FEBRUARY. Gardener s Gazette. Newsletter for the Nordonia Garden Club Since 2003, and still growing We dig life! February 2019

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1 FEBRUARY Gardener s Gazette Newsletter for the Nordonia Garden Club Since 2003, and still growing We dig life! February A Message From Our President Dottie Krieger, President dotkrieg1@roadrunner.com Welcome back all members old and new. I hope everyone's holidays were joyful and not too stressful. I feel like once the garden club meetings start, it must be close to spring. Speaking of spring, we need to start thinking about our plant sale. If anyone is planning to bring in plants that they have grown from seed, these should be started by the middle of March. Our first plant sale meeting will be in February. More info later. I would like to welcome our new member to the Executive Board, Assistant Secretary Ellen Defendis, and our new committee members: Membership Chair Peg Krutko, Assistant Membership Chair Elaine Nidy, Photographer Beth Stricker, Assistant Photographer Rosemary Zamecnik, and Sunshine Chair Elaine Nidy. Thank you all for committing to be working members of the club. Garden Club of Ohio (GCO) President Deanna Stearns has thanked us for our monetary donations through the FEED OHIO program last year. Let's keep it going this year. Remember to bring in your dollar/s to each meeting. Hope to see everyone at the meeting on February 20th. - Dottie. News From Our Board Members Donna Patz, 2 nd VP rpdp@roadrunner.com P a g e 1 Nordonia Hills Garden Club, Inc. is a member of the Garden Club of Ohio, Inc. and a Member of Central Atlantic Region of the National Garden Club, Inc.

2 Program for February is Ben Askren, Horticulturist/ Arborist for City of Aurora speaking about their Tree Project. Be sure to bring paper & pen for your notes from his presentation. Jan Filmeck has provided info on how to be SQUIRRELED AWAY. On Saturday, February 2nd, 10:30am - 12:00pm, Liberty Park Nature Center at 9999 Liberty Road in Twinsburg is presenting SQUIRRELED AWAY. Join a Naturalist for an indoor presentation followed by a short hike to learn about and observe squirrels. Hot cocoa is provided while supplies last. Other upcoming events are our usual monthly meetings, the plant sale in May, and summer fun events such as the annual picnic in August. Elaine Beno, Secretary Ellen Defendis, Ass t Secretary benoagent@aol.com edfendis12@gmail.com I d like to welcome Ellen Defendis as our new assistant secretary for Her is: edfendis12@gmail.com. Both the General Membership meeting minutes and the Board/Committee meeting minutes are posted on our website. One of the secretarial duties is to send out mass s from our Garden Club account. This was set up when Jan Filmeck was secretary. That is why it appears the may be coming from her personal account. It is not. If you should have a non-routine request for an blast, it is best to check with our President, Dottie Krieger first. If it is an urgent message, please phone Dottie or myself. Now a plug for my favorite garden center, Dayton Nursery, not in Dayton Ohio, but about a half hour drive from the Nordonia area. It is located on 3459 S. Cleveland Massillon Rd., Norton, OH and owned by Tom Dayton, a very personable and approachable man, as are his employees. I have mentioned this center to a couple of fellow gardeners and they enjoyed their visits and shopping experiences there. So we thought we should let more know. It is my husband s and my go to place for evergreens. Over the years, we ve purchased several Western Cedar from them, which is in the Arborvitae family. Thus far, the deer have left them alone. I also purchase most of my annuals and perennials there. If you have the wintertime blues, you may want to explore their website; The website includes among several items: a plant finder; their plant catalog which includes availability and pricing; bug and weed identification; monthly to do lists and more. Tom Dayton puts out a weekly blog, Dayton Dirt, in which he talks about behind the scenes operations. You can get on their list. Dayton Nursery in Norton is closed for the winter, except for six remaining Saturday seminars through March 9 at 11:00. I went to one last year on composting. The cost is $8.00, but includes refreshments (last year, a fruit and cheese platter). When the nursery reopens and the weather is appropriate, you may want to visit their Wolf Gardens, which is a path through numerous labeled trees, shrubs and perennials planted in a natural setting. In the summer, the Owl Barn is open which sells local fruit and vegetables. Hope you enjoy. Anybody else have any favorite garden centers? (I will publish your answer in March if sent to rosecassmer@yahoo.com - Rose Cassmer, editor.) - 2 -

3 NHGC SCHEDULE OF EVENTS February 2, 2019 February 20, 2019 March 20, 2019 Squirreled Away, Liberty Park Twinsburg General Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Faith Fellowship Church General Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Faith Fellowship Church ITEMS OF INTEREST Membership Peg Krutko, Membership Membership dues will now be collected in December and January with the deadline for annual dues being January 31st. Dues are $20 for individuals and $25 for individual member and spouse, payable to NHGC. Dues can mailed to me, Peg Krutko, 8531 Primrose Lane, Macedonia, OH Susan Steiner, Refreshments There are a couple of spots still open to sign up for bringing refreshments to one of our meetings. I need one person each for June 19 and Nov. 20, 2019, Also, if you would like to sign up as a back-up, we still need a few more members for that as well. You would be called if someone who previously signed up had a conflict and could not bring refreshments to that meeting. Send me an at suzieq5252@aol.com or you can give me a call at and I will get your name on the sign up roster for Refreshments! Stay warm! Susan. Ann O Neal, Adventurous Gardeners Who Lunch bear8071@gmail.com Nothing has been scheduled so far because of not knowing about weather. I wish I would have known how mild the beginning of January was gone to be. I am looking into a few suggestions, so stay tuned. And don't hesitate to send me your suggestions. Ann Gardening Hints from the Editor rosecassmer@yahoo.com What to do if your spring bulbs come up too early. First consider the type of bulb. Crocus handle the cold very well. Snowdrops, hyacinths, and some daffodils also seem to be particularly resistant to the cold, wet spring precipitation. An extended freeze, with daytime temperatures - 3 -

4 that remain below 29 degrees, might cause some damage, but an overnight frost will generally not cause any lasting damage to these tough little bulbs. These bulbs are built to handle a few temperature swings. Tulips and lilies are a little more prone to damage once they've formed buds. If a hard freeze or an extended period of cold is forecast, it would be wise to cover your tulips and lilies to ensure you get to enjoy their blooms this year. If you are taken by surprise, and your tulips and lilies are damaged, don't despair. You will likely lose this year's blooms, but they will continue to store energy in the bulb to return to their regular blooming cycle next year. You do need to be concerned, however, if you have a period of extended cold temperatures, with daytime temperatures staying below 29 degrees, or a sudden drop into the low 20's and teens. This is particularly worrisome if the cold temperatures are accompanied by cold winds, which have a drying effect on your plants. The underground world of bulbs To understand why spring bulbs can tolerate a little early growth, it helps to take a peek underground. Just like a seed, a single bulb contains the entire life cycle of a plant. This includes roots, food storage leaves and a flowering shoot. As soon as you plant it in the fall, a spring bulb starts growing. The action begins in the bottom part of the bulb called the basal stem. During the winter months, roots begin emerging from the stem to penetrate the surrounding soil. As they grow, they absorb water and other nutrients, which they store in the fleshy leaves of the bulb called scales. In some flower species like alliums, thin papery covering called the tunic protects the bulb s scales from damage and drying out. In addition to food storage, the scales provide protection to the flowering shoot, which contains all of the above-ground parts of the plant, including stems, leaves and flowers. During the winter months, the shoot slowly grows upwards within the bulb underground. Finally in the spring, the bulb s biological clock tells its leaves to break through the soil, where they begin converting sunlight into chemical energy the plant uses to grow. Approximately one month later, the flowering stems begin to emerge. At this stage in the process, the key thing to remember is this: Leaf development occurs independently of flower development. The leaves might jump the gun, but flowering shoots need an extended period of time (between 5 and 7 weeks) before they begin sending their stems up towards the surface. Before that happens, the bulb has most likely weathered the warm spell and resumed dormancy. Strategies for protecting early growth of tulips and lilies 1. COVER YOUR PLANT Covering the soil around your spring bulbs will provide insulation against frigid temperatures and drying winter winds. Try mulch, straw, bark chips, leaves or pine needles. Or, if the plant is budding too early, try draping a cloth over it (securing it above the plant with stakes.) Remove the drape during the day so the foliage can absorb sunlight to warm back up. Sheets and light blankets are good covers. Avoid plastic. Extra snow also acts as an insulation. 2. WATER DURING DRY SPELLS Although they ll rot with too much water, if there s been a dry period for a long period of time, a little extra water during the day helps bulbs grow. Make sure your soil has good drainage, though. 3. APPLY THE FLORIDA CITRUS GROWERS TECHNIQUE. Spray your plants with water to form a layer of protective ice, to prevent them from losing too much moisture to the winds and dry, cold air. The ice also prevents injury by helping the plant maintain a constant temperature, and protecting it from excessive moisture loss. This is a technique used by the Parks Department in Holland, Michigan, when the tulips for their annual Tulip Time Festival are endangered by prolonged low temperatures

5 4. IF FLOWERS START TO APPEAR If the weather continues to stay unseasonably warm, your spring bulbs may start to produce flowers. Don t worry. Even if frost kills off some of the initial buds, it usually won t affect flowering in the coming months. Do not remove the dead flowers. 5. PLANT BULBS LATE IN THE FALL The later in the fall you plant, the longer the bulb will take to sprout come spring. Wait until the temperature is cold enough (40 F or below at night) to plant your spring bulbs. This will ensure they are fully dormant. Mulch after the ground freezes. Plant at the recommended depth. Remember: IT TAKES A VILLAGE FOR A SUCCESSFUL NORDONIA HILLS GARDEN CLUB Rose Cassmer, editor