My Straw Bale Garden ~ Iowa, Allamakee County Master Gardener

1. Allamakee County
Master Gardener Newsletter
Iowa State University Extension — August 2013
Master Gardener Meeting
Allamakee County Master Gardeners
August 22, 2013, 7:00 p.m.
Allamakee County Fair Grounds
Agenda
Roll Call: Best thing in your Garden?
Secretary’s Minutes
Treasurer’s Report
Old Business:
2013 Fair review
How are your projects coming ?
New Business:
MG hours turned in
Master Gardeners Class, where at?
Email, is everyone getting our emails?
MG By Laws review
4 county MG speakers?
Farmers Market
Next Meeting date October 24 at the Extension office
7:00 p.m. For outdoor décor you don’t need a lot.
Just look at your garden and
use what you’ve got.
Increasing Master Gardener Volunteer Hours– ISU Extension & Outreach
REMINDER! Your MG Volunteer Hours Have Increased For 2013: In 2012, the MG statewide staff and
MG Advisory Committee agreed to increase the number of volunteer hours required to maintain active status
in the Iowa MG program. The MG Volunteer Hours requirement has increased from 6 hours per year to 12
hours per year. Some counties already require more. At the end of 2013, all active MGs must complete at
least 12 hours of volunteer service. The MG Educational Hours will not change from the current 6
hours required annually. This should not be a hardship for most Iowa MGs as the average number
of hours volunteered by a MG in 2011 was 25 hours. We have discussed changing the volunteer
hour requirement for several years, so this should come as no surprise to many MG Coordinators
in Iowa. We do need your assistance in reminding your MGs of the upcoming change. With the
summer season, this is an ideal time to mention the new requirement to your MGs.
Flowering bulbs are a great source of color
in the home landscape. Just as the colors
diverse, the longevity of different bulbs varies. Some
spring flowering bulbs may only bloom a few seasons;
others get bigger and better every year. Bulbs for natural-
izing will continue to grow and multiply over the years and
some will even self-sow.
Iowa State University Extension is hosting a workshop on
hardy bulbs to educate homeowners about this flowering
option for their yards. Bob Hauer, ISU Extension horticul-
turist, will talk about bulb selection and care and discuss
different spring and summer bulbs suited for naturalizing.
Participants may even walk away with a few samples of
bulbs for their yards.
The workshop will be offered at the ISU Extension – Al-
lamakee County office in Waukon on October 17 at 6:30
p.m.
Pre-register for the workshops by registering online at
www.extension.iastate.edu/allamakee. People may also
call Allamakee County Extension at 563-568-6345 for the
Waukon site. The workshop costs $5 and the registration
deadline is Sept 22.
The fair is over, the year is winding down. Don’t
forget to report your Master Gardener hours.
This may be done online at
http://www.mastergardener.iastate.edu/
ISU Extension Offers Bulb
Workshop – Bob Hauer
August Newsletter Quotes-from
“Trowel and Error” by Sharon Lovejoy

2. Page 2
Meeting was called to order by President, Don Haler. Roll call was taken with 20 members and 2 guests pre-
sent.
Treasurer's Report was given and approved. Our balance was announced.
OLD BUSINESS
1. May garden tour was a success. The club voted to pay $47 for gas to the drivers.
2. Connie Buresh announced that we made $1000 profit on the plant sale.
3. Cici Mueller asked that MG pay another $110 for 4-H memberships for the Postville 4-H kids garden club.
The motion passed
NEW BUSINESS
1. 2013 Allamakee County Fair work signup sheets were passed out. Julie Thompson of the Sycamore
House will be arranging flowers for us at the fair. Vases and flowers are needed for it by 2:00 p.m. on
Sunday.
2. Mary Trebbien will not be able to host the Scarecrow contest on Saturday from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the fair.
Carroll Schreiber volunteered to help. The building hosts could take photos for the
contest.
3. A thank you was received from Kee High and Zalmona Presbyterian Church.
4. The Farmer’s Market in Waukon and Harpers Ferry is doing well.
NEXT MEETING
August 22 at the Fairgrounds at 7:00 p.m. It will be the plant swap.
Cici Mueller, Secretary
Minutes from June 27, 2013 MG Meeting- CiCi Mueller
2013 Allamakee County Fair Open Class Building Results—Caroll Schreiber
Fair results
Year 2010 2011 2012 2013
Exhibitors 88 86 104 94
Entries 508 440 480 530
Blue Ribbons Awarded 239 185 229 202
Red Ribbons Awarded 120 117 100 127
White Ribbons Awarded 49 36 46 61
Youth Participation Ribbons Awarded 100 102 71 16
Judges Choice Awards 9 9 10 9
Ugly Cake Contest 3
Scarecrow Contest 10
For Display Only (items not judged) 5
2013 Plant Propagation
Please Pay your Master Gardener
Dues at the August meeting or at
the Extension Office.
“The utmost attention is
necessary never to suffer
weeds to perfect their
seeds in any part.”
–Bernard McMahon, 1806

3. Page 3
Cooks Nook ~Vegetable Dip- Mary Techau
1 envelope Ranch Dressing mix
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fine celery
1/2 cup chopped green olives
Blend cream cheese with dressing mix, add veggies. Chill. Great with vegetable sticks or crackers.
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants by seed, cuttings, grafting, bulbs and division. The
propagation of plants by seed or bulbs is a matter of following the planting instructions that come with the prod-
uct.
Stem cuttings can be propagated from garden perennials and annuals, houseplants and shrubs. Begin by pre-
paring a rooting medium. A mixture of ½ peat moss and ½ sand; a mix of peat moss and perlite or a seed
starting potting mixture will all work.
Choose a healthy plant that is well hydrated to take your cuttings from. Side shoots sometimes work better
than a main stem,so experiment with both. Make the cutting 4” to 5” long. Use a sharp knife or pruning
shears. Make a cut so there is a joint included in the cutting. This would be the part of the stem that includes
where the stem and leaf join. Remove all but the top 1 or 2 leaves from the cutting. Dip the cutting in a rooting
hormone or use the recipe that follows. Make a hole in the planting medium; insert the cutting and close the
medium around the stem. Keep the growing medium moist but not soaked. Keep it in bright indirect light until
rooted. Some sources recommend covering with a plastic dome like a greenhouse, but the amount of moisture
must be constantly monitored in order to prevent too much moisture build-up. This method works for many
annuals such as coleus and geraniums; house plants like Christmas cactus, African violets and the Vicks
plants that we have here.
Most perennials benefit from plant division generally after 3-4 years of being in the ground. The best time to
divide plants is in the spring at the beginning of the growing season, except for those discussed later. Insert a
spade around the entire plant then lift out completely. Frequently the center of the plant is past its prime and
should be discarded. The remainder of the plant can be cut apart into several new sections. Add some fresh
dirt and compost to the planting holes and spread the roots of the divisions and water well.
Some perennials such as iris and daylilies do best when divided shortly after bloom time. Divide peonies in
late summer. Look for the healthy eye of the peony and a firm healthy rhizome of iris or daylily. Anything soft
or squishy should be thrown away. These are all replanted just below the surface of the soil; trim the tops back
and water well. It is necessary to divide these early enough to let them get re-established before the ground
freezes.
Some useful websites are: www.extension.iastate.edu; www.ces.ncsu.edu/hort; and
www.plantpropagation.com A helpful book used for background information was Taylors Encyclopedia of Gar-
dening.
ROOTING GOOP—Judy Egeland
1C moisture holding granules and 1C water. Blend in a blender until finely ground but not liquid. Pour into a
cottage cheese container and add rooting hormone powder and a pinch of a dry fungicide. Store away from
children and use to dip cuttings into before planting.
Information courtesy of Allamakee County Master Gardeners and ISU Extension.
Plant Propagation— Master Gardener Pat Meeter
Try this recipe: Freezing fresh vegetables
Begin by blanching the fresh vegetables for a few seconds. Times may vary depending on the vegetable (go
to ISU website for times http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1045.pdf ). After blanching, cool
immediately in a bowl of ice water. Drain water from the vegetables after they are cool. Store fresh vegetables
for freezing in freezer-safe containers. Leave about a half-inch of space at the time for expansion.

4. Page 4
Farmers Markets
The area Farmers Markets are looking for local growers, producers, bakers and crafters for the upcoming sea-
son.
Allamakee Farmers Market, Waukon City Park Sweeney Shelter, Weekly Market on Mondays (June – Septem-
ber) from 3:30- 6:00 p.m.
Harpers Ferry, Harpers Ferry Delores Tillinghast Park, Weekly Market on Fridays (June – September) from
5:00-7:00 p.m.
For market rules and registration forms, contact the Allamakee County Extension office at 563-568-6345 or
check online at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/allamakee/info/farmersmarket.htm
Lansing, Main Street Plaza, Weekly Market on Saturday mornings (May—September) Please contact 563-
538-9229
Hi Everyone: Hope everyone’s garden is in full production and you are harvesting the fruits of your labor. I
was glad to see the great turn out for our picnic, and also seeing some new faces that have shown interest in
becoming Master Gardeners. Thanks to our Harpers’ bunch for hosting it.
The fair has come and gone and we had one heck of a lot of entries in the open class. There were more flow-
ers and plants than I can remember. Also the other events such as the ugly cake contest, scarecrow contest,
etc. had very good attendance. Thank you to Caroll for chairing the open class events. Your hard work was
very much appreciated. Since the Master Gardeners have been in charge of the open class building, I feel we
are putting too much work on the few that have volunteered to be there. I think if we want to
keep this project going, we will need the help of everyone and not just a few.
Everyone remember that our next meeting will be at the fairgrounds with our annual plant
swap. Bring any extra perennials, bulbs or house plants that you would like to share with
our group. The meeting date will be August 22 at 7:00 pm.
President’s Notes - Don Haler
Greetings from my corner of the garden in another interesting gardening year! I’m surrounded by
sunflowers, day lilies, garden phlox, purple coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, not to forget green
beans, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, eggplant and cucumbers; and that is just what I can see from my
desk here on the computer. After the cool wet spring, the FLOOD and then dry weather, gardening
continues to be an enjoyable challenge. My perennial flower bed in front of the house has been the
most consistent colorful show ever. I think they liked having their roots soak up all the moisture this
spring and somehow saving it to produce abundant blooms now after the heat and dry spell. Whatever it is, they have
been great! I have lots of surprise blooms from the birds planting seeds in my yard as well, like the sunflower blooming
right outside my window. What a cheerful gift.
The Allamakee County Fair 2013 is in the books again for another year. Thanks to an efficient crew organizing the
Open Class Building, wonderful weather and a nice variety of exhibits, it can be labeled a big success. It’s fun to see the
exhibitors come in and bring their produce and projects and then to hear the judges’ comments when they are going
through the judging process. They had many favorable comments and had a hard time deciding in many cases. We did
have some hot temperatures when the exhibits were coming in, but thanks to the large fans in the buildings, it made it
bearable for the most part. Besides all the exhibits, we really have a nice variety of shows going on in the building from
ugly cakes, to scarecrows, children’s projects, flower arranging, quilt show and MORE. Thanks again to our fair commit-
tee for all their hard work and to all who helped work before, during and at the end to tear down and clean up; a job truly
well done!
Now is the time of year when we really are reaping the harvests of our labors; green beans to can, pickles to make, on-
ions to dry and store for the winter, tomatoes to sink our teeth into and can for salsa, juice, soup and more. Growing a
garden is a labor intensive, rewarding project; not to mention all the good exercise, fresh air and mental exercise be-
sides (what was this plant called? this bug? this weed?) My granddaughter needs a collection of 32 bugs for a science
assignment this fall for school; no problem, we’ll just head to the garden for samples!
I have a houseful of company arriving shortly, so better get going, head to the gardens and pick some fresh produce and
a bouquet of flowers to display; so that’s all for now from my corner of the garden! See you in August at the plant swap
at the fair- grounds!
Connie’s Corner of the Garden- Connie Buresh

5. My name is Tara Reisinger. I am married to Pat, a farmer. We have 3 boys: Reese
10, Isaac 6, and Drake 4. I work part-time at Veterans Memorial in Waukon as an
RN in surgery. On Sundays, I play the organ at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran
Church and help with Sunday School. I grew up on the farm where I currently live,
north of Waterville. My parents are Bob and Linda Thompson. My brother Troy, and
his wife Julie, own Sycamore Floral in Waukon.
I was invited to a Master Gardener meeting by a fellow church member, Mary
Techau. I was glad to join as an Associate Member to get involved and learn more.
Last year I completed my Master Gardener training and internship. Growing up, my
mother made me help her with flowers, vegetable gardening, and of course weeding! It wasn't until my twen-
ties that I appreciated those skills she taught me. I mostly enjoy perennial flowers and shrubs. I have many
favorites but love lilacs. The last few years I have been helping my sister-in-law in the vegetable garden. It is
amazing to watch a seed sprout and the metamorphosis that takes
place from flower to vegetable. My main project has been tending to
a large flower bed at Waterville Elementary. I also enjoy helping with
the fair and plant sale.
How to Make Mirrored Gazing Balls for the Garden-
by Kathy Woodard · Submitted by Mary Trebbien
Page 5
Getting to Know You– Master Gardener Tara Reisinger
We all love the look of the mirrored gazing balls in the garden. They add light in a shady
corner, a fanciful flair in a garden bed, or a little fantasy next to a pond or birdbath. There
are two problems with them though…they can be expensive, and they can break easily! If
you live where its windy or stormy like I do, it’s a no can do, and they average around $40
a piece! That’s not an amount of cash I want to lose in a windstorm.
Here at TGG we have found a really cool way to make mirrored balls, using recycled materials and an inex-
pensive product from the craft store, and they don’t break! Here it is, how to make mirrored gazing balls for
the garden, on a budget!
Step One: We used old bowling balls as the base, and picked them up at Good Will for under $5. Try to find
bowling balls with the finger holes close together so that they can be hidden easier.
Step Two: Buy Looking Glass spray paint from the craft shop, less than $10!
Step Three: Make sure you have an area safe to spray paint, and cover the surface with newspaper or a
tarp. Clean the bowling balls well with rubbing alcohol to make sure the paint adheres well.
Step Four: Lightly spray one side of the bowling ball. Let dry one hour. Roll over, and repeat. Repeat as of-
ten as necessary to achieve the amount of reflection you desire.
Step Five: Spray with a clear sealer to protect from the elements. Allow to dry at least 24 hours before plac-
ing outside.
One can of spray paint made three balls for us.
Three gazing balls from the store? $120.
Three unbreakable gazing balls from TGG’s DIY Projects? $25
Be creative with your gazing balls. Display them in groups or singly on an old pedestal.
So you have a weekend project, right? If you can’t find
bowling balls at your local thrift store, we recommend
contacting your local bowling alley to find out if they will
sell you worn balls.
There you have it, how to make mirrored gazing balls for
the garden, on a budget!
“Give me the splendid, silent sun,
with all his beams full dazzling.”
–Walt Whitman
“Ere yet the planter undertakes his toil.
Let him examine well his clime and soil;
Patient explore what best with both will suit,
And rich in leaves, luxuriantly shoot.”
-Richard Payne Knight

6. Page 6
I listened to the gardening program on Wisconsin public radio the day the topic was straw bale gardening.
The gentleman had written a couple books on the subject also. It really caught my interest. Every spring it
seems like I am trying a new method of gardening-something that will make easier work of weeding. My
husband and I hauled home 2 trailers of straw bales, approxi-
mately 30 of them, placed them in the garden and went to work
conditioning them which means watering each bale every day
for 2 weeks. Also giving them some fertilizer. When that was
done I went to work planting. I planted peas, 4 varieties of
green beans, tomatoes and strawberries. I can't say that I am
very pleased with the results. The peas grew spindly and didn't
produce any pods.
One variety out of 4 produced green beans. The rest did not do
well. Two of the tomato plants are starting to grow nicely and
the rest are very slow growing. They are very small but have a
few tomatoes hanging on them. The strawberry plants are
small but I will pick a berry tomorrow!
I'm thinking right after I planted everything we got the heavy
rains and cold spell. So I don't think they got off to a very good
start.
I was unable to check on them for about a week and just as-
sumed they had enough water, which I don't think they
did. The middle of the straw bale was wet but the seed bed
was dry. If my tomatoes produce a lot of produce then I will get
a little more excited about growing in bales, but for now I won't
try this method again. At least I have some straw to compost
and add to the soil next year.
PS: Maybe I should have bought the authors’ book!!
Straw Bale Gardening—Master Gardener Connie Benedict
A good day’s work can be done
with a dirty spade. –Old saying
I became interested in this type of gardening after listening to a
Public Radio garden program. I thought I’d try using only one
bale. I was careful to tie it several times again and turn it on its
side so the water would fill the straws. Then I prepared the top
and waited a couple of weeks and planted my garden! I put po-
tatoes inside the bale and some onion sets. I put two tomatoes
on the top. It holds water, but I did water it when the straw felt
dry. I could tell when I’d poke my finger in the bale. It has just
gone crazy with growth. I used a wooden crate to help hold up
the tomatoes. Now I wish I had added carrots to the bale. It’s
been such a fun project. Can’t wait to see how many potatoes
I’ll find in the bale.
My Straw Bale Garden— Associate Master Gardener Jan Kemp
“The highest reward for man’s toil is not what he gets for
it, but what he becomes by it.” – John Ruskin
“Of composts shall the Muse descend to sing.”
– John Grainger 1770