Why Attend Our Meetings?
They are fun, educational, and you will leave with more plants!
CSSM Monthly Programs
October 13, 2018: C&S AUTHOR JEFF MOORE
Our October speaker will be author Jeff Moore, owner of Solana Succulents, a specialty nursery in Solana Beach, California. Visit Solana's Gallery for some eye-popping photos!
Jeff has been growing and selling succulents for more than 26
years, designing gardens, and photographing splendid specimens along the way.
His three books - Under the Spell of Succulents, Aloes and Agaves, and Soft Succulents - are a fun, breezy read and an insightful catalogue of the broad range of succulent plants with photos of many outstanding and unusual specimens.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
Miss our Meeting? Check Jeff Moore's presentation on YouTube.
November 17, 2018: DORMANCY: IT'S AS EASY [AND AS HARD] AS FALLING ASLEEP
A panel discussion with Paul Carlberg, Margot Hammer, Lau Magner, and Art Scarpa, followed by questions from the audience.
Whether you're a comic, an actor, a dancer, or a grower of South African bulbs, you know that timing is everything. Different plants have different dormancy periods and resting requirements; how do you know what to do and when? Do they signal you when ready for change, or do you have to cue them? How do you handle summer dormancy, especially if your plants vacation outside? Cactus, lithops, haworthias, South African bulbs, and caudiciform plants are among those with resting seasons; bring questions about these or any others.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
December 15, 2018: ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY
All Members are invited to our 28th Annual Holiday Party.
Details will be forthcoming at our November Meeting. Don't miss it.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
January 19, 2019: SOUTH AFRICA TOUR WITH ART SCARPA
In November of 2017, CSSM founder Art Scarpa revisited South Africa and explored succulent-rich secret places with longtime local friends who are active in the trade. Art returned with photos and stories of an extreme habitat its beautiful and highly-adapted plant life.
[In the event that either the December or January meeting is postponed due to weather, this program will be held in February instead.]
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
February 16, 2019 : Cacti and Succulents in the Arts by Jean Butler
In her many visits to the Southwest, Jean has indulged her love of art and of the plants of the desert by photographing artworks celebrating native cacti and succulents. This will be a slideshow sampler.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
March 16, 2019 PART ONE - VACATION ON THE VERANDAH
A panel discussion with Paul Carlberg, Margot Hammer and Lau Magner, followed by questions from the audience
Until you've done it, moving your plants into the Great Outdoors for the summer can seem risky and laborious, but when you see how quickly plants respond to fresh air, rain and sunshine, it becomes an annual migration. There are a few fine points to consider: placement, gradual acclimitization to full sun, signs of sunburn, shade, use of shadecloth, natural rainfall vs. watering, pests, etc.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
Part Two - Avoiding Ticks and Recognizing Symptoms of Tick-Born Diseases by Carol Englender M.D.
Though you grow plants in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, sooner or later, you're going outside. Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses are a growing peril, and it is imperative that we know the best practices for avoiding ticks and recognizing symptoms of the various diseases they transmit, in order to seek prompt treatment. Our own Dr. Carol Englender, with a specialty in tick-borne diseases, will present a half-hour program to bring us up to date on how to stay safe from ticks.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
April 20, 2019: PART ONE - SOIL MIXES AND ADDITIVES by ART SCARPA
The standard mix for cacti and succulents is described as light and fast-draining. Making your own soil mix isn't difficult, but it pays to know what additives are available, and what they can do for your plants. What should you look for in a potting medium to use as your base? What to add: peat? coir? sand? perlite? pumice? vermiculite? chicken grit? crushed granite? Turface (calcified clay material)? Come get the 'dirt' on growing mediums and additives, and start experimenting with your own custom blend.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
PART TWO - GEMS IN YOUR BROWSER: USEFUL WEBSITES TO BOOKMARK IN YOUR BROWSER by JEAN BUTLER
We will be taking a survey of websites our members rely on in finding, caring for, and enjoying cacti and succulents. This will be a short presentation of some of the standouts, but we will provide the full list for take-home and on the website.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
May 18, 2019: IT'S A SMALL WORLD - PLANTS AND STRATEGIES FOR WINDOWSILL GROWING
By Jean Butler with Member Participation
When you have a passion for growing cacti and succulents, you will sooner or later fill the space available. But when you grow on windowsills - especially, small windowsills - 'no vacancy' pretty quickly becomes a fact of life. There are a few strategies that can help you make the most of the space you have, and one of the best is focusing on naturally compact plants. With the help of members who can share diminutive highlights from their own collections, we'll encourage you to "think small" in order to maximize your space.
Time: 1p-4p
Location: Norfolk Public Library - 139 Main St, Norfolk, MA 02056
June 2019: OUR ANNUAL FIELD TRIP
Date and Place to be Announced.
Stay tuned and remember this - no matter where we go in June, it will be a blast!
