General Meeting - March 26, 2013

Called to order at 7:05.

President’s Report – Ajay - Last month we had 102 people at our meeting, participation is way up! Thanks given to set up and clean up crew. Motion to accept last month’s minutes by Mary Gale and seconded by Heather Gibbins. Carried. Questions about President’s Report? Nil. We now have a chairperson for nominating committee - Pip Woodcock. Still need two or three more people. Still need someone to co-ordinate bus tour. Have person who will do it if necessary but she would prefer that someone else did it. Tickets available next month. Tour is June 2. ‘ Sooke Secret Gardens’. Chemainus and Ladysmith garden clubs will fill tour if we do not sell out. Shawnigan Lake member who lost their gardener has been helped. Mrs. Bliss now has a younger family member who requires a helper. See Mary Gale. Ajay extended invitation to view daffodils at his home.

Vice-President’s Report -Cliff – Cowichan Valley club will work with us for open gardens, email cliff if you are interested in having your garden open. His email address is in the newsletter.

Treasurer’s Report -Gale - $2044/89 balance.

Secretary’s Report - Arlene – nothing.

Membership – Sandra Goth – given by Heather. We welcomed four new members this evening. Welsome letter not available but will email to them.

Newsletter – Mary –nothing.

Flower & Garden Show – Heather G. – Next meeting at Heather’s, April 8, 7 p.m.

Website – as information to our new members, the newsletter is available on our website.

Library – Janice – still missing the 0 Mile Diet, please bring back. Making a list of things that people might want to borrow. Any ideas? Please sign books out if you are borrowing them … and bring them back thee following month!!! Bill Herring has offered RHS CD’s on tape for the library if there a demand? Janice will take them for the library. Let her know if there are favorite magazines as well.

Raffle – Carmen -flowers and mason bee house Jim Cocker made.

Plant Sales - Heather – lots of things tonight as well as trees and strawberries

Kitchen – Dianne – nothing to report.

Mary Gale – updated us on club members who have written articles for the newspapers and about whom two articles were written. Two cards sent.

Guest – president of Cow Val Club -Diane McAmmon - about their upcoming Spring Flower Show and Plant Sale. Sat. April 13 10 to 2. Entries must be in Friday from 3 to 9. Location at downtown United Church. Brought flyers. Arrangements slightly changed this year – they are doing their shows in April and May. Schedule can be printed from the website. Donations will be made to local charities. Come early for Plant Sale, line up starts early! Bus tour will likely be June 2.

Members forum – Elaine Scott – Thanked Mary for our fantastic newsletter. Plant sale committee established, have two tents at Dot’s house, start potting plants. Invasive ones will not be sold. No ivy, vinca major, lily of the valley , campanulas, ajuga, etc. Heather sale is this Sat. at Farmer’s Institute. Over 1500 for sale. 10 to noon or until sold out. Charity plant sale April 27, money will be split between education for girls in Malawi and Mill Bay food bank.

Joy- has gardening class starting next month, will be done slightly differently. Wednesdays from 6 to 8 starting April 10.

Pip – Master Gardeners or those who might like to be, the Vancouver Island Master Gardener’s Association is holding advanced gardening theory and practice course at Payne Horticultural Center in Nanaimo, 12 weeks through VIU, Victoria master gardeners from here south have their own course at the Horticultural Center of the Pacific. All work well together. See Pip for info. Will be in newsletter.

Bev and Pauline have set up Facebook page for flower and garden show which includes club info as well. Search MBGC on Facebook and join us or at least like us. More spontaneous than website and an effort to create community. Go to Facebook.com, create account, once in, search club.

Brag Table – Barb is away, Ali Morris.

Valerie – community announcement re Ecole Mill Bay. Having planting blitz Thurs. and Fri. next week, 10;30 to early afternoon focussing on plants that will be ready to harvest before the end of June. The school is moving over the summer.

Q and A. with Bill Herring – Bill will have his garden open this year June 22, 10 a.m. to mid day.

What to do with curly peach leaves? A very common problem in this climate. Keep rain off the as much as possible, prevents most of it. Nectrines as well. Gooseberry bush can be uncovered as soon as fruit begins to appear. Black currents as well. Use Enviromesh. Carrots too. Raccoons digging up seedlings? Cayenne pepper over area they have been visiting will keep them away. Cats can be harmed by this product. Critter Ridder works. Human urine works as well. Joy asked what makes some carrots sweeter than others? Depends on the variety. Blueberries? Put sulfer around plant. Bill knows nothing about blueberries but Cliff says elemental sulphur. Fir branch mulch works as well.

Evening’s speaker: Ted Leischner on pollinators.

Next meeting: April 23, 2013.