MAINE ROSE SOCIETY

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Sunday, February 18, 2001          The Barron Center

1:07 p.m. Portland, Maine

 

Minutes

 

Officers Present:  President Frank O’Connor, Vice President Vaughn Hardesty, Secretary Wilma Sarna, Treasurer Claire Homan, Board Members, Margaret Edwards

 

Officers Absent:  Board Member Ralph Carpenter, Merle Bacastow, Joan Gotlibson, Wendy Kemp, Steve Law

The meeting was brought to order by President O’Connor and the guest speaker was introduced. 

 

Dick Verville, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service will speak on “Compost and Disease Suppression”.  Mr. Verville noted that, until recently, the emphasis of soil analysis has been the mineral content.  A theory is developing that the top soil, in any area of the world, already contains all the elements, bacteria and “critters” necessary to suppress foliar disease in that locale, thereby reducing the need for synthetic fungicides.  He pointed out that 50% of our garbage is organic and compost-able.  In the United States only about 3% of that organic material is composted. 

 

Mr. Verville promotes the use of compost to improve soil, in general, and discussed the benefits of well-aged compost.  Compost must reach a temperature of 130-160 degrees to break-down the solids to compost.  These high temperatures destroy the organisms within the compost and render it sterile.  It must “age” outdoors for another 3 to 6 months (or longer) so that organisms may reenter and reactivate the compost.  Compost which is well-aged and alive, when introduced back into your garden soil can help suppress diseases in your garden. 

 

Compost tea can be made from well-aged compost.  This “tea” can be sprayed on foliage to prevent leaf fungus, black spot, etc.  Compost tea incorrectly made, from premature compost, will act as a herbicide.  Handouts were provided to all members present, giving more detail about “compost tea”.  Mr. Verville stated that packaged compost, in most cases, is sterile.  However, if it is left outdoors for 3-6 months, it, too, will become reactivated and aged.

 

Refreshments for next month’s meeting will be provided by Nina Colcord and Charlee Curtis.

 

A sign-up list was available to choose a day and time when members may volunteer to set-up, help-out, take-down at the MRS display area at the Portland Flower Show, March 14, 15, 16 and 17.  Time-slots are still available.  Call President Frank O’Connor at 774-6726 to pitch-in.

 

The next meeting of the MRS will be March 11 at 1:00 p.m.  Guest speaker will be Steve Palmer, Plainview Farms, who will speak on “Companion Planting for Roses.

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Wilma Sarna, Secretary

 

Members		Present
Martin	Brower
Lilyan	Brower
Kay	Buffum
Soren	Christensen
Nina	Colcord
Sherman	Curtis
Charlee	Curtis
Margaret	Edwards
Tonya	Heskett
Larry	McMahon
Gordon	Penny
Justina	Penny
John	Sarna
Linda	Thigpen