Time to get out and garden

Did you notice a difference today? After seven years, I decided it was time for an updated photograph.

For the past year now, I’ve been writing the article for the Desert Gardener column only on the first Thursday of each month – with a variety of other writers filling in the rest of the month. Starting this fall, I will continue to write the article for the first Thursday, Karen Bowen will write the second Thursday, Georgia Bolton the third Thursday and Barbara Bensel the fourth Thursday. Each will have their photo (I hope) with their article and you’ll get a chance to know all four of us who will be contributing to this column. That is the plan - we’ll see how it goes.

Welcome to October! Now is the time to get out and enjoy gardening. Your own garden as well as the Robert J. Moody Demonstration Garden, 2200 W. 28th St. By the time you read this, we should have the new information posters in the eight kiosks in the garden. The kiosks are in each of the eight gardens. They contain posters with all kinds of gardening information. They are replaced every three months. Take a stroll in the garden and see what you can learn.

Since it is now the beginning of our gardening season, the new posters contain information about the various activities that are available in our area that connect someway with gardening.

The children’s garden is kiosk number one. We offer an idea on how you can nurture a child by giving a suggestion of an activity you can do in the garden with a child or children. There is also a map of the garden in this kiosk, which shows "you are here," and the location of the eight kiosks and the gardens in alphabetical order. You can also practice map reading with a child. All kiosks are located along the cement walk. If you’ve not been to the garden, you might want to look at number one first, but it doesn’t matter in what order you visit them.

Currently featured in the other seven kiosks are the Master Gardener program. A new class starts today! It is full but if you are interested, call and get on the list for the next class. Call the Extension Office at 726-3904 and ask for Joy or Stacey. 4-H clubs are forming now, too, and you can still sign up. Call the same number and ask for Amy or Marlena.
  The local garden clubs are featured in four of the kiosks: MGM Garden Club, Pecan Grove Garden Club, Yuma Garden Club and Yuma Orchid Society. You can call me for more information. My number is at the bottom of this article.
  The vegetable garden kiosk by the barn and windmill currently features help for the home gardeners. This area has an enlarged copy of the plant and harvest chart for Yuma. If you are new to gardening here, you will want to take a look. You might want to clip this column out and save it for future use.

One more thing that has been happening all summer at the Moody Garden is the community drumming group. They have been meeting every Thursday evening in the mini amphitheater of the garden. Our starting time is anytime someone is there and starts drumming - usually about 6:30 p.m. now that the days are getting shorter. Come when you can and meet other people of all ages who are interested in drumming. It is very informal; so join in and leave when you need to. Come early and enjoy the garden before the drumming begins.

Another year has whizzed by and it is time for the Tree Expo at 8 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Yuma Civic Center, which offers an excellent program for adults and children. There will be many opportunities to gain knowledge on how to care for desert plants.

Participants in the 2009 Tree Expo will enjoy presentations for adults in the following areas led by experts in their field: pruning desert trees, insect pests of Yuma, irrigation, landscaping for the desert, landscape design inspired by nature. None of these offer hands-on experience.

Just look what is offered for children with many hands-on experiences: cockroach races, make trail mix, learn about plant dyes and stain a handkerchief, finger paint leaf prints, a worm farm, plant flowers to take home, learn about compost, a guest speaker talking about trees and their bark and a tree rigging demonstration. They all sound great! For more information, call 373-5000, Ext. 5325.

I’m short! I wonder if I could pass as a child! Children are free with one adult who has purchased a ticket that includes lunch. Anyone want to take me in with them?

Ellen Gardner, a Master Gardener, can be reached at 343-4020 or at gardner3028@netzero.com. For more information about the Robert J. Moody Demonstration Garden, visit cals.arizona.edu/yuma/horticulture/moody_garden/index.html. For information about the Federated Garden Clubs of Yuma, check out gardencentral.org/azgardenclub/westerndistrict.