These
weekly garden notes are written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted,
and the opinions expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent
any other individual, group or organizations opinions.
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| Sunlight on Rex begonias. |
Hi Gardeners
Wasn’t it glorious yesterday? I could take weather like that all
March. Unfortunately we are not going to
get it. Another lousy winter storm is
headed at us tonight and tomorrow. It’s
supposed to stay mostly south of where I live, although we are expected to pick
up a couple of inches. You know- you
melt a few inches then replace it. For
those of you farther south – well I am truly sorry for you but please keep it
down that way.
We run our washing machine water out to one of my garden
beds and above the hose and near its outlet the grass is actually peeking out
and green. A couple of my hens found
that out and spent a whole lot of time standing in the muddy spots picking up
tiny blades of grass. I am hungry for
green too.
I saw my starlings back at the feeder yesterday. I have a pair that nests in the corner of my
barn eaves every spring and I think it’s them.
Starlings don’t migrate but they do go to where there is a good source
of food for the winter and big flocks of friends to cuddle with on winter
nights. I have a soft spot for
starlings. I want one for a pet in
fact. Starlings are much hated birds and
no laws protect them. In actuality their
diet is almost entirely insects and other small harmful critters in the warm
months and they destroy hundreds of pests a day, probably more than
swallows. Grain is only a small part of
their diet when they can find insects and worms. They do take over nest boxes but hey- they
want to live too. They are noisy and the fall and winter flocks can leave a lot
of mess behind – but a flock of robins is just as messy.
Starlings are very intelligent birds, related to
mynahs. They can learn to talk better
than parakeets or cockatiels, as well as some parrots. (Check out some videos on UTube) They can mimic
hundreds of sounds. Handfed babies are
very playful and will learn all kinds of tricks. It is hard to raise them however, because they
require a high protein diet as babies and most parrot related diets aren’t
suitable. Surprisingly they are hard to
breed in captivity also. I have seen some beautiful color mutations
being bred in Europe, white, silver, pied and so on. There is a pet starling website and it seems
hundreds of people keep them as pets. I’d
like to find someone who has raised some in captivity. If
anyone knows of anyone raising them please let me know.
It should be about the right time to bring in some
branches from flowering shrubs for forcing.
I still can’t get to most of my flowering shrubs because of deep snow
but if you are able to get to yours, you may get flowers early in the
house. I don’t know if it will take
longer than usual to wake the plants but its worth a try. I have posted an old article of mine about
forcing flowering shrub brances below, under more information.
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| Four leafed white clover. |
Shamrocks,
four leaved clovers and oxalis
If you are traveling through the stores just before St.
Patrick’s Day you are almost certain to find potted plants of “shamrocks” for
sale. Some may have 3 leaflets others
four. Most are purple with pretty pink
flowers. These are actually Oxalis and while they make pretty houseplants are
not the true shamrock of Irish legend. See
how to care for them at the end of this article.
In Irish culture true shamrocks are worn in the labels of
coats or on the hat on St Paddy’s Day through the drinking and parades and put
into the last drink of the day, there is a toast, the drink is downed and the shamrock thrown
over the left shoulder for luck. This is
called drowning the shamrock. Others
believe that the shamrocks three leaves were taught by St. Patrick to be
symbols of the Holy Trinity although there is no proof that he ever used them
to illustrate a sermon.
Since 1952 it has
been a tradition for the Irish Prime minister to present the President of the
United States with a bowl of shamrocks in a fancy Waterford crystal bowl on St.
Patrick’s Day. Unfortunately security protocol
demands that the shamrocks immediately be destroyed after the ceremony and
photo taking. The crystal bowls have various fates-
President Reagan used one for jelly beans.
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| President Obama receiving shamrocks from the Irish prime minister. |
The shamrock also appears on Montreal, Canada’s flag as a
symbol of one of the four major ethic groups which made up the city’s
population when it was founded. It’s
hard to think of Montreal as being part Irish.
Almost everywhere the shamrock is seen as a symbol of good luck. Shamrocks usually have 3 leaflets, although
they are sometimes portrayed with 4 leaflets.
But what plant family do true shamrocks belong to? In the late 1800’s a debate raged among
botanists in Europe and the US over this very important question. Some believed firmly that shamrocks were wood
sorrel or Oxalis and others that they were of the clover or Trifolium family. Both plants grow well in Ireland. A clever botanist by the name of Nathaniel
Colgan carried out a survey in 1893 by asking residents of Ireland to send him
pressed samples of the plant they considered a shamrock. The survey found that the Irish
overwhelmingly chose a clover, either Trifolium dubium (Lesser or Hops clover)
or Trifolium repens (White Clover) although a few wood sorrel leaves arrived
also.
So what about 4-leaf clovers being a symbol of good luck?
(Actually we should say 4 lobed clover leaf as the 4 parts are actually leaflets
or sections of one leaf.) If you ever
need to keep a bunch of kids occupied for a while tell them a 4 leaf clover is
good luck and send them to look for one on the nearest patch of ground . If there is any clover nearby- either white
or red clover- they may actually find one, although the odds are about 1 in
10,000 leaves. Some adults search
diligently for four leaved clovers too, and some make a hobby of collecting
them. The largest collection of 4 leaf
clovers as of 2007 was that of Edward Martin Sr. from Cooper Landing, Alaska,
with 111,060 four-leaf clovers. Clover
can also have more than 4 leaflets. The
largest number of leaflets on a clover leaf ever found was 56.
The clover leaf with 4 leaflets instead of 3 is a rather
common mutation and it can be inherited.
In fact there are varieties of white clover that have been developed
that will have a high proportion of leaves with 4 or more leaflets. These are
grown to make those lucky charms with a real 4 leafed clover inside. There is a
purple leaved variety, T. repens 'Purpurascens Quadrifolium' and a green-leaved
variety called T. repens 'Quadrifolium'.
Several white clovers have actually been developed as
ornamental groundcovers, although they don’t seem to have caught on well,
probably because clover has a tendency to become invasive. Four
white clover cultivars, Frosty Morning, Patchwork Quilt, Irish Mist and
Pistachio Ice Cream were developed at The University of Georgia and released in
2008. The clovers Dragons Blood, ( a
spot of crimson on each leaf) and Dark Dancer ( dark purple) have been on the
market for a while. White clover is
considered to be an annual or short lived perennial but it reseeds itself
easily. The above are all clovers with
3 leaflets.
Another clover that’s been adapted for ornamental use is
being widely featured in garden catalogs this spring. Its Trifolium rubens, variety “Red Feather”
. The familiar clover leaves are fuzzy silvery
green and the plant puts out flowers on tall stems about a foot high that begin
as silver buds and end as long lasting crimson flowers. The flowers are very attractive to butterflies
and bees as well as to the eye. Grow in
full sun to partial shade. The plant is hardy to at least zone 5.
What about
caring for that Shamrock houseplant?
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| Typical shamrock sold in stores. en.wikimedia.org |
Those pretty oxalis purchased in stores for Saint Patrick’s
Day can make a great houseplant. Usually
they are purple with pink flowers although there are other colors. “Iron Cross”
(Oxalis
tetraphylla) is a four leaved oxalis, green with purple cross markings and pink
flowers. Oxalis vulcanicola- “Molten
Lava” has orange foliage with yellow flowers.
Oxalis adenophylla “Silver Shamrock” has silver gray foliage with light pink flowers. It’s said to be hardy to zone 6. There are other varieties for plant
collectors too.
While wood sorrel
species are common throughout most of the world the species used as “shamrocks”
are usually tender perennials, and won’t survive outside in a cold winter. Keep them in a bright window and keep moist
but not over watered to the soggy point.
A light fertilization once a month with a fertilizer for flowering
plants will keep oxalis blooming for long periods of time, although they will
take occasional breaks from blooming. Well cared for plants will become larger and
live for several years. The tender Oxalis can make great container plants
outside during the frost free months.
Plant
intelligence
Once again researchers are discovering that plants may be
more intelligent than we thought. Researchers
studied “decisions” that common Barberry plants (Berberis vulgaris) make and
reported their research results in the journal American Naturalist. The researchers think that Barberry has a
structural memory, is able to differentiate between inner and outer conditions
as well as anticipate future risks to their survival.
Barberry produces a red fleshy berry that typically has
two seeds inside. A pest, the tephritid
fruit fly, pierces the berry and lays an egg in one seed of each berry as the
seed is developing. The egg hatches into
a larva that eats one seed then will move to the next seed. However if the seed is aborted by the plant
before the larva grows very much the larva dies, and the second seed is saved. Barberry plants typically stop development of
a seed infested with larva, if the berry contains two seeds. However if the barberry berry only has one
seed in it the plant typically does not abort the seed. There is a slight chance that the larva will
die before the seed is destroyed and a slight chance of reproductive success is
better than none.
If this doesn’t seem like reasoning to you remember that
many decisions our body makes are controlled by chemical signals. Consider the flight or fight response caused
by a surge of adrenaline. Once the
response is activated we can control what steps we take depending on what
course seems wisest- running or standing our ground- by reasoning out which
will give us the best chance of survival.
In this case a chemical signal caused by the larva feeding on a seed
causes the plant to “think about” what course to take next to insure survival
for the species.
Feeding the
deer destroys birds
Research done at the Institute of Nature Conservation of
the Polish Academy of Sciences found that a high population of deer in an area
caused a significant decline in ground nesting birds. Poland has a deer overpopulation problem
similar to ours. In an area where deer
were fed bird nests on or close to the ground were twice as likely to be
trampled or eaten than where deer were not being fed and congregating. The food provided for deer also attracted
bird/ egg predators such as coons, bears, crows and wild hogs. Deer also ate the understory plants that held
or concealed nests. The damage to ground nesting birds by feeding the deer
often causes certain bird species such as grouse to disappear from the area. The damage can extend to a mile from the
feeding site.
Researchers urge that deer not be fed in the spring and
summer months when birds are nesting.
Some species of ground nesting birds have had a huge drop in populations
and some if not much of it may be caused
by humans feeding deer. The study was
published in PLOS ONE.
Growing Cabbage
Boiled cabbage is part of many St. Patrick’s day
celebrations. You’ll have to buy your
cabbage for this years celebration but why not grow your own cabbage in the
garden this year? Cabbage is a fairly
easy crop to grow and extremely nutritious.
There are many types of cabbage from small single serving heads to huge
flat heads. Cabbage comes in red or
green varieties and both a smooth leaf and a crinkly leaved (savoy) type. There are round, flat and cone shaped cabbage
heads.
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| Savoy type of cabbage. Flixr.com |
Cabbage is excellent in many cooked dishes and soups or
as coleslaw or as part of other green salads.
And if you like sauerkraut you can grow your own cabbage and ferment
your own at home.
Starting cabbage
You can start cabbage from seed or buy seedlings to
plant. Cabbage is a cool weather crop
that can be planted 3 weeks or so before the last frost if the seedlings have
been properly hardened off. You can
also direct seed cabbage into the ground in mid - summer for a fall crop. Cabbage is actually sweeter when grown in
cool weather. Don’t start too many
plants especially in the spring, unless you are a true cabbage fan. You may also want to grow small headed
varieties if you have a small family.
If you want to start from seed for an early crop, start
your seeds from late March to early April indoors. In zones 4-6 you’ll have the best luck with a
spring crop if you chose an early maturing cabbage of about 50-60 days. Cabbage seed needs warm soil to germinate but
once up and growing the plants should be kept around 60-65 degrees. Harden seedlings off when the weather is warm
by putting them outside in their pots or flats for a few hours, gradually leaving
them out a bit longer each day.
Transplant outside about the beginning of May in zones 5-6 or about 3
weeks before your expected last frost.
When you plant cabbage in the spring you are hoping for a
harvest in late June – early July, before the weather turns really hot. However many people pick up cabbage
transplants in the spring when they are buying other transplants and plant them
out a bit later than cabbage really likes.
Unless the summer is cool the plants will probably sulk, growing slowly
through the summer. But if they are kept
watered they will take a growth spurt as summer wanes and you can still get a
decent crop by fall.
You can wait until July or even early August and plant
cabbage seed in the ground where you want to grow it. Thin seedlings to a foot to 2 feet or so
apart, depending on the size at maturity, follow package directions. You should have heads before the first hard
frost and cabbage grown quickly in late summer is often sweeter than cabbage
that has struggled through summer heat.
Cabbage likes full sun, although it will grow in 6 hours
of sunlight a day. It prefers slightly
acidic, loose, fertile soil. Work a
general purpose garden fertilizer into the soil at planting time according to
package directions, use an acidic fertilizer if you have soil with a high pH
level ( above 7.5). Cabbage can also
benefit from a light application of fertilizer 2 months after planting. Keep plants watered during dry spells. Always rotate cabbage plantings in the garden
from year to year.
Cabbage worms are one of the worst problems cabbage face
and the reason many gardeners give up growing cabbage. They are the larvae of those pretty white
butterflies flitting around the plants in early summer. You can dust the heads with garden pesticides
or use the pesticide free method of covering the cabbage heads. Make a tunnel or frame of some sort and cover
it with the lightest weight row covering you can find. Then cover the cabbage plants. Row cover is
white, finely woven fabric, it allows light and water to get to the plants but
keeps those butterflies away.
Cabbage varieties
Golden Acre (
sometimes sold as Derby Day) is a good, early
medium sized head cabbage. Stonehead is a slightly later variety with a good
sized head and lightly crinkled leaves.
Late Flat Dutch as the name suggests, are late maturing with large heads
that are somewhat flattened on top. They
store well. Megaton is quite late and
very large. Ruby Perfection is a medium
sized, medium maturity red cabbage. Ruby Ball is a smaller red cabbage. Mammoth Red Rock is a huge, late red cabbage.
Caraflex is a mini
cabbage with cone shaped heads that is early and will even grow in containers. Cabbage
Baby Triplets are a variety of small softball sized cabbages in a mixture of
red, savoy and green cabbage. They are
early maturing and great for small families.
If you like the odd try Filderkraut, an old German variety with cone
shaped heads that are excellent for making sauerkraut.
Savoy cabbages were
traditionally used in soups and stews and have very crinkled leaves. They tend to have blue green to almost black
leaves. An heirloom variety that doesn’t
produce a true head but rather clusters of upright crinkled leaves is Nero Di
Toscano or Black Palm tree. Head varieties of savoy cabbage include Alaska
and Resolution. Alocasa is a good small savoy cabbage.
Chinese cabbage,
also called Napa cabbage, has looser, less compact heads than regular cabbage. In the northern states they do best when
planted mid-summer for a fall harvest.
They have a milder, sweeter cabbage flavor and longer, more upright
heads. Michilli and China Star are good
varieties for home gardens and the variety Soloist is an early mini variety that can grow in
containers.
Cabbage harvest
Cabbage is ready to harvest when you feel the head is
firm. If the head cracks open it has to
be harvested at once. If many heads are
maturing at the same time and you want to delay harvesting some give the
cabbage plant a twist in the ground.
This will break some roots and slow down maturity. Use a sharp knife and cut the cabbage head
off at the top of its stem, just under the last set of leaves.
If the head is harvested early in the season leave the
stems in the ground and keep them watered.
They will produce small heads around the top of the stem. Thin these to just a few and you will get
some small, personal size cabbage heads as a second harvest. Remove all old stems and leaves before a hard
freeze and compost them away from the garden to help prevent disease and pests
overwintering.
Cabbage will store cleaned of outer leaves and wrapped in
plastic in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or so.
( Cabbage must be dry before being wrapped in plastic.) If you leave the
outer leaves on the head you can store the heads in a cool dark place for up to
3 months. Some varieties store better
than others. Cabbage doesn’t freeze well
but it can be canned or turned into sauerkraut for storage.
If you are worried that the cabbage you harvest may have
some worms inside try this old trick.
Fill up a clean sink or bucket with cold water and dissolve a cup of
salt in it. Cut the cabbage head in 2 or
more pieces and soak in the salt water about an hour. Any worms should die and float out of the
plants. Discard the worms and salt water
and rinse the cabbage well before use.
May your thoughts be as glad
as the shamrocks. May your heart be as
light as a song. May each day bring you bright, happy hours that stay with you
all the year long. Old Irish saying.
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and
a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero
More Information
Forcing spring flowers
By Kim Willis-
previously published.
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| Redbud flowers. |
Michigan winters can be long and gloomy and you may be
longing for those first spring flowers.
You can cheat a little and get that spring feeling simply by forcing
some flowering branches into bloom early.
They make a delightful bouquet to lift the winter spirits.
By the time March arrives most Michigan plants have had
enough dormancy chilling so that a spell of warm weather can quickly bring them
into bloom. By bringing branches of
flowering plants into warm rooms we can hurry the process along. Not every plant can be forced into bloom;
it’s the branches of woody ornamental plants that bloom in early spring that
can give you those perky blooms.
Good plants to try are forsythia, flowering quince,
crabapples, flowering almond, redbud, flowering dogwoods, spirea, and branches
from most fruit trees such as apricot, peach, apple, cherry, plum and
pears. Branches of pussy willow can
provide fuzzy catkins. You may even
want to add some branches that add green (or other colored) leaves to your
bouquet. Maples and willows for example,
have many leaf color variations that can be a pleasing touch. Magnolias and lilacs can be tried, but it
takes longer for them to bloom inside and success isn’t a sure thing.
Use nice sharp pruning shears to get pieces of woody plants
that are the right size for your vase.
Use care not to destroy the shape of the plant you are cutting
from. Get permission to cut branches
from the trees or shrubs if they don’t belong to you.
Make your cuts on a slant just above a bud on a branch. This is so a long bare stub won’t be left on
the plant. You are looking for branches
with flower buds, which are generally fatter than leaf buds. If you are in doubt take a thumbnail and
cut a bud open, you should be able to tell whether petals or leaves are hidden
inside. Of course as stated above, some
leaves may be desirable additions to the vase.
Bring your cut branches into the house and remove any buds
along the branch that will be underwater in your vase. You may want to crush the bottom of heavier
branches so they take up water better.
Place the branches in a vase of warm water. Put them in a cooler area of the home- 55- 65
degrees F would be ideal - ( it will feel warm to them). Put them in good light but not in a sunny
window. Keep the vase full enough that
the bottom of the stems are never above the water level. If any stem is out of water for more than a
few minutes it should have a new cut made at the bottom. If the water begins to smell dump it and add
fresh.
When the plants begin blooming you can bring them to a place
where you want to display them. Blooming
may take anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks depending on the plant and the
conditions. You should notice the buds swelling
and beginning to show color as time progresses.
If after two weeks you notice no swelling or signs of life you may have
chosen dead branches or branches from plants that don’t respond to this type of
stimulus. Discard those branches.
The blooms will last about a week. They will be larger and last longer in cooler
temperatures. Taking cuttings every few days can prolong the time you have
stems in bloom. Once warm weather
begins to arrive outside, stems may only need a day or two to break into bloom
inside.
Forcing some spring flowering plants into bloom early is a
fast track to spring. It’s quick and
easy to do, even though it may mean a trip outside into bitter winter
weather. So bundle up and get rid of
that cabin fever by taking a walk outside to get some branches to force into
bloom. You’ll be pleased you did it.
Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know
if there is any event or class that you would like to share with other
gardeners. These events are primarily in
Michigan but if you are a reader from outside of Michigan and want to post an
event I’ll be glad to do it.
Master Gardeners if you belong to an
association that approves your hours please check with that association before
assuming a class or work day will count as credit.
Do you
have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share? Post them here by emailing me at kimwillis151@gmail.com
Dessert and Discover : Composting Sunday, March 23, 2:00 pm- Seven Ponds
Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road Dryden, MI
It’s time to start
thinking about getting our gardens into order, and this afternoon we will learn
all about composting while enjoying a delicious dessert. Come on out and let’s
get your soil situated. Please call to pre-register. (810) 796-3200
Tea Time and Tannins- Sunday, March 30, 2:00 pm- Seven
Ponds Nature Center, 3854
Crawford Road, Dryden, MI
Try out some
natural teas and munch on a scone before we explore the uses of tannins in
nature on a walk. Please call to pre-register. (810) 796-3200
Gifts from the Herb Garden, April 5,
2014, SMITH FLORAL, 1124
E. Mount Hope Ave, Lansing, MI from 10am until noon.
Coleen French will be
showing you how to make Layered Fragrant Bath Salts, Personal Perfumes, Herbal
Dryer Sachets, Room Sprays, Car Fresheners, and More! Recipes and handouts
included. $10 per class, pre-registration is REQUIRED. Sign up by calling
484-5327 or 484-6085 or stop in and register in person.
Growing Great Gardens! March 15, 2014, 8
am-4 pm-Wayne County Community College, 21000 Northline Road, Taylor, MI
Are you ready for
spring? Raring to get your hands in the dirt? Come spend the day with us and
learn about the latest in garden trends, reconnect with garden friends, shop
for tools, plants and more at Growing Great Gardens! Pre-registration required. $45. This outstanding value includes four exciting
presentations, shopping in the Garden Marketplace, a tasty GMO-free box lunch,
live music and a chance to win many beautiful door prizes. In addition to our
regular raffle, we are offering a special chance to win a trip for two to the 2nd
Annual Grand Garden Show, on Mackinac Island in August.
Get registration
packet:
For more info,
contact Pattie Kehr at: pk48180@yahoo.com or 313-715-8316
“Gardening
and All That Jazz!” Saturday, April 21, 2014, 7am to 4:15pm-Oakland
Schools Conference Center, 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd., Waterford, MI.
Speakers include
Allan Armitage "Buying the Right Plants", Stephanie Cohen
"Native Plants", David Perry, Garden Photo Magic" and Stacy
Hirvela "Shrubs, Making your Dream Garden Reality". Sponsored by the Master Gardener Society of
Oakland Co. Jazz concerts at morning check in and lunch.
$70 before March
15, $80 after March 15. Pricing includes
continental breakfast, lunch, snacks, and program materials.
Register at. http://www.mgsoc.org/registration.htm
Direct conference registration questions to: Registrar Phone:
248-770-0524 E-mail:
registrarmgsoc@gmail.com
Captivating Combinations How to
Artfully Combine Plants
March 29th 2014, 9 am -noon. Oakland County Executive Office
Conference Center - 2100 Pontiac Lake Rd, Waterford MI
Stunning plant
combinations are the building blocks of a great garden. Join us to explore the
basics of successfully combining plants, discover how creative plant
combinations can perk up an existing garden or provide the foundation for a new
garden. View many captivating combinations appropriate for a wide variety of
Michigan garden conditions. Carol Lenchek, MSU Extension Educator, Barb
Near, Advanced Master Gardener- Cost: $20 (Includes handouts and snacks) Space
is limited. Advanced Registration Only. Contact:
Linda Smith at 248-858-0887.
Naturalizing the Home Garden: A Native
Garden Design Workshop for Beginners, Monday March 31, 2014- 6pm t0 7:15 pm Cranbrook Institute of Science, 39221
Woodward Ave, Bloomfield Hills
Help improve the
Rouge River by gardening with native plants. Learn how to design a garden with
native wildflowers. The workshop is intended for those with little to no
experience gardening with native plants. Optional Assistance: Experts will be
available to assist a limited number of workshop attendees immediately
following the workshops. Preregistration is required for this one-on-one
session. Participants are encouraged to bring a Google map or sketch of their
yard and photos. Questions? Please call
313.792.9621. to register go to therouge.org
Spice Up Your Garden with Herbs April 9, 2014: Oakland County Executive Office Conference
Center - 2100 Pontiac Lake Rd, Waterford MI
Come join us to
learn how to use herbs to spice up your garden! Janet Downey will teach you how
to grow and use herbs to flavor your meals. Cost is $15 and advanced
registration is required.
Questions? Call 248-858-0887
Garden Design 1-2-3 May 3, May 17, May 31, June 7,
2014: Oakland County Executive Office
Conference Center - 2100 Pontiac Lake Rd, Waterford MI
This is a 4-week
how to series on garden design. The
workshop will present the basic elements of design used in formal and informal
gardens. Participants will develop the
necessary skills to layout garden beds and small landscape areas using the
principles of design. There will be
plenty of hands on exercises to help you understand the steps necessary to end
up with a pleasing design for your landscape beds. Questions? Contact Linda Smith at
248-858-0887.
Oh Deer! Saturday, March 22nd Bordines Rochester Hills & Clarkston
locations at 10:00 AM Rochester- 1835 S
Rochester Rd • (248) 651-9000 or Clarkston 8600 Dixie Hwy • (248) 625-9100 Free
Oh, Deer! Protecting Your Landscape - Wildlife in the
garden is part of nature. We enjoy
watching the rabbits hop across the lawn or the deer trot through the
yard. But when they start using the
landscape as their personal salad bowl something has got to give! Our expert Purple People will provide you
with the tips and products you will need to protect your landscape from the
munching of these cute little critters so you can, once again, enjoy their
presence in your yard.
Bring Your Lawn to Life- March 29
Bordines Rochester Hills & Clarkston locations at 10:00 AM Rochester- 1835 S Rochester Rd • (248)
651-9000 or Clarkston 8600 Dixie Hwy • (248) 625-9100 Free
After such a harsh,
cold winter you are probably wondering if you will ever see a blade of green
grass again. Fear not! The warm weather of spring is coming. Let our
lawn care experts give you the tools and knowledge to bring your lawn back to
life. We will cover fertilization,
watering, insect and disease control and even how to keep those pesky Moles
away! You will leave with all the
information you need to have the greenest lawn on the block!
Spring Into Gardening Sat., March 29 Sat., March 29 Knights
of Columbus Hall Knights of Columbus Hall 1038 S. Van Dyke (M- 1038 S. Van Dyke
(M-53), Bad Axe, MI
Day-long gardening
classes including a catered lunch, Goodie bag and door prizes Also includes
Free admission to Yard & Garden Expo.
$50 registration/person ($60 after March 1) For details on this seminar you need to
request a flyer from Marie at 989-859-1294
Make it & Take it Workshop: Kitchen
Herb Garden
Saturday, March 15 at 2:30 p.m All English Gardens stores FEE: $19.99
Enjoy fresh herbs
from your windowsill. Select your choice of four herbs to plant in a stylish
container. We’ll provide everything you need to make and take this garden home!
Container may vary.
Click here for a
store near you and to sign up on line http://www.englishgardens.com/shop-online/workshops.html
The Secrets to a Beautiful Lawn - Saturday, March 22 at 1 p.m. All
English Gardens stores. Free In-store Presentation.
Click here for a store near you. http://www.englishgardens.com/shop-online/workshops.html
How & When to Prune Trees &
Shrubs Saturday, March 29
at 1 p.m. All English Gardens stores- Free-
Keep the garden
healthy by regularly dividing perennials and pruning trees and shrubs. We’ll
tell you what needs to be done and when. Plus, we’ll show you how to do it. Click
here for a store near you. http://www.englishgardens.com/shop-online/workshops.html
"Practical Knowledge for the Avid
Gardener" St. Clair County Master Gardeners
Annual Spring Symposium Saturday, March 22, 2014, Cornerstone Church, 4025 North
Road, Clyde, MI 48049.
Speakers include
Dan Heims, Pearl Fryar, David Culp & Fergus Garrett. Early Bird
Registration is $80.00 and includes all speakers, breakfast, lunch snacks and
shopping. After February 21 the cost will be $90. Contact sanderan51@yahoo.com.
for a brochure.
Newsletter information
If you would like to pass along a notice about an
educational event or a volunteer opportunity please send me an email before
Tuesday of each week and I will print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion
you’d like to share, send it to me. Please state that you want to have the item
published in my weekly notes. You must give your full name and what you say
must be polite and not attack any individual. I am very open to ideas and
opinions that don’t match mine but I do reserve the right to publish what I
want.
Once again the opinions in this newsletter are mine and I
do not represent any organization or business. I do not make any income from
this newsletter. I write this because I love to share with other gardeners some
of the things I come across in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with
local people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If
at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you
know anyone who would like to receive these emails have them send their email
address to me. KimWillis151@gmail.com
Kim I don't think the date is correct for "gardening and All that Jazz!" The 21st of April is a Monday.
ReplyDeleteKim do you know where the Yard & Garden Expo is going to be that day??
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