The Gateway Gardener Summer 2023

®

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

Iwas reviewing the Summer Issue from a year ago, in which I wrote about the warm spring causing some of my garden favorites to come and go before I had a chance to enjoy them. It happened again this spring, though not due to a quickened season, but because family matters drew my attention elsewhere. In both cases, spring passed by without a chance to enjoy or photograph the season’s offering. I missed the spring songbird migration, missed the serviceberries, the fringe tree, much of the spring ephemeral show. Most noticeably, I missed the spring garden cleanup, as the jungle around me now threatens to consume every available bare space (see photo as Exhibit A). But summer is now here, and with it its own show to engage, and its own chores requiring attention. So, see you next year, spring, a new summer awaits! Our veggie gardening contributor Steffie Littlefield must have had a similar experience, because she writes this month with tips for those of us who are a bit tardy in getting our summer-season

veggies in the ground. It’s not too late, she advises on page 17, with suggestions for warmseason plants with shorter “days to harvest” timetables that will still allow us to grow our own this summer. After I get my garden weeded, I’ll have her timely list in hand! Serendipitously, I discovered that some spring chores, if ignored, take care of themselves. In my case, many of the perennial garden areas grew in to fill bare areas on their own, and the leaves I might have cleaned up in years past, smothered out weeds and then were covered themselves by the canopy of surrounding garden plants. For years I’ve followed the tenets

of the “Leave the Leaves” philosophy in some parts of the garden (Leave the Leaves promotes leaving undisturbed leaf litter to benefit the many beneficial organisms that overwinter beneath them). This year, leaves were left mostly everywhere. You’re welcome, slugs and snails and millepedes and all!

But some tasks still must be attended to, and Abby Lapides offers a helpful list on page 4. Chief among those may be watering. We are entering the summer season with a slight moisture deficit in most areas of our region, and long-term forecasts are calling for a hot and dry summer. So, follow Abby’s advice and “water like a pro!”

There’s much more in these pages, but for me, it’s time to quit writing about it, and start doing it! So Happy Father’s Day, and…

Good Gardening!

The editor’s veggie garden two weeks after Mother’s Day!

Favorite Summer Garden Tips

By Abby Lapides

Creating a beautiful garden is a rewarding task, filled with exciting possibilities. The nicest compliment a gardener can receive from a friend or neighbor is, “You have flowers blooming all season – How do you do it?” Follow some of these

long into fall.

• Pinch back mums and other fall-blooming perennials such as aster and turtlehead to create bushier plants with more flowers. Plants should be cut back around July 4th

• Cutting off spent flowers of perennials and annuals, called deadheading, encourages more blooming. Deadheading diverts the plant’s resources from generating seeds into producing new blossoms.

• Divide and set our tall bearded iris in late July. Select only healthy outside rhizomes for replanting in newly prepared soil.

• If your annuals look spent and leggy, cut them back hard to about 4-6” to encourage new growth. This will revitalize annuals such

Ann Lapides

as petunias and million bells.

• Heavy rains will leech out fertilizers, especially in potting soils formulated for containers. If the color of leaves is a dark green the plant is fine; if the leaves turn to a light green there’s been a loss of nutrients and the plant requires fertilizer. Apply a slowrelease fertilizer like Osmocote. It only takes minutes to apply, and one application will last the rest of the summer. For even more flowers, also apply liquid fertilizer at 1/2 strength following manufacturer’s instructions.

• No fertilizers should be applied to shrubs and trees after July 4, it may cause tender lush growth that is more susceptible to winter kill.

• Hibiscus and other houseplants wintered indoors need a good supply of water and fertilizer up until early October. If plants

are pot bound, consider repotting them into a larger container, one size up. Repot plants by late August so they will be well established for bringing indoors later in fall.

• Fertilize mums, asters and other fall-blooming perennials for the last time in early August.

• Divide spring blooming perennials in late August when the temperature has started to cool down.

• If needed, cut back spring and summer blooming shrubs by early to mid August. Some trees and shrubs start to set buds at this time. If you cut the stems later in the season you risk losing your blossoms.

How to water Like a Pro

Keeping plants watered is an essential task to creating a longblooming and happy garden, yet sometimes we’re just too busy with other things. In St Louis we can pretty much count on a stretch of hot weather with little or no rain every summer. Here are some of my favorite techniques that make managing my gardens, containers, and houseplants a bit easier.

• Get your plants to absorb as much water as possible by watering them in the early morning. Later in the hottest parts of the day plants will absorb less water due to the heat causing more evaporation.

• Add mulch. Mulching helps keep the soil cool and moist and helps prevent weeds. Mulch can be shredded bark or other decorative mulches. Compost makes a great mulch as it also improves the soil. Although not the prettiest of mulches, grass cont’d on next page

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.

Ann Lapides

cont’d from previous page

clippings make a fantastic mulch for vegetable and flower beds.

• Remove weeds often. Weeds steal valuable water your plants need.

• Vegetables and flower gardens need about 1” of rain per week, but in extreme weather many need more. Water every day or two.

• Containers of flowers and vegetables may need deep waterings every day or every other day. Put your finger in the soil, about 2” down, to determine if water is needed.

• Newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered deeply when the soil has dried out. Keep a close eye on newly planted trees and shrubs for the first year or so.

• During prolonged dry spells established trees and shrubs may need occasional watering. Apply a deep watering over the entire root zone area until the top 6 to 9 inches of soil are moist.

Vacation Watering tips

Ideally, you will have someone come over to water your plants while you are on vacation. If that is not an option, try these techniques that I use:

- For outdoor plantings place timers on your faucets to schedule watering with sprinklers and soaker hoses. This easy-to-do method works great for short or long trips. If possible, move containers in the shadiest spots while you are away.

- Cut off all flowers and flower buds on reblooming perennials and annuals before you leave on vacation. It will take some stress off the plants, and will rejuvenate them, giving you fresh blooms when

you return.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Avoid light frequent watering as this promotes shallow root systems that dry out quickly causing plants to be more susceptible to summer heat and drought stress. Water deeply to train roots to grow deep in the soil where more water is available.

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Gardening 101

Perennials, Natives & Pollinator Plants

by Samantha Zale

Summer is a great time to be talking about Perennials, Natives and Pollinator Plants. June is typically seen as Perennial Plant Month because this is the time of year when garden centers feature larger, more mature options that are ready to add pizzazz to your garden. To start off we want to talk a little bit about what are perennials, what are natives and why is it possible that these may be found in different areas of the garden center.

Perennials are plants that are able to come back year after year, whereas annuals are plants that have to be planted year after year. In this context Missouri natives are often perennial in their life cycle. There are exceptions to these rules of course, but for our area this is generally what you will see. Often, what you will see in the perennial area of garden centers are cultivars- plants that have been bred for specific traits (such as flower color, overall size, and leaf texture- to name a few). A native plant on the other hand, occurs naturally in a particular area and is able to adapt to its environment. Oftentimes, you will see cultivars and natives in different areas of the garden center. Many times, the perennial cultivar area will have lots of different sections, such as ornamental grasses, groundcovers, deer resistant options. Just because they are in different areas doesn’t mean that they any less hardy for the St. Louis area.

Not only is it important to talk about perennial cultivars and natives, it is also important to talk about pollinator plants. What are pollinator plants and why are they important? These plants help to support pollinator populations by incorporating Missouri natives back into our landscape. With that said, there are many options that can be found in both the native and cultivar areas of a garden

Robert Weaver

Plants in the milkweed family, such as this marsh mildweed, are not only great pollinator plants, but also serve as host plants for monarch butterflies to lay eggs on.

center. These plants are the champions of wildlife gardening, as they attract beneficial wildlife while adding beauty and function to our outdoor spaces. Having plants that are geared toward bringing in more pollinators by providing shelter, a food source, and a preferred habitat is important for the health of our pollinators. Many garden centers will have separate areas for their pollinator plants to highlight the importance of these plants. Some of my personal favorite pollinator plants are bee balm, salvia and nepeta, with their gorgeous flowers, textured foliage and pollinator attracting powers!

So, what exactly are the creatures that are considered pollinators? There are so many creatures in the world that are pollinators. Commonly, around here we see many types of bees, butterflies, birds, beneficial insects, even flies pollinating our plants. They help to pollinate our crops so we have a chance to actually eat the fruits of our labor! What we need to be aware of as gardeners is our impact on these creatures. In recent years there has been an unfortunate decline in the health of these creatures. A few easy things we can do in our own back yards is moving toward using more organic products and avoiding excessive use of pesticides; being mindful when the pollinators are out doing their work; and by adding more pollinator plants into our landscape and incorporating pollinator-friendly gardening practices. Many garden centers in our

area carry a variety of organic products to help support pollinator populations.

Since this is the perfect time of year to be working on our perennial pollinator garden spaces, please make sure you visit your garden center for the best advice on organic products and plant material that best suits your needs. Also, your garden center may have some good recommendations if you need more information on these topics. There are so many organizations and resources out there that are geared towards perennial cultivars, natives and pollinators. Grow Native! and the Missouri Botanical Garden are two good resources to start with. With all that said, remember to use proper planting and watering techniques when you get out there and start planting those pollinator plants!

Samantha Zale is a Content Creator for Greenscape Gardens, and also manages Front Desk Operations and Customer Support.

Samantha Zale

Bee balm, a native perennial, is one of the author’s favorite pollinator plants.

Why Prairie Matters To

the Home Gardener and the Planet

This is the month when National Prairie Day (this year on June 3) is recognized. Once covering at least 15 million acres in Missouri—one-third of the state—prairies are home to a stunning diversity of species. Our remaining prairies abound with life: up to 800 native plant species, 400 native pollinators, dozens of vertebrate animals, and thousands of invertebrates, fungi, and other organisms are known from Missouri’s prairies. Prairies are beautiful, fascinating, beneficial to us—and very rare: along with other temperate grasslands of the world, prairies

are the planet’s most imperiled and least conserved major terrestrial ecosystem. Today, fewer than 45,000 scattered acres of prairie remain in Missouri—irreplaceable genetic reservoirs that must be conserved for future generations. Prairie plant roots, some growing as deep as 15 feet, build rich soil, store carbon, absorb stormwater, and protect streams. Many plants that are hardy, water-efficient, and beautiful for landscaping are native to Missouri’s prairies—prairie remants are sources of seeds for the blazing stars, pale purple coneflowers, prairie dropseed, and other prairie plants we love. Prairies provide habitat for hundreds of pollinator species, many of which are important to food crop pollination.

American prairie evokes our national spirit: expansive, exhilarating in its abundance, full of life and promise. Today— from the tallgrass prairie east of the Rockies, and westward through mid- and short-grass prairies that stretched to the Pacific coast—our native grassland legacy has been dramatically reduced to scattered remnants of its once vast 160-million-acre domain across North America.

However, these remnants—from pocket prairies that delight us with their beauty and diversity of plants, insects, birds, and other grassland wildlife—-to the larger tracts that support cattle ranching, antelope, and other large animals—remain vitally important to us:

Water Quality: It’s possible for as many as seven inches of rain from one storm to be absorbed by prairie with no runoff—helping to keep soil on the land and out of waterways. Prairie is like an incredible sponge that helps control flooding.

Soil Health: Soil scientists have determined that prairie soil hosts the most diverse communities of microorganisms of any terrestrial ecosystem on earth. Understanding how these micro-biota interact with soil and plants can help improve how agricultural land is managed—and perhaps with fewer chemical inputs.

Carbon Storage: An acre of intact prairie can absorb one ton of carbon in its roots and soil per year, and under certain conditions, substantially more.

R. S. Kinerson

The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Linden’s Prairie.

Native plant seeds destined for a prairie planting.

Scott Lenharth

Protection in Drought: Prairie plants are adapted to drought. Cattle producers have found that their livestock gain weight faster, and are healthier, when they eat prairie forage rather than non-native grasses—and prairie plants remain green and palatable in dry summers.

Pollinator Habitat: In the Midwest, no other ecosystem hosts more native pollinating insects than prairie. In Missouri, more than 250 native bee species occur on the totality of our remaining prairies, along with at least 200 total beetle, fly, butterfly, and moth species that also play a role in pollination. Because onethird of all our food crops are pollinated by insects, protecting native pollinator habitat is crucial to food security.

Beauty and Spirit: Prairie is at once open “Big Sky Country,” and also replete with infinite detail—hundreds of plant species, jewel-like spider webs, complex calls of insects and birds. This aesthetic contrast is rejuvenating to the soul and exhilarating to the senses.

The Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) is a 57-year-old prairie conservation organization and nationally accredited land trust. MPF protects and restores original, unplowed prairie and currently owns and manages 32 properties totalling more than 4,400 acres, all open to the public to enjoy on foot. In addition, MPF runs the 23-year-old Grow Native! native plant marketing and education program and administers the Missouri Invasive Plant Council. Learn more at moprairie.org, grownative.org, and moinvasives.org

Content provided by Carol Davit, executive director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation.

Don’t Miss A Single Issue

GatewayGardener

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Scents of Summer

We can easily identify many of the obvious scents of summer: roses in bloom, a favorite herb whose scent fills the air when we brush it, sweet smell of jasmine. What of the scents of the summer solstice? As we move toward the highlight of the sun’s power, paying attention to the scents and the colors of plants that thrive at this time of year can enhance our summer solstice celebrations. The longest day of the year is an opportunity to celebrate the power of the sun and the life giving force it provides to plants and us. The Therapeutic Horticulture team at Missouri Botanical Garden has designed an activity specifically for the summer solstice, highlighting colors associated with sunshine as well as plants that thrive at this time of year. Special thanks to Maria Yamnitz for her writing and research contributions to the summer solstice program.

Sunshine Sachets

These sachets are full of sunshine – from herbs traditionally harvested on the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, when the sun is at the height of its power, to flowers and a fruit that represent our life-giving star.

• St. John’s Wort - This herb was gathered on the summer solstice by Scotts, Welsch, and Celts. The herb was thrown into solstice bonfires and placed over doorways to chase away sorrow with sunshine.

• Basil – This summer garden herb is harvested at solstice when it holds the full strength of the sun’s power.

• Chamomile – Same as above and chamomile is part of the cheery, sunny daisy family.

• Calendula – Bright yellow pot marigolds are miniature symbols of the sun , plus their dried petals make excellent flower confetti.

• Orange peel – Bright orange spheres represent the sun, and the citrus scent is reminiscent of summer. Creating the sachets will allow participants in the community to explore the summer solstice in a unique way, designed to encourage a connection to nature. Perhaps you will be inspired to gather colorful and scented flowers and herbs to decorate your space, a reminder to appreciate the value of the sun to our everyday existence.

The Therapeutic Horticulture team has created a number of experiences to explore in the Adult Education class offerings at MBG. Classes focusing on the Written Word will encourage a connection between people, words and nature.

Nature Mandala classes teach you the practice of creating mandalas with natural materials to promote relaxation and deepen your connection to the natural world. To learn more about our Adult Education classes, please visit us at https:// www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/learn-discover/classes.aspx

Therapeutic Horticulture has a place in anyone’s life and we encourage you to pursue offerings https://www. missouribotanicalgarden.org/learn-discover/adults/therapeutichorticulture.aspx

Text and Photo by Jeanne Carbone

Jeanne Carbone is the Supervisor of Therapeutic Horticulture at the Missouri Botanical Garden. She has a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Outdoor Education, and holds a certificate in Horticulture Therapy from Chicago Botanic Garden. She has been involved in this work for 10 years.

Home Grown Delicacies: Part I

by Scott Woodbury

Recently, I was walking in the woods with a customer, discussing woodland restoration, when she mentioned that people had been trespassing, and were seen leaving with bags of plants, likely destined for the kitchen. It didn’t take long to find what they were after. I’m not going to reveal what the plant was, other than to say that there are many native plants that are sought after by top-notch and tinkering chefs and even more people who

Native strawberry (Fragaria virginica) is easy to grow and leaves make a delicious ingredient for herbal tea.

Wild leeks (Allium tricoccum) add a little kick to an omelette or salad.

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants

are willing to risk fines, jail time, and perhaps a loaded shotgun to poach them. Harvesting plant parts from public property, if not expressly allowed, is against the law, as is trespassing on private property. The perfect solution: grow and harvest wild edible plants yourself.

Let’s start with herbal teas. Wild strawberry leaves and linden flowers are two favorites of mine, and both are super easy to grow. Native strawberry (Fragaria virginica) (not the non-native “strawberry” groundcover present in some lawns) is easy enough to harvest, if you can lean over to pick them from the ground without pulling a muscle in your back. Linden (Tilia spp.) requires reaching up or standing on a ladder. First order of business, be safe. Linden trees bloom in early summer. Their flowers are delicately fragrant, like jasmine, and are pollinated by moths at night and bees by day. For the best flavor, strawberry leaves and linden flowers should be dried before steeping in water at 180° for three minutes, either together or separately. Mmmm-mmm good!

chopped root smells like wintergreen or root beer. Steep two tablespoons of chopped root in a quart of pure water, heated to 170° . Another customer recently asked for stinging or wood nettle (Laportea canadensis )—the floodplain species that stings and itches like crazy if you brush up against it on a walk wearing shorts. But there’s nothing tastier than steamed nettle leaves, dripping with butter, salt, and pepper, or added to a broth with arugula and stale bread (see Marcella Hazan’s The Classic Italian Cook Book). Surely somebody will start selling wood nettle plants at the local farmer’s market when people discover how tasty

cont’d. on next page

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery

9814 Pleasant Hill Rd Jefferson City MO 65109

www.mowildflowers.net

mowldflrs@socket.net

Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) can cause unpleasant stinging if carelessly brushed against, but when harvested and prepared properly makes a tasty dish steamed and dripping with butter-what doesn’t?!

Another favorite tea is sassafras (Sassafras albidum). A sixinch portion of half-inch diameter (or smaller) root is harvested, washed, and cut into 1/8th inch slices. The freshly harvested and

Scott Woodbury was the horticulturist at Shaw Nature Reserve for 30 years and stepped down from that position in June 2022. He continues to work on contract for Shaw Nature Reserve to carry out native landscaping education, and has launched his own business called Cacalia: Native Garden Design and Wilding. Scott is also founder of the Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter, which financially supports this column. Find suppliers of native plants, seeds, and services at the Grow Native! Resource Guide: www.moprairie.org.

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.

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

Nettle leaves cooking in a steamer.

Carol Davit

The leaves and flowers of ommon violets (Viola sororia) found in almost any lawn or garden where herbicides aren’t used to eradicate them are tasty in salads, especially when harvested early in the season.

they are. Other yummy steamed green come from wild goldenglow (Rudbeckia laciniata) and pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). Note that goldenglow is a mild laxative, and take caution when eating pokeweed. Pokeweed contains toxins and requires harvesting only very young shoots and leaves, stripping off the outer pinkish red skin and boiling in two separate pots of water to remove the nasty stuff that will give you a bad stomachache. Both are tender and delicious early in the season.

My son used to grab and eat handfuls of wild garlic when he was little—you know, those weedy onions that show up in old fields and gardens. Have you ever tasted it? If you ask me, it’s pretty potent stuff with a harsh aftertaste. For more refined palates, there are wild leeks (Allium tricoccum), which is available at some native plant nurseries. It takes a few years to grow a small patch, but it is well worth the effort. While waiting for the patch to grow, harvest only a few leaves at a time to flavor an omelette or salad. In a few years, you’ll be harvesting bulbs as well.

In the book Stalking the Wild Asparagus, author Euell Gibbons wrote that a half cup of chopped violet leaves has the Vitamin C content of five oranges. In spring and early summer, I love adding violet leaves and flowers to a salad. The leaves get tough by midseason. Any species will do, but common violet (Viola sororia)— the weedy one—is the prettiest, with its purple or blue flowers. They should be your best friend in the garden, because they fill the gaps between other plants, creating stability in the garden; a blanket of protection against weeds. They are also host plants for great spangled fritillary butterflies. I also like adding young, tender leaves of chickweed, plantain, strawberry, spiderwort, lamb’s quarter, and dandelion to a salad—what amazing texture and flavor this combination has! Top it all off with redbud flowers for a festive, delightful early-season salad.

A conversation about wild edible plants wouldn’t be complete without talking about berries and other fresh fruit. Look for my next article, “Homegrown Delicacies: Part Two,” where I will cover them in detail. In the meantime, know that there are many that you can easily grow in your garden, including serviceberry, elderberry, red mulberry, Missouri gooseberry, strawberry, golden currant, pawpaw, persimmon, and wild plum. Oh dear, my mouth is watering thinking about it.

Happy gardening y’all!

All photos by Scott Woodbury except nettless steaming in a pan, courtesy Carol Davit.

Note: These resources on native edibles are intended as general information only. As with any foods, there is a potential for allergic reactions when consuming native edibles. Always seek the advice of a health professional with any questions about touching or eating any plant matter.

The Cornucopia Corner

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

It’s Not Too Late to Plant a Summer Veggie Garden

By Steffie Littlefield

Hello Summer and the biggest season in the vegetable garden. What? You didn’t get to start your garden because life was too busy? I’m calling this the “postcovid syndrome”, activities and events this spring were multiplying at record speeds and the calendar is exploding. Have no fear, there are a few fun things to still get going in the garden as the lazy days of summer come round the corner and we can catch our breath and find peace in the garden once again.

Let’s start with a few last-minute greens. Yes, it is too late for spinach, arugula has bolted and kale will just stand frozen in time until the temperatures are cool again, but you can still sow a few lettuce varieties (Oakleaf, Black Seeded Simpson, Red Leaf), plant Malabar Spinach, and start a planting of French Sorrel. These will be happy to grow in warmer weather. The trick for the lettuce is to provide a bit of shade in the midday so it doesn’t need to bolt. Folding lawn chairs, frost protection cloth, cheese cloth, or beach umbrellas can do this.

Some warm season veggies can be planted anytime, the trick is to pick ones with shorter harvest times. Bush green beans like the old-fashioned ‘Contender’ can be harvested in 40-50 days, ‘Top Crop’ in 50 days and ‘Provider’ is 48-50 days. I even cut back my green beans after the first harvest and let the same plants spring back with a faster 2nd crop in the fall. Next look for a smaller bush type cucumber like ‘Easy Snack’ hybrid, ‘Pick a Bushel’ or ‘Artist’ hybrid for pickling, all under 50 days to harvest. Summer squash is an easy choice to start in the summer. The cute small hybrids like ‘Pool Ball’ (38-40 days) and ‘Griller’ hybrids (38 days), ‘Black Beauty’ (45 days), ‘Spineless Beauty’ (43 days) and ‘Easy Pick Gold’ ( 45-50 days) zucchinis.

Let’s not forget the easy and fast-to-grow radish and all the new varieties. Radishes are making a comeback in the culinary world with lots of them being pickled, roasted, chopped and pureed for exciting new side dishes for summer BBQ’s. ‘Saxa’, a popular European radish, is ready to harvest in 18 days, as is the French variety ‘De 18 Jours’. You can really get creative here with pink, purple, white, and even green Japanese Wasabi radishes. Beets are another special type of vegetable that grows underground, once those seeds get going they can survive frost and produce beautiful beets

in time for your Thanksgiving dinner. The beet greens are also delicious in a sauté.

The most desirable harvest in the garden is tomatoes. But this late in the season it can be difficult to start from seed, however many garden centers will have a few 6 packs of cherry tomatoes on their sale rack in July and you can rescue these with planting them in rich composted soil and giving them a little love and lots of water they will start to produce pretty quickly. You will enjoy a wonderful fall harvest of tomatoes for your efforts.

Now, let’s revisit what is necessary for that summer garden to be successful! WATER, WATER, WATER… It’s not tricky, it just needs to be done every day. The ground will cool off when it’s soaked with fresh water, this will revive the plants and keep them happy. If things are wilting, create some shade. If things are pale in color, feed with some organic low nitrogen fertilizer. If things are leggy or burnt, cut them off. If you have holes in plants, find the bugs and get them off. Check your garden every day while watering and you will be able to address its needs quickly.

Now, while you have a break in the action and before fall events keep you busy, plan your August Garden. The first cooler nights lure me back to the garden to plant some cool season crops that will survive early frosts and add to my harvests in October. Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Spinach, Peas, Onions and Garlic can all be added later and even covered with some frost protection to keep that garden going almost all winter. Give it a try!

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.

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News

Seed St. Louis In the News

Seed St. Louis, formerly Gateway Greening, recently announced it was awarded an American Water Charitable Foundation STEM (science, technology, education, math) Education grant, focusing on its School Program and Seed to STEM curriculum. The goal of these programs is to connect students around the region to their natural environment and healthy food. Seed St. Louis is growing its impact through more excellent teacher professional development and assisting schools in creating a strong school community by utilizing their school garden. Education surrounding growing food and healthy eating will become a regular piece of these students’ educational experience, preparing them for a future of healthy habits and a strong foundation in STEM.

Old Bayer’s Site Resprouts Under New Ownership

The long-time Hampton Avenue site of the Bayer’s Garden Shop is once again providing gardeners the plants and supplies they need for their gardens and lawns. Bayer’s served gardeners from the city and county for 81 years at (approximately) that location as well as another in Imperial before closing in June 2022. Now, husband and wife team Lila and Dylan Waier have opened The Garden Shop at 3321 Hampton, just north of the original site.

The Waiers, who moved to St. Louis in 2018 from California, have operated an indoor/outdoor garden supply shop on Ivanhoe in South St. Louis, since then, specializing in hydroponics supplies and other supplies and services, especially for those wishing to take advantage of recent legalization of homegrown cannabis. That had previous experience in that market in California, where medical marijuana has been legal since 2005. The new Garden Shop is a more traditional garden center and nursery. Though new to that part of garden retailing, the Waiers bring lots of previous experience from other jobs they say applies to the operation of their new business. In addition to the familiar plants and products Bayer’s used to offer, The Garden Shop also plans to focus on native plants, organic gardening and sustainable gardening practices.

“Seed St. Louis provides a unique avenue for STEM education throughout the St. Louis region by helping educators teach their students about how food grows, which encourages students and their families to eat healthy food and improves health outcomes. The grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation will help advance Seed St. Louis’s work in empowering communities to grow their own food,” said April Troxel, Seed St. Louis’ Board Chair.

The STEM Education grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program established by American Water, the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, and aims to support high-impact projects and initiatives that further American Water’s commitment to ESG, as well as inclusion, diversity and equity.

In another announcement, Seed St. Louis has partnered with One Tree Planted to double the capacity of the Giving Grove program in St. Louis, allowing it to grow from the current 70-100 trees planted per year to 200 trees in 2023 in the St. Louis region.

“With this grant I’m excited to be able to build upon the orchards already in our network as well as add new orchards. These funds will help our Giving Grove program be more accessible to communities in the region by greatly reducing the costs for the

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News

trees.” Dean Gunderson, Director of Education, Seed St. Louis.

This project will provide 200 fruit and nut trees across 20 sites in St. Louis, focusing primarily on the City of St. Louis, with some sites in St. Louis County that either have high rates of food insecurity or have land available to grow fruits, berries and nuts that will be distributed in neighborhoods with high rates of food insecurity. Planting will occur in the spring (April-May) and fall (October-November). Plantings also will include understory fruit bushes that will support biodiversity, food sovereignty and a longer harvest season. Each orchard will be cared for by a minimum of two trained volunteers who will serve as orchard stewards; the stewards will receive ongoing technical assistance and support from program staff for the lifetime of the orchard.

This is one of over 45 projects that One Tree

Planted is supporting globally as part of the Urban Forestry Action Fund - a portfolio of high-impact urban forestry projects aimed at planting urban trees to address environmental justice issues - such as urban heat, air pollution, and lack of community greenspaces - and ultimately help communities achieve tree equity.

“We have a long way to go to reach our desired outcome - a future where all people, regardless of race or income, have not only equal access to the benefits of trees, but equitable access to the resources needed to get us there,” said Tanner Haid, Director of Urban Forestry at One Tree Planted. “This project with Seed St. Louis, and the overarching work of the Urban Forestry Action Fund, is a meaningful step in that direction We will continue driving resources towards communities that need them most.”

U. of I. Extension Debuts New Pollinator Website

University of Illinois Extension now has available a free website, Illinois Pollinators, illinoispollinators.org, is devoted to everything pollinators. From different types of pollinator species to the step-by-step process of starting a pollinator garden or attractive

habitat, the site is a one-stop resource for those looking to make an impact on the pollinator population. Use the Illinois Pollinators content to:

• Discover which pollinator species call Illinois home

• Understand the importance of pollinators in Illinois and globally

• Identify plants pollinators use. Filter options with the plant selection tool

• Learn about pollinator habitat designs and management tips

• Explore community science and educational opportunities

• Delve into pollinator research at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

“Our plant selector tool includes 95 species of native plants that can both beautify your garden while providing pollinator resources,” says Erin Garrett, Extension natural resources, environment, and energy educator. “The site provides information about each plant’s growing conditions, the pollinators it supports, and its commercial availability.”

Check out examples of pre-planned gardens, explore plants that work for your location in Illinois by filtering our plant species list according to specific site conditions or various plant attributes, such as size, flower color, or bloom timing. The plant selection tool allows individuals to discover beautiful flowering plants that fit landscape preferences while assisting with pollinators throughout the year.

While the site is created for Illinois users, don’t let a little thing like the Mississippi River stop Missouri gardeners from checking out the site. Much of the information is applicable to us as well!

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

August 26th

Explore Farm Country and celebrate the growing season in Historic Washington County by attending the 14th Home Grown Farm Tour, Taste of Washington County Marketplace and Farm Festival Party & Auction. The event kicks off at the Washington County Courthouse Farmer’s Market in Potosi, MO on Saturday morning. There will be a Taste of Washington County Farm and Craft Marketplace sponsored by Naturally Meramec with information booths and local vendors from the region along-side market delights of produce, homemade jams, breads and honey. Vendors please email mperkins@meramecregion.org

Henry Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society

Set out from the Courthouse Square with your Farm Tour maps on the free, self-guided tour featuring venues highlighting the diversity of local farms and nearly 300 years of history in Washington County. There’s something for everyone. At each venue you will experience unique farm operations and have the opportunity to buy their products. Later join us at Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery & Brewery for the Live Auction and Country Music.

Upgrade your experience with the Food Stop and Farm Festival Ticket. Included in this are three food stops across Washington County at Sacred Fire Farms, Old Caledonian B&B, Fyre Lake Winery and then join us at Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery and Brewery for Dinner, Live Auction and Live Country Music. This event features locally sourced foods, a long list of local treats, art and experiences to bid on and local entertainers for a fun festive party. Visit website for details; www.homegrownfarmtour. com or homegrownfarmtour@gmail.com to make your reservations.

Sat. 9-5 Sun. 9-4

ANNUAL Cactus & Succulent SALE

July 29 & 30, 2023 • St. Louis

Don’t Miss It! Browse and buy from our unmatched selection of plants, pots and more. Check out the big show featuring amazing succulents from around the world, too.

hscactus.org

Gateway Gardener™

Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show & Pond Expo

21st Annual Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show & Pond Expo Timberwinds Nursery

54 Clarkson Road Ellisville, MO 63011

September 22nd, 23rd and 24th

The Gateway Koi and Pond Club of St. Louis will host the 21st Annual Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show & Pond Expo on September 2224, 2023. 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 winners’ 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.gatewaykoiandpondclub. org and www.nmzna.net. 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 pond and garden events. Check us out on our website above and on Facebook!

SPLASH! Pond and Garden Tour

Chalily, 14430 Manchester Rd.

St. Louis 63011

September 23rd

The 21st Northern Midwest ZNA Koi Show hosted by Gateway Koi and Pond Club ST.

LOUIS KOI SHOW & POND EXPO

SEPTEMBER 22, 23 & 24, 2023

Fri. 3-5pm, Sat. 9am-5pm and Sun. 10am-2pm

TIMBERWINDS NURSERY

54 CLARKSON ROAD

ELLISVILLE, MO 63011 U.S.A.

www.nmzna.net, www.gatewaykoiandpondclub.org or call +1-314-276-9461

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 at 10am. Show koi will be removed from tanks on Sunday at noon for transport home, so come early. Koi for sale 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. Come enjoy the beautiful living jewels of Japan! Fun for the whole family! Free outdoor event held rain or shine!

Join us on a tour of water gardens around St. Louis! From the DIYer 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 this year benefit Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. 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.

Remember, 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.

Upcoming Events

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 3rd

9am—Children’s Garden Club. Summer Color Bowl. FREE. The Children’s Garden Club is designed to educate and bring delight in gardening to children with projects they do themselves. Sherwood Forest Nursery and Garden Center, 2653 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester, MO 63021. Preregistration is required on the St. Louis County website at https:// tinyurl.com/yc3v3pfj or by calling 314-615-4386.

July 8th

9am—Children’s Garden Club. Sensory Garden. FREE. The Children’s Garden Club is designed to educate and bring delight in gardening to children with projects they do themselves. Jefferson Barracks Ordnance Museum, 546 Bagby Rd. St. Louis, 63125. Preregistration is required on the St. Louis County website at https:// tinyurl.com/yc3v3pfj or by calling 314-615-4386.

Aug. 5th

9am—Children’s Garden Club. Nutrition and Harvesting Crops.

FREE. The Children’s Garden Club is designed to educate and bring delight in gardening to children with projects they do themselves. Queeny Park-Nursery #1, 1675 S. Mason Rd. (Queeny Park East Entrance), St. Louis, 63131. Pre-registration is required on the St. Louis County website at https://tinyurl.com/ yc3v3pfj or by calling 314-6154386.

Classes, Sales, Tours and More

June 2nd and 3rd

Conifer Society Central Region Conference and Speaker Series Features the renowned horticulturist Panayoti Kelaidis as keynote speaker on Friday evening, coach buses to four beautiful conifer gardens on Saturday, conifer auctions and more. For details, and registration, visit conifersociety. org/news-events/event/2023central-region-annual-meeting/. Registration closes May 10th. Event is at Double Tree by Hilton Conference Center, 10100 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS.

June 2nd-3rd

4-8 Fri., 9am-1pm Sat.—Gardens in Bloom Tour. Featuring gardens in Belleville and Swansea, IL. For more information contact U. of I. Extension (618) 939-3434 or uiemms@illinois.edu

June 3rd 10am-5pm—The Square in Bloom Garden Tour & Antique Fair. Get an exclusive look at some of the most unique gardens, yards, and outdoor spaces in St. Louis. Purchase tickets at Lafayettesquare. org.

June 3rd 10am-3pm—The Garden Conservancy Open Days. This year’s Open Days features the Garden at Glen Eagles in St. Louis County. The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program annually celebrates the country’s most exciting, creative, and innovative private gardens. Open Days is made up of a nationwide community of gardeners and garden enthusiasts

teaching and inspiring each other and the public. $10 (nonmembers) Register at https://tinyurl. com/2edahwvv

June 3rd-4th

10am—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. Tickets will be sold online before the tour at Eventeny and at Topiaries (138 E. 4th) in downtown Hermann during the tour from 10-4 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 3rd at the Topiaries ticket sale site. The Hermann Garden Club’s website www. hermanngardentours. com provides up-to-date events, ticket prices, links to the online ticket sale site, contact numbers, and photographs of past tour gardens. A special new event, The Garden Club High-End Estate Sale, will begin at 10am on Friday at the Rotunda in Upper City Park and continue until 6pm. There will be a preview from 3-6pm on Thursday; tickets for the preview are $10.

June 9th-10th 4-8pm Fri., 9am-1pm

Sat.—Secret Garden Tour. The Garden Club of Lebanon, Illinois presents our Secret Garden Tour. Gardening ideas abound as you take a self-guided tour featuring 6 member gardens and 2 community gardens. Maps may be obtained 30 minutes prior to tour start at Lebanon Visitors’ Center 221 W. St. Louis St. Lebanon, IL. Admission is by donation and proceeds support our annual student scholarships. Go to gardencluboflebanon.org for additional information.

June 10th

9am-5pm—St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society Annual Sale Missouri Botanical Garden Jack C.

Taylor Visitor Center. 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 63110.

June 10th

9am-Noon—St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium. Special Guest Speaker Dave Tylka will share his wealth of experience and knowledge as an educator, biologist, author and photographer. Also “Green Jean” Ponzi will discuss Mosquito Alert STL before attendees break into small group workshops led by experts in their respective fields. Learn how to plant and care for native plants in your home landscape or neighborhood. Location is the Demonstration Garden at Brightside St. Louis, 4646 Shenandoah Ave., 63110. Register online at brightsidestl.org or call 314-772-4646. $10. Participants and volunteers of the Neighbors Naturescaping program in the City can take part at no charge.

June 11th

1-4pm—New Town Garden Tour. Tickets $10.00. Start at New Town Town Hall in St. Charles. Contact Terri at terristeffes1117@gmail.com for more information or to purchase tickets.

June 11th

11am-4pm— The Sustainable Backyard Tour. Explore ecofriendly spaces throughout the St. Louis region for FREE! Talk to organic gardeners, orchardists, vegetable growers, chickenkeepers, beekeepers and more! Pick up tips on stormwater management, renewable energy and water conservation among other vital topics. Register to attend, host, volunteer or sponsor at SustainableBackyard.org

June 17th

Kona Ice. Passiglia Landscape, Nursery & Garden Center, 1855 MO-109, Wildwood, MO 63038. (636) 458-9202, passiglia@ passiglia.com. Passiglia.com.

June 23rd-24th

4-8pm Fri., 9am-1pm Sat.—23rd Annual Madison County Garden Tour. Visit seven beautiful private gardens and a community garden

in Collinsville, Maryville and Glen Carbon, Illinois, during the 23rd Annual Madison County Garden Tour. The tour is sponsored by Madison County Extension Foundation with support of University of Illinois Master Gardeners. Tickets are $13.00; children 10 and under are free. The gardens may be toured at the leisure of the ticket holders. Madison County IL is located 20 miles east of St. Louis.

June 24th

9am-5pm—24th 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 supply. Proceeds benefit the Kimmswick Visitor Center. For information call (636) 464-6464.

June 24th & 25th

9am-5pm—2023 Pond-O-Rama

Tour. The 2023 tour will feature 23 private gardens owned and maintained by Society members. Tickets covering both days of the tour are $20 each (18 and older) and will be available at local retail shops and garden centers throughout the metropolitan area or on our website. A special 2023 Discount: Groups of 10 or more are only $10 each.

The gardens are located throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. This self-guided tour is arranged each day by geographic location. This year there are many new members who are excited to share their new ponds and waterfalls. The tour ticket booklet provides location addresses, descriptions and driving directions. For more information on where to purchase tickets by mail order from the Society’s website in May, www. slwgs.org, and at many of our retailers and garden centers.

June 25th

Lavender Wreath Workshop. Passiglia Landscape, Nursery & Garden Center, 1855 MO-109, Wildwood, MO 63038. (636) 4589202, passiglia@passiglia.com.

Passiglia.com.

June 25th

Noon-4pm—Bittersweet Garden Club 23rd Annual Garden Tour.

Tour five beautifully landscaped gardens in the Jefferson City area and discover fresh ideas to apply to your own gardens.

Tour tickets are $10 if bought in advance Tour tickets purchased the day of the tour at a featured garden are $12. Children under 12 years of age are free. More information can be viewed at www. bittersweetgardenclub.com.

July 29th-30th

9am-5pm—Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society Annual Cactus and Succulent Sale and Show. The HSCSS sale features multiple vendors for an incredible 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. FREE admission. NEW LOCATION. I-70 Business Center, 8150 Lackland, 63114. Visit hscactus.org/events/show-sale/ for more information.

July 30th

Ornamental Grasses for Year Round Beauty. Passiglia Landscape, Nursery & Garden Center, 1855 MO-109, Wildwood, MO 63038. (636) 458-9202, passiglia@passiglia.com. Passiglia. com.

August 27th

Be a Better You. Passiglia Landscape, Nursery & Garden Center, 1855 MO-109, Wildwood, MO 63038. (636) 458-9202, passiglia@passiglia.com. Passiglia. com.

August 26th

Washington County Home Grown Farm Tour and Field Dinner. Explore Farm Country and celebrate the growing season in Historic Washington County by attending the 14th Home Grown Farm Tour, Taste of Washington County Marketplace and Farm Festival Party & Auction. The event kicks off at the Washington County Courthouse Farmer’s Market in Potosi, MO on Saturday morning. There will be a Taste of Washington County Farm and Craft Marketplace sponsored by Naturally Meramec with information booths and local

vendors from the region alongside market delights of produce, homemade jams, breads and honey. Vendors please email mperkins@ meramecregion.org

Set out from the Courthouse Square with your Farm Tour maps on the free, self-guided tour featuring venues highlighting the diversity of local farms and nearly 300 years of history in Washington County. There’s something for everyone. At each venue you will experience unique farm operations and have the opportunity to buy their products. Later join us at Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery & Brewery for the Live Auction and Country Music. Upgrade your experience with the Food Stop and Farm Festival Ticket. Included in this are three food stops across Washington County at Sacred Fire Farms, Old Caledonian B&B, Fyre Lake Winery and then join us at Edg-Clif Vineyard, Winery and Brewery for Dinner, Live Auction and Live Country Music.

This event features locally sourced foods, a long list of local treats, art and experiences to bid on and local entertainers for a fun festive party. Visit website for details; www.homegrownfarmtour.com or homegrownfarmtour@gmail.com to make your reservations.

Coming in the fall: Ascension Lutheran Fall Plant Sale. will be accepting pre-orders of numerous mums of 6 different colors, kale and fall bulbs. Please visit our website after August 1, 2023 for order form and details regarding pick up. https://www. ascensionstl.com/plants