Spring in Michigan is always a temperamental time. One day it’s sunny and 70, and the next day it’s snowing. Drop the words “frost free date” anywhere in a Google search and you can get the average date predicting when it’s safe to plant.  The problem with averages is that they come from data on both sides of the average and using this date could leave you frost-burnt as frequently as half the years.

Here at Christensen’s, the full moon in May, or the ‘Flower Moon’ is something we always keep top of mind along with the average frost-free dates. Each spring, we take out our calendars, look for this ever-changing date, and wait patiently. The reason being is that many in our nursery believe that until we are past this milestone, we are still at risk of a frost. Sometimes we get lucky, and this turning point is early, and in other years- like this one, it is late.

The full moon in May was named, as other monthly moons were, by Native American tribes. In regions that were covered in carpets of flowers, the commonly used name of Flower Moon was coined. Other Native American cultures used different names based on what was occurring around them at that time such as Corn Planting moon or Blossom moon. This full moon paired with a clear night has long been believed to bring bitterly cold and unseasonable weather with the threat of hard frosts. The best example of this was the 2020 Flower Moon which brought a cold snap that extended for several days.

Depending on your source, some people believe the Flower Moon is a strong indicator, while others believe it is a long-held myth.  While researching we contacted our favorite local source for all things horticulture, Michigan State University, and asked if they knew of any scientific source that could prove or disprove the moon’s effect on frost. One response was that there isn’t much research on the connection.  Another thought is that it is likely a timing thing – which leads to conclusions that may or may not be able to be proven.

Whether you believe in the Flower Moon or not, we can all agree that, for us in the horticulture industry, a sudden burst of cold weather can be very bad news.  It is dangerous to fresh foliage, buds, and flowering trees.

As you probably know, plants spend the winter in a sleep called dormancy. This dormant period naturally hardens off your shrubs and perennials to withstand the harsh winter temperatures. However, once your plants start to emerge in the spring, we become concerned about colder temps. There are 3 types of freezes issued by the National Weather Service- Frost, freeze, and hard freeze. A frost- sometimes called ‘Killing Frost’ is just frozen dew. Water on the ground, and on the leaves of plants become frozen when temps fall into mid-30s, and winds are calm. A freeze is when temps are at 32 degrees and conditions such as wind prevent the formation of frost. Lastly, a hard freeze is the most serious and occurs when temps drop below 28 degrees for an extended period. It is worth noting that the length of freeze overnight matters. A 1-hour freeze before sunrise is not as worrying as an hours long freeze in the middle of the night. All types of freeze warnings must be recognized, and a plan of action set in place.

The Flower Moon this year is late and will not occur until May 23^rd. If you pair the Flower Moon with the averages that range from May 23^rd to May 27^th, depending on where you are, you will want to watch low temperatures and come up with a plan to combat the frost. Houseplants or potted material can easily be moved inside and out of the cold. In a nursery setting, or in your customers’ yards, here are some tips to mitigate some potential frost damage. At the nursery, we do two main things to battle against frost. Our first method is the continuous running of our irrigation. This frost protection program starts in the wee hours of the morning and runs every 45 minutes for 5-minute spurts throughout the entire nursery. This protects plants by using the heat of the water to continuously warm the plants. Our second mode of action is to use frost protection blankets. These blankets are typically lightweight but effective and do a nice job of keeping the frost from hitting the newly flushed leaves and buds. This method is less practical when talking about protecting an entire nursery, but a very effective plan for flower beds, or to cover smaller groups of our flushed perennials, and Roses. Tucking our plants in before a cold night gives us the peace of mind that they are safe and sound. Some other methods used across the industry are frost fans, under tree sprinklers, keeping grass short to absorb heat, frost protection sprays, and even the use of helicopters to increase air movement.

No matter how you slice it, frost is the arch nemesis of the nursery and homeowners alike. During early spring, it is imperative that we be on watch for cold temps and potential freezes. Whether you can run continuous irrigation, or just plan on using a frost blanket, having a game plan to protect your plants is imperative. Until Memorial Day, we will be keeping our eye on the sky to ensure the best plant material possible!

A special thank you to Michigan State University’s Rebecca Finneran and Keith Mason for help with frost-free dates. MSU is an excellent source for questions on lawns, landscape, gardening and horticulture in general.  You can contact them 24/7 by clicking here. Also, check out MSU’s Enviroweather Tool by clicking here. 

/ˌrōdəˈdendrən/
     noun

First of all, “Rhodys”, Azaleas, and ‘PJMs’ are all the same!!! They are all officially part of the rhododendron genus. They are one of our most popular stars of spring. All of those stocked at Christensen’s are Broadleaf Evergreens, flower in the spring, stay leafed out all year, and start the process over again. (We do not stock deciduous Azaleas anymore but if you need them, we will get you some.)

I also like ‘Boursault’, again another purple flower (heading towards pink). ‘Boursault’ is a Rhododendron catawbiense hybrid and is short. It will reach 5-6’ max. Both are those hardier H1 hybrids.

Last on my list of Rhododendrons is the small-leafed “PJM”. ( FYI: PJM is a series developed by Peter J. Mezitt and his son in the 1930s to be exceptionally winter hardy.) They are getting very hard to find. Sometimes we get ‘PJM’, ‘PJM Elite’, or ‘PJM Regal’. They are all very similar and can work interchangeably. All have the same ‘PJM’ flowers and will reach 3-5’.

Just in case you haven’t heard about it, today is the day of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. We would like to think that our newsletter is so good that you feel it’s the only source of information you need, but that would mean you are just now finding out it is going to get dark this afternoon! Our main customer base is not in the arc of totality. I believe we are only going to hit 97%. So, for us, it’s mostly been business as usual. A couple of weeks ago, I heard that some of our customers are expecting an influx of people into their area of up to 2 million! There have been a lot of recommendations in the news on how to best enjoy this rare event in our area. I hope that you make the best of it. 

But since we’re in the business of plants, I’d like to ask you…
What would you consider a “Total Eclipse of a Plant?”

In the ever-changing annual market, they have bred for sun tolerance in Begonias. In recent years, Proven Winners has brought on the Double Delight and the Solenia Begonias. Both series are recommended for sun to part sun. They aren’t recommended for shade at all!

But my question is, “Why?”  So many plants are sun tolerant already.  Shade varieties are the minority and need to be sought out for troublesome spots in the landscaping.  Where are the shade-tolerant Coneflowers? How about a good tall shade-loving Ornamental Grass? Why are we breeding (in my opinion) in the wrong direction?

On the other side of the moon, are there sunny plants eclipsing themselves by taking some shade? Who is trying to bring the bright colors of roses into the dark corners of the garden? David Austin, that's who. His English rose collections have some full sun roses that will take shadier locations. Some of Dave’s roses only need 4-5 hours of sun. Ironically, one of them is called “Bring Me Sunshine”.  They are a step in the right direction of bringing more plants over to the shady side. 

Now, that’s what I call a total eclipse of a plant!

Looking for more options to keep continuity between sun and shade? Check out our resources on the website or give us a call. We are happy to help!

For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

           ~ Song of Solomon as quoted by Ernie Harwell

My wife will tell you that one of my faults is I love every season that Michigan has to offer.  Even winter, much to my wife’s displeasure.  I do really enjoy what every season has to offer.  They all bring new opportunities, adventures, and pleasurable pursuits.

Spring offers a time for starting fresh.  Everyone is in the mood for new starts.  Windows on houses are open for fresh air to come in.  Dads are out in the garage getting them ready for summer toys to be used.  And landscaping crews are out cleaning up landscapes.  Getting ready to start installing fresh material.  Spring cleaning and spring training.

Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Centers are no different.  Equipment has had all of its needed maintenance.  All of our winter polyhouses are open with the hoops removed.  And load after load of fresh shade and ornamental trees have started arriving every day from all over the Midwest.

Spring marks the time in the landscape industry when all of the last season is gone.  Even the memories are fading.  Allowing all of us to start the year with fresh minds full of new ideas for the coming year.  I would urge all of you to go into this year with fresh eyes full of hope, looking for those fresh ideas.  You never know who those ideas are going to come from.  Most often the best ideas come from the least likely of sources.  You need only be ready to realize it.

May your year be full of prosperity.  We are here to help all of you.

It’s that time of the year when peace and reflection are prominent in our minds here at Christensen’s. Even more so this year for me, as a friend of my family recently passed away. And while his death was not unexpected, the timing was at 76 years young.

Our families had met when Chuck was the representative for a nursery selling plants to our nursery. He and my father became friends. Soon after, my mom and Chuck’s wife also became friends and thus started a 40-year friendship. 

After his passing, my family caught up with his family on Facebook. Time and distance had separated us for many years. So, it was good to catch up with old friends. We spent the better part of two hours chatting over Facebook Messenger, reminiscing of times spent with each other. We then caught up again at the celebration of life his daughters held for him. Again, spending time catching up about life. Like my life, their lives had changed in the years since I last saw them. Easy conversation with people who I have been friends with for almost my entire life.

This year has been filled with changes in the landscape industry and at Christensen’s Plant Center. And the future holds more change for all of us. My hope for all of you is that the change is for the better. And wherever life takes you, do not forget that there is always time in our busy days to talk to a friend.

Please have a safe and wonderous holiday season! I look forward to seeing all of you in the spring and hearing your stories from the time we spent apart.

Good morning, Minions, and welcome, once again, to another episode of the Chronicles of your favorite Cap’n.  It has been some time since your Cap’n has made an appearance in these articles, or on other social media sites for that matter. So it’s been requested, or rather encouraged, from “The Man With The Big Mustache” to possibly pull The Cap out of his state of semi-retirement, which really means I’ve had a dreadful case of writer’s block, and I don’t get out as much as I used to and observe weird situations or other comical scenarios to which I get to insert my twisted sense of humor for your entertainment. 

Basically, it’s me calling someone dum…. Errr… questioning an individual’s state of intelligence, at that particular moment, using as many drawn out adjectives that are normally infused with a vulgarity or four, and sometimes other random humorous zingers just to help us all get a laugh out of any given day.  This time around though… I gotta try something different...

CAP’S FIRST VILLAIN:  THE HELLSPAWNED BARBERRY.

Pickerus Impalemus Maximus

      Instead of grabbing it by the pot, as ya should always do, he grabs it by the hair instead.  

CAP’S SECOND VILLAIN:  THE DEMONSEED YUCCA PLANT

Painimus  Inmybuttimus

Now you may be asking, “Cap’n, what purpose does this plant have even though you want to launch a missile at them?”.  Simple:  They are nearly indestructible. Full sun? No problem.  Shady area?  They don’t care.  Lack of water? No problem. Nice flowers? Yep…for about 3 days until the wind snaps them off. Deer resistant?  Yep, even deer hate them. Nice foliage? If variegated green and yellow works for you, then definitely.  Basically, this is arguably the best low to NO maintenance plant in Michigan. Throw these into a blank area as a filler item, and you’ll have something to look at for years to come, just keep in mind that once you plant them, you’re probably going to be stuck with them for eternity.  For me personally, the plastic pots that they come in should be encased in concrete and stored here at the nursery in Block 36.  For those of you who don’t know where Block 36 is when you visit us:  that’s our drainage pond that’s about 15 feet deep. In my opinion, that’s the perfect place for them to exist.

CAP’S PRIMARY ARCH NEMESIS:  THE EIGHT-LEGGED FREAKS

Toomanyus Eyeballius

                Minions, I don’t fear many things. Snakes, clowns, enclosed places, heights, politicians, elevated mortgage rates, mimes, you get the idea.  I can coexist fairly enough with all of those common problem children, but your Cap’n does have a weakness, and the vast majority of my fellow coworkers (they’re Minions also, btw) and just about everyone that asks “Where is the Cap’n?” on social media knows exactly what it is: 

FRIGGIN’ SPIDERS!

                Ladies and gentlemen, evolution was having a VERY angry day when these creatures came into existence.  Maybe a meteor hit us that day, I don’t know.  I find them to be, arguably, the most brutal organism on Planet Earth. An old friend of mine that I worked with here for a long time asked as to why I have this hatred and fear of a little spider.  I then proceeded to tell him my point of view on these over-legged, over-eyeballed, and sometimes furry nightmarish monsters.  I just gave myself chills, and I haven’t gotten to the story yet. 

Picture this:  You’re a bug flying along looking for something to munch on during your few weeks of living when all of a sudden:  You stop abruptly.  You are stuck on a sticky web that you didn’t see.  Then you turn your head only to see an unidentified object with 8 eyeballs, 8 legs, and a couple of ginormous fangs speeding towards you, and there’s not a thing that can be done.  Well, if you’re in this scenario, at least it’ll be over quick, right?  Ohhhhhh Hell No! It bites you, but only paralyzes you.  THEN these evil, vile, sneaky trappers from Hades decide to start crocheting... with sticky thread…that originates from their ass… all over you.  Congratulations!  This abomination just turned you into a sweater. Thanks, Martha Stewart!  So now here you are: paralyzed, stuck in a web, you’re wearing a sweater in the middle of summer, feeling somewhat humiliated, and you’re not dead yet.  How can this get worse?  Along comes Demon Child again for a little snack… and you’re the snack.  Instead of hammering down and finishing you off like an 800-pound person at an all-you-can-eat buffet, it instead decides to sip on you like a Slurpee…for days... and during this whole time, the freakazoid is only getting LARGER. And hungrier.

                Fun stuff, right? Here’s some more for ya:  Some spiders have some pretty wicked poison to boot. Think about that:  A spider can cause significant damage to, or even kill, a PERSON with ONE BITE.  Wanna hear another fun fact?  DID YOU KNOW that the Daddy Longlegs spider is actually one of the MOST venomous spiders?  Fortunately for us, their fangs are so small that they can’t puncture our skin. With the way evolution goes, how long is that going to hold up?  I may be on my 104^th life by then, but it’s something to think about.  Anyhoo, I finished my story with my coworker, and I seriously think that I made him gain arachnophobia through my ramblings.  I did notice that he dusted the corners of his office a bit more often.

                “Cap’n, I want to obliterate every spider on the globe now!  They’re Brutal! They’re Evil! They can be deadly! Some are ENORMOUS!” How can they POSSIBLY have a purpose?”  As much as I hate to say it, we do need them.  Why?  They eat bugs, maybe like that damn Box Moth that’s causing some havoc around Michigan lately. It’s Nature's Insecticide!   As much as I want to stomp, drag, and smear them 6 feet underneath my boot, I do realize that if they don’t take out bugs, then our industry will suffer from various forms of insect contamination, damage, infestations, ect.  Sure, we can spray chemicals all day long, but the

 from arachnophobia.  After you walk through arborvitaes, get a face full of web, and notice that a fearsome, nightmarish creature with more eyeballs than you is staring back at ya, I have no problem making an appointment.

I was going to write about compost. I am such a huge fan. That rich nourishing smell of the earth, the way the steam rises off a warm rich freshly turned pile. Something I love and know a lot about! However, being that the release of this article (Nov 7), I thought I would try writing about something I know absolutely nothing about! Deer Season! That time of year when beards start to grow, the gear gets brought out, rifles get sighted, PTO that has been saved is about to be used, and the nursery is almost vacated of staff and customers.

What gives? I thought I would do a little research and see what all the hype is about. And boy did I learn a lot!

Of course, my immediate focus was ‘hunting and the challenges to the landscape’.  However, as I was educating myself on all things “whitetail”: scouting, the Rut, scrapes, rubs, food, disease, etc., I was totally intrigued by this thing called “hunting”! I get it!

Even though I couldn’t shoot or use a bow, the opportunity to be in the woods, the excitement in the air, and the camaraderie between fellow hunters must be an awesome experience. So why the decline in hunters? It was interesting to read about the decline and the ripple effect it has on the economy.

Public opinion has had a direct effect, and this year had the biggest decline in 30 years. Demographics have had a huge impact on the approval rating. Only 65% of African Americans approve of hunting, 61% of Hispanics, and 69% of people 18-39. The highest favorability was those who hunt regularly, shoot recreationally, fish, are male, caucasian, live in the Midwest or rural areas and are 35 years old or older.

The decline of hunters has vast funding issues for the state government. Fewer licenses being sold hurts state and federal programs. Hunting pumps hundreds of millions into conservation efforts. Unfortunately, without that funding, there is a less detailed approach to many programs. Most importantly, controlling and managing the herd!

As much as I like hearing my hunter friends bragging about that 8-point buck, it seems the responsible approach to managing the herd lies with the does. With the decrease in hunters, the deer population is rising. This increase in the deer population has many great concerns.

I could certainly continue in many different directions. I could go on about all the cool clothing and garb, best practices, safety, and even about programs aimed at building renewed interest in the sport. There is so much more to the sport then picking up a weapon and heading in the woods. Educate yourself, respect the landscape, and be mindful of the footprint you leave behind. Have fun and be safe!

But, most of all, good luck!

In late fall, besides the trees changing colors, you will also notice a change in your perennials. In this article, I would like to discuss fall perennial practices. Topics will include fall cleanup, which perennials should be cut back vs. which should not, perennial varieties that provide habitat for local wildlife, and how we close up the perennial greenhouses in the nursery. These tips should help with the overwintering process.

On the flip side, there are a few arguments for leaving some perennials in your garden alone. To protect the habitats of birds, and beneficial insects, you could consider not cutting Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Eupatorium or perennial sunflower. These seeds will provide food throughout the winter. If your home is close to wooded areas, meadows, or contains a brush pile, your garden may be even more habitat friendly. Some perennials that I would not cut back in the fall would be Asclepias, Ferns, Heuchera, and Dianthus. This is to protect the crowns during the harsh winter. Perennials are more cold-hardy when their stems are left intact. These stems can trap in snow, and work as an insulator for their crowns. A quick clean-up in the spring, and these will be just fine. The last reason why I would consider leaving some perennials be, would be their winter interest. Some stuff just looks awesome covered in snow! Species with stiff stems, or flat or cone-shaped dried flowers have a great winter look! Things like Sedum Autumn Joy, Ornamental grasses, or Echinacea Purpurea add to a garden’s winter beauty!

It is also not uncommon to line an entire house with some of those winter tolerant varieties to both save space, and act as a buffer for other material. We also have one heated structure that we use to protect our grasses (mainly Miscanthus, and Pennisetum varieties), from ever freezing. By keeping minimum heat on our grasses, we are ensuring a healthy, happy grass come spring.

Whether you are overwintering perennials in your landscape, or at your nursery there are many factors to consider. Moisture, temperature, snowfall, and sometimes just plain old luck are all factors that will determine how your perennials fare over a long winter. Keeping in mind potential winter damage, bird and insect benefits, and most importantly, what’s best for the plant, will ensure a seamless transition to the brisk winter days! Happy spring clean ups!

Sargent and Sargent Tina Crabapples are two of the most unique and reliable ornamental trees you can find. They offer beautiful colors year-round, are very low maintenance, and are great for wildlife. These Crabapples are extremely versatile, they can be used anywhere from focal points in gardens to lining driveways. Due to their dense and spreading growth habit, they can also work well as a privacy screen.

Sargent Crabapple’s growth habits make them unique. With dense winding branches that spread wide from the tree, they can provide a large canopy. If left unpruned branches may grow all the way to the ground providing a more shrub-like appearance. Sargent Tina is the smaller of the two varieties, they will grow to a height and width of about 5 feet. For this reason, they work better as an ornamental focal point in smaller landscapes. Sargents can grow to a height and width of about 10 feet.

Beautiful year-round, these crabapples both start with pink buds in the early spring that open to bright white blossoms covering the whole tree. As their flowers begin to drop they reveal a dense canopy of dark green leaves. The leaves will turn shades of gold in the fall before dropping and revealing a beautiful winding branching structure. In the fall the tree will also produce bright red fruits that are very attractive to birds and can persist into the winter.

Both varieties prefer full sun, regular moisture, and require minimal pruning. When planted the trees require regular watering until established. Once established they are relatively resistant to drought, insects, and disease. Pruning in late winter to remove dead, damaged, or unwanted growth is the best practice. This is also when it is easiest to see the full branching structure of the tree allowing you to shape and alter its irregular spreading growth habits.

If you would like to learn more about crabapples, check out Jacob's article from last year, Don't Worry, Be Crabby!

If you follow our Sticks & Stones articles, you know that as a buyer, my job is to find beautiful plants for you at a reasonable price. I think I do a respectable job at it. Lately, I have had some physical issues that have kept me from walking around as much but the salespeople at the nursery aren’t yelling about anything, so I think I am doing a good job. When I do head out to look at what just came off a truck, some things I do not look at. I just know they are fab. MAGIC!! Just kidding! No not really. Some nurseries do grow certain products that are always to die for, some other items may not be their specialty, so they need to be looked at. It doesn’t matter what nursery they come from, if it is a “Oakleaf” Hydrangea I am all over it!

I have decided this is going to be Hydrangea year again. (A year where I focus on improving my selection in a certain plant) My goal is to find a nice potted Oakleaf! You are going to see some new flavors this coming year! My best hope is with a new cultivar named ‘Jetstream’. Coming in at 5-6’ tall, it’s claim to fame is sturdy stems. I have seen these in a “can” and they look good, the kind of good that makes you look twice and go ‘dang.’ I have seen them at different locations, and they all look good. I have high hopes for these. I have not heard of them being disease resistant, but I have not seen disease issues like ‘Alice’. To counter the trouble ‘Alice’ can cause, a couple of years ago I brought in some ‘Alice in Wonderland’, a 5x5’ Michael Dirr introduction. I have seen some large potted plants, and they are beautiful. I think what I like about these the most is the flowers (on very strong stems) stick out from top to bottom looking kind of like rockets. (Truthfully it reminds me of those centerpieces you get for the 4^th of July – not at all in a bad way!).

I have small handfuls of a couple of other cultivars incoming next year.

‘Toy Soldier’ Bet you thought it was a dwarf!?!? It’s not. It will only do 4-5 x 4-5’, but it is supposed to stand up like a “Toy Soldier” on very strong stems. I also have some ‘Snowcicle’ coming in next year. It has 12-15” long panicles of DOUBLE flowers on a plant that will do 5-6 x 5-6. It is also known for its strong stems.

You will still see ‘Pee Wee’ (4’), ‘Munchkin’ (3-4’) and ‘Sikes’ (2-3’) for dwarfs. The closest thing to a “dwarf” I have found so far is the “Toy Soldier’. I have not seen anything else in a new cultivar and truly dwarf. I do, however, plan on something new in the dwarfs soon!

This year, we had a special order for some Proven Winner ‘Gatsby Gal.’ It is a brand-new cultivar and maybe a fabulous landscape plant. However, I have yet to do a double-take when I see them in a pot. ‘Gatsby Gal’ is considered a dwarf at 4x4’. It has large white flowers on very sturdy stems. ‘Gatsby Pink’ (6’) opens white and quickly changes to pink. “Gatsby Moon’ is a large “Oakleaf” coming in at 8x8 with big white mophead flowers I am going to watch these; Maybe give them one more chance. Maybe!

P.S. To those who pay attention to such crap. This is 30 years and 2 full boxes of staples for me!