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Roots & ShootsRoots & Shoots

October 2009October 2009

EDITOR: Vineetha Kartha ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Carlene Warner COPY EDITORS: Meg Paterson, Karen Sankman CALENDAR: Karen Sankman WEBSITE QUESTIONS: Kristen Wagner 602/827-8200 x311 USPS MAIL QUESTIONS: Debbie Mauldin 602/827-8200 x308

Deadline is the 18th of the month prior.

Roots & Shoots, published monthly by & for Maricopa Co. Master Gardeners, is printed under the direction of:

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION MARICOPA COUNTY OFFICE

4341 E. BROADWAY RD. / PHOENIX, AZ 85040-8807 PHONE 602/827-8200 FAX 602/827-8292

HOURS: 8:00AM-5:00PM WEEKDAYS maricopamastergardeners.org

STAFF: Monica Pastor, County Extension Director James Truman, Program Coordinator, Sr

Kristen Wagner, Program Coordinator, Sr. 602-827-8200 x311 / krwagner@cals.arizona.edu

Debbie Mauldin, Admin. Ass’t 602/827-8200 x308 / dmauldin@cals.arizona.edu

Hours: M-W 8am-5pm

Roots & Shoots In this edition: Garden Spotlight MG Update Traveling Gardener Landscaping Hints Composting Decay Process And many more!!

Maricopa County Master Gardeners MG CONTACT LIST: For a complete listing, see the organizational chart under MG Business on the MG Central website East Valley Satellite: Wayne Hall -----------------------480-507-5422 Director at Large: Vacant Carl Rutherford ----------------- 480-325-1469 Educational Materials: Vacant NE Valley Satellite: Debbie Lyding ------------------- 602-789-7377 Demonstration Garden: Pam Perry 602-279-6250 Linda Belous ---------------------480-991-4306 MG Support: Cherie Czaplicki 623-975-5397 Linda Thiedke ------------------- 480-614-0150 Public Events: Vacant NW Valley Satellite: Mary Ann Garewal ------------- 623-388-4900 Public Training: Jim Oravetz 623-584-6068 Pat Greer ------------------------- 623-915-3337 Helen Zinn ------------------------623-271-7518 SATELLITE OFFICES: EAST VALLEY: 480-985-0338 NORTHEAST VALLEY: 480-312-5810 NORTHWEST VALLEY: 623-546-1672 Red Mtn. Multi-Generational Center Via Linda Senior Center PORA Office 7550 E. Adobe 10440 E Via Linda 13815 Camino del Sol Blvd Mesa, AZ 85207 Scottsdale, AZ 85258-6099 Sun City West, AZ 85375 Mon. & Thurs. 9:00a.m.-Noon Mon. 9 -12:30 p.m.; Thurs. 9 -4 p.m. Weekdays 9:00a.m.-Noon The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. Persons with a disability may request a reason-able accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Kristen Wagner, Program Coordinator, at krwagner@cals.arizona.edu 602-470-8086x311. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Ex-tension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

R&S: Tell us a little about yourself and your garden. OH: I have been always interested not only in growing plants but also designing. When I moved into this house 15 years ago, it was barren with stones and palm trees. I began the garden with an Ocotillo. Since then this garden has grown with gifts from others, a lot of patience and tender loving care. The front and the back yard differ in that the front yard is xeriscaped and the back yard is in a country setting with flowers and vegetables. I like to think of my garden as a sculpture, not entirely neat but organized in an aesthetic man-ner. Front yard focal points include a mesquite, palo verde and a thuja accented with a variety of agaves and cacti. We grow tomatoes, beans, peas, beets, lettuce and herbs to name a few as well as petunias, irises, Arizona yellow-bells and crocuses. We have a few citrus trees in the backyard as well. R&S: What inspired you to offer your garden for the RGRP tour this year? DP: A couple of friends persuaded me because of the nature of my garden—a desert garden in downtown Phoenix. Gardens also have the effect of reducing the heat island effect in this area, which our garden does. R&S: Tell us a little about your garden responsibilities and daily routine? OH: I regularly sit in my garden and enjoy the sights and sounds. I plant and water regularly, and fertilize three times a year. I love big pots and so a large part of my routine is washing and sterilizing the pots. I use them for garden shows to show off my agaves and cacti. R&S: What are you excited to spotlight about your garden for the RGRP tour visitors? OH: Most of the gardens here are not desert gardens, so I am excited to show off my various plants and the front yard. I will also have a lot of wildflowers blooming in garden in March. R&S: What advice would you give to gardeners who want to create a garden such as yours? OH: Have fun with your garden, enjoy, take time to sit down and relax R&S: What in your opinion is the importance of the RGRP tour for the master gardeners? OH: The RGRP tour gives people ideas, it gives me ideas. I always feel that if they can do it, I can do it. As mine is an evolving garden I always like to mimic ideas that I see in other’s gardens and magazines. If you would like to volunteer for the RGRP tour, please contact Kris Christensen at kqchristensen@gmail.com or Linda Thieken at lthieken@cox.net.

Orvalita’s garden is like a fairy tale setting; lush flora and secret nooks accented with quaint col-lections and the sound of gurgling water invite visitors to spend many lazy afternoons. The Hop-kin’s many talents and personalities have extended themselves into the garden making the space truly a part of their lives. Orvalita’s garden will be featured in the Maricopa County Master Gar-dener RGRP tour, to be held on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

Garden SPOTLIGHT Orvalita Hopkin’s “Collector’s Garden”

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Roots & Shoots

WHO: Mark Siegwarth, the new executive director of Boyce Thompson Arboretum (BTA), is no stranger to the val-ley. He’s been on the board as the Treasurer of the BTA for five years, prior to being selected as its 9th Director in Sep-tember of 2008. Mark came to BTA from Arizona State Parks where he was Assistant Director and overseeing the budget and finances of Arizona State Parks for almost nine years. Mark Siegwarth studied Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. A lifelong camper and hiker, Mark has been active in Boy Scouts since childhood and is a Life Scout as well as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Mark Siegwarth brings his love of nature as well as skills in man-agement and public policy to the Arboretum. Boyce Thompson Arboretum was founded in the 1920’s by Colonel Boyce Thompson. It is a sister institution to the Mas-ter Gardener program in the sense that both operate in rela-tion to the University of Arizona. Unlike the Master Gardener program, the Arboretum also operates under the aegis of the state park system. WHAT: Boyce Thompson Arboretum; Past, Pre-sent and Future - Mark will discuss the Arboretum’s his-tory and where Boyce Thompson is going. He emphasizes the continuity of the founder’s vision, Colonel Boyce Thomp-son, and it’s relevance for today and the future. Mark fo-cuses on this in hopes of helping future directors of BTA maintain continuity and quality. Colonel Boyce Thompson was horticulturally driven. He would have been a natural for the Master Gardening pro-gram, if it had existed back then. The colonel loved the land the Arboretum sits on; just the way it was and yet, he de-cided Arizona needed him to bring different plants in to learn what grows here. The Colonel was concerned about the local economy. He had high hopes that agriculture could take the place of the mines once the ore ran out. Mark will tie the founder’s vision together with current issues and the present state of the Arboretum. We’ll learn what it takes to maintain this treasured botanical garden so it can continue to delight and educate. WHEN: Wednesday, October 14, 9:00 am WHERE: at the extension office, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix

MG Update Boyce Thompson Arboretum By Deb Sparrow Past, Present, And Future

Images from http://ag.arizona.edu/bta/

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

Diggings in the Garden by Pam Perry

Fall is coming to the gardens. AMEN. Summer care this year has made our grounds welcoming and attractive for the Plant Sale and programs of the Fall Festival. Many, many thanks go out to all the volunteers who have weeded, composted, trimmed, planted, watered, pruned, and col-lected, cleaned, sorted, and packed seeds, and potted and grown plants all summer! With the cooler temperatures, we will return to Tuesday afternoons in the garden beginning in October! Work gen-erally begins about 3:00p.m. We stay until dusk, or as our schedules permit. All vegetable gardeners or wannabe’s are invited to come lend a hand, and see what is happen-ing, add suggestions or plants of interest, pull weeds, and harvest! Or come on down and work somewhere along the desert trail! There is always something to do in the garden! Summer always leaves me a bit winded, sighing as I write, but the green exuberance of the summer garden thrills me. The summer squash are beginning to set; the Armenian cukes have weathered the cucurbit dis-ease and been reasonably prolific, often offering fresh snacks for Tuesday classes. The Christmas limas may be so named because it is just about then that we harvest them as a dry bean; and they are spectacular as a big green screen all summer. The Hibiscus sabdariffa will go into bloom just as the interns graduate; hope-fully they will be able to see this final stage. The little green shoot became a green plant, then a bigger and bigger green plant. Only in the fall does it explode into WOW! Pumpkins and winter squash are beginning to think about doing their thing this year, and an early fall planting of corn is ripening as I write. A Thanksgiv-ing crop is seeded and was coming up when I last looked! Sweet potato harvesting will be announced later in October, and in November you are invited to join us and see what treasures lay under ground! The ever going cycle of plant, grow, harvest, and replace continues! No two seasons are the same, and the variety seems endless! Beyond the vegetable garden the Abutilon palmerii are lush and blooming, the desert willows have had color all summer; and the mallows are thinking about fall bloom. We have a great crop of pomelos this year, and oranges and lemons as well. Steve and Debbie Young help Jim and others with summer care in the roses and interns were offered opportunities to learn summer herb garden care at monthly Herb Association Weed and Feeds! The greenhouse area is home to the old composter and we have examples of the recycled toters offered by the cities for composting in the vegetable garden. The Rare fruit growers have many interesting plants lurking in the shade of the mesquites waiting for the fall fair! We have planted a Dahlbergia sissoo and a Podranea ricasoliana, or pink trumpet vine on the west side of the building. A Hardenbergia will grace the Bulb garden for years to come! James Truman is on board and is fielding calls from teachers. We will offer volunteer opportunities and pro-jects with schools and field trips. If this is of interest to you, be sure to reply to those opportunities. There is a project afoot to install a weather sensitive irrigation timer for the desert trail. Look for volunteer opportunities related to that as well. I compliment the summer intern’s class on doing a great job. They build on the efforts of all the volunteers before them who gardened on these grounds! Truly, this is an ongoing group effort. The support and initiative of volunteers is often underestimated. Hats off to the hundreds of those who contribute so many hours to these gardens.

Image by Pam Perry

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Design Charrette

The new Design Charrette team is pleased to announce the schedule for our 2nd and 3rd Charrettes. We have had a couple of schedule changes, so please mark your calendars with this new information. Our October Char-rette is now scheduled for 10/24 in Chandler, and our November Charrette is schedule for 11/14 in Fountain Hills. These dates are fluid as our Master Gardeners are a busy group, but we will send out an invitation two weeks before a scheduled Charrette, so please watch your email if you are interested. Our September Charrette was definitely an excellent start to the Charrette season. We visited with one of the garden owners scheduled for the 2010 Real Gar-dens for Real People tour. Lisa wrote, “My husband, Dave, and I were overwhelmed with all the wonderful ideas received from the very talented Master Garden-ers through the Design Charrette. We wanted to pick up our shovels as soon as they left! Instead of not knowing how to start our project, our challenge is not remodeling other areas of our garden as well, so that we can implement all their creative ideas. Thank you Master Gardeners.” One of our participants simply said “I had a great time at today's meeting (Charrette).” We still have an open slot for May 2010, so if you have previously attended a Charrette and would like to have one conducted for your garden, please e-mail the team at designcharrette@hotmail.com

Beth, Bill, Matt and Sue-The Design Charrette Team

Crimes Against Plants

Carol Stuttard is baffled by her neighbors who sprayed their Cereus Cactus purple. The cactus was alive and growing very well before this abomi-nation! She thinks it will be interesting to see what this image will spur to bring forth other similar “crimes.”

Visit the Arizona State Fair

October 16th through November 8th For more information, visit www.azstatefair.com

Orvalita Hopkins, Floriculture Superintendent azhopob@cox.com

(602)-265-8677

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

Urban chickens are fast becoming the premier pet for discerning folk looking to connect to their own personal food chain. Cities across the country are experiencing what many here in Arizona have already caught on to – keeping backyard chickens is not only a great source of eggs, but is also great fun! This December you’ll be able to see just how easy and fun it is to keep these fascinating and productive pets. The Tour de Coops is coming to the valley the first Saturday of December, 2009. Gardening enthusiasts just like you, who have decided to add chickens to their landscapes, will be opening their homes for the first time in Arizona. You’ll be able to see firsthand how other people are keeping chickens (and ducks, quail and other feathered friends) in their backyards. If you are interested in participating as a stop along the tour and want the chance to show off your lovely laying ladies, please drop me an email at liz@phoenixpermaculture.net. I can’t wait to see you all on the tour and introduce you personally to Danielle, Easter and Red. To find out more information about the tour, please visit www.phoenixpermaculture.org/events.

First ever Tour De Coups by Liz Lonetti

Fall Garden Festival & Community Celebration Saturday – October 24, 2009

8:00 am – 1:00 pm At

M e t r o T e c h H i g h S c h o o l 1 9 0 0 W . T h o m a s R o a d

Featuring: Local Garden Clubs & Vendors, Indoor & Outdoor Plants Organic Fruits and Vegetables/Gardeners Answer Booth, Garden Art: Trellis/Stepping stones/ Painted pots/ Hand painted cards and Much, Much More. Metro Tech High School is sponsoring the 9th Annual Fall Plant Sale and Community Celebration. Admission is FREE! Food and Refreshments will be on sale by the Metro�Tech�Student�Clubs.��

Saturday, October 17, 2009

8:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

City Hall Complex 16000 N Civic Center Plaza

Surprise, AZ 85374

Green Businesses A Taste of Surprise

Non-Profit Organizations Kid Activities Shred-a-thon

Green Workshops

Roots & Shoots

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Traveling Gardener, wandering, wondering, noticing… Peace in a Garden by Linda Larson

As I began my garden travels in August I fled the high temperatures of the Valley and from the highly charged political debate engulfing our country. I longed for peace in a garden as only nature could bring. As our country and the world grapple with so many conflicts I try to remember conflict is part of life. Peace Gardens remind me that citizens throughout the world see gardens as a path to peace. The idea of an International Peace Garden originated with Dr. Henry Moore, a graduate of Kew Gardens in London and a resident of Ontario, Canada. Dr. Moore was attending a horticultural conference in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1928 and was impressed by the congeniality and common interests of Canadians and Ameri-cans. He proposed a garden to celebrate this international relationship. He believed a garden is “where the people of the two countries could share the glories found in a lovely garden and the pleasures found in warm friendships.”

The International Peace Garden spans Canada and the United States celebrating the longest unfortified bor-der in the world. Near the geographic center of North America, Rugby, North Dakota, the garden begins where the natural water borders of the great lakes open onto the prairie and the prairie begins the rise to the mountains. Dedication of the International Peace Garden took place on July 14, 1932. “Horticulturalists and gardeners from both countries offered to carpet 400 acres with flowers and trees,” and celebrants pledged “We two nations dedicate this garden and pledge ourselves that as long as man shall live we will not take up arms against one another.” Of course the great depression changed and challenged everything. Funds for development disappeared but labor appeared! The U.S. Civilian Conservation Corps provided 600 men to work the 2400 acres donated by the two countries for this garden. The men worked to clear brush land, build lagoons and construct the first building. World War II then sapped all development. As a world weary from war emerged in the late 1940’s the ideals of the Peace Garden helped in healing the wounds of war. Funds were collected from small towns, rotary clubs, veterans, chapters of Eastern Star, Masons and many more organizations to build a peace chapel, entry gates, picnic areas, rose gardens and all manner of garden dreams. Canadian and US Govern-ments contributed funds to the garden’s development. A channel of water blends the borders of both countries from the entrance gates to the Peace Tower at the end. The Peace Towers dedicated in 1983 has four soaring columns symbolizing the dreams and ambitions of immigrants that built new lives in Canada and the U.S. with the common base of democracy. The towering spires, two on the U.S. side and two on the Canadian side represent the four corners of the earth coming to-gether.

Roots & Shoots

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Traveling Gardener continued…

Today the gardens include 400 acres of formal gardens with 180,000 colorful annuals, 7000 flowering shrubs, and 100’s of varieties of deciduous trees. The sunken gardens have been revi-talized this year with new plantings and a conservatory designed by French-Canadian architect Gaboury Etienne. Opening in 2010 will be a contemplative garden designed around steel girders sal-vaged from the World Trade Center attack of 9-11-2001. A fu-ture proposal for this extraordinary place is to establish a conflict resolution center on the garden grounds. I did indeed find peace in this garden. I was inspired hiking through the woodlands to enjoy the lake views. The inscriptions in the peace chapel revealed words of wisdom and a bell carillon played softly on the hour. Visitors wandered easily between the border speaking languages from around the world. All of this history emphasizes the amazing power of a garden to bring people together with a love of nature and nurture celebrat-ing our commonalities in growing flowers, trees and food. There is now an International Peace Garden Foundation: Planting the Seeds of Peace, formed in 1992 established “to advance global friendship and international understanding through the creation of peace gardens and cultural exchange programs.” Peace Gardens are developing around the world. So I sought peace in a garden just as citizens throughout the world have done for years. Conflicts will con-tinue and as gardeners we may intuitively seek out peace in our gardens but perhaps there is no higher goal than to help others find peace in a garden. So let’s grow more gardens and plant seeds of peace! Images by Rich Larson

Musings By Jim Homan

A Master Gardener by the name of Sam Kelsall suggested that I take this course. My Mom and Dad told me about the birds and the bees but no one ever told me about plants. How fascinating. I am never going to see 80 again but I am having so much fun in the class and learning incredible things about our commu-nity. Soils, pruning, how to install drip systems, and the list goes on. My greatest challenge was for an old Arizona State University graduate having to write a tuition check to the University of Arizona. Now that really hurt. Thank you Master Gardener organizers—by putting me at a table with young ladies and an old mentor, Charlie, I have learned so much. I have been experimenting with all kinds of seeds and plants. Off course I volunteer to do other things. I am really looking forward to spending eight or ten nights in Chandler as a room monitor and getting to listen to other people’s experiences. Thanks again for this learning experi-ence.

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Landscaping Hints by Tom Gatz

If you are wondering where you are going to place all those new plants you will likely get at the Master Gardener plant exchange October 10th and the DBG plant sale Oct 16-18, or just have a corner of your yard that you would like to make-over into a more appealing landscape, here are some tips I have gleaned from the experts over the past 16 years. Many of these ideas are from landscaping lectures and classes I have taken from the Desert Botanical Garden’s excellent horticultural staff and dur-ing workshops offered by Master Gardeners and the City of Phoenix. I have also picked up many of these tips from Judy Mielke, Carol Schuler, Carrie Nimmer, Ron Dinschak, and Kent Newland.

Add elevational relief and improve drainage with low, gently sloping mounds. Use one large year-round focal point (a large columnar cactus, for example) or a few seasonal focal points (large shrubs that flower at different times of the year). For a more natural and aesthetically pleasing look, repeat 2 or 3 pri-mary accent species of shrubs and cacti instead of the cluttered look of a collector’s garden with one of each species (my biggest chal-lenge!). Similarly, use several individuals of the same species or genus of tree. Mimic nature by clustering groups of the same species and boulders together, using uneven numbers (3, 5, 7) of each. Irregularly space clusters and individuals, leaving some open areas and meandering paths between planting islands. Bury your boulders about 1/3 deep to eliminate the “just fell off truck” look (or select flat-bottomed boul-ders to reduce cost and weight and only bury them a few inches). Use plants with contrasting shades and shapes (examples: plant low gray foliage plants in front of taller, green foliage plants). Add movement to your landscape with native bunch grass accents. Soften the cacti, agaves and rocks by inter-planting with leafy desert shrubs. For example, try a prickly pear and a native fairy duster together. Add architectural exclamation points by using specimen plants in large pots, especially in transition areas near patio, entryways and walkways Again, cluster them. Use one or two species of low shrub or perennial to knit the entire landscape together (such as bursage, desert marigold, or creosote). Use gravel, rock mulch and boulders of the same color for a natural look. To combine higher water shrubs with low-water succulents, place the plants that need less water and better drainage higher on a raised area and the leafy plants at the base of the raised where the water will collect. The elevational relief will also allow the higher succulents to make more of a statement.

Also consider:

Planting species like cholla and native bunch grasses where the sun will backlight them. Replicating natural associations like cacti/nurse-tree growing together. Think of flowers as a seasonal bonus instead of a year-round focus and depend instead on variations in shades of green and plant textures to provide year-round visual interest. A nice 3-way combination is the boulder/succulent/perennial combo. The perennial (penstemon, desert marigold, etc.) softens the boulder and provides seasonal color, while the succulent (cacti, agave or aloe) provides year-round visual interest with the boulder as a backdrop.

Sculptural forms of agaves, mammillaria and prickly pear cactus of contrasting shapes, shades and sizes, softened sea-sonally with wildflowers and year-round with Euphorbia rigida (E. biglandulosa), photo by Tom Gatz

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

Landscaping hints continued...

Hardscape Considerations:

Walls, fences, walkways and seating areas provide a touch of civilization to a natural landscape and can complement or set off the plants. Pull from the architecture of the house for your hard-scape (brick, tile, adobe, wood). Stone walls or rock veneer over cinder blocks look great with desert plants. Wedge old stockings filled with dirt to create planting pockets between rocks in the wall. 18” walls are the best height for seating. Add color by painting or staining boring, cinder-block walls. Be brave! Use old and/or interesting gates to add character. Use vine-covered arbors between areas of the garden to give the illusion of separate garden rooms.

Fall is the perfect time to establish new plantings in the low desert. Have fun!

These hot Phoenix summer months trapped indoors has found me combing through old articles I’ve archived about growing cactus and succulent plants, especially stapelias. I have many articles about mealy bug prevention for this genus of much loved plants. None of which have ever worked for me. In fact, one year, following the advice of one author, I lost 30 stapelias to these insatiable pests. My solution to ridding my plants of mealy bugs is an easy one involving no chemicals. I learned this method when I had an incredible opportu-nity to talk with one of the world’s stapelia experts. Attending the Cac-tus and Succulent Society of America’s conference in Tempe in 1987, I rode in from the stadium parking lot on the trolley with a fellow atten-dee, Darrel Plowes, who came from Sudan to speak at the conference about stapelias—my favorite succulent. Darrel told me how to prevent mealy bugs on the short ride. It has worked without exception! I know that’s a bold statement. Here’s what he said, and what I do:

Use clay pots. Layer the pot with one-third gravel in the bottom section. Use regular soil mix with about 40% pumice for the center one-third section. Sprinkle on more gravel and lay the roots or cutting on it. Don’t let the plant actually touch the soil in any way. Fill the remaining third of the pot with gravel around the base of the plant to support it.

The roots will grow through the gravel into the dirt. This method provides for lots of air circulation, some-thing mealy bugs don’t like. Since I’ve converted all my plants to this method—about 20 years ago—mealy bugs have not been a problem. Try it, I’ll bet it’ll work for you too.

Stapelias and Mealy Bugs by Sue Hakala

Image courtesy, http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4135/stapelia19florso2.jpg

Back-lighting provided by the late afternoon sun to bring out the contrasting shapes and various shades of green, photo by Tom Gatz

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Roots & Shoots

The two most important elements in all compost methods are the chemical makeup of the ingredients and the population of organisms in the pile. Decomposition occurs by the actions of successive communities of organisms where each group breaks down components for use by the next group. Regardless of the com-posting system, the final result is always humus, a complex organic molecule that can bind nutrients in the soil. The major elements found in humus are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, iron, and calcium. Humus also contains an assortment of micronutrients. During the composting process, carbohydrates (starches and sugars) break down to simple sugars, organic acids and carbon dioxide. Proteins decompose into peptides and amino acids, and then to ammonium com-pounds and atmospheric nitrogen. Nitrifying bacteria break down the ammonium compounds into nitrates, in a form that becomes available to plants as a nutrient. The last phase of composting produces humus from the products derived from all previous biological processes--there is even some evidence that humus contains the remains of microbial bodies. Carbohydrates and proteins make for good compost. Fats are not neces-sary and excessive amounts can cause the compost process to slow down or stop entirely. The microorganisms in the batch can make use of the nitrogen and other elements only when they are in specific forms and in specific ratios to one another. The ideal carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio is 25:1. When there is not enough carbon in the compost heap, nitrogen may be lost to the microorganisms because they are not given enough carbon to use with it. Nitrogen may also be lost to the atmosphere as ammonia and cause unpleasant odors. Excess carbon to available nitrogen makes composting inefficient and increases the length of the composting process. When added to the soil, high carbon compost causes nitrogen to be lost from the soil as soil microbes continue the decomposition process. Other factors such as temperature, moisture content, the size of the microbe populations, and the availability of nutrients determines the quality of the compost as well as how much oxygen is needed for decomposition. The amount of moisture should be as high as possible. As a general rule, moisture content should be close to 45 or 50% and will slow the decomposition process at lower levels. If moisture content is too high, oxy-gen will not flow through the pores in the pile, and decomposition will slow down or stop all together. Warmer outdoor temperatures increase the decomposition process. Microbial activity in the compost pile can cause decomposition to occur at extremely high temperatures. These microbes fall into two general catego-ries: Mesophilic and Thermophilic. Mesophilic bacteria thrive in temperatures between 50-113 degrees Fahr-enheit. Thermophilic bacteria thrive in temperatures from 113 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit, but some thrive in temperatures up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Composting generally begins with mesophilic temperatures and ends with thermophilic temperatures. Thermophilic temperatures kill weed seeds and diseases and should be encouraged. Compost heaps smaller than 3 feet by 3 feet are generally too small to heat up. To encourage maximum microbial action, pH should be optimal. Bacteria in compost prefer a range of pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Fungal decomposers prefer a pH range between 5.5 and 8.0. Finished compost should have a neutral (7.0) pH or slightly acid pH (below 7.0); however, slightly alkaline compost (above 7.0) can be tolerated. Composting at home is not as intimidating or as complicated as it sounds. As a general rule, the pile should have 2/3 brown (carbon-rich materials) and 1/3 green (nitrogen-rich materials). Alternate 1-inch thick layers of green materials between 3-6 inch thick carbon (brown) layers. It is better to add too much carbon than nitrogen because the excess green material causes unpleasant odors. Keep the pile moist and turn every two or three days to add oxygen to the mixture. Composting can take as little as two weeks from start to finish, or as long as a couple of years, depending on method and material.

Composting Decay Process and General Information by Kellie Gutridge

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

Note: This is the first of a series of articles on ComposT-Twin by MaryAnn Armbuster. We think you will enjoy the infor-mational series on this useful tool as much as you have enjoyed Kellie Gutridge’s articles on composting. We love compost and would find it very difficult to garden without it. It supplies organic matter, feeds soil organisms, adds micronutrients, and when used as mulch, it keeps the soil cooler and maintains moisture. It also reduces the load on our community waste disposal systems by keeping a significant amount of kitchen and garden waste out of the trash bin and the landfill. Making it, however, can seem daunting to the begin-ner and can be difficult physically for those, like us, who have problems with heavy physical labor. Why use a ComposT-Twin We have used a variety of composting methods, from the traditional layered ‘pile’ to a single tumbler and fi-nally to the ComposT-Twin. We find the ComposT-Twin to be the easiest method to produce compost for us in our garden. The ComposT-Twin has four distinct advantages. They are:

Two separate bins; this allows you to fill one side and let it work (the ‘cooking’ bin) while having another place to add a continuous stream of kitchen and garden waste (the working bin). It can be mixed by turning the crank, which is much easier physically than ‘turning the pile’ using a pitchfork and shovel. The sealed doors prevent intrusion from birds, large insects and other critters. The finished compost can be easily removed from the bin by placing a wheelbarrow under the bin, removing the door and rotating the bin to empty the contents. No bending or lifting required. This material will then have to be sifted into a separate container. Alternatively, the finished compost can be removed with a small bucket and trowel directly into the sifter placed over the wheelbarrow, as shown here.

The ComposT-Twin also has some disadvantages.

It is pricey, at about $500. It comes flat and takes a serious effort to assemble. Although it takes up about as much surface area as a traditional two or three bin bed, it is over five

feet tall, making it appear very large in the landscape. This height does allow the wheelbarrow to access the door from underneath and allows us to access the finished compost with minimal bend ing as shown here. There is a version that is lower to the ground and seems smaller, but one must bend to access its contents.

Using the ComposT-Twin by MaryAnn Armbuster

Roots & Shoots

12�

Book Review by Alix Schafer

COOL PLANTS FOR HOT GARDENS 200 Water Smart Choices for the Southwest By Greg Starr What distinguishes the Robust Pink Rain Lily from the Pink Rain Lily? (The answer, “One is more robust,” does not count unless you can say how it is more robust.) Do not despair if you are not a plant identification quiz whiz. Grab a copy of “Cool Plants for Hot Gardens”, by Greg Starr and turn to pages 167 and 311 to read about these very cool plants. “Cool Plants for Hot Gar-dens” is a compact encyclopedia of 200 plants that are not necessarily native to the southwest but grow well in Arizona and its neighboring states. The entries are organized alphabetically by botanical name; the index provides a quick cross reference if you know the common name. After a preliminary speed-read, I put “Cool Plants” to an early test by using it to look for plants for five new raised beds outside my daughters’ school. The results were excellent; I easily found useful information, or-ganized in a way to that made it easy to gather quickly. For example, each plant description includes a sec-tion called “Landscape Application” that advises about details I had not considered, such as whether a plant works better as background or as a focal point, whether a plant offers subtle or bright color, or whether a plant will look more at home in a parking lot divider or in a xeriscape garden. Within an hour I had a draft list of eight or nine possibilities that are colorful, hardy at this elevation of desert and well suited for a high-traffic, urban setting. At least three things stand out about “Cool Plants for Hot Gardens”. First, Starr uses four easy-to-see sym-bols for four useful-to-know plant characteristics: the plant (1) it attracts hummingbirds, (2) attracts butter-flies, (3) works well in a pool area, and (4) does well in a container. The fourth symbol (a pot) inspired me to add the Red Hesperaloe and the Engelmann Hedgehog to my school flowerbed list. Second, despite being small enough to require some squinting in some cases, crisp color photos draw your eye and interest to plants you may have skimmed past in other books. Most plant descriptions include a close-up photo of a flower or leaf and a shot from further back, sometimes against the backdrop of other plants or a house, to provide scale. Third, Starr’s prose has all the efficiency and clarity one expects in an encyclopedia, as well as varied vocabu-lary and touches of humor that are unusual for the genre. According to Starr:

When sago palm plants are young, “the leaves eke out, one at a time. Older plants crank it up with two or more crops of leaves annually.”

The Indigo Bush has a tendency to “languish” in the shade. A good way to grow the robust pink lily, and presumably the pink lily, is to “toss the bulbs” in holes with

agaves and yuccas. Rabbits, rodents and javelinas are voracious consumers of many desert plants. Rabbits, for example, will feast on the purple muhly. This book is a keeper. Well, not this book; I have to give this book back to the MG Program. But I am going to get my own copy. I expect it will soon be dog-eared and grubby, like my other good gardening books.

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

October 2009 Events Calendar Submit events to Karen Sankman

Thu 1 NW Satellite Office Diagnostic clinic

10 am-noon, 13815 Camino del Sol, Sun City West (623) 546-1672, MaryAnn Garewal. Mike Wallace, AZ Dept of Agriculture, will discuss the cactus moth and Asian Citrus Psyllid.

Thu 1 Phoenix Permaculture Volunteer Orientation 5-6 pm, Madcap Theaters, 730 S. Mill Ave, Tempe. Info

Thu 1 Tree Selection and Planting

5:30-7:30 pm, Peoria City Hall, Pine Room, 8401 W. Monroe St., Peoria, free. Speaker: Tyler Storey. Info, Register or (623) 773-7286.

Thu 1 Arizona Herb Association General Meeting

7-9 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative. Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Guest: JoAnn Sanchez, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Carolyn Hills, AZ Herb Assoc.

Fri 2 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Fri 2

Desert Designers Monthly Meeting

10 am-noon, Pyle Adult Center, 655 E. Southern, Tempe. Marylou Coffman, Desert Designers

Sat ? Valley of the Sun Plumeria Society Meeting

If you are interested in plumerias, contact Michele or (480) 544-2388 for the exact Saturday date, time, and location. At the time of publication, this information was not known. Valley of the Sun Plumeria Society

Sat 3 Arizona Herb Association Weed and Feed

7:30 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Everyone is welcome! Fun, hands-on experience. Carolyn Hills, AZ Herb Assoc

Sat 3 Phoenix Permaculture: Wilson Acres Tour

8-10 am, 10 am-noon, Wilson Acres, 1012 S. Wilson St., Tempe, $5 donation. The owners have converted a typical flood irrigated urban yard into an urban farm. Info

Sat 3 AZ Homegrown Solutions: Prickly Pear Fruit Gleaning

8-10 am, Meet at Crown Court Apartments, 7900 E. Princess Dr., Scottsdale, $10 donation. Info/Register

Sat 3 Wallace Desert Gardens Tour

9 am-2:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $50 or $70 w/transportation for mem/$65 non-mem or $85 with transportation. Includes lunch and snacks. Info/Register

Sat 3 Mesa East Valley Rose Society Deadheaders

9 am pruning, Mesa Community College Rose Garden, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. Bring gloves and pruners/shears. Carol Poe or (480) 895-7793, Mesa East Valley Rose Society

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Sat 3 Landscape Watering by the Numbers

9-11 am, Surprise Community and Senior Center, 15832 N. Hollyhock St, Surprise. Free. Rose Hurwitz (602) 938-5734

Sat 3 Plant Materials for the Desert

9 am-1 pm, Tempe South Police Substation Auditorium, 8201 S. Hardy Drive, free. Info, Register: Richard Bond or (480) 350-2627

Sat 3 Xeriscape: Desert Fusion Garden and Walking Tour

9:30-11:30 am, Peoria City Hall, Pine Room, 8401 W. Monroe St., Peoria, free. Speaker: Tyler Storey. Learn the seven principles of xeriscaping. Info, Register or (623) 773-7286.

Sat 3 Master Gardener Q&A Session

10 am-2 pm, Northwest Regional Library located in the Surprise Recreation Complex, 16089 N. Bullard Ave, Surprise, AZ. AnneThomson. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Sat 3 AZ Homegrown Solutions: Straw Bale Raised Bed Installation

10 am- 3 pm, Lascher Residence, 1137 E. Avenida Kino, Casa Grande. Casa Grande Action Group Meeting until 10:30 am, followed by a straw bale raised bed installation. Info/Register

Sat 3 Winter Vegetable Gardening

10:30 am, Southwest Gardener, 2809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix, $35. Info, Register at (602) 279-9510

Sat 3 “Scentsational” Gardening

10:30 am-1 pm, Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, free. Speaker: Kirti Mathura, Info, Register or (623) 333-4422

Sat 3 Bonsai of Scottsdale 1:30 pm, Granite Reef Senior Center, Rm 7, 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale. Pat Mitchell or (480) 575-5649

Sat 4 AZ Homegrown Solutions: Intro to Sustainable Systems

1-2:30 pm, Sweet Pea Cottage, 2017 N. Laurel Ave, Phoenix, $10. Find out how gardening, composting, plants, soils, etc. come together to provide you with a healthy living environment. Info/Register

Sat 4 Plants of the Bible Guided Tour

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about botany, history, and scripture on this slow-paced walk led by AZ State Park volunteer, David Oberpriller. Info

Mon 5 Desert Pointe Garden Club Meeting

9-11:30, Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Dr., Phoenix. Topic: Container Gardening with Cherie Czaplicki. Judy Tolbert (480) 961-1768

Mon 5 Ask a Master Gardener

10 am-noon, Sun City Library, Bell Branch, 16828 N. 99th Ave, Sun City. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice. Cherie Czaplicki or Antje Schneider

Mon 5 Scottsdale Garden Club Monthly Meeting

11:30 am, McCormick Ranch Golf Club, 7500 E. McCormick Pkwy, Scottsdale. RSVP for luncheon to Karen Kelley or (602) 942-4848, Scottsdale Garden Club

Mon 5 Valley of the Sun Gardeners Meeting

6:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Orvalita Hopkins

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Mon 5 Proper Care of Desert Lawns

6:30-8:30 pm, Glendale Main Library Auditorium, 5959 W. Brown St, Glendale, free. Info, Register at (623) 930-3760

Mon 5 Orchid Society of AZ Monthly Meeting

7-9 pm, Arizona State Veteran Home, 4141 N. 3rd St, Phoenix. Julie Rathbun or (602) 843-0223. Orchid Society of Arizona

Tue 6 Summer 2009 Master Gardener Training

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Topic: Herbs with Carolyn Hills

Tue 6 NE Valley Satellite Diagnostic Clinic

10 am-noon, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. John Eisenhower or (602) 796-1034. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Tue 6 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry or (602) 279-6250

Tue 6 Down to Earth Toastmasters

6-7:15 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Contact: Olivette Aviso, or (480) 235-5989. Down to Earth Toastmasters

Tue 6 Drip Irrigation Design and Installation

6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Tue 6 Measuring Your Water Footprint

6-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Tue 6, 13, and 20

Southwest Landscaping: Three-Class Series

6:30-8:45 pm, Chandler Senior Center, 202 E. Boston Street, Chandler. Ron Dinchak teaches the concepts of design, planning for small spaces, desert plant palette, plant selection. Free to Chandler utility customers. Register at (480) 782-3580, Info

Tue 6 Sun Country Iris Meeting

7 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Info: Ardi Kary at (480) 949-0253, Rhizome sale and auction. Sun Country Iris Society

Tue 6 Phoenix Bonsai Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Elsie Andrade at (602) 995-3870. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Wed 7 Permaculture Workshop

6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Wed 7 Phoenix Permaculture: Composting

6:30-8 pm, Drip Lounge Coffee Lounge, 2325 N. 7th St, Phoenix, $10 donation. Info

Thu 8 Landscaping in the AZ Desert

11 am-noon, Development and Community Services Bldg., Point of View Room, 9875 N. 85th Ave., Peoria, free. Speaker: Kirti Mathura, Horticulturist. Info, Register or (623) 773-7286.

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Thu 8 Tolleson Gourd Patch Monthly Meeting

2:00-4:30 pm, Tolleson Senior Center, 9555 W. VanBuren, Tolleson, AZ. Contact Lana Hinde or (602) 843-9015 , Tolleson Gourd Patch

Thu 8 Spirit of the Desert Gourd Patch Meeting

4:30-6:30 pm, Sewing Room at the Sun Lakes Oakwood Arts & Crafts Center at the intersection of Riggs Rd and EJ Robson Blvd, Sun Lakes. Sally Kiste (480) 895-7638 or Barbara Crossland (480) 802-6891, Spirit of the Desert

Thu 8 AZ Homegrown Solutions: Build a Compost Tea Maker

6-8 pm, Sweet Pea Cottage, 2017 N. Laurel Ave, Phoenix, $40 which includes all materials. Info/Register

Thu 8 Proper Plant Selection 6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Thu 8 Arizona Herb Association General Meeting

7-9 pm, Maricopa County Co. Ex, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Carolyn Hills, AZ Herb Assoc.

Thu 8 East Valley Garden Club Meeting

7-9 pm, Mesa Community College at 1833 W. Southern, Kiva Room in the basement of the Clock Tower Building. Neva Coester or (480) 832-2613

Thu 8 Rose Society of Glendale

7 pm, Glendale Adult Center, Rm. 104, 5970 W Brown St., Glendale Rose Society of Glendale, Gerry Mahoney or (602) 616-3137

Thu 8 Mesa East Valley Rose Society Monthly Meeting

7 pm, Mesa Community College Library, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. (480) 807-3475. Lab soil testing available. Mesa East Valley Rose Society

Thu 8

AZ Rare Fruit Growers Monthly Meeting

7:30 pm, Palo Verde Room at Maricopa County Co. Ex, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. AZ Rare Fruit, Patrick Hallman (602) 348-5576

Fri 9 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Fri 9 thru Fri 25

Boyce Thompson Fall Plant Sale

8 am-5 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ.Info

Fri 9 Washington Garden Club

9:30 am, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Orvalita Hopkins, Washington Garden Club

Sat 10 Phoenix Permaculture: Herb Spiral Workshop

8 am-noon, 2518 N. Mitchell, Phoenix, $20 donation. Info/Register

Sat 10 Phoenix Pond Society 9 am, Meeting at a Chandler home. Contact for address: Susan Sithwick (480) 654-2107. Phoenix Pond Society

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Sat 10 Desert Garden Institute: Wildflowers

9 am-noon, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. $25 or $100 for five classes that are offered throughout the year. Instructor: Deb Sparrow. Info/Register

Sat 10 Water Efficient Irrigation Design and Installation

9 am-noon, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Sat 10 Irrigation Design, Installation, Maintenance

9 am-1 pm, Tempe South Police Substation Auditorium, 8201 S. Hardy Drive, free. Info, Register: Richard Bond or (480) 350-2627

Sat 10 or Nov 14

Desert Botanical Garden Volunteer Orientation Class

9 am-1 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, Info and Register or Pam Levin at (480) 481-8166

Sat 10 Perennial Divide Plant Sale

9 am-4 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Info/Presentations

Sat 10 Fall Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers

10-11 am, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix, Reservations at (602) 437-0700, ext. 120 or #2

Sat 10 Iris Planting and Care 11-noon, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix, Reservations at (602) 437-0700, ext. 120 or #2

Sat 10 Iris Sale 7 am- 5 pm, Sun Country Iris Society Rhizome Sale, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix

Sat 10 Phoenix Permaculture: Fruit Trees

1-2:30 pm, East West Exchange, 2051 W. Warner Rd, Chandler, $10 donation. Info/Register

Sat 10 Edible/Medicinal Desert Plant Guided Walk

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about native desert plants have fed, clothed, and healed indigenous peoples for millennia. Info

Sat 10 Sustainable Desert Vegetable Gardening

1:30 -4 pm, Mesa Main Library, 64 E. First St, Mesa, free. No registration needed. More info: (480) 644-4400

Sun 11 AZ Homegrown Solutions: Building Your Own Rain Barrel

9-11 am, 922 W. Pierson St, Phoenix, $10. Additional materials available $12 to $45. Info/Register

Sun 11 Mesquite Bean Flour Class

10:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn to grind your own flour from mesquite pods. Info, free with admission.

Tue 13 Summer 2009 Master Gardener Training

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension,, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Topic: Weed Management with Dr. Ed Northam

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Tue 13 Desert Sun African Violet Society Meeting

10 am, for location contact: Ann Stoetzer or (623) 872-9020. Desert Sun African Violet Society

Tue 13 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa Cooperative Extension,, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry or (602) 279-6250

Tue 13 Color Your World with Blooming Plants

6-8:30 pm, Avondale City Hall, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive, free. Speaker: Cathy Rymer. Info, Register or (623) 333-4422

Tue 13 Sprinkler Design and Installation

6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Tue 13 Color Your World 6-8:30 pm, Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, free. Speaker: Cathy Rymer. Info, Register or (623) 333-4422

Tue 13 Designing Yards for Wildlife

6-9 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Tue 13 Arizona Native Plant Society Meeting

7-9 pm, Webster Auditorium at Desert Botanical Garden. Arizona Native Plant Society, Doug Green or (480) 998-5638

Tue 13 Sonoran Desert Iris Society Monthly Meeting

7 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Darol Jurn or (623) 932-3412

Tue 13 West Valley Rose Society Meeting

7 pm, Landscape Mart, 8028 W. Thunderbird Rd, Peoria, AZ Heidi Leavitt (602) 971-0179, West Valley Rose Society

Tue 13 Phoenix Bonsai Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Elsie Andrade at (602) 995-3870. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Wed 14 Master Gardener Update

9 am-noon, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Topic: Mark Siegwarth, executive director of Boyce Thompson will discuss the Arboretum’s history and plans for the future. Deb Sparrow

Wed 14 RGRP Tour Meeting 12:30-2 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Linda Thieken

Wed 14 Composting 6-8:30 pm,Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Wed 14 Plant Care and Maintenance for Desert Landscapes

6:30-9 pm, Utilities Dept. Bldg. Community Room, 640 N. Mesa Drive, Mesa, free. Info, Register with name, address, phone, or call (480) 644-4400.

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Wed 14 Phoenix Permaculture: Fruit Trees

7-8:30 pm, Cave Creek Coffee, 6033 E. Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, $10 donation. Info/Register

Wed 14 Scottsdale Rose Society Monthly Meeting

7:30 pm, Eldorado Community Center, 2311 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale (480) 926-3064

Thu 15 NW Valley Gourd Patch Monthly Meeting

3:30-5:30 pm, Nadaburg School in Wittman, AZ. Contact Judy Moody or (623) 544-6866, NW Valley Gourd Patch

Thu 15 Landscape Watering 101

5:30-7:00 pm, Peoria City Hall, Pine Room, 8401 W. Monroe St., Peoria, free. Info, Register or (623) 773-7286.

Thu 15 Vegetable Gardening 6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Speaker: Mary Irish, Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Thu 15 Desert Valley Orchid Society Meeting

6:30 pm, Scottsdale Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Steve Grass, or (602) 508-1808, Desert Valley Orchid Society

Fri 16 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Fri 16, 17, 18

Desert Botanical Fall Plant Sale

7 am- 5 pm on Fri. for members only, 7 am- 5 pm on Sat, 9 am- 5 pm on Sun, Desert Botanical Garden

Sat 17 Mesa East Valley Rose Society Deadheaders

8 am, Mesa Community College Rose Garden, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. Bring gloves and pruners/shears. Carol Poe or (480) 895-7793, Mesa East Valley Rose Society

Sat 17 Going Green Fair

8 am- 2 pm, Surprise City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza, (623) 222-7023. Environmental organizations, local green services/products, eco-workshops, kid-friendly vendors, food and entertainment. Bring documents to be shredded in drive-thru “shred-a-thon.” Info, MG Ambassador signup

Sat 17 Earthbox Gardening 10 am, Southwest Gardener, 2809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix, $98. Instructor: Pam Perry. Info, Register at (602) 279-9510

Sat 17 Desert Sun African Violet Society Meeting

10 am, for location contact: Ann Stoetzer or (623) 872-9020. Desert Sun African Violet Society

Sat 17 Ask a Master Gardener

10:30-1:30 pm, Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice. Tish Carpenter

Sat 17 Bonsai of Scottsdale 1:30 pm, Granite Reef Senior Center, Rm 7, 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale. Pat Mitchell or (480) 575-5649

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Sat 17 Plants of the Bible Guided Tour

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about botany, history, and scripture on this slow-paced walk led by AZ State Park volunteer, David Oberpriller. Info

Sun 18 Phoenix Permaculture: Building a Rain Barrel 9-11 am, 922 W. Pierson, Phoenix, $10 donation. Info/Register

Sun 18 Trees of the Arboretum Sunday Walk

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about the trees at Boyce Thompson. Terry Mikel will be leading the tour. Info

Mon 19 Desert Vegetable Gardening Made Easy

6:30-8:30 pm, Glendale Main Library Auditorium, 5959 W. Brown St, Glendale, free. Speaker: Mary Irish, Info, Register at (623) 930-3760

Mon 19 Phoenix Permaculture Volunteer Orientation

7-8 pm, Pink Spot Coffee & Ice Cream/Z Pizza, 53 W. Thomas Rd, Phoenix, Info

Tue 20 West Valley Gourd Patch Monthly Meeting

1:30 pm, Glendale Library at 59th Ave. and Brown. Contact Joanne Griner or (623) 937-3268, West Valley Gourd Patch

Tue 20 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry or (602) 279-6250

Tue 20 Down to Earth Toastmasters

6-7:15 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Contact: Olivette Aviso, or (480) 235-5989. Down to Earth Toastmasters

Tue 20 Irrigation Maintenance and Repair

6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Tue 20 Phoenix Bonsai Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Elsie Andrade at (602) 995-3870. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Tue 20 Phoenix Rose Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Phoenix Rose Society, Jeannie Cochell or (602) 493-0238

Wed 21 AZ Gourd Society Monthly Meeting

7-9 pm, Maricopa County Co. Ex, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Contact Cheri Williams or (623) 322-5660, AZ Gourd Society

Wed 21 Phoenix Chrysanthemum Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Wayne Wight or (602) 943-7418

Thu 22-25 Great Pumpkin Festival 9 am- 3 pm , Desert Botanical Garden. Festival activities and hayride. Free pumpkins for children 12 and under.

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Thu 22 Fall Garden Festival

8 am- 2 pm, Metro Tech High School, 1900 W. Thomas Rd, Phoenix. Festival brings the community together and showcases the high school and its programs. Plants will be for sale as well. Info: Mary Throop (602) 764-8000

Thu 22 New River Gourd Patch Meeting

9-11:30 am, New River Senior Center, 48606 N. 17th Avenue, New River, AZ 85087. Camille Massey or (602) 708-0416

Thu 22 Making Salad Bowls with Ahwatukee Seniors

Noon-1 pm, Pecos Senior Center, 17010 S. 48th Street, Phoenix. Volunteer to help lead a group of seniors in making a “salad bowl” container garden. RSVP to Pam Perry

Thu 22 Programming Your Irrigation Timer

6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Thu 22 Phoenix Permaculture: Fruit Trees

6:30-8 pm, Madcap Theaters, 730 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, $10 donation. Info/Register

Fri 23 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Sat 24 Phoenix Permaculture: Urban Farm Open House/Fruit Tree Class

8:30 am -noon, The Urban Farm, 6750 N. 13th Place, Phoenix, $10 donation. Info/Register

Sat 24 Desert Garden Institute: Pruning Techniques

9 am-noon, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. $25 or $100 for five classes that are offered throughout the year. Instructor: John Eisenhower. Info/Register

Sat 24 Design Charrette 9 am-noon, Charrette at a Chandler home. Reserve at Beth or (480) 275-4833.

Sat 24 Drip Irrigation Design and Installation

9 am-noon, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Sun 25 AZ Homegrown Solutions: Prickly Pear Fruit Gleaning

8-10 am, Meet at Crown Court Apartments, 7900 E. Princess Dr., Scottsdale, $10 donation. Info/Register

Sun 25 Edible/Medicinal Desert Plant Guided Walk

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about native desert plants have fed, clothed, and healed indigenous peoples for millennia. Info

Sun 25 Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society Meeting

2 pm, Dorrance Hall at Desert Botanical Garden. Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society Judy Braun-Brody at (480) 481-8129

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service, and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours.

Tue 27 Summer 2009 Master Gardener Training

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Final Exam and Graduation

Tue 27 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry or (602) 279-6250

Tue 27 Wildflowers 6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Speaker: Kirti Mathura, Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Tue 27 Drip Irrigation 6:00-8:45 pm, Chandler Senior Center, 202 E. Boston Street, Chandler. Instructor: Jeff Lee. Free to Chandler utility customers. Register at (480) 782-3580, Info

Tue 27 Pruning Trees and Shrubs

6:30-8:30 pm, Glendale Main Library Auditorium, 5959 W. Brown St, Glendale, free. Info, Register at (623) 930-3760

Tue 27 Introduction to Propagation

6-9 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Wed 28 Water Wise Landscaping

6-7:30 pm, Surprise Community and Senior Center, 15832 N. Hollyhock St, Surprise. Free. Rose Hurwitz (602) 938-5734

Thu 29 Potted Plants in the Landscape

6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Speaker: Kirti Mathura, Register Online or (480) 312-5690. Info

Fri 30 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.

Sat 31 Phoenix Permaculture: Mesquite/Carob Milling

9 am- 4 pm, Roadrunner Park, 3502 E. Cactus Rd, Phoenix, $5 for each 5 gallon bucket of beans milled. Info

Sat 31 Southwest Gardener: Fall Plant Sale

10 am-12:30 pm, Southwest Gardener, 2809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Veggies/herbs from Dos Arbolitos Nursery. Info

Nov Sat 7

Desert Garden Institute: Plant Propagation/Seed Starting

9 am-noon, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. $25 or $100 for five classes that are offered throughout the year. Instructor: Pam Perry. Info/Register