Ideas for Seeds and Seed Saving

From Kitchen Gardens International

Pelleted Seed
Have you ever planted carrots. It is always hard to separate the seed so that you don't need to thin later. I have always had difficulty with carrots because I don't thin enough I get a poor crop. Pelletted seeds mitght be the answer and they might also be great for those with arthritis or other conditions that limit hand dexterity. Here is an article about pelleted seed on the Kitchen Garden site. Check it out. http://kgi.org/blog/roger-doiron/pelleted-seeds-and-why-i-love-them.
I found carrot and lettuce seeds available in High Mowing (all organic) catalogs. Johnny's seed has lettuce, carrots, beets, celery, onion basil, parsnip and chard. They also have some flower - digitalis, lisienthu, danthus, dusty miller.There are probably more sources.

Saving Tomato Seed
As you are harvesting the last of those vegetables and spent flowers keep in mind that on November 7 the new Seed Library will begin at the Coconino County Extension. I have attached U-Tube video from the Seed Saver Exchange on saving tomato seeds. I looked at many of these videos in preparation for our July lecture this year. This is the best of many that I looked at. It makes tomato seed saving easy. Take a look -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEkVep0PnLo&utm_source=Seed+Savers+Exchange+Newsletter&utm_campaign=169877fa5c-September2015_Newsletter_members&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_530267ed05-169877fa5c-91534418&mc_cid=169877fa5c&mc_eid=3ecbf3b76b

U-tube has many other videos about saving other seeds. If you have any questions about the Seed Library or saving seeds contact Jackee Alston (jackeealston@gmail.com). Watch the blog for more details about the Nov. 7 events.

Volunteer Weed Pull Frances Short Pond

Betsy Emery, Open Space Specialist in the City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program, is looking for help on removing invasive weeds in and around Frances Short Pond. We are looking for a group of Master Gardeners to identify and properly remove invasive weeds.

Master Gardener Patti van Tuyl has already volunteered to help and will bring gloves and shovels from the extension office.

Please let us know if you can assist.  Keep in mind that once your pull 10,000 of any one weed, you will become a master of that weed!
Saturday, Oct. 24
8:30am-1:30pm
Frances Short Pond

Betsy Emery | Open Space Specialist

City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program

BEmery@flagstaffaz.gov | p: 928.213.2154

www.facebook.com/PictureCanyon | [www.flagstaff.az.gov/sustainable]

Deaver Herbarium Mounting in October

Deaver Herbarium mounting session to resume in October

We are looking for dedicated volunteers to help mount pressed specimens for the permanent collection.  No experience necessary, training will be provided. No reply needed, just show up and join a fun group.

Work sessions will take place every first and third Thursday of the month at 1:30 to 3:30pm in the Deaver herbarium in the Biological Sciences Bldg on 617 S, Beaver Street. The herbarium is located in room 314 on the south side of the third floor.
Parking near the NAU campus is very difficult, but the Mountain Line #10 bus stops right in front of the building.

For more information visit the Deaver website http://nau.edu/merriam-powell/biodiversity-center/deaver-herbarium/ or contact session organizers Gisela Kluwin (gkluwin2@gmail.com) or Vera Markgraf (vera.markgraf86@gmail.com)

Flagstaff Ranger District

Hello,

The NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership is wrapping up another excellent summer season. Thank you to everyone who participated in our programs and helped to make our 25^th Year a memorable one! This will be our final update until the 2016 season kicks back up Memorial Day Weekend in May, but we still have some great programs throughout the remainder of the month. Join us in celebrating National Public Lands Day (Sept. 26) and look for us at special events during the Festival of Science (www.scifest.org for program details). Don’t forget to come visit us at the top of the Arizona Snowbowl Scenic Chairlift Ride and view the fall colors through the mid/end of October! Scroll below or view the attached flyer for event details.

Take care,

Chelsea Schroeder

Chelsea Schroeder Interpretive Ranger Forest Service Flagstaff Ranger District p: 928-527-8238 chelseaschroeder@fs.fed.us 5075 N. Hwy. 89 Flagstaff, AZ 86004www.fs.fed.us Caring for the land and serving people

If you would like to unsubscribe from this weekly e-mail, please reply with “UNSUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.

Ranger Walks & Talks Event Calendar

Remainder of 2015 Season

NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership

Arizona Snowbowl

· Friday through Monday until the mid/end of October

10:00 am-4:00 pm. Enjoy Ranger Talks Atop the Scenic Chairlift Ride every Friday through Monday until the mid/end of October. The grandest view in the Southwest at 11,500 feet! Join a ranger at the top to learn about geology, flora and fauna, and local history. Call 928-779-1951 for further details on operating hours and pricing, or visit www.arizonasnowbowl.com.
· Sunday, September 27
10:00 am-4:00 pm. Snowbowl Celebrates the Festival of Science. Soar above the forest on Agassiz chairlift to the Alpine Tundra at 11,500 feet. Interpretive rangers will meet you at the top to share the volcanic history, geography and ecology of the area.

2015 Master Gardener Recognition Picnic

Hi MGs and MGs to be - Please join me at the 8th Annual Master Gardener Recognition Picnic.  Things are a little different this year as we will meet at the Arboretum for a picnic potluck lunch.  The invitation is linked  I hope I see everyone there.

And if you can let me know if you are a member of the Arboretum when you RSVP, that will help.

Hattie

Hattie Braun
Master Gardener Program Coordinator
Coconino Cooperative Extension
University of Arizona
2304 N. 3rd St.
Flagstaff, AZ  86004

Phone: (928)774-1868 ext. 170
Fax: (928)774-1860
hbraun@cals.arizona.edu

Fall Garden Teaching Tour in Sedona

From Gardens for Humanity:

Keep Sedona Beautiful Lecture Series

Preserving the Wonder™ Speaker Series      with Nicole Branton  Wednesday September 9, 2015 5:30 pm, KSB Pushmataha Building 360 Brewer Rd., Sedona

Join us on Wednesday, September 9th for the first preserntation in this season's speaker line-up featuring Nicole Branton, Red Rock District Ranger of the Coconino National Forest.  The title of her presentation is "Mudslides, Waterfalls, and Sustainable Recreation:  The Year in Good Work and Tough Problems on the Red Rock Ranger District." The Red Rock Ranger District averages 2 million visitors per year and is located in a landscape populated with numerous threatened and endangered species, archaeological sites, and fragile soils.  It is also home to the largest volunteer program in the National Forest System. Nicole will discuss the challenges the Forest Service faces in dealing with all of these tough problems. Please note that the Forest Service does not have an opinion on the proposal for the Red Rock National Monument and that this subject will not be discussed.    The evening includes complimentary appetizers donated by El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano and refreshments provided by Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB).       Read Press Release Here...

Arboretum Volunteering

Master Gardeners – The Arboretum at Flagstaff has several garden work days coming up so.  This is a great way to get in some hours especially if you would like to get your badge at our Oct. 11 recognition event. They also have a couple of other events that they can use help with.  Read on…

 

garden work opportunities

 

Please RSVP to Christi Sorrell @ christi.sorrell@thearb.org at least 2 days before each event so she can plan for the group size. (events will be cancelled if their is no interest):

1. Thursday, Sep 3, 2015. 10am to 2pm: Volunteer with Christi in the Gardens. Invasive Weed Warrior Day!
2. Thursday, Sep 10, 2015 10am to 2pm: Volunteer with Christi in the Gardens. Invasive Weed Removal followed by native plant installation if we meet our weed removal goals.
3. Thursday, Oct 1, 2015. 10am to 2pm: Volunteer with Christi in the Gardens. Milkweed & associated species plantings in the north end of the pollinator garden. Followed by invasive weed removal.
4. Thursday, Oct 8, 2015 10am to 2pm: Volunteer with Christi in the Gardens. Herb Garden and Ethnobotany Garden. Deadheading, pruning, invasive species removal, fall/winter preparation. Similar work to be done around the pond if time allows.
5. Thursday, Oct 15, 2015 10am to 2pm: Volunteer with Christi in the Gardens. Invasive weed removal in the future wildflower meadow and around the Ramada area. Native plant installation if time allows.

special event opportunities

 

Anyone planning to attend, please RSVP to our Volunteer Coordinator @ rikki.grill@thearb.org at least 2 days before the event and Rikki will coordinate with interested folks directly to instruct them with relevant details (a limited number of volunteers are recruited for special events, and those interested will be invited on a first come, first serve basis) :

1. Sunday, Sep 13, 2015: Wine in the Woods event from 1 to 5 pm. Volunteers may be needed to assist with setup before 1pm and cleanup after 5pm in addition to tasks during the event. to learn more about Wine in the Woods- http://thearb.org/events_wine-in-the-woods.php

2. Friday, Sep 11 & Saturday Sep 12: Shakespeare on the Stage 3pm to as late as 10pm: Volunteers may be needed to assist with setup before 3pm and cleanup after the plays end in addition to tasks during the event. to learn more about Shakespeare at the Arb- http://thearb.org/events_specialevents.php
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Christi Sorrell
Director of HorticultureThe Arboretum at Flagstaff

4001 S Woody Mountain Rd.

Flagstaff, AZ   86005

928-774-1442