Wiregrass Walk-About INSIDE... Hello to all my gardening friends,

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1 WMGA Newsletter Wiregrass Walk-About Hello to all my gardening friends,... in honor of Evelyn Isbell May 2017 I do hope you are all doing very well and enjoying this nice cool spell we are having in May. Soon we will wish for cooler temperatures when the hot steamy weather rolls in. I am very excited to report on our 2017 AMGA Conference. It was a wonderful conference. We started out on Monday at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. This is a beautiful garden. If you did not make it to the Conference, try to take a couple of days and visit this garden. I have pictures but you really need to visit. The next two days we were in Jackson Center for our breakouts, vendors and Banquet. It was a nice place and my group found different ways to travel back to our hotel each time we went there. I had the honor of announcing awards this year. I am pleased to tell you all our Newsletter won Top Award for Newsletter from Associations of 60 and above AMGA Members. We are all proud of Jane Klosky and her ability to put all our news and events in a beautiful newsletter. I saw others and there was no comparison! Congratulations Jane and Wiregrass Master Gardeners! I am now an official voting member of AMGA Board. Thank you all for your continued support! While it is a bit cooler now we need your support in our nursery area at Dothan Area Botanical Gardens. We need to tidy up the place such as the pot rack in the pole barn, wipe down areas in the greenhouse and clean up the pots inside the greenhouse as well. Our demo flower beds need weeding and sprucing up with some mulch. Let's try and get these done before the heat of summer comes rolling in. Speaking of summer we will once again be helping at Aunt Katie's Community Garden teaching boys and girls. This is a wonderful opportunity to help in teaching and/or assisting. If you would like to do either please let Helen-Sue know as soon as possible. I would like to thank Helen-Sue and her teachers for a wonderful year teaching another class of Junior Master Gardeners. These children were very well behaved while in class, during outside activities and also helping with our Spring Plant Sale. If you are interested in teaching or assisting please let Helen-Sue know. I would like to encourage you all to come to our May Monthly meeting on May 16th at 6pm. We meet at Highland Park United Methodist Church on South Park. If you need a ride please contact a board member. Jessica Moore will be sworn in as our Vice President that night. We also have INSIDE... more interns who have completed their hours. I hope to see you all at our monthly meeting. I will pass out new badges for members who were awarded them at Conference. You do not want to miss this Come Helen-Sue s meeting! As always please remember in prayer those members who are sick and unable to be with us. If you can give please give them a call. I am looking forward to see you all soon! Life is a garden, dig it! Devonne Aunt Katie s Garden Needs YOU Daylilies Galore Photos from the AMGA Conference 1

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3 Daylilies Galore If you re a lover of daylilies, clear your calendar for Saturday, May 20th. There are two daylily events in our area. Wiregrass Daylily Show This show will be held at the center court area of Wiregrass Commons Mall on Saturday, May 20. The public may enter the show with all entries complete by 10:00 am. The show will be open to the public upon the completion of the judging which should be approximately 1:00 pm. They will have double fans for sale for only $5.00. Daylily Art and Garden Festival The Headland Daylily Festival will be held at the Headland Town Square on Saturday, May 20 from 9:00 to 3:00. Glenda Heney and Faye Carnley have signed up to be at the WMGA table for this event. If you would like to participate, please contact Glenda at Advice from a SUNFLOWER Be outstanding in your field Hold your head high Spread seeds of happiness Feed the birds Think solar Keep on the sunny side Grow up! Helen-Sue Is Having a Party And you are invited to her home on Wednesday, May 17 at 8 am for a Dig/Propagation Party. Phyllis will also do layering of hydrangeas and we will propagate some of her althea. She also have a lot of ground cover on her old fairy garden and in the pond area. Helen-Sue has sedum, strawberry begonia and, of course, the mystery plant she doesn't remember the name of (sound familiar?). Come learn layering, propagating and dig some ground covers for our plant sale and take a bit home. This will be a start to help Phyllis build up her inventory which sold so well at the last sale. Let Helen-Sue know if you plan to attend by texting her at or her at hsdekemp1@juno.com 3

4 Spring Garden Checklist MAY Fruits and Nuts Continue spray program. Keep grass from around trees and strawberries. Peaches and apples can still be budded. Shrubs Newly planted shrubs need extra care now and in coming weeks. Don t spray with oil emulsions when temperature is above 85 degrees F. Roses Spray or dust for insects and diseases. Fertilize monthly according to a soil test. Container-grown plants in flower may be planted. Prune climbing roses after the first big flush of flowering. Annuals and Perennials Bulbs Late plantings of bedding plants still have time to produce. Watch for insects on day lilies. Summer bulbs started in containers may still be planted. Do not remove foliage from spring flowering bulbs. Do not let seedheads form on tulips another spring flowering bulbs. Miscellaneous Mulch new shrub plantings if not already done. Avoid drying out new shrub, tree, and lawn plantings. Vegetable Seed Plant heat-loving and tender vegetables. Start cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and celery in cold frames for the fall garden. Vegetable Plants Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and sweet potatoes. Lawns Now is the best time to start lawns from seed. Water new lawns as needed to prevent drying. Keep established lawns actively growing by watering, fertilizing, and mowing. Spray weeds in lawns with proper herbicide. JUNE Fruits and Nuts Layer grapes and continue spray programs. Thin apples and peaches if too thick. Shrubs Roses Lace bugs may be a problem on azaleas, pyracanthas, dogwoods, cherry laurels, and other shrubs. Water as needed. Fertilize now. Keep long shoots from developing by pinching out tips. Take cuttings from semi-mature wood for rooting. Watch for insects and diseases. Keep old flower heads removed. Plant container-grown plants from nurseries or garden centers. Annuals and Perennials Keep old flower heads removed to promote continued flowering. Plant garden mums if not already in. For compact mums, keep tips pinched out. Watch for insects and diseases. Bulbs Foliage may be removed from spring bulbs if it has yellowed and is becoming dry. Watch for aphids and thrips on summer bulbs. Miscellaneous If scale insects continue on shrubs, use materials other than oils. Set houseplants on porch or outdoors in shade and pay close attention to the need for water. If desired, air layer houseplants. Vegetable Seeds Plant beans, fieldpeas, pumpkins, squash, corn, cantaloupes, and watermelons. Vegetable Plants Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and sweet potato vine cuttings. Lawns Follow a schedule of fertilization and watering. Lawns should be mowed weekly. Planting may continue if soil is moist. Continue weed spraying if necessary. 4

5 May WMGA Work DABG, 8 11 am May WMGA Monthly meeting, HPUMC, 6 pm May Dig/Propagation Party, Helen-Sue s home, 8 am? May Wiregrass Daylily Show, Wiregrass Commons Mall, 1 4 pm Daylily Art and Garden Festival, Downtown Headland, 10 am 3 pm May Chainsaw Safety Workshop, Dale County Extension Office, 9 2:30 pm, to register call May Celebration of Memorial Day Do you have an event you d like added to our monthly calendar? If so, send it to Jane Klosky (jane.klosky@icloud.com) Q. What type of bee can t make up its mind? A: A maybe Boy...Noise with dust on it. Chickens...The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead. Dust...Mud with the juice squeezed out. Mosquito...An insect that makes you like flies better. Raisin...A grape with a sunburn. Chemicals...Noxious substances from which modern foods are made. Summer at Aunt Katie s It is time to set up a schedule for teachers and assistants to help Michael Jackson with the Boys and Girls Club programs in June and July. Classes are Wednesdays starting on June 7 and continuing through July. Classes are from 10 am 11 am. The program is generally minutes long. Students walk to Aunt Katie's Community Garden from the clubhouse nearby. Ages run between 7 and 13 and there can be between 25 and 35 in attendance. Last year we decided on the following topics but we are open to changes and new topics for future classes. We need an additional topic for this summer. Teachers are next to the topic and again changes can be made. Soil, Water and Air...Helen-Sue Kemp Ecology...Cheryl Hatcher Herbs...Michael Jackson Worms/Composting...Phyllis Poole Wildlife in the garden snakes...judy Clardy Propagation...Faye Carnley We need ideas from ALL Master Gardeners. Everyone is eligible to teach and assist and we will need many assistants and teachers so this is a good opportunity to begin working with children. If you have ideas, we would be grateful. If you would like to participate, teach or assist, please reply to Helen-Sue (hsdekemp1@juno.com) 5

6 WMGA Contacts 2017 WMGA Board of Directors Officers: President:... Devonne Ellis Vice President... Jessica Moore Secretary... Tami Ziglar Treasurer:... Connie Ford Board Members: Board Member at Large:... Anita Gibson Membership Chair:... Tom Boyle Ways & Means Chair:... Helen-Sue Kemp Communications Chair... Cheryl Hatcher Programs Chair... Janice Egolf Projects Co-Chairs... Faye Carnley Lisa Enfinger Immediate Past President... Beth Arnold Newsletter Editor/Webmaster... Jane Klosky Plant Parent Directory Annuals: Devonne Ellis Bulbs: Judy Clardy Pat Smith Perennials: Cheryl Hatcher Faye Carnley GrCovers/Vines/Grasses: Beth Arnold Tami Ziglar Herbs: Linda Westphal House Plants/Tropicals/Succulents: Connie Ford Barbara Knight Shrubs: Phyllis Poole Trees: Ralph Byram Vegetables: Helen-Sue Kemp Our Mailing Address: Wiregrass Master Gardeners Association P.O. Box 9376 Dothan, AL ACES Lucy Edwards Home Grounds Regional Agent Dale County Extension Office: (334) Mobile: (334) Visit our DISCLAIMER: The Wiregrass Master Gardener Association (WMGA) believes this information to be correct and accurate. Neither the Association nor its members accept responsibility for errors or omissions that may be made. The WMGA makes no warranty expressed or implied with respect to the material within. 6