March and April 2015 programs Mercer Garden Club:

March 9 Program

Master Gardener Laura Hlusko will present our program on "Attracting Wildlife To Your Garden:  Toads, Mason Bees, Insects and Birds."  Laura will focus on why we should want wildlife in our gardens, what benefits these wildlife provide us as gardeners and methods to attract.

Hostesses:  March hostesses:  Vera Filer, Betty Graham and Sheila Craig

April Program

Our April 13 program will be presented by Gary Micsky of the Mercer County Extension Office.  His topic will be "American Chestnut Tree Restoration."  A project is underway in Mercer County to promote planting and growth of chestnut trees.

Hostesses: Maria Farrell and Connie Jewell

Gourds and the beautiful items that can be made from them.

Nov. 10   Gourds, Gourds, Gourds,

Message message our President:

I hope you all enjoyed our October program on "Bees."  Buzz Swank was informative and entertaining!  This month we'll find out how to decorate using gourds.  John and Nancy Chlpka will join us.

I'm trying to get my flowerbeds cleaned up, leaves raked, and porch furniture put away!  My hanging ferns are still "hanging in" there, so they'll be up for a few more weeks.  Remember to bring a tip for the Tip Jar and an item for the Auction.

Connie

Gourd Gifts and Decorations

November 10, 2014  7:00 PM at Mercer Methodist Church

Hostesses:  Christy Hunter Hall and Maria Farrell

Program:

We welcome John and Nancy Chlpka of Jackson Center,    Wet Dog Studios (Facebook and Etsy)  Nancy and John create lovely items from gourds.   They will give a talk on using gourds as part of holiday decor. and gifts and they will provide a door prize.

October 13 Buzz the Bee Man

Monday, October 13 at 7 PM at Mercer Methodist Church.
Our speaker will be "Buzz The Bee Man."
Hostesses are Sheila Craig and Margo Borowicz.
We will hold a Seed Exchange.  Bring seeds in ziplock bags, clearly identified.
Bring items for our auction table, which will resume this month.

Mercer Garden Club September 2014 Garden Tour

 September 8,  Garden Tour meet to car pool 5:50 at the Mercer United Methodist Church.

We will visit the gardens of Rodney Toth at 5637 West Liberty Street, (route 304) in Hubbard.  The gardens will include speciality plants and include a Mexican dahlia garden, unusual varieties of tomatoes, the Great Gourd Tunnel, a Grandchildren's Garden, a Super Sky High Sunflower Garden and The Potpourri Pole with Blue Sky Vine and Red Mandevilla.  

The photos are from our visit to Rodney's garden last fall in the rain.  This is a spectacular garden not to be missed.

Please meet at the Mercer Methodist Church at 5:50 PM to carpool.  The Garden viewing is at 6:30 PM.

Hosta Garden Tour

The Mercer Garden Club visited a spectacular hosta garden in Coolspring Twp.  Here are some pictures:

The stone walls lining the beds and driveway were much admired. This garden is amazing to see when you take into account the work these gardeners have put into to create this wonderful woodland garden.  It took years to create these walls and collect the plants. 

Here we are having our short meeting in the drive way of this lovely garden. There were about 23 people including 6 guests who we hope may decide to become members. 

Our next meeting will be in another spectacular garden at DJ's for our annual picnic.  Aug. 11, 2014

Mercer Garden Club, Summer Hosta Garden Tour July 14, 2014

July 14th Meeting and Hosta Tour

Mercer Garden Club members will tour the many Hosta gardens at the home of Jim and Sandy Ellenberger.  They are members of the Daffodil and Hosta Society of Western Pennsylvania, and sometimes show their lovely gardens to bus tours.  Over the last several years, Jim and Sandy have developed hosta gardens along the driveway, in the wooded areas, and around the yard.  All hosta beds are raised and surrounded by stone.  Also included in the tour is Sandy's rock garden and many daylilies.  Jim has a hosta nursery where he plants and grows seedlings.  Jim and Sandy are anxious to share their gardens with us.  Please wear your walking shoes.

We will meet at the church at 6:30 PM to carpool to 165 Coolspring Church Road.  There will be ample parking, but please do not park on the left side of the driveway as you will block the viewing of the hostas there.  

Garden Pallet idea and photo from Leslie

Feeding the roses

June is for Roses, and now that the pruning is done I am looking at the spring feeding.  I had 28 antique or old fashion roses. So far I think I may have lost 5 or 6 roses over the winter. The photo is of New Dawn 2013, it is an old fashion climbing rose. I pruned off about 60% of the old wood.  There is just a little bit of new green leaves starting here and there which is a good sign. I was afraid New Dawn was dead.  It is slow showing signs of life. Maybe after I feed it, I will see more leaves.  

I am trying new fertilizer again this spring. I just bought a 50lb bag of alfalfa pellets sold as horse feed at Agway. I will also use bone meal, fish emulsion, and earth worm castings and compost. I still need to buy some epison salts.

Here is a basic rule that I found on one of the rose sites I looked at tonight.

This article link:  www.springvalleyroses.com/inthegarden/fertilizing.html                                                  explains how to give your roses the food they need to be healthy, productive plants. But, for those of you who want a quick answer, here's the bare-bones guide to fertilizing:

Give each rose 2 cups of a well-balanced, natural-based or organic granular fertilizer in the spring. Sprinkle onto the soil surface around the base of the plant. Additional amendments that can be fed include: 1/4 cup of epsom salts, 2 cups of alfalfa, 1/2 cup of rock phosphate or bone meal, and a shovelfull of compost. Optional summer feeding: One month after the first feeding, give each rose a dose (about one gallon of solution per rose) of an organic liquid fertilizer, such as fish emulsion. Apply this each month during the summer up until 6 weeks before the first frost. Don't use Miracle Grow type liquid chemical fertilizers on Rugosa roses. It burns them right up.