EVERGREEN CHRYSANTHEMUM ASSOCIATION
Seattle, Washington
Jill Aldrich, Secretary
MEETING OF THE ECA –THURSDAY April 10, 2008 at 7 PM at the Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila.
TELEPHONE COMMITTEE MEMBERS contact your phone list members early, as your calls do help to increase attendance.
YEARBOOKS – Joe Pettigrew announced that the 2008 ECA Yearbooks would be available for distribution to members attending the April 10th meeting. For those members unable to attend, your yearbook will be sent to you through the U.S. Mail. As of this mailing, the names of those members with 2008 unpaid annual membership dues have been removed from the Yearbook.
ECA once again appreciates the time and effort Joe Pettigrew devoted this year and every year to the preparation of our annual yearbook. It is a BIG JOB; THANKS SO MUCH JOE.
PLANT SALES – We give a BIG THANK YOU to Bob Ewing for all his hard work coordinating our public plant sale. The March plant sale at Furney’s was a huge success.
"There are approximately 150 good looking plants of many varieties left over from the public plant sale that will be available to our members at the April meeting. For those still wanting additional plants, please take advantage of this opportunity."
MEMBER NEWS – E.C.A. appreciates all the time and effort of the growers who took the time to propagate plants to sell at our membership and public plant sales. The Public Plant sale and our membership dues are the club’s only means of income to cover the club’s yearly expenses. Thanks to all of you, GOOD JOB.
CLUB WEBSITE—Steve Backstrom is continuing to update the website and encourages members to visit the site—ecamumclub.org. There is a current list of the cultivars that have been identified within the club along with their pinch dates, etc. Steve welcomes any and all input. Nice job Steve.
If you prefer to receive future monthly notices by email only rather than US mail, please send an email to Jill. This will also save the Club some money on postage.
PLANT CULTURE and SUPPLIES –April and May are the months where most of our cultivars are stopped. Cultural recommendations are attached for April and will be discussed at the April meeting.
Contact Mas Tamekuni this month for soilless and supplies needed.
Please note the change in recommendation for starter fertilizer.
Don Stark notes that we are out of the early mum fertilizer recommended for the
2 1/2 to 6" pots. Don indicated that water-soluble 10-50-10, Peters Super Blossom Booster plant food, is available at local garden stores or McLendons Hardware in 1.5-pound bags. The application directions indicate 1 tsp per gallon of water for indoor use. Use this fertilizer as a supplement through the 6” pot stage.
When we switch to 8" or 9" pots, we will switch to Peters 20-10-20 or Technigro 20-9-29+ until the buds are taken in late summer. We will have a continuous supply of the 20-9-20+ available at the meetings starting in may. Don prefers the 20-9-20 because the + includes significant sulphur which helps with the greening of the plants.
APRIL TO DO LIST (edited from DRS 3-21-05)
1. Potting on mums into 4” or 6” pots
• Soilless growers who are using the club recommended M&R mix. This mix is ph balanced at 6.5 and contains a good mix of fertilizers that carry the plant for 3-4 weeks. It requires no additives at this time, but some growers like to add a little Alfalfa meal and some additional pumice for increased aeration.
• Soil or compost mixes: See McGlashen mix in the McGlashen Hand Book. You’ll need to mix your own soil, consisting of compost, or garden loam plus slacked Lime or Dolomite to keep soil sweet plus Steamed Bone to promote root growth. Also, ashes and a little Rose and garden fertilizer (i.e. 4-10-8 or 5-10-10) Pumice or grit may be added to loosen the soil mix.
• Wash previously used pots in a mild Clorox bath (bleach), then rinse in clear water.
• Clay pots are recommended for 4 or 6 inch potting as they breathe and dry out faster during cool April days.
• Pot on when a significant ring of roots forms around the bottom edge of the pot (semi root bound). Do not compact the potting mix. Tie plants to small stakes.
2. Move mum pots outdoors as weather warms. Choose a sunny location.
• Bury pots to rim if using clay. Protect from frost, wind, dogs, cats and Children.
3. Review stopping dates. Most ECA cultivars are stopped Between April 15 and May 30.
• Pinch date lists for most club cultivars should be available at the April meeting. Contact your Coach for other cultivars not on the list.
4 OTHER CARE:
• Control Aphids. Spray for Aphids every 2 or 3 weeks, with liquid Diazinon, or other insecticides. Water only as needed, do not over water.
• Fertilize weekly starting the 3rd or 4th week after potting. Standard Miracle Grow is recommended. Water soluble 10-50-10 Peter’s upper blossom booster is also a good substitute.
• Continue culling process in April to get to your final growing group. The 6” potting should
be used for this reduction. Don’t always keep the first plants to reach 6” potting stage. Keep
the best cultivars. Send surplus quality plants to plant sale, or share with other club members.
Throw away damaged or diseased plants.