April 2024
LTPL Grows Newsletter

                        April
  
I had not meant to love again—all that was lost to me,
For I had felt love's fear and pain, as well as ecstasy;
I closed my heart, and locked the door, and tossed away the key.
 
All through the winter-time I sat before my flaming fire,
And listened to the sleigh-bells chime, and watched the flames leap higher,
To grasp at shadows, sombre-hued, with fiendish, red desire.
 
And then mad April came again—I felt the breezes blowing,
And I forgot the fear, the pain.... I only knew that, glowing,
In shady nook and garden spot, pale hyacinths were growing.
 
And when across the perfumed lea (for nothing could defeat him!)
My vagrant love crept back to me... I did not mean to greet him;
But April opened up my heart, and, oh, I ran to meet him!
 
by: Margaret E. Sangster (1838-1912)
Painting "April Love" by
Arthur Hughes (1832-1915)                 
 

Upcoming LTPL Grows Programs 

 
 
Backyard Blooms
Monday, April 15, 2024 at 6:30 pm
Whether you are growing for cut flowers, to screen out an unsightly view, or to simply bring more beauty into your yard and your life, LTPL's own Jean Benedict will teach you how to grow a lush and beautiful flower garden!
 Grow a Great Garden!
 Monday, May 6, 2024 at 6:30pm

Discover how to plan, plant and grow your most productive garden ever! Learn from Bevin’s decades of growing experience, including tips on soil health, seed starting and transplanting, mulching and weeding and when to harvest your perfect produce, flowers and herbs! 
Bevin Cohen (Ben) is an award winning Michigan author, herbalist, owner of Small House Farm and host of the popular Seeds & Weeds podcast.

 
Herb of the Month: Lemon Balm
The April Herb of the Month is Lemon Balm
Each month, we feature a different herb or spice and provide a take-home kit that contains information about the herb, a sample and/or seed packet, instructions for use, and recipes. This month you will receive a kit with information on the cultivation, properties, and uses of Lemon Balm and a sample bag of dried Lemon Balm leaves suitable for cooking or tea. Kits will be made available in the curbside pick-up area on or after Monday, April 1, 2024. To receive your kit, sign up here: 
 
 The Herb of the Month will be announced every month in the LTPL Grows newsletter and on the LTPL website. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here. 
 
Seed Library News
It's April!   
The LTPL Seed Library is open for business all year long with seasonally appropriate seeds added on an ongoing basis. With spring rapidly approaching, new seeds are added weekly as fast as we can get them packaged and labeled. We prioritize seeds that need to be started indoors now, including tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, zinnias, and calendula. 
The mission of the seed library is to promote gardening and encourage sustainability through seed saving. The seeds are available at no cost to you. Although it is not required, we hope that you will attempt to save seeds from your crops and return them to the seed library to help keep it self-sustaining. First time users of the Seed Library need to register. You may do so with this form or in-person at the seed library. Once you have registered, you log your initials and number of packets taken on the clipboard. The clipboard and instructions are on top of the Seed Library cabinet.  
Gardening handouts are available at the Seed Library and also on the LTPL Grows Webpage, along with informative videos!
 
 
April Garden Calendar
In April 
  • Start seeds indoors for tomatoes, cauliflower, basil, Brussels sprouts, zinnias, cosmos.  
  • Mid-month, weather permitting, you may begin transplanting hardy vegetable, herb, and flower plants outdoors: Broccoli, cabbage, onions, leeks, calendula, parsley, celery, lettuce, kale, mustard, snapdragons, pansies and violas. Make sure to harden off the plants beginning early April by gradually exposing them to the outdoor weather or putting them in a cold frame.
  • As soon as the soil can be worked, direct sow seeds for peas, scallions, larkspur, Bells of Ireland, sweet peas, cilantro, radish, turnips, kohlrabi, spinach, kale, broccoli raab, lettuce, chard, and other hardy greens. Plant potatoes and onion sets.
  • Mid-month you may direct-sow root crops: carrots, beets, scallions, and parsnips.
  • Plant bare-root perennials, shrubs, and trees. 
  • Divide or relocate summer and fall-blooming perennials
  • Fertilize houseplants as the days grow longer
  • Pray fruit trees with dormant oil to kill overwintering pests
  • Information and online resources for starting and saving seed can be found on the LTPL website. 
    Find additional resources for seed saving here:
New Gardening Books at LTPL
Ultimate Gardening: A Complete Guide to Cultivating Your Perfect Garden, from Flowers, Vegetables, and Herbs to Succulents, Shrubs, and More edited by Nancy J. Hajeski
Helpful hacks and insider tips on all aspects of gardening from the world of Gardening Know How.
 
Seed to Table: A Seasonable Guide to Organically Growing, Cooking, and Preserving Food at Home by Luay Ghafari
A complete guide to growing your own organic food complete with recipes and techniques for cooking your harvest. 
 
The Lean Micro Farm: How to Get Small, Embrace Local, Live Better, and Work Less by Ben Hartman 
Step-by-Step guide on how to turn a profit from a tiny parcel of land. Incudes a detailed plan for selling $20,000 worth of produce from your backyard.
 
Free Gardening E-Books from MeL
The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) provides information to help Michiganders take advantage of the opportunities our state has to offer.
Growing a garden is one of the best ways to take advantage of local food. The eBook Public Library Collection offers tips and tricks to plan a food-producing garden this summer. For general knowledge, try Gardening to Eat: Connecting People and Plants. Readers can learn when and how to plant and harvest a variety of foods and enjoy recipes created to utilize their nutritious bounty. Vertical Gardening and Micro Food Gardening: Project Plans and Plants for Growing Fruits and Veggies in Tiny Spaces both encourage gardening in the space you have. These eBooks describe how we can grow food in unusual places rather than focusing on limitations. With over 400 additional gardening eBooks including topics such as composting, organic gardening, and gardening with kids, the eBook Public Library Collection has something for everyone.
 
Four Seasons Garden Club News
Coming Events:
April Meeting: The next meeting will be Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 pm.  Topic of discussion will be Public Gardens and Conservatories in the area led by Jean Benedict.
May Plant Exchange: Saturday, May 4, 2024 9:00 am to 11 am at the Salem-South Lyon Library Parking Lot 
The Four Seasons Garden Club of South Lyon meets at the Center for Active Adults at the South Lyon High School on the 1st Tuesday of each month throughout the school year. Social time begins at 6:30 pm and the meeting begins at 7:00. Meetings and tours are held at member's homes during the summer months. Click Here for membership information.
 
National Garden Bureau Year of Plants
The National Garden Bureau (NGB) and All-America Selections (AAS) have completed an organizational merger of the two non-profit organizations into one. National Garden Bureau is now the parent organization, with AAS being the plant trialing program under National Garden Bureau. Every year they pick several plants to highlight. Click the photo to visit their website and learn more about the individual plants and plant groups.
Hummingbirds are Coming!
Podcasts 
Seeds & Weeds Podcast with Michigan's own Bevin Cohen 
Many of you will recognize Bevin Cohen from his many visits to LTPL as a presenter. Bevin (Ben) is an award winning author, herbalist, owner of Small House Farm and host of the popular Seeds & Weeds podcast. He lives and works with his wife, Heather, and two sons, Elijah and Anakin, on their family homestead in Sanford, Michigan.
Bevin offers workshops and lectures across the country on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs, and locally grown food. He is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications including Mother Earth News, Hobby Farms Magazine, and The Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company Catalog. He is the author of four books, including Saving Our Seeds and The Artisan Herbalist. 
 
DNR Wildtalk Podcast
The March show covers Michigan’s largest carnivore, the black bear, and does a deep dive on the American woodcock, a peculiar little ground-nesting bird with lots of charisma and some unique physical adaptations.
Visit the "Wildtalk" webpage for the March episode, as well as show notes and links to past episodes.
 
Artwork for 261. Laura Fernandez on Sowing Seeds of Sustainability with Garden DesignWeekly podcasts on all things gardening!
 
New USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Click Photo to expand 
 
Michigan Gardener Magazine
 Michigan Gardener Magazine
Michigan Gardener Magazine has decided to cease publication of the print magazine and online newsletter. You can still visit the Michigan Gardener website for occasional new articles and the calendar, and browse through digital back issues of the print magazine and newsletters.
 

 
Find LTPL Grows
On Our Website
 
Find more information on LTPL Grows and other resources!
On our Facebook Page
 
Visit and "like" for gardening news, tips and upcoming events.