The Green Thumb Monthly Newsletter for Polk County Master Gardeners Iowa State University Extension & Outreach--Polk County 1625 Adventureland Drive, Ste A Altoona, Iowa Phone 515-957-5761 --------------- Plant Sale 2017 Open to the Public Each Day: Friday, May 5th, 5:00 to 7:00 PM Saturday, May 6th, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Sunday, May 7th, 12:00 to 4:00 PM VOLUNTEERS Shifts often open back-up so please check for the current needs on SignUp: 1. Click this link to see which spots are available http://signup.com/go/i7znhh 2. Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like. 3. Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password. Note: Your email is not shared with anyone. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Help Promote our Fundraiser! Download the flyer and post it to YOUR Facebook page! To access and print a copy of the 2017 Plant Sale Flyer, CLICK HERE Plant Sale Co-Chairs: Isabella Hurless-Banks: imhurless@aol.com ; OR 515-278-2067 Jen Firzlaff: skiier13@mchsi.com Phone / Address Email Changes Sherry Swihart has a new number: 515-381-3847 Do you have a recent address, email, or phone number change????? Send it to Ike! 2017 Bus Trips! We will be visiting: Registration is Now Open! Explore North Central Iowa Saturday, June 3rd Swift Greenhouses in Gilman Grimes Farm & Nature Center in Marshalltown Central Gardens of North Iowa in Clear Lake plus two private gardens and one nursery CLICK HERE to read details and register!
Save the Date! Three-day trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin: July 14-16 On this trip our stops include: Six fabulous private gardens The Green Bay Botanical Garden Several nurseries (we are investigating 3) Final details to be announce soon! Chair: Laurie Barrick " 2017 Farmers' Market Polk County Master Gardeners' Information Booth at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market The PCMG Booth will be open for business at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers' Market on the third Saturday of each month, May through September. We answer (or try to answer) general gardening questions from Market patrons, and we also feature one or more special gardening topics each month. 2017 Farmers' Market --third Saturday dates: May 20 June 17 July 15 August 19 September 16. We staff the booth in two multi-person shifts so you are never answering questions alone. 6:45-9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
We currently have a full complement of volunteers for the early shift on May 20th, but we could still use a couple more volunteers for the late shift that day. Please use our Signup.com page CLICK HERE to volunteer for open shifts from May - September. Specific Topics are Selected in Advance Feeling unsure of your knowledge? We choose seasonal topics ahead of the date--so if you want to study-up you certainly can--but it is not required. We always have a variety of gardening resources on hand in the booth! Gardening topics that we have featured in prior years at our Farmers' Market Booth include things like Roses, Water Gardens, Hydrangeas, Butterflies, Pets in the Garden, Container Gardening, Ornamental Grasses, Dahlias, Pollinators, and Canning, to name a few. If you have a special gardening plant or passion that would make a good feature topic, please let one of us know. We're always looking for new ideas and would love to host you at the Booth as a featured expert. It is so EASY to use "SignUp"! 1. Go to our page: http://signup.com/go/gfjtzi) 2. Enter your email address (you will NOT need to register an account on SignUp.com) 3. Sign up!choose your spots and SignUp.com will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Co-chairs: Matt Doré -- matt.dore@drake.edu Sherri Soich -- sherrisoich@gmail.com Randy Campbell -- campbellrd@mchsi.com Enabling Garden
Spring Clean-up is Done--we are ready to plant! We've had some terrific weather the past few weekends. Thank you to everyone that assisted in the clean-up days, the garden is now ready for our spring activities. We are very grateful for our volunteers; you all are the key the Enabling Garden's continued success. Many thanks! 2017 Activities have already Begun! Another Arbor Day Celebration is in the history books; Thanks for everyone that turned out to volunteer and participate in our festivities! Regular work nights at the Enabling Garden have started on Tuesdays any time after 5:00PM to dark, weather permitting. Please join us for fun, food and fellowship in the garden. Our Season of Learning starts this month with our special guest, Anne Larson, who will present on: Building a Pollinator Friendly Garden. Don't miss this opportunity to hear about how you can provide vital help needed to support our critical pollinators. Bring a lawn chair and join us at: 7:00PM on Tuesday, May 23rd... for what is sure to be an informative and engaging discussion! Don't forget to check our Facebook and webpage to keep current with upcoming activities and any potential changes due to weather: Link to Enabling Garden webpage: www.enablinggardenpcmg.org Link to Enabling Garden Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/enablinggarden/ Thank you to everyone who has volunteered! We appreciate your time! Enabling Garden Co-Chairs: Sandie Hamilton Paula Winslow Christine Barker, Sharon Schoonoer Demonstration Garden We Fought the Weather--and got 'er DONE! Despite the cool April weather several early season projects were completed including: Installation of a deer barrier around the Raised Vegetable Bed Redistribution of wood mulch Tackling a section of turf for improvement Planting dwarf fruit trees & raspberries
AND, the annual spring clean up event! Thank you to everyone that participated in our early season success! May is the start of our official Summer Season Work nights will be Monday evenings, beginning at 5:00 PM until the end of the growing season. During the month of May we will also have Thursday work nights. This will allow us to complete our early season weeding, plantings and getting the fountain up and running. Once our How Does A Garden Grow (HDAGG) series kicks off in June we will offer education on Thursday nights and Monday will be our only work night. Special Events at Demo Garden on Thursdays Date Time Topic Special Notes June 6th 9:30 AM Yoga in the Garden Please bring your own mat-- Fundraiser we will have only a small number on hand June 15th 7:00 PM Sun & Shade Gardening free and open to the public June 22nd 7:00 PM Pottery Selection & Care free and open to the public June 29th 7:00 PM Lessons Learned as a Corporate Gardener free and open to the public July 13th 6:00-8:00 PM Annual Open House Looking for volunteers & ideas to do demonstrations! We are always looking for new demonstrations at the Open House. Please contact a co-chair if interested or have a suggestion and who we might contact about a possible demonstration. Art in the Garden will be held Saturday, August 5th at the Demonstration Garden We'd like to have cut flowers for sale as part of this fundraiser. When planting your own vegetable or flower beds, consider planting a few extra annual flowers that we may use as part of this event. Our Facebook page has been renamed and refreshed thanks to PC MG-Intern, Mary Gannon--check it out and follow-up for the latest happenings! CLICK HERE to go to our FB page, now titled, "PCMG Demonstration Garden". Have a wonderful planting season in May and we look forward to working with our volunteers in the garden! Co-Chairs: Ruth Doxon, Sandie Sydnes
Discovery Garden To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.-- Audrey Hepburn We will all be planting our gardens soon, so I guess we all believe in tomorrow, and what a good thing to do. By now, everyone should have picked up their plants from the Greenhouse, and of course, it may be a little cool to plant, but that time will be coming soon. All of the trees are flowering, the tulips have great color and the peonies are staring to bud, and it is early May. Every year the budding process seems to start earlier, and we get cold weather that seems to halt the whole process. Discovery Garden in May We will be starting in the Garden on May 3rd, and probably planting on May 17th. Some of you will probably plant before that, just remember that the Juvenile Diabetes Walk is going to be on May 13th, and we will not have any access to the Fair Grounds on that morning or early afternoon. Thank You to Volunteers at the Greenhouse! We need to take a moment to thank the Greenhouse crew and all of the interns for all of their hard work seeding, planting, and maintaining the plants for us. Without them, our gardens would not be very attractive, a big THANK YOU to all of them. Thank you to the volunteers who braved cold and wet weather to help clean out the pond for the 2017 season! Photo courtesy of Discovery Garden Webpage May is an extremely busy month, Mother's Day, graduations, gardening, Memorial Day. We hope you all find time to enjoy these events and have quality time in your own personal gardens. Co-Chairs: Dean Brand drbrand@mediacombb.net tel: 515-360-0774 Jean Roe ljroe@q.com tel:515.205.8706 Patrick Schmitt schmittpatrickj@gmail.com tel:515.279.9645 Cheree Tilton tiltoncm@gmail.com tel:515.771-6563 Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/discoverygarden/ View our website: www.discoverygardenpcmg.org
Art in the Garden 2017 RS Welding Studio The Polk County Master Gardeners' Art Fair & Sale Saturday, August 5th At Demonstration Garden Art in the Garden is beginning to take shape! We are excited to announce the first two artist vendors for our Art in the Garden fundraiser! Check out their web pages, and the photos below. RS Welding Studio, rsweldingstudio.com Swallowtail Jewelry, www.etsy.com/shop/swallowtailjewellery Each month we will announce more vendors so follow our Facebook page for updates on our artists, demonstrations, and the activities we are planning! (www.facebook.com/pcmg-art-in-the-garden). CLICK HERE to link directly to our FB page We still have room for more vendors, so if you know of anyone who makes garden-inspired art, send them our way! Questions? Contact Co-Chairs: Mary Howell-Williams 556-3684 mhwphoto@mchsi.com Nancy Dunbar 255-2671 dunbar.nancy@gmail.com -- 2017 All-Iowa Master Gardener Art Show Call for Artists for 2017 All-Iowa Master Gardener's Art Show Be part of the sixth annual Master Gardener's Art Show! Entering the show is open to all Iowa Master Gardeners. To read more about entering the show, CLICK HERE. Art Show Reception
at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Thursday, September 21, 2017 5:00-7:00 p.m. CLICK HERE TO OPEN APPLICATION FORM Chair: Patricia Reeves Greenhouse Thank you volunteers!!!!! Thanks, Cheryl Fridl and Jean Schustek, Greenhouse co-chairs. Office Hours for Ike You will see me at project meetings from time to time and gatherings, but you can find me in the office: Phone: 515-957-5761 by email: nancyike@iastate.edu Monday 9:00 to 4:00 Wednesday 9:00 to 4:00 Thursday 1:00 to 3:00 -
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.