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
.JPG) |
| 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.
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| 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
.JPG)
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
Register
online: http://events.anr.msu.edu/register.cfm?eventID=F981110CAB81205F®isProcessID=78A6375F6399E682
Contact:
517-353-0443, hgardens@msu.edu.
Newsletter
information
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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
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