- Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb

September/October
2013
Volume 25, number 5
From The Smell of Matches by John
Stone
My son is following
a tree root to its source,
learning connections,
dirt and purpose
all at once.
Carolyn Gentry—On Her Retirement
By Dr. Bruce Gillett, Bob Snider, Jo-Evelyn Morris, and Becky Blades
John’s words ring true when one thinks of Carolyn Gentry. Carolyn has a
passion for nature; a legacy of curiosity and learning, which she passed along as a
mother, a teacher of Master Gardeners and Intern Master Gardeners, and in her
retirement Carolyn will delightfully pass along these qualities to her grandchildren.
He has attacked it before,
Think of Carolyn and grandson, Collin, monkeying on a tree or following those
but from topside,
roots.
monkeying the limbs.
We knew Carolyn through her profound dedication as Master Gardener
He shows me the branches
Coordinator and her concerns for all volunteers and her devotion to the Extension
underground,
Office. Because of Carolyn we are better people and gardeners, and all aspects of
makes me believe
education and service that involve the programs, projects and activities are
there are leaves on them
substantially better. All who work and volunteer with Carolyn know her as a joy and
in some different season
know that she cares.
when we must come back and look.
Some of us know Carolyn through one or two of her attributes, but Carolyn is
truly multi-faceted. The daughter of an Air Force officer and growing up with her three brothers, Carolyn quickly became
very athletic…no time for crying when injured and losing a championship tennis match. She excelled in swimming, track and
field (pole vault). And she now is deeply committed to yoga; in fact she is looking forward to a yoga conference at which the
Dali Lama will speak.
A few neighbors realized Carolyn’s passion for composting, although they were not sure if she was purely zany. As
Carolyn recalled: “What will my neighbors think? Oh well, I guess they're used to seeing odd things. A few years back I was
building a compost pile and there happened to be piles of leaves on the road in the cul-de-sac. So I thought the most
efficient means of collecting them was to take the mulching mower with bag and mow over them. They were perfectly
chopped and ready to go into the container. Made sense to
me. A few minutes into my grand plan, the neighbors came
out and asked what I was doing while looking at me oddly.
I said I was mowing the cul-de-sac. Then I remembered
that one of them was a medical doc. I figured he might put
me in a home, so had to explain myself. Where upon they
walked away shaking their heads.”
We wish that Carolyn’s dreams come true and that her
bucket list is fulfilled. She will now have more time to
spend with her grandchildren, to travel, to expand her and
Carolyn’s dedication shines through her work in her
Jay’s home garden including the addition of roses, to take
community. Here, she helps a group of MGs and volunteers
classical guitar lessons, and to train her large dog Yuki to pull her install a pollinator garden at Harry’s Whole Foods in Marietta
small dog Bailey in a wagon.
Carolyn, thank you for all that you have done. You are now on your own clock—dig when you want, remain curious,
keep learning and just enjoy your retirement.
Volume 25, number
V o5
lume 25, number 5
Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb
County
Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County
Project and Activity Chairs
Project Chairs
Officers & Directors
Gini Galvin, President
Matt Miller, President Elect
Bob Snider, President Emeritus
Bill Lovelace, Treasurer
Cheryl Lenker, Recording Secretary
Carole Jordan, Corresponding Secretary
Donna Kennedy, Program Chair
Bill Goldstrohm, Director 2013-2015
Sue Terry, Director 2011-2013
Dr. Bruce Gillett, Director 2012-2014
MGVOCC Communications
Email Correspondent: Cheryle Kerr
Webmaster: Leah Wilson
Cobb Dibbler: Jennifer Bridges, Editor
Cobb County Extension Master
Gardener Coordinator
Carolyn Gentry
Cobb County Extension
678 South Cobb Drive, Suite 200
Marietta, GA 30060-3105
Office: 770.528.4070 FAX: 770.528.4086
Page 2
Center for Children & Young Adults
Maureen Lok
Toni Moore
Chattahoochee Nature Center
Cheryl Lenker
Sally Griffith
Renate Boyer
Chestnut Ridge Community Garden
Debbie Abernathy
Marilyn Richter
Fountain Gate Community Garden
Ken Johnson
Amy Whitney
Kim Baumert
Green Meadows Preserve Community Garden
Carol Hanak
Lisa Bone
Linda Hill
Matt Miller
Junior Master Gardeners, Birney Elementary
Linda Hlozansky
Judy Kelley
Diana Whitlock
Junior Master Gardeners, Kemp Elementary
Electa Keil
Karen Miller
Junior Master Gardeners, Midway Covenant School
Becky Blades
Jerry Blades
McFarlane Nature Park
Mary McGaughy
Dianne Wooldridge
Bill Powell
North Cobb High School Greenhouse
Sunshine News
Graham Gold
Please send Cheryle Kerr information about members
who are ill, have deaths in their families, or experience
other events. We like to let our members know that we
care and support them.
Kathy McLean
North Marietta Community Garden
Jo-Evelyn Morris
Bob Snider
Sharon Wagner
Jerry Blades
North Georgia Fair
Phyllis Goff
Holly Walquist
Dibbler Deadline: The deadlines for articles to be included
in the Nov/Dec issue is Nov 20th. Please submit to
dibblersubmit@gmail.com
Carra Harris
Plant-A-Row
Ken Jonhson
McEachern Nature Center
Becky Blades
Carole Jordan
Tony Harris
Horticulture Therapy, Cobb Hospital
Becky Blades
Anne Maharrey
Period Garden at Green Meadows
Jack Driskell
Activity Chairs
Gayle Evans
Root House
Sue Burgess
Sue Heller
Rose Garden at Smith-Gilbert Gardens
Bruce Gillett, MD
Dorte Schmieta
Water, Rain, & Wildlife Garden
Jennifer McCoy
Tim Phillips
Electa Keil
Volume 25, number 5
Page 3
Heard at the Garden Gate...
MG Jim Bearden and the Bluebird
Trail at Green Meadows have made
the news at the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology! An article about this
fantastic project was printed in their
NestWatch eNewsletter.
Ford Elementary, one of our JMG
schools, received the prestigious US
Dept of Education National Green
Ribbon Award for 2013!
Fountain Gate Gardens has been
selected as a service project site for the
2013-2014 Leadership Cobb class!
New Slate of Officers for MGVOCC
By Bill Goldstrohm
Hello Everyone,
I am pleased to announce the following names as the slate
of new Board members for 2014. The candidates are:
Inside this issue:
 Randy Threatte: President Elect and Project Chair
Bluebird Trail featured in
MDJ
4
 Susan Dawsey: Director
Great things happening at
CCYA
5
 Elise Bellaire: Recording Secretary
The monarchs are back!
9
Gardener’s Bucket List
10
Continuing on the Board will be:
A Canna Saga
12
 Matthew Miller: President
Community garden council
in the works
13
 Bill Lovelace: Treasurer
Don’t roll the bees!
14
 Polly Burson: Program Chair
 Bruce Gillett: Director
 Bill Goldstrohm: Director
 Carole Jordan: Corresponding Secretary
Elections of Board members will take place at the
MGVOCC Business Meeting in November.
Volume 25, number 5
Page 4
Trail has 2.3 miles of bluebird nesting, feeders, perches at Green Meadows
By Sally Litchfield
Reprinted with permission from the Marietta Daily
Journal, August 28th, 2013
West Cobb resident Jim Bearden has developed an extraordinary
bluebird trail at the Green Meadows Preserve Community Garden in
Powder Springs. The amazing 2.3 miles of bluebird nesting boxes, feeders
and perches have produced more than 90 fledglings.
Located in west Cobb at Dallas Highway and Old Hamilton Road,
Green Meadows Preserve Community Garden (formerly Bullard-Stockton
Property) was established in April 2012 and is a joint project between Cobb
County Parks & Recreation Department and the Master Gardener
Volunteers of Cobb County.
Cobb Master Gardener Jim Bearden has developed a
“I’ve always been a passionate gardener,” said Bearden, a Master
bluebird trail in west Cobb as part of the Green
Gardener
who has been involved with the garden since its inception serving on
Meadows Preserve Community Garden. Jim has
constructed 24 bluebird boxes, perches and several
the Advisory Board. He and his wife, Kathy, have two grown children and one
feeders along a 2.3 mile trail through the park.
grandchild. He is a contractor that facilitates meetings and events for a large
Bearden heads out to fill a few of the special built
company.
bluebird feeders.
Having grown up on a farm, Bearden understands the plight of
bluebirds. “Bluebirds don’t make nests in trees or on side buildings like a lot of birds. They need a cavity, an enclosure to
make their nest, to lay their eggs and hatch their young. The biggest problem (for the bluebirds) is that when trees get rotten
and there is a cavity, we cut them down,” he said.
“[Bluebirds] are starting to dwindle and there numbers are starting to decrease. The reason for that is the lack of
adequate places to make their nests and raise their young,” Bearden said.
Last year, during the spring garden tour and plant sale sponsored by the Master
Gardener Volunteers, Bearden purchased a bluebird nesting box. With permission, he
erected the box on the community garden fence in April. A pair of bluebirds moved in,
laid five eggs and hatched five bluebirds.
“That [first brood] was the beginning. I got the idea of what I wanted to do,” he said.
Bearden obtained sponsors for 24 nesting boxes that were spaced 150 to 200 yards
apart throughout the trail. (A 25th box is planned that will be sold in a silent auction for
the trail in September). Feeders and perches were also erected. He registered the trail with
Cornell University’s Nest Watch that collects data on the successes and failures of nesting
birds.
Bearden said the biggest cost now is the $200 per month it takes to feed the bluebirds.
The Master Gardener Volunteers are seeking people to become Friends of the Bluebird
Trail to help with the offset of expenses.
“It’s a fascinating park. It’s an amazing garden. It’s a beautiful trail. There are lots of
birds, lots of eastern bluebirds. It’s a very easy walk. You can be entertained along the way.
You never know what you’re going to see,” Bearden said.
The garden is at 3780 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs.
Bearden checks the unhatched eggs with a
To become a Friend of the Bluebird Trail, email jimbearden@bellsouth.net. For special mirror that allows him to see into the
nest high above the ground.
more information, visit bluebirdtrail.blogspot.com.
Volume 25, number 5
Page 5
The More You Know
By Marcia Brelsford
The name Turtlehead seems to fit this flower’s appearance.
Turtlehead Chelone glabra is a native perennial that produces blooms
ranging in color from white to light pink and purple. The Greek Chelone
means ‘”urtle.” In Greek mythology, the nymph Chelone, was turned into
a turtle as her punishment for insulting the gods. Glabra is from the
Latin word meaning smooth, referring to the lack of hairs on the erect
stems and lance-shaped leaves.
Chelone glabra grows from one to three feet in height. The plant
prefers somewhat moist soil and partial shade, but will adapt to full sun
or shade. It blooms from late summer through early fall. The flowers
attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Turtlehead is a host plant to
the Baltimore Checkerspot Euphydryas phaeton caterpillar. Native
Americans used Turtlehead medicinally as a salve to treat sores and itching and as a tonic for fevers.
Turtlehead is widespread throughout eastern North America, generally growing in scattered mountainous localities along
stream banks and moist ground. Of the four species of Chelone, two grow in Georgia: Chelone glabra and Chelone lyonii (Pink
Turtlehead). Both of these species are growing at McFarlane Nature Park.
CCYA Shines
By Maureen Lok
Master Gardeners at the Center for Children & young Adults (www.ccyakids.org) have had an incredibly busy and
successful year. We expanded the vegetable garden to twenty raised beds, where we effectively raised tomatoes, potatoes,
peas, green beans, cucumbers, several variety of peppers, carrots and numerous herbs. We were able to expand the berry
patch area so that now we have twenty blueberry bushes, a dozen blackberry bushes and a dozen raspberry bushes. We also
have two fig trees that are prolific, an olive tree, an elderberry bush, and a gooseberry bush. The berries provided all sorts of
desserts for the teens at CCYA and many teens tasted blackberries and raspberries for the first time. Master Gardeners
undertook the creation of a new garden area called, Melon Hill. We brought in a tractor and had a slope plowed, tilled, and
then planted watermelon, pumpkins and squashes. We were thrilled to have delicious watermelon grow along with
Tromboncini Squash. Mr. Bob, the Kitchen manager/chef, sautéed the squash with tomatoes, onions and peppers for a
delicious side dish and the watermelon was a hit with all of the youth. The total yield of all the fruits and vegetables was over
350 lbs. of produce, which was used to feed all of the residents at CCYA. We also grew over a dozen stupendous sunflowers
that could be seen for over a football field away, to the amazement of the teens. Our winter crops include kale, collards,
lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower.
The highlight of our year was that the Circle for Children (www.thecircleforchildren.org). A group of philanthropic
women who have chosen CCYA as their charity hosted a tented, seated luncheon on the grounds of CCYA with over 120
guests, including the first lady of Georgia, Mrs. Sandra Deal. Tours of the garden were given to all guests, as well as tours of
the dormitories. Also in attendance was Cobb County Commissioner Lisa Cupid, and Evan Karanovich, special assistant to
Commissioner Gary Black (GA Department of Agriculture). For weeks, master gardeners and large groups of volunteers
from Publix pruned trees, trimmed bushes, mulched all the gardens, planted annuals, and made the grounds/gardens of
CCYA look amazing. As a result of all our efforts, the garden was a hit with all the luncheon guests.
Master Gardeners are now working at gaining funding to put in a top notch irrigation system in the three garden areas:
the Vegetable Garden, the Berry Patch, and Melon Hill. We want to make the irrigation system simple with its own meter
off the main buildings so we can be fiscally responsible with the water. We also want it to be easy for youth to help us keep
up with the watering when we are not on the property. We are also meeting with various companies and businesses to
discuss the possibility of raising chickens for eggs on the campus so that the teens can be more involved in a farm to table
experience.
Volume 25, number 5
Page 6
Spittlebugs Scare Students
By Jennifer Bridges
“Ewwwww! Ms. Bridges, there are bugs everywhere!” a group of my students squealed as they raced from the grassy area beside the
bus lane, arms flailing. With each frantic step, sizeable dark critters sprang up from the brown and green grass, it seemed, in a dash to get
away from the kids as fast as the kids wanted to get away from them. “It’s just nature,” I replied, shaking my head as the girls scattered
and the boys tried to look cool while brushing rapidly at the back of their necks. “Nature is gross!” one girl piped up while throwing her
textbook in the air and running into the parking lot. What exactly was it that caused these usually happy-go-lucky ninth graders to curse
nature and head for the safety of an asphalt cradle? None other than Prosapia bicincta, the Two-lined Spittlebug.
They’d been there all winter, eggs tucked closely into the grass stems of the warm-season Bermuda grass they love, waiting for
comfortable spring weather to hatch and begin damaging the various lawn areas of my school. Now that it was late summer, the adult
Spittlebugs were flourishing, jumping from the grass to the surrounding hollies and into to my students’ hair. In the spring, they would
have been easier to spot—the nymphs spend most of the season ensconced in a gooey spittle to keep happy and healthy . There are four
nymphal periods, and each must have a humid, moist environment to survive—the spittle, made of precious juices extracted from the
grass stems with their piercing-sucking mouthparts, maintains those perfect conditions. Some turfgrasses become so infested with the
Spittlebugs nymphs that the ground actually squishes when stepped on
Luckily, my class and I were fortunate enough not to catch that pleasant little stage of this insect’s two-month life cycle, but the adult
stage of a second generation was in full swing as the little buggies flipped up from the ground, their black tent-shaped bodies hurling
haphazardly through the air. In my bug ignorance, I would have just assumed they were grasshoppers or something if not for the flash of
crimson that caught the light as they jumped. This comes from their red abdomens and the two distinct red stripes that cross their backs.
When I got home that day, all I had to do was google “beetle with red stipes” and the image of the Two-Lined Spittlebug emerged almost
immediately. They are very common in the south due to our humid, wet climate, and affect some warm-season grasses worse than others,
with centipede, Bermuda, zoysia, and St. Augustine being the tasty favorites. Entomologist Kris Braman explains that the Spittlebug
damage to these grasses is visible when stems turn brown in patches. The grass may first wilt and then turn yellow before browning in
two to four inch patches that can resemble the effect of iron chlorosis. This is certainly the story across the lawns at my school. The grass
is tall, yet seems matted to the ground, and splashed with irregular brown spots throughout.
Upon a close inspection of the lawn, there is a tell-tale sign that identifies the problem as Spittlebug infestation and not something
like iron chlorsis. A lawn care technician examining the lawn in the spring will be able to part the grass down to the soil line and see the
whitish spittlemasses housing the nymphs, which hatch from eggs laid by a female during the last two weeks of her life cycle. A good time
to look for infestation is late in the day or early in the morning, as the nymphs move further down into the thatch during the hot, sunny
parts of the day. While there are no effective controls of adult Spittlebugs, there is plenty that can be done to nip infestation in the bud
and keep nymphs from causing irreparable damage to lawns. In my opinion, the first rule of pest control is maintaining healthy plants.
This not only means using various cultural and chemical controls, but also choosing the right plant for the right place. There are other
warm-season grasses that aren’t as delicious to Spittlebugs, like bahiagrass. Centipedegrass sustains more damage from Spittlebug nymphs
than the other warm-season grasses, so avoiding this type of grass in moist areas where Spittlebugs are likely to flourish would be a good
start.
Proper cite preparation can also be an effective cultural control. Trees and grass just do not mix because, when large tree roots
compete with grass for vital soil nutrients and water, trees win and grass is not healthy and strong enough to resist insect damage.
Removing trees not only promotes stouter grass, but also reduces shade and the damp areas that nymphs thrive on.
Other methods of cultural control include properly fertilizing, aerating, and dethatching. As we talk about all the time in my
Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture class, residential lawn owners are notorious for over-fertilizing their lawns. They figure that a little
fertilizer is good and a lot is even better. But thatch builds up easily in soil that has an overflow of nitrogen, and thatch is a perfect, dark,
moist environment for Spittlebug nymphs. Dethatching is also an effective method of control, as anything that disrupts the environment
they thrive in is a best practice. Keeping thatch at no more than one-half of an inch thick will eliminate much of this pest’s shelter.
Aerating the soil also helps, as it improves drainage and keeps water from saturating the soil and creating a moist environment at the soilthatch junction.
Will all of these measures be implemented at my school? Probably not. The adult Spittlebugs are a nuisance to students, but to me, a
nuisance hardly justifies spraying questionable chemicals. As far as visible damage is concerned, we don’t showcase enough lawn to justify
spending money to keep it beautiful and free from brown spots. So the Spittlebug wins this round…
References:
1.
“Managing the Two-Lined Spittlebug in Home Landscapes” by J.R. Baker and R.L. Brandenburg
2.
“Controlling the Two-Lined Spittlebug on Lawns” by Patricia P. Cobb
3.
Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management, Comp. by Wayne G. Buhler
4.
“Rains Bring Back the Spittlebugs” by Faith J. Peppers
Volume 25, number
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lume 25, number 5
Page 7
Snapped!
A lovely harvest from the Center for Children and
Young Adults
A beautiful breadfruit tree in Bora Bora. Read more about
Susan Fisher’s adventures on page 9.
MGs Hubert Wieland, Toni Moore, Maureen Lok,
and Michelle Gambon pose under a fig tree at the
Center for Children and Young Adults
A healthy-looking writing spider at SmithGilbert Gardens. Photo by Anne Maharrey.
Volume 25, number
V o5
lume 25, number 5
Page 8
Snapped!
MGs gather with the roses at Smith-Gilbert Garden
Canna 'Richard Rehg' in bloom at Marci Rehg’s
house in 2012. Read all about this marvelous bloom
on page 12.
Amy Whitney talks about organic gardening to a
full house at October’s Lunch & Learn
Volume 25, number 5
Page 9
Lunch & Learn Report
By
While Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, it
certainly wasn’t for our September Lunch & Learn at the Water
Lab. We had an excellent turnout for master gardener Linda
Hlozansky, whose presentation titled “Herbs in the Southern
Garden” educated us on many different aspects of herbs,
including: preferred soils and sunlight requirements, herb life
cycles, the importance of mulching, controlling pests, herb garden
styles, harvesting, creative ways to preserve and much more.
In addition, everyone who attended received a useful
handout and a packet of herb seeds. Thanks Linda for a
delightfully informative presentation!
The Monarchs Are Back
By Lianne Wang
The monarchs are back! Our garden has grown swamp milkweed all summer and we've been waiting for their
return. As a home school family, every year had its traditions from cultural festivals to berry picking, but this very special
visitation from our colorful butterfly friends at summer’s end was probably our favorite yearly observance. The kids are all
grown but I still treasure this time of year.
Of course, we have all kinds of different butterflies visiting flowers, but the kids always favored the monarchs because
they chose our yard to fill with caterpillars. They ate and ate, growing large and fat, only to meander to hidden places around
our home. The kids loved the hide and seek game of finding their many secret places, and we always snatched a few
caterpillars to place into screen-covered shoe boxes on our porch. The amazing gold metallic markings on the leaf-green
chrysalis mesmerized the children.
Waiting was so hard! If it was a road trip, we would probably have heard, "Are we there yet?" a thousand
times. Sometimes it seemed like forever, waiting for those days to pass. They watched the green change to black and orange
and grow brighter. We always managed to see at least one make its exit from its fragile casing. They had to eat right away
but they had no fear of humans, so one of us would let the
hatchling crawl onto our finger so we could move it outside.
The kids thought that was a real thrill, since no other wild
thing was so trusting. It was surprising how gentle they were
with those little creatures.
I still love to see them come. Our first guest crept to the
top of the garage door frame today and more will follow and
grace our windows and the undersides of nearby leafy
plants. What a blessing it is to have these little guests fill our
yard and hearts!
To find out more about about monarch butterflies, here
are a few helpful websites:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/Monarch.html
http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/fallmap.htm
Volume 25, number
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lume 25, number 5
Page 10
Gardeners Bucket List
By Susan Fisher
...After a day in Lima, we knew coastal Peru was arid but the port city of General San Martin could have been the surface
of Mars if Mars is barren, made of reddish-brown dirt and has winds that spring up every afternoon to cover everything with
a coating of said dirt. It was not difficult to leave and begin our crossing of the South
Pacific. Next stop: Rapa Nui (Easter Island).
Rapa Nui is a province of Chile, five hours by plane from Santiago or five
days by sea. Whether by land or air, there is no jet lag because many of the residents
hold military or government jobs and to make communication easier, the island
maintains Chilean time. The only gardens on the island are those in the little villages
with lush plants barely corralled. Rapa Nui was de-forested hundreds of years ago by
the native people who used the trees for both canoes and, it’s speculated, as rollers to
move the Moais from the mountainside quarry miles and miles to the shore. Many of
these iconic monoliths remain with backs always to the sea, guarding and protecting
the islanders. Trees are still scarce but the land supports farms and the numerous wild
horses that seem to wander around everywhere.
In another five days we reached Tahiti, the first of our three stops in French
Polynesia. Most of the island’s population lives in Pape’ete, a disappointingly dirty, noisy town. We opted to tour around the
island to see some of the beauty found on every post card. While the populated areas are not as polished as those in Hawaii,
the natural areas are breathtaking. At one point we climbed a slippery rock path to reach a trio of waterfalls each 200 meters
high. At a stop at the well-tended public Vaipahi Gardens, we wandered through hedges of torch ginger, hibiscus, and, my
favorite, the pagoda plant to reach the water gardens that were absolutely lush with tropical vegetation.
The island of Moorea is just twelve miles from Pape’ete, but what a difference twelve miles can make. Now this was
what a tropical island should look like: coconut palms swaying on the shore,
shimmering turquoise water and mists clearing up above revealing Mt.
Mouaroa, better known as Bali Hai in the movie South Pacific. We went up a
narrow winding road past a couple of agricultural schools and research
agencies (lots of pineapples grown on Moorea, but not enough for export),
dodging stray dogs and wild chickens to the Belvedere Lookout where we
could see both Opunohu Bay where our ship was anchored and Cook’s Bay,
labeled the most beautiful bay in the world. The white hibiscus, which isn’t
really a hibiscus, grows everywhere like Polynesian kudzu.
Bora Bora was the oldest of the three islands we visited. It has a very
small land mass, the remnants of an extinct volcano, surrounded by a lagoon
and many small islands or motus. This was the birthplace of the over-the-water
-thatched-hut hotels. It was also home to 5,000 American servicemen during World War II. While there, the servicemen built
the airport and island roads still in use and bunkers in the hills that are now cyclone shelters. The island is home to about
10,000 people now and has suffered from the sagging economy. It might look
like a Disneyland set, but it’s real and a bit worn around the edges and a very,
very long way from anywhere.
Next time, the gardens of New Zealand...
Volume 25, number 5
Page 11
Gardener’s Night Out: Native Shrubs for the Garden
By Lallie Hayes
Do you know the difference between native and non-native plants? Do you know what plants are native
to Georgia? Do you know the benefits of native species over non-natives? Are you into rescues of the
green and leafy kind? On August 20, over 50 gardeners got answers to these and other questions at the
kick-off meeting of Cobb County Master Gardener Volunteers’ fall Gardeners Night Out series. Ellen
Honeycutt, past president of the Georgia Native Plant Society (GNPS) (http://www.gnps.org), presented the topic “Native
Shrubs for the Garden,” in which she provided color slides of many shrubs native to Georgia. She included information for
both the common and scientific names of native shrubs, characteristics related to their use by wildlife, appropriate planting
sites, and their order of bloom during a calendar year. Ellen explained that over time native shrubs have adapted to local
conditions and are less likely to experience many of the problems associated with non-native specimens. Native shrubs also
benefit the environment because they attract and support native wildlife. Just a few of the shrubs she discussed included
spicebush, fothergilla, native azaleas, oakleaf hydrangeas, Georgia savory, and mountain laurel.
For those interested in incorporating native shrubs into their gardens, Ellen said that one way of locating them is to
participate in the plant rescues sponsored by the GNPS. You must be a member of the Society or invited to attend a rescue
by a Society member. A calendar of scheduled rescues is available from their Web site. The Society also conducts an annual
plant sale where you can obtain native plants. If you missed Ellen’s presentation, plenty of information is available including
the following on-line resources:
• “Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines B 987,
http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/pubDetail.cfm?pk_id=7763#Shrubs • “A Rescuer’s Guide to Georgia Native Plants”
http://georgianatives.net/
• “Georgia Native Plant Society” http://www.gnps.org/
The next Gardeners’ Night Out program will be on October 24 at the West Cobb Regional Library at 6:30 PM. Michelle
Brown will explain how to grow conifers in Georgia. On November 12 Cathy Lacy will demonstrate how to create a
terrarium.
Rose Warriors Out and About
By Anne Maharrey
The Rose Warriors decided to take an non-hort excursion to Rome to watch the Rome Braves vs the Savannah Sand
Gnats. In attendance were Carol and Art Hanak, Ida and Frank Marmurowicz, Pat and Bob Snider, Bruce Gillett, and Anne
Maharrey.
Below are 2 photos of us at the game. The first is Bruce giving out the tickets. The second is Bruce drinking an AM
beer though he will insist he was just holding Anne's beer while she was taking the picture (not true!).
Volume 25, number 5
Page 12
A Canna Saga
By Marci Rehg
July 1977. Another hot, sultry afternoon in rural Laurens County in upstate South Carolina. Unknowingly, Richard Rehg,
aged 10, raced eagerly toward botanical history. Bursting into his house, he told his mother excitedly, “Jack wants to take my
picture with his cannas for the Park Seed catalog! I’m changing into my Gamecocks shirt!” In a half-minute he was gone
again, darting back across SC Road 315 to the garden of neighbor Jack: family friend, recently-graduated horticulturist, and
Park Seed Company employee, who also grew trial plants at his country home.
February 1978. When Park Seed’s catalog arrived by mail, Richard’s published
photo delighted his family. Happiest of all was his maternal grandmother and avid
gardener Bettie Steffan, who lived four hundred feet from Richard and his family in
her retirement cottage in the piney woods. On many a Sunday evening, bachelor Jack
joined the Rehgs on Bettie’s screened porch for a leisurely family dinner. The years
passed, bringing changes. Jack married, sold his country property, and moved into
nearby Greenwood, the location of Park Seed Company. First Richard’s older
brother Jim, and then Richard himself, went off to college. However, his
grandmother, parents, other relatives, and friends still enjoyed an annual Where’s
Richard? Park Seed catalog search.
March 1985. When Richard’s parents’ careers took them to Charleston,
grandmother Steffan, now approaching 80, decided to move back to her former
location, St. Louis, Missouri, near her other two daughters and her four greatgrandchildren. By now Richard’s annual Park Seed catalog photo, cropped more
tightly, looked a tad outdated. Frozen in time, he smiled up at Jack’s giant red cannas
in his knee-high, triple-striped white athletic socks.
October 2002. Three weeks before her 95th birthday, Richard’s beloved grandmother, Bettie Steffan, died peacefully. Jack
and his family were duly notified. And in Spring 2003 Richard’s photo disappeared forever from the Park Seed catalog,
confirming what his family had long suspected: for a quarter of a century, Jack had retained that photo in honor of his longtime friend Bettie, remembering the pleasure it gave her.
May 2006. After Richard’s parents retired to Smyrna, Georgia, his mother began to plant perennials with cultivar names
matching the first names of her two sons and six grandchildren. Yet one goal eluded her: a red canna named Richard, in
honor of his Park Seed catalog days. Until, in 2011, while again searching the web, she discovered a mail-order nursery blog
specializing in canna and brugmansia. An e-mail correspondence ensued with owners Alice Harris and Dave Karchesky, who
grow and sell over one hundred sixty canna varieties, including their own introductions, in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Interested in Richard’s canna connection, Alice checked her nursery catalog library and found his photo in a 1991 Park Seed
catalog. Later, she offered generously to give the name ‘Richard Rehg’ to her recently-developed but still-unnamed red canna
cultivar. Canna excitement reigned again in Richard’s family, which now included his wife Lorri and their two children,
Samantha and Jason.
July 2012. Thirty-four years after Jack’s photo shoot, Richard fulfilled his botanical destiny when Alice posted a photo and
description of Canna ‘Richard Rehg’ on her nursery blog. Another picture of the beautiful canna later appeared under Cannas
on her more-recent nursery website karcheskycanna.net.
July 28, 2012. Alice's blog at karcheskycannablog.blogspot.com offers this tribute to Richard:
Canna 'Richard Rehg' boasts large blue-green lance-shaped leaves and larger, loose, hot-red blooms with gold. Larger structure and tall height to 8-9'. Lovely
bright colours. Named for "Canna Boy" of the 1970's who always appeared with a red canna, but never received due recognition for his part to promote them.
Volume 25, number 5
Page 13
Cobb Community Garden Council Forming Now
By Debbie Abernathy
On Tuesday, October 22nd, from 6 PM until 8 PM, the Cobb Community Garden
Council will hold its first meeting at the Cobb County Extension Office. This council is a
collaboration of the Extension Office and the MGVOCC organization. MGVOCC Board
President, Gini Galvin, and the Board felt that it was time to have some mechanism to help
catalog, encourage, and support community gardens in Cobb. The Extension Office, under
the leadership of Hope Warren, welcomed the opportunity to work together to help us
form this new group.
We defined a community garden in the broad way the American Community
Gardening Association does: “Any piece of land gardened by a group of people.”
Members of the Council should be coordinators or administrators of a community garden
or someone who supports this effort such as county or city staff working in this area. The main purpose of the group is
communication —sharing ideas and information. We hope to begin cataloging the existing and start-up gardens and their
conditions for membership and move toward goal-setting for the group. We look forward to possible resource sharing in the
future as well. We have already had sixteen people express interest and think this is a great start. If you know someone who
might be interested, please forward this article to them and ask that they contact me at debbie@esmithair.com . We will be
meeting quarterly, so it will not be a time-consuming organization, rather a tool to help each community garden in Cobb be a
little bit better.
JMGs at Midway School
By Becky Blakes
We are off to a great start with twenty-five third
and fourth graders in our after school JMG Club. As
every previous fall, we have returned to school to find
butterflies in every stage of metamorphosis in our
gardens. The children helped Jerry prepare observation
jars to put in each of their classrooms so all the other
students could see the caterpillars finish their last instar,
form a chrysalis, and then emerge as an adult butterfly to
be released back into the garden.
Last year we added a new shade garden under
the maple trees outside our classroom. The children
helped by digging and screening sticks and rocks out of a
load of dirt. That was mixed with finished compost in a
wheelbarrow and then added to the new rock-lined bed,
which was brought up from the retention pond area. To
the shade garden we added a small pond to make it a
complete habitat for birds. This fall we brought tadpoles from home to live in it. Each week we put one or two tadpoles into
a clear jar so the children can observe their changing bodies. It has been great fun to have two different creatures going
through metamorphosis in our garden.
Volume 25, number 5
Page 14
Dummy for Beekeeping
By Rita Buehner
Yesterday’s Cryptoquote solution: “An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very
narrow field.” – Niels Bohr. If Niels is right, I’m an Expert Beekeeper. Except being only six months old as a beekeeper, I
know that I don’t know all the stupid mistakes there are to know about keeping bees. So, for now, I’m going to name myself
an Expert Beginning Beekeeper with emphasis on Beginning.
Example: When inspecting a wonderfully healthy and queenright hive, I now know to not be so curious about finding
the queen in the brood box that you “roll the bees.” In other words, if there’s so many industrious bees between the frames
that lifting even one frame from the closely packed rack of ten means you you’re going to squash bees … maybe even the
queen bee … don’t do it. They don’t like it. They won’t like you doing it. They will let you know this by first buzzing in a
different key and at a louder volume. Secondly, five to ten bees will rise up and ping your hat and veil. Then, while you’re
hurriedly reassembling the hive, you will feel stings one through five through your not-as-impervious-as-you-thought jacket
and jeans.
Quickly, put first super on the brood box, honey super on the first super. Oops … queen excluder should have been put
between the two supers. Take honey super back off, insert queen excluder and replace honey super … again. Then put the
inner cover on the honey super and the outer cover on the inner cover and then the two bricks on top of that. Not enough
time. Forget the bricks and slowly walk away. Ouch, ouch and ouch. There’s
stings six through eight.
Twenty yards from the hive, what is that lone buzzing? Why, is that bee
sticking to the outside of my veil close to my right cheek? Ohhh … I see. I
see! It’s on the inside of the veil. Use self-control. Stay calm. Untie string
around waist that’s holding veil down. Stay calm. Curse the clumsy leather
gloves. Unwrap string around waist and chest. Stay calm. S-l-o-w-l-y lift
hat off head. Then … wildly throw hat as far as possible and run as fast as
you can! Whew! Yes! I live to beekeep another day with an unmarred face.
Except Bzzz … What’s that Bzzz … ? Bzzz … What’s that Bzzz … in
my hair? Forget staying calm. Wild flailing and swatting my noggin is not
shutting her up. Thought—smoke calms bees. Idea—create a head-high
cloud of smoke and walk through it. Why not? Puff … puff … puff … that’s
good, the smoker’s still lit. Yay! Walk through the smoke … Ouch! Ouch!
Ouch! Why didn’t I close my eyes? Smoke stings worse than bee stings!
At the car, good news is my heart is strong as I can tell by its hearty 100
beats per minute. Out of breath, though, as if I’d run a mile full out. My adrenaline level must’ve been sky high to prep me
for the same primitive flight of cavemen running from flying stinging insects. But . . .
Fright + High Adrenaline in Bloodstream = Flight
Adrenaline + Flight + Age = Low Blood Sugar
I feel so faint. Deep breaths. Head between knees. Bee supply box has a high fructose corn syrup Coke Classic and highglycemic carbs Cheez-its put there for just this sort of occasion and normal blood sugar levels restored in ten minutes.
Notes to self:
Good thing: Adrenaline produced by the body is the same hormone as epinephrine that’s in the Epipen.
Replace Coke Classic and Cheez-its in my bee supply box.
Be humble. Learn from mistakes that make one an expert—don’t “roll the bees” anymore.
Be proud. Situation was handled well as described in at least four of the seven books I’d previously read.
Reread all seven books again this winter.
—Rita Buehner, Expert Beginning Beekeeper of Six Months
Volume 25, number 5
Page 15
Albert Einstein Makes Appearance at Candler Park Fest
By Jennifer Bridges
Albert Einstein the barn owl, that is. Albert is one of the permanent residents of the
Aware Wildlife Center in Lithonia, a non-profit organization located in the Arabia
Mountain National Heritage Area. The center is volunteer-based and takes in a variety
of Georgia wildlife for rehabilitation or permanent residency, depending on the severity
of the injury. Albert was struck by a dump truck and can no longer fly the distances
required to be an effective predator, so Aware now employs him as an ambassador for
the center, bringing him to events like last weekend’s Candler Park Festival. If you’d like
to plan a visit to the center, get involved as a volunteer, or make a donation, visit
awarewildlife.org.
Garden Diary
By Rita Buehner
2013 – Daylilies did OK this year but I’m noticing some cultivars have short
scapes. One had a 2” scape – I am not joking. I had to look for the flower
among the leaves. Others in daylily clubs have complained of short scapes on
some cultivars, too. Not seeing nearly as much leaf-miner damage as last
year - colder winter destroyed overwintering larvae?
Red hot poker blooms are presented on straight scapes – not bent
everywhichway as in past years. Appears consistent rains this year are
responsible.
Garden Diary
By Eddie Rhoades
As usual, the monsoon rains are over and we are in the throes of our annual drought. Don't forget to water
your precious plants. If you see leaves drooping and wilting, the plant is telling you something. There is a
soothing fall breeze in the air, but the mosquitoes are still with us. Sometimes I wonder if it would matter if
there were no mosquitoes. The window of opportunity for gardening in Georgia is wide. The (vegetable) garden
can be prepared now for early planting next spring. It rained so much in the spring of 2013 that I never even
got my garden tilled up and it grew up in grass. Now I have sprayed the grass twice to kill it back and when it
dries up, I will attack it with a flame thrower I just bought. Nothing like a little planning ahead. Also in this
past spring, I grafted some mulberries, plums and persimmons. Not a single one took. The scions were too far
along and had broken dormancy when I got them. Better luck next year. The good thing is I do already have
mulberries and persimmons, but not plums. I am also looking to plant heartnuts, not necessarily in my yard
but wherever I can find a space for them. I have done a little bit of Guerilla gardening lately because I believe
every plant does not have to be an ornamental plant or even a native plant. The world could use plenty more
edible plants. But that's just me. Someday I may harvest enough persimmons and pawpaws to take some to
market. I have Oriental persimmons that are non-astringent and American persimmons that are seedless. I add
a blueberry or two every year. I hope everyone is enjoying their garden as much as I do mine.
Volume 25, number 5
Page 16
Beginning Beekeeping
How many of us have longed to start our "second act" as we get older? Dan Harris, of Booger Hill Bee Company, did
just that. At the age of 50 he returned to college to get a degree in Horticulture. An elective entitled "Bee Biology
and Management" caused him to get bitten by the beekeeping bug, both literally and figuratively!
Now over a decade later Dan has a vast apiary, including 10 hives at Smith-Gilbert Gardens. As his business grew he
discovered there was an unmet need for instruction in beginning beekeeping. He organized a comprehensive 7 month
program that teaches the beginner everything from the history of beekeeping, hive construction, care of the hive and
harvesting of honey. Dan says, "Respect for the honey bee and the important work it does in our world, sharing
timeless beekeeping skills, and the production of pure unprocessed wild flower honey is what we are all about."
Dan's next series of beekeeping workshops will begin at Smith-Gilbert Gardens on Saturday, December 7th. The
workshops meet the first weekend of the month. In December, January and February, classes are held on Saturday
from 9 am to noon. The March, April, June and August classes are held on Sunday. The cost of the program is $225.

Saturday, December 7, 2013 - 9 am to noon

Saturday, January 4, 2014 - 9 am to noon

Saturday, February 1, 2014 - 9 am to ? (Hive construction)

Sunday, March 2, 2014 - 1 pm to 3 pm (Working at the SGG hives)

Sunday, April 6, 2014 - 1 pm to 3 pm (Working at the SGG hives)

Sunday, June 1, 2014 – 1 pm to 3 pm (Extracting honey)

Sunday, August 3, 2014 – 9 am to 11 am (Winterizing your hive)
By next spring you could have your own hive and bees buzzing around your garden! For more information or a
complete schedule, contact the Garden office at 770-919-0248, email us at info@smithgilbertgardens.com or visit the
education page of our website, www.smithgilbertgardens.com.
Volume 25, number
V o5
lume 25, number 5
Page 17
Upcoming Events
On October 10th, AJC columnist, author, and Georgia
Botanical Society enthusiast Charles Seabrook will give a
presentation titled “Georgia: Its Beauty, Diversity and
Natural Heritage” at 7:00 PM. This Norcross Garden Club
event is free and will be held at the Norcross Community
Center (10 College Street in Norcross).
On October 15th, Gwinnett Technical College will hold its
fall plant sale from 9 AM to 4 PM at the greenhouse (5150
Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville). This year’s selection
will include $10 annual flats, autumn and wood ferns, fall
vegetables, Japanese Maples, Fragrant Tea Olive and its
equally fragrant and hardier cousin, Fortune’s Osmanthus
‘Fruitlandii’. We will have lots of 1-3 gallon shrubs and a
good variety of perennials.
On October 17th, McFarlane Nature Park will hold a
benefit called Art in the Park from 4 PM to 10 PM at the
Atlanta County Club Ballroom (500 Atlanta Country Club
Drive in Marietta). Local artists are setting up booths and
selling their art, with a portion of their profits going to
McFarlane Nature park.
On October 22nd, the Fulton County Cooperative
Extension will present “Growing Fruit in Georgia” from
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Bill Johnson Community Activity
Building (10495 Woodstock Road in Roswell). Learn about
fruits that grow well in Georgia, even in small backyards.
This class will cover fruit trees (apple, peach, cherry, pear,
fig), brambles (raspberry, blackberry), blueberries,
strawberries, and grapes, along with selection, planting,
pruning, disease and pest control, and harvesting. Register
online at www.roswellgov.com or call (770) 641-3760. Cost
is free.
On October 22nd, the American Hydrangea Society will
hold its fall lecture meeting from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at
Holy Spirit Catholic Church (4465 Northside Drive in
Atlanta). The speaker will be Martha Tate, well-known writer
in the AJC’s “Home and Garden” section. She will talk
about her new book Margaret Moseley’s: A Garden to Remember,
featuring local Atlanta gardener Margaret Moseley. The book
will be available for purchase at the meeting and we will have
the special privilege of having Margaret sign them! See our
website for more details. Cost is free.
Plant Exchange
I have a bed of native copper Irises which I am willing to
share. You dig or I will bring to you.—Sondra Nierenberg
(sondranier@aol.com)
Lee Culver is collecting 1, 2, and 3 gallon plastic pots for
the Plant Sale—lculver123@aol.com
On October 28th, explore the many ways in which fungi
enrich our lives with “The Magic of Mushrooms with
Duane Marcus” from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the
Northlake Library (3772 Lavista Road in Tucker). Fungi
assist us in growing and provide us with food, fiber and
medicine, craft materials and medicines. They are nature’s
internet allowing plants to communicate and nurture one
another. Cost is free.
All written materials intended for publication should be addressed to
Jennifer Bridges, Editor of the Cobb Dibbler, identified by the author's
name and address and the date of origin. All written materials so
submitted are, and shall be, subject to editing.
Visit us on the web at
cobbmastergardeners.org
Visit us on faceboook at
facebook.com/cobbextensionadvocacy
Picture from the Editor
I got on the cover of a magazine! Just kidding. The thing
I love most about fall is all the festivals, especially ones
that feature photo booths with fancy backdrops!