Clay, clay...go away

We have the best clay in the county around here, just kidding... Unfortunately, most plants hate clay and refuse to do anything in it other than die. A girl can only plant so many containers until she notices that there are huge spaces that need to be filled in with something in the ground. Finally, a list of clay-friendly plants to take to the greenhouse after the next good rainfall (because that's the only time I can get a shovel into the ground).

Clay-Friendly Plants

Rudbeckia-Black Eyed Susan

spreads quickly, but is not invasive

Amsonia-Blue Star

adaptable--soggy to clay, sun to part shade
spring and fall blooms

Aster

fall blooms
available in a variety of colors

Baptisia

spring blooms ranging from white to yellow or purple

Canna

rhizomes can be removed, stored for the winter, and re-planted in spring

Coreopsis

spreads into a great groundcover

Echinacea-Purple Coneflower

birds and butterflies love this

Eryngium-Sea Holly

related to thistles
deer and rabbit resistant

Heliopsis-False Sunflower

blooms all summer
heat and drought tolerant

Hemerocallis-Daylily

many varieties bloom several times throughout the summer

Heuchera-Coral Bells

foliage plant

Liatris-Blazing Star

attractive to butterflies
popular cut flower

Monarda-Bee Balm

attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees
deer and rabbit resistant

Perovskia-Russian Sage

thrives in hot, sunny and dry environments
can be a bit invasive

Solidago-Golden Rod

grows between 2-5 feet tall

Achillea-Yarrow

attractive to butterflies
deer resistant

Vernonia-Ironweed

tolerates heat and drought

Yucca Filamentosa

blooms early summer

Sedum

full sun
blooms late summer/early fall

Bug Off!!

We love our gardens, we hate garden pests. What do we hate more than pests...chemical pesticides. Most wildlife poisonings and surface water contamination comes from chemical pesticides. In North America, approximately 136 million pounds of chemical pesticides are used on lawns, gardens, and in the home. What to do? Never fear, because for almost any pest there is a natural remedy!

It's Just Water...

     Have you ever wondered about watering your garden? I mean, it's just water, you spray the plants and be done with it, right? Wrong...Good gardeners will want to get the most out of their garden while conserving natural resources, and certain methods of watering at certain times of the day will accomplish both goals.

How To:

     The needs of plants and the need to conserve water go hand-in-hand. To help form strong root systems, plants should be watered deeply and infrequently. Deep watering requires you to water slowly so that the water is absorbed into the soil rather than running off. Your garden needs 1-2 inches of water per week or approximately 1/2 gallon per square foot (more if it is extremely dry). It is best to use hoses and watering cans so you can target your plants. Using sprinklers is inefficient and can actually damage your plants. Too much water leeches important nutrients from the soil and blocks essential air flow to the roots. 

When To:

     The best time of the day to water your garden is early morning. Watering before the heat of the day has set in reduces the amount of moisture lost to evaporation and gives the plants the water they need to make it through the day. If the garden is looking dry, give it a light watering in the evening, after the sun has gone down. You do not want to soak your garden in the evening; sitting water encourages mold and disease. If you have to water during the heat of the day, you really want to be sure to target the roots and avoid getting water on flowers and foliage.

Additional Tips:

• Never let your flowers get dry to the point of wilting. Wilted flowers are prone to disease.
• Containers will need to be watered more often than in-ground plants.
• Mulch, mulch, mulch! 

Enjoy!

Tips for May

Not many April showers around these parts...Hopefully that won't stop the May flowers!

• When planning your spring garden, be sure to research the mature size of the plants you plan to include. This will ensure that each plant has enough space to form a solid foundation. The better the root system, the better your blooms!

• When the plants in your veggie garden are wet, stay out! Walking through a wet garden spreads disease. 

• Recycle newspapers and grass clippings as mulch. Place the grass clippings over the newspaper to keep it from blowing away. Never use grass that has been chemically treated.

• Mulch not only enhances the look of your landscape, it helps reduce weeds, control soil temperature, and retain moisture.

 

• Plant Gladiolus bulbs in late May.    

• Wait until your daffodils are just about completely dead to cut them back. Cutting back too soon will result in less blooms next season.

• Dandelions taking over your lawn? Harvest those greens!! They contain more vitamin A than carrots and spinach.

• When you start purchasing annuals, look for plants that are short, bushy, and contain buds- not blooms. Tall, leggy plants that are already in bloom will have a shorter blooming season. Check for brown or yellow spots; greener plants are healthier plants.

Enjoy!

.

Hi Everyone! It's been a little minute since I last posted. I have been toiling away the winter in a legal class that took me away....but I'm back, just in time for Spring!

A Facebooker recently asked about planting seeds. When planting seeds, the most important thing to do is carefully read the seed packet instructions. Keep the seed packets until the plants have grown. The seed packet will instruct you on such things as: whether the seeds need to be started in containers or if they can be sown directly into the ground, when to plant (some seeds like to go into the ground when it's cold and others need to wait until after all danger of frost has passed), and where to plant (a sunny location vs. a shady location).

Next, prepare your soil. In order to thrive, seeds require optimal nutrients. You will need to work in plenty of compost, which you can purchase at any garden center for around $5-$7/bag. You will need to work the soil approximately a foot deep. The soil should be loose, slightly crumbly, and moist. After you've worked in the compost, rake smooth.

Follow the packet instructions for planting. Generally, the larger the seed, the deeper it will need to be planted. Some smaller seeds will not be sown into the soil; they will be scattered on top. Water gently and thoroughly. The soil needs to be kept moist until seedlings spring up. NEVER let the soil dry out!  Once the seedlings are about an inch high, you may want to thin them out. Seeds are cheap, so don't feel bad about pulling some up. Doing so will help ensure that you have enough space for the others to grow and fully bloom.

After your seedlings have developed three sets of true leaves, you will want to pinch them back. Just snip off the top of the plant with your fingernails. Pinching the plants allows them to bush out and develop stronger root systems. As always, consult the seed packet for recommendations. After your seedling are a couple inches tall, feel free to mulch which will help keep the soil moist.





Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Selecting Roses

Start by looking at the buds; all rose buds are not created equally. Look for buds that are unraveling at the tip. Roses generally open by unfurling a petal at a time in a spiral pattern. Next, gently squeeze the bud; soft buds have been kept in the cooler too long, and hard buds or "bullets" were cut too early and will not open. So, you want to look for firm buds that are beginning to open at the tip.

Caring for Cut Roses

• Leave at least three leaves on each stem. These will help provide nourishment to the bloom.
• Cut off any leaves that will be below your vase's water level. Leaves below the water will rot and shorten the life of your blooms. 
• Next, pour hot water into a bowl (as hot as your hands can stand), add a couple drops of bleach and floral preservative. 
• Place the rose stems in the hot water solution, being sure the buds do not touch the water. Let the roses sit in the solution for just a couple minutes. 
• Remove the roses from the solution one at a time, and trim the ends on the diagonal 1/4 inch using clean, sharp scissors. 
• Put the roses back into the solution until the temperature reaches lukewarm, appx. 1 hour. 
• Now, you can put your beautiful new roses into your vase. Start with a clean vase. Fill your vase with warm water, a few drops of bleach, and flower preservatives. Refrigerate your flowers for about 2 hours before putting them out.
• When the water clouds, remove the roses, replace the old water with fresh hot water and a couple drops of bleach. Return the roses to the vase immediately. 
• When your roses start wilting, you can trim off about an 1/8 inch of the stem end (always on a diagonal), put the roses into a bowl of hot water for about an hour, and return them to the vase.

Using clean scissors and containers is very important if you want to extend the life of your blooms. Unclean implements will spread bacteria to your flowers. Use hot water and bleach to kill that nasty bacteria; do not just rinse.

Ants In My Plants

You see them marching to their little hills, those annoying little ants. You're thinking to yourself, "Put ant spray on the list." But wait...before you decimate that anthill, read this blog!

Dream A Little Dream

We've recently wrapped up a series on greenhouses and realize that while they are every gardener's dream, sometimes we must dream smaller. Cold frames provide many of the benefits of a greenhouse but on a smaller scale. Cold frames can be used as a storage space for overwintering less hardy plants, or a place to get a jump start on your seedlings. 


Cold frames use the sun's heat so you need to place them in a sunny location, and they need to be butted up against an existing structure. The site must also have good drainage. If your plants are sitting in cold water every day they will die. If possible, try to pick an area that is slightly sloped. You may even want to build a slope. 



There are several ways to build a cold frame. Things to keep in mind:

• Do not to make it so wide that you cannot reach all the way to the back-3 to 4 feet is plenty wide.

• Build the frame to fit the top windows, higher in the back than in the front.

• Add weights to keep the windows from blowing open in storms. Use heavy duty hinges on the windows.

• You will need props for the windows which will need to be opened when temps reach  45+ F.

• On sunny days, you will need to open the windows so your plants don't bake, and on cold days you may want to cover the frame with blankets or burlap bags. Uncover when the sun comes back out.

How To Build A Cold Frame

Happy Gardening!

The Time Is Now

If you plan on planting summer and fall blooming bulbs, it's almost time. It sounds strange, but spring blooming bulbs are planted in the fall, and summer/fall blooming bulbs are planted in the spring. If you think about germination, it makes sense. Our widget shows a mere 39 days until the official arrival of spring (yay!), so now is the time to start planning your summer garden. 

Note: Not all bulbs are true bulbs; corms, rhizomes, and tuberous roots will all be referred to as bulbs. There are botanical differences, but, unless you are a scientist, the difference is negligible.

Most Popular Summer/Fall Flower Bulbs

Canna

*Rich, well-drained soil in an area that receives at least 6 hrs full sun 

*Plant with only an inch of soil over the rhizomes; 18-24 inches apart

*When frost kills the foliage, dig up the rhizomes, dry for a couple days, and store

Dahlia

*Full sun (up to Zone 6) part shade for Zones 7+

*Rich, well-drained soil

*Requires ample watering

Daylilies

*Average soil; full-sun to part shade

*Rugged and extremely adaptable

*Generally does not do well when planted near trees

Gladiolus

*Stagger out the planting of these bulbs. Plant a batch and wait a week to plant another. This will provide a continuous bloom.

*Corms should be planted in well-drained soil, 4-6 inches deep, 6-8 inches apart.

Lily

*Requires well-drained, moist soil and full-sun

*Most bulbs will require 4-5 inches of soil covering; space 6-10 inches apart

As we get closer to spring and the threat of frost has lifted, we will follow-up with how to plant and maintain a summer bulb garden.

February To-Do's

• Start ordering seeds now to take advantage of early discounts and good selections. 

• Start slow-growers indoors. Celery, leeks, and onions need several months before they are ready to be transplanted outdoors. You can also start small-seeded flowers, such as petunias and begonias. Keep the seeds warm to encourage development of a strong root system.

• If you are forcing bulbs indoors, now is a good time to check them out. If the tips have started and there's a couple inches of growth, move them to a cool, bright room. For more on forcing bulbs, check out our post, "Baby It's Cold Outside."

• You can start forcing spring bloomers forsythia, dogwood, and crabapple by cutting the branches and putting them in warm water. Make long slanted cuts when collecting branches. Re-cut the stems to increase water absorption , and change the water every four days. Give them about 3 weeks to bloom.

• Feed your houseplants. Dilute the strength by half. Houseplants will tend to become leggy this time of year, continue to pinch back new growth 

• Now is a good time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs.

Greenhouses Pt. 3...Let It Grow!

The greenhouse is set up and ready to go, now it's time to get our grow on.

Greenhouses 101 Part 2: Set-Up

Ok, you've done your research and found a greenhouse to suit your needs, now what?

"Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?"

A friend who is interested in setting up a greenhouse has asked for tips and suggestions, so this blog will be Part I of the Greenhouse Trilogy...A greenhouse is a gardener's fantasy; a place where they can play mad scientist and control the climate. Imagine being able to grow anything, anywhere, anytime!

Fight The Blight...

Have you ever grown tomatoes that end up looking like this? 

Well, my friend, you may have had blight. 

Either early or late, blight is a highly contagious fungus; a strain of which caused the Irish potato famine. Spores are often present in soil, and it is believed that commercially-grown garden center plants have spread the fungus to our own backyards. Part of the problem is that big-box retailers do not have employees who are trained to spot plant diseases and pathogens.

What You Should Know

                                          Train yourself to spot unhealthy plants.

Signs of blight include: 

       - white, powdery spores

       - large, olive-green or brown lesions on the leaves

       - brown or open lesions on stems

**A single open lesion on one plant can produce hundreds of thousands of contagious spores. Fungicides can help protect unaffected plants, but nothing can cure blight once it breaks out except, perhaps, a hot, sunny day.**

What To Do With An Infected Plant

Pull the plant, seal it in a Ziplock style bag, and throw it away or burn it. Be careful! Remember, you do not want spores flying all over the place. Do not compost the plant, unless you want all your plants to become infected. 

How To Help Prevent Blight

• When purchasing plants, select wilt and nematode resistant varieties.

• Choose different varieties that mature at different times. A good thing to know is that the earlier the plant matures, the more susceptible it is to early blight.

• Do not plant tomatoes and potatoes close together.

• Rotate your planting spot on a yearly basis. 

• When watering, only water at the plant's base and do it early in the day so that any moisture that does get on the plant will be quickly dried by the sun.  

• Use a staking system. Staking encourages air movement, reducing moisture on the foliage and helps prevent root rot.

• Mulch

• Remove the bottom branches, especially if they touch the ground. Remember, the spores are in the soil. Cut them with a pair of scissors or garden shears. Trim right at the plant's stem. 

• Monitor the lower leaves for early blight and the top foliage for late blight. Late blight is fast and aggressive.

• Remove all plant debris from the garden in the fall. Blight can overwinter on plant tissue.

• Make sure to thoroughly wash your hands and/or gloves after touching infected plants.

Hopefully, with these tips, your next batch of tomatoes will be healthy, nutritious, and above all, delicious!

No Big Mystery...

In the last few years we have heard about heirloom vegetables, but what do we really know about them other than that they came from old seeds? Are there advantages to planting heirloom vs. commercial seeds and plants?

Happy Birthday To You...

176 years ago today, Michigan was admitted as the United State's 26th state. Happy Birthday to the state that is my home! Today's blog is all about Michigan.

"If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."

Ironton Ferry

Fortune 500 Michigan Based Companies
General Motors
Ford Motor Co,
Dow Chemical
Chrysler Group

Whirlpool
Kellog








                                                   

Apple Blossom
Michigan's State Flow

Dwarf Lake Iris
Michigan's State Wildlower

Shop for Michigan Products:
http://michigan-made.com/shop/

http://www.michigania.com/

http://www.spoon.com/

Fun Fact: Michigan's shoreline is 3,288 miles long with 1,056 miles being inland shorelines

View of Lake Charlevoix from the top of Avalanche Overlook, Boyne City

Michigan is home to 53 award-winning wineries,

http://www.bowersharbor.com

awesome botanical gardens,

www.meijergardens.org

and orchards and farmers' markets abound!