What would you include in a talk?

[ViolaAnn]

Hi folks,

Been missing most of the winter, but it's time to start thinking about hostas even though mine are still under several feet of snow with more on the way today.

I've been asked to speak to my local Horticultural Society in June on "Hostas Galore". I've got a number of ideas, but still have time to draft my talk and find the pictures I need to go with it. But I'm also wondering what YOU think I should include in my talk (about 30 minutes).

I welcome all ideas, though I could probably talk for hours about hostas.

[Carol O]

I'd include a few words on what a joy it is to grow hosta from seed and how it makes the winter go by faster and coming up with different combinations that no one else has. But you are right, 30 minutes isn't nearly enough time.

[Tigger]

Lots of ways you can go with "Hostas Galore." I just made this chart of the number of registrations (as it crosses 5000) if you want to show the explosion of the last 15 years. This is based on the MyHostas.be data; it gets to 5180 total (up to 2012) where the hostaregistrar.org shows 5201 (more current?).

You could organize a talk by showing hostas of increasing (or decreasing) size, picking 3 in each class. A hosta for every space, as it were.

Definitely provide a good list of internet sites (including Hallson's, of course!).

Have fun. We have our garden on tour this June, but I think I'd rather prepare a talk!

David

Graph hosta registrations.jpg (22.1 KiB) Viewed 1144 times

[thy]

30 minutes, can't you have more time ?

Here is what I do
Then people arrive there is a PowerPoint going with hosta pictures... mane of the hosta and the photographer, it just a loop going on in the waiting time.
- Then a few words about where to find hostas in the wild
- Then a few statements ... about soil, water, sun ... fitting for the area
- Then I have a little about species, but I have way more time
- Fertilizer / compost
- Colors
- Juvenile and adult leaves
- The roots and crown
- how deep to plant them
- Pots
- Bringing a window sill hosta in for the winter
_ HVX... it is important for me, pics and what it do... and where I bye my hostas--- and how to handle an infected plant. I try not to scare them, but to tell them the importance of healthy plants... even if they are more expensive.
- How to split
- Seeds, seedlings and sports
- Problems... drawstring and slugs ect.
- What to come... news in the hosta world
- Streakers... No guarantee
In/ before/ after the coffee break I usually talk about garden design, hostas with companion plants making an easy to maintain garden with hostas ( pics in a loop)
All in all I use around 45 + 30 minutes+ pics in a loop.
I show pics during the talk

I do give out a paper with basic information's to bring home
I have press information's and pics- for color and greyscale

So it is not the galore only

I have a small collection of special pics, if you need any please let me know !
Have fun

Pia
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[thy]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh David
I still remember my confusion when I had just figured out there were new hostas than the 6 old ones.... HL told me 3.500
And I could not figure out how to find them

[ViolaAnn]

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. A full outline, Pia. Wow! That should get me going for sure. And I'm sure once I really get going the bigger problem will be what to leave out to make the talk short enough.

[Chris_W]

30 minutes sure isn't that much time. If you are talking about how many varieties there are then you might mention sports and where they come from, then you could show a few examples of sports and their parents.

Good luck and have fun

Chris

[Mary Ann]

Off Topic . . . .Memory test: Wasn't "Hostas Galore" someone's user name? Jamie?

[ViolaAnn]

Could have been. Might have been before my time. Anyway, I didn't make up the name - the program committee did.