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JUNEAU COUNTY

MASTER GARDENERS NEWSLETTER

May 2017

UW-Extension Juneau County

Master Gardeners Meeting When: Monday, May 22, 2017

6:00 – 8:30 pm

Where Karla Riley

W7704 Suldal Road Mauston WI 53948 608 -847-2506

Car pool when you can.

Those signed up for treats are Herb Dannenberg, Beth Pusel, Arris Sullivan, Kari Olson, Natty Kranz

Directions: from Mauston: Take Hwy 82 west toward Elroy to Felland Rd

about 3 miles and turn right Go about 1 mile and turn left on the second

road - Suldal Road Go about 1/2 mile, second place on the right

from Elroy: Take Hwy 82 east toward Mauston to Felland Rd

about 7 miles and turn left Continue as above on Felland Rd to Suldal Rd,

turn left

from New Lisbon: Take Hwy 80 south toward Elroy, go for 2 miles

to Johnson Rd (about 1 1/4 miles past Hwy B) Note: Johnson Rd comes up suddenly and is very

easy to miss. Turn left on Johnson Rd and go about 3 1/4

miles to Suldal Rd. Turn left on Suldal Rd and go less than 1 mile. W7704 is the third driveway on the left.

Agenda: Reports Projects – See listing on page 3 Business Program

Reports: Approval of April 24 meeting minutes. Treasurer’s Report – Irene Klingemann Correspondence Historian –Marsha Lubinski Membership – Karla Riley WIMGA report – Maureen UW-Extension Update – Craig Saxe

Business: Plant Sale at Jan Brendle on May 26, 27 & 28 from

9am-4pm. All proceeds go to Carl Nelson Animal Shelter Building Fund. Donations of plants can be brought to the May meeting or brought to Jan’s house at N8420 19th Ave. Necedah, 565-7290.

Need host for September 25 Master Gardener meeting

Any other business

Program: Karen & Kim Teed from

New Era Nursery will give a little talk and answer any landscaping questions that anyone might have.

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Juneau County Master Gardener Meeting Minutes April 24, 2017 6:00pm

The April meeting was held at the Northwoods Greenhouse near Mauston. There were 29 members and guests present for the lunch and meeting. Thank you to all who brought delicious dishes to share.

Call to Order: President Deb Bollig called the meeting to order.

Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the October meeting were approved with a correction to volunteer hours, which stand corrected at 1,586 hours. Motion to accept was made by Arris Sullivan and seconded by Natty Kranz. Motion passed.

Treasurers Report: The Treasurer’s report was given by Irene Klingemann. Motion to accept was made by Karla Riley and seconded by Kari Olson. Motion passed.

Request for Assistance: Martha Airth-Kindree from Mile Bluff Hospital spoke on the need for volunteers and financial support for the two Healing Gardens around the hospital.

Membership: Karla Riley passed out stickers and announced volunteer hours.

Old Business

Stewart’s Chapel was removed from on-hold status and is now a project.

New Business:

Arris Sullivan shared information on printing a Wisconsin Gardeners membership certificate to receive 10% off at participating greenhouses.

WIMGA update by Maureen Fox: WIMGA has money for grants; Maureen has forms.

Arris Sullivan announced the New Lisbon planters will be planted prior May 26th.

Jan Brendle will have her Memorial weekend plant sale May 26, 27, and 28 to benefit Carl W. Nelson Animal Shelter.

Melisa Williams is interested in a seed exchange.

Audrey Traver thanked all volunteers who worked on the Necedah Wildlife Refuge projects on Earth Day.

Winding Rivers is looking for a retail assistant.

Natty Kranz spoke about the Horticulture meeting she attended in Wausau.

Craig Saxe’s Report with Alana Voss: Craig spoke on the need for background checks, and the fact that social security numbers are included in the process. He also spoke about the Master Gardener newsletter; volunteers are welcome to help with printing and mailing. There’s also a need for Q & A input for the newsletter. Craig introduced Alana Voss, who is a new employee with the Juneau and Adams County UW Extension. Alana let everyone know that Brian Hudleson will be speaking at the Hatch Public Library on May 11th from 1 to 3 pm. There will be a Clean Sweep project in July.

Thank you Nadine Tully thanked everyone for coming to her greenhouse for the meeting. She filled the group in on the history of obtaining the greenhouse, and their goals for the future.

Meeting reminders: The next Master Gardener meeting will be held on May 22 at Karla Riley’s house.

Adjournment:

Respectfully Submitted by Lutrelle Manna

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Juneau County Master Gardener Projects :

Anyone interested in helping on any of these, please contact person listed. This is a great way to accumulate volunteer

support hours towards certification. Also see note below.

Adopt-a-Highway – Maureen Fox, 462-4228

Cleaning trash along Highway 58 South of Mauston

Boorman House –Margret Hummelbeck, 562-3856

Garden renovation around the Juneau County Historical Society Boorman House

Watering and Shade Garden –Natty Kranz, 547-1884

Hosta Garden & O’Brian Building – Kari Olson, 562-5302/Bonnie Davey, 562-5230

Stewart Chapel - Karla Riley, 847-2506

Buckhorn State Park Project – Maureen Fox, 462-4228

Maintain plantings and gardens around the office and cabins

Carl W. Nelson Animal Shelter – Rosemary Aney, 847-5558

Planting annuals and maintaining flower bed

Dave Brendle Park – Jan Brendle, 565-7290

New project in process

Elroy Fair – Bev Kozlowski; 462-5401

Manning booth for distributing MG information and plant sales

Grayside Community Gardens – Arris Sullivan, 562-5181/Barbara Hoffmann, 547-7086

Update community garden - need MG mentors

Juneau County Fair – Sarah Huggins, 319- 899-9402/Debby Bollig, 547-9238/Marsha Lubinski, 847-5166

Entering an Open Class Booth with MG information

Juneau County Courthouse – Lutrelle Manna, 547-3213

Planting annuals and Maintaining flower bed

Mauston Food Pantry Flower Beds – Marsha Lubinski, 847-5166

Planting annuals and maintaining flower bed

Necedah National Wildlife Refuge - Karla Riley, 847-2506/Arris Sullivan, 562-5181/Audrey Traver, 427-3761

Start-up project

Monarch Butterfly Project

New Lisbon City Planters – Arris Sullivan, 562-5181

Planting annuals and maintaining flower beds/planters

Wonewoc Library Seed Exchange - Sarah Huggins, 319- 899-9402

Start-up project

Grayside Community Garden in Mauston: Donations accepted - plus mentors needed this summer.

New Lisbon City Planters: We will be planting New Lisbon planters a few days prior to Memorial Day - volunteers

would be appreciated - point of contact is Arris Sullivan 562-5181

Plant Sale at Jan Brendle on May 26, 27 & 28 from 9am-4pm. All proceeds go to Carl Nelson Animal Shelter Building Fund. Donations of plants can be brought to the May meeting or brought to Jan’s house at N8420 19th Ave. Necedah, 565-7290.

All plants donations are very much appreciated. Thanks Jan

Open House

Uniquely Hostas May 27-29th

June 3-4th

9 am until 5pm

205 Grove Avenue

Elroy, WI 53929

608-462-4662

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Calendar of Events NOTE: Be sure to call & check times & dates to verify event.

Contact for more information on any event at Olbrich Botanical

Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave., Madison, WI 53704; phone 608

246-4550. olbrichinformation@cityofmadison.com For events at

Rotary Botanical Gardens, 1455 Palmer Drive, Janesville, WI

53545, phone 608 752-3885 ext 17, rotarybotanicalgardens.org.

For events at West Madison Ag Research Station, 8502 Mineral

Point Rd., Verona, WI 53593-9689, phone 608 262-2257,

http://www.cals.wisc.edu/westmad/garden/Events.html

May 14 - 10am-2pm - Mother’s Day in the Garden - Allen

Centennial Garden, Madison - Enjoy the Allen Centennial Garden

with the special women in your life and make flower crowns. Cost:

Free and open to the public. Contact: Contact: Elin Meliska, 608-

576-2501, meliska@wisc.edu Allen Centennial Garden, 620

Babcock Drive, Madison WI 53706

May 16 - 6pm-8pm - Over-the-top Containers Workshop -

Allen Centennial Garden, Madison - Tired of containers that

flop in the summer heat? This workshop will teach the basics of

container planting and result in a show-stopping container to take

home. Bring your own (reasonably sized) container. Contact: Elin

Meliska, 608-576-2501, meliska@wisc.edu Allen Centennial

Garden, 620 Babcock Drive, Madison WI 53706 May 16 - 5:30pm-7:30pm - Rhythm & Blooms - Rotary

Botanical Gardens, Janesville - Featuring The Dave Potter Trio.

Rhythm & Blooms is an outdoor concert series. This month’s

concert will feature The Dave Potter Trio. Concerts will be held

in the Gazebo Garden, rain or shine. If inclement weather arises,

the concert will be moved indoors. South Padre Seafood truck

available for food purchases. Tickets may be purchased day-of,

$10/ person.

May 17 - 6pm-8pm - Bonsai Seminar and Demonstration -

Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville - “ Bonsai: Its Art and

Philosophy” seminar and demonstration by Dr. Charles Mortensen.

Cost: $5/$3 RBG members Maximum 20 participants.

Registration required by May 15, 2017 $1.50 convenience fee

added to online registrations

May 20 - 8am-12pm - Waushara County Master Gardener

Plant Sale - Wautoma, WI - Sale of plants, most home-grown

by Master Gardeners, including perennials, annuals, flowers,

fruits, herbs, shrubs, trees, grasses, and vegetables. Contact:

Peggy Morgan,. 715-335-6641 or peggym6152@yahoo.com

Waushara County Fairgrounds, 513 S. Fair Street, Wautoma, WI

May 20 - 8am-11am - Portage County Master Gardener

Volunteer Plant Sale - Stevens Point, WI - PCMGV’s will be

having their annual sale: Perennials from our own gardens, some

vegetable plants, as well as additional nursery grown perennials

will be available. Master Gardeners will be on hand to help you

choose the perfect plants for your gardens. Contact: Chere: 715-

258-0153 or Walt: 715-344-6116 Rettler Corporation parking

lot, 3317 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point, WI

May 20 - 7am-Noon - North Central WI MG PLANT SALE -

Marathon County Park in Wausau - NC WI Master Gardeners

will hold their annual plant Large healthy plant divisions

including: perennial flowers and annuals, vegetables, herbs, native

plants and pollinators, houseplants, ornamental grasses, and

hostas. All plants are grown locally. Gently used tools, gardening

accessories and decorative garden items are also available for

sale. Stop at our Reference, staffed by MGV that will answer

your questions. Contact: Faith Gokey, fgokey@charter.net , 715-

297-5502

May 23 - 6:30pm-8 pm - Lawn Care Basics for the Wisconsin

Homeowner: An Evening Garden Seminar - Rotary Botanical

Gardens, Janesville - Dr. Paul Koch of the UW-Madison

Department of Plant Pathology will talk about “Lawn Care Basics for the Wisconsin Homeowner.” Learn how to have a healthy

green lawn by following the suggested timing of fertilizer and

pesticide applications. Paul will also discuss alternative healthy

lawn practices that can lessen the reliance on traditional

pesticides, and also on some ‘lower toxicity’ or ‘reduced risk’

products that can be used in place of traditional pesticides. Cost:

$5/$3 for RBG members, no registration required.

May 23 - Sumptuous Containers Walk - Olbrich Gardens,

Madison - Colorful flowers and cold-hardy foliage plants grace

Olbrich’s containers and planting beds long before the danger of

spring frost is over. These spring plantings also feature edible

greens and early vegetables that are a welcome change after a

winter of drab meals! Olbrich Horticulturist Erin Presley will

explain the basics of planning and planting cold-hardy spring

containers and showcase selected containers and plants during

this delightful evening garden walk. Cost: $17/$13 member -

May 24 - 6:30pm-8:30pm - Ornamental Container Gardens

Workshop - Olbrich Gardens, Madison - Loved by small and

large space gardeners alike, containers are a fabulous way to

dress up your patio, deck, or balcony. In this presentation and

workshop, Olbrich Director of Horticulture Jeff Epping and

Horticulturist Samara Eisner will guide you through the steps to

plant containers overflowing with beauty. You will go home with

one finished ornamental container with plants appropriate for the

lighting conditions you indicate. Upon registration, please indicate

whether you prefer SUN or SHADE plants. All supplies provided.

Limited space; register early. Cost: $84/$68 member.

May 24 - 6:30pm-8:30pm - Caterpillars Are a Good Thing in

Your Butterfly Garden - Olbrich Gardens, Madison -

Butterfly gardens are easy to create and the caterpillars and

well-chewed leaves you might find are signs you are on the right

track. Learn how to establish resident butterfly breeding

populations in your gardens, starting by growing both butterfly

host and nectar plants needed to sustain a large butterfly

population in your garden. Butterfly enthusiast and photographer

Ann Thering will discuss key elements of butterfly gardening

design, along with the best caterpillar food plants and nectar

plants for butterflies. She will share many images of plants and

Wisconsin butterflies, as well as tips for identifying Wisconsin’s

common butterflies. If weather permits, she will guide you on a

stroll through Olbrich’s outdoor gardens to see butterfly garden

plants up close, and perhaps a few butterflies. Dress for the

weather. Limited space; register early. Cost: $15/$12

May 25 - Pollinator-Friendly Spring Plants Walk - Olbrich

Gardens, Madison - You and your family can help encourage

native pollinators to thrive. The secret is to plant flowers and

herbs they can use as food sources. Join Olbrich Horticulturist

Katey Pratt on a walk in Olbrich’s outdoor gardens where she will

show you a variety of early spring plants that are attractive to

pollinators and are well-suited for gardens with various light and

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soil conditions. Meet in the Lobby. Limited space; register early.

Cost: $17/$13 member

June 3 - Madison Nursery Crawl - Madison - The Friends of

Allen Centennial Garden present the Madison Nursery Crawl, an

event celebrating the region’s most robust horticultural scene

during operating hours of participating nurseries. This Nursery

Crawl is a family-friendly event offered to the community to help

connect gardeners to new and exciting plants and the passionate

people who grow them. The crawl will feature various workshops,

talks and activities. Participating nurseries and sponsors include

Schönheit Gardens in Sun Prairie, WI, Avant Gardening and

Landscaping, Trees on Wheels in McFarland, WI, The Flower

Factory in Stoughton, WI and Stone Wall Nursery in Oregon,

WI. The Crawl can be completed on your own schedule and at

your own pace. The event is free and open to the public. For a full

schedule of events, visit www.madisonnurserycrawl.org or call

608-576-2501

June 11 -10am-2pm - Plant Sale - Eau Claire - The Eau Claire

Area Master Gardeners combined with the Northern Wisconsin

Hosta Society wish to invite you once again to Phoenix Park for

our annual plant sale. Shop from hundreds of plants grown by

local gardeners. ASK A MASTER GARDENER what will grow best

in YOUR garden. Shop from all the beautiful hostas including

adorable teeny-tiny varieties and the giants! Get back to nature

this summer and literally enjoy the fruits of your labor this

growing season. Contact: Judy Wibel, 715-864-6022 or

judywibel@gmail.com Phoenix Park, 330 Riverfront Terrace,

Eau Claire, WI

June 20 - 6:30pm-8pm - Gorgeous Gravel Gardens Walk -

Olbrich Gardens, Madison - Green or sustainable gardens make

sense for many reasons – they are good for the environment and

for us. Many people want beautiful gardens, but don’t have the

time, nor want to see precious resources like water and energy go

into growing them. Join Olbrich’s Director of Horticulture Jeff

Epping for a walk through the outdoor gardens to learn about

gravel gardens and how they can easily be incorporated into home

landscapes. He will show you how Olbrich has replaced lawns and

traditional perennial beds with these sustainable gardens. Limited

space; register early. by June 13. Cost: $17/$13 member

June 21 - 6pm-7:30pm - Summer Solstice Herb Walk -

Olbrich Gardens, Madison - Celebrate the solstice and beauty

of Olbrich Botanical Gardens by joining Kathleen Wildwood,

founder and director of Wildwood Institute in Madison, as she

discusses the medicinal and culinary uses of the amazing plants

that grow throughout the outdoor gardens. Plant identification

tips, scientific research, and ancient lore will be woven through

the discussion as we stroll through the gardens. Limited Space;

register early by June 14. Cost: $17/$13 member

June 21 - 6:30pm-8pm - Potential Climate Change Impacts

on Communities - Olbrich Gardens, Madison - This presentation

by Karl van Lith, organizational development and training officer

for the City of Madison, will use research findings from the

Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) to show

how climate change will potentially impact Madison and

communities in the Midwest. His discussion will focus on

adaptation strategies being used by the City of Madison to

ensure that impacts on people, the economy, and the environment

are minimized. Limited Space; Register early by June 14. Cost:

$62/$50 member

June 24 - 9am-4pm - Waupaca County Master Gardener

Garden Walk and Art Stroll - Waupaca Area - Come to enjoy

several Waupaca Area Gardens and several Central Wisconsin

Artists. Tickets and garden guide/map will be available in early

June at the Waupaca Chamber office on Main St. in Waupaca and

in the gardens the day of the event. Tickets are $10.00. For

more information our Garden Walk website will be up later this

spring at waupacagardenwalk.com. This garden walk is unique in so

many ways as we blend in several artists in each garden and they

are available to sell their art. Come and spend part of the day in

Waupaca. Enjoy the Chain O’Lakes area shops and

welcoming/friendly atmosphere and get some great ideas to

spruce up your gardens. Contact: Sally Marchel Handrich 715-

258-4888 or sallymarchelhandrich@hotmail.com

June 28 - 6:30pm-8:30pm - Make your Own Bonsai Workshop

- Olbrich Gardens, Madison - This hands-on workshop is for

beginners interested in bonsai, the centuries-old Asiatic art of

dwarfing trees and shrubs grown in pots or small spaces. Learn

the care and culture of bonsai and techniques for designing and

maintaining these sculptured treasures from Olbrich

Horticulturist Dan Schuknecht. He will guide you through using a

juniper to design your own bonsai to take home. Fee includes a

Juniper, soil, and wire. Bring a small bonsai-style pot or take your

living sculpture home in a plastic pot. Tools to use in class

provided. Bring gloves if your skin is sensitive to Juniper. Limited

space; register early by June 21. Cost: $62/$50 member

July 7 - 1-7pm - July 8 - 9am-3pm - NC WI MG’s Garden

Walk - Wausau - North Central WI Master Gardener’s 16th

Annual Garden Walk in the Wausau Area. This year’s walk

features 5 beautiful gardens in Rib Mountain, and the MG’s

Native WI Wildlife Garden at Rib Mountain State Park. Cost:

$10. May purchase tickets at any of the gardens. See our FB

page: Northcentral WI Master Gardeners. Location: Rib Mountain

area of Wausau. Watch for signs off of I-39. Contact: Alice

Davies 715-571-4757 or awdavies@aol.com

July 8 - 9:30am-3:30pm - 18th Annual Garden Walk -

Wisconsin Rapids - Featuring 6 gardens in Wis Rapids area. In

addition to the gardens, we offer a chef demonstration, artists

displaying their art in the gardens and the Art in the Garden

Boutique. Admission $10. Tickets available from Wood Co

Extension Office, Master Gardener Volunteers and other area

businesses or at the gardens on the day of the walk. Garden #1 is

located at 1620 Riverwood Lane, Wis Rapids 54494; map and

directions from there are included in the ticket. Contact: Barb

Herreid 715-325-2075 or bherreid@wctc.net

July 11-13 - 9am-4pm - Wisconsin Farm Technology Days -

Algoma, WI - This premier exposition (previously called Farm

Progress Days) – the largest agricultural show in Wisconsin – is

also one of the largest in the nation. The three-day outdoor

event showcases the latest improvements in production

agriculture, including many practical applications of recent

research findings and technological developments. For more

information see the WI Farm Technology Days website. Cost: $6

daily; $14 entire show. Contact: Aerica Bjurstrom, Executive

Secretary aerica.bjurstrom@ces.uwex.edu Event location: Ebert

Enterprises, N6939 County Road D , Algoma, WI 54201

July 12 - 6:30pm-8:30pm - Landscape Design for Curb

Appeal - Olbrich Gardens, Madison - This eye-opening

presentation by Mark Dwyer, director of horticulture at Rotary

Gardens, will cover easy-to-implement design steps for enhancing

your home’s curb appeal. Included will be information about top-

performing perennials, annuals, flowering shrubs, evergreens, and

ornamental trees for a head-turning front yard that will help

increase your property value. Limited space; register early by

July 5. Cost:. $15/$12 member

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Hort - Q&A: Here’s a sample of horticultural questions received and answered by Adams & Juneau County Extension Agriculture Agent, Craig Saxe or Adams & Juneau County Interim Ag Educator is Alana Voss or a Juneau County Master Gardener Volunteer. Have a question or comment just call 608-847-9329 or email craig.saxe@ces.uwex.edu.

Q. Why do birds fly into windows and does it harm them?

A. We have all had that moment, when we are doing something at home and we suddenly hear a thud against our window. We rush over to the window to see a bird flying away. Normally, you will see a robin or a cardinal being the culprit for your fright. The reason behind this is during the spring months from March to May the birds are trying to protect their territory during mating season. When a bird observes their reflection in the window they do not understand that it is themselves they are seeing, which causes them to attack the other bird (their reflection in the window). Also, if you hear the birds becoming vocal or creating noise with their body this is a warning to the other bird (the reflection) that they are going to attack. Due to the other bird (the reflection) not giving up and leaving, this attacking could go on for weeks due to the bird not giving up and continuing to fight for its territory.

There are options to help decrease the chances of this happening such as: cover the outside of the window with a netting or screening so the reflection is less visible or use soap to create streaks across the windows to break up the reflection. You can also tape newspapers or silhouettes of larger birds flying (ex: hawks or owls) to the window to disrupt the reflection and also scare the bird from attacking. In addition, if you place window decals around the window this can help to keep birds away. As for the bird hurting themselves, it usually does not cause fatal injury to the bird, but the bird may become exhausted after attacking the window repeatedly.

Q. What can I do if I have moss instead of grass in my yard

A. When we look at our yards, we want lush green … moss?? Nope, we want lush green grass, but sometimes we have to tackle a few issues that may be affecting our yards ability to grow grass. First question to address is why is moss growing in the yard? Usually moss prefers damp and shaded areas, however there are a few that like dry and sunny areas. Also, moss does not kill grass, but rather grows where there is no grass. Moss is spread through spores traveling in the wind until landing in the perfect spot for growth. When looking at the affected area in your lawn do you notice poor drainage in that area? If the answer is yes, build up the area with additional soil and adding a slope to help with the drainage. If your soil is compacted, then aerating the soil will help loosen the soil and help with drainage. If you water your yard lessen the amount of water and frequency to give the soil time to dry.

Another important step to determine why the moss is growing is taking a soil sample. This helps you determine if your nutrients are at adequate levels, especially phosphorus and potassium. Make sure you are not cutting the grass too short, an example is shaded areas need to be left around three to four inches in length. Furthermore, make sure that you are choosing a grass seed that is appropriate for shaded areas such as fine fescue. Lastly, if the site is extremely shaded, look at removing some of the shrubs or trees to improve the amount sunlight available and adding air movement to the area.

However, if you would rather use a chemical there are products available for killing moss located at garden centers. These products will normally contain iron sulfate (FeSO4), potassium sulfate, or similar chemicals. Lime is not usually effective on its own. These chemical options offer only a short term of relief and proper long term control needs to be done by changing the environment to improve the grass growing capabilities as stated above.

Submitted by Craig Saxe

Q. When’s the best time to divide rhubarb?

A. Although rhubarb can be grown from seed, this is not recommended. Instead, buy divisions or divide your own rhubarb in the spring about four to six weeks before the average date of the last spring frost. When replanting divided plants, be sure the crowns are free of disease. Use a sharp spade or shovel to cut crowns into pieces with at least one strong bud for each piece. Instead of digging up the entire plant to divide it, you can just leave a portion with three to four buds undisturbed in the old location, and remove the remainder.

Submitted by Alana Voss

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If you would like to host a garden meeting, list two months of your choice:

1st choice___________ 2

nd choice ____________

If you are a current Master Gardener, list the year you took your training:

______________________

If not, would you like information on becoming a Master Gardener?

__________________________

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE ZIP

PHONE ( )

E-MAIL

ANNUAL DUES: $12.00 from January thru December 2017

FILL IN THIS FORM AND MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: Juneau County Master Gardeners AND MAIL TO:

Irene Klingemann, W5805 Brown Rd, Mauston WI 53948

2017 JUNEAU COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS MEMBERSHIP FORM

a k a K a r e n S u e P o s t From Birds and Blooms

The Backyard Benefits of a Moon Garden Most of us notice how gorgeous gardens are when the sun is shining, but how often do we see what a garden looks

like at night? Between dusk and dawn, when moonlight illuminates the plants, visitors can enjoy unique insight into

a garden’s personality.

Night pollinators such as moths, native bees and bats are attracted to plants in a moon garden with white and pale-

colored flowers that are intensely fragrant and produce a lot of nectar. As you walk through the moon garden, you

will be able to watch these varied and industrious third-shift pollinators as they go about their important work.

Moths Moths fly to white and pale blooms, which show up well in moonlight. These creatures have an amazing

sense of smell; they love flowers that are highly scented. Some moths hover over the plants to sip nectar with their

very long tongues, and others land on flowers while they feed. Many kinds of moths, like sphinx moths, will visit

honeysuckle, columbine and amsonia blue star.

Bats In the arid Southwest, three kinds of nectar-feeding bats pollinate night-blooming plants. They prefer the

nectar of large flowers, such as agave, yucca and many types of cacti. Blooms of white, purple and green, along with

very strong scents, will attract these beneficial nighttime creatures.

Native Bees Although most bee species, including domestic honeybees, do their pollinating during the day, a few

native bees, such as small sweat bees, work by night, using the moon and starlight to navigate through the garden.

They pollinate evening primrose, monarda and campion.

Night-Blooming Flowers A moon garden should include flowers in pale hues of yellow, blue, purple, green,

white or cream, and pink, along with plants that have either silver or gray foliage. The pale blooms and silvery

foliage reflect the light of the moon and stars, giving the garden a delicate glow. Plants with flowers that stay open

through the night, such as yucca, or blossoms that open at dusk and close in the morning, such as evening primrose,

are magnets for night pollinators.

Nine Plants with Silver and Gray Foliage

Lavender: flowers of purple and blue

Woolly lambs’ ears: pink flowers

Horned poppy: yellow or orange flowers

Sea kale: sprays of white flowers

Helichrysum: yellow clusters of tiny flowers

Santolina: yellow button flowers

Silver Blade evening primrose: large pale yellow flowers

Pussy-toes: delicate white or pink flowers

Sage: bluish, purple

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Cooperative Extension

Juneau County UW-Extension

211 Hickory Street

Mauston WI 53948

An EEO/Affirmative Action employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal

Opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA requirements.

Our next Master Gardener meeting will be

held on May 22 at Karla Riley’s house

Plant Sale at Jan Brendle on May 26, 27 & 28 from 9am-4pm. All proceeds go to Carl Nelson Animal Shelter Building Fund. Donations of plants can be brought to the May meeting or brought to Jan’s house at N8420 19th Ave. Necedah, 565-7290.

Send articles and other ideas for the Juneau County Master Gardeners newsletter to: Irene Klingemann, W5805 Brown Rd, Mauston WI 53948 Or email: iklingemann.mstn@gmail.com

Sympathy In sympathy we pass on news

of Kathryn Bantens passing on May 3, 2017.

Kathryn enjoyed life on her farm and gardening in Elroy. Kathryn was a JCMGV, although she did not participate in recent years due to health reasons.

A portion of the Sunday, June 4, 2017 Service at East Lemonweir Church located at W8943 Cty. Hwy. S, rural Elroy, WI will be a memorial to Kathryn. Services start at 10:30 a.m.

Delicious Spinach Artichoke Dish Served by Diane Dannenberg at the last meeting

It is 2 cans of artichoke hearts, 2 cups parmesan cheese,

and 2 cups Mayo. Chop artichokes and mix everything

together. Just start adding frozen spinach to the recipe.

Thaw the spinach and squeeze out the juices. Use a box

and 1/2. You can add as much as you like. Bake at

about 350 until heat through.

GOT ANTS TIP from Arris

Homemade concoction: 1 Cup warm water, 1/2

cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons of Borax - mix it up -

soak a cotton ball in it and put it near their trail.