Hosta Happenings The Newsletter of the Michigan Hosta Society. Michigan. Greetings from the West Coast of Michigan

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1 Michigan Hosta Happenings The Newsletter of the Michigan Hosta Society Website: Greetings from the West Coast of Michigan Volume 24 Number 4 The fall season with its changing temperatures, alternating between warm to freezing,and the ensuing color changes that accompany them, have made the colors spectacular this year. We have noticed thatthe increase in precipitation in the summer and fall, andrelatively cool temperatures coupled with an early killing frost have led to a beautiful golden color being demonstrated throughout the hosta gardens in our area. It seems somewhat unusual that almost all the hostas are turning at once, but the colors are nevertheless fantastic. Looking back at the latest growing season, many high points stand out. Hosta College continues to be a perennial favorite. Our usual Spring and Fall cleanups at Hidden Lake Gardens help to keep the condition of this fine garden in outstanding shape. Oh, did I mention the fantastic AHS Convention that the Michiganders hosted. Thanks to everyone that helped make this event a resounding success. Next year, 2010, we will be returning back to our normal schedule of events. Please review the list below and mark your calendars now! March 19 and 20 Hosta College in Piqua OH May 23 Spring cleanup at Hidden Lake Gardens followed by a brief board meeting June 19 MHS Garden walks in the Marshall area June AHS Convention in Minneapolis July 10 MHS Cut leaf and plant sale at MSU August 22 MHS Fall workday and auction at Hidden Lake Gardens Thank you all again for your help this year. See you at many of the coming events next year, starting at Hosta College!!! Bob Sinke

2 Local Society News Next newsletter deadline: January 18, 2010 The Eastern Michigan Hosta Society meets in the Lapeer area. Dec. 3 - Annual Christmas Party Contact Glen Pace for details ( , pacegardens@charter.net) Feb. 18, Season opener with Jan Everson and highlights of the 2009 National Convention. EMHS is planning an overnight bus trip to mid-ohio, to include visits to Wade & Gatton Nursery (Bellville), Cahoon s Nursery (Cleveland), and possibly two private gardens that were on the AHS Convention tour in recent years. Contact Mark Hanner for details (mhanner@aol.com). For society information call Glen.Pace (810) The Metro Detroit Hosta Society meetings are usually held the fourth Monday of the month at 7:00 PM at the Birmingham First United Methodist Church. Nov A program on the 2009 AHS Convention will be presented by Jan Everson. Jan Preparing the Garden for Spring, guest speaker from English Gardens Feb The guest speaker will be from Wild Birds. For information call Jan Everson (248) The Saginaw Valley Hosta Society meetings are held at the Rustic Inn, St. Charles, at 7:00 PM unless otherwise noted. November 11 - Banquet meeting/election of Officers Ann Hancock from MSU will be the after dinner speaker. For information call Elaine Rappley (989) The Southwestern Michigan Hosta Society meets in the Kalamazoo area. For meeting questions and meeting locations contact: Jim Munson (269) The West Michigan Hosta Society meets in the Grand Rapids area. West Michigan Hosta Society 2010 coming events: Feb. 18 -Spring membership meeting 7:00 PM -2- March 19&20 - Hosta College April 10 - Workshop 9-12 am May 20 - Potluck and auction 6-9PM May 26 or 27 - Spring planting at Meijer Gardens June AHS Convention July 17 - Bus trip to Twin Lakes and the Muskegon area Aug 19 - Fall membership meeting 7PM Dates, times and locations are subject to change. For more information contact Bob Sinke at (616) The Hybridizers Group Information for the last meeting of the year is below. Please note meeting location. Nov. 1, 2009 Fall Meeting and Seed Exchange Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor 10:00 am - 2:00 PM Bring your lunch. Program: Tetraploid Hosta by Steve Zolock Seed Exchange. For membership information contact Doug Beilstein, (419) or dbeilsteindds@neo.rr.com. Editors s Note: Correction to Hosta Show Winners In Division II - Container Grown Hostas: the winner should have been listed as Bob Harvey for his entry of Great Expectations, Many of our members now receive their newsletter by . The newsletter comes with full color pictures and in some issues, they receive an appendium of full color pictures of MHS activities. We d love to send these extra color pictures to everyone but the cost of postage and reproduction is prohibitive. If you check your at least weekly you might want to take advantage of newsletters. If you don t like reading your newsletter from a computer screen, you can print it on your home printer and then also save the pdf file on your computer for future reference. The version of this newsletter has three pages of pictures from the August workday.

3 A big Thank you to all of the many members and friends who came to the Hillside for our annual meeting and workday. The day was a huge success with over 70 attending. After a morning of working on the Hillside everyone enjoyed Sarah s hot dog lunch. Following a brief business meeting there was a lively plant auction. A special Thanks to all the extra special folk who made plant donations to the Hillside and the auction. Photo by Sonja Colcun Notes from the 2009 Michigan Hosta Society Annual Meeting The meeting was called to order at 12:45 PM by President Bob Sinke. Minutes: Sarah DaPra had the minutes from last years meeting, but the membership voted to dispense with the reading of the minutes and the minutes were accepted as published in last year s fall newsletter. Treasurer Report: Bob Beraducci reported that revenues were $4,237.81, and expenses of $3, for an increase in the checking account balance of $ The full report will be in the next newsletter The report was accepted. (see page 11) Membership: No report was given. Endowment Fund: Steve Courtney reported that the MSU Hosta Hillside Endowment Fund has a balance of $104,000 as of June 30, Only the interest is available for his use and that is calculated by using the MSU formula for determining the interest. Steve also wanted to let the members know that they can leave money to The Endowment Fund in their will and get credit for part of that gift now. You can contact either Steve or Karen Wink for more information. Convention Report: Patty Creal stated that all the bills were not in for the convention, but she was confident that we had not lost money on the convention and that the convention would be able to pay MHS back the $13,000 seed money that the committee had been given to make the convention possible. She thanked all of those who had worked on the convention and made it such a wonderful success. A special thanks to Steve Courtney for the donation of a pallet of bottled water for use on the buses and in the tour gardens. Bob Sinke called for a round of applause to thank Patty for all her hard work and a great job well done. The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 PM.

4 Each year at the American Hosta Society Convention awards are given out by AHS for the best single issue of a member newsletter and for the best article appearing in a member society newsletter. Winner of the 2008 Best Newsletter Article of the Year for the year 2008 was an article submitted by Eva Jones about getting leaves ready for a Hosta Show competition. Reprinted with permission from the Newsletter of the Delaware Valley Hosta Society. It s Show Time! Eva Jones It is time to get serious about those extra special hostas that you have been watching. Maybe you would like a little advice about how to get started. Here are a few suggestions. Simply put, these are the things that the judges are looking for in order to score your entries. The leaf color and pattern compared to the perfect specimen of that hosta in the judges minds are the most valuable, worth 25 points out of the 100-point total. The remainder of the points are then awarded based on the leaf matching the registered form, size, texture, and substance of the leaf, and the condition and grooming of the leaf (that s your job). possible. Cut the petiole as long as possible. Treat your leaves like cut flowers and stand them immediately in water so that they can absorb it. You may want to dunk them in cool water for a few minutes to pre-clean them. Keep them in water until the show. A good way to travel with them is in a cooler. Specimen cleanliness is the first attribute that a judge notices. Take care to properly clean leaves of all exhibits prior to entering them in the show. An entry should have no dirt or other debris, insects, or spider webs anywhere on the leaf surface or on the petiole. In selecting your leaves, look for the most mature leaves on the specimen with the truest color and even pattern and of course without any obvious flaws. Remember that you should try to choose the best typical leaf, not the one that might be the most interesting. This is especially true with variegated leaves. In most cases, that means look for the most even pattern (symmetrical) you can find. Also, think about the hostas that might be a little more unusual to help your chances to be the best in that class. It s a fine line: if the judges have never seen the hosta, they might have a hard time seeing how outstanding your leaf is, but then you can trust that the judges have seen a lot of hostas. Recognize also that there are quite a few well-known hostas that aren t registered; these all get lumped into one class, making that a difficult division to win. You may want to look up the registered information on the American Hosta Society s website, scroll down for show classification list. You ll need this class information when you register your leaves, and it s much easier to match them up in advance rather than at the show. If you re not sure, there will be a registry book available, and show assistants to help you. As well, you are invited to bring in brand new (unnamed) hostas, either sports or seedlings. This can be one of the most exciting parts of a Hosta Show. Now that you ve chosen the perfect leaf, wait until at least the night before to cut it. Handle it as little as -4- Pay particular attention to the point where the leaf meets the petiole where trash often becomes lodged. Carefully wash the leaf in cool water but do not scrub. A very mild dish detergent may be used to help dislodge dirt from the leaf surfaces. Often on smooth surfaced leaves, you only have to gently swish the leaf in the water and the dirt falls off. On leaves with quilted surfaces, you may use a moistened cotton swab (Q-Tip), small soft paint brush, or a cotton ball to remove dirt from the valleys and creases. Be very careful not to damage the leaf surface in any way. Be sure to rinse leaves if detergents are used to clean them. Blue leaves are especially hard to clean and prepare for show because the delicate glaucous coating on the leaves is easily damaged. Be very careful when Continued page 5

5 Continued from page 4 cleaning those blue leaves. On blue leaves with very rough surfaces, it is almost impossible to remove all the dirt without causing damage. The judges would prefer a little dirt than damaged surfaces in this case. Don t forget the other divisions. You may enter troughs as long as hostas are the predominant plant, as well as container-grown hostas that are grown alone and centered in the pot. At the show there will be members to help guide you through the entry and final grooming with cotton swabs and balls in hand for last-minute cleaning. Allow yourself several minutes per entry (at least 10 if you re new at this). It is up to you to fill out the entry cards, with the proper judging section, division and leaf classification. Tip: please bring return address labels, two per entry, if you have them. This saves you the trouble of writing it (twice!) on every entry card. It is very important to stick to the schedule. Please do not come late! Fall Slug Control by Mary Bardens The most frequently asked question we get is What do you do about slugs, so this article bears repeating. Did you know that fall is still egg-laying time for slugs? We tend to forget about them as the hosta leaves change color and head into dormancy. The slugs will be active until the soil temperatures reach freezing when they will go into hibernation until the spring thaw. So, until that happens, they will lay eggs. Mating will occur from August until mid-october with eggs laid about days after that. Look for 1/8 to ¼ inch sized gelatinous clusters of about spheres. Older slugs will lay larger quantities. The eggs may be hard to see as they can reflect their surroundings. When the eggs are near hatching, the spheres may become cloudy. Slugs love those piles of leaves, damp from heavy dew and fall rains. Look for them under anything that will keep them cool and moist. Other favorite places will be flower pots, boards, cooled compost piles, at the edge of large rocks or under mulch. So the big question is-what to do? AHS Membership Information Have you visited the new American Hosta Society Web Site? Go to Here you will find information about the AHS as well as links to other hosta societies, information about buying hostas, hosta show updates and much, much more. Check it out!! Membership is $30.00 per year for an individual and $34.00 for a family. Send your membership information to: Sandie Markland, AHS Membership Secretary PO Box 7539, Kill Devil Hills, NC or join on-line at: Eliminate their favorite spots. Clean up the old hosta leaves and other debris. Turn the compost pile to make it too hot to be attractive for them. Check under those flower pots before you store them. 2. Set a slug trap. They are attracted to any fermenting food: beer or a mixture of sugar, yeast and water. Sink a tuna can to 1 of ground level so they will crawl in and drown. If you put it flush to the ground you run the risk of drowning ground beetles which are a slug predator. Colorado State U Entomology Professor Whitney determined that their favorite types of beer were Kingsbury Malt, Michelob & Budweiser. Check Continued page 6

6 Slugs continued often to empty. Replace beer weekly. Commercial slug baiting stations are available. If you leave a flat board on the damp ground, you can scrape them off in the morning. 3. Go on a slug hunt. Late at night or very early morning, grab a flash light and bucket of soapy water to drop them into after hand picking. Slugs are nocturnal and love to hit the all night hosta diner. Watch for the little ones. Like teenagers, they are voracious eaters. You can even use a handled vacuum to suck up the little pests, but you may want to warn the next person to use it. 4. Encourage a predator to hang out in your garden. Toads, turtles, owls, Mourning Doves, and Robins love slugs. And then there are some predators that we may not be too thrilled coming upon in the hosta bed that also feast on slugs: black ground beetles, opossums, shrews, wild turkeys, chipmunks, skunks, moles and Northern Ringneck snakes. 5. Iron Phosphate. Slug bait pellets made from this can stop slugs without poisoning birds, small pets, humans or earthworms. Though they are not sure exactly why, iron phosphate inhibits the slugs from feeding. And, it is actually good for the soil. This is sold under the names of Sluggo, Escar-go, and Safer s Slug & Snail Bait. 6. Metaldehyde. This is a mollusccide which means it is a poison that kills slugs and can be purchased in a form to spray on the hostas. It is very effective for killing slugs, but also earthworms and other things with which it comes in contact. Great care in handling, application and storage must be observed. 7. Ammonia Solution. A solution of household ammonia (1 part ammonia to 5 parts water) in a spray bottle with the nozzle set on a direct stream and sprayed directly on the slug will kill it in a few seconds. This solution will not harm the plants. 8. Barriers. Copper tape placed around the hostas repels slugs because as they slime across it, it causes a toxic reaction like an electrical shock. But if they find a leaf lying over the barrier, they get in. A product called Slug de-fence is composed of a low density polyethylene plastic and vacuum grade table salt. It repeals the slugs unless they try to get over it, and then the salt gets Is your membership about to expire? Check your message. If your membership expires on , the message will say that it is expiring. Renew today. Don t miss the 2010 Garden Tours in the Battle Creek area. The renewal form is on page 11. them. Although, I m imagining it may also look like you tried to wrap your plants with little trash bag fences. 9. Abrasive Materials. Eggshells, coffee grounds, sand, cedar shaving, hair or ash may be placed around plants which scratches the slugs bodies causing them to dehydrate. Diatomaceous earth can also be used, but it is a very fine powder and you must wear a mask to keep from inhaling it. But, these products must all be kept dry to work, so they must be reapplied after a rain,. 10. Biologic Control. In Europe you may purchase the parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita which is naturally occurring in their soil. This is a microscopic worm that enters the slug s body through natural openings and releases bacteria that multiplies and kills the slug in 4-16 days. It does not bother earthworms. It also has the ability to recycle and become part of the ecosystem in the absence of a host which would make it good for long term management. It is marketed under the name Nemaslug. But, don t try to add it to your Thompson & Morgan order just yet, it s still illegal here. Agricultural scientists collaborating from Ohio State U. and Purdue U. are doing parasitic nematode research to help protect crops in no-till fields which are most susceptible to slug damage. They are also evaluating the American parasitic nematode cousin, but so far none is as effective as the European relative. They are compiling data showing the safety of importing nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita into our soil. -6-

7 Editors note: Even though we are all busy trying to get our gardens ready for the big winter sleep, it will not be long before the 2010 hosta catalogues will be arriving in the post and we ll snuggle down in a warm corner to contemplated next year s garden. The following article may be of help to you as you do your armchair shopping. Likes, Dislikes and Other Observations by Ray Rodgers When I look at hosta price lists, whether hardcopy or via the Internet, I am most appreciative of the lists that provide a great deal of detail. The more detail one has, the more apt they are to make a purchase decision that will bring joy to them and to those visiting their gardens. The more that is known about hostas and those that introduce them, the more useful the detail becomes. Most sellers (vendors) specializing only in hostas would consider it price prohibitive to include as much detail as I would like on their hard-copy price list. Fortunately, a number of vendors produce paper and electronic price lists. Website lists typically provide more detail and pictures. Some hard-copy lists are enhanced by a few pictures, but on electronic lists, pictures are a must for me. Keep in mind vendors typically use the most flattering picture they have access to. Also be aware that it is very difficult to depict colors exactly, especially shades of blue. For additional photos, I highly recommend checking out the Hosta Library, There are a few larger-scale growers, offering a wide variety of plant material, who do promote their offering in high quality catalogs, two of the ones most familiar to me are Klehm s Song Sparrow Farm & Nursery and Plant Delights Nursery. In my opinion, lists that only include the following are providing the bare minimum and should be avoided, unless the potential buyer is familiar with the vendor and with the plants of interest: Hosta Name, Size (Mini, S, M, L, Giant), Description, Price Additional details often included include: Registered By, Year Registered, Parentage, Plant Dimensions, Leaf Dimensions, Flower Color, Scape Color, Introduced by if not Registered (NR), Ploidy if other than Diploid. I know of one list that even provides the number of pairs of veins in typical cultivars leaves. It is very important to most buyers to know whether single or multi-eyed divisions will be provided. On occasion, when double-eyed divisions are promised, one may be the recipient of two single division plants.this happens more commonly with newer introductions. When offering a hosta with splashed variegation, description should include whether the plant sets viable seed. Splashed is the correct term according the American Hosta Society (AHS), yet most people still refer to this form of variegation as streaked. Such plants are often referred to as breeder plants. With just a few exceptions, splashed hostas are unstable, meaning given enough time without division, they will stabilize into an edge- or center-variegated or solidcolored plant. It is not unusual for splashed hostas to display all forms in a single clump. Most vendors do a pretty good job of documenting which plants are viridescent, albescent or lutescent, although they seldom use these words - as follows: - Viridescent - possessing leaves which begin the season lighter colored and become more green as the season advances. - Albescent - possessing leaves which begin yellow or more pigmented and become whiter as the season progresses; i.g. H. Gold Standard. - Lutescent - possessing leaves which begin the season darker and become lighter or more yellow as the season progresses; not the same as bleaching due to poor nutrition or too much sun. Hostas for which Plant Patents have been granted, or Plant Patents have been applied for (PPAF) are also typically documented. For some people, knowing whether the plant being -7- Continued page 8

8 offered is Originator s Stock (OS) or propagated from Tissue Culture (TC) is of importance. Typically, vendors feel they can price OS plants at a premium. It is often difficult to get some of the more unusual plants to come true to form via TC. In such cases, it is advantageous for vendors to document this fact to help justify the asking price. There are a variety of other terms occasionally used in lists. If unfamiliar with any, definitions may be found in the Dictionary of Hosta Terms, available on the AHS website, HostaDistionary.html or other publications found therein. I would guess many people would be interested in lists that include AHS awards won by particular plants or leaves of particular plants. Especially for those newer to hostas, the latest AHS Popularity Poll results should be of interest, as well as the American Hosta Growers Association s (AHGA) Hosta of the Year designations, see Most price lists include a guarantee that the plants provide are true to name and will be properly labeled upon receipt. Encouraged by the AHGA, an increasing number of member retailers are also guaranteeing their plants to be pest and disease free. To me, such guarantees should be sought out and should provide an added level of confidence, especially when considering from a nursery one is less familiar with. Many price lists include a variety of comments, like a great specimen, a real show stopper, sure to be a classic, etc. Made in good faith, comments like these may grab readers attention and help sell plants, but what is more important to me is what I consider value-added comments, like the following examples: Plants offered are 2nd year tissue culture. - H. Blue Flame may be the same as 'Secret Love' - H. 'First Love' will be an early riser and can use protection from spring frosts. - H. 'Dream Queen' is similar to 'Dream Weaver' and ' Thunderbolt. - H. Guacamole' does best if planted in a sunnier location. - H. 'Summer Music' is a slow grower and needs bright morning sun to grow well. H. 'First Love' - H. 'Todukama Aureonebulosa' and 'High Society' are slow growing but worth the wait. - H. 'Tortifrons' dark green leaves have a corkscrew effect, twisting as the thin blades reach upward. Must be grown in lots of sun to accomplish this. - H. Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is quite distinctive early on but as it changes, it begins to look very similar to 'Hanky Panky'. Of the price lists I have viewed, Naylor Creek Nursery provides the most value-added information, see Some vendors continue to offer plants that have a well-documented history of having rather serious cosmetic flaws (spring desiccation burn, melting out, etc.), and/or plants that are considered by many as difficult to grow. I'm sure vendors have their reasons for offering such plants, but what really irks me is when only the positives are promised, and no reference is made about potential negatives. When such sales are gained from less knowledgeable buyers, the potential for repeat business may unknowingly be lost. In my opinion, providing only good to great garden plants should build the vendors reputation and likely result in increased sales. Although vendors don't typically state the flaws of the plants they are offering, other vendors occasionally point out flaws of particular plants if they are offering a plant they consider better. Example: H. 'Olive Bailey Langdon' resembles 'Frances Williams' without all of the unsightly blemishes on the golden part of the foliage. Another negative I occasionally see, which I believe is merely the result of not updating descriptions, is the -8-

9 reference to new used in descriptions of hostas that have been in the trade for a number of years. Albeit unintentional, this could be misleading. The use I am referring to is not the same as when vendors denote plants that are being offered by them for the first time or offered again after an absence of one or more years. Be cautious when you see statements like improved version of... in the description of newer hostas. If a sport has a wider edge than the parent, brighter coloration, or if the original plant is a diploid and the sport is a tetraploid, I think most hosta enthusiasts would consider these as improved versions, but not all sports are improvements over the parent. There are thousands of hosta varieties available in the trade today and more entering each year. Based on parentage and coloration, well-informed hosta vendors will have a pretty good idea if newer varieties should or will likely not develop into quality garden worthy plants. Hopefully, such vendors will add only the best of the new introductions to their offering. Just as I would expect all vendors to continually add new varieties to their product offering, I believe they should also be responsible enough to drop off under performers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ you bought in the summer, applying winter fertilizer will get the lawn off to a good start in the spring. - Speaking of planting, a 4 layer of mulch around (not over) the crown will help new transplants from heaving over the winter. - Didn t get everything into the ground? Potted plants can be wintered over. Once they have frozen, tip them so water cannot stand over the roots and put them in a protected place. If you have an unheated garage or out building, they can be stored there. Smaller pots stored in the garage may dry out so a few ice cubes put on the surface of the pot in January and March will help them through the winter. - Gather hosta seeds that might have interesting characteristics, dispose of the rest. - Either cut back or rake up the hosta leave. Do not leave them on the beds as they provide good hiding places for slugs and slug eggs. - Trim back and compost dormant perennials, only leaving those that add winter interest to your garden. - Protect your rhododendrons with Wilt Proof or other desiccation protection. Fall Reminders A gentle reminder of some fall things to do. - Check and replace any missing labels. Hand written plastic labels often fade away and are susceptible to being blown away. Some gardeners bury labels to ensure plant identity will not be lost. Garden maps and pictures are useful if labels are missing. - Plant your summer purchases. - If you have any grass left after planting all the plants - Protect young trees from hungry winter mice by wrapping the trunk. Remember to keep the mulch away from the bark. -Stop watering unless you have had a VERY dry fall, Hostas winter best without an excess of ground moisture. - Remember ceramic and pottery containers may craze or break if left outside or unprotected. - It s not too late to put in a few more spring bulbs. - Clean all your garden tools. A light coating of oil will help keep them in good shape until they are needed in the spring. The philosopher who said that work well done never needs doing over, never weeded a garden. Ray D. Everson ( no relation to this editor) -9-

10 Winter Scientific Meeting of the Midwest Regional Hosta Society Sponsored by the Midwest Regional Hosta Society The Midwest Regional Hosta Society is once again sponsoring the Winter Scientific Meeting. This popular winter event will be held Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Marriott Hotel, 50 North Martingale Rd., Schaumburg, IL ( ). The hotel has given us a $79.00 room rate. Please make your own reservations, and mention the "Winter Scientific Meeting" to guarantee the rate. We have an outstanding program of speakers with interesting and timely topics: Bob Solberg - Evolution of the Mini Hosta Mark Zilis - Hostas of Distinction Dave Wanninger - The Best Hosta Companion Plants & Shrubs Roy Klehm - When Hostas Needed Help - A Historical Perspective Again this year, the program will include a series of three concurrent breakout sessions. The topics covered in these sessions will be: Session A: What You Need to Know about Nematodes and Hosta Virus X (by Mark Zilis) Session B: Botanical Classification and Nomenclature - Part II (by Glenn Herold) Session C: Hybridizer's Perspective (by Don Dean) These breakout sessions will be presented twice, so attendees will be able to attend two out of the three sessions. Again this year, there will be a hosta seed silent auction, proceeds of which will be used to underwrite a portion of the cost of the meeting. The cost of this winter extravaganza is only $50 per person for MRHS members and $60 for non-members, and includes a continental breakfast and a deli buffet lunch. At their option, non-members can apply the $10 difference in the registration fee to a one-year membership in the MRHS. Registrations postmarked after January 11 require a $10 late registration fee per person. Registration at the hotel will begin on Friday, January 22, from 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM, and Saturday, January 23 from 7:00 am - 8:00 am. The program will run from 8:00 am - 5:00 PM on Saturday. Dinner Friday and Saturday nights will be on your own at one of the many fine area restaurants. The Hospitality Suite will be open from 7:00 PM -10:00 PM, both Friday and Saturday nights, for all that good hosta fellowship. Questions? Contact Lou Horton ( ) or lehorton85@ameritech.net Please make checks payable to MRHS, and mail before January 11, 2010, with the registration form to: Kristine James, 523 E. Calhoun Street, Woodstock Ill Registration questions?: dankrisj@mc.net or (815) Registrations postmarked after January 11 require a $10 late registration fee per person. Make a copy of this registration form for your records. If you would like confirmation of your registration, list a valid address or enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. No refunds after Jan. 11th. Please PRINT. ATTENDEE 1: Name: Member of MRHS Non-member Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: ATTENDEE 2: Name: Member of MRHS Non-member Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Number of Members x $50 = Total enclosed: Number of Non-Members x $60 = Number of Late Registrations x $10 = Note that MRHS memberships are family memberships, so individuals in the member s household are also MRHS members.

11 MICHIGAN HOSTA SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT AUGUST 24, 2008 TO AUGUST 23, 2009 REVENUES EXPENSES Memberships 1, Interest MSU Plant Sale II Work Day: , plant sale auction 1, food Total revenues 4, Hillside maintainece Workday Workday Newsletter includes web page* 1, Insurance GLRHS Dues is MSU Garden Day program ad Board expenses Total expenses 3, Balance increase in checking account *Web page expense FUND BALANCES Scholarship 1, Hillside 2, Benedict Tribute *fee for registering the web site name 2010 Membership/renewal application Last Name: First: Initial: Name preferred to be called: Last Name of second member: First Name of second member: Name preferred to be called: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Please check here if you would like to receive your newsletter by . All the pictures are in color and there are often bonus pictures not included in the mailed version. You may receive your newsletter by mail or by but not by both. New membership: Does your mailing label say 2009? If it does it is time to renew. Renewal: Check if you wish to receive a directory: Dues are $15 for two years. Total remitted: Make checks payable to: The Michigan Hosta Society Mail to: Michigan Hosta Society 2509 Wembly Lane Troy, MI 48084

12 FIRST CLASS MAIL Michigan Hosta Society 2509 Wembly Lane Troy, MI MHS Officers President: Robert Sinke, Kentwood, MI Vice President: Jim Munson, Kalamazoo, MI Treasurer: Bob Berarducci, Ann Arbor, MI Secretary: Sarah DaPra, Spring Arbor, MI Membership: Mary Singer, Livonia, MI Past President: Mark Hanner, Otisville, MI At Large: Patty Creal, Saline, MI Clarence Falstad III, Holland, MI Michael Greanya, Jackson, MI Carolyn Pickard, Millington, MI Lisa Quiggle, Pinckney, MI Elaine Rappley, Saginaw, MI Hosta Hillside: Clarence Owens, Jackson, MI Newsletter: Jan Everson, Troy, MI Michigan Hosta Society Calendar for 2009 Nov. 1 Fall Hybridizers Meeting Dec. 31 Renew Memberships 2010 Jan. 16 Winter Scientific Meeting Chicago March 20 Hosta College Piqua, Ohio May 23 Workday at Hidden Lake Gardens June 19 Michigan Garden Walk Marshall area June National Convention Milwaukee July 10 Hosta Show and Sale at MSU Lansing, MI Aug. 29 Workday at Hidden Lake Gardens (tentative date) Is your membership expiring? Check the message that came with this newsletter. It will tell you if it s time to renew. Renewal form is on page 11.