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September 2026
Monthly Meeting
NEXT GENERAL MEETING: Hidden Agave: Tales From a Plant Explorer and Breeder, With Jeremy Spath, September 19, In-Person, Oasis, Rancho Bernardo, 1:30p -3:30p
Driven by a passion for discovering exceptional, rare, and new agave species, Jeremy Spath has spent the past 20 years exploring the natural habitats of agaves across the Americas. His journey began with a deep fascination for seeing these remarkable plants in their native environments, inspiring countless expeditions to uncover the beauty of agave habitats. His expertise extends to cultivating these plants, with a particular focus on selecting and growing exceptional clones.
Aug 26
Articles
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: Dead Plant Diary
Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Garden Photo From March 31, 2022 I was sorting through photos and came across this gem from March 31, 2022. Much of our garden is now over 25 years old, so I consider the area at the bottom of the hill, 100 feet lower than the house, the “new garden” since everything in it was planted after 2017. I was super impressed with how quickly everything grew, considering almost everything was planted as a one-g
Sep 1
NEXT SHARING GARDEN: Vista/Bonsall Sharing Garden: Sunday, September 27, 2026, With Group Tours From 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Robert Kopfstein working with Tony Gurnoe to hand pollinate Encephalartos natalesis. Photo: Tony Gurnoe. Registration for members to open soon: https://sdhort.org/FeaturedGarden Sunday, September 27, 2026, Group 1 - 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Group 2 - 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Group 3 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Cycads and bromeliads and succulents – oh my! Robert Kopfstein is a past president of the San Diego Bromeliad Society (and also of the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society),
Sep 1
SD HORT BOOK CLUB: Next Four Books Announcement And No September Meeting
By Karen England, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. WiX stock photo. There is no September SDHBC meeting. Please join us on Zoom for a discussion of -- Outsider Animals: How the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Have the Most to Teach Us by Marlene Zuk on October 5, 2026 Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present, and Future of the Self-Provisioning City by Kate Brown on November 2, 2026 Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World b
Sep 1
NEWS: Volunteers Opportunities!
By Laura McCullough, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026 Greetings fellow garden enthusiasts! As the new volunteer coordinator, I am calling for volunteers for our Sharing Gardens tour to assist with check in, parking, and garden info. You can now select a volunteer ticket when registering for the Sharing Garden event if interested. I have also enabled the 'Add Guest' if you know someone that is curious about the SDHS and our events. Laura showing off her Phaelenopsis pin
Sep 1
TREES, PLEASE! An Update, a Suggestion and a Request
By Tim Clancy, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. Washingtonia filifera proving their resilience, even to wildfires, within their natural habitat in Anza Borrego. Photo: Tony Gurnoe. An Update, a Suggestion and a Request Several years ago, in “Diamonds Are Not a Palm’s Best Friend,” (SDHS Newsletter of November 2021) I wrote about California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera) suffering from diamond scale in coastal San Diego County. The palms pictured with that article p
Sep 1
GOING WILD WITH NATIVES: California Native Plant Society’s Fall Plant Sale Coming Next Month! Meanwhile, Want succulents? How About Native Succulents!
By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead. Photo courtesy of the San Dieguito River Park Staff. California Native Plant Society’s Fall Plant Sale Coming Next Month! Meanwhile, Want succulents? How About Native Succulents! Our Native Plant Sale is back this fall with a new format. Choose from more than 350 California native plant species and cultivars from local nurseries and CNPS growers. Pre-order September 1–15. Plant orders are
Sep 1
THE BUG MAN: Watch Out for Aloe Thrips
By Eric Middleton PhD, IPM Advisor, University of California Statewide IPM Program and Cooperative Extension, San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. Adult aloe thrips. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/ppd/PDF/Hercinothrips_dimidiatus.pdf. Watch Out for Aloe Thrips If you live in Southern California and your aloes are darkening and starting to die back, it could be caused by a new invasive pest called aloe thrips (Hercinothrips dimidia
Sep 1
PLANT FORUM: At The August 2026 Meeting
By Susi Torre-Bueno, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. In July 2025 Anne Murphy brought in a delightful bouquet of nine species of flowering California native plants for the Plant Forum. Graphic made by Karen England on Canva. For over two decades a meeting highlight was the Plant Forum, where a horticultural expert spoke about plants brought in by members. These descriptions appeared in the newsletter and are available free to the public on our website at...
Sep 1
SHARING SECRETS: What are you doing to conserve plants?
Edited by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Sharing Secrets graphic made by Karen England using Canva. Question of the month – What are you doing to conserve plants? In July, we heard from the most knowledgeable Kevin Alison, who serves as the Native Plant Manager for the Catalina Island Conservancy, where he leverages his expertise in conservation, restoration, and horticulture to prevent extinction. I was wondering if you have done or are doing or plan t
Sep 1
GARDEN SURROUNDINGS: Gardens and Nature Through our Lives
By Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. 'Sentimental' floribunda rose in the author's garden. Photo credit: Francesca Filanc. Gardens and Nature Through our Lives Petrea volubilis grows repeatedly in this garden. I moved to this property in 2015 and started preparing right away to make changes and to put my own mark on the Garden. (https://francescafilanc.com/garden-surroundings-in-the-garden/) Petrea in the author's garden. Photo credit: Francesca Filanc.
Sep 1
MEETING REPORT: Holly McMullen's Growing Plant People, August 2026, Presentation Recording Soon To Be On YouTube
Holly McMullen is a tenured professor of plant science at Southwestern College and a field biologist with nearly a decade of experience working at the intersection of ecological research, habitat restoration, and higher education. Her expertise centers on the interactions between plants and animals, particularly within Southern California's diverse ecosystems, and she has conducted botanical and wildlife field surveys, managed large-scale restoration projects, and mentored st
Sep 1
HERITAGE HAUNTS: Pet-Friendly Gardening by Linda Johnson
Presented by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. This article was written by Linda Johnson and first appeared in September 2011 edition of Let's Talk Plants! If you are a gardener AND a pet-lover, see tips below to enhance your garden for the mutual enjoyment of pets and humans. It is easy to combine the love of gardening with the love of pets, and to create a fun and harmonious environment for both to enjoy! Pet-Friendly Plants Prior to adding any plants to y
Sep 1
EDITOR'S ARMCHAIR: A Global Land Ethic Comes Home at Dr. Bronner's Headquarters
By Tony Gurnoe, for Let's Talk Plants September 2026 Sacred datura in bloom. Photo: Tony Gurnoe. A Global Land Ethic Comes Home at Dr. Bronner's Headquarters Since my team started to collaborate with Dr. Bronner’s there has been one pattern in conversations with other people about that company. Some kind of quizzical mention of their far out labeling followed by an expression of how much they like the soap! If Dr. Bronner’s is known for anything beyond their suds, it would ha
Sep 1
NEXT GENERAL MEETING: Hidden Agave: Tales From a Plant Explorer and Breeder, With Jeremy Spath, September 19, In-Person, Oasis, Rancho Bernardo, 1:30p -3:30p
Driven by a passion for discovering exceptional, rare, and new agave species, Jeremy Spath has spent the past 20 years exploring the natural habitats of agaves across the Americas. His journey began with a deep fascination for seeing these remarkable plants in their native environments, inspiring countless expeditions to uncover the beauty of agave habitats. His expertise extends to cultivating these plants, with a particular focus on selecting and growing exceptional clones.
Aug 26
NEXT SHARING GARDEN: Mission Hills Sharing Garden: Saturday, August 8, 2026, With Space Available for a 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Tour
Photos courtesy of Randy Laurie. Registration for members only: https://www.sdhort.org/event-6744549 Saturday, August 8, 2026, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM What a treat! It’s rare to find a 2-acre garden in Mission Hills, and the owners of this beautiful property have been very generous in opening their garden to us. We had a sharing garden here in July 2013, when the garden was just 4 years old, and seeing it now you can understand how the original vision has matured and filled in. La
Aug 1
SD HORT BOOK CLUB: August 3, 2026 - Literary Gardens By Sandra Lawrence At 4:30/5p On Zoom
By Karen England, for Let's Talk Plants! August 2026. Join us on Zoom for a discussion of August 3, 2026 - Note: The Zoom SDHBC meeting link is not published, instead it is emailed to discussion participants. If you would like to receive the link, please email info@sdhort.org with “book club” in the subject line. Looking Ahead: Aug 3, 2026 - Literary Gardens by Sandra Lawrence Have you heard how much fun the SD Hort Book Club is? It's amazing, and I'm not just saying that bec
Aug 1
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