Make the Library Your Garden Center

If you missed us at last week's Garden Show at the Kansas Expocentre, here are a few tips and tricks our librarians handed out to more than 600 people who stopped by our booth.

1.) Get a library card, if you don't already have one. Use your library for all your growing needs. Hundreds of books, magazines and movies will help you create gardens that will be the envy of your neighborhood. Visit our Lawn and Garden Neighborhood for all the gardening materials – from creating waterscapes to fertilizing – you need located conveniently in one place. Find out what plants grow best in our area; start with The Complete Guide to Western Plains Gardening.

2.) Come to the Green Fair April 13 from 2–5pm and the Monday Farmers Market, which opens May 13 at 8:30am in the library parking lot. They are just two of our programs that focus on growing, planting and sustainability. We also offer gardening programs in partnership with Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners; see Library News for Master Gardner-led programs.

This shabby-chic planter, including a fresh batch of plants, will be given away April 13 at our Green Fair. Come in and register for it when the Green Fair opens at 2pm.

3.) Get those plants going before the weather warms up. Start with containers in your home, and move them out once the chance of a hard freeze passes (approximately April 19).  Start with Container Garden Idea Book and The Container Gardener's Bible.

4.) Schedule a one-on-one with Lawn and Garden Librarian Kathy Jennings. She can assist you with specific gardening needs, and she can point you to those little-known gems in our gardening collection, including resources that may be available only electronically.

5.) Scan through the book list included in this post for additional ideas to get your garden growing.