Charlottesville Horticulture Club

October 2005 meeting

The Charlottesville Horticulture Club met October 18, 2005, at the Senior Center.  President Mary Anna Rushia opened the meeting.  There were no new members or visitors to recognize.   Secretary Sherry Minutolo stated that the minutes of our previous meeting were available on our website and that copies were available on the table at the rear of the meeting room should any members wish to review them. There was no Treasurer's Report as the Treasurer was not available for this meeting. 

The President stated that anyone wanting to pay their dues could do so at the table at the rear of the meeting room.  There was a discussion about the use of sludge on lawns.  Sludge is pH neutral and has no heavy metals so it should work well with lawns.  A member stated that he uses the SOD method of fertilizing his lawn: Fertilize in September, October and December.  The formula is different each month and the information can be found at your local garden centers.  It was stated that Panorama Pay Dirt (a locally produced compost) works well on lawns.  A member recommended composted cow manure for lawns and food crops.  The weed seeds are killed in the processing of the composted cow manure. 

There was discussion about applying milky spore and whether or not to use on our lawn in the fall or only the spring.  It was suggested for more information on this topic to call the Master Gardeners Help Desk for information. President Rushia asked if anyone had heard the radio announcements of our Club meetings and our speaker for the evening said that he had heard the announcement on the radio at regular intervals.  Ms. Rushia asked if anyone did not want their name listed on the Club's website to let her know. Ms. Stella Erickson gave a report on the Garden Council.  She stated that they were accepting nominations from member clubs for two businesses (one large and one small).   Ms. Erickson talked about a rock house near Washington Park  which was built in 1920 by an individual with rocks he gathered from a river.  The house is in the process of being renovated.  It will be used for a public office when completed.  Local garden clubs will be asked to help take care of the gardens.  She also announced that the Orchid Society will be having their annual orchid sale at the Fashion Square Mall on next Friday and Saturday, October 21 and 22..

A member announced that the Senior Center Travel Office will be conducting a bus trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show in March of 2006. It will be a two night stay in Philadelphia.   The trip will  cost  $495 per person for a couple or $712 for a single.  Breakfast and dinner will be included.  Please read more about this trip in the Senior Center newsletter. There was one plant to exchange and it was claimed very quickly this week. Vice-President Al Minutolo spoke briefly about the fall foliage in our area and encouraged everyone to take the time to enjoy  it.  The peak time for our area is October 22, this year.  He also discussed digging and storing dahlias, dividing bulbs, and fall planting of trees and shrubs especially during dormancy.

Al Minutolo introduced our speaker for the evening: Mr. Mark McVicker.  Mr. McVicker is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in horticulture.  He worked at the Waynesboro Nursery for ten years and subsequently started his own business, McVicker Farm and Nursery, in 1998. He is also a stone mason and does excellent hardscape projects. Marc is currently the nursery manager at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants. He presented an  informative lecture on native Plants and Trees combined with a beautiful slide show featuring  the following native plants and trees: Sugar Maple, Red Maple, Ohio Buckeye, Service Berry, June Berry, Bachelor River Birch, Heritage River Birch, White Fringe, Red Bud, Pagoda Dogwood, Hawthorn, American Beech, American Ash , Honey Locust, Shade Locust, Kentucky Coffee, American Holly, Sweet Gum, Sweet Gum Tulip, Big Leaf Magnolia, Magnolia Grandiflora, Black Gum, Sourwood, Sycamore, Bradford Pear, Spanish Oak, Willow Oak, Viburnium, and  Bald Cyprus,  Mr. McVicker's talk on Native Plants and Trees was very well received and  he said he  would be pleased to come back at another time to speak on Victorian Era Flowering Shrubs.

The meeting was adjourned and the members and guests enjoyed refreshments.

Respectively submitted, Sherry H. Minutolo