CONGRATULATIONS to Nola & Carlos Reynolds and to Jo & Pete Conrad. Their hybridized hibiscus are candidates for 2004 HIBISCUS OF THE YEAR: Nola & Carlos with both "Ana Lynn" and "Saxon T" and Jo & Pete with "Royal Treasure." Our chapter members have three of the four finalists for Hibiscus of the year!!! Winners will be announced in June. See these beautiful blooms at:
Hibiscus of the Year Candidates
At our November meeting, John Webster gave an informative slide show presentation on the parentage and characteristics of hybrid hibiscus. Winners of our photo contest were Elaine Scobey and Eddie Griffith. And thanks to Sam Chaney for providing those delicious refreshments!
Annual elections were also held. The following members were elected to the board of directors at the November meeting and will take office at the December meeting: Eddie Griffith, President; Jo Conrad, 1st Vice President; Maureen Buono, 2nd Vice President; Don Bernard, Secretary; Tyler Franz, Treasurer; and Dan Greschuk, 04-06 Director. At the last board meeting, Debbie Furtak was appointed Director to fulfill the remaining year of the 02-04 Director position held by Rick Van Tol. Rick served our board well for many years. Also appointed was Paul Felsberg to a Director-at-large position when the new board takes office. Congratulations to all new board members!
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, December 17, 7:00 PM
Our annual holiday covered dish dinner and gift exchange will be on December 17. Note the special time of 7:00 PM. Everyone is encouraged to come as early as 6:00 PM to enter blooms, decorate the tree with blooms, and set up for dinner. For menu suggestions, contact Maureen Buono at 733-9025. Gifts should be non-gag, unisex, gardening-related and under $10.00.
The January 21 meeting will feature TECHNIQUES FOR HYBRIDIZING HIBISCUS.
GARDEN TIP by JO CONRAD: GALLMIDGE UPDATE- We have sprayed at our house with cygon once so far. Pete, the resident sprayer, got sick and decided to skip one spraying. Too soon to see any results yet. We will keep spraying with cygon as long as the weather stays cooler. We are also putting down more granular diazinon. If you can’t find that, any product aimed at killing grubworms will be okay. We need to get our plants blooming again so that we can start to hybridize in this great weather.
Remember – If there is a freeze prediction in your area, make sure to have your plants well watered and foliage dried off before nightfall. The plant needs sufficient time ahead of the freeze to absorb the water from their roots to the leaves. Good Rule- do not overwater your plants but never let them dry out either. Covers of fabric can be draped over plants for frost protection, but plastic of any kind must be over a frame as not to touch plants.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Our newest members are Janet & John Flanigan, Beverly & Michael Gregory, Bonnie Bremner and Helen Bremner. Welcome to you all!!
VERY SPECIAL THANKS to John Webster for composing the web pages of our November 2 hibiscus show:
Conrad-Sunrise Annual Show Pictures
THE YEAR IN REVIEW: 2003 proved to be an incredible year for our chapter. We signed up 47 new members; participated in a record number of events; and increased the number of "hands on" workshops at our monthly meetings.
The first major event was the Palm Beach Tropical Flower and Garden Show, which proved to be even more successful than in previous years. We had our usual success of sales and new member sign-ups at the Spring plant sale at Mounts Botanical Garden in April. And in between events we managed to overhaul our display garden at Mounts, finishing it just in time to participate at their 1st annual "Get Together" on May 31st. The successful event featured participation of different plant societies and organizations. We proudly set up our booth in our newly revamped garden.
The A.H.S. national convention was held in June in Boca Raton and our chapter was there in full force providing and hosting the official hospitality suite, which included happy hours, a lecture on landscaping with hibiscus, and a bloom display arrangement workshop. It has been said that it was one of the best conventions to date!
Our Chapter hosted an information booth at the Plants and Posies X-travaganza in Boca Raton on August 16. It was an opportunity to educate the public on the use, care and propagation of tropical hibiscus.
On September 20 our chapter organized a Judges Training Class at Mounts Auditorium. It was co-sponsored by the Indian River and Dr. Jack Hoffman chapters. Twenty three people attended the class, most of whom took and passed the test as one of the requirements to becoming a judge at A.H.S. shows. Thanks to all who dedicated their efforts for making this event successful.
In October we had our second annual coach tour to the Dr. Jack Hoffman/South Dade Chapter's "Discover Hibiscus" show at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Coral Gables. It was an excellent trip that was enjoyed by all who participated.
On October 19 our chapter hosted and sponsored the "Plant and Learn" booth which featured a propagation workshop at the Mounts Fall Family Fun Festival.
Our annual show and sale in November at the Mounts Botanical Garden reached new heights with the inclusion of a well produced program guide and a luncheon. Many of those who took the judges class in September participated at our show as "observers".
Throughout the year, our chapter has been actively involved with giving presentations and lectures to various groups such as garden clubs, 4-H clubs, Master Gardeners and community libraries, as well as to other chapters within our society.
Our chapter thrived in 2003. Thanks to all our members for making this a phenomenal year!
At our October meeting, Elaine Scobey gave an informative presentation on PREPARING BLOOMS FOR SHOWS. She offered tips for picking, refrigerating and opening blooms, as well as instructive guidance on registering at national shows. Dan Greschuk offered tips for successfully PHOTOGRAPHING HIBISCUS. There was much constructive discussion during his slide show presentation. We so appreciated Gloria & Tom Swager for providing those delicious refreshments!
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, November 19, 7:30 PM
The next meeting will feature a slide show presentation by John Webster on CREATING NEW VARIETIES OF HIBISCUS. Annual elections will also be held. As a result of the enthusiasm generated from the photography presentation at our last meeting, we will have a HIBISCUS PHOTO CONTEST. Entries must be printed; no larger than 4" X 6"; and up to 5 photos per person. 1st prize is an enlargement by professional photographer and chapter member, Bob Hall. 2nd prize is a grafted hybrid hibiscus plant by Conrad Nursery. Refreshments will be provided by Sam Chaney.
FALL FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL: On October 19, our chapter hosted a propagation booth at the annual Mounts Botanical Garden event. We were well received and gave away 368 freshly planted "El Capitolio" hibiscus cuttings; distributed more than 700 hibiscus fact sheets & brochures; and 350 coloring sheets. This was a great opportunity to reach out to future hibiscus enthusiasts (and their parents); and we were asked to give several presentations about hibiscus propagation to 4-H clubs. Special thanks to Eddie Griffith, Bernard Pages, Paul Felsberg, John Webster, and Tyler Franz for their efforts at this successful event.
Eddie Griffith gives a propagation demonstration to the 4-H "Trailblazers" club with the assistance of club president, Tommy Burton. More than 30 young horticulturalists participated in the workshop on November 7.
GARDEN TIP by JO CONRAD: We are still seeing evidence of gall midge damage, etc. Now that the weather is cooling slightly, I would like to try a few "cold weather" chemicals on my plants. Cygon is one that can only be used in the cool weather (at least 60's at night, high 70's daytime temps). It is great for many of the scales that attack the bark, aphids, mites, so why not gall midge? If used in the hot weather it will definitely defoliate your plants. The other name for it is dimethoate.
We can all still alternate our foliar feeding schedule of minor elements and water soluble fertilizer or just minors in winter, but do it every two weeks. The fertilizer that the chapter sells should last through the cold weather.
ANNUAL SHOW & PLANT SALE: We had record plant sales and our show was enormously successful at The Mounts Botanical Garden, November 1-2. We thank all those from the west coast of Florida for their support and participation in making our show a success.
We were pleased that many who had attended the judges class in September in West Palm Beach were able to participate as observers as they progress towards becoming judges.
Bob Hall was gracious enough to be our official photographer and was able to capture some great shots of our beloved members and blooms, many of these pictures will be posted on the official web-site for the American Hibiscus Society shows, as well as our chapter website.
Paul Felsberg did an outstanding job in creating and producing our first "Show Program," while Tyler Franz and Gloria Swagger are to be commended on their outstanding job in preparing our first ever luncheon for judges, exhibitors and volunteers. And a special thank you to Dianne Greschuk for creating those beautiful table linens given as award gifts.
Many of our chapter members helped at the show and sale, including newer members Olive Donovan, Bill & Bonnie Cialini, Murry & Sandy Ribolow, Jimmy Rivera, Glenn & Eileen Bailey, and Walter & Debbie Furtak. Thanks to all!
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Our newest members are Don Terrell, Eileen & Glenn Bailey, Gene Roe, and Townsley & Dorothy Schwab. Welcome !!
Our ANNUAL AUCTION at the September meeting was fun and lucrative. We thank Roland Gaudet for sharing his talents as auctioneer. And for their collective generosity, we thank our members who donated plants and household items.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, October 15, 7:30 PM
The October 15 meeting will feature a presentation by Dan Greschuk on PHOTOGRAPHING HIBISCUS and a demonstration by Elaine Scobey on PREPARING BLOOMS FOR SHOWS.
November 19 meeting topic: HIBISCUS SEX SHOW. Also on slate is our ANNUAL ELECTION.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Our newest members are Olive Donovan, Maureen Conners, David & Sheila Shapiro and Bill & Bonnie Cialini. Welcome !!
FALL FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL: On Sunday, October 19th, 11am - 4pm, The Mounts is having its annual Fall Family Fun Festival. We will be hosting a "Hibiscus Propagation Booth." The workshop format will offer our younger hibiscus enthusiasts a "hands on" opportunity to create their own garden variety hibiscus. To volunteer at the workshop, contact Eddie Griffith at 762-3425.
HIBISCUS SHOW & PLANT SALE: Our annual Hibiscus Show is on Sunday, November 2. And we will again have a sales and information booth at the Fall Mounts Botanical Garden Plant Sale on November 1-2. To volunteer for the plant sale, contact Eddie Griffith at 762-3425. To volunteer or to receive more information about the show, contact Roland Gaudet at 968-0959. Don't miss these events!
CLASS OF '03: The Judges Training Class proved to be informative and fun. Instructors Jo Conrad, Russ & Elaine Scobey provided an educational opportunity for a record-setting 23 students, at least ten of whom are on the road to becoming east coast Florida judges. All three co-sponsoring chapters were well represented. Thanks to Dan & Dianne Greschuk for the delicious luncheon; to Tyler Franz for organizing the class; and to National 1st Vice President Rita Hall for chairing the class. By any standard, it was a success for the A.H.S.!
Rita Hall and the training class instructors Photo by Bernard Pages
GARDEN TIP by JO CONRAD: Our enemy, the Gall MIDGE still seems to be in our area. We have been spraying (when rain permitted) with the insecticide “Merit” every other week for 6 weeks. We have used Orthene with or without a miticide on the “off” weeks; making sure to spray all buds. Merit will not kill spider mites so if it is necessary to use miticide, we switch off. We have been diligently picking up our dropped buds (which may contain midge larvae) and treating our soil with granular diazinon to keep the midge cycle uncompleted. The cycle is vicious - gall midge larvae in buds – buds drop onto soil – larvae crawl out of the bud and into the soil – emerge as an adult gall midge. As you can see, it is just as important to treat the soil as it is to spray. The insecticide Merit is expensive but you use only 1/8 tsp. per gallon of water. When the shows are over I will experiment with an old insecticide or two to see if any are effective on the midge. More about price of Merit at our meeting.
Only about three weeks until our show. Keep up your spray schedule. Insecticides at the first sign of pests so that you will have beautiful blooms to enter at our show! Drench or spray water soluble fertilizer every week – you will see a big difference in your blooms and it will be worth it.
Miami's Gloria White welcomes chapter members Photo by Phil Spool
ROAD TRIP! Our 2nd annual coach tour to the Dr. Jack Hoffman-South Dade Chapter "Discover Hibiscus Show" at Fairchild Tropical Gardens was alot of fun! Many of our members participated by entering blooms and by performing volunteer duties such as clerking, judging, or "observing" to become new judges. Gloria White, Miami chapter president, warmly greeted us. Overall, our chapter members won 10 of the 21 awards. It was a fun and memorable trip. Congrats to all who won!
The SEED PLANTING & PROPAGATION workshop conducted by Russ & Elaine Scobey at our August meeting was an exciting and educational event. We had near record attendance! And 38 hibiscus enthusiasts actively participated in the "hands on" work-shop. Novices, as well as the more experienced, learned about hibiscus propagation, acquiring some uncommon garden varieties, as well as a possible award winning hybrid from a seedling. Thanks to the many, many,many members for providing plant cuttings, seeds and nursery pots. Thanks to D'Ann & Steve Brown for providing the delicious refreshments.
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, September 17, 7:30 PM
The September 17 meeting will be our ANNUAL AUCTION to raise money for our chapter, so bring plants or other items to donate for this event. And bring your checkbook for items you successfully bid on. Your participation at this event helps enable us to continue offering great presentations, shows, and events. There are many gardeners in our chapter who always bring a wide and interesting variety of plants that might not be available at most common nurseries. We will also be accepting nominations for Board of Director candidates to be elected in November. The nominating committee includes Beverly Bernard, Maureen Buono and Roland Gaudet. Refreshments to be provided by Eddie Griffith and Tyler Franz.
October 15 meeting topic: PHOTOGRAPHING HIBISCUS & PREPARING BLOOMS FOR SHOWS.
KUDOS to John Webster for his outstanding per-formance of coordinating volunteers and preparing educational material for the "PLANTS & POSIES X-TRAVAGANZA" on August 16 in Boca Raton. And thanks to Paul Felsberg, Bernard Pages, Eddie Griffith and Tyler Franz for manning the booth.
JUDGES TRAINING CLASS: Become a judge for American Hibiscus Society sanctioned shows or just learn how to judge a bloom. The class is free and it's in West Palm Beach! The only requirements are purchasing a judges manual and reading it twice before the class. Contact Tyler Franz at 561/762-4303 for more information or to RESERVE A SEAT. Do not miss this educational opportunity!
GARDEN TIP by JO CONRAD: In a few weeks fall will be upon us -- a good time to prepare your plants for our show (November 2). If you want to give your plants a final boost with a light application of granular fertilizer, all this month is a good time to do it. After this month the vigorous growing season will slow down with cooler temps; Mother Nature's way of hardening plants up for the coming winter. Foliar feed with water soluble fertilizer weekly and with trace elements every 2 weeks. Pump them up and inspect for insects.
Boxelders have been found in our yard. Similar to love bugs, black with red or orange on the undersides (1/4"-1/2"), they go from plant to plant and suck on buds making them drop off. Spray entire plant with orthene (per label instructions) at the first sighting. Repeat if necessary one week later. The babies will be bright red mostly found underneath top leaves; they are pretty but grow up. If I see them I kill them on the spot.
2ND ANNUAL BUS TRIP TO MIAMI SHOW: Our chapter is again sponsoring a coach tour to the Dr. Jack Hoffman Chapter Show at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami on Sunday, October 5. This is a great opportunity for newer members to exhibit blooms at an American Hibiscus Society sanctioned show with the assistance and the support of seasoned exhibitors. Last year, our chapter members received 11 of the 19 awards! For more information and to RESERVE A SEAT, contact Eddie Griffith at 561/762-3425. It's a really fun trip. Don't miss it!
Elaine & Russ Scobey were awarded JUDGES FAVORITE BLOOM OF THE YEAR -- for the second year in a row -- with "High Voltage" at the A.H.S. convention in 2003. We congratulate the Scobeys and are so glad they are a part of our chapter! The photo on the left is the "High Voltage" bloom of chapter member Jan Childress, who won our mini show of blooms in the "Amateur" category at our May 2003 meeting. Everyone agrees, it's a beautiful bloom! And the Scobey's hybridized it!
The workshop on Creating Bloom Display Arrangements given by D'Ann Brown at our July meeting was an enormous success. Special thanks to Gloria Swager and all those who contributed plant materials. Bernard Pages provided the refreshments.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, August 20, 7:30 PM
At our next meeting, professional growers and award winning hybridizers Elaine & Russ Scobey will conduct a "hands on" workshop on Seed Planting and Propagation. This workshop will be a great opportunity to get new plants at NO COST. Pete Conrad will provide hybrid seeds for the seed planting segment. The propagation segment will focus on uncommon garden variety hibiscus not readily available at local garden shops and nurseries. We ask members to contribute by bringing wood from their gardens. Potting soil will be provided by the Scobeys and pots will be provided by John Webster. D'Ann & Steve Brown will provide refreshments. Don't miss this workshop!
The September 17 meeting will be our annual auction. And candidate nominations will be accepted for our Board of Directors to be elected in November.
GARDEN TIP by JO CONRAD: I hope everybody likes the color yellow. Most of our plants in full sun have plenty of yellow leaves. Shade grown varieties are not under as much stress as those in full sun, thus less yellow leaves. Frequent mid day showers make matters worse; sun comes right back out and practically scalds the leaves (if running sprinklers, water in late afternoon, not in midday). If you notice, most of the yellow leaves are old ones that would have been cast off anyway but at a slower pace.
Do not make the mistake of seeing drooping plants and watering; check to be sure. Sometimes it's just caused from excessive heat and there's plenty of moisture in the soil and plant itself. With less foliage, less moisture needed, usually.
If your yellow leaves have green veins, then you might have to apply Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate). 1 T. per gallon as a spray (wetting all leaves) or 2 T. per gallon as a drench per plant. It's safe to use and will not build up in the soil. Once or twice a month should be enough. Also, it helps a plant absorb and use nitrogen and phosphorus which contributes to growth, flowering and disease resistance.
UPCOMING EVENTS: The annual Plants & Posies X-travaganza will be held on Saturday, August 16 from 10 AM - 5 PM at Sanborn Square in Boca Raton (Federal Hwy 1/2 block north of Palmetto Park Road). Our chapter will have a booth to educate the public on the care and propagation of tropical hibiscus. For more information, contact John Webster at 561/622-8681.
JUDGES TRAINING CLASS: The Dr. Jack Hoffman Miami Chapter, the Indian River Vero Beach Chapter and our chapter are co-sponsoring a JUDGES TRAINING CLASS on Saturday, September 20 at The Mounts Auditorium. Rita Hall -- AHS 1st Vice President and editor of The Seed Pod -- is chairperson of this educational event. Instructors are Jo Conrad, Elaine Scobey and Russ Scobey. The class will be held between 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM. After a complimentary luncheon, a question and answer session with judging of blooms will follow. Then the exam will be given to those seeking to become judges.
The class is open to all society members committed to becoming judges at nationally sanctioned shows, exhibitors who want to know more about how their blooms are judged, and hibiscus enthusiasts interested in knowing the criteria for judging a bloom. There is NO COST for attending the class. The class will cover all topics in the official AHS Judges Manual. Following the class and exam, a judges seminar will be offered to meet the continuing education requirements for junior and senior judges. The only requirements for participating in the judges training class are purchasing (or borrowing) a Judges Manual and reading it at least twice prior to the class. Bring the manual with you. To purchase a manual, contact Roland Gaudet by phone at 561/968-0959 (voice) or 561/965-1978 (fax), or email: < rolmiclin@aol.com >. Bound manuals are $10.00; unbound are $7.00. Price includes shipping. Manuals will also be available for purchase at out next two chapter meetings. New members are encouraged to attend this class. For more information and to reserve a seat, contact Tyler Franz at 561/762-4303.
2ND ANNUAL BUS TRIP TO MIAMI SHOW: Our chapter will again sponsor a coach tour to the Dr. Jack Hoffman Chapter Show at Fairchild Tropical Gardens on Sunday, October 5. More information will be available in our next newsletter, or you can contact Eddie Griffith at 561/762-3425. It's a fun trip. Don't miss it!
UPCOMING REGIONAL FLOWER SHOWS:
Sunday, September 14: Golby-Reasoner Chapter, Bradenton/Sarasota
Sunday, September 21: Indian River Chapter, Vero Beach <<< CANCELLED >>>
Sunday, October 5: Dr. Jack Hoffman/South Dade Chapter, Miami/ Homestead
Sunday, November 2: Conrad-Sunrise Chapter, West Palm Beach
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Mangia! Mangia! Our Italian theme pot luck supper was a feast. The food was delicious! And Claudette Doran’s homemade cannoli were exceptionally so. Special thanks to Maureen Buono for organizing the menu. And thanks to Nola Reynolds for the beverages. It was a special treat to have our friends from St. Croix join us: Jean Burns, Audrey McCarthy and Bradley Christian, along with "Cruzians in exile" -- and now our chapter members -- Phyllis Charles and Laura Santiago. And we thank Don Bernard, who was on hand to answer re-graft questions.
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, July 16, 2003, 7:30 PM
At our next meeting, Gloria Swager and D'Ann Brown will be conducting a workshop on Creating Hibiscus Bloom Display Arrangements. The chapter will provide the greenery and we'll raid the always-spectacular-blooms from our monthly mini-show after winners are announced. Other essentials for this "hands-on" workshop such as trays, “oasis,” and wires will be sold at a nominal fee. Bring your plant clippers! Bernard Pages will provide refreshments.
The August 20 meeting will be on Seed Planting and Propagation. Plan now to attend this informative meeting.
NEW MEMBERS: We welcome our new members Laura & Ray Santiago, now of Stuart; and new associate members Bradley Christian and Audrey McCarthy, both of St. Croix.
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad: It's too wet at our house to do much fertilizing, whether it's granular, nutricote or foliar. We are trying to keep up our weekly insecticide spray schedule, to which we add 20-20-20 foliar fertilizer (1 Tbl. Per gal.) and a small amount of trace or minor elements (1 Tbl. Per 4 gal.) Always spray when plants are cool. NEVER USE MALATHION ON HIBISCUS.
Check plants (especially your new grafts) for slug or snail damage. Small holes that appear in the leaves are telltale signs of them. The critters love to hide under pots and in dark, damp areas; feeding mostly at night. Purchase slug and snail bait and apply by broadcasting it onto leaves and around plants. Do not water in. Reapply as necessary. Saucers of beer can be put out around your plants to attract them -- they fall in and drown. A slug (1-2" long,1/2" wide, gray-brown, rubbery) is tough to kill when you catch one. If you're squeamish, remove from plant, sprinkle it with table salt, and it will curl up and die. Leaves chewed around the edges are usually being eaten by grasshoppers or caterpillars.
HOT OFF THE PRESS: Newly revised, The Tropical Hibiscus Handbook is now available for $15.00. Edited by Texans Barry Schlueter and Pat Merritt, the handbook is a must for hibiscus enthusiasts. Get your copy at our next meeting .
National Convention: Both individually and collectively, our chapter was well represented in all aspects of the recent American Hibiscus Society national convention in Boca Raton. For “Hibiscus of the Year,” Conrad Nursery owners Pete & Jo Conrad received the Second Place Award for hybridizing “Forgotten Love.” Russ & Elaine Scobey received the Judges’ Favorite Bloom Award with “High Voltage.” And Nola & Carlos Reynolds received the Florida Open Collector Sweepstakes Award. Congratulations to all!
Collectively, our chapter was well represented and won the award for having the most members in attendance!
And we thank Maureen Buono, Beverly Bernard, John Webster, Paul Felsberg and Bernard Pages for making the hospitality suite a success, and to Bob Hall who photographed that extraordinary image of “Northern Light.
And for making the “Calypso” daiquiri party on Saturday evening an overwhelming success, we thank Pine Island Tropicals owners Donna & Gary Schneider for providing the mangoes; Jean “Rum Runner” Burns for that “special” additive; and both Jean Burns and The Seed Pod Editor, Rita Hall, for providing the fun music!
To raise money for the impressive color pictures in The Seed Pod, Randy Cox auctioned donated items. We are pleased that the floral table linens created by the very talented Dianne Greschuk received top bids. Thank you, Dianne!
Special thanks to Eddie Griffith for giving his Landscaping with Hibiscus presentation and to D'Ann Brown for conducting her workshop on Creating Hibiscus Bloom Display Arrangements.
Award winning “Forgotten Love” (left) and Jo Conrad with her bloom display arrangement at the convention workshop (right). Photo on left by the A.H.S. website and photo on right by Damon Veach of Baton Rouge. See Jo Conrad and her bloom display arrangement on the main page.
On Sunday, we were all invited to the residence and nursery of Russ & Elaine Scobey for lunch and a garden tour. We are still in awe of their backyard nursery and the incredible, award winning blooms they have produced.
But the person who made our participation possible is Cindi Armstrong, the National Convention Coordinator. We thank her for her patience, perseverance, and passion.
UPCOMING REGIONAL FLOWER SHOWS:
Sunday, September 14: Golby-Reasoner Chapter, Bradenton/Sarasota
Sunday, September 21: Indian River Chapter, Vero Beach
Sunday, October 5: Dr. Jack Hoffman/South Dade Chapter, Miami/ Homestead
Sunday, November 2: Conrad-Sunrise Chapter, West Palm Beach
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Once again, Don Bernard gave an excellent presentation at our May 21 WORKSHOP ON GRAFTING HIBISCUS. He demonstrated the techniques needed to perform a successful graft, including what ratio of beeswax and paraffin to mix for sealing the grafts, as well as the types of cuts needed to be made on the rootstock and scion wood in order to join them correctly. Don and Russ Scobey patiently helped new and old members alike perform their own grafts. Thanks to Don and Russ for an outstanding demonstration and workshop. And thanks to the Conrads for providing rootstock, and to all who brought scion wood to share. And special thanks to Jane & Barry Varvaro for providing the delicious refreshments, especially the mini cheesecakes with fresh strawberries and whipped cream!
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, June 18, 2003, 7:30 PM
Mama Mia! Our June 18 meeting will be an Italian themed pot luck supper. For menu suggestions, please contact Maureen Buono at 561/733-9025. Following this annual pot luck will be a RE-GRAFTING WORKSHOP. Visitors are welcome!
MOUNTS "GET TOGETHER": Thanks to Elaine & Russ Scobey for providing plants, Dan Greschuk for providing an additional tent and tables, and all who volunteered their time at the 1st Annual Mounts "Get Together" on May 31. We were able to inform many people about our society in the pleasant surroundings of our new display garden.
CONVENTION UPDATE: The 2003 American Hibiscus Society convention is June 12-15 at the Embassy Suites in Boca Raton. Our chapter is hosting a hospitality suite on Friday and Saturday, culminating on Saturday evening with the traditional post-awards banquet Calypso party. And on Saturday afternoon, Eddie Griffith will present "LANDSCAPING WITH HIBISCUS" and D'Ann Brown will conduct a workshop on "CREATING BLOOM DISPLAY ARRANGEMENTS." For more information about the convention or the hospitality suite, contact Tyler Franz at 561/762-4303.
NEW MEMBERS: We welcome our newest members Carolyn Hasting and Esther Moore.
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad: Summer rains have upset our watering and spray schedules. If possible, shut sprinklers off of "automatic." Plants and grass will need a chance to dry out a little before resuming. Heavy rains make granular fertilizer leach or wash out quickly from in-ground plants; a little less quickly from potted ones. After plants have dried out a bit, reapply granular fertilizer and resume foliar feeding. Yellow leaves will undoubtedly appear from the excessive heat we had been experiencing and from the shock of all the rain. New leaves will reappear quickly but some bud drop may occur.
Watch out for the mosquitoes!!!!
CATEGORIES FOR HIBISCUS BLOOM SHOWS: To all who are not familiar with the guidelines that determine the different categories for entering your blooms in a nationally sanctioned hibiscus show, this is a brief summary of those guidelines:
An AMATEUR is any one displaying blooms for two show seasons or less, officially starting at the first show that they enter blooms. There is no limit on how many or few plants an amateur may own. A COLLECTOR is any one who has moved up from the amateur class who has fewer than 75 plants. An OPEN COLLECTOR is any one who has moved up from the amateur class who has 75 or more plants. The COMMERCIAL class is for any one who has a commercial license and is actively selling hibiscus plants. There is no limit to the number of plants that they may have. The MINIATURE, and SEEDLING categories are not subject to status of exhibitors, and are judged as individual categories.
Though our monthly mini-shows are not nationally sanctioned, these rules should generally be applied as well, with the exception of the “miniature” and “seedling” categories
Participation in regional shows is open to everyone. There is no fee to enter blooms. New members are especially encouraged to participate. For more information, contact any member of our board of directors. Most shows include sales of grafted hybrid hibiscus, as well. Our show is November 2.
UPCOMING REGIONAL FLOWER SHOWS:
Sunday, June 8 - Sunset Chapter, St. Petersburg
Saturday, June 21 - Central Florida Chapter, Orlando
At our April 16 meeting, Gene Joyner -- chapter friend and Extension Agent for Palm Beach County Extension Service -- gave a slide show presentation and shared his knowledge about insects and pathogens that affect our plants in South Florida. All who attended certainly learned something new and beneficial for their gardening needs. Thank you Gene for an outstanding presentation. For refreshments, Elaine Scobey created an incredible, edible bunny cake! A photo of this piece of art is on our website.
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, May 21, 2003, 7:30 PM
Join us for a garden tour before the meeting at 7:00
The May 21 meeting will be a GRAFTING WORKSHOP and will be led by our longtime member and a grafting expert, Don Bernard. For this workshop, the chapter will provide free hybrid scion wood, wax and rubber bands. Rootstock will be available for sale at $1.00 each. Be sure to bring a sharp knife. Several other experts will also be on hand to help you graft your own hybrid hibiscus! This is an excellent program, a good opportunity to learn another skill, and to acquire more plants for your collection. Please join us for this educational workshop. Refreshments will be graciously provided by Jane & Barry Varvaro.
Our June 18 meeting will be a pot luck supper and a regrafting workshop. All members and guests are invited to participate. The theme of the pot luck will be announced at our next meeting.
CONVENTION REMINDER: The 2003 National Convention of the American Hibiscus Society will be June 12 - 15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boca Raton. It is open to all members and guests. The registration deadline is May 13!
For more detailed information about the convention, contact any board member; see the display ad in the April Seed Pod; or go online: < www.americanhibiscus.org/convin.htm >
MOUNTS PLANT SALE: Our spring plant sale has come and gone, and was a success in spite of the inclement weather experienced on Saturday. You just can not stop determined gardeners! Many volunteered, including Sam Chaney, Jo & Pete Conrad, Bernard Pages, Dick Chaikin, Eddie Griffith, John Webster, Paul Felsberg, Steve & D'Ann Brown, Nola Reynolds, Maureen Buono, Don & Beverly Bernard, Dan Greschuk, and Tyler Franz. Thanks to all of you for your time and effort. (And Nola, please thank your sister Molly for that impressive flower arrangement!)
MOUNTS "GET TOGETHER": On Saturday, May 31st from 9 AM to 4PM, Mounts Botanical Garden will be hosting a "Get Together" throughout the garden. This special event is a new concept where the primary focus is to promote the many plant societies and environmental groups associated with Mounts. There will be booths with educational material, as well as plants and related items for sale, there will also be a schedule of educational programs throughout the day in the Clayton Hutchison auditorium and in the garden as well. At 12:30 PM, Eddie Griffith will be giving his presentation on LANDSCAPING WITH HIBISCUS. There will be food and refreshment vendors at this event. Our chapter will have a booth set up by our new display garden where we will be promoting our society and selling plants. If you are interested in helping out, please sign up at the next meeting or contact any of our board members.
NEW MEMBER: We welcome our newest member, Jan Childress!
DISPLAY GARDEN UPDATE by Eddie Griffith
Most of the new display garden at Mounts Botanical Garden has been planted and mulched. Special thanks to Mounts' staff and volunteers for promptly applying the mulch. It looks great!
Many of the grafted hybrid plants are ones that were in our old garden and transplanted into pots last winter, then nurtured back to good health by some of our dedicated members. Other hybrids were acquired in mid February and received lots of T.L.C. up to the day they were put in our display garden. Special thanks to Pete & Jo Conrad, and Russ & Elaine Scobey for donating large, healthy plants for our display garden.
As a result of our efforts -- and cooperation from Mother nature -- we have many vibrant, healthy plants with lots of buds and new growth. I feel that with the changes that we have implemented, we have a garden that we can be proud of. Some of the changes included:
(1) Switching sides with the hybrids and garden varieties, giving the hybrids more exposure to the sun, while letting the hardier garden varieties deal with the more adverse conditions that exist under the rainbow eucalyptus tree;
(2) Keeping the hybrids in containers (buried at ground level), where we can better control the soil conditions, and easily remove and replace any plant that shows signs of decline; and
(3) Placing the plants in a comprehensive layout that is easy to view and maintain.
With its water view and friendly "walk into" layout, the experience is sure to be a pleasant one for all who enter. Many thanks for all who helped make this possible. Anyone interested in helping to maintain the garden, please contact Maintenance Program Coordinators D'Ann Brown or Dan Greschuk.
MONTHLY GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad
Our big growing and showing season is here. Time to set up a spray and fertilizing schedule. Weekly foliar feeding water soluble fertilizer alternately with minor elements or chelated iron is great. This is in addition to your granular or slow release fertilizer.
A lot of people do not like to use insecticides for a pest problem and prefer alternatives such as Safer Soap or other products that contain fatty acids. These products must be sprayed on top and undersides of leaves plus trunks to coat pests but do not harm beneficial insects. Check ingredients and buy the most economical. I recommend starting off at quarter rate and building up to half correct amount. Safer recommends 2.5 ounces (5 tablespoons) per gallon of water. Always read label of whatever product you use. Start using before there is a problem so the build up of the product will coat the plant; which is distasteful to the insects. This build up takes time to accumulate so start now. Try the product on a small amount of plants, there is a danger of phytotoxicity. The hot summer sun seems to increase the danger. Do not use water soluble fertilizer, minor elements or chemicals with the fatty acid spray mixture. Always spray when the plant is cool and watered. Fatty acid soaps do not kill pests but over time discourage them. Sometimes insecticides must be used in a separate spraying if the infestation is out of control. We used a fatty acid product a long time ago and had a problem with burning of leaves, so I use it for snow scale on the trunks of plants instead. There is much information on the internet about these botanical soaps.
NATIONAL 2002 "SEEDLING" WINNERS:
Congratulations to our chapter members Nola & Carlos Reynolds and Elaine & Russ Scobey for their each winning five hybridized seedling awards at national shows in 2002. In addition to show winnings, the Scobey's won at the State Fair. For more descriptive details about their seedlings, see the current issue of The Seed Pod. And, again, congratulations!
UPCOMING REGIONAL FLOWER SHOWS:
Sunday, May 11 - Harry Goulding Chapter, Port Charlotte, FL
Saturday, May 17 - Gulfcoast Chapter, Venice, FL
Sunday, June 1 - James Hendry Chapter, Fort Meyers, FL
Sunday, June 8 - Sunset Chapter, St. Petersburg, FL
Saturday, June 21 - Central Florida Chapter, Orlando, FL
The March 19 meeting featured a multi-media presentation on LANDSCAPING WITH HIBISCUS. Eddie Griffith discussed how color theory can be used to incorporate both hybrid and garden varieties into landscaping. He illustrated these landscaping concepts with more than one hundred digital photographs. And we thank Don & Beverly Bernard for the very delicious carrot cake!
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, April16, 2003:
We are pleased to have longtime chapter friend, Gene Joyner, speak at our April 16 meeting. Gene is an Extension Agent for the Palm Beach County Extension Service. He will discuss INSECTS and PATHOGENS. Refreshments will be provided by Russ & Elaine Scobey.
The May 21 meeting will be a workshop on GRAFTING. Several expert grafters will be on hand to help you graft your own hybrid hibiscus!
UPDATE ON OUR MOUNTS DISPLAY GARDEN: The hybrid area of our garden at Mounts is scheduled to be planted on Saturday, April 5. To oversee the maintenance and care of our new display gardens, a committee headed by D'Ann Brown, is seeking volunteers to help perform various tasks to keep the plants healthy and blooming. This can be a good opportunity to learn from some of our more experienced growers about the care and maintenance of tropical hibiscus. See D'Ann at the next meeting if you are interested in participating in the care of our display garden. And special thanks to Barry Vavaro, Dan Greschuk, Don Bernard, John Webster, Paul Felsberg, D'Ann Brown, Bernard Pages, and Eddie Griffith for all their hard work in planting the garden varieties and preparing the hybrid area.
NEW MEMBERS:
We welcome our new members Claudette Doran & Michael J. Chamberlain. And we extend a warm welcome back to Charlotte Hennessy!
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad:
As soon as your plants start to bloom after pruning START HYBRIDIZING. If you don't want seedlings, donate your seeds to the AHS Seed Bank.
On the very top of the staminal column, in the center of the bloom, are the stigma pads (5) in red, orange or yellow. Directly below the stigmas are the pollen sacs - light yellow when closed, darker bright yellow when open. If you're not sure, lightly brush pollen against your arm, if you see yellow on your arm - the pollen sacs are open and ready. Pollen from the "father" is deposited on the stigma pads of the "mother". Immediately tag the "mother" bloom with the complete cross. Always list mother's name first X father's name (think Ladies, first). If the cross is successful, bloom will fall off, seed pod will form and in 4 weeks or so it will get yellow-brown and will open slightly when lightly squeezed. It will open by itself and seeds will be lost so check daily.
Hybridizing is usually done between 10 AM - 2 PM. when pollen is open and stigmas are most receptive, but busy people hybridize when they have the time. If you have few blooms, one bloom can be used as mother of one cross and her pollen taken off with a small make up brush and used as the father on another bloom. Also, whole bloom or pollen on brush can be put in small plastic bag and refrigerated for next day's use as a father. I learned a lot from having a famous hybridizer - Dawn Conrad Shew as a daughter!!!
SPRING PLANT SALE AT MOUNTS:
Our chapter will again have a booth at this popular semi-annual plant sale on April 26-27. Saturday hours are 9 AM - 5 PM; Sunday hours are 9 AM - 4 PM. Admission is $5.00. A special preview for members of the Friends of Mounts is Saturday 8 AM - 9 AM. This sale is a must for gardening enthusiasts and is a great opportunity for new members to volunteer at our sales booth.
At the February 19 meeting -- and to our benefit, longtime chapter member, Don Bernard, shared his extensive knowledge about hibiscus propagation by giving a presentation on PREPARING ROOT STOCK. He covered such topics as the use of root tone, the length of wood, the coating of exposed tip in wax, and the mix and container in which to start rootstock. And thanks to John Webster and Maureen Buono for the refreshments.
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, March 19, 7:30 PM
The March 19 meeting topic is LANDSCAPING WITH HIBISCUS and will be presented by Eddie Griffith. His passion is gardening in the sub-tropics; and he has completed the Master Gardener course. Through his multi-media presentation, he hopes to inspire gardening enthusiasts to incorporate hibiscus into their landscaping. Refreshments will be provided by Beverly & Don Bernard.
The April 16 meeting will feature our longtime friend, Gene Joyner, Environmental Horticulturalist for the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service.
MOUNTS SPRING PLANT SALE - April 26-27: We always look forward to our participation in the plant sales at Mounts Botanical Garden. The sale is always a great opportunity to volunteer and get to know fellow members.
NEW MEMBERS:
We extend a special welcome to all of our new members: They are Debbie & Walter Furtak, Carol Ann Loehndorf, Robert & Donna Hall, Cindy Hall, Ashley Hall, April Hall, Bill Foster & Barbara Hann, Miriam Feinberg, Dan Even, Murry & Sandy Ribolow, Paul & Debbie Gentry, J. Sumner Draper II, Merrilyn Bardes, David Murbach, and Phyllis Charles.
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad:
I bet almost everyone has already completed their spring pruning and fertilizing. The weather has been mild and a threat of a late freeze is nonexistent (?). Conrad Nursery used less 12-6-8 granular fertilizer (with minors) than usual and in addition added twice as much milorganite (6-2-0) per plant. Example: our 18 gal pots received 1/2 C. granular and 1 C. milorganite. Milorganite is a slow release fertilizer that will not burn and contains iron. It seems to be giving the plants a quick head start into the spring growing season.
Your rootstock should be sprouting leaves. Mix up (in a 1 qt. spray bottle) - 1 tsp. water soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer and water. Keep it right by your rootstock. Spray every 5 days or so. One quart lasts a long time and it's so convenient already mixed up!
SPEAKING ABOUT HIBISCUS . . .
During recent months, our chapter has been invited to speak before several interested groups. We always welcome the opportunity to educate the public about the use, care and propagation of tropical hibiscus. Recently, Jo Conrad spoke to more than 100 members of the Quail Ridge Garden Club in Delray; Eddie Griffith gave a presentation to the Master Gardeners at their February meeting; and both John Webster and Eddie Griffith spoke to a group of enthusiastic gardeners in Greenacres. For more information about our blossoming speakers bureau, contact John Webster at 561/622-8681.
CHAPTER POLO SHIRTS:
Our new high quality, embroidered polo shirts are available in several colors and cost only $25.00. Order them at our next meeting or contact John Webster at 561/622-8681.
FROM THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER:
To say that our participation in The Palm Beach Tropical Flower & Garden Show was a huge success would be a great understatement. Its success was beyond even our most optimistic expectations!
Many thanks to David Murbach, Executive Director of the show’s sponsor, The Horticulture Society of South Florida, and to his executive assistant, Joy Adle. To their credit, the annual show was enormously successful, giving us an unprecedented opportunity to promote our chapter and to educate thousands of participants on the use, care and propagation of tropical hibiscus. It was a pleasure working with them!
We owe much of the success of our booth to Eddie Griffith, who did an outstanding job coordinating our chapter’s efforts. Logging in more than 50 volunteer hours, Eddie designed and oversaw setting up our display booth, coordinated volunteers to staff the booth, made daily trips to Conrad Nursery to get more plants, and finally, dismantled it all after the show. And he even found the time to bring two display arrangements, utilizing plants from his garden. Thank you so much, Eddie!
The overall success of our booth, however, was possible only because of the many dedicated volunteers who staffed the booth, offering educational materials and support, and sharing their enthusiastic encouragement for growing hibiscus.
Volunteers included Sam Chaney, John Webster, Paul Felsberg, Don Bernard, Maureen Buono, Dan Greschuk, D’Ann Brown, Dick Chaikin, Barry & Jane Vavaro (their girls did an excellent job of keeping track of the inventory of plants!), Tom & Gloria Swager, and Rick van Tol.
And special thanks to Nola Reynolds for the spectacular “palm, fern and papyrus” display arrangement, Don Bernard for the white lattice for displaying blooms, John Webster for revitalizing the chapter’s educational posters, Paul Felsberg for all those membership application forms, and, of course, the Ranney Chapter for giving us their display posters, easels and educational materials.
We are most grateful to Jo & Pete Conrad for all the extra effort they put into replenishing plant supplies on a daily basis. Their efforts to provide both quality and variety of hybrid hibiscus made the sales from our booth very successful!
Our booth was second to none for its display of colorful blooms and arrangements of flowers. And we especially thank all who brought blooms to our February meeting's mini show the night before the event. (We had so many blooms for the mini show that we had to set up an additional table!) We utilized all of those blooms, which made for a spectacular opening day at the flower show.
We were hoping for a few new members, but were overwhelmed that 19 joined! WELCOME TO YOU ALL!
Remember, this is your chapter and without your input, we can not make things happen. So, please, do not hesitate contacting any member of the board with your ideas or suggestions on how we can improve what we have.
Thanks to all of you. We have made a great start for 2003. See you at the next meeting on March 19!
- Bernard Pages, President
ST. CROIX’ LOSS; OUR GAIN:
A longtime St. Croix chapter member, Phyllis Charles, has returned to the mainland after living in the U.S. Virgin Islands for 14 years. Phyllis was the chapter’s president until she left the island last month. She has taken up residence in Palm City.
As an avid quilter, she plans to open “The Tropical Quilter” in Stuart. The retail shop -- to open in May -- will offer quilts, supplies, and designs. And it comes as no surprise to anyone who knows her that "a hibiscus bloom will probably be in (her) business logo."
Phyllis has been a hibiscus enthusiast for many years, and just last year she won the amateur “Sweepstakes” award at the island’s annual show of blooms. We just couldn’t be more pleased that she has joined our chapter as a member at-large. And we wish her only the best with her new business venture. We extend a very special welcome to Phyllis Charles!
A.H.S. CONVENTION UPDATE:
The 2003 National Convention of the American Hibiscus Society will be June 12-15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boca Raton. The annual convention is open to all members and guests. Make your reservations now to participate in this festive and informative national event.
Committee meetings are open to everyone; and general sessions will be held Saturday and Sunday mornings. An awards banquet will be Saturday evening. Convention registration is only $10.00 per person. The cost of the banquet is $32.00, and well worth it! The registration deadline is May 13.
More detailed information about the convention, registration, planned activities, and hotel accommodations is available at:
www.americanhibiscus.org/convin.htm
Printed copies of a more complete schedule of events will be available at our March 19 meeting. Also, look for it in the April Seed Pod.
We are pleased the convention is so close to home and we will have opportunities to volunteer our assistance. More information about volunteer opportunities will be announced at our next two meetings.
Our January meeting was most informative! Based on her vast experience and youthful enthusiasm, Dawn Conrad Shew offered tips on procedures and timing for successful HYBRIDIZATION. To date she has approximately 150 registered seedlings. She has also been one of the youngest judges and the youngest director in the society. Thank you, Dawn.
And thanks to Jo Conrad and Dan & Diane Greschuk for the delicious cakes!
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NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, February 19, 7:30 PM
Essential to successfully grafting hybrid hibiscus is having a good root stock. Don Bernard, a long time chapter member and current officer on our board of directors, will give a presentation on PREPARING ROOT STOCK at the February 19 meeting. Don will share with us his expertise in starting root stock and its importance to grafting.
Refreshments will be provided by Maureen Buono and John Webster.
The March 19 meeting topic is LANDSCAPING WITH HIBISCUS by Eddie Griffith.
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad: Did anyone receive any frost or freeze damage? I hope not. All the nights that we had temps in the 40's and 30's have made our plants more hardy.
Pruning may be started anytime. Some people like to wait till the beginning of March, but if you exhibit at the early shows, a little earlier is better. Also, if freeze or frost has damaged your plants, prune 7 to 10 days after. While pruning, we weed, add more soil if necessary, fertilize with granular fertilizer (or fertilizer of your choice) and closely inspect our plants for fungus, insects, etc.
If you have some yellow leaves, don't be alarmed. The color change was probably caused by the recent cold snap. With warmer weather again, the plant will quickly produce new foliage.
Upcoming Events
Palm Beach Tropical Flower & Garden Show: Our chapter will again have a display booth at the annual show February 20-23. The annual show is presented by The Horticulture Society of South Florida and this year's theme is "Rhythms of Nature." Our past participation has given us considerable exposure; and last year we were honored with an award for our display booth. Help make our booth even better this year!
Our booth will be open all four days of the show -- Thursday through Sunday -- and set-up will be on Wednesday, February 19. Many have volunteered to participate, but some time slots are still open or in need of more staffing. For more information about volunteering, contact Bernard Pages at 561/ 863-5871.
http://www.palmbeachflowershow.org/plantsocieties.htm
The 2003 National Convention of the American Hibiscus Society will be June 12-15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boca Raton.
We are pleased the annual convention will be so close to home, offering more of our chapter members an opportunity to participate. More information will be made available in the next newsletters.
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2003 Schedule of Meetings
February - Preparing Root Stock - Don Bernard
March - Landscaping - Eddie Griffith
April - Guest Speaker - Gene Joyner
May - Grafting Hibiscus
June - Covered Dish Supper, Garden Stroll, & Grafting follow up
July - Flower Arrangements with Hibiscus
August - Seed Planting & Propagation
September - Auction
October - Hibiscus Photography & Preparing Blooms for Show
November - Elections & Hibiscus Sex Show
December - Holiday Party & Covered Dish Supper
Our DECEMBER HOLIDAY PARTY and covered dish supper were enjoyed by all. Members brought more than a hundred spectacular hibiscus blooms to decorate the Norfolk Island Pine tree. And thanks to all who provided the delicious food!
We look forward to the annual Palm Beach Tropical Flower & Garden Show February 20-23, hosted by The Horticulture Society of South Florida. Our previous booth displays have been informative and colorful. Volunteer opportunities will be announced at our next meeting.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 15, 7:30 PM
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The JANUARY 15 meeting will be on hybridization. Our good friend Dawn Conrad Shew, creator of many hybrids that we know and love, will be our guest speaker. As always, she will share her expertise with us. Don't miss this meeting! Refreshments will be provided by Jo Conrad and Diane & Dan Greshuck.
The FEBRUARY 19 meeting topic will be on starting rootstock for grafted hybrids.
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad: Keep a close watch on cold weather reports and keep up a minor element spray schedule. Use chemicals when needed for plant pests. Put your energy into hybridizing. Cool nights and mild weather make for ideal conditions!!
SPEAKING OF PESTS... Learn more about the many pests that are common to hibiscus through links found on our website. The links identify the gall midge and 41 other insects, pests and diseases - a must read for your plant maintenance. www.farmerbrown.org/hibiscus.html
FASHION STATEMENT: Orders of our chapter's new polo shirts have started arriving, and the embroidered logo looks fantastic!!! The very high quality shirts -- available in several colors -- are $25.00 each. To order, call John Webster at 561/622-8681 or purchase at the next meeting.
The MINI SHOW OF BLOOMS winners at the December meeting:
Amateur Flower: Eddie Griffith with "Dragons Breath"
Collector Flower: D'Ann Brown with "Tigerama"
Open Collector Flower: Nola Reynolds with "Saxon T"
Commercial Flower: Conrad Nursery with "Northern Light"
The year in review: 2002 has been a remarkable year for our chapter. Membership nearly doubled and volunteerism was at an all time high.
Plant and merchandise sales at both the Spring and the Fall Mounts Botanical Garden Plant Sales were enormously successful. We are proud to be a member of the Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden; and we are appreciative of their generosity for including us in these sales events and for providing our monthly meeting space.
Our annual hibiscus show during the Mounts fall sale last month was a truly spectacular event; and it is among the most well attended shows in the country. Many of our members were award winners at our hibiscus show, as well as at shows hosted by other chapters during the past year. And we set an impressive record for attendance at the Jack Hoffman / South Dade Chapter annual hibiscus show in October, which was highlighted with a memorable coach tour to the Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Coral Gables. We are also grateful to The Horticulture Society of South Florida for again including us in their annual Palm Beach Tropical Flower & Garden Show in February. During the 3-day event, we received tremendous exposure with our colorful array of blooms and selection of plants for sale; and we were further recognized with an award for our booth design.
But the greatest recognition for our chapter came during the national convention of the American Hibiscus Society in Orlando in June. Many of our members received national awards for their accumulation of flower show winnings, new hybrids, and overall contributions to the society.
This has been a great year with a great leadership team. So it came as no surprise when all directors of the board were re-elected with the addition of two new at-large directors: Maureen Buono and Dan Greschuck. Congratulations to all, and we look forward to an even better 2003!
Our next meeting on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:30 P.M. will be a covered dish supper to celebrate the holiday season. We will meet at our usual location, the Mounts Building at 531 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach.
The chapter will provide a turkey; and members are asked to bring a covered dish. For food category suggestions, contact Beverly Bernard at 561/433-1874. Visitors are always welcome, but please call to reserve seating for this special occasion.
Everyone is encouraged to participate in the annual gift exchange by bringing a wrapped, anonymous, "unisex" gift of around $10.00. Gardening related items make great gifts. No "gag" gifts, please. Also, bring your blooms for the mini-show and to decorate the tree!
At our November 20 meeting John Webster and Jo Conrad gave a sex show presentation accompanied with a slide show, in brief they demonstrated the parentage of many of the hybrids.
They showed slides of both parents and the interesting and sometimes surprising offspring that they produced. They also identified flower parts and their function in the reproduction process.
Thanks to Sam Chaney for providing the delicious refreshments!
The January 15, 2003 meeting will feature a presentation by Dawn Conrad Shew on hybrid-ization techniques for creating new varieties of hibiscus. Mark your calendar and bring a friend!
We welcome our newest member: Paul Felsberg!
John Webster is taking orders for our chapter's new t-shirts. The embroidered logo shirts are $25.00, advance payment required.
GARDEN TIP by Jo Conrad: In the garden tip last month, the last sentence stated - "A wet plant under stress will freeze before a dry one." WRONG! The truth is, a dry plant will most likely freeze before a wet one - under stress or not. Sorry for the typo.
If freezing temperatures are predicted for sure and you do not want to take any chances; cover plants with old sheets, blankets, etc. Not plastic. Plants that are in pots may even be laid on their side, stacked, then covered. There's not one of us that hasn't brought our treasured rootstock and grafted plants into our garage for a day or two.
Off the subject but --- What are we all doing with our buds that fall off from suspected gall midge infestation? Any that are harvested by hand may be put into a zip lock bag and cooked in the sun. This way we are not spreading them around by just tossing them in the garbage can. Any more non chemical suggestions?
The Mini Show winners for November were:
Amateur Flower: Eddie Griffith with "Kylie Ritchie"
Commercial: Elaine & Russ Scobey with "Junes Dragon"
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The Conrad-Sunrise Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society is a non-profit organization. Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:30 P.M. in the Mounts Building at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. Our programs are informative and fun. A highlight of every meeting is a mini-show of spectacular blooms. Contact any of the board members or VIP's listed here for more information, or come to our meetings. Visitors are always welcome! Next meeting: 7:30 P.M. Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Our October 16 meeting proved to be informative as Jo Conrad gave tips on photographing hibiscus. Don Bernard presented a memorable recap of our coach tour to Miami. And Gloria Swager and Maureen Buono gave us creative ideas on how to display our blooms. And thanks to Beverly & Don Bernard for providing the delicious refreshments!
Our Annual Fall Plant Sale and Hibiscus Show at Mounts were enormously successful. Thanks to Pete & Jo Conrad, Don & Beverly Bernard, Tom & Gloria Swager, Maureen Buono, D'Ann & Steve Brown, Dan Greschuck, Rick Van Tol, Don D'Agostino, Richard Chaikin, Rudy Dongon, John Webster, Bernard Pages and Eddie Griffith for volunteering at the sales booth. Special thanks to Nola Reynolds for providing cold sodas. Roland Gaudet is to be commended for his outstanding job of coordinating the show! It was great seeing Evelyn Somerville, who volunteered at the show. A very welcome surprise was to see Elaine & Russ Scobey. Russ is recovering miraculously from a serious surgery. A complete list of show winners is at: www.farmerbrown.org/hibiscus.html
Our November 20 election meeting will also feature a Hibiscus "Sex Show" with a presentation by Jo Conrad and John Webster. Sam Chaney will provide refreshments.
Garden Tip by Jo Conrad: To help keep the gall midge at bay, besides spraying (Sept. newsletter) treat the ground under your plants with granular diazinon or dursban (do not water in) or granular disyston (water in). A light application sprinkled wherever a bud may fall, will help kill any gall midge larvae that has dropped. Once a month should be plenty.
We can ease up on our granular fertilization. With winter coming, it's time to harden up our plants and not promote much new growth (especially for people living west). Foliar feed occasionally with 20-20-20, but concentrate more on minor elements.
We have been extremely lucky these last few years, no freezes. Who knows what this year will bring. When low temperatures are predicted -- water your plants early in the day, in time for foliage to be dry and water absorbed by nightfall. A wet plant under stress will freeze before a dry one.
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Our December 18 meeting will be a covered dish supper to celebrate the holiday season. The chapter will provide a turkey; and members are asked to bring a covered dish. Sign up at the November 20 meeting or contact Maureen Buono at 561/733-9025 for suggestions. "Reservation only" for non-members. As part of the annual festivities, we will have a gift exchange. Everyone is encouraged to participate. We ask that you bring a wrapped, anonymous, "unisex" gift of around $10.00. Gardening related gifts are always welcome. No "gag" gifts, please.
Thanks to Paul Felsberg for designing our new brochure. The brochure is fantastic! Our chapter has now officially adopted him!
John Webster will be taking orders for our chapter's new t-shirts. The embroidered logo shirts are $25.00, advance payment required.
We welcome our three newest members: Dr. Richard Chaikin, Diane Branch, and Dr. Jimmy Rivera.
The MINI SHOW OF BLOOMS winners at the October meeting:
Amateur Flower: Eddie Griffith with "Peggy Hendry"
Collector Flower: Tom Swager with "Byron Metts"
Open Collector: Carlos & Nola Reynolds with "Dragon's Breath"
Commercial Flower: Elaine & Russ Scobey with "Rainbow Christie"
The Conrad-Sunrise Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society is a non-profit organization. Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:30 P.M. in the Mounts Building at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. Our programs are informative and fun. A highlight of every meeting is a mini-show of spectacular blooms. Contact any of the board members or VIP's listed here for more information, or come to our meetings. Visitors are always welcome!
Next meeting: 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Our annual auction at the September meeting was an enormous success, bringing in $600 for our chapter. Everyone had a good time while bidding on plants and other fun things. Many thanks to all who participated, especially Roland Gaudet and Don Bernard for outstanding performances as auctioneers. And special thanks to Eddie Griffith for the delicious refreshments!
Thanks to the generous hospitality -- Hawaiian style -- of the Jack Hoffman South Dade Chapter, our October 6 coach tour to their "Discover Hibiscus" show at Fairchild Tropical Garden was alot of fun. They sure know how to throw a great party with truly spectacular blooms! For those who could slip away from the show, a tour of the garden was most enjoyable. Members of our chapter took home 11 of the 19 available awards! Members of our chapter who won awards included: Best of Show for Miniature Double by Jo & Pete Conrad with "Royal Treasure;" Best of Show Seedling by Carlos & Nola Reynolds with "Early Morning Star;" Sweepstakes Open Collector by Carlos & Nola Reynolds with "Dancing Fire;" Sweepstakes Amateur by Maureen Buono with "Erica Nicole;" Miniature Single by Elaine & Russ Scobey with "Quick Silver;" Miniature Double by Elaine & Russ Scobey with "Berry Go Round;" Amateur Double by Maureen Buono with "Gold Rain;" Open Collector Single by Carlos & Nola Reynolds with "Mollie Cummins;" Open Collector Double by Carlos & Nola Reynolds with "David Boulin;" Commercial Double by Elaine & Russ Scobey with "Royal Crown;" and Seedling Single by Carlos & Nola Reynolds with "Think Pink."
The October 16 meeting will feature tips from Jo Conrad on Photography; and Don Bernard will be giving a recap of our coach tour to Miami. Gloria Swager will be bringing an arrangement to help people get ideas of how they can be creative with their Blooms. If any one has any good ideas, by all means this will be a good time to share them with us. So bring an arrangement if you feel so inclined! Refreshments will be provided by Beverly & Don Bernard.
Garden Tip by Jo Conrad: With less than a month before our show (Nov. 3 at the Clayton E. Hutcheson Agricultural Center, 559 N. Military Trail), everyone should keep a strict spray schedule up as a precaution against aphids and thrips. When out of control, aphids will be hard to remove without damaging the bloom and thrips will "eat" the color right off! Between now and Friday before our show, check buds on individual varieties each day and guess which buds are the next day's blooms. You will get to know which buds are truly tomorrow's blooms.
Late Friday Nov. 1, pick off all open blooms. Check buds for Saturday. On Saturday a.m. early, pick all blooms that you are pretty sure will open. Gently put in cone cups (cut tips for stems to fall through) & gently put in plastic bags; or roll in wax paper, put in plastic container & refrigerate. On Sunday, pick buds and any that you are unsure of, gather blooms from fridge & bring all to our show (If you're adventurous, you may even back this schedule up to start picking on Fri. a.m.). Register- gently put blooms on stands- fill out entry cards - ONLY ONE OF EACH VARIETY MAY BE ENTERED - & let blooms open by themselves as much as possible. REMEMBER - it only takes one bloom to win each category. It just might be yours!!
Our November 20 meeting will feature a Hibiscus "Sex Show."
We will host our Annual Hibiscus Flower Show on Sunday, November 3. And we will again have a sales and information booth at the Fall Mounts Botanical Garden Plant Sale on November 2 -3. We need volunteers for the sale and the show, especially for the sale on Saturday morning when we make most of our sales.
The Conrad-Sunrise Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society is a non-profit organization. Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:30 P.M. in the Mounts Building at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. Our programs are informative and fun. A highlight of every meeting is a mini-show of spectacular blooms. Contact any of the board members or VIP's listed here for more information, or come to our meetings. Visitors are always welcome!
Next meeting: 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Elaine Scobey presented a wonderful Workshop on Seeds and Propagation at the August meeting. She shared her proven techniques for preparing, planting, labeling, and caring for newly planted seeds. Everyone was delighted and enthused about the possibility of creating and raising their very own hybrids. And thanks to both the Scobeys and the Conrads for providing seeds from their own seed banks for the chapter’s use. And special thanks to D'Ann Brown for the delicious refreshments!
The September 18 meeting will be our ANNUAL AUCTION to raise money for our chapter, so bring plants or other items to donate for this event. And bring you checkbook for items you successfully bid on. Your participation at this event helps enable us to continue offering great presentations, shows, and events. There are many gardeners in our chapter who usually bring a wide and interesting variety of plants that might not be available at most common nurseries. We will also begin accepting candidate nominations for Board of Directors to be elected in November. Refreshments for this meeting will be provided by Eddie Griffith.
Garden Tip by Jo Conrad: September should bring a slight decrease in temperatures, but however slight, we'll appreciate it and our plants will also. If we get too much rain, we may have to reapply granular fertilizer. With our annual show less than 2 months away, foliar feeding, as per last month's tip, is a must. If you have been treating severe bud drop by spraying buds with Orthene weekly and not getting good results, Merit is also good. It is great for the Gall Midge (1/8 tsp. per gal.). Cut a few buds in half to see if there are any creamy colored wormlike creatures inside. Keep all buds picked up off the ground. Larva will crawl out of dropped bud and reemerge as adult Gall Midge fly. Ask me at our meeting about Merit.
Upcoming Events: Our Chapter is sponsoring a Coach Tour to the Dr. Jack Hoffman South Dade Chapter's 25th Annual Hibiscus Show, "Discover Hibiscus," at Fairchild Tropical Garden on October 6. For more information, contact Eddie Griffith at 561/762-3425.
We will host our Annual Hibiscus Flower Show on Sunday, November 3. And we will again have a sales and information booth at the Fall Mounts Botanical Garden Plant Sale on November 2 -3.
Welcome new members: Darlyne Bruneau, Carol Kennedy and Ramsay Ramsaran!
The MINI SHOW OF BLOOMS winners at the August meeting were:
Amateur Flower: Bernard Pages with "Sorcerers"
Collector Flower: Tom Swager with "Byron Metts"
Open Collector: "Nola Reynolds" with "Dancing Fire"
Commercial Flower: Elaine & Russ Scobey with "Day Dreams"
The Conrad-Sunrise Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society is a non-profit organization. Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:30 P.M. in the Mounts Building at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. Our programs are informative and fun. A highlight of every meeting is a mini-show of spectacular blooms. Contact any of the board members or VIP's listed here for more information, or come to our meetings. Visitors are always welcome!
Next meeting: 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
(For a special tour of our hibiscus garden by Bernard Pages, come at 7:00 P.M.)
The re-grafting workshop at the July meeting was presented by Don Bernard. He explained to us that when the new leaves on the grafted wood reached the size of a thumb or larger, the rootstock growth was ready to be cut off, leaving the grafted material as the only leaf producing part of the plant.
Special thanks to Bernard Pages for providing the refreshments at the July meeting!
The August 21 meeting will be a seminar on seeds and propagation given by Elaine Scobey of Elaine's Green Things. She is a professional grower, an award winning hybridizer, and a long time member of our society. This seminar will be a good opportunity to learn how to start a new hibiscus plant from seed to produce your own hybrid variety. The Chapter will provide seeds, soil, and starter pots.
Refreshments for the August meeting will be graciously provided by D'Ann Brown.
The September 18 meeting will be our annual auction to raise money for our chapter, so bring any plants that you may no longer want or any other items of interest that you would like to donate for this event. The auction is always much fun and is a great occasion to get bargains for your home and garden. At this meeting, we will also be accepting candidate nominations for Board of Directors to be elected in November.
On Sunday, July 28, we had a mulching party at our display garden at Mounts Botanical Garden. Steve & D'Ann Brown, Bernard Pages and Eddie Griffith donated several hours of their time to complete the task. Mulching is necessary to prevent weeds from sprouting, to keep the ground moist, and to moderate soil temperature. It also looks good and gives a soft, consistent surface for viewing the plants.
Garden Tip by Jo Conrad: With all this heat, our plants are under a lot of stress now. Diligently keep up your watering schedule. Alternate sprayings of 20-20-20 water soluble fertilizer or minor elements weekly or every 2 weeks. Spray insecticides only when needed. If you have severe bud drop, spray buds of all plants with Orthene per label directions. Use a tsp. or two of Ivory as a spreader sticker agent to help the spray adhere and spread better. Also great for aphids.
Upcoming Events: The Conrad - Sunrise Chapter will host its annual hibiscus flower show on Sunday, November 3. And we will again have a sales and information booth at the Fall Mounts Botanical Garden Plant Sale on November 2 -3. Also, the 39th annual Golby-Reasoner Chapter - A.H.S. hibiscus show will be Sunday, September 8 in Bradenton, FL. For more information, check your current edition of Seed Pod.
And what about that Website! It's great! For more information about the chapter and photos of recent activities, go to:
www.farmerbrown.org/hibiscus.html Thanks John Webster!
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The Conrad-Sunrise Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society is a non-profit organization. Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:30 P.M. in the Mounts Building at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. Our programs are informative and fun. A highlight of every meeting is a mini-show of spectacular blooms. Contact any of the board members or VIP's listed here for more information, or come to our meetings. Visitors are always welcome!
Next meeting: 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, July 17, 2002
(For a special tour of our hibiscus garden by Bernard Pages, come at 7:00 P.M.)
New Name: Our Board of Directors voted to change our name to the Conrad-Sunrise Chapter of the A.H.S. to honor all that the Conrads have contributed to the society; and the change was approved unanimously by the National Board of Directors at the convention last June in Orlando.
National Convention highlights:
Congratulations to Pete & Jo Conrad for their 2001 "Hibiscus of the Year" 2nd place winner "Citronella" and 3rd place winner "Love Potion."
Congratulations to Russ & Elaine Scobey for the 2001 "Judges Favorite Bloom of the Year" for "High Voltage." And congratulations to Nola & Carlos Reynolds for the 2001 "Sweepstakes Award" as a Florida "Open Collector" category.
The Pot Luck dinner at our June meeting was enjoyable for all. The chapter provided a turkey and members brought many delicious dishes, including a huge assortment of desserts. Needless to say, we had quite the feast and we were joined by guests Bradley Christian and Audrey McCarthy of the St. Croix Chapter, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Special thanks to Nola Reynolds for the stunning array of hibiscus for the table settings and to Gloria Swager for coordinating setup for the June Pot Luck dinner!
The July 17 meeting will be a re-grafting workshop by Don Bernard. Topics will include cutting back of root stock and preparing plant for new growth on grafted wood. Questions answered. Bring your recently grafted plant.
The August 21 meeting will be a seminar on seeds and propagation.
Garden Tip by Jo Conrad:
Be careful what you ask for - you just might get it! As in our monsoon conditions. All this rain has leached our granular fertilizer out of our plants; whether they are in ground or in pots. As soon as weather permits and plants have dried somewhat, fertilize again with granular fertilizer. Resume spaying chemicals as needed, if not, leave them to recover without adding extra stress to your plants. Let none of us be guilty of our sprinkler systems on automatic and forgetting to shut them off in this rainy weather!!
Our condolences to the Gaudet family in the passing of Rita Gaudet. Rita was a longstanding member and major contributor to our society, and she will be missed by all who knew her.
Visit our Website for more information about the chapter and photos of recent activities at:
www.farmerbrown.org/hibiscus.html
Thanks to John Webster for keeping it all current with colorful pictures!
Welcome our newest member Bill Platti!
The MINI SHOW of blooms winners at the June meeting were:
Amateur Flower: Eddie Griffith with "James Hendry"
Collector Flower: Tom Swager with "Sly Fox"
Open Collector Flower: Nola Reynolds with "Seedling"
Commercial Flower: Jo Conrad with "Dancing Fire"