Dunnville Horticulture Society

Dunnville Hort Update

Debbie Thomas
Jan 15th kicked off Dunnville Horticultural Societies first program of 2018.
The program did not disappoint the 50 people that braved the cold to come out.
Each person went home with 2 beautiful bouquets of fresh tulips donated from Niagara Tulips.
Not 1 but 3 presenters provided hands on informative and entertaining presentations.
Lindsay Stephens Community Coordinator for Haldimand County’s library’s presented on resources available for gardeners.
Materials, ways to access information and invited everyone to check out the newly completed renovations made to the  Dunnville Library. Gloria Hunter presented on the Health benefits of Kambucha, how to make your own and provided taste samples as well as start kits for anyone interested. Lester Fretz provided very visual ways to use recycled items to use for planting, protecting and nurturing your plants. His inventive display items were given out to members excited to try them.
As always fun raffles, great food and shared interests were enjoyed by all.
The next program is Thursday Feb 15th with presenter Kim Dickie demonstrating “the thrills, the fills and spills of fresh flower arranging” doors open at the Dunnville Optimist hall, 6:30 pm, program begins at 7pm. All welcome, no need to be a member.
For information visit www.dunnvillehortandgardenclub.org  or our facebook page or contact  Pres. Debbie Thomas 905 774 3064

January Program Night: Minutes

January Program night: January 18 2018: Minutes by recording secretary:Petra Kruis-Daly

DHS President, Debbie Thomas, opened the meeting at 7pm by welcoming everyone.

Business:
· Memberships on sale, early bird draw to be at March program
· Anyone interested in attending the Orchid Society show, limited coupons to the show available tonight.
· Tonight’s refreshment were provided by Denise, Gloria, Nelly and Petra.
. Volunteers needed for 6 more program nights. Sign up sheet circulated.
Min 4-5 people needed each program. Gloria will remind volunteers that sign up the week before.
· Volunteers needed in helping weed gardens over the summer, please sign up
· Volunteers needed to help at the Lions Home Garden and Craft show to do demos,set up, tear down, etc. April 20-21 at the arena in Dunnville. Please sign up on the volunteer sheet
tonight.
· Treasurer’s report posted back wall and October’s minutes are on the back of the agenda tonight, as last program in Nov was AGM.
· Sad to announce the passing of Karen Waltham, a life member of DHS joined 1975. Served a Pres 2007,2008, 2009. Unfortunately no details are available.
· Break for refreshments at 7:08-7:25

Speakers: (all three speakers are volunteering their time tonight, a big thank you to each)
1. Lindsay Stevens the Community Outreach Coordinator from the Haldimand Public Library.
· Her job is to speak to local organizations as well as plan activities and programs within the county at various libraries.
· Gave us a quick verbal tour of the newly renovated Dunnville library
· Spoke about the books and resources about home and gardening in the library. Any book in any library in Ontario is available through an interlibrary loan system.
· Spoke about the digital resources such as digital magazines, ebooks, ( a quick start guide will help anyone who does not know how to access this materials),
· Space within the library is available for the community to use if they require a space to gather.

2. Gloria Hunter, Dunnville Horticulture Board member. A lover of Kombucha
· Scobia bacteria in a sweet tea, transforms the tea into a low calorie fizzy beverage loaded with many health benefits similar to apple cider vinegar.
· A Scobie forms a jelly/rubbery layer on the top of the tea, which protects the bacteria in the tea within from outside elements.
· Kombucha has been around for thousands of years. There is no concern about health concerns or illness due to consuming it.
· See the website called ‘Kitch’n’ for more information.

3. Lester Fretz, a home gardener and DHS member, speaking on recycling in the garden.
· Pails: use them for balcony gardening (potatoes), cut them into rings for use at the base of roses to protect from winter freezing.
· Plastic pop bottles, cut tops off and use as instant funnels
· Egg shells: reduce blossom end rot on tomatoes when crushed and sprinkles at the base of each plant.
· Tin cans: cut bottoms out of several tin cans, glue one on top of another other and use them to grow slips that need long stems.
· Clear juice containers: cut bottoms off and use them as mini green houses over your April planted young plants.
· Free Slats from lumber yards: use them as into stakes in your garden.
· Plastic covers from bank books make perfect plastic sleeves for seed labels in your garden.
· Plastic take out containers with solid bottoms and clear tops make perfect mini green houses.
· Brown bags with clear windows cut in smaller sections, staples on the bottom, make great storage for bulbs.
· Large paper bags make for great storage for cana bulbs or other bulbs that require dark space.
· Clear dry cleaner bags, great for protecting outdoor plants from wind.
· Over sized t-shirts make great filters for water.

4. Question and answer session followed with questions directed to the three guest speakers.

Closing Remarks:
· Please visit our newly renovated library and enjoy all it has to offer.
· During our yearly plant sale, if anyone would like to start some vegetables to donate them to our sale that would be appreciated.
· 50 people signed in tonight, everyone is welcome to 2 bunches of beautiful tulips brought in by Kim Christoff donated from Niagara Tulips.
· Thank you to our board of directors for all the behind the scene work they do
· Next month guest speaker, Kim Dickie is doing a talk on flower arranging.
· Meeting adjourned at 8:24pm
· Members were welcomed to help themselves to freebies from Lester’s recycling talk as well as Gloria’s Kombucha samples, and ask Lindsay more questions about the Local Libraries.
· Ways and Means draws took place.

February spells S-E-E-D-S

Sandi Marr

 

In the gardener’s dictionary, February spells S-E-E-D-S. To ensure having garden ready seedlings when it’s time to plant, gardeners use the rule of thumb “sow seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost.” Seed catalogs and seed packages provide a wealth of information about germination and growth.

To start seeds indoors, gather an assortment of containers. Peat pots are excellent and can be planted directly into the garden. Recycled containers such as milk or juice cartons, coffee cups, plastic “roasted chicken” containers, or “Dairy Queen Sundae containers” work well. The last two recycled items work like a mini-greenhouse with their plastic tops. Beverage cartons may be used on their side with clear plastic wrap on the top to help with germination. Prop the plastic with toothpicks.

Place a good seed starting soil mixture into your container of choice. Add your seeds and cover the seeds (or not) with soil on the top (seed packages will provide detailed instruction). Water carefully to avoid disturbing seeds.

Seeds need WARMTH to germinate. Provide bottom heat for your containers. You may sit your containers on the top of a refrigerator or warm air duct. As they sprout, remove the plastic or cover. Move them to a sunny window or under fluorescent light. Keep the soil moist and apply a liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength once a week. Continue to nurture your seedlings until the risk of frost is gone. Plant them outdoors.

Join us 7-9pm Feb. 15 for our Dunnville Horticultural Society Monthly Program Night: “Fresh Flower Arrangements…The Thrills, Fills, & Spills” with guest speaker: Kim Dickie, DHS Member. We will also be having our annual Seed Exchange.

 We meet at the Optimist Hall. Doors open at 6:30 pm.  Refreshments are served and the evening is free to members and non-members. Contact Debbie Thomas, President (905) 774-3064 debbie.j.thomas@gmail.com or Vice-President Deb Zynomirski (416) 556-9337 debyn@gmail.com if you have questions or comments. Visit our Facebook page or our website at: www.dunnvillehortandgardenclub.org for more excellent gardening tips.

 

Written by: Sandi Marr, DHS member

-photo by: Lester C. Fretz, DHS member