PLEASE NOTE: In the autumn of 1995, we hatched the idea for a free, local gardening publication. The following spring, we published the first issue of Michigan Gardener magazine. Advertisers, readers, and distribution sites embraced our vision. Thus began an exciting journey of helping our local gardening community grow and prosper.
After 27 years, nearly 200 issues published, and millions of copies printed, we have decided it is time to end the publication of our Print Magazine and E-Newsletter.

Archive for the Clippings department

300-year-old Auburn Hills walnut tree threatened by road expansion

November 18, 2014 • Leave a Comment

The Detroit News:

The walnut tree on North Squirrel Road is older than just about anything you can think of to compare it to when you try to show how old it is.

When the Civil War started, the sprawling black walnut was 152. When quill pens scratched the first signatures onto the Declaration of Independence, it was 67. When George Washington was born in 1732, it was already old enough to vote.

Five years ago, an expert from the Michigan Botanical Club estimated that the tree was 300 years old.

Now some of its admirers are hoping it can survive 2015.

Read the rest of the story…

Chrysanthemums are cornerstone for Japanese

November 13, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Associated Press—

TOKYO – When Americans think of flowers and Japan, we think of cherry blossoms. But to the Japanese, there’s a flower for every time of year, and right now, it’s the chrysanthemum, celebrated in festivals, shows and home displays.

Like the cherry blossom, the chrysanthemum, called “kiku” in Japanese, symbolizes the season, but more than that, it’s a symbol of the country itself. The monarchy is referred to as the Chrysanthemum Throne and the imperial crest is a stylized mum blossom. That seal is embossed on Japanese passports. The flower is also a common motif in art, and it’s seen in everyday life depicted on the 50-yen coin.

Originally introduced from China, this flower came with a legend about longevity, the story of a town whose residents all lived to more than 100 years old, where the water came from a mountain spring surrounded by chrysanthemums. Through selective breeding, the original simple flower was developed into many forms that most Americans wouldn’t recognize as a chrysanthemum, such as a type with long, thin, spidery petals, and another that’s said to look like a paintbrush.

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Scientists seeking help in search for Ash survivors

October 27, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Michigan Radio—

Researchers with the U.S. Forest Service are looking for ash trees that survived the attack of the emerald ash borer.

The invasive insect has been spreading across the Midwest and beyond since 2002 – killing millions of ash trees in its wake.

The Northern Research Station has launched a new online reporting tool. They want people in 10 counties in southeast Michigan and 7 counties in northwest Ohio to report the location of ash trees that have survived the infestation.

Read or listen to the rest of the story…

U-M plans move of 200-year-old burr oak

October 23, 2014 • Leave a Comment

The costly, months-long process of uprooting a 65-foot-tall, 250-year-old tree will culminate later this month as the University of Michigan has set a move day for the history burr oak at the Ross School of Business.

Officials announced today that the relocation of the tree is scheduled to take place Saturday, Oct. 25, weather permitting.

A crew began the $400,000 process of excavating and moving the legacy burr oak tree in July in order to make way for the school’s $135 million, donor-funded expansion at the school. The cost was factored into the overall cost of the project before it was approved by the Board of Regents.

The plan is to move it from its place in a courtyard at the north side of the Ross complex, facing the School of Education, to a lawn area off Tappan Street, just outside the main entrance of the complex less than 100 yards away.

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Detroit compost company wins award

October 21, 2014 • Leave a Comment

The Detroit News:

Pashon Murray is in a dirty business — and it’s paying off.

Murray, co-founder of Detroit Dirt, which converts manure and food scraps into compost, won $10,000 as the winner in the food category of Martha Stewart’s 2014 American Made contest.

Detroit Dirt beat out more than 220 other food finalists to win the contest’s food category in agriculture and sustainability. The contest rewards entrepreneurs and artisans across the country for innovativeness, creativity and workmanship in four main categories — food, design, craft and design — and several subcategories.

Read the rest of the story here…

Amend your soils to rid soil compaction

October 7, 2014 • Leave a Comment

MSU Extension:

Gardeners may want to consider whether they’ve been seeing these signs of soil compaction. The soil seems difficult to dig or till. Or the plants are not growing as well as they should and seem to have an inadequate root system. Water tends to collect and puddle after a heavy rain and is slow to drain. Any of these may be due to compacted soils.

Soil compaction occurs when particles are packed too closely together. Compaction is more common in heavier soils like clay and loam; however, it can occur on sandy soils as well, especially if heavy equipment is used on the lawn or garden. Compaction can be compounded by events that occurred to the soil over several years.

Read the rest of the story here…

A treasure trove of rare wild tulip photos

October 1, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Tulip lovers have a new website to explore: www.tulipsinthewild.com features photographs of rare wild tulip species in their remote mountain native habitats. The site follows a group of Dutch bulb enthusiasts on a two-decade quest to some of the world’s most forbidding mountain ranges as they find and photograph little-known tulip species in the wild.

Despite their genteel garden image, tulips in the wild are native to harsh landscapes in hard-to-reach corners of the world. They’re often found clinging to barren mountain ledges exposed to wind, cold and drought. The contrast of harsh habitat and colorful tulips makes for some breathtaking photographs, most shot in mountain ranges in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.

The site features an interactive map where users can click on a region to view the tulips that were photographed there. A selection of expedition shots is included plus tulip images with a description of each flower and where it was found. The only frustration for many will be the fact that most of the tulips displayed still exist only in the wild or in a few private collections. So for now, the best view of some of the rarest tulips on earth is just a click away, at www.tulipsinthewild.com.

Ripe tomatoes are susceptible to Anthracnose

September 16, 2014 • Leave a Comment

MSU Extension:

For many gardeners, the end of August and beginning of September are the big times for harvesting ripe tomatoes from their home gardens. As is the usual case, those same excited gardeners have planted too many plants and a great number of tomatoes are being picked almost daily. What many of these gardeners are finding is these ripe tomatoes are rotting rapidly. When the gardeners looked at their plants, the leaves and stems looked good, the fruit was good, but what happened to the lovely tomatoes?

The answer is anthracnose (Colletotrichum coccodes). This is fungus that causes fruit to rot and can also be responsible for a high mold count in canned tomatoes.

Read the rest of the article here…

Labor Day signals time for Fall lawn chores

September 2, 2014 • Leave a Comment

MSU Extension:

It’s a busy time of year with school starting, fall sports kicking into full gear, and of course lawn chores preparing for winter. Throughout most of Michigan, the summer of 2014 will likely be remembered for cool temperatures and adequate if not excessive rainfall. Some will also remember 2014 as the summer the turf would never quit growing. Probably the biggest challenge I’ve seen with most lawns is simply a lack of fertility. With perfect growing conditions, turf has burned through fertilizer applications quicker than normal resulting in many lawns starting to lose density and becoming invaded by pests such as white clover and rust.

Read the rest of the article here…

Cook some classics with green tomatoes

August 21, 2014 • Leave a Comment

The Detroit News:

I may have a ripe tomato before the frost hits. Feeling full of gratitude that most of my garden survived the cruel winter just a few months ago, I planted several varieties of tomatoes in containers on my deck. The plants grew tall, the buds finally formed and then the cooler weather and gray skies put the kibosh on all of it. The one Early Girl that I was watching longingly as it began to redden and ripen turned up in a squirrel’s jaws the next morning. My voice was the scream heard ’round the block.

So, I’ve adopted a new philosophy: When life gives you green tomatoes, put them in a frying pan, a pickle jar or a cake or a soup or a casserole. Don’t bemoan that the lovely heirlooms are taking their sweet time coming around; instead, take action and put those green tomatoes to good use.

Read the full story here…

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Archive for the Clippings department