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Apr
01
2008
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Written by Leslie
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Tuesday, 01 April 2008 |
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We invite you & your family to join us for these fun & free children's events:
Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center Presentation
Come join us to learn about birds. See live birds and make a pine cone bird feeder. The program will be presented by Nancy Hidock, the Wildlife Center director. This is a free event for children of all ages. Donations will be accepted, with all proceeds to benefit the Wildlife Care Center.
Saturday, April 12th
Wildlife Presentation at 10:30 am - Craft at 11:00 am.
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Celebrate Moms
Make a beautiful windsock to hang in the garden for Mother's Day. A free event for children aged 5-12 years.
Saturday, May 10th at 11:00 am.
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Talkin' About Bugs - NEW DATE!
Anne Schellman for the U.C. Cooperative Extension will be here with her bug collection! A free event for all ages.
Saturday, May 31st at 10:00 am.
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Feb
23
2007
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Written by Christine
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Friday, 23 February 2007 |
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Here in Central California it's beginning the warm towards Spring. Generally speaking there won't be to much more in the way of cold snaps here in the Valley (though that's not 100%). Now is the perfect transitional time in the garden to spruce up things at the tail end of Winter and get ready for the green push of Spring.
Here's a list of to-do's that would be great whole-family projects
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Rake out all leaves and debris from garden beds
- Plant cool annuals like Iceland Poppies and Pansies
- It's too late to plant Tulips for this Spring, but there are several bulbs you CAN plant now for a Spring bloom, like Calla Lilies, Begonias, and Dahlias.
- Get a head start and do summer vegetable seeds like Tomatoes, Squash, and herbs in a protected area
- Plant bareroot roses and fruit trees
- Finish pruning jobs on established roses and fruit trees
- Prep flower and vegetable beds by tilling in compost now for planting in a few weeks
There are lots of important tasks to get out and do right now. We're all itching to get outside and do something, especially the kids!
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May
28
2006
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Written by Christine
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Sunday, 28 May 2006 |
A lot of families will be going out for this Memorial Day Weekend, to beaches, parks, and BBQs, but many families will dedicate at least one day of their extended weekend to stepping out and digging in to their gardens. Finally getting those summer annuals and vegetables cleaned up, or in the ground even. Don’t let this be a “Dad chore”, let the whole family, especially the kiddos go outside and get down and dirty.
Someday I want to buy a house. I don’t have a clear picture in my mind of the house itself, but the garden I can see perfectly. The most important part of my dream garden is the vegetable patch. I think this comes from so many summers, so many loving hours spent outside with my grandmother planting and tending her vegetable patch. There were zucchini, carrots, radishes, one year we even had corn, and always there were the sweetest strawberries I have ever had in my life. Coming outside to pick the little red jewels on summer mornings to pop into my mouth with juicy fingers... I want to do that again. I want my daughter to be able to do that. There were the great “Tomato Worm Hunts” trying to spy the fat green rascal out of the greener tomato leaves. There were the lady bugs, and butterflies, and the birds. There was the rhythm of nature felt in the bones that gets lost to us as we get older and stay indoors more.
 Gardening is a gift that you can give to your children. It’s time spent learning hands-on about how the world works, time spent hand-in-hand with you. There is not much as satisfying to a young mind as plucking a huge zucchini from the vine that you planted and watered yourself... that you protected from the snails (those buggers!). Don’t get caught up in the “chore” of gardening. Remember it’s not a chore, it’s a rich and grounding experience. Don’t deny that experience to your kids. Get them their own little gardening gloves and watering cans and send them out smiling. They’ll thank you for it.
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Feb
13
2004
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Written by Patrick
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Friday, 13 February 2004 |
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This is a fun project that takes very little work, and only requires the investment in some packets of Sunflower and Pea Seeds.
 Start by laying out the footprint of the house. It can be as small as a 5' by 5' square, or something large are more complex. Dig a small 1" furrow along the outside of the house. Make sure to leave a 3' gap for a door. Plant sunflower seeds at 9-12" intervals along the outline of the house, and cover the furrowws with soil. For thicker walls, dig a second furrow approx 6" outside from the first, and plant the same way. Water the seeds as needed.
After the sunflowers have sprouted, and grown a nice head start (1' or so), plant 3 or 4 bean seeds around each sunflower plant. The bean plants will groww up around the sunflower stalks, filling in the house's walls. To keep the beans growing as big as possible, keep picking the bean pods off before they have a chance to develop. Alternatively, you can plant another large growing annual vine, like Ipomea.
If you want something more elaborate, you can run string from one side of the house to the other, and let the beans grow along them, creating a roof. If you have an old door lying around, you could even sink some posts in the ground, and make a door for your sunflower house!
If you figure out a way to put in windows, attics, or a basement, let me know!
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