EVERGREEN CHRYSANTHEMUM ASSOCIATION
Seattle, Washington
ECAMumClub.org
Jim Anshutz, Secretary
April Plant Sale Edition
MEETING OF THE ECA –THURSDAY April 14, 2011 at 7 PM at the Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila. This meeting is important as we prepare final details for our Annual Plant sale on Saturday, April 16.
ANNUAL PLANT SALE – APRIL 16 (At Furney’s Nursery in Des Moines – 21215 Pacific Hwy South).
Remember to bring your plants in to Furney’s and help with set up on Friday, April 15 starting at 1 P.M. The Saturday, April 16 public plant sale will be held from 9 A.M. to-1 P.M. with Chris Brookes and Richard Pozniak presenting a seminar at 10 A.M.
We will discuss who will be attending the set up and staffing of the sale at our April 14 meeting. Bob Ewing has a list of members who have signed up but we can always use additional volunteers.
ECA CLUB MEMBER RECENT DEATHS
Jack Brandon
Sharon Huber notified Bob Ewing that Jack had passed away during the night on March 20 due to respiratory problem. Jack was an active Club member who recently has done most of the E-mailing to remind people of our meetings and other events. Ten ECA Club members attended a well attended celebration of Jack Life’s ceremony held April 2 in Kent. As Bob Ewing noted, Jack’s dedication and sense of humor will really be sorely missed. For those of you with email access, Jack’s obituary published in the Seattle Times on March 27 can be viewed by clicking on the following link for Jack’s obituary.
Jim McFarland
Lisa McFarland informed Steve Backstrom that longtime club member Jim McFarland had passed away in the month of February. He followed his wife, Grace, by only a few short months as she died in November of 2010.
As Mark Ross notes, Jim, a lifetime member of ECA was a titan in our Chrysanthemum growing hobby along with Ted King and Ed Hodgson and many others. Jim joined the ECA in 1967 and in the March 2007 edition of Chrysanthemum Magazine, had his article published discussing the origination of the cultivar Lili Gallon and also summarizing the history of ECA. (Mark Ross notes the irony of his story about Lili Gallon is that Lili Gallon was shown as a garden variety for almost 10 years per Jim and recently is listed as a Medium Exhibition or #2 in the latest 2006 update of the British Register of cultivars).
In the Plant Culture and Supplies section, add a couple of sentences as
follows after the sentence ending “where most of our cultivars are stopped.”
Club Library/Publications Notices Notes
Missing Books
Chris Brookes notes that we have a limited collection of excellent reference books and the goal is for Members to take books out for one month only. Thereby we can give as many growers as possible a chance to read and learn from the experiences and knowledge of other growers. However, We are missing One book taken out at the December meeting and two books taken out in February. lease be sure to bring these books back to the April meeting.
National Chrysanthemum Society UK – Spring Bulletin
Chris has received one copy of this bulletin which is very much a review of 2010 including many colored photographs of the show winners. The content of the bulletin is approximately 50% on regional club news, which is of limited interest to ECA members. For advanced growers there are several sections of possible interest including: a detailed 10 page report on the “Late National show by bloom class. An audit of blooms exhibited at the late show. Names of Prizewinners. Details of late flowering cultivars submitted to the floral committee for consideration, and finally a list of 2011 late flowering releases. Chris cannot make copies of the book for every member but anyone wanting copies of specific sections please let him know by email to [email protected]. The complete bulletin will be available in the Library box at the April meeting.
YEARBOOKS
Mark Ross said that the 2011 ECA Yearbooks will be available for distribution to members attending the May meeting. (He is till trying to determine a final list based on membership payments.) A big thanks to Mark who once again took on the Yearbook duty which required lots of time and effort. It’s a big job and is greatly appreciated.
PLANT CULTURE and SUPPLIES –April and May are the months where most of our cultivars are stopped. An updated ECA cultivar listing will be sent to Steve Backstrom for posting to the club website prior to the April 14th meeting with stopping dates and a method for estimating a stop date when dates are not available. A limited number of hard copies of this listing will also be available at the meeting. Cultural recommendations are attached for April and will be discussed at the April meeting. Contact Mark Ross for soilless and supplies needed.
If you prefer to receive future monthly notices by email only rather than US mail, please send an email to Jim and it will also save the Club some money on postage.
APRIL TO DO LIST (edited from DRS 3-21-05)
Potting on mums into 4” or 6” pots
Soilless growers who are using the club recommended M&R mix. This mix is ph balanced at 6.5 and contains a good mix of fertilizers that carry the plant for 3-4 weeks. It requires no additives at this time, but some growers like to add a little Alfalfa meal and some additional pumice for increased aeration.
Soil or compost mixes: See McGlashen mix in the McGlashen Hand Book. You’ll need to mix your own soil, consisting of compost, or garden loam plus slacked Lime or Dolomite to keep soil sweet plus Steamed Bone to promote root growth. Also, ashes and a little Rose and garden fertilizer (i.e. 4-10-8 or 5-10-10) Pumice or grit may be added to loosen the soil mix.
Wash previously used pots in a mild Clorox bath (bleach), then rinse in clear water.
Clay pots are recommended for 4 or 6 inch potting as they breathe and dry out faster during cool April days.
Pot on when a significant ring of roots forms around the bottom edge of the pot (semi root bound). Do not compact the potting mix. Tie plants to small stakes.
Move mum pots outdoors as weather warms. Choose a sunny location.
Bury pots to rim if using clay. Protect from frost, wind, dogs, cats and Children.
3. Review stopping dates. Most ECA cultivars are stopped Between April 15 and May 30.
Pinch date lists for most club cultivars should be available at the April meeting. Contact your Coach for other cultivars not on the list.
4 OTHER CARE:
Control Aphids. Spray for Aphids every 2 or 3 weeks, with liquid Diazinon, or other insecticides. Water only as needed, do not over water.
Fertilize weekly starting the 3rd or 4th week after potting. Standard Miracle Grow is recommended. Water soluble 10-50-10 Peter’s upper blossom booster is also a good substitute.
(Please note the change in recommendation for starter fertilizer. In 2009, Don Stark indicated that water-soluble 10-50-10, Peters Super Blossom Booster plant food, is available at local garden stores or McLendons Hardware in 1.5-pound bags. The application directions indicate 1 tsp per gallon of water for indoor use. Use this fertilizer as a supplement through the 6” pot stage. Don noted that Peters 20-10-20 will be available for use through the summer growth season.)
Continue culling process in April to get to your final growing group. The 6” potting should
be used for this reduction. Don’t always keep the first plants to reach 6” potting stage. Keep the best cultivars. Share surplus plants with other club members. Throw away damaged or diseased plants.
