The Gateway Gardener October 2014

Gateway Gardener

OCTOBER 2014

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Fall is Tree Time!

It’s time to plant new ones and care for the ones you have!

Native Trees for Under Power Lines Planting Spring Bulbs Winter Rose Protection FREE Courtesy of:

Scan here for your free lawn and garden problem solv solving app

Best Solutions 速

Make your unwanted guests uncomfortable

Mouse Magic is an all-natural mouse repellent made from essential oils that trigger the escape/avoidance instincts in mice. These safe and easy to use place packs can be used in potting sheds, cottages, garages, basements, stored boats, campers, cars or farm equipment or just about anywhere you want to keep mice away. The powerful but pleasant scent will repel the mice through the winter but will quickly wear off when you open up next spring.

So keep your potting shed fresh and clean this winter with Mouse Magic.

find a retailer... bonide.com

Gateway Gardener

From the Editor

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

October 2014

Volume 10, Number 8

Founded in 2005 by

Robert Weaver & Joyce Bruno

Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Barbara Perry Lawton Garden Book Author and Garden Writer Connie Alwood Master Gardener Ellen Barredo Certified Nursery Professional Diane Brueckman Rosarian Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Scott Woodbury Native Plant Specialist Mara Higdon Gateway Greening Glenn Kraemer Turf Horticulturist Steffie Littlefield Nursery Professional Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published monthly by Double Dig Communications, Inc. to promote enjoyable, successful gardening and livable landscapes in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area. The magazine is distributed free to the public at designated garden centers, nurseries, garden gift shops, lawn equipment rental, repair and sales establishments, and other locations supporting sound gardening, lawn and landscaping practices.

Please send letters-to-the-editor, questions, event announcements, editorial suggestions and contributions, photos, advertising inquiries and materials, and any other correspondence to: The Gateway Gardener Magazine® PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Phone: (314) 968-3740

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.

O

ctober is a time of year in the garden that pulls in different directions. On the one hand, the vibrant colors of the trees and mums and goldenrod (seen behind me here) deserve and demand our attention in the moment. On the other, our planting efforts turn our eyes to a distant horizon: next spring’s flowering bulbs, next season’s perennial flowers or flowering shrubs, and the even more distant vision of a mature shade tree planted on this brisk autumn day as a mere slip. I planted a paw paw “tree” this fall that came to me in a 6” pot with about that much height.

Well, they say we plant trees for others…

Sometimes it works out; other times it doesn’t. Many people lost trees and shrubs to last year’s harsher-than-most winter. Some were unavoidable losses, but in many cases, the plants went into winter with one foot already in the grave due to the previous summer’s heat and drought. Making

providing us with a list on page 6 of smaller trees to consider when planting under power lines.

Gardeners do not live by trees alone, though, so we’re grateful for Barbara Perry Lawton’s review of planting techniques for springflowering bulbs (page 4), and Diane Brueckman’s sure your plants are in the instructions on preparing roses best shape possible will help for winter (page 16). them have the best chance for seeing not only next spring, There is much to do in the but the springs of generations waning growing season, and to come. See some tips on it passes by so quickly. Maybe preparing your trees for winter I’ll take a break, though, and from Forrest Keeling’s Wayne see if my paw paw has any Lovelace on page 10. Wayne fruit yet. also gave us a few planting tips on that page.

Steffie Littlefield takes a look back and forward at her own gardening experience on page 12, marveling at the bounty of this summer’s harvest as well as reviewing some favorite trees to plant now for future fall color. Scott Woodbury also had trees on his mind this month—natives, of course—

On the Cover...

Trees do so much for us, including providing spectacular color in the landscape at this time of year. The least we can do is provide them with the bare essentials to survive. Read how to care for your trees heading into winter, plus how to plant them properly for a long, healthy life. See pages 10-11. Photo

by Robert Weaver.

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs

Good gardening!

6 Native Trees for Under Power Lines 8 Book Reviews 10 Prepare Your Trees for Winter 11 Tree Planting Tips 12 What Does Fall Mean to You? 14 Leeks 14 JT’s Fresh Ideas Italian Sausage 15 October Harvest List 16 Winter Protection for Roses 18 Fiery October Orange Indoors 20 Dig This 22 Upcoming Events

Planting Spring-Blooming Bulbs

by Barbara Perry Lawton

P

lant spring-blooming bulbs during the fall months and you will have a colorful and spectacular spring.

There are very few plants easier to work with than the spring-blooming bulbs. Plant the bulbs in well-draining organic soil and in places that get full sun in early spring. As soon as the soil warms again after winter’s cold blasts, you will see bulbs begin to sprout, the green spears reaching for the sun.

cold to trigger their bloom.

Deer-Resistant Spring Bulbs

For those of us who must constantly cope with beautiful but pestiferous deer, all you have to do is learn which spring bulbs will survive not only hungry deer but also some bulb-loving rodents. We’ve all learned that the deer don’t eat daffodils but there are other bulbs that are resistant to animal damage as well.

Crocuses in bright colors of white, yellow, and lavender will brighten the early spring landscape and not feed the deer. Dwarf irises, also early bloomers, come in blues, purples, yellow and white and are spurned by deer. Alliums, ornamental onions, are the most deer-resistant of all the bulbs.

Striped squills (Puschkinia libanotica), camassia, snowdrops (Galanthus), glory of the snow (Chinodoxa forbesii) and fritillaries also are deer resistant.

Plant bulbs in the fall when soil temperatures approach 55 degrees F. and night temperatures stay between 40 and 50 degrees. Plant them at a depth of about three times their height and be sure to keep them pointed end up. In the case of some bulbs such as the bulbous anemones, it’s hard to tell which side should be up. If you can’t tell, plant the bulbs on their sides—better that than upside down.

You can continue to plant bulbs on through Even though they are favorites of those white-tailed deer, I will November and even December as long as the ground is not frozen. still plant tulips in sheltered spots, especially the very perennial Most of the spring-blooming bulbs need ten to twelve weeks of Darwin or species tulips—their bright colors always give a lift to the spirit.

Fertilizing Bulbs

The easiest way to fertilize is to purchase formulations such as Bulb Booster or others especially made for feeding bulbs—as always, follow the directions. Fertilizing in the spring when the first shoots appear will help rebuild the bulbs for next year’s bloom. People used to say that bone meal should be mixed into the soil to fertilize bulbs. Actually, if you use bone meal, dogs may dig around in the area, looking for “phantom bones.”

You can cut back flower stems after bloom, but never cut back the foliage—that provides nutrients for the next flowering season. Let the foliage ripen and die back naturally. Plant bulbs in perennial or annual beds—the annual and perennial growth will hide the bulb foliage while it ripens. Maintain soil moisture—a moisture meter Looking for Something Unique for will help you read the soil.

your Garden??

Come Stroll Thru Our Gardens and Discover the Pleasure of Plants!

FPO

Natives, Not-so-common Trees, Shrubs & Perennials

1674 N. Bluff Rd Collinsville, IL 62234

(618)344-8841

4

Choose sites that have good drainage. Nothing will slay spring-blooming bulbs faster than soggy soil. They are at their very best in a rich loamy soil that drains well and has a pH of about 6.5 to 7.0. Since our region is notorious for soils that are high in clay, all of your garden beds will be more hospitable to both ornamental and useful plants if you incorporate generous amounts of compost.

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

I generally fertilize everything with a balanced, slow-release, pelletized fertilizer. Each spring, I just scatter a few handfuls of the fertilizer pellets on each garden bed (my mixed beds include perennials and annuals as well as spring-blooming bulbs).

Handy Hints

• Mark where you plant bulbs so that you don’t dig them up by mistake when planting other ornamentals.

• Don’t plant bulbs in rows like military formations. Planting them in swaths and drifts is far more effective aesthetically.

• Only plant the earliest small bulbs in lawns as they will not bloom next year if the foliage is mowed before ripening.

• When bulb blooms have faded, cut the flower stalks to the ground. Don’t cut back the foliage and don’t braid it or topknot the foliage with rubber bands. Bulb foliage must mature and ripen naturally to a yellowish tan for the plants to have the best blooms next year. You can plant annuals next to bulbs so that their foliage hides the bulb foliage.

• Plant bulb combinations by interplanting, for instance, crocuses and tulips. By doing this you’ll have a double header bloom season.

• Each year, try a few new bulbs. There are many from which to choose—dwarf fritillarias, winter aconites, alliums, scillas and perhaps some of the more unusual dwarf daffodils.

BALLWIN NURSERY & LANDSCAPE CO.

Custom DESIGNS for each unique site

INSTALLATION of beautiful plants and walls, paths, and patios Meticulous MAINTENANCE of every property entrusted to our care

MUMS have arrived!

Voted West County’s

#1 Nursery!

One-Stop Shopping

& Over 3 acres of

Nursery Quality Shrubs, Trees & Evergreens Sod • Perennials Fertilizers • Mulch Jaguar Grass Seed NEED PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPING...

CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE!

636-394-7776

BALLWIN NURSERY 112 OLD BALLWIN RD.

Mon-Fri 8-6 Sat 9-5 • Sun 10-4

located behind Elco Chevrolet www.ballwinnurserylandscape.com

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.

AUTUMN CALLING Relax outdoors this fall in a new space you can truly call your own.

Pumpkins, Gourds, Straw, Cornstalk, Indian Corn & More!

We’re Your Source for Fall Gardening & Decorating!

HOME & GARDEN :: LANDSCAPING :: IRRIGATION :: MAINTENANCE

Bulbs, Mums, Asters, Pansies, Trees & Shrubs & Perennials Waiting For You! 11530 Gravois Road St. Louis, MO 63126 (314) 843-4700 or www.sappingtongardenshop.com OPEN 7 DAYS

OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

550 HIGHWAY F DEFIANCE, MO 63341 636.798.2555 ::::: FRISELLANURSERY.COM

5

Naturally Natives Small Native Trees for Under Power Lines Text and Photos By Scott Woodbury

W

hen shade trees and power lines come into conflict, trees are almost always the losers. Tree branches growing into or falling on power lines can pose safety issues and disrupt services.

Utility companies often cut back trees that are interfering with the power lines causing trees to be disfigured and more susceptible to disease. The best way to avoid these conflicts is to plant shorter tree species. Utility lines are typically 18 feet high over residential streets and 12-15 feet high over residential properties so it pays to know how tall your trees will get.

Properly selected small native trees will remain below the lines and require little maintenance after they become established. Some species listed reach their mature height faster than others. On average slow trees reach their mature height within 30 years, medium trees take 20 and fast growing trees may only take 10-15.

Keep in mind that much older trees may outgrow the recommended mature height especially in nature where trees may live for many decades. Below is a list of native species that will remain short throughout their typical home garden life spans.

6

Scientific Name

Common Name

Aesculus glabra

Ohio Buckeye

Aesculus pavia

Mature Height Growth Rate

Light Requirement

Wildlife Value

15-20 (Slow-Med.)

Sun to shade

Yellow flowers in early spring attract spring butterflies

Red Buckeye

8-12’ (Med.)

Sun to shade

Red, tube-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds

Amelanchier arborea

Downy Serviceberry

10-15’ (Slow)

Part shade

White flowers in March/April before trees leaf out

Asimina triloba

Pawpaw

15-25’ (Med)

Shade to pt shade

Host plant to zebra swallowtail butterfly.

Bumelia lanuginosa

Gum Bumellia

10-15’ (Slow)

Pt shade

Creamy white flowers attract many species of insects

Carpinus caroliniana

Hornbeam

10-15’ (Med.)

Sun to shade

Horizontal branches spread out wider than tall

Cercis canadensis

Redbud

10-20’ (Fast)

Sun to pt shade

Pink flowers March/April, Prefers well-drained soil

Chionanthus virginicus

Fringetree

10-15’ (Slow)

Sun to pt shade

Fragrant creamy-white flowers April/ May

Cornus alternifolia

Pagoda Dogwood

8-12’ (Med.)

Shade to pt shade

Blue berries eaten by birds in summer

Cornus drummondii

Rough-leaved Dogwood

10-15’ (Fast)

Sun to shade

Thicket forming. may cut back to reduce height. Host plant to spring azure butterfly.

Cornus florida

Flowering Dogwood

10-15’ (Slow)

Shade to pt shade

Host plant to spring azure butterfly.

Crataegus viridis

Green Hawthorn

15-20’ (Med.)

Sun

Orange clusters of fruits a favorite food of birds

Hamamelis virginiana

Witchazel

10-15’ (Med.)

Pt shade

Yellow fragrant flowers October/ November

and

Ostrya virginiana

Hop Hornbeam

15-20’ (Med.)

Prefers shade

Narrow, upright small tree

Prunus americana

Wild Plum

10-15’ (Fast)

Sun to pt shade

Host for red-spoted purple and tiger swallowtail

Ptelea trifoliata

Wafer Ash

8-10’ (Med.)

Sun to pt shade

Multi-stem shrub. Host for giant swallowtail butterfly

Rhamnus caroliniana

Carolina Buckthorn

10-12’ (Fast)

Pt shade

Berries eaten by birds in late summer

Sapindus drummondii

Soapberry

10-15’ (Med.)

Pt shade

White flowers June/July; berries eaten by birds

Viburnum rufidulum

Southern Black Haw

10-15’ (Slow)

Sun to part shade

White flower clusters May/June

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants

A Grow Native! Top 10 List Featured Category:

Small Native Flowering Trees to Plant under Utility Lines Attractive • Durable • Provide Bird Habitat

1

Amelanchier arborea Downy Serviceberry

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Native plaNt Name Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) Downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Wild plum (Prunus americana)

HeigHt 8-12 Feet 10–15 Feet 15–25 Feet 10–20 Feet 10–15 Feet 8-12 Feet 15–20 Feet 8-12 Feet 15–20 Feet 10–15 Feet

UNiqUe qUalities Red, tube-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds. Sun to shade. Medium growing.

White flowers in March/April before trees leaf out. Pt. shade. Slow growing.

Host plant to zebra swallowtail butterfly.

Shade to pt shade. Medium growing.

Pink flowers March/April. Prefers welldrained soil. Sun to pt shade. Fast growing.

Fragrant creamy-white flowers April/May. Sun to pt. shade. Slow growing.

Blue berries eaten by birds in summer.

Shade to pt. shade. Medium growing.

Orange clusters of fruits a favorite food of birds. Sun. Medium growing.

Yellow fragrant flowers October/November.

Pt. shade. Medium growing.

Narrow, upright small tree. Pt. to full shade.

Medium growing.

Host for red-spotted purple and tiger swallowtails. Sun to pt. shade. Fast growing.

Grow Native! is a native plant education and marketing program of the

Chionanthus virginicus Fringetree

Horticulturalist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for more than 20 years.

ZICK’S GREAT OUTDOORS CELEBRATING OUR 34TH YEAR

One of the Midwest’s Finest Nurseries

Open 7 days a week @ 16498 Clayton Rd. (Corner of Clayton/Strecker in Wildwood) Crataegus viridus Green Hawthorn OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

GREAT SELECTION OF FALL COLOR! 636-458-1445 www.zicksgreatoutdoors.com 7

NEW Books by Area Hort Pros Gardening with Young Children

By Sara Starbuck, Marla Olthof and Karen Midden Redleaf Press Softbound, 264 pages, $25.95

S

ome of our region’s avid gardeners and educators have contributed to a new book to help educators and parents teach the joys of gardening to a new generation.

Karen Midden, a professor in Plant, Soil and Agriculture Systems at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a landscape architect; Sara Starbuck, an associate professor at Southeast Missouri State University; and Marla Olthof, a pre-school teacher and teacher trainer who has taught at Southern Illinois University, have co-authored Gardening with Young Children.

The book is a response to growing concerns about “nature deficit

disorder” and the obesity epidemic in young children, and offers a variety of projects, such as vertical, green roof and container gardens for limited spaces such as those found in a school environment or urban home landscape. It contains more than 60 hands-on learning activities for children of all ages, though it is aimed primarily at children ages 0-8, and includes experiences for infants and toddlers, as well as older budding gardeners to third grade. It even features a brief native plant case study from our area’s own College School in Webster Groves.

The book goes far beyond the garden and plants, providing a section on insects, both good and not-so-good, provides tips on how gather resources—including financial—for school and community gardens, and also gives suggestions on ways to tie the gardening experience into other curricula areas beyond the plant sciences. It also includes sample garden designs for a variety of different garden themes, from bird and butterfly gardens, North American gardens, and kitchen gardens to sensory gardens—and even a dinosaur garden!

“Gardens are where children’s imaginations engage nature, and the result is joyful learning,” according to the book. “Gardening helps children develop an appreciation for the natural world and build the foundation for environmental stewardship.”

“Your Trees Deserve the BEST Care!”

Fall Bulbs are Here!

We offer a complete line of fall-planted spring blooming flower bulbs.

Pruning, Fertilization, Planting, Spraying, Trimming & Removal

Be Good to Your Trees. CALL Today! to schedule an appointment

314-725-6159 Insured

gammatree.com

Tim Gamma • B.S. Horticulture Board Certified Master Arborist Tom Gamma • ISA Certified Arborist

8

Fresh Birdseed At Truckload Prices! n so ”U e k n “Li so ”U e k “Li

115 E. Argonne Kirkwood, MO

(314)822 -0083 Hours: m-f 9:00-5:30 • Sat 8:30-5:00

We Accept:

- Personal Checks & Cash

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

From Seed to Harvest and Beyond

Garden+Journal calendar UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION

1

information you need in one place to plan, plant and harvest or enjoy From Seed to Harvest and great vegetable and ornamental gardens, including: Beyond: • Graphs for sketching and planning the basic vegetable garden and Garden Journal and landscape areas to make it easier to plan for the current garden Calendar (publication season as well as seasons to come. #MP928) • Calendars without dates so this journal can be used any year. Each

By Donna Aufdenberg, Sarah monthly calendar is paired with a page of tips and reminders of what to do in the garden during that month.

Denkler, Kate Kammler • Plenty of space for recording your thoughts and noting garden University of Missouri successes and needed plant improvements.

Extension • Forms for recording seed and plant buying information, seed $15 (spiral bound), $20 starting, flowers blooming, and pest control methods. (binder) • Information pages that will help to guide you in the gardening

T

hree area horticulture specialists from University of Missouri Extension have put together a great resource for beginning and experienced gardeners alike. From Seed to Harvest and Beyond: Garden Journal and Calendar is a garden journal for Missouri gardeners, as well as a how-to guide and information resource. It provides a place to keep all gardening information, plans and notes together.

Keeping a garden journal is a great way to organize and keep track of the how, when, where and what of the gardening season. Writing down your thoughts, successes, failures, needed improvements and new ideas as the gardening season progresses is easier than struggling to remember them several months after the season has ended. Many gardeners believe the keys to successful gardening are to get your plans on paper first and to keep records. This journal allows a gardener to do this.

From Seed to Harvest and Beyond contains just that—all the

OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

season, and a glossary of garden terms.

• An index of MU Extension gardening guides.

To order the spiral bound version, visit http://extension.missouri. edu/p/mp928. To get the binder version, which allows you to easily update pages and add your own personalized pages to the guide, contact Donna Aufdenberg at Bollinger County MU Extension Center (aufdenbergd@missouri.edu or (573) 238-2420).

20%

Made in the St. Louis Area

Discount

(on all purchases over $25)

Best of Missouri Market 2014 and 2015!

Bring this coupon to our booth.

stand up and garden 314-255-1845 • 618-334-2504

www.guttergardens.com

9

Prepare Your Trees for Winter

By Wayne Lovelace

Ed. Note: Last winter’s extreme cold, preceded by a hot, droughty summer, led to the demise of many shrubs and trees this spring and summer.

With that in mind, we thought it would be timely to offer a primer on how to help trees and shrubs make it through the winter. And who better to ask than one of our area’s premier tree experts, Wayne Lovelace of Forrest Keeling Nursery. Here are his tips for nursing your plants up for winter, as well as a quick guide to fall tree planting.

deeper mulch application of three to four inches.

Now is a Great Time to Plant!

Fall is an excellent time to plant for a number of reasons. The key to this success is that the roots on trees do not go dormant. As long as the soil temperature is 50° or warmer the roots will continue to grow and progress to establishment.

Soil temperatures will remain in this range well into December. In late winter as soil begins to warm root growth begins even though the tops are still dormant. Fall and late winter root growth prepares the plant to better handle the summer stress season. This first year of establishment is important to any factors enter into tree care going into winter. successful performance and growth.

Often times, too much tender loving care can come back to haunt you; i.e. do not fertilize in Wayne Lovelace is President and CEO of Forrest Keeling Nursery in Elsberry, Missouri. He is also a past president of the Wholesale late growing season. This can encourage late tender Growers of America, Western Association of Nurserymen, Missouri growth that is subject to winter injury. It is important Association of Nurserymen and Eastern Region I.P.P.S, and is the to keep moderately watered. Also properly mulched 2004 recipient of the American Nursery & Landscape Association to insulate and protect shallow roots is always a good Hall of Fame Award for his distinguished career and lifetime service. practice. We recommend bark or wood chips rather Wayne may be reached at(800)356-2401. than grass, straw or anything that might harbor voles or other rodents that would feed on roots or the cambium tissue resulting in partial or complete girdling of a tree.

M

Many times top damage occurs when hardening off has not occurred because of unseasonal mild fall weather without colder temperatures to induce dormancy.

These conditions may be and usually are followed by sudden drops in temperature that can cause major top damage. This condition occurred last fall, 2013, in early November and was one of the primary reasons for much of the top damage observed, more so than the unusually cold temperatures experienced over an extended time period.

We must appreciate that non-natives are more prone to injury with these conditions and may need additional help. Very light fertilizing throughout the growing season: slowing growth by reducing water and a 10

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

B

PLANT IT RIGHT!

Call Before You Dig!

efore you start digging to plant that tree, make sure you know what’s in the ground beneath you. Damaging an underground line can result in injuries, expensive repair cost, legal fees and outages.

Nationwide, an underground utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes.

One out of every three facilities damaged is the result of not notifying the One Call center to have the facilities marked prior to digging.

The easiest way to identify the utility lines beneath your landscape is to take advantage of the Missouri or Illinois One Call Systems.

Notifying Missouri or Illinois One Call before beginning any type of excavation—whether planting a tree, running a new irrigation system, or even digging a mailbox--will allow the utilities to mark their underground facilities permitting the excavation to safely proceed.

The service is free of charge, and you can process your request 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It only takes a few minutes to complete the process of notifying the utilities of your intent to dig. The utilities are then allowed three working days to respond and mark their facilities.

Here’s how it works: 1. Three working days before you begin your work, call 1-800-DIGRITE in Missouri, or 1-800-892-0123 in Illinois, or 811 in either state, or go online to www.mo1call.com or www.illinois1call.com to place your locate request.

2. Operators will map the dig site from excavator information and notify the utilities that have facilities in the area.

Tree planting is a significant investment in money, resources and time, but proper selection and planting techniques help insure success. Consider fall planting to allow trees to establish before the stresses of summer weather. Dig your hole twice as wide and slightly shallower than the root ball of your tree. Do not plant too deep. The top of the root mass should be level with the ground surface.

If your soil is compacted or extremely clayey, mix the soil 50/50 with compost. Put some of the mixture in the bottom of the hole to raise the tree to the proper grade.

Once planted, add two to three inches of mulch around the tree but away from the tree trunk.

Tree wrap or tree guards can help protect the tree from damage due to deer, rabbits rodents and sunscald.

ROOT FLARE

For a more extensive set of planting instructions, visit our website at http://www.gatewaygardener.com/tips-techniques-and-tools/ how-to-plant-a-tree.

3. The utilities will respond by marking their facilities or notifying you that they have no facilities at the dig site. The utilities will mark the facilities that they own, usually up to the meter.

4. Once all the utilities have responded, work can then safely proceed, avoiding damages.

TH

There are over 20 million miles of underground facilities buried in the United States. Don’t take the chance of accidently finding one of them.

Always call or click before you dig!

E

BUC

HOME OF THE D E E R F R E E ZON E * AREA’S OP ONLY E K

ST

S HER

* Our new in-store boutique featuring deer-resistant trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals & tropicals conveniently displayed together under one roof.

GreenscapeGardens.com | 314.821.2440 2832 Barrett Station Rd., Manchester, MO 63021 Located 1 Mile West of I-270 on Barrett Station at Dougherty Ferry

OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

11

What Does Fall Mean to You? Steffie Littlefield

T

o a young family fall means children go back to school and it’s time to spend more time at home.

To many it means they should prepare the home for upcoming holidays, Halloween and Thanksgiving. To farmers and vegetable gardeners it means harvest and transitioning to cool season crops. But to a gardener it means perfect planting weather for new trees!

autumn weather and plant a new tree or a grouping of shrubs to fill in those empty spaces.

When assessing your landscape remember to consider more than summer flowers. Adding fall color to the garden is one of the most important aspects of trees in our landscape. The blazing red leaves on Japanese maples, the butter yellow leaves on ginkos and the waxy green foliage of Bracken’s Brown Beauty magnolias enrich gardens with color and texture been one of the largest tomato is cooler and there is less stress in fall months. Black gum is production years ever. Along on the newly planted plants from a magnificent addition to any with tomatoes, my pepper crop drought and heat. The soil stays garden with a red, orange, and has been huge, beans never warm for several months, while yellow multi-color display in stopped producing, tomatillos rainy periods help plants to send autumn. Bald cypress adds a were prolific, cucumbers, out roots that will support them soft texture to the garden and squash, eggplant and edaname in the summers ahead. If you has a rusty orange fall color. have been abundant. While I lost older and damaged plants Sometimes shape and structure write this article I’m planning in the severe winter last year, are important to highlight to dig sweet potatoes and have take advantage of our moderate modern architecture or to screen already planted my fall crops of broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kale, arugula, peas and Steffie Littlefield is a horticulturist and garden designer beets.

With my newest project, EdgClif Farms & Vineyard, this fall I am very much focused on harvesting our grapes. This week we just finished harvesting our largest crop of Vignoles, 5800 lbs., to make 350 gallons of fabulous juice soon to be wine. We are preparing to harvest a small quantity of Vidal Blanc grapes and over twelve tons of Chambourcin grapes in the next 4 weeks.

Yes, the summer has been good for growing grapes even if last winter was challenging for all For many gardeners, fall means plant material. it’s time to plant new trees. My As a vegetable gardener, I most successful plantings have am pleased to say this has been in the fall when the weather

at Garden Heights Nursery. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticultural Association and past president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis.

20% OFF

A Nursery Tree of Your Choice Good through 10/31/14.

Not good with any other sale, coupon or discount or on previous purchases.

Landscape Department excluded.

NURSERY & FLORIST

2601 E. 5th St. • Washington, MO

636-239-6729 • hillermann.com

12

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

an unfortunate view, the fastigiate European hornbeam may be the best choice. This narrow upright growing tree also has a lovely yellow/gold fall color.

Experience and enjoy the cooler season of the year. As the harvest is brought to market support independent farmers and try something locally grown. Also as the gardening season slows down, remember to take this opportunity to plant a beautiful tree in your garden.

Professional Gardening Service • since

1992 •

Garden desiGn and rearranGement • sprinG cleanup of Gardens • mulchinG • Soil testing and preparation • Complete annual and perennial delivery and plantinG • maintenance—weedinG, deadheadinG, fertilizinG and insect control • Composting • Shrub and ornamental tree pruning and thinning • Indoor plant repottIng • Fall bulb plantIngs • greenhouse care • Winter preparation for beds and roses • Vegetable & Herb Gardening

Gift Certificates Available

314-961-6380 www.floraandfaunaltd.com

Gary & Gail Abbott

Bring Conservation Home

• Dreaming of your own wildlife sanctuary?

• Fascinated by hummingbirds, butterflies or creepy/ crawlies?

Design/Installation Also Available

• 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:

314-741-3121

618-585-3414

www.stlouisaudubon.org/BCH

Family of Products!

Fertilizer Available At These Dyna Green™ Authorized Dealers:

Ann’s Garden & Greenhouse LLC Bayer’s Garden Shop Kirkwood Material Supply

Passiglia Nursery Sappington Garden Shop Valley Park Elevator & Hardware

Listen to The McGraw Show M-F 6-10am

dynagreeninfo.com

OCTOBER 2014

Starter fertilizer now available in 5 lb bags.

Perfect for overseeding bare spots!

The Gateway Gardener®

13

The Cornucopia Corner

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.

By Mara Higdon

When cooking with leeks, the part that is used is the thick white stalk. How does it get so white? Well, this is an important part of how you plant the leek seedlings. Once your soil is ready to plant, space your leek 6-8 inches apart. Dig a small hole 4-6 inches down and tuck that leek seedling all the way down into the hole and Leeks are a unique-looking start growing them in the spring, pull the soil around the leek vegetable in the garden and but fall leeks can be started if seedling. The portion of the fairly simple to grow. Cousins you are planning to extend the leek seedling that is covered by to the onion, leeks are part of season using row cover or other the soil will remain white. This is called blanching. When the the Allium family, but pack a season-extension methods. milder oniony punch to soups Leek starts or seedlings can be leek gets about an inch around in circumference, begin pulling and other dishes. Typically you

Jt’s For more Vigorous Lawns, Trees and Shrubs!

Winterizer 25-0-6 • Builds winter hardiness.

• Strengthens root systems during the winter.

• Ideal for all types of trees, shrubs, ornamentals & evergreens.

Tree & Shrub Systemic Insect Drench (32oz) • Mix and pour around trees and shrubs.

• Prevents insects from damaging trees and shrubs.

• Now is a great time to apply!

up more soil around them to cover the growing stem. This increases the white portion of the leek bulb and ultimately provides more usable leek to cook with!

As the leek grows, soil may fall into the layers of the stem over time. To deter this from happening, you can slip a toilet paper roll over the growing leek when they are small. This will keep the soil out and prevent rotting from the inside out.

Leeks can be harvested when they are small and used similarly like a scallion, or you can wait till they get to be 1 inch or more in girth and then harvested. To harvest, gently loosen the soil under where they are growing and pull out of the ground.

You can store leeks in freezer bags after slicing, washing, and

Fresh Ideas

ItalIan SauSage wIth PePPerS & OnIOnS courtesy chezus.com

Leeks

grown from seed or purchased.

In preparation for planting, it’s important to add lots of compost to your soil and increase the nitrogen level, as they are heavy feeders.

Ingredients 6 sweet Italian links 2 T. olive oil 1 large yellow onion, sliced 1 red pepper, sliced 1 yellow pepper, sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 t. dried basil 1 t. dried oregano ¼ -½ cup marsala wine ½ t. red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation Instructions Place sausage in large skillet over medium heat and brown on all sides.

Remove from skillet.

Add olive oil and stir in onions and garlic and cook approximately 3 minutes. Add peppers, basil, oregano, crushed red peppers (optional) and Marsala wine.

Return sausage to the skillet, reduce

heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve on a hoagie roll or over your favorite pasta.

Please share some of your favorite recipes with us.

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

We really enjoy this dinner made with homemade sausage from a close Italian friend!

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

Jt

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

14

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

Tips for Growing, Buying and Cooking Fresh, Locally Sourced Food for Your Table blanching for a minute in hot the roots on the bulb. Store in water. For longer-term storage, an airtight plastic bag for 1-2 cut the green leaves back to an weeks. inch of the white stem, but keep Mara Higdon is the Program Director at Gateway Greening, Inc. They focus on community development through gardening throughout the St. Louis area. You can reach her at (314) 588-9600 x22 or by email at mara@gatewaygreening.org.

October Harvest

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

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

Rhubarb Spinach Squash Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Turnips

Fruits

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

OCTOBER HARVEST • • • • • •

NATURE’S SOURCE Plant Food is safe, easy & effective for all your gardening needs!

New, easy dosing pump Perennials Shrubs & Trees Pansies & Mums Use the locator on the NATURE’S SOURCE page of our website to nd out where you can get yours.

October 1st-31st

Straw Maze Petting Zoo Fort Maze Swings & Slides Pony Express Train Pony Rides (Sat./Sun. Only) Hardy Mums $6.99 ea. or 10 for $60

1000s to Choose From!

Reservations Available for: Churches, Schools, Birthday Parties & Special Events Fall is for Planting! $5 OFF $50

Tree or Shrub Purchase Trees and shrubs only. Mums, roses, perennials excluded.

One per customer.

M-F 9-6 Sat 9-5 Sun 10-5 “We grow color for your home!”

352 Jungermann Rd. • St. Peters, MO 63376 636-441-5048 www.danielsfarmandgreenhouse.com

OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

Wholesale grower serving the St. Louis area since 1966 “We’ve been professionally growing with NATURE’S SOURCE for 15 years.”

-Christine Ritter Mason, Owner

www.rittergreenhouse.com 15

Winter Protection for Roses

By Diane Brueckman

L

ast winter was a wake up call for all gardeners. We may live in Zone 6 but sometimes Mother Nature forgets what that means. Preparation saves a lot of disappointment. It took all summer for some plants to recover their former stature and many weak plants just didn’t make it. We did have a very pleasant summer by St. Louis standards. The temperatures were for the most part reasonable and rainfall was sufficient, so our roses are happy and healthy.

the soil warms, the nitrogen from the fertilizer and the mulch will become available to the roses.

When the roses stop putting out new growth and the temperatures have dropped into the forties with night time temperatures in the thirties, I start to strip off the remaining leaves and clean up the fallen leaves out of the beds. I also cut back my roses to about 18 to 24 inches depending on how big they were. What I am trying to achieve is a sturdy plant the will withstand winter winds and The first thing to do is make sure a clear enough center that the mulch your roses go into the winter well covering will completely cover the hydrated. You will need to water if the fall rains are not adequate, area of the bud union. Of course, when cutting back remove all for roses that means one inch of water a week. diseased or dead canes. If a cane has a hole in the center when you cut into it, cut it back to solid pith. The cane could be harboring an Do not feed your roses any fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and over wintering insect or eggs. water soluble this late in the season. Fertilizers such as Osmocote or 12-12-12 will cause your roses to send out new shoots, using Another step I like to do is to spray the roses with an oil and energy that needs to be stored for spring. This new growth will not insecticidal soap mixture. This must be done on a warm day (mid have time to harden off or mature in order to survive the cold. It is forties). Some rosarians use a product called Wilt-Pruf. I have also best not to deadhead this late in the season because deadheading never used it but I don’t see why it would not help the plants retain encourages new growth. The roses will gradually slow down their moisture in drying winds. flower production and if not deadheaded many will produce rose The last step for winter protection is to cover the roses with hips. By all means, cut a few blooms for the house. shredded hardwood, compost or mulch. I have used double ground I feed my roses my “Chicken Soup for Roses” in the fall. Use hardwood mulch, which is very good, especially if organic fertilizer this or another completely organic fertilizer that feeds the soil and is used in fall. One advantage is the hardwood mulch does not helps shredded wood mulch break down, giving the roses an early easily blow off the plants. Last year I used the raw single ground start. The organics only work when the soil is warm. In spring, as wood chips from Ameren IP. They worked very well, although the chips are not pretty. The only problem is I am still pulling pine seedlings from my beds but the chips were free and the seedlings are not hard to pull.

Davidsan’s Japanese Maples

over 400 varieties of Rare Japanese Maples: Dissectum, Dwarf, Upright, and Weeping...

All St. Louis Winter-Hardy!

And hundreds of other rare trees:

90 minutes north of St. Louis

W 919 S. Farmingdale Rd. NE tion! New Berlin, IL 62670 Take Old Jacksonville Rd. ca Lo

Ten minutes west of Springfield, IL April-Nov, Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5 Other times by appointment

Conifer, ginkgo, beech, magnolia, franklinia, oak, redwood, tupelo...

NEW! Granite sculptures!

Hand carved in China for your Asian garden, at home or in a business setting.

Lanterns, benches, animals, people, fountains, mailboxes, tables and more.

16

Davidsan5611@gmail.com www.davidsansjapanesemaples. com www.davidsangranite.com 217-303-2641

The cover should be 8 to 10 inches deep. Any light material such as compost might need to be held in with a ring of chicken wire or newspaper stapled in a ring and placed around the plant. Covering is done when the ground is very cold, even frozen. Usually two nights in the twenties will cool the ground enough.

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 Brueckman Diane <droseyacres@ egyptian.net>.

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

Mark your calendars now!

Enjoy a fun-filled day with free food, local

vendors, demonstrations and entertainment!

Learn more about Forrest Keelingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastgrowing RPM-produced trees, shrubs and plants, including selections of our popular Chinese Chestnut, which is fast becoming one of our most valuable nut trees.

Taste fresh roasted chestnuts and other delicious foods of the fall harvest.

Cooking demonstration at 12 p.m.

Seminar by Dr. Gene Garrett on Specialty crops and Agroforestry at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

See arts and crafts of the Great River Road region Fun activities for the kids....of all ages!

Live performances of bluegrass and roots music with Mark Nienaber & Friends.

Visit www.forrestkeeling.com or call (573) 898-5571.

88 Forrest Keeling Ln Elsberry, MO 63343 OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway GardenerÂŽ

17

Fiery Orange October Indoor Beauties

By Ellen Barredo

Anthurium

Calathea

W

elcome Fall! Who doesn’t enjoy dressing up the home for the Fall season.

Why not try these fiery beauties?

Crossandra

ones for October! Place your Anthurium in high light but not direct sunlight to keep it blooming often. The plant loves humidity.

Water thoroughly each week, but allow it to dry slightly between waterings. Keep faded flowers removed to keep fresh blooms Orange Anthuriums Tropical Anthuriums make a fantastic indoor emerging. houseplant as they produce brightly colored flower spathes. Anthurium is also called the Calathea Crocata Flamingo Flower and comes in red, orange, This is a new houseplant for me. This beauty white and purple colors. I LOVE the orange is also called “Eternal Flame.” This plant has dark green metallic leaves on top with bronze/purple color on the undersides of the leaves. The fiery yellow/orange blossoms are held on tall stems and can

First Look Friday

October 3–5

light up a room. This plant likes very bright indirect light and plenty of humidity. The pot would ideally sit on a humidity tray over small decorative gravel.

Crossandra

Crossandra, or “Firecracker Flower,” is a flower from days gone by, now back in vogue. It grows quite happily as a houseplant. The clusters of delicate tubular flowers commonly come in shades of orange and salmon. In the house the Firecracker Flower will enjoy a bright warm sunny location. Keep the plant moist but not soggy. This plant also loves humidity, so keep a mister close at hand.

Friday, 6 to 9 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ellen Barredo is a Missouri Certified Nursery Professional with more than 30 years in professional horticulture. She works at Bowood Farms and can be reached at (314) 454-6868 or ebarredo77@gmail.com.

SHOP

EAT PLAY

OCTOBER at

ENJOY The Best of Missouri Market offers more than 120 outstanding food producers and artisans. Enjoy live music and a Kids’ Corner with cow milking, crafts, pumpkin decorating, and more. Buy tickets in advance online at www.mobot.org.

Large selections of • Fall Hardy Mums • Pansies, Ornamental Kale and Cabbage • Pumpkins, Gourds and Cornstalks FAIRY GARDEN CLASSES • Large Fall Planters for the Porch Oct. 19th & 26th Plus NEW Items!

See this issue’s Upcoming • Boulders Events for details or • Skippers call to register!

• Flagstones

(636) 244-5533 5130 Mexico Rd. St. Peters, MO 63376 www.AnnsGandG.com 18

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

find out how trees reduce stress - www.TREESWORK.org Trees Work 2__9x12 Ad_09_2013.indd 1 OCTOBER 2014 The Gateway Gardener速

19

8/30/13 6:13 AM

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News Local Landscape Designer National Competition

Road.

Wins

St. Louis-area landscape designer A d a m Woodruff recently won Best Professional Landscape in the second a n n u a l Gardenista Considered D e s i g n Awards for his prairie inspired garden, Jones

Gardenista.com is a popular online sourcebook dedicated to all things garden, from sustainable rooftop gardening to backyard DIY projects.

More than 1,000 projects were submitted for consideration in the design competition. A panel of design-world luminaries selected five finalists in each of seven categories. The general public voted over 50,000 times for their favorite projects.

Homeowners George & Lorraine Hart engaged Mr. Woodruff in 2008 to design the landscape of their rural property in Girard, Illinois. Their bilevel home is situated on a ridgeline with views of pasture, timber and a meandering creek. The property was largely turf with few trees and an existing pool surrounded by a poured concrete patio. The new garden seamlessly blends the wild and the domestic, bringing pollinators, birds and wildlife to the doorstep. Grasses form the foundation of this naturalistic design, a matrix through which shrubs, perennials, natives and bulbs emerge. Plants are artfully woven together to insure a diverse and visually dynamic display 20

with good bloom succession and seasonal interest. The feeling is spontaneous and natural.

Mr. Woodruff’s work at Jones Road also received first place honors earlier this year in St. Louis At Home magazine’s Architect & Designer Awards. He also was profiled as “One to Watch” in the summer issue of the new Garden Design magazine, and his work has been featured in Fine Gardening magazine, Horticulture magazine and Consumer Reports.

Forest ReLeaf Announce “Plant for Peace” Partnership

Forest ReLeaf is partnering with Lewis Reed, St. Louis Board of Aldermen President, to plant over 500 Trees for Peace.

On October 5th, groups around the region will participate in what is being billed as one of the largest honorary tree planting efforts of its kind, as community members join together to “Plant for Peace”. Plans are for over 500 native species trees to be planted throughout the area as a showing of “solidarity and camaraderie as we begin healing in the aftermath of the tragic events in Ferguson,” according to Alderman Reed.

“Tree plantings are a time-honored response to tragedies. Events like these, where neighbors are engaging in peaceful, collaborative activities that provide benefits to the community for generations to come, are part of the solution and important in the healing process.”

According to Forest ReLeaf’s executive director Donna Coble, “A tree is a living symbol of strength and hope for the future. Forest ReLeaf is honored to be part of this region-wide healing effort to Plant for Peace.” For more information and to reserve your trees at no cost, visit www. plant4peacestl.org or call Lewis Reed’s office at 314-622-4114.

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

Botanically Blooming

Inspired

Business

is

Local artist Jody Williams has combined her love of plants and passion for the visual arts in a new art & photography studio. Now open in Studios 2 & 3 at the Foundry Art Centre in historic old St. Charles, Botanical by Nature™ is a combination working studio, gallery space and classroom and event venue. The gallery space features three large flat-panel smart screens featuring themed collections of rotating images and one wall boasts a mosaic of 72 framed photos tiled around the ever-changing electronic display. Now showing in the studio gallery are jumbo prints of water lilies, orchids, wildflowers of Southeastern Missouri, and ethereal images of rural St. Francois County.

The technology allows visitors to see much more that could be displayed physically on the walls and provides the flexibility to be in the Missouri countryside one minute and looking at tropical plants in India or the Caribbean the next.

place to share her artistic pursuits with others.

“Providing a place, a social setting where botanical artists can literally ‘draw together’ and share their enthusiasm is what I hope to provide,” Williams says and is offering classes and lectures in hopes of doing just that.

Botanical art is experiencing a renaissance around the world, according to Williams. “St. Louis is already an epicenter Join us for the annual of botanical interests Autumn Herb Gathering Oct.11th anchored by the worldrenowned Missouri Botanical Garden and extending to a host of research facilities, bio-based enterprises, Revive Your Landscape with c o n s e r v a t i o n Mums •Bulbs organizations and gardening clubs.” Pansies • Evergreens Trees and Shrubs!

Williams’ vision is that Botanical by Nature will add botanical art to the mix and contribute to the growing reputation of St. Louis as the “place for plants.”

Fall is for Planting!

For more information visit: www.

BotanicalByNature. com.

Williams hopes the new studio will not only be a place to display and sell her art but a gathering

Rolling Ridge Nursery

Lawn and Garden Center 60 NORTH GORE WEBSTER GROVES, MO 63119 www.rollingridgenursery.com

(314) 962-3311 “Over 55 Years of Quality & Friendly Service!”

Like us on Facebook!

St. Louis-area Master Gardeners wish to say

Thank You!

to the sponsors of the recent

GK Landscape Design LLC

Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

21

Upcoming Events FUN FOR KIDS

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 January/February issue is December 1st.

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

Oct. 4th 9am—Children’s Garden Club.

For the Garden at Haefners.

6703 Telegraph Rd. (314) 8460078. www.forthegarden.net.

Sponsored by St. Louis County Parks and Recreation.

11am-2pm—First Saturday Kids. Bring the kids to play in the garden and enjoy a FREE activity - Plant bulbs now for spring flowers! Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www. hillermann.com.

October 25th 5-7pm—Booterflies!

Play games, create spook-tacular crafts and visit Treat Houses during this family-friendly Halloween event.

Children, wear your costumes.

Pre-registration required. For costs and registration, visit www. butterflyhouse.org/booterflies.

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, Faust Park, 15193 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield. Call (636) 530-0076 for info.

PLANT SALES GARDEN CLUBS AND SHOWS PLANT SOCIETY Oct. 11th MEETINGS

AND

9am-4pm—U. City in Bloom Bulb Sale. Bulbs that are both good quality and recommended for their sustainability. Preorders placed by Oct. 6th for bulbs to be picked up the day of the sale can be completed at www.ucityinbloom. org. Sale tent located on the sidewalk on the west side of the St. Louis Bread Co. Sales support UCB’s planting of hundreds of new bulbs annually in the public flower beds in our community.

Call (314) 973-3541 for info.

Interested in joining a garden club or plant society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at www.

GatewayGardener.com. Don’t have access to the internet? Just call us at (314) 968-3740, or write us at PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122, and we’ll get the information to you. So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant Oct. 12th society today!

9am-5pm—Mid America Regional Lily Society Sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice 22

and share information about their organization. Missouri Botanical Garden Beaumont Room.

Oct. 18th-19th 9am-5pm—Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society Bulb Sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Orthwein Floral Display Hall, Missouri Botanical Garden. Included with Garden admission. .

Oct. 24th 7pm-9pm—St. Louis Water Gardening Society Auction.

New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Missouri Botanical Garden Beaumont Room.

adults (13-64), $5 children (312), $5 members. Buy tickets in advance online at www.mobot. org. No trams.

Oct. 4th 2pm—Flower Bulb Basket Make-N-Take.

Enjoy a workshop in making a Layered Spring Flowering Bulb Bushel Basket. Your basket can sleep outdoors through winter. Come spring it will be a colorful spring flower garden that you can place anywhere. $25.00 supply fee.

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

10am—From Fall to Winter, Transitional Container Gardening. Design colorful containers that will look great in autumn and sparkle in the winter. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

CLASSES, LECTURES Oct. 7th and 9th AND EVENTS Oct. 1st-31st 9-4 daily plus special after-hour events Tuesdays 4:30-7pm— October Owls and Orchids.

More than 1,000 owl butterflies will take flight during the month.

Regular admission during the day, additional admission charges apply for special evening hours. Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, Faust Park, 15193 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield. Call (636) 530-0076 for info.

Oct. 3rd, 4th & 5th 6-9pm Fri., 9 am-5 pm Sat. & Sun.—Annual Best of Missouri Market. Over 120 Missouri food producers and crafters offer fresh produce, baked goods, fresh and dried flowers, herbs, handcrafted items, baskets, wooden toys, custom jewelry and more. Live music and a Kids Corner with cow milking, pumpkin decorating and barnyard animals. Outdoors under tents, rain or shine. $12

Hydroponics for the Home Gardener Teleconference. A brief overview of some of the hydroponic systems available for small scale production. Classes held at U of Illinois Extension offices at 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo (618-939-3434), and 1 Regency Plaza Dr., Ste. 200, Collinsville (618-344-4230) on both days at 1:30pm, and at the Collinsville location only on the 11th at 6:30pm. $10 for color handouts, $5 for b&w. Call the location you wish to attend for program topics, dates and registration.

Oct. 9th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: Small Flowering Trees and Shrubs. $15 ($12 Garden/SNR members). Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve.

For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 or visit www.shawnature.org.

The Gateway Gardener®

OCTOBER 2014

Oct. 10th 6-9pm—Spirits in the Garden: Drunken Botanist Night.

New York Times bestselling author Amy Stewart will be at the Missouri Botanical Garden to present “From Garden to Glass: Adventures in Cocktail Gardening” from her acclaimed book, The Drunken Botanist.

Enjoy light snacks and a cocktail after the appearance. Purchase the book or bring your own copy for an autograph. Missouri Botanical Garden, Ridgway Visitor Center. $25 for the public, $15 for Garden Members. Snacks and one drink ticket included, cash bar available.

Oct. 11th 9am-2pm—Autumn Herb Gathering. Webster Groves Herb Society members have been creating wonderful herbal products throughout the summer to sell. Great ideas for Holiday gifts, plus garden books, and herbal how-to demos presented throughout the day. Joleene Unnerstall will speak at 10am on “How to make an herbal healing salve and practical and beneficial herbal remedies.” At 11:30am Karen Kowal will demonstrate “Mother Earth Pillows.” Parking and admission is free. Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves. See www. wgherbs.org for more.

she demonstrates making grilled sausages in beer and onions, kraut mit apfe (red cabbage w/ apples), potatoes and onions, plus gurken salat (cucumber salad).

Samples and recipes of featured foods will be available. $5.00 class fee. Space is limited. Please contact Leigh at 314-488-4184 or tastefulaffair@gmail.com to sign up. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, www.hillermann.com.

Oct. 12th 1pm—Fall Pruning. Trying to determine when and how to prune the numerous plants in our yards can be a challenge. There are specific time frames, various growing styles and different pruning techniques that need to be considered before we trim.

Join Tom Mee for an informative demonstration on Fall and Winter pruning. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/events, 636.798.2555.

Oct. 14th 7-9pm—Tap Root Speakers Series. Guest Speaker Gary Heingartner, Wood Hat Spirits.

Sponsored by The Missouri Community Forestry Council. $10. Schlafly Bottleworks Crown Room in Maplewood. Call 636970-3000 to pre-register or register at the door.

10am—Mini Landscaping for Containers and Gardens. Learn the art of creating miniature landscapes with doll-sized shrubs, perennials, annuals and more. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070.

Oct. 18th 10am-4pm—Great River Road Chestnut Roast. Taste fresh roasted chestnuts and other delicious foods of the fall harvest.

Arts and crafts, fun activities for the kids, fresh food, local vendors, demonstrations and entertainment. Cooking demo at 12 pm, and seminars at 10am and 2pm by Dr. Gene Garrett on specialty crops and agroforestry.

Live performances of roots and bluegrass music with Mark Nienaber & Friends. Forrest Keeling Nursery, 88 Forrest Keeling Ln., Elsberry, MO. (573) 898-5571.

11am—Cooking Class Oktoberfest (The best and the WURST). Join Leigh Sweet with Tasteful Affair Catering as

Oct. 19th and 26th 2-3:30pm—Fairy Garden Classes. $15 fee includes pottery and soil to get started. Call 636-

10am-4pm—Garden Heights Art Walk. 30+ local artists, food, entertainment, Edg-Clif wines and local craft beer. Visit www. gardenheights.com for details.

Garden Heights Nursery, 1605 S. Big Bend, Richmond Heights.

OCTOBER 2014

The Gateway Gardener®

244-5533 to register. Ann’s Gardens & Greenhouse, 5130 Mexico Rd. St. Peters. www.

AnnsGandG.com.

in the process will be available.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann. com.

Oct 25th 10am-4pm—Kress Farm Fall Festival. Music, food, guided hiking, demonstrations and speakers. $5 per carload admission. 5137 Glade Chapel Rd., Hillsboro, MO 63050. For information call 314-753-4788.

Oct. 26th 1pm—All about Air Plants.

Tillandsia’s – better known as Air Plants – have stirred the interest of avid gardeners the last several years. Join resident expert, Evelyn Presley, for an in-depth look at the world of Tillandsia’s—what they are, how to care for them and creative ways to display them. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/ events, 636.798.2555.

10am—Fall Shade Tree Selections. Join Rick to learn all about shade trees for the yard and landscape. Learn about tree characteristics, growth habits and what trees will work best for your yard. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www. hillermann.com.

10am and noon—Winemaking Class, California Merlot. A multi-class series on steps in wine making. You can attend as many as you like. This class will cover stabilizing and clarifying.

A handout outlining each step

Nov. 1st 10am—Amaryllis for Holiday Displays. Discover the best varieties, plus tips for growing, making flowers last, and propagation.

Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

23

For the GREENEST lawn on the block Top Dress with STA-Certified Compost this fall to reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil 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 Rd. 618.233.2007

VALLEY PARK, MO 39 Old Elam Ave. 636.861.3344

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO (This is a drop off facility only) 11294 Schaefer Rd. 314.423.9035

PACIFIC, MO

18900 Franklin Rd. 636.271.3352

FORT BELLEFONTAINE COMPOST FACILITY

13060 County Park Rd. Florissant, MO 314.355.0052

Visit us online at www.stlcompost.com

Step-by-Step Guide to Top Dressing:

- Core aerate the lawn, concentrating on the most heavily trafficked sections.

- Apply a ½ inch layer of Field and Turf compost, using the Ecolawn Top Dresser - Smooth the surface using a rake or weighted drag mat to break down soil plugs and backfill holes - Spread grass seed, lightly rake, and water – making sure all seeds are covered with soil/compost layer to guard against winter damage - Water as needed, keeping the soil moist until seeds germinate

ST. LOUIS, MO

560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612