The Dakota County Master Gardeners partner with the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center in Hastings to plant and nurture a garden that teaches important lessons to the residents of the Center and provides produce for the county’s food shelves. The garden is part of the New Chance day treatment program. Male youth have the opportunity to work in the garden with the guidance of Master Gardeners. Read this article to learn more about how this important project serves as a teaching tool for youth and a source of food for county residents in need.

What leafy vegetable could be a more fitting staple of summer than the humble lettuce, which makes up the backbone of a refreshing salad and adds a fresh crunch to any picnic sandwich? Cultivation of lettuce dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who used the plant as an important food crop and seed oil source. Today, there are hundreds of varieties of lettuce grown across the globe. Keep reading to find out how you can grow this quick-growing crop in your own garden.

Petunias! Bi-colors, tri-colors, bright colors, stripes, ruffles . . . What’s not to love? If you’ve seen petunias in July and August you know what’s not to love. Starting off full and fluffy, as the summer wears on petunias drop their blooms, grow long and scraggly and much less lovable. Read this article to learn what to do to keep your beautiful petunias looking full and fluffy.

It’s August in Minnesota, the summer solstice is in the rear-view mirror, the neighborhood is still ringing with the sound of July 4th exploding fireworks, and your backyard garden is also exploding with Cherokee Purples, Red Romas and Green Zebras. If you’re like any other gardener, you’re probably doing one of two things at the moment: staring lovingly at your green vined tomatoes, or aggressively imagining them fully ripe on your kitchen counter. This article has some helpful tips for harvesting tomatoes successfully. The timing may surprise you!

Some shrubs can be pruned later in the summer but not all of them. Some plants must be pruned right after they bloom so as to not cut off the beginning of next year’s blooms. Learn when it is okay to prune the shrubs in your yard. This article will tell you what you need about grooming your shrubs to keep them healthy and looking their best.

Summer is in full swing and with summer comes butterflies, skippers and moths. Have you seen any while you have been outside at a park, in your yard or simply walking from place to place? Minnesota is home to approximately 150 types of butterflies and skippers and also thousands of moths which is great news. Let’s learn the difference between each and then see what we can do to provide what each needs to thrive in MN.

Do you have some beautiful plants or vegetables in your garden that you would like to replicate next season? You can make that happen by saving the seeds from that plant and growing them yourself. If you haven’t given seed saving a try, now is the perfect time to start. As the season starts winding down, it’s a great time to look around your garden, assess what you’ve planted, and decide if you would like to grow it from seed next year. Read this article for a few tips on making your seed harvesting a success.

A warm summer night and the fragrance of wisteria is in the air. Okay, I admit to being a bit of a romantic, but this gorgeous native perennial invites images of lost gentility . . . even if it never really happened. Learn why and how to grow this lovely climbing vine in your garden in this article.

Summertime - a flower extravaganza! The beauty of flowers cannot be beat, but now what do we do as summer comes to a close. Is there a way to preserve or hold onto the flowers throughout fall and winter? Did you say throughout winter? Yes, it is possible to preserve your summertime flowers throughout Winter in a fun and creative way with the Little Sprouts in your life using simple items you may have at home!

Consider a new challenge when deciding what to plant in your vegetable garden next year - a fruit! Specifically, cantaloupe! It can be a challenge to grow cantaloupe in Minnesota but it is possible. And you will be rewarded with a delicious fruit. Cantaloupe require warm soil to thrive but they love our hot, sunny summers. You can achieve success by growing cantaloupe in raised beds, trellising the vines, and making sure they get adequate water, sunlight and protection from pests. Read this article to learn more about growing cantaloupe successfully.

As the summer growing season comes to an end, we in the gardening community know our work is not quite done. With the end of the season comes the start of the next, and before you know it, it's already time to clean up your garden. Before you start this necessary process, consider how a few simple sustainable practices can help support your garden’s long-term health while helping local systems thrive.

As the crisp air of autumn settles over Minnesota, the landscape transforms into a vibrant canvas of fiery reds, golden yellows, and deep oranges. While the towering maples and oaks often steal the spotlight, a stunning variety of fall color shrubs add rich layers and texture to the seasonal display. From the brilliant red foliage of the red chokeberry to deep purple leaves of the Flaviramea yellow stem dogwood, these hardy shrubs not only thrive in Minnesota’s climate but also bring dramatic fireworks of color to gardens, parks, and natural areas. Their dazzling hues and low-maintenance nature make them a must-have for anyone looking to extend the beauty of fall well into the season. Read this article to see which shrubs shine bright in the fall.