Hello from MI!

Hello! My name is Alicia and I'm from the amazing city of Grand Rapids, MI. I have a brand new baby Sulcata. It's name is Luna, I'm not sure if its a male or female, but I say "her" lol.
I have been reading several threads and all I can say is WOW, and Thank you so much for everyone's information!
I was hoping you could tell me what plants are safe to grow in her enclosure. I am a MSU Master Gardner and want to make her very happy and most of all healthy. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Hi Alicia
I was born in Saginaw but I moved to tortoise heaven many years ago .

I plan on building a greenhouse after Luna gets too large for indoor, so she will always be safe and happy! AZ sounds amazing!

Welcome to the Forum, Alicia!

This site might be of interest to you:

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/a-z/

Welcome to the forum!

I'm also from Saginaw! Unlike Grandpa though, I'm awesome enough to still live there.

Hello and Welcome. I'm from Muskegon, city actually on Lake Michigan. Moved to Chicago several years ago.

I didn't have the time to hunt for this thread earlier.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/92343/

In my opinion @Oxalis is the Michigan tort gardening expert.

If anybody can point you in the direction it's her.

That site is amazing! thank you Yvonne!

Hello and welcome from south Florida

saginawhxc said:

I didn't have the time to hunt for this thread earlier.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/92343/

In my opinion @Oxalis is the Michigan tort gardening expert.

If anybody can point you in the direction it's her.

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Thank you!!!

Hi Alicia! I am a gardener too! Only by a very passionate hobby, no formal education. I would totally get the sulcata if I had the ability to do some construction in my garden but sometime we just need to like what we have, and I HAVE 2 Redfooted amazing youngsters named Tucker and Shellie. Warmest welcome from the Heart of Texas!

Alicia Hoogstra said:

I plan on building a greenhouse after Luna gets too large for indoor, so she will always be safe and happy! AZ sounds amazing!

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It is and jobs are Easter to get ! And snow comes when I want it not luck ! If I want snow I drive 35 min and I get frost and / or snow .

Pearly said:

Hi Alicia! I am a gardener too! Only by a very passionate hobby, no formal education. I would totally get the sulcata if I had the ability to do some construction in my garden but sometime we just need to like what we have, and I HAVE 2 Redfooted amazing youngsters named Tucker and Shellie. Warmest welcome from the Heart of Texas!

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I have soooo many perennials and I LOVE to share. Not all tortoise approved, but I can give you a list and send you some of anything I have!

Hi and Welcome!

Hello from Metro Detroit! In my garden I currently grow phlox, hibiscus (their favorite), butterfly weed, malva (another favorite), hosta, and campanula. These are all Michigan zone safe perennials so they come back every year and my tortoises really enjoy eating them. Hello from Potato (reaching for malva).....

christinaland128 said:

Hello from Metro Detroit! In my garden I currently grow phlox, hibiscus (their favorite), butterfly weed, malva (another favorite), hosta, and campanula. These are all Michigan zone safe perennials so they come back every year and my tortoises really enjoy eating them. Hello from Potato (reaching for malva).....View attachment 203593

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Sooo cute!

Hey there and welcome! I am in Jamaica in the Caribbean.

Hello from Clio, Michigan!

Alicia Hoogstra said:

Hello! My name is Alicia and I'm from the amazing city of Grand Rapids, MI. I have a brand new baby Sulcata. It's name is Luna, I'm not sure if its a male or female, but I say "her" lol.
I have been reading several threads and all I can say is WOW, and Thank you so much for everyone's information!
I was hoping you could tell me what plants are safe to grow in her enclosure. I am a MSU Master Gardner and want to make her very happy and most of all healthy. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Welcome to one awesome forum. Congrats on completing the Master Gardener program as well! My husband is very interested in completing the program if he can ever get a break in his class schedules (going back for another bachelor's). @Yvonne is a tort expert and her suggestion of The Tortoise Table is perfect. They have an excellent catalog of what is safe for torts to eat, and when in doubt, don't feed. It's helped me a ton. Since my husband and I have gotten into native plants, I spent a lot of time cross-referencing Michigan natives with tort-safe plants to build my Russian, Steve, a tortoise garden in our backyard. Every year I try to add a couple new plants to provide him with more variety in his diet. It's quite the long-term project but he really loves his space!

Also, you will probably enjoy the garden chat thread, where we discuss our gardens (both for tortoises or not) and share photos: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/garden-chat-photos-for-torts-and-people-♫-♫.104546/

saginawhxc said:

I didn't have the time to hunt for this thread earlier.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/92343/

In my opinion @Oxalis is the Michigan tort gardening expert.

If anybody can point you in the direction it's her.

Click to expand...

Why, thank you! *blush*

Meganolvt said:

Hello from Clio, Michigan!

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Clio, eh? Did I mention my parents used to make us stop and pick blueberries at Montrose nearby when we were kids? Oh my gosh, that was not fun at all. I don't much care for blueberries much, except in smoothies. I'd rather pick the raspberries in my backyard instead!

christinaland128 said:

Hello from Metro Detroit! In my garden I currently grow phlox, hibiscus (their favorite), butterfly weed, malva (another favorite), hosta, and campanula. These are all Michigan zone safe perennials so they come back every year and my tortoises really enjoy eating them. Hello from Potato (reaching for malva).....View attachment 203593

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Adorable photo!!! And just to clarify, the butterfly bush that torts can eat is the Buddleia genus and not the milkweed (Asclepias spp.), which is toxic for pretty much everyone except the monarch butterfly. I must get some Buddleia spp. for my yard too.

Thank you @Oxalis , you know I don't think I got the milkweed one. But now I'm not really sure because they definitely didn't eat it, i'll have to reassess when the weather warms up. Thanks again!