Green fingered members learn about hydroponics at Bluff Garden Club
The committee members had a “spur of the moment” visit to the botanic gardens.
THE president of Natalia Garden Club, Bluff opened the June meeting with a prayer and welcomed everyone present, with a special welcome to new member, Marie Hattingh and visitor Barbara Grabarska.
A few years ago, for Arbour Day, the club planted a baobab tree in the grounds of the Pigeon Club and this tree is still growing well. A baobab is a very special tree and Caroline passed on some little anecdotes and interesting facts about it.
The committee members had a spur of the moment visit to the Botanic Gardens. Alma Botha loves trees and pointed out the elephant apple tree, which had lots of fallen fruit under it. An interesting fact about this tree is that its bark can be used medicinally. It is said to cure the common cold within a week. The fruit itself is edible but not very tasty. It is also used in recipes.
Another interesting tree was what the gardens call their ‘rocket’. Its shape really resembles a rocket ready to be launched. Martin Clement will talk about the unusual trees in the Botanic Gardens at the October meeting.
Betty McGeorge did a demonstration on how to propagate cuttings to get the best results. Tommy Everett brought along some plants he had grown using hydroponics and gave a most interesting talk on this subject. There are very complicated methods but Tommy demonstrated how a very simple system could be devised, which still yielded excellent results, using a minimum of water because it keeps recycling. Among others, he had lettuce, cabbage and beans and the plants were all thriving.
Birthday wishes and gifts went to all the June birthday people. Door and raffle prizes were won by Jean Buitendag and Lyn Gradwell. The 100 club draw was won by Marie Pistorius.
Competition results for June were as follows: Decorative C Kotze 10, G Barnes and M Jones 9.5. Cultural: D du Plessis 8.5, L van Jaarsveld 7, G Barnes 6. Best bloom or spray: D du Plessis 10, N Brown, J Huygens, R Ndlovu and A Marshall 9.5, L van
Jaarsveld 9. Best orchid: L van Jaarsveld and C Kotze 10; A Marshall 9.5, N Brown 9.
From my garden: D du Plessis, B Beard and J Huygens 8, N Brown, L van Jaarsveld and C Kotze 7.
Best pot plant: N Brown 9, L van Jaarsveld and M Jones 8, C Kotze and
R Wilkinson 7.
The next meeting is on 10 July at the Pigeon Club, Tara Road, at 9.30am. Visitors are welcome. Paul Hoyte will be the speaker, the subject being the wonderful work that the Centre for Rehabilitation (Crow) does with injured or abandoned wild animals and the interesting cases they have had.
The following members must take two plates of snacks each, with each plate to contain at least 10 portions: G Westbrook, R Wheal, R Wilkinson, M Williams, B McGeorge, M Campbell and A Botha.
