A great time was had by all at the reception held at Spring Park September 8 for the City Council and employees.  It was a Meet and Greet time for members of the Saluda Garden Club and the City officials to get to know one another.  And what great time would be complete without the trimmings -  all the tasty, fattening things you could ask for!  It was fun and informative as we learned about the city's future plans and they learned about our goals for Spring Park.   Thanks again to all who contributed to this occasion by your presence and to those who provided the tasty, fattening things.
 
Any reputable gardener knows that like spring, fall has "sprung."  It's time to dig and divide.  For those who need a quick refresher, the following tips may help.
 
1.    Though sometimes difficult to do, divide when a plant looks its best.
2.    Start at the drip line to keep most roots intact.  Dig a trench around the clump, severing any roots before lifting from beneath.
3.    Divide in cool weather when the soil is warmer than the air for part of a 24 hour period and in early fall after the nights become cool.  Dividing in the fall allows the plants to have more time to set new roots before growing into the heat.
4.    Put separated plants in bucket in cool shaded place and cover with newspaper.  If roots dry out before replanting, soak in water for an hour before setting in the ground.
5.     Replenish area with compost before replanting the area where plants were removed.
6.    Replant pieces in smaller sections to assure encourage more vigorous growth.
7.    It is possible to divide when plants are in bloom though they will need more watering and shade at the hottest part of the day.
8.    Keep only the healthiest pieces - usually the outside sections.
9.    Place plant into a hole that is at least as wide as its roots spread and in the direction the root tip was growing.
 
This information is from the June 2004 Fine Gardening magazine which is on reserve in the library if you would like to read more and enjoy a quality
periodical that will definitely tempt you to subscribe.   
 
We had a great program this past month on soilless water gardening at Deb Hahn's house, and many of us may become converts.  It certainly looks easier than dirt, digging and weeding. The third Monday of October we will take a field trip to the greenhouses of Ashdown Roses in Campobello.  Ashdown ships roses worldwide and can be found on the internet under Ashdownroses.net.  We will have our business meeting at the library at 10:00 before leaving for Campobello.
 
Interested in our club?   Come and try us out, free of charge!  We encourage visitors to see what we have to offer.
 
  

Happy Gardening
Sandra Rocks