B ooks for the Michigan Gardener

ORGANIC—1st animal repellent OMRI Listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute for food production.

PROVEN by independent research to out-last and out-perform all other repellents—up to 6 months over-winter!

EFFECTIVE against deer, rabbits, voles, elk, moose, chipmunks, and squirrels. SAFE—for use in vegetable gardens, on fruit trees and other food crops.

RAIN-RESISTANT— no need to re-apply after every rainfall.

3 FORMULATIONS for maximum effectiveness and convenience.

BONUS—built in fertilizer for bigger, healthier plants!

PROMO CODE: ‘MichiganGardener2020’ for 10% off your next order For DEALER LOCATOR, testimonials and answers to FAQs, visit: www.plantskydd.com

#1 Choice of Professional Growers, Landscapers & Foresters

New for 2020! Gauge Select Large format, natural cleft flagstone with a gauged thickness, easy to install pattern, and salt-proof surface.

ORION STONE DEPOT 4888 JOSLYN ROAD, ORION, MI 48359 Your one-stop local landscape shop to beautify your home for over 35 years.

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Houseplant Party: Fun Projects & Growing Tips for Epic Indoor Plants

by Lisa Eldred Steinkopf

Houseplants make wonderful houseguests—they don’t talk back, they are exceptional listeners, and they help beautify your bedroom and calm your senses. Plus, houseplants are fun to nurture and care for. Michigan Gardener writer and houseplant guru Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares easy-to-follow houseplant advice in her new book, Houseplant Party (Cool Springs Press, 112 pages, $19.99).

This hands-on guide has three distinct sections. The first covers the best houseplants for your living space. Discover amazing houseplants for your desk, windowsill, bedside table, or bathroom vanity—from peace lilies and ponytail palms to fairy washboards, air plants, and Venus flytraps. Next, learn how to grow and take care of these indoor beauties. The final section illustrates DIY projects that incorporate houseplants to enhance your home decor. Step-by-step plans show you how to make some creative houseplant homes.

The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden

by Lee Reich

Might you be curious why caressing your cucumber plants will help them bear more fruit? Or why you should grow oranges from seed even if the fruit is inedible? Or why trees need to sleep and how to help them? Join acclaimed gardener, scientist, and author Lee Reich on a tour through the scientific wonders of plants and soil. The Ever Curious Gardener (New Society Publishers, 224 pages, $18.99) offers eye-opening insight and practical guidance. Topics include maximizing both flavor and nutrition in your garden bounty, helping plants thrive during drought, outwitting weeds by understanding their nature, making the best use of compost, tips on pruning, orchard care, and much more.

Witty and funny, this book is an irreverent journey through the natural science of plants and soil. Ideal for both new gardeners moving beyond back-of-the-seed-pack planting to experienced gardeners whose curiosity at the wonders of cultivation grows deeper and stronger with each season.

The Nature of Plants: An Introduction to How Plants Work

by Craig N. Huegel

Plants play a critical role in how we experience our environment. They create calming green spaces, provide oxygen for us to breathe, and nourish our senses. In The Nature of Plants (University Press of Florida, 271 pages, $24.95), ecologist and nursery owner Craig Huegel demystifies the complex lives of plants and provides readers with a close look into their inner and outer workings.

In this guide, the intricacies behind how plants reproduce are unraveled. Readers discover why not all flowering plants need pollinators, how it can take decades for some plants to produce offspring, and whether parents recognize their kin. Huegel even delves into the mysterious world of plant communication, exploring the messages and warnings conveyed to animals or other plants through chemical scents and hormones. With color illustrations, photographs, and real-life examples from the author’s own gardening experiences, this book equips budding botanists, ecologists, and even the most novice gardeners with knowledge that will help them understand and foster plants of all types.