Preschoolers Get Early Start on Growing Season

By Carol Kagan



On Saturday, led by Master Gardener Rebecca Keller, twelve young gardeners gathered with their fathers, mothers or grandparents for a Family-Friendly workshop to make mini-greenhouses for milkweed and sunflower seeds to start growing outdoors now.

The youngsters first learned about how a seed becomes a plant and then nestled lima bean seeds among damp cotton balls in a zip lock bag to germinate at home. Roots and leaves should soon appear and give them a real-life view of what they saw on their handout.

Keller showed pictures of Monarch butterflies and talked about how they need to have milkweed plants to lay their eggs.

She then guided them, and their grown-up assistants, in making two mini-greenhouses using recycled gallon plastic bottles.

During the process the children measured and marked the soil line on the bottle,

gleefully scooped the dampened soilless growing mix inside

 

 

and carefully added both milkweed and sunflower seeds.

Labels were added and the bottles were taped shut with duct tape, the most popular color among those offered was pink.

 

The little greenhouses will be put outside in a sunny spot and watered if there isn’t enough snow or rain.

Keller’s assistant, Master Gardener Cathy Campbell, told them the scientific name for the milkweed they planted - Asclepias tuberosa (Ass-KLEE-pee-us  too-bur-O-suh) – and had them practice a few times in hopes they would still remember when they got home.

 

The workshop ended with grown-ups carrying out armfuls of the plastic bottles. Workshop evaluations completed by the parents indicated this was a successful workshop and there were requests for more tailored to this age group.

 

More Family Friendly Workshops

 

The next Family Friendly Workshop on the schedule is Container Gardening on May 2, just in time to come and plant a pot with beautiful flowers for Mother's Day.

 

Two more Family Friendly programs are

 

Bug ID: What's Buggin' You? on June 13

 

and Cornhusk Wreaths and Dolls on October 17.

 

For information about or registration for any of our classes or workshops, please call 717-263-9226.

 

Also, visit the MG Facebook page for a current listing of classes and workshops as well as upcoming events. Of special note are the annual plant sales in May.

Notable Native Herb: Redring Milkweed

By Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Redring Milkweed (T.G. Barnes, USDA)

Selected by the Herb Society of America, Asclepias variegata [Ass-KLE-pee-us  var-ee-GAY-tuh] is the Notable Native Herb for 2014. This species of milkweed has white, waxy flowers with reddish rings around the middle resulting in its common name, Redring Milkweed.

Redring Milkweed native areas & endangered in CT, NY & PA

This perennial plant is native to the lower 48 states as well as Canada and is hardy in zones 6a-8b. It is on the endangered list in Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania. It does best in moist to dry shaded roadsides, woodlands and open forest. While it likes moderate shade it tolerates full sun.

Redring Milkweed on edge of forest (J.S.Kos)

The plant grows to 3 ft. tall and has terminal clusters of white waxy flowers with a red ring between the sepals and the upper part of the flower. This species of milkweed has many of the same characteristics as other milkweeds. The plant has a long taproot that makes it very hardy and it produces lots of nectar.  The broken stems and leaves leak a milky liquid.

Crab spider on redring milkweed (J.S.Kos)

The flowers have a sweet odor. Bees, wasps, butterflies, flies, spiders and ants can be seen on its flowers. Although pollinator fans know milkweed as a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars, the milk of this species is not an important food source for them. The stands of this plant are sparse and often in shade which may contribute to the few monarchs seen on them.


Redring Milkweed Pods (G.S.Williamson)

This plant flowers from May to June and produces narrow, upright seed pods. It can be propagated from the seeds or plant division. Note that it is on the endangered list in Pennsylvania.

Redring Milkweed Close-up (D.D. Taylor, USDA)

Links for more information

Herb Society of America: Notable Native – Redring Milkweed

US Forest Service: Celebrating Wildflowers- Redwing Milkweed

USDA Plant Database: Redring Milkweed
Anybody seen my focus-JS Kos Blog: Redring or White Milkweed