If you think vegetable gardening ends when summer reaches its peak, think again! Here in Southwest Michigan, some of the tastiest vegetables actually prefer the cooler days and crisp nights of late summer and fall. Gardeners throughout can enjoy a second harvest by planting cole crops in mid to late summer.

Looking for a show-stopping perennial that thrives in Michigan gardens? Proven Winners® Summerific® hibiscus varieties are among the best late-summer flowering perennials for Kalamazoo homeowners. These hardy hibiscus plants produce massive "dinner plate" blooms, attract pollinators, and return year after year despite Michigan winters.

What better way to celebrate National Pollinator Week this June than by planting a pollinator garden! Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and moths play a critical role in keeping our ecosystems healthy. They help plants reproduce, which supports local wildlife, food crops, and biodiversity in the community. Creating a pollinator garden is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to support the environment, right from your own backyard!

Learn about some pollinator-friendly plants you can incorporate into your garden for early, mid, and late season support in this short video. Support our pollinators by adding a Pollinator Garden to your outdoor space. Here Lindsey briefly talks about early, mid, and late season pollinator supporting plants that you can incorporate into your garden to help support our declining ecosystem. 🐝🦋

If you’ve ever noticed that some gardens are full of birds while others stay quiet, the difference is not luck, it’s design. Like any well-planned garden, what draws them in is a system that meets their needs consistently over time.

Mulch is one of the simplest ways to improve the health and appearance of your garden beds. In Michigan, where we experience cold winters, warm summers, and fluctuating soil moisture, mulch plays an especially important role in protecting plant roots and maintaining healthy soil.

Increase curb appeal and create comfortable outdoor living spaces using a blend of personalized container gardening and perennial plantings. Construct beautiful container gardens to match your personal style, and match high-performing perennials, trees, and shrubs to difficult-to-plant spaces, such as hot and dry, deep shade, and rain gardens. Presented by Dennis Swarthout, Lindsey Grassmid, and Rachel Douglas.

Spring may feel far away in Kalamazoo, but late winter is actually a great time to prepare your garden beds for a successful growing season. Whether you’re growing vegetables, flowers, or shrubs, healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. But how do you know what ingredients to add?

For many Michigan gardeners, deer browsing can turn a beautiful landscape into a scene of frustration. While there are various methods of deterring these beautiful but destructive creatures such as mesh wraps, fencing, and repellants, starting with a foundation of plant choices that deer naturally avoid can give you a head start to preventing an all-you-can-eat buffet.