Town & Country African Violet Society
Mother's Day African Violet Extravaganza!

• Hosted by: Newell Nurseries
• Sponsored by: Town and Country African Violet Society
• Location: Newell Nurseries' GlassHouse
  34071 Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa, CA 92399
  Phone 909-797-0210
   
• Dates and Times:
  • Friday, May 12th, 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
  • Saturday, May 13th, 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
  • Sunday, May 14th, 12:00 noon - 5:30 pm

Come for violet fun, cultural information, demos, and of course, plants...lots of plants!

For additional information and details, call (909) 794-2771, (909) 885-8260 or (909) 794-2686

This gorgeous hybrid tea is one of the four AARS winners for 2005. AARS winners all go through a two-year trial program, where they are judged on opening and finishing color, fragrance, disease resistance, foliage, and other attributes. Only four roses win each year, so 'Elle™' is one of the best of the best.

Here's what AARS has to say about it:

"Combining a strong, spicy, citrussy fragrance with a high-centered classic rose bud. Elle™ is a hybrid tea that produces shell pink flowers with deep yellow undertones. The dark glossy foliage provides a nice contrast to the soft, non-fading flower, and offers above average disease tolerance to mildew and blackspot. Flowers bloom on 10-14 inch stems and are 4-5 inches wide with a petal count of 50 - 55. "

By Tamara Galbraith

Although spring brings much hope and rebirth to the outdoors, it can be a stressful time for many gardeners. There is so much to do, and -- even with the longer hours that Daylight Saving provides -- seemingly never enough time to get it all done.

So, here are some tips for organizing your garden chores without wearing yourself out:

• If you start getting overwhelmed with how much needs accomplished in your landscape, take a deep breath and grab a pencil and paper. Make a list of everything that has to be done. Then, rank the chores by importance. Will a plant die in the next day or two if it doesn't get watered? Then by all means, do that first.
• If it seems like every single part of your landscape needs worked on, split the chores up into geographical sections. For example, if your bed of roses needs to be weeded AND fertilized AND watered AND sprayed for aphids, force yourself to stay focused on that area until you've achieved everything that needs to be done.
• Utilize smart gardening tools, accessories and products that help make your time in the garden easier and more efficient. For example, Neem oil is effective and safe as both an insecticide and fungicide.
• For all of you 9-5ers, try to avoid being a "Weekend Warrior Gardener." That is, spread your gardening chores throughout the week whenever possible. An hour here or there will take a big chunk out of your weekend duties, and besides, a bit of gardening is quite relaxing at the end of a long day spent in a stuffy office.

By Tamara Galbraith

Ask rose enthusiasts what one plant disease they would vote off the face of the planet, and their answer will inevitably be Black Spot. It is the bane of the rose growing world, and has been for many years.

Thanks to the introduction of many new rose cultivars with built-in Black Spot resistance, this problem isn't what it used to be. But what if you are nursing a rose that isn't quite so sturdy?

As the name suggests, this fungal disease appears as circular black spots surrounded by a ring of yellow on infected leaves. Remove and destroy infected leaves and canes, and take these actions to prevent Black Spot from completely owning your rose:

1. First, don't irrigate late in the evening before water has a chance to evaporate from leaf surfaces. Better yet, water at ground level and don't wet the leaves at all. Also, make sure there is plenty of air flowing around and through each plant. Fungi love to grow in moist, stagnant air, so prune your roses periodically, especially after each bloom period.

2. If you do find yourself with a case of Black Spot, act quickly, as it can take over an entire rose bush in no time. We recommend immediate treatment with Green Light Fung-Away.

Nellie was born and raised in San Bernardino, California. She has three daughters and five granddaughters. For many years, she and her late husband had an ice cream business.

Newell Nurseries owner, Melody Newell Funk, says that of all her aunts, Nellie was the FUN one — so when Nellie went looking for a new job, Melody brought the FUN to our Nursery.