Page

The Tollgate Farm News Volume 20 Issue 3 March 2014

Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and EventsTollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and EventsTollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events MAR MEETINGS APR MEETINGS

20 TGV General Meeting This meeting is in Activity Center

7:00 PM 1 TGAC Meeting 7:00 PM

8 Fall Fair Meeting 7:00 PM

12 Volunteer Orientation 9:00 AM

17

TGV General Meeting This meeting is in Activity Center

7:00 PM MAR ACTIVITIES

22 Mulch Demo Garden (Pending Garden Conditions)

9:00 AM APR ACTIVITIES

5 Pond 9:00 AM

29 Pruning (Pending Garden Conditions)

12 Spring Clean-up 9:00 AM

26

PAR Prep/Nursery Div and Clean-up w/Pancake Brunch at Noon

9:00 AM

9:00 AM

General Meeting in Activity CenterGeneral Meeting in Activity CenterGeneral Meeting in Activity Center MSU Tollgate Gardens Volunteer General Meeting in the Activity Center

Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM

Botanical Latin 101 Join Tollgate volunteers in the Activity Center on Thursday, March 20, to learn about Botanical Latin from Kim Roth, the Perennial Department Manager at Christensen's Plant Center, a major wholesale supplier of perennials, conifers, trees and shrubs with sites in Plymouth and South Lyon.

Based on extensive professional and personal experience, Kim will share her knowledge of the botanical nomenclature system including major players in plant history, classification, some huge families, pronunciation, and Latin terms to help you know your plants better. Leave common names at home, but bring a writing instrument.

Kim is always on the lookout for reliable, exciting and promising plants. You can read her article about new Echinacea varieties at http://www.christensensplantcenter.com/httpdocs/ar_docs/New_echinacea.pdf. Kim is our host during the annual Master Gardener shopping day at Christensen's and a frequent MGAWC, Growing with Master Gardeners and Tollgate speaker.

Page 2

GREETINGS

Greetings All,

Wow! What a winter it has been. Although it has been long and persistent, I am doing my best to savor the winter of 2013/14. This winter has been a lot of pushing snow and making some mighty big piles. At one point, the good folks at the Novi DPW were kind enough to bring their huge front-end loader to the property to help

me find the parking lot. That machine piled snow so high in places that I am guessing that there may still be snow to dodge when I do my first grass mowing. It occurs to me that we may never see the likes of this winter again. Though some may say “good riddance,” I feel privileged in a way to have been witness to it.

March is maple syrup season! The 2014 Tollgate maple syrup season officially got underway Saturday, Febru-ary 22nd with a very successful tree tapping extrava-ganza! Many eager volunteers came to Tollgate to

assist in this activity day. With the deep snow and chilly temperatures, it was definitely an aerobic activity for all concerned. Fortunately, we were able to account for all participants at the end of the day. No one was lost in the deep snows. We now have well over 250 taps in the tubing system. All of that hauling of buckets through the woods, tripping over branches, vines and squirrels is a thing of the past. Our next challenge will be getting the sap out of the woods. Here’s hoping that the snow melts to a point where our four wheel drive bobcat utility vehicle can get to all of the tanks and make it back out of the woods with a load of sap. We have tried several schemes to break trail for the Bobcat. So far, none have been satisfactory.

The 2014 season has already seen several tours of the Sugar Bush. Last year, we had over 400 kids and adults visit Tollgate’s sugaring operation! This year has been a bit of a challenge with the snow and cold, but still very enjoyable for all concerned. This season’s activities, including all of the tours have received invaluable assistance from a dedicated group of Tollgate maple syrup volunteers. They have the evaporator going whenever it is needed and are ever ready to explain the workings of the sugar shack to all of our many visitors. Thanks to all!

From here on out, our activities in the sugar bush will be dictated by the vagaries of weather. Volunteers interested in the maple syrup project will be informed of events via e-mail. If you are interested in being put on the maple syrup e-mail list, please let me know (prentic1@msu.edu).

Believe it or not, spring is right around the corner. 2014 promises to be another eventful year in the gardens.

Thanks for all that you do to make Tollgate a special place!

Roy

from the Tol lgate Farm Manager

Roy Prentice

Photo by Sam Prentice

Photo by Roy Prentice

Photo by Darretta Ferasin

Photo by Darretta Ferasin

Page 3

“The garden is always a series of losses set against a few triumphs, like life itself.” Mary Sarton

Mother Nature has had a hard time waking from her winter slumber but spring

will come and she will guide our time table for the planting and grow-

ing season.

Our activities for the season have been on a delayed start but the April activities will be in full force for weekend scheduled work days. See the posted activities in this issue. Your ongoing par-ticipation is important to our success and I look forward to another garden season as we enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Tollgate. New volunteer orientation and the ever popular pancake brunch will be the highlights of April. Please consider helping on our spring clean-up dates and partici-pating in the brunch as our thank-you for your ongoing participation.

Spring Plant Sale - Plan Now to Donate! As your garden wakes and you divide your plants this spring consider donating to the Tollgate Nursery for our plant sale in June. Your contribu-tion of non-invasive plants for the Plant Sale this spring will help us with this major fund raiser. Pots, in one and two gallon sizes are needed, please no other sizes at this time since smaller ones are quickly overgrown and larger ones, hanging basket pots, clay and decorative pots are NOT appropriate for our intended use. (Consider recycling!) Our Nursery team had prepped the holding areas well in the fall and we hope our early season efforts of plant divi-sion, potting of donated plants will make for a successful sale on Saturday June 7th.

Join a Garden Team! Do you have a particular area of interest? Would you like to work with more experienced gardeners? There are still many gardens in need of small dedicated groups for organization of maintenance activities in specific gardens. Ask me or any TGAC member for ways you can contribute.

Summer Open House “Art in the Gardens” The very successful music and art theme to our summer Open House event will be repeated again this year. This free to the public event will feature musicians, artists in various medi-ums as well as vendors, garden tours and presentations. The planned date is July 19th and information to volunteer will be in upcoming Farm News articles.

That’s all for now. Happy Spring! Thank you for being a Tollgate Garden Volunteer.

Renee Cottrell, President

NNNotesotesotes from the President

Photos by Roy Prentice

Page 4

Photos by Darretta Ferasin

Maple Syrup 2014

Photos by Sam Prentice

Page 5

John MacInnis, John Woodrich and Don Bluharsky

Merle Baker, Don Bluharsky and John MacInnis

Photos by Darretta Ferasin Photos by Roy Prentice

Maple Syrup 2014 Collection and Processing

Page 6

Membership Forms Please remember to send in your membership forms if you have not already done so. If you still need to get your membership form in, please submit them before May 26, Memorial Day.

You can contact me at: tollgatemembership@gmail.com with any questions.

Nancy Roggers

Note: Membership form can be found at: http://tollgate.msu.edu/uploads/files/Tollgate_Membership_Form_2014.pdf

ATTENTION: Bakers Want to bake but don't have a crowd to share your goodies with? Bring your bake goodies to our meeting this month. Needs recipe or idea? E-mail me (Yvonne) at mainwoods@gmail.com.

NOTE: March and April Meetings are in the Activity Center.

T H E H O S TA V I RU S X

HVX Research Complete

The American Hosta Society’s sponsored Hosta Virus X research by Dr. Ben Lockhardt has been completed. Please review the findings in the brochure found at this link:

http://www.americanhostasociety.org/PDF/HVX_Brochure_Revised_Dec_2013.pdf

Highlights of the findings:

Know your hosta grower

HVX can be spread by every day gardening

HVX infected plant sap can remain in the soil and on garden tools for 2 years

Proper tool and hand disinfection will continue at Tollgate when working with hosta and roses. Roses require the same regimen to combat the Rose Rosette disease. The process appears in this issue on page 7 for those who are new to Tollgate and for those who need a refresher.

Darretta Ferasin

WANTED: Please save your newspa-pers (no shiny ads) for the PAR garden. We also need clean translucent milk jugs (lid not necessary). We will be cutting the bottoms out of the jugs and using them as mini-greenhouses for our tomato plants. Both of these items can be dropped off in the Volunteer Communication Center.

By John Woodrich

Page 7

THE HOSTA VIRUS X THE HOSTA VIRUS X Disinfecting Garden Tools Coming into Contact with Hosta Plants

All garden tools coming into contact with hosta plants must be cleaned before and after each hosta is touched to avoid the spread of the Hosta Virus X (HVX) whether you are cutting leaves, scapes (flower stalk) or digging near the root system. The hosta sap and soil must be removed from the tool. Disinfecting kits can be carried to your worksite. Buckets and a large tub are available to scrub large tools. The disinfecting process is listed below:

Spray pruners or scissors with bottle labeled “Alcohol”. Wipe with blue toweling swatch to remove any hosta sap.

For trowels, hand weeding tools or hedge trimmers use the “Lysol® Dual Action Disinfecting Cloths” and let the tool air dry. If these tools are heavily soiled, it may be necessary to scrub the tool in a bucket of water with a couple of drops of “Dawn®” concentrate detergent first.

For shovels, garden forks or rakes scrub the tool with a brush in a bucket of water and a couple of drops of “Dawn®” concentrate detergent and water. Take the bucket to the water spigot that is on the side of the shed and do your cleaning outside the shed. If you are working in the hosta garden add some detergent to the bucket and fill it with water at the spigot in the hosta garden. A large kitty litter box is available for scrubbing rakes. Use the “Lysol® Dual Action Disinfecting Cloths” to disinfect the tool. Let the tool air dry.

Collect used blue wipes, disinfecting cloths and disposable gloves in the provided kit carrier (plastic tea jug) and dispose of them into the trash can near the Tool Disinfecting Station in the shed. The trash can also be taken to the worksite.

Used detergent water can be dumped in the dry rock ravine bordering the hosta garden. Other locations will be determined.

Disposable gloves have been provided to wear alone or over your garden gloves. You will find these at the Tool Disinfecting Station in the tool shed. Clean and disinfect gloves that come into contact with the hosta sap.

The above process should be used when working with roses as well to combat the Rose Rosette Disease.

Darretta Ferasin

Portable Disinfecting Kit for Pruners Scissors, Trowels,

Hand Weeding Tools or Hedge Trimmers

Disinfecting Kit Contains Alcohol, Blue Shop Towel

Swatches and Lysol® Disinfecting Cloths

Buckets, Dawn® Detergent, Brushes,

Lysol® Disinfecting Cloths and Disposable Gloves are Available at the Tool

Disinfecting Station

Tool Disinfecting Station in the Tool Shed

Page 8

Location Change for General Meetings Beginning in January, the winter session of the Oakland County Master Gardener class started at Tollgate. This is a great opportunity to showcase the gardens to a new group of enthusiastic garden-ers. Once they see just how beautiful the grounds are, I am sure that many will want to join our volun-teer group. The MG class continues Thursday evenings of March and April. This means that our general meetings held on the third Thursday of each month will be held in the Activity Center rather than the Conference Center for these months. Not sure where the Activity Center is? No worries. On meeting nights there will be signs directing you to it.

A Special Thanks!A Special Thanks!A Special Thanks! To all of you who made a donation to help the Tollgate Gardeners make Tollgate a more

beautiful place. Your donation is greatly appreciated! The support that you have provided will continue to help our program prosper and grow. Thanks again and Happy Gardening!

Marilyn Alimpich Beth Anthony Charlotte Atkinson Lauren Atkinson Mark Atkinson Susan Atkinson Cherry Lee Baker Kathy Barker Pat Beck Larry Bolam Linda Bolam Don Boufford Susan Bremer Kathy Brooks Pat Canfield Jane Carvell Marie Collins Renee Cottrell Mary Courvisier Donna Crawley Doug Crossman RoseMary Curatolo Laura Derosier Ron R. Erdman Irene Fahey Darretta Ferasin Rebecca Ferasin Marci Frank Brian Frol Linda Galante Paula Geiman Gery Gross Gayle Gullen

Hal Henderlong Keith Heraty Vera Hurchik Roy Hybl Kathy James Sue Janczarek Denise Johns Charlotte Jones Don Kasanic Rob Kasanic Debbie Kearney Lee Kindermann David Komraus Mary Lou Kondrat Martha Larsh Cathy Lichtman Katherine Ligon Paul Lukasiewicz Sharon Mazguth George McCarthy June McCarthy Dorothy McLaren Janice McNulty Carolyn McQuiggan Don Millington Liz Millington Susan Millington Susan Najar Barb Near Paul Needle Priscilla Needle Mary Osburn Clay Ottoni

Julie Ottoni Peg Palmer Robert S. Penkala Judy Poole Kay Pratt Lucy Propst Russell Propst Pam Rusin Masako Sakamoto Larry Sayre Maria Sayre Susie Sherman-Hall Diane Smith Earl L. Sockow Jr. Laura Steiner Tom Steiner Jackie Stengel Phyllis Stengel Pam Stopper Nancy Strodl Chet Tarczynski Nancy Taylor David S. Thompson Suzanne Traskos John J. Turchin Sandy Uroda John VanDerAue Martha M. Watson Wayne Watson Gail Webster Barb Woodrich John Woodrich Laura Zigmanth

Page 9

Volunteer Activity Day and Meetings Information

248-347-3860 ext. 400

● The Tollgate Gardens Advisory Council next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Tollgate Office Building. All Tollgate Gardens Volunteer members are welcome to attend.

● Listings to contact individual Council Members and Area Garden Leaders are available at all general meetings and in the Volunteer Communication Center.

● Tollgate Volunteer Membership is renewed annually. The 2014 Tollgate Garden Volunteers membership is from December 1, 2013 to November 30, 2014.

Farm Manager Roy Prentice - 248 347-3860 ext. 251 e-mail - prentic1@msu.edu

President ........................... Renee Cottrell Vice President… ............... Peg Palmer Secretary… ........................ Dave Komraus Treasurer ........................... Sue Janczarek Membership ...................... Nancy Roggers PR ....................................... Yvonne DeMattos Fall Fair .............................. Dennis Roggers Programs ........................... Jackie Stengel Hospitality ......................... Yvonne DeMattos Farm News Editor ............. Darretta Ferasin

For membership questions or to update your current membership information send e-mail to:

tollgatemembership@gmail.com

MSU Tollgate Gardens Volunteers For general information and questions

Contact Roy Prentice

Tollgate Garden Advisory Council

Activity Days Activity day hours are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM unless otherwise noted on the Tollgate Garden Volunteer Important Dates and Events listed on the first page of the Tollgate Farm News or by the Area Garden Leader (AGL).

Lunch will be provided - veggie alternatives are available upon request.

This schedule does not exclude you from working independently on the site. However, on non-scheduled days, your efforts will need to be self-directed with guidance from the garden area clipboards located in the Volunteer Communication Center.

If you aren’t getting The Tollgate Farm News

e-mail, Check your SPAM folder

Tollgate Volunteer Information

THE TOLLGATE FARM NEWS

Tollgate Gardens Volunteer Office 28115 Meadowbrook Novi, MI, 48377-3128 www.tollgate.msu.edu

Trowel Hand Pruners Loppers Garden Scissors Your Favorite

Weeding Implement Hand Saw

Plant Division Forks Shrub Rake Sun Screen Gloves Knee Pads Insect Repellant

List of Suggested Gardening Implements to Bring

from Home as Needed

Spades

Garden Rakes

Brooms

Wheel Barrels

Weed Buckets

Leaf Rakes

Garden Hoe

Long Handled

Garden Forks

Garden Tools Available for Use at Tollgate