Sneak peak at upcoming Outagamie Master Gardener Garden Discoveries Walk

Admiring iris and lupine

Unique metal sculptures

Old metal spreader as planter

Tri-color beech in front of...

... bottle tree

Whimsical, bold  painted wood chairs and garden art

Lumber salvaged from an old fence, and repurposed storm windows
 were used to make this shed resemble a 'cabin up North' with a front porch
for relaxing and enjoying the nearby waterfall

Black medic spreading

Prostrate weeds with small yellow, clover-like flowers in your garden beds or lawn might be black medic. This leguminous plant from Europe and temperate Asia is also called yellow trefoil, black clover and hop medic.  Its is most often found as a weed in in dry, sunny areas in turf and waste ground, but it can be a nuisance in gardens and fields too. Black medic can be an indication of low soil nitrogen in lawns as it outcompetes weak grass.
Black medic produces a long taproot that grows deeply into most soils. Several trailing, slightly hairy stems grow out from the base. The plant grows close to the ground, spreading up to 2 feet, but does not root along the stems. Like other members of the legume family, black medic has a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria that form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
In lawns, black medic can be managed through good turf management practices that encourage a dense stand of turf (high mowing, proper fertilization and irrigation), making it difficult for black medic to persist. As black medic often grows where some soil compaction has occurred, such as along curbs and sidewalks, reducing compaction will also help.
Black medic produces viable seed under normal mowing conditions which can persist in the soil for years, so it is important to control this weed before flowering and seed set. Individual plants can be hand pulled. Even larger plants are easy to pull out, particularly after rain has softened the soil. However, for large areas or dense infestations, a broadleaf herbicide can be applied to actively growing plants during the seedling to flower growth stage. Chemical controls are best applied from late spring through early summer and again from early through mid-autumn.

Canada thistle

“Cut thistles in May, they'll grow in a day. Cut them in June, that is too soon. 

Cut them in July, then they will die.”

~An old English nursery rhyme

Canada thistle is a perennial herbaceous plant, 2 - 5' tall with slender grooved stems that branch only at the top. It has male and female plants. The leaves are alternate, smooth, oblong, tapering, and directly attached to the stem, deeply divided, with prickly margins.Numerous small purple flowers appear on top of the upper branched stems between June and September.
Canada thistle, Cirsium arvense, is one of only three plant species designated as "noxious" in Wisconsin (local governments may choose to designate additional species).  It has been declared a noxious weed in 43 states as one of the most tenacious agricultural weeds. Leaves are alternate with spine-tipped lobes and the flowers are in heads with bracts that are acute at the tip, but usually do not form spines.
Canada thistle invades undisturbed areas such as prairies, savannas, glades, dunes, streambanks, sedge meadows, and forest openings, as well as croplands, pastures, lawns, gardens, roadsides, ditches, and waste sites. Once it has established it spreads quickly, forming monocultures.
Repeated pulling and mowing (minimum 3 times per growing season, when flower buds are formed, but have not yet opened) weakens roots.  Late spring (May/June) burns for 3 consecutive years stimulates seed germination and kills seedlings. Later season burns are needed because early season burning can stimulate plant growth and flowering. Some gardeners report getting control of Canada thistle by chopping down the plant before it goes to seed and then pouring vinegar, salt, or a mixture of vinegar and salt water down the stem area, repeating this process until the roots are exhausted. Or foliar spray glyphosate during the early bolting phase when plants are 6-10” tall, during the bud to flower phase, or rosettes in the fall; with clopyralid or metsulfuron-methyl. Biological control methods involve stem weevil (Ceutorhynchus litura), bud weevil (Larinus planus), stem gall fly (Urophora cardui), or foliage feeder (Cassida rubiginosa).

Canada thistle continues to pop up in a planting bed surrounding a spruce tree, despite repeated attempts to weed out every thistle plant seen as last season progressed and this season began.  Since seeds are believed to beviable in the soil for more than 20 years, it is likely to continue to be an ongoing process.  Stocking up on heavy gloves will be a necessity to avoid the prickers.

Creeping bellflower

Creeping bellflower, Campanula rapunculoides, is a too-vigorous herbaceous perennial native to Europe, Western Asia and the Caucasus. Other common names include creeping bluebell, European bellflower, garden bluebell, June bell, rampion bellflower, and rover bellflower. The leaves, shoots and roots of this plant are edible, and it was once grown for culinary purposes. In Wisconsin it is listed as a "restricted invasive plant." It grows in almost any soil in wet or dry conditions, reseeds readily and spreads by rhizomes and root fragments.
Creeping bellflower produces erect, unbranched green to purple stems 1-3 feet tall. The basal leaves are wider and heart-shaped while the leaves on the stems gradually become shorter and more narrow with shorter (or no) petioles toward the top. The largest leaves are up to 5” long and 2” wide. The opposite foliage is coarse and irregularly toothed, with small blunt teeth. The leaves are dark green on the upper surface and light green below, with short hairs along the underside of the leaf veins. The lavender to purple-blue, bell-shaped flowers bloom from early summer through fall. Peak flowering in southern Wisconsin is in July.  They may occur in dense patches, spreading by short stolons. There are both slender surface roots and deeper, fibrous and bland-tasting, tuber-like roots up to 18” long and about an inch in diameter.
Introduced as an ornamental, creeping bellflower escaped gardens and is now found throughout Wisconsin, invading fields, stream banks, woodlands, prairies, roadsides, urban areas, and oak savannas. It can create monoculture stands through seed production and rhizomes. This species may overwhelm other less vigorous plants. In Wisconsin it is listed as a "restricted invasive plant".
Creeping bellflower is very difficult to eradicate. It is nearly impossible to control it by digging or pulling the roots. Try digging at least 6” deep and several inches out from the plant to ensure you have gotten all of the roots. Repeated pulling or mowing in a growing season will weaken the plant but will not kill it. To attempt chemical control, apply a glyphosate solution using foliar spray or wicking method. Non-selective herbicides, such as glyphosate, can be effective, but it may require several applications to eliminate all the roots. To try to avoid damaging grass, herbicides with dicamba as the active ingredient can be applied.

A first attempt at controlling creeping bellflower was made pulling it by the roots from around iris and other plants it has been starting to overtake.  After allowing time for the remaining roots to sprout again, further attempts at control will be made.

Reed canary grass invading our native bed

"Many gardeners will agree that hand-weeding is not the terrible drudgery that it is often made out to be. Some people find in it a kind of soothing monotony. It leaves their minds free to develop the plot for their next novel or to perfect the brilliant repartee with which they should have encountered a relative's latest example of unreasonableness."

~Christopher Lloyd

Reed canary grass forms dense, persistent monospecific stands in wetlands, moist meadows, and riparian areas that outcompete desirable native plants. It dominates a significant number of wetlands in the Midwest. Reed canary grass is one of the first grasses to sprout in the spring.  It grows 2-9 foot tall. The stem is hairless and stands erect. The leaf blades are flat and have a rough texture on both surfaces, gradually tapering from the base to the tip. They 4-8 inches long and about ½ inch wide. The transparent ligule is unusually large—up to ½ inch long. Top leaves are horizontal. Densely clustered single florets that are green to purple when in bloom (May to mid-June) and turn golden tan as seeds form. The flower branches spread during bloom but draw close to the stem at maturity. Seeds ripen in late June.  Seeds are dispersed via waterways, animals, humans, and machines and can germinate immediately at maturation. Rhizomes with large numbers of dormant buds create a thick fibrous mat at or just below the soil surface.

To control, small patches may be hand pulled, dug or covered with black plastic for a minimum of one growing season. Close mowing 3 times per year can be effective to retard growth and prevent seed set. Late spring or late fall burns for 5 to 6 years may be effective. Soil can also be tilled repeatedly for at least one growing season or the sod can be removed by bulldozer or bobcat making sure to go 8-18” down. A combination of these methods over a couple of years may be necessary to fully eliminate a stand.
If resorting to chemical methods of control, small scattered clones can be controlled by tying stems together just before flowering, cutting off and bagging stems, and applying glyphosate (Round-up) to the cut stems as was being done at Wild Ones large prairie plantings. A foliar spray with solution of glyphosate is formulated for use over water. Grass specific herbicides, like sethoxydim and fluazifop-p-butyl, can be used in non-aquatic environments. The herbicide imazapic has been shown to be effective for long-term control.

Today focus was on pulling patches of reed canary grass in the native bed and then digging holes to transplant alternative native plants, including joe pye weed and pink turtlehead.

World Oceans Day, June 8th

“Together we have the power to protect the ocean."

 this year’s World Oceans Day theme

Why celebrate the oceans? Oceans cover 71% of Earth’s surface, and they hold 97% of our planet’s water. They help feed us and provide most of the oxygen that we breathe.  They play a key role in regulating the weather and climate. Water evaporating from the oceans falls inland as rain, which we  use to drink and grow crops.A variety of life saving medicinal compounds including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs have been discovered in the oceans.

The concept for a “World Ocean Day” was first proposed in 1992 by the government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  Since 2002, The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network have helped to promote and coordinate World Oceans Day events worldwide with aquariums, zoos, museums, conservation organizations, universities, schools, and businesses. The United Nations General Assembly resolution passed in December 2008 recognizing World Oceans Day as June 8th.

Threats to the oceans include pollution, overfishing, invasive species, and rising ocean acidity due to the extensive use of fossil fuels.

Oregon-based artist and educator Angela Haseltine Pozzi created Henry and the dozen sculptures in an exhibit called “Washed Ashore: Plastics, Sea Life & Art” to educate people, particularly children, about the hazards to marine life from the trash left in the oceans and on the beaches. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it takes one to 20 years for plastic grocery bags to disintegrate, 450 years for plastic bottles and 600 years for plastic fishing line. Pozzi’s art pieces were sculpted from 7,000 pounds of marine debris found in one year.

 Some 500 volunteers scoured 60 miles of Oregon coastline, from Port Orford to North Bend, collecting plastic water bottles, plastic rope and netting, flip-flop sandals, sand toys, buoys and balls. But as Pozzi said, “It could be any beach in the world.” To create the art, the trash is cleaned and left exposed to rain and sun as part of the process. The debris is used as is, or cut and shredded, and then assembled into the piece. Pozzi designs the sculptures and makes the faces herself, but volunteers, from kindergartners to senior citizens, help create the art. Unlike most art, these sculptures were made to touch or to walk through, such as a giant sea jelly made mostly of plastic bags and water bottles hanging in the Shark & Ray Experience and the 12-foot-high, 10-foot-long whale bone cage at the front galleria entrance.

Washed Ashore: Plastics, Sea Life & Art

Where: Chula Vista Nature Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista

So what can we do as individuals living in the Midwest, living miles far from the nearest ocean?

We can begin by recycling and using reusable water bottles and grocery bags to help reduce plastic pollution. We can reduce our carbon footprint by turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use and purchasing energy efficient products. And we can make sustainable seafood choices to protect marine life.

BEST CHOICES Well managed, caught or farmed in environmentally responsible ways.

Abalone

Arctic Char (farmed)

Bass: Striped (US hook & line, farmed)

Catfish (US)

Clams, Mussels, Oysters

Cod: Pacific (US hook & line, longline & trap)

Crab: Dungeness & Stone (US)

Halibut (US Pacific)

Lobster: Spiny (Mexico)

Sablefish/Black Cod (AK & Canada) 

Salmon (AK)

Sardines: Pacific (Canada & US)

Scallops (farmed)

Shrimp: Pink (OR)

Tilapia (Ecuador & US)

Trout: Rainbow (US farmed)

Tuna: Albacore/White canned (Canada & US troll, pole)

Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned (FAD-free, US troll, pole)

Tuna: Yellowfin (US troll, pole)

GOOD ALTERNATIVES Some concerns with how they are caught or farmed.

Basa/Pangasius/Swai

Cod: Atlantic (imported)

Cod: Pacific (US trawl)

Crab: Blue & King (US)

Flounders, Soles (US)

Grouper: Red (US Gulf of Mexico)

Lobster (Bahamas & US)

Mahi Mahi (Ecuador & US)

Monkfish (US)

Pollock (US)

Salmon (CA, OR & WA wild)

Scallops (wild)

Shrimp (Canada & US wild)

Snapper: Red (US)

Squid (US)

Swordfish (US)

Tilapia (China & Taiwan)

Tuna: Albacore/White canned (US longline)

Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned (importedtroll, pole and US longline)

Tuna: Yellowfin (imported troll, pole and US longline)

AVOID  Overfished, or strong concerns with how they are caught or farmed.

Abalone (China & Japan)

Cod: Pacific (Japan & Russia)

Crab: Red King (Russia)

Lobster: Spiny (Belize, Brazil, Honduras & Nicaragua)

Mahi Mahi (imported)

Orange Roughy

Salmon: Atlantic (farmed)

Sharks

Shrimp (imported farmed)

Shrimp (LA & Mexico wild)

Squid (imported)

Swordfish (imported)

Tuna: Albacore/White canned (except Canada & US troll, pole and US longline)

Tuna: Bluefin

Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned (imported longline and purse seine)

Tuna: Yellowfin (except troll, pole and US longline)

“We never know the worth of water ‘til the well is dry.”

~Thomas Fuller

Alternatives to Midwest Invasive Species

Invasive species (species that are known to be invasive in the Midwest-usually non-native, that are able to establish themselves within existing native plant communities and are posing a threat to the integrity of the community) & alternatives

Ailanthus altissima (Tree of heaven); Suitable for many soils

• Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky coffeetree) NS Large compound leaves; waxy brown pods;tolerant of wide range of conditions
• Cladrastis lutea (Yellowwood) NS White, fragrant, pendulous flowers; yellow fall color;brown pods; tolerant of urban environments

Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive); Small tree, silver foliage
Elaeagnus umbellatus(Autumn olive); Large shrub, silver foliage

• Shepherdia argentea (Buffaloberry) NS Silver-green leaves; silver stems;red to yellow fruit good for wildlife
• Salix sericea (Silky willow) NS Silver, lance-shaped leaves
• Salix elaeagnos (Rosemary willow) E Stems and undersides of leaves silver-gray;leaves look like long rosemary leaves
• Cornus sericea (Redosier dogwood) NS Bright red stems; small white flowers;good for hedges or mass plantings
• Elaeagnus commutata (Silverberry) NS Silver foliage; very tolerant of dry conditions

Ligustrum vulgare, L. obtusifolium (Privet); Hedge or border plantings

• Viburnum prunifolium (Black haw) NS Small white flowers in dense clusters;dark blue berries persist into winter

Lonicera morrowii, L.tatarica, L. x bella (Bush honeysuckles); Fast growth; red fruit for birds and wildlife

• Amelanchier spp. (Serviceberry) NS/E White flowers; edible fruit; fall color
• Calycanthus floridus (Carolina allspice) NS Fragrant, red flowers; aromatic leaves
• Kolkwitzia amabilis (Beautybush) E Pale, pink flowers; yellow to redfall color; grows quickly
• Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry) NS White flowers; purple-black fruit;attracts birds and butterflies
• Sambucus pubens (American red elderberry) NS Yellowish white flowers; red fruit
• Lonicera dioica (Red honeysuckle) NS Yellow flowers; red fruit; bluish foliage;attracts birds, bees, and butterflies
• Lonicera involucrata (Twinberry) NS Pale yellow flowers; deep green foliage;small shrub; erosion control
• Stephanandra incisa (Cultleaf stephanandra) E Arching stems; purple-red to orange fall color

Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle); Larger size than above Lonicera spp.

• Amelanchier spp. (Serviceberry) NS/E White flowers; edible fruit; fall color
• Heptacodium miconioides (Seven son flower) E Clusters of fragrant white flowers,purplish-red fruits persist through winter
• Kolkwitzia amabilis (Beautybush) E Pale, pink flowers; yellow to red fall color;grows quickly

Rhamnus cathartica, R. frangula (Common and glossy buckthorns); Hedge or border plantings

• Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam) NS Small tree; orange to red fall color
• Corylus americana (American hazelnut) NS Shade-tolerant; edible nut
• Rhamnus alnifolia (Dwarf alder) NS Shiny, ovate leaves; red to black berries
• Thuja occidentalis (American arborvitae) NS Dense, evergreen foliage;good as a screen or hedge plant
• Thuja plicata (Western arborvitae) NS Dense, evergreen foliage;good as a screen or hedge plant

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm); Fast-growing, tolerant of wide range of conditions

• Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) E Shade tree; tolerant of urban environments
• Ulmus americana (American elm) NC Spreading, arching branches; good street orshade tree (disease resistant cultivars, including 'Princeton' 'Valley Forge' and 'New Harmony')
• Ulmus hybrids (Hybrid elm) E Arching branches; good street or shade tree(disease resistant cultivars, including 'Princeton'‘Valley Forge' and 'New Harmony')

Butomus umbellatus (Flowering rush); Water gardens

• Juncus effusus (Common rush, soft rush) NS Stiff, pale green stems; grows in clumps;good for water gardens
• Schoenoplectus pungens NS Stiff, triangular stems;Common threesquare) good for water gardens
• Schoenoplectus acutus (Hardstem bulrush) NS Stiff, round stems; good for water gardens

Celastrus orbiculatus* (Oriental bittersweet); Attractive red and orange fruit

• Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet) NS Leaves, fruit, and growth habit similarto Celastrus orbiculatus

Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed); Rapid growth; plumes of white flowers

• Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s beard) NS Showy plumes of white flowers;& E grows 3 to 5 feet tall
• Cornus sericea (Red stemmed dogwood) NS Bright red stems; small white flowers;good for hedges or mass plantings
• Persicaria polymorpha (Giant fleeceflower) E Showy plumes of white flowers;grows 3 to 5 feet tall

Hesperis matronalis (Dame’s rocket); Bright pink and white flowers

• Phlox paniculata 'Katherine', Shortwood', 'David' NC Narrow, pointed leaves; forms dense(Summer phlox) clumps; variety of flower colors
• Phlox carolina 'Reine du Jour' (Summer phlox) NC Bright pink flowers; mildew-resistant

Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle); Fragrant flowers, climbing vine red or black berries;
attractive to birds (more serious problem in southern part of region)

• Lonicera sempervirens NS Coral, red, or yellow trumpet-shaped flowers;(Scarlet honeysuckle or trumpet honeysuckle)
• Lonicera x heckrottii NS/E Pink flowers buds open to show(Everblooming honeysuckle) hybrid yellow center; fragrant flowers
• Lonicera dioica (Red honeysuckle or NS Yellow flowers; red fruitNorthern bush honeysuckle)

Lythrum salicaria (Purple loosestrife, including all cultivars); Bright pink-purple flowers

• Liatris spicata 'Kobold', Liatris pychnostachya NC Showy spikes of purple flowers(Blazing stars)
• Vernonia fasciculata (Prairie ironweed) NC Dense purple flowers; stiff stems
• Lobelia cardinalis, incl. hybrid cultivars NC Tubular red flowers; attracts hummingbirds(Cardinal flower)
• Asclepias incarnata (Swamp milkweed) NS Flat clusters of pink-red flowers;grows well in wet areas

Phalaris arundinacea (Ribbon grass); Tufted growth form; easy to grow

• Spartina pectinata 'Aureomarginata' NC Golden edged foliage; purple flowers(Variegated prairie cord grass)
• Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' (Ice dance sedge) NC Stiff, dark green leaves; drought tolerant
• Sesleria autumnalis (Autumn moor grass) E Forms tufted mound; drought tolerant

Watch species (species that currently pose a lesser threat in our region)  & alternatives

Acer platanoides*(Norway maple); Shade tree; tolerant of urban environments

• Acer miyabei (Miyabei maple) E Small to medium tree; yellow fall color
• Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) E Shade tree; tolerant of urban environments
• Acer freemanii (Hybrid maple) NS Fast-growing; yellow to red fall colorhybrid
• Tilia cordata (Littleleaf linden) E Good street tree; tolerant of urban environments

Berberis thunbergii*(Japanese barberry); Red fall color; tolerant of urban conditions

• Tilia cordata (Littleleaf linden) E Good street tree; tolerant of urban environments
• Buxus spp. (Boxwood 'Glencoe' or 'Green Velvet') E Dense, evergreen foliage; small round leaves; fragrant
• Ribes alpinum 'Green Mound' (Alpine currant) E Dense foliage; lobed leaves; yellow fall color
• Fothergilla major(Large fothergilla) NS White flower clusters; red to orange fall color
• Cotoneaster divaricatus (Spreading cotoneaster) E Small, pale pink flowers; red to purple fall color
• Ilex verticillata (Winterberry holly) NS Bright red berries in dense clusters, 
• persist through winter; attracts birds
• Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diablo' (Ninebark) NC Dark, reddish-purple leaves; pinkish-white flowers
• Rosa rubrifolia (Redleaf rose) E Purplish-red foliage; pink flowers
• Rosa knockout (Knockout roses) E Brilliant flower color; disease resistant

Berberis thunbergii, purple forms* (Japanese barberry); Purple foliage; tolerant of urban conditions

• Cotinus coggygria (Smoke bush) E Airy pink flowers; purple fall foliage
• Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diablo,' 'Summer Wine,' NC Dark, reddish-purple leaves;Coppertina' and 'Center glow'(Ninebark) pinkish-white flowers
• Weigela florida 'Wine and Roses' E Dark burgundy-purple foliage (Weigela 'Wine and Roses') and rosy pink flowers

Euonymus alatus*(Burning bush); Red fall color; red fruit

• Aronia arbutifolia (Red chokeberry) NS Brilliant red fall color; red berries
• Aronia melanocarpa (Black chokeberry) NS Brilliant red fall color; black berries
• Fothergilla major(Large fothergilla) NS White flower clusters; red to orange fall color
• Fothergilla 'Mt. Airy' and 'Blue Shadow' NC Abundant white flowers; red to purple fall color(Fothergilla cultivars)
• Itea virginica (Virginia sweetpire) NS Bright red fall color; green or red winter twigs; arched branches; fragrant white flower clusters
• Viburnum prunifolium (Blackhaw) NS Small white flowers in dense clusters; dark blue berries persist into winter
• Rhus copallinum (Shining sumac) NS Brilliant red autumn color; drooping red berry clusters; glossy leaves
• Euonymus americanus (Strawberry bush) NS Red capsules open to reveal orange-red berries;green stems in winter
• Euonymus atropurpureus (Eastern wahoo) NS Dark purple fall foliage; red fruits are attractive to wildlife
• Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' (Japanese maple) E Brilliant red fall color; small tree

Maintain species (species that need maintenance to prevent invasion) & alternative

Euonymus fortunei, trailing types*(Wintercreeper); Groundcover

• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) NS Evergreen groundcover; large red berries
• Asarum canadensis (Wild ginger) NS Herbaceous groundcover; heart-shaped leaves
• Asarum europaeum (Wild ginger) E Herbaceous groundcover; glossy, heart-shaped leaves
• Helleborus spp. (Hellebore) E Evergreen; shiny, dark green foliage

Vinca minor*(Periwinkle); Groundcover

• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) NS Evergreen groundcover; large red berries
• Waldsteinia fragarioides (Barren strawberry) NS Evergreen groundcover; butter-yellow flowers in spring