The Pekin Public Library’s next session in its monthly gardening series is “Herb Gardens,” presented by Master Gardener Beth Wegner, at 6:30 p.m. June 4.
In this program, attendees will view herbs in the library’s garden, listen to history/folklore about herbs, smell the aromas, and taste recipes featuring favorite herbs.
The schedule for future gardening programs is: “Creative Cooking From Your Garden,” at 6:30 p.m. July 16 and “Gardening for Wildlife,” at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6.
For more information, or to register for this free program, call the Adult Services Department at 347-7111 ext. 2.
Gardening bus trip
The Peoria Evening Garden Club is sponsoring a bus trip to the St. Louis Botanical Garden and two garden shops on June 9. Cost is $45 for non-members. Contact Jackie Vice for more details at 258-7149.
Growing mint
Mint varieties send out runners that spread above and just under the ground, quickly forming large, lush green patches. In the right place, mint makes a sensational, seasonal ground cover. They also add lovely fragrance to your yard and garden.
Here are some tips for growing mint:
Pot it: The most popular way to grow mint is in a pot where you can keep it contained and handy near the kitchen for a constant supply of sprigs. It’s a good idea to choose a potting mix that retains water to be sure soil stays moist.
Plant it: In the ground, select a damp area in your garden in either full sun or partial shade. Mint is plenty vigorous on its own, but it will appreciate a little fertilizer every few weeks, especially if you harvest a lot. You can also mulch around the plants to keep roots moist.
Pluck it: Keep plants in check by harvesting the tips regularly and pulling up wayward runners when planted in the garden. Mint’s small flowers bloom from June to September; trim these before buds open to keep the plant compact.
Compiled by Journal Star and GateHouse News Service
Ease your transplants into the garden
If you’ve started seedlings indoors, expose them gradually to the conditions they’ll have in the garden. Start the pots off for only a few hours in a sunny place, then gradually increase the amount of sun exposure before installing the transplants in the garden.
Garden Guide: Trellises add support
The best place for trellises and other tall supports are the east and north side of the garden, where they will not block the rest of the garden from the sun. When choosing the trellis, make sure that it is strong enough to support whatever will be grown upon it. Plants loaded down with fruit can become quite heavy.
The ideal support might be two 4-inches-by-4-inches-by-8-feet-long timbers placed in the ground about four feet apart and then faced with 2-inch-by-2-inch wire mesh. This provides an excellent long-term support for most plants.
– GateHouse News Service and Journal Star staff
Speak Your Mind