March 2017 Meeting Notes

March 28, 2017

Attendance: 28 – 26 members, 2 guests

Claudia Hickly, LAGC President, welcomed members and guests. Many spring bulbs, flowering trees, and bushes are flowering in our gardens with more to come.

Member News:

Helen Dean is feeling better and thanks members for their cards and flowers. Mary Anne Kurtz’s surgery is end of March, and Marilyn Gurtner is troubled by several health issues.

Old Business:

·        LAGC Archive 1950-2016 will be completed this week and put on loan at the McCandless History Museum.

·        The Learning Garden at Northland Public Library – Claudia contacted Northland Foundation President, Rita Martin, regarding LAGC plant donations for garden.  Expect decision in April. 

·        Ross Township Community Garden located on Christ Lutheran Church property on Peony Avenue near former Highland County Club. LAGC donated $100 in 2015 for creation of this garden in honor of longtime members, Flo Ogden, Bev Steiger, Bill Goff, and Sharon Walston as a part of LAGC’s 65^th Anniversary.

·        Claudia contacted Eloise Peet, Ross Twp. Director of Parks & Recreation, who apologized for failing to acknowledging LAGC’s contribution to the Community Garden in a recent article IN Ross Magazine. She will rectify that in the next issue.  Anita Wagner volunteered to save her Ross publications to share with members and for archive.

·        Members approved an additional $100 donation to Ross for the Community Garden.

·        Ross Township Evergreen Park. We donated $150 in 2016 for a paver at this park – not at the Community Garden on Peony Avenue.

·        Ross accepted our offer of plant donation for the Evergreen Park hillside.  Ross work crew will pick up the plants and do installation and maintenance. Anita Wagner volunteered to coordinate the Evergreen Park Project.  

·        Ross Township Sangree Park--Claudia recommended Dianne Machesney to Ross Twp. as a consultant for restoring the stream bed at Sangree Park with native species

·        Plant Sale May 20^th Andrea Maire said this sale is our ONLY moneymaker, and each member is expected to bring 15 or more plants Saturday morning 7:30 a.m. Label each plant with name, flower color, height, and sun icon. Make labels waterproof. 

New Business:

·        Garden Flea Market – Colleen Fingal showed an assortment of unused speaker gifts.  Members discussed and approved the sale of these items and additional member donations at the Plant Sale.   Only garden themed items will be accepted.  Bring donations early and take unsold items home with you at the end of the Plant Sale.  Victoria Zieger volunteered to head this project.    

·        Denny Brown reported donation thank you letters were received from Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens. Contact Denny when planning a visit to PBG or Falling Water as contributors receive entry and/or discounts.

·        Thank you to Lynn Betts and Victoria Zieger for desserts and arrangement respectively. [See pictures and find miniature plants, gnomes, animals, and fairies].

Program: Straw Bale Gardening by Pat Morgan

Jeanne Schomaker introduced speaker Pat Morgan. Pat is a Penn State Master Gardener with a Bidwell horticultural degree. She is passionate about gardening with children and is well-versed in growing figs, vegetables, and flowers. She also serves as choir director and organist.

Take Home Points:

·        Straw (not hay) bale gardening is low cost (each bale costs  $5-8), is mainly weed free, has far less disease as no soil used, is nearly labor free, pushes the season on both ends, and provides mulch for the following year.

·        Arrange bales anywhere, stack bales 1 or 2 high, enjoy being creative, use vegetable and flower combinations.

·        Condition bales two weeks before planting by watering well with a high nitrogen fertilizer, about 1 lb. nitrogen per bale and follow up with more nitrogen and a balanced 10-10-10. After conditioning, apply 1-2 inch layer of PLANTING MIX (no soil) on top of bale. Be sure bale’s ties are at the sides.

·        Plant seeds or plants in the planting mix. If desired, make holes in the bale’s sides for other plants. Raised beds mean less bending.

·        Tomatoes with marigolds, basil, and nasturtiums are a good combo.

·        Bales can be covered easily to extend season in the fall.

·        Other additions can be soaker hoses and trellises.

Resources: “Straw Bales Gardens, The Breakthrough Method for Growing Vegetables Anywhere, Earlier; and with No Weeding,” by Joel Karsten; www.strawbalegardens.com; “Idiot’s Guide: Straw Bale Gardening” by John Tullock; “Growing Vegetables in Straw Bales” by Craig LeHoullier.

Upcoming Meetings and Plant Sale:

April 25^th – “Mushrooms” by Bob Sleigh

May 20^th – PLANT SALE. Please arrive 7:30 a.m. to drop off your labeled plants and garden knick knacks.

May 23^rd– Tour of Larry Grundler’s Garden (irises, bulbs, etc.)  121 Ramage Road, Pittsburgh 15214.  You do not need to buy, but if you choose to, bring cash and a tote bag.