Inside This Issue ~~~ Kathleen Albiani. Next Meeting. Flower Arranging

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Mercy Peters
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Gardeners of the Grove http://www.gardenersofthegrove.

floral design students from Elk Grove High School. How the talk came about is kind of amusing.

The woman I spoke with recommended a floral design instructor, but I wasn t ever able to get more information or a commitment from her.

The arrangements were all very efficient from there, as Karli is my cousin s daughter and the floral design instructor she referred me to works with another

I hadn t thought to ask her because I know that teachers, especially ag teachers so near to the county fair, definitely don t need one more thing to do in

1 Gardeners of the Grove Volume 10, Issue 5, May 2018 A Message from our Co-President ~~~~~~~~ Hopefully April s showers have brought you May flowers and perhaps you re wanting to bring them indoors to enjoy. We learned from Jan and Vivian how to grow flowers for cutting and this month we will learn the basics of flower arranging from a small group of advanced floral design students from Elk Grove High School. How the talk came about is kind of amusing. I contacted the California State Floral Association to ask about a possible guest speaker from their organization. The woman I spoke with recommended a floral design instructor, but I wasn t ever able to get more information or a commitment from her. After further pestering, she referred me to her assistant, Karli, who assured her that she would arrange everything. The arrangements were all very efficient from there, as Karli is my cousin s daughter and the floral design instructor she referred me to works with another one of my cousins at Elk Grove High School. She, in fact, did the flowers for my wedding. I hadn t thought to ask her because I know that teachers, especially ag teachers so near to the county fair, definitely don t need one more thing to do in May! But as teachers seem to always do, she made it happen for us! I m really excited to see what these young designers have in store for our club. And I laugh to think about my family, the Elk Grove mafia as my husband calls them, who really do have quite a reach! Kathleen Albiani Next Meeting Monday, May 7, 6p - social 6:30p meeting begins 9250 Laguna Springs Dr., Suite 100 Flower Arranging (details page 2) Inside This Issue ~~~ 2 May Program 2 Dues are Due! 2 GOTG Tour 2 Photo Tips 3 Incredible Edible Melons! 4 Novice Gardeners 4 Honey Bee Eyes 4 Micke Grove Tour 5 May Checklist 5 Calendar 8 Your Photos!

May Program ~~~~~~~~~~~~ By Kathleen Albiani Bring flowers from your yard to the next meeting where advanced floral design students from Elk Grove High School will make three lovely arrangements we

It s time to show your interest in our club by paying for another year of membership! $20 for one person or $35 for a family of 2 or more.

You may also mail a check to me at: GOTG c/o Gay Rigmaiden 9942 Kennet Way Elk Grove, CA 95757-5118 It s important to collect the dues at the end of this term, so the Board can plan for next year.

Get carpool details at the May club meeting or call Bonnie Jones - 916-684-1285. See 16 individual gardens lovingly maintained and beautiful year around.

2 May Program ~~~~~~~~~~~~ By Kathleen Albiani Bring flowers from your yard to the next meeting where advanced floral design students from Elk Grove High School will make three lovely arrangements we will raffle off. These students will demonstrate how to turn a bunch of flowers into a work of art! GOTG Garden Tour ~~~~~~ By Bonnie Jones By Gay Rigmaiden Dues are due by July 1! It s time to show your interest in our club by paying for another year of membership! $20 for one person or $35 for a family of 2 or more. Dues for the 2018/19 term may be paid by cash or check at the next meeting. You may also mail a check to me at: GOTG c/o Gay Rigmaiden 9942 Kennet Way Elk Grove, CA It s important to collect the dues at the end of this term, so the Board can plan for next year. Don t be left out! Thank you! Heavy Metal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cute cat. Join our Club for a visit to the El Dorado County Master Gardeners demonstration garden in Placerville on Thursday, May 17 at 10a. Get carpool details at the May club meeting or call Bonnie Jones See 16 individual gardens lovingly maintained and beautiful year around. Unlike our Sacramento County Master Gardener Horticulture Center that focuses on food gardening, El Dorado focuses on landscape plants. Examples include the UCD Arboretum All-Stars, Butterfly Garden, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and many more. We are getting a private tour! The gardens are usually only open from 9a till noon on Fridays and Saturdays. Learn more: ### Looking for Spring ~~~~~~~~~ By Rita Achuff The first sign of spring at my house is an abundance of weeds. They are in my lawn, my flower beds and the cracks of my sidewalk and patio. It is exciting to see all the new lush green foliage growing everywhere with a hint of a colorful small flower hidden among the weeds. The recent rains have made my front yard a magical place! Gone is last year s brown lawn with a hint of green to become a carpet of dark green grass that grows faster than the beans in Jack in the Beanstalk. I know this won't last. As our rain disappears and the weather warms up, The Scarecrow May

I will be left with many ugly weeds to pull with roots that reside in China.

So enjoy the weeds, spring is coming! I found poppies this week in several unexpected places in my backyard. A sure sign of spring!

Incredible Edible ~~~~~~~~~~ By Jan Fetler Foxtails are pretty in their own way.

The ground is warm and there is plenty of sun. For more information about growing melons, download this: http://ucanr.

3 I will be left with many ugly weeds to pull with roots that reside in China. However, by then I will be welcoming blooms on my roses, hydrangeas, and the mystery flower seeds I planted last fall. So enjoy the weeds, spring is coming! I found poppies this week in several unexpected places in my backyard. A sure sign of spring! Now we are talking California Poppies say sunshine! Bright yellow dandelion looks cheerful. Incredible Edible ~~~~~~~~~~ By Jan Fetler Foxtails are pretty in their own way. If you don t already have some melons in your summer garden arsenal, now till the end of June is the time to plant seeds. The ground is warm and there is plenty of sun. For more information about growing melons, download this: Pictured is Ambrosia cantaloupe. This very sweet variety is almost never available in stores because it is too fragile for commercial methods. Cantaloupes let you know when they are ripe by slipping from the stem by themselves or with light pressure. No guessing for Yum! Check online for seeds. The Scarecrow May

Are You a Novice Gardener? ~~~ By Jan Fetler Are you ever baffled by garden terms full sun or drought tolerant?

The Butte County Master Gardeners have written a great short blog to help newbie gardeners with some of the basics. Even if you aren t a novice, you might learn something new! http://ucanr.

Have you ever looked into the eye of a honey bee? Really looked? Bees have two compound eyes, each composed of thousands of light-sensitive 'micro-eyes'--each having a lens and a nerve connection.

Yes, bees can see images--especially flower shapes--as well as colors. They see ultraviolet light (invisible to humans), but bees see it as color.

We've always been fascinated by the microscopic hairs all over the bee body, from the abdomen to the thorax to the head. The branched hairs on the eyes are clearly visible in this photo.

4 Are You a Novice Gardener? ~~~ By Jan Fetler Are you ever baffled by garden terms full sun or drought tolerant? Don t be shy about asking your friendly Master Gardeners questions many of you already do. We are here to help you succeed in your gardening efforts. The Butte County Master Gardeners have written a great short blog to help newbie gardeners with some of the basics. Even if you aren t a novice, you might learn something new! Honey Bee Eye Factoids ~~~~~~ Excerpt by Kathy Keatley Garvey, UC Entomology Bee-hold, the eye of a honey bee! Have you ever looked into the eye of a honey bee? Really looked? Bees have two compound eyes, each composed of thousands of light-sensitive 'micro-eyes'--each having a lens and a nerve connection. All are connected to collectively generate a mosaic of sensory inputs into the bee's tiny brain, where the signals are integrated into a functional image. Yes, bees can see images--especially flower shapes--as well as colors. They see ultraviolet light (invisible to humans), but bees see it as color. Flowers are exquisitely endowed with nature's ultraviolet artwork, which we visually impaired humans can't enjoy." There are three additional simple eyes on top of a bee's head. We've always been fascinated by the microscopic hairs all over the bee body, from the abdomen to the thorax to the head. The branched hairs on the eyes are clearly visible in this photo. This little bee was foraging in our Spanish lavender, and stopped to "eye" me. ### Micke Grove Tour Big Success! By Diane Cadwallader After being rained out for the first date, this time we had perfect weather. We were about the only ones in the Tea Garden so it was very peaceful. We did see a few cherry trees in bloom. The one pictured below is a Kwanzan. We then spent an hour at the San Joaquin Museum. It is a cluster of 14 different buildings from one-room school house to a large new building showing the history of growing crops with the equipment, etc. There is a lot there. Melly Strand was our host for lunch. Her place was beautiful, and she served a wonderful meal with four dessert choices. She is a great cook, then gave us a tour of her yard showing us all of their growing projects. A great day was had by all who attended any part of this tour with us! The Scarecrow May

Gardenism ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adjust your lawn mower to keep grass tall. Tall grass needs less water. Remove dead flowers to get more blooms on flowering plants, including roses.

Calendar ~~~~~~~~~~~ GOTG Meetings for 2017-18 June 4 (Monday) 6:30pm Garden Chatter July (Date/Time TBA) Summer Social May Garden Checklist ~~~~~~~ By Jan Fetler Develop a garden watering plan.

Plant vegetable seeds outdoors: chard, cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash, pumpkins, beans, corn, etc. Plant eggplant, pepper and tomato seedlings.

5 Gardenism ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adjust your lawn mower to keep grass tall. Tall grass needs less water. Remove dead flowers to get more blooms on flowering plants, including roses. Limit pests and diseases: citrus leafminer, leaffooted bugs, fire blight and powdery mildew. Calendar ~~~~~~~~~~~ GOTG Meetings for June 4 (Monday) 6:30pm Garden Chatter July (Date/Time TBA) Summer Social May Garden Checklist ~~~~~~~ By Jan Fetler Develop a garden watering plan. Water early in the day or later at night to increase water available to plants and avoid evaporation. Plant vegetable seeds outdoors: chard, cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash, pumpkins, beans, corn, etc. Plant eggplant, pepper and tomato seedlings. Citrus fruit drop is normal in May through June. Continue thinning fruit on fruit trees, grape shoots and grape clusters. Support fruit tree branches to help prevent breakage. Start fruit tree summer pruning in late May. Paint exposed fruit tree branches to prevent sunburn. Use a mix of half light-colored interior latex paint and half water. Harvest blueberries in May through July; wait 1 week after they turn blue to increase sweetness. GOTG Tours May 17 (Thursday) 10a till? (See page 2 for details) Visit Sherwood Gardens in Placerville. See more: June (Date and Time TBA) Tour Capitol Park downtown Sacramento. Other Events May 6 (Sunday) Noon till 5p! Pence Gallery Garden Tour Self-guided tour of lovely Davis gardens Tickets and more information: May 12 (Saturday) 9a till Noon Open Garden Free! Sacramento County Master Gardeners Fair Oaks Horticulture Center Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks More: May 12 (Saturday) 9a till 1p Spring Plant CLEARANCE Sale Free! UC Davis Arboretum More: The Scarecrow May

6 May 12 (Saturday) 9a till 3p Geranium Sale Free! Sacramento Geranium Club Shepard Garden and Arts Center 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento May 12 (Saturday) 9a till 3p Bloomtastic at Maple Rock Gardens Music and food in a beautiful setting 100 Clark Tunnel Road, Newcastle Tickets $10: May 12/13 (Saturday/Sunday) 10a till 4p East Sac Garden Tour Benefit for David Lubin Elementary School. Tickets $20 in advance More about this year s tour: May 15 (Tuesday) 9:30a till 1p Sacramento River Valley District General Meeting Sue Golden of Golden Pond Aquatics will demonstrate making a tabletop water garden Reservation details coming soon May 19 (Saturday) 8:30a till Noon Learn to Espalier Workshop Sacramento County Master Gardeners $45. More info: May 19 (Saturday) 10a till 5p May 20 (Sunday) 11a till 4p Gardens of the Hills Tour/El Dorado County Assistance League of the Sierra Foothills Tour gardens, shop local artisans, tastings $25 tickets and more information: May 25 (Friday) 11a till 4p May 26 (Saturday) 9a till 3p Rooted Cutting Plant Sale Free! Chrysanthemum Society Shepard Garden and Arts Center 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento June 2 (Saturday) 10a till 4p Fuchsia Sale Free! Shepard Garden and Arts Center 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento June 16 (Saturday) 9a till Noon Open Garden Free! Sacramento County Master Gardeners Fair Oaks Horticulture Center Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks More: August 4 (Saturday) 8a till 2p HARVEST DAY Free! Sacramento County Master Gardeners Fair Oaks Horticulture Center Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks More: Support Our Local Friends ~~~~~ Big Oak Nursery Elk Grove Community Garden Elk Grove Food Bank Elk Grove Greener Gardens Elk Grove Historical Society Green Acres Nursery and Supply The Secret Garden UCCE Master Gardeners ~~~ The Scarecrow ~~~ Editor Jan Fetler janfetler@gmail.com This Month s Contributors: Kathleen Albiani Gay Rigmaiden Rita Achuff Dianne Cadwallader Photos (begin on page 8): Debbie Martin Lorraine Radke Georgette Kwong Dianne Cadwallader Jeanne Williamson Connie Georgiu Susan Muckey The Scarecrow May

(Gay Rigmaiden, Acting) PO Box 2418 Elk Grove, CA 95759-2418 http://www.gardenersofthegrove.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.

7 Don t miss the Photos beginning on page 8! Scroll down Co-Presidents Kathleen Albiani and Connie Adams Georgiu Vice-President Bonnie Jones Secretary Dianne Cadwallader Treasurer Linda Lichtenberg (Gay Rigmaiden, Acting) PO Box 2418 Elk Grove, CA Facebook: Gardeners of the Grove is a member of: Sacramento River Valley District California Garden Clubs, Inc. Pacific Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc. National Garden Clubs Inc. And so on! April meeting speaker Lauren McCrary, Green Acres Nursery The Scarecrow May

person June issue deadline: May 20 Please send the biggest size you have.

"There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.

8 Your PHOTOS! ~~~~~~~~~~~ If your picture wasn t here this month, there is plenty of room in the next newsletter. doesn t have to be recent garden or nature any kind of camera one per month per person June issue deadline: May 20 Please send the biggest size you have. We might want to make greeting cards. "There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence."--ralph Waldo Emerson Double Delight by Lorraine Radke Yes, weeds can be beautiful like this Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) by Debbie Martin Japanese Maple seeds look like butterflies. By Georgette Kuong Raindrops on Bearded Iris by Dianne Cadwallader The Scarecrow May

Susan Muckey planted this heirloom wagon

9 Susan Muckey planted this heirloom wagon with a succulent garden that can be easily moved around. Bearded iris By Jeanne Williamson The wind and hail destroyed this beauty. L Japanese garden bridge at Micke Grove Park by Connie Georgiu The Scarecrow May

A Message from our Co-President ~~~~~~~~

Gardeners of the Grove http://www.gardenersofthegrove.org/ Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2018 A Message from our Co-President ~~~~~~~~ I'm still thinking about last month's lessons on photography: getting