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.

Vienna Waltz

Come to our meetings to learn how you can grow mums like this. We meet the second Thursday of each month except August at 7 PM in the Bingo parlor on the right as you drive into the SPAA complex. Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila, WA.

PLANT SALES
ecamumclub.org

Jill Aldrich, Secretary


MARCH ECA NEWSLETTER

MEETING OF THE ECA –THURSDAY, March 13th, 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 lists early, as your calls do help to increase attendance, and please mention the plant sale at Furney’s March 29th 9:00 am-1: 30 pm.

DUES – Members are encouraged to pay 2008 dues to treasurer, Claudia Attebery.. Annual dues are $15/member or $20/couple. Dues must be paid before or at the March meeting for members to be listed in the clubs 2008 yearbook.

PLANT SALES – The second member plant sale of the year is at the March meeting, March 13th.

Our public plant sale will be March 29th (Saturday) from 9-1:30 at Furney’s Nursery in Des Moines (21215 Pacific Hwy South). At least 8 people are needed for Set-Up on Friday March 28th 1:00 pm to about 2:30 pm. On Saturday about 10 people are needed,

PLANT CULTURE and SUPPLIES – Members are reminded to bring in their extra plants for our member plant sale and the public sales. Only healthy looking plants are accepted for the “Sales Events”. For those bringing in plants, also bring in newspaper or a cloth to cover the table if your plants are in an open bottom carrier. This will help the clean up crew when tidying at the end of the meeting. Cultural recommendations are attached for March and will be discussed at the March meeting.

Contact Don Stark, for soilless and supplies.

Plant Sale: Bring your “Don’s top ten list” from the Dec. Newsletter. Have a list of what you want. We’ll help you make your selections.

PLANT SELECTION IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS GAME.
You older hands, if you have grown the same cultivar from your own stock with poor results, throw your stock away and buy a plant or two of that cultivar at the plant sale. Select carefully, you want a healthy cutting, and if the grower didn’t think enough of it to put his initials on the tag, go get a different one. Keep looking for the best stock available. Don Stark
New Members are encouraged to contact Bob Ewing to be assigned a coach who will provide personalized growing instruction and advise. It is highly recommended that new members take advantage of this membership service. Don’t be shy give Bob a call!!!

NEW MEMBERS – Welcome to the new members that joined ECA late in 2007 and early this year 2008. New members receive ten free plants the first growing season. (Couples receive 15 free plants)
If you prefer to receive future monthly notices by email only rather than US mail, please send an email to Jill Aldrich, Secretary.

MARCH TO DO LIST (edited from DRS 2-21-05)

1. Clean pots and gather materials for potting:
• For soilless growers, supplies include soilless mix, Peters 9-45-15 fertilizer, and optionally, ¼ inch screened pumice, perlite or grit. Most of our growers use the M & R Soilless potting mix sold by the club. Addition of the pumice perlite or grit is not necessary for this stage. Generally the pumice etc. is added for the 9-inch potting. Some also add the pumice to the mixture for the 6-inch potting.
• For McGlashen soil mixes, you will need good garden loam; pumice, perlite or grit; and leaf mold or course greenhouse peat, plus well composted manure, steamed bone meal, slacked or hydrated lime and a good dry rose fertilizer such as 4-10-8. See your copy of the McGlashen book for details.
2. Pot mums into 4 or 6-inch pot:
• Clay pots are recommended when possible for the 4 or 6 inch potting as these pots breathe and dry out faster during cool March and April days.
• Wash used pots in a bleach/water solution, i.e. 2 teaspoons per gallon of water. Then rinse in fresh water. Let the cleaned pots set in the clear water for 3 or 4 minutes to clear out the bleach. Change the rinse water occasionally to clear out the bleach from previous rinses.
• Pot on when the ring of roots around the bottom of the pot is substantial. Do not compact the mix and leave room at the top for watering.
3. Move pots outdoors:
• After mums have become well established in the new pots (1-2 weeks) move mums outdoors or to cold frame to slow the foliage growth and toughen up the plants. The desirable ambient temperature is 50 to 60 degrees.
• To keep roots warm and at a stable temp, bury the pots in the soil or in a layer of compost or manure. Six inches is a good depth for the compost or manure. A cold frame is the best solution for this stage!
• Lacking a good sunny location, B-9 is a growth retardant spray mix that tends to help plants from getting too leggy. It is available through the club.
4. Stopping Dates:
• Review stopping dates and stop mums as their stopping dates arrive. Very few varieties require pinching in March unless a double pinching regimen is being followed (Phil Houghton March 15 and May 15 for example).
• Refer to the various ECA lists of stopping dates. Copies of a stopping date list will be available at the meeting.
5. Keep growing vigorously:
• Water as needed, but keep relatively dry
• Spray or control aphids
• Fertilize soil less plants with 9-45-15 or Miracle Grow solution starting the 2nd or 3rd week after potting. Use fertilizer at ½ strength that is approximately ½ teaspoon/gallon.
Begin culling process in March to get to the final growing group. Send surplus
quality plants to plant sales or share with other ECA members. Throw away poor
plants and damaged or diseased plants.

Jill Aldrich, SECRETARY

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

MEETING OF THE ECA – is scheduled for THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2008 at
7:00 PM at the Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila.
TELEPHONE COMMITTEE MEMBERS call your lists early in the week of February 6th as your calls do help to increase attendance.

DUES – Members are encouraged to pay dues for 2008 soon. Annual dues are $15/member or $20/couple. Must be paid no later than the March meeting for inclusion in this year’s yearbook.

MEMBER PLANT SALE – The first member plant sale of the year occurs at the February meeting. ECA growers bring plants to the meeting for sale to help other members who do not start plants from cuttings, secure plants for the coming growing season. Plants available for the first sale are generally the late blooming varieties that are in classifications 1 through 5. The cost of each plant will be $1.00 for members.
New members receive ten free plants for the first growing season. No more than five free plants should be selected at the February sale. This helps assure the new grower success managing the early season growing challenges and also greater access to a wider selection of plants such as the early blooming varieties which are easier to grow and are more available at the March member sale (March 13th Meeting) and March 29th (at Furney’s Nursery) Public Plant Sale.

New Members are encouraged to contact Bob Ewing to be assigned a coach who will provide personalized growing instruction and advice. It is highly recommended that new members take advantage of this membership service. Don’t be shy give Bob a call!!!

This is a note from Ian McGlashan, “After my visit to your club at show time, I came back to express to our Association how great it was to see so much participation by your members in the show. This has led to an interest by our “newer members” as to what your secret might be. We have had quite a melt in interest and would be open to much improvement. (at this point I must tell you that I am the longest time participating member. I have been involved with the club since it’s beginning March 1937. Some day maybe I can explain further.) I am not going to last forever. Also a prophet is not listened to in his own country. I am open to learning success from others. Your club is our closest neighbour. We are hoping that you may have a couple of members who might come to a meeting and tell us how you operate, and possibly we can learn a new approach. There would be a choice of accommodation, at our expense, either a Guest Suite at a condominium complex or a family home quite close by offered by our Vice-President. Thanks for your time, Ian McGlashan, Secretary

MUMS REQUESTED BY PATRONS FOR 2008

Golden Rain, Connie Mayhew, First Light, Woolmans Century, Ice Box, Alabama, Lundy, Mt Rainier, Morning Star, Honey, Powder Puff, Elsie Prosser, Revert Equinox, Chase Wakes, Elizabeth Shoesmith, Red Woolmans Glory –red & yellow, Anzac , Mary Jane, Atomic, Cossack, Tennis, Pumpkin, Primrose Tennis, White Billy Bell, Bullfinch, Port Stanley, Purple light, Seatons Ruby, Vienna Waltz, Kermit, Gillette, Ogmore Vale, Seigi, Cherry Venice, Fairweather, Koshi no Yuki,
Talbot Parade, Lilli Gallon, Lava, Vicky

PLANT CULTURE – Continue to start plants for our public sale in March. Plants must be given protection for the first few months and carefully nurtured to establish strong root systems before potting or repotting. In February, take starts for the early blooming varieties. At this month’s meeting, the focus is growing plants, cultivar selection, materials and your reference books. Cultural recommendations are attached.

SUPPLIES – Supplies to be available at the February meeting.
• Plant Labels, White and Yellow 100 per pack.
• 2½” Plastic planting/starting cubes
• M&R Soilless Growing Media (Need enough orders to buy a pallet for a lower price). The cultural committee has decided to provide only M&R mix. It is a better product for mums than the mix used previously. This mix can be used for all pottings from the first 2 ½” pot to the 9 or 10” final pot.
Contact: Don Stark with Soilless orders.

Messenger will also be available for purchase if you have any questions, Contact: Bob Ewing

Novice Handbooks will be available at the next meetings and the Public Plant Sale at a cost of $2.00 (payable to the Treasurer)

To receive monthly Newsletters by email only rather than U.S.mail, send an email to Jill Aldrich

February to-do List (New: 1-28-06 DRS)

Continue with cuttings:

Continue taking cuttings throughout Feb. and into March for some. A few early Feb. cuttings can be available for the March Plant sales (March Members sale at the March meeting and the public plant sale on Sat. March 29th). Most Feb. and March cuttings should be of the early English and American varieties. Late Decoratives) Classes 4, 5, 14 and 15) should be started primarily in Feb. Take cuttings for yourself and for the plant sale.

Most varieties in classes 1,2 and 3 should have been started by the end of January: however here are some varieties that can be successfully grown from Feb. cuttings. #1 & #2’s Lundy, Yellow Lundy, David Dando, Ralph Lambert, Yellow Ralph Lambert, Athabaska, Harry Gee, Jane Sharpe and Seychelle. #3’s Len Hall, Salmon, Primrose and yellow Fairweathers, Stockton and Heather James.

Cuttings started directly in the cutting bed media should not require fertilization before potting on. If you are starting in the cross bottom bands or 2” clay pots, fertilizer should be added after 3 to 4 weeks as these cutting generally require 5-6 weeks before potting on. Start fertilizing once a week beginning with the 4th week. Use an early Mum fertilizer, Peters 9-45-15 or Plant Marvel 12-45-10 (One Tsp/Gal once a week)

Potting on:

Most growers are using the soilless M&R potting mix sold by the club. In general no additives are required for the early pottings (2” and 4” pots); however some growers like to add some special ingredients. For instance Alfalfa meal or pellets is a good stimulant that can be added. Avoid adding Bone meal, as you will probably find fungi growing on the top of your pots due to too much potassium.
- Pot the mums directly from the cutting beds into 2” pots, or from the starter bands or pots into 3” or 4” pots.
- Use new pots, or wash previously used pots with a mild bleach solution (Clorox) to kill moss and eliminate the viruses. When bleach is used thoroughly rinse pots in fresh water to get the bleach out of the pot.
- Clay pots are recommended for the 2”, 3”, 4” and 6” potttings as the clay pots will dry out better than plastic after watering. This is especially important during the cool March and April days.

- Pot on from cutting beds when the roots are ½ to ¾ in. long (Typically 4 weeks) into 2 ½” or 3” pots.

- Pot on from cross bottom bands, or pots when roots are growing thickly out of the pots or bands (Typically 6 weeks). Do not compact the mix!

- Place the newly potted mums out of the light or under the bench for 2-3 days to stimulate root growth.

Care:

- Shelter mums in the greenhouse, cold frame, or other shelter (Kitchen table or south facing window)
- Temperature should be between 50 and 60 degrees.
- Glass overhead will help keep mums from getting leggy.

Care Continued:

- B-9 is a good growth retardant that tends to help plants from getting too leggy. It is available through the club. If you choose to use B-9 it should be applied at the time of potting on and again at or near pinch time. Caution: Do not use B-9 on plants that tend to naturally grow short: i.e. all the Fairweathers, all the Alexis, Port Stanley and others.

- Plants will remain in this first potting for 4-6 weeks until they have produced a noticeable root ring around the bottom of the pot. Don’t be afraid to knock the root ball out of the pot after several weeks and examine the roots.

- Fertilize with 9-45-15, or 12-45-10 beginning the 4th week
(1 Tsp/Gal once a week) These fertilizers are available through the
Club at the monthly meetings.

Jill Aldrich, Secretary

HAPPY CHRYSANTHEMUM GROWING 2008

MEETING OF THE ECA – Our monthly meeting is Thursday January 10 at 7 PM at the Seattle Police Athletic Association Office (SPAA) site at 11030 East Marginal Way South, Tukwila. Wa.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Once again it is time to mark your yearly calendar for EVERY SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH 7:00 pm for our Monthly Chrysanthemum Meeting. Please join us to exchange your growing experiences with all of us and lets learn from each other and have a fun evening out.
TELEPHONE COMMITTEE MEMBERS - Please contact your call lists early in the week of January 3rd.. If it is not necessary to give you a reminder call please call Jack Brandon and tell him to take you off the list.
The ECA EXECUTIVE BOARD will meet January 8th at Bob Ewing’s at 7:00 pm to finalize the 2008 calendar and plan ECA activities for the upcoming year.

2008 CLUB OFFICERS – Officers and trustees for 2008 are as follows:
President: Mark Ross
Vice President: Ron Elliott
Secretary: Jill Aldrich Treasurer: Claudia Attebery

TRUSTEES:
Immediate Past President: (1 Yr.) Steve Backstrom Trustees (3-Yr,) David Rynes, Mas Tamekuni Trustees (2-Yr.) Bob Ewing, Larry Mayer Trustees (1 Yr.) Mike Kubo, Betty Mayer
Cultural Instructor: Don Stark
CONGRATULATIONS

2008 CLUB DUES – Members are encouraged to pay dues for 2008. Annual dues are $15/member or $20/couple. Dues are paid to the ECA Treasurer, Claudia Attebery (Make Checks out to ECA)

CULTURAL NOTES and SUPPLIES – Cultural recommendations are attached for January and will be discussed at the meeting. Early season supplies including plant tags, 2½" plastic cubes (pots), and a limited amount of early season fertilizer and soilless potting mix will be available at the meeting. For those interested in the soilless potting mix, call Don Stark with your orders as soon as possible.

PROPAGATION OF NEW PLANTS/CUTTINGS
Bob Ewing will set aside time to show any member who is interested in how to take cuttings and generate new starts for 2008.
For Help: Call, Bob Ewing

ECA BOARD MEETING – The ECA executive board will meet January 8th at Bob Ewing’s at 7:00 pm to finalize the 2008 calendar and plan ECA activities for the upcoming year.
Members that prefer to receive future monthly newsletters by email only rather than USPS mail, please send your email address to that effect to Jill Aldrich.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE AT THE MEETINGS NEXT YEAR
PLEASE BRING SUGGESTIONS TO THE MEETING ON HOW WE CAN INCREASE/IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AT THE MONTHLY MEETINGS.

Supplies available for the Jan meeting and prices are :

M&R soilless mix (1 cu ft.) $4.50
Five in. labels, (100 per bundle) $1.50
2 1/2 in cross bottom bands $0 .05 each
4 in. Twistems 4 bundles for $1.00
Clear domes for planting bed $3.00 ea.
B-9 as marked

Don Stark
January to-do List – (Revised 1/2/06, DRS)
Success for the upcoming growing season begins with the taking of new cuttings needed for ourselves, other club members and for the upcoming public plant sales. Taking the cuttings and potting on the newly rooted cuttings are the major January activities. Hopefully we have kept last years’ stools alive and have added some 20-10-20.fertilizer. At 55 to 60 Deg room temp. our stools should now be producing the strong shoots we need.
Timing:
-Cuttings for classes #1 and #3 should be taken in late Dec. and all of January.
-Most #2 varieties are started throughout January: but Keith Luxford, Ivor Mace and
James Bryant should be started in Dec. or early January, if the stools are far enough
along to produce healthy cuttings.
-Cuttings of classes #4, #5, #14’ & #15 are usually started in late Jan. or Feb.
-Plants to be grown for Specimens (11 or more blooms) should generally be
started earlier, Nov. Dec, or Early Jan. for example.
- Spiders Quills and spoons are also good candidates for January starts.
The cutting bed
should be a flat four-sided box with heating cable, mat or other devices for heating the cutting medium. The box should be at least 18 in wide so that it can hold 1 or more of the 17 in by 9 in. flats. An overhead Fluorescent lamp such as a 4-foot, two-bulb shop light will provide needed light supplement for the new cuttings. Plantgrow or GrowLux bulbs are good but expensive and simple white bulbs seem to work adequately. Fill the box with 2 ½ to 3 inches of cutting media and provide heating controls to maintain the required temperature.
- Cutting bed media -A 50-50 mix washed sand and peat moss
- Cutting bed Temp -65 to 70 deg F.
Taking the cuttings:
We offer two different methods for handling the initial cuttings:
1. Place the cutting directly in the cutting bed media, maintain cutting bed heat at 65 deg
(In approximately 4 weeks the new cuttings will have roots 1 in. long and are ready to
be transplanted into 2 ½ or 3 inch pots.)
2. Fill the 2 ½ in cross bottom bands with our standard M&R growing mix. Set these
bands directly on top of the cutting media and insert your cuttings directly into the
M&R mix. Maintain cutting bed Temp at 70 deg. In 5-6 weeks the cutting should be
ready for transplanting into 4 in pots.)

The cuttings should be from 1 ½ to 2 inches long with the cut off or break at the bottom of a leaf node. It is recommended to dip each cutting into a mild insecticide/fungicide solution (1/4strength). Then dip the base into Rootone or other rooting hormone before setting the cutting into the growing media.
Cover the newly taken cuttings with a glass or clear plastic cover for up to 3 days after taking the cuttings. Leave some room under the cover so that air can get in and circulate around a bit.
Keep the cuttings moist. Don’t let the bottom of the bed dry out

Place a plant label with each cutting Label should contain the name and classification of the cutting, the date of the cutting and the grower’s initials. For example
Charlie’s Mum, (1Y)
DRS, 12/30/05