(Riverton, WY) The August meeting of the Fremont County Master Gardeners will be held tonight at 5:30 p.m. with this month’s featured garden tour taking place at the residence of Rick and Judy Young on Riverview and Country Club Drive in Riverton.
This is the third in a series of garden tours put on by the Master Gardeners this summer. There will be a short business meeting, followed by a tour of the Young’s property; refreshments will be served. Call Ernie Schierwagon, Master Gardeners’ president at 307-851-7562 for more information and the address.
July’s garden tour was held at the home of Bob Zent who resides in Shoshoni. On the discussion last month were updates on the Strawberry Hoop House, the Saturday Farmers Market, the Master Gardeners’ presence at the Fremont County Fair, and a roundtable discussion on garlic, onions, potatoes, and other gardening topics.
Unlike the soft-neck garlic that is grown primarily in California and can be grown in Zones 6-9, hard-neck garlic can thrive in the cooler climates of Zones 5-6. Both onions and garlic need fertilizing through mid-July…you can start digging them up when the tops begin to brown.
“If you let them get too far gone, they can start spoiling underground,” said Shierwagon. “Let the tops fall over on their own. When that happens, that’s the time to dig them up. With garlic, you pretty much have to dig them out because they get these long roots on them, so you almost have to take a fork and pop them out.”
Master Gardener Carol Brodle said that her garlic came from a friend who had bought them at the grocery store, and “we just stuck them in the ground and they’ve always just come up so big and gorgeous,” she said. The bulbs and cloves are tighter and a bit spicier in flavor.
Potatoes can be harvested after the foliage has started to wither and die back, and should be stored in a cool dry cellar, room or storage area.
Master Gardeners generally meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. with the exception of the summer months to accommodate the schedules of garden tour hosts. For more information contact Ernie Shierwagon at 307-851-7562; also visit the Riverton Saturday Farmers Market Facebook page.