1. No category

 
March 2015
Volume 33, No. 3
The
Tiller
Travelogue—Longwood Gardens
Shirley Winnes, Club Member
6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Visitors Center, Green Bay Botanical Garden
Shirley Winnes traveled to the East Coast late April into May in 2014
with the GBBG on their Brandywine Valley Tour. One of the stops was
Longwood Gardens, which celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006. At over
1,000 acres, it is celebrated as one of the top-notch gardens in the U.S.
It was rated No. 1 in a USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice surveys.
Shirley will share photos of Longwood Gardens as a PowerPoint program,
and she also has a DVD showing the gardens in their glory throughout
the year. Along with gardens, many events are celebrated during the
year to include fireworks shows, colored fountain shows, artist performances, a Christmas light show, and more. Get ready to enjoy an early
spring with glorious displays of spring flowers in this presentation.
Rose Borowitz
Bob Mongin
Joyce Rowe
From the President . . .
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
2/25/15 Minutes
2
Officers and Chairpersons
Club/Member News
3
Garden Club Schedule
GBBG Events
4
GBBG Soup With Substance
Schedule
Chicago Flower/Garden Show
Hydrangea ‘Lindsey Ann’
5
UWGB Flax Project
New Leaf Winter Market
UW-Ext. Garden Series
Green Bay Garden Blitz
6
Fruit Tree Growing Sessions
8
Tiller Advertisers
Refreshments
6,7,8
Also, Shirley Winnes is
showing her photos this
month which is always so
good. We will also have
Dear Fellow Gardeners,
To me, March is an exciting Susan Garot from the
month as we turn the clock Botanical Garden to tell
about the 20th year
ahead—we have St.
anniversary of the garden.
Patrick's Day . . . and
The convention in Iowa in
SPRING arrives! I cannot
June is coming so if you
wait to see the magic of
are planning to go, see
the plants that make it
through the winter and the Marsha May. It would be
nice to have a good
seeds that begin to
sprout—everything is fresh attendance there. I also
and new. The bulbs I got at have been working on the
convention here in Green
the Harvest Banquet last
fall I had to plant already. Bay for 2016—quite a
challenge, but it will be
Marge said it was time
they were sprouting.
good when it all comes
together.
This month Betty Cox and
her staff are working at the
K I Center’s New Leaf
Market to promote the
asparagus and sweet potato
event at the UW Extension
Center on April 25. This is
our only fund raiser, so
let's all help to make it
successful.
I hope to see you all on
March 25th, 6:30 at the
Botanical Garden.
Your President,
Carl Christensen
PAGE 2
Till er
Meeting Minutes - 2/25/2015
Please have
articles for the
next Tiller by
April 10 to
Shirley Winnes,
301 David Drive,
Green Bay, WI
54303 or e‑mail
[email protected].
The members of the Gardeners Club of Green
Bay met at the GBBG at 6:30 p.m. Our guest
speaker was Steve Hupfer, apiary manager of
the Brown County Beekeepers Association. A
fact-filled video on the history and life cycle
of honey bees was shown. Steve explained the
importance of honey bees and what we can do
to keep them from becoming extinct.
President Carl Christensen opened our business meeting at 7:40 p.m. Guests were introduced and welcomed.
The January minutes were approved. Betty
Cox reported on our expenses and income for
February. The 2015 budget was discussed;
Judy Nighorn moved to accept and Brian
Nighorn seconded; motion approved. Editor’s
Note: See below concerning budgeted
donations for the year.
Celebrate Asparagus: Last year we ran out of
soup. It was decided that we will make 16
batches instead of 14 this year. Members were
reminded to look in their basement for any
items that they want to donate to the garden
treasures sale. We will be taking orders for
asparagus, sweet potatoes, and rhubarb plants
on March 7 and 28 at our booth at the KI
Convention Center. Plants will be picked up at
the asparagus event.
Donations: $300 was submitted to NWTC for
a scholarship fund. Shirley Winnes read a
letter of thanks and appreciation to us from
them. The scholarship will be open to the
students on March 1.
Susan Garot from the GBBG sent us a letter
thanking us for our generosity over the past
years—$12,050 has been donated. A donation
is being made to them this year—Susan Garot
is invited to our March meeting to accept.
Barb Vandersteen requested a $25 donation
for the Wildlife Sanctuary toward their new
bridge. This is still pending.
2015 Convention: Marsha May read a letter
from Sheryl Bacon inviting us to the national
convention being held in Clear Lake, Iowa,
June 25-27. A full itinerary and registration
forms were available for members interested
in going. Carl Christensen has checked out
renting a motor home so that we could all go
together.
General Election: Ballots were passed out for
members to vote on the 2016 national executive officer candidates. It was announced that
Carl Christensen has submitted his name as a
candidate for 3rd Vice President. We also
voted on the proposed bylaw changes. All
ballots were collected and mailed to Fort
Dodge, Iowa.
Calendars: Shirley Winnes had the sign-up
sheet for those who still wanted to order 2016
photo calendars at $2.50. Members will
receive them when we return home from
convention.
Announcements: Don Nighorn had seed
catalogs for the taking. The orchid show and
sale is March 7-8 at the Holiday Inn in
Neenah.
A door prize was drawn, and our meeting was
adjourned at 9 p.m. Refreshments were served
by Paul Hartman, Agnes Schussman, and
Perry Sieloff.
Agnes Schussman, Secretary
The breakdown of the amounts recommended for donations was not available at the February
meeting. The 2015 budget was approved, and the amounts to be donated are as follows:
$ 300 - NWTC
25 - Allouez Band
250 - Curative Rehab Center
500 - GBBG for 2 tents
100 - Wrightstown Horticulture Program
$1,175 - Total
Allotted in the budget is $1,250.
MARCH 2015
The Gardeners Club of Green Bay
Officers and Chairpersons
President
Carl Christensen, 920-425-3224
[email protected]
Vice President
Scott Casperson, 920-435-1780
[email protected]
Secretary
Agnes Schussman, 920-327-1138
Treasurer
Betty Cox, 920-468-8693
2510 Heather Road
Green Bay, WI 54311-5243
[email protected]
Past President
Barb Vandersteen, 920-435-0568
[email protected]
Membership and Public Relations
Brian Nighorn, 920-865-4311
[email protected]
Sunshine
Ruth Goeben, 920-494-3008
Tiller Editor, Website Manager, and
TGOA-MGCA National Photography
Competition and Calendar Chairperson
Shirley Winnes, 920-499-4441
[email protected]
Tiller Feature Writer
Mary Berg, 920-609-4214
[email protected]
Historian
Barb Vandersteen, 920-435-0568
[email protected]
Civic Projects and Fund Raising
Asparagus Sale
Betty Cox, 920-468-8693
[email protected]
Silver Trowel
———————-Open———————Inventory Control and
Education and Plant Records
———————-Open———————House and Program
Paul Hartman, 920-437-6831
[email protected]
Refreshments Coordinators
Sue Rohan, 920-336-3004
[email protected]
Mary Naumann, 920-866-2282
[email protected]
PAGE 3
Club and Member News . . .
Thank you for all who sent cards and your concern
over the loss of my daughter.
~Marge Labs
Membership Roster
The 2015 membership booklet will be available at the
March meeting. Dues for 2015 must be current to be
listed in the booklet.
~Shirley Winnes
Here are Carl Christensen, Agnes Schussman, Marsha
May, Barbara Vandersteen, Rose Borowitz, Betty Cox, and
Shirley Winnes at the March 7 New Leaf Farmers Market.
Progress for Celebrate Asparagus!
We have pre-orders for 226 sweet potatoes, 12 rhubarb, &
379 asparagus crowns as of March 7. Our group survived
our first Downtown Market at the KI Center. The morning
went fast and more people than I thought came by to talk
to us. I think we can say this was successful. We have one
more on March 28.
~Betty Cox
Last Chance to Order 2016 Calendars
Calendars ordered prior to March 31, 2015, are available
at a reduced price, $2.50 as opposed to $2.95. AND,
since there is a national convention this year with club
members who will be attending, there will be no shipping
expense! I will pass a sign-up sheet for those who are
interested in ordering calendars and will submit the order
by the due date.
~Shirley Winnes
May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!
Source: http://www.theholidayspot.com
PAGE 4
Tiller
The Gardeners Club of Green Bay
Upcoming Schedule of 2015 Meetings
Coming Attractions Sponsored by the
Green Bay Botanical Garden
March 25 ... Longwood Gardens (Kennett
Square, Pennsylvania) PowerPoint
Presentation, Shirley Winnes
Call 920-490-9457 or
see http://www.gbbg.org for complete information, reservations,
and cost about any of the following:
April 22...... Rose Growing Secrets for the
North, Lee Hansen
All About Annuals, Tues., March 17, 6-7:30 p.m.,
Instructor: Ken Harr - Sakata Seeds. Learn the
secrets of growing healthy and beautiful annuals for
both containers and landscape beds. Ken will reveal
his secrets for creating astounding annual flower
displays. Participants will learn how to use colorful
combinations and where to place that perfect plant
for pizzazz. Get Ken’s tips on choosing, planting,
deadheading, fertilizing, and his must-have annuals
for 2015 in this informative class.
Entertaining with Cheese, Tues., March 24,
6-7:30 p.m., Instructor: Cindy Schmidt - Senior
Perishables Specialist, Festival Foods. Whether you
are hosting a potluck or your weekly Bunco night,
don’t forget to invite cheese! Cindy will share easy
ideas and recipes for entertaining with specialty
cheeses. Also, enjoy samples.
Glass Fusing, Thurs., March 26, 6-7:30 p.m.,
Instructor: Angie Kusek Schubert- Owner, Ginger
Birch. Learn how to make beautiful kiln-fired glass
in this fun and creative workshop! Make your own
pendants, earrings, hair clips or bookmarks. Each
participant will make two pieces and will pick up
their fired work approximately a week later. All
materials included.
Garden Sprouts: Super Seeds! Fri., March 27,
10-11:30 a.m., Instructor: GBBG Education Staff.
Have fun learning about seeds! We will learn how
seeds grow, and look at seeds of all shapes, sizes and
colors. Come discover how super seeds are by
tasting, touching and planting your very own seeds
to take home. This program is designed for children
ages 3 to 5 and one accompanying adult. Price
includes one child and adult.
Floral Arranging: Spring Forward! Mon.,
March 30, 6-7:30 p.m., Instructor: Emily Hansum GBBG Education Manager. Are you ready for the
sights and smells of spring? Set your clocks, and join
us for this hands-on workshop as we create a
beautiful spring arrangement to brighten your
home. Materials included.
Painting Party, Fri., April 3, 6-8 p.m., Lori
Vandenberg - Fine Artist/Fun Facilitator. Have fun
painting with your friends in a relaxed group setting
while following step-by-step instructions. Enjoy
various beverages from the Garden’s cash bar or
bring your own non-alcoholic refreshments and
snacks to feed your creativity. No experience is
necessary. Each participant will create a unique
16x20 acrylic painting. Materials included.
May 27 ....... All About Rhubarb, Don Nighorn
June 17 ...... Garden Visit to Pat and Tom
Kasters’ Garden*
July 22 ....... A Visit to Green Bay Nursery
Aug. 26....... A Visit to Brickstead Dairy, LLC
Sept. 23 ..... Asian Vegetables
Oct. 28....... Brag Night – How Did Your
Garden Grow?
Dec. 4 ......... Enchanted Florist Presentation
Special Events
April 25..............Celebrate Asparagus!
June 25-27 .......TGOA-MGCA National
Convention, Mason City, Iowa
Sept. 19 .............Farmers Market—Large
Produce Weigh-in
Oct. 10 ...............Farmers Market—Pumpkin
Weigh-in
Nov. 14 ...............Harvest Banquet
*Please note a change in our schedule for June.
The Schadrie’s, who were our 2014 Silver Trowel
winners, are unable to have us visit their garden
this summer. Also, due to the number of club
members who will be attending the national convention, it was thought that it would be better to
move our meeting up one week to June 17. We
will be joining the Hobby Gardeners Club on
June 17 for a visit to Pat and Tom Kasters’ garden. Pat and Tom opened their garden to visitors
to the daylily convention last summer, and Pat is
a former member of our club.
"Spring is the time of the year, when it
is summer in the sun and winter in the
shade."
— Charles Dickens
MARCH 2015
PAGE 5
GBBG Soup With Substance Schedule
Hike, snowshoe, or blaze your own skiing trail at Green
Bay Botanical Garden in the late afternoon. Then come
indoors to enjoy homemade soup, bread, and dessert, a
garden-related presentation, and musical entertainment.
Advanced Tickets:
GBBG Members: $10
Non-Members: $15
At the Door:
GBBG Members: $12
Non-Members: $17
Limited number of tickets available.
Advance purchase recommended.
Here is our very talented Agnes Schussman who
crafted this clay-pot “gardener”. Barbara
Vandersteen clipped the idea from a garden
magazine, and Agnes did the work! Our
“gardener” will be displayed at the March 28
farmers market and Celebrate Asparagus!.
Schedule 5:30 - 8 p.m. each evening
Friday, March 13:
Square Foot Gardening - Lynn Clark, NEW Master
Gardener
Entertainment: Tarl Knight (Acoustic Guitar)
Friday, March 27:
Birdscaping in the Midwest - Mariette Nowak, Author
Entertainment: Randi Fay (Jazz)
Chicago Flower and Garden Show
March 20
“Do Green. Do Good” is this year’s
theme for the show at Navy Pier,
March 14-22. Details at:
http://www.chicagoflower.com.
Carl Christensen reports that there will be 900 roses on
display from Weeks and Star Roses.
Lamers has a one-day trip for March 18 priced at $64. See
golamers.com for details.
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lindsey Ann’ PPAF
This hydrangea is also known as L.A. Dreamin’. Saturated
with color, this is the first hydrangea to show blue, pink,
and everything in between on the same plant without any
special growing needs. Full size is 5 ft. x 5 ft.; USDA
hardiness zone 5-10. In areas where Hydrangea
macrophylla freeze back to the ground in winter, L.A.
Dreamin’ Hydrangea has shown to grow back and bloom
that same year. This plant was developed by a grower in
Michigan nine years ago.
Source: http://ladreaminhydrangea.com
PAGE 6
Tiller
Hobby Gardeners Club Meeting
7 p.m., March 18, 2015
Senior Center, 300 S. Adams Street, Green Bay
What the Flax Told Us: The UWGB Flax Project 2011-2014
Instructors: Dr. Heidi Sherman, PhD., Associate Professor of Humanistic Studies (History)
and Professor Alison Gates, MFA, Associate Professor & Chair, Art & Design (Textiles).
Flax is a fun and easy plant to grow that is beautiful and useful in multiple ways when processed and
handled correctly after harvest. If you're interested in a historically important plant that yields bast-fiber
for linen, linseed oil, and flax-seed, this presentation will provide inspiration for your own garden and
spark your imagination. Ancient processing tools, uses of flax and linen in textiles and art making, and
the history of medieval Viking flax production will be shared.
The last New Leaf winter market day for this year is Saturday,
March 28, 8 a.m. to Noon. The location is at KI Convention Center
(333 Main St.), Exhibit Hall C. Over 85 vendors feature local
meats, cheeses, bakery, vegetables, canned items, coffee, handcrafted art pieces, and various local restaurants. Free parking in
the Main Street Ramp with skywalk to the KI Convention Center.
Our garden club will be there to promote our Celebrate Asparagus event.
UW-Extension 2015 Garden Series
The last session of the 2015 Garden Series hosted by the Brown County UW Extension and NEW Master Gardener
volunteers is “Alternative Gardening Styles...Container, Vertical, & Other Specialized Techniques.”
Saturday, April 11, from 10 AM to 12:30 PM
Guest speaker: Mark Dwyer
Director of Horticulture, Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville
Cost of this session is $15. Make checks payable to Brown County Treasurer and send to Ag & Extension Service
Center, 1150 Bellevue Street, Green Bay, WI 54302. Call Kathy De Champs at 920-391-4653 for more information.
The 2015 Garden Blitz will
take place from May 1-3.
This year, a volunteer team
will install 130 gardens total, half of
which will go to limitedIncome families.
The Green Bay Garden Blitz empowers Green Bay
residents to grow food and be part of a sustainable agricultural system. A comprehensive
approach to urban agriculture is provided by selling and installing raised bed gardens and providing education and mentorship for gardeners.
These garden boxes are installed over the course
of one weekend by a
team of volunteers. In
addition to their garden boxes, new gardeners have a variety
of educational opportunities, including a mentor program which
matches veteran gardeners with new growers.
To learn more about purchasing a garden box,
becoming a mentor, a volunteer, and/or assisting with a donation, Google Green Bay Garden
Blitz or see the website:
www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/heirloom/gbblitz.asp
MARCH 2015
GBBG Fruit Trees, Growing and Grafting
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Growing and Preserving Unusual Fruits, Sat.,
March 14, 10 a.m. to Noon. Instructor: John
Holzwart - Moonwise Herbs. Everyone enjoys the
sensual pleasure of tasting a new and exotic
tropical fruit, but few people in the Midwest
realize that they can taste these delicious fruits in
their own backyard. Join John Holzwart as he
shares tips for growing and preserving unusual
fruit. Fruit that we will discuss include edible
dogwoods, aronia, elderberries, sea buckthorn,
autumn olives, pawpaws, figs and many more!
$20/GBBG Members; $29/Non-Members.
Fruit Tree Grafting, Sat., March 14, 1- 3 p.m.
Instructor: John Holzwart - Moonwise Herbs.
Learn to generate that perfect fruit tree. Grafting
is the technique of joining parts of plants which
unite and continue their growth as one plant.
Participants will learn techniques, graft and take
home two semi-dwarf fruit trees (apple, pear, or
plum). Root stocks and scionwood (fruit tree
cuttings) provided. Additional plant materials
available for purchase. Please bring a sharp, clean
pocket knife. $24/GBBG Members; $33/NonMembers.
FREE Scionwood Exchange
(Fruit Tree Grafting). Sat., March 14, 3-5 p.m.
Instructor: John Holzwart - Moonwise Herb.
Attention all fruit tree grafters and growers! Here
is your chance to trade fruit tree cuttings and plant
material. Newbies and seasoned grafters will swap
scionwood of various fruit trees. Do you have a
special apple or pear tree in your yard? Bring a
few labeled cuttings of dormant scionwood; no
patented varieties please. The Exchange is FREE,
but please register by calling Emily Hansum at
920-491-3691 ext. 122 or email
[email protected].
Busting Myths
There is a persistent myth that at the
vernal equinox, and only at the vernal
equinox, can you stand a raw egg on its
end. There is an equally persistent rebuttal
that says it’s not possible at any time to
balance a raw egg on its end. Neither
assertion is true. With a little patience (or
sometimes a lot), you can balance a raw
egg on its end at any time of year. The first
day of spring has nothing to do with it.
PAGE 7
The Gardeners Club of Green Bay
Shirley A. Winnes
Tiller Editor
301 David Drive
Green Bay WI 54303
Affiliated with The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America
National website: www.tgoa-mgca.org
Local website: http://gardenclubgreenbay.weebly.com
American Horticulture Society website: http://ahs.org
The Gardeners Club of Green Bay was begun
in 1967 and became chartered in 1968 by
the Men’s Garden Clubs of America (now The
Gardeners of America, Inc./The Men’s
Garden Clubs of America, Inc.).
Purpose and objectives of our club:
 to educate its members and the public
and to promote interest in horticulture pertaining to home gardening,
 to acquire and disseminate horticultural
knowledge in regard to materials, plans,
and ideas in connection with home gardens to and for the benefit of individuals
and communities,
 and to encourage and promote civic interest and pride in individuals and communities, and to encourage and promote pride
in individual or private gardens, community plantings, and parks.
Membership is extended to serious gardeners
who have a concern for the above objectives
of the organization. Membership categories
and dues for 2015 are
1. $25 per individual,
2. $35 per family,
3. lifetime: $200; $5 annual local dues.
In addition to the tiller, members receive a
national newsletter.
At the national level, a photography contest is
held each year with photographs selected to
use for a calendar, five annual $1,000 scholarships are presented, Youth Gardening and
Gardening from the Heart programs are
implemented, a national convention is held,
and much more.
At the local level, members are involved with
numerous community institutions through
financial support and contributions of labor
and plant materials. Silver Trowel awards are
given to recognize contributions to community beautification, four awards are given
to youth in the Big Sunflower and Big
Pumpkin contests, and much more.