Vol. 14 No. 1 January 2009
|
 
I wish you a very Happy and healthy 2009, and thank you for all of your support in 2008. I look forward to another great year for the Master Gardener organization.
Marianne Martin has been entering your committee selections and contact information in our data base. We hope to have an accurate list ready for you this month. If you haven’t responded to the request for updating your information, please send it as soon as possible. We are also offering the option of receiving this newsletter online. This is the first edition with this option. If you did not respond to the questionnaire you are receiving a hard copy. You still may choose to read it online. Send me an email and we can make the change.
Thanks to Hope Jones-Gary and her committee for another great Holiday Party on December 7th. It’s our special occasion to recognize volunteers for their unselfish service to the home gardeners of Delaware County. Delilah Foldes and Joe Daniels received certificates for 2000 hours of volunteer service. Marty Roelandt has given 1500 hours to the MG programs, and Alyce Zellers was recognized for 1000 hours of service. Five hundred hour certificates were earned by Elise Payne, Ron Gatto, Liana Bauerle, Penny Sass, Hope Jones-Gary and Diana Pompei. Jane Baserga, Anna Murphy, Nancy Heckscher, Jean Hopkins and Elise Payne have been Delaware County Master Gardeners since 1993 and have earned 15 year pins. Ten year pins were awarded to Leslie Trimble, Ken Paulsell, Marty Roelandt, and Martha VanArtsdalen.
I have enjoyed working with Kathy Hornberger as our President during the last two years. Her leadership has been inspiring, energetic and professional. Many hours are spent by our elected officers planning our programs and meetings and we do appreciate their efforts. We will elect a new slate of officers at the January 20th meeting. Thanks to Carl Pfeiffer for his efforts in obtaining qualified and willing nominees for these positions.
We were notified in December by Senator Erickson’s office that our greenhouse will be funded through the Community Revitalization program. We expect to begin on the project in the very near future. Warren Goll, our Greenhouse Educator, has offered to assist us. We will need a number of volunteers to put the greenhouse together and get it ready for operation. I’ll let you know as soon as we have definite dates. If you would be interested in working with the Greenhouse Committee, please let me know. It was not on our Volunteer Opportunities list for 2009 because we were not informed of the funding until that mailing had been sent.
|
About four or five years ago, at one of our plant swaps, some wonderful person brought some blackberry plants and I was lucky enough to get one. That plant flourished and from its trailing canes I rooted four more plants. My blackberry crops have gotten heavier and heavier and the 2008 crop yield was so large I am just now finishing the last of the berries.
Ironically, the Morrison Black Raspberries that my husband planted in the 70’s and were struggling in the encroaching shade of my neighbors encroaching wild maple forest are now making a comeback. The neighbor moved and before he left I got his permission to take down 5 huge Norway Maples that had killed my vegetable garden and stunted lots of other plants including my Lilacs. With the trees gone since spring of 2008 I once again had a raspberry crop, small but hopeful.
With all the health benefits I read attributed to eating berries and riding on my luck with the berry plants, I decided to try blueberries. Last Spring I planted a blueberry bush and last summer I actually harvested enough blueberries to sprinkle over my cereal for three breakfasts. So in the Fall I planted another blueberry bush.
So far, I have not had problems with birds eating my crops. The squirrels seem to ignore them. I wish they ignored the pears and the apples but these they take before they even ripen. I haven’t had any diseases or insect problems. Oh, occasionally, there is the beetle or two that I snatch away but nothing major. I’m sure, this said that 2009 will bring birds, bugs and pestilence but really, up to now, the berry bushes ask for very little. Take away the old canes of the raspberries and they are happy. The blackberries have to be pruned back to keep them in check but that is all.
Keeping the fruit, if you get too much at one time is easy too. I wash them off, pat dry, spread them out on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, I pack them in small sip top freezer bags. Then, I just take out what ever I want to eat at a time. They stay separate and don’t clump. If you enjoy berries, I highly recommend having some in the garden. Think of all the money you save also - always makes me smile.
It’s been an interesting winter so far. As frigid, windy weather is my enemy, I really enjoy the mid-forty degree temperature breaks we’ve been having as this means I can get out in the garden. I always try to put the garden to ”sleep” in the Fall as pictured in magazines but no matter how much raking and clipping I did, it still looks ragged in mid winter. With the leaves gone the pruning jobs become more obvious and some of the ornamental grasses are looking tattered and beg for clipping. The Trumpet vine (Campsis Radicans) and the Carolina Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirons) both got a good trim. I did discover one disaster. I guess I tried using the burlap wrap for my fig tree one season too many. The side away from my view ripped in the high winds. I may not get any figs next season as I probably have lost the fruit bearing branches. To put that out of my mind I think I’ll start paging through the plant and seed catalogs and start my “wish” list.
P.S. Be careful when pruning as I found a Praying Mantis egg case in the Northern Sea oats and had to relocate it.
return to the top |
Make your New Year's Resolution "GREEN" for 2009
by Joe Daniels
Have you already made your lists of resolutions....and broke a few already? Try something different for 2009 and make an effort to go "Green" and help Mother Nature out. Start looking for environmentally-friendly, eco-conscious gifts for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other important occasions. Many retail stores have integrated green gifting into their inventory and a quick Google search will bring up millions of links.
A few ideas for children or relatives could be ...adopt an animal at the zoo, or have a tree planted in the Brazilian rainforest, or locally for your brother or sister. Check out the World Wildlife Fund at www.worldwildlife.org, the Nature Conservancy at www.nature.org, Kiva at www.kiva.org and "TisBest at www.tisbest.org for more information.
Make your friends and family wear their green on their sleeves - literally. Give them clothing made from organic cotton or hemp or even bamboo. Help a friend sort through old clothing and drop them off at a Goodwill store or other local thrift shops. What a good way to recycle and help out others during these difficult economic times.
Find out some local organic farmers markets or farms in the area to buy local produce this summer. Start some herbs in your windowsill or help a friend get started doing the same, or a child that might just get the "gardening bug" at an early age and carrying it through their entire life. Stop by Trader Joe's or Whole Foods Market or another natural, health or organic food store in the area for some organic chocolate, fair trade coffees and teas, and organic wine. Pair the wine with two wine glasses made from recycled glass , what a great gift.
Give children green toys to teach them about green living from an early age. Check out www.greentoys.com, www.greatgreenbaby.com, and www.planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/kids-toys.
There are many books on the "green topic". "You Grow Girl" by Gayla Trail is a hip, how-to guidebook for beginning and intermediate gardeners. "Little Green Books" by Simon & Schuster is a series of books made from recycled materials designed to educate children about endangered species, recycling, planting and other green topics. Other green books include "Green, Greener, Greenest:A Practical Guide to Making Eco-Smart Choices Part of Your Life by Lori Bongiorno; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: An Easy House-hold Guide" by Nicky Scott; "Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life by Sophie Uliano; and "Confessions of an Eco-Sinner:Tracking Down the Sources of my Stuff" by Fred Pearce. Stop by a local bookstore and find many more interesting and green friendly books for yourself and loved ones to make us all more conscious of how we can help out in "THE NEW YEARS RESOLUTION WE CAN ALL TRY FOR 2009"
Best of luck and let me know how you are helping out the green movement, or raising awareness with friends and family that benefits us all.
return to the top |
Strong Women™
Want to improve your balance, strengthen your bones to lessen your risk for osteoporosis, and feel stronger? Strong Women is the program for you! Strong Women is a research based strength training program for women, age 40 and over, that was developed by Dr. Miriam Nelson from Tufts University. Penn State Cooperative Extension will be conducting this program at Leiper Presbyterian Church, 900 Fairview Road, Swarthmore on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, from 10 – 11 a.m., and Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:45- 6:45 starting January 13th. It is requested that all new participants arrive a half hour early on January 13th to fill out necessary information and medical forms. Women over 70 will need a medical form signed by their physician and this can be mailed to you in advance. Weights will be provided for class activities. Please bring your own towel and water. Cost: $80.00 for 16 classes Call 610-690-2655 to register and for questions. Brochures are available. Instructors: Judy MacRone (PM) and Donna Tomaino (AM).
|
Election of Officers
The officers who will serve during the year 2009 will be elected at our January meeting.
The nominating committee will present the following nominees:
For President------------Lorraine Altrichter
For Vice President-----Gail Sklar
For treasurer--------------Liana Bauerle
For secretary-------------Tara Clarke
To suggest any additional candidates
please contact Carl Pfeiffer.
|
Green Thumb Dinners
All MGs are welcome to join us for dinner. We meet once a month and we always meet at 6:45.
On Thursday, January 22nd we’ll try Korean Barbeque in Upper Darby and
Feb. 24th Central Park on
Baltimore Pike in Springfield.
So I can reserve the proper sized table–
RSVP to me.
Janae Alberts |
ES Committee Tip of the Month
PSU’s Focus the Nation climate change event is scheduled for February 5, 2009. The entire event can be seen online.
In the meantime, go to PSU’s Earth & Environmental Systems Institute to read how climate change will affect agriculture. http://www.eesi.psu.edu/news_events/Easterling.shtml
|
Earth Notes
by Marion Yaglinski
“Humans are capable of a unique trick—creating realities by first imaging them. As soon as we sense the possibility of a more desirable world, we begin behaving differently, as though that world is starting to come into existence, as though, in our mind’s eye, we are already there. The dream becomes an invisible force which pulls us forward. By this process, it brings to come true.”
Brian Eno
We’re at the beginning of a brand new year and a brand new chance to imagine and create a new reality. Dream big! Do the right thing for our home planet—learn everything you can about environmental stewardship and then put what you learn into practice. The Environ-mental Stewardship committee is available to help if you need information or have questions. Feel free to contact us.
To help get you started, here’s a heads up about Penn State’s green event, Focus the Nation. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, February 5th, 2009.
If you can’t wait for this year’s event, go to http://pennstatefocusthenation.org/ to view the entire 2008 program.
Last year, Penn State's Focus the Nation event brought together some of the university’s world-renowned climate change experts with interdisciplinary faculty to raise awareness and a better understanding of the climate change crisis and options for change. The program included the science of climate change, its impacts on humanity and ecosystems, and local and global solutions.
I’ve posted a number of articles on environmental stewardship and sustainable living on our blog at http://blogs.phillynews.com/inquirer/gardenerjournal/ Check it out and share it with your friends and neighbors. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, use the search tool or contact me.
Happy New Year, everyone!
return to the top
|
If you used a cut tree for the holidays, now is a good time to use the branches to shelter your plants from the freeze- thaw cycle, or you could prop the whole tree up outside to provide shelter for the birds in severe weather. When the limbs are bare put the tree on the brush pile to shelter small animals.
Save some of your cooking grease to mix with oatmeal and birdseed cornmeal or dried fruits to feed the birds.
While dreaming of your spring garden include some native plants. Small ones make for easier planting and they will grow readily. Some catalogs identify plants as native in the plant description. Some local nurseries carry native plants. Be sure not to buy any of those invasive ones. They are supposed to be off the market but I saw Burning Bush advertised in an ’09 catalog.
Amaryllis and Poinsettias are favorite holiday plants. They can be kept for annual re-bloom. Cut the flower stalk of Amaryllis when it is finished blooming as close to the base as possible. Continue to water and after February 15th lightly fertilize the plant to keep the foliage healthy. Keep the plant indoors or outdoors, after the weather warms up, in partial sunlight. In late August, stop watering the plant place it in a cool, dry place and allow it to rest for two months. Then repot the plant in fresh soil, water it thoroughly and put it in strong light but don’t water it again until new growth appears. Then water it as needed, allowing the top soil to dry out between watering. It may take a few months but it will bloom again as well as it did when you first got it.
Poinsettias can be cut back to four inches after the blooms fade and should be kept watered and lightly fed, indoors or out, in sunlight. Pinch back new growth when it is four inches long to encourage branching and more blooms. In October, put the plant in a dark place for fourteen hours per day. This plant is a photo responder and will not bloom readily if it receives too much light. When the red bracts (leaves) appear, place the plant in strong light where you can enjoy its’ display.
Money Saving Hints:
Cook meals in a slow cooker for less power use.
Use the toaster oven for baking small quantities.
Use glass baking dishes to save 25 degrees of oven heat.
Don’t over stuff the refrigerator. Good air circulation is needed around food.
Check the efficiency rating on new appliances.
Hang clothes in the house for drying.
Install a programmable thermostat on the furnace.
Open the drapes on the sunny side of the house.
Unplug toasters coffee makers and computers when not in use. They use more energy when idling than when they are in use.
return to the top |
NEWSLETTER STAFF:
Editor: Barbara Smith
Web Designer: Kristi D'Amore
Committee: Linda Barry, Joe Daniels, Carolyn DiPaulo, Marianne Martin, Elsie Mueller, Marion Nelson, Cynthia Sabatini, Mary Sambor, Carl Pfeiffer & Arlene Pugh
Cooperative extension e-mail: DelawareExt@psu.edu
Blog Address: http://go.philly.com/gardenerjournal
|
|
you
are here