Roots & Shoots December 2009 / January 2010 December 8, 2009 @ 6:30pm MGSOOC General Society Meeting & Location Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 5631 North Adams Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI  48304 Holiday Potluck January 5, 2010 @ 6:30pm MGSOOC General Society Meeting & Location Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 5631 North Adams Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI  48304 Speaker : Tom Hershberger –Education: “The Gardens of Epcot” A business meeting will take place, prior to the start of our Educational Program. February 2, 2010 @ 6:30pm MGSOOC General Society Meeting & Location Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 5631 North Adams Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI  48304 Speaker : Gary Eichen –Education: “How to Have a Healthy Lawn” A business meeting will take place, prior to the start of our Educational Program. Carol’s Corner Remember the deadline for Re-Certification is December 31, 2009. Please get your hours in ASAP Thank you to all of you who contacted legislators on our behalf a month ago. You are a very passionate group and we know we can count on you to stir the pot on our behalf when needed! It looks like we may be in for a funding cut of as much as 45% next fiscal year 2010/11 when Federal Stimulus Dollars disappear, so MSUE will look different in the near future as we re-organize and downsize and respond to the Governors’ statewide priorities. There will most likely be changes in the Master Gardener Volunteer Program as we proceed down this path and we will be sure to let you know of any changes. Remember that life is all about change and the best thing to do is to embrace it and think of it as a time for new opportunities. For some time now we have been conducting criminal history background checks. Those of you who have not responded to multiple requests will be sent a letter in the coming weeks with a short turn around for this information. Please understand that information gathered in the checks is confidential and kept under lock and key. If you choose not to provide your birth date to us you will no longer be considered a Master Gardener. Now on to nicer topics! This is the season for being thankful and grateful for all we have. I want to thank each and every one of you for being such great volunteers. No matter what the project is, you bring your knowledge and passion to it and you change lives by doing so. I want to thank you for enriching my life both personally and professionally! No matter what you celebrate this season, do it with the same gusto you bring to the garden! Be happy and safe and proud of all you’ve accomplished this year! Membership Bulletin Board The Master Gardener Society welcomes the following new members to our group. We look forward to Master Gardening with you in the future. Robert Denver Joan Morgan Susan Newman John Turchin —Julie Kowalk – Membership Team 2009 Master Gardener Society Election Results At the October 6, 2009 Master Gardener General Meeting, nominations for the 2009 Officer Election were closed in accordance with the Master Gardener Society By-Laws. At that time, only one person for each open position had requested to be on the ballot for the upcoming 2010 Officer Election. The positions that were to be filled were President, Treasurer, and Team Administrator. As only one Society member per position came forth, the 2010 election mailing became unnecessary. Therefore in 2010 and 2011, Chris Covell is your new President, and Jean Gramlich will remain Treasurer. Susan Tatus McLarty will remain the Team Administrator for 2010. If anyone has any questions regarding the election, please feel free to contact an officer or they can contact me. —Julie Kowalk – Membership Team The deadline to re-certify is fast approaching on December 31. Please submit at least 15 volunteer hours and 5 (full credit) educational hours. If you have any questions about your hours feel free to contact Cathy Morris at 248-858-1639 or morrisc@oakgov.com. Ornamental Grasses In October we met at Telly’s in Troy to hear George Papadelis talk about ornamental grasses. His enthusiasm and great pictures as well as specimens of some grasses from the nursery whetted my appetite to plant more of them in my garden. He gave us some very comprehensive handouts that will be useful in planning future plantings. Many of the ornamental grasses are hardy natives and do well in a broad range of soils. They can be used in masses, as groundcovers and specimens and for erosion control. There are grasses for sun and shade. Grasses are generally low maintenance with little problem with pests and diseases. They often provide winter interest, and some of them are evergreen and should never be cut back. Others are cut back in the spring just before new growth begins. Grasses come in many heights, types of bloom and inflorescences and in leaf color and variegation. Ophiopogons are evergreen ground covers, the most interesting one being ‘Black Mondo’. Other evergreens are blue festuca and a larger, hardier species called blue oat grass. On the other end of the height spectrum is Erianthus ravennae that grows 10-12’ tall and has pampas grass plumes on it. Arundo is also very tall, but the blooms shatter in the winter. Miscanthus is the queen of grass with many forms and heights including spectacular leaves that are variegated with gold or white, some horizontally and others vertically. The shape also varies from the more open shape of zebra grass to the upright porcupine grass. A newer and more spectacular upright form is called ‘Gold Bar.’ ‘Morning Light’ is just beautiful if viewed with sunlight behind it. Calamagrostis x acutiflora blooms very early, and thus has a special place in the garden. ‘Karl Foerster’ is a common cultivar as are ‘Avalanche’ and ‘Overdam’, both variegated. Pictures of Carex ‘Bad Hair Day’ gave us a big laugh because it is an aptly named variety of dead sedge. It provides texture and contrasting color in the garden. Ribbon grass is a variegated groundcover that is extremely invasive and should only be used in very controlled conditions. Another invasive species is Elymus ‘Glaucus’ that grows 3’ tall with very blue leaves. Panicums are switchgrasses and come in a variety of heights sometimes with foliage that can have a blue tinge and turn red as the season progresses. Japanese blood grass ‘Red Baron’ is red all season and can be grown in light shade. The pennisetums, otherwise known as fountain grasses, live up to their name with a very graceful shape, different heights and inflorescences - ‘Karley Rose’ has distinctive pink blooms. Cultivars of Little Bluestem can be very blue with mauve on the stems as well. New and interesting to me was Juncus e. ‘Blond Ambition’, a one-foot plant with very twisted wiry gold leaves. It would certainly give texture and color as a specimen plant in many different contexts. Another eye-catcher is Hakenechloa ‘Aurea’ that can absolutely light up a shady spot and makes a good companion for blue hosta. I have only touched on the varieties and uses for the many grasses that are currently available for our gardens. Every garden should have at least a few specimens! —Submitted by Jean Gramlich Art for Gardeners: Historical Perspective and Inspiration Our own Advanced Master Gardener, Mary Schwark, talked about the role of horticulture in art for our November program. She quoted Penelope Hobhouse: “Gardens are the result of collaboration between art and nature.” As portrayed in art, plants can be just background, part of the story or the whole story. The portrayal of horticulture changed over the centuries. Before cameras were widely available, the artist was a record-keeper; after the era of photography began, the artist became the interpreter. This change had a profound effect on the representation of plants in painting. Mary presented many slides in chronological order starting with Fra Angelico in the 15th century and ending with 20th century artists like Matisse and Modigliani. Each painter had his own way of representing plants that often changed over the years. Most interesting to me were the impressionists who came after the camera. They did not try to render a strictly realistic representation of the scene – cameras do that very well. The most famous of the impressionists who painted gardens was Monet who did many paintings of the same scene (water lilies and his own garden) under different light conditions, each showing a different “impression” of the landscape. Henri Rousseau’s paintings of plants and animals are unique with their flat, fanciful patterns with no perspective. Mary inspired us to go to the Detroit Institute of Arts to look closely at horticulture in art and perhaps take some ideas and use them in our own gardens. —Submitted by Jean Gramlich Winter Sowing (Reprinted from December 2007) Just as we were about to put our gardens to bed and sit in front of the fire for a few months, along come Vickie Hale and Ron Rudd tell us that we can start gardening again on December 22nd and plant right through March. By setting up mini-greenhouses outside, we can mimic nature with no washouts, wind, birds, animals, insects or drought. We don’t need special containers, grow-lights or room in the basement. Natives, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs can all be started this way. First of all, use a good quality potting mix (not seed starter mix which dries out too fast). Poor quality potting soil will simply turn into a brick under these conditions. Any recyclable container with a top will do. Milk jugs make excellent containers if partially cut in half and then taped together after sowing, or you can cut a door in the side for easy access. Clamshells from take-out foods and salads and other small plastic containers also work well. Newspaper pots can be placed inside plastic containers. Even a zip-lock baggie closed 3/4s of the way will work. They do not recommend using peat pots or pellets. Drill holes in the bottom and top for proper drainage and aeration. Put at least 3” of soil in the container and leave enough headroom for the new plants. Then label! How many times have we all told ourselves that we would remember what was in a particular place only to be scratching our heads later? Aluminum tape, found in the plumbing department, is ideal. No need to stratify seeds because you are following nature’s way. Perennials, trees and shrubs should be planted anytime between the winter solstice and the end of February. March and April are the best time for annuals. Perennials should be planted out when the second set of true leaves have emerged. Wait till after the last frost to set out annuals. It is important to maintain moisture in the greenhouse, though when it is very cold, there is little evaporation. Seedlings need to be protected from heat – even in the winter the sun can fry new seedlings in a protected environment. Dappled sun is ideal. Winter sowers are a friendly, helpful bunch of people. There is a seed database and useful information on the website www.wintersown.org. There is a winter sowing forum on the Garden Web, and there is always someone willing to answer questions. —Submitted by Jean Gramlich Notes From Nutcase Nursery By the time you read this we will no doubt be afflicted by the dreaded First Frost of the season. Although we were a bit short-changed this summer in the temperature department, we did manage to bask a bit in late September with warmer than normal weather. It gave the beans a chance to produce another small batch and me a chance to enjoy a fresh-picked cucumber salad on the last Sunday in September as well as put in some late crops of spinach, beets and lettuce. As soon as the winds die down I will enclose my hopefuls with cold frames and pick as much produce as possible. There is already a stockpile of zucchini in the garage soon to be joined by three very lonely acorn squash and an outstandingly handsome bunch of butternuts. In the winter I dream of what will be, but at this time of year I think back on all that was. I remember the triumphs and tragedies and write notes for improvements in my garden diary. To be truthful, I try to spend as little time as possible on the bad stuff because it’s much more pleasurable to remind myself of what I thought was wonderful. I had big plans for the seed packets of annuals that I buy myself as presents. Thompson and Morgan put out a mixed selection of hardy annual scabiosa called Ebony and Ivory. How intriguing they would be in the pink and purple driveway bed. Deep, deep purple, almost black pincushions paired with crisp, bright-white heads of lightly scented nodding flowers. Too bad none of the dark ones made it. Another gift for me was a pack of Dwarf Fairy Pink annual lupins that were supposed to be sweet pea scented in the evening. I soaked the seeds, planted them in the proper site and not one of them sprouted. There was also a packet or two of a pink and chartreuse zinnia mix that I thought would add a bit of a kick to the same bed. All of the heuchera in that bed are various shades of purple spiced with pink or green and silver. ‘Obsidian’ is a very dark, almost black, purple with very shiny leaves; ‘Mars’ and ‘Black Currant’ are very similar with their maroon netting over a silver background on the top and a robust plum on the undersides of the leaves. ‘Chocolate Ruffles’ came as a bonus plant growing in a pot with some other coral bell. True to its name, it’s deep olive on top with artfully fluffy edges and pinky purple underneath. On my wish list this year was ‘Midnight Rose’ and it has not disappointed. She’s a sport of ‘Obsidian’ made adorable with splashes of rose pink. I couldn’t wait to see those chartreuse (probably ‘Envy’) zinnias making a bold pop against the purples. And I’m still waiting. The zinnias came up promptly and then just as promptly all but one pink one were eaten by bunnies. I can’t seem to grow any zinnias in the front of the house thanks to those grazing rabbits. When I stick zinnias among the raspberries in the back I have no problems, but year after year for at least the past four, zinnias in the front are nothing but bunny beacons as soon as they reach two inches tall. But that lone pink zinnia still makes me happy. One present I truly enjoyed was calendula officinalis ‘Zeolights.’ What a sparkler! I hope it reseeds like crazy for its apricot-tinged, pale pink petals perfectly layered, each appearing burnished at the tip because the darker underside curves up. We have plenty of the “everyday” yellow calendulas that were actually planted only once but have successfully renewed themselves for over fifteen years. The plants stink and Himself informed that he would prefer his salad without “yellow things” and I’m pretty sure it’s strictly the visual that gets him because he can’t taste anything. Or so he says. It could be a trick. A special gift we received was our hummingbird, Herald. He/she travels light; no friends, no enemies. Herald is so tiny I worry about him/her getting stuck in the spider webs. Herald is such an acrobatic speed demon just blasting through the universe from feeder to fuschia to feeder to cannas, and even to a multicolored heart that twists and turns in the breeze. In fact that dollar store dangler is what attracted Herald in the first place last year. There’s an arch just outside the kitchen window where we hang feeders and things that sparkle or twirl to entertain us while we wash dishes or prep meals. It’s a bit of a wind tunnel because three houses in a row, each with plenty of flowers, are all on the same longitude and when spring arrives, Herald blows in and loses his mind. Any day we get to see Herald is a better day than it was before. And speaking of speed demons….In a lightning round between Herald and the squirrel that looks like a mutant chipmunk on steroids and amphetamines, Herald would win, but just by a beak. There is no love lost between those rotten little red squirrels and me. Here we call them rat bastard squirrels. They are very destructive and they torture Big Dog. Even though she has very limited vision, Big Dog has a squirrel detection ability that is spot on. These squirrels are very territorial, to the point that they are known to castrate the young male fox squirrels in the nest to eliminate competition. And they even have the audacity to chit at you from above if you happen to be working in “their” yard. Once, when I was working in the garden near the farmhouse at Tollgate, I was approached by three of them as I was coming up the steps. I took a step, they moved closer. I stepped backward, they moved closer again. I started to flash the scene from Jurassic Park where the computer guy takes off in the rain with a cylinder of some creature’s DNA, rolls his Jeep, loses his glasses and the little lizard-like raptors eat him. I just don’t like them. But this spring I had an “opportunity” to definitely appreciate their work ethic. The pot shed is a little building where I, oddly enough, hide many of my supplies and equipment and of course, pots. Hoses, bird baths, walls o’ water and row covers are stored along with boxes containing bird netting. Last year, an unfortunate red squirrel, apparently a newbie, got tangled up in the heavy duty netting and went to the nuthouse in the sky. I had the unhappy task of disengaging him from the netting and thought that surely this would be a lesson to any other critter with similarly misguided intentions of adventure. No such luck. I first noticed creature activity by the deposit of three black walnuts in front of the shed door, early last October. Two days later, there were twenty-eight. Two days after that, there were none. I checked in with Himself thinking that he had disposed of the evidence but he hadn’t touched them. I got nervous. Somebody put them somewhere. I opened the door of the shed and beheld a sight akin to the aftermath of a tornado. There were pots thrown all over the floor, inside the shredder hopper and snow blower chute, a complete mess. Somebody had been very, very busy. I cleaned up thinking that what I had experienced was simply a reconnaissance mission that didn’t pan out. Fast forward to March of this year when I opened the shed for the first time to begin the tasks of the new season. Here we go again, pots all over the place. As I began to clean up, I discovered that some of the pots were no longer empty. In several black pots there were neat stacks of spruce cones. In some of the larger green pots, I found not only the twenty-two quince that disappeared from my bush the previous year, but also several others from neighboring shrubs. In three other pots were the black walnuts we had seen in the fall, sorted according to some secret squirrel specification. In a three-inch pot were my American hazelnuts which I knew were empty. I suppose that when you’re operating in an environment where speed and neatness are critical, you might forget to run that all-important quality check. What made me laugh out loud was the discovery of a cap from a spray can filled to the brim with kernels of corn. It was now obvious that a lot of the stored food had been consumed. But even the perfectly cleaned spruce cone cobs were put back in pots. The scales, of course, were nibbled and left where they fell for me to sweep up. I emptied the shed, dragging out each piece of equipment, the boxes, the birdbaths, almost everything. The little beggars even ate the rubber mat on the floor apparently looking for an exit. Or perhaps they were going to dig a latrine. After I wrote this I decided that it might again be time to check on the conditions inside the pot shed. They are digging a latrine. The hole was enlarged now to the size of a silver dollar. I put hardware cloth over it. The next day it was moved. I put more in and tucked it under the rubber mat. I could tell very shortly that they had begun working on that. I finally put a stepping stone over the hole. So far, so good but I decided it might be wise to look around for another entry or exit point. There are several pots stacked behind the shed which are larger and too bulky to put inside. Wouldn’t you know it - - seven of them are already neatly filled with spruce cones. I think it might be a pretty nasty winter but I’m still laughing. After all, this is why we called our nursery Nutcase in the first place. Some Information You Should Know MGSOOC Board Members President: Tom Hershberger ………………..…. (586)573-3954 Vice President: John Grant……………………….(248)852-3758 Secretary: Ruth Vrbensky ……………………….(248)969-6904 Treasurer: Jean Gramlich …………………..….. (810)714-2343 Team Administrator: Susan McLarty ……… (248)673-8092 MSU Extension Oakland County Coordinator Advisor: Carol Lenchek ………………………… (248)858-0900 lenchekc@oakgov.com Team Coordinators Bowers Farm: Wayne Lapinski……………….(248)391-6269 Project Support: Clay Ottoni …………..……..(248)454-9800 Hospitality: Chris Covell……………….…….(248)852-1890 Membership: Julie Kowalk …………..………(810)655-2228 Programs: DeeAnn Bauer ……………..….(248)828-7385 Door prize Coordinator: Janie Grissom…..(248)887-6096 Trips & Tours: Sandie Parrott ………….….....(248)394-1532 Corresponding Secretary: Margy Truza…… mat4744@aol.com Web Site Address: www.mgsoc.org Webmaster: Sheri Trout sheri@oaklandweb.com Web Site Calendar: Chris Wilder cwilder@wowway.com Currently Available Opportunities: Communications, Education, Project Support, Volunteer Activities North Office Building, #26 East Carol Lenchek…248-858-0900 1200 N. Telegraph Road Extension Educator~Master Gardener Program Pontiac, MI 48341 Email: lenchekc@oakgov.com Office Hours: M- F 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Linda Smith…248-858-0887 Beverly Terry…248-858-0885 Horticulture Office Assistant County Extension Director Email: smithlin@oakgov.com Email: terryb@oakgov.com Cathy Morris…248-858-1639 Lois Thieleke…248-858-0888 Clerk & Contact for Certification of Volunteer Extension Educator~Food & Nutrition & Education Hours Email: thielekel@oakgov.com Email: morrisc@oakgov.com Charlene Molnar…248-858-0902 Bindu Bhakta…248-858-5198 Horticulture Advisor Extension Educator~Water Quality Plant & Pest Hotline Email: bhaktabi@msu.edu Hours of operation vary seasonally Saneya Hamler…248-452-9726 Robin Danto…248-858-0904 Extension Educator~Children, Youth & Family Extension Educator~Food Safety Email: hamlersa@msu.edu Email: dantor@oakgov.com Tom Schneider…248-858-0905 Eva Poole…248-858-1993 Extension Educator~4-H Youth Programs Extension Educator~Children, Youth & Family Email: schneidert@oakgov.com Email: ander204@msu.edu ?? ?? ?? ?? - 1 - Michigan State University Extension- Oakland County “Bringing Knowledge to Life”