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President’s Message

Nancy Baldwin

I hope you are enjoying all the growing things in your garden. It is always a treat for me to think back to the beginning of January and my rather austere front yard (after the pruning and cutting back has been done) and compare it to my view out the window in April. Everything has that new-growth green look, and my earliest flowers are blooming. It’s a big reward for the hard work of January. On a different subject, while it is too early to plant your summer vegetable garden, there is a solution for us impatient types. If you want to get

your veggie seeds in the ground a little early, I’ve had some success with my “wall of water” and “mini-hoop house.” I’ve got an Early Girl tomato in the wall of water and lettuce, radishes, and turnips in the hoop house. These products provide young plants protection from wind and cold, and both serve to warm up the soil and the air around the plants via solar gain. You can get them at local garden supply stores.

It’s time to think about the club officers for next year. We will be identifying those interested in running for office at our April meeting, voting in May, and installing officers in June. Our four current officers have all expressed a willingness to serve again next year. However, we welcome any interest from other members. If you are interested in running for an elected office (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer), please contact me before the April meeting. Join us! Monday, April 3, we’ve arranged for a docent led tour of the U.C. Davis Arboretum. Combine that with the Arboretum Nursery native plant sale and lunch in Davis and it will be an incredible day. We will carpool from the EG Burlington Coat Factory parking lot. Contact me if interested 916-849-9681. DID YOU KNOW? A new global study conducted by MIT affirms Sacramento’s status as the City of Trees. Treepedia, an MIT project that uses Google Maps to measure tree coverage in cities and around the globe, confirmed that Sacramento is the greenest city in the States, and the second greenest city globally, just after Vancouver. From Feb./March 2017 issue of Sactown

Elk Grove Garden

Club, April 2017

Vol. 8, Issue 8

Beyond The Garden Gate

Linda Rivera, Editor

Next Meeting:

Thurs., April 13, 2017,

10:30 a.m.

EG Congregational Church

9624 Melrose Ave., EG

Inside This Issue:

Minutes, Corrections

Edible Flowers, Website,

Recipes, Bees, Members,

Carpet Rose Giveaway,

What’s Growing in June,

Treas. Report & Events

Our Website:

elkgrovegardenclub.org

Newsletter:

linda@mycci.net

Minutes – Elk Grove Garden Club – March 9, 2017

President Nancy Baldwin called the meeting to or-der at 10:30 am. After the pledge to the flag, 50 members introduced themselves by telling what they are planting this month. The minutes were approved as printed. The treasurer’s report was approved as printed. A bill was submitted for office supplies.

Correspondence received: A letter from Quarry Hill and one from the Elk Grove Historical Society.

Sunshine: March Birthdays were announced.

Tips and Techniques: Nancy stated that, if your container soil has an odor, replace it now.

Old Business:

Committee reports

Bus trip on April 27th. We have 37 members and guests signed up at present.

The botanical group is now The Art Group.

The website is expanding to show gardens of mem-bers.

The 60th anniversary committee wants to celebrate our history of yesterday, today and the future.

New Business:

SRVD has their spring sale on March 18th and 19th.

A motion was made to send $100.00 to the EG His-torical Society. Seconded and carried.

Announcements:

See the newsletter for upcoming events.

Sign-up for the field trip to UCD Arboretum on ei-ther April 3 or 5

Nancy thanked the luncheon committee for a great lunch.

Nancy announced the National Garden Association is sponsoring a photo contest.

Program: Julia Daehling-Oldfield from Big Oak Nursery presented UCD All Stars.

Respectfully Submitted Punky Dias, Secretary

Correction’s Corner

Update your 2017 Garden Club Yearbook with

corrections for Marylee Trimmer and Judy Fraser.

Edible Flowers—Nancy Baldwin

With Spring fully here, and flowers coming into bloom, why not add a few to your meals? And if your herbs are flowering, eat the flowers too! There are many edible flowers that add color and interest

to your food. Here are some ideas.

Calendula

Green salads, soups, pastas, dessert decoration

Chives

Veggie salads & pastas, herb butter, soups, sandwiches, grains

Dianthus, pinks

Fruit & veggie salads, beverages, honey, herb butter, sandwiches

Dill

Veggie salads & pastas, grains, soups, potatoes

Lavender, fruit & green

Salads, dessert decorations, bever-ages

Nasturtium

Fruit & veggie salads, soups & pas-tas, cream cheese spreads

Roses

Fruit & veggie salads, dessert deco-rations, apple pie, beverages, cream cheese spreads

Red Clover

Veggie salads, soups & pastas, grains & hot cereals

Also try catmint, chamomile, cilantro, fennel, lem-on verbena, rosemary, sage, thyme, dandelion greens, violets & pansies. If you have treated your

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W e are expanding our Gardens webpage to include gardens that our members have visited outside of our

area including out-of-state and overseas.

The visit should have been within the last two years and we would like a brief description up to about 80 words. Suggested content includes de-scribing the garden, its purpose and any unique features, as well as passing on any tips and tech-niques that could be of interest to members. Sending along some pictures would be good too. Please send them full-size for the Website.

Send the articles and pictures to the Webmaster at: webmaster@elkgrovegardenclub.org

By Bonnie Marr

By Popular Demand Recipes

We’ve had requests for these recipes and here they are: The St. Patrick’s Day Baked Mashed Po-tatoes and the Massaged Kale Salad.

Baked Mashed Potatoes—Serves 6-8

by Carmen Schindler

Fix mashed potatoes (fresh or Instant, both work) as you normally do. I make them with butter and milk.

To mashed potatoes add: (amounts to taste)

Cottage Cheese (I put in a pint)

One chopped onion

Chives

White Pepper

Salt

Dash of Worcester-shire Sauce

Place in casserole & top with butter

Bake 350 degrees 25 to 30 min.

I only add food coloring for Saint Patrick’s Day.

Massaged Kale Salad With Mango, Avocado, &

Hazelnuts

By Barbara Gumbs from www.chowhound.com/recipes

This kale salad is a bumped-up version of the pop-ular Food Network recipe. The combination of lemon juice, honey, black pepper & olive oil cre-ate a tangy, sunny salad dressing that helps to tenderize the kale. Toasted hazelnuts add tons of aroma & crunch, pairing surprising well with creamy avocado & sweet bites of diced mango. The whole mélange makes for an unusually rich & delicious way to enjoy greens.

Ingredients:

1 bunch Dinosaur (Lacinato) kale

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp. honey

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 large mango, peeled and diced into 1/2” cubes

1 large avocado, diced into 1/2” cubes

1/4 C. roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1. Rinse & dry kale leaves. Trim out the inner stems & discard. Slice the kale leaves into 1/4” ribbons & place in mixing bowl.

2. Add 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil to the bowl with kale, along with the juice of 1/2 lemon & the salt. Using your hands, squeeze & massage the kale for 3 min. until it has wilted considerably.

3. Stir in the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, honey, & black pepper.

4. Gently fold in the diced mango, avocado & ha-zelnuts.

In your garden,

plant the veggies

you like to eat.

Our Friends, the Bees, Not the British rockers singing, Sunshine Hit Me, but our own

honeybee. What’s Happening and Why.

For the first time in history, as of March 2017, a bumblebee in the continental U.S. has been placed on the U.S. Endangered Species List. They join seven species of yellow-faced bees, native to Hawaii, that were the first bees in the country to be given endangered status in Oct. 2016. Reports of bee die-offs have be-come more frequent and alarming since 2006. Bees are definitely dying — but why? As gardeners we owe it to our little buddies to find out more. There is controversy regarding the cause of bee die-off, and the scope of what is at stake: around two-thirds of the food we eat, by weight, come from staple crops such as rice, wheat, and corn which are pollinated by wind, not insects. And as cornfields, almond, pistachio, and citrus orchards replace native plants and crops, bees see their habitat decline. There are about 20,000 bee spe-cies, but only a few are “honeybees”.— that is the kind that are kept in hives and are grown, sold and traded as a commodity. The rest are wild. Wild bees are responsible for a majority of pollination. Intensive farming exacerbates the honeybee’s problems and underpins three distinct challenges to bee populations. 1. There is less uncultivated land available to support bees. Farmland is stripped of all but the cash crop

plants, so there is no flowery food when those crops are not in bloom. 2. A second problem is the spread of honeybee diseases. Hives are shipped all over the world, and with

them come stowaway bacteria, fungi and parasites, such as the varroa mite, the possible cause of colo-ny-collapse disorder.

3. Large,-scale intensive farming involves the use of a great many fungicides, herbicides and pesticides. Since 2006, a new family of pesticides called neonicotinoids were introduced and for the first time bee colony collapse disorder was identified. These chemicals have a confusing mix of results, but it is clear, that at certain doses, and in combination with other standard plant treatments, neonicotinoids can be harmful or even deadly to bees. Neonics, which can be sprayed on plants, is also commonly used to coat seeds or applied directly to the soil. Chemical companies dispute research that neonicotinoids can be toxic to bees. Companies state that neonics is not at a toxic level, but that conflicts with what ob-servant beekeepers are seeing and reporting, which is that if they are next to certain agricultural crops, the bees are always sick.

What can we do as home gardeners? Read, become informed, learn about bees. Return some land to wild conditions, eliminate the use of pesticides in our gardens, use open-pollinated/untreated seeds, cultivate plants that attract bees, have shallow water in your garden for bees, and keep a balanced perspective when reading materials published by chemical companies and agribusiness foundations. Know that plants sold in big box stores are often treated with neonics, support native plants, local nurseries, garden clubs. Taken from: The Economist, 2015, The Decline of Bees; Mother Jones, The EPA Finally Admitted That the World’s Most Popular Pesticide Kills Bees—20 Years Too Late; Forbes, The Buzz: 6 Reasons Not to Worry About the Bees, U.S.A.Today, To Save Bees, Some States Sting Pesticide Use, www. beyondpesticides.org. & www.sierraclub.org

Ever wonder, why are bees dying and cockroaches thriving?

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Hello Joanie Freedman. Born in Brooklyn & educated at

the State University of New York in Courtland. After living

& working as a teacher in San Mateo for many years,

Joanie moved to EG in 2003 to the city’s first leisure vil-

lage. She lives with gusto! She’s an adventurer traveling

through Croatia, England, France, Italy & loves it all.

When at home, we might see her at the symphony, the

Crocker, the Mondavi Cntr. or one of the many area book

clubs . She’s an avid reader & article collector. If there is a

question about a book or column - ask Joanie. She’s got it

& she’ll make your life interesting.

This is Bonnie Mischo-Allinger, who has lived in Sacto. & Wilton 30+

yrs. After retiring as a community college professor there was no

longer an occasion to wear jewelry or the extensive cat pins she’d

collected, & as a result, her trademark hat was born. Ea. hat is a

showcase for her collection. Bonnie ‘s a voracious reader & facili-

tates EG’s most interesting book club, while belonging to many oth-

er book clubs. An active member of the Sacto. Jane Austen Society

of N. America, she travels extensively while participating in lively,

literary discussions. She steadfastly carves-out time to spend with

family in Idaho, cherishing ea. moment. You’ll enjoy talking to Bon-

nie, she’s strong, independent, & you’ll learn a lot too.

Special thank you to Julia Daehling-

Oldfield, Big Oak Nursery, March’s

presenter. She brought lots of plants,

U.C. Davis All Stars, provided good

information/handy notebooks & was

open & generous with her time.

Everyone’s Irish in March. Here are members at the March 2017 mtg . Not only are

we wearing green, but our lunch was green. Thanks to the clever cooks.

Be our guest!

Be our guest!

Put our service to the test

Tie your napkin around your

neck, cherie

And we’ll provide the rest

Be Our Guest lyrics, Beauty & the Beast Open your arms for our new

member Mary Tolan-Davi. Say

hello, and invite her in.

C arpet Rose Give-Away!

Bonnie Marr has eight, free, carpet roses that she would like to dig up and give away. They are pruned, healthy, and hap-

py, but the builder’s landscaper did not put them in the right spot. They can get 3’ to 4’ tall with a 6’ to 8’ spread depending on how they are pruned. They are self-dead heading and have a long bloom time. They need a good home. Call Bonnie Marr at 916-647-4838, if interested.

Below is an example of a carpet rose. This is not a picture of Bonnie’s actual roses, merely a refer-ence, so actual colors will vary.

What’s Growing in Your Garden in June?

By Mary Adams-Wiley

The Club’s June 8th mtg. will be a lovely high tea at the home of Vivian Sellers. The committee wants to have at least 8 and perhaps as many as 12 small white buckets of fresh flowers for center-pieces. Please consider what might be blooming in your garden then. Roses, peonies, and lavender immediately come to mind, but think about the annuals you just planted, good old favorite peren-nials, and other plant material that will make a great filler/enhancer in the arrangements. Please contact Mary Adams-Wiley, at the following: adamswiley@comcast.net or 925-200-3250 if you have something to contribute and your name will be added to the list to contact later. All floral do-nations will be acknowledged on the menu sheet.

Easter Grass — A Quick Easter Egg Nest in

Pots, Bowls, & Vases. By Alden Lane Nursery

Simply fill a container 2/3 full with soil, sprinkle with rye grass seed or wheat seed and press seed firmly against the soil. Water and watch it grow! The wheat seed germinates in 3-4 days, annual rye in 7-10 days. Watch it grow and trim with scissors.

“Scientists believe they may have found a

plant that is over a billion years old. Turns

out it’s the lettuce on a Carl’s Jr. Burger”.

Conan O’Brien

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Roll Call Question: What ‘s blooming in your garden?

Program: Mosquitos—Luz Maria Robla, Sacra-mento-Yolo Mosquito Control District

Hostess: Nancy Baldwin

Events & Resources

4/3, Mon., 6:30, EG Gardeners of the Grove, Herbs, Keller Williams Realty Ofc., #100, 9250 Laguna Springs, EG

Events at the Shepard Garden & Arts Cen-ter, 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacto. 95816

4/1-2, Sat. & Sun., Capitol City African Violet Show

4/8-9, Sat. & Sun., American Bonsai Assn.

4/15-16, Sat. & Sun., Sacto. Iris Show

4/22-23, Sat. & Sun., Sacto. Chrysanthemum Sale

4/29, Sat., Sacto. Rose Show

4/1-2, Sat. & Sun, Amador Spring Fling, Plymouth , Demonstrations by gardening experts, spring plant and food for purchase. Amador Flower Farm, 2201 Shenan-doah School Road, Plymouth 95669

4/5-9, Sat. 10 AM to 7 PM & Sun. 10 AM to 6 PM, San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, San Mateo Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Dr., San Mateo. Adults $22, Sen-iors $20. Can’t Drive? Check-out, Sports Leisure Travel is planning an excursion to the event, Thurs., 4/6, $99.

4/7-8, Sat., 8 AM to 7 PM, & Sun., 9 AM to 6 PM, 4/7-8, Yard & Garden Event, American Cancer Society EG Dis-covery Shop, 8470 Elk Grove Blvd., EG (916) 685-7449

4/8, Sat., 9 AM to1 PM, Public Plant Sale, U.C. Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery, arboretum.ucdavis.edu (530) 752-4880

4/8, Sat. 8 AM to Noon, Elk Grove Community Garden Plant Sale, 10025 Hampton Oak Dr., elkgrovecommu-nitygarden.org.

4/8, Sat., 9:30 AM to 4 PM, The 7th Annual Gardens Gone Native Tour, A free, self-guided tour featuring private gardens in Sacramento, Placer & Yolo coun-ties. Gardens are comprised of at least 50% Calif. Native plants. Sponsored by Sac Valley Native Plant Society. Must register online to get maps. See: sacvalleycnps.org

4/12, Wed., 9 AM to Noon, Open Garden, Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacra-mento County, 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks 95628

4/22 to 23, Sat. & Sun., Poppy Festival, St. Steve Ow-en Memorial Park, Lancaster., $10, Too far? Enjoy the Poppy Festival from your smart phone. Go to www.poppyfestival.com and download the mobile app and you can sit back and enjoy videos on the YouTube Channel courtesy of the city of Lancaster.

4/27, Thurs., The EGGC Annual Bus Tour, Sunset Cor-nerstone Gardens. Explore the many designer gardens of Sunset Magazine. Enjoy the gift shop, café, and many things to see. Contact 916-849-9681 for availabil-ity. $55.

5/6-7, Sat. 0 AM to 5 PM, & Sun. 11 AM to 5 PM, Gar-dens of the Hills 2017 Tour & Crafts Fair, Tour Four Seasons Community Garden and Sherwood Demonstra-tion Garden and private gardens. Crafts fair featuring local artisans and food trucks at Valley View School Gymnasium, 1665 Blackstone Pkwy., El Dorado Hills

Take all those peelings & veggie scraps & run them through your food processor. Then sprinkle this in your soil to feed growing plants. Pepper plants especially love this & you’ll get a bumper crop.

The Sierra snowpack stood at 166% of the normal amount of snow to date this season. Skiing is expected in Truckee to extend to July 4. Just the thought of that will cool us off.