SHADES OF GREEN
The Newsletter for the Upstate New York Hosta Society (UNYHS)
Prepared by Dave Jennings,
Communications Chair and
Newsletter Editor
Your Officers & Committee Chairs:
President: Kathryn Mohr
518-952-4995 [email protected]
Vice President: Debb Guard
518-783-6845 [email protected]
Secretary: Cindy Jennings
518-541-3598 [email protected]
Treasurer: Ernie Jeffery
201-664-5720
[email protected]
Plant Acquisition:: Dawn Haas
518-374-8247 [email protected]
Newsletter Editor and Communications:
Dave Jennings
518-541-3598 [email protected]
Hospitality:: Mabel Siler
518-399-4071 [email protected]
Membership: Jim Wimet
518-584-2341 [email protected]
Door Prizes/Raffles: Bobbie Crain
518-346-0639 [email protected]
Facebook/Publicity: Cathy Fruhauf
518-858-3718 [email protected]
Website: Bill Ryan & Jon Sternfeld
518-374-2206 Use Contact Page on Website
Plant Sitter: Bobbie Crain
518-346-0639 [email protected]
Faddegon's Plant Sale: (Open at this time)
Send an e-mail to [email protected] to volunteer
Hosta Cut Leaf Show: (Open at this time)
Send an e-mail to [email protected] to volunteer
March 2017
From your President: Kathryn Mohr
Hi everyone, I’m looking out the window at the recent snowfall that still
hasn’t completely melted yet, enjoying what I hope is this last blast of
winter while also anticipating spring. I hope everyone came through the
storm without problems.
Our April 8 meeting is at 10 AM at the Bethlehem Public Library - 451
Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY 12054. The library doesn't open until 10,
so coffee won't be ready right away. I am hoping to have a couple folks
talk about pollinating/hybridizing hostas and growing them from seed.
Three people I've asked to date have turned me down; I'm waiting to
hear from a couple others. Bernd Westphal gave me interesting
information on his streaked seedlings that I can present to the group.
Worst case scenario: I can research online and put together an
informative talk.
The February Doldrums meeting was well attended. There were over 70
gardeners who enjoyed the excellent food, a thought-provoking talk,
many door prizes and best of all, an opportunity to enjoy the company of
other gardeners. Stephanie Kronau did a stellar job of organizing the
event, Cathy Fruhauf suggested an interesting speaker and many
UNYHS members helped with set-up and clean-up. Thanks to everyone
who helped!
March 11 was Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County’s
Spring Garden Day. I saw several UNYHS members attending all day;
there were several more who attended the keynote speaker Amy Ziffer’s
presentation: Shade Revealed How to Garden Successfully in Low Light
(Really). Lunch was provided by Master Gardener volunteers. There
were 15+ soups to choose from, 2 types of calzones stuffed with
vegetables and a number of desserts and beverages.
By-Laws Revision: (Open at this time)
Send an e-mail to [email protected] to volunteer
Librarian: Debb Guard
518-783-6845 [email protected]
Contact Us
Website: http://unyhs.org
E-mail: [email protected]
During my vacation in January I read journals from the 3 plant societies
I’m a member of. I was really inspired by an article in the Summer 2016
Daylily Journal: “How To Roll Out Your Club’s Welcome Mat” by
Gayle Yelenik, Mo-Kan Daylily Society. The issues she addressed were:
how to attract and retain new members, encouraging involvement and
volunteerism and providing continuity while accommodating change.
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Plant societies nationwide are experiencing declining membership.
Societies’ members are aging; younger people are just not joining. The
Region 2 (New York and Ontario) Iris Society has lost two of seven
clubs in the last couple of years. UNYHS has a large and active
membership; the success of our Doldrums meeting demonstrated how
effective we can be. But we can always use new members.
UNYHS has an excellent membership chair, Jim Wimet. How can we as
a club help Jim? Yelenik's article suggests having 2 members who act as
mentors for newer members, helping them feel welcome and
encouraging their involvement. What are your ideas for helping new
members feel welcome?
Continuity can be a problem. UNYHS has several open committee
positions. In the past we’ve had difficulty attracting new officers.
Yelenik suggests that clubs develop detailed written descriptions of
officer and committee chair responsibilities. Information included can
be: a list of tasks and responsibilities, timelines, how many helpers are
needed, dates and times used in past events, and support and guidance
available.
The Cincinnati Daylily club had a similar system of written guidelines.
In addition, new officers and chairpersons were “trainees” for one year,
performed the job with mentor support the next year, and trained a new
person the third year. I was show chair and sale chair for the club, jobs I
never would have tried without their system.
I’ve written some guidelines for our club’s officer and positions. I
welcome help and suggestions. What else can we do to encourage
members to take on responsibility?
How to accommodate change? One of my pet peeves is hearing someone
say “We’ve always done it this way“ (I haven’t heard this from anyone
in UNYHS) A club’s resistance to change discourages people from
volunteering. New ideas and ways of doing things help keep a club
strong. Yes, there will be missteps, but if we’ve gained a member who is
really involved and invested in the club, that’s wonderful. Would you
like to see changes?
I hope you’ll let me know your ideas.
Thanks, Kathryn
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Please Join us this weekend at HVCC
Help Still Needed at the Capital District
Flower and Garden Show
Every year we rent a table at the Capital District Flower and Garden Show
at Hudson Valley Community College. We join with the Iris and Daylily
Societies to hand out information on our clubs, meetings, and events, and to
answer questions from the public on flower gardening.
We still need help for tomorrow and Sunday so if you would like to help
staff the table at the show, contact Cindi Jones of HADS who is
coordinating the effort this year. Her email is [email protected]
There are 2-hour slots available for sign up, two people at a minimum to
each slot. Cindi will let you know what time slots are still available if you
email her. There are also a limited number of free admission tickets for
people who volunteer.
Just remember, it’s really fun to sit and help people with their questions and
let them know about our activities. Some of our most active new members
have learned about us through this yearly show!
Among the many excellent speakers this year are Kerry
Mendez, David Chinery, Amy Howansky, Joanne Strevy and
Debi Chowdhury. More information along with topics and
lecture times are on the website:
www.gardenandflowershow.com.
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Adapted from the Newsletter of the Capital Hudson Iris Society 3/17
Upstate New York Hosta Society (UNYHS)
Scholarship
This is a reminder that we recently sent you a notice that we
(The UNYHS) are awarding a $500 scholarship to a qualifying
high school senior. We need your help promoting this ASAP.
If you need more information or an Application, please
contact us directly at [email protected].
Please remember that the deadline for the application has
been extended to April 15, 2017.
Treasurer’s Report for 2016
Submitted by Ernie Jeffery, Treasurer UNYHS
BALANCE FORWARDED 01/01/16
INCOME
MEMBERSHIP DUES
MEMBERS ONLY PLANT SALE
FADDEGON’S PLANT SALE
AUCTION
TOTAL INCOME
$8,256.36
$520.00
$1,265.34
$2,142.00
$163.00
$4,090.34
EXPENSES
PLANTS FOR SALE 2016
PLANTS FOR SALE 2017
GIFT CERTIFICATES
HADS (Flower and Garden Show at HVCC)
POSTAGE
PRINTING AND HANDOUTS
POTTING SUPPLIES
SPEAKER’S FEE
REFUND OF DUES
INTERNET
DONATION FOR USE OF FELLOWSHIP HALL
TOTAL EXPENSES
BALANCE ENDING 12/31/16
$533.78
$1,143.61
$460.00
$172.00
$29.40
$467.17
$378.71
$350.00
$15.00
$96.00
$25.00
$8,676.03
$8,676.03
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REMINDERS
May 20th
UNYHS Members Only Hosta Sale
We traditionally meet on the second weekend of the month but in
order to give our Hostas a little more time to grow, we are not
meeting until the 20th in May. This actually works best since the
HADS group is planning to meet on the 13th in May so we won’t
conflict. Look for details in our next newsletter.
June 7-10
AHS National Convention
Indianapolis, Indiana
Four days of hosta hysteria: garden tours, a hosta show, and
shopportunities.
June 23-25
First Look 17
Taunton, MA
First Look showcases the newest of the new, in a fierce competition.
Also with garden tours and shopportunities. Keynote presentation by
hybridizer Jeff Miller.
For more Info on these send an Email to: [email protected]
Montana
aureomarginata
Early Season
Later in the
Season
Photos by:
Bev Stegeman
An “OLDIE” but a “GOODIE”
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Shades of GREEN
From: Dave Jennings,
Communications
Chairman
I am always looking for contributors to our newsletter. Anyone wishing to write an article or
send pictures is encouraged to do so. Please keep in mind if you see an article somewhere that
you think our members will enjoy reading, then send it to me and I will ask the author if we
can publish it in our newsletter. I hope you enjoy the informative article on GROWING
HOSTAS in this newsletter. Special thanks to the Delaware Valley Hosta Society for
granting me permission to reprint it here for your enjoyment!
Please send your Articles and Suggestions to: [email protected]
Committee Reports
Plant Acquisition Report
Here is the list so far of what we have ordered and paid for from Naylor Creek: Beach Boy,
Christmas Pageant, Dancing Queen, Earth Angel, Fire and Ice, Frosted Dimples, Fruit Punch,
Funny Mouse, Heat Wave, Imperial Palace, Key West, Luna Moth, Maya Infatuation,
Milkmaid, One Last Dance, Picasso, Raucous Ruffles, Regal Supreme and Spartacus
This is the list so far of what we have ordered and paid for from Green Mountain: Limetini,
Dragon Tails, Heart and Soul, Hyuga Urajiro, Montana aureomarginata and Sum Ringer.
From Dawn Haas
Plant Acquistion
Chair
We also have plants on hold from Viktoria which include: Blueberry Muffins, Diamonds are
Forever, Toy Soldier, Lakeside Paisley Print, Cool as a Cucumber, Twilight and Tokudama
flavocircinalis as well as the following on hold from Green Hill which include Envy, Evening
Blush, Lady Bug, Leather and Lace and Leaping Lizard
So we suggest you go to www.HostaLibrary.org sometime this Spring to start making your
wish list of those you absolutely can’t live without! Look for more info in our next newsletter!
Website Report
"Have you visited the society's website, http://unyhs.org? Is there anything you think
could be improved? Is there any content you would like added?
From Bill Ryan and
Jon Sternfeld
Website Co-Chairs
Please email [email protected] and let us know!"
Page 6 of 13
Membership Report
As you know, membership runs from January 1 thru December 31 each year. I sent
out reminders to those members that still owe dues for this year (as in Calendar Year
(CY)2017).
From Jim Wimet
Membership Chair
If you know of anyone that would like to join our UNYHS, please have them complete
a membership form found on our website.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
The following are some proposals that Charlotte Colton has worked up at Kathryn’s request for
discussion at this month’s meeting on April 8th Please review them so you can be prepared to
discuss them with us.
TRIP #1 Transportation only $2100
CORNELL BOTANICAL GARDENS (Formerly Cornell Plantations), ITHACA, NY
3 1/2 hour bus trip from Albany
***Cornell only can be done as a 1 day trip***
Cornell Botanical Gardens was chosen 22nd out of 50 of the most stunning university gardens
worldwide!
The garden consists of 25 acres featuring herb, flower, vegetable, rock, perennial, grass and
container gardens.
A 150 acre arboretum and additional 3,500 acres of bogs, meadows and woodlands.
A guided one hour tour of the 25 acre botanical garden costs $10 per person.
You may board your own bus for a narrated tour of the 200 acre FR Newman Arboretum. Cost
is $10 per person.
$25 advance booking fee and final payment due day of.
Call 607-254-7430 for tour reservations. Book at 607-255-2400
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10AM-4PM
SONNENBERG GARDENS, CANANDAIGUA, NY
1 hour bus trip from Ithaca, NY
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Sonnenberg Gardens is the 50 acre estate of the late F. Ferris and Mary Clark Thompson.
The estate consists of beautiful architecture, gardens, statuary, themed gardens, Japanese garden
and teahouse, a 9 greenhouse complex and 100 species of trees.
Tour of the home and gardens takes approximately 2 1/2 hours. The cost is $11PP and $12 PP
guided. There is a 7 passenger tram available for impaired guests.
Sonnenberg will provide a regional wine tasting of 5 wines for $6 PP or include cheese,
crackers and fruit with the wine for $10.
30 day advance of $50 reservations with Barbara Carson at 585-394-4922.
It is 4 hour bus ride from Canandaigua back to Albany.
Bus trip #2
LONGWOOD GARDENS
Kennett Square, PA (Philadelphia)
4 hours 45 minutes from Albany
Transportation only $2525
One of the world’s greatest gardens, it is the living expression and legacy of Pierre
DuPont. Longwood is known for excellence in design, horticulture and education. There are
1077 acres of gardens indoors and out. Longwood works with biological diversity to bring new
plant from around the globe along with breeding projects to improve plant groups and
exploration programs to improve plant collections.
There are 21 garden houses including the DuPont house. Built in 1730 by J Pierce it has been
enlarged several times and contains the Longwood Heritage Exhibit.
There are 26 outdoor gardens and 4 fountains. A couple of these are: The Flower Garden Walk
was laid out by DuPont in 1907 and is the length of two football fields. He called this an "old
fashioned garden'. His later gardens were influenced by Italian and French forms.
The Topiary Garden features 50 specimens in 20 shapes and the Idea Garden features
beds bursting with 5 acres of innovative parings, color and textures. Sections are dedicated to
annuals, perennials, vegetables, and small fruits. It was originally a vegetable garden that
supplied food for the DuPonts and their employees.
Open Tuesday- Sunday 10AM -5 PM
$22-$24 2-3 week advance 610-388-5233
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CHANTICLEER GARDENS
Wayne, PA 30 Minutes form Longwood Gardens (Philadelphia)
The Historic Rosengarten Estate is 35 acres of "pleasure garden". There are trails thru orchards,
wildflower meadows and perennials nestled along old stone walls. There is a vegetable garden,
a stream, a grass labyrinth and a pond bordered by wildflowers. The Ruin Garden is punctuated
by plants, a still pool and sculpture.
The London Times called the garden "planted to perfection" and Garden Design said it is
"America’s most inspiring garden. Trip Advisor cited Chanticleer as one of the nation’s top 10
gardens.
A guided tour of Mansion Chanticleer and garden takes about 1 1/2 hours.
$20PP advance reservations. Unguided tour $10.
Open Wednesday-Sunday. Guided tours 10:30AM and 1:30PM.
WINTERTHUR AMERICAN COUNTRY ESTATE
Winterthur, Delaware 40 minutes from Philadelphia
WInterthur is 5 hours 15 min from Albany.
One thousand acres, including 60 acres of naturalistic gardens of HF du Pont. Mr. du Pont was
a highly prominent collector of American decorative arts.
The 175 room mansion has 90,000 artifacts on display and spans two centuries of American
Decorative Art including, furniture and fine art. The du Pont library features over 87,000
volumes.
A 20 minute narrated garden tour includes: the 8 acre azalea woods, a peony garden, reflecting
pool and sundial garden.
Tour of the historic mansion/museum and garden is about $28.
one hour discovery tour $17.
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10Am-5PM
Contact 1-800-448-3883
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The following are a few pics from the Flower and Garden Show at HVCC taken earlier today:
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DELAWARE VALLEY
HOSTA SOCIETY
Growing Hostas
Soil preparation
The care of your new hosta plant is fairly simple. If you have a choice of where you plant your hosta,
select a soil that is loose and well drained. The soil should be amended with compost to a depth of
12–18 inches. Place the hosta in the hole so that the plant crown is level with the ground. Place some
good soil around the roots and water thoroughly. Space the plants to allow room for them to grow,
based on the size of the cultivar. Hostas do best when left undisturbed for several years. After they
are planted, your hostas will require very little care. Hostas are best grown under trees for providing
the shade that hostas prefer. Because the tree roots will compete for moisture, make sure that your
plants get enough water during the growing season. A layer of mulch will help reduce water loss,
keep the roots at an even temperature, and prevent competition from weeds. Although it is not
necessary, an annual feeding of slow release fertilizer will keep your hostas happy.
Planting season
Hostas can be planted (and divided) at any time during the growing season, although most people
try to plant hostas in the spring. The later in the season, the more important it is to keep the plant
adequately watered. If planting or dividing in the late summer or fall, give the hosta time to settle in
before the ground freezes (in most zones, that means stop planting in mid to late September).
Sun vs. shade
There has been a great deal of debate over where particular hostas will do best. Pick out a shady
spot that is protected from hot afternoon sun. The most common mistake made by newbies (new
hosta lovers) is thinking that all hostas do best in full shade. This is not the case. Hostas are shade
tolerant, which means that they will do well in varying degrees of shade, yet still like some sun. On
the other hand, they are not sun-lovers: in their native habitats they grow on hillsides or in meadows
where they are shaded by trees or taller plants. If possible, try to avoid full afternoon sun. Some
hostas, such as H. plantaginea, will tolerate sunnier conditions. Frequent watering will help a hosta
survive more direct sunlight than it normally would tolerate.
Fertilizer and mulch
If you feel it is necessary to apply fertilizer, most professional hosta growers prefer an annual
application of 10-10-10. For those who tend toward organic gardening, there are several products
that have worked well for hosta gardeners. Some use Milorganite, which has deer-repellent
properties; others choose animal manure. Another organic fertilizer with 8% nitrogen is soybean
meal.
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What about using mulch? Some people simply weed the areas until the hostas come up in the spring
and the hosta itself prevents the further development of weeds. Other people use pine straw or cocoa
mulch, as they both tend to diminish slug problems and do not break down as quickly as other
mulches. Still others find that double shredded hardwood mulch works best because of its water
retention capabilities. Shredded leaves can increase the slug and vole problems, so consider that
before choosing this mulch. Regardless of the type of mulch you choose to use, do not mulch deeper
than 2–3 inches, and avoid burying the crown of the plant. In many cases over-mulching has led to
vole problems by providing a nice warm medium that is easy to tunnel through.
Water
Hostas love plenty of water. In their native habitat hostas receive over 60 inches of rainfall annually.
In most of the United States this is well above normal rainfall levels. Therefore, it is essential to
supplement nature to ensure that the plant receives a minimum of 1 inch per week during the
growing season. People who have achieved maximum growth conditions provide 1.5 inches per week,
or 0.5 inch every 3 days. Due to their leaf size, hostas have a very high transpiration rate so soil
conditions should allow for optimum water retention.
Hostas from seeds (hybridizing)
Are you interested in growing hostas from seeds? The most important thing to know is that most
hostas are hybrids, and therefore do not come true from seed. Notably, variegated hostas rarely give
variegated offspring! For that you need an unstable streaked-variegation parent, whose instability
passes on to the seedlings which can then "settle out" to a typical variegated pattern. Still, it can be
fun to grow hostas from seeds, even if you only expect single-color progeny. There is a great
tutorial on hybridizing and growing hostas from seed by Joshua Spece at In the Country Gardens and
Gifts.
Challenges: tree roots, pests, and diseases
Hostas have trouble competing with shallow roots from trees and shrubs; in our area red maples
pose the greatest threat. Where there are limited planting areas and you want to keep the trees,
plant the hosta in a container or nursery pot large enough to accommodate growth. This container
planting also has been recommended in cases where voles (see below) are an extreme hosta
"predator." If you use a container you need to keep the holes in the bottom open to ensure good
drainage.
Hostas tend to be pest free. However, slugs do tend to enjoy eating holes in the leaves of hostas
and the slug is considered by many to be the number one pest of hostas. Of course, deer don't eat
little holes, they eat entire leaves! And voles burrow shallow tunnels to eat the roots and crowns of
your hostas, and can cause hosta devastation in a short time.
The next most significant problems that occur on occasion are fungal diseases. In the spring (or due
to winter moisture), plants may fail from crown rot, with rotten-smelling, mushy crowns evident
when you dig them up (caused by a variety of fungi). In warmer climates, in particular, southern
stem blight may become a problem in the summer when the extreme heat, humidity, and moisture
cause the petioles (stem bases) to rot so that the leaves fall off the plant.
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The fungus (Sclerotium rolfsii) will show as orange-brown nodules at the base of the petioles. A
strong fungicide (or even bleach solution) is the best treatment, along with preventing moisture from
sitting on the crown of the plant. Having mulch on the crown of the hosta can contribute to the
problem. Do an internet search for more information on treatment.
Foliar nematodes are a problem that is becoming more widespread every year. In cases of
nematode attack, the microscopic worm feeds on the leaf tissues between the veins of mature
leaves, causing unsightly brown streaks on the leaves in summer, and eventual weakening of the
plant. Treatment with very hot water is effective, but difficult; new research has shown that properly
timed treatments with a product called Nemakill may be as effective, and much easier (but costlier).
Be sure not to share any infected plants, as the nematodes travel easily from plant to plant within
droplets of water (rain).
A significant concern among hosta growers is Hosta Virus X (HVX), which appeared in commercially
grown plants and has infected home gardens. The virus is spread by infected sap (plant fluids), either
by contaminated water (in commercial propogation) or by contaminated garden tools, via wound-towound transfer. The virus causes discoloration of the leaves (usually dark green blotches in the veins
of blue and gold hostas), with eventual deformation of the leaf and weakening of the plant.
Concerned gardeners should quarantine suspicious plants, and sterilize garden tools by removing sap
from tools between contact with individual plants (perhaps with a disinfectant wipe). Visit here for
more information.
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