January 19,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hello
Gardeners
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| Sambucus (elderberry) |
Where is that El Nino winter? I
want it back. It looks like we’ll start
getting a slight warm-up after today. At
least we didn’t get buried in snow, but our back roads here are a sheet of
ice. It doesn’t look like we have any
big snow storms coming this week and maybe some sun here and there. I can stand the cold if it’s sunny.
I have been going out each morning and seeing deer tracks on the path to
the barn. This is a pretty enclosed area,
and the back yard fence runs along it with my dogs able to patrol it. I was puzzled as to why deer were coming up
there, since I thought I had few plants along there to attract them. This morning I finally realized what they
were after. The fence was covered with
both morning glory and woody nightshade this year. They were standing in the little raised bed
that runs along the fence and munching off the vines- I think to get the nightshade
berries. No berries were left on this
side of the fence. They may have been
eating morning glory seeds too- which probably gave them a nice buzz.
The deer seem unusually bold this year; I didn’t have much trouble with
them coming close to the house before.
It’s strange because the snow cover is light and they should be able to
get plenty of browse still. Maybe not
enough hunters this year. The wild birds
have been very hungry also. I go through
about 20 pounds of sunflower seed and several cakes of suet each week.
I hope you all have something blooming inside this winter. I have geraniums, hibiscus, kalanchoe,
Christmas cacti and peace lily in bloom right now. Some cleome has come up in a pot I brought
inside and its 18 inches tall. I’m
debating on whether to separate it out of the pot it’s in and see if it will
bloom inside or just pull it out and discard it. You can probably guess which I will do.
I am going to be starting some seeds and cuttings this weekend. I hope you also have some garden projects you
can putter around with. There’s nothing
like gardening to keep you sane through the winter.
Why everyone
needs to get down and dirty
When you wander outside on a spring day, after the soil is thawed and the
sun is warm you can smell spring in the air.
That distinctive rich earthy scent is from bacteria awakening in the
soil, breathing, eating and reproducing. There are thousands of types of
bacteria in soil, and we are just getting to know how many species there are and
what they do.
One common soil bacteria, Mycobacterium
vaccae has been studied intensively for the last decade or so. It has been used to create tuberculosis and leprosy
treatments and was being studied for cancer treatment when doctors noticed
something in their patients. While the M. vaccae treatment didn’t seem to alter
the progression of cancer very much doctors noticed that patients getting the
treatment were less anxious, happier and more content than patients not getting
the treatment.
This triggered studies to see if M.vaccae
did alter moods and thinking. Numerous
studies in various countries have now confirmed that M.vaccae stimulates the production of neurons which produce
serotonin, that wondrous substance that makes us feel happy and contented. Some
studies also found that M.vaccae
exposure also improved memory and learning.
There are ongoing research projects to make treatments for depression
and mental illness from M.vaccae that
may someday replace drugs like Prozac.
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| Gardening makes us happy. |
Gardeners have long said that they feel better and happier when they get
out in the “dirt”. When you garden you
inhale, ingest and absorb through your skin many helpful bacteria, such as M.vaccae. While standing on the porch and inhaling the
earthy aroma of bacteria could also help your mood, getting right in there,
down and dirty, is the best way to lift your spirits. Seasonal depression is
triggered by lower light exposure but it’s very probable that missing those
daily doses of helpful bacteria may also contribute to feeling blue and cranky
in the winter.
This may explain why garden therapy for the mentally challenged,
residents of nursing homes, hospices and prisons is usually so successful. And
why some of us get “spring fever” in the first warm days of spring. People just
feel better when they are exposed to soil.
Maybe what makes some of us such avid gardeners is an increased need for
the soothing, uplifting effects of helpful bacteria. Gardening can be an addiction!
A note on
potting mixes
As a side note I am going to be testing some new potting mix from Gardeners Supply
Company that has added mycorrhizae. Potting medium is not soil, but a mixture of
peat, coir, and other substances. Mycorrhizae
are fungi, not bacteria but they are extremely helpful to many species of
plants in establishing a well-functioning root system. Some of the substances used in potting mixes
may contain bacteria and even mycorrhizae but these products are probably still
lacking some of those helpful organisms or have them in lesser quantities than
soil. And many mixes are sterilized
before packaging, which destroys living organisms.
The problem with including actual soil in potting mixes is that it can
contain harmful organisms as well as beneficial ones. In the artificial environments of pots and
seed starting trays this can be a problem.
Now that we can identify and isolate some beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae
we are able to include some of them in potting mixes while still removing
harmful ones. This should improve plant
health.
I’ll report later on whether I found that the new potting medium, Seed
Starter with Super Root Booster and Transplant mix with Super Root Booster to
be better than regular potting soil.
Food can’t be
healthy
You may be hearing or seeing the statement- “food can’t be healthy”- in the media lately and if you haven’t –
well here it is. So what does this
mean? For one thing it’s reminding us that using
words correctly helps keep things from getting confused. Food cannot be healthy, it can be nutritious
or not nutritious but health is the state of a living being. People can be healthy if they eat nutritious
food but we don’t call people nutritious-(well most of us wouldn’t – and I guess
we could be for some other creatures.)
But the statement “food can’t be healthy” should also remind us of the
contentious debate going on in the world of food science and nutrition today. One day a certain food is said to be nutritious
and the next it’s said to be harmful. Eat this, not that. The USDA just released a new food guideline that’s
generated a storm of controversy. Many
researchers feel that saturated fat is not a problem at all in the diet and yet
the USDA guidelines still vilify it.
Many researchers take issue with the idea that red meat is “bad” -
stating it’s the way meat is cooked that may cause a health problem. One researcher may think coffee has health
benefits or alcohol in moderation while others condemn them.
Nutritional research is hard to conduct.
Most such research relies on people to accurately remember and report
what they eat. And people instinctively
try to report eating more of what they feel are nutritious foods and tend to
underestimate portions of foods they eat.
But most people do have a sense for what foods are good for them- foods
that are minimally processed and contain no added sugar. (Even so, some raw foods are not very
nutritious, take head lettuce as a good example.) Yet even though we know what
we should eat, habit, economics, convenience, and addictions seem to control
what many of us eat.
One day I predict, diets will be tailored to individuals. Some people are better able to process carbs
than others for example. Some people may
need more of certain nutrients, such as iron, than others. Some may need more protein. There are some foods that are not nutritious
and may even be harmful, (soy oil, high fructose corn syrup) that we need to
remove from the global pantry. But a nutritious
diet, one that makes you healthy may
be one that you need to experiment with and determine for yourself.
Benefits and
disadvantages of buying bare root plants
When you are checking out those garden catalogs and on- line garden stores
this winter you may notice that some plants are sold “bare root” rather than
potted. When you buy a bare root plant
you will receive a dormant plant whose roots are without soil. They may be in damp moss, paper or wood
shavings but won’t be in a pot. Not all
plants can be shipped bare root. But strategies
developed over centuries have allowed people to send plants great distances
without the weight and disease and pest potential that pot soil carries.
Plants need to be in a dormant state to be shipped bare root. Growers
have various ways to put plants in dormancy and keep them stored that way until
they are sold. Much of this depends on
cold treatment, but lighting and chemical treatments are sometimes
employed. The soil is gently removed
from the roots after plants are harvested.
The proper humidity must be maintained in storage so that plants don’t
dry out or mold and rot.
Plants that are shipped bare root are almost always deciduous, and most
frequently perennial, woody type plants.
Some very small evergreen seedlings can be sent bare root because enough
moisture can be supplied to the roots for a short period by wrappings, but larger
evergreens cannot. Herbaceous plants
with fleshy, tuberous roots can sometimes be shipped bare root, hosta, iris,
daylilies for example, and also a few other herbaceous plants. But some plants will only survive well if
potted during shipping, even if they are dormant. Even some varieties of plants normally shipped
bare root are more likely to survive if shipped potted. Plant sellers are usually pretty good at
choosing the right method of shipping.
Plants often sold bare root include: fruit trees, grapes, raspberries,
strawberries, ornamental and shade deciduous trees, flowering shrubs, peonies, daylilies,
hosta, iris, astilbe, clematis, asclepias, hollyhocks, phlox, ferns, and roses.
Shipping plants in a dormant, bare root condition allows gardeners to get
larger sized, more mature fruit trees and other woody ornamentals in a less inexpensive
way than if the plants had to be shipped in pots with the weight associated
with soil determining shipping costs. Even smaller perennials generally cost less
than similar sized potted plants. So
economy is one important advantage of bare root plants.
You have less of a chance of getting pests or diseases when you purchase
bare root plants than when potted plants are bought. In some cases, dormant bare root plants will
be allowed into a state but potted ones will not because of soil borne disease. But all disease or even pests are not
prevented by purchasing a plant bare root.
Bare root plants often survive shipping better than potted plants
especially when the weather is cold or shipments get delayed. But bare root plants can only be sold when
the weather is cool, generally in the spring, because warmth may bring them out
of dormancy. This is often the problem
with boxed dormant plants and bagged roses that you see in retail stores. The plants are sitting in warm, bright
conditions and begin to grow. The longer
they grow before being planted the weaker they become and less likely they are
to survive when planted in the garden.
If you are shopping in a garden store and see boxed perennials or roses
don’t choose the ones with long shoots.
They may seem appealingly more alive than the ones without growth but if
the last frost hasn’t occurred in your area planting them outside shouldn’t be
done. They will not be conditioned to
the cold and the growth will be killed. This
further weakens plants already compromised by sprouting without soil. You could pot them and hold them inside if
you have the room. But these plants
frequently do not perform as well as those that did not have much growth before
they were planted.
That is another disadvantage of bare root plants. They should be planted as soon as possible
after you receive them. Plant sellers
try to guess when the weather is right in your area for planting bare root plants
but they can be wrong. And things can
happen on your end that will prevent you from immediately planting bare root stock. For a short time bare plants can be held in a
cool, dark spot and kept moist. Do not store bare root plants sitting in water!
But if the wait is going to be more than a week, or the plant is too large to
be stored in any cool place you have inside, you should pot it in a good
potting medium and keep it in a cool, bright location outside until you can put
it in the ground.
Unless you are instructed otherwise by the seller, dormant plants can be
planted outside as soon as you can dig in the soil. This way they emerge from dormancy slowly in
the proper time for your area. Because
of dormancy treatments some plants received, some bare root plants may be
slower to break dormancy than established plants of the same species in the
area. Be patient with them.
In short, bare root plants allow a gardener to get large, more mature
plants at a reasonable cost, usually less than potted plants of the same size
and maturity. But the time when they can
be purchased safely is generally confined to a short spring season. Bare root plants can often survive shipping
better than potted plants and have less chance of carrying disease and
pests. But when they arrive they must be
tended to promptly. Not all plant
species can be sold as bare root plants.
Unusual plants
to try this year
Jicama Pachyrhizus erosus, Yam bean, Mexican
potato, Mexican turnip
Here’s something different for the vegetable garden. While the plants are in the bean family and
produce blue or white pea-like flowers and then bean pods, that’s not the part
of the plant you eat. In fact all above
ground parts of the plant are poisonous.
What is eaten is the fleshy tubers or roots of the plant.
Jicama’s round tubers are light yellow on the outside and white inside,
with a crispy texture, and sweet flavor.
They are used raw or in stir fried.
They have few calories and lots of nutrients so they have become popular
as a health food. In Central and South
America street vendors sell the tubers, sliced and dipped in lime juice and
sprinkled with chili powder.
Jicama requires a long growing season so in Michigan you’ll need to start
seeds inside about 8 weeks before the last frost. Then transplant out when the weather warms
up. The plant makes a long, heavy vine and needs a good support. The vines are
left until frost kills them and then the tubers are dug.
Cathedral Bells, Cobaea scandens, Cup and Saucer Vine
 |
| Cobaea scandens. en.wikipedia.org |
This pretty plant isn’t grown in gardens as much as it should be. It is a
fast growing annual vine that can climb 20 feet. The flowers are cup shaped, about 2 inches
wide, with a group of sepals at the base forming the “saucer”. The flowers start out pale green and mature
to deep purple (and sometimes other shades of purple). The anthers are a chartreuse color and stick
out of the center, and the throat of the cup is streaked in white.
If you like hummingbirds you may want to plant some of this vine as they
are very attractive to hummers. Vines need full sun and need to be kept
watered. They are sometimes grown in large hanging baskets, and the ends are
pinched to promote fullness. Start seeds about 6 weeks before the last frost in
Michigan or buy plants. Cup and Saucers
will bloom from mid-summer through frost.
Genista lydia, Spanish Broom, Gorse
This plant is a member of the pea or legume family. In mid- spring- just after forsythia in most
gardens, it is covered with golden yellow pea-like blooms. Blooming continues for several weeks. The plant has fine, narrow leaves and an
arching, spreading habit that also looks nice out of bloom. It is excellent for spilling out of
containers or over walls, making a low hedge, or in rock gardens.
 |
| Genista lydia. wikipedia .com |
Proven Winners has introduced a nice variety called Bangle® which was developed in Michigan. Genista
lydia needs full sun, well- drained soil, and is hardy in zones 4-9. Plants
grow to about 2 feet high and can be pruned to maintain shape if needed. There
are also other species of Genista, some of which are used for dye and herbal
medicines.
Non Native
plants that are great for bees, birds and other wildlife
Many non-native plants are grown in gardens and many people recognize
that these plants are attractive to bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other
songbirds that gardeners like to attract.
There is a small group of people who want to restrict the use of plants
to those that are native. The “official” designation of an invasive plant
states that the plant does more harm than good in an environment and that was
introduced from another area. But some
of the non-natives that are listed as invasive species are actually quite
beneficial to wildlife and pollinators.
Most people don’t even recognize how many non-native species of plants
gardens, lawns, and even what is considered wild areas, actually contain. The USDA actually introduced many of the
species now considered to be invasive.
And the truth is some of those species are still quite useful to
wildlife and pollinators. Often these
plants should not be treated as dangerous invaders, but rather as useful
additions to the landscape and wild areas.
They are often saviors, rather than destroyers of an environment.
The idea that some plants can cause destruction and disappearance of
native species by the sole act of showing up in a habitat is slowly fading as
we learn more about how ecosystems actually work. Many people are actually questioning what
long term harm invasive species have actually done, except for the hours of
work and millions of dollars spent trying to remove them. Evidence of harm that is often cited by those
“native only” proponents is usually based on decades old, small, unscientific
research projects or even on assumptions.
More recent, unbiased research has found that nature is remarkably
resilient and adaptable. Invasive
species usually take hold in environments that have changed and that are no
longer suitable for certain native species.
The environment is more suitable for
the new species and so it gains an advantage.
And this doesn’t cause a cascade of lost species. The new ecosystem isn’t worse than the old,
just different.
Pollinators of all sorts, especially the non-native honey bees, are
struggling to survive in many areas today.
Some songbirds and other animals are also having a hard time adjusting
to many environmental changes, climate, encroachment of man, and pollution
among them. Any plants that can grow in
the changed ecosystem that can help them should be welcomed and encouraged.
Some non-native plant Nazi’s are actually urging gardeners to purge their
gardens of plants grown for centuries as ornamentals. They are rather selective
in that endeavor of course. You don’t
see them telling people to destroy apple trees or lilacs, for instance, even
though the trees have spread far and wide.
Carrots and broccoli are still allowed in vegetable gardens among other
non-native crops, and herbal gardens abound with non-natives.
So this article is going to list some plants that are quite helpful and
friendly to bees, butterflies, song birds and other wildlife. If you want more
of these critters on your property and you want to help maintain pollinator
populations you may want to grow them.
Many of these plants may be on various plant terrorist “watch lists” and
you may not be able to purchase them.
But if you have them already don’t let someone scare you into removing
them if you like wildlife and want to help pollinators. The dirty little secret is that few places
actually have laws in place that can make you remove them or punish you for
having them.
Sure, native species also help sustain pollinators and other wildlife and
if you can find them, and if they will still grow well in your area, it’s great
to plant them. But don’t rule out or
exclude non-natives if you want to help wildlife and attract more of it to your
garden or property. If the plant is
useful to members of an ecosystem then it should be welcomed.
Dames Rocket
(Hesperis Matronalis)
Why this pretty, harmless plant is targeted by the non-native haters is
puzzling. Yes this short lived perennial
spreads quickly but it usually takes over in less than ideal places like along
roads, at the edges of parking lots and in disturbed areas with less than ideal
soil, and in gardens, where it is often encouraged. And in those areas where useful native plants
are often lacking it provides a bounty of early season nectar for bees and
butterflies. Beekeepers love it.
Dames Rocket grows to about 3 feet tall.
It’s usually lavender, but sometimes pink or white, clusters of flowers
are phlox like, but the plants aren’t related.
It has a sweet honey scent and is as pretty in the garden as in a
vase. Butterflies flock to it and early
hummingbirds will also visit it. Some
people gather the early shoots for spring greens so it’s useful to humans
too. It dies back by mid-summer, which
allows other plants to take its space.
It reproduces by seed, contained in long narrow pods. Make sure to let some seed dry and fall each year
to keep it in the garden. You can still
buy seed for this plant in some garden catalogs. Another way to get the plant is to find where
it’s growing along the roadside and collect seed.
Buddleia species
Once widely touted as a garden plant that attracted butterflies and even
given the common name of Butterfly Bush, buddleia is now being frowned on by
the plant purists because of the possibility it might spread to wilderness
areas. In the south it has occasionally
escaped and proliferated- with no obvious harm- but in colder zones 5-6 it
rarely goes beyond the garden. In fact
some of the numerous cultivars of buddleia won’t even survive one winter in
northern gardens.
Buddleia attracts butterflies, such as red admirals, red spotted purples,
skippers, and tiger swallowtails, the hummingbird moth, as well as a lot of
different native bees, honey bees and even hummingbirds. The long flower spikes
offer color in the garden as well as a nectar source in late summer when it’s
often needed. Hummingbirds often feed on
the plants late into the evening.
Don’t worry about planting
buddleia. There are dozens of species,
colors and many mature sizes among the plants and buying the plants is rarely
restricted. They are found in most
garden catalogs and shops.
Purple
loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Yes this one got a lot of negative press in the last century. It supposedly choked waterways and displaced
native plants. It was a bit of a bully
early in its colonization of American marshlands, but in most places it has
settled in to being part of, not the entire ecosystem. Some of this has come from pest insects
adapting or being imported to control it but some researchers also think that
pollution control efforts in the last few decades may have also given it less
of an advantage. It grew better in
polluted waters than some native plants.
What isn’t often told that not only is the plant pretty with its bright
purple spires of flowers, it also provides pollen and nectar for a wide range
of species. Honey bees, bumble bees, all
kinds of native bees and many butterflies such as the common sulfur and wood
nymph all flock to the plants when they bloom.
In fact purple loosestrife produces more and better quality pollen and
nectar than the native Lythrum salicaria.
That’s often cited as a reason we should destroy the plant, because the
native plant will produce fewer seeds. But the two don’t often grow in the same
areas anyway, and if we are thinking about the protecting all the species in an
environment purple loosestrife would seem to be a winner.
You’ll probably need to collect seeds or dig up wild plants if you want
the plant in your landscape. It prefers
moist areas but can grow in other areas if kept irrigated.
Autumn Olive
(Elaeagnus umbellate)
Now here is a plant that our own USDA once sold as a wildlife food and
cover resource. This small tree or
large shrub can spread rapidly, and soon the non-native plant people were
alarmed and began to preach against the plant.
You may notice that it will take over abandoned pastures and cropland
quite quickly. But here’s the
thing. The places where it rapidly
proliferates are usually low in fertility, damaged and compacted soil areas. Since autumn olive takes nitrogen from the
air and puts it in the soil it actually improves soil. Other trees growing near it actually show a
boost in growth. It provides cover and
browse for deer and other wildlife and begins the transition from bare land to
forest.
The flowers of autumn olive are inconspicuous but the sweet smell of them
will drift for long distances. The
shrubs will be buzzing with bees in no time, it is an excellent nectar source
and a nice honey is made from it.
Butterflies and even hummingbirds also visit the flowers. The flowers turn into red berries which are
food for many species of songbirds, who often visit the patches of autumn olive
on migration flights. All kinds of
wildlife from mice to bears enjoy the fruits.
Even humans like the berries; they can be made into jams and jellies and
are very high in lycopene, an important human nutrient.
You can still buy autumn olive plants in some states. It’s usually easy to spot the plants in some
abandoned field to collect berries or small plants.
Teasel (Dipsacus
fullonum)
Teasel is another foreign invader that grows along roadsides and in waste
areas. It is tall with a blue
thistle-like flower that turns into a spiny pod that is attractive in dried
flower arrangements and was once used to comb out wool. It does spread by seed but once again where
it grows is seldom a place that other plants thrive in.
Teasel is an excellent winter food source for small birds who relish the
seeds.
White clover,
sweet clover, red clover
Most clovers are non-native species and many of them are now being
discouraged as food sources for wildlife or even livestock because they are
non-native. But clovers are one of the
favored bee plants and make great honey.
They are also excellent feed for deer or elk. Leaving clover in the lawn will help keep
rabbits from damaging other plants because clover is one of their favorite
foods.
Clovers are another plant that improves poor soil. Some like Crimson clover are very ornamental.
Don’t be afraid to plant clovers of any kind in your landscape.
Crown vetch
(Securigera varia)
This is another plant introduced by the USDA for erosion control and as a
possible forage plant for cattle. It is
now called an invasive species. It will
spread rapidly in sunny areas, even in poor soils and really isn’t suitable for
a garden. But if you have a patch of
unused land or a steep bank you need to cover this plant is extremely
useful. And crown vetch is very helpful
to a wide range of wildlife. Like most
plants considered to be invasive this plant generally thrives where other
native plants are struggling.
Crown vetch is a sprawling, thick plant that in summer is covered with
pink and white pea-like flowers arranged in a circular clusters or crown
pattern. It will also be covered with
bees and butterflies when it is bloom, to the extent the whole patch will be
buzzing and may be dangerous to wade through.
Bees and butterflies love this plant for its nectar. It is also a larval food source for some
butterflies, including the Melissa blue, Orange Sulfur, and Wild Indigo
Duskywing. The flowers make seed which
is eaten by a number of birds and small animals.
The thick cover the plant makes is home to ground nesting birds and
rabbits. Deer, elk, moose and other
wildlife graze it. It’s good grazing for
cattle and sheep but non-ruminants like horses shouldn’t be allowed to eat it
because it is toxic to them. The seed of
this plant can still be purchased in some catalogs or you can dig up small
plants.
Japanese knotweed
(Fallopia japonica formerly Polygonum cuspidatum)
Here is another plant portrayed as a terrible villain. It is very fast spreading and like wisteria
and trumpet vines, can damage pavement, homes or buildings. But it is also pretty, smells good in bloom
and loved by pollinators. The plants can
grow as high as 8 feet and it will grow in any soil, sun or shade. It has hollow, bamboo like stems. It blooms in late summer, pretty white foamy
clusters when nectar flowers are in short supply. Bees love this plant and a special honey,
called bamboo honey, is sold by some bee keepers. It would make an excellent hedge or screen
that is also helpful to pollinators.
Japanese knotweed dies to the ground each fall. Its stems can be collected and dried, cut
into small pieces and bundled together for homes for mason bees and other
tunnel dwellers. Some people eat the
shoots of Japanese knotweed in the spring as a green. You’ll have to start pieces of the root-
which is very easy to do, to get a start for this plant. You will probably never find it being
sold. And it is one of the few plants
that the government in your area may come and destroy. In Michigan it is illegal to grow the
plant. But a USDA official said there is
no way to force you to destroy the plants on your property and no punishment
for having the plants.
Non-native
honeysuckles: Japanese
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica),
Lonicera tartarica, L. morrowii, L. x bella, Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera
maackii)
Once again these non-native honeysuckles are much abused by non-native
plant Nazi’s despite many of them once being USDA introductions for the purpose
of supporting wildlife. Many of these
are widespread already in “wild” areas and could be considered naturalized
citizens. Japanese honeysuckle is found
almost everywhere in the Eastern US.
Some honeysuckles are vines, others bush forms. Most green up early in spring. Flowers vary from white and yellow, small
tubular flowers to long red trumpets.
Some are highly fragrant like the Japanese honeysuckle. But one thing is true; the honeysuckle
flowers are loved by bees and hummingbirds which flock to the plants. And when
the flowers turn to berries they become a magnet for bluebirds, robins, tufted
titmouse, northern bobwhite, American goldfinch, northern mockingbird, and
others. Birds also nest in honeysuckle
bushes and vines.
Bush type honeysuckles can make a hedge or screen that’s also good for
wildlife. Some honeysuckles can be added
to gardens. Many types of honeysuckles are still sold. There are also native honeysuckles, but many
of them aren’t as attractive to pollinators and birds as some of the
non-natives. Don’t be afraid to plant
honeysuckles to attract wildlife and help pollinators.
Other non-native
plants to consider
All types of fruit trees are attractive to pollinators and most are not
native. Even if an apple tree doesn’t
provide good fruit it’s excellent as a source for spring pollen and nectar and
fall fruit crops for deer and other animals.
Weeds in the lawn, many of which are non-natives, should be left for
pollinators. These include dandelions,
purple dead nettle, and ajuga. Kentucky
bluegrass, the most common lawn grass, despite the name, is a non-native plant
anyway and virtually useless for wildlife.
If the weeds spread so much the better for wildlife.
 |
| Bee on comfrey flower |
Herbs are for the most part non-native but many of them are great for
pollinators. Catnip, lavender, thyme,
oregano, marjoram, dill, comfrey, Lemon balm, fennel, and rosemary all attract
bees and butterflies. Some also spread
rapidly, like comfrey and lemon balm, even to “wild’ areas but are seldom
labeled invasive. And they can be quite
pleasing and useful to humans too.
Some common garden flowers other than buddleia are now being discouraged
because they are non- native. These
include Russian sage, day lilies, various salvias, calendula, scabiosa,
hollyhocks, petunias, and many other things.
This is silly. Plant the flowers
you like in your garden. Many of them,
including tropicals will attract and feed bees, hummingbirds and butterflies.
They will take nothing away from native plants. They don’t cause extinctions
and almost all are harmless. Sometimes
native plants will fare better in a spot, other times something non-native will
grow better there. As long as there is
any plant there you’re good.
There are no restrictions on immigrants in nature. Nature welcomes all that can come and
contribute to the environment. It’s only
humans that label and discriminate.
Sniff some soil and get happy.
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.
Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share? Post them here by emailing me.
Free seeds
I have
these seeds that I collected from my garden that I am willing to share
free. Look at the list and if you would
like some contact me at kimwillis151@gmail.com
I will tell
you where to send a stamped self-addressed envelope for the seeds. If you want
popcorn or black walnuts it will take several stamps. I have published this list on the seed swap
sites also. I’ll try to give everyone
who asks some until they are gone.
Lilies, a
seed mixture of assorted hybrids, oriental- Asiatic- trumpet- Casa Blanca,
Stargazer, La Reve, purple tree, yellow tree, Silk Road, more
Anise
hyssop
Morning
glory – common purple
Scarlet
runner bean - few
Japanese
hull-less popcorn
Hosta
asst.of seed from numerous varieties- lots
Ligularia
desmonda (daisy–like flower)
Ligularia
rocket – spires of flowers
Yucca
Glad mixed
Zinnia
mixed
Foxglove
Dalmation peach
Calendula mixed
Baptisia
blue
Jewelweed
Cleome
white
Columbine
mixed- small amount
Nicotiana
small bedding type- mixed colors
Nicotiana
sylvestris (woodland tobacco, Only the Lonely)
Daylily
mixed
Kangaroo
Paws orange
Hollyhock
mixed
Black
walnut- few hulled nuts
An
interesting Plant Id page you can join on Facebook
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
Seven Ponds Winter Fest Saturday,
January 30, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Join us for
our annual winter fun day. Included is a bonfire on the ice, ice cutting,
mammal tracking, snowshoe walks, cross country skiing, and ice skating. Inside
will be children’s crafts and bring a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or pillowcase to
decorate with animal tracks. Programs on winter animals and ice cutting will
also be offered. Includes a campfire lunch of a hot dog, chips, and hot
chocolate too! Bring your own skates and cross country skis or try out the center’s
snowshoes. In case of snow and/or ice shortage, alternate activities will be
planned. The Stingers will hold a bake sale and a used book sale. Please sign
in and get stamped upon arrival. Fee: $3.00 per non-member and free for
members. Groups are welcome with advance registration (by January 24) by
calling the nature center. Address:
3854 Crawford Rd, Dryden, MI 48428 Phone:(810) 796-3200
Here’s a
link to all the nature programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in
Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/
Grand Rapids Smart Gardening
Conference 2016, March
5, 2016, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Several
speakers on native plants, low impact/care gardening, pollinators. More info-
Cost: Early
Bird Registration by Feb. 15, 2016 - $60, Late Registration - $70 Enrollment
deadline is Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 or until full. Registration at the door is
not available.
Contact:
Diane Brady, bradydi1@anr.msu.edu, 616-632-786
Here’s a
link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road,
North Branch.
Great Lakes Hosta College, March
18-19, 2016, Upper Valley Career Center in Piqua, Ohio.
Students
attend 5 classes they have chosen from a program of over 70 classes taught by a
faculty of approximately 50 volunteers. Mid-day each student has lunch from a
delicious buffet included in the registration fee. At the end of the day
students take a brief break and then return for a banquet and talk that
concludes the Hosta College experience.
The vending
area offers a large selection of plants (even though it may be snowing
outside!), garden accessories, tools, and other garden-related merchandise for
shoppers. The Bookstore features gardening books at fantastic discounts,
stationery, society clothing items, and other Hosta College souvenirs. Persons
who belong to one of the local societies with membership in the Great Lakes
Region receive preferential registration and a reduced registration fee. $42 registration fee for members, $55 registration
fee for non-members.
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 events and classes at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Mi
http://www.meijergardens.org/learn/ (888) 957-1580, (616) 957-1580
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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