May 5,
2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim
Willis
Hi Gardeners
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| Tulip Monsella |
I am sitting here hoping for more rain.
The ground is really getting dry and things are just sitting in the
garden waiting for moisture to sprout. The warm weather has been nice and
according to my records we are 7-10 days ahead of last year when it comes to
bloom times. Let’s hope it keeps up but
remember May is a month when we commonly still get heavy frosts so use caution
in what you plant outside. Don’t move
the tropical houseplants outside yet.
I planted lots and lots of onion plants this week. I also planted carrots, cabbage, and one
cucumber plant that I hope will make it. I moved some geraniums and a few other things outside,
but kept them close to the house in case they need to be brought in if a frost
or freeze is predicted.
Most trees are starting to leaf out now. The tulips are getting into mid-season
bloom. My clove currant is starting to bloom.
Bloodroot is blooming. Clematis
are showing lots of green shoots and the hosta are also popping up. Every day I
find some new flower or green shoot emerging.
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| Apricot blooming the 2nd year after trunk breaking. |
The apricot tree is in full bloom now. The poor thing was broken in the
ice storm of 2013 and is half laying on the ground but still attached on one
side to the main trunk. I left it last
year because it bloomed where it was lying, and then we didn’t get around to
cutting it up. I was surprised to see it
bloom again this year it shows the resiliency of plants. It gets at least one more years reprieve
although we did prune out some dead parts.
It’s in the chicken run so it really doesn’t get in the way and its
developing a new main leader.
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| Daffodil blooming through deck boards. |
Also resilient are the daffodils and common daylilies that got covered
when we added a new deck last year. I thought I had removed any flowers from
the portion of a flower bed that was covered but I missed some. The daffodils
have come up through the deck slots and even bloomed. Now daylily shoots are showing. The deck is about 10 inches off the original
ground level so it wasn’t a huge stretch for them but it is still pretty spunky
of them.
There is so much to do this time of year. I have been weeding and edging as well as
planting. I want to know why the
squirrels are up there eating all the buds off my trees when there are a
thousand baby oak trees coming up in my front flower beds. Did they forget where all those acorns were?
 |
| Petunia exserta |
Here’s the picture of the Bolivian species tulip – Petunia exserta I promised.
It attracts hummingbirds. I’ve moved it outside but I’m ready to move it inside
if needed. And great news- the
hummingbirds are back!
May Almanac
May is a
wonderful month, almost as good as June. The full moon was May 3rd and
appropriately enough it’s called the flower moon. Mother’s Day and Memorial Day
in May are some of the biggest sales days that greenhouses have and May is
almost synonymous with a trip to buy flowers. Other names for May’s full moon are mother’s
moon and milk moon- because new mothers and their milk are everywhere. The
month name of May is derived from the name of the Greek goddess Maia,
associated with fertility.
There are
two sets of notable days in May folklore. The first is Chilly Saints days,
named for the Saints Mameritus, Pancras, and Gervais. The days are the 11th, 12th, and 13th and it is said that these days will be cold
and frosty. (In 2014 these days were hot and humid.) The second set of folklore days is the Ember
days. May Ember days are the 22nd,
24th and 25th. On
the 22nd the weather predicts the weather for June, the 24th
predicts July weather and the 25th predicts the August weather. Example: if it’s cold and wet on the 22nd
the month of June is supposed to be cold and wet.
In 2014 May
22nd was partly sunny and about average in temperature. June 2014
was pretty average. May 24th 2014 was sunny, warm and
humid. July 2014 was cooler than
average. May 25th was also
sunny, hot and humid. August 2014 was
also probably cooler than average. So
much for Ember Day predictions.
May is
planting month around here. The best day
left to plant above ground crops is May 30-31, below ground crops May 12-13 according
to moon stage planting but don’t let
that stop you from getting things planted.
May’s full moon is said to be a great time to harvest any medicinal
herbs that are growing for their maximum potency.
.JPG) |
| Lily of the Valley. |
May’s birth
flower is the Lily of the Valley. It
signifies sweetness and humility. It
also means a return to happiness and you are supposed to give them to people
you find complete happiness with. (Hmmn
not bad for a poisonous plant.) The
birthstone is the emerald which is a symbol of re-birth.
May Day,
May 1, has passed and today is Cinco de Mayo- May 5th but tomorrow is No Diet Day
which is great. It’s also National
Teachers day so hug a teacher. May 8th
is World Red Cross day and Iris day.
Mother’s Day is May 10th. The 16th is Love a Tree day. The 25th is that springboard to
summer day- Memorial Day. But the 29th
is Learn about Composting day and the 30th Water your Flowers Day.
May is
National Barb-b-Que month, National Salad Month, National Egg month, National
Hamburger month and National Date your Mate month. May is also Older Americans
month, Bike Month, National Skin Cancer Awareness month and Blood Pressure
Awareness month.
Red Flag warnings- what they mean
Red Flag conditions
or warnings mean that the surrounding area has conditions that make wildfires
likely. This is dry, warm weather with
low humidity. Windy conditions can
heighten the risk. While it may seem
strange that as our area gets greener we enter a dangerous time for
wildfires. But April was dry around here
and many areas are primed for wildfires.
There are lots of dry leaves, pine needles, dried twigs and other dead vegetation
left from fall and winter that haven’t had time or the right conditions to turn
into compost. There are still branches
and whole trees littering the ground from the late 2013 ice storm. In most springs there is a higher likelihood
of wildfires in April and May.
Wildfires can
start with someone burning trash or brush piles or burning ditches or edges of
fields. They can start from a cigarette thrown from a window, hot mufflers on
cars and motorcycles, campfires, someone dumping coals from the grill or even
lightning strikes. The fires get out of
control and burn larger areas, and houses, barns, sheds and other things in
their way can also burn. Human lives as
well as those of pets, livestock and wildlife can be lost.
In rural
areas a red flag is often hung outside fire stations as a warning when there is
an increased risk for wildfires. The
weather service and local radio and TV stations may also announce red flag
conditions. During Red Flag conditions
outside burning is usually banned. If
your area requires permits for any burning they may not be issued when there is
a red flag warning.
Fighting
wildfires is expensive and dangerous. If
you are the person whose fire got out of control you may be in for a large
fine. People also get bills where
volunteer fire patrols operate if a fire has to be put out on their property,
whether they called the fire department or not and even if the fire didn’t start
on their property. Millions of dollars are spent each year fighting out of
control field fires, money that could be spent in better ways.
Use special
care in burning brush and leaves this time of year even if red flag conditions
aren’t announced for your area. Burn in
open, bare areas, and never leave a fire unattended. Have a plan to control the
fire if it starts getting out of hand, such as ready access to a working hose,
or a fire extinguisher close by. Don’t make the fire too big – divide piles up
to burn- and don’t burn on a windy day.
People who
live in heavily wooded areas, especially if the woods consist of evergreen
species, should develop a fire break of at least 50 feet around their homes. This means excluding evergreen trees and
shrubs from the area and planting only low growing deciduous trees and shrubs
close to the house. (Many evergreen species are very flammable.) Lawns and flower beds are also good
landscaping in a firebreak area. Keep dried leaves and vegetation well away from
the house. If you are in a wildfire prone
area you should be able to hose your roof down on all sides of the house. Make sure outside spigots and enough hose
exists to do this.
Two new and safer ways being
developed to kill pest insects
Most modern
pesticides are turning out to have disastrous consequences that weren’t
expected (at least by the public) when they were developed. They kill good insects and bad and sometimes
sicken or kill other animal species. But what if you could develop a pesticide that
would target only one species of insect and leave the rest unharmed? A group of international researchers is
trying to do just that by using modern research into genetics and neurobiology.
Researchers
are hoping to sequence
the neuropeptides, (groups of which make hormones), in an insect species that regulate
its basic life cycles. Then they will develop
artificial hormones that mimic exactly a specific insect species neuropeptides. They’ll use their artificial hormones to
disrupt the insects life cycle or to attract it to a trap. It won’t affect any other species of life. The research is being done at the University
of Cologne and is being tested in many other places.
Another
type of insecticide being developed uses smell to repel insects. Plants create a smell that repels insects using
an enzyme called (S)-germacrene D synthase.
New biomedical techniques have allowed researchers at Cardiff University
and Rothamsted Research to develop a scent replicating that enzyme. It can be used to repel insects or in a few
cases to lure them to a trap. The smell
isn’t recognized by most animals, including humans. The new insect repelling scent is being
tested and results look promising.
Rotate your garden crops
If you have
been a vegetable gardener any length of time you have heard about crop
rotation. Most small gardeners want to
believe that it doesn’t apply to them, hoping that they can get away with
planting their tomatoes in the exact same spot in their small garden year after
year. But wise gardeners know that crop
rotation benefits even the smallest of gardens.
Each type
of plant takes minerals from the soil in varying amounts, according to its species
needs. Soils are often limited in
certain minerals and nutrients. And while we can use artificial fertilizers to
replace some of the major nutrients like nitrogen, some of the trace minerals
and nutrients may slowly be depleted from the soil, resulting in certain plants
growing less efficiently, having poor immune systems or even dying.
Insects and
fungal diseases have an easier time infecting plants if the home conditions are
familiar to them. Insects and fungal
spores may overwinter in soil or debris left from crops. This is another good reason to move crops
from one area to another each year.
The more
space you can put between where a crop was grown last year and where it will be
growing this year the better, but even moving a crop from one raised bed to
another a few feet away is better than not rotating at all. And while farmers like to give crops a 3 year
or more rest from each area, home gardeners may have to rotate back and forth
every year, but that’s better than no rotation at all.
To rotate
crops you need to know where certain things were grown the previous year so
keep a record. You also need to know
what crops are related to each other, because related crops should be grouped
together when it comes to rotation. For
example tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and potatoes are a related group and should
not be grown where one of the group members was grown the year before.
Other related
groups are the cabbage group which consists of cabbage, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts and cauliflower, the bean group which consists of peas, black eyed peas
and all forms of beans, the squash/melon group which consists of all kinds of
squash, gourds and pumpkins and all melons including watermelon and cantaloupe. The root vegetables group is carrots, onions,
beets, turnips and radishes. Some plants in these groups aren’t closely related
but may share some of the same pests and soil nutrient needs so they shouldn’t
follow each other in the garden either.
Some crops actually
improve the soil for other crops and using crop rotation can provide an extra
bonus there. Peas and beans put nitrogen
into the soil so planting corn, which is nitrogen greedy, where they were
planted last year, is a good idea.
Lettuce would also be a good crop to follow beans. Peas and beans often do better when they are
planted where root crops grew the year before.
What if you
are growing crops in small containers?
If you dump the soil mix and add new each year you should not have a
problem. If you re-use the soil mix you’ll
not only have to fertilize it each year but you should also rotate what crop
was grown in the container.
Spider Plants- not just a house
plant
The spider
plant (Chlorophytum comosum), is one of the easiest houseplants to grow. You
might consider them house “weeds”. They
are excellent air cleaning plants and were sent into space because of that
trait as well as their ease of cultivation.
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| Spider plant in the garden. |
Spider
plants can be so much more than houseplants though. They can add texture and fill for container
gardens. Use them instead of the
traditional “spike” in the center of a pot.
Spider plants can also be planted in the shade directly in the ground,
where they make an excellent ground cover, or used as accent plants. The white
variegated varieties nicely light up dark areas and can substitute for more
expensive plants. They are also nice around shaded ponds. Spider plants can be treated as annuals and
left to die in the winter or you can bring them inside before frost and save
them for next year, enjoying them all winter long.
Spider
plants, also called airplane plants, are native to Africa. They have narrow
grass like leaves that form a clump. The name spider plant comes from the way
the plant reproduces. It forms a long stem from the center of the plant and at
the end of the stem new plantlets, often called “pups” form. The stems gracefully curve over the plant or
dangle below it if the plant is suspended, like a spider on a strand of silk.
The baby “spiders” have tiny nodules on the bottom that rapidly form roots once
they hit either soil or water.
The spider
plant also produces stems that are loaded with tiny white flowers. Flowers and
plantlets are often found on the same stems. The flowers can form tiny; three
section seed capsules, each with a hard black seed inside. New spider plants
can be started from the seeds.
The roots
of the spider plant are white and tuberous. They store water and also particles
floating in the air. Many harmful chemicals that we are breathing in our homes
are removed from the air during the process of photosynthesis and stored in the
root system.
How to grow spider plants
If someone
gives you a plantlet to start you can root it in water or in damp soil. They
root very easily. Most people will purchase spider plants in hanging
baskets. If you keep spider plants
outside in the summer plantlets will often touch the ground and root. These can be detached from the mother plant
and dug out to be potted.
Spider
plants need to be in bright light indoors, but the light in a south or west
window is often too strong for them. Outdoors the plants should be in a shady
location. Spider plants will grow nicely where they get no natural light if the
artificial light is strong enough. Spider plants prefer temperatures that most
people find comfortable, 55-70 degrees, but they will survive temperatures down
to freezing.
The spider
plant stores water so it can last a few days longer than most houseplants
between watering. However, the pot must be well draining, as the roots will rot
if the plant is too wet. If the plant looks limp, you waited too long to water.
Add water and it will probably recover.
The biggest
problem with watering spider plants is that the roots rapidly fill a pot and
the water you pour in seems to just pour right out the drainage hole. If this
is happening you need to re-pot the spider plant in a slightly bigger pot. It
can also happen when you have let the pot get too dry.
If the pot
is too dry, try soaking the pot in the sink or tub filled with warm water that
is just over the pot edge. After an hour so remove the plant from the water and
let it drain. Spider plants also deflect water poured in the center of the
plant; it runs down the leaves and off on to the floor inside. Outside the water
would have been delivered to the plantlets growing out near the edge of the
mother plant. Try to water the soil
surface of potted plants and not pour water on the foliage.
Don’t
over-feed spider plants. A little houseplant fertilizer every other month should
do the trick. If you over fertilize the ends of the leaves often turn brown.
This is from salt build up in the pot or from the salts and minerals in the
water you use. Flushing the plant may help. That doesn’t mean giving your
spider plant a ride in the toilet, rather it means pouring warm water on the
pot many times and letting it drain out the bottom. Keep brown ends trimmed off
to make the plant look nicer.
If the
brown leaf tips worsen it may be time to re-pot your spider plant in fresh
soil. Very dry air, as when the plant is near a heating duct, may also cause
brown tips. If the tips of your spider plant leaves appear chewed off you
probably have a house cat. Cats adore eating spider plants. They are not
poisonous, but may give cats a slight high like catnip.
Spider
plants tend to form the new plantlets and flowers in the fall and winter, as
the days get shorter. A happy spider plant may reproduce itself all year round.
You can remove the plantlets at any time to give to friends.
Varieties of spider plant
Believe it
or not there are several color variations in spider plants. There are solid
green plants, plants with a white stripe in the center or plants with white
leaf edges. There are plants that have yellowish color in the stripes and plants
whose leaves are almost white, except for narrow green edges. All are easy to grow.
Whether you
use them as houseplants or attractive outside foliage plants, spider plants
will reward you with their graceful form and easy growth characteristics.
Growing Stevia, the sweet plant
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| Stevia plants |
Stevia is
an annual plant from the tropics. It has
been used for hundreds of years as a sweetener in India and Southeast Asia and
has recently been approved for use in the United States. You can grow your own natural sweetener in the
herb garden this summer.
Most
gardeners will want to start with a stevia plant. Stevia can be grown from seed; but it must be
started inside in a warm place about 6- 8 weeks before the last frost to do
well in zones 5-6. To keep a supply always
growing, stevia can be started from cuttings from time to time once you have
your first plant. It will grow inside in
the winter on a sunny window sill.
Stevia has
soft green leaves and tiny white flowers that are produced sporadically. It is
not frost hardy and should be put outside only after all danger of frost has
passed. Covering the plant when fall
frosts are predicted may extend the garden life of the plant a little.
Stevia will
grow in sun or partial shade. It needs
good soil enriched with compost and needs to be kept moist. Fertilize with a slow release garden
fertilizer at planting if planted in the ground. A potted plant can be fertilized every other
watering with a diluted (1/2 label recommendations) liquid plant food. Most gardeners
will keep stevia as a pot plant but it can be planted in the ground if large
quantities are to be grown.
Harvesting stevia
Harvest
leaves to be dried at any time or you can pull whole plants to be dried. Flowers and stems can be included. Hang the plants to dry or spread the leaves
out on brown paper bags to dry in a dark, warm place. After stevia is
completely dry, crush the dried plant material to a fine powder. A food processor can help get it to the
proper texture. Your home produced stevia
powder will be green in color.
Store the
green powder in a clean, waterproof container.
Use it in tea or drinks to sweeten them, or in some forms of
cooking. It will not produce good baked
goods, and some people have a hard time getting used to the green color. It has a mild “green” flavor along with the
sweetness that most people do not find objectionable. This sweetener does not raise blood sugar
levels like traditional sugar and is often used by diabetics.
It’s May, plant something every day!
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.
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 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!
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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