Clinton County Newsletter Over the Garden Gate Volume 9 Issue 10 November 2018
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Clinton County Newsletter Over the Garden Gate Volume 9 Issue 10 November 2018 Editor: Carol Machael, [email protected]; 563-357-7537 Published on the first Monday of the month except during January and December. To submit an article it must be sent by E-mail as a Microsoft Word attachment - CLINTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS’ ANNUAL HOLIDAY/AWARDS BANQUET December 3, 2018 @ Buzzy’s, Welton, Iowa 5:30 pm - Social Hour, 6:30 pm – Buffet Dinner Come and join your fellow master gardeners for a fun filled eve- ning celebrating the holidays and our accomplishments during HAVE YOU the past year. Volunteer/education awards will be presented. LOGGED IN There will also be door prizes. The cost is $15 per individual. In- YOUR VOLUN- vitations will be mailed mid- November. TEER HOURS YET? It’s always a fun time….a chance to see fellow MG’s before win- ter really sets in...a chance to recap the accomplishments of 2018 and to honor those who have worked especially hard this year...a chance to see the over-the-top decorations celebrating the Christ- TAKE TIME TO mas season...AND the food is always delish! DON’T MISS IT! DO IT TODAY!!!! Master Gardener Advisory Board Meeting Minutes for October 16, 2018 Bickelhaupt Arboretum, 9:00 am Roll Call - Willard L., Andrea W., Linda L., Bev C., Mary M., Margo H., Gayle P., Kathy S., Bonnie M., Loren A., Mark S., Brenda C., Carol Y. Approval of September Minutes - Motion to approve Linda L., second by Bonnie M. Financial Report - Mark S., Beginning balance $5,436.39. Total expense $1,745.60. Balance as of 10/9/2018 is $4,124.24. Mark’s Report - Iowa High Tunnel Short Course, a course to highlight the importance of vegetable production in high tunnels. This course will be held at Reiman Gardens on Nov. 5. Iowa Organic Conference will be held Nov. 18-19, 2018, at the University of Iowa Memorial Union. And ISU continues to offer 24 hour answer hotline for plant problems or questions. New Advisory Board Members - Andrea W., and Loren A. Margo’s Report - “Hort in the Heartland”, one more speaker is needed for seminar. This year there will be a 20 minute time allowance for main speaker Chad Pregracke, CNN Hero of the year 2013, to sign and sell his books. During the book signing and sale a demonstration table could be implemented as well as Master Gardener Sale table. Ideas for added speakers Adam Jahnke. Margo has decided not to continue doing bus trips. She will offer to help anyone else who would like to arrange future bus trips. Ideas for next year's food pantries and soup kitchen are to give out free tomato plants to participant's who use the food pantries. Arboretum will feature a wreath making class on December 1, 2018. The cost will be $25.00. OLC - Willard reports that 4 members came on the scheduled work day. Loren A., will continue to work on the water irrigation system in the next few weeks. Rose garden and annuals still look good. Master Gardeners might put together a cookbook or share a few ideas or tips on how to prepare vegetables. 5210 Grant by Well Mark will be supported by Master Gardener Carol M. and Vera S. They will go to food pantry to give tips on how to prepare vegetables. This would be a great opportunity to volunteer. Fundraising Opportunities - Pizza Ranch - Motion to contact Pizza Ranch made by Willard L. and second by Linda L. to move forward to schedule a work night for Master Gardeners. Other opportunities are available at Fareway, Culvers, HyVee, and grants thru Home Depot and Thiesen Holiday Banquet - $150.00 has been allotted to decorating committee for holiday banquet. The Banquet will be held December 3, 2018 at Buzzy’s. The meal cost per member is $15.00. Ride sharing is encouraged. A common area for meeting will be the Hobby Lobby parking lot. Meeting time for ride sharing to be determined. (cont. on next page) Iowa State University Extension and Outreach does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or status as a U.S. veteran. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Ross Wilburn, Diversity Officer, 2150 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, 515-294-1482, [email protected]. EOADV.15.04W November 2016 (Minutes continued) Decorating committee will be in charge of making “Buzzy’s” a special yearly event for Master Gardeners. Advisory Board - Will make selections for Master Gardener of the year, and Friend of Master Gardener. All members are asked to have their volunteer hours turned in by November 13 , 2018. Food donation update - 20,000 pounds have been donated in Clinton County. November 20, 2018 is the date for next Master Gardeners meeting to be held at Dewitt Extension office 9:00 a.m. Motion for adjournment Bonnie M., second by Linda L. Carol Young / Mary Meyers Secretary Back to Basics (from Dirt Rich blog) Have you ever looked closely at a plant and wondered what it would look like to zoom in and see the intricate details beneath the surface? ! Plants have incredibly complex structures that help them perform many important functions. The roots of the plant hold it in place and absorb nutrients and water from the soil. The stem or trunk of a plant contains a vascular system where water and minerals are transported to the roots, along with sugars from the leaves. The leaves absorb sunlight and convert CO2 and water into sugar and oxygen through a process called photosynthe- sis thus removing CO2 from the air and replacing it with oxygen. Incredibly plants feed themselves with the sugars they produce from photosynthesis! Forcing Paperwhite Narcissus by Richard Jauron, ISU Extension and Outreach Narcissus is a popular flowering bulb typically grown indoors over the winter months. Paper- white narcissus is a type of narcissus flowering bulb that makes for great home decoration during the holidays. Paperwhite narcissus bulbs can be forced in clear, shallow bowls (no drainage holes) or pots. When forcing paperwhite narcissus in bowls, partially fill the container with washed gravel or stones. Place the bulbs on the gravel or stones. Then place additional gravel or stones around the bulbs, leaving the tips (noses) of the bulbs exposed. Add water to the bowl until it touches the bottoms of the bulbs. Maintain the water at this level throughout the forcing period. When forcing paperwhites in pots, partially fill the container with potting soil. Place the bulbs on the soil surface. Then add additional potting soil. When potted, the tips of the bulbs should stick above the potting soil. For ease of watering, the level of the potting mix should be .5 to 1 inch below the rim of the container. Water the potting soil thoroughly. Keep the potting soil moist throughout the forcing period. Place the planted bulbs in a cool (50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit), dark location for one to two weeks to en- courage root growth. When the shoots reach a height of 3 inches, move the plants to a sunny window with a temperature of 60 to 70 F. As the plants continue to grow, staking is often necessary as the plants tend to be rather floppy. Flowering typically occurs three to six weeks after potting. When the paperwhites begin to flower, move the plants from direct sunlight to prolong their bloom period. Paperwhite narcissus cultivars include ‘Ariel’ (white flowers, mild fragrance), ‘Bethlehem’ (creamy white petals, yellow cup, mild musky fragrance), ‘Chinese Sacred Lily’ (white petals, yellow cup, citrus-like fragrance), ‘Galilee’ (pure white flowers, moderate musky fragrance), ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’ (yellow petals, orange cup, sweet fruity fragrance), ‘Inbal’ (white flowers, mild pleasant fragrance), ‘Wintersun’ (white petals, yellow cup, sweet fragrance), and ‘Ziva’ (pure white flowers, strong musky fragrance). Paperwhite narcissus bulbs should be discarded after flowering. Paperwhites cannot be suc- cessfully forced again and are not winter hardy outdoors. Protect Trees and Shrubs from Rabbits by Richard Jauron, ISU Extension and Outreach Trees and shrubs are not as active in winter, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored through the cold season. Winter brings food scarcity, which makes the home landscape a target for rabbits. Rabbits can severely damage trees and shrubs unless homeowners are proactive, which makes pro- tecting them before winter arrives a major priority. The most effective way to prevent rabbit damage to trees and shrubs in the home landscape is to place chicken wire or hardware cloth fencing around vulnerable plants. To adequately protect plants, the fencing material needs to be high enough that rabbits won’t be able to climb or reach over the fence after a heavy snow. In most cases, a fence that stands 24 to 36 inches tall should be suffi- cient. To prevent rabbits from crawling underneath the fencing, pin the fencing to the soil with U-shaped anchor pins. Small trees can also be protected by plac- ing white corrugated or spiral tree guards around their trunks. Since the weather in Iowa in fall is unpredictable, it’s best to have the protective materials in place by early to mid-November. After a heavy snow, check protected plants to make sure rabbits aren’t able to reach or climb over the fencing or tree guards. If necessary, remove some of the snow to keep rabbits from reaching the trees or shrubs.