April Azaleas

The speaker for our April meeting was Dr. Chip East, who is a Regional Extension Agent at Auburn. He is a Commercial Horticulture Coordinator over several counties in the east central part of Alabama. He grew up working on his uncle’s vegetable, cattle and hog farm as well as a nursery and landscaping business.  In learning how to propagate plants for the nursery, the native azalea became his favorite plant to propagate. 

Dr. East presented a very in depth program on the many ways you can propagate an azalea.  He told us that the native azalea is the hardest to root and explained the many ways to root an azalea, from air layering, collecting seeds to stem cuttings.  It was a very interesting program.

      Lanell Baker, Secretary, told us about the thank you note she received from the 4-H Club thanking us for the $100.00 donation we gave in Jerry Farmer’s memory.

      The Extension Office bed was weeded by the intern class.  Doug Jones and Callen Alred have volunteered to oversee these beds.  They have set the 2nd and 4th Mondays as work days. Thanks Doug and Callen for taking this position, we know you will do a great job.

      Amy Baker presented the Peach Award to Kerry Rush for all her hard work at the Demonstration Garden, serving a 2 year term as secretary, and always being ready to help where needed.

      Hugh Nichols and Kerry Rush wrote a grant for $533.00 for tools to use in the Demonstration Garden. The grant “Work smarter, Not harder” has been awarded to the Association.

      CCMGA members that attended the AMGA conference in Prattville, AL gave us a report on the conference.  Harriett Jackson was appointed as a AMGA Member at Large, Betsy Smith spoke at the conference on “Open the herbs for kids”, and Beverly Williamson was nominated for “Intern of the Year”.