Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library » Lawn and Garden

A different kind of container gardening

Kathy Jennings — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:00:46 +0000

As some of you already know, raised garden beds are becoming a fast and easy way to do flower gardening and vegetable gardening. What is a raised garden bed? Well, they look like a box with soil in them. What is so great about this type of gardening is that there aren’t as many weeds to contend with, there is much better drainage within the raised bed, and there are less pests to contend with like slugs. What I like about raised beds is that the soil is warmer so I can start my plantings much sooner. Because the soil level is raised, it causes less back strain which is great for people with bad backs or older gardeners. If you would like to know more about raised garden beds, then come to the library on May 17th at 7:00 pm in the Marvin Auditorium 101C. The Master Gardeners will be here talking about how to start a raised garden bed and the benefits of this type of gardening.

The Master Gardeners will also be talking about the irresistible iris on May 24th at 7:00 pm in the Anton Room. If you like iris and want to know more about this beautiful flower, come and hear all about the iris. I hope to see you there. Happy Gardening!!

Growing and growing (at least some of my garden)

Kathy Jennings — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:00:08 +0000

So, with this really warm weather, is your garden growing like mine is? Let me qualify that. What is left of my garden from last year is growing like crazy. My lilacs are blooming right now and smell divine. My tulips have bloomed too and look beautiful. My japanese maple tree is just starting to burst with those stunning leaves. But some of my plantings have not done well believe it or not. My clematis that I have had for many many years died sometime this winter. I only wish I knew why. It was very old and was a transplant from when I lived in Topeka. I have gone to the nurseries here in Topeka but all of their nursery plants have not arrived yet. They do have some but I am going to wait before I plant another clematis. And speaking of going to the nurseries, the two programs that the Master Gardeners are giving here at the library will be timely.

The first program is on herb gardening. I love herbs but I usually have them in pots. I would love to have a huge herb garden in my backyard and I am hoping the Master Gardeners will be able to help me with that. The herb garden program is scheduled for April 19, in the Marvin Auditorium 101C at 7:00 pm.

The other program, Amazing Annuals will be very timely especially the way the weather is looking. If this trend continues, we will be planting annuals much earlier than last year and the Master Gardeners will help you figure out some great annuals to plant in your garden. Don’t know the difference between an annual and a perennial? The Master Gardeners will be able to help you with that too. That program is scheduled for April 26, in the Anton Room at 7:00 pm.

I also wanted to let everyone know too that the wildflower program that Jeff Hansen was going to do in March has been rescheduled for August 2nd. There will be more details coming but he will be here to talk about wildflowers in Kansas.

I hope to see you at the herb and amazing annual programs. The Master Gardeners will be here to answer all of your questions. So, see you then!

Check Out Our Garden Magazines

Michelle Eklund — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:29:22 +0000

Our magazines do check out! The latest copy needs to stay in the building, but the rest of the issues are up for grabs. You can check out as many as you want for 7 days, so why not get some garden inspiration and advice from magazines? Here are a few articles I found interesting:

In the Jan/Feb issue of The American Gardener, there is an article titled, “New for 2012″ by Mary Yee. It’s always fun to look at the new hybrids that the seed and plant companies are offer. The American Gardener provides glossy photographs of many of the new plants and information on the growing preferences of the plants including USDA Hardiness Zone and AHS Heat Zone recommendations.

Two new perennials suitable for Kansas weather that caught my eye were Pretty Lady Diana and Little Mango.

The article “Plant This, Not That” in the April 2011 issue of Fine Gardening takes a thoughtful look at alternatives to commonly used or overused plants. Susan Morrison’s suggestions are based on her personal experiences growing the recommended plants.

A Garden Party and some wildflowers

Kathy Jennings — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:37 +0000

February is the month for Valentine’s Day and chocolate. But February is also the month when I start thinking about gardening. Why? Because the Kansas Lawn and Garden show is always in February. This year the date is February 17-19th. There is just so much to see at this show that it is just like being at a party. From seeds to garden statuary, it is all there. The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library will have a booth there too. We will have information about our gardening neighborhood as well as some events that are coming up at the library. The hours for the garden show are Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 10am-8pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. So, if you come be sure and stop by and say hi.

On March 6, we will be having a program on wildflowers with Jeff Hansen who is with the Kansas Native Plant Society. He will be talking about wildflower identification as well as local wildflower walks. He will be in the Anton Room at 7:00 pm. I love wildflowers but I really don’t know what I am looking at as far as what they are so I am very excited about this program. I hope to see you on March 6th to learn more about wildflowers. I also hope to see you at the Garden Party at the Expo Center Feb. 17-19th.

Dreaming of Gardens

Michelle Eklund — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:50 +0000

January isn’t a good month for gardening in Kansas. So why not use this time to plan changes and additions to your garden? The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library has a wide variety of books on landscaping and garden design to inspire you.

A couple of books that caught my eye were A Garden Gallery and Dream Gardens Across America.

George Little and David Lewis invite you into their garden and share their years of design experiences in A Garden Gallery. They began gardening together as an artistic endeavor, focusing on finding ways to mix their sculptures and artwork into gardens. Take a peek at the results by looking at their website filled with glorious photographs.

Dream Gardens Across America is a Better Homes and Gardens book. So, just as you would suspect, this is more of a gorgeous picture book than a how-to manual. This book provides delightful dreaming. The editors have chosen a wide variety of inspirational gardens (including Little and Lewis) for their color, charm, and design.

Check out the 712s in the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood for more garden design inspiration. What would like to change about your lawn or garden this year? Or tell me what’s in your dream garden? I’d love to have a small, trickling water feature.

Here We Go Again

Kathy Jennings — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:00:49 +0000

I know that it is December and everyone is thinking about Christmas. But yesterday, I got my first seed catalog for the 2012 garden season. And I have to say I was very excited. And now that I am looking at the calendar, I have noticed that the Master Gardeners will be coming back for the 2012 gardening season. Hooray. I enjoyed and learned so much last year from their great programs. I am really looking forward to this year as well.

The first program that they will present will be on Starting Seeds which is just so appropriate since I have gotten my first seed catalog. Have you ever tried to start your garden from seed? It would be so great to have little seedlings that I have grown myself instead of waiting until they come into the garden stores. I did try it one year but it was not very successful. I think one reason that it wasn’t very productive is that I didn’t have a real warm location for the seeds to germinate. So, I definitely will be at that program to find out more about growing seeds.

Growing seeds with the Master Gardeners will be on January 5th from 7:00-8:00 pm in the Anton Room. I am so anxious to find out how to start seeds and I am so excited that gardening is about to start again. Remember too that if you need a really good gardeing fix this winter, check out the lawn and garden neighborhood. Have a great holiday and see you in January.

Flowers for Winter

Michelle Eklund — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:25:53 +0000

Winter is quickly approaching, and, according to weather forecasts, it’s going to be another brutal winter. Start planning now to stave off the winter blues by adding colorful plants around your home. One way you can do this is by forcing bulbs.

The two easiest bulbs to grow indoors are paperwhites and amaryllis because they do not require pre-chilling or cold storage before growing and blooming indoors.

However most spring bulbs can be grown indoors if you allow a chilling period.

To learn more about forcing bulbs, read this pamphlet from the Kansas State Extension Office, or this guide written by the Iowa State University Extension Office.

Also consider growing colorful houseplants such as African violets, orchids, or Christmas cactus. You can find more information about choosing house plants in the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood at the library.

Grass or Turf

Kathy Jennings — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:00:16 +0000

With all this hot weather, my grass looks very bad. Dry and just plain crunchy. But help is on the way. The Master Gardeners will be here on Thursday, September 1st in the Marvin Auditorium from 7:00-8:00 pm talking about turf or as I call it grass.

The Master Gardeners have been here many times this year presenting a wide range of topics and I have really enjoyed listening to them as well as learning more about gardening. So, if you need help with your lawn or turf, come to the library on September 1st and talk to the Master Gardeners. I hope to see you there.

Image Credit: Vagabond Shutterbug

shade gardens

Kathy Jennings — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:00:53 +0000

Everyone that I know has to deal with some shade in their garden. I do but I don’t really know what plants to use in a shade garden. I have some hosta and astilbes and they are doing really well. But I would like to grow something else that has beautiful color.

Well, on August 25th the Master Gardeners will be talking about shade gardening here at the library. They will be at the Marvin Auditorium 101C from 7:00-8:00 pm. We have had many Master Gardener programs here at the library this year and they have all been very informative and fun. So, if you need to know what to grow in your shade gardens, mark your calendar for August 25th. I hope to see you there. Happy Gardening!!

Photo Credit: timpeartrice

Ten minutes to delicious with healthy recipes

Regina — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:52:29 +0000

With this handy recipe from Heidi Swanson’s cooking blog, you can avoid the guilt (and pounds) that come with “eater’s remorse,” even as your taste buds tell you that you’re cheating. Best of all, most of these ingredients can come from your home garden.

Cherry Tomato Couscous Recipe

3 cups cooked couscous*

1/2 a basket of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 lemon, cut in half

1 lime, cut in half

about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

fine grain sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup basil or cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Start by giving a good squeeze of lemon and lime juice into a large bowl. Then combine the couscous, tomatoes, cucumber and chickpeas. Add the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss well, taste, and adjust with more of the above until it tastes just right. As a note, this may need a generous amount of salt, and the lemon and lime juices might need to be adjusted depending on how juicy the fruit is.

Add the basil and feta and toss gently until it is evenly dispersed. Serves 4 – 6.

*To cook the couscous: Either follow the package instructions or bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil, stir in a scant 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt and 2 cups of couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Steam 5-10 minutes and then use a fork to fluff the couscous.

Prep time: 10 min