We first featured flowers from Joan Covell’s garden two years ago when she was just starting it. Recently she sent us more photos of her beautiful garden in Solon Township. “Flowers came early this year and went away fast,” remarked Joan, “except for my mums. They were and still are beautiful.” She added that the birds love her garden, especially the hummingbirds. Thanks, Joan!

This Monarch butterfly appears to be getting some last minute nectar before hitting the highway to Mexico. “I was really surprised to see a Monarch still here in October,” said Chris McFarlane, of Nelson Township, who took this photo of a Monarch butterfly perched on a New England aster on October 23. Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico every year, traveling thousands of miles. They then come back in the spring and lay eggs. There have been a few Monarchs spotted in other northern areas at this late date. The problem with that is that as winter approaches, the nectar dries up and the butterflies might not make it to Mexico.

Nevin Mills, age 2, the grandson of Gary and Rosemary Mills, of Cedar Springs, befriended a woolly “bear” caterpillar that he named “Bob.”
This type of caterpillar is the larval form of the Isabella Tiger moth. They hatch during warm weather from eggs laid by a female moth. Mature woolly bears search for sites under bark or inside cavities of rocks or logs where they can stay the winter. (That’s why you see so many of them crossing roads and sidewalks in the fall.)
When spring arrives, woolly bears spin fuzzy cocoons and transform inside them into full-grown moths.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, woolly “bear” caterpillars became famous when Dr. C.H. Curran, curator of insects at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, performed an experiment at Bear Mountain State Park on the woolly “bear” caterpillars to predict the weather. From 1948 to 1956, he collected as many caterpillars as he could in a day, determined the average number of reddish-brown segments, and forecast the coming winter weather through a reporter friend at The New York Herald Tribune.
According to legend, the wider that middle brown section is (i.e., the more brown segments there are), the milder the coming winter will be. Conversely, a narrow brown band is said to predict a harsh winter. During Curran’s experiments, he found the bands to be wider, and the winters were somewhat milder. He knew, however, that he was testing a small amount of data, and it was an excuse to have fun more than anything scientific.

Eco-friendly landscape tips for the fall season

by Melinda Myers, gardening expert

Go green, or should I say brown.  Recycle fall leaves into compost, a soil amendment or a nutritious topdressing for the lawn. It saves time, improves your landscape, and is good for the environment.
Shred fall leaves with your mower and leave them on the lawn. As long as you can see the grass blades for the leaf pieces your lawn will be fine. Those shredded leaves will break down adding nutrients and organic matter to the soil.
It is also a good time to make your last application of fertilizer for your lawn. Use a slow release organic nitrogen fertilizer, like Milorganite, that won’t burn the lawn. Plus, the phosphorous is non-leaching and recent research found when the micro-organisms break down this fertilizer, some of the phosphorous and potassium tied up in the soil is released for plants to use.
Northern gardeners with bluegrass, fescue and rye grass lawns can make their last application in late fall before the ground freezes. Those in the south growing Bermuda, St Augustine and other warm weather grasses can make their last fertilization about one month before the lawn goes dormant. That’s about the time of the first killing frost. Fertilizing later can result in winter damage.
Bag any leaves you don’t want to leave on the lawn and dig them into annual flower and vegetable gardens. They will break down over winter improving the soil.
Use any remaining shredded leaves as mulch on the soil around perennials, trees and shrubs. The shredded leaves help conserve moisture, moderate temperature extremes and reduce weed problems. And once decomposed, help improve the soil.
Still leaves left? Start a compost pile by mixing fall leaves with other yard waste.  Don’t add aggressive weeds or those gone to seed. Leave insect and disease infested or chemically treated plant debris out of the pile. Don’t add fat, meat and other animal products that can attract rodents. Moisten and occasionally turn the pile to speed up the process. Soon you will have a wonderful soil conditioner to put back into your landscape.
Nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including “Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening.” She hosts the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment segments which air on 89 TV and radio stations throughout the U.S. Myers’ web site is www.melindamyers.com.

Add bulbs this fall for a colorful spring display

by Melinda Myers, gardening expert

Don’t miss a chance to color up your spring landscape.  Get busy now planting spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths.
Look for creative ways to use bulbs in your landscape. Plant a massive ribbon of blue squills or grape hyacinths to create the illusion of a river in your spring landscape. Or fill the front lawn with shorter bulbs for added color.  Just wait until they are done blooming to mow the grass at its highest possible setting.
Mix bulbs to double the bloom power or extend their flowering beauty.  I like to mix the equally assertive daffodils and squills for a double layer of color.  Try combining early blooming crocus with mid spring daffodils, late spring tulips, and even later blooming allium for months of enjoyment.
And force a few to enjoy indoors or outdoors in areas where you can’t plant bulbs in the ground.  Give these bulbs 15 weeks of temperatures between 35 and 45 degrees to initiate bloom.
Plant spring flowering bulbs outdoors in fall, so winter’s chill can set the flower buds for the beautiful spring flowers.  Those gardening in the south need to look for bulbs that require minimal chilling or are pre-cooled for winter planting.  Northern gardeners have until the ground freezes to get their bulbs in the ground.
Plant bulbs 2 to 3 times their vertical height deep in properly prepared soil.  Add a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer like Milorganite to the soil at planting. Water thoroughly, as the bulbs are putting down roots before the ground freezes.
Those tired of battling the animals may want to plant resistant bulbs such as daffodils, hyacinths, Fritillaria, alliums, Camassia, glory-of-the snow, snow drops squills, and grape hyacinths.
Or protect animal favorites like tulips, lilies, and crocus with a bulb dip of Bobbex.  Start with a pair of waterproof gloves for this task.  Bobbex is safe and natural, but not a fragrance you want to wear all day long. Carefully remove the papery cover and soak the bulbs for 3 to 5 minutes in Bobbex. You will have the best results using the concentrated formula of Bobbex-R Animal repellent.  Allow the bulbs to dry before planting.  The scent of Bobbex masks the smell of the bulbs protecting them from hungry critters throughout the winter.
Then next spring apply Bobbex to your bulbs and other landscape plants as soon as they emerge and leaf out, protecting them from hungry rabbits, deer, and other animals.
So get a jump on the spring season with a bit of fall landscape care.
Nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening. She hosts the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment segments which air on over 89 TV and radio stations throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and writes the twice monthly “Gardeners’ Questions” newspaper column. Melinda hosted “The Plant Doctor” radio program for over 20 years as well as Great Lakes Gardener on PBS. She has written articles for Better Homes and Gardens and Fine Gardening.  Melinda has a master’s degree in horticulture, is a certified arborist and was a horticulture instructor with tenure.  Her web site is www.melindamyers.com

Landon Prater, 5, picked some juicy Concord grapes at his grandma and grandpa’s house in Cedar Springs last week. They were sweet and delicious, and would be great in grape jelly!
What fall fruit and vegetables are you picking and how are you using them? Email us at news@cedarspringspost.com.

Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Fall is here and that means Michigan’s largest and most valuable fruit crop—the apple—is ripe and ready to tantalize your taste buds.
Michigan is the nation’s third largest producer of apples, producing an average of 18 million bushels each year. About 37,000 acres are used for apple production, with the majority of farms covering less than 200 acres, and 950 apple growers living and working in regions near Lake Michigan and along the western part of the state.
Michigan also plays a vital role in processed apples. About 60 percent of Michigan’s apples are processed into another product such as pie filling, applesauce, jellies, butter, juice, cider and vinegar. We are also the leading producer of slices for commercially-prepared apple pie.
Varieties

Longtime favorite varieties still dominate Michigan’s orchards. The most prevalent variety remains the Red Delicious, followed closely by the Golden Delicious. The Gala is rapidly gaining on tradition, however.  The Honeycrisp variety is continually growing in popularity. Look for it in September and October, and enjoy it while you can, as it will most likely be gone by mid-November! A growing number of Honeycrisp tree plantings still aren’t in pace with its popularity among consumers! Honeycrisp has a crisp, juicy bite and a sweet flavor. They are best for fresh eating and also a great addition to salads.
How to store

Apples bruise easily so handle them gently. Refrigerate in the crisper section; cool air helps maintain quality. Store apples in a ventilated bag away from foods with strong odors
Nutrition

Everyone knows Michigan Apples taste great, but they also keep you healthy and strong. Apples are a naturally fat-free, saturated fat-free, cholesterol-free and sodium-free food, and are an excellent source of fiber. Loaded with powerful flavonoids and antioxidants, they’re perfect for every diet and every part of your body.
Recipes

The Michigan Apples website (www.michiganapples.com) gives tips on which apples work best in baking and cooking, and has some great recipes submitted by Michigan residents. Try the one on this page by Mary Gardner, of Cedar Springs, who was runner-up in the 2011 recipe contest.

If you have a favorite apple recipe, send it to us at news@cedarspringspost.com.

(ARA) – When the calendar turns to fall months, temperatures drop and local football teams come to mind. With the approach of the cooler weather, many of us also begin to yearn for the warmth of comfort foods like hearty soups and stews or freshly baked pies, but these traditional favorites need not be boring and unhealthy. A modern take on comfort foods uses what is fresh and available during the season, but also explores new ingredients and stretches your imagination to look at old ingredients or recipes in new ways.
Regardless of where in the country you live, fall produce is becoming abundantly available. For some regions, families have begun making their annual pilgrimage to the local orchard to pick apples or pears, and pumpkins are maturing in the backyard garden waiting to be turned into jack-o-lanterns. But even if these crops aren’t possible to grow in your area, fresh autumn favorites like pumpkins, apples, parsnips and kale are still most likely making frequent appearances at local farmers markets and grocery stores.
Roast them, stew them, can them or bake them. Pumpkin, squash, root vegetables, apples and pears make for great cuisine that the whole family can enjoy. For a new take on old favorites, try adding rutabaga slices to your au gratin potato recipe or pop some cubed squash in while cooking up your family’s favorite beef stew.
Get the whole family involved and take the kids along to the market to find new vegetables to sample. Getting everyone interested in new flavors can be exciting. Sample some unfamiliar items and find new favorites. Kids will enjoy comparing the flavors of roasted carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, yams, potatoes, jicama and squash when marinated in a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Decide which flavors your family prefers and make this a seasonal tradition to cook up together annually.
Whether you’ve grown your own produce or pick it up at the market, America’s Test Kitchen and Miracle-Gro have teamed up to provide fresh new recipes and tips on fall gardening at www.scotts.com/GroYourOwn. Sample some of these delicious recipes while incorporating fall plants and produce into the menu and even learn which fall crops are best to grow in your area of the country.
Of course, nothing compares with the satisfaction of growing your own produce. Even if you didn’t plant a garden this year, why not make plans for one next year? With just a sunny place for a container on the balcony or a small plot in the backyard, you can easily plant your own garden to grow fresh squash, rutabagas or carrots in the spring to be enjoyed by your family next fall. If you prefer the crunch of a freshly picked apple, try planting a dwarf apple tree instead.
As the temperatures drop, enjoy the season’s harvest by incorporating locally grown produce into the menu. Start reviewing new recipes to try for family and friends and test their reactions. With the hearty flavors of freshly grown and harvested vegetables from the garden, everyone will be clamoring for more.