Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Friends & Neighbors Meeting Recap

To catch you up on what you may have missed, or to remind you what you may have heard, here are the meeting minutes provided by NWGNA Secretary Mary Pizzo with additional input from Dev Davis.
 
NWGNA Friends & Neighbors Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Word of Faith Church


Attendees - Dan Erceg, Bill Rankin, Mary Pizzo, Harvey Darnell, Sheila Hunter, Alan Hall, Walter Vierra, Debbie Palmer, Dev Davis, Robert Favela, Henry Melkin,  Ed Rast 

New to our neighborhood...
Will and Jen Willow@Bird
Suzanne and Jo on Bird
Mariam on Snyder
Brian on Hull

Welcome Introductions - Harvey Darnell, President (6:35-6:50)
Harvey introduced the NWGNA and a bit of it's history. Dan Erceg told the group the agricultural history of our neighborhood included hops production and Mulberry trees for the silk worms.

Council Direct 6 Melrose Cacal, representing Pierluigi Olivera, provided copies of newsletter and these announcements - 


Guest Speaker - Nancy Garrison, Master Gardener
"All Things Edible" presented by Nancy Garrison, Master Gardener. Nancy is resident of Willow Glen since 1980.  She presented 14 slides to inspire the gardener in everyone.  She offered raspberry plans to residents (you dig it up with her supervisor).  For more information, go to mastergardeners.org for resources about gardening throughout Santa Clara County and learn what works best in our neighborhood.  If you want a follow hands on pruning demonstration contact Nancy at nancyg2@aol.com.

Nancy shared  with us her personal recommendations with samples of each!
Jim Bacon avocado are frost resistant and heavy producers
Washington Navel orange
Page Mandarin orange
Shasta Gold Mandarin sweet, seedless variety
Satsuma Mandarins are seedless
Meyers Lemon is a hardy and tasty variety
Bearss Limes are juicy and fragrant
 
Tips from Nancy
Citrus gets pruned in mid-March
Prune apricots in July/August
Winter is best time to plant new fruit trees & vines
Good compost
-well-aged manure
-Gardner and Bloome, Fox Farm planting mix, vermicompost (& green waste products at rockeries but this stuff comes from the streets so beware heavy metals)
-Garrods Stables in Saratoga has horse manure for free
-not the stuff sold as forest compost (chipped wood pallets)
Fruit Trees
-buy small diameter trees (one yr old)
-plant tree & then immediately cut down to 18-24" tall
-want 3-4 main scaffolds for open vase center in Mercedes logo formation
-central leader pruning good for apples & pears
-looks like tree but gives fruit knee high to about 10 ft tall
-need to prune so sunlight can get to all parts of the tree for even fruit production
-each scaffold gets pruned next year at 18-24" so they will get deer antlers
-reduce shoot growth every year to just a few buds past last yr's growth
-never take off more than 30 percent of the tree in one yr
-whitewash tree: indoor latex paint mixed w/half water (no antimicrobials) or get tree trunk paint--to prevent sun damage
"How to prune fruit trees" book by R. Sanford Martin
-avail @ Yamagamis Nursery in Cupertino & Common Ground in Palo Alto

Next Friends and Neighbors Meeting - March 26, 6:30-8pm

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