January 2018
Established in 1980 
In this issue you will find:
  • Message from the President
  • Upcoming Events
    • Member Tours & Events
    • Seminars
  • Feature Articles
    • "In Your Plot"
    • Membership Matters
    • Request for Recipes
    • Make a Donation to GVG via AmazonSmile
  • Project Updates
    • Allen J. Ogden Community Garden
    • Arid Garden
    • Desert Meadows Park
    • GVG Gardens at Historic Canoa Ranch
  • Committee Updates
    • Seminars
    • Member Activities
    • Spring Garden Tour
    • Membership ~ New Members
  • Member Photographs
Would you like to submit an article or a photo for the February newsletter? Please submit it to [email protected] by January 31.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
The year 2017 was capped off with a $4,000 grant award from the Country Fair White Elephant. The White Elephant has regularly supported the Club, and without this kind of community support we would not be able to make specific/targeted funding for a number of our projects. This year's grant will be used to support activities and equipment needs at the Arid Garden and Desert Meadows Park. The grant application was awarded the 2017 Best Grant Application. Chuck Parsons wrote the application with support from Mary Kidnocker.
 
This past December I sent an electronic survey out to all members with email access, with regard to two potential new projects. One project was to take an active role in the possible renovation of the now closed Canoa Hills golf course. This would involve participation with Green Valley Recreation and Pima County's Parks and Recreation. The survey responses for this possible activity was overwhelming negative. Chief concerns revolved around the Club's ability to support a sizable community volunteer effort while continuing to maintain our existing projects and activities. Other concerns were voiced about the lack of specifics regarding what the renovation will actually entail. I will inform the appropriate GVR representatives that the Club will not, at this time, be taking an active role in the Canoa Hills renovation.
 
The second item on the survey concerned a request from the Continental School District's superintendent to assist in establishing a garden club in the elementary school, including renovation of an existing greenhouse. The survey responses were generally supportive of exploring what the school district wants to do, what our role would be, and establishing a Club committee to take the lead on the project. I have contacted the school district and have requested a meeting mid-month in January 2018. Any member interesting is participating in this project should contact me by telephone at 859-691-0445 or by email  at  [email protected] .
 
The next Club Board of Directors meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, at Friends In Deed, from noon until 3 p.m. All members are encouraged to attend.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Seminars
 
  • January 4 ~ Desert Hills Seminar ~ "Why People are Fed Up with Their Landscapes - and 3 Easy Solutions", featuring Charlene Westgate of Westgate Garden Designs.
  • January 11 ~ Desert Hills Seminar ~ Jessie Byrd, Manager of the Pima County Native Plant Nursery, will deliver a presentation focusing on cactus and succulents native to the Sonoran Desert.
  • January 22 ~ Quail Creek Clubhouse ~ Mark Sitter, owner of B&B Cactus Farm is back! His topic is, "Cactus and Succulent Bootcamp 101".
Member Tours & Events
  • January 6 ~ Annual Meeting and Potluck ~ Green Valley Recreation, Las Campanas Social Center
  • January 18 ~ Pima County Natural Resources Plant Nursery, Tucson
Be on the lookout for separate email blasts, providing details for each of these seminars and member activities.

Visit our website for a complete calendar of events
FEATURE ARTICLES
"In Your Plot"   by Lorna Mitchell

Weather is always on the mind of a gardener, and this December 22-23 was a very late date to have our first frost. Temperatures overall have been warmer than usual, but that freeze killed any remaining tomato and pepper plants and broke a number of water lines. Please test all your water lines and repair leaks to avoid flooding and waste.

January maintenance in your plot includes pulling little weeds before they become big weeds, checking and wrapping water connections, watching for aphids, and harvesting broccoli, kale, chard, lettuce, cabbage, etc. If there is bare ground in your plot, now is a good time to add composted steer manure and composted vegetable matter, water it in and let it settle, waiting for spring planting.

January is also a time to plan your summer harvests. This is a great time for searching seed catalogs to discover a new variety of vegetable you want to try. Choose varieties that do well in desert heat to avoid disappointment. Everyone wants to grow tomatoes, but those Beefsteaks you remember as a kid often split in our heat. Choosing what tomato variety to grow is similar to choosing what dog you want to live with. So as you look at tomato varieties think: do I want indeterminate (meaning they grow continually and need support) or determinate (grow bushy and ripen fruit at one time), do I want mild acid tomatoes (yellow or orange fruit) or tart tasty ones (red), pulpy for sauces and canning or fruit for fresh eating?  Good seed companies will offer abundant choices of tomatoes as well as peppers, eggplant, melons, squash, etc. Try something new and share your excitement.

Having those seeds in hand by the end of the month allows you to grow summer transplants yourself (tomato, peppers, and eggplant), which is very economical - and you have the exact kind of plant to suit your needs. Start seeds in the middle of the month indoors in small pots or yogurt cups and keep them warm and moist. Make holes in the pots to allow for drainage, and use fine textured potting soil or peat that is moistened well before seeding. Transplant those babies into bigger pots as they grow so they are strong by early April to go into the garden. 

Those are my plot thoughts for now - happy gardening!
Membership Matters

It is time to renew your membership with the Green Valley Gardeners for 2018. Your membership is very important to us as it makes up a substantial portion of our budget. Without it, we would be hard pressed to continue the support needed for all our great projects. There is no change in the fee - $25 for and individual and $35 for a household. There are two ways to renew:

To pay by credit card (preferred), go to our website, click on 'Membership" and then click on "Credit Card Payment". That will take you to our secure site for payment.

To pay by check, mail it to GVG, PO Box 86, Green Valley, AZ  85622.

If you have any changes to your contact information (address, phone, email), please email us at [email protected] so we can update your record.

If you joined us after September 1, 2017, you do not need to renew and are good through 2018.

And, as always, your tax-deductible donations are always appreciated. Thank you for your continued support!
Request for Recipes

A new fund raiser is in the works! Club members are creating a cookbook that will feature recipes from produce  that can be  grown in our very own gardens.

The cookbook will include growing advice and tips for successful Sonoran Desert vegetable gardening, much like that from Lorna Mitchell in our monthly Sand 'N' Seeds newsletter. R ecipes must include ingredients that are grown locally in the GVG gardens or in your Sonoran yard, but you do not necessarily have to be the grower.

Instructions for submitting recipes, along with a sample recipe, can be found here. Send your recipe(s) to: Henne Queisser, [email protected] . If you have questions, contact Henne, also.
Shop AmazonSmile and Benefit the Garden Club  

Green Valley Gardeners is now listed on AmazonSmile. When you shop Amazon, log into AmazonSmile, use your existing personal account login information, select Green Valley Gardeners as your non-profit of choice. The club will receive a small donation for each qualifying purchase you make. Thank you!

To shop AmazonSmile go to http://smile.amazon.com/.
PROJECT UPDATES
Allen J. Ogden Community Garden  b y George Stone
 
I'm taking a Christmas break and will be back with news from Ogden Garden in February's newsletter.
Cold-sensitive climbing cactus "Harrisa" sits snugly inside a n ew frostcloth, waiting for the first frost at The Arid Garden.

Arid Garden  by Mary Kidnocker 

Returning from the "land of the north" are volunteers Hans Hohle and Peter Comanor. Also joining our volunteers is new club member, Phyllis Barboza. Welcome all! Although this is a quiet time in the garden, soon it will be late-winter trim time, which keeps us all busy each Friday morning.
 
In The Arid Garden, beautiful blue Agave Colorata has decided  to start a flower stalk and see what develops!
On December 14th, the club was presented a generous White Elephant Grant. These funds are being split between the Arid Garden and Desert Meadows Park. Our portion will be used to install sturdier and safer steps leading up to our trash collection area. This project will be appreciated by volunteers, who often tug full 45-gallon bags up the slope. We will also use the money to purchase a new weatherproof bulletin board to display club events and notices for garden visitors.
 
Planned purchases from the grant also include a battery-operated blower/
vacuum and a pole-mounted chainsaw, both of which will be available for use by club project locations where electric power is not available.
Back side of the first information board. Henry Garcia provided the creative metal work.

Desert Meadows Park  by Chuck Parsons

Enhancements continue at the park using funds from the 2017 Freeport-McMoRan Foundation grant. Since last month, we have completed the installation of an information board. We've posted information about the garden club, the park, a schedule of seminars, etc. Eventually we will have two information boards in the park. The next one will be placed along the Anza Trail. We will invite other organizations to post information on it that might be of interest to our park visitors. I expect the Audubon Society, Friends of Madera Canyon, Historic Canoa Ranch, etc. would like to post their local area events.

Merry Archer harvests a Daikon radish from her raised bed at Desert Meadows Park.


The park volunteers have racked up some impressive numbers this past year. Over 4500 volunteer hours were logged, and over 3000 pounds of fresh produce was donated to the Green Valley and the Sahuarita food banks. In early December the volunteers participated in a brunch at the Parsons' to celebrate another great year!

After a brief cold snap, the weather was delightful during Christmas, which inspired many residents and tourists to visit the park. It was enjoyed by many!
Club member, Jeannie Greven, made a special trip to the park to cover the less cold-hardy cactus in preparation for the late December frost. Once finished, she took this photo to share with the team.

The new lake is filled and ready for landscaping.
GVG Gardens at Historic Canoa Ranch (HCR)  by Jack Davis and Raydine Taber

With the basic gardens planted, and plans for a Monarch Waystation in 2018 having been developed, attention has turned to caring for the fruit trees from the Pima County Native Plant Nursery. Other tasks included protecting plants from critters, using traps and a new batch of feral cats provided by the County, and frost protection. Frost clothes were cut to fit and placed before the recent freeze. The irrigation schedule has been reduced until early spring arrives.

The Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation division for the HCR, under Robert Vaughn's direction, negotiated funding from Flood Control to develop a small lake, which has now filled and will be landscaped to include some 50 acres of planting to the east. While smaller in size, this should simulate an environment similar to that present in the 1900's. Stay tuned for updates on this project in a future newsletter.

The HCR volunteers have anxiously looked forward to the return of the snowbird group and will continue the Tuesday, 9 a.m. work day schedule. The first hour will be spent with education about the origin of the plants, trees, vegetables, and flowers brought to the New World by Columbus and subsequent settlers. In addition, one or more of the specific plants will be highlighted. New volunteers will be oriented during this hour and can work side-by-side with those more experienced at maintaining the gardens.  If you are interested in volunteering or need more information, feel free to chat with us at the Thursday seminars, or give us a call. Jack Davis (520-393-8700) or Raydine Taber (520-625-0961). 
COMMITTEE UPDATE S
SEMINARS by Judy Christensen and Pat Pearson
 
JANUARY SEMINARS:  TWO THURSDAYS & ONE MONDAY
 
If you're interested in learning more about landscaping with cactus and succulents (both native and exotic), or want a refresher on all the basics for success, January is the month for you!
  • Thursday, January 4th, will feature Charlene Westgate from Westgate Garden Designs to educate us about changing our landscape from drab to fab. Her topic is, "Why People are Fed Up with Their Landscapes - and 3 Easy Solutions". This will take place at the GVR-Desert Hills Auditorium.
  • On Thursday, January 11th, we are delighted to have a return visit to Green Valley by Jessie Byrd, Manager of the Pima County Native Plant Nursery. Jessie's presentation will focus on cactus and succulents native to the Sonoran Desert. We will be at GVR-Desert Hills Auditorium.
  • Monday, January 22nd, our program will be at Quail Creek Clubhouse, 2055 W. Quail Crossing Blvd. Mark Sitter, owner of B&B Cactus Farm is back! His topic is, "Cactus and Succulent Bootcamp 101". Sitter will present information about more unusual plants and how to have them not just survive, but thrive in your landscape. Come early for a seat!
As always, Green Valley Gardeners' Seminars are free and open to the public. They are held from 9:30-10:30 AM; doors open at 9.  Coffee and cookies will be available at GVR-Desert Hills Auditorium. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions.
MEMBER ACTIVITIES by Marita Ramsay

Annual Meeting and Potluck ~ Saturday, January 6th

Please join us on Saturday, January 6, at 1 p.m., for our annual meeting and potluck. This is your opportunity to meet the new Board of Directors and hear an update on our Club's activities. It's also a good time to meet our new members.

This event will be held at the Green Valley Recreation, Las Campanas Social Center, 565 West Belltower Drive. There is no charge, but a head count is needed for room setup.  Reservations can be made by emailing Marita Ramsay at [email protected] . Wednesday, January 3 is the reservation deadline .


Pima County Natural Resources Plant Nursery ~ Thursday, January 18th

The Pima County Natural Resources Plant Nursery supplies plant materials for all of Pima County's Parks.  The manager, Jessie Byrd, will provide a tour of the nursery and a hands on activity of transplanting cuttings and seedlings.  The nursery is adjacent to the Prickly Pear Park, and members are invited to walk the grounds and see the numerous desert plantings

The nursery and park are both in Tucson. We will carpool from El Rodeo  (formerly La Placita Bar & Grill Restaurant), departing at 8:15 a.m.

Reservations for this activity can be made at the Thursday, January 4th and 11th seminars, or by emailing  Marita Ramsay at [email protected] .
SPRING GARDEN TOUR by Stacie Meyer

N ow that 2018 is here, it's time to begin planning for the Spring Garden tour, which will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2018. This event is a fantastic way to let the community know about the Green Valley Gardeners, to share expertise and love of gardening with visitors to the wonderful gardens, and, of course, a great way to raise money for the many activities and projects completed by the club. It takes many people to make the tour a success. We will begin recruiting volunteers at the Thursday seminars in January. Look for our sign-up sheet. Some of the volunteers we will need include:  
  • GREETERS - work a two hour shift the day of the tour greeting visitors and checking tickets.
  • TICKET SELLERS - sell tickets at the Thursday seminars, at the spring plant sale, at Art-in-the-Park, and at other venues.
  • VENDOR TICKET SALES- visit selected vendors weekly during March and early April to collect money and bring tickets.
  • TRAFFIC - put out direction signs the morning before the tour, and collect them afterwards.
  • POSTERS - hang posters at selected sites in Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, and Tubac.
  • HOSTS - knowledgeable gardeners identify plants at the gardens prior to the tour, and place plant labels prior to the tour. Two hosts are stationed at each garden the day of the tour to answer visitor questions.
Membership - New Members
 by Mark Thompson

December saw five new members join our group:
  • Shirley and Jim Roemer
  • Pat and Ray Isaacson
  • Vera Anderson
Please welcome them the next time you see them.  

With the addition of these four members, our membership now stands at 442, which is a 6.7% increase over the previous year. These 442 members contributed $8815 in dues and an additional $1285 in donations. These funds go directly to our bottom line, which allows us to continue our work all around the valley.

Thank you so much for your help. We look forward to your continued support in 2018!
MEMBER PHOTOGRAPHS
On Saturday, December 2, Club members enjoyed good food and pleasant company at the Annual Barbecue at Desert Meadows Park. Linda Gregory took these photos to share with Club members who were unable to attend. 

Club members enjoyed good barbecue and sides.


Gene Van Dyken shows Club members a piece of art that was recently added to the park - an antique door.

Editor: Linda Gricius | Green Valley Gardeners | [email protected]  | www.greenvalleygardeners.com
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