March 2006
Geri Openshaw, Editor

President's message:

I would like to begin this newsletter with a big thank you to Rod Johnston for giving us a glimpse into the future of the North Bay Waterfront Development.  What a great vision for our city and what a tremendous way to start the new year!

We look forward to having Rod back in a few months to share more exciting news from the Community Waterfront Friends and to find out how our society can get involved.

Our next meeting will be held at Christ Church on Vimy Street on March 28^th.  After many concerns about flu outbreaks, parking and trying to find alternative facilities when Cassellholme couldn't take us, our executive was able to make arrangements to hold our meetings and plant sale at Christ Church. 

The year ahead looks very promising with exciting plans underway. Please remember to contact Pat Madill if you are interested in joining our committees.  We need your talents and support. 

Looking forward to another great meeting and great food at the pot luck!

See you there,

Darlene Lecour, President

 NEW LOCATION

CHRIST CHURCH ANGLICAN

890 VIMY STREET

(2 STREETS NORTH OF SCOLLARD ST.)

NEW MEETING NIGHT

TUESDAYS at 7:30 p.m.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, March 28^th
Potluck supper  6:30 p.m.
General meeting 7:30 p.m.
Speaker : Bonnie Cappadocia
Growing your own Organic Vegetables

PLEASE bring your own plates, cutlery, mug and serviette, as well
as your potluck 'special' and serving implement!!

Help us protect the environment!!

Callander Blooms
April 22 and 23rd
Sponsored by the Callander Horticultural Society

North Bay Horticultural Society
Plant sale
Saturday, May 27^th
Christ Church Anglican
890 Vimy Street

Flower show Saturday, July 8th

Our new location

Thanks to Darlene and Audrey for scouting out around town to find our new meeting location at Christ Church Anglican. Our new 'home' has welcomed us with open arms.

We now have a meeting room with excellent acoustics, as well as cushioned chairs for you to sit in.  There is loads of parking, and it is wheelchair accessible.

This is the same location that we have been holding our plant sale for the past two years. The church is on 890 Vimy Street, two streets north of Scollard Avenue and

3 blocks up from Algonquin.

Don't forget that our meetings will now be TUESDAY evenings!

GARDEN GUIDE Mid March to Mid April

• Start planning your garden purchases, supplies, plants, baskets and containers.

• Transplant seedlings after the first true leaves are formed. Use 1/2 strength solution for first fertilization.

• Use dormant oil sprays to protect trees, shrubs and roses from insects and diseases. Apply prior to bud break on a windless frost-free day. Use enough that the liquid runs down the branches to seal off crevices.

• Tour the garden when the snow has melted and make note of any damage to the lawn, or trees and shrubs.

• Firm perennials back into place if they have heaved.

• Prune back overgrown shade trees and hedges.

• Prune summer-flowering shrubs.

• Start tuberous begonias in pots

• Treat houseplants with water soluble fertilizer (e.g. 20-20-20)

SPRING Plant Sale  Saturday May 27^th 9 a.m.

It's time to start thinking about the plant sale again. If you have any pots that you don't need, we could use them for transplanting. Also old Venetian blinds can be used for plant labels.

Don't forget to sow a few extra seeds for the sale it all adds up!

Sue Finnis 497-3121

Thanks to out Volunteers!!!!!!

Thanks to our tireless volunteers who helped out with our garden beds, plant sale, flower show, executive and all those other little things that a Society does over a year. In 2005, we put in 2,954 person/hours to help beautify our City and educate the public about gardening. Congratulations everyone!

Thanks to Sandra Charette for keeping track for these hours. 

Tell a friend...

Encourage your friends, family and neighbours to get involved in this city's latest passion by joining our Society. Ontario horticultural societies receive a $1000 grant from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) with a membership of between 100 and 200 members, but this rises to $1500 with over 200 members. This grant helps us with many of our programs such as civic beautification, invited guest speakers, publicity, library, bursaries, plant sale and flower show.

Share our love of gardening...tell a friend...only $10.00 single/$15.00 family

Dawn Carlson, Membership

Master Gardener's Question of the month

Q: I accidentally left some seeds I bought in the car for several nights while it was about -20C outside. Should I throw them out?

A: Don't toss them! Most seeds can survive the cold temperatures and some actually thrive after being chilled.

Do you have a question for our new Master Gardener section of the newsletter? Please send them to [email protected] or drop them off at the membership table on meeting night!

Please help

We do not have as much storage space at our new location. If you might have a place to store our Flower Show supplies, about 10 large plastic tote boxes, please contact Geri at 476-1894.

We also need two strong individuals with transportation to move our trophy case from Cassellholme for storage at the museum. Please call Geri if you can help us!

Recipes from the garden...

Lemon Thyme cupcakes - Make 12 cupcakes

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. fresh minced lemon thyme or regular thyme (or 2 tsp. dry)

3/4 c. milk

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Glaze:

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour cupcake tins. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, as well as 3/4s of the thyme in a bowl. Set aside milk and lemon zest in another bowl. In a large bowl, cream butter in mixer for about 3 mins., then add sugar, beat for 2 mins. Add eggs and vanilla, blend well.

Add 1/2 the flour mixture, then add milk mixture, then rest of dry ingredients. Blend until well mixed. Fill tins, then bake for 25 minutes.

Combine sugar and lemon juice, plus remaining thyme, and brush tops of cupcakes immediately after baking. Let cool 10 mins. before removing from tins.

Thanks

Thanks to all those who brought in seeds for our seed exchange in February.  If you missed the meeting, there are still a few seeds left which will be available at our March meeting.  

Great website of the month

Tom Clothier's Garden walk and talk

(http://tomclothier.hort.net)

This site includes a seed germination database, articles about seeds, and seed starting, garden insects and other garden problems. Even has a section on why tomatoes are not turning red.

Thanks to Master Gardener Monica McLaren for this website!

OHA Convention 2006 update (for more info, go to gardenontario.org)  

Hotel Room Reservations

Reserve your rooms directly with the:
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 101 Lyon Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 5T9
Phone: 1-800-227-6963 or 1-613-237-3600  www.crowneplaza.com

Hotel Prices (Add $15 for each additional person for triple or quadruple occupancy)

Standard Guest Room   $132.00

Crowne Club Guest Room    $162.00

One Bedroom Suite    $232.00

Two Bedroom Suite     $364.00

Quick seed germination test

Like many gardeners, my stash of seeds has accumulated over the years to the extent that I often forget what varieties I've bought. Some of these seed packets date back several years so before I take a chance, basing my whole crop of sweet corn on that package from 1997, I do a germination test. A test can be done on as few as 5 seeds but a more accurate prediction of germination percentage requires at least 20 seeds.

I use a very low-tech method of germinating seed: damp paper towels and plastic bags. Moisten one towel and arrange your seed on the sheet. If the seed is large (peas, beans, corn), apply another moist towel on top and roll the 2 sheets together into a tube. If the seed is small, the sheet can be folded over and then rolled onto itself. Once rolled, the paper towel should be placed inside a plastic bag or Ziploc to keep it from drying out. Finally, place the plastic bag in a warm spot (on top of the VCR, in the kitchen, on top of the fridge).

Before rolling the sheets, make sure the seeds are not too close to each other. Seeds that don't germinate can begin to mould and this mould will infect nearby seeds if they're too close or touching.

After about 2 days, check the paper towel at least once a day to see if the seeds have started to germinate. If the towels have started to dry out, re-moisten them with a couple of drops of water. Most seeds will germinate within 5 days at room temperature.

The majority of vegetable seeds will keep for at least 3 years if they've been kept cool & dry. The types of seed that don't store well include sweet corn, parsnips, Swiss chard, spinach, and members of the Allium family (onions, leeks, scallions, chives).

The percentage of seed that do germinate in the towel will give you a pretty good idea of how they'll do in the garden. If only 50% of the seeds germinated in the towel, you may want to consider planting the seed closer together to compensate for the seeds that don't emerge. Alternatively, you may want to peruse your favourite seed catalogue and replace that seed package.

Finally, being the frugal gardener that I am, I hate to see a germinated seed go to waste. I pot-up whatever I can and keep them growing under lights

Source : www.yougrowgirl.com

Garden Advice  - Given and Received!

Do you need some advice on how to solve a gardening problem? Do you have information about a plant that you would like to share with the rest of the gardening community? Visit the new GardenOntario FORUMS and share your gardening problems or knowledge.