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.
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.

We will continue to update our Website with articles and enter current gardening events in our website Event Calendar. All the best wishes for 2024 and beyond.

Getting rid of aggressive lily of the valley

December 1, 2017 • 2 Comments

One side of my backyard is overgrown with lily of the valley that came from my neighbor’s yard under the fence. I try digging them out in the spring when the ground is somewhat workable but I always seem to lose the battle. The soil is mostly clay and very hard to work with. I would like to get rid of them; any advice? B.P., Taylor

The creeping rhizomes of lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) allow for rapid spread even in mediocre conditions. The clay may be hard for you to work in, but it hardly deters their persistent rootstock. Even a small piece of lingering rhizome can erupt in basal leaves. Lily of the valley spawns a love-hate relationship from gardeners in spring. They are one of the earliest fragrant white flowers, but once bloomed, the foliage browns out and dies back. In the meantime, the rhizomes grow and further invade areas of established lawns and gardens.

As they are in your neighbor’s yard, you will have to put a seamless metal (sheet roll aluminum) or stiff plastic barrier at least 18 inches down into the soil along the fence on your side where the plants grow. Stake it against the fence to prevent the rhizomes from pushing and bending the barrier. Diligently spade fork the rhizomes out and reduce the amount of shade and moisture in that area, which they prefer. Be aggressive in your approach by target spraying with an herbicide, such as glyphosate, any leaves that break the soil’s surface. Do not plant other plants in this area for a season while you do battle. Any compost or granular fertilizers you would use for your plants will only feed leftover rootlets. Perhaps you can negotiate with your neighbor to move the lily of the valley to another part of their yard where it won’t invade your yard. If not, practice patience and persistence to get rid of this invasive perennial.

DNR hosting public open houses to obtain feedback on proposed Belle Isle garden

November 6, 2017 • Leave a Comment

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Garden Club of Michigan will host two public meetings November 14 and November 28 to gather public input on a proposed garden in Detroit’s Belle Isle Park. The garden will be designed by internationally renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf.

Oudolf’s acclaimed gardens include the Lurie Garden in Chicago and the Highline in New York City, among scores of gardens around the world. He is one of today’s premier garden designers for public landscapes and is a leading figure of the “New Perennial” movement that is characterized by utilizing herbaceous perennials and grasses. His garden designs are artistic, ecologically inspired, accessible, welcoming, and enjoyed year-round.

After touring Detroit with the Garden Club of Michigan this past spring, Oudolf selected Belle Isle Park as the proposed site for one of his acclaimed garden designs. The site, located near the Nancy Brown Peace Carillon Tower between the Remick Band Shell and the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, will be a connector in the cultural heart of the park. It also will help revitalize the island and attract garden lovers from near and far. The proposed garden will be paid for through donations and fundraising that will cover all the design, installation and maintenance costs.

Oudolf described the proposed Belle Isle site as a connector for people and activities on the island and “an opportunity to reinvigorate the adjacent structures and facilities.”

Open house dates & details

At the open houses, participants will view a short video of Oudolf discussing his vision for the garden and providing insight into the preferred site location. He also will respond to a few questions submitted by the public ahead of time. Both open houses will take place at the Flynn Pavilion (4435 Muse Road, Belle Isle Park, Detroit).

First open house: Tuesday, November 14, 6 to 8 p.m.
Second open house: Tuesday, November 28, 3 to 5 p.m. Will address questions that arise from the first open house.

“It is vital that the community has an opportunity to weigh in on the proposal,” said Scott Pratt, chief of Southern Field Operations for the DNR. “It is equally important that the DNR and the garden club ensure that the garden will be financially sustainable and has the support of state and city agencies.”

Invasive Japanese stiltgrass found in Washtenaw County

October 2, 2017 • Leave a Comment

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently announced that Japanese stiltgrass, an invasive plant originating in Asia, recently has been positively identified on private property in Scio Township, near Ann Arbor in Washtenaw County. This identification, confirmed by the University of Michigan Herbarium, is the first detection of this species in Michigan.

Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) has been on Michigan’s invasive species watch list since 2015 due to the grass’s presence in nearby states, including Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. The species is believed to have arrived in the U.S. from Asia in the early 20th century, when it was used as a packing material for fine china. It is now widely distributed along the East Coast and in southern states.

Why be concerned?
“This annual grass is considered highly invasive, taking hold in areas of disturbed soil along banks, roadways and woods,” said Greg Norwood, invasive species coordinator for the DNR’s Wildlife Division. “Seeds can be transported by water or on animals, and seeds can remain viable in the soil for 3 to 5 years. Because deer don’t feed on Japanese stiltgrass, it often takes over in areas where deer browse on native plants and leave open patches of soil.”

What is being done?
The DNR is collaborating with The Stewardship Network, a nonprofit conservation group based in Ann Arbor, and other partners to identify the extent of the infestation. To date, small “satellite” populations have been located on the original property and a nearby site. The primary infestation was treated with herbicide, and plant material was burned. The small patches of grass at the satellite locations were removed by hand and disposed of.

How can you help?
The DNR is asking anyone to be on the lookout for Japanese stiltgrass and to report the location and photos of any suspected findings to Greg Norwood at norwoodg@michigan.gov.
Japanese stiltgrass looks like some native grasses, so it may not appear out of the ordinary to the general observer. Here is what to look for:
• A thin, bamboo-like grass with jointed stems and well-spaced leaves.
• Smooth green leaves 2 to 3 inches long and one-half inch wide, tapering to points at both ends, often with an off-center silver stripe or mid-rib.
• 1- to 3-foot-high beds of grass, with some stems running across the ground and others shooting upright.
• Roots, both at the base and stem joints, that are weakly attached to the soil and easy to pull up.
• One to three slender, green flower spikes at the stem tips, appearing in August or September.

Look-alike species
There are a few common plants in Michigan that easily may be mistaken for Japanese stiltgrass.
More information about invasive species, including identification information for Japanese stiltgrass, can be found at www.michigan.gov/invasivespecies.

Digital Editions