THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER![]() July was a very busy month for our Master Gardener Association. Work continues in earnest in the garden area. The first major bed has been planted, a refurbished sign with our new garden name, Coastal Oaks Garden, has been erected, and work continues on the relaxation patio area. The Landscape Committee, the Landscape Design Committee and the Propagation Committee have put in lots of hot, sweaty hours over the last few months and the results are starting to show. We continue to receive contributions to the Greenhouse Fund Raising effort. As of the end of July, the total raised toward the greenhouse cost is $4432.50. Thanks to all the Master Gardeners who have contributed individually, as well as to those generating additional outside contributions. The final payment for the Greenhouse will be made in September, with construction to follow shortly afterward. We hope to have the greenhouse up and running in time for the Fall Plant Sale, September 29. There is still a lot to accomplish to make that deadline. The Landscape Design Team has started planting the beds around the AgriLife Building. This will be a work in progress for some time to come but they have made an attractive start. The County has agreed to do the weeding necessary around the building, which is greatly appreciated! The Tree Team has also been active and is making monthly home visits. Our Fall Plant Sale, scheduled for September 29th, may see a first. This sale will probably be held INDOORS at the AgriLife Building. Although a substantial amount of work has been done in the garden area, it won’t be finished by that date. Also, the area may be a “construction zone” if the greenhouse erection is ongoing at that time. For many reasons, most especially public safety, the Plant Sale Committee is seriously considering moving the sale inside the building. A final decision should be made within the next couple of weeks. August will be another BUSY month. The new Master Gardener Training Classes will begin shortly. With that in mind, the Board of Directors meeting has been changed from 1:30pm to 10:00am on the first Tuesday of the month for the remainder of the year. The Landscape, Propagation, and Landscape Design Committees will continue to meet Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8-10. It is hot and will get hotter… but we will do our best as we continue to shape our new “home”. The Plant Sale Committee will be meeting on a regular basis between now and the end of September. Watch your weekly MG email announcements or check out the website calendar for dates/times of the various Committees and please join us if you can! Jeanna
New sign, new bed, soil amended, and irrigation installed. Master Gardeners rock! |
AUGUST NEWS ARTICLES
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AUGUST GARDENING TOPICLeaf MinersWhat a pleasure it is to wander through our flower beds after drought breaking rains. The bright clean petals and fresh green leaves give a welcome promise of a spurt of growth and a burst of colorful blooms. But what is this? Leaves with sqiggly lines! Leaves with ugly blisters or blotches! Leaves with feathery patterns along their ribs! The life giving rains have encouraged pests to propagate in greater numbers. Some wasps, beetles, flies, and moths cleverly lay their eggs under leaves upon which the precious larvae wriggle between the protective upper and lower layers of the leaf and tunnel about ‘mining’ the nutritious juices within. See how the tunnels widen as the larvae grow fatter. Safe within, sprays or horticultural dust cannot reach them. When the larvae emerge, they start munching the leaf itself before dropping to the soil to overwinter. Some stay longer and actually skeletonize the leaves they feed on. So, Leaf Miner is a descriptive term, not a specific pest. In fact, the tunneling pattern often identifies the inhabitant. And, no, you do not have to know what hides within but you do want to rid the plant of its uninvited guest or the leaves will suffer, turn yellow, and fall off. Hopefully, you examine your plants closely when you water, fertilize, or simply stroll by admiring them. This permits you to spot the tunneling activity and you can simply remove the leaves. (Burn or deep compost them.) The fewer leaves you have to remove, the better, so be watchful. And the sooner you spot the problem and begin removing leaves, the fewer pests will return to plague you next year. Tip to vegie growers: Some varieties of tomato, with naturally curling leaves, have proven resistant to leaf miners. For images of an amazing variety of leafminer patterns, simply enter leaf miners in a www.google.com search box For more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafminers
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