2009 is Here! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Inside This Issue BOARD MEMBERS. Around the Trellis

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1 Newsletter for Nordonia Hills Garden Club gardener s gazette BOARD MEMBERS Around the Trellis 2009 is Here! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday season. The new board and chairs met in December to get an early start breaking ground on some new ideas. It was a great meeting and thanks to all the chairs who were able to make it. I feel really blessed to have such an incredible group of ladies to be working with. Our meeting produced so many good ideas which we will be sharing with you throughout this year. One suggestion that was brought up and voted on by the board to then present to club members was to have an increase in membership dues. Individual dues would be $15.00 and family would be $20.00 per year. This will be discussed and voted on at the February meeting, so I would like to encourage all of the membership to try and attend. If the dues increase is approved, then we would like to use $3.00 of each member s dues to join the Garden Club of Ohio, which would also make us a members of the Central Atlantic Region Garden Club, who belongs to the National Garden Club, For those who have internet access please check out their web sites. We will have as our guest, the Akron District Director, from the Garden Club of Ohio, Jean Lucas, who will be more than happy to answer any questions about the benefits that our club would have by joining the them. Some of the benefits to name a few would be access to grant money for community projects and workshops. We will also be opening our 2009 Season with one of our favorite speakers, Asst. Prof. Laura Deeter, so if you missed her last year you won t want to miss her again. Check out page 2 for our 2009 Club Theme. I m looking forward to seeing everyone again. Blessings to y all, Janet Matherly President Janet Matherly, meadowyck@windstream.net Vice President Kerry Wichert, sogreenwithenvy@aol.com 2nd VP Leanne Schroeter, Lar897@alltel.net Secretary Elaine Nidy, CTBEAR24@aol.com Treasurer Irene Wozniak, COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Historian Peg Krutko, pkrutko@alltel.net Sunshine Linda Uridel, Refreshments Bernadette Evans, and Linda Gesinsky, Ways & Means Lilian Coluccio, c: lilianc@alltel.net Public Relations Pat Spagnola, pwspagnola@windstream.net Membership Jan Filmeck, jif45@windstream.net Photographer Vacant Garden Tour Ava Hain, keiko100@netzero.net Special Events Angie Stimson, stimsoa@ccf.org Newsletter Editor Janet Matherly, meadowyck@windstream.net Inside This Issue Page 1 President s Message Page 2 Calendar of Events Page 2 Treasurer Report Page 3 Seed Starting Rolls Page 3 Cold Weather Garden Color Page 4 Fungal Gnats! Page 5 Seedling Diagnosis Page 6 Membership Application

2 2 Calendar of Upcoming Events New Web Site ID/Password February 2009 Board Meeting: Monday, February 9, 2009, 7:00 p.m. at Nordonia Hills Library. All Chairs are encouraged to attend. Club Meeting: Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 6:00 p.m. at the St. Barnabas Church in the Bedell Commons Meeting Room. Speaker: Assistant Professor, Laura Deeter, Ohio State University. Topic: Shade Gardening. Board Meeting: Monday, March 9, 2009, 7:00 p.m. at Nordonia Hills Library. All Chairs are encouraged to attend. Club Meeting: Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 6:00 p.m. at the St. Barnabas Church in the Bedell Commons Meeting Room. Speaker: Rob Cowie, from Suncrest Gardens. Topic: Small Conifers. Towards the end of February there will be a new ID and Password for the members section of the web site: ID bleedingheart PASSWORD grow After February 20th you will no longer be able to access that part of the web site with the previous ID/Password Club Theme of the Year A Year to GROW! Reminder, you can also view our yearly meeting schedule under the meeting tab on the club web site at: Not only in memberships and community projects but in club friendships as well. JANUARY 31, 2009 Treasurer s Report Date Type of Income Deposit Amount Type of Expense Withdrawal Amount Balance 10/31/08 Beginning Balance $1, /01 Christmas Dinner payments $ /12 Christmas Dinner payments $ /18 Donation - Emergency Asst. Ctr. $ /20 Christmas Dinner payments $ /21 Tree Purchase for Northfield Ctr. $ /04 Gift for Retiring President NC $ /05 Final Payment Gambitta Party Ctr. $1, /09 Christ. Dinner/Membership Dues $ /15 Christmas Party Gifts $ /16 Donation - Emergency Asst. Ctr. $ Total Deposits $ Total Expenses $1, Ending Balance $ Balance as of January 31, 2009 Irene Wozniak, Treasurer

3 Seed Starting Rolls For those of us who enjoy the challenge of seeds, here is another GREEN way of starting them. How about recycling all those cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet paper to start your seedlings. Each toilet paper roll makes two pots by cutting them in half and each paper towel tube makes four, cut in half then cut each one in half again. After cutting them, set the tubes into a tray, (see above picture). If you set them so they touch, they will support each other as you water the seedlings. They also dry out slower when they re set close together. Then fill each pot with seed-starting mix, gently pack it down and sow the seeds. Later, when you plant the seedlings in the garden, make sure to break down the sides of the roll so all of the cardboard will be buried underground. If the edges are sticking up above the surface, they will wick the moisture away from the roots. February Refreshments Donna Patz & Pat Spagnola (Please try to have refreshments there by 6:15 p.m.) Sunshine Report Please keep Elaine Nidy and her family in your thoughts as Elaine s Mother passed away in January. If you know of any other members who might be ill, facing surgery or who just need our thoughts and prayers, please notify: Linda Uridel at Club Photographer Needed Do you love taking pictures of flowers, trees, animals and people, then you just might be the perfect fit as our Club Photographer. If you would be interested in this position please contact Janet M. meadowyck@windstream.net or by phone: Cold Weather Garden Color February Pot marigold, Calendula officinalis when grown in full sun to part shade, pot marigold reaches 12 to 30 in tall by 12 to 18 in wide. Plants call it quits at 30 degrees F but the seeds can survive the coldest winters in the soil. African daisy, Garzania rigens, grows to 8 to 12 in tall by 8 to 10 in wide. This plant prefers a spot in full sun. It keeps blooming until temperatures get down to 15 degrees F. Stock, Matthiola hybrids like to be planted in full sun to part shade and reaches 12 to 32 inches tall by 12 to 16 inches wide. This plant will continue to bloom all the way down to 20 degrees F. There will be a sign-up sheet available for you at the meeting. Please contact either Bernadette Evans, or Linda Gesinsky , Refreshment Co-Chairs, if you would like to contribute. Pansy, viola hybrids rang fro 6 to 9 in tall by 9 12 in wide. When planted in full sun to part shade they will endure temperatures down to -20 degrees F provided you have mulched heavy during the summer. When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it for sure was a valuable plant. ~ Author Unknown

4 February How to Deal With Fungus Gnats Fungus gnats are tiny flying insects that can be a problem for houseplants and greenhouse plants. Fungus gnats are not just annoying as they fly around your plants, they can also do some serious damage to your plants. Fungus gnats are mosquito-like insects, about an eighth of an inch long with one pair of transparent wings. The adults will scatter and fly about when the host plant is disturbed, which is often the first sign of an infestation. It is the fungus gnat larvae that do the most damage. The adults live about a week, but during that time they lay hundreds of eggs in the soil of your potted plants. They particularly like damp soil that is rich in organic matter. The eggs hatch in 4-6 days and for about two weeks the larvae feed on plant roots and root hairs in the soil. This can weaken the plants, causing leaves to suddenly wilt or turn yellow. Plants may drop their leaves in severe infestations. If you see fungus gnats flying around your plants, you can be sure there are also larvae feeding on the roots. To monitor the fungus gnat population, use yellow sticky traps placed horizontally near the plants. Yellow sticky traps are available at many garden centers. You can also place inch-long pieces of raw potato on the soil surface. If fungus gnat larvae are in the soil, they will migrate to the potato within four hours to begin feeding. Look for the thread-like, white and shiny larva with black heads under and on the potato piece. Local Events for February February 7, 2009, Saturday, 8:30am-4:30pm Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Sustainability Symposium 2009: In Your Own Backyard February 7-15, 2009, Saturday - Sunday Cleveland Home & Garden Show, 2009 Show Theme - The Romance of France February 21, 2009, Saturday, 1:00-3:00pm Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Botanical Arts: Colored Pencil Workshop Annual Club Plant Sale Mothers Day Weekend May 8-9, 2009 TOURIST AND BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTER At the Intersection of ROUTE 8 & ROUTE 82 MACEDONIA Club Shirts Just a reminder that we still have club shirts available in two styles: golf or T-shirt Get them while they last... Once you know your plants have fungus gnats, the adults can be killed with any insecticide spray labeled for gnats or flying insects. Treating the larvae in the $19.00 soil is another matter. A soil drench is most effective $17.00 White in killing the larvae. There are organic products White 1 Medium available specifically for killing fungus gnat larvae, 1 Small 2 Large including a form of Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis Berliner 2 Large 2 X-Large 2 X-Large var. israelensis). Gnatrol is the brand name of one Green Green form of Bt for fungus gnats. There are also parasitic 2 Medium 1 Large nematodes that attack fungus gnat larvae, although this 2 Large is more useful for large-scale plantings. Neem oil is also 2 X-Large effective against fungus gnats. (Article used with permission from Mike McGroarty, ) Why was the tomato blushing? (Answer is at the bottom of Page 5) Golf Shirt T-Shirt

5 Seedling Diagnosis Depending on when the last frost date is in your area, by early March you ve either begun your seeds indoors, or are gearing up to start. There is a lot of hope in those packets of seeds, but sometimes hopes can be dashed if everything doesn t go as planned. Even under the best circumstances, you might run into a few problems. Here s a list of a common symptoms and the corrective measures you can take to solve them. Symptom: Spindly or Leggy Growth Causes: Low light, too much water, excessively warm temperatures, over fertilization, crowded plants. Corrective Measures: Some seeds will germinate without much light, but seedlings need bright light. Use grow lights if a sunny window is not available. Position the lights 4 inches above the seed tray and leave the lights on for 16 hours a day. Don t forget to raise the lights as the seedlings grow taller. Provide an air temperature of 70 to 75 degrees during the day and night temperature of at least 60 to 65 degrees. Soil should be kept consistently moist, but not soggy. Mist with a spray bottle or water from the bottom up by placing the containers in a pan filled with 1 inch of warm water. Once the soil is moist, remove the seed pots from the pan. above, feed with a liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength after the first set of true leaves emerge. Feed once a week. Some seed starting soil mixtures contain nutrients such as Mycorrhizae, a naturally occurring fungus that promotes strong root development. Symptom: Decay or rotting of the stems of young plants near the soil surface. Causes: Damping-off. Disease organisms attack germinating seeds and young plants, especially during prolonged cloudy weather. Corrective Measures: Use a sterile soil-mix designed for seed starting. Mound the soil in the container so that it is flush with the edge of the pot. This will allow air flow across the surface of the soil. Symptom: Wilting followed by death of the seedling. Tiny insects hovering around soil. Causes: Fungus gnat larvae will feed on the roots of the seedlings. Adult fungus gnats are those pesky, small flying insects that hover around potting soil. They are attracted to moist potting soils that have a high organic content. Corrective Measures: Use a well draining potting soil. February Wait until seedlings have produced their first set of true leaves to fertilize. This is actually the second set of leaves that emerge. Use a liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Feed once a week. Sow seeds and thin seedlings according to the packet instructions to prevent overcrowding. Symptom: Dwarf Plants Causes: Low fertility. Corrective Measures: Because there is so little soil, nutrient levels are hard to maintain. As mentioned If you see the adult gnats, cut back on water to make the soil less attractive to the adult female gnat. You don t need to stop watering completely, just allow the soil to dry out between watering. Placing a moist slice of potato on top of the soil will attract the larvae. Throw out the potato slice to get rid of the larvae. (Article used with permission from ) Happy Valentine s Day (Continued from page 4) Because it saw the salad dressing! --Author Unknown

6 NORDONIA HILLS GARDEN CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION New Member Renewing Member. Paid with Cash Paid by Check #. SINGLE MEMBERSHIP ($10.00). FAMILY MEMBERSHIP ($15.00). NAME(s): (Please Print) ADDRESS: (Street Name) (City) (Zip Code) PHONE #: ADDRESS: Who referred you to the club: Birthday: Month Are you a Master Gardener? yes no (This isn t required to join) Day What particular interests do you have in gardening? Make your checks payable to: NORDONIA HILLS GARDEN CLUB Please return or mail this form along with your payment to: Jan Filmeck, NHGC Membership Chairperson, 533 Bluejay Trail, Macedonia, OH Janet Matherly Nordonia Hills Garden Club Newsletter Editor 8091 Rushwood Lane Sagamore Hills, OH TO: