Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Hosta Addiction T-shirts

The Hosta Addiction T-shirts are available by contacting EMHS President Glen Pace at pacegardens@charter.net or by calling Glen at 989-244-4029.

The cost of the shirt is $18.00 each for EMHS Members and $20.00 each to non-members.  Sizes available are S, M, L, XL, XXL, and XXXL.  Priority Mail shipping is available at an additional $6.00. Joseph Tychonievich's Hosta Addiction Self Test saying (now copyright protected) is printed on the back of the shirt.

The proceeds from the sale of this shirt go to promote our “Purpose” which is, to promote the interest of hostas and shade gardening; to extend horticultural education and activities to its members and the community.

Thank you for your support of our common cause....HOSTA!

Sincerely,
Glen Pace
EMHS President

Monday, November 18, 2013

December 2013 Newsletter

Note from the President-   I want to take this time to thank Phil and Ginger Lisik, Helen Wischmeyer, Rhonda Laur, and Mark and Becky Hanner for hosting meetings this year.  Every one of you was the perfect host and our thanks go out to you for your graciousness as a host as well as our acknowledgement of the time and dedication it takes to create the beautiful gardens you all have. 

Also, I want to thank our 2013 speakers; Jan Everson gave a wonderful presentation of the 2012 Nat’l Convention at our February meeting and Joseph Tychonievich gave a great presentation on companions for Hosta at our October meeting.  At the April and May meetings I gave presentations on Cypripedium Orchids and Woodland Wildflowers.  I mention the speakers and the topics for those Master Gardeners that need education hours as these presentations fall under those education needs. 

Thirdly, I want to thank all of the people who donated plants, crafts, and other items to the raffle and door prize drawings.  The monthly raffle drawings are one of the biggest fund raisers for EMHS and the door prize drawings are an added bonus for members and visitors attending the meetings.

Also, the many volunteers that haul Hosta Stones to Hosta College need to be recognized.  The Hosta Stone project managed by Cathy and Mick Hodgson is EMHS’s most organized fund raiser of the year.  This project would not be able to continue if the many volunteers weren’t there to haul the stones to Piqua as there is no way for one or two vehicles to transport the 70 or so stones taken to the sale every year.  Cathy and Mick have organized this project for a number of years and many thanks go out to them for their dedication to the project. 

Next, I want to thank all of the people that brought food for the potlucks throughout the year.  One of the things EMHS is known for is the fantastic potlucks at the monthly meetings and this year was no exception. 

Thanks also go out to Carolyn Pickard and Mary Smith for their work on coordinating the bus trip to Interlochen this past June.  This trip was greatly enjoyed by those on the bus.

Another thank you goes out to the EMHS Board.  This dedicated group of members continues to direct the entire group in an onward and upward fashion.  At our annual Board Meeting we discuss the plans for the next year which takes a number of hours, but again we brainstormed some exciting ideas for 2014. 

Lastly, I want to thank you, our members, for being the kind, helpful, sharing people you are toward each other and especially to our visitors.  Because of this, our club continues to grow and with that growth comes the ability to contract more well-known speakers which in turn assists us in our “Purpose” which is, to promote the interest of hostas and shade gardening; to extend horticultural education and activities to its members and the community.
See you at the December 12th meeting,
Glen

Please review the Minutes of the October Meeting prior to the December 12th meeting.  We will vote on the Minutes at the meeting. The minutes are posted on the blog for your convenience.

Next Meeting- THE EMHS 2013 Christmas Party will be held on December 12th, 2013 at the Mayfield Twp. Hall, 1900 N. Saginaw, Lapeer, MI 48446.  This is our regular meeting place located just south of the point of M-24 and N. Saginaw, (the driveway just north of the Cemetery).  The doors will open at 5:00 PM for decorating, Networking at 6:00 PM, Dinner at 6:30 PM, Gift Exchange at 7:30 PM, and Business Meeting at 8:15 PM.  For those wishing to help decorate you can arrive as early as 5:00PM.  This annual event is always a lot of fun and a great way to end the year for the club.  The Club will provide the meat (ham) and table set-ups.  We do ask that everybody bring a dish to pass as this is our biggest potluck of the year.  We will be doing the gift exchange as we have done in the past.  If you are interested in exchanging gifts, all you have to do is bring a wrapped non-gender-specific gift with a value of $10.  All the gifts will be laid at the front of the room and during the party we will call names from the sign-up sheet of the people who brought gifts.  If your name is called you go pick out a gift.  Nobody is required to bring a gift for the exchange, but if you do not bring one please understand that you will not be able to place your name on the list to pick one out.  This is the only way to assure that all people who bring a gift will receive one.

2014 Meeting Dates- Places- Speakers        *denotes need for topic, speaker, or place
Jan- no meeting
Feb 13- Mayfield Twp. Hall, Jan Everson-2013 Michigan Hosta Tour/Tailgate Party
March 14&15- Hosta College, Piqua, OH
*April 10- Mayfield Twp. Hall, Speaker___________________, Topic______________
May 1- Mayfield Twp. Hall, Speaker- Joseph Tychonievich, Topic- To be decided
*June 12- Member Garden Tour, Place______________________________
June 11-14- AHS Convention, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
June 20-22- Hosta Tailgate, Dayton, OH
*July 10- Member Garden Tour, Place_______________________________
August 14- Member Garden Tour at Diane O’Riordon’s
September 11- Annual Plant Exchange at Pam Walmsley’s
*Oct 9- Possible Meeting at Mayfield Twp. Hall, Speaker___________Topic__________
Nov 13- Annual Board Meeting
December 11- Christmas Party at Mayfield Twp. Hall

Gardens needed for 2014 Meeting sites- We are in need of meeting sites for the months of June and July.  If you are interested in hosting an EMHS meeting please let Glen know so your name can be added to the Calendar of Events.

Comments to the EMHS blog:  I am mentioning blog posting to let you know that your comments to the blog can be published too.  All you have to do is go to the EMHS blog at http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/   and comment to a blog posting which will alert me that you have made a comment.  Once I deem the comment valid for publishing I will okay and it will automatically be posted.  Please note that I cannot edit or spell check your comments, all I can do is to publish, ignore, or delete your comments.  All comments will be screened by me to deter any vulgarity or inappropriate comments being published to the EMHS blog.    Glen

Club Members selling Hosta or related products;
Please call or email to set an appointment before visiting
Hanner, Mark/Becky- Pottery.  810-631-4292, mhanner@aol.com
Hunter, Barb- Hosta, Daylilies, Pond supplies. 810-664-7531, baha@chartermi.net
Lisik, Phil/Ginger-Hosta, Daylilies, other plants.  989-642-5772, lisik46@yahoo.com
Moore, Dyane- Fairy houses https://www.facebook.com/GardenArtAndMoore
Pickard, Carolyn- Daylilies, Hosta.   989-871-2873, robfamily5@yahoo.com
Salk, Pat/Bill Kapustka, Daylilies.  810-678-3519, daylilyabode@msn.com
Smith, Stan/Mary Lou, Concrete leaves, toad houses.  989-845-3455 smlsmith@chartermi.net

Websites of Interest:
American Hosta Society- http://www.americanhostasociety.org/
American Hosta Society Convention Website- http://www.hosta2012.com/
AHS Hosta Library Website- http://www.hostalibrary.org/
Michigan Hosta Society Website- http://www.hostahappenings.com/
Eastern Michigan Hosta Society blog-
http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/
Hosta College Website- http://ihostohio.com/portal/glhc/

Hosta Society Membership info-
American Hosta Society
,  $30 individual, $57/2 years, $34 family, $62/2 years
Send dues to: Sandie Markland, AHS Membership Secretary, Post Office Box 7539, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Michigan Hosta Society,
Dues are $15 per household for up to two people, good for 2 years. Make checks payable to: The Michigan Hosta Society and send to; Michigan Hosta Society, 2509 Wembly Lane, Troy, MI 48084-1280

Eastern Michigan Hosta Society, Dues $5 per year per household, Make check payable to EMHS and mail to: Barb Hunter, EMHS Treasurer, 316 Davis Lake Rd. Lapeer, MI 48746

EMHS Board of Officers:
President                     Glen Pace                   
pacegardens@charter.net      989-244-4029
Vice-President          Pam Walmsley
---no email---                          810-964-2311
Treasurer                    Barb Hunter                
baha@chartermi.net              810-664-7531
Secretary                     Marlene Daniels         
gardenfairy50@aol.com         810-664-8317
Past President             Mark Hanner              
mhanner@aol.com                 810-631-4292
Fund-Raising              Mick and  Cathy Hodgson    
cehodgso@hotmail.com         810-664-8985

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Oct. 10, 2013 Meeting Minutes

The Meeting was held at the Mayfield Twp. Hall on October 10, 2013
The Board met at 3:00 PM with our speaker Joseph Tychonievich for dinner at EG Nick’s.
Doors opened at 5:30-Joseph’s book/plant sales
Refreshments served and sales at 6:00 PM
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by President Glen Pace
Presentation-Glen introduced Joseph Tychonievich. Joseph gave an informative and eye appealing presentation on “Thinking Outside the Hosta: Great, unusual options for the shade garden”.
Business Meeting-called to order at 7:30 PM by President Glen Pace
Welcomed/Introduced-new members Tim Smith and Elaine Rappley and many visitors from Saginaw Valley Hosta Society.
Vice President update-Pam Walmsley has volunteered to be EMHS’s new Vice President. Thank you Pam.
Approval of Minutes- First we had to approve August meeting minutes as this was overlooked at the September meeting. There were no corrections to the August meeting minutes. Motion to accept was Steve Balabon and it was seconded by Connie Force.  The membership voted to accept the minutes.  There were no corrections to September’s meeting minutes.  Motion to accept was Don Mosher and seconded by Steve Balabon.  The membership voted to accept the minutes.
Treasurer’s Report-Barb Hunter, treasurer, September’s monthly balance as of 9-30-2013 was $4647.90.  Motion to accept was Becky Hanner and seconded by Diana Moore.  The membership voted to accept the treasurer’s report.
Hosta Stone report-Cathy Hodgson presented to us the hybridizer for the 2014 stone is Hans Hansen of Walter’s Gardens in Zeeland, MI and the featured plant is H. Joy Ride.  Old hosta stones are still available if interested please contact Cathy Hodgson.
Nematode Research-Mark Hanner reported that they have found out that they can be spread by-side by side.  Researchers are testing 23 different chemicals at present.  More updates will follow.
EMHS Christmas Party-December 12th at Mayfield Twp. Hall. There will be a $10.00 gift exchange as in previous years.  The club will provide the ham. Please bring a dish to pass.
2014 Meeting Dates-will again be the 2nd Thursday of each month with no meetings being held in January, March or November and possible no meeting in October.
Drawing:  Raffle drawing netted $210.00.  Thank you to the following for donating prizes for the raffle drawing and door prizes.  Glen Pace, Marie Rowland, Jan Giesken, Teresa Dillon, Susan Allen, Gene Arms, Mark and Becky Hanner, Rhonda Laur, Mary Smith, Bruce and Linda Pollard and Melva Bond.
Announcements-Sally Suttle will check to see if she can get H. Joy Ride for the club to take to Hosta College to sale along with the stones. 
Meeting was adjourned at 8:07 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Marlene Daniels
EMHS Secretary

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Hosta Hybridizer Group's Meeting

The Hosta Hybridizer Group's last meeting for the year will be at 10 AM, Sunday, November 3rd at Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor.  We are excited to announce that Hosta hybridizer Ron Livingston will be our guest speaker and will debut his new power point presentation entitled 50 Shades of Green . His previous presentation Have Hostas Gone to the Dogs? got rave reviews at Winter Scientific, the Ontario Hosta Society Hosta Forum, and First Look.  Ron is an excellent speaker who understands hostas from the collector's, hybridizer's, and introducer's perspective.  It's sure to be an informative and fascinating talk!

Here's the scoop on 50 Shades of Green-

Ron will be presenting the provocative theory that plants have coerced animals and insects like bees to do their bidding by spreading pollen and seeds.  He suggests that they have also "used" people to spread their offspring world wide and to improve species through hybridization and selective breeding.  Featured will be five plants that have tapped into the human desire for sweetness, beauty, sustenance, intoxication, and the need to belong.  Do plants have us right where they want us?  This unique presentation will put a whole new twist on sex in the garden.

If anyone would like to contact me I am more than happy to answer any questions about our meeting.

Thank you so much!

Joanna

jo43@tds.net

Thursday, September 26, 2013

October 2013 Newsletter

Note from the President-   Another Hosta and gardening season is coming to a close.  At Pace Gardens we did not do any additional watering on top of what Mother Nature provided for the past few months and because of that decision the gardens are going dormant very early.  Cyclamen hederifolium is in bloom right now, but the number of blooms per corm is significantly reduced from precious years.  The Colchicums are just now sending their blooms up from the bare ground.  Their pink, white, or purple leafless blooms bursting forth from the bare soil is such a welcome sight this time of year that I usually order a few new ones every year so the collection keeps expanding.  Another fall spectacular plant is Begonia grandis.  By this time of the year it has reached its 18 inches in height and has drooping flower racemes of medium pink blossoms up to 8 inches long.  The leaves are angel winged in shape and are green on top and red/burgundy on the reverse.  Begonia grandis is hardy in our area as long as it isn’t kept wet during the winter months.  This is also the time to plant spring flowering bulbs so get any newly purchased bulbs into the ground to give them a good start on developing roots before the frost reaches their root zone. 

Despite the rain showers at Mark and Becky Hanner’s during our last meeting, the EMHS Annual Plant Exchange was a great success.  Thank you Mark and Becky for being our hosts for the biggest meeting of the year and for being such gracious hosts, your studio was the perfect food court and your yard and gardens were perfect for the large selection of plants that were donated to the exchange. 

I am curious to hear feedback about how the exchange was run this year.  We voted at the December 2012 Meeting to change the drawing order to; according to how many meetings a member had attended.  I keep an attendance record for every member and meeting and this year’s exchange was drawn according to that record.  We also had the $5.00 table per last year’s vote.  Please let one of the board members know your feelings regarding this year’s Plant Exchange or you can email me at pacegardens@charter.net

The October 10th, 2013 meeting is open to anybody that would like to come hear a great speaker.  Joseph Tychonievich will present “Thinking Outside the Hosta: Great, unusual options for the shade garden”.  Joseph is the Nursery Manager at Arrowhead Alpines in Fowlerville, MI and is the author of the new book “Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener” published by Timber Press.  For those who wish to obtain Joseph’s new book, he will have copies for sale at the meeting.  I have also asked Joseph to bring plants to sell at the meeting.  For those that have ever browsed the online Arrowhead Alpines catalog, you know that there are not many “common” plants listed, so you can expect there to be some interesting purchases waiting to be secured during the refreshment time of the meeting.
 
Please remember that at this meeting we are only having cookies, coffee, and tea so as to facilitate time management for book and plant purchases as well as to give Joseph time to speak and answer questions. 

Since I forgot the August Minutes at the Sept meeting, we will vote on them at the October meeting.
See you at the meeting,
Glen

Please review the Minutes of the August and September Meetings prior to the October 10th meeting.  We will vote on the Minutes at the meeting. The minutes are posted on the blog for your convenience.

Next Meeting- EMHS is proud to announce that Joseph Tychonievich the Nursery Manager at Arrowhead Alpines, Author of the new book “Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener”, speaker across the USA, and a self-confessed all-around plant obsessed garden nerd will be our speaker for October.

Our next meeting will be on October 10th, 2013 at 5:30 PM at the Mayfield Twp. Hall, 1900 N. Saginaw, Lapeer, MI 48446.  This is our regular meeting place located just south of the point of M-24 and N. Saginaw, (the driveway just north of the Cemetery). 
The doors will open at 5:30 PM.  Cookies, Coffee, and Tea will be served at 6:00 PM and Joseph will be selling his book as well as plants.  The presentation will start at 7:00 PM, and the business meeting will start at 8:15 PM.    

Comments to the EMHS blog:  I am mentioning blog posting to let you know that your comments to the blog can be published too.  All you have to do is go to the EMHS blog at http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/   and comment to a blog posting which will alert me that you have made a comment.  Once I deem the comment valid for publishing I will okay and it will automatically be posted.  Please note that I cannot edit or spell check your comments, all I can do is to publish, ignore, or delete your comments.  All comments will be screened by me to deter any vulgarity or inappropriate comments being published to the EMHS blog.    Glen

2013 Calendar of Events:
Oct. 10th- EMHS Meeting, Mayfield Twp. Hall,
            Speaker- Joseph Tychonievich
Nov 3rd- Hosta Hybridizers Group, Ann Arbor
            Matthieu Botanical Gardens
Nov- no EMHS meeting
December 12th- EMHS Christmas Party, Mayfield Twp. Hall

Club Members selling Hosta or related products;
Please call or email to set an appointment before visiting
Hanner, Mark/Becky- Pottery.  810-631-4292, mhanner@aol.com
Hunter, Barb- Hosta, Daylilies, Pond supplies. 810-664-7531, baha@chartermi.net
Lisik, Phil/Ginger-Hosta, Daylilies, other plants.  989-642-5772, lisik46@yahoo.com
Moore, Dyane- Fairy houses https://www.facebook.com/GardenArtAndMoore
Pickard, Carolyn- Daylilies, Hosta.   989-871-2873, robfamily5@yahoo.com
Salk, Pat/Bill Kapustka, Daylilies.  810-678-3519, daylilyabode@msn.com
Smith, Stan/Mary Lou, Concrete leaves, toad houses.  989-845-3455 smlsmith@chartermi.net

Websites of Interest:
American Hosta Society- http://www.americanhostasociety.org/
American Hosta Society Convention Website- http://www.hosta2012.com/
AHS Hosta Library Website- http://www.hostalibrary.org/
Michigan Hosta Society Website- http://www.hostahappenings.com/
Eastern Michigan Hosta Society blog-
http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/
Hosta College Website- http://ihostohio.com/portal/glhc/

Hosta Society Membership info-
American Hosta Society
,  $30 individual, $57/2 years, $34 family, $62/2 years
Send dues to: Sandie Markland, AHS Membership Secretary, Post Office Box 7539, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Michigan Hosta Society,
Dues are $15 per household for up to two people, good for 2 years. Make checks payable to: The Michigan Hosta Society and send to; Michigan Hosta Society, 2509 Wembly Lane, Troy, MI 48084-1280

Eastern Michigan Hosta Society, Dues $5 per year per household, Make check payable to EMHS and mail to: Barb Hunter, EMHS Treasurer, 316 Davis Lake Rd. Lapeer, MI 48746

EMHS Board of Officers:
President                     Glen Pace                    pacegardens@charter.net      989-244-4029
Vice-President            
Treasurer                    Barb Hunter                baha@chartermi.net              810-664-7531
Secretary                     Marlene Daniels         gardenfairy50@aol.com         810-664-8317
Past President             Mark Hanner              mhanner@aol.com                 810-631-4292
Fund-                          Mick and                    
Raising                        Cathy Hodgson            cehodgso@hotmail.com         810-664-8985

Email extra;
By Mary Bardens and reprinted from the newsletter
of the Northwest Indiana Hosta Society, August 2008
issue
Mini Hosta 101
At the 2008 American Hosta Society National
Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, Warren
Pollock presented a lecture titled “Mini Hostas
101”. Here are some of the recommendations Warren
made for good mini hosta growth.
§ Minis need sharp, rapid drainage. This can be
accomplished by adding up 50% chicken grit to the
growing medium. Chicken grit, a crushed granite
stone, is inexpensive and can be purchased at the
county coop or feed store.
§ Minis need moisture. Although this sounds like a
contradiction to sharp, rapid drainage, it actually
refers to watering often. They do not like to dry out
and will not recover well from a drought. A light
mulch is advised. Keep the leave dry and do not let
them touch damp soil.
§ Minis need good air circulation. This is easier to do
when the minis are in pots or troughs and can be
elevated. If planting in the ground, don’t try to tuck
it down under a larger hosta or grouped too tightly.
§ Minis only need about 3” of soil when planted in
containers. Many of them have very short root
systems to go with their small stature.
§ Minis do not like to have their root disturbed. This
is why they do well in pots and the pots can be
moved instead of disturbing the hosta.
§ Minis like a light application of nitrogen in the
spring.
§ Minis like to be mulched over the winter. It keep
the soil temperature even and helps prevent
heaving of the entire plant out of the ground.
§ Minis may be put into the soil, a large pot or large
trough by burying the entire small planting pot in
which it came. To give the mini good drainage,
place a few inches of pea gravel under the mini’s
pot and fill the soil in around it to the top of the
pot. If you lift the pot out of the soil and the roots
are trying to emerge from the bottom of the pot,
you may repot it in a slightly larger pot and return
its slight larger space.

Another Extra from the AHS Newsletter Exchange

Milorganite as a deer chaser
Milorganite as a deer chaser? We were
surprised to learn this fact at the recent
AHS convention in Milwaukee.
For those of you that were able to attend the
convention and visit the beautiful garden of Bill
Radler, developer of the Knock Out rose; you saw
many hostas placed throughout the garden. We spent
about 2 hours in the garden and even toured the area
with Bill as he discussed various plantings, how the
beds were laid out and some in the group of 6 or 7 even
were able to identify some hostas for him. The home is
located near a major stream and a large portion of it
floods during storms. This is also a heavily wooded
area with deer, one of which walked across in front of
us as we drove down the street to his home.
But if you really stud-ied the yard you not-ed there
were a lot of hostas and other plants outside the deer
fence. How do they survive?
At the dinner on Saturday night Barb and I, along with
the Isaacs, were at one of the front tables and Bill was
there talking to some of the others at the table about his
garden. A question was asked how he kept the deer
from eating the hostas. The answer – Milorganite!
Everyone said “What?” It seems that about every one
to two weeks they broadcast Milorganite on the beds
outside the fence and have zero deer damage. In
addition to not seeing damage, I did note the ones
outside the fence were very large and great color, even
some that appeared would be in more sun than shade.
If you have not used Milorganite Fertilizer on your
garden or lawn you need to check it out. For some 85
years this product from Milwaukee has been used by
professionals and gardeners. It does not have to be
watered in, does not burn, is slow release over
some 8-10 weeks and is safe for children and pets. I
mix it with my yard fertilizer when I broadcast each
spring. In addition, I broadcast Milorganite on our
hosta beds at least once or twice a year and add some
to pots along with the other fertilizer.
Milorganite is organic nitrogen with 4% iron and does
contain some phosphorous, but the manufacture notes
it will not leach out as occurs with mined phosphorous.
It is more available for the plant and will not move into
groundwater, lakes or streams. If you have concerns or
areas where you think this may happen the decision to
use it is yours alone.
Milorganite is available at any of the garden centers
here in 50 pound bags. So if you have a deer problem
check this out. It may be the best solution to your
problem instead of using sprays, hanging soap in the
trees in your yard or building the 6-foot tall fence.

For more information go to www.milorganite.com.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Sept. 12, 2013 Meeting Minutes

The Meeting was held at the home of Mark and Becky Hanner in Otisville
            Gardens Toured at 4:30 pm – 5:10 PM

Refreshments served from 5:10 - 6:00 PM

Meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by President Glen Pace

Welcomed/Introduced new member Paul Laidler and visitor Belva Currier

Name Tag Committee Chair; Cathy Myers presented the different name tags and prices that have been found.  Cathy Myers made a motion that the $1.00 Name Tag from Commercial Graphics be the one that the club uses for new badges.  The motion was seconded by Gene Arms.  A membership vote was taken and passed unanimously.  A name tag sign-up sheet was provided for anybody wishing to get a new name tag. 

Next Meeting will be October 10, 2013 at 6:00 PM at the Mayfield Twp. Hall in Lapeer.  Joseph Tychonievich from Arrowhead Alpines will be the speaker.  Refreshments for this meeting will be cookies or finger foods with coffee and tea to drink.  This will not be a potluck meal.  The Board will take Joseph out to eat before the meeting. 

Treasurer’s Report given by Barb Hunter; A motion was made by Cathy Myers to accept the Treasurer’s report as written.  The motion was seconded by Dyanne Moore.  A membership vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously. 

Annual Plant Exchange drawing rules were changed by a membership vote at the December 2012 meeting.  The drawing was held according to the number of meetings a member attended since last year’s Plant Exchange.  Also a $5.00 table was set up for the more choice plants could be placed on it, as a members name was drawn they could buy a $5.00 plant or choose on for free from the many free exchange plants.  The list of 44 memberships was gone through 5 times and then the remainder of plants was opened for anybody to take. 

Meeting was adjourned at 7:15 PM. 

Respectfully submitted,
Glen Pace

EMHS President

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

September 2013 Newsletter


Note from the President-   The September meeting is our Annual Plant Exchange and is typically our largest meeting of the year.  Mark and Becky’s neighbor has offered their field as a parking lot so we ask that you use the driveway as a drop off for food and plants, then go park your vehicle across Oak Rd. in the field.  Plants will be dropped off in the spot next to the greenhouse and food will be dropped off in the new studio. 

As always we ask you to not bring invasive plants to the meeting as they will not be permitted into the exchange.    We have changed the way the plant exchange is done this year, but you can rest assured that you will go home with a few plants to add to your garden.  This meeting is always a blast and everybody leaves with new plants (sometimes many plants) to use in their own yard.  There are a couple of things to remember about this meeting; bring something to exchange, each membership (single, couple, or family) gets only one name in the drawing canister, look things over as the drawing is being held as we have to go fast to get finished before dark, don’t bring invasive species to trade, don’t bring any plants with known disease or insect infestation, the exchange is not limited to plants, be prepared to have fun, the drawing starts promptly at 6:00 and goes fast, the drawing will be extremely high speed so be ready to jump up and pick out a plant as this drawing goes FAST!  A few things to think about when deciding what to bring; please put a name label in each plant you bring to the exchange, please do not bring any invasive species such as Lily of the Valley, Houttuynia (Chameleon plant), Ostrich Ferns, Bishops Weed, etc.  Suggestions of plants to bring are Hosta, companion plants, ornamental trees/shrubs, or garden related items such as bird houses, ornaments, watering wands, jewelry, etc.

As per the membership vote last December, the drawing for the Plant Exchange will be done according to the number of meetings each membership has attended from last October through August of this year.  The other change voted into effect for the exchange is that there will be a $5.00 table where the more desired plants will be placed.  When a name is drawn the person can choose a plant from the open exchange or they can pay $5.00 and choose a plant from the $5.00 table.

Our October meeting will feature Joseph Tychonievich from Arrowhead Alpines as our speaker.   Joseph is a knowledgeable horticulturist and is currently working at Arrowhead Alpines in Fowlerville, MI.  Joseph studied at Ohio State University and obtained his degree in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Michigan State University.  Since EMHS’s purpose “is to promote the interest of Hosta and shade gardening; to extend horticultural education and activities to its members and the community”, this meeting will be open to the public as an educational venue.  

We look forward to seeing you at the Plant Exchange. 
Sincerely,
Glen

Please review the Minutes of the August Meeting prior to the September 12th meeting.  We will vote on the Minutes at the meeting. The minutes are posted on the blog for your convenience.

Next Meeting- is on September 12th, 2013 at 4:30 PM at the home of Mark and Becky Hanner, 10414 Oak Rd. Otisville, MI 48463, Ph. 810-631-4292.         
            Driving Directions-
From our regular meeting place at the Mayfield Twp. Hall in Lapeer; starting on M-24 drive North 5.3 miles to Columbiaville Rd.  Turn Left (West) and drive 7.5 miles to Washburn Road.  Turn right (North) and drive ½ mile to Main St (Wilson Rd.).  Turn left (West) and drive 2.0 miles to Oak Rd.  Turn Left (South) and drive 2/10ths of a miles to the house on the left.  *Parking will be in the field across the road from the house, use the driveway only as a drop-off.
            From downtown Otisville on M-15; turn right (Northeast) onto Wilson Rd (Main St) and drive 2/10ths of a mile to Main St and turn right.  Drive 1.1 miles to Oak Rd and turn right (South).  Drive 2/10ths of a mile to the house on the left.  *Parking will be in the field across the road from the house, use the driveway only as a drop-off. 

Time schedule of the meeting is; tour the gardens from 4:30 PM until 5:00 PM, Refreshments will be served 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM, the Plant Exchange will be from 6:00 until 7:30, and the business meeting will begin at 7:30 PM.   We ask that everybody please help clean up the refreshment area.  Everybody is to respect the home owner by leaving the premises no later than 8:00 PM.

Comments to the EMHS blog:  I am mentioning blog posting to let you know that your comments to the blog can be published too.  All you have to do is go to the EMHS blog at http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/   and comment to a blog posting which will alert me that you have made a comment.  Once I deem the comment valid for publishing I will okay and it will automatically be posted.  Please note that I cannot edit or spell check your comments, all I can do is to publish, ignore, or delete your comments.  All comments will be screened by me to deter any vulgarity or inappropriate comments being published to the EMHS blog.    Glen

2013 Calendar of Events:
Sept. 12th- EMHS Plant Exchange, at the Hanner’s Otisville, MI
Oct. 10th- EMHS Meeting, Mayfield Twp. Hall,
            Speaker- Joseph Tychonievich
Nov 3rd- Hosta Hybridizers Group, Ann Arbor
            Matthieu Botanical Gardens
Nov- no EMHS meeting
December 12th- EMHS Christmas Party, Mayfield Twp. Hall

Seeking Nominations for Officer Position- We are seeking nominations for a new Vice-President.  Nominations will be accepted at the June meeting.
Please consider helping our organization by volunteering to be our new Vice-President.
The duties of the position are;
Vice President- Assumes the duties of President when the President is absent.  Co-signatory on EMHS checking account, helps set-up hall for meetings, sends thank you notes to speakers or hosts for current meeting. 


Club Members selling Hosta or related products;
Please call or email to set an appointment before visiting
Hanner, Mark/Becky- Pottery.  810-631-4292, mhanner@aol.com
Hunter, Barb- Hosta, Daylilies, Pond supplies. 810-664-7531, baha@chartermi.net
Lisik, Phil/Ginger-Hosta, Daylilies, other plants.  989-642-5772, lisik46@yahoo.com
Moore, Dyane- Fairy houses https://www.facebook.com/GardenArtAndMoore
Pickard, Carolyn- Daylilies, Hosta.   989-871-2873, robfamily5@yahoo.com
Salk, Pat/Bill Kapustka, Daylilies.  810-678-3519, daylilyabode@msn.com
Smith, Stan/Mary Lou, Concrete leaves, toad houses.  989-845-3455 smlsmith@chartermi.net

Websites of Interest:
American Hosta Society- http://www.americanhostasociety.org/
American Hosta Society Convention Website- http://www.hosta2012.com/
AHS Hosta Library Website- http://www.hostalibrary.org/
Michigan Hosta Society Website- http://www.hostahappenings.com/
Eastern Michigan Hosta Society blog-
http://easternmichiganhostasociety.blogspot.com/
Hosta College Website- http://ihostohio.com/portal/glhc/

Hosta Society Membership info-
American Hosta Society
,  $30 individual, $57/2 years, $34 family, $62/2 years
Send dues to: Sandie Markland, AHS Membership Secretary, Post Office Box 7539, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Michigan Hosta Society, Dues are $15 per household for up to two people, good for 2 years. Make checks payable to: The Michigan Hosta Society and send to; Michigan Hosta Society, 2509 Wembly Lane, Troy, MI 48084-1280
Eastern Michigan Hosta Society, Dues $5 per year per household, Make check payable to EMHS and mail to: Barb Hunter, EMHS Treasurer, 316 Davis Lake Rd. Lapeer, MI 48746

EMHS Board of Officers:
President                     Glen Pace                   
pacegardens@charter.net      989-244-4029
Vice-President          Seeking volunteer   
Treasurer                    Barb Hunter                
baha@chartermi.net              810-664-7531
Secretary                     Marlene Daniels         
gardenfairy50@aol.com         810-664-8317
Past President             Mark Hanner              
mhanner@aol.com                 810-631-4292
Fund-Raising              Mick and  Cathy Hodgson    
cehodgso@hotmail.com         810-664-8985

Copied from the AHS Newsletter ExchangeHOSTA COLLEGE 2013
What Makes a Good Hosta Great?
By Karen Strider-Iiames,
(Note: Reprinted courtesy of the Central Illinois
Hosta Society in their newsletter, Great
Expectations, Volume 19, Issue 5, July 2013.
Originally published in the Spring 2013 issue of
the Miami Valley Hosta Society newsletter, Hosta
News Scapes. The author recounts Bob Solberg’s
presentation at this year’s Hosta College, an
annual event organized by the Great Lakes
Region.)
Bob Solberg, a popular teacher and vendor at the
Great Lakes Region Hosta College, shared a list of
traits that he feels makes a hosta great. He is a
hosta hybridizer and owner of Green Hill Farm,
Inc., in Franklinton, North Carolina.
While there are many good hostas in the 8,000
named hostas, Solberg feels only a few are truly
"great." He said 'Sum and Substance' is a truly
great hosta: big and showy, and recognizable,
even to many non-hosta people. It survives in
many locations. ‘Guacamole,’ introduced by
Solberg, is another great hosta. He also mentioned
‘Parhelion’ that he grows in a plastic pot inside a
concrete pot.
He asked the class, "What's your favorite hosta?"
One class member mentioned ‘Victory.’ Solberg
said that is a good hosta, but the scapes can go
crazy. Another class member said ‘Rainforest
Sunrise,’ which Bob explained can get a fungus in
June. Someone else said they like ‘Paradigm.’
The point is that there are many factors that affect
how a hosta looks and grows.
Solberg noted that the American Hosta Society
measures greatness through the Benedict Garden
Performance Award: based on aesthetics,
distinctiveness, multi-seasonal interest, vigor and
environmental tolerance. The American Hosta
Growers Association chooses a Hosta of the Year.
These grow well in all regions of the country, are
widely available and in sufficient supply, and
retail for about $15 in the year of selection.
Here are the traits of greatness, according to
Solberg. Using this list will help you look at
hostas a little more critically.
1. GROWS WELL
An example is ‘Guacamole,’ especially for a
beginner. As far as growing, it's hard to beat.
Solberg explained that hybridizers don't select
seedlings based on how well they will grow, so
that can be a problem.
2. COLOR
This is why you buy a plant and it has been
Solberg's number one trait in selecting seedlings.
Colors--such as blues, greens, golds, whites and
creams – are the reason we bring a hosta into the
garden. ‘Paradigm’ is an example of a hosta with
good color. This has the best color combination in
his opinion. There's not much wrong with this
plant except the yellow may burn.
3. VARIEGATION
Solberg loves blue margined hostas with white or
yellow centers. He especially likes ‘High
Society,’ a form of ‘June,’ because the color is
tremendous. It's hard to grow and slow, but once
you get it there, it's good.
4. ACCESSORIES
Ruffles, puckers, cupping, twisting, petiole and
scape color are popular attributes. However,
having a lot of accessories doesn't automatically
make it a great hosta. ‘Candy Dish’ is a good
example of shiny and cupped leaves. But they're
slow to grow. They don't draw up the water as
well so they can rot. But it's a beautiful plant.
5. LARGE SIZE
‘Sum and Substance’ is a great hosta because of
its size. But all big hostas aren't great. However,
Solberg says a big clump of anything is good.
‘Blueberry Waffles’ is a big hosta with nice
puckering and beautiful blue color, but the flowers
bloom under the leaves. The original gets early
morning sun, so he suggests giving it an hour or
two of sun. But if you want any hosta to get big,
don't let it get too hot.
6. IDENTIFIABLE
Solberg calls it recognizability. ‘June,’ ‘Sum and
Substance,’ and ‘Guacamole’ are very
recognizable. ‘Curly Fries’ and ‘Blue Mouse
Ears’ are also recognizable, although smaller.
7. FROM A GREAT HYBRIDIZER?
Solberg said that any of us could find a sport that
will be the best hosta ever. Great hostas come
from many different sources. But some people
buy hostas based on who hybridized them.
Solberg asked the class if any of them buy hostas
based on who hybridized them. A few said they
did and mentioned Mary Chastain, Mildred Seaver
and Solberg as being among their favorite
hybridizers.
8. GENETICS
Solberg believes there’s a huge gap between what
hybridizers produce and what consumers buy.
‘Beet Salad’ is a fascinating hosta for hybridizers
because it has a little red edge on the outside of
the leaf and passes it on to its children. But it's not
the best plant for a garden because of slugs and it's
not the most attractive hosta. But for a hybridizer,
it's a great hosta.
9. NAME RECOGNITION
A bad name can ruin a great hosta and a great
name can make a good hosta great. Solberg thinks
‘Sum and Substance’ is one of the best names
ever. And ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ may be the best
name ever. Once they put that name on it, they
created mouse mania.
10. SERIES OF SPORTS
A great hosta often produces a long line of sports.
‘Cameo’ is an example.
11. AVAILABILITY
If you can't find it, it's not a great hosta, Solberg
said. ‘Sum and Substance’ is readily available all
over. And price is important. If it's too expensive,
it's not “available"” to you.
12. MARKETING
Marketing matters. Great marketing makes a great
hosta. Mostly you look at the pictures. Marketing
is mostly by the wholesaler to nurseries and
nurseries to collectors. ‘Leading Lady’ is an
example. A great hosta is marketed well.
‘Empress Wu’ is one of the best marketed hostas.
It even has its own website:
www.empresswu.com. It has the biggest leaf, but
not very blue, and the leaves are not very fancy.
Marketing has propelled it to one of the most
popular hostas. ‘Curly Fries’ also is popular
because it has been in the media.
13. CELEBRITY
We want a hosta to reach celebrity status and for
people to think it is fantastic. ‘Sum and
Substance’ is an example. Solberg says it has
faults, too, but we ignore its crazy wild flower
scapes. ‘Praying Hands’ is another celebrity plant.
14. LONGEVITY
Solberg explained how the greatness of a hosta
can change over the years. For example, ‘Patriot’
was the second Hosta of the Year and bumped out
all the other white edged hostas. But since the
edge burns in a lot of places, some people aren't as
enthralled with it as when it first came out.
‘Frances Williams’ was one of the most popular
hostas in the '80s and everybody wanted it-and
ignored the brown edges. Now it's not on the
popularity poll.
Solberg discussed some other nice hostas:
• ‘Millennium,’ wins the “huge lottery.” It has
interesting color, although not the bluest, and
grows fairly fast. It came out in 2000, thus the
name. The problem is availability.
• ‘Night Before Christmas’ has good color and
grows well for a white-centered plant. The scapes
aren't bad. It was a great hosta 10 years ago, but is
subject to slug damage. It's a wonderful plant till
you grow it for 10 years. Solberg named this
plant.
• ‘First Frost’ is also a great hosta. It's pretty
distinct and still looks good in September. It
grows reasonably well. Solberg named it and
marketed it, though it is not his plant.

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