Pilchuck Chapter ARS

Our October meeting will be held at the First Baptist Church, Annex building across the street from where we met last year.  Shirley Rock will share her garden of hardy fuchsias as companion plants to rhodies via PowerPoint.   The meeting will commence at 7:30pm under cover.  Bring a friend!

 

October Horticulture

By Jerry Rock

Last chance to hydrate plants!  Dropping leaves can be lack of plant to utilize water in the soil or they have already started to dry, i.e. root rot, etc.  I hydrate plants by adding one ounce of Simple Green or bio-degradable soap in a two-gallon watering can.  A three foot plant will get the entire contents.  The principal is based in science; soil has an affinity to water or the plant can get water from the soil!  These are called pressure gradients!  If the soil can exert more draw than the plant, the plant dehydrates and dies.  Continued..page 2

 

Help Wanted

 

Thank you to Fred Kirby for agreeing to chair the bus trip, and Jerry Rock for agreeing to chair the plant sale at the Master Gardener sale, Discovery Gardens, Mt. Vernon on May 9th.

 

Getting to Know You

 

Cheryl Arney’s friend and co-worker, Diane is a rhodoholic and quite an influence.  Cheryl was reading the newspaper’s calendar of events section.  There was an announcement about  rhododendron grafting presented by Chuck Blankenship at a local rhododendron meeting.  This peeked her interest.  Six years ago she joined the chapter, and is the current Vice President of the Pilchuck Chapter.  Her generosity and enthusiasm are well received!

 

Cheryl is an avid gardener.  She and husband, Bob, started Arney’s Nursery in 1989 as a wholesale supplier.  Cheryl retired from GTE in 2000 giving her more time at the nursery.  This opened the doors for retail as well.  She says she loves plants and people more.

 

This Arlington native says she really likes the social side of belonging to Pilchuck and Komo Kulshan Chapters, ARS.  Her favorite Rhody is R. decorum.