The Gateway Gardener Summer 2022

Gateway Gardener

SUMMER 2022

THE

June / July / August ®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

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Long-Blooming Perennials Best Foodscaping Plants A Better Way To Weed FREE Courtesy of:

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Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

SUMMER 2022

Volume 18, Number 4

Founded in 2005 by Joyce Bruno & Robert Weaver Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists Diane Brueckman Rosey Acres Abby Lapides Sugar Creek Gardens Steffie Littlefield Edg-Clif Winery Jennifer Schamber Greenscape Gardens Scott Woodbury Shaw Nature Reserve

Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published 7 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.

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

info@gatewaygardener.com www.gatewaygardener.com The Gateway Gardener® is printed on recycled newsprint using environmentally friendly soy-based ink, and is a member of the PurePower® renewable energy resources network.

I

From the Editor

t seems as one gets older, time flies faster than ever, both in the garden and in life. This spring, I find plants coming into and going out of bloom before I even have a chance to observe them, much less photograph them.

My fringetree blossoms were here and gone by the time I walked by to notice the ribbony petals scattered on the ground.

I have a climbing hydrangea that refused to bloom at all for its first 10-15 years. I noticed it finally had an impressive showing of buds this spring, then checked later, and they were gone. The unusual heat and frequent winds can be blamed for part of that; time just getting away stands accused for the rest.

True, too, for the kids sitting with me on this bench. The last time our twin grandsons (Lucas on the left and squiggly Thomas on the right), joined me on this page with what was the 2nd of what was supposed to be annual birthday appearances, they were 2 years old. Then a pandemic kept us apart, and lesser excuses followed, and now, finally, here

in the driveway. And weeds are sky high in the gardens where the veggies should be.

Normally, I would get out on my hands and knees and pull, pull, pull. But Scott Woodbury has convinced me of a more energy-efficient way to manage weed control. Maybe he’ll convince you too! Check out his advice on page 18.

they are, two years and a month late, at 5. Time flies. At least their curls are still intact, unlike Grandpas…and the fringetree blossoms.

Time flies for many shade perennials, too, as their blooming season is often over in the blink of an eye. Abby Lapides acknowledges this, and suggests some newer cultivars of garden favorites that have shown to impress with significantly longer bloom times than their cousins.

Those suggestions, along with a handy bloom chart, can be found beginning on page 4.

How to make refreshing drinks from the garden (pg.

6), foodscaping suggestions from our friends at Custom Foodscaping (pg. 8), tips for a disease-free rose garden (pg. 10) and still more are at your fingertips in this issue. If you can slow down time long enough to scroll through the pages, I hope you enjoy it and find some helpful ideas. And with that, I’ll take a bit less of your time and end it here.

Happy Father’s Day, and…

Good Gardening!

As I write this, it’s a week away from June, and since we know by now that time flies, my Mother’s Day annuals and veggies starts are still sitting

On the Cover...

For much of their history, especially in modern times, roses have owned a reputation for being high maintenance, pest and disease prone members of the garden. Rose breeders today are giving us much tougher beauties, such as this Rosa Suñorita. Find more suggestions on page 10. Photo courtesy Proven Winners® Color Choice®.

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Long Blooming Perennials 6 Electrolytes from the Garden 8 Foodscaping Plants to Try 10 Disease-Free Roses 12 A Blackout Knockout 14 Veggie Garden Vacation Tips 16 Loving Plants 18 A Better Way to Weed 20 Late Summer Events 22 Upcoming Events

Perfect Timing

Creating a Continual Flowering Shade Garden

By Abby Lapides

S

for about 6 weeks. The Timeless series of coral bells bloom for 3 times as long! Beginning late May they start to push out flowers and don’t stop until fall. While each variety is fabulous and warrants a home in the garden, my personal favorite is ‘Timeless Night’, as its glossy black foliage and bright pink flowers create a gorgeous combo.

Walters Gardens

hade perennials bring wonderful blossoms to the garden. But many bloom for a limited time, making it a little tricky keeping flowers continually coming. However, with a bit of preplanning you will enjoy a shade garden blooming from early spring to frost. Use the easy-to-read bloom chart on the opposite page Heuchera to select plants to keep ‘Timeless Night’ flowers in your garden all season long. Though most plants follow the bloom times laid out below, some outliers with exceptionally ornate displays bust the chart. See a few of these blooming powerhouses below.

Looking at the shade chart you’ll see that coral bells only bloom

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Bigleaf Hydrangeas are known as the divas of the hydrangea world. In fact, they’re so finicky I didn’t bother putting them on the bloom chart.

The one exception is the Game Changer® series. Game Changer Hydrangeas bloom exclusively on new wood, creating new flowers all season long. If they’re kept watered and fertilized, they will exhibit a showy display that can’t be beat.

‘Burning Hearts’ fern leaf bleeding hearts bloom the longest of all the bleeding hearts.

If kept well watered, ‘Burning

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Blooming Calendar for Popular Shade Plants

Hearts’ lipstick pink blossoms will grace the garden spring to frost nonstop. This diminutive plant makes a perfect choice for the front of the border or lining a shady walkway.

Adding a couple powerhouse bloomers along with others from the bloom chart will keep your shade garden flowering all season long.

Ball Seed

Bleediing Hearts ‘Burning Hearts’ Abby Lapides is owner and a speaker at Sugar Creek Gardens Nursery. She has degrees from the University of Missouri, and is a member of the Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis.

You can reach her at (314) 965-3070.

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5

Garden-Aid

Electrolytes From Your Garden

by Katie Adelia

W

eeding in the infamous St. Louis humidity is a sweat-athon. Having enough hydration to get through yard work without getting dizzy is a high priority for a lot of us.

Skip the Gatorade®, and let your garden provide you with all those electrolytes that get sprinkled into the Earth as you grab those dandelions by the root.

We lose electrolytes along with water when we sweat, and if we lose too much, dehydration can set in. Electrolytes are substances that conduct electricity when dissolved in water. Coincidentally many functions in the body require a small electrical charge to perform correctly.

Ever had a muscle cramp when you were dehydrated? That could be due to an electrolyte imbalance hindering your muscles ability to contract correctly.

Some electrolytes our bodies need are

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magnesium, calcium, phosphate, and chloride. The two main electrolytes lost in sweat are sodium and potassium.

Thankfully the body replenishes these easily through the foods we eat and drink.

Watermelon is first on the list when planning a garden with hydration in mind. Naturally high in water, sodium, and potassium, watermelon is the perfect electrolyte food to plant.

They love our hot summers and take about 90 days from seedling to maturity. Make sure to get them in the ground as soon as the soil warms up enough.

Transplanting them in May will make sure they stay nice and hot.

There are lots of fun varieties to plant, some favorites are - Sugar Baby, Orangeglo, Royal Golden, and Moon and Stars.

Who doesn’t want to plant strawberries? A strawberry patch will keep you going while mowing with sweet bites of potassium, sodium, and magnesium! Strawberries can grow pretty wild, so unless you want them to take over your garden get them a trellis or container. Strawberries are fun in a hanging basket on the porch as well!

Other potassium all-stars are the citrus favorites: orange, lemon, and lime. Citrus doesn’t do well in zone 6 winters so these tropical trees need to be kept in containers and overwintered inside.

Not only do you get the fruits, but citrus have some of the most delightfully fragrant flowers. Orange blossoms in water are a nice treat if you have a prolific flowering tree and don’t mind sparing

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RECIPES

for those with limited yard space or choosing the container garden route. Hydration can be more than just refreshing when you start spicing it up with some produce from your garden.

Garden Aid ( Makes 1 Gal) ½ cup fresh mint leaves ⅛ cup fresh lemongrass ¼ cup fresh lemon verbena 1 lemon cut in slices 1 lime cut in slices 4 cups watermelon juice ½ cup lemon juice 10 cups water Sweeten to taste*

Katie Adelia is a local writer, educator, and herbalist. She has taught herbal wellness classes in partnership with the Missouri Botanical Garden, Urban Harvest STL, PuraVegan, Lulu’s Local Eatery, and Central West End Farm. She is currently serving the St. Louis plant community on the Greenscape Gardens team.

Mix the herbs and water together and set in the sun for a few hours to steep, then add your watermelon juice, lemon juice, citrus slices, and sweetener. Best served over ice with a slice of watermelon on the side.

Strawberry Mint Iced Tea 2 cups fresh mint 2 cups strawberries 1 Gallon of water Sweeten to taste*

Steep mint in hot water with a lid on to trap the aromatic oils for 10 minutes. Strain mint and add 1 cup of strawberries chopped, and 1 cup of strawberries pureed. Let chill in the fridge for a few hours and then sweeten to taste. Make sure to stir before serving! * Black Strap Molasses is a great electrolyte sweetener option and a little bit goes a long way a few lost fruits.

You can also plant veggies high in electrolytes such as collard greens, cucumbers, and beets. A fresh basil beet salad with a citrus dressing can be a top-notch gardener’s delight after a long day tending the plants.

Sports electrolyte drinks can save you in a pinch, but if you’d rather skip the dyes and artificial sweeteners, a homemade watermelon lemonade or strawberry mint iced tea can be a tasty and fun-togrow solution! Growing a selection of herbs to infuse into waters with fresh lemon slices or cucumber slices is also a great option

SUMMER 2022

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7

Recommended Plants for Your Foodscape Text and photos courtesy Custom Foodscaping

F

and ecosystems will continue to suffer, and our precious butterfly, insect, and bee friends will be the first to experience the disruption of a once harmonious ecosystem.

or St. Louisans looking to grow beautiful, welladapted fruit trees and shrubs, sourcing plants can be a challenge. Access is limited, and you may get a few raised eyebrows when you go asking for goumi berries at your local nursery.

Nonetheless, it’s not impossible.

So, to help you get started, here are some best practices for selecting fruit trees and shrubs that will thrive in the St. Louis region as well as where to source these delicious foodscaping fruit trees and shrubs.

Common Sense Foodscaping Starts with Natives With climate shifts forecasted to cause harmful droughts and erosion that may threaten food production, there’s an ecological imperative that we plant natives in our edible landscapes. Natives, or plants originally from our region, can thrive with much less water than lawns, lowering not only our water bills but our vulnerability through seasons of drought.

Here are a few guidelines to work with when determining the best foodscape plants for your region: Choose “nativars” (native + cultivar). Nativar is a term used to describe cultivated varieties of native fruiting plants chosen for their desirability such as disease and pest resistance or accelerated growth. When planting nativars, you can get all the hardy benefits of natives with the perks of incredibly delicious fruit.

In our region, 6b, we love to plant:

Grafted Pawpaw The largest native with fruit banana/mango flavor. Tons of great grafted cultivars make big fruits. Try to plant at least 3 in close proximity (<10’) for best pollination. Slow growing at first. Has a pleasing ornamental shape. Can be planted in full sun despite its common place in the shady woodlands. Hand pollination helps the Also, natives rarely require spraying, which keeps toxic chemicals fruit set. from seeping into our soil and water table. According to the National Research Council, lawns are now dumped with more Grafted Persimmon pesticides per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than conventional farms (2.7 lbs The American persimmon is the sweetest fruit we can grow! Be per acre on average). Think about that next time you’re playing sure to get grafted varieties like Early Golden, Prok and Yates in the lawn with your loved ones. Natives are allies in supporting to get big fruits. Amazing fruit but foliage can quite often look tattered and black. A tall tree that lends itself to big open areas like human health just as much as planetary health. parks and rural properties.

Natives are also key players in providing food and habitat for insect life that lives in our region. If the trend for superficially-supported If you’re looking for a more compact persimmon, go with a hybrid exotic landscapes continues, the biodiversity in our gardens variety. Nakita’s Gift, Kassandra and Rosseyanka are winners.

Bigger fruit than the American. Quite ornamental like the Asians.

Fruit hangs on deep into the fall.

YOUR TREES DESERVE THE BEST CARE These are edible landscape allstars!

Serviceberry

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Native to zones 5-9, serviceberries are easy to grow and wonderful locally. edible landscaping plants. Prune to keep branches within reach.

Where to Buy A “go-to” street tree. Can also be grown as tall multi-stemmed Every spring, thousands of local shoppers in the St. Louis region shrubs. head off to big box stores to buy fruiting plants, rarely aware that Climate-suited Exotics those plants are often poorly adapted to our region and likely to get In addition to natives, there are quite a number of exotic fruits riddled with pest and disease issues. that also do well for us here in the Midwest, and can work in most Instead, try your local independent nurseries first. These businesses regions. Locally-adapted exotics are non-native edibles chosen for are more likely to carry plants that are best suited for our growing their ease of growing. In most cases, these species simply have less conditions. Ask for the plants recommended in this article. If they pest and disease pressure. don’t have them, maybe they can get them for you. At the very If our goal as ecologically-minded gardeners is to grow fruits that don’t get plagued with pests and diseases, cultivated natives are our best bet. But there are some cases when you want to bring more diversity and flavor to the foodscape beyond the scope of natives.

In that case, we recommend climate-suited exotics. For instance, almost all the common varieties of pears suffer from the pervasive disease fire blight and require spraying. Yet, the Magness Pear is an example of a locally-adapted exotic that grows like a champ in the Midwest and rarely requires pesticides.

Favorite exotics for our area include:

least, you’ll be encouraging them to consider new options and help create a demand for our local supply.

As growers of edible landscapes, we have the power to influence the market with every nursery order we place. Let’s create more education and awareness around these regenerative foodscaping all stars!

If you can’t find these foodscaping plants locally, you can find our recommended list of mail order nurseries at customfoodscaping. com/recommendations.

Eager to create your own edible landscape, food forest or raised Asian Pear bed garden? Whether you are a homeowner, school or business, Fire blight-resistant varieties like Shinko and Korean Giant are we hope these ideas will help you plan, plant and grow a beautiful some of our absolute favorites. Early to bear, heavy yielders, and AND productive edible landscape. fast growing. Works well as an espalier fruit.

Custom Foodscaping is a full-service St. Louis-based Bush Cherry edible landscaping company, To find out more about edible Easy to grow, prolific cherry shrubs. Varieties like Carmine Jewel landscaping, or to schedule a consultation, please visit are big winners. Despite not being as sweet as sweet cherries, these customfoodscaping.com. have a complex flavor and can be enjoyed fresh out of hand.

Chicago Hardy Fig The Chicago Hardy is the most proven variety. Needs some winter protection in zone 6. The more you protect each winter, the bigger the plant will grow and the more fruit. Beautiful ornamentals with few pest or disease issues.

Flying Dragon Trifoliate Hardy Orange The only hardy citrus we can grow in our climate. These small oranges taste lemon-limey! Gorgeous, contorted, seedy, thorny. This one is a favorite conversation starter.

some shade.

Black Currants One of the most reliable and easy to grow fruits! Look for resistance to white pine blister rust. Best kept in the backyard as fall foliage issues are common. Tolerates

Pie Cherry Northstar, Meteor and Carmine Jewel are natural dwarfs. Most are easy to grow as beautiful small fruit trees. The bright red fruits put on a stunning show. We recommend a lot of pie cherries. Can sometimes suffer from late-summer leaf drop.

Hardy Kiwi Beautiful and vigorous vines. The Kolomikta Kiwis are less vigorous and have a pink leafed variety. Needs male + female.

Hardy Kiwi is an edible landscaping allstar when given proper support and annual pruning. Delicious and hardy - but hard to find SUMMER 2022

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Having a Disease-Free Rose Garden

by Diane Brueckman

‘Suñorita’

by Proven Winners

‘Bolero’

by Star Roses and Plants

S

ince 1999 when the ‘Knock Out’ rose was introduced, the race has been on for more and prettier disease resistant roses. Most roses still need to be sprayed for black-spot but look for the new disease resistant cultivars. I know many of us (me included) have some old favorites that we really want to have in our gardens but we must care for them accordingly. A regular spray schedule is necessary to keep those roses happy and healthy.

Check your local garden supply store for fungicides to prevent diseases such as black-spot, anthracnose and powdery mildew.

‘Julia Child’

by Star Roses and Plants

‘Mother of Pearl’

by Star Roses and Plants

a few—will not only break down and add nutrients to the soil, but keep the weeds down as well. All of these tips also will work on the old beauties we love so well. You just need to spray to prevent those dreaded diseases.

The following is a list of some of the older and newer modern roses from before the ‘Knock Out’ revolution. I have found they tolerate our climate with grace and care:

HT – Hybrid Tea Fl – Floribunda Cl – Climber HM – Hybrid Musk The best practice is to alternate two different fungicides with Gr – Grandiflora ‘Bolero’ Fl different active ingredients. This is to prevent the disease from ‘Mr. Lincoln’ HT ‘Mother of Pearl’ Gr becoming resistant to the chemicals. Always follow the directions ‘Memorial Day’ HT ‘Julia Child’ Fl on the container when using chemicals and take the precautions ‘Sunsprite’ Fl ‘Heritage’ DA ‘Penelope’ HM the manufacturer lists. Unfortunately, the heat and humidity we ‘Apricot Nectar’ HT experience in the St. Louis area are perfect conditions for the ‘Iceberg’ Fl ‘Elina’ HT ‘Queen Elizabeth’ Gr disease to flourish.

‘Westerland’ Cl ‘Pretty Lady’ Fl Cultural practices can go a long way to keeping our rose gardens ‘The Pilgrim’ DA free of disease. One of the first things is to plant disease resistant roses. I mentioned the ‘Knock Out’ series of roses earlier, but that’s This is just a small group of the roses that grow well in St. Louis. The only the beginning of hardier, healthier roses. Look for Proven roses you choose go a long way to having a beautiful rose garden.

Winners roses. Most of you have heard of the Proven Winners A lot depends on the amount of time you want to spend caring for plants. The Proven Winners are plants trialed across the country your roses. Choosing roses with proven disease resistance will that have proven to be healthy and hardy. The Proven Winners make caring for your rose garden easier and more rewarding. roses are mainly landscape roses but have a variety of colors and bloom types, some also have fragrance. Look for other roses that photo credits: Suñorita rose courtesy Proven Winners® Color have won the ARTS (American Rose Trials for Sustainability) Choice®, all others courtesy Star Roses and Plants. award for sustainability and the AGRS (American Garden Rose Selection). These roses are trialed across the country and have proven to be disease resistant.

Another tip is to plant companion plants among the roses. This is especially effective with the more disease-resistant varieties and adds interest to your gardens as well. Keep the nitrogen levels low by using organic nitrogen instead of chemical sources that might release quickly, giving the roses a quick burst of lush green growth that encourages disease. A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch— mushroom compost, rotted manure or shredded hardwood, to name 10

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.

The Gateway Gardener™ SUMMER 2022

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11

A Blackout Knockout

A

s editor of The Gateway Gardener, I don’t get as many unsolicited contributions as, say, the editor of the New Yorker Magazine, and when I do, they often— how best to say it— don’t move the needle for me. This one, however, pushed the needle off the register.

Submitted by Gateway Gardener reader Mary Schanuel, of Wentzville, MO, it is a “blackout poem” based on a Scott Woodbury article, “Wilding the Home Garden”, published in our April 2022 edition.

Being an out- of-it septuagenarian, I had to Google “Blackout Poetry”. Simply, as the photo of the article Mary worked with illustrates, the poet takes an existing work, blacks out the unwanted words, leaving the desired words, and using them, usually in order of appearance, to create a new poem.

I not only thought the process was clever, but the finished poem was quite beautiful. Thank you for sharing, Mary! I hope our readers will have the same response—Ed.

12

Wild the Garden

by Mary Schanuel Take a yard wild.

No bushes, no lawn, no oval pears.

Wildflowers dominate, grow wide, flirt with the sidewalk.

Grow dense in spring.

Dried seed heads and grass stand through winter in tall stubble.

Beetles, bugs, butterflies bees and hoppers, luna moths, wooly bear caterpillars.

Holes in leaves.

A plant reaching, tapping: Hey human, slow down Enjoy. Say thanks.

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CHICA BONITA.

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13

The Cornucopia Corner

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

Summer Vacation Plans for the Veggie Garden

By Steffie Littlefield

S

ummer is really when all the action is in the vegetable garden. I know we all like to take long vacations in the summer but if you are not planning a staycation to garden for a week or two uninterrupted, please do remember that there are many tasks that must be taken care of to keep the garden productive and lower your maintenance when you return.

Here are some tricks to make your summer vacation more enjoyable because you will know your garden will not be a disaster when you return home.

also looking for the wonderful meals to be found in your vegetable garden. Protection in the way of low or high fencing (as needed), netting and even sturdy wood boarders attached to fabric coverings or screens may be needed to keep your plants pest-free during your absence.

Sometimes motion detectors are used to trigger sound machines, and lights are very effective.

There are lots of repellants you apply to the beds that are helpful, but if you are gone for more than a few days rain can dilute their effectiveness very quickly leaving your precious produce The main jobs in the vegetable garden over the summer are vulnerable. watering, weeding, pest protection and harvesting.

The last thing to manage is how to keep the ripe vegetables harvested In the heat of the summer months, it is imperative to keep your so the newer ones can form and the older ones don’t just rot on the plants hydrated or the crop will not form and be healthy and plants vine, so to speak. This is the perfect job for a friend or neighbor. can even decline and wither away. This can mean watering once I’ve heard many a neighbor boast of getting to harvest vegetables or even twice a day. There are measures you can take to keep the for a traveling friend and how exciting it was to prepare those fresh ground from drying out. Mulching really does help to hold moisture veggies for themselves. I’m sure the more conscientious neighbor near the roots and slow it from evaporating. Planting small starts a will save you a few of your tomatoes and beans, but it’s worth bit deeper in the ground can position the roots down where the heat sharing the bounty to have them check on things, chase the rabbits of the day doesn’t affect them as severely. Installing soaker hoses away and notice if the watering system is functioning. You may on a timer and running them several weeks before your departure also be able to do the same favor for them if they are also an avid to make sure your plants are getting adequate water is the best gardener who likes to travel. solution. Many neighbors are well intended and try to help with watering, but life can easily get in the way of their neighborly duties.

Competition from weeds in the vegetable garden will not only rob your plants of the much needed water, it can also starve them, as the intruding plants greedily taking all the nutrients you have lovingly applied in organic and soluble fertilizers. Some tall weeds can overshadow your veggies and block the light, cause fungus to grow and even obliterate their existence altogether. Here again a good mulch covering the soil will hinder these bullies. A protective blanket would be the best choice, created from newspaper, cardboard or even landscape cloth that is permeable to moisture.

Just make sure your soaker hose or water source is installed under the covering. Also, a treatment of some organic slow-release fertilizer under the mulch will help your plants thrive in your absence.

Deer, rabbits, birds, raccoons, armadillos, caterpillars, beetles and many other creatures that co-habitate in your neighborhood are 14

These tips may not make your garden progress as well as when you are tending it daily but, you will be home in no time and your garden will be in better shape than you had imagined with a little planning and the help of your envious friends who are in awe of your garden every time they visit. Don’t be surprised if other neighbors are invited to take a peek while you are gone and later compliment your gardening skills. Safe travels!

Steffie Littlefield is a St Louis area horticulturist and garden designer. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticultural Association, Missouri Botanical Garden Members Board and past president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis. She is part-owner of Edg-Clif Winery, Potosi, MO. www.Edg-Clif. com.

The Gateway Gardener™ SUMMER 2022

TREES WORK

health for your

Feeling tired?

Spending just 20 minutes outside can give your brain an energy boost comparable to a cup of coffee.

Spending time in nature, conservation areas, woods, backyards, and urban parks may ease stress levels.

Getting away from busy schedules allows people to connect with nature and themselves in a way that brings calm and a sense of well-being.

Taking a nature walk may increase attention spans and creative problem-solving skills by as much as 50 percent.

Exposure to nature contributes to physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

Get healthy in nature this year. Visit mdc.mo.gov/places-go or download the free MO Outdoors app for ideas on where to go near you.

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15

Loving Plants

inspiration beyond the usual?

Wandering the aisles of your local garden center can be a time to slow down and seek joy. Wander aimlessly and pay attention to the plants. Is there a color that is a source of comfort? A soft pink bloom might be a reminder of a favorite family member who favored a pink wardrobe. The bright yellow or orange of a marigold can remind us of the source of light we experience every day from the sun. Textures in plants can have a calming effect if we pause to explore a fuzzy leaf, relaxing in the moment. The plethora of scents provided by herbs takes their place in the garden beyond the culinary purposes. Explore the selection of herbs available and perhaps add one to your garden whose scent made you relax or trigger a memory from long ago. In this process, always be conscious of which plants will thrive in your space.

A home garden can be a source of comfort and joy beyond the obvious. Once everything is planted and watered, sit back and revel in what has been created by your hands and nature. Pay attention to the sensory aspects of each plant, beyond the obvious.

Turn over the leaf of a favorite plant and notice the difference in color between the top and bottom of a leaf. Stare into the face of a flower and discover a multitude of colors, more than the one that initially drew you to it. Run your hand over an herb, long enough to get the scent on your fingers and send the wafting aroma into the air. Take the time to enjoy your garden and all the pleasure it can bring.

H

ome gardening takes many forms, from a pot of geraniums on a porch to an installation of a pollinator garden full of native plants and everything in between. One of the pleasures of gardening is the process of choosing flowers, herbs, vegetables, shrubs and even trees that spark our interest. Many gardeners select plants based on the traditions of their family, perhaps growing Big Boy tomatoes because that is what grandma The Therapeutic Horticulture team of the Missouri Botanical always grew. A shady yard calls for color and every year, a splash Garden has created a list of our Top 10 Sensory Plants, selections of color is added by planting impatiens. But what if we seek we chose for a multitude of sensory reasons. Follow this link for more information https://discoverandshare.org/2021/03/16/top10-plants-for-a-sensory-experience/

Top 10 Sensory Plants Lemon Verbena • Scented leaves • Textured leaves

For Almost Anything You Need In The Garden (Including Hard To Find Tools)

We Also Carry a Full Line of Organic Solutions Plus... all you need for growing delicious, healthy Home-grown vegetables!

115 E. Argonne Kirkwood, MO (314)822 -0083 Hours: m-f 9:00-5:30 • Sat 8:30-5:00

We Accept:

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- Personal Checks & Cash

Scented Geranium • Scented leaves • Textured leaves Globe Amaranth • Bright-colored flowers • Textured flower head Ruby Grass • Soft-textured flower head • Attractive foliage and flower Coneflower • Attractive flowers • Textured leaves and seeds • Attracts butterflies

Lavender • Scented leaves and flowers • Textured foliage Cockscomb • Visually attractive • Bright colors and interesting textures Rosemary • All parts are scented • Savory taste for cooking Pansy • Textured petals • Scented • Outstanding color Thyme • Textured leaves and stems • Scented

Information provided by the Missouri Botanical Garden Therapeutic Horticulture department.

The Gateway Gardener™ SUMMER 2022

For a Beautiful Weed-Free Lawn!

Weed Out with Crabgrass Control • Controls crabgrass and broadleaf weeds in lawns.

• Available in ready-to-use hand-held spray, ready-to-spray hose-end sprayer, or concentrate.

Look for these and other ferti-lome products at your favorite independent nurseries and garden centers.

For plant care and information on over 8,000 plants, visit www.fertilome.com

Kills All Types of Weeds and Grasses

NEW! KILL-ZALL® 365 Weed and Grass Killer • New formulation gives total vegetation control for up to one year! Use on non-crop areas such as fencerows, driveways and around buildings.

• Gallon or 32 oz Super Concentrate Look for these and other Hy-Yield products at your favorite independent nurseries and garden centers.

For plant care and information on over 8,000 plants, visit www.fertilome.com

SUMMER 2022

The Gateway Gardener™

17

Naturally Natives A Better Way to Weed Nadia Navarrete-Tindall

by Scott Woodbury

Nature abhors a vacuum, as this chickweed takes over under native hydrangea shrubs.

Y

ou would think that pulling weeds is simple enough that

anybody can figure it out. Surely it does not require a degree to master—just grab the weed and yank it out of the ground. Many people think that it is as easy as that. Though time after time, I see new volunteers, homeowners, and interns who struggle to stay on top of recurring weed problems.

done in one session, but that’s not how weeding always happens, especially in larger gardens.

In most cases, noticeable weeds are the biggest ones that stand out like a sore thumb. It only takes a quick pass through the garden to pull those big, obvious weeds—the ones that are a foot tall or more.

The ones that your neighbor can see. The ones that are getting ready One thing I’ve noticed is that people obsess over getting every weed to flower, or already are. These are the low-hanging fruit. These are out, all at once. They start hand pulling at one end of the garden, the weeds that you can pull while fetching the paper, or taking the and meticulously work through to the other side, until every weed, recycling to the curb. And what to do with those weeds after you large, medium, or small, is gone. That’s fine if you can get it all

Not all who wander are lost.

Some are searching for

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

If you have purchased our native plants in the past, thank you very much. If you haven’t been a customer, here are a few things to keep in mind: We propagate almost all of our plants from seeds, instead of cuttings or divisions, because we want to keep the genetics of these plants as diverse as possible. The source of our seeds and plants can be traced to native plants growing wild in Missouri.

We strive to keep them as wild as possible.

Shopping at our Brazito (Jefferson City) location: The retail “store” (outdoor sales area) is open 9 to 5 year round, Monday through Friday and weekends in spring and fall as listed on our website.

Pre-orders are welcome.

THE BEST NATIVE PLANTS BEGIN AT...

OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY | 8 AM - 5 PM

We can ship your order! Plants are shipped on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays all year. UPS usually delivers the next day to all of Missouri and to the middle of surrounding states. Shipping charges apply.

We will be selling plants in the St. Louis area again in September and October. Watch our website and Facebook for dates.

www.mowildflowers.net

88 Forrest Keeling Lane | Elsberry, MO 63343 | 573-898-3010 | forrestkeeling.com

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The Gateway Gardener™ SUMMER 2022

Jen Sieradski

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants knock off the dirt and have them in hand? Direct compost them, of course. No need to gather them in a pile or in a bucket and haul them away. Hide them under or behind another plant and let them rot out of sight, directly in the garden. Or wad them into a ball and heave them to the back of the garden where A scuffle hoe (left) and Dutch they disappear. Remember, you hoe. are only grabbing the biggest, most obvious weeds in sight, and be sure that they are not covered with ripe seeds! Weeds with seeds need to go to the compost pile or trash. The rest of the small to medium weeds can wait until the weekend.

For the myriad tiny weeds that you encounter, you may not need to pull them by hand. Try a scuffle hoe or a Dutch hoe when soil is dry, to scrape and sever the tops from their roots. Those tiny weeds will shrivel up in 24 hours and virtually disappear so there may not be a need to remove them from the garden. Keep in mind that the reason there are so many tiny weeds is that the mulch was too thin or gone altogether. If you are using brown mulch, top dress these thin areas, making sure that mulch is 2 inches deep to prevent future weeds.

roots as possible. You will likely miss some roots and need to pull repeatedly through the spring and summer months to get them under control. Be sure to prevent them from going to seed, or they will spread out of control.

Lastly, we have been tinkering with groundcovers—sometimes referred to as “living, green mulch”—that meander through flowerbeds, covering bare ground and suppressing weeds. In full sun to part shade, we use wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) between wild indigo (Baptisia spp.), rose mallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpus), and turtlehead (Chelone obliqua). When the strawberry fills in (it only takes one growing season), weeds have a hard time moving back in, and there is no need for brown mulch.

In shady areas, we are doing the same with round-leaved groundsel (Packera obovata). Eventually, the taller natives will shade out the wild strawberry and fill in, shading out weeds as well.

Reoccurring weeds can be the bane of a gardener’s existence. But they don’t have to be. Here are the words to a favorite song of mine, Walking the Beans, by Greg Brown: “Bandana on my head, I got a long-handled hoe in my hand. You know people are afraid of hell and now I understand, ‘cause I can picture some devil from that land below, and he’s a-pushin’ pigweed up from under every row I just hoed….”

Happy gardening y’all.

When hand pulling larger weeds in conventionally mulched garden beds (leaf or hardwood mulch), it is easiest to yank most weeds when the soil is moist.

Don’t forget to knock off the dirt, but be careful to return the clods of dirt back into the hole you just made and cover with mulch.

Dirt clods sitting on top of mulch will sprout new weeds quickly.

A rookie mistake.

Take advantage of leaves that naturally fall from the trees. In fall, rake them off the lawn and evenly (and thinly) spread them on bare ground, between plants in flowerbeds. I love using the leaves of bald cypress and pine. Their color and texture are unbeaten.

Pesky weeds like tall goldenrod, wild germander, and horse nettle are frustrating because they have suckering roots that spread far and wide. Pull them when the soil is moist, to remove as many 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 30 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program.

SUMMER 2022

The Gateway Gardener™

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Late Summer Events Last month we featured many garden tours that were coming up this summer. Because of the early deadlines, plans were incomplete for some tours and events. But a month later, we’ve been able to gather information for a few more late summer/early fall events we’d like to highlight here. Mark your calendars!

Washington County Home Grown Farm Tour and Field Dinner Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery and Brewery, and other Washington County locations The Naturally Meramec Consortium will be a partner in the Washington County Home Grown Farm Tour and Field Dinner event on Saturday, August 27, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and sponsor the “Taste of Washington County” to be held in downtown Potosi, Missouri. This event will showcase the best Washington County has to offer in the areas of locally grown and value-added products, including homemade specialty foods, local wines and craft beer, hand-crafted products made by local artisans, as well as tourism destinations and lodging establishments. During the day visitors will also be invited on the self-guided tour of local farms and ranches. That evening the Field Dinner in Picnic format will be held at Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery and Brewery. The cost will include picnic basket, wine glasses, appetizers and full country picnic, with beverages included, served under pavilion or ‘en plein air’ on the wedding field, at socially distanced tables, cost is $80 for a basket for two. Supports local farmers and agriculture students through scholarships. Reservations required, this event sells out every year, limited seating! Call 573-438-8555 or dbust@ wcpartnership.org.

The 20th Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show hosted by Gateway Koi and Pond Club

ST. LOUIS KOI SHOW & POND EXPO

SEPTEMBER 23, 24 & 25, 2022 Fri. 3-5pm, Sat. 9am-5pm and Sun. 10am-2pm

TIMBERWINDS NURSERY 54 CLARKSON ROAD ELLISVILLE, MO 63011 Free event. For more information visit www.nmzna.net, www.gatewaykoiandpondclub.org or call 314-276-9461.

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20th Annual Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show & Pond Expo Timberwinds Nursery 54 Clarkson Road Ellisville, MO 63011 The Gateway Gardener™ SUMMER 2022

The Gateway Koi and Pond Club of St. Louis will host the 20th Annual Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show & Pond Expo on September 23-25, 2022. The event will be held at Timberwinds Nursery in Ellisville, MO and is open to the public with free admission. Hours are Friday 3-5pm, Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 10am-2pm. There will be raffles, attendance prizes, koi judging and speakers on various topics of ponding and gardening Saturday, along with the judges’ talk and tour of the tanks on Sunday. Show koi will be removed from tanks for transport home on Sunday at noon. Koi, goldfish and pond & garden-related vendors will be open all three days. Timberwinds Nursery carries a wide variety of high-quality plants, shrubs and trees along with decorative garden and gift items. Show schedule is available on www.nmzna.net and www.gatewaykoiandpondclub.org. Come enjoy the beautiful living jewels of Japan! Fun for the whole family! Outdoor event-rain or shine! Gateway Koi and Pond Club hosts monthly educational meetings and fun events. Check us out on our website above and on Facebook!

SPLASH! Pond and Garden Tour Chalily, 14430 Manchester Rd., St. Louis 63011 Saturday, Sept. 24th, 2022 Join us on a tour of water gardens around St. Louis! From the DIY-er to professionally built, these hosts are opening their water features for your inspiration! You can ride the bus or drive yourself to visit these beautiful outdoor spaces all around St. Louis. Ask the hosts your questions, take some pictures, sit on a bench and enjoy the view! The purpose of SPLASH! is to raise money for a worthy charity. 100% of proceeds benefit Project

SUMMER 2022

The Gateway Gardener™

Healing Waters, which is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled military personnel through fly fishing and education. Tickets include breakfast at one of the beautiful gardens, lunch at another host garden, and dinner at the last water feature on the tour. The buses begin and end at Chalily. Tickets will be available in store at Chalily or online at chalily.com.

For other summer events, please check out our upcoming events calendar in this issue and online calendar at gatewaygardener. com/events, where we’ll add information about tours, plant sales, classes and other events that come to us after publishing this issue.

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Upcoming Events July 9th 9am—Pollinators. Children’s Garden Club, Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves, MO 63119.

Aug. 6th 9am—Children’s Garden Club. Sherwood Forest Nursery, 2651Barrett Station Rd., St. Louis, MO 63021.

Upcoming Events Meetings, Classes, Entertainment and More Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at www.

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 the September issue is August 1st.

Fun for Kids June 4th 9am—Children’s Garden Club. Sherwood Forest Nursery, 2651Barrett Station Rd., St. Louis, MO 63021.

Classes, Sales, Tours and More June 2nd 6pm—Water for the Garden and Orchard. Part of the Seed St. Louis Summer Webinar Class Series. Have you wondered about the best way to water your garden or orchard? In this class we will discuss the many different ways to water your garden manually and through various types of irrigation both store bought and homemade. We will also cover the basics of how to collect rainwater to use for watering purposes. Register at https://seedstl.org/ classes/ June 3rd-4th 4:30-8:30 Fri., 9am-1pm Sat.—Gardens in Bloom Tour. Featuring gardens in Belleville and Swansea, IL. Tickets available after May 1st at Sandy’s Back Porch, Effinger’s

Garden Center, Creative Landscapes Garden Center, Ace Hardware O’Fallon, Hometown Ace Hardware Belleville, and University of Illinois Extension Offices in Waterloo or Collinsville, and online at https://event.gives/gardensinbloom2022.

Day of event tickets at West End Dental, 9460 W. Main Street, Belleville, IL. For more information contact U. of I. Extension (618) 939-3434 or uie-mms@illinois.edu.

June 4th 10am-5pm—The Square in Bloom Garden Tour & Antique Fair. Tour of 8 unique city gardens, local food and beverages, music in the plaza, outdoor living vendors, classic trolley, vitage Packard Club Car, Historic 1860s baseball, evening concert and more, plus the popular outdoor Antique Fair. $15/ person, $20 day-of can be purchased at www.lafayettesquare.org/housetours.

June 4th – 5th 10am—27th Annual Town and Country Garden Tour. The Garden Tour includes both a walking tour of gardens in downtown Historic Hermann and a driving tour to gardens in the hills around Hermann. The $15 ticket price includes visits to at least four private gardens; these gardens are both in town and in the country and include a traditional four-square garden. Garden Tour visits may be spread over Saturday and

Sunday. Tickets will be sold online before the tour at Eventeny and at Topiaries (138 E. 4th) in downtown Hermann during the tour from 10-5 on Saturday and 10-3 on Sunday. Gardens close at 5pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday. A map to the gardens will be provided starting on Saturday June 4th at the Topiaries ticket sale site. The Hermann Garden Club’s website www. hermanngardentours.com provides upto-date events, ticket prices, links to the online ticket sale site, contact numbers, and photographs of past tour gardens. Visit the FAQS page on the website for answers to all your questions. “Like” us on Facebook at “Hermann Garden Tours.” Go to www. visithermann.com to find information about lodging.

June 10th-11th 4-8pm Fri., 9am-1pm Sat.—22nd Annual Madison County Garden Tour. Visit six beautiful private gardens and two community gardens in Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, Illinois. The gardens may be toured at the leisure of the ticket holders.

The tour is sponsored by Madison County Extension Foundation with the support of the University of Illinois Master Gardeners.

Tickets are $13 online, children 10 and under free. More information at (618) 344-4230 or http://event.gives/madcongardentour22.

@Edg-Clif August 27th, 2022

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The Gateway Gardener™ SUMMER 2022

June 11th 9am-4pm—St. Louis Native Plant Garden Tour. The popular St. Louis Native Plant Garden Tour is produced annually

by St. Louis Audubon Society and Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter. This year it also will include participation from Wild Ones St. Charles Area Chapter because some of the 10 gardens on the Tour are in the St. Charles/St. Peters area. The others are in Chesterfield and Maryland Heights. This self-guided tour includes a wide variety of habitats, native landscaping styles and yard sizes. This is an educational tour, so there will be a lot of information posted in gardens and shared by the homeowners and by volunteer docents throughout the day. Mark your calendars for May 7, when registration opens.

In previous years registration has filled up very quickly. To register go to stlaudubon.org.

June 12th 9am-3pm—St. Louis Master Gardeners Garden Tour. The 2022 St. Louis Master Gardener Garden Tour will include ten beautiful gardens from around the St. Louis area and is open to all Master Gardeners and their guests. There will be a $15 per person charge to be paid upon registration at the University of Missouri Extension website.

In case of rain, the tour will be held on Saturday, June 18th. More information and a link for registration will be provided later this spring on the Master Gardener website.

June 19th 9am-2pm—St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale. Other plant societies and vendors may also be represented. The not-for-profit society’s mission is to share information about the natural habitats of carnivorous plants, how to grow and propagate them, and how to help preserve their natural habitats. We donate yearly to several organizations to help preserve these fascinating plants and the Show and Sale is our primary fundraiser for the year, as well as a great way to raise awareness about carnivorous plants. Buy and view a wide range of plants from popular and commonplace carnivorous plants to rare and unusual. Event is at Papillion Perennials, 2906 Ossenfort Rd, Wildwood, MO 63038.

June 23rd 6pm—Staying Cool in the Garden and Orchard. Part of the Seed St. Louis Summer Webinar Class Series. The heat of summer is hard on both people and plants. In this class we will discuss ways to reduce heat stress on plants to keep your garden growing through the extreme heat of summer. We will also cover tips to make sure you stay safe while caring for your garden and orchard. Register at https:// seedstl.org/classes/.

June 25th 9am-5pm—23rd Annual Kimmswick Day Lily Sale. Sale to be held at the state inspected garden of Mr. Carrol Wrather, #6005 4Th Street Kimmswick, MO 63053.

Offering over 1300 freshly dug & bagged plants, featuring over 70 different varieties.

This is a great opportunity to purchase new and older varieties not available in nurseries or garden centers. The sale often sells out, so be sure to arrive early for best selection. Early Bird Specials are in short

SUMMER 2022

supply. Proceeds benefit the Kimmswick Visitor Center. Important: We will be practicing CDC Safe guidelines, masks are optional and proper social distancing should be maintained. For information call (636) 464-6464.

June 25th and 26th 9am-5pm both days—22nd Annual PondO-Rama Water Garden and Pond Tour The St. Louis Water Garden Society (SLWGS) is celebrating 32 years as a society sharing information about fish, ponds, and gardens. This year is the Society’s 22nd annual water garden and pond tour, and will feature 30 private gardens owned and maintained by Society members. The gardens are located throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.

This self-guided tour is arranged each day by geographic location. There are always so many varieties of water gardens, bubbling rocks, small ponds to massive ones. There is something for everyone to enjoy safely outside and social distancing. In addition to their water features, most of our hosts are avid gardeners who maintain beautiful landscapes filled with perennials, annuals and shrubs. Our hosts will be available and delighted to share information and answer questions. Tickets covering both days of the tour are $15 each (18 and older. A special 2022 Discount: Groups of 10 or more are only $10 each person. The tour ticket booklet provides location addresses, descriptions and driving directions. For more information on where to purchase tickets call 800-374-9665 or by mail order from the Society’s website in May, www. slwgs.org, and at many retailers and garden centers.

raspberries. It is also the best time to prune your trees if you are trying to keep them smaller than they want to grow. Come and learn how to do the summer pruning, how to safely shorten tree height, and how the grow blackberries and raspberries successfully in the St. Louis region. Register at https:// seedstl.org/classes/.

July 16th-17th 9am-5pm—Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society Annual Cactus and Succulent Sale and Show. Celebrating 80 years, the HSCSS sale features multiple vendors for an incredible selection, from starer plants and popular succulents to rare specimen cacti. Great pots, too. And don’t miss the special display of succulents from around the world. FREE admission.

NEW LOCATION. Glaziers Hall, 5916 Wilson Ave., St. Louis MO 63110. Visit hscactus.org/events/show-sale/ for more information.

Aug. 4th 6pm—Fall Gardening. Part of the Seed St. Louis Summer Webinar Class Series. Fall is one of the best times to grow vegetables in St. Louis’ climate. You need to plant things when it’s still hot to get a good fall crop.

Learn about what crops are best to grow in the fall and what you need to do to have a vibrant and abundant fall harvest. Register at https://seedstl.org/classes/.

Aug. 18th 6pm—Winter Gardening and Overwintering Crops. Part of the Seed St. Louis Summer Webinar Class Series.

Although it is generally thought of as the

dormant season, it is entirely possible to harvest fresh food from your garden in the winter and early spring. However, to do that you need to plant those crops in the fall.

So learn about what plants you can plant now to extend your harvest throughout the winter and early spring so you can eat fresh vegetables all year long. Register at https:// seedstl.org/classes/.

Aug. 27th 10am-4pm—Washington County Home Grown Farm Tour and Field Dinner.

The Naturally Meramec Consortium will be a partner in the Washington County Home Grown Farm Tour and Field Dinner event and sponsor the “Taste of Washington County” to be held in downtown Potosi, Missouri. This event will showcase the best Washington County has to offer in the areas of locally grown and value-added products, including homemade specialty foods, local wines and craft beer, hand-crafted products made by local artisans, as well as tourism destinations and lodging establishments.

During the day visitors will also be invited on the self-guided tour of local farms and ranches. That evening the Field Dinner in Picnic format will be held at Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery and Brewery. The cost will include picnic basket, wine glasses, appetizers and full country picnic, with beverages included, served under pavilion or ‘en plein air’ on the wedding field, at socially distanced tables, cost is $80 for sasion i E Admand basket for two. Supports local farmers • FRE Kids Corner agriculture students through scholarships.

FREE Reservations required, this• event sells out every year, limited seating! Call 573-4388555 or dbust@wcpartnership.org.

June 26th Noon-4pm—Bittersweet Garden Club 22nd Annual Garden Tour in Jefferson City, MO. Tickets are $10. Participants can tour five beautifully landscaped gardens in the Jefferson City are and discover fresh ideas to apply to their own gardens. More information can be viewed at BittersweetGardenClub.com.

Noon-4pm—New Town Garden Club Annual Garden Tour. Tour up to 10 different New Hown home gardens using small spaces for a big impact. Tickets on sale now for $10 in advance, $15 day of the event. Contact Terri at terristeffes1117@ gmail.com for more information or to purchase tickets.

11am-4pm—The Sustainable Backyard Tour. A free, open-yards tour of ecofriendly spaces throughout St. Louis and St. Charles. Get tips and ideas for living more sustainably on a warming planet, like organic gardening, beekeeping, stormwater management, renewable energy and more.

Don’t miss this chance to see first-hand how others have integrated sustainable living practices into their lives and learn what you need to know to go green! Visit sustainablebackyard.org for more information.

July 14th 6pm—Summer Pruning and Growing Blackberries and Raspberries. Part of the Seed St. Louis Summer Webinar Class Series. Summer is a critical time to prune your apples, pears, blackberries, and

The Gateway Gardener™

SUPER

t n e l u c Suc

SALE

Cactus, Too!

July 16 & 17, 2022

•

St. Louis

The Midwest’s Top Cactus & Succulent Event Is Back!

Help Henry Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society celebrate “80 Years”!

Multiple vendors mean an unmatched selection – from starter plants and popular succulents to rare specimen cacti. Great pots, too! And don’t miss the special display of succulents from around the world.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

•

FREE Admission

NEW LOCATION!

Glaziers Hall

5916 Wilson Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63110

hscactus.org/events/show-sale/

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