Tuesday, September 27, 2016

September 27, 2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

© Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.


Hi Gardeners

Moonflower
Sunday was absolutely gorgeous fall weather and yesterday wasn’t bad after the morning rain, although you can feel the nip in the air now.  If you have sunshine today better get out and enjoy it as its going to be rainy the rest of the week, at least here in Michigan.  Fall color in the trees is slow to arrive this year.  But the corn is ripening, and the grasses drying and the landscape is turning gold and brown.

I finally got to see my moonflower bloom.  They are so beautiful and smell so good.  Next year I’ll start mine sooner.  The woodland nicotiana is also pretty now, and all my dahlias are now blooming.  I am still getting tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden but that won’t last long I’m afraid.

I kind of look forward to the time when we have our first frost and the mosquitoes are gone, then warmer weather returns.  And I don’t have to worry about watering (outside anyway), anymore, just planting bulbs.

Bringing the houseplants in

I spent most of yesterday bringing in houseplants.  It was a monumental undertaking as everything has grown over the summer and I added some plants of course.  I brought in over 60 plants and there are still some that are a little more cold hardy that are outside.  I still need to pot the lemon cypress – it’s in a huge tub with hardy perennials- and bring in the geraniums, rosemary, and tuberose begonias.  They can stay out until a hard frost is predicted.  I let the cannas, dahlias, glads, peacock lilies and rain lilies stay out until they go dormant, and then I bring the pots inside.

Arranging the plants so everything has enough light but can still be watered is a real challenge.  I am still not finished.  All summer I hoard things that might work as plant saucers and I still have to place those trays under a lot of the plants when the arranging is finished. Every room in the house except the bathroom has plants in it. Our bathroom is small and the north window is frosted but eventually I may work out a grow light situation in there.  When I am finished I’ll post pictures.

I now have 11 spider plants of various sized pots. They break off and root in the soil outside and I can’t just leave them, I dig them up and pot them.  I have two huge jade plants and moving them always breaks off a number of stems.  I have some lying on the desk in front of me.  I will of course pot these up and try to squeeze them in somewhere.  And a few other succulent pieces broke off here and there that will be potted.  Yes, I am a plant hoarder.

One exciting find was that I have limes growing on my key lime tree.  The plant was outside behind my water feature this summer and it took me a half hour to unwind the mina and morning glory vines that had grown up in it. When they were gone I could see the fruit.  I am hoping the little limes don’t fall off from the move inside.

Grow lights

My house does not have enough window space to keep all my plants alive so last year I experimented with grow lights to help keep things growing.  This year with even more and bigger plants I expanded my grow light operation.  There are so many energy efficient options now.  I purchased an LED red-blue light flood lamp bulb and a 1 foot square LED hanging lamp that came with hilarious instructions translated from Chinese. They had tried to black out pictures of marihuana growing under the bulb in the instructions by drawing lines through them.

The LED lights are very cheap to operate and the purchase cost has come way down too but I am not sure I like the light they give off.  It’s a purple light and it makes the color of the plants look odd.  I suppose that’s ok if you are growing pot but I like to see the color of my hibiscus and mandevilla flowers. 

I decided to purchase some CFL “bright sunlight” grow bulbs to add to my grow light situation.  I’ll use them in clamp on type reflector lights that I purchased last year.  I painted them hunter green on the outside and they blend in well.  I used daylight type bulbs last year and I liked that light.  Those bulbs are also economical to run but they don’t last as long as the LED’s are supposed to last. When mixed with the LED purple light they make the light look more natural.  I also purchased some cheap timers so I won’t have to turn all those lamps on and off.  I intend to leave them on about 12 hours a day. 

My plants and the supplemental lights are clustered in front of windows.  I sure hope I don’t get raided!  But Michigan winters are so dark and gloomy and those plants and lights make me feel much happier, without me growing anything I have to smoke!

If anyone has advice on good grow lights and how they worked for you let me know.

Saving tender perennials for indoor use

You just read that I hate to discard any plants.  I love a patio and yard filled with colorful plants and if I can get plants that I can use for more than one year so much the better. There are many plants that gardeners grow in their gardens and outdoor containers as annual plants that are really perennial plants in warmer climates.  Some of our most common bedding plants that we treat as annuals fall into this category.  If gardeners rescue these plants before a frost they can become attractive houseplants for the winter.

It’s also economical to keep a few tender perennials over the winter so you don’t have to buy them again in the spring.  Many of these tender perennials can be multiplied by cuttings to produce a whole new selection to use outdoors next spring or to share with friends.   Some tender perennials that are over-wintered become large, attractive plants that would be impossible to obtain with one summers growth.
Hibicus Kona


There is a list of these tender perennials that can winter indoors given below.  If these plants are growing in the ground they should be dug up and carefully potted.  If they are crammed into a container that is pretty full and lush it would be wise to separate the different plants and pot them separately.  Plants that are in containers where true annuals can be removed to give them room, or which have enough room, can be brought inside in the pots they were growing in.  Check the plants and the pots carefully so you don’t bring in small surprise guests like frogs and mice.

Use a good, lightweight potting soil if you need to re-pot tender perennials you are bringing inside.  Some insects can become a big problem indoors if they hitch a ride inside.  It is a good idea to spray plants with an insecticide or use a systemic insecticide on them the day before you bring them inside.  If you do it outside you won’t pollute your indoor air and surfaces.  And the insecticides won’t impact pollinators inside your home. However if you have pets that munch on leaves indoors you may want to skip the insecticide.

Some of these plants go semi-dormant in winter, even when brought inside.  They will begin growing again in the spring however, as the days lengthen.  The plants that do go into a resting stage can often be kept in a room that is well lit but has cool temperatures that stay just above freezing, such as a sunny porch.  Other tender perennials need room temperatures that don’t go below 55 degrees F. to do well over the winter.

Instead of bringing whole plants inside you can sometimes take cuttings of plants and over winter small plants you start from them.  It is better to start these plants outside in late summer, and then bring in the small pots before frost.  However, if frost threatens and it seems to be too much work to bring a large plant inside, take a few cuttings and try your luck.

Don’t try to save too many tender perennials unless you have a big greenhouse. (Even I close my eyes and leave some behind.) Just save the most expensive, rarest or your personal favorites.  You can propagate cuttings from one or two plants for a new border of impatiens rather than trying to save the whole border. All plants need room and good light and the more you have, the more time you will spend caring for them.  Trust me, I know.

Tender perennials that need warm winter conditions

These plants need temperatures that stay above 55 degrees, bright light and moderate watering over winter.

Polka Dot plant
Coleus, impatiens, fibrous rooted and cane type begonias, rex begonias, sweet potato vines, polka dot plants, “spikes” (dracaenas), setcreasea,  ornamental peppers, lantana, lofos, sensitive plant, oxalis, aloes, agaves, kalanchoes, echeveria, Joseph’s coat  (Alternathera ficoidea), fuchsia, eucalyptus, Chinese ( tropical) hibiscus, abutilon, bougainvillea, mandevilla, jasmine, brugmansia, Iochroma, gardenias, lemon verbena, lemon grass, sweet bay, kangaroo paws, ginger lilies, allamanda, livesaver plant (Huernia zebrina), lipstick plant and goldfish plant.

Of course any tropical pot plant you bought for the patio can probably be brought inside.  Tender fruiting plants like the various citrus family members, papaya, pomegranate, banana plants and figs that aren’t hardy to your area can be wintered inside. 

Tender perennials that can go semi-dormant

Bring these into a cool, above freezing place with bright light and water lightly, just enough to keep them from wilting.  Trim back straggly ends and yellowed foliage.  Geraniums, argyranthemum, diascia, rosemary, perennial reeds, sedges and grasses not hardy to your zone, tender lavenders, salvia Black and Blue and other perennial salvias not hardy to your zone, and tender passionfruit plants.

In general if a perennial plant is hardy in a zone or two higher than yours you can try over wintering it this way. Many of these plants actually require some cooler weather to produce flowers so don’t keep them inside a warm area.

Tender bulbs and tubers

Bring  these bulbs or tubers into cool not freezing area, with  natural daylight,  leave bulbs in pots to die back, after foliage dies cease watering, keep above freezing, and then begin watering again in March, and place in full sun. Colocasia- (elephants ears and taro), Eucomis- (pineapple lilies), caladiums, calla lilies, rain lilies, peacock orchids, and tuberous begonias.

Other tender bulbs like cannas, glads, dahlias, etc. can be dug after a light frost kills the foliage and stored dry, with foliage cut off, in peat moss, sand, wood shavings or vermiculite.  They must be dug before a hard freeze.


Planning fall color in the garden


Fall in the garden can be as lovely as spring is, full of flowers, textures and attractive foliage, if the gardener plans for fall color.   If your garden seems a little drab this fall it’s time to think about what you can do to make it better next year.

Many areas have a few light frosts, then some milder weather before a big killer freeze.  Don’t let your garden color disappear with those first light frosts.  Some plants will survive very well until a hard freeze and others can be protected to prolong bloom.  And there’s always the option of adding color to the garden again with potted fall blooming plants.

Using cool season annuals

Many annuals and tender perennials such as geraniums, argyranthemum calendula, snapdragons, fibrous rooted begonias and diascia are just getting full and beautiful as cool weather approaches.  They will survive light frost, and actually thrive in cooler weather.   Ornamental cabbage and kale are excellent choices as cold weather really brings out their color.  If pansies that were planted in the spring were cut back in mid-summer they will now respond with a new flush of bloom.

Some summer flowering bulbs like dahlias and cannas are great for fall color.  They won’t survive frost unless you cover them, but they make great color splashes for fall gardens.  After a hard frost kills them, dig the bulbs and save them for next year.

Using fall blooming perennials

There are many perennials that bloom late in the season and provide that color splash you need.  Many sedums are fall blooming.  Goldenrod and perennial asters are fall stars in the garden.  Garden mums are a traditional fall favorite.  Russian Sage blooms late and many of the landscape roses continue to bloom until a hard freeze.  Anemones and cyclamen are fall bloomers for light shade.  Keep the seed heads cut off buddleia and they will bloom for a long while into fall. 

Some perennials that are sold as re-blooming such as German iris and daylilies, struggle to re-bloom through much of zone 5. Those of you in zones 6 and higher have better luck.  Your chances are greatest around the city “ heat sink” areas.  In some falls, however these re-bloomers will put on a show even in more northerly areas.

Don’t forget ornamental grasses for fall color.  Many have beautiful fall flower spikes and by fall they also have impressive clumps of foliage. 

Foliage and fruit for color

Yes the leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs can brighten the garden in shades of red, orange and gold.  If fall color in a tree or shrub is important to you, shop for them in the fall.  You can then see if the color is what you want.   Dogwood, crabapples, bittersweet, holly, cotoneaster, viburnums, coralberry, and beautyberry are examples of plants with fruits that can provide fall color.  Both English Ivy and Virginia Creeper are vines with brilliant red fall color. 
Barberry

Shrubs with good fall color include burning bush, barberry, ninebark, serviceberry, viburnums, ornamental chokecherries, sumac, and smokebush. Blueberries can serve a dual purpose, berries and great fall leaf color.

Some smaller plants also have lovely fall color.  Amsonia has pretty blue flowers in spring and turns into a golden flare in the fall garden.  While hosta are browning and dying in cool fall weather the many foliage colors of heuchera are still lush and pretty.  Wintergreen is a groundcover that turns a pretty burgundy-purple and has bright red berries also.  

Using frost protection

The less hardy annuals and tender perennials putting on such a glorious show at the end of the season can continue to bloom if you remember to cover them when frost threatens. These include zinnias, nasturtiums, impatiens, begonias, coleus, petunias and marigolds.  Save old thin sheets for this or buy floating row cover at the garden store.  Newspaper is also a fair choice, although hard to keep in place. Avoid using plastic as it often causes damage to leaves that it touches. Remember to cover hanging baskets, containers and window boxes too if you want to prolong their bloom. 

Plants will need to be covered whenever temperatures are expected to be below 40 º F and the sky is clear, and winds calm.  Usually zone 5 and 6 falls have a few nights of this weather then recover a bit for several weeks. If you protected your annuals they will be blooming through the better weather.  On rainy nights, even very cool ones the plants are safe.  However, if temperatures drop below 32ºF for more than an hour or so even your covers won’t help some of the plants.

Cheating

If you didn’t plan for fall color and suddenly find you need it, there are always those potted mums and icicle pansies that are available in pots in garden stores.  Simply tuck the pots in wherever color is needed.  If you want the icicle pansies to return and bloom in early spring it is better to plant them directly into the ground. 

Potted mums rarely survive winter even if the label says they are hardy.  If you want to try to save them, plant them into the ground as soon as you get them, keep them watered until the ground freezes and don’t remove the dead stems until late spring when new growth has started. 

You can also leave mums in their pot, and bring them inside after the first freeze and keep them in a cool but bright spot.  When the blooming slows down in the darker days of winter cut them back to 6 inches and water lightly.  They will begin growing again when the days lengthen and it warms up.  When all danger of frost is passed plant them outside in the ground. Most will then give you another fall show of color and many will return year after year.

Quick and easy apple cake

Do you have lots of fresh apples at your house?  Fall is a great time to fire up the oven to do a little baking with those apples.  Let the spicy warm scent of apples cooking lift your spirits on those gloomy wet fall days.  This cake is easy to make using a prepared cake mix and is a good potluck or tailgate dessert.  You can use any kind of apples in this recipe but tart, crisp apples are best.

You will need:
       
        6 cups of peeled and sliced   
        apples
        4 tablespoons of butter
        1 cup of brown sugar, packed
        1 spice cake mix
        eggs and oil called for in the mix
        1 jar of caramel ice cream
         topping

Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the brown sugar and apple slices, cover pan and cook on low heat until the apple slices are tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir the cooking apples frequently.

Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 cake pan with cooking spray.  Instead of spraying a pan it could be lined with non-stick foil for an easy clean up.

When the apples are tender, pour skillet contents in the cake pan and spread them evenly over the bottom of the cake pan.

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions.  Pour the mix over the apples in the pan.  Bake the cake at 350 degrees until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean- 30-40 minutes.   

Let the cake cool about 5 minutes then poke holes evenly across the surface with the handle of a wooden spoon, skewer or similar item.   Pour the caramel ice cream topping over the cake evenly, it will be absorbed by the cake.

This cake is great served warm with cool whip or ice cream.  It also freezes well.

Baked apples in the crock pot

Here’s another way to use some of your apple harvest.  Pop this in your slow cooker-crock pot to make your house smell wonderful and provide you with an easy delicious dessert.

Wash and core apples, enough for a single layer in the slow cooker. Try to leave a bit of core at the very bottom of the apple instead of a hole going all the way through. My slow cooker takes 6-8 apples.
Spray the slow cooker bottom with a no stick pan spray or lightly coat with butter.

In the hole left from removing the apple core place a pat of real butter. 

Mix together brown sugar, a tablespoon for each apple and your choice of spices to taste.  I use about a ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a little nutmeg for 6 teaspoons of brown sugar.  Some people also add ground cloves.

Place the apples in the slow cooker, with the hole side up. Spoon a tablespoon of the sugar spice mix into each apple on top of the butter. 

Bake for about 3 hours on high 4-5 hours on medium heat.  The apples should feel soft.

Let apples cool slightly, top with a dab of caramel and a spoonful of whipped cream or serve with ice cream.

This weeks weed- velvet leaf (Abutilon theophrasti)

Velvet leaf is a common weed of crops and gardens in the United States.  Other names include pie marker, butter weed, Indian hemp and wild cotton.  How common names get given is a mystery since this plant doesn’t resemble cotton and I can’t imagine anyone using it to mark pie.

Velvet leaf
Velvet leaf is native to Asia and was once cultivated in China for fiber.  That may explain the name Indian hemp.  It was brought to the US early in our history to grow for its fiber content, it was hoped that ropes and paper could be made from it but a viable industry never developed around it and it became a pest in corn fields.

Velvet leaf is an annual plant.  It grows in sunny places and prefers rich fertile soil.  The plant begins growing after frost danger has passed and the soil is warm and quickly gets from 2-5 feet in height. 

Velvet leaf has heart shaped leaves covered with soft hairs, hence the common name that makes some sense-velvet leaf.  The leaves have a finely serrated edge and young leaves may have a reddish tint.

Velvet leaf flowers in late summer.  The flowers are small, yellow with 5 petals and stamens fused into a tube.  They appear in the axils of the upper leaves. The flowers turn into oddly shaped, ridged, circular seed capsule many people describe as crown–like.  Each of the 9-15 segments of the seed capsule has a point on the end.  Each segment contains 3-9 gray to brown seeds.  Under a magnifying glass one can see the seeds have star shaped hairs all over them.  The seeds fall to the ground where they can remain viable for up to 60 years.

Uses of velvet leaf

Velvetleaf seeds can be eaten raw before they are ripe but aren’t very tasty.  Ripe mature seeds can be dried and ground into a type of survival flour, many people leach the seeds first to draw out the bitterness then they are roasted before being ground.  Seeds can also be pressed to provide oil.

Occasionally one finds mention of velvet leaf as herbal medicine but its unclear if the plant is being mistaken for another plant with the same common name (Senna lindheimeriana). 

Velvet leaf stems are steamed and the fibers separated out to make rope, thread and paper.  Hikers and survivalists know the leaves of velvet leaf make good toilet paper.


Book Review- Beyond the War on Invasive Species: A Permaculture Approach to Ecosystem Restoration
By Tao Orion, Chelsea Green Publishing (June 17, 2015)

Those of you who have read some of my previous newsletters know that I have a different take on invasive plants than many other garden writers.  I have done a lot of research on the subject.  Another person who has done a lot of research is the author of this book, Tao Orion. 

Did you know that one of biggest users of potent pesticides in our environment is the invasive plant movement?  Restoration projects across the US pour on the pesticides, often donated to them from big pesticide manufacturers like Monsanto and Bayer, in an effort to eliminate unwanted non-native plants.  Sometimes they “nuke” entire ecosystems to start over, with plants they feel belong in a certain environment.  Some of the biggest donators to native plant associations and invasive species removal councils are those big chemical companies.  Makes you wonder.

Did you know that because of modern DNA research that we are finding that many plants we thought were native really aren’t native?  They were brought with the first peoples migrating into the country or spread by trade from later settlements in South and Central America or maybe spread by animals, thousands of years  before European settlement.  So what is a native species and why is it better?

And did you know that those early civilizations in North America often drastically modified the environments they lived in?  Many of us think that before Europeans arrived indigenous peoples lived very lightly on the land, not interfering in ecosystems or changing the environments they lived in.  But what many people don’t realize is that before Europeans arrived, bringing their diseases with them, there were large colonies of people, thousands of people in some settlements, spread across North America.  These people farmed large areas of land and managed hunting and gathering to their advantage to support these large populations. 

First people burned grasslands, removed trees, mined for minerals, planted crops, built villages and roads, and yes, brought in many species of plants through trade between the continents of the new world.  Archaeology supports these conclusions.

But when early European explorers began to travel through North and South America, noting the large villages, prosperous farms and abundant game, they brought with them diseases like measles, small pox and the flu, which spread and killed thousands of people.   Great cities and croplands were soon abandoned. Populations vastly declined.  A 150 or so years later when European settlers began to spread from the Eastern coast line they thought they found untouched land, and native wilderness where once large populations of native peoples had lived and indeed, changed the landscape.

The author believes that what we hold as sacred, untouched wilderness is actually not.  She believes that when an environment changes, when non-native plants and animals gain a foothold and seem to overpower native species, there is generally a reason and before we try and restore an area to its “native” state we ought to think carefully about why the changes are happening.  What is different about the environment?  And do we really know the native state? Pre-European doesn’t mean much.

As the old saying goes nature abhors a vacuum.  Nature is not static and is constantly changing.  We ought to work with nature and not against it.  If it takes extensive “gardening” i.e. removal of species, cutting, burning, and use of harmful chemicals to keep an area “natural” then we are overlooking something and interfering with nature, working against it.  As the climate changes we will need to keep this in mind if we want to have vibrant, working ecologies.

Tao Orion teaches permaculture design at Oregon State University and at Aprovecho, a 40-acre nonprofit sustainable-living educational organization. She holds a degree in agroecology and sustainable agriculture from UC Santa Cruz, and Columbines School of Botanical Studies in Eugene, Oregon.  She has worked in the “restorative” field and in permaculture systems. She would like to see us integrate organic agriculture, sustainable land-use planning, ethnobotany, and ecosystem restoration to create beneficial social, economic, and ecological systems. 

The book is carefully researched and provides references and statistics.  It’s easy to read and will provide the reader with valuable insights and perhaps change their mind a bit about the wisdom of battling invasive species in the way we have been doing.  I highly suggest anyone who cares about the planet read this book.


.
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


For sale Muscovy ducklings, black laced, about 4 months old, you must buy at least 2, unless you have other ducks.  $5 each. Message me at kimwillis151@gmail.com for more info. Muscovy are flying ducks, large sized and make good meat ducks.  They do not quack- and are very quiet.

Mary Lou Lafond has a huge, 5 feet +,  Norfolk Island Pine to give away.  You must move it.  Norfolk Pines are indoor plants, must be inside before frost.  For more info contact her at  marylafond@frontier.com


2016 Native Plant Sale Oct 1 – 2, 2016 10am-4:30 pm, Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI

The gardens will be selling native plants grown on the site. For more information contact  mbgna.umich.edu, or call 734-647-7600.


13th Annual Fall Into Spring 2016 - October 1, 2016, 8 am – 3 pm. Mott Community College Event Center, 1401 E. Court Street, Flint MI

Master Gardener Association Genesee County presents:
- A wonderful way to experience tips and ideas to create a beautiful garden for next year. A fun-filled and inspirational event full of ideas and guidelines to benefit any gardener -- from basic to the most experienced.

**Early Registration is $65.00 by Friday, September 23, 2016.
Registration AFTER Friday, September 23, 2016 will be $70.00**

Registration form is at this link: http://fallintospring.weebly.com/

The Speakers:
Janet Macunivich Professional gardener. garden designer, educator, author, columnist for Garden A to Z. Her topic: “Low Maintenance Gardening.”

Jan Burns, Owner, Burns Botanicals, Oxford, MI, will teach us the many ways we can grow anduse garden herbs in “Herbs: How to Grow and Harvest”

Jan Bills, Owner/operator Two Women and a HoeTM. Her topic“Dirty Little Secrets”gives us insight into practical gardening secrets that will make us love, not labor over our gardens.

George Papadelis, Owner, Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy, author & educator. George will give us a sneak peek at the new annuals and perennials for 2017.

The Garden Market: Shop our market of vendors who offer for sale many hand-made or one-of-a-kind items, including garden stones, garden art, herbal products, unique gardening supplies & more! *Note: Some vendors take only cash or checks.

Make checks payable to: MGAGCM
Mail registration to:
Genesee County Master Gardeners
Fall Into Spring Conference
P.O. Box 34
Flushing, MI 48433

Questions? Call or email Loretta (810) 344-7383 ldellwood@aol.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/blog 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 or you can comment directly on the blog. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly note if you email me. 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 people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If you are on my mailing list and at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to receive a notification by email when a new blog is published have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com


Tuesday, September 20, 2016

September 20, 2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

September 20, 2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter 
 © Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.




Hi Gardeners

This week on Thursday we have the official start of fall, the autumn equinox.  It seems like summer flew by and with temperatures 10 degrees above normal it’s hard to get into fall mode.  Through the rest of the month it does not look like we will have a frost here in Lower Michigan, although knowing Michigan that could change.  The average first frost for most of us occurs in early October.  Some readers may have already had that first frost. It’s time to get busy.

The sun is going down earlier and earlier, as I’m sure you have noticed.  One of the last places it hits in the evening here is the top of our propane tank.  On cool nights the cats all climb up and sit on top of the tank.  I was sitting watching them one night and noticed them watching something behind them on some plants.  I got closer and saw that the grasshoppers were also climbing up to bask in the last bit of sun on the plants behind the tank.  All creatures love that sun.

I will be repotting houseplants this week.  Some will be brought inside so I don’t have to do everything in one day when a frost is announced.  I am ordering a large LED grow light that will give me about 6 more feet of good light for my plant collection.  The price of those lights is very affordable now if you do comparison shopping on line.  And they are cheap to operate, much cheaper than the old light bulbs.

I missed the blooming of my first moonflower last week.  I saw the bud but forgot to come back out after dark to see it open.  I have another bud about to open and I hope I remember to go out tonight and see it open.  You can actually see moonflowers open up if you time it right. They have a wonderful scent but they only last the one night.

The last flowers to bloom every year in my garden are now blooming, the Maximillian sunflowers, toad flowers and the fall blooming bulb colchicum.  Maximillian sunflowers are a native plant and perennial.  Other things are still in bloom, woodland nicotiana, mums and asters, sweet autumn clematis, morning glories, the re-blooming iris, phlox, landscape roses, buddleia, even some hostas.

The veggie garden is about done; although I am still getting some tomatoes and down under the gourd vines I know there are some onions left.  Cucumbers are still producing too, which is unusual.  The gourds have taken over.  I will literally have hundreds of them.  We also have a few nice sized pumpkins. 

Last night at the Lapeer Horticulture Society meeting I listened as people talked about what did well and didn’t do well in their gardens this year.  It’s amazing how different our gardens perform in the same year being less than 100 miles, probably less than 50 miles apart.  My melons and sweet corn did not perform well and our apples and grapes are small.  Yet other people reported big melons and good corn and luscious apples.  My cucumbers and tomatoes did well; others had bad luck with them.  Even those who grow just flowers reported a good year with this and a bad year with that.   Every year is different.
Grasshopper in the sun.

One thing I noticed is that gardeners are all about hope and optimism. We all hope and are optimistic that our gardens will do well next year. Even though we know winter is coming we are all looking forward to what we will be planting next year, we’ve learned from our mistakes, accepted natures blows, and are eager to try again.  Gardeners are great people.


50 Shades of Gray (in botanical Latin)

I was reviewing some botanical Latin the other day and came upon something interesting.  Did you know that there are at least 50 shades (names) of gray in botanical Latin? And we are not talking methods of gardening or ethical implications of plants but actual names for shades of gray.

One of the reasons gardeners should learn a little about botanical Latin is that Latin or scientific names are very descriptive.  They can often give you hints of what the plant species looks like.  When I say very descriptive I mean minutely descriptive.  Latin color names often describe shades and tints and you’ll notice in the list of words describing gray (or grey) color in plants that some names refer to the color of animals like the dove or elephant to describe the shade of gray. 

Some of us may never have seen a wood louse so we would have a hard time picturing in our mind the shade of gray they are. But most of us have seen the color of the iris of our eyes or the gray of smoke or lead.  By the way you’ll notice I spelled the English word for this color two ways, gray and grey.  Both are correct.  Isn’t gray fascinating?
Lambs ear, a gray or hoary plant.

Keep in mind that the color of the plant may not have figured into the naming of it.  Some plants are named for who found them, where they grow, the shape they grow, what qualities or uses they have or for other things. Color names may have suffixes or prefixes added to them to clarify the description also. The descriptive name for a color would usually be in the second half of the species name. Gray may not be common in flowers, but leaves and stems may have shades of gray.  Scientific (Latin) names for animals also use these color terms.

Downy skullcap - Scutellaria incana,   Dusty Miller-Senecio cineraria, Dusty Miller (2 common names for different plants) -Centaurea cineraria, Black Taro Alocasia plumbea, stock- Matthiola incana, Hosta nigrescens , Pink corydalis -Capnoides sempervirens are some examples of plants with the Latin for gray in their names.

Here are the 50 shades of gray.
1.   Cinereus ash gray
2.   Cineraceus lighter  ash gray
3.   cinerascens becoming ash gray
4.   griseus, pearl gray
5.   griseolus, med tint pearl gray
6.   grisellus pearl gray lighter
7.   lixivius as above with touch of brown
8.   caesius blue grey of the iris of the eye
9.   caesiellus lighter blue grey
10.                liveus dull shade of iris gray
11.                livius-dusky shade of iris gray
12.                lividus- darker shade of iris- blue gray
13.                lividulus   duller shade of iris grey
14.                schistaceus slate gray close to blue
15.                plumbeus lead color- metallic
16.                molybdus lead gray tint
17.                molybdinus lead gray tint
18.                fumosus, smoky gray
19.                fumeus, smokey gray tint
20.                fuligineus, fuliginosus, smokey gray tint
21.                argenteus - silvery
22.                murinus – mouse color gray with a hint of red
23.                canus, hoary
24.                incanus, incana- hoary white hairs over green
25.                canescens rather hoary
26.                spodochrous grey in general
27.                columbianus dove gray
28.                palumbinus  dove grey tint
29.                ardesiacus dark slate
30.                schistaceus dark slate
31.                tylicolor  wood louse gray
32.                oniscus lighter wood louse gray
33.                elephines elephant gray
34.                elpehinus elephant gray tint
35.                chalybeus steel gray
36.                subustulatus  steel gray
37.                murinus mouse color
38.                myochrous mouse color tint
39.                atroschistaceus very dark gray
40.                capnodes sooty gray
41.                capnoides sooty gray tint
42.                subfuscus sooty
43.                subaquilus sooty
44.                elbidus sad gray
45.                nigrescens gray turning black
46.                nigricans gray turning black
47.                tephreus becoming gray
48.                tephrus becoming smoky gray
49.                cretaceo-pallidus becoming light gray
50.                leucophaeus white gray



Why you need houseplants

In the seventies having your house full of plants was the “in” thing. In the garden shop I managed we had 2 long “islands” full of houseplants and two long aisles devoted to plant supplies.  There was a whole section for macramé holders.  I remember one fun announcement we were making over the PA that houseplants would make you happy and gay.  Try that now! Many new types of houseplants were being introduced to feed the public interest.  While the interest in house plants has waned a little, there is still good reason to have plants in the home and office.

Several studies have proven that people prefer rooms with plants over rooms without them, that they feel calmer and happier.  Studies of hospital patients have found that patients report less pain and are able to go home sooner if the room has plants.  Malls, hotels, casinos, medical buildings, office buildings and other large buildings usually feature some kind of indoor landscaping, because of the stress reducing and mood lifting qualities plants have, as well as their beauty.

Our indoor air is filled with pollutants.   Gasses volatize off wood products, paint, inks, plastics and other things and fill the air with toxins like formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene.  Smoking, cooking and burning candles release toxins and tiny particles into the air that irritate the lungs.   Newer, airtight homes are very prone to “sick air” from all the toxins swirling around inside with few drafts to provide clean, fresh air.

Plants pull that polluted air through them, using carbon dioxide to make food, neutralizing toxic chemicals and releasing pure oxygen into the air.  Microscopic particles floating in the air are stored in the plants vacuoles, tiny water filled sacs in plant cells, until the plant dies, removing them from the air you breathe.  The soil in the plants pot also absorbs and holds toxic chemicals in the air.

NASA thinks so highly of the plants ability to clean the air that they placed plants on space missions.  The common spider plant was found to be an excellent air cleaner.   Other good air cleaners are chrysanthemums, peace lilies, philodendron, pothos, dracaena and snake plants.   All houseplants though, will help clean the air. 

There is a houseplant to suit every room condition.  Even offices without windows can have plants if they are well lit.  While just the green foliage of plants is soothing there are houseplants that light up your world with flowers.  Plants make excellent hobbies for people confined inside during the long winters.

While retail outlets for houseplants are not as numerous as they were in the seventies houseplants are still sold in many garden stores and nurseries, often during the winter when the perennials and annuals are gone.  And of course there are all those on line stores and catalogs to choose from. Houseplants come in all price ranges but even some large potted plants can be purchased for less than $20.  Beautiful pots and other accessories turn plants into decorating assets.

All plants will require some care but most only require a few minutes of time each week. Choosing the right houseplant for your light and temperature conditions will help assure the plant will grow and thrive for you with minimal care. Most will only require water, fertilizing a few times a year and occasional dusting of the leaves.

Even if you keep your home cool to save energy - 50 -55 degrees there are houseplants that will thrive.  In fact cool air holds more moisture, which most plants like.  Some plants that like cooler temperatures are English Ivy, geraniums, spider plants, Cuphea, Yucca, Cast Iron plant, Sansevieria ( snake plant), parlor palm, Norfolk Island pine, and Tradescantia.  Some cacti will thrive in cool areas in the winter months.

Houseplants are making a comeback, with many innovations such as low cost grow lights to make caring for them easier. There’s no good excuse not to make your house a home or your office more appealing with houseplants.  People and plants belong together, inside and out.  Whether it’s an elaborate indoor landscape or a few pots on the windowsill, plants in the home will make you healthier and happier.


This week’s weed- Stinging Nettles

Urtica dioica or stinging nettles is one of those interesting plants that is now found throughout the world, where it has probably been carried by humans.  The plant, or a species of it, was thought to be native in western North America, but some botanists now believe it was carried here from its true native origin of northern Europe and Asia by the first people to cross the land bridge from Siberia to what is now known as Alaska.  The plant was used for its fiber, and clothing and hunting nets were made from this fiber in early human history.  It also had many herbal uses and was eaten so the likelihood that it came here with the first people is good.


While gardeners and hikers aren’t thrilled to encounter the plant which leaves a nasty, painful rash when brushed against or pulled, herbalists sing the praises of stinging nettles.  This is another plant hailed as a miracle cure for whatever ails you.  Studies have shown some medicinal value for the plant.


Description


Stinging nettles is a tall (3-7 feet) sturdy perennial plant.  The leaves are dark green, 1-6 inches long and heavily toothed on the edges.  Leaves are arranged oppositely on the tough, squared stem.  The plants usually aren’t branched. 


Stinging nettles
The surface of the leaves and stems are covered with hairs, some of which are larger and contain the poison that causes such misery.  These hairs, called trichomes, are hollow, with a bulbous base that contains acetylcholine, histamine, 5-HT (serotonin), moroidin, leukotrienes, and possibly formic acid. They act like a needle to inject the poison as a defense. These hairs are meant to protect the plant from animals eating them and they do a good job.  They also break off in human skin causing welts, stinging and itching.  When the plants are dried or cooked the poison disappears.


Stinging nettle flowers come in male and female versions on the same plant. They are small clusters of greenish white and appear in the leaf axils throughout the summer.  The female flowers produce tiny egg shaped seeds  of tan to brown.


Stinging nettles has both rhizomes and stolons as a root system.  These are a bright yellow color which can help identify the plant.  Stinging nettles reproduces both by seed and spreading rhizomes and it can spread rapidly in a site it likes.  The plants can be found nearly everywhere but they prefer sunny sites with high fertility.  Farmers believe soil that grows good nettles is excellent crop soil.


Edible uses


Stinging nettles have been used as food by many cultures for thousands of years.  When cooked they lose their sting and are very nutritious, although as is the case with most of these cooked greens they must be gathered and cooked while young and tender.


I do not like cooked greens but friends tell me the taste of stinging nettles is much like spinach with a hint of cucumber.  The leaves are high in vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, manganese, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid, vitamin K1, tocopherols (vitamin E) lutein, xanthophyll and calcium.  Leaves also contain about 5% protein.


Stinging nettles are turned into cordials, beer, made into soup, used as pastry filling, polenta and pesto in various cultures.  Nettles are sometimes used in cheese making, especially for flavoring Gouda cheese.


While animals will not eat fresh nettles they love it when dried as hay and the sting is gone.  It is as nutritious as alfalfa.  Chickens are sometimes fed dried nettles to improve the yellow color of the egg yolk.


Fiber, dye, and other uses

Stinging nettles have been used for fiber as long as they have been used for food.  Archeology sites have turned up hunting nets and clothing made from the fiber.  Stinging nettles are being grown as a crop in Europe currently to produce a specialty fabric similar to linin. The culture of plants and manufacture of the fiber is much the same as for flax plants.  Use of pesticides is not needed for producing the plant.

Both the roots and leaves have been used as a yellow dye for thousands of years.

Gardeners should consider the use of stinging nettles as good compost material because it is high in nitrogen and other plant nutrients.  Nettles near the garden also attract many species of beneficial insects.  Just don’t allow them to grow where you’ll brush into them.


Medicinal uses

Where do we start?  Stinging nettles are used in folk medicine to cure disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract as a diuretic, for irritable bladder, to prevent bed wetting, both for diarrhea and as a laxative, acid reflux, for excess gas, nausea, colitis and Celiac disease, hemorrhoids, to kill intestinal worms, strengthening the cardiovascular system, lowering blood pressure, to lower blood sugar, for hemorrhage, nose bleeds, wounds, colds, influenza, rheumatism, gout, lupus, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, MS, ALS and sciatica, asthma, lung congestion, TB cure, allergies and hayfever, sore throat, gingivitis, rash and eczema, wart removal, cancer, for regulation of menstruation, to bring on milk production, to ease menopause symptoms, treatment of Alzheimer’s, to cure baldness and dandruff, dry oily hair and prevent aging. Whew!  You better get you some nettles!


In folk medicine stinging nettle leaves and flowers are usually dried and taken as teas, although in some cases the boiled leaves are recommended.  Some herbalists also use dried and powdered root preparations.


Medical research has found some use for stinging nettles in enlarged prostrate treatment; it alleviates symptoms but does not reduce prostrate size.  The chemicals in stinging nettles may act to regulate hormones, which is why it may also be able to help in hormonal issues of women.  Additionally the iron and other nutrient content of nettles may cure deficiencies and improve energy and health in women.


Some preliminary studies have found nettles may be useful in alleviating allergy symptoms.  Nettles seem to reduce histamine production.  Also studies have found that some people with various arthritic diseases do get some relief from oral use of nettles but although many herbalists swear by self- flagellating sore joints with nettles to produce those painful welts, which somehow make the arthritis pain better, no studies have confirmed that practice.  The nettles were given along with anti-steroidal pain relievers like aspirin.


Nettles are also being studied for diabetes treatment.  They do lower blood sugar in some cases but in other cases a rise in blood sugar occurs so experimenting at home is not recommended.  They are also being studied for lowering blood pressure, with some evidence there may be an effect.


For more medical information based on science here are some links.





Cautions

While often used for urinary tract problems mature leaves of stinging nettles can contain little grit particles called cystoliths which can cause urinary tract irritation and possibly kidney damage.


Stinging nettles should not be used in conjunction with any blood thinner medications, blood pressure medications or by people known to have low blood pressure, with diabetes medications or by people with diabetes.  Don’t take nettles if you use other diuretics or lithium. Doctors warn pregnant women should not take stinging nettles as it may cause uterine contractions and increased bleeding.  It would be wise to ask a druggist or a doctor if you take any prescription medications f you should use stinging nettles.


If handling stinging nettles leaves you in pain try using calamine lotion and/or any topical medicine for itching and pain.  The pain usually subsides in a few hours to a day.  The welts do not spread and aren’t contagious.


Preserving grapes

Michigan is home to hundreds of small vineyards producing new and exciting wines but many homeowners also have table grapes growing in their backyard.  If you don’t you can find them at the farmers market near you or you can even collect wild grapes that grow abundantly in Michigan.

Grapes can be canned or even frozen but both of these methods leave something to be desired.  The best way to preserve grapes is to make grape juice and can that or to make grape jelly.  One of the easiest jellies to make, grape jelly is a good beginner project in home food preservation. But grape jelly starts with grape juice and a bit of warning here is that you will need at least 24 hours to make grape juice correctly.

Making grape juice

To make grape juice gather or purchase grapes that are fully ripe.   Any color or kind of grapes can make grape juice. The color of the juice will be close to the color of the grapes.  For jelly most people prefer blue or purple grapes.  In the northeast concord grapes are easily grown and they make great jelly and juice.

Wash and sort the grapes, removing any molded, overripe or unripe grapes and all stems.  It takes a lot of grapes for juice but the amount will vary somewhat with the type of grapes.  For concord type grapes figure on about 3 pounds of grapes to a pint of juice.  

You will need several quart size or larger jars and a strainer or colander lined with a coffee filter or two layers of cheese cloth.  My grandmother used old t-shirts.  You can also use a cloth jelly bag or even an old thin pillowcase.  After the grapes are clean put them in a large pot and pour boiling water over them until they are just covered.  Simmer them on low heat until the skins soften and split.

When skins are soft pour the grapes and fluid through your colander, or strainer over a large bowl.  Some people suspend a jelly bag or pillowcase filled with grapes over a bowl.  You can gently squeeze the bag or press on the colander/strainer contents.  Let the grapes drain for at least 15 minutes. Warning- grape juice stains anything it contacts!

Pour the strained juice in clean jars and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to settle.  Crystals form in fresh grape juice that can make juice or jelly gritty feeling.  It’s important to let the juice settle overnight. The next day carefully pour the juice through another filter- use a clean coffee filter or two layers of fresh cheesecloth or a clean jelly bag or pillow case.   Try to leave most of the sediment that formed on the bottom behind. 

To can the grape juice, sterilize pint, quart, or 1/2 gallon jars depending on your preference. If you want to sweeten the grape juice, add sugar just before you heat the juice. Note: don’t add sugar if you are using the juice to make jelly.  About a 1/2 cup sugar per quart is fairly sweet; adjust it to your taste.  Do not add artificial sweeteners. Bring the grape juice to boiling then pour it into the sterilized jars, leaving a 1/4 inch at the top.  Wipe rims. Add lids.  Process jars in a water bath canner for 5 minutes.  Half gallon jars should be processed for 10 minutes.

To make grape jelly

Follow the steps for juice, but don’t sweeten it. Sterilize your canning jars and keep them in hot water.  Measure out 2 cups of juice for every pint (or 2 half pints) of jelly you want to make into a large pot.  Add 1-1/2 cups of sugar per 2 cups of juice and stir well.  Make jelly in small batches for the best results.  Eight cups of juice should be the largest batch.

Use a jelly or candy thermometer in the pot and bring the juice-sugar mixture to 230 degrees F on high heat. Turn off the heat. Foam will form on the top of the juice mixture, quickly skim it off with a spoon and discard.  Pour the jelly into hot canning jars to within 1/4 inch from the rim, wipe rims and add lids.  Process jars for 5 minutes in a water bath canner.

You could also pour the jelly into freezer containers and freeze it.  It is no longer recommended that you let the jars seal without processing in the water bath canner or covering jelly with wax to seal it.

Artificially sweetened grape jelly

To 3 cups of grape juice add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin, stirring constantly.  Bring to a vigorous boil and boil 1 minute. Turn off heat.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of liquid artificial sweetener.  Pour this jelly into sterilized jars and either freeze it or keep it in the refrigerator until used.  Do not process this jelly in a canner.  Because fruit juice has some natural sugar this jelly isn’t sugar free, but it’s very low in calories.  Each tablespoon of jelly is about 12 calories.

Freezing grapes

Grapes can be washed, allowed to air dry and then frozen. Frozen grapes will be soft when thawed.  They are good in salads or jello molds. Many people just eat them frozen as a treat.

Making Raisins

Raisins are simply dried grapes, but there is a trick to making good raisins.  Turning grapes into raisins is a great way to preserve grapes, other than making jelly or wine.  Raisins are a nutritious healthy snack, especially if you make your own.  This recipe is adapted from my book –Knacks Canning, Preserving & Pickling.

Here’s what you need;
•       6 pounds grapes, any color, seedless are best, fully ripe and sweet
•       1½ cups water
•       1/2 cup white sugar
•       1/2 cup mild, light honey
•       Food dehydrator
•       Storage bags or jars to hold about 3 cups of raisins

Directions:

Wash grapes. If the grapes have seeds, cut in half and remove seeds.
Bring water to boil and stir in sugar to dissolve. Cool to barely warm, add honey, and stir well.
Soak grapes in honey mix for 5 minutes. Drain. Arrange grapes on dehydrator trays.
Follow dehydrator directions for drying. Expect 15-20 hours drying time. Store dried grapes in tightly sealed containers.

About the honey dip

Choose honey that is light colored and mild flavored for this dip. It must be real honey- the bottle should say pure honey and it should not contain corn syrup. Pasteurized honey can work but raw honey is better.  Make sure the sugar water is cool before adding honey.

All honey could be substituted for sugar but the raisins will have a strong honey flavor.

This recipe makes about 2 cups of honey dip. You may need to double the amount to cover all the grapes.

Let the excess honey dip drip off the grapes before arranging them on dehydrator trays.

An alternative to the honey dip- lower calorie

Some people don’t like honey; others may wish to reduce the calories of the raisins a bit.  So here’s another treatment for grapes before turning them into raisins.

Bring water to a boil. Dip the grapes in a colander into the boiling water for 30 seconds, and then quickly plunge into ice water. Drain. Add 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid (canning supplies), or 6 crushed, plain, 500 mg. Vitamin C  tablets to each two cups of water; stir to dissolve. You need enough to cover the grapes. Soak grapes for 5 minutes, then drain and begin drying process.

Storing Your Raisins

Make sure raisins are perfectly dry before storing. Package the raisins in small quantities. If some mold, only that package will need to be discarded.

Use glass or food grade plastic containers with tight lids for storage. Recycled food containers are fine if they are washed with hot water and soap and dried.

Raisins may also be packaged with a vacuum type food bags.  Store all containers out of direct sunlight.

Wash your feet and mash those grapes!

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

For Sale:  I have baby parakeets for sale, hatched this spring $10 each without cage, $20 for bird with small, new cage of assorted colors.  They are not hand fed.  Beautiful colors, lutino, (yellow) and shades of pale green, olive green, and sea green.  Some I can sex now, others are a guess.  You’ll need to bring your own cage if you don’t purchase a cage.  Parakeets are active birds that are a lot of fun to watch.  Call at 989-761-7609.

Also for sale Muscovy ducklings, black laced, about 3 months old, fine to be without mom but you must buy at least 2, unless you have other ducks.  $5 each. Call the number above.  Muscovy are flying ducks, large sized and make good meat ducks.  They do not quack- and are very quiet.

Mary Lou Lafond has a huge, 5 feet +,  Norfolk Island Pine to give away.  You must move it.  Norfolk Pines are indoor plants, must be inside before frost.  For more info contact her at  marylafond@frontier.com


2016 Native Plant Sale Oct 1 – 2, 2016 10am-4:30 pm, Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI

The gardens will be selling native plants grown on the site. For more information contact  mbgna.umich.edu, or call 734-647-7600.


13th Annual Fall Into Spring 2016 - October 1, 2016, 8 am – 3 pm. Mott Community College Event Center, 1401 E. Court Street, Flint MI

Master Gardener Association Genesee County presents:
- A wonderful way to experience tips and ideas to create a beautiful garden for next year. A fun-filled and inspirational event full of ideas and guidelines to benefit any gardener -- from basic to the most experienced.

**Early Registration is $65.00 by Friday, September 23, 2016.
Registration AFTER Friday, September 23, 2016 will be $70.00**

Registration form is at this link: http://fallintospring.weebly.com/

The Speakers:
Janet Macunivich Professional gardener. garden designer, educator, author, columnist for Garden A to Z. Her topic: “Low Maintenance Gardening.”

Jan Burns, Owner, Burns Botanicals, Oxford, MI, will teach us the many ways we can grow anduse garden herbs in “Herbs: How to Grow and Harvest”

Jan Bills, Owner/operator Two Women and a HoeTM. Her topic“Dirty Little Secrets”gives us insight into practical gardening secrets that will make us love, not labor over our gardens.

George Papadelis, Owner, Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy, author & educator. George will give us a sneak peek at the new annuals and perennials for 2017.

The Garden Market: Shop our market of vendors who offer for sale many hand-made or one-of-a-kind items, including garden stones, garden art, herbal products, unique gardening supplies & more! *Note: Some vendors take only cash or checks.

Make checks payable to: MGAGCM
Mail registration to:
Genesee County Master Gardeners
Fall Into Spring Conference
P.O. Box 34
Flushing, MI 48433

Questions? Call or email Loretta (810) 344-7383 ldellwood@aol.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/blog 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 or you can comment directly on the blog. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly note if you email me. 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 people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If you are on my mailing list and at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to receive a notification by email when a new blog is published have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com