The Garden Society
Come and share gardening tips, assist with the annual plant sale and help decorate the flower beds at the entrance of our community. Contact the president of the society, Elizabeth Flanagan at spf.emf@gmail.com to join this enjoyable and informative social group.
The Stonewall Manor Garden Society was founded in September 1966 as an organization devoted to encourage an interest in all phases of home gardening, landscaping, floral design; to promote better gardening practices; and to help find solutions to our gardening and landscaping problems. Other objectives are to help promote community beauty and to conserve surrounding natural resources. Society members supply articles for the Communiqué “Gardening Tips” section in detail how residents can grow and care for their own gardens and lawns.
Garden Society activities have included projects to beautify area schools, support for Meadowlark Gardens, community garden tours, educational programs, spring plant sale, and tours to places of historical and horticultural interest. Beautifying the entrance to Stonewall Manor with seasonal plantings and decorating the entrance walls with large hand-crafted wreaths are ongoing projects.
Meetings are held in members’ homes and elsewhere as determined by the Society membership. Meetings may include programs, workshops, tours, trips, service projects and social events. Donations by the Society have supported the Nature Conservancy—by contributions to Appalachian Red Spruce Planting Initiative and The Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts—by contributions to its Northern Virginia District. Daffodils are the Society’s signature flowers.
SPRING GARDENING TIPS -
Start raking leaves and debris which has piled up on your beds. Rake gently over perennials which have already poked through the ground.
Complete all needed pruning early this month, before spring growth starts. Do not prune spring-flowering shrubs until blooming is finished.
To thin a plant, remove 1/3 of the thickest branches all the way to the ground each year for three years.
Prune crape myrtle at the end of this month or in early April to remove dead and overlapping branches. Always cut back to the junction with the branches you are saving. Leave no stubs or partial branches.
Cut ornamental grasses, liriope, hosta and iris down to about two inches from the ground, before new growth starts in April.
Cut the old tops from perennials. You may also now separate perennials such as liriope, ajuga, astilbe, asters, bleeding heart, coral bells, day lilies, hosta, phlox and Shasta daisies.
Trim and cut back ground covers. If you have ivy, it is best to get rid of it, since it is very invasive.
Any bulbs not planted in the fall may be planted now.
If bulbs were not fertilized last fall, apply a little bone meal now.
FALL GARDENING TIPS
Best time to seed your lawn. If needed, lime, fertilizer and seed may all be added at the same time.
Divide perennials. If you don’t get around to it at this time, divide in early Spring.
Cut back spent perennials to within 1 inch of ground, when plant gets mostly brown and ragged.
Plant and transplant evergreens now through October 15.
The best time to plant pansies and violas is the last week of September or the first week of October. They give a better show if planted together in the same bed. Pansies do not do well in tight, heavy soil. Amend the soil with organic matter such as peat moss, manure, etc. Do not use leaves as they will compact when wet and not allow air to penetrate.
If planting peonies, do not plant too deeply—just one or two inches below the soil surface.
Start spraying the potted plants you are going to bring indoors. Spray once a week for three weeks, using a mixture of 1/4 tsp. of liquid dishwashing soap in one pint of water. Leave the mixture on the plant for one hour to smother the insects and then hose it off. Feed plants before bringing them in. Don’t feed them again until March 15.