Annuals & Bulbs ​ The Ws (plus an H) of Bulbs The great thing about planting bulbs is that they will bloom year after year. Here's what you need to know to grow bulbs successfully in your garden and look forward to early spring color. Read More ​ Glorious Amaryllis Amaryllis is a beautiful plant with large, stunning blooms that can be grown as a houseplant year-round. Get ready for some beautiful inside blooms and learn all about growing Amaryllis this winter. Read More ​ Zinnias: Vibrant Accents to a Northern Garden You know that zinnias provide a beautiful flourish to the summer garden. The varieties and colors are endless and can be enjoyed from late Spring into the Fall. But did you know that growing Zinnias from seed is both easy and rewarding? Read this article to learn why you might want to grow your own zinnias from seed this year. Read More ​ Early Spring Blooming Plants Deep in the doldrums of winter, everyone is anxious for spring weather to arrive so that, once again, they can dig in the dirt planting flowers and vegetables. To entice us even more, we’re seeing bulb plants in the stores for sale so we can enjoy them at home until spring finally arrives. In this article, I’ll talk about some of the most popular spring blooming plants for your garden. Read More ​ Harvesting and Preserving Herbs Harvest time is such a fun time of the year. There are so many herbs to harvest and preserve for the upcoming winter months. Some share their bounty year after year, like tarragon and oregano, and others, like basil and marjoram, are planted in spring for a fall harvest. Read More ​ Forcing Flower Bulbs Successfully Need a little color in your home this winter? After all the holiday décor is stored away, forcing flower bulbs indoors is a great way to enjoy flowers, both for their color and fragrance, during the cold winter months. Read More ​ Growing Daffodils Sometimes referred to as narcissus, daffodils nodding yellow, white, or variegated heads, are true harbingers of spring. Daffodils are a colorful addition to your garden with few basic steps. Read More 1 1 ... 1 ... 1

PLANT SALE Saturday, May 20 2023 8 am - Noon Rain or Shine About Us The mission of the Dakota County Extension Master Gardener program is to educate and assist the public by answering questions and solving problems about horticulture and related environmental topics. There are more than 130 Dakota County residents who are University of Minnesota Extension-trained and volunteer thousands of hours each year. Gardening Problem or Questions? Garden Information Ask a MG Ask a Master Gardener Extension Yard & Garden Extension Yard & Garden Garden Information 1/3 Upcoming Events View All Events Get the Buzz Don’t miss out on the Garden Buzz, the Dakota County Master Gardener’s monthly newsletter bringing you interesting, timely, research-based information on best practices in consumer gardening and caring for the environment. Monthly gardening tasks Master Gardener events Plant diseases, insects or other garden problems Tips to enhance your garden and the environment; Ideas for sharing the joy of gardening with the children in your lives Recipes, gardening books and much more! ​ Subscribe Now

Perennials Plant American Bittersweet and Gourds for a Fall Reward If you want to have beautiful American Bittersweet or quirky gourds this fall, find a place for them in your garden this spring. Read this article to learn more about why you want these plants to be part of your garden and how to grow them successfully. Read More Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata): A Beauty with Many Names Are you looking for a good low-maintenance plant for a prairie, pollinator, native or butterfly garden? Consider Spotted Horsemint. This native is valuable to pollinators as it attracts butterflies, moths and hummingbirds. It is a great source of nutrients to a number of native specialist bees. It will look great in your garden as a border or mass planting. Read More Ground Cover Plants May Be Just What You Need Whatever stage your garden is in, there is one plant that you can always find space for but is often an afterthought in the garden. This article will guide you through the uses, care, and selections of our Perennial Plant of the Month: Ground Covers. Read More Rose Mallow - A Rose of the North Have a riverbank, marsh, or rain garden to manage? Consider adding the lovely, long-blooming Rose Mallow. This article will tell you why and how. Read More Stumped by a Stumpery? Have you thought about planting a Stumpery in your yard? A what? A Stumpery is basically a stylized shade garden. The garden uses stumps and logs as habitat for shade-loving plants; mainly, ferns, mosses and lichen. Colorful mushrooms may eventually grow and add color and character to the wood. Read More Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum): A-Long Blooming Stunner Anise Hyssop or Agastache foeniculum is a tough plant, easy to grow, beautiful to behold and a one of the premier plants for feeding pollinators. Add to those virtues, Anise hyssop is drought tolerant and does not attract deer or rabbits. As a perennial native to the American Midwest, this plant belongs in your garden. Read More Harvesting Seeds for Native Prairie Restoration Dakota County Parks and Recreation is restoring the county’s native prairies. The goal is to grow the same types of plants that have successfully supported local insects, mammals, and birds for thousands of years. Prairie restoration rebuilds prairies by planting prairie seeds in areas that have changed to another land use. This article explains the how and why of native prairie restoration through the experience of Master Gardeners in Dakota County. Learn how you, too, can help wildlife and the environment by developing your own “pocket prairie” garden. Read More Enhance Your Home with Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) Enhance your home’s curb appeal and enrobe it in fall color by growing Boston Ivy on your home or patio. Boston Ivy is easy to grow, requires little maintenance, and provides lush green color in the Spring and Summer turning to vivid reddish-purple in the Fall. Read More The Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Native Perennial Workhorse Wild Geranium is a pretty, flowering, native plant that serves as an easy-to-grow groundcover. Read on to learn why and how to include it in your garden. Read More Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) Jack-in-the-Pulpit is a shade requiring native plant best grown in rich, moist woods or marshes. Read about this unique and fascinating long-lived perennial here. Read More All About Peonies Peony is a favorite flower of many northern gardens. The sweet-scented flowers are large and range in colors of pink, red, white and pale yellow with attractive stems of pink to red. Read More Ornamental Grasses Interest in Ornamental Grasses has exploded. They can fit into any garden theme. They provide height, movement, and long season color to your landscape. Most questions about ornamental grasses consist of when to plant them, trimming grasses and how and when to divide them. Read More 1 2 1 ... 1 2 ... 2

Pollinators Building a Pollinator Garden “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” This may or may not be a true Albert Einstein quote but the concept is valid. We need bees and all pollinators. Approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants require a pollinator to reproduce. Pollinators help produce one-third of our food. It’s hard to imagine a diet without many fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Read More Here a Pollinator Garden - There a Pollinator Garden – Everywhere a Pollinator Garden - Part 2 Master Gardener Brenda Scheer understands how important pollinator gardens are for the environment and wanted to start this type of garden. But how to start? This article is the second in a series of three in which Brenda describes her experience starting a pollinator garden in her backyard. Follow Brenda’s motivation, planning, lessons and tips to build your own environmentally friendly garden. In this installment, Brenda talks about how plan for and choose plants for her native garden. Read More Here a Pollinator Garden - There a Pollinator Garden – Everywhere a Pollinator Garden - Part 1 Master Gardener Brenda Scheer understands how important pollinator gardens are for the environment and wanted to start this type of garden. But how to start? This article is the first in a series of three in which Brenda describes her experience starting a pollinator garden in her backyard. Follow Brenda’s motivation, planning, lessons and tips to build your own environmentally friendly garden. Read More Wild Bergamot, the Bees’ Delight Watching bees and butterflies hovering over lavender-topped Wild Bergamot on a quiet summer afternoon is a delightful moment. It is just one of the reasons to include this native plant in your garden. Read this article to learn more about the environmental benefits and other charms of this beautiful plant. Read More

Recipes & Cookbook ​ Sweet Potatoes and a Sweet Winter Treat Sweet potatoes are a lovely garden plant. They are a low calorie but highly nutritious food and have a beautiful color. Sweet potatoes can be harvested very late in the fall and are pretty easy to store over the winter. Best of all, they taste great. You will love this sweet potato recipe from Master Gardener Joy Johnson along with a bonus sweet treat. Read More ​ Low Cal Jerk Chicken Tacos? If you are trying to lose your extra ‘Covid’ pounds or working on getting back in gardening shape or just like great chicken tacos, you will love this recipe. In this offering, Master Gardener Joy Johnson still manages to find something from her garden to place into her March recipe. Read More ​ 2 Easy Ways to Savor Spring Produce If you subscribe to the notion and practice of seasonal eating, as I do, then you already know: nothing in the world tastes as good as freshly picked asparagus. There is no replicating the bold bite of a turnip just plucked from the dirt. Spring is a wonderful time to eat, and its abundant leaves, stalks, bulbs and shoots in peak season and at their most flavorful require very little fussing in the kitchen. Read More ​ Snack on Celery Celery, while a delicious treat, can be a challenge for the home gardener to grow. Learn how you can start your own celery plants indoors and have a harvest of this versatile vegetable, early or late, into the growing season! Read More ​ Preserving Your Harvest Many of the vegetables you have been growing all summer are ready to harvest in September. Unfortunately, most things can only be stored fresh for a short period of time even in perfect conditions. If you have the time and the inclination you can harvest more of your garden and preserve it to enjoy long after the growing season has passed. Read More ​ Garden to Kitchen All your hard work has paid off, the thrill of the harvest is upon you! But you can’t see your kitchen table because of all the vegetables you’ve brought in from the garden. First, way to go! You are on your way to creating healthy food. Second, here are a couple of recipes that will help you make good use of your produce. They can be frozen for use in the bleak mid-winter and are real crowd pleasers. Read More ​ Winter Chicken Stew (And a Special Valentine Treat) The ice and snow have buried your garden under a cold blanket. Picking fresh veggies and herbs from your own plot is a distant memory and a future hope! You can still make tasty nutritious meals for your family using your garden produce, just open your freezer. Here is a recipe for a delicious chicken stew that will make great use of your frozen vegetables and herbs. Follow that up with this special sweet Valentine’s treat. Read More ​ Chicken Curry Cooking in the winter is a time to fill your kitchen with tempting, warming fragrances that are new and exciting. This Chicken Curry recipe does just that. It also makes use of the carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, peppers and cilantro that you may have in your freezer from last season’s garden. Read More ​ Cooking with Garden Vegetables The vegetables that you harvested from your garden (or buy from your grocery store) continue to provide healthy and tasty snacks and meals during the cold months of the year. Joy Johnson shares two tasty recipes for you to enjoy as the flowers sleep and the leaves settle to the ground in November. Read More ​ A Trio of Garden Produce Recipes It’s cold, it’s snowy and your garden is sound asleep resting under a blanket of snow and ice. Last summer’s dry, hot weather is a distant memory. However, it was that weather which helped us produce a bumper crop of tomatoes, peppers and apples. Joy Johnson shares 3 yummy recipes that make great use of those saved vegetables. Read More

Books & Other Resources ​ The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees By Douglas W. Tallamy, Timber Press, Portland, OR, 2021 Oak trees. Who doesn’t love this bold and majestic tree species in our landscape. In addition to their beauty, oak trees contribute mightily to the health of our environment. To learn more about the mighty oaks, read Douglas Tallamy’s excellent book, ”The Nature of Oaks.” Read More ​ The Midwest Native Plant Primer Alan Branhagen is a well-known expert on native plants in Minnesota. Jim Lakin reviews Branhagen’s “Primer” on why you should consider planting natives in your yard. Once you are convinced, learn which plants to grow. Read More ​ Entangled Life “Fungi provide the key to understanding the planet on which we live and the ways we think, feel and behave. Yet they live their lives largely hidden from view and over ninety percent of their species remain undocumented.” So explains Merlin Sheldrake in his fascinating book “Entangled Life.” Read this book review to discover more about the role of fungi in our lives. Read More ​ Therapeutic Landscapes for Stress Relief Feeling stressed? Has the Covid culture left you feeling socially isolated? Learn about the healing power of gardens and gardening in this article. Read More ​ All New Square Foot Gardening, Third Edition “All New Square Foot Gardening” is an updated version of square foot gardening principles first introduced 40 years ago. The basic philosophy of this gardening method remains the same but this book demonstrates how the method has been refined and improved. Growing vegetables in your backyard is both possible and fun! Read More ​ Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme Stacy Reeves reviews Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme, a book that describes the many ways to enjoy a variety of herbs. The book talks about seventy herbs both common and uncommon. It includes history, growing tips and recipes to help you enjoy herbs that you can grow in your own garden. Read More ​ Growing Garlic If you are looking for a quick "how to" on growing garlic here's a resource for you. Read More ​ Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard A family's dog fall into an outhouse on a camping opened up a new world to a young girl - fungi, mineral-colored soil, humus, insects, worms, and more. The young girl grew up to become a forest ecologist and educator. Suzanne Simard’s look into the communicative world beneath our feet highlights nature’s resilience and its enormous capacity to heal. Read More ​ Teaming with Microbes, by Jeff Lowenfels The book, Teaming with Microbes, may leave a reader inspired to learn more and in awe of the world below their feet. If that is the case, Jeff Lowenfels' book may be a good next choice. Read More ​ The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats By Daniel Stone Who knew that the life of an “agricultural explorer” could be both fascinating and suspenseful. Read this review of book, “The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats” to learn why food exploration can be exciting! Read More ​ The Herbal Kitchen By Kami McBride The Herbal Kitchen by Kamie McBride is a tremendous resource and beautifully written guide to expanding your herbal repertoire. Fifty herbs and spices are discussed with tips for preparing, storing, and using them, and over 250 recipes will have you inspired to add more herbs to your garden (what's one more bed?!) Read the full review to learn more! Read More

Garden Prep & Care Composting Would you like to save $$$ on your gardening expenses? Homegrown compost can be used to solve various garden challenges while saving you money from buying other product solutions in-store. Read More Cover Crops for the Home Garden As you harvest the last of your vegetables and fruits late in the gardening season, open soil space becomes available in your garden. Why not try something new and fill those spaces with cover crops? Read more about cover crops in the home garden. Read More Deciphering Seed Catalogs Seed catalogs start coming in January or February - a good time to start dreaming of your next garden! But there is so much information packed into a seed catalog it can be hard to interpret the abbreviations and array of plant varieties. This article will help you to decipher your seed catalogs so that you can choose the best plants for your garden. Read More Garden in the Minnesota Winter with “Winter Sowing” Itching to get planting? Even in our cold Minnesota we can start our spring gardens. Winter seed sowing is possible using homemade miniature greenhouses and plenty of snow. Here's how... Read More How to Share Your Plants Safely Sharing plants from our gardens is a common and gratifying practice among gardeners. But in these times, we must know how to share plants safely. Safe from what? Jumping worms have become a significant and difficult problem for Minnesota gardens. This particular type of worm has the ability to ravage your garden soil and weaken or kill your plants. This article will help you learn more about this pest and show you how you can still share your plants safe from the spread of jumping worms. Read More Imagining Your Garden’s Possibilities January is a month of fresh starts, a time to renew and begin again. Whether you were pleased or frustrated with your garden in 2021, the new year is a great time to dream about your 2022 garden’s possibilities. Valerie Rogotzke shares some thoughts about how to reimagine your garden. Read More Manure – A Cautionary Tale Manure can benefit your garden in many ways but it also has negative consequences if used improperly. Read this article to learn how to use manure to reap its benefits without hurting your soil or plants. Read More Planting for a Fall Harvest Late summer doesn’t always come to mind as planting time. But Late July and early August are great times to plant vegetables that grow quickly and mature better in cooler temperatures. Read on to discover which plants you can plant now that will grow successfully well into fall. Read More Putting Your Garden to Bed If it’s yellow or brown, cut it down. If it’s green, leave it alone. This long-standing rule-of-thumb means you can’t just wake up one day and decide to put your garden to bed for the winter. It’s a gradual process because plants die back at different rates depending on when they transition energy to the roots. Cutting off green leaves can weaken a plant and affect its vigor and bloom next year. Besides, there are lots of reasons to avoid cutting shrubs, stems and perennials – for winter interest and for wildlife. Here are some ways to ready your gardens for cold and snow ahead. Read More Rain Gardens Whether you live in a city or along a lake or river, managing storm water run-off is something to consider in your landscape. Read this article to finds ways to do it. Read More There's Always Next Year - Season End Reflections Fall is a logical time to reflect upon how your garden fared during the growing season. What went right, what went wrong, what lessons were learned? This season presented ample opportunity to learn some gardening lessons. Conditions tested even the most experienced gardeners and the most established gardens. Read about some of the problems that one Master Gardener tackled this summer and some lessons learned. Read More To Till or Not to Till One sure sign of spring for me as a young man was my father-in-law rototilling his vegetable garden. He’d fire up his trusty TroyBuilt and belching smoke and fumes, pulverize a good portion of his back yard. The resultant fluffy black soil seemed to invite planting. Read More

Trees & Shrubs Best Time to Prune Trees Although trees are quite resilient and may be pruned anytime, there are both practical as well as biological reasons to prune or not prune during certain times of the year. Read More Buckthorn Removal Ah yes, the dreaded B word … Buckthorn! This noxious invasive species threatens residential, woodland areas, waters and grassland areas. Unfortunately, buckthorn is a multi-year commitment as the seeds in the soil can germinate for many years. So, you ask, what kind of treatment plan should you use? Read on for tips to use in removing this invasive plant. Read More Buttonbush (Queen of the Wetlands) Buttonbush is a great shrub for naturalizing in wet areas and attracts butterflies. Read more about its attributes. Read More Holiday Trees Tis the season. If your holiday decorating includes a fresh cut tree, here are some things to consider before selecting your tree and some tips to ensure it lasts throughout the season. Read More How Trees Talk to One Another Have you ever walked in the woods and thought there was someone there, someone talking? Well, if you have, you were right. It was the trees talking to one another. Read More How to Identify Minnesota Native Conifers The garden beds are tucked in under an abundant blanket of snow. The wardrobes of the deciduous trees are a distant memory after their yearly fashion show. But for some of us, one of the most beautiful sights this time of year, is the star of the season’s show: the coniferous tree. Most conifers stay green throughout the winter but they are not all the same. Read More March is a Great Time to Prune Many Trees and Shrubs Don’t let the fact that there is still snow on the ground deter you from getting outside and pruning the trees and shrubs in your yard that need it. Late winter and early spring is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. This article will provide some advice on how to go about it to make your plants and yourself pleased with the result. Read More Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Looking for a small tree to add to your landscape? Consider the Pagoda Dogwood, it grows quickly and offers delicious berries for the birds in late summer. Read more about this attractive tree here. Read More Plants for Winter Interest In Minnesota, the winter color palette tends toward white, brown and gray. But we need not think of this landscape as drab or uninteresting. Fill your yard with interesting shrubs and sturdy perennials to enjoy a peacefully pleasing home landscape. Read this article for several plants that liven up a winter landscape. Read More Preparing Your Trees and Evergreens for Winter We’ve all heard that there are only two seasons in Minnesota---Winter and Getting Ready for Winter (or is it Road Repair?). In any event, Minnesota’s harsh winter can cause severe damage to landscape plants. The big three threats are sun, cold and critters. Happily, there are a number of things you can do this fall to protect your trees and shrubs from the Terrible Trio. Read More Why Weigela? Weigelas are beautiful, deer-resistant, flowering shrubs. There are many lovely varieties to choose. Learn why you should consider this shrub for your garden. Read More

A Pest Above the Rest – Japanese Beetles It’s July and our gardens are in their prime! But wait, what is that insect on my beautiful roses? And why do the leaves on my raspberries look like skeletons? Read this article about the dreaded Japanese Beetle and what you can do to minimize the damage they cause. Read More Bird Feeding Bird-feeding is for all of us who enjoy and love watching birds. Inside this article you’ll find information on bird-feeding tips, preventing disease in your bird feeders and an update on the AVIAN (HPAI) bird flu that disrupted this summer’s bird-feeding habits. Read More Boxelder Bugs It’s cool but sunny outside and I would like to walk into my front door but the door and wall are covered with black and orange bugs! They are boxelder bugs and they are looking for a warm home for the winter. Read how to manage these nonharmful but annoying pests. Read More Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea} Is creeping charlie an unwelcome intruder in your garden? Read this article to find out more about why this plant is so hard to eliminate and, even, how you can appreciate and even live with Creeping Charlie in your garden. Read More Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis): Springtime Coquette The Eastern Red Columbine is an erect, branching perennial, up to 2 ft. tall, and is well known for its showy red and yellow flowers. Here are some reasons why they may be a great addition to your landscape. Read More Getting the Jump on Jumping Worms Many of us associate worms in the soil as an indicator of “good garden soil.” Unfortunately, that is not necessarily true in Minnesota these days. “Jumping worms” have become more common in local gardens recently and that is not a good thing. Read this article to understand why. Read More Investigating Insects in the Garden Calling all Family Insect Investigators! Along with plants and people enjoying the summer, many insects are traveling around in our yards and parks, too. Gather your family and friends in July to investigate insects in the Minnesota outdoors. Learn how to identify insects from other types of bugs, view some common Minnesota insects and how to do your own investigations of these creatures. Read More Protecting Our Trees from Invasive Species The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources defines an invasive species as “species that are not native to Minnesota and cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” This article defines and identifies the invasive species that can cause harm to the economy, environment, or human health. Read More Taking on Ticks You’ve turned in after a productive day of gardening. Beginning to doze off, you feel something ever so slightly brushing against your thigh. You reach and feel a small hard object crawling up your leg. Lights on. It’s a tic, ambling along, looking for a nice warm place to suck your blood! It is tick season and there is good reason to be wary. Read More Vexing Vole Damage As the snow melts this spring, you may observe trails of dead grass in your yard. Or, you may find that the bark near the ground of your small trees or shrubs has been chewed bare. What is the cause of this damage that occurred over the winter? Most likely, the culprit is voles. Read this article learn more about voles and how you can reduce the damage they may bring to your yard. Read More Diseases, Pests & Wildlife

Indoor Plants ​ Propagating House Plants Winter blahs got you down? Bring more green into your home by propagating your houseplants. It’s easier than you think for many plant varieties, and it’s a fun way to spend part of a gray day. Read More ​ The Short-lived Beauty of Blooming Cactus Various cacti can provide gardening pleasure in Minnesota both outside in the summer and inside during the cold weather. There are thousands of varieties of cacti, many of which are different and exotic, in other words, pretty cool. But there are some tricks to growing cacti successfully. Here are some tips on growing healthy cacti and getting them to re-bloom. Read More ​ African Violets African Violets are one of the most popular houseplants because they require little maintenance and, cared for properly, bloom several times a year. But, as with any plant, they do have specific needs that you must know and pay attention to in order to provide the color and pleasure that you are hoping for. Read this article to understand how to achieve a happy, healthy African Violet in your home. Read More ​ Houseplant Pests Discovering and controlling pests on your indoor plants is an important step for keeping your indoor garden healthy and happy. The information in this article will help you keep these unwanted visitors off your plants and out of your home. Read More ​ Helping Houseplants Stay Healthy this Winter Chances are, you’ll be spending more time indoors over the next few months. So will your green and growing friends – your houseplants. It makes sense then to get to know how to keep them healthy. Read More ​ Holiday Cacti Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are beautiful flowering holiday plants Read More ​ Poinsettias – A Home in Mexico and Dr. Poinsett The Poinsettia is a weed in its native Mexico. It is called lobster plant or Mexican Flame Leaf and has become an essential part of North America’s Christmas décor. Read More

Gardening with Kids Autumn Leaves This page introduces books and fun activities that will help your child to understand why leaves change color and learn that leaves have some things in common with humans. Read More Caring for Indoor Plants with Young Children Even as the weather gets cold, we can still enjoy plants with our little ones. Click here to discover how to help your young child be successful in caring for indoor plants independently. You will learn how to set up the materials needed and show your young child how to dust, prune, identify, and water indoor plants Read More Create Frozen Luminarias Frozen luminaries are both fun and beautiful to create. This article will give you suggestions on using materials you may have around the house and in your winter garden to create a frozen luminary. Read More Harvest Time with Kids! It’s time to get the kids in your life ready for harvesting all of the bounty around us. Whether you’ve been tending plants all summer or want to visit any number of “pick your own” locations in our area, harvesting is a great way to connect children to produce right where it grows. Read More Junior Winter Garden Detectives Do you know a child who has wondered where all the garden creatures live in the winter in Minnesota? Help that child become a Junior Winter Garden Detective by gathering clues, using some scientific techniques and then searching outside to solve this chilly mystery. Read More Let’s Learn About Evergreens! December is a month when evergreens are seen everywhere—indoors and out! Wreaths and decorated trees fill homes and public spaces, and the fallen leaves on deciduous trees makes conifers even more prominent in our Minnesota forests. This is a great season for growing sprouts and older folks alike to look a little closer at the evergreens around us, to learn which details to look for, and to identify our native trees. Read More Make Seed Tape with Your Child Growing your own vegetables has many benefits. It is a source of delicious food, of course. But it is also a source of wonder for adults and children alike. You can share the wonder with the child in your life by planting vegetable seeds. In this article, learn how to create and plant nice, straight rows of perfectly spaced garden vegetables by using seed tape. A perfect gardening activity for you and your child or grandchild. Read More Minnesota Arbor Day - April 28, 2023 “He who plants a tree, plants hope.” ~Lucy Larcom Each year, Arbor Day is celebrated around the world. Each state in the United States sets aside one day each year for its Arbor Day to think about why trees are important to the world and to celebrate them. Minnesota has chosen the last Friday in April for its Arbor Day. Click here to learn why there is an Arbor Day celebration and how to celebrate it with your family. Read More Planting Seeds with Children Kids love to plant seeds, and it’s a great way to show them the joys of gardening. Now’s the time to get seeds started for indoor and outdoor growing. Read More Seeds of Wonder - Planting Seeds with Children There’s a sense of wonder from all ages when a small seed becomes a plant before our very eyes. Read More The Sensory Garden Memories are often tied to our senses and for many of us, our first or favorite memories occurred in a garden. This article will discuss how to create a sensory garden that will enliven the senses, spark old memories, and hopefully make some new ones for first time visitors. Read More What Are Plants Doing in Winter? Read this delightful article with your children about how plants survive winter. How are plants like animals in their amazing self-preservation strategies? Engage in the fun and education experiments with the child in your life. Read More

Gardening by the Month ​ February - Starting Seeds Indoors If you want to grow plants from seed for your garden this spring, February is the time to start – planning and planting. There is a little more to it than dropping a seed in soil. Read More ​ LOP & LOSE While March is the ideal time to prune most trees and shrubs in your garden; note that it is NOT the time to prune those that bloom in the spring. Pruning your spring blooming trees and shrubs may kill blooms that are forming. These plants should be pruned right after they bloom in the spring. Read this article for valuable information about pruning some of your most beautiful spring blooming shrubs. Read More ​ Snowdrops for the Early Spring Garden Are you a gardener that loves to have flowering plants staggered throughout the growing season? Then perhaps you should consider planting snowdrops in your yard. They are the first spring bulb to bloom and they are known to pop up amongst the snow melt. They usually bloom before larger daffodils and tulips. Read More ​ I Forgot to Plant My Garlic in October! Planting Garlic in March Are you a garlic lover? Yes, you can buy it at the grocery store but garlic grown in your own garden is so good. Garlic is normally grown in late fall BUT not to worry, if you act quickly, you can plant garlic in March and harvest it in July. Read this article to learn more about planting garlic in the spring or the fall. Read More ​ There Is Science Behind Lawn Care Believe it or not, the snow will melt soon and your thoughts will turn from shoveling to lawn care. Do you continue to use a lot of fertilizer and water on your lawn with mixed results? Are you concerned about the impacts of climate change affecting your lawn? Are you overwhelmed with all the lawn work in the Spring? If you said yes to any of these questions, click the link to learn more about the Science behind lawn care and how it can help you, your lawn and the environment. Read More ​ April - What To Do About Winter Damage As we think beyond winter to spring, you may encounter winter damage to some of your plants. In this article, Karna Berg reminds us how to give your plants a boost going into winter and how to deal with winter damage in a way that will allow plants to recover and, ultimately, flourish. Read More ​ Companion Gardening It’s April and we are starting or continuing to plan our gardens for the new season. Most of us consider the amount of sunlight we need, flower size and color and, probably, our favorite plants. But many of us do not take into account how various plants interact with each other - “companion planting.” Companion planting considers how to enhance the garden or impact plants by growing them in close proximity to each other. Companion planting has the potential to enhance your garden, reduce the need for pesticides, promote stronger plants and take maximum advantage of the space available. Read this article to learn more about why and how to use companion planting in your garden. Read More ​ May - Container Gardening Container gardening provides those with little or no yard an opportunity to grow vegetable, herbs or flowers inside your home or on your deck or patio. In addition, placing containers as part of your in-ground garden can add additional space and/or additional beauty to the garden. This article will help you plan your container garden. Read More ​ June - Fun With Fairy Gardens Fairy gardens are a great way to experience gardening with your children or grandchildren but – grownups love them, too. It’s said that if you plant a fairy garden, something magical happens. Years drop away, stress leaves you and you’re transported into the world of make believe. Nothing brings out the inner child in us more than when we plant a fairy garden. This article will inspire to experience the joy of fairy gardens. Read More ​ Pussytoes (Antennaria sp.) for Tough Growing Sites Pussytoes is a cute name for a sturdy native plant. If you are looking for a tough, resilient groundcover for those difficult areas, consider one of the Antennarias (Pussytoes). Read More ​ Is it Too Late to Plant . . .? Now it’s June and for many reasons, you don’t have your garden planted. Is it too late? This article explains why the answer is a resounding No! There are many vegetables and annuals that have a shorter time to maturation and will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your June labor. Read on to learn how to save your summer planting enjoyment. Read More ​ Shrub Pruning in Late Summer 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. Read More ​ September - Seed Saving Seed saving is a fun and rewarding experience—especially when you see the fruits of your labor the following year! We are approaching harvest time in Minnesota, so now is the perfect time to think about harvesting seeds. Read this article for some tips to help make your seed saving productive! Read More ​ Picking the Perfect Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin Picking out and carving pumpkins is a favorite family activity in October. Read on for tips about how to choose and carve your pumpkins and what to do with all those seeds. Read More ​ December - Enjoying the Winter Garden As Minnesotans, we learn to appreciate the cycle of northern gardening. The truth is, after putting the garden to bed for the season, the winter respite provides a chance to enjoy the garden in different ways. Read this article for thoughts about how to enjoy your garden in winter. Read More