March 2013 Meeting Notes

Mary Anne invited members to share what was growing in their gardens ----- crocus!  Sharon noted that she had an unknown beautiful woodland specimen growing in her garden.  More to follow.

Mary Anne thanked Joan and Sharon for providing the dessert and the arrangement.

Treasurer’s Report – no new information at this time. 

Anita reviewed information that she had received from the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden regarding their 23rd Annual Plant Sale.  Orders must be in by April 15th and picked up at the Botanic Garden on May 11th. There are 55 different shrubs, trees and plants available. Check their website for plant sale details.

Members expressed an interest in taking a tour of the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden with fellow LAGC members.  Members also expressed interest in attending a Giant Eagle Market District cooking demonstration held the last Sunday of the month at 5:00 P.M. at our Wexford Giant Eagle.  Organic gardeners Jessica Walliser and Doug Oster cook while they inform and entertain.  

Secretary’s Report – no new information at this time.  The group requested that Colleen send a sympathy card to Terri S. and a get well card to Helen D. 

Plant Sale – Mary Anne explained the essentials in potting our plants for the sale and the requirements for the day of the sale.  Mary Anne circulated the Plant Sale volunteer sign-up sheet and asked members to put in their request now for a beautiful, sunny day!

The 50/50 Raffle snagged $31; half to Linda B. and half to LAGC for program expenses.

Bill Goff handed-out Dot Sims’ Tips from a Master Gardener.

   Linda and Denny welcome members to the March meeting.

Hostess Duty:  

Dessert - Joan

Arrangement - Sharon

Program

"Perennials: Three Seasons of Color in the Garden”

by Bill Goff, Penn State Master Gardener & LAGC member

Thanks go to our very own wise and wonderful, Bill Goff, who did a great job sharing his expertise with us.  Using colorful photos of his own garden, he walked us through the seasons highlighting essentials and sharing his secrets for success.  Bill reminded everyone about what perennials really want: lots of organic material; well-drained soil; neutral Ph (do a soil test!); an appropriate site to show off their attributes; and lots of time to become established.  Remember the motto, Sleep. Creep. Leap. 

The perennial border looks best when it follows the basic elements of design as Bill’s garden photos illustrated: Place the bed in front of a hedge, wall or fence; group plants in odd numbers;  arrange plants in curved rather than straight lines; unify the border edging  by repeating a single plant or plant pattern; have something  blooming in each season; install a maintenance walkway in the rear of the border for easy access (Bill uses circular cement pads for his); and make sure the bed is visible from your home, patio or deck so you can enjoy it.

Bill reminded us of the importance of mulching and fertilizing in the spring.  He uses leaf mold and 5-10-5 fertilizer; Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium.  High phosphorous makes the plants bloom.  If Nitrogen is too high, the plant will produce too much foliage.  He digs his fertilizer into the soil near the crown and puts leaf mold on top.  Unfortunately, perennials are not maintenance free requiring weeding, watering (1” per week), deadheading, mulching in spring, application of 5-10-5 fertilizer, dividing to keep them healthy, staking and fall clean-up.

Bill gave us the following tips for establishing and maintaining a beautiful perennial garden.

Spring:

• Plant your daffodils and your daylilies together.
• Plant annuals over your daffodils.
• Never, ever cut off or tie-up daffodil leaves.  Leaves are essential to bulb growth.
• A daffodil favorite is Sir Winston Churchill. It is fragrant and gorgeous.  Buy it at Hahn’s or from White Flower Farm, The Works collection.
• Use a cage to support peonies and do not remove the cage.  Re-inserting the cage can spear the root causing damage.
• The most cultivated peony is the gorgeous “Festiva maxima” an heirloom 1851 specimen; white dribbled with a crimson center. 
• It’s a Japanese peony if it has numerous stamens.
• Despite what your grandma told you, ants do not open peony blooms.
• Do not trim peony leaves; they are making food for next year’s plant.
• Fox glove makes a good companion plant for peony.

Summer:

• Use alliums, poppies, catmint, Siberian Iris, False Indigo (a knockout with white peonies)
• Hosta and coleus make good companions.
• Geranium “Rozanne” is a former perennial Plant of the Year and a great improvement over the old Johnson’s Blue.  It requires no deadheading, blooms from June –October, and gets two and a half feet tall with a nice spread to it.
• Crocosmia “Lucifer” is a magnet for hummingbirds and pairs well with Coreopsis.
• Daylilies are a beautiful summer staple.  The newer varieties will bloom for several weeks because they have been bred to produce more buds per stem. 
• Don’t forget the summer bulbs that add color and interest; colocasia (elephant ears), canna lilies and dahlias.

Fall:

• Buddleia (butterfly bush) will bloom well into October and should be cut down in early spring --- not the fall.
• Helianthus “Lemon Queen”, Verbena Bonariensis, Clematis paniculata “Sweet Autumn” and New England Asters are all great fall bloomers.  Cut back “Sweet Autumn” in spring.

Winter:

• Leave your garden uncut to provide some winter interest and for critter food and shelter.

Resources:
Bill’s best sources for perennials are Bluestone Perennials, Gilbert H. Wild, White Flower Farm and Roots and Rhizomes. 
You know you’re addicted to gardening when . . . Check out Bill’s humorous list on our blog.

 Chunnie, Flo & Joan

 Clean up