1-2 Fall Prep for Spring Bulbs

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1 Fall Prep for Spring Bulbs by Rose Lee Throughout the last six years, in spite of a few setbacks here and there, my sweat and toil in the yard have been rewarded with beautiful blooming flowers and shrubs that many of my neighbors proclaim to be the envy of the neighborhood. In spite of the loveliness produced from my labor, however, I am always seeking new plants to enhance the beauty of the landscape. Accordingly, I have made a promise to myself that for spring 2018 my flower beds will be lit up with spring-blooming bulbs. The NELA Master Gardeners Spring Bulbs Sale, which was held last month, presented an excellent opportunity for me and other gardeners to purchase a large variety of bulbs to be planted during the recommended period of late October through mid- November. However, because of other civic obligations, I was unable to attend the sale. Nevertheless, I was determined to make a purchase. After several communications with Kerry, our LSU AgCenter Master Gardeners Coordinator, I was able to identify where the unsold bulbs were stored. Later in the month, my friend Juanita and I visited the lovely home of master gardener Laura Hardin to make our purchases. We were fortunate enough to be able to buy packages of several varieties of daffodils from the remaining bulbs Master Gardener Laura Harddin stored by Laura at her home in West Monroe. In addition to providing the bulbs, Laura also shared valuable knowledge of the various species, tips and tools for planting, as well as sage advice on how to start small so as not to become overwhelmed by our efforts all of which I feel will help me to create a beautiful display of colorful spring blooms. As an added treat, after we made our purchases, Laura was gracious enough to give us a tour of her beautiful home and colorful, well-manicured front and back yard. Needless to say, we had a very pleasant visit. Hopefully, Laura s advice, as well as the following tips offered by the LSU AgCenter, will benefit not only me but also others who may be interested in planting bulbs in their landscapes. As always, more tips and ideas can be found at the official LSU AgCenter website, Fall Prep for Spring Bulbs 3 January Seminar Notes 4 Hospitality, Elections, Chennault Inside the Gardener s Scoop 5-6 Bulb Sale 7 MG Program Updates 8 Master Gardener Gardens Continued on page 2 9 Butterfly Garden 10 Important Dates 11 Calendar Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 1

2 Buying and storing bulbs. One step that can be taken in the fall to ensure a colorful landscape in the spring is to purchase and either store or plant springflowering bulbs now. In fact, it is recommended that most spring-blooming bulbs be planted this month. On the other hand, other bulbs, such as tulip and hyacinth, are recommended to be bought through mid-november, while they are readily available, and then refrigerated for at least six weeks before being planted in late December or early January. Dividing and transplanting. Although it is recommended that fall-blooming perennials be transplanted in early spring (i.e., coneflowers, rudbeckia, asters and sedum), now is a good time to divide and transplant those that bloom in the spring, such as daylilies and daffodils. The division should be done after the plants finish blooming. Another example of such a perennial is the Iris. Now is the perfect time to transplant Irises, again, after they finish blooming. Signs that the plants may need to be divided include a decrease in blooms as well as evidence of overgrowth or overcrowding, such as the root system protruding from the ground. Remember, preparation and planting now is the key to beautiful blooms in the spring. So if you missed the Master Gardeners Bulbs Sale last month, now is the time to peruse the catalogues, look online, or head to the local nursery or garden center for bulbs. Spring-blooming Daffodil Bulbs Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 2

3 January Seminar Notes by Kerry Heafner The Seminar Planning Committee has met. The following people will head up each sub-committee. Find a sub-committee you want to work on and jump on board! Convention Center/Tech Centerpiece Contest P.R./media/advertising Posters/flyers/programs Door Prizes, Sponsorships Refreshments Table Décor Speaker Hospitality Registration Stage Décor Bryan Babb Andrea Griggs Laura Hardin Lora Fix Glenda Guice Joyce Marlette (liaison to Joel Myers/Castor & Chicory) Debbie Beauvais Warren Daniel & Steve Thomas Dawn Jordan Lisa Richardson Demonstration Tables??? Contact these folks if you want to help, particularly if you need volunteer hours. The January seminar is a great way to accrue volunteer hours. For centerpieces for each table, since the theme is Living in Louisiana Landscapes, we re putting together baskets of Louisiana commodities/products such as rice, sweet potatoes, local honey, tobasco sauce from the McIlhennys, sugar, etc., etc. Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 3

4 Hospitality Teams by Debbie Beauvais Many thanks to members of Team 1 for delicious refreshments at October's meeting. Thank you to Andrea Griggs, Lisa Richardson, Helen Hotard, Joyce Marlette, Lora Fix, Christy Francis, and Theresa Cotton. Team 2 will host the November meeting. Team 2 members are Steve Thomas, Steve Walker, Elaine Smith, Ken and Judy Grant, Warren Daniel, Rebekah Fuller, Lamar and Lisa Cranston, and Ken Kelly. The December meeting will be our holiday feast and silent auction. Everyone is asked to bring a dish and at least one item for the silent auction. The auction is a lot of fun especially if there are items that most of us would like to have! Bid sheets will be provided. Officer Elections Elections for positions on next year's Board will be done at November's meeting. Nominations or those volunteering for a position should given to Kerry or Lisa before November's meeting. Please try to attend November's meeting for voting. Chennault Aviation Museum is Ready for Veterans Day! by Debbie Beauvais We can proudly say that we showed our respect to our veterans and supported our local museum by revitalizing the flowers beds at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum prior to Veterans Day This could not have been done without your help. I am grateful for those who were able to help in this endeavor. This work was done in four stages. Thank you to all those that helped one or more times: Ken Kelly Lisa Richardson Joyce Marlette Christy Francis Therese Nagem Mary Barnidge Linda Williams Helen Hotard Chad Thomas and Warren Daniel showing off new potting table they recently built. Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 4

5 NELA Master Gardener Bulb Sale Pictures by Steve Thomas Continued on page 6 Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 5

6 Nannette s Amistad Salvia recommended by Norman Winter for butterflies and hummers Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 6

7 Excerpts from Louisiana Master Gardener Program Updates October Advanced LMG Program: - The Adv. LMG program is open to current Louisiana Master Gardeners in good standing who have completed at all initial coursework and at least three years of volunteer service. Registration period is still OPEN. More information on the program can be found at: Adv. Louisiana Master Gardener Program. Please note this is a hybrid program, with some classes meeting in person and some being online. Class meeting locations, dates, and times will be determined once registration closes. - NOTE: Registration for the class has been EXTENDED to December 20, The program is now set to begin January LMG Projects: - We have two projects we d like you to assist us with: Pollinator Grant: The Feed a Bee grant program has the goal of providing funds for pollinator forage in all 50 states by the end of They have yet to receive any applications from Louisiana. Dr. Rogers Leonard with the LSU AgCenter has asked that we get the program information below with an invitation to apply to any of your contacts in the area. If your LMG program is interested in applying for the grant, please contact your local LMG coordinator. CoCoRaHS: We ve been contacted by Kyle Brehe, Regional Climatologist and state coordinator for the CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow) network in Louisiana. He is inquiring into the possibility of locating some LMGs to assist with their observation network. They are looking for LMGs in the following areas to assist with their project: Concordia, Madison, Morehouse, Richland, Allen, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Mary, Vernon, East Feliciana, Iberville, LaFourche, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, Bienville, Claiborne, De Soto, Jackson, and La Salle. If you are interested in assisting with this project, please have your local LMG coordinator contact Kyle directly or contact Dr. Sara Shields (LMGCoordinator@agcenter.lsu.edu). Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 7

8 NELA Master Gardener Gardens & Butterfly Garden Taking time to smell the roses, and then eating them! from the garden of Cindy Hatten Butterflies love Bottlebrush from the garden of Passion Plant from the Butterfly Garden Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 8

9 Butterfly Garden Butterfly Life Cycle Taken in Butterfly Garden by Steve Thomas Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 9

10 Important Fall & Winter Dates November 10 November 11 November 16 November 18 November 18 An Evening with the General NELA Delta African American Museum 6-8PM Veterans Day Celebration & Christmas Tree Lighting Aviation Military Museum 3:30-6PM Ceremony begins at 5PM Champagne Stroll Antique Alley 5-8PM Geeks Along the River at River Market 10AM-4PM Leave No Trace Workshop Black Bayou Lake NWR 10AM-12PM December 7-9 Christmas Evenings at the Biedenharn Biedenharn Museum 5-8PM December 12 December 21 January 20 Holiday Feast and Silent Auction Meeting Black Bayou Winter Solstice Celebration Black Bayou Lake NWR 6:30-8PM 7th Annual Spring Ag Expo Gardening Seminar WM Convention Center 7:30AM-12PM January Ag Expo 2018 Ike Hamilton Expo Center Fri 2-8PM. Sat 9AM-4PM Volunteer Service Hours As of November 8, Volunteer Service Hours 303 Continuing Education Hours This time last year: 1834 Volunteer Service Hours 256 Continuing Education Hours Do not forget to record your hours! The next Master Gardener meeting is Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at the LSU AgCenter. An educational program of the LSU AgCenter The Louisiana Master Gardener Program is a service and educational activity offered by the LSU AgCenter. The program is designed to recruit and train volunteers to help meet educational needs of home gardeners while providing an enjoyable and worthwhile service experience for volunteers. Contact: LSU AgCenter 704 Cypress Street, West Monroe, LA (318) Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 10

11 Upcoming Activities An Evening with the General 6-8PM Veteran s Day Celebration 3:30-6PM MG Meeting 6:30PM Thanksgiving Newsletter article submission deadline President Vice President Secretary Treasurer NELA MG Board Members Lisa Richardson Recorder Linda Tubbs Christy Francis Historian Mary Ann Wooten Virginia Lee Member-at-Large Warren Daniels Steve Thomas Member-at-Large Ken Grant Member-at-Large Laura Hardin In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. William Blake Gardener s Scoop November 2017 Page 11