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Plant activist UPdate

PlantAmnesty Pruning and Renovation Workshop: Hot, Hot, Hot!

The summer PlantAmnesty Renovation Workshop was held on July 25th in 84 degree weather. Co-teachers Cass

Turnbull and Denise Anderson started with a review of pruning and renovation techniques and a short course in irrigation dos and don’ts. Despite the heat, the workshop was attended by twelve people, six hands-on teachers, five volun-

teers, and Patrick Story our wonderful arborist from GRUN Tree Service. Fab food for teachers and volunteers was provided by Tracey Bernal who was also drafted to help with the teaching. Our special thanks go to the student who spent almost the entire time removing lawn, enlarging a bed, using the ‘baby mattock’. He has earned a ‘get-in-free’ card for the next workshop.

‘Doing’ is a great way to identify teaching points. In the hot weather,

students learned some of the special techniques used by professional gardeners.

Teachers filled the bone-dry planting holes with water and let them drain before adding new understory plants such as hellebores and sword ferns. After backfilling, they quickly soaked everything again. And finally they used a trickle directly from the hose end, which was placed at the crown of each plant and moved every minute or so to the next plant. The ‘slow drip’—as it is called—is also useful for watering established plants during droughts. The ‘slow drip’ should continue thoughout the summer, possibly every day for 15 minutes to an hour.

Although transplanting is generally not recommended in hot weather, PlantAmnesty teachers transplanted an existing 5-foot evergreen azalea out of its overcrowded, shady location in the yard. It was used to fill an empty spot (with a western exposure, against the concrete foundation) that was created when an immense rhody and a Lawson cypress were removed from the area next to the front door. To prevent scorching from the sun, gardeners used clothes pins to cloak the azalea with a bed sheet. Once the hot bright weather passed, the sheet was removed. We have been back to finish the new front bed

Volume XXI • No. 4 www.plantamnesty.org FALL/wINter 2009

Gardening Topic: Mulch: part two of a two-part article that originally appeared in the Arboretum Bulletin.

MULCH II The epic novel by Cass Turnbull

(soon to be a major motion picture)

I once espoused the philosophy that most of any problem in life was due to “too much, too little or the wrong kind”—

be it food, boyfriends, pruning—you name it. The same is true for mulch. The single most common mistake new gardeners make is to spread their mulch too thin. Generally speaking your mulch needs to be between 2” and 4” deep. On rare occasions, say mulching around your impatiens, or over the crowns of sensitive perennials, you go thinner. But for use in shrub beds it should be at least 2” thick or it won’t work to keep the weed seeds from germinating. Spread too thick and you are wasting mulch and money. Mulch can protect or even improve soil as it decomposes, but mulch is not a substi-tute for soil. Plants need the inorganic components of real soil to grow and be healthy.

Often people keep spreading out the mulch to cover the maximum area. Wrong! If you do that, you are down to one-inch thick. Remember, mulch is not for looks. It serves a utilitarian purpose, so force your self to keep it thick enough. Usually three people are working on this job, two wheelbar-rowers and the spreader. The spreader is constantly checking to see that the mulch is not too thick or too thin. This is done (by me anyway) by pushing my fingers straight down into it. The mulch should cover my fingers but not any of my palm. My husband uses a “story stick”, which is just a stick with a mark on it at the correct length pushed into the mulch.

Sometimes I get on my hands and knees to push mulch around plants and into awkward areas. When you are a profes-sional it becomes sort of a race between the spreader and two wheelbarrowers—time being money and all. Professional gar-deners all have a visceral memory of hot days with mulch dust drying in our nostrils, and rainy days with mulch clods in the corners of our eyes. We are, as they say, at one with the earth.

The other job of the spreader is to make sure that the mulch is not accumulating inside the base or “crown” of

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2 ©2009 PlantAmnesty

and can report that the azalea is doing fine. And that is after temperatures soared through the 90s to 104 degrees!

Additional heartfelt thanks go to other teachers Ruth Christiani, Bill Wanless, and Sean Wood and to assistants and organizers Marianna Clark, Kelly Hollowood, Andi Markley, Paola del Sol, and Colin Schafer.

Boothing: Grey Guides Go OutIn June, we had an unstaffed table at the South Seattle

Community College’s plant sale. Judging from the small number of grey Pruning Guides returned to us, our table was probably visited by at least 150 people.

July saw our return to West Seattle for the West Seattle Garden Club Tour. On yet another unseasonably warm day, our booth at the Bridal Garden (yes, the one with the cool planting-strip-turned-rock-garden) drew about 75 people. Some asked questions and all appreciated being given the free grey Pruning Guides.

Summer Fruit tree Pruning workshop: A Great Success!

On Sunday, August 2nd, twenty nine students attended a fruit tree pruning workshop given by Lacia Lynne Bailey of Serendipity SPOT ™ City Farm and Learning Center, an urban farm in North Seattle. PlantAmnesty co-sponsored the event by providing volunteers and advertising. The PlantAmnesty vol-unteers who were instrumental in the success of the workshop: Marianna Clark, Sherry Perrine, Dan ely, Paola del Sol; Suzanne Ferris, and ruth Christiani. THANK YOU!

Favero Greenforest gave an entertaining morning lecture about fruit tree pruning, demonstrating pruning techniques on a columnar apple, a dwarf peach, and a nectarine. In the after-noon, instructors Pete Putnicki, Ingela Wanerstrand, and Linda Sartnurak presented full-scale onsite fruit tree pruning demonstrations. Pete worked to restore a huge Shiro plum tree. Ingela demonstrated the pruning of espaliered apples in differ-ent stages of maturity, as well as both a dwarf cherry and an espaliered cherry. Linda pruned an old apple tree and discussed the pruning and care of fig trees.

Lacia Lynne Bailey provided homemade morning snacks and a delicious lunch for students and volunteers. Students also had the opportunity to purchase plants, mostly fruit trees, nuts, and berries, as well as obtain expert advice from Arthur Lee Jacobson, local arborist and writer. At the end, everyone received an egg carton of Shiro plums to take home.

The Summer Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop was part of the larger Seattle Summer Fruit Festival. Each participating organization will receive a donation from Serendipity:

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PlantAmnestyPO Box 15377, Seattle, WA 98115-0377

206-783-9813

www.plantamnesty.org

e-mail: [email protected]

— Mission Statement —To end the senseless torture and mutilation of trees and shrubs caused by mal-pruning

(and other common forms of plant mismanagement).

Goals:1. Raise awareness of the problem.2. Provide solutions (referral service, education,

volunteer pruning and care), and ensure they are readily accessible to the public and green industry professionals.

3. Engender respect for plants.

We Affirm:• That our organization is inclusive, tolerant, and

based on grassroots collective action.• That our educational materials are clear, current and

technically accurate.• That we will maintain a sense of humor and goodwill

while being outspoken on the issues.

— Staff —General Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura WatsonOffice Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce Lane

— Officers and Board Members —President . . . . . Cass Turnbull Vice President . . . Diedre Muns Secretary . . . . . Rose BrittenhamTreasurer . . . . . Mike Ewanciw

Tracey Bernal, Marianna Clark, Lisa Turay

— Newsletter Contributors — Editorial Committee Joyce Lane, Cass Turnbull, John Turnbull Graphic Design cbgraphics, Constance Bollen Contributors Wendy Lagozzino, Joyce Lane, Cass Turnbull, Laura Watson Photographers Many, Various, Anonymous Artists Kate Allen Printing & Distribution Consolidated Press

Please mail us articles, short jokes, artwork, tales, Adopt-A-Plant and Green Share information.

The newsletter is a benefit of membership.

Plant Activist Update—continued from page 1

www.plantamnesty.org 206-783-9813 3

PlantAmnesty, Community Harvest, City Fruit, and other fruit tree, permaculture, and pruning-related organizations.

August Ice Cream Social—Outdoor Story TimeOn a balmy August evening, PlantAmnesty members and

friends gathered in the gardens at the Center for Urban Hor-ticulture to enjoy a pie and ice cream social. Plenty of great food, especially homemade pie, was eaten by all.

There was a mellow ambiance among the crowd and, as the August evening light began to fade, the story telling began. Ian Taylor, author of Suburban Adventures of the Naked Gardener, read several pieces from his book. Cass Turnbull ‘told all’ on

a well-known local garden personality (and just who would that be? you ask—sorry, our lips are sealed). Her hilarious story about the poor naked chickens was just too much. Then the entire Johnson family joined in the fun, one by one—first with Jill describing a charming character she got to know when she lived in the American south, her husband John reading his wonderfully funny introduction to a western novel as if written by a woman with an eye for coordinating clothes, and son Ben telling the tale of the missing video equipment. Genevieve Vadya also amused us with a story from her past.

After the last tale was told, we all reluctantly headed home. ▲

Plant Activist Update—continued from page 2

Your ad here, if you donate $50 worth of items to BINGOI

Plantamnesty newsletter advertising Rates

YoUR ad tYPe size cost foR 4 consecUtive

(WxH) 1 issUe issUes

Business Card 3.5" x 2" or 2" x 3.5" $35.00 $126.00One-sixth page 2.5" x 4" or 4" x 2.5" $42.00 $151.00One-fourth page 3.5" x 4.75" $60.00 $216.00One-third page 7" x 3.25" $82.00 $295.00One-half page 7" x 4.75" $120.00 $432.00

The newsletter is currently published three times per year: ● February ● June ● October

Deadlines are generally the 5th of the month prior to publication. Email ad copy as an “eps” attachment to [email protected].

Scannable camera-ready artwork may also be mailed to PlantAmnesty at the address above.

Ten percent discount for advertising when you sign up for four consecutive issues.

If you have questions regarding newsletter advertising, contact:

Joyce [email protected]

206-783-9813, x0

Laura Watson [email protected]

206-783-9813, x3


Gardening Topic—MULCH continued from page 1

the shrubs or up against the trunks of trees. It can slowly smother and kill shrubs and even big trees. Really. So the spreader and the wheel-ers spend the rest of the time crawling around using gloved hands to clear around the trunks and stems of woody plants. It’s okay to put a thin cover over most perennials in the winter if one is using airy, light-weight compost like Steerco. But heavier manure and organic-rich composts can slow down perennials (good to know) and even suppress them. We are warned that bearded irises rot if their corms are covered up by mulch—though this is debated in chat rooms. No doubt a lot of the conflicting advice has to do with what kind and how much mulch is being used.

Groundcovers generally thrive in mulch, though perhaps a little thinner is the correct amount for them as well. The worst abuse of mulch is what is known in the landscape industry as the dreaded “mulch volcano” seen in various parts of the nation. For some inexplicable reason landscapers actually mound the mulch up around the base of trees on purpose! It is not simply bad pruning that afflicts our trees and shrubs. The indignities and atrocities are almost infinite. “God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand straining, leveling tempests and floods; but he cannot save them from fools...”—John Muir

Now to the final rakeout. Be sure that there is no mulch resting against a wood fence, and make a level line (with your gloved hand) where it rests against walls or other hardscape. This will make it look sharp! And for the ultimate in mulch perfec-tion, we rake it out “smooth as a baby’s butt”. The fan (spring) rake and the hard (garden) rake are used right-side-up to move material. But we use the rakes upside-down to smooth it all out. Lightly pushing the rakes back and forth over the surface, we work backwards out of the bed, covering our own footprints.

Kinds of mulchOne of PlantAmnesty’s more popular meetings was called Mulch Wars. We had a panel of expert gardeners talk on the subject. They had widely differing opinions on what constituted a good mulch. As always, the seemingly contradictory advice can be explained by context. It all depends on what you want

your mulch to do and where you are using it.

Bark—that is to say the reddish “beauty bark” made from the bark of conifers—was the first mulch in wide use by landscapers and home-owners. It worked really well to suppress weeds. Unfortunately it suppressed the shrubs too. There was a rumor that it tied up the nitrogen as it decomposed, but that turned out not to be a big problem. What it does do, however, is lock up water in its fibers making it unavailable for the shrubs. We all have a firm image in our heads of the commercial landscapes that are sparsely

populated with over-Casoroned, under-watered, baked, yellow-leaved, sheared shrubs surrounded by seas of red beauty bark. These are things that go together. And bark also gives you tiny painful slivers in your hands when you weed in it. Those slivers also get into your gloves to torture you later, in some other gar-den. And who needs any more negative reinforcement for weed-ing? I think I speak for all horticulturists, if not all landscapers, when I say that bark is “the wrong kind”. On a recent visit to a conference in Boston I overhead the landscapers exclaiming their love of the new mulch in town—that beautiful red bark! I felt I should do something.

Bark is not to be confused with “wood chips” which are made from the wood, not the bark, of trees. Wood chips are very good for plants, especially trees. Wood chips can come in several forms. An arborist can leave you chips from the pruned-off branches that were sent through the chipper. And you can also buy things variously called hog fuel or play chips for use in kids’ playgrounds. What they all share in common is that they are coarse (big pieces) and pretty neutral, nutrient-wise. They closely mimic the natural forest floor.

The good news about large-particle mulches is that they are really good for air and water penetration, they don’t compact, and they last a long time. And you can often get arborist chips free. The bad news is that large-particle mulches aren’t as attrac-tive as fine-particle mulches.

I was ecstatic when the sawdust-based mulches came on the scene 25years ago. I was, and still am, a proponent of Steerco™. Steerco™ is just one brand name for a sterile mulch made of hot-composted sawdust and manure. Similar products

contRactoR’s WHeelbaRRoW

gaRden RaKe

sPacKle bUcKet

fan (sPRing) RaKe

sPading foRK

Tools of the Trade

PitcH foRK


Gardening Topic—MULCH continued from page 4

are made of composted sawdust and urea. Many gardeners eschew Steerco and similar products because, contrary to what the name might indicate, the product has little nutrient value. They prefer those mulches made out of composted “green” stuff and those with higher manure contents. But I like Steerco because it’s lightweight, beautiful, effective at suppressing weeds, can be used in and around delicate plants, and because it doesn’t fertilize the plants. I mostly work in mature landscapes where things are already “too big” and established perennial beds are running rampant. I would prefer that the plants slow down, not increase in vigor! Steerco™ is dark-colored and fine-particled. It looks like good garden soil. But as you will recall, neither it, nor the other mulches, are soil.

Next on the list are mulches with a very high organic content. Anybody who has ever made compost out of sod, grass clippings, leaves and/or weeds, and thus experiences the miracle of making glorious, rich, beautiful, sweet smelling earth out of “waste”, becomes a convert for life. Several years ago the City of Seattle decided to split the dump into two parts—organic and inorganic. Mixed loads were no longer acceptable. They wanted to reduce the amount of garbage in our landfills. They contracted Cedar Grove to haul away the “clean green” yard waste, which they compost and now sell back to us. The guys at the dump thought the gardeners would be upset at the new regulations. Instead we were relieved of the guilt of having to waste all that great stuff.

The mulches with high organic content (composted leaves, grass, weeds, perennials that have been cut back) and those with more manure have a lot more nutrient value. As they continue to decompose they release more “fertilizer”, if you will, into the soil. They also feed the whole microcosm of bacteria, fungi and whatnot that make a soil healthy. And as they are pulled down into the soil profile by worms, they condition the soil too. So if you have a poor soil; a new garden where you want to encourage quicker growth; or a vegetable patch, high organic compost-mulches are the way to go. If you have ever weeded in the yard of a garden once cared for by a compulsive user of compost, you will find it is a delight. The weeds just fall out in your hands. The soil is so soft, fluffy and sweet-smelling you will never want to go back indoors.

The problem with homemade compost is that the pile is usually not large enough to cook the weed seeds. When I finally get around to spreading the compost from the bins I have squirreled away in all my customers’ yards, I make sure to cover it with another layer of commercial mulch lest I spread weeds, as well as joy, around the yard.

There are a couple of drawbacks to yard-waste, compost mulches. They are heavier than others. The full import of this occurs to you about the twelfth wheelbarrow-load in. And they are even stinkier than sawdust-based composts. This doesn’t

usually bother the veteran gardener, who associates the smell with healthy, beautiful gardens, but some homeowners can be a bit put off. Actually the smell will subside soon enough, especially after a few good rains. Both sawdust and heavier, yard-waste based composts tend to develop a crust over the top after a while. This can stop water from penetrating, exactly what we don’t want. Although I should remark that once I broke the dry crust with my finger on a baking hot summer day, only to find that it had locked in the moisture. Still, when you find that a crust is forming, you should ruffle it up with a scuffle hoe or scratchy tool. You can do this when out there hunting weeds once a month anyway. It will not be much work.

I should also mention that it is quite possible to go over-board with too much of a good thing. Some people become so addicted to organics that they over-apply them. This can encourage root rot in trees and actually make for more diseases and pests. Just remember that mulch, including high-organic compost, is not soil.

is mulch always good?As you may recall from your college anthropology class, there are very few cultural universals—that is things found in all cultures of the world: music, language, and some sort of incest taboo. I think that’s about it. I suspect there are even fewer horticultural universals. I thought for sure that the use of mulch would be one of them, until I taught in Fairbanks, Alaska. There, they warned that the mulch would keep the ground frozen long into the summer. And they have to build little cages to protect their bulbs from voles AND they have to over winter their worms in heated garages. It makes me appreciate the ease of gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

Even here there are some plants that you can kill by using a rich, organic mulch. Many rock garden plants need exceed-ingly well-draining soil, and you can rot them by using heavy composts. I still grieve for the Lewisia that I killed. I planted it in scree, but then mulched with compost later. Sure, I had been warned. But as always, I thought it would be different for me.

summaryto mulch is good, almost always. Avoid the following mulching mistakes:

Mis take 1: you don’t weed thoroughly at least twice before

mulchingMis take 2: you mulch too thin, too thick, or use the wrong kindMis take 3: mulch volcanoes or mulch left against crowns

or base of plantsMis take 4: mulch is reapplied too often Mis take 5: because of no follow-up weeding,which needs to

be done once a month

Remember, mulch is not soil! ▲


Slugs and snailsAnd gifts left by large dogs

An upwind garden full of blooming weeds Cool plants that don’t fit or can’t be found or

cost too muchStubborn lilacs that refuse to bloom

Mole hills

Glossy garden magazines regale us with attractive plants to know and grow or how to maintain a lovely garden with ease. They provide simple easy tips to overcome the many frustrations that drive gardeners crazy, like …

Racoons in the pond And sharp, thorny things

Lousy soil Arctic blasts

Shotweed and dandelions going to seedSuckers and watersprouts

Allergies

Any of these alone would make a good excuse for not going outside into garden. More is even better. Always keep a few going in the garden just for those days when gardening lacks appeal. Rusty shovels don’t dig, dull blades don’t prune, and holey gloves leave hands in a holy mess. Keep these tools handy for just the right time. There are so many things that can go wrong.

Aphids and stink bugsFungus and blackspot

MildewHorsetail and deer

Sore muscles And playing hostess to local felines

Depressed? Discouraged? Unable to cope? Sounds as though a break is urgently in order. Pull up a comfy chair with a good book and cup of tea. Ah, an afternoon off. But never fear— gardening fever is bound to return. And why, you ask?

So you can brag about your great gardenAnd wear comfortable, unflattering clothes

To burn calories so you can eat more cake and ice cream

And impress your friends with all your trendy stuffSo you can shop for more plants and

Skip your exercisesSo you can graze on greens and veggiesAnd have something to complain about to

your fellow gardeners

Give it your best shot. What could possibly happen? Except maybe

Bee stings and sunburnWebs in your face

IvyBlisters and bug bites and

Dwindling precious time. ▲

THINGS THAT MAKE A GARDENER GO AAARRRGGGHHH!By Wendy Lagozzino

EarthwOrM

we pattern our heaven

on bright butterflies,

but it must be that even

in earth heaven lies.

the worm we uproot

in turning a spade

returns, careful brute,

to the peace he has

made.

God blesses him; he

gives with his toil,

lends comfort to me,

and aerates the soil.

by John Updike


WisH list

Plantamnesty Wish list: computer geek volunteer to buck up Plantamnesty’s internet presence.Do you love rooting around in the internet? Do you visit blogs regularly (or even write one yourself), are you inti-mate with FaceBook, do you know the secrets of landing high on Google lists? OK, OK, do you at least know someone who is like this? WE NEED A VOLUNTEER LIKE YOU (or your friend, or your high school student)! Call 206-783-9813 or email us at [email protected]. This may be a way to add umph to a resume. ▲

PlantAmnesty Shoppers

Our most popular item at the magnificent Festival of Trees was our Volunteers-Only bright blue t-shirts made especially for the occasion..

We ran out. But due to popular demand, Rich Ellison made us some more. So if you missed out, here is your chance.

Check out other items to buy on the PlantAmnesty website, or have us mail a catalogue to you.

1 for $10 S&h $5.95 total = $15.952 for $15 S&h $5.95 total = $20.953 for $20 S&h $5.95 total = $25.95

Plant Sales!

arboretum foundation’s fall bulb & Plant sale sunday october 4, 10 am – 3 pm Monday october 5, 10 am – 2 pm Member Pre-sale saturday october 3, 10 am – 2 pmThis sale offers bulbs, shrubs, trees and perennials on Sunday. The Saturday and Monday sales are bulbs-only. Visit www.arboretumfoundation.org for more information.

Washington native Plant society’s all-natives fall Plant sale saturday, october 24, 10 am – 4 pmThe sale takes place in Building 30 at Magnuson Park. Hereyou’ll find all your favorite native wildflowers, bulbs, ferns, grasses, shrubs and trees, plus seeds and rare native plants. Come early for the best selection of rare varieties! Details at www.wnps.org or call 206-527-3210. ▲

New Zealand View PruningAn unfortunate mix of cypress pines and shrubs...

or fotunate...as the case may be?


Other People’s Pruning Classes

edmonds community college intro to arboriculture HORT 242, 3 Credits Wednesdays, 6pm – 8:50pm, plus Saturday, November 7Taught by Beth Bronstein

Covers basics of arboriculture and tree management, including tree physiology, selection, maintenance and common land-scape problems. International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) standards will be discussed.

To register or to find out about other horticultural classes at Edmonds Community College, go to http://hort.edcc.edu.

south seattle community college introduction to arboriculture4732.01, LHO 140, 3 creditsFall Course, Tuesdays, 9:00am – 1:30pmTaught by V. Bobbitt

Explore the current science and practice of managing trees in urban landscapes. This course will help prepare students for the ISA-Certified Arborist Examination. To register or to find out more about other landscape horticulture classes at South Seattle Community College, to go http://www.southseattle.edu/programs/proftech/landprog.htm.

the Western Washington tree fruit Research foundation, Master fruit Pruner class in 2010. Date and Time TBD. For details, go to their website at www.wwfrf.org or call 206-789-1106.

Up by Roots Healthy soils and trees in the built environmentPresented by James Urban.Course Offered by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) in 2010

Up By Roots is a one-day workshop that highlights the prin-ciples of soil science and their use in facilitating the growth of healthy trees and developing water-efficient landscapes. This workshop includes lectures and field work.

PricingMember with Urban’s book: $245Member without book: $185Non-member with book: $265Non-member without book: $195

For more information, contact ISA at www.isa-arbor.com. ▲

Major DonorsShannon Bergstedt

Dan ElyClaudia tidball

wayne and ann Erickson and Marilyn McFadden

west Seattle Garden tour Committee

We are deeply grateful for your support.

Welcome, New Members!Michaelene adamsJennifer BaischKelly Barrytabitha Borchardtanne CantrellMarcee CharlsheK Dawn CorbinElaine Coretsamanda CousinsMelinda DuplessisKathy EwertLyn FirkinsKate GriswoldGayle hanksrosemary harrowJacqueline hughesrichard IrishPat LaJambeLinda LangenwalterBeth Larson

rick LortzLeanne MatosichJeanette MaurerMargaret Metz-hollandKaren MielyDarlene Olsonrobert OlsonGia ParsonsKathleen Pasiekaanne rodaKobe ryanJo-an ScottValerie SinexJanet SlackErin SpencerLisa SwensonKatie torgersonSusan wallaceMarlene weaverKenneth winnick

baba’s bowlworksLiberating bowls from their

bondage in the woods!

we seek green hardwood from Seattle-area treesthat homeowner’s reluctantly have to remove.

allow us to create beautiful bowls from your tree.Contact us, preferably prior to removal,

at [email protected].

View examples of our stunning bowls at babasbowlworks.blogspot.com.


Chili Feed and

Tree Hugger Bingo and Chili Feed Reservation Form (Must be 18 to participate)Please send check for $25 per person (or $125 for 6) and reservation form to: PlantAmnesty, POB 15377, Seattle WA 98115-0377.*

Name:____________________________________________________________________________________________

Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone: (____)____________________ E-Mail:__________________________________________________________

________Number of Reservations (bring your friends!) $_____________Amount Enclosed

*Tickets will be mailed. Present your ticket at “will call” to get your bingo cards. The Washington State Gambling Commission prohibits ticket purchases by CREDIT CARD, but Visa or MasterCard DEBIT CARDS are fine. Reservations must be postmarked by October 7th. Questions? Call PlantAmnesty 206-783-9813, email [email protected] or check www.plantamnesty.org for details.

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Located at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens’Center for Urban Horticulture3501 NE 41st St. Seattle, WA 98105 Plenty of free parking!

Hosted by Ciscoe Morris & Cass Turnbull

Gardeners from around Puget Sound will join Ciscoe Morris and Cass Turnbull for a wildly entertaining night of garden lovers’ bingo. Come play for choice plants and garden-related prizes.*

Doors open and dinner begins at 6:30 PM, on a crisp fall evening.The first game will be called promptly at 7:00PM.

Questions? Call PlantAmnesty 206-783-9813, email [email protected] or check www.plantamnesty.org for details.

$25 includes chili and game cards for the evening.Purchase a table of 6 for $125 and bring all your friends for a fun evening!

*This is a fundraiser for PlantAmnesty. You do not need Bingo experience to attend, eat chili and win.

Thursday, October 15, 2009


Upcoming Events

Nurseries and businesses who donate $50 or more in BINGO prizes get a free advertisement in the PlantAmnesty newsletter, as well as many ‘oo, la, las!’ from Ciscoe.

october Meeting of like MindsTuesday, October 20th, 7pm – 9pmCenter for Urban Horticulture

Held at the Center for Urban Horticulture’s NHS hall (3501 NE 41st St, in Seattle), this meeting is hosted by the Tree Programs Committee. We will have an auction of interesting items. Potluck for all. Beer and wine approved.

The guest speaker will be Chris Anderson, Assistant District Wildlife Biologist in King County for the Washington

Department of Fish and Wildlife. Chris will discuss the value of snags as habitat features, when available

and appropriate, and how using them can pro-vide more complex and ecologically functional natural areas for wildlife. He will emphasize

the management and value of urban and suburban natural spaces for wildlife and how arborists can play

a large part in supporting healthy wildlife populations in our developed areas, where wildlife and humans coexist.

Holiday Party and annual MeetingWednesday, December 9, 2008, 7pm – 9pm

Our annual meeting and Holiday party is being held early on Wednesday, December 9th, which is not our usual third Tuesday. Our elegant evening will feature Barbara Broderick, PlantAmnesty member and supporter, playing the Neo-Celtic harp. The night will be full with glittering, festive decor, champagne punch, a veritable feast of potluck food, a raffle, horticultural trivia, and a review of the year’s many and great accomplishments. We have TV footage of our two televised ap-pearances, Cass’s entry into the Green Hero Contest and the Arbor Day Prune combined with the Festival of Trees. We will also have Ugly Yard Photo contestants displayed for your amusement. And we welcome new entries on site at this occasion. Prizes will be mailed. This is a dress-up occasion, so wear your glad rags and bring a tasty dish if you cook. Or, if not, come anyway and enjoy the food and festivities in your clean jeans!

Note: Some important PlantAmnesty business will occur. We will accept nominations for the board and announce the slate proposed by the current board. If a quorum is present in person and with absentee ballots, a vote will be taken. If not, the old board elects the new. ▲

Good gardeningis simple. You just learn to think like a plant—

anonymous

spanish language Pruning and landscape Renovation WorkshopThursday, October 1, 2009, 8am – 4pm. Camp Long

You will probably not receive this newsletter before we have our first-ever Spanish language pruning workshop on October 1st, but it will be close. Our report on the event will appear in the next newsletter.

Japanese garden Pruning Workshop Saturday, October 17, 2009, 10am – 3pm

Our second-ever, and quite popular Japanese Garden Pruning workshop will be held at Kubota Gardens on Satur-day, October 17th. A prerequisite for enrollment is that students attend either our How to Prune and Renovate the Overgrown Landscape or our Japanese Garden Pruning class (or both). We find it odd that we have waiting lists and people who travel from afar for this advanced class, while many of our introductory pruning classes go unfilled. It’s like medical students taking brain surgery their first semester, while skipping anatomy 101. But that’s the Ameri-can way. We will do our best to teach restraint and humility before setting loose our gardeners with ‘scalpels’ upon the unprotected plant world. CLASS IS SOLD OUT.

tree Hugger bingo with ciscoeThursday, October 15, 7pm – 9pm

After yet another year of record-breaking July temperatures, we are ever-so-glad that we moved Tree Hugger Bingo to October 15th. It promises to be the best ever with choice plants, garden and arboricultural tools, elegant pots, garden books, and even non-garden, general fun-type prizes for spouses and miscellaneous Bingo players. Just remember one-in-four people win! And there are consolation prizes for all who don’t!

Ciscoe Morris and the Bingo Bee will call the games. Plantha, the Plantchanneler, Father Weedo Sarducci, and the Garden Angel will be on hand assist players and to add to the fun. Cost of tickets includes corn chips and chili: hot, vegetarian, mild and/or meaty. It’s your choice. Salad, beer, wine, pop, and cake will be available for sale. This is our funnest and messiest event of the year. See flyer and registra-tion form in this newsletter. We sold out last year, so be sure to get your tickets early.


Upcoming Classessunday, oct 11th — Japanese garden Pruning Japanese gardens are among the most admired gardens in the world. To create and maintain them requires a high level of pruning skill and dedicated annual maintenance. The pruning of Japanese maples, bamboo, cloud pruning pines and tamamono shearing will be covered in this class.

saturday, oct 17th, 10 am to 3 pm — Japanese garden Pruning Workshop Pre-registration required, $65/$75. Location: Kubota Gardens

sunday, nov 8th — Panel of experts Q&aA panel of pruning and gardening experts will be assembled to answer questions from the audience.

Plantamnesty Presents:

Cass Turnbull’s Master Pruner Program

2009 Pruning classesPruning expert Cass turnbull, and other guest instructors, teach topic-specific pruning techniques in this series of in-depth classes and workshops. the Master Pruner Program is the set of classes and workshops that when completed certifies you as a Master Pruner. these classes are open to home gardeners, landscape professionals and horticulture students. Complete the entire series to earn a certificate or just attend

a few classes. horticulture students can apply their college pruning classes towards certification. Master Gardener and ISa CEU’s can be earned. No pre-registration is required for the Sunday morning classes.

wHere: warren G Magnuson Park, the Brig (Bldg #406) 7400 Sand Point way Ne, Seattle, 98115 (unless otherwise noted)

wHeN: Sundays, 10 am to noon (No classes in August or December)

COST: $10 per class, $5 for Plant Amnesty members

Questions? email [email protected], call PlantAmnesty 206-783-9813 or Cass 206-783-9093

Sponsored by FANNO Saw Works http://www.fannosaw.com

PlantAmnesty Offices, Classes and Events

PlantAmnesty Meetings at CUH

2009 Schedule• 1/11: Roses• 2/8: Easy Plants • 3/8: Difficult Plants• 3/28: Renovation Workshop • 4/11: Vines (Sat.)• 5/10: Trees 1• 6/14: Rehabilitative Pruning• 7/12: Tools• 7/25: Renovation Workshop

• August—no class• 9/13: Prune & Renovate• 10/1: Pruning Workshop in Spanish

• 10/11 Japanese Pruning (lecture)• 10/17: Japanese Pruning Workshop

• 11/8: Q&A with Panel of Experts • December—no class

SOLD OUt +


three newsletters

Due to budget shortfalls, we will mail out three newsletters in 2010

instead of four. It was that or lay people off. We need and love our hardworking, underpaid part-time staff. We will resume full service in 2011 or sooner if our ship comes in. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Times are tough all around. There just ain’t no fat to cut, or deadwood if you prefer.

Ugly Yard Photo contest

This newsletter will take us to December, when we will award

prizes via mail to the best of the worst! At our Holiday Party on Wednesday, De-cember 9, we will select the winners for our Ugly Yard Photo Contest. Winning is easy because everybody thinks they’ll take pictures, but few do. We will supply catchy-funny titles if you can’t think of one. We do not contact yard own-ers — that would be cruel. But you, the photographer, can win valuable prizes. Categories are: • Bad Pruning, Shrubs, • Bad Pruning, Trees, • Interesting Abuse, • Adults-Only Plants, • Bad Design, • Deadly Dull, • Too Bizarre, • Best of City, State and Country. If someone comes out of the house wanting to know what you are doing with that camera, just say something like, “I wanted to take a picture of your shutters to show my husband what we should get.”

Please mail or e-mail photos by Dec 1st. We will credit you, the photographer, if you can write your name on the back, but it might be better if we don’t. Then it will just become a PlantAmnesty ‘stock photo’.

nominations for the 2010 Pa board

We are seeking nominations for the illustrious PlantAmnesty Board

of Directors. Positions require a two-year commitment, and members are also expected to serve on a committee of their

choice. That equals two meetings per month (evening, two hours) plus other activities as agreed. We meet in Seattle. If you would like to nominate yourself, someone else, or just want to find out more, please contact Laura Watson, our General Manager, at 206-783-9813, x3, or [email protected].

If a quorum is not present in person or by write-in ballot at the membership meeting in December, the old board will elect the new. For a ballot with nominees and a write-in candidate option to be sent to you, please contact Laura.

invasives

Everyone is becoming more aware of the exotics that are invading our

woodlands and open spaces, things like English ivy and wild clematis (Old Man’s Beard). But what about invaders of the back yard? For the western Pacific North-west, Cass Turnbull submits the following list of thugs she will not plant in custom-ers’ yards: Certain kinds of lamium, bishop’s weed, houtinia, that purple-leafed Labrador violet, some euphorbias, the yellow and orange alstromeria, plants in the knotweed family, sasa bamboo, Shasta daisies, lady fern, bachelor’s buttons (centauria), wire vine (muehlen-

beckia), creeping Jenny and aspen. On the other hand, she has a list of

beautiful invasives that she will plant in some circumstances. Maybe we will publish that list next time.

Please write or e-mail us your list of ‘I won’t plant it ever again!’

it’s a Major award!

The International Society of Arbori-culture awarded PlantAmnesty the

prestigious Gold Leaf Award for our outstanding educational work via the Festival of Trees.

digital newsletter

Kicking and screaming into to digital age! We can now offer our members

the paperless option for the newsletter. We hear that there are actually individu-als who prefer paperless to the hand-held variety. Offering the option of paperless newsletters will save PlantAmnesty money, so we can do more with your membership dollars. And it saves our natural resources, especially trees. To receive your paperless newsletter, send us your e-mail address and make the re-quest. We are at [email protected]. Note: we do not sell or give your contact information to anyone. ▲

This and That

Personal growth, yes...tree growth, not so much.


Adopt-A-Plant. You call, you dig, you haul, that’s all.

Adopt-A-Plant is a PlantAmnesty membership perk. But you don’t have to be a member to put a plant up for adoption. No money shall be given or received for these plants; if you are hired to transplant any, of course your labor (only) may be charged. Keep things neighborly!

PLEASE FILL HOLES AND LEAVE THE SITE TIDY

Plantamnesty adopt-a-Plant listWoodinville: 1 small weeping cherry, 7.5' – 8' tall. Leaves light pinkish purple. Healthy. Easy Access. Contact Laura at 425-526-5399, x103. Shoreline: 1 Empress tree (Paulonia tomentosa) in a half barrel. Tree is about 6' tall x 4' wide. Has large purplish flower clusters in spring. Grows extremely fast—full height of 40' in 8 years. Originally purchased from Raintree Nursery. Tree is currently suffering from being in a pot—needs to be free. Contact Kaye or John at 206-546-4083 or [email protected].

Marysville: 7 Japanese laceleaf maples available for adoption. They range from 3' tall to 4.5' tall. Widest one is 4.5' wide. One is called Butterfly Japanese Maple (white leaf margins that turn pink in spring). Others are red, green, and magenta. They are all in the backyard, but should be fairly easy to move. GREENSHARE: also available—red lava pebbles. Contact Linda at 360-925-6449 or [email protected].

Woodinville: 1 rhododendron that has outgrown its location. 8' tall x 6' wide with pale lilac (almost white) flowers. Contact Lisa at 425-481-7048.

Federal way: the church is relandscaping and taking out 8 large rhodys—dark pink and red flowers. 5'—8' tall and 3'—5' wide. Easy access. Contact Nancy at 253-941-6390 or [email protected].

edmonds: 1 rose, Rosa rugosa, needs new home. Kept pruned to 3' tall but wants to be larger. Pretty pink flowers and orange rose hips in fall. Easy access. Contact Kathy at 425-744-1006.

Bellevue: Three California Redwood seedlings available for adoption. Also, 6 bamboo in pots, each 6' tall. Contact Grant or Robert at 425-450-9427.

Magnolia: 1 pagoda dogwood (Cornus alterni-folia), a small graceful tree for part shade that is currently about 4-5 years old, 7' tall, and 5' wide—needs more space. Also, a doublefile vi-burnum (Viburnum p. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’), 7' tall x 9' wide. Beautiful large shrub with big white flowers in spring and reddish leaves in fall. Makes a beautiful screening plant or background shrub. Contact Stacey at 206-282-1324 or [email protected].

Queen Anne: 1 variegated Azara microphylla, about 5-6 ft tall, 2-3 feet wide. This tall shrub from Down Under has small leaves and is at-tractive and drought tolerant once established. Landscape installer mistakenly provided this

plant (instead of a gold lonicera). Easy access for removal, within 2 ft of street. Owner asks that care be taken with adjacent plants when removing. Contact Jim—daytime phone is 206-438-2328.

Ne Seattle: 1 healthy Katsura, 5' tall, pretty fall color, drought-tolerant once established. Said to have caramel fragrance in the fall. Will eventually grow to 30' tall. Photos available via email upon request. Contact Joann at 206-527-1008.

Woodinville: 1 Hydrangea ‘Lady in Red', with pink laceleaf flowers, reddish leaves. 2' tall x 3' wide, in ground two years. Also 1 Japanese laceleaf upright maple, Acer p. ‘tamukeyama’, 3' tall x 3' wide, also in ground two years. Easy access. Contact Pat 425-823-9788.

Capital Hill: 1 mature mophead hydrangea. Flower color not known. Cut down to ground in spring, now knee high with one side slightly sunburned—otherwise healthy. Easy access. Contact Jerry at 206-484-2647.

Leschi/Madrona: 3-yr old weeping Katsura, 5' tall, golden/brown leaves in fall, too big for cur-rent space. Contact Eleanor at 206-324-0776.

Ballard: 1 Nandina domestica (heavenly bam-boo), 2.5' tall; 1 large healthy rosemary; 1 large climbing rose Cecile Brunner, with small pale pink roses. Contact Laura Lee at 206-297-7143.

Mapleleaf: HOUSEPLANT—Very healthy, 9' tall fig tree (Ficus benjamina) in pot. Just getting too large for its spot. Contact Paola at 206-724-1993 or [email protected].

Lake City: small Rhododendron, 3' tall with red flowers. Contact Edna at [email protected].

Ballard: a row of seven or eight 4-5' tall healthy arborvitae. Each is about 2' wide. Very easy access. Must go to make room for a pergola and a

wisteria. Contact Marianne at 207-781-8591. Ravenna: 2 wonderful healthy pine trees in pots. One is 5' tall; the other is 10' tall. Both need to be in ground in a new home. Contact Jyoti at 206-250-5781.

Bellevue: HOUSEPLANT: 6' tall and 6' wide Shamouti orange tree that has edible fruit has grown too big for the current owners. Enjoys spending time outside in the summers. Needs sunny spot indoors. Contact Frances at 425-747-9003.

Kent: Healthy 8' tall Western Red Cedar needs a new home. Native plant! Contact Annette at 253-630-1647.

Rainier Beach: 20-year-old Western Red Cedar still in pot. Healthy, but pot bound. About 10' tall. Contact Jane at 206-723-0234.

IMPoRTANT NOTICE: The Adopt-A-Plant and Cyber Library password: the user ID is pruner and the password is bamboo.

greenshare: Do you have a composter you don’t need any more? Too many tools filling up your shed? Are you just dying for that special plant that you would be willing to make a trade for? Do you need used bricks for your patio project? Then our Green-Share is just the ticket for you.

The PlantAmesty Adopt-a-Plant list is available on our website for members. If you do not have access to the internet, please call us at 206-783-9813, x3

and we’ll mail you a current copy of the complete list.

aaPWe get so many interesting plants on the Adopt-a-Plant list. For instance, in re-cent months we’ve had a Davidia tree (aka handkerchief tree or dove tree for its unusual white spring flowers), black bamboo, Echevaria, 8 matching boxwoods, pampas grass, palm trees, a Katsura tree, Barberry ‘Rose Glow’, a Stewartia, houseplants, native plants, and many, many others.

One elderly lady called to offer an eight-foot contorted hazelnut tree, also known as Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick. She’s having trouble getting around now and just didn’t want the chore of cleaning up the leaves any more. A local nursery had already offered to come and take down the tree to harvest the wonderful curly stems that florists so love to use. But the lady wanted this interesting plant to live on in someone else’s garden. We got no takers for a month, so we added more details to the description and placed it back on top of the list. Happily, a young couple who had just moved into their first house came and dug up the tree and took it to its new home. —LW


Are You a Photosynthesizer Sympathizer?Join PlantAmnesty Today!

MeMBerSHIP INFOrMAtIONNew Member(s) Name_______________________________________________ Phone (_________)____________________

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E-Mail ______________________________________________ ❏ I want to receive the newsletter ONLY electronically

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ALL NEW MEMBERS GET A FREE 2 HOUR DVD OF CASS GIVING THE WORLD FAMOUS SLIDESHOW OF PRUNING HORRORS AND THE PRUNING MICRO COURSE!!! Send ❏ them a free DVD (circle one) ❏ me a free DVD (circle one) ❏ English ❏ Spanish (include your address).

IF yOUr COMPANy HAS A COrPOrAte MAtCH PrOGrAM, PLeASe INCLUDe yOUr COMPLeteD COrPOrAte MAtCH FOrM wItH yOUr MeMBerSHIP. PLANt AMNeSty IS A NON-PrOFIt, 501 (C) 3 OrGANIzAtION.

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❏ New Adventitious Buddy . . . . . . . . . $30.00❏ Renewal (new rate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25.00❏ FELCO-teer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60.00❏ Tree Defender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $120.00❏ Heartwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250.00

❏ Cambium Club (Lifetime) . . . . . . $500.00❏ Corporate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $700.00❏ Friend of PlantAmnesty . . . . . . . $2000.00 or more❏ Limited Income/Student . . . . . . . . . $15.00

Northwest ArborvitaeTina Cohen

Certified Arborist

206-789-3283

On site tree & plant diagnostic

services.

Horticultural Schools. Try them, you’ll like them.

lake Washington technical school (Kirkland) www.lwtc.edu

edmonds community collegewww.edcc.edu

center for Urban Horticulture( U-district, Seattle) www.uwbotanicgardens.org

south seattle community college (west Seattle) www.southseattle.edu

reAL eStAte

Cynthia Creasey, specializing in gardens that come with houses in Seattle.

Lake & Co. real estate, 206-276-8292

“To end the senseless torture and mutilation of trees and shrubs”

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDSeattle, WA

Permit #5011

PlantAmnestyP.O. Box 15377Seattle, WA 98115-0377

RETURN SERVICES REqUESTED

choose your favorite caption:

• Laugh and the world laughs with you. • Yuk it up. • Welcome to your new job-assigned parking• Grin and bear it. • Oh look, Frank. It’s eating the SUV!

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