Gardening Granny's Gardening Pages

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

April 14, 2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

April 14, 2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis

http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

http://www.examiner.com/country-living-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

Hi Gardeners

Spring is here.

I love spring. April has been kind and gentle so far and I hope it stays so. This weekend I was able to plant snow peas and two more batches of lettuce and some spinach. I transplanted some roses that were lost in my biggest perennial bed and divided some daylilies. I cleaned a fence of old morning glory and woody nightshade vines and vowed to control both plants much better this year. And I did a lot of general clean up and garden musing, planning for this year’s garden season. I hope you were able to get outside too.

The crocus and winter aconite are blooming beautifully and so are the iris reticulata. I even have some daffodils blooming in a warm spot. I can see color on the hyacinth buds. The grass is greening up and our back yard will need mowing soon. Leaves are popping on some shrubs like the honeyberries. The pussy willows and maples are blooming.

The spring peepers are getting progressively louder and more frenzied in their singing and many other frogs are now joining in. Birds are singing and fighting everywhere. The Canada geese and Sandhill cranes are making a racket each evening. I have seen some honeybees and bumblebees looking for spring flowers. I hung out the hummingbird feeder even though I haven’t seen a hummer yet but it gives the bees something to eat.

Next it’s on to carrot and onion planting. I may get some pansies to pop in for color too. There’s so much to do but I’m not complaining one bit!

Revisiting the native vs non-native plant argument

People got very upset with my article last week, published here in the blog and on line at Examiner.com about not worrying so much about non-native plants. I stand by my assertion that most non-native plants do not cause the extinction of native plants nor do they seriously harm wildlife in the vast majority of cases. This is backed up by research studies done in many countries and by many agencies.

What people should do is tailor their gardens to their specific site and climate so as to minimize environmental impact and make gardening easier and more successful for them at the same time. You can do that with both native and non-native plants. If you live in California and are experiencing extreme drought you shouldn’t be planting or trying to maintain a bluegrass lawn and hosta. But you may want to include bromeliads, sedums, succulents and other water sparing plants from around the world in your landscape. In the Midwest we aren’t quite as concerned with conserving water but if you have a sandy soil and lots of sun for your garden site you’ll want to choose plants that tolerate dry conditions too. If you have heavy clay soil and lots of shade there are plants, both native and non-native, that can grow well there.

If your garden suits your climate, soil type, light and drainage conditions, looks nice, and is pollinator and bird friendly don’t worry about having plant species that aren’t native in the mix. You aren’t destroying the planet. Even if some of the plant species are known to escape to the wild from time to time the chances that species gardeners would choose are harmful to the native environment is low. What most gardeners want are plants that look nice but that are easy to care for and grow well in their conditions. If you choose those plants there is little chance you’ll harm the environment. Remember this-one man’s weed – or invasive plant- is another man’s flower.

If you really want to re-create the landscape that existed in your area before Europeans arrived you’ll want to use native plants- and native plants very specifically suited to your area, not just North America. And you’ll have to carefully choose for soil, drainage and light conditions too. It won’t look like a garden of course. But here’s the thing. Your area will never be the same as before the Europeans arrived because the climate has changed, animal species and their population numbers have changed, pests have changed, and even the air composition has changed.

The numbers of white tail deer in most Eastern US areas are drastically higher- up to 5 times higher- than they were before European settlement. Deer prevent the re-establishment of many native species, such as trilliums. If you want a pre-European vegetative state you need pre-European deer numbers. Are you willing to mount a massive deer hunt? The drainage of swampland, natural and man-made diversion of streams and rivers has changed the land over time. The land is not the same as it was pre-European and won’t be again.

Climate change has happened, whether you believe it was from man or natural cycles of the sun. Plant species change when the climate does. Air pollution has changed what species can thrive in an area. While man has been introducing new species of plants and animals to areas he travels to since the beginning of our history, nature also introduces novel species from time to time. Wind blows seeds long distances, waves wash plants and seeds to new shores. Birds fly great distances with seeds or plant bits stuck to them. Change is constant in nature.

There are some exceptions to the non- natives are ok philosophy. Giant Hogweed for example, may not hurt the environment but it does hurt people and animals, so let’s not get it growing here. If plants are banned by government agencies you probably should avoid planting them. And some non-native plants can overrun the landscape and make you unhappy you planted them. But then again some native plants can make you very unhappy you planted them in the home landscape too.

Native plants you may not want to plant

Let’s enlarge on the idea that native plants aren’t always better. Here are some plants that you might want to think twice about before you plant them in the garden. Instead you may want to plant a better behaved non-native plant. Of course with the right care, the plants listed here could be planted in the garden, but before you shop from that native plant catalog, take a minute to read this.

Bee Balm, Monarda, Wild bergamot ( Monarda spps.)

While pretty and attractive to bees and butterflies, Bee Balm can be an aggressive spreader, taking over vast areas of the garden, even popping up in unexpected places. It also has the tendency to get powdery mildew as summer progresses and look quite ratty in appearance. There are several native species of Monarda. There are many cultivated varieties of Bee Balm too, but most of them share the invasive nature. The cultivated varieties are more disease resistant and prettier in the garden while being just as friendly to pollinators. If you are willing to aggressively pull this species from unwanted areas its worth planting.

Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

Trumpet vine heading for the sky.

This native vine is often sold to attract hummingbirds and it will do that. However it will also spread everywhere and can climb trees, power poles and fences, often damaging them. It spreads by seed and also by underground runners that travel for long distances underground. Left alone it can make impenetrable thickets of intertwined vines. The dead vines look unsightly in winter.

Don’t expect this vine to quietly cover an arbor or small trellis. Expect to prune it hard and often, and dig out and mow down new plants popping up in unexpected places. Don’t plant it anywhere near a structure that could be damaged by the thick vines.

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

This is another native vine that is pretty with vivid red fall foliage and clusters of blue berries attractive to birds. It’s still sold in nursery catalogs as a native vine despite its extremely invasive nature. Virginia creeper will sprawl through garden beds, completely covering them, cover trees and shrubs, even climb the sides of the house, covering it completely if left alone. It spreads by seed and underground runners.

Virginia Creeper

Like the trumpet vine you will need to aggressively prune this plant as well as root out plants popping up everywhere. It can damage trees and shrubs if it grows heavily on them so keep it away from them. Some people mistake Virginia Creeper for poison ivy but it has 5 leaves, not 3 and poison ivy berries are white. Unfortunately Virginia Creeper may also make some people break out in a rash if its handled, even though it’s not as bad as poison ivy.

New England Asters, (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), woodland asters, white heath asters

Native asters are often included in wildflower seed mixes and sold in native plant sales. They are pretty with their clouds of small flowers of various colors in the fall and do provide some bee food. However these native asters are also aggressive spreaders, by seed and underground stolens and can quickly turn a garden bed into a thick mat of tangled roots. The wiry stems are difficult to pull or mow. Plant native asters with caution and thin aggressively yearly. There are many cultivated species of native asters that will be better garden subjects.

Goldenrod (Solidago spps.)

Goldenrod is a favorite of European gardeners and it can be pretty mixed into tall perennial borders. There are several native species. It’s great for late fall color and food for bees and butterflies when other flowers are scarce. But like many natives goldenrod spreads aggressively and will rapidly take over the garden if not thinned each year and kept confined to its spot. If you like it, grow it where you can easily control its spread.

Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos,)

The delicate leaves of this tree and its spring flowers would suggest it makes a good landscape plant but many people don’t agree. The leaves constantly litter the ground and the seed pods make an even greater mess. The pods release seeds that birds and small animals like, but also spread everywhere and seedlings will pop up throughout the lawn and garden. Honey Locust has thorns that are quite dangerous and is prone to breaking in storms. It’s better at the edge of woodlands or corners of the property than as a lawn tree.

Cattails (Typha latifolia)

Often sold as a native plant for water gardens, cattails are beneficial in nature, filtering pollution and providing food for many species of animals. But they can quickly clog a small pond. While the firm “seedheads” look great in flower arrangements, they don’t look so good when they are opening and dispersing the seed fluff, looking tattered and messy. The seeds released grow rapidly and quickly. Don’t plant cattails in small ponds you want to swim or fish in. Keep them cleared out of roadside ditches so they don’t impede water flow. There are a number of species of cattails and a non-hardy, non-native species may be more suitable for small water features in the garden and it isn’t likely to become invasive.

Jimson weed (Datura stramonium,)

This plant has large pretty white, sometimes lavender, flowers and gardeners often want it, but it’s extremely poisonous to pets, livestock and people. Common names are moonflower, (not to be confused with the vine Moonflower) angels trumpet or devil’s trumpet which is more appropriate. This plant is a hallucinogenic, but should not be experimented with because even a tiny overdose can be deadly. It’s said even smelling the flowers can make people sick. The prickly seed pods distribute dozens of seeds everywhere. Once in the garden it will spread aggressively, seeds will remain dormant in the soil for years. Don’t plant Jimsonweed unless it is protected from children and pets and you cut off each flower before it goes to seed.

American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)and Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya)

American wisteria is often sold as preferable to Chinese wisteria, although there is little difference in looks or habit. It is a vine with dangling clusters of blue or white flowers in early summer. It can also grow as a small tree. It’s very pretty but comes with a price. Wisteria spreads aggressively by shooting its seeds out of the pods. The seeds are like small cannon balls and have been known to hurt if they hit you. It will spread by underground runners too. The vines will destroy structures and damage trees that they climb. In the garden it needs to have a very sturdy support and needs to be kept away from trees and power poles. You’ll also have to look for and root out seedlings.

Unlike Chinese wisteria, which can be heavily scented, Kentucky wisteria has a light scent, and American wisteria has no scent. The flowers of the native wisterias are smaller and less abundant. Wisteria doesn’t always bloom, and if you get a non-blooming plant it can be difficult to get rid of it.

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Jewelweed

Jewelweed is a pretty native with small, dangling orange and gold flowers that bees and hummingbirds love. It’s a member of the impatiens family and has fleshy, knotted stems, up to 3 feet high. It grows well in damp, semi-shaded areas or wet, full sun areas. It’s an annual but once it gets established in the garden it will spread intensively by seed, which the pods shoot out some distance from the plant. It will carpet the ground with seedlings and turn into a thick, messy thicket if allowed. If you like this plant keep it weeded down to a few plants each spring. Jewelweed crushed and rubbed on the skin is said to heal poison ivy rash.

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

This native plant can look impressive in the garden with its tall sturdy stems, white flowers and loads of purple-black berries that birds love. People eat the newly emerged shoots as salad greens but beware most other parts of the plant including the berries are poisonous. Pokeweed shouldn’t be grown in gardens with children or pets or around livestock. And because birds love those berries so much- they don’t harm them- you’ll soon have pokeweed growing everywhere.

Wild grapes (Vitis riparia)

Wild Grapes

Wild grapes are seldom deliberately planted in gardens except by some of the most native-crazy plant lovers who are seeking to attract wildlife. Wild grapes will take over and smother trees and cover large areas of ground in messy masses of undergrowth. Because birds do love the fruit you may end up with wild grapes whether you plant them or not. And grapes spread by runners underground as well as by seed. If wild grapes get into the garden do your best to grub them out or you will regret it. They are fine in wild areas but they don’t belong in the garden.

Elderberries (Sambucus Canadensis)

There are native and non-native varieties of elderberries. Native elderberries make large, many stemmed bushes. The bee friendly, flat white flowers in early summer look and smell good and are edible. The flowers turn into attractive clusters of dark purple berries. The berries are made into wine and pies but the berries should not be eaten raw as they are poisonous. All other plant parts are poisonous too. Use caution planting them around pets, children and livestock.

Elderberries take up a lot of space; they can get 15 feet wide and high, and tend to turn into messy thickets. They spread quickly through seeds. There are ornamental elderberries that are better mannered and less invasive you can plant if you want elderberries in the landscape.

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

This native mulberry is sometime sold in wildlife tree assortments. Other types of mulberries are not native but may be naturalized throughout the US. The red mulberry is a small tree with inconspicuous flowers but large amounts of red-purple fruit in mid-summer that looks like a blackberry or raspberry. As a wildlife attractor it works quite wonderfully- but that’s why you probably won’t want it close to your house. Birds will swarm to the trees and drop their purple poop like rain all over patios, cars, and clothes on the line and the poop stains what it touches. If the tree is having an abundant crop year the berries may also litter the lawn or deck. You will also have an abundance of little mulberries coming up in the lawn and flowerbeds. If you plant this tree keep it well away from the house. Mulberry fruit is edible and can be made into wine, pies and jam.

Bracken Fern (Pteridium)

Bracken ferns are native in temperate and sub-tropical areas almost

Bracken Fern

everywhere in the world. They are some of the oldest and most successful of land plants. They are large, coarse looking ferns that quickly colonize any disturbed areas with poor soil. They spread by spores and by “runners”. Some plants can grow with bracken ferns but many plants grow poorly or are killed by chemicals the ferns release into the soil. The plants are very poisonous to livestock and pets. People sometimes eat the fronds as they emerge, called fiddleheads. However research has indicated that the ferns can cause cancer when consumed. There are far better ferns than Bracket ferns for the landscape.

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)

This is another fern that is found in many countries. It is a better subject for gardens than bracken fern with some reservations. It is very large, up to 6 feet high in some situations. While it is beautiful when in its prime, hot dry summers will make the fronds dry and die back, leaving a lot of empty space and a mess to clean up. Its other drawback is that it is very invasive and will take up large areas of the garden quickly. The plants are hard to dig out once established. It will grow in part shade or full sun if the area is always wet.

Rare tortoises thrive on non-native plants

To prove that wildlife aren’t always harmed by introduction of non-native plants and may actually benefit from them you have only to look at the story of the rare Galapagos tortoises. On islands where there have been no real human habitation and few introduced plants the turtles are disappearing. But on islands where people have brought agricultural pursuits and introduced many non-native plants the tortoises are doing well.

Scientists put GPS tags on the tortoises and followed them around recording every type of plant they ate for four years. They also analyzed tortoise dung piles for undigested seeds and plant parts. They found that the tortoises preferred many non-native plants over native ones and that their diet consisted of at least half non-native plants when they were available. The tortoises that ate a lot of non-native plants were healthier overall than other tortoises which had little access to non-native plants and populations on islands with many introduced plant species were stable or increasing. The research was published in the March issue of Biotropica.

Surprise- the world is getting greener

With all this talk about planting native plants to help the environment it may surprise you to know that over the last 20 years the world has actually gained vegetative mass- more growth of trees and vegetation other than food crops. Satellite data analyzed by an international group of scientists found that we are still losing forest cover and other vegetation in the Amazon and Indonesia but that there have actually been significant increases in vegetation in China, southern African and northern Australia.

The researchers say that a massive re-forestation project over the last ten years in China is paying off. The increase of vegetation in the savannas of Africa and Australia comes from climate change producing wetter conditions with more CO2 in the atmosphere to increase plant growth. The research was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Men- wash those veggies and fruits- or lose your fertility

It’s healthy to eat lots of fruits and veggies but men who eat lots of non-organic produce are more likely to have a low sperm count or reduced motility of sperm. This leads to lower levels of fertility. Pesticide residues on the fruits and vegetables are thought to be responsible for the lowered fertility.

Research done at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston found that a group of men who ate lots of fruits and veggies that were not raised organically had significantly lower sperm quality than a group of similar men who ate the same amounts of organic fruits and vegetables. The non-organic produce was sampled and found to generally have higher levels of pesticide residue than the organic.

It must be noted that the study was done on men who were already attending a fertility clinic in the hopes of achieving conception with a partner. However researchers believe that pesticide residue may be contributing to a generally lower fertility rate in the last few generations. They suggest that people who are trying to conceive a child eat organic produce or thoroughly wash other produce.

This week’s super food news, pomegranates, dates and cheese?

Every week some new superfood that will create a healthier you if you just eat it is announced. This week researchers suggest you consume a half glass of pomegranate juice, eat a handful of dates, and have some cheese every day.

Research published in the March 26, 2015 edition of Food & Function, a journal of The Royal Society of Chemistry, found that pomegranate juice and dates helped people attain maximum protection against hardening of the arteries if consumed daily.

And research published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that cheese consumption caused high levels of a chemical compound called butyrate in feces, which means that the gut microbes are processing cholesterol in high fat foods correctly. People who have this level of butyrate have better cardio-vascular health and lower body weight.

So add pomegranate juice, dates and cheese to your diet along with all the other super foods.

How to Grow Light and Lively Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm is another herb that anyone can grow in the garden. With its lovely lemony flavor it complements many dishes. It has many medicinal uses and is currently being studied for use in suppressing tumors, and in HIV, Herpes, and Alzheimer’s treatment. Lemon Balm is so easy to grow that many people consider it invasive.

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, is a member of the mint family. Several species are native to Europe. It will happily grow anywhere in zone 3-9 and is commercially grown in many areas.

The plant has square stems like most mints; the leaves are dark green, broadly oval with toothed edges. Lemon balm grows to about 2 foot tall when it is in a spot it likes. In midsummer Lemon Balm begins blooming, with small spikes of pale yellow flowers arising from where the leaf joins the stem. The flowers are tiny but are loved by bees which flock to the plants.

The Lemon Balm plant is not very attractive as garden plants go, but it does have that delightful aroma of lemon when the leaves are handled. It spreads quickly through the garden by seed and by runners and you will soon have many plants to share with friends. It can be considered to be invasive in spots it likes.

Growing and Harvesting Lemon Balm

Most gardeners will start with Lemon Balm plants; anyone who has the plant should be able to give you a seedling in the spring. They are perennial, dying back to the ground each winter. Large clumps of Lemon Balm can also be divided.

Lemon Balm prefers full sun although it will tolerate partial shade. It will grow in almost any soil. For the best plants a well-drained, moderately rich soil in full sun, and water when conditions are very dry is preferred. No fertilizer is needed. After frost has killed the foliage cut off the stems to the ground.

The leaves of Lemon Balm can be harvested at any time. Most of the active ingredients are found in the leaves, although flowers are also good as a dried herb. The flowers are edible. Simply remove the leaves needed from the plant or if you have an abundance of plants you can pull whole plants. Leaves and flowers can be used fresh or dried.

Using Lemon Balm

The active ingredients in Lemon Balm include terpenes, tannins and eugenol. In traditional herbal medicine Lemon Balm was usually a complementary addition to other herbs. The lemony flavor helped make other herbal medications easy to take. Lemon Balm is mildly sedative and helps decrease anxiety and aid sleep. It is used to aid in gas and colic relief. Lemon Balm leaves were also crushed and warmed to use as a poultice on wounds.

A current popular use is a lotion or cream containing Lemon Balm that is used on cold sores and other Herpes sores. Cooled Lemon Balm tea can also be used on sores. It does not control pain but speeds healing. Much research is being focused on the anti-viral properties of Lemon Balm in Herpes and HIV treatment.

Other research is focusing on Lemon Balms ability to aid memory and restore some cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients. Some research suggests that Lemon Balm may destroy certain tumors. Lemon Balm is a mosquito repellant when rubbed on the skin. It is also used in potpourri.

Lemon Balm has many culinary uses, wherever lemon flavor is required in cooking it can be substituted for lemon. The essential oils from the plant are used in a wide variety of things from perfume and cosmetics to furniture polish.

To make a tea with Lemon Balm use about a cup of fresh crushed leaves to a pint of boiling water and steep. Use about a teaspoon of dried herb to a cup of boiling water. Strain and sweeten if desired. Adult dosage of tea should be limited to about 4 cups per day, children about a cup. Lemon Balm is available in the market place as dried herb, extract, essential oil, capsules and lotions. Follow dosage directions on the labels.

An old recipe for using Lemon Balm as a cooling drink includes a bottle of claret wine, a couple cups of crushed lemon balm leaves, a sliced orange, a half of a sliced, peeled cucumber, and a half cup of sugar. All ingredients are mixed together and allowed to steep for a day in a cool place, then the liquid is strained and poured over ice.

Warning

Before using Lemon Balm preparations on the skin test a small area of skin for allergies. Pregnant and nursing women should consult with a doctor before using Lemon Balm. Some medications may interact with Lemon Balm, in particular thyroid medications, and if you are on medications you should consult with

Time to get off this computer and outside

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.

Master Gardeners if you belong to an association that approves your hours please check with that association before assuming a class or work day will count as credit.

Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share? Post them here by emailing me. Kimwillis151@gmail.com

A new herb group is forming! The Lapeer Herb Circle will meet the 2^nd Wednesday of the month at Rebekah’s Health and Nutrition Store, 6 pm. at 588 S. Main, Lapeer ( next to Office Depot). They also have a facebook page you can join.

Attention Beekeepers!!! We are looking for individuals to participate with a state-wide apiary registry. We are currently developing the website/database for this project and we are looking for beekeepers who will come in on the ground floor of this project and help us get it launched. Not asking for any money, only your time and/or input. Please send us an e-mail if you are interested in helping the bees or want to know more.

In specific, we are looking for people with beekeeping experience to be board members for the organization, inspectors for different areas around Michigan and volunteers to help us get the word out at different clubs, festivals, etc. Please consider helping us and the bees too! Visit our website and let us know if you can help! www.MichiganApiaryRegistry.org

Here’s a link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road, North Branch. Now open.

http://campbellsgreenhouses.com/garden-center/classes-events/

Here’s a link to programs being offered at English Gardens, several locations in Michigan.

http://www.englishgardens.com/events

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.

http://tellys.com/system/files/Tellys_WinterSpringGuide_Web-2015.pdf

Here’s a link to classes and events at Bordines, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc, Clarkston and Brighton locations

http://www.bordines.com/events/

Here’s a link top 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

http://hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu/events

Here’s a link to all the spring programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/education/progs/springprograms/

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

info@meijergardens.org

Spring Pond Cleaning and Start-Up April 18, 10-11am, The Pond Place, 3505 W Highland Rd., Milford MI.

FREE. Clean-up options, dividing water plants, water treatment & fish health. Register: www.PondPlace.com. (248)889-8400

Pollinator Gardens and Native Plantings, April 11, 2015, 10:00 am –noon- County Farm Field Operations Building 2210 Platt Rd., Ann Arbor right next to the red playground.

This new course will explore developing pollinator gardens and native plantings.

Strong fruit and vegetable production often depends on the tiniest of garden visitors – native bees and honey bees. Learn how to design a beautiful garden that will boost your crop production, attract beneficial insects, and support native biodiversity. This course is taught by Washtenaw County Naturalist Shawn Severance.

**New for 2015** $5/class fee for all classes to discourage no-shows; registration is required. Call (734) 996-3169. Walk-ins are welcome.

ReLeaf Michigan is having its annual tree sale, order online and pick up at several locations around Michigan. http://releafmichigan.blogspot.com/p/tree-and-shrub-fundraiser-sale.html Check out the unusual selection of trees and shrubs.

ReLeaf Michigan's annual tree and shrub sale helps to reverse Michigan's loss of tens of thousands of trees due to the emerald ash borer, storms, and old age. Our tree sale is a fundraiser that also encourages the public to plant trees to improve the overall tree canopy of their community. Purchasing and planting our trees and shrubs offer environmental benefits that also provide ReLeaf Michigan with much-needed revenue to support our ongoing tree planting and educational programs. Thanks for your support!

Spring Into Gardening Conference, Saturday, April 25, 2015, 9:00am to 4:00 pm, Mt. Pleasant, MI

A day-long Master Garden Conference held in Mount Pleasant, Michigan at the Comfort Inn and Suites. Sponsored by the Master Gardener Association of Isabella County. This conference is for the beginner to advanced gardeners who love to learn about gardening. Please invite a friend to come along for a fun filled day! Public welcome-Not restricted to MG

Speakers:

Barb Balgoyen, topic - Perennials

Jason Erickson, topic - Water Features

Chuck Martin, topic - Divine use of Vines

Mary K. Hausbeck, topic - research on diseases of ornamentals, herbs and vegetables

Requires pre-registration. $60.00 cost includes - Four Speakers, Lunch, Vendors and door prizes

Phone: (989) 400 – 1391 contact email: b.laughlin@cmich.edu

Behind the Scenes at Hidden Lake Gardens- Thu, April 16, 2015, 6:30pm Hidden Lake Gardens,6214 Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI

April’s topic: Harper Collection

Explore behind the scenes with HLG’s Managing Director, Paul Pfeifer. This is an opportunity to enjoy a behind-the-scenes perspective on different areas of HLG’s collections. Bring your questions and learn a few tips and secrets.

Cost: $5 per person / free for Friends of HLG

Registration is required. Approximate class length is 90 minutes. www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu.

The MSU Hort Club 2015 Spring Show and Plant Sale Saturday April 18th 2014, 9am-6pm and Sunday April 19th 2014, 10am- 4pm located in the head house of the Plant and Soil Sciences Building (PSS) at Michigan State University, 1600 Bogue St, East Lansing (located on the corner of Wilson and Bogue.)

No information is given about what the show entails or whether there is a fee to enter but if you want to see the list of plants they are selling you can go here.

http://www.msuhortclub.com/spring-show-inventory/

There is parking in the 4H Children’s garden parking lot just south of the PSS bldg, in the vet med lot across Bogue and the Horticulture Department lot to the west of PSS. (*Note: locations are marked on the map with 'Parking') Be sure to read parking signs as parking tickets are common on MSU's campus. Please enter through either the south door of the head house or through the greenhouses.

MSU Horticulture Gardens’ Spring Program: Can You Dig It?, May 2, 2015 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Plant and Soil Sciences Building, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI

Sessions include: Woodland wonders from the wild, Art of Gardening, Joy of Propagation, Cultivating the recipe garden, lunch from Grand Traverse Pie Company included. Rare plant sales. Early registration (on or before April 21) for MSU Horticulture Garden Member $69 Early registration (on or before April 21) for non-MSU Horticulture Garden Member $79 Registrations received after April 21 $89

Contact: 517-353-0443, hgardens@msu.edu.

Gardening and All That Jazz – Innovation and Sustainability For Your Garden, Saturday, April 25, 2015 – 7 am – 4:15 pm, Oakland Schools Conference Center 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford

Sessions include: Will Allen – Growing Power and the Good Food Revolution: A visual story of how Growing Power came to be and of Will Allen’s personal journey, the lives he has touched, and a grassroots movement that is changing the way our nation eats., Will Allen – How To Put “Growing Power” in Your Backyard: How to make your own compost bin, outdoor and indoor worm bins and raised beds. Matthew Benson – Growing Beautiful Food: Cultivating the Incredible, Edible Garden - Kerry Ann Mendez – Gardening Simplified for Changing Lifestyle: Exceptional Plants and Design Solutions for Aging and Time-pressed Gardeners

Lunch and snacks included in cost. Garden marketplace and jazz musicians. Early Bloomers Registration Fee: $70 After March 14, 2015 Fee: $80 Registration at the door is not available. Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 20, 2015 Registr by going to http://www.mgsoc.org/2015Conference_registration.pdf For more info: Nancy Strodl, Phone: 248-552-5095, E-mail: nancy_strodl@comcast.net

MSU offered a variety of on line seminars for those who were interested in beginning farming topics of various types. Some of those are now available free to watch at the address below. Gardeners may be interested in topics like organic pest control. Get the list of topics and links here.

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/msu_extension_beginning_farmer_webinar_series_continues_online

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.

Once again the opinions in this newsletter are mine and I do not represent any organization or business. I do not make any income from this newsletter. 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

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

April 7, 2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

April 7, 2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis

http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

http://www.examiner.com/country-living-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

Hi Gardeners

Winter Aconite

Well it’s Tuesday and that means the weather is going to change right? If you live north of I69 in Michigan there is a chance of freezing rain tonight and tomorrow so be prepared. The rest of you will get plain rain. I remember about ten years ago we had a heavy freezing rain around this time in April that knocked out power and brought down a lot of trees. We don’t need that. And by Thursday thunderstorms are predicted. Rain seems to be the forecast for the rest of the week.

I loved yesterday, I got some lettuce planted in the garden,, I planted my dogwood that’s been on hold on the porch outside and did some more clean-up and fertilizing. I have crocus and winter aconite in bloom, I couldn’t find any snowdrops, they must have gotten eaten by something. I did see them in bloom at my mom’s in Pontiac. Hyacinths, tulips, alliums, daffodils are shooting right up. I brought in some forsythia branches to see if I can get early blooms.

I had heavy winter damage on my heather (Erica), remaining holly, and azaleas. I don’t think I will bother to replace those plants if they die, it’s just luck when they survive winter well here and lately luck hasn’t been helpful.

The grass is greening up and this week’s rain should help that. Chickweed and ground ivy are growing. The spring peepers are singing their heads off and I am hearing bigger frogs join the chorus now. Robins are everywhere and all of the turkey vultures seem to be back. I haven’t seen hummers yet or bumble bees and honeybees, although one of the little native bees was following me around yesterday in the garden and I saw a mosquito. I intend to hang the hummingbird and oriole feeders at the end of the week, after this latest cold snap passes.

April almanac

April’s full moon was April 4^th and is known as the Pink moon, egg moon or grass moon. If you garden by the moon the best time for planting above ground crops in April is today until the 17^th and you can plant underground crops from April 18- 30. April 17-18 is a good time for weeding and mowing and the 25-27^th for pruning.

Easter occurred April 5^th this year but other holidays are Golfers day the 10th , National Pecan Day 14th, National Garlic Day 19th , Earth Day 22nd , Executive Administrative day and Zucchini bread day the 23rd , Arbor day 25th , International Astronomy Day the 28th .

April is National Lawn and Garden Month as well as Keep America Beautiful month. It’s also National Humor month, National Pecan month and National Poetry month. April’s birthstone is the diamond and the birth flower is the sweet pea. In the language of flowers the sweet pea means goodbye or blissful love.

Winter Aconite

There’s a picture above of this pretty yellow spring bloomer. Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis, is also called Yellow Wolves Bane. You plant this tiny bulb in the fall and the trick to getting them established is to plant them as soon as you get them and look for nurseries that package them specially or dip them in wax so that they don’t dry out before planting. They can be planted in part shade to sun conditions in just about any soil, although they prefer organically rich humus soil. Winter Aconite is hardy in zones 5-7.

The pretty shiny yellow flowers of Winter Aconite bloom when the early crocus bloom with their flowers held above the palm shaped leaves. The flowers close at night and on cloudy days. Winter Aconite will spread quickly in a good location and fill it with color. If you are troubled with crocus and other bulbs being eaten by squirrels and mice plant Winter Aconite instead. The bulbs are poisonous and animals don’t eat them. Deer won’t eat the plants or flowers either. Make sure that kids and pets can’t eat the plants or bulbs.

Winter Aconite will naturalize under deciduous trees and is good for the edges of woodland gardens. You can also plant them along paths, in rock gardens, or near patios for early color. The leaves die back in summer so you may need to mark the spot they are planted so as not to disturb them with new fall plantings. Don’t remove the leaves until they had yellowed and dried on their own. Winter Aconite does not like transplanting and if you move some, re-plant the dug bulbs immediately. Seed is sometimes offered for Winter Aconite but it may take 2 years before seed started plants bloom. The plants spread both by seed and by creating new bulbs.

What to plant in April

April is the beginning of planting season in zones 5-6, while we may still have snow showers there are many things that you can and should get started growing. April days are generally warm enough to work outside comfortably but be aware that if we have a wet April some areas of the lawn and garden should be avoided so that foot traffic and equipment don’t compact the soil.

It’s an excellent time to plant grass seed, whether patching bare spots or re-seeding the entire lawn. Grass seed likes cool, wet conditions to germinate. Work the soil up lightly in bare areas before sowing seed. Areas for new lawns should be tilled and raked smooth. If the area where grass seed is being sown is sloped you will need to cover the area with chopped straw or special netting sold for this purpose to keep spring rains from washing the seed downhill.

April is a great month to plant trees and shrubs, whether bare root or potted. As long as the soil is thawed you are good to go. It’s an especially good month to do re-forestation projects where you will be planting small seedlings. You won’t have to cut through as much vegetation to plant and the trees generally get enough moisture from April rains to start growing well.

Dormant perennials can be planted now, the bare root plants you mail order and plants you get from local nurseries that have been kept in the open and don’t have much new growth. Be more careful with greenhouse grown perennials which have lots of new growth or that may even be in bloom. An April snow or heavy frost may damage or kill these. Use established garden plants growing nearby to make your decisions. If the new plant has the same amount of growth as older established plants of the same species growing outside you can probably plant it safely. For example hostas that are just furled shoots peeking above ground are probably safe to plant in the garden in early April, plants with a few small leaves in late April. But wait until May to plant large, fully leafed out hostas in the garden in zones 5-6.

Diascia can be planted early.

The greenhouses will be filled with flowering annual plants in April but only a few bedding plants are ready for outside planting in April, even if we have a really warm stretch of weather. Frosts and freezes are common in April. Some plants that will survive light frost in the fall won’t survive it in spring if they have come from nice warm greenhouses. However pansies and violas can be planted in containers and beds in early April. Calendula, diascia, and snapdragons can probably be planted from mid to late April. Be patient and wait until mid-May for the rest of the container and bedding plants.

In the vegetable garden you can plant peas, kale and lettuce in early April, as soon as the soil can be worked. Frost and even light snow won’t hurt them. By mid to late April you can also plant spinach, radishes, beets, onion sets and plants, carrots, turnips, cabbage, broccoli and Brussel’s sprouts as seeds or plants. You can plant asparagus and rhubarb roots also. Strawberries, raspberries and other brambles, and grapes can be planted in mid-late April

Other good garden chores for April

It’s a good time to do heavy work like spreading mulch, building raised beds, making paths, moving rocks and putting up fences and trellises. Clean out bird baths and garden ponds. Just make sure the soil is dry enough so that you don’t make deep ruts or compact the soil as you are working. Clean your tools and shop for new ones if needed. Check the lawn mower and other equipment.

April is a good month for fertilizing. Plan to fertilize just before a spell of rainy weather for best results. Lawns, emerging perennials, trees and shrubs all benefit from April fertilization. Work compost into vegetable garden beds but don’t add manure now.

April is a good month for dividing and transplanting most perennials. Wait until after iris and peony bloom to divide them. If you need to re-work a garden bed so plants have more room, or need to remove or add plants April is a good time to do it. Remember that plants look smaller in April. It’s easy to plant too closely or decide things don’t need dividing or removal. If you have good photos of the garden in a mature stage or good notes from the previous season to refer to it always helps. Also read plant tags and catalog descriptions for recommendations on plant spacing.

Put out the hummingbird and oriole feeders and help the bees too

Although I haven’t seen them yet the hummingbirds and orioles usually return sometime in April. Flowering plants are usually scarce and these birds really appreciate a little help from feeders. Feeding them early will make them more likely to stick around and nest in your area. You may have to bring in feeders if a hard freeze is predicted but sugar does lower the freezing point of the nectar solution. For hummingbirds use only plain sugar and water in feeders, never honey, corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners. You don’t need red dye or flavorings either. If the feeder structure isn’t colored red a small dab of red nail polish or paint near a sipping port will draw the hummers. You can also attach a red silk flower to the feeder as long as it doesn’t block a sipping port.

Orioles can be fed with nectar too but they need perches on feeders and larger feeding ports. A better way to feed them is to use cheap jelly, grape will do or any other flavor. The jelly can be in a dish under a roof to keep out rain, or cute jelly feeders can be purchased. Orioles are also attracted to fruit like a half of an orange stuck on a nail cut side up or grapes.

When you put out a hummingbird or oriole feeder you also feed the bees, especially in early spring when few things are flowering. (If you are afraid of bees or allergic to stings don’t hang feeders close to the house.) Since we are trying to boost bee populations putting your hummingbird feeder out early in April can help early pollinators survive. If your feeder has bee guards you may want to remove them until later in the spring. Some people are now hanging a syrup feeder close to the ground for bumble bees and other pollinators in early spring, who are looking there for early flowers.

Healthy food news- peanuts and blueberries

Research published last month showed that when a small amount of peanuts were consumed with a fatty meal the peanuts helped reduce triglycerides in the blood and kept arteries flowing normally after the fatty meal. The study suggests that peanut consumption may help those prone to “clogged” arteries. The research was done at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University.

Research done at Louisiana State University found that the superfood blueberries may also aid post-traumatic stress disorder. Blueberry consumption altered neurotransmitters in the brain in a more effective way than current drugs used like Paxil and Zoloft. The research continues and will try to pin down the most effective method and form of blueberries to ease PTSD. In the meantime if you or someone you know are suffering from PTSD a big slice of blueberry pie with ice cream sure wouldn’t hurt.

Can fungi make us see ghosts?

Oh, this research is an “eye opener”. Clarkson University is a private Engineering and Environmental health research based university in New York and a professor there, Shane Rogers, has involved some of his students in a ghost buster project. It seems that some fungi that grow in old houses, those that are frequently the site of hauntings, induce symptoms in humans that include anxiety, depression, delusions, even severe psychosis, when the indoor air is polluted with their spores and dried particulates. Students visited “haunted” houses and found a high correlation between them and certain types of molds and fungi.

We know that some molds are indicated in human respiratory health problems and now it seems they may affect the mind also. Some people are more sensitive to mold exposure also. The students continue to explore the connection between mold/fungi and ghosts. What a fun research project! Give it enough time and science can explain most unnatural phenomena. That ghost you see may simply be a mold induced delusion.

Getting more from a small garden

If space is limited in your garden don’t despair. There are many tricks to help the space challenged gardener attain good yields of garden vegetables, herbs and even small fruit. Even a gardener with lots of space may want to make the most out of every inch devoted to the garden, saving water, fertilizer and time. Here are some ideas to help you utilize every inch of garden space and even find that space.

Use raised beds intensively planted

Raised beds

If you want to grow more in a small space, forget the conventional rows in the ground garden. Instead use raised beds that are intensively planted. Yes, raised beds need rows between them, but with intensively planted raised beds there will be far less space devoted to pathways. Raised beds improve drainage, warm up faster in spring and it’s easier and less expensive to amend the soil in them.

Raised beds can be built to fit almost any space. They should be a minimum of 8 inches deep but they could be as high as 3 feet with an edge you could sit on to garden. Make raised beds only as wide as your arms can reach across to weed and harvest. That’s about 2 feet if accessible from one side, 4 feet if you can access both sides. Raised beds can be used for all types of plants.

Inside the raised beds should be soil that’s loose, light and enriched with compost and other organic material. Instead of making rows within raised beds you plant your seeds or transplants as far apart as suggested on the seed packet or tag instructions throughout the whole bed. For example, if the seed packet says plants should be 6 inches apart in the row, plant the bed with all plants 6 inches away from each other, solidly throughout the bed.

If you had 4 feet of conventional, in the ground row and you planted transplants 6 inches apart you would have room for 8 plants. Then you would leave at least a 2 foot access path and plant the second row of 8 plants for a total of 16 plants. (Each row of plants spans about a foot). If you had a raised bed that was 4 feet by 4 feet, (taking up the same amount of space as the sample above) and you planted the plants throughout the bed at 6 inches apart you could plant about 32 plants, doubling your production.

Even if you insist on more conventional in the ground planting, use intensively planted wide beds with fewer paths and you will gain space.

Grow up

Many, many crops can be trained to grow up instead of sprawling on the ground. That saves space and may help with some plant diseases and make harvest easier. Instead of bush type beans use pole beans trained on poles or trellis. They are more productive than bush beans to begin with. Cucumbers are easy to trellis. Tomatoes definitely need to be staked or trellised to help keep fungal disease at bay. Squash like zucchini are great for trellises. Even pumpkins and melons can be trellised. They need strong supports and large fruit may need slings to keep them from pulling off the vine. In the spring peas can grow up trellises inter-planted with leaf lettuce.

Livestock panels, found at farm stores make excellent, strong trellises for the garden. They are 16 feet long but can be cut with bolt cutters or a hack saw. They can also be bowed to form an arbor, with plants trained up the outside of them. Heavy fence wire can be used for some crops, securely held up by posts.

Metal or wood posts can be spaced through a garden with thick wire stapled at several levels along them. Plants are woven through the wires as they grow. And plants like beans just need a pole jammed into the ground to climb.

Any plant you can get growing up instead of sprawling over the ground will leave you room to plant something else at its feet, like lettuce, chard, radishes or onions.

Try companion planting

Native Americans knew the trick of combining different crops to get the most yields from an area. You can use this trick too. Beans can be planted so that they climb up cornstalks for support. Beans put nitrogen in the soil, which corn needs a lot of, and the corn helps get the beans into the sunlight. Sunflowers could also be used for bean support.

Companion planting.

Small fast growing crops like lettuce, green onions, beets, and radishes can be planted around slower growing crops like tomatoes and peppers and harvested before the larger crops get big enough to shade them.

Plants can be tucked into borders around other crops. A border of green and purple basil around the tomatoes is tasty and pretty. Leaf lettuce of assorted colors will make a nice border early in the year. It can also be planted in the fall to replace tender annuals killed by early frosts and will give you a late crop.

If you have mostly flowerbeds many vegetables and herbs are quite pretty and can be tucked into flower beds instead of occupying space of their own. Dill, basil, oregano, (perennial) and thyme, (perennial) are quite ornamental. Some sages are ornamental but make sure to get culinary varieties as all sages are not equally good in cooking.

Some peppers are quite pretty, even having variegated foliage but if you want edible peppers make sure to use a variety that furnishes them. Some ornamental peppers have fruit too hot for most tastes. Chard often has beautiful colored stalks. Some other edibles that can share space with ornamentals are eggplant- use a small fruited variety and okra which has pretty flowers and interesting seed pods. Beans like scarlet runner and American beauty have colorful flowers that turn into tasty green beans.

Practice Succession planting

Never let good space sit idle in the growing season. Before its warm enough to plant tomatoes or peppers plant a crop of spring greens, peas, green onions or radishes in their intended bed. While the squash or melons are getting big enough to sprawl over a large area use some of the space for the crops above. Brussels sprouts and cabbage often have space early in the season for radishes or green onions to be planted between them.

As you harvest a crop, have something to tuck into its place. When a row of green beans have finished in mid-summer, sow carrots there or onion sets, lettuce, rutabagas, turnips, Chinese cabbage or even fast maturing potatoes, all crops that can survive light frost in the fall. Remove a head of early cabbage and stick in some onion sets. When spring lettuce has been used or has to be pulled because hot weather has made it bolt to seed, replace it with carrots or beets.

Planting quick growing crops in several small batches throughout the season or using early mid and late maturing varieties of one type of crop can help get you more crop from the same space. Season extenders like tunnels and row covers can help. For example start your beans before the last frost under a plastic tunnel. They will be finished in mid summer. Plant a second crop of beans and use the tunnel near maturity if frost threatens to be early.

Be creative

If you only have a small sunny spot in the back yard use the sunny front yard for herbs, vegetables or a small fruit planting. Maybe a cucumber plant can climb up the deck railing or the clothesline pole. Can you put up trellis in the small space beside the garage wall and grow beans, peas, cucumbers, or zucchini?

Don’t have room at home for a garden? Maybe there’s a spot where you work you can garden on your lunch hour. Maybe the church you go to has unused space you could borrow. A neighbor may let you use land in return for a share of the goodies. Older gardeners in the neighborhood may already have a nice garden spot that they can no longer tend and would be happy to let you use it.

If the children have outgrown the sandbox fill it with good soil and plant an intensive garden. If the trampoline is no longer in use, use the frame to support beans or tie tomato plants to it. Old swing sets make admirable bean teepees with just some twine, or by throwing strong rope or wires over the top frame and anchoring them on the ground on either side, even squash and pumpkins could be grown on them.

Only have cement slab, deck or patio stone space? Grow a garden in containers on the hard surface. Raise the container bottoms with little wood blocks or brick pieces under them to leave a small gap between surface and pot bottom. This keeps the roots a little cooler and aids drainage. You can purchase containers or recycle any number of items, including sturdy woven bags for containers.

A person who wants to grow some of their own food can always find a way. The creative gardener who thinks outside the box can take a small area and make it very productive. Be sure to keep your intensively planted gardens fed and watered and use lots of organic soil amendments. You’ll be rewarded with big harvests from a small space.

Star of Bethlehem- weed or garden flower?

Star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum umbellatum, is not a native Michigan plant. It is an escapee from gardens and is sometimes still sold in bulb catalogs. It is however, a pesky weed in many Michigan lawns and also finds its way into ditches and woodland edges. It is also called wild onion for its great resemblance to the onion family. Other names include star flower and summer snowflakes.

The leaves of star of Bethlehem resemble onion leaves as they emerge in the spring, with rounded, narrow leaves. As plants mature the leaf blade broadens and looks more like a grass leaf. It has a groove in the middle of each leaf that sometimes appears as a white line. Plants form clumps and by midsummer the foliage has dried and disappeared.

Star of Bethlehem

Star of Bethlehem has bulbous roots that resemble small onions attached to a thick fibrous root system. In Michigan the plants most often multiply through their bulb like roots, which divide into numerous bulblets. Although the star of Bethlehem roots may look like onions they should never be eaten, all parts of the plant are poisonous.

The flowers of star of Bethlehem are actually quite pretty. They arise on long naked stems that divide into smaller stems each with a shiny white flower about an inch across. The flowers appear to have 6 petals, 3 of the “petals”, however are actually sepals. These may retain a faint green line across the back. The airy flower clusters appear in May.

There are 6 stamens in the center of each star of Bethlehem flower, each with a broad white base and a yellow anther on the end. These surround a greenish pistil with a star shaped top. It’s almost as if there was a tiny crown in the center of each flower. If fertilized the flowers turn into little seed pods with 3 segments, containing hard black seeds. In Michigan the plants don’t often set seed.

If star of Bethlehem is left in the landscape for its ornamental nature make sure that children and pets don’t eat it. It would be wise to avoid using the name wild onion. If ingested the plant causes severe pain, vomiting and diarrhea and irregular heartbeats which can cause death. Grazing animals eating the plants have died quite rapidly and this plant should always be removed from pastures.

Remember April showers bring May flowers.