The revival of edible landscaping has brought new life to urban gardens as plants are grown for both ornamental and practical purpose, but Ari LeVaux, syndicated food columnist, has taken it a step further and added edible mulch to his garden. That’s right, according to a Slate report dated March 8, Ari grows delicious greens as living mulch under his veggies.

Although Levaux admits that it may seem a bit lazy and unorganized, he has found a practical use for leftover seeds that actually improves the garden. He mixes them all in a bag and scatters them over prepared soil and lets them grow where they land.

His mixture, of course, consists of greens such as beets, spinach, chard and a variety of lettuce. He even throws carrots into the mix. These seeds sprout and grow in the area around his main crops. Because they have small root systems and are planted with larger vegetables, such as corn, tomatoes and broccoli the edible mulch doesn’t interfere with the main crop.

Ari adds that edible mulch can be started before planting other vegetables. He explains that he simply clears an area when he wants to plant larger veggies and pops them into the soil.

Flower seeds can be added to the mix as well and would work well with dwarf zinnias, marigold and bright pansies – but what you add it up to you.

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Gardeners, for the most part, are optimistic people, according to Melinda Myers, gardening expert and author.

“There’s just something about digging around in the dirt that puts life in perspective a little bit,” Myers said.

Even such positive thinkers, however, were frustrated by the effects of last year’s drought on their gardens and yards, said Myers, who meets with thousands of gardeners as she travels throughout Wisconsin and around the country for speaking engagements.

“I’ve run into a lot of frustrated gardeners, but they are not giving up,” she said.

Instead, they are looking for solutions and are eager to find out what they can do to revitalize their landscapes, Myers said. And, on Friday, she will share such information with those in Racine County and the surrounding area at her presentation on “Garden Revival” at the 2013 Home Expo.

“My goal is to help people fix what they can, replace what they can’t, and keep them gardening,” Myers said. “Gardening is so good for the mind, body and spirit.”

No one wants to see plants die, she said. But, instead of lamenting those that were lost to the drought, gardeners can view this year as a chance to start over. “It gives us the opportunity to fix any problems we might have had in the past, and to make better choices down the road.”

Soil preparation and patience are some of the keys to creating a good foundation for growth in the coming season, Myers said. Her seminar will include tips for improving garden soil, as well as what to consider when choosing plants for your garden. While some people love spending hours in the garden, deadheading and watering, many others just don’t have that kind of time and need plants that will tolerate their “benign neglect” style of gardening, she said.

“You want to not only select plants that are tough enough for our growing conditions, but ones that fit your maintenance style.”

Myers’ Friday evening presentation will also include tips for repairing damaged lawns and aiding struggling trees and shrubs.

It is one of eight special seminars offered throughout the Home Expo, which will run March 15 through 17 at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St. Others topics offered include basics of trimming shrubs and bushes; trends in window coverings; historic preservation and landmark designation; and “Before Perennials Ruled the Earth.”

The 29th annual Home Expo will also feature exhibits and demonstrations about topics ranging from home improvement and energy-saving products/services to ideas for interior design, landscaping, sunrooms and patios, flooring, bathrooms, kitchens, windows, doors and more.

Prizes will also be given away throughout the weekend, including Home Depot gift cards and family packs of Racine Raiders tickets, both of which will be distributed randomly each hour. Food, provided by Danny’s Meats, will be available for sale.

Sunday will be Kids’ Day at the Expo and will include a Kids’ Workshop from noon to 1 p.m. Visitors that day will also have access to the SafeAssured-ID program from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Presented in partnership with the Volunteer Center of Racine County, SafeAssured is an identification program used to aid in the search for missing individuals.

This service will be offered for free to Racine County residents ages 17 and younger, as well as those 55 and older, during the Expo. For more on this, go to www.volunteercenterofracine.org.

Other kids’ activities will include free face painting and balloon creations with Loli Pop the Clown.

 About Melinda Myers

Melinda Myers’ career in the horticulture industry spans more than 30 years and includes work in both hands-on and instructional settings, as well as media work designed to inspire and educate. A certified arborist, she holds a master’s degree in horticulture and taught for many years at the Milwaukee Area Technical College, and with the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Myers began Milwaukee County’s Master Gardener Program and served as Milwaukee’s assistant city forester. She has also written more than 20 gardening books; served as “The Plant Doctor” on Newsradio 620 WTMJ for more than 20 years; and hosted seven seasons of “Great Lakes Gardener” on PBS television. Her nationally syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” segments air on more than 115 television and radio stations throughout the country.

Most recently, Myers became the first woman to be inducted into the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation Hall of Fame in October, 2012. For more on this, go to www.wgif.net.

 If You Go

WHAT: “Garden Revival,” a seminar by gardening expert Melinda Myers

WHEN: 6 to 7 p.m. Friday. A question-and-answer session with Myers will follow her program.

WHERE: Racine Home Expo at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St.

COST: This seminar is included with admission to the Home Expo (see separate box for details).

INFO: Go to www.melindamyers.com.

 Home Expo Details

WHAT: 2013 Home Expo

WHERE: Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St.

WHEN: 2 to 8 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 17.

COST: Admission is $3 for adults and free for kids ages 17 and younger.

INFO: Go to www.journaltimes.com/app/homeexpo/#1

For just under $1 million smakaroos you can own a kitchen on Grosse Ile fit for a British lord.

The kitchen, complete with house and yard, is completely updated with granite everything.

Some of the kitchen’s other features include:

• Four bedrooms
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For the latest Trenton and Grosse Ile news and information, “like” Trenton-Grosse Ile Patch on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our daily newsletter.

A limited number of for-profit organizations will be accepted to demonstrate their products, services and materials at Nature Meets Design, a lakescaping and rain garden event organized by the Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations (OTC COLA).

Native plant nurseries and landscape professionals (who design, install and maintain ecologically healthy shorelands, wetlands and rain gardens) are invited to submit a proposal to exhibit at the event that will take place in the afternoon of April 27 at Thumper Pond in Ottertail.

Exhibitors will be selected on the basis of appropriateness and level of expertise as it relates to landscaping with plants native to this region.

If accepted, you will be asked to submit a $100 registration fee. In return, you will be provided with an opportunity to market your organization to property owners interested in seeking information on how to control erosion and protect water resources by using plants native to this region.

Space is limited, so it is imperative that exhibitors respond quickly. For further information on submitting a proposal, please contact Shawn Olson, Past President of the OTC COLA, by phone at 218-334-3004 or by email at otccolameeting@gmail.com. In your email, please briefly describe your organization and provide your full contact information.

The OTC COLA is a nonprofit charitable corporation organized to facilitate cooperation among member lake associations and to assist in the fostering of the wise use of the lake and stream areas.

For further information on joining the OTC COLA, please contact Pat Prunty, Membership Committee Chairman of the OTC COLA, by email at pprunty@arvig.net.

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