Garden Chatter, November 2017 Merced Garden Club, Inc. http://californiagardenclubs.com/mercedgardenclub facebook page: Merced Garden Club, Inc.

Message from our President:

The time is NOW to spring flowers such as Snapdragons, stock, pansies-violas, calendulas etc. Their roots get a good start and in the spring flowers will explode. It is a good idea to mix in mychorize in planting hole, the product is expensive but it only takes 1/2 teaspoon. Product is available at nurseries but not likely at Lowes or Home Depot.

Make your December lunch reservation Nov.8 =$8 members, $10 guests. A Floral Design program will be presented by our own Joleen Mills and Kathy Moren. After program, for those able to stay there will be supplies for you to make your own design and take home.

Yearbook additions & corrections: New members: Nancy Barner, [email protected] Kaaren Morgner [email protected] Eileen Ingraham [email protected]

Corrections Melissa Smith [email protected] Mary Arellanez [email protected] Martina Gallardo [email protected] Dona Robertson [email protected] Sheri Matsumoto [email protected]

At the Oct. 18, 2017 district meeting, Merced Garden Club was presented by Berni Hendricks, CGCI Awards Chairman: A Blue Ribbon Certificate of Achievement and a First Award for 2016-2017 yearbook. Merced Garden Club could use an award chairman to take over our award entries. If you are interested please let Joyce know.

Pictures Sunflower painting class

Oct. 12, 2017 field trip to Chaffee Fresno Zoo and Forestiere Underground Shirley Gardens was enjoyed by Kirby many members. Pick up received your local free Merced 40 year County Times to read all service about it. award. times. 95 year young Ottto Shirley Reagan and 5 month old has been Abram Alkema joined president Merced Garden Club on of Merced our field trip to Garden Club three Underground gardens. times. Joyce

Interested in doing a gardening blog? Ceres Garden Club adds a blog to their website. Check it out at https://ceresgardenclub.org/blog/. They have a lot of useful information in their newsletters. Let me (Helga) know if you want to use your creativity and knowledge of and gardening. We can add you to our website.

What to Plant in November https://www.ufseeds.com/learning/what-to-plant-in-november/ Don’t be sad, you can still grow a lot of different plants inside. This is a great time of the year to clone some of your outside plants or grow them from indoors. Grow herbs on the windowsill!

Herbs Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme

Indoor Plants Growing flowers indoors can be a good way to pass the winter months. Try growing an indoor Amaryllis flower kit. These beautiful flowers will brighten up your house and give off a nice aroma. Suggested variety: Seasonal Decorations

Sprouts Growing sprouts indoors is fun, quick and a great way to spruce up salads and sandwiches. It doesn’t take much effort but you still get the reward of growing your own food. Suggested variety: Sprouts

Vegetables If you live in some warmer climates it is a perfect time to plant vegetables. Try some of the cool weather vegetables that can survive now that the summer heat is over. Suggested variety: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots

Is there a Thanksgiving Plant? Yes it is the N.P.Taylor  Schlumbergera https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlu microsphaerica(K.Schum.) mbergera Hoevel

Schlumbergera  Schlumbergera

opuntioides(Loefgr. & Dusén) Zygomorphic flower, probably of a D.R.Hunt in the S. Truncata Group, cut in  Schlumbergera half to show its internal structure orssichianaBarthlott & McMillan The flowers either hang downwards  Schlumbergera and are almost regular (radially symmetrical or actinomorphic) or, as russelliana(Hook.) Britton & Rose in most species, are held more or  Schlumbergera less horizontally with the higher side of the flower different from the lower truncata (Haw.) Moran side (radially asymmetrical Cultivar belonging to or zygomorphic). In those species the SchlumbergeraTruncata Group whose flowers are held up, their Etymology angle with the horizontal is relatively Botanist Charles Lemaire (1801- constant and is characteristic of the Scientific classification 1871) gave the species. Each flower has 20– name Schlumbergera to this in 30 . The outer tepals – those 1858, honouring Frédéric closer to the base of the flower – are Kingdom: Plantae Schlumberger (1823-1893), a French short and unconnected, and spread collector of cacti and other succulent out or curve backwards. The inner plants.[1] tepals – those towards the tip of the (unranked): Angiosperms flower – are longer and become progressively more fused together at Description the base to form a floral tube. In (unranked): some species the difference between In the wild, the species the outer and inner tepals creates the of Schlumbergera grow either on appearance of a "flower within a trees (epiphytic) or on rocks (epilithic) (unranked): Core eudicots flower". The flowers and can form sizeable shrubs with produce in a chamber at the woody bases; a height of up to 1.2 m base of the floral tube.[3] (4 ft) has been reported for one Order: species (S. opuntioides).[2] They are The many are arranged in leafless, the green stems acting two series, which is a distinctive as photosynthetic organs. The stems characteristic of the genus. The inner Family: Cactaceae are composed of segments, which stamens are fused at the base to take one of two forms. In most form a short tubular structure. The species the segments are strongly outer stamens arise from along the Subfamily: flattened (cladodes), being made up floral tube. The style is usually dark of a central core with two (or more red and has a with 6–8 lobes; rarely three) "wings". Special the style plus stigma is roughly the Tribe: structures characteristic of cacti, same length as the stamens. If the called "areoles", then occur at the flower is fertilized, a fleshy forms, ends of the segments of the stem. In either smooth or with ribs. The brown Genus: Schlumbergera two species the stems are less or black are about 1 mm in diameter.[3] Lem. flattened, more cylinder-shaped, and the areoles are arranged in a more or less spiral pattern all over the [ Species segments. In both cases, the areoles, which may have wool and bristles, are where the flower buds appear.[3]  Schlumbergera kautskyi(Horobin & McMillan) included in the same genus. In colours and habits, and were used as 1890, Karl Moritz Schumann created ornamental plants in "stoves" the new (heated greenhouses) and in houses, genus Zygocactus,[5] transferring Epi where they were popular for their phyllum truncatum to Zygocactus autumn and winter flowering. Many truncatus. Although he later placed it were selected seedlings back in , of S. truncata, but at least abandoning Zygocactus, the generic three S. × buckleyi hybrids were name Zygocactus continued to be available, of which one, now widely used.[1] called S. 'Buckleyi', is thought to be the original Christmas . By the In 1913, Nathaniel early part of the 20th century, the Britton and Joseph Rose followed genus had become less popular, and Lemaire in keeping Schlumbergera many of the early cultivars were russelliana and Zygocactus lost.[20] truncatus in separate genera. (They also transferred the Easter cactus – From around the 1950s onwards,

now gaertneri – breeding resumed in Europe, North to Schlumbergera as S. gaertneri, America, Australia and New Zealand. Drawing of S. russelliana, the type initiating a lasting confusion between New plants were produced by these two genera.)[1] crossing among the species and species, from the Botanical Magazine, existing cultivars of S. truncata, S. In 1953, Reid Venable Moran placed 1839 russelliana and the both Schlumbergera S. × buckleyi. Treatments The genus is one of a small number russelliana and Zygocactus which induced were also belonging to a group of cacti truncatus in the used. The result was a wide range of classified as the tribe Rhipsalideae. genus Schlumbergera. Other species flower colours which had not been Species of cacti belonging to this were added later by David Hunt, available before, including the first group are quite distinct in including those formerly placed true yellow to be sold appearance and habit from most in Epiphyllanthus, to form the modern commercially, S. 'Gold Charm' (which other cacti since they grow on trees total of six full species and a number was a sterile triploid). Breeders or rocks as epiphytes or lithophytes. of hybrids.[1] Although the species are easy to aimed for plants which grew strongly, identify as members of the were upright at the point of sale Rhipsalideae, for many years there Cultivation rather than pendulous, had many was confusion as to how they should flowers or buds, and were adapted to History [20] be divided into genera.[4] This living as house plants. confusion extended In the 1980s the species S. to Schlumbergera, whose orssichiana was also used in crosses. complicated taxonomic history has The hybrid of S. truncata and S. been detailed by McMillan and orssichiana has been Horobin.[1] The modern named S. × reginae or S.Reginae genus Schlumbergera was created Group; one of the first cultivars by Charles Lemaire in 1858. The was S. 'Bristol Queen'. S. name commemorates Frédéric opuntioides crosses have also been Schlumberger, who had a collection made, but have not resulted in of cacti at his chateau near Rouen. commercially available cultivars.[20] Lemaire placed only one species in his new genus – a plant discovered Modern cultivars in in 1837 which had been S. Truncata Group 'Gold Charm'; note named Epiphyllum the very pointed teeth at the end of the russellianum by William J. Hooker. segments, zygomorphic flowers held Lemaire renamed it Schlumbergera epiphylloides (under the current rules above the horizontal, and yellow pollen. of botanical nomenclature it should was in have been called Schlumbergera cultivation in Europe by 1818, and S. russelliana, which is its current russelliana was introduced in 1839. [1] name). The two species were deliberately Lemaire noted the similarity of crossed in England by W. Buckley his Schlumbergera epiphylloides to a resulting in the hybrid now species first described as Epiphyllum called S. × buckleyi, first recorded in truncatum by Adrian Hardy 1852. By the 1860s, a substantial number of cultivars (cultivated Haworth in 1819, but did not accept that the two species should be varieties) were available in a range of Member of the S. Buckleyi Group, before Thanksgiving Day (the fourth States, where plants are produced Thursday in November). In Europe, for the Thanksgiving holiday in viewed from below; rounded rather than plants are mainly sold later in the November, the name "Thanksgiving pointed edges of the segments, pendant year, in the period before Christmas. cactus" is used; "Christmas cactus" A single Dutch grower (de Vries may then be restricted to cultivars of more or less regular flowers and pink of Aalsmeer, the Netherlands) was the Buckleyi Group,[26] particularly the pollen. reported in 1989 as producing very old cultivars such as 2,000,000 plants per year.[21] 'Buckleyi'.[25] The name "crab cactus" McMillan and Horobin have listed (referring to the clawed ends of the hundreds of modern European, North stems) is also used for the Truncata American and Australian cultivars, Group.[27] "link cactus" is another which they put into a number of common name, describing the way cultivar groups:[21] that the stems of the genus as a whole are made up of linked  The Truncata segments.[25] The name "chain Group contains all cultivars with cactus" is common in New Zealand, mainly S. truncata characteristics: and may also refer stem segments with pointed to Hatiora species.[28] teeth (dentate); zygomorphic flowers held more or less Variation in stem shapes The Easter cactus or Whitsun cactus horizontally, usually above the in Schlumbergeracultivars: top – typical is now placed in the genus Hatiora, horizontal; and pollen which is but was at one time included yellow. of the Buckleyi Group; bottom – typical of in Schlumbergera (or one of its  The Buckleyi the Truncata Group synonyms). The name "holiday Group contains all cultivars with cactus" has been used to include at least some features clearly both Schlumbergera and Hatiora culti [25] showing inheritance from S. vars. russelliana: stem segments with rounded, more symmetrical teeth Care of cultivars (crenate); more regular flowers which hang down, below the horizontal; and pollen which is pink. There is considerable variation within this Group; McMillan and Horobin introduced Variation in flower colour in modern subcategories: "TB" for those Truncata Group cultivars; there are also more like S. truncata and "BT" for those more like the bi-coloured flowers classic S. × buckleyi, with "B" reserved for the first generation (F1) S. × buckleyi hybrids.  The Reginae Group contains cultivars known to be derived from hybrids with S. orssichiana.  The Exotica Group is used for the small number of hybrids S. Reginae Group 'Bristol Queen' involving S. opuntioides. Common names Attempts have also been made to classify cultivars by colour. A Plants are offered for sale under a Young plant of a member of difficulty is that the flowers of many variety of common names. The the S.Truncata Group; still upright and cultivars exhibit different colours earliest English common name was therefore more convenient for selling depending on the temperature during "Christmas cactus". In Europe, where bud formation and growth. In plants are largely produced for sale When grown as house particular, temperatures below 14 °C in the period before Christmas, this plants, Schlumbergera cultivars are (57 °F) produce pink tones in remains the most widely used said to be relatively easy to care for. otherwise white and yellow cultivars, common name in many languages McMillan and Horobin describe in and deepen the colour in pink and for cultivars of all groups detail their cultivation in both red cultivars. The availability of iron (e.g. Weihnachtskaktus in commercial and domestic conditions. to the plant has also been suggested German,[22] cactus de Noël in Their specific recommendations to affect flower colour.[21] French,[23] and cacto de Navidad in include:[29] Spanish[24]). This is also the name In the United States, cultivars are used in Canada.[25] In the United propagated in large numbers for sale  Growing medium - Free- draining, humus-rich, somewhat acid growing media are used for commercial production, such as Garden Quotes: a mixture of peat or leafmould and an inert With rake and seeds and material such as grit, sharp sand or polystyrene beads. It is sower, recommended that plants should And hoe and line and reel, be grown in relatively small pots; When the meadows shrill half-height pots are suitable. with "peeping"  Watering - They are more tolerant of drought than many And the old world wakes house plants, but can be from sleeping, damaged by both under- and Who wouldn't be a grower over-watering. Keeping the That has any heart to feel? growing medium just moist throughout the year avoids either ~Frederick Frye Rockwell, extreme. "Invitation," Around the  Light - They can be damaged Year in the Garden, 1913 by exposure to more than small amounts of sunlight. Members of We think that diamonds are the Buckleyi Group, such as the old-fashioned Christmas cactus very important, gold is very with pendant flowers, are more Schlumbergera new growth. The upper important, all these minerals tolerant of high light levels than view shows bright red new cladodes are very important. We call members of the Truncata Group, forming, the centre shows maturing such as most of the modern them precious minerals, but cultivars. Too much light causes growth, the lower view shows two aerial they are all forms of the soil. stems to take on a reddish roots extending down But that part of this mineral colouration; however, very low that is on top, like it is the light levels will prevent flowering. Pests and diseases skin of the earth, that is the Day length is important in In cultivation, these plants have been controlling flowering; continuous described as "remarkably free from most precious of the darkness for at least 12 hours is pests and diseases". Two significant commons. ~Wangari necessary to induce bud insect pests are on young Maathai (1940–2011), Dirt! formation. A period of about 8 shoots, buds and flowers, and days with 16 hours of darkness root which attack below The Movie, 2009 at 16 °C (61 °F) has been shown soil level. Stems and roots can be to cause flower buds to form. rotted by diseases caused by fungi Lower temperatures slow this and similar organisms; these include In the garden I tend to drop process. The advice sometimes infections by species given to withhold water to of (a ), my thoughts here and there. produce flower buds has been and and (both To the flowers I whisper the shown to be incorrect. water moulds). Approved chemical secrets I keep and the hopes  Propagation - Both treatments can be used in the case I breathe. I know they are commercially and in the home, of insect attack or these diseases.[30] propagation can be achieved by there to eavesdrop for the using short pieces of stem, one Aphids, mealybugs and other angels. invertebrate pests can to three segments long, twisted ~Dodinsky, www.dodinsky.c off rather than cut. Cuttings are spread . Symptoms vary with allowed to dry for 1–7 days, the species, but a loss of vigour is om forming a callus at the broken usual. Cactus X has been end, and then rooted in an open isolated from S. truncata. There is no treatment for virus diseases; it is If you have a garden and a growing medium. Temperatures library, you have everything above 21 °C (70 °F) and up to recommended that infected plants be [30] 27 °C (81 °F) in long day/short destroyed. you need. ~Cicero night conditions speed rooting.