The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

Bulk Products Aromatic Cedar Mulch Cedar Oak Blend Mulch Color Enhanced Mulch & Chips Natural Oak Chips Playground Cover

What is your mulch made of?

At Missouri Mulch, we understand the importance of mulch that is free of pesticides and contaminants. Our products are made of pure oak derived from barrel making, allowing us to offer you premium mulch products that are both safe and sustainable.

Gary Hinegardner 573.216.3572 gary.hinegardner@missourimulch.com Tracy Stewart 573.645.2271 tracy.stewart@missourimulch.com Office: 573.252.2520 55 Stave Mill Rd. New Florence, MO 63363 www.missourimulch.com facebook.com/missourimulch

LanterN Festival Art by DAy, MAgic by Night

May 26–august 19 Opening Weekend May 26–28

Presented by

The Missouri Botanical Garden will host a spectacular international exhibition of larger-than-life, lighted works of art from China. The first of its kind and size in the U.S., come experience one of China’s most treasured events—the Lantern Festival!

4344 Shaw Blvd. • St. Louis, MO 63110 • (314) 577-5100 • www.mobot.org

JUNE 2012

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Upcoming Events Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at www.GatewayGardener.com, so check there for the latest details. If you have a smartphone, scan this code to go directly to the Upcoming Events online calendar.

bring delight in gardening to children with projects they do themselves.

Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Rd. Also sponsored by Schnuck’s Markets.

Stripes Forever”—A Patriotic Standard Flower Show. Presented

by Boone County Garden Club. Wine Country Gardens, 2711 Hwy. 94 South, Defiance, MO. FREE.

June 4th-27th 9-10:30am every Monday and Wednesday—Junior Gardener Training. Ages 8-12 will experience a series of classes that include lessons and practical applications in the garden. Students receive a certificate of completion at the end of training. $41; $35w/Benefit ID card. Willoughby Farm, Collinsville (618) 346-7529.

June 9th 9am-3pm—Secret Garden Tour of Lebanon. Rain or Shine. $8 advance/ $10 door. Proceeds for youth scholarship. Lebanon Visitors Center, 221 W. St. Louis St, Lebanon IL Info at 618-537-8420, www. gardencluboflebanon.org and on Facebook.

June 16th 10am-noon—Get Out! Ages 4-12.

Enjoy the great outdoors with science lessons, crafts, scavenger hunts, and story time. $5/child, $15 max/family.

Willoughby Farm, Collinsville, (618) 346-7529.

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

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

Garden Clubs and Plant Society Meetings Interested in Joining a Garden Club or Plant Society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at www.GatewayGardener. com. Don’t have access to the internet?

Just call us at (314) 968-3740, or write us at PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122, and we’ll get the information to you. So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant society today!

Fun For Kids June 2nd 9am—Children’s Garden ClubGrilling Vegetables from the Garden and Pineapples, Too! FREE, no reservations required, everyone welcome. The Children’s Garden Club is designed to educate and

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Plant Shows, Sales Tours

and

June 2nd 9am-2pm—The Lake Area Master Gardeners’ 6th Annual Garden Walk. Four private gardens and historic Willmore Lodge gardens at Lake of the Ozarks. Tickets are available at any Central Bank or First National Bank location. Email Glenda_hinrichs@yahoo.com for info.

June 2nd-3rd 9am-5pm— 18th Annual Hermann Garden Tour and Plant Sale. Two Tours in 2012: the popular Town Tour, a walking tour of gardens in downtown Hermann, and the Country Tour, a driving tour to country gardens.

Separate $10 ticket for each tour includes visits to four private gardens and the Garden Demonstration Area.

Town & County Garden Tour Combo Ticket for $15. Also Special Ticket By-Reservation-Only Luncheon/ Silent Auction for $20 on June 1st and High Tea in European-style Lavender Garden for $18.50 on June 2nd. Visit the Hermann Garden Tours website at www.hermanngardentours.com for up to date events, ticket prices, and photographs. “Like” us on Facebook at Hermann Garden Club Tours 2012. Call Hermann Welcome Center at (800) 932-8687 or go to www. visithermann.com.

June 5th 11:30am-4:30pm—“Stars

and

10am-4pm—Monroe County Garden Tour. Gardens in Columbia, IL. Call (618) 939-3434 for locations to purchase tickets. $10/person in advance, $12 day of event. Sponsored

by U. of I. Extension, Monroe County Master Gardeners, Columbia Women’s Club, Waterloo Area Garden Club, Kinzinger Truck Service & Landscaping Materials, and Midwest Block and Brick.

June 10th 1-5pm—The Washington Community Garden Tour. View the entire yard and gardens of some of the 2011 America In Bloom Yard of the Month winners along with the extensive plantings at the Library.

Eight homes and the Library will be on the tour. Proceeds benefit The Washington Garden Club Scholarship and the America In Bloom programs.

Tickets will go on sale on June 10 from Noon until 4:00 PM at Hillermann Nursery & Florist. Call Sylvia Czeschin at 239-4328 for more information.

June 23rd 9am-5pm—Kimmswick Daylily Plant Sale. Located at Carrol Wrather’s State inspected Garden Certificate # A-1777), 6005 Fourth St, Kimmswick. 75 varieties and 1200 freshly dug and bagged plants, with 600 varieties on display. Come early for best selection. No sales before 9am. Proceeds to the Kimmswick Visitors Center. For information, call 636-464-6464 or check the website at GoKimmswick.com.

De Soto Garden Tour. Information booths open from 8am-noon at Farmer’s Market, St. Andrew United Methodist Church parking lot, tour from 10am-3pm, and reception from 3-4:30pm at Spross Park Pavilion.

Registration and payment $15 per person ($12 in advance). Rain date,

June 30th. (636) 586-6849.

9am-4pm—Franklin County Master Gardeners Garden Tour. Tour 6 spectacular gardens created by the area’s Master Gardeners. Tickets $10/ person. Call (636) 583-5141.

June 23rd and 24th 9a.-5 pm—Pond-O-Rama 12th Annual Pond and Garden Tour.

Sponsored by The St. Louis Water Gardening Society, the self-guided tour includes 45 water features that range from choice small ponds to magnificent large ones located in both Missouri and Illinois. The tour is divided geographically by day with over 20 gardens available for viewing each day. Tickets, good for both days, are $15 per person, and are available at garden centers across the area.

Children 17 and under are admitted free. All persons age 18 and over must have a ticket. The ticket booklet includes maps to all tour locations.

Each ticket booklet also includes a coupon for a free membership in the St. Louis Water Gardening Society for the remainder of the year. For more information about the St. Louis Water Gardening Society and its activities, including Pond-O-Rama, visit the SLWGS website at www.slwgs.org.

June 24th 11am-4pm—Sustainable Backyard Tour. Visit dozens of area home landscapes promoting sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting, composting, keeping chickens, bees or goats, using renewable energy, repurposed materials, native gardens, and more. For a tour map or to register your garden, go to www. sustainablebackyardtour.com or search the same on Facebook.

Classes, Lectures Events

and

Now through October 31st 9am-5pm daily—Plastic Pot Recycling. Recycle plastic garden pots, cell packs and trays. West parking lot of the Garden’s Monsanto Center, 4500 Shaw Blvd. at Vandeventer.

(314) 577-9441. Look for Plastic Pot Recycling at several satellite collection centers throughout the metro area through Sept. 30; for a complete list of participants, visit www.mobot.org/ plasticpotrecycling.

Now through Aug. 19th Lantern Festival: Art by Day, Magic

The Gateway Gardener™

JUNE 2012

by Night. An international exhibition of larger-than-life, lighted works of art from China, presented by Emerson.

Elaborate outdoor sets crafted of silk and steel will celebrate Chinese culture through bold color, dazzling light and striking design. View the art by day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (included with daytime Garden admission; Experience the illuminated magic by night, Thursday through Sunday evenings, May 31-July 29 and seven nights a week, August 1-19 from 6 to 10 p.m. (last entry at 9 p.m.). Lanterns are lit at 8 p.m. Evening admission is $22 for adults, $10 for children (ages 3 to 12), $15 for Garden members and $5 for Garden members’ children.

Missouri Botanical Garden. www. mobot.org/lanternfestival.

June 2 Green Thumb Gardening Series. 9:30am, Sustainable Plants for the Home Landscape. 11am, Plant Selection for the Deer Impacted Landscape. Bill Ruppert, National Nursery Products. FREE. No RSVP necessary. Greenscape Gardens, 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester. (314) 821-2440. GreenscapeGardens.com. nd

10am—Best Summer Gardening Tips. You’ll learn great tips from Karen Collins for summer gardening, including which varieties are flowering, how to produce longest blooming plants and more. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. Call (314) 965-3070.

June 7th 5-7:30pm—Plant Geek Night - Benefits the America In Bloom projects in Washington. $5.00 per person for a night of plant knowledge and fellowship with other Plant Geeks.

Everyone will get a FREE plant to try in their garden. Place your bids at the silent plant auction that will run from 5-6:30. Receive a discount of 20% OFF all plants during this event only.

Learn about new plants and products.

Grilled burgers and hotdogs. Please call to register and ensure your free plant at 636-239-6729. Payment due at the start of the event. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, www.hillermann. com.

June 9th Green Thumb Gardening Series. 9am, The Buzz on Bees, Sandy Brooks, Queen Beekeeper at Greenscape Gardens. 10am, The Three B’s: Butterflies, Bees and Birds.

James Faupel, Missouri Naturescapes. FREE. No RSVP necessary. Greenscape Gardens, 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester. (314) 821-2440. GreenscapeGardens.com.

JUNE 2012

10am—Profuse Blooming Perennials and Shrubs. Discover the showiest, longest blooming, heaviest producing perennials and shrubs available. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. Call (314) 965-3070.

10am-Noon—Tropicals in the Summer Garden. Learn how to include beautiful banana trees, gigantic elephant ears and other tropical plants in your summer garden or patio pots.

St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit http://extension.missouri.edu/ stcharles/gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-970-3000 for information. Preregistration required. $20.

June 10th through 16th Illinois Appreciation Week at Missouri Botanical Garden. Illinois residents receive half-price Garden admission (a $4 value); a 10% discount in the Garden Gate Shop; and a 20% discount off new or gift memberships purchased this week.

Missouri Botanical Garden.

June 12th 7-8:30pm—Assessing Trees for Risk. 2012 Tap Root Speaker Series.

Understanding risk, risk assessment and tree biology will insure that the best decisions are made about whether to leave trees in place, prune defective limbs, move potential targets or schedule tree removal. For professionals. CEU credits available.

Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Ave. Call (636) 970-3000 to preregister Thursday prior to event date. $15 pre-registered, $20 at door.

of daylilies, irises and lilies. Learn cultural requirements. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit http:// extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/ gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-9703000 for information. Pre-registration required. $20.

10am—Fairy Gardening, Mini Landscaping for Containers and Gardens. Learn about doll-sized shrubs, plus the perennials, annuals and vines with tiny leaves and flowers.

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

June 21st and 23rd 10am—Green Thumb Gardening Series. Color Your World.... Learn from Tammy Behm about the best perennial plants to make your garden the most colorful on the block. FREE. No RSVP necessary. Greenscape Gardens, 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester. (314) 821-2440.

GreenscapeGardens.com.

June 23rd 9-11am—A Lot About Honey, A Little About Bees. Explore the many uses of honey. We will talk about the lovely honeybee and basic beekeeping

information. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit http://extension. missouri.edu/stcharles/gardenclasses. aspx or call 636-970-3000 for information. Pre-registration required. $20.

June 29th 5pm— Green Thumb Gardening Series. Happy Hour in the Bartender’s Garden. Learn some great recipes for garden-inspired cocktails. FREE. No RSVP necessary.

Greenscape Gardens, 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester. (314) 8212440. GreenscapeGardens.com.

June 30th 10am-Noon—Gardening with Small Water Features. Learn how to set up and maintain water plants in containers or small ponds. Class will cover benefits of bubblers and their use within gardens, how to build a small water feature and which plants work best in water gardens. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit http:// extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/ gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-9703000 for information. Pre-registration required. $20.

June 14th or 16th 1-4 p.m.—Native Plant School: Rain Gardening for Homeowners. Bring your questions, comments, photos, drawings, and plant specimens for discussion. Session includes hands-on tours and demonstrations. Audience participation encouraged. $15 ($12 Garden members). Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 ext.

0 or visit www.shawnature.org.

June 14th and 16th 10am—Green Thumb Gardening Series. Shape it Up! Hands on Pruning Clinic with Tammy Behm.

Bring your pruners! FREE. No RSVP necessary. Greenscape Gardens, 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester. (314) 821-2440. GreenscapeGardens.com.

June 16th 9:30-11:30am—Daylilies, Irises and Lilies. Discover the many varieties

The Gateway Gardener™

23

Visit St. Louis Composting’s five area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified Compost, Mulch Products and Soil Blends BELLEVILLE, IL

3521 Centreville Ave. 618.233.2007

VALLEY PARK, MO 39 Old Elam Ave. 636.861.3344

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO (This is a drop off facility only) 11294 Schaefer Road 314.423.9035

ST. LOUIS, MO

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

FORT BELLEFONTAINE COMPOST FACILITY 13060 County Park Rd. Florissant, MO 314.355-0052

Visit us online at www.stlcompost.com

ENRICHING THE SOIL NATURALLY SINCE 1992