The Garden Corner

Deicing Salt a Mixed Blessing

Eleven New Varieties Win All-America Selections Awards

Houseplant Pots: Size, Porosity, Drainage are Critical Factors in Plant Success

How Do Insects Survive the Winter?

Planning to Plant Strawberries?

Planning Your Garden? Remember to Rotate Crops

Plant Buyer, Beware

Poinsettia May Bloom Well Past the Holidays

Potatoes Not the Easiest Crop in the Garden

Several Garden Crops are Native to Americas

Winter a Good Time to Analyze Landscape, Plan Alterations
 

The Garden Corner

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Q. When the trees started turning and losing their leaves this past fall, I thought the color was going to be kind of understated -- lots of yellow, not much red, and some trees simply turning brown and losing their leaves with no color show at all. I figured the past summer’s drought had something to do with muting the colors. As the season went on, colors became more and more vibrant and seemed to last longer than usual. I suppose it’s all part of natural variation, but I’m still wondering why colors are better some years than others.

A. Leaves turn color in the fall because of chemical changes that occur in response to decreasing day length. As the days get shorter and cooler, chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green color, breaks down. Then the yellow and orange pigments that have been there all along become visible. The red and purple pigments aren’t present in the leaves all summer but are produced in late summer. The intensity of color depends on the weather. Bright, sunny, warm days and cool nights favor brilliant reds. Warm night temperatures and cloudy, wet weather tend to dull the fall display. An early frost that kills leaf tissue results in brown predominating.

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Q. Summerlike weather continued into October this past fall. The first hard frost didn’t occur until mid-October, and even in the first week of November, southern Michigan had temperatures in the high 60s. What’s the likelihood that landscape plants failed to be fully dormant when cold weather finally arrived?

A. The effect is like that of an early spring frost. These late-season frosts won’t kill your landscape plants. They will damage or kill the foliage, but this doesn’t do any long-term damage to the plants.

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Q. What sort of care do cacti need in the winter?

A. In a word, minimal. Cacti native to North America are essentially dormant in the winter. Because they aren’t growing, they need no fertilizer and very little water, and they thrive on cool temperatures -- 45 to 55 degrees F. Overwatered plants tend to rot. So TLC is out and intelligent neglect is in. Simply place them in a cool spot -- an unheated room is ideal -- and water only sparingly.

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Q. After the hot, dry summer weather, my daylilies were looking pretty parched. When they got some rain in September, they perked up and put out a lot of new growth, which has been killed back by frost. Are they likely to be OK in the spring?

A. Yes. They’ve put some energy in producing that late-season growth, but the root system beneath the soil will survive and send up new growth in the spring.

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Q. Do houseplants ever need pruning?

A. Yes, for the same reasons that outdoor plants do -- to remove dead, damaged or diseased parts; to control size and shape; and to induce branching or reduce legginess -- that is, to produce a thicker, more compact plant.

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Q. We have the usual ladybugs and an occasional boxelder bug in the house in the winter, but usually in mid- to late winter, we start finding other insects. Last year, we had several brightly colored beetles with long feelers – as long as or longer than their bodies. One year it was big black ants (we hustled the log they came out of right back outdoors and killed the stragglers); often we find spiders that don’t look like the usual cobweb spiders that I’m forever sweeping down out of the corners of rooms. I’m wondering if these critters are coming in on firewood.

A. That’s very likely, especially the beetles, which are called long-horned beetles. Normally they overwinter inside logs as wormlike larvae and emerge as adults in the spring. Bringing firewood indoors to warm up speeds up their development and they emerge early. The big black ants are probably carpenter ants, and you’re right to hurry them back outdoors -- you don’t want them to get established in your home. Spiders, centipedes and other multilegged creatures can hitchhike into your home on firewood. Insects can also come indoors with your Christmas tree, where warm temperatures make them active. Except for the ants, most of these are unlikely to cause any particular problems in the home. Storing firewood outdoors and bringing in only enough for two or three days is a good way to reduce the incidence of accidental invaders.

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Q. Is there a real insect called a bookworm?

A. No single insect is known by that name, though a number of them are known to damage books. Termites, wood-boring beetles, book lice and silverfish are among the creatures that may feed on the paper, glue or cloth in books. Leather-bound books may provide food for dermestid beetles, those oblong, drab-colored beetles that live on wool, hair, feathers, carrion, pet food and other organic materials around the home.

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Q. Is it necessary to polish houseplants? Or wash them?

A. Large-leafed plants will benefit from an occasional cleaning to remove oily films and dust that can clog plant pores. Polishing -- with leaf polishes, milk, mayonnaise and other substances -- makes the foliage look glossy, but it also clogs leaf pores with oils that may interfere with leaf functions. When leaves need cleaning, gently wiping with a damp cloth should do the job. Hairy-leafed plants and those that don’t tolerate water on their foliage can be brushed with a soft artist’s brush to remove dust buildup.

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Q. Where does chocolate come from?

A. Chocolate -- the beans from which it is made, anyway -- grows on trees. The cacao plant is an evergreen that lives in moist tropical climates. Most of the world’s chocolate supply comes from tropical Africa and eastern Brazil. It was probably first used in the Amazon region of South America by the Incas and Aztecs. The seeds occur in large pods (10 to 14 inches long) that resemble elongated acorn squash. Each pod contains 20 to 40 seeds. Seeds are first fermented, then dried, cleaned, roasted and ground into a thick, dark paste. This paste is the basis for all chocolate and cocoa products. Hardened, it becomes unsweetened baking chocolate. Heated, it yields cocoa butter. The dry material that’s left is ground into cocoa powder. Blending the paste with additional cocoa butter and sweeteners turns it into chocolate candy. White chocolate is made with cocoa butter and sweeteners but no dark paste. Recently it’s been discovered that the dark paste contains healthy antioxidants. If it weren’t for the hefty dose of fat and sugar calories in chocolate candy, it might be considered a health food!

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Q. Looking out across the garden in winter, it’s very obvious that some of my asparagus plants have berries and some don’t. I’m guessing that the plants with the berries are female. Is that right?

A. Right! Asparagus plants are either male or female -- that is, the male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Only the female flowers develop into fruits, so only the female plants have berries.

Deicing Salt a Mixed Blessing

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

The deicing salt that takes some of the hazard out of walking and driving in winter can be a hazard itself -- to plants.

Whether it’s salty slush pushed off of roads and sidewalks or flying salt spray, the result can be dead or damaged landscape plants, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

“Damage can occur when the salt comes into direct contact with foliage and stems or when it builds up in the soil,” she explains. “Salt in the soil can burn the roots or be taken up by plants and accumulate to toxic levels.”

Some plants are much more tolerant of salt than others, she notes. A study at MSU some years ago found that red cedar, horse chestnut, Russian olive, honey locust, black locust, Austrian pine and spruce were more tolerant than barberry, dogwood, common privet, and white and red pine. The pines were among the most salt-sensitive plants.

Planting salt-sensitive plants far away from roads and other salted surfaces is one way to prevent salt damage, McLellan suggests. Protecting plants that can’t be moved is another tactic.

“Avoid shoveling salty residue onto plants near driveways and walkways,” she suggests. “To keep airborne salt spray off of sensitive plants, fasten burlap, canvas or durable plastic to sturdy stakes between the road and the plants.”

Washing salt residue off of plant foliage and stems and watering well-drained areas heavily in the spring to leach salt out of the root zone may lessen the chance of salt damage, though damage from salt spray -- in the form of dead buds and twig tips -- usually shows up before winter is over. Damage from salt accumulation in the soil appears during the growing season. Winter damage usually appears on the side of the plants nearest the road; damage from salt in the soil may affect the whole plant, causing stunting, poor growth, dieback of growing tips, leaf burn or leaf drop.

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Four new vegetable varieties and seven flowers have received All-America Selections awards for 2006.

The vegetables are a purple carrot, ‘Purple Haze’; cilantro ‘Delfino’; and peppers ‘Carmen’ and ‘Mariachi’. The award-winning flowers are diascia ‘Diamonte Coral Rose’ and viola ‘Skippy XS Red-Gold’, the first winners in the new cool-season bedding plant category; dianthus ‘Supra Purple’; nicotiana ‘Perfume Deep Purple’; ‘Black Pearl’ ornamental pepper; Salvia farinacea ‘Evolution’; and zinnia ‘Zowie! Yellow Flame’.

‘Purple Haze’ produces 10- to 12-inch, smooth purple carrots in about 70 days from seeding. Plants are vigorous and upright and reach a height and spread of 14 to 16 inches. The sweet-flavored roots may be used raw or cooked, though cooking dissolves the purple color. The color under the purple is a more conventional bright orange. ‘Purple Haze’ does well in the garden and in large containers.

‘Delfino’ is a decorative, aromatic, edible herb with fine, fernlike foliage that’s ready to harvest in 4 to 5 weeks from seed. Mature plants may reach 20 inches in height. ‘Delfino’ can be grown in the garden or in containers with annuals or other herbs. Cilantro seeds are the spice coriander; harvest seeds when they’ve turned from green to brown.

‘Carmen’ is an Italian-type sweet pepper. Plants reach 28 inches tall and spread to 16 inches, so they’re well suited to container culture. The horn-shaped peppers are sweet whether eaten raw or cooked, and harvest can begin around 75 days from transplanting. ‘Carmen’ is productive in a wide range of temperatures.

‘Mariachi’ is a mildly hot chili pepper that can heat up even more when plants are stressed by hot weather or lack of water. Plants are vigorous and productive, reaching a height of 18 to 24 inches and setting fruit throughout the growing season. Gardeners can begin harvesting the 3- to 4-inch peppers about 65 to 68 days after transplanting.

Diascia integerimma ‘Diamonte Coral Rose’ is the first F1 hybrid diascia. It will flower within 60 to 70 days of seeding. Plants spread to 18 inches but reach only 8 to 10 inches in height, so they make good border plants in the garden or container plants on the deck. The 1-inch rosy coral blooms are borne on upright stems on all sides of the plant. Plants are frost-tolerant, so northern gardeners can use them to extend the growing season well into the fall.

Viola ‘Skippy XL Red-Gold’ is the first Viola cornuta to win an AAS award. The pansylike flowers are 1 ½ inches across and purplish red with a yellow “face” with dark red “whiskers.” The strong, dense plants showed both heat tolerance and winter hardiness, with protection. Mature plants reach only 6 inches in height and spread to 8 inches.

Dianthus ‘Supra Purple’ blooms prolifically beginning 10 to 12 weeks after seeding and impressed variety trial judges with its heat tolerance in garden trials. The lacy flowers are single,

1 ½ inches across and a bright pink-purple. In full sun, the plant reaches a height of 12 inches and looks like a bouquet just waiting to be picked. Flowers can be cut for fresh arrangements or enjoyed in the garden.

Nicotiana ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ was bred for fragrance and the deep purple flower color. The 2-inch, star-shaped flowers are abundant. Plants can reach 20 inches tall and spread 15 to 18 inches in a full-sun garden location, though they readily adapt to partial shade and container culture. ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ is easy to grow from seed.

‘Black Pearl’ is an ornamental pepper with black leaves when grown in the sun and small, black, shiny peppers. Peppers are edible but extremely hot. Young greenhouse-grown plants will have green leaves that will turn black in the sun. Plants are vigorous and heat-tolerant, growing to 18 inches tall and spreading to 12 to 16 inches. ‘Black Pearl’ is easy to grow in the garden or in containers with other annuals.

Salvia ‘Evolution’ adds a new color to the Salvia farinacea palette -- the 6- to 7-inch flower spikes are violet rather than blue. Planted in fertile soil, the plants need little coddling to reach heights of 16 to 24 inches. They spread to 16 to 19 inches and are drought-tolerant, though irrigation during dry weather is needed for consistent flowering. Like ‘Black Pearl’ pepper, ‘Evolution’ is undemanding and rarely bothered by serious disease or pest problems.

Zinnia ‘Zowie! Yellow Flame’ is a semi-tall plant with 3- to 4-inch semi-double blossoms that have red centers and yellow-tipped petals. In a sunny garden or large container, plants will reach 24 to 29 inches in height and spread 26 to 27 inches. Flowering usually begins 8 to 10 weeks after seed is sown.

All-America Selections has been testing new unsold flower and vegetable varieties since 1932 at test gardens across the United States and Canada. Each site has an experienced, knowledgeable horticulturist as a judge. Judges are responsible for growing and evaluating the entries throughout the growing season. Only those that show exceptional performance under a wide range of conditions receive AAS awards.

Michigan State University is home to both a bedding plants trial garden and a flower and vegetable display garden, where visitors can see both new and proven varieties side by side. MSU Hidden Lake Gardens, in Tipton, also has a flower display garden. Other Michigan flower display garden locations are Dow Gardens in Midland and the Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Co., Frankenmuth.

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Your ponytail palm has grown so much that it’s cracked its pot (again), and all of a sudden, it seems, the African violets have sprouted several extra crowns each, and the sansevieria pot is so full of tall leaves that it falls over without something to lean against.

Time to gather up the potting soil and some new containers and give these plants new homes.

“The first consideration to come to mind may be how the new containers should look,” says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. “Often the container is the key to success with a plant, however, and that’s related to its size, its porosity, and the presence (or absence) of drainage holes in the bottom. If your aim is to provide a good growing environment for your plants, these are all more important in the choice of a plant pot than its looks.”

All of these characteristics are related to watering, often the key element in whether a plant lives or dies indoors, she points out. Winter is a particularly tricky time for watering, she notes, because plants aren’t growing much and aren’t using much water.

Pot size is more than an aesthetic consideration. A large plant in a too-small container dries out quickly. That’s one indication that a plant needs repotting, she notes. A small plant in an overlarge container not only looks lost in it but may suffer from too much water because, after watering, the relatively large volume of soil stays saturated for a long time.

The porosity of a container affects how quickly the soil dries out after watering. The humble clay pot is porous -- air moves into the soil and water moves out through the sides of the pot. Glass, glazed clay and plastic are impervious. Clay is the best choice for cacti and succulents and any plants that don’t tolerate wet soil for long periods, McLellan suggests.

“If you know you’re heavy-handed with the watering can, overwatering is almost guaranteed,” she says. “Your plants stand a better chance of surviving in unglazed clay pots.”

Why all the concern about water? Because plant roots need air as well as water to function, she explains. Roots that remain in waterlogged soil for long periods tend to rot and die. Plants wilt as if they are dry, but more water is the last thing they need.

The third key factor is a drainage hole in the bottom of the container. Drainage holes permit excess water to escape.

Another advantage of drainage holes in the bottom of a container is that it provides the option of watering from the bottom. This is important with plants such as cyclamen, which doesn’t tolerate water in its crown, and African violets, whose leaves are sensitive to cold water splashed on them.

Whether you water from the bottom or the top, it’s important to empty any water left standing in the saucer after the soil is thoroughly moistened, McLellan advises. If the pot is left sitting in water, the soil will keep taking up water as fast as it’s lost to evaporation or taken up by plant roots, and the spaces between soil particles will remain filled with water rather than air.

“Using clay pots with drainage holes and saucers is no guarantee that you won’t kill your plants with too much water,” she concedes, “but especially if you know that you tend to overwater, clay would be your best choice. If you want the decorative look of glazed ceramic pots, simply place the porous pot inside the fancy container. A layer of non-absorbent marbles, pebbles or similar material placed in the bottom of the fancy outer pot will keep the plant from sitting in water that runs out of the inner one.”

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Insects and their relatives are so numerous in the summer. Then fall temperatures set in, then winter, and except for the bugs that have moved into people’s homes, summer’s abundance of insects seems to have disappeared.

Next spring, of course, they’ll reappear.

So how do they do that? That’s a question with no one answer, says Howard Russell, Michigan State University entomologist, because various species have developed different ways of surviving the cold weather.

A few migrate to warmer climates. Michigan’s only migratory insect is the monarch butterfly. Monarchs on this side of the Rocky Mountains overwinter in central Mexico, in the mountain highlands near Mexico City. Those west of the Rockies travel to a spot near Santa Barbara, Calif.

“These are true migrating insects because the same individuals that head south in the fall come back the next spring,” Russell notes.

Other Michigan insects, such as leafhoppers and milkweed bugs, may head south as the weather cools and reinvade next spring, but in these cases, different individuals return.

Most Michigan insects stay here year round, employing a variety of survival tactics.

Some, such as ladybird beetles, elmleaf beetles and boxelder bugs, overwinter as adults in wall voids, attics and other out-of-the-way places in homes and other structures. Before humans started building insect hotels, these creatures probably found shelter in hollow logs and other natural cavities.

Yellowjacket and paper wasp queens, some mosquitoes and the mourning cloak butterfly also overwinter as adults. Like the ladybird beetle, they seek out sheltered spots and become dormant until warm weather reactivates them.

Many insects spend the winter in immature stages -- as eggs (the gypsy moth is a fairly famous example), as larvae underground (cicadas, Japanese beetles) or as pupae (the large silkworm moths such as the Cecropia).

Though some insects may become unseasonably active during an extended midwinter warm spell, the true hibernators and the majority of those that rest in the adult stage won’t be tricked into reactivating early. That’s not much consolation to the family that suddenly finds a midwinter wasp buzzing overhead or a sunny window crawling with ladybugs during an unseasonably warm period.

Some insects remain active year round, but people don’t generally run into them because they are primarily aquatic insects that spend the winter as immatures in rapidly flowing streams that don’t freeze all the way to the bottom.

Other insects, such as woolly bear caterpillars, which overwinter as mature larvae, have body fluids that act as antifreeze, Russell notes. Glycol-like substances that resist freezing protect the insects from internal damage by ice crystal formation.

“With or without antifreeze, most insects simply can not function at temperatures below 40 degrees F,” Russell says. “Their body chemistry simply doesn’t work at low temperatures, so they can be active only when the world warms up around them. In areas where part of the year is cold, they’ve developed this wide range of techniques for surviving the cold and assuring the survival of their species.”

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

If the photos of plump, ripe strawberries in the seed catalogs have set your mouth watering, winter is the time to select your varieties and order plants for early spring planting.

It’s best to have a prepared planting site waiting for them, however.

“You can plant strawberries in an area that’s been used for a vegetable garden,” says Eric Hanson, Michigan State University horticulturist. “Areas that have grown other crops may contain fewer weed seeds and insect pests than areas converted from lawn. But you don’t want to plant strawberries in areas previously planted to strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes -- these plants act as hosts for a soil-borne fungus (Verticillium) that kills strawberry plants.”

Strawberries need a well-drained area that receives full sun. Strawberry plants won’t tolerate soil that stays wet for long periods -- their roots will die, Hanson explains. Avoid low-lying areas, also, he advises -- these are likely to experience late spring frosts, which can kill strawberry flowers. And no flowers means no fruits.

If you are converting lawn to garden for strawberries, Hanson recommends killing or removing the sod and working the soil for an entire growing season before planting strawberries the following spring.

“If you simply till the grass under, it will keep coming back,” he notes. “It’s much easier to eliminate grass and perennial weeds before you plant the strawberries.”

Turf areas may also be home to white grubs and wireworms. These root-feeding pests will feed on strawberry roots if the grass is killed or removed.

If you have a prepared site, you can plant strawberry plants as soon as you can work the soil in the spring, Hanson says. Tilling and incorporating organic matter the previous autumn can give you a head start on spring planting because you won’t have to wait for the soil to get dry enough to till.

Varieties differ in disease resistance, maturity date, fruit size and yield, and some are better suited for freezing than others, Hanson notes, so it’s a good idea to know what you want to do with your berries when you’re selecting varieties. Most varieties bear fruit in June, though some, known as everbearers or day-neutral varieties, can produce fruit from June through the fall.

“Buying certified disease-free plants from a reputable nursery is always a good idea,” he adds. “ County MSU Extension offices have information on recommended varieties for their areas,” he notes.

Planting surplus plants from a neighbor’s garden is a false economy, he points out.

“Plants from old beds are often diseased,” he explains. “Beds established with disease-free plants will yield more and produce longer than those started with hand-me-down plants.”

When mail-order plants arrive, keep them from drying out before planting and get them in the ground as soon as possible, Hanson advises. Plant so the crowns are level with the soil surface. Planting too deep may smother plants; planting too shallow will cause crowns and roots to dry out.

Plant in individual holes large enough to accommodate the roots -- they should be placed straight downward but somewhat spread. Typical spacing for a matted-row system is 18 to 24 inches apart in the row with 3 to 4 feet between rows. The runners that develop from these plants will fill in to develop a bed 1 to 2 feet wide.

Weed control is a critical component in growing strawberries, Hanson says. Shallow hoeing to remove small weeds also promotes rooting of runner plants.

Any flower clusters that form on June-bearing plants during the planting year should be removed, he advises. Producing strawberries this year limits vegetative growth and decreases yields in following seasons, he explains. Everbearing varieties may be allowed to produce a fall crop the first year. To do this, stop removing flowers after mid-July.

Strawberry plantings can be maintained for several fruiting seasons if they’re properly managed during the growing season and mulched in late fall to protect them against winter cold, Hanson says.

“Many insect and disease problems can be avoided by starting a new bed in a new area every

2 or 3 years,” he notes. “Start a new bed before the old one gives out and you can keep harvesting the old one while you are preparing the site for the new one and getting plants established.”

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

If your favorite getaway from the wintry scene outside your window is poring over seed catalogs, putting together your seed order and planning your vegetable garden, seed catalogs are your ticket.

As you look at the photos and read the variety descriptions and compare old favorites with new offerings, potential plant diseases may not be your first concern, observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

“Home gardeners generally worry more about weeds and insects,” she says. “But diseases can significantly reduce yield and quality, and the time to deal with diseases is when you’re planning the garden.”

Selecting disease-resistant varieties whenever they’re available is the first step. Look for this information in the variety descriptions, she suggests. Bean varieties, for instance, may be billed as resistant to common bean mosaic, halo blight or bacterial brown spot; tomatoes may be resistant to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, root-knot nematodes, tobacco mosaic virus, and a host of other wilt and leaf spot diseases.

Many plant diseases are caused by organisms that carry over in the soil from one year to the next. All varieties of all crops do not have built-in resistance to these organisms, she points out. This is why it’s important to include crop rotation in the garden planning step.

“Crop rotation is the practice of moving closely related crops around the garden each year rather than growing crops that are susceptible to the same diseases in the same spots year after year,” she explains.

The aim is to prevent the buildup of soil-borne disease organisms and the carryover of disease problems from one year to the next.

For rotation purposes, you can divide your crops into three main groups:

• Members of the nightshade family: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes.
• The cole crops: broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, collards, kale and kohlrabi.
• The cucurbits: melons, cucumbers, summer and winter squash, pumpkins and gourds.

“As you plan your garden, plan to follow plants in any group only with plants from one of the other groups,” she advises. “Grouping related crops in the garden will make this easier -- then you can move the whole family together.”

Another crop that will benefit from rotation is corn. The organism that causes corn smut and the corn rootworm can build up in the soil when corn follows corn, causing more trouble each year.

Other garden crops -- peas, beans, root crops, onions, greens, etc. -- are less likely than corn and the three plant families above to have problems due to soil-borne diseases, McLellan notes, so rotating them is less critical, though there’s no harm in it.

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Mail-order plant suppliers can be a great source for high-quality landscape and garden plants, especially if you’re interested in uncommon plants or varieties that are hard to find at the local garden center.

“It’s probably safe to say that the majority of plants-by-mail operations are legi timate businesses that strive to supply quality products to their customers,” says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. “But some times you run into an ad that makes such extravagant claims for a plant that you wonder how it could possibly be that great. And for a bargain basement price, to boot.”

To avoid disappointment, be wary and read ads carefully, she suggests. Find out everything you can about the plant being sold.

“The first step is to find out just what the plant is,” she says. “Ads often use common names rather than botanical names, and this can make it difficult or impossible for you to learn more about the plants from other sources.”

Common names are not standardized, she points out. Several plants may have the same common name; one plant may have multiple common names. Names may even be made up for advertising purposes to attract potential buyers. Each plant has only one botanical name, however. If you know what that is, you can consult other references and find, for instance, that the plant that’s so appealing isn’t hardy in Michigan – it won’t survive the winter -- or the tree with the phenomenal growth rate is short-lived in the landscape because of pest and disease problems and weak wood that’s susceptible to storm damage.

“This is a case where missing information is at least as important as what’s there,” McLellan notes.

What’s in the ad is usually a glowing description of the spectacular performance of the

plant -- growth rate, prolific flowering, early and heavy production of fruit, etc. Perhaps the plant in question did grow that much or flower and fruit profusely at least once under ideal conditions in some other part of the country or the world. The question is whether the plant you buy can perform that well under local growing conditions.

Some times an ad tells only part of the truth about a plant, McLellan points out. Ads for zoysia grass, for instance, may say that it stays green during the hottest, driest months of the summer. This is true. What the ads neglect to mention is that zoysia grass is about the color of wheat stubble all the rest of the year. It is not recommended for use in Michigan lawns.

Even ads that don’t intentionally mislead can lead to disappointment. Ads often picture mature plants. The plants that arrive are spindly little sticks with few roots or a packet of seeds. It will be years before they look like the plants in the photo in the ad.

Some times the claims made for plants might best be filed under “wishful thinking.” Plants that repel mosquitoes, for instance -- wouldn’t it be great if they really would protect you against the little bloodsuckers as you dash from your car to the house on a warm early summer evening? But how reasonable is it to think that that will actually happen? And that you can buy those wonderful plants for $1.98 each or three for $5?

“Though it sounds cynical, a bargain that sounds too good to be true probably is,” McLellan suggests. “To avoid disappointment, it’s good to order only from reputable companies that people you know have been satisfied with; to comparison shop; to buy locally when you can, so you can see the plants you’re buying; and to consult local experts -- an experienced Master Gardener, the proprietor of the local garden center, your county Extension educator, or maybe your green-thumbed neighbor. Any of these folks are likely to have experience and tips and even lists of recommended plants for your area to guide you in selecting plants that will perform well in your garden.”

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

A carefully selected poinsettia in a well-chosen spot may continue to brighten your home long after the new year arrives.

“The key is selecting a healthy plant and protecting it against high temperatures and hot or cold drafts,” says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. “With proper watering and plenty of light, a poinsettia may look good for months.”

To select a healthy plant, look for dark green foliage. Fallen, yellow or damaged leaves could be a sign of improper fertilization, lack of water, root disease, too high or too low temperatures, or exposure to drafts. The colorful bracts (the “petals” of what we think of as the poinsettia flower) should be in good condition and in proportion to the plant and the pot size. Little or no yellow pollen should be showing on the red or green buttonlike parts at the center of the bracts. These are the actual poinsettia flowers.

“Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so your plant should be wrapped well before you take it outdoors to your car for the trip home,” McLellan says. “It’s a good idea to take it directly home so that it doesn’t have to sit in the cold car while you run other errands.”

Unwrap the plant as soon as possible so the stems don’t get twisted, she adds.

The best location for a poinsettia in the home is near a sunny window or some other well-lighted area where temperatures are likely to stay between 60 and 70 degrees F. To protect the plant against drafts, avoid spots near radiators, heat registers, fans, heat-producing appliances such as televisions and refrigerators, and exterior doors. If the plant is near a window, make sure no part of it can touch the cold glass. Placing the poinsettia in a slightly cooler area -- 55 to 60 degrees -- at night will help extend the bloom period.

“It’s important to avoid under- and overwatering,” McLellan says. “Check the soil daily and water only when it feels dry. Add enough water to soak the growing medium from top to bottom, then discard the excess water.”

If you don’t water enough, the plant will wilt and the lower leaves will drop off. Overwatering will cause the roots to rot and the lower leaves to turn yellow and fall off. Root rot is likely if the pot has no drainage holes in the bottom. If it has no holes, make some, McLellan advises. If it has holes but they’re covered by foil, either poke holes in the foil or remove it.

Many people discard their poinsettias after the holidays. If you plan to keep your plant for several months, fertilizing with a soluble houseplant fertilizer once or twice a month according to label directions is recommended.

Reflowering a poinsettia entails several steps:

• In late winter, cut the old flowering stems or branches back to 4 to 6 inches in height, leaving one to three leaves on each stem. Continue to provide bright light, proper watering and regular fertilizer applications.

• Repot if necessary in late spring or early summer. After the danger of frost and cold temperatures is past, sink the pot to the rim in a well-drained, slightly shaded spot outdoors. Water as needed. In the latter part of July, prune all shoots to 4 inches, leaving about one to three leaves on each shoot, and fertilize.

• Take the plant indoors at night well before the first frost to avoid exposure to temperatures below 45 degrees, which will cause chilling injury. The poinsettia can be placed outdoors during the day when temperatures are warm enough, or moved to a sunny window. Continue to fertilize every 2 weeks.

• Beginning at the end of September until color shows in the bracts (early to mid-December), place the poinsettia in complete darkness each day from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day. Temperatures should remain between 60 and 70 degrees. Night temperatures above 70 to 75 degrees may delay or prevent flowering.

Following this procedure should have your poinsettia in flower for next Christmas.

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

There’s a reason why potatoes don’t appear on lists of easy garden crops for beginning gardeners.

“Actually, there are a couple of reasons,” observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. “Potatoes are picky about the soil they grow in and prone to insect problems.”

Though potatoes will grow in a variety of soil types, they are best suited to a sandy loam or loamy sand with a pH between 5.5 and 6 (somewhat acid). In soils with a pH above 6, problems with common scab on tubers tend to occur. Adding manure to the soil also increases the risk of scab in susceptible varieties, she notes.

“A soil test to determine pH is probably more important for potatoes than for most other vegetable garden crops,” McLellan says.

Potatoes demand well-drained soil but also require a consistent supply of adequate moisture for tuber formation. In poorly drained soils with high clay or silt content, tubers tend to be knobby and poorly shaped. In sandy soils low in organic matter, maintaining consistent soil moisture in the desired range may mean frequent watering to provide up to 2 inches per week.

“Consistent soil moisture is key -- if you allow the soil moisture to fluctuate drastically, you end up with tubers with a variety of defects, from knobs and growth cracks to internal browning,” McLellan says.

Variety selection depends largely on whether you want potatoes for fresh use or long-term storage. Good late-maturing varieties for storage include Kennebec, Sebago, Katahdin and Red Pontiac. Early-maturing varieties for fresh use and short-term storage include Superior, Norway and Onaway. A variety of potatoes with yellow, blue or purple flesh are also available.

Russet Burbank, a variety common in the supermarket, is difficult to grow in home gardens, McLellan points out. Inadequate moisture or fine-textured soils may result in a large percentage of the tubers being knobby and irregularly shaped.

A common shortcut by home gardeners is to use potatoes from the garden or the grocery store for seed. This can result in a buildup of seed-borne viral diseases, which will, in turn, result in smaller tubers and reduced yields.

“Certified seed potatoes bought through a seed catalog or reputable garden center pay for themselves in increased yield and decreased problems,” McLellan says.

Potatoes should be planted in early spring, as soon as the soil is dry enough to be worked and the soil temperature has reached 45 degrees, she advises. The recommended spacing is 3 to 4 inches deep and 9 to 12 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches apart. Five pounds of seed potatoes should plant about 40 feet of row (with 12 inches between seed pieces). You should expect 3 to 5 pounds of medium-sized tubers per hill. Spacing plants farther apart may give you larger tubers.

To avoid carryover of diseases and insects from year to year, McLellan recommends rotating potatoes around the garden each year. Avoid planting potatoes after potatoes or other crops in the nightshade family -- tomatoes, peppers and eggplant -- as well as radishes and beets.

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Did you ever wonder where your favorite garden crops originated?

“You might think that European settlers brought familiar crops to North America,” observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. “And that’s true of some crops such as cabbage, carrots and cucumbers. But many of our favorite garden crops were grown in North America long before the Europeans began to arrive.”

Probably the foremost of native crops is corn. It was the principal grain crop of many civilizations throughout North, Central and South America. It’s still the main cereal crop in Central and South America and a mainstay of U.S. agriculture. It was introduced to Europe from the Americas in the late 1700s.

Pumpkins and squash originated here and had been grown by native people for hundreds or thousands of years by the time the early European explorers arrived. They also found the native people growing beans, which had spread north from Central America.

Peppers, tomatoes and potatoes, all members of the nightshade family, originated in the Americas and were carried to Europe by the early explorers. Peppers spread from Spain throughout Europe. Tomatoes originated in Peru and Ecuador and were first domesticated in Mexico. They reached Europe in the early 1500s and were grown for more than 200 years primarily as an ornamental because they were thought to be poisonous. They were brought to eastern North America in the late 1700s but not widely cultivated for food until well into the 1800s. Potatoes, native to the Andean region of South America, were taken to Europe in the 16 th century, where they quickly became a staple food, particularly in Ireland. They were brought to North America from Ireland in the early 1700s.

“Other popular garden crops can trace their roots to Africa, Europe and Asia,” McLellan notes.

Watermelon and muskmelon came to this continent from Africa. Both were known in ancient Egypt. Other crops known to have been grown there include onions, radishes and gourds, though onions apparently originated in Asia and radishes in China. Crops with European ancestry include the cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi), beets, turnips and lettuce. Cucumbers came from India and were brought to the New World by Columbus. Carrots originated in Asia, were grown in Europe beginning in the 1500s and came to North America with the early colonists. Rhubarb is mentioned in Chinese herbals dating back more than 2,000 years; it may have originated in Siberia or Mongolia. It was introduced to Europe in the early 1600s. Two hundred years later, it was commonly being grown in the United States.

“There’s a lot of talk about globalization of trade these days,” McLellan observes, “but it’s hardly a new phenomenon. Food crops have been moving from one culture to another for thousands of years. The international flavor of today’s typical vegetable garden attests to that.”

East Lansing, MI 48824-1039

Winter is no time to add plants or make changes in the design of your landscape. But it’s an excellent time to plan those changes.

“When you’re not so busy taking care of your landscape, you can step back and take a critical look at it,” suggests Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

An aerial photo of a large property or a scale drawing of a smaller one is a good place to start. If you’re making the drawing, be sure to note the locations of driveways, sidewalks, patios or decks, flower beds and other garden plots, underground and overhead utilities, fences and sheds, and major plants such as trees, shrubs and hedges.

Then look at your drawing or photo in terms of functions -- for example, children’s play areas, pet areas, utility areas (garbage cans, lawn tool storage, etc.), and outdoor living and entertaining areas. List the things about your landscape that you are satisfied with -- for example, you like the way the plants in the front yard frame your home’s entryway, the driveway layout gets people and vehicles onto and off the property efficiently, the children’s play area is easy to see from the kitchen and family room. Then make a note of the less wonderful aspects -- such as the way snow piles up in front of the garage door, the hard-to-mow areas, the heavily shaded corner of the backyard where grass won’t grow, the lack of shade on the deck on summer afternoons.

“The next step is to figure out what changes to make to alter the things you’d like to change,” McLellan says.

A windbreak or temporary snow fence might be used to encourage the prevailing wind to deposit snow in a more convenient place. Hard-to-mow areas could be converted from grass to some sort of ground cover that doesn’t need mowing. This might increase the maintenance needed in the short term -- if you plant daylilies or prostrate evergreens or creeping vines, for instance, you will have to control weeds until they spread and fill in -- but they will make mowing easier in the long haul.

“In a heavily shaded area, you can remove or thin the plants doing the shading,” McLellan suggests. “This might enable shade-tolerant grass to grow there. Another option is to give up on growing grass and switch to a non-living ground cover or replant the area to plants better adapted to shade. The best option might be a combination of thinning and replanting. Very few plants thrive in heavy shade; letting in more light increases your options.”

Shading the deck may mean building a trellis for climbing plants on the west side, installing an awning or roof, or planting trees. Or perhaps a combination of approaches -- a roof for midday shade and a trellis for quick-growing vines and afternoon shade while trees are growing.

“The key to planning landscape changes is to decide what you want your grounds to do for you that they’re not doing and finding ways to alter the design so it works better,” McLellan sums up.

Major changes -- such as adding a deck or a swimming pool, or changing the layout of your driveway -- can cost a lot and are difficult to change if you decide you made a mistake, she observes.

“When deciding about major changes, it’s a good idea not just to sketch them on your scale drawing but to outline them in sticks and string and live with them for a while,” she suggests. “You might find that a proposed change creates new difficulties in lawn or home maintenance, changes a view for the worse or has spinoff benefits you hadn’t anticipated. Better to find out as much as you can about the consequences before you invest a lot of time and money in making changes.”

Unless you can afford to make all of your proposed landscape changes at once, you might want to outline a timetable, McLellan says. It will take trees a while to grow into shade providers, so you might want to put them first on the list. Quick, inexpensive changes that can be made any time needn’t be put off; other changes can be done as time and money permit.

“All other things being equal, do first the things that have been bugging you the most,” she suggests.