All the Dirt on Gardening

The Texas Master Gardeners Association website is loaded with useful information for gardeners in this part of the U.S. Their Nov 2016 newsletter is available at this link . This month's topics include: a letter from their president and announcements of upcoming events. Their Facebook page is kept up to date with regular postings and you can see it at https://www.facebook.com/TexasMasterGardenersAssociation/?fref=ts The International Master Gardeners Conference will be in Portland and registration is open July 10-14, 2017 International Master Gardener Conference 2017 The Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program is excited to host Master Gardener faculty, staff and volunteers from across the United States, Canada and South Korea. There are 44 concurrent session classes and 16 tours; you can  register . Sign up to explore Williamette Valley, Columbia Gorge, Pacific Northwest nurseries, iconic Portland gardens and the stunning Oregon Coast, plus a ...

All of your favorite spring-blooming perennials can be dug and divided now, giving them plenty of time to settle their roots over the winter to bloom next year. The list of plants to divide now includes:  daylilies, iris, sweet violets, oxalis, thrift, candytuft, Shasta daisies, coneflowers and St. Joseph’s lilies (hardy amaryllis), among others.  In March when the soil warms perennials will be peeking out of the soil, putting out new growth buds and showing signs of life. By then, their roots will have become established in cool, wet weather and be ready to spring forth. You can use a spading fork or shovel to dig up the existing clump, just be sure to start digging far enough out from the central crown to get as much root as possible and to avoid damaging the crown. Separate the clump of the original plant into sections with roots and cover them or put them in the shade while you prepare the soil they came out of. Dig organic amendments into the soil. This could in...

Bringing Nature Home recently posted an excellent reminder for us as we face fall clean up in the garden and plan for next year's garden.  Amelanchier canadensis Click on the link above to read the full article. Here are excerpts to whet your appetite: Chances are, you have never thought of your garden — indeed, of all of the space on your property — as a wildlife preserve that represents the last chance we have for sustaining plants and animals that were once common throughout the U.S. But that is exactly the role our suburban landscapes are now playing and will play even more in the near future. we have forced the plants and animals that evolved in North America (our nation’s biodiversity) to depend more and more on human-dominated landscapes for their continued existence.  Viburnum dentatum those little woodlots and “open spaces” we have not paved over or manicured are pristine. Nearly all are second-growth forests that have been thoroughly invaded by alien...

November 1 is the deadline for sending in seeds you've collected from your garden for the American Horticultural Society Seed Exchange.   Only AHS members can donate seeds. AHS members can order from the Seed Exchange in January 2017. Another good reason to join! Memberships begin at $35.00.

"Late Bloomer - How to Garden with Comfort, Ease and Simplicity in the Second Half of Life" by Jan Bills,  is just out this month from St. Lynn's Press . The author is a second half of life gardener, herself, She says in the introduction that this stage of life gardening is about simplicity, beauty and harmony, comfort and ease, celebrating life with food from your soil, relaxation and letting go, She is now a professional gardener! “It is not about keeping up with others,” Bills said. “It excludes memorizing botanical names and identifying every garden insect or noxious weed (that’s what Google is for). Rather, it is an ongoing relationship, with deep and lasting experiences. For me, it is an opportunity to bring what I love to the garden; it makes me feel alive, rejuvenated and well. Gardens are my blank canvas, the one place to be fully expressed without limitation or prejudice. A garden is where hope is restored and relaxation is practiced.” Three of Bills'...

Horticulture Magazine has a new article with ideas for how gardeners can help bumblebees survive and thrive. This is an important topic as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added 7 species of bees to the Endangered Species list, providing protection for the bees. Here are some things the Xerces Society recommends that we all do to help bumblebees in our neighborhoods: Provide them with pollen and nectar from late winter through early fall. Plan your garden to start blooming early and finish late. Choose flowers that welcome the bumblebees. Plants native to your area are a good choice because the bees have evolved alongside them. Exotic (but not invasive) species can work, too. Just be sure to use the straight species, or pick cultivars that retain the general look of the species’s flower. That is, avoid cultivars bred for double petals or other fancy forms that make it hard for the bumblebee to access the pollen. Bumblebees best like purple, blue and yellow flowers. They c...

October will be a busy month at the Oklahoma Botanic Garden ! Thursday, October 6 7:00 pm TBG Educational Center Cory Suddarth from Suddarth Optical Repair will join us to discuss binoculars, scopes, and everything in between. Cory is an expert in the repair of old optics, so be sure to have them with you when he fields your questions. For more information visit: paynecountyaudubonsociety.com Presented by Payne County Audubon Society Saturdays: October 1, 8, and 29 9:00 am – 3:00 pm The Botanic Garden at OSU The garden is a captivating place to stroll with family and friends before heading to your favorite tailgate party. Make a visit to The Botanic Garden part of your game day activities in Stillwater. You can purchase mums and pumpkins for your tailgating décor while supporting The Botanic Garden! Ambassadors will be in the garden to welcome you and answer your gardening questions. The West Virginia Avenue entrance will be open for additional parking and handic...