Aronia Arbutifolia Planting

Saturday I planted a new hedge row of 12 Aronia Arbutifolia. It was great as it was my first project of the season :)

Dumb question (I'm second guessing myself): since all these plants are dormant, is there really a need to water them after planting? The fill soil was of average moisture and the plants were fairly moist when I planted them. I went with no and have not watered them. Was that the right thing?

Thanks.

Oh no! They're all going to die!

That's the Holly God, sending lightning strikes upon thee for decimating Ilex sp. in favor of lowly Aronia sp.

Dormant plants aren't going to know from butkus whether you water them. You will want to make sure the loosened soil is settled in around the roots/root ball, but not more than that at this time of year.

Sincerely,

President, Holly Society of America

Haha...alright, I'll water these babies this weekend. Thanks Mr. President!

Congratulations! It's not too often I get to rub keyboards with the president of a national organization. What are some of the duties you'll be discharging over the next year as head of the HSA?

Proselytize, proselytize, proselytize.

The life blood of any organization is participation, and new members bring new energy and ideas. Without new members, organizations age and can become stale - or simply, well, become plant food.

I am contacting/visiting professional members (growers, arboreta, schools, regional chapters) to familiarize myself with current perspectives, and entertain ideas for moving the organization forward.

Ultimately, this (and any) plant society is people orbiting and congregating around a common interest. Comraderie, plant talk, travel, good food/drink - shared experiences.

My duties include leading the interim meeting in Millville, NJ in June and assisting with organizing the 67th Annual Meeting at Rutgers University in NJ in October.

Another component of successful organizations is keeping their profile up. There are more ways than ever to gather information, and HSA is working hard to be visible across that spectrum.

With that, I'll quit hijacking Sequoiadendron's post.

Lol...you guys are funny....why is Pseudo always poking at you VV?

Sequoia...because VV is always poking fun at Pseudo!

Not so fast VV, I'm sure what you really meant was -- "I will stop looking like I'm hijacking Sequioadendron's post and hand the hijack reigns over to some unsuspecting sod that's unwittingly dense enough to take the bait of my tantalizingly incomplete information on which they surely wish to expand."

Man, you have long, breath-stealing thought sentences VV.

Okay, I'm bait...VV who are the gentlemen in the pics and where are they? Are you going to proselytize in the MI area?

Since Sequoia is goading me, I'll swerve right back in.

First things first. Pseudo is a Clear Water Cheesehead who is simply tired of winter and has set aim on his warm weather friends. May the oncoming glacier of happiness poop right on his garden.

Second, I need an interpreter - I don't speak Michigander. To wit:

"...unsuspecting sod..."
"...unwittingly dense enough..."
"...tantalizingly incomplete information..."
"...breath-stealing thought sentences..."

Each of these has me flummoxed; maybe you need to type slower. I'm willing to learn - even if it means I have to take to the Damascus Road...in Adrian.

And if you are bait (Chum? Nightcrawler? Hellgrammite?) what are you looking to hook?

There is a Great Lakes Chapter of HSA, but have not heard of much activity of late. They must be dormant. Maybe you could be a catalyst...

Those pictures were taken in December 2011 at Bernheim Arboretum with fellow HSA trustees. Here are some from last fall's 66th Annual Meeting held in New Harmony, IN.

Lol...does the HSA give you kickbacks for 'advertising' them?

And Pseudo still has 6 weeks of winter ;P I'd be jealous too ;)

Thou dost do me a great disservice, sir.

As with my presence and participation here, my office with the HSA has been and will always be voluntary. When I advocate for "knowing and growing more holly", it is for the satisfaction and enjoyment of gardeners everywhere. I had done so before accepting a national role in the organization, and I will continue to do so after my tenure is completed.

You live in an area where Ilex opaca prevails as a native species, and many other choice selections can be highlights of a garden. HSA membership can be an extraordinary benefit for those interested in knowing more about the genus, and in being more successful in growing holly in their landscapes.

I misspoke VV, I should have been much more clear and say "Okay, I'll take the bait." With that horrid mess all cleared up, I am trying to clean up my act and t y p e s l o w e r.

Perhaps a visit from you to the Great Lakes Chapter would be just the right dose of adrenaline a stagnant Holly lover group needs.

Don't answer right now...think about it.

Oh, there's this bit of mess too...
"...unsuspecting sod..." me
"...unwittingly dense enough..." me again
"...tantalizingly incomplete information..." you provided that
"...breath-stealing thought sentences..." me not taking responsibility for my run-on sentence structure and blaming you...lol.

OK - I understand self-deprecation.

What was tantalizingly incomplete in the post above to which you refer? I'm happy to fill in missing pieces - to compose the whole picture, as it were.

I'll have to "reach out" and see if there is a Great Lakes Chapter left to visit. If not, there's still Hidden Lake Gardens...

When I was chum, I asked (Post #9796168) and you promptly delivered a complete picture...thank-you very much.

You are quite welcome - glad to have reached clarity on all fronts.

As per Hidden Lake Gardens: I have been there only once.

It was early December 1991, and a friend and I had been to visit the great magnolia hybridizer Phil Savage in Bloomfield Hills, MI to see his collection and discuss whether he had any mature plants with which he would part. On our meandering way back to KY, we stopped at Hidden Lake Gardens after a fresh layer of snow had fallen on a crisp (in the teens) morning. The conifer collection was fabulous, but it was quite difficult to move around and see very much. I vividly remember the fine array of upright Juniperus sp., and have always wished I could go back under milder conditions to assess the accessions.