Gleanings July 2014 Vol 34 No. 6 1

Gleanings, The official newsletter of the Peninsula Garden Club. Contact the Editor to reproduce any portion. Next Deadline July 15th

Editor: Myrna Peterson 250-652-2684, myrna@wallbridge.com, Asst. Editor - Vacant Asst. Newton Hockey and Sheila South, Photographer: Glen Smith

Email Edition: Marie Perrett mperrett@shaw.ca , Print Edition: Alan Warren 250-655-1520

PENINSULA GARDEN CLUB

President: Bonita Elliott 778-351-4658 Past President: Glenda Wilkinson 250-886-7080, Vice-President: Gloria Clothier 250-656-3299

Secretary: Ann Andrews, Treasurer: Marie Peach 778-426-3358 Directors: Frieda Schilling 250-656-9416, Margaret Kirkpatrick 250-656-5757,

Sherrill Cox 250-665-7748 Membership: Alan & Trish Warren 250-655-1520, Sunshine Lady: Josée Smith 250-652-1910

P.O. Box 2657, Sidney, BC V8L 4C1 www.peninsulagardenclub.ca In gardening we come together

We welcome suggestions for ideas for future topics and speakers. Speaker Coordinator Nadia Greschuk at 250-652-8579, nadiag@shaw.ca

Next meeting 14th July 2014 at 7:00 p.m.

Ken Lacroix feels he is fortunate to be the Farm and Ranch Safety and Health

Associate Regional Safety Consultant for Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands. He is only too familiar with the kinds of injuries that await recreational gardeners. Yes safety gear and proper tools are important; however, Ken will share key strategies we all can

apply before we begin garden tasks.

How Safe Are You In The Garden?

Extreme Gardening vs Magic Solutions

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JUNE PARLOUR SHOW

This month we had 11 exhibitors with a total of 88 entries. Exhibitor Points Anne Freidank 50 Tom de Groot 29 Bonita Elliott 20 Michelle Campbell 20 Sylvia Alderson 20 Josee Smith 19 Joyce Scott 9 Rosemary Taylor 8 Jane Stollery 5 Cathy Schulhauser 3 Gary Brust display only The Estelle White trophy for best rose was won by Rosemary Taylor for her lovely spray of Queen Elizabeth roses. First and second place ribbons went to Anne Freidank for her curly organic lettuce, and her Golina organic peas. Sylvia Alderson took the third place ribbon with her beautiful spray of delphiniums. Anne Freidank won the Dig This gift certificate as well. Congratulations, everyone! Judges for the Parlour Show this month were Diane Wallace, Celia Owen, Ellen Wellbourn and Jackie Bradbury from the Vancouver Island Horticultural Judges Group. They commented on how great the parlour show was, as always! Jackie spoke to the members about how to improve submissions, and indicated that unfortunately the timing of the show was such that many of the roses were not quite ready to be shown. Thanks, as always, go to Glenn Smith for his lovely pictures of our entries that appear in the newsletter. At our July meeting, the Daisy Swayne trophy will be awarded for “best in show” entry. Let’s all try and see if we can submit something from our garden to compete for this trophy! The Parlour Show Team - Jane Stollery, Michelle Campbell, Jill Harrison, Anne Pope

Rosemary Taylor Estelle White Trophy

3rd place Sylvia Alderson Anne Freidank 1st & 2nd place

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PENINSULA GARDEN CLUB GENERAL MEETING HELD ON 9 JUNE 2014 AT MARY WINSPEAR CENTRE SIDNEY, BC

Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm. Adoption of Minutes. The minutes of the meeting dated 11 May 2014 as printed in the Gleanings were adopted. Moved by Lee Pears and seconded by Donna Cottell. Carried. New Business 3. 60th Anniversary of PGC. Bonita announced that next year will be the 60th Anniversary of PGC. There is a

information document that is being circulated tonight asking members to sign if they are interested in attending a brainstorming session. It will be held at 6:30 pm, on 14 July before the General Meeting.

4. Treasurer’s Report. Marie presented the Treasurer’s report for the eight months ending the 31May; a copy is on the Bulletin Board. Anyone wanting electronic copies of the Treasurer’s report can e-mail Marie at mpeach@shaw.ca.

5. Proposed Changes to the Parlour Show. Bonita announced that there will be some changes to the Parlour Show as follows:

a. There will be changes to the scoring form for entries. b. There will be a review of the criteria for winning year end awards with an emphasis on quality and not quantity.

c. At the July meeting the number of entries will be decreased from 25 to 20 for each person. d. Trophies are part of PGC and will still be engraved and awarded; however, engraving costs are very

expensive so the committee is looking for other engraving companies. e. A judge invited for one of the programs explaining about the criteria and details for presenting en-

tries. f. The Parlour Show requires two additional members for the committee.

6. Notices.

The View Royal Garden Club Summer Show will be held on 21 Jun 2014 from 1 to 3 pm at the Shoreline Community School. For information contact 250-479-2123. There will be a Vancouver Bus Trip to Thomas Hobbs Nursery, Van Dusen Gardens, tour and lunch and a Petals and Butterflies tour, on Wed 25 June 2014 put on by the Hardy Plant Group. To register and for additional information contact Rima at HardyPlantGroupVictoria@gmail.com The View Royal General Meeting will be held at 7:30 pm on 26 June at Shoreline Community School.

7. Guest Speaker. Lee Pears introduced the guest speaker, Purnima Govindarajulu, who is a Small

Mammal and Herpetofauna Conservation Specialist for the Ministry of Environment in Victoria BC. She gave an informative talk about the Benefit of Bats in the Garden.

8. Parlour Show Results. Rosemary Taylor won the Estelle White trophy for her Queen Elizabeth Rose.

Anne Freidank won the First Place ribbon for her curly lettuce and she also won the second prize for her Golina Peas. Slyvia Alderson won third prize for her delphinium. Anne Freidank won the $20.00 gift certificate from Dig This.

9. Name Tag Draw. The Name Tag draw was won by Margaret Boyd, a beautiful garden stepping stone that

was donated by Tom DeGroot.

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10. Baked Goods Draw: The Baked Goods draw was won by Janet Cram, a $10.00 gift certificate from Marigold Nursery.

11. Plant Stall Draw: The Plant Stall draw was won by Aase Bradley a $10.00 gift certificate from Marigold

Nursery. 12. Next Meeting. The next meeting will be held at 7 pm on 14 July with Ken Lacroix presenting Extreme

Gardening Ergonomics/ Safe gardening practices. 13. Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

We have three new library books this month:

-Vines and Climbers by Cathy Wilkinson Barash is a comprehensive guide to vertical gardening including a broad range of plants,

photographs and illustrations and detailed garden designs.

-Fuchsias by Leo B. Boullemier provides practical advice on propagation, feeding, training and controlling pests and diseases of

fuchsias.

-Roses: A Celebration edited by Wayne Winterrowd is a collection of thirty-three essays by eminent gardeners on their favourite

rose.

*The early summer edition of 'Canadian Gardening' has arrived with many interesting articles including growing super foods.

Linda Gogol

Librarian

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Peninsula Garden Club Question and Answers

June 2014 Questions answered by Debbie Littler, Shirley Rainey and Ruth Scott, additional research and written up by Frieda Schilling

Please remember to bring samples in a sealed plastic bag. Sometimes including a sample of the healthy plant for comparison is very helpful.

Question: What is this plant growing in my garden? Answer: The plant brought in was Sisyrinchium striatum, also commonly called yellow-eyed grass. Its foliage is similar to an iris, but bears small yellow cup shaped flowers along the length the flowering stalk. It is a native of Argentina and Chile, grows 1 to 2 feet high and wide in sun or part shade in well-drained soil. Once established, it is quite drought tolerant. Sources consulted: A-Z, internet.

Question: My weigela is overgrown and I’d like to prune it. How do I do this? Answer: Weigela florida should be pruned in midsummer after it has finished flowering. Remove one or two overgrown old stems and thin and shorten any over vigorous upright new growth. You want to achieve a balance between old and new growth. Sources consulted: Encyclopedia of Pruning & Training.

Question: My poinsettia has sticky secretions on it. What is causing this? Answer: Poinsettias are prone to infestations of white fly and spider mites. As these insects are very small, you may need to use a magnifying glass to see them. They are very difficult to eradicate and quickly spread to other house plants, and often the best course of action is to throw out the plant. Combat spider mites by spraying with insecticidal soap (test first to make sure you have the right concentration so the leaves don’t burn) and increase the humidity around the plant by misting often with water. White flies can be vacuumed up using an attachment for cleaning sewing machine lint. You can also spray the plant with water and repeating this several days later. A more potent option is to use insecticidal soap, neem or pyrethrins. You will need to repeat treatment several times until all the eggs have hatched and been eliminated. Biological controls are used in commercial greenhouses but are not practical or economical indoors. Poinsettias also emit white sap if the leaves and stems have been damaged. This will stop once the plant heals. Sources consulted: West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed & Disease Control.

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Question: What is this? A tree in my garden is covered with them. Answer: The item brought in was an oval seed pod with fuzzy projections on the outside. After some searching, it was determined that this was the developing seed pod from a beech tree. Sources consulted: A-Z, internet.

Question: The leaves of my camellia have splotchy undersides. What is wrong with the plant? Answer: The mottled appearance on the underside of the leaf is most likely caused by a fungal condition. It may clear up with drier conditions and by increasing the air circulation around the plant. Make sure you practice good garden hygiene by clearing away all dead material from the underneath the plant to reduce reinfecting the plant. Sources consulted: Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

Question: The leaves on my azalea have thickened spongy areas and are turning a yellowish white color. What is this? Answer: Your azalea has azalea gall, caused by the Exobasidium vaccinii fungus. Pick off all the affected leaves before they become white and powdery and dispose in the garbage. Clean up all debris under the plant. Azaleas planted in shady areas with poor air circulation are often affected. If possible, site your azaleas in areas with sunshine and good air movement. Sources consulted: Home Gardener’s Problem Solver.

Question: How do I get rid of a millipede infestation? Answer: Linda Gilkeson reminds us that millipedes and centipedes are often confused as both are long, slender creatures with many segments, from ¼ inch long as juveniles to 2 inches as adults and usually lighter in color when young. Millipedes rarely cause any serious damage and are beneficial as they eat decaying plant material. If they start to feed on foliage and young plants, then dusting with diatomaceous earth is very effective and try to locate your compost bins as far from the garden as possible. Also, pick ripe strawberries often. Centipedes feed on slug eggs and other insects and are very beneficial in the garden. Sources consulted: West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed & Disease Control.

Question: What is this? A tree in my garden is covered with them. Answer: The item brought in was an oval seed pod with fuzzy projections on the outside. After some searching, it was determined that this was the developing seed pod from a beech tree. Sources consulted: A-Z, internet.

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Question: What is growing out of the top of my garlic? Answer: Your garlic is producing garlic scapes. Snip these off and use in culinary dishes such as pesto, soup or stews.

Question: I transplanted my abutilon and now it has wilted. What is wrong with it? Answer: Further questioning indicated that it may have been overwatered and the roots may be flooded. Try to drain off as much water as possible to prevent the roots from rotting. Alternatively, if abutilon dries out, the leaves also go limp. The quickest way to revive it is to water thoroughly and to insert a plastic bag over the plant and move it out of direct sunlight for a few hours, giving it a chance to rehydrate. Sources consulted: A-Z.

Question: My tomato plants have very small holes and tiny black bugs on them that hop away when I try to catch them. Is this harming my tomatoes and what should I do? Answer: These insects are tuber flea beetles and usually do no serious damage to tomato plants unless they are very numerous when they can stunt seedlings. They overwinter in the soil. If you are growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, replacing the soil with new sterilized soil next year may be the answer. They appear from mid-May to mid-June to lay their eggs and then reappear in mid-July and again after mid-August. You can control numbers by going around from plant to plant with a piece of masking tape and gently pressing this on top of the leaf above the beetle. The beetle will stick to the tape. You won’t of course be able to catch all of them, but you will greatly reduce the numbers. For major infestations on potatoes Linda Gilkeson recommends using pyrethrins or car-baryl as recommended on the label. Sources consulted: West Coast Gardening: Natural Insect, Weed & Disease Control, and personal practice.

Question: What should I use to fertilize my lilac? Answer: Lilacs require very little if any fertilizing. Top dressing with garden compost is usual sufficient or apply a very light application of a high phosphorus fertilizer. Syringa vulgaris, our common lilac thrives in alkaline conditions therefore an application of garden lime each fall in our wet climateis beneficial. Deadhead the plant now. Sources consulted: Brian Miner’s New Gardening Guide.

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In July, summer is reaching its zenith. We should sit back & relax (both of which are difficult for a gardener to do) and enjoy our gardens. In August, the ripening fruits, veggies and seeds are a sign that summer is coming to an end. As always - WEED,WEED,WEED!- weeds steal water & nutrients from needy plants. Make a practice of carrying a bucket to collect weeds whenever you go into the garden. Apply a thick layer of organic mulch between veggie rows and around plants to suppress weeds and hold moisture in the soil. Plants, like people, need water and good nutrition to thrive. Therefore, water deeply and fertilize regularly. Water only the plants that need water and use drip/soaker irrigation to conserve water as less is lost in evaporation. Prune hedges and ornamental shrubs for the last time in July. Divide early blooming perennials such as peonies and bearded irises in late summer. Keep your grass cool! Mowing the lawns often with a high blade setting and mulching the clippings will help. Mulching adds nutrients, keeps the soil cool and moist and saves lugging the clippings back to the compost box. A lot of gardeners do not water their lawns but allow them to go dormant but the lawns return to their previous lush state when the rains begin again. Annuals should be deadheaded regularly to keep them blooming and looking their best. If you have brought your indoor plants outdoors for some fresh air, ensure that they are in a sheltered location away from excess winds and sun exposure. WATCH FOR INSECTS! Control pear slugs and aphids on the trees, shrubs and plants with a daily spray of water or if necessary an insecticidal soap. Treat powdery mildew on phlox and roses with a weekly application of baking soda and water. Roses – feed until mid-August, water and weed. Remove faded blooms and mulch to conserve water. Shear ground cover roses in late July to renew flowering; fertilize and water. Lightly prune ramblers to control size and shape. Consistent moisture is the key to success with tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. Water the soil, not the plants. Greens and beans can continue to be planted. Winter crops of arugula, fall and winter lettuce, kale, winter onions, spinach, scallions, corn salad, cilantro etc. can be started now. DID YOU KNOW? Sow dill as a companion plant for tomatoes to deter whitefly and aphids.

JULY/AUGUST THINGS TO DO LIST