Smart pot drop Recycle your stacks of plastic garden pots Saturday and Sunday at Twin Cities Bachman's Garden Centers during store hours. If discarded in garbage cans, plastic pots take up space in landfills and do not readily decompose. Bachman's also will accept plastic trays and hanging baskets, Make sure pots are clean and remove metal hangers from hanging baskets before recycling. Do not bring household plastic or clay pots. Go to www.bachmans.com for more information.
Father's Day Tractor Show Kids and grownups can imagine what it would be like to drive a Pixall Super Jack sweet corn picker and other vintage and modern tractors from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Pahl's Market, 6885 160th St., Apple Valley.
Activities include tractor climbing, ice cream social, fairy garden demonstrations and craft beer tasting. Tractor experts will answer questions on everything from horsepower to tractor models. Call 952-431-4345 or go to www.pahls.com.
Hort Society Open House Still have holes to fill in your garden? The Minnesota State Horticultural Society Spring Open House features a plant sale, in-store specials and door prizes. While you're there, browse the exhibits by Wild Ones. Busse Gardens and others. The Open House is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at MSHS, 2705 Lincoln Drive, Roseville. Call 651-643-3601 or go to www.northerngardener.org.
LYNN UNDERWOOD
Vertical gardening Think you don't have enough space for a garden, or one that has trailing vines? Aw, grow up.
That's the advice of Rhonda Massingham Hart in "Vertical Vegetables & Fruit: Creative Gardening Techniques for Growing Up in Small Spaces" (Storey Publishing, $16.95).
This master gardener from Washington state gives loads of helpful tips on propping up plants on all manner of trellises, fences and racks. She gives step-by-step instructions on building the supports, including stringing up slings to support larger fruit and veggies, such as melons and pumpkins. Hart even shows how to garden in an artful tower of tilted pots, an architectural stack of cinderblocks and a hanging cloth shoe bag. Her ideas are practical -- and practically endless.
