At the very top of the list is going to the 14th Annual Garden Fair and Garden Art Show out at the Alaska Botanical Garden. It starts on Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Simply put -- be there. It is the No. 1 must-attend gardening event of the year and a terrific time to see the Alaska Botanical Garden.
The full event schedule can be found at www.alaskabg.org along with a map of where to park (you may have to enlarge the page). There will be a "Children's Village" to entertain the littler gardeners and, as always, terrific food (it keeps getting better every year), music, juggling, plant sales and lots and lots of other vendors and clubs. Plus there are lots of educational talks presented in the Speaker's Tent. (I am on at 1 p.m. Saturday.) In short, something for everyone and anyone.
This is a major fundraiser for The Garden. It is $7 at the gate, but advance tickets only cost $5 and children under 2 are free. There is no question you will get your money's worth just by strolling through the garden beds, taking a few pictures and perhaps a few notes. The added fun of the carnival atmosphere and seeing all your gardening friends and meeting new ones is just the bonus. The Gardens are spectacular this year. The new garden section is up and running. I sure hope to see you all there.
Speaking of fundraisers, tonight is the 2011 Midsummer Gala out at the Garden. Because it is a first look at the Art Show and the chance to buy early, and because there is a lavish spread of food and beer and wine, reservations and tickets are required. They are $50 per person or $100 per family. To find out if there are tickets left, go to www.alaskabg.org/Events/Gala/html to order tickets online. This, too, is one of those fabulous events for Alaskans to enjoy The Garden in a unique and special way.
Next, those dandelions are flying. At the very least, pick the heads before they blow over to my yard! Continue or start hand eradication or use a safe spray such as BurnOut. No chemical or weed and feed products, please.
Out in the veggie gardens and those newly planted annual gardens, chickweed is making its annual appearance. Pulling weeds when they are little is always the safest way to ensure they don't set seed and populate. Seeing chickweed means you probably not mulching enough and that you are using chemical fertilizers.
It is also time to thin. Lettuce, carrots, beets -- well, you know the list. Just consider what the full grown vegetable looks like and then make sure to thin so what is left will have enough room to get that big. Most of these thinnings can be eaten in salads if not munched as you work.
If you are succession planting, this is a good time to start a new row or container of lettuce, perhaps radish and some kohlrabi.
Continue to visit nurseries. Look for things to fill places where those perennials didn't come up, or where you need to replace an annual or two that didn't make it through the transplanting process. Also, look for some great sales on things.
Finally, now that you have finished planting, it is time to clean up. Gather up all the detritus, the extra labels, the four-pack cells, the flats, hoes, rakes, trowels and hand forks and whatever else you have laying around the deck, porch or garden. Toss what can't be recycled (yes, ALPAR will collect old pots, flats and cell packs later in the season, so keep them) and put tools out of sight. It is time to make your gardens presentable. They are in and growing; spring is about over.
Have a great gardening week. See you tonight and Saturday.
America's longest-running garden columnist, Jeff Lowenfels, returns to the airwaves with "The Garden Party" on AM-700 KBYR at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
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