Hi All,

Sharon asked me to send out a reminder on the luncheon she has graciously agreed to host at her home on Sunday, August 26th at 1pm. Similar to last year we bring a dish to share. Please call Sharon to let her know if you will be attending -3604.

As we near the end of the growing season, I was wondering who might be interested in making plant dyes from the flowers in your garden and then dying a scarf. The Refuge hosted a workshop last year and it was lots of fun. I think that we should get together soon ( like next Tuesday night the 21st) to learn the basics of making a plant dye so we can be picking our flowers (before the frost gets them) and make our dye(s) at home (it's not too difficult or time consuming). I would be willing to order the scarves and prepare them for dying. We could then do our dying in the kitchen at the Refuge Office. If you are interested in participating in this, please let me know by this Sunday the 19th. My home number is -3664. I'd like to get at least four people to make it worthwhile.  

Heather

(107 unread) - hjinak - Yahoo! Mail

(107 unread) - hjinak - Yahoo! Mail: Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Well I've totally dropped the ball on helping to get garden tours organized. I've had a very busy July, so I should have passed the responsibility to someone else earlier. Sharon Young has volunteered to help organize a oossible meeting and a few tours. If you know of folks who have some great gardens that won't mind a group coming to visit, please let Sharon know.

I'm gone from 7/27 to 8/12 but I look forward to catching up with you all when I get back.

Please contact Sharon by email or phone and help her get something happening!

Thanks to all,
Heather

Hello gang,
Looking forward to our project for tonight, do we know about how many flowers we will need yet?? I may have a few extras if anyone needs them.
I also have some bachelor buttons and poppies that came back voluntary for anyone that wants some more for their yard. Give me a call and I will bring them with me, 883-5484.
See you tonight!    Karla

Hey Fellow Gardeners,

I hope some of you are checking our Blog every now and then (particularly as we near a meeting date) because I am trying to get away from sending out emails and doing the blog entries.

So dear Mr. Wothke has 8 wire basket savailable for those who want to make a "plant from all sides" hanging basket at ourJune 12 meeting. The baskets are about 14" wide (not as large as the ones in the directions he shared with us at a previous meeting). Please call Jim at 883-5333 if you would like to use one of the baskets he has - first come, first serve. For those who do not have a copy of the directions you will need potting soil, moss (which we can get from the woods near the office) and flowers. Jim is going to put together a basket this weekend and get back with me on the amount of soil and plants he needed to make the basket. I will follow up those details in another post soon. Heather

Fbks Soil and Water Conservation Tree Sale

Karla asked me to post this on the blog for those who might be interested. http://www.fairbankssoilwater.org/pdfs/Tree_Sale_Brochure_2012 with birch.pdf

See you all on Tuesday March 15th at 7p

Heather

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

This is just a reminder that our next meeting is May 15th, 7p at the Tetlin Refuge Office. It's our plant exchange so bring something to share - if you don't have any plants, be creative!

Heather

Hello All,

Our next meeting is 4/24 at 7p with a presentation on Sustainable Gardening in AK by Heidi Radar. Heidi will cover a variety of topics including raised beds, composting, soil fertility, organic pest management, and beneficial plant and insects. Look for posters around town and invite fellow gardeners to join us!

Heidi can also bring copies of the Master Gardener Guide (used by Cooperative Extension for the formal course) for those interested. The cost of the guide is $40 (payable by cash or check) or you can order it later on-line if you want to check it out first at the meeting. Please let me know by Thursday 4/19 if you want Heidi to bring you a copy.

Tenative dates for upcoming meetings are May 15 and June 12th. Garden/greenhouse visits have also been tenatively scheduled for 5/24, early evening to Dancer's and July 1st, 2 p to a private garden/greenhouse.

Heather

Ferns

I love the fiddlehead ferns and have always wanted them in my yard and low and behold I just came across a pack of 8 ostrich fern bulbs at Three Bears !  I thought  they looked the same so I did some research when I got home to find out they are the same fern, just known by two names.  So, I am going to try my luck with these bulbs this year.  I know I seen alot of you had them in your yards so I know it should grow, Im just not sure where to plant them.  I have an empty spot on the shady side of the house and according to planting directions it suggests a full to partial shade but yet I know I ve seen them grow in sunny spots too, so maybe I will try both sides of the house and see how it goes.

Spring is coming !!

gardening journals

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone keeps a garden journal ?  I keep a very simple one and of course at this time of year is when you are reviewing it to see what you had planned for this year.  I have only kept mine now for the past 10 years or so but its always interesting to see what Ive tried in the past, what worked, what bombed, what I wanted to try differently etc.  For instance I had forgotten already that last year I promised myself not so many tomato plants this year.  Mainly because I want more greenhouse room this year for some things I experimented with last year that went really well.  Now, if only they will do as good the second year we will see, ha ha

I track the types of seeds, when I plant, when I am able to move to the greenhouse, since mine is unheated, and what I might try different the following year.  I have seen some pretty detailed journals but I just track the basics for myself, anyone else have ideas?

pumpkins !

Karla you had asked about my pumpkins and so I thought Id post a pic of my baby plants.  These are just a couple weeks old and Im hoping to get some bigger pumpkins this year.

By the way, my other pumpkin I talked about that was still going strong from last years crop, finally had to go, it got soft and was starting to rot out on the bottom.  Still, it survived all winter until March !

change in my plans

Hi all, due to unexpected change in my work hours I wont be able to attend the next couple of meetings.  I will follow what you are doing thru the blog and emails you want to send.  I hope to rejoin you guys soon, so in the mean time, happy gardening !

By the way, if someone else would like to take over admin of the blog since I wont be at the meetings please let me know so we can get that changed.

Debbie

Hello Tok Gardeners,

Our next meeting will be Tuesday March 20th. We will collectively share our successess and ideas to kick start the upcoming season. Everyone should come with at least one thing to share.

Our April meeting is set for Tuesday April 24th. Our guest speaker will be Heidi Radar with the Cooperative Extension Service. She will address "Sustainable Gardening in Alaska" covering a variety of topics including soil amendments, composting, rasied beds, and gardening strategies for cool and wet summers.

All meetings will be held at the Tetlin Refuge Headquarters at 7 pm.

poinsettas ?

I usually dont have very good luck with poinsettas but this time mine is surviving.  I got one at holiday time and I still have red flowers on it at this time and it looks lively and healthy!!  As far as I know I have not done anything differently this year so Im wondering why its still doing ok and does anyone else have better luck with these plants that could offer suggestions?  I will do some reading on it today I guess but since I have never had one last this long Im not sure what to expect now as far as continued growth if any ?

Thanks !

Seed Tapes Made Easy~

Glad to see everyone at our first meeting of the 2012 season - eight folks in all. We welcome Marsha S., Karen H., Susan C. and Jim W. to the group. Special thanks to Jan for providing the supplies and instruction for making seed tape!

Our next meeting is on Tuesday March 20th where we share our gardening ideas and successes. Please be prepared to share one or two things that you've had previous success with or are excited to try this season.

Our April meeting will be on Tuesday the 24th with Heidi Radar presenting one of our topics of interest - stay tuned for details.

All meetings will be at 7 pm the Tetlin Refuge office.

Heather

Meeting set for Feb. 21

OK Gang,
I think we have a date Tuesday Feb 21st, 7p at the Refuge office - we'll do seed tapes - spread the word! I'll be in Anchorage this week until the 16th.
Heather

February meeting date - please respond!

Hello Everyone,

Well it seems as if we all are learning something about how are blog works. For the last post I made on 1/29 (I think) I had two return comments that were shown below my post and here I was looking for responses coming in as individual posts. It's OK they were both from Karla! I called her today to ask her if she had seen my blog entry or got my follow up email and that's when I discovered her comments. So we used the old fashion phone to call a few of your and some success - we really need to hear from you all!
We are looking at Feb. 21 or 22nd, so please let us know whether those dates will work for you.

Heather

vote for next meeting date

Hello Tok Gardeners,
With the momentary break in our cold spell I feel more inclined to leave my cozy house for a meeting. We had slated for January - raised beds and soil amendments and for February - seeds and seed tape. So what do you think? We don't really have anyone slated to talked to us about raised beds or soil. Maybe we could have a late January meeting/early Feb meeting and talk about seeds (week of Jan. 30 or week of Feb. 6th) and re-group on monthly topics. There is nothing saying we couldn't meet twice in one month either if some opportunity comes along to have a class or some instruction.

Let me know what dates will work for you by the end of this week and then I'll get notice out over the weekend:

Jan 31 Feb 1,2

Feb 6,7,8,9

Thanks to Debbie and Karla for your postings!

Heather

-37 And thinking about gardening????

Hi all you gardeners out there. I know its cold out there but I'm thinking about getting some seeds ordered. A friend sent me a web site for giant vegetables. Haven't checked it out yet but thinking about some pumpkins and ???? see whats available. Are any of you interested?
Also just received a letter from the secretary of Alaska Peony Growers Association about spring classes on organic gardening. Unfortunately they are either in Anch. or down on the Kenai. If anyone is interested I will forward the info to you, just let me know.
I have lost track, do we have a meeting set up for Jan or Feb??
STAY WARM:     Karla

Happy 2012 !

Hello all !  I know its early but the gardening bug is already in my mind.  Ive been reviewing catalogs and thinking especially about some fall plantings I tried this year and am anxious to see if they come up this spring !  Looking out the window today at all the snow, it seems so far away but in my mind Im already thinking about plants.  Im so hopeful and curious to see how some of my experiments do this year. 

Havent seen much vole action this year yet, but, Im sure the little guys are busy under the snow, Im just hoping not too much damage this year.

Hubby loves pumpkins so Im thinking this year I may try some of the giant brands and see how it goes.  I grew some small to medium last year and can you believe I still have one that is holding in there.  It was decorated with drawings for Halloween, no carvings of course, so it is still firm and hard and a nice orange color.  Im surprised it has lasted this long, and curious to see how much longer it will last.

Im also wanting to add some new peppers to the greenhouse, I may try smoking some this year for the chipolte flavor, has anyone ever tried it?  Im just now reading on how it is done, so any ideas or suggestions would be great.

Think spring everyone !  Not too far off, especially when we get to start some seeds soon and begin to play in the dirt.

Wonder how Sharon is doing in warm Hawaii ? Hmmm, is she thinking about gardening yet I wonder?