Hello
Gardeners!
Welcome
to May!
This
winter sure seemed long to me and I’m very happy to no longer see snow and to
gaze upon many new shoots popping out of the ground! My bloodroot and daffodils
are blooming, the birds are singing and yesterday and today have glorious
weather. I hope you got a chance to take a walk and smell and see the signs of spring.
I
added many new varieties of lettuce, beans, a few peas, vegetables and flower
seeds to the seed library the last couple weeks. The online list isn’t quite up
to date as there are many new varieties to add. I hope to have it updated in a
few days, but you can check out the new seeds in the seed drawers.
May
the 4th Be With You!
Pam
Happy Soil, Happy
Plants – Seed Talk
Wednesday, May 10th,
6:30 pm via Zoom
Do
you know how much the health of your soil determines the health of your plants?
This Seed Talk is about what is healthy soil and how do you improve your garden
soil. Also, why healthy soil that is full of microorganisms is the best for
improving vegetable yields, flowering plants and can even improve the health of
our earth.
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.
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
New Library of Things
for Gardeners!
The
White Bear Lake library has a new option in their ‘Library of Things’ options. It contains: 1 bulb planter, 1 transplanter
shovel, 1 cultivator fork, 1 trowel shovel, 1 pruner, 1 15 in. lopper,1 pruning
snip, 1 weeder, 1 folding saw, 1 knee pad : mixed materials ; in box (22 in. x
15 1/2 in. x 9 1/2 in.) + contents sheet. Patrons need to be 18 or older to
check this out.
Here’s
a link to the kit.
No Mow May
Maybe
you heard about “No Mow May’. It’s a way to help the pollinators as well as
make less work for you! Flowering dandelions and clover are an important food
source for many pollinators until perennials start to bloom, so leave them
bloom for a few weeks. Also, by mowing less you cut down on the emissions
released in the air and you save yourself time and work.
The
University of Minnesota has some FREE webinars to help you.
Join
Robin Trott, University of Minnesota Extension Educator, as she welcomes guest
experts to talk about pollinators and habitat in May.
- Thursday, May
11, 12:00 PM – 1:05 PM: Video Watch Party “Flowering Bee Lawns: Creating
Habitat to Protect and Conserve Pollinators” James Wolfin, Twin Cities
Seed Company
- Friday, May 19,
12:00PM-1:00PM: “All About Pollinators”, Elise Bernstein, Environmental
Educator & Pollinator Enthusiast, UMN Bee Squad
- Tuesday, May 23,
12:00PM-1:00PM: “Discover the Beauty and Uses of Native Plants”, Mary
Holm, Associate Producer and Host Prairie Yard and Garden | Pioneer PBS
- Tuesday, May 30,
12:00PM-1:00PM: "Designing with Native Plants" Jillian Reiner,
University of Minnesota Master Gardener and Professional Landscape
Architect
- Thursday, June
1, 12:00PM-1:00PM: “Lawn Care and Maintenance”, Randy Nelson, Extension
Educator, Home Hort & Ag Production Systems Clay County
Register once for access to all webinars. All
webinars will be recorded. You will receive the ZOOM Link via email once you
have registered. Register here.
Two handy charts for
when to start seeds indoors and outdoors as well as the best time to transplant
seedlings outside.
Note:
The Twin Cities is in Zone 4 and the average last date of frost is May 10th.
From
Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Note, you must enter last date of frost): start calculator
From
the Farmer’s Almanac: start chart
Plant Sales
3rd Annual Minnesota
Waldorf Plant Sale + Festival
Saturday May 20th,
10am-2pm.
Organic Heirloom
Veggies & Natives.
Fill your garden with
rare veggies and native plants, organic potato seeds and more!
Plant a food forest
with edible ferns, berries and ramps!
https://mnwaldorf.org/plantsale/
Big River Big Woods Native Plant Sale
Big River Big Woods
Chapter of Wild Ones is holding their annual Native Plant Sale. They have
a wide selection of native wildflowers, ferns, grasses, sedges, shrubs and
trees.
Glacial Ridge Growers and Out Back
Nursery are our native plants suppliers this year. Plants are neonic free.
Individual plants are
available as 6-packs and 3-packs. Trees and shrubs are available
in a variety of sizes.
This year we also
have pre-designed garden packs.
More information and
the online order form are at https://bigriverbigwoods.org/plant-sale/.
Monday, May 1 - Order deadline:
last day to place your order.
Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Day to pick up your plant orders.
Sunday, June 4, noon to 3 p.m. - Day to pick up your plant orders.
The pick-up location
will be in White Bear Lake. The address will be included in the confirmation
email. If it doesn't show up in your inbox, be sure to check your spam or junk
folders.
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Friends School Plant Sale
Thousands of
vegetable, herbs, annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, bulbs, native plants
and rare plants are available at the largest plant sale in the U.S. Held on
the State Fair grounds on May 12-14,
2023. This is a fund-raiser for the Friends School of Minnesota. If you
have shopped this sale in previous years, please read their updated shopping
procedures. All plants sold are neonic free. Visit friends-sale to get more
information.
Anoka County Master Gardeners Plant Sale
Anoka County Master
Gardeners are hosting their plant sale May 16-17, 2023. Details should be
forthcoming on their website
Ramsey County Master Gardeners Plant Sale
Funds raised by the
sale help support local youth horticulture projects and scholarships for
University horticulture students.
Ramsey County
Master Gardeners are hosting their annual plant sale on May 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Church of the Holy Childhood, 1435
Midway Pkwy, St Paul.
The sale includes a
large selection of native plants, vegetables, favorite and unique varieties
of tomatoes, herbs, annual and perennial flowers, houseplants, quality garden
gloves, and other great items to get your garden growing strong. Funds
raised support Master Gardener community and youth education programs in
Ramsey County. Cash, checks and credit cards accepted.
For more
information, visit www.RamseyMasterGardeners.org/plantsale.
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Native Plant Expo and Market
Market: Purchase MN native
plants from multiple growers. No systemic insecticides.
Expo: Learn to select and
grow native plants for pollinators, wildlife, and water quality. Visit with
educators and experts from conservation and environmental organizations. Get your
landscaping questions answered.
Shoreview Native Plant Expo is June 10, 2023, 9am – 1pm
Shepherd of the Hills
Lutheran Church, Shoreview, MN
3920 Victoria St N
Shoreview, 55126 + Google Map
Shoreview Expo
Oakdale Native Plant Expo is June 3, 2023, 9am – 1 pm
Oakdale Fire Station
#1
5000 Hadley Ave N
Oakdale, MN 55128 United States + Google Map
Oakdale Expo
Contact info for the
Seed Library:
Email:
wblseedlibrary@gmail.com
Blog
site: WBL Seed Library
