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 MSU tag

New LED Lighting Technology Installed in Michigan State Greenhouses

January 24, 2018 • Leave a Comment

Passengers flying into, or out of, the Lansing airport in the dark might notice a pink glow coming from the south side of the Michigan State University campus. The high pressure sodium (HPS) lights in the teaching greenhouses have been mostly replaced with LED lighting modules.

Why pink, and not bright white? It’s all about the usable light spectrum that plants need. Plants actually do best with the red and blue light, which appears pink when mixed. Plants reflect green light waves, which is why plants are green. MSU has purchased green-lensed glasses to counter the effects of the pinkish light on eyes. With the green “sunglasses,” things appear normal under the new lights. Reportedly, the electricity usage will be reduced by up to 50% compared to the old fixtures. The old fixtures also cast quite a large shadow over the plants during the day. The new LED’s are very narrow and barely noticeable above the benches.

Dr. Kristin Getter and Dr. Roberto Lopez were instrumental in pursuing this new technology
for the teaching greenhouses. In the two houses that Dr. Lopez will be using for his class, the HPS lights were kept in half of each house so he will be able to demonstrate the effects of light type on plant growth to his students.

So, the next time you’re flying over campus, just note that the pink glow is the newest in
lighting technology and impress your fellow passengers.

Michigan State University Places First in National Landscape Competition

April 25, 2016 • Leave a Comment

Michigan State University-

The MSU Student Horticulture Association landscape team placed first at the National Association of Landscape Professionals National Collegiate Landscape Competition March 16-19 at Mississippi State University.

“The competition is a tremendous learning experience that pushes me beyond the academic requirements of the classroom and requires me to dig deeper and explore information and learning outcomes in areas that I otherwise may never have developed,” senior Ben Harcey said. “The competition also provides the platform for MSU to consistently represent the school and the horticulture program as one of the finest in the country.”

The four-day event consisted of educational workshops, a career fair and 28 competitive events dubbed the Landscape Olympics. The MSU team members were among 683 students representing 63 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada.

Read the rest of the article…

MSU Expert may have found a cause for honeybee loss

June 9, 2015 • Leave a Comment

The Detroit News:

A Michigan State University researcher may have found the key to the infiltration and destruction of the nation’s honeybee colonies.

It has to do with the invader’s stink. Specifically, the now-infamous Varroa mite uses a chemical camouflage to match its body odor — or something close to it — to its honeybee host. It even fine-tunes the formula to mimic the subtle differences of smell among bees in individual colonies.

“Honeybees rely a lot of on chemical communications,” said Zachary Huang, an MSU entomologist and lead author on a paper in the academic journal, Biology Letters, explaining the mite’s ability to deceive.

Read the full article here…

Check out Dr. Huang’s Bee blog here…

Step-by-step instructions for performing an MSU Extension soil test

March 23, 2015 •

MSU Extension:

Taking a soil test to determine nutrient levels in the soil for a garden area or lawn is a smart thing to do. Testing the soil can save you money on fertilizer costs because you know what is already supplied by the soil. You add only the nutrients needed for optimum plant growth and excess fertilizer doesn’t end up in groundwater, lakes or streams. Soil testing can be done any time the soil is not frozen.

For established plantings, you are monitoring changes in nutrients, pH and organic matter over multiple years. Organic matter content and pH impact nutrient availability in the soil. You will want to re-test the soil every three to five years or after major changes are made, such as adding lime to raise the pH or adding sulfur to lower the pH.

Read the rest of the article here…

2014 MSU Extension Smart Gardening Conference

February 13, 2014 • Leave a Comment

The 2014 Michigan State University Extension Smart Gardening Conference will be held in Grand Rapids on Saturday, March 8, 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The day includes 4 lectures and a vendor marketplace. Participants will learn how their everyday efforts at home can have earth-friendly impacts. The 2014 presenters are:

Melinda Myers, nationally-known gardening expert, TV/radio host, and author: “Create a Smart Garden with Year-Round Interest”
Dr. George Bird, Michigan State University, Department of Entomology: “Smart Soils and Good Practices: Keys to Building a High Quality, Sustainable Garden”
Chuck Martin, Horticulturist at Dow Gardens: “Practicing Phenology is Phun!”
Dr. Douglas Tallamy, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware and author of Bringing Nature Home: “Smart Gardening for Life”

For more information or to register download this PDF.

Plant experts present the 2014 Plants of Distinction seminar

January 20, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Gardeners love to include new plants in their gardens. Plant research and global exploration influence the number and types of plants available. However, “new” is not always “best” for our landscapes. With more and more gardeners turning their attention to sustainability and green practices, the question of maintenance arises. On Monday, February 3, 2014 (Grand Rapids) and Tuesday, February 4 (Novi), the MSU Extension gathers renowned plant experts to enrich your knowledge of widely sought-after plant material while remembering the message of “right plant, right place.”

Irvin Etienne, Horticulture Display Coordinator from the Indianapolis Museum of Art, will present “Carmen Miranda in the Midwest,” which will help you bring eye-popping color and texture to your garden. He will also explore some of the best tough plants for Midwest gardens in “When Pretty Ain’t Enough!”

Joseph Tychonievich, Author and Manager at Arrowhead Alpines Nursery in Fowlerville, Michigan, will present “Great, Non-Wimpy Plants You Haven’t Heard Of.” This talk will inspire you with beautiful, tough, and reliable plants that, for one reason or another, you probably have not seen before.

Dr. Tom Fernandez, Michigan State University Professor of Horticulture, will present “Something Old, Something New: Trees and Shrubs for Michigan.” More and more new trees and shrubs are being released every year with improved garden performance. Learn which ones are right for you.

Please note the registration deadline is January 27, 2014, and registration at the door is not available. For more info, click here.

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