Glen Morris Horticultural Society - Ontario Horticultural Association

Glen Morris
Horticultural Society
Established 1951
Ontario Horticultural Association — District 6
A Carolinian District
COMING EVENTS
Monday, May 6, 2013
Glen Morris Hort. Meeting
Glen Morris School, 7:30 p.m.
“Hard Shelled Gourds” - Paul
and Cathy Arrowsmith
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Annual Plant Sale
Half-Way Café, Glen Morris
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Volunteers Needed to Help
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Annual Bus Trip
Grimsby, Beamsville Area
$45 - Details to Follow
Newsletter by Margaret Fleury
EXECUTIVE
President: Marion Morton
519-442-1319
john.morton@silomail.com
Past President: Joan Sims
519-442-4681
j1sims1@yahoo.com
Vice-President: Margaret Fleury
519-442-4018
mfleury58@gmail.com
Secretary: Nancy McComb
519-448-3821
nmccomb@sympatico.ca
Treasurer: Jennifer Hager
519-442-5152
wjh617@sympatico.ca
DIRECTORS
Maria Fernandes
519-624-8455
brasilia@hotmail.ca
Ellen Horak
519-623-9352
ehorak@rogers.com
Pat Locker
519-448-1081
patrice@silomail.com
Brenda Otawa
519-624-4242
minhort@rogers.com
Florence Rothwell
519-740-7136
Michele Schraa
519-740-7180
onthegrand_449@rogers.com
Jane Wyse
519-442-4865
wyse@brant.net
Website: www.gardenontario.org/site.php/glenmorris
Pat Locker Honoured
Our very own Patrice
Locker received the OHA
District Six Service
Award at the Spring
Workshop and Flower
Show, Saturday, April 20.
This honour was bestowed
upon Pat for her outstanding
contributions in the
advancement of horticulture
on a Society, District,
Provincial and Community
level.
Hort Happenings
Pat has made leading edge
contributions in the fields
of leadership, creativity,
volunteerism, and membership
advancement.
As a member of the
GMHS for over 45 years,
Pat was instrumental in
organizing the first Plant
Sale, a Coffee Party and a
day-long Bus Trip which
are still ongoing.
Pat has published many
articles and booklets dealing
with horticulture.
Her involvement as a
Master Gardener has
been exceptional.
We are very proud of you,
Saint Pat!
Share a Seed (Seedy Saturday)
Pat Locker advises that
seeds from common annuals
are easily saved.
Collect seeds when flowers
are dying. The seeds will
be in the calyx at the bottom.
A swelling there will
hold the seeds. Look for
brown, ripe seeds.
Petunias form a small
round pod. Impatiens
form a small green pod
which can open unexpectedly.
Tying a bag over the
seed head can help catch
the seeds.
Seeds from Zinnias and
Marigolds are at the bottom
of dead flowers. They
are brown with an old petal
attached.
May 2013 - 5th Issue
Tip of the Month:
Conserve water by using
a Rain Barrel. Cover to
keep out mosquitoes.
Moving water attracts
birds and bees. Change
water often in bird baths.
May 3-5: Royal Botanical Gardens Garden Show and Plant Sale, Burlington
July 19-21: 107th OHA Convention, “Up North and Down to Earth,” Thunder Bay
July 28: Annual Community BBQ, GMHS and Glen Morris Lion’s Club
5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Glen Morris Centennial Hall. Take your own lawn chair.
August 6: Coffee Party, Home of Ellen and Jerry Horak, 9 Eagle Ridge Court
10:30 a.m.: Take a lawn chair and something horticultural in a brown bag ($10.00
or less). This is a fun time and a chance to get to know one another.
Seeds must be dry to
save. Try biting one to
ensure it is hard and dry.
Place seeds in an airtight
jar. Store them in the
refrigerator or a cool, dry
place. Be sure to label
them. Later, the seeds
can be placed in clearly
labeled envelopes for
trading.

Special Recognition
New Plants for 2013
Métis Bee Cabin
On behalf of the Glen Morris
Horticultural Society,
President Marion Morton
accepted the Special Recognition
Award from Diane
Elliot, Assistant District
Director (left), for hosting
the District 6 Spring Breakfast
Meeting in February
2012.
Facts About Honey
* Honey is the only food on the planet that will
not rot or spoil.
* If honey crystallizes, place in hot (not boiling)
water until it liquefies.
* Never boil honey or place in a microwave
since this will kill the good enzymes.
* Regularly eating a paste of honey and cinnamon
powder can be a natural alternative in the
treatment of cholesterol, arthritis, bladder infections,
heart disease, and other ailments.
* Honey provides a quick source of energy.
* Canada has approved royal jelly as a natural
dietary supplement for its athletes.
Check out new cultivars for 2013 at www.landscapeontario.com.
Perennials:
* Coreopsis ‘Mercury Rising’ Tickseed
* Echinacea ‘Sombrero Sandy Yellow’ Coneflower
* Gaillardia ‘Sun Flare’ Blanket Flower
* Heuchera ‘Little Cuties’ Coral Bells
* Hosta ‘Rainbow’s End’ Hosta
Annuals:
* Begonia ‘Honeymoon Million Kisses’ Trailing Begonia
* Calibrachoa ‘Can-Can’ Calibrachoa
* Impatiens Walleriana ‘Patchwork’ Impatiens
* Lantana Camara ‘Luscious’ Lantana
* Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Strawberry’ Zinnia
Hummers Here Soon
Hummingbirds will soon be passing through our area. Put your
feeders out now to encourage them to stop and stay. I have six!
The males will arrive first and claim a feeder. The females will
follow shortly after. I always put out lots of feeders to cut down
on the fighting. Those males are such bossy birds! A male will
only allow his mate and his offspring to drink. For the nectar,
mix 4 parts water to one part sugar. Do NOT use red food colouring
in the sugar water. Change the water weekly. I look forward
to seeing my energetic little gems once again.
Jerry Clarke and his daughter, Tobias, were guest speakers at our General Meeting, Monday, April 8. They are
members of the Hamilton Wentworth Métis Council and currently live in Port Dover. They travel extensively to
share their knowledge of bee-keeping and the many benefits of having bees in our gardens. Jerry started raising
bees in 2005. He opened The Métis Bee Cabin, a family run business, in Port Dover in 2011. They sell honey products
and Native arts and crafts online at www.metisbeecabin.com.
Of the 22,000 bee species in the world, only 7 produce honey. 800 species live in Canada.
Honeybees account for 80% of all pollination. Without bees, there would be a significant
decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables. Bees are presently in serious decline.
Honeybees have a highly organized society. Each hive contains one queen that can live
for 7-8 years. She lays up to 2000 eggs per day and eats royal jelly. The worker bees are
females that are not able to reproduce. They live 4-8 weeks during busy summer months
while they guard, housekeep, nursemaid, construct, and forage for pollen and nectar.
One billion flowers are needed to produce one pound of honey. Workers protect the hive
and will sting if the hive is threatened but will die afterwards. The drones, or males, are
kept on standby during the summer for mating a virgin queen. Because they are of no
use in the winter, drones are expelled in autumn and die.
Worker bees will fly up to 30 km to collect nectar but they will not fly in the rain. Bees cannot swim, so if you have
a water source, add wine corks, pieces of wood, or small rocks for them to stand on while drinking. Spraying for
weeds is harmful to bees. In Spring, dandelions are their first source of nectar so do not spray them. Petri Oil is a
natural bug repellent. Bees do not like the smell of Marigolds which are also natural repellents. If you must
spray, do so in the early morning or late in the day to lower the spread of pesticides by wind. Bees that live on the
ground need loose soil, free of mulch, to build their hives. Place dryer lint outside for bees to use in their hives.
Bees are hard-working, fascinating creatures of great benefit to mankind. We need to protect them at all costs.