Tahiti Island Plantings

These are pictures of the Tahiti Islands which are the result of the Crestwood grant program.

Flowers in Whitecliff – May 24, 2021

Here are some of the early flowers in the Whitecliff Garden.

Pale Purple Coneflower

Pale Purple Coneflower

Pollinators

Spigelia

Harebell

Columbine

Yellow Coneflower

Coreopsis lanceolata

Maltese Cross

Butterweed

Ohio Horse Mint

Rose Verbena

Milkweed

Creeping Thyme

City Hall Gardens

Thanks to the volunteers for planting at city hall on May 1st.

Volunteers – Planting at City Hall – Saturday

Volunteers needed for planting flowers at city hall on Saturday May 1st at 9 a.m. 

Bring trowels, gloves and other gardening items you might have.

There is some work that could be done at the Fire House garden cleaning out some of the mint if there are extra hands and time.

Hope to see you Saturday.

Watering Plants the First Year

One of the reasons schools and individuals have trouble maintaining their gardens is that they put the garden in, water the plants and then assume the plants will thrive on their own. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work and the plants wither.

Soaker Hose with Timer

In general, I either recommend a Timer system for schools or a dedicated volunteer who will water on a regular basis. Depending on rain, I’d recommend at least once or twice a week to keep plants happy that first year. The problem with volunteers is that they come and go and at some point the garden is on it’s own. This is a good reason to use natives, but still watering the first season is critical.

Jesse Gilbertson, Horticulture Director for U City in Bloom, doesn’t put in any new garden without a water source. Find money to get irrigation – at least a spigot. They do have a water “truck” to water containers.

Scott Woodury of Shaw Nature Reserve says, “Establishment watering is critical for any planting. The establishment period might be three months long, it might be the entire growing season….let’s call it the first growing season.

I personally use a timer on my hose with a sprinkler. It’s an inexpensive solution and only puts down the amount of water which is needed.

April 20, 2021: Callery/Braford Pear Tree Buy-Back in St. Louis

The basics – cut down a Callery/Bradford Pear Tree and get a free Native Tree to replace it.

Time is short and you need to take pictures and make a reservation.

Details are in the link below.

https://moinvasives.org/event/invasive-tree-buy-back-in-st-louis/

Here’s a good video on identifying the Callery/Bradford pear tree.

Freezing Possibility in the Spring

I spent $40.00 yesterday on tender plants and the thought came to me, “When is it safe to put these plants in the ground and be fairly safe from frost?”

The answer in the city/county of St.Louis is around May 1st.

This link from the Univ. of Missouri contains all sorts of data about the probability of frost in all the different Missouri counties.
https://ipm.missouri.edu/FrostFreezeGuide/index.cfm

In practical terms, I usually look at the ten day forecast and if if looks safe, I will plant ten days early.
This is obviously for tender plants as some plants will take the cold without much damage.

The video below explains the data.

Native Plants – A to Z

I came across this presentation of native plants and was amazed at the detail and number of native plants that are covered. This is a two hour program, but every plant is listed alphabetically by their scientific name. You can easily fast forward to a specific plant if you are looking for just one or two.

We grow many of these plants at the Whitecliff Garden.

Park Survey

Crestwood Park Community Master Plan Survey

The City of Crestwood has received a planning grant through the Municipal Parks Grant Commission of St. Louis County to develop a community plan for native planting and natural area planning in four City of Crestwood Parks. The intent of this survey is to gather public feedback on park enhancements identifying location for improvement in plant biodiversity, stormwater management, community gardening opportunities, outdoor education and nature play.

The project design team is requesting public input on these potential park enhancements for Ferndale, Rayburn, Sanders, and Spellman Parks.

To fill out the survey, please use your smart phone to access the QR Code or use the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJiDmt5p2OWYo4AQsp4nk8BUIOQhhdUkMl_J3PGgxmrzAe4g/viewform

Free Native Seeds and Guide

Plant these seeds ASAP.
You may not get many blooms the first year, but they should bloom well in year two.
Make sure the planting area is clear of weeds and grass.
There are approximately 300 seeds, so give them as much space as you can.
I like to mix the seeds with potting mix which has perlite so the area is easy to see.
Cover the seeds lightly after sowing.

Two Months