A Message from our Co-President ~~~~~~~~~ Next Meeting ~~~~~ Irrigation. Inside This Issue ~~~ Green Acres Nursery Staff We will meet at the Nursery!

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1 Volume 9, Issue 2, February 2017 A Message from our Co-President ~~~~~~~~~ Legend says that in the third century in Rome, the Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage because he thought single men made better soldiers. The young priest Valentine secretly defied this law, performing marriages, and was sentenced to death. His jailer's daughter visited him and fell in love with the priest. Valentine sent her a letter, which was signed "From your Valentine." He was executed on February 14 th, and we continue to honor him on this day. Next Meeting ~~~~~ Monday, February 6, 2017, 6:30pm Enduring the thorny disposition of my rose bushes as I do my January pruning, I turn my thoughts to the promise of future blossoms in my garden and the upcoming Valentine's Day, a big day for rose gifting. For thousands of years February has been a time for fertility festivals, so it is not surprising that flowers, symbols of fertility, love and romance, are the gift of choice. Chocolate is not bad either. I hope both will be yours this month! Irrigation Green Acres Nursery Staff We will meet at the Nursery! Please note our next meeting will be held at Green Acres Nursery where we will learn about irrigation. I hope to see you on February 6th! Connie Adams Georgiu Inside This Issue ~~~ 2 Sassy Succulents 3 February Garden Checklist 3 It s Pruning Time 4 GOTG Tour! 4 Calendar 5 Gardenism 5 Birdhouse of the Month

2 Sassy Succulents ~~~~~~~~~~~ By Jan Fetler My final segment in this series on Succulents looks at plants that can teach us what hydrozoning really means. These babies want to be left alone when it comes to irrigation. Using a spray bottle to mist rather than a hose to water might make you successful. Don t be afraid! See details below each plant. Dinteranthus microspermus Stone Plant or Living Stones A South African native fairly common in nurseries. Actively growing in summer these plants are easier to grow than many shown here. A little summer water but little to none in winter. When in doubt, don t water! Astrophytum myriostigma Bishop s Hat Cactus The fewer segments (4 to 6 being ideal) the more valuable to collectors. This (Astrophytum asterias Sand Dollar Cactus ) grows very slowly and thrives on neglect. Flattening of the body indicates thirst. Very little water in winter when they are dormant. Euphorbia obesa Baseball Plant, Sea Urchin Plant This over-collected plant is hard to find. Although this looks like the Sand Dollar from a previous picture, it is in a different family (Euphorbia) and hails from South Africa where they get about 12 inches of rainfall a year. They are actively growing in summer, so water once a month. Every 2 months in winter. The Scarecrow February

3 February Garden Checklist ~~~ By Jan Fetler Here are some suggestions for garden chores this month. Check soil moisture of plants under eaves. Plant vegetable seeds outdoors: carrots, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, radishes, beets, chard and peas. Start tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds indoors. Cut down and turn under vegetable garden cover crops. Haworthia maughanii variegata Good luck finding this one around town. This South African native needs a fairly deep pot because roots pull the plant into the soil to protect it from harsh summers. It thrives in part shade and likes it warm (above 40) in winter. Very slow growing. Lithops species Living Stones, Flowering Stones If you can keep this plant alive, you have a green thumb! These South African natives like it dry in summer when it is dormant. If you see shriveling, you can water a little. Water more beginning in August and September to encourage growth and flowering. NO water in winter. Protect from temps below 40. Okay, I ll admit to killing several of these with too much water. I hope you enjoyed this mini-tour through the world of succulents! ### Continue pruning dormant deciduous fruit trees, cane berries, blueberries and roses. Also prune trees and shrubs that will flower on this year s growth such as salvia and butterfly bush. Finish by mid-february. Prune grapes in late February or early March before leaf buds break open. Cut back brown-in-winter ornamental grasses. Plant summer bulbs like canna and gladiolus. Snip winter prunings into 2-inch lengths for faster composting. Pull weeds before they flower and set seed. Apply copper spray on peaches and nectarines to reduce peach leaf curl. Apply by bud swell in mid- February. Continue winter pest management for fruit trees including dormant oil spray. Look for aphids, slugs and snails, scales and codling moth damage. It s Pruning Time If you missed the pruning workshops in January, the Master Gardeners have put helpful information on our website for your reference: The Scarecrow February

4 Upcoming Tour~~~~~~~~~~~ Franklin School Garden Club By Bonnie Jones February 27 (Monday) 2:30 till 3:30pm March 13 (Monday) 2:30 till 3:30pm March 27 (Monday) 2:30 till 3:30pm April 3 (Monday) 2:30 till 3:30pm April 24 (Monday) 2:30 till 3:30pm May 8 (Monday) 2:30 till 3:30pm GOTG Tour Mark your calendars! Dutch Hollow Farms, Modesto Thursday, March 9 9a Carpool from Elk Grove It will be tulip season. You ll have the opportunity to buy bulbs and plants. We will also take a one-hour personal tour of their operation. More at the February and March meetings. Calendar ~~~~~~~~~~~ Next GOTG Meetings February 6 (Monday) 6:30pm Irrigation Green Acres Nursery This meeting to be held at the Nursery! March 6 (Monday) 6:30pm Beekeeping Steve Hays April 3 (Monday) 6:30pm Herbs Rose Loveall, Morning Sun Herb Farm May 1 (Monday) 6:30pm Wildflowers Chris Wassermann June 5 (Monday) 6:30pm Garden Chatter Master Gardeners March 9 (Thursday) 9a Dutch Hollow Farms, Modesto Carpool from Elk Grove Other Events February 18 (Saturday) 9a till Noon Master Gardener Open Garden Fair Oaks Horticulture Center Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks Free! March 25 (Saturday) Spring Native Plant Sale California Native Plant Society Soil Born Farms w=article&id=20&itemid=171 April 8 (Saturday) Gardens Gone Native Garden Tour California Native Plant Society ontent&view=article&id=23&itemid=134 ### The Scarecrow February

5 Gardenism ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elk Grove Greener Gardens Elk Grove Historical Society Green Acres Nursery and Supply The Secret Garden UCCE Master Gardeners For the Birds ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Valentine (or wine?) theme birdhouse. J Co-Presidents Kathleen Albiani and Connie Adams Georgiu Vice-President Bonnie Jones Secretary Dianne Cadwallader Treasurer Linda Lichtenberg 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. Support Our Local Friends ~~~~~ Big Oak Nursery Elk Grove Community Garden Elk Grove Food Bank ~~~ The Scarecrow ~~~ Editor Jan Fetler janfetler@gmail.com This Month s Contributors: Connie Adams Georgiu Bonnie Jones The Scarecrow February