March 2012 - Minutes

Hello Gardeners!

 It's hard to believe that it's March already. Eric and I saw crocus (crocii?) popping their little heads out of the ground with their small white flowerheads! hopefully being so close to the house will protect them from any snow or cold. March Items:

1. Our member's meeting is on Wednesday, March 7th. if you have any agenda items, let me know.

2. The Ontario Library is hosting a lecture on stonewall construction. Thursday, March 22, 7pm. You will need to call and sign up for the lecture.

3. Grossman Nursery is hosting a Garden Club meet & greet on Saturday, March 24th. GROW will have a table there. if you are interested in helping out at the table, let me know.

See you on Wednesday! Subrata

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3/7/2012 Meeting Minutes – Williamson Garden Club

Attendees: Lynda Parmalee, Perry Howland, Subrata Paul, Eric Herriman, John Ferante, Scott Utley

1. We are moving the meetings to the First Monday of every month.

 2. Lynda Parmalee is doing a talk on Orchids in Clyde next month. She’s hoping to show her 15 orchids. Orchids love to be outside – in the summertime. They are tropicals. Don’t let them get below 50. Peter’s root & bloom mix at ¼ strength. Water weekly. Will send more information at a later date.

3. John has obtained 2 wooden planters that have been donated to the Garden club. They will need priming & staining. There are plastic inserts. Tentative plan is to give them to the Williamson community center as part of plan to beautify downtown. Sunday, John is leaving for Florida.

4. Perry: Talked with Ronnie Lawrence. 20 acres, hay lot. Laurie VanNostrand works for him. Ronnie is willing to work with us – Welcome to Williamson sign. This would be our fourth raised bed in Williamson. Raised beds – sign. $96 metal sign. Chamber would share the costs. Apple emblems .

5. Lynda: Plastic sheet for signage = 2ft X3 ft. cost = $6 per sheet. For signage. She has flower stencils (tulip). Eric Suggested to delay tulip bulbs for peace garden dedication. Date for the peace garden dedication - June 6, 2012 (Wed) possibly 9th.

6. John asks about Chamber of Commerce membership (not yet sent in yet). Subrata to send in the form and check.

7. Lorraine Mason is looking for someone to work on chamber of commerce website. Need to be able to dovetail with Quickbooks & Wegman’s SKU’s.

8. Upcoming events: 3/24 Grossmans 11-3 table/PR opportunity. Last year 20 – 25 garden clubs attended. Subrata is looking for volunteers to help her at the presentation. If you are available to help out, please let her know. Kris is in South Africa but will send Subrata pictures for the Garden Club powerpoint presentation. If anyone has pictures for the Garden Club, please send them to the grow14589@gmail.com.

9. Ontario Library lectures: Master Gardener presentations - 3/22 Stonewall construction, 4/6 vertical gardening, 5/24 Attracting birds. You will need to call and register for these classes

10. June - 6/20 Garden Tour Sodus Bay 5 Gardens + strawbale + village $10 per person tickets available at the first garden. 4-8. Lynda P. is working the tour. Did we want to meet as a group and see the gardens?

11. Williamson Garden Club lectures: Third Wednesday of the month: 7/18, 8/15, 9/19, 10/17 Current plan: Straw Bale Gardening Hands on Terrarium Hands-on how-to-build a rock-wall Herb Garden / Kitchen garden Woodlot management – Jim Miller. John may be interested in hosting @ his place. Pond Management class (Betty?) Suggestion: Wreathmaking (Kris and Ed) & Hytpertufa (Betty Morley) We are doing a mix of “open to the public” and “open to members only” classes this year

12. We would like to do more garden tours this year. If you are interested or know of someone who is interested, let John know.

13. May 9th, Lorraine Mason is teaching a container gardening class. It is $ 6, supplies are provided and it is from 7-9pm.

14. Q: What do we want to request from Mason Farms for downtown planters? Need more color. John has talked with Lorraine. We want plants that pop and attract the eye. Make selection first week in May. Lynda P. starts wave petunia from seeds. Canna bulbs?

15. Lynda recommends using material in soil to provide moisture control. That way we have some flexibility in watering the plants

16. We should check our pots to see how they survived. & planters. John’s action item.

17. Discussion on what to put on bottom of planters to avoid rust spots.

18. Q: What are we doing for apple blossom? Don’t know when it is. Q: Similar prep for George Ehrsman & the elementary school presentation. We need to put something into the planters for apple blossom. Into raised beds planters? Dusty miller . Wave petunia? LED lights. Solar strings for tree decoration. Dollar tree sells solar lights. Did we want to buy some for green space? Magazine: Gardener’s supply as an alternative for solar lights, etc. Eric spoke to owners of new bakery. They were amenable to putting an electrical source outside if we want lights for the tree.