Nutsey News - April, 2003 by Gail Sardano follows these timely tips.

HORTICULTURE  MORNINGS SCHEDULE FOR APRIL, open to all WHGC members. No charge.   

April 10, 2003 "Window Boxes" by Bunny Traylor 

Held at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA. Coffee at 9:30 AM followed by the program at 10:00 AM. Free.

April 27-29, 2003 Art in Bloom @ Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (click for site)   Art in Bloom is an astonishing array of floral design in exuberant combination with masterpieces of art from the MFA’s vast collections. Visitors to the Museum delight at the opportunity to see both familiar objects and seldom-viewed treasures highlighted by exquisite flower arrangements. Many special events round out this not-to-be-missed rite of spring. Tickets to Art in Bloom 2003 go on sale March 1, 2003. Order forms will be available on the web, in the March/April issue of the MFA's Preview Magazine, or by calling 617-369-3395. For more information please call @ 617-369-3396,  or email mpitkin@mfa.org

TIPS FOR THE  MONTH, a continuation from March

THREE BASIC NEEDS FOR GERMINATION: 

1. WARMTH: most seeds should be between 70-77 degrees. Some perennials do best  between 60-65 degrees. Heating cables, the top of the refrigerator or the top of the hot water heater may be used.
2. MOISTURE: Moisten potting soil from the bottom up. Soil should not be soggy. Cover container with plastic wrap to create a mini greenhouse.
3. LIGHT: Many seeds need light to germinate. In this case, do not cover with soil, or do so very lightly. Those which require darkness can be covered with additional soil or a newspaper. Rule of thumb; Cover seeds to their thickness if ho other directions are given.

Things to do now

1. Plants to start EARLY APRIL.  Cosmos, Basil, Swiss Chard and other leafy greens, Sweet Pea (start in Jiffy Pots, do not like to be transplanted), Marigolds, Tomato, plus the ones listed for Mid March.
2. Plants to start MID APRIL.  Alyssum, Nasturtiums (start in Jiffy Pots, do not like to be transplanted), Zinnia (start in Jiffy Pots, do not like to be transplanted with the exception of Peter Pan Pompom and Cut and Come Again which do not need Jiffy Pots.)
3. Remove winter mulch from strawberry beds.
4. Prune roses when forsythia just begins to bloom.
5. Prune butterfly bush, these shrubs can take severe pruning.
6. Plant onions outdoors from sets, plants or seed.
7. If the forsythia is in BLOOM then it is time to apply crabgrass preventer. 
8. Do NOT allow your wood chips or bark or organic mulch to rest against bark of trees when applying.
9. Rake the lawn to remove dead grass
10. Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer to asparagus and rhubarb beds. 
11. Clean out birdhouses.
12. Apply 2 bushels of rotted cow or horse manure for every 100 sq ft of garden.

Experts from the Mayflower, Jan./Feb. 2003 edition, article "Seed Propagation" by Carolyn Lane & the UMASS EXTENSION 2002 calendar.

Nutsey News - April, 2003 by Gail Sardano

April Meeting - April 1^st, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. @ The Phoenix Lodge. “Gardening with Thugs” Norma Jane Langford will present a lecture and slide show. Your weeds are the best indicators of what will do well in your garden. They give the most specific information about your unique microclimate. They’ll lead you to their glamorous botanical relatives. Find those cultivars and nobody gets hurt.

April Board Meeting - Tuesday, April 15th, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. at the Phoenix Lodge.

May Meeting - May 13^th, 2003 at SPECIAL TIME 7:00 p.m. @ Cedar School. Every member is required to bring 3 plants to be auctioned. Guests are also required to bring 3 plants and sign in.

May Board Meeting - Tuesday, May 20^th at 7:30 p.m. at the Phoenix Lodge.

June Meeting - Garden Party June 3^rd, 2003 @ 5:30 p.m. Note Change of Location to Jim Johnson's Gardens. Full address in mailed  copy of Nutsey News, or use your yearbook.

New England Spring Flower Show - “The Garden Journey”, Congratulations to our committee for the club entry at the Flower Show. We received third place. They did a truly outstanding job. It was a very tough competition. Thank you Lorraine Gaysunas & committee.

Board Nominations are enclosed, please review. This slate of officers will be presented at the April meeting. Voting for the Board will take place at the May meeting.

Junior Gardeners - There will be a meeting on Tuesday, May 6th, 2003 @ 2:30 p.m. - we will make a secret garden. The workshop will be held at 24 Beechnut Circle - Hanover. Please contact Marie Sisk 878-8807 if your Junior Gardeners will be attending.

Geranium Sale - There will be a sign up for Geraniums at our April meeting. If you miss the sign up please order here. They are $2.75 each and are of very high quality. Click on this line and specify number of :

 Please sign your email because it is hard to figure out who an email address belongs to. You will receive a confirmation within 24 hours. If you do not receive a  confirmation then your  email may not have gone through  correctly. If so, please call 826-xxxx to order and be sure to mention that you placed an email order that was not confirmed. Leave message of your name, telephone number, number of each color. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ORDER. You will be given instructions for pick up at Nelson Office Products on Winter Street when the times are set. YOU MUST PICK UP YOUR ORDER ON FRIDAY THE 16^TH AT THE WINTER ST LOCATION.

SAVE the date - June 20th & 21^st for “BOOKS in BLOOM” at the new John Curtis Library. We will need plenty of hostesses, designers, and refreshments - see attachment for more details on workshops for design work. Start your creative ideas flowing!

Mulch & Loam Special, Garden Club DISCOUNT - Enclosed in your  mailed copy of Nutsey News is a flyer from Tim Lopes, Owner of The Green Connection - 108 Stockbridge Road - Scituate, MA - 7xxx2. Tim has offered WHGC a discount of $4.00 per yard off of most (but not all) of the products listed in his flyer as a Garden Club Discount! You must mention the WHGC discount when ORDERING. This was prearranged for OUR members.

Be sure to take a trip in to Boston to the Museum of Fine Arts, “Art in Bloom” is scheduled for April 27^th-29^th - this is an awesome event to take in!

Buds bursting with promise, the song of the sparrow as it builds its nest, the freshly tilled soil ready for seed -- these signs of Spring bring a joyful celebration of new life.

Happy Gardening,    -- Gail Sardano, Communications

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