Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 10, 2016 5A
Garden: Spring opening planned
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
The winter months can be the perfect time to prepare your garden for the spring from
choosing seeds and getting seeds ready to be planted.
SPRING CLEANING
Masters get ready for plant sale, clean up gardens
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — A
half dozen Master Gardeners
laughed and chatted around
a planting table at Mt. Fir In-
spiration Park on Monday
afternoon.
Plants were expertly re-
moved from their pots and
replanted in gallon pots so
they could grow into their
new home on time for the an-
nual Mother’s Day Plant Sale.
“We’re continuing to have
new and unusual plants,”
said Lee Schlenker, presi-
dent of the Polk County
Master Gardeners.
Other gardeners have al-
ready split plants such as pe-
onies and other flowers.
Super Hot pepper seeds are
beginning to germinate.
Carole Allen said she
doesn’t do much in her own
garden this time of year.
“I just sort of leave it for
another month,” she said,
adding that it is the perfect
time of year to look through
seed catalogues and dream
about what you might
plant.
But Schlenker said days
like Monday — sunny and
64 — are perfect for getting
back out there.
“You can tidy it up,” he
said. “Look and see what
needs to be done, getting it
ready for spring.”
Seeds may be germinated
inside for tomatoes and
peppers. Peas are ready to be
planted outside.
“Soak them and get them
ready to be planted, and an-
other round a week or two
later,” Schlenker said. By
planting them with a week
or so in between, it will give
gardeners a more constant
crop, he said.
Other seeds that may be
planted outside are cold-
weather crops such as kale
varieties and lettuce.
The Monmouth Public
Library has kicked off its
seed lending library, where
adults may choose up to
five seed packets a day, no
library card needed. Last
year, the library gave out
3,200 packets of seeds
through the program.
While gardeners wait for
the last frost, they are always
welcome to head to the In-
spiration Garden, where the
Master Gardeners have
many displays.
“Anytime they want to get
muddy, they can come out
here and help,” Allen said.
Even just to take a walk
through the various gar-
dens — from vegetables to a
children’s garden, medicinal
to a memorial rose garden —
everyone is welcome, Nancy
Sullivan added.
Valentine’s Dinner
For 2 $75
Continued from Page 1A
“I would like to get this
front café open by spring, if
possible,” he said.
He said he would like to
have the new café feel like
the old Blue Garden he re-
members and many a cus-
tomer can recall.
“We want to try to pre-
serve, in the old section at
least, a little bit of that old
flare,” Collins said.
The Blue Garden
opened in 1923, so he had
some discretion as to
which era.
“We are somewhere be-
tween the late-’50s and ’60s,
kind of a mix,” he said. “Just
something that is pretty, but
operational.”
Collins said almost daily
he’s asked when the restau-
rant will open — and he’s
had to kill a few rumors
about the project going side-
ways.
He’s in it until the job is
finished, although he
hopes that won’t be too
much longer. Former cus-
tomers have been a con-
stant source of support —
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Wood framing provides extra support for the building
in case a major earthquake were to shake Dallas.
even people who have
moved away from Dallas
are paying attention.
“It also puts some pres-
sure on you. We have to
perform,” Collins said.
“People are going to come
in the door with whatever
that expectation picture
is, and they are going to
come in and say, yeah, we
met it or we fell short. I
think we are going to sur-
prise a lot of people.”
For now, eager would-be
customers will have to be
satisfied with a completed
facade, with its fresh paint,
custom-made tiles — and
that iconic sign.
“That is going to shine,
especially on that cobalt
blue tile,” Collins said with a
big grin.
POLICE REPORT
Information for the police
report comes from law en-
forcement agencies. Not all
calls for service are included.
The status of incidents report-
ed may change after further
investigation. Individuals ar-
rested or suspected of crimes
are considered innocent until
proven guilty.
—
DALLAS
Arrests/Citations
• Ronald L. Selby, 46, of Dal-
las in the 400 block of South-
west Wyatt Street on Feb. 3 on
a charge of physical harass-
ment and a parole violation.
• Ronald L. Eagon, 53, of
Dallas in the 500 block of East
Ellendale Avenue on Feb. 3 on
charges of failing to report as
a sex ofender and false swear-
ing.
INDEPENDENCE
Arrests/Citations
• Gregoria Antonia Richard,
38, of Monmouth, on Feb. 3 at
the corner of C and South
Fourth streets for driving
under the inluence of intoxi-
cants.
• Juan Onesimo Alvaraz, 28,
of Independence, on Satur-
day at the corner of South
Main and C streets for driving
under the influence of intoxi-
cants.
MONMOUTH
Arrests/Citations
• Aaron Dean Wendt, 40, of
Independence, on Jan. 31 at
the corner of Catron Street
South and Main Street East for
driving under the inluence of
intoxicants.
• Gilberto Mora Jr., 22, of In-
dependence, on Feb. 1 at the
corner of Monmouth and
South 16th streets for driving
under the inluence of intoxi-
cants.
•Jazmin Aaliyah Bembry, 21,
of Monmouth, on Feb. 2 at the
corner of Clay Street East and
Broad Street for failure to carry
or present a driver’s license.
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Aria Nicole Peters • Dec. 26, 2015
All babies will be entered into a drawing for
FREE PRIZES from area merchants!
BABIES OF 2015
Showcase your little one with his or her photo, birthdate and
names of proud parents. Only babies born in 2015 are
candidates for BABIES OF 2015. All baby photos submitted
will appear in a special full color section of the Itemizer-
Observer on Feb. 24, 2016. Please mail or
drop off the following form, a photo and
$25.00 to our office by Feb.19th prior
to 2:00 p.m. (The photo may be picked
Mom! Dad!
up after publication). If you have any
Grandparents!
questions, please call Dawn at
Bring in
503-623-2373.
a photo!
Ruben 503-915-2080
(CLIP THIS FORM)
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Baby’s Full Name
Solution on Page 6A
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Parent’s Names
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Remember to bring in a photo! Cost is only $25.00
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 19 PUBLISH: FEBRUARY 24
Itemizer-Observer
147 SE Court St. • Dallas • 503-623-2373