Author: Susan

March 2017

Mississippi Valley Garden Club

Save these dates:
Thursday, March 16 7pm Bethalto Senior Center Ned Siegel Illinois Master Naturalist University of Illinois Extension Life and Times of the Monarch Sign up for bus trip- $10
Monday, March 27 7 pm Board Meeting Polly’s Restaurant Hwy 140 & Stanley Rd
Thursday, April 20 7pm Bethalto Senior Center Plant Exchange Sign up for bus trip - $10
Monday, April 24 7pm Board meeting Polly’s Restaurant
Friday, April 28 Memorial tree celebration, 6pm Diana P
Saturday, April 29 Dig day at Carole B 8am—12 pm
Saturday, May 13 8–12 pm Plant Sale
Thursday, May 18 Greenhouse at the Nature Institute Sign up for bus trip—$10
Saturday, May 20 7:30 am Bus trip, Washington, MO

New/Returning Members: We were pleasantly surprised by having several new members. Please welcome: Anne C, Anne H, Anne O, Carmen and Robert V. Please welcome back Janice and Paul F, former members. Please take the time to welcome them and get to know them. Hope to see a lot of all of you. March Presentation: Ned Siegel , will be talking about our Illinois state insect, the monarch butterfly. He will share with us why its numbers have decreased dramatically as well as what is being done to bring those numbers back up. Ned will also discuss the best plants that area gardeners can plant to help support the monarch population. Ned is returning for a visit with the club. He presented in 2010 and 2015 on rain gardening. Ned received a B.S. degree in biology and a M.S. in botany from the University of Illinois. He retired from scientific research, after 30 years. Ned became a St. Louis Master Gardener and went on to become a certified as an Illinois Master Naturalist.

April meeting—Plant exchange: This is the time to share our favorite plants with other members. We limit it to 3 plants. If you only bring 2 plants that’s ok, only take 2 home. Divide your plant and pot it. Please label with name of plant, sun or shade, and any details you can share about care. It will be a random drawing using the attendance tickets. Everyone should take home the same number of plants that you bring. Please save any extra plants for the plant sale. Bring a box or bag, it can get messy.

Plant sale: It’s that time of year again. Time to start thinking about the plant sale in May. Plants: take a look at your plants, see what needs to be divided, if you will have spares. If you are thinking of downsizing now is a good time to do it. Try to divide and pot the plants about 2 weeks ahead of sale. Gives the plants time to adjust. Pots: sort thru your pots. Extra pots can be brought to the March and April meetings. Recommended sizes are: approximately 8”tall and 5”wide or 5”tall and 10”wide. Need some flats, also. Flats are good for groundcovers. Flats with fairly solid bottoms work best. Boxes: save small cardboard boxes and open flats, for the customers to use. Pictures: find pictures of your plants, especially if they flower. Helps customers see what they will look like. Kabob sticks work well for attaching your pictures. Raffle: We would like to have a couple of nice raffle items. Any suggestions or donation please Edith Reed or someone know.

Compost: Compost will be delivered by Tuesday 3/14 to Jan M It will be behind the house, use the back alley. Compost will also be available at Carole Baker’s. Just bring a container. This compost is to be used for potting plants that will be donated for the plant sale and filling in the hole that the plant was removed from . Memorial trees: A Sun Valley maple tree has been planted for Mary K at Wock Family Lake park in Jerseyville. I hear it is a very nice park. Check it out when you are in the area.
We have an unusual situation. Diana P passed away in April 2014. We made a donation to Bethalto Park, to have a tree planted. Bethalto Park continues to have a problem with their trees dying, so they returned our donation. We have made a donation for a tree to be planted at Glazebrook park in Godfrey. It is supposed to be planted in time for their Arbor day celebration in April.
Dig day at Carole B: April 29th will be dig day at Carole’s. We will need helping digging, dividing and potting, Even making tags if nothing else. If you are able to come help, it will be appreciated. We are able to get several hundred plants for the sale. Usually we work 8-12. Bring tools for digging, gloves and drinks. Buckets and wheelbarrow if you can. Bring bucket or containers for getting compost for digging your own plants.

Spring bus trip: Our trip will be Saturday, May 20. We will be headed for Washington, MO. We will visit Timber Winds Nursery(formerly Summer Winds), Papillian Perennials and Hillermans Nursery. The bus will be at Alton Square Mall at 7:30 am, it will depart at 8:00 am. Bring a rubbermaid container or box to put your purchases in. The bus will leave promptly at 8 am, so don’t be late. Cost is $10 for members and $18 for guests, Be sure and get signed up at the meetings.

February presentation: Donna Russell, owner of Garden Gems Greenhouse, in Jerseyville, presented at the Feb meeting. She shared with us plants that are good for shade under trees. There are the old reliable plants; hostas, heuchera, columbine, begonias and impatiens. Different plants to try are asparagus ferns, creeping Jenny, lirope, lobelia and rudbeckia. See the attached list of plants to try. Plants will need more water and fertilizer due to sharing resources with tree roots. Donna suggest the app for phone—Growit, as a resource when your out shopping. Donna offers different classes at her nursery, check facebook or website for activities.

Hospitality: Thank you to the members who brought food for our February meeting, delicious as always. The following members have volunteered to bring goodies for the March meeting.
Desserts: Gail Clarkson, Karen Cairns, Sharon Knepper, Sue Reed, Christy Butler and Kay Hancock.
1 large bag of ice — Phil E 1 liter regular cola — Phil E 1 liter white soda — Carol M 1 liter diet soda — Linda V 1 gallon unsweetened tea — Mary B

Activities in the area:
Hayner Library: March 14, 6:30 Rain Gardening, Ned Siegel, St. Louis Master Gardener March 28, 6:30 Wild Edibles, Kathryn Chapman of Painted Goat Farm
Feb 4—Mar 26 Orchid show, Missouri Botanical Gardens

President— Carole Baker, 466-7718
VP/Secretary— Susan Ruckman,466-5892
Treasurer (temporarily)- Susan Ruckman, 4665892

Board members
Vernice Allen Christy Butler Gail Clarkson George Kahl Jerry Linker Dottie Rogers

Committee Chairs
Christy Butler — Trips Susan Hiller — Community Projects Joanne Bottens — Hospitality Debbie Winship — Hospitality Edith Reed — Plant Sale