The Gateway Gardener March 2017

Gateway Gardener

MARCH 2017

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Never Ending Spring!

Reblooming Azaleas

The Mint Family Gardening Under Black Walnut Trees Grow Your Own Mushrooms FREE Courtesy of:

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Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

MARCH 2017

Volume 13, Number 2

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

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

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.

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From the Editor

hen I was a boy, I looked forward to March because it was my birthday month. Often, though, I was disappointed, because as the mid-month date rolled around, it was often accompanied by cold, and more than occasionally, snowy weather. I envied the kids whose birthdays fell in summer months, and whose parties often included pick up baseball games or other outdoor activities. Today, March can still bring the surprise late-season snow or cold snap, but it more reliably rewards us now with the warming, sunny days we hope for in spring. In fact, as I write this in mid-February, we’re already getting a preview with a week of 70-ish temperatures forecast ahead, and some daffodils are already blooming alongside the snowdrops, crocuses and winter aconite more typical of this time.

So another growing season begins! And with it what better ambassador of spring than our beautiful azaleas. Yet in so many years, the season of azalea bloom can be disappointingly short lived, either from a late hard freeze that shrivels blooms overnight, or unseasonably warm weather that hastens their brief but spectacular moment in our gardens. Now, though, azaleas can make encore

new contributor Bill Dalton of Natural Green Organic Lawn Care, who introduces himself to our readers on page 18 with an overview of how we can still enjoy healthy turf lawns while being more responsible about how we cultivate them.

appearances, with the new reblooming varieties such the ReBLOOM® Cherry Pink azalea on our cover. Steffie Littlefield tells us more about these repeat performers on page 10.

Spring is also a time turf enthusiasts renew with varying degrees of enthusiasm their seasonal jousts with the green, green grass of home. There has been much written in the past few years about the enormous amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides we apply to our collective lawns each year, and how much of that subsequently ends up washing into our waterways. For those who blame farmers on this problem, it is reported that turfgrass lawns are by far the largest cultivated crop in America, by a three-fold margin! In this issue, we welcome

On the Cover...

Azaleas are such a cheerful sight in the spring it’s a shame their blooming season is so short. Now you can enjoy repeat shows through the growing season with reblooming azaleas like this ReBLOOM® Cherry Pink. Read about them on page 10. (Photo courtesy Greenleaf Nurseries.)

Finally we also welcome new contributor Matt Even, Outreach Manager for Gateway Greening, the community gardening (and so much more) people. Matt will be providing us with regular tips on growing edible crops, and debuts on page 12 with a very interesting and unusual subject: mushrooms!

As always, you’ll find much more in this issue to pump you up for spring. In the meantime, I’ll thank you in advance for your birthday wishes, and hope I can “have a catch”, as they called it in Field of Dreams, with my son and grandson!

Good Gardening!

IN THIS ISSUE 4 The Mint Family 6 The Intentional Gardener 7 Know the Pros 8 Plant An Oak (Not a Pin Oak) 10 Never Ending Spring 12 Grow Your Own Mushrooms 13 JT’s Fresh Ideas 14 The Many Classes of Roses 16 Growing Under Walnut Trees 18 Organic Lawn Care 19 Book Review 20 Dig This 22 Upcoming Events

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Mint Family

by Barbara Perry Lawton

he mint family (Lamiaceae or Labiatae) has long been a favorite of mine in both the garden and the kitchen. I have enjoyed growing members of this group ever since I can remember.

Some mints are, in my mind, closely associated with holidays.What would Thanksgiving be without the marvelous, pungent fragrance of sage (Salvia officinalis).

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The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

to greet you as you brush through the foliage.

As if that weren’t enough for one plant family to brag about, the mint family also includes many handsome ornamentals. Bee balm (Monarda), obedience plant (Physostegia virginiana) and Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) are just a few of the wonderful garden perennials that come to mind.

by both growing them and using the useful ones in the kitchen. They’ll soon become your favorites just as they have become mine.

There are a couple of significant physical traits that will help you identify mint family plants. They have square stems. They have equal The wonderful herbal mints include horehound (Marrubium and opposite leaves. vulgare), lavender (Lavendula), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), Study a few of the more oregano (Oregano vulgare), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), common mints and you sage (Salvia officinalis), savory (Satureja hortensis and Satureja will soon develop the montana), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), sweet marjoram ability to recognize (Origanum majorana), thyme (Thymus), and of course the true their relatives easily. mints (Mentha).

Get to know the mints

In contrast, some mint family species are disliked by both gardeners and farmers. Certain dead nettles (Lamium) are weedy and unwelcome almost everywhere, even though they color spring and early summer fields with waves of pinkish lavender flowers.

Yet, at the same time, just about every gardener will welcome the lamium ‘White Nancy’ and other attractive lamiums to their beds and borders.

Some other weedy mints enjoy similarly mixed reputations. True mints can be so successful that they become scourges of ornamental gardens. I have grown some that have to be pulled by the bucketful, yet there is nothing like them for flavor and fragrance. Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii),catnip (Nepeta cataria) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) all may jump garden borders and become nuisances; yet they are shallow-rooted and, when handled with perserverence, it’s not difficult to control them.

Our relationship with plants of the mint family is long and tangled, stretching back into prehistoric times. Although we can only conjecture, it is highly likely that prehistoric people valued the strongly scented and flavored members of this plant family. Who, after all, would not be interested in plants whose fragrances rise up

Barbara Perry Lawton is a writer, author, speaker and photographer. She has served as manager of publications for Missouri Botanical Garden and as weekly garden columnist for the Post-Dispatch.

The author of a number of gardening and natural history books, and contributor to many periodicals, she has earned regional and national honors for her writing and photography. Barbara is also a Master Gardener and volunteers at MBG.

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his botanical group is loaded with useful plants, including the majority of important culinary and household herbs.

The history and lore of these plants of the mint family are intriguing. They have the marvelous ability to enhance the best as well as the most humble foods. Their fragrances and tastes are inimitable.

I

The Intentional Gardener text and photos by Jennifer Schamber

n many ways, the practices of gardening and yoga are very similar. Many people look to these activities to relax, destress and focus on an intention.

When you set an intention in yoga, you may bring your attention and awareness to a quality or virtue you wish to cultivate within, with a goal of exuding positivity to others.

You could also consider setting an intention while gardening, which ultimately contributes to your own wellbeing as well as that of others and your surrounding environment. This will start at the very beginning, when you’ve first walked into the wonderfully warm and humid greenhouse, looking to practice the ritual of spring

“My intention is to engage my kids with nature…” Consider growing a teepee garden, make a large tripod with bamboo and grow either a flowering vine or climbing veggie on it. Sweet potatoes are a fun option and can be harvested later in the fall.

“My intention is to encourage birds to visit my yard…” Since baby birds eat invertebrates, look toward native trees and shrubs that support different types of caterpillars.

“My intention is to create my planting. moment we see it, rather than own sanctuary on my patio…”

Sensory plants can contribute to Shopping in the spring for looking ahead at what it has to a personal sanctuary, consider plants can seem overwhelming, offer us. Why not start with an pots of lavender, citrus and with so many different choices intention that focuses on not textured grasses. of colors and sizes. We tend just what something looks like, “My intention is to cultivate to buy what looks good at the but what it can do for you?

Here’s a sample list of intentions and some plants that can fulfill each focus:

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Know The Pros!

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

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healthful food…” Grow what you know you will eat. Greens like kale and spinach can be very easy to grow and pack a lot of nutrients in your salads and smoothies.

“My intention is to plant a memory garden…” Did your loved one have a favorite color or flower? Include a bench so you will feel closer to your memory.

Setting a positive intention while shopping for plants, can also apply to shopping for other goods as well. At the grocery store, being intentional with your selections can save money, time and reduce waste. Aim for at least 90% of what is in your cart to fulfill your intentions. Ask yourself, “Will this give me real energy? Will this get eaten in time? Is this good for me and my family?” With 40% of the food produced in the U.S. going to waste, it seems like we can certainly improve in this area, and a focus on intention and what really matters may be a good place to start.

So what’s going to be your intention in your practice of gardening this spring? Maybe it’s just that you want it to look good… and that’s certainly a great intention as well.

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Plant an Oak! (But not a Pin Oak!)

by The Midwest Tree Whisperer

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ur great state of Missouri is the native home to a diversity of native oak species adapted to a variety of site conditions - from the rocky hilltops of the Ozarks, to the rich soils of the valleys, and the fertile basins of our wonderful rivers and streams.

Why NOT a Pin Oak, a Missouri native species?

While

pin oaks thrive and prosper in their native habitat of rich and acidic soils of river bottomlands, trees planted in alkaline (high calcium) soils develop iron chlorosis, which leads to poor health and yellow to yellowish-green foliage – a common condition exhibited in many of our urban and suburban landscapes with soils containing significant deposits of crushed limestone remaining from construction site activities or limestone bedrock.

Choose the RIGHT tree for the RIGHT place.

With our native oaks, there are alternate species to choose that are better adapted to the challenging conditions of urban sites with significantly disturbed soils – high clay content and high soil pH (alkaline) – along with the rigors of our diverse climatic environment.

B

eyond the beauty a n d summer shade comfort offered by our majestic oaks, the entire oak genera (Quercus) offers significant life support for a diversity of vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife species. Aiding in the creation of an essential food source for baby birds, the oak group supports over 500 species of moth and butterfly caterpillars – baby birds eat caterpillars, worms and insects, not bird seed.

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moderately fast-growing, long-lived tree highly adaptable to sites ranging from wet to dry. One of the first oaks to turn color for Missouri and Illinois Landscapes in the autumn with vibrant red tones. Acorn and disease.

Acorn volume: medium.

Acorn volume: medium. Acorn size: large White Oak Group Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) – size: small NOTE: In the spirit of planting for although growing in low, wet areas in the diversity, many other highly beneficial tree Red Oak Group wild, this long-lived (up to 350 years!) oak Cherrybark Oak (Quercus pagoda) – genera beyond oaks should be considered species can withstand drought conditions a relatively fast growing oak, native to for accommodating the conditions of once established. Tolerant of diverse bottomland sites growing with tulip tree, your landscape site. However, oaks form landscape site conditions. Acorn volume: shellbark hickory, Shumard oak, swamp the foundation of our strong and longmedium. Acorn size: medium chestnut oak, red mulberry and red buckeye. lived urban forest and deserve priority Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata) – another Quite adaptable to urban site conditions. consideration when planning for shade trees for your landscape. oak native to flooded sites, this species Acorn volume: low Acorn size: small can tolerate somewhat drier conditions. Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) – An excellent shade tree for lowlying areas. a long-lived, fast growing species first For more information about native oaks and Acorn volume: low. Acorn size: medium introduced to cultivation in the late 1600s. other excellent native tree choices for your Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus Found growing naturally throughout the landscapes, visit: michauxii) – Another attractive shade tree state of Missouri growing in well-drained www.grownative.org soils of moist ravines, north and east-facing for low-lying sites adaptable to a variety The Midwest Tree Whisperer extends of landscape conditions. Fall foliage color slopes, and on slopes at the base of bluffs. special thanks to a diversity of green ranges from reddish to yellowishbrown. Acorn volume: medium. Acorn size: large industry professionals who provided Highly deserving of great use in the Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana) – grows landscape as a shade tree. Acorn volume: naturally on poorly drained clay flats and technical advisement to assure factual low/medium. Acorn size: large accuracy associated with this campaign, floodplains. Quite similar in appearance including the regions premier arborists, Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) to the Pin Oak but much more adaptable municipal urban foresters, consulting – occurring naturally in alkaline, rocky to varied soil conditions of Missouri and foresters, tree nursery producers and native exhibits a better branching habit.

Acorn soils, this oak species is highly adaptive to tree commercial seed collectors. Leaf urban site conditions. Forms an attractive volume: low/medium Acorn size: medium graphics courtesy Dory Colbert Design. shade tree and relatively resistant to insects Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) – a

Top Oak Choices

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

9

Never Ending Spring!

by Steffie Littlefield

T

ReBLOOM® Coral Amazement

he plants that characterize spring in the lower Midwest are the glorious flowering azaleas!

These shrubs have traditionally been the star in March and April gardens with their brilliantly colorful flowers covering the mounding shrubs. The only drawback has been the short time frame when they are in bloom. In years where Mother Nature has battered us with cold

stormy weather the blooming period has been as brief as one or two days. This is precisely why I am so in love with the new reblooming azaleas. Some of my fondest memories in childhood are dancing around the spring garden at my grandmother’s while we drink in the vibrant colors on her abundantly blooming azaleas. I want to experience that euphoric moment more than once a year!

With the new reblooming azaleas—ReBLOOM® and Bloom-a-Thon® are two series that grow well here and can be found in local garden centers— we can enjoy up to five months of blooms! Large flowers appear in April, then rebloom in early July, continuing through fall until hard frost.

Even hot summer temperatures don’t stop these beauties from producing loads of late summer and fall flowers. For a winter bonus the evergreen foliage is disease resistant, and maintains excellent color year-round.

Color is what this shrub is all about, and what beautiful colors they are; coral, crimson red, hot pink, vibrant lavender, a soft double pink and a bright clear white.

These small or dwarfsize shrubs perform well in containers, but the best use for these glistening jewels is in your front

borders, foundation plantings and woodland gardens. They do prefer part to full shade so plan accordingly, but this is another bonus since shade is a real challenge area to develop color in the garden. If you plant in a container, you have the ability to move the shrub into the limelight when it is performing at its peak and then keep it comfy and happy in a cool shady location in-between flowering sessions. photos courtesy Nurseries

Greenleaf

ReBLOOM® White Nobility

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The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

ReBLOOM® Purple Spectacular

Azalea Planting and Maintenance Tips • Site your new planting of azaleas in a part sun to dappled shade location for the best growth. Too much sun will burn the leaves and dry-out the shallow root plant.

• Plant 3-4 feet apart to allow room to grow and spread into an elegant shrub.

• Prepare the area for planting by adding lots of organic material including peat moss, pine needles or other acid-rich compost materials. The goal is to create an acid-rich enviroment but also add good drainage and lots of nutrients to get the planting established.

• Provide adequate moisture by including irrigation or a soaker hose in the area around plants. They need water to keep producing flower buds.

• Prune to shape and fertilize with an acid fertilizer after the first bloom to encourage faster reblooming, water weekly during hot weather.

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.

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

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The Cornucopia Corner Grow Your Own Mushrooms

By Matt Even

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shaded area or garden path.

You can harvest the beautiful culinary mushrooms up to 4 years after you establish them. Growing mushrooms is playing the long game.

Turkey Tail Mushrooms

2017 FREE Gardening Seminar Series You are cordially invited to attend our FREE gardening seminars, starting Thursday Feb. 23rd running through March 30th, 2017. Attend and receive professional advice on how to be successful with your gardening and landscape endeavors.

Seminars Each Thursdays at 2 PM and 7 PM These are great programs by professional industry experts, come as often as you like!

Feb. 23rd

The POLLINATOR Pantry with Natives and Cultivars

Mar. 2nd

What’s the Buzzzz? Pollinators in Your Garden and for Your Health

Barry Ritter, Ritter Perennials, and MaryAnn Fink, St. Louis County Parks Pollinator Pantry Ambassador Jane Sueme & Scott Klein, Isabees

Mar. 9th

Smart Pots: A Great Way to Grow Your Vegetables

Mar. 16th

Gardening Hydroponic Style

Bring Your Questions!

Brandon Boyles, Smart Pots Co.

Donnie Lokey and Andy Chidester, FoxFarms

Mar. 23rd

Garden Design Using Hosta

Mar. 30th

Let’s Mix it Up: Planting Beautiful & Successful Containers

Bruce Buehrig, co-founder St. Louis Hosta Society

Adam Heimos, NG Heimos Greenhouses

11530 Gravois Rd. • St. Louis, MO (314) 843-4700

Growing outdoor mushrooms is a relatively low-input growing venture. All you need are some logs and mycelium (the vegetative part of fungus). Befriending a tree trimming company, or saving logs from your own backyard is a great resource for finding fresh growing mediums. You will want to find relatively freshly cut logs (late winter – early spring) that are about 3’-4’ in length and 6’’- 8’’ in diameter. This will provide enough “food” for the mushrooms to feed, and ensure that they continue to produce for multiple seasons.

Maxine Stone

ne of the most frequent questions I hear during the growing season is, “What can I grow in shade”?

Typically, my answers are sparse, considering most vegetables need at least 6 hours sunlight to do anything productive. However, there are options if you’re willing to get a little creative, like growing mushrooms. It’s not just for 20-somethings who spend half of their paycheck at Whole Foods, it’s an easy and minimal feature that can be added to any part of a

When it comes to sourcing mycelium, companies provide a variety of methods to inoculate your growing medium for mushrooms. For a novice grower, “plug spawn” are usually recommended, which are small cylinder shaped hardwood pieces that have been colonized with the mushroom variety of your choosing. After drilling holes of a similar diameter into your wood logs, mushroom growers hammer in the plug spawn pieces into the log. This ensures that the variety of mushroom chosen is the actual mushroom that fruits, weeding out other competitive fungi and bacteria. We PLACE ORDER BY MARCH 31ST

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The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

Tips for Growing, Buying and Cooking Fresh, Locally Sourced Food for Your Table source our mushroom plug spawn from a company founded wonderful world of mycelium, please visit us as the season in 1980, Fungi Perfecti, based out Olympia, WA. progresses.

The variety of mushroom you choose to grow, will determine the logs you will need to secure or vice versa.

Rest assured though, most species of mushrooms you will want to consider are grown on oak, elm, maple and other hardwoods commonly found in Missouri. Growers will want to avoid most evergreens and softwoods, as the mushrooms that feed on these wood sources don’t grow well in our climate.

At Gateway Greening’s Demonstration Garden on Bell Ave., we plan to grow 3 different types of mushrooms: Oyster, Turkey Tail, and Shiitake. These are all good choices for a beginning mushroom grower. These varieties do well in Missouri’s climate and growing conditions.

After you have established your “mushroom log garden”, frequent watering, shade, and time will be all you need before they seasonally fruit in the form of delicious fresh mushrooms. We will demonstrating how to grow mushrooms throughout the season, so if you are interested in learning how to grow mushrooms yourself, or are curious about the

Jt’s Fresh Ideas

Creamy SpinaCh artiChoke Dip with Shiitake muShroomS Ingredients 1 T canola oil 16 oz shiitake mushrooms (stems removed and chopped) 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 8 oz cream cheese, softened 8 oz sour cream 8 oz mayonnaise 1 can artichoke hearts (drained, patted dry and chopped) 1 10 oz package frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed thoroughly to remove excess water) 8 oz finely shredded mozzarella 8 oz shredded parmesan 1 t kosher salt 1/2 t coarsely ground black pepper

Preparation Instructions Preheat oven to 400 F. Preheat a skillet over high heat and add canola oil. Add shiitake mushrooms and cook until any water has been released and evaporated and mushrooms are golden brown. Reduce heat to mediumlow and add garlic; cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. Stir in remaining ingredients

MARCH 2017

Matt has worked on organic farms from Northern Minnesota to Austin, TX, and has been growing food since he decided to put his Sociology degree to good use. The past 6 years, he has lived in St. Louis working as an Outreach Manager and Educator for Gateway Greening, helping to start urban agriculture projects across the region.

You can reach Matt at (314) 588-9600.

Ve gg i wi e or FR th Fl E Pl ow E! an er t P Se ur ed ch P as ac e! k

Spring is near!

Have you started your garden yet?

We have everything you need, from plants and garden advice, to soil, stone & seed!

2701 Barrett Station Rd. St. Louis, MO 63021 www.kirkwoodgardens.com 314-966-4840 until well-mixed. Dip can be refrigerated at this point for up to 24 hours before baking; bring back to room temperature before baking.

Bake dip in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Recipe courtesy of :

http://www.thewickednoodle.com/spinachartichoke-dip-shitake-mushrooms/

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

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

A nice twist on a traditional spinach artichoke dip!

Enjoy!

The Gateway Gardener™

Jt 13

The Many Classes of Roses What Makes a Modern Garden Rose

by Diane Brueckman

I

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‘Soleil d’Or’ was the first yellow rose introduction, and with it the door opened to greater color variation. many shades of pink.

This group includes Gallicas, Damasks, Albas, Centifolias and Moss roses. All of these roses like colder climates and a period of dormancy.

The second group of

Star Plants and Roses

Roses are divided into two broad groups: Old Garden Roses which is any rose cultivated before 1867 when ‘La France’, the first Hybrid Tea, was introduced, and modern roses, any rose introduced after that date. Old Garden Roses are further divided into two general categories. The first group consists of once-blooming roses that are very fragrant and usually are limited to white and

Old Garden Roses consists of the repeatblooming roses. The introduction of China roses in the 1800s changed the world of roses forever. China roses brought repeat bloom to the garden rose and hybridizing took off. Included in this group are Tea roses, Bourbons, Noisettes, Damask Perpetuals and Hybrid Perpetuals (HP).

The first Hybrid Tea was a cross between a Tea rose and an HP. The idea was to bring the large flowers and hardiness of the HP

Paul Barden

get many questions about the different kinds or classes of roses.

Let’s start at the beginning. Rosaceae is an ancient family of plants that includes the genus Rosa, as well as many ornamental trees, shrubs and herbs. Species roses are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the tundra to the equator. There are somewhere between 200 to 250 species roses with thousands more that have been hybridized either by chance or with the help of rose hybridizers.

Currently popular Drift Roses are bred from Polyantha descendents.

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Hybrid Teas (HT) are the most popular class of roses today. The plants are 3’ to 5’ tall with large, variably colored blooms that repeat all season on long strong stems.

HTs are great cutting roses. More work is being done to increase the vigor and reduce susceptibility to disease. Polyanthas (Latin for “many-flowered”) are a little-known class of roses but a very important one. They are a cross between R. multiflora and a dwarf China rose. These are hardy roses with little fragrance and a limited color range but great hardiness (-50 F). Polyanthas were crossed with HTs to produce Floribundas. The idea was to give the hardiness and floriferous to a new class of roses. Today, Polyanthas are used in breeding programs to produce some excellent groundcover plants such as the Drift® roses.

shorter than HT’s ,2’ to 4’ tall with shrubbier growth.

The blooms are in sprays of various Floribundas (FL) are a very popular class flower forms from of roses somewhat more hardy and disease single to Hybrid Tearesistant than HTs. In general they are like blooms with

‘Queen Elizabeth’ was the first Grandiflora rose, high centers. The colors are as varied as HTs. Grandifloras (GR) are a cross between FL and HT roses. The first Grandiflora rose was ‘Queen Elizabeth’ in 1954. This class combines the best of the HT and FL rose.

Many GR will get to 5’or 6’ tall. As with the other modern roses health and vigor vary from rose to rose.

There are approximately 40 official classes of roses. I have only defined the most common classes in commerce in an attempt to make selecting roses for your garden a little easier. Among the classes I have not covered are climbers, ramblers, miniature, mini-floras, not to mention shrub roses.

Jackson & Perkins

with the greater repeat bloom of the Tea rose. In 1900 the first yellow rose was introduced, ‘Soleil d’Or’, which opened up the possibility for greater color variation, and unfortunately, a susceptibility to blackspot.

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.

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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

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

15

Naturally Natives Gardening Under Black Walnut Trees

N

text and photos by Scott Woodbury

early eighteen years ago I planted two fringetrees (Chionanthus virginicus) in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden: one ten feet from the base of a mature black walnut tree (Juglans nigra), the other beneath a chinquapin oak. It has been interesting to watch them grow over time. The one beneath the oak is approaching 15 feet in height and spread whereas the one under the walnut is five feet tall and wide. Both have attractive branch structure and flower well. The dwarfing affect comes from juglone, a chemical produced by walnut roots. I’ve

this reason. On the other hand, wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) are virtually immune to black walnut magic. They are full and perform beautifully.

Grasses and sedges also do well under the black spell. Star sedge (Carex radiata), fox sedge (C. vulpinoidea), cedar sedge (C. eburnea), and Pennsylvania sedge (C. pennsylvanica) all grow nicely in black walnut shade. So does American beakgrain (Diarrhena obovata), A fringetree grows vigorously under an oak tree (left), while the a suckering grassy groundcover one planted under a walnut tree (right) has grown about 1/3 the and river oats (Chasmanthium size in the same period. latifolium), a grass that seeds seen the same thing with two around aggressively. Giant cane other small-flowering trees, (Arundinaria gigantea) is in common witchazel (Hamamelis the grass family. Under walnuts virginicus) and prairie crabapple it is easier to control and their (Malus ioensis). This dwarfing growth rate is notably slower, affect looks pleasing on single a nice trait for a plant that is or multi-stemmed trees but it notoriously aggressive. can make certain shrubs look scrawny. They have fewer Perennials growing under black stems, are not filled out well and walnuts are a mixed bag. Rose invite weeds. Black chokeberry turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) (Aronia melanocarpa) and does well but Joe-pye weed purpureum) swamp dogwood (Cornus (Eupatorium Neither does amomum) are two shrubs that doesn’t.

American alumroot (Heuchera do poorly under walnuts for americana) but prairie alumroot Looking for (Heuchera richardsonii) and little-flower alumroot (H. Something Unique for puberula) grow perfectly well.

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Come Stroll Thru Our fragarioides) grows densely Gardens and Discover and flowers well but is a slowthe Pleasure of Plants! grower wherever it grows.

Natives, Not-so-common Trees, Southern blueflag iris (Iris Shrubs & Perennials virginica) grows strong and flowers decently though it flowers better in full sun, while GreenscapeGardens.com 314.821.2440 copper iris (Iris fulva) performs 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester, MO 63021 1674 N. Bluff Rd Located 1 Mile West of I-270 on Barrett Station at poorly altogether.

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The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants the ground. A good thud meant a good nut and off he went stashing it away for winter. So don’t waste another moment reading this, get outside and experience what is happening in your own backyard or neighborhood! You never know what happens in the native garden unless you take time to look.

Beautyberry (Calicarpa americana) grows “beauty”-fully under a walnut tree, virtually immune to the juglone. home too. Beneath it is a patch the first step involves removing of wild sweet William (Phlox the outer hulls by placing them divaricata), elephant’s foot on a driveway. Drive over them (Elophantopus carolinianus) with your car for a few days. and blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia The hulls come right off. Then verna, an annual) that thrive let the inner nuts dry out for a and spread. Though I like the month or two before cracking shade the tree provides, their them open to pick out the nuts are a bit of a nuisance. nutmeat. My former colleague When the wind picks up in Ray Garlick showed me the early fall they come crashing ropes. I miss old Ray. He had down on the roof like baseballs. a nut-cracking stump that had THUD, THUD and THUD! several indentations (that hold On the ground they are trip the nuts in place) from decades hazards so need to be raked up. of whacking them gingerly with Fortunately we have a handy a hammer. He once told me that gizmo on a pole that rolls over he watched a squirrel throwing the round fruits, gathering them walnuts in the air one after the up as you go. It makes the job other while listening to the easier. If you eat black walnuts sound they made when they hit

Editor’s Correction: The photo of the metallic sweat bee on page 13 of the January/ February 2017 issue was mistakenly attributed to Scott Woodbury. The photographer is Darla Preiss. We regret the error.

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

If you plant them, they will come!

Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and songbirds that is!

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

Bring Conservation Home

• Dreaming of your own wildlife sanctuary?

• Fascinated by hummingbirds, butterflies or creepy/ crawlies?

• Not sure how to get started or which native plants are best?

Call (314) 599-7390 or check out our habitat assistance and certification program at:

www.stlouisaudubon.org/BCH

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

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

Forrest Keeling Nursery forrestkeeling.com

in the back yard to the back forty!

17

Help Your Lawn Kick the Habit! Go Organic!

By Bill Dalton

E

veryday we are confronted with new information regarding pesticides and herbicides and the detriment they can have on our health and the environment. Many people would like to consider the benefits of organic turf care, but believe they would have to sacrifice a beautiful lawn in the bargain. That is simply not the case.

The term organic when applied to lawn care is often misunderstood or misapplied. Simply put, organic lawn care is the process of feeding and treating the lawn with completely healthy products that change the soil, so grass and soil work together.

Organic lawn care has evolved by leaps and bounds in the last two decades. It is no longer necessary to acquire and apply messy, stinky manures, thanks to the availability of new easy-to-use granular fertilizers, corn gluten for weed prevention, nematodes for grubs, and composts. All of these organic products deliver a beautiful lawn with healthy soil loaded with biological life and nutrients needed for soil and grass health without toxins.

off. This is less like feeding the grass and more like getting your grass hooked on fertilizer.

On the other hand, organic fertilizer relies on changing the soil structure with biological matter and non water-soluble nutrients, so the grass is forced to feed off the soil for its nutrition. Granular organic fertilizers are non-water soluble and have to be broken down by bacteria and nutrients in the soil to become available to grass. Organic fertilizers work slowly into soil and improve the soil’s composition. This leads to healthier deeper roots that are more able to withstand the heat of summer. Organic lawn care is in essence restoring the circle of life to the soil that has been destroyed with chemicals, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Healthy soil full of bacterial life and nutrients will allow grass to be strong enough to fight off many of the fungus and pest problems we have in the Midwest. Organic turf management can still result in the beautiful lush lawn homeowners desire without having to resort to toxins and synthetic chemicals.

So, how is organic different from synthetic (standard) fertilization programs? Organic and synthetic fertilization are completely different ways to grow grass. Synthetic fertilizer is water-soluble (breaks down with water), so it is instantly absorbed by grass and results in an abnormally fast growth spurt for the upper grass instead of a slow, constant feed provided by organic fertilizers.

Synthetic fertilization also cause the roots to grow closer to soil surface where the water soluble nutrients are available. This results in weak roots systems that struggle to survive a hot summer and are more susceptible to disease and pests. Finally most of the water-soluble fertilizer never penetrates the soil, and is leached off by rain. This results in a need to continually reapply more water-soluble fertilizer to keep the grass from wilting and dying

Organic is still evolving but has remedies for everything that can be controlled with chemicals. There are great organic fertilizers and lawn supplements available at local independent garden centers, or take advantage of a lawn care service company that specializes in organic management. You can also find helpful information online at websites like planetnatural.com, nofa.org, and safelawns.com.

You can have The Gateway Gardener delivered right to your home. Just complete this form and mail it with $24 for postage and handling to the address below. You’ll receive 9 issues (a one-year subscription) beginning with the next issue.

Name:

• Chop up leaves and grass clippings and leave in lawn to break down into fertilizer. Grass blades are composed mostly of nutrients and water, so removing takes away nutrients that grass could use.

Never Miss An Issue!

Address:

City, State & Zip: Phone: Email:

Please make your check payable to The Gateway Gardener and mail it with this form to: The Gateway Gardener PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 18

Leave a healthy world for the future to enjoy.

Spring Lawn Care Tips

• Make you first mowing in spring short, then raise blades higher as temperatures rise. Organic causes slower upper growth so you will want to cut higher than with synthetic and less frequently.

• Keep mower blades sharp, this will grind up grass better and does less damage to grass blades.

• Water early morning heavy around two to three times a week.

Never water at night, it leads to fungus and rot. Water heavy rather than often.

• Pull or treat organically any existing weeds and apply corn gluten as a pre-emergent if not seeding.

• Put down a good spring organic fertilizer (follow manufacturers directions) around March 1 and enjoy a healthy lawn.

Bill Dalton is the owner of Natural Green Organic Lawn Care, which has served St. Louis with organic lawn care and organic gardening for over 15 years. He has over 25 years as a lawn care professional, completed the NOFA course, attended Truman State University for Biology and has hundreds of hours of Organic course training. If you have an organic question contact him at naturalgreenlawncare.com or (314)503-0733.

The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

Native Plants of the Midwest Book Review

By Robert Weaver whether functional (attract and support some weedy with wildlife, water management, soil erosion) issues them. But in or esthetic. cases, After preparing us to make good choices in those plant selection and offering helpful design B r a n h a g e n tips, Branhagen provides an encyclopedia acknowledged of “the best 500 species for the garden.” that tendency, As our own native plant contributors, Scott and suggested Woodbury and the late Cindy Gilberg the appropriate before him have emphasized, not all natives use for each.

Native Plants of the Midwest

By Alan Branhagen Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2016 Hardbound, 440 pgs., $49.95

A

his are appropriate for the home garden. In Alan Branhagen Branhagen’s 500 are carefully selected for argument for including native plants in your landscape, suitability in a cultivated landscape.

The guide is organized by plant type, Branhagen channels Dr. Seuss as he notes, beginning with shade trees, evergreens, “They grew without irrigation, they grew small trees and shrubs, small shrubs and without hoes, / they grew without fertilizer, vines, continuing with perennials (which pesticides, or Lowe’s.” They also provide are subdivided into prairie, woodland and great beauty and abundance support for wetland species), groundcovers, bulbs and pollinators, birds and other wildlife. And annuals and biennials. Each entry begins this book is an excellent guide to help us with an introduction followed by “How to choose plants that will offer the home Grow”, “Landscape Use”, “Ornamental gardener the most success.

Attributes” and “Related Plants”.

Photographs often depict the plants’ most appealing characteristics, such as fall color, flowers or habit.

lan Branhagen, director of horticulture at Powell Gardens near Kansas City, has enjoyed a lifelong affair with native plants, and now shares some of what his experiences have taught him in this beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written guide to the Midwest’s Because the book best native plants for home gardens.

The book’s introduction tackles questions covers the entire many beginning and intermediate gardeners Midwest, from the forests may have about natives, such as what hardwood of Minnesota to the defines a native plant, why they’re of value in the home garden, and how to responsibly plains of eastern not acquire them. Then Alan identifies the Nebraska, various eco-regions of the Midwest and the all plants will be vegetative communities that inhabit them, appropriate for the St. such as grasslands, forests, woodlands and Louis metro region. successional lands that are in transition But there are more from cultivated or disturbed areas. “Learn than enough plants what bioregion of the Midwest you live that either have wide in,” advises Branhagen, as the conditions spread adaptation or that exist there will determine what plants are happily native you’ll likely have more success with. An and at home in our ensuing chapter further describes and region. I was happy explores the conditions of one’s garden that to find many of my will determine plant selection, including favorites represented soil type, light, moisture and temperature as well as a few that I hardiness and tolerance. Also affecting raised an eyebrow at, plant selection are the intended uses, having experienced

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

19

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News Bee Campus USA

The University of Missouri-Columbia recently joined the ranks of 16 recognized beefriendly campuses across the U.S. in being certified a “Bee Campus USA” by the organization Bee City USA. Bee City USA is a nonprofit national organization that encourages communities to provide healthy pollinator habitat including native plants and a reduction in pesticide use.

The group also encourages college students, faculty and administrators to participate in these efforts by applying for the official Bee Campus USA designation. According to a news report by Columbia’s KOMU 8 News, MU student Megan Tyminski, who also works as a communications intern for Mizzou Botanic Garden, was in charge of spearheading MU’s application. Megan said the University was already practicing many of the required qualifying conditions of the program, “so we might as well compile our accomplishments together and set a formal committee and apply to become one”.

The Missouri campus in Columbia was designated the Mizzou Botanic Garden in 1999, and has focused not only on making the campus landscape beautiful esthetically, but sustaining an environmentally responsible showcase as well.

Toward that end, as Tyminski indicated above, the Garden has worked diligently to recognize the importance of pollinators through programming, events, education and action.

For more information, visit BeeCityUSA.org and Gardens.Missouri.edu/gardens.

Tower Grove Park Soliciting Input for Master Plan

Tower Grove Park recently announced the undertaking of a master planning process that will result in a long-range plan to preserve, enhance, and improve the historic park for future generations. The process began with a public open house in January and will conclude with the delivery and presentation of the final 20

plan in August 2017. The goals of the plan will be to envision Tower Grove Park as a place for all communities, both today and for future generations, through upgrading the Park’s amenities, access, connectivity, and safety— all while preserving the Park’s historic features, landscape, and character. This plan will identify strategic priorities for preventative maintenance, restoration and conservation efforts, and new projects to best serve the Park’s surrounding communities and visitors. To accomplish this goal, the Park has retained the services of Rhodeside & Harwell, a landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, following an extensive search. Rhodeside & Harwell is the lead of a project team that includes representatives from Jacobs Engineering, Beyer Blinder Belle, and Davey Resource Group.

“The Park has a tremendous success story that is part of the narrative of St. Louis over the past 30 years,” said Bob Sellers, President of the Board of Commissioners. “The time is right to ensure that we are investing in the future through long-range planning that will keep the Park vibrant and accessible for all visitors while preserving its most distinctive characteristics.”

Tower Grove Park and the Master Plan Project Team are asking members of the public to share their priorities for the future of the Park. If you missed the open house, you can still submit comments by responding to the Master Plan Survey available at towergrovepark.org, or by emailing TGPMasterPlan@towergrovepark.org with questions or comments through April 30, 2017.

Community Garden Grows Its Heritage

In 1832, when Washington Irving wrote about his visit to William Clark’s country estate in what is now North St. Louis County, he extolled the “fragrant wildflowers” and “humming insects” of the surrounding prairie. Recently, the Wayside Community Garden in Normandy expanded The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

its half-acre community garden to honor that history and increase habitat for those flowers and insects. The new 3-acre prairie garden was named for Clark in recognition of his pioneering role in identifying hundreds of native plants during the Lewis and Clark expedition. Also, with the addition of several dozen milkweed plants donated by the Missouri Prairie Foundation, the garden has been registered as a Monarch Waystation with the Monarch Watch organization.

Much of the original Charles Lucas estate that became the City of Normandy remains fairly open and undeveloped, retaining green spaces such as park land and golf courses, according to Daniel Linck, treasurer for the Citizens for the Advancement of Normandy (CAN), which administers Wayside. To take advantage of the relatively undisturbed soils of Normandy, in addition to the Wayside expansion, CAN is encouraging area residents to plant their own native gardens. “Normandy residents have a unique opportunity to preserve some of the St. Louis region’s natural history by restoring more of its native habitat.”

The Wayside Community Garden and William Clark Wildflower Garden are located on the grounds of Wayside, a home built in the 1890s

by John Mullanphy Cates, which later became the Reading Center for the Normandy School District. After the District discontinued its use of the property, CAN broke ground on the Wayside garden in 2009. Now a Gateway Greening Hub Garden, it hosts a diverse group of garden families who grow chemical-free fruits and vegetables for themselves and others, donating additional produce to local food banks. (Information provided by Bob Sutton).

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

SUNDAY, APRIL 2 10 AM - 2 PM STLCC FOREST PARK Brought to you by:

www.stlouisearthday.org Visit our website for a full list of collectors and items that will accepted.

21

Upcoming Events CLASSES, LECTURES AND EVENTS

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

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

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Email: info@gatewaygardener. com

FUN FOR KIDS March 4th 9am—Children’s Garden ClubPollinators and Plants. FREE, no reservations required, everyone welcome.

Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Rd., (314) 9660028.

10-11am—First Saturday Kids.

Bring the kids to palnt a Pot of Gold.

Please call to RSVP. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

March 9th-11th Children’s Garden Club at the Home and Garden Show.

Visit Booth #4043 for children’s gardening activities. Builder’s Home & Garden Show, America’s Center, St. Louis.

April 1st 9am-Children’s Garden ClubFun in the Garden. For the Garden

by Haefner’s, 6703 Telegraph Rd.

22

Through Mar. 26th 9am-5pm— Annual Orchid Show.

Features 800 blooming orchids from one of the world’s premier orchid collections. The Orchid Show is the only time of year when a vast, rotating selection of orchids from the Garden’s collection is available for public viewing. Orthwein Floral Display Hall at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission plus $5; free for Garden members.

March 1st Gateway Green Industry Conference. Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville, IL. This event features a keynote speaker and 5 breakout sessions with a variety of topics to choose from in each session. It is open to all interested in natives, trees, perennials, invasive plants, pollinators, rain garden and much more. Registration is $80. Call 618344-4230 for more information or register online at http://web. extension.illinois.edu/mms/.

March 2nd 2pm and 7pm—What’s the Buzzzz? Pollinators in Your Garden and For Your Health.

Jane Sueme & Scott Klein, Isabees, guest speaker at Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd. (314) 843-4700. FREE. March 3rd-4th 5:30-9pm Fri., 9am-4pm Sat.— Partners for Native Landscaping.

St. Louis Community CollegeMeramec, Kirkwood, MO. (Please note this is the correct location— the location in last month’s article was incorrect.) A reception (Fri.) and workshop (Sat.) for homeowners offering information and resources on how to landscape with native plants for greener communities. Keynote speakers are Neil Diboll, President of Prairie Nursery, and Heather Holm, author of Pollinators of Native Plants. Other breakout sessions on topics including Gardening for Wildlife, Rainscaping, and Native Gardening Practices. Native plants for sale, and vendors from various organizations on hand to answer

questions about native gardening and related topics. Registration is $20 for the reception, and $15 for the workshop, which includes lunch. Register online at www. stlouisaudupon.org/PNL2017.

March 4th 11:30am—Let’s Make a Terrarium. We provide all the supplies along with an experienced terrarium tutor to guide you through the process. $45. Bring your own glass container and save $10 on class fee. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

2017 Weekend Gardener. Our Lady of Snows, Belleville, IL 16 horticultural breakout session to choose from this event is always a local favorite. $40, includes lunch. Registration information is available at 618-939-3434.

March 4th-19th Honeysuckle Sweep Week!

See sidebar on opposite page for information.

March 9th 10:30am—Pruning: Learn How to Make the Right Cuts. Taught

by Ken Wheat, U. of IL Extension Master Gardener. Location: SIUe Gardens Center, 6 Arboretum Lane.

Reservations @ thegardens@siue. edu, or call 618-650-3070. $2 fee paid at the class.

2pm and 7pm—Smart Pots: A Great Way to Grow Your Vegetables. Brandon Boyles, Smart Pots Co., guest speaker at Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd. (314) 843-4700.

FREE. March 9th-12th Bookworm! A Standard Flower Show. Celebrate some literary masterpieces and represent them in beautiful floral designs at the Builder’s Home and Garden Show, America’s Center. Booth #4051.

Visit GatewayGardener.com/ flower-shows/rules for details.

March 10th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: Maintaining a Successful Native

Garden. Bring your questions, comments, photos, drawings, and plant specimens for discussion.

Session includes hands-on tours and demonstrations. Audience participation encouraged. $17 ($14 Garden members). Shaw Nature Reserve in the classroom behind the Joseph H. Bascom house. Register and pay online at ShawNature.org, or call (636) 451-3512 ext. 0.

March 11th 10am—Beginning Perennial Gardening. Learn how to design successful perennial gardens that will suit the existing conditions of your own yard. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 9653070 for reservations.

March 15th 10am—Project Pollinator Anniversary Celebration.

Celebrate the first anniversary of Project Pollinator, a joint initiative promoting an appreciation of all pollinators through education and creation of pollinator gardens.

Learn why pollinators are important and how you can make a difference. Light refreshments will be served. Adult and children activities. Registration required.

Call 314-994-3300. St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis.

March 16th 2pm.and 7pm—Gardening Hydroponic Style. Donnie Lokey and Andy Chidester, FoxFarms, guest speakers at Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd. (314) 843-4700. FREE. 8am-noon—Spring Kick-off at Hillermanns: St. Patrick’s Day Theme. Landscape department will be here for free designs.10am— Lighting, 11am—Irrigation, 12pm—Lawn Program, 10-11am— Hypertufa make-n-take, $40.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

11am—Healthy Lawns & Gardens. Healthy living calls us to be good stewards of our home environment by developing and maintaining healthy lawn and

The Gateway Gardener™ MARCH 2017

garden practices. Please join Dr. William Sadler, renowned in the field of organics for a prescribed gardening regimen that will boost the health of any area in your yard or garden. Free event. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

March 18th 10am—To Prune or Not to Prune.

And the Right Way to Do it. Learn the correct timing and techniques to prune the various Hydrangea cultivars and other shrubs for maximum blooming. Rejuvenating tired old shrubs will also be discussed. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

March 23rd 2pm.and 7pm—Garden Design Using Hosta. Bruce Buehrig, cofounder St. Louis Hosta Society, guest speaker at Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd. (314) 8434700. FREE. March 25th 10am-2pm—Equipment Center Demo Day. Test-drive and find the mower that is right for you, and check out all the handheld power tools to make your outdoor jobs a breeze. Talk with reps, ask questions, and learn more about these lines of equipment. Enter for a chance to win a STIHL FS56 Trimmer. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

of everyday life behind you and refresh with a day of wellness in mind, body and the garden! Enjoy yoga in the greenhouse, and learn to use meditation as a tool to help you relax more and stress less. Enjoy a seasonal lunch with recipes from Fresh Farmhouse Kitchen. Then, get some tips on growing a spring garden and learn about the benefits of houseplants. Go to frisellanursery. com for specific times and details of each event. Frisella Nursery, 636.798.2555.

March 25th and 28th 10am—Spring Gardening Tips.

Guest speaker Karen Collins, author of Karen’s Garden Calendar, offers tips for early spring gardening. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

March 28th 6:30pm—Container Gardening: A Different Approach. Taught by Marian Smithson, U of IL Extension Master Gardener. Location: SIUe Gardens Center, 6 Arboretum Lane.

Reservations @ thegardens@siue. edu, or call 618-650-3070. $2 fee paid at the class.

March 30th 2pm.and 7pm—Let’s Mix it Up: Planting Beautiful & Successful Containers. Adam Heimos, NG Heimos Greenhouses, guest speaker at Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd. (314) 843-4700. FREE.

9am-4:30pm—Spring Refresh.

Enjoy a day of leaving the stress

NEED A SPEAKER for your Garden Club or Group?

Master Gardener Speakers Bureau volunteers are available to speak to garden clubs, church, civic and other groups.

Choose from over 50 different programs, from Aromatherapy to Winter Damage, Birds in the Garden, to Soil Preparation, Daylilies to Orchids.

Explore the complete list of topics at www. stlmg.org. Look for the Speakers Bureau tab in the top margin.

(A $50 fee funds Master Gardener programming in our community.)

MARCH 2017

The Gateway Gardener™

Join in

Honeysuckle Sweep Week (Plus!)

March 4-19

Help remove invasive bush honeysuckle from your community by participating in one of these regional honeysuckle removal events. RSVP or registration is required for some events. Contact each organization or visit web address below for details.

March 4 9 a.m.–noon--Deer Creek Park.Organized by Webster Groves and Missouri Botanical Garden. For infomation contact Nelson Curran at nelson.curran@mobot.org or (314) 577-9473.

March 4 9 a.m.--Blanchette Park (1900 Randolph, St. Charles, MO, Pavilion 4). Organized by Greenway Network March 5, 12,and 19 11 a.m.--Emmenegger Nature Park, Kirkwood Organized by Kirkwood Parks Adopt-a-Park volunteer group Event registration required; to register contact gwahlmann@ sbcglobal.net or (314) 954-1208.

March 7, all day beginning at 8:30 a.m.

March 10 and 17 8:30-11:30am Paul A. Schroeder Park (359 Old Meramec Station Road, Manchester, MO 63021). Organized by City of Manchester and Missouri Master Naturalists, Great River Chapter. For information or to register contact Becky at (636) 391-6326 x 400.

March 11 9 a.m.–noon--Laumeier Sculpture Park. Organized by Missouri Botanical Garden and St. Louis County Parks. For information contact Nelson Curran at nelson.curran@mobot.org or (314) 5779473.

March 11 10 a.m.–3 p.m.--The College School, Labarque Campus (4180 Doc Sargent Rd. Pacific, MO 63069). Organized by The College School. Contact Tim Wood at Twood@thecollegeschool.org or (314)629-8600.

March 11, 9 a.m.–noon Honeysuckle Hack at Forest River Trail Park. Organized by the Open Space Council for St. Louis Region.

For more information on Honeysuckle Sweep Week events, visit https://tinyurl.com/z2deqb3 Honeysuckle Sweep Week is organized by biodiverseCity St Louis and Missouri Botanical Garden 23

Get inspired this Spring to grow something DELICIOUS

Special thanks to Hunters Ridge Berry Farm and Cheryl Hughey for the use of their photos grown in our compost.

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

BELLEVILLE, IL

5841 Mine Haul Road 618.233.2007

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO Schaefer Road Visit11294 us online at www.stlcompost.com 314.423.9035

VALLEY PARK, MO

ST. LOUIS, MO

39 Old Elam Avenue 636.861.3344

560 Terminal Road 314.868.1612

PACIFIC, MO

FLORISSANT, MO

18900 Franklin Road 636.271.3352

13060 County Park Road 314.355.0052

stlcompost.com STLComposting

ENRICHING THE SOIL NATURALLY SINCE 1992