Donna Coffin, Extension Educator and Paul Matulis, Master Gardener will discuss raised bed gardening and methods to reduce weeds in the garden. This free program will help gardeners with smaller areas enjoy vegetable or flower gardening with less effort. They will discuss techniques described in “Square Foot Gardening” and “Weedless Gardening” books.

Please call to let us know you are coming or for more information 564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491 or email dcoffin@umext.maine.edu.

We are came up with some new flowers & ideas to beautify Dexter this year instead of having the "same ole same ole". One new thing is building (4) sitting benches for Main Street and fill those buckets with aromatic herbs. We are planning on using Pepper Explosive, Red Rubin Basil, Chives, Creeping Thyme and aromatic Sage.

In the whiskey barrels we are planting Bush Morning Glories, Purple Vine (Name unknown), Marguerite, Limelight and Four O'Clocks.

In the Heart Garden we are planning to plant Coleus, Red Salvia, Rose Angel Catchfly, Dusty Miller and Limelight Four O'Clocks.

We are also filling new window boxes for the Dexter Police Department with an assortment of prolific plants.

Mid April 2006 - Steven L. Craig built us a small temporary greenhouse this year to start our seeds as well as annuals from B'Warts. Darlene and Judy have planted the seeds at Judy's house. We purchase many of our seeds from Maine Seed Companies this year online.

Almost Compost from Dexter is delivery a couple loads of compost and Tillson True Value is delivering a bunch of Pro Mix for the Main Street barrels and bench buckets.

If you would like to donate flowers, seeds, time or anything else, please let us know. We couldn't continue doing this volunteer work without the help of so many people.

The Green Thumb Society is a non-profit organization, established in 2004 to help beautify Dexter at not cost to the taxpayers, share the love of gardening with others and get children involved in gardening.

Some of the projects worked on in 2004 included:

* Planting annuals in the Memorial Heart Garden on Post Office lawn
* Planting annuals & perennials in the new Town Office Garden
* Cleaning of the Wayside Park /Gazebo Perennial Garden
* Planting some of entering Town Sign Gardens
* Eleanor Ronco Smith Park Clean up
* Dexter Historical Society Gardens
* Planting & care of the Town of Dexter Main Street Barrels
* Brewster Inn donated $100 worth of spring bulbs which were planted by members & students throughout the town for 2005 spring blooms
* Participated in decorating for Wild West Weekend
* Decorated Town Council Chamber Fall window
* Planting and decorating the Cannon Christmas trees
* Started an account for Memorial Gardens and benches for 2005

The Dexter Flower Barrels that line the Main Street have been planted and now curing at B'Warts, but will be out for Memorial weekend. We have taken this project over from the Town to save taxpayers money, but the town crew(s) help with many of our projects. If you are a business and have a planter in front of your business, feel free to water daily. The watering of gardens and planters is one of the biggest part of our projects, so any help is welcomed!

The sale of the GTS Seed Packets helps fund our projects as well as creating a new Scholarship Fund for a student who is furthering their education in agriculture. You can find the GTS seed packets at B'Warts Nursery, Country Charm on Main Street, the Dexter Historical Society Gift Shop and other businesses in Dexter & Sebec or a Green Thumb member.

At the April meeting, GTS enjoyed guest speaker Mark Fulford, a biological gardening & farming consultant from Monroe Me. He gave ideas on revitalizing the existing town gardens (Ronco Park and Wayside Park) as well as giving insight on getting kids involved in projects. Fulford is working with Belfast schools with innovative gardening projects.

If you would like to make a flower or money donation for further projects, call 924-3067, email judy@DexterMaine.com or check out our website at www.GreenThumbSociety.com.

If you would like to become a member (no membership fee), GTS meetings are normally at the Brewster Inn the first Wednesday of the month at 7 PM and is open to the public and includes all ages.

Seed packet filling is a 3 person job so I am requesting a pasting-filling-closing seed packet crew A.S.A.P. Three people can do 1-200/ hour so a couple hours would get a bunch done. Also, Bwarts has several varieties of flowers that they are done with which, if some members would separate into plug trays, they would donate an area in the green house for Green Thumbs to grow these for town gardens! Please step forward to Benefit from this generous offer.

We have a speaker lined up for the 4/6/05 meeting. Mark Fullford - "Full Potential Ag.", a biological consultant from Monroe Me. is coming to speak on ways to revitalize the existing garden plots such as the plots in the Wayside Park and the Ronco Park.. He also has some experience with the Belfast school greenhouse project that I hope will shed some light on how we can get involved with the youth in town. Mark is one of the "Sharpest" guys in New England on biological growing and is willing to answer any questions you might have on your own garden-flower or vegetable. Mark does charge to come as a speaker but is giving us a break since he has an afternoon appointment in Dexter that day already.

Please attend this informational meeting at 6:00 P.M. 4/6/05 at the Brewster Inn to share enthusiasm and ideas with this growing group. Call Judy at 924-3067 or email for questions and/or directions.

The Green Thumb's invite you to come and bring your ideas, thoughts and we will have a 'blooming' good time!

Things being covered this first 2005 meeting will be sale of locally made flower packet courtesy of B'Warts, Fund Raisers & Raffle of compost from Compost Almost, Wild West Weekend participation, school kids projects, the "Plant A Row for the Hungry" project, planting of the Town of Dexter gardens and Main Street Barrels, new officers, future speakers and more.

If you would like to become a member (no membership fee), please come to the Brewster Inn, on Wednesday, March 9th at 7 PM. Call Judy at 924-3067 or email for questions and/or directions.

The 'girls' from the Town Office probably won't be with us, they had a very long day yesterday at the Polls and want to get some sleep.... I know how they feel. I waited for their late night call to get the results..... Thank goodness Question One didnt pass.

The first of October, Fred & Carol, Alice, Debbie B, Marilyn and I decorated the Town Council window with a "Fall Harvest" theme. I picked up stuff at Reny's who donated (lent) the scarecrow and the pumpkin, Fred and Carol brought corn stocks, little bales of hay, gourds and lots of other stuff. Marilyn also brought leaf vines, hanging birds, Alice chrysanthemums , Debbie also donated chrysanthemums. Sorry if I missed anything...... It looked great..... Bob said they did have to take out the corn (most of it) because it stated fermenting and the girls were have allergy reactions.... opps.....

Ivy has received the 'spring bulbs' which we voted to buy at our last meeting at the Brewster Inn and will need to plant soon... we can set a date tonight for next week during the day maybe. The Heart Garden would be a good place to start....

Mark your calendars for the regular monthly meetings on the 1st Wednesday of every month.

See you soon Green Thumbs
Judy 924-3067
cell: 270-1240

Word is, Ivy has received the 'spring bulbs' which we voted to buy at our last meeting at the Brewster Inn last week. We will need to plant soon... we can set a date tonight.

I got a phone call from a reader of my newspaper TheDailyME.com and former resident of Dexter and he and his brothers would like to donate money for a memorial garden in their parents name. We talked of different ways to do it and I told him I would get back to him after talking to the Green Thumbs.

We also decided to have regular monthly meetings on the 1st Wednesday of every month, starting in November and schedule speakers, etc. So mark your calendars.

Things to discuss:
* Seed collecting (late Sept/Oct); use Brewster Inn Gardens for demonstration
* Perennial Plant dividing
* How to 'winter over' annuals
* When to coordinate the planting of the Blue Spruce in the next few weeks at the Post Office with the help of Duke Leighton and the TV station and media.
* Window Display at Town Council Chambers
* Setting a permanent meeting date for the winter months
* Cleaning of the Town Planters and gardens....

See you soon Green Thumbs

Some of the items discussed were:
* The ins and outs of Seed collecting (late Sept/Oct);
maybe use Brewster Inn Gardens for demonstration?
* Perennial Plant dividing
* how to 'winter over' annuals
* Pros and Cons of caring for Abbott Memorial Library Gardens
(they asked Fred if we wanted to take them over. The general conseses last night was no, unless it was to do spring and fall clean up only.
* Take over care of the Historical Society Garden (Rick asked Marilyn if we could do it) ... we decided that was do able. (Marilyn & Ella are going to start on that soon)
* We decided to Sponsor the "Dexter Holiday Lights Contest" in December
* We will be planting the Blue Spruce to replace the 'sad' tree at the Post Office with the help of Duke Leighton, who has the fir tree at this house just waiting for the nesting Robins to fly and the right time to plant
* Window Display at Town Council Chambers (Diana checking on availability with Town Manager)
..... I am probably leaving out something, but notetaker Alice has it all down....

I also want to let you know we are invited to a presentation from the Moosehead Lake Garden Club.
They are presenting "Ecological Design", a lecture on how to design a low maintenance pesticide free garden using native plants.
Guest speaker is Barbara Murphy who was the featured speaker at the 2004 Bangor Garden Show. This is taking place on Tuesday, August 31st at 7PM at the Peoples United Methodist Church on Pritham Ave. in Greenville Jct.
Admission is by donation with proceeds to benefit restoration of Thoreau Park. Seating is limited, so call for Reservations at 695-4411.

Bring your bug spray and we will bring some refreshments.

Meet (only if you can, please) at the Post Office at 6 pm..... Marilyn will be calling people as well...

By the way, you should all be proud. The flowers around town are awesome! Without you all, we wouldn't be as "green thumbie". Is that a word? heheh

Thanks Green Thumbs for all your hard work, we will do other fun stuff soon....

Projects the Green Thumbs have done and/or are working on soon include the 22+/- Town planters, the Welcome to Dexter sign planters, Wayside Park Garden & new Gazebo plantings and Eleanor Ronco Smith Park (acrossed from Ambulance Garage). Also, in front of the Post Office, the Memorial Heart Garden has been planted and soon the Green Thumbs will be replacing the old town fir tree with a new Colorado blue spruce with the help of Parks Supervisor Duke Leighton. The Dexter Town Office Garden, in the alleyway, is currently being planted with both annuals and perennials. All of the perennial plants that have been donated by members and from citizens gardens, the annual flowers are purchased locally.

Renys Department Store has donated for future projects, such as the Wayside Park, Massage Therapist Donna Kraft-Smith is donating perennials, Windy View Farm Stand, Almost Compost & Sherburne Farms has donated loads of compost and top soil, B'Warts has donated plants and the calls are still coming in. The effort of the Green Thumb Society and supporters is saving the Town of Dexter over $3000 this year in tax money and guarantees everlasting blooms for the beautification of Dexter. This also includes the ongoing project of watering and maintenance of the plantings.

A big project for The Green Thumbs is "Plant a Row for the Hungry Garden" at Sherburne Farm on the Ripley Road in Dexter. Dexter Regional Federal Credit Union has already committed to helping sponsor the Garden project as part of their successful "Ending Hunger In Maine". The Dexter Rec. Department is in the planning stages of putting together a kids summer program to work with the Green Thumbs "Plant a Row for the Hungry Garden." The Charlotte White Center has also expressed interest in participating with their clients.

If you would like to participate in the Garden Club, if you have plants to donate, if you want more information to become a member, or be put on the email list, email judy@DexterMaine.com or call 924-3067. Next meeting date is Wednesday, June 23rd, 6pm at Wayside Park and is open to anyone. Bring any tools & plants you might have and lots of bug spray!

You do not have to attend every meeting, possess lots of gardening knowledge, or assist in every project. Just come and enjoy getting your hands dirty or your mind enriched. If your group or organization (i.e.: scouts, church groups, teens, etc) would like to be a part of the community based Green Thumb Society please let us know. Ages range from 7 years old to over 80, both men and women.

Bring your tools, any plants you have to plant and LOTS of bug spray!

The downtown flowers are looking great. Although the heart is in need of more watering. I am going to check with the Post Office and see if they will put the hose to those in the mornings. We are going to get some pavers to line the outside of the heart for easier mowing and to keep the shape of the heart year after year.

Marilyn offered to help call the Non-emailers, so I will get with her on that.

Call 924-3067 for questions or email me at judy@dextermaine.com
Have a great day!

Marilyn
Bangor Savings Bank

We will meeting "under" the Covered Bridge and make plans for our future. What projects we need to complete for the community and what YOU think Green Thumb Society should go from there.

Some of the things to cover tonight:

1) we need a Pink Fern Leaf Bleeding Heart for the Town Office Garden (anyone have one?)

2) Fred has come up with a Logo and wants group approval
a) I will put together a website for GreenThumbSociety.com

3) Darlene has a ton of gardens that are being "plowed up" for a new storefront and needs help saving perennials from her husband and the bulldozer... Hope its not too late! If you would like to help Darlene in her plight, let me know and we can set up a time with her.

4) Green Thumb Society has the Town Council Display Window for the month of June, so we need to put together something .... (any artistic window dressers? ... Darlene is I know :)

5) The Welcome Sign Planters coming into Dexter (I think there are 4)

6) Creating a "Feed the Hungry" Veggie Garden. Fred has agreed to let us have the garden out at Sherburne Farm (safe from vandalism). I will put out a press release for "Plant a row for the Hungry" and hopefully people will donate seeds, time, etc for this Community Project.

7) I need someone who will take care of phone calls from the members who don't have email.
There are about 6 or so...

8) We still need perennials for the Wayside Park Garden, but not necessarily for tonight.... Only if you want to brave the rain!

Hope to see you tonight... Rain or shine........

The barrels are done, although Deb will probably putter on them some more :). They will stay at Deb's for a week or so for nurturing and then we can put them out for Memorial Day Weekend.

Fred, Carol, Marilyn and I got the raised bed beside the town office all ready for planting. I thought it would only take a few minutes, but............. NOT...... I got teased about that!

While there, Carol came up with the name, Dexter's Green Thumb Society.... Hey, I think that is terrific.. But what about you? I check the domain name and GreenThumbSociety.com is available so if you all like it, I will register it...... Don't tell anyone yet, so someone else buys it, k? Green Thumb Society, sounds kinda official :)

We are going to have another work bee on Monday at 6 pm, meeting at the Dexter Municipal parking lot and break up into 3 groups to work on 3 different things.
1) The raised bed at the Town Office
2) Eleanor Ronco Smith Park to trim up the hedges and bushes
3) Heart Garden in front of the post office

We really need perennials. Hostas, day lilies, bushes, etc..... Especially plants that do good in the shade. Bring 'em with you, and if you need help with the diggin', let me know and we will get some help to ya!

Thanks for those who brought stuff, and we will need it! Phew, the more we look around town, the more we see we can do.

It is exciting to think in another month it will be a 'blooming town' and "we" did it!

Fred will be bringing the rottotiller and more compost for that garden, that he, Carol and I will work on that one. Carol and I are going to check at Spring Street Greenhouse for annuals on Saturday morning for that garden.

The new lady last night, (which I am not sure her name yet) knows about pruning as does her husband, so she is going to head up that group. Deb Burdin is going to head up the raised bed group........

I was thinking, after our projects in-town are going, wouldn't it be nice to maybe go to members gardens and have workbees or tours, depending on how extensive or starting your garden is.....

Question??????? Give me a call at 924-3067 or email me judy@DexterMaine.com

~~~~~~~~~~

Annual Plant Sale:
The Friends and Flowers Garden Club will hold their Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 22nd from 8 AM to 12:30 PM. The sale will take place at the St. Albans Town Hall parking lot. Members and area gardeners are asked to bring donations of identified plants, seeds, small trees or bushes to the sale before 8 AM on Saturday, May 22nd. To arrange for donation pick up or for further information contact President Nancy Merrifield at 277-3427.

A reminder, we will be meeting at B'Warts, 6pm on Wednesday, May 19th to start on the Flower barrels for the town of Dexter. I stopped down to see Deb last week and we looked over alot of flowers. The Barrels best bet are the petunias. I wish the Red was more red, but they just don't grow that way. Stop down to Deb's at B'warts if you have a chance and check it out! Let me know if you have any other ideas and I will pass them along.

This next item is an upcoming event for the Central Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association local chapter that I thought you might want to attend......
Seedling Swap and Garden Tour at Organic Pleasures Farm, in Garland

"We have received calls, emails and people stopping by to inquire about the Garden Club," according to Debbie and Judy. "There is a little known small club in Dexter area now and with new energys, it appears that there is great interest to join making it a bigger one."

Fred Sherburne of Almost Compost & Sherburne farms has agreed to head up the group. Fred has some great projects thought out and lots of other ideas are being tossed around.

One of the visions of a Dexter Flower Fantics is to help maintain the Town of Dexter's flower boxes and garden beds in addition to creating some new flower & vegetable beds. It will save tax dollars and create a sense of pride of our community for all ages. Fred would love to see a youth garden for kids to participate in and learn from. But other reasons for a club is sharing of information & knowledge, creating your own garden(s), flower trips & tips, a community garden and more.

he Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis is working with the town to erect a new 12 X 24 Gazebo at Wayside Park that will continue the efforts of Dexter Regional Development Corp. in developing downtown and help draw more visitors to Dexter. The Gazebo is being funded by a DOT Community Gateway Grant and "in kind" work by the town. Musical Concerts at the Gazebo are already being scheduled for the summer. The Flower Group will most likely help provide some of the plantings in the in-town park that is an extension of Main Street and beside the Historical Society's Grist Mill.

So if you are a senior citizen or a teen or anywhere in between, and you would like to get involved, please contact Debbie at B'warts Nursery on the Line Road at 924-5025 or Judy at 924-3067. Email judy@DexterMaine.com for more information. And plan to attend the 'root' meeting on Wednesday, May 06, 7pm at the Brewster Inn on Zions Hill in Dexter.

Judy Wilbur Craig from Judy Craig Consulting and Debbie Burdin from B'warts Nursery are searching for gardeners from the Dexter area to form a Garden Club. There are many municipal projects that are in need to help as well as information to share for your own garden(s). You do not have to have a background in gardening, just the desire to learn and or share your knowledge.

So if you are a senior citizen or a teen or anywhere in between, and you would like to get involved, please contact Debbie at B'warts Nursery on the Line Road at 924-5025 or Judy at 924-3067.

Email judy@DexterMaine.com for more information.