January 26,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hello
Gardeners
Well January is almost over and we haven’t had very terrible
weather. Some cold and snow, but nothing
like last year. The rest of the month
looks like that trend will continue, with no big storms looming. It’s just 33 days to meteorological spring,
March 1, and only 53 days to calendar spring, March 20. Let’s hope Nature’s spring is right on
target.
The grass is green where it shows. Even my hardy bamboo is still
green. Birds are singing. It’s raining instead of snowing, my kind of
winter. We are lucky we didn’t get all the snow they had in the eastern
US. Speaking of snow did you know you
shouldn’t eat it, especially if you live in an urban or suburban area? Snow is filled with pollutants like lead and
benzene that it picks up from the air.
It cleans the air, but isn’t so good for you to ingest. No making ice cream from snow or sucking on
icicles please.
I discovered that puppies must like the beneficial benefits of soil
bacteria too. My pup Gizmo was utterly
fascinated with the soil I was putting in pots to start some cuttings and
seeds this weekend. He was smelling the air and
barking, dancing around like I was playing with steak. I filled a tray with pots of moistened soil
and turned to look at my seed collection.
Gizmo knocked the tray on the floor and gleefully wallowed in the
soil. He’s a mostly white, fluffy pup
and looking at him the next morning I decided he needed a bath.
Later after the bath he followed me back into my office, where I had left
the bag of potting soil on a chair. I
have to start paying more attention to what he’s doing when he’s quiet. While I was at the computer he had pulled the
potting soil off a chair and spilled it on the floor. Happy dog, not so happy dog mama. It was dry and brushed out better than the
wet soil the day before. I sat the bag
up on a small step ladder.
Today I was sitting here typing and heard a noise behind me. Gizmo had just been able to reach the bottom
corner of the potting soil bag. He had
chewed a hole in it and it had spilled down all over his head and chest. His little muzzle was nice and dirty. Needless to say the soil is now up high in a
very safe position. I can’t wait until he finds all the soil outside this spring.
So just what
is the difference between soil, potting medium and dirt?
Gardeners have a lingo all their own, just as most hobbies and
occupations do. But knowing the
difference between, soil, dirt, compost and planting medium isn’t just about
lingo, or words, it’s about knowing what’s best for your plants.
Soil is the earth beneath our feet.
It’s a mixture of rock broken into small particles, decayed organic
matter and pore spaces, some filled with water, some with air. Soil may also contain a lot of living
organisms, many too small to see, such as bacteria and fungi and larger
organisms such as grubs and worms.
 |
| These are planting medium. |
Soil varies from place to place depending on what rocks were broken down
to form it, how fine the rock particles are and what organic matter has been
added to the mixture. What we call clay
is rock broken down into the smallest particle sizes, with small pores for
water and air. Sand has the largest rock particles and pores.
The organic matter in soil is called humus. It has finished decaying and is a fairly
stable product. The organic matter in
soil and the minerals that came from the rocks broken down in the soil
determine the soil pH and the nutrients available for plant growth. They also
determine the color of soil. Soil color varies from light brown to almost
black.
The mixture of rock particles and humus leads to different kinds of
soil. A soil heavy in humus with fairly
even amounts of clay and sand is called a loam soil. A soil with a little more clay is called
clay loam and so on. In nature plants will grow in the type of soil they prefer
and each kind of soil has advantages and disadvantages. When we want to grow certain types of plants
in areas where the kind of soil isn’t suitable we need to amend it.
Top soil is the layer of soil closest to the surface and that soil
generally has more organic matter or humus, therefore it looks darker. Soil isn’t “better” because it is dark in
color, nutrient rich soils can be light in color. Be careful if you buy topsoil, it is
generally collected from building sites or waste areas and can be filled with
debris, weed seeds, and even dangerous chemicals.
Planting medium, potting medium or sometimes it’s called potting soil,
really isn’t soil at all because it lacks the broken rock component of real
soil. It’s usually composed of peat,
shredded bark and vermiculite or perlite.
Other products are sometimes used.
Fertilizer- minerals- are usually added to these mixtures although one
must read the bag label to find out.
Plants can grow for a while in soil less mixtures like this without
fertilizers because plants have the ability to make their own food. But eventually they do need some of the
minerals that real soil has and that is furnished with the various plant
“foods” or fertilizers that are on the market.
Sterile potting mediums are great for starting seeds and rooting cuttings
to help avoid diseases that can be present in real soil. Not all planting mediums are sterile, so
once again check the label if you need disease free medium for starting
plants. Potting mediums are used in
general for pots, hanging baskets and raised beds because they are lightweight,
hold moisture well, are easy for plant roots to penetrate and don’t crust over
and crack when dry.
Compost is organic matter that has decayed to a point where it looks like
rich brown crumbles. It may have a few
pieces of stem or larger matter still recognizable but most of what went into
it should no longer be distinguishable.
Compost has nitrogen and a number of micro nutrients plus helpful
bacteria and other organisms in it.
However the nutrient values of compost varies and it shouldn’t be
considered fertilizer. Plants can be
started in compost if it is sterilized and it can be used in hanging baskets
and pots. Remember it has no broken down
rock or minerals in it and those things will have to be added to make compost a
good growing mix.
Compost is added to soil in the garden to improve it, to add nutrients
and microorganisms, to make it lighter and hold more water. Compost eventually turns to humus. It would be very hard to add too much compost
to any kind of garden soil.
A new product on the market is called garden soil. It’s generally a mix of compost, soil from
somewhere and maybe some peat. It is
often used to fill raised garden beds.
It’s more expensive than amending most garden soils but some people
prefer the convenience.
Dirt is something we sweep out the door; dirt is debris, something
undesirable. A good gardener learns to
call the substance we grow plants in soil, planting medium or earth.
Why
schoolrooms should be green
Last week I talked about why gardening makes us happy. This week I’d like to tell you how looking at
plants or out the window at a green, natural setting could make your child or
the children in your classroom more productive, happy, focused, calm and
smarter.
The latest research on this subject published in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences is from a
group of researchers who analyzed other recent research to come up with the
best model for a classroom environment.
The researchers found that students who could look out on a natural
environment, even if it was just lawns and trees, had better test scores, were
calmer and more focused on learning and seemed happier than students whose view
was a parking lot, another building or had no view at all. This was true for students of all ages.
Other factors in a classroom environment that promoted mental health and
achievement were natural lighting, a temperature between 68 and 74 degrees F.,
and pictures and objects that depict successful people, especially if those
people represent disadvantaged groups making up the student body. Participating in outdoor activities, having
plants and animals in the classroom and gardening or nature activities also
produced happier, more successful kids than students in classrooms who did not
have those advantages.
While we can’t change the view from every classroom we can add plants,
pets, and pictures of nature or successful people to the rooms. We can keep shades open to let in natural
light. We can advocate for the proper temperature. And we can do garden projects or study
nature. Getting a child close to those
beneficial bacteria in soil that I talked about last week can only help a
child. Behavior problems might lessen if
we get the kids outside to take a long walk in a natural setting.
If you are a teacher who doesn’t have plants in the classroom get in
touch with me and I will get you some. Let
the children care for them. Every
classroom should have plants, they will promote a calmer, happier, less
stressful environment for all concerned.
Reminiscing
About Roses
Rose catalogs are starting to arrive and looking at them always stirs a
bit of nostalgia in me. When I was a
child I could look down from my bedroom window next door onto my grandfather’s
rose garden and smell the roses on the first warm days in June. And on some days my mother would rush around
shutting the windows as my grandfather sprayed his precious roses with DDT or Malathion,
which smelled like cat pee.
In winter my grandparents poured over the catalogs, selecting the new
roses that they would try. My
grandmother frequently gave me the catalogs when they were finished and I would
see where my grandfather had circled a rose or made notes about it in the
catalog margins. I learned about tea
roses and grandifloras and black spot and bud count and fragrance types as I
read the catalogs and planned the rose garden I would have some day.
My grandfather made little metal tags by laboriously punching the names of the roses into aluminum with a set of metal bars that each had a letter on
the end. These tags were mounted by each
bush. His rose garden was surrounded by
bricks painted white. When I was young
the rose garden was always impeccably weeded-by my grandmother and sometimes
with me helping. My grandparents
belonged to a garden club and there would be days when people strolled the
gardens while my grandfather extolled on the virtue of one rose or another.
 |
| A picture copied from an old, faded slide of my grandfather in his rose garden after he was older, and it was a bit less cared for. |
When my grandfather got older and sicker, his rose garden was less
stylish and more cottage like, with huge unpruned bushes of the hardiest rose varieties
spilling petals and fragrance into the garden like mature ladies of the night,
still pretty but a bit blowsy. When my
grandfather passed my grandmother tried to keep up with all the gardens- they
had many- but when she remarried her second husband turned the rose garden into
a huge food garden. Only a few roses survived along the fence. One of those roses, a Harrison Yellow, we
called the graduation rose because we all had our pictures taken in front of it
in our graduation gowns, even my mother and her sister. I have plants started from that rose in my
garden now.
When I moved into my first home I immediately wanted to plant roses. My lot was very shaded however and I had only
a limited spot where roses would thrive.
There was one rose already in the landscape. But I planted some, the climber Blaze on the
garage wall and a few tea roses in a spot of sun in the front. A vegetable
garden took up much of my sunny area but I even had a rose in the center of it.
When I moved to the country twenty some years ago I had much more room
but my time was more limited and the roses I have chosen for my gardens here
are basically hardy, low fuss, landscape types.
I have several Knock-Out varieties and Meillands and of course my
Harrison/Graduation rose. A multiflora
rose that I keep pruned grows at the side of my front porch. It’s one of those pesky non-native invaders
we are supposed to hate and destroy but it’s so pretty and fragrant when it
blooms that I let it stay.
 |
| Double Knock Out. |
Recently I was looking through the rose offerings of several
catalogs. I noticed several roses that I
grew or that my grandparents grew that are still listed. With the thousands of roses that have been
developed over the years any rose that has stood the test of time and is still
popular enough to be offered after 40 years- or longer- have passed has to be a
winner. If you like roses and want to
plant some oldies but goodies here are some roses to reminiscence with.
‘Arizona’ is a peachy
pink and yellow grandiflora with a wonderful sweet scent. It’s very vigorous and went on the market in
1975.
‘Baronne de Rothschild’ is a
hybrid tea with magenta red petals with a white back. It is very disease resistant and has a strong
spicy scent. It is a Meilland rose and
was first offered in 1968.
‘Adolf Horstmann’ is a hybrid tea of a rich gold hue, touched with
salmon. It’s large, hardy and vigorous
with a slight fragrance. It was
developed in 1971.
‘Cariba’ is a large, strong,
hardy tea rose. It has flowers
variegated in yellow, orange and red and each bloom is different. It has a mild fragrance and was first offered
in 1972. I grew this rose and it always
attracted oohs and awes.
‘Color Magic’ is a hybrid tea that seems to change color as
it ages, from ivory pink to deep salmon red blends with numerous blooms of
various hues on each plant. It has a
strong, fruity scent and was developed in 1975.
‘Chrysler Imperial’ is the
classic red tea rose with a strong old rose scent. It’s vigorous and hardy and still worth
purchasing even though its debut was in 1953.
I remember this beauty very well.
‘Chicago Peace’ and ‘Peace’- If
you like classic tea roses you must have ‘Peace’
in your garden. It’s a mildly
fragrant blend of pale pink and yellow roses on a large, vigorous bush. It took the rose world by storm when
introduced in 1945. Rose growers suggest
this heritage rose needs less fertilizer than modern roses to remain
healthy. ‘Chicago Peace’ is a deeper pink sport of ‘Peace’ that came out in 1962.
I remember my grandfather’s urgency to have this rose when it was first introduced
and how proud he was of it.
‘Don Juan” is a velvety
red double flowered climbing rose that rivals ‘Blaze’ in popularity. Its
roses are generally produced in early summer and are intensely fragrant. It was introduced in 1958.
‘Fragrant Cloud’ is a lovely, deep
orange-red tea with a beautiful fruity rose scent. It’s very hardy and more compact than other
old tea roses. I have grown this rose
several times and I am thinking about buying it again.
‘Iceberg’ is one of the
few white roses in the oldies but goodies section. It’s a single flowered floribunda with large
fragrant blooms. It blooms almost continuously and makes a large robust
bush. It is often included in lists of
the top 10 roses. I have grown this rose
and found it charming. It was introduced
in 1958.
‘Miss All American
Beauty’ or ‘Maria Callas’ as they prefer to
call it in Europe, is a tea rose of exceptional hardiness and disease
resistance. It has deep red-pink blooms
with a lovely old rose fragrance. It was
introduced in 1968 and was one of my grandfather’s favorites.
‘Mister Lincoln’ is another
classic deep red tea rose with a wonderful rich rose scent. It’s a large, sturdy plant that was
introduced in 1965. You’ll find this
rose in many of the inexpensive dormant rose collections in stores and its
worth buying.
‘New Dawn’ is a climber
or pillar rose. It produces pale pink, double, very fragrant flowers in
clusters in early summer and occasionally repeats bloom. It was introduced in 1930. I had this rose growing at my old house in
Pontiac, one of the few flowers that was there when I moved in and I wish I had
started a cutting of it. It is tolerant of light shade and indeed at my old
house it scrambled up and leaned against an old mulberry tree.
‘New Day’ was one of
the tea roses that I grew at my old house in Pontiac. Its light yellow with a good spicy scent and
blooms profusely. It’s also disease
resistant and was introduced in 1972.
‘Perfume Delight’ lives up to
its name with a wonderful fragrance. It’s a deep pink and the flowers are very
large. I found that this rose had fewer
blooms than some other tea roses but it’s very beautiful. It came out in 1974.
‘Queen Elizabeth’ is an older
grandiflora rose, producing flushes of true pink roses in large candelabra
style groupings. It’s very hardy, has a
nice scent, and turns into a large shrub over time. It was one of the roses in my grandfather’s
garden and was introduced in 1955.
 |
| Harrison's Yellow Rose in my garden. |
‘Tropicana’ was another
rose that caused a sensation when it was introduced in 1963 and I remember my
grandparents being very proud of having it in their garden. It’s a coral–orange tea rose with a strong
scent. It’s another rose you’ll often find in the packaged roses offered in
garden shops and worth purchasing.
‘The Fairy’ is a very old variety of polyantha rose. It produces clusters of tiny light pink
double roses in flushes through the season.
It’s very hardy and grown on its own roots. The sturdy disease resistant plants were
often turned into low hedges and this rose separated our yard from my
grandparents yard for a considerable distance. The fragrance is a mild
apple–like one. This plant is in the
bloodlines of many modern landscape roses and was first introduced in 1932.
There you are- a selection of oldies but goodies to consider if you are
going for a cottage garden look or like antique varieties of plants.
Fungus gnats in
houseplants
In the winter people who have houseplants in the home may notice tiny
insects, similar to fruit flies flitting around the home. While they don’t bite humans or cause human
disease, fungus gnats, (several species and families of Diptera), can be
annoying. They may flit into your face or end up in your drinks, although they
are not attracted to food. While they
don’t harm most mature plants unless there is a very severe infestation, they
can harm seedlings as the larvae feed on seedling roots. They can also spread the fungus responsible
for damping off, so if you want to start seeds in your home you should get rid
of the fungus gnats first.
Description
 |
| Female black fungus gnat. Credit: en.wikipedia.org |
Fungus gnats look like small dark mosquitoes. They are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch in size, with
a dark, slender body shape; females have an ovipositor which can look like a
“stinger” on the abdomen. Their wings
are clear or pale gray, with veins visible.
If you can see them closely you will notice long segmented
antennae. Fruit flies are generally
rounder, and lighter in body color than fungus gnats with darker wings. Fruit flies and other household flies are
pretty good fliers, but fungus gnats are not as active and are often seen
resting on plants. Like all flies they
are attracted to light and may be seen on windows or lamps.
The larvae of fungus gnats are almost invisible to the naked eye. They live in damp potting soil or damp
organic matter. They are a typical fly larva or maggot, with almost clear
bodies and a black head. To see if you
have them in pots, lay several slices of raw potato on the soil surface and
check the side on the soil the next day. The larva are generally attracted to the potato and will show up as
small dark spots (that’s the heads) in the potato slice.
Where did you get fungus gnats?
If you move houseplants outside for the summer you may bring the gnats
back inside in the fall. Many greenhouses
have a problem with them so a new plant you bring home could carry the insects. Any damp organic matter you bring inside
could harbor them. Planting mediums
(soil) that have organic matter in them and are not pasteurized or sterilized
can have the eggs or larvae of fungus gnats.
Organic type potting soils containing compost or manure and garden soil are
more likely to have fungus gnats than some other soil mixes. But most potting soil mixes contain some
organic matter, whether peat, coir or bark fiber. To minimize the chances of getting fungus
gnats look for potting mixes that are sterilized or pasteurized. This is especially important for starting
seeds. Look for bags that do not have holes and have not been left outside to
absorb moisture. Don’t add your own
compost or other natural products to potting mixes.
Fungus gnat Life Cycle
Female fungus gnats lay eggs in damp potting soil or
other damp places which hatch in about 3 days.
The tiny larvae feed on plant roots and decaying organic matter in the
soil for about 10 days, there are 4 larval stages or molts of the skin, then
they turn into tiny pupates or cocoons.
In 4 days these hatch into adults and the cycle begins again. So depending on temperature each generation
takes 17-24 days.
Fungus gnats are very hardy. They
can survive freezing temperatures and live indoors or outdoors. The adults are attracted to flower nectar or
pollen and can be pollinators for some plants.
They can carry mushroom spores on their feet and are important distributors
of spores. Their feet can also carry disease from plant to plant. In the absence of flowers adult fungus flies
feed on bits of fungus on soil surfaces and may feed lightly on soft plant
tissues. They don’t live long, 10-24
days.
Damage and control
The worst damage from fungus gnats occurs to seedlings, which cannot
tolerate much feeding on their roots.
Since these insects also carry dampening off, a fungal disease that
kills seedlings, it’s important to eliminate them before starting seeds. In heavy infestations the fungus gnat larvae
can also limit older plants growth or in some cases even kill more delicate
plants.
There are several ways home gardeners can control fungus gnats. First the gnats need very moist soil to breed
in and over watering plants can aid infestations. Let the soil surface dry between watering.
Also dispose of water in pot saucers and trays soon after watering. To keep the soil surface drier you can add
perlite, fine gravel like parakeet gravel, or clean sand to the soil surface. Some sources recommend diatomaceous earth but
since it can be harmful to human lungs if inhaled it’s better to use safer
products.
Even proper watering can’t control all fungus gnat infestations. One of the most effective treatments
involves a biological product called BTi.
This is not the BT product sold for use on garden caterpillars but a
special product Bacillus thuringiensis
subspecies israelensis for fungus gnats.
It can generally be found in better garden stores or from on line
nursery/garden supply sites. Brand names
include Gnatrol. This is mixed with
water and poured on the soil. You will
need to do it every 5-7 days for a month or so.
BTi is harmless to children and pets.
Mosquito dunks or other mosquito products using BT are not usually
effective in plant soil nor are the BT products for garden caterpillars.
Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae)
which kill fungus gnat larvae can be purchased in some greenhouse supply
stores. These are generally used by
those with large plant collections or in greenhouse settings but if houseplant
lovers can find them they are very safe and effective.
A home remedy that has pretty good success is hydrogen peroxide. Use a mixture of 1 part 3% strength hydrogen
peroxide to 3 parts water and pour it in the pots until the soil is
saturated. It will foam but that’s not
harmful. Generally hydrogen peroxide
will not harm plants but some like Peace Lily, can be sensitive to it. Don’t use this on real expensive exotic
plants. This treatment will need to be repeated several
times, with the soil drying out in between.
If the leaf tips of the treated plant turn brown or the plant doesn’t look
good after a treatment then don’t use peroxide again. Some gardeners have even used hydrogen
peroxide full strength on plant soil with no serious effects.
Some gardeners have mixed a couple teaspoons of cinnamon with the
hydrogen peroxide. The cinnamon kills
the fungi in the soil that larvae feed on but not the larvae. Use this cautiously as some plants need
certain fungi associations to grow well.
It might be considered with seedlings, when you have a problem with
dampening off and fungus gnats.
There are chemical insecticides that can also be used to control fungus
gnats. These need to be systemic
products that are poured on the soil.
Check the label to see if the product can be used for fungus gnats and
follow label directions. If you use
these keep pets and children away from the treated plants. Spraying the adult fungus gnats with
pesticide as they fly around or even rest on plants is usually useless and
contaminates the indoor air.
You can trap adult fungus gnats either by buying yellow sticky paper
traps in stores and cutting them into small pieces or making your own sticky
traps. To make your own sticky traps
coat small pieces of the brightest yellow paper or cardboard you can find with
petroleum jelly (Vaseline). You can
stick the coated paper in the tines of a plastic fork and place them in pots or
use clothes pins to hold pieces on small stakes. Place some in windows and by light sources
too.
There are fruit fly traps that can help to catch adult fungus gnats on
the market. They may also be attracted
to a bit of cider vinegar in a cup but these attractants don’t work as well on
fungus gnats as they do for fruit flies.
Use the cut slices of potato on the top of soil mentioned above to
monitor whether you are controlling the fungus gnats or not. Dispose of the pieces every few days outside
of the house. This will also help
eliminate the population of gnats. In
some cases you may want to re-pot the houseplants with clean, soil less potting
medium. Gently wash the soil off the
roots before placing them in new soil and use a mild soap to wash the pots
inside and out before reusing. Be aware
that this may not eliminate all the fungus gnats and be prepared to use other
control methods. Keep your potting soil
sealed up and dry to avoid breeding gnats in it.
On occasion fungus gnats can breed in little used drains, in moist
corners of a greenhouse or in other moist
places with organic matter. Drains can
be cleaned with bleach and other areas cleaned up and scrubbed.
Unless you are starting seeds or growing seedling plants, fungus gnats
are generally more of a nuisance than harmful.
Be careful to weigh your control decisions based on that fact.
Floating
bonsai
Here’s an interesting link to a video showing a neat new gadget. It’s an electromagnetic device that can keep
a plant floating in the air. They show
it using little bonsai plants but I could see it with air plants or tillandsia
or any small plants.
Get outside and take
a walk
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
New
-Growing Great Gardens – Saturday, March 12, 2016 - 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Heinz C
Prechter Performing Arts Center, 21000 Northline Rd, Taylor, MI
Are you a
"plant geek"? Ready for some inspiration? Calling all gardeners for a
day of learning, food, prizes and fun at the 8th annual Growing Great Gardens.
Enjoy renowned horticulture gurus Scott Beuerlein, Joe Tychonievich, Ed Blondin
and Susan Martin. Lunch included. Master Gardeners can earn education hours,
too! (5-6 hours, depending on whether you sign up for the BONUS class at
lunchtime. Costs: $45 before 1/31. Lunch & learn class $10.
More
info- Phone: 888-383-4108
Register
at: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event
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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