The Spooner Agriculture Research Station Teaching and Display Garden will host visitors for a workshop on cut flower gardens and arrangements on Thursday, August 29 starting at 6:00 pm.  This garden session will start at the Teaching & Display Garden with growing tips on a few outstanding plant selections to grow for cut flowers including dahlias and annuals.  The session will then move to the Research Station for an in-depth workshop on tips and tricks of the art of flower arranging using both perennial and seasonal flowers from the garden.
 
This year’s theme  “Re-use, recycle, and re-imagine” comes from the All-America Selections.  The displays have been created with this theme in mind.  The Teaching and Display Garden is one of eight in Wisconsin that display vegetable and flower varieties who have been awarded this designation as an outstanding cultivar.   
 
Save this date for the last program of the season at the garden:  September 7 at 10:00 am focusing on seed saving, fall rejuvenation, bulb storage, winter sown, garlic planting, spring bulbs and what was learned during this garden season.  
 
Remember to bring your own lawn chair for the Meet Me in the Garden Seminar.  The session is free and open to the public and will be held rain or shine – please dress accordingly.  In case of inclement weather, the program will be held at the Station Building at 1035 E Maple Street (Hwy 70), Spooner.    The garden is located at 780 Orchard Lane, 1.5 miles east of Spooner on Highway 70 or 1/2 mile west of the Hwy 70/53 interchange.  Watch for garden meeting signs.
 
For more information and a map visit the station’s web site at: http://spooner.ars.wisc.edu/ or contact Kevin Schoessow or Lorraine Toman at the Spooner Area UW-Extension Office at 715-635-3506 or 1-800-528-1914. 
 

Photo credit:  Sue Reinardy, UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
 

Photo credit: Carla TePaske

The Herb Six Pack
A collection of herbs used to flavor food dishes of all kinds.

Genovese Basil
Garlic Chives
Bouquet Dill
Giant From Italy Parsley
Rosemary
Thyme

Come to the Plant Sale, May 18th to get your Herb Six Pack
$12.00 for the six pack
Care tip brochure and recipes will be at the sale

North Country Master Gardener Volunteers Annual Plant Sale, Saturday, May 18, 8:00 to 11:00 (or until plants last) at the Station Building, 1035 E Maple Street (Hwy 70), Spooner.  Offerings include: Heirloom Tomatoes, Peppers, Natives, Herbs, and Cannas

We all love the scent of lilacs. We want to enjoy them in the house as well as outside. Lilacs make lovely bouquets. Here are a few tips to make your lilac bouquet last longer.
After you bring in your lilac quickly put them in a sink of cold water. Lilacs love to drink water. With a woody stem that can be hard to do after they are cut for bouquets. To help your lilac drink up, soften the stem by placing the end of the stem in a cup of hot water. After softening the stem, pound the bottom of the stem with a hammer. This will help your lilacs drink up. Create you bouquets and be sure to watch your vase, again, lilacs like to drink up, you may need to refill your vase with water in a few hours.
For a step by step tutorial click here..