LibraryAware

March 2024

LTPL Grows Newsletter

To March

  Dear March, come in!
  How glad I am!
  I looked for you before.
  Put down your hat —
  You must have walked —
  How out of breath you are!
  Dear March, how are you?
  And the rest?
  Did you leave Nature well?
  Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
  I have so much to tell!

Excerpted from "To March"
by: Emily Dickenson (1831-1894)

Upcoming LTPL Grows Programs

Fungi Of Michigan
Monday, March 4, 2024 at 6:30 pm

Have you ever wondered what goes into fungi foraging? Join Lorenzo Lo Piccolo to learn about Michigan’s mushrooms. This presentation will include fungi facts and anatomy, foraging and safety tips, foraging etiquette and sustainability details, information on mushroom poisoning, and a search and identification activity!

Lorenzo Lo Piccolo began foraging in the early 2000s. What began as a springtime mushroom interest quickly became a long passion to forage and appreciate local fungi and plants and their mutual connections. Lorenzo holds a Mushroom Certification in Michigan from NAMI/MDARD and enjoys sharing his foraging experiences in local public libraries and guided park tours. He posts all his findings on Instagram - @lorenzo.funginus

A Seed Saver's Garden
Via Zoom Monday, March 25, 2024 at 6:30pm

Saving seeds is a interesting and healthful hobby, but successful seed-saving begins before you break ground in spring! Join us to learn about choosing which crops to plant for saving seeds and which ones to avoid. Find out which crops are the best for beginning seed savers, and which require more advanced techniques.

Herb of the Month: Bay Leaf!

The March Herb of the Month is Bay Leaf

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 bay leaf and a sample bag of bay leaves suitable for cooking or tea. Kits will be made available in the curbside pick-up area on or after Tuesday, March 6, 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 March!

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 peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, celery, parsley, and onions. Broccoli, cabbage, kale, and other hardy crops that can be transplanted out out before last frost are also started in March.

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!

March Garden Calendar

In March

Begin starting seeds indoors for eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, celery, and parsley. Brassicas and greens that can go out as soon as mid-April should be started as well: broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, calendula, and scallions.
Grow your own sweet potato slips by placing organic sweet potatoes on their side, half buried in potting soil. Provide plenty of light and warmth and remove the slips at their base and root in water before planting.
Cut down ornamental grasses and sedums and clean up around hellebores and other early perennials, weather permitting.
Pull back mulch from areas where bulbs are trying to emerge.
Prune fruit trees and roses. Prune summer and fall blooming trees and shrubs: shaping, thinning, and removing damaged or weak growth. Do not prune spring bloomers such as azaleas, forsythia, and lilacs until after they bloom.
Begin fertilizing houseplants as the days grow longer
Clean out birdhouses by removing all contents (nesting material, feces, wasp nests, insects) and disinfecting it with a birdhouse cleaner or 10% bleach solution.
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

Growing an Edible Landscape: How to Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Food Garden by Gary Pilarchik & Chiara D'Amore, PhD

Learn to grow food-producing plants integrated with your landscaping, making your yard attractive as well as productive.

The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden: Attract and Support Birds, Bees, and Butterflies by Stacy Tornio

Learn about what plants attract which animals, birds, insects, and other invertebrates. Includes ten garden plans you can adapt to your own needs, and a section on native plants.

The Winter Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Year-Round Harvests by Jean-Martin Fortier & Catherine Sylvestre
A complete how-to on growing vegetables year-round in northern climates for both the market gardener and dedicated amateur gardeners. Learn about what crops to grow, seasonal planning, and shelters and equipment.

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.

Four Seasons Garden Club News

Coming Events:
March Meeting: The next meeting will be Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 pm. The speaker will be Scott Nelson on the topic of "Plant Rich Diets and Delicious Climate Solution."
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.

Central Michigan Seed Swap

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 - January

In this episode of the "Wildtalk" podcast , we talk about all things habitat in the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan and fly away with a discussion about snowy owls. We wrap up the episode with a chat about the southern bog lemming.