The Beaver Tale November 2008

From the President:

Fall weather has finally arrived, meaning cooler temperatures and shorter days. The plants
seem to like the change. Out on the trails at the Springs Preserve the leaves on the
Cottonwoods along the Cienega are turning gold and fall-blooming succulents like the
Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) and the Hummingbird Trumpet (Zauchneria californica) are
brightening up the landscape.
October saw a number of club members showing off their cacti and succulent creations at the
Nevada Garden Club’s 2008 Mysterious Plant Show. Kudos to Joey Betzler and Alana Sullivan
for organizing things as well as other club members Susan Kent, Pete Duncombe, Tom Garcia,
Stephanie Thomas, and Donnie Barnet—just to name a few— for their wonderful entries. If you
haven’t already done so, check out Susan’s photo slide show on the club web site at
www.csssn.org.

Victor Lindsey, our VP and programs guy, put together a field trip out to Nelson, NV, in
October. I’m sure those that went will be sharing pictures taken, at the meeting coming up in
November or at the December Holiday Party.
Speaking of that, I hope to see everyone at the upcoming meeting on Thursday, November 6.
We will be holding our annual elections, taking membership renewals for 2009, and discussing
the December holiday gathering. Member Donnie Barnet will be doing a presentation on native
plants in southern Nevada and the surrounding area. Donnie works with Pete Duncombe and
Russ Harrison at the Springs Preserve, as most of you know, and is passionate about his love
cacti and succulents.
As per usual, there will be Board meeting starting at 6:00 p.m. before the general meeting at
7:00. Come early and bring a friend.

Phil Lawton

PS: REPORTS ON THE OUTCOME OF THE FLOWER SHOW WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE
WEB IN THIS NEWSLETTER ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008. RESULTS WILL BE GIVEN IN
PAPER FORM AT THE MEETING THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008, AS WELL.

Page 1 of 4
 PS: Please use the lobby area for the children’s
Next Meeting: November 6, 2008 quiet play area and utilize pre-meeting, post-
Garden Center at Lorenzi Park meeting, and the break period for mingling. Try to
3333 W. Washington refrain, if possible, from talking while the program is
Las Vegas, NV being presented so that all of us can enjoy it. The
General Meeting Starts at 7:00 PM. Please old adage, “If you are talking, you are not listening,
come early to help set up or stay late to and the person you are talking to can’t listen
help clean up! Board Meeting starts at 6:00 either…” applies. Thank you
PM Members with last names ending in N-Z Stay in touch at Meetings & on-line:
please bring refreshments. YAHOO GROUP SITE:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/CSSSN/
Monthly Meeting Program: WEB SITE:
Cacti and Succulents of the Mojave http://www.csssn.org/index.php?option=com
_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=37
Donnie Barnett will be 2008Officers & Committees:
giving the November http://www.csssn.org/index.php?option=com_co
meeting (usual place and ntent&task=view&id=16&Itemid=29
time). Donnie works at the
Las Vegas Springs Membership Dues: Individual -
Preserve on the $15.00; Household - $25
horticulture team. The talk Name(s): ____________________________________
will be about the many
_____________________________________________
wonderful and attractive cacti and
succulents that grow in the Mojave Desert. Street: _______________________________________
Agave, yucca, nolina, cacti and dudleya will
be highlighted in his slide show. City,State,Zip _________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________

E-mailaddress: ________________________________
Email & website are default methods of communication.
If you have an e-mail address, we e-mail the newsletter.
If you wish a paper copy, please notify Liz at
dicnliz7067@netzero.net.
Dues can be paid at any monthly meeting, or you may
mail them. Thanks for your continued interest!
CSSSN – Membership
P O Box 571101
(Photos by Donnie Barnett) Las Vegas, NV 89157

CSSSN Events 2008-2009 GRAB SOMEONE & GO

Date Range Name Location Links
11/2/2009 Sandy Valley (near Meet at the convenience store in http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/grou
Jeanne) front of Palace Station on Sahara p/CSSSN/cal///group/CSSSN?v=4&
just west of HWY 15 at 7:00a.m. t=1225609200&i=104&pv=61
2/14/2009 San Diego Winter Show Casa del Prado http://www.sdcss.com/
& Sale Balboa Park
Downtown San Diego.
3/11/2009?? UNLV Educational UNLV Arboretum? Details to be Determined
Presentations?
4/11/2009? Plant Sale Springs Preserve Details to be Determined
4/10 to 4/15, 2009 CSSA's 33rd Biennial Westin La Paloma Resort, Tucson, http://www.cssainc.org/
Convention AZ

Page 2 of 4
 SHORT STUFF ABOUT OR FROM SOME OF OUR MEMBERS

DICK AND LIZ ASKEW have a problem JIM PETER’S RECIPE FOR BLACK
common to many of us in the club. Actually, they BEAN DIP
have 332 cacti problems and 487 succulent issues. (He served this at Paula’s party)
Liz has been collecting and resizing her collection (up
and down) for 64 years, while Dick has had serious 1 pound dried black beans (or 3 small cans)
intentions for just the last couple of years. Before 4cup sliced onions
moving to Las Vegas in 1987, their home was near ½ cup chopped celery
Lodi, CA. Liz was a member of the Stockton CSS ½ pound ham luncheon meat or ½ pound bacon –
and the San Jose CSS. Their 4-year-old shepherd cooked until brown – reserve fat
mix “Maggie,” offers them grand companionship. Liz 3 tablespoons oil
started doing our newsletter somewhere around Wash dried black beans and soak overnight (or two
2002; she is still a newsletter coach, ensures that days) in 2 quarts of water.
paper copies are mailed, and tries to keep a handle
on membership. At our meetings, Dick is always Cook beans until tender. Approximately two hours,
around for set up, and sometimes the takedown, too. adding water if needed.
Dick will be assuming librarian responsibilities for the Fry ½ cup onions and celery in oil or bacon fat until
club very shortly. tinged with brown.
Remove ¾ (more or less) of beans with ½ cup water.
SUSAN KENT is our CSSSN digital newsletter Let cool a little and put in a food processor with the
editor and web site administrator. She and Flower meat, fat, onions and celery.
(kitty) and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (Parakeets) and her
Blend until somewhat fine.
growing collection of plants now live in a small home
of her own here in Las Vegas. She continues to live Return to the cooking pot with remaining beans and
chapters in her life book. Her chapter on “The cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring to
Turner-Greenhouse Days” has not been completely prevent burning.
closed! A new chapter, already started, includes Add water if necessary. Enjoy!!
gardening with an HOA, and experiences with a new
job. She is doing the interior horticulture at the J W
Marriott Resort, Spa, and Golf over on Rampart. This
assignment in life brings its laughs, more friends, and
trials. As a lover of the desert and grower of cacti Victor Lindsey’s http://calplants.biz/
and succulents, we are used to having at least some We are always looking for rare, special, and large
degree of sunlight and enjoying beautiful odd plant specimen Cactus & Succulents to buy.
forms. Most hotel people do not get that concept! Call 1-800-384-4559
Dormancy is not a word in their vocabulary. E-mail calplants@yahoo.com
Everything needs to be shined, leafy, and green.
Check out this valuable site!!!!!!!
Perhaps the biggest trial to overcome is learning to
http://www.coldcacti.com/home
care for plants that grow in the near dark! Once life
settles down a bit more, maybe she and Kris Turner, Save 50% on Travel:
(others?) will hunker down and write a book on http://victorlindsey.worldventures.com
growing cactus and succulents here in Las Vegas.

November Words of Wisdom--- If you have veggie or tropical plant gardening

questions, contact club member, Leslie Doyle, aka the
There are four basic states of
“Tomato Lady”
consciousness, in other words, people
generally react to any new situation in one http://www.sweettomatotestgarden.com
Watch for her several Workshops around the Valley!
of four ways:
Aha!........Ho-hum…….Oy Vey!.......and Yum
yum
Dick Askew

Page 3 of 4
 THE COMPLETE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
CACTI
SUBIK & KUNTE----288pgs---2003
This book presents members of a single family of
plants, the Cactaceae, to which all cacti belong.
The first few pages give a rather concise review
of botanical facts, growing hints, pests and
diseases, and a brief overview of conservation of
cacti and their influence on humankind. The
remainder of the book classifies the cacti
according to their geographical origins and a final
chapter on cultivated hybrids and specialist
varieties. I found the book rather easy to read
(for a neophyte such as me)), and the comments
on care and feeding most informative.
Remember, all of our books may be checked out
for one month at a time.
*****CLOSING SALE*****
Dave & Kris continue the process of closing
Turner-Greenhouse- http://www.turner-
greenhouse.com
645-2032 4455 Quadrel Street, Las Vegas,
NV 89129
OPEN Friday, Saturday, Sunday ONLY
New Hours those days: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
CLOSED THE REST OF THE TIME!
Remaining inventory is available at a 40%
price reduction.
This includes ALL sizes of landscape plants,
their private collection, pottery, and
decorative yard art.
st
1st come, 1 served. Plants selected & paid
in full can be held for no more than 24 hours.
(SORRY, NO “TAG & HOLD” FOR ANYBODY!)
Master & Visa still accepted, but CASH &
CHECKS PREFERRED.
A few new photos are being added to the
website along with a few more links. If you
have others that would be useful to add,
please e-mail them to me at
desertgardeners@cox.net.
PS: I would love some additional photos, but
am wondering if you want the plant photos
labeled with botanical names? Mistakes will
be made, of course, but is the attempt worth
it? If so, contributed photos must come to me
with an attempt at identification. Thanks
Page 4 of 4
I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!
This is YOUR NEWSLETTER. As the newsletter
editor, I think it appropriate that club members
contribute some content. Falling short of that, I
would at least like to have suggestions about
content. Here are some points to get you
thinking:
Did you like the crossword puzzles? Did they
teach you anything? Did my occasional error at
least make you laugh? Were the puzzles too big
or too hard?
Do you like knowing little “tid-bits” of information
about club members?
Do you want reports and photos on the field trips
that some of the folks have been taking?
Do you want book reviews?
Do you want articles about specific plants?
Do you want articles about landscape or
interiorscape care?
Please help me deliver what you want. It really is
your newsletter. I am just giving you my time.
Please help me make it worthwhile.
Thank you and happy growing,
Susan K. (desertgardeners@cox.net)
BE WISE TO THE SEASONS
By now, you should have changed the number of
times a week your landscape waters. It is a good
idea to check your system for broken drippers, too. If
you do not have sufficient water delivery out of all
drippers, replace them and, maybe even purge the
system. You could also start to plan for freezing
temperatures. If you have frost tender plants in your
landscape or on your patio, you MIGHT want to stock
up on little Styrofoam “hats” for the columnar plants.
Old blankets and sheets (never plastic) can make
adequate throws in some cases. A strand or two of
“Christmas lights” or the rope type lights can generate
enough heat sometimes to keep plants cozy. Just as
layering provides warmth to humans, layering of
cardboard boxes, fabric, taller trees, and mulch can
offer a great deal of protection to small or tender
plants. Think now before it is too late!