Upcoming Reno, Sparks and Carson City Gardening Classes May & June 2008

Going to list a bunch of Gardening and Lawn Classes that are throughout the Truckee Meadows this upcoming week ~ some I’ve been talking about for at least a month! I’m very excited about the Master Gardener’s sale! And if you miss that plant sale, catch the one at the Wilbur D. May Museum & Arboretum on 2 June 2008.

17 May 2008, Saturday
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener Plant Faire
5305 Mill Street
7:00 am
$1.50 to $5.00 Vegetables & Herbs
Many annuals, perennials and ornamental grasses will also be available.
Master Gardeners will be on hand for your gardening questions.

17 May 2008, Saturday
Greenhouse Garden Center
2450 S. Curry St., Carson City
Let’s Talk Tomatoes & Peppers
Learn how to grow the best tomatoes and peppers this summer.
9:00 am, FREE, no reservations needed.

24 May 2008, Saturday
Raised Bed Gardening
9:00 am, FREE

Greenhouse Garden Center Event Calendar

17 May 2008, Saturday
Organic Gardening
Garden Shop Nursery
475 Gentry Way, Reno
10:00 am, Free
Featuring: Giselle Schoniger, Category Manager from Kellogg Garden Products.
Learn the basics about natural and organic gardening and how easy and effective it is. Gisele Schoniger will explain the different soils, fertilizers, and amendments and just how they benefit your garden. There will be free Dr. Earth samples so that you can try them for yourself. Plus, there will be a free bag of Gardeners Gold potting soil for each of the first 50 people!

24 May 2008, Saturday
Veggie and Herb Gardening
Join veggie specialist Tom Munro. He will help you get your veggie beds ready and pick the right plants for the right area.

Garden Shop Nursery Newsletter.

17 May 2008, Saturday
Rail City Gardening Center
1720 Brierley Way, Sparks
11:00 am, Free
Learn how to control and prevent insects and other pests from damaging the garden.

24 May 2008, Saturday
Gardening in Small Places
11:00 am, Free

Rail City Garden Event Calendar

20 May 2008, Tuesday
Garden Photography with Mark Vollmer
Wilbur D. May Museum & Arboretum
1596 N. Virginia St., Reno
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Register in advance
Professional photographer, Mark Vollmer, covers techniques such as filters, lighting and composition.
Contact 775-785-4153

2 June 2008,
Annual Plant Sale
8:00am-12:00 pm, Arboretum

Reno Garden Society
Third Wednesday of each month
5:30 pm
Call for location ~ 775-826-9135
Learn aboug gardening and landscaping from society members and certified master gardeners.

Community Gardens in Northern Nevada

Just happened to glance at today’s Reno Gazzette-Journal before heading out the door for work and saw the Living Section had lots of gardening articles, so I brought it with me. I guess this week will be GARDENING BLOG WEEK! LOL!

Susan Skorupa wrote an article about Community Gardens Sprout in Nevada ~ Teglia’s Paradise Park in NE Reno, Carson City, and in Virginia City. Places where people, with no garden space of their own, can plant in plots for their own food and to help charity food programs.

I’ve rewritten part of the article to get all the information in a nut shell:

Taken by Susan Skorupa.

Teglia’s Paradise Park Community Garden
Contact Debora Hartshorn, administrator, at 775-356-3176 for additional information

The Community Garden provides garden plots for $5/plot this season for residents to plant their own vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits. Residents must turn the soil, plant and water their own individual plots. Water, hoses, a wheelbarrow and other tools are available in the garden for everyone’s use.

The garden holds 44 individual 5′x10′ plots and several large community plots. In the large community garden beds, seeds are donated and people help with the upkeep of the garden. All food from those plots goes back into the community. They ask that individual garden plots donate a portion of their produce to a select charity.

There are a few large raised beds that are fully accessible to those with disabilities to sit in wheelchairs or chairs and garden. Resident involvement is important and a Garden Club is available to get to know your fellow gardeners. You can learn great gardening tips and develop your gardening skills.

The fenced-in garden area consists of tilled and composted beds, paved pathways, shade from a grape arbor, bulletin board and a drinking fountain. There is an 800 pound mosaic Scarecrow built by a local artist and sculptor, Victoria Sweedler.

There is an area outside of the garden for composting where leaves from city properties is brought in and mulch comes from the urban forester’s office. Western Nevada Supply donated a drip irrigation system for the large community plots.

Taken by Susan Skorupa.

Carson City’s Community Garden
Carson City Community Garden Information: 775-887-2252

Carson City’s Community Garden Plot is on city land near the Lone Mountain Cemetery and consists of about 24 4’x16’ plots. It began as a partnership between the Cooperative Extension Office and the Carson City Parks and Recreation Department; it now includes the Carson City Senior Center.

Initially the garden was open to Senior Citizens only, but is now open to all residents. Gardeners pay $10/year, there maybe a partial fee waiver for those who can’t pay.

The city provides water, hoses, tools, some seeds and fertilizer. Insecticide use is discouraged. There is no produce donation required, but last year more than 400 pounds of food went to different local programs.

Virginia City’s Community Garden

Virginia City has a small garden that benefits the Community Chest’s food closet and the before- and after-school food program. There are a few raised garden boxes that were the result of a project by the Global Youth Service Day ~ they sit behind the offices of the Community Chest, a family youth development program.

I have my fingers crossed with my garden…I go out every day after work to talk to my seeds while watering. It’s only been five days since I planted, but I’ve been nose to dirt looking for seedlings! ROFL! Since there is only two of us, I will be donating my extra veggies that I don’t plan on canning to my neighbors and the church next door.

Jerry Baker ~ Terrific Garden Tonics! Book Review

Well ~ Jerry’s book came in the mail the other day and I’ve been flipping through it off and on.

Terrific Garden Tonics!  It states 345 Do-It-Yourself, Fix ‘Em Formulas for Maintaining a Lush Lawn and Gorgeous Garden.

What I’ve discovered is that the book probably could have been half it’s size as most of the lawn/shurb/flower tonics are basically the same thing ~ ie: it would have been easier to give the tonic recipe and then a list of things you can use it for. I’ve already started a list of what one recipe can be used for and when.

I LOVE the Making Cents, Great Idea!, Ask Jerry, Terrific Time Savers, Grandma Putt’s Pointers, and little tidbits that he puts at the bottom of each page.

Like, did you know that:

Nighttime’s the Right Time? Plan to harvest your leafy vegetables by the light of the moon, or at least in the early evening-and not during the day. That’s because during the day, the sun burns up a lot of the vitamins and minerals stored in the plant leaves. But as soon as ol’ Sol starts to set, the plants begin to replenish and fortify themselves. So, if you wait until evening, you’ll be picking your vegetables when their vitamin content is at its peak.
Terrific Garden Tonics! Page 248

Here, Birdie!
Sparrows and other birds will help you out by pecking up pesky caterpillars. So I like to push 4-foot-long branches into the soil in my cabbage patch to give birds a place to perch. I figure if the birds pause there for a second, they might spy a cabbageworm or two that will make a tasty snack.
Terrific Garden Tonics! Page 254

Grandma Putt’s Pointers ~ Want to get twice the flower power from your rosebush? Then try this trick I learned from Grandma Putt: Plant a clematis next to it! The clematis will climb up and over the rose, so it’ll look like the rose has two different kinds of flowers. You can pair a clematis and rose that bloom at the same time for one spectacular show, or choose ones that flower at different times for extended blooming.
Terrific Garden Tonics! Page 173

Always plant basil, bee balm, and borage near your tomatoes. These aromatic herbs are the best neighbors your tomatoes will every have, and they’ll boost your plants to new heights!
Page 271

Here are some Recycling & Repurposing Ideas ~

The Ladder to Success ~ Believe it or not, an old wooden ladder makes a great quick-and-easy herb garden. Simply lay the ladder down on a flat area, fill in between the rungs with soil, and plant a different herb in each section.
Page 270

Make a Melon Cradle ~ One of my favorite tricks for recycling plastic milk jugs is using them in the melon patch to prevent the fruit from rotting. Simply cut a jug in half lengthwise, lay one half on the ground, and set the ripening melon inside. Not only will this plastic perch prevent rot, but it will also discourage critters form nibbling on your melons!
Page 277

There are quite a lot of tonics in this book but I have yet tried any of them, so I can not attest to any of them working or not. I do plan on making a few, especially now that the garden has been planted. I also plan on following many of the pointers at the bottom of each page. But all in all, I’m not sure if the book is worth over $30…

If any of you out there have tried any of his tonics and you have a favorite, let me know!

 

Meadowlarks ~ Willa came home to roost!

I had an extremely pleasant surprise waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday! A box from my friend Sue, in Oregon! I get excited when I find a package from her…it’s ALWAYS something good! And I knew something interesting was in that box with the Scrub Jays standing on top of it cocking their heads listening ~ they must have known what was inside!

I’ve told you about her before ~ she’s a wonderful artist that recycles items to make her artwork. Here is Sue’s Blog, Website, and Etsy Store ~ check her out!

Anyway…back to my box! Inside was the Meadowlark I was admiring from her May 6th Blog Post ~ she made a Meadowlark, Mockingbird and a Scrub Jay.

Her name is Willa ~ after Willa Cather. And she joins Ántonia, my singing plush Meadowlark, that has an authentic bird call provided by Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Isn’t she beautiful?! Sue did a great job hand-painting her! I love her eyes and the details of the feathers. She hasn’t stopped talking since I let her out of the box! Ántonia is quite fascinated with Willa’s tales of her adventure getting here to Nevada from Oregon. And Leo has been trying really hard to get up to that shelf to find out who is doing all that singing.

Thank you, Sue!

This Weekend’s El Rancho Swap Meet Finds

We took it nice and easy on Sunday ~ washed two cars, went to the swap meet, took a nap and went out to dinner.

Both my husband and I found a treasure for ourselves! I actually found quite a few treasures, but only bought one.

Mine is a No. 2-C Autographic Kodak, Jr. 13458 camera! Made by Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY. It has two patent dates, Jan. 18, 1910 and Jan. 7, 1913.

I found my husband’s treasure…but he soon took it from me to examine it for 15 minutes, put it down, came back to look at it, left the swap meet altoghther, turned the truck around and went back in, bought it. LOL!

A 1930’s Commodore Vanderbilt New York Central Lines train engine.

We both came away from the El Rancho Swap Meet very happy.

Happy Dance! My Backyard Raised Garden Beds are FINISHED!

Big sigh ~ resting my biceps and hoping the 12+ bruises on my legs will heal fast…but it’s all worth it! My backyard raised garden beds are FINISHED! We finished on Saturday ~ and just in the nick of time as a weather front moved in that night and brought winds. Next weekend is supposed to be in the 90’s!

Get set for lots of pictures ~

Here is what 3 cubic yards of double mix soil and 3 cubic yards of decomposed granite looks like sitting outside our property in the alley. We had to haul it from along the front of the house to the side and out back.

As stated in the early post ~ I went to Oxborrow Trucking & Landscaping in Reno to order my dirt and d.g. Got the call at 1:15 pm that the driver will be there in 20 minutes…shut everything down at work and left to meet him. The driver was out front when I got home…had the dirt dumped in no-time flat, very friendly and helpful! I would definitely recommend them to anyone in the Reno/Sparks/Carson City area! By 5 pm my husband and I filled up the two beds and the first layer of d.g. around the beds.

Just a note ~ 3 cubic yards filled up the 5′x12′x12″ box and the 6′x6′x12″ box perfectly!

Saturday we finished laying the d.g. down in back and the front yard; laid stepping stones between boxes (they were all over the front yard when we bought the house); had the 3 Stooges (my FIL and his two friends) put in a new auto-watering control box; planted marigolds in the garden boxes; planted the veggies; bbq’d out in our new reclaimed backyard! There is still snow on Peavine so I may wait until the end of May to plant my tomatos.

Here’s the front yard ~

Happy Friday! My dirt is coming! My dirt is coming!

LOL! Oxborrow is delivering my garden soil and decomposed granite today ~ asked them to give me a call here at work before they deliver so I can get home by the time they get there.

Am getting 3 cubic yards of Double Mix (topsoil and grape compost) and 3 cubic yards of D.G. 5/16″ (coarse). Have my wheelborrow and shovel ready!

Well have to go shopping for seeds and some plants afterwards. List has been made:

Here’s a picture of where it’s all going ~

Soil in the boxes ~ decomposed granite all around the boxes where the dirt is now. It’s going to be nice not having dirt all over the patio when the wind blows. Tired of sweeping out there all the time! I was going to get the fine D.G., but the lady at the counter asked what it was going to be used for. Told her and she suggested the coarse as the fine is like sand. She said that the coarse D.G. is what everyone uses in their xeri-scape landscaping. Small pebble size, like your pinky finger nail. I plan on using it in the front yard where I’ve been re-landscaping too.

ALSO! Wanted to remind everyone in the Reno/Sparks area that the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office will be holding their:

ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER PLANT FAIRE next Saturday, May 17th, 2008 at 7:00 am to 11:30 am. 5305 Mill Street, Reno, NV. 784-4848.

From our gardens to your’s at great savings! Wide variety of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, grasses, shrubs, grapes and more. 4-inch and 1-gallon plants.

Here is a link to their Calendar of Events.

Bullock’s Orioles in Washoe Valley, Nevada

On that fieldtrip we took to Washoe Valley we thought the bird we saw a Western Tanager…but after looking closely at my sister’s pictures, it’s a Bullock’s Oriole. Am posting two of her pictures of the birds and one of their nests that I took.

Photographs from the Mark Vollmer Fieldtrip to Washoe Valley

Well ~ Saturday we all met up at TMCC’s Meadowood building and carpooled down to the south end of Washoe Valley. Our first stop (besides Wendy’s so Colleen could buy a hamburger) was the wildlife viewing area with the boardwalk.

Very windy (what’s new for Washoe Valley, eh?!) down there. Not much to see but blackbirds ~ both red-winged and yellow-headed. You can’t see far into the lake from the viewing platform unless you have a telephoto lens that goes to as least 200mm…mine only goes to 72mm. So I took lots of fence pictures ~

We saw a flock of pelicans towards the enterance of Washoe Valley State Park so three of us headed back to see if they were still there. Parked at the trailhead of Deadman’s Creek trail and walked over to state park. No pelicans, but there was a redtail hawk sitting in her nest, who flew off once we were close enough for pictures. The bugger. I walked down to the beach while my sister and mom stayed under a couple of bird nest. Colleen got GREAT photos of a Western Tanager…and continued to get great pictures while teasing me with none.

We then went back to the trailhead to wait for the rest of the group ~ took a few pictures in the bottom part of the trail. Figured out the stupid macro on my camera there.

Lots of Phlox, Indian Paintbrush and Alpine Lupine on the way up to the top and at the top where the gazebo is. Sunset wasn’t that great, but pretty none-the-less.

And here’s a picture of Mark Vollmer setting up his shot of the sunset ~

DESERT IN BLOOM SLIDESHOW ~ I put most of my pictures (I took over 200 so I’ve narrowed it down some) onto my webshot’s album ~ I’m nv_michelle there.

All photos taken with a Canon Powershot S2 IS.

Front & Back Yard Gardening ~ Roses are in!

I took yesterday off work to work in my yard…wanted to finish up the front side-yard and my FIL came over to help me ro-do the raised garden beds.

THE ROSES ~ almost didn’t get my English Roses! G&G Nursery had a run on them over the weekend and there were only two Hansa’s left and a few David Austin Roses.

I bought a Weeks Roses Hansa ~ bred in 1905. Medium-tall/bushy round shrub that is suitable for growing in pots and hedges. Tolerant of poorer soils. Ornamental value of hips/large fruit. Very fragrant ~ spicy cloves. Large, full reddish-violet blooms. Very hardy and disease free.

In the ground ~ and a stock photo.

The Squire ~ a David Austin English Rose. The large double blooms of this rose are a deep rich dard red. The attractive strong fragrance of this wonderful cutting rose is a welcome addtion to your garden or bouquets. These roses are a wonderful combination of old world charm and new advancements in rose culture. They will help create a wonderful English Garden feel in your landscape and are excellent for bedding and hedges. Superb border plants.

They look great! Can’t wait for them to grow, grow, GROW! I did a jig out there on the lawn after mulching and watering!

Now onto backyard ~ I decided to take the top boards off of the raised bed as it was just way too deep. My FIL came over yesterday morning and we whacked the crap out the top boards (5 nails each side into a treated 4×4 ~ OY!)…took us a while but we were able to pry them off. We then made a 6×6 box and a small 18″x18″ for a tomato box. We left a nice walk way in between the raised garden beds and will put DG around the beds. Now I have to call Oxborrow and order the double or triple mix of topsoil/grape compost/organic lite.

Now the beds are 5′x12′x1′ and 6′x6′x1′ ~ Soon to be planted ~ tomatoes, peppers, sugar peas, bush beans, potatoes, onions, garlic, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, pumpkin, lettuce. Near the corn I’m going to plant a couple of rhubarb plants and maybe some asparagus.