May 17,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hi Gardeners
After snow on Sunday morning we are finally getting into better
weather. The lilacs are beginning to
bloom here, creeping phlox is in bloom, and the tulips still look fairly
nice. It’s hard but I think we still need
to be a little patient with the tender plants.
I suggest waiting until after the full moon which is on Saturday; I
think the long range forecast looks good after that. But we never know for sure especially up my
way. It got down to 30 degrees Sunday night
here. I have checked my apple trees and
I don’t see any freeze damage on the blooms but some things may have been
damaged.
The orioles have been out in force around here. I have 6-8 at the feeder sometimes. I am also seeing rose breasted
grosbeaks. The hummers are around now
too. I made the mistake of putting a
hummingbird feeder over some of my pretty tulips in front of the house and the
raccoons tried to get at it. They broke
off many tulips which made me quite mad.
I moved the feeder away from the plants but I would rather move
raccoons.
What’s available at the farm markets now? Most types of greens, radishes, green onions,
chives, leeks, rhubarb, and asparagus.
Tunnel grown strawberries may be coming
into markets in southern parts of the state. There are lots of annuals and herb
plants being offered at most places.
I participated in the plant swap the Lapeer Horticulture Society held
last night and came home with a number of plants. If you have never been to a plant swap there
are a list of them at the end of the newsletter you might want to attend. It’s fun and you never know what you will
find. Some swaps have rules, others don’t. In most cases you take your excess plants to
a location, and there is some sort of lottery or you are issued tickets to choose
plants that others have brought. If you
can dig your plants and pot them in something – it doesn’t have to be pretty- a
few days to a few weeks before the swap.
Keep them well watered. Try to
label them with a name- even if it’s a common name.
When you choose plants at a swap realize that some of them may look a bit
wilted, but most recover with good care.
They may not be in a good pot or even potted at all but you can either
pot them or plant them in the garden.
Ask questions if you don’t know anything about the plant but be prepared
to come home and look up information.
Microclimates- what they are- what they mean
Most gardeners are aware of what planting zone they are in. (If you don’t
know your planting zone please go to this article to learn about them: http://www.examiner.com/article/how-to-find-your-garden-zone
Knowing your planting zone lets you select plants that are hardy in your
area but every gardener should also know about microclimates and how they
impact the plants in your garden.
Microclimates are small areas within a larger planting zone that have
different characteristics than the zone as a whole. They may be warmer or colder. And microclimates can also refer to whether
the area is dry or wet, and whether it is sheltered from the wind. You may have several microclimates on one
piece of property. A large city may
constitute a microclimate within a planting zone and within that city different
yards may have different microclimates.
Microclimates are created when some feature of the landscape changes
weather conditions. It could be lots of
pavement and buildings which trap heat or a low, moist area that cold air sinks
into. It could be a courtyard or a wall or solid fence or a pond, things that
affect the air and soil conditions.
Shade and exposure to sun and wind also define microclimates.
To give your plants the best possible growing conditions a gardener needs
to be aware of microclimates. Gardeners in northern areas are generally happy
when they find a microclimate spot that lets them grow plants that might not be
quite cold hardy in their area- they like warmer microclimates. Those in warmer areas may like microclimates
that allow plants that don’t like heat to be happier.
The areas near a large body of water are generally cooler in the spring
and warmer in the fall than the surrounding areas. This may be helpful to keep
some things like fruit trees from blooming too soon and extending the time in
the fall that fruit has to ripen. The
cherry industry on Michigan’s west coast takes advantage of that microclimate
along Lake Michigan.
How do you find microclimates on your property? Careful observation and educated hunches are
your tools. Spots where snow or frost doesn’t
melt until long after other areas are cold microclimates. Soil still frozen
after other areas have thawed indicates a cold area. Areas where water pools in
the spring and fall are generally cooler areas.
Hollows, dips, valleys, ditches, all lower spots are generally cooler
than the surrounding area. The north
side of a slope/bank is cooler. Watch
for plants that emerge later or bloom later than those in other areas.
Areas where plants emerge and bloom sooner than surrounding plants may be
warm microclimates. A dark colored house
or house foundation, stone walls or dark pavement in full sun absorbs heat and
stays warmer through the night. You may
see dandelions or chickweed blooming there long before they bloom in more
exposed areas. Raised beds, and elevated, well drained areas are often warmer
than other places. Nooks and alcoves,
courtyards, islands in paved areas
Summer microclimates can be important for some plants as well as winter
microclimates. Areas that are very hot
and humid in the summer may not suit some plants as well as areas that may be just
as hot but drier. And some plants need and thrive in high humidity. Some nurseries have attempted to define summer
hardiness zones as well as winter hardiness zones. If you find plants labeled with heat
hardiness ratings pay attention and do your homework to see if your type of
heat is suitable for that plant.
Lighter colored house walls or fences may reflect so much sun back onto
plants that they burn them or dry the soil out quickly. Areas surrounded by pavement may get very warm
in summer. Rocky, sandy soil heats up and dries out quickly. Some plants will not thrive in that microclimate.
Too much heat can be as bad as too
little in many cases. But careful plant
selection can generally find a compatible plant for the conditions.
If you are a gardener who longs to grow a plant that’s not supposed to be
winter hardy in your area you may want to look around your property for a
warmer microclimate. Don’t expect to
grow oranges outside in Michigan; at best you will probably raise the survival
rate by one zone, unless you build a heated greenhouse. For example if your planting zone is rated
zone 6 and you want a plant whose hardiness is rated zone 7 to overwinter in
your yard, you could plant it against the south wall of the house in full sun
in light, sandy soil. You may need to
mulch some plants (lavender doesn’t like heavy mulch) deeply to help them
survive. Or you could put up a hoop
house or unheated greenhouse to protect plants a bit.
A food gardener who has an exposed, low area for a garden spot may want
to enclose it with a solid or slatted fence and use raised beds to provide a
better microclimate. That’s especially
true if the soil is heavy clay. Most
food gardens in wide open areas can benefit from some kind of windbreak on the
north and west sides. Creating a
favorable microclimate gets you gardening faster in the spring and lets your
crops have a longer growing season.
Soil moisture levels also define microclimates. Areas that don’t drain well, are boggy or
swampy can occur within property that is generally well drained. In those areas you’ll need to select plants whose
root systems can thrive in wet soil. This can bring some interesting plants into
your garden. Or you can improve the
drainage in some way and eliminate the odd conditions. Remember wet spots are often cooler than
surrounding areas too.
Remember that microclimates can change over time, fences get removed,
windbreaks grow tall and provide too much shade, drainage patterns may change
and so on and you may need to change the plant species that grow there too. Sometimes a less than hardy plant for your
zone will survive one or two winters because the temperatures were warmer than
normal- we’ll see this more as the climate warms- but then die when we have a “normal”
winter. In that case you didn’t really
have a microclimate.
Not everyone has a spot on their property to “cheat” a growing zone. When selecting plants whose hardiness is less
than your growing zone rating be prepared to lose it. It doesn’t hurt to take a chance, as long as
you can afford the loss. If you suspect
your garden may have a bit of a cool microclimate choose plants whose hardiness
rating is one or more zones lower than yours.
For example if you are in zone 5 you may want to choose plants that are
hardy to zone 4.
When a new plant or plant variety comes on the market the zone hardiness
may not be precisely defined yet. It may
take growing it in many locations by many people for a few years to define its
hardiness. Experimenting and reporting
on your experiences can help other gardeners make better choices.
Mayapples, Maypops
The Mayapple, or May pop (Podophyllum peltatum) is a wildflower that
makes an excellent plant for woodland gardens and shady areas. In late April and May in zones 5-6 the large
leaves emerge like large green umbrellas in native forests across much of
eastern North America from artic Canada to Florida. Mayapple is the source of much folklore and
other common names are American Mandrake and Ground Lemon, Devil’s Apple,
Hog-apple, Indian Apple, Racoonberry, Wild Lemon and Witches Umbrella.
 |
| Mayapple foliage |
Mayapples have a thick light green stalk about 20 inches high from which
two leaves generally emerge. The leaves
are compound, palmate, with 3-9 but generally 6 leaf segments. The segments have a notch at the tip and
serrated edges. When the leaves first
emerge they hang like a closed umbrella but as the plant matures the leaves
become more like an open umbrella.
Leaves can be 9 inches across or more.
If a plant has a single leaf stalk it is infertile and won’t produce
fruit.
The Mayapple flower is white to pale rose with 6-9 petals, gold stamens,
and mildly fragrant. It hides in the leaf
axil, under the leaves. Mayapple’s require cross pollination to make fruit and
bumble bees and a few other native bees are the usual pollinators. The flower turns into a 1 ½ inch lemon shaped
fruit which is yellow and soft when ripe. The fruit contains several seeds and
is eaten by box turtles and small mammals.
The ripe fruit is the only part of the plant that is not poisonous.
Mayapple has dark brown, jointed rhizomous roots. It is dependent on mycorrhizae
in woodland soil to help it take up water and nutrients. It forms colonies by new plants arising from
rhizomes. It can spread quickly and aggressively when it’s happy in a spot. It also reproduces by seed. These require immediate planting after being
removed from the fruit and at least 3 months of cold, moist conditions to
sprout. They take several years to
mature and bloom.
Mayapples prefer light shade or dappled shade under deciduous trees where
the soil is high in organic matter and on the sandy side. They tolerate moderate dryness, and do not do
well in soggy soil or heavy clay. They
don’t require fertilization if the soil is allowed to accumulate organic
matter.
The leaves of mayapple are sometimes damaged by late frost. They may get a fungal “rust”, in some
locations. It’s normal for the plant to
die back in late summer or very hot weather and seem to disappear. Mayapples are long lived perennials however.
Cautions-
medicinal and other uses
Mayapples are extremely poisonous and although there are many Native
American herbal remedies involving parts of the plants only the most
experienced herbalists should experiment with them. Plant parts, including seeds, have been used
for both murder and suicide. It is a
strong purgative- you’ll vomit and have severe diarrhea – which used to be a
“remedy” for many things. It is not
recommended that the plant be consumed at all.
Overdose can cause heart failure and failure of the liver and kidneys
and an awful, painful death.
People do make jam or jelly from the ripe fruit. Some people even consume it like an
apple. But the flavor is nothing
special, it’s described as overripe melon with a sour lemon tang, and you must
take care not to consume any seeds, which are very poisonous. There are far tastier and safe fruits to make
jams and jellies from. Leave mayapple fruits for wildlife.
 |
| Mayapple flower |
The plant does have chemicals which inhibit cell growth and mayapple has
been studied as a treatment for several types of cancer. It has many serious side effects though, and
it’s not currently being used except experimentally.
The best use for mayapples is not as an herbal remedy but as an unusual
plant for the wooded or natural garden.
The umbrella leaves are attractive in spring, even though the flowers
are hard to see. And they are food for
bumblebees, turtles and other creatures.
Enjoy them without having to find a “use” for them.
Cooking and
preserving rhubarb
Rhubarb is a great sweet-tart spring treat. It’s available in Michigan farm markets
beginning in May and of course, you can grow your own rhubarb. For how to grow
rhubarb see this article. www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/growing-rhubarb
If harvesting your own cut it with a sharp knife near the stem base and
don’t remove more than 1/3 of the stalks each season. Stop harvesting when plants flower, usually
mid -June in Michigan.
Rhubarb stalks are the only safe part of the plant to eat; the plants
contain high amounts of oxalic acid. The
stem color of rhubarb varies from bright cherry red to greenish red, depending
on variety. Many people just like to
munch on a crispy tart stalk and that’s fine.
This article will give you some ideas on how to cook and preserve the
rhubarb harvest.
Some people leave the ‘skin” on when cooking rhubarb, others prefer to
carefully skin the stalks. You can usually remove the “skin” with your fingers,
it strips right off. The peel often
pulls away in attractive curls that can be used for garnishes. Tender young stalks won’t need peeling. Always wash rhubarb before proceeding with a
recipe.
Rhubarb pairs beautifully with strawberries and pineapple. You substitute rhubarb pieces in any zucchini
bread or cake recipe. That’s a good
reason to freeze some rhubarb chunks, in case the zucchini crop fails.
Cooked Rhubarb
Sauce
* Rhubarb stalks, washed
* sugar
Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1/2 inch slices. Measure your pieces. Put in a sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup of sugar for every 2 cups of
rhubarb pieces. Toss the mixture with a
spoon. You can adjust the sweetness to
suit you. Let the rhubarb and sugar sit
until you notice some fluid being drawn out of the rhubarb, probably 30
minutes. Then heat the rhubarb and sugar
until gently boiling. Cook, stirring
often, until the rhubarb pieces soften, about 5 minutes.
Use the sauce on pound cake slices or over vanilla ice cream.
Cooking
rhubarb for use in pies and cakes
Cut the rhubarb in 1/2 slices.
Fill a metal strainer or colander with pieces. Get a large pot of water boiling. Immerse strainer or colander with rhubarb
pieces in it for 2-3 minutes. Drain and
use in recipe.
Freezing
rhubarb
Blanch rhubarb in boiling water as above, but only immerse for 1
minute. Dip colander into a large pot of
cold water immediately. Let drain. Pack into freezer safe containers and freeze.
Canning
rhubarb
Follow the directions above for rhubarb sauce. It takes about 2 cups of rhubarb pieces for
each pint jar. As soon as rhubarb is removed from the stove, pour it into clean
pint jars to 1/2 inch from rims. Remove
bubbles by gently running a knife through filled jars. Clean the rims and apply lids. Process the jars in a water bath canner for
15 minutes.
Rhubarb and
pineapple cake recipe
This cake is fairly easy to prepare and tastes delicious. You could frost it, but it’s great with a
scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, especially while warm. It’s not as sweet as some cakes, but soft,
moist and flavorful. This makes a good potluck dessert, something
different. Rhubarb and pineapple cake
also freezes well.
* 2 cups of peeled, sliced
rhubarb
* 3/4 cup of sugar
* 3 tablespoons butter (or
margarine)
* 1 yellow cake mix
* 1 20 oz. can of
unsweetened crushed pineapple, don’t drain.
* 3 eggs
Grease a 13x9 inch cake pan.
Preheat oven to 350.
In a microwave safe bowl combine rhubarb and sugar. Cover bowl and microwave on high for about 3
minutes. The rhubarb should look like
the consistency of the crushed pineapple.
Add the butter to the rhubarb bowl and let it melt. In the meantime combine the cake mix, 3 eggs
and can of pineapple in a big bowl. Pour
in the rhubarb-butter mixture.
Beat with the electric beaters until the cake mix and other ingredients
are well combined, about 2 minutes. Pour
into greased pan and bake for about 35 minutes- until a knife inserted comes
out clean. Cool slightly and serve.
How to plant a tree properly
Bare root, balled and burlapped or potted trees all respond well to
planting when the weather is cool and wet.
Early May is still fine for bare-root trees that have been well cared
for and balled or potted trees and shrubs can be planted until late September
if they are well cared for as they acclimate to a new spot.
Unfortunately many old ideas about tree planting still exist among people
who work in landscaping nurseries and garden stores. Research done at places such as Michigan
State University has helped us better understand the process a tree goes
through when it has to re-establish itself after transplanting. The newer advice, backed by research, helps ensure
that your trees will get off to a better start and continue to grow for many,
many years. Here are some things that
you should do or have your landscaper do, to get those new trees off to a
healthy start.
This advice is for trees planted in the landscape, as ornamental or
fruiting trees. A re-forestation
project, involving hundreds of small seedlings requires some adjustments to
technique, although following the advice below would give your trees a great
start.
Don’t soak the
tree roots for long
Do not put bare root trees in a pail of water for longer than an hour.
You can moisten the packing material or wrap a bare root tree in some moistened
paper, for holding for a day or two.
Keep them in a cool place. Try
not to hold bare root trees for more than a few days before planting. Soaking the roots too long will rot them and
the tree will probably die.
Make sure trees in pots or ball and burlapped are watered, but not too
wet. They must be able to drain
well. Do not sit pots or root balls
directly in water.
Preparing the
hole
Prepare a hole three times as wide, but no deeper than the root
ball. If the tree is bare-root when you
buy it, look at the trunk for a dark “ring” area to show you the level the tree
was growing at before it was dug for the depth of your hole. If it’s hard to determine the original
growing level look for the highest root and make the hole just deep enough that
the top root will be about an inch under the soil.
Contrary to what most people think, most types of trees have root systems
that remain in the top three feet of soil.
Even if they are a species that has a deeper tap root, that root grows
more slowly than lateral roots when first transplanted. The tree needs to send out lateral, (side)
roots so that it can start grabbing water and minerals to support new top
growth and it needs to stabilize itself so it doesn’t topple in the wind. Having loose soil in a wide area around the
root system is the key to faster establishment.
Planting at
the right depth
Trees that are not planted at the right depth may grow, although some
species are fussier about this than others.
But the tree may be in for a lifetime of problems if it wasn’t planted
at the optimum level. If you look at a
mature tree that was planted at the right depth it will be wider at the bottom,
the wider part is called a root flare.
Trees planted too deeply will have trunks that appear to be straight,
without widening, right to the ground. A
trunk that flares at the bottom is stronger and able to withstand wind
better. Trees that were planted too
shallow usually don’t survive to maturity.
You get a tree planted at the right level by looking for that top
root. The highest root branching off
the main root on the tree should be just below the ground, about 1 inch below
it. On some very small bare root trees
you may need to look closely at the main root to see where branching is
beginning.
To see the top branching root is in a balled and burlapped tree you need
to remove the burlap. That will be
covered in more detail below. When
trees are put into burlap roots may be twisted up higher than they were growing
and soil piled up above that. You need
to uncover the root system in that ball to see where the top root naturally
lies. With a potted tree you can usually
line up the soil surface at the top of the pot with the ground level where you
are planting it. You will, of course, be
removing the pot.
Removing
anything that isn’t “tree”
Once the tree is in the hole at the right level everything must be
removed from around the root system.
Here is where many landscapers balk at the new recommendations that say
all burlap, wire cages and even so called peat pots must be removed before
filling in the hole. You can leave the
burlap on the root ball until it’s in the hole - where you can cut away most of
it- but it should be removed. There are
a couple of good reasons to do this. So
called peat pots must be removed before the roots are placed in the hole.
Modern “burlap” is often composed of synthetic materials that really
don’t break down quickly in soil. Tree
roots may still be contained in those packages years after planting. That’s not a good thing because the roots
need to spread out to support new top growth.
And any burlap that gets exposed to the air wicks moisture away from
tree roots. Peat pots are even worse at
restricting root spreading. Trees need
to get those lateral roots growing the first few months after planting, not
years down the line.
And you need to inspect that root system before you fill the hole,
another reason to remove burlap. Roots
that have circled around and around in pots or burlap balls will continue to
grow in circles after being placed into the ground. This may eventually strangle the tree, even
years after planting. And as mentioned
above, you need to know where the top branching root is to properly place the
root system.
 |
| Girdling roots |
Make sure all strings, wire, rope etc. are also removed from the roots
and also the trunk and branches of a tree.
As a tree grows these things cut through the area that transports food
and water and any parts above the constricting item will die.
Helping roots
grow right
When planting trees never wrap a root around the hole- spread it out
horizontally. If it’s really too long,
trim it off to fit the hole, but never spiral it around the hole. When you see those roots that have circled
the pot as described above, they must be loosened before replacing soil. If you can loosen them with your fingers and
spread them out that’s a sign the circling wasn’t too advanced. Good nurseries either root trim or repot
trees to keep them from getting root bound.
If the roots are thickly layered at the bottom of the pot or root ball or
around the sides you’ll need to trim them.
If it’s just at the bottom, trim off the circling roots, making a slice
across the bottom an inch or so deep.
Then slightly flare out the remaining soil and roots. If roots are really circled heavily up the
side of the pot make several cuts length wise through the roots, as well as
trimming the bottom, and hope for the best.
Roots that are circling when planted will probably continue to spiral
around the main root or trunk. This may
eventually kill the tree by choking off the supply of water and food, sometimes
years after planting.
Spread roots sideways in the planting hole, except for any central main
root. Don’t squish all the roots down
vertically into the hole. Any larger
roots that are broken can be trimmed.
Refill with
what you removed
You’ll see the signs advising you to buy amendments and the sales staff
may try to convince you, but don’t buy peat or topsoil or anything else to add
to the planting soil as you plant your tree.
Research has shown that trees establish better if the hole is refilled
with what you took out. After all that
is the soil that the tree will be living in after it grows through your small
amended area. It is easier for the tree
to adapt to new conditions if it starts right away and it doesn’t have to
re-adjust its root system when it grows through the amendments and into the
surrounding soil.
Holes filled with “good stuff” may hold too much moisture next to roots,
especially if you throw a bag of peat into heavy clay soil. The roots sit in water and rot. And trees may not extend their roots quickly
into surrounding soil if it’s easier to grow roots inside an amended area. This can lead to circling roots, with the
tree being strangled or to a poorly established root system that can’t support
the tree in a wind storm or through a drought.
You can add a little slow release fertilizer to the soil you are going to
backfill with. Don’t throw it in the
hole, mix it through the soil you removed then refill the hole. And never add Epsom salt to the hole, or
surrounding soil.
Don’t prune
and don’t stake- usually
It’s not necessary to remove one third of the tree as some older advice
may lead you to believe. Research has
shown the tree needs top growth to make food so the root system can grow. Prune
off any broken branches and any branches that cross or rub each other, that’s
all. You can shape the tree once it has
established itself, usually after one growing season.
Most new trees should not be staked.
They grow stronger trunks and wider root systems if the tree is allowed
to sway in the wind. There are some
exceptions. New evergreens planted in
the fall or in high wind areas may need to be staked for one growing
season. Some ornamental weeping trees
will need to be staked at least for a growing season, some for much
longer. If you do stake a tree check the
ropes several times a year to make sure they are not cutting into the tree.
Don’t over
water and don’t over mulch
Yes, newly planted trees need to be well watered at planting and they
should be watered when needed during the first growing season to get them off
to a good start. But their roots don’t
need to be constantly soaked. In really
hot weather and in sandy soil trees may need watering frequently but in most
situations a good watering once a week the first season will be enough.
Mulch is good for trees, but it shouldn’t actually touch the tree
trunk. Rot and disease can start where
decomposing mulch touches trees. And
never use more than 3 inches of mulch.
Too much mulch absorbs or sheds water before it gets to the soil and it
prevents oxygen from reaching tree roots.
To get water and air tree roots may grow up into the mulch instead of
down into the soil, which isn’t good for the tree.
A little care taken during tree planting will do a lot to prevent tree
failure. A tree may leaf out and appear
to grow the first season or even several seasons but failure of a tree in the
first three years after planting is often due to poor planting procedures. When
contracting with a nursery or landscaper to plant your trees make sure they are
willing to follow your directions and plant properly. You are the customer. If they say your warranty is void if you
remove burlap for example, you may want to use another company. They may replace the tree but you will have
lost valuable growing time if it needs to be replaced. And unfortunately the tree may not start to
decline until the warranty is up.
Life is short- get
out and smell the flowers- and plant a tree.
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. You can also
ask me to post garden related events. Kimwillis151@gmail.com
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. 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
susanmklaffer@yahoo.com Phone
810-664-8912
New-
Butterflies of Holliday Nature Preserve, Saturday, May 21, 2016, 1:00 – 2:30 pm Nankin Mills
Nature Center - 33175 Ann Arbor Trail, Westland, MI 48185
Michigan
is home to many beautiful species of butterflies. Learn how to recognize them
throughout their different life stages and also learn what plants you can add
to your landscape to attract them to your yard. We will visit the Butterfly
Garden at Nankin Mills after the presentation. Fee: $3.00 per person, Add $1
for out-of-Wayne county residence. Recommended for ages 12 and up. More info
phone:(734) 261-1990
New- Herb swap, May 21st, 11 am at the Watertower park,
Lapeer.
Lapeer Herb
Circle is sponsoring an herb plant swap.
Bring your excess and swap for new things. Even if you don’t have things to swap show up
and get some herbs for your garden. The
Watertower park is on the North edge of Lapeer, close to McLaren regional
hospital.
Native Plant Sale, Sat, May 21, 9-11:30 am, St Clair
Shores Library, 22500 E 11 Mile Rd, St Clair Shores, MI
Sponsored by
Yardeners at St Clair Shores Library. Attract birds, butterflies & bees
with natives. More information: scsyardeners@gmail.com.
MSU Annual Plant Sale, Sat, May 21, 7am-2pm, MSU
Horticulture Gardens, 1066 Bogue St, East Lansing, MI
Annuals, perennials,
shrubs, vegetables, herbs, houseplants, hanging baskets, & combo pots. For more info: www.hrt.msu.edu.
Annual Perennial Plant Sale Sat, May 28, 10am-1pm, 1535 N
Hickory Rd, Owosso, MI
Sponsored by
Shaiwassee Co. Master Gardeners. Plants for both shade & sun with expert
gardeners to answer questions. More
info: joannemkenyon@yahoo.com.
Novi Spring Perennial Exchange Sat, May 28, 9am-Noon, Fuerst Park,
45175 10 Mile Rd, Novi, MI
Sponsored by Novi
Beautification Commission at Fuerst Park. FREE. Perennial exchange. Bring
plants to share and make new gardening friends. 248-735-5621.
Mushroom Cultivation Sat, May 21, 10am, 132 W Lafayette
Blvd, Detroit, MI.
Sponsored by The
Greening of Detroit at Lafayette Greens. Take this 2 hour class to learn how to
cultivate mushrooms. More info: education@greeningofdetroit.com.
Harnessing Mother Nature’s
Workforce—Beneficial Insects Fri, May 20, 9:15 am, Meadow Brook Hall, 480 S Adams
Rd, Rochester, MI
Learn to recognize &
maximize Mother Nature’s natural pest control. Sponsored by MBGC at Meadow
Brook Hall. Cost $5. For more info call 248‑364‑6210, or MBHGCMembers@gmail.com.
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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