'Like' Homegrown? You could win a free gardening book

For Facebook users out there who also like to garden, a Homegrown page has now been started on Facebook.

The page will direct you to all of the wonderful columns submitted by Linn County Master Gardener Lisa Slattery; Brucemore Head Gardener Deb Engmark and others who provide great gardening advice.

The Facebook page, which links to our friends at Backyard Abundance in Iowa City, the Iowa Food Systems Council and elsewhere, also will be a place for you to share photos of that crazy tomato plant, the turnip that looks like President Nixon or any other pictures, questions or information.

 Right now you can find advice on planting potatoes in containers from Linn County Master Gardener Judy Stevens, learn what story I'm working on for next week's Home section and more.

 I've received several new gardening books from publishers that I'm offering as further enticement. Whoever “likes” the Homegrown Facebook page any time during April will be entered in a drawing for a book.

Because there is more than one Homegrown on Facebook, make sure you're clicking on the Home/Garden page with the pink malva flowers: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Homegrown/149667388406346?sk=wall

I'll print the list of winners in a future column in The Gazette. Winners will need to pick up a book from The Gazette office in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City.