Greenhouse Notes. A quarterly newsletter for Coastal Master Gardener Association members.

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1 Greenhouse Notes A quarterly newsletter for Coastal Master Gardener Association members. President s Notes: Winter 2014 As one door closes. I can hardly believe that the holidays are upon us and the end of the year is racing toward us. Did you meet all of your gardening goals this year? Did you make any plans for the new year? As for me, I accomplished some goals and certainly have some additional goals in place for I guess that is how I mark progress. For the Coastal Master Gardener Association, 2014 was a pretty good year. We enjoyed a series of exciting and informative programs. I especially enjoyed learning about bats and the role they play for gardeners. We launched several new projects and accomplished a great deal of community support and education while we helped beautify numerous areas surrounding us and helped feed hungry kids. We hosted the Georgia Master Gardener State Conference this Fall. Although a lot of work, it was fun to meet new people and build new relationships with fellow gardeners holds amazing potential for us. We have a Master Gardener Class scheduled for mid-january. At last count, we have over 35 people planning to attend! That s GREAT NEWS!!! We are still working to define a slate of officers. Please let me know if you are interested in helping us grow. So you see. As one door closes. Another door opens. And it is inviting us to make 2015 a stellar year for our organization. I appreciate all the help you provided this past year and look forward to expanding our ranks and actively working with members of our community to become better gardeners. With your help, I know we are up to the task! See you in the garden! Steve Taylor Vice President 冬至

2 Bonaventure Update It has been a wonderful year tending to the camellias at Bonaventure. The air-layers planted earlier in the Spring have all done extremely well, furthering the beauty of Mullryne Way beyond our expectations. One bonus that we ve had this year is that the cemetery maintenance crew has expanded their services to include removal of overgrown vegetation allowing us to concentrate on the plants at hand. As a result of this free time, we recently discovered a very old sasanqua, so covered in moss as to be unrecognizable, and were able to remove over a truckload worth of moss. Special thanks to Ron Jacob for manning the ladder on that little project. Pulling moss, smilax and other climbing invaders may seem like it would be monotonously boring but the fact is that every single plant requires a different approach than the previous plant. It s also very educational, horticulturally speaking, to see the significant amount of damage that has been done over the years by improper pruning. There seemed to be a time way back then when people thought all trunks, branches, etc., had to be trimmed at a ninety degree angle. That is so wrong. Not only does it invite serious rot problems, it also creates a witches broom effect, causing multiple branching from a single, spiral spot. We ve gone in and re-angled many of these bad cuts and the results have greatly improved the vigor of the plants. Hexenbesen Another wonderful development in our camellia adventures is that Dennis Ronning and Ron Jacob went out to our hidden garden and successfully air-layered about seventyfive plants which have been potted and are now being tended by Ron, his wife Belinda, and Doug Webb in their camellia friendly gardens. I m not sure as yet where these will eventually be planted but there are several sites besides Bonaventure that may end up getting some happy additions. There is so much to see and learn at Bonaventure and we could really use a few extra hands. Anybody who may be interested in helping can give me a call at or me at richardgsommers@comcast.net We meet at 9am Tuesday mornings on Mullryne Way. Hope to see you there. As always, many thanks to Dennis, Doug, Ron and Belinda for their continued support and happy gardening and Happy Holidays to everyone. Jane Morel Sommers

3 The SACGC Botanical Garden Autumn at the SACGC Botanical Garden was wonderful. The roses bloomed again in time for the plant/yard sale and the Fall Garden was especially colorful. The frost on 11/19 left the Garden with little color. After major clean-up and planting violas and snapdragons the Garden looks much better. The Farmhouse was decorated for the holidays on 12/1, brightened by pine garland, wreaths and red bows. Home Depot donated trees for the parlor and dining room. Corn husk angels, gilded okra pods, magnolia pod angels, burlap garland, lichen balls, shell ornaments, strings of cranberries and popcorn were hung on the trees. The Friends of the Garden party on 12/6 had a good turnout and visitors enjoyed home-made cookies and appetizers with a fruit punch. The Farmhouse was open for visitors on 12/7 & 12/14. Weddings are being scheduled into 2015 and construction has begun on the new venue, the pavilion by the pond. The Garden will be quiet for the next few months until spring green-up. Come for a walk through the 10 acres of gardens and woods; it will refresh your spirit. Pat Ryan

4 Long Tabby Garden on Sapelo Island Coastal GA Master Gardeners - Paula Wheatley and Ginger Pruden, Suzanne VanParreren, the Coastal Training Program Coordinator of the Sapelo Island Esturarine Research Reserve (SINERR), Eamonn Leonard, the Natural Resources Biologist with DNR, and some members of Friends of Sapelo and Coastal Wildscapes recently collected seeds from native grasses and flowers, such as muhly grass and golden aster, on Sapelo Island. They also planted plants propagated from seed last year and prepared the garden at Long Tabby for Winter. Collecting seed on Sapelo is one of the better ways of supplying free, new and native plants that are sometimes hard to find for the garden. They will already be adapted to the soil and climate so all should be successful. Seeds were gathered from within the island and also along the beach. These seeds will be cleaned and sorted in December and propagated at the green house complex on Jekyll Island beginning January 12th. The plants will be ready to plant in the Spring. During the year, you can take the ferry for Sapelo Island and see the demonstration garden at Long Tabby if you take any tour of the island, participate with the project or, at this time, attend one of the Christmas programs at the Reynolds Plantation, which also includes an island tour. If you are interested in helping with the native seed propagation, please contact Eamonn Leonard, Natural Resources Biologist at (912) or Eamonn.Leonard@dnr.state.ga.us or for more information about the project, please contact Nancy Tamarack at (912) or nancytam@aol.com. Ginger Pruden

5 Owen-Thomas House On Monday October 27th and Monday November 3rd, volunteers once again brought renewed beauty to the Owen-Thomas House garden by removing the well-worn summer plants, conditioning the soil and planting 375 new annuals for the Fall/Winter season. The four parterres are planted with Penny All Season Mix violas. The center fountain is surrounded by a combination of Speedy Sonnet Yellow snapdragons and white alyssum. The dedicated and hard-working volunteers include Linda Rich, Aletha Dunlavy, Camille Fisher, Gerry Bluett, Bill Shanahan, Diane Gustafson, Shirley Brown, Sue Hamlet, Linda Tierney, Terri Breyman, George Wilson and Theresa Feldstein. Be sure to stop by and enjoy!!! Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer at the Owens-Thomas House garden, please contact me at tmfeldstein@gmail.com Theresa Feldstein Theresa Feldstein and George Wilson

6 Programs Committee: Paula Wheatley (Chairman), Cheryl Drwiega, Elizabeth Lewis, Liz Lubrani On November 11 th Coastal Master Gardeners were treated to a colorful array of flowering plants and creative ideas for beautiful gardens by Norman Winter, Director of the Coastal Botanical Gardens. This was followed by delicious refreshments provided by Shirley Brown, Diane Gustafson, Sue Hamlett and Elaine Witbede. Thank you all for making it possible. In the coming year our first meeting will be the annual low country boil on January 24 th at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. The annual picnic, welcome of new members, and plant swap will take place on May 9 th or 16 th (depending on facility availability), also at the CGBG. With the exception of the January and May meetings which are held on Saturdays at the CGBG, meetings are the second Tuesday of alternate months beginning in January and will be held at Hospice Savannah on Eisenhower. The programs committee welcomes and is encouraging anyone with program ideas or interesting speakers to come forward. Current possible topics include herbs and their uses, growing orchids, and forestry. In addition, we can schedule field trips and hands-on workshops. Let us know where your interests are. You will be notified of details prior to meetings. Paula Wheatley pl_wheatley@planters.net From The Plant Hunters by Tyler Whittle, referring to Charles de l'écluse: To his friends, he said that no matter how cruel the vicissitudes of life could be, botany and gardening were everlasting solaces. Should be the CMGA motto! Charles de l'écluse, was a Flemish doctor and pioneering botanist, perhaps the most influential of all 16th-century scientific horticulturists. Read more about him at

7 Fall Plant Swap Master Gardeners enjoyed a chilly plant swap on Saturday November 15th and, despite the weather, many interesting (if not unusual) plants, seeds and bulbs went home with new owners. The fellowship, hot cider and sweet treats made the morning fun and plant discussions lively. Freya Zipperer and Carol McCurdy hosted the event at Freya's house where she enjoyed showing off the new conservatory. We hope the Spring swap will be better weather so start planning now to make cuttings and dividing your favorites to share. Martha s Super Suet (Better than store-bought!) 1 cup lard (NOT Crisco or other solid vegetable shortening) 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 2 cups of quick-cook oatmeal 2 cups of cornmeal 1 cup white flour 1/3 cup sugar Melt lard and peanut butter together, then mix in other ingredients. Put into rectangular baking pan and chill (you might want to use throw-away pans). Cut into blocks, wrap in saran/waxed paper, store in refrigerator or freezer. Won t melt in our summer heat. You may expect cardinals, titmice, chickadees, wrens, sparrows, warblers and woodpeckers. Courtesy of CoastalWildScapes

8 AUTUMN Mystery Plant Solanum capsicoides AKA Red Soda Apple, Cockroach berry, Horse nettle The Red Soda Apple might be a native Floridian, might be from eastern Brazil, is found in Polynesia (called polohauaiʻi) - botanists can t agree. It is now found in most warm areas of the world. It is a thorny, large-leafed plant to a yard high with spines all over it including the leaves, which can be shiny. The round green fruit resemble a striped water melon. When ripe it is red and slightly smaller than a pingpong ball. Ripe cut fruit is used as cockroach bait! NOT EDIBLE: Solanum viarum, Solanum ciliatum, Solanum carolinense, are all called Tropical Soda Apple. Some are toxic when green, others more toxic when ripe. Edibility is doubtful, botantical references vague, identification difficult. Best avoided. Of the three, ripe S. ciliatum, now called Solanum capsicoides, might not kill you. (That s a comfort.) Considered to be invasive. From the University of FL: The invasion of tropical soda apple into the southeastern U.S. is a major problem for ranchers and has resulted in negative environmental and economic impacts. Scientists from the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the United States Department of Agriculture have found a way to battle tropical soda apple effectively: biological control made possible by a leaffeeding beetle, Gratiana boliviana. Op ed: Of course that worries me - you introduce a leaf feeding beetle to the area - does it confine itself to just the one plant? It is, however, an attractive plant and easy enough to recognize and dig out if it pops up in the wrong spot in your yard. Anybody want some seeds? Freya Zipperer (not excluded from this one because she had seen it and hadn t a clue), guessed this after exhaustive research. WINTER Mystery Plant There is a prize for the correct guesser It might be exotic seeds or a unique plant, or an absolutely cutesy gardener's doo-dad. (Answers should be sent to mm_mccurdy@msn.com.) That s an underscore between all those mmm s

9 CMGA Website: Facebook: On-going Volunteer Opportunities Contacts Bamboo Farm... Fred Nussbaum BBF Roots & Shoots... Bonaventure Cemetery... Jane Sommers Botanical Gardens... Diane Calhoun... Downtown Extension Office... Tonia Rudrow Susie Edwards BBF Greenhouse Plantings... Bob Izzo Habitat for Humanity... Jay Volker Native Planting... Pat Ryan Old Darien Jail... Ginger Pruden Owens-Thomas House... Theresa Feldstein Savannah-Ogeechee Canal... Linda Thrift Savannah Tree Foundation... Dolores Engle Board Members President... Chris Arthur Vice President... Steve Taylor Secretary... Frances Smith Treasurer... Louisa Sigman Past President... Faith Sadley Directors Website... Jeanette Byrd Programs... Paula Wheatley Membership... Hope Barton Comms/Newsltr... Carol McCurdy Publicity... Amy Rhodes Projects... Faith Sadley Members at Large... Ronald Elcock Louise Grotheer Pat Ryan (Note: All Area Codes are 912)