Fayette Garden Club holds April meeting

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Fayette Garden Club met for its April meeting at the home of Barbara Sams on Deer Haven Court.

Members were greeted by Barbara and the assisting hostess Joanne Montgomery.

President Pam Rhoads opened the meeting with a poem entitled Daffodils by William Wordsworth.

Roll call was answered by each giving a name of a spring bulb planted last fall and many named were tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and anemones.

Secretary Susie Meriweather and treasurer Debbie Carr gave their reports and they were approved as read.

An update on shut-ins and members sick was given and president Pam Rhoads delivered Easter baskets to each of them.

An announcement was made on the upcoming Region 16 Spring meeting to be held in Plain City on May 12 by vice president Marge Clifford. Articles were brought for the baskets to be sold at the regional meeting as a money making project for the club.

The 94th anniversary for our club will be held at the Sugar Creek Baptist Church on May 13 and members are to wear hats and gloves to celebrate the occasion.

Julia Hidy gave a short report on the Washington Cemetery Fountain and a full report will be given at a later date. The clean-up on the Judy Chapel was postponed because of the weather and a date will be set for a time in May.

Mary Estle announced that the National Day of Prayer is May 5 at noon at the gazebo on the Court House lawn.

Interesting facts were given by Susie Meriweather on English Ivy. With lobed leaves and lush trailing vines, English Ivy is a beautiful accent plant. It blends well in a dish garden, adding texture to a variety of tropical plants. Ivy is a vigorous grower with strong wiry stems and densely covered with distinctive foliage. Although commonly grown as a hanging plant indoors, its aerial roots can easily be trained to climb a moss stick or trellis.

There are hundreds of types of ivy varieties –some with plain green leaves, others are variegated with yellow, gold or creamy white. Growing ivy with plenty of bright light will help variegated ivies to keep their color. Prune off any stems of variegated ivy that reverts to all green. Caution: English ivy leaves are poisonous if eaten and it can cause skin irritation. It’s a good idea to wear gloves while handling this plant.

The horticulture tip was given by Susie Meriweather on preparing your garden for planting. Take a quick stroll through your garden space and assess the condition of it. Make a note of what needs to be done in order to prepare the garden for spring. Jot down a to-do list to help you keep track of what needs to be completed.

Remove any debris from the garden area like rocks, sticks, leftover mulch and dead plant materials. It is especially important to remove old mulch and plant materials if you had issues with diseases, such as blight, the previous year. The disease could be carried over into this season if those items are left in the garden. If you had no issues with disease last year, you can place these items in your compost pile or just turn them over to add organic matter to your garden soil.

As the temperature begins to rise, you may spot a few rogue seedlings sprouting up from last year’s vegetable garden. You may think you are getting a freebie plant, but it is a good idea to remove them. The new seedling could also carry over diseases from the previous season.

Now is a good time to take an inventory of your garden tools and supplies. Check tools for any damage to make sure they are in good working condition. Repair or replace any that may be broken or unsafe to use.

Most vegetable and herb seeds can be started indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date for your area. Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a jump on the growing season, especially if you live in an area that has a relatively short growing season. Once the seeds have germinated, place them next to a south facing window where they will receive the best amount of light. A seed starting tray works well if starting many different types of seeds at one time.

A door prize was given by vice president Marge Clifford to the winner – Debbie Carr.

Dessert was served by hostesses Joanne Montgomery and Barbara Sams to the following members: Carole Anderson, Vicki Cardenas, Debbie Carr, Marjorie Clifford, Mary Jane Esselbourne, Mary Estle, Julie Hidy, Connie Meriweather, Susie Meriweather, Joanne Montgomery, Pat Parsons, Pam Rhoads, Barbara Sams, Jean Smith and guest Patty Houseman.

This article was submitted by the Fayette Garden Club.

The Record-Herald

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