Garden Clippings
GROWING TOGETHER THROUGH GARDENING -
503-434-4344
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December
2008 Calendar |
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December 15 – Christmas Luncheon 900 N. Hill Road – Hillside Community manor in the “Activity Room” DON’T
FORGET TO PARK IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT “The
Making a Difference Campaign” is a national garden club project. The Pioneer District is collecting inkjet,
laser printer cartridges and cell phones that will be recycled. If you have any that you wish to contribute
to the project please bring them to a meeting and we will forward them to the
Pioneer District. December 2nd – Christmas
Wreaths – Sponsored by our Craft Group We
will be meeting at the The
Arts and Crafts interest group is planning to create Christmas wreaths using
the wreath machines of several members. These were used previously by the
club when we sold wreaths for fund raising. Thanks
to Norma Parker for bringing greens. Others should bring holly, berry bush
cuttings, and other greens appropriate for wreaths. You can add other
décor like bows and ornaments when you take it home too! Bring gloves, greens, and dress
warm! This may take awhile so you may want to bring snacks! President’s Message THYME after THYME What a special time we had at our Thanksgiving club meeting. I am also very thankful for the dedication and commitment of the McMinnville Garden Club’s Executive Board. As I looked out into the audience I saw the faces of many whom I am honored to call my friends. I encourage everyone to take the time to develop friendships especially among our newest members. Cathy B. |
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To Beryl and Kim for organizing the club’s activity in the Santa Claus Parade. Beryl you are the awesome TWO-STEPPING, TOE TAPPING TEACHER OF THE “RAKETTES”.
To Sharon Gunter’s husband (for creating and donating a wonderful banner for the “Rakettes”.
To Kathleen Bennett for make the delicious, colorful leaf patterned cookies given away to members.
To Jan Elliott, Patti Gregory, Evelyn Mundinger and Ann Silverthorne for the educational information presented at the club meeting during the question and answer discussion period.
To Patty Sorensen for contributing the beautiful decorated pumpkin.
To Rosemary Vertregt for donating plants to
share with members.
To Patti Gregory and the horticultural students at
To the wonderful hostesses who faithfully delight us each month with mouth-watering treats.
Doggy Damage
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To fix those ugly brown
or yellow spots caused by dog droppings, remove the dead or dying grass in
the affected area. Over spray the turf
with 1 cup of baby shampoo per 20 gallons of water, and then apply gypsum at
the recommended rate. Wait a week; mix
up a batch of repair tonic to turn it green again. Ingredients for repair tonic: 1 can of beer 1 cup of ammonia 1 can of regular
cola (not diet) Mix these
ingredients in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, and overspray your turf every
other week. To prevent future problems,
take a stroll over your lawn with a pooper-scooper every day or so, and
dispose of the droppings before they can damage your grass. HINT: Keep a hose handy! Water down your dog’s favorite spots
immediately after the deed is done to dilute the urine, and chances are,
you’ll never have to worry about fixing bare spots later on. |
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THE CHRISTMAS PARADE WAS “WOWED” AGAIN THIS YEAR BY THE
FAMOUS (INFAMOUS) - RAKETTE’S AND ACCOMPANYING CHEER LEADERS
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2008 Mini
Backyard Habitats Marilyn Coats
EARTHWORMS 
In our gardens the lowly
earthworms play a major role in converting organic matter into rich humus,
improving the soil fertility and aeration.
The basic body of an earthworm
is a tube (the digestive system) within a tube, the muscular outer body. The body is round, consisting of
segments. They have a circulatory system
consisting of two main blood vessels that extend the length of their body. (I didn’t realize they had blood!) Their mouth cavity connects directly into the
digestive tract where it will shred matter, partially digest it, and then mix
it with the earth by saturation with intestinal secretions. Worm castings can contain 40% more humus than
the top 6 inches of soil in which the worm is living.
Baby worms are not born. They hatch from cocoons smaller than a grain
of rice and attain full size in about a year.
They are hermaphrodites, having both male and female organs.
Earthworms travel underground
by means of waves of muscular contractions which alternately shorten and
lengthen the body. The whole burrowing
process is aided by the secretion of lubricating mucus.
The application of chemical
fertilizers sprays and dusts can have a disastrous effect on earthworm
populations. Adding organic matter on a
regular basis will provide them with their food and nutrient requirements and
also creates the optimum conditions of heat and moisture to stimulate their
activity. If they don’t have these
conditions (food, moisture, oxygen, favorable temperature), they go someplace
else.
In 1881 Charles Darwin wrote,
“It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so
important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organized
creatures.”
Craft Project - November
Stephanie Janik and Rosemary Vertgret
with the birdhouses they decorated in November.
We are still LOOKING!!
The McMinnville
Garden Club needs a publicity and public relations committee leadership chair for
the upcoming year. The duties include providing information on club
events and meetings to the local newspaper and other locations on a timely
basis. If you can help please contact Anne Silverthorne
Internet Links
Pioneer District
Newsletter
http://gardencentral.org/oregon/pioneerdistrictnewsletter/
State web site
http://oregongardenclubs.org/default.htm
Houseplant Care for the Winter !!
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/protectindoorplants
Gardening in the Pacific Northwest
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/gardening-by-region/pacific-northwest/
Live Christmas Trees
http://forestry.about.com/od/christmastrees1/ht/living_x_tree.htm
How to Make a Christmas Centerpiece
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-christmas-centrepiece