Tri-State Tribune. President s Message. Kathie Sisson. The Newsletter of the Tri-State Hosta Society of NY, NJ, & CT. Members-Only Plant Sale

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1 Tri-State Hosta Society Tri-State Tribune The Newsletter of the Tri-State Hosta Society of NY, NJ, & CT Volume 2011, Issue 2 Inside this issue: Artistic Design at the AHS Convention Mildred Seaver 4 June Garden Tour - George Maeder July Garden Tours 1& 2 Ludwig and Schulz July Garden Tour Peszynski and Avery Annual Picnic - Russell s Wholesale Nursery Hypertufa Trough Workshop Got a Deer Problem? At Last There is a Solution. Members-Only Plant Sale Spring has Sprung The remaining piles of snow have finally melted in my yard and the chill in the air has yielded to more enjoyable temperatures, so this can only mean one thing. time to pull out the rake, wheelbarrow, knee pads and garden shoes!!!! Never have I been so glad to get to work in the garden as I am this year. It was such a snowy winter here in CT (the second snowiest on record) that I wondered if I would ever see dirt again. Now that the snow is finally gone it is time to prepare for the hosta world to come visit. Yes, I am thrilled that the 2011 AHS Convention will be making a stop here in my garden, as well as the gardens of fellow Tri-State members Carol Brashear & Bill Meyer, John O Brien, Bernie & Susan Apter, and Diane & Bob Adams. This is a very exciting year, as it is the first time ever that an AHS National Convention is coming to the New England area. If you have never been to a national convention you may want to give it a try. There is a full Hosta Show, First Look 11, a clambake, lots of vendors, classes, garden tours, hosta-tality (my favorite), and of course, plenty of fellow President s Message gardeners to get to know. For more details on the Convention, visit the 2011 AHS Convention w e b s i t e a t More information on First Look 11 can be found by clicking on the First Look link at This is also shaping up to be a fantastic year for the Tri-State Hosta Society summer activities. We have scheduled four garden events in five great gardens this summer beginning in June in the nursery of George Maeder on Long Island. In July, we are planning to visit the gardens of Suzy Ludwig and Janet Schulz in NJ and that of Lynn Avery and Paul Peszynski in CT. Details and directions are included in this newsletter. In August, we will be holding a joint member picnic with the Delaware Valley Hosta Society at Russell s Wholesale Nursery in PA. It seems that many of our members have greatly enjoyed our recent joint picnics and Russell s is a great place to pick up a few plants as well. We are looking for future tour gardens in each of our member states. Please keep in mind that we can only offer summer tours if our members are Summer 2011 willing to open their gardens. Currently we do not have any gardens scheduled for Now I know you all have gardens, and I am guessing you all have a few hostas, so please consider contacting the state director for your state to discuss putting your garden on tour. We love gardens of all sizes, shapes and styles, and there is nothing more gratifying than sharing your slice of paradise with others. Finally, with the summer events brings the chance for some unpredictable weather. We have never had to cancel an event due to weather concerns yet (knocking on wood), but there is always the chance we may face the possibility someday. Please be aware that our website administrator, Amy Cichocki, will put any notices, updates, or corrected directions, on the main page of our website. So, when in doubt, j u s t g o v i s i t Wishing you all a great gardening season and hope to see you at the AHS convention in June or at any upcoming TSHS event. Kathie Sisson

2 PAGE 2 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 Tri-State Officers President Kathie Sisson kcsisson@aol.com katailsgarden@gmail.com Past President Roberta Chopko daveroc2@aol.com Vice President Joan Naugle naugs@msn.com Treasurer Ernie Jeffery Piermont Avenue Hillsdale, NJ erniethehostafarian@yahoo.com Membership Matt Sanford Stoneleigh Road Watertown, CT msan78@hotmail.com State Directors New York George Rasmussen joanras@optonline.net Dhanu Sannesy usannesy@hvc.rr.com New Jersey Dave Chopko daveroc2@aol.com Connecticut Jack English & Bob Lavigne napoleon4@optonline.net Auction Director Dave Chopko daveroc2@aol.com Recording Secretary Madhuri Mukherjee mukherjeem@wpunj.edu Sunshine Secretary Emilie Cullerton oxfordwalt@aol.com Newsletter Editors Roberta Chopko daveroc2@aol.com Amy Cichocki amycichocki@msn.com Tri-State Webmaster Amy Cichocki Join The American Hosta Society $30 INDIVIDUAL DUES FOR 1 YEAR $34 FAMILY DUES FOR 1 YEAR Membership includes 3 issues of THE HOSTA JOURNAL and a spring Members Newsletter Join online at: Or send a check payable to: The American Hosta Society c/o Sandie Markland AHS Membership Secretary P.O. Box 7539 Kill Devil Hills, NC contact: AHSMembershipSecretary@charter.net Hosta Finders There are still three copies of the 2011 edition of the HOSTA FINDER available at $16.00 (plus postage if mailed). Please contact Roberta Chopko if you would like a copy. Some Special Summer Events Just Disclosed to us by two of our Commercial Members If you feel like taking a ride to the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia, Bridgewood Gardens is opening their nursery to the public on the weekends of June and July For details, see their website: Bridgewoodgardens.com. Closer to home, O Brien Nurserymen in Granby, CT has weekend events scheduled throughout the summer. For details contact John O Brien at or go to his website:

3 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3 Artistic Design At The AHS Convention If you are attending the 2011 American Hosta Convention in Marlborough, Massachusetts this June, please put your artistic talents to work and enter something special in the Artistic Design Division (VI) of the Hosta Show. The theme for this year s Show is BOSTON BEGINNINGS and Bob Lavigne, Co-Chair of this event, has provided the following details for Class Entries: Class I Pahk the Cah in the Harhvad Yahd The highly verdant, 22 acre Harvard Yard, circa 1720, is surrounded by its historic buildings. Create a design featuring green hosta leaves. Accessories are permitted. Design not to exceed 44 tall x 28 wide. A neutral background will be provided. Class II One if by Land, Two if by Sea In 1775, Paul Revere witnessed the flash of two lamps in the Old North Church tower before his midnight ride. Create a design featuring blue hosta leaves. Accessories are permitted. Design not to exceed 44 tall x 28 wide. A neutral background will be provided. Class III Isabella s Nasturtiums Every spring, vibrant nasturtium vines cascade from the balconies of the Venetian courtyard at the Isabella Gardner Museum. Create a design featuring yellow hosta leaves. Accessories are permitted. Design not to exceed 44 tall x 28 wide. A neutral background will be provided. Class IV We re Already Taxed Enough Colonists protesting the British Tea Tax, disguised as Native Americans, boarded ships December 16, 1773 and threw the tea into the Charlestown Harbor. Create a design, no larger than 8 x 8 featuring dwarf hosta leaves, in a tea cup. Accessories are permitted. A neutral background will be provided. Elevate your entry 12 from the table for better viewing. Class V Stars and Stripes Forever Opening night at the Boston Pops, a Boston musical tradition, celebrated its 125 th anniversary with champagne corks popping, and a riot of colorful balloons and confetti. Create a design featuring fancy hosta leaves; streaked, splashed, edged and/or variegated. Accessories are permitted. Design not to exceed 44 tall x 28 wide. A neutral background will be provided. Pre-registration is required for exhibition in this division and there is a limit to the number of arrangements that may be entered in each class. To pre-register, contact Catherine Healy, lafleure55@yahoo.com or If you have any questions prior to registering you may contact Bob Lavigne, Design Co-Chair at Napoleon4@optonline.net or

4 PAGE 4 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 Mildred Seaver by Larry Tucker [Reprinted from the April, 2011 edition of the Mid-south Hosta Society Newsletter.] Mildred Seaver at First Look 10 Few people are recognized as royalty. Even fewer are truly deserving of accolades. However, one such person, who won the respect of gardeners coast-tocoast, was worthy of the title Queen of Hostas. Shari and I were privileged to have known Mildred Seaver, who died this past month at the age of 98. She was a treasure and, quite frankly, a pip! If you had ever met Mildred, you would have relished her quick wit and shared knowledge. Several years ago, Charlie Seaver spoke to the Mid-South Hosta Society about his mother s love of life and passion for plants and people. The program was an enlightening look into what made Mildred a legend in the hosta world. She was the only living person to have been featured on the cover of The Hosta Journal. Though her pest control solutions were simple (she spread lettuce leaves around her garden every night to collect slugs), her hybridizing success was exceptional (she created 90-some hostas, many with her Sea signature). Mildred, who gardened in Needham, Mass., was a recipient of the American Hosta Society s most prestigious honor, the Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Award. She also was the first to receive the Eunice Fisher Distinguished Hybridizer Merit Award. As hosta neophytes in the mid-1990s, Shari and I attended our first AHS convention and were welcomed over lunch by Mildred Seaver and Bruce Banyai, whose mother was a founder of the national organization. After subsequent visits with Herb Benedict and Warren Pollock, we understood why hosta is the Friendship Plant. You join societies for the plants, but you stay for the people. Mildred Seaver at 2006 AHS Convention In Mildred s obituary, Charlie captured her spirit perfectly: She was a lover of nature, plants, flowers, cats, butterflies and moths, color, art and people. Mildred was creative, unorthodox, irreverent, artistic, outspoken, incorrigible, flamboyant, funny and eager to help people whether they wanted help or not. She was famous, he said, for sitting with new AHS members and sharing stories, pictures, gardening tips and other show-and-tell, and for interjecting humorous banter into the lecture, auction or conversation at hand, even if unsolicited. Hosta colleagues tell how Mildred would place wake up calls in the middle of the night to set them straight on one thing or another. Even at odd hours, her friendly advice was appreciated. How could you not answer a call from the Queen? Muriel Seaver Brown, Charlie Seaver and Mildred Seaver at First Look 9 Charlie, whose wife Carolyn is native to Memphis, said Mildred attributed her longevity to gardening, blueberries and her many friends. May we all be so lucky.

5 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 PAGE 5 june garden tour The nursery of George Maeder 225 Old Town Road, East Setauket, Long Island, NY Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. DIRECTIONS Phone: or From the West via Long Island Expressway LIE): Take the Long Island Expressway West to Exit 62 (Nichols Road). Exit North towards Stony Brook. Take Nichols Road (97) to the end. Turn Right onto Route 25A to 5 th light (1 mile). Turn Right onto Old Town Road for 1/3 mile. At Fork bear Left (still Old Town Road). Continue 1/3 mile to 225 Old Town Rd on left. The Maeder Nursery is centered around an old dairy barn that was built in The barn was part of a farm that had sold dairy products since the early 1800 s. George and Peggy Maeder originally purchased the barn and its one acre parcel to accommodate their landscape design and construction business. But being a propagator at heart, George began growing many things until he finally settled on hostas as his specialty Like the rest of us, he readily admits that he just couldn t resist them. His inventory has grown considerably in the past few years and he is now able to offer his collection for sale on the wholesale market. Currently the nursery offers more than 150 varieties for sale and additional cultivars are always in process. Members will be able to purchase plants at discounted prices. From the West via Grand Central Pkwy/Northern State Parkway: Grand Central Parkway West becomes Northern State Parkway. Take the Northern State Parkway to the end and merge onto Veterans Memorial Highway (Route 454). Continue 1.9 miles and bear Left onto Route 347. Continue 7.2 miles and turn Left onto Old Town Rd (Shell station on corner). Take Old Town Road 2.2 miles to 225 Old Town Rd on Right. From the Bridgeport/Port Jefferson Ferry (Option for CT Residents) Exit Ferry Terminal at Port Jefferson. Go Right on Route 25A for approximately 1.5 miles. Turn Left onto Gnarled Hollow Road at light. Go.5 mile to Old Town Road. Bear Left to 225 Old Town Road (1/3 mile on the Left). The Maeder s are looking forward to welcoming us to their Barn. Park wherever you can around the Barn or across the street, but be careful crossing the road; it is busy and fast moving. There will be an auction at this meeting, so please bring some plants to donate, a chair, your lunch, and a dessert to share. Cold beverages and paper goods will be available.

6 PAGE 6 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 JULY 9 garden tour - Garden 1 The garden of Suzy Ludwig 40 Knollton Road, Allendale, NJ Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Suzy is looking forward to welcoming us to her cottage garden. In her own words: This property was designed to have a very natural look. Being a Master Gardener, and working in the horticultural industry for over thirteen years, all the plantings and stone work has been done by my husband and myself. This garden has been a labor of love for thirty-eight years. There is always something of interest to see throughout the year. Unusual perennials are planted in the garden beds, and a large variety of unique houseplants decorate the deck. There is an extensive fern rockery, a scree garden, a large collection of heucheras, two rock gardens and a woodland area. An assortment of container grown plants can also be seen. A large pond is home to many mature koi and goldfish. Hostas are found throughout the garden and in pots and troughs as well. There are also many varieties of hens and chicks to be seen. I m sure there is something for everyone to enjoy. DIRECTIONS to Ludwig From George Washington Bridge: Take the ramp toward NJ Highways /NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE and merge onto I-95 S. Kept Right to take I-95 S to RTE 4/ HACKENSACK. Merge onto Rte 4 West via Exit 72A towards PARAMUS. Keep Right at the fork to continue to RTE 4 WEST. Suzy is a collector of the unusual and an avowed plantaholic, known to travel miles out of her way to purchase a new plant. She is an active member of several plant societies other than Tri-State, including the New York Fern Society and the Watnong Rock Garden Society among others, so you will see many plants in this garden that you have never seen before. Ludwig Garden DIRECTIONS from Ludwig to Schulz Merge onto RTE 17 NORTH. Merge onto CR-90 toward ALLENDALE. Turn Right onto FRANKLIN TURNPIKE/CR-507. Turn Slight Right onto Crescent Ave/E Crescent Ave/CR-81. Take the 2 nd Right onto Knollton Rd. Take the 1 st Left to stay on Knollton Rd. 40 Knollton Rd is on the Right. - - OR - - Take I-287 North or South to RTE 17 SOUTH. Take Rte 17 South to the Lake Street Exit toward RAMSEY. Turn Slight Left to take the E. Crescent Ave Ramp. Turn Slight Left onto E. Crescent Ave/CR-81. Turn Left onto Knollton Rd. Take the 1 st Left to stay on Knollton Rd. 40 Knollton Rd is on the Right.. Ludwig Garden Go back up to Crescent Ave and turn Left. Proceed approximately 2 ½ miles to Wyckoff Avenue and turn Right. (Walgreens is on the corner) Go approx. 1 mile and turn Left on Shadyside Avenue. First Right is Colonial Drive. #16 down on Left. Some notes of interest There are two Crescent Avenue and Wyckoff Avenues in Waldwick and Wyckoff. They are NOT the same streets or continuations of each. Make sure you are on the right street in the right town. Do not confuse Godwin Avenue with Godwin Drive, they are one block apart.

7 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 PAGE 7 JULY 9 garden tour - Garden 2 The garden of Janet Schulz 16 Colonial Drive, Wyckoff, NJ Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 12:00 noon We have visited Janet s garden more than once in years past, but those who have been there before will find that many changes have taken place since we were there last. After being cultivated for over 20 years as a shade garden on a standard suburban lot, heavy storm damage necessitated the removal of several majestic trees and transformed this garden into a much sunnier property. It is still a garden for all seasons, with an abundance of spring bulbs, and a multitude of mahonia and rhododendrons, followed by the arrival of more color in the summer with the addition of coleus, plectranthus, and salvias sharing the space with other annuals, hydrangeas, and Hibiscus Diana. In the fall, golden Amsonia hubrectii pairs with the patterns in the emerging foliage of arums and cyclamen, and winter interest culminates with many varieties of hellebores. By rearranging her beds, this avid collector is still able to pamper the many shade perennials she loves; 150 varieties of hosta, rare ferns, and unusual arisaemas. Janet and her garden were featured in an article in the New York Times which may be viewed online at: where she was quoted as saying: When I like a plant, I usually love the leaves first. Janet is also a talented crafter. Make sure you check out the ever-expanding collection of hand-made troughs along the side of the property and the hand-wrought, embossed cellar doors. Janet admired the ornate bronze doors she saw in the garden of a wealthy local gardener, so she went home and created ones for her own garden! Not in bronze, of course, but sensational just the same. This garden has been imaginatively re-created and warrants another visit even if you have been there before. There will be an auction in this garden so please bring plants to donate, a chair, your lunch and a dessert to share. Cold beverages and paper goods will be provided. DIRECTIONS to Schulz 16 Colonial Drive Wyckoff, NJ Schulz Garden From George Washington Bridge: Take Route 4 West to 208 North/Oakland about 7.5 miles to Ewing Avenue. Go down the exit ramp, turn Right proceed to traffic light. Turn Right, Franklin Avenue. Go through 2 lights, turn Right on Godwin DRIVE (not Godwin Avenue), first Left is Colonial Drive. The garden is on the Right. From 287 South: Exit 208.Exit Ewing Avenue, turn Left, proceed to traffic light Franklin Avenue. Turn Right and follow directions above. Schulz Garden

8 PAGE 8 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 JULY 23 - garden tour The garden of Paul Peszynski & Lynn Avery 29 Day Point Road, East Hampton, CT Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Paul Peszynski and his wife Sandy, who is now deceased, planted this garden about 35 years ago with many specimen trees, shrubs, and plants that were left in their garden center at the end of the season. The gardens were entirely Sandy s effort and included some of her favorites, daylilies and hostas. When Sandy became too ill to work in her garden six years ago, Paul took over the care of the garden and expanded what Sandy liked most. hostas. Sandy began with about 25 varieties and made them the theme of the garden. After Sandy passed away, Paul expanded the hosta gardens throughout and now has over 400 varieties interspersed with perennials and many specimen plants. He and his partner, Lynn Avery, are pleased to share Sandy s Memorial Garden with us. There will be an auction at this garden so please bring some plants for the auction, a chair, your lunch, and a dessert to share. Our hosts will provide cold beverages and paper goods. DIRECTIONS There are several ways to go to East Hampton, CT. You can use I-95 in CT to New Haven and connect to I-91 North to Meriden, CT, but you might encounter traffic delays on a Saturday. - OR - You can take the Merritt Pkwy to I-91N (Check MapQuest for the details), which is 10 miles shorter than the directions that follow, (but the Merritt is only 2 lanes) so we recommend the following: Take I-287 East/I-87S/NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY SOUTH toward the TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE/NEW YORK CITY. Take Exit 8A toward RTE 119/SAW MILL PKWY NORTH/ELMSFORD. Merge onto Saw Mill Pkwy N/Saw Mill River Pkwy N toward KATONAH. Merge onto I-684 toward BREWSTER. Merge onto I-84 E via Exit 9E toward DANBURY (crossing into Connecticut). Merge onto I-691 E via Exit 27 toward MERIDEN. Merge onto I-91 N via Exit 11 on the Left toward HARTFORD/SPRINGFIELD. Take the CT-9 exit, Exit 22 N-S toward NEW BRITAIN/MIDDLETOWN. Merge onto Ct-9 S via Exit 22S toward MIDDLETOWN. Turn Right onto CT-17/ST JOHNS SQUARE. Turn Right onto CT-17N/CT-66N. Turn Slight Right onto MARLBOROUGH ST/CT-17N/CT-66E and continue to follow CT-66E. Turn slight Left onto OLD MARLBOROUGH RD. Take the first Left onto DAY POINT ROAD (portions are unpaved). 29 Day Point Road is on the Right.

9 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 PAGE 9 Annual Picnic &&&and Shopping Russell s Wholesale Nursery 600 New Road, Churchville, PA Saturday, August 6, 2011 ** Whether you have been to Russell s Wholesale Nursery many times, or are going there for the first time, you are in for a treat. Alan Russell and family are once again opening their nursery to us, and this time we are sharing the day with our friends at the Delaware Valley Hosta Society. Though the food will not be available until after 12 p.m. (since the nursery is open for business as usual from 8 a.m. to noon), we recommend that you get there early so you will have plenty of time to scour the many greenhouses for must-have new and old hostas and perennials at wholesale prices. Be prepared to load a cart with goodies and be surprised when you get to the cashier and learn that your bill is much less than you thought it would be! Aside from the morning shopping spree, Rebecca Boylan and Mary Tilger, members of the Delaware Valley Hosta Society will be holding a hands-on trough making demonstration beginning at 9:30 a.m. There will be a charge for this activity, but you will go home with a trough! (Read the details of this activity on page 10.) Since this is a joint event and there will be so much going on this day, we have decided NOT to permit member tailgate sales to add to the confusion, but there will be an auction, with proceeds being shared between the two societies. So please bring hostas and/or other plants for the auction! Food will be available after the nursery closes at noon. Our host will provide the meat, the bread, the condiments, the beverages and the paper goods. Members are to provide salads, side dishes, and desserts. The nursery will have picnic tables set up for eating, but please bring a chair or two to sit on during the auction. Our joint picnics have proven to be packed with good food, good people, and a good time. So come prepared to have a great day! DIRECTIONS Since most of our members will be coming from the North, those are the only directions we are including in this newsletter. If you need directions from other points, or would like additional information on the nursery please check the nursery s website: Russellwholesale.com or call them at ** Russell s Nursery opens at 8 a.m. Arrive at your convenience for the day s events. From the North: Take I-287 South to Route 202 (FLEMINGTON). Go through the toll booths into PA. Stay RIGHT to exit into New Hope. Travel slowly through New Hope (you usually have no choice, it is a tourist town) and make a Right onto Route 232 South. Continue on Route 232 South through Richboro (about 20 minutes) and bear Right just after the McDonalds. About one mile on the right is New Road (there will be a sign for Russell s Nursery visible on your left). Make the Right onto New Road and enter the wholesale nursery (the first entrance on your Left).

10 PAGE 10 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 Hupertufa Trough Workshop There will be a workshop on making a hypertufa trough beginning at 9:30 a.m. on the morning of the picnic at Russells. Using hypertufa, a mixture of sand or perlite combined with cement and peat moss, you will create a molded trough to take home and plant. The finished product is lighter in weight than concrete and can be planted with hens and chicks, rare alpines, or even small shade-loving plants. The finished trough has an ancient look, like stone, and is easy to make. All of the materials for creating the troughs will be supplied and the instructors will provide step-by-step directions. Dress to get dirty and bring a pair of sturdy rubber gloves for kitchen use. Gloves will also be available for a $2.00 additional fee. If you are interested in attending this workshop please send a check for $20.00 made out to Mary Tilger and send it to her at 3019 Still Meadow Drive, Collegeville, PA to be received no later than August 1. Member Addresses A continuing reminder. In an effort to go green, and save on printing and postage expenses, we are now ing the newsletter to those who are interested in receiving it that way. To date, about 75 of our members have opted to receive our newsletter via , and from the comments we have received, they are very happy that they have made the switch. If you would be willing to receive your newsletters electronically it is imperative that we have your correct and current address. (Several of the electronic newsletters sent out last time were returned to us, so please remember to notify us when you change your address). Kathie Sisson at kcsisson@aol.com or katailsgarden@gmail.com, to make sure that we have your current address. Remember that an electronic version of the newsletter will be received sooner than one sent in the mail and will be in full color all the time! Another Reminder on the Same Subject The American Hosta Society will be sending out one edition of the HOSTA JOURNAL every year electronically in the future, as well as other notices and announcements via whenever possible. Therefore, we have been asked to notify all members of the AHS to inform the membership chair of your current address. If you are an active member of the American Hosta Society, and have not already done so, please send your current address to Sandie Markland at: Sandiemarkland@charter.net Plant Tags Still Available There are more bundles of metal plant tags still available. These 10 and 15 galvanized zinc metal labels are bundled in groups of twenty at $14.00 a bundle and can be purchased until they are gone. Please contact Kathie Sisson if you are interested in purchasing any. GARDEN QUOTE No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson

11 TRI-STATE TRIBUNE VOLUME 2011, ISSUE 2 PAGE 11 Got a Deer Problem? At Last, There is Now a Solution to This Problem. [This is an excerpt of an article that appeared in the Duluth New Tribune. It is reprinted with permission from the Midwest Regional Hosta Society Newsletter Fall 2010.] From hostas and yews to arborvitae and white pines, a growing Northland deer population has been giving homeowners and gardens fits in recent years. The problem of hungry deer can be a headache for homeowners and an economic disaster for tree farmers, nurseries and foresters. And deer deterrents on the market until now tended to wash off in any rain. But a Duluth scientist has developed a way for plants to absorb hot pepper concentrate into their roots and up into the leaves, rendering them too hot for deer to munch. Tom Levar, a forestry and horticulture specialist for the University of Minnesota Duluth s Natural Resources Institute, developed the idea using a chemical first used to treat muscle soreness in racing horses and, later, human athletes. The benign chemical, called DMSO, absorbs quickly through animal and human skin into the bloodstream. Levar found out that is passes through plant skin as well, and then combined DMSO with several bitter and otherwise unpleasant tasting chemicals. Pepper concentrate offered the best combination of being easy to use, natural and extremely effective. You can use it when the plant is first put in the ground or incorporate it into the soil with established plants, said Levar, adding that the plant will even emit a peppery smell. People don t notice the smell as much, but the deer sure know what it is. It s not clear which is the better deterrent, the smell or the hot taste. Usually it s one bite and they move on. The pepper concentrate, called capsicum, is natural, doesn t harm the plant. The stuff also works great to keep dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, voles and gophers from eating plants and young trees, Levar noted. In tests at an Alexandria, Minnesota tree farm that had suffered huge losses of young conifer trees to field mice, the repellent proved 100% effective. Michigan-based Repellex, USA already has purchased the licensing rights from the university and has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency for approval, expected late this year [2010]. Company officials expect to have Repellex Systemic Animal Repellent on store shelves in March [2011]. Gardeners can dig a few pellets into the soil around the base of the plant, and when it rains or the plants are watered, the natural process of plant nutrient transfer will suck the stuff in. It will be available in tablet form at first and eventually sold in granules that can be simply shaken onto the ground around the plant. Levar said that the Repellex Systemic will last three months or more, and company officials say that tests are showing full effect for an entire growing season. This really changes the whole deer repellent industry because it s inside the plant. Everything else out there was really a short-term solution that washed off and had to be reapplied repeatedly, said Elizabeth Summa, president of Repellex USA. It s going to cost a little more (than spray-ondeterrents) for a single application. But because you do not have to reapply it, it s going to be much less expensive in the long run. Levar notes that Repellex Systemic shouldn t be used on edible plants, unless you want your strawberries to taste like hot peppers, he joked. You d definitely be able to taste it. Here s the Latest News on Repellex Systemic Tablets Here is the latest update from the company, dated 3/1/2011: Repellex Systemic Tablets have been approved by the E.P.A. Tablets will start shipping to retailers in the beginning of April and become available online for purchase April 15. Anyone wishing to access their website for the latest information on shipping or to place an order, may use this address: Click on Systemic Repellent in the left hand column, or from the Google search engine type in Systemic Repellent Technology, and this will take you directly to the website. We think that any gardener whose garden is being ravaged by deer will want to try this new scientific product development. Imagine your hosta garden free from damage from deer and other animal species!

12 NOTE: Remember to check our website, for any changes or corrections to information contained in this newsletter. Directions to the Frelinghuysen Arboretum Traveling NORTH on Route 287 Take Exit 36A Proceed East for 1/2 mile in the center lane of Morris Avenue to Whippany Road. Continue to the second traffic light; make a left turn onto East Hanover Avenue. Travel for 1/4 mile. The entrance to the Arboretum is on the left opposite the Morris County Library. Traveling SOUTH on Route 287 Take Exit 36 following the signs for Ridgedale Avenue. Bear right on the exit ramp. Proceed to the traffic signal and make a right onto Ridgedale Avenue. Proceed to the second light and make a right turn onto East Hanover Avenue. Travel for 1/4 mile. The entrance to the Arboretum is on the right opposite the Morris County Library. From New Route 24 Travel WEST to Exit 1A, 511 South, Morristown. Make a right, go under the Bridge and make a right onto East Hanover Avenue. Travel 1/4 mile. The entrance to the Arboretum is on the right opposite the Morris County Library. Directions and a map to the Frelinghuysen Arboretum can be found on the TSHS website. Visit the Tri-State Hosta Society website at: Tri-State Hosta Society Calendar of Events 2011 Saturday June 4, Nursery of George Maeder in East Setauket, NY. June 22-25, AHS National Convention & First Look 11 in Marlborough, MA. Saturday, July 9, 2011 Gardens of Suzy Ludwig in Allendale, NJ and Janet Schulz in Wyckoff, NJ. Saturday, July 23, 2011 Garden of Paul Peszynski and Lynn Avery in East Hampton, CT. Saturday, August 6, 2011 Annual Picnic with Delaware Valley Hosta Society at Russell s Wholesale Nursery, Churchville, PA. Saturday, October 22, Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Lunch at noon. Guest speaker John Lonsdale on Woodland plants. Tri-State Hosta Society Roberta Chopko 93 Intervale Road Boonton, NJ