Thursday, March 17, 2005
International Foods Group
Do you like Italian food? If so, consider joining the International Foods group on Saturday, April 23 at the County Complex for a meal featuring Italian recipes. See Susan Morgan or Charlie if you are interested, select a recipe to prepare and join the meal. If cooking for the ladies, be sure to save your receipts so you can be reimbursed for your costs. Call Maria Veselinovich at 579-1624 for details.
Brookgreen Gardens Trip
By popular demand we are going back to Brookgreen Gardens for the beautiful spring display of dogwoods and azaleas (as don’t forget about the delicious she-crab soup)! The date is Friday, April 8. The van will be leaving the Cooperative Extension parking lot at 8:00 AM and will make a pick up at McDonalds at the intersection of Routes 17 and 904 at 8:30 AM. If you are interested, notify Chappy Jones at 575-0599 or chappy@xaranda.net by Monday, April 4. Or sign up at a Master Gardener meeting.
Also we are planning an overnight trip to Richmond, VA to visit the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens and the beautiful Maymont Plantation. This trip will be in early May – more details later.
Please let Chappy know of your interest in this trip, as above.
Also we are planning an overnight trip to Richmond, VA to visit the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens and the beautiful Maymont Plantation. This trip will be in early May – more details later.
Please let Chappy know of your interest in this trip, as above.
Hotline History
In March 2004, there were 186 calls to the Hotline and requests for information from the Garden Show. The breakdown of these calls is as follows:
General: 54. We had 22 requests for Newcomer Packets. 12 questions concerned soil sample kits, their results and fertilizers.
Lawns: 51. The majority of the calls were for information on planting and maintaining centipede. 16 were on how to control weeds.
Trees: 31. We had 8 calls on fruit tree problems, 7 on pruning trees and the rest covered a wide range of tree problems.
Shrubs: 26. There were 5 calls about Azaleas and 5 on Camellias. The rest were varied and included pruning and general information about shrubs.
Pests: 19. The pests were numerous and varied. Moles, mole crickets and wasps were the major problems in March.
Vegetables: 5. The calls were for strawberry and grape growing information.
When you work on the Hotline, be sure to write down as much information as possible about the problems and their solutions on the Hotline forms.
General: 54. We had 22 requests for Newcomer Packets. 12 questions concerned soil sample kits, their results and fertilizers.
Lawns: 51. The majority of the calls were for information on planting and maintaining centipede. 16 were on how to control weeds.
Trees: 31. We had 8 calls on fruit tree problems, 7 on pruning trees and the rest covered a wide range of tree problems.
Shrubs: 26. There were 5 calls about Azaleas and 5 on Camellias. The rest were varied and included pruning and general information about shrubs.
Pests: 19. The pests were numerous and varied. Moles, mole crickets and wasps were the major problems in March.
Vegetables: 5. The calls were for strawberry and grape growing information.
When you work on the Hotline, be sure to write down as much information as possible about the problems and their solutions on the Hotline forms.
Gardening tips for April
• Prepare new flower beds now for this spring. Summer annuals and bulbs perform much better and for longer periods if they are planted in well prepared beds. Till, incorporate organic matter, lime and fertilize.
• Spring is the next best time after the fall season to plant shrubs, trees, and other ornamental plants. Remember to select good quality plants that are recommended for your area.
• After the spring flowering bulbs show off, gardeners need to make an application of 8 8 8. After the petals fade and fall off, remove flower organs with scissors or hand pruners, and allow the foliage to die a natural death. If you plant bulbs for only one season, then you can remove the entire plant once the petals fade.
• Gardeners need to define the edges of the plant borders. Adding mulch is also a good idea. To re-edge take a flat blade shovel and trench out about 3 inches deep and 6 inches wide all around the beds. Re mulch, letting the trench be the border. This fresh, crisp line will accentuate the grass and the bed.
• Seed is the least expensive component of gardening, so it makes good sense to buy the best quality seed you can obtain. A quick reference guide (Extension publication AG 12) lists a number of vegetable crops to plant now.
• Lawn Care: Still too early to fertilize. Applications of fertilizer would be better in May except for Centipedegrass which requires a one-time fertilization in June only. Continue to mow, rake, reduce thatch buildup, and water as needed.
• Prune berry producing plants such as holly, nandina and pyracantha. Prune spring flowering plants such as azaleas after they bloom. Thin cool season vegetables and protect sensitive warm season vegetables from frost or cold. Renew mulch around plantings if you haven't done so already. Coastal area houseplants can be brought outdoors later this month.
• A good general fertilizer recommendation is to apply 2 to 4 pounds of ammoniated 8/8/8 or 10/10/10 to landscape plants around April 15th. Still too early to apply fertilizer to warm season grasses.
• Stonecrops or sedums are popular additions to many gardens. They are one of the first perennials to show signs of life in the spring and they give a spectacular show in the fall. It is often cited as one of the top ten carefree perennials for the garden. Be sure to locate it in full sun areas with fertile soil. It will perform without any other attention. As it spreads, it is easily propagated for additional plantings.
• Towards the latter part of the month is the time to plant many of your warm seasoned vegetable crops like tomatoes and peppers. Plan to plant now to have a variety of fresh vegetables from your garden this summer.
• Spring is the next best time after the fall season to plant shrubs, trees, and other ornamental plants. Remember to select good quality plants that are recommended for your area.
• After the spring flowering bulbs show off, gardeners need to make an application of 8 8 8. After the petals fade and fall off, remove flower organs with scissors or hand pruners, and allow the foliage to die a natural death. If you plant bulbs for only one season, then you can remove the entire plant once the petals fade.
• Gardeners need to define the edges of the plant borders. Adding mulch is also a good idea. To re-edge take a flat blade shovel and trench out about 3 inches deep and 6 inches wide all around the beds. Re mulch, letting the trench be the border. This fresh, crisp line will accentuate the grass and the bed.
• Seed is the least expensive component of gardening, so it makes good sense to buy the best quality seed you can obtain. A quick reference guide (Extension publication AG 12) lists a number of vegetable crops to plant now.
• Lawn Care: Still too early to fertilize. Applications of fertilizer would be better in May except for Centipedegrass which requires a one-time fertilization in June only. Continue to mow, rake, reduce thatch buildup, and water as needed.
• Prune berry producing plants such as holly, nandina and pyracantha. Prune spring flowering plants such as azaleas after they bloom. Thin cool season vegetables and protect sensitive warm season vegetables from frost or cold. Renew mulch around plantings if you haven't done so already. Coastal area houseplants can be brought outdoors later this month.
• A good general fertilizer recommendation is to apply 2 to 4 pounds of ammoniated 8/8/8 or 10/10/10 to landscape plants around April 15th. Still too early to apply fertilizer to warm season grasses.
• Stonecrops or sedums are popular additions to many gardens. They are one of the first perennials to show signs of life in the spring and they give a spectacular show in the fall. It is often cited as one of the top ten carefree perennials for the garden. Be sure to locate it in full sun areas with fertile soil. It will perform without any other attention. As it spreads, it is easily propagated for additional plantings.
• Towards the latter part of the month is the time to plant many of your warm seasoned vegetable crops like tomatoes and peppers. Plan to plant now to have a variety of fresh vegetables from your garden this summer.
Coming up:
March 23 - Leland Library 2 to 4 pm - Charlie's topic will be "Tune up for Spring" with a plant clinic to follow.
April 14 to 16 - Plant sale at the Extension Center.
May 13 - All-Day Seminar
May 15 - Oak Island Beautification Club Garden Tour, starting at the Parks & Recreation building on 30th Street, from 1 to 5 PM. There will also be a Plant Clinic at the Parks & Recreation building. (May 22 = the rain date.)
May 20, 26 & 27 - Life on the Farm at Indigo Farms.
May 26 to 28 - Plant sale at the Extension Center.
Do we need volunteers for these events? Sure!
Why not sign up to help out with :Life on the Farm? the Plant Sales? the greenhouse? maintaining the garden areas? staffing the hotline? We need your participation to get things done.
Thanks!!
April 14 to 16 - Plant sale at the Extension Center.
May 13 - All-Day Seminar
May 15 - Oak Island Beautification Club Garden Tour, starting at the Parks & Recreation building on 30th Street, from 1 to 5 PM. There will also be a Plant Clinic at the Parks & Recreation building. (May 22 = the rain date.)
May 20, 26 & 27 - Life on the Farm at Indigo Farms.
May 26 to 28 - Plant sale at the Extension Center.
Do we need volunteers for these events? Sure!
Why not sign up to help out with :Life on the Farm? the Plant Sales? the greenhouse? maintaining the garden areas? staffing the hotline? We need your participation to get things done.
Thanks!!
Working with Special Education Students
On March 23, from 10 AM to Noon, Special Education students from Shallotte Middle School will work on propagating plants with Ash in the greenhouse. Ash will also be working with another group of Special Education students in a 4H group led by Sarah Bellamy.
Speaker Announcement
The speaker at the March 24 General Meeting will be Bill Howell. He is a Camellia specialist.
Newsletter Message from the President
The Grapefruit League is alive with all the sounds of spring. AT LAST, we “SAWKS” fans do not have to carry a burden into the season (yet). With these happy thoughts in mind I turn to communication. This is a subject that is a challenge to every entity and individual that ever lived, and we are no exception. My philosophy is simply that there can't be too much. I am willing to try every means possible to have communication at all directions throughout BCMGVA. So, while you have heard a lot about my thoughts, please give me yours. Call me, write me, email me (dssoko@hotmail.com) or send smoke signals. I would especially like to talk to those I haven't heard from recently. And, while I am on the subject, please unblock me from your spam blocker, especially Earthlink users, as I am getting all e-mails returned to me. Check this issue for upcoming activities and COMMUNICATE !!!
Cheers!! Dan
Cheers!! Dan
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