URLs* from Dr. Dean Krauskopf's Presentation on March 10, 2022

Presentation Slides

Land PKS:  https://tellus.ars.usda.gov/stories/articles/want-to-know-what-s-in-your-soil-there-s-an-app-for-that/

Media Characteristics: https://www.greenhousemag.com/article/growing-media-report-capturing-a-substrates-potential/       

Peat Sustainability: https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=25542

Fertilizer Availability and Cost:  https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2021/12/13/world-nitrogen-demand-increase-2022                      https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2021/12/15/geopolitical-trade-disputes-darken                                                https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2021/12/17/sanctions-affect-world-potash-supply 

Soil Lead and Vegetables: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what-do-i-need-to-know-about-lead-before-planting-vegetables

Disease Susceptibility/Resistance of Apple Varieties: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-132-W.pdf   https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/scab_immune_apple_varieties_can_reduce_pesticide_use_for_the_backyard

Spotted Lanternfly Fungal Diseases: ttps://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1903579116

Spotted Lanternfly Distribution: https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/plant-health/invasive-pests/slf#:~:text=Spotted%20lanternfly%20has%20not%20yet%20been%20confirmed%20in,other%20pests%20can%20cause%20these%20symptoms%20as%20well.

Joro Spider:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-parachuting-spiders-could-soon-invade-the-east-coast-study-finds-180979694/   

https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-are-here-to-stay/

Samurai Wasp in Michigan: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/increasing-samurai-wasp-for-biological-control-of-brown-marmorated-stink-bug

Spongy Moth: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/science/spongy-moth-romani.html

*URL = Uniform Resource Locator (per Alexa)

Learning form the Past Handout Content

Perennial Plant of the Year™ 2022

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium and cultivars ‘Jazz’, ‘The Blues’, Standing Ovation’, ‘Carousel’, ‘Blue Heaven’, ‘Prairie Blues’)  Zones 3-9; height 24-48”, width 18-24”; full sun; native.

Boxwood (Buxus spp) – boxwood leafminer (Monarthropalpusi flavus), boxwood psyllid (Cacopsylla busi)

Close monitoring and proper insect/diseases identification.

Bioadvanced 12 Month Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed

 Viburnum Leaf Beetle (VLB) (Pyrrhalta viburni)– highly susceptible species

V. dentatum (Arrowwood); V. nudum (possum-haw); V. opulus (European cranberrybush);

V. opulus var. Americana (American cranberrybush); V. propinquum (Chinese);

V. rafinesquianum (Rafinesque)

        http://www.hort.cornell.edu/vlb/manage.html

To stake or not to stake – Is it the right thing to do?  Why do it?  How long?

 Sanitation – Disinfect tools frequently, dip them for ten seconds into any of these and then allow the tool to dry. 

This includes hands, gloves, shoes, clothing, etc.

Isopropyl alcohol 70-100%

Sodium hypochlorite 10% household bleach (1-part bleach to 9 parts clean water, made fresh daily)

Phenolics 0.4-5% (trade name Pheno-Cen)

Quaternary ammonium at 0.5-1.5% (trade names Greenshield, Consan Triple Action 20, Physan 20)

Why, to keep from spreading problems.  Examples . . . Boxwood (Boxwood blight), Red-twig dogwood (twig blight (canker), lawn (dollar spot, rust), clematis (clematis wilt), etc.

Keeping records

Keep records and take pictures so you can . . . evaluate successes and failures.  Replace a dead plant with an exact match, by keeping track of genus, species and cultivar (not common names).  Where the plant/seed was purchased and when (cost!).    Where it is planted in the garden.  Where there was pest & disease problems, what treatment, product(s) was used & date(s) (IPM).  Blooming dates for trees, shrubs and perennials.  When specific plants were pruned and/or divided.  When certain tasks were done such as fertilizing and with what.  Mulch, what kind, how much, where was it purchased.  Plant problems, floppy, plant health, something doesn’t look right.  Climate data, temps, moisture, sunshine, cloudy.  Changes to make for next year and why.  Good/bad combinations.  Harvest date(s).

 Butterflies – Butterflies of Michigan Field Guide by Jaret C. Daniels

Keeping track of them!

Tools – Radius Garden™ O handle “Natural Radius Grip™”, stainless steel

Fall interest plants

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) 3-8’ tall, 3-6’ wide; Z6-10; blooms June to August; full sun to part shade

Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) Z3-7; 2-4’ tall, 1-2’ wide; full sun to light shade

Magazines

Fine Gardening and on-line Garden Photo of the Day (GPOD)

Horticulture and e-newsletter

A Way to Garden – Weekly on-line newsletter featuring horticultural how-to and “woo-woo” from Margaret Roach: garden tips, expert interviews, nature “aha’s,” garden-to-table recipes, and more.  Offering A Virtual Garden Club and a recent book club.  https://awaytogarden.com

Zero-Calorie Potluck of Short Topics including Swiss Chard

Enjoying Michigan Owls

Based on Andrew Nowicki’s fascinating program on owling in Michigan during the winter:

eBird - Discover a new world of birding...

Sign in (cornell.edu) to sign up for alerts of specific sightings

Owling Etiquette

  • Beware of bright light

  • Limit the use of calls

  • Keep your distance

  • Preserve roosts and nests

Owling Tips

  • Dress warm and quiet (no noisy jackets)

  • Play smaller owl calls first (Screech, then Barred, then Great Horned)

  • Listen

  • Consider visiting a hotspot for daylight owls

  • Binoculars with clear images are better than those with higher magnification that magnifies handheld shakiness

Green Infrastructure Presentation

A recording of Dale Browne’s presentation on Green Infrastructure at the September 2021 MGAWC membership meeting is posted at https://youtu.be/lPalNmrxrA8.

Resources:

Box Tree Moth Found in Michigan