Seed Packaging Volunteers Needed - Saturday Oct 3, 2-5 pm

 

Hello Gardeners

I hope your gardens survived our drought this summer. The rain this month was welcome! I have many, many bees very happy slurping up the nectar from my goldenrods, asters and sunflowers. If you go out and look at your gardens in the early morning you may find lots of bumblebees asleep clasping a flower. This morning I counted 7 bumblebees on one spray of showy goldenrod! When the temperature warms or the sun rises they wake up and are poised to have breakfast right in front of them.

 

Seed Packaging

 

Our first seed packaging event is scheduled for Saturday, October 3^rd from 2-5 pm at the Lion’s Den conference room in the White Bear Lake library. No reservations needed. No experience needed! It’s easy and fun and volunteers are needed to help package seeds for our community gardeners. You can come when able and help as long as you want. Enjoy a chance to talk about your gardeners with fellow gardeners.

 

 

Local Greenhouses and Nurseries

As a request from our volunteers I am adding a list of various local greenhouses or garden centers that sell plants. Many of these establishments do not use neonicotinoids on their plants that they grow. But the buyer should beware: they may sell plants that were grown previously at a different wholesaler which did use systemic pesticides. You should ask the growers at these establishments whether neonics were used on the plants you wish to purchase.

Neonicotinoids or ‘neonics’ are a systemic pesticides used on plants to kill insects. Unfortunately, these insecticides also harm pollinators as the insecticide gets into all parts of the plant including the pollen and nectar.

The only way to be sure a plant has not been treated with neonics is to buy certified organic seed and grow it yourself, or buy a certified organically grown plant.

More information here.

 

Goldman’s Greenhouse – East Bethel, MN

Website: Goldman's

 

MNL – Ecological restoration and native species landscaping, retail and whole sale seeds.  Website: MNL

 

Norther Hollar – Specializes in growing native plants of the Midwest. Website: Northern Hollar

 

Outback Nursery – Hastings, MN

Seller of Minnesota native trees, shrubs and perennials.

Website: Outback

 

Prairie Moon Nursery – Winona, MN and order online

They have hundreds of varieties of native plant seeds, plants and bare root stock.

Website: Prairiemoon

 

Prairie Restorations – Scandia, MN

Seller of Minnesota native plants.

Website: Prairieresto

 

 

Contact info:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Website: https://wblseedlibrary.blogspot.com/

 

 

Why You Need a Mosquito Bucket

 

Hello Gardeners

Before I reveal why you need a Mosquito Bucket, I want to tell you about an opportunity to see fireflies! In my previous email I shared ways to encourage fireflies in your own yard, but many of you may not be in an ideal location to have fireflies.

 

But the Minnesota Arboretum does have fireflies for you to visit:

Experience the magic of summer nights at the Arboretum with hundreds of fireflies flashing through the sky! Bring your family and friends along to marvel at the wonder of these glowing winged beetles (also known as lightning bugs). Begin your firefly viewing experience by gathering to learn about these special creatures from local experts before heading out to see them live on the trails. July 11 and 12^th from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

For more info and tickets see Fireflies

 

Here’s the previous information about how to encourage fireflies into your own yard for reference.

 

I’m lucky in that I have fireflies putting on a show every night! Fireflies are having a hard time finding places to live and mate. One way you can help is to turn off your outdoor lights. The artificial light (including solar lights) confuses the fireflies and they can’t find a mate to produce offspring. It’s not just outdoor lights which are a problem, but even lighting from indoors that shines outside is also confusing to fireflies. Please consider blinds or curtains on your windows where lights or TVs are on during dusk to dawn.

 

Here are two resources about how to help fireflies:

Firefly Organization

Xerces Organization

 

Mosquito Buckets

So what is a mosquito bucket and why might you want one?

 

A mosquito bucket is a way to draw female mosquitos who already nearby and stops the next generation before it hatches. By placing Bti, a natural bacterium in a backet of water, it targets mosquito larvae and prevents the eggs from hatching. Bti does not harm bees, birds or mammals.

 

This method of reducing mosquitos in your yard is much preferred than chemical fogging which harms wildlife, pets and kids and doesn’t stop mosquitos at their source.

 

For less than $11 (before the 11% rebate) I bought a 5 gallon bucket and a 6 pack of mosquito dunks (enough for 24 months of use) at Menards.

 

Here’s the website with detailed information: Mosquito Bucket

 

Here is a summary of the steps to create your own mosquito bucket:

 

1.    Buy a 5 gallon bucket, preferrably dark colored, and a package of mosquito dunks.

2.    Place the bucket in a shady location away from where you spend time. Add a sticker or label so neighbors know what it is.

3.    Fill the bucket about 2/3 full of water. Add a handful of leaves or grass clipping to attract the female egg-laying mosquitos.

4.    Add ¼ of a dunk. Bti is a naturally occurring bacterium. It is safe for bees, dragonflies, birds and kids.

5.    Add a wire mesh cover or lid with 3/8” holes to keep pets, kids and other critters out. If you are not using a lid, place a stick inside so small animals can climb out. If you have young kids, please cover with a secure lid!

 

6.    Refresh monthly. Replace dunk every 30 days. If you forget, your bucket becomes a breeding site, not a control site.

 

Plant Sales and Garden Tours

Plant sales are done for the year, but touring a local garden is just starting! Here is a list compiled by Family Fun Twin Cities of local gardens to enjoy the flowers!

Local Gardens

 

Local Greenhouses and Nurseries

As a request from our volunteers I am adding a list of various local greenhouses or garden centers that sell plants. Many of these establishments do not use neonicotinoids on their plants that they grow. But the buyer should beware: they may sell plants that were grown previously at a different wholesaler which did use systemic pesticides. You should ask the growers at these establishments whether neonics were used on the plants you wish to purchase.

Neonicotinoids or ‘neonics’ are a systemic pesticides used on plants to kill insects. Unfortunately, these insecticides also harm pollinators as the insecticide gets into all parts of the plant including the pollen and nectar.

The only way to be sure a plant has not been treated with neonics is to buy certified organic seed and grow it yourself, or buy a certified organically grown plant.

More information here.

 

Goldman’s Greenhouse – East Bethel, MN

Website: Goldman's

 

MNL – Ecological restoration and native species landscaping, retail and whole sale seeds.  Website: MNL

 

Norther Hollar – Specializes in growing native plants of the Midwest. Website: Northern Hollar

 

Outback Nursery – Hastings, MN

Seller of Minnesota native trees, shrubs and perennials.

Website: Outback

 

Prairie Moon Nursery – Winona, MN and order online

They have hundreds of varieties of native plant seeds, plants and bare root stock.

Website: Prairiemoon

 

Prairie Restorations – Scandia, MN

Seller of Minnesota native plants.

Website: Prairieresto

 

 

Contact info:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Website: https://wblseedlibrary.blogspot.com/

 

 

Fireflies Are Here!

 

Hello Gardeners

 

After the rush of spring planting, it is time to enjoy your gardens! Now is the time to just look and watch your flowers and vegetables. It’s amazing to see all the activity that goes on from big fuzzy bumblebees to graceful butterflies. Maybe you have some toads and dragonflies too.

 

I’m lucky in that I have fireflies putting on a show every night! Fireflies are having a hard time finding places to live and mate. One way you can help is to turn off your outdoor lights. The artificial light (including solar lights) confuses the fireflies and they can’t find a mate to produce offspring. It’s not just outdoor lights which are a problem, but even lighting from indoors that shines outside is also confusing to fireflies. Please consider blinds or curtains on your windows where lights or TVs are on during dusk to dawn.

 

Here are two resources about how to help fireflies:

Firefly Organization

Xerces Organization

 

Thank You!

Thank you to all who helped package seeds this spring! Later this summer and fall I’ll start packaging native plant seeds. Look for an email in a couple months asking for volunteers to help.

 

Plant Sales and Garden Tours

Plant sales are done for the year, but touring a local garden is just starting! Here is a list compiled by Family Fun Twin Cities of local gardens to enjoy the flowers!

Local Gardens

 

Local Greenhouses and Nurseries

As a request from our volunteers I am adding a list of various local greenhouses or garden centers that sell plants. Many of these establishments do not use neonicotinoids on their plants that they grow. But the buyer should beware: they may sell plants that were grown previously at a different wholesaler which did use systemic pesticides. You should ask the growers at these establishments whether neonics were used on the plants you wish to purchase.

Neonicotinoids or ‘neonics’ are a systemic pesticides used on plants to kill insects. Unfortunately, these insecticides also harm pollinators as the insecticide gets into all parts of the plant including the pollen and nectar.

The only way to be sure a plant has not been treated with neonics is to buy certified organic seed and grow it yourself, or buy a certified organically grown plant.

More information here.

 

Goldman’s Greenhouse – East Bethel, MN

Website: Goldman's

 

MNL – Ecological restoration and native species landscaping, retail and whole sale seeds.  Website: MNL

 

Norther Hollar – Specializes in growing native plants of the Midwest. Website: Northern Hollar

 

Outback Nursery – Hastings, MN

Seller of Minnesota native trees, shrubs and perennials.

Website: Outback

 

Prairie Moon Nursery – Winona, MN and order online

They have hundreds of varieties of native plant seeds, plants and bare root stock.

Website: Prairiemoon

 

Prairie Restorations – Scandia, MN

Seller of Minnesota native plants.

Website: Prairieresto

 

 

Contact info:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Website: https://wblseedlibrary.blogspot.com/