WELCOME TO THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER - November 2010


The rain is finally here, and so I am sure you are all gearing up for the holidays by wintering your plants, bringing out the winter hearty ones and preparing for the weather. I have taken a few of my more sensitive plants and wintered them in my basement, and have put a lot of other ones throughout my house, so the place looks a little like a jungle. At this time I don’t have a winter safe greenhouse, so in order for all my plants to flourish, or at least keep growing, I have to find the right home for them. Too cold and they freeze – too dry and they wilt. It takes a good balance and a keen eye to know what location is right to have any living thing grow properly and possibly put off new starts to keep the species thriving and provide diversity.

We are still facing that same dilemma ourselves, as a club. As winter sets in we are trying to decide where would be a good location for ourselves, hoping to find that right combination and right balance to make a good change and keep our club growing and healthy. We have looked at a few locations, and although some are promising, there still isn’t a perfect fit.

We all know that a plant can successfully grow in a wide range of soils, and just like soil, the locations we continue to look at have pluses and minuses. But regardless of the medium, most plants are pretty hearty, and can endure the hardest winters and succeed with very little. Cactus folk usually reflect their hobby, being enduring and tough, ingenious and very accommodating. We all do our best, it seems, under great stress with very little to work with, regardless of the occasional spine that ruins our day.

I look forward to seeing you at the November meeting – David

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. ~George Santayana

Sincerely,
David Hammerberg, 2010 President of the CCSS of Washington State