brandon garden...
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9th Annual Gardening Saturday
Whether you are brand new to gardening or
you’ve had a green thumb for decades, Gar-
dening Saturday, presented by Gardens Mani-
toba, is THE gardening event of the year, de-
signed especially for you.
This year’s event features keynote speaker
Zachary Weiss, educational workshops by
local celebrities, vendors and local food mar-
ket in the trade show area, and DIY activities
for all ages in the Hobby Lobby.
Victoria Inn Hotel & Conference Centre , 1808
Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg on Saturday,
March 19th from 9-3.
Visit GardeningSaturday.ca for details!
President Bill’s Message This has definitely been a milder than normal winter with below average snowfall. The past couple of weeks have seen some very nice temperatures; but, this is only March and the old saying 'in like a lamb out like a lion' comes to mind. Melting snow has uncovered the ever-green shrubs and the bare earth is beckoning to all of us to begin another gardening season. We have several workshops planned for April and May so sign up and take advantage of the discounts the nurseries are offering those eve-nings. You will be starting your bulbs and seeds soon; just remember the plant sale on May 28th. We need your extra plants and vegetables to make it a success. Also the coming month of April will bring Hort. days to our area; they are always a fun day of great speakers, prizes, demonstrations and delicious lunches. As we learn of them we will list them in the newsletter.
BRANDON GARDEN CLUB March , 2016 Editor: Kathy Vandale
Tonight, March 16th,
Greg Boguski will dazzle
us with a Tour of Japan!
April 16, 2016 - Hort Day 9am – 4pm Theme: Landscaping Your Yard Terena Hantelman, teacher of landscap-ing courses at Red River Community College & Red Seal Landscape Horticul-turist, will be speaking on these topics: site planning, design principles, new plants for 2016 & trends in gardening . Contact executive for pre-registration forms. Hartney Horticultural Society will host their annual gardening day "Leap Into Spring" Saturday May 7 Speakers in-clude Holly Mawby of Esmond, ND and Connie Lagerquist from International Peace Garden. Four presentations, Horti-cultural vendors, door prizes. $25 in-cludes lunch. For information, email [email protected] or call 858- 2287. Thanks!
Mail Order Alert from Phoenix Perennials
Full Spring Catalogue Now Online
800 Amazing Garden Plants for Canadian Gardeners
http://mailorder.phoenixperennials.com
The Brandon Garden Club meets at 7PM on the third Wednesday of each month except
July and August at the Seniors for Seniors
Complex at 311 Park Avenue East, Brandon.
New members are always welcome. Annual
membership is $20 single / $30 couple. Non-
members are welcome to attend meetings to take advantage of the Club’s horticulture
program at a cost of $5.00 per meeting.
For more information on club affairs, check out our website at
www.thebrandongardenclub.com or e-mail:
Herbs….did someone say herbs? Every year we plant basil and every year the plants do so well (hopefully) that we can’t use it up fast enough. What to do? Basil pesto, of course! Here is a simple recipe. Note that pesto is always made to taste, so adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. Most pesto recipes call for Parmesan cheese, you can use Romano which has a stronger flavor. Basil pesto recipes often call for pine nuts but you can easily substitute walnuts. Basil is a powerfully aromatic herb and a little goes a long way. You can mellow the pesto out a bit by sub-bing half of the basil with fresh baby spinach leaves. The pesto will more easily stay vibrant green and the flavor of the basil will still come through, though just not as strongly. If you want to freeze the pesto you make, omit the cheese (it doesn’t freeze well). Line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap, and fill each pocket with the pesto. Freeze and then remove from the ice tray and store in a freezer bag. When you want to use, defrost and add in grated Parmesan or Romano. Ingredients 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach) 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts) 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons) Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Special equipment needed: A food processor Method Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times. Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor. Add salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.
Join us on April 20th at 7:00 pm
when we will learn ALL ABOUT
HERBS from Dave Hanson, Sage
Garden Herbs
Keep that Easter Lily
By Albert Parsons
Perhaps you were fortunate enough to receive a potted Easter lily as a gift this spring or maybe, like me, you bought your own. I was lucky enough to find one with buds not yet open — one bud was just on the verge of opening — so I will get to fully enjoy every single bloom. When buying a flowering plant, choosing one with the fewest blooms and the most buds ensures a longer bloom period and
enables you to enjoy blooms that would otherwise go past while the plant is still on the store’s shelf.
An Easter lily does not have to be consigned to the compost bin after it has finished blooming. If you are a gardener, add it to your outdoor lily patch and watch it bloom in your garden in coming years. True, the Easter lily is a trumpet lily and therefore not fully hardy in our area, so it will have to be planted in a sheltered spot with some added protection for the winter. Planting it near the foundation on the south side of the house will provide protection from the wind and allow the plant to benefit from any radiant heat coming through the foundation wall; both will help the lily come through the winter unscathed. Ensure that the plant gets plenty of water and that it goes into the winter with
moisture at its roots.
Supply additional protection by piling dry leaves on the lily just before freeze-up and covering with a Styrofoam or plastic cover to keep it dry, making sure that some air can get in to prevent moisture buildup under the cover. If you fear that rodents such as mice might be a problem, put a couple of
clothes dryer sheets such as “Bounce” in with the leaves to deter the pests.
This spring, after the lily has finished blooming, place the pot in a sunny window and begin to feed it. Make sure that it is watered regularly so that the planting medium is moist but not sodden — lilies
don’t like “wet feet” and the bulb may rot if the soil is kept too wet.
As warmer weather arrives, set the pot outside for short periods of time to help it become acclimatized to outdoor conditions, gradually increasing the exposure from day to day. When all danger of frost has passed, the now hardened-off plant can be planted outdoors and allowed to grow during the summer. I always add a scoop of sand to the bottom of the planting hole as this helps to provide the excellent drainage around their roots that lilies like. Water it regularly and feed your lily all summer until the top browns off — this may happen sooner than it will for your other lilies as the
plant is “out of sync” with its natural rhythm because it was forced into growth early.
Don’t be surprised if your Easter lily does not bloom next spring; it might take it a year to get back into its normal routine and to replenish the bulb that was stressed by being forced. In succeeding springs, however, it should provide some wonderful blooms in your outdoor garden — just not at Easter time!
Brandon Garden Club
2016 Executive
President Bill Sutherland 728-0380
Vice President Gwen Beam 727-8558
Secretary Renee Robinson 725-4841
Treasurer Cory Messel 725-4315
2016 Directors
Programs Gwen Beam 727-8558
Plant Sale David Long 727-5664
Flower Show Vacant
Flower Show Tea and Lunch Bev Morrice 727-3269
Linda Gillis 26-4382
Membership Bonnie Chester 726-4739
Publicity Heather Morrison 726-5826
Telephoning Bonnie Chester 726-4739
Millennium Park Bill Sutherland 728-0380
Junior Gardener Liaison David Long 727-5664
Social Services Karen Gibson 728-8763
Print Competition Deane Sawchuk 726-1435
Awards Tena Kilmury 728-4436
Newsletter Kathy Vandale 725-2293
Website David Long 727-5664