What's Blooming in Oakmont Today?
May 29th from Dawn
May 28th
May 27th from Candace's Garden
May 26th
May 24th
What's Blooming on the Boulevard
Tips You Should Know
Garlic Mustard, a very invasive plant
Garlic Mustard is an invasive biennial plant. It can grow in full sun or full shade, but prefers shade. It out-competes other vegetation and can crowd out other more desirable plants. Plants can produce 500 to 600 seeds in the second year of growth. These seeds can live in the soil for 5 years.
One way to get rid of garlic mustard:
1 Remove during the flowering period before the flowers go to seed.
2 Pull at the base of the plant and get as much root as possible.
3 Flowers will still produce seeds that can live in the soil for 5 years. Any plants that have flowers should be disposed of in plastic bags placed in trash, NOT yard waste.
Garlic Mustard is an invasive biennial plant. It can grow in full sun or full shade, but prefers shade. It out-competes other vegetation and can crowd out other more desirable plants. Plants can produce 500 to 600 seeds in the second year of growth. These seeds can live in the soil for 5 years.
One way to get rid of garlic mustard:
1 Remove during the flowering period before the flowers go to seed.
2 Pull at the base of the plant and get as much root as possible.
3 Flowers will still produce seeds that can live in the soil for 5 years. Any plants that have flowers should be disposed of in plastic bags placed in trash, NOT yard waste.
How to safely get rid of Poison Hemlock
Every part of the Hemlock plant is poisonous. If you find it growing in your yard you must be very careful when you remove it. Wear heavy gloves, long sleeves and long pants. Make sure you are very well covered. After, be sure to wash all your clothes and clean all your tools.
Method 1: Cut it up and dig up the roots. Put everything in large garbage bags. Let it dry out in the bag. Dispose of it in your garbage, not your yard waste.
Method 2: One farmer found success by letting the plants flower, BUT NOT GO TO SEED. Then cut them back, using the same precautions as above. Because it has used all its energy to grow flowers it will not have enough energy left to grow back. This works because it is a biennial; it has a 2 year life span. It flowers in its second year. If it is allowed to go to seed it will definitely spread.
There are also chemical methods available to get rid of Hemlock plants.
How to tell the difference between poison Hemlock and Queen Ann’s Lace:
Both are in the Apiaceae family and have hollow stems, but poison hemlock's stem is hairless and has purple blotches. Even a very young poison hemlock will display the purple blotching. On the other hand, the stem of Queen Anne's lace doesn't have purple blotches and is hairy. For more information and photos see the link below.
http://ravensroots.org/blog/2015/6/26/poison-hemlock-id
Tansy Ragwort, also called Stinking Willie, is also harmful to humans and livestock. Below is a link to how to tell the difference between Stinking Willie and St Johnswort.
https://www.swcd.net/news/tansy-ragwort-st-johnswort/
Every part of the Hemlock plant is poisonous. If you find it growing in your yard you must be very careful when you remove it. Wear heavy gloves, long sleeves and long pants. Make sure you are very well covered. After, be sure to wash all your clothes and clean all your tools.
Method 1: Cut it up and dig up the roots. Put everything in large garbage bags. Let it dry out in the bag. Dispose of it in your garbage, not your yard waste.
Method 2: One farmer found success by letting the plants flower, BUT NOT GO TO SEED. Then cut them back, using the same precautions as above. Because it has used all its energy to grow flowers it will not have enough energy left to grow back. This works because it is a biennial; it has a 2 year life span. It flowers in its second year. If it is allowed to go to seed it will definitely spread.
There are also chemical methods available to get rid of Hemlock plants.
How to tell the difference between poison Hemlock and Queen Ann’s Lace:
Both are in the Apiaceae family and have hollow stems, but poison hemlock's stem is hairless and has purple blotches. Even a very young poison hemlock will display the purple blotching. On the other hand, the stem of Queen Anne's lace doesn't have purple blotches and is hairy. For more information and photos see the link below.
http://ravensroots.org/blog/2015/6/26/poison-hemlock-id
Tansy Ragwort, also called Stinking Willie, is also harmful to humans and livestock. Below is a link to how to tell the difference between Stinking Willie and St Johnswort.
https://www.swcd.net/news/tansy-ragwort-st-johnswort/
Poison Hemlock on 6th Street between College Avenue and Maple Way on May 17
Poison Hemlock on 6th Street between College Avenue and Maple Way on May 12
Poison Hemlock behind Oakmont Commons
Poison Hemlock on 8th Street between California Ave. and College Ave
Poison Hemlock on College Ave between 6th Street and 7th Street stairs
Japanese Knotweed behind Oakmont Commons
Stinking Willie/Tansy Ragwort, perennial behind Oakmont Commons also poisonous to humans and livestock
Check Out the New GCO Spotlight Page
2020 Spring Plant Sale
The Club regrets to announce that our annual Spring Plant Sale, originally scheduled for May 9th, has been cancelled.
The April 2020 board and general Club meetings are also cancelled.
The April 2020 board and general Club meetings are also cancelled.
2019 November Luncheon
Our 2019 November Luncheon was another successful event, enjoyed by 270 guests. A great big thank goes out to all who worked so hard to make it happen. Tickets sold out in a record 4 hours. So mark your calendars now for next year’s November Luncheon which will be held on November 18, 2020.
Garden Projects at The Oakmont Center for Nursing and Rehab
For several years some of our Gardening with Seniors committee members have been helping with the outdoor gardens at the Oakmont Center for Nursing and Rehab. We have brought in plants from our own gardens and some that were left over from our Annual Spring Plant sale. With help from the Center staff we have created new garden spaces and expanded old ones. We have the benefit of various garden beds that are perfect for both sun and shade loving plants and have used some special spaces to install a whimsical fairy gardens.
Most of our transplants have done very well, so the biggest need this year, especially after all the spring rain, was extensive weeding and trimming. We decided that the appearance of the beds would be improved and our job would be easier next year if we added mulch. The Center supplied the mulch and also dug out some extra space for us to fill with new plants. We went to work and shaped up existing plants as well as adding a few new ones. The residents and the staff visit the gardens often and are enjoying the view. We are looking forward to resuming our Gardening with Seniors indoor sessions with the residents in October.
Most of our transplants have done very well, so the biggest need this year, especially after all the spring rain, was extensive weeding and trimming. We decided that the appearance of the beds would be improved and our job would be easier next year if we added mulch. The Center supplied the mulch and also dug out some extra space for us to fill with new plants. We went to work and shaped up existing plants as well as adding a few new ones. The residents and the staff visit the gardens often and are enjoying the view. We are looking forward to resuming our Gardening with Seniors indoor sessions with the residents in October.
GCO Library Arrangements Committee |
The Library Arrangements Committee of the Garden Club has provided arrangements to our library for many, many years. Those who serve on this committee provide weekly arrangements to our local library throughout our club year, running September through June. During December, the Holiday Arrangements Committee takes charge and provides a beautiful array of trees and decorations throughout the month and into early January.
The Library arrangements committee allows our members to show their individual creativity in providing whatever “suits their fancy” to showcase at the main entrance to our library. Usually we follow the seasons and holidays to share our talents; but can also be anything the creator wants. Nothing is ever turned away! Library visitors enjoy what we provide each week and we receive many compliments on what is on display. Stop in sometime to see what our creative volunteers’ supply—it’s a real treat! |
