Maple Court is in need CAN YOU HELP?

Maple Court has 19 new vets, and they are running low on provisions for them.
If you can help by providing any of the following it would be such a help
Laurie Renard can answer your questions.  She is pres of Homestead Heights

VOA Maple Court,

207 Commons Blvd.

Durham, NC 27704
 

Provisions Provided to

New Residents  

Laundry:

Detergent

Laundry 

Bleach

Personal Care:

Razor

Deodorant

Soap

Lotion

  Toilet paper

Cleaning Supplies:

Comet

Multi-purpose spray

Floor/toilet cleaner

Paper Towels and/or

Rags

One Time Allotment in

First Year

Cooking Item Provision:

  2-3 qt. pot

  8-10 qt. pot

  Skillet (med. or large)

  Cookie sheet

  Baking pan (8x8 or 9x13)

  Can opener

       Spatula

Egg turner

Large spoon

Knives (2)

Cutting board

Flatware (4 place settings)

Dishes (set)

Mug

Trash can

Scrubber

Dish towel

Dish cloth

  Single sheet set

  Blanket

  Comforter

  Pillow

  Waste Basket

Bathroom Provisions:

  Toilet Brush

  2 Towels

  2 Wash cloths

  2 Hand Towels

General Room Use:

  Broom/dust pan

  Mop

  Replacement mop head

SUN LOVER

 While walking in the Perannual Allie at Duke Gardens last week this plant caught my attention.  It is beautiful and when I find a place in my garden I hope to add it to my collection

For a bold statement in the garden, nothing makes one better than bear’s breeches (Acanthus mollis)! A Mediterranean native that is found mostly in Portugal, northwest Africa, and Croatia, the plant is known to be one of the earliest cultivated garden plants.

This stunning landscape specimen produces leaves up to 3 feet long, and flower spikes that can reach 8 feet! The deeply lobed leaves are

 dark green and shiny, and tipped with soft spines. The plant itself grows in a large clump, reaching about 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide before the flower spikes appear. The tubular flowers bloom in early summer and look similar to foxglove; they are creamy or white, with purple or pink edges, and bloom from the bottom of the stalk upward, providing a long display of color.

Easy to grow, Acanthus mollis loves the sun, dry air, and average to rich soil. Once established, the clumps can survive for several decades. Drought and partial shade to do not faze this sturdy garden inhabitant, but it will not tolerate overly or constantly wet soil.

The plant has some susceptibility to powdery mildew and bacterial leaf spot. Bear’s Breeches will grow from fresh seed or 2-3 inch root cuttings, but a word of warning: it can and will expand to fill the space around it, so be vigilant with this striking beauty.
 

Origins of terra cotta, and using clay pots in today's garden

By Sally G. Miller (sallyg)
May 30, 2012
Terra cotta flower pots are garden classics. But what is terra cotta, exactly? The words "terra cotta" are Italian, but does all terra cotta come from Italy? Are terra cotta flower pots still the best choice for all plants, or for any plant? Inquiring minds hardly know where to stop.

The most traditional of flower pots is the classic terra cotta. Its sheer earthiness makes terra cotta the natural choice to anchor any plant. Plastic and fiberglass flowerpots are increasingly popular, but terra cotta has a long timeline in human history and a place in the gardener's heart.
 Terra cotta refers to natural clay fired at a low (in the pottery and ceramic scheme of things) temperature. Iron compounds in some clay give terra cotta its familiar "rusty mud" hue, though terra cotta exists in other earthy colors. When the clay is fired, the minerals are partially melted, resulting in a hardened but still porous material. Humans have used terra cotta for many hundreds of years.
Terra cotta pottery was many an early civilization's version of plastic. Before modern production, terra cotta allowed cheap, easy production of decorative and functional pieces. Mediterranean pottery from the ancient Greeks and Etruscans was made from terra cotta. Chinese artisans created thousands of life size terra cotta soldiers to march into the afterworld with Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the "first emperor of all China." The soldiers are life sized and were individually crafted, displaying distinctly different bone structures and even facial expressions. Terra cotta craftsmanship flourished during the European Renaissance. Italian and German artisans became skilled with terra cotta, substituting it for scarce stone in their home regions. They brought their skills to England and France during the 14th and 15th centuries. Terra cotta was found useful for increasingly detailed architectural elements and for sculpture.
 Terra cotta flower pots date to those times. Ancient Egyptians and Romans are reported to have put plants in pots. Flower pot use blossomed as Europeans explored the world in search of new herbs, spices, flowers, and trees. Explorer- scientists like Thomas Nuttall brought amazing plant discoveries to England. The use of "rude" terra cotta flourished as more common citizens caught the botany bug. Terra cotta flower pots were, and still are, produced in many countries. As we gardeners know, sometimes to our dismay, clay is found almost everywhere.
Using terra cotta in the age of plastics
 Many thoroughly modern gardeners still crave the natural look and feel of unglazed terra cotta. Common clay pots are inexpensive and widely sold in either standard or short "azalea pot" sizes. Both shapes of clay pot work well for many plants. Unique designs in terra cotta, as well as thicker frost proof clay pots, are sold at some garden centers. Use the pot that looks pleasing for the size and shape of its inhabitant. Brick suppliers may offer even more unusual terra cotta pieces such as chimney pots or flue liners. It's hard to look at terra cotta and not think "what can be planted in that?"
 No one pot material, even clay, is perfect for all plants. As Todd Boland points out in his article, Windowsill Orchids, care of plants in clay pots can be more touchy than of those in plastic pots. Terra cotta's porosity means that plants root zone may "breathe" more easily (probably good) and dry more quickly (possibly bad.) While terra cotta is breatheable, it cannot rescue a plant from an overly spongy, heavy soil.  A terra cotta pot is not an excuse to scrimp on quality potting soil. Nor will clay wick enough water to act as a reliable reservoir to a flower in a hot, dry location. A thin plastic pot used as a liner to a clay pot can mitigate these effects while still allowing the "use" of terra cotta.
 Given its composition and minimally processed nature, it's no surprise that terra cotta is altered over time by its environment. The slightly absorbent nature of a clay pot can foster the growth of algae or mosses, lending a feel of terra cotta's lengthy history. This works well with containers used in shade or wet situations. Soil minerals can seep into the pot and show as white streaks, also giving a pot that lived in look that some gardeners enjoy.
 Terra cotta is breakable. It will also crack or flake if moist and allowed to freeze. Clay pots always weigh more than similarly sized plastic or fiberglass pots. This can be a help, stabilizing a top heavy plant, or a hernia in waiting, when a large plant must be moved. Given these limitations, larger clay pots are tricky to use in frost prone zones. In cold winter areas, clay pots must either be brought indoors or emptied and stored dry to survive the freeze.
 To terra cotta, or not to terra cotta? That is the question with no wrong answer. Modern gardeners can choose, keeping their own preferences in mind and understanding both the pros and cons of clay pots. Terra cotta's long history and versatility probably means that clay flower pot tradition will continue for ages to come.

The Shiny Little Enemy?

 

From Witherspoon's newsletter

In last month’s article we discussed the topic of insecticides and which insects are most irritating to our roses and to us, but one major bug was left out, Japanese beetles.  For the problem they are, Japanese beetles warrant their own article.
If you have not seen your first Japanese beetle this year, you probably will soon.  The grubs are maturing in the rich soil under your lawn or the nearby field or golf course.  The beetles will emerge and go straight to your roses to satisfy their ravenous appetites.  We encourage a three pronged attack.
1.       Remove the color – the best way to keep the Japanese beetles from eating you blooms is to cut them and take them inside.   They are attracted to the color and scent in your rose garden.  As soon as the buds begin to open and show color, cut them, put them in a Witherspoon Rose Caddy, and take them inside so you can enjoy them and the beetles can’t.
2.       Spray, dust, or pick – there are many products on the market that are effective for beetle control.  Sevin spray and Sevin dust work to eliminate beetles that visit your garden.  Keep in mind that since Sevin is a broad-spectrum insecticide it will eliminate any other insect that visits your garden as well.  For a more targeted approach, Bayer Rose and Flower Insect Killer and several products that contain pyrethrums may be used.  Keep in mind that beetles have to eat the plant material for any spray to be effective, so they will do some damage before they die.  Finally, picking the beetles off of your roses and dropping them into a jar of water is a time-tested and environmentally-approved approach that will certainly eliminate some of your beetle issues.
3.       Get them early – apply Milky Spore to your lawn to reduce your local population of Japanese beetles over a couple of years.  Milky Spore contains spores of Bacillus papillae which sterilize the grubs living in your lawn.  When mature, these beetles will still munch and other beetles can still fly in from other areas, but this offers a long term solution to the overpopulation of Japanese beetles.
We do not recommend using Japanese beetle traps.  Many times they draw more beetles to your yard than your roses will, and the beetles do not all go into the trap.  The best place to put a beetle trap is in your distant neighbor’s yard.  (You may want to check with them first.)
Controlling Japanese beetle damage in your rose garden is tough.  A combination of approaches gives you the best chance of victory over the shiny little enemy.  Stay diligent in your control measures and you can make it through “beetle season” without losing your roses, or your mind.