Download in this issue

Spring 2016
in this issue
Good Bug, Bad Bug p. 2-3
Announcements p. 4-5
Mother Plants p. 6-7
What’s going
on here?
Look on
page 3
to find out!
When to Plant What p. 8-9
Recipes p. 10
Professor Pansy p. 11
All about Garden Bugs!
article by zephirine foster
illustrations by nichole sheehan
Bugs come in all shapes and sizes, and in all sorts of interesting colors.
All bugs are hungry! Just like us, bugs need to eat to survive and each one has its favorite foods.
Bugs that eat plants - Some of these we call “bad bugs” because they can hurt our
plants if there are a lot of them. But many of them also do good things for our gardens.
Slugs & snails are
Aphids are very
small and sometimes
hard to see. They
make babies really
fast, and they can
hurt your plants when
there are a lot of
them. Always check
the bottoms of your
leaves for aphids,
and wash them off
right away when you
see them.
not really bugs (they
are mollusks, like
clams and squid).
They are soft-bodied
and slimy, and they
can eat your crops
right up! Have you
ever looked at one
up close?
Stink bugs are shaped like tiny
shields and are usually very pretty.
They make a stinky smell if they get
squished! They drink plant sap, but
they usually won’t hurt your plants
unless there are a lot of them.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
There are bugs in my garden!
What should I do?
Bugs that eat other bugs - Gardeners usually call these “good bugs” because they
help us with pest control. Sometimes they help with other jobs too!
Ground
beetles are
large, shiny,
and usually
black. They also
move really
fast! That’s a
good thing,
because they
hunt and eat
other bugs that
can hurt our
plants. They
even eat slugs!
Spiders are not really bugs (they are
Caterpillars might eat your leaves,
but they are baby butterflies and
moths! They have mouths that are
good at chewing and big appetites.
Spittle bugs make the
funny-looking little gobs
of spit that you might
see on the stems of your
plants. They use the spit for
protection. It might look
weird, but they usually
don’t hurt the plants.
Bees eat plant parts, but
only in ways that help us!
They eat nectar and pollen
from flowers and pollinate
plants we use for food.
Honeybees also make
yummy, nutritious honey.
arachnids, like scorpions). Some kinds make
webs to catch flying insects, and others
hunt from the ground. Either way, they are
very important The kinds that we usually
find in our gardens don’t hurt people.
Ladybugs eat lots of aphids! They
also eat other pests like whitefly and
mealy bugs. Baby ladybugs look a bit like
miniature black and red alligators, (like the
picture on the cover!) and they eat even
more pests than the adults!
Wasps catch bugs to feed to their
baby sisters and brothers. Yellow jackets
are one kind of wasp we see a lot
around here. Some people are scared
of them because they can sting, but
they can also help you.
Earth-friendly gardening tips!
Mix different kinds of plants together to confuse pests and keep your garden in balance. Catnip,
garlic, marigold, mint, and rosemary are some useful plants, said to naturally chase pests away.
Birds like to eat bugs. They can help a lot with pest control! Welcome birds to your garden with a
bird bath of clean water, berry bushes for extra food, and trees where they can build their nests.
MARCH
GIFTS
March
1lb Bulk Seed Potatoes
Did you know that the “seed” for a potato is
a potato? A new potato plant can grow out
of each little dent (called an “eye”) of an old
potato. For each pound of potatoes you plant
in the spring, you can harvesting up to ten
pounds in the fall.
Card carrying Junior Gardeners Club members get a free
pound of seed potatoes to plant in March.
Use your Junior Gardeners
Club membership card to get
these awesome gifts for free!
EVENTS
Make sure to check our
website and the newsletter to
find out what’s coming up!
Sunday, March 6th at 2pm
Make a nesting material wreath for backyard birds
It’s time for our backyard birds to make nests so they can raise
their babies. Let’s help them by creating a cool art project! Birds
use what they can find around them to make nests. In urban
areas, they can use a little help from humans. Join us to make
fun and creative wreaths that will bring birds to our homes and
maybe even encourage them to nest nearby!
This activity is free.
Our next in-person
activity will be in
August, and we’ll
have other fun
take-home activities
in June and July.
What do
you think of all
the changes
around here?
MAY
APRIL
You can help the
our club keep getting
better!
April
4” Color Spot Annual
Once spring is in full swing, we’ll have lots of
beautiful annual flowers, from petite little
petunias to stately salvias.
Junior Gardeners get to choose any $2.19 color spot annual
they want to take home for free in April.
May
4” Strawberry Plant
Start your own strawberry patch!
Strawberries are fun and easy to grow.
They may not make very many berries the first
year but they should make lots the next year.
Junior Gardeners can get started in May with a free $3.99,
4” strawberry plant.
April take-home activity
Start seeds indoors
We won’t have an in-person class in April, but you can still
connect with the Junior Gardeners Club and do a fun activity!
Stop by the Junior Gardeners Headquarters throughout April
to learn all about starting seeds indoors, and pick up some
free goodies to get started.
May take-home activity
Plant a garden hideaway
May is a great time to sow seeds for tall and beautiful plants
like scarlet runner beans and sunflowers. Did you know that you
can grow your very own garden hideaway using these plants?
Stop by the Junior Gardeners Headquarters during May to learn
how. We’ll even have some seeds to help you get started.
Do you love this
club? Do you
have some ideas
for improvements,
articles, or activities?
Do you want to send
us photographs
or artwork of your
garden?
We want to
hear from you!
You can always let
us know what you
think in person, or
by emailing us at
[email protected].
We’d love your help.
Take our survey
online
or in person
Let’s keep making
this club better
together!
Some Plants have Mothers to Celebrate!
Next time you’re outside see how many mother
and baby plants you can find near you!
Happy Mother’s Day!
article and photos by nichole sheehan
What is propagation?
What is a mother plant?
When a plant or a person makes more plants from one or more other plants, this is called
propagation. A plant that grows pups is using a type of propagation called layering. This makes a
clone of the parent plant without needing another plant parent.
A plant is called a mother plant when it makes tiny baby
plants that are connected to the bigger parent plant. The
baby plants are connected to the parent plant and start
to form leaves and roots before being separated. That
way, the baby plant can use food made by the parent
to get a really strong start! These baby plants are called
plantlets or pups and can be connected to their “mothers”
in different ways. Let’s meet some mother plants!
a plantlet on a leaf tip
Rhododendrons can be propagated by layering. Use a metal staple or heavy rock to hold a low
branch to the top of the soil, either on the ground or in a container. After a while roots will grow
on the part of the branch touching the soil. Once the branch forms roots, you can cut it from the
parent and re-plant it wherever you like. This isn’t considered a pup or plantlet, but is another form
of layering propagation.
Spider plants are also famous
for the many pups they make
on long stems that arch out
from the center of the plant
after flowering.
Strawberry plants make long
stems called runners that end
in a baby plant that will root
where it lands.
Kalanchoe daigremontia
Two succulents, both called
Mother of Thousands, make
little plantlets along the edges
of their leaves. Kalanchoe
daigremontia has thick,
scopp-shaped leaves.
Kalanchoe delagoensis
Kalanchoe delagoensis has
skinny, tubuler leaves. Their
babies form tiny hair-like roots
and drop to the soil when a
breeze or an animal passing
by knocks them off.
Tillandsia (Air plant)
Air plants and Bromeliads also
make pups. Next time you
come to Sky; see if you can
find these pups and parents
when in the Indoor Garden
area!
sempervivum
Hardy succulent Hens ‘n’
Chicks also form pups around
the edges of the parent plant.
If the pup is cut off and the
connecting stem is buried it will
root into a full plant within a
few weeks.
fern
Mother Ferns form tiny babies
along the tops of their leaves
until the mother plant’s leaves
get so heavy that they touch
the soil. This is when the babies
put roots into the soil and
detach from their mothers.
Blackberries grow with sturdy
stems called canes that also
send out runners. These root
where they touch the ground,
turn into a new plant. This
is why blackberries are so
successful.
Is it Time Yet?
When to Plant Your
Favorite Vegetables
article by hannah madrone illustrations by nichole sheehan
Spring
the end of February, through April
You don’t have to wear your
winter coat anymore, and
spring flowers are blooming.
It’s time to start planting your
earliest crops!
Some vegetables you can
plant in spring are: Peas,
radishes, potatoes, greens,
carrots, and beets. You
can plant these seeds (or
seed potatoes) right in the
ground outside! Most of
them can also be grown
from nursery starts (baby
plants).
Late Fall - Winter
October, to early February
The days are getting shorter
and it’s cold most of the time.
After the harvest is over, it’s time
for gardens and gardeners to rest.
Some of the crops you planted
in fall might still be in the garden,
waiting for spring.
Some crops that can stay in the garden
all winter are: Broccoli, cabbage, carrots,
beets, and cold-loving greens like kale, Swiss
chard, and spinach. If you see frost on the
ground, they might get too cold. To make sure
they’re warm enough, you can build them a simple,
mini greenhouse called a cloche, or just tuck them in
under a light blanket at night.
Vegetable plants are picky. Each kind has a specific time of year when
it can grow. If it is planted at the wrong time, it might not grow
very well, or it might even die. That’s why it’s important for
gardeners to plant each crop at just the right ttime.
Early Summer
May to early July
Now it’s really getting warm out.
Maybe you can even go swimming!
This is the weather that some really
special and yummy vegetables
like best!
It’s time to plant: Beans,
tomatoes, peppers,
cucumbers, zucchini, corn
and pumpkins. Tomatoes and
peppers like best to grow from
starts, but you can put the
seeds for all the others right in
the ground if you want!
Late Summer early Fall
late July, through
September
Sometimes it’s very hot in July
and August, but fall is on its way.
This is harvest time! It’s also time to
re-plant a lot of the cool-weather
veggies you planted in spring, plus
a few others. Some of these will grow
fast and you can harvest them before
winter. Others will rest in your garden all
winter to harvest in spring.
Some of the best veggies to plant in late
summer and fall are: Peas, radishes, greens,
carrots, beets, cabbage, and broccoli. All of these
seeds can be planted right in the ground if you like.
Fizzy Lemonade
You will need
1-2 lemons
1 tsp. baking soda
1-2 tsp. sugar
cold water
instructions
Juice the lemons. Pour the juice into
a glass. Add water and baking soda.
Stir well and add sugar to your taste
preference.
Let the fizziness begin!
Berry Good Fruit Skewers
Ask Professor Pansy
You will need
wooden skewers
your choice of berries:
blackberries
strawberries
grapes
raspberries
fruit or berry of your choice
instructions
have a grown up help you slide fruit and
berries on the skewers.
A fun way to make and eat a fruit salad
on a stick!
Springy Pasta
Frozen Fruit Yogurt Bites
You will need
You will need
pasta
carrots
peas
butter or olive oil
parmesan cheese or cheese of your
choice
instructions
Have your adult helper cut up the carrots
with a sharp knife while you, the kid chef,
shell the peas.
Cook 1½ cups of pasta of your choice,
drain and coat with butter or olive oil.
Steam or boil the carrots and peas for just
a few minutes. Rinse in cold water and
drain. Let the adult do the stove parts of
the cooking. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
You can also make this using rice.
2 c. plain or flavored yogurt
1 handful fresh raspberries
1 handful fresh blueberries
12 cupcake papers or silicone muffin cups
cookie sheet or muffin tin that fits in freezer
Q: How long is a blue bird?
instructions
Fill muffin cups ½ way full of yogurt.
plop a few pieces of fruit in each cup and
press down gently.
Place cups in the freezer on a baking
sheet or muffin tin. Freeze completely.
Remove from paper cups before enjoying
by emilly apple
- Damien, age 8
A: Did you know there are actually three
kinds of Bluebird in the United States?! The
Eastern Bluebird lives east of the Rockies
and is brownish-red and blue colored,
the Western Bluebird is rusty-colored and
blue-backed, and the Mountain Bluebird
is entirely sky-blue.
We’ll focus on the Western Bluebird that
migrates to our area to raise young—
they’re 6 to 7 and a half inches long
and weigh about one ounce. That feels
like about 30 regular-sized paper clips!
color the bluebird
illustration by nichole sheehan
They catch and eat insects and nest in
abandoned holes in trees. You can see
photos and maps of where they live and
listen to their songs on the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology (the study of birds) All About
Birds website.
These are really rare to see in the Seattle
area so you’ll need to watch carefully
to find them. According the bird-sighting
map, a few have been spotted living in
Discovery Park.