The Plant and Pest Hotline

I took the Master Gardener class back in the winter of 2000. Since then I have been doing volunteer work in the Saginaw community and attending different classes to keep current on my Master Gardener status. The Master Gardeners add so much to any community and I am happy to be one of them.

This past year due to retirement I have been able to man the phone at the MSU Extension Office here in Saginaw to answer questions people have about gardening. We call it the Plant and Pest Hotline and it is a free service (we are volunteers!) to anyone who calls with a question. There is a lot of information about different gardening topics out there and we are happy to share that information with anyone who asks.

So, if you have a question, don't hesitate to call us at 989-758-2500.

House plants in Michigan

Several years ago on their 40th wedding anniversary My Aunt Helen and Uncle Ralph received this plant from my parents in celebration. And this plant which would die if not kept indoors in Michigan is doing quite well outside in Barefoot Bay, Florida. For every plant there is a place, and that place depends upon the weather. I can't tell you the name of this house plant, but I can tell you it is thriving outside in full sun in Florida. As are these more colorful long lived plants that like the heat and die in the cold.

I recently spent a week visiting my aunts in Florida so that they could spend some time with their sister, my mother. Plants are wonderful. But they are more wonderful when they tell the stories of the people who planted them. These plants tell the story of my mom and her sisters. And that is quite a tale to tell!

The Last of...

Last week I finished the final fresh green pepper from the garden. This week I made the last cabbage into slaw. There is always a last of everything. I try to make my lasts go as far into the winter season as possible. I still have plenty of onions, carrots and potatoes. The root vegetables keep quite well. And the garlic. Hopefully I will still be eating Orange Treasure tomatoes in January. They kept for a long time last year and the longevity of this tomato variety is looking good for this year as well.

Of course different preservation methods will make the "last of" last even longer. Canning salsa, freezing tomato sauce and drying tomatoes and peppers means that I will be eating from the garden all winter long. Food will still taste good, be healthy for me and cost nothing in the way of energy since only my steps from the garden to the house were involved in the transportation of this food. Since I try to walk 10,000 steps a day I consider this a very good thing indeed. 

Red Lentil Salad

I bought some orange lentils at Hampshire Farms not too long ago, just because they looked so pretty. So then it was necessary to find a recipe for them. Here is a recipe for Red Lentil Salad where I substituted the orange lentils for the red.

Cook 1 cup lentils in 1 quart water ( I found that it took about 15 minutes to cook, not long at all). While still warm add the dressing: 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 gloves garlic minced. Let the lentils cool to room temperature.

Add the following vegetables:

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (I substituted home grown orange treasure tomatoes) chopped

3/4 cup chopped cucumber

3/4 cup chopped orange bell pepper

3/4 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

Toss together.

A quick recipe that sounds really good to me!

My orange treasure tomatoes are still plentiful and tasting like summer. I fully expect them to last into January like they did last year. What a great tomato this one is!

Fall Clean-up

It is inevitable here in Michigan that come November it is time to put the garden to bed and think about a long winter's rest. I actually don't mind the rest since the garden keeps me busy from spring to fall. And I have more time to read. Of course some of those books I read happen to be about gardening! I guess I can never fully leave it behind.

The nice thing about fall is that there is still a lot of color to be had. The burning bush comes into its own at this time of year. And although I have thought about digging it out at times, I never quite manage to do so because of the vibrant red color it displays.

There was a bit of color this morning in the yarrow (variety Paprika). Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised to see this. Yarrow was the one wildflower that was still in bloom on my trip to Alaska this past September. Michigan is a bit further south than Alaska so maybe I should have expected this nice surprise in November here.

Well, the leaves in the front are raked and everything I intend to cut back for now is cut back. Time to clean the tools I guess. But I think I will save that for another day. A gardener's work is never really done.

Hampshire Farms

This past week I made a trip to Kingston, Michigan with a friend so we could buy some bread, beans and eggs from Hampshire Farms. I cam home with bread, beans, eggs, popcorn, lentils and oatmeal. Oh well, best laid plans...

Hampshire Farms is a certified organic farm that uses a mill from 1917 to grind the flour they use in their breads. This time I bought 3 seed and wild rye breads. Janet also bought cherry walnut. I can testify that this is the best bread ever. That mill sure does a good job.

I usually buy my eggs from a friend at the library who raises chickens, but I decided to go ahead and buy a carton while I was there, simply because I fell in love with these lovely chicks. They are a heritage variety called Barred Plymouth Rocks. Fortunately these chickens have a couple of wonderful dogs named Jack and Mac to give them protection. And I can attest to the fact that these dogs are wonderful. They seemed to like me so all is right with the world.

The bread is baked in this wood-fired beehive oven that has a capacity to make 40 loaves at a time. I cannot recommend this bread highly enough. If you are able to get to Kingston, they bake their breads on Friday so if you get their between 3:00-6:00 in the afternoon you can buy some then. Or else visit them at Eastern Market or the Royal Oak Farmer's Market on Saturdays. Maybe you'll see me there!

Ornamental gourds and their use in the house

The ornamental gourd plants that I grew this year produced enough gourds to share with family and friends. One of those friends happens to be my 4 year old cat. She was the one who decided I needed to share with her as I did not give her one willingly. 



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She is a rather intelligent cat and likes to play football (or baseball or whatever sport you call batting the stolen vegetable around). She is quite good at it although I sometimes have to fetch it for her when she bats it under the table and then can't quite manage to get at it.

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I, of course am a rather good fetcher. I always thought that I gardened for produce and a good tomato to eat. Apparently I am also gardening to keep my cat in cat toys. She would steal the tomatoes too if I let her. She has in the past. Now they are stored safely atop the refrigerator (at least I think they are safe up there).

Today I made some cornbread with corn meal bought from Hampshire Farms. I am hoping to get there some day soon to buy some black beans and bread. Cornbread and a happy cat. What more could a person ask for?

Time to cook

One of the best things about gardening is being able to cook with your own produce. And if you don't grow your own food, don't worry. The Saginaw Farmer's Market is open until the end of October and Eastern Market and the Royal Oak Farmer's Market stay open year round. So this week I am going to share a couple of recipes using what I have grown in the garden this summer.

Oatmeal Rhubarb Crisp

1 cup sifted flour

3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 cups diced rhubarb

1 cup sugar

 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon until crumbly. Press half the mixture into a 9 inch baking pan. Cover the crumb mixture with diced rhubarb.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook until thick. Pour this sauce over the rhubarb. Top with the remaining crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve warm, either plain or topped with whipped cream. I dice and freeze my rhubarb and use it all winter long. At least until it is gone.

White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Basil



2 16 ounce cans white beans drained, or cook up some dried beans you get from the Farmer's Market

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup of your favorite marina pasta sauce, or use that tomato sauce you froze from your tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Puree all ingredients in the blender until smooth. Simmer in a large saucepan stirring frequently to blend flavors.

I love this soup and now that Michigan is seeing some fall temperatures it is time to make up a pot using the garlic, rosemary and basil I grew this year and the tomato sauce I froze last month.

Enjoy!

Still in Bloom

When it comes to gardening, never say die. The warm weather we have been having this fall sure has kept the plants going. The garden mums are putting on a fantastic show right now. And I still had hibiscus in bloom a week ago.

Fall is the time of year that many sedums give you a display of color from pinks and purples to deep maroon. Sedums are reliable plants that I leave up for winter interest, assuming the aren't covered in snow.





Believe it or not, I haven't cut back all the basil yet. Basil is one of the first plants to die when there is a frost. So far we haven't had one. And since the purple flowers of this basil plant are quite pretty I decided to leave it until the frost gets it.

If you are fond of crocuses in the spring, then you should plant some colchicums for the fall. The flowers do not last a long time, but they are quite beautiful and definitely great for fall interest.

Winter may be coming, but the fall is a spectacular time for color. So enjoy it while you can.

All in a day's work (or more)

This is the time of year I am busy in the kitchen putting produce by. Last year I took a canning class offered through the Saginaw County Extension Office. With all of the tomatoes, peppers and onions I harvested this year I was able to can 10 pints of salsa, at least 12 pints of tomato sauce and still have plenty left over to share with Hidden Harvest.



Since I was away for a couple of weeks in the biggest state of the union (Alaska) I was a little bit late in harvesting my potatoes. No matter. They patiently waited for me to spend many hours digging, cleaning and drying them. Hopefully they will last me well into March, even though I do share them with my parents.



There is still plenty of time to visit your local farmer's market if you want to freeze some corn and green beans. I stopped at the Oakland County Farmer's Market on my way home from my sister's this morning and picked up some corn and green beans which are now in the freezer. I blanch the green beans before freezing but the corn gets removed from the cob and then frozen as is.

And so the life of a gardener goes. Soon the snow will be blowing and I will be ready for a long winter's rest. Life is good!

Jewell Gardens in Skagway, Alaska

I recently had the opportunity to visit the biggest state in the union. And of course on this trip of a lifetime if I was going to choose an excursion, that excursion would necessarily include a garden whose produce was used in the kitchen.

That garden was Jewell Gardens in Skagway, Alaska, otherwise known as the garden city of Alaska. Jewell Gardens is also known for its glassworks which you see incorporated into the garden.

I loved how kale was incorporated as an ornamental in this garden. It was simply beautiful. The cook however did not make a dish including kale. He used the rhubarb which I carried back from the garden to make a rhubarb sauce. Rhubarb is not native to Alaska, but was and is an extremely important plant to the Alaskans. Years ago it was brought in to help prevent scurvy and today it is used because it just tastes good. I can attest to this having tasted the sauce the cook made.

So when you think of Alaska and think of the dark and cold in the wintertime, remember, they also get a great deal of sun in the summer which is something these sun loving plants just adore. There is more to Alaska than snow and if you ever get a chance to visit this beautiful state, I highly recommend you take it.

The Garden in Fall

Autumn is upon us here in mid Michigan, even though the sun in shining and the temperature is warm. No matter. The days are shorter and that undeniable fall smell is in the air. That does not mean that the garden is done or that there is no color to behold. Fortunately for us Sedum Autumn Joy is now coming into its own. And its own is a spectacular maroon color that will continue right up to frost. I love how this plant continues to change throughout the fall and the birds love that I don't cut it down until spring.

Okay, this picture doesn't look like much. But I planted some winter rye beneath the straw this week and am hoping that I watered it well enough to germinate and grow this fall. If it does I will turn it under next spring to provide nourishment for next year's garden. I have not tried this before, but I figured what the heck. Anything to feed my vegetables next year.

The kale is still going strong in the fall garden. I have planted different varieties including one called dinosaur which has some spectacular leaves. This plant may still be there after frost. And then it will be time to plant garlic. Everything to look forward to! Yes, that is September indeed.

Putting Food By

This is the lovely time of year. The tomatoes I picked today were picture perfect. And just as tasty, unlike what you buy in the grocery store in January. September is prime tomato eating time. But since I still crave tomatoes in January I put food by. This food dehydrator works just fine for cut up Juliet tomatoes. Once they are dry I will store them in a cool dry place and then use them on salads come January. They add a nice crunch and they taste good.

Other varieties of tomatoes I grew this year include Cream Sausage, Roma VF, Kellogg's Breakfast and the Great White tomato. Using a food mill I have processed the latest batch (all together) into a sauce that is currently cooking on the stove. Soon I will freeze it and have it available for spaghetti sauce and soups this winter.

My only regret is that my freezer is just about full. I am seriously debating getting a small freezer, but my house is so small I don't know where I would put it. I suppose I could always get rid of the kitchen table!

Reblooming Perennials

There are some perennials that just keep on giving. And giving. The yarrow I grow is a variety called Paprika and here it is almost September with more flowers on it.

The butterfly weed has also bloomed again. All I do is cut back the spent flowers and if I get lucky later on in the summer (meaning now) these flowers decide to give another show.

I couldn't be happier with the purple coneflower. This plant started blooming back in July and I still have some good looking flowers out there. I generally don't cut this plant back as the birds like the dried seed heads from it.

Yes, annuals are the plants that will give you flowers all summer long. But some perennials do pretty well if what you are looking for is long blooming plants.

Growing Up

I live in a small house on a small city lot. Although I try to use the space I have to the best of my ability, sometimes I find that I just don't have enough. Space that is.

One way to solve this dilemma is to put that ugly chain link fence to good use. Since I know that when I plant gourds in the vegetable garden they tend to travel from one end of the garden to the other I decided this year to try growing this aggressive plant up the chain link fence that separates my yard from the neighbors. It didn't take long for a couple of seeds to cover the fence and soon I will have some nice ornamental gourds for fall display.

So if you run out of space like me, and you have a fence available, put it to work. You'll be glad you did!

Pesto Time

Since I recently finished the last batch of pesto that I froze last fall I decided it was time to make some more. I plant different types of basil including Genovese, Mammoth and Serrata, all of which work great in pesto.

Recipe for Pesto

4 cups fresh basil leaves minced

5 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup minced pine nuts

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup olive oil

Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Then I freeze the pesto in small portions by using a muffin tin. Eventually these will be put in freezer bags.

So, if you are like me and like your pesto, that is the number one reason to plant both basil and garlic in your garden. There is nothing like it!

A Little Bit Crazy for Dill

I have been growing dill in my garden for the past 25 years. It is one herb I could not do without. Why? Well, it passes the reliability test; I can always count on it. I used to worry about where it might self seed, but no more. I tend to let it do its thing since I like how it looks, no matter which flower bed it decides to be a part of. I am thinking of sowing a few seeds in the front garden as well. Tomatoes didn't work there (not enough sun) but I suspect dill will like it just fine.

Dill is a trouble free plant that self seeds, looks great in flower arrangements, lasts a long time and you can cook with it. What more could you ask of a plant!

Providing ornamentation in the garden can get to be an expensive hobby. That is why if have the opportunity to reuse something I jump on board and do it. This mirror has found a place showing off the cardinal flower behind my shed. It used to hang in my bathroom, but when I remodeled the bathroom it could either go out with the trash, or go out to the garden. I am glad to have found some use for it. The birds like it too!

Gee Farms and the Brighton Farmer's Market

On Saturday 17 members and friends of the Saginaw Valley Master Gardener Association braved Michigan's steamy weather on a trip to Brighton, Michigan to visit the Brighton Farmer's Market. We found plenty to buy including fresh blackberries, corn and you guessed it, plants. It was the last weekend for Specialty Growers to be there so some of us indulged. I managed to wait on the plants and spent my money at Gee Farms, the next stop on our day long excursion. While there I found three plants that I just had to take home with me. First purchase was a Cimicifuga, common name of Black Snakeroot variety Hillside Black Beauty. It is supposed to get 4 to 7 feet tall with a width of 2 to 3 feet. So I need to find a big enough spot for it. I have a tendency not to give my plants enough room so taking a yardstick outside with me to plant is not uncommon.

My next purchase was a Hibiscus called Copper King. I like the leaves of this one too. Leaves are in season all summer long which is why I try to select plants with leave that I like.

And last, but not least I finally bought an Oak Leaf Hydrangea. I have been wanting to buy one for awhile and this particular variety fit the bill. Not only are the leaves of this Little Honey variety a totally different color than usual, it only gets 4 feet tall so I am sure to find a spot for it.

Now the trick is to keep them all alive. Of course if I don't then that too becomes an opportunity to plant something else!

Dog Days of Summer

I know I live in Michigan and since I live in Michigan I am generally either complaining about the snow and the cold or I am complaining about how hot I am. This past week I haven't complained about the cold at all.

Fortunately the Purple Coneflower likes the heat just fine. And it seems to survive the lack of rain as well. I have been watering (with what little rain water my rain barrels have collected) but it never seems to perk up the garden the same way a good rain does. So I am doing another rain dance today and keeping my fingers crossed.

The Russian Sage and Liatris are in bloom now and make a good pastel mix. This was not planned of course since I tend to plop my plants in the ground where I find room. I get nice surprises since the plants don't need me much once they are in the ground.

This is a Hibiscus, variety Luna Red which I planted this year where the butterfly bush died. When plants die instead of crying over them I look at it as an opportunity to plant something else. And no, the flowers aren't bigger than me, but they are pretty darn big and impressive.

The Asiatic lilies have been at their peak these past couple of weeks. And now it is the Stargazers turn. I like the contrast of the petals with the pollen.

Soon, soon, the Juliets are coming! Juliet tomatoes, a small Roma shaped tomato are the first to turn red in my garden. I have a pot on the deck that has some that are starting to turn. It's about time! I look forward to eating these before August. We shall see.

This year I am doing my best to protect some of the apples on my apple trees. I used Surround which is an organic product to protect the fruits from assorted pests. I have also tied some little bags made of nylon I bought from a company last year. So far, so good.

I picked my first peppers this week. I was able to make black bean salad using my own peppers. Now I am waiting on the Juliets!