July 2018 Newsletter

Note from the President- The extremely hot weather has been stressful to us and our plants too.  We get to escape to the airconditioned house when we cannot tolerate the heat anymore but think about what the plants have to endure.   One way you can help the plants is to water them early in the morning.   When the sun heats the soil the moisture you added when you watered in the early morning will evaporate cooling the soil and the plant.   An easy way to think of it is to think of a rain forest and a desert.   The rainforest is hot and humid, with lots of plant growth and the desert is dry heat with minimal plant growth.    Be sure to water the plants early in the morning before the sun shines (I just finished watering mine and it is 6:30 AM) because the hot sun rays will burn the leaves of the plants by heating the water droplets left by your efforts to help and essentially cooking the outer cells of the leaf.  Watering in the evening is not good because the excess moisture on the leaves of the plants throughout the night when evaporation is at the lowest point promotes mold and mildew spores to grow.  

Just a reminder; you can bring plants or garden related items to donate to the door prize and raffle drawings and you the donor gets to decide which drawing you want them in.   We all love to win something and the more that is donated, the more chance there is to win. 

Cathy Clark was a wonderful host for our June meeting.   Sorry I had to have so many of you move your vehicles when parking, I hope it was not too inconvenient.   This was the first meeting ever held at Cathy’s house so it was the first time for many of us to see her gardens.   The Hosta were beautiful and the gardens spectacular.    I have posted pictures of Cathy’s gardens on the EMHS blog for you to enjoy.   Thank you, Cathy, for your hospitality!

The next meeting will be at Dyane Moore’s in Vassar, MI on July 12, 2018.   Dyane has hosted EMHS meetings before and if you have not seen Dyane’s place, you are in for a treat.

The EMHS Annual Plant Exchange is on September 13^th, 2018.   If you have not already potted the plants you are planning on bringing to the exchange, you should do so very soon.   Plants that are dug and potted just before the meeting do not have time to adjust to the shock of transplanting and therefore look poor for the exchange.   Take the time to pot them now to give them time to adjust to the pot and look great for the Plant Exchange.   Please do not bring any invasive species such as Lily of the Valley, Houttuynia (Chameleon plant), Ostrich Ferns, Bishops Weed, etc. to the exchange.   Suggestions of plants to bring are Hosta, companion plants, ornamental trees/shrubs, or garden related items such as bird houses, garden ornaments, watering wands, ornamental pots, etc.

See you at the July 12^th meeting and don’t forget to bring your own lawn chair.  

Glen Pace
EMHS President

Next Meeting- on July 12, 2018 at the home of Dyane Moore, 108 South East St., Vassar, MI 48768.  The phone number if you need to call on the way to the meeting 989-823-7763.

list a few reminders.  

Directions;

             -From Lapeer- take your desired route to get to M-15 and drive north to Millington.  Once you reach the main traffic light in downtown Millington go North on M-15.  Drive 6.7 miles to Butler St.  Turn right (East) to the first street, South East Street.  Turn left (North) and drive to the house on the left. 
            -From I-75- Take the Birch Run exit and drive east on Birch Run Rd to M-15.  Turn left (North) and drive to the traffic light in downtown Millington, then follow the above directions.
            -From Saginaw Area- take M-46 east to M-15 and turn right (South).  Drive approximately 5 miles staying on M-15 in Vassar and turn left (East) onto Butler St.  Turn left (North) at the first street which is South East St, house is on left.

The time schedule for the evening is;
1700-   View Gardens/ Networking
1800-   Refreshments/Potluck
1900-   Business Meeting/

              View Gardens

Summer Meetings- Reminders about the summer meetings;
1) The summer meetings are potluck meetings so bring your favorite dish to pass.  The club provides the plates and flatware.
2) Please bring your own chair to sit on.   Most hosts don’t have extra chairs for you to use.
3) Bring your own bug spray.   It is summer and the mosquitos and flies are out, so you may want to protect yourself. 
4) Please help clean-up when it is time to leave.   The host has enough to do without having to clean up after everybody, please pitch-in and help.
5) Please leave when the meeting is over as the host needs time to relax after hosting a meeting.   Some hosts are first shift workers and may have to be up early the next morning.   So please do not hang around the host’s garden after the meeting. 

2018 EMHS Calendar of Events    “?” denotes need for topic, speaker, and/or place
Meeting Dates- Places- Speakers/topic      

July 12- Member Garden Tour @ Dyane Moore’s

Aug 09- Member Garden Tour @ Sandy
     Vukonich’s

Sept 13- Plant Exchange @ The Major’s

Oct 11- Mayfield Twp. Hall, ?______________

Nov 08- Annual Board Meeting,
     Whitey’s in Davison

Dec 13- Christmas Party, Mayfield Twp. Hall

EMHS Annual Plant Sale- The Fund-Raising Committee has done a phenomenal job promoting the EMHS plant sales this year.   There are a few plants left from the Annual Plant Sale and there are also some plants available from the “After Hosta College” plant sale.   Plan on bringing money to the July meeting so you can take advantage of the prices the committee has placed on the plants.  

Review the June 14^th, 2018 Meeting Minutes on the blog.  We will vote to accept the minutes at the July 12^th, 2018 meeting.

October 11, 2018 Meeting- We will discuss the options at the July meeting.   The October meeting is an optional meeting for EMHS when there is a speaker or topic that the group wants to see/hear.   The Mayfield Twp. Hall is already reserved for us on this date if we want to use it.   Plan to make your suggestions for a meeting topic for the October meeting when we discuss it at the July 12^th meeting. 

Name Badges- If you need one of the new EMHS name badges, please put your printed name on the sign-up sheet at any meeting or you can email Glen with your request.  Glen will try to have your name badge at the next meeting. 

Club Members selling Hosta or Related Products-
Please call or email to set an appointment before visiting
Brown, Deb- Aeroponic Tower Garden.
     505-379-9100, www.debbrown.towergarden.com
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
Pickard, Carolyn- Hosta.  
     989-871-2873, robfamily5 @yahoo.com

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

Websites of Interest:

American Hosta Society-
http://www.americanhostasociety.org/

American Hosta Society Convention Website- http://www.americanhostasociety.org/Activities/Conventions.htm
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

Saginaw Valley Hosta Society, Dues $20 per year per household, Make check payable to SVHS and mail to: Gordon Burnside, 11640 W Freeland Rd. Freeland, MI 48623

EMHS Board of Officers:
President                     Glen Pace
  pacegardens@charter.net    989-244-4029

Vice-President             Becky Hanner
  BGHanner@aol.com             810-631-4292

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