WBL Seed Library: Seed packaging, Saturday Dec 6th, 10:30-12:30

Hello Gardeners

Welcome to winter! Time to put away the gardening tools and maybe update your garden journal with some words on how your gardening went this year while sitting inside having a warm cup of coffee or tea. Maybe you don’t have a garden journal? Though you might think that is just one more thing I have to do, it actually would help you be more efficient in your garden. By noting what worked and what didn’t, helps you to not make the same mistake twice or try more of something that worked.

You can buy a special journal just for your garden notes or use what I use, a spiral notebook I get for cheap during back-to-school sales. Put in a quick sketch of your vegetable garden to help you plan crop rotation for the next growing season. Also, add what varieties you planted and whether they are tasty and how they grew. I love Sunshine kabocha squash and I’ve tried several locations trying to find the best for my garden, but alas, I’ve only managed to get 2 squashes no matter where I grow them. I think next year I’ll skip the squash and try something else.

Seed Packaging – Saturday, Dec 6^th, 10:30 -12:30

The next seed packaging is this Saturday, Dec 6 at the White Bear Library Lion’s Den conference room. No experience necessary. Come join your fellow gardeners as we package more native plant and other seeds for the seed library.

*Note: We are now in questionable weather season. If there is snow or ice which makes it a difficult commute to the library, I will reschedule the seed packaging. I will notify the library if I do so. If you think it may be canceled, please call the library at: 651-724-6007. I have found trying to send out an email at the last minute seldom works the way I want it to, so don’t depend on that for knowing if the event is canceled.

Also, if you would rather package seeds at home, send me an email and will make up a bag of seeds and supplies you can pick up at the library.

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

I have updated the online list of native plant seeds at the library. Note that this is a constantly changing list and was only accurate at the date listed at the top of the document.

You can access at: native plant list

An Act Locally Opportunity!

Now is a great time to harvest most seeds as long as their seed heads or pods are dry. Yes, you can do this even in the winter! The seed library would love any native plant seeds or non-hybrid seeds from peas, beans, lettuce or tomatoes.

Though the seed library gets donations of commercial seed packets, I especially like getting locally grown seeds. These locally grown seeds have started adapting to our local environment and in time will grow better than produce, flowers and seeds from plants grown elsewhere in the country.

Pam

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

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.