March 1,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hi Gardeners
 |
| Hurry spring |
Bah humbug to winter.
We got 11 inches of snow last Tuesday-Wednesday. All the snow was almost
gone now its back. I want to sleep somewhere until spring, which on the calendar
is only 20 days away. Let’s hope that
the weather forecasters are right when they say that this weekend we will start
warming back up to above normal temperatures.
I have hosta, day lily, other lilies, milkweed, petunia
exserta and a few other plants growing in the windowsills. I just don’t have a lot of room for seed
starting until its warm enough to use my unheated porch. I got two new tropical hibiscus from Logee’ s
this week. I can’t wait to see them
bloom, (which will be a while.) I also
got notified that Gurneys will be shipping the peach tree I ordered next week
so I hope that warm spell happens.
I saw a red winged blackbird this week at the feeder. I thought that was a good sign winter was
almost over. Poor bird. I filled all my feeders this morning at 10 am
and they are almost empty now. We had
some baby parakeets hatch inside this week though- they are noisy when they are
hungry.
I injured my arm and typing and mouse use is a bit
painful. This newsletter is probably
smaller than usual. Hopefully I’ll heal
by gardening time.
March almanac
The full
moon in March (March 23rd) is called the Worm moon, because
earthworms once more make worm casts on the soil surface or Sap moon because
the trees begin to produce sap again. New moon is the 8th. The moon perigee is the 10th – a
good day to expect a storm around. Moon
apogee is the 25th.
Good days
for planting above ground crops are the 16-17th, and good days for
planting below ground crops are the 26-27th. (Farmers Almanac)
The most
important date for all gardeners in March is, of course the first day of
spring. It’s March 20th,
precisely 12:30 am. That’s the date when
the length of the day and the night are about the same, the spring equinox. Actually
in Michigan the length of the day will be 12 hours and 10 minutes. The length of the day will be 12 hours, 42
minutes on March 31st. March
13th begins daylight savings time.
Other
important dates and holidays in March are: 7th – Employee Appreciation Day, 8th
International Women’s day, 12th – Girl Scout Day and Plant a flower Day, the
13th is National popcorn day and the 14th National Potato chip day. The 14th is also Learn about Butterflies day.
The 15th is
the Ides of March. In ancient Rome this
was the beginning of the New Year and also of spring. The 17th is St. Patrick’s
Day and the 18th is the Goddess of Fertility day. The 19th is poultry day, the 20th is Earth
Day although beware-it’s also Alien Abduction day. The 25th is National Agriculture day as well
as National Pecan day and National Waffle day. The 27th is Easter. The 30th is National Doctors day.
March is
Irish American month as well as National Women’s History month, National
Nutrition month, National Peanut month, National Craft Month and National
Frozen Foods month.
March’s
birth flower is the daffodil or jonquil, the birthstone is aqua marine.
 |
| March's flower is the daffodil |
March Gardening
Gardeners
are itching to get outside in the garden in March. In garden zones 5 and 6 spring may be coming
and going in March and during a warm spell it’s easy to get carried away and
get too far ahead of the season. There
is plenty you can do in the garden, but some things still need a bit more time
before it’s the “right” time to do them.
You’ll want
to take it slow anyway, so you can warm up those muscles and avoid injuring
yourself in the first warm days of spring.
Alternate activities so some groups of muscles don’t get overused. And remember the sun is getting stronger so
use sun screen and eye protection.
What
can be pruned
Pruning
fruit trees and grape vines can still be done.
Get a good pruning manual and follow the directions. You can get pruning information at your
County Extension office also. Pruning
your fruit trees and grape vines makes your plants healthier and more
productive.
It’s a good
time to prune oaks, yews, poplars, willows, honey locust, katsura, sycamore and
some other trees. Take out all winter
damaged limbs, crossing and rubbing branches, and thin and shape if needed.
What
not to prune
Don’t prune
fruit trees that are kept just for spring flowers, such as ornamental cherries
and crabapples at this time.
Don’t prune
maples, birch, beech, or walnuts if the temperature is above freezing as it
will cause heavy sap loss. Do not prune pines.
Do not prune trees or shrubs you want spring flowers from, like redbuds,
dogwood, magnolias, forsythia, lilacs, azalea, rhododendron, witch hazel,
weigelia, spirea, flowering quince, and daphne.
What
to clean up
Check for
and repair winter damage (if possible) from rodents and deer. Look at the bottoms of tree and shrub to see
if the bark has been chewed. If a tree
or shrub is totally girdled, (the bark is eaten off all around the tree) it may
die. Some shrubs and even trees may
return from the roots. You’ll want to
give damaged shrubs and trees extra water and fertilizer as new growth begins
to help them recover. Grafted trees such
as most fruit trees, will not respond with growth like the old tree, they come back
from rootstock that is generally undesirable for fruiting. You’ll want to remove those trees.
If you
didn’t cut down your herbaceous perennials, plants whose upper parts died over
winter, you can do that cleanup now. Remove old stalks and seedheads. Use caution when cutting back mums. Leave the stems several inches above ground
to avoid damaging buds on the lower stems.
Work with all plants carefully so as not to damage emerging sprouts or
pull them from wet ground.
Woody and
semi-woody perennials should not be pruned just yet. This includes roses. The ends of stems have
hardened over the winter, or died back, and are protecting buds farther down
the stem. If you cut them back in March a cold snap may kill buds down much
farther than you want. Instead wait for mid to late April in most parts of
Michigan when the weather is a bit milder to prune woody plants.
Don’t be in
a hurry to remove any protective mulch you put over plants such as
strawberries. If the weather gets quite
warm you can remove some of the mulch but leave it close by and be prepared to
re-cover plants if a cold snap is coming.
If the
vegetable garden wasn’t cleaned up in the fall you can do that now. Remove all old debris to avoid insect and
disease problems in the coming year.
Soil
improvement-fertilizing
If the
ground isn’t frozen it’s a good time to get a soil test done. You’ll get your
results faster than if you wait until later in the spring. Soil tests should be done when you are
gardening in a new location, if your plants didn’t do well last year, or if you
haven’t done a soil test in a long time.
Collect your soil sample and let it air dry if it’s very wet before
sending it to the lab.
One of the
sure signs spring has arrived in Michigan is the mud. Don’t get in your garden when the ground is
still wet, this compacts the soil and will seriously affect the root systems of
plants. Walking on and moving equipment
across wet lawns will leave unsightly ruts and make you curse while mowing
later in the spring.
Compost and
aged manure can be placed on beds. Just
be careful not to leave ruts or compact the soil when moving loads of
material. Because of “frost laws” in the
spring heavy truck loads of mulch, soil or soil amendments may not be allowed
on roads leading to your house in March so plan accordingly. Frost laws are set by each county, call your
county road commission to see when they apply in your area.
If early
bulbs are up and the ground isn’t frozen you can apply a granular slow release
fertilizer around them. This helps
insure bigger bulbs and more blooms next year.
Granular slow release fertilizer can be applied around spring blooming
shrubs and trees also.
Planning
and building
Lay out new
beds and remove sod before it gets growing. Build and fill raised beds if the
ground beneath them is unfrozen and dry enough to walk on. It’s a good time to measure your landscape if
you are planning changes or additions.
You can remove any sprouting weeds and cut down seedling trees which
sprouted in the wrong places.
You can
build or put up gazebos, sheds, trellis’s, planters, decks, swings, benches and
so on. Move rocks into place. Excavate water features. It’s a good time to put up fences. You may want to build row tunnels or other
plant protection. Repair and paint
fences and other structures.
You can
renew the mulch around beds and on paths.
It’s a great time to establish new paths, and mulch around trees.
What
to plant
Seed grass
seed- yes even if it still snows sowing grass seed is fine. Just make sure that your ground is dry enough
you don’t leave large footprints or spreader ruts in the soil. The ground
should not be frozen when you apply the seed and you should be able to prepare
a good seed bed before sowing the seeds.
If the
weather is balmy gardeners may even be able to plant a few containers of cold
hardy annuals like pansies or flats of sprouted spring bulbs for early
color. The garden shops in your area
will be offering such goodies if the area and weather are suitable.
You can
plant dormant bareroot plants as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Snow and cold weather after planting won’t
hurt dormant plants that are hardy for your area.
You can
plant crops like lettuce and radishes in coldframes or under row covers. Near the end of March you can start plants
like cabbage, tomatoes and peppers inside in a warm place. If you like peas you can sow them in the
garden in mid-March if the ground is unfrozen.
There is
still time to plant seeds of perennials inside in flats or pots. You can pot up
tuberous begonias and calla’s and start geranium and coleus cuttings.
Other
garden chores
Apply dormant
oil sprays. A dormant oil spray is part
of the good pest management program for fruit trees. It can be applied when the weather is above
40 degrees but below 80 degrees.
It’s an
excellent time to clean, paint or put up more birdhouses. You will want to have most bird houses in
place by April. You can scrape and clean
any surface that’s going to be painted when the weather is warmer. Get the mower out and sharpen the
blades. Make sure it’s in good repair
before the mad spring rush to mower repair shops begins. Clean garden tools and buy new ones if
needed.
Lawns and the environment
Its spring
and some people’s thoughts turn to lawn care.
Lawns have their good and bad points.
The definition of a lawn is a mowed area for appearance or leisure
activities. What you mow and how you
care for it is another story and defines what is good for the environment and
what is not. A modest sized lawn composed
of various plant species is probably more beneficial than harmful. Lawns can reduce the fire hazard around a
home, reduce insect populations like mosquitoes and ticks, prevent soil
erosion, reduce air temperature, provide oxygen and of course look nice around
the flower beds. A beneficial lawn
doesn’t use lots of fertilizer or pesticides.
Lawns that
are not so beneficial to the environment include those of one species, usually
in the north that species is Kentucky Bluegrass. Lawns that are treated with pesticides and
lots of fertilizer have a negative effect on the environment. Too much lawn around a residence is also a
negative environmental influence. If you
are mowing more than a half-acre of lawn you have too much land in lawn.
What’s non- native about your lawn?
Almost all
lawns in the northeast are composed of non-native plants. Many people are surprised when they find out
that Kentucky bluegrass, despite its name, is not a native North American
species. That’s the most common lawn grass
in the north and the one most recommended for homes by lawn care experts. Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is native to Europe and northern Asia. It was brought over by early English
colonists, probably accidentally by seed in hay for animals. Here in the US Poa pratensis was refined into the lawn grass we know now, and
given the common name of Kentucky bluegrass.
Annual
ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum),
another common ingredient in American lawns is also a European native.
Perennial ryegrass, (Lolium perenne L.
ssp. perenne) is too. Some fescue
grass species are native but those generally used in lawn seed mixtures are
not.
Most of the
weeds in your lawn- those plants that aid diversity and make the lawn more
environmentally friendly – are also non-native plants. Dandelion, plantain, crabgrass, Shepard’s
purse, white clover, ground ivy, hensbit, purple deadnettle, and cheese mallow
are all non- native plants. The common
violet is one exception, it is native.
This doesn’t mean much unless you are bragging that you only use native
plants in the landscape.
 |
| Violets are probably the only native plant in your lawn. |
Leave the weeds- they’re good for
the environment
If you have
been around gardeners a lot you have probably heard the term 60 mph lawn. That means when you drive by at 60 mph the
mowed lawn looks nice because you can’t see the “weeds” in it. But every gardener should appreciate a
“weedy” lawn. Lawns with weeds are
actually healthier than a monoculture of bluegrass. There will be more beneficial insects, more
helpful soil microbes and earthworms (also non-native by the way) if a lawn is
composed of diverse species.
There has
been research that suggests a “weedy” lawn also distracts rabbits from munching
on ornamentals and vegetables near the lawn.
Rabbits prefer some plants like white clover over bluegrass and your
precious flowers and vegetables. Birds
like to pick through a diverse mix of species and pollinators appreciate
flowering plants in the lawn.
Treating
lawns with pesticides to get rid of weeds or insects is not an environmentally
friendly act. It’s not healthy for you
or your pets either. While pesticide
applicators may tell you differently, pesticides on lawns frequently poison
pets. Just ask any vet. Pesticides kill pollinators and helpful
insects. They wash into surface waters
like ponds and streams to kill fish and aquatic life. Most insects, like grubs, don’t affect
“weeds” much. Leaving the weeds means
that your lawn will still look green when lawn insects strike and there is some
evidence that a lawn of diverse species helps prevent infestations of insects
that destroy grass roots.
If certain
weeds bother you and you don’t want to eat them (many weeds are edible and make
good salads and medicines) mechanically dig them up. Mow weeds like dandelions before they go to
seed. Leaving lawns 3 inches tall will
shade some weed seedlings out. Avoid
compacting the soil by staying off it when its’ wet. What species flourish in your lawn depends a
lot on soil conditions and mowing practices.
You’ll favor grass with fertile, loose soil, full sun exposure and
letting it stay at a healthy 3 inch length.
Excess
fertilization that’s frequently employed by those who want a perfect, all grass
lawn is also environmentally unfriendly.
It wastes resources, and the excess fertilizer often washes into surface
water, polluting it and causing algae blooms.
One light application of chemical fertilizer in the spring or a light
application of compost or dried manure and mulching grass trimmings and leaves
back into the lawn is all the fertilizing an environmentally friendly lawn
should get.
How much
water a lawn needs also determines how environmentally friendly the lawn is
too. An environmentally friendly lawn
doesn’t get watered a lot. It learns to
put down deep roots and go dormant through dry spells. Weedy lawns require less water to look green
in hot dry weather. Unless you need a
green lawn as a firebreak around your home, environmentally friendly lawns should
not be watered often. In prolonged
drought a deep watering once a month should keep lawns alive.
“Native” and non-lawns
Some of the
native only fanatics will give advice as to planting things like buffalo grass
instead of a lawn. That’s fine, but it
won’t look like a lawn as people define them today. Almost all native grasses do not grow well
when mowed. Moss is sometimes used in place of a lawn or small
groundcovers. These can be good choices
but once again they tend to be mono-cultures.
Less diverse ecosystems have more problems and aren’t as environmentally
friendly.
You can
remove your lawn areas all together and instead make them gardens with mulched
areas and paths. There are multiple
solutions to this depending on the light, soil conditions and your idea of
beauty. Being without any lawn area
takes some getting used to for most gardeners, you may slowly want to decrease
your lawn area each year by adding more flower beds, shrubs and
groundcovers. For most gardeners having
more space to grow plants is a good thing.
When you
decide to go the no lawn route make sure to take into account any rules or laws
that may be place in the area you live in.
Planting in the front of the house may be limited or there may be height
restrictions on what you choose to grow in place of a lawn. When planning, try to make the replaced lawn
area look neat and more like a garden than an abandoned field.
You’ll also
want to think about the care of the non-lawn and how much time it takes. You will probably want to choose low
maintenance plants. Don’t take on more
work than you can handle. It takes a lot
of time to mow, but it’s pretty easy work. Plants that need frequent pruning,
deadheading or other care may not work in your situation.
While a thick green plush carpet of Kentucky
bluegrass looks nice, so does a lawn sprinkled with yellow dandelions or white
clover flowers, if you train your eyes to see it that way. Let a diverse ecosystem flourish in your lawn
and you won’t have to feel guilty about having one.
How to grow Daffodils, the March
birth flower
There
nothing more cheerful in spring than the blooming of the daffodils. In Michigan they may not bloom in March but
these easy to care for plants make any month more cheerful. Daffodils and their family members, narcissus
and jonquils are plants that almost every gardener can grow, in almost every
area of the country. They are almost
carefree, live a very long time and multiply year after year. No garden should be without them.
Daffodil ((Narcissus pseudonarcissus) is the name
given to the larger flowered members of the Narcissus genus. Narcissus or jonquil usually refers to
smaller flowered members in common usage. However all daffodils are technically
narcissus. There is a specific species
of narcissus (Narcissus jonquilla),
that should be defined as a jonquil, but the term jonquil in catalogs and stores
may be deceptive. Jonquils should be
plants with narrow, tube like leaves, where other members of the Narcissus
family have broader flat leaves.
 |
| Narcissus |
Narcissus
are native to north Africa, and southwestern Europe where they have flourished
for many thousands of years in meadows and the edges of woodlands. They have
been pictured in art and written about since the earliest recorded human history. There are dozens of species of narcissus and
hundreds of cultivated varieties. They
have naturalized throughout much of the temperate areas of the world.
What
they look like
The narcissus
family consists of plants with a bulb, from which roots grow out of the
bottom. The bulbs are covered with a brown
papery “skin” and have long necks. Often narcissus or daffodil bulbs appear in
clusters of two or three bulbs called double nosed or triple nosed bulbs. Daffodils/narcissus reproduce by producing
new bulbs as well as seeds. Each bulb
only lives about 4 years, but a colony of narcissus/daffodils can persist
through decades. They have been found at
home sites abandoned for more than a hundred years.
The bulbs
of narcissus/daffodil need a cold dormancy period before re-blooming. How much cold and for how long varies by the
species. When the dormancy period is
over in the spring the daffodil/narcissus bulb sends up 2-4 leaves and a flower
stem. In most narcissus species the
leaves are long, narrow and flat with a round tip. The leaves are blue green to
dark green and have a waxy sheen. The
jonquil, as mentioned above, has tubular, hollow leaves. Height of the plants ranges from about a foot
to a few inches high, depending on species and variety.
The flower
stem of daffodils/narcissus is hollow near the flower bud and filled with a
spongy material down closer to the bulb.
The flower stem and bud emerge with the leaves or shortly after. Some narcissus/daffodils species have a
single flower bud on each stem; others have a small cluster of flowers.
The
daffodil/narcissus flower has a ring of 6 tepals (sepal-petal combination) at
the base and a cup shaped flower structure called the crown, in the center
which surrounds the sexual parts of the flower.
Crowns can be shallow or long and deep.
In a few species the crown is the prominent feature with the tepals small
or absent.
Flower
color is yellow or white with some cultivated varieties having deep orange–red color
or a pinkish or green tint. Some flowers
have contrasting colored tepals and crowns or a crown rimmed with a darker
color. There are double flowered
narcissus/daffodils and ones where the crown is split, called a butterfly
narcissus.
Some
daffodil/narcissus flowers are scented, and you either like the scent or you
don’t. Some nod or dangle their flowers
and other species have outward facing flowers.
Some flowers are tiny and others are huge, depending on variety. The flowers produce hollow, 3 chambered seed
pods filled with seeds. The plant does
reproduce well from seed, but gardeners generally start with bulbs.
Common
cultivated varieties of narcissus/daffodils include: ‘King Alfred’, large yellow; ‘Dutch
Master’, very large, strong stems, yellow; ‘Mount Hood,’ large, pure white flowers; ‘Peach Cobbler’, large double flowers of yellow and orange, ‘Apricot Whirl’, a split crown with
yellow tepals, orange center, light scent; ‘Broadway
Star’, white double split cup with orange center marking, fragrant; ‘Galactic Star’, chartreuse tepals with
white crown; ‘Salome’, white tepals
with apricot crown and ‘Decoy’, white
tepals with almost red crown.
Small varieties
of daffodils/narcissus include: ‘Quail’,
3-4 flowers per bulb, golden yellow, fragrant; ‘Geranium’, 3-4 cluster flowers, white with red –orange crow,
fragrant; ‘Minnow’, white with yellow
crown, fragrant; ‘Bridal Crown’, 3-5 flower cluster of double white with yellow
center, fragrant; ‘Thalia’, tiny pure
white flowers on dwarf plant, fragrant and ‘Tete
a Tete’, a yellow miniature.
There are
many, many more varieties. Daffodils/narcissus
are often sold in mixed collections or unnamed collections and these can be
great bargains.
Care of
narcissus/daffodils
Daffodils
and narcissus are very easy to care for.
Gardeners plant bulbs of narcissus/daffodils in fall. Look for large, plump bulbs, size will vary
somewhat by species and variety. Double or triple nosed bulbs will give you 2
or 3 flowers instead of one. Plant the
bulbs about twice as deep as they are long and about 6 inches apart, pointed or
neck area up. Bulbs can be planted in
full sun areas or areas under deciduous trees where they will get plenty of sun
before the trees leaf out. They are
tolerant of most soils, but the area must be well drained.
Do not use
bone meal in the holes when planting as it attracts mice. Mice and squirrels rarely eat
narcissus/daffodil bulbs as they are poisonous. But they can fling them out of the
ground looking for bone meal or other bulbs.
You can mix a granular slow release fertilizer in the soil you dug out
of the hole and then refill over the bulbs. In a good location the bulbs will quickly multiply
and fill the space.
Your bulbs
will bloom in the spring anywhere from early spring just after the crocus to
late spring depending on species and variety.
When you see the bulbs peeking above ground sprinkle some slow release granular
fertilizer for flowers on the ground around them, according to label
directions. This will help the bulbs
prepare next year’s blooms and multiply.
After
blooming is done remove the bloom stalk back to the ground. Leave the leaves to yellow and die naturally. The plant needs the leaves to produce food to
make next year’s flower. This is one
reason that while daffodils may look nice blooming in a lawn early in spring,
it’s not a good idea to plant them there.
It can take a month or more for the leaves to die back after flowering finishes
and you won’t want to leave the lawn un-mowed that long.
Deer and
rabbits will not eat daffodils/narcissus as they are poisonous. The plants have few disease or insect
problems. Occasionally a really cold
snap after the plant has large buds or flowers may cause the flowers or buds to
drop off or fail to open. In a confined
bed the bulbs may get too crowded and may bloom less after a few years. Dig
them up in the fall, remove some bulbs and then replant.
Caution: Daffodils and narcissus are poisonous. Do not allow pets or children to eat the
bulbs, leaves or flowers. Do not allow pets to drink water that cut
narcissus/daffodils are sitting in. Cut
daffodils may cause the quick demise of other flowers that are put in the same
water with them.
Suggestions
for use
Plant your
narcissus and daffodil bulbs in flower beds that contain plants like hosta and
daylilies. They will bloom early and the
foliage of the other plants will hide the yellowing foliage. Narcissus and daffodils look best in large
drifts or clumps. In areas where mowing
isn’t important, such as the edges of woodlands, they can be allowed to
naturalize and spread. Small flowered
species and miniature varieties look nice in rock garden beds.
If you like
daffodils for cut flowers in the spring you may want to plant a large bed of them
in some out of the way spot just for cutting.
Smaller varieties will often survive winter and bloom when planted in
large containers. You can plant early, mid and late spring blooming varieties
for a prolonged spring floral effect.
There’s no
reason any gardener should be without the cheerful flowers of daffodils and
narcissus in the spring. If you failed
to buy any bulbs to plant last fall your local garden store may have potted
bulbs you can plant in the spring.
Nothing says spring like the gold of a daffodil.
While I hate saying it- get out the
snow shovel one more (I Hope) time.
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
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
Daylily
mixed
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
Invitation
If you are a gardener
in Michigan close to Lapeer we invite you to join the Lapeer Area Horticultural
Society. The club meets once a month, 6:30 pm, on the third Monday at various
places for a short educational talk, snacks and socializing with fellow
gardeners. (Monday, March 21, meet at
Campbell’s Greenhouse, North Branch, for a tour.) No
educational or volunteer requirements for membership, all are welcome.
Membership dues are $20 per year. Come and visit us, sit in on a meeting for
free. Contact Julie Schröder, LAHS Secretary, 810-728-2269 - Julie.Schroder@brose.com
New - A
Balanced Backyard by Elly Maxwell, Tue,
March 8, 11:15 am, Rochester Community House, 816 Ludlow Ave, Rochester,
Presented
by the Rochester Garden Club. $5. To register: 586-337-0897. www.RochesterGardenClub.org.
New-
Seed Saturday Detroit
- Sat, March 12, 9am-4pm, WSU Student Center Building, Wayne State University,
42 W Warren Ave, Detroit
Come to
Seed Saturday in Detroit for engaging presentations, a seed exchange, free
seeds, raffle items, vendors and more.
New- “Spring
Ephemerals” Mon,
March 21, 6:30-7:30 pm Mt Clemens Library, Mount Clemens, MI,
Cheryl
English presents Native Wildflowers for the Woodland Garden. $10. More info call 586-954-9998.
New -Basic
Vegetable Gardening- Two
free seminars- Tue, March 22, 6:30 -8 pm, MSU Extension,-21885 Dunham Rd,
Charter Twp. of Clinton, MI OR Wed,
March 23, 1-2:30pm, Thompson Community Ctr, 11370 Hupp Ave, Warren, MI
This
program covers everything from planning to planting. To register for either
session call 586-469-6440.
Smart Vegetable Gardening Series - Thursday, March 3, 2016 to Friday,
March 4, 2016, 5:00pm. DeVos Place - 3rd
Floor, Grand Gallery Overlook Rooms F & G, 303 Monroe Ave NW., Grand
Rapids, MI.
Want to
start growing vegetables, but not sure where to start? Or are you already
growing, but want to increase your yield? The Michigan State University
Extension’s Smart Gardening team is here to help! With experts in every facet
of the veggie growing process, the Smart Vegetable Gardening Series can teach
you everything you need to know to make your vegetable garden a success! Plan
now to attend one or all 4 sessions.
Cost: $20
per session or $60 for the entire series! Registration includes a Weekend Pass
to the Show! https://secure.interactiveticketing.com/1.10/e4fbce/#/select
2016 Michigan Horticultural Therapy
Conference: "Horticultural Therapy: Connecting People & Plants" Friday, March 11, 2016 from 8:30
a.m. – 4:30 p.m.- Michigan State University: Plant & Soil Sciences Building,
East Lansing, Mi
The MHTA
conference is beneficial to anyone interested in learning how the people-plant
interaction brings therapeutic change and improves well-being. This event features informative breakout
sessions, book/product sales, hands-on workshops, displays, refreshments, door
prizes and optional visit to the MSU Indoor/Outdoor Children’s Garden. Join us
to learn aspects of horticultural therapy that can enhance adult day services,
seniors, children’s programs, recreational therapy programs, school gardens,
community and healing gardens, corrections, hospice, medical care/mental
health, rehabilitation programs and more.
Early
Registration fee is $60 for MHTA members/$80 for non-members (postmarked by
March 4).
Regular
registration is $70 for MHTA members/$90 for non-members and $30 for full time
students. Annual MHTA
membership is $20.
Registration
fee includes lunch (vegetarian option available).
For
additional information contact Cathy Flinton, HTR at 517-332-1616 x16238 or
Cathy@michiganhta.org; or M.C. Haering at MC@michiganhta.org or 248-982-6266. Or
go to http://www.michiganhta.org/index.php/march-11-conference
MICHIGAN HERB ASSOCIATES CONFERENCE,
A GARDEN FIESTA TO
REMEMBER! Thursday, March 10th, 2016, MSU, Plant and Soil Sciences Building, East
Lansing Mi. Registration and Shoppe
Sales start at 8:15 am and the program begins at 9:00 am.
The
conference opens with Lucinda Hutson, all the way from Texas. Her talks will be on Herbal Landscapes Inside
and Out, and The Ultimate Guide to Entertaining in your Outdoor Spaces. Also
speaking, Jessica Wright and Val Albright, Cultivating the Recipe Garden. The
day will finish with a Make and Take activity where we will all make a package
of Guacamole Seasoning to take home.
The pre-reservation
only buffet luncheon will be in the nearby conservatory with linen covered
tables, plants, and hopefully butterflies! Check out www.miherb.org for the rest of the lineup, and a registration
form to print out and mail. The conference is $45 (early bird rate before Feb 12), Postmarked after February 12, MHA Member Rate
$50.00, Non-Member Rate $75.00 Salad Buffet Luncheon $13.00.
You must
register by March 2nd to reserve lunches. TIP: You can register up
until the day of the conference by phone by calling Dolores Lindsay
517.899.7275, or by coming as a walk-in. Walk in’s will be charged extra.
MSU Horticulture Gardens’ Spring
Program: The Garden Professors
April 9, 2016, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Plant and Soil Sciences Building, 1066 Bogue
Street East Lansing, MI
Looking to
bust through gardening myths and dig down to the truth? Join the creators of
The Garden Professors, a blog where expert professors from around the country
use science-based information to provide you with the facts about gardening
from every aspect. We will host two of these professors and they will be joined
by organic farming expert, Adam Montri. Attendees will have the opportunity to
submit questions in advance, many of which will be answered by these experts
during a final Q & A session! Early registration (on or before March 31)
for MSU Horticulture Garden Member $70, Early registration (on or before March
31) for non-MSU Horticulture Garden Member $80 Registrations received after
March 31 $90
Contact:
Jennifer Sweet at 517-353-0443 or hgardens@msu.edu
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
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
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 facebook page link for
gardeners in the Lapeer area. This link
has a lot of events listed on it.
Here’s a
link to all the nature programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in
Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/
Here’s a
link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road,
North Branch.
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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