A new season of Pulaski Garden Club meetings at Pulaski United Methodist Church started on March 5th. Nineteen members answered roll call with garden mistakes made during 2023.
Common mistakes included overwatering, too much sun, starting too early, timing planting for fair shows. Even the experienced gardener learns from their mistakes.
After the financial report for last year, Connie Simmons presented an arrangement with gardening hand tools, entitled “Tool Time”.
Carol Wheeler talked about the succulent month of the Aloe plant. There are over 500 species, explaining that in some areas they grow wild.
They can purify the air, reduce wrinkles, heal wounds, sunburns, and radiation burns. Some with larger leaves can be eaten, making drinks for arthritis. However, they are toxic to pets!
Aloe can flower with large or small tubular flowers. Planting should be potted in soil for succulents, kept on the dry side and in only indirect light.
If spots appear on leaves, they may be overwatered, which is a frequent problem. New plants grown beside the main plant are called pups and can be removed carefully and a new plant starts. Aloe can get sunburned if there is too much sun outside so be careful and enjoy raising this plant.
Joyce Mocherman discussed the care of gardening tools. Shovels, pruners, shears just work better when they are sharp to cut into the soil or a plant.
Joyce recommends a good pair of gloves and a protective hat and a sharpened pair of pruners and a sharpened shovel. To sharpen, use a flat metal file.
To sharpen your shovel, run the file out and off each side of the blade, going from the mid side towards the center of the tip of the shovel on each side going with the angle of the shovel blade, do not go back toward you.
In sharpening the pruners only sharpen the side where the blade is the same way. Oil tools with WD-40 just spray and lay on a towel to drain or use 3 in 1 oil. Do not forget to oil the spring on pruners.
For rust on tools, use a steel brush or just work the tool. When buying, get a feel for the weight of the tool. If the shovel is too tall, put a foot upon it to check.
Check the grip of pruners in your hand. A garden cart with two wheels on the front could be helpful. Joyce’s whole yard is her flower garden, these ideas have been tested.
The business portion of the meeting included discussions on Exhibitors & Judges school to be held April 12-15 in Findlay.
The OAGC Region I Spring Meeting will be on May 2nd with more information to be announced. Club members will be involved providing center pieces and “Make and Take” items for OAGC Convention to be held August 26-28.
Carol Wheeler is again challenging all in a photo contest for our November meeting with categories: Family tree – trees in any season; Vacation Wonders – landscape or closeup of gardens in your travels; Edible Landscape – Fruits and vegetable from/in your garden; The color purple-a closeup of any plant with purple coloring – bloom or foliage and Out of the box – garden related creative point of view – rusty tool, seed packet, etc.
Connie McGrew provided the door prize, and it was won by Cam Miller. Additional door prizes from Cam Miller, a dozen eggs were won by JoAnn Beucler, Brendy Athy, Michelle O’Dell, Joyce Mocherman, and Barb Deetz, much appreciated.
The meeting was closed with refreshments provided by JoAnn Beucler and Joyce Paepke, with time to chat with friends.
Presenters (pictured) at the March meeting of the Pulaski Garden Club were Joyce Mocherman, Carol Wheeler and Connie Simmons.