January 2016 Meeting Notes

January 26, 2016

Business Meeting

Mary Anne Kurtz welcomed all.

• Our December 12^th field trip to Phipps Conservatory arranged by Claudia Hickly was well attended.  Marilyn Gurtner shared her lovely Phipps field trip photos with members. See more Phipps tour photos on our blog courtesy of Esther Nagy.
• Member news: Kitty Price died in December as did long-time LAGC member, Kay Gardner.
• Thank you to Diane Machesney for the arrangement and Lynn Betts for the desserts.

 

• Thank you to Chris Kerin for the new and well done LAGC Handbook. Please note the change in April’s meeting date, the phone chain, and the job descriptions of officers and committee chairs. Next year almost all of these positions will require new people. 
• Treasurer Denny Brown presented the 2015 final budget and the 2016 proposed budget.  Since our treasury is quite healthy, we may increase our donations.
• Plant sale is Saturday, May 14^th.  Add date to your calendar and bring plants.

Program

•  Attila Csokai, Penn State Master Gardener, presented “Rain Gardens to the Rescue.”

•  He began his study of rain gardens from a Carnegie Mellon information technology project which morphed into his love of rain gardens. In the city of Pittsburgh, these gardens help prevent sewage overflow into our rivers during heavy rainfall. 

Take home points:

• Focus on the site selection. Take advantage of slopes. Note water pooling locations and use where feasible.  Consider esthetics and neighbors. Note sun and shade exposure, and any existing infrastructure.
•  Ideal sites are less than 10% grade, not near septic, 10-30 feet from house.
•  Unlined area is the easiest if water drains, but a deeper garden and an outflow as well as inflow channel may be needed. See calculations on PA State Master Gardener site.
• Keep It Simple: Use native plants, and plants you love. Consider wet, moist, and dry zones of rain garden.
• Don’t forget 1) pollinator plants, 2) height variation, 3) winter interest.

 

References: Planting in a Post-Wild World by T. Rainer and C. West; Penn State Master Gardener website; Rain Garden Alliance; PA native plant Society.

Next meetings:

February 23– “Starting Plants from Seed” by Kurt Malecki

March 22, 2016 – “Welcoming Birds to the Garden” by Laura Hansen

 Submitted by: Rose Mary Highman