GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Barry s Beat. Our Next Meeting June 21, 2016, 6:30 PM (Solberg Hosta Pickup) Cheryl and Dan Taylor 19 Cypress Point, Pekin, IL

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1 GREAT EXPECTATIONS Central Illinois Hosta Society June Volume 22, issue 4 Barry s Beat W hat a roller coaster ride we have been on with the weather this spring! Our May meeting at Al and Michele Klein s garden was dry, but just a bit chilly for the middle of May. What a lovely garden they have! A gigantic thank you for hosting our meeting and sharing your labor of love in your garden. I was able to purchase a hosta at the Hosta College conference auction in Ohio in March. A good friend was also bidding on this particular plant. When she realized that she was bidding against me, she waved, and stopped bidding. As a thank you, I sent her a division of that plant, along with a recent purchase from our acquisition of the Hosta Patch, called You re Welcome. Tom Micheletti had given her a plant a few years ago called Thank You, the parent plant of You re Welcome, and she wanted the relative. Oh, I got sidetracked here. The plant we were bidding on was Roller Coaster Ride. What a roller coaster ride we have been on this spring! Being in the business of hosta, as well as being a lover of hosta that has lead to volunteering at several levels in our hosta societies gives me, perhaps, a little different perspective. I am fortunate in being able to get to know our members, both locally, regionally, and nationally in a variety of settings. The common thread is our love of gardening in general, and our passion for hosta in particular. I want to personally thank Janette Smith for all of the behind the scenes work that she does in planning, organizing, and implementing the monthly programs that we all enjoy. Her efforts, with the help of Gloria Hicks from last year, and Debbie McCollum this year, make our monthly meetings so enjoyable, informative, and fun. Please join me in personally thanking Janette when you see her at our garden meeting at Dan and Cheryl Taylor s in Pekin on June 21st. Just a few days after we meet in Pekin, the lucky members and guests who signed up for the annual bus trip will be headed to St. Louis, Missouri to tour the Missouri Botanical Gardens, two of the AHS National Tour Gardens, and a stop for some plant shopping. I was told that some gift certificates to the garden center will be given as door prizes. See details about how to sign up for the trip in this newsletter. Thanks to all of you who have given feedback to the members of our board regarding our consideration of hosting a Midwest Regional Hosta Society Convention in The board will be voting on this at the June meeting, so we will inform you all of the decision that was reached when we see you in Pekin in June. By the way, there are still a few Solberg Hostas available for sale that you can pick up at the June meeting. Call or Maggie Keesey to get one or more of those great hostas that remain. It is not too early to be planning for our Fall Banquet, held this year at the Pekin Country Club. It will feature a plated dinner and our guest speaker, Rob Mortko, from Kansas. Rob is the Executive Vice-President of the American Hosta Society, owner of Made in the Shade Gardens, an expert in tissue culturing of hostas, and a noted speaker and author who looks at the newest introductions coming to the world of hosta. This is a do not miss opportunity to hear one of the top people in the hosta universe! We will be trying something new this year. Rather than giving a gift hosta to everyone who attends, each person attending will receive a voucher. The voucher is good for a choice of either $5 off the purchase of hosta from Rob Mortko, or, a free plant from CHIS. As you know, we have awarded lifetime memberships for the original founding members of the Central Illinois Hosta Society. From time to time, honorary memberships may be granted to members who have made lasting contributions to the enhancement of our society. If you have someone who you feel deserves this recognition, please nominate them by contacting one of the board members. We are only strong as long as we work together. At your service, Barry Ankney, CIHS President Our Next Meeting June 21, 2016, 6:30 PM (Solberg Hosta Pickup) Cheryl and Dan Taylor 19 Cypress Point, Pekin, IL Come at 6:00 to view the garden. Dan and Cheryl Taylor's home is located on the men's T-box on Hole No.17 at Pekin Country Club. Dan loves to golf and always wanted to live on a golf course. Cheryl was ready to downsize her garden. Continued on page 2 1

2 Finding the lot and building their new home was the perfect option for both Dan and Cheryl. While Cheryl's garden is considerably smaller than the one at her old house, it is no means "small". This beautiful garden features a few dozen varieties of hosta with a healthy sprinkling of lilies, roses, hydrangea, coral bells, and lots of other perennials. Cheryl has always loved blue and you will find many cobalt blue accents in her garden. If you remember from our "My Favorite Things" meeting in March of 2015, every garden should have at least one cobalt blue. A focal point in the garden is a piece of garden art, a copper spinner that is a real eye catcher. This garden delights all the golfers, men and women alike, as they play Hole Number 17. Directions: From I74E, take the Pinecrest exit and stay to the right. Follow Pinecrest and turn right at the T, which is Mueller Road. There is a fire station at the intersection. Turn left at the stoplight onto Springfield Road. Go through Groveland, passing Casey's and the post office. Turn right onto Sheridan (church on the left.), which is the last right before leaving Groveland. Follow Sheridan Road for 3 miles and turn left onto Cypress Point just before an "s" curve. About a 1/2 mile before arriving at Cypress Point is a stop sign at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Veterans. Notice: To provide adequate time for viewing Host Gardens, each Garden will be open to visitors ½ hour early at 6:00, while the meeting starts at 6:30. Don't forget to bring a lawn chair. Penny to send updated banquet information Us deb s potluck photos Hosta of the Month Hosta Blue Dome blue green thick substance leaves that are heavily corrugated and broadly oblong. Size is 24/48. Hosta Komodo Dragon is large to extra large, leaves are pointed and a beautiful rippled dark green. Fast grower. Hosta Thank you has gray green leaves with a yellow margin that slowly turns creamy white. Hosta Diamond Necklace is a small hosta with a white center and dark green margins on elongated leaves. Sport of Ivory necklace CIHS Calendar If you are interested in opening your garden for a meeting in 2016, please contact Janette Smith, Deb McCollum or any board member. We d love to See your garden. June 15 18, 2016 American Hosta Society Convention St. Louis June 21, 2016, 6:30 pm (Solberg Hosta Pickup) Dan & Cheryl Taylor 19 Cypress Point, Pekin June 25, 2016 (tentative date) CIHS Bus Trip St. Louis & Missouri Botanical Garden July 7-9, 2016 Midwest Regional Hosta Society Convention Champaign, Illinois July 19, 2016, 6:30 pm Gloria Smith 106 Ravine, Morton August 16, 2016 Annual Auction Freedom Hall 349 W. Birchwood Street, Morton September 20, 2016, 5:30 & 6:30 CIHS Banquet Pekin Country Club Officers President Barry Ankney cihshostaclub@gmail.com Vice Presidents Janette Smith, Deb McCollum , cjsmith119@gmail.com debmccollum@gmail.com Second Vice Presidents Penny Bocelli, Deb Schoedel penelopebocelli@gmail.com parttime94@aol.com Third Vice President Wendy Kamischke kamisgh@yahoo.com Recording Secretary Sue Eckhoff gardenermom22@gmail.co m Corresponding Secretary Maggie Keesey magskeesey@gmail.com Treasurer Dan McConnell drdtm@mtco.com To Join: Central Illinois Hosta Society $10 or $15/year, form on back Midwest Reg. Hosta Society $20/2 years, Send dues to: Barbara Schroeder, Treasurer 1819 Coventry Drive Champaign, IL 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

3 Membership Memo P lease join us in extending a warm welcome to the following new members to CIHS. Carol Beyer from Pekin was invited to our May meeting by her friend Michele Klein. Terry Munday from East Peoria heard about CIHS from the newspaper. Kathy Schlappi from Morton heard about us from a friend and decided to join. Each our new members received a Welcome gift bag which included a welcome letter from our president, a list of useful Internet Websites that focus on Hostas, a gift certificate from White Oak Nursery and some chocolates. As announced at our March meeting, the Board voted to provide free memberships to the founding members who formed the Central Illinois Hosta Society in We are deeply appreciative for all the time, energy, and love these dedicated gardeners have given over the years to promote CIHS and make it such a successful club. Those receiving the free memberships include: Robert and Sandy Bortz, John and Nancy Crawford, Ruth Frost (husband Robert, deceased), Glen and Terry Herold, Tracy and Victor Heuermann, Rich Hornbaker (wife Kathy, deceased), Dolores Lavin (husband James, deceased), David and Janis Lee, Clarence and Cindy Nance, Bob and Mary Pratt, and Joyce Smanik. We are still trying to locate James and Jane Beard and Doris McCutchen. If anyone has a current address for them, please contact Debbie. Please visit us online at There you will find a members only section which includes a current membership directory, the online newsletter and other useful information. If you haven t already received the new password for 2016 which was issued on 4/01/16, please contact Kaeli or Debbie. CIHS Membership Co-Chairs: Kaeli McIntire kmac1342@yahoo.com and Debbie McCollum debmccollum@gmail.com or Hosta/Leaf July Meeting Get Ready it s time for our annual Contest to be held at our July 19th meeting. We have added some new categories this year: Best Corrugated/Puckered Hosta Leaf; Best Rippled-Edge Hosta Leaf, Most Interesting Variegated Hosta Leaf; Best Floral Arrangement using Hosta Leaves and, Most Interesting Use for a Hosta Leaf or Hosta Plant. Prizes will be awarded to one winner in each category. Please write the name of the Hosta on the leaf or arrangement. A sharpie usually works well. In order to allow judges plenty of time to review and select winners, please check-in at the registration table by 6:00 pm on the night of meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Janette Smith or Debbie McCollum. Auction Update Once again we will have our auction in the cool comfort of the Freedom Hall in Morton on Tuesday, August 16. On behalf of the club, we want to thank Ken and Betty McGarvey for donating approximately 130 hosta for the auction! We will love having the memory of your generosity in our gardens. Members, we need your donations of garden art and crafts, tools, or other garden related items to make this fundraising event a success. Thank you for all your support! 3

4 Solberg Hosta Order!!! They can be ordered at the Next meeting, supplies are limited so order your hosta soon! They are $15 each. Order pickup is scheduled for: Wednesday, June 1 st at Luthy Botanical Garden from 5-6:15, or at the June 21 st meeting, held at the Taylor Garden Blue Perfection (top) Curly Fries (middle) Ladybug Leather Lace Lime Ripple Plum Pudding (bottom) Petticoat Junction CIHS Banquet Sign up soon!!!! September 20, 2016 at Pekin Country Club O ur annual banquet will be held Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at Pekin Country Club, 310 Country Club Drive, Pekin, Il We will begin our evening with a cocktail hour starting at 5:15, dinner at 6, followed by our entertainment. The speaker this year is Rob Mortko, of Made in the Shade Gardens, from Olathe, Kansas. His presentation will be on Hosta Tissue Culture, with a sneak preview of the hot hostas of tomorrow (contract plants that he has in the lab for Solberg, Naylor Creek, etc.). Rob will also have hosta available for purchase before and after the banquet. and the meal will be served with Roasted Baby Red potatoes and Green Beans Almandine. Our desert choices are chocolate cake filled with chocolate mousse, and a variety of cheesecakes. The cost for the evening will be $25.00 per person for members, and $35.00 per person for non-members. This price will include the meal, a presentation by our guest speaker, and a $5.00 voucher toward a hosta from Rob Mortko, OR a free hosta from CIHS. For registrations, please contact Penelope Bocelli at , or text , or 2vpCIHS@gmail.com. Mail attendance fees, along with your choice of entree, to Penelope Bocelli, 2209 County Road 810 E, Washburn, IL Directions to Pekin Country Club: From Peoria: Take I-74 East and take the I-155 South exit to Broadway Road. Stay on Broadway Road for 6 miles and take a right on Country Club Drive and follow the road until you get to the club. Club entrance will be on your right. From Washington: Take Washington Road/Main Street out of town towards Morton and stay on this road until you reach Broadway Road. Stay on Broadway Road for 12 miles and then take a right onto Country Club Drive and follow the road until you reach the club. Club entrance will be on your right. From Morton: Take Queenwood Road through Groveland and this road will turn in Sheridan Road. You will come up on a Country Club sign and you will take a left onto Country Club Drive and follow the curve of the road until you get to the club. Club entrance will be on your left. From Bloomington: Get onto I-74 going West and stay on this road approximately 30 miles. Take the I-155 South exit and stay on I-155 for three miles and take a right onto Broadway Road. Stay on Broadway for 6 miles and go forward through one stop sign and then one stoplight and then take a right onto Country Club Drive and follow the curve of the road until you get to the club. Club entrance will be on the right. From East Peoria: Get onto Route 116 (N. Main St.) which will turn into Route 29 South. Take a left on Route 98 and stay on this road for 1 mile and then take a right onto Parkway Drive. Stay on this road for 3 miles and then take a left onto Sheridan Road. After one mile, take a right onto Country Club Drive. The club entrance will be on your left. We are having a plated meal this year, with two entree choices. Lemon Basil Chicken, and Pork Medallions with apple-raisin chutney. We will start with a garden salad, 4

5 Solberg s Garden Calendar Late Spring (Period of rapid foliage and root growth): May-June. Editor s Note: likely to have been printed before, but its good information. M ost hostas, except the fragrant flowered ones which produce new flushes of leaves into July, produce all their leaves in about 6-8 weeks. This occurs in usually one or two flushes of 3-4 leaves per shoot, (division). These leaves are at first soft, expanding rapidly, metabolizing, (growing) at a high rate. As they reach their mature size they harden off and stop expanding, slowing their production of white wax and purple pigments, (anthocyanins). At this time fresh new white roots emerge from the shoot above last year s roots and lengthen rapidly. Soon the second flush of 3-4 leaves will appear and mature, followed by another period of root initiation. Hostas need abundant water and nutrients, especially nitrogen, during this period of rapid leaf and root growth. Labeling: Pull labels further out from under the expanding hosta clumps. Notice how much bigger your hostas are than they were last year. Congratulate yourself and give your hostas praise. before potting. Make a note, that hosta bed may need reworking in late summer. Ugh! Protection: Deter deer! Propagation: Do not divide hostas with soft foliage. Once they hardens off, you can move entire clumps safely, being careful not to damage the roots. Use a digging fork, not a shovel if you can so you do not cut off the root tips. Wait until late summer to divide drastically. Water: Water, Water, Water! Especially if it is a dry spring. Fill your hostas to the brim with water. Fun! Plant those hostas that you ordered in the winter. Happiness is a new hosta bed! Visit local nurseries and raid the big box stores; hunt for bargains and maybe do a little hosta sport fishing with your hosta buddy. Take pride in your perfect hostas, all fresh and free from holes. Show them off. Visit them daily and choose your favorites. Bob Solberg, reprinted from the Prairie Hosta Herald, May 2016 issue Michele Klein s Garden...our May Meeting! Light: Shade fills the garden as the trees leaf out. Watch for bleaching of early rising yellow hostas. They may need to be moved. Nutrients: Reapply after 4-6 weeks depending on the amount of heavy rainfall. Continue your liquid feed program. If you want your hostas to be the biggest on your block, (and who doesn t?), supplement granular fertilizers with a foliar liquid feed of a high nitrogen fertilizer with added magnesium every two weeks (e.g. Miracle-Gro Tomato Plant Food , Peters with a pinch of Epsom salts per gallon of water added). Pests: Check hostas for evidence of Hosta Virus X. Unlike foliar nematodes, HVX symptoms will show early in the growing season. Remove and dispose of any infected plants!!! Watch for slug and vole damage. If a hosta does not come up, go digging around looking for it. It may have become vole food, so check the hostas around it for vole damage by pulling gently on the foliage and seeing if they are firmly rooted in the ground. If they too have been nibbled, you may need to pot them up and regrow their roots. Bait or set traps. If a hosta comes up much smaller than last year, it may have become a victim of tree roots and need to be potted also. Remove all the rotted roots and soft parts of the crown and rinse it in a 10% bleach solution Photos continued on page 6 5

6 established. The rule of thumb is 1 to 1.5 inches of moisture per week for hostas. It's not uncommon for us to go into extended dry spells during the hot summer months, so don't forget your hostas during these times. Mulching your Hosta Beds: Going hand in hand with maintaining proper soil moisture in your hosta bed is the proper application of mulch. Mulch will help conserve soil moisture as well as reduce competition from weeds. The key is not to overdo it. A depth of 1 to 2 inches of mulch is plenty. In fact going overboard with mulch helps create an even more inviting environment for slugs and also encourages fungal diseases. Backing the mulch about 3 to 4 inches away from the base of the hosta will also create a slightly drier microclimate which further discourages both slugs and fungal activity. Is one type of mulch more preferable than another? Not really. We use pine bark mulch because it's reasonably attractive and relatively inexpensive in our area. Since hostas actually prefer a lower soil ph (optimally between 6.0 and 6.5), any type of mulch that adds to soil acidity (like pine park or pine needles) is an added benefit. Slug Control --- Don't Let Up: The downside to spring rainfall is that slugs are generally more active. Pinhole sized holes in hosta foliage is the telltale sign of slugs. A proactive approach remains the best control method. Continue to apply repeat applications of slug bait per the directions on the package. Remember there are two different slug bait formulations available - those that contain metaldehyde and those that contain iron phosphate. Both will give good control if used regularly. Caterpillars: If you're seeing larger, more irregular shaped holes in your hosta foliage, chances are this is the result of a caterpillar (most likely cutworms or armyworms). Most tend to be active after dark (like slugs) so it can be difficult to spot them at work. The good news is that these pests are easier to deal with than slugs. Sevin (carbaryl) is listed for control of these critters and will not harm the hosta foliage. Simply follow the labeled directions. Note that some slug baits also contain Sevin for control of both slugs and caterpillars. June Hosta Tips from the Hosta Guy H ostas like Plenty of Moisture: While hostas tend to be fairly adaptable to a drier shade, they will always be more vigorous with an adequate amount of moisture. This is especially important in the first year or two after planting as the hosta is becoming Four Legged Garden Visitors: It seems like it's been a good spring for rabbits as we are seeing quite a few baby rabbits scurrying around the garden. Rabbits can be a nuisance most any time, but especially so if you've been "blessed" with one or more recent litters in the general vicinity of your garden. Trapping is a good option using apple slices as bait. Once trapped the rabbit can then be relocated. Spray on repellants can also be effective but must be reapplied as directed. We recommend a product called "Liquid Fence" which is reasonably priced and works well. Continued on page 7 6

7 Just remember repellants are not systemic so any new foliage that emerges after the application is not protected. Like slug bait, repellants need to be reapplied per the label instructions. Fertilizing Hostas: Hostas will do just fine without any supplemental fertilizer program. In fact we generally recommend spending your time and energy on good soil prep prior to planting and plenty of follow-up watering. However if you desire more vigorous growth, then fertilizer can help. Three applications per growing season can be used starting in April with the last application no later than August 1st. That means the 2nd of the 3 applications should be applied during June. Use a balanced granular fertilizer ( or similar). About a handful of fertilizer per mature hosta clump is spread around the foliage drip line and then watered in well. For younger hostas, use a half handful or less per plant. Remember that fertilizing means you will need to water more often if Mother Nature doesn't provide the needed rainfall. Reprinted from the Illinois Prairie Hosta Society newsletter, Prairie Hosta Herald, June 2014 White Oak Nursery Specializing in Hostas, Daylilies, Bearded Iris and Siberian Iris Please visit our website for an online catalog of offerings. We have over 600 varieties of Hosta We have purchased all of the hostas from The Hosta Patch, and will be adding many more varieties later this year. CIHS Members are welcome to come view our offerings Please call for an appointment and directions. Open Garden Days: June 4, 5, 11 & 12 - Noon to 4 White Oak Nursery Washburn, IL (309) hostas@whiteoaknursery.com 7

8 Central Illinois Hosta Society P.O. Box 3098 Peoria, IL First Class Postage Check us out! For information regarding dues or membership, contact: Deb McCollum, Kaeli McIntire 8 Newsletter Deadline: 20 th of the preceding month Submit items for publication to: Bob Streitmatter com CIHS Membership Form (please print) Name(s) Address City State Zip Phone How did you find us? Friend/Word of Mouth Website Newsletter Event/Presentation Facebook Newspaper (which one) Other Dues (circle one): $10/year for electronic newsletter or $15/year for paper newsletter: New Renewal Amount enclosed Make check payable to CIHS and mail check/form to: Central Illinois Hosta Society, P.O. Box 3098, Peoria, IL