EVERGREEN CHRYSANTHEMUM ASSOCIATION
Seattle, Washington
ECAmumclub.org
Jill Aldrich, Secretary
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
HAPPY TURKEY DAY, MERRY CHRISTMAS
MEETING OF THE ECA –Thursday December 13th at 7 PM in the classroom facility to the left as you drive into the SPAA complex. Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila, WA.
TELEPHONE COMMITTEE MEMBERS - Please contact your lists early in the week of December 1st.
NOMINATION OF 2006 CLUB OFFICERS – The December meeting includes the election of officers for the upcoming year.
Nominees:
Mark Ross, President , Vice President
Claudia Attebery, Treasurer, Jill Aldrich, Secretary
Past President: Steve Backstrom
Trustees: 3 year term: Nominees are: David Rhynes
2 year term: Bob Ewing and Larry Mayer
1 year term: Mike Kubo and Betty Mayer
Nominations are encouraged from the floor at the December meeting for all officer and trustee positions. It is up to all of us to rotate as officers periodically to provide the club fresh ideas and new perspectives.
MANY THANKS to Jean Smith and Sydney Ogilvie for organizing all the refreshments
The club commends the faithful service of Darlene Shimizu, Chairperson and all the telephone tree callers.
Many Thanks
Darlene Shimizu has asked to be replaced as phone tree and phone notification chairman, effective in January. A replacement for her is needed on the overall phone tree committee and a chairman from the overall committee members.
2008CLUB DUES – Members are encouraged to pay dues for 2008. Annual dues are $15/member or $20/couple. Dues are paid to the ECA Treasurer
If you wish to continue receiving the Newsletters and “To Do Lists”, I encourage you to pay your dues for 2008 by January, so you are not dropped from our Database. By-Laws, Article 1, states that fees are due no later than the March meeting for members who have paid dues in 2007.
AWARDS BANQUET: Our Banquet was great and everyone had a nice time. There were several members and spouses in attendance.
Many Thanks to Ron Elliott in preparing the trophies that were presented. They looked great. Also many thanks to Larry Mayer who made arrangements for the Engraved Chrysanthemum Plates and generated all the Certificates for the winners.
CULTURAL NOTES – The cultural for the December meeting will include a review of the last growing season and cultivars response, planning for the upcoming 2007 growing season, and getting new plant starts growing well. Refer to the cultural page for Don Stark’s recommended top ten mum varieties for 2007
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the December meeting, come and vote for your choice of Officers for 2008
I will send out the results of the voting for the 2008 Officers.
Attached is the “To Do List for December.
Have a Merry Christmas, see you in the New Year.
Jill Aldrich, Secretary
DECEMBER TO DO LIST – (adapted from DRS 12/03/98 notes, Modified 11/26/04)
Success for the upcoming year begins with the care of our stock to produce the quality cuttings needed for other members, our club plant sales and ourselves. It is important that you identify your best plants of each variety and try to get your cuttings from those plants. Weak or diseased plants should b destroyed. Get a new start from another member at the plant sale if your stock is weak.
Cultivars in classes #1, #3 and #3 are usually started in late Dec. and January. The #1 varieties such as Jessie Habgood, Gigantics, Mark Woolman, Dukes and Lancaster Fold need early starts and so do the Fairweather family of #3’s. Most #2’s can be started in January. Cultivar classes #4 & #5 and 14 & 15’s are usually started in Feb. and March. Plants to be grown for specimen (10 or more blooms) should be started ASAP. In spite of the above suggestions for starting times. It is always a good idea to wait on the cuttings till they are ready. Cuttings should be 1” to 2” and growing vigorously.
PREPARING STOOLS FOR CUTTINGS
• Keep pots outside and sheltered from the wind, cold, rain, and slugs. It is important for the plant stool to chill and remain relatively dry during its dormant period until 2-4 weeks before you want to start taking cuttings. The chilling period will produce much stronger cuttings for the next growing cycle.
• Protect stools from hard freezing (less than 28 degrees). Most plants can stand a night or more of freezing temperatures but three consecutive hard freezing nights will probably kill all but the hardiest cultivars. During severe cold snaps a garage, shed, greenhouse, or a tarp can be used temporarily to protect the plants until the cold subsides.
• Two to four weeks before the desired cutting-time bring pot stools into heated area (60 degrees for example) and feed with a nitrogen fertilizer such as Miracle-Grow to stimulate new growth.
TAKING CUTTINGS
• The recommended cutting media is a 50% sand 50% Peat Moss. However, I and others have recently switched to starting in the M&R soilless mix that we pot into for the rest of the year. I start right in the 2 ½ or 3-inch pots and set them in or on the bed of sand in my cutting bed. I also start some of the later varieties directly in the 2-½ plastic cubes that we use mostly for plant sales.
• The cutting bed temperature should be maintained at 65F.
• Cover the newly taken cuttings with a glass or clear plastic cover for the 3 days after taking the cutting.
• Cuttings should be from 1½ to 2 inches long with the cutoff or break at a leaf node.
• It is recommended to dip cuttings in a mild insecticide/fungicide solution before setting the new cutting in the cutting media.
• Cover the newly taken cuttings with a glass or clear plastic cover for up to three days after taking the cuttings. Leave some room under the cover so that air can get in and circulate around a bit.
• Provide overhead light for the new cuttings. A 4-foot fluorescent shop light with Growlux bulbs works great.
Don Stark’s Top Ten Mum Varieties for 2005
1. Connie Mayhew is a #2 yellow that everyone should grow. Ed Pawlowski won best bloom open classes with it.
2. Len Hall is a #3 pink incurve that is reliable and in his opinion the best #3 in our club.
3. Port Stanley is a #5 yellow incurving bloom with good form and color that does well with 4-5 blooms per plant
4. Lundy and Yellow Lundy are #2 reflex varieties and in his view the best #2 blooms in our club. You will love the yellow and the white is brilliant. These are winners.
5. Seychelles is a #2 dark pink reflex that is big with good form and likes a lot of fertilizer. Don Stark won best in show with a Seychelles last year.
6. Fairweather family (Pink, White, Salmon, Primrose Yellow) produces all good #3 incurves. The Primrose and yellow varieties are new and very healthy and vigorous.
7. Ralph and Yellow Ralph Lambert are #1 bronze and yellow reflex varieties that are easy to grow two up.
8. Alexis and Apricot Alexis, #5 pink and apricot varieties that you will love to grow.
9. Stan Addison is a good #5 new comer, it grows fairly big as a #5 when grown 2 or 3 blooms, and can be grown successfully as a #3 when grown 5 to 7 blooms per plant.
10. Vienna Waltz is a #10 purple spider that is one of the club’s best varieties in this class. It blooms on time, beautiful, and a winner.