At their recent November meeting, Alpena Garden Club members were luncheon guests of Doug Pratt at the Alpena Mall. Co-President Marilyn Ross thanked Pratt as well as the host committee of Cathy Knechtel, Marie Gilmet-Dully, Dave Melville, Diane Przeslawski, Lynda Russell and Lynn Galea.

After a short period of garden questions and answers, a brief business agenda followed. The monthly garden talk by Przeslawski covered how to grow a variety of kitchen herbs in water during the winter.

The speaker, Kevin Dahn of Wild Catch and Nuisance Animal Control, gave information on ways for controlling problems with animals such as red squirrels, raccoons or mice. He stressed good maintenance of home and buildings as the best defense, and noted the cost of repairs and clean-up after a problem develops.

All members were asked to sign up for one of the Garden Walk – 2017 committees.

The travel prize drawings included items from trips to Virginia, Texas, the Netherlands and Canada. Doors prizes were the eight table runners and eight arrangements of fruit and vegetables.

The Dec. 5 meeting will be a luncheon at 11 a.m. at the Ramada Inn. Reservations are needed. There will be no meeting in January.