April 2009 Newsletter

MEETING OF THE ECA –THURSDAY April 09, 2009 at 7 PM at the Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila.
TELEPHONE COMMITTEE MEMBERS contact your phone list members early, as your calls do help to increase attendance.
YEARBOOKS –Mark Ross announced that the 2009 ECA Yearbooks will be available for distribution to members attending the May meeting. For anyone with 2009 unpaid annual membership dues, please remit to treasurer, Christopher Brookes, as soon as possible. Annual dues are $15/member or $20/couple. A 2009 draft yearbook copy will be available for review of member information once again at the April meeting and any other final touches.
ECA appreciates the time and effort Mark Ross devoted this year to the preparation of our annual yearbook. It is a BIG JOB, THANKS SO MUCH.
PLANT SALES – We give a BIG THANK YOU to Bob Ewing for all his hard work coordinating our public plant sale. The March plant sale at Furney’s was very successful. For anyone that still may need plants, Bob Ewing, Ron Elliott, and Mark Ross have the leftover plants from the public plant sale. Contact them prior to the meeting if you still need a few plants. They would be happy to bring them in to the meeting for you.
MEMBER NEWS – E.C.A. appreciates all the time and effort all the growers who took the time to propagate plants to sell at our membership and public plant sales. The Public Plant sale and our membership dues are the club’s only means of income to cover the club’s yearly expenses. Thanks to all of you, GOOD JOB. During the plant sale at Furney’s 5 new members joined the Club.
If you prefer to receive future monthly notices by email only rather than US mail, please send an email to Jill Aldrich This will also save the Club some money on postage.
If there have been any changes in your address, telephone, or email address please let Mark Ross know ASAP in order to be listed correctly in the membership yearbook
PLANT CULTURE and SUPPLIES –April and May are the months where most of our cultivars are stopped. Cultural recommendations are attached for April and will be discussed at the April meeting. Contact Don Stark, for soilless and supplies needed.
Please note the change in recommendation for starter fertilizer. 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. Peters 20-10-20 will be available for use through the summer growth season.
APRIL TO DO LIST (edited from DRS 3-21-05)
1. 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.
2. 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.
• 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. Send surplus quality plants to plant sale, or share with other club members. Throw away damaged or diseased plants.