The Gateway Gardener September 2016

Gateway Gardener

SEPTEMBER 2016

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Japanese Jewels

Marvelous Maples

Ferns and Their Companions Sensory Gardens in Schools Native Evergreens FREE Courtesy of:

SEPTEMBER 2016

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The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

Gateway Gardener

From the Editor

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

SEPTEMBER 2016

Volume 12, Number 7

Founded in 2005 by Joyce Bruno & Robert Weaver Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Barbara Perry Lawton Garden Book Author and Garden Writer Connie Alwood Master Gardener Diane Brueckman Rosarian Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Molly Rockamann EarthDance Farms Steffie Littlefield Nursery Professional Abby Elliott Nursery Professional Jennifer Schamber Nursery Professional Scott Woodbury Native Plant Specialist Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published 9 times/year by Double Dig Communications, Inc. to promote enjoyable, successful gardening and livable landscapes in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area. The magazine is distributed free to the public at designated garden centers, nurseries, garden gift shops, lawn equipment rental, repair and sales establishments, and other locations supporting sound gardening, lawn and landscaping practices.

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here is, near my home on one of my frequent dog-walking routes, a home landscape that includes a small hillside planted generously with Japanese maples of various shapes, sizes and colors.

Throughout the growing season it always is pretty, but come autumn it bursts absolutely ablaze in gold, yellow, brilliant red and deep russet. It’s a striking testament in just a small sample of the variety of leaf shape and color, and tree size and form that fuels the passion of many Japanese maple enthusiasts.

Barbara Perry Lawton introduces us to this multifaceted group of trees on page 4.

Ferns comprise another impressively varied plant group, and because of their delicate texture, I find them to be valuable additions to the shade garden.

One of the most commented upon plants from visitors to my garden is the curious ‘Victoria’ Lady’s Fern, due to the unusual criss-cross pattern exhibited by the leaflets (pinnae) of each frond. (A collector of “punny” article headlines, I particularly enjoyed one that introduced an article on ferns with the heading

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SEPTEMBER 2016

“With Fronds Like These, Who Needs Anemones?”) Steffie Littlefield takes a serious look at ferns on page 6.

Plants delight gardeners in a variety of ways, including visual texture. But they can also offer tactile texture. Who can pass by a lamb’s ear without softly rubbing a leaf between thumb and index finger? Or grab a handful of ornamental grass and gently let it slide through your grasp? Do this with miscanthus and you might wind up with a fistful of shallow cuts; do it with prairie dropseed and you’ll excite another sense, as an aroma is released described variously as buttered popcorn or

On the Cover...

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peanut butter (or as others less enamored say, dirty gym socks).

The various senses plants trigger are part of what make gardening so enjoyable for many, and it also makes them a great educational tool. On page 10, Jennifer Schamber describes a sensory garden she and others helped create at an area elementary school, and shares the benefits such a garden can bring to a school and its community.

Maples)

Japanese maples represent an incredibly varied and colorful group of small landscape trees, including Acer palmatum ‘Green Elf’ pictured here. For more on Japanese maples and how to grow them, see pages 4-5. (Photo courtesy Gale Myers, Davidsan’s Japanese

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Japanese Jewels 6 Ferns and Their Companions 8 Japanese Festival

The Gateway Gardener™

September is a great time to exercise all your senses in the garden, as cooler days allow gardens and gardeners alike to enjoy a second season, with new opportunities for planting and primping and enjoying the planted and the primped. You’ll find much more in this issue, but I sense that I’ve written enough.

Good Gardening!

10 The Value of an Outdoor Education 12 Fall Day Trips 13 Know the Pros 14 Native Evergreens 16 2017 AAS Vegetables 16 JT’s Fresh Ideas 17 September Harvest List 18 September in the Rose Garden 20 Dig This 22 Upcoming Events

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Japanese Jewels

by Barbara Perry Lawton

“What is there to enjoy about Japanese maple trees? That’s easy,” says Gale Myers of Davidsan’s Japanese Maples, New Berlin, Illinois. “There are hundreds of different varieties, and each one is interesting and beautiful. From the tiniest red star-shaped leaves on a threefoot shrub to variegated pink, purple, green and white leaves with ruffled edges to ten-foot red-leafed trees with silver A. palmatum bark, or chartreuse bark with ‘Beni Zuru’ red leaves, red bark with green leaves to black/purple lacy This small deciduous tree leaves, or giant yellow leaves nearly a foot across. And that’s not usually grows from 15 to 30 feet tall, depending upon its specific even including the rainbow of fall colors! It’s like having yearbreeding. It is an understory tree that thrives in dappled shade of round big bouquets of flowers in your yard and gardens.” woodlands. The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is native to the Orient, including China, Japan and Korea. It has been cultivated by MAIN TYPES the Japanese for many hundreds of years, but was only introduced The slow-growing dwarf Japanese maples grow only two to eight feet tall. They usually have small leaves with pointed lobes. Then to the western world by way of England in the early 1800s. there are the uprights, trees (12 to 15 feet tall) with larger lobed leaves. The third and final group of Japanese maple varieties includes the dissectum group with distinctive delicate, lacy, finetextured leaves. They usually have long branches that are horizontal and arching downward—weeping. These typically grow into a PARKVIEW GARDENS mound shape and also can be trimmed up into an umbrella shape. he Japanese maples, typical maples in general leaf shape, flowers and seeds, are among the most useful and flexible groups of trees that anyone can find for landscaping.

They are good choices for use as specimens, accents, hedges, bonsai and just about any situation you can think of. The many cultivars now thriving in American gardens have been selected for their attractive and special qualities of form, colors and leaf shapes.

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“We have over 300 cultivars,” Gale says. “So we ask potential buyers what they’d like and then try to match them up with the specific varieties that should please them.”

All true Japanese maple cultivars are grafted. A non-grafted

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Japanese maple is a mongrel and not a true cultivar. Seed-grown trees may look nothing like either parent. Along with grafting, there are a couple of other ways to propagate these elegant ornamentals.

Cloning or air layering will produce valid cultivars but neither of these methods has a good success rate.

These fine ornamentals will thrive in soils that are moist and highly organic. They should be sheltered from winds and unseasonable frosts. They also should be sheltered from hot full afternoon sun, especially the more dissected varieties. Pruning will not be necessary, especially in younger trees, except to remove dead branches. Experienced gardeners may wish to enhance the beauty of mature trees by practicing pruning upright Japanese maples in a layered manner, or “shell-pruning” laceleaf varieties. An online Google search can help describe these techniques. Pests and diseases are rarely of any great concern.

Those interested in Japanese maples may also be interested in similar cousins, including Acer japonicum or A. shirasawanum (fullmoon maples), and Acer griseum (paperbark maple).

A carefully chosen Japanese maple can transform an ordinary patio or terrace into an elegant setting that will be the envy of your friends. photos courtesy Gale Myers, Davidsan’s Japanese Maples

Must-Have Maples!

We asked a few area garden centers, including Garden Heights Nursery, Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center, and Davidsan’s Japanese Maples to give us their Top 5 best-selling Japanese Maple cultivars. We blended and distilled their recommendations to come up with these 6 must-have maples! (photos courtesy Gale Myers, Davidsans Japanese Maples)

A. Palmatum ‘Fireglow’ Upright form, deep red foliage through summer, purple-scarlet to crimson fall color.

A. Palmatum var. dissectum‘Red Dragon’ Compact mounding form, cherry red leaves in spring, burgundy in summer, crimson in fall.

A. Palmatum ‘Oshio Beni’ Upright form, orange red leaves in spring, bronze green in summer, scarlet in fall.

A. shirasawanum ‘Moonrise’ Upright form, coral red in spring, lemon lime in summer.

A. Palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ Lion’s head maple. Small upright form, bright green leaves grow in tufts along stem, gold and crimson in fall.

A. Palmatum ‘Arikawa’ Called Pine Bark maple for its unique rough bark, green leaves turrn orange and red in fall.

A. japoniculm ‘Aconitifolium’

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 Post-Dispatch. 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.

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Ferns and Their Companions Party in the Shade!

by Steffie Littlefield

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in lakes and rivers, in high mountainous hen it’s hot out we all love to regions and even in semi-deserts. They gather in the cool shade of the grow most abundantly, however, in the garden for our entertaining. shady, moist understory of temperate There is no doubt that shade gardening forests and in rainforests at all latitudes, is sometimes challenging in our area for where they often grow on trees. There are many reasons. First shade is not always many native ferns found in Missouri and the result of a lovely grove of trees, but these can be traced back to ancient climatic from buildings or structures blocking the or geographic connections to northern sunlight. In these areas dense clay soils forests, to dry regions of the southwest and can be virtually impenetrable to water and to the moist, warm tropical forests of the nutrients or foundation materials such as Central America and the Caribbean. Hot, limestone rock can affect the PH balance dry summers, however, challenge Missouri in the soil. These areas can frequently be gardeners attempting to grow ferns. Native overly damp with water pooling along Missouri ferns, already acclimated to the foundations. Even under the spreading region, offer area gardeners an alternative branches of some trees such as maples, to non-native species that may require magnolias and ash, the soil can be shallow Ostrich fern more attention and care and may create due to the density of tree roots. Also the off-site problems by spreading into natural area under many trees can be very dry due to roots quickly absorbing moisture. Then of course there is the lack habitats. of sunlight to support plant life.

Some ferns that solve many of these problems; Ferns are ancient plants that have proven adaptable and resilient.

Ferns grow on sea-sprayed cliffs, in the crevices of rocks and bluffs,

Walking Fern (Asplenium rhyzophyllum) with leaves that have long tapering, undivided blades for a beautiful texture. Tolerates shallow limestone rock areas.

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Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum) grows 3-4’ tall and will tolerate drought once established.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is semi-evergreen, grows 1-1/2’ and does well in dry or moist soils.

Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) has rust colored spikes of new fronds, grows to 3 feet and will tolerate average soils.

Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), Wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis) and Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) all do best in wet soils and make great taller groundcovers.

And for a really unusual fern, look for the Victoria lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina ‘Victoriae’). This native cultivar features a striking crisscross pattern to the pinnae (leaflets) of the frond forming a series of x’s that is quite eye-catching. Again, grow in

Steffie Littlefield is a horticulturist and garden designer at Garden Heights Nursery and part-owner of Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard. 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.

The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

Walking fern

Bracken fern

Male fern

Sensitive fern

Wood fern

Royal fern

well-drained, rich soils in light to full shade.

In addition to the native ferns, Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) is a non-native well worth including in your shade garden. Painted ferns are so called because of the colorful variegation in their fronds. The color tends to fade to green with too much sun, so light shade with rich, medium moist soil is ideal.

These finely texture plants show off better when paired with plants that have bold or rounded foliage, contrasting color or are green in the winter. My favorites for dry shade are: Hardy Begonias with light pink flowers on tall stems streaked with red, and large angel wing leaves that are shiny red on the underside.

Epimedium whose early fairy like flowers dance on stiff stems and the heart shaped leaves form wide mounds to surround the lacy fern fronds that emerge from the ground.

Christmas fern

Cinnamon fern

Victoria fern

Japanese Painted fern

wet soils and adds tall red spikes of flowers to shoot up between the ferns.

With the help of these great ferns and companion plants your shade garden will be ready for party guests on those hot days. Enjoy! photos courtesy North Creek Nurseries, except Walking fern, courtesy Wikipedia.org; Male fern courtesy Caithness Biodiversity, and Bracken fern courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder, Glenn Kraemer.

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In other areas try Wild Ginger whose soft round leaves make another great filler for beds of ferns and Cardinal Flower loves

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Japanese Festival Turns 40!

Join the Celebration Sept. 3-5th Missouri Botanical Garden

oin the Missouri Botanical Garden in celebrating the culture and traditions of Japan when the annual Japanese Festival returns to St. Louis! This year marks the 40th Anniversary and the Garden will commemorate by offering even more sensational programming to delight the crowds. From traditional music to martial arts, bon odori dancing to bonsai, thunderous taiko drumming to Tea House Island tours, the three-day Labor Day weekend is filled with sights, sounds and experiences for the entire family. The 2016 Japanese Festival is Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday,

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September 5 (Labor Day) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A boisterous opening ceremony kicks off the celebration Saturday morning at the Japanese Garden entrance with an elaborate omikoshi Shinto shrine parade, bon odori festival dancing, taiko drumming and remarks by local and visiting dignitaries. Taiko drumming performances are sponsored by Nidec Motor Corporation. The private Teahouse Island of the Japanese Garden will be open for guided public tours every hour from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and from 11 to 4 p.m. on Monday.

Ancient traditions and modern choreography blend into thrilling performances as the Garden introduces for the first time; Luck Eisa and Samurai Sword Soul to the weekend’s lineup. Samurai Sword Soul’s performances offer an engaging mix of comedy routines, humanistic-theme drama and thrilling sword fights. The Luck Eisa group has been named as one of the most talented and recognized Eisa groups in Okinawa.

Watch martial arts demonstrations of judo, kendo, aikido and karate-do, along with the more ancient koryu bugei. Learn about the disciplined art of ikebana flower arranging and the proper

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The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

Garden has produced the annual Japanese Festival in conjunction with the Japanese Activities Committee, a coalition of several Japanese-American organizations that provide art, dance, food and entertainment for thousands of visitors each year.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. in south St. Louis, accessible from Interstate 44 at the Vandeventer exit and from Interstate 64 at the Kingshighway North and South exit. Free parking is available on site and two blocks west at the corner of Shaw and Vandeventer.

Admission is $15 for adults ages 13 and over and $5 for members; member children (ages 12 and under) are free. Visit www.mobot. org/japanesefestival for details. For general information, visit www.mobot.org or call (314) 577-5100. photos courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden

pruning of a delicate bonsai tree. Marvel at the quick work of ice sculptor Naomi Hamamura as he wields a chain saw to create birds and other objects from large, frozen blocks. Learn the steps and join in a bon odori dancing demonstration and take in a colorful kimono fashion show on Sunday inside the Shoenberg Theater.

Arrive early; seating is limited.

Stop by the Spink Pavilion to enjoy children’s activities including origami paper folding and traditional Japanese games. Shop for souvenirs and other Asian-inspired merchandise at the Japanese marketplace and the Garden Gate Shop. Sample Japanese cuisine at the outdoor food court, including sushi, yakisoba noodles, pancake-like okonomiyaki and green tea ice cream.

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Wind down with an evening showing of the anime feature “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” at 8 p.m. on Saturday evening.

Listen to a demonstration of Japanese karaoke on Sunday. Take a candlelit stroll through the Japanese Garden from 8 to 10 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday nights. Sponsorship by Nidec Motor Corporation, Novus International, TOYOTA Bodine and the Boeing Company. Since the 1970s, the Missouri Botanical

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The Value of an Outdoor Education Sensory Gardens in Schools

By Jennifer Schamber

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n a world of advancing technology, where our kids are often constantly connected to some form of electronics, there is an increasing need for “unplugged” spaces in our communities and schools. Spaces free from phones, iPads and screens. Spaces that engage the senses and emit a sense of simplicity and peace. Schools that have embraced the concept of experiential and outdoor learning are extremely popular in our area, and many parents would love to send their kids to those schools, but unfortunately, high tuition fees or high real estate values in these sought-after school districts can sometimes make it impossible for everyone to enjoy the option.

Outdoor learning opportunities, however, should not be just a privilege for a few, they should be a right for all kids, regardless of income. By being resourceful, and for a relatively small investment, every school can offer outdoor classrooms, whether they have a small urban space or a large suburban spread.

Cost is always going to be a limiting factor for any special project at a

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school, but oftentimes there are resources available to those that are willing to seek them out. Local and national grants are available (gatewaygreening.org, kidsgardening.org), but oftentimes a community can pull together resources on its own once the benefits of the mission are made clear. One model example for an outdoor learning space is at Lee Hamilton Elementary School in Ferguson. One of the educators at the school had an idea to create a sensory garden in the school courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by the windows of the cafeteria, the kindergarten wing and second-story classrooms. With the help of community contributors, sensory container gardens were placed throughout the courtyard. Each large pot engages one of the five senses… sight, touch, smell, taste and sound. The garden includes bird feeders and a butterfly garden that will be planted by students this fall. Plans are in the works to collaborate with the kitchen manager of the school to build a garden-to-table program within the school. Positive programs such as this are igniting across the country as more communities recognize the benefits of plugging in to nature-based educational opportunities.

The ultimate goal of designing outdoor spaces is to increase the quality of life for those surrounding it and using it. These designs don’t just make the area look aesthetically pleasing, they offer different types of wellbeing including social, physical, psychological, cognitive, environmental and spiritual health. By tuning into the health and wellness aspects of using outdoor spaces, the benefits far exceed the cost of investment. Studies have shown

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is that we give kids the opportunity to have access to nature and allow them to experience the wonders of the world that are right outside the door. (

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photos by Laura Caldie

that kids can retain 20% more information when plants are present in their learning spaces and there is a direct correlation between exposure to n a t u r e and higher test scores.

Learning outdoors shifts the

educational experience focus from secondary t o the sensory garden at the Missouri Botanical primary sources, rather than learning about the parts of an Garden and check out resources like lifelab.org.) insect from a book or screen, they can be observed in real life with magnifying glasses. This type of multi-sensory experience can engage a wider range of students that have different learning styles.

Jennifer Schamber is the General Manager of It can also connect the dots between different subjects in school Greenscape Gardens, and plays leaderships since every discipline can benefit from using the space, from art to roles in the Western Nursery & Landscape mathematics, and from science to writing. This can demonstrate Association, GrowNative!, the Landscape & Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis and the inter-connectedness of all of these subjects and it can help blur the Horticulture Co-op of Metro St. Louis. She the lines between academic learning and creative play.

Another benefit of outdoor educational spaces is how they can project a positive image of the school. Safe, vibrant and dynamic outdoor spaces sends the message that we value the education of these students. It doesn’t matter if the space is small, what matters

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Fall Day Trips Fall is a great time to enjoy a day out with the family, and many people will be out exploring our area’s favorite fall destinations, including pumpkin patches, apple orchards and scenic back roads during leaf-peeping season. Here, we would like to recommend consideration for a couple of other fall destinations this month and next that are sure to make a day trip worth the drive!

Stark Bros. Nursery Fall Festival September 16th-18 Louisiana, MO

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and production since 1816, and this fall invites visitors to come to Louisiana, MO, and help celebrate that rich 200-year history.

The Fall Festival takes place at the Stark Bros. Garden Center in Louisiana, and includes activities for kids like pumpkin painting, plus cider-making demonstrations, and a special luncheon fundraising luncheon for the United Way from 11am-2pm.

Their anniversary year celebration culminates on September 24th at the Pikes County Fairgrounds in Bowling Green, where kids can enjoy games, a petting zoo, pony rids, circus entertainers, food, a speaker program music, fireworks and more. Admission is free!

Know The Pros!

Green-Industry Experts You Should Meet!

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

60 North Gore 63119 314-962-3311 www.rollingrdgenursery.com

See more details in the Upcoming Events calendar section of this issue.

ost people think that, with the devastating loss of the American chestnut tree due to a blight in the early 20th century, the days of “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” are long gone.

Not so at Forrest Keeling Nursery. Just a short, scenic drive up the Missouri River Road to Elsberry, Forrest Keeling has been celebrating chestnuts each fall for years at its Great River Road Chestnut Roast. In cooperation with The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, Forrest Keeling’s Chestnut Roast features nuts from Missouri-grown selections of the popular Chinese Chestnut, trees that Forrest Keeling grows and sells as part of their overall selection of trees, shrubs and perennials.

Of course, the drive isn’t just to sample some delicious roasted nuts. The day’s activities also feature a full slate of local vendors, demonstrations and entertainment. Delicious food of the fall harvest will be bountiful, including local cheeses, wines, apple butter and more. Local artisans will be selling wares and demonstrating their skills, and live bluegrass and folk music will fill the fall air. Plus great, fun activities for the kids.

While you’re there, check out Forrest Keeling’s great selection of plants, including native trees, shrubs and perennials. Forrest Keeling is renowned for its RPM-production technology, which helps plants establish and grow faster. The timing is perfect because fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs!

You can get to Forrest Keeling and Stark Bros. via a couple different routes. The quickest trip follows Hwy. 61 north, then east on Hwy. 8 to Elsberry for Forrest Keeling, or continuing on 61 north to Bowling Green for the 200th Anniversary, or to Hwy. 54, then east to Louisiana for Stark Bros. A more scenic and leisurely pace follows the Missouri River Road (Hwy. 79) to Elsberry or on to Louisiana.

Safe motoring!

SEPTEMBER 2016

The Gateway Gardener™

A Little History…

57 years in business and still going strong! Rolling Ridge Nursery has been a fixture in Webster Groves since 1959. What started out as a feed and grain store in the early 1900’s is now an extensive lawn and garden center featuring natural and organic products, custom blended grass seed, bird supplies, pottery and containers galore, as well as unique garden accents and gifts. Step outside to find hardy and native trees, shrubs and perennials, summer tropicals, organic herbs and vegetables, grasses, roses and more!

Auset Sarno

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Great River Road Chestnut Roast October 15, 10am-4pm Forrest Keeling Nursery Elsberry, MO

You’ve Got to See…

the fully enclosed greenhouse, perfect for perusing on a rainy day! Staples include a vast assortment of succulents and cacti, house plants, gift planters and terrariums ready to go or all the supplies needed to do it yourself. During spring the greenhouse is bursting with colorful annuals, and for the holidays, festive poinsettias and other creations abound!

What’s New for 2016!

This summer, Rolling Ridge was one of the first in the area to be awarded the Certificate of Recognition as a Pollinator Pantry Provider. They offer an ever changing selection of plants specifically for attracting monarch butterflies, birds and other beneficial insects to your home garden. Rolling Ridge Nursery prides itself on knowledge, based on years of education, experience, and a lot of trial and error! If they don’t know the answer, they will research until they do. Customer service is always a priority.

A Proud Member of…

Looking for professional help for your garden, lawn and landscape?

StLouisLandscape.org

Search our website’s membership directory or look for the LNAGSL logo in members’ ads in The Gateway Gardener.

13

Naturally Natives Native Evergreens, An Easy Choice! text and photo by Scott Woodbury

W

hat do cheese, wine, mutual funds, insurance, electronics and evergreen plants have in common? If you replied “too many options!” you’re not alone. And so I’m thrilled when I discover sound advice or businesses that offer fewer options. Unfortunately there are endless non-native evergreens to choose from. But fortunately the native evergreens are few. Here is a look at them all.

In the world of gardening, evergreens rule. They screen ‘Canaert’ Eastern Red Cedar.. views, define spaces, prevent erosion, cool in summer, block wind, hide birds and nests and FREE

Pollinator Palette Plant With Each Purchase!

hold raindrops like a sponge.

Take golden ragwort, Senecio aureus, for instance. It is a threeinch tall carpeting groundcover that stays green in winter and grows naturally in Ozark creeks where it holds soil. It is a great low-maintenance alternative to invasive English ivy, periwinkle and wintercreeper and tolerates wet soils and shade. Its cousin round-leaved ragwort, Senecio obovatus is similar but prefers dry soil. They both bloom yellow in April and May. Eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana is one of three evergreen trees. The other two are American holly, Ilex opaca and shortleaf pine, Pinus echinata. All have prickly leaves and staying power. That is, they can live a long time. Cedar is known to live upwards of one thousand years on rocky bluffs in Missouri with their branches curled and gnarled. Similarly shortleaf pine may grow for 200-300 years according to Rich Guyette, a scientist who studies tree rings. The growth rings and hidden fire scars tell a story of fluctuating human populations and fire use in the Ozarks.

Eastern red cedar comes in many sizes and shapes that are sold commercially as cultivars. They are noted in single quotes like the cultivars ‘Taylor’ (tall and narrow tree like Italian cypress), ‘Glauca’ (narrow with blue-grey leaves) and ‘Canaertii’ (small pyramidal tree with dark green leaves). If you plant a seedling eastern red cedar (which lacks a cultivar name) it may, like a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Jelly Beans, mature to be skinny, fat, weeping, pyramidal or oval in shape. Female cedars produce bluegreen fruits in fall and winter that are eaten by birds, especially cedar waxwings.

Paint Your Garden Masterpiece from our Pollinator Palette!

A colorful collection of beautiful garden plants that attract, feed and provide shelter to bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

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

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Shortleaf pine tends to grow tall and narrow (10-15 feet) in part shade and a bit wider (15-20 feet) in full sun. I prefer growing them in small groves since they are so narrow but they can be grown as single specimens as well and fit well in narrow spaces. A seedling can grow to 15 feet in 5-7 years. The Missouri Department of Conservation tree nursery sells inexpensive bundles of 25 seedlings.

American holly is pyramidal in shape and slow growing. It may take 50 years or more for a tree to reach 25-30 feet in height. Male and female flowers form on separate trees so you need both for good berry production. Mocking birds hoard holly berries in winter by running off the competition.

Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata is the only native evergreen vine.

The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants Its bright orange and yellow flowers form outof-sight in treetops, then fall to the ground fresh like magnolia petals in spring. Vines move from tree to tree through overground stems that spread until they find a tree to climb and attach to using aerial rootlets.

Giant cane, Arundinaria gigantea is a ten-foot evergreen that colonizes into dense thickets, so dense that I often see birds escaping into patches in the Whitmire Giant cane, and golden ragwort garden. Birds and their (foreground). nests virtually disappear in them. Although cane makes impenetrable evergreen screens, it spreads rapidly. To keep it from spreading, either maintain mowed lawn at the edge, dig

A Grow Native! Top 10 List FEATURED CATEGORY:

TOP 10 NATIVE EVERGREEN PLANTS Green leaves year round • Attractive to wildlife • Tried and true NATIVE PLANT NAME

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

HEIGHT SUN/SHADE UNIQUE QUALITY

American holly 25–30 Ilex opaca ft.

Coral honeysuckle 10–15 Lonicera sempervirens ft.

Crossvine 50+ ft.

Bignonia capreolata E. red cedar 30–40 Juniperus virginiana ft.

Giant cane 8–12 ft.

Arundinaria gigantea Golden ragwort 3–5 in.

Packera aurea Littleflower alumroot 8–12 in.

Heuchera parviflora Round-leaved ragwort 3–4 in.

Packera obovata Shortleaf pine 50+ ft.

Pinus echinata Yellow honeysuckle 8–12 ft.

Lonicera flava

Sun/pt. shade Sun/pt. shade Sun/pt. shade Sun/pt. shade Pt. shade Sun/pt. shade Pt. shade Sun/pt. shade Sun/pt. shade Sun/pt. shade

Pyramidal tree, red berries, slow-growing Semi-evergreen, hummingbird magnet Orange flowers attract hummingbirds Shapes vary, blue-green berries in winter Suckering woody bamboo, bird magnet Yellow-flowering groundcover, vigorous Semi-evergreen, clumpforming perennial Dry woodlands, not as dense as P. aurea Tall narrow tree, plant in groves for effect Semi-evergreen vine, yellow flowers in spring

Note: This list was created by Scott Woodbury, based on his many years of experience and observations as the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve. The plants on this list are not in ranked order.

Grow Native! is a native plant education and marketing program of the

SEPTEMBER 2016

The Gateway Gardener™

shoots out regularly or install a root barrier 28 inches below ground and two inches above (30 inches total plastic root barrier or poured concrete) at the edge of the planting area. Other ideal planting locations include isolated beds between asphalt or concrete.

Swimming through this modern world of plenty, I stay grounded by the saying “Too much is too much, too little is too little and enough is enough”. If you are drowning in options you might be relieved by the paltry few native evergreens available to gardeners.

Check out the Grow Native! resource guide for a list of growers who offer native plants.

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

If you plant them, they will come!

Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and songbirds that is!

Let Forrest Keeling partner with you to bring natural beauty to your home habitat!

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

Forrest Keeling Nursery forrestkeeling.com

in the back yard to the back forty!

15

The Cornucopia Corner

label and display winners from the past 5 years, but don’t participate in the judging/trial program). In addition to the above-mentioned trial sites, display gardens can be seen at Hillermann Nursery and Florist in Washington, St. Louis Community Colleges at Meramec, St. Louis County Parks ll-America Selections, the trialing organization for Jefferson Barracks Laborer’s House Garden, St. Louis plants that demonstrate great garden performance County Parks Queeny Barn/Jarville Gardens, University of throughout North America, recently announced its Missouri-Columbia Department of Horticulture, and Bryan AAS award-winning varieties for 2017. (They trial and Memorial Garden in Salem, Illinois. Some of these grow both announce winners a year ahead so the grower supply chain flower and vegetable varieties, while others grow only one or can respond and have seeds and plants available at retail the other. to consumers. So you won’t find these now at your favorite Among the winners were 3 vegetable selections, including garden center, but look for them next year.)

two National Winners and one Regional Winner for our Each of the award-winning varieties was trialed in North region.

America by professional, independent judges during one Candle Fire F1 growing season. Each AAS entry is trialed next to one or Okra two comparison varieties that are considered best-in-class (National Winner) among those currently on the market. Trial gardens are A unique red okra with pods located all across the country, so regional performance can that are round, not ribbed, be documented. In our region, we have two sanctioned and a brighter red color AAS trial gardens, one at Missouri Botanical Garden, and than the reddish burgundy the other at University of Illinois in Champaign. Several okras currently available.

AAS Display Gardens are also in the area (which grow, This high-performing AAS Winner received high marks for productivity, taste, texture and tenderness as well as the ornamental value of red pods on red stems. One judge noted that Candle Fire okra asagna tuffed ePPers was quite maintenance free to grow, except for the frequent INGREDIENTS: 1 large Red Bell Pepper harvesting, which is a great thing! Candle Fire thrives in the 1 large Green Bell Pepper heat and is disease resistant even in hot humid climates like 1 large Yellow Bell Pepper the south where it’s perfect for traditional fried okra.

1 large Orange Bell Pepper

AAS Veggies for 2017

A

Jt’s Fresh Ideas L

s

P

Courtesy: www.peaceloveandlowcarb.com

2 ½ cups Tomato Meat Sauce 1 cup Ricotta Cheese 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning

Preparation Instructions Preheat oven to 400° Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Slice bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove ribs and seeds. Place pepper halves on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack.

Remove peppers from oven. Fill each pepper with ¼ cup tomato meat sauce.

Next, spoon 2 tbsp of ricotta cheese on top of the meat sauce in each pepper cup.

Pour an additional 1 tbsp meat sauce on top of the ricotta cheese.

Top each pepper with 2 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Bake on middle rack for 12 minutes.

Remove peppers from oven. Top each pepper with 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.

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Bake 5 additional minutes on top rack.

Recipe courtesy of :

http://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/lasagna-stuffedpeppers-low-carb-gluten-free/

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

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

This is a great low-carb gluten-free dish!

Enjoy!

Jt

Squash Honeybaby F1 (Regional WinnerHeartland) Honeybaby is a very productive variety of winter squash producing numerous fruits on a compact plant.

These shorter vines grow 2-3 feet in a semi-bush habit showing great garden vigor which results in healthier plants that resisted powdery mildew later into the season, especially in the Southeast.

Short, wide fruits are slightly larger, sweet and nutty and more meaty than similar comparison varieties. Honeybaby is delicious steamed, baked or made into soups and stews.

Plant as soon as soil temperatures reach 65 degrees to ensure maturity in 90-100 days.

The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

Shaw Wildflower Market in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden Friday, September 9th

Tips for Growing, Buying and Cooking Fresh, Locally Sourced Food for Your Table Watermelon Mini Love F1 (National Winner) This personal-sized Asian watermelon is perfect for smaller families and smaller gardens.

Shorter vines (3-4’) still produce up to six fruits per plant and can be grown in smaller spaces. Several judges commented on the crack and split resistant rinds, important for reducing crop loss. For culinary purposes this deep red fleshed watermelon has a thin but strong rind that can be carved into attractive shapes for fruit salad presentations. Mini Love has a high sugar content resulting in sweet and crisp, juicy flesh that will be a true summer delight for watermelon lovers.

4-7:30 pm

Just in time for Fall Planting!

Shop for locally produced native plants, food and crafts. LIVE MUSIC! Also, experts will answer your native gardening questions.

Adults $5 Seniors $3 MBG/SNR Members Free

(Hwy 100 & Interstate 44) Gray Summit, MO

www.shawnature.org 636-451-3512

This article was compiled from information provided by AllAmerica Selections, and photos are courtesy AAS. To view other 2017 flower and vegetable winners as well as all winners from past years, or to learn more about this program, visit AllAmericaSelections.org.

September Harvest Here are some fruits and veggies you might find in the garden or your local farmers’ market this month: Vegetables Beans Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Greens Herbs Horseradish Kohlrabi Lettuce Okra Onions Peas Peppers Popcorn Potatoes Pumpkins

Radishes Rhubarb Spinach Squash Sweet Corn Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Turnips

g Brin

E E R F

in t

df a s i h

or

Fruits

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

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SEPTEMBER 2016

The Gateway Gardener™

17

September in the Rose Garden

by Diane Brueckman

S

eptember is a great time in the rose garden. Your roses are set to present a great show. Usually, the weather starts to cool down, which results in larger blooms with brighter colors and the “gardener” is not quite so heat stressed. September is when I take a serious look at my roses, which roses performed well and which didn’t? Fall is a great time to replace roses that you don’t think have performed If your rose garden looks like this in September, congratulations! as well as you like or will not damage to your roses and not spots on the body. They feed make it through the winter. let it get out of hand. Often, on the undersides of leaves mechanical methods will keep within the chloroplasts sucking I have been asked by many the bugs under control. One out the chlorophyll leaving rose growers about insect common problem is the two- the leaves a dusty looking damage. I must admit that I yellow or bronze. This pest spotted spider mite. don’t do much about insects can reduce flower production because I try to let the good The two-spotted spider mite and the beauty of your bush. bugs do the job for me. It is is tiny and can be yellow, Plants suffering from drought important that you monitor the orange or green with 2 dark stress are more susceptible to infestations than well-hydrated plants. Since the life cycle of the mite is one week, it doesn’t take long to have a heavy infestation.

A good mechanical treatment is to take a hose with a strong spray to the underside of the infected plants. Do this every three days until the mites are gone. The mites do not overwinter on the plants so

Looking for Something Unique for your Garden??

your dormant oils will not help to prevent overwintering. They do overwinter in debris such as leaves, broken branches and weeds in the rose bed.

Applications of insecticides may harm the predatory mites that target the pest mites as well as the target mite. Your best defense is keep your beds free of debris and keep your roses well hydrated and mulched.

Regular pruning of roses is also a good defense against many of the pests in the rose garden. Some that affect the buds are rose midge, sawflies and thrips. When you see buds that are not developing as they should, it could be the larva of the rose midge feeding on the base of developing buds.

The larva create furrows in developing new growth and buds causing them to be twisted and eventually they die and turn black. These buds should be cut off and destroyed.

If a rose bud is not opening and when you pull back the petals you see tiny, slender bugs you have thrips. Again, cut off the bud and put it in the trash. A bud that is bent over and has a tiny hole in the side has had an egg deposited in the side and it needs to be cut off.

YOUR TREES DESERVE THE BEST CARE

Come Stroll Thru Our Gardens and Discover the Pleasure of Plants!

Natives, Not-so-common Trees, Shrubs & Perennials Tim Gamma – B.S. Horticulture Board Certified Master Arborist Tom Gamma ISA Certified Arborist

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(618)344-8841

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The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

Sawflies deposit eggs in slits eating holes in new leaves. The they make in leaves. They larva then tunnel into stems to are little greenish worms pupate. The stems eventually die. Remove the larva by hand or use a hard stream of water to dislodge them. When they fall to the ground they are unable to crawl back up the plant.

When your rose leaves start looking like this in late spring (above), look for rose slugs (sawfly larva on the undersides of leaves (below).

that eat on the leaves at first skeletonizing the leaves then

When deadheading look for holes in your canes. Cane borers are the larva of several different pests and eat their way down the cane. Generally there is only one generation a year. The infected canes should be cut back to good solid white pith.

Using mechanical methods not only saves you money for chemicals but also allows the beneficial insects to increase their numbers. Good cultural practices will make your roses less appealing to the bugs.

These simple things will help keep the insect pests down and your roses pest free or at least kept to acceptable levels.

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

SEPTEMBER 2016

The Gateway Gardener™

19

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News In Memorium

grandchildren and other family members continue to build on his legacy of service to community, the green industry, and to the Hillermann’s customers.

Bernie Hillermann, co-founder of Hillermann Nursery and Florist in Wa s h i n g t o n , Missouri, passed away July 8th in Washington at the age of 84 years. A native of Washington, Bernie served in the Navy during the Korean War, then upon returning, joined with brother Don Hillermann to start Hillermann Nursery and Landscape.

Missouri native plant enthusiasts also lost an important contributor in Tom Kruzen, owner of Pan’s Garden, who died July 15th at the age of 69 years. Tom and his wife Angel started Pan’s Garden, a native plant nursery in Shannon County not far from the Jack’s Fork River about 30 years ago. They specialized in woodland species- ferns, woodland lilies, Indian pink, trillium, celandine poppy, and most of the spring ephemerals that nobody else grew. According to Scott Woodbury, curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, most of the woodland species at Whitmire came from Pan’s Garden, including Indian pink, maidenhair fern, Christmas fern, fragile fern, broad beach fern, Solomon’s seal, white trillium, rue anemone, and many more! The Whitmire Wildflower Garden was largely populated with woodland plants in the early years (1991-2000) from Pan’s Garden. “We are indebted to Tom and Angel and the great works they have done over the years producing native plants. The shady areas in the Whitmire Wildflower Graden and all of their glory, speak volumes to their dedication to promoting and producing native plants.”

Our region’s green industry recently lost two well-regarded and influential members, whom we remember here.

Bernie was active in both the Washington community and the green industry. In Washington, he served on numerous civic committees and boards, including the St. Francis Hospital and later, St. John’s Mercy Hospital, St. Francis Borgia High School, the Chamber of Commerce, Washington Town and Country Fair, Mercantile Bank, the Elks, Washington American Legion, VFW, Knights of Columbus, and numerous other church, school, and civic leadership positions. He also served as Mayor of Washington from 199498, and championed many civic improvements.

His civic contributions were recognized with the Washingtonian Award presented in 1999 by The Missourian newspaper.

Bernie was active in many green-industry organizations as well, including the Missouri Landscape and Nursery Association, the Midwestern Nurserymen’s Association, the Western Nursery and Landscape Organization, the American Nursery & Landscape Association, and Garden Centers of America.

Bernie started what has grown into one of the largest and most progressive garden centers in the greater metro region, and several children, 20

Edg-Clif Winery Earns Gold

Edg-Clif Winery in Potosi, Missouri, owned by family members of our own contributor Steffie Littlefield, won 2 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze medals at the Missouri Governors Cup, Missouri Wine Competition last July. Gold medals were awarded to two Edg-Clif wines this year. The very popular chambourcin rosé wine “Edg-Clif Twilight” won its 3rd gold medal and was named ‘Best in Class for Rosé Wines’. The other winner of gold The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

All the wines submitted by Edg-Clif to the Missouri Wine Competition for judging this year received medal recognition. Edg-Clif Estate Bottled dry red wines, 2015 Chambourcin, 2014 Classic Chambourcin, and 2014 Reserve Chambourcin were awarded Silver Medals. Other wines submitted that received Bronze Medals are Edg-Clif Dry Chardonel, Edg-Clif Starlight, Edg-Clif Vignoles and 2013 Estate bottled Edg-Clif Chambourcin.

The total wine list at Edg-Clif contains 13 wines ranging from dry to semi-sweet to sweet. EdgClif is open for wine tasting and events every weekend; Fridays 2-7pm, Saturday and Sunday 11-5pm, and Steffie encourages all to stop by and try these local award winning wines.

More Pollinator Partners Honored

Doug with (l. to r.) Sally Barrett, Abby Elliott and Kim Reiss of Sugar Creek Gardens.

In the July/August issue’s “Dig This” column, we reported the recognition of several “Pollinator Partners” by St. Louis County Parks’ Project Pollinator program, and its representatives,

Doug Wolter and Mary Ann Fink.

Since that time several more garden centers have fulfilled requirements The Greenscape Gardens crew with of partnership, Mary Ann Fink and Doug Wolter. i n c l u d i n g L. to r.: Laura Tetley, Holly Lefholz, G r e e n s c a p e Mary Ann, Jennifer Schamber, Kent G a r d e n s , Hudson, Kate Eihausen, John Loyet, Garden Heights Tammy Behm, Madyson Winn, Doug, N u r s e r y , and Laura Caldie.

Papillon Perennials, and Sugar Creek Gardens.

SEPTEMBER 2016

The Gateway Gardener™

P r o j e c t Pollinator is a program of the St. Louis County Parks Department and other partners, encouraging municipalities, b u s i n e s s e s , Mary Ann and Doug with Cathy o r g a n i z a t i o n s Pauley of Papillon Perennials. and homeowners to plant pollinator gardens. Garden centers qualify as “Pollinator Partners” by agreeing to promote the program on their Mary Ann and Doug with Mary websites and Jacobs and Anne Deutch of Garden in their stores, Heights. and to conduct a Pollinator Pantry event for staff and the public.

Local Retailer Vies for National Honor

Brandy Wheeler

was for their Estate Bottled Vidal Blanc.

Chalily Ponds and Gardens has been named a Top 5 Finalist in Lawn and Garden Retailer magazine’s 2016 Merchandiser of the Year award. The magazine recognized the retailer and owner Joe Summers for transforming a paved parking lot into a beautiful outdoor living courtyard display. The display featured some Adirondack chairs comfortably surrounded by plants and self-contained ceramic urn water features, all sitting on a bed of cedar mulch to complete an inspirational outdoor living space.

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Upcoming Events Meetings, Classes, Entertainment & More Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at GatewayGardener.com, so check there for the latest details.

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

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Email: info@gatewaygardener.com GARDEN CLUBS AND PLANT SOCIETY MEETINGS Interested in Joining a Garden Club or Plant Society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at www.GatewayGardener. com. Don’t have access to the internet?

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

FUN FOR KIDS Sept. 3rd Between11am and 2pm--First Saturday Kids. Bring the kids anytime to play in the garden and enjoy a FREE activity - Make a fall hand wreath for home! Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

Sept. 10th 9am—Plant Fall Color. St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Children’s Garden Club. FREE. Sherwood’s Forest Nursery and Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Rd. Sept. 17th 10:30-11:30am and 1:30-2:30pm— Great Green Adventures: Celebrate Urban Birds. Celebrate birds and learn about this Citizen Science project from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

For children ages 6 to 12 with an adult. Walk-ins welcome. Meet at the Children’s Garden Ticket Fort. $3 per child. Visit www.mobot.org for more information.

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Oct. 1st 9am—Children’s Garden Club. St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Children’s Garden Club. FREE. Haefner’s For the Garden. 6704 Telegraph Rd. GARDEN TOURS, PLANT SALES AND SHOWS Sept. 9th 4-7:30 p.m.--Native Plant School Wildflower Sale. Welcoming new and experienced gardeners and people looking for locally made products for a greener community, including wildflowers from Missouri Wildflower Nursery, wine, bread, meats, art, crafts and more. The sale is located in the pavilions behind the Bascom House, near the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve. The garden is devoted to showcasing native plants in many habitats and design styles.

Native plant experts will be on hand to answer questions, identify plants and give guidance to gardeners wishing to expand their plant palette with native plants. Bring checks and cash to pay vendors. Shaw Nature Reserve, I-44 at exit #253 in Gray Summit, Mo. Cost is $5 (MBG members $3). For more information visit us on the web at www.shawnature.org.

Sept. 10th-11th 9am-5pm-- Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale.

New cultivars and old favorites are shown and 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 at Missouri Botanical Garden. Entry included with Garden admission. www.gesneriadsociety.org.

9am-5pm—Greater St. Louis Daylily Society Show and Sale. New cultivars and old favorites sold by the area’s top growers who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Ridgway Visitor Center at MBG. Included with Garden admission. www.gslds.com/ Sept. 13th 6-8pm. Faust Park Garden Tour. The St. Louis Evening Herbalists will host a free tour at the History Village Herb Garden in Faust Park History Village in Chesterfield, MO. Highlights include Dr. Bates’ Medicinal Garden, Culinary Herb Garden, Dye Garden, Fragrance Beds, and a Farm Crop Field. Iced drinks and cookies served.

RSVP by Sept. 7th to 314-434-2030 or

michaken@att.net.

Sept. 15th Noon-6pm—Leafing through Literature, A Small Standard Flower Show. Presented by the TwentyFive Gardeners, Flora Garden Club, and Nancy Weber Garden Club.

Farmington Public Library, 101 N. A St., Farmington, MO. Free and open to the public.

Sept. 24th-25th 9am-5pm— Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society. 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. Orthwein Floral Display Hall. Included with Garden admission. www.mobot.org.

Oct. 8th 9am-2pm—U City in Bloom Spring Bulb Sale. Pre-sale orders can be purchased in advance online at www. ucityinbloom.org. Sale is at 6630 Delmar Blvd., University City.

9am-2pm—Autumn Herb Gathering. Vicki Lander from Flower Hill Farm will talk about using herbs for beauty and display at 10am. Amanda Cenete from Elements Herbology will speak on herbs for healthy living at noon. Learn about the 2017 Herb of the Year—Cilantro, the plant, and Coriander, the seed. Enjoy herb tastings, herbal demonstrations, purchase unique herbal gifts food items, herbal books, cookbooks and calendars. Presented by the Webster Groves Herb Society. Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves.

Oct. 9th Noon-5pm—“Goodbye Summer and Hello Fall”, a Small Standard Flower Show. Presented by the Sprig and Twig Garden Club. A plant sale will also be offered. Florissant Senior Center. 955 Rue St., Florissant.

CLASSES, LECTURES AND EVENTS Sept. 1st 10am–Gardening for Songbirds.

Learn the most important plants to attract songbirds. Papillon Perennials, 2906 Ossenfort Rd., Wildwood, MO 63038. FREE. Sept. 3rd 10am—Exquisite Autumn Containers for Entrance Ways and Patios. Learn about outstanding plant combinations and window boxes with color and texture. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070.

Sept. 3rd-5th 10am-8pm Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm Monday—Annual Japanese Festival. Taiko drumming, bon odori festival dancing, martial arts, candlelight walks in the Japanese Garden and more. Regular admission rates to the Children’s Garden apply.

For pricing and more information visit www.mobot.org. No trams. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Sept. 6th-Dec. 13th 6-9pm—Master Gardener Training.

A new season of classes to train to become a St. Charles County Master Gardener is beginning. Call University of Missouri Extension Center of St. Charles for details. (636)970-3000.

Sept. 8th 1-4 pm—Native Plant School: Ethnobotany and Native Plant Folkflore. Explore historical uses of native plants and the stories that connect them to our predecessors.

Enjoy a hike to look at some of the natives discussed. $15 ($10 Garden members).

Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 or visit www. shawnature.org.

September 10th 10-11am –Food Safety in the Garden Workshop. Part of the Youth Garden Institute series, this workshop focuses on teaching youth educators best practices for working with kids to ensure that produce grown in the school garden is safe to eat. The Carriage House, 3815 Bell Ave, St Louis, MO 63108. Register online at http://www.gatewaygreening.org/ youth-garden-institute/ 10-11:30am—The Many Types of Shade. Learn about the many types of shade and explore the vast variety of trees available: from natives such as Oak, Sycamore & Black Gum; to the beautiful Red and Sugar Maple varieties & Ginkgo. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

10am—Exceptional Plants with Year Round Interest for Containers and Gardens. Learn about outstanding plants with colorful evergreen foliage, fascinating bark, or delightful berries, and how they can be incorporated into your designs. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Sept. 10th and 24th 6-10pm—Night Blooms – Music at the Garden. Enjoy a relaxed outdoor evening with live music

The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016

performed by local musicians. Enjoy dinner, wine and local craft beers served by Café Angelina. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

September 11th 6-9pm – Chefs in a Garden. Join us for our annual gala, where attendees can explore our silent auction and enjoy incredible food as talented St. Louis chefs prepare a variety of tasting plates from local ingredients.

The Four Seasons Hotel, 999 N 2nd St, St. Louis, MO. Tickets available at http://www.chefsinagarden.org Sept. 11th and 15th 10am–Native Shrub Replacements for Common Invasives. Learn about eco-friendly alternatives to plants like burning bush, Bradford pears, honeysuckle and more. Papillon Perennials, 2906 Ossenfort Rd., Wildwood, MO 63038. FREE. September 15th 7-8 pm. – Library Workshop: Intro to Seed Saving. Join Gateway Greening at the Lewis & Clark Library Branch to learn about saving seeds from your garden! FREE. 9909 Lewis-Clark Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63136. http://www.gatewaygreening. org/events/.

September 17th 8am-noon—Autumn Project Kickoff . Fall is a great time to accomplish lawn, garden and landscape projects around your home! Bring your questions, attend these classes and get those projects going! FREE Landscape Design Consultationcall to set an appointment between 8am-noon (bring pictures and measurements). Lawn Care Seminar from 9-10am. Fall Bulb Talk by Cindy Haeffner, president of the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society from 10-11am.

Fire Pit Building Demonstration from 11am-noon. Samples of local wines available (21 and over). Lunch available to benefit Franklin County Area United Way. 25% OFF Trees & Shrubs - Good on 9/16/16, 9/17/16, and 9/18/16 only. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www. hillermann.com.

Sept. 16th-18th 11am-5pm—Stark Bro’s Fall Festival. Drawing for a gift basket worth $125. Free pumpkin painting for kids. Cider-making demonstrations, United Way fundraising lunch 11am2pm. Plus special sale prices and offers. Mention code GG to get $20 off $100 purchase. Stark Bro’s Garden Center, 11523 Highway NN, Louisiana, MO.

SEPTEMBER 2016

Sept. 17th 10am—Splashy Seasonal Containers. Learn everything you need to know to bring seasonal splash to your patio or porch containers.

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

1-5pm—Arbormeisters Beer Festival. Eat. Drink. Plant a Tree!

Forest ReLeaf’s CommuniTree Gardens nursery, 2194 Creve Coeur Mill Road, Creve Coeur Park, Maryland Heights. To learn more about Forest ReLeaf go to moreleaf. org.

10-11am – Eat Healthy Our Way STL: Guest educator Selas Kidane leads this community workshop, promoting healthy body and mind through the art of African heritage vegan cooking. The Carriage House: 3815 Bell Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108. http://www.gatewaygreening. org/events/. Sponsored by Gateway Greening.

11am—Honey Tasting.

Meet beekeeper Vic Imgarten and sample recently harvested honey.

Learn about the different flavor profiles in honeys produced by different plants and also how to maintain hives to keep your bees healthy through the fall and winter seasons. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

Sept. 18th 9am-dusk—U. City in Bloom Plein Air Art Competition. Watch artists create their works from 9am-3pm in Heman Park, Lewis Park, and around the historic University City Civic Plaza. Finished art work will be judged at 4pm. The art will be displayed inside Centennial Commons and available for purchase during the evening event which begins at 6pm. Meet the artists while enjoying their art, a silent auction, a light buffet, and cocktails at the evening fundraiser for U City in Bloom. Tickets for the general public are $35.00. Centennial Commons, 7210 Olive Boulevard, University City. Visit www.ucityinbloom.org for more details and to purchase advance tickets.

September 21st 6:30-7:30pm – Pints ‘n’ Plants: Upcycling in the Garden. Presented

by Jenny Murphy of Perennial STL. FREE. Urban Chestnut Bier Hall – the Grove, 4465 Manchester Ave, St. Louis 63110. http://www.gatewaygreening. org/events/. Sponsored by Gateway Greening.

The Gateway Gardener™

Sept. 21st 7-8 pm. – Library Workshop: Herb Care and Useage. Join Gatway Greening at the Thornhill Library Branch to learn about caring garden herbs and their various uses! FREE. 12863 Willwyck Dr. St. Louis, MO 63146. http://www.gatewaygreening. org/events/ Sept. 24th 2pm-dark—Stark Bro’s 200th Anniversary Celebration. Games, petting zoo and pony rides, Cincinnati Circus Entertainers, food, speaker program, music by Everyday People band, fireworks and more. Free admission. Pike County Fairgrounds, 15884 Highway 54, Bowling Green, MO. Sept. 25th and 29th 10am–An Almost No-Maintenance Garden. Learn how you can have a beautiful garden with the least amount of maintenance. Papillon Perennials, 2906 Ossenfort Rd., Wildwood, MO 63038. FREE.

130 regional food producers and crafters offer fresh produce, baked goods, fresh and dried flowers, herbs, handcrafted items, baskets, wooden toys, custom jewelry and more.

Live music and a Kids Corner with cow milking, pumpkin decorating and barnyard animals. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Outdoors under tents, rain or shine. $12 adults (ages 13 and up), $5 children (3 to 12), $5 members, no charge for member children. Buy tickets in advance online at www. mobot.org. Please note: No trams, free hours or early morning walking hours on signature event weekends. Part of the American Arts Experience. Visit www.mobot.org for more information.

Oct. 1st and 8th 10am—Fall to Winter, Transitional Container Gardening. Learn how to use evergreen perennials and shrubs, along with seasonal ornaments to have your pots looking gorgeous all the way till spring. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Sept. 30th-Oct. 2nd 25th Annual Best of Missouri Market®. “First Look Friday” Sept.

30th, 6-9pm. Enjoy an early chance to shop and dine at the Best of Missouri Market. Sat. and Sun. 9am-5pm: Over

Trust Experts the

Come grow your love for plants alongside some of the area’s top gardening professionals—from best practices to landscape design to sustainable gardening.

Visit www.mobot.org/education today!

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

23

FOR THE GREENEST LAWN ON THE BLOCK TOP DRESS WITH STA-CERTIFIED COMPOST

AFTER AFTER

BEFORE

BEFORE

Top Dressing will reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil.

Visit St. Louis Composting’s six area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified compost, mulch products and soil blends.

BELLEVILLE, IL

VALLEY PARK, MO

5841 Mine Haul Road 618.233.2007

39 Old Elam Avenue 636.861.3344

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO

FLORISSANT, MO

PACIFIC, MO

11294 Schaefer Drive 314.423.9035

13060 County Park Road 314.355.0052

ST. LOUIS, MO

18900 Franklin Road 636.271.3352

Visit us online at www.stlcompost.com

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

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