Garden Cuttings

This newsletter, called Garden Cuttings, came today from Schultz Communications:

LOOKING FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY GARDENS  

The 2010 Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards will give national recognition and $5,000 in plants to community groups and nonprofit organizations that are improving their local environments. The annual award, sponsored by Omaha-based Nature Hills Nursery, will be presented in April 2010 to groups and organizations that are literally “greening” their communities, parks, schools and public spaces by planting trees, shrubs and other plants.

 The award winners will be chosen from those groups that submit a local community gardening or “greening” project that makes best use of the trees, bushes and shrubs “Nature Hills Nursery has grown and prospered from growing and selling plants,” said Jeffrey Dinslage, president of Nature Hills Nursery. “We feel it is time to give back a portion of the plants we produce annually to projects that will help reduce carbon dioxide and beautify communities.”

Applications for the 2010 Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards will be accepted until April 1, 2010. The winners of the 2010 Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards will be announced on April 19, 2010. To apply for the 2010 award online, visit the website at www.naturehills.com and click on the Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards logo.

PLANT OF THE MONTH-‘CRIMSON STAR' GOJI BERRY

Anyone can grow a tomato plant. But growing a goji berry plant is guaranteed to win you horticultural bragging rights in your neighborhood.

Goji berry is one of nature's most nutrient-rich foods. This superfruit is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to boost immunity and longevity. Lycium barbarum ‘Crimson Star' is a deciduous perennial plant that grows from 3-9 feet in height. Purple flowers appear on the plant in late spring to early summer, then the bright orange-red Goji berries ripen from August to October. The sweet, tasty fruit can be harvested by simply shaking the vine. Once the raisin-sized berries are fully ripe, which packs them full of nutrients, they fall off the vine easily. The berries can be eaten fresh off the vine or sun-dried to be enjoyed later. Plant ‘Crimson Star' in full sun in well drained soil, and a healthy plant can set fruit during the first year. And, yes, this delightful plant is cold hardy to USDA Zone 5. Each plant in a 4-inch pot sells for $24.95. (1-888-330-8038 or www.logees.com).

GIRL SCOUTS WILL GROW FOOD TO EARN HIGHEST AWARD

Girl Scouts are known for their delicious cookies, but the Girl Scout program has a long history of combining innovation and community service through projects Girl Scouts develop to earn badges. 

Denise Jablonowski, a Girl Scout Troop leader in Oceanside, NY, has started an “EarthBox to Food Pantry Project” to raise vegetables for a food pantry this summer. She and her troop became enthusiastic about growing in EarthBoxes (www.earthbox.com) after reading the Girl Scout guide Sow What?, a book that is now mandatory reading for Gold Award aspirants. This informative book provides guidelines for innovative solutions that will help ensure everyone has access to healthful, affordable and sustainably grown food, produced with respect for the planet. 

Tending to this garden will help the Long Island-based Girl Scouts earn badges, five of whom are eligible for the highest one, the Gold Award. Donating their harvest will fulfill the group's goal of improving their community. The goal is that the EarthBoxes will take up permanent residence at the garden, so that the next “crop” of Oceanside girl scouts can plant a new harvest and continue the provision of fresh food.

Ms. Jablonowski's troop is striving to raise $500 to purchase 10 EarthBox ready-to-grow kits through donations. Donations for the EarthBox garden can be made by contacting Ms. Jablonowski at djablonowski@charlesandboudin.com.  

“Girl Scouts are tremendously dedicated to serving their communities, so this is a fabulous project for all of our troops,” says Ms. Jablonowski. “Our overall hope is that this project will expand, because there are many families in need and other food pantries that would welcome the fresh produce.”

VEGGIE GARDENING IS STILL HOT

According to a survey conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF), 7.7 million American households grew a vegetable garden for the first time in 2009. The total number of U.S. vegetable gardening households was 41 million. When asked if they planned to continue their garden for 2010, 37% of households reported plans to increase their edible gardens, 29% reported they planned to plant about the same as 2009 and only 1% reported they would plant less than this year. The GWAF survey found the main reason given for increasing or maintaining edible gardening in 2010 was to supplement household food supply.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“There's one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor's.”

-- Clyde Moore