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                                           NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS

FUCHSIA SOCIETY

APRIL 2016 NEWSLETTER

Days are getting brighter and longer and the temptation to leave your fuchsias out is so great, but BEWARE! There is still the chance of frosts, so fuchsias should still be protected at night. 

I’ve started sowing seeds, some vegetables as well as some annuals. With these, I’m also protecting them against the frost. I have also planted some seed potatoes in used compost bags, having first punched some holes in the bottom for drainage, 

I have also sprayed the back garden with our first dose of ‘liquid worm fertiliser (commonly known in our household as worm wee)’ from our wormery, but I should have treated half with a general fertilizer, so that I could make note of the difference and to see how successful it is. Never mind. I haven’t tried it on my fuchsias yet! 

The pond is quite clear at the moment; I can see the fish at the bottom swimming quite contentedly. There is quite a bit of green algae on the waterfall, so will have to keep my eye on this and remove before it becomes a real problem. I did have some frog spawn, but that seems to have all disappeared which is unfortunate – maybe my fish have been hungrier than I thought! 

It’s been a joy recently looking out of our lounge window as I‘ve seen plenty of garden birds: great tits; blue tits; wrens and our resident robin. I have also had the privilege to watch a male and female blackbird build a nest in our arch which is covered with ivy. However, there was such a commotion one morning. I heard a lot of squawking so I quickly got up to see the two blackbirds dive-bombing a magpie which had chosen to land on the arch. The blackbirds soon saw him off. I hope this hasn’t put the blackbirds off! 

I’m seeing a lot of new life in the garden at the moment. It’s sort of happened all of a sudden! There is blossom on the plum tree, shoots forming on the apple tree, the dicentra has shot up and in flower. New shoots are also forming on the clematis, honeysuckle and the spiraea. I do find springtime a wonderful time to be out in the garden and to watch it come to life again after the winter.

A Trip to University of Leicester Botanic Garden & onto Palmers Garden Centre, Ullesthorpe. 

Thanks to those who showed an interest in joining us on this trip. Anyone else yet to add their names to the list, please do so tonight, so that we can see whether we can go ahead and book the coach. If we do not have enough to warrant booking a coach, we may ask if we have enough ‘drivers’ amongst us to go down in convoy! 

WANTED!!!

I am on a quest to find any fuchsias that contain the name ‘Lily’. I have been on www.fuchsiafinder.com and although I have a list, the suppliers are all abroad. However, on the off chance, someone has one of the following, I’d be most grateful for a cutting: - 

DIAMOND LILY GEORGEOUS LILY-ANN LILY

LILY SWEETY MEYERS LILY VICTORIA MISS LILY 

Many Thanks 

Jayne 

Sow a Seed or Plant a Plant for Your Society

This year we intend to hold 3 plant sales in the hope of not only boosting our funds but also to promote our society. Please note the following dates: -

 

 

Plant Sales

Friday 13th May

Wollaton Park Community Centre – 10.00a.m – 1.00p.m

Sunday 26th May

The Manor Pub & Restaurant, Toton – 12.00p.m – 4.00p.m

Sunday 5th June

Autokarna, Wollaton Park – ALL DAY

If you are able to donate plants for the society to sell at any of these venues, we’d be most grateful. Please bring them to the monthly meeting prior to the sale. Thank you.

 

 

Promotional Events

Cossall Open Gardens

5th June - hands on demonstrations and distribution of flyers

Moores Nurseries

To be confirmed

Reuben Shaws

To be confirmed

  

                                CONGRATULATIONS TO KEN BROWN

We are proud to advise you that Ken Brown has been a member of the BRITISH FUCHSIA SOCIETY for 30 years. What an achievement! A man truly dedicated to our favourite plant – THE FUCHSIA. 

SHOW TALK:Thinking of the show already? Yes, you bet I am!

VACANCIES! VACANCIES!

POT WASHER

Assistant required to work in a very busy but friendly kitchen. Hours negotiable. Saturday and/or Sunday.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

 

ASSISTANT DEMONSTRATOR

Eager and willing Assistant required to job shadow an enthusiastic Fuchsia Grower. Role includes explaining to customers how to take cuttings; what kind of compost to use etc; pests and diseases and when and how to pot on. Experience optional.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

TOMBOLA ATTENDANT

Friendly attendant required for both Saturday and Sunday to man stall over the 2 days. Will consider part-time applicants as well as job-share. Role includes storing prizes leading up to show day; labeling and displaying on table. Required to arrive early to set up.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

 

PLANT SALE ASISTANTS

Assistants required to help man our popular Plant stall over the 2 days. Knowledge of fuchsias optional. Part-time or job share will be considered.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

 

PLANT TOMBOLA ATTENDANT

Assistant required to run Plant tombola. Tasks will include setting up plants on stands and sorting out the tickets, therefore, attendant would be required Saturday morning to ensure all is in place for when the doors open at 1.30p.m.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details. 

SHOW SECRETARY’S ASSISTANT

Administrative role on offer to someone who is eager to gain an insight into the ‘Behind the Scenes’ on Show day and to support a very busy Show Secretary.Training will be provided. Lucky applicant will be required Friday Evening and Saturday.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

 

ENTRANCE ASSISTANT

Opportunity for anyone with a welcoming smile and have clear communication skills. 2 positions are on offer and able to consider part-time or job share.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

 

**LATE ADDITION** – CAKE STALL ATTENDANT

Friendly individual required to man cake stall – part-time volunteers also welcome.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details.

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

Helpers needed to help set up Friday afternoon. Tasks involved will be to put up tables; erect stands; and erect 2 gazebos. Helpers will also be needed to dismantle everything Sunday afternoon after the show.

Contact Jayne Daykin for further details 

BEGINNERS CORNER

Things you can be doing in May:

If you have a heated greenhouse: -

  • Plants grown for show should be getting to a reasonable size and a lot of attention needs to be paid on keeping them clean and removing any dead and dying leaves before they have chance to cause botrytis on young stems 
  • Decorative plants and containers should continue to be hardened off. 
  • Early in the month treat against vine weevil with Provado root drench which will also help to control aphids and whitefly. 
  • Grow plants outside as much as possible now, unless a frost is threatened overnight. 
  • Stabilise pot plants by using trays, concrete rings or the double potting method
  • Final stop for doubles for the later shows. 
  • Continue feeding with balanced feed. 
  • Continue to harden up decorative plants and containers and move to final positions late May in the South and early June in the North. 
  • Add a thicker coat of shading to the glass. 

If you have an unheated greenhouse: -

During May, the cold greenhouse is treated much the same as the heated greenhouse except for using fleece protection on cold nights. 

  • Ensure any young cuttings just rooted or cuttings still rooting are protected from direct sunlight as it is too strong at this time of year. 

 

Excerpt The BFS Spring Bulletin 2016

23 Apr

16

   

30 Apr

15

Pinch out every growing point on singles to shape (penultimate pinch).

Singles

7 May

14

Pinch out every growing point on triphyllas (final pinch).

Triphyllas

(final pinch)

14 May

13

   

21 May

12

   

28 May

11

Pinch out every growing point on doubles and semi-doubles (final pinch).

Doubles

(final pinch)

 

NEWSLETTER

If anyone wants any item included in the Newsletter, please let me know, either at a meeting, or phone me on Tel: 0115 8758928, or email: jayne.daykin@ntlworld.com I will gladly include any article or event in the Newsletter.

Also, if anyone would rather I send them an electronic copy, please let me know.

Remember: It is YOUR newsletter.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS FUCHSIA SOCIETY

Please note that we now have our own website, so please make a point of visiting it and let us know if you have any ideas on how we may improve it.

www.nottinghamandnottsfuchsiasociety.org

 

 

26th April

Nottingham & Notts Fuchsia Society Monthly Meeting – Nancy Phillips on Fuchsia Bonsai

Meeting starts at 7.45p.m

5th – 8th May

RHS Malvern Spring Festival

May

Chelsea Flower Show

19th May

BEGINNERS CLASS at Wollaton Park Community Centre, 7.30p.m. To be held in the Main Room

24th May

Nottingham & Notts Fuchsia Society Monthly Meeting – Geoff Smith - Fuchsias

Meeting starts at 7.45p.m

16th – 19th June

BBC Gardeners’ World Live

 

 

28th June

Nottingham & Notts Fuchsia Society Monthly Meeting – Mike DaveyDos & Don’ts of Showing

Meeting starts at 7.45p.m

2nd July

** PLEASE NOTE AMENDED DATE**

Long Eaton & District Horticultural Society SUMMER Show - held at the United Reformed Church, Midland Street, Long Eaton. 10.00a.m to 4.00p.m. ADMISSION FREE

5th – 10th July

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

 

26th July

Nottingham & Notts Fuchsia Society Monthly Meeting – Sid Garcia – Fuchsia Show Talk - Meeting starts at 7.45p.m

20th – 24th July

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

 

13th – 14th August

Nottingham & Notts Fuchsia Show – ANNUAL SHOW at Attenborough Village Hall, Attenborough.

20th August

Derby Fuchsia Society ANNUAL SHOW held at Swarkestone Nursery – 1.30p.m – 4.30p.m.

 

         

FUNDRAISING

The easiest way for all internet users to help raise funds for our Society is simply by every time you search the Web you use easysearch. Easysearch combines results from Yahoo!, Windows MSN Live Search and Ask.com in one simple search, the address is http://nottsfuchsia.easysearch.org.uk Please try it and encourage others too. Don’t forget if you make any purchases on the internet, to go through our webshop to make sure we receive commission from the retailers (currently over 2000 well known retailers), the address is http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/nottsfuchsia .

Remember our next meeting

Will be

Tuesday 24th May 2016

And our speaker

is

Geoff Smith

Talking on

Fuchsias