Hello Gardeners
So what is the connection between the eclipse and the White Bear Lake seed library?
They both occur on April 8th this year!
The White Bear Lake Seed Library received lots of new seeds! This means it’s time for another seed packaging! Here’s the info:
Monday, April 8th, 2024 from 6-8 pm in the Lion’s Den conference room in the White Bear Lake library.
No experience is necessary. Come help the seed library and converse with your fellow gardeners.
Here’s a few interesting bits of information about what some plants do during an eclipse.
From a 2017 study at the University of Missouri’s South Farm Research Center, by Tim Reinbott and colleagues. Below is copied from https://www.crops.org/news/science-news/does-eclipse-equal-night-plant-life/.
The team chose to observe four types of plants with different habits:
- Mimosa close their leaves at night and when they are touched.
- Oxalis (purple clover) close their leaves and fold their flowers at night.
- Drought-stressed soybeans fold up their leaves during the day and open them at night.
- Drought-stressed corn curls during the day and uncurls at night.
Reinbott reported, “The regular mimosa responded to the eclipse by closing up its leaves, just like at sundown. But when we first exposed the mimosa plants to 72 hours of light or dark, they did not respond to the eclipse.” Reinbott thinks it may be because the light spectrum, some of which is undetectable to the human eye, had changes the plants may have responded to. “We have data that show slight differences in the light spectrum during totality and sundown. Possibly those plants exposed to 72 hours of light or darkness lost some of their photoreceptors for one of these wavelengths (blue and red/far-red).”
The oxalis responded very differently. It was a hot day, so the oxalis leaves were folded up to reduce sun exposure and retain water. As the eclipse started, the oxalis leaves opened up. After totality passed, the leaves closed again. But the oxalis did not fold its flowers as they do at dusk. “This shows that they have a circadian rhythm and were not fooled by the change in light from the eclipse. They only responded to the temperature change,” Reinbott concluded.
The drought-stressed corn did not visibly change much in response to the eclipse. Drought-stressed soybeans unfolded during the eclipse and then folded back up afterward, but it was unclear whether this was due to the temperature change or the light change. These soybeans behaved the same during totality as they do at sundown, showing they did not have a circadian rhythm.
Locally Harvested Seeds
Many of the seeds, especially native plant seeds, are labelled ‘locally harvested’ or ‘locally grown’. These are great seeds as these seeds are more acclimated to our environment. Commercial seeds could have come from anywhere in the United States. For example; plants grown in Texas have significantly different growing conditions than plants grown in Minnesota. So you can understand why I encourage you to save seeds from the plants you grow. There is a caveat though. I only want seeds that are ‘easy to save’. What does that mean?
It doesn’t mean the seeds are easy to remove from the fruit or seed head of the plant. It dose means seeds from the plant are less likely to have been cross-pollinated and therefore the seeds from the plant will likely have the same traits (color of flower, hardiness, height, etc.) as the original plant. Easy to save seeds are those that are either self-pollinating or do not cross-pollinate easily. This includes; tomatoes, beans, peas, lettuce and native plants. As long as the original plant of these types was not a hybrid variety, the seeds from them will be great to save.
Bring any seeds (open-pollinated) you harvested to donate to the seed library! I’d love to get some tomatoes, lettuce, beans and peas you grew in your garden!
Also, those of you who grew haricot vert beans for the Grow a Row project, please donate them now.
How Does This Weird Winter Affect My Plants?
This is a valid concern as this winter’s weather has been very different than normal. The University of MN Extension service has an answer. Check it out here.
Plant Sales:
Big River, Big Woods Wild Ones Plant Sale
Native wildflowers, ferns, sedges and grasses are available as 3-packs, 1 gallon pots, 2 gallon pots and 4 inch pots. Trees and shrubs are available in 1 gallon, 2 gallon, and 5 gallon pots.
This year we also have pre-designed garden packs such as butterfly, monarch, hummingbird and bee packs that help these pollinators.
Orders taken now until May 15 online at plant sale. The pick-up location will be in Arden Hills, close to the Mounds View High School. 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.
Plant Sale deadlines:
Wednesday,
May 15
- Order deadline: last day to place your order.
Saturday, June 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Day to pick up your plant orders.
Sunday, June 9, noon to 3 p.m. - Day to pick up your plant orders.
Additional plants will be available from the vendors on June 8 & 9.
Friends School Plant Sale – May 10, 11, 12, 2024 at the State fair grounds.
They have over 2,100 varieties of plants (vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit, trees, perennials, etc.) all grown neonics free. Neonicotinoids. are systemic insecticides that harm pollinators. See info about this here. .
Anoka County Master Gardener sale – May 14, 15, 2024.
More information here.
Ramsey County Master Gardener sale – May 18, 2024
Ramsey County Master Gardeners will host their annual plant sale May 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Aldrich Arena, 1850 White Bear Ave N, Maplewood, MN. This new location provides more room for more plants with more free parking!
Find your favorite plants and new varieties, including:
- Vegetables and herbs,
- Large selection of tomatoes
- More than 1,500 native perennials, pollinator-friendly plants
- Annuals and houseplants
- Garden accessories
Plants are responsibly sourced from local growers or grown by Master Gardeners. The plants are free of systemic insecticides (neonicotinoids) and grown in sterile potting soil to prevent the spread of jumping worms.
Master Gardeners and representatives from Ramsey County Environmental Health, the University of Minnesota Soil Testing Lab, and Tree Care Advisors will be on hand to answer questions.
Proceeds from the plant sale support Master Gardener community and youth programs in Ramsey County. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.
More information here.
Pam
Contact info for the Seed Library:
Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com
Blog site: WBL Seed Library
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