in this issue oh no, where’s the worm? - civic garden center · seed catalogues piled high on my...

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NEWS from the Winter 2014 ...building community through gardening, education and environmental stewardship. IN THIS ISSUE... Executive Director’s Message 2 Board President’s Message 3 FUNDING OUR MISSION Recent Grants and Donations 4 Memorials and Honorariums 12 Additional Donors 12 Community Gardens 5 Green Learning 6 Fresh Food Resolution 7 Volunteer Awards 7 Educating Youth 8 Classes and Workshops 9 Horticultural Corner 15 Hoffman Library News 17 Our Wishlist 12 Orchids & Bonsai 18 Quilt Update 19 OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? By Jan Simms Frequent visitors to the Civic Garden Center’s website will notice the webpage is without our old friend, “The Worm” who has strutted his slimy stuff on our home page banner since 2009. In his place, the proud smiles of members of the Over the Rhine Community Garden, many of them holding up bags of freshly harvested vegetables. The new look includes clearly marked icons and links in vivid, mouth- watering colors right out of the veggie patch. A single click will pro- vide bushels of new content which we hope our users will find more intuitive and informative; a full spectrum view of our programs and involvement in the community in addition to an entire page dedicated to our annual fundraiser, THE Plant Sale. Here are some of the good- ies the improved site will provide: Explore the CGC Think you know everything about our location and it’s offerings? We invite you to test that knowledge here by viewing all there is to offer not just in the main building but in the gardens and the Green Learning Station. Print a brochure and map to plan your next visit! In the Classroom So much more than Gardening 101. Education is the main component of the Center’s mission, but did you know we have five programs for educating school children? On this page you can learn about options for professional development as well as re- sources for becoming the best darn tomato grower in the city. How To You decide how much you need to know about some of the topics presented...Rain Gardens, Building Healthy Soil, Perennials for our Tri-State, most of the “hot” gardening topics are covered and you can expect this list to...ahem... Grow! Whatever your needs, we hope you’ll make our website your primary resource for learning how best to put down roots in your garden home.

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Page 1: IN THIS ISSUE OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? - Civic Garden Center · seed catalogues piled high on my desk inspires me to want to add more beauty to my landscape and devise ways to attempt

NEWS from the

Winter 2014

...building community through gardening, education and environmental stewardship.

IN THIS ISSUE...

Executive Director’s Message 2

Board President’s Message 3

FUNDING OUR MISSION

Recent Grants and Donations 4

Memorials and Honorariums 12

Additional Donors 12

Community Gardens 5

Green Learning 6

Fresh Food Resolution 7 Volunteer Awards 7

Educating Youth 8

Classes and Workshops 9

Horticultural Corner 15

Hoffman Library News 17

Our Wishlist 12

Orchids & Bonsai 18

Quilt Update 19

OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? By Jan Simms

Frequent visitors to the Civic Garden Center’s website will notice the

webpage is without our old friend, “The Worm” who has strutted his

slimy stuff on our home page banner since 2009. In his place, the

proud smiles of members of the Over the Rhine Community Garden,

many of them holding up bags of freshly harvested vegetables.

The new look includes clearly marked icons and links in vivid, mouth-

watering colors right out of the veggie patch. A single click will pro-

vide bushels of new content which we hope our users will find more

intuitive and informative; a full spectrum view of our programs and

involvement in the community in addition to an entire page dedicated

to our annual fundraiser, THE Plant Sale. Here are some of the good-

ies the improved site will provide:

Explore the CGC Think you know everything about our location and

it’s offerings? We invite you to test that knowledge here by viewing all

there is to offer —not just in the main building but in the gardens and

the Green Learning Station. Print a brochure and map to plan your

next visit!

In the Classroom So much more than Gardening 101. Education is

the main component of the Center’s mission, but did you know we

have five programs for educating school children? On this page you

can learn about options for professional development as well as re-

sources for becoming the best darn tomato grower in the city.

How To You decide how much you need to know about some of the

topics presented...Rain Gardens, Building Healthy Soil, Perennials for

our Tri-State, most of the “hot” gardening topics are covered and you

can expect this list to...ahem... Grow!

Whatever your needs, we hope you’ll make our website your primary

resource for learning how best to put down roots in your garden

home.

Page 2: IN THIS ISSUE OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? - Civic Garden Center · seed catalogues piled high on my desk inspires me to want to add more beauty to my landscape and devise ways to attempt

2

Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati 2715 Reading Road Cincinnati, OH 45206 Lobby hours: 9-5 M-F, 9-4 Sat., Closed Sunday Admission to the facility and Hoffman Library is free Phone: 513-221-0981 FAX: 513-221-0961 www.civicgardencenter.org Horticulture Helpline (M,W,F mornings): 513-221-TREE

(8733)

NEWS from the Civic Garden Center Published by Jan Simms

Executive Director’s Message

We often reference the “magic” of this place, the Civic Garden

Center and Hauck Botanic Garden.

Even with the noise of traffic, the smell

of White Castle, the sound of people

arguing on the street, and the litter; a

hawk lands on the statue outside the

Hoffman Library window and stares at

us. The aconites bloom a sea of

yellow. The squirrels use a plant cart

for their own personal acrobatics and

the hydrangeas begin to stand up

straight and tall after the winter. It’s

only natural to see what’s happening in

our backyard, but I’m beginning to

wonder if the “magic” maybe extends

beyond our gate. There are 2 incredible community gardens

on Stanton: the Julie Hanser Garden and the Walnut Hills

Garden. Both are little treasures tucked away in the

neighborhood. Beside the Walnut Hills Garden is a playscape

built for the children of the Cincinnati Early Learning Center

which used to be next to the site.

I’ve started attending a monthly meeting in Avondale where

stakeholders report what’s happening and look for

partnerships between the many organizations that work in and

around the neighborhood – because together we can do more

than we can individually. This involvement causes me to

listen more closely to the news as it relates to our

neighborhood. There is such a huge effort going into making

this community stronger, and there is sad news of incidents

that try to squash this work. What amazes me is that no one

seems to give up. There’s such a strong belief in the history

and the residents of this place.

There’s a couple who believe so strongly in the neighborhood

and in living their beliefs that they moved their family into a

house here and have a ministry for their neighbors. They help

in any way they can to set a good example of family life. They

write letters to those who support their work; each is a

touching story about someone who lives here. I wish I could

tell a story like they do. I’m always swept into the tale and

learn an important lesson about human nature, and usually

about myself. This month the letter focused on taking a group

to a basketball game, with the real “event” being conversation

between neighbors. A young man shares this insight; “I love it

that some of us believe in God, and some of us believe this

world is all there is, and some of us don’t even care, but we’re

all just trying to, you know, appreciate this life and help each

other out.” His observation reminded me so much of what

happens here at the Civic Garden Center. It’s another way of

looking at what’s been said in the past – gardening is the

great equalizer. Everybody looks pretty much the same when

they’re digging in the soil.

That’s the thing about gardeners; we see potential for beauty

just about everywhere we look.

Vickie Ciotti

CGC Staff

Vickie Ciotti (x12)

Executive Director

[email protected]

● Terry Houston (x18)

Executive Assistant

[email protected]

● Jan Kivora-Simms (x14)

Volunteer Coordinator

[email protected]

● Peter Huttinger (x16)

Community Gardens Coordinator

[email protected]

● Mary Dudley (x11)

Youth Education Coordinator

[email protected]

● Bennett Dowling, Horticulturist (x26)

Horticulturist

[email protected]

Cara Hague, Horticulturist (x17)

[email protected]

● Ryan Mooney-Bullock (x22)

Green Learning Station Coordinator

[email protected]

● Sam Dunlap (x35)

School Gardens Coorinator

[email protected]

● Roger Smith (x19)

Finance Manager

[email protected]

● Mary Lou Schueler (x17)

Bookkeeper

[email protected]

Page 3: IN THIS ISSUE OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? - Civic Garden Center · seed catalogues piled high on my desk inspires me to want to add more beauty to my landscape and devise ways to attempt

As a gardener I love January and

the hope that a new growing

season brings. The new crop of

seed catalogues piled high on my

desk inspires me to want to add

more beauty to my landscape and

devise ways to attempt to grow

more food in the small “sunny”

patches of my wooded urban lot.

January also brought a new

growing season for our board of

directors. We celebrate the close of our 2013 season by

giving thanks for the contributions, service, and harvest

provided by three special board members whose board

terms expire.

John Bentley is an honest-to-gosh example of our

organization’s vision statement, “Inspiring people to

garden anywhere and everywhere”. John, who first

served our organization in the 1970’s was recruited

again in 2008 to help develop and implement our five

year strategic plan. He has served continuously since

then. As a respected landscape architect, John has

provided professional guidance for a number of our

horticulture projects, including our Serenity Garden

completed in 2010, and our Green Learning Station

constructed in 2011. John’s special passion is

developing sustainable landscapes. We so appreciate

John’s many decades of service and support.

Karen Sills first recruited me to the CGC board at the

end of 2008. I’ll never forget the first time I walked into

our facility and Karen greeted me with such a warm

smile and said “welcome to our beautiful Oasis”. Yes, it

truly is. Karen loves the mission and purpose of our

organization because she has a strong passion for

increasing the green spaces in our city. Karen served as

our board president for the years 2010 and 2011. The

past CGC board president. Thank you Karen!

Cheryl Besl was our first successful attempt to recruit a

younger “connected” media savvy board member. In

her three year board term, Cheryl hands down won the

board’s green award for “please consider the

environment before printing”. Hey no paper needed it’s

all on my tablet.

3

Mary Bishop

How you can contribute...

If you would like to make a donation to support any of our

programs – Community Gardens, Youth Education,

Horticulture Education, the Green Learning Station, the

Serenity Garden – or to offer general support to the Civic

Garden Center, please contact Executive Assistant,

Terry Houston at (513) 221-0981 ext 18. Donations can be

made any number of ways including automatic monthly

credit card deductions, on-line and through stock transfer.

John Bentley Mary Bishop Chris Doan Kara Troquille Gunsch Ann MacDonald Dan Meyer Arthur Motch Rick Noland

Matt O'Connell Kevin O'Dell Patrick Polley Amber Shidler Pam Shinn Karen Sills Pete Singer Beau Tuke

We are grateful to Cheryl for facilitating a CGC “Identity Con-

versation” workshop with a brand strategy consultant in

March of this past year. And last but not least special kudos

to Cheryl for having the courage to step up and co-chair The

Plant Sale preview party in 2011 and 2012 with her friend

Katie Koppenhoefer. How amazing.

As we prepare to plant the seeds that will grow more commu-

nity in 2014 we pause to give thanks for your gifts of time,

talents, and treasure. What a blessing you are. For this we

are truly grateful.

CGC Board of Directors Thanks to these folks for overseeing the CGC operations and for the direction they provide

Greetings from the President of the Board of Directors

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4

Hauck Society Members The following individuals have given major financial gifts to the Civic Garden Center. We thank them and recognize them with year long membership in the Hauck Society.

Magnolia Level $10,000+ Alison Herschede Miggie Jacobs Judy Mitchell Beech Level $5,000+ Marjorie Drackett Arthur and Maria Motch Oak Level $1,000+ Phyllis Augspurger Ward and Sarah Bahlman James Briggs Ron and Barbara DeNamur Diana Dwight Priscilla Haffner Terry Lemmerman Phillip and Whitney Long Marjorie and Lou Rauh Susan Sturgeon Margaret and Michael Valentine Carol and Richard Wilson

Program Donors

Garden Club Donors

Jerry Bellas James and Cindy Briggs Cecilia Davis Mary Gardner Julian Gardner Judi Graves Linda Green Jan Kivora-Simms

Park Seed Company Sue Ready Seedway, LLC Don Meyers Robert Petracco Debbie and Richard Westheimer

In-Kind Donations

Grants and Endowments

Clovernook Garden Club

Des Fleurs Garden Club

Federated Garden Club

Field and Garden Club

Four Seasons Garden Club of Fairfield

Garden Club of Cincinnati

Garden Club of Cincinnati

Garden Club of Clifton

Garden Club of Ft. Thomas

Garden Club of Mariemont

Greater Cincinnati Wild Ones

Greenview Garden Club

Miami Hills Garden Club

Monfort Heights Garden Club

Old Fashioned Garden Club

Price Hill Garden Club

Shaker Farms Garden Club

Sherwood Forest Garden Club

Sweet William Garden Club

CGC Grounds and Garden Carol Edwards Mary Susanne and Gerald Rolfes Community Gardens 2 Anonymous John Pestian Marjorie and Lou Rauh SFS Ministries, Franciscan Friars Richard and Vanessa Wayne Green Learning Station Environmental Protection Agency Susan Ingmire Ron and Jane Koppenhoefer Kathryn Shahani School Yard Gardens Johnson and Johnson THE Plant Sale Beau Tuke Youth Education Pendleton Community Council, I

Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc.

Crosset Family Fund

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

J. David & Kathleen A. Roberts Family Foundation

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful

Knowledgeworks Foundation

Ladislas & Vilma Segoe Family Foundation

Lewis & Marjorie Daniel Foundation

Lucile and Richard Durrell Special Fund II

Lucile and Richard Durrell Special Fund III

Manteuffel Family Foundation of the Ayco Char. Fdn.

Marjorie Rauh Garden Intern Endowment

Meshewa Farm Foundation

Motch Family Foundation

NLT Foundation

Oliver Family Foundation

Richard D. Reis Family Foundation

Ridgeway Foundation

Scherr Charitable Foundation

Smale Civic Garden Center Fund

The Graham Edwin and Sharon Janosik Mitchell

Foundation

The Grainger Foundation

The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation

W.H. Albers Foundaton

Welchwood Foundation, Inc.

Woodward Family Charitable Foundation

*All donations and grants recognized on these pages are for gifts received and processed September through December .

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Community Gardens

5

There are many ways to participate in a community garden

and one is to be a garden volunteer. Peter Huttinger,

Community Gardens Coordinator, has many opportunities

for gardeners and community-minded people to volunteer.

Gardening experience is not necessary, only a love of

working with people and getting your hands dirty.

Even during the winter there are opportunities to volunteer in

a community garden: repairing garden beds, spreading

mulch and in late February/early March pruning fruit trees.

When spring arrives the opportunities are abundant on

Saturdays, as well as many weekdays, throughout the year

there are garden workdays at different locations in the

Greater Cincinnati Area and Northern Kentucky. These

include community gardens, fruit and vegetable pantry

gardens, foraging projects, Permaculture sites, and market

gardens.

For individuals and groups there are opportunities to

volunteer for one day or to immerse themselves at one

garden through the growing season. Extended in-depth

volunteer opportunities could include assisting senior

citizens at a community garden, adopting a beatification

project for a garden, caring for perennial fruit and nut tree

plantings, working with a food pantry garden, and more...

For details please contact Peter at 513-833-7666 or send

him an email: [email protected]

Many Hands Make Light Work…

By Peter Huttinger, Community Gardens Coordinator

In Memory of

Lafayette Howard

A community garden is only as strong as its parts, and

Lafayette Howard was a large part of the Walnut Hills

Community. His love of gardening and community was

an inspiration to gardeners and neighbors. Lafayette

will be missed, however his presence at the garden

continues through his prized Blackberry bramble.

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A few minutes before 2:00 pm on January 4, 2014, the Civic Garden Center auditorium started filling up with parents, representatives from the Cincinnati Park Board, Happen, Inc., the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative, and local gardeners.

They were all there to hear from three groups of teens, each presenting their design for a rainwater harvesting system for one of three gardens involved in the project. The teens are all participating in the Green Learning Team, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) enrichment program for 10

th-12

th graders.

As the presentations got underway the first group (Liam Dorsey, Patrick Sanders, Nathan Stadnik) explained how they would need to build a small roof and connect it to a rain tank in order to provide a water source for a garden far from buildings or city water sources. Jim Burkhardt, with Cincinnati Parks, praised the team for designing a system that “looks like it fits into the park,” meeting the design criteria related to the garden’s backdrop to outdoor weddings.

The second group (Andrew Boylan, Grant Eaton, Emma Faist, Tarein Phillips) shared detailed illustrations and site plans for setting up an automatic watering system from a rain tank at a compact flower garden in Northside managed by Happen, Inc. They overcame many space constraints and learned a lot about pumps and irrigation tubing to develop the final details of their plan. The third group (Eva Sofge, Bryan Creed, Kelly Woeste,

Randon Mazzola) presented three creative solutions for expanding and improving the existing rainwater harvesting system at Happen’s Do Good Garden. They addressed the problems posed by the existing tanks (mosquitos, algae, distribution) and made recommendations for remedying them and increasing the surface area available for rain collection.

The teens will be working with other volunteers to install two of the rainharvesting and distribution systems in Happen gardens on March 22. It will be a challenging learning experience and rewarding to see their hard work turn into reality.

If you would be interested in lending skills in carpentry or plumbing to our installation efforts on March 22, please contact Ryan at [email protected].

The Green Learning Team has been funded through a 2013 Demonstration Project Grant and 2014 Trajectory Project Grant from P&G through the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative. If you know a teen in the Greater Cincinnati area who is passionate about the environment and wants to explore its connections to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, send them to www.greenlearningstation.org/ to find out how to apply for next school year’s Green Learning Team.

6

Green Learning Team Brings Teens Together to

Explore Environmental Issues

by Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Green Learning Station Coordinator

Kelly Woeste explains the “inverted umbrella” concept for a rain collector.

“Egg carton” catchment system sketch.

Green Learning Station

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7

Peas please

I just took a sip of my afternoon carrot, apple, celery, beet,

grape, ginger, grapefruit and kale juice! Yum! I’m getting

lots of benefits from my girlfriend’s New Year’s resolution!

Looking for a local organic food source to satisfy your own

resolution? I’ve got good news for you!

The Civic Garden Center and Our Harvest Cooperative, a

local organic farm in College Hill, are making plans for a

CSA pick-up site at the Civic Garden Center for the 2014

farm season. CSA, which stands for Community Supported

Agriculture, is a wonderful model for supporting local farm-

ers, the local economy, and local consumers. It’s a win-win-

win. Customers sign up for a farm share that entitles them

to a weekly delivery of fresh seasonal produce for a speci-

fied number of weeks. Currently that number of weeks is

26, but they are planning to make a year-round option this

season. The CSA will start in May, and members will be

charged on a weekly basis through the Our Harvest online

payment system, a convenience that is uncommon among

CSAs. Customers will have the option of three share sizes

this year—small, medium and large. They will include ap-

proximately four, eight and twelve items, respectively, and

the weekly costs will be $10, $16 and $24.

Our Harvest is connected with a larger effort to create well-

paying, green, sustainable jobs in the region using a coop-

erative model of employee ownership. In their words,

"When you join Our Harvest CSA, your support helps cre-

ate local jobs, train farmers, and promote the local food

movement! Make Our Harvest your harvest and join a com-

munity of people who care about local farms and fresh,

healthy food."

A minimally viable pick-up site has at least 15 subscribers

and the interest we’ve received so far looks very promising

for making this a go. Please email Sam Dunlap at

[email protected] or give him a call at

221-0981 if you’re interested in joining the ranks of local

foodies. This will make your healthy New Year a snap!

Got a Local Food Resolution? Join a CSA!!

by Sam Dunlap, School Garden Coordinator

School Gardens

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR A TIE!

The Board and staff of the Civic Garden Center would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers who lighten our load, share their resources and inspire us with ideas and feedback throughout the year. All CGC volunteers were honored at a staff-prepared dinner.

Congratulations to the 2013 individual award winners:

Volunteer of the Year Michael Bolan Patrick Points Cornerstone Award Amber Shidler

Urban Bounty Award Amy Stross Take Root Award Jeannette McCarthy

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8

With the New Year here, we spend time reflecting on past

accomplishments and challenges. We set new goals and

resolve to make the coming months productive.

2013 was full of new beginnings and big projects for Youth

Education:

The Race Street garden evolved into an amazing commu-

nity space that brings together teachers, students and

neighbors as they share in the wonder of growing good

food.

The garden in Pendleton was filled with laughter and love

through the efforts of summer interns and volunteers. The

wisteria, catalpa and birch got a late season trim so their

leaves can continue to shade the space for many years to

come.

The children’s garden at Village Green hosted dozens of

happy folks as they exchanged knowledge on building bi-

cycles and growing green plants.

The Walnut Hills garden was expanded to include a nature

playscape complete with rolling hills and areas for creative

play. Yes, it was indeed a big year!

2014 is already shaping up to be a great one for Youth

Education at the Civic Garden Center.

Our calendar is literally packed with school visits to teach

children about fruits and vegetables, search for worms in

compost and explore the world of pollinators.

We have schools registering for Compost Kids field trips in

the spring and Summer Sprouts programs seem to be just

around the corner.

Meetings are being scheduled with community councils to

shape the coming season for our young gardeners.

Lists of materials and time tables for garden workdays are

being written as we keep marching towards a spring thaw.

The past few weeks have brought the arrival of seed cata-

logs to my door, and although I’m not much of a shopper, I

do love thumbing through the pages and imagining a

child’s joy when they see the colorful seeds and produce

available. The dormancy of winter is such a necessary

pause for our gardens as we all gear up for the season

ahead. We evaluate our progress and take steps to avoid

setbacks. Let’s keep the momentum of the New Year

alive! We have dozens of programs on the horizon.

If you’re interested in volunteering to help children learn

about the amazing world of plants, please contact Mary

Dudley, Youth Education Coordinator at

[email protected]

Feeling Refreshed

by Mary Dudley, Youth Education Coordinator

Youth Education

Planting daffodils. Worms are the “good guys”.

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9

Horticulture Education for the Beginner to the Expert Register for all classes with Terry Houston at the CGC, 513-221-0981 x18. Or register online at

www.civicgardencenter.org

All horticulture classes qualify for Master Gardener recertification education hours – designated by

Classes and Workshops

March Plant a Prairie Saturday, March 8, 2014, 10:00 am-noon Instructor: Solomon Gamboa, Pioneer Landscapes, LLC Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Prairies once covered a wide swath of our region and were ideal habitat for wildlife and builders of healthy soils. This course will cover how to prepare the site for a prairie planting, including effectively removing lawn, to achieve a clean seeding site, how to seed, and plant selection considerations. You’ll leave prepared to maintain your prairie site through its establishment phase and beyond. The class will include a hands-on seeding offsite so dress to be outdoors. CGDT Series – Basic Organic Vegetable Gardening (Rescheduled from 2/5) Wednesday, March 12, 6:00-8:30 pm Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Instructor: Dave Koester, Campbell County Extension Agent This course will provide a great introduction to growing vegetables without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Topics will include what to plant when, seasonal considerations for maintenance, selecting varieties, intensive gardening, succession planting and companion planting techniques. How to Build and Use a Rain Barrel Saturday, March 15, 2014, 1:30-3:00 pm Instructor: Jerome Wigner, CGC Volunteer Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) FREE WATER for your plants! A rain barrel is a great way to help reduce storm water runoff and save a little money spent on summer watering. Take home tips to help you install and maintain a barrel at your home. Designing and Selecting a Native Plant Landscape Saturday, March 15, 2014, 10:00 am-noon Instructors: Bennett O. Dowling, Horticulturist and Chris McCullough, Wild Ones Cost: FREE, presented by the Wild Ones of Greater Cincinnati Join the CGC’s horticulturist, Bennett Dowling, to learn how to design a native plant landscape and select the plants to include in the installation. Whether you are starting from scratch, renovating an existing landscape or adding to what you already have, this class will teach you the foundations of good design. Bennett will also suggest some of his favorite na-tive plants to use in your design, and show you some great examples of well-designed gardens, weather permitting. Chris will share some tips on preparing your soil to have a successful garden.

MGC

Continued

Interested in becoming a Master Gardener?

Contact Julie Crook at [email protected] or

at 513-946-8998 for information.

Please register early for classes. This helps ensure that we plan and prepare appropriately to minimize waste of

materials and to maximize staff and volunteer time.

MGC

MGC

MGC

MGC

MGC

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Composting Indoors Wednesday, March 19, 6:00-8:00 pm Instructors: Randall Martinez, Alex McDuffie Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Believe it or not, you can compost in your kitchen, basement or classroom. Explore two different ways to recycle organic waste indoors: vermicomposting and bokashi. Learn the basics of how to set up and maintain these two unique systems, which use worms or specialized bacteria to convert food scraps into soil amendments. Fruit Trees for our Region Saturday, March 22, 2014, 10:00 am -12:30 pm Instructor: Dave Koester, Campbell County Extension Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) To grow successful fruit trees it helps to start with plants that are the right size for your site and are disease resistant. Take home ideas for fruit tree varieties that are well adapted to our region and will provide the best opportunity for har-vesting quality fruit in your own backyard. We will also discuss the best Rootstocks for our region. Learn what you need to do to keep them healthy and disease-free, including shaping and annual pruning. This class will include a classroom presentation and an outdoor pruning demonstration.

Homegrown Mushrooms Series This exciting three-part series will equip participants with a suite of skills for growing a range of mushrooms. Start by learning to cultivate your own sources of spawn, the first step to any mushroom operation. The next two classes will explore where to go with that spawn, including both indoor and outdoor options. Each class in- cludes something to take home for continued success. Register for the classes individually ($30), or grab a discount by registering for the series ($75).

Class One Starting from Spawn: Growing Mushrooms from Square One Saturday, March 8, 2014, 2:00-4:00 pm Instructor: Romain B. Picasso, Mycologist Cost: $30, or $75 for the 3-class series This first class in our Homegrown Mushrooms series will establish a solid foundation for home mushroom cultiva-tion. It all starts with the spawn! You’ll learn to make your own spawn starters using afforda- ble and effec-tive methods of propagation. This will empower you to expand and grow your own mush- rooms through understanding the processes involved in growing mycelium, the organic body from which mushrooms grow. Join us to learn what mycology is all about and see how you can create a fruitful harvest for yourself, one jar at a time. Participants will take home a jar of spawn starter. Class Two: Shrooms in a Bucket: Growing Oyster Mushrooms in your Home Saturday, April 5, 2014, 2:00-4:00 pm Instructor: Romain B. Picasso, Mycologist Cost: $30, or $75 for the 3-class series If you joined us for the “Starting from Spawn” class, then you’re ready to take the next step in your mushroom cul-tivation journey—using your spawn to create a fruiting colony. If this is your first class, don’t worry! We’ll get you up to speed. In this class, you’ll learn simple and effective methods for growing mushrooms in- side your home using buckets, bags and other containers—a great way to upcycle your used contain- ers! Perfect for beginners and experienced mushrooms lovers alike, this hands-on course will demystify the process of growing mushrooms. Participants will take home a bucket that will yield yummy oyster mushrooms. Class Three: Shitake Madness: Growing Mushrooms on Logs Saturday, May 10, 2014, 2:00-4:00 pm Instructor: Romain B. Picasso, Mycologist Cost: $30, or $75 for the 3-class series Shitake Madness completes our Homegrown Mushrooms series by moving the operation outdoors—a great gar-den solution for a shady yard. This hands-on workshop focuses on the cultivation of mushrooms on logs, while exploring other opportunities for outdoor cultivation. Learn to select, harvest, inoculate and care for logs in order to grow abundant and lasting mushroom crops. Participants will prepare a log for cultivation and take it home to see the fruits of their labor. Japanese Shitake farmers used to beat their logs as a form of shock to initiate mush-rooms to grow! How far will you go to grow your shitake?

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March Classes (continued)

CGDT Series – Botany for Vegetable Gardeners & Seed Starting Wednesday, March 26, 6:00-8:30 pm Instructors: Mary Dudley, Youth Education Coordinator and Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Green Learning Station Coordinator Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Learn the basics of botany to help you grow healthy plants in your garden. Starting your own seeds saves money and in-creases the variety of plants you can grow. Take the plunge and learn the process of starting plants from seed indoors and out. Organic Lawn Care Saturday, March 29, 2014, 10:00 am-Noon Instructor: John Hemmerle and Jacob Thompson of Barefoot Design Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers cause a variety of environmental problems but Americans use massive amounts on their lawns each year. Learn how to make your lawn greener while going green. Professionals from Barefoot Design will share with you the principles of organic yard care - how it is different from conventional lawn maintenance, and why it is important to practice it in your own yard. You'll leave with an understanding of how to care for your yard through the entire year, and alternatives to the traditional lawn.

April

Green your Spring Cleaning Tuesday, April 1, 2014, 6:00-8:00 pm Instructor: Carisa Hund-Bunten Cost: $15 per participant, registration is required Learn how to take the chemicals out of your cleaning routine this spring by replacing them with natural products that work. In this hands-on workshop, each participant will make and take green cleaning supplies including spray cleaner, furniture polish and dry laundry detergent. You’ll leave with the knowledge and practice to make refills at home using high quality oils, waxes and essential oils. History of Hauck's Sooty Acres: talk and tour Saturday, April 5, 2014, 2:00-3:00 pm Guide: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) When gardening enthusiast Cornelius J. Hauck landscaped this property in the first half of the 20

th century, he named it

Sooty Acres in reference to the smoggy air of this urban site. Despite all the challenges of city living, many of his original specimen trees and shrubs thrive. Learn about the history of the gardens and some of the interesting heritage trees on the grounds, such as a rare oak, and other specimens you do not commonly see in our region. During this spring tour, enjoy the many flowering trees that adorn the gardens. Edible Yard Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 6:00-8:00 pm Instructor: Sue Trusty, Horticulturist Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Would you grow strawberries, currants, gooseberries, serviceberries, elderberries, jujube, pawpaw, persimmon, and other fruit and nut trees if you knew they were easy to care for, tastier than store bought, and looked terrific in the landscape? In this class you will learn how to choose and prepare the best site for your fruits, which cultivars perform well here, where to buy good-quality plants, pruning and training, pests, fertilizing, watering and harvesting. Get to Know Plant Families and Identification Saturday, April 12, 2014, 10:00 am-noon Instructor: Mary Dudley, Youth Education Coordinator Location: Green Learning Station at the Civic Garden Center Cost: FREE, presented by the Wild Ones of Greater Cincinnati The key to successful gardening is knowing plants – from which weeds to pull, to learning to identify plants seen in other gardens or in the wild. Plant identification is also crucial to restoration projects and environmental conservation. Mary Dudley, who holds degrees in both Botany and Botanical Education, will walk participants through the basics of under-standing plant families and classification, and how to use a dichotomous key to identify plants. An indoor presentation will be followed by a walk through the CGC grounds and adjacent Hauck Botanic Garden to put your new knowledge to the test! Please dress for the weather. Continued on p13

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CGC Home:

-Paint for building exterior

-Pots for the Patio and Terrace (Please contact Bennett for

details)

-Stage lighting for the auditorium

-Gently used desktop computer for the Helpline

-New or gently used (non-plastic) patio furniture

Everyday Operations:

-Stamps

-Kroger gift cards

-Lowe’s gift cards

Community Gardens:

-6 Shovel - Round-point, long handle (Hickory or forced fiberglass handle) -6 Pitch Forks - 5 tine type -2 Wheelbarrow - 6 cu. ft. capacity with steel tray and flat-free tire -6 Hoes – Standard garden blade -6 Hoes - Scuffle Stirrup (Action) type -12 Rake - Garden tine type -4 Spading Fork – Forged 4 tine, short handle -1 Hammer – Framing, 21 ounce -2 Mattock - 5 pound, 36” handle -10 Hand Trowels - Spade type, die cast aluminum -1 Air Compressor

Volunteer Operations:

-$500 T-shirt sponsorship

-Cotton work gloves

-Scissors -2 1/4" Button Pin Maker / 2.25" Badge Machine Peo- ple PowerPress (on AMAZON) -Bottled water -Microwave popcorn -Peanut butter -Boxed Crackers -Brown Rice (uncooked) -Individual boxes of raisins -Granola bars -Tuna in individual packets or cans Youth Education: -New or gently used children’s books for young garden- ers to take home and enjoy -$25 gift cards to Kroger or Whole Foods -Wooden picnic table for children’s garden -Gutters to plant strawberries THE Plant Sale: -Decorative gravel/stones for potted gardens -Trellises -Glass bowls/vessels to make terrariums -Miniature items for fairy gardens/trough gardens -Natural-colored light-weight canvas fabric -Large sea shells -Bird baths -Decorative containers and pots

Our Wish List… Thanks to all who donated from our last list. We are

grateful, no matter the size or scope of your gift.

Given By: In Memory of:

Mary Susanne and Gerald Rolfes Ann Lafferty Janice Edwards Ed & Fanni Paulson

Celia Chee Lee Ah Chong Dirt Plotters Garden Club Mary Ann Dorger

Peg Bach Pat Harrison

Given By: In Honor of: Katie Smith Ruth Bobenread

Rebecca Pace Connie and Bob Booth John and Bridget Anthony

Russell and Rae Jane Araujo

Vickie Ciotti Cheryl Cipillone

Sean Tunning Michael and Ann Roberts

Samuel and Peg

Nancy Elder Dirt Crew Diane Durban Scott Durban

Brian and Jessica Hurst Nancy and Steve Hurst Dirt Plotters Garden Club Beth Karp

Indian Hill Historical Society Judy Mitchell

Donations—continued from page 4

Honorariums and Memorials

Additional Donations

2 Anonymous

Jamie Abele AbiBow Recycling

Judith Adams Alice Adams

Ron Albright

Susan Allen Robert and Sydney Anning

Gerald Atkins Phyllis Augspurger

Ann Bailey Anita and David Barnes

Beck Paint and Hardware,

Inc. Bellarmine Chapel

Rita & Jon Bender Lois Benjamin

Katherine Berger

Richard Betagole Elaine Better

Suzanne and Ron Bona-

Hatem Connie Booth

Jan Boylan Nancy Brannan

Lori Bregger

Brian Brimelow Joan Broersma

Jeanette Bronson Nancy Brunk

Debra Burger Jane Burke

Joan Burrow

Helen M Buswinka

Amy Casper

Nina and Ray Castro

Continued on p14

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Family Class: Water, Water Everywhere Saturday, April 19, 2014, 10:30-noon or 1:30-3 Class size is limited. Registration is required. Instructor: Mary Dudley, Youth Education Coordinator Fee: $5 per participant There are fun ways to catch and use rain water. Come play water games with us and learn about things you can do at home to capture rain. Grow Veggies in a Bucket Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 6:00-8:00 pm Instructors: Ryan Mooney-Bullock of the Civic Garden Center and Ana Bird of Imago Cost: $25 ($35 for a pair with one set of materials), includes two styles of container garden to take home Location: Imago, 700 Enright Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45205 This class is perfect for apartment dwellers, homeowners who are low on space, or the beginner gardener who would like to try a low maintenance way of growing vegetables. We provide supplies, and you relax, have a glass of wine, and build a windowsill micro green garden and a upcycled-pickle bucket self-watering veggie planter. You have the option of pur-chasing plants and soil and completing your system here, or you can take home your planters and finish them later. Each participant leaves with a bucket system, a windowsill system, a clear set of instructions and knowledge to plant and main-tain the planters throughout the growing season. This class is presented by Imago, to register call (513) 921-5124 or visit http://www.imagoearth.org/home/public_programs/grow_veggies_in_a_bucket.html Gardening with Deer Wednesday, April 23, 2014, 6:00-8:00 pm Instructor: Michelle Andersen, Flourish Landscape and Interior Design Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) In this educational look at gardening WITH deer, participants will learn the ins and outs of how to peacefully garden with-out repellants, and love the deer again. Get ready to learn more about the behavior of our region’s most beautiful garden pest and put that new understanding to work towards designing landscapes that deer won’t eat. Specific attention will be given to deer proof ornamental plant selections and strategies for keeping deer out of vegetable gardens.

Soil Testing The Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District

(SWCD) offers soil fertility testing through Michigan State University. The test results provide a soil amend-ment recipe to ensure that you get the most out of your

plant investment.

Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District 22 Triangle Park Drive Sharonville, OH 45246

513-772-7645 Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm

DID YOU KNOW? You can register for CGC classes and events at www.civicgardencenter.org

or call 513-221-0981

FYI, THE Plant Sale is just around the corner with

hundreds of plant varieties to convert those

empty pots into real show-stoppers!

Mark your calendar….

Preview Party: May 2

Public Sale:

May 3 & May 4

See you there... RAIN OR SHINE!

April Classes - continued from p11

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Mary Sue and Terry Cheesman John and Shirley Chewning Jo-Ann Coder Mark and Sue Cohen Barbara Cohen Terrie Cunningham Chris Daeger Marjorie Davis Deborah Hall fund of The Greater Cin-cinnati Foundation Kathleen DeLaura Joyce DeVoge Jan Dhonau Claire and Albert Dierckes Karen Diller Peter Djuric Edward and Renie Dohrmann Thomas and Pam Donnelly Linda Dooley Jack and Diane Douglass Marjorie Drackett Joyce Draeger Paul DuPlace Virginia Eaton Tara and Jon Eaton Michelle Eckart Jerome and Jean Eichert Eric Elliston John Ellmore Employees of Gray & Pape Barbara Feldmann Julie Flickner Carolyn Flury Doug Ford Susan Fox Suzanne Gacker Jane Garvey Rosalie and Jim Gehring Philip and Susanne Geier Jennifer Geiger Stephen and Judith Gerstner GoodSearch Drewry Gores Judi Graves David Gray DeDe Greenberg Bonnie Greenwood James Greer David Gruber Jerry and Maryan Hahn Jennifer Hamerstadt Robert and Lynn Hampel Teresa Harten Janet Heiden Mary Henkener Robert and Pat Henley Alison Herschede Pamela Hirte Arleen and Alan Hoeweler Donald and Betty Ann Horak

Sheila Horan Alice Horn Sandra Houck Terry Houston Michael and Carolyn Hoyt Mary Huey Beth Jackson Nancy Janning Robert Johnston Jeffrey Kapela Arleene Keller Rian Keller Midge King Larry and Kathleen Kissel Donald Klemm Marie Kocashis Tina Kohnen Eva Komoroski Ron and Jane Koppenhoefer Bennett Kottler Elsie and Juan Lackey Ann Lafferty Judy Langner Rita LaPresto Karen Larsen Thomas and Dawn Larson Kate Law Deborah Lease Joyce and William Lech Mary Lee Brent Leon Barb Liphardt Mary Ellen Lovett Carol and Kenneth Lyon Ann MacDonald Macy's Foundation Colleen Madewell Denise Martinez Ron McCamey Jeanette McCarthy Hilda Meier Barbara and David Meiners Mitchell and Jacqueline Meyers Katherine Miller Edward and Ginger Mitchell Jill Moats Thomas and Sarah Moon Marjorie Motch Eunice Murphy Sandra Murphy Barbara Neumann Mary Newman Jeanne Nightingale Rick Noland Elizabeth Ott Alice Palmer Lisa Pannos John Panyko Tiffany Pendergrass Sally Pitstick

Linda Plevyak Roberta Polley Patrick Polley Margaret Possert Carol Potterton Mary Quinn Debbie Rapier Gregory Rhodes Sarah Rice-Collins Nancy Rosenthal Sylvia Roth Joyce and Jack Rouse Roger and Barbara Schanzle Christine and Bob Scheadler Billie Schimian James and Heather Schmiedicke Judi Schofield Cindy Schrader Chuck Schramm Schramm Ann Schuur Stephanie Sepate Grace Sferra Sylvia and David Shor Karen Sills Analda and Edward Simmons Murray and Robin Sinclaire Peter Singer Suki Skidmore Jane Smith Cindy Smith Stephen Smith Sue Spaid Chris Specht Mary Stacey Peg Stedtefeld Tom and Dee Stegman Ken Stern Gary and Nancy Strassel Deachu Subbiah Delle Taylor Alex Teass Maryan Tebbutt Sue and Michael Thacker Kara Troquille Gunsch Carl Tuke Derek and Susan Van Amerongen Mary Jo Vesper Phil and BeBe Vollmer Shannon Watkins Mary Ann Weiss David Whittaker Joseph Wilmers Ron and Carol Wilson Nan and Daniel Witten Mary Jo Wittrock Eric and Margaret Yeiser James and Alison Zimmerman

Additional Donors - continued from p12

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Horticulture Corner

The winter of 2013-14 continues to be brutal, realigning us

directly into zone 6 and away from the abnormal zone 7

winters we have had for the past few years. What will this

bring in our gardens? Sadly, some losses may occur, but

many plants’ tenacity never ceases to amaze. Think of

how mocked the first person to plant Southern magnolia in

Cincinnati must have been, and now these majestic trees

thrive throughout the region.

While the weather for the next few months to come is a

mystery, the dedication of employees and tireless efforts of

our many volunteers ensure the continued enrichment of

the Civic Garden Center’s grounds and Hauck Botanic

Garden.

Last year saw much change on the grounds with the

renovation and reworking of multiple areas on the

property. Thanks to the generosity of the Herb Society

and volunteer efforts, the Herb Garden celebrated its 30th

year with an overdue renovation and 2014 promises a

continuation of these efforts. Goals include: increasing

diversity of herb collections; profiling herbs important to

different cuisines throughout the world; continued

renovation of the germander hedges; and a severe

pruning and rejuvenation of the boxwood hedge

surrounding the garden. I only hope that at the

appropriate time, I too can be given a needed facelift,

though I don’t believe the Herb Society will fund that!

Work will also continue in the Peggy MacNeale Daffodil

Garden with a focus on incorporating perennials, shrubs

and trees for greater multi-season interest. As in past

years, the Southwest Ohio Daffodil Society continues to

donate heirloom and unique daffodil varieties and cultivars

to the collection which will only grow in diversity and

impact.

Last year a complete inventory was made of the hosta

collection and 2014 will include an effort to re-label the

many cultivars and species. Also scheduled is a complete

relocation of the dwarf hosta collection to a raised area

where it will receive greater attention.

Lastly, keep an eye on the beds behind the Garden

Cottage and directly across the road from it, as efforts will

begin to improve these areas and bring new life to them.

I look forward to working in the gardens in 2014. Every

week I enjoy work with dedicated volunteers and there are

many opportunities for new volunteers to become

involved. As someone who cannot even keep their closet

organized, I could not accomplish much on these grounds

without such generosity of time, resources, and labor from

many volunteers and involved garden clubs, groups, and

local societies. I offer a sincere thanks to all your work in

2013 and an even more sincere invitation to work with us

in the gardens in 2014.

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Growing More Than Plants in the Garden

by Bennett Dowling, Horticulturist

Special Commemoration…

Bennett has recently selected additional pottery to complement containers on the Patio and Terrace

areas. Friends of the CGC are invited to sponsor seasonal planting of the containers to commemo-

rate special people and occasions or just to have a stake in the beauty these areas provide to our

visitors. Sponsorships are commensurate with the size and number of pots selected and provide

three seasonal change-outs* per year. Donors will be recognized with signage denoting the spon-

sor’s name and context of the donation. Individuals or groups wishing to buy a sponsorship or do-

nate toward the purchase of a container should contact Bennett at 221-0981 or

[email protected] for additional information.

* All plant material will be chosen for appropriateness at the discretion of the CGC’s horticulturists,

though some consideration may be given to donor favorites.

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16

BOOK SALE! The hard-working members of the Library Committee are busy as bees preparing for our used book area during the Plant Sale. They continue to accept the following do-nations to raise funds for the Library:

Gently used garden books

Cooking and recipe books

Gardening and landscaping magazines

Birding magazines If you have any of these items, just bring them by the Center’s front lobby in bags or boxes. Too much to car-ry? We’ll gladly help you carry them in! After business hours? Books can be put into the book drop slot just outside the auditorium door. Thank you!

For those of us who garden, the new year brings the excite-

ment of anticipating the season to come. In my case, I like to

imagine improving my garden by trying new plants and tech-

niques then attend horticulture-related classes and lectures for

ideas to make it happen. This winter the CGC is offering a va-

riety of classes, and the Hoffman Library's extensive collection

has a number of related books for further reading.

I've listed several of the classes that the CGC is offering this

winter followed by some books that you might enjoy reading to

enhance what you've learned. As you search for the books that

you'd like to check out, remember that many of them are on the

shelves in the library annex, the lower level where the Helpline

desk is located. If you have any trouble finding this area or the

books that you'd like to check out, the staff would be more than

happy to assist.

Starting with Spawn

Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets

The Mushroom Cultivator by Paul Stamets.

Plant a Prairie

Prairie-Style Gardens by Lynn M. Steiner

Prairie Plants of the Midwest: Identification and Ecology by

Russell R. Kirt.

Capturing Rain in the Landscape

The Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens by Rusty Schmidt

Rain Gardens by Nigel Dunnett.

Organic Lawn Care

A Man's Turf by Warren Schultz

The Organic Lawn Care Manual by Paul Tukey

Building Healthy Soils

Improving Garden Soils by Philip Hardgrave

Secrets of the Soil by Peter Tompkins

Basic Organic Vegetable Gardening or Plan a Vegetable

Garden

Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

The Kitchen Gardener's Handbook by Jennifer R. Bartley

Organic Crops in Pots by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

Other class topics this winter include composting, seed start-

ing, and botany, all topics for which you'll find several related

books in the library. To find those that interest you, you can

access the library's catalog on your home computer through

the CGC's web site (click on the library tab) or through either

computer in the library. Again, if you have any trouble, the

staff will be happy to help.

The Hoffman Library News

Get Ready for a New Year of Gardening by Michele Dragga

AND IF YOU HAVE SOME TIME TO SPARE… Help is needed for cataloging, pricing, and arranging merchandise be- fore THE Plant Sale (May 2-4). Volun- teers should be able to lift 20 pounds and conduct basic searches on the inter- net. Some knowledge of gardening is helpful. Hours are flexible. Also….. Customer service help is needed in the Cottage for the used book sale Volunteers should enjoy working and help-ing others and have some experience gardening. For a complete list of volunteer opportunities at the CGC, please visit our website: www.CivicGardenCenter.org To sign up, contact Jan at [email protected].

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How’s Your 2014 Resolution Holding Up?

Seasoned gardener Barbara Hendricks shared her top TEN

resolutions at a recent meeting of the Federated Garden

Clubs. Anything sound familiar?

10. Save clothing. I won’t work in the garden in my good

jeans and clothes, I will take the time to change into work

clothes before “just pulling that one weed”!

9. Shop local. I will do as much as possible of my garden

shopping at locally owned garden centers, not big box stores,

and not from the internet and catalogs.

8. Tools: Clean, dry and sharp. I won’t put my tools away

dirty, I will rinse them off and wipe them dry and I will mark all

my tools with bright turquoise tape, making them easier to see

and harder to leave behind. I will not leave my hand pruners

lying all over the place, to be later found in the compost or a

wheelbarrow full of clippings.

7. I will learn something new. Take a class, go to a sympo-

sium, read a gardening book.

6. I will plant something old! Plant a “new to me” heirloom

or native plant and learn their Latin name.

5. Be inspired. Resolve to visit more public gardens. I’ll

learn a lot and find inspiration.

4. Promise to plant all the new plants purchased before

buying more! --And I will not purchase a plant unless I know

where it is going to be planted!

3. I will keep a garden journal. Learn from past mistakes,

and savor past victories. A simple spiral notebook, a tradi-

tional journal, or at the very least photos.

2. I will make my garden wildlife-friendly. I will learn how

to attract butterflies, bees and birds. The monarchs and hon-

eybees are in trouble and really need my help. (OSU exten-

sion has lots of information and plant lists which are helpful)

And number ONE

1. I will remember why we garden! I will enjoy the garden’s

beauty, sit and relax there at least once a week. I will cele-

brate change that the seasons bring; enjoy not just the full,

perfect, lush bloom, but the puddle of petals fallen below when

the bloom has finished. Nothing lasts, perfection is an illusion:

the garden’s great beauty is owed to her ephemeral nature

and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to enjoy and savor

We want to share our favorites...

The Lunch Counter at Park+Vine

10-6 Weekdays 9-6 Saturday 10-5 Sunday

1202 Main Street Cincinnati, OH 45202

Just 2 miles south of the Civic Garden Center

For all your urban farm and garden supplies...

Soil supplements Organic fertilizer

Earthworm castings Propagation flats and domes

Organic seed starter mix Seedling heat mats Floating row cover

Bird seed and... Poultry supplies including feed and

supplements for any size flock!

Be sure to visit The Corner Shop in the CGC Lobby—lots of new items are coming in and

the High Mowing Seeds have arrived!!

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Bonsai Society of

Greater Cincinnati The BSGC meets every month on the 3rd Thursday. For more information visit www.cincinnatibonsai.com . Do you see or feel a sticky substance on the tree’s leaves?

Have the leaves begun to turn yellow and fall off? Did you

receive a hardy tree as a gift and now it is starting to go

downhill?

Those sticky spots on the leaves, normally on the top side,

are an indication of insect problems, white fly, scale or even

larger insects. Look over the tree, checking both the top and

underside of the leaves for insects or eggs. The leaves can be

cleaned with rubbing alcohol and a q-tip or a cotton ball. The

tree then could be treated with a light horticultural oil, such as

Neem oil. If the infestation persists try a regular program of

spraying the tree with insecticidal soap or using 8 to 10 drops

of Ivory liquid dish detergent in a spray bottle. Repeat the

spraying every 7 to 10 days for at least three applications. Do

this routinely indoors.

Leaves, on tropical trees, tend to turn yellow when it is

constantly too wet. Care must be taken to allow the tree to

use the available moisture as required. More bonsai are lost

due to overwatering. Monitor the soil using a moisture meter,

a bamboo skewer or your finger to probe the lower part of the

pot. The meter will give you and instant Dry, Damp or Wet

reading. The skewer when left in the pot will be darker than

the top dry portion, indicating the amount of water available to

the roots. The finger test is always readily available and

reliable.

Trees, such as pines, junipers and most deciduous trees are

hardy and need to go dormant during the winter months. If

you have a tree of this type it can stay outside if protected

from the sun and the wind. It could also be stored in an

unheated garage or shed. They do not need light, but still

must be checked for moisture at least once a week.

If you have questions on your bonsai come and meet with the

Bonsai Guys at the Krohn Conservatory. We are there almost

every Wednesday from 11 AM until 2 PM. Call the Krohn at

421-5707 to assure we are there.

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Orchids in Winter

Maybe you got one of those orchids for the holidays & are now wondering, “What the heck am I supposed to do with this thing NOW?” Well, despite the fact that they are available at all sorts of stores these days at a reasonable price they do not have to be disposable. Whether you got it for yourself as a beautiful table centerpiece or it was a hostess gift, this orchid you have is probably either a Phalaenopsis or a Dendrobium. The following is basic orchid culture, aka, “Orchids 101”. Light Without enough light, orchids may produce lush looking growths but no flowers. Not giving orchids enough light is the most common reason for failure to bloom. How much light is enough? The answer to this is "as much as they will take with-out burning". Phalaenopsis are ‘low’ light orchids. They grow beautifully in an east window. Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. A lightly shaded south window is best.

Water

How often you water will depend on the potting medium. The

easiest way to tell when to water is to water thoroughly & let

drain for 15 minutes. When you pick it up to put it back in its

growing area, note how heavy it is. Pick it up again in a few

days & feel how heavy (or light) it is. When it feels as light as it

did before you watered it the first time water it again.

Temperature

Phals are easy to grow because they enjoy the same tempera-

tures we do. Dendrobiums like it a little cooler. Keep in mind

that temperatures close to the window on a windowsill will be

colder in winter than your general house temperature & fluctu-

ating temperatures can cause buds to drop.

Humidity

Use a shallow tray of pebbles filled with water to increase hu-

midity around your plants. Be sure the pot does not sit in water

as this will rot the roots.

Fertilizer

Any balanced fertilizer (20-20-20, etc.) can be used to fertilize

your orchid. Feeding weakly (half strength) weekly works well.

Once a month, use clear water to flush any accumulated salts

from the potting mix. (Continued)

Orchid Growing Tips – by ,

The Greater Cincinnati Orchid Society

www.cincinnatiorchids.org

Page 19: IN THIS ISSUE OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? - Civic Garden Center · seed catalogues piled high on my desk inspires me to want to add more beauty to my landscape and devise ways to attempt

Cutting the spike

When the blooms are finished on a Phalaenosis, you can cut

the spike down to the level of the leaves and the plant will

bloom with larger flowers and a strong stem within a year.

You can also cut off the stem under the first flower to open.

One of those little brown nodes on the stem below where the

flowers were may then initiate growth and generally produce

flowers within eight to 12 weeks. On a Dendrobium you can

cut the flowering stem at the point where it came out of the tall

thin pseudobulbs. Do not cut off the tall thin stem because the

new flower stem will grow from there. Continue watering and

fertilizing and within a year a new growth will spike to begin

the blooming cycle again!

And if you still have questions or weren’t lucky enough to get

an orchid for the holidays, come to the Greater Cincinnati

Orchid Society’s show at Krohn Conservatory in March.

Locating Utilities: Call Before You Dig – to

locate utilities when working on landscaping projects. These are Public Utilities Protection toll free numbers:

Ohio: 800-362-2764 Kentucky: 800-752-6007 Indiana: 800-382-5544

Most Quilting and Fiber arts enthusiasts from around the Greater Cincinnati area would not be held back by slushy roads the morning of February 15. On the program: a trunk show and celebration of artistry with speaker Lynn Ticotsky; announcement of the “My Garden Rocks” block challenge winners; raffle of three 2013 quilts and a tea table packed with sweet and savory bites. Thanks to all the volunteers, gallery contributors and our Quilt Committee (Jo Ann Abel, Pam Donnelly, Rose Green, Pat Harris, Joan Key and Sally Pitstick) for their part in this inspiring event!

2014 Block Challenge Winners:

1st Place—Pam Donnelly

2nd Place—Robbie Porter

3rd Place—Barbara Sferra

People’s Choice—Pat Harris

We gratefully acknowledge the merchants who

made this event possible…

Orchids—Continued from p18

19

Successful 8th Annual Midwinter Quilt Tea & Block Challenge Defies Weather

Winners of the 2013 Quilt Raffle are: Bert Duwell

Gary Goosman June Endicott

Bert Duwell poses with her prize.

Amy-Beth Originals Broadhope Cincinnati Shakespeare Company The Gathering Room Fabric Shack Jaime's Art Pottery Lavender Street

Original Creations Quilt Shop The Quilt Box Quilters Garden Sewn Studio Silk Road Textiles Stitches

Page 20: IN THIS ISSUE OH NO, WHERE’S THE WORM? - Civic Garden Center · seed catalogues piled high on my desk inspires me to want to add more beauty to my landscape and devise ways to attempt

Bzak Landscaping 513-831-0907 www.bzak.com

Landscape Design & Installation

Garden Center

Landscape Materials: mulch, topsoil, compost, gravel, more

Wholesale & retail customers

welcome. Open all year.

10% Discounts for 2014 The following businesses provide a 10% discount to Civic Garden Center donors. A donation now will get you a discount card for next season. And thank you to these businesses for their participation in this program.

@civicgarden

facebook.com/civicgarden

youtube.com/gardenerterry

Adopt-A-Plant Greenhouses

Allison Landscape & Water Gardens

Ammon Wholesale Nursery

Aquatic & Garden Décor

B.C. Nursery/Chris Daeger

Burger Farm & Garden Center

Bzak Landscaping, Inc.

Cincinnati Pine, Inc.

Delhi Flower & Garden Center

Flower Framers of Cincinnati

Florence Nursery & Landscaping

Gears Florist & Garden Centers

Greenfield Plant Farm

H.J. Benken Floral Home & Garden

Lakeview Garden Center

Holscher Hackman Garden Center

Farm Your Yard/Kreidler Design

Marvin’s Organic Gardens

Meyer Aquascapes

Minges Greenhouse & Garden Center

Natures Corner Greenhouses

Park + Vine

Raymond Landscape Nursery

Renck’s Landscape & Garden Center

Peters Nursery—Garden Store

Renaissance Garden Ornament

TLC Landscaping & Garden Center

Martha Wassermann Landscape

Design LLC

White Oak Garden Center

Worm’s Way

Civic Garden Center – OSU Extension

Horticulture Helpline 513-221-TREE(8733)

[email protected]

Leave questions anytime. Talk to a volunteer M, W, F 10-2