Garden Dirt
MEMBER OF NATIONAL GARDEN CLUBS, INCORPORATED
Vol. 58, No. 2
March, April, May 2015
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
March 8
Mar. 11-Apr. 26
March 14
March 17
March 20
Mar. 22-Apr. 4
March 29
April 1
April 3
April 5
April 11
April 11
April 22
April 23-25
April 24
April 25
April 25-27
May 1
May 2-3 (or 16-17)
May 2-Oct. 4
May 5
May 10
May 12-18
May 16
May 25
May 30
Daylight Saving Time begins
Spring Flower Show – Como Park Conservatory
Spring Into Green, Resource & Craft event–Midtown Global Market
St. Patrick’s Day
First Day of SPRING!
Macy’s Spring Flower Show
Palm Sunday
April Fool’s Day
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
FGCM Annual Meeting (pages 12-13)
Dahlia Tuber Sale – Bachman’s
Earth Day
African Violet Spring Show – North Town Mall, Blaine
Arbor Day
North Star Lily Society Spring Bulb Sale – Bachman’s
Art in Bloom – Minneapolis Institute of Arts *
May Day
Daffodil Society Spring Show – Bachman’s (double check date)
Summer Flower Show – Como Park Conservatory
Cinco de Mayo
Mother’s Day
NGC Convention – Louisville, KY
Armed Forces Day
Memorial Day
Iris Society Show – Bachman’s
See pages 5-7 for a list of Plant Sales, judged Flower Shows, and Club Meetings
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum admission is FREE on Thursdays through March.
* To help you locate FGCM Art in Bloom Participants, listed below are those we are aware of:
Richfield: Jill Risse – Gallery 260; Bev Munson – Gallery 319; Gloria Miller – Gallery 206; JoAnn
Sanford – Gallery 357; Mary Olafson – Gallery 373; Joan Kraft – Gallery 351; Kat Hanson – Gallery
376. Edina: Elizabeth Franklin – Gallery 320. Sweet Sioux: Phyllis Andrews – Gallery 259
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The Federated Garden Clubs Of Minnesota, Inc. provides education, fosters communication and supports our membership in their endeavors to
promote love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental
responsibility.
OUR VISION STATEMENT
The Federated Garden Clubs Of Minnesota, Inc. will be recognized as an
expert resource in horticulture and floral design. Through relevant and
effective communication and active cooperation of our membership and
the cultivation of partnerships with other organizations and agencies, we
will increase our involvement in civic and environmental efforts.
FGCM Newsletter Change of Address,
Name or to Add a New Member
In order to ensure continued receipt of the FGCM Newsletter please notify us
promptly any changes to your Name, Mailing address, or Email address. If your
newsletter is returned and we do not receive your correct mailing information before the next issue is mailed, your name will be dropped from the mailing list until
the correction is received.
Please advise us of new members promptly to ensure receipt of the Newsletter.
If you would like to receive your newsletter via email or would rather view the
newsletter on the FGCM website contact Barb Halverson, 11017 Ewing Av S,
Bloomington, MN 55431. Home Phone: 952.884.4922 or email her at
bhalverson2000@gmail.com
Pertinent information would be:
• New Name/New Member’s Name
• New Address &Phone Number/New Member’s Address & Phone number
• New Email Address/New Member’s Email Address
• Club Name must be included with the pertinent information.
Please help us keep you up-to-date with any
new and exciting events.
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Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota, Inc.
President, Rene’ Lynch, 112109 Haering Circle, Chaska, MN 55318-1378
Home Phone: (952) 361-6393
Email: reneclynch@aol.com
National Garden Clubs, Inc.
President, Linda Nelson, 543 Lakefair Place N., Keizer, OR 97303-3590
Home Phone: (503) 393-4439
Email: LindaNelson4439@msn.com
National Garden Clubs Central Region
Gerry Ford, Director
Email: gkford1022@aol.com
Home Phone: (847) 234-7074
WEBMASTER:
Carolyn Beach 4046 Zenith Ave N, Minneapolis MN 55422-1595
Home Phone: (763) 208-2077
Email: cbeach3598@aol.com
CHANGE OF NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL:
Barb Halverson, 11017 Ewing Av S, Bloomington, MN 55431
952.884.4922
Email: bhalverson2000@gmail.com
NEWSLETTER (SEND NEWSLETTER MATERIAL TO):
Pat Almsted, 2908 Sunnyside Circle, Burnsville, MN 55306-6951
Home Phone: (952) 892-3457
Email: palmsted@gmail.com
NEWSLETTER DEADLINES!
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NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING INFORMATION:
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The distribution for the Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota newsletter is approximately 600 per issue. There are four issues per year. We encourage our members to
support and use the services of our advertisers. You may email your ‘print ready’ advertisement to fgcm.newsletter@gmail.com or mail your copy with a check to:
Barbara Halverson, 11017 Ewing Ave. So., Bloomington, MN 55431
Make checks payable to: Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota.
Mail checks to: Barbara Halverson, 11017 Ewing Ave. So., Bloomington, MN 55431
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President’s Message
By Rene’ Lynch
“Cherish the Past and Cultivate the Future”
My term as President for FGCM is winding down. Where has the time gone?
Sometimes I think we are so busy planning for the future, we forget the moment. There have
been so many great times with gardening members and I want to thank each and every one of
you who has helped in any way to make these two years so special and rewarding. They are moments to be treasured.
The Club President’s Appreciation Tea was assessed a success. (Attendance could have been
better!) Thank You to the Board and others who made this a wonderful time and provided such
yummy food. Everyone was given ample time to get to know one another and communicate! This
event is offered by FGCM to all the club and council presidents. You have a responsibility to be
there or send a representative. Remember you cannot say your club doesn’t get anything from
Federated when we offer a fun, informative day and tips on how your club can operate more
effectively. You have to participate to get the value.
It is disappointing that the FGCM Nominating Committee has made many calls and has not been
able to fill our slate of officers for 2015-2017. I encourage anyone who could possibly serve as an
officer to step forward and volunteer. According to FGCM By-Laws we are to elect and install
officers at our Annual Meeting in April. Betty Beck has agreed to be President. She needs the
support of the membership to put into effect her theme “Together We Can.” The 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President and Treasurer still need to be filled, three important positions.
The positions require that you make an effort to attend Quarterly Board Meetings, as well as
FGCM Quarterly Meetings, and to help Betty accomplish the mission of our organization. We
cannot plan for the future without responding to this moment. Please contact us and say you are
willing to be part of the Board. Join the exciting future of FGCM. (Rene’ - 952-361-6393) Be a part
of TOGETHER!
Here is a thought, why not attend a Quarterly meeting if you haven’t for a while. The Annual
Meeting will be held at Como Park and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. There is always
something blooming there and aren’t we so ready for spring by this time of year? We will be
having two great speakers. How about bringing a friend? It should be a great day.
Betty and I are looking forward to attending the National Garden Clubs, Inc. annual convention
“Endless Possibilities,” May 14–18, in Louisville, Kentucky. Betty will be installed as FGCM President by the National President and I will be giving a report on our state and what we have accomplished this year. These conventions help to inspire and energize our commitment to Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota, Inc. and National Garden Clubs, Inc. They are also our opportunity to discuss with other State Presidents and garden club members how other states meet the
needs of their membership. We learn so much at these meetings and make new gardening
friends.
I urge each of you to do what you can to enrich your clubs and FGCM. We accomplished so much
this year and our future looks bright when we work together.
René
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WHAT’S HAPPENING –
Check out Northern Gardener’s website (northerngardener.com/calendar) for additional events not listed here.
PLANT SALES –
Times are listed if available at time of printing.
Contact organization for more info.
April 11
April 25
May 7-8
May 8
May 8-10
May 9
May 9-10
May 12
May 15-16
May 16
5
Minnesota Dahlia Society Annual Tuber Sale
9:00 – 2:00 – Bachman’s on Lyndale – Heritage Room. Open to the Public.
Enjoy a beverage, visit with experts, learn about club events. Thousands of
show quality dahlias on sale. Contact: Rebecca (612-920-4400)
North Star Lily Society Spring Bulb Sale
9:00 a.m. Members only; 10:00 a.m. Open to the Public
Bachman’s on Lyndale – Heritage Room
Bloomington Affiliated Garden Clubs Annual Plant Sale
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – 8300 Sheridan Ave. S., Bloomington
Annuals, perennials, vegetables, hanging baskets and more. Grown locally
by Wagners. Proceeds to fund horticultural scholarships and community
programs. Contact: Penny Britton (952-212-5629; ajmuncher@juno.com)
Edina Garden Council Plant Sale
Friday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Arneson Acres Park, 4711 W. 70th St., (just east of Hwy 100), Edina
Annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, combination hanging baskets and
containers, plus winter-hardened perennial deals from the gardens of EGC
members. Parking and drive-thru pick up available. Cash, check or major
credit card is accepted. Proceeds are donated to horticultural scholarships
and city projects.
Friends School Plant Sale – State Fair Grandstand, St. Paul
Friday 9 to 8; Saturday 10 to 6; Sunday 10 to 2
Mendota Heights Garden Club Plant Sale
8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – 1422 Delaware Ave., West St. Paul
Perennials, annuals, herbs, bulbs & more! Contact: Anne (651-450-9779)
Auxiliary Spring Plant Sale – MN Landscape Arboretum
University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – INDOORS
Hopkins Pavilion, 11000 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins
Offering seedlings of exclusive MN Winners (annual flowers and vegetables)
that have won statewide Master Gardener seed trials, as well as plants
grown by Master Gardeners in their own gardens. Master Gardeners on
hand to answer questions. Proceeds benefit U of M Extension Program,
Hennepin County community programs. Contact: www.hcmg@umn.edu or
612-596-2130
Lake Owasso Garden Club Plant Sale
Friday 8 to 6; Saturday 8 to noon, 868 Cannon Ave., Shoreview
Wide selection of perennials and annuals to choose from.
Contact: Kirsten (651-487-7552) or Ron (651-481-9868)
Sweet Sioux Garden Club Plant Sale
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Faith Covenant Church parking lot, 130th St. & Nicollet, Burnsville.
Annuals, perennials, hostas and more.
May 16
May 30
June 6
Richfield Garden Club Plant Sale
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Richfield History Center parking area, 6901 Lyndale Ave. S, Richfield
Hardy perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetables, and featured Plant of the
Year with an emphasis on butterfly friendly plants. Rain or shine. Contact:
Bev Munson (612-869-7220)
Parkway Garden Club Perennial Plant Sale
10:00 to 2:00 – 1407 Arundel St., St. Paul
Hundreds of locally grown perennials donated by club members. Proceeds
provide for community education on gardening.
Contact: Nanette (651-353-4284) or parkwaygardedenclub@comcast.net
Diggers Garden Club Plant Sale
Saturday, 9:00 a.m., Robbinsdale Historical Library
4915 42nd Ave. No., Robbinsdale
FLOWER SHOWS –
March 27-28
Twin Cities Gesneriad Society
Spring Show and Sale – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Bachman’s Heritage Room, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S.
Many types of gesneriads on display and for sale. Orchids, carnivorous
plants and others available. Learn how to care for them and take some
home to enjoy. Contact: Rita Marvig (twincitiesgesneriads.blogspot.com)
April 24-25
African Violet Spring Judged Show and Sale
398 North Town Mall, Blaine
Friday 10:00 to 7:00; Saturday 10:00 to 4:00
May 2-3
Daffodil Society – 38th Annual Daffodil Show
Bachman's on Lyndale - Heritage Room, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S.
Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 12:00 Noon to 6:00 PM
Sunday, May 3, 2015 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Entries accepted Saturday, May 2 - 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
NOTE: If the spring is delayed, the show may be postponed two weeks to
May 16-17. Hours are the same. Check the website for final dates:
http://daffodilmn.org/springshow.htm
Open to the Public. Over 600 daffodil blooms in all sizes, shapes, and colors! Yes, daffodils come in combinations of white, yellow, pink, orange,
and almost red! It is a judged competitive show of cut blooms. Nonmembers, including children, are invited to exhibit –FAMILY FRIENDLY.
You do not have to be a DSM member to enter flowers. Children are encouraged to enter their own daffodil blooms! Contact us for information
about exhibiting - it's easy!
More details on the DSM website: www, daffodilmn.org, or by contacting
the Show Chair, Margaret Macneale at 612-581-3426, or by email at daffodilmn1@gmail.com
May 30
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Iris Society Show – Bachman’s on Lyndale, Heritage Room
MEETINGS/EVENTS –
March 3
March 4
March 9
March 14th
March 16
March 29
April 13
April 20
May 11
May 30
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Sweet Sioux Garden Club
7:00 p.m. – Bees, Bugs & Butterflies, presented by
Heather Holm, author of “Pollinators of Native Plants”
River Hills Methodist Church, 11100 River Hills Dr., Burnsville
Contact: Pat (952-892-3457) – please RSVP if coming
Parkway Garden Club
6:30 p.m. – Landscaping for Beauty, Wildlife and a Healthy Community.
Presented by Erica Tenbroek, biologist.
Villa Park Recreation Center, 2055 Cohansey Blvd, Roseville
Free and Open to the Public. Contact: 651-353-4284
Lake Owasso Garden Club
7:00 p.m. – National BeeGap Program
Presented by Rene’ Lynch, FGCM President
Presbyterian Church of the Way, 3382 N. Lexington Ave., Shoreview
Contact: Rebecca (651-647-9034)
Do It Green SPRING INTO GREEN
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Resource & Craft Event
Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis
Resources for greener living, local and eco craft vendors, music & kids
activities. $1 donation accepted at the door.
St. Cloud Flower and Garden Club
7:00 p.m. – Growing and Using Fresh Herbs
Presented by Gretchen Lindgren, Extension Master Gardener
Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Dr., St. Cloud
Contact: 320-236-7997 or lakesidegirl@hotmail.com
North Star Lily Society
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Color in the Garden
Presented by Martin Stern of Squire House Gardens
Bachman’s Heritage Room, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S.
Free - open to the public. Contact: Peggy Nerdahl (952-479-7478)
Lake Owasso Garden Club
7:00 p.m. – “Lilies Jewels of the Garden”
Presented by Peggy Nerdahl, North Star Lily Society
Presbyterian Church of the Way, 3382 N. Lexington Ave., Shoreview
Contact: Rebecca (651-647-9034)
St. Cloud Flower and Garden Club
7:00 p.m. – What’s the Buzz About Bees?
Presented by Joan Anderson, Extension Master Gardener
Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Dr., St. Cloud
Contact: 320-236-7997 or lakesidegirl@hotmail.com
Lake Owasso Garden Club
7: 00 p.m. – Colorful Annual Combinations for Spring & Summer
Presented by Duane Otto, Landscape Gardener for MN Landscape Arb.
Presbyterian Church of the Way, 3382 N. Lexington Ave., Shoreview
Contact: (651-647-9034)
Richfield Garden Club
10:00 a.m. – Planting a Butterfly Garden
Augsburg Library, 7100 Nicollet Ave., Richfield
In partnership with the Augsburg Library, the presentation is a hands-on
learning experience with examples of plants that will help you plan an environment for beautiful pollinators.
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL 2015
By Kathy Gamble Compo
This January, Ann and I had a very pleasant duty to perform. We attended one of the
meetings of the Richfield-Sunflower Chapter. We presented certificates and awards to
them for achieving the highest sales day at the Renaissance Festival for the second
year in a row!
Those honored for the highest sales were Bev and Niles Munson, Julie and Paul Lawyer, Jill Risse and Tricia Jackson from the Sunflower Chapter, and Susan Eiden and Ann
Albrecht from Johnny Jump Ups. The sales for the day totaled $2,418 which was the
second best ever (they also hold the record for the best day ever, $3,204 from 2013)!
Ann Albrecht, Bev Munson, Jill Risse, Elayne Gilhousen & Kathy Compo.
A special award was presented to Elayne Gilhausen for coming to our rescue last year.
We completely ran out of floral garlands halfway through the run of the festival. That
was a very big problem, as we always do better when the customers have a choice of
floral or ribbon garlands. Over the last three weeks of the festival, Elayne made nearly
200 garlands to see us through. Thank you, Elayne!
Since Richfield-Sunflower Chapter has won the high sales the last two years, I have a
new goal for 2015: BEAT RICHFIELD!! Let’s see which club can out-sell them!
Please consider helping FGCM and yourself at the same time. Remember that you earn
$2.00 for every garland that you make. That can add up if you get several club members to work together. We have had a few really ambitious women who have made
several hundred dollars for themselves or their clubs. Think about it. Ann Albrecht
always brings supplies to the quarterly meetings to make it easier for people to get
started (or contact Ann and she will arrange to meet you).
We really need people to make those dried flower floral garlands—we ran out of
them last year with three weekends left to go! If you do decide to make garlands, Ann
and I will be happy to come to your club to have a “how-to” workshop. Please make
sure your garland-makers know the basics:
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FLORAL:

Stretch the floral tape as you use it to activate the “stick-um.”

Use the same color floral tape for the bundles, the wire, and the wrap.

Make wrapped bundles of flowers to apply to the wire—do not take bunches of flowers and wrap them directly to the wire (they do not survive the festival and are very difficult to repair).

Although you turn in the garlands straight (not in a circle), make sure there
are no gaps when the wire is formed into a garland.

Keep like colors together (a person who likes blue will not like yellow added
in). Think of color themes: jewel tones (amethyst, sapphire, emerald, ruby),
autumn (orange, yellow, brown, olive) and pinks and purples. We need about
90% jewel tones and only 10% autumn colors.
RIBBON:

Measure twice and cut once! The lengths are 45” for the skinny satin ties,
48” for the chiffon streamers, and 6” for the strips. We received strips that
were anywhere from 4-8” long. If the strips are longer than 6”, you will run
out of materials. If they are shorter, it will be harder to tie them on the cord.

Each garland should contain from 54-59 strips (one garland contained over
70 strips; another had 31)!

Many garlands had ties that were so loosely tied they fell off during the festival. Be sure to tie the strips onto the cord, slide them into position, then pull
them snugly so they will not move.

And remember, we do want the Fairy garlands to all look alike—the only difference between them should be in color.
Here are contact numbers for you:



Kathy Compo (763-535-1817)—for volunteering at the booth, general questions
Ann Albrecht (651-699-8832)—ribbons and cord for fairy garland; some floral
materials
Darcy Smith (612-803-3176)—for dried flowers, wires, floral tape, etc.
The Festival opens Saturday, Aug. 22nd
and runs weekends through Sunday,
Oct. 4th. Please let me know if you or
your club would be interested in signing up to work a day. Call me for details and available dates. As always, if
you can help in any way or are interested in having Ann and I attend one of
your club meetings, please contact me
at kathycompo@yahoo.com, my home
phone 763-535-1817 or my cell phone
at 612-308-8211.
Thanks – Kathy Gamble Compo
9
HORTICULTURE
By Barb Halverson
Companion Planting
Companion plants benefit each other when planted in close proximity. They work (and
play) well together, attracting good insects and keeping away the unwanted ones.
Companion plants also provide nutrients and in some cases natural shade and support
to their garden neighbors.
Perhaps the best historical example of companion planting is the "Three Sisters" in
which corn, beans, and squash are planted together in a hill. Native Americans developed this system to provide food for a balanced diet from a single plot of land. Each of
the crops is compatible with the others in some way. The tall corn stalks provide a
support structure for the climbing beans. The beans do not compete strongly with the
corn for nutrients since, as legumes, they can supply their own nitrogen. Squash provides a dense ground cover that shades out many weeds which otherwise would compete with the corn and beans.
Companion Plants
Basil
Bush Beans
Pole Beans
Beets
Broccoli, Brussels
Sprouts, Cabbage,
Cauliflower
Corn
Cucumber; Carrots
Eggplant
Lettuce
Onion Family
Parsley
Peas
Pepper
Spinach
10
Pepper, Tomato
Cabbage, Cucumber, Eggplant,
Lettuce, Strawberry, Carrots, Peas,
Radishes
Cucumber, Eggplant, Lettuce
Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower,
Onions
All Aromatic Herbs, Bush Beans,
Onions, Spinach, Carrots
Beans, Cucumbers, Early Potatoes,
Melons, Peas, Pumpkins, Squash
Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Lettuce,
Onion, Peas, Radish, Tomato
Green beans, Peppers, Potatoes,
Tomatoes
Beans, Cucumber, Peas, Spinach,
Strawberry
Beets, Cabbage Family, Carrots,
Cucumber, Lettuce, Pepper, Radishes, Squash, Strawberries, Tomato
Corn, Tomatoes
Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Early
Potatoes, Radishes, Turnips
Beans, Carrot, Onion
Cauliflower, Eggplant, Peas,
Strawberry
Incompatible Plants
Rue
Onion, Garlic, Leeks, Shallots
Same as Bush Beans
Pole Beans
Dill, Strawberries, Pole
Beans, Tomato
Aromatic Herbs, Strawberries
Cabbage Family
Beans
Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Shallots
Fennel, Kohlrabi
Squash
Strawberry
Tomato
Beans, Onion, Radish
Bush Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Spinach
Carrot, Cucumber, Mint, Onion
Family, Parsley, Peas, Sage
Cabbage Family
Fennel, Kohlrabi, Potatoes
Also, two flowering plants are beneficial to many fruits and vegetables,
Marigolds
Stimulates vegetable growth and deters
Plant near all garden crops
bean beetles, aphids, potato bugs,
squash bugs, nematodes, and maggots
Nasturtiums
Repels aphids, potato bugs, squash bugs,
Plant near apples, beans, cabbage fami- striped pumpkin beetles, and Mexican
ly, greenhouse crops, potatoes, pump- bean beetles, and destroys white flies in
kins, radishes, squash
greenhouse.
Many vegetables and herbs have natural substances in their roots, flowers and leaves
that repel unwanted pests and attract beneficial insects. Some companion plants help
other varieties grow by providing shade or enhancing flavor. Simply put, companion
planting helps balance your garden’s ecosystem, allowing nature to do its job. Nature
integrates many different plants, animals, and many more organisms into every ecosystem so nothing goes to waste.
How close should you plant these companion plants? To make it simple, take an average spacing between the two varieties. If one variety should be spaced 12 in. apart and
the other calls for 6 in., space them 9 in. apart. Be sure to keep an eye on the heights
for proper shading. Try not to completely shade out any of your shorter veggies and
herbs.
[Compiled from various online sources]
Missing:
Grass
Last Seen:
November 10, 2014
Reward.
11
Picture Spring
You are cordially invited to attend
Federated Garden Clubs
of
Minnesota, Inc.
Annual Meeting
“Together We Can”
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Registration 8:00 am
FGCM Scholarships will be awarded
Speakers
“Landscaping with Native Plants”
By Jeremy Mayberg
“Straw Bale Gardening”
By Randy Latzig
Election and Installation of 2015-2017 Officers
Self-Tour of Conservatory
12
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Como Park Conservatory Visitor Center
1225 Estabrook Drive
St. Paul, Minnesota
Follow signs for Conservatory parking lots
Bullard Rainforest Auditorium
2nd floor of Visitor Center
Registration
Breakfast
Luncheon
$5.00 8AM
$13.00 Breakfast Buffet (8-9am)
$22.00 (12n) Chicken Marsala
Full package $ 40
Make checks payable to: FGCM
Please send your registration along with a check to:
Betty Beck, 17400 29th Ave N, Plymouth, MN. 55447; 763-473-7183
RSVP by March 20th
Name____________________________________________
Phone Number_____________________________________
Name of your Club__________________________


Check box if you are a Life member
Check box if you are a Past State President.
Dietary restrictions:  Gluten Free  ________________
13
GARDENING SAFELY –
putting safety first.
By Pat Almsted
We will soon be heading out to the garden, so a word of caution
before you begin…
Inspect your tools, both powered and unpowered, to make sure
your equipment is working properly. Sharpen tools carefully. Follow instructions and
warning labels on chemicals and equipment. Limit distractions when using tools and
operating machines. Be aware of children and pets.
Take it slow – know your limits. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Make sure you
have water, sunscreen, gloves and proper shoes. Take breaks often. Adults should get
a tetanus vaccination every 10 years, so before you start gardening, make sure your
tetanus/diphtheria vaccination is up to date.
SAVING OUR MONARCHS
Manna for Monarch Butterflies .
By Phillip Gary Smith
Mankind faces a real-and-certain danger of losing one of Mother Nature's most beautiful creations: the Monarch Butterfly. You can play a role with SaveOurMonarchs.org in
its quest to quell this looming tragedy.
As manna sustained the Hebrews during the decades of Exodus to the Promised Land,
Milkweed nurtures majestic Monarch Butterflies. After their yearly birth-cycle migration up to 1,800 miles for warmer climes, such as the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere
Reserve in Mexico, these royalty of the butterfly world return to regions in the United
States. They lay their egg on milkweed plants.
Milkweed not only acts as a birthing station but also provides the formula for baby
Monarchs in its initial phase—call it pre-kindergarten. Roughly a month later, now a
college grad in butterfly-time, the caterpillar stage ends with a cap and gown of royal
brown with black stripes, ready for "The Life of Riley" flight as a Monarch Butterfly.
Sadly, we are killing them off in droves says SaveOurMonarchs.org. In the past twenty
or so years, their population collapsed by 80 percent, dovetailing a similar destruction
of their grocery store, the milkweed plant. No groceries, no Monarchs. Attacking milkweed plants are "herbi" and "pesti," the two "-cides" of danger creating this mayhem.
Like Mighty Mouse's theme song on Saturday morning television, "Here I come to save
the day," SaveOurMonarchs.org emerged to restore this "wrong to right" by distrib-
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uting free milkweed seeds. Their goal for 2015: 500,000 packets! As the old mountaineer would say, "Them's a lot of seeds!"
But it can be done. Action prevails now through the Foundation's online presence at
SaveOurMonarchs.org plus the foresight of partners The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Freshwater Biological Institute, Izaak Walton League, US Fish & Wildlife, Minnesota State Fair, The Minnesota Horticulture Society, Como Conservatory, and The National Garden Clubs of America's 60,000 members.
Good news! Milkweed seeds, the key to the Monarch Butterfly's survival, grow nearly
anywhere. Whether one sows them willy-nilly or hither and yon, the odds favor each
seed growing into a new Monarch home and a little butterfly restaurant with every
sprouting plant.
You can join the swarm by scattering Milkweed seeds in your area; a packet or two can
work wonders. Liking the Facebook.com/saveourmonarchs page helps in spreading the
word. Twitter.com/SaveOurMonarchs should be one of your follows; key information
for you along with a stronger media reach helps Monarchs, too. Becoming a Monarch
Butterfly humanitarian facilitates saving this king of the butterfly world. In an inexplicable way, your reaction provides the action that just might help right a tilting world.
Save Our Monarchs Foundation is a Minnesota 501 (c) 3 charity, solely dedicated to
saving the Monarch Butterfly (our state butterfly) by distributing milkweed seeds for
their survival. They are currently offering 100 milkweed seed packets for a $25 donation. Garden clubs have been using them as a promotional item for their organization,
or as part of a fundraiser where they offer the seed packets for $1-2 to the public, and
to get out the word on the plight of the Monarch. (saveourmonarchs.org)
NOTE: On Monday, February 9th, the federal
government pledged $3.2 million to help
save the Monarch butterfly. About $2 million will restore more than 200,000 acres of
habitat from California to the Midwest, including more than 750 schoolyard habitats
and pollinator gardens. The rest will be used
to start a conservation fund – the first dedicated solely to Monarchs – that will provide
grants to farmers and other landowners to conserve habitat. The conservation projects
will be focused on the I-35 highway corridor from Texas to Minnesota, areas that provide important spring and summer habitat along the butterfly’s migration path. “The
magic of the Monarch butterfly is that little patches matter,” said Service Director Dan
Ashe at a news conference in Washington. “Piece by piece, we can make a difference
on a continental scale.”
Over the next year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will determine whether the iconic
black-and-orange butterflies deserve the federal protections that come with being
listed an endangered or threatened species. The Center for Biological Diversity and
other advocacy groups, including the Center for Food Safety, filed a legal petition in
August, 2014 for endangered species protection. The Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments for their status review until March 2.
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SPOTLIGHT ON –
EDINA GARDEN COUNCIL
Edina Garden Council’s Fall Luncheon in October, 2014 included a slide presentation by Don Engebretsen, author of “The
Renegade Gardener” (www.renegadegardener.com) website.
His topic was the most common gardening mistakes, such as the “Minnesota Palm” (an
evergreen tree with the bottom branches removed).
Ellen Jones, Janet Chandler, Kay Bach, Diane Plunkett
Latham, all members of Kelodale Garden Club.
Maire Kaytal (Normandale), EGC V.P.; Liz
Stadum (Normandale); Liz Genovese, EGC
Pres. (Winahbar); & Don Engebretsen, the
Renegade Gardener.
Lois Mayou, Helen D’Andra, Nancy Pearce,
Ellen Jones, Joan Lonsbury and Bunny Astell,
all members of Hidden Valley Garden Club.
Below - Edina Garden Council members hard at work seeding plants at the City greenhouse for
planting in the Edina City Parks in mid-May.
Late Bloomers President Betty Workinger at the
Center desk, surrounded by other club members.
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Normandale members Jeanne Urban, Sue
Neuhart, Ruth Mary Lancaster, Mary Browne.
Late Bloomers Garden Club, part of EGC, will complete its work
on the Woodland Garden and the Monarch Way Station, both in Arneson Park in
Edina, by placing identification markers next to the 60 or so different species of plants
we have. This will happen in May. Betty Workinger, President, Late Bloomers Garden
Club
Normandale Garden Club
By Sue Neuhart
Not all gardens are flower beds. One of my favorites is a small
vegetable plot at Edina’s Yorktown Community Garden. It
started in 2013 as a pilot. I rented one of the 55 plots and
asked some garden friends to join me. Christine Gepp, Vicky
Kent, Nancy Nash, Edan Paar and Kathy Stattine have made it
a fun but challenging adventure. We met for lunch to plan
and get organized.
That spring was cold, wet and late. Our 10’x10’ plot was adjacent to a skate board park
and the pipe that drains it was right next to the Community Garden. All the rain
washed out most of the plants. The ground was heavy clay, hard as cement, and
drained poorly. We had standing water and lost many of our plantings. We replanted
some but were only partly successful. All that could go wrong that year, did. We
amended the soil but it will take much more to make it really fertile. We took turns
weeding and watering. The basil did well and I made lots of pesto. We got very few
tomatoes and beans, some Swiss chard, one eggplant and cucumber. But, we had fun
together and determined to stay the course.
The second spring was also
cold and wet. The City put in
water spigots, tilled the gardens and made other improvements. Meanwhile, we
dug trenches to collect rain
and built up beds to minimize
drainage issues. A gentleman
at the next plot built us a very
nice compost bin, so now we
can compost.
We planted a “Three Sisters
Garden,” added flowers and
leftovers from our plant sale,
and we are experimenting with herbs. We harvested kale, a few tomatoes, beans and
peppers. Slightly improved from last year but still disappointing. Yet, we managed to
donate 20 pounds of fresh produce to the VEAP food shelf, which was gratefully received.
The Mayor of Edina periodically walks through the city. When I learned he was planning to visit the Community Garden that first year, I made sure I was out there that
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day. As it turned out, I was the first one in the garden that day, so I had his ear for 15
minutes. I told him about the challenges we had with the drainage pipe and the heavy,
compacted soil. The city has an advisory committee that meets periodically to discuss
issues that arise, and this past fall the city had tiles put underground to remedy the
drainage issue. Many people had abandoned their plots, but now there is a waiting list.
It has been a learning process and our group has enjoyed our growing friendship. As
far as growing vegetables, we started out hoping to grow enough for our own use, but
now we look forward to being able to donate more of the extra vegetables to the VEAP
food shelf, which is always looking for fresh produce. Community gardening is great if
you live in a condo and/or don’t have enough sun to grow vegetables at home. It’s a
fun way to get out and meet fellow gardeners and perhaps add new members to your
club. Vicky Kent, a new Normandale Garden Club member, joined as a result of a visit
the club made to view the Community Garden plots. At the time, Vicky had been
working a 10x15’ plot by herself. Now we have two plots and more than doubled our
space. We are eager to see what happens this year!
(Top photo: Sue Neuhart, Vicky Kent, Mayor Jim Hovland, and Kathy Stattine; Bottom photo: Christine Gepp, Edan Paar, Sue Neuhart, Nancy Nash, Vicky Kent)
Tonkadale Greenhouse just announced they will be sponsoring community gardens for
its Grow and Give program. They have done this in the past with individual gardeners,
but are now focusing on Community Gardens. They have found community gardens to
be very effective and efficient at growing produce for donation to the Food Shelf, and
they want to encourage this further by providing plants and seeds for those gardens.
If you are a manager or sponsor of a community garden, go to their website and fill out
the request form (tonkadale.com). If you are an individual gardener who is interested
in participating, they suggest you get in touch with a community garden to help out, or
start one of your own. (There is a vegetable gardening seminar scheduled for 10:00
a.m. on March 21st at Tonkadale Greenhouse which will include ideas for small space
gardeners and beginners – see their website for details.) Why not take this opportunity
to give Strawbale Gardening a try?
Community gardening is an excellent project for your local club. If there isn’t a garden
in your community, how about starting one? If there already is one, your club can
volunteer to share their knowledge with the gardeners working the plots, or rent a
space yourselves and donate the produce grown to a local food shelf.
MEMBER MEMORIAL
Two long-time members of the Edina Garden Clubs and Federated Garden Clubs of
Minnesota, Mary Jane Platt (Winahbar) and Cora Noonan (Late Bloomers) passed
away in November, 2014. Our condolences to their families.
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FLORAL DESIGN –
Synergistic Designs by Phyllis Andrews
If you look up the etymology of the word, synergistic,
you find that the word comes from the Greek, synergos,
which means working together. If you check different
forms of the word, they all come down to that definition
including “... the total effect is greater than the sum of
the individual parts.”
The synergistic design
is made of three or
more individual containers that share
common characteristics such as color, form,
shape, texture. These are placed in a given area in
an artistic manner. Some may be placed close to
each other, but normally they are placed so that
there is space between them. This space is more
effective if it is uneven to create more interest. If
the containers are of different heights (they may be elevated or placed on their sides)
again more interest is also created. Containers can be of different shapes and sizes,
but there must be a color unity in all components when finished.
Plant material is placed in the containers (usually in different positions, angles and
heights) without making any unit a complete design. Then the units are moved from
place to place until a pleasing, completed arrangement is formed as if completing a
puzzle where each part becomes a piece of the whole. There does not have to be
plant material in each container (again, space can help create interest). In some designs after the units are finished and placed, a line of connective material may be
used to bring the entire grouping together as a unit. Large bases or fabric is sometimes placed under the grouping as a connective. In most cases, the same types and/
or colors of plant are used in the various containers creating another connective
quality.
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The designs may be staged in different ways; usually they are given a space on a flat
surface. However, innovated staging can be used with the containers placed in or on
a frame structure, even attaching the containers to a wall-hung panel. The more
innovative the staging, the more creative the finished product. These are interesting,
creative designs which can be useful in the home as well as in flower shows. They can
be used as a centerpiece on a dining table. The containers can be placed close together or spread apart down the center of a table. Try one. You do not need a lot of
plant material to make a complete design using spaces and connective lines as part
of your design.
The Buzzz
By Carol Oeltjenbruns
Honeybees – fascinating nature!
It is obvious that honeybees (Apis mellifera) have instinctual propensities for gathering
pollen and nectar, building comb nests, moving close together in winter to keep warm
by sharing their body heat, and carrying out all the other numerous activities that are
intrinsic to honeybees. In essentially the same way as humans, honeybees implement
their instinctual propensities by intelligent actions. Here are a few examples from the
recent scientific literature.
When the hive becomes crowded, some
honeybees move out together in a coordinated swarm to find a new home. First, they
congregate in an organized way on a nearby
tree. The bees most familiar with the environment, typically the eldest ones, serve as
scouts and survey many miles of forest until
they find one or more cavities that are appropriate for nest sites. The scouts behave in
shockingly humanlike ways as they check out
the cavities. They thoroughly inspect the
inside of the cavity by walking or flying over
every nook and cranny. They also examine the outside of the cavity by slow, hovering
flights at increasing distances. They leave and return later to check the site during a
different time of day. Elegant research has shown that the scouts carry out a process
that humans mistakenly believe is unique to humans, that is, they evaluate or judge
the desirability of the cavity as a potential nest on eight well-defined criteria: not
drafty, dry, free from ants and other insects, facing south (to receive more sun in the
winter), containing a hidden or easily defended nest entrance, large enough to store
sufficient honey to survive the winter, small enough to be kept warm by the body heat
of the bee colony, and far enough from the parent of the nest to allow enough food
sources for both colonies.
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After a long, meandering flight evaluating possible nest sites, the scout bee performs
the outstanding feat of literally navigating (without instruments) directly back to the
swarm by the shortest possible route. At the swarm site, the scout uses body language
to inform the other scouts about the desirability of the cavities she has discovered and
also about their location (their direction and distance). Highly esteemed researchers,
beginning with Nobel laureate Karl von Frisch and continuing with Martin Lindauer,
James Gould, and Thomas Seeley, have broken the honeybees’ code and deciphered at
least part of their body language. They discovered that the distance, direction, and
desirability of a new nest site is conveyed by a symbolic code that is embedded in the
way the scout who has just returned have been termed a ‘Waggle dance,” the scout
runs in a straight line while vibrating or waggling her abdomen a certain number of
times, then returns to her starting point (via a clockwise semicircle to the right), runs
over the same straight line while waggling again the same number of times, returns to
her starting point (via a counterclockwise semicircle to the left), runs and waggles
again, and so on.
After the returned scouts have reported the distance, direction and desirability of their
best nest sites to each other, they all fly out again to inspect sites reported by others.
If another bee’s find is more satisfactory than her own best find, the scout ‘changes
her mind’ and, when she returns to the swarm, dances for the alternate site. All of the
scouts now literally ‘vote with their feet’ (by the vigor of their dancing), and the dancing-voting process continues until they all come to an agreement. Finally, the scouts
guide the swarm directly to the agreed-upon new nest whose precise location had
been originally communicated symbolically via the waggle dance language.
From The Human Nature of Birds, Theodore Xenophon Barber, PhD. Pages 143 – 145, 1993 Penguin Books – Photo: Google Images
GREEN TIP –
By Pat Almsted
TIPS FOR GREEN SPRING CLEANING
Cleaning can be hazardous to your health - and to the environment. Many common
household cleaners contain ingredients that have been linked with neurological, liver,
and kidney damage, and asthma and cancer. Some haven't been tested at all. When
buying and using cleaning products, here are some things to keep in mind:
Don't accept vague claims. Words like "biodegradable" or "nontoxic" have no legal
definitions. Verify green claims with Environmental Working Group's Healthy Cleaning
Guide. Avoid cleaners containing phosphates. When they get into rivers and lakes,
they cause algae blooms, robbing the water of oxygen, blocking sunlight, and ultimately killing aquatic life. Minimize use of bleaches. The most common bleach is chlorine,
which in wastewater can create toxic compounds. Non-chlorine bleaches are gentler to
clothes and the environment, though they are less effective in colder-water temperatures, requiring more energy-intensive hot water. Buy concentrates. Why pay for wa-
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ter in a product that you can add for free at home. Follow instructions. Use no more
than the recommended amount; you can often get away with using less.
Your best bet is to use alternatives to commercial cleaners. Vinegar is non-toxic and
makes a good, all-around cleaner. It is effective, cheap, widely available, and lasts a
long time without losing strength. It is much safer to have under your sink than
bleach, ammonia, or other toxic cleaning products. I buy it by the gallon.
Vinegar can be used for cleaning, disinfecting, defogging, and even rust removal. Use
it in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry to clean your coffee pot, dishwasher and washing
machine. Use as a rinse aid in your dishwasher, as a fabric softener in your laundry,
and as a toilet bowl cleaner, as a degreaser. Remove sticky residue left from labels,
lime and soap scum from showers and vases, and unclog your showerhead. Shine your
stainless steel appliances, disinfect countertops, deodorize and/or unclog the kitchen
drain. Wipe car windows with a mixture of one part water to three parts vinegar and
they won’t frost over; in lieu of commercial weed killers, spray full strength on weeds
and unwanted grass. While I haven’t yet tried this, apparently you can spray furniture
with vinegar to keep cats away, especially if that’s where they like to claw.
Baking Soda is another household item that can be used as a cleanser. It is a mild
abrasive that can be used to remove scuff marks on linoleum floors, light stains from
countertops, and to rinse hairspray and shampoo buildup from hair and brushes. Silver Polish: Put a sheet of aluminum foil into a plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle the foil
with salt and baking soda and fill the bowl with warm water. Soak your silver in the
bowl and tarnish migrates to the foil. Dry and buff. Brass Cleaner: Cut a lemon in half,
sprinkle it with salt and rub the lemon on the metal. Rinse well with water and buff
with a cloth.
Other Commercial Alternatives:
Bon Ami Polishing Cleanser, sold since 1887, contains no chlorine, phosphates, dyes,
or perfumes. Because of its mild abrasive quality, it can be used on porcelain, stainless
steel, cookware, glass-top ranges, cultured marble, and fiberglass. It also can be used
to clean butcher-block tops, woks, food processors, white shoes, luggage, boats, and
swimming pools. Fels Naptha is a rugged bar soap invented in 1894. A staple of some
laundry rooms, it also can be used to help deter the effects of poison ivy, especially if
you wash with it directly after exposure to the weed. Some gardeners use it as an insect repellent, shredding it and sprinkling it around plants. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile
Soap is biodegradable and extremely versatile. The label lists 18 uses, from shaving
and shampooing to treating athlete’s food and purifying water. Invented in 1935 by
Bronner to kill the odor of diapers, it has been on the market since 1941. 20 Mule
Team Borax, sold since 1890, is a good disinfectant and mold killer and a very cheap
household cleaner. It can be used as a polish for stainless steel, as a toilet bowl cleaner, as a fabric whitener and softener, and as a stain remover for blood, chocolate, and
grease. Some people use borax to kill fleas by sprinkling it on their carpet, then vacuuming it up.
Additional alternatives to toxic cleaners and their wide variety of uses can be found on
the internet.
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THE SCHOLARSHIP CORNER
By Roberta Turgeon
As I write this, the February 1st deadline for scholarship donations is fast approaching. It is an exciting time as the applications for our college and university scholarships are being
received daily. The checks to finance these awards are also
coming in the mail. We will need $6,000 to give a college and university award this
year. Last year, we gave two university awards and one college student award totaling
$10,000. At this time, we have over half the money we will need to successfully fulfill
our commitment.
The donations for the Scholarship fund by our garden clubs and individuals are received with gratitude. In reading the students’ applications, you can see how dedicated
they are to their studies and activities at school and in their communities. We will have
the opportunity to meet them at our April meeting.
Donations to our Federated Scholarship Fund can be sent to Roberta Turgeon, 10118
James Road, Bloomington, MN 55431-3012.
FROM THE EDITOR:
This is the last issue that will be mailed to Federated members unless you have subscribed. Only 17 members have elected to receive their “Garden Dirt” via the U.S.
postal service…all others will receive their copy via email. This has saved FGCM a lot of
money that can be put to other uses.
Thanks to all the clubs that participated in this issue by sending in news of their events
and activities. It helps tremendously in putting the issue together for you. We want
this newsletter to be of interest to our members, so if there is a topic you would like to
see addressed in future issues, please email me at: palmsted@gmail.com.
Deadline for the June, July, August issue is May 1st. Keep those articles and photos
coming!
The 2015 Vision of Beauty calendars are available for
$5.00, plus postage if mailed. Contact Rene’ Lynch,
952-361-6393 (reneclynch@aol.com).
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