The Green Thumb Newsletter for Polk County Master Gardeners Iowa State University Extension & Outreach--Polk County 1625 Adventureland Drive, Ste A Altoona, Iowa Phone 515-957-5761 ------------ --- Down the Garden Path Is it Spring Yet? I don't know about all of you, but I am having a really hard time believing it is only the beginning of March. I have had to force myself not to jump the gun and start doing outside chores which I know are best left alone until much later in the spring. However, having all this wonderful sunshine these last few weeks has seriously perked up my spirits, as has spending time at the greenhouse on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Definitely recommended as a volunteer opportunity to ease the winter blues. Since from now until May my life pretty much revolves around all things Plant Sale, this article is very much about items that will have an impact on the success of the sale. 2017 Polk County Master Gardener Plant Sale: May 5th through May 7th! PLANT SALE SPECIAL DONATIONS We know that a number of our MG's are currently propaga ng special plants in their homes specifically to be donated to the sale. If you are one of these wonderful people could you please send me a list of what you hope to have for us along with the quan es, where known. We know what has sold well over the last several years and this way we will be aware if we will be short any par cular plants and hopefully we will s ll have me to fill in those gaps. It will also give us a head start on creating our donations inventory. PLANT SALE VOLUNTEERS We are hoping to have our online Volunteer Sign-Up ready for use within the
next couple of weeks. We will send out a This & That as soon as it is operational. CARDBOARD FLATS--save them at your home for now If any of you have sources for cardboard flats for use at the sale we would very much appreciate your collec ng them between now and sale me. As we have men oned previously, we no longer have a safe place to store them un l the sale so it may mean keeping them in your possession un l then. In the mean me I will try to find a temporary place for them that is climate controlled. While the weather is cold it is not an issue but as we found out to our dismay a few years ago, if we store them in a place which gets too warm the glue on many of them melts and they fall apart. DO YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR THE PLANT SALE? Again, a reminder that we are s ll open to sugges ons for new things we might offer for sale this year. Remember that this needs to be our biggest sale ever in order to increase the funds we will have available to finance whatever new home we may find. GREENHOUSE STORAGE SPACE We are also s ll looking for any leads you might have on new greenhouse and/or storage space. If you have any ques ons/sugges ons regarding anything in this ar cle you can email me at imhurless@aol.com or call me at 515-278-2067. Isabella Hurless-Banks, Steering Committee Chair imhurless@aol.com Greenhouse GREENHOUSE HELP NEEDED NOW!!! The weeks of March 6th and March 13th, we are expecting thousands of plugs to be delivered. These need to be put into pots as quickly as possible - sooo, any assistance you can lend would be appreciated! In addition to the plug deliveries, we will be seeding a LOT of seeds. The seeding crunch will start on March 8th (about the same time transplanting takes off).
We look forward to seeing you all at the Greenhouse! Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 9:00 AM! Gentle reminder: no guests-- Master Gardeners and Interns only! Thanks, Cheryl Fridl and Jean Schustek, Greenhouse co-chairs. Program Committee Join us for Fellowship and Two Hours of Education! In March we're cook'n up made-from scratch vegetable stew--come and enjoy--no charge! Join us in March to enjoy ISU Entomologist, Dr. Donald Lewis March Dr. Donal Lewis March 23rd - 6:30 to 8:30 PM "These are a few of my Favorite Bugs!" Details for Thursday Program Night Serving time for supper: 5:45 PM Program: 6:30-8:30 PM Two Hours of Education Time! Free and Open to the Public --invite your friends! Feel free to bring something to share--or just show up and enjoy! Please Reserve your Space for Thursday, March 23rd! We need to know how to set-up the room and, how much chili to prepare! Email your reservation to us: education.dates4pcmg@gmail.com Or phone Ike: 515-957-5761
Please provide the names for each person that you are reserving space for. Program Committee: Sandie Hamilton, Ike Eichmann, Sherry Swihart, Anastasia Tekippe, Paula Winslow, Lurae Zavalla, Valerie Singer, Jerry Eisenhour Demonstration Garden Pruning Labs! Demonstration Garden will kick-off our spring clean-up with an education session for our Interns on Saturday, March 4th and Wednesday, March 8th. Saturday session is FULL. There is room for a limited number Master Gardeners to refresh their pruning skills at the Intern Lab on: Wednesday, March 8th at 1:00 PM Openings to MG are "first come".... First hour may be counted as educational Remaining time is considered volunteer Reservations are REQUIRED: contact Ike (Nancy) Eichmann -- CLICK HERE to email Ike. Please Join us for our Spring Kick-off Meeting Urbandale Public Library Monday, March 20th 6:30 pm Everyone is welcome to attend! Spring Volunteer Projects March has arrived with emerging signs of spring. There have been several reports of snowdrops in bloom. This spring the Demonstration Garden has beds in need of tilling and several apple tree stumps that need to be ground out. If you have a tiller or a stump grinder, or know someone with the equipment that would assist us for a minimal fee, please contact one of the co-chairs. New Deer Fencing to be Installed Polk County Extension received one of the 2017 ISU Extension SNAP-ed grants to reduce food insecurity. Some of that grant will fund the Demonstration Garden's purchase of deer fencing for the vegetable gardens. Watch for future details and installation dates. We hope to have the new wiring in place in advance of spring planting.
Spring Clean-up Day is Saturday morning, April 22nd--please join us! Thank you for volunteering! Co-Chairs: Ruth Doxon, Sandie Sydnes Discovery Garden What an interesting time of year - the weather has been up and down like a yo-yo and our home garden plants, shrubs and trees are confused by it all. And, maybe some of us are too! However, we are enjoying the warmer days because we know that winter isn't quite finished with us Iowans yet! Dean Brand and Mike Treinen did some pond work at the Discovery Garden and we are all so appreciative! Photo courtesy of Co-Chair Dean Brand Spring Dinner and Planning Meeting--please join us! Wednesday, March 15th Scarlet Grill Grandview Golf Course, 2400 E 29th ST, Des Moines Your cost for dinner is $15: Pizza, onion rings, and salad Dinner begins at 6:00 and the meeting starts at 6:30. Please RSVP Co-Chair Jean Roe using the Discovery Garden's email and place "Spring Meeting" in the subject line. Click here to send your reservation: ******************************************************** "My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view." ~ H. Fred Dale 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
Planning Meeting! Enabling Garden Wednesday, March 8th 5:30 PM social 6:00 PM meeting Polk Co. Extension Office, Windows--Room A Join our group as we finalize planning for our first community event of 2017, our annual Arbor Day Celebration. We will also discuss spring garden tasks, other community events and garden talks. Our feature event each spring is the Arbor Day Celebration Saturday, April 29th 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Enabling Garden John Griffiths, Wright Outdoor Services, will be our feature speaker presenting on the all topics related to trees. He loves your questions so come prepared with your tree and outdoor questions. Our committee members are working with several key vendors and local groups to pull together a fun and educational session for all ages! As always, this is a free event to all. Please join us at the Garden! Our work nights are Tuesday nights starting around 5:00 PM, weather permitting. Plan ahead and come join the fun, working and socializing in the garden. Date Day of the Week Gathering Time Purpose April 15th Saturday 12:00 PM Spring Clean-up April 22nd Saturday 12:00 PM Spring Clean-up April 25th Tuesday 5:00 PM 1st Work night of the season April 29th Saturday 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Arbor Day Celebration * * If the weather is poor, we will move the celebration to the Polk Co. Extension Office. Watch Facebook for updates. Please connect with us on our website and Like us on our Facebook page where new photo's, current and upcoming activities are listed: Link to Enabling Garden webpage: www.enablinggardenpcmg.org Link to Enabling Garden Facebookpage: 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 Children Participating at 2016 Arbor Day Celebration Saturday, August 5th! At the Demonstration Garden Art in the Garden 2017 The Polk County Master Gardeners' Art Fair & Sale Preparations are well underway for our first annual Art in the Garden! One of the vendors we hope to feature is YOU-- in the "Made by a Master Gardener" booth! If you are one of many, many talented MGs who creates art or garden-related crafts; but doesn't want to take on the expense or pressure of selling your work yourself - how about letting us sell it for you? You set the price, and we take a commission that will go toward the Polk County Master Gardeners. If you are interested, contact Mary Howell-Williams for details. As we finalize vendors, demonstrators, and activities, we will post them to our Facebook page - so be sure to check for updates. This is a Fund Raiser for PCMG--We need Volunteers! Some of the areas we need help with: art activities hospitality for vendors traffic control Contact Katherine Howsare if you want to sign up!... thank you to those who are already on the list of volunteers! Questions? Contact Co-Chairs and Committee Members: Mary Howell-Williams 556-3684 mhwphoto@mchsi.com Katherine Howsare 490-3911 howsarek@live.com
Nancy Dunbar 255-2671 dunbar.nancy@gmail.com Terry Thielen 277-3785 tthielenbks@yahoo.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 2017 Farmers' Market Polk County Master Gardeners' Information Booth at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market Third Saturdays May through September We are in the process of setting up a "Signup.com" page to accept volunteers for the days we'll be at the
Randy Campbell and Chris Cyran having fun at the Downtown Farmers' Market. Co-chairs: Matt Doré -- matt.dore@drake.edu Sherri Soich -- sherrisoich@gmail.com Randy Campbell -- campbellrd@mchsi.com Market this year. Details and sign-up instructions in the April issue of the Green Thumb. In the meantime, if you have ideas about special gardening topics that we should feature at one of our Farmers' Market appearances, please let one of us know! - Refresh your Pruning Skills! & then use them to Reduce Food Insecurity! Pruning Workshop Presented by ISU Urban Forester, Gabby Edwards Friday, March 17th Central Iowa Shelter & Services 1420 Mulberry 1:00 PM Location Host, Alda Helvey One hour of education time Additional volunteer time after first hour Free and open to the public--spouses and neighbors are welcome Please, no children younger than age 15 This is a great opportunity to refresh your skills with hands-on learning and make a difference in our community! Workshop will begin in a classroom at the Shelter and then the group will move outdoors to prune fruit trees that support the dining menu at the Shelter. There are other trees and bushes that also need pruning around the Shelter and its produce garden. Workshop size is limited so please reserve your spot by contacting Ike: Or phone Ike: 515-957-5761 CLICK HERE to send Ike an email * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Drake Park's Fruit Trees Feed its Neighbors Local neighborhood volunteers collaborated with the City a few years ago to
plant about 15 apple, pear, and peach trees in this little park. The goal was to provide area residents, many of whom are food insecure, with fresh fruit. A number of these residents are also refuges who tend their own community garden plot nearby. One of our PCMG, Eddie Robinson and his wife Rose are part if this Drake Community Association. Eddie observed this winter that these young trees now need appropriate pruning to ensure that they grow strong and support fruit production. The trees are young (15 feet or smaller), but Eddie needs a few more skilled hands to help prune these trees properly. Can you help for an Hour or Two? Volunteers with Pruning Skills are needed to prune young fruit trees: Saturday, March 18th 1:00 PM Drake Park 2300 Drake Park Avenue Contact Eddie Robinson to Volunteer: 515-255-5630 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Horticulture Website from ISU! This page pulls information from five older pages. In one search you will find publications, blog posts, web articles, videos, and pod casts! Timely horticulture topics are updated frequently on this page. The popular Hort & Home Pest News e-newsletter is posted here. And, do you love the Iowa Public Radio "Hort Show" on Fridays--but can't always listen? Well, links to those programs are now posted as podcasts on the page! Here is the link to the new page: https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/
- 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.