April - Members Meeting

Happy Spring! After the invigorating talk on vegetable gardening last week, Eric and I ended up planting some cold-hardy plants such as lettuce, spinach and beets. Our pea vines are starting to poke their heads out and growing so it is definitely feeling like springtime!

Just a reminder that we have our members meeting. I'm excited to let you know that Laurie VanNorstrand, from Cornelle Cooperative, is going to come to our meeting to help us talk/plan our 2010 project. She was a great help last year in planning the Green Space and I'm looking forward to asking her questions and learning from her.

In addition, we will try to discuss these items also. If you have more, let me know and I'll add them to the agenda.

Also we have our members meeting next Wednesday, April 21st at the Williamson Library's small meeting room. (For the bookworms amongst us, the Library is holding their book sale so come early to buy books!).

Items so far:

- Plan for the Apple Blossom Festival

- Plan for downtown/town hall planters including watering schedule

- Plan for 2010 project (raised beds near "Welcome to Williamson" signs)

- Update on Garden tours for the summer

- New residents packages/Chamber of Commerce

- PR/Marketing/new member drive

- Green space update

If you have other items you'd like us to discuss, let me know and I'll include it in the agenda.

Upcoming Events for 2010

Well after a gorgeous week of beautiful weather (was I the only one tempted to go digging last week?), we've been having fairly typical Spring weather. My bulbs are starting to put out their green shoots though and I know that gardening time is just around the corner! I'm starting to get my supplies in order so as soon as the weather allows, I can get out there and start digging and moving things around.

1. Bring out your calendars because I have some dates to share with you. We have more planned but these are definite dates.

APRIL: The Ontario Library is presenting another lecture that we had planned to arrange for April. So mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 14th at 7pm. Vegetable Garden Preparation by the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program. Call 315-524-8381 to sign up.

APRIL: The Genesee Region Orchid Society invites you to attend the 2010 Show and Sale, April 10-11, Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm, Sunday: 10 am - 4 pm, at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, Eisenhart Auditorium, 657 East Ave., Rochester, NY. I'm going to forward an email from Audrey Ferris that you can print out for $1 off the ticket price.

MAY: Downtown Planters/Town Hall Planters plantings, Saturday, May 8th, 8/9 am. Please let me know if you can help with the plantings or with watering during the summer.

MAY: Apple Blossom Festival Plant Sale, Saturday, May 15th. Please let me know if you can help out at the tent and what time(s) you can help. I have extra plastic pots if anyone needs them for plants.

JULY: Master Gardener Garden Tour, Saturday, July 3rd. The Master Gardeners are having garden tours as a fundraiser this year. More information on the ticket prices/locations to follow as I receive them. This should be an amazing event if the gardens are similar to what we've experienced with Master Gardener Audrey Ferris and her gorgeous rose gardens.

SEPTEMBER: Pultney Historical Society Garage Sale, Saturday, September 18th.

OCTOBER: Terrarium Program, Master Gardener program, Tuesday, October 26th at 7pm at the Williamson Library.

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Mason Farms is building new greenhouses this year and, unfortunately, won't be able to give us a tour of their farms this year. While that is disappointing news, I'm looking forward to seeing what new things they'll have at their farm and will keep you posted on when they open up for the season.

2. The Garden Club had discussed having a dedication of the Green Space this year. We had tentatively talked about having it during the Apple Blossom Festival but have not contacted the Apple Blossom Festival organizers. We could also hold it at another time but should have it this year. I need some volunteers to take on this project and organize it. Please let me know if you are interested in doing this.

Monday night gardening talk series in the City of Rochester

This year we (finally) have the opportunity to attend the Sodus Garden Club's plant sale. As you know the Sodus Garden Club has generously donated their after-sale plants to our club during the Apple Blossom Festival for the last couple of years. This year, they will be having their sale on Saturday, May 22 starting at 9 am on Rt. 88 in front of the Primary School. I would highly recommend that you come at 9 as they have some amazing plants for sale every year.

From: Michael Warren Thomas

Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 12:14 AM

Subject: Monday night gardening talk starts series of ten in the City

Hello Fellow Gardeners! I will be doing a series of free gardening talks at ten different locations in the City, beginning tomorrow night (Monday) at Cornell Cooperative Extension, in their auditorium from 7-8pm. These workshops will be rather free wheeling, based on the questions people bring, plants they bring for identification, and materials that I bring. It will be show and tell, rather than Powerpoint. Tomorrow night I will bring tiny Hardy Cyclamen seedlings for people - mine have been blooming since the snow departed, and they will continue through much of May.

No need to RSVP if you are not coming, but if you are, let me know so I can bring enough seedlings for people. They are tiny and delicate, but the price is right! I hope you can join me for one or several of these workshops. Some are on Monday evenings and others are on Saturday afternoons. They are listed in the Flower City Looking Good brochure, along with dozens of hikes, bike rides and other gardening/nature related events in Rochester. Look for the brochures in libraries or I would be happy to send you one.

Keep your eyes open for the first Tulip and first Lilac of 2010 - the final two categories in First in Bloom. Details on the other 9 categories already awarded, are at www.SavourLife.com under Naturally Green. Also Bristol's Garden Center is having their Spring Open House on April 10 & 11, I'll be there to broadcast on April 10. Then I will also be broadcasting from the Broccolo Earth Expo at Cooperative Extension on April 17 from 9-4pm - a free event.

www.broccologroup.com/events.htm

Mondays from 7-8pm, Free

March 29- Cornell Coop. Extension of Monroe County, 149 Highland Ave
April 5- Danforth Community Center, 200 West Ave
April 12 -Thomas P Ryan Community Center, 530 Webster Ave
April 19 -Edgerton Community Center, 41 Backus St.
April 26 - The Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park in Highland Park
May 3 - North Street Community Center, 700 North St.

Saturdays at the libraries - 12:30-1:30pm, Free

April 3- Winton Branch, 611 N. Winton Road
April 10- Arnett Branch, 310 Arnett Blvd.
April 17- Charlotte Branch, 3557 Lake Avenue
April 24- Monroe Branch, 809 Monroe Avenue

Rose Workshops

, 10 am–12 noon, Sat., May 1, June 19, July 24 and Oct. 9. Maplewood Rose Garden

Michael Warren Thomas
19 Trafalgar Street
Rochester, NY 14619
585-328-8300
Michael@SavorLife.com

March Events

1. We don't normally do this but the Ontario Library is presenting the same lecture we had planned to arrange for March. So mark your calendars for Thursday, March 18th at 7pm:

Spring Garden Preparation - the Cornell Cooperative Extension is loaning us Cindy Ziegler Master Gardener for the evening. It is that time of year again. The time when our thoughts turn to the joys of getting our hands in the rich brown earth and working with it coaxing it to yield those wonderful flowers that we can enjoy for the warm Spring, Summer and Fall months. Call 315-524-8381 to sign up.

2. The Learning Fair is Saturday, March 13th this year. I am going to be out of town and am looking for a volunteer to man the table. It normally runs from 12-3 and we have flyers/brochures to share with the attendees. Please let me know if you are interested in volunteering (email or call me at 524-4204).