Sunday, July 25, 2010
Putting up the fence
Last Thursday, many of our club members along with three Master Gardeners installed a fence around around our county fair exhibit. Still to be installed is the gate and an area with chicken wire to display how to discourage small creatures from entering the garden space.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Produce to the food shelf
Today we made our first delivery to the food shelf of 2.5 pounds of fresh picked vitamins in the bodies of peas, beans, broccoli and lettuce! Way to go gardeners!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Master Gardener Dick Raymond's Visit to Our Gardens
Submitted by Maggie
Dick Raymond, Crow Wing County Master Gardener, took time last night to visit the Great Green Gardener’s gardens at the CWC fairgrounds. Dick is a fascinating speaker with decades of knowledge – beginning with teaching from his mother when he was just a young boy.
Some things we learned last night are how to use Epsom Salts as a garden fertilizer, that Cilantro seeds are called Coriander (used in pickling – yum!), how to plant tomatoes to grow strong stalks – the horizontal planting method – and when and how to prune back plants.
Mr. Raymond stressed to us that the job of a plant is to return to seed. If you intend to harvest seeds from your plants, then let them grow until they flower and seeds form. If however you want fruit or just leaves from your plants, then prune them so more growth energy is put back into the plant and not into its seeding.
THANK YOU! Dick Raymond for all that you shared. We learned a lot from you. We hope you will come to visit us at the fair this year and see how our gardens have grown by then!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Garden Tour with Master Gardener
Submitted by Maggie
Our first garden tour with Crow Wing County Master Gardener Dick Raymond will be on July 6th at 7 p.m. at our gardens on the fairgrounds. Bring your plant diaries, plan to take notes and if you can, take photos to post on the blog. See you there!
Our first garden tour with Crow Wing County Master Gardener Dick Raymond will be on July 6th at 7 p.m. at our gardens on the fairgrounds. Bring your plant diaries, plan to take notes and if you can, take photos to post on the blog. See you there!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Make Your Own Plant Markers
Posted by Maggie
Since our gardens will become an exhibit for the fair, we will want to clearly identify our plants. I did a little research on the internet to see what others have done. I found the following idea on gardenweb:
Do any of you have any great ideas? Remember, these markers have to be readable, hold up in the weather and stay put!
Since our gardens will become an exhibit for the fair, we will want to clearly identify our plants. I did a little research on the internet to see what others have done. I found the following idea on gardenweb:
I have been using plastic knives as markers for years. Take a plastic knife (VERY INEXPENSIVE for a good size pakage just about anywhere) and, using a permanent marker, label, and stick into the ground. It is weatherproof and, if you are feeling creative, go to your local party store and buy different knife colors. I love purple, so all my markers are purple knives. All my gardening friends have adopted this method. TRY IT...you'll love it.
Do any of you have any great ideas? Remember, these markers have to be readable, hold up in the weather and stay put!
June 16, 2010 - Planting
Posted by Maggie
Debbie Monchamp met me out at the fairgrounds with herbs she collected from Bailey's Nursery in St. Paul - http://www.baileynurseries.com/
They were giving away plants to community gardens. The herbs she brought for us are Lemon Balm, Basil, Thyme, Savory, Fennel, and two fun mint varieties, Chocolate and Banana!
Important to know about herbs - they should be kept clipped back and in most cases, not allowed to blossom. So, when you are visiting your garden space, please bring scissors with you, snip a bit of this and that to dry or freeze for later use - or use it fresh! Best to collect herbs as well as fruits and vegetables, early in the morning.
Here is link to information on drying and freezing herbs: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/00018.html
Ellie and Stafford and Terri arrived a little later and we gave them a chive plant to put in one of their gardens. As a hardy perennial, we can leave it in the raised bed over winter or it can be transplanted into a home garden in the fall.
The Fennel is planted in one of the straw bales since it isn't very friendly with other plants. The mints are planted in pots since mint loves to take over any garden. They are hardy perennials also so we will be able to divide some in the fall to transplant in our own gardens if we so choose.
We also planted the potato barrel! I can't wait to see how it does.
Ellie's cauliflower is beginning show heads (actually called "curds")! I have not seen cauliflower growing before. Very impressive!
Tip for Ellie: Blanching Cauliflower
The heads are covered, or "blanched", for two reasons. Covering the heads helps protect it from rotting. It also helps to produce the white color and improve flavor.
Blanch the heads as soon as the curd gets 2-4 inches in diameter. This is done by covering the head with the large leaves just below the head. Use garden twine to tie the leaves loosely around the head. The object is to protect the head from light and water, while letting air in. As the head grows, loosen and re-tie the leaves, as necessary. http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/cauliflower.htm
Debbie Monchamp met me out at the fairgrounds with herbs she collected from Bailey's Nursery in St. Paul - http://www.baileynurseries.com/
They were giving away plants to community gardens. The herbs she brought for us are Lemon Balm, Basil, Thyme, Savory, Fennel, and two fun mint varieties, Chocolate and Banana!
Important to know about herbs - they should be kept clipped back and in most cases, not allowed to blossom. So, when you are visiting your garden space, please bring scissors with you, snip a bit of this and that to dry or freeze for later use - or use it fresh! Best to collect herbs as well as fruits and vegetables, early in the morning.
Here is link to information on drying and freezing herbs: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/00018.html
Ellie and Stafford and Terri arrived a little later and we gave them a chive plant to put in one of their gardens. As a hardy perennial, we can leave it in the raised bed over winter or it can be transplanted into a home garden in the fall.
The Fennel is planted in one of the straw bales since it isn't very friendly with other plants. The mints are planted in pots since mint loves to take over any garden. They are hardy perennials also so we will be able to divide some in the fall to transplant in our own gardens if we so choose.
We also planted the potato barrel! I can't wait to see how it does.
Ellie's cauliflower is beginning show heads (actually called "curds")! I have not seen cauliflower growing before. Very impressive!
Tip for Ellie: Blanching Cauliflower
The heads are covered, or "blanched", for two reasons. Covering the heads helps protect it from rotting. It also helps to produce the white color and improve flavor.
Blanch the heads as soon as the curd gets 2-4 inches in diameter. This is done by covering the head with the large leaves just below the head. Use garden twine to tie the leaves loosely around the head. The object is to protect the head from light and water, while letting air in. As the head grows, loosen and re-tie the leaves, as necessary. http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/cauliflower.htm
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