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Master Gardener Newsletter

Rankin County Master Gardeners
October, November, December 2004
Quarterly Newsletter Number 4-04

Things to Mention

This last quarter of the year holds a lot of important dates and happenings. First of all, please give serious thought about who you would like to see in leadership positions for the next year. We again need high quality people who will be willing to give of time and talent for 2005. As the county host for the 2005 state MG’er convention a lot of commitment will be needed from everyone. Yet, this makes 2005 already look exciting so come commit to doing an excellent job for Rankin County.

The nominating committee is: Cindy Pannier 824-2911, Mary Smith 939-3993, Elaine Sherman 591-4234. Call and let them know who you would nominate, or if you would consider holding an office. They will get back to you if you do not catch them at home.

Last November we started evening/eating programs so our full time career, working MG’ers could come at least four times a year. These meetings have taken on a special quality. The food is good, the programs are fine, yet these meetings have a sparkle of fellowship from all the people that do come. Full time workers come and enjoy a meal with out bringing food. And everyone has an extra good time.

Mary Smith and Gay Sims call on people to bring the eats and they have done a good job. Everyone cooperates and no one has gone hungry yet. November 9 th., Tuesday is our last evening/eating meeting of the year. It is very important for we will vote in new officers for 2005. Make sure you come. Another reason for attending is that Lynn Jones will have the program on Brugmansia* and it will be informative for all of us.

To meet these working MG’ers without your mouth full of food at the Tuesday meeting, come on down to the Natural Science Museum on a second Saturday in any month. They give of their time there to get volunteer hours. It is amazing how working, weeding, or dead heading together can be fun. Yet these times are really precious. Fun and laughter are shared and friendships sealed. Sealed maybe by the sweat of the brow? I don’t know. But it is special to work with others on our projects and feel a part of something worthwhile.

The next most important thing to get done is to collect dues from everyone for 2005. These dues need to be paid by Dec. 2004 for 2005. Please help Sarah Pearson our treasurer by being considerate. The dues are $10.00 for Rankin County and $10.00 for the state dues. This is still the best bargain in the county or state. The new calendar will be ready by the Jan. meeting and those who have paid dues get one then.

A gentleman in a wheel chair at Hospice told my minister to come with him to the court yards to see “my garden”. A garden can bring joy at any time in your life.

*angel trumpets

HEAD SCRATCHING
Written by Jo Jones

Autumn changes the thinking of gardeners in many ways. A long summer season is gone, and a transition is coming that will direct us into winter. With the change of the seasonal cycle comes different plants to consider. Everyone seems to know about daffodil, amaryllis and narcissus

bulbs to plant now. Stick your nose a little deeper into the bulb area to find those that may be planted now with a reward in different seasons.

Hymenocallis, Peruvian daffodil, or spider lilies may be planted in the fall or spring. If these are already in your garden then fall is the time to propagate the offsets. The large white flowers appear in the summer and have a two foot high stem holding them up. And all summer there are large strap like green leaves to fill in a garden area.

Zephyranthes, rain lily or fairy lily bulbs are to be planted in the fall where they will receive full sun. Flowers may open after a rain late in the summer and may be white, pink or yellow. The leaves are green hollow tubes and the flowers are on stalks about a foot tall.

Arisaema, Jack-in-the-pulpit, tubers planted in the fall should pop up early in the spring. These do well in light to medium shade and like woodland conditions.

Belamcanda chinensis, blackberry lily roots can be planted in fall or spring and will flower in full sun or light shade. These provide summer blooms of orange speckled flowers on branching stems. They belong to the iris family and have a fan like foliage similar to an iris.

Daylilies and iris may also be planted or transplanted now if you want to enlarge those beds.

The longer you garden the more aware you are of cycles, seasons, rhythms, patterns, and phases. All things come and go according to a plan that has nothing to do with you. Seeds or bulbs are planted at different times, they bloom on a schedule, and seem to know when to do what they are supposed to do. My garden looks very different in the evening than during the daytime. Moon flowers and four o’clocks show off in the pm only. How does the cycle of the moon affect plants? “The moon influences all the water on Earth, from the tides of the oceans to the movement of water in plants’ cells.” This is the basis of planting during specific phases of the moon. If you want a plant to grow up out of the soil then you plant the seed during the waxing of the moon. When planting something that is to grow under ground, like potatoes, then you plant during the waning of the moon. I find this interesting. It can get a lot more complicated, but this book is full of such facts. Charlie Ryrie’s book: Garden folklore that Works.

I’m headed out the garden gate to see the phase my garden is in today. Come see me in the garden any season of the year. Something is always happening in a garden.

CURRENT EVENTS

October Master Gardening events

6 th, Wednesday, demo garden work day 8am or when you can get here

9 th, Saturday, Natural Science Museum work day 9am til noon

13 th, Wednesday, MG’er meeting at 9:30am at Camp Wahi girl scout camp

15 th, 16th, Friday and Saturday, Fall garden fest at Crystal Springs

18 th, Monday, Huge Hospice fall clean up day 8am

19 th, 20 th, 21 st, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday student fall garden days

20 th, MS Landscape Design Symposium, Wise Center Auditorium, MSU - Bost Extension Auditorium, Starkville, MS. Sponsored by the Garden Clubs of MS. Pre register by 10-19 and cost is $19.00. Otherwise $25.00

22 nd, 23 rd, Southern garden symposium and workshop, St. Francisville, LA. Cost is 60.00.

November Master Gardening events

1 st, Monday, Hospice work day 8am

3 rd, Wednesday, demo garden work day 8am

9 th, Tuesday, MG’er evening/eating meeting 6pm

10 th, Wednesday, demo garden work day 8am

10 th, 11 th, 12 th, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, MSU-ES annual conference, MSU

13 th, Saturday, Natural Science Museum work day 9am til noon

December Master Gardening events

First week in Dec. Horticulture Christmas Open House at Dorman Hall Greenhouses, MSU

1 st, Wednesday, demo garden work day 8am

6 th, Monday, Hospice work day 8am

8 th, Wednesday, MG’er meeting 9:30am

11 th, Saturday, Natural Science Museum work day 9am til noon

21 st extension offices closes for the holidays

If you want any more information on any of these events, call the extension office: 825-1462

During this quarter we have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas holidays and New Years. So you won’t have to join an exercise club in 2005 come work when you can on the above dates. It is cheaper, more fun, and you can eat your way through the holidays without any guilt.

Attach this page to your refrigerator door, so that you will remember the dates. You don’t have to open the refrigerator - just read the door.