VOLUME8,Issue9,November2016

A Message from our Vice-President ~~~~~~~

HiEveryone.

HappyThanksgiving!

Ican’tbelievethatIamalreadymakingthatcomment.It’scrazythattheholidaysareinoursights.ImustsaythoughthatIhaveenjoyedthefallcolorsonafewtreesaroundthearea.

Idon’tknowifI’llgetachancetomakeituptoAppleHillnearPlacervillethisyear.Everyyearinthefallthereisaspec-tacularviewofautumncolorsinthefoothills.

I’mexcitedaboutourGardenersoftheGrovemeetingcominguponMonday,November7th.JenniferKhalfromtheSecretGardenwillbeourspeaker.Shewilldemonstratehowtomakeacolorfulwreath.That’saverytimelysubjectfortheholidays.BesuretoreadherarticleinthiseditionoftheScarecrow(seepage3).Also,don’tmisstheSecretGarden’sHolidayOpenHouse(seepage7).

WeareveryluckythatourClubwillbecontinuingintothefuture.I’mlookingforwardtoagreatyearofsharinggardeninginformationandideas.

Seeyousoonandhappygardening,

Bonnie Jones

Next Meeting ~~~~~ Monday,November7

Holiday WreathsJenniferKhal

TheSecretGarden(moreonpage3)

Inside This Issue ~~~~ 2–SassySucculents-Kalanchoe2–What’sBlooming?

3–ThisMonth’sSpeaker3–RemovePomegranateSeeds

4–What’sBlooming4–NovemberChecklist4–LastMonth’sSpeaker

5–SpeedyRecovery–RuthHayes5–UpcomingTour—Poinsettias!5–CalendarofEvents

TheScarecrow|November2016 2

Sassy Succulents ~~~~~~~~~~~ Kalanchoe(pronouncedkal-un-KOH-ee).ASouthAfricannative.Theseguysneedmorewaterthanmostsucculents.Bringtheminthehouseforwinterasmostofthemdon’tlikefrost.

Kalanchoeblossfeldiana.Theseareacommonplantfoundingrocerystoresandnurseries.Theymakebeautifulbloomsoveralongseason.Tryseveralwhiteonesinapotforholidaydecorating.

Kalanchoeluciae.ThePaddlePlant.Leafedgesaretingedredinthesun.Theycangetto18incheswidebutnotthattall.Snailswillpermanentlydisfigureleaves.

Kalanchoeluciae‘Fantastic’(nextcolumn)isthelovelyvar-iegatedversionofthePaddlePlant.Itgetsalittlebigger—upto2feettall/wide.

Kalanchoetomentosa.ThePandaPlant.Slowgrowingto2feettallandwide.Thesefurryleavedbeautiescantaketempsto25degrees.Theyliketobequitedryinwinter.

Kalanchoetomentosa‘ChocolateSoldier’.AwarmercolorversionofthePandaPlant.

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TheScarecrow|November2016 3

November Speaker ~~~~~~~~~~

JenniferKhalandDaniStutzmanfromTheSecretGardeninElkGrovewillpresentontheamazingversatilityand"craftability"ofsucculents.Weallknowhowamazingsuc-culentslookinpotsandinourgardens,butwhataboutinourpumpkins,onourwreaths,inourhair!Watchastheydemonstratehowtomaketwodifferentstylesofsucculentwreaths,teachingyoutechniquesyou'lleasilybeabletouseathometomakeyourownfabulousdecoratingandfashionaccessories.

Remove Pomegranate Seeds ~~~~ ByJanFetler

Nowyou’veharvestedthosepomegranatestoprotectthemfromrainandpotentialsplittingthatitcancause.OrmaybeyouboughtabunchattheFarmer’sMarket.Whiletheyarefreshfromthetreeisthebesttimetogetthoseseeds,calledarils,outforuseinthekitchen.

Beginbycuttingthroughtheskinfromendtoend.Thepic-tureshowsscoringinthirds,butquartersworktoo.Youonlyneedtogo1/4inchdeep.

Afullyripe,freshpomegranatewillsplitopenonitsownoryieldtomodestpressurewhencutlikethis.Breakthepomegranateintothirdsorquarters.

Holdthecutpiecewiththeseedsdowninyourhand.Ifyouhaveanolderpomegranateyoumightneedtogentlybendittoflattentheskinside.Useakitchentoolwithaheavyhandle.Thisslottedspoonhasaheavystonehandle.Holdthespooninonehandandwhackthebacksideofthepomegranatewiththehandle.Theseedswillliterallypopintothebowlthroughyourfingers.Iftheydon't,you'renothittingithardenough!

Thisbowlisholding20cupsofseedsthattookabout30minutestoremovefrom15pomegranates.It'sAMAZING!

Seedscomeoutnearlyperfect,readyforasaladorjuiceorjelly,or???!

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TheScarecrow|November2016 4

What’s Blooming? ~~~~~~~~~~ Okay,whatwillbeblooming?It’snottoolatetoplantseedsforSweetPeas.Theywillrewardyouwithprettyflowersandaheavenlyfragranceonawarmspringday.Findlotsofvarietiesatlocalgardenstores.

Soakseedsinwaterovernighttosoftenthetoughshell.Mostvarietiesliketoclimbatrellisornetting,butifthatdoesn’tworkforyou,lookforbushvarietiesthatstaytidyandevendowellinpots!

PhotobyJanFetler

Gardenism ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PhotobyJanFetler

November Garden Checklist ~~~

ByJanFetlerHerearesomesuggestionsforgardenchoresthismonth.

• Drainwaterfromtheirrigationsystemsbeforeturningitofftopreventicefromdamagingpipes.

• Plantvegetableseedsoutdoors:favabeans,bokchoi,chard,lettuce,mustard,spinach,radishesandpeas.

• Plantseedlingsofbokchoi,kale,lettuceandpeas.

• FertilizeOctober-plantedvegetables.

• Planfrostprotectionforcitrus,tenderperenni-als,succulentsandtropicalplants.Usewhenforecasttemperaturesdropbelowfreezing.

• Lethipsformonrosesforwintercolor.

• Cleantoolsbeforetheyarestoredforthewinter.Sharpenprunersforthewinterpruningseason.

• Savefallenleavestoaddtothecompostpilewhentherearefewer“browns”availablenextspringandsummer.

• Applycoppersprayonpeachesandnectarinestoreducepeachleafcurl.ApplyinlateNovemberorearlyDecemberafterleavesdrop.

• Cleanupplantwaste,fallenfruitanddeadfruitremainingontreestoreducediseaseandinsectsnextyear.

Last Month’s Speaker ~~~~~~~~

Thanksgotoournewestmember,VivianSellers,MasterGardener,forherpresentationonthecareandpropagationofperenni-als.Welearnedlotsofuse-fultipsandgotalistofsomenewfavoritetools.Whoknewa#2pencilworksbestonplantlabelsifyouwanttheprinttolast!PhotobyConnieAdamsGeorgiu

TheScarecrow|November2016 5

JeanneWilliamsongaveanupdateonRuthHayeswhosuf-feredastrokelastyear.

RuthisnowlivinginNorthCarolinawithtwoofhersisterswhowillhelpherinherrecovery.

RuthhopestobebackinSacramentointhespring.Jeanneprovidedmemberswithhernewcontactinformationsothattheycansendcards:

RuthHayesC/OGertrudeWatson2823FriarTuckRoadRaleigh,NC27610(919)212-8091

33andgoingstrong.Welcomebackeveryone!

Bringafriendtothenextmeeting—wewelcomevisitors!

Upcoming Tour ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ByBonnieJones

DuartePoinsettiaFarmonThursday,November17.

Ifyoulikepoinsettias,yousimplyhavetojoinus.YouwillbeAMAZED!

Duartebegansellingpoinsettias20yearsagowith500plants(allred).In2013theysoldtensofthousandsofpoinsettiasinmorethan25varieties.

Choosefromtableaftertablecoveredwithdifferentcol-oredpoinsettiasandaniceselectionofcyclamen.Mostplantsare$9foran8-inchpotoflushcolor.Alsoavailablearelotsofelegant“colorbowls”indecoratorpots.

ThenurseryislocatednearModesto,sowe’llgetanearlystartforthedriveofmorethananhour.Weplantostopforlunchbeforereturninghome.

DetailsattheNovembermeeting.Ifyoucan’tattendthemeetingbutwouldliketogoonthetour,pleasecall:

BonnieJones–684-1285orDianneCadwallader–685-5369

Thiswillbeafunday.Wehopeyouwillplantojoinus!

Calendar ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next GOTG Meeting/

November7(Monday)6:30pm

JenniferKhal,TheSecretGardenHolidayWreaths

9250LagunaSpringsDr.,Suite100Keller-WilliamsReality,ElkGroveLocatedonthewestsideofLagunaSpringsacrossthestreetfromBJ’sRestaurant.

Franklin School Garden Club

November7(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

November28(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

TheScarecrow|November2016 6

Franklin School Garden Club Continued

January30(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

February27(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

March13(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

March27(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

April3(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

April24(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

May8(Monday)2:30till3:30pm

Other Events

November5(Saturday)9atill1p(public)

UCDavisArboretumFallPlantSaleGarrodDrive(acrossfromVetSchool),DavisFreeunlessyoubuysomething!http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/

November5(Saturday)1ptill5pNovember6(Sunday)10atill4p

NationalChrysanthemumShowSacramentoMarriottRanchoCordova11211PointEDr.,RanchoCordovaFree!Seeflyeronpage9

November7(Monday)6ptill9p

ElkGroveCitizenoftheYearBanquetHonoringJimandAnnaclareEntricanValleyHiCountryClub$60perperson

November16(Wednesday)6:30ptill8:30p

PreservingPersimmons,Pomegranates&More!UCMasterFoodPreservers4145BranchCenterRoadSacramento,CA95827$5materialsfee.Noregistrationnecessary—juststopby!Moreinfo:875-6913

December10(Saturday)10atillNoon

AllDriedUp–FoodDehydratingtechniquesUCMasterFoodPreservers4145BranchCenterRoadSacramento,CA95827Free!Noregistrationnecessary—juststopby!Moreinfo:875-6913

Support Our Local Friends ~~~~ BigOakNursery

ElkGroveCommunityGarden

ElkGroveFoodBank

ElkGroveGreenerGardens

ElkGroveHistoricalSociety

GreenAcresNurseryandSupply

TheSecretGarden

UCCEMasterGardeners

Happy Thanksgiving!

PhotobyJanFetler

TheScarecrow|November2016 7

~~~ Gardeners of the Grove ~~~ Co-Presidents

ConnieGeorgiuandKathleenAlbiani

Vice-President–BonnieJones

Secretary–DianneCadwallader

Treasurer–LindaLichtenberg

POBox2418ElkGrove,CA95759-2418

http://www.gardenersofthegrove.orgFacebook:

https://www.facebook.com/GOTGElkGrove2016/

GardenersoftheGroveisamemberof:

SacramentoRiverValleyDistrict

CaliforniaGardenClubs,Inc.

PacificRegionofNationalGardenClubs,Inc.

NationalGardenClubsInc.

~~~ The Scarecrow ~~~ Editor–JanFetler

janfetler@gmail.com

This Month’s Contributors:

BonnieJonesJenniferKhal

ConnieAdamsGeorgiuJeanneWilliamson