New seeds in Seed Library and New Events

 

Hello Gardeners!

These last two months have been a busy time for collecting and packaging native plant seeds. I’ve added 347 packets of native seed packets to the seed library!!

There are over 70 different varieties of native plant seeds in the seed library now!

Some of the newest varieties are:

Virgin’s Bower – a perennial vine

Yellow Giant Hyssop

Lupine

Sneezeweed

Several Blazing star varieties

Cardinal Flower

Great Blue Lobelia

Mountain Mint

Black-eyed Susan

Wild petunia

Native Turtlehead

Fireweed

Path Rush

Pearly Everlasting

Royal Catchfly

Zig-Zag Goldenrod

Showy Goldenrod

Stiff Goldenrod

Smooth Blue Aster

Sky Blue aster

Short’s Aster

Culver’s Root

And many more. Check out the list here.

 

 

So why are the vegetable, herb and flower seed drawers almost empty?

This is the time of year to collect native plant seeds and so I am concentrating on getting those seeds stocked in the seed library. Also, starting in November will be a great time to either direct sow native plant seeds or start them using the winter sowing method. I do have some vegetable, herb and flowers seeds ready for packaging, but most people don’t need them yet, so they are a lower priority now.  BUT starting after the holidays, I’ll be looking for people to help package the vegetable and herb seeds as well as more donations!

 

If you are interested in helping to package either native plant seeds or other seeds, please send me an email at wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

 

There is still a real need for all types of open-pollinated seeds, such as tomatoes, peas, beans, lettuce, peppers and herbs! Please consider donating seeds to the seed library!!!

 

Soon the new seed catalogs may be popping up in your mailbox. Remember the White Bear Lake Seed Library when you place an order.

 

Events

 

January Seed Talk – Indoor Plants via Zoom

Tuesday January 10, 2023, 6:30 pm via Zoom

Do you feel like you have a ‘brown thumb’ when it comes to growing indoor plants? Or maybe you just want to grow something that blooms inside during our long winter. This Seed Talk is all about how to successfully grow both blooming and foliage house plants.

This is a Zoom meeting and you need to register on the Ramsey County library website at least 3 hours prior to the start of the Seed Talk. Register here.

Seed Talks are discussions with community members led by Horticulturist, lifelong gardener and one of the White Bear Lake Seed Library founders: Pam Larson Frink.

(Due to the poor attendance at the last in-person Seed Talk in November, I am back to Zoom Seed Talks until further notice. Hopefully more people can attend.)

 

Pollinator Habitat Webinars

Are you interested in creating pollinator habitat, but you don’t know where to begin? Check out this upcoming webinar series to help guide you in your pollinator plan. University of Minnesota Extension Educators are excited to bring you this webinar series on creating your own pollinator habitat. This three-part series will cover how to create a pollinator-friendly garden, bee lawn and prairie planting. Join us January 31, February 1 & 2 from 1:30-2:30 pm each afternoon for this free webinar. You must pre-register for this series at z.umn.edu/BeeSeries to receive the webinar links.

Tuesday, Jan. 31st: Pollinator-Friendly Garden Julie Weisenhorn, UMN Extension Horticulture Educator

Pollinators are responsible for the diversity of plant life & our food, & gardeners of all levels can adopt practices that help pollinators thrive. However, engaging with these important creatures through creating beneficial landscapes also helps to strengthen our sense of connection with nature (biophilia) & our understanding of the natural world while positively affecting these important insects. Join UMN Extension horticulture educator, Julie Weisenhorn, as she tells the story of pollinators from a landscape & plant selection standpoint & presents some practical options to help us make this world a better place for these valuable insects in our own gardens.

 

Wednesday, Feb. 1st: Bee Lawns- James Wolfin, Conservation Specialist

Bee lawns aim to integrate low-growing flowers into low-input turfgrass lawns to provide food for pollinators. They also help to conserve natural resources, as they require significantly less water, fertilizer, and mowing as compared to a traditional lawn. This presentation will examine the role of lawns in our culture, how lawns can be modified to protect pollinators & conserve natural resources, and the steps residents can take to easily install a bee lawn themselves.

 

Thursday, Feb. 2nd: Navigating Natives: Tools and Resources for Starting a Pocket Prairie- Sam Talbot, UMN Extension Educator, Dakota County

Native plants provide a wide range of benefits & can easily be incorporated into your backyard garden. Sam will draw from his experience restoring habitat in Dakota County Parks to discuss the benefits & challenges associated with planting natives in the landscape. He’ll highlight some of the tools and resources available, as well as opportunities to gain hands-on experience through volunteer opportunities in Dakota County. Topics will include propagation methods, plantings, & species considerations.

 

1:30-2:30 pm each afternoon

 

Winter Farmer’s Market

The White Bear Farmer’s market is over for 2022, but the Winter Farmer’s Market will be open soon.  The second Saturdays in Dec and Jan local food vendors will be sharing locally grown and crafted items including meats, cheese, eggs, micro greens, and maple syrup. Many locally preserved options, like jams, jellies, sauces, sauerkraut, and kombucha will be available. Great gifting options such as soaps and specialty hand crafted goods as well.

*NEW LOCATION* Outdoors at Normandy Park Education Center

2482 County Road F East, White Bear Lake, MN 55110

 

 

Contact info for the Seed Library:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Blog site: WBL Seed Library

 

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!

Pam

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seed Talk on Tuesday an a new event on Saturday

Hello Gardeners!

Just a quick reminder of the next Seed Talk and a new event of interest.

 

Seeds Talk – How to do the Winter Sowing Method

 

Many native plants need a period of stratification (cold-moist period of time) before they will germinate. One way to do this is to direct sow the seeds outside late in the fall. They will hopefully germinate next spring.

 

This seed talk is about how to start seeds in the winter in containers you put outdoors for an easy way to start seedlings of native plants. This will be an in-person meeting.

Held at the White Bear Lake library, Tuesday November 15^th, 6:30-7:30 pm.

Note: If the weather is not good for driving, I will cancel the talk. If you have any doubts you can call the WBL library at 651-724-6007

 

So why are the vegetable, herb and flower seed drawers almost empty?

This is the time of year to collect native plant seeds and so I am concentrating on getting those seeds stocked in the seed library. Also, starting in November will be a great time to either direct sow native plant seeds or start them using the winter sowing method. I do have some vegetable, herb and flowers seeds ready for packaging, but most people don’t need them yet, so they are a lower priority now. 

 

If you are interested in helping to package either native plant seeds or other seeds, please send me an email at wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

If you are willing to ‘clean’ the native plant seeds (meaning remove the seeds from the seed heads or pods) I could really use that help too. Teasing the seeds from their heads or pods is a very time-consuming activity, so more volunteers helping with this would be appreciated.

 

There is still a real need for all types of open-pollinated seeds, so please consider donating seeds to the seed library!!!

 

Events

Radical Resilience: Climate Change, Habitat & You

• Saturday, November 19, 2022
• 1:00 PM  - 4:00 PM

• Rosalux Gallery 315 W48th Street Minneapolis, MN 55419

This is a free mini-symposium on building habitat for birds, pollinators, and people in response to future climate changes. Below is the event schedule:

 

Radical Resilience: Climate, Habitat & You

• 1:00pm: Frank James Meuschke introduces the event
• 1:15pm: Past, Present, & Future Climate in Minnesota with climate scientist Sam Potter, PHD
• 2:00pm: Q&A with Sam
• 15 minute break
• 2:30pm: Bird & Bat Habitat (in Your Yard) with Hennepin County wildlife biologist Nicole Witzel
• 3:15pm: Q&A with Nicole
• 3:30pm: Planting for a Changing Climate -Shelterwood Gardens’ Frank Meuschke
• End of Program: Free Bird & Bat House Raffle!

This program is free for all to attend -all we ask is that people register so we can keep a head count and not overpopulate the gallery. Registration link and more details can be found here:

https://www.frankmeuschke.com/upcoming-classes-events/2022/10/12/climate-habitat-what-you-can-do

 

I am also hosting a native plant clinic on the following day -Nov 20. How to participate is simple: fill out this google form with answers about your yard, pick a time slot (link in google form) and come to your appointment with a soil sample from your yard. The participants will receive a free consultation on which native plants to plant given the answers provided on the form and in person. By midwinter, participants will receive a native species plant list for their yard's specific conditions.

To participate, use the google form link or see here for more details:

https://www.frankmeuschke.com/upcoming-classes-events/2022/11/20/native-plant-clinic

 

 

Winter Farmer’s Market

The White Bear Farmer’s market is over for 2022, but the Winter Farmer’s Market will be open soon.  The second Saturdays in Nov, Dec and Jan local food vendors will be sharing locally grown and crafted items including meats, cheese, eggs, micro greens, and maple syrup. Many locally preserved options, like jams, jellies, sauces, sauerkraut, and kombucha will be available. Great gifting options such as soaps and specialty hand crafted goods as well.

*NEW LOCATION* Outdoors at Normandy Park Education Center

2482 County Road F East, White Bear Lake, MN 55110

 

 

Hope to see you at the Seed Talk next Tuesday!

 

Pam

 

 

 

 

 

Seed Talk on Winter Sowing Method Tuesday Nov 15th!

Hello Gardeners!

I added some packets of new native plants seeds to the Seed Library:

Cardinal Flower

Smooth Blue Aster

Wild Petunia

Purple Coneflower

Purple Prairie Clover

Joe Pye Weed

Late Figwort

Lupine

Yellow Coneflower

 

Check the online list for updates.     

 

I expect to have more varieties in the next few weeks as seed heads become ripe. Seed heads must be dry and brown before harvesting to have viable seeds. I expect more Goldenrods, Asters, Mountain Mint, Shrubby St. John’s Wort, and others coming soon.

 

You can access the seed list at the White Bear Lake Seed Library Website as well. The links to the seed lists are on the right side of the webpage.

 

Many native plants need a period of stratification (cold-moist period of time) before they will germinate. One way to do this is to direct sow the seeds outside late in the fall. They will hopefully germinate next spring. Or you can use the Winter Sowing method. At the next Seed Talk I’ll show you how to do this.

 

Seeds Talk – How to do the Winter Sowing Method

 

This seed talk is about how to start seeds in the winter in containers you put outdoors for an easy way to start seedlings of native plants. This will be an in-person meeting.

Held at the White Bear Lake library, Tuesday November 15^th, 6:30-7:30 pm.

 

So why are the vegetable, herb and flower seed drawers almost empty?

This is the time of year to collect native plant seeds and so I am concentrating on getting those seeds stocked in the seed library. Also, starting in November will be a great time to either direct sow native plant seeds or start them using the winter sowing method. I do have some vegetable, herb and flowers seeds ready for packaging, but most people don’t need them yet, so they are a lower priority now. 

 

If you are interested in helping to package either native plant seeds or other seeds, please send me an email at wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

If you are willing to ‘clean’ the native plant seeds (meaning remove the seeds from the seed heads or pods) I could really use that help too. Teasing the seeds from their heads or pods is a very time-consuming activity, so more volunteers helping with this would be appreciated.

 

There is still a real need for all types of open-pollinated seeds, so please consider donating seeds to the seed library!!!

 

Winter Farmer’s Market

The White Bear Farmer’s market is over for 2022, but the Winter Farmer’s Market will be open soon.  The second Saturdays in Nov, Dec and Jan local food vendors will be sharing locally grown and crafted items including meats, cheese, eggs, micro greens, and maple syrup. Many locally preserved options, like jams, jellies, sauces, sauerkraut, and kombucha will be available. Great gifting options such as soaps and specialty hand crafted goods as well.

*NEW LOCATION* Outdoors at Normandy Park Education Center

2482 County Road F East, White Bear Lake, MN 55110

 

 

Hope to see you at the Seed Talk next Tuesday!

 

Pam