SAND'n'SEEDS
April 2021
Serving Our Community Since 1980
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Message from the President
I hope you had the opportunity to go to our plant sale at Desert Meadows Park. We want to thank all the volunteers who helped to make it a success. I know many people appreciate being able to buy plants in Green Valley and also supporting our club.
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We took a road trip to Rooster Cogburn’s Ranch with George Jr. the tortoise at Ogden Garden on Saturday, March 13 along with Kelly Strayer, a teacher at Copper View Elementary, who used to help George Stone with George Jr. Our husbands also came on the trip to relocate George Jr. to his new home. We know George will have a good life there.
This is the time of year we start seeing our winter visitors leave the area. May you have good travels back to your other home. We’ve gone through an unusual time, but we look forward to a gradual return to our normal club activities in the fall.
Happy gardening!
Marilee Crumley
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We Accept
Charitable Donations
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You will be asked for an amount, your contact information and credit card information.
Donations go toward operating expenses. If you want your donation to go to a specific project or in honor of an individual, please indicate your intention in the comment area.
You also can mail in a donation to:
Green Valley Gardeners
PO Box 86
Green Valley, AZ 85622-0086
Donations to a 501(c)(3) are tax deductable. Please check with your tax accountant for more information on this deduction.
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Would you like to help, have fun and meet new people?
Arid Garden:
Fridays at 7:30 a.m.
Contact: Mary Kidnocker
520-648-7959 or jdkidn@aol.com
Canoa Ranch:
Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m.
Contact: Raydine Taber
rs.taber@msn.com
Desert Meadows Park:
Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m.
Contact: Chuck Parsons
520-904-9020 or chuck.dana@gmail.com
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ASSISTANT TREASURER
Volunteer Opportunity
In order for the Green Valley Gardeners to continue our great work, we are always in need of volunteers. GVG Treasurer Diane Carley is looking for an assistant treasurer. It would be helpful to be good with numbers and have some accounting/bookkeeping experience. Knowing Quickbooks would be a plus, but not necessary. The assistant treasurer’s duties would include being in charge of Square (credit card system), learning how to do the treasurer’s job and assist at the various fundraisers.
The assistant treasurer would eventually take on the treasurer’s job. This individual would need to run for a Board position in the fall of 2021 or 2022 in order to take over the position of treasurer. As treasurer, some months are busier than others. The fundraisers are a busier time and the summer months are quieter. The treasurer posts deposits and expenses during each month and does financials for the Board’s monthly meetings.
I would be glad to discuss the position with you. If you are interested, please contact
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Shop AmazonSmile and Benefit the Garden Club
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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
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Upcoming GVG Seminars
April 1 at 2 p.m.
Good Plants for the Garden Toni Moore
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All seminars will be conducted with Zoom. A link will be sent to all members by email the day before the seminar.
If you would like more information, please contact:
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In Your Plot ... By Lorna Mitchell
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Spring has sprung! Very warm temperatures are predicted for the next few weeks and we’re anxious to see new growth in our plots. The soil is warming and earthworms are active and we need to be too. Every season in the garden is new work: digging soil with amendments of mushroom or steer manure compost and complete fertilizer; removing old roots, grubs, and weeds; breaking up clods; re-establishing irrigation tubing and clocks; and shopping for seeds and plants.
Seeds for squashes, green beans, leaf lettuce, cucumbers, radish, melons, okra, etc., can go in the ground now. Soaking the seeds in water 12-24 hours before putting in the ground can hasten germination. Read the package as to depth and spacing of placing seeds. Keep the ground moist with a few minutes of watering several times each day, not too wet, not too dry. Consider successive plantings every three weeks or so if you want a continual harvest.
Transplants of tomatoes can be set out anytime. Set them deep enough in the soil to bury the stem up to the growing leaves; new roots will grow from the stem and offer more support and nutrient intake. Water once with a nutrient solution such as Miracle Grow, but mix it up at half the dose on the label and keep the soil around them moist at all times. These new little babies will need TLC for a couple weeks; check them often, a lot can go wrong.
Transplants of peppers, eggplant, and okra like warmer soil and night temperatures and would prefer to wait until the middle of April to live outside. Check the plants for any hitchhikers like aphids, insect eggs, etc., and remove before transplanting. Space to allow room for growth; indeterminate plants need support which can be added over the next few weeks.
The Texas sweet onions will bulb this month for harvest in May. Garlic needs to stay in the ground until late May or June. Remember to plant what you eat, eat what grows, and enjoy health benefits. With a little effort you can eat something grown in your garden every day of the year.
While you are buying seeds for spring planting think ahead and buy seeds for FALL planting! Usually when it’s time to plant in the fall the seeds you want are not found, so buy extra summer veggie seeds for August planting. Also, buy packs of parsnips, turnips, cabbage, broccoli, kale, peas, cauliflower, carrots, beets, and chard that are available now but don’t go into the garden until after most stores have taken seeds off their shelves. Store the seed packets in the house on a cool shelf, NOT in the garage or in your locker at the garden where they will get hot. They will wait patiently for you to put them in the ground.
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Arid Garden … By Mary Kidnocker
Thanks to special friend of the garden Betty Johnson a new Myrtillocactus
geometrizans cristata is now part of our cactus collection. Its beautiful blue
exterior adds perfect contrast to the many nearby green plants.
Currently loaded with fresh bloom are the Mexican Honeysuckle (orange), Parry Penstemon (pink), both the red and the yellow Chuparosa, Rosemary (blue), many Cassia bushes (yellow) and Texas Mountain Laurel trees (deep purple).
One a recent morning after a few hours of plant care, it was a delightful break to join neighbors for delicious refreshments and pleasant conversation.
Much appreciation especially to Mary Beth Stephenson and Fran King.
Stop by any time and enjoy our tranquil garden in all of its springtime glory
… you’ll be glad you did!
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Valentine Emu Bushes have been in continued flower since
mid-December at The Arid Garden.
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Hybrid “Blue Glow” Agave in The Arid Garden shows off its
perfectly stacked leaves for all to enjoy.
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Full of late winter flowers are the yellow and the more common
Chuparosa plants at The Arid Garden.
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New irrigation lines being installed in the butterfly area of the Arid Garden.
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Desert Meadows Park … By Chuck Parsons
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The park has been a very busy place as weather improves and more folks are vaccinated providing a bit of freedom. We have seen quite a few spring break out-of-town visitors ~ more than in 2020 but not yet as many as in 2019. |
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Last month I mentioned we had taken three picnic tables out of storage. They received a fresh coat of paint thanks to Maria Duane. All have had significant use since we made them available again. We have had significant use of the reserved areas of the park too. We’ve had as many as three reservations on a given day in the Sunset Pavilion. That pavilion and the Barrio Garden are requested the most. We’ve hosted book clubs, a bicycle group, a physical therapist that conducts outdoor exercise sessions, and we always enjoy seeing a group of ladies using the Butterfly Pavilion to spin wool and enjoy each other’s company. |
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Butterfly Pavilion used regularly to spin wool.
Photo credit: Merry Archer
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Park nursery being used by Kathy Stone and Francesca Moses to sell potted plants on March 20th.
Kathy Stone made the pots.
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The park is fortunate to attract musicians. Several like to stop over on nice days and play music. We have enjoyed multiple guitar musicians, flute, harmonica and other string instruments. It’s very spontaneous and always a pleasant surprise when we find them entertaining park visitors. Although we did have Celtic music scheduled on St. Patrick’s Day at the Sunset Pavilion.
The park nursery was successfully used to conduct a garden club sponsored plant sale. The area was large enough to provide spacing. It was conducted over several days so at no time did participation reach 50.
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When I walk the park with Mojo, I am amazed at all the artwork we have accumulated in such a short time. You can now enjoy several pieces of functional metal art by Henry Garcia, cairns of all description, a painting, stained glass, painted rocks, potted plant arrangements, bulletin board displays, etc. A bee resort was added last month ~ an example woodcraft art. It is located in a tree in the Native Grasses Garden and was installed by Greg Hugie. Find this art piece if you can. We recently received a donation of hedgehog rainbow cacti (Echinocereus rigidissimus). Julie Jacques found an excellent location to plant them and then arranged with an artist friend to paint a rock to identify the plants. As a hint: look along the Anza Trail. |
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Bee habitat to attract solitary bees near the community garden.
Photo credit: Greg Hugie
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Solitary Bee Habitat ' Up Close' |
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Rock plant identification for hedgehog rainbow cacti |
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Historic Hacienda de la Canoa ... By Raydine Taber
Good news!!! As the COVID-19 cases continue to drop and many of us are being vaccinated, Pima County has opened the Historic Canoa Ranch compound to walkers. The entry gates will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday. While on site, masks must be worn at all times and continue to maintain at least six feet of distance from individuals who are not part of your household. The buildings will remain closed.
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Several of our new plants at the Welcome Center are sporting spring bloom spikes. This Partridge Breast Aloe started blooming about a week ago.
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The Passion Flower was one of several blooming in the Junior House, sun porch, east window earlier in March.
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One more spectacular bloom was the Penstemon in our cactus succulent garden. No, it is not a cactus or succulent, it was planted there to add more spring color to this particular garden. Cactus Garden is also showing new growth and the beginnings of their spring flowers. |
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In the Junior House Courtyard, we have Globe Mallow beginning to bloom. Since they were first planted in the courtyard they have spread and, next week, all should be in full bloom. We will try for a colorful picture. We also recently planted several Mexican Feather Grasses and moved the Creeping Germanders. Two Crossvines will be added for the trellis.
The two apple trees in the orchard are almost fully leafed out. Since they were blooming when we experienced a couple of frosty mornings, we doubt any fruit will be produced. The plum trees are beginning to bloom and one of the peach trees is just barely starting to bloom.
We should soon be getting the Pomegranate blooms. Several of the old, larger, bushes/trees are spectacular when in full bloom. You can see their orange flowers from across the compound.
One more plant being watched for its spring bloom is the large Aloe located in the window box inside Junior House. This plant produces a tall spike (2 to 3 feet) topped with yellow blossoms.
As we continue to do our spring planting, we will be adding a few more plants to both the Orchard and the Junior House Courtyard. Some of these future plants are an apricot and a fig tree. Both of these fruit trees were grown during the “Manning” era. One of the “Children of Canoa” remembered all the fig trees growing slightly southeast of the Senior House and Manning’s granddaughter remembered her mother writing home about the apricot trees. Where possible, we try to use plants that had been growing on the ranch in years past.
Now that the compound is open, drop by and see some of our spring blooming plants and all the new plants at the Tradesman’s House, now the Welcome Center. Over the next couple of weeks, we should have our summer vegetables and herbs planted. If you want to join us, we meet on Tuesday’s at 7:30a.m. If you want more information call me at 520-625-0961.
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40th Anniversary Median Project ... By Phyllis Barboza
We received the permits to complete the last 4 medians on Abrego! The work will begin in April if all goes well.
We have completed planting the medians in the Desert Meadows section. Our volunteers included Jack and Mary Strosin, Rhonda Rinn, Jerry Sampson, Rick Adshead, Lynn Corrigan, and of course Ruth and Phyllis. Everyone did a great job planting and putting the finishing touches on the medians. Check them out when you have a chance.
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We would like to give a big thank you to our flaggers Bob Stenz, Jackie Smith, Karen Clouse and Ruth Ross for keeping us all safe. |
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We are still in need of volunteers to water these medians. You can volunteer for any length of time from 2 years to 2 months, perhaps you could consider the job with a friend or neighbor; there are lots of possibilities to be creative. To find out about the “job” feel free to call, we are happy to answer any and all questions.
Ruth Tamminga Phyllis Barboza
708-334-6911 503-515-3483
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Membership ... Mark Thompson, GVG Member Services
We had 13 new members join last month. So, please welcome them to our gardens:
Pat and Ray Merritt
Susan and Peter Moran
Terry and Pat Sanford
Marilyn and Bud Montgomery
Christine Hansen
Carol Zychowski
Dora Collins
David Kenney
Christine Lupia
As with most new members, these people have joined because they want to learn about gardening here and they want the fellowship of other gardeners. They have come to the right place if they want to get some help and make friends. Consider these two comments from non members who bought at the plant sale:
“Very friendly, helpful workers”
“… everyone I spoke to was very helpful and friendly.”
We are now showing 484 helpful and friendly members on our roster.
And, don’t forget to order your GVG branded clothing. You may also get your fresh herbs at Desert Meadows Park.
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Mailing Address:
PO Box 86,
Green Valley, AZ 85622-0086
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