Somerville Garden Club

Growing Edibles: A Panel Discussion

As a follow up to the Somerville Garden Club’s July 25th Edible Garden Tour in Somerville, several garden club members and tour open garden participants will lead a panel discussion on home grown vegetables and fruit.

Members are invited to bring in produce and dishes to share that they’ve made from the produce of their gardens. We’d appreciate it if anyone so inspired, would send an email to Judy Eisenberg at jeeisenberg@yahoo.com so we’ll know who’s bringing what.

We want to be able to make an announcement recognizing the contributors, and also to be able to make labels. Contributors are asked to cut up or otherwise bring their offerings in ready to serve, bite-sized pieces to save time. We’ll provide plates, napkins, and utensils.

Asian Long Horned Beetle – credit J. Forman Orth, MDAR

This weekend a small infestation of Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) was found in Jamaica Plain (Boston). The site is at Faulkner Hospital (click to see map), just across from the Arnold Arboretum. Six infested maple trees were found so far, in close proximity to each other, and have already been removed by USDA/DCR. Surveys will continue this week.

It is extremely important that we get the word out ASAP to everyone in the Boston, Brookline, and Newton area to be on the lookout for:

1) Adult Asian longhorned beetles (shiny black beetles with white spots and long, banded antennae) – check out this handy pocket guide

2) ALB exit holes (dime-sized, perfectly round holes, especially in maple, but also in birch, elm, horsechestnut, willow and other hardwood trees…but not oak)

3) ALB egg-laying sites (divots in the bark ranging in size from 1/4 to 3/4 inches across – fresh pits often have oozing, foaming sap)

Anyone seeing anything suspicious should report it immediately at http://massnrc.org/pests/albreport.aspx or toll-free: 1-866-702-9938. Take photos if you can.

Spread the word, not the beetle! Get all the latest ALB news at:
http://massnrc.org/pests/alb