Michigan Gardener - November / December 2011

Your guide to Great Lakes gardening a November/December 2011 a MichiganGardener.com

Celebrating Years

INSIDE: Plant Focus

Serbian spruce

Thyme for Herbs Recipes and ideas using dried roses

Houseplants

Growing African violets Please thank our advertisers in this issue

How-to

Protect a Japanese maple from winter damage

FestiveFlorals for the Holidays

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4

Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

contents November/December 2011 To-Do List..................................................................6 How-to........................................................................8 Ask MG ....................................................................10 Weather Wrap......................................................12 Gift Subscriptions ................................................12 Books for the Michigan Gardener ................13 Feature: African Violets.....................................14 Places to Grow ......................................................16 Calendar...................................................................17 Where to pick up Michigan Gardener...........18 Advertiser Index ...................................................18

— Graham Stuart Thomas

To Our Readers...

Please look for the next issue of Michigan Gardener in April, 2012.

We want to thank our advertisers for making this season and the past 16 years of Michigan Gardener possible. Without them, and their support, Michigan Gardener would not exist.

We ask you, our readers, to please visit our advertisers and purchase their products and services.

When doing so, please let them know you saw their ad in Michigan Gardener! In return, you will be rewarded with many more years of this region’s best gardening resource.

Until our next issue in April, please visit our website at www.MichiganGardener.com, where we are continually adding articles and other valuable gardening information.

Thank you and see you in the spring!

Publisher/Editor Eric Hofley Design & Production Jonathon Hofley Advertising Eric Hofley

Shelby Twp - 248-659-8555 4343 24 Mile btwn Dequindre & Shelby Rd.

hourS (Nov. 1-23): Mon-Sat 9-6, Sun 10-5 Thanksgiving Day: Open – Please call for hours (Starting Nov. 25): Mon-Sat 9-8, Sun 10-6

find us on

www.tellys.com

Photo: Steven Nikkila/Perennial Favorites

“Garden art is infinite and never static—(it) varies from year to year. The effect can never be guaranteed, whatever the skill or experience is brought forth to achieve it.”

Editorial Assistant Carrie MacGillis

3301 John R–1/4 mile north of 16 Mile

On the cover: Autumn’s bold, earthy hues surround us as the gardening season gradually draws to a close.

Garden Wisdom

Circulation Jonathon Hofley

Troy - 248-689-8735

Subscription Form ...............................................19 Classified Ads ........................................................19 Garden TV ..............................................................19 Thyme for Herbs .................................................20 Bulk Subscriptions ...............................................21 Plant Focus: Serbian spruce ...........................22 Janet’s Journal ....................................Back Cover

Contributors Jeff Ball Karen Bovio Julia Hofley Rosann Kovalcik Janet Macunovich Steve Martinko Beverly Moss Steven Nikkila George Papadelis Sandie Parrott Shane Pliska Jean/Roxanne Riggs Jim Slezinski Lisa Steinkopf Steve Turner

16291 W. 14 Mile Rd., Suite 5 Beverly Hills, MI 48025-3327 Phone: 248-594-5563 Fax: 248-594-5564 E-mail: publisher@michigangardener.com Website: www.michigangardener.com Publishing schedule April to November, monthly (first week of the month).

8 issues per year.

Subscriptions (Please make check payable to Michigan Gardener) 8 issues/$16 16 issues/$29 24 issues/$39 Back issues All past issues are available. Please send your request along with a check for $3.00 per issue payable to Michigan Gardener.

Canadian subscriptions 8 iss./$19 U.S. ($38 CAN.) 16 iss./$34 U.S. ($62 CAN.) Copyright © 2011 Michigan Gardener. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or used in any form without the expressed, written permission of the publisher. Neither the advertiser nor the publisher will be responsible for misinformation, typographical errors, omissions, etc. contained herein.

Michigan Gardener is published by Motor City Publishing, Inc.

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Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

to-do list Year-end garden tasks • This is the month to have the garden cleaned up, if you haven’t already. Don’t put away tools and hoses just yet; there’s still pruning and watering to do to help keep plants their healthiest.

• During the final clean-up and pruning process, make notes of what worked and what didn’t this year while it is fresh in your mind. Reviewing these notes later will help plan for next year.

• Compost leaves to use as a great soil amendment next year. Mulch leaves, especially those from oak and maple trees, into the lawn to help prevent lawn weeds next spring. Leaves also make good mulch in garden beds.

• Continue to water trees and shrubs until the ground is frozen. Evergreens and broadleaf evergreens lose moisture to the wind all winter long, so make sure to water them when the soil is dry to the touch about an inch down. Give plants a good soaking just before the ground freezes and the snow starts to stick. Even if the soil is frozen above, plants can access water below the freeze. Be sure to disconnect the hose from the faucet each time you water, just in case it does freeze.

• Ideally, empty container gardens of soil and bring them into the garage. If that’s not possible, be sure to raise them off the ground so water flows through them easily. Cover with burlap and then plastic. Another option is to turn them upside down. The goal is to try to stop the soil from expanding when the water in it freezes to stop the pots from cracking.

• You could also use the containers this winter, and fill them with evergreen branches, lights, and ornaments. It’s helpful to keep the soil in the container to use as a base for securing the branches and trim.

• If you have a fountain, be sure to remove the pump so it doesn’t freeze. Empty the water, cover the fountain with burlap, then with a tarp. Plastic should not come in direct contact with the concrete. Moisture tends to build up at the contact points, and with a recurring freeze-thaw cycle, you may have spots on the fountain that flake or break.

• Apply an anti-desiccant to plants to keep them from drying out. Apply as late as possible, while the temperatures are still above 40 degrees. Re-apply in late winter, when we have a warm spell, because the product wears off in about six weeks. It is especially important to use on broadleaf evergreens to help reduce the stress from Michigan’s winter winds. A burlap tent is also helpful to cut the wind. If you have plants on your

home’s south or west side that need protection, consider using both methods.

• Take time to winterize your garden tools and lawnmower blade so they’re ready for next spring. Give them a good cleaning, sharpening and oiling.

Houseplants • Continue a schedule of systemic granule applications every six weeks for plants that were brought in from the outside. Maintaining a schedule all year will do a good job of preventing hard-to-treat problems.

• Always check plants before watering.

There’s a lot less sunlight now than during the summer, so plants will want water less frequently than they did before. They’ll also need less fertilizer. You don’t want to promote growth right now, just keep plants healthy. Growth in low light conditions tends to be weaker and more spindly.

• The furnace is on more and more frequently as the temperatures drop, so be careful when placing houseplants near heat vents.

Frequently, the side of the pot facing the vent will dry out more quickly than the other side, leading to watering problems.

• Heat vents may also contribute to a spider mite infestation, because these pests attack drought-stressed plants. The warm air from the vent can dry out the leaves a little too much on some plants. Use a vent deflector to decrease the direct contact with blowing air.

Perennials • Clean out perennial beds. Keep perennials intact that have seed heads or evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage for winter interest. Some perennials have evergreen foliage with leaves that look good until the snow covers them, and even for a few weeks after the snow melts.

• Add a new mulch layer as late as possible to help keep the ground cold and protect plants from the frost heave that occurs with Michigan’s freeze-thaw cycles.

Trees & Shrubs • Basic rules for pruning your trees and shrubs: 1) Prune oaks only when there are no green leaves on the tree.

2) Prune maples and birches only when there are green leaves on the trees.

3) Prune crossing or rubbing branches.

4) Prune branches growing back towards the trunk.

5) Never take off more than 1/3 of the plant in any one year.

6) Prune spring-blooming plants before the 4th of July.

7) Prune summer-blooming plants when they don’t have any leaves.

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

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the

Gardenviews Christmas Store will delight and inspire you!

Feature Task: Growing amaryllis for the holidays This is a great time to force bulbs for December blooms. Bulbs are great plants to decorate your home for the holidays. One of the easiest bulbs to plant is amaryllis.

Amaryllis bulbs come in a variety of colors, striped or multicolor. They usually bloom in 7 to 10 weeks after they are planted.

Plant bulbs every few weeks for continuous blooms throughout the winter.

To prepare the bulb, place the base and roots in lukewarm water for several hours before planting. Plant the bulbs in potting soil, placing the soil up to the neck of the bulb. There should be a little green stub on top of the soil. Place the pot in a warm place

that gets direct light. The ideal temperature is between 68 and 70 degrees F. Water when the stem appears. As the bud and leaves appear, gradually water more.

After the amaryllis finishes blooming and the stem starts to sag, cut off the stem to the top of the bulb. Continue to water and fertilize the bulb for about five to six months.

When the leaves begin to fade, which normally occurs in early fall, cut the leaves back to about two inches from the bulb and remove the bulb from the soil. Clean the bulb and store it in the refrigerator for a minimum of six weeks. After the six-week cooling period, plant the bulb again for the holidays.

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• Nostalgic little figurines and houses by Bethany Lowe.

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248-380-8881 8) If you prune the top, it will grow wide. If you prune the side, it will grow tall.

9) Prune hedges so that they are wider at the bottom than at the top. This allows sunlight to reach all of the foliage and helps prevent the top-heavy look that can happen as the bottom foliage dies back due to lack of sunlight.

10) Wait until winter to trim your decorative evergreens and use those branches for decorations in your outdoor or indoor containers.

11) Don’t use pruning seal. It can inhibit healing and bark re-growth.

12) If branches are larger than 2 inches, use the three-cut method of pruning to prevent bark peeling back and injuring the

tree: 1) Cut underneath the branch, about 10 inches out from the trunk. Only cut in about 1/4 of the way to prevent the bark peel back injury. 2) Cut off the rest of the branch about 15 inches out from the trunk.

This takes the weight off the stub, and lets you make an easier and cleaner final cut.

3) Make your final cut so that it’s just at the top of the slight swelling where the branch meets the trunk. Don’t cut flush to the trunk; this swelling (branch collar) is where you’ll get better healing growth to cover the cut.

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Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

how-to Protect an exposed Japanese maple from winter damage Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is adapted to the understory where there are no fast changes in temperature. The air temperature is moderated where trees grow overhead.

Even when the bigger trees’ branches are bare in winter, they block some of the sun’s rays during the day and also some of the warm air that rises from the ground after sunset. Everything heats and cools more slowly.

Put an understory tree into an exposed location and sudden temperature changes can damage and kill important tissues under the bark—the cambium. It happens this way: On a warm winter afternoon, the sun warms the south or west side of the trunk.

The warmth affects cells under the bark, cells that are critical because they alone can create

new bark and wood, and feed the roots with fuel produced by the leaves. Once warmed, those cells cast off some of the Steve cold hardiness they developed Nikkila in fall to absorb stored water and resume the functions they put on hold. Then, when the air temperature drops precipitously at sunset, those cells have no time to readjust. The water inside the cells freezes, ice crystals rupture the cells, and tissues die.

We may not see any damage when it first happens, but dead patches below the bark fail to create new bark that year, and become roadblocks in the flow of starch to the roots.

The bark in that area becomes thinner and

more brittle. Roots die. After a year or more without renewal, the bark cracks, or peels away from the dead spots. More patches die as the heating and rapid cooling is repeated each year.

One year, the total amount of cambium that’s been destroyed is so great that there is very little connection between the roots and leaf buds. Roots receive so little from the leaves that they are starving. Then that summer, during a hot, dry period when leaves demand extra water, the roots cannot meet the need. Part or all of the tree wilts and dies “mysteriously.”

This may be the most common cause of Japanese maple failure.

To prevent the damage, shade the south and/or west side of the trunk of an exposed tree. Protection is most important at the base of the trunk, which is the last part of the tree to complete the annual hardening-off process.

Anything that casts shade can protect the trunk—burlap stretched between stakes, a bale of straw, a vertical blanket of evergreen boughs or even something decorative such as a bundle of ornamental grass. Place the screen before nights turn frigid, and leave it there until the weather settles and early spring freezes end.

Text and photos by Steven Nikkila, who is from Perennial Favorites in Waterford, MI (E-mail: hortphoto@gmail.com).

2

Anything placed between the afternoon sun and the tree’s trunk will shade it, preventing the warm-up that leads to the damage.

4 Bundles of ornamental grass stems have been placed around this Japanese maple trunk, and held in place with twine and bungee cords.

3 1 Cracks in the bark, which eventually become gaps like this on the south or west side of a Japanese maple trunk, usually come from years of winter damage.

Boughs cut from a juniper have been layered like shingles on the south and west side of this Japanese maple’s trunk. They shade and protect it.

5 The ornamental grass used as a screen for the Japanese maple added to the winter interest in this landscape.

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

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Arts & Greens Holiday Artists Market Featuring Huron Valley Council for the Arts Early Bird Reception: Friday, Nov 18, 5-8pm Saturday, Nov 19, 10am-5pm / Sunday, Nov 20, 10am-5pm

Holiday Decorating with Evergreens Presented by Bogie Lake Greenhouse Saturday & Sunday, Nov 19 & 20, please call for seminar time

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6 When using burlap to screen a thin-skinned trunk from winter sun, try not to have it touching any of the branches or the trunk.

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Not valid with other discounts or on previous purchases or on bird food. Expires 11/30/2011

Locations 7 Instead of using a boring, brown burlap, this gardener used green burlap and added snowflakes for a more interesting appearance.

Ann Arbor 2208 S. Main St. (734) 665-7427 Grosse Pte Woods 20485 Mack Ave. (313) 881-1410 Novi 47760 Grand River Ave. (248) 374-4000 Rochester Hills 3032 Walton Blvd. (248) 375-5202 Royal Oak 28558 Woodward Ave. (248) 548-2424

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Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

ask MG

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Send it in!

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Forcing tulip bulbs Last fall I planted several containers of tulip bulbs to force the plants to bloom in early spring. I used a high quality potting mix and watered the containers, which were immediately covered with foil and placed in a refrigerator at 35 to 40 degrees for their three-month cold period. After two weeks I uncovered the containers to see if they needed water only to find that they were all being attacked by some kind of mold. I assume this is not normal and was wondering what I should do differently in the future? A., Rockford.

Forcing spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips is a gardener’s way to manipulate the natural growth cycle. The keys to success are the pots and the soil. Clay or plastic pots are fine as long as they have adequate drainage holes.

Pots should be set on trays for water to drain away. Bulbs sitting in soggy soil will rot. The best soil mix for forcing bulbs contains equal parts of soil, sphagnum moss and perlite. “Soilless” potting mixes can also be used. Bags labeled “potting soil” are often no more than a fine-textured peat moss that retains too much moisture and results in mold development.

Fill the container three-quarters full of the potting mix. Plant the bulbs closely together, disregarding spacing considerations that apply only to bulbs planted in the landscape. After arranging, place additional soil around them. Do not fill the container to the surface. The tops of tulips and narcissus in particular should not be covered. Placing foil over the top of your container caused additional moisture problems.

Begin the cold period, which is 15 to 17 weeks for tulips. Pots in a refrigerator will dry out more quickly. Check periodically to ensure the soil is evenly moist. Potted bulbs can be stored in an unheated garage or cellar as well. When the bulbs have completed their cold period, check for adequate root systems. You should see roots visible through the drainage holes. Depending on the climate factors in your home, the average time to achieve a bloom is 2 to 3 weeks.

Conifers with golden yellow fall color While traveling along state Highway 28 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I have seen an evergreen that is roughly 40 feet tall, with long branches in the shape of a spruce. The short needles are green all summer long, change to yellow in autumn, and green up every spring. What kind of tree is it? E.M., Livonia Scenic Highway 28 travels east to west in

the “U.P.” through National Forests, bogs, urban areas, and shoreline. Given your description and Michigan topography, you probably saw a tamarack (Larix laricina), also known as American larch. Tamarack is Algonquin meaning “wood used for snowshoes.”

Two other deciduous conifers are the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). All three trees are a contradiction in the “evergreen” world as they turn a beautiful golden yellow in fall, and drop their needles.

In spring these conifers sprout fresh green growth. Although the bald cypress and dawn redwood can grow in zones 4 and 5, they are not indigenous to Michigan’s habitat.

The bald cypress is native to southeastern states like Virginia, Florida, and Louisiana, preferring warm, wet swampy areas. They can grow as a landscape ornamental in Michigan if their soil and light conditions are met and space is provided for their ultimate 70foot height and 30-foot spread.

The dawn redwood is actually a native of northern China. Having grown in North America 100 million years ago, it became extinct through geological changes. Rediscovered in China in the 1940s, seeds were brought to the U.S. shortly thereafter. Although the dawn redwood will survive in zone 5 and maybe 4, it prefers zones 7 and 8 where the ground does not freeze. It is a fantastic ornamental tree in a broad landscape that will not hamper its potential 100-foot height and 30-foot spread.

The tamarack, however, can be found from Newfoundland to British Columbia and south to northern Ohio and Pennsylvania. The autumn glow of this conifer, and the other evergreens above, is a definite “ah” moment on fall color tours. With a height from 40 to 80 feet, a spread of 15 to 30 feet, and a somewhat slower growth rate, the tamarack is adaptable to urban cultivation. Mostly used for pulpwood, it is also used for fence posts, rough lumber, and fuel wood. Wildlife uses it for food and nesting.

As an ornamental, it has a high tolerance for a wide range of soil types. It loves sun, preferring moist, organic soils, like those found in bogs. According to Donald Dickmann’s Michigan Forest Communities: A Field Guide and Reference, the tamarack is a pioneer species that will colonize drier sites when it lacks competition. It associates with aspen, balsam fir, and white birch when soils are dry. In bogs, it companions with yellow birch and black spruce.

Although it favors rich conifer swamps that dominate the Upper Penninsula, a southern remnant remains in a portion of Stony Creek Metropark in Macomb County, Michigan.

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

Transplanting perennials and shrubs in the fall If I transplant perennials and shrubs at the end of September and into early October, will they come back in the spring or will they be in too much shock? After planting, I would like to lay landscape fabric and cedar chips on the bed. P.L. You give the best chances to your perennials and shrubs to make it through winter when you prepare the soil with compost, water plants regularly until the ground freezes, and provide root protection with mulch. Fall is a great time to divide and move plants, as temperatures are cooler day and night.

Landscape fabric provides no additional root protection and does not block weeds as often advertised. It is no substitute for good soil preparation and natural mulch. Fabric is better used under hardscapes.

A good layer of mulch discourages weeds by blocking sunlight needed to germinate dormant seeds. Make sure the planted area is weeded well of perennial roots. Thorough weeding and continued use of mulch will be more successful in weed control than fabric.

Without soil contact, the cedar chips will not degrade and will slide around on the fabric, exposing weed seeds to light.

Most important, provide water during autumn when natural rainfall is not available.

Do not plant and forget it. Plants are storing energy in their roots. Water provides the medium for plants to draw nutrients from the soil. Apply 2 to 2-1/2 inches of mulch, such as shredded leaves or double shredded hardwood, evenly over the soil. This prevents moisture loss in winter and provides additional plant nutrients in spring as it biodegrades.

Controlling two-spotted spider mites What can I do about yearly, heavy, twospotted mite infestations on my plants? I have tried many products from the garden centers and have had minimal success.

The leaves on most of my plants shrivel up, die, and fall off very early in the year, with a resulting high death rate for many. My landscape is in heavily shaded woods and all my plants are shade-loving varieties. Is there a systemic product that would work?

The two-spotted mites have similarly destroyed most of the woods’ vegetation and bushes, especially the elderberry and honeysuckle. F.M., Hartland Controlling two-spotted spider mites, or TSSM, means persistent prevention. TSSM attack a wide range of garden plants, using their mouth parts to pierce and suck plant juices. Kin to spiders, not insects, and less than 1/8 inch long, they can be seen with the naked eye. They overwinter in leaf litter as adults, emerging in spring to feed and propagate.

Females live about a month and lay 100 to

11

200 eggs in that period. TSSM can go from egg to adult in 1 to 2 weeks, giving multiple generations per season. High infestation numbers occur with optimum breeding conditions: hot, dry and over 85 degrees, beginning in July. Recent Michigan summers have been highly conducive to TSSM infestations, and the mild winters have allowed more TSSM to survive.

Pest management begins with monitoring in late May as weather warms. Check undersides of leaves for webbing, eggs, shed skins, and mites. Active TSSM are easy to spot because they move. Applying a miticide to the underside of foliage is essential for good control, with another application in 7 to 10 days to kill those that were in egg or resting stages.

TSSM can quickly develop resistance to a miticide. Different products may be needed in the same season. Some newer miticides that contain bifenthrin have longer residuals and target all mite life stages. Always read and follow the product label for pest-specific application and user cautions.

Your heavy shade can be very dry, holding in heat while diluting sunlight. A dense canopy prevents rainfall from reaching ground level and can also allow mites to spread easily from plant to plant. Consider hiring a certified arborist to thin the tree canopy to let more light and air in for heat reduction.

Practice regular watering. Use a strong hose spray to disturb the leaves of your plants once a week to control colony buildup.

Secondary host plants, such as wild violets, chickweed, pokeweed, wild mustard, and blackberry could serve as breeding areas.

Check your landscape for these plants and remove them. Landscape hygiene is critical.

Rake up and dispose of leaf litter around your plants to further discourage overwintering adults.

By increasing early season monitoring, properly applying miticide, “power spraying” the plant foliage along with regular watering, and cleaning up plant litter, you should see a decrease in your spider mite infestation.

Answers provided by Beverly Moss, owner of Garden Rhythms.

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Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

Precipitation September 2011

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aCTUal monthly 6.28 2.09 2.09

September 2010 DeviaTioN from Normal +3.01 -1.67 -1.39

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aCTUal monthly 3.32 3.66 4.86

DeviaTioN from Normal +0.05 -0.10 -1.38

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DeviaTioN from Normal +11.07 +9.23 +5.76

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Normal avg. High 73.7 71.9 72.0

aCTUal avg. High 73.7 71.6 70.9

DeviaTioN from Normal 0.0 -0.3 -1.1

Detroit Flint Lansing

Normal avg. low 54.1 49.4 48.9

aCTUal avg. low 56.3 51.5 51.2

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books for the michigan gardener Learn About Butterflies in the Garden

by Brenda Dziedzic This reference book, written by a Michigan resident, is designed for gardeners who want to have butterflies in their gardens. In addition to introductory information about butterflies, the author covers the plants you need to attract them.

The first several pages of Learn About Butterflies in the Garden (Brenda Dziedzic, 292 pages, $19.95) discuss the butterfly life cycle, parts of the butterfly and the differences between moths and butterflies. Then the author explains how to prepare for winter with butterfly gardens. There are also instructions on how to raise your own butterflies.

The bulk of this resource is dedicated to thorough descriptions and colorful photographs of several specific types of butterflies and moths. Name, family, flight period, food requirements, and growth cycle are covered for each species. Several close-up photographs complement each description. The food requirements for larvae and adult butterflies are explained so the reader will know the types of plants needed for the specific butterfly being discussed. This allows gardeners to choose which types of butterflies or moths they would like to attract. This section concludes with a brief explanation of the dangers of gypsy moths.

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14

Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

A guide to growing African violets It has been said that African violets are old-fashioned, “grandma” plants. Both of my grandmas grew beautiful violets and I am quite sure my green thumb comes directly from them. African violets have come a long way since then. There are thousands of cultivars available today and in gorgeous colors our grandmas never could have imagined, including yellow.

African violets have a reputation as finicky, hard-to-grow plants. However, if you follow a few basic principles, you can grow beautiful, blooming plants that are sure to add a bright spot to your indoor garden.

Flickr / Peter Gawthrop >

Light The most asked question is, “Why doesn’t my African violet bloom?” This leads us to the first principle: light. African violets must have the right amount of light to bloom. Too little light will result in lopsided, non-blooming plants. Light is food for the violet, and without it, plants will slowly starve and certainly will not bloom.

If your African violet resides on a windowsill, an eastern exposure is best. South or west windows would also work with some protection provided for the plants, such as a sheer curtain, to prevent sunburn. Violets don’t like direct sunlight, especially during midday. The leaves should never touch the window, especially in the winter. When the light source shines exclusively on one side of the plant, as in a window, the plant should be turned a quarter turn each time you water to promote symmetry.

On the other hand, if you would like your plants to bloom almost non-stop, cultivating your plants under artificial light is the best way.

Fluorescent light is the most commonly used artificial light source. A fixture should contain one warm light bulb (or full spectrum bulb) and one cool bulb. The lights should be placed 10 to 12 inches above the plants and left on for 10 to 12 hours per day. This will promote healthy, symmetrical, blooming plants throughout the year.

immediately be transplanted into a more suitable medium. Actually, most violet “soils” are soilless mixes, consisting of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. If a pre-mixed, commercial, African violet soil is purchased, more vermiculite and perlite should be added so that all three materials are in equal amounts.

Soil

Containers

The second principle to successfully grow African violets is cultivating them in the correct growing medium. When purchased, most African violets are in a mix that consists mostly of peat moss. This is not the best growing environment for the health or longevity of the plant. If this medium is allowed to completely dry out, it pulls away from the sides of the pot, and is extremely hard to rewet.

Violets need a loose, wellLisa drained medium. After purSteinkopf chasing them, they should

The next important factor in growing violets is choosing the correct container. The size and type of container is important. Most standard-size violets prefer a 4-inch azalea pot that has a depth equal to 3/4 of the diameter. Violets are shallow-rooted plants, so a standard-size pot should not be used because the root system never fills the bottom and this could promote root rot if the soil is kept too wet. Violets also bloom better if their roots are snug in the pot. If overpotted, they may never

P h oto g r a P h S by L i S a S t e i n ko P f

bloom, as all their energy is being used to make more roots, trying to fill the pot.

Terra cotta, glazed, and plastic pots are the three types of containers usually offered. Salt build-up from fertilizer can be a problem if using porous clay pots. The violet stems resting on the rims where the salt builds up can cause them to burn and rot off. Using plastic or glazed containers is the better choice.

Watering There are many different watering practices used for African violets, each person swearing their chosen method is the best. The first is to simply water the plant from the top, letting it drain through. If the plant is still sitting in water 30 minutes later, empty the saucer.

Others only water their violets from the bottom, pouring water into the saucer and

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

15

While known for their beautiful blooms, some African violets also have fantastic variegated foliage. through the unglazed pot, keeping the soil moist. All of these watering methods work well, so choose the one that works best for you and your violets.

Fertilizing

>

Giving your violets the proper fertilizer is important to help ensure healthy, blooming plants. Plants grown in a soilless mix must be fertilized regularly. If your violets are growing on a windowsill, fertilizing once a month with a balanced fertilizer, such as water soluble 20-20-20, is sufficient. When growing plants under an artificial light, fertilize every time you water, using 1/4 the amount called for on the label. A healthy, well-fed plant is more equipped to ward off disease and pests.

Insects and diseases

African violets do well with bright, indirect sunlight. That said, if you would like your plants to bloom almost non-stop, growing your plants under artificial light is the best way to do it.

letting the plant draw the water up into its root ball, draining any unused water after 30 minutes. This method is widely used because people have been led to believe they should never get their African violet foliage wet. This is a fallacy. African violets like their foliage to be washed off once in a while to remove the dust that collects on their fuzzy leaves.

The problem arises when using water that is

too cold or too hot; the result being unsightly spots on the foliage. Placing them in the sun with water on the leaves can also cause spots, so let your violets dry away from the light.

Leaving water sitting in the crown or the middle of the plant can cause rot, so make sure to carefully blot this area with a tissue.

Wick watering is a popular method, especially for the busy or travelling plant owner.

An acrylic piece of string is threaded through the pot and brought out a drainage hole in the bottom. This string is then placed in a reservoir of water below the potted violet and the water is drawn up through the string as needed. Deli containers are often used as the reservoir. There are also many beautiful wick watering pots on the market if the looks of a deli container don’t appeal to you. Keep the reservoir filled and your violet won’t dry out.

You can also purchase a special violet pot that contains an unglazed pot, in which the violet resides, placed inside a glazed pot in which water is stored. The water seeps

This leads us to the next important principle: keeping problems at bay. The best way is to quarantine any new plants coming into your collection. That way, you can watch for any problems that have come home with your new purchase. Yet even the most fastidious person can encounter problems.

The insects that most often bother African violets are thrips, cyclamen mites, and mealybugs. Thrips are very small insects that love to eat pollen, which then sprinkles down the petals and makes the blossoms look messy.

This is the indicator that lets you know you have thrips. The blossoms and buds should be removed, thus removing their food source.

Then use an insecticide suitable for violets to make sure they have all been eliminated.

Cyclamen mites can be detected by finding the center of your violets tight, with brittle leaves and stunted growth. Usually the only recourse is to throw the plant away, as they will quickly spread to your other violets. If you want to save your plant at all costs, spray with a miticide recommended for violets. Foliar mealybugs can also plague violets. These appear as white, cottony masses on the leaves and in the axils of the leaves. The best control is to use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol and touch the mealybug. Spray with an appropriate insecticide if necessary.

Fungal diseases can also be problematic, including root/crown rot, botrytis, and powdery mildew. Usually root/crown rot results

from overwatering your plant. The plant becomes mushy and collapses. A healthy, vigorous plant is your best defense. Keep your growing area clean and the spent blossoms picked off your plants. Botrytis affects the blossoms and buds, which become tan and mushy. Also, it can be inside the plant and undetectable until too late. This fungus stems from high humidity, cool temperatures, and lack of air circulation. These conditions can also cause powdery mildew, which appears as a whitish-gray, powder-like substance on the leaves, stems, and flowers. Both of these can usually be controlled with better growing conditions, but a fungicide may have to be used. Neem oil is a great fungicide and controls powdery mildew. Care should be taken when spraying.

A new and rewarding hobby If you follow these basic principles, African violets are very rewarding to grow. There are so many blossom colors and foliage types, you may want one of each. If you really enjoy them and would like to learn more, join an African violet club. There are two in the metropolitan Detroit area: the Towne and Country AV Club, and the Wayne-Washtenaw AV Club. Check out the African Violet Society of America’s website (www.avsa.org) for contact information. The 2012 National Convention and Show will be held June 3-10, 2012 at the Marriott Detroit at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, and is a rare opportunity to see an amazing array of African violets.

Lisa Steinkopf is from Steinkopf Nursery in Farmington Hills, MI. As the Houseplant Guru, she can help with all your houseplant questions and problems. She is experienced and knowledgeable, with over 25 years in the nursery industry and caring for houseplants. A Certified Interior Landscape Technician, Lisa is also available for in-home consultation and plant care. Contact her to speak at your next club meeting or event: houseplantgurulisa@gmail.com. Follow Lisa’s blog at houseplantguru.blogspot.com. Also follow along at Facebook.com/SteinkopfNursery.

16

Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

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Southgate Trenton Grosse Ile

Lowrie’s Landscp, 248-625-8844 The Pond Source, 248-922-7760 Clinton Twp H English Gardens, 586-286-6100 H Tropical Treasures, 586-791-6595 Columbiaville Hilltop Barn, 810-793-2401 Commerce Twp Backyard Birds, 248-363-3890 Zoner’s Greenhse, 248-363-6742 Davison H Wojo’s Gard Splendors, 810-658-9222 Dearborn Fairlane Gardens, 313-581-7906 Westborn Flower Mkt, 313-278-3815 Dearborn Heights H English Gardens, 313-278-4433 Detroit Allemon’s Landscp Ctr, 313-882-9085 Dexter H Alexander’s Farm Mkt, 734-741-1064 Dexter Gardens, 734-426-6600 H Fraleigh’s Landscp, 734-426-5067 Eastpointe Ariel’s Enchanted Gard, 586-775-2820 H English Gardens, 586-771-4200 Semrau Gard Ctr, 586-775-3770 Farmington Backyard Birds, 248-476-9444 Farmington Hills Angelo’s Landscp Supp, 248-478-1729 Farmer John’s Greenhse, 248-553-7141 HydroHarry’s, 248-626-3200 H Loeffler Stone Ctr, 248-626-4048 H Steinkopf Nurs, 248-474-2925 Fenton Gerych’s Flowers/Gift, 810-629-5995 H Heavenly Scent Herb Farm, 810-629-9208 Ferndale Casual Modes Home/Gard, 248-544-1848 Green Thumb Gard Ctr, 248-439-1851 Flushing Flushing Lawn/Gard, 810-659-6241 Fowlerville H Arrowhead Alpines, 517-223-3581

Gladwin H Stone Cottage Gard, 989-426-2919 Grand Blanc H Bordine’s, 810-655-5588 H The Weed Lady, 810-655-2723 Grosse ile H Westcroft Gardens, 734-676-2444 Grosse Pointe Allemon’s Landscp Ctr, 313-882-9085 Meldrum & Smith Nurs, 313-885-5433 Grosse Pointe Woods H Wild Birds Unltd, 313-881-1410 Hadley H Le Fleur Decor, 586-495-4076 Hartland H Deneweth’s Garden Ctr, 248-714-5720 Haslett H Christian’s Greenhse, 517-655-1117 H Van Atta’s Greenhse, 517-339-1142 Higgins Lake H The Greenhouse, 989-275-5062 Highland Colasanti’s Produce/Plant, 248-887-0012 H Fragments, 248-887-9392 H Highland Garden Ctr, 248-887-6977 One Stop Landscp Supp, 248-684-0332 H The Pond Place, 248-889-8400 Holly H Rice’s Garden Ornaments, 810-694-2915 Howell H Howell Farmer’s Mkt, 517-546-3920 Penrose Nurs, 248-760-2812 H Specialty Growers, 517-546-7742 imlay City H Earthly Arts Greenhse, 810-724-1932 Jackson The Hobbit Place, 517-750-9229 Schmid Nurs/Gard, 517-787-5275 Lake orion Lake Orion Lawn Orn, 248-693-8683 H Orion Stone Depot, 248-391-2490 H Wojo’s of Lake Orion, 248-690-7435 Lakeport H Earthly Arts Greenhse, 810-385-5500 Lapeer H Iron Barn Gard Ctr, 989-795-2112 Lennon H Krupps Novelty Shop, 810-621-3752 Livonia Bushel Mart, 248-777-4700 Superior Growers Supp, 248-473-0450 Westborn Flower Mkt, 734-524-4000 Macomb Altermatt Greenhses, 586-781-3428 Boyka’s Greenhse, 586-286-1886 H Deneweth’s Garden Ctr, 586-247-5533 H Elya’s Village Gardens, 586-749-9453 Landscape Source, 586-677-7480 Joe Randazzo’s Nurs, 586-781-8700 Wade Nurs, 586-781-4073 Wiegand’s Nurs, 586-286-3655 Madison Heights Green Carpet Sod, 248-546-9554 Manchester McLennan Nurs, 734-428-7005 Mason Wildtype Nurs, 517-244-1140 Metamora Gilling’s Nurs, 810-664-4444 Milford Melone Bros, 248-684-0332 Milford Gardens, 248-685-0009

H The Pond Place, 248-889-8400 Monroe H The Flower Market, 734-269-2660 new Baltimore Meldrum Bros Nurs, 810-949-9220 new Boston Gorham & Sons Nurs, 734-753-4481 Grass Roots Nurs, 734-753-9200 new Hudson H Milarch Nurs, 248-437-2094 north Branch H Campbell’s Greenhse, 810-688-3587 Oldani Landscp Nurs, 810-688-2363 northville H Gardenviews, 248-380-8881 novi H Dinser’s Greenhse, 248-349-1320 Glenda’s Gard Ctr, 248-471-4794 Stone City, 248-347-2500 H Wild Birds Unltd, 248-374-4000 oak Park Four Seasons Gard Ctr, 248-543-4400 oakland Goodison Farms Daylilies, 248-693-2952 ortonville Country Oaks Landscp II, 248-628-7887 H Wojo’s Greenhse, 248-627-6498 owosso H Everlastings in Wildwood, 989-723-7175 oxford Candy Cane Xmas Trees, 248-628-8899 Oxford Farm/Gard, 248-628-2174 Plymouth Backyard Birds, 734-416-0600 Graye’s Greenhse, 734-453-1220 Lucas Nurs, 734-459-6500 H Plymouth Nurs, 734-453-5500 Plymouth Rock, 734-451-5500 H Rock Shoppe, 734-455-5560 H Saxton’s Gard Ctr, 734-453-6250 Sparr’s Greenhse, 734-453-4268 Pontiac H Goldner Walsh Gard/Home, 248-332-6430 ray Van’s Valley Greenhse, 586-781-8488 redford Seven Mi Gard Ctr, 313-592-0947 rochester H Fogler’s Greenhse, 248-652-3614 H Haley Stone, 248-852-5511 Sherwood Forest Gard Ctr, 248-652-4920 rochester Hills H Auburn Oaks Nurs, 248-852-2310 H Bordine’s, 248-651-9000 Shades of Green Nurs, 248-651-1620 H Wild Birds Unltd, 248-375-5202 rockwood Marsh Greenhses, 734-379-9641 romulus Block’s Stand/Greenhse, 734-941-9388 Kurtzhals’ Farms, 734-941-2081 Schoedel’s Nurs, 734-753-4150 H Schwartz’s Greenhse, 734-753-9269 roscommon H The Greenhouse, 989-275-5062 roseville Dale’s Landscp Supply, 586-778-1919 World Gardenland, 586-771-7700 royal oak H Billings Lawn Equip, 248-541-0138 H English Gardens, 248-280-9500 H Wild Birds Unltd, 248-548-2424 saginaw H Abele Greenhse, 989-752-5625 saline Eden Gard Ctr, 586-226-2882 Nature’s Gard Ctr, 734-944-8644 Saline Flowerland, 734-429-4458 shelby Twp Diegel Greenhses, 586-781-4463 H Hessell’s Greenhse, 586-247-4675 Maeder Plant Farm, 586-726-2563 Potteryland, 586-781-4425 H Telly’s Greenhse, 248-659-8555 south Lyon Hollow Oak Farm Nurs, 248-437-7507 H Raney’s Gardens, 248-437-2856 southfield 3 DDD’s Stand, 248-356-0049 H Eagle Landscp/Supp, 248-356-4342 Flower Barn Nurs, 248-356-5810 H Lavin’s Flower Land, 248-361-5945 Main’s Landscp Supp, 248-356-8660 southgate H Ray Hunter Gard Ctr, 734-284-2500 st Clair shores Hall’s Nurs, 586-775-3455 H Soulliere Gard Ctr, 586-776-2811 sterling Heights Decor Statuette, 586-739-5838

H Eckert’s Greenhouse, 586-979-2409 Flower Barn Nurs, 586-532-0014 Prime Landscp Supp, 586-978-0858 Vidosh Landscp Ctr, 586-264-5140 stockbridge Gee Farms, 517-769-6772 sylvan Lake H AguaFina Gardens Intrntl, 248-738-0500 Detroit Garden Works, 248-335-8089 Taylor D&L Garden Ctr, 313-292-6760 H Massab Acres, 313-291-4505 Panetta’s Landscp Supp, 313-291-3880 Tecumseh Mitchell’s Lawn/Landscp, 517-423-8169 Trenton Carefree Lawn Ctr, 734-675-4745 Troy H Telly’s Greenhse, 248-689-8735 Tom’s Landscp Nurs, 248-528-0660 H Uncle Luke’s Feed Store, 248-879-9147 Wilkop Gard Ctr, 248-250-9168 Utica Dale’s Landscp Supp, 586-731-8980 Stone City, 586-731-4500 Walled Lake H Suburban Landscp Supp, 248-960-4000 Warren Beste’s Lawn/Patio Supp, 586-776-1794 Garden Ctr Nurs, 586-779-3388 Harry’s Gard Ctr, 586-758-6020 Young’s Garden Mart, 586-573-0230 Washington Landscp Direct, 586-752-4222 Rocks ‘n’ Roots, 586-752-4900 Waterford Hoffman Nurs, 248-363-0340 Indoor Garden Superstore, 248-673-2200 H Merrittscape, 248-681-7955 Wayne Artman’s Nurs, 734-727-1500 West Bloomfield H English Gardens, 248-851-7506 H Planterra Conservatory, 248-661-1515 Westland Artman’s Westland Nurs, 734-721-6610 H Barson’s Greenhse, 734-421-5959 Bushel Stop, 734-721-1733 Panetta’s Landscp, 734-421-5299 H Joe Randazzo’s Nurs, 734-454-1712 White Lake H Bogie Lake Greenhse, 248-887-5101 Mulligan’s Gard, 248-698-4741 Sunshine Plants, 248-887-3893 Whitmore Lake H Alexander’s Greenhses, 734-741-1064 Williamston H Christian’s Greenhse, 517-521-4663 Wixom H Brainer’s Greenhse, 248-349-9070 Angelo’s Landscp Supp, 248-669-3787 Milford Tree Farm, 248-437-0193 Ypsilanti Coleman’s Farm Mkt, 734-434-5454 Lucas Nurs, 734-482-1111 Margolis Nurs, 734-482-0771 H Materials Unlimited, 734-483-6980

Gardens to Visit Ann Arbor H Matthaei Bot Gard/Nichols Arb,734-6477600 Bloomfield Hills H Cranbrook Gardens, 248-645-3149 Dearborn Arjay Miller Arboretum, @ Ford World HQ Henry Ford Estate, 313-593-5590 Detroit Anna S Whitcomb Conservtry, 313-852-4064 Dryden Seven Ponds Nature Ctr, 810-796-3200 East Lansing H MSU Horticultural Gardens, 517-355-0348 W.J. Beal Botanical Gard, 517-432-9182 Emmett H Sunny Fields Botanical Pk, 810-387-2765 Grand rapids H Frederik Meijer Gardens, 888-957-1580 Grosse Pointe shores H Edsel & Eleanor Ford Hse, 313-884-4222 Lansing Cooley Gardens, 517-483-4332 Midland H Dow Gardens, 800-362-4874 novi Tollgate Education Ctr, 248-347-3860 royal oak Detroit Zoo, 248-398-0900 Tipton H Hidden Lake Gardens, 517-431-2060

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

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November / December / January / February / March H Denotes Michigan Gardener advertiser

Ongoing Belle Isle Conservatory Wed-Sun, including holidays, 10am-5pm, Detroit. The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. 313-821-5428.

H Cranbrook Greenhouse Mondays, 9:30-11:30am, Bloomfield Hills. Specializing in orchids, blooming houseplants, & more. 248-645-3147. www.Cranbrook.edu/housegardens.

H Dow Gardens Daily, 9am to 1 hour before sunset, Midland. $5. Whiting Forest Tours on Wednesdays, 11-11:45am: guided walk, native & non-native plants. 800-362-4874, www.

DowGardens.org.

H Ford House Gardens Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm; Sun, 12-4pm, Grosse Pointe Shores.

Edsel & Eleanor Ford House. Stroll the gardens & grounds. $3. 313-884-4222.

H Frederik Meijer Gardens Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm, Grand Rapids. 125-acre botanic garden, Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory, 30-acre sculpture park. 888-957-1580.

H Hidden Lake Gardens Open daily 8am-sunset, Tipton (8 mi. west of Tecumseh).

755 acres of woodlands & gardens including hosta, dwarf conifer collections, annuals, perennial displays, hiking trails, lake, conservatory & arboretum. $3. 517-431-2060. www.HiddenLakeGardens.msu.edu.

H Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum Grounds: daily, 8am-sunset; Conservatory: 10am-4:30pm (Wed 10am-8pm), Ann Arbor. Conservatory ($5, age 5-18: $2): over 1,200 tropical, warm-temperate, arid plants from around world. Grounds (FREE): 350 acres of trails, formal gardens, wetlands. 734-647-7600. www. mbgna.umich.edu.

Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens Gardens open daily, dawn to dusk (FREE), Rochester. At Oakland Univ. 4th largest historic mansion in U.S. Hall tours available. 248-364-6200.

Events, Lectures, & Classes November 2011 Animal Architects Tykes Program Thu, Nov 3, 10, 17, 1-2:30pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Outdoor activities, ages 4-5, $32. Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

H Painted Holiday Wreath on a Vintage Window Sat, Nov 5, 10am-noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $68.75. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810629-9208.

Native Plant I.D. & Propagation Workshop Sat, Nov 5, 10am-12:30pm, Detroit. At Detroit Garden Center. Learn to prepare & take home seed from 10-12 species, $25. 313-259-6363, detroitgardenctr@yahoo.com.

Using Garden Scented Essential Oils Sat, Nov 5, 11am, Lake Orion. By Garden Angel Art Works at Enchanted Cottage in Canterbury Village. 810-6530104, info@GardenAngelArt.com.

H Open House Sat-Sun, Nov 5-6, at 4 local Bordine’s locations. www. bordines.com.

H Holiday Open House Sun, Nov 6, 12-5pm, Birmingham. At Blossoms.

Decorating ideas, displays, more. 248-644-4411, www. blossomsbirmingham.com.

H Herbal Craft Sharing of Ideas & Recipes Mon, Nov 7, 7-8:30pm, Ann Arbor. At Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum. Herb Study Group presentation. 734-647-7600, www.mbgna.umich.edu.

Days Off Outdoors Tue, Nov 8, 8:30am-5:30pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. $65. Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

Creating a Holiday Wreath Tue, Nov 8, noon, Farmington Hills. By North Farmington Garden Club at Farmington Community Library (32737 W 12 Mile). Register: 248-722-4503.

Eagles or Turkeys?

Tue, Nov 8, 7-8pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. $7 person, $25 family. Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

Thyme for a Rain Garden Tue, Nov 8, Ann Arbor. By Good Thyme Garden Club at Zion Lutheran Church (1501 W Liberty). Lecture on benefits of & how to create rain garden, FREE. 734-786-1462.

Glorious Irish Gardens Wed, Nov 9, 11:45am-2pm, Troy. By Troy Garden Club at Big Beaver United Methodist Church (3753 John R). $5.

Register: 248-593-6182, www.troygardenclubmi.com.

All About Roses Thu, Nov 10, 1pm, Shelby Twp. By Shelby Gardeners Club at Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center (4101 River Bends Dr).

Open to public. 10am meeting, 1pm speaker. 586-781-4693.

Blast from the Past Fri, Nov 11, 10-11:30am, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Fossils, rocks & dinosaurs, ages 1-3, $7.

Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

H Ladies Night Out Fri, Nov 11, 6-9pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. Refreshments, discounts, pampering. www. heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810-629-9208.

H Yuletide Open House Fri-Sat, Nov 11-12, 10am-5pm, Leonard. At Yule Love It Lavender Farm. 248-628-7814, iris@irislee.org.

Herb & Holly Boutique Sat, Nov 12, 9am-noon, Grosse Pointe Woods. By Herb Society of America at Grosse Pointe Community Ctr (20025 Mack Ave). Handcrafted wreathes, lavender products, demos, more. 586-773-6682, maryglassco@juno.com.

H Christmas Faerie Jar Sat, Nov 12, 10am-noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $28.75. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810629-9208.

H Holiday Open House Sat-Sun, Nov 12-13, Grand Blanc. At The Weed Lady. www.

TheWeedLady.com, 810-655-2723.

Rose Society Meeting Sun, Nov 13, 2pm, Ann Arbor. By Huron Valley Rose Society at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Discuss newest roses & share info. 734-424-9321, shanifi@att.net.

H The Year in Review Tue, Nov 15, 6:30-9pm, Farmington Hills. By Association of Professional Gardeners at Spicer House. Open forum. $5. www.associationofprofessionalgardeners.org, 248828-2978. continued on next page

We help gardeners become professionals.

Join us and we will show you how to make a living doing what you are passionate about!

The Year in Review Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 6:30-9pm “The Year in Review” is an open forum where we share what we learned over the past growing season and discuss the gardening successes and problems that occurred (i.e. spring rains, hot summer, great/poor performing plants, etc.). Come join fellow enthusiastic gardeners for this lively, educational evening at the Spicer House in Farmington Hills.

Sat, Feb 25, 2012: 14th Annual APG Conference. Please contact us for details!

Guest fee: $5. Please contact us for more information about our substantive lectures and programs, as well as membership.

Web: www.associationofprofessionalgardeners.org Email: thegardener@comcast.net Phone: Gail Morrell at 248-828-2978

DON’T LOOk. Oops, you looked. And so will 70,000 potential customers.

Advertise in call 248-594-5563 or e-mail publisher@michigangardener.com

Landscape problems?

Have a tree or shrub that looks sick?

Call us—We have over 20 years of experience diagnosing and solving garden and landscape problems We Service Small gardenS To enTire eSTaTeS

Promote your events! Send us your information!

Website: Go to michigangardener.com and click on “Submit a garden event listing” E-Mail: calendar@michigangardener.com Upcoming Issues & Deadlines: Issue

Deadline

April 2012

March 15, 2012

May 2012

April 15, 2012

Arboricultural Services Our philOsOphy is based On Organic principles and techniques

Steve Turner 248-259-8420 Certified Arborist and Writer of Michigan Gardener’s Tree Tips

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Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

continued from previous page

Look for H Denotes MG Advertiser Allen Park • ACO Hardware Almont H American Tree Ann Arbor H Abbott’s Landscp Nurs • Ace Barnes Hardware • Downtown Home & Gard H English Gardens • HillTop Greenhse & Farms • Larry’s Mower Shop • Lodi Farms H Matthaei Botanical Gard • Nicola’s Books H The Produce Station • Turner Greenhses • Whole Foods • Wild Bird Ctr H Wild Birds Unltd Auburn Hills • ACO Hardware • Drake’s Nurs H Haley Stone • Oakland Community College • Public Library H State Crushing Belleville • Banotai Greenhse • Gardeners Choice • Pinter Flowerland • Zywicki Greenhse Berkley • Garden Central Birmingham • ACO Hardware H Blossoms H Bordine’s on Woodward • Cupcake Station • MT Hunter • Neighborhood Hardware H Plant Station • Public Library • Tiffany Florist • Watch Hill Antiques Bloomfield Hills • ACE Hardware • Backyard Birds Brighton H Beauchamp Landscp Supp H Bordine’s H English Gardens H Grasshopper Gardens H Meier Flowerland • Rhino Seed & Turf Supp Brownstown Twp • Ruhlig Farms & Gard Canton • Canton Floral Gardens • Clink Landscp & Nurs • Crimboli Nurs • Keller & Stein Greenhse • Reliable Landscaping Chelsea • Garden Mill Clarkston • ACE Hardware • ACO Hardware H Bordine’s • Country Oaks Landscp Supp I • Lowrie’s Landscp • The Birdfeeder • The Pond Source • Weingartz Clawson • ACO Hardware

at these fine locations: Clinton Twp • ACO Hardware H English Gardens • Michigan Koi • MSU Extension-Macomb Cty H Tropical Treasures Commerce Twp • Backyard Birds @ ACE Hardware • Zoner’s Greenhse Davison H Wojo’s Garden Splendors Dearborn • ACO Hardware • Fairlane Gard Dearborn Hts • ACO Hardware H English Gardens Detroit • Detroit Gard Ctr • MSU Extension-Wayne Cty • Public Library Dexter • Dexter Gard H Fraleigh’s Nurs

Farmington • ACO Hardware • Sunflower Bakehaus Farmington Hills • ACO Hardware • Angelo’s Landscp Supp • Farmer John’s Greenhse H Steinkopf Nurs • Weingartz Fenton • Gerych’s H Heavenly Scent Herb Farm Ferndale • Casual Modes Home & Gard • Green Thumb Gard Ctr • Public Library Fostoria H Iron Barn Iron Work Fowlerville H Arrowhead Alpines Gladwin H Stone Cottage Gardens Grand Blanc H Bordine’s H The Weed Lady Grand Rapids H Meijer Gardens Grosse Ile H Westcroft Gardens Grosse Pointe • ACE Hardware • Allemon’s Landscp Ctr • Meldrum & Smith Nurs Grosse Pointe Woods H Wild Birds Unltd Hadley H Le Fleur Décor Hartland H Deneweth’s Gard Ctr Haslett H Van Atta’s Greenhse Highland • ACO Hardware • Colasanti’s Produce & Plants H Fragments Holly H Rice’s Garden Ornaments

Arboricultural Services.....................................17 Association of Professional Gardeners ...17 Auburn Oaks Gard Ctr......................................10 Baker, Lynn ..............................................................21 Billings Lawn Equipment .................................12 Blossoms..................................................................12 Bogie Lake Greenhouses...................................9 Bordine’s .........................................................Page 3

Imlay City H Earthly Arts Lake Orion • Lake Orion Lawn Ornaments H Orion Stone Depot H Wojo’s Greenhse Livonia • ACO Hardware (5 Mi/ Middlebelt) • ACO Hardware (6 Mi/ Newburgh) • Bushel Mart • Superior Growers Supp • Zerbo’s Health Foods Macomb • ACO Hardware • Altermatt’s Greenhse • Boyka’s Greenhse H Deneweth’s Gard Ctr H Elya’s Village Gard • Landscape Source • Olejnik Farms Madison Hts • Green Carpet Sod

Eastpointe H English Gardens

Advertiser Index

Howell H Howell Farmer’s Mkt • Penrose Nurs H Specialty Growers

Midland H Dow Gardens Milford • ACO Hardware • Milford Gardens • One Stop Landscp Supp Milford/Highland H The Pond Place Monroe H The Flower Market Mt Clemens • Public Library New Baltimore • Meldrum Bros Nurs New Boston • Gorham & Sons Nurs • Grass Roots Nurs New Hudson H Milarch Nurs North Branch H Campbell’s Greenhses • Oldani Landscp Nurs Northville • Begonia Bros H Gardenviews Novi • ACO Hardware H Dinser’s • Glenda’s Gard Ctr • Tollgate Education Ctr H Wild Birds Unltd Oak Park • Four Seasons Gard Ctr Ortonville • Country Oaks Landscp Supp II H Wojo’s of Lake Orion Owosso H Everlastings in the Wildwood Pinckney • Ed Bock Feeds & Stuff (Pinckney Garden Club) Plymouth • Backyard Birds • Lucas Nurs H Plymouth Nurs • Plymouth Rock & Supp H Rock Shoppe H Saxton’s Gard Ctr • Sideways • Sparr’s Greenhse

Pontiac H Goldner Walsh Gard/ Home • MSU Extension-Oakland Cty Ray • Van’s Valley Grenhse Redford • Seven Mi Gard Ctr Rochester • Casual Concepts H Fogler’s Greenhse H Haley Stone • Sherwood Forest Gard Ctr Rochester Hills • ACE Hardware • ACO Hardware H Auburn Oaks Gard Ctr H Bordine’s • Shades of Green Nurs H Wild Birds Unltd Rockwood • Marsh Greenhouses Romulus • Kurtzhal’s Farms • Schoedel’s Nurs H Schwartz’s Greenhse Roscommon H The Greenhouse Roseville • Dale’s Landscp Supp • Public Library • World Gardenland Royal Oak • ACO Hardware • Billings Lawn Equip H English Gardens • Frentz & Sons Hardware • Heritage Co. 2 • La Roche • Manus Power Mowers H Wild Birds Unltd Saginaw H Abele Greenhse & Gard Ctr Saline • Nature’s Gard Ctr • Saline Flowerland Shelby Twp • Diegel Greenhses • Eden Gard Ctr H Hessell’s Greenhses • Maeder Plant Farm • Potteryland H Telly’s Greenhse • Third Coast Garden Supp South Lyon • ACO Hardware • Hollow Oak Farm Nurs H Raney’s Gardens Southfield • 3 DDD’s Stand • ACO Hardware H Eagle Landscp & Supply • Flower Barn Nursery H Lavin’s Flower Land • Main’s Landscp Supp Southgate H Ray Hunter Gard Ctr St Clair Shores • ACE Hardware • ACO Hardware (Harper/13 Mi) • Greenhouse Growers • Hall’s Nurs H Soulliere Gard Ctr Sterling Hts • ACO Hardware • Decor Statuette H Eckert’s Greenhse H Flower Barn Nurs

Contender’s Tree & Lawn Specialists ........11 Detroit Garden Works........................................5 Dinser’s Greenhouse......................................... 13 Dow Gardens...........................................................5 Dream Gardens....................................................19 Earth 2 Earth ............................................................6 English Gardens ................Inside Front Cover The Flower Market ...............................................7 The Garden Company ......................................10 Garden Rhythms...................................................11 A Garden Space ...................................................19

• Prime Landscp Supply Stockbridge • Gee Farms Sylvan Lake H AguaFina Gardens Interntl • Detroit Garden Works Taylor • Beautiful Ponds & Gard • D&L Garden Ctr H Massab Acres • Panetta’s Landscp Supp Tipton H Hidden Lake Gardens Trenton • Carefree Lawn Ctr • Keck Hardware Troy • ACO Hardware H Telly’s Greenhse • The Home & Gard Shop • Tom’s Landscp Nurs H Uncle Luke’s Feed Store • Wilkop Gard Ctr Utica • Dale’s Landscp Supp • Stone City • Weingartz Walled Lake • HydroHarrys Warren • Beste’s Lawn & Patio • Harry’s Gard Ctr • Young’s Garden Mart Washington • Landscape Direct • Rocks ‘n’ Roots Waterford • ACO Hardware • Hoffman Nurs • Indoor Garden Superstore • Jacobsen’s Flowers • Light Green Water Waterford H Merrittscape Wayne • Artman’s Nurs West Bloomfield H English Gardens H Planterra • Public Library • Whole Foods Westland • ACO Hardware • Artman’s Westland Nurs H Barsons Greenhses • Bushel Stop • Joe Randazzo’s Nurs • Panetta’s Landscp Supp White Lake H Bogie Lake Greenhse • Mulligan’s Gard Ctr • Sunshine Plants Whitmore Lake H Alexander’s Greenhses Williamston H Christian’s Greenhse Wixom • Angelo’s Landscp Supp H Brainer’s Greenhse Woodhaven • Bruce’s Pond Shop Ypsilanti • Coleman’s Farm Mkt • Lucas Nurs • Margolis Nurs H Materials Unlimited • Schmidt’s Antiques

Gardenviews............................................................7 Grasshopper Gardens ........................................5 Hidden Lake Gardens........................................ 13 Iron Barn Iron Work............................................19 Landscape Design & Associates...................6 The Plant Station.................................................. 13 Saxton’s Garden Center...................................12 Telly’s Greenhouse ...............................................4 Uncle Luke’s Feed Store ....................................11 The Weed Lady ......................................................7 Wild Birds Unlimited ...........................................9

H Demystifying Plant Names Tue, Nov 15, 7-9pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $20.

517-431-2060.

Homeschoolers Amazing Animals Fri, Nov 18, 1-3pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Investigate slimy, scaly & furry friends, ages 5-12, w/ adult $6. Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop Sat, Nov 19, 9am-noon, Dearborn. At Henry Ford EstateFairlane (4901 Evergreen Rd). Taught by professional florists, $35 includes materials, ages 12 & up. 313-7012240.

Nature Tales: Turtle Tales Sat, Nov 19, 10-11am, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Outdoor activities, ages 1-5, $2. www. lesliesnc.org.

H Kids are Chefs, Too! Sat, Nov 19, 10am-noon, Ann Arbor. At Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum. Cook fall harvest foods, $5/child. 734-647-7600, www.mbgna.umich.edu.

H Evening of Lights Fri & Sun, Dec 2 & 4, 5-8pm Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. 517-431-2060, www.hiddenlakegardens.msu. edu.

Greens Market Sat, Dec 3, 9am-4pm, Clarkston. By Clarkston Garden Club at Church of the Resurrection (6490 Clarkston Rd).

Wreaths, roping, arrangements. 248-605-5524, www. clarkstongardenclub.org.

H Fresh Holiday Wreath Sat, Dec 3, 10am-noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $44.75. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810629-9208.

H Outdoor Arrangement Workshop Sat, Dec 3, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s Greenhse. $5 plus materials. www.tellys.com, 248-689-8735.

H Holiday Swag Workshop Sat, Dec 3, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s Greenhse. $5 plus materials. www.tellys.com, 248-689-8735.

H Holiday Festival Sat, Dec 3, 4-8pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. 517431-2060, www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu.

H Herbal Advent Wreath Sat, Nov 19, 10am-noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $29.75. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810629-9208.

Holiday Home Tour Sat, Dec 3, Cadillac. By Cadillac Garden Club. 4 decorated homes, refreshments. Advance tickets at Brinks Art & Frame Shop 11/1. 231-510-9047.

H Thanksgiving Centerpiece Workshop Sat, Nov 19, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s Greenhse. Made w/ fresh greens & fall decorations, $5 plus materials. www. tellys.com, 248-689-8735.

H Holiday Open House Sat-Sun, Dec 3-4, Novi. At Dinser’s Greenhse. www. dinsers.net, 248-349-1320.

Children of the Earth Club Sat, Nov 19, 10am-12pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Outdoor activities, 2nd grade & up, $10.

Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

Festival of Wreaths Sat, Nov 19, 11am-3pm, Grosse Pointe Farms. By Junior League of Detroit at Grosse Pointe War Memorial.

Children’s activities, Santa, fresh greens, more, $5. 313881-0040, jldoffice@ameritech.net.

H Outdoor Arrangement Workshop Sat, Nov 19, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s Greenhse. $5 plus materials. www.tellys.com, 248-689-8735.

H Earth Stars Sat, Nov 19, 2pm, Ann Arbor. By Southeast Michigan Bromeliad Society at Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum. Windowsill gardening plants. www. mbgna.umich.edu.

H Arts & Greens Market Sat-Sun, Nov 19-20, 10am-5pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhse. Early Bird Reception: 11/18, 5-8pm.

Featuring Huron Valley Council for Arts, poinsettias, fresh greens, more. Seminar: Holiday Decorating w/Evergreens Sat & Sun, call for times. 248-887-5101.

H Gardening Under Fluorescent Lights Sun, Nov 20, 2pm, Ann Arbor. By Ann Arbor Orchid Society at Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum. www.mbgna.umich.edu.

Presentation on Bonsai Trees Sun, Nov 20, 2pm, Troy. By Four Seasons Bonsai Club at Telly’s Greenhouse. 248-544-3112.

H Christmas Open House Fri-Sat, Nov 25-26, 10am-5pm, & Sun, Nov 27, 11am5pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. www. heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810-629-9208.

H Pineapples & Pincushions Opens Sat, Nov 26, Ann Arbor. At Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Art exhibit and flower display. www.mbgna. umich.edu.

Japanese Maples Presentation Mon, Nov 28, 7pm, Birmingham. By Metro Detroit Hosta Society at First United Methodist Church (1589 W Maple). Hgold2843@comcast.net.

December 2011 Birds of a Feather Tykes Program Thu, Dec 1, 8, 15, 1-2:30pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Outdoor activities, ages 4-5, $32. Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

Fresh Greens Market Fri, Dec 2, 9am-7pm & Sat, Dec 3, 9am-1pm, Rochester. By Rochester Branch WNFGA at St. Philips Episcopal Church (100 Romeo Rd). 248-650-2197, www.rochesterwnfga. org.

Nature’s Music Tiny Tots Fri, Dec 9, 10-11:30am, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Ages 1-3, $7. www.lesliesnc.org.

H Fresh Holiday Centerpiece Sat, Dec 10, 10am-noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $48.75. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810629-9208.

Holiday Open House Sat, Dec 10, 10am-4pm, Detroit. At Black Cat Pottery (3903 Grayton St). Meet artists, handmade art for home & garden. 313-885-3385, www.blackcatpottery.com.

H Holiday Greens Workshop Sat, Dec 10 10am, Troy. At Telly’s Greenhse. Indoor arrangement, $5 plus materials. www.tellys.com, 248689-8735.

Lantern-lit Full Moon Walk Sat, Dec 10, 6-7:30pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. $6/person, $21/family. Register: www. lesliesnc.org.

Nature Tales: Furry Tales Sat, Dec 17, 10-11am, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Explore nature, live animals, $2, ages 1-5. www.lesliesnc.org.

H Winter Wonders Sat, Dec 17, 10am-noon, Ann Arbor. At Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum. Make crafts and nature decorations, $7/child. 734-647-7600, www.mbgna. umich.edu.

Saturday Science Sat, Dec 17, 1-4pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. Nature investigations, science experiments, more.

K-5th grade, $20. Register: www.lesliesnc.org.

January 2012 H Decorate Your Home with Plants & Flowers Sat, Jan 7, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Gift Garden Sat, Jan 7, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. Make it & take it workshop. Fee for class. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H P. Allen Smith Seminar Wed, Jan 11, Grand Rapids. By MNLA at Great Lakes Trade Expo at DeVos Place. For fee & info, visit www.glte.org.

H Starting Seeds Indoors Sat, Jan 14, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Dwarf Conifers for the Rock Garden Sat, Jan 21. By North American Rock Garden Society.

Potluck & speaker. reznicek@umich.edu.

H Arranging Fresh Flowers Sat, Jan 21, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At English Gardens locations except Brighton & Eastpointe. FREE. www.

EnglishGardens.com.

H Spring Floral Arrangement Sat, Jan 21, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At English Gardens locations except Brighton & Eastpointe. Make it & take it workshop. www.EnglishGardens.com.

A New Spin on Some Old Favorites Fri, Jan 27, 9:15am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Hall Garden Club at the Coach House (480 S Adams Rd).

Speaker, $5. 248-364-6210, www.meadowbrookhall.org.

H Attracting Birds Sat, Jan 28, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Kid’s Workshop: Make a Bird Feeder Sat, Jan 28, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. $5 fee. www.EnglishGardens.com.

February 2012 H Orchid Festival Feb 1-29, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

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Garden Symposium Sat, Mar 24, 9am-4pm, Clyde. By St. Clair County Master Gardeners at Cornerstone Church (4025 North Rd).

Register: alican@comcast.net, 810-329-3722.

H Annual Garden Party Weekend Sat, Mar 31 & Sun, Apr 1, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. Packed with informative gardening & decorating seminars. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Soil Amendments: Separating Hype from Reality Fri, Mar 23, 9:15am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Hall Garden Club at the Coach House (480 S Adams Rd).

Speaker, $5. 248-364-6210, www.meadowbrookhall.org.

H The Basics of Landscape Design Sat, Mar 24, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Dream Gardens, LLC Landscape Design, Installation & Maintenance

Jennifer Blankenship 248-980-8719 jennifer@dreamgardensmi.com www.dreamgardensmi.com

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H Introduction to Orchids Sat, Feb 4, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

PRUNING BY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL to repair and restore natural growth habit of ornamental trees and shrubs. Also brick paver repairs and restoration. Call Outdoor Restore/ Jack 248-681-2212.

H Orchid Basket Sat, Feb 4, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. Make it & take it workshop. Fee for class. www.EnglishGardens.com.

STARR’S FINE GARDEN DESIGN & Installation including lakeside, native plant, butterfly. Garden Lectures. 45 yrs. exp. starrfoster@comcast.net, 248-334-9190.

NEED PROOFREADING, copy editing, book reviews? Dependable, fast help from an experienced Editor/Publisher. Call Carrie: 248683-9118 or email: carriemacgillis1@comcast.net.

Michigan Gardener Classified Advertising is a cost-effective way to promote your products and services. Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Classified Advertising” to learn more and give it a try. Deadline for the April 2012 issue is mid-March 2012. See you in 2012!

H Orchid Reblooming Techniques Sat, Feb 11, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Iron Railings H Made in Michigan H

Porch, step, deck, & hand rails Aluminum fencing Driveway gates Aluminum lamps Powder Coat Finishing Restoration

H Orchid Repotting Demonstration Sat, Feb 11, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Allan Armitage & Tony Avent Seminar Sat, Feb 18, Midland. At Dow Gardens. Know & Grow seminar. Speakers: Allan Armitage & Tony Avent. $60 before 2/3/12. www.dowgardens.org, 800-362-4874.

6823 N. Lapeer Rd. (M-24) 12 mi. N. of Lapeer Sat & Sun 9-4 • Appointments Welcome

Find a garden in your mailbox.

H Create an Outdoor Living Room Sat, Feb 18, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Heirloom Bulbs for Every Garden: Unique, Endangered, Amazing Fri, Feb 24, 9:15am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Hall Garden Club at the Coach House (480 S Adams Rd).

Speaker, $5. 248-364-6210, www.meadowbrookhall.org.

Subscribe for convenient home delivery of Michigan Gardener

H Arranging Fresh Flowers Sat, Feb 25, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At English Gardens locations except Brighton & Eastpointe. FREE. www.

EnglishGardens.com.

H Spring Floral Arrangement Sat, Feb 25, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At English Gardens locations except Brighton & Eastpointe. Make it & take it workshop. Fee for class. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Professional Gardeners Conference Sat, Feb 25. By Association of Professional Gardeners. www.associationofprofessionalgardeners.org, 248-8282978.

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March 2012 H Starting Seeds Indoors Sat, Mar 3, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Kid’s Workshop: Seed Planting Sat, Mar 3, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. Activity geared for children ages 3 to 12. Everything supplied to plant seeds that will grow into plants that can be transferred to the garden. $5. www.

EnglishGardens.com.

H ABC’s of Growing Herbs Sat, Mar 10, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Kitchen Herb Garden Sat, Mar 10, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. Make it & take it workshop. Fee for class. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Green up Your Lawn Sat, Mar 17, 1pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Kid’s Workshop: Color It Green Sat, Mar 17, 2:30pm, Metro Detroit area. At 7 English Gardens locations. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day & show children how plants work. Geared for ages 3 to 12. $5. www.EnglishGardens.com.

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20

Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

Recipes and ideas for using your dried roses Everybody needs to find something to do with the bouquets of roses from the florist that are hanging to dry, or the rose petals picked from the garden, or the lovely rose hips (the rose flowers’ red seed pods) on the bushes in the fall. Here are our suggestions for some of the easiest and nicest ways to use your roses. Some of the ideas are beautiful, some smell wonderful, and some taste good!

All of them are nice in your home, and all of them make great gifts.

Selecting and drying your roses When you are choosing your roses, a competent nursery person can guide you to the right roses for whatever purpose you have in mind: beauty in the garden, fragrance, large hips for the vitamin C they have when you make tea out of them, small hips for decorations, or various uses in the kitchen. For the roses in the kitchen, it is important to use only those from your garden that you have not sprayed or treated with a systemic pesticide. Commercially available roses are beautiful for decorations, but you cannot be sure what chemicals have been used in their production and processing.

Selecting the roses that will look their best in decorations can be rather tricky. Red roses dry nearly black and lose much of their beauty. White roses dry ivory-beige. Any other colors dry true. In the language of flowers from many years ago, pink roses mean bashful love, red roses mean passionate love, red and white roses mean unity, white roses mean purity or too young to love, and yellow roses mean infidelity or zealousness. Roses in general stand for love, victory, and pride.

If you want to dry your roses, we suggest that you hang them upside down in a dark, airy place. This helps the stems remain straight and keeps the buds from twisting. Putting them in silica gel produces a very lifelike rose in color and texture, but our experience has been that they will re-hydrate when exposed to the air in our homes and become limp and soggylooking. If we are drying small roses or just the buds, we use a screen that allows air circulation, again in a dark, airy place. Exposure to bright light while drying fades the colors.

Recipes using roses In our recipes we have used rose fragrance oil. The essential rose oils in our wholesale

Rose sugar P h oto g R a P h S by J e a n a n d R ox a n n e R i g g S

catalogs list 5 milliliters at $236.51, or $1450.00 a pound, and we don’t know too many people who want to pay that much money to scent potpourri or soap. Much of the oil nowadays is cut with other “carrier” oils and is cheaper, but not pure by any stretch of the imagination.

Making tasty and unique rose sugar is easy.

Just take some of the fresh roses from your garden—the more fragrant the better—and separate the petals from the leaves and stems.

Use only the nicest petals. In a small jar with a good lid, layer the petals with sugar. You can use regular table sugar, coarse sugar, or powdered sugar, but not brown sugar. We have not tried it with artificial sweeteners. Sprinkle on sugar cookies or use in cakes and frostings.

Making rose water is also easy. You will need 1 cup of firmly-packed, fragrant, and fresh rose petals in a large, heat-proof glass container, such as a quart canning jar. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the petals, and allow them to steep until cool. Strain off the petals and put the scented liquid in a clean bottle. This can be used as a room freshener, an after bath splash, or a lovely skin toner. It is wonderful in homemade creams and lotions.

Rose potpourri is a delightful room freshener. Using the dried roses, combine about 2 cups of roses, petals, and even a few smaller leaves with 1 cup of dried lavender flowers and 1 cup of any vanilla-scented herb such as sweet grass or sweet woodruff. Add several broken cinnamon sticks and 2 tablespoons of whole cloves. Finish with 1/4 cup of chunky orris root to which you have added 20 drops of rose potpourri oil, 10 drops of cinnamon essential oil, and 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Store in a closed glass container for 2 or 3 weeks, shaking or stirring regularly.

Display in a lovely glass container, taking the lid off and shaking to release the fragrance whenever you desire. When the fragrance starts to fade, just add a few more drops of oil and shake to mix thoroughly.

Making rose sugar cookies.

Rose hip and juniper berry wreath.

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

21

Custom ranch on nearly 2 acres in Oakland Township.

Multiple gardens with sitting and eating decks, nestled in the beautifully planted landscape. Offered at $459,900.

Hanging roses upside down to dry.

Adding oil to rose potpourri.

Contact: Lynn Baker, Hall and Hunter Realtors 248-379-3000 • lbaker@hallandhunter.com

Your favorite gardening magazine is now online. in print and online, perfectly complementary! searchable archive — All our online content is searchable. event calendar — The area’s most comprehensive garden event listing. e-newsletter — Receive valuable gardening information in your e-mail inbox.

Check it out today at www.MichiganGardener.com Pouring a batch of rose soap.

Putting together a rose tussy mussy.

A good old rose tea recipe calls for 3 cups of lemon rose geranium leaves, 2 cups of fragrant dried rose petals, 2 cups of black tea leaves, and 1/3 cup of whole cloves. Store in an airtight container. You can put 3 tablespoons of this mixture into a paper coffee filter, tie with a string to form a tea bag, place in a tea pot, and cover with boiling water. Cover the pot with a tea cozy and allow it to steep

for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Rose soap is made very simply with a soap base and molds from the craft store. For this soap we used the olive oil blocks. We added rose fragrance oil, color, rose petals and buds.

We melted the soap base in the microwave oven and poured it into the molds. The whole house smelled wonderful.

We put the tussy mussy, or nosegay, together by putting the stems through the hole in a lace posy backing, available in the craft store. We added a satin ribbon to wrap the stems, and used the same satin ribbon to make a little bow in the roses. We secured the ribbon with a pearl-head pin, but it could be glued if the pin is a hazard to the holder’s hand.

However you use your dried roses, they add a touch of elegance and fragrance to your projects and your home.

Jean and Roxanne Riggs operated Sunshine Farm and Garden in Oakland County, MI and now enjoy retirement up north.

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22

Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

Jim Slezinski

Due to its narrow shape, Serbian spruce is a good choice to plant near structures.

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

The Serbian spruce species (Picea omorika) is an excellent plant for a large hedge.

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

‘Pendula Bruns’

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

‘Pendula’

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

‘Pendula’

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

23

plant focus

Serbian spruce If an imaginary hiker were trekking in the Drina River valley in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, just east of the Winter Olympics town of Sarajevo, the hiker would come upon an out-of-this-world view of one of the most handsome spruce tree landscapes on the planet. Back in 1875, however, the Serbian botanist Josif Pancic really was this hiker on Tara mountain. He discovered this spectacular and special spruce and named it “omorika,” which is the Serbian word for “spruce.” From that point on, a new and beautiful ornamental conifer was brought out to the horticultural world. It spread throughout the gardens of Europe.

The elegant form of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) is spirelike, eventually attaining a 50-foot plus height in stature with ascending symmetrical branches. The lower skirting branches spread to a 15-foot width. This spruce’s deep green to blue short needles (1/2 to 1 inch long) are unlike any other spruce in shape. The needles are flat like those of the Canadian hemlock and are not the typical four-sided shape (a great trick question on a plant I.D. quiz!) On the underside of the needle is a polished white glow. Swaying branches in a breeze can be a beautiful sight to behold.

Springtime brings the new male cones on the branch tips, showy and brightly colored a cherry pink. Next, female seed cones shaped like small eggs occur in a smooth, polished purple-black appearance, maturing to a cinnamon brown color.

Dangling from the branches, clusters of these seed cones are decorative ornaments in their own right.

Serbian spruce’s natural range occurs in alkaline mountain soil clinging to limestone rocks and cliffs. That said, it grows in many soil types, including acidic ones, provided there is good drainage and regular moisture. Several growing at my Lake Orion, Michigan site are fairing well in pure sandy conditions with an occasional mulch of shredded bark. Only Mother Nature supplies the moisture, as no supplemental watering was provided after these spruces were established. It is droughttolerant as observed.

Hardy to zone 4 (minus 30 degrees F), this sun-lover will also grow in partial shade. Too much shade equals poor form and a sparse appearance.

Windswept areas, especially during the winter, should be avoided. One of the most adaptable of Jim the spruces along with Slezinski the Norway (Picea abies)

Serbian spruce

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

This 28-year-old ‘Berliner’s Weeper’ Serbian spruce displays the characteristic “skirt” that develops on older plants. and white (Picea glauca), the Serbian transplants well in spring or fall from both containers and balled and burlapped root balls. Very few diseases are issues or concerns.

Several cultivars of Serbian spruce are of note. A neat, clean dwarf with tightly held bluish-green needles is ‘Nana,’ growing continued on next page

Botanical name: Picea omorika (pie-SEE-ah oh-MORE-ih-kah, oh-more-EE-kah) Plant type: Tree; evergreen conifer Plant size: Eventually 50 to 60 feet tall; up to 15 feet wide Growth rate: Moderate; generally 4-6 inches per year (sometimes up to 12 inches) Habit: Upright, vertically narrow silhouette with short, ascending (pointing upward), symmetrically-arranged branches; conical in form Hardiness: Zone 4 (minus 30 degrees F) Leaves: Needles, evergreen, flat-shaped (like Canadian hemlocks), 1/2 to 1 inch long; dark green to bluish on top; glaucous white on bottom Cones: Male cones pinkish-red; female seed cones egg-shaped, purple turning brown; 1-1/2 to 2 inches long Light: Full sun to partial shade; sun for best tree form Soil: Adaptable to most; wide range from alkaline to acidic; well drained; droughttolerant after established Watering: Supplemental during first two years after planting; natural rainfall from then on Uses: Distinctive as a specimen tree or several grouped as a focal point in the lawn or at the corner of a house or building; winter interest in beds with shrubs and smaller conifers; smaller cultivars are useful in rock and Asian-themed gardens.

Remarks: A very underused spruce; graceful and pleasing in the landscape during all seasons; showy form, color, and needle texture; avoid very windswept settings.

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Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

www.peaceofmindnursery.com

‘Nana’

Jim Slezinski

Serbian spruce mature seed cones.

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

‘Pendula Bruns’ continued from previous page into a globe shape. It’s a perfect choice for a small landscape or rock garden accent. As a sprawling evergreen groundcover, ‘Expansa’ characteristically appears as if cut branches were laid on the ground and spread out. Effective as a mass planting on a sunny slope or foreground to taller shrubs, it grows to about 3 feet in height. For a dense conical form, ‘Riverside’ fits the bill for a formal, structured look. ‘Berliner’s Weeper’ is an attractive, narrow tree that grows relatively quickly.

‘Pendula’ is a beautiful, slender tree that has short, slightly twisted, and weeping (pendulous) branches. If a unique look is desired, ‘Pendula Bruns’ should top your shopping list. It takes upright and pendulous to a new level, mimicking the form of a fountain or some green creature of J.R.R. Tolkien. This amazing variety is the narrowest Serbian spruce, with all branches being strongly pendulous. Over time, the leader will head off at a slight angle, then turn upward again on its own, with no staking required.

Many a nurseryman, horticulturist, or landscape architect would vote the Serbian spruce as “best of the bunch.” Perhaps someday this special, polished spruce will be a shining star performer in your garden or landscape.

Jim Slezinski

Jim Slezinski is the Vice President and Senior Landscape Designer/Horticulturist at Goldner Walsh Garden and Home in Pontiac, MI.

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

‘Berliner’s Weeper’

Serbian spruce needles are bluish green with a white glow on the undersides. Since the branches grow in a slightly twisted fashion, the textural tones of the blue, green, and white needles is striking.

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

Look in fall to determine if you have given yourself room to work in your beds. This simple space is a maintenance path around cut-back rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) and bigleaf forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) within a large bed at the author’s Detroit Zoo Adopt-A-Garden.

25

Place a maintenance path to run across the viewer’s field of vision, like this one in Judy Jacobs’ garden. It will serve its purpose without drawing attention to itself or distracting from the garden.

Janet’s Journal continued from back cover such paths to run across a bed, from left to right relative to the main viewer, rather than where they will bisect the scene.

Making room for more or wider paths may sound impossible but it’s very do-able in fall, even simple. To widen a path, go along one edge of the path and remove the front row of plants. To make a new path, outline it with paint or stakes and take all plants out of that area. Just lift plants right out. Don’t remove any of the soil from the root balls. Put those plants in a holding bed or set the clumps all around the outer edge of a compost pile. They will still be available when and if you find the right new places for them next year.

Fill where you removed plants, using sharp sand—builder’s sand, the coarse, gritty kind used as fill along foundations, in concrete mixes, or as a base for patios. Sharp sand is relatively cheap, free of weed seeds and drains well. Tamp it down and then cover it with your chosen path surface, such as mulch, gravel or paving stones.

Fall is probably the best time to think about the path surface. Is it comfortable and safe for the people or vehicles that use it? No one gets younger, and few of us become more surefooted. So if you have noticed a path’s irregularities, unevenness, or bogginess this year, think now about more solid paving, regrading, or installing drainage.

Paths bear weight while gardens don’t.

So paths sink over time. Those most heavily used can turn into deep ruts in just a few years. You can periodically add soil, mulch or gravel, or lift pavers to add sand and then reset the stones higher. Or you can let the paths sink, if the area is drained well enough that even a below-grade path remains dry.

In many cases a curb may be appropriate.

That’s a raised edge along a path that prevents soil and mulch from beds from cascad-

A maintenance path is essential in a one-sided bed that’s more than three feet deep. Such a path should be placed so that it does not bisect the viewer’s field of vision. In this bed, which has viewers on three sides, the path couldn’t be hidden so it was given a decorative surface and edge. Although it bisects the scene, it becomes a part of the design rather than a distraction to those who see it. ing onto the walkway. Curbs can be formal, such as cut granite, or as informal as logs.

Whatever you use, make it practical. Granite should be set on tamped gravel or sand, so it remains level. Logs are probably best when backed by fabric or vinyl skirts low on the garden side, to intercept soil and mulch that might slip underneath.

When your path network is wider, drier, cleaner, and further-reaching, the garden is more enjoyable and you’ve traded high-maintenance bed space for pleasing, lower-maintenance pathway. It’s a fall clearance deal we shouldn’t pass up. continued on next page

After you slice down at a natural edge with your spade or edging tool, lean back on the handle to lever up on the blade, loosening the soil and the invading roots. Remove running roots from the cut edge, and then push soil from the cut up into the bed to leave a trench along the bed edge.

That air barrier stops roots from the surrounding lawn. They cannot grow into air.

Pachysandra has a running root and can invade a garden bed. It can be stopped with a cut edge or an embedded vertical edge, so long as the cut trench or edging material extends as deep into the soil as the pachysandra’s white roots run.

26

Michigan Gardener | November/December 2011 | www.MichiganGardener.com

Myrtle (Vinca minor) has a running root but also develops roots where its above-ground stems touch ground. Thus it cannot be wholly contained with an embedded vertical root barrier. If surrounded by such a device, the plant must also be sheared regularly to keep its stems from flopping over the edging. Flagstone edging plus regular mowing along that edge is a good means of containing the plant.

A cut edge is also an option, since it combines twice-annual shearing (when the cut edge is renewed) with a trench to bar root growth.

Janet’s Journal continued from page 25

Holding the edge Edges are where almost all weed trouble begins. Seeds drop in from nodding stems of nearby plants. Roots from pushy neighbors expand into that space, set up camp and sally forth from there. So walk your edges like a rancher patrolling fences, and tend to the breaks in fall. It will save time and prevent trouble all next year.

If the edge is a cut edge (a trench), be sure to re-establish it now. It’s not unusual for lawn grass to extend its territory by 18 inches between early November and early April.

What’s at the edge now may be pushing up new shoots within the crown of your front row plants by spring. A cut edge places an air barrier between questing root tips and the garden soil. Roots don’t grow through air.

Use a spade or an edging tool to re-draw the line. Slice straight down, then with the blade of your tool still in the ground, press the tool’s handle down and away from the bed so the blade levers up and forward into the bed.

That loosens the soil and makes it simple for you to lift out the severed running roots. Push loose soil from the trench up into the garden.

Make the trench as deep as it must be to intercept the horizontally-running roots of the infiltrating plants. Most lawn grass runs from one to four inches deep. The roots of some weeds and groundcovers run deeper, especially if the soil is very loose and the plant colony well established.

If you have hard edges in place, such as black polyvinyl strips or embedded wood, check now for gaps and weak spots. I hate to see edging material lifted out of the ground because it means I have to re-set the entire

A brick or stone edge is an answer for those who want a root barrier but reject a cut edge because mowing along a trench can lead to dropping a tire into the bed and scalping the lawn there. Here, the problem of roots infiltrating between brick seams is answered by a strip of vinyl edging outside the brick. strip. There’s no use in trying to press just one part back down—the whole section needs better or more anchors, and I must be sure to seat it perpendicular to the ground so that it will not lean forward from the cut along curves.

Any gap between edging and soil traps water, which freezes and thaws and loosens anchors.

Running roots often get into a bed through gaps where edging sections meet. For those areas keep on hand some of the thick vinyl stuff known as carpet runner, or scraps from pond liner. Reinforce the seam by inserting a strip of either material on the outside (lawn side) of the gap. Overlap the seam by 12 to 18 inches left and right.

Sometimes existing edging is simply not up to—or down to—the job. We often find that an existing edge is not deep enough to intercept the resident invader. If standard black polyvinyl edging, aluminum, or steel strips don’t reach the level where roots are running, then we replace them with something deeper. A simple, inexpensive alternative is to slice vinyl carpet runner to make strips that are the needed depth. Vinyl protective carpet runner comes 27 inches wide, so we can cut one roll into several strips that will extend six or more inches into the ground.

Vinyl carpet runner comes in a roll 27 inches wide, for the same price per linear foot as readymade black 5-inch polyvinyl bed edging. Yet the carpet runner can be sliced into a few strips to make customized, deeper edging.

Some running plants can only be contained by deep in-ground barriers. One of those is chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata ‘Chameleon’). Its roots may run at a six-inch depth when the plant is new, but a healthy, long-established colony growing in loose soil may have horizontally-spreading roots a foot below ground, or deeper. If you decide to evict chameleon plant, start by cutting straight across the middle of the colony, twice, and removing a sod of the plant. Notice how deep its roots run, there where it is longest established. Work outward from that section to chase the plant’s roots wherever they run.

Running off those running plants Some plants undermine our gardens from within, and cost us a lot of time sorting and weeding. These perennials have a wanderlust or a determination to dominate that is so great you cannot contain them. Fall is the time to admit defeat and begin the removal process.

Use a spade (the shovel-sized tool with a rectangular blade), which is better for systematic root removal than anything with a point.

Slice across the center, the thickest part of the

Running roots (such as these from Canada thistle) fill the soil, shallow and deep, left and right of the weed’s above-ground portion. We miss roots when using a shovel—the tool with a pointed blade. A spade—the tool with a rectangular blade—does a better job.

www.MichiganGardener.com | November/December 2011 | Michigan Gardener

A non-suckering dwarf shrub such as this spirea (Spiraea bumalda ‘Gold Flame’) can be a low maintenance stand-in for a colony of perennials that offer similar color or season of interest. You would have the spirea’s pink flower in June-July rather than the yarrow’s (Achillea millefolium) bloom, or the shrub’s gold foliage in place of the black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’) blooms. It’s also an equal trade in mass and shape, but a saving in care, since the shrub can be held to this size with a spring cut-back every three years, versus the yearly cut-back and occasional division that’s standard for keeping either of those herbaceous perennials looking good.

Snowball hydrangea (H. arborescens) is a showy woody plant with a late summer bloom that can require less care than an herbaceous perennial of similar size and season. The hydrangea may be cut back to the ground every year without loss of bloom, but that task is an option. Without the cut, it provides interest in winter and in spring will clothe those same stems in green. Late summer-blooming herbaceous perennials may provide similar winter interest but since they replace stems annually, they also present a tangle of dead stalks in spring that most gardeners spend time cutting back. plant colony, and lift out sods of the target plant.

As you get to the perimeter, weed the plant in rings, like circles around the bull’s-eye of your central cleared area. Stand in the cleared bull’seye, slice down at the edge of the space you’ve already cleared and use the spade blade as a lever (as in renewing a cut edge, above) to loosen the next ring. Chase all roots outward from the oldest, deepest part of the colony.

If you try to evict such a plant by going after every bit you see on the surface, you will almost certainly cut through extension roots that have not yet produced top shoots. Then in spring you’ll see satellite colonies erupting from those bits of plant left behind—the youngest, most vigorous parts of the original problem!

Although you can save a lot of time by discarding running plants, experience tells me you’ll keep at least a few because, “They’re so beautiful.” Think about moving those plants

to a groundcover area where they can have their way, alone or with others of a similar nature. Alternatively, install barriers of appropriate depth around a troublemaker— edging within an edge. Be sure to renew the plant regularly by cutting out the center of the trapped colony, adding compost equal to what you removed, and letting the outer plants move back in. Plants that run, need to do that. Trap them too long and their older, crowded portions become spindly and sickly, dragging down the colony’s looks and health.

Watering changes If your water delivery system involves buried pipe or soaker hoses, or stations throughout the garden where you can tap in to run overhead sprinklers, fall is the time to assess the system’s effectiveness and make changes.

Plants grow. Planting plans and bed shapes

27

If your intent is to save effort and time, be realistic when choosing shrubs to replace herbaceous perennials. Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) can be kept smaller than its potential (here, it’s maintained at a 4-foot height although the species can top 8 feet). However, knowledgeable and timely pruning is required. Right after bloom, while time remains that year for the plant to develop the next year’s flower buds, remove the oldest and tallest stems and shorten remaining branches.

Be selective as you choose woody replacements for perennials. Some shrubs sucker to occupy wide areas. That’s the case with bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora). If you intend to replace an entire partly-shady perennial bed with a shrub, bottlebrush buckeye is a good choice. If you want a shrub to replace a perennial colony that is just one element in the garden, then a nonsuckering shrub is a better choice. change. So water from pop-up sprinklers may be blocked by too-tall plants, or some portions of a bed receive too much or too little water. Sometimes areas need to be subdivided so they can be watered separately, for different lengths of time.

Digging is an unavoidable part of moving irrigation heads, installing new spigots, or adding new watering zones. These changes are most easily done in fall when the problem areas are fresh in your mind and plants will have the longest time to recover from any disruption.

Woody for herbaceous One last thing to look for as you walk your garden in late fall with an eye for time saving, is where there are plant changes you can make to increase the woodiness of your garden. Caring for an area filled with shrubs usually requires less time than caring for the same area filled with perennials. My experience has been that a shrub bed of 100 square feet needs two hours of work each year, while

the same space full of perennials will tie me up for eight hours of dividing, thinning, staking, deadheading, cutting back, etc. So I look for spaces in a garden where I can swap in a woody plant for an herbaceous species. A dwarf form of the woody panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata ‘Little Lamb,’ for instance) might stand in nicely for herbaceous Joe Pye (Eupatorium purpureum), or dwarf ‘Little Henry’ sweetspire shrubs (Itea virginica) will serve where I’ve ousted a colony of unruly gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides).

Here’s hoping you’ve been reading this on a rainy November day, so you haven’t missed the chance to make some of these changes that can save you time for many years to come.

Have a great winter, and see you in the spring!

Janet Macunovich is a professional gardener and author of “Designing Your Gardens and Landscape” and “Caring for Perennials.” Read more from Janet in her newsletter available by writing to WhatsComingUp@gmail.com.

| November/December 2011 | www.Michigangardener.com

janet's journal

End of the gardening season: Save some time for timesavers The wind is cool and there is a lot of sky comfortable for the traffic it bears? Have you visible since many of the leaves have fallen. used curbs to advantage?

What’s up there to be seen is that peculiar inWe gardeners tend to be stingy when it tense blue that comes when sunlight takes its comes to walking room. Our paths may be late fall angle through the atmosphere. Faintonly 18 inches wide, or even narrower. We ly you hear, or feel, the percussion section as lay them out this way because we don’t want the high school marching band practices. to give up planting space. Yet a 36-inch path You may read these signals to mean, “Go is visually restful and so much more inviting inside!” but there’s much to be gained by than a narrow trail that it will cause more staying out. Look around now while the past people to go see your garden beauties. Three growing season is fresh in feet is wide enough to allow your mind and the evidence a person to walk comfortof what plants have done ably, even during high sumand intend to do is apparmer when edging plants ent. Focus on paths, edges, have encroached. A gardenyour watering system, and er can negotiate that path Southeastern Michigan the plants that have overeasily even while pushing a and the Thumb: The average stayed their welcome. Make wheelbarrow or carrying a November day reaches into some plans, then work on bucket. the high 40s. 50- and 60them this afternoon when If you would like to walk degree days are common. the sun is warm. What you hand-in-hand through your do now can net considergarden with a child, or see able savings in time next year. people stroll side by side to enjoy your garden, make your paths at least 4 feet wide.

Enlarge a path to improve If you have one-sided beds that are more the whole garden than three feet deep or islands more than six The first thing to do is to walk along and feet across, you need maintenance paths— consider the garden paths you have. Stroll places to step into the bed so you can prune, the main paths, and take a look at any mainweed, or plant. Designating places to stand tenance paths within beds. Are they wide within the bed minimizes compaction and enough? Do they take you where people want disruption. Mark working paths with stepor need to go? Is the path surface safe and ping stones or a different color mulch. Make them 12 to 18 inches wide—and rest assured that a path within a bed, even a path that’s 18 inches wide, will become invisible by midsummer as plants close over it. Yet they are visible in spring and fall when we most need Janet them.

Macunovich A maintenance path can even be visible enough to be visually disruptive. So place

November in Michigan

P h oto g r a P h s by s t e v e n n i k k i l a

Continued on page 25

spending time restraining weeds at the edge of a garden in november can save time next year. here’s an option to a trenched edge or in-ground edging material: a wide stone coping set on a weed-free base such as slag or gravel. it’s initially expensive but long-lasting and low care. garden plants can drape over the edging without killing grass. Mowers can roll along on the stone without dropping into a trench and scalping the lawn along the edge.

left: this path is rather narrow, uninviting to two people strolling together, and difficult to navigate if you are a bucket-toting gardener. right: a wider path is more inviting. Plants removed to increase the width are not missed and remain available for use if put “on hold” in another bed or the perimeter of the compost pile. Plantings that remain along the widened path can be altered the next year, even removing more plants and bringing back some cast-out edging to grow in new positions.