Tuesday, March 25, 2014

March 25, 2014 Kim's Weekly Garden Newsletter



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.

Hi Gardeners
Redneck container garden.
I have heard and seen the Red Winged Blackbirds so spring must be coming- although when I look outside today with the snow floating down, you sure can’t tell it.  The snow is slowly melting though, and I am a little anxious about the plants now exposed.  It’s amazing how some areas are down to soil and others have 5 foot snow banks.

It’s supposed to get to 50 this weekend and it almost makes me feel giddy.  Of course it’s going to rain, which will make it a real mess- but hey 50!  I’m hoping to get out and check out the whole property.  Many people are telling me about terrible girdling and damage to plants and trees done by rabbits and voles.  Last summer I removed some tree shelters from some young trees that had been protected for a few years and I hope I don’t regret that.

The greenhouses and garden shops are opening everywhere.  I don’t know if I’m ready to buy yet but I am sure ready to wander around in a warm sunny area filled with plants!

Want to order chicks?
I am going to be ordering some ISA brown pullet chicks (baby hens) at the beginning of April.  They will be delivered at the beginning of May ( 5th -6th ).  ISA browns are the best layers of large brown eggs that there is.  They do great free ranging and are calm and friendly. They are a proprietary hybrid which a lot of hatcheries can’t sell.   I am ordering from Townline Hatchery one of the few places which can sell them.  If you want a few chicks share the order with me and a couple other people and save on shipping.  Cost will be $2.80 each – maybe less if several more people order so I can increase the number ordered for a discount.  The chicks will be vaccinated.  You will need to pick them up from me.  I am only ordering ISA pullets and Cornish x Rock meat type chicks ($2.66 ea.)  at this time but if you want 12 or more of another breed let me know and I will see what I can do.  Send me an email for more information.


Maple syrup and tapping black walnut trees

I guess as they say, any publicity is good publicity.  There was a woman on the local morning show this morning who was talking about maple syrup- supposedly an expert- who sure didn’t know what she was talking about.  She said March was maple syrup month because that was the only month maple syrup could be made.  I got news for her.  Many years a lot of maple syrup gets made in February and this year I bet we will be making some in April.   (Maybe May at the way this weather is going.)

This year maple syrup season has been very slow and not too productive.  I was talking to several people who make maple syrup in the area and there are several problems this year.  One is of course the weather, which hasn’t been right for sap flow except for a few odd days.  Then there is the problem of getting to the trees to tap them through snow drifts and lots of broken branches from our ice storm.  And the storm damage from early winter is another problem.  Damaged trees lose a lot of sap through broken limbs and if a tree had a lot of damage it shouldn’t be tapped because it will need all the remaining sap to repair itself. 

Maple trees are tapped for syrup in late winter/early spring whenever there are sunny days where the temperatures rises above freezing to about 40-45 degrees but drops down below freezing at night.  On a mild day sap stored in the trees roots rises through the phloem tubes to the buds of the tree.  Cold nights halt the flow.   Once the buds get swollen and ready to open the sap flow is pretty much done.  Depending on weather this can take just a few days or be stretched out over weeks. 
Pouring hot maple syrup on snow to make candy.  en.wikipedia.org
  
People tap into the trees cambium layer and collect the sap that seeps out.  The sap is a mixture of water and sugar.   It has to be boiled and the water evaporated off to become syrup.  If you boil it until almost all the water is gone it becomes maple sugar.  Different types of trees and even individual trees have sap of varying sugar percentage.

Here’s something a lot of people don’t know.  While maple trees, particularly sugar maples, offer a sap high in sugar that makes distinctive tasting syrup, many other trees can be tapped for their sap and the sap made into syrup.  In Alaska they make syrup from spruce trees, in some states syrup from birch is made.  Birch syrup is made after maple syrup in some places because the sap flow starts later.

Recently two universities- University of Kansas and Cornell University did some research on making syrup from black walnut trees.  A few people have been making it for years and the universities wanted to see if consumers liked it and if it could be profitable to make.  The research found that most people liked the taste of black walnut syrup; it’s lighter in color and has a slightly nutty taste along with the sweetness.  It’s a bit more time consuming to make as black walnut sap has more water than maple sap.

 The same equipment and procedures that are used to make maple syrup are used to make black walnut syrup.  It’s collected at the same time too.  The bottled syrup is being offered in a few places now but it sells for about twice the cost of maple syrup.  The two universities say there is no reason that black walnut syrup couldn’t become a profitable niche product.  By the way- it’s totally safe to eat black walnut syrup.  And the new Farm Bill extends crop incentives to maple syrup production and probably to syrup production of any type.

I got a little excited when I read about black walnut syrup because we have a lot of the trees on our property which until this point I considered were pretty much a nuisance.  I am seriously considering tapping them.  Maybe I’ll make just a tiny bit of syrup to see how it tastes.

If you are considering making syrup from the sap of any trees do it outside.  The steam produced from boiling sap leaves a sticky residue on walls and ceilings.  You use a candy thermometer in the sap and try to keep it boiling at around 219 degrees.  Wide stainless steel pots that allow more surface room for steam to escape from the syrup are best.  People use turkey fryers now to make syrup- that seems like an excellent use for them.  Electric or gas sources of heat are much easier to adjust than old fashioned wood fires.  Grills and camp stoves work well.  Sap needs to be stirred, especially as it nears the syrup point so you will need to be close by while the sap is boiling.

Chocolate is loved by gut microbes

Here’s another reason to like chocolate.  The good microbes in your gut, the ones that boost your immune system and keep your bowels working correctly love the flavonoids of dark chocolate.   They feast on chocolate and ferment it, producing anti-inflammatory compounds that circulate in your blood and help protect your heart. 

Cocoa powder contains the compounds catechin and epicatechin and a small amount of fiber.  When it reaches the large intestine good microbes like Bifid bacterium jump on it and in the process of “eating” it turn it into small particles of polyphenolic polymers, which circulate in the blood, reducing inflammation and the chances of stroke and heart attacks.   Chocolate also boosts the population of good microbes which allows them to “overpower” bad microbes like E. coli that cause many intestinal ailments.  Dark chocolate is definitely a health food.  Everyone should eat a few pieces every day.

This new research was done by Louisiana State College of Agriculture and reported at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Help the monarchs survive

Researchers and naturalists are very worried about the future of the monarch butterfly.  Their numbers have been falling each year but this year the numbers of butterflies overwintering in Mexico has fallen to alarming lows.  Ten years ago Monarchs covered about 45 acres of land in their Mexican winter home, where they mostly rest in trees.  This year monarchs covered only about 1.6 acres of land.

Monarch on Butterfly bush.
As they work their way north this year the unusual cold weather, drought and loss of habitat are going to whittle down the returning flock.  Monarchs usually stop somewhere in the southwest to reproduce and then the new generation proceeds to more northerly areas, where they reproduce the generation that will return to Mexico.  The first wave of butterflies comes through Texas which has had a drought and numerous wildfires that have drastically reduced milkweed for reproduction and flowering plants the adults need.

There’s an effort in the southwest to plant milkweed and preserve areas which monarchs like to help restore populations.  We need to take up the cause here for the survivors who make it through, so they can successfully reproduce the generation that will return to Mexico.  You can do so by planting ornamental milkweeds in the garden , but most importantly by allowing native milkweeds to grow, even though they might not be as pretty as some cultivated types.  The Queen butterfly, rare in Michigan, also requires milkweed for reproduction.

Consider not mowing that whole acre in front of the house and let some of it revert to native plants.  Do one mowing very early in the spring to keep shrub growth down then don’t mow so milkweed can grow.  Milkweed is not good for cows and horses to eat but they seldom touch it so leaving some in pastures shouldn’t hurt unless your animals are hungry.  Allow a few common milkweed plants to grow in the back of the flower border or in a corner of the yard.

Milkweed is a perennial plant.  You can dig up plants and transplant them but they have extensive root systems and transplanting young plants is easiest.  You can harvest the distinctive seed pods and scatter the fluffy seeds over your property to start plants from seed.  While greenhouses offer some ornamental varieties of milkweed, some non-native- that do attract butterflies I have rarely seen monarch egg clusters on them.  Instead monarchs seem to prefer the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca or swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnate.  The Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa is a pretty decent garden plant that also attracts monarchs.
Asclepias incarnate.  


It’s also important to leave some favorite nectar sources for Monarchs growing so that they can fuel up for their journey south.  Goldenrod, thistles and Joe Pye Weed are all late summer nectar sources Monarchs love.   

Another way to help all butterflies is to reduce pesticide use on your property.  Lawn pesticides are especially hard on milkweeds which are broad leaved plants and insecticides can kill butterflies on contact or when they sip nectar from plants treated with systemic pesticides. 

Monarchs are iconic butterflies; even school children can identify them.  It would be a shame if we lost this species but a concerted effort by humans and a little bit of luck with the weather may keep them from disappearing.

Frozen in time- 1,500 year old moss is brought back to life.

As more Antarctic land area is uncovered by the warming climate scientists are racing to uncover new insights into life there in earlier ages.  One expedition by the British Antarctic Survey cut slices of frozen moss from deep within a bank of recently exposed tundra and took it back to the lab.  In isolated containers they exposed the moss to the typical warmth and light conditions that it would have grown in at one time.  In just a few weeks, the moss, carbon dated to at least 1,530 years old began to grow.  The moss was also estimated to be several decades old before it was buried and frozen.

The mosses were very similar to mosses growing currently in more hospitable regions of the Antarctic.  It proves that some forms of life can survive for very long times of unsuitable climate before resuming growth and re-colonization after climate changes for the better. 

Life can exist in amazing places. This research caught my eye because I had just discovered the existence of some islands called the French Antarctic Islands which are just north of Antarctica.  I was looking at satellite images around where the Malaysian plane went down and wandered a bit farther south and saw the green and browns of a land mass.  These islands have the climate of Greenland or Iceland and there are buildings and even a sheep farm.  About 150 researchers live on various scattered islands manning radar installations and other scientific projects.  There’s even a small hospital and a pub.

The actual photos I saw on line show green mossy, shrubby covered land along some gorgeous rocky bays and coves with white glacier covered mountains in the distance.  Satellite photos show little deep blue lakes inland which I read had trout introduced into them that were doing well.  Seals and penguins have large breeding areas on the shores and introduced sheep and reindeer graze inland.   As the climate warms this might be just the place to move to!

Trout lily

Trout Lily.
The beautiful Trout Lily, Erythronium americanum, is found in dappled sunlight in moist Michigan woodlands and throughout the north eastern states in the early spring.  (The USDA plant database does not list them as growing in Michigan, although the photo used here is from a wild stand found not far from my home.  I have seen them in several other locations too.)   Trout lilies are close relatives of the Dogtooth Violet, which is very similar except the Trout Lily has a yellow flower and the Dogtooth Violet flower is white. 

The Trout lily is named for its leaves.  Some fanciful person thought the leaves looked like the coloring of a trout.  The blade-shaped leaves are silvery green on top, with mottling of purple and brown.  Leaves may be held pointed upwards or spread out along the ground.  The Trout Lily plant consists of only a few leaves, usually just two, which can persist through much of the summer in the forest undergrowth.  Plants grow to about a foot high in good locations.

Trout Lilies have a single tiny 3/4- 1 inch nodding yellow flower on a leafless stalk rising a few inches above the leaves in early spring.  The flowers are like tiny tiger lily flowers, with the petals-tepals swept backward and the flower facing downward.  The backside of the petals is reddish.  Some flowers are speckled with orange or brown near the center.  The flowers close at night and are pollinated by ants. 

Growing trout lilies in the garden

Trout lilies make good plants for shaded or woodland gardens.  You can find sources to purchase Trout lilies and they should always be purchased rather than collected from the wild.  Trout lilies arise from a small corm, a bulb-like structure.  New corms grow from seeds or as off shoots from older corms.  It can take 6-7 years for a corm to mature enough to produce a flower shoot when grown from seed, slightly less time to blooming from small corms.   When you are purchasing Trout lily corms try to buy from companies that list the age of the corm.  Pink and lavender flowered non- native species of Erythronium are often listed for sale more frequently than the native species.  The corms should be planted as soon as you receive them, as they deteriorate rapidly.  Here are some sources for Trout lilies;

www.mzbulb.com ( cultivated species)
http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/  cultivated species

Plant Trout lilies in a shaded location, preferably under the shade of deciduous trees where they will get some sunlight as they emerge in the spring.  They like a rich, organic soil so add compost before planting.  Plant the corms 4-5 inches deep.   Keep them moist, especially in spring.  Leaves may disappear in the heat of the summer, so mark the location so you won’t overplant on top of them.  Mulching with shredded leaves is an excellent soil conditioner for Trout lilies. Trout lilies in a good location will form a slow spreading groundcover.  Large clumps can be gently divided a few weeks after blooming with divisions immediately replanted.

Trout lily seeds can be collected about 6 weeks after the flower has faded.  The pod is oval shaped and light green to tan.  The pod should be starting to split when collected for seed. You must plant the seeds immediately in a moist, humus rich potting mix as they do not store well.   They will not germinate until next spring as they need a period of cold stratification.  The seedlings look almost grass like when they appear and will take several years to bloom.

Trout lilies are listed as both edible and medicinal.  Both leaves and corms are said to be edible although no one should be harvesting them for food, as they are becoming scarce.  Besides the medicinal qualities attributed to the Trout lily are said to be emetic- which means they make you throw up.  So there are two good reasons not to eat them. 

Trout lilies, like many woodland wildflowers, suffer greatly from deer browsing in our deer devastated Michigan woodlands.  Obviously deer don’t get sick from eating them.  They are more likely now to be found on wooded roadside ditches where deer don’t stop to graze.  Trout lilies are a protected plant and should not be picked or removed from their natural homes if you do come across them.

If they are left alone Trout lilies are long lived and colonies can be as old as the deciduous trees sheltering them.  The flower show is short-lived however and requires a walk in the woods or garden in the very early spring to enjoy it.  Good companions in the home garden are cyclamen, hellebores, trillium, bloodroot, toad lilies, pulmonaria, violets and violas.

Get out your garden hat and sunscreen!

Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

More Information

While harsh winter wreaks havoc on Michigan greenhouses, growers remain optimistic for spring sales.

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Heidi Wollaeger, Michigan State University Extension

he almost record-breaking snowfall and subzero temperatures have been wreaking havoc on Michigan greenhouse businesses and those throughout the Midwest who are currently in the spring production rush. Michigan, the third largest producer of floriculture crops in the United States, has an industry grossing $400 million in sales in 2012 according to the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service. The height of spring production season, from January through June, includes some of the coldest months of year. Greenhouse growers are no strangers to Michigan winters, but this winter has been particularly difficult. Challenges faced by greenhouse growers include damaged greenhouse structures from heavy snow loads, high heating bills, increase in labor to remove snow, chilling or freezing damage on vegetative cuttings, and disruptions in production shipping and scheduling.

Numerous greenhouse structures have been damaged as a result of the heavy snow throughout Michigan. Michigan State University Extension surveyed greenhouse growers throughout the state and 36 producers responded with their experiences from this winter. Of those who responded, 49 percent of greenhouse operations reported having structural damage due to snow load, including more than 14 acres of greenhouses. Some owners avoided heavy snow damage by heating their greenhouses to at least 50 degrees to melt the snow. Their reported increases in heating costs ranged from none to 300 percent. The variation can be contributed to many factors including whether the producers had a contract for a fixed price for natural gas and how much greenhouse owners heated their structures to melt the snow.

While some plants are grown from seed, others are shipped to growers as plugs, liners or unrooted cuttings. Shipping the young plants has been challenging for suppliers as a result of the extremely cold temperatures. Sixty-five percent of growers reported receiving a shipment of cuttings with either chilling injury (sub-lethal damage) or freezing injury. While suppliers have been diligently replacing the losses, they have also been forced to delay shipping product for sometimes extended periods to prevent further losses. The unavoidable delays in the shipments of plant materials have altered production timing of crops. Ornamental plant producers often have tight scheduling and 53 percent of growers who responded reported that their scheduling has been disrupted by the extreme cold.

Despite the many challenges, growers remain optimistic that when spring finally comes, consumers will be excited to buy plants to beautify their gardens and homes. As many people throughout Michigan have grown tired of the relentless winter, there is no question that spring will be especially enjoyable this year.
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension.

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

New-Growing and Cooking with Herbs- April 5, 2014 10 am – 1 pm Heavenly Scent Herb Farm, 13730 White Lake Road, Fenton, Michigan.
Steve Mathews will give you tips on growing and cooking with a wide variety of herbs.  There will be lots of taste testing.  Reservation required, $28.75, call 810-629-9208

New- Come Hang with Steve- April 12, 2014 10:30 am – noon. Heavenly Scent Herb Farm, 13730 White Lake Road, Fenton, Michigan.

Learn all about hanging baskets, window boxes and cascading containers in this class.  It’s free, no registration required.

New- Detroit Garden Works Spring Fair – April 12- 9-5 pm, April 13 – noon to 4 pm.  1794 Pontiac Drive, Sylvan Lake, Michigan

Local growers will be offering plants, garden art and supplies.  Snacks and drinks provided, free admission.  Detroit Garden Works was named in 2004 one of the top 25 garden stores in America by Garden Design Magazine, we are equally as pleased to be included in The Garden 50: 50 favorite products, projects and places inspired by the world of gardening in the March 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. (248) 335-8089.
   
The Sensual Garden of the Night -Wed, April 9, 12am –2:30 pm at Big Beaver United Methodist Church, 3753 John R Road, Troy.

Troy Garden club presents a session on planting a garden that will be beautiful at night and appeal to the senses.  $7 includes lunch.


Gardening in Containers & Raised Beds Saturday, April 12 at 10 a.m. All English Gardens stores

Just about anything can be grown in a container. We’ll share tips and information to make you successful when growing plants and vegetables in containers and raised beds.  Free.  Click here for a store near you. http://www.englishgardens.com/shop-online/workshops.html

Woodland Wildflower Workday Friday, April 4, 1:00 pm Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

Come help us ready the Woodland Wildflower Area for the beautiful array of blossoms that will be coming our way soon. Fulfill Master Gardener Hours.

Botanical Easter Eggs- Sunday, April 13, 2:00 pm- Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

Sign up to learn this old-fashioned way of coloring Easter eggs. Wrapped in flowers and leaves and soaked in a natural dye, these beautiful eggs are sure to become a yearly tradition in your house. Pre-registration is required. Ages 12 and up. Fee: $5.00 ($2.00 members).

Vertical Gardening- Bringing Walls to Life – Friday, March 28 – 10 am  Meadowbrook Hall, Rochester, Mi

Learn all about the history and art of planting on walls and vertical surfaces.  Meadowbrook Garden Club.  $5 Call 248-364-6210 for more info.

Shiawassee Master Gardeners Plant sale Monday March 31- 10 am -2pm 1534 N. Hickory Rd, Owosso Mi.
A lot of great plants for sale, great prices.  More info  at timnjenhes@aol.com.

Perennial Gardening Day- SATURDAY  March 29TH (2 classes) Telly’ s Greenhouse-Pontiac 559 Orchard Lake Rd. (248) 724-2300
 To register, please call (248) 689-8735
New Perennials for 2014- 1:30 pm and  Flowers in the Shady Perennial bed- 3 pm

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.

“Gardening and All That Jazz!”  Saturday, April 26, 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.

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

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

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


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