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Community Corner

Plant Exchanges Help Green-Thumbed Gardeners Swap Shrubs

Upcoming events in Sterling Heights and Shelby Township give local gardeners a chance to diversify their gardens by trading plants.

Swapping plants is a fun, free way to add new color and texture to your garden, and local events are set for those willing to share greenery and advice. 

The Sterling Heights Beautification Commission is sponsoring its annual Plant Exchange on Saturday, May 14, from 10 a.m.-noon at the Nature Center, 42700 Utica Rd. In Shelby Township, the library, located at 51680 Van Dyke, hosts the 12th annual Perennial Swap on May 21 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Both events are free and the public is welcome. 

“Many types of plants are brought from shade-loving hostas to sun-loving purple cone flower, and anything in between,” said Darlene MacLeod of the Sterling Heights Beautification Commission. “Each year is different depending on what attendees decide to bring.” 

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Participants should place plants in plastic bags, boxes, or other small containers to trade. It’s also helpful, said Aaron Wawrzyniak, president of the Sterling Heights Beautification Commission, that those exchanging plants make up cards giving the plant’s name, brief description and care. People who don’t have plants to bring, but yet still want to take home new greenery are welcome at both events. 

Generally, those who arrive earliest get their choice of the best plants, said Ann Stewart, president of the Shelby Gardeners Club. Members of Shelby Gardeners are usually present at the library to help identify plants and assist those with questions.

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“It’s a good event, especially for people who have just moved in; they can get a lot of new plants for free,” Stewart added. 

Swaps are a great way to share overgrown plants, which gardeners should remove in order to maintain the health of their gardens. As perennials grow over several seasons, their roots compact, making it difficult for the plant to take in elements necessary for survival. A sign that it’s time to divide is when the middle of the plant dies off, leaving only a ring of growth around the perimeter,  MacLeod added. 

The best way to thin a plant? The process is simple and most should be thinned in the fall, after the growing season. Lift the entire plant from the soil and divide it. This can be done by prying apart the root system with a garden fork and pulling it apart by hand. With very dense root systems, such as ornamental grasses, cut roots with a knife or shovel. Replant the healthiest roots and cut off the old growth. 

Those who want to remove plants now can do so now, but carefully.

“Plants can be divided in the spring but it may set back their growth just a bit," MacLeod said. "Be sure to water them well after dividing. Lots of plants drop seeds and you will find baby plants that can be dug up without disturbing the parent plant."

For information on the Sterling Heights swap, contact Community Relations at (586) 446-CITY (2489). For the Shelby swap, call the library at 585-739-7414. 

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