View
1
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
1
Debbie’s Dirt In spite of the severe weather we experienced, 40 brave
souls ventured out to ICC for our August monthly
meeting. Thanks to Barry’s connections and quick
action, we were able to meet indoors at the Horticulture
Lab’s large workroom/storage area. Barry did a great
job giving the history of the ICC Hosta beds and CIHS’
involvement over the years. In addition, he gave an
update regarding the on-going restoration of those beds
and a special thank you to the many volunteers who
have come out on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings
to pull weeds, replant, identify, label and spread
mulch. There is still much work to be done and
volunteers are always welcomed. If those days don’t
work with your schedule, but you would still like to
help, please consider “adopting” an area and work on it
an hour or so per week at your convenience.
We wish to thank the following members who
generously brought refreshments for our
enjoyment: Peg Maddox, Kay Dye, Erma Wieland,
Mary Christiansen, and Dorothy Crowell.
Dan McConnell presented the slate of officers for 2016-
2017. At this writing we are still in need of a Garden
Walk Chairman (next walk will be June 2017) and a
Membership Chairman. If you are interested in either
of these positions, please contact Don McConnell, Barry
Ankney or Debbie McCollum at your earliest
convenience. The slate of officers will be voted on at
our Annual Banquet to be held on September 15.
I don’t know about you, but there are still a lot of things
on my “to do” list that I haven’t gotten to yet this
summer. So, I’m going to end my article here and head
outside. It’s not too late this evening to pull a “few”
more weeds. Plus, it’s the perfect time to go out and
admire the moon vines that have completely covered the
west side of our porch providing much needed
shade. The giant white flowers are delightful to look at and
smell delicious.
Happy Gardening until we meet again,
Debbie McCollum
_______________________________________________
Our Next Meeting
September 15, 2015
CIHS Banquet
Monte Cristo Room
383 Old Germantown Rd, Suite A
Germantown Hills, IL
309-383-4417
Times: Cocktails & Check-In at 5:30, Dinner at 6:30
Guest Speaker: AHS President, Don Dean
Cost (Includes dinner, guest speaker & gift hosta): $25 per
member and $35 for non-members
For Reservations: Please call 309-214-1767 or email
penelopebocelli@gmail.com or send a check to Penelope Bocelli,
2209 County Road 810 E, Washburn, IL 61570-9373
About the Speaker/Presentation: Don Dean was first
introduced to hosta in 1984 when his mother gave him a sizeable
chunk of H. undulata taken from an old established clump in her
yard. 1987 found Don moving his family, Gail & Jesse, to their
current home site. It was a move from a prairie lot to a heavily
wooded lot. He joined a local garden club and began touring
members’ gardens. He was looking for solutions to a newfound
gardening problem, shade. A visit to hosta collector’s garden
created the ‘hook’ and set Don upon a path involving hosta from
that point to the present.
1991 started the years of growing seeds under lights. Those first
seeds grown indoors during the winter of ’91-92 began a
continued passion for creating new hostas. He has taught middle
school children for 32 years. Continued on page 2
GREAT EXPECTATIONS central illinois hosta society september 2015 www.cihshostaclub.org volume 21, issue 7
2
This has provided the opportunity to continue dabbing pollen. Don had the good fortune
of having had several great mentors along the way through relationships with Ken
Anderson, Herb Benedict, Hideko Gowan, and many others that proved to be excited to
share their passion for hybridizing. He has some standards in his program that have been
passed on to him from his teachers. Growing a plant for five or more years prior to
selection, getting peers’ views upon his seedlings, and trying to be sure that distinction is
present prior to releasing a plant are considered by Don to be a must.
Don began registering some seedlings in 1999. H. ‘Silver Bay’, ‘Faith’, and ‘Pewterware’
are three of these solids became available. H. ‘Bedazzled’, ‘Frosted Dimples’, and
‘Heartbeat’ are each marginal variegated plants that have been introduced. These began
a consistent series of introductions each year. Fifty plus hostas are registered with Don as
the originator, most are available from a retail source. Look for a few more to become
available each year in the fall as catalogs arrive and websites are updated.
Don will share his presentation, "My Path", that follows his gardening experience from a
blank slate and gardening in full sun to hybridizer of the most popular shade tolerant
plant, hosta. He will take us through a photographic journey of gardens from the earliest
beginnings of the growing season to frost and finish with a peek at some future plants yet
to hit the retail lists. Expect there will be something to relate to in your own experience
and/or spark your interest whether you are a beginner or old pro.
________________________________________________________________
The Hosta Library If you would like to check out a magazine or book from the Hosta Library, see
Ella Maxwell at a meeting or call her at 309.444.3758.
________________________________________________________________
2015 CIHS Calendar If you are interested in opening your garden
for a meeting in 2015, please contact Gloria Hicks,
Janette Smith or a board member.
March 15, 2016
Hosta Trivia
Freedom Hall
349 W. Birchwood Street, Morton
April 19, 2016
Potluck
“How to Make Terrariums” by
Janet Stein
Freedom Hall
349 W. Birchwood Street, Morton
May 17, 2016
Al & Michele Klein
1616 Indigo Drive, Morton
June 15‐18, 2016
American Hosta Society
Convention
St. Louis
June 21, 2016
Dan & Cheryl Taylor
19 Cypress Point, Pekin
June 25, 2016
CIHS Bus Trip
St. Louis
July 7-9, 2016
Midwest Regional Hosta Society
Convention
Champaign, Illinois
July 19, 2016
Gloria Smith
106 Ravine, Morton
August 16, 2016
Annual Auction
Freedom Hall
349 W. Birchwood Street, Morton
September 20, 2016
CIHS Banquet TBA
Officers President Deb McCollum 309.361.4284 debmccollum@gmail.com Vice Presidents Gloria Hicks, Janette Smith 309.266.7761, 309.387.6549 jameskhicks@hotmail.com cjsmith119@gmail.com Second Vice Presidents Barry Ankney, Penny Bocelli highlandhosta@live.com penelopebocelli@gmail.com Third Vice President Deb Schoedel 309.256.0479 parttime94@aol.com Recording Secretary Sue Eckhoff gardenermom22@gmail.com Corresponding Secretary Maggie Keesey 309.264.2253 magskeesey@gmail.com Treasurer Dan McConnell 309.360.4188 drdtm@mtco.com
To join: Central Illinois Hosta Society $10/year, form on back cover Midwest Reg. Hosta Society $20/2 years, Send dues to: Barbara Schroeder, Treasurer 1819 Coventry Drive Champaign, IL 61822 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
3
Slate of Nominations
e will be voting at the last meeting for the
slate of nominations; however, nominations
will be taken from the floor. There are still
a few openings; please let Dan McConnell or any other
officer know if you’re interested in getting involved.
The following is what we have so far for the slate of
officers
President Barry Ankney
1st Vice President Janette Smith/Deb McCollum
2nd Vice President Penny Bocelli/Deb Schoedel
3rd Vice President Wendy Kamisciki
Treasurer Dan McConnell
Recording Sec. Sue Eckhoff
Corresponding Sec Maggie Keesey
Education Ella Maxwell/Bob
Historian Penny Bocelli
Hospitality Mike/Sally Pula
Ken/Betty McGarvey
Library Ella Maxwell
Membership TBA
Garden Walk TBA
Newsletter Bob Streitmatter
Parliamentarian Jennifer Bass
Publicity Shelly Baldini
Ways and Means Carolyn Jones
Website Barry Ankney
________________________________________
he CIHS Board has decided to formally sponsor
the AHS National Display Garden at Illinois
Central College. Previously, CIHS has
informally sponsored the AHS Garden at ICC by
providing funding for plant labels, cost of replacement
plants that were missing from the garden, and by
providing many volunteer hours to help restore the
garden. By formally sponsoring this project, CIHS will
be acknowledged by the Illinois Central College
Educational Foundation as the sponsor of the Hosta
Gardens. Details about the relationship between ICC
and CIHS are being worked on at this time. The Interim
Dean of the College has been contacted by Genny
Gibbs, and she will inform CIHS about the particulars
of formalizing this relationship.
By having a formal sponsorship of the AHS Garden at
ICC, CIHS will now qualify for additional grant money
from the Midwest Regional Hosta Society. MRHS is
currently working on adding an Educational Fund. The
MRHS Board has voted to place $1,500 in a fund which
will be available to AHS Display Gardens that are
sponsored by local societies. The grant application
process is currently being developed and should be in
place within the next several months. Preliminary draft
of the process indicated that each local club that is
sponsoring an AHS Display Garden within the
Midwest Region may apply for a $300 grant each year.
As additional information becomes available, we will
inform you. The CIHS Board decided that a
representative of CIHS be appointed to interact with the
ICC Educational Foundation and the Horticulture
Department at ICC. That representative is currently
Barry Ankney.
By Barry Ankney, CIHS
________________________________________
owa is host to three American Hosta Society
National Display Gardens. Our recent visit to the
Midwest Regional Hosta Society (MRHS)
Convention in Dubuque, Iowa, presented an
opportunity for us to visit all three as we traveled from
Illinois and returned from the convention.
Our first garden was the Vander Veer Botanical Park in
Davenport, located at 700 West River Drive. This
garden was designated a display garden in 2003.
Located in a Park located in central Davenport, the park
is well used by local citizens, as evidenced by our
experience on arrival there. Continued on page 4
W
T
I
CIHS formally Sponsors Garden, at ICC
Touring AHS Display Gardens in Iowa
4
Many families were there with children enjoying the
duck pond and playground equipment. Our primary
interest, of course, was the Hosta Glade. Hostas are
well displayed and marked for easy
identification. Interspersed with the hosta and
companion plants were painted gnomes. These are
painted by local senior citizen groups, and were a hit
with many young children, who were trying to find as
many as they could hidden within the hosta display
beds. The Hosta glade is home to over 350 cultivars.
During the MRHS Conference, we visited the Dubuque
Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Marshall Park
(top right), located at 3800 Arboretum Drive. The
Hosta collection is extensive, with 13,000 plants,
comprising 900 cultivars. Originally designated an
AHS Display garden in 2004, the hosta display was
recently updated by the Dubuque Regional Hosta
Society. Karen Schwarz and a team of volunteers have
put in extensive efforts to upgrade and maintain the
garden. Mark Zilis, a member of DRHS, donated a
significant number of plants from his collection when
he recently reorganized his business. Also within the
display area is a bed with seedlings developed by
Mark. A significant number of plants were also
donated by Jim’s Hostas (Jim and Karen
Schwarz). The setting on a hillside with sweeping beds
of mature Hostas is a delight to view. The Arboretum
is also home to a vast collection of conifers, covering
well over an acre, and containing some unusual and
rare species.
Following the convention, as we travelled back toward
Illinois, we stopped at the Bickelhaupt Arboretum
(bottom right), located at 340 South 4th Street, Clinton,
Iowa. Originally a private estate, the extensive conifer
collection resulted in Bickelhaupt being named an
American Conifer Reference Garden in 2012. The
Hosta Glade displays 225 cultivars of Hosta, and
includes many shade companion plants. Located
across the creek bed and at the back edge of the garden,
the display is well designed, and plants are labeled for
ease in identification. The garden was designated an
AHS Display Garden in 2004.
Each garden offers a different experience, just as our
individual gardens have their own character, usually
dictated by the personality and tastes of the
gardener. While Dubuque offers the most extensive
collection, Bickelhaupt provides a pleasant setting with
beautiful mature specimens. The Vander Veer garden
provides a very pleasant setting that can be enjoyed by
young and mature alike. Perhaps the gnomes serve a
good purpose, attracting children who may become our
future members. They may come to find the gnomes,
but maybe the stunning Hosta will spark an interest in
the plants as well. All three gardens are well worth a
visit.
By Barry R. Ankney, CIHS
___________________________________________
As we transition into the fall season there's much to be
done in the garden.
Fall is for Planting
Many folks might conclude that hostas can only be
planted in the spring because they seem to "disappear"
in local nurseries and garden centers by the first of
June. Fact is, container grown hostas can be planted any
time during the growing season. What's more, by
planting now you can gain nearly a full growing season
as compared to waiting until next spring. This will be
readily apparent next spring as you will most likely
have multiple eyes or pips emerge as a result of planting
now. Remember we maintain our hosta stock year
round and still have thousands to choose from.
Continued on page 5
September Hosta Tips, from the Hosta Guy
5
Dividing Hostas
Fall is considered the "optimum" time for hosta
division as roots can continue to grow and establish
themselves until our first killing frost (which averages
October 26th in KC). Remember hostas never need to
be divided as opposed to most perennials that will
become less vigorous after 3-5 years if not divided.
With hostas it's a choice you make.
To divide hostas it is usually easiest to dig and lift the
entire clump. Then use a spade or knife to divide into
smaller sections. The key is to retain an adequate root
structure for each division. If needed, use a hose to
wash away the soil to get a closer look at where you
should be making your divisions. When replanting, use
a root starter/stimulator solution, but avoid any high
nitrogen fertilizer this late in the season.
Don't forget the value of good soil prep. Since hostas
never need to be divided, you really only get one
chance to do a good job of preparing the soil with
plenty of organic matter. Never plant that $5 hosta in a
50 cent hole. Even worse is planting a $20 hosta in that
same 50 cent hole!!!
Planting Hosta Seeds
Chances are you have at least a few hosta bloom scapes
that set seed. The seed pod will crack open in due time
indicating the seed has matured. The seed is generally
viable if is has turned black.
Hostas do not obey the normal rules of genetics. You
might think that if a variegated hosta is crossed with
another variegated hosta then the offspring would be,
for the most part, variegated. However this is not true,
or at the least it is very, very rare. Hybridizers use
"streaked" hostas as the pod parent for developing new
variegated cultivars. These streaked breeding plants are
somewhat unstable and command a relatively high
market price.
But with all that said, you can still have some fun by
germinating your own hosta seeds. Just realize that they
will likely be a solid color even if originating from a
variegated parent. Here are a few tips for starting seed
which can be a great winter time activity. The timing
on starting seed is a variable with some folks starting in
October or November while others wait until February.
Start the seeds in flats with a clear plastic dome (or
similar high humidity setup). Wash the flats and use a
sterile soilless mix to minimize any potential fungal
problems. Cover the seed lightly to a 1/8-1/4" depth.
Germination typically occurs in 12 to 15 days. Target
an air temperature of about 75 degrees F. Heating mats
can be useful when working in cooler basement
settings.
Lighting is critical when gardening indoors (although
not relevant to the actual seed germination process in
this case). Use supplemental lighting (cool-white
fluorescent tubes) to give 16-24 hours of daily lighting
following germination. Maintain the lights about 2"
above the dome, or 2" above the plants once the dome
has been removed.
Never let the seedlings dry out. Keep the soil moist but
not soggy. Grow until the tops of the plants touch the
dome. Then transplant (typically at the 2 or3 leaf stage)
and begin using a water soluble fertilizer. How much
water soluble fertilizer you use will depend on how
much you want to "push" the growth process.
Before moving seedlings to the spring garden, don't
forget to harden them off - just like a tomato plant that
was started inside.
By Rob Mortko, Made in the
Shade Gardens, AHS Vice
President
s we look around for more hostas that we don’t
really need or have room for, I thought this
might be an interesting way to choose plants.
Growing conditions in Missouri would not be that
much different from northern Illinois. Red, yellow and
brown leaves covered the beds in my garden. October
was in full swing. Time to get out, rake, and say
goodbye to my favorite plants. As I walked about I
noticed a number that were still not ready to say
goodbye to me.
‘Touch of Class’ (upper right) still retains its blue
tones, looking much as it did in May. Thick tri-colored
leaves thwarted slugs and cutworms alike. ‘Tom
Schmid’ and ‘Regal Splendor’, similar appearing
plants, remain upright with their margins intact.
Continued on page 6
A
All Season Hostas… What still looks good in the middle of October?
6
Regal is a good description for both. Bringing
brightness and joy to the top of a berm is ‘Diva’.
Being under an Oak tree canopy results in mechanical
damage, but thick golden leaves resist pests. In
contrast, ‘Twilight Time’ has leaves that become bluer
and much darker as the season progresses – striking
positioned next to ‘Diva’. One of my favorites,
‘Rainbow’s End’ was still putting on a show.
It has incredibly variegated shiny foliage. Perhaps due
to its place under a Kousa Dogwood, its center does not
brighten to white.
At the Missouri Botanical Garden, ‘Corkscrew’ and
‘Stiletto’ were still blooming. Miraculously, slugs and
worms had not attacked their leaves. Two others,
‘Mojito’ and ‘Love Pat’ appeared flawless. Each had
retained most of their spring coloring. Spence Sorenson
praised ‘Sagae’. With good reason! This large, vase-
shaped, variegated hosta with blue green leaves is # 1
on the AHS Popularity poll.
Phyllis and Jim Weidman mentioned ‘Rainforest
Sunrise’ and ‘Paradise Joyce’ as having great staying
power. Jim stated anything with ‘Halcyon’ parentage
was good. Looking at this list he is right as many can
be traced back to ‘Halcyon’. Pat Payton said many of
hers were doing well this year, especially ‘Yellow
River’, ‘Earth Angel’, ‘Unforgettable’, ‘June’ and
Mary Chastain’s beautiful ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’.
Most of these favorites have enough substance to resist
pests such as slugs and cutworms. Their edges ‘remain
strong even with some sun. While their color might
change it does not fade or melt out. What’s looking
good in your garden today?
Reprinted from St. Louis Hosta Society newsletter,
Shady Notes, Nov 2014, Joan Poos, Editor
With each passing season, I notice more
and more the difference among hostas.
Part of that skill has been acquired by
looking at more than just the leaf.
Don’t misunderstand me. The most dramatic and
significant impact of hostas comes from the leaves.
However, by emphasizing only the foliage, we may
miss the subtle beauty and some fun. As a hosta society
(AHS), we honor the leaves. If one of our hybridizers
were to create a hosta with a yellow or red flower, all
of us would likely want such a plant. But if its leaf was
not unique, it would not win an award in the seedling
class at the cut-leaf show.
Consider the flower scapes. Some are rigid and some
arch. Some have orderly ridges. Some are very tall
compared to the plant’s height. Others may be so short
as to have all or part of the blooming under the plant’s
foliage. Some plants have several flower scapes per
division. The color of the flower scape often mirrors the
color of the central part of the leaf and petiole.
Some hosta leaves have a waxy coat called “bloom”,
which is what makes blue leaves blue, and which, after
time, may melt off and create dark-green leaves. Have
you noticed that flower scapes and even seed pods also
have a “bloom”? The bloom on the scape persists long
after the bloom on the leaf is gone.
Flower scapes can also have red pigment. This may
vary from a light stippling to an intense uniform color
such as seen on H. ‘Sparkling Burgundy’. In some
cases the purple color also extends to the seed pods.
This is the case with H. ‘Purple Passion’, making it a
very striking plant when the seed pods are left on the
scape. Several of my seedlings from H. kikutii var.
caput-avis have purple flower scapes. One of them has
a very unusual modification: development of the purple
appears to be photo (light) dependent. The portion of
thesc ape below the foliage is green and that above the
foliage is purple.
Some flower scapes have leaves arising from them.
These vestigial leaves or scape foliations can be very
striking. They often mimic leaves that arise from the
crown. Herb Benedict has commented that they are
often seen in young, vigorous plants, and become
insignificant in established clumps. Splashed vestigial
leaves can be a useful guide as to which flowers are apt
to produce variegated progeny.
We regularly talk about flower color, shape, size and
fragrance. Other flower attributes may distinguish one
hosta from another. Do most of the flowers arise from
one side of the scape or are they regularly distributed
around the scape? Do spent flowers readily drop off the
scape or are they retained until they shrivel and
desiccate? Are the flowers closed?
Continued on page 7
Hostas, more than just pretty leaves; look at the flowers!
7
This can be very beautiful because the flowers are not
pollinated and seem to be retained longer before dropping
off. Orientation of the individual flowers has great
influence on the beauty of the bloom. Some flowers droop
with their open end facing down, while others face straight
out or even face up, making a more dramatic presentation.
Some hosta growers remove their flower scapes, just after
they emerge, and miss most of the interest. Many
hostaphiles remove their flower scapes as the last few
flowers are spent. This, it is felt, puts more energy into the
plant and promotes more rapid growth. It is also good to
remove the scape unless you want to grow the seeds, before
the seed pods ripen and the seeds are spread all over the
garden. It can be difficult discriminating between a
volunteer seedling and one of your prized hostas.
By cutting flower scapes early, you may miss some beauty
and interest in the seed pods. Some are a lovely dark purple,
some are striped, some are gold, some are large, and some
may have a waxy coat or “bloom”.
You don’t have to be a hybridizer to understand this
wonder and wonder-filled plant.
By Jim Wilkins, reprinted from the Mid-South Hosta
Society August 2001 newsletter
White Oak Nursery
Specializing in Hostas, Daylilies, Bearded Iris
and Siberian Iris
Please visit our website for an online catalog of
offerings.
We have 300 varieties of Hostas for 2015.
CIHS Members are welcome to come view our offerings.
Please call for an appointment and directions.
Open Garden Days June 6, 7, 13, and 14, 2015 - Noon to
4 P.M.
White Oak Nursery
Washburn, IL
(309) 369-2065
hostas@whiteoaknursery.com
www.whiteoaknursery.com
8
Central Illinois Hosta Society
P.O. Box 3098
Peoria, IL 61612-3098
First Class Postage
Check us out!
www.cihshostaclub.org
Newsletter Deadline: 20th of the preceding month Submit items for publication to: Bob Streitmatter 309.264.4813 goldaandbob@hotmail.com
CIHS Membership Form (please print)
Name(s)___________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________ City__________________
State___ Zip_________ Phone___________ E-mail________________________
How did you find us?
Friend/Word of Mouth Website Newsletter Event/Presentation
Facebook Newspaper (which one)__________________________________
Other________________________
Dues are $10/year: New Renewal Amount enclosed__________________
Make check payable to CIHS and mail check/form to: Central Illinois Hosta
Society, P.O. Box 3098, Peoria, IL 61612-3098
For information regarding dues or membership, contact Kathy Allen at
309.645.7908 or kallenwr@gmail.com
Recommended