December Newsletter

I can't believe this is going to be our last meeting for 2010!! Our annual Christmas party will be held at Alice Ridgeway's home on Wednesday, December 8th at 6:00 pm...thanks Alice! The club will be providing the ham and mashed potatoes, beverage, and all necessary paper products. Just bring your favorite dish to help complete the holiday meal. There will be a gift exchange as well. If you would like to participate, just bring a $10 gift.

The Ridgeways have a small driveway and have asked us to park behind the Mannsville Firehall (Main St./Rt.11) and carpool to the festivities.

DIRECTIONS: At the four corners of Mannsville, take a right (coming from the firehall)...go exactly 2 miles. On the right is a private road with a white sign "3738 Early Dawn Lane", turn in and go 1/10th of a mile. Their house is the first one on the left.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and hope to see you all at the Christmas party. This is a wonderful way to end our gardening year.

Always in the Garden, Nancy Dailey

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Just a note to let you know that The Upstate Gardener's Journal is available as a PDF download this month. I never see the magazine up our way so this is very good for us. To download a copy click here. - Charlotte

November Newsletter

I can't believe this year is almost over, but it is November! So that means wreath making time. On November 17th, at 6PM, at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church, the Club will be making wreaths for our community again. There will be no "meeting" that night, but if you did not sign up to make a wreath you are certainly welcome to come and help. Tools needed are...pliers, hammer, pruning shears, and embellishments if you want to decorate it that night. Refreshments will be provided by Herta Wilson, Marilyn Gray, Nancy Dailey, and Marci Groman.

The Christmas Party will be on Wed. Dec. 8th, at 6PM at the home of Alice Ridgeway in Mannsville. We will have the driving directions for you in next months newsletter. The Club will provide a ham, mashed potatoes, and drinks, while the members bring in all the trimmings. As in the past, there will be a $10 gift exchange for anyone who would like to participate.

A Friend in Need

Long time club member, Linda Cough, has had a house fire. They had no fire insurance, which means no way to financially fix the roof which was totally destroyed.

Linda has been a very giving and devoted member who really needs our help. We will be taking up a cash collection for her at the Harvest Dinner, next Wednesday, October 20, at 6:15. We hope that the club can really help out.

Thanks!

October Newsletter

It's the harvest season and I have eaten the last of the tomatoes, green beans and carrots. But I am sure enjoying the colorful Mums and Asters. I enjoy all aspects of the Fall season, from the cool weather to raking all the leaves...really!!

At last months meeting, Charlotte Grabowski gave a great and informative program on "Hummingbirds & Butterflies In The Garden". It was so nice to hear from one of own, thank you! Our club is always looking for speakers, so if anyone has a topic they are passionate about and would like to put a program together for next year, please let us know.


OCTOBER 20th HARVEST DINNER 6:15 P.M.

We will be eating promptly at 6:30pm that night because we have two presenters and a short meeting. Please bring a dish to pass and the club will provide beverages and all paper products for dining. The Wards will tell about their wonderful trip to France and share their pictures as well. Then Gloria Germain, a certified floral designer, will show us how to make those perfect bows for wreaths and holiday gifts. Please bring ribbon (wired, satin, etc.), pipe cleaners, and scissors. Pipe cleaners work best, but if you don't have any, floral wire will do. The dollar stores have a nice selection of wired ribbon for Fall and Christmas, and some even have pipe cleaners and floral wire.


Planning Ahead

The club will be making evergreen wreaths at our
NOVEMBER 17TH meeting as a community service project. It will start at 6:00 PM at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church this year. There will be a sign-up sheet at the Harvest Dinner, so please be thinking of a well-deserving community organization that would like to receive a decorated wreath. The wreaths were greatly appreciated by the organizations that received them last year. Here's a chance to use those bows we'll be making!

GOOD NEWS!!
Sue Monson has volunteered to be our club treasurer. Thanks!!
Alice Ridgeway has graciously invited us to her home for our Christmas party (date to be announced). Thanks!!

See you at the dinner, Nancy Dailey

Plant and Seed Swap

Just a reminder that the next meeting is this coming Wednesday, 7:00 PM at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church. With Labor Day and back to school this month seems to be flying by!

Just prior to the meeting, we will be having a plant swap in the parking lot for anyone that would like to participate. Bring any extra seeds you'd like to swap or share too.

September Newsletter

It has certainly been an odd summer...and hot too!! Some things truly enjoyed the weather we received and some things did not. Many perennials are stressed and just plain done, after all, they started two weeks early.

Despite the heat, there was a great turn out for our August meeting. Our speaker had some good advice; know your space and write a list of what you like, then research those plants before you hit the nursery. He also said to make a garden interesting, think about integrating fruits and vegetables like tiered or potted strawberries and cucumbers in among your perennials.

SEPTEMBER 15th at 7PM the club will be meeting at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church to hear garden club member Charlotte Grabowski speak on "Butterflies & Hummingbirds". Those are two things we certainly want to see more of in our gardens! Again, this is a great opportunity for you to invite a friend who may be interested in joining our club. The refreshments that night will be provided by Alice Ridgeway, Nancy Lichtenstein, Jean Lee-Mosier, Ellen Davis, and Charlotte Grabowski.

Enjoy the rest of our warm weather and hope to see everyone in September.

Passing of a Friend

It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the passing of long time club member, Clayton Crandall. He will be missed. We extend our deepest sympathy to Diane and family. There are no calling hours. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in Mexico Village Cemetery.

The club will be sending an expression of sympathy. I am certain Diane would appreciate hearing from those of you who knew Clayton. His obituary is online here.

August Newletter

What a hot summer our gardens have had so far. It's hard to get much work done when it is over 90 degrees. Lets hope August is quite a bit cooler. Those beautiful Fall Mums and Asters will be blooming soon though.

"Books and Blooms" was very successful again this year with fourteen arrangemnets entered. Marianne Moser's stunning arrangement was the club's favorite, as well as the public's favorite. Congratulations for a truly eye-catching entry. Dan Dailey's unique and manly arrangement took second place with the club and the public also. The third place winner for the club was Linda Cough, with Jan Tighe and Nancy Dailey tied for third place with the public vote. A huge thaks to all who entered. Each one was so very different and just great! Margaret Weigel and the volunteer staff really appreciated our gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts this year.

AUGUST18TH is our next meeting. It will be back at the Wesleyan Church at 7:00 PM. Brad DePoint is our speaker for the evening and his topic is "Continuous Color in the Garden". Sounds like a great subject and this is a wonderful chance to invite a gardening friend to join you for the meeting. Mike and Shelia Nitsky, Marianne Moser, Margaret Hall, Tammy Reynolds, and Carol Holden will be providing refreshments.

I got an e-mail from Cooperative Extension and "Late Blight" has been confirmed in Norwich, NY on tomatoes and potatoes. Check here for current information and it's management.

See You in August, Nancy Dailey

July Newsletter

"GARDENING FRIENDS" JULY NEWSLETTER

It's Upstate New York alright, rainy and cool then 90 degrees in the shade! The gardens get a bit stressed when it's that hot and so do the gardeners.

Thank you to Betty Perkins and Marilyn Gray for allowing us to tour their lovely gardens, and to Carol Holden and Tammy Reynolds from the 3 Mums, for hosting our June meeting. Because of the very rainy day, the attendance was not great but we really miss everyone and hope to see you all at our July meeting on the 21st.

Our club took 2nd place in the garden design entry...great job Debbie & Dave Ward and their assistants. It really looked like a "Cabin in the Woods". Our club also took first place in the scarecrow contest. Congratulations to Jean Lee-Mosier for taking home two second place ribbons. One for her table setting and the other for her flower arrangement. Herta Wilson entered her wonderful quilts and won three first place ribbons, one second place ribbon, and "Best of Show" !!

Our next meeting is Wed. July 21st at 7:00pm in the Pulaski Library (right across from Springbrook apt. and next to Dollar General). The club will be showing off our creativity through "Books and Blooms". Just choose a book (any book; novel,children's book, cookbook, how-to book, etc.) then make an arrangement of fresh or dried flowers to be displayed with it. The flowers can come from your own garden or bought. Each entry will get about a 30"x30" area. Make sure your container does not leak as they will be displayed on the bookcases. Now this is where your creativity comes in...you are encouraged to embellish or accessorize it anyway you choose. Whether you bring an arrangement or not, everyone will vote that night for their favorite and prizes will be awarded. Each arrangement will get a number for judging, NO names are displayed. The public will vote Thursday and Friday. They can be picked up on Saturday before noon. The library and the public really enjoy the "Books and Blooms" so PLEASE bring one and just have fun with it!!!

Also that night we will be having a gardening books and magazines exchange. So check your bookcases and coffeetables to see if you may have any you've read and would like to pass along.

Becky Kennedy and Jody Dobbins signed up for July refreshments. If anyone has not signed up yet and would like to bring a snack to share, that would be great.

On Saturday, Sept. 11th is "A Gathering of Gardeners" in Rochester. It is a road trip worth going on! For the symposium schedule and information, check it out here. For a group of 5 or more, and postmarked before August 1st, it is $38. This will be discussed and planned at our July meeting.

August 18th we will be back at the Wesleyan church to hear Brad DePoint speak on "Continuous Color in the Garden". It's hard to do, so any tips or pointers would be appreciated.

Hope to see everyone at the library! Nancy Dailey

June Newsletter

May Recap

The gardening season is finally in full swing. Everything that survived the cold winter is up and growing...We have our work cut out for us now! Especially since we've gotten a fair amount of rain!

Green Jeans Day

Our "Green Jeans Day" on May 1st was a very successful day of weeding, mulching, pruning, and dividing. A huge thank you to all who volunteered because it was an extremely hot day!

Plant Sale

May 15th was a very cold and rainy day for our plant sale. Despite the weather the club took in almost $400.

Dues

If you have not paid your dues, you need to do so at the June meeting. Remember, the dues support our club.

June - Members' Garden Tour and Meeting

On June 16th, at 6:00 pm we will tour three gardens. Due to Marilyn Gray's parking situation, she has asked us to meet at Three Mums (just north of Pulaski on North St, about two miles) and carpool to her garden. Her driveway holds about 4-5 cars and it is not safe to park on the side of her road... Thanks!

After viewing Marilyn's garden we will head to the garden of her neighbor and club member, Betty Perkins. When we're done at Betty's we will return to Three Mums to view their garden and nursery. That is where we will hold our business meeting. Please bring your lawn chair!

Plan B

If it is pouring rain, we will be meeting at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church for a business meeting, question and answer session and refreshments. We can share about nurseries we've visited and new plants we've seen on the market.

Refreshments

Marci Groman was the only one to sign up for refreshments this month so, if you are planning on attending and have not signed up for another month, please call her at 387-3329 about what to bring.

Planning Ahead

Road Trip - June 26th to Oriskany, N.Y.

We will be coordinating transportation and departure time to the "Herb and Flower Festival" on Saturday, June 26th. Trips are a great way to meet "Gardening Friends" as well as learn about gardening.


"Gardening Friends" Oswego County Fair Booth

Debbie and Dave Ward are heading up the Oswego County Fair Booth this year. The theme is "Cabin in the Woods" and they need the club's help. This will be discussed at the meeting and there will be a chance to volunteer for setting up the booth also. (Pictures of past years booths can be found here.) Here is a list of items they would like to use:

• Old carpet to use on the floor under the plants and wood chips
• Old door
• Old Window
• Rustic gate
• Long handled axe
• Ferns
• Hostas
• Any woodland plants

Individual Entries at the Oswego County Fair

The fair runs July 1st - 5th this year. Please consider entering flowers, herbs, an arrangement, table setting, or check out the website for other areas to enter. There are a lot of great cooks, quilters and crafters out there and the Fair would love you to enter!!


Sure hope to see everyone June 16th!

Another Chance to See Sycamore Hill Garden

I was reading Ear to the Ground (the Upstate Gardeners' Journal blog) and saw that Sycamore Hill Gardens will have another open day this year to benefit Central New York Land Trust. There will also be a plant sale. I know several of us have talked about going but most of us haven't made it yet. This tour will be Saturday, June 19th from 11 to 4. Tickets are $8 advance and $10 at the door. Click here for more details and to see pictures of the gardens.

If you go please take lots of pictures to share with the rest of us!

Butterfly Program at Cooperative Extension

Thought some of you might be interested in the list. At $5 the price is certainly reasonable.

Make Plans to Attend “Butterfly Program” on Saturday, May 22, 2010, from 10 am to 12 noon at the Oswego County Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 3288 Main St., Mexico, NY.

Details and registration information can be found at Oswego County Toaday by clicking here.

If you know of any other gardening classes, workshops or events please let me know so that I can pass the information on here.

Sycamore Hill Gardens Tour and Sale

Just received this and was asked to pass it on. If anyone goes let the rest of us know how you liked it!

May Newsletter

Due to our Green Jeans day being on May 1st this edition of the newsletter is quite early. Now is the time to start potting up plants!

April Brunch

Many thanks to all who made the "Gathering of Garden Clubs" brunch a huge success!! Phoenix Garden Club and Oswego Garden Club members were just delighted, and expressed a very heartfelt thank you for the wonderful time they had. I'm sure we all have a new appreciation for the honeybee after listening to our speaker Tom Basciani.

Dues are due!

Just $10.00 a year to join a club that promotes the love of gardening through educational programs, shared knowledge, and friendship is a real bargain. In order to have a complete and accurate membership list for everyone and to continue to receive the newsletter, dues need to be paid by June 1st. Dues can be paid at the May 1st "Green Jeans" clean-up day, or at the Plant Sale on May 15th, or mailed to Herta Wilson at 35 Grove St., Adams, NY 13605.

Welcome!

Our Club would like to welcome four new members, Linda Basciani, Wanda Richardson, Bernadette Fernan, and Reid Eickhoff.

GREEN JEANS SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY

Saturday, May 1st 9am-1pm

LOCATIONS: Pulaski Wesleyan Church and Sandy Creek Library

Please bring your shovels, clippers, rakes, gloves,etc. After a good Spring clean-up at both areas, we will get together around noon for a brown bag lunch at the Wesleyan Church. Beverage will be provided by the club. A plant exchange and brief meeting will follow. Please bring your plants for the Plant Sale if you can't be there May 15th.

ANNUAL PLANT SALE

Saturday, May 15th in the South Park

"Gardening Friends" Annual Plant Sale
Saturday, May 15th in the South Park
Set-up & work 9am-12pm or work & clean-up 12pm-3pm
Volunteers are needed for both shifts.

Our club has held this popular fundraiser for the public to buy healthy, hardy plants at a reasonable price for many years. Please bring your labled plants...any plant will do! Don't dismiss your patch of Ajuga, Beebalm or other common plant. There will always be one customer who absolutely loves them!!

Oswego County Fair

A big thank you to Debbie & Dave Ward who have agreed to head up the Oswego County Fair 8ft. x 8ft. garden design booth entitled "Cabin in the Woods". They are looking to the club for ideas and volunteers. If you can help in either way, please let them know...thanks!

2011 Garden Tour

Another thank you goes to Marci Groman, who has agreed to head up a Garden Tour Selection Committee. She is looking for 2-3 members to help her, so if this sounds like the job for you, give her a call. In order to have a garden tour next year, the committee needs to view the prospective gardens this year. For a successful tour, the club needs to offer new, unseen gardens. If anyone knows of a garden in the area that may be considered, please get a hold of Marci.

April Newsletter

Since there is no "real" meeting in April, this will be a bit longer than usual. So grab a cup of coffee or tea and put your feet up!

"OSWEGO COUNTY GARDEN CLUB GATHERING"

WHEN: Saturday, APRIL 10th 10:00am-1:00pm

WHERE: Pulaski Wesleyan Church

This is a brunch for the four garden clubs in Oswego County to meet and exchange ideas. Our speaker will be Tom Basciani, who has a passion for bees! If you plan to attend and would like to bring a dish, please call Linda Cough (298-6947). She has planned a delicious brunch menu and would love to pass on a recipe.

March Meeting Recap

Our March business meeting was a success and very well attended. A big thanks goes to the club's executive board for those yummy refreshments.

A big welcome goes out to our 8 new members!!! They are Jess & Steve Bellinger, Jody Dobbin, Margaret Hall, Becky Kennedy, Sue Kramak, Sharon Lawrence, and Judy Swancott.

A vote was taken and accepted to use half of the Plant Sale money for the two community service projects our club will be doing this year. Money for charitable organizations (Friendship Shop, Lions Club, etc.) is a donation that comes from the club's general fund, and will be selected and voted on in the Fall.

MAY 1ST , SATURDAY "GREEN JEANS DAY"

Green Jeans Day is one of our community service projects. We will be sprucing up the existing garden at the Sandy Creek Library and as a thank you for letting us use the facilities at no charge, we will also spruce up around the church. We will meet at 9:00am with our tools in hand. PLEASE call Marilyn Gray at 298-7962 if you can help out in Sandy Creek and Nancy Dailey at 298-4336 if you can help out at the church. Knowing how many volunteers will help us determine what projects we can tackle. We will all meet at church at noon for a brown bag lunch (drinks provided by the club) with our plant exchange to follow. If you know that you cannot come to the Plant Sale on May 15th, you can bring your plants and extra pots this Saturday.

MAY 15th PLANT SALE

Saturday, May 15th is the day of our plant sale, and it is the day for the all-town garage sales. The village changed the date, it is not Mother's Day week-end this year. There will be a sign-up sheet at the April 10th brunch to work at one of the two shifts. The first shift will set-up and work from 9:00am-12:00pm, and the second shift will work and clean-up from 12:00pm-3:00pm.

PLEASE...Dig the plants up early and pot them so they look nice & healthy.
PLEASE...Lable them with their name and growing condition (sun/shade). If
your not sure, just bring it and someone will know.

Dues

Dues are due!!! $10.00 a year to join a club that promotes the love of gardening through educational programs, shared knowledge, and friendship is a real bargain!

Updated Web Page

Pardon our dust! Our webpage now has a new look. If you are reading this as an email click here to take a peek. I will be making a few minor adjustments over the next few weeks. Your feedback is welcome.

CCE Gardening Classes

N E W S   R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Jonathan Schell
Cornell Cooperative Extension
3288 Main St
Mexico, NY 13114

Beginning Gardening Class Series

Don’t be afraid to try gardening. There are just a few simple things you need to know to get started. And the more you learn – even by trial and error – the better gardener you can become. The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County Master Gardeners are offering a “Beginning Gardening Class Series” to get you started as well as answer questions you may have.

1. Tuesday, March 23rd from 6 to 8 pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 3288 Main St., Mexico, NY. Vicki Mather, Oswego County Master Gardener will instruct a “Vegetable Gardening Class for the Beginner”. This class is also a good refresher for every gardener. Topics to be covered include garden location, water, soil, site selection, fertilizer, container gardening, mulching, managing weeds, companion planting, etc.

2. Tuesday, March 30th from 6 to 8 pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 3288 Main St., Mexico, NY. Jan Smith and Linda Restuccio, Oswego County Master Gardeners will demonstrate “Seed Starting Basics”. This will be a hands-on demonstration and participants will take home vegetable seeds for planting. Topics to be covered include garden layouts, tips on transplanting, seed saving, etc.

3. Monday, April 12th from 6 to 8 pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 3288 Main St., Mexico, NY. Renee Ames, Oswego County Master Gardener will discuss “Herb Gardening and Attracting Bees to Your Garden”. There has been a valid concern regarding the shortage of honeybees. You will learn what you can do to assure there is a balance for the future of gardening. Renee will explore easy to grow herbs and flowers that both supply honeybees with nectar for a strong hive and in-turn provide gardeners with a productive, beautiful garden. Without pollination by honeybees, as much as two-thirds of edible plants would disappear.

Save money and attend all three classes for only $20. Or, attend individual classes of your choice for $10 each. Cost includes handouts and hands-on seed starting. Pre-registration is required by contacting Karen at 315-963-7286, ext. 201. Please let us know if you have special needs.

Monthly Events For 2010

April 10th

"Oswego County Garden Club Gathering"
Brunch with Oswego County's four garden clubs.
Pulaski Wesleyan Church  Saturday 10am-1pm
Tom Basciani will speak on "Bees".

May 1st

"Green Jeans Day"  Saturday  9am-12:30pm
*Clean-up around  the church grounds as a thank you.
*Spruce up Sandy Creek Library Garden
Brown bag lunch together followed by plant exchange

May 15th - date subject to change - please check back!

Plant Sale  Saturday 10am-2pm
Pulaski South Park

June 16th

Members Garden Tour  Wednesday 6pm
Gardens of Betty Perkins, Marilyn Gray, and Three Mums

June 26th

"Herb & Flower Festival"
Oriskany  Saturday  9am-3:30pm
Car pool

June 30th

Oswego County Fair
Garden design booth set up

July 1st-5th

Oswego County Fair

July - Day TBA

Rawlings Nursery Open House
Breakfast at Ellen Davis' at 9:30am

July 21st

"Books & Blooms"
Pulaski Library  Wednesday 7pm
Members book & magazine exchange

August 18th

Wednesday - Time and place TBA
Details to follow

September 11th

"Gathering of Gardeners" Symposium
Rochester  Saturday Time TBA
Car pool

September 15th

Pulaski Wesleyan Church  Wednesday 7pm
Members plant exchange
"Butterflies & Hummingbirds" by Charlotte Grabowski

October 20th

Harvest Dinner
Pulaski Wesleyan Church  Wednesday time TBA
Bow making demonstration by Gloria Germain, CFD

November 17th

Wreath Making
Pulaski Wesleyan Church Wednesday 7pm
Wreath will be made for non-profit community organizations

December - date TBA

Christmas Party
Details to follow

March Newsletter

It's that time of year..."GARDENING FRIENDS" getting together. And our first meeting will be March 17th, 7:00 P.M. at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church (March 24th is the snow date, same time & place).

The business meeting will kick off what certainly will be an exciting and interesting year. We'll go over the month by month events for the year, hear from our officers, as well as the committees. And of course, there will be time for refreshments and a chance to get caught up with members we haven't seen for awhile.

Some members asked about having a seed exchange and this will sure be a great time to do that. It will get us all thinking about starting seeds for the Spring. If you have any seeds you would like to share...bring them to the meeting!

Dues are still $10 and Herta will be collecting them again this year. The sooner we pay...the sooner we get an accurate membership list with names, addresses and phone numbers!!

SAVE THIS DATE: Sat. April 10th, 10 AM-1 PM

Our garden club will be hosting a brunch for the Oswego County garden clubs. You won't want to miss it!!