Volume9,Issue1,January2017
A Message from our Co-President ~~~~~~~~~
‘Tistheseasonforcitrus,andthistimeofyearI’malwayslookingforcleverwaystouseourbackyard’sbounty.Myhusbanddoesn’tliketowateranythinghecan’teat,somuchofouryardislandscapedinedibles,includingmanycitrusandotherfruittrees.
SoitseemedlikeJanuarywouldbeagreatmonthforourresidentexpert,JanFetler,toenlightenusonthechoosing,planting,andcareoffruittrees.
Thisisthetimeofyeartoprotectcitrusfromfrost.OurdeciduousfruittreesareallskeletonsnowandIcanseehowmuchtheyneedaproperpruning.“Pruningstimulatesnewgrowth,controlsthetreesize,andimprovesthesizeandqualityofthefruit,”saystheNationalGardeningAssociation.Ithinkitmakesthefruiteasiertopickandmakesthetreenicerlooking,whichisimportantwhenfruittreesareyourchoiceforlandscaping.
Thistimeofyearcitrusfruitisbeginningtoripen.We’vebeenpickinglimesanddutifullymakingmargaritastousethemup.TheMeyerlemonsarereadytopickandlemoncurdisfuntocookandmakesagreatgift.Thisrecipe(seepage6)thatI’vebeenusingitforyearscomesfromtheCookingLightwebsite.It’slighterandmuchlessrichthantraditionallemoncurd,andittastesgreatonscones.
CranberryorangesconesservedwithMeyerlemoncurdmightjustbeourfirstbreakfastoftheNewYear!
IhopetoseeyouatourmeetingonJanuary2nd!
Kathleen Albiani
Next Meeting ~~~~~
Monday,January2,2017,6:30p9250LagunaSpringsDr.,Suite100
All About Fruit Trees JanFetler
UCMasterGardener
Inside This Issue ~~~
2–SassySucculents
3–JanuaryGardenChecklist
3–Calendar
4–BirdhouseoftheMonth
4–FranklinSchoolChickens!
5–ColoroftheYear-Greenery
6–LemonCurdRecipe
6–BigOakPruningWorkshopFlyer
TheScarecrow|January2017 2
Sassy Succulents ~~~~~~~~~~~
Theseloveliesareveryeasytogrowandareavailableatlocalgardenstores.
Cotyledontomentosa‘Bear’sPaw’.FurrySouthAfricannativecanreach20inchesinheight.Evenwithacoatoffur,itstillneedsprotectionfromtempsbelow32.Itlikesdryfeetinwintersowatersparingly.Prettyyellow-orangeflowersinspring.
Portulacariaafra–Thecommonnameis‘Elephant’sFood’.NativetoSouthAfricawhereitgetshugeandelephantsreallydoeatit.Hereitgrowsinsunorshade,littlemoderatewater.LookssimilartoJadePlantbutismorelooselybranched.‘Variegata’(RainbowElephantBush)isslowergrowingandsmallerthanthespecies.
Haworthiaattenuata‘Zebra’.NativetoSouthAfrica.Smallplantsdon’texceed6inches,butmakemany‘pups’forminganexpandingmound.Waterismoderate—shoulddryoutbetweenwaterings.Protectfromtempsbelow32.Smallwhiteflowersinsummer.
Haworthiavenosatessalata‘StarWindow’.Samecultureas‘Zebra’.
Graptopetalumparaguayense.NativetoMexico.Summergrower.Needlotsofsuntolookitsbest.Waterregularlyinsummer,minimalinwinter.Hardyto32.
TheScarecrow|January2017 3
January Garden Checklist ~~~
ByJanFetler
Herearesomesuggestionsforgardenchoresthismonth.
• Reviewwhatwentwellin2016anddecideonneededchanges;startadiaryfor2017.
• Planawatersavingsystem:rotarysprinklersforlawn,dripirrigationforotherplants.
• Plantvegetableseedsoutdoors:peas,radishesandlettuce(seeVegetablePlantingSchedule).
• Protectcitrus,tenderperennials,succulentsandtropicalplantswhenforecasttemperaturesdropbelowfreezing.
• Allowcitrustoripenontreesthroughwinter.Tasteitandharvestwhenripe.
• Buyandplantbarerootfruittrees,rosesandberries.
• Prunecaneberries,blueberries,rosesandmostdormantdeciduousfruittrees.Waittoprunecitrus(March)andcherriesandapricots(JulyorAugust).
• Limitsoilcompactionbyavoidingwalkingonordigginginverywetsoil.
• Coverthecompostpilewithaplastictarpduringheavyrains.
• Applydormantoilspraytofruittreesandgrapevinestosmotheroverwinteringinsectsandhelppreventdisease.
Calendar ~~~~~~~~~~~
Next GOTG Meetings
January2(Monday)6:30p
Speaker:JanFetler,UCMasterGardenerFruitTreeCare
9250LagunaSpringsDr.,Suite100Keller-WilliamsReality,ElkGroveLocatedonthewestsideofLagunaSpringsacrossthestreetfromBJ’sRestaurant
Next GOTG Meetings Continued
February6(Monday)6:30pm
Irrigation–GreenAcresNurseryThismeetingtobeheldattheNursery!
March6(Monday)6:30pm
Beekeeping–SteveHays
April3(Monday)6:30pm
Herbs–RoseLoveall,MorningSunHerbFarm
May1(Monday)6:30pm
ToBeAnnouncedSoon
June5(Monday)6:30pm
GardenChatter–MasterGardeners
Franklin School Garden Club
January30(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
February27(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
March13(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
March27(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
April3(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
April24(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
May8(Monday)2:30till3:30pm
Other Events
January6(Friday)Noontill6pJanuary7(Saturday)10atill6pJanuary8(Sunday)10atill5p
CaliforniaStateHomeandGardenShowSacramentoConventionCenter$6adults,16andunderfree$2seniors,Fridayonlyhttp://calstateshows.com/
January14(Saturday)9atillNoon
MasterGardenerPruningWorkshopFairOaksHorticultureCenter11549FairOaksBoulevard,FairOaksFree!
TheScarecrow|January2017 4
January27(Friday)Noontill7pJanuary28,29(Saturday,Sunday)10atill6p
NorthernCaliforniaHomeandLandscapeExpoCalExpo(visittheMasterGardenerbooth!)$7adults,12andunderfree$2seniors(60+),Fridayonlyhttp://www.homeandlandscapeexpo.com/
January28(Saturday)1ptill4p
PruningandDiagnosticClinicHandson—bringgloves/clippersBigOakNursery,ElkGroveFree!(seeflyeronpage6)
Got Chickens? ~~~~~~~~~~~~
BelowisapictureofthreechickensfromtheFranklinSchool.Cluck,cluck,cluck.ThanksGay!
PhotobyGayRigmaiden
For the Birds ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DobirdsneedtovisitthegymaftertheHolidays?Hereisabirdhousetomakeyouwonderandsmile.
Support Our Local Friends ~~~~~ BigOakNursery
ElkGroveCommunityGarden
ElkGroveFoodBank
ElkGroveGreenerGardens
ElkGroveHistoricalSociety
GreenAcresNurseryandSupply
TheSecretGarden
UCCEMasterGardeners
TheScarecrow|January2017 5
Color of the Year
Pantone,theauthorityoncolor,hasnamed“Greenery”theircoloroftheyearfor2017.Wethinkthatfitsinverynicelywithgardening!
Greeneryissymbolicofnewbeginnings.Nature’sneutral.
Hereisjustoneexampleofour(frostylettuce)greenery.
Co-Presidents
KathleenAlbianiandConnieGeorgiu
Vice-President–BonnieJones
Secretary–DianneCadwallader
Treasurer–LindaLichtenberg
POBox2418ElkGrove,CA95759-2418
http://www.gardenersofthegrove.orgFacebook:
https://www.facebook.com/GOTGElkGrove2016/
GardenersoftheGroveisamemberof:
SacramentoRiverValleyDistrict
CaliforniaGardenClubs,Inc.
PacificRegionofNationalGardenClubs,Inc.
NationalGardenClubsInc.
~~~ The Scarecrow ~~~
Editor–[email protected]
This Month’s Contributors:
KathleenAlbianiGayRigmaiden
TheScarecrow|January2017 6
Lemon Curd Yield: 1 ½ cups
Ingredients• 3/4 cup sugar • 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind • 2 large eggs • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons) • 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
Preparation Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture is light in color (about 3 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and butter; cook for 5-10 minutes or until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly. Cool. Cover and chill (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
Note: Lemon Curd freezes nicely. If you over-heat the curd you might get a little bit of scrambled egg looking bits in it- just strain it and it will be lovely.
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