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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

April 21, 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


Three inches of snow last Tuesday, 80 degrees yesterday, highs in the 50’s the rest of the week, this weather is popping around like the Easter Bunny.  We had a quarter inch of rain last night and we actually needed it.  I expected deep mud conditions this spring but so far that hasn’t materialized.   In fact it’s pretty dry and if you are burning any of those downed tree limbs from the winter be very careful. 

My daffodils are starting to bloom.  They are shorter than last year and the flowers are smaller.  I am not the only person to notice that, several gardeners are telling me that their crocus flowers and now their daffodils are smaller this year.  Its weather related and frankly I am just glad to see them.

The pussy willows by the pond are blooming, maples are blooming too.  I have tiny green leaves on the barberries by the barn.  Lots of very healthy looking catnip is coming up in the raised veggie beds.  I was pulling it and then went in the barn to feed the animals.  The cats kept biting at my hands and at first I was concerned, then I realized they smelled the catnip.

Around me on the farms the calves are being born.  They are so cute when they are tiny and it’s amazing how small beef calves are. I can hear kittens in our barn loft but the mamma hasn’t brought them down yet.   I am getting some baby chicks next week- hope the weather warms up- and I even have a new great granddaughter- baby season is definitely here.

I spoke about chickens in the garden at the Lapeer Horticultural Society meeting last night and it was great to see so many gardeners enjoying a night off from cleaning their yards.    Many were talking about raking leaves.  Here’s a tip-rake the leaves into the lawn and don’t worry about bagging them or taking them to the compost pile.  Then run the mower over the leaves and the pieces will dissolve quickly in the spring rains and they will feed your lawn and improve your soil as they break down.

Get out and sprinkle some slow release fertilizer on your flower beds.  It will get them off to a great start.  Remember to give those houseplants some fertilizer now- especially flowering plants.  Things like overwintered geraniums also need fertilizing. 

I intend to pot up my cannas and dahlias this week to start them growing inside.  And I am planting my lettuce and spinach outside this week- cold or not its time. 

Michigan forests changing from climate change

As part of the Northwoods Climate Change Response Framework, a group of more than 30 people, scientists and forest managers, has produced a report called "Michigan Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis."  The report suggests some changes to Michigan woodlands as the climate warms and the pattern of rainfall also changes.

Tree species now common in northern areas such as balsam fir, black spruce, white spruce, tamarack, jack pine, northern white-cedar, and paper birch may give way to forests of basswood, black cherry, and white oak, species that prefer warmer climates.  Fires and insect pests will impact the forest to a greater degree and low diversity in species will also have an Impact on forest health.

The report predicts that the weather will become hotter, with more periods of heavy precipitation interspersed with drought periods- dry especially in the fall.  In Michigan, we have already had a 180-percent increase in rainstorms of 3 inches or more between 1960 and 2011.  Winters will be wildly variable in temperature- which can be hard on plants (and people).   

Pruning spring flowering shrubs

While most aren’t blooming yet, spring flowering shrubs will soon be blooming.  You don’t want to prune them before bloom or you will lose the flowers.  Most shrubs begin the process of producing new flower buds shortly after the current years blooms fade. But be ready to prune soon after they stop flowering if you need to shape them or lower the height.  Pruning may also create more vigorous blooming next year in some species.

Flowering Quince
Some flowering shrubs may not need much pruning at all.  Others need pruning to keep the flower show at its best.  Some shrubs simply get too large for their location if they are never pruned and need to be kept within a reasonable size.  Spring flowering shrubs include forsythia, lilacs, spirea, azaleas, rhododendrons, flowering quince, some forms of dogwood and willow, Witch or winter hazel, Abelia, Oregon grape holly, Daphne, Pierus,  Kerria,  Beauty Bush, heaths and heathers. 


Some early flowering shrubs such as bush cherries, service berries, hollies, and certain dogwoods that are prized for the colorful fruit they produce should not be pruned if you want that color show.  However you may need to take off some height or width and sacrifice some fruit.

Make every pruning cut just above a node for the best appearance and health of the plant.  A node is a joint on a stem where you see a leaf or bud.  That’s the only place new growth can occur.  Plants vary in how far apart these nodes are on a stem.   If you make your cut too far above a node you will have little dead stubs on the end of branches for a long time.  Cut on a slant just above a node and the stems will quickly be hidden by new growth.

Begin your pruning within a month after bloom has ended. Start by removing any dead branches, broken branches or branches that seriously offend, such as those sticking into paths or blocking windows.  Then step back and evaluate the shape of the shrub.  In most cases flowering shrubs look best when allowed to have a natural form and are not trimmed into hedges or balls.  If the shrub has a naturally arching form, such as spirea try to maintain that shape.

It’s best not to remove more than a third of the shrub when pruning.  Prune back the height to about a foot below your desired height and cut back the width if needed.  While pruning cut off any seed pods or dead flower clusters.  Unless you want to try and grow some new shrubs from seed these seeds detract from the shrubs looks and also divert energy into seed production that could go into new flower buds.

Abelia should have about 1/3 of its older stems removed to the ground each year as well as shaping if needed.  Service berry ( Amellanchier) doesn’t have to be pruned but if it’s too large it can be heavily pruned back without much effect.  Flowering Quince can have all the second year stems removed each spring after flowering to keep the plant smaller. Dogwoods don’t have to be pruned but can be shaped or reduced in size by careful pruning after flowering.  Daphne is usually just shaped a little. 

Witch hazel  is just lightly pruned to reduce size and improve its shape  if necessary.  Kerria needs 1/3 of the stems cut back to ground level each year after flowering.   Every third year Grape Holly should the oldest woody stems removed to ground level.  Pieris should be trimmed and shaped lightly as needed.

Forsythia should have 1/3 of the oldest, thickest stems removed each year. Thin out thickets of it and shorten if desired.  If you have old, very large and thick stemmed plants you can take the whole mess down to the ground and it will rejuvenate, but it may not bloom well for a few years.   Wait to trim forsythia kept as a hedge until it has flowered. 

Lilacs require some additional pruning care.  In order to keep lilac borer under control some older, woody barked stems need to be removed each year.  This pruning is best done in winter when the plants are dormant.  Remove about a third of the oldest woody stems each year if there are many.  Space the stems you leave so that they don’t touch. Keep lilac suckers which come up around the plant pruned out except for one or two.  You can prune for height and width right after bloom.  If lilacs are seriously overgrown they can be thinned out and cut right to the ground.  It will take several years before you will get blooms again after this.
Lilacs.


Rhododendrons and azaleas rarely need much pruning in Michigan and other really cold areas.  You can reduce the size if needed, don’t take off too much of the plant in any year if you want to have blooms the next year.   If you do have old, very large plants they can be cut back severely to a foot or so above ground but they will probably not bloom for years afterward.  

Shrubs that flower all season or in late summer and fall are best pruned when dormant. 

For the small amount of care that they take flowering shrubs are great investments for your landscape.  If you visit one of Michigan’s many nurseries or garden shops you will find a wide variety of flowering shrubs available for purchase.  Why not add something new this spring?

Hummingbirds are coming

Do you have your hummingbird feeder out yet?  Its time, they are being reported as far north as Traverse city –take a look at the map or go to http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html    There aren’t many flowers out yet for them to get nectar from so be kind and make them some sugar water.  I have a hummingbird feeder I got last year that has a big wide mouth to make it easy to fill.  You push the bottom up before you fill it so the fluid doesn’t run out, then twist the lid on tight to make a vacuum, then pull the bottom down to let fluid fill the base.

A hummingbird is attracted to red but just a bit of red around the feeder holes is plenty; you don’t need to color the water red.   To make your own feeder fluid bring some water to a boil, turn it off and add plain white sugar about 1 cup of sugar to 2 cups of water, stir to dissolve it and let it cool before filling the feeders.
Ants and bees will use the feeders as much as hummingbirds.  I don’t begrudge the bees, indeed I had my feeder on the ground last week to let the honey bees feed but the ants can be a problem as they climb right into the tiny sipper holes and drown in the fluid, clogging things up.  It amazes me that ants can find those feeders suspended way off the ground and climb poles to reach them.  Even when I hung my feeders from the tree the ants managed to find them by climbing down the tree limb and the wire that suspended the feeder.
Dots indicate sightings of hummingbirds this spring. See a larger updated map at link above. 


Some people grease the poles that suspend feeders. One clever person I knew used a bundt cake pan filled with water around the base of the pole, threading the pole through the center hole, and this kept most ants out.  Some however learned to tunnel under the bottom of the pan to reach the open area in the center and then climb the pole.  Ants are clever things.

Plants make people happy

Could the answer to curing the stress and depression so often associated with inter-city life be simply to plant more trees and grass?  A new study suggests that it would definitely help.  Dr. Kristen Malecki, assistant professor of population health sciences at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health has analyzed the results of a health survey done on Wisconsin residents.   She compared satellite data showing how much vegetation was in any census block of the survey with data showing how many people in that block were depressed or had other mental problems.

She found that the “greener ”an area was the less likely it was to have a high percentage of unhappy, stressed and depressed people.  Race, age, employment, income and other factors were all taken into account and still the happiest, most mentally stable people were in the greenest areas.  The study results were recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Many studies have found that children who spend some time outdoors each day in a natural environment were able to concentrate better when solving mental tasks and were less likely to be depressed.  They coped better with the minor problems of life.  Maybe the issue of bullying that everyone is so obsessed over now could be solved by making children take a hike in the woods every day!
My sisters in the woods many years ago.


I know that when I’m angry, when my mind is racing and I’m upset I can get calmed down by simply going outside and weeding a garden bed or finding a quiet place to bird watch.   When I need to make a tough decision or think on a pressing problem working in my garden always helps.  Wouldn’t it be great if all schools had a green spot to send kids who seemed depressed, who had anger issues or were just too full of energy to sit still and concentrate?  A nice secluded courtyard garden or even a greenhouse could work because in this day and age we certainly wouldn’t want to send any kids outside into the actual woods would we?

As a child I had plenty of opportunities to go off alone or with friends into the woods and fields.  I always felt happy when roaming through the “wild”.  I remember sitting in school in the spring when they still opened windows when it was warm, smelling freshly cut grass and listening to frogs and birds singing and wanting to be gone into the spring woods and fields so bad it almost hurt.  Instead of giving kids snow days we should be giving them spring fever days.

So be happy- get outside!
Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

More Information

Armillaria root rot in the Great Lakes region
Armillaria root rot affects hundreds of plant species throughout Michigan. Learn more about the biology, symptoms and control of this devastating fungus.

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Erin Lizotte, and Jill O’Donnell, Michigan State University Extension
 Armillaria root rot occurs naturally in the majority of the United States and the Great Lakes region and is caused by a number of fungi in the genus Armillaria. These include A. ostoyae, A. mellea, A. gallica, A. calvescens and A. sinapina, all of which have been documented in the Great Lakes region. Common names for these fungi and their associated disease include honey stumper, honey agaric, oak fungus, honey mushroom, shoestring root rot, mushroom root rot, resin glut, and toadstool disease.

The host range of the fungi is vast with hundreds of vines, shrubs, shade and forest trees, as well as horticultural crops affected. Some of the Great Lakes plants and crops that are susceptible include maple, oak, white pine, red pine, aspen, peach, cherry and potato.

Armillaria root rot eventually girdles and kills host plants. The loss of agricultural crops is most notable on sites where forested land has been cleared and the fungi are already present when the crop is planted. Unfortunately, the Armillaria fungus can remain latent in the soil for many years, making infested land unsuitable for agricultural production of susceptible hosts for many years.

Biology
Armillaria root rot overwinters in the same fungal form present during the growing season (rhizomorphs or mycelium) on diseased or decaying plant materials and roots. Armillaria root rot may also overwinter as basidiospores – the sexual spores of the fungi – produced by honey-colored mushrooms that form at the base on infected plants in the fall. The principal method of spread of the fungus is root-to-root through rhizomorphs, or root-like structures, or direct root contact during which mycelium invades healthy roots directly.

Rhizomorphs grow from infected plants or decaying material to healthy trees in the surrounding area. Basidiospores typically colonize decaying materials or compromised host tissue with the subsequent rhizomorphs infecting healthy hosts. Armillaria root rot is capable of attacking healthy hosts, but the greatest mortality occurs in stressed trees. In cultivated settings, infected debris and basidiospores can be spread through cultivation.

Symptoms
Affected plants may exhibit reduced growth, small chlorotic leaves, branch dieback and the slow or abrupt death of the plant. Symptomatic plants may appear random spatially, but over time a pattern of circular expansion often becomes evident. Symptomatic trees have decaying bark at the soil line and on the roots.

Mycelial fan


Tart cherry trunk with bark removed, showing the white fungal body of Armillaria root rot that girdled the tree. Photo credit: Erin Lizotte, MSU Extension

The key diagnostic sign of Armillaria root rot is a white mycelial mat, or spongy fungal sheet, between the bark and wood in the cambial layer. The mycelial fans appear veined and may extend up the trunk of the tree several feet. Rhizomorphs are another distinct sign of Armillaria root rot. Rhizomorphs are brown-black “shoestring” structures, 0.01 inch in diameter with an outer black mycelium and a white core. Rhizomorphs have the same growth pattern as roots and may form under the bark or spread into the soil surrounding the root zone of host plants.

Cross section of tart cherry trunk


Cross section of tart cherry trunk showing ring of white mycelium in the cambial region, just below the bark. Photo credit: Erin Lizotte, MSU Extension

If the cambium has been invaded, resin or gum is often exuded into the soil surrounding the trunk and roots. At the base of dead or dying trees, speckled mushrooms 3 inches tall with 6-inch diameter caps grow in clusters. These mushrooms appear in the fall and have pronounced gills that produce basidiospores.

Control
According to Michigan State University Extension, there is no known control for Armillaria root rot. Control has been attempted via root excavation, trenching and fumigation with little to no effect. Current areas of treatment research include biological control and innate resistance screening of host plants.
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 - If you are looking for poultry or other birds and small animals there is a small animal swap meet at the Imlay City Fairgrounds, on M53, Imlay City, Mi. this Saturday, April 26.  It starts about 8 am and is over by about 1 pm.  Free admission.

New - Tulip Time Festival Sat, May 3, 12am Through May 10- Holland, MI, United States info- 616-396-4221

Take a road trip to Holland Mi. for a delightful Dutch holiday, thousands of tulips, fireworks, great food and more.

New - 9th Annual Plant Sale May 10 – 11, 2014- 10-4pm, Taylor Conservatory, 22314 Northline Road, Taylor, MI, United States - Silent auction Sun, 10am-2pm

This event features unusual varieties of perennials, native & butterfly plants/vines & more. For more information contact  www.taylorconservatory.org.

New- Spring Garden Show April 26, 2014 9:00 am – 5 pm - Ray Wiegand's Nursery 47747 Romeo Plank Road, Macomb, 48044(586) 286-3655  All classes free!

Celebrate spring with us! Enjoy a great line-up of informative seminars and creative workshops. Become inspired by the new trends of the coming season and discover great ideas to bring to your home.
On Saturday, April 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., product vendors will be here to answer all of your questions and showcase their greatest gardening products.

Class line up
Caring for Perennials: Dividing- 9:00 a.m. with Janet Macunovich
Are your perennial plants in too big of a clump or have lost their vigor? They may need to be divided.  Join hands-on expert Janet in a lesson on splitting your perennials to help them re-gain their vibrancy.
Soils: Working from the Ground Up 10:30 a.m. with Lisa Grant from Dr. Earth
Lisa will share her knowledge on how to protect the health and the life in your soil as well as to promote success in your own fruit, vegetable and ornamental gardens
Presenting the NEW American Lawn 12:00 p.m. with Barry Green of Jonathan Green
The New American Lawn is an approach to lawn care that promotes growing genetically superior grass seed along with having biologically healthy soil. This approach uses both traditional and organic fertilizers and targets weed control to where and when it’s needed.
What’s NEW & HOT for 2014 1:30 p.m. with Nancy Szerlag, Garden Writer
Nancy will fill you in on the latest and greatest plants and products hitting the market in 2014.  If you’re the trendsetter of the neighborhood, this is the seminar for you!
Gardening for Butterflies 3:00 p.m. with Tamara Menas from The Michigan Native Butterfly Farm
Butterflies add a touch of whimsy to the garden. Tamara can help you choose the right plants to support them

GreenFest 2014 -  Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 2014, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak, Mi.
In observance of the global holiday celebrating life on our planet, the Detroit Zoo hosts its annual GreenFest celebration on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The Zoo-wide celebration includes earth-friendly crafts, an endangered species scavenger hunt, animal enrichment activities, zookeeper talks and exhibits by local conservation groups.  All GreenFest activities are free with Zoo admission.
Each GreenFest guest who brings a wine cork, rinsed Capri Sun pouch, empty chip bag or cell phone for recycling or who is carrying a refillable water bottle will receive a reduced admission price of $8.  Admission for Detroit Zoological Society members is free.

For information on GreenFest at the Zoo contact Jennifer Clarke at 248-541-5717 X 3725 or JClarke@dzs.org

14th Annual Lake Orion Flower & Art Fair Friday May 9th, 11-8 and Saturday, May 10th from 9-6 In downtown Lake Orion at the intersection of Flint and Broadway Streets. 
Stroll the streets and visit vendors selling all kinds of garden products and plants and also beautiful art.

Habitat for Humanity Plant Sale, Friday, May 9, 2014, 2:00 p.m. 8:30p.m and Saturday May 10, 2014,  8:00 a.m.  6:30 p.m - Oakland County Habitat for Humanity Headquarters at 150 Osmun Street, Pontiac, MI.
There will be lots of interesting and colorful plants for sale and you will be benefiting a good cause if you decide to buy some.

Seven Ponds Nature Fest and Native plant sale, Saturday, May 3, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

Landscaping for Birds -11:00 am
Do you love birds and want to attract more to your yard? This program will be a great introduction into all the different elements needed for birds to feel at home. You will not only create a sanctuary for the birds, but also for yourself.

Native plants in an Urban Landscape- 1:00 pm
Do you live in a town or village, and would you like to start incorporating native plants into your landscape? Not sure where to begin? This program is for you. Ruth Vrbensky of Oakland Wildflower Farms, will teach you which plants will work and which ones won’t, which like sun or shade, which like wet or dry, and how easy it is to garden with nature.

There will be other activities for all ages, take a walk to look at frogs, learn about pond critters, do spring crafts and build birdhouses.  There is a wide variety of native plants for sale and a bake sale too.  There may be fees for some activities.

It’s All About Plants, May 3, 2014, 8 am – 4:15 pm.  Plant and Soil Science Building, 1066 Bogue Street, MSU, East Lansing, MI

MSU Horticulture Gardens presnts this day long garden event with four top garden speakers/experts, Art Cameron, Hardy Perennials and Graceful Grasses, George Papadelis, New and Underused Annuals, Tim wood, The Hunt for New and Improved Flowering Shrubs and Steve Keto, Growing Native plants. Approved for 5 MG credits.

Your registration fee includes lunch and parking plus hand outs.  $79.00 until April 21, $89 after April 21.  Email www.hrt.msu.edu/sp-register   or call Jennifer Sweet 1-517-355-5191 ext. 1339

MSU Horticulture Gardens Public Plant Sale May 17th , 7 am-2 pm.  MSU Horticulture Garden, East Lansing, MI.

Your chance to get some of the newest and oddest plants as well as old favorites.  This sale is very popular, arrive early.

Peppers: Selecting, Growing, & Cooking, April 24, 12am  6:30pm, At Telly's Troy.

Learn how to grow many of the varieties that are available while enjoying recipes & samples. $5. www.tellys.com. Register: 248-689-8735.

Landscape Design Fri, April 25,1-3 pm and Sat April 26, noon- 2pm, 2014,  Auburn Oaks, 3820 W Auburn Rd, Rochester Hills, MI,

Landscape designer Paula Smith helps you learn about designing a garden.  Call 248-852-2310 for fees and registration.

International Herb Day Sat, April 26, 10am-3pm, At Hidden Lake Gardens 6214 W Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI,

Herb Day is an international celebration of herbs and herbal products. This one-day event is aimed at educating and sharing ideas about the many ways herbs bring joy and well-being into our daily lives. We celebrate herbs’ use in food, beverages, medicine, beauty products, and crafts, along with the art of growing and gardening with herbs. There will be cooking demonstrations, gardening tips, educational seminars, activities, and a wide array of plants and products for sale.  $5 per person
www.HiddenLakeGardens.msu.edu,   517-431-2060.

Sustainable Gardening Practices Sat, April 26,  1-2 pm At Campbell's Greenhouse, 4077 East Burnside Road, North Branch, MI 48461,

Clay Johnson discusses maintaining healthy soil, crop spacing/rotation, crop nutrition & companion plants for insect control. $5.  Call  810-688-3587.

Hidden Lake Gardens Plant Sale Sat, May 10,10am-2pm- 6214 W Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI
Lots of plants from natives to conifers for sale.  www.HiddenLakeGardens.msu.edu , 517-431-2060.

“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. 

  Direct conference registration questions to: Registrar Phone: 248-770-0524  E-mail: registrarmgsoc@gmail.com

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

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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