Minutes of the Williamstown Garden Club – June 2, 2014
Posted on: Jun 24, 2014 | CommentsMinutes of the Williamstown Garden Club – June 2, 2014
The meeting was called to order by the President, Sue Metzner. Lib Stone was welcomed as a visitor.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved. Sue Pike was complimented on informing members without email of coming events.
A gift from the Alice Shaver foundation was announced, and a note of thanks was sent to Phil Smith for his donations to the spring plant sale.
Anne Tiffany reported that flowers had been sent to Jid Sprague who had an ankle replacement.
Diane Glick reported that all the containers and bridges have been planted, and thanked the members who participated. She asked that the members responsible deadhead the zinnias and coreopsis, being careful with the latter not to take other potential blooms on the same stem. She asked members to be sure to keep watering, if necessary, over weekends, when the town does not water. Bridge maintenance will be Monday mornings at 9:00. Please let Diane know if you notice any problems with the containers (pests, dead plants, etc.)
Elaine Neely reported that replacements for winter kill at Field Park will take place on Wednesday, June 3 at 2:00. Other Field Park maintenance supervised by Sue Hyde and Pam Turton will be on Mondays at 8:30.
Sarah Foehl reported that the library garden has been prepared for planting and plants ordered.
Linda Conway thanked Pat Siskin for allowing us to use her property as a staging area for the Spring Plant sale and said that we grossed $1913. the best result ever. Elaine Neely said that she felt moving the date back to May 17th helped. Thanks to Bunny Smith for organizing the bake sale. Next year we need to make sure we don’t have so many chocolate chip cookies!
Sue Pike has a list of WGC equipment available to members on the website. We need to find the banner for the July 4th parade for which Suki Wilkins needs volunteers. Please let her know if you would be willing to march – a hat with flower decoration is optional and your garden club t-shirt. The parade is planned for 11:00 on July 4th. Details will follow.
Rita Watson reported that there will be 5 gardens on our annual tour. She asked people to carpool because in every instance parking is limited. The gardens are those of Hugh Glover, Sue Metzner, Ginny Sheldon, Ghetta Hirsch, followed by the meeting at Rita Watson’s. The rain date is the following day. Rita asked that everyone stagger their visits so we don’t all show up at the same garden at the same time. The website will have addresses, etc.
Sue Metzner mentioned two possible new initiatives: would we be willing to have our annual garden tour listed on the new Destination Williamstown website, and would we want to take on the care of the memorial garden at the Spruces? Both issues to be discussed at a future meeting.
Bette Craig introduced our speaker, Charlie Nardozzi, who has a popular program on Vermont Public Radio and who did a fabulous job answering members’ questions about Organic Solutions to Common Garden Problems. The following is a brief list, but members can gain more information on his website, gardening with charlie.com. A brief list follows:
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1. Hydrangeas (with worms) Thuricide or Dipel organic spray on new growth,
2. Chipmunks eating bulbs: plant with crushed oyster shells,
3. Deer, rabbits, etc. use Plantskydd – a scent based repellant which dries in 24 hours and lasts 2 to 3 months, but keep dogs indoors until it dries. In its granular form you can put in ground with plants when you plant them,
4. moss? – do ph test and if in low 6’s, add lime,
5. Lawns (to keep down weeds) – use Kentucky Blue grass in sun and fescue or perennial rye grass in shade. Fertilize with 3-1-2 in fall or cover 1/4″ with compost and rake in. Overseed or use corn gluten in spring. Spread while forsythia is blooming.
6. Boxwood and Holly can be cut to the ground – alternatively cut back side branches for a bushier plant
7. Tomato blight – best to mulch tomatoes which keeps blight in ground. Serenade works on fungal diseases, but best to do as early as possible. If plants begin to wither, destroy!
8. Asiatic lilies – Captain Jack’s Deadbug Concentrate – spray controls larvae, also Neem oil.
9. Mealy bugs – rubbing alcohol
10. slugs/snails – raw wool, or Slugo/Escargot which have iron phosphate in them,
11. Voles/moles – Molemed or castor oil,
12. Roses – fertilize with coffee grounds, banana peels(make solution in blender).
13. Blue Hydrangeas – use sulfur to keep blue
14. Ants – cinnamon/essential oils or make cups of sugar and borax
15. Japanese beetles – use traps AWAY from plants. Use nematodes in Nemoglobe now, spray on area where beetles were feeding last year, spray late in the afternoon and water well. Can also use milky spore but works best in areas farther south. Can also position pail of soapy water underneath plant, shake it, and beetles will fall into water.
16. blueberries – mulch with pine needles to protect roots which are shallow. Will need to prune after 7 years. Protect from birds with Mylar tape.
17. Raspberries – need ph of from 6 to 5, use lots of organic matter, after bearing cut prune canes down to ground.
Respectfully submitted, Joan Wright, Recording Secretary