Subsidized Rain Barrels and Compost Bin Program in Chicago Canceled

Northern Catalpa Tree Blooming in Chicago

The City of Chicago has ended their subsidized sales of rain barrels and compost bins. In place of that program is the new Sustainable Backyard Program, where you can get rebates on your purchase of a rain barrel, compost bin, tree or native plants. To learn more about the project see this article on Chicago's Sustainable Backyard Program.

One Seed Chicago & Seed Starting Workshop

Voting is now open for One Seed Chicago 2011. If you're not familiar with One Seed Chicago, it is an urban greening project that puts up three seeds for a vote and allows Chicagoans to vote for their favorite seed. The seed that gets the most votes by 4/01/11 will be distributed for free to Chicagoan that voted. This year's candidates are eggplant, radish and chard. This year One Seed Chicago is encouraging backyard gardeners across Chicago to share the bounty of their gardens by cooking meals for family and friends featuring the candidates.

In the coming weeks One Seed Chicago will be publishing recipes from celebrity chefs in Chicago, foodie bloggers and Chicago garden bloggers at http://www.OneSeedChicago.com . If you're a gardener in Chicago they're encouraging you to blog about the One Seed Chicago project telling your readers who you're voting for and encouraging them to vote for their favorite candidate. There are graphics you can use for your blog post or buttons for your blog here. If you blog about One Seed Chicago 2011 send a Tweet to @OneSeedChicago or post a link to your post to the One Seed Chicago Facebook page.

Seed Starting Workshop.

The Wicker Park Garden Club is holding their annuals plant propagation workshop on Jan 8th. Here are the details of the workshop along with information on how to RSVP.

Saturday, January 8

10am - Noon or 1pm - 3pm

(Choose one of the two sessions)

Richard Tilley, Doug Wood, Denise Browning

Wicker Park Home – Address Given to Registered Students

RESERVATIONS - $15 – Limited Seating - 30 per class

wpgarden@aol.com or (773) 278-9075

Pay at Door Cash or Check to WIcker Park Garden Club

"Winter is the time to think about what you'd like to grow next year. Take time to search web sites and catalogues to find something exciting either for your vegetable or ornamental gardens. The workshop covers the techniques of propagating plants from seeds and from other plants.

In the class you will learn techniques for starting seeds either inside under lights or outside in the garden. Richard Tilley will demonstrate how to create an inexpensive seed starting light set up, techniques and timetables for starting vegetable and annual seeds indoors, techniques of transplanting, growing on, and hardening off the young plants. We will discuss the time tables for growing vegetables from seed and how to you can extend your season with combination, repeat or periodic plantings. Doug Wood will discuss various techniques of starting ornamental perennials from seed (stratification, scarification, soaking), various timetables for these seed types, and discuss the options of starting these seeds inside or planting the seeds directly outside in the garden. In addition, he will discuss how to enhance the drama and extend seasonal color in your perennials beds by incorporating hardy and half-hardy annuals that you seed right in the beds. Denise and Richard will demonstrate techniques to propagate shrubs, annuals, and perennials from cuttings or from layering techniques.

RICHARD TILLEY grows thousands of vegetables and ornamental annuals in his growing rooms.

THE WICKER PARK GARDEN CLUB designs, funds and maintains 10,000 sq. ft of garden in Wicker Park - the Park - and produces an educational series for adults and children. The gardens are a Registered Community Gardens in the Parks Project in collaboration with the Chicago Park District. See www.wpgarden.org "

July 2010 Gardening Events in Chicago

I had planned to make monthly posts here about gardening events, blogs and people around Chicago, but I've lost track of time this season. July gives us the opportunity to grow a second harvest and gives me a second chance to bring up some links.

The 52nd Annual Dearborn Garden Walk is July 18, 2010. I've got a post (including photo gallery) about the tour there.

Rachel, of On the Shores of Lake Chicago, reminds us that the Midwest Pond and Koi Society pond tour takes place July 24-25 and July 31-August 1.

The Rogers Park Garden Group's 4th Annual Garden Meander is July 27 from 6-8:30 pm.

There are still four Sustainable Backyard workshops available this year so you can participate in the rebate program for rain barrels and compost bins in Chicago.

You can play bingo to support Chicago's community gardens every Wednesday night at the Hide Out. Each week a new community garden is highlighted at Veggie Bingo. You should check it out. Now through September.

Garfield Park Conservatory Events:

Tree ID Walks- July 16 from 10am-noon

Free for participants!

Walks leave at 10:00am from the Conservatory’s front lobby

Spring, summer, & fall - learn to identify city trees throughout the seasons with tree-keeper

Jim DeHorn of the Openlands Project. Jim will explore the trees of beautiful and historic Garfield Park. Interested children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. Please dress appropriately for the weather - walks take place rain or shine!

Art & Nature Series: Weaving the Wonder of Nature- July 31, from 10am-noon

Free, however pre-registration required (see below)

Come to this hands-on workshop, where we will explore a number of techniques incorporating looms and natural materials. This workshop is presented in partnership with the Chicago Public Library’s celebration of “Reading is Art-Rageous” theme.

Program is free, but requires pre-registration with the Chicago Public Library. Please call and register at this Chicago Public Library # as space is limited. (312) 747 4011

Location: The Jensen Room @ the Garfield Park Conservatory

Harvesting and Using Your Compost- July 24 from 1-3pm Free!

Now is the time to start harvesting that finished compost from spring. Learn how to use your compost as mulch and potting mix. Compost sifting will be demonstrated.

Chicago Botanic Garden Events

Summer is all about growing and enjoying delicious, healthy food. Don’t miss these tasty events: Farmers’ Market, the first and third Sundays of the month; Garden Chef Series, every Saturday and Sunday; and the Farm Dinner on July 28.

Sorry I haven't kept up with blogroll requests. If you'd like to join the Chicago Gardeners blogrolls please add a link to this blog http://chicagogardeners.blogspot.com on your blog and send me the link and I'll add you to the blogroll. If you sent one last one, or the month before that, please feel free to send it again.

-MrBrownThumb

One Seed, Beer Under Glass,Thomas Street, Peterson Garden and Plant Sales

One Seed Chicago
The 2010 One Seed Chicago has been announced, you can read about it at www.OneSeedChicago.com

Thomas Street Community Garden
The folks at the Thomas Street Community Garden are having a workday on the 15th. Here is part of the Email sent out asking for volunteers.

"We're having our big AmeriCorps workday at the Thomas Street Garden (2655 W. Thomas Street), on Saturday May 15. We'll kick things off at 10 a.m. and run 'til sometime after noon. We should have 8-10 AmeriCorps volunteers showing up to help rebuild the flagstone circle with mortar that we've purchased. Other projects on the to-do list for Saturday are to build new raised beds along the fence lines in the veggie garden, install our glass bottle pathway in the parkway, harvest our compost, and of course, plant some perennials and vegetables. I've got a few more projects tucked away if we run out of work to do..."

Peterson Garden
LaManda over at The Yarden is leading the efforts to revive an original victory garden in Chicago's 40th Ward. Visit www.PetersonGarden.org to learn how you can become involved or help with this awesome project.

Beer Under Glass
Beth Botts at Growing in Chicago tells us about the Beer Under Glass fundraiser at the Garfield Park Conservatory on May 13, 2010.

Forest Park Community Garden
Our friends at the FP Community Garden are having a work day on May 15, 2010 if you can't pitch in to help the Thomas Street Community Garden because you're in the 'burbs stop by to help these ladies build some raised beds.

Plant Sales
Plant and seedling sales continue around Chicago. See this post for an updated list of sales where you can purchase herbs, flowers, perennials and vegetables for your garden while helping some great clubs and organization.

Chicago Flower & Garden Show, Workshop, Macy's Flower Show

Here is a roundup of some post by members of the Chicago Gardeners blogroll. Look over the archives of each of the blog's linked to find their other posts on the show.

Chicago Garden
Garden Hits and Misses at Chicago Flower and Garden Show.

Garden Girl

Sun & Moon at Chicago Flower and Garden Show.

Sweet Home and Garden Chicago

Sneak Preview: Chicago Flower & Garden Show.

K-Town Homestead

I'd Rather be Gardening.

Welcome...

The newest members of the Chicago Gardeners blogroll are The Worm Girl News and The Garden at Liberty. If you'd like to become a member of the blogroll simply add http://chicagogardeners.blogspot.com to your blogroll on your blog and send an Email to let us know and we'll add your feed along with the rest of our blogs. With our numbers growing perhaps this year we can have some kind of local garden blog gathering at some point.

Save the Date

If the Chicago Flower and Garden Show has you searching for more greenery and blooms, you're in luck. Macy's Flower Show returns March 28-April 11, with the theme "Spring Is In The Air." We'll post more details soon.

Workshop

Get your tools ready for Spring with this tool sharpening workshop at the Wicker Park Garden Club. Saturday, March 20 - 10am-noon or 1pm-3pm - $15

Held in Wicker Park Home - Address Given to Registered Student

Reservations: wpgarden@aol.com (773) 278-9075 (Pay at Door)

Tool Sharpening Workshop - Richard Tilley, Jim Angrabright, Larry Clary, www.wpgarden.org

Learn how to sharpen your pruners, loppers, shovels, and other hand-held garden tools. Bring your hand-held tools-- go home with sharpened tools.

Movie

"A Chemical Reaction" will be screened at Columbia College Chicago on March 20.

2/1/10 Newest Members And Events

Welcome the newest members of the Chicago Gardeners Blog/FeedRoll. For those of you using Blogger check out the Table of Contents at www.GardenBloggers.com for some tips if you'd like to experiment with modifying your blog's template.

City Diggity Balcony gardening in Chicago.

Finding My Green Thumb Culinary trained gardening newbie in Chicago

The Yarden Established gardener focusing on growing vegetables in Chicago

K-Town Homestead Homesteader on Chicago's West Side.

The Suburban Gardener Suburban gardener with an appreciation of flowers.

Visit http://chicagogardeners.blogspot.com to see the latest posts of all the local garden blogs we're collecting . If you're a garden blogger in Chicago and would like to join the blog/FeedRoll just add a link to this blog in your blogroll or link list and let us know and we'll add your feed to the list of feeds on the right.

News

February 6 & 13, 2010: Sweet Saturdays at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

March 6-14, 2010: The Chicago Flower & Garden Show.

Writer and member of Chicago Gardeners, Beth Botts, writes about the budget cuts facing the University of Illinois Extension.

One Seed Chicago 2010

Voting for One Seed Chicago is now open. If you live in the Chicagoland area you can visit www.OneSeedChicago to vote for either Bee Balm, Nodding Onion or Purple Coneflower.

The winning seed will then be distributed to all who voted so you can plant them in your garden or in a community garden in your neighborhood. You don't have to be an experienced gardener or even currently own a garden, you just have to have a desire to grow a garden and beautify your surroundings.

If you have a blog or website in the Chicagoland area consider writing about One Seed Chicago and tell your readers about who you voted for, why and suggest that they vote too and get free seeds for their garden. You can get a graphic like this one in this post and images for the sidebars of your blog here. If you don't have a blog or website you can share One Seed Chicago with you friends on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Voting closes April 1 2010. For more information visit www.OneSeedChicago.com and Grow Together.