April Meeting—This month’s Garden Club meeting takes place at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 17 at the Club- house. Our speaker will be Joanna Giangardella, an author of two books, a cancer support coach, and nutritional consultant. Joanna will be discussing hydroponic gardening.
Hydroponics uses water—rather than soil—to deliver nutrients to plants. The benefits are higher yields, less over- all water usage, fewer chemicals, and continuous indoor and outdoor growth. This a fascinating approach to intensive farming.
To quote Joanna: “We are moving into a period of rationing the amount of produce we buy; with growing seasonal change and extreme weather conditions. I’ll be discussing the future of growing produce, and the movement of commercial farmers from soil to hydroponic growing. I will also discuss seasonal growing from both seed and seedlings.”
Looking Ahead to Summer—Our annual members- only Barbecue Picnic will be held at the bluff on Monday, June 19, starting at 11 a.m. It’s a time to celebrate another
season of learning with fellow gardeners, working together, and nurturing our earth. The new slate of officers will be presented for 2023–2024.
Sign-up sheets for June’s Annual Barbecue Picnic will be available at our April meeting. There will be no meeting in May. The Garden Club goes into summer recess for July and August; meetings recommence on Monday, September 18.
Gardening Tips—April is a good time to check on your roses, which will be sprouting new growth, buds, and flow- ers. Check for any pests and diseases like aphids, mildew, and rust. An easy organic approach: regularly hose down the plants early in the morning, and remove any affected leaves before they fall on the ground. Remember to fertilize your roses and to deadhead any spent flowers.
“In nature nothing exists alone.” —Rachel Carson
—Ann Strauss
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