Daffodil & Hosta Society of Western Pennsylvania FEBRUARY 2017

Steering Committee

President

Newsletter Editor

C. Alicia Pérez

Vice-President Hosta

Megan Danik

Vice-Presidents Daffodils

Steve & Bonnie Plato

Treasurer

Patty McGuire

Secretary

Susan Gahagan

Co-Chair Daffodils

Lenny Lehman

Co-Chair Hostas

Gary Gahagan

Membership

Bobbi Diller

Speaker Facilitator

Karen Schmidt

Education

Sandy Ellenberger

Members At Large

Jim Kalka

Matt Wilson

E-Mail Editor to:

Pitvp@aol.com

Hi there!

Wasn’t that soup luncheon great? All the soups were yummy—I admit I am hook on Bonnie’s (Plato) chili…The speaker was great too. She talked about butterflies in the garden & brought forth a few points that (I think) most of us don’t even think about or take in consideration when we want to bring butterflies into our gardens. For me it was like that makes sense & it never occurred to me!

Coming up is our Annual Meeting—March 4. And similar to last year this will be more of a pizza social than a formal meeting. We will have a State of the Culb but we also want to hear from you, your ideas, your likes & dislikes too. The club will provide the pizzas. We ask you bring a salad or dessert plus your ideas. Hope you come if just for pizza or salad or dessert!

And spring is rapidly approaching which means, daffodils are coming up any time now & we will have another Daffodil Grooming Clinic before the show so you can prep your flowers to be winners. Take note: we have changed the date & place for the clinic to Sat April 22 at the church across the library—keep reading for more information.

We will also have Hosta Judging Clinics on May 20 & 21. And even if you don’t plan in becoming a judge, this is a good way to learn about hostas & what makes a great hosta.

Our bus trip this year is to New York. Karen is already getting reservations, so as the saying goes ‘get your engines running’…LOL!

So take some time to go over all the information in this newsletter & get ‘on board’ for all the upcoming activities! We should have a fun season!

Later, Alicia

The Pres

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Noon – 4:00 PM

St John Lutheran Church of Highland

(across from the Northland Library)

311 Cumberland Rd

Pittsburgh PA 15237

It’s a Pizza & Salad Party!

This will be our first general meeting for the year/season. And we are starting with a State of the Club: a summary of what we did last year & what we are planning for this year. Each member of the Steering Committee will explain their “role” in those activities. We will have time for Q&A & your ideas for something new to do or how to improve what we already do. You may know something we don’t, you can never tell!

This will also be a time to meet other fellow members or say Hi to old ones. We will have pizza from DiPietro’s Pizza & brief presentations from the Chairs.

As always we will have a raffle so if you can bring a raffle item—Thanks.

And also as always, we ask you to bring some refreshment to share & because we are having pizza we are asking for either a salad or a dessert. We will have the pizza, coffee tea & punch.

This should be a nice & informative event, sooo please Mark Your Calendar! & plan to come.

Can’t wait to see you! Alicia, the Pres.

ALERT! ALERT!

IMPORTANT SCHEDULE AND LOCATION CHANGES!

By Bonnie Plato

Our annual Daffodil Grooming Clinic/Workshop has been moved to Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00pm at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 311 Cumberland Road, Pittsburgh (Wexford) Pa, 15237—across from the Northland Library. Please note the change of both date and location – NOT April 15th at the Northland Library as on the current DHSWP Calendar!

Come to learn expert tips on showing your Daffodils – from choosing the flowers to cleaning, grooming, transporting, and staging those flowers. Pick up Entry Cards to fill out before the Daffodil Show on April 29, 2017 at the Shady Side Academy Ice Rink, 423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15238. Find your address labels now, or get some made to bring with you to the Clinic as they will be so convenient to use! Review or learn how to fill out your Entry Cards and get a head-start on entering blooms in the Show. Find out how to simplify and expedite the process of exhibiting.

Learn, practice, and hone your grooming and staging skills. Not just to win awards and ribbons, although great fun for new or experienced and competitive exhibitors, but to put together the best Show we can. So DHSWP can take pride in a job well done in presenting the classiest Show and the most beautiful, quality blooms we can assemble. The more exhibitors and more stunning entries displayed create not only a larger, but more diverse and impressive Show. If people find themselves excited to learn more about Daffodils they may become members of DHSWP and the American Daffodil Society.

For me a Daffodil Show is an inspirational, humbling sight. I’m transfixed by the multitude and transformed by each individual bloom’s beauty. That’s the effect I’d like it to have on all of us and all our guests too.

Please plan to participate in the Clinic and the Show. We need you. It’s your efforts that contribute to the fun and success of our DHSWP activities. There are so many different opportunities to volunteer your time and talents. So please get involved, have fun and learn all you can to enhance your own gardening experiences.

2017 AHS Certificate of Appreciation Award

Note: This award is from the national society. This is in addition to our local pin award.

We are also requesting nominations for this award. Thanks.

The President and Board of the American Hosta Society would again like to honor members of local hosta societies who have given of their time, skills, energy and enthusiasm over the years. 2017 will be the 6th time the AHS has honored such people and many hosta society clubs have taken the opportunity to nominate members. The nominating society receives a signed certificate for each nominated recipient for local presentation. In addition the recipient names are inscribed on the ‘President’s Wall of Honor’, that is now part of the AHS website at www.Hosta.org.

The AHS is asking each local hosta society to nominate a maximum of two members (per year) to be honored. The nominated person does not have to be a member of the AHS and no nomination submitted by the local Society will be rejected. The ‘President’s Wall of Honor’ now has 3 members from the DHSWP: Bob Danik, Lenn Lehman & Chuck Olescyski.

So please submit 1 or 2 members who you think “have given of their time, skills, energy and enthusiasm over the years.” The nominees can include past or deceased members.

Send me an e-mail to: Pitvp@aol.com with your nominations. Nominations will be accepted until Monday, March 27.

MANAGING FOLIAR NEMATODES

Dr. Parwinder Grewal, a renown nematologist, first began research for the AHS in 1998.

A final report by Dr. Grewal was presented at the 2016 AHS Convention in St. Louis.

Outlined below are some general recommendations or managing foliar nematodes in your gardens!

1. Ensure plants are free from nematodes.

2. Cut and remove infected leaves as soon as possible to reduce multiplication and spread of foliar nematodes.

3. Conduct a thorough fall clean-up of dried plant material to prevent the re-introduction of nematodes into the soil.

4. To reduce spreading of infection space plants so they avoid touching and avoid leaf wetting during watering.

5. Treat nematode infested dormant buds before emerging in the spring with Nemakill.

6. Remove or isolate infected plants and treat as needed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

Reprinted in part from the AHS Journal, Vol 47, Number 2

*Please Note - Members of the DHSWP can contribute to the management of foliar nematodes by pursuing an aggressive treatment program and sharing information with each other. Each one, teach one!

Judges Clinics will be offered this May

If you are interested in either of both of these clinics, please contact Cheryl Villegas to register and for all details. You may email at cvheartdiamond@gmail.com or phone at 412-418-2018.

If you are new to judging, please give at least one month's notice that you will attend so materials can be ordered for you.

EXHIBITORS NEEDED

By Bonnie Plato

So, why am I asking for exhibitors now? After all, our Daffodil Show isn’t until the end of April. April 29, 2017, to be exact. That’s almost 2 1/2 months away!

Well, a couple things: 1. The Show will be here before we know it and 2. With these crazy up and down temperatures and the unpredictable weather, many daffodils are not only up but waaaay up! Some are already 4” tall! Not terribly unusual to be up, but not so tall. This means some daffodils may be blooming earlier than normal – maybe. There’s no way to tell if it will be an early season, late, or mixed. Last year some daffodils bloomed earlier than normal and some later than normal. Our daffodils might also bloom later if it cools down enough to hold them back. Daffodils growing in the more urban areas get more warmth and usually precede those in more suburban or country settings. They often bloom out and are done first. Those exhibitors end up with nothing to show.

All of this means we are going to need to keep a watchful eye on just what our daffodils are doing. If you need to try to speed up their bloom time you can place some rocks or bricks beside them to absorb some heat (when we do get some sun!) to radiate back that heat at night, or you might use those water filled tomato cages to do the same temperature modification. Perhaps a row cover would have a similar effect. If you’ve left garden clean-up until spring, check to see if any of those dried plants are blocking sun form reaching the daffodils and remove it now or by mid March.

On the other hand, if your daffodils will be blooming too early for our Daffodil Show you can pick them at their peak and hold them over for almost two weeks in a refrigerator! A non “frost free” one that is. In most modern refrigerators you will need to add humidity with some wet towels under the daffodils and/or a plastic bag over the blooms to keep them from becoming dehydrated.

For whatever scenario we face we will need everyone to try to enter some blooms in the Show. We would really like to see more exhibitors and more flowers displayed on the tables. Please call or email any questions you have on holding over blooms until the Show, and on entering flowers. Read over the hand-outs on “Hints & Tips” for exhibiting that you’ve received in the past few years from us. And plan on attending the very informative Daffodil Grooming Clinic April 22, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00PM at the St. John’s Lutheran Church across from the library. Mark Gresh will be conducting it again. It will be fun as well as educational. And we’ll have drinks and snacks, plus the time to socialize.

We will send out additional notices and reminders closer to the Show. For now, please start thinking ahead and planning on exhibiting some flowers. Consider what Classes and Collections you might want to enter so you can watch for particular flowers or combinations of flowers to bloom, and keep the Show in mind.

When your daffodils are up – about 3”- 4” tall feed them a low (or no ) nitrogen fertilizer; perhaps a slow release to top dress around them. Compost and wood ashes would also be beneficial. Make sure they receive at least one inch of water every week. They can use even more than that in the month or weeks before they bloom.

We hope everyone can participate by exhibiting and volunteering this year, and we look forward to working with you.

EDUCATIONAL OPS!

Opportunities to educate yourself and others is an ongoing process. Following are some ideas in ways you can take advantage of your membership and help yourself and others to 'GROW'.

1. Join the AHS: The Hosta Journal provides excellent coverage on the care and maintenance of hostas—many of which are on the cutting edge. Be in the know about the latest developments including nematode management. (see related article in this Newsletter).

2. "VOTE NOW' Too late, that election is over, but you can still vote for your favorite hostas by participating in the annual AHS Popularity Poll. You can vote online at (www.hosta.org).

3. JUDGES NEEDED Formal attire not required but you can vote for the Benedict Garden Performance Awards. Application is listed in the 'Hosta Judges' section under Benedict Garden Performance on the AHS website.

4. HOSTA HYSTERIA - YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE CRAZY, BUT IT HELPS! Attend the 2017 AHS National Convention in Indianapolis, June 7-10. Register/ www.indyhosta.com.

5. ARE YOU FORUM, OR AGAINST HIM? Most attendees agree the Fall Forum is the best value for your buck. Join the DHSWP and the WNY clubs at Edinboro University on Sept. 15-16. (see flyer for additional info).

6. HERE COME THE JUDGES - CLINICS I, II, AND III will be offered this May. (see more information in this newsletter)

7. CALLING ALL HOSTAS Exhibitors are needed. Enter your prize specimens and sign up to help at the DHSWP Hosta Show at Soergels on June 3, Saturday. Members will receive flyer so check your mailbox!

Thank you for your consideration of your time and talent to help us 'GROW'.

2017 Daffodil & Hosta Society

of W PA Bus Trip

Buffalo and Rochester, NY Area

June 23 and 24, 2017

The bus will pick up in the Cranberry Twp. Area

Cost $275.00, includes bus, room and breakfast/lunch meals.

Smug Creek Gardens

Mike & Kathy Shadrack - Hamburg, NY

Hidden Gardens of Eden

Marcia & David Sully – Eden, NY

Whit’s End Garden

Barb & Dave Whittemore – Hamburg, NY

Menne’s Garden Center – Buffalo, NY

Bonus: Spending the night in Niagara Falls, NY

within walking distance of the American falls.

Jim Ecker private garden – Rochester, NY

Jerry & Karen Kral private garden – Rochester, NY

Susan Buckner private garden – Caledonia, NY

Palmiter’s Garden Center – Avon, NY

Garden descriptions were in the last newsletter, if you need them please email me and

I can send them to you.

If interested please contact Karen Schmidt at

karensmg@aol.com or 724-679-3818

SAVE THE DATE

2017 FAll HOSTA AND GARDEN FORUM

Sponsored by: Daffodil & Hosta Society of Western PA and Western NY Hosta Society

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017, Edinboro, PA

PEACE, LOVE, PLANTS

Keynote: Jonathan Hogarth, London, England

Full day of talks, lunch, vendors, silent auction, raffle,

live auction, fun and camaraderie.

Bonus night Friday, 9/15/17, with light dinner, entertainment,

hostatality and vendor preview

FOUR SPEAKERS

Jonathan Hogarth—London, England

Growing and Showing Mini Hostas in England

Barbara Tiffany—The Gardens al Mill Fleurs

Designing a Spectacular Hosla Garden

Paul Zammil—Director of Horticulture,

Toronto Botanical Gardens

Gardening Without Flowers: Fantastic Foliage,

Garden Ornaments & Creative Containers

Karen Perkins—Garden Vision Epimediums

Collecting and Growing Epimediums

Volunteers Needed for Daffodil Show!

by Bonnie Plato

The 2017 Daffodil Show of Greater Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania will be here before we know it! Again we are holding our Show in conjunction with the Penn State Extension of Allegheny County Garden Marketplace of Western Pennsylvania and the Landscape Symposium. This is scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2017 at the Shady Side Academy Senior School Ice Rink, 423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15238. The Ice Rink is at the back of the campus after winding through the school's main buildings. Normally no signs are permitted for directions.

Show set-up is Friday, April 28 from 12 to 3 PM. Tables, chairs, signs and posters, plus the show supplies need put out where needed. Hand-outs and display literature should be arranged on our Membership Table.

Also, all grooming and staging supplies must be set out and ready for exhibitors to begin entering their blooms at 3 PM, with those supplies constantly replenished as needed until 10PM, or later.

Saturday, April 29 starts out at 6AM so judging can begin at 8AM and the Show open at 10:30AM.

We will have lunch approximately 12 Noon to 1PM.

All recordkeeping (Show Report) and photography must be completed before we break down the Show at 3PM.

Volunteers will be needed all day Friday and Saturday on many different jobs and we ask you to pitch in when and where you can. Please let us know the days and times you will be available.

Note: volunteers will be needed to assist all exhibitors entering flowers Friday 3 to 10PM and Saturday 6 to 7:45AM. We need to make sure test tubes of water, in blocks, and yew is always ready, and make sure Entry Cards are complete and correct.

Come enjoy working with fellow DHSWP members learning to exhibit and put on a successful Daffodil Show. Please volunteer.

Many hands make light the work!

APRIL

4th Create your own Fairy Garden

$35..... All Materials Included

6:30.... Reservations Required

6th Tea for 2 Herbal Container Class

$25/single $40/couple

All Materials Included

6:30.... Reservations Required

15thOpening Day

9-5 Stop by for Refreshments and Cookies

22nd New Plants Class

10:30

Join us as we walk the Greenhouse discussing

new plants for the season.

25th Vegetable Gardening Class

6:30.... Its Cold outside!

Planting a Lettuce bowl Demo!

MAY

16th Gardening to attract Hummingbirds

6:30.... Guest Speaker Paula Shacklock

23rd Gardening to attract Butterflies

6:30.... Guest Speaker Donnajean Enyeart

30th Vegetable Gardening Class

6:30.... Is it time yet?

Planting a Veggie Pot Demo!

JUNE

1st Container Class

$25..... All Materials included

6:30.... Reservations Required

Yes you can be creative!

3rd Breakfast with DJ

You name it we discuss it!

9:00.... Reservations Required

No Charge!

8th Pizza Garden Container Class

$35..... Pizza & Beer & Herbs

to plant a Pizza herb Pot!

6:30 ... Reservations Require

10th Cooking with Herbs!

10:00.. Guest Speaker Deborah Plant

Plants Herb Farm Bed and Breakfast!

20th Create your own Fairy Garden

$35..... All Material Included

6:30.... Reservations Required

27th Vegetable Gardening Class

6:30.... Now that it’s growing

how do I keep it going?

JULY

1st Breakfast with DJ

Fertilizer! What’s That?

9:00.... Reservations Required

11th Create your own Fairy Garden

$35..... All Materials Included

6:30.... Reservations Required

18th Create your own Terrarium!

$35..... All Material Included

6:30.... Reservations Required

21st Evening in the Garden

$26..... Garden Party

6-9...... Reservations Required

Great Food and Good Music!

25th Vegetable Gardening Class

6:30

And so it begins! Harvest time

AUGUST

5th Breakfast with DJ

You Did What, to your plant?

9:00.... Reservation Required

15th Adult: Create Your own Fairy Garden, Sip & Plant

$40..... All Material Included

Reservations Required!

22nd Vegetable Gardening Class

6:30

Yes you can still plant a Fall Garden!

26th Customer Appreciation Day

9-5...... Refreshments and Specials

SEPTEMBER

2nd Breakfast with DJ

It’s not over yet!

9:00.... Reservations Required

12th Create your own Fairy Garden

$35

6:30.... Reservations Required

19th Leaf Casting Class

$ 25

6:30.... Reservations Required!

23rd Fall Garden Walk

10:00.. Getting your garden ready for winter!

A tour of the gardens.

26th Vegetable Gardening Class

6:30.... It’s all over except the Harvest! Maybe!

OCTOBER

8th Farm to Table

4-9...... Fund Raiser

$75 on Facebook @ Our hometown farm to table!

WE ARE OPEN UNTIL MID-LATE OCTOBER.

OUR HOURS OF BUSINESS ARE LISTED ON THE WEB-SITE

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

DHSWP 2017 SCHEDULE
*STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS* Northland Library[1] on Saturday Feb 11, May 13 & Nov 18, 1:00 PM
Saturday, January 7	12:00 Noon	11th Annual Friend’s Winter Luncheon, Sarafino’s
Saturday, February 4	12:00 Noon	Annual Soup Luncheon at Phipps Garden Center in Shadyside
FEBRUARY 11	1:00 PM	STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
Saturday, March 4	12:00 Noon	ANNUAL Meeting, Pizza & Salad Social, Church across from Library[2]
Fri – Sun, March 10 - 12		National Daffodil Convention, Sacramento, CA
Fri – Sat, Mar 17 - 18		Hosta College, Piqua, OH
Saturday, April 22	1:00 PM	Daffodil Grooming Clinic, Church across the Library
Saturday, April 29		Daffodil Show, joint with the Penn State Master Gardener’s Symposium & Marketplace. Ice Rink at Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel
MAY 13	1:00 PM	STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
Sat – Sun, May 20 - 21		HOSTA JUDGES CLINIC 1, 2 & 3
Saturday, June 3		Hosta Show & Sales at Soergels. Sales start at 10 AM, Show opens to the public around 1:30 PM (after judging)
Wed – Sat, June 7 - 10		National Hosta Convention, Indianapolis, IN
Sat – Sun, June 17 - 18		Whispering Pines Hosta Sale
Fri – Sat, June 23 – 24		BUS TRIP, New York
Saturday, July 15	10:30 AM	Picnic & Hosta Auction at DJ’s Greenhouse
Saturday, August 5	1:00 PM	Regular Meeting, Northland Library
Saturday, August 19		Garden in the Parks Field Day
Fri – Sat, Sept 15 - 16		Fall Hosta & Garden Forum, Edinboro PA
Fri – Sat, Sept 29 -30		Hosta College Board Meeting—we are Hosts
Saturday October 14	1:00 PM	Regular Meeting Northland Library
Saturday, November 4		End of Season Luncheon, TBA
NOVEMBER 18	1:00 PM	STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
*DECEMBER*		*Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!*

[1] Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Rd, Pittsburgh PA 15237, 412-366-8100

[2] St John Lutheran Church of Highland, 311 Cumberland Rd, Pittsburgh PA 15237