7 Members from our club attended this meeting at Shepparton Harness Raceway hosted by Mooroopna Garden Club. Attendee’s were Cohuna, East Lodden, Echuca, Kaarimba, Kyabram, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Tatura, Nurmurkah, Bendigo, Finley, with apologies from Deniliqin, Koondrook/Barham, SwanHill. With all clubs giving a short update of trips and happenings in their club, sharing lots of ideas and possible speakers it was very informative. Don Rickerby OAM President of Royal Horticulture Society spoke OF THE CHALLENGES clubs are facing with reduced membership and ageing members to try and engage new members in other ways, such as social media example Facebook, which many clubs have already, to share meetings, garden visits, speakers and tips on gardening. He also mentioned the FREE EPA soil testing which a small sample from your garden can be sent away for testing at the lab at the cost of $10 postage. A good way to check the health of your garden and fix any problems in your soil. Patron Stephen Ryan has a great show on You Tube called The Horti-culturist which has about 20 minutes of good gardening tips. There were 3 speakers over the day 1st was Rod from Riverside Gardens which started 1st April 1982 by his father with the family working in the garden centre. They concentrate on propagating and looking after indoor plants. They look after approx 500 plants in the Shepparton/Mooroopna business district with approx 60 plants at the courthouse alone. 2nd speaker was Rodney Clark on pruning FRUIT AND CITRUS TREES. Early pruning when you purchase plant is essential to get a nice strong leader and vase shape. Peaches and Nectarines need no pollinator but cut laterals from inside the tree to open up to guard against damage and other problems. Apples and Pears need a pollinator which usually means you have two trees or hand pollinate them. Plums and Apricots Short stems for good fruit production and take the water shoots out. 3rd speaker was Geoff Allemend who is Local Historian/ founder of lost Shepparton and other sites such as Echuca on FB. He has also published local history and childrens books. Shared old mostly black and white photos and postcards from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s. There was morning,afternoon tea and a lovely luncheon, and many raffles and lucky door prize, and a huge Trading Table. Sherril and Rhonda each won a raffle. A lovely way to NETWORK with other clubs. NOTE~ IT IS ECHUCA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S TURN TO HOST IN 2024.