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Rebecca Finneran

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Environmental quality
MSU Extension

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Finneran@msu.edu

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Authored Articles

Register for Plant Quest 2024, a favorite winter webinar series for Midwest gardeners, December 21, 2023
Holiday plants for yearlong cheer, December 18, 2020
Garlic mustard: Michigan’s worst woodland weed, May 22, 2020
Creepy, orange fungus attacking junipers, May 15, 2020
What is a bulb?, March 17, 2020
Smart Gardening Conference to focus on smart plants, February 13, 2020
Lakeshore Extension Master Gardener Program scheduled for March, January 21, 2020
Fertilizer basics for the smart gardener, January 15, 2020
Extension Master Gardener Program scheduled for Lakeshore area in 2020, December 3, 2019
Register now for national conference on protecting pollinators in urban landscapes, September 4, 2019
Lymantria dispar outbreaks in Michigan, August 22, 2019
Sycamore anthracnose: Why your sycamore may be slow to leaf out this spring, June 28, 2019
Pollinators in urban landscapes, May 1, 2019
Better habitat for bees, May 1, 2019
Factors that threaten pollinator health, May 1, 2019
Potential impact of mosquito and nuisance insect sprays on pollinators, May 1, 2019
Introduction to protecting and increasing pollinators in your landscape, May 1, 2019
Considerations for disease management, May 1, 2019
Creating and maintaining pollinator friendly habitat, May 1, 2019
Landscape plants and wildflowers attractive to butterflies for nectar feeding, May 1, 2019
Best Management Practices, May 1, 2019
Do not spray pollinator-attractive plants with insecticides when open flowers are present, May 1, 2019
Selection, planting and care of trees and shrubs to avoid the need for pesticides, May 1, 2019
Protecting pollinators during home lawn grub control, May 1, 2019
Biological control and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for protecting pollinators, May 1, 2019
Flowers throughout the year, May 1, 2019
How to control invasive pests while protecting pollinators and other beneficial insects, May 1, 2019
Demystifying GMOs for gardeners, February 1, 2019
What is that big purple ball growing in the garden?, October 9, 2018
Tree, turf and ornamental plant update – June 22, 2018, June 22, 2018
Lymantria dispar outbreaks may be contained with the help of a little fungus, June 22, 2018
Boxwood leafminer: A serious pest of a favorite landscape plant, May 11, 2018
Making the most out of your soil test, March 13, 2018
Smart gardeners improve their soil and weed control with organic mulch, January 24, 2018
New EQIP initiative to enhance monarch butterfly habitat in Michigan, January 10, 2018
Don’t miss registering for 2017 Protecting Pollinators in Urban Landscapes Conference, September 12, 2017
Garden smarter with Michigan State University Extension programs, August 14, 2017
Volunteering opportunities for west Michigan Master Gardeners, July 13, 2017
Extend the gardening season with—what, spray paint?, July 12, 2017
Keynote presenters announced for second annual national protecting pollinators conference, July 11, 2017
Second national conference on protecting pollinators in urban landscapes, May 17, 2017
Join other gardeners in west Michigan to become a Master Gardener, May 5, 2017
Christmas tree, turf and ornamental plant update – May 5, 2017, May 5, 2017
Bare root plants provide opportunities for early spring planting, March 16, 2017
New landscape shrubs revealed at Smart Gardening Conference, February 17, 2017
Pest-free gardens begin with fall cleanup, October 12, 2016
Poison ivy: Can it grow on trees?, May 31, 2016
Smart Gardening Conference deadline extends through Feb. 26, 2016, February 17, 2016
Gardening for pollinators: Smart plants to support pollinators, February 9, 2016
Invite pollinators to your garden by creating a smart habitat, February 2, 2016
Oriental bittersweet: An aggressive, invasive plant, November 13, 2015
Gardening for pollinators: Choosing smart plants to support pollinators, October 9, 2015
Giant hogweed: Not widely spread in Michigan, August 4, 2015
Native plants provide a smart solution for your gardening challenges, May 13, 2015
Gardening in shade: Choose from a “smart” plant palette, April 27, 2015
Winter deer damage heavy? Seek deer-resistant plants, March 30, 2015
Designing home landscapes that are both biodiverse and beautiful, February 26, 2015
Preparing the smart vegetable garden, February 11, 2015
Smart watering in the vegetable garden, January 15, 2015
Overwintering tender garden plants, November 21, 2014
It’s not too late to mulch fallen leaves into lawns, November 17, 2014
Indian pipes: Oddities of the plant world, November 14, 2014
Picking the right pumpkin from the patch, October 8, 2014
Daylily flower power! Late season care for the jewel of the garden, July 31, 2014
Locust leaf miner cause of browning roadside trees, July 31, 2014
Soils for gardeners: Unlocking the secrets to the living component of a healthy soil, May 28, 2014
Zoysiagrass: A warm-season grass in a cool-season world, April 25, 2014
Smart gardening: A new initiative helping gardeners become environmentally savvy and smart, April 9, 2014
Shrubs breaking down? Recovering the landscape from Old Man Winter, March 20, 2014
Smart twist on 2014 Smart Gardening Conference, February 14, 2014
Water-smart landscapes by design, February 7, 2014
Smart Gardeners mow leaves into lawn to bring green returns next year, November 18, 2013
Indoor houseplants can be gleaned from your outdoor summer containers, November 18, 2013
Fall perennial care – less is more, November 1, 2013
Michigan chestnuts: Making your holiday meal memorable, October 29, 2013
Designing your outdoor room, August 26, 2013
For best appearances, stake large, heavy flowers, August 23, 2013
Downy mildew alternatives display helps “little garden” have big impact, August 22, 2013
Summer flower care keeps your plants blooming strong, June 28, 2013
Fertilizing established perennial gardens – feed ‘em and weep, May 17, 2013
Mother’s Day gardening gifts of service, May 3, 2013
Smart gardeners replace worn out turf with thrifty ground covers, April 30, 2013
Impatiens downy mildew: A curse and opportunity for your garden, April 29, 2013
Gardeners frustrated with heavy deer damage this season, April 10, 2013
Delightful daylilies: Sharpen your shovels then divide and conquer, April 9, 2013
Smart plants: Understanding what makes up a perennial garden, February 28, 2013
Growing orchids for beginners, February 27, 2013
Smart lakefront plants, January 24, 2013
Recycle your fresh Christmas tree and protect against deer browse, December 26, 2012
2013 garden shows focus on “smart gardening”, December 20, 2012
Real Christmas trees: A natural choice, November 28, 2012
The last word on watering perennials, June 28, 2012
Slugs are making tracks on my garden favorites!, June 22, 2012
Earwigs: Bane of summer garden plants, June 22, 2012
Giant hogweed in the landscape, June 19, 2012
Perennial fertilization fact sheets now available, May 7, 2012
Now is the time to pull garlic mustard, one of Michigan’s most invasive weeds, May 2, 2012
What’s “growin’ on” with this weird weather?, March 16, 2012
Repot orchids for encore bloom performance, March 7, 2012
Shopping for the gardener on your list, November 16, 2011
Crazy cabbages: Ornamental kale makes the fall garden bloom, November 15, 2011
Winter protection: Just one of many fall garden chores, November 15, 2011
Dig in now to plant a living Christmas tree, November 15, 2011
Sharpen your shovel for late-summer garden chores, August 31, 2011
Families discover nature at Kent County’s Pickerel Lake, August 29, 2011
Tough plants for tough places: Grasses, August 29, 2011
Water saving perennials: Carefree and beautiful without the fuss, August 10, 2011
Excess drying leads to poor mulch performance, August 10, 2011
Long live the hanging basket, July 13, 2011
Dazzling daylilies: Spice up your summer garden, July 11, 2011
Slog of wet weather brings on garden pests, May 27, 2011
Pruning evergreen shrubs, April 27, 2011
When can I plant? Check your area’s frost free date, April 22, 2011
Weeds reveal growing conditions of site, February 18, 2011
New twists in vegetable gardening, February 16, 2011
Animal feeding damage and the landscape, February 15, 2011
Tropicals heat up summer gardens, August 11, 2010
Garlic mustard: Threat to woodlands, April 22, 2010
Garlic mustard: Rapid invader of Michigan woodlands, April 13, 2007

Articles Featuring

To protect pollinators, go easy on the fall garden cleanup, September 18, 2018

Authored Documents

Smart Gardening: Don’t Guess - Soil Test!, December 22, 2023
Smart Gardening to Deter Deer, December 20, 2023
Smart Lakefront Plants, December 20, 2023
Frost-Free Dates, April 25, 2022
Smart Gardening: Fertilizer basics for the smart gardener, January 15, 2020
Smart gardeners improve their soil and weed control with organic mulch, January 24, 2018
Mulching Leaves into Turf Video, May 23, 2016
Smart watering in the vegetable garden, May 16, 2016
Preparing the smart vegetable garden, May 16, 2016
Water-smart landscapes by design, May 12, 2016
Mulch leaves into turf for a smart lawn, May 10, 2016
Impatiens downy mildew: A curse and opportunity for smart gardeners, May 10, 2016
Smart Gardening: Invite pollinators by creating a smart habitat, April 5, 2016
Gardening for pollinators: Smart plants to support pollinators, April 5, 2016

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Foundations of Gardening

Rebecca Finneran

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