June 21,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hi Gardeners
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| Evening Primrose |
Summer is here, it’s a fact now. Last
night we had the rare conjunction of a full moon and the summer solstice. I hope you went outside and danced in the
moonlight to keep the magic of summer alive.
If not better get out there tonight.
I celebrated solstice by changing my solar lights from multi-colored to
purple. I have several strands of these “fairy”
lights which run on solar power and I love them. I didn’t take my multicolored strands down,
which I admit are kind of Christmassy looking, I just turned them off and added
the lavender lights right in the same spot.
They will be my summer lights.
Last week we were lucky to have a good, soaking all day rain on Thursday
and here at my house we ended up with 2.25 inches of rain through Wednesday and
Thursday. I know many people weren’t so lucky.
I got to skip watering for a few days; I even had to dump water out of
some pots. But I was back to watering
last night. Hopefully we will get some
more rain tomorrow night, maybe some showers later today. It has been a dry June.
My evening primrose are blooming, the elderberries are in bloom, I have a
little plant called nigella starting to bloom and some Asiatic lilies and day
lilies are opening. The clematis’s are
going strong. There are a few blooms on one of the buddleia. Cannas are in
bloom. Full garden color is just a wee bit ahead, but it will happen soon. I consider it full color when the daylilies,
other lilies, beebalm, hydrangeas, dahlias and phlox join the annuals in bloom.
The mulberries are ripening. I don’t
use them for anything but attracting birds, which they do in great number. Flocks of cedar waxwings show up in the
evening. Robins and orioles feast on the mulberries. It makes a mess but its good bird watching. I am still getting some strawberries and we are
getting a few small tomatoes too.
Rose Chafer beetles are heavy around here this year. There’s an article below about these
buggers.
Will we have more Monarch butterflies this year? I haven’t seen any Monarch butterflies this
year, although I have seen plenty of other species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
service is considering listing the Monarch as an endangered species this year. But there may be good news.
Studies done by our own MSU biologists suggest that when the weather in
Texas in the spring is cooler and wetter than average more butterflies will
make the journey north. That’s probably
because that type of weather promotes more milkweed and flowers, things that first
generation of Monarchs need to reproduce and send more second generation
butterflies flying north. I know it’s
been much wetter in Texas this spring- don’t know how the temperatures stand –
so maybe we will see Monarchs this year.
Petunia exserta and the mistake I may have made
Petunias are the most popular annual flower grown in the U.S. I admit I
have a fondness for them. Even though I
don’t have many sunny places to put them I always see some pretty new variety I
have to have each spring. It turns out
that petunias are also a favorite of scientists studying plants; they are used
for a wide variety of research projects involving plants.
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| Petunia exserta last year and this year. |
Scientists recently finished sequencing the genetic code of petunias and
the results were just published in the journal Nature Plants. Our domestic,
common garden petunias (Petunia hybrida)
are a cross of two wild species, a small, purple flowered one called Petunia inflata and one with a larger
white fragrant flower called Petunia
axillaris. During domestication and
years of breeding for all the colors and types of petunias we have today, more
of the genes of the white flowered petunia remain. Yet petunias are able to move genetic material
around rather easily (something that makes them a favorite of researchers) and
the 20 or so percentage of modern petunias genes that come from its purple
ancestor are able to modify it in an astonishing variety of ways.
There are actually 34 species of petunias and they originate in South
America. Petunias are related to
tobacco, tomatoes, peppers and other members of the Solanaceae family. Calibrachoa (Million Bells) are also related to
petunias, although there is a debate as to whether they deserve their own genus,
and some species of petunias can cross with them. However many species of petunias are
incompatible with calibrachoa.
Last year I purchased a rare petunia species called Petunia exserta from Select Seeds. This petunia may now be extinct
in its native habitat of southern Brazil. It was only discovered and named in
the 1980’s. In 2007 only 14 plants remained in the wild. It is the only native
species of petunia to have red flowers and the only one which is pollinated by
hummingbirds. Petunia exserta has narrow
tubular shaped red flowers with a star shaped flare at the top. The yellow stamens
and pistil are modified to be pollinated by hummingbirds. Research has determined that the red color in Petunia exserta comes from different anthocyanins
(pigment producers) than the red that’s found in common petunias.
I had one Petunia exserta plant
last year which I planted in a pot with another hummingbird attractor, Bouvardia. Hummingbirds were attracted to it and in the
fall I collected seeds from the plant.
The seeds germinated well and this year I have a number of plants. However in looking at them as they begin to
flower I am wondering if I allowed a hybrid to be created. The nearest domestic petunias I had planted
in the yard were about 50 feet away but that isn’t far at all for a hummingbird.
I didn’t notice if hummingbirds were attracted to those common petunias,
although some of them were red. I have included
a picture here. In the picture labeled
2016 you will notice the flowers in the center and bottom seem to be broader
than the flower in the 2015 picture, with a different shape to the petal
margins.
It’s hard to see in the picture but the reproductive parts in the 2016
plants seem to be the same as the Petunia
exserta species, which are large and stick out of the flower. In common
petunias the reproductive parts are smaller and down in the funnel of the
flower farther. (Exserta is Latin for thrust out.) However after reading up on
the Petunia exserta I found that it
hybridizes readily with other petunias.
I think I made a mistake by growing the rare specimen I had anywhere
close to common garden petunias. It
seems that growers who produce the plants don’t grow other petunias. I was
unaware of its ability to easily cross with other petunias and I apologize to
anyone who got a plant donated from me at a plant swap; you may have not gotten
a pure Petunia exserta. But you did
get something pretty and unusual.
A bit of a puzzle is that I don’t think hummingbirds frequent the common
garden petunias that often. I am going
to observe more carefully because I have a lot of hummingbirds on the
property. Bees, butterflies and moths normally
pollinate common petunias. Many have
scents that attract insects, but Petunia
exserta is not scented. But maybe those insects visit Petunia exserta just enough to do the job.
Petunia exserta is a charming
plant. It blooms prolifically all summer
and tolerates more shade than other petunias. It’s a vining, trailing type that
will weave itself among other plants. It
was easy to grow from seed. And of
course, hummingbirds like it. I have
several pots of them this summer but I also have several different common
petunias planted here and there in the yard.
If I want to save seeds this fall I may be able to see what kinds of
interesting hybrids I encouraged this year.
But I’ll need to decide if I want to start over next spring with a new
purebred Petunia exserta and pledge
to ban all other petunias from the garden first.
Book review- Lab Girl- by Hope Jahren-released April, 2016
Hope Jahren was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people,
and she has received many scientific awards.
This is the true memoir of her life, from her Minnesota childhood as the
daughter of a dedicated scientist to her life as a respected researcher, now
living and working in Hawaii. Ms Jahren
studies botany and earth sciences. Her writing is humorous, fascinating and
poignant. The book will satisfy those
who like reading about plants, how our science is conducted today, women who
overcome odds and fascinating relationships between people.
The book is a blend of fascinating botanical tidbits scattered through
the author’s tales of finding funding to carry on her experimental work, her
odd expeditions and experiments, her work as a college professor, and fighting
her personal demon of a manic-depressive disorder.
It’s also a story about Bill, her long time lab partner and their odd
fraternal relationship. Bill, like Hope,
has some personality disorders that make it hard for him to fit in. While Hope marries and has a child and a
somewhat normal life Bill floats in a world of his own, a man who seems to live
for science, yet is unable to connect with most people. Hope protects him and provides his income as
they move from place to place, he’s her faithful sidekick and you’ll feel a
little sad for him. In the jargon of
botany, they have a symbiotic arrangement.
I strongly recommend this book as a good summer read. Learn about people as well as plants from
this story. It’s beautifully written and
won’t disappoint.
How to grow elderberries for fruit and foliage
Elderberries are used for food, herbal remedies and as an ornamental
plant. Folklore is filled with references to elders, depending on the culture
and the century they were either the witch’s friend or her mortal enemy. There
are native species of elderberries in Europe, North America and Asia.
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| Wild elderberry |
There is a lot of confusion about the classification of
elderberries. While the European elder
is classified as Sambuccus nigra,
North American black elderberries are said to be a sub-species by some
botanists Sambuccus nigra ( S. nigra ssp Canadensis); and by others
as a separate species Sambuccus
canadensis.
While the leaves, flowers and berries are very similar the plants have
different growth characteristics. American elders are more bush-like than
European elders and sucker readily.
European elders look more like a small tree and rarely sucker. There is a lot of variation even in North
American wild plants however, as you can see by driving around the countryside
and observing roadside elderberries.
Black elderberries, as the two species above are informally called, are
the elderberries that we eat and make into herbal remedies. Other species of elderberry exist and some of
those have been turned into the many forms of ornamental elderberries that are
available for the garden.
Elderberries have compound leaves with 5-7 leaflets with serrated
edges. In North America native
elderberries are a multi-stemmed bush that can get to 20 feet in height. The plants leaf out very early in the
spring. In June they are covered with
flat lacy umbels of white flowers with a lemony scent and are loved by bees and
butterflies. The flowers turn into
blue-black berries, also loved by birds.
Berries, flowers, leaves and roots are all used for herbal remedies but
it is the berries that probably get the most use. The plants are part of traditional medicines
for both Europeans and Native Americans. In Europe berries and flowers are
turned into wine, and jellies and pies are made from the berries. It is important to know that raw elderberries are poisonous. Chemicals in them are converted to cyanide in
the human body and can make someone very ill or even cause death. Cooked well however, they are safe to eat and
delicious as well as very nutritious. Elderberry flowers are sometimes dipped
in batter and fried.
Recently elderberries have been extensively studied as alternative
medicinal plants and a lot of data is supporting claims of medicinal value. Of course we are all aware now of the value
of anthocyanins, those pigments in plants which have antioxidant qualities and
support healthy immune systems as well as eliminating free radicals that cause
cell death. Elderberries are also
sources of vitamins A and C and a good source of calcium, iron and vitamin B6.
They also contain sterols, tannins, and essential oils.
Elderberry plant parts have stimulatory effects on the respiratory and
circulatory system, diuretic properties and when used topically have
anti-inflammatory actions. They are used
in digestive complaints for both diarrhea and constipation. Currently they are being sold as a remedy for
the symptoms of colds and flu. (They do
not cure colds or flu, they make you more comfortable). Elderberry extract, teas, or lozenges are
used to ease sinus congestion, sore throat and other cold and flu symptoms and
the medical community supports this use.
Research is ongoing to see if chemicals derived from elderberries can
lower cholesterol and inhibit tumor formation as well as help in several other
medical conditions.
If you want to grow elderberries for the berries several cultivars have
been developed that have superior fruit production. You can find them in many garden
catalogs. ‘York’, ‘Adams’, ‘Kent’,
‘Johns’ and ‘Nova’ are some varieties.
Like many fruits elderberries will produce much better if two different
varieties are planted fairly close together for proper pollination.
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| Ornamental elderberry flower |
Elderberries are being developed for beautiful ornamental plants both by
selection and by crossing several species of elderberries. When sold for ornamental use they are usually
referred to as Sambuccus. The varieties
‘Black Beauty’ and ‘Black Lace’ have delicate divided leaves of a dark maroon
black as well as pink flowers. They are
often used as a substitute for Japanese Maple as they are hardier and will grow
well in the sun. There is a variegated
green and white leaved Sambuccus known as
‘Pulverulenta' but it’s often just sold as ‘variegated’.
‘Madonna’ and Aureomarginata' are Sambuccus with golden variegation of
the leaves. 'Maxima' has very large flower heads of white with rosy-purple
stalks that remain after the flowers drop. ‘Goldbeere’ has light green foliage
and golden berries. Selections of Red-berried
elder, Sambucus racemosa, have produced the beautiful golden foliaged
plants 'Sutherland Gold' and ‘Golden
Locks’ which have red berries.
Sambucus caerulea- blue elder-
has white flowers and powder blue berries and is hardy to zone 5. There are some dwarf varieties on the market
'Tenuifolia' is one with fine fern-like leaves and a mounding habit. It is important to remember that while some
ornamental Sambuccus have edible fruit (if cooked) some do not. Most varieties which have black fruit are edible,
‘Goldbeere’ fruit is said to be edible also, but pay attention to the
description of the plant which should state whether the fruit is edible.
Elderberry
Care
Elderberries will grow in a sunny location in almost any soil, although
they prefer a rich soil with a slightly acidic pH. They will also do well in part shade or
dappled shade. While they need good
moisture, especially in the first year of establishment, elderberries do not
thrive in poorly drained areas. They
have shallow roots and you need to be careful weeding and working around them
not to destroy roots. The plants need
some selective pruning to remove the oldest wood and keep the shape and size of
the plant in bounds. They have few pests or diseases. Fertilizing with some
10-10-10 formula fertilizer each spring as they green up, about ½ pound to a
mature plant, will increase plant vigor and berry production.
Even “wild” elderberries are attractive if you have room for a large bush
and are very good at drawing bees, butterflies and birds to your property. Elderberries are easy to start from hardwood
cuttings so you may want to take a winter walk before they break dormancy and
collect some cuttings to start your own elderberry patch.
Planting and Care of Roses
Roses are one of the first flowers many gardeners want to plant. Garden roses are very diverse, from modern
landscape roses that require minimal care to hybrid teas which require
considerable maintenance. There are
roses, however, that are suitable for every sort of garden and gardener. This article is a brief summary of rose
planting and care.
Even if your space is limited you can grow roses in pots or even in the
house. Every gardener needs a rose or
two around. While your selection of
roses may be limited locally garden catalogs and on line stores will vastly
increase your choices.
Rose types
Hybrid teas are the roses commonly sees in the florist shop. They are generally grafted on to a hardy rose
rootstock. They will require spraying, fertilizing
and deadheading at regular intervals to look good. Hybrid teas come in a wide range of colors
and sizes. Some are fragrant. They generally bloom for most of the summer.
Grandifloras and floribunda roses have smaller blooms than tea roses, usually
born in clusters. The plants are more shrub-like. They can be grown on their own roots or
grafted. They range from very hardy to
not so hardy. They require slightly less
care than tea roses, bloom for much of the summer, and some are fragrant.
Shrub roses/ antique roses are generally a term for larger, older roses
that bloom once, usually in early summer.
The flowers are generally small.
There are some new varieties too, based on older roses, and these too
vary in hardiness. Some are very easy
to care for, with great disease resistance, but others require more care. Read up on varieties and check zone hardiness
before purchasing them.
Landscape roses generally refer to the new, disease resistant, hardy
roses. They are generally shrub or ground cover like in growth habit. They are generally easy to care for, bloom all
summer and are great for beginning gardeners.
The flowers are usually small and most are not fragrant. They come in a wide range of colors and
sizes. While they are disease resistant
they sometimes do get rose diseases and they are just as prone to insects like
rose chafer beetles and Japanese beetles as other roses.
Climbing roses vary in hardiness and care requirements. They of course
prefer life on a trellis. Miniature roses are small replicas of all the other
varieties and can be grown in containers or indoors. They are often surprisingly hardy in the
garden too.
Choosing roses
Make sure the roses you want to buy are hardy for your planting zone if
you are putting them outside in the garden.
Check the size listed too, to make sure it will suit your needs. Some roses will get quite large, especially
landscape types. Then you can chose
based on color, form, and scent to suit your pleasure. Not all roses are fragrant and there are
different scents attributed to roses, such as old rose, lemony, musky and so
on.
Roses are sold as bare root stock in a dormant condition or as potted
plants. Most roses sold from catalogs
are bare root plants. You can get
hundreds of varieties this way. Potted roses are generally sold in local stores
and the selection will be more limited.
Bare root roses should be planted in early spring. Buy them as soon as the stores put them out
and keep them in a cool, dark spot until ready to plant. Have catalog purchased roses shipped to
arrive about a month from your predicted last frost. Bare root rose canes (stems)
should look green and firm, not black and shriveled. Some places wax the canes
and you may notice a white wax on them.
This is harmless and not a pesticide. It just helps prevent moisture
loss from the canes.
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| A shrub rose that came back from the roots of a grafted rose. |
You do not want roses to begin growing in storage as bare root plants. If
sprouts begin, rub them off with your fingers.
If they grow before the plant has roots in the ground in it will weaken
the plant and decrease its chance for survival.
The rose will quickly replace the sprouts after planting. Don’t choose the packaged rose in the big
name store with long, spindly green shoots.
Potted roses can be bought at any time of the year. If they have leaves and blooms be careful
putting them outside if the weather is still going below freezing at
night. You may want to protect them each
night, and remove covers in the morning.
Keep them well watered during establishment.
Even the small potted miniature roses given as gifts may be planted
outside when the weather warms, either in the ground or in bigger pots. Many are quite hardy. If any roses are put in pots the pots should
be sunk into the ground or otherwise protected for winter. They can be stored inside in a dimly lit cool
place just above freezing too.
Rose
requirements
Roses should be planted in full sun. In the deep south some varieties may
prefer partial shade but most roses do better in full sun. Some varieties claim they do all right in
partial shade even in the north but take these claims with a grain of salt.
Generally roses are healthier and bloom best in full sun.
When the danger of a hard freeze is past, dormant roses can be planted
outside. Light frost will not hurt them if they do not have leaves. Remove all the packing material and soak the
roots for an hour or two before planting.
If the rose is in a pot, remove any type of pot including paper or peat. Leave the soil on the roots of potted roses as
much as possible. Make sure to remove all strings and ties. You can put tags on a separate stake near the
rose.
Loosen the soil up to about eighteen inches deep when planting roses. Roses prefer slightly acidic, fertile soil
that drains well. They will however,
adapt fairly well to other conditions.
You can work some organic matter into the soil before digging a
hole. Do not add anything to the hole
you dig for the rose, including fertilizer and never add Epsom salt.
Roses that are grafted will have a swelling on the stem where the graft
took place. In areas where the winter
temperatures are regularly below freezing the graft union should be planted two
inches below ground. In warm zones the
graft union should be at ground level.
Non-grafted roses should be planted at the same level they were planted
before in the pot or nursery. On bare
root plants this will often show as a darker ring on the main stems. Refill holes with the soil that was taken
out of them and water well. You can add
some slow release fertilizer to the soil around
the rose or use a liquid fertilizer after planting.
Spacing for roses depends on what type of rose you are planting and what
zone you are in. In warmer zones roses
will get larger and should be planted farther apart. Thirty inches apart for tea roses and smaller
floribunda’s is average. Shrub and
landscape roses should be planted about half their expected adult width from
each other.
Care of roses
Keep roses watered if it is dry.
Try to water them at the base of the plant and not get the foliage wet
to help prevent disease. Mulching roses
is a good way to maintain even soil moisture.
You can get roses too wet too.
This is something to watch when roses are potted. Let roses in the ground go a few days between
watering unless it is very hot, dry and windy.
Make sure pots drain well, they may need to be watered daily but check
first to see if the soil is dry.
Roses that bloom only once should be fertilized in early spring as growth
starts. Roses that bloom all summer
should be fertilized in early spring, when bloom starts and then about every
six weeks. Stop fertilizing a month
before your first frost is expected. Use a fertilizer labeled for roses or
blooming plants.
The newer roses are more disease resistant and won’t require
spraying. Tea roses and some others,
however, almost always need a preventative spray program to prevent fungal
disease. Roses may also need to be
sprayed for insects. Follow the
directions on the pesticide label for mixing and times to apply. Accept that if you want nice tea type roses
you will need to do some spraying of pesticides. Organic controls rarely do much good. If you are a strictly organic gardener your
best bet is landscape type roses. Some
shrub/older type roses will get their blooming done before insects and disease
does much damage.
Insect pests that are troublesome include rose chafers and Japanese
beetles. These can be hand- picked but sometimes
the population is so high the roses will be damaged anyway. These bugs usually have a period of high
populations and then subside and the rose foliage and flowers will recover. Even pesticides won’t prevent all damage
since the bugs may feed before dying.
But they do limit damage.
Tea roses and older floribunda roses may need to have dead flowers
removed if you want them to continue blooming.
Newer landscape roses don’t require this. You can leave some flowers to produce rose
hips later in the season for the birds and for winter interest.
You can prune roses at any time in the growing season to shape them or
keep them a manageable size but stop all pruning a month before the first hard
freeze is predicted. In Michigan that
would be September in most areas. This
allows rose canes, (stems) to harden off naturally and they will be less
susceptible to freeze damage. Pruning
encourages new growth that may go into winter before it is sufficiently hardy.
If you prune the roses back a lot you may lose blooms for a while. Roses that bloom only once in early summer
can be pruned back a lot right after bloom and will bloom fine the following
year. But don’t prune them back heavily
in late summer or fall for best bloom the following spring.
Wait until growth has started in the spring before pruning your roses and
the chance of a hard freeze is unlikely.
The dead branch ends that occur in winter protect the living tissue
farther down the stem. If you prune too early and more cold develops the rose
may die back farther than it would have if left unpruned until late
spring. When it’s obvious which parts of
the stem are alive because you spot leaves or swelling green or red buds and
the weather has settled, you can trim off any winter killed branches.
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| Knock out rose |
lzSometimes a rose will die all the way back to the roots after a hard
winter. If the rose is a grafted one the rose may put out growth from its roots
but that growth will not have flowers like the original grafted portion did. Sometimes the flowers are pretty, but they
are often one shot spring bloomers with small flowers. You may want to replace them. If a rose isn’t grafted, it’s sold as “grown
on its own roots”. These roses will often come back and bloom as expected if
they are killed to the ground.
Grafted roses will generally need some winter protection. You can use special rose cones or make a wire
cage around the rose and fill it with straw or chopped leaves. Some gardeners also mound soil up over the
base of the rose to about a foot deep.
Don’t take the soil from around the rose roots to do this. Bring in additional soil.
If you have trouble with landscape or other own root type roses dying
back to the ground every year you may want to protect them too. This gets them
off to a faster start and bloom in spring. You can trim the plants back a bit
so they fit in winter protection but leave most rose pruning for spring, see
pruning above.
After you get your roses growing and blooming don’t forget to stop and
smell them!
For
information about the herbal uses of the rose and recipes I suggest you read
this article.
Rose chafer beetles don’t just munch roses
It’s June and in Southeast Michigan that means it’s time for the rose
chafer beetle invasion. If you live on
sandy soil your garden may be particularly hard hit. The name rose chafer is misleading. While they are very attracted to rose
flowers, they’ll eat the leaves and flowers on many kinds of plants.
Rose chafer beetles are tan, sometimes with a greenish cast, with reddish
orange legs and short antennae. They are
about a 1/2 inch long when mature and are strong fliers. In June they emerge from the soil where they
have been pupating and begin feeding on everything in sight. Plants are sometimes covered with the
beetles.
Damage to plants is mainly cosmetic; the plants do recover when the
beetles stop feeding and die, near the end of June. But the loss of flowers and the sight of
leaves with only the veins remaining make many gardeners ready to fight. In June lots of chewed up leaves and flowers
may mean a rose chafer invasion is taking place.
For those who grow grapes, rose chafers mean more than cosmetic
damage. Grapes are generally blooming at
the time the rose chafer emerges and the hungry beetles love to eat grape
flowers and buds, which means the loss of the grape crop. If you want grapes you may have to use
pesticides.
The life cycle of the rose chafer begins when adult beetles lay eggs in
sandy soil in June. Tiny grubs soon
hatch and burrow deeper into the soil.
Unlike the European chafer beetle grub the rose chafer grub does not
damage turf grass roots. It grows all summer,
and then goes deep into the soil to rest for winter. In the spring grubs move toward the surface,
eat for a short time then turn into pupae for a couple of weeks, before
emerging from the soil in June to start the cycle over.
Since female rose chafer beetles prefer to lay eggs in sandy soil, higher
numbers of the beetles are found in gardens planted on sandy soil. But the beetles can fly quite a distance to
feed.
To control rose chafers gardeners can hand pick the beetles, dropping
them into a container of soapy water.
Shaking a plant lightly will often dislodge dozens of the beetles. On sturdy plants a hand vacuum can be used
with the dirt cup full of beetles emptied into soapy water.
Common garden insecticides such as Sevin and malathion will kill the
beetles. But insecticides will need to
be re-applied after each heavy rain and every 10-14 days. Systemic insecticides, like those found in
rose care products, will work but the beetle has to take a bite of the plant
before it is poisoned, so some damage continues to occur.
Whenever using a pesticide, read and follow the label directions for
mixing and applying the product exactly.
Make sure the plants you want to protect and the insects you want to
kill are listed on the label. Different
insects or different plants can have different application and mixing
instructions.
Plants could be covered with row cover material while the beetles are
heavy. It must be securely anchored to
the ground so beetles don’t crawl under it.
Grapes though, need to have visits from pollinators to make fruit so a
row cover won’t work. Pesticides may
also kill some pollinators but are the best option for grapes if beetle numbers
are high.
Some early studies by the USDA have found that spraying the kaolin clay
based product called Surround® on grape vines helped repel rose chafer
beetles. That product could also be
sprayed on trees and shrubs being eaten by rose chafers but be aware that it
gives sprayed plants a whitewashed appearance.
There is a lure scent that has been developed for rose chafers that can
be used in Japanese beetle traps. If you
use a product like this put it far away from the plants you want to
protect. Otherwise it will draw more
rose chafers to the area which may feed on plants before entering the trap.
One thing you do not want to do is to encourage your chickens or other
birds to eat the beetles. Rose chafer
beetles contain a toxin that can sicken or kill birds and small animals. That’s
why they are so abundant and damaging; they are not eaten by other wild things.
The good news is that the invasion is short lived. By the end of June/ early July in most areas
of Michigan the adult rose chafer beetles are gone, leaving behind eggs for
next year’s beetle crop.
Instructions to Gardeners for Summer
On a summer morning when the light is still soft and the dew glitters on your
flowers, go outside with your camera to capture some summer memories. Pick a
bouquet to bring inside while the flowers are fresh and perky. Perhaps a handful
of blackberries or a juicy peach can serve as breakfast.
In the heat of the noon sun watch the bees busy with the anise hyssop and
comfrey then find a cool spot to sip your tea, add a sprig of lemon balm for
flavor. Mid-summer days are meant to be
slow and languid. All too soon these
days will pass; take time to savor a few.
In the shade of a tree, spend the afternoon reading a book you have
longed to read for some time. Take time
to look up into the tree and wonder at the marvel of it. Think of the thousands of gallons of water it
is pumping from the ground up to the very top leaf. Each leaf is a little green factory, laboring
and sweating in the summer sun to produce food for the community of tree. Its labor cools you beneath it as it releases
its sweat upon the air.
Later in the day the pungent, clean scent of lavender and the strong,
sweet smell of lilies drift on the heavy summer air. Make sure you dry a few
sprigs of lavender to tuck among your stored sheets and other linens to keep
the smell of summer lingering long into winter.
Pluck some golden and orange calendula or nasturtium flowers, some tender
greens and slip some sun warmed tomatoes from the stalk. Search until you find a tiny cucumber hidden
in the vines. Go to the house and make
a salad that welcomes the tongue. Chill
it while you cook a bit of chicken with fresh rosemary and lemon thyme
sprinkled on it. Get some water boiling and go back to the garden for a few
ears of plump, sweet corn. Then slip the
ears into their bath for a few minutes, remove and drench with butter. Add a dish of vanilla ice cream layered with
blackberries and dinner is done.
Just before the light is gone in the evening take a walk in your garden.
If you have had the foresight to plant some woodland nicotiana, with its
stately towers of fragrant white trumpets, you can watch the antics of the hawk
moth. Like a burly hummingbird instead of a hawk, it hovers among the blossoms
sipping nectar. If you have no moths to watch perhaps the swallows will
entertain you as they dip and swoop over your head collecting mosquitoes.
The late night air is filled with the songs of crickets and the shrill of
cicadas. A nighthawk adds its distinctive grating call as it swoops in the dark
sky hunting moths. The glow of lightning bugs mimics the flashes of heat
lightning on the horizon. Take time to sit on a porch after dark on a sultry
night and enjoy the concert.
Go on - dance in the moonlight
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- 2016 MKPC Pond & Water Garden
Tour-Sat, July 16, 10am-5pm, The Village Workshop, 455 E Cady St, Northville,
MI.
The
Michigan Koi and Pond Club tour starts at The Village Workshop. Tour at your
own pace. Rain or shine. More info: www.mkpc-se.com.
New- Master
Gardeners of St Clair County Annual Garden Tour- Sat, July 16, 10am-4pm, Marysville,
MI.
This tour
sponsored by Master Gardeners of St Clair County takes place at 9 diverse
gardens. Cost is $15. For more info: gina92pj@comcast.net.
Or 586-727-2563.
New- 42nd
Annual Troy Garden Walk: Poetic Gardens- Wed, July 13, 9:30am-3pm and 5pm-8:30pm, Troy Historic Village, 60 W
Wattles Rd, Troy, MI.
Tour 7
private gardens and the Troy Historic Village for only $10. More Info: www.TroyGardenClubMI.com, 248-952-5938.
New-
Native Plants & Beneficial Insects, Tue, July 19, 6:30-8:30pm, MSU Tollgate Education
Conference Center, 28115 Meadowbrook Rd, Novi, MI
Pollinator
Preservation Strategies for the Home Garden: Native Plants and Their Unique
Relationships with Beneficial Insects
Want to
help out our native pollinators and other beneficial insects? Through plant
selection, garden design and maintenance protocols, we can provide a haven not
only for our beautiful butterflies and moths but also other critical beneficial
species, from bees to beetles. Cheryl English, speaker, is an Advanced Master
Gardener of Wayne County, Michigan; a Master Composter of Macomb County; the
owner/operator of Black Cat Pottery/The English Landscape, a contributing
writer to Michigan Gardener Magazine; a board member of the Wildflower
Association of Michigan; she’s on the planning committee of the Detroit Garden
Center; and is President Emeritus of the Master Gardeners of Greater Detroit.
Cost is $25. More info: http://tollgate.msu.edu/events.
25th Annual Grosse Pointe Garden
Tour Fri, June 24th, and Sat. 25th 10am-4pm, Grosse Pointe Area.
The Grosse
Pointe Garden Center, Inc. is sponsoring
tour of 8 beautiful private gardens, cost $20. Enjoy a garden shoppe. Tickets:
313-881-7511, ext. 206.
Genesee County Garden Tour 2016, Sun, June 26, 10am-5pm,
Master Gardener
A association, Genesee County is sponsoring a tour through private gardens in Clio
and Vienna Twp. www.GCgardentour.weebly.com.
“The Wow
Garden Tour" certainly has some wow gardens. We have gardens to match
everyone's taste. We have shade gardens, native gardens, country gardens,
whimsically decorated gardens, simply pretty gardens. You will enjoy the
relaxing country drive. For only $10, you can enjoy this self-guided garden
tour. Tickets will be sold at each site and many local businesses. Information
and driving directions printed on your ticket.
Buy tickets
in advance or day of tour at:
Walker Farms
& Greenhouse, 5253 Atherton Road, Burton (East of Center Rd).
Bordine
Nursery, 9100 Torrey Road, Grand Blanc (North of Grand Blanc Rd., west of
Fenton Rd.)
Willow
Cottage Flower and Gift, 202 S Mill St, Clio, MI 48420 (Open Monday- Saturday)
Piechnik
Greenhouse,13172 McCumsey Road, Clio
Bridge Park
the day of tour (Corner of Linden/ Vienna Rd.)
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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