*****Winter 2013*****
February 4, 2013
Winter Wonders
Is there anything more interesting than watching a hungry squirrel dig for
food in the snow on a winter's day? To
tunnel so deep that it looks like a mound of snow has suddenly come to life. Or to watch as the birds, that have decided to
stay the winter, peck, peck, peck through the snow for buried seeds.
I am thrilled as I spot a cardinal at the feeder. I know that if I am patient enough, I will be
graced with the presence of her mate. They
seem to know that their coloring makes them stand out. Most often, I will catch them at the feeders
at dusk. Blue jays bully their way
through the smaller birds, snatching a few sunflower seeds as the fly off to a
nearby tree. They try to chase away any
other jays nearby, then settle down to wait. It seems they enjoy waiting for a crowd to
gather so they can push their way through again. 
I am bundled up against the cold, sitting on a stool outside after just
putting out the food for my feathered friends. I sit and watch and listen. It does not take long before birds flutter by
to look me over. They call to each other
and the squirrels chatter, telling those in hiding that it's okay to come out. Perhaps they recognize me now. I try to mimic the bird sounds. They must think me some very large bird with a
defective call. I'm sure they find me
strange.
My goal this winter is to get one of them to eat from my hand. I'm not
particular at this point as to which gets there first. I have quite a selection
that come to feed and any one of them would be a thrill. The black capped chickadees and the goldfinch
seem to be the bravest, or perhaps the hungriest. They have already come within two feet of me
when I am putting out food. They chatter
as if to say, "What took you so long?"
The sunflower seeds I've grown and the thistle and weed seeds I have
gathered this autumn are long gone. Any
seeds from plants grown in the garden are long gone. I watch squirrels, who have already eaten
their fill, try desperately to drag whole ears of dried corn home for dinner or
perhaps a midnight snack. What do you think
it is they say to the Mrs. when they bring home such a prize?
Snow continues to fall and has covered the seed I have thrown on the
ground. Mourning doves and other ground
feeders are reluctant to search for seed with me so near. I decide to leave them to feed in peace. Perhaps later, or maybe tomorrow, one of these
creatures will realize I mean them no harm and will eat from my hand.
Recent Meetings
October Meeting
Jan’s presentation, “Romancing
the Garden: How to Create Sanctuary and
Delight in the Garden,” was made possible by a grant from District X, Federated
Garden Clubs of New York State.
Jan showed us numerous gorgeous
photographs of her work, and she provided us with some basic principles to use in our own gardens. Her talk inspired us to create our own special places of relaxation and rejuvenation and to turn basic backyards into gardens that enrich and enhance health and well being. Spring planting this year will definitely
include her ideas.
Exhibits for the meeting were
underwater designs with the theme of “Serenity.” Central Atlantic Region Director Jeanne
Nelson provided comment on the designs.
November Meeting
Our November meeting, held at the
Cornwall Presbyterian Church, was our annual hands on workshop.
This year we made candlestick toppers. Club members created beautiful designs using
greenery and dried plant material.
Holiday Gathering
Club members and guests met for a holiday gathering at the
Mountainville Manor on Dec. 2. After the
cocktail hour, all enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner. Musical entertainment and dancing added to
the festive atmosphere.
A brief business meeting that included the election of
officers for the upcoming year was held.
Officers elected are as follows: Jayne
Petersen, President; Rita Chase and Marie-Elise Pearson, First Vice Presidents;
Beverly Abraham and Marjorie Krupa, Second Vice Presidents; Rachel McKible and
Sally Ryan, Third Vice Presidents, Susan Olsen, Recording Secretary; Andrea
Hamburger, Corresponding Secretary; and Arlene DeSocio, Treasurer.
Holiday inspired centerpieces that incorporated long needled pine were the exhibits for the evening and provided lovely table décor.
District X
District X Luncheon
District X, Federated Garden Clubs of New York State, Inc., held a Fall Luncheon and Fashion Show on Oct. 10 at the Fountains, Wallkill Golf Club. Our own Rita Chase and Margaret Vatter were among those modeling clothes from The Style Counsel in Warwick.
The Cornwall Garden Club was presented with an honorable
mention award for our yearbook.
Congratulations to Marge Krupa and the 2012 program committee.
Annual Plant Sale
This year our annual Plant Sale will take place on Saturday,
May 11, and it’s not too early to start looking to see how you can help. How about thinking about what you might be
able to donate for the Silent Auction?
Grandma’s Attic will also need your donations. Chic Kennedy, chair for Grandma’s Attic, said
she will collect items at the April meeting.
Chic said donations should be gently used – clean and unbroken. Spring and summer clothing is welcome as long
as it is good condition.
Now would be a great time to test out a new recipe for your
contribution to the Baked Goods table.
You might even be able to find an inexpensive decorative plate at the
thrift shop or a yard sale to place it on.
Plant Sale co-chairs Ilene Osinski and Andrea Hamburger are
looking for a volunteer to organize and host our celebratory Saturday evening
pizza party that follows the Plant Sale.
Please contact Ilene or Andrea if you are interested.
Remember volunteers are needed for the Friday, May 10, plant
delivery. We will meet at the Homestead
at noon. Spouses and friends are most
welcome to come and lend a hand.
And, of course, if you cannot attend the Plant Sale please
let Ilene or Andrea know as soon as possible.
Going to your daughter’s wedding is an acceptable excuse for not
attending; needing to wash your hair isn’t!
Margaret's Message
I have a friend whose family calls her Ratatouille, named
after the famous rat in the award winning movie by the same name. Ratatouille is a secret chef who puts together
succulent concoctions just by throwing all sorts of food, herbs and spices into
a pot. My friend does just that. Ask her
for specifics and you will go away empty handed.
Our club is a kind of concoction, full of all sorts of
wonderful people who put their talents and friendships together into one pot to
form beautiful gardens and share information galore.
We all have “our ways.” Some of us are very particular as to where
that one flower should be placed. Some
of us are more freewheeling. I, myself,
am the Ratatouille of my garden. I must
admit, as much as I learn from the garden club, I do not put all the
information to good use.
The hydrangea's color depends on the PH in the soil. Mine is
whatever color it chooses to be. The
pumpkin vine that grows where last year's pumpkin landed after Halloween is
trained to go up to the roof of the house. (My experiment worked. I have pictures.) I plant my flora where I need something to
fill a space or lend color to the palate. I do pay attention to full/partial/no sun, but
we all know that these greens can be persnickety and change their minds as to
how much sun they want any day, any
time. My hostas that are supposed to
like shade have not grown in the six years they've been there.
My garden, therefore, is always a plain experiment. I plant. It grows. Yippee! OR I plant, it dies, out it comes, only to be
replaced by something else. The rat
would be proud.
Margaret Vatter
Windowsill Herbs
Gardening
on a windowsill is a wonderful option as long as you have plenty of light and
moisture. Small pots of herbs are now
showing up in local nurseries. Use a
wicker basket, recycle a hanging basket or just use individual pots. This will chase away the doldrums of winter
and fulfill your yearning for the greenery of spring. A few herbs that adapt very well to indoor
gardening include: basil, chives, coriander sweet marjoram, oregano, parsley,
rosemary, sage and thyme.
1. Select herbs that are low growing, dwarf varieties of bush or hanging types. Tall herbs may need staking and may detract from your garden plans. Marjoram and thyme grow well in hanging pots.
Here
are a few tips to ensure a successful indoor herb garden:
1. Select herbs that are low growing, dwarf varieties of bush or hanging types. Tall herbs may need staking and may detract from your garden plans. Marjoram and thyme grow well in hanging pots.
2. Select a location that will have fresh air or
good air circulation but that will not be drafty. Air will help you grow more vigorous plants as
well as decrease the incidence of disease and pests, particularly red spider
mites.
3. Select a windowsill with at least five hours
of sunlight. Herbs grown in windows with
less sun may need to be supplemented with artificial lighting.
4. Group your plants so that humidity ranges
from 30 to 50 percent. Placing pots in
gravel will also help raise humidity as will occasional spraying.
5. Keep the soil uniformly moist. Do not allow standing water in saucers or
prolonged wilting.
6. Fertilize monthly with a commercial brand of
houseplant food; a uniform mix of 5-10-5 is recommended.
7. Prune, pinch and trim plants throughout the
growing season; repot into larger containers in the late summer or early fall.
Happy gardening!
Barbara Wexler-Hall
Forcing Branches in February and March
When we are all starting to get tired of winter’s grays and
we are craving some color to liven up our homes, we can bring spring indoors by
forcing some blooms from shrubs and branches. In addition to the winter distraction provided
by bulbs like paperwhites, amaryllis or tulips, we can look for flowering
shrubs to bloom indoors as an economical alternative. Most of the plant material one would use to
force may be in your own yard.
Many ornamental trees and shrubs set their buds during the
previous growing season. The buds must
have a period of dormancy, usually about six weeks of cold temperatures. The buds will come out of dormancy after two
to three weeks of exposure to indoor warmth. By February, most species have had enough
dormancy to be suitable for forcing.
Forsythia is commonly available and easy to force. Choose branches that are about ½ inch or less
in diameter and cut to size to fit your water filled container. Other choices of flowering trees can include magnolia,
Bradford pear, redbud, pussy willow, or fruit trees such as cherry and crabapple.
If the tree branches are greater than ½
inch in diameter, it is advisable to slit the stem in half, about an inch up
the stem to allow more of the stem to take up water. Similar to cut flowers,
one may add floral preservative, and stems should be cut under warm water. A cut bucket of branches can be kept in a cool
space of 45-55 degrees until it begins to show color or they can be arranged
right away and watched in the home as the buds swell and pop open.
 |
| Cherry Blossoms |
Since the stems are in water for weeks, there is another
benefit, because rooting may occur during the forcing period. If the rooted branch is wanted for a new
plant, cut it to 6-8 inches in height, then pot individually and keep moist. If you have more than you need, member plants
will always appreciate the new shrubs for the plant sale, and you will have
your contribution done early!
Tara Hoffmann
Library Donation
Each year we purchase a book for the Cornwall Public
Library. In 2012 we donated Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass by
Liz Primeau.
According to The
National Gardener, Liz Primeau is well-known as a garden writer, garden
design lecturer, television host and founding editor of Canadian Gardening magazine.
The book outlines how to set up a garden and discusses
different garden types such as cottage, secret and natural gardens. There is also a chapter on how to avoid and
solve common planting problems.
Now would be a perfect time to consult Front Yard Gardens for your plans for spring planting.
Tree and Shrub Sale
The Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District’s
2013 Tree and Shrub Program is now accepting orders. According to the program’s order form, the
program’s goals are to provide “affordable, locally adapted plants that beautify
and enhance the local environment.” The sale focuses on “economical bare-root
wildlife and habitat benefitting species.”
Evergreens, deciduous trees and shrubs, ferns and fruit are
among the items for sale. Orders must be
received by Apr. 1. To learn more, go to
www.ocsoilny.org and click on the 2013
sale graphic on the right.
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendar for the following upcoming events.
Saturday, March 23 – Spring Luncheon and Installation of
Officers at the Powelton Club.
Thursday, April 11 – District X Spring Luncheon at the West
Hill Golf Course, Middletown, hosted by the Pine Bush Garden Club.
Thursday, April 11 – Cornwall Garden Club monthly meeting at
6:30 p.m.
Think spring!!!
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