Oakland Garden Club News

News Story for THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2014 OAKLAND GARDEN CLUB

Fourteen members of the Oakland Garden Club met in the Oakland Library at 2:00 p.m., on Thursday October 8, 2015. Their guest was Librarian, Rosa Schmidt.

Hostess Geraldine Peterson decorated with a vase of artificial sunflowers and statice.

Members gave pledge to the American flag and read the Garden Club Creed from their handbooks. Each member answered roll call telling what root crops they stored and how. Few stored food crops any more, but several stored flower bulbs or tubers in sheds or garages or basements. The order of the meeting was changed to make sure that the Garden Club would be finished and out of the way when children arrived after school.

Geraldine Peterson gave the lesson on “Storing Root Crops.” Storing vegetable root crops enables one to enjoy them all winter long. First was an admonition Not to wash them as it would decrease their storage life. Lay crops out to dry and crumble dirt off.   Store items at 34 º and with humidity. Keep temperature constant as a change of even 5º will start root crops to grow. Best is in a crisper drawer in refrigerator—but not potatoes as they will get starchier. One may put foods in a plastic bag, poke holes in bag and hang up. Use a wooden or cardboard box, layer ¼ to 3” sawdust, peat moss, or shredded newspaper and then items. They may touch each other but not sides of box. Continue layering till box is full. Never place box on floor as it will draw moisture and items will rot. These boxes may be stored in cold shed, under porch, etc. Freezing will not hurt the produce; however, if they thaw, they must be used within two days. Go through items occasionally and remove any spoiling items.

One may dehydrate food for storage, but it must be blanched or cooked first. Another possibility is to leave items in the ground, cover them with one foot of mulch or straw and just dig up items as one needs them. A drawback of this plan is that insects or vermin may get into the items.

Do not store onions in any of these closed methods; yellow onions will keep better than white or sweet ones.

After the lesson, Cathi McMurtry read the September 10 minutes, and Audrey Unwin gave the treasury report.

In new business, President Julie Easton reported that sprinklers had been installed for flower beds #2 through #6 on the curve in the park, and that #8 would be done after rose bushes had been trimmed back. There is a control box for adjusting the timing with two pop-ups for each bed. Sean Linder of NE Rain is doing the installation.

Marie Daubert reported that, while bees enjoy our summer blooms, they need our fall blooms as well. Good ones are goldenrod, sedums, rudbeckia, New England aster, and Joe-pye weed. Also, don’t forget to plant your bulbs before the ground freezes for next spring’s show. Besides yellow or white, daffodils now come in pink and green, and tulips come in Technicolor. Others to plant for early to late blooming are alliums, snowflakes, hyacinths, and bluebells. You might plant a mixture of types of bulbs in mini pots and over winter in a garage or porch till spring temperatures rise above the teens when you can move the pots outdoors to bloom for you.

Members read the Garden Club Benediction and they were reminded that the November 12 meeting would be the pot luck luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in the Rosin Room at the city auditorium.

Hostess Geraldine Peterson served pumpkin pie.

Cathi McMurtry, Secretary