Butterfly Garden at WM Farmer s Market Master Gardeners and Volunteers Re-work Beds

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1 July 2013 Butterfly Garden at WM Farmer s Market Master Gardeners and Volunteers Re-work Beds by Susan Aguettant This month I must start off by thanking those who came out to the Butterfly Garden on Saturday, June 8th. We had the "old timers," Mary Tiller, Jennifer Ates, Warren Daniel, Steve Thomas, Reba Cummings and myself; the new graduates, David Chin and Debbie McClain; and our volunteers, Nell, Seth, and Reba's husband, Dewayne. Nell happened to come by the Garden with her little girls one day while Reba was there and offered to come help us sometimes. She not only came, but she also brought along another pair of hands, her friend Seth. Tom Floyd stopped working on a project at home to come and take pictures, for which I am very grateful, because my photographic skills are lacking at best. Everyone worked so hard, we were able to accomplish quite a lot. Dewayne, Steve and Warren worked diligently in the kumquat area, while Reba and Jennifer duked it out with the remaining evening primroses. Nell, Seth and myself turned our attention to one of the scary beds, aka the butterfly milkweed and Echinacea bed. Mary Inside the Gardener s Scoop spruced up the bed she adopted and then, along with Jennifer and Reba, came to help my group. David and Debbie bravely attacked the area next to us another bed not for the faint of heart. Butterfly Garden continues on p. 6 Butterfly Garden... 1, 6 Meeting Minutes Why We Garden... 4 Yellow Columbine... 5 Schedule of Activities... 7 From the President... 8 Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 1

2 NELA Master Gardener Association Meeting Minutes for June 18, 2013 Program At 6:30 p.m. President Debbie Beauvais welcomed everyone and introduced Master Gardener Gayle Brooks, who presented the program Flowers of Germany. Gayle described Germans as being very friendly people who usually speak English and love flowers. Many flowers that we grow are also marketed in Germany, but have different names. Gayle visited the northern area of Germany where winter temperatures average 0 degrees and below. Hydrangeas are prolific but are grown as annuals. She showed lantana, bleeding heart, and Blue Daze plants sold as standards. Families plant flowers around their homes, use vines (especially grapes) on the walls of homes, maintain beautiful flower gardens around family graves, and enjoy and frequently visit their parks. Gayle also visited an old, grand estate in Luneburg with breathtaking landscaping and streams. As for people who want to garden but don t have space, she said families rent garden plots to grow their vegetables and flowers. The garden is often a distance from their homes. Gayle noted that flower colors are more vivid because the summer high temps are only in low 80s. Gayle showed the trends in private, average homes: perimeters of lots packed with plantings, creating a private courtyard look; figurines in nearly every garden; and many use various types of outdoor living areas. Before the meeting began, Debbie announced door prizes to be awarded at the end of the meeting. Glen and Elaine Boudreaux donated a Guacamole hosta plant. Mr. Joe Sullivan brought two fig trees and two Camellia bushes. Elaine Smith brought three, likenew gardening books. For all of these, random numbers were called out and the corresponding name was announced as the winner. Members were also told of the many plants brought by Mary Lou Davis, which needed new homes. Old Business Debbie called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. and thanked Gayle for her presentation. Gayle will teach a class on flower arranging on September 17 at the AgCenter. The registration fee will include vase, designer floral foam, and enough flowers for at least two arrangements. Time will be announced. Class size limited to 20. Treasurer s Report Jack Battaglia had nothing new to report. Bylaws A copy of the Bylaws is being ed to each member. Please read the document and Debbie Beauvais with your suggestions for changes. Please note the section for which you are suggesting a change. The suggestions will be presented at the October Association meeting. Committee Reports Butterfly Garden Susan Aguettant thanked people who helped at the volunteer gardening day on May 8. She reported that mulched paths are higher than the planted areas, causing a drainage problem. Weeds are especially prevalent in beds where water stands. A number of plants died in these wet areas. Fire ants and red bugs are a problem for volunteers. Doug Seegers informed Susan that the City will donate a load of mulch for the garden. Susan asked members to adopt a bed approximately 8 x 16 to keep watered and weeded. Mary Sue Tiller and Rita Albritton volunteered to adopt beds, but more are needed to adopt beds or help with weeding the large beds to the right of the entrance pathway. Contact Susan Aguettant or Reba Cummings to help. Meeting Minutes continue on page 3 Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 2

3 Meeting Minutes continued from page 2 Chennault Aviation and Military Museum Debbie Beauvais reported that some weeding is needed, and some of the seasonal plants need to be replaced. Kiroli Park Christy Francis reported that two demonstration gardens are now planted. The new Pond Garden bed is located near the outdoor theater area. Christy said a Weed Eater is needed for maintaining the beds at the WM Farmer s Market. She works with volunteers Tuesday and Thursday mornings if you d like to join her. Zoo Linda Tubbs heads up the volunteers for the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. Volunteers are welcome. Kerry Heafner reported that he s received positive comments from visitors regarding improvements in the grounds at the Zoo. The Zoo now has a breeding pair of hyenas. The new, sixmonth old hippo traveled from his home in Poland and through Istanbul, Turkey, on its way to the Monroe Zoo. Kerry said the animals are attracting visitors. The Breast Cancer bed of pink hydrangeas at the Zoo is in full bloom. Kerry said that the Zoo in general is looking beautiful. Volunteers are welcome; call Linda Tubbs to help. Scholarship Committee Kerry will serve as the board member who will oversee this committee. The committee is forming now. New Business State Conference Louisiana Master Gardener State Conference will be held at Sam s Town Hotel and Casino in Shreveport, La., on October 8-11, Hosts are the Northwest Louisiana and Piney Hills Louisiana Master Gardeners. For registration details and program, including the speakers and their topics for Bloomin on the Red, click here. New Fall Bulb Sale Committee Christy Francis and Mary McFarland need volunteers who are interested in working on this new committee to hold a fall bulb sale. Rita Albritton, Patti Kintzing, Virginia Chin, Debbie McClain, LaNell Armstrong, Laura Hardin, and Midge Willis volunteered. More are needed. Contact Christy Francis if interested in planning our new Fall Bulb Sale. New Phone Committee People are needed to call members and remind them of scheduled events, or inform them of changes in scheduled events or urgent member updates. Virginia Chin and Debbie McClain volunteered. More are needed so the membership list can be divided among them. We have too many members for only two people to contact. Contact Debbie Beauvais if interested in helping. Activities Committee Auction Jim Bennett and Midge Willis are forming this committee. The goal is to raise money to fund at least one college scholarship. Hospitality Team 2 was thanked for providing refreshments this evening. They also prepared for the meeting last week that had to be cancelled for lack of air conditioning. Special thanks were given to them for willingly preparing food for both meetings Good cooks: Rita Albritton, Leader Warren Daniel John McGraw Jennifter Ates Steve Thomas Bill Albritton Steve Walker The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Elaine Smith, Secretary Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 3

4 Why We Garden by Midge Willis Oh my goodness! On June 4th I had my first bacon and tomato sandwich of the season. It would have been a BLT but I forgot the lettuce so it's just a BT sandwich, either way it was great! After all the frustrations with the weather and false starts of spring, we finally picked our first Better Boy tomatoes to let them finish ripening in the safety of the kitchen windowsill, and now this was the day that made all of the frustrations worth it. I know once again why I garden, even when weather and bugs frustrate me to the point that I am tempted to forget about all of it. It just doesn't get any better than this! Remember last year I told you I was coming out fighting this year and I would not let the bugs get the best of me again? Well I did just that but they brought in reinforcements, causing me to have to work twice as hard. The stink bugs are busy laying eggs, stinging my rose buds causing them to be deformed, and generally causing havoc all over my garden and flowers. Lubber grasshoppers began hatching out in mid May. You can kill the lubbers while they are very young with permethrin, but they get harder and harder to kill as they get just a little older. Wait too long and the only way to kill them is by hand picking them and mashing them. Andrea Griggs calls it the "Grasshopper Stomp." Then I find these tiny cream colored soft eggs while preparing the garden for another row of peas!!! Snake or lizard? Until I find out what they are I am keeping them in a glass jar. If they hatch and are lizards they will go free; if they're snakes they are doomed. Today is June 15th and my purple hull peas are almost ready, new potatoes are here along with squash and cucumbers. Life is good in the South where our growing season is long enough to plant peas at least twice in one season. When my grandson moved up North he found out why we call them southern peas. The growing season up North isn't long enough for them to mature. He packed up and moved back to Louisiana when he found out he would not be able to grow his favorite pink eye purple hull peas. A true Southerner! Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 4

5 Yellow Columbine by Debbie Beauvais This is one of my favorite flowers. I had tried a couple of the plants with the bi-colored flowers many years ago, but if they survived the summer, they did not return the next spring. When I was admiring them once again at the nursery, a sales person came by and commented that the columbine plants with the solid yellow blooms were hardier than the others. They were obviously larger with taller bloom stems. I decided to buy one and was very pleased. I love the delicacy of these beautiful yellow flowers with their gray-green foliage. This has been a great plant! It has survived irregular watering and lack of food while in a flower pot, minimal pest problems, ignored by deer, and multiplies. Mine have never multiplied to the degree of being a pest, in fact, I wish more had sprouted from self-sown seeds. Now that I have a few in the ground instead of pots, maybe I ll have a few seedlings to pot up next spring. They don t like being moved, so it s important to pot up young seedlings before they become large plants with long tap roots. Expect them to droop once removed and allow them to recover. They do very well being moved from a pot to the Next MG Meeting July 9 Program by Tommy Neck Tommy Neck, owner of NorthPro Landscaping and Lawn Care, will speak to us on landscape design. flower bed. You can cut and dry the stalks of seed pods and plant them yourself to reduce self-sowing in unwanted places. These like Zone 8 and cooler climates. The botanical name is Aquilegia chrysantha (ak-will-ee-zsah kris- AN-thah), and common names are Golden Columbine or Yellow Columbine. This is a native of the southwestern U.S. They seem quite tolerate of our native soil here, but make sure it isn t in a low area that stays wet. Do provide it with some afternoon shade. This columbine hybridizes freely so separate it from other columbines that you might have. The data I reviewed mentioned that contact with the sap may irritate the skin; I have not had any problems. Problems that were listed were powdery mildew and rust in dry summers, fungal leaf spots, and southern blight. I haven t experienced any of these problems. They are prone to aphids, leaf miners, and caterpillars. I ve seen a couple of leaf-miner trails, but that s all. My experience with the columbines mentioned herein was prior to the development of, and LSU AgCenter trialed, Swan series of columbines. I look forward to purchasing one of these whenever I see them again maybe at our next plant sale. Until then, I ll enjoy the Yellow Columbine and hope you will try it in your garden. NELA MG Board Members Board Officers President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Recorder P. J. Debbie Beauvais Kerry Heafner Elaine Smith Jack Battaglia Board Members at Large Christy Francis Mel Kallal Casey Stevens Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 5

6 Butterfly Garden continued from page 1 While we were working, we must have had at least 12 people walk over from the Farmer s Market area to stroll through the Garden. They all had questions and comments about the plants and about the purpose of the Garden. Some people offered to share plants with us, and we shared plants from the pathways to some. One person left his name and contact information after offering to voluntarily come help on a Saturday when either Reba or I would be there. By the time Reba and I left the Garden, we thought our day had been great, but it was going to get better. David ed me wonderful pictures of the Garden and its flowers. He had gone back later that afternoon and taken many beautiful photographs. This was the icing on the cake for Reba and me. What a wonderful day! Thank you to all who made this possible! We have more good news. I recently talked with Doug Seegers to get an update on the Garden area. Work on the pavilion has temporarily stopped as changes are being made to the plans. The good news is that the Doug is going to have a load of mulch delivered to the Garden possibly as soon as the week after the fourth of July. As those who were out there Saturday can attest, we need mulch so badly to help keep weeds under control, and to have it donated is just the best! When I know the exact date of delivery, I will contact everyone to see if we can get some help with the mulch. Overall, the Garden is full of blooms. The planter box at the entrance has been replanted. We did lose some plants after that last big storm from water sitting in beds too long. We have seen a few butterflies, and I discovered a black swallowtail caterpillar on the fennel. People are coming and enjoying their walks through the Garden. The plants that seem to catch their attention right now are Gaura, Indigo Spires salvia, and especially the yarrow, which is why I picked it to spotlight this month. Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, gets its name from the Greek hero, Achilles, who was said to always carry yarrow into battle for treating wounds, and "millefolium" translates to "a thousand leaves" referring to the plant's feathery foliage. Science has actually proven that yarrow does contain blood clotting chemicals. Other common names for this easily grown herb also refer back to this property soldier's woundwort, nosebleed, bloodwort, staunch grass and staunch weed. Yarrow is often found along roadsides and in dry fields. It blooms best in full sun from June through September in well drained, average soil. Bloom color can range from white to various reds, to the beautiful yellow of "Coronation Gold." We have found that the white variety is the easiest and hardiest variety for our beds. The blooms dry beautifully if picked before Yarrow they turn brown. Simply hang them upside down until completely dry. If you cut the spring blooms to the ground when past their prime, you will get new growth and hopefully, a fall bloom. Yarrow is drought tolerant and looks great planted with lantana, verbena, and salvia. Division is the simplest way to propagate it and should be done in the fall. Although yarrow is a happy spreader, it is a great plant to have because its blooms are lovely, bugs don't seem to bother it, it is heat and drought tolerant, and it adds feathery texture to any bed. Those extra little plants can surely be shared with someone! Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 6

7 July 2013 Activities Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat MG Meeting 6:30 pm Newsletter article submission deadline Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas. Elizabeth Murray Gardener s Scoop July 2013 Page 7

8 From the President It s summertime, and the livin isn t easy! by Debbie Beauvais As you ve all noticed, summer is here. The high temps are just beginning. Warm nights and hot days are difficult for us and sometimes for our plants. Take precautions when you work outside this summer. Drink water before you go out, and drink more water if you re in the heat longer than one hour. Wear an SPF 30 sunscreen. Try to apply it about 5-10 minutes before you go outside. This is important whether you re in the shade or wearing long sleeves and long pants. Unless your clothing is of a special fabric, it does not block the UV rays. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, too. Reapply sunscreen after an hour or two. Don t stay out in the sun and heat for hours; you don t want to become ill from the heat or risk heat stroke. You never fully recover from heat stroke. Get outside early, retreat indoors after 10 or 11 a.m., and return outside after 4 p.m. Don t forget the mosquito repellent! For your plants, don t forget to water your potted plants. Reduce heat stress on them by moving them to an area of afternoon shade. Remember to fertilize potted plants about every six weeks; frequent watering leaches nutrients from the soil. It s not a good idea to dig up and move established plants now; wait until temperatures start to cool this fall. You can still set out potted plants now, but be sure to keep the soil moist (not soggy) for a few weeks while the plant recovers and starts stretching out its roots to pull in nutrients and water. If you set out any shrubs or trees earlier this year, remember to water them deeply during our dry spells later this summer. During long, dry spells, expect to water any established plants to reduce stress on them. The more stress they experience, the more susceptible they ll become to disease and insect damage. Be good to yourself and your plants. Happy Gardening! Volunteer Service Hours As of June 15, Volunteer Service Hours 84 Continuing Education Hours This time last year: 968 Volunteer Service Hours 137 Continuing Education Hours Do not forget to record your hours! The next MG meeting is Tue., July 9, 2013 at the LSU AgCenter. Gayle Brooks presents her program, Flowers of Germany. 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 July 2013 Page 8