After a long and cold winter season, it’s no surprise that people are excited to get back outside to plant their gardens in warmer temperatures.
Local nursery owners like Betsy Ernst of Peninsula Perennial Nursery, have seen growing interest in gardening in recent years, and said it’s just one of those activities in life that people can continue finding joy in.
“In spring, everyone is so eager to get out and get their hands dirty in the soil and get outside and see things flowering,” Ernst said. “Up here, you can plant all summer long and fall is another really good time for planting… you get to see something grow in front of you and it produces enjoyment, so it’s one of those things that you can really do yourself and get a lot of satisfaction out of, and you’re supporting the environment and giving back to the earth, and I think that’s what’s so great about it too.”
In the summer, if it gets too dry, it can be more difficult to maintain plants, but the spring typically provides for more rain and slow warming temperatures, hence the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” Ernst said preparing the soil is a huge part of ensuring that the plant is successfully established and thrives wherever it is placed.
“If you’re planting a new area, the best thing you can do is to prepare the soil, and that means digging it up, getting it free of weeds,” she said. “If it’s really sandy, you might want to use some compost to strengthen the soil so it can retain water better.”
Ernst said she likes to recommend people doing a soil test before planting anything. Michigan State University (MSU) Extension offers a soil test kit to process any type of home soil sample (lawn, vegetable garden, tree, shrub, flowers, etc.). The soil test mailer is $26 and includes everything a person needs to gather and send in the soil. The results of the soil will show its nutrient levels, pH value, its soil organic matter level, and personalized recommendations for fertilizer and any needed pH modifications. Local stores like McGough’s in Traverse City also sell soil testing kits and specialty fertilizer for those that rather pick up the tools in-person.
The weather can vary in the springtime, but Ernst said the perennials they plant at the nursery survive those temperatures versus annuals.
“If you’re planting annuals, you don’t really want to plant until after Mother’s Day… I’ll stick with perennials, shrubs, and trees, which can go in now,” she said. “You have to make sure your water is turned on because as soon as things get planted, they need to be watered.”
In addition, choosing to add native plants to a garden is good for attracting pollinators and can adapt well to the environment here.
“They (native plants) are more adaptive to less watering and they’re more tolerant of our environmental conditions because they’re the ones who have been survivors up here… especially if you’re in a windy or sandy difficult area,” she said. “The more native plants you can plant in those areas, the better off your landscape will be.”
Customers that stop by at Peninsula Perennial at the beginning of spring often lean towards options to enhance their landscape as they’re clearing out their garden beds. From arborvitae trees and shrubs to versatile flowers like hydrangeas and Neptunes, the nursery’s extensive list of available plants give people an array of options to choose from.
“I think the other trees that we start selling early are the ones that are flowering such as Dogwoods and Redbuds, magnolia, ornamental cherry trees, and of course, crabapples…” she said.
Margo Behler of Bay Meadow Farms in Suttons Bay runs a fifth generation family-run fresh cut specialty flower farm, and has been busy planting a variety of perennials and annuals during these early spring days. The business practices regenerative farming and has a passion for sharing their love of flowers with the community.
Behler’s favorite part about gardening, whether it’s in the spring or during the fall, is the peace and quiet that it brings. Being able to nurture and see how a plant grows from seed and eventually into a blossoming flower makes gardening that much more satisfying, Behler explained.
“I can be up there (in the garden) and six hours go by… it’s zen-like,” Behler said. “Life is stressful, but gardening, it doesn’t take much — it really can change your whole thought process.”
Enterprise photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu
