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
 |
| They're here- it must be spring! |
What a gray and gloomy day.
But I think we should be hope that it stays cloudy because that will
help keep our weather from becoming severe later on today. Do you have a weather radio? Sirens can help those in a city that sets
them off when a tornado warning is issued but in these days of heavily insulated
homes and a multitude of devices inside the home spewing noise you may not hear
them. People who live in rural areas may
not be close enough to a siren to hear it.
Everyone should have a weather radio somewhere near your
sleeping area. Weather radios sound an
alarm when the weather service issues a tornado warning. Weather apps on your phone or computer are
not as effective, especially if you turn them off to sleep. Weather radios can now be purchased that can
be set to go off only for warnings you want to hear and in your area. This avoids being awakened for every flood,
or other unwanted warning issued.
I planted lettuce and spinach last week. I have been able to do some bed cleaning and
checking on plants. I was surprised to
see that my old yellow “graduation” rose is covered in tiny buds right up to
the tip of the branches- which are some 5-6 feet long. It had almost no winter
kill even in an exposed place. However
an old red rose next to it has a lot of die back. Some of my other landscape roses had moderate
die back. My azaleas and holly look
terrible- I hope they recover.
I spent some time trimming down a bamboo screen I have
behind one small garden. I save all the
stems which can be 6 feet or more long, and when I have time I strip off the
side branches and leaves to make plant stakes.
I had piled the stems up beside the vegetable garden but yesterday when
I went out the wind had blown them all over the yard and down the street. What a mess.
Forsythia is blooming in many areas, though for some reason
mine isn’t yet. I have lots of
daffodils, some crocus and hyacinth in bloom.
There are lots of pussy willows in bloom along the pond. The lilacs are showing green. I saw my first dandelions blooming. And the grass is growing too darned well.
I haven’t seen a hummingbird or oriole yet. My hummingbird feeders are out and I filled a
dish feeder with grape jelly for the orioles.
I have a pine warbler eating suet from a suet feeder, the first time I
ever saw this. At first I thought it was
a goldfinch in its drabber winter colors but the beak was different longer and
pointed. It has an olive colored back
and wings, yellow undersides and white bars on the wings. Warblers are more insect eaters than
goldfinches and I suppose that is why it is feeding on suet. I have never saw goldfinches eat suet.
How nature copes
Nature is a marvelous thing, and the way our earth rebounds
with life after the most horrendous calamities fall upon it is indeed wondrous. After fires, floods, drought, storms, and
even nuclear accidents the earth renews herself and eventually life resumes in
even the most glaring wounds to her surface.
Scientists have studied the areas around two of the most
severe radioactive events in known history, the accident at Chernobyl and the
accident in Japan two years ago. In Fukushima,
Japan, where radiation was released two years ago, there was at first a very
obvious decline in wildlife, especially songbirds. There were some obvious reproductive problems
and genetic mutations in animals and plants right after the event. But some insects such as grasshoppers and dragonflies
seemed to be only minimally affected.
And now wildlife is beginning to return to the area.
At the Chernobyl site in Russia where the radioactive event
occurred in 1986, things look quite well for wildlife. Grass, flowers and trees are growing normally
and wildlife may be doing better there, in an area without humans, than in
other places in Russia. Belarussian and
Ukrainian researchers found lots of damage to animal and plant life in the
first few years after the accident but as time went by animals and plants
adapted to higher levels of radiation- and of course radiation levels dropped- and now little evidence of damage can
be
seen.  |
| Abandoned rail station near Chernobyl 2013. commons.wikimedia |
Dr Ismael Galván, of the Spanish National Research Council, studied 16
species of songbirds at the Chernobyl site.
He found that most had developed the ability to cope with high
background levels of radiation by increasing their antioxidant levels, which prevents
free radicals caused by exposure to radiation from causing damage. Interestingly enough birds with feather
colors of red and brown had a harder time maintaining body condition than those
of darker colored birds. The theory is
that antioxidants are also used to form pheomelanin, which makes the pigment red-brown
colors in birds.
Most birds in the study area had body conditions as good as,
if not better than birds outside of the radiation zone. And as researchers study other types of
wildlife in the area they are finding a burgeoning population of healthy
animals who no longer have to worry about human interference with their activities.
(At least outside of the researchers
capturing them, drawing blood and otherwise handling them.)
After a disaster life generally returns to even the most
stricken areas. It may not be the life
that was there before. As people and
nature change the earth, the type of plants and animals in an area may also change. Some species may vanish but others will
appear. But nature heals itself. Global warming, for example, may change the
species of plants and animals in your area.
I suppose it might remove people from the planet, though I rather doubt
it. But life will persist, count on it.
Seeds of Hope- a book
review
Jane Goodall, of chimpanzee fame, has written a book about plants- Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the
World of Plants. The first part of
the book is quite a wonderful story of her childhood experiences with plants, about
daring plant explorers of earlier times and wonderful awe inspiring facts about
plants. The second part of the book
fades into a less than interesting rant about GM modified foods and modern farming
practices. While I agree with some of
what she talks about she presents nothing new in this part and lots of old,
discredited science as well.
The book is not without controversy, there were many charges
of plagiarism when the book was first published and it had to be withdrawn and
republished with 50 some pages of foot notes.
Goodall is 80 years old and passionate about
saving the environment and I suppose some lee-way can be given for her less
than scientific or accurate “facts” and her carefully picking only studies and
opinions that support her views. To be
fair, Goodall is not an expert on plants. But I also found that she had some inaccurate
historical dates, misinformation about farming practices and other little
errors that to me indicate too much reverence of the author for the editors to
do a good editorial review of the book.
Still, I would recommend reading the book, if just for the
first half of the book, which is quite enjoyable. It’s still a bit expensive; especially print
editions, so you may want to wait a few months when the price will probably
come down. It’s available on Amazon and
through many bookstores.
Why you should grow
your own greens- to prevent diarrhea
 |
| Grow your own salad and avoid diarrhea. |
If there is one item of food that most people should grow in
their own yard or even on the balcony, it’s the greens that they like to
consume raw, whether that is lettuce, spinach, chard, arugula, or any other
green. A new study published in the New
England Journal of Medicine found that of the 179 million cases of acute diarrhea
reported each year; most were caused by consuming greens contaminated with
several forms of food borne pathogens, including Norovirus, E.coli, salmonella and
other noxious organisms. Other fresh
vegetables and fruits are also responsible, but greens hold the most risk. (Of course once someone gets a diarrheal disease
he or she can spread it to other people too.)
In the US only 2% of fresh greens you purchase in a store are
actually inspected. Of that 2% that is inspected, 40 % fails inspection. That indicates that there are a lot of greens
on the market that could make you sick. Many
of the greens people buy in groceries come from foreign countries. Even if grown in the US there are many places
where greens can pick up organisms that will send you flying for the toilet,
from the fields to the packer, to the grocery store. While most people only experience temporary
unpleasantness, some people can actually die from diarrhea caused by these
illnesses.
Properly washing greens can prevent most cases of food
caused diarrhea. And you must wash
organic produce as well as conventionally grown produce! In fact organic produce is often grown using
manure, which can increase your chances of getting sick. The only thing organic produce protects you
from is pesticide residue. Experts
disagree on washing greens that are packaged and labeled “washed.” Some say they are pretty safe and some say
wash them yourself.
Wash greens by first submerging them in a clean pan of cold
water. Don’t use your sink unless you
scrub it with hot soap and water first.
Sinks can have as many “germs” on them as your toilet. After submerging the greens for a few minutes
rinse each leaf with cold, clean, running water. Pay special attention to crinkled and rough
leaves. If you dry the leaves use clean
paper towels to pat them or spin them dry in a clean salad spinner.
Buying local greens is good for the environment but doesn’t
make them much safer than greens purchased from a store. (Shipping greens long
distance, when they are basically just green, chilled water in leaf form, is
environmentally irresponsible.) However
the fewer times greens are handled and the less time they are stored the safer
they are. It just takes one person at
the farmers market handling greens with dirty hands to make you sick though.
It’s far better to grow your own salad greens and eat greens
seasonally. Salad greens can be grown in
containers quite easily. They are easy
to grow and will grow in all but the hottest or coldest weather. It doesn’t take much space to grow greens and
most don’t need full sunlight. You will
not, of course, use manure on your plants, and you will keep animals out of the
greens patch. And you will still wash
the greens, even if they are grown at home.
Greens may taste good, but they really aren’t necessary for your health,
if your diet is otherwise balanced.
I would strongly recommend you pass on salads in restaurants. On a cruise ship- forget about it. Even if the greens were properly washed there
are so many ways for them to be contaminated later. And eating garnishes could make you really
sorry. Getting diarrhea is not a pleasant
way to lose weight.
Direct seeding of
annual flowers
If you are a frugal gardener who wants masses of annual
flowers for color or for cutting, you’ll be happy to know that many annuals can
be directly seeded in your Michigan garden and will bloom and provide color for
you through much of the summer. With a
little care a small packet of seeds can produce dozens, if not hundreds of
flowers for you.
 |
| Zinnias make great cut flowers and are easy to grow from seed. |
Most flowers need to be started after the danger of frost is
passed. Some can be started a little
earlier if the soil is warm. In
Michigan, in the area around Detroit, the last expected frost date is
mid-May. In the northern suburbs it’s
the end of May.
Flowers that bloom well when directly seeded in the garden
are marigolds, zinnias, calendula, cosmos, tithonia, sweet alyssum, morning
glories, moon flowers, annual asters, nasturtiums, sunflowers, statice,
bachelors buttons, strawflowers, annual baby’s breath, amaranth, larkspur, four
o’clocks, and stock. Pansies and violas
can be seeded in the garden but generally won’t bloom until cooler weather in
the fall.
Some common annuals that people plant in their yards and
containers every year such as geraniums, impatiens, begonias and petunias take
a long time to bloom and should be started indoors early.
Sweet William and hollyhocks are bi-annuals that can be
seeded in the garden. They will make a
rosette of leaves the first year and bloom the second year.
Getting the soil
ready
Most annuals need full sun.
Prepare the soil in a sunny place by tilling it and removing grass roots
and rocks, or use the lasagna method of gardening. In this method you scalp any vegetation in
the planned flower bed with your mower, add a thick layer of newspaper on top
of the soil and then a 6-8 inch layer of potting soil or compost on top of
that.
Annuals are heavy feeders and need fertilization to keep
flowering all summer. Before planting
work a slow release fertilizer into the soil according to the label
directions. Even though a soil test may
indicate good soil fertility, annuals are greedy and will probably exhaust some
nutrients.
+sm.jpg) |
| Great use of annuals at the Garden at Suncrest, Lapeer, MI. |
Planting
Read your seed package for how far apart to space plants in
the row and how far apart rows should be.
If plants come up too thickly you’ll need to thin them. The thinned plants can be planted somewhere
else if you are careful. Don’t crowd
seedlings. When they are small the bed
may not look full but if they get large and are crowded they are more likely to
suffer from disease and not bloom well.
Some seeds like morning glory and moonflower are hard to get
to germinate because they have hard seed coats. Soak a few paper towels in warm water and put
a layer in a shallow pan. Arrange the
seeds so they aren’t touching each other on the toweling. Cover with another damp towel and cover the
pan with clear plastic.
Place the pan in a warm place but not in direct sun. In just a few days the seeds should have
swollen and began to germinate. You can
then plant them in the garden. If they
stick to the paper towel pull off a piece of it with each seed, rather than
pull them out of the towel. Plant them
with the piece of towel, but make sure it’s completely covered with soil. It will dissolve quickly in the soil.
Lightly cover the newly planted seeds with soil and water
the seeded area gently. If the weather
is dry water the seeded area every few days.
Be careful to use something on the hose that makes a fine spray so the
seeds don’t get washed around.
Annuals are great for color in the garden and for getting
your children interested in gardening.
They are wonderful for keeping the house full of flowers. Why not plant some annuals from seed this
spring?
Some Quick Thrifty
Garden tips
I was glancing through a garden supply catalog and noticed
several rather expensive items that could easily be made or sourced from a
dollar or thrift store to save you money.
They sell red plastic reservoirs (about $8. each) to place around plants
like tomatoes so that they can be slowly watered at the roots and avoid getting
water on the leaves. You can drill some
holes in the bottom of an old Bundt pan, (look for them in thrift stores and
garage sales), paint them red if you like and slip them over plants when they
are young. I suggest using a piece of
plastic pipe to fill the reservoir when the plants get large and bushy.
Why spend a lot on melon or pumpkin cradles? These are lattice like pieces of plastic that
keep them off the ground as the fruits mature.
Slip lattice bottomed plastic flats under fruits on the ground or use
the plastic paper plate holders sold in picnic supplies. These usually come in packages of 6 for a
very small price. Turn them upside down under fruits.
 |
| Bottle tree. lovemyjunk-jeannie on pinterest |
A bottle “tree”
decoration sells for $30 with 12 bottles.
You could easily fashion your own with pieces of reinforcement wire sold
in hardware stores and recycled bottles.
Cut each wire at a different length, bind or twist them together at the
base, bend the top end out a bit and insert a bottle. If you can’t find pretty colored bottles
paint them some plain ones.
A lot of people have broken branches around the yard this
spring. Choose the straightest ones,
strip off side branches and let them dry in a sunny place for plant
supports. You can cut them in various
lengths. You can also tie them together
with wire or twine to make trellises you’d have to pay a lot for in stores.
Stay safe today – keep an eye on the sky.
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and
a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero
More Information
Winter Freeze Injury
Author(s):
Ashley
Kulhanek This article is from Ohio State Extension http://buckeyegardening.com/ While the article references Ohio it’s still relevant
to Michigan gardens, which also have a lot of freeze damage.
This winter has delivered more than a few punches to the
landscape. BYGLers have reported multiple instances of winter injury to
flowering and evergreen landscape plants as a result of the winter
wallop. While it is not unusual to see some freeze damage after an Ohio
winter, this year the extent and severity was notable.
For early flowerers, timing was everything. Damage was reported on
blossoms of magnolia, redbud, forsythia, and hyacinth. This occurred
sporadically around the state and severity of damage seemed to depend upon
where plants were in their blooming phase when the freeze hit and their
location in the state. Flower buds that were still tight may pull
through.
Winter burn was also
noticed on many evergreen plants across the state from Cincinnati to Northern
Ohio. This winter burn occurs when water is lost from the living tissue
faster than the roots can replenish it. When the ground is frozen, the
roots are unable to transfer water into the leaf or needle tissues exposed to biting
winds and the winter sun. This results in leaf and needle desiccation
that appears as bleaching, yellowing or browning, and leaf drop. Damaged
plants observed with winter burn include: white pine, arborvitae, rhododendron,
boxwood, ivy, weeping cherry, and magnolia. Turfgrass was also affected
by the freeze with BYGL writers reporting patches of brown grass the size of
dinner plates throughout lawns in Ohio. A video on turf winter burn can
be viewed on the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation’s YouTube site http://go.osu.edu/OTF.
These freeze injuries can often be confused with salt injury from
treating icy roads. In general, if the browning plant is near a sidewalk or
roadway where salt or brine could be splashed, sprayed, or become airborne
drift, chances are the damage is the result of a chemical burn caused by salt
or a combination of salt and freeze. Salt damage may appear as yellowing
or browning and is likely to be one-sided (the side facing the road).
Freeze injury will appear as yellowing, bleaching, browning, or crisping up as
well. Winter burning may, but not always, appear more uniformly across
the exposed plant, or on the windward side. Segments of plants below the
snow line may bloom due to the insulating effects of the snow on the buried
limbs. If a plant is not near a roadway, winter freeze damage is likely
the culprit of early spring browning. Also consider the native range of
the plant in question. Some varieties planted in Ohio may be in the northernmost
reach of their range and be more susceptible to winter injury.
Here is a list of the species with winter damage found in Ohio by
at our BYGL writers this week in one or more counties: magnolia, redbud, white
pine, arborvitae, boxwood, ivy, Foster’s Holly, Japanese umbrella pine,
rhododendron, forsythia, Canaan & Fraser Fir, yews, weeping cherry,
viburnum, spruce, and turf.
For More Information:
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- 2014 MASTER
GARDENER ASSOCIATION - GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN GARDEN TOUR – June 22nd
2014.
Celebrate spring by enjoying a stroll
through beautiful gardens in Genesee County's east side. Each site has its own
unique features. The homeowner or a Master Gardener would be delighted to
answer any questions. Although each garden looks very different, all of the
homeowners share the passion of watching their garden grow and expand each
year. Much thought has been put into every loved plant or garden art. The
gardeners believe that the garden is an expression of them. Fortunately for us,
they want to share their masterpiece with us.
Please join us in touring nine
outstanding gardens on Genesee County’s east side Sunday, June 22 10:00AM -
5:00PM.and visit the For-Mar Truck Farm at one of the sites. Mark your calendar
for the easy self-guided tour. The total tour is 16.3 miles with easy access
from I-69 to start at site #1 and I-75 to end at site #10 home. There are no
rules where you start or finish, but the routemoves nicely goingfromnorth to
south or south to nor
Advance tickets will be available on
May 23rd at the MSU Extension office for $10.00, $2.00 for children under 12.
Advance tickets will also be available on May 23rd from the following
merchants:
Bordine Nursery 9100 Torrey Rd, Grand
Blanc - (810) 655-5588
Jenny B’s Garden Party 9063 Clio Rd.
Clio - (810) 687-7742
Piechnik Greenhouse,13172 McCumsey
Road, Clio - (810) 686-9211
Walker Farms & Greenhouse 5253
Atherton Road, Burton (810) 743-0260
Tickets may also be purchased the day
of the tour (Sunday, June 22rd) at any of the garden sites. Site addresses will
be posted on the web page the night before the tour. The photo on the ticket
cover was by a student that won the coloring contest at one of Swartz Creek’s
elementary schools.
Gardens will be open for viewing on
June 22 from 10A – 5P, Rain or Shine.
Visit the web site for driving
directions/questions: http://GCgardentour.weebly.com/
NOTE: Gardens open only on this
specific day and time. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE!
Accommodations for persons with disabilities
may be requested by calling Jim Harrow, Plant & Pest Hotline (810) 244-8548
two (2) weeks prior to the event to ensure sufficient time to make
arrangements. Requests received after this date will be met when possible.
New - Heirloom Tomato & Herb Sale Sat, May 10, 12am – Sun, May 11, 12am, Heritage Place, Southgate, MI, United States
Master Gardeners of West Wayne Co. are having
a heirloom plant sale and plant exchange
at the News Herald parking lot. Call 313-719-1181 for more info.
New- Landscaping with Herbs for Large & Small Spaces Wednesday, May 14, 2014 , Noon-2:30pm,
Big Beaver United Methodist Church, 3753 John R Road, Troy, MI, United States
Use herbs as
part of your landscape. Light lunch included. $7. Troy Garden Club Register: infoandideas@aol.com.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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