August 2007

Begonia Society

Of the Palm Beaches

Presidents Message

The Annual Picnic and Silent Auction never fails to be one of the most enjoyable of our evenings. Favorite homemade foods filled the refreshment table, so much of it there wasn’t even room for an ant. One of the treats will live on in everyone’s kitchen because Arlo Prior’s renowned shrimp grits recipe is included in this newsletter. The plants, enormous to petite, rare, unusual, well-grown, and just plain desirable, filled the many auction tables with something special for everyone. The big Schaumberkia orchid clusters particularly created a sensation.

Thank you all for sharing your treasures with your fellow members. It takes a lot of work, we know, to keep plants in shape for a particular event, but it’s worth it when you see the look of delight on the face of someone who’s just realized they have the winning bid.

The switching over from a “classroom” auditorium to an “auction/picnic table room” couldn’t have been done without Charles Jaros’ arriving early with his plants and then just getting down to setting up the room. Secretary Maria Mitsinicos and Vice President Nancy Cohen collated the bid sheets in Treasurer Abe Hirschberger’s absence. Abe thanks them, as do we all, for pinch-hitting in his absence. The final figures will change a bit, but right now we took in $1,747. Some of the auction items were donated to the Begonia Society, while others were an 80/20 percent split, approximately $504 going into our bank account. We’ll have the final figures at the August 13 meeting.

The July propagation party was held on July 14 at Doris Happel’s 2007 Connoisseur’s TourGarden. Norma Grimm brought the Fafard potting mix and co-hosted with Doris. Only 8 people braved the summer heat; they took home major amounts of cuttings, not only of Doris’ great selection of begonias, but of many other plants. These prop parties are how we share our begonia growing knowledge, “secrets,” and new varieties of plants. Be sure not to miss the next party (next spring). It is one of the real benefits of being a Begonia Society member.

Summer has settled in. Hot damp days, thunderstorms, warm nights, highlighted by moonlit nightblooming jasmine and frog choruses. Enjoy it! We’ll be longing for it when the winter temperature hits 50 degrees and we are grabbing quilts to cover ourselves and our tender tropicals.

I’ll look forward to seeing you at the August meeting. Do plan to attend MountsBotanical Garden’s newest plant sale, “A Shady Affair”, August 18 and 19. You’ll see many of our members there, including Doris Happel in her own plant sale booth.

Donnie

August Meeting

On Monday, August 13, at 7 p.m., Mary Bucholtz, Branch Relations Chair for the American Begonia Society,will show us how to grow beautiful begonias in terrariums.

Refreshmentswill be provided by Audrey Abrams, Debra Rosen, Susan Kornfield, and Donnie Brown.

Raffle Tableby Patt Lindsey.

Exchange Table: Everyone can participate. Bring a begonia or other shade-loving plant. Take a ticket, and by luck of the draw, you will get to select a plant from the table. Please bring a plant that you would be proud to grow in your own garden. This is not the place to get rid of something that you would otherwise throw out. See next item.

Free Stuff – Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. If you find that situation while you are gardening, bring the excess cuttings or plants for the “Free” table.

Arlo Prior’s Cheesy Shrimp and Grits Casserole

Every time we have a picnic or holiday party, Arlo brings grits, and dozens of people ask for the recipe. So here it is, by popular demand:

Cook according to grits package instructions:

4 cups chicken broth

½ t salt

1 cup regular or “quick” grits

Add to hot cooked grits:

4 ounces (less some for topping) shredded cheddar cheese

4 ounches shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers

Saute for about 5 minutes and add to grits:

2 Tbls. Margarine

6 or more chopped green onions

1 chopped green pepper

1 or more cloves minced garlic

Add to the above:

1 pound cooked and peeled shrimp (small or cut in half).

110-ounce can diced tomatoes with chilies – drained

¼ t salt

¼ t pepper

Pour all into a lightly greased casserole, top with reserved cheese, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Begonias in the Summer

What to Do
Johanna Kitson

Now that the spring begonias are finished blooming for the year, it is time to make sure that all those old bloom stalks are trimmed off to make room for the new leaves. Fertilizing now will ensure abundant growth this summer and robust plants all through the fall and winter seasons. Use palm fertilizer to take advantage of all those extra micronutrients included. Using Nutricote or Dynamite will assure continuous feeding, especially if you mulch over it. Mulching will also help keep moisture around the plants in the drought we are experiencing. Epsom Salts can also be added to this regimen. (One tablespoon per gallon of water.) Also, it continues to be the best time of year to make cuttings and grow new plants either from leaves, rhizomes or seeds.

Send letters, articles, and comments to Doris Happel, Editor,

or call 434-3745. I am always looking for articles. Please share your gardening stories, favorite begonia, gardening tips, etc.

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