Since 1940
Fellowship, Community Ser vice, Beautification http://www.mensgardenclubasheville.0rg August 1, 2008 Donald Dossey, Editor Men’s Garden Club of Asheville
ANNUAL PICNIC SEPT. 3rd !
SET YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE PICNIC!
President’s Corner
The drought. The drought. The drought. Those are the three biggest news stories for a gardener in Asheville. Before leaving Asheville in early June, I said that my planting days were over for this summer. My garden time would now be spent watering, weeding, and mowing. Forget the mowing, for all is brown. I hope you have fared better. Ross Jones
The same absence that helped do in my garden also has kept me out of touch with the activities of the Men’s Garden Club for the last month. I am most grateful to Tom Mills for taking over for me so often this year. I do know that we now look forward to the Annual Picnic at the Governor’s Residence in September and that has already been announced. I look forward to seeing you there. It is good to be back and I look forward to getting back in harness with the Garden Club as well as so much else. Everything needs attention if it is to flourish, and the depths of summer means a lot of us are traveling. Enjoy your trip as well, for the summer will soon end.
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE: WWW. GARDEN ASHEVILLE.COM FOR LOCAL GARDEN DISCUSSIONS, PHOTOS, ADVICE, AND CONVERSATION.
It’s time to be thinking about coming to the Club’s annual barbecue picnic in September! Our picnic will be at the Governor’s Western Residence, as previously, on Wednesday, September 3. (This is two days after Labor Day.) The meal will be catered by The Fireplace of Weaverville, who has provided barbecues for large groups previously. We will be enjoying a menu of barbecued pork, ribs, and chicken, and sides of potato salad, baked beans, and cole slaw. This year the caterer will supply drinks and dessert, along with the usual napkins, plates, and utensils, so all you need to bring is yourselves and your appetite! A cost of $15 per person will cover the meal and renting the Governor’s residence. The starting time for the meal has not been set, but will likely be between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. The Club Board decided to again forgo musical entertainment to have a better environment for conversation as well as to control costs. You can expect a phone call from the calling committee in August to ask for reservation commitments so we can inform the caterer of how many meals to prepare. So, mark September 3 on the calendar, get your spouse or significant other on board to come, and be ready to enjoy the annual barbecue picnic. Tom Mills
Seed Pod 1
Men’s Garden Club of Asheville
Seed Pod
August 1, 2008
Club News and Committee Reports MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT We have (1) new member to report and he brings our current membership to 87: Robert “Bob” Dockery (wife Patricia). They live at 72 Ormond Avenue, Asheville, 28806. Their phone is 828-254-0513. Bob's gardening interests are Greenhouse and Landscape Design and his sponsor is John Fletcher. Continue to promote the Men’s Garden Club and if you need applications I will send some to you or you can download from the website. Carl Debnam, Membership Recruitment
When was the Club founded???
CORPORATE MEMBERS
Ever wonder about the Club’s major accomplishments? We are talking history! Unfortunately, the only written history is less than one page and was prepared by Bancroft Smith in 1998 (?). As a result the Board has approved the updating of our Club’s history by the formation of a History Committee with Ted Faber, Gerry Hardesty, Tom Mills, Dennis Murphy and Milford Shaver. These gentlemen will be looking into past records, interviewing members and collecting photographs in order to tell the Club’s story from founding to the present. Once this is done we’ll be looking for someone to be the Club’s Historian. If you have information about past activities and especially photographs, please contact Dennis Murphy at 828.645.3921 or dwmur@verizon.net. We will be making this appeal at our meetings and other events. Dennis Murphy PS: According to Bancroft Smith the Club was formed at a meeting of 56 men on November 14, 1939.
B.B. BARNS LANDSCAPE CO. 3653 Sweeten Creek Rd. Arden,NC 28704 Landscape - Hunter Stubbs 828-384-9190 stubbsbb886@bellsouth.net www.bbbarns.com
BILTMORE FARMS, INC Development – George Cecil 1 Town Square, Asheville, NC 28803 828-274-2000
PROGRESS ENERGY Electric Company – Benny Haynes 828-258-4316 Cb.haynes@pgnmail.com
GOASHEVILLE.COM
Asheville, NC Website Design - Andrew Stevenson 828-230-3751
72 WALL ST. INVESTMENTS 72 Wall Street Asheville, NC 28806 Richard Stiles-Branch Manger 828-255-5227 www.rstiles.wbsec.com richard.stiles@wachoviafinet.com
Cogito Landscape, LLC 93 Church Street Suite 4, Asheville, NC 28801 Charlie Hopper 828-252-9233 www.cogitolandscape.com chopper@cogitolandscape.com
1889 Whitegate Inn & Cottage 173 East Chestnut Street Asheville,NC 28801 Dr. Ralph Coffey - 828-253-2553 www.whitegate.net innkeeper@whitegate.net
Seed Pod 2
Men’s Garden Club of Asheville
Seed Pod
August 1, 2008
AUGUST GARDENING TIPS If you have a bird bath or potted plants with saucers, they should be emptied regularly. Standing water anywhere for three days will result in mosquitoes. Bird baths also regularly grow algae. To prevent algae, scrub them out with a chlorine mixture at least once a week. Perhaps your lawn has brown patches. Brown patch disease, a fungus, usually appears as irregular areas of brown or dead grass. A circular area of brown or dead grass, on the other hand, is usually due to dog urine. Brown patch disease is noted more when there is severe drought, daytime temperatures above 85 degrees, high humidity, and nighttime temperatures above 68 degrees. Currently we have some, but not all, of these conditions. The other cause for brown patches may be white grubs, most commonly Japanese beetle grubs. Grubs will eat grass roots. Of course, the best approach is to plant grass that is best suited to our area. Fescue is the recommended grass for our area. We should then provide an adequate water supply, mow to the proper height, and John Fletcher fertilize properly. A healthy grass can usually withstand a low level of infestation. If treatment is needed, since the adult beetles emerge from the ground in late May to early June, chemical treatment should be applied just prior to this time period. The treatment period extends from April through early May and again from August through October. After applying the insecticide, water it in thoroughly. If you use non-chemical controls, white milky spore should be applied from late September to early October. It will take several years for the spores to spread. Once established, it is reported to be effective for many years. John Fletcher
July meeting with John Sherman well received. John Sherman talked on “Biotechnology in Horticulture Technology Training.” and told how he created a state-of-the art biotechnology laboratory at Haywood CC. He also told how HCC has participated in generating a state-wide plant micro-propagation database for use by educators and businesses in North Carolina. Thanks John.
July Gardening Awards
Sybil Brigman 88 Gracelyn Ave Asheville, NC 28804
Bruce Greene 86 Marlborough Road Asheville, NC 28804
Seed Pod 3
Men’s Garden Club of Asheville
Seed Pod
August 1, 2008
“Sumptuous Summer – Preparing for a Great Performance” Hunter Stubbs, BB Barns Landscape Company Tuesday, August 5, 7:30 pm at the Botanical Gardens We now are in the midst of summer and hope to enjoy our garden areas at their peak of the growing season. Our August 5 meeting will feature Hunter Stubbs talking on “Sumptuous Summer – Preparing for a Great Performance.” Beautiful summer gardens are the envy of all gardeners and they do not happen by accident. Hunter will talk about setting your priorities to match your expectations and the effort necessary to achieve these results. Hunter Stubbs is the owner of BB Barns Landscape Company, which specializes in creative landscape design and installation in the Asheville area. He is also a corporate member of the Men’s Garden Club of Asheville. Previously, Hunter directed the horticultural program at Richmond Hill Inn for ten years, developing the gardens at the Richmond Hill Inn into one of the premier resort gardens in the South. He nurtured nine acres of Victorian landscape featuring a parterre garden, a croquet lawn, and a nine-foot waterfall. Hunter has both a B.S. and a M.S. in horticulture from North Carolina State University. He has interned at the prestigious JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh and worked at the unique Plant Delight’s Nursery. Hunter has also taught classes at Haywood Community College and lectures on topics such as plant propagation, pruning techniques, perennial flower color, garden design and garden maintenance. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm on August 5 at the Botanical Gardens at Asheville, located at the corner of Weaver Blvd and Broadway, near UNC-A. There is no charge to attend the meeting and open to the public. Members and guests are encouraged to arrive early and share fellowship and snacks. Tom Mills
MGC-A Officers and Directors Directors Officers President: Ross Jones 274-7821 Past President: Dennis Murphy 645-3921 President Elect: Tom Mills 350-1897 Secretary: Carl Peterson 650-3005 Treasurer: Bob Sharp 299-9192
BOARD MEETING The next board meeting will be held at the Botanical Gardens Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. All members are welcome.
Membership Recruitment: Carl Debnam 645-3822 Member Relationships: Gerry Hardesty 299-3315 Horticultural Center: Ted Faber 236-9865 Beautification Sites: Art Hulse 645-5658 Plant Sales: Nelson Sobel 225-0473 Public Relations & Publicity: Open Special Projects: Mike Stevenson 254-5227 At Large: Tom Wright 505-1174 Publications Director: Donald Dossey 258-1311
Men's Garden Club P.O. Box 633 Asheville, NC 28802 www.mensgardenclubasheville.org Since 1940
INSIDE: Committee reports; Picnic date Seed Pod 4
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ASHEVILLE, NC PERMIT NO. 256