A Container Gardening Revolution!
We were so pleased to welcome members of the New London Garden Club who co-sponsored our program this month, and despite it being a rainy April morning, our featured speaker, tv and radio host, the well-known gardening writer, Charlie Nardozzi, brightened the day for all of us! We had a great turnout from both clubs and enjoyed meeting each other and mingling during our Coffee and Conversation social time. As always, we have our wonderful Hospitality Team to thank for providing an impressive spread of delicious home baked goodies!
Throughout his slide presentation, Charlie kept us entertained as he educated us about the latest in container gardening. Charlie started with a discussion of the many reasons why the interest in container gardening is growing, such as the lack of space many gardeners face, or a desire to take your garden with you when you move, or even to move plants within your yard throughout the growing season as conditions change. One important tip he shared about moving large, heavy containers—if you’re looking for a caddy to sit the container on, get one with a caster wheel brake! |
Next, Charlie covered all manner of container sizes and shapes, identifying the pros and cons of the various materials—clay, wood, metal, ceramic, fiberglass, coir, hypertufa—that pots, barrels, and grow bags, etc. are made from. He talked about which materials are best suited for the requirements of different types of plants, considering moisture, drainage, and other soil conditions.
We also learned quite a bit about blending various soil types for both vegetables and flowering plants, and the use of fertilizers. Another tip Charlie mentioned is mixing one cup of vinegar with two cups of water as a solution for cleaning your clay pots. |
Later, Charlie pointed out that containers are a great way to add interest and bring color to areas under large trees where nothing—except, as he jokingly pointed out, mulch—seems to grow well when large tree roots are winning the battle for nutrients in the soil! He also encouraged us to enjoy those shady areas of our gardens where moss seems to be the only plant that thrives. Charlie described a way to even expand mossy areas by blending a handful of moss with a cup of buttermilk (or beer), adding just enough water to produce a slurry that can be painted on rocks and logs where your moss already exists. This is just a sampling of all we learned as Charlie treated us to stunning pictures of container arrangements brimming with glorious color, compatible companion plantings, and ingenious plant architecture. Who would have thought that you could stack pots on rebar?! We recommend checking out Charlie’s new book, Month-by-Month Gardening New England. The signed copies he brought sold out quickly! Did you know Charlie hosts webinars and leads international gardening tours? Visit his website Gardening with Charlie to find out where he's going next. |
MARCH PROGRAM
Learning More About Local Efforts!
Our club members were very impressed with Pattie Fried's presentation of the restoration of Lake Mascoma's Lakeside Park. Pattie led this two-year project which took over 40 volunteers, including our own Civic Garden Team Leader Bill Weeks. Pattie fielded all the many questions our audience had for her, as they took advantage of her expertise to help them find their own garden solutions. No doubt many will be paying a visit to this local park during the upcoming spring and summer months to view the completed restoration firsthand!
Joining Pattie is our Recording Secretary, Susan Terwilliger (left), and our Program Team Leader, Emma Kalaidjian (right). Our thanks to Emma for arranging for Pattie to join us this morning. |
FEBRUARY PROGRAM
New Member Orientation & Program "Simple Ways to Support Pollinators"
The club’s second program of the year featured a New Member Orientation presented by President, Terri Munson for the new members who have joined the Garden Club over the past 4 months. Attendees were wowed by all of the club’s civic and educational activities and volunteer opportunities! Everyone enjoyed meeting the new members and mingling with friends and guests during the social "coffee and conversation" time before the program.
We had a large turnout to hear our guest speaker, Dawn Dextraze, Education and Outreach Specialist for the Sullivan County Natural Resources Department and Conservation District, talk about “Simple Ways to Support Pollinators”. Dawn provided several tips to consider when choosing host plants that can be showy, colorful, and diverse while attracting pollinators. We learned about identifying nesting sites and how to help pollinators overwinter by leaving woody stems during our autumn yard cleanups to provide pollinators with shelter and nesting locations.
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Dawn generously provided a number of her handouts and informational materials, as well as her presentation slides, for posting on our website.
View Dawn's Presentation with Information about Pollinator Habitats
JANUARY PROGRAM
Kickoff Brunch & Program "Healthy Soil For Optimum Plant Growth"
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The club’s 2024 inaugural meeting was held on Friday, January 9th and attended by approximately 50 people. After a 2-year hiatus due to COVID, the Program Team brought back our popular potluck brunch as the perfect way to kick off the club’s 25th anniversary year. With an amazing amount of delicious savories and sweets filling five tables, no one left the meeting hungry! Louise Rauh, the club’s Membership Team Lead, was kept very busy managing all the membership renewals she received as well as first-time registrations.
Following brunch, Gail McWilliam Jellie, part time UNH Extension Program Assistant in Food & Agriculture, provided a talk on “Healthy Soil for Optimum Plant Growth”, including a lot of specific information for Grantham. She also spoke about the invasive Asian Jumping Worm, explaining its identifying characteristics, the difficulty in managing them if you find them in your garden, as well as preventative measures since there is currently no way to eradicate them. |
View Gail's Presentation with Information about Soil Testing and Asian Jumping Worms