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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

April 21, 2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

April 28, 2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter    © Kim Willis

Hello Gardeners

Magnolia
It was nice to see the sun today.  The week ahead looks pretty good for gardening or other things.  We are a little on the dry side for spring.  I may have to water the garden to get things growing.  My peas are just starting to sprout, they may need more moisture.  Lettuce and spinach are up and growing however.

Forsythia is in bloom in some places.  Mine isn’t blooming except at the bottom where some branches were protected by snow.  I hope that doesn’t mean I’ll have no redbud or lilacs flowers a bit later.  I have pansies, violas, tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils in bloom outside.  Dandelions are beginning to bloom as well as hens bit in the lawn.  The grass will need mowing soon.

Inside I have hibiscus, abutilon, streptocarpus, geraniums, and peace lily in bloom. My windowsills are crowded with plants and I have begun to move some of the hardier things I was overwintering outside.  My rosemary went outside, as well as a big pot of rain lilies.  This weekend as we near the 70 degree mark I will be moving some more things outside like the mum I overwintered, some geraniums and the chocolate vines – if I can untangle them from the other houseplants.  

My honeyberries are blooming nicely and I hope there are enough pollinators around to get some fruit from them this year. MSU says that it’s been a hard winter again for fruit trees and some flower buds may have been killed this winter as well as damage to tree branches.  My apricot tree is showing pink on the buds so it wasn’t a casualty but my peach tree looks really shriveled.  I can’t tell about the apples and pears.  We had very few apples last year so I was hoping for a good crop this year.

I learned something I suspected this week.  I was sitting down for a break when I noticed one of my hens perusing the flower bed I was cleaning up and each white tag that was left in the bed on various plants she pulled up and tossed.  That’s why all the labels on the new bulbs I planted last year just disappeared.  I noticed that one plant had a yellow label and that one she ignored.  White labels just caught her eye.  Another reason not to have chickens in the garden!

What to plant now

Peas, lettuce, onions and onion sets, carrots, beets, spinach, radishes, cabbage seeds or plants, broccoli, turnips, can all be planted now.  Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and all fruit trees can be planted. Calendula seeds, and most seed for perennial plants can be direct sown in the spot where they are to grow now.  All types of trees can be planted now and it’s a good time to seed lawns.

Some hardy perennial plants can be planted outside, be cautious about those that look pretty well leafed out or are even in bloom.  Frost that we will still get this year can really damage those plants or even kill them, even if the plant is normally hardy in our planting zone. If you do plant large or blooming perennials out in the garden cover them if frost is predicted.  It is fine to plant dormant perennials or roses outside now.  Wait a bit to plant summer bulbs like dahlias, cannas and glads cold soil can make them rot.  You can get them started inside now for earlier bloom. Also it’s still not time to plant annuals, with the exception of violas, pansies and maybe diascia, outside.

Garden tips

Save those clear tops to deli cakes, roasted chickens, cheese and meat trays, and other foods.  Wash them well with hot water and soap.  Then use them to protect plants in the garden from frost or cover seeded areas like a mini- greenhouse.  Take them off when the days are sunny and warm so you don’t cook the plants. 

Milk jugs and 2 liter pop bottles can also be used for frost protection.  Wash them out and remove the bottoms.  Place over any plants that need protection. Leave the caps off for ventilation.

Take the tags off trees and shrubs before planting them.  If you leave them on they can girdle a branch or worse the trunk. This can kill the branch or the entire plant.  If you want to keep the tag attach it to a stake next to the plant.

Large pots don’t always have to be filled entirely with potting mix. Containers full of potting soil can be very heavy and potting mix is expensive. Most annuals need only 8-10 inches of soil at the most. If the pot is deeper than that consider filler at the bottom of the container to take up space.  You can use pieces of Styrofoam, plastic water or iced tea bottles either crushed or whole, crushed aluminum cans, charcoal briquettes, wood chips, cocoa mulch, crumbled burlap, crumbled brown paper bags, even torn up cardboard on the bottom of the container. Put a few pieces of newspaper over the filler and then add your potting soil.

If you have a cocoa fiber lined basket that you like to plant in but find that it dries out way too fast try this.  Remove the plastic liner from a diaper or two and soak the remaining fiber material and gel filler in water.  Then line the basket on the inside with the soaked diaper material, stopping just below where the surface of the potting mix will be.  The diaper material will hold water and make watering your hanging basket less of a chore.  The diaper material is harmless to plants.  It can also be mixed with potting soil – about 2 cups in a 8-10

New spray paints for plastics can be used to spray those black nursery pots you can’t bear to throw out and turn them into colorful planting containers.  You can even use a stencil on them if you like to really make them unique.  You can also spray paint plastic containers from coffee, laundry detergent, and other things to create interesting containers.  These plastic paints will also stick to rubber and you can make a stack of tires into a colorful planter.  Why spend a lot of money on new pots? 

Buy cheap butterfly nets when you see them.  Remove the handles and place the net portion over young cabbage plants. This keeps the white moths that lay eggs that turn into those nasty green worms away from them.  The nets can be re-used for several years.  You can also buy fine netting in fabric stores.  Cut squares big enough to fit loosely over cabbage plants, gather them around the cabbage stem and secure with a twist tie.

Mosquitoes do like some people better

If you have ever wondered why mosquitoes seem to like you better than other people or have heard people complaining about being bitten by mosquitoes when they are leaving you alone, blame it on genetics.  Research has now confirmed that some people have a genetic component that makes their body smell more attractive to mosquitoes.  Researchers used identical twins and had mosquitoes in tubes bite their arms- (what a job)-as well as random people who were not twins.  They rated how attractive the person was to mosquitoes.  Some people attracted more attention from mosquitoes than others, but identical twins always attracted mosquitoes in the exactly the same way.

The research has narrowed down body odors as the attraction signal but the odors that attract mosquitoes aren’t noticed by humans.  They have ruled out foods as the cause of these mosquito attractive scents despite old wives tales of eating foods like garlic to repel mosquitoes.  The researchers believe that some people have genes that produce a natural mosquito repelling smell, which gives them some protection from mosquito bites.  They also found that pregnant women attract more mosquitoes than women who aren’t pregnant and that the heavier you are, the more mosquitoes you attract. The research was a joint project of the University of Nottingham, Rothamsted Research and the University of Florida.

Bees addicted to neonicotinoids

Maximilian sunflower with bee.
It’s been well documented that bees are harmed by neonicotinoid pesticides.  These pesticides are being used on crops and ornamentals around the globe and are thought to be part of the cause of pollinator decline.  Neonicotinoid pesticides were developed starting in the 1970’s and many types of them are now on the market, with Bayer being the primary producer of the chemicals.  They are synthetic twins of the chemical nicotine, found in tobacco, which is still used as a pesticide by some folks unaware of how dangerous that is. The most common neonicotinoid pesticide is probably imidicloprid, which was touted as being quite safe for animals while deadly to insects.

Researchers at Newcastle University and Trinity College Dublin (UK) found that while bees can’t taste the pesticide in the nectar of flowers they do prefer nectar that has the pesticide in it.  Just as people become addicted to smoking by the nicotine in cigarettes, bees become addicted to neonicotinoids and prefer flowers from plants which have been treated with neonicotinoids, leading to a greater exposure to the pesticides harmful effects. 


Just as it’s very hard to break a nicotine habit in humans, bees can’t easily be motivated to ignore pesticide treated plants.  Once bees find the flowers whose nectar is tainted by neonicotinoids they can’t be lured away by native flower plantings or garden flowers which are free of the chemicals. 

Because other animals besides humans, such as monkeys and dogs, can also become addicted to nicotine it brings up several questions.  Do neonicotinoid treated plants cause other animals such as rabbits to be attracted/addicted to them?  If birds eat worms or insects that have ingested neonicotinoid pesticides from all those treated lawns do they get addicted and eat greater quantities of those foods- leading to a bigger build-up of pesticides in their bodies?   Do people eating food crops treated with neonicotinoids become addicted to them?

European countries have, for the most part, banned neonicotinoid pesticides.  Until we learn more about how these pesticides affect the whole life cycle instead of just their toxicity level to humans and pets, we also need to stop using these pesticides.


The beautiful Redbud tree

There is nothing more gorgeous in spring than the graceful branches of the Redbud tree outlined in glowing magenta pink flowers. The Redbud is a small tree, suitable for even the most compact yards, proving that good things can come in small packages. Redbuds provide spring color, summer shade and fall color too. The Eastern Redbud tree, Cercis Canadensis, is native to the eastern United States and may also be seen blooming in the woodlands in the spring. There are also redbud trees native to the Western North America, China and southern Europe and Asia. The common name ‘Judas tree’ comes from the belief that Judas hung himself from a mid-eastern redbud tree after betraying Christ.

The redbud tree’s pea-like flowers pop out in early spring all along its branches and even along the trunk as the tree ages. Redbud trees bloom before the leaves appear which makes the flowers even more visible. The leaves are heart shaped and turn golden in the fall. Redbud flowers turn into large brown pods, which contain 4-10 bean- like seeds. The trees are rarely more than 25’ high and about as wide.

Redbud trees are used in the landscape as specimen trees or as shade tree for small spaces. They are also used in naturalized woodlands. The flowers of the redbud are edible and can be used in salads. Birds and other wildlife eat redbud seeds.

Growing redbuds
Redbuds are hardy from zone 5 to 8. They need some cold weather to form flower buds, but in the northern parts of zone 5, they should probably be planted in a protected area for the best bloom. Although the redbud will tolerate partial shade it blooms best in sunny locations, particularly in the north. Redbuds tolerate a wide range of soil conditions as long as the area is well drained; they will not grow in wet areas. Redbud trees are excellent for naturalized settings, at the edge of woodlands. They are beautiful against a background of dark evergreens.
Redbud flowers.

The temptation for homeowners who see a redbud in bloom is to buy a large tree so they can enjoy the bloom sooner in their own yard. But small potted redbud trees are the easiest to establish and spring dormant planting is best. Trees grown from seed or cuttings of redbud trees growing in your area will adjust to your site more readily.

Redbud trees form a taproot and resent transplanting, so choose the location where you plant your redbud carefully. A tree shelter or tube helps redbud trees adapt to their new home and protects them from hungry animals. Redbuds usually begin to bloom in their 7th year if conditions are to their liking. Redbuds can also be started from seed planted in the fall where they are to grow or in pots outside. Although establishment may be slower than some other trees, and a little more care is required to get the redbud tree off to a good start, they are well worth the trouble.

The redbud tree often begins growing with a short trunk and many small upward growing stems. Trimming off all but one center stem will make the redbud look more like a tree, and will avoid the problem of narrow crotches that split from winds or ice. Other than early shaping of the tree and trimming off crossed or rubbing branches, the redbud will not need pruning.

Canker and verticillium wilt are the most important diseases of the redbud tree. Cankers begin as dark sunken areas along the stems, and the area of limb beyond the canker will wilt and die. Canker areas should be pruned out, go at least one inch beyond the canker toward the trunk to make your cut and burn the pruned branch. Sterilize your pruning shears between each cut. Verticillium causes parts of the tree to suddenly wilt, or some branches may have leaves that turn yellow on the edges and then brown and die. There is no cure for verticillium but pruning off affected branches and fertilizing the tree may keep it alive for a few more years. Have the tree diagnosed by an expert before assuming it has verticillium wilt and removing it. Do not replant redbud trees where one has died from verticillium wilt as the disease remains in the soil for years.

Some varieties of Redbud
The redbud ‘Forest Pansy’ has purple leaves and rosy purple flowers. The variety ‘Alba’has white flowers. Redbud ’Rubye Atkinson’ has flowers that are a gentle pink. ‘Silver Cloud’ has leaves variegated with white. ‘Hearts of Gold’ has golden leaves and pink flowers. ‘Covey’ is a redbud with weeping branches. ’Avondale’ is a double flowered Chinese redbud that grows more like a shrub. Hard to find Chinese redbud Cercis racemosa or Chain Flowered Redbud, has flowers of silvery rose that hang from the branches in long chains. Some of these are less hardy than the common Eastern Redbud.

How to start a vegetable garden this spring- quick primer

Starting a vegetable garden is a way to save on food costs while providing your family with food that not only tastes better, but is much more nutritious than food that is shipped long distances.  You get the benefit of fresh air and exercise too.  Even if the garden doesn’t save you a lot of money on fresh produce you have the satisfaction of knowing you grew the food your family is eating and you controlled how the food was produced.

Should you go organic?
Part of the value of starting vegetable gardens at home instead of purchasing produce is so that you can control what is put on the vegetables you eat.  Home gardeners should strive to use the least amount of pesticides possible.  There are many ways to deal with problems other than using pesticides.  However some crops, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, have become very difficult to grow without some chemicals to control fungal disease.  If you want to harvest these crops you may need to apply fungicides labeled for the crop.  Follow the label directions exactly.  This is a decision only you can make

Some people also choose to buy organic seeds and use only organic fertilizers. Both are slightly more expensive than conventional seed and fertilizer. Everyone needs to balance organic growing methods with whether or not they will even get a crop.  After all tomatoes grown in your care with minimal use of fungicides will still be better for you than tomatoes shipped in from another country.

Choosing a site
For vegetable gardens, you need a place that gets at least six hours of full sun each day. The site should be close to water and to the house.  A vegetable garden close to the house receives better care, is harvested more frequently and is less likely to suffer animal damage.

Don’t choose a low spot or one that doesn’t drain well for a vegetable garden.  Low spots collect cold air which gives a shorter season and most vegetables will not grow in wet areas. 

When starting a vegetable garden for the first time think small. A vegetable garden that is twenty by thirty feet is a good start for a family of four.  Big gardens may overwhelm beginners and you can always expand next year. 

The soil
Choose your area and then get a soil test.  A soil test gives you an idea of what your vegetable garden will need for optimum plant growth.  Submit the soil sample at least six weeks before you want to begin planting.  This gives you time to get the results back and amend the soil if needed.  

Contact your County Extension office, they will explain how to collect the soil sample and when the results come back they can help you interpret them.  The service costs a small amount.  Don’t add anything to the soil, such as lime, until you have had a soil test.

Don’t worry too much about the type of soil you have.  Both clay and sandy soil can be turned into good vegetable gardens.  The key to improving both types of soil is to add lots of organic material such as compost. Your soil test may reveal that you need to amend the soil or fertilize.  For small gardens these supplies are not very expensive.

Tools and supplies
You will need a good spade, a garden rake and a hoe.  You will need a hose and nozzles or watering cans for a small garden. Get a good pair of gloves, your seeds and plants and you are ready to start.  Tillers are not necessary. Some other things nice to have are stakes and string, mulch, and row covers.

All those colorful pictures of yummy vegetables can make you spend much more on seeds than you need to.  Read the back to see what size row the package will plant.  Don’t order six types of bean seeds if you only have room for one row of beans.  It seems obvious, but only buy the vegetables that your family likes to eat.

Getting the soil ready
Starting vegetable gardens where there is grass can be hard.  If you can start the year before and smother the grass it’s easier. Just lay an old piece of carpet or some heavy black plastic down on the proposed garden site and let the grass die.  You can also till or dig the area in the fall.  Most people however, will start their first vegetable garden in the spring.

The soil must be ready for you to work it before you start.  Pick up a handful of soil and make a fist.  If the soil stays clumped in your hand when you open it, it is too wet to work. Your soil may take longer than the guy across the streets soil to become ready.  If you work the ground when it is too wet you compact the soil and destroy soil structure and your garden will suffer. When the soil is ready remove as much grass as you can, then dig up or till the soil. 

Choosing your gardening style
Raised beds.
You can choose to lay out traditional rows in the soil, you can form mounded rows, or you can build raised beds.  If your soil drains poorly, mounded or raised beds will work best. Mounded rows simply take soil from the paths and pile it on the rows.  Raised beds can be built from many materials to hold soil. The easiest material to use is treated lumber. Modern treated lumber is not toxic to plants or to people eating food crops grown in the beds made from it.

Raised beds may be the best way to garden if you have very little soil over a rock layer in your yard or hard compacted clay.  Raised beds allow you to concentrate your soil amendments and water in the actual planting area. Make raised beds just wide enough so that you can reach the middle from either side.  You do not want to walk in raised beds to tend them because this compacts the soil.

If you don’t have much ground space to have a garden you should consider large containers for growing some food crops.  You can improvise containers or buy them, many styles are available.  Make sure that they drain well, and you should have a sunny location for them to be placed on.  Good container crops are tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, bush type cucumbers, lettuce, strawberries and many herbs.  However, just about any crop can be grown in a container. When choosing plants for containers look for varieties that say they are good for containers or that promise compact size.

In traditional garden rows and mounded garden rows plants are spaced evenly in a line.  In raised beds and containers plants are spaced randomly throughout the area, keeping the suggested space between each plant.  This is called square foot gardening or intensive planting. 

Planting time
Ask an experienced gardener when the last frost in your area normally occurs.  Cool weather crops can go out a few weeks before the last frost, if the soil is ready to work.  Warm weather crops must be planted after the last frost.

Cool weather crops include peas, lettuce, cabbage, kale, radishes, beets, and potatoes.  In zone 5-6 that is usually mid-April.  Carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and onions can be planted after the last freeze but before the last frost. In zone 5-6 that is usually late April-early May. Tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and corn should be planted after the last frost and when the soil is warm.  In zone 5-6 that is usually late May.

Corn, beans, peas, lettuce, beets, carrots, radish, squash, melons and pumpkins are easy to start from seed right in the garden.  Melons, squash and pumpkins can also be bought as small plants to set out.  Some places sell corn and bean plants but these crops grow better if planted as seeds where they are to grow. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are generally set out as plants you purchase or grow indoors.  Onions are grown from seed, plants or sets and potatoes are grown from small potatoes called seed potatoes.

When the time is right check your seed package, plant label or a garden book to see how far apart and how deep to plant seeds or plants.  Buy a general purpose garden fertilizer, a slow release kind is best, and mix it into the soil where you plant seeds or transplants.  You can choose from organic or non- organic fertilizers in the store. The plants won’t care which you use. Water the transplants or seeds after planting.

When you are planting seeds you may need to remove some plants after they begin growing to give each plant the right amount of space. If you don’t thin out the plants they won’t grow properly. 

Tomatoes covered to prevent sunburn
When you buy or grow plants inside and transplant them into the garden try to pick a cloudy, calm day to plant them outside.  A drizzly cloudy day is great.  These indoor grown plants may suffer a bit of sun shock and wilt or turn brown right after planting. Wind can also dry out the plants and send them into shock if they aren’t used to it. You can make a teepee of newspaper to cover them for a day or two if conditions are sunny.  While the shock of the extra ultraviolet rays or drying winds may not kill the plants it often delays them getting off to a good start.

You may want to mulch your garden after planting but wait until the soil is warm before adding organic mulches like straw or dry leaves between plants. This would probably be a couple weeks after planting each type of crop.  Black plastic can be put down just after planting.  You can even stretch black plastic on the soil surface and cut holes in it to plant small plants. (This doesn’t work well with seeds though.) Mulch can be placed on the rows between plants or raised beds at any time.  Mulch helps keep down weeds and conserves water and keeps crops on the ground as well as your feet from getting muddy.  However if the area has had a lot of rain and the soil is very wet don’t mulch between plants until the soil has dried out a bit.

This is just a quick beginner’s guide to vegetable gardening.  You’ll want to consult some of my other articles or look in a good garden book for information on plant species needs and suggested varieties to plant.  To search in this blog for information on specific plants just type the name in the search box.

Get some planting done today!

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



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. Kimwillis151@gmail.com

A new herb group is forming!  The Lapeer Herb Circle will meet the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Rebekah’s Health and Nutrition Store, 6 pm. at  588 S. Main, Lapeer ( next to Office Depot).  They also have a facebook page you can join.

New- Enviro-weather Gardeners, Tuesday, May 12, 2015 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm at the MSU Extension office, 21885 Dunham Rd., Clinton Twp.,
Landscapers, Farmers, garden center employees and anyone interested are invited to attend a free presentation. Enviro-weather is a weather-based pest, natural resources and production management tool. Beth Bishop of MSU Extension will be presenting information on understanding degree days and how to use the Enviro-weather website. Please register in advance by calling the MSU Extension office at 586-469-6440

Here’s a link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road, North Branch.  Now open.

Here’s a link to programs being offered at English Gardens, several locations in Michigan.

Here’s a link to classes at Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Twsp. MI, and now combined with Goldner Walsh in Pontiac MI.

Here’s a link to classes and events at Bordines, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc, Clarkston and Brighton locations

Here’s a link top events at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road Ann Arbor, Michigan  | Phone 734-997-1553 |
http://www.lesliesnc.org/

Here’s a link to events at Hidden Lake Gardens, 6214 Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI

Here’s a link to all the spring programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/education/progs/springprograms/

Here’s a link to events and classes at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Mi
http://www.meijergardens.org/learn/ (888) 957-1580, (616) 957-1580

Back Track To Nature offers the following programs to inspire you and deepen your relationship with nature! In partnership with the Lapeer Land Conservancy and Seven Ponds Nature Center these programs are a perfect way for families and adults to enjoy the outdoors.

MAY 2015
Frog Walk at Sutherland Nature Sanctuary
Saturday, May 2, 2015                9:30AM to 11:00AM
Entrance and parking is located at 3960 Diehl Road, Hadley, Michigan 48440
Today, on this guided walk we will visit the most likely habitats on the edges of ponds, stream and moist wetlands where Michigan’s fantastic frogs live. We will learn about edge habitats that link grasslands to forest and marshes to open water habitats that are indicators of healthy environments. No admittance fee. For more information about this walk, please contact Karen Page at 810-969-1023. The Sutherland Nature Sanctuary of the Lapeer Land Conservancy is open to the public dawn to dusk as a place where people can enjoy nature and observe good land stewardship practices. For more information about the properties visit Lapeer Land Conservancy

Eco Days at Seven Ponds Nature Center
Sunday, May 3, 2015                  beginning at 1:00PM
Seven Ponds Nature Center presents Eco Days. Join us for a Rain Barrel demonstration, learn how to build a rain barrel and take one home. The cost for a barrel is $60.00. If you have any questions call Karen at 810-969-1023.

Frog Walk at Hilton & Marjorie Tibbits Nature Sanctuary and Land Stewardship Center
Saturday, May 9, 2015                  9:30AM to 11:00AM
Entrance and parking is located directly across from  4090 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan 48421
Today on this guided walk we will visit the most likely habitats on the edges of ponds and wetlands where Michigan’s fantastic frogs live. We will learn about edge habitats that link grasslands to forest and marshes to open water habitats that are the indicators of healthy environments. No admittance fee. For more information about this walk, please contact Karen Page at 810-969-1023. The Tibbits Nature Sanctuary of the Lapeer Land Conservancy is open to the public for guided walks only. For more information about the properties visit Lapeer Land Conservancy

Birds Along the Way at the Tibbits Nature Sanctuary
Monday, May 11, 2015                     8:00AM to 10:30AM
Entrance and parking is located directly across from 4090 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan 48421 Today, we will take a leisurely walk through field, forest and visit the wetland enjoy a variety of bird species, identify feathers and even learn a few bird calls. Wear walking shoes, bring binoculars, camera and a guidebook if you have one. Please contact Karen Page at 810-969-1023 to register and children 17 and younger must be accompanied by a registered adult. No admittance fee. The Tibbits Nature Sanctuary of the Lapeer Land Conservancy is open to the public for guided walks.

JUNE 2015

Learn in the Garden Tour  -  A Visit to Three Roods Farm
Monday, June 1, 2015                        9:30AM to 11:30AM and 3:30PM to 5:30PM
4821 One Acre Drive, Columbiaville, Michigan 48421
In this tried and true farm and garden tour we will discover what’s growing at 3RF and learn the meaning of CSA. See what goes into managing a beehive, discover how permaculture garden design uses the inherent qualities of plants and animals combined with natural characteristics of the landscape, and  visit with the chickens, ducks and peahens all living in harmony with one another. Dress for the weather. No admittance fee.  Please call 810-969-1023 to register, children under 17 must be accompanied by a registered adult.

The History of the Land Series - Introduction to Land Stewardship
Thursday June 4, 2015                      6:00PM to 8:00PM
Entrance and parking is located across from 4090 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan In this History of the Land Series, our focus will be on land stewardship of the Tibbits property.  You will gain valuable information and understanding about what a land steward is required to do: we will discuss how to monitor property, identify encroachments both the animal an human impact and show you how to perform trail maintenance and identify invasive species. Join Karen Page land steward, at the Tibbits Nature Sanctuary a Lapeer Land Conservancy property. Cost is $3.00 per person, children 12 and under are free. Groups of 5 or more please call Karen at 810-969-1023 at least 3 days prior to reserve your spot.

Wild Springtime Tea Party
Saturday, June 13, 2015                   10:00AM to 12:00PM
Cassie M owner of Hilltop Barn will guide us through field and forest to show us how to identify native plants and brew up some tasty teas and learn the how wild edibles are beneficial to your overall health. Please contact Karen Page at 810-969-1023 to register, children 17 and younger must be accompanied by a registered adult. No admittance fee and donations accepted. Please park in the designated parking area.

Living with Less: Talk and Tour of the Tibbits Nature Sanctuary
Saturday, June 13, 2015                     1:00PM to 3:00PM 
4107 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan 48421 Rewire your brain to repurpose, reuse, recycle, harvest rainwater and grow your own foods, begin a new lifestyle recreated by living with less, Tibbits Nature Sanctuary owner Clark Tibbits will share his successful experiences creating a life long choice to live on less. A step you can make toward a living with less can be as simple as adding a rain barrel and a square foot garden to your home landscape. Back Track To Nature owner Karen Page, will demonstrate how to harvest rainwater and grow your own food in a small spaces.  Please call 810-969-1023 to register, children under 17 must be accompanied by a registered adult. Follow the signs and park in the designated parking area.

The History of the Land - Introduction to Wetland Restoration
Monday, June 15, 2015                   9:00AM to 11:00AM and 6:00PM to 8:00PM
Entrance and parking is located across from 4090 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan. In this History of the Land Series we will explore, observe and study the wetlands and learn about rich and exciting varieties of wildlife and plants, focusing on water lilies, Today, this wetland is cared for by the Lapeer Land Conservancy but it could have been in the backyard of the famous painter Monet who in 1890 developed his own outside studio where water lilies influenced his paintings. Cost is $3.00 per person, children 12 and under are free.  Dress for the weather. Groups of 5 or more please call Karen at 810-969-1023 at least 3 days before to reserve your spot.

Change of the Season – A Guided Nature Walk
Saturday, June 27, 2015               9:30AM to 11:30AM and 3:30PM to 5:30PM
Entrance and parking is located across from  4090 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan Join us for a guided nature walk on the trials of the Hilton and Marjorie Tibbits Nature Sanctuary a Lapeer Land Conservancy property. Bring water bottle, binoculars, camera and field guides. Dress for the weather. This is a walking tour on uneven terrain. No Admittance fee. Groups of 5 or more please call 810-969-1023 at least 3 days prior to this walk.

Learn in the Garden Tour - Planting, Composting and Water Harvesting
Monday, June 29, 2015                 9:30AM to 11:30AM and 3:30PM to 5:30PM
In this tried and true garden tour you will learn basic techniques, of planting, composting and water harvesting to promote sustainability and keep your own garden growing in abundance. This farm and garden tour will be held at Three Roods Farm at 4821 One Acre Drive, Columbiaville Michigan. Dress for the weather. Class size is limited to 15, children 17 and under must be accompanied by a registered adult. No admittance fee. Call 810-969-1023 to reserve your spot.


ReLeaf Michigan is having its annual tree sale, order online and pick up at several locations around Michigan.  http://releafmichigan.blogspot.com/p/tree-and-shrub-fundraiser-sale.html  Check out the unusual selection of trees and shrubs.

ReLeaf Michigan's annual tree and shrub sale helps to reverse Michigan's loss of tens of thousands of trees due to the emerald ash borer, storms, and old age.  Our tree sale is a fundraiser that also encourages the public to plant trees to improve the overall tree canopy of their community. Purchasing and planting our trees and shrubs offer environmental benefits that also provide ReLeaf Michigan with much-needed revenue to support our ongoing tree planting and educational programs.  Thanks for your support!

 
MSU Horticulture Gardens’ Spring Program: Can You Dig It?, May 2, 2015 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Plant and Soil Sciences Building, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI
Sessions include: Woodland wonders from the wild, Art of Gardening, Joy of Propagation, Cultivating the recipe garden, lunch from Grand Traverse Pie Company included.  Rare plant sales.  Early registration (on or before April 21) for MSU Horticulture Garden Member $69 Early registration (on or before April 21) for non-MSU Horticulture Garden Member $79 Registrations received after April 21 $89
Contact: 517-353-0443, hgardens@msu.edu.


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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