The Gateway Gardener September 2012

Gateway Gardener

September 2012

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Chrysanthemums

How to Grow Beautiful Landscape ‘Mums’

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Gateway Gardener THE

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Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Gateway Gardener

From the Editor

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

September 2012

Volume 8, Number 7

Publisher Joyce Bruno

Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Barbara Perry Lawton General Gardening Connie Alwood Birding Ellen Barredo Houseplants and Tropicals Diane Brueckman Roses Joyce Driemeyer Herbs Cindy Gilberg Native Plant Gardening Mara Higdon Vegetables and Fruits Glenn Kraemer Turfgrass Steffie Littlefield Perennials & Design 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.

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fter the summer we’ve just suffered through, some gardeners may wave the white flag and say “no mas” for 2012. Even if you persisted in dragging the hoses around from garden to garden and tree to tree all summer long, in many cases the brutal spells of record heat made the effort for naught.

Vegetable production often was disappointing, ornamental gardens often barely hung on, and way too many new and even established trees and shrubs sadly didn’t survive the summer.

Resilient gardeners, however, can shake off the losses and use the cooler—and we hope wetter— conditions of fall to set about repairing the summer’s damage.

We have several articles in this issue designed to assist in that pursuit. But if the climatologists’ predictions are to be believed, this summer may not be an aberration; and so, it would be a fool’s errand to simply return to the garden those same plants in the same conditions in which they failed. Instead, it might be time to reconsider the way we garden and the plants we plant.

Remember, the entire season wasn’t a bust; we had a beautiful, extended spring that began in

of the survivors in her herb garden (pg. 15). It might be time to give lavender a try again!

Natives like this ox-eye sunflower in our “Petite Prairie’ garden thrived in the heat and drought.

February and lasted through midJune. Though hydrangeas suffered miserably in the mid-summer, they were as beautiful as I’ve ever seen them for weeks on end in late spring. In planting replacements you may want to consider plants that peak during this late-spring/ early-summer period, as well as in the late summer/fall. Steffie Littlefield makes some suggestions for the latter on page 6.

Look, too, at the die-hard summer survivors in your landscape and others, and consider adding those.

Cindy Gilberg suggests some native plants that have adapted for centuries to hot, dry conditions of the Midwest prairie (pg. 8).

Joyce Driemeyer also took stock

On the Cover...

Nothing says autumn like hardy garden mums!

Chrysanthemums like this ‘Rhumba’ cultivar look great in containers or massed in borders, and butterflies are drawn to them as pickings get slimmer in the late season. Learn how to grow them on page 4. (Photo courtesy Walters Gardens, Inc.)

FEATURES 10 Lawn and Garden Rescue 19 Five Tree-Planting Tips 14 Chinese Lantern Festival 21 Pots to Planks

There are also cultural practices you can implement that will help plants grow deeper, more established root systems and develop more vigorous constitutions to withstand the stresses of a sizzling summer, and fall is a great time to perform those. Steffie touches on some of those for the perennial border in her article, while Glenn Kraemer walks us through some turfbuilding exercises for fall on page 14. Foremost among these is to add organic matter to the soil, and Patrick Geraty suggests fresh compost for turf AND garden in his recommendations on page 10.

Finally, when it comes time to plant—especially trees and shrubs—some attention to your planting practices (pg. 19) can make the difference between premature demise and a long, healthy life— for the plant of course. Now, if someone can just provide some tips for how we gardeners can survive another such summer!

Good Gardening!

DEPARTMENTS 4 Chrysanthemums 6 Bring Perennials Back to Life 8 Look to Prairie 12 The Cornucopia Corner 14 Renovate Cool-Season Lawns 15 Herb Survivors 16 Houseplant Recovery 18 Dig This 20 New Roses at MBG 22 Upcoming Events

Chrysanthemum Season text by Barbara Perry Lawton photos courtesy Walters Gardens Inc.

A

n old myth says that if you put a single chrysanthemum petal in the bottom of a wine glass, it will assure a long and happy life. First described in China as having the power of life, chrysanthemums were favored both in the kitchen and medicinally. Since about the 8th century B.C., Japanese mythology has honored the chrysanthemum as a symbol of the sun as well as joy and optimism. Confucius suggested that chrysanthemums be used as objects of meditation. The name derives from the Greek words chrysous (gold) and anthemon (flower).

Introduced into the United States in colonial times, the chrysanthemum has grown to be “Queen of the Fall Flowers.” Although early chrysanthemums were small daisy-like flowers, hybridizers in both the Eastern and Western worlds have bred these members of the daisy family into showy plants with flowers of many forms and a multitude of colors.

Be sure to visit the fall flower show at the Missouri Botanical Garden to see a wide selection of mums grown in a variety of ways.

Chrysanthemums Usage The US National Chrysanthemum Society Inc., authority for this handsome plant group, divides ornamental mums into two basic groups— Exhibition and Garden Hardy. The exhibition mums are not hardy and require special environmental and cultural care. Garden hardy mums are hardy perennials that require little care, no staking and tolerate wind and rain very well.

THE MANY SHAPES OF SHADE

The USNCS further divides chrysanthemum flowers into over a dozen basic forms that are described by the way the ray and disc florets are arranged. Irregular Incurve mums, giants of the mum world, are known to many of us as “football mums.” These are fancy, though not hardy, cousins of our tough garden mums.

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You have only to visit your favorite nursery at this time of year to see the endless variety of chrysanthemum colors and forms that will succeed in your garden. They include singles, semi-doubles, doubles and pompons that range from white to maroon, excepting only blue.

In additional to ornamental usage, the flowers of the yellow or white Chrysanthemum morifolium are used in Asia to make a sweet drink that has several medicinal attributes—it is often used to treat influenza.

Steamed or boiled chrysanthemum leaves are often used in Chinese cuisine.

An extraction from the Chrysanthemum (also known as Tanacetum) cinerariaefolium is pyrethrum, a natural source of insecticide. Pyrethrum, although harmful to fish and far less toxic to mammals, is considered among the safest insecticides to use around food.

Although the genus has been wrestled through the meetings of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature for some time, it is enough

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

for us to know Chrysanthemum as the genus of herbaceous perennial plants. Growing from about two to four feet in height, the species, native to Asia, have deeply lobed leaves and large flowers that originally were yellow, pink or white.

Caring for Garden Chrysanthemums Given a sunny site and reasonably decent soil, mums will thrive and reliably produce multitudes of flowers from summer to fall. Work good general fertilizers such as fish meal or bone meal into the soil each spring. Once the ground warms up, a two-inch layer of rich compost mulch applied around the plants will give mums a good start each spring.

The plants will thrive and within two to three years become too crowded.

Divide the plants in late summer to fall or wait until new growth appears in the spring—small shoots are easy to transplant at this time.

If you pinch back the growth on mums in the spring, they will become bushier and produce more flowers. Two branchlets will appear wherever you pinch. Pinch back whenever the growth is about four inches from the last pruning. Do not prune after mid-July. These are general suggestions and will result in thick fall bloom.

On the other hand, if you don’t prune them at all, many chrysanthemums will bloom much earlier.

Many gardeners leave the foliage on the plants until the end of winter—they believe the foliage helps protect the mums from cold weather damage. A two- to threeinch layer of mulch applied after the first hard frost also will protect them.

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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.

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The Gateway Gardener™

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5

Bringing a Lost Perennial Border

Back to Life!

by Steffie Littlefield

W

Robert Weaver

ell this was the summer to test the toughest perennials, your irrigation system and your tenacity as a gardener. Did you stoically brave the heat to deadhead the Becky daisies?

Did you muster up the strength to drag hoses around the garden to make sure everything was watered? Did you lather-up with sunscreen, don your wide brim hat and venture into the blazing sun to stake up heat stricken floppy clumps of phlox? Well, neither did I…..it Sedums, like this ‘T. Rex’ are great drought survivors, was TOO *&#> HOT! So now providing sure fire power to the fall garden. what do we have but a pathetic sun-scorched, nutgrass-infested mess of brown seed heads bent over their former sturdy crowns.

Yes, this was the summer from hell but there’s no time to cry about dead astilbes. We’ve got a two-month opportunity to get it back in shape and even add those new coneflowers we’ve been eyeing at the nursery but didn’t think we had room for.

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plant anything the hard crusty ground needs to be rehydrated so we can work in some nice fresh cottonbur compost. Oh yeah, those containers of old potting soil that started out with your summer annuals can be dumped into the garden for added soil conditioning.

Clean those pruners and get going on all those dead leaves, flower stalks and bare stems. This alone will make it look like a garden again, instead of a battleground. Side dress the survivors with some Pro-Start Organic Fertilizer, it’s like chicken soup for those wasted plants, to resuscitate their weakened roots.

Once the ground and plant roots are fully saturated with water we can divide the toughest plants that made it through the heat. Now we can begin to add new perennials that are looking good at the nursery. Remember it was hot there too this summer so things that are looking good have to be pretty tough. Bring home some hardy begonias, sedums and native petunias. Add OK I’m ahead of myself, a few some winter pansies, mums and mundane chores before the fun asters and even those wonderful begins. Yes, dig out--don’t pull- huge cabbage and kale plants -that nut grass quickly before it to fill in the bare spots for the seeds all over the garden. Water, winter. I love to try some new water, water…. Did I mention colors in my garden by planting we need to water? Before we can lots of lovely pansies in the fall. They really look fabulous Looking for Something Unique for the following spring. While I your Garden?? have some open spaces it is a great time to add those spring Come Stroll Thru Our blooming bulbs I’ve been Gardens and Discover dreaming about. Clumps of the Pleasure of Plants! bright yellow narcissus here and Natives, Not-so-common Trees, there and swaths of blue grape Shrubs & Perennials hyacinths are always beautiful in spring.

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The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

FALL is Perfect for Planting!

Tag Trees Now & Plant Later

Great Selection of Hardy Mums

October Harvest October 1st thru October 31st For School and or Church Groups Please call (636)441-5048 to make your reservations!

You can visit us online at: www.DanielsFarmandGreenhouse.com Robert Weaver

Pony Rides Nights & Weekends Pony Express Train • Indian Corn • Straw Mazes Fall Hours: M-F 9-6 Sat 9-5 Sun 10-5 Asters like aromatic aster, a Missouri native, also are drought tolerant with great fall flowers step back and look at it from a distance. With the summer growth gone you can see how the winter landscape can be improved with a few dwarf evergreens. Many of these have colorful foliage like blue star junipers or lemon thread chamaecyparis. Another cool small shrub is Nandina

‘Firepower’ with its lime green leaves that turn bright red in the winter.

Get out there and reclaim your garden from the ravages of summer. You’ll find your efforts will be rewarded with an even better garden this fall, winter and next year.

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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rasses and forbs spread out in all directions, creating lightly undulating waves of green below the cerulean blue summer sky. By late summer, even a person on a horse can be obscured from sight amongst the yellow blooms of compass plant, sunflowers and the ripening seeds of big bluestem and Indian grass.

Insects abound and birds dart about to glean the insects and seed from blazing stars, coreopsis and other earlier blooming prairie plants. Such is an encounter with a tallgrass prairie, once a very common sight even in this most eastern part of its range.

Over 75% of the mass of tallgrass prairie plants is underground, evidence of the plants’ adaptation to surviving harsh climatic conditions such as the summer of 2012. Many of the most drought resistant plants have deep taproots, such as false blue indigo, prairie dock and rattlesnake master, while others have a thick cuticle or fleshy

Cindy Gilberg

Look to Prairie

by Cindy Gilberg

Rattlesnake master and other native plants frame the Millennium Park skyline in Chicago

leaves such as the American/false aloe and native prickly pear cactus.

As of this writing, the forecast is for continued drought in our region, another reason to turn to plants that are better adapted to these extremes.

Original tallgrass prairies existed in the Midwest where annual rainfall averaged 25-35 inches,

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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though frequent droughts and fire also played a part in their existence. Further to the west, where rainfall is much less (1020 inches avg. annual), shortgrass prairie predominates. Remnants of original tallgrass prairies now comprise less than 1% of their original expanse. There are some remnant prairies scattered about the Midwest that are important as sources of seeds for future prairie reconstruction. In addition, as urban/suburban gardens and lawns became parched this summer, these seed sources and plants are becoming invaluable in creating more water-efficient options for our landscapes and water resources.

On a small property, a tallgrass prairie is often out of scale. There are, however, good options for full-sun situations that will give a similar effect visually. The smaller the space, the more appropriate it might be to chose mostly shortstatured plants, including species that hail from the dry, rocky glades of Missouri. Grasses would include little bluestem, prairie dropseed and sideoats grama. Many of the flowering prairie and glade forbs range in height from 2 to 5 ft. tall This list includes butterfly milkweed, coneflowers, coreopsis, rattlesnake master, blazing stars, beebalm, false blue indigo, and false sunflower.

One option is to incorporate some of these prairie plants into your existing traditional landscape, replacing in autumn those plants that did not survive the heat and drought of this summer. Another option is to create a prairie garden—a smaller, stylized version of a prairie. This is popular for smaller, more traditional properties, especially in front yards. The same plant list is used but rather than seeding in early winter, prairie gardens are typically planted using containerized plants.

Set up structure and ‘backbone’ with planned locations for specific plants, typically the taller forbs and shrubs. The design can be as controlled, traditional or as naturalistic as the gardener desires. The looser the style, the more important clean edges and hardscape options become— include cues to human intention such as fence, paths, benches, birdhouses and birdfeeders.

There are a few local opportunities for experiencing and getting to know the beauty and diversity of a tallgrass prairie. The reconstructed (not a remnant) prairie at Shaw Nature Reserve (SNR) is such a place. On land that was previously worn-out pasture there are now over 250 acres of tallgrass prairie.

Children are especially in awe of the tall plants and abundance of prairie life. To celebrate and share our prairie heritage with our children, Shaw Nature Reserve hosts a family event—Prairie Day—on September 15th (see www.shawnature.org). If you are not able to make Prairie Day, then take a quiet walk any other day on one of the many trails leading through the SNR prairie.

Need more inspiration for your own property? On Friday September 7, 4 pm-8 pm, there will be a Wildflower Market in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden, with SNR horticulture staff on hand in the Garden to assist you with your questions and plant choices.

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

Try some of these dry-loving plants in your landscape

Robert Weaver

Herbaceous Plants Aromatic aster—Aster (aka Symphiotrichum oblongifolius) Butterfly milkweed—Asclepias tuberosa False blue indigo—Baptisia Purple poppy mallow—Callirhoe involucrata Coreopsis—Coreopsis lancelata, C. tinctoria Coneflowers—Echinacea pallida, E. paradoxa, Rudbeckia missouriensis Rattlesnake master—Eryngium yuccifolium Blazing star—Liatris aspera, L. pycnostachya False aloe—Manfreda virginica Beebalm/wild bergamot—Monarda fistulosa Missouri evening primrose—Oenothera macrocarpa Prickly pear—Opuntia humifusa Palafox—Palafoxia callosa Prairie dock—Silphium terebinthinaceum

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.

Grasses: Prairie dropseed—Sporobolus heterolepis Little bluestem—Schizachyrium scoparium Sideoats grama—Bouteloua curtipendula

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The Gateway Gardener™

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Lawn & Garden Rescue: Solutions for Summer’s Record Heat

retting over a lawn and garden ravaged by this summer’s extreme drought and record-breaking heat?

Homeowners and gardeners need not stress over barren, brown yards and withered flowers and vegetables. Fall is the perfect time to top dress your lawn and serve your garden a heaping helping of all-natural, nutrient-rich compost – Mother Nature’s cure for ailing greenery.

By Patrick Geraty

manure spreader.

3. Smooth the surface using a rake or a weighted drag mat to break down the soil plugs and backfill holes.

4. Spread grass seed, lightly rake and water, covering with the soil/compost layer to guard against winter damage.

5. Water as needed, keeping the soil moist until seeds germinate.

An annual, post-summer application of erosion, organic compost promotes healthy root and soil structure, strengthening lawns • and lessening soil compaction. and gardens for better endurance and vegetation production next year. It works Top dressing is applying compost over the surface of a lawn. For best results, top dress by your lawn and garden with Seal of Testing • infusing soil with beneficial microbes Assurance (STA)-certified compost, which and essential minerals, boosts the water retention capacity of soil • increasing soil aeration and improving by up to 30 percent. Application is quick drought resistance, and easy with top dressing equipment – • encouraging deep-rooting, available for rent at suppliers such as St. • helping suppress plant disease, reducing Louis Composting. Here’s how:

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Seeding lawns in the fall works well because it allows for grass to establish strong roots while the weather is cool – giving it the best chance to survive future droughts and high heat.

Using compost will help revive lawns and gardens weakened during the summer’s intense temperatures and dry spells. Its benefits will be most noticeable by the end of the first growing season. Top dressing in the fall is the key first step to a greener and healthier lawn and garden next spring.

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The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

Missouri Recycling Association Annual Conference

J

oin the Missouri Recycling Association for the 15th annual MORA conference held at the Hilton Frontenac September 10 – 12, 2012.

MORA has partnered with the Composting and Organics Association of Missouri (COAM) to offer an understanding of how recycling and composting work together to bring recycling full circle.

This intensive three day educational conference offers concurrent sessions of recycling and composting methods, social marketing, green business practices, storm debris management, construction and debris, economics of recycling, legislative topics, and more. Take a behind-thescenes recycling tour at Busch Stadium, Botanical Gardens and the St. Louis Composting facility. Recycling On the Go – Event Greening and Alternative Uses for Compost workshops are also available.

In addition to great speakers and instructors the conference exhibit hall will host over 40 vendors including recycling, composting and solid waste experts, materials brokers, equipment manufacturers, consultants, engineering firms, recycling suppliers and other industry specific nonprofits.

MORA and COAM exhibitors are available to answer questions, discuss new technologies, exchange ideas, share philosophies and introduce you to a variety of recycling and composting products and services.

The MORA conference registration deadline is quickly approaching.

Visit the Missouri Recycling Association website at MORA.org for full conference details and on-line registration or call 1-866-667-2777.

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For information contact: Angie Gehlert, Missouri Recycling Association toll free 1-866-667-2777 or visit our website at www.mora.org

SEPTEMBER 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

11

The Cornucopia Corner Overland Farmers’ Market

September Harvest

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

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

Vegetables

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

2012 Farmers’ & Produce Markets Ferguson Farmers’ Market

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

Historic Soulard Farmers’ Market

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

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

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ith the scorching summer we’ve just been through, home vegetable gardens came to a screeching halt in many cases, producing little or no crops.

That makes it all the more amazing to see the bountiful offerings available at the local farmers’ markets. Thank goodness we can rely on the professional farmers to know how to bring a crop in despite tremendously adverse growing conditions.

If you were left wanting from your own vegetable garden this summer, don’t dispair.

Simply visit one of the participating farmers’ markets or produce markets supporting this page, and stock up! Time is running out. Most markets close next month!

Spinach Squash Sweet Corn Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Turnips

Beans Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Greens Herbs Horseradish Kohlrabi Lettuce Okra Onions Peas Peppers Popcorn Potatoes Pumpkins Radishes Rhubarb

Jt’s

Fruits

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

Fresh Ideas

Apple Pie Time

1 recipe pastry for 9” double crust (I used Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust softened as directed on box) 6 cups thinly sliced, peeled granny smith apples (approx. 6 medium) 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash Sugar Crystals

Heat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate and press on sides and bottom.

Place all dry ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Gently turn apples into the dry mixture. Spoon mixture into pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces and dot on top of filling. Place top crust over filling, tuck extra under bottom crust, pinch and flute to create seal. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust. Brush top crust with egg wash and sprinkle sugar crystals on top.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.

Cover edge of crust with 3” wide strips of foil after 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack before serving.

Enjoy!

Jt-

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

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

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

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

Feeding Your Budding Foodie This Fall

By Jennifer Schamber

T

he best restaurants in town often change their menu based on what vegetables, fruits and herbs are in season and by what can be sourced from local growers. This same concept can be incorporated into our offerings for our own favorite little foodies.

Children enjoy the anticipation and excitement of eating foods they have helped grow and it seems that the earlier they start, the more likely they are to have an acquired taste for homegrown produce.

Some babies may be ready to start sampling from the garden as soon as the pediatrician gives parents the green light to start solids.

Fall can be an excellent time to plant many of the crops that babies and children may enjoy. With

SEPTEMBER 2012

the help of simple cold frames or row covers, gardeners have the possibility of growing organic edibles almost year-round. Carrots, like ‘Carnival Blend’ with its mix of purple, white, yellow and orange roots, and ‘Tonda di Parigi’ with its rounded roots, can be fun and nutritious finger foods after they are steamed and cut into small pieces.

Last year, some gardeners enjoyed fresh carrots into January. Leafy greens,

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

like spinach and chard, can be hidden in purees with fruits or mixed into smoothies with yogurt.

Peas, broccoli, cauliflower, beets and parsnips are also possibilities to consider for planting in the Fall garden.

When prepared and spiced properly (avoiding salt of course), all vegetables have a chance at being at the top of your little foodie’s list!

Hours: April-Oct. Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm

Important Notice: Be sure to always consult with your pediatrician regarding the introduction, preparation and storage of any solid foods for your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.

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

Visit our family-operated farm market and greenhouse. We offer a large selection of flowers and vegetable plants from early spring thru mid-summer. Fresh, homegrown vegetables are available mid-April thru October. The month of October is family “Farm Fun Days” featuring hayrides, pumpkins and Stuckmeyer-grown mums!

Stuckmeyers.com

Schlafly Farmers Market Schlafly Bottleworks

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

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

More information and recipes can be found at the websites of the World Health Organization (www. who.int) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org).

The Land of Goshen Community Market

Jennifer Schamber is general manager of Greenscapes Gardens, President of the Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis, and mother of Lily, pictured above. You can reach her at (314) 821-2440

The Gateway Gardener™

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

13

Rescue and Renovate Your Cool-Season Lawn

By Glennon Kraemer

T

he more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s • Consider applying ½” of compost over the lawn to add organic what it feels like with our summers around here anyway. May, matter to the soil’s profile(see pg. 10). This can be expensive and June and July brought record high temperatures and drought time consuming, but if you want a better yard? Core aerate in 2 conditions. As I write this today (07/26) it is 103 degrees with a directions.

112 heat index! Cool season lawns need “cool” temperatures at • Spread your “starter” fertilizer (I like 11-23-0 or Milorganite®) night for them to recover from the high daytime temps. When we and seed. Knowing your square footage is important to be sure don’t get cool nights and rain, the lawns suffer (get diseases & you get the right amount of seed and fertilizer. An educated weeds) and they won’t recover until the cool nights return. Most garden center will insure you get the right kind of seed. of the time cool season lawns go “dormant” in the summer, but this • Power rake or hand rake the yard smooth. This insures good BALLWIN contact and will prevent the seed from drying out NURSERY year there was a lot more death. seed-to-soil and eliminate the need to use straw. (I hate straw as I think it adds & LANDSCAPE CO. We can’t control the weather! more weed seeds then anything).

What we can control is how we MUMS prepare our lawns for next summer. • Water everyday (and sometimes twice a day) for 2-3 weeks. You have want to keep the top ½” moist, but not saturated! Penn Mulch® is One of the most important cultural arrived! a good top dressing material as this will not add weed seeds, but practices we can do to our lawns is Voted West County’s aeration and over seeding. “Core” will help prevent erosion and keep the soil moist. aeration will relieve compaction, • Mowing at 3 ½” all fall will be important, as will removing #1 Nursery! leaves. Depending on the tree species, you may have to blow allowing water, air, nutrients and One-Stop Shopping organic matter to get into our soils. or vacuum leaves every other day to prevent the smothering of & Over 3 acres of A healthy soil is the foundation for those new seedlings you worked so hard to establish. healthy grass.

• Water infrequently after mowing 2-3 times. Usually Mother

Nursery Quality Shrubs, Trees & Evergreens Sod • Perennials Fertilizers • Mulch Jaguar Grass Seed

Nature does this for us this time of year, but don’t let it dry out!

The following steps should be taken to insure a healthy lawn this • Spot spray weeds after 2-3 mowings. Turflon ester® is an fall and into next summer: excellent herbicide to use in the fall. It works on violets and in cool temps.

Spray weeds if needed. Read the label and wait the recommended • Try to get all seed jobs done before October 15th.

NEED PROFESSIONAL time before aerating and seeding.

LANDSCAPING...

Consulting with a knowledgeable garden center is important to Remove all clutter in the yard and get good, quality seed and fertilizer. It’s what we do in the fall to CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE! use topsoil to level any uneven our cool season lawns (coupled with our cultural practices) that dictates success next summer! Remember folks, its just grass!

636-394-7776 spots.

• Mow down to 2”. You won’t BALLWIN NURSERY be able to mow again for 2-3 112 OLD BALLWIN RD. weeks, but remember to raise the Glenn Kraemer owns and operates GR Mon-Fri 8-6 mower back up to 3 ½”!

Robinson Seed and Service, and can be Sat 9-5 • Sun 10-4 reached by phone at 314-432-0300 or by Mark irrigation heads and or located behind Elco Chevrolet • email ag gmmseed@sbcglobal.net. www.ballwinnurserylandscape.com dog fence wires.

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Visit us online at: www.wiethop.com 14

Two Convenient Locations to Serve You.

West County

2463 Barrett Station Road (314) 821-2598

(1/2 mile south of Manchester Rd.)

South County

6129 Lemay Ferry Road (314) 845-3083

(Lemay Ferry at Meramec Bottom Rd.)

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

Drought Survivors in the Herb Garden

Walter’s Gardens, Inc.

By Joyce Driemeyer

Professionals and Master Gardeners Grow with Short Course!

September 20th St. Louis Community College – Meramec Campus Every two years, the Hort Co-op of Metro St. Louis, an umbrella organization with members representing various greenindustry professions, presents the “Professional Short Course,” a day of classes, activities and sessions designed to bring local professionals and advanced gardeners up to speed on the latest trends, products and technologies in the gardening, landscaping and plant-care world.

I

n what has been a nightmarish summer for vegetation, to say nothing of humans, my priority has been getting moisture to my “woodies”—trees and shrubs.

With over an acre of ground and no automated sprinkler system, this has presented a time-demanding chore. For many years of professional landscaping, my focus was on permanent installation of woody plants, with special interest in use of native trees and shrubs where possible.

This summer my own herb garden has taken a back seat in terms of moisture delivery.

In spite of that, certain herbs have surprisingly done well.

Usually difficult lavenders have endured and continued to bloom (both hardy and non-hardy types). Other herbs looking vigorous have been thymes, oregano, salad burnet, rosemary

(even survived the winter), lemon balm, and some of the ornamental variegated sages.

Only basils next to tomato plants where they received moisture have prospered. Also all herbs in large pots that received daily watering are thriving.

In bed installations of parsleys, large culinary sage and ornamental annual sages are not looking vigorous. My annual dill, which is never long-lived anyway, never took off this year.

In this part of the world, another year may present a different scenario, but if you want assured success in the future, grow your plants in large pots or well-draining containers to which you can deliver moisture daily, if necessary. The hopeful and resilient gardener never gives up and keeps learning and adapting.

This fall’s program features several instructional opportunities focusing on the changing climate of the industry—in one case, literally.

Patrick Guinan, University of Missouri Extension State Climatologist, will deliver a very timely presentation on short-term and long-term weather forecasts and climate trends that could affect green-industry businesses. Other presentations reflect the growing trend toward sustainable gardening and landscaping practices, including increased use of native plants, battling invasive plants, and other sustainable practices.

The program is primarily aimed at professionals in the green industry, but will also be of interest to Master Gardeners and other advanced gardeners.

In addition to the instruction, vendors will showcase products and information. The cost is $40, which includes a catered lunch only for those who pre-register prior to September 14th.

For a complete class schedule and to register, go online to www.

HortCo-op.org or call (314) 636812-2333.

Mini Excavating Services

Underground Utility Installation • Water Services • Downspout Drains • Stump Removal • Grading Excavation for Foundation Drainage Issues • Trenching • Site Prep for Retaining Walls • Ponds • Bobcat Work Licensed, Bonded and Insured in the City of St. Louis & St. Louis County

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.

SEPTEMBER 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

We Dig Where and When Others Can’t!

Family-Owned & Operated since 1983 • Highest Customer Satisfaction Rating • www.TheJoshuaCo.com (314) 275-8623

15

Houseplant Recovery text and photos by Ellen Barredo

What a summer for the record books! Not many of my houseplants or tropicals really enjoyed their summer outdoors.

How are yours? Many plants struggled as the temperature soared. The sun was strong and foliage was scorched and sunburned. Plants also suffered from improper watering. Other plants were taken down by insects, which flourished in the heat. Spider mites are a good example! I thought it might be good to review several top houseplant problems this past summer.

environment do they normally need? For example, a full sun plant moved to part sun can be a win-win situation. The move helps the plant cope with the sun and helps you cope with the stress of plants screaming for water every evening.

Providing a consistent maintenance schedule, especially a watering schedule, helps keep your houseplants from experiencing excessive stress outdoors.

foliage. I figured as long as there • The Container: Rootbound? was green tissue, even though it Or over-potted? Water is was riddled with holes, it could likely to run right through still photosynthesize. a rootbound plant without thoroughly wetting the soil.

Let’s Talk Water!

If the pot is too big for the It has been hot! The heat often root ball, the excess soil will brings with it the urge to water! retain too much water and the • Facts to consider before roots will drown. Small pots watering a plant or before dry out faster than larger ones calling a garden center to and clay dries out faster than inquire about plants and plastic. Do not let outdoor problems with watering: plants sit in saucers full of water.

• What is the name of the plant, where is it located, and how How to Water do you water it? Plants in Even plants that like dry sun or bright light need more conditions should be watered frequent watering than plants thoroughly when they need in medium or low light. water. Watering just a little each

Don’t forget fertilizing and grooming houseplants. Switch to organic fertilizers during the The Environment excessive heat since organics Providing a suitable environment are kinder to root systems. for your plants is a top priority Always apply fertilizer after • Water Temperature. Water in a garden hose outdoors can when a heat wave settles in. you have watered the plant so be hot and burn foliage and KNOW THY PLANTS! What roots are not burned. roots. It is also not wise to use How about spraying down the cold irrigation water on plants plant foliage after dinner? It whose foliage has already helps prevent spider mites and heated up. cleans foliage. Avoid this task • Water in the morning before during the heat of the day. the plant heats up or wilts.

Grooming those falling leaves If that won’t work for you will help keep the plants and your water in the evening just after patio looking tidier. Sometimes dinner so foliage will dry heat builds and then a cold front before nighttime.A dry plant Meet us at blows in … we’ll experience can ask for water by letting Kirkwood Market wind or hail damage! When 150 E Argonne its leaves droop. It will also this happened to my plants Saturdays: drop interior plant foliage or this summer, I accepted the th th September 8 & 15 lower plant foliage and it will “look” of devastation and only 9 am - 4 pm be yellow or brown. Applying removed completely browned Pick up orders at the Sales water perks the plant up!

Order in advance (by Wed.), or choose from our selection at the Markets.

Shaw Nature Reserve

Fall Wildflower Sale & Open Garden at the Whitmire Wildflower Garden Friday, September 7th, 4 - 8 pm.

Prairie Day Saturday, September 15th, 10am-4pm www.shawnature.org

Best of Missouri Market

at Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis, October 6th & 7th: 9 am - 5 pm Missouri Wildflowers Nursery 573-496-3492, fax: 573-496-3003 www.mowildflowers.net mowldflrs@socket.net 9814 Pleasant Hill Rd. Jefferson City MO 65109

16

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• An overwatered plant wilts too! An overwatered plant can have yellow foliage too, but it often hangs onto the plant and the foliage is not on the ground. Applying water does not help. The plant is still wilted. More plants die from too much watering than from any other cause. Roots need oxygen!

• Wind will cause a plant to dry out more quickly.

time will moisten only the top of the soil, while the bottom remains dry as a desert. The easiest and most satisfactory way to water houseplants is from the top. You may see bubbles!

When the bubbles stop coming up from the soil you know the plant is thoroughly watered.

Visit your Independent Garden Center for help with your houseplants! WHY? Because, often the best help occurs with a conversation face to face. So many details can be missed on the phone!

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.

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

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SEPTEMBER 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

Ballwin, MO Ballwin Nursery 636-394-7776

Creve Coeur, MO Hartke Nursery 314-997-6679

Richmond Heights, MO

Garden Heights 314-645-7333

West County Sherwood’s Forest 314-966-0028

Central West End Bowood Farms 314-454-6868

Kirkwood, MO Kirkwood Material 314-822-9644

South County Fendler Nursery 314-892-1150

Webster Groves Mac Hardware 314-961-4522

Clayton/Ladue Schnarr’s Hardware 314-993-0910

Kirkwood, MO OK Hatchery 314-822-0083

University City, MO University Gardens 314-863-1700

17

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News Illinois Master Naturalists Training Scheduled for 2012

Gateway Greening Debuts New Look and Statement

Garden Club Honors Local Garden Center

St. Louis Garden Designer Receives National Award

The University of Illinois Extension Madison-MonroeSt. Clair Unit will offer the Master Naturalist training in the fall of 2012. The Master Naturalist program provides opportunities for adult volunteers to learn about their state’s natural history, environment, and conservation issues. Trainings are held Wednesdays, September 5th-November 7th from 1-4:30pm and 2 field trips will be scheduled for Saturdays in September from 8:30am2:30pm. The locations will be held throughout Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties. Topics include Geology and Soils, Understanding the Prairie, Forests of Illinois, and Herpetology. The training costs $225. Applications for the training are available at the U of I Extension Office at 901 Illinois Ave in Waterloo. If you have questions regarding the Master Naturalist training, please contact Sarah Ruth at (618) 939-3434 or ruth1@illinois.edu.

The Fleur de Lis Garden Society celebrated National Garden Club Week in June by presenting a proclamation to Daniel and Monica Koenig, owners of Daniel’s Farm and Greenhouse, Inc., one of the club’s popular regional garden centers. The club also hosted an information Elaine Fix of the Fleur de table at several area libraries Lis Garden Society, with during the week, assisting Monica and Daniel Koenig people with their gardening of Daniel’s Greenhouses. questions and promoting the work various community projects supported by the club. See their website for more information at www.fleurdelisgardensociety.org.

DAVIDSAN’S JAPANESE MAPLES Saint Louis’ first Japanese Maple Nursery Presents: HUNDREDS OF JAPANESE MAPLE TREES !

FALL SALE!

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Gateway Greening proudly recently unveiled a new visual identity along with a new mission statement.

The new logo incorporates both the human and agricultural aspect of their mission with the imagery of a hand holding a leaf. The new branding includes the following updated mission statement: “Gateway Greening educates and empowers people to strengthen their communities through gardening and urban agriculture.” Osborn Barr, a leading agricultural marketing communications organization, developed the logo imagery and design themes.

The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has recognized Adam Woodruff, principal of Adam Woodruff + Associates, with a Merit Award for his dramatic summer seasonal displays at the Pierre Laclede Center—located in the heart of Clayton, Missouri. Professional landscape designers and architects nationwide compete annually by submitting landscape designs they have created to be judged for excellence. Mr. Woodruff has designed seasonal displays for the Pierre Laclede Center since 2010. Each spring, nearly 100 large stationary containers and several key bedding areas are planted with a unique assortment of colorful blooms, lush foliage plants and grassy elements. Photos of his award winning designs can be found at www.adamwoodruff.com.

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www.davidsansjapanesemaples.com 18

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

M

5 Planting Tips for Long-Lived Trees

any readers will be planting new trees this fall to replace casualties of the sizzling summer of 2012. And nothing is more frustrating than to invest dollars and time in new landscaping plants only to have them fail. Here are a few planting tips that will help you avoid the most common causes for premature tree demise. Oh, and THANK YOU for planting a tree!

to remove burlap or wire from beneath the ball.

4. Fill and Water. Use soil from the excavated hole—amending the soil isn’t necessary or recommended—to fill in around the roots, packing firmly every few inches and watering to eliminate air pockets.

5. Mulch and Water Again. Apply mulch to a depth of NO MORE THAN 2-4”, keeping the mulch 2” away from the tree trunk. Keep watering the tree once or twice a week until other trees start to drop their leaves in October or November.

For complete planting instructions, visit TreesAreGood.org.

ROOT FLARE

1. Find the Flare. If your tree looks like a pencil or pole going into the root ball, scrape away at the soil until you find the root flare—that swollen area where the trunk goes into the soil. It may be buried under an inch or two or more of soil, just keep excavating until it is exposed. It should be above surrounding grade after planting.

2. Dig a Proper Hole. Don’t skimp! The hole should be 2-3 times the width of the root ball, but no deeper than the depth of the ball. In fact, in poor draining, clay soils, make the hole a little bit shallower, so the root flare sits slightly above grade. If you accidentally dig too deep, then be sure to tamp any backfill thoroughly to prevent settling.

3. Free the Roots! Remove the plastic pot from container-grown trees and “tease” out any circling roots. You can even slice through larger circling roots to prevent girdling. For B&B (balled & burlapped) trees, after the tree is in the hole, remove any string, cut away as much wire as possible, and cut away excess burlap, allowing remaining burlap to fall to the bottom of the hole. Avoid moving the root ball once these materials have been removed. It is not necessary

From This...

KNOW WHAT’S BELOW!

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f you’re planting a tree, or for that matter, doing any other digging in your yard, don’t forget to notify Missouri One Call at least 3 working days before starting. When homeowners are doing their own work, by law, they are required to contact the Missouri One Call System to have the utilities marked before any type of excavation. When the homeowner is hiring someone else to do the work, it is the responsibility of the person hired to do the excavation to contact MOCS. Notification must be at least three, but not more than ten, working days before beginning work.

To contact the Missouri One Call System, dial 1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 or go on-line at www.mo1call.com to place a “Locate Request.”

The service is free of charge, you can place a Locate Request 24/7 and it only takes an average of 3 minutes.

The utilities will respond by marking the facilities that they own, usually up to the meter, or by notifying you that they are “Clear”, allowing you to safely proceed with your project.

Don’t assume that you know what utilities are underground and where they’re located.

Always know what’s below, notify Missouri One Call.

TO THIS!

Raised Bed

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The Gateway Gardener™

19

A New Face and New Roses at Missouri Botanical Gardens

Missouri Botanical Garden

Pinktopia

David Gunn had the pleasure of a guided tour through the rose gardens at the Missouri Botanical Garden given by the new rosarian, David Gunn. I know many visitors and rose growers have been concerned by all of the upheaval in the rose gardens during the past few years. The problem has been due partly to the high incidence of rose rosette disease or RRD. For many years the disease was called a virus but recently some doubt has arisen about the nature of the condition, so it is now labeled a disease, not a virus. Enough about that, back to the good news, David has many years in the landscape and nursery business along with a keen and enquiring mind. Some other attributes that will serve the Garden well are his enthusiasm and positive attitude.

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winter hardiness is not as much of a factor as with budded roses. However, many of the hybrid teas do not grow well on their own roots, therefore selection is limited. If you have visited Gladney recently, you would have found the plants to be small and somewhat spindly, not uncommon with own-root roses their first year. I might add that Meilland Roses grow all of their new roses as own-root before they introduce them. If a rose grows well, it will Golden Fairy Tale be available as own-root.

Two examples are ‘Queen Mary 2’, a hybrid tea, and ‘Mother of Pearl’ was there. Many of the roses represented a grandiflora. in the garden are in the EarthKind™ trials.

As I understand it, next year (if budget allows) Lehmann Rose Garden will be torn out and replaced, also for RRD. David has been diligent in removing infected plants so I believe any new disease outbreaks will be controlled once the current outbreak is eradicated.

Back to Gladney! The diversity of plants is very interesting. There are Griffith Buck The Gladney Rose Garden was completely roses, Kordes roses, Bailey’s Life Style ripped out last fall and replanted this Garden roses, some polyantha roses, David spring. The RRD had infected the roses Austin roses and even a China rose, ‘Old to the point where just replacing a bed Blush’, brought from the British Isles by here and there was impractical. The roses the Garden’s new Director Dr. Peter Wyse were replaced with all own-root roses. The Jackson. ‘Hi Neighbor’, a medium red thought being own-root is hardier than grandiflora by Griffith Buck, took the heat budded. This is true to a point, certainly 20

in stride this summer. Not a big surprise since Buck selected the roses in Iowa for tolerance to the extremes of the Midwest climate. A David Austin rose new to me called ‘Wildeve’ was a blush-colored very double old fashion rose. I noted a polyantha rose from Bailey’s Life Style Garden series called ‘Pinktopia’. I happen to grow that rose in my garden and am very impressed with its disease resistance and heat tolerance as well as the prolific bloom. Another polyantha, ‘Marie Pavie’, goes back many years to 1888 to be exact. Her blooms are white with a bit of pink especially in cooler weather. The Kordes Fairytale series is represented by ‘Golden Fairy Tale’, ‘Brothers Grimm’ Fairytale and several others. Of course the AARS winner for 2012 ‘Sunshine Daydream’ a grandiflora

This is a garden to watch. I think we will see a new age rose garden that is easier to manage for the home gardener with limited time to devote to roses but who loves the color and fragrance of a beautiful rose garden.

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

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

Newflora, Inc.

Bailey Nurseries

By Diane Brueckman

Pots to Planks

By Steven Cline, Ph.D.

THANK YOU for Supporting our Advertisers!

I

f you are a gardener and live in or near to St. Louis, chances are that you have heard about plastic pot recycling – a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden started in 1998. Annually, the US pitches over 350 million pounds of garden pots and trays – enough to fill a couple baseball stadiums. Because landfill space is a premium, state agencies like the Missouri Department of Natural Resources have fueled programs aimed at waste reduction and recycling. Locally, the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste District manages these programs like Plastic Pot Recycling and collaborates to sustain their progress.

The industry has been working towards alternatives to plastic containers.

One company that has made the commitment is Bonnie Plants, a company of the Alabama Farmer Cooperative. They distribute through 3,700 independent garden centers and are now using 100 percent biodegradable pots along with shrink-wrap labels that replace the stick tag that has the plant information. They estimate that this effort has already saved 100 million pounds of plastic from landfills.

One size does not fit all plant production companies, however, and it will take some time to help both the retailer and the consumer become oriented with a change from plastic to biodegradable containers. There is a little thing called moisture in the soil that plastic is very good at retaining. Plastic is also currently cheaper and lighter in weight. All of this points to a slow change to biodegradable pots.

While the Plastic Pot Recycling Program has collected over one million pounds since inception, it started out with a modest collection of 10,000 pounds during an event that lasted only a few days. Now the program collects about 140,000 pounds between April and October. Success has been sustained by not only the consumers passion to recycle, but also retail support to host recycling trailers at 14 area garden centers, and recycling equipment to bale or grind the plastic, getting it ready to be marketed back to the industry to make new garden pots or plastic lumber. For a list of retail garden centers that recycle pots, go to www. missouribotanicalgarden.org.

Currently, the program has taken on a partnership with several local companies including G.R. Robinson Seed and Supply, FRC Recycling and EarthCo, Inc. to manufacture and market 6 X 6 inch X 8 foot long timbers, used for making raised beds and retaining walls. The primary attributes are 100% recycled content, long-lasting use, insect and decay resistance and portability for re-purposing. Timbers can be purchased online at www.potstoplanks.com. The website also provides short videos on how to use plastic lumber to build raised beds and retaining walls.

In St. Louis, you can purchase timbers at Kirkwood Materials and St. Louis Composting.

Dr. Cline is President of EarthCo, Inc. and originator of the Plastic Pot Recycling Program at Missouri Botanical Garden.

SEPTEMBER 2012

The Gateway Gardener™

Weather or not: It’s ALL about the WEATHER! The 2012 Professional Short Course features seminars regarding climate, pests & developing opportunities.

Thursday, September 20 7:30 am - 4pm St. Louis Community College at Meramec 11333 Big Bend Blvd.

Kirkwood, MO

HOT NEW TOPICS THIS YEAR INCLUDE:

• Weather Forecasting for Business Planning • New Age of Sustainability • New Plants for 2013 • Value-Added Landscape Design • Replacing Invasive Plants

PLUS: • Tree Clinic • Soil Prep • Financial Planning • Native Plants for Home Landscapes • Pest Management • and MORE! For More Information & To Register Go To www.hortco-op.org Lunch Sponsored By: Home Nursery St. Louis Composting Program Sponsors: Gateway Gardener Greenscape Gardens MPR Supply & Wallflower Design

Presented by:

21

Upcoming Events get the information to you. So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant society today!

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

go directly to the Upcoming Events online calendar.

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

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

GatewayGardener.com. Don’t have access to the internet? Just call us at (314) 968-3740, or write us at PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122, and we’ll 22

PLANT SALES AND SHOWS Sept. 7th 4-8 p.m.--Native Plant School Fall Wildflower Sale and Open Garden. Purchase native plants for fall planting.

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 questions, comments, photos, drawings or plant specimens. Shaw Nature Reserve, I-44 at exit #253 in Gray Summit, Mo. Wildflower Sale and native landscaping consultations are in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden.

Cost is $5 (MBG members $3).

For more information visit us on the web at www.shawnature. org.

Sept. 8 & 9th Noon-5 (Sat.), 9am-5pm (Sun.)—Greater St. Louis Iris Society Sale. New cultivars and old favorites sold from the Missouri Botanical Garden’s displays. Experts from the Greater St. Louis Iris Society will be on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Proceeds benefit the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Orthwein Floral Display Hall at MBG. Included with Garden admission. .

Sept. 15th 9am-5pm—Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Sale. New cultivars and old favorites sold from the Missouri Botanical Garden’s displays. Experts from the West County Daylily

Club will be on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Proceeds benefit the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Orthwein Floral Display Hall at MBG. Included with Garden admission. www. westcountydaylilyclub.com.

Sept. 15th-16th 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.

Sept. 22nd 1-4pm—Central District Convention’s Rose Show.

Exhibitors from Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Presbyterian Church, 4834 South Point Rd., Washington, MO. Open to the public at no charge.

Sept. 22nd & 23rd 9am-5pm—Gateway Chapter—North American Rock Garden Society Sale and Greater St. Louis Dahlia Society Show. 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. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Orthwein Floral Display Hall. Included with Garden admission. http:// stldahliasociety.com and www.nargs.org.

Sept. 28th

2:30-5pm--”Just Before the Garden Sleeps” Flower Show.

A small standard flower show presented by Jardin du Lac Garden Club of Lake Saint Louis, MO. There will be both horticulture and design entries at the home of the McCabes, 5 Ridge Oak Ct., Lake St. Louis, MO. Admission is FREE. CLASSES, LECTURES AND EVENTS Now through October 31st 9am-5pm daily— Plastic Pot Recycling. Recycle plastic garden pots, cell packs and trays. Plastic should be separated and empty of soil with no metal hangers; no clay pots or food plastic accepted.

Please separate #6 plastic cell packs and trays from #2 and #5 plastic pots into the recycling trailers. 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.

Sept. 5th 7pm—Fall Planting. Ellen Barredo will discuss what to plant and how to have a successful fall garden. Ellen works full-time at Bowood Farms near the Central West End in St Louis, and is a fellow Wildwood Community Garden gardener. FREE, bring your own chair and water. Wildwood Farms Community Garden, corner of Main St. and Taylor Rd., Wildwood, MO. Sept. 7th 4-8pm—Fall Wildflower Sale and Open House.

The Gateway Gardener™

SEPTEMBER 2012

Stroll through the Whitmire Wildflower Garden and gain inspiration for your home landscape, then purchase native plants at the Wildflower Sale.

Experts on hand to assist with your questions. Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit, MO. $3 non-members, FREE for MBG members. (636) 451-3512.

Sept. 1st-3rd Annual Japanese Festival.

Taiko drumming, bon odori festival dancing, martial arts, candlelight walks in the Japanese Garden and more.

Sept. 1 and 2, 10am to 8pm; Sept. 3 (Labor Day), 10am to 5pm. Doors open at 9am. $15 adults (ages 13 to 64), $10 seniors (65+), $5 children (3 to 12), $5 members. Buy tickets in advance online at www. mobot.org. No trams.

Sept. 6th 5:30-7:30pm—Herbalooza.

Join the St. Louis Herb Society and the Members’ Board of the Missouri Botanical Garden for an herb celebration! Enjoy live music while getting advice from herb experts. Stroll from the Ottoman Garden to the Victorian District, with demonstrations on the many uses of herbs. View the Garden’s newly-planted pin cushion garden and enjoy a special opportunity to view Tower Grove House and the Museum Building (normally closed to the public). Cash bar available. $10 per person.

Advance registration required; www.mobot.org/events.

For more information, call (314) 577-9570 or email membership@mobot.org.

Sept. 8th 10am—Fall Lawn Care Class.

Learn all you need to know about fall lawn care. How to start a new lawn or help revive an existing lawn. Hillermann SEPTEMBER 2012

Nursery & Florist, 636-2396729, www.hillermann.com.

10am—Exquisite Fall Containers for Entranceways and Patios. Discover outstanding plant combinations to enliven your containers and window boxes with autumn color and texture. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Sept. 9th 1pm— Rescue and Renovate Lawn Workshop. Join our pros and let us answer your questions on how to return your summerravaged lawn to health.

Garden Heights Nursery, 1605 Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights. (314) 645-7333, GardenHeights.com.

Sept. 10th-12th MORA Annual Conference.

A joint program of the Missouri Recycling Association and the Composting & Organics Association of Missouri (COAM), program features workshops on Alternative Uses for Compost and Event Greening Strategies, plus tours of successful recycling programs at Missouri Botanical Garden and Busch Stadium, plus trade exhibits and more.

Visit MORA.org for details and registration.

Sept. 11th 1pm—Selecting and Planting Blooming Bulbs. Tips on common and not so common bulb and their allies including colors, planting, and watering issues, and pointers on their use as cut flowers. U. of Illinois Extension Offices at Monroe County Annex Building, 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo, or 1 Regency Plaza Dr., Collinsville. $5 for b/w handouts or $10 for color. Call

The Gateway Gardener™

to register at (618) 939-3434 (Waterloo) or (618) 344-4230 (Collinsville).

Sept. 12th 6-9pm—Organic Gardening.

Learn the A to Z of growing vegetables, herbs, perennials, annuals and shrubs without harsh pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Includes handy resources for natural gardening. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit http://extension.missouri. edu/stcharles/gardenclasses/ aspx or call 636-970-3000 for information. Pre-registration required. $25.

Sept. 13th 6-8pm—Native Plants in the Home Landscape. Missouri native plants are a low cost and practical solution to drought tolerance, pest control, storm water management, as well as beauty in your landscape.

Come with personal concerns - this class details various uses to minimize your landscape maintenance. St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters MO. Visit http://extension.missouri. edu/stcharles/gardenclasses/ aspx or call 636-970-3000 for information. Pre-registration required. $20.

Sept. 13th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: Reconstructing Tallgrass Prairie. 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) 4513512 or visit www.shawnature. org.

Sept. 15th 10am—Vibrant Fall Gardens.

Learn about beautiful flowering plants that are at their best in late summer and fall.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Sept. 16th and 30th, Oct. 14th and 28th Canopy Climb. Explore majestic trees like never before.

In this one-and-one-halfhour experience, a certified tree-climbing instructor will teach you to ascend on your own into a tree canopy. Then sit on branches, limb-walk, lie in hammocks or relax in a suspended chair while learning about forest canopy biodiversity and conservation. th Several vertical lines available, Sept. 15 and climbers can choose to 10am-4pm—Prairie Day at ascend more than one line as Shaw Nature Reserve. Take time allows. Must be at least a step back in time. Interact 8 years old. 12 climbers per with early settlers and explore session. Missouri Botanical what life was like on the great Garden; also offered at the American frontier during this Shaw Nature Reserve (see bi-annual event. Kids and www.shawnature.org for adults alike will enjoy a day details). Choose from sessions of historical activities and at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm exhibits, story telling, music or 3:30pm. $43 per child and food. Event admission is or adult climber(child price $6 for adults, $2 for children includes Garden admission (ages 15 and under) and for one accompanying $3 for Missouri Botanical adult chaperone). Advanced Garden members. Visit www. registration required; www. shawnature.org or call (636) 451-3512 for more information. mobot.org/classes or (314) 57723

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

AFTER AFTER

BEFORE

BEFORE

Visit St. Louis Composting’s five area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified compost, mulch products and soil blends. Top Dressing will reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil.

BELLEVILLE, IL

3521 Centreville Ave. 618.233.2007

VALLEY PARK, MO 39 Old Elam Ave. 636.861.3344

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

ST. LOUIS, MO

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612

FORT BELLEFONTAINE COMPOST FACILITY

13060 County Park Rd. 314.355-0052

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