MSUE Genesee County

Spaces are still available in the Foundations of Gardening class!

Learn the ins-and-outs of gardening grounded in science and have your certificate in hand before it's time to plant tomatoes!

2024 Pruning Workshops for Smart Gardeners Choose one of two sessions to learn more about the best practices and the proper equipment for pruning.

Q- “If I supply my apples [personal orchard] and have another orchard press them and put them in jugs, can I sell the cider?
A- MDARD has a Frequently Asked Question bullet for Farmers Markets, and this information would also apply to other outlets. On occasion, the owner of an orchard will take apples to a cider mill and have cider manufactured from that fruit. The owner of the mill presses, bottles, and labels the cider as a paid service. This is called custom pressing. Effective January 3, 2004, cider produced under these circumstances must be pasteurized or otherwise treated by an approved system.
The grower in this situation may sell only pasteurized cider. Any person who purchases cider from a manufacturer and sells it at a farmers market may sell only pasteurized cider. In both of these cases the vendor must hold a food establishment license to sell cider at a farmers market.
While apple cider does not necessarily have to be sold from a refrigerated display at a farmers market, MDARD recommends that the vendor provide some method of temperature control during the transport, storage, and sale of the product.
https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/food-dairy/farmersmarket/farmers-market-faq

Q- “Is it possible to put in new landscape trees (e.g., replant boxwoods) in December?
a- Trees may be planted in late August to October. This time frame can be stretched into November and even December depending on the soil temperature. If the soil temperature stays above 50℉, it would be okay to plant depending on the tree. Read more here: https://arbordayblog.org/treeplanting/why-its-great-to-plant-trees-in-the-fall/

However, in Michigan, spring is a preferable time to plant: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/is_fall_really_a_great_time_to_plant_trees #:~:text=For%20the%20Midwest%2C%20however%2C%20where,to%20plant%20in%20the%20fall.&text=Dr.,part%20by%20MSU%20%27s%20AgBioResearch.

The best time to transplant boxwood is during late winter just before spring growth begins to mid-summer. Warmer temperatures promote better root development: https://www.arborday.org/trees/planting/

Join us online for Matter of Balance every Wednesday, January 17 - March 6 from 1-3PM. Matter of Balance is a program designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults. For more information or to register here: bit.ly/mobjan17

If you have opinions on Michigan State University Extension and how it could be improved, please consider attending one of these sessions. The closest one to Genesee County is at the Saginaw Valley Research & Extension Center near Frankenmuth on December 13 from 4:30-7pm

MSU Extension announces statewide public listening sessions in November and December Staff, partners and members of the public alike are encouraged to attend and voice their ideas to help shape the future of Extension.