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David Lowenstein — Entomologist

He offers tips on how to convert part of your lawn to native plants.

LOUIS FINKELMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Insects are David Lowenstein’s professional expertise. He works as an extension educator for MSU Extension, helping people in Michigan learn how to deal with insects and how to care for their lawns, flower gardens, vegetable gardens and trees. Growing up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, Lowenstein did not have a garden. His parents’ apartment on the first floor looked out on the lawn, so he could see the landscaping service cut the grass. Once, he planted tomato plants outside the apartment, but the landscapers mowed them down. He says he did take care of a spider plant inside the apartment.

On the way to his undergraduate degree in biology at City University of New York, Lowenstein helped with a professor’s research project on the varying diets of fish in the Bronx River. Mostly the fish ate insects; the mix of insects varied according to the urbanization of the surrounding area. At a summer internship at the University of Wisconsin, Lowenstein worked on biological controls, essentially, using good insects to manage harmful ones, especially the brown marmorated stink bug, which infests fruit trees. He went back to Madison to earn his master’s degree, followed by his Ph.D. in Urban Agriculture at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

“This is not a typical path for a Jewish boy from the Bronx, but I enjoy it,” he says candidly. In a way, though, this career does represent a return to his ancestral roots. His grandparents in

Germany worked in cattle trading. People call on Lowenstein for advice about how to convert part of their lawns to native plants. Why might someone want to do that? Lowenstein says, “Turf looks nice, but it requires maintenance. Turf provides not much food for beneficial insects. Butterflies and bees do much better with native wildflowers and ornamental grasses. Native plants require no herbicides or pesticides; you might fertilize wildflowDavid ers every couple of years.”Lowenstein How does working as an entomologist and agricultural adviser impact living as a Jew? “My supervisors and employers have always been fully accommodating about Shabbat observance and taking off for Jewish holidays,” he says. “That has not

HOME & GARDEN

PHOTOS COURTESY MSU The green sweat bee, Lowenstein’s favorite insect

continued from page 49 been a problem at all. The biggest problem has been that most jobs in this field take you to small towns and rural places with no Jewish community. In Oregon, I was not near a vibrant Jewish community although, ironically, I was only an hour from Eugene, where I could get the best lox.”

Lowenstein now lives, not in some small rural area, but in Huntington Woods.

GETTING STARTED

To start a garden or to convert a lawn to wildflowers, Lowenstein suggests assessing the drainage of the area and the amount of sunlight it gets. That will help the MSU Extension match the plants to the conditions. A soil test will provide more detailed information about your prospective garden. The soil test from MSU Extension cost $26.50. You can bring a soil sample to the MSU Extension office or order a soil test kit online. Mail the test kit to East Lansing and get the results mailed back.

When you are ready to plant, you can start with seeds, plugs (flats of small plants) or mature plants. Lowenstein generally recommends starting with plugs. Seeds might not germinate evenly, and mature plants cost more than plugs.

Sedges and ornamental grasses, such as Switchgrass and Little Bluestem, are native to this area. These native plants grow quickly to heights of 2 to 6 feet, providing habitat for beneficial insects. The plants tend to crowd out any invasive weeds. Every spring, you have to cut them back close to the ground, and that is about the only maintenance. “You did not ask me about my favorite insect,” Lowenstein says. “It is the green sweat bee. It has a beautiful metallic green color, like some tropical insect, but it is native here. It pollinates many flowers in this area. It is a tiny bee, often mistaken for a fly, if people notice it at all. If you have flowers in this area, though, you have green sweat bees, whether you have seen them or not.”

Access MSU Extension by calling (888) 678-3464 or online at ask2.extension.org.

Replacing sod with native plants helps beneficial insects

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HOME & GARDEN

2022 Top Garden Trends and Expert Tips for Success

BPT

Interest in gardening continues to blossom as more people decide to exercise their green thumb and make the most of their outdoor spaces. Whether it’s a quaint balcony, large backyard garden or front yard landscaping, gardening opportunities are bountiful.

With a little creativity and some expert insight, anyone can be a successful gardener. The team at Ball Horticultural Company shares simple tips and the top trends for 2022 to inspire every type of gardener.

LOW MAINTENANCE, HIGH IMPACT

Do you want a magazine-worthy landscape but don’t want to spend every day tending to plants? The trick is to strategically select eye-catching flowers that are easy to care for.

There are many plants that offer beautiful blooms with surprisingly little work. Beacon Impatiens are the ideal plant for flowerbeds with partial sun, rewarding you with ample, long-lasting color for the shade. Add Megawatt Begonias in pots and transition spaces — this bigger-thanlife hybrid provides rich color and glossy foliage with little care. For sunny spots, you can’t go wrong with low-maintenance E3 Easy Wave Petunias. This spreading petunia comes in a variety of hues, adding sweeping color that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

TOP: Megawatt Begonias BELOW: Butterfly Bush

FUN AND FLAVORFUL FOODS

As the sustainability movement continues, more people are interested in growing their own food. Whether it’s a small herb garden or a large vegetable plot, having homegrown food at your fingertips can help you eat healthier and fresher.

Many vegetables and herbs do as well in containers as they do in the ground, so if you’re short on space, you can still succeed with growing vegetables as long as you can give your plants a sunny spot and adequate water. An insider tip is to skip seeds and buy garden-ready plants that are already established, such as Burpee vegetables and herbs. This helps support successful growing and faster harvests.

PIXABAY

Tomatoes are a must for any vegetable grower. But what if you don’t have an outdoor growing space? No garden, no problem with the Kitchen Minis collection of indoor potted vegetables. Look for Siam Tomato, which gives you several weeks of cherry-sized fruit for your fresh eating and recipes. Enjoy it on a sunny windowsill indoors or next to your other easy-access countertop herbs.

POLLINATOR GARDENS

Pollination is essential for plants to flourish, and according to the U.S. Forest Service, pollinators are responsible for assisting over 80% of the world’s flowering plants to reproduce. This includes hard-working insects like butterflies, bees and birds. Because of their essential work, everyone can enjoy plants that delight the eyes and tasty foods that tantalize the taste buds.

Some pollinator populations are diminishing, so people are taking action by planting pollinator-friendly gardens. For example, if you want butterfly bliss in your garden, choose Chrysalis Buddleia. Known as Butterfly Bush, this plant has an abundance of flowers but grows in a manageable size — perfect for a small hanging basket. Add in a few Shamrock Lantana, whose blooms are an attractive, soft landing pad, and you’ll be creating a pollinator paradise.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

After spending the last few years close to home, people are taking exceptional pride in their property by prioritizing curb appeal. Friendly yellows and vivid purples are on trend and broadly appealing, making your home stand out on the block. For a sunny show all season long, plant Bee’s Knees Petunias. The intense yellow color of each big bloom adds brightness to your landscaping. Juxtapose the yellow with Jolt Purple Dianthus, adding a vivid magenta shade that instantly adds personality.

Curb appeal can come from more than just flowering plants, of course. For visual interest in a fruiting plant, check out Pepper Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry. With variegated foliage and uniquely striped fruit that changes from green to chocolate and cherry red, this is a treat for the eyes and the stomach.

No matter the size of your garden space or the time you can put into your plants, there’s something for everyone in the top gardening trends of the year.

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HOME & GARDEN

Refresh Your Outdoor Space with These 5 Tips

BPT

Over the last few years, you’ve likely spent more time at home than ever before. As a result, you’re more conscious of how you use your space and how design can impact your comfort and ease. To give you a bit more variety beyond your home’s walls, consider redesigning your outdoor spaces to create a haven for recreation and relaxation. Best of all, outdoor spaces add value to your home if you plan to sell.

If you need ideas on how to revamp your outdoor spaces, consider these top five outdoor design trends. Get inspired and create your own outdoor oasis.

1. FUNCTIONALITY

Homeowners are prioritizing day-to-day use of their outdoor spaces instead of entertaining, driving a need for functionality. Practical elements like lighting and audio technology can elevate the outdoor space. Other features like shade structures, privacy walls and screens, built-in barbecue grills and Wi-Fi allow you to use the space for working, relaxing, cooking and more.

2. DEFINED ROOMS

Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, office or living room, homeowners are leaning toward more efficient, defined outdoor spaces. Homeowners want to use outdoor living on a day-to-day basis to unwind, connect with nature and take advantage of the health and well-being benefits the outdoors provide. Having an outdoor office can increase your productivity while decreasing stress as you enjoy the greenery and fresh air. Adding an outdoor kitchen may inspire you to make dishes using herbs and veggies you’ve grown in your garden, and an outdoor living room can help you bring the family together at the end of the school and workday.

3. MONOCHROMATIC COLORS WITH ACCENTS

While lighter, tone-on-tone color palettes remain popular, accent colors and accessories are on the rise. Using cool, monochromatic tones with choice accent colors can create a brighter or contrasting outdoor living space. Jetset, Belgard’s 2022 Color of the Year, is a true blue that is the perfect pop of color to enhance any color palette. “Jetset is a much-needed dose of liveliness and joy,” said Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes at Belgard. “It represents the excitement of a new year and the readiness to do more, be more and live more.”

4. MODULAR DESIGN AND GEOMETRIC PATTERNS

Another popular trend is modular, geometric standard patterns composed of clean lines and simple formats. Simple patterns create a modern, uncluttered aesthetic that emphasizes furniture or other focal points in the space. Large format patterns and pavers also lend themselves to this style, allowing for more efficient installation.

5. ENTANGLED DESIGN

As people blend their outdoor spaces to serve as extensions of their homes, many are focusing on entangled design, which combines the surrounding landscape with the hardscape design. Fractured edges with no defined break, natural stone transitions and irregular edges blended with boulders, grass and aggregate create a more natural, organic look that enhances design continuity. To increase the depth of greens, grays and other neutral tones associated with entangled, biophilic design, consider using Jetset as the accent color for your outdoor spaces.

Feeling inspired but don’t know where to start? For more inspiration and a templated approach to design outdoor spaces that fit your needs and style, visit Belgard. com/Rooms.

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HOME & GARDEN

Spring Cleaning: Is Your ‘Junk’ Worth a Fortune?

STATEPOINT

If your family is like most, you have “junk” in your basement, garage or attic, such as sports cards, memorabilia and toys. Before you toss them out during spring cleaning, check again.

How can you determine if your stuff is valuable and, if it is, how can you sell it?

A widely accepted rule for sports cards, memorabilia and toys is that older items are worth more. However, these days even more recent items are also commanding high prices.

“Don’t assume sports cards or other memorabilia have to be old to be valuable. Modern cards of such stars as Tom Brady, Mike Trout, LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter can sell for lots of money,” says Al Crisafulli, auction director at an internet sports and memorabilia auction.

Here are some tips to determine if your belongings are valuable:

SPORTS CARDS

Cards from the 1960s and earlier are collectible, and those from before the 1940s can be extremely valuable. Big-name Hall of Famers like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Mickey Mantle and others bring high prices.

With old cards from the 1880s and early 1900s, look for tobacco and candy brands, such as Old Judge, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal or American Caramel.

Prices on recent baseball, basketball and football cards have risen rapidly. The three keys are condition, star power and cards from early in player careers.

Check if your cards are denoted as Rookie, Prospect, Draft Pick or other indicators they’re from a player’s first season.

And condition is king, as cards that look pack-fresh with sharp corners and a well-centered image command highest prices.

MEMORABILIA

Do you have old advertising posters depicting sports stars or famous entertainment personalities together with food, tobacco or sporting goods brands. Many original signs, store displays and promotional items are collectible, especially those dating from the early 1900s into the 1960s. But low-quality reproductions aren’t. Look for memorabilia spotlighting sports heroes, superheroes, early Walt Disney characters and Star Wars subjects.

So, while you’re spring cleaning that attic, basement or garage, don’t rush to the garbage. Before throwing out old “junk,” determine if it’s valuable!

Choose the Best Wallpaper Design

STATEPOINT

Thinking about using wallpaper to transform your walls from drab to fab? You’re in good company. Wallpaper’s popularity is on the rise in both residential and commercial spaces and gaining an edge over paint.

Experts believe this trend reflects a growing recognition of wallpaper’s unique benefits. It’s cost-effective, protects the wall surface from accidental marks and scratches, and offers personalized self-expression at a reasonable price.

According to Jones, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing wallpaper. Here are a few insights to get started:

TYPE

First, determine how long you’d like the wallpaper to remain on your walls. Some types of wallpaper are more suitable for long-term use and others are best for those who wish to change their designs with the seasons or on a whim. For this reason, Spoonflower offers three types of wallpaper: 1. Prepasted Removable Smooth: Longlasting, but fully removable (and recyclable), this option is great for homes, rental spaces, accent walls or temporary art installations. 2. Peel and Stick Removable Woven: Removable and repositionable, this option won’t leave a residue behind. Whether you’re renting or you love to stay on-trend, temporary wallpaper is a great alternative to traditional wall coverings.

3. Traditional Pebble: This traditional wallpaper has a subtle leathered texture, matte finish, is paste-activated and is highly durable. Not only is it PVC-free, it is also moisture resistant.

DESIGN

To take the guesswork out of wallpaper design selection, consider using a wallpaper digital marketplace. You can easily narrow down your choices by searching for designs based on category keywords, color or by styles, such as Mid-Century Modern, Cottagecore or Paisley. For those with a specific design already envisioned, these sites allow you to upload your own design and have it custom printed on wallpaper.

Before committing, consider ordering two or three swatches so you can compare them in your own space and assess the best fit. This can help ensure your final design selection is completely tailored to your preferences.

Thanks to new wallpaper technology and an ever-growing library of designs available, making a customized impact on the look and feel of your spaces has never been easier.