Michigan Gardener - Your guide Great Lakes gardening: Garden Event Calendar / Expert Advice / Plant Profiles / Tree Care

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.
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Planting groundcover under maple trees

May 20, 2010 •

I want to plant some groundcovers under a maple tree this year. Please suggest some low shrubs or groundcovers that would be able to “share” moisture and nutrients with the maple while living under its canopy.

There are a number of perennial groundcovers that will take both shade and reduced moisture from tree roots. All of these plants will require supplemental moisture until they are established. Suggested plants are: barrenwort (Epimedium), Lamium, Liriope, Corydalis, Aegopodium, Bergenia, and Pachysandra.

Rejuvenating soil around perennials

May 19, 2010 •

I have a large perennial bed that needs to have the soil rejuvenated – it has been several years since the bed was installed. I dread having to dig up all the perennial plants, work the soil and then replant everything. Can I achieve the same benefits by placing a thick, 4 to 6 inch layer of organic matter over the bed this spring? Will that smother and kill the perennials, or will they gradually work their way up through the added layer? Would it be possible or better to do this in the fall after the plants are done blooming?

Adding a large layer of organic matter at one time will cause the crown or base of most of the perennial plants to rot and die. A small layer of organic matter 1 inch thick can be worked into the soil each spring and fall without causing the plants to rot. A commercial fertilizer may also be applied to provide nutrients for the perennials. A fertilizer such as 9-21-14 is recommended.

Yellowing rhododendron leaves

May 18, 2010 •

I have several rhododendrons in dappled shade that bloom pretty well and are relatively healthy. Each year, however, leaves near the base of the plant turn yellow and drop off. Is this typical or is it a problem I should correct?

What you may be experiencing is normal leaf drop that occurs on all broadleaf evergreens in late fall or early spring. Even though these plants keep their leaves all winter they still go through a natural process each fall where older leaves are shed. Some of these leaves may remain until spring when they finally drop off. If you are experiencing leaf drop at other times, such as mid-summer, this may suggest a cultural problem. Insufficient moisture in dry summers may cause some leaves to drop.

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