March 2018
Newsletter
EVERGREEN CHRYSANTHEMUM ASSOCIATION
Seattle, Washington
Email us at: steve at ecamumclub dot org
MARCH ECA NEWSLETTER
MEETING OF THE ECA –THURSDAY, March 8th, 2018 at 7 PM at the Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila. REALLY! We are in the North Class Room
DUES – Members are encouraged to pay 2018 dues to Treasurer, Sydney Ogilvie. Annual dues are $15/member or $20/couple. Dues must be paid before or at the March meeting for members to be listed in the clubs 2018 yearbook.
Minutes from the ECA Meeting Thursday February 8th:
February 8, 2018 ECA Meeting Minutes
Cultural presentation:
Continue taking cuttings through February and March. A few early February cuttings can be available for the March meeting. Most Feb and March cuttings should be early English and American varieties. Late decorative classes – 4, 5, 14 and 15 should be started in February. Take cuttings for yourself and for the plant sale.
About 4 weeks after taking your cutting the root will be developed enough to start fertilizing with an early mum fertilizer, Peters 9-45-15 or plant Marvel 12-45-10. Dispense one teaspoon per gallon once a week.
B-9 – a good growth retardant to help plant from getting too leggy. Caution – do not use B9 on plants that tend to naturally grow short- for example – all the Fairweathers, all the Alexis, Port Stanley
Start developing your growing plan. Encourage new members to grow 14’s and 15’s, 3’s, 4’s or 5’s – Early English or late decorative plants for greatest satisfaction.
Business meeting:
Present: Kris Stephens, Sue Joyner, Alva And Dennis Nishimura, Richard Thompson, Mark Ross, Ron Elliott, Erika Harris, Bob Ewing, June Kubo, Rich and Jill Aldrich, David Rynes
Bob Ewing brought a get-well card for Janet Ross recovering from eye surgery
Connie Mayhew is our 2018 project mum. Everyone is encouraged to grow at least 1 plant.
Mark brought and distributed the potting flats
Trustees meeting scheduled for 2/10/18 @ 10 am
Bob Ewing – East Hill Nursery asked about scheduling an April chrysanthemum presentation. Bob to ask about hosting a plant sale to coincide with the presentation.
Karen Hagethy – garden club also requested a spring Chrysanthemum presentation May 8th at 1:30 PM. Kris to see if we can change the date to better coincide with our plant sale. Ron to do the presentation
Second VPC cutting and starting university scheduled for Saturday February 24th 10 am – 2 pm
Plant sale dates:
March 8th ECA member plant sale
April 12th – second ECA member plant sale
April 14th – Public plant sale from 10 AM – 2 PM at the Volunteer Park Conservatory
Plant sale postcards for public sale need to be sent out by end of March
Erika to print 500 plant sale promo flyers for March meeting
Bob Ewing has PVC bloom holders he would like to gift to someone. They fit in his Saturn SUV
Minutes from the ECA Trustees Meeting:
2/10/2018
ECA Trustees meeting
VPC:
David Helgeson has committed to helping us grow mums. To help us keep our club viable and continuing the cultivars. VPC involvement may help get more folks educated, involved and keep the integrity of the plants.
Coaches:
We need to revive the coaching concept. Kris would like to provide a coach flyer at the plant sale to encourage buyers to join the club. The idea of a novice-coach time during our meetings was encouraged
Current Coaches – Steve Joyner; Dave Rynes, Bob Ewing, Mark Ross, Ron Elliott
Novice handbook – Review, update and distribute at the April plant sale and on line.
Trophies – Do we need additional? Retire? Update? There are retired trophies. Sue to talk to Larry about trophy history and locate a list of trophies
Cultural emphasis:
Emphasize growing good flowers not gearing toward the show. Grow for Friends, Family, Neighbors and the show. Need to let folks know what’s easy vs hard to grow. Cultural notes are currently geared toward growing 1’s and 2’s. Need to consider adding cultural notes for other classes. Encourage new members to grow 14’s and 15’s, 3’s, 4’s or 5’s – Early English or late decorative plants for greatest satisfaction.
To draw new members, we need to emphasize and teach “learning to grow Chrysanthemums”
At last show lowered judging standard to recognize involvement Chris Brookes felt that the value of the prize was diminished because the number and quality of the blooms were below historical standards. Are we lowering the standard just to give out awards? Spiders were judged to historical standard this past year. New members seem to quit because they don’t see rewards for their effort. Perhaps we need to gear new growers toward growing they are growing difficult plants
Discussed introducing new stalk from Kings catalog & Faribault
Plant Sale:
70 post cards going out to plant sale
David Rynes – Need a better description of what is being sold at the plant sale.
Change show flyer to something like “beautiful long lasting late blooming fall colors”, massive or single blooms spiders and charms, quills and spoons
Plant Sale at three additional outlets, Each Hill Nursey, Sea-Tac Botanical
Target garden clubs, horticultural societies
Advertising for plant sale in Seattle newspaper, libraries, small newspapers
Calendar dates –
Fall Show Dates – Oct 24th – 28th
Member Spring plant Sale – March 8th & April 12th
Public plant Sale April 14th
Officer nominations start in June should be done by December
Recommended a 30 minutes business meeting (agenda) and 60-minute cultural presentation.
Forego reading minutes and ask for approvals at meeting
Paperwork filing date – March April time frame – Sue to check with Sydney today and ask for status update
Website agreement – website hosting bill – are we current? Kris to ask Steve Backstrom
Washington state registration fee due in Feb. generally done on line. Historically been about $30
Finite project – encourage growing 14’s and 15’s, 3’s, 4’s or 5’s – Early English or late decorative challenge
Possible England Travel opportunities to see chrysanthemums
Lastly, June Kubo reported:
I stopped by Volunteer Park earlier today and found that the cuttings all look great. The lower temperature and “less” misting really helped. Thank you Ronnie for making this happen.
Even the KUBO Connie Mayhews that looked really really BAD perked up.
