Spring Activities and Events

Contrary to the blizzard and 12+" of snow, Spring and all its activities will eventually come, though sometimes that seems like wishful thinking. Check out the many activities coming up:

Wild Ones Meetings - Open to the public, great speakers on various topic concerning native plants.

    April 17 - Rare Plants of Northern Washington County, presented by Jason Husveth, FamilyMeans building, Stillwater, 7-8:45 pm, socialize 6:30pm,  stcroixoaksavanna.wildones.org

    April 26 - Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants presented by Anne Sawyer, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Autumn Grove Park, Roseville, bigriverbigwoods.wildones.org

    May 15  - An Invitation to Landscape with Native Plants: Getting Started, presented by Kathy Widin, FamilyMeans building, Stillwater, 7-8:45pm, Socialize 6:30pm, stcroixoaksavanna.wildones.org

    May 24 - Tips for Discovery Biodiversity in your Backyard, presented by Larissa and Erik Mottl, 6:30-8:30 pm, Autumn Grove Park, Roseville, bigriverbigwoods.wildones.org

Apr 21 - Earth day Cleanup at Tamarack Nature Center - Help us celebrate Earth Day with a morning at Tamarack! We'll remove invasive plants from trails and nature center grounds and work in the garden to get it ready for planting.  9-noon, ages 8+,  Tamarack Nature Center 5287 Otter Lake Road White Bear Township, MN 55110

Apr 21 - Gardening with Native Pollinators with Heather Holm and Pollinator Friendly Alliance,

Warner Nature Center -   15375 Norell Avenue, Marine on St. Croix. 10:00-11:15 am.  Call Warner to register 651-433-2427.

April 22 - EARTH DAY!! Do Something Nice for the Earth! Plant a tree or plant, cleanup a park or educate someone about why we need to protect our earth.

May 5 - May Mosaic - The latest dirt on soil, composting, seed saving, and more. Bring your garden questions for Ramsey County Master Gardeners to answer as well as garden stories to share with your neighbors. Find out about pollinators and their importance in your garden and yard.

11am-2pm, Historic Como Streetcar Station, 1224 N. Lexington Pkwy 55117

May 6 - New Pollinator Garden Planting near Mississippi River, May 6

POLLINATOR GARDEN TO BE PLANTED IN HIGHLAND PARK NEAR RIVER! On Sunday, May 6th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. an extensive pollinator garden, featuring native ornamental grasses will be planted on the east side of the Temple of Aaron parking lot in an abandoned city alley right of way. The area previously was filled with invasive shrubs and weeds. This garden will measure 300 ft long by 10 ft. wide and extends south from Hartford Avenue. Ramsey County Master Gardeners will be on hand to assist volunteers with planting the “plug” grasses and wildflowers. We ask that you bring your family members out for this one time installation of a garden that will not only attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, but will also serve as a snack bar for our resident Bald Eagles who have been nesting nearby since 2015. Bring a pair of garden gloves and a hand trowel or shovel. Refreshments will be available. You will want to be able to say that you were involved in the planting of the River of Grass Pollinator Garden. Why? Once established, this garden will be the longest native ornamental grass border in Minnesota and possibly the Upper Midwest, according to Dr. Mary Meyer, University of Minnesota Ornamental Grass researcher and educator. Come help us install this fabulous garden that will start waving its grasses and showing its blooms later this summer. Where to arrive: Meet in parking lot behind 616 South Mississippi River Boulevard in St. Paul Since the River Boulevard is often closed on weekends for walks and races, we encourage you to reach the site this way: From I:94- Exit Cretin Avenue, drive south to Hartford Avenue From Cretin Avenue, turn west on Hartford Avenue. Drive 2.5 blocks- just past Mount Curve Avenue- to entrance to parking lot.

May 11-13 - Friends School Plant sale - selling over 2,450 plant varieties of all neonic-free plants: vegetables, flowers, rare, trees, shrubs, bulbs, herbs, etc. Amazing amount of plants! friendsschoolplantsale.com

May 12 - Welcome to the Garden - Open House for the community gardens at the White Bear Lake YMCA from 9-12 with events and education. The Seed Library will be there.

May 21 - Flowers for Pollinators - Learn how to identify the pollinators in your neighborhood and develop an understanding of the threats they face in our communities with this presentation from U of M Extension Master Gardeners. You will leave this presentation empowered and inspired to create pollinator-friendly habitats in your community - to help pollinators thrive in your community. Shoreview Library, 6:30-7:30pm, https://www.rclreads.org/

Landscape Revival. Selling pollinator safe, neonic-free native plants at 2 locations this year! Landscape Revival

June 2 - Landscape Revival, Shepherd of the Hills Church, 3920 Victoria St N, Shoreview, Minnesota (MN) 55126, 9-1:30

June 9 - Landscape Revival, Richard Walton Memorial Park, 5th Street N and Hadley Avenue N, Oakdale, Minnesota (MN) 55128, 9-2

Jun 4 - Flowers for Pollinators - Learn how to identify the pollinators in your neighborhood and develop an understanding of the threats they face in our communities with this presentation from U of M Extension Master Gardeners. You will leave this presentation empowered and inspired to create pollinator-friendly habitats in your community - to help pollinators thrive in your community. White Bear Lake Library, 6:30-7:30pm, https://www.rclreads.org/

June 24 - Mahtomedi Garden Club Tour. mahtomedigardenclub.org

Seed Library Update and Events

Hello Gardeners!

Hope you are planning your gardens. Though it doesn't seem like it now (below zero wind chills this morning), we will eventually get spring weather!

I want to welcome all the new gardeners that recently became members of the Seed Library. Maybe you came to one of my classes or heard about the Seed Library from some other source, but you all have at least one thing in common--you like plants! Welcome to what I'd like to think is the greatest seed library in the metro area supported by a wonderful community of gardeners. Periodically I send out an email letting you know about upcoming events, new seeds in the library or some how to's or other bits of interesting info. I also maintain a Seed Library blog site at WBL Seed LIbrary Blogspot which has past blog entries of interest.

This last month over 380 packets of seeds left the seed library to their new homes! Wow! I'm thinking there are lots of little trays of seeds growing in people's houses right now. If you are starting tomato or pepper seeds indoors, you're going to need some supplemental light source even if you have a south facing window. Seedlings need at least 14 hours of good light per day and we just don't have that here up in the tundra. Other types of seedlings benefit from man-made light as well or they grow spindly and weak. The shorter and stockier you can grow your seedlings the better. Keep the light source close to the top of the seedlings so they don't have to stretch.

Those of you who placed native plant seeds in your fridge for stratification, you should check them for possible sprouting or mold. Probably many of them are ready to seed in trays about now too. (If moldy, replace damp paper toweling if not finished with stratification, otherwise plant immediately in trays. Maybe you can save them.)

With all these seeds starting their lives, don't forget to start some extra plants to harvest the seeds. Without your donations there will not be seeds for next season. Which brings me to the topic of garden space. Many people don't have much full sun garden space. There is an solution! You can rent garden space are various sites around our area. Check out gardener and local food advocate Michelle Bruhn's blog site, Forks in the Dirt for the March 24th entry for a list and description of various community gardens. Michelle's website has lots of other great info too.

Remember any questions, problems or concerns please email me at: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com. Also, if you know of an event that may be of general interest to this group of community gardeners let me know.

Onto the upcoming events. There are lots--testiment Spring will come. 

Wild Ones Meetings - Open to the public, great speakers on various topic concerning native plants.

April 17 - Rare Plants of Northern Washington County, presented by Jason Husveth, FamilyMeans building, Stillwater, 7-8:45 pm, socialize 6:30pm,  stcroixoaksavanna.wildones.org

April 26 - Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants presented by Anne Sawyer, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Autumn Grove Park, Roseville, bigriverbigwoods.wildones.org

May 15  -An Invitation to Landscape with Native Plants: Getting Started, presented by Kathy Widin, FamilyMeans building, Stillwater, 7-8:45pm, Socialize 6:30pm, stcroixoaksavanna.wildones.org

May 24 - Tips for Discovery Biodiversity in your Backyard, presented by Larissa and Erik Mottl, 6:30-8:30 pm, Autumn Grove Park, Roseville, bigriverbigwoods.wildones.org

May 5 - May Mosaic - The latest dirt on soil, composting, seed saving, and more. Bring your garden questions for Ramsey County Master Gardeners to answer as well as garden stories to share with your neighbors. Find out about pollinators and their importance in your garden and yard.

11am-2pm, Historic Como Streetcar Station, 1224 N. Lexington Pkwy 55117

May 11-13 - Friends School Plant sale - selling over 2,450 plant varieties of all neonic-free plants: vegetables, flowers, rare, trees, shrubs, bulbs, herbs, etc. Amazing amount of plants! friendsschoolplantsale.com

Landscape Revival. Selling pollinator safe, neonic-free native plants at 2 locations this year! Landscape Revival

June 2 - Landscape Revival, Shepherd of the Hills Church, 3920 Victoria St N, Shoreview, Minnesota (MN) 55126, 9-1:30

June 9 - Landscape Revival, Richard Walton Memorial Park, 5th Street N and Hadley Avenue N, Oakdale, Minnesota (MN) 55128, 9-2

June 24 - Mahtomedi Garden Club Tour. mahtomedigardenclub.org

I'll leave you with this words:

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant."

    - Robert Louis Stevenson

Pam