Saturday, November 10, 2012

Members Share Gardening Hints

     The home of Gail Touchton was the setting for the meeting of the Monroeville Garden Club on Thursday, November 8, 2012, at 1:00 p.m.  Dorothy Crawford served as co-hostess.
     After the business session, a program on "Gardening Hints" was given by various club members.

     Gail Touchton shared her extensive file of gardening articles that she had collected through the years.

     Bev Colquett talked about keeping a garden journal and gave a handout to use as a guide for starting a journal.  Bev passed around her garden journal which she started about ten years ago.

     Evelyn Bond cautioned members about buying plants without first considering whether they are suited to our area (8a) and also recommended that you know where you will be placing them in your yard so that sun requirements will be met.

     Pat Hornady brought a set of gardening books that she no longer needed and offered these to anyone interested.  She also shared some Meyer lemons grown by her brother who lives in Birmingham.

     Dora Pelham shared a hint that she learned from garden club charter member, Mamie Lou York, who had learned it from her mother.  She said the most important thing is your soil and you should always be doing something to improve it.  She added coffee grounds, leaves, pine straw, and vegetable scraps to her soil.   Dora said that in her own garden she also adds egg shells to this mix.  Mrs. York's mother was so protective  of her soil that was was careful to shake loose any soil around the roots of plants she shared with others.  When she pulled weeds, she would let them dry several days and then shake the soil from the roots before disposing of the weeds.

     Margaret Groves offered several hints for repelling gnats and mosquitoes that plague gardeners.  She has found that a spray of original formula Listerine works for her.  Margaret also suggested attaching a dryer sheet to your clothing as a bug repellent.

     Nancy Ziebach recommended that members look at "Pinterest", an internet sharing service as a source for helpful garden information.  One "pin" that she found there suggested using vinegar as a weed killer.  Dana Shinholster said that she uses a homemade weed killer using vinegar, salt and dishsoap.

     Dorothy Crawford shared that she has found that using pecan hulls as mulch is helpful in keeping the family dog from digging in flower beds.

     Everyone who participated in the program was eligible for a door prize drawing.  Winners were Gail Touchton, Pat Hornady, and Dana Shinholster.

     Following the program, members enjoyed refreshments and a social time.  Fourteen members attended along with guests, Brenda Gardener, Casey White, and Martha Kress.


Door prizes were wrapped in brown kraft paper and decorated with items from the
yard:  oak leaves and acorns, hydrangea blooms and a rose made from oak
leaf hydrangea leaves.  To find out how to make one of these roses, check out this website

                   

Dora Pelham shares gardening hints.

Gail Touchton and Sara Bradley visit during social time.

Work Days Around the Square

      Charlotte and others from garden club worked on the Katherine Lee Rose Garden on Thursday, February 15th .  They worked so hard that n...