Forging Ahead in the Fall
Welcome, October! Autumn has arrived, and cooler temperatures are finding their way to us every passing day. And yet, Laguna Beach is not as we expect it. Many of us are spending more time in our homes than we would prefer, and we miss seeing many of our friends in-person.
However, one thing hasn’t changed, and that is the joy our gardens bring us. It doesn’t matter if the garden is large or small, it is the tending, the trying of new things, the joy in flowers, the discovery process — that all add up to fun and learning.
Eye-Catching Kalanchoes
Over the summer, friend and garden club member Dana Victorson shared two leaves with me from a fallen Kalanchoe beharensis, also known as Elephant’s ear. Kalanchoe is an ornamental, drought- tolerant succulent that can grow well in our semi-arid climate. My usual
method for propagating leaves is to put them on top of dry cactus soil in a shady spot (in my case under a table) and mist them once every couple of weeks. First, they sprout roots, and eventually little plants form. For the first time in my experience, multiple plants formed at the base of one leaf, and a small plant formed on one of the leaves itself. This process is fascinating to me, and at the same time it really could not be any simpler.
Garden Tidbits
Members have donated many avocados to the club’s plant sales table over the years, so I’m sure many members have avocado trees. Did you know it is safe to eat fruit, including avocados, that garden critters have bitten into, such as squirrels and tree rats? Just be sure to cut out the damaged parts quickly since fruit can go bad rapidly. Some of you may have pets, such as terrier breed dogs and larger cats, that can scare away squirrels. However, for those of you who don’t, it’s possible that placing a big rubber snake in your tree will help. Squirrels can be clever, so it will probably be necessary to move the rubber snake every day or so. And please, be sure to let your family know!
Online Meeting Success
The Laguna Beach Garden Club had a successful first Zoom general meeting on September 11. Our speakers, Master Gardeners Kay Havens and Teena Spindler, presented an informative and thought-provoking program about the proposed addition of a 59-acre, world-class botanical garden at the Great Park in Irvine. They were able to answer all the questions members asked and also provided information about their website, Great Park Garden Coalition, www.gpgardencoalition.org.
Thank you to all who participated in our first-ever online event. And, thank you to all who renewed their club memberships. There is still time to renew before our next general meeting on Friday, October 9 at 10 a.m. via Zoom. To renew, go to www.lagunabeachgardenclub.org under “Membership” to print out the form — or complete it online.
Our October 9, our guest speaker is Dr. Matt Ritter, Professor of Botany, Cal Poly SLO, who is a native tree and plant expert. On Nov. 13, Susie Vanderlip, Citizen, Scientist and author will share everything about Monarch butterflies. And on Dec 11, Corey Welles, Environmental Horticulturist at Lotusland in Montecito, will delve into organic gardening. Quite a guest speaker line-up!
All members will receive an invitation with a zoom link for the October 9 meeting.
My very best wishes,
Mariann