April 2015 Meeting Notes

Business Meeting

April 28, 2015

Mary Anne welcomed 31 members to our April meeting. She followed up on unfinished business from the March meeting before moving on to new business:

·        Northmont U.P. Church room rental fee and contract—no answer yet. Bill and Sharon continue to investigate.

·        LAGC’s 65^th Anniversary Party—club photo with new LAGC anniversary banner was taken by Claudia’s daughter outside on the church steps and ramp right before the meeting. The anniversary committee will meet May 28th 7 p.m. at the church. This includes all sub-committees.

·        Colleen asked for a date preference for the rescheduled tour of Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens in Oakdale; members chose Saturday, May 30.  The 90-minute tour starts at 10 a.m. and costs $10 each. An email with details will be sent one week prior to the tour. Your RSVP to Colleen is required so she can arrange the number of tour guides needed.  If you want to car pool, meet at the church at 9:00 a.m.

·        Plant Sale May 16th —bring your perennials and herbs to the church parking lot between 7:30-7:45 a.m. Remember to label plant with name, height, and light requirements. When potting plants, aim for a value of at least $2 per pot. Don’t forget to wear your green tee shirt. 

·        Garden-themed raffle will be held during the plant sale in honor of our 65^th anniversary. More than a dozen members volunteered to donate a garden related item worth $10-15.  Please package gift, place in clear plastic bag to protect from the elements, and deliver to plant sale with your plants.

·        Mary Ann thanked Ellen Dvorsky and Rose Mary Highman for the desserts and arrangement respectively.

Program

Colleen introduced “Pruning 101” by Sandy Csikari who is a Penn State Master Gardener. Sandy listed some of the reasons for pruning such as to ensure “good frame and structure,” rejuvenate, encourage more fruit and blossoms, increase airflow, discourage diseases, remove dead wood, and promote new growth.

Take home points:

·        November through March dormancy is the best time to prune. Exception—plants that bleed or have heavy sap flow such as maple trees and bushes that have flower buds such as lilacs.

·        Know what to want to accomplish before you begin.

·        Pinching out tips and spent flowers encourages bushier plants.

·        If rejuvenating, it’s better to cut out 1/3 of the older wood at the base over a few years than cutting off all wood at once.

·        If constantly cutting back, consider making a topiary.

·        Use the three cut method for removing larger branches that might tear down the tree bark. Avoid cutting into the branch collar. Leave no stubs behind.

·        Trees should have one leader (remove a second leader or shape a new leader from a side branch).

·        Remove waterspout growth.

·        Best pruning techniques leave healthy wood (no broken, rubbing or crossing branches) and U-shaped crotches. Cut just above the nodes (preferably outward facing).

·        Use sharp tools. Disinfect tools with 10% bleach solution or alcohol swabs. If cutting out diseased wood, disinfect after every cut.

Next Meetings:

May 16 - LAGC Plant Sale 9:00 am-Noon. Deliver plants between 7:30-7:45a.m.

May 26 - “Herbs in Containers” by Nancy Heraud

May 28 – 65^th Anniversary Committee Meeting 7 p.m. at church.

May 30 - Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens Tour at 10 a.m.

Car poolers meet at 9:00 a.m. at the church parking lot.

June 23 – Annual LAGC Picnic - Grant Grove in North park at 6:30 p.m.