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  North Country MGV

gARDEN bLOGS

Wisconsin Trees Stand Tall as Keystone Plants

9/29/2022

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Even for the most experienced Master Gardener, the term keystone plant may be new. Thrown around by ecologists, a keystone plant is one with high ecological value – one that is significant as a food source. In fact, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) states that 96 percent of U.S. terrestrial birds rely on insects supported by keystone plants.  Interestingly enough, in Wisconsin, trees top our list of keystone plants.

In a recent article by Jennifer Rude Klett for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, oak trees – to include white, bur, swamp white, chinkapin and black -- stood out on top of the list. According to the NWF’s list of keystone plants by ecoregion, the white oak Quercus alba is listed as the number one keystone plant for most of the state, in part because of its role as a host plant for up to 450 species of caterpillars.

Caterpillar diversity is the main reason a tree may be listed as a keystone plant. According to the article, in addition to oaks, other trees that top the list include American plum, black cherry, chokecherry, river birch, sweet birch, bitternut hickory and Eastern white pine. Sugar maple, Wisconsin’s state tree, is another keystone plant that acts as a host plant for well over 200 caterpillar species. Interestingly, silver maple and box elder, also a member of the maple family, along with Eastern cottonwood, are also keystone plants, according to the NWF. Those three, however, are sometimes thought of as “junk” trees to be removed but nonetheless offer high wildlife value.

Neil Diboll, a noted Wisconsin expert on keystone plants, stated that “most gardeners do not know about keystone plants because our culture does not focus on the ecology of our gardens and landscapes. You need a diverse mix of trees, shrubs and flowers, along with some grasses and maybe some sedges, to create a complete habitat for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. It’s all about the diversity.”
To learn more about keystone plants…and trees, read the complete article.
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Blooms at the Teaching & Display Garden

7/20/2022

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We're entering peak season at the Spooner Agriculture Research Station, Teaching & Display Garden, located at 780 Orchard Lane, Spooner.  Photos taken this week highlight native plants and All-America Selections Annuals and Vegetables.  The garden is open to the public for self-guided tours during daylight hours, seven days a week mid-May through mid-September. 
Hover over each photo for description.
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Pollinator Friendly Practices

6/24/2022

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​In addition to planting natives that bloom from early spring through a hard freeze there are several other practices that support pollinators in our gardens.  A Pollinator Garden should include enhanced nesting opportunities for the pollinators and their families: preserving areas of bare or sparsely vegetated, well-drained soil; preserve dead or dying trees and shrubs; minimize mulch; and maintain a nearby water source, such as a water garden or birdbath.  
More helpful practices:
  • Shield from winds--Include windbreaks, such as a fence, shrub, or wall.
  • Plant to suit the animals and insects you want to attract
  • Create layers and more densely planted gardens while reducing areas dedicated to lawns
  • Locate food plants and feeders by shelter
  • Choose a sunny location.
  • If space is limited, consider planting in pots or containers.
  • Milkweed is a necessity for monarchs, so plant milkweed!
  • Avoid using herbicides or insecticides to get rid of unwanted plants or insects. Weed by hand as needed.
  • Plant the Best of the Best Trees (as determined by the number of butterfly & moths supported): 
    Oak (534), Willow (455), Birch (413), Poplar (368), Crabapple (311), Pine (203), Spruce (156), Basswood (150) -- Compare: Norway Maple (0)
How can you get involved in supporting native habitat, animals, and insects? Become a citizen scientist, learn more about your native habitat and support organizations that preserve pollinators. 

Organizations:
  • Monarch Watch  http://monarchwatch.org/
  • Wild Ones www.wildones.org   Website on native plants, natural landscapes
  • Pollinator Partnership  www.pollinator.org   Organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems.  Download a free ‘Pollinator Friendly Planting Guide’. 
  • Million Pollinator Garden Challenge http://millionpollinatorgardens.org/  Campaign to register a million pollinator gardens

Blog and photo credit:  Sue Reinardy, Master Gardener
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Re-Wilding the Garden

6/23/2022

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Left to right:  Large-leaved Aster, False Solomon's Seal, Swamp Milkweed, Wild Bergamot
​There’s new terminology for letting your garden get a little wild:  rewilding.  I’ve been doing this for years without putting a name to inattentive gardening, but now it’s in vogue.  Love that! 
This week has been declared Pollinator Week by the University of Wisconsin Horticulture and rewilding the garden fits right into adding more native plants to our gardens.  By letting nature do some of the planting we can increase native vegetation that pollinators appreciate.   
​In looking through Heather Holm’s book, Pollinators of Native Plants, many of the plants look familiar.  This book is an excellent field guide for pollinator plants.  Here’s some that have established in my gardens without much effort on my part.
  • Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – the flowering season of this plant coincides with the return of hummingbirds.  It grows in sun to part shade and naturally reseeds itself.  I’ve also noticed some other types of Columbine that have reseeded in my garden.  These volunteers add color in June before many of our summer flowers begin to bloom. 

  • Wild Lupine (Lupinus Perennis) – I started my Lupine with seeds from a native plant nursery.  Once started they keep reseeding themselves.  This biennial plant has first year leaf growth and blooms the second year.  If you leave the blooms they will turn into seedpods that scatter in many directions.  While lupine flowers lack nectar, they are an important larval host plant for many moths and butterfly including the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly.  Wild Lupine grows well in sandy soils and along woodland edges.  Due to its self-seeding it may not be suitable for a manicured garden bed. 

  • Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) – Just like the Monarch and Pollinator Sanctuary at the Spooner Agriculture Research Station, I’ve let a stand of Milkweed get established for Monarch Butterflies.  Monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves and consume both the foliage and flowers.  Find a suitable location in the full sun and let them stand. 

  • Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Many years ago I lived next to a wild area that included Wild Bergamot.  I didn’t appreciate the wind blowing seeds into my garden beds, it can become a bit overwhelming.  Bumble bees are rewarded with ample nectar from Bergamots all day long over a long period.  There are many cultivars of Monarda that a bit better behaved for a garden setting, and I have noticed the Hummingbirds and Bees visit them often. 

  • Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta) – You might recognize that this flower resembles it cultivated cousin, Verbena hybrida.  The plant has a long bloom period and is common in disturbed, dry sites.  It provides nectar for many butterflies and bees. 

  • White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) - I wasn’t sure what this was when it decided to enter my garden.  The flowers do not produce nectar but provide pollen for Sweat Bees.  I find the fine foliage to be a nice addition to the garden and it is easy to pull out if it plants itself in a place not to your liking.

  • Large-leaved Aster (Eurybia macrophylla) – these plants enjoy the woodland edge and are one of the few plants that flower in late summer.  This Aster provides both pollen and nectar and is a larval host plant for several butterflies.

  • False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum) – this plant has been especially beautiful this year.  It enjoys part shade, medium to dry conditions and is not fussy about the soil.  It flowers in late spring, early summer.  It provides pollen for small bees, flies, and beetles. 
What I have learned is that not all volunteer plants are weeds.  By paying attention and allowing my gardens to be a bit wild I’ve gained many native plants.  Enjoy a visit to the Spooner Agricultural Research Station’s Monarch and Pollinator Sanctuary to see more native plants that should have a place in your garden.

Blog and Photos by Sue  Reinardy, Master Gardener 
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Native Plant Profile:  Wild lupin

6/22/2022

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Wild Perennial Lupine (Lupinus perennis) is a showy native wildflower that blooms in late spring with spikes of blue and bluish-purple flowers. This species prefers sandy soil and full sun. Once established, it will naturalize, attracting bees, birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
 
While most people know about the relationship between monarch butterflies and milkweed, the Karner Blue butterfly has the same kind of relationship with the wild lupine. The Karner Blue was federally listed as endangered in 1992. This butterfly is most widespread in Wisconsin and the state has implemented a Wisconsin Habitat Conservation Plan. Habitat throughout the range of the Karner Blue butterfly has been lost as a result of land development and lack of natural disturbance, such as wildfire and grazing by large mammals. Such disturbance helps maintain the butterfly’s habitat by setting back encroaching forests, encouraging lupine and flowering plant growth.
 
  Submitted by Linda Anderson, Certified Master Gardener
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Native Plant Profile: Cardinal Flower

6/21/2022

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​

​Cardinal flower, (
Lobelia cardinalis), is a native American plant that is often used as an ornamental garden plant. This showy species is in the bellflower family.
The bright red flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds and are enormously attractive to these birds. Butterflies and bees will also visit the flowers. Because the flowers open from the bottom to the top over a period of several weeks, this plant provides lasting nectar for pollinators. The flowers are followed by capsules containing numerous tiny seeds. It is considered a short-lived perennial because it will die after blooming, although offsets will continue growing to perpetuate the plant. Under the right conditions cardinal flower will readily self-seed.
 
Cardinal flower is easily grown in moist soils in full sun to partial shade. It has few pests and is not favored by deer or rabbits.
 
Use cardinal flower in borders, rain gardens, and native gardens, especially on the edges of streams or ponds. They will naturalize in moist meadows and can be grown in a shallow water garden or in containers. 
 
 Submitted by:  Linda Anderson, Certified Master Gardener
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Monarch & Pollinator Sanctuary in Spooner, WI

6/20/2022

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​North Country Master Gardener Volunteer’s perennial garden is located at Spooner Ag Research 
Teaching and Display Garden.  It was completely redesigned and replanted with pollinator friendly 
and native plants completed in spring 2016.  We saw the perennial garden as an ideal space for 
creating a Monarch and Pollinator Sanctuary (MAPS).

We undertook this project as we learned more about the loss of pollinator habitats. Habitat loss is 
a result of disease, parasites, environmental contaminants and development of pristine land. 
Habitat loss contributes to the decline of many species of pollinators. The well-known and 
celebrated annual Monarch Butterfly migration south for winter and back north in Spring is a huge 
natural phenomenon, but has faced diminishing numbers of butterflies.

Three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators to reproduce.  Most fruit, 
vegetable, seed crops - and other plants that provide fiber, medicine and fuel are pollinated by 
animals.  A significant portion of the food we eat exists because of animal pollinators such as 
bees, butterflies and moths, birds and bats, beetles and other insects.

Bees are the main pollinators for fruits and vegetables.  They nest underground, in twigs and dead 
trees.  There are over 250 species of bees native to North America.  Bees are often considered 
pollinator superheroes, having adaptations which allow them to collect and transport pollen and 
nectar.  They have the unique ability to “buzz pollinate” plant species with pollen but  no nectar, 
such as tomatoes, cranberries, apples, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, alfalfa, red clover, 
snapdragons and foxglove.

Butterflies seek nectar in the daytime, moths at night. Monarch caterpillars need milkweeds to grow 
and develop – common milkweed is most important although a variety is recommended.  Monarchs need 
nectar to provide energy to breed, to sustain their migratory flights and to build reserve for w 
nter.  Butterflies can see red, and love colorful flowers in
warm colors.

Hummingbirds are the most common avian pollinators in the US, and they love the color red.  Two 
species of bat are major pollinators in the desert Southwest.

Beetles and other insects are common flower visitors and pollinators.  My personal favorite is the 
Midge fly, the only animal small enough to pollinate the cocoa flower, giving us billions of pounds 
of chocolate annually!

MAPS provides habitat for pollinators to help them thrive.  Measures incorporated into the garden 
include:
•   pollinator friendly plants, shrubs and trees
•   mix of plants with various colors and bloom times
•   no insecticide use
•   bee nesting boxes
•   natural compost for fertilization
•   removal of invasive species
•   thinning and mulching plant beds
•   trees, shrubs and vines as well as fruits and flowers

Our Monarch and Pollinator Sanctuary continues to thrive, and is a designated Monarch Way Station.

You are welcome to visit – we are always open!

Author:  Janet Mangold, Master Gardener Volunteer
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Garden Tour on June 23

6/13/2022

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​WISCONSIN CELEBRATES POLLINATOR WEEK
 
June is designated National Pollinator Month to bring attention to what we can do to support habitat for pollinators.  There are several programs throughout the month showing how we can help pollinators in our backyards.  
 
The North Country Master Gardener Volunteers invite you to join them on June 23, 2022, between the hours of 4:00 and 7:00 p.m., to tour the Monarch and Pollinator Sanctuary Garden at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station’s Teaching and Display Gardens.  Volunteers will be on-hand to give guided tours, answer gardening questions and showcase the dozens of different pollinator species established in the gardens.

The Teaching & Display Garden is open to the public for self-guided tours during the growing season and is located 1 ½ mile east of Spooner on Orchard Road, off Highway 70. 
 
Wisconsin Celebrates Pollinator Week, June 20-26, 2022, raising awareness through statewide and local activities and events. By increasing knowledge and adopting pollinator friendly practices, we can improve pollinator health and habitats. National Pollinator Month is an annual event managed by the Pollinator Partnership to help spread the word about what we can do to protect pollinators.

​Pollinator Week Webinars hosted by UW-Extension/Horticulture.  Webinars are free, but registration is required for each one. Webinars will be recorded for later viewing. 
For more information and links to register, go to https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/pollinator-week/
 
*June 20 - Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care
*June 21 - Join in Community Science with the Wisconsin Wild Bee App
*June 22 - Wisconsin’s Busy Bees: Getting to Know the Bees in Your Area
*June 23 - 10 Things to Consider for Weed Management When Establishing Pollinator Plantings
*June 24 - How Do Pesticides Affect Pollinators and Songbirds in Your Yard
 
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June is Pollinator Month

6/1/2022

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June is designated National Pollinator Month to bring attention to what we can do to support habitat for pollinators.  There are a number of programs throughout the month showing how we can help  pollinators in our backyards.  

Wisconsin Celebrates Pollinator Week, June 20-26, 2022, raising awareness through statewide and local activities and events. By increasing knowledge and adopting pollinator friendly practices, we can improve pollinator health and habitats. National Pollinator Month is an annual event managed by the Pollinator Partnership to help spread the word about what we can do to protect pollinators.

​Pollinator Week Webinars hosted by UW-Extension/Horticulture.  Webinars are free, but registration is required for each one. Webinars will be recorded for later viewing.   Click here for more information on each program and links to register. 
*June 20 - Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care
*
June 21 - Join in Community Science with the Wisconsin Wild Bee App
*
June 22 - Wisconsin’s Busy Bees: Getting to Know the Bees in Your Area
*
June 23 - 10 Things to Consider for Weed Management When Establishing Pollinator Plantings
*
June 24 - How Do Pesticides Affect Pollinators and Songbirds in Your Yard
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Year of the Verbena

5/9/2022

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Quartz Merlot Mix from Pan American Seeds - Year of the Verbena - National Garden Bureau
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Pollinators love verbena! Hummingbirds, butterflies, and moths are all frequent visitors. Bees of all types love verbena, too. Known for withstanding the pressure of hot, dry conditions, Verbena is a member of the Verbenaceae family, which is comprised of 800 species in 32 genera, many of them native to the Americas and Asia. This family is characterized by clumps or spikes of flowers on heat-loving herbs, shrubs, trees, or vines. There are many varied types and habits, including upright and tall, as well as mounded and trailing. Some verbena make great ground covers as well.

Hybrid varieties generally have larger flowers, brighter and more saturated colors, and larger, more weather-tolerant leaves than their species relatives.  bred to be more heat, water-stress, and disease tolerant (especially powdery mildew).

Leaves and foliage are often dense and, in many species, “hairy.” Its flowers are small with five petals, arranged in dense clusters. Typical colors include shades of blue and purple, but they can also be found in white and pink shades. Others are bred to withstand heat and humidity with flowers and bulky growth non-stop through the growing season.

While verbena seed is available, many of the newer varieties that have the desirable traits are vegetatively propagated and can be found as young plants at your local garden retailer in the spring.

Verbena looks their best when their soil is kept moist, but not wet as they do not like soggy feet. If the growing medium dries down too much, it can cause flushing, commonly known as cycling-out-of-color where the plant loses blooms but remains green and leafy.

Verbena plants should be placed in sunny locations, aiming for 6+ hours of direct light. Most species perform well in the ground, landscape, hanging baskets and patio containers. For the compact-growing verbena, those work best in pots and do not have the root vigor for garden bed applications. For prolonged flowering, deadhead verbena by removing spent flower heads.

Powdery Mildew (PM) is an unfortunate occurrence on some verbena. The best practice is to look for newer varieties that have a built-in resistance. If PM does appear (it will present as white patches of fluffy fungus on leaves or stem) treat with a neem spray or your favorite fungicide.  Catching PM early is the best solution, as this disease can spread quickly, and its fungus blocks sunlight to the plant’s nutrition system, making the plant unable to produce food, which will ultimately cause the plant to perish.

Gardening with verbenas can elevate your landscape design and add texture and color to your patio containers. You’ll appreciate their colorful branches and how well they play with other flowers in your garden.
​
Credit to https://ngb.org/year-of-the-verbena/
​Contributed by:  Vicki Gee-Treft, Master Gardener Volunteer
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    Learn more about what's going on by checking out these local blogs and Facebook sites: 

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Visit the Teaching & Display Gardens

The Teaching and Display Gardens  are a joint effort between the Spooner Agriculture Research Station, operated by the University of Wisconsin - Madison College of Agriculture and Life Science, the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension and area UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.  

Open to the public for self-guided tours during day light hours seven days a week mid-May through mid-September. 

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