CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Alison, Bill, Harry, Karen, Kay, and all of the others at TerraSalis, we will miss you.

The garden center is closing after 26 years of providing the state with interesting plants, lovely garden accessories, and a wealth of gardening knowledge and advice. This past week has been bittersweet for customers; the retail operation has been bustling with business as people try to get one last bit of beauty from the Malden shop.

Many folks told stories of bringing their children to the center's expansive demonstration gardens. Others hugged staffers, who have become trusted garden confidants through the years. Some admitted they felt guilty taking advantage of the deep, closing-the-door discounts, as TerraSalis was like family to them.

It all began in 1985 under the astute guidance of the late Mary Price Ratrie and has continued under the strong direction of many other garden experts -- Carter Giltinan comes to mind. Bill Mills has been the most recent leader, and the depth of his creativity, knowledge, wit and wisdom, available on a daily basis, will be missed. Bill will still be creating lovely gardens across the state, and TerraSalis will continue to offer classes -- the Field Guide Series -- and they will continue to design and install landscapes.

I was fortunate to serve on a committee with TerraSalis founder Mrs. Ratrie years ago. I told her daughters recently that I was sitting in a meeting with her, hiding my gardener's dirt-stained, scratched hands from the cadre of well-scrubbed businessmen and women around the table. Mrs. Ratrie glanced over at my torn nails and put one of her hands next to it, similarly stained by years working in the soil, and said, "I think I'm going to like you."

Like so many others, I will miss just walking around, smelling, touching, seeing the interesting specimens at TerraSalis.

I guess I'll just have to walk around my yard now, touching, smelling and seeing the interesting specimens that have made their way from Malden to my home over the past 20-plus years.

A note about Asian beetles

After writing about the Asian beetles recently, I received a note from Dave Herbert of Ripley on his methods of controlling the pesky little critters:

"There is a very short open window for external spraying, and it is usually around the first two weeks in October, or if you see them swarming earlier, which I have not. I use Evercide Permethrin (10 percent solution) on the external portions of the house where a beetle might enter -- and they can get in your home through very small openings. If one observes closely, they shall see that they are attracted to white, and most activity shall be seen on the south and southwestern areas of the house.

"For the inside of the house I spray Equate brand bedding spray that is designed for lice extermination. It comes in a 5-ounce can, and may be purchased at Walmart. It is simply Permethrin in a small spray can. One can usually lasts me for two years.

"I simply spray the inside windowsills, and/or other places I have seen them, and when the beetles crawl over the area that has been sprayed, they die, and you just need to vacuum them up. Some fall to the floor. Every time the windowsills or other inside areas are cleaned, a re-spraying is required. I have used this procedure for years, and have seen very few inside on the ceilings, usually near a light. I feel most of these came in when a door was open."

I must note that Permethrin is very toxic to cats, and it's toxic to honeybees, as well.

Free lecture at Clay Center

Don't miss Master Naturalist Betsy Trammell as she identifies and discusses wildflowers that can be found in the upcoming months in "Fall Flora in the Forest," 12:15 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Clay Center. The lecture is free.

Seeking blackberry producers

West Virginia State University Extension Service has received funding to begin a demonstration and research project that will trial blackberry varieties in West Virginia. Potential growers will be selected through an application process that ends Sept. 15.

"The purpose of this project is to determine the most viable blackberry varieties for our region," said Scott Byars, program leader for agriculture and natural resources.

The funding, received through a 2009 Specialty Crops Block Grant from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, will support five landowners for the project, which is officially titled "Thorny vs. Thorn-less Blackberry Production for Small-Scale Diversification on West Virginia Hillside Farms."

Participants will receive plants, materials, support and technical assistance from WVSU Extension Service. This will result in the establishment of a 20- by 100-foot plot of thorny and thornless blackberries.

Selected growers will also serve as host sites for field day meetings open to agricultural professionals and other interested growers from the region.

Applications can be obtained by contacting Scott Byars at 304-382-8806 or sby...@wvstateu.edu. All applications must be received by close of business on Sept. 15.

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.