A couple of beagles owned by the author hunting for bunnies.
By Jack Payne
My dad and I were wading through knee-deep snow and drifts that went above our thighs. Our beagle would disappear, and his howling was muffled due to the fact that he was pushing through tunnels and cavities under the tall briars and grass that were matted with snow.
It was the week between Christmas and New Year's. I was on break from school, and my dad took a vacation between the holidays. We were working on a section of railroad tracks very close to home. The farm crops were long gone, and with the fields heavily blanketed under snow, the tracks were the only good cover available.
Another late-December hunt we enjoyed was Christmas tree plantations. Just about any Christmas tree farm will have large brush piles. In addition, the trees are planted in rows, and two tracks are located so the owner or their crew can have easy access to the trees.
I mention this because if you have a good rabbit dog, once he starts running a rabbit, you can hustle to the two-track and wait for a good shot.
The best Christmas tree plantations will have brush piles. Brush piles hold plenty of rabbits. Smaller brush piles are easier to kick and stomp on. Monster piles are tough.
With monster brush piles, post a hunter by the pile and always prioritize safety.
We loved hunting apple orchards. Rabbits love young trees, but orchard owners dislike them. Owners often cut down old trees and stack the branches.
Fresh cuttings attract rabbits like flies are attracted to, well, you know. Just a tip to any woodworker, applewood is beautiful, and I offer to cut down any dead trees that an orchard owner has. Often, I will offer them 10 bucks to cut down one dead tree.
I have yet to hunt an orchard and not found a rabbit. An abandoned orchard is like gold. Tall grass, dead branches, and small brush piles will provide many good shooting opportunities.
Another favorite location would be old farms or areas where old equipment is parked. Any area collecting old equipment, old buildings, and unmowed areas will often hold plenty of bunnies.
Rabbits hide under equipment, in grass clumps, and under buildings in need of repair. They are lazy, opportunistic, and not overly picky about what they eat.
We also spent considerable time hunting farms. We looked hard to find farms with wide and thick fence rolls. In the past, we found plenty of farms with small marshes, bogs, or wetlands. These locations are difficult to find.
So many farms eliminated fence rolls and drained marshes or wetlands when allowed. I can understand their thought process.
So many of the farms that I hunted years back have been sold to larger outfits or carved into smaller parcels. Hunting small parcels with a beagle is not fun. Beagles do not understand property lines.
When my last beagle passed away four years ago, I did not replace her. My Brittney loves rabbits, and I stopped carrying a gun. I do miss my beagles, and I was spoiled. Each season, I had a list of maybe a dozen places to hunt.
One of the areas that I search for nowadays is creek or river bottoms. Any creek or waterway that borders a farm will hold a few bunnies. The best waterway spots should have some briars, tall grass, or piles of stumps.
Folks, please do not show up at someone’s property, gun in hand, asking permission to hunt. If you have not secured permission before the season starts, take a ride on a Saturday afternoon and stop in to talk with the owners. I made sure they understood that I would hunt maybe two or three times during the entire season.
Rabbit hunting provides good exercise, lots of excitement, and a time of good fellowship. Remember to stop in and visit the folks at Bob’s Gun and Tackle Shop.
My dad and I were wading through knee-deep snow and drifts that went above our thighs. Our beagle would disappear, and his howling was muffled due to the fact that he was pushing through tunnels and cavities under the tall briars and grass that were matted with snow.
It was the week between Christmas and New Year's. I was on break from school, and my dad took a vacation between the holidays. We were working on a section of railroad tracks very close to home. The farm crops were long gone, and with the fields heavily blanketed under snow, the tracks were the only good cover available.
Another late-December hunt we enjoyed was Christmas tree plantations. Just about any Christmas tree farm will have large brush piles. In addition, the trees are planted in rows, and two tracks are located so the owner or their crew can have easy access to the trees.
I mention this because if you have a good rabbit dog, once he starts running a rabbit, you can hustle to the two-track and wait for a good shot.
The best Christmas tree plantations will have brush piles. Brush piles hold plenty of rabbits. Smaller brush piles are easier to kick and stomp on. Monster piles are tough.
With monster brush piles, post a hunter by the pile and always prioritize safety.
We loved hunting apple orchards. Rabbits love young trees, but orchard owners dislike them. Owners often cut down old trees and stack the branches.
Fresh cuttings attract rabbits like flies are attracted to, well, you know. Just a tip to any woodworker, applewood is beautiful, and I offer to cut down any dead trees that an orchard owner has. Often, I will offer them 10 bucks to cut down one dead tree.
I have yet to hunt an orchard and not found a rabbit. An abandoned orchard is like gold. Tall grass, dead branches, and small brush piles will provide many good shooting opportunities.
Another favorite location would be old farms or areas where old equipment is parked. Any area collecting old equipment, old buildings, and unmowed areas will often hold plenty of bunnies.
Rabbits hide under equipment, in grass clumps, and under buildings in need of repair. They are lazy, opportunistic, and not overly picky about what they eat.
We also spent considerable time hunting farms. We looked hard to find farms with wide and thick fence rolls. In the past, we found plenty of farms with small marshes, bogs, or wetlands. These locations are difficult to find.
So many farms eliminated fence rolls and drained marshes or wetlands when allowed. I can understand their thought process.
So many of the farms that I hunted years back have been sold to larger outfits or carved into smaller parcels. Hunting small parcels with a beagle is not fun. Beagles do not understand property lines.
When my last beagle passed away four years ago, I did not replace her. My Brittney loves rabbits, and I stopped carrying a gun. I do miss my beagles, and I was spoiled. Each season, I had a list of maybe a dozen places to hunt.
One of the areas that I search for nowadays is creek or river bottoms. Any creek or waterway that borders a farm will hold a few bunnies. The best waterway spots should have some briars, tall grass, or piles of stumps.
Folks, please do not show up at someone’s property, gun in hand, asking permission to hunt. If you have not secured permission before the season starts, take a ride on a Saturday afternoon and stop in to talk with the owners. I made sure they understood that I would hunt maybe two or three times during the entire season.
Rabbit hunting provides good exercise, lots of excitement, and a time of good fellowship. Remember to stop in and visit the folks at Bob’s Gun and Tackle Shop.
Goose-gassing, Spearfishing Among Michigan Outdoors Policy Changes in 2025
(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Laura Herberg
Bridge Michigan
In 2025, Michigan expanded underwater spearfishing, simplified turkey hunting and changed who can kill a buck, but the state has yet to make a final decision on what to do about coyotes.
Michigan’s hunting and fishing rules are decided by the Natural Resources Commission. The group is made up of seven governor-appointed members who hold monthly public meetings. While orders related to hunting and fishing regulations are often researched and written by Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff, the Natural Resources Commission ultimately votes on them.
This year, the NRC approved a number of significant policy changes and still has a couple outstanding issues to settle in 2026.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest changes of the year:
Underwater spearfishing expanded
Underwater spearfishing advocates say Michigan approved the biggest North American expansion for freshwater gamefish that the sport has ever seen.
Since 2022, those who partake in the sport have been allowed to go after three kinds of desirable gamefish — lake trout, northern pike and walleye — but only in limited areas of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Underwater spearfishing participants argued that wasn’t fair because they buy the same fishing license as hook-and-line anglers.
In November, the Natural Resources Commission voted to let underwater spearfishers go after those fish in additional waters: parts of Lake Erie and Lake Superior and expanded portions of Lake Michigan. Those changes will go into effect in April.
—————
Liberty and Independence hunt participants can now shoot a buck
Michigan’s Liberty and Independence hunts are available to those 16 and younger, veterans and people with disabilities outside of the regular deer seasons. After changes made last year, hunters in those seasons were supposed to only be able to take antlerless deer starting this year. But in May, the Natural Resources Commission changed it so participants could each kill an antlerless deer or a buck.
“If they had a buck, we didn’t want them to have to pass on it because there are so few bucks taken during that season,” said Natural Resources Commission Chair Becky Humphries.
—————
Turkey regulations were simplified
“They changed a lot for turkey,” said Justin Tomei, the former policy and government affairs manager for Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “I think the hunters are going to be pretty happy with the way it turned out.”
The number of regulated zones (which are called turkey management units) were drastically reduced for both spring and fall turkey seasons. For the fall, the license process was also streamlined and new areas in the northern Lower Peninsula were made available for hunting. For the spring, the season was also extended, opportunities were expanded for youth and hunters were required to report their kills.
—————
Michigan paused its newest goose-killing program
Since 2022, the DNR had allowed property owners or park staff to apply to have Canada geese killed if they threatened human health or safety.
In September of last year, the practice gained more visibility when the NRC voted to implement an expanded program that would have allowed some lake associations, golf clubs, municipalities and others to hire federal crews to round up and gas geese.
Locations seeking to participate would have needed to be involved in the state’s nest and egg destruction program and have at least 100 geese on their property or geese that were threatening human health or safety.
The new program, which was set to start in June, resulted in public outcry, including a billboard that said, “Tell Gov. Whitmer Don’t Gas Geese!”
In May, DNR Director Scott Bowen announced he had indefinitely paused the controversial geese-gassing effort.
—————
Commission closer to weighing in on coyote season
One decision that wasn’t made in 2025 was what to do about coyotes.
The length of the coyote hunting season has been a hot topic since it was shortened to nine months in March of last year. Some hunting and trapping groups felt like that decision wasn’t based on science. They sued.
Earlier this year, in March, the NRC introduced an amendment to extend the coyote hunting season, but it didn’t vote on it. Then in June, a judge ruled on the lawsuit, saying the commission’s decision to shorten the coyote season was sound.
At the Natural Resources Commission’s December meeting, an informational DNR memo said the commission is looking to allow coyotes to be killed year-round by dividing regulations into two areas: a hunting and trapping season, and a coyote management season. The commission is expected to take up the issue again in January.
By Laura Herberg
Bridge Michigan
In 2025, Michigan expanded underwater spearfishing, simplified turkey hunting and changed who can kill a buck, but the state has yet to make a final decision on what to do about coyotes.
Michigan’s hunting and fishing rules are decided by the Natural Resources Commission. The group is made up of seven governor-appointed members who hold monthly public meetings. While orders related to hunting and fishing regulations are often researched and written by Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff, the Natural Resources Commission ultimately votes on them.
This year, the NRC approved a number of significant policy changes and still has a couple outstanding issues to settle in 2026.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest changes of the year:
Underwater spearfishing expanded
Underwater spearfishing advocates say Michigan approved the biggest North American expansion for freshwater gamefish that the sport has ever seen.
Since 2022, those who partake in the sport have been allowed to go after three kinds of desirable gamefish — lake trout, northern pike and walleye — but only in limited areas of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Underwater spearfishing participants argued that wasn’t fair because they buy the same fishing license as hook-and-line anglers.
In November, the Natural Resources Commission voted to let underwater spearfishers go after those fish in additional waters: parts of Lake Erie and Lake Superior and expanded portions of Lake Michigan. Those changes will go into effect in April.
—————
Liberty and Independence hunt participants can now shoot a buck
Michigan’s Liberty and Independence hunts are available to those 16 and younger, veterans and people with disabilities outside of the regular deer seasons. After changes made last year, hunters in those seasons were supposed to only be able to take antlerless deer starting this year. But in May, the Natural Resources Commission changed it so participants could each kill an antlerless deer or a buck.
“If they had a buck, we didn’t want them to have to pass on it because there are so few bucks taken during that season,” said Natural Resources Commission Chair Becky Humphries.
—————
Turkey regulations were simplified
“They changed a lot for turkey,” said Justin Tomei, the former policy and government affairs manager for Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “I think the hunters are going to be pretty happy with the way it turned out.”
The number of regulated zones (which are called turkey management units) were drastically reduced for both spring and fall turkey seasons. For the fall, the license process was also streamlined and new areas in the northern Lower Peninsula were made available for hunting. For the spring, the season was also extended, opportunities were expanded for youth and hunters were required to report their kills.
—————
Michigan paused its newest goose-killing program
Since 2022, the DNR had allowed property owners or park staff to apply to have Canada geese killed if they threatened human health or safety.
In September of last year, the practice gained more visibility when the NRC voted to implement an expanded program that would have allowed some lake associations, golf clubs, municipalities and others to hire federal crews to round up and gas geese.
Locations seeking to participate would have needed to be involved in the state’s nest and egg destruction program and have at least 100 geese on their property or geese that were threatening human health or safety.
The new program, which was set to start in June, resulted in public outcry, including a billboard that said, “Tell Gov. Whitmer Don’t Gas Geese!”
In May, DNR Director Scott Bowen announced he had indefinitely paused the controversial geese-gassing effort.
—————
Commission closer to weighing in on coyote season
One decision that wasn’t made in 2025 was what to do about coyotes.
The length of the coyote hunting season has been a hot topic since it was shortened to nine months in March of last year. Some hunting and trapping groups felt like that decision wasn’t based on science. They sued.
Earlier this year, in March, the NRC introduced an amendment to extend the coyote hunting season, but it didn’t vote on it. Then in June, a judge ruled on the lawsuit, saying the commission’s decision to shorten the coyote season was sound.
At the Natural Resources Commission’s December meeting, an informational DNR memo said the commission is looking to allow coyotes to be killed year-round by dividing regulations into two areas: a hunting and trapping season, and a coyote management season. The commission is expected to take up the issue again in January.
Mystery Solved: Elusive Cougar Cubs Documented Again
Nine months after two cougar kittens were documented in the Upper Peninsula, a new trail camera photo indicates the elusive animals are still alive and living with their mother.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources verified the Dec. 6 photo of an adult cougar being followed by two kittens down a snowy trail in central Ontonagon County. The last time the kittens were documented – in early March – they were only about two months old and their mother was nowhere in sight, raising concerns about the kittens’ survival.
But the newly verified photo shows an adult cougar with two juvenile cougars that appear to be about a year old, according to Brian Roell, the DNR’s large carnivore specialist.
Michigan is home to very few cougars and genetic testing has confirmed the existence of only adult males. The new photo suggests one of the first instances of cougar reproduction to take place outside the cougars’ core area in the Western states.
“This is a historic confirmation for Michigan since it is the first time in over 100 years that verified cougar reproduction has occurred east of the Mississippi River and possible even east of the Missouri River,” Roell said.
A private landowner sent the trail camera photo of the cougars to the DNR on Dec. 14. Roell verified the site of the photo and the DNR’s cougar team confirmed the photo by enhancing the nighttime image to verify the existence of the three cougars. The sex of the kittens is unknown.
Cougar kittens, or cubs, generally stay with their mother for about two years before venturing out on their own.
“The kittens’ chances of survival are actually pretty high because just like bears, cougars invest a lot of their energy into their young,” Roell said. “So these kittens will stay with their mom through this winter and possibly even into next winter. They already have a leg up, seeing as how they’ve been with her for a year now.”
Roell is surprised the cougar kittens weren’t documented from any public or private trail cameras since March. The DNR operates more than 1,300 trail cameras in the U.P. to survey wildlife abundance.
“The interesting thing is, where were they for nine months?” Roell says. “That’s a mystery.”
Native to Michigan, cougars were essentially hunted out of the state by the early 1900s. Since 2008, the DNR has confirmed about 168 cougar sightings, all in the U.P., although most of those sightings are of the same animal being reported by multiple sources, Roell said.
Cougar sightings have increased each year since 2019, Roell added, but the number of trail cameras has also increased. Cougar sightings on DNR-operated cameras accounted for more than 25 percent of the verified cougar sightings in 2024.
In addition to the cougar kittens in Michigan, there have been more cougars reported in other areas, including Nebraska. However, cougars need vast territories because they are solitary ambush predators that rely on deer and other large prey, which leads to low population densities. Even states with the largest cougar populations generally have just a few thousand of the animals.
“This isn’t an animal that is ever going to become very numerous,” Roell said. “They’re going to remain rare on the landscape regardless of whatever happens with them here in Michigan.”
Cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den on public or private property.
“Too much human pressure can also trigger the female cougar to abandon her cubs,” Roell said. “As with all wild animals, we’re asking the public to respect their habitat and allow them to live naturally in their home.”
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources verified the Dec. 6 photo of an adult cougar being followed by two kittens down a snowy trail in central Ontonagon County. The last time the kittens were documented – in early March – they were only about two months old and their mother was nowhere in sight, raising concerns about the kittens’ survival.
But the newly verified photo shows an adult cougar with two juvenile cougars that appear to be about a year old, according to Brian Roell, the DNR’s large carnivore specialist.
Michigan is home to very few cougars and genetic testing has confirmed the existence of only adult males. The new photo suggests one of the first instances of cougar reproduction to take place outside the cougars’ core area in the Western states.
“This is a historic confirmation for Michigan since it is the first time in over 100 years that verified cougar reproduction has occurred east of the Mississippi River and possible even east of the Missouri River,” Roell said.
A private landowner sent the trail camera photo of the cougars to the DNR on Dec. 14. Roell verified the site of the photo and the DNR’s cougar team confirmed the photo by enhancing the nighttime image to verify the existence of the three cougars. The sex of the kittens is unknown.
Cougar kittens, or cubs, generally stay with their mother for about two years before venturing out on their own.
“The kittens’ chances of survival are actually pretty high because just like bears, cougars invest a lot of their energy into their young,” Roell said. “So these kittens will stay with their mom through this winter and possibly even into next winter. They already have a leg up, seeing as how they’ve been with her for a year now.”
Roell is surprised the cougar kittens weren’t documented from any public or private trail cameras since March. The DNR operates more than 1,300 trail cameras in the U.P. to survey wildlife abundance.
“The interesting thing is, where were they for nine months?” Roell says. “That’s a mystery.”
Native to Michigan, cougars were essentially hunted out of the state by the early 1900s. Since 2008, the DNR has confirmed about 168 cougar sightings, all in the U.P., although most of those sightings are of the same animal being reported by multiple sources, Roell said.
Cougar sightings have increased each year since 2019, Roell added, but the number of trail cameras has also increased. Cougar sightings on DNR-operated cameras accounted for more than 25 percent of the verified cougar sightings in 2024.
In addition to the cougar kittens in Michigan, there have been more cougars reported in other areas, including Nebraska. However, cougars need vast territories because they are solitary ambush predators that rely on deer and other large prey, which leads to low population densities. Even states with the largest cougar populations generally have just a few thousand of the animals.
“This isn’t an animal that is ever going to become very numerous,” Roell said. “They’re going to remain rare on the landscape regardless of whatever happens with them here in Michigan.”
Cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den on public or private property.
“Too much human pressure can also trigger the female cougar to abandon her cubs,” Roell said. “As with all wild animals, we’re asking the public to respect their habitat and allow them to live naturally in their home.”
Outdoor Truths: Expected Obstacles
By Gary Miller
I was back in my barn during rifle season. And just before daylight, several does began feeding just in front of my window.
The late rut was still happening so I was hoping a buck would show up to check out the ladies. As more sun began to illuminate the area, I noticed a buck up the hill at the edge of my field. It was a respectable 8-pointer. He just stood there looking down the hill at the females in front of me. This gave me plenty of time to size him up for a shot. He was only about 125 yards away.
I grabbed my old Remington, laid it on my shooting pillow, and steadied my aim. I pulled the trigger and nothing happened. The shot went off, but somehow I completely missed. I mean completely. I still don’t know how I missed so badly. I mean, I missed so terribly, the buck never moved.
He just stood there staring down the hill at the does that had remained immovable as well. I thought to myself, “Well, let’s try this again.” So, I proceeded to chamber another shell, only to realize I only had one bullet in my gun, and I just shot it. I looked around to find my box of shells and realized they were in my SUV just below my perch at the back of the barn.
Once again I thought, “Surely there’s no way I can walk to the back of the barn, go down the ladder, open the door to my vehicle, grab my bullets, climb back up the ladder, walk back to my shooting chair, load my gun, and that deer still be there for a shot.” I can remember grinning as I proceeded to give it a try.
When I got back to my shooting window, the buck was still there. I loaded my gun, concentrated on one spot on the deer, and made a perfect shot.
What I remember most about this hunt and the story itself was my grin. My grin gave away how I had matured over the years when it came to hunting. It revealed that I had learned that what used to be unexpected obstacles were not really unexpected and were not actually obstacles. They were just how hunting really is. When I considered them unexpected obstacles, my response was anxiety and anger. When they became a real part of the hunt, they became a reason to grin and enjoy the challenge.
You and I are about to begin a new year. If we take a deep dive into our past years, we see that things never went as we had hoped or how we imagined. So, why do we think the coming year will be any different? It won’t.
So, my advice is to expect the unexpected and to see obstacles as opportunities. The results will be more grins – and maybe even more successes.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 23 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org.
I was back in my barn during rifle season. And just before daylight, several does began feeding just in front of my window.
The late rut was still happening so I was hoping a buck would show up to check out the ladies. As more sun began to illuminate the area, I noticed a buck up the hill at the edge of my field. It was a respectable 8-pointer. He just stood there looking down the hill at the females in front of me. This gave me plenty of time to size him up for a shot. He was only about 125 yards away.
I grabbed my old Remington, laid it on my shooting pillow, and steadied my aim. I pulled the trigger and nothing happened. The shot went off, but somehow I completely missed. I mean completely. I still don’t know how I missed so badly. I mean, I missed so terribly, the buck never moved.
He just stood there staring down the hill at the does that had remained immovable as well. I thought to myself, “Well, let’s try this again.” So, I proceeded to chamber another shell, only to realize I only had one bullet in my gun, and I just shot it. I looked around to find my box of shells and realized they were in my SUV just below my perch at the back of the barn.
Once again I thought, “Surely there’s no way I can walk to the back of the barn, go down the ladder, open the door to my vehicle, grab my bullets, climb back up the ladder, walk back to my shooting chair, load my gun, and that deer still be there for a shot.” I can remember grinning as I proceeded to give it a try.
When I got back to my shooting window, the buck was still there. I loaded my gun, concentrated on one spot on the deer, and made a perfect shot.
What I remember most about this hunt and the story itself was my grin. My grin gave away how I had matured over the years when it came to hunting. It revealed that I had learned that what used to be unexpected obstacles were not really unexpected and were not actually obstacles. They were just how hunting really is. When I considered them unexpected obstacles, my response was anxiety and anger. When they became a real part of the hunt, they became a reason to grin and enjoy the challenge.
You and I are about to begin a new year. If we take a deep dive into our past years, we see that things never went as we had hoped or how we imagined. So, why do we think the coming year will be any different? It won’t.
So, my advice is to expect the unexpected and to see obstacles as opportunities. The results will be more grins – and maybe even more successes.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 23 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org.
Easy, Affordable Winter Seed Starting
Winter sowing allows gardeners to start transplants from seeds outdoors using recycled items.
Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com
By Melinda Myers
Turn off the grow lights, gather a few milk jugs and potting mix and start planting seeds. Winter sowing is a way to start transplants from seeds outdoors without a greenhouse or cold frame.
You’ll save money on equipment and time tending the seeds and seedlings. Just transform milk jugs, soda bottles and other items into mini grow chambers to start some of your favorite and hard to find transplants from seeds.
Gather flower and vegetable seeds, milk jugs or two-liter soda bottles, duct tape, a quality potting mix and weatherproof marker. Check the seed packet for information on planting details and timing. Winter sowing dates vary with the growing climate, individual gardener, and the seed variety you are planting.
Try starting hardy perennials, hardy and self-seeding annuals, and cold weather vegetables now through late winter. Other flowers and vegetables seeds are typically winter sown at about the same time you would plant them indoors or a month or two before the transplants get moved into the garden. Keep a record of your planting dates and results to help you fine tune your planting schedule and increase future success.
Wash containers and make four to 12 small holes in the bottom of the jug for drainage. A hot skewer, knife, screwdriver or drill work well for this step. Next, partially cut the jug to create a hinged lid. Make your cut about three to four inches above the bottom, leaving the area with the handle attached so it forms a hinge. Use the bottom of the milk jug handle as your guide.
Place a coffee filter or piece of paper towel over the drainage holes to contain the potting mix while still allowing water to drain. Fill the bottom with moist, quality potting mix. Plant seeds at the depth and spacing recommended on the seed packet. Mix smaller seeds with sand to help with proper spacing. Gently water until the excess runs out the bottom of the container.
Make transplanting easier by using the cardboard tubes from toilet paper to help space winter sown seedlings. Cut the toilet paper cardboard tubes to the right height and set them in the milk jug. Fill the bottom of the milk jug with potting mix and plant the seeds.
Otherwise, plan on doing some careful separating of the individual seedlings in each milk jug or soda bottle.
Label the inside and outside of the jug with a permanent marker. Close the lid and seal it shut with duct tape. Remove the cap before setting your milk jugs in a sunny location outdoors where rain and snow can reach it. Set jugs in a milk crate in windy locations and protect them from curious pets and wildlife if needed.
Water your outdoor seed starting chambers during snow-free and dry weather. This will be much less often than those seedlings growing indoors under artificial lights.
Your plants will be ready to move into the garden at their normal planting time. Just open the lid, harden off the seedlings and move them into the garden.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is MelindaMyers.com.
Turn off the grow lights, gather a few milk jugs and potting mix and start planting seeds. Winter sowing is a way to start transplants from seeds outdoors without a greenhouse or cold frame.
You’ll save money on equipment and time tending the seeds and seedlings. Just transform milk jugs, soda bottles and other items into mini grow chambers to start some of your favorite and hard to find transplants from seeds.
Gather flower and vegetable seeds, milk jugs or two-liter soda bottles, duct tape, a quality potting mix and weatherproof marker. Check the seed packet for information on planting details and timing. Winter sowing dates vary with the growing climate, individual gardener, and the seed variety you are planting.
Try starting hardy perennials, hardy and self-seeding annuals, and cold weather vegetables now through late winter. Other flowers and vegetables seeds are typically winter sown at about the same time you would plant them indoors or a month or two before the transplants get moved into the garden. Keep a record of your planting dates and results to help you fine tune your planting schedule and increase future success.
Wash containers and make four to 12 small holes in the bottom of the jug for drainage. A hot skewer, knife, screwdriver or drill work well for this step. Next, partially cut the jug to create a hinged lid. Make your cut about three to four inches above the bottom, leaving the area with the handle attached so it forms a hinge. Use the bottom of the milk jug handle as your guide.
Place a coffee filter or piece of paper towel over the drainage holes to contain the potting mix while still allowing water to drain. Fill the bottom with moist, quality potting mix. Plant seeds at the depth and spacing recommended on the seed packet. Mix smaller seeds with sand to help with proper spacing. Gently water until the excess runs out the bottom of the container.
Make transplanting easier by using the cardboard tubes from toilet paper to help space winter sown seedlings. Cut the toilet paper cardboard tubes to the right height and set them in the milk jug. Fill the bottom of the milk jug with potting mix and plant the seeds.
Otherwise, plan on doing some careful separating of the individual seedlings in each milk jug or soda bottle.
Label the inside and outside of the jug with a permanent marker. Close the lid and seal it shut with duct tape. Remove the cap before setting your milk jugs in a sunny location outdoors where rain and snow can reach it. Set jugs in a milk crate in windy locations and protect them from curious pets and wildlife if needed.
Water your outdoor seed starting chambers during snow-free and dry weather. This will be much less often than those seedlings growing indoors under artificial lights.
Your plants will be ready to move into the garden at their normal planting time. Just open the lid, harden off the seedlings and move them into the garden.
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Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is MelindaMyers.com.
Nessel Urges Court to Maintain Invasive Species Protections for Great Lakes
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is leading a coalition of attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s final standards on ballast water discharges from large vessels, including ships operating on the Great Lakes.
The coalition argues that the standards unlawfully weaken long-standing protections by eliminating ballast water uptake requirements, which prevented vessels from taking up water in areas with invasive species.
“The harms caused by invasive species spread through ballast water are catastrophic, well documented, and felt by the people who live and work around the Great Lakes,” Nessel said. “Our communities have already paid the price for these species, and Congress acted to prevent even greater damage. The law is clear, and it is my hope that the Court acts now to maintain these protections before another invasive species causes irreversible damage to one of our most important natural resources.”
“The Great Lakes are part of who we are as Michiganders and protecting them is something we all share. Strong safeguards against invasive species are critical to keeping these waters clean and healthy for our communities. EGLE is committed to supporting efforts that uphold these protections,” said Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Director Phil Roos. “By keeping invasive species out, we’re helping ensure these waters remain a source of pride and opportunity for future generations.”
Ballast water can carry harmful organisms from one port to another. Without adequate safeguards, vessels can transport invasive species into new waters, where they can establish and cause lasting environmental and economic harm. Invasive species, such as zebra mussels, have already damaged infrastructure, threatened native ecosystems, and cost the Great Lakes region an estimated $200 million a year.
In 2018, Congress amended the Clean Water Act by adding the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), directing the EPA to issue ballast water discharge standards that are as protective as the existing permit, unless new information – unavailable at the time of the permit – demonstrated that a requirement was unnecessary. The coalition argues the EPA ignored this clear direction and relied on justification not permitted under VIDA, despite evidence from states showing the uptake requirement had been successfully enforced.
Following the EPA changes, golden mussels, an invasive species that could cause damage on the same scale as zebra mussels, were discovered at a California port and could reach the Great Lakes through contaminated ballast water.
The coalition urges the court to reject the EPA’s unlawful weakening of protections and require standards that fully safeguard the Great Lakes from invasive species.
Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this amicus brief were the attorneys general of Illinois and Vermont.
The coalition argues that the standards unlawfully weaken long-standing protections by eliminating ballast water uptake requirements, which prevented vessels from taking up water in areas with invasive species.
“The harms caused by invasive species spread through ballast water are catastrophic, well documented, and felt by the people who live and work around the Great Lakes,” Nessel said. “Our communities have already paid the price for these species, and Congress acted to prevent even greater damage. The law is clear, and it is my hope that the Court acts now to maintain these protections before another invasive species causes irreversible damage to one of our most important natural resources.”
“The Great Lakes are part of who we are as Michiganders and protecting them is something we all share. Strong safeguards against invasive species are critical to keeping these waters clean and healthy for our communities. EGLE is committed to supporting efforts that uphold these protections,” said Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Director Phil Roos. “By keeping invasive species out, we’re helping ensure these waters remain a source of pride and opportunity for future generations.”
Ballast water can carry harmful organisms from one port to another. Without adequate safeguards, vessels can transport invasive species into new waters, where they can establish and cause lasting environmental and economic harm. Invasive species, such as zebra mussels, have already damaged infrastructure, threatened native ecosystems, and cost the Great Lakes region an estimated $200 million a year.
In 2018, Congress amended the Clean Water Act by adding the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), directing the EPA to issue ballast water discharge standards that are as protective as the existing permit, unless new information – unavailable at the time of the permit – demonstrated that a requirement was unnecessary. The coalition argues the EPA ignored this clear direction and relied on justification not permitted under VIDA, despite evidence from states showing the uptake requirement had been successfully enforced.
Following the EPA changes, golden mussels, an invasive species that could cause damage on the same scale as zebra mussels, were discovered at a California port and could reach the Great Lakes through contaminated ballast water.
The coalition urges the court to reject the EPA’s unlawful weakening of protections and require standards that fully safeguard the Great Lakes from invasive species.
Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this amicus brief were the attorneys general of Illinois and Vermont.
