April 2014

Co-President's Letter

A few of us were asked to submit information about us for an article that the Independent is doing on LAVGC and our Plant Sale (thank you Bev!) True to form, I was a bit late in getting my info to the author, so nothing will be included. I thought I would share what I wrote and please note the emphasis on the last paragraph.

"I'm Karen Abbruscato, I live in Pleasanton and I'm Co-President with Tom Jefferson. I've been a member for 3.5 years and feel like a newbie because so many people have been members for over 20 years. Fortunately, Bernice Oakley, one of our founding members, gives her historical update at our meetings and lets me know what great events I missed over the years. The club was founded in 1984.

LAVGC is one of the largest garden clubs in California and has activities for every type of gardener. When I look at my calendar it's filled with tours, activities and events that our enthusiastic club has planned. My favorite event is the tomato tasting every September. It kicks off our new year, we have about 100 tomato varieties to taste then we feast on the tomato inspired dishes. I also seem to come away with a ribbon or two from the tasting competition, so maybe that is why I like it so much.

Our plant sale is great for those wanting to start their summer veggie garden as well as those wanting to plant for landscaping. The hard freeze we had this winter has probably left most of our gardens with a few dead plants that will need to be replaced so the plant sale can help with that. We're also experiencing a drought so we will offer lots of natives and other drought tolerant plants.

I started gardening when our daughters started sleeping in on the weekend. They didn't need Mom around so I picked up the shovel and clippers and started playing in the yard. Next was expanding our one raised bed of tomatoes and basil to a huge garden where I grow 40 different varieties of tomatoes, squash, asparagus, onions, garlic, potatoes, cucumbers, pepper, eggplant, kale, turnips, beets, artichokes, and herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary and chives).

One of my favorite things about LAVGC is the camaraderie. I feel like our club is my extended family, everyone is so nice and helpful and willing to go the extra mile to serve the club and the community. Maybe its because we're all gardeners and gardeners are great people!

Karen Abbruscato - Co President

Misc. Items of Interest

...both the Bouquets to Art (March 18-23) and the SF Flower and Garden Show (March 19-23) will be held this month. You can Google the Bouquets to Art to find out how to get tickets ($23, $20 Seniors) ahead of time so you don't have to wait in line the day you go to the show. Alden Lane is selling tickets to the SF Flower and Garden Show, held at the San Mateo Exposition Grounds, they are $16 for a one day admission and it is good any day of the show if you hustle over to Alden Lane and get them before March 10. Tickets are $20 at the door - and there's usually a long line. If you go online you can see who is speaking when at the Show. Both shows are about the best horticultural events we have going in the Bay Area.

...SOIL KNIVES AND NITRILE GLOVES: For sale at the meeting will be Deluxe soil knives at $18.00, regular knives with sheath are $18.00 sold as a set. Knife blades are the highest quality of stainless steel from Italy. Nitrile gloves are $6.25 each, in all sizes. Those who do not plan to attend the meeting can contact Connie Darocha.

March madness........in the garden

...so much going on outside this month - rain or shine! Plants are bursting forth in my garden. Some are confused about when they usually bloom (my Calif. poppies are in full fettle and usually aren't until mid April) but most plants are sprouting new growth right on schedule.

...You can do your 'finger pruning' of roses and other new growth to keep plants going in the desired direction. As you wander around your garden warming up your muscles for a full out garden job, notice what is sprouting out the wrong way (to the center, crossing branches, facing over a walkway) and just snap it off so no plant energy is spent on its growth. I'm sure the aphids will arrive soon and they are easily wiped off with a gloved hand. Probably more politically correct this year rather than hitting them with a spray of precious water.

...if you are dividing perennials early this month you can still pot them up and have them settled in for the plant sale if you are sure they have lots of roots on the division. Many plants like Shasta daisies (quite drought tolerant) and iris (which should have been divided in late summer but will survive now too) really need to be divided about every 3 years to bloom well. It's probably too late to start cuttings or seeds for the plant sale because they won't have time to develop a good root system by April 5 and customers are a bit huffy (and rightfully so) when they get home and find a plant with no roots in the pot they just purchased.

...also look for plants that just aren't right in your garden but would be nice in another setting and pot them up soon so they will be perky and happy by the sale. All sale plants should be labeled with the name of the plant and cultural requirements and brought to a pricing place (see page 2) before Fri., April 4. If you have lots and lots of plants (goody, goody) you can price them in your car and take them directly to the sale on Sat. morning if you come by one of the pricing parties on Fri.

...toward mid month we should be done with all threat of frosts and freezes so you can remove in good conscious all the foliage that froze in Dec. and Jan. If the stems are just mush at the base, the plant is probably a goner but if there is any green you might get new growth. Plants, like citrus and roses, that are often grafted onto stronger root stock should not have shoots coming from the very base below the graft (a swelling in the base stem or trunk). Those shoots will be that of the graft roots and not the plant you wanted to grow. Woody shrubs you can run a finger nail down a stem and see if there is green beneath the bark, if so, the plant should be okay.

...you can prune geraniums and lantana now and cut back pretty severely so new growth will make the plant bushy and lush. Remember, in general, don't prune anything if it's about to bloom.

...snails and slugs will be sashaying out in full force this month and should be dealt with when young and before they can procreate so very, very much as they like to do. Be sure to check the rims of pots, overhanging plants on retaining walls and other happy hiding places. If you have kniphophia, agapanthus, artemesia, and/or daylilies (among many other plants) the snails love to live in them at the base of the leaves so check them carefully. If you see sort of translucent tiny balls in the soil, those are probably snail eggs and need to be disposed of however you choose.

...A new site for gardeners and others who want to approach critter control with insight and understanding Creative Critter Control. Nature-friendly tips from a wildlife educator. Information on effective, non-toxic, humane control of: Gophers, Moles, Voles, Deer, Tree Squirrels, Ground Squirrels, Raccoons, Skunks, Opossums, Mice, Roof Rats, Wild Rabbits, Wild Turkeys and other common wildlife. To contact: email wildlifeinfo.

...interesting article from the New Yorker by Michael Pollan on Plant Intelligence: Plant Intelligence .

"My garden is too small for all the plants I want to grow, and too large to maintain." - John Gwynne