A recycling event just for your pots

Thanks to the good folks at ALPAR and The Alaska Botanical Garden, (with a lot of help from RockTenn, Alaska Waste and Anchorage Media Group) you can get rid of a lot of bulky, garden plastic instead of dumping it into the landfill or keeping it (as so many of us do). All you have to do now is get two boxes and sort your pots so they are ready for drop-off at the parking lot off Campbell Airstrip road, one block east of the light at Tudor and Baxter.

In the first box should go No. 2 HDPE pots. In the second, No. 5 PP, No. 6PS and No. 7 and other pots, cells packs and trays. Check the bottom for these numbers. Only pots should be sorted. No soil, foil or wires. Oh, it's open to private gardeners only, no nurseries.

Remember the date: Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the only day. Don't even think of dropping them off early or afterwards. Anyone who needs some pots is surely welcome to take them. Reuse is recycling!

While you're collecting pots, the second flush of dandelions is about to hit if it hasn't already done so in your part of town. The trick is mowing when the flower heads just appear, not when they are in seed. I know you are sick of hearing me tell you not to let them go to seed. This is still the best organic defense and an organic defense is the only kind.

If you are too late and things are in flower or worse, consider picking up the clippings for a change and using them in the compost pile.

Meanwhile, butter-and-eggs are as bad a spreading weed. They are in bloom and in bud. Every one that doesn't go to seed is one less breeder. If you don't know what it looks like, search it out on the web.

Next, get harvesting. Yes, it is still early August, but there is a hint of harvest time weather in the air. Surely those broccoli, cauliflowers and kohlrabi are ready. Kale and brussels sprouts should be left until it gets really cold.

Peas that are too old are pithy and not worth it. Same goes for beans. And if you still have raspberries left, shame on you. If you don't want it, surely someone will.

If you are bored, why not try planting some garlic? It will winter over and can be harvested next year about this time. In fact, if you planted some last year, pull some up and see how you did. You can try grocery garlic. I like the hard neck varieties. Bury them an inch or two deep and mark where they are located.

Finally, this is a terrific time to scout the nurseries for perennials and trees that are looking for a home. Many nurseries would rather sell than keep inventory over. What do you care if something needs pruning? It will lose its leaves in less than a month, anyhow. And you surely don't care if a perennial has already flowered. Get it in the ground now and it will reward you next year.

Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at teamingwithmicrobes.com or by calling 274-5297 during "The Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR AM-700.