July 14,
2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim
Willis
Hi Gardeners
 |
| Hybrid lily Olina Tango |
I watered
most of my gardens last evening because I didn’t think it would rain but we had
a nice 3/10th inch of rain along with some mild thunder. The lightning was quite showy too. The weather service is saying that more
people have died from lightning strikes this year than any other recorded year.
I like staying outside and watching
storms approach but that may be a habit I should reconsider.
This is a
pretty time of year for the gardens. The
phlox and trumpet lilies are beginning to bloom. Bee balm, daylilies, roses, daisies, Asiatic
lilies, Echinacea, lavender, buddleia, ligularia, astilbe, hydrangeas and
hostas are in bloom and probably many other things. The annuals are in full
bloom, my seed grown nasturtiums, zinnias and cosmos are blooming. Even though I have been ripping them out
right and left the morning glories are also blooming. I try to keep them from totally overrunning
everything else. The trumpet vine is in
bloom and the hummingbirds are happy.
I harvested a
nice early cabbage from the garden last week.
No worms, the trick with the butterfly net worked wonders. I had to remove the nets when the heads
started getting bigger but it seemed I had them on at the right times and
avoided the moths laying their eggs on them.
My late cabbage won’t be quite as worm free I think- as I didn’t have
nets for those plants. I am also
harvesting lettuce, early girl tomatoes, peas and green onions. My sweet corn is starting to tassle. I have large green berries on the blackberries and raspberries and a handful of blueberries that are almost ripe.
While
checking the raspberries last night I noticed a lot of Japanese beetles. It’s a bit late for their emergence and I am
hoping they stay way down in that part of the yard. Those buggers can do a lot of damage to all
kinds of plants.
What to expect at the farmers market
Vegetable and
fruit crops are progressing quite nicely in our state but everything is not
ready for harvest yet. When you go to
the local farmers market you are looking for fresh, locally grown food and not
produce bought in distant states and transported here. While you cannot tell which produce is
produced organically by looking at it you can talk to the seller about how the
produce is grown. Knowing what produce
should be available locally helps you decide whether the farmer you are talking
to is a real grower or just buys from a wholesaler. Produce that’s grown in hoop houses will be a
bit earlier to come on the market but there are limits to everything.
 |
| Early cabbage. |
Here’s what produce
should be available in Lower Michigan right now. Blueberries are beginning to
ripen, one of our earliest seasons yet. You should find them in some markets
this week. Raspberries are also coming on the market and there are still some
cherries available. In Lower Michigan
strawberry harvest has finished. Local
growers may be offering early cabbage, beets, kale, lettuce, green onions,
cauliflower, early summer squash, a few early tomatoes, and peas. Large slicing tomatoes, especially in
quantity, are probably not locally grown.
There may be a few cukes on the market if they are hoop house
grown. Cucumbers are struggling from
early disease and cool weather this year.
Squash is also from hoop houses. The southern counties may be producing green
beans.
Probiotics for plants?
We talked
about probiotics for humans last week but plants can benefit from probiotics
too. Beneficial fungi and bacteria
called endophytes often exist on plants roots and in other plant cells and
these organisms help the plant absorb nutrients from the soil and improve the
plants immune functions. Some plants
have more endophytes than others and this may help them grow in hostile
environments.
Gardeners
have long known that inoculating the seeds of legumes, (peas and beans) that
will be growing where other legumes haven’t grown in a while with helpful
bacteria gets them off to a better start. You can dust the seeds with a bacterial
mixture, usually purchased where you buy the seeds. These crops need the
helpful organisms to “digest” organic material in the soil and produce nitrogen
for their growth. When the nodules in
legumes roots are fully functioning they are also leaving nitrogen in the soil
which benefits other plants. But if
there are none of these helpful bacteria and fungi in the soil when you plant legumes
they may struggle for a while before they can produce enough of their own.
Researchers
at the University of Washington found that other plants can benefit from
endophytes too. They took endophytes
from poplar and willow trees, trees that grow quickly in less than ideal
conditions, and inoculated other plants like rice with them. The inoculated plants grew more quickly, had larger
root systems and appeared healthier than plants which did not receive the inoculants.
Researchers
say that this research is going to start the development of a whole new class
of plant products – plant probiotics- that can help reduce the use of chemical
fertilizers and maybe plant pesticides.
You may want to try some experiments of your own. It’s already been established that soaking
cuttings in water where crushed willow twigs have been soaking helps them root
faster. You could try crushing poplar or
willow roots and steeping them in water, then using the water to soak seeds of
other plants or even to water transplants.
Bacterial products are on the market to use on plants and this is what
the concept of compost tea is probably based on, but a more direct route using
the roots of plants with large colonies of helpful microorganisms might prove interesting. You might try the roots of Autumn Olive too,
which has been shown to improve the growth of other trees when it grows near
them. Who knows, you could develop the
next big plant product in your own backyard.
A natural way to control mosquitoes discovered?
A research
team working at the University of Illinois found that when native blackberry (Rubus
allegheniensis), leaves were added to water they attracted lots of mosquitoes,
particularly Culex pipiens mosquitoes,
(which frequently carry West Nile virus), to lay eggs in the water. The eggs however, did not survive well and the
mosquitoes that did hatch were smaller and less healthy than mosquitoes from
untreated water. American elderberry
leaves had a similar but not as strong effect.
 |
| Blackberry |
Some plants,
such as multiflora rose, (Rosa multiflora), kept most mosquitoes from laying
eggs in the water where their leaves were soaking. Two other common plants, Amur honeysuckle
(Lonicera maackii) and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) both attracted mosquitoes
to the water and seemed to actually produce larger numbers of healthy mosquitoes
when their leaves were in the water.
Leaves in the
water are broken down by colonies of bacteria and mosquito larvae feed on
bacteria. Once again it seems that bacteria
can be very useful if you know how to use them correctly. It might be wise to find some blackberry
leaves and add them to any standing water you have around the home. I am going to try adding both elderberry and
blackberry leaves to my ornamental pond. And it would probably be wise to keep the Amur
honeysuckle and Autumn Olive away from water.
If the bacteria which affect mosquitoes can be isolated we may soon have
a natural pesticide to control mosquitoes.
Since all common plants were not tested, other plants, like some herbs,
may have similar effects on mosquitoes.
One thing that the research study did not mention and maybe they didn’t
test for- was whether the leaves rotting in water also affected other things in
the water, like fish. Elderberry leaves
do contain some toxins, and that might be the harmful to fish whether the
bacteria colonizing the leaves does or does not harm them.
Water hyacinth
Water
hyacinths, Eichhornia crassipes, are common ornamental pond plants that are relatively
safe to grow in the north, but that can spread to natural ponds and waterways
in the south and become invasive. They don’t survive cold winters in the
north. For northern gardeners who want
plants in a small water feature, water hyacinths may be ideal. The water hyacinth produces showy flowers
that are lightly fragrant; its roots filter water and provide hiding spots for
tiny fish after hatching. Having water hyacinth in a water feature also helps
control algae growth. In northern water
features water hyacinth is an excellent, easy to grow addition.
 |
| Water hyacinth. |
Water
hyacinths are native to South American, from the Amazon basin. They grow only
in fresh water. Most sources say they
cannot grow at temperatures below 50 degrees and are killed by frost or
freezing. There are some reports that the plant can survive short freezes and
some people believe that seeds of the plant might survive the cold in the right
conditions. No known cases of it over
wintering in native waters that freeze have occurred. However the water hyacinth has spread around
the world where the water stays warm year round and has caused considerable
trouble. It chokes and shades out native
plants, impedes boating and fishing and can become a major problem in warm
areas with its aggressive growth.
Food for hippos and
manatees?
After water
hyacinths were introduced to the US in the late 1800’s they quickly became
horrendous invaders of natural waters in Florida and other warm places. A bill was even introduced into Congress to
import hippos to eat them. That bill
didn’t pass. However, just this spring researchers in the Sacramento,
California delta area released a herd of hippos in an isolated area to munch on
the plants. Hippos can be very dangerous
to humans so that solution won’t work everywhere.
One of the
favorite foods of the endangered manatee is the water hyacinth. It may be keeping some of the manatees from
disappearing in the south. Manatees have
also been imported to California and other places to deal with the plants. The water hyacinth can also be eaten by
humans and is sometimes used in place of other salad greens.
And just as
we have discovered that many invasive plants can have valuable traits, it was
recently discovered that water hyacinths can filter heavy metals and other
pollutants out of water. China is using
them for this purpose. They can also
discourage algae by absorbing nutrients and preventing algae blooms. Ironically some areas of Florida that had
nearly eliminated water hyacinths are re-introducing them under controlled
conditions to clean water and remove algae overgrowth.
What water hyacinths
look like
Water
hyacinths are floating plants; their roots do not need soil. They have thick, glossy green rounded leaves
with a bulb like base. The bulbs act
like a balloon or life preserver and keep the plants floating. Leaf stems may be reddish. The roots are long and feathery and a deep
reddish or purple color, sometimes black looking, that dangle in the water. Roots will grow into natural muddy bottoms if
they reach them but they don’t need soil. The plants can grow up to 3 feet above
the water in ideal conditions but in most ornamental situations they remain
much shorter than that, generally 12 inches or less.
It’s amazing
how quickly the water hyacinth grows.
One plant can easily become 600 plants in four months if conditions are
right. It reproduces by seed, but most
of the quick multiplying of the plant is done by daughter plants being
developed along the root system. Pond owners
may need to periodically thin out water hyacinths to keep some open water
surface in their ponds.
The plant is
equally quick in how fast it blooms, one day it suddenly develops a bud stalk
and the next it blooms, and the flower dies in a day or so. The flowers are produced in a cluster on a
stalk held above the water and are pale blue or lavender. One petal of each flower has a small yellow
spot on it. They are lightly fragrant
with a pleasant smell not unlike their namesake. The flowers attract water insects and bees
and may produce seed pods. Flowering
occurs on and off throughout the warm months.
Growing water hyacinths
Many northern
garden stores sell water hyacinth plants.
You’ll only need one or two plants even for fairly large ponds as they
spread so quickly. Simply throw the
plants in the pond. Water hyacinths will
grow in any fresh water a foot or more deep.
They prefer calm water but adapt to fountains and pool filters. If you want them to bloom the pond must get 6
or more hours of sunlight a day.
If the leaves
of water hyacinths turn yellow while it’s warm they probably have exhausted the
nutrients of your pond. If you don’t
have fish in the pond you can add a water soluble fertilizer occasionally. If you have fish you can remove some of the
plants to a large bucket with some liquid fertilizer for several days, and then
rinse the roots and return them to your pond, removing some other plants for
their fertilizer treatment. There are
also some pond plant fertilizers that are said to not harm fish.
While water
hyacinths provide some food for goldfish and koi and give them some shade and
hiding spots they may also hide mosquito larvae. Periodically moving the plants around helps
dislodge hiding mosquito larva for the fish to eat. You can also use a floating mosquito
briquette with BT mosquito control in your water feature.
If you want
to share your water hyacinths, simply cut or break off daughter plants. Transport the plants in water.
Saving water hyacinths
through winter
You can over
winter water hyacinths if you have the space and dedication. You’ll need a warm room (70-90 degrees) with
bright light, or a warm space where you can suspend grow lights over your water
container. Choose just a few small, very
healthy plants to bring inside. It’s
probably best to keep them separate from fish inside, since they will need
frequent fertilizing. A room where
dumping water, water spills and high humidity isn’t a problem is best.
Water
hyacinths need very bright light to thrive inside; you may need to suspend grow
lights, full spectrum lights, only a few inches above the water. Buy an aquatic plant fertilizer if you can
and use it according to the label directions.
You could use a water soluble fertilizer for other plants but you may have
to experiment a bit. You will need to
change the whole water container about every other week using water that is not
chlorinated or softened and that has been brought to room temperature. This is to avoid a buildup of waste products
and salts.
Water
hyacinths are interesting and helpful plants in the right situations. Please don’t dump your unwanted plants in
natural water ways. Compost them on dry
ground. That way we avoid any unwanted
invasive behavior and keep the plants available for ornamental gardeners.
Trumpet vines
Trumpet vine,
Campis radicans, grows happily
through much of the United States and that’s good, because there are few plants
more attractive to hummingbirds. If you need a sturdy, easy to grow vine for
sun or partial shade, or want to attract hummingbirds to your yard, plant a
trumpet vine. While there are some gardeners who consider the trumpet vine
invasive, it has many good features if carefully managed.
 |
| Trumpet vine |
You may know
the trumpet vine, by one of its other common names, Trumpet Creeper,
Hummingbird vine or Cross Vine. It is native to the Southeastern United States
but has naturalized in many other areas. There are also Asian species that have
been hybridized with our native species to produce different colors and forms.
Growing trumpet vines
Plant trumpet
vine on a sturdy trellis or fence some distance from the house or flowerbeds.
The aerial roots that the vine produces creep under shingles and boards and
lift them; the heavy vines may collapse structures that are not sturdy. The
regular roots of the trumpet vine will crack foundations, come up through
asphalt and invade sewer lines. Plant it on a pole or dead tree in an area that
can be mown around. Without support trumpet vine will form a large shrub. If
it’s situated in an area that can be mown around this is often the best
solution. Keep suckers mown or trimmed down and prune and thin aggressively to
keep it in control.
Trumpet vine
will grow in sun or partial shade. It will even grow in fairly deep shade,
although it will seldom bloom there. It prefers loose, rich soil but manages to
grow fairly well in most other soils too.
Gardeners
usually buy trumpet vines as plants. The vines send out underground runners
that develop into new plants that can be detached and transplanted. Trumpet
vine resents transplanting however, and may sulk the first year. Potted plants
from a nursery transplant somewhat better. Once it gets established though,
watch out! Trumpet vine can grow 30 foot or more in one season. Trumpet vines
can also be started from cuttings, which root fairly easily. The vines do produce seeds and these can be
started for new plants also.
The trumpet
vine has compound leaves, consisting of 7-11 leaflets per stem. They are slow
to leaf out in the spring so don’t forget where they are planted. Be careful
handling the plant as some people have an allergic reaction to the foliage.
Trumpet vine stems become thick and woody over time. These woody vines usually
survive winter and then put out new growth. Where trumpet vines are grown as a
bush they will die back to the ground in some areas, but will come back quickly
from the roots in the spring.
Trumpet vine
flowers consist of 5 petals fused into a long, tubular shape that flares out at
the end. Most trumpet vines have orange flowers; the color can vary somewhat
depending on the weather and the age of the flower. In full sun, with rich soil
and even moisture the trumpet vine can be in bloom from early summer through
fall. In dry or very hot conditions the trumpet vine may stop blooming for a
while.
Hummingbirds
love trumpet vines and a large plant may have several hummers on it at the same
time. The flowers also attract bees and ants. Trumpet vine flowers eventually
turn into bean-like seedpods full of flat, paper like seeds, if the hummers
have done their work.
Keep trumpet
vines well-watered as they get established. They do not need fertilizer and
seldom get diseases or insect pests. If drought conditions develop in your area
a deep watering may keep them in bloom longer.
Once it gets
established the trumpet vine thrives on pruning. Thin and prune aggressively to
control and shape the plant. Wait until spring growth has started, which may be
quite late, before pruning out winter damage, as it is difficult to determine
dead wood on these vines.
Some varieties
‘Mme Galen’
is an old selection that is very deep orange. ‘Apricot’ is a yellow-orange.
“Indian Summer’ is a new variety that has a deep orange throat and lighter
orange flare. ‘Summer Snowfall’ has red-orange flowers but the leaves are
variegated with white.
You may be a plant hoarder if……
 |
| Monarda- or Bee Balm. |
Some people
garden because they want to produce their own food. Some people garden because they want to
beautify their surroundings. These
people are content to grow the plants they like to eat or the plants that
produce the ornamental effect they desire. They limit their plant collection to the space
they have available and the time they want to devote to care for them. Not me.
I am a plant hoarder. Here are
some signs that you may be a plant hoarder too.
1.
You
can’t pass a plant sale without stopping, even if the plants look terrible.
2.
You
have a plant budget imposed on you by a spouse.
3.
You
don’t need curtains on your windows because there are so many plants in them.
4.
You
pinch off seed pods or a teensy cutting at public gardens.
5.
It
doesn’t matter if it’s not hardy in your planting zone, you’ll worry about that
later.
6.
You
have to walk sideways on your porch or patio to avoid plants.
7.
You
save all your geraniums and other tender perennials over the winter.
8.
You
can always find space for another plant.
9.
You
ask your neighbor for space to grow plants.
10. Only you can tell the difference between this
iris/daylily/hosta variety and the next.
11. You spend more time with your plants
than your family.
12. You have considered stealing a plant.
Do you know
any more signs of a plant hoarder? Write
me and tell me your plant hoarder secrets.
Have a good mid-summer day and keep
the umbrella handy.
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.
Here’s a seed/plant
sharing group you can join on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/875574275841637/
Here’s a facebook page link for
gardeners in the Lapeer area
Here’s a
link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road,
North Branch. Now open.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor
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 to 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.
July 2015
Change
of the Season – A Guided Nature Walk Saturday, July 18, 2015 9:30AM to 11:30AM
We will
tour the Hilton and Marjorie Tibbits Nature Sanctuary a Lapeer Land Conservancy
property. Entrance and parking is located across from 4090 Columbiaville Road,
Columbiaville, Michigan. Bring water bottle, binoculars, camera and field
guides. Dress for the weather. Free admission.
History of the Land Series - Intro
to Wetlands Saturday July 18, 2015 1pm to 3pm
This History
of the Land Series will spotlight the Klam Road Wetland. Hilton and Marjorie
Tibbits Nature Sanctuary, a Lapeer Land Conservancy property. Entrance and parking is located across from
4090 Columbiaville Road, Columbiaville, Michigan. Bring water bottle and binoculars.
Dress for the weather. This is a walking tour on uneven terrain. $5.00
donation.
Please call
810-969-1023 3 days prior to the event date to reserve your spot! For all
programs children 17 and younger must be accompanied by a registered adult.
Please park in the designated parking areas! Thank You!
Garden Day 2015, August 1, 2015, 8
a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Veterinary Medical Center / Plant & Soil Sciences Bldg.,
MSU campus, East Lansing, MI
This is
MSU’s horticulture departments annual garden seminar. The public is welcome. Key note speaker is
Rick Darke, a widely published author, photographer, lecturer and consultant
focused on regional landscape design, planning, conservation, and enhancement. You
get a choice of 2 other classes and a closing speaker also.
Cost is
$85.60 for non-2015 Garden members prior to July 24, $95.60 on and after July
25th this includes lunch but not the evening reception.
Please
visit www.hrt.msu.edu/garden-day-2015/ for a full schedule, workshop
descriptions and more. Contact:
Jennifer Sweet, CMP, CTA, at 517-355-5191 ext. 1339 or hgardens@msu.edu.
MSU Plant Trial Field Day, August 4,
2015, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. 1066 Bogue Street, Plant & Soil Sciences Bldg.
(1st floor), East Lansing, MI 48824
Commercial
growers, landscapers and advanced gardeners are invited to this annual event to
learn about some of the superior new plants and how they perform in
mid-Michigan in the MSU Trial Gardens. Plant performance, ornamental
characters, and special needs of plants will be covered. We will also host
presentations on the most recent research on the development and spread of
impatiens downy mildew and up-to-date discussions on the evolving ethics of
American gardeners. For this important and timely topic, Entomologists and
Horticultural Extension Specialists will bring us up-to-date on the latest news
in pollinators, native insects, and pesticides such as neonicotinoids.
The $42/person
registration fee (by July 30) includes morning refreshments, lunch, parking,
trial booklet, and the program.
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.
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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