September 24, 2013 Meeting Notes

 

Mary Ann welcomed new member Jenna and asked what is blooming in our gardens—favorites were mums, asters, dahlias and anemones. She reminded us that dues are $15 each for next year and should be paid before November so the directory is current. Mail dues to Anita or pay at the October meeting. Still need Publicity Chair. Contact Mary Ann or Claudia for details.

Mary Ann requested that we think Plant Sale now even though it’s not until May 17th, the Saturday after Mother’s Day.  You could divide plants now and keep them in sunken 4-6” pots until spring. Work done now during fall may be easier than during the busy spring.

Needed: Host for LAGC picnic in either June or July. Anita won $13 from the 50-50 raffle.  Winners of birdfeeder tea cups are Helen and Rose Mary. Marilyn has 2 pink potentillas; call her if interested.  Call Liz Bowser for house plants she would like to give away. Sara brought oat grass for drying.

Heidi and Peggy were thanked for desserts and arrangements respectively. After last month’s talk on using moss, Peggy used it in her lovely dahlia arrangements (see photos).

Bill said next month’s topic “The Bat—The Gardener’s Friend” will be presented by Gilda Arroyo. 

He next introduced speaker Jessica Walliser who is a horticulturist, garden columnist, and master  gardener to mention a few of her accomplishments.  Jessica presented “Good Bug, Bad Bug” with slides. She is an enthusiastic speaker who injects humor into her informative talk.  Website is www.jessicawalliser.com for her gardening column archives. 

Take home points:

• Look for the insects illustrated in her presentation as they were from her yard; hand lens needed.
• Learn the life cycles of predator and prey insects, and their identities.
• Plant food to attract beneficial insects such as dill, aster, mustard, mint families, clover, and blooming ‘weeds’.
• Wait two weeks for the beneficials to arrive when you note infestations. Killing the pests too soon removes the beneficials’ food. Don’t change the predator prey balance.
• Provide diversity of plants, eliminate chemical pesticides, and organic ones as well. Plant for height diversity as well.
• Think beneficial insect, what pests they consume, and what plants will lure them in. 
• Don’t kill the larva that have egg cases on their skin—the egg cases contain more parasitic wasps.

 Submitted by:  Rose Mary Highman