News for Delaware County Master Gardeners

Vol. 10 No. 2 February, 2005

From the Coordinator. . .

We have spent January planning and organizing our committee lists and matching volunteers with projects.

We are mailing the Master Gardener Directory for 2005 with this issue of the newsletter. If you did not submit your committee selection sheet, your listing will show that you have signed up for the same committees as last year. However, if you wish to change or add committees, please send me the changes, and I will get your name to the committee chairs. If any of your information is incorrect, contact me and we will print corrections in the next newsletter. We have also been asked to distribute the form that you find with your newsletter so that we can assure the College of Agriculture that our volunteers understand that this MG Directory is not to be shared with anyone who is not a member of Delaware County Master Gardeners. If you receive it electronically, you may fill it out and e-mail it. If you are receiving it by U.S. mail, please send it to the office or bring it to the next meeting.

The Home Gardeners' School Committee has also been busy in January. Diana B. has organized the speakers, brochures have been mailed by Office Management volunteers, news releases have been sent by Martha V., and Alyce Z. is scheduling vendors for the Marketplace. Ann M. is chairing the registration for the event, and we have had a number of early registrations - some who have been disappointed in the past when the event sold out. If you wish to work with the HGS committee in any capacity, please contact Ken P.

Above: Folding and stuffing envelopes for the Home Gardeners School.

Kathy Moyer has updated our web site, and it is looking very impressive! We now have the newsletter as well as other information for Master Gardeners only. Log on and see what's new. If you have suggestions or information that should be included, please let us know. Cynthia Sabatine is the MG who communicates directly with Kathy. Our web site address is http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/ .

Congratulations to our newly elected and re-elected officers. Alyce Z. was elected president, and Kathy H. elected vice-president at January's meeting. Tara C. was re-elected secretary, and Ken P. remains our treasurer. Thanks to these volunteers for sharing their talents, time and energy.

We have had many compliments on January's newsletter. Congratulations to Barbara S. on her first issue as editor of the Master Gardener Newsletter. It was a hit!

Linda Barry

GREEN THUMB DINNERS

All Master Gardeners are welcome to join us for dinner. We meet once a month at a local restaurant. This month we will meet on Thursday, February 24th at Vinny T's Restaurant in Wynnewood at 6:45 PM. RSVP to Janae A

Future dates are Wednesday, March 23rd and Thursday, April 28th.

Directions to Vinny T's: Restaurant is on Lancaster Avenue (Rte. 30) in Wynnewood, 5 miles east of 1-476 in the shopping center with Super Fresh. If you are traveling Rte. 1 North (Township Line/City Line) cross over Rte. 3 and Haverford Road, turn right at Rte. 30 (St. Charles Seminary) to the shopping center on your left. Restaurant telephone #: 610-645-5400

Return to the top.

A field study of sporulation of artillery fungus on 27 different mulches by Donald Davis of PSU reported in the September issue of Journal of Environmental Horticulture reports that artillery fungus appears to be most severe in the Northeast where the cool, plaints have been received from Alaska and from Maine to Florida on the east coast. The reasons for the recent, rapid rise in notoriety are unknown. Wider recognition and awareness of the artillery fungus by the public certainly has led to a perceived increase in the problem. However, other factors that have recently favored the artillery fungus might include increased use of landscape mulch, possible introduction of new strains or species that more readily colonize mulch and /or sporulate at greater levels; and recent changes in mulch composition more suitable to the artillery fungus.

Mulches of large, hard, dry pieces of pine bark, such as large pine bark nuggets, generally failed to support as much artillery fungus as did mulches made of shredded wood or shredded wood-bark mixtures. Likewise, cypress mulch and 100 spent mushroom substrate prevented colonization and sporulation by the artillery fungus. Also, artillery fungus may not grow well on fresh "pine straw" mulch.

The finer nature of shredded mulch ensures that it will retain greater moisture levels, which in turn favor colonization and sporulation by the artillery fungus. The initial water repellency of some dyed shredded mulches might delay growth of the artillery fungus. Almost all organic landscape mulches lose their resistance to colonization by the artillery fungus over several years. Homeowners have reported that applying a fresh layer of mulch each year will minimize the artillery fungus, but this study did not test this practice. In critical situations, the best control for the artillery fungus problem can be achieved by replacing organic landscape mulch with black plastic overlain with stone.

Return to the top.

ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Toby Farms Elementary School

The Toby Farms Elementary School garden will start again in its new site this spring. The school is located in Upland (near the Redwood Playhouse). There are dedicated teachers involved in the project, and the school administrator is very supportive. If you would like to be involved, please call Linda at the office. Students will be starting some of their own plants " from seed in the classroom.

Presbyterian Village

The Broomall Presbyterian Village volunteer committee meets the first and third Monday of each month. They work with the residents to plant a garden cart, containers, and indoor plants. During the second and fourth weeks of the month, these plants do not get the attention they need, and often don't survive until the next planned session. If you would be willing to help the committee by visiting the plants every other week to check on watering, etc., please contact Mary E

Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation

Jana Maxwell has offered to chair the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation Committee. If you are interested in being involved with this project, please contact Jana. The Plantation is located in Ridley Creek State Park.

Philadelphia Flower Show Barrier Aides

Barrier Aides work with the flower show judges to keep visitors back from the area being judged. Master Gardeners who wish to volunteer should contact Jenny C. Barrier Aides work for about three hours and receive a free pass to the Flower Show that is good for the day.

Return to the top.

In anticipation of warmer days of springtime and the bending, stretching, lifting, squatting and otherwise weird positions we can get into for gardening, here are some basic exercises that can help get us into shape.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, raise right arm overhead, clasp elbow behind head with left hand and pull down toward the back of your neck. Switch arms and repeat. Extend left arm across chest towards your right shoulder. Place your right hand on your left elbow and apply pressure. Reverse and repeat.
• Sit on the floor with legs apart. With your left knee on floor, bring your left foot in to right knee. Extend left arm up from should over your head, bent slightly and lean upper body to the right. The right arm should be in front and across the top of your right thigh and lower abdomen. Reverse arm positions and repeat stretch.
• Lie on your back with hands clasped behind your head, legs together, feet off the floor. Bend your knees, roll legs to the right and slowly twist upper body and arms to the left. Reverse and stretch.
• Stand facing the seat of a chair. Hold the back of the chair with hands, slowly place right foot (toes up) on seat, lean forward and stretch. Reverse legs and repeat.
• Holding a chair back for support, bend right knee and lift right foot straight behind you so you can hold it in your right hand. Right foot should be aimed upward and left leg should be slightly bent. Repeat with opposing foot.
• Stand three feet behind a chair and grip the top of the chair back. Move right foot forward about one foot and left foot back a foot. With both feet flat on the ground, bend right knee and almost straighten left leg behind you. Reverse and repeat. Now you're almost ready to begin gardening.

Use the same exercises to stretch your muscles when you're finished and you can avoid the stiff and soreness from straining too quickly.

Return to the top.

HELP WANTED

We need about 5 people to help with Registration packets for Home Gardening School.
Date: Wednesday, March 30th- 1:30 pm
RSVP to Ann M.

Chocolate Garden
by Marie Hofer, Gardening Editor, hgtv.com

There can be a world of chocolate in your garden. I'm not talking about the plants that look milky brown and have chocolate in the name - 'Chocolate Ruffles' heuchera (brown foliage) or the 'Chocolate Soldier' columbine (brown flowers) or even 'Chocolate Chip' ajuga (new leaves are brown). No, we're talking about walking through the garden and smelling chocolate. A sniff of the plants below can be very satisfying. Unfortunately though, ifarorric makes you hungry, you'll need to carry a chocolate bar with you. The only two of these that are edible (the geranium and the mint) have only the vaguest of chocolaty flavors.

Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata). The chocolaty aroma that wafts from these dark-eyed daisies is best in the morning. A wildflower that's native to the Southwest, the chocolate flower thrives on minimal water. In moist, humid climates, try planting in containers; that will also allow you to place the plant where you can best appreciate its fragrance. This hardy perennial is short-lived but freely reseeds.

Chocolate-mint geranium (Pelargonium tomentosum 'Chocolate Mint'). Scented geraniums come in apple, pineapple, orange and even pink champagne, so obviously a chocolate mint was needed too. The foliage, not the flowers, carry the fragrance. Enjoy as an annual during growing season and then bring inside for the winter. This young chocolate mint is as vigorous as its other mint cousins. If you're concerned that it may outgrow its space, keep it in a container.

Chocolate mint (Mentha x piperita 'Chocolate Mint'). Call the fragrance on this mint nine parts mint to one part chocolate. Like others in its family, this mint spreads aggressively via rhizomes. If you want to keep it inbounds, plant in containers or install ground barriers. Mint is tolerant of almost any soil, but in moist, rich soil, growth will be rampant.

Chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus). Velvety, black-maroon flowers give off a wonderful chocolate scent from midsummer to fall. This plant needs full sun and well-drained soil with even moisture. In spring, plant tubers three feet apart in full sun. In the fall, treat as you would a dahlia; lift and store for the winter. Enjoy the aroma but don't eat: this plant is toxic.

Not on the list:
Somehow the sweet shrub (Calycanthus floridus) has gained the reputation for having a chocolate aroma. Not so. The brown-maroon flowers of the sweetshrub have a lovely fragrance, but it's fruity (or sometimes spicy). The other common names for this large deciduous shrub: strawberry bush, spicebush and Carolina allspice.

RESOURCES:
plants
Mountain Valley Growers
Website: www.mountainvalleygrowers.com

Return to the top.

Delaware County Master Gardeners Home
Gardening Tips  |   Master Gardener Activities
Becoming a Master Gardener
Useful Links