Marquette gardener publishes ‘Successful Gardening Practices for Upper Michigan’ handbook

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - A Marquette hobby gardener used his 55+ years of experience to share his best practices and tips for other gardeners in the Upper Peninsula.

Having grown up on a farm in New York, Norm Hefke had to change his gardening habits and adapt to the climate of the Upper Peninsula.

Throughout the last five decades, Hefke has taken notes on what works best and what doesn’t work at all.

He published his knowledge/experience in a handbook called ‘Successful Gardening Practices for Upper Peninsula’ and stopped by Upper Michigan Today on Wednesday to share a glimpse into the pages.

But first, stories of the day.

Don Ryan joins Tia Trudgeon to talk about the American Queen Ocean Navigator, wildfire risks, nationally recognized U.P. golf courses, and an opportunity to become a pet influencer.

Now, back to successful gardening practices.

Hefke said it took about three months to put the final book together, though the knowledge comes from a near-lifetime of trail-and-error gardening experience.

In the book, Hefke also shares how and when to plant, what to plant, how to care for over 10 fruits and 20 vegetables, keeping bugs and diseases under control, suggestions for developing and maintaining nutritious soil, suggestions for selecting seeds and plants, and ideas on how to get the most out of limited garden space.

Successful Gardening Practices for Upper Michigan is $10 per copy and is being sold at Snyders Drugstores in Marquette County, Ace Hardware in Harvey, Nagelkirk Gardens, Snowbound Books, and Mares-Z-Doats.

You can watch Upper Michigan Today on weekdays at 9:00 a.m. on FOX UP.

Copyright 2023 WLUC. All rights reserved.