The Gateway Gardener April 2012

Gateway Gardener

APRIL 2012

THE

速

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Hot Annuals for Cool Containers

Favorites for 2012

Spring Flowering Trees Kitchen Gardens 2012 Eco-Garden Product Guide FREE Courtesy of:

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Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

APRIL 2012

Volume 8, Number 3

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.

I

From the Editor

t was a pleasure to have the opportunity at last month’s Garden Blitz to meet Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, and Diane Ott Whealy, co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange. Seed Savers Exchange is an organization devoted to preserving and sharing heirloom variety seeds.

Not only have I grown some of their heirloom tomatoes over the years, but they have provided the magazine with some of the most beautiful pictures of unusual vegetables you can imagine (You can find some of them archived on our GreenGardeningStL. com website—search the site for articles on heirloom vegetables).

Doug’s book was an inspiration when I first read it a couple years ago, with its compelling argument for making suburban habitats more wildlife friendly through the use of native plants and sustainable cultural practices. Now, the St. Louis Chapter of the Audubon Society is promoting similar practices through a new urban habitat evaluation, improvement and certification program called “Bring Conservation Home.” The program offers on-site evaluation and recommendations to help

private landowners make a healthier habitat for wildlife and people. I filled out an application and am looking forward to receiving their advice for my suburban landscape. You can learn more at http:// stlouisaudubon. org/BCH/.

Left to right, me, Diane Ott Whealy, Hort Co-op

directors Tammy Behm and Cindy Gilberg, and Doug

April is a good Tallamy--in front of decidedly NOT native plants! month to think We also are participating in events about such things, being the month this spring, including the Garden in which Earth Day and Arbor Expo in O’Fallon on April 14th, Day (in Missouri and Illinois) are and the Earth Day Festival in both recognized. We have several Forest Park on April 22nd, plus articles in this issue to celebrate more later in the spring (see both. For Arbor Day, we have Upcoming Events for details). I not one, but TWO articles on hope if you attend these events, flowering trees, one featuring the you’ll stop by so we can say favorite spring flowering trees of thanks for reading The Gateway some local nursery pros (pg. 14), Gardener. and the other Cindy Gilberg’s picks for native flowering trees Happy Spring, everyone, and as (pg. 6). For Earth Day celebrants, always… check out our annual Eco-Friendly Product Guide (pg. 22), Barbara Perry Lawton’s review of “living insect repellents” (pg. 4), tips for a sensible lawn (pg. 20), easycare roses (pg. 24), and more!

On the Cover...

Tired of the same old containers every summer?

Then check out the favorite new (or newer) annuals for containers like this Supertunia® ‘White Russian’, one of the recommendations from several area nursery pros on pages 16-17. (Photo courtesy Proven Winners.)

FEATURES

Good Gardening!

DEPARTMENTS 4 Living Insect Repellents 6 Kitchen Gardens 8 Small Flowering Native Trees 10 The Tanagers 12 Essential Herbs from Seeds 16 Compost Awareness Week 24 Really, Really Easy Roses

14 Spring Flowering Trees

26 Rediscovering Begonias

16 Hot Annuals for Cool Containers

28 Dig This

22 2012 Eco-Products Guide

30 Upcoming Events

29 Safe Digging Month

Living Insect Repellents!

O

by Barbara Perry Lawton

nce warm weather arrives, many of us will be plagued by mosquitoes, gnats, flies, ticks, ants and other pesky creatures. People are inclined to reach for the commercial bug repellent sprays and liquids, but that’s not really necessary.

Grow a few special, easy-to-grow plants that are unusual in that they can serve as valuable insect repellents. They will provide home-grown bug repellents that are every bit as good, maybe better, than the manufactured chemical products. Knowledge of these plus directions for usage has come from folklore as well as modern-day gardeners and herbalists. Here’s a case where the folklore is usually correct.

C. americana Many aromatic mint family plants are very successful in keeping pests away—plus most of us are very fond of their signature fragrances. Grow lavender, pennyroyal, catnip, peppermint and lemon balm plus a few other fragrant members of the mint family and you can say goodbye to insect pests.

Pennyroyal traditionally has been known to be very effective in repelling ants. Dried ground-up leaves also are good pestBeebalm, like many of its mint family brethren, is said to repel preventive applications for pet beds and doghouses, as are other many pest insects, even while it attracts beneficial pollinators. mint family plants. Place fresh or dried pennyroyal along known ant pathways—doorways, cupboards, sink areas—and you will In my experience, the stronger the fragrance, the more successful have prevented the ant invasions of spring. these herbs are at repelling pests. They are easy to use! Simply strip a few leaves or flowers, crush them with your hands, then use your hands to pat the fragrant oils behind your ears and neck, on your wrists and arms, and, if wearing shorts, on your legs, too.

Beautyberry

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Beautyberry, the very same lovely ornamental I wrote about last month, is very effective in driving off insect pests. Just grab a few leaves and rub them on your skin. Traditionally, farmers used beautyberry foliage and branches to keep deerflies, horseflies and mosquitoes away from their horses. They would tuck beautyberry under the bridle and harness of each horse.

One clever gardener makes her own beautyberry cream repellent.

Chop beautyberry leaves and stems, boil in a pan, and then strain one and a half cups of the liquid into a blender. In a separate pan, warm a cup of neem oil (health food stores) with an ounce of beeswax until melted. Turn blender on a low setting and slowly add the oily mixture. It will become a cream—easy to use and with a long-lasting effect.

USDA research discovered three repellent chemicals in beautyberry foliage during a recent study. All three of these repel mosquitoes known to transmit yellow fever and malaria. I would assume that mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus would also be repelled.

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Although I have tried some but not all of these, they are reputed to be effective pest repellents. Wormwood, one of the strongsmelling artemisias, will deter many insect pests. The basils, when planted close to tomatoes, are said to repel white flies. Beebalm, another mint family representative, is a fast-growing, shade-tolerant perennial that repels mosquitoes—plant several of these handsome The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

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Mint Family Herbs Shoo Bugs Away

flowering plants around your patio.

Artemesia, or wormwood, is another reported living repellent.

Grow garlic, pelargonium geraniums, larkspur, rue and tansy in beds and borders, interplanting them among favorite ornamentals, to discourage Japanese beetles. Pyrethrum, with its daisy-like flowers, will discourage most insect pests—the flower heads are used to make what is said to be the best natural pesticide of all.

Barbara Perry Lawton is a writer, author, speaker and photographer. She has served as manager of publications for Missouri Botanical Garden and as weekly garden columnist for the PostDispatch. The author of a number of gardening and natural history books, and contributor to many periodicals, she has earned regional and national honors for her writing and photography. Barbara is also a Master Gardener and volunteers at MBG.

Protect grains and cereals by adding bay leaves to the covered containers. Bay leaves will repel insects such as silverfish and grain beetles, according to Wisconsin’s Cooperative Extension.

Final Words

If you haven’t had a chance to install some of these wonderful plants, you can use a common plant derivative as a stop-gap measure.

Many insects dislike the smell of pure vanilla extract. Dab some on your neck, wrists and other exposed places.

There is no need to look for products including these plants at your local pharmacy or sporting goods store. They are easy to grow and handy to use.

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Kitchen Gardens

ardening of edible plants has once again become popular in the past couple of years. Many homeowners are relooking at how they use their property and have become more interested in having a vegetable garden or kitchen garden in their landscape design. A vegetable garden is a garden that exists to grow vegetables and other plants to provide food. It is a small-scale form of vegetable farming. A vegetable garden typically includes a compost heap, and several blocks intended to grow one or two

text and photo by Steffie Littlefield

The traditional kitchen garden is not separate from the rest of the residential landscape areas, which are characterized by lawns and ornamental plants.

The kitchen garden is considered different from a vegetable garden in that it may be the central feature of an all-season Gardens at the Chateau de Villandry. landscape. It is a source of herbs, vegetables, and fruits, but it is often also a structured garden space with a design based on repetitive geometric patterns. The kitchen garden has year-round visual appeal and can incorporate permanent perennials or woody shrub plantings around (or among) the annuals.

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types of plant. It is usually located in the backyard. With an increased interest in organic and sustainable living, many people are turning to vegetable gardening as a supplement to their family’s diet.

A potager is a French term for an ornamental vegetable or kitchen garden. The historical design evolved from the elaborate gardens of the French Renaissance. Often flowers (edible and non-edible) and herbs are planted with the vegetables to enhance the garden’s beauty. Plants are chosen as much for their functionality as for their color and form. A well-designed potager can provide food, cut flowers and herbs for the home with very little maintenance.

Potagers can be free-form cottage gardens or much more formal knot gardens.

Recently the potager has become more popular than the more traditional rows or blocks. Some of the most beautiful kitchen gardens can be found in the Loire Valley of France. At the Chateau de Villandry, Chateau de Chenonceau or at the Tomato Conservatory at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere, edible plants are used artfully along with ornamentals to create a tapestry of rich colors and textures that are not only pleasing to the eye but also to the pallet. At the Tomato Conservatory they grow 650 varieties of tomatoes, and they also have an amazing collection of large flowering dahlias.

In these gardens practical plants become beautiful and beautiful plants are grown to enhance the practical ones. This combination and use of plants is more than just sustainable, it improves our lifestyle. This is the Art of Gardening.

Ed note: You can share these gardens and more with Steffie this summer on the 2012 Castles, Gardens, & Wines of the Loire Valley Tour. Visit www.unique.jouneys.com for more information.

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APRIL 2012

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.

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Small Flowering Trees

by Cindy Gilberg

Many native understory trees in our woodlands are familiar, mainstream landscape plants such as dogwood and redbud. Some are less familiar but are, nonetheless, excellent candidates for the home landscape. Several are available as either multi-trunk or

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

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diverse and dynamic landscape is created by layering different plant types in the scene. From large trees to the ground layer of perennials, sedges and grasses, each component offers its own unique appeal and function in the overall landscape. Small statured trees, those that grow 15-25 feet tall, can be used to ‘anchor’ low-maintenance ground cover beds and fill the middle vertical zone. They provide visual transition from the large trees to the ground level and can be used, along with shrubs to create a sense of enclosure or to screen undesirable views. Those that flower also function to create much needed wildlife habitat by offering pollen for insects when in bloom, and many produce berries for birds and other animals. In addition, these small trees have great low-level branching structure that serves as shelter for many animals and provides nesting sites for birds.

single trunk trees. Either way, try planting them in groves amongst shrub masses and ground covers.

When planting under utility lines, look to these smaller trees as great options. A few even produce fruit that are delicacies for humans and can be used to create an edible landscape. Look for the following species at your favorite garden center:

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a late spring bloomer that grows in moist to average soils and is tolerant of both shade and sunny sites. Numerous long, red tubular flowers on upright stalks are among the favorites of hummingbirds.

Aesculus pavia Red Buckeye

Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is one of the first to bloom in Missouri’s woodlands. An abundance of delicate white flowers appear in March and by late June, the fruit ripens, hence its other name—Juneberry. The fruit, when ripe, is sweet and can be eaten fresh, dried or used to make jam, etc.

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) blooms shortly after serviceberry in April. It is not the fruit but the flowers that are edible—its tasty pink flowers are attractive additions for salads, omelets, pancakes and muffins. Both serviceberry and redbud are understory trees of our woodlands but are adaptable to full sun situations.

Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) aptly named for the attractive tiered appearance to its growth. It grows best in light shade, but will tolerate full sun. Its flowers, in spring, are tiny and clustered in flat-topped clusters—great landing pads for pollinators.

Blue fruit appears in late summer and is quickly consumed by birds.

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) becomes blanketed in late May and June with an abundance of fragrant white, fringe-like flowers. This showy small tree can grow in sites with full to part sun and is tolerant of somewhat moist soils as well as average soil.

In autumn, several birds come to feast on the dark blue, clustered fruit.

Witchhazel (Hamamelis sp.) The two species of witch hazel are easily distinguished by when they bloom: H. vernalis is delightfully fragrant when it blooms in February and H. virginiana blooms in October. Another distinction is growth habit: H. vernalis has outwardly spreading branches and H. virginiana has a more upright habit. Both grow in moist soil, are tolerant of average soil and grow well in either sunny or shady sites.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is another small, early springblooming understory tree. Small chartreuse flowers are followed in summer by bright red berries that birds are quick to consume.

This large shrub/small tree is the host plant for the spicebush swallowtail.

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The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

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Chionanthus virginicus Fringetree

Cindy Gilberg, horticulturist and Missouri native, founded and ran the garden center at Gilberg Perennial Farms with her husband Doug for 28 years. She now 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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Viburnum spp. are among the most showy and are really considered shrubs rather than trees. I thought I would go ahead and mention them here since they are attractive, provide great habitat value, and the nannyberry (V. lentago) has some of the best berries for human use—sweet whether eaten fresh, dried or in jam. Many large shrubs such as viburnum can be pruned up and turned into a plant that is a multi-trunk small tree in appearance.

Note: Great gardeners have great resources! So here a few for those interested in learning more: “Trees of Missouri” by Don Kurz published by the Missouri Department of Conservation Native Landscaping Manual-Ch 4 “Landscaping with Native Plants” (online at www.shawnature.org) Shaw Nature Reserve’s Native Plant School class-April 12 or 13 “Small Flowering Trees, Shrubs and Vines”

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The Tanagers

by Connie Alwood

Unless you have some acreage, they will only migrate through for they do need extensive woods in order to nest. Both the Summer and Scarlet Tanagers nest in the St. Louis area. The Summer Tanager, our only all red bird, is our most common tanager. It is often called the bee eater for its propensity to grab bees, pull their stingers and then consume them in large numbers. He usually arrives a week or two before the female, in order to set up a territory. From a high perch he sings almost continuously during the day until a mate arrives and nesting begins.

The song is similar to the American Robin; however, his call, ki-ti-tuck is another way to find him.

The Scarlet Tanager, a much more colorful bird, is a bit smaller and not as common as his cousin. He is basically a black-winged red bird whose voice is harsher than the Summer Tanager. He, too, arrives before the female and sings frequently, only his call note is a chip-burr. Both tanagers are dimorphic, meaning that the females look

incubating. Both sexes help in the feeding of the young.

For the most part, tanagers are colorful tropical birds. Most of the 283 species are non-migratory and reside in South America. Just recently, with the use of DNA, ornithologists have decided that our Summer and Scarlet Tanager really are not tanagers and have removed them from the Thraupidae family and have placed them in the Cardinalidae family. In other words they are more closely related to the Northern Cardinal (both are just an inch or so smaller than our Redbird), than they are Scarlet to the South American tanagers.

Tanager Two of my most memorable days of birding occurred one spring in late April when I altogether different from the males. The visited Kennedy Woods in Forest Park. In female Summer Tanager is overall reddish, just the smallest section of the woods, a but with a mustard overtone, whereas dozen male Scarlet Tanagers were moving the female Scarlet Tanager has an olive through. I had never seen so many of this appearance, with darker wings than her species at one time. The following fall I visited Tower Grove Park. This time I female counterpart. counted twenty-one Summer Tanagers—all As a neo-tropical migrant, the Summer females. So if you want to be sure to see Tanager winters in Mexico and Central these avian beauties, look for them in the America, just dipping into South America. next couple of weeks, and then again in late It is a denizen of the deciduous forests in September. the southeastern United States and even ventures into the riparian forests of the west, Connie Alwood is a including Texas and Arizona. Missouri is Master Gardener and about as far north as it goes. Although the co-author of Birds of Scarlet Tanager spends most of the winter in the St. Louis Area: South America, it migrates further north in Where and When to the United States—and only in the Midwest Find Them. to Eastern states--to nest. Missouri is about as far south as it nests. In both species, the female builds the nest and does all of the Margy Terpstra

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few years back, a friend of mine looking at a Scarlet Tanager declared, in the manner of the pope issuing a decree, “Scarlet Tanagers are more beautiful than Northern Cardinals.” Judging an avian beauty contest is just as difficult as deciding whether Miss Delaware is more beautiful than Miss Arizona. Nevertheless, in the next two to three weeks, chances are that two of North America’s most beautiful birds will visit your garden, especially if you have mature trees. When they appear, you can be the judge.

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Essential Herbs from Seed

By Joyce Driemeyer

Start basils (of choice), sweet Marjoram (which we treat as an annual because it is not hardy here), other annuals such as summer savory, peppers, marigolds such as ‘Lemon Gem’, and sweet

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marigold (Tagetes lucida), a substitute for tarragon. Grow stevia from seed. A single leaf will sweeten a cup of tea and it provides a safe sweetening substitute for sugar in recipes. Lavender can also be started from seed. ‘Lavender Lady’ will bloom its first year!

Plants can be installed in the garden or outside in early May after ground has warmed a bit. Some herbs such as dill, borage, clary sage and nasturtiums do not transplant well, and it is suggested they be seeded directly into the garden. Seedlings can be thinned after germination.

If you have no time to propagate herbs from seed, be sure to attend the annual herb sale at Missouri Botanical Garden, April 26th 11-5, April 27th-28th, 9-5.

Herb of the Year: Rose!

As selected by The International Herb Association, the Herb of the Year is the Rose for 2012! I’ll leave cultural information to our Gateway Gardener expert Diane Brueckman; however, now is the time to be thinking of rose selection for spring installation.

Select plants with good disease resistance, highly fragrant bloom and good fruit (hip) production, and plan to grow organically— no pesticides or insecticides. Some of our old species roses such as Rosa alba ‘Maiden’s Blush’, Rosa ‘Jacques Cartier’ Damask rose ‘Jacque Cartier’ or ‘Mme. Hardy’, Eglantine rose ‘Sweet Briar’ are all interesting. A number of old roses are not repeat bloomers, but they form wonderful rose hips which are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants.

David Austin Roses

Although herb plants will be readily available this spring, try growing some from seed.

It will be fun and very rewarding, and you will have plants to share with friends. Seeds can be started in 2” fibrous or recyclable containers, which can be installed after maturity directly into your garden or into planters such as 16” pots.

Use seed-starting mix, thin or separate seedlings when of sufficient size. I also find #6 containers, such as those that mushrooms or some berries come in, very convenient. Pierce bottom with a sharp needle or thin nail to allow for drainage, fill container with seedstarting mix and install seed. Do not forget to label and date.

To grow organically, if saving petals and hips, avoid blackspot by using your own organic spray: for a gallon container mix in water 3 Tbs. baking soda, 5 Tbs. insecticidal soap or light horticultural oil and spray foliage before black spot appears. Use weekly and if it rains spray again. Roses do require a good bit of moisture, but when watering the plant, avoid wetting the foliage.

After 30 years as a landscape designer, Joyce is now retired. She has been a MBG volunteer since 1969 and a Master Gardener since 1985. She is also a past board member of the Herb Society of America, and is a current board member of the St. Louis Herb Society.

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APRIL 2012

Great Wine + Beautiful Gardens + Historic Settings = The Trip of a Lifetime!

July 14th - 21st Do you enjoy wine tastings? Visiting beautiful gardens? Touring historic castles? Then this trip has what you are looking for, and the perfect companion is Steffie Littlefield, landscape designer and winery owner.

Experience wines from Vouvray, Chinon and others. Tour famous gardens such as Giverny and lesser known surprises such as Chateau La Bourdaisiere, home to 630 tomato varieties.

For more information and to book your trip of a lifetime contact: Unique Journeys, LLC • Nancy Luechtefeld, CTC • 9787 Radio Dr. St. Louis, MO • (314) 644-8691 • nancy@unique-journeys.com

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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

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2601 E. 5th Street • Washington, MO • 636-239-6729 Open year-round. Call for current hours.

APRIL 2012

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

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13

Celebrate Arbor Day...

Plant a Spring-Flowering Tree!

by Robert Weaver

A

rbor Day around the country is celebrated on different days depending upon the local growing conditions and suitability for planting trees. In Missouri and Illinois, that means April! In Missouri we celebrate Arbor Day on the First Friday in April, and in Illinois, it’s the last Friday of the month. We speculate it was the political forces in the more northern Chicago that were responsible for the lag, so for our readers on the east side of the river, feel free to jump ahead and join Missouri in early cheerful pink-to-purple redbud trees in full spring bloom.

April.

The natives dot the understory Whenever you celebrate, April throughout Missouri and Illinois is a great month to pay honor to woodlands. Newer varieties our trees. And what better way have taken the native standby than to kick off the spring with a and enhanced its ornamental beautiful new spring flowering value with deeper, richer blooms, tree. We asked some local foliage is newer shades of red or nursery pros and tree experts gold, glossier green and other for their recommendations variations. David Sherwood of of favorite newer varieties as Sherwood’s Nursery & Garden well as some tried-and-true Center likes the Oklahoma standards. Here are their picks! redbud (Cercis reniformis) for its spring lavender flowers and Redbud Reigns! glossy deep green leaves that Few trees are better at bringing hold up through our hot St. Louis a smile to your face than the summers. Also earning David’s

Yellowwood

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One coupon per customer per visit. Hurry offer expires April 30, 2012!

14

aniel’s Farm

352 Jungermann Rd. St. Peters, MO 63376 (636)441-5048 www.danielsfarmandgreenhouse.com M-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5

& Greenhouses

admiration is the ‘Hearts of Gold’ redbud featuring brilliant yellow foliage following spring blooms.

Chris Wagner of Rolling Ridge Nursery boasted about the ‘Rising Sun’ redbud for its green-to-chartreuse foliage color that persists most of the summer on a compact tree that maxes out at 10-12’. Frisella’s Nursery’s Tom Mee nominated ‘Ruby Falls’ redbud, a weeping form with deep purple flowers and dark purple foliage that fades

to deep green by midsummer.

Finally, Jack Cunningham of A. Waldbard & Sons Nursery takes the “red” out of redbud, volunteering the “white bud” (Cercis alba) for consideration.

Magnficent Magnolia!

Magnolias in their various forms color our spring from the early white blooms of the star magnolia through the shows of the grand Southern magnolia.

Jack Cunninham likes the ‘Butterflies’ magnolia, a less commonly seen early

The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

Royal Raindrops Crabapple

flowers in late spring. Several of and best of all, borer resistance. our pros also recommended the And lastly, what would spring be without MY favorite, the Chinese cousin (C. retusus). flowering dogwood. Tom Mee New Takes on Old says give ‘Cherokee Daybreak’ Traditionals: Cherries, (Cornus florida) a try for its Crabs and Dogwoods traditional white blooms and Finally, it wouldn’t be spring not-so-traditional yellow-green without the cheerful colors of variegated foliage! the old traditionals—ornamental cherries, crabapples and So brighten up your spring for dogwoods. Our nursery experts years to come and celebrate had several suggestions in this Arbor Day by adding a beautiful category. Chris Wagner offered spring-flowering tree to your up ‘Little Twist’ flowering landscape! cherry for its early spring light pink blossoms and diminutive Photo credits: 6’ height, plus an interesting Oklahoma redbud and White zig-zag branching and “decent” redbud, Missouri Botanical Plantfinder, John fall color. He and Frisella’s Tom Garden Mee also praised the ‘Royal Smelser.

Raindrops’ crabapple (Malus Butterflies Magnolia, Doreen spp.) for its deep purple blooms Wynja for Monrovia. and sensational deep bronze Yellowwood, Forrest Keeling. foliage that looks great through Royal Raindrops crabapple, J. the whole season. Tom also Frank Schmidt. liked the Japanese flowering cherry ‘Snowgoose’ (Prunus serrulata) for its beautiful pure white blossoms, orange fall color,

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on page 8, but they were also well represented in our pro picks for this article. Native specialists Forrest Keeling suggest the yellowwood (Cladrastic kentukea/lutea) for its wisterialike white fragrant blooms, Hundreds of Tropicals, Annuals, Perennials, Carolina silverbell (Halesia Succulents and Hummingbird Plants. carolina) with cute bell-shaped flowers in early spring, and the Hours: native fringetree (Chionanthus Natives Naturally!

Mon - Sat 9-5 pm Bill & Chris Kelley virginicus), with wonderful We cover native flowering trees vanilla-scented creamy fringed & Sun 10-5 pm more in Cindy Gilberg’s article Hundreds of varieties of Tropicals, spring yellow-blooming cross between the giant cucumbertree magnolia and the more shrublike Yulan magnolia.

Dave Sherwood commends the sweetbay magnolia (M. virginiana)‘Moonglow’ to us for its creamy spring flowers and shiny foliage that persists late into fall.

APRIL 2012

The Gateway Gardener ™ Annuals, Perennials

and Woody Shrubs.

Find the Hummingbird Plants of Your

www.CottGardens.com

F

w

15

International Compost Awareness Week May 6th-12th

County Park Road) – 11a.m.

May 10 – Belleville, Ill. facility (3521 Centreville Ave.) – 11a.m. t. Louis Composting invites you to join in celebrating May 12 – Valley Park, International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), May Mo. facility (39 Old 6-12, 2012. This year’s theme is “Compost!...Replenish the Elam Ave.) – 12p.m.

Earth for Generations,” and planned activities span the globe with celebrations scheduled across the United States, Canada, the United They also will host a Kingdom, Europe, Australia and Ireland. Composting advocates “Give Compost a GROW will encourage everyone, everywhere to compost. It’s a “growing” at Home” workshop to event you won’t want to miss! ICAW focuses on building awareness educate customers about compost, its benefits of composting and its environmental benefits. and how to begin Year after year, innovative programs improve community backyard composting. sustainability and promote the use of renewable resources in The workshop begins at landscaping, horticulture and agriculture. Together, the US noon on Saturday, May Composting Council and trendy gardeners worldwide have 12 at the Valley Park put a face on composting.ICAW is a week packed with fun and facility. “Give Compost educational events that offer an opportunity to learn more about a GROW at Home” the many benefits of composting through enjoyable and engaging demonstrates how to start your own compost pile, the benefits of activities. using compost in your garden and lawn and much more. Another To celebrate, St. Louis Composting will host events at three of its demonstration will teach how to build your own compost bin. St. composting facilities on May 8, 10 and 12. Enjoy BBQ, snacks Louis Composting will also have a representative on hand to discuss and veggies that grow GREAT in St. Louis Composting’s signature alternative composting methods and options. No registration is required; just show up ready to COMPOST! compost and soil blends all three days.

S

May 8 – Fort Bellefontaine facility in Florissant, Mo. (13060 The Earth Machine home composters will be on sale at the event.

All attendees who complete the composting workshop will receive one free cubic yard of compost to take home (offer good for day of workshop only)!

In addition to ICAW, St. Louis Composting will educate consumers on the newly-launched Consumer Compost Use Program (CCUP), which easily shares with consumers the optimal use of each compost blend according to the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) Program. St. Louis Composting and other

Lake St. Louis Garden Center

Mon T h 10am- ru Sat Sun 1 6pm 0am-4 pm

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Off any purchase of $25 or more!

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3230 Technology Dr. • Lake St. Louis www.lakestlouisgardencenter.com

16

Off any purchase of $100 or more!

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compost producers using CCUP will now use easy-to-understand icons to clearly identify which blend is best suited for a particular category: Lawns; Trees and Shrubs; and Flower and Vegetable Gardens. Homeowners are now assured they are selecting the best compost product for their specific gardening need.

If you cannot make it to any of St. Louis Composting’s exciting ICAW events, be sure to celebrate ICAW at home! Start your own compost pile or incorporate a purchased compost into your lawn, landscaping and gardens and see its benefits for yourself! For more information about the benefits of compost, composting at home and the CCUP visit StLCompost.com.

The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

REPLENISH THE EARTH FOR GENERATIONS

International Compost Awareness Week • May 6-12

Visit St. Louis Composting on May 8, 10 & 12 for lunch and learning during International Compost Awareness Week!

Lunch at Fort Bellefontaine Compost Facility - May 8 at 11am Lunch at Belleville Facility - May 10 at 11am Lunch and Learning at Valley Park Facility - May 12 at 12pm “Give Compost a GROW at Home” workshop BELLEVILLE, IL

VALLEY PARK, MO

3521 Centreville Ave. 618.233.2007

39 Old Elam Ave. 636.861.3344

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

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560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

FORT BELLEFONTAINE COMPOST FACILTY 13060 County Park Rd. 314.355-0052

More details at www.stlcompost.com

ENRICHING THE SOIL NATURALLY SINCE 1992 APRIL 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

17

Hot New Annuals for Cool Containers Stuck in the same old rut every year when you go to the garden center to buy annuals for your summer containers? We asked several area garden center plant pros for their favorite new or time-tested summertime container annuals. Here are some of their picks and why they chose them.

Ann Lapides Sugar Creek Gardens

series displays huge pompoms for months. Great selection of colors including ‘Carmine,’ ‘Lilac,’ and ‘Lemon.’ Short stature makes them perfect for containers or small gardens.

Grown as an annual or short Sandy Richter Sandy’s Back Porch lived perennial that reseeds.

‘Lanai Twister Pink’ Verbena.

Extraordinary coloring, unlike any other. Fabulous two-toned blossoms appear for months, even in the hottest days of summers. Stunning in containers or as a groundcover where a can’t take eyes off display is needed.

‘Denver Daisy’ Rudbeckia.

Golden yellow petals with a dark center ring around a dark eye make this plant extremely striking. Adds needed height to containers. Award winner.

Can be used as an annual or a perennial that reseeds.

‘Berry Blend’ Lantana. The flowers are a mix of yellow, pink and apricot colors all on one plant.

Very little maintenance is required for this profuse bloomer. Loves heat and humidity. Butterflies and Hummingbirds will love this one, too. Full sun.

Angelonia ‘Zebra’ Doreanthus ‘Mezoo’

‘Intensia Blueberry’ Phlox ‘Fireworks’ Gomphrena

18

‘Bonfire’ Begonia.

As the name implies, the intense orange color of this begonia make the blooms look like small flames.

Bonfire can take full sun to part shade making it a versatile plant.

Looks beautiful in window boxes paired with Purple Moon Torenia. Does well in hanging baskets, too. Prefers to be on the dry side.

Also recommended:

Also recommended:

‘Spring Celebrities’ Dwarf Hollyhock, Alcea. Yard too small to grow the cottage favorite Hollyhocks, no problem!

Fantastic new 24-30” dwarf

easy care plant. They recover quickly after a rain and don’t require deadheading. A simple hair cut once or twice through the growing season keeps them looking tip top all summer long.

Fertilize regularly and they’ll even bloom through a light frost! Full/Pt Sun.

‘Sweet Tart’ Calibrochoa Abundant pink flowers with bright yellow throats cover this The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

Cuphea llavea ‘Vienco Series’ Compact, heat tolerant and attract beneficial insects. The flowers are among the largest in the cuphea clan. The series includes: ‘Purple Pink’, ‘Red’, ‘Burgundy’ and ‘Lavender’.

Chris Kelley Cottage Gardens

Also recommended: Salvia leucantha ‘Danielle’s Dream’ Salvia x ‘Big Swing’ Nicotiana x ‘Whisper Mixture’

Watch a Video on “How to Create a Summer Container” at GatewayGardener.com!

5 Easy Steps to Create a Dazzling Summer Container To help you design flower containers like a pro, here are five steps to creating an easy – and show-stopping – summer flower container.

Coleus ‘Under the Sea’ Series: Very colorful, but the leaf shape and habit is the real attraction.

So named because the foliage resembles coral formations or creatures with congested, curled leaves. Very beautiful! Compact, with little flowers.

1.Unless you’re water gardening, your pot has to have a hole for drainage.

You haven’t smelled anything until your nose has inhaled the piquant odor of rotting potting soil. Along with the hole, consider whether you’ll be moving the pot into the garage for winter. Most terra cotta and ceramic pots don’t overwinter well outside. There are some very attractive all-season pots available these days that are lightweight and resilient.

2. Invest in a good potting soil. It might cost more than a bargain brand, but you’ll see the difference in plant performance. I prefer a potting mix that already has a slow-release fertilizer in it.

It comes in different varieties, including an organic mix and a moisture-control variety that includes crystals that retain water and saves on trips to the spigot.

Petunia ‘Supertunia White Russian’. Very beautiful ‘wave’ type with white flowers. The flower interior is deep purple black with a network of fine lines radiating throughout the white petals. Last summer and it did great in the heat.

APRIL 2012

3. If your pot is especially large, save on potting soil by filling the bottom portion of the container with “filler.” I like sweetgum balls because they’re natural, free, and I have a ready supply. Styrofoam peanuts, crushed soda cans, six-pack cells from annuals, and even crushed plastic milk

The Gateway Gardener™

By Kim Reiss cartons are other options.

4. Consider the sun/shade situation where your container is going, and choose plants accordingly.

Generally, if your area gets morning sun only, or dappled sun throughout the day, you’ll be choosing shade-loving plants. If your area gets afternoon sun or full-day sun, then choose sun-loving plants.

For those spots that get as hot as the surface of the sun, I recommend lantana and moss rose or portulaca. They’ll still need watering, but are tough enough to survive until you get home.

5. Design – the old rule of thumb is thriller, filler, spiller. That translates to: a tall, dramatic plant as your “thriller,” a denser, midsized plant as your “filler,” and a trailing plant as your “spiller.” But really, do whatever makes you happy.

I once let my then-small children fill up a cart with whatever they wanted to fill our window boxes and found myself cringing at their selection at the checkout counter. But once the boxes were planted and filled out, they were really beautiful.

So get out of your spikemarigold-sweet potato vine rut – mix it up and try some new color combos and you might surprise yourself!

MORE PRO TIPS • Wear latex or non-latex medical-type gloves when potting to prevent dirt from ruining your manicure.

• You don’t have to mix varieties of plants for impact – consider doing one type of plant in a container and use it as an accent for a container grouping.

• Work container colors into your design scheme for areas that need more color – like shade. On the flip side, use simple terra cotta if you want the pots to “disappear” and the plants to shine.

• In really hot weather, it might be necessary to water containers twice a day. Don’t wait until plants are wilting – check soil with a dry finger tip and water if needed.

• Fertilize, fertilize, fertilize those annuals. Use a high phosphorus liquid fertilizer to promote flower development.

(Check the N-P-K numbers on the side of the box – you’re looking for something like 1530-15.) Use it full-strength every other week, or halfstrength once a week. This is in addition to the slow-release fertilizer that is already in the potting mix.

Kim works at Sugar Creek Gardens in Kirkwood, and is the Public Programs Assistant at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

19

Tips for a Sensible St. Louis Lawn

By Glennon Kraemer

C

ultural practices are what really determine the sustainability of our lawns here in St. Louis. We will discuss what I consider be the most important cultural practices for both warm season (zoysia) and cool season (fescues/blues) lawns. My list includes: Mowing, Fertilizing, Watering, Aerating.

Mowing: Cool season lawns like to be mowed at 3-3½”, except for the first 2-3 mowings of the year, right before aerating or overseeding, and again in early November. You should mow at 2-2½” at these times.

Shorter mowing helps the lawn to green up, get more seed in contact

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with the soil and helps prevent leaf accumulation. Taller mowing allows the roots to go deeper, which provides better drought and disease resistance.

You mow less in the summer months because cool season lawns don’t grow as much in the summer! Warm season lawns are easy…just mow at 1-2” all year. Short mowing encourages spreading, which helps choke out weeds. Be careful mowing that short; tree roots can damage mowers and vice versa. Sharpen your mowing blade after 8 hours of use and alternate your mowing pattern to avoid soil compaction.

Fertilizing: Cool season grasses like little- to-no fertilizer in the summer. I recommend and organic-based fertilizer from April through August. 1-3 shots at ½-lb. of nitrogen/1000 ft. sq is plenty. Fall is when you should apply high nitrogen fertilizers to cool season lawns. Warm season lawns are totally opposite. They want to be fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizers in May, June and July. That is when they put on their growth as opposed to cool season lawns (hence the names).

Watering: Remains one of the most difficult subjects to get across in articles such as these. Percolation rates, water pressure, slope, wind etc. all play a part in determining how much water to apply per cycle and how many cycles per week the lawns get. Here are my simple suggestions: Cool season lawns usually respond best to infrequent deep watering cycles (some soil types just won’t allow this). I like to suggest you water for two days in a row (morning is best), take a day or two off and repeat.

This is only for the hot times of the year (June-August). Once or twice a week early and late in the year is usually fine. Warm season lawns are easier. You can water 2-3 times a week, any time of the day for 1530 minutes. They have a lot less disease issues than their cool season counterparts and they love the hot weather!

Aerating: “Core” aerating is more like it. If you don’t remove a “core” it’s not really aerating. Mainly, stay away from “spike” aerating. When you remove the core, you allow the introduction of air, water and organic matter (compost) to reach the root zone quickly. If you overseed too, you provide a safe harbor for that seed to germinate in. Cool season lawns should be aerated in late March through Mid-May and again from late August through October. Warm season lawns should not be aerated until Mid-May and not much past mid August.

Of course there are other cultural practices, but I wanted to get you what I consider the most important ones. Sustainable lawns should require fewer inputs! If you lower your expectations for cool season lawns during the hot months of the year (tolerate a few more brown patches knowing they will be fixed in the fall) that will make them more sustainable too. Thick healthy lawns are the best defense against weeds and bugs, not a bunch of chemicals. Mow your cool-season grass high, water properly and you will be rewarded with a good-looking lawn.

Glennon Kraemer owns and operates GR Robinson Seed and Service, and can be reached by phone at 314-432-0300 or by email at gmmseed@sbcglobal.net.

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The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

Specialists in Care & Enhancement of Estate Gardens

Offering Professional: • Consultation & Design • Plant Health Care • Selective Natural Pruning • Specimen Tree & Shrub Variety Installation Dedicated to Tree Preservation Certified Arborists and Degreed Foresters on Staff

314-821-9918

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10 acres of specimen trees, including Prairiefire and Snowdrift Crabapples, October Glory Maples, Hornbeams and Parrotia

Rare and hard-to-find Japanese maples and collector plants as well as seasonal flowering perennials

314.966.0028 • sherwoods-forest.com APRIL 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

All Hardy Plant material is guaranteed for two years when installed by Sherwood’s Forest, one year if installed by the home owner

2651 Barrett Station • St. Louis, MO 63021 21

2012 Eco-Garden Product Guide While many gardeners might think nothing could be more earth-friendly and “green” than the practice of gardening, the sometimes ugly truth is that is not always so. Excessive use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, selection of plants that require lots of watering, waste production from plastics— these are just a few ways that past traditional gardening practices may have contributed more problems than benefits to the environment.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist 2601 E. 5th Street, Washington, MO 63090 636-239-6729 Hillermann.com

Here are some suggestions from area retailers for products that can help us all establish our Songbird Essentials.Bird-houses own greener gardening habits. and feeders made from recycled

Happy Earth Day! Sugar Creek Gardens 1011 N. Woodlawn Kirkwood, MO 63122 (314) 965-3070 SugarCreekGardens.com

‘Fire Spinner’ Ice Plant, Delosperma. The ultimate ecofriendly plant! It has extremely low water requirements, thrives in heat and humidity, and deer hate it! No fertilizer necessary.

It’s evergreen, perennial, low growing, and perfect for a hot spot where nothing else will grow. plus it blooms heavily for three months with loads of jawdropping blossoms in a rarely seen color combo of violet, white, orange and yellow cover plants. Grows 2-3” tall, 2-3’ wide.

Requires good drainage.Award winner, Plant Select. $6.99

22

Bowood Farms 4605 Olive Street St. Louis, MO 63108 In the Central West End 314-454-6868 BowoodFarms.com

plastic. They will not fade, peel, rot, crack, chip or warp. The suet and fruit cages have a weatherproofed black vinyl coating. They also have a lifetime guarantee for workmanship. Starting at $16.99 Sandy’s Back Porch 2004 West Blvd.

Belleville, IL 62221 (618) 235-2004 SandysBackPorch.com

Daniels® Plant Food contains oilseed extract, a natural source of plant nutrition. It is an all-purpose liquid formula for everything you grow, indoors or outdoors. A little goes a long way, simply add 1 capful=1 tablespoon of Daniels per gallon of water. It mixes instantly and results in happy, healthy plants.

Starting at $5.99.

– lawns, trees, shrubs and pastures, as well as vegetable, fruit, herb, flower and rose beds. They help build your soil naturally adding organic matter and are safer to use than chemical fertilizers. Starting at $9.99 DeWitt Garden Weed Barrier – Biodegradable Paper Mulch.

Made from natural cellulose fibers, this 100% biodegradable paper mulch decomposes and can be tilled in at the end of the season.

It is porous allowing water, air and nutrients to pass through while eliminating weeds. Great for vegetable gardens and the natural choice for the environmentally conscious gardener. $16.99 per roll (3x40 feet) Effinger Garden Center 720 South 11th St. Belleville, IL 62220 ph. 618-234-4600 EffingerGarden.com

Lake St. Louis Garden Center 3230 Technology Dr. Lake St. Louis, MO 63367 LakeStLouisGardenCenter.com

Espoma Organic Fertilizers.

Espoma® brand organic fertilzers are individual design for specific plants needs. Available in 4lb and 8lb bags. $6.99 to $14.99 depending on size and formulation.

Rolling Ridge Nursery 60 North Gore Ave. Webster Groves, MO 63119 RollingRidgeNursery.com

Espoma® Organic Products.

Espoma is a complete line of potting mixes and soil amendments that can be used for organic gardening. Each mix contains a rich blend of only the finest natural ingredients. No synthetic plant foods or chemicals are used. Espomas’ products are great for gardening with kids and pets and safe for edible plants and our environment. $4.98-$7.98

Frisella’s Nursery 550 Hwy F Defiance, MO 63341 (636) 798-2555 FrisellaNursery.com Bradfield Organics - Organic Fertilizers & Corn Gluten.

Bradfield Organic fertilizers are great for all your gardening needs

Bamboo Tools and Gloves. Ames Eco Tools are made of recycled metal and plastic with bamboo handles. Shovels, spades, rakes, cultivators and hoes. And protect your hands with New Atlas Bamboo Gloves made with bamboo fabric with a flexible rubber palm coating. Tough but flexible and machine washable. Gloves $6.99/ pr., Tools start at $16.99.

The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

Ok Hatchery Feed & Gdn. Store 115 E. Argonne Dr. Kirkwood, MO 63122 (314) 822-0083

Mason Bee Nests. Native mason bees have lived in America for millions of years. With honeybee populations struggling, the lessstinging and better-pollinating mason bee will enjoy these nests. $9.98-$22.98.

Garden Heights Nursery 1605 S. Big Bend Blvd.

Richmond Heights, MO (314) 645-7333 GardenHeights.com

Garden Beds from Gronomics.

These Garden Beds eliminate deep tilling, soil amending and minimize weeding. Constructed of 100% all natural Western Red Cedar and handcrafted in the USA. Each bed comes in a boxed kit with easy to follow TOOL-FREE instructions.

Set up in five minutes or less. 48” x 6.5” high $89. 48” x 13” high $139.

Greenscape Gardens 2832 Barrett Station Rd. Manchester, MO 63021 (314) 821-2440 GreenscapeGardens.com

Native Pollinator’s Bee Habitat.

Native mason bees are excellent pollinators of fruit, flowers

APRIL 2012

and vegetables. Many types of pollinating bees make or use old holes in wood to lay their eggs.

This nest box can help you raise and keep a healthy population in your own garden. Starting at $22.99.

Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center 2651 Barrett Station Rd. Manchester, MO 63021 (314) 966-0028 Sherwoods-Forest.com

THE 2012

GET YOUR GREEN ON! Join us for the third annual Green Ball A celebration of all things GREEN in St. Louis Benefitting the EarthWays Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden

Espoma Organic Lawn Food keeps your lawn beautiful and is safe for your pets, children and the environment. This product contains kelp, calcium and natural microbes to promote plant growth. $22.95 for 35 lbs.

Sappington Garden Shop 11530 Gravois Rd. (314) 843-4700 SappingtonGardenShop.com

Friday, April 27, 2012 from 7–11 pm The Moonrise Hotel 6177 Delmar in The Loop Creative Green Attire $60 Per Person

Celebrate the EARTH under the MOON Groove to live music Green Fashion Contest Sip creative cocktails and local beer and wine—open bar Enjoy cuisine featuring locally-sourced delicacies Complimentary valet parking for carpools of 4 or more Fantastic roving entertainment

For tickets or more information, please visit MoonriseHotel.com/greenball 314.721.1111

100% Natural Bonide Molemax Mole Repellant. Repels moles, gophers, voles, armadillos, skunks, rabbits, ground squirrels and other burrowing animals. Use on lawns, gardens and planting beds. Active ingredient: Castor Oil. 5# treats up to 2500 sq. ft. 10# treats up to 5000 sq. ft. 5# $13.49. 10# $18.99.

Visit The Gateway Gardener booth at the Earth Day Festival, Forest Park, Apr. 22nd!

The Gateway Gardener™

23

Really, Really Easy Roses!

By Diane Brueckman

(University of Minnesota Extension), Gaye Hammond (Houston Rose Society), Steve George (Texas A & M), and Wayne Mackay (University of Florida) devised a program to test roses for disease resistance and hardiness. Their system, Earth-Kindtm rose research, is underway in 25 states and four foreign countries, including Bermuda, Canada, India and New Zealand.

Weeks Roses

G

ardeners are changing.

They are unwilling to expose themselves and their families to toxic chemicals, not to mention the cost of the chemicals and fertilizers. To meet the demand of today’s gardeners for healthier plants, the hybridizers and rose producers are breeding and growing hardier, more disease resistant roses. It can take as long as 10 to 20 years to get a new Easy Does It rose on the market. So, you can imagine that the change has come slowly. Bill Radler made the first breakthrough with the ‘Knock Out Series’ in 2000. Kordes, in Germany, stopped all chemical treatment in the early 90’s. The All American Rose Selection (AARS) stopped chemical treatment in the test gardens in about 2006. In the meantime, rose enthusiasts have looked at some of the older roses to see which ones can tolerate the new green methods. One group in particular, Derald A Harp (Texas A & M), David Zlesak

The Earth-Kind system uses only compost and single ground wood chips with some green leaves in the mix (chips as you would get them from tree trimmers) for fertilizer and mulch. In the first year of planting the roses are watered freely. In the second year, they are watered as needed to prevent wilting. For the final two years, watering is done only in extreme conditions. The roses being tested undergo close scrutiny by horticulture professionals to determine if they are good enough for the Earth-Kind designation. No organization that has a commercial interest in the outcome of the trials is allowed to donate cash or services to the test program. Plant material is welcome, however. Plant recommendations come from all across the country. A plant tolerant of conditions in Texas most likely is not going to tolerate conditions in Minnesota.

Once a plant demonstrates tolerance of the rugged conditions and still has curb appeal, it is given the coveted Earth-Kind designation. The goal of the program is to identify plants that tolerate a variety of weather conditions, the major diseases of

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24

Here the discerning gardener finds exceptional plants, unmatched service, and the largest selection of perennials anywhere. At Sugar Creek Gardens, you’ll find quality & expertise that’s as rare & unusual as some of our 2,000 varieties. We also offer a wide selection of shrubs, annuals, roses, and organically grown vegetables and herbs.

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The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

Conard-Pyle

finish cream yellow. It will reach approximately 5 ½’h x 4 ½’ w. This rose is from Meilland International, a French Hybridizer, many of whose roses are distributed by Star in the USA. Meilland International also won in 2009 with ‘Carefree Spirit’ a shrub. ‘Carefree Spirit’ has red single blooms with a touch of white in the center. It will reach approximately 5’h x 5’w.

‘Sunshine Daydream’ roses and discourage pests. It is not expected the plants will never have some issues but the levels should not be high enough to make them unsightly in the garden. Ultimately these roses will be used in breeding new healthier roses.

The Belleville Area Rose Society has started a small Earth-Kindtm test garden at the Henry White Research Farm near Belleville. In May, I will be giving a class at the Missouri Botanical Garden on easy to grow roses. We welcome everyone to come learn about the new roses and growing methods.

Meet us at Kirkwood Market 150 E Argonne

April 7, 14, 21, & 28 May 5 Saturdays 9am - 4pm Pick up orders at Kirkwood Market

Order in advance (by Wed.), or choose from the selection at the Kirkwood Market.

There is hope for really, really easy roses now and more to come in the future.

The Dallas test gardens have started new test gardens of Kordes roses. Several Weeks Roses are in the trials, ‘Cinco de Mayo’, ‘Julia Child’ and last year’s AARS winner ‘Easy Does It’.

This year’s AARS winner is the first grandiflora to win in the no spray program. ‘Sunshine Daydream’ has light yellow double blooms that

Shaw Nature Reserve Saturday, May 12th 9am-4pm

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

Nursery Hours at Brazito MO Opening Day - March 17th Mon - Sat 9am - 5pm Sunday 12- 5pm

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery 573-496-3492, fax: 573-496-3003 www.mowildflowers.net mowldflrs@socket.net 9814 Pleasant Hill Rd. Jefferson City MO 65109

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APRIL 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

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25

Rediscovering Begonias!

by Ellen Barredo

B

egonias are another old-fashioned indoor houseplant and one that serves double duty as it can transition to the outdoor garden for the summer. Begonias are very diverse in size, height, leaf shapes, leaf colors, leaf patterns and textures exist. Here are a few.

in spring if possible followed by early summer.

PESTS AND OTHER INFORMATION On occasion you may find mealy bugs. Remove them with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. Frequent monitoring of the plants foliage and stems is the best way to ward off pests. Begonias seem to be sensitive to chemical insect sprays. Always read the label before applying chemicals to any plant!

Cane: Often called Angel Wings, these begonias can grow into a wonderful floor plant and are very durable in the home or office. The “canes” on a mature plant resemble a bamboo cane. The beauties have large, patterned cut-leaf leaves.

The leaves are often silver patterned with spots and splashes.

Rhizomatous: The elegant Rex Begonia belongs to this group, which is collected by many admirers for the beautiful patterned leaves. The leaves many be smooth or hairy. The begonias in this group also include miniature forms. Many of these begonias can work well in terrariums, bathrooms, or kitchens where humidity may be higher. They do not like to be overfed. Less is best.

Semperflorens: This is the most widely grown begonia. It is one of the kings of bedding plants, but… guess what? It grows well indoors and even blooms well indoors! This group is known to the public as wax begonias. They can be found with green, bronze or variegated foliage and flowers range in shade of red, pink, and white.

Tuberous: These beautiful begonias are often found for sale in spring in hanging baskets.

They can also be purchased as a tuber and planted in containers etc. The popular winterflowering Rieger begonias are in this category.

They prefer NOT to be planted in the ground.

LIGHT Generally, begonias must have bright sunlight in the home to encourage a strong compact plant. Good light will also encourage bountiful flowers from some begonia types. Try an east, west or south window. If you feel your plant is not getting enough light indoors to produce blooms, move it to a light garden for 4 weeks or so, and when it begins to bloom return it to a sunny place in the house where you can enjoy the lovely flowers. While residing in the light garden please monitor the humidity. Begonias enjoy 60 percent humidity and light gardens can often be very dry places. Try humidity trays as not all begonias are happy with moist foliage.

WATER Whether begonias are potted or (wax begonias) planted into the ground for the summer outside, remember they are choosey about their potting

26

Leaf drop can be a problem as a result of overwatering, under-watering, low light levels, or cold temperatures. Leaf tip burn can be caused by too high of light, fertilizer burn, salt build up, or constant moisture.

For help additional information on begonias visit your local independent garden center, or pay a cyber-visit to BradsBegoniaWorld.com where you’ll find great information with lots of step by step information.

Angel wing cane begonia medium. Begonias thrive in well amended and well-drained soil mixes that don’t contain perlite. Potted begonias can suffer after time if the planting mix contains perlite, which can hold fertilizer salts.

FERTILIZER Begonia types vary in fertilizer needs. Canes should be fertilized weekly during times of growth. Rhizomatous and Rex have lower fertilizer needs, dilute fertilizer and fertilize weekly during periods of growth. Semperflorens or wax begonias enjoy fertilizer weekly during their growth period. Tuberous begonias enjoy feeding during their period of growth through fall and then none while dormant. It is best to go cautiously with fertilizer. Perhaps use it half strength or try an organic fertilizer. To avoid tip burn, be certain to water well before applying chemical fertilizers.

PRUNING Most begonias do not require much pruning.

Semperflorens begonias can be pinched to keep them compact.

REPOTTING Repotting will become evident by difficulty in keeping the soil mass hydrated. Only repot if the container is full of roots. Different begonia plants require different repotting methods.

Repotting is always best

Rieger begonia 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.

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The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

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Frisella Nursery, Inc. 550 Highway F Defiance, MO 636-798-2555

Greenscape Gardens & Gifts

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Lake St. Louis Garden Center

3230 Technology Dr Lake Saint Louis, MO 636-561-0124

Rolling Ridge Nursery Lawn and Garden Center 60 North Gore Webster Groves, MO 314-962-3311

Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center 2651 Barrett Station Road Manchester, MO 314-966-0028

A. Waldbart & Sons Nursery

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Eye-popping magenta-pink blooms greet spring with style.

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Purchase this exceptional new easy-care flowering tree at these fine nurseries and garden centers.

APRIL 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

Wholesale Tree Growers www.royalraindrops.com

27

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News New Garden Center Takes Root A new garden center is putting down roots in Kirkwood this spring. Jenniffer Elliott held the grand opening of Urban Roots Garden on March 15th, putting her 22 years of experience in the nursery business into the new shop. According to Jenniffer, the new business will be a “destination garden center” featuring “unusual plant selection, friendly customer service, knowledge and presentation.” Urban Roots Garden is at 915 S. Kirkwood Road just north of Big Bend. The phone number is 314966-2799.

Landscape Design Firm Earns Top Awards SWT Design recently was awarded an unprecedented two Presi d e n t ’ s Awards for Excellence and three honor awards A scene from the Novus campus. from the St. Louis Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). St. Louis ASLA has never before awarded two President’s Awards for Excellence and never to the same design company. SWT Design received the Presidents Awards for their work on the design of the Novus International Headquarters Campus Improvements and Little Lighthouse projects. The honor awards were in recognition of the firm’s work at The Dewey Short Conservation Center located at the confluence of the White River and Table Rock Lake and Dam, The Bluecreek Wilderness Club’s Indian Creek Lodge at Table Rock Lake, and for their work by the pedestrian bridge over Wells Drive at the Saint Louis Zoo South Entry Arrival.

SWT Design is an environmentally conscious, high design, planning and landscape architecture firm working with clients across the nation. For more information or to schedule a tour of their campus, visit www.swtdesign. com.

Shaw Nature Reserve Sponsors Youth Photo Contest The Shaw Nature Reserve has joined forces with the Missouri Nature and Environmental Photographers (MoNEP) to encourage youth to explore the outdoors and capture their experiences through its Take A Shot! youth nature photography contest. Children ages 14 and under are invited to submit their five-by-seven or eightby-ten-inch photos taken at the Shaw Nature Reserve 28

between now and June 15, 2012. Photographs must fit into one of four categories—flora, wildlife, miniature world of nature or people in nature—and will be judged based on subject, composition, creativity and difficulty.

Winning entries will be exhibited at the Shaw Nature Reserve beginning July 1. View complete contest rules and download an entry form at www.shawnature.org.

Beautifying Gardens with Rain Barrels as Art The River des Peres Watershed Coalition and local real estate agent Randy Shasserre have teamed with the University City High School Arts and Graphics Department to create “Rain Barrels as Art”. Mr. Shasserre purchased 14 rain barrels from the coalition and delivered

them to the high school’s graphics department director Todd Yancy last month. Since then the students have been busy creating 14 uniquely themed designs ranging from Van Gogh influenced to Warhol. Gardeners will have the opportunity to place one of these beautiful pieces of functional yard art in their gardens this Spring when they go on sale at the U City in Bloom plant sale on April 2829. All proceeds will benefit the high school and U City in Bloom organization.”

New Home for the Grow Native!

Missouri Prairie Foundation has been selected to become the new home of the Grow Native! program. Ten years ago, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Department of Agriculture began Grow Native! to promote the use of native Missouri plants for landscaping. Because of the program’s educational and marketing activities, the use of native plants in the state has increased dramatically. Recognizing the constraints placed on this program by government agencies, the Missouri Department of Conservation and Grow Native! members looked at options, and decided that MPF would be an ideal fit for the program.The Grow Native! program will be fully transitioned as part of MPF by July 1, 2012.

The Gateway Gardener™

APRIL 2012

April is Safe Digging Month

S

pring is finally here! It’s getting warm and the trees are greening up, eager homeowners are ready to start those outdoor digging projects. Before you reach for that shovel and start digging, remember to call 811, the national “Call Before You Dig” number, to ensure that your buried utility lines are marked.

Damaging an underground line can result in injuries, expensive repair cost, legal fees and outages. Landscaping your yard, installing a culvert, building a fence or even installing a mailbox requires that you call in to have the utilities marked before beginning your work.

Every digging project, no matter how large or small, necessitates a call to your Missouri One Call center. Notifying Missouri One Call will allow the utilities to mark their underground facilities permitting your excavation to safely proceed.

avoiding damages.

There are over 20 million miles of underground facilities buried in the United States.

Never dig without knowing where the underground lines are located.

To place your free notification: Call 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 or go online at www.mo1call. com

Spring

Saturday, May 12 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wildflower Sale

Admission: Members: free Non-members: $5

An underground utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes. One out of every three facilities damaged is the result of not notifying the One Call center to have the facilities marked prior to digging.

Using your Missouri One Call System is free of charge, and you can process your request 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It only takes a few minutes to complete the process of notifying the utilities of your intent to dig.

Here’s how the One Call System works: Three working days before you begin your work, place a locate request. Call 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 or go online to www. mo1call.com. Our operators will map the dig site from excavator information and notify the utilities that have facilities in the area.

The utilities will respond by marking their facilities or notifying you that they have no facilities at the dig site. The utilities will mark the facilities that they own, usually up to the meter.

Once all the utilities have responded, work can then safely proceed,

Gray Summit, Missouri • (636) 451-3512 • www.shawnature.org

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APRIL 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

29

Upcoming Events African Violet Council Plant Sale.

African violets and related plants.

Missouri Botanical Garden-Ridgway Center.

April 26 -27 8am-6pm—St. Louis Community College Horticulture Club Spring Plant Sale. Annuals and perennials grown in the Meramec Greenhouses, with assistance from the Horticulture students. Proceeds go to the Horticulture Club for student activities and trips. SLCC Meramec is located at 11333 Big Bend in Kirkwood, sale at Lot K, off Big Bend. th

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 the June issue is May 1st.

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122 Fax: (314) 968-4025 Email: info@gatewaygardener.com GARDEN CLUBS AND PLANT SOCIETY MEETINGS Interested in Joining a Garden Club or Plant Society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at GatewayGardener.com.

Don’t have access to the internet?

Just call or write us, 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 April 7th 9am—Fairy Gardens. FREE, no reservations required, everyone welcome. The Children’s Garden Club is designed to educate and bring delight in gardening to children with projects they do themselves. For the Garden by Haefner’s, 6703 Telegraph Rd., (314) 846-0078.

PLANT SALES AND SHOWS April 14th-15th 9am-5pm—Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society 16th Annual Show.

The public is encouraged to bring their daffodils for staging. Large potted daffodils for sale! Beaumont Room, Ridgway Visitor Center at Missouri Botanical Garden. Entry included with Garden admission. http:// stldaffodilclub.org.

April 21st 9am-noon—St. Charles Master Gardener Garden Tour and Plant Sale. Tour demonstration gardens, “Ask the Master Gardener”, and purchase vegetable plants, Missouri natives, annuals, perennials, seeds, houseplants and more. 260 Brown Rd. St. Peters, MO. (636) 970-3000.

April 21st-22nd 9am-5pm—Metropolitan St. Louis

30

th

April 26th-28th Herb Days, presented by the Garden Gate Shop and the St. Louis Herb Society. Choose from a wide selection of potted fresh herbs, including new and hard-to-find varieties.

The society’s popular cookbook, periodicals and curry powder will also be available. Herb Society members will give demonstrations and guidance on selecting, planting, growing and using herbs. Included with Garden admission or membership. Thursday 11am-5pm, Fri. and Sat. 9am-5pm. www.stlouisherbsociety.com. Missouri Botanical Garden.

April 28th 9am-3pm—Richmond Heights Garden Club Annual Plant Sale.

VFW Hall Post 3500 at 1717 S. Big Bend Blvd. Nursery raised annuals, specialty perennials, veggies and herbs, members own plant divisions and local home made honey. There will be a $2 raffle and many silent auction items for sale. Come early for the best selection and late for the best bargains.

RichmondHeightsGardenClub.org.

9am-5pm—West County Daylily Club Sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization.

Beaumont Room, Ridgway Visitor Center, Missouri Botanical Garden.

Included with Garden admission.

WestCountyDaylilyClub.com.

8:30am-2pm—Webster Groves Herb Society Spring Herb Sale. The annual spring sale is offering more than 10,000 culinary, ornamental, and medicinal herbs for sale, including this year’s Herb of the Year—Roses.

Proceeds help the society support and maintain several gardens plus provide scholarships to local horticulture students. First Congregational Church of Webster Groves, 10 W. Lockwood.

Free admission and parking.

9am-2pm.

St. Louis Master Gardener Plant Sale. MG’s are growing beautiful annuals, perennials and herb plants for sale. Proceeds

support programming at the South Tech High School greenhouse, 12721 West Watson, Sunset Hills 63127.

April 28th-29th 9am-1pm Sat., 9-noon Sun.—U. City in Bloom’s Perennial Plant Sale.

Native plants from the members’ personal flower beds whenever possible. This year features an expanded selection of native and wildlife attracting plants, plus annuals, culinary herbs and vegetables. Heman Park Community Center, University City. UCityinBloom.org, 314-9733541.

April 29th Noon-5pm—Greater St. Louis Iris Society Show. New cultivars and old favorites are shown by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Missouri Botanical Garden. Entry included with Garden admission. www.stlouisirises. com.

May 5th 8am-1pm—Plant Sale Event! The Webster Groves Women’s Garden Association will again offer truckloads of donated perennials from local gardens at great prices. Plus annuals/ hanging baskets, garden raffle, container gardens and bake sale.

Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your questions. Rain or shine at Webster Groves Masonic Lodge, 12 E. Lockwood (next to City Hall at Elm).

growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Beaumont Room, Ridgway Visitor Center, Missouri Botanical Garden. Included with Garden admission. StLouisIrises.com CLASSES, EVENTS

LECTURES

AND

April 1st 1pm—Proven Winners® Perennials and Shrubs. Best varieties on the market today, program by Rick & Trudy Effinger. Effingers Garden Center 720 S. 11th St., Belleville, IL. (618) 234-4600. EffingerGarden.com.

April 1st -Oct. 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.

April 3rd and 5th 6pm (Apr. 3), 10am (Apr. 5th)— Exceptional New Perennials and Shrubs. Hear about the exciting new creations that have the garden world amazed, awed, and just plain star struck. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

8am-noon-Jardin du Lac Garden Club’s annual Perennial Plant Sale and Garden Shed. Hundreds of perennials. Lake St. Louis Community Association, 100 Cognac Ct., Lake St. Louis, MO. 63367. Rain date: May 6 from 1-4pm.

April 4th-July 11th 6-9pm—St. Charles County Master Gardener Level I Training. $175 Fee, includes two manuals and weekly handouts. MU Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters, MO. 636-9703000.

9am-noon—Four Winds Garden Club Plant Sale. Prudential Alliance Realtors at Clayton Road at Woods Mill Road. Members will sell perennials and herbs from their own gardens. These plants have been proven as optimal for surviving and thriving in this region, as they have been planted and grown by our own members. 636-227-9479.

April 6th 9am-5pm—Arbor Day Tree Giveaway. The Kemper Center for Home Gardening will give away 600 tree saplings on a first-come, first served basis, one per visitor while supplies last. Master gardeners will answer questions and give advice on planting trees in the spring. While supplies last. Kemper Center, upper level at Missouri Botanical Garden.

9am-4pm—Garden Club of Lebanon Perennial Plant Sale. Over 1,000 perennials, herbs, and vegetables.

Walk down Victorian Style brick street and check out the many vendors, crafters, antiques, specialty shops, great food, pony rides and more. The May Market, Lebanon, IL. www. gardencluboflebanon.org and on Facebook.

May 6th 9am-5pm—Greater St. Louis Iris Society Sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top

April 7th 9-11am—Home Vegetable Gardening. Learn to grow fresh, flavorful vegetables that you can harvest right from your very own vegetable garden. Pre-registration required one week prior to class. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/ gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-9703000 for information. $20.

10am-noon--Simply

The Gateway Gardener™

Beau-

APRIL 2012

tiful® Exciting New Annuals . Derek Schrof from Ball Seed Company.

Effingers Garden Center 720 S. 11th St., Belleville, IL. (618) 234-4600.

EffingerGarden.com.

environmentally themed displays and demonstrations that will help promote greater awareness of our need to care for and sustain our precious Earth.

618-616-1903.

April 10th 1pm—Sustainable Lawn Care.

Learn how to work with the natural cycles your lawn goes through during the year that can make your lawn look better. University of Illinois Extension, Edwardsville, Waterloo and Belleville offices. Pre-registration deadline is 2 days prior to class. $5 fee for black and white handouts, $10 for color.

Register online at web.extension. illinois.edu/mms/ or call (618) 6507050 or (618) 236-4172.

9am-1pm—Garden Expo. Get a head start on a great garden this spring by talking to gardening experts and shopping for live plants and lawn and garden accessories. Fort Zumwalt Park, O’Fallon, Missouri. Admission and parking are free, and concessions will be available. 636-379-5614.

7-8:30pm—Tap Root Speaker Series.Tree and Site Selection for Community Tree Planting. Schlafly Bottleworks. $15 pre-register or $20 at door. (636) 970-3000.

April 10th and 12th 6pm (Apr. 10), 10am (Apr. 12)—Gardening Under Trees. Learn how to garden under trees without damaging them. Also discussed will be the ever-expanding selection of shade plants and how to combine flower and foliage color, form and texture for season-long interest in your garden.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. April 12th 9am-noon—Native Plant School: Sedges for Native Landscaping.

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 x0 or visit ShawNature.org.

April 12th or 13th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: Small Flowering Trees, Shrubs & Vines, Part 1. 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 x0 or visit ShawNature.org.

April 14th 7:30am—Spring Poultry Expo.

The River Hills Farmers’ Alliance of Eastern Missouri hosts the event at R-1 School in Silex, MO. Features large farmers’ market, bird swap, poultry show, demonstrations and a country auction. No admission fee.

(636) 697-3447.

9am-noon—2nd Annual Awareness Day. St. Clare of Assisi,1411 Cross Street in O’Fallon, Illinois.

The focus of the day is to provide

APRIL 2012

9 am-4 pm--Spring Open House at Sandy’s Back Porch. Oversized, oneof-a-kind hanging baskets, perennials, plus a splendid selection of garden accessories, tools, pottery and gifts in the shop. Sandy’s Back Porch, 2004 West Blvd., Belleville, IL. (618) 2352004.

9:30-11:30am—Growing Tomatoes. Topics cover variety selection, growing plants from seed, soil preparation and planting, fertilizing, and more. Pre-registration required one week prior to class. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/ gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-9703000 for information. $20.

10am—Spring Rose Workshop.

Learn how to care for roses and prepare them for the new growing season. Get hands on experience and expert advice from the Tri County Rose Society. FREE. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, Hillermann.com.

April 17th and 19th 6pm (Apr. 17), 10am (Apr. 19)—New Trends in Gardening. Breath fresh life into your garden with the newest and best in gardening. Learn about the most effective fertilizers and eco-friendly pest deterrents. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. April 21st 10am-3pm--Hillermann’s Earth Day Celebration. Learn how to live a more Earth Friendly life. Information on Backyard Wildlife Certification, America In Bloom, Composting, and more. The first 200 customers will receive a FREE Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan) perennial plant.

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

April 22nd 11am-6pm—St. Louis Earth Day Festival. Celebrate the 23rd annual National Earth Day at Forest Park, with educational exhibits and hands on activities, 3 stages of music and entertainment, Earth Day Cafe with local and earth-friendly foods, Schlafly Beer and other locally produced beverages, All-Species Parade (dress as your favorite species), and much, much more. Visit us at The Gateway Gardener Booth!

April 24th 1pm—Vegetable Gardening.

Learning how to grown your own backyard produce will be the focus.

University of Illinois Extension, Edwardsville, Waterloo and Belleville offices. Pre-registration deadline is 2 days prior to class. $5 fee for black April 15th and white handouts, $10 for color.

1pm—Burpee® Home Gardening Register online at web.extension.

Veggies 101. Dave Chouinard & Rick illinois.edu/mms/ or call (618) 650Effinger. Effingers Garden Center 720 7050 or (618) 236-4172.

S. 11th St., Belleville, IL. (618) 2344600. EffingerGarden.com.

6pm—Growing Up, A Guide to Vines. Learn about the vines that 1pm—Grow Hydrangeas. Kim will turn an ordinary garden into a Reiss of The St. Louis Hydrangea showcase, including Clematis, Roses, Society will answer your questions along with other exceptional sun and about successfully growing shade climbers. Sugar Creek Gardens, hydrangeas. Kress Farm Garden 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

Preserve, 5137 Glade Chapel Road, FREE. Hillsboro, Missouri, 63050. Public April 26th welcome. 636-296-9306.

9am-noon—Native Plant School: 10am-5pm—Daniel’s Farm Container Gardening and Native & Greenhouse Spring Open Annuals. Bring your questions, House. Attendance prizes, special comments, photos, drawings, and offers, refreshments and more. plant specimens for discussion.

15 greenhouses to explore! Session includes hands-on tours demonstrations.

Audience Check website for more details at and participation encouraged. $15 DanielsFarmAndGreenhouse.com.

352 Jungermann Rd., St. Peters. (636) ($12 Garden members). Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature 441-3048.

Reserve. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 x0 April 17th 6-8pm—Raised Bed Gardening. or visit ShawNature.org.

Learn the advantages and techniques of Perennials and raised bed gardening. Pre-registration 6pm—Choice Shrubs for Wet Areas.

Learn which required one week prior to class. St. Charles County Extension Center, plants thrive in a wet environment, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit along with garden techniques and extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/ tips to turn your boggy area into an gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-970- interesting and attractive garden. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., 3000 for information. $20.

The Gateway Gardener™

Kirkwood. FREE. April 26th or 28th 9am-noon—Native Plant School: Top Performing Native Plants for Home Gardening. 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 x0 or visit ShawNature.org.

April 27th 7-11pm—3rd Annual Green Ball.

Moonrise Hotel, at 6177 Delmar in The Loop. Join the movers and shakers in St. Louis in celebrating the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day and the third anniversary of the Moonrise Hotel’s opening. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the EarthWays Center.Ticket prices are $60 and include appetizers, complimentary bar service, live music and more. 314-721-1111.

April 28th 9-11am—Gardening with Perennials. Learn how to include these long-lived plants in your home garden and landscape. Pre-registration required one week prior to class. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/ gardenclasses.aspx or call 636-9703000 for information. $20.

10am-noon--Arbor Day Celebration in Creve Coeur. The City of Creve Coeur is hosting a free Arbor Day Celebration at the Government Center in the Council Chambers located at 300 N. New Ballas Road.

Arbor Day festivities will feature essay readings, tree giveaways and a presentation on native pollinators.

The Arbor Day Celebration, hosted by the City’s Horticulture, Environment and Beautification (HEB) Committee, kicks off with Creve Coeur elementary school students reading their winning essays entitled, “A World Without Trees.” Immediately following, Urban Forester Perry Eckhardt from the Missouri Department of Conservation will briefly present “Trees, Shrubs, and Pollinators.” For more information, contact Sharon Stott, Public Information Officer and Management Analyst, at 314-4422081.

2-4pm—Herbalicious! Enjoy free samples of herbal infused sodas made from Bowood’s naturally grown herbs and learn how to make them at home with herbs from your garden. Bowood Farms, 4605 Olive Street, 63108 in the Central West End. 314-454-6868, BowoodFarms.com.

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REPLENISH THE EARTH FOR GENERATIONS

International Compost Awareness Week • May 6-12

Visit St. Louis Composting on May 8, 10 & 12 for lunch and learning during International Compost Awareness Week!

Lunch at Fort Bellefontaine Compost Facility - May 8 at 11am Lunch at Belleville Facility - May 10 at 11am Lunch and Learning at Valley Park Facility - May 12 at 12pm “Give Compost a GROW at Home” workshop BELLEVILLE, IL

VALLEY PARK, MO

3521 Centreville Ave. 618.233.2007

39 Old Elam Ave. 636.861.3344

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

ST. LOUIS, MO

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

FORT BELLEFONTAINE COMPOST FACILTY 13060 County Park Rd. 314.355-0052

More details at www.stlcompost.com

ENRICHING THE SOIL NATURALLY SINCE 1992