CHAPPAQUA
gARDEN CLUB

We saw many beautiful wild flowers and plants on our Wildflower Island trip, guided by the amazing Mathew McDowell. Thank you Nancy Chung for the photos!

Submitted by Gwinne Porter

Our Spring Plant Sale has been an even bigger success than last year, thanks to selective offerings and enthusiastic sales! Thank you to all who came out and helped!

Submitted by Judy Leheny

There has been a glorious display of Daffodils this year.  To keep them healthy for next year, de-bud them as they fade.  Not hard - Using your thumb and index finger, simply snap off the heads behind the swollen seed pod and throw them in the dirt.  The leaves will then divert their energy to building up the bulb instead of the seed. Prune your roses to an outward-facing bud to facilitate an open plant. The rule on roses: “Feed ‘em like hogs and water ‘em like elephants!"  Weed and mulch. Now you can see where you will plant the annuals and perennials that you will just have to have from the Plant Sale.  If you think a plant is over-crowded separate it and donate the off-shoot to the Plant Sale. Then take time to sit and admire the results off your hard work!

On the subject of compost/mulch.  There are lots and lots of ways to make compost.  Herewith, the lazy man’s way:  Take a pile of leaves about 4 feet high and wide, throw some dirt and a little grass clippings on it, empty about three buckets of compost from the dump (think of it as a sour dough starter) and water it well. Once or twice a year turn it over  (stir it).  In a year or two you’ll have delicious soil for your plants.

Submitted by Judy Leheny

New faces have joined our merry group and they have reported that they have had a great time.  Some members are not able to make it each week but that’s the whole point of the “schedule.” We meet every Thursday at 10 - if life intervenes, so be it.  Come next week.  We look forward to seeing you -  and catching up.  Positive feedback from the passersby make it all worthwhile.

New faces have joined our merry group and they have reported that they have had a great time.  Some members are not able to make it each week but that’s the whole point of the “schedule.” We meet every Thursday at 10 - if life intervenes, so be it.  Come next week.  We look forward to seeing you -  and catching up.  Positive feedback from the passersby make it all worthwh

Congratulations Mary Lynn McRee for receiving People's Choice Award - 3rd place - at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art 40th Annual Fine Arts and Flowers.

Submitted by Judy Leheny

Now is the time to fertilize - not only your lawn - but your garden beds as well.  If you have a compost pile, that is the best “medicine” for your garden. Next best is fish fertilizer. Otherwise, a good, balanced fertilizer (5-10-5)  sprinkled around your plants and shrubs will get them off to a good start this season.  

Fertilize your bulbs as soon as they come up (now) and again as the foliage dies down.This may help your tulips come back next year. Prune your roses now to shape them and remove crossing branches. Cut just above an outward facing bud. This will direct the growth away from the center of the plant. Peonies should be sprayed now with a fungicide every week for three weeks to prevent botrytis fungus. 

If you have a slug problem and use slug bait, place it now where slugs tend to do the most damage (Hostas). This kills the adults before they lay eggs that will produce the slugs that will take off in your garden during the summer. Spring in the garden means that everything must be done yesterday. But your efforts will be rewarded come May!

Submitted by Judy Leheny

Thursday, April 6 at 10 a.m. will be the next “meeting” of the Pocket Park.  We accomplished so much on March 23 - cutting down the grasses, learning to prune the Hydrangeas, and giving the Park a spring cleanup that we decided to take a week off.  Since the 23rd, the Park has been fertilized and the trellised rose tied up and pruned.  We are well on our way to shaking off the winter blahs.  We are not at all an exclusive group and one disappointment was that no new members came to join our laugh-and-learning experience.  Contact Anne Boyd or Judy Leheny if you would like to come on the 6th

Submitted by Karen Bazik

Garden Jr. 's had 13 children attend our March Herb Windowsill Garden workshop. The children enjoyed hearing a story about planting a garden. Then, they planted their own windowsill garden. Thanks to Kent and Sue for supplying seeds and helping out. Many of the families plan to attend next month's vegetable garden workshop.

Submitted by Innes Mercean

Adam Wheeler from Broken Arrow Nursery in CT showed us how to properly cut and setup for plant propagation, during a very informative presentation, followed by a hands-on workshop. Workshop participants got to take home their test pot with three plant cuttings. Hopefully we will see new roots in a few weeks!

From Judy Leheny The Pocket Park will reconvene on Thursday, March 23 at 10:00.  A number of our core members have already “signed” on to continue the great work that we accomplished last year. We are definitely NOT an exclusive group and welcome anyone who wants to learn about gardening and participate in restoring our little Central Park. We learn from one another and laugh a lot.  We meet on Thursdays at 10 but there is no sign-up.  If you go on vacation that’s okay.  If life intervenes, no problem. If you know nothing about gardening, that’s okay, too.  Pruning, weeding, planting, thinning, garden design - we do it all.  If you want to know more, contact us.  See you on the 23rd!