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The Bakersfield Voice Sunday, February 21, 2010
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YOURGARDEN
Cure ‘Spring Fever’ with a trip to the nursery!
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don’t know about you but I’ve got Spring Fever BAD! I can’t wait to get out there in my yard. This dreary weather is killing me. In between storms, I have managed to get the leaves into the trash and I have done one spraying of Remuda (Round-up for less money) but I’m dying to plant! We know the sun’s coming out, so here is my plan as to what to tackle first as the weather warms up. While racking leaves, I noticed lots of slugs; this means snail bait immediately so my new flowers will have a chance. Cory’s Insect Bait is the best I’ve found because it gets sow bugs, earwigs and other creepy crawlers as well as slugs and snails. If you have areas where your pets don’t roam, use it — but where the pets are, then I’d use Sluggo. You can also put Gardening columnist copper strips around your pots to help deter these garden pests. Don’t think, though, that they can’t climb. I’ve seen them up in trees with no problems and lots to eat. I’m also planning on replacing soil in a lot of pots with fresh, new, potting soil, and mulching the ground, are both on the agenda.
KATHY ROBINSON
UP COMING CLASSES Home Show Healthy Living thru Gardening Feb. 19-21 at the Fair Grounds (Home show admission). Check The Bakersfield Californian for seminar times. Veggy Seminar “Backyard Vegetable Growing” Learn the tricks of growing veggies in your own yard. Feb. 27, 1 p.m., Robby’s Nursery (Free).
Improving the soil early makes a huge difference to the yard for the coming seasons. If the pots have plants in them, carefully remove the plant, (root ball in tact) and add soil to the bottom of the pot. Place a screen or broken piece of pottery over the drain hole so the new soil won’t be washed away. If there aren’t any plants, then start fresh. The old soil could be worked into the compost pile for use later. I am ready to get my vegetables in as well. Summer veggies have issues with cold soil so don’t plant them too early — you will just have to do it again. But, go ahead and get in a crop of cool season veggies right now. We have a really long growing season and you can get in several crops a year here in “sunny” California. We added a “Vegetable Seminar” to our schedule of classes this year and it’s coming up the end of February to help you with all the tricks of the trade. Don’t forget to mulch with a lot of organic material. The products with “good bacteria” are
PHOTO: BEHUNINHORT.COM
A colorful spring flower garden can be yours with a little planning today — don’t forget to treat the soil with organic-rich mulch!
really working well (Harvest Supreme or Soil Building Compost come to mind). Next, my first wave of color is going in right away. Cool season spring flowers can be planted now with later bloomers being added when danger of frost is over. This way, you can have blooms emerging in succession — quite impressive and a lot of fun.
YOURSCHOOLS
The primrose is one of my favorite flowers for this transition. Use them right now in the sun, or the shade, but remember they will last longer with some afternoon protection from the sun. They are really bright and will color up a pot or bed instantly. In the shade, leave them in the ground and plant summer color around them and they just might be back next year.
Don’t forget the snail bait — snails see them as lettuce! Well, all this talk is forcing me to be off to the nursery to stock up. I know, you’re thinking that I go there everyday, big deal. Well, today it’s my day off and I’m going for me, not for work! I’m out to start curing my Spring Fever!
EXTRAEXTRA
South High student receives Young Champion for Change Award BY MARIANA BASERGA Community contributor
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scar Encinas, 17, of Bakersfield was recognized recently as the Young Champion for Change by the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California (Network), a statewide movement to help lowincome Californians live better. A junior at South High School, Encinas received the honor for his efforts to improve the health of his family and the Greenfield community of Bakersfield where he lives. During the past three years, Encinas helped found the Greenfield community walking group, helped build a walking path in Stiern Park, and facilitated the funding and building of a new playground. While juggling his busy school schedule and volunteering as a youth soccer coach, Encinas also advocates before state legislators and is currently serving a second term on the Statewide Youth Board on Obesity Prevention.
Sheriff’s Deputy Mitch Adams of the K-9 unit and his canine partner, Casey, were recent celebrity readers of First Book Bakersfield. COURTESY PHOTO
Help First Book Bakersfield get books into the hands of children COURTESY PHOTO
Oscar Encinas, a student at South High School, accepts the Young Champion for Change Award during the Network for a Healthy California Conference on Feb. 8 in Sacramento. Pictured with Encinas are: Gilda Carpenter, Administrative Operations Section Chief, Network for a Healthy California, CDPH and Susan Foerster, Chief, Network for a Healthy California, CDPH.
The Network annually recognizes outstanding achievement in nutrition education with three awards: Food Stamps for Health
Champion Award; the Nonnie Korten Champion for Children Award; and the Young Champion for Change Award.
EXTRAEXTRA Join WarmLine’s ‘Annual Luau & Silent Auction’ April 16 BY SHANNON JONES Community contributor
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armLine is hosting its “Annual Luau & Silent Auction” at Coconut Joe’s Private Beach Club on Friday, April 16. This is an opportunity to recognize a local non-profit organization in your community, either by donating items to our silent auction, or participating in the funfilled event. We have individual tickets available for purchase to attend the
event for $40 a person or $360 for a table of 10, with sponsorship recognition in The Bakersfield Californian and our quarterly newsletter.Last year we sold out quickly and expect to do the same this year — we’d love for you to be a part of this exciting event! Features will include: food, music, entertainment, raffle draws, silent auction, cash bar and more! WarmLine is a non-profit group, comprised of volunteers who provide free telephone support service to parents and caregivers of children 0-6 years old.
WarmLine offers a confidential listening ear, helping to deal effectively with the crucial and often difficult situations that occur when raising children. We provide support and guidance to anyone who needs it. Our volunteers are generally stay-athome, college-educated moms who are looking for an opportunity to contribute to the community. Call us for our services or for additional information about the event at 323-3531 or warmline@earthlink.net. You can visit us online at: www.e-warmline.org.
Bunco party to help ministry raise funds for ‘Project Hope!’ BY ROBIN VALDES Community contributor
C
anyon Hills Women’s Ministry is hosting its Fourth annual Bunco Party at Christine’s in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza,
4915 Stockdale Hwy., April 14 at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $25. 100 percent of the money raised will benefit Project Hope! Project Hope serves to raise money for the needs of women and children around the world. This year’s mission is for the women
and children of Iraq. Come join us for a night of Fun, Food, Friends — and a chance to win Brighton Prizes! For ticket information, contact Robin Valdes at 706-2656 or Canyon Hills at 871-1150.
BY SANDY MCMAHAN Community contributor
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first book fundraiser will be held Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Russo’s Books, 9000 Ming Avenue. First Book is devoted to providing low-income children and their families with their first books. Celebrity readers from CALM and the Kern County Fire Department are among a few. How can you help? Russo’s Books will donate 10 percent of the day’s book sales to the First Book Bakersfield’s Advisory Board, a local
nonprofit organization working with existing community-based tutoring, mentoring, and family literacy programs to provide ongoing book distribution to children. The event will feature celebrity readers throughout the day, along with preschool and elementary school-age story time. The volunteer advisory board was formed in January 2001 to act as a liaison between the community, local educational programs and the national First Book non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Since then, First Book Bakersfield has placed more than 4,600 books in the hands of more than
450 children annually; recently awarding grants to 30 classrooms representing 646 students. The children supported by First Book are hardest to reach and are found in literacy programs based in libraries, housing projects, school-based programs and other initiatives. Preschool through second-grade teachers apply for grants in August of each year, with books distributed to children each month from October through March. For more information, contact Teresa Twissleman at 636-4645, Sandra Yoon at 631-4808, or Sandy McMahan at 636-4806.
Garden Fest to feature ‘Mean and Green Car Show’ and more! COURTESY OF BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE ENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT
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arden Fest, which will be held April 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is an open house featuring the Environmental Horticulture program that brings visitors to the Bakersfield College Environmental Horticulture Arboretum, located at 1801 Panorama Dr., for a day of gardening, pet care, cooking,
outdoor leisure, and arts & crafts booths. Garden Fest is a one day event designed to educate, help raise awareness and raise funds for many nonprofit organizations. New this year will be the “Mean and Green Car Show” featuring local car clubs with detailed cars and manufacturers of hybrid cars for a cleaner tomorrow. Garden Fest Green and Clean will have all day free “How-to” seminars with industry professionals. Learn how to install a water fea-
ture in your yard from start to finish with the Build-a-Pond seminar presented by Buck’s Landscape Materials and Pond Shop. Garden Fest also features the Renegade Ranch Farmer’s Market featuring products produced by BC Ag students and fresh fruit and vegetables from Murray Family Farms. Breakfast and lunch will be prepared by the BC Culinary Arts Department. For more information, join us on Facebook at Garden Fest 2010.
Help teens go to prom by donating new or gently used dresses! BY NICKIE DIXON Community contributor
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he Give Love, Get Joy Foundation, in conjunction with Noriega House, will be collecting gently used,
or new, prom dresses through March 12. Your donation of a formal dress will give a local high school student an opportunity to join their friends at a memorable high school event, and to do so with
confidence. Please drop off dresses at 1325 Baker St. by Friday, March 12. For more details, please contact the Noriega House at 633-9016 or go to: www.noriegahouse.com.