< Back Pet-Safe Plant Choices Sarah Heidtke, Master Gardener There are a lot of us in Dakota County and beyond who love both plants and our pets. Not all plants are compatible with the dogs and cats who live with us. Read on to find out about safer plant choices to make for our furry family members - and a few plants to keep away! I adopt new houseplants every year around January. Some fresh green helps me through the winter months - whether I’m expanding my collection or filling in for some plants that weren’t a good match for my environment (Master Gardeners get brown plants sometimes, too!) We have beloved dogs and cats in our family, so we want to make sure any plants we have within reach are going to be safe for our pets. If you are gifting houseplants, it is a good idea to keep in mind all of the household residents who can access the plants! I would recommend leaving any plant identification instructions and labels with the plant. This extra care also includes floral bouquets, so watch for danger there (think lilies, tulips and gladiola as examples). Today, I’m offering some houseplant options that are safer for dogs and cats: 1. Hoya Hearts (Hoya kerrii), just in time for Valentines Day! 2. Boston Fern - Many true ferns are nontoxic. This plant loves humidity and is a great option in a bathroom with a shower. Be careful, though, of plants such as “Asparagus Ferns” (Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri), which are not true ferns. These plants are actually related to the lily family - and are not safe for pets! 3. Rubber Plant (Peperomia) 4. Money Tree (Pachira aquatica) 5. African Violets (Saintpaulia spp.) 6. Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) 7. Bamboo or Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) - but be careful of Sago Palms (Cycas revoluta), these are very toxic to pets! 8. Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis sp.) 9. Holiday cactus (Schlumbergera) make great year-round houseplants 10. Many other succulents, such as Echeveria and Burro’s Tail are safe options as well. Check out this article from the Minnesota State Horticultural Society for more helpful information: A good general rule with all plants is to know your pets and double check plant labels . I have senior dogs that are more inclined to reach for the peanut butter spoon than any old plant, so I feel comfortable keeping riskier plants elevated and check for fallen leaves regularly. Some common plants in my home that are toxic to dogs and cats are Aloe, Amaryllis, Dieffenbachia, English Ivy, Eucalyptus and Philodendron. If you have a new puppy or kitten that can get to and munch plants in the house, you’ll need to adjust accordingly and stick to safer plants. Most plants can cause upset tummies if ingested or chewed on, but the above options will help avoid some more serious consequences. You can search toxicity by plant on the ASPCA’s website here . If your fur-baby has gotten into something they shouldn’t have, time matters. Here are a few resources if you are concerned your pet has ingested, touched, or inhaled poisonous substances - plants or otherwise: The University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine recommends Pet Poison Helpline. - For general information or just checking, their website has tons of useful information including Top Ten Plants Poisonous to Pets . - For emergency help, you can call them at 855-764-7661 or email at info@petpoinhelpline.com ( please note there is an $85 incident fee applicable in this case ) ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) also has a poison control line (888) 426-4435 and some additional resources on their animal poison control website . Check out this website from beChewy and Monrovia for some great outdoor container “recipes” filled with pet-safe plants. They also have great tips on gardening around pets. You and your pets will have a shopping list ready when the weather warms up in the spring. Have fun enjoying your plants and healthy pets! Photo credits: Brooke Nesbitt (1,6), Sarah Heidtke (2,4,5), Wiki Creative Commons (3)

< Back September - A Jar of Flowers Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener 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! We are going to learn how to not just press our summer flowers, but turn them into a beautiful decoration to give as a gift or keep for ourselves. Supplies Needed : Flowers from garden (best are smaller or more open petal flowers/blooms, leaves, grasses; ex. Cosmos, Pansy, Hydrangea, Daisy, Larkspur, Forget-Me-Not, etc.) Parchment Paper or Tissue Paper Heavy objects (used to lay on top of flowers while pressing) Glass Container (ex. canning, jam/pickle/olive jars), Vase, Votive Mod Podge (DIY - glue & water mixed to a milky consistency) Brush Patience (waiting for flowers to dry may take a couple weeks) Find your favorite “Little Sprout” and visit your flower garden and begin finding your favorite flowers, leaves and grasses. It is a great time to explore and introduce your “Little Sprout” to the world of gardening and explore all there is to see. Watch for pollinators, talk about the various plant parts, shapes, colors and varieties. Cut the flowers you would like to use (choosing drier flowers is best) and with a paper towel gently press the flowers, leaves and grasses trying to get out as much moisture as possible. Now the drying process begins. Place flowers/leaves/grass between double layers of tissue paper and then place between two heavy objects (books, wood pieces with heavy objects placed on top). Flowers/leaves/grasses will take about 2-4 weeks to dry fully. Check on your flowers after a week to see if new tissue paper is needed. Flowers can mold during this process if they start out too moist and changing the tissue paper allows for better moisture absorption. Place heavy objects again on the flowers/leaves/grass. Repeat this process until all items are completely dry. Once all flowers/leaves/grasses are dry it is time to create a “Jar of Flowers”. Take the jar, vase or votive (glass container) you have chosen and with the brush, spread a coat of Mod Podge or the DIY Glue/Water mixture on the outside of the glass trying to put it on as smooth as possible if you do not want brush marks to show. Next, take the dried flowers/leaves/grasses and place them on your glass container as you wish to create a unique design. Add a second layer of Mod Podge or DIY Glue/Water mixture covering all of the glass container. Let dry! Once dry your glass container can be turned into a vase or votive holder. Give the creation away or keep for yourself. It will remind you and your “Little Sprout” throughout the year of your beautiful flower garden and all the fun that can be had with a few flowers, a glue mixture and a glass container/jar. Photo Credits: www.pexels.com (1,2) , www.littlepinelearners.com (3)

< Back Parsnips a Favorite Winter Vegetable Katie Possis, Master Gardener The parsnip is the creamy white cousin to carrots that add a nutty but sweet flavor to your winter vegetable table. Parsnips are a taproot vegetable that will enrich a broth or soup by adding another dimension of flavor. Whether parsnips are pureed, baked, sauteed, steamed, mashed or roasted they will not disappoint. Let’s dig in and discover the best way to sow, grow, harvest, store and enjoy this winter vegetable. Pastinaca sativa commonly known as the parsnip is the creamy white cousin to carrots that add a nutty but sweet flavor to your winter vegetable table. Parsnips are a taproot vegetable that will enrich a broth or soup by adding another dimension of flavor. Whether parsnips are pureed, baked, sauteed, steamed, mashed or roasted they will not disappoint. Let’s dig in and discover the best way to sow, grow, harvest, store and enjoy this winter vegetable. Late spring to late summer when the soil temperature is not colder than 46 degrees Fahrenheit is the best time to plant parsnip seeds in full sun or partial sun. Planting companion plants between the rows such as radishes, chives or violas will help fully utilize space in the garden bed. Delicate is the best way to describe the parsnip roots therefore, for best results seeds need to be planted directly into the ground. Plant in loamy soil, which is light, fine soil without compacted clay and well-draining. Well worked soil is preferred to sow seeds ½ inch deep and 6 inches apart. The PH balance needs to be between 6-8, if working with clay-type soil it is best to work in compost to prevent the plant from struggling with root development. After 3 weeks, the parsnip seed will germinate and at 6 weeks it is important to thin out the seedlings. Gloves need to be worn and long sleeves as the leaves and sap of the parsnip plant can be irritating to the skin. During the growing season, it is important to keep the moisture levels consistent as the plants prefer to be watered deeply and will not tolerate drought. If the parsnips are watered irregularly, the parsnip will become tough, which is not the desired result. Using a soaker hose or drip irrigation during the first month and a half may be helpful. Mulch around the plants will also aid in obtaining the correct moisture level. Due to the longer growing season, 100-120 days it is necessary to keep up with weed management to ensure proper air flow around the plants. Although parsnips are relatively pest and disease free a few pests to anticipate and manage exist such as caterpillars, carrot fly maggots, and aphides. Caterpillars tend to munch on the leaves. The best course of action is to hand pick the caterpillars off when they appear. To manage the carrot fly maggots plant chives along-side the parsnips which is a natural repellent for the maggots. Aphids also eat parsnips so washing them away with water is the best course of action. Disease such as parsnip canker can be managed by clearing away the previous years plant material that may reside in the soil as it can harbor parsnip canker spores. Harvest the parsnips after a frost or two as the roots become sweeter by turning the starch to sugar. The greens will begin to die back which is the signal for the time to harvest. Gloves are an excellent idea when harvesting. Take great care to loosen the soil around the plants before extracting them from the ground. Extraction is a downward push followed by an upward pull. Remove dirt gently with a brush, remove the green tops and discard, then wash in cold water and pat dry. Leaving the skin on will enhance the flavor of the parsnip. The parsnip is now ready to eat or store. There are several ways to store parsnips: freezing, dehydration or in a container of sand in the basement. To freeze parsnips, start with cleaning, next peel, trim and cut into pieces, blanch in water then transfer into a freezer bag, they will store up to 2-3 months in the freezer. Dehydration drying can take place in a conventional oven at 140 degrees this process can take 20-24 hours the result will store for 4 months to a year. Store in a container of sand in the basement by covering the parsnips entirely with sand and keeping them in a cool, dark place they will store for up to 4 months. Enjoy this winter vegetable in a delicious soup Roasted Vegetable Soup Recipe | Ina Garten | Food Network it’s a shining example of the depth of flavor a parsnip will add to a winter soup. Parsnips are a wonderful accompaniment to fish, beef or poultry. Search | Bon Appetit for a purist parsnip puree recipe. Roasted parsnips bring out the nutty sweetness and taste delicious. Enjoy the roasted goodness sprinkled with a little olive oil and fresh oregano and thyme. Give the parsnip a try, it will not disappoint in winter dishes nor in the garden. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1) & Creative Commons (2)

< Back Timing For Cutting, Pruning and Dividing Plants Cherise Skeba, Dakota County Master Gardener Gardeners understand that most plants and trees in their yards need to be pruned at times. The problem is that knowing when to prune can be confusing. Not all plants and trees should be pruned at the same time of year. Master Gardener Cherise Skeba found it hard to keep track of when to prune the plants in her yard despite a diligent effort to learn about each plant. After doing her research, she developed 7 rules that help her and can help you, to know when to prune to keep your plant healthy and producing beautiful blooms. Read this article to learn the 7 helpful rules As a garden enthusiast, I understand the need to cut, prune, divide and otherwise clean-up plants in my garden and yard. However, I have not found a reliable and easy system to know the best timing for these maintenance efforts. I have purchased gardening calendars and gardening books to help create a maintenance schedule. I even started a catalog for my individual plants, noting the recommended maintenance tasks and timing. I still found myself searching the internet every time I wanted to understand maintenance timing for a specific plant. There must be a better way to retain garden maintenance knowledge! This idea led me to review many garden maintenance articles and develop a simple rule set based on common plant characteristics that can be used to guide appropriate timing for plant cutting, pruning and dividing in northern climates. Here are seven rules to help everyone remember when to cut, prune and divide plants. Rule 1 : Dead, significantly diseased or severely insect-infected plant parts should be cut off from perennials and shrubs as soon as the problems are apparent. Rule 2 : Herbaceous perennials (stems die back to the ground each year) should be left intact to overwinter and then be cut down to the ground in the spring prior to blooming. This practice gives insects and animals food and shelter during the winter months. In addition, leaving the plants intact improves their winter survival chances. Autumn Joy Sedum in winter Exception: In the autumn, cut down to the ground perennials that have a history of disease or are especially prone to insect infestations. Cutting these plants back in the autumn reduces the chances of pests surviving through winter. Common plants that meet this exception are B ee balm, R udbeckia, I ris, P hlox, P eonies and A sparagus (acronym BRIPPA). Rule 3 : Division of perennial flowers should be completed in the spring for fall-blooming plants and in autumn for spring-blooming or summer-blooming plants. Rule 4 : Spring-flowering shrubs (bloom before June, e.g. lilacs, forsythia, mock orange, azaleas and rhododendron) should be trimmed immediately after the blooming period ends. These shrubs grow blooms on one-year-old wood. Trimming after the bloom period keeps the blooms intact for the current year and promotes new growth for blooms in the following year. Exception: A heavy prune to regenerate an overgrown spring-blooming plant should be completed in the winter. This will reduce the spring blooms but will ultimately promote a healthier plant. Rule 5 : Summer-flowering shrubs (bloom after June, e.g., Ninebark, panicle Hydrangeas) should be trimmed during late winter to early spring. These shrubs grow blooms on “new wood” (this season’s growth) and should therefore be trimmed prior to the time the new branches begin to grow to preserve the current year’s blooms. Do not prune shrubs late summer through autumn since this will promote new growth that would be susceptible to winter damage. Summer Ninebark Rule 6 : Deciduous trees , including fruit trees, should be pruned late winter. Winter trimming allows a full view of the tree’s shape and allows the wounds to heal before warm-weather pests begin to flourish. Refinements: Oak trees should not be pruned after February to avoid the spread of oak wilt disease. River birch trees should be pruned early in the winter after the leaves have fallen. Rule 7 : Evergreen shrubs and trees should not be pruned since branch removal may damage the integrity of the tree and new growth will not occur when pruning back to older growth. New evergreen buds (but not branches) may be trimmed in early spring to help shape the evergreens and promote density. I’ve created a short rhyme to help me remember the appropriate timing for cutting, dividing and pruning plants: Garden Pruning Calendar Herbaceous perennials peak through the snow But in the spring, cut to the ground or mow. Divide perennials in autumn if they bloom in the spring But divide in the spring if autumn blooms cling. Trim spring-blooming shrubs after flowers fade But wait until winter if there is a fall flower parade. Prune trees in the winter if they drop their leaves But evergreen plants should be left to do as they please. Cutting and pruning schedules for specific plants can be found in the citations below which also provide additional guidance for how to cut and prune plants. Citations with individual plant lists “How to Divide and Transplant Perennials”, Iowa State University http://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-divide-and-transplant-perennials “Pruning Flowering Shrubs”, Rutgers University http://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1221/ “43 Perennials to Cut Back in the Spring”, The Spruce http://www.thespruce.com/pruning-perennials-in-spring-1402713 “Pruning Guide”, Bachman’s http://bachmans.com/information/resource-hub/pruning-guide “Pruning trees and shrubs”, University of Minnesota http://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/pruning-trees-and-shrubs General citations “How and when to divide perennials”, University of Minnesota http://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/dividing-perennials “Proper Time to Prune Trees and Shrubs”, Iowa State University http://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/proper-time-prune-trees-and-shrubs “Pruning Deciduous Shrubs”, University of Wisconsin http://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/pruning-deciduous-shrubs/ “Cut Back Perennials Now or Later?”, Purdue University http://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/cut-back-perennials-now-or-later-2/ “How and When to Prune Flowering Shrubs”, Penn State http://extension.psu.edu/how-and-when-to-prune-flowering-shrubs “The Nuances of Pruning Spring-flowering Shrubs”, North Dakota State University http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/columns/dakota-gardener/dakota-gardener-the-nuances-of-pruning-spring-flowering-shrubs “Dormant Season Tree and Shrub Pruning”, University of Illinois http://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/dormant_season_pruning_infosheet.pdf “Pruning Shrubs and Hedges in the Home Garden”, University of Maryland http://extension.umd.edu/resource/pruning-shrubs-and-hedges-home-garden/ “Leaving Perennials Standing: Pros and Cons”, Northern Gardener, Minnesota State Horticultural Society http://northerngardener.org/leaving-perennials-standing-pros-and-cons/ Photo Credit: www.forestryimages.org (Creative Commons)(1), Les Hutchinson, flickr.com (2) flickr.com (3)

< Back A Trio of Garden Produce Recipes Joy Johnson, Master Gardener 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. 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 produce a bumper crop of tomatoes, peppers and apples at my house. By early November I had finally finished processing all my fruits and vegetables. My freezer was packed, and I had to turn to canning and drying in order to keep produce over the winter. Now I’m disciplining myself to stop buying so much at the grocery store and make use of what I have on hand. The three recipes here do just that. The salsa verde makes use of the green tomatoes that I picked right before the first hard frost. The chicken stew uses the parsnips and carrots that were harvested, blanched and frozen, and the butterscotch apple muffins make use of the apples and apple sauce that were canned or frozen. Salsa Verde For canning, or you can eat it fresh Ingredients: 5 1/2 cups about 2 pounds peeled, chopped green tomatoes 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped peppers (I had a couple small jalapenos left from the garden that I used along with sweet green peppers 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1/3 cup minced cilantro 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup white vinegar 3 tablespoons lime juice Have your hot sterilized jars and lids ready (keep them hot). Chop the tomatoes, onion, peppers, and garlic in a food processor by pulsing, until they are finely chopped. Remove and put into sauce pot you will be using to cook. Add the cumin, paprika, salt, vinegar and lime juice. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to a simmer for 12 minutes. During the last minute of cooking add the minced cilantro. Ladle hot salsa into hot sterilized jars and leave ½ inch head space. Place sterilized rings and lids on top, then return to boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Listen for the pop! Serve with chips, on scrambled eggs, on tacos, enchiladas…. Chicken Stew with Mushrooms and Peppers Makes 4 servings Ingredients : 1 tsp olive oil 1 onion sliced 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 cups chopped tomatoes fresh or canned 3 cups cubed acorn or butternut squash 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves ¼ tsp black pepper ½ cup chopped red or green peppers, fresh or frozen 1 cup sliced carrots, fresh or frozen 1 cup sliced parsnips, fresh or frozen Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and check and sauté stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent and the chicken is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Combine chicken mixture, tomatoes, squash, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, red/green peppers, carrots and parsnips in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is cooked through and vegies are tender, 6-8 hours. Discard bay leaves before serving. Butterscotch Apple Cupcakes These cup cakes are a sweet treat that complement the stew well and make for a delicious warming winter lunch. Ingredients: 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 c sugar 3 large eggs 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 2 large apples 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup unsweetened applesauce Preheat oven to 350. Place 18 muffin cup liners in muffin pans. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixture until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beat in vanilla, Peel apples and grate into butter mixture, avoiding core. Stir until batter is well blended. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon Add flour mixture to apple mixture, alternating with applesauce, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared cups, filling ¾ bull. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Pipe or spoon on frosting. Frosting : Combine ¼ cup butter and ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar melts. Bring mixture to a boil. Whisk in 2 T. milk, cream or almond milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar. Spread over cupcakes while still warm. Makes 1 ¼ cups. Photo credits: Joy Johnson (1, 2, 3, 4)

< Back Earth Month is for Everyone! Kasha Zeman, Dakota County Master Gardener It is now April and that means EARTH MONTH! While many of us think about growing, planting, tending, and gardening all year long, if you are like me, that doesn’t always include water conservation, energy conservation, cleaning up my neighborhood, etc. The month of Earth Month is a reminder that we can do better to help preserve and cherish planet Earth. For the little ones in our lives, it is never too early (or too late) to teach them how to become better caretakers of mother nature. Please read on to find activities to do with the young people in your life during the month of April (and the other 11 months too!). April is Earth Month, but how did it become Earth Month? Actually, it didn’t start as Earth Month. It started as Earth Day. In 1970, a senator by the name of Gaylord Nelson, knowing there weren’t laws in the United States to protect the earth’s resources, created awareness about the issue. It was decided that in April of 1970 people in the United States were going to gather and have demonstrations about the deterioration of earth’s resources and the need for protection of our air, water, trees, animals, land etc. On April 22, 1970, over twenty million people across the nation participated in the first ever Earth Day. People at colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and communities gathered to address the importance of protecting the Earth. From then on, we have celebrated Earth Day every April 22. But, as we know, this has grown to into celebrating Earth Month every April! Earth Month Activities There are so many activities that can be done to help improve and conserve Earth’s resources. This article is going to focus on a few specific things for us to do with the kids in our lives by conserving water, conserving energy, planting trees, and cleaning up garbage. Conserving water Water is one of our most precious resources. Even though about seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water, only about three percent is fresh water. Of that three percent of fresh water, only about one percent of that water can be used as drinking water. Depending on the age of the children in your lives, percentages can be very abstract and hard to understand. So, try this activity with them. Gather 100 rocks, pebbles, acorns, pinecones, crayons…really anything small and easy to collect. Explain that these 100 items represent Earth’s surface. Then count out 30 items and set them off to one side. Explain that these thirty items are the ground we stand on, the trees we see, the buildings we shop in, the schools we attend, the parks we play at, etc. Then show the remaining 70 items. Explain that these 70 items represent the rest of earth’s surface, and it is all water! Even though it is water, most of it isn’t fresh water. Explain that there is a difference between fresh water and salt water. Depending on your comfort level, you may even add a bit of table salt to a glass of water and have everyone try a small sip to see how undrinkable it is. Next, of those remaining 70 items, remove three. Explain that out of those 70 items, these three represent the only fresh water we have on earth, the lakes and rivers we enjoy swimming and fishing in. Finally, remove one item and explain that this one item represents the only drinkable water we have on Earth. Because there is so little drinkable water on Earth, that is why it is so precious and why we need to conserve it. Ways to Conserve Water Turn off the faucet while washing hands and brushing teeth. Take quick showers. No more than 5 minutes. When rinsing dishes, don’t turn the faucet on full strength. Use rain barrels for watering plants and flowers outdoors. If you are a homeowner and don’t already have a rain barrel, Dakota County has information regarding how you can build your own through this link . If you would like a rain barrel, but do not want to build your own, you can purchase one at a discounted price, while supplies last, from the Recycling Association of Minnesota . (They sell compost bins too! Conserving Energy In an ideal world we would all use energy produced only by the sun, wind, and water. But until that becomes more economically possible for all of us, here are a few simple ways to conserve energy. Turn off lights whenever you leave a room. Regarding your house temperature, turn your thermostat off whenever the weather is comfortable and open your windows. During the winter months, turn the thermostat down to a lower temperature at night. During the summer months, turn the thermostat up a few degrees. Even a few degrees makes a big difference! Close the blinds during really hot and really cold days. This will keep your air conditioner and furnace from having to work constantly. Ride your bike to school and work. Plan to have to leave a bit early and come home a little later. You will save on gas money and get exercise too! This next one is one of my favorite energy conserving activities to do with my own kid - have a light and electronics free day! When we have one of those rare days where no one has any planned activities, we sometimes have a light and electronics free day. We don’t turn on any overhead lights or lamps. You won’t be able to avoid a completely light free day because of the refrigerator, microwave, oven, garage door, etc. However, we unplug what we can and put tape over all the light switches, in case we forget. We tuck our iPads, laptops, and phones away, and prepare for a day outdoors and playing games by candlelight. Planting Trees Planting trees is a great way to help the environment and create cleaner air. An average 50-year-old mature tree can produce enough oxygen for 4 people to breathe a year! In addition, trees take in greenhouse gases and remove particle matter from our air. So, not only do we get oxygen from trees, but they also remove toxins that are unhealthy for us. Trees also provide shade and can help to reduce energy costs that come from using air conditioners in the summer. You can purchase trees from local greenhouses in various sizes and species. Often around Arbor Day, which is Friday, April 26 th this year, many organizations will give away free tree seedlings. Also, if you have a large area for which you are looking to plant trees, seedlings may be purchased in bulk - 50 seedlings per order from the Arbor Day Foundation . In addition, if you are part of an organization such as a school, library or youth group you can sign your organization up with “Neighborhood Forest.” This organization provides free tree seedlings to children. Once the organization is registered, parents can sign their kiddos up to get a free seedling. Cleaning up Garbage When I was in elementary school, we had a student group called the Green Team. One thing our students organized, was a school-wide community clean up. The teachers, volunteers, and students went out with gloves and garbage bags and cleaned up trash in our community. This is an easy activity for a family or a neighborhood to do together. Afterward, you can recycle anything that is allowed at your local recycling center and throw away the rest. Most times, when my family takes our dog for a walk, we bring a bag with us and pick up trash as we go. Community clean-up doesn’t have to be once a year or just in the month of April. We can all, including our children, participate in making our environment cleaner and healthier. April – Earth Month – is the perfect time to inspire your children - and yourselves! Resources https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/build-healthy-cities/cities-stories/benefits-of-trees-forests/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwncWvBhD_ARIsAEb2HW9Trl1lPBpLAgcSGf1wG1iA5BEswP_MZMQSoin46BvbaRKXjAw3ld4aAn8iEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/nursery/pricelist.html https://www.neighborhoodforest.org/ https://www.epa.gov/history/epa-history-earth-day#:~:text=There%20were%20no%20legal%20or,U.S.%20cities%2C%20and%20it%20worked ! https://www.epa.gov/archive/epa/aboutepa/earth-day-70-what-it-meant.html https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Environment/WaterResources/Stormwater/Pages/rain-barrels.aspx https://recycleminnesota.org/compost-bins-rain-barrels/ Photo Credit: Flickr (1,3,4), Picryl (2)

< Back Extend the Growing Season with Greenhouses Mickey Scullard, Dakota County Master Gardener The doldrums of winter are upon us and gardeners are drooling over seed catalogs and dreaming of fresh vegetables and riots of flower colors. But spring planting is still several months away. This is an excellent time to research gardening season extenders such as greenhouses, cold frames, and low tunnels. They could help you start your growing season sooner in the spring and last longer in the fall. To determine which one(s) will best meet your growing needs, there are some key questions you will want to ask yourself and information you’ll want to consider. This article explains the basics and provides helpful resources to move your from – that’s interesting to – I’d like to try that in my yard. The doldrums of winter are upon us and gardeners are drooling over seed catalogs and dreaming of fresh vegetables and riots of flower colors. But spring planting is still several months away. This is an excellent time to research gardening season extenders such as greenhouses, cold frames, and low tunnels. They could help you start your growing season sooner in the spring and last longer in the fall. To determine which one(s) will best meet your growing needs, there are some key questions you will want to ask yourself and information you’ll want to consider. A greenhouse can be described as a place to grow plants inside. Greenhouses can be heated or unheated. They are usually made of glass or plastic to enable light to shine through and they have a roof. Using the sun, the greenhouse captures heat and light. This then generates warmth for plants to grow. Greenhouses also allow gardeners to control the environment because plants grown inside the greenhouse are not subject to the wind, variable rain amounts, and temperature extremes. You may be able to manage pests like insects more easily, and that means you can use fewer pesticides. And if you, like many of us, are plagued by rabbits or deer, you may be able to keep them away from your plants, too! Unheated Greenhouses An unheated greenhouse allows a gardener to start plants earlier in the spring and extend the harvest season longer into the fall months, but it will not be usable during the winter. To use a greenhouse all year in Minnesota, it needs to be heated. Heated greenhouses increase the costs not only of construction but also for operation. (More on heated greenhouses, known as “Deep Winter Greenhouses” below.) Determining the purpose of the greenhouse will help you decide which option is best in terms of function and costs. Greenhouses may be standalone or may be an added structure to your house, garage, or sheds such as a lean to. They need to be placed in a location that receives full sun. Next, you need to determine the building materials, which will be based on whether you want a heated or unheated greenhouse. Size may be dictated by your available space, availability to sunlight, and how you hope to use your greenhouse. Sizes can range from tabletop greenhouses to a tent-like shelf structure to large buildings with room for several people to work simultaneously. Greenhouses need to be anchored so they don’t fly away or tip over. They need ventilation to provide air flow but also to vent excessive heat so plants don’t burn or keep warmth in on colder days. Flooring needs to allow for drainage and prevent weeds from growing. And once the structural items are addressed, shelving and benches to hold the plants and other supplies will need to be selected. If a greenhouse doesn’t fit in your budget, you may consider these options, which may be less expensive, to extend your growing season. For individual plants, you could use a cloche, which is sometimes called a bell jar. It protects individual plants from cold temperatures and other weather extremes. Cold frames, which are essentially mini-greenhouses, can be created using old windows, doors, or other building materials, with glass or plastics. They are an excellent method for starting some seeds, especially the cool weather loving plants like lettuce, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower. They can also be used to get seeds started indoors used to being outside without full exposure to the cold, wind, or rain. Another option you may be less familiar with is low tunnels, which are usually temporary structures that basically create a barrier to the elements like wind, cold, excessive rain, and pests. They can be built with PVC pipe, electrical conduit, or rebar that are used to create hoops that are covered by plastic. The plastic can be purchased at home improvement stores or local hardware store and is recommended to be between 0.8-2 mil. Deep Winter Greenhouses Greenhouses in Minnesota must be heated to be usable year-round, unless they are constructed using Deep Winter Greenhouse (DWG) methods. This is a new approach to creating a year-round growing environment in the cold North, enabling gardeners and producers to grow vegetables in a non-heated structure. Building a greenhouse with heat and operating the heating source, as well as the maintenance costs, can become costly and often make them unobtainable for the majority of home gardeners. The University of Minnesota Extension calls DWGs passive-solar greenhouses that use energy from the sun to generate heat. This lessens the need to use traditional heating methods. This is accomplished by careful alignment of the building structure in an east-west position. The south facing direction is built out of a glazing wall, which can be angled based on the latitude of the site to maximize solar energy. This is advantageous for northern climates especially on very cold days. Inside the DWG, the air heats up, is blown underground, and stored in a thermal mass made of soil or rocks, essentially acting like a battery. While this does create a great growing environment, DWGs are not suitable for all plants. Plants that do best grow in minimal light and include lettuces, herbs, Asian greens, sprouts, and brassicas e.g., bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, choy sum, kohlrabi, napa cabbage, rutabaga, turnip. The initial set-up costs for DWGs, with an estimate of $18,583 to build ($33 per sq ft) with annual costs ranging from $35 to $2,148 depending on what fuel sources are used, how many seeds are purchased and quantity and type of soil and amendments are used. There Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and Center for Sustainable Building Research have created a DIY version of the DWG Starting a DIY Deep Winter Greenhouse Operation on a Budget . Aimed more toward farmers than backyard gardeners, it may still provide some information that may be useful on a smaller scale. The RSDP also provides blueprints, construction manuals, resources, and information on other types of solar greenhouses. This has been a very brief overview of greenhouses and other growing season extenders. To learn more about different types of greenhouses, structural options, building materials, and alternates to greenhouses like cold frames, low tunnels, and cloches, explore these links: Very Small Greenhouses for Backyards from University of New Hampshire Extension The Hobby Greenhouse from Oklahoma State University Extension Extending the Growing Season in Your Garden from University of Minnesota Extension Extending the Garden Season from Utah State University Yard and Garden Extension References Garden Gate, March 2024 University of Minnesota Extension University of New Hampshire Extension Oklahoma State University of Extension Utah State University Yard and Garden Extension University of Minnesota Extension Deep Winter Greenhouses: https://extension.umn.edu/growing-systems/deep-winter-greenhouses This article contains numerous additional resources, guides, cost-benefit analysis, and information Winter Greenhouse Enterprise Analysis: https://extension.umn.edu/community-research/winter-greenhouse-enterprise-analysis A report detailing eight enterprises in the Upper Midwest New deep winter greenhouse design available for download: https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2024/12/new-deep-winter-greenhouse-design.html Deep Winter Greenhouses grow fresh greens year-round: https://extension.umn.edu/source-magazine/deep-winter-greenhouses-grow-fresh-greens-year-round National Center for Appropriate Technology: https://attra.ncat.org/topics/greenhouses/ Photo credits: Oklahoma State University Extension (1), University of Utah Yard and Garden Extension (2,3,5), University of Minnesota Extension (4,6)

< Back Happy Feathered Friends Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Is it important for us to take care of our feathered friends when the weather turns cold and the snow begins to fly? Yes it is, because birds play an important role in the ecosystem of our garden from weed and pest control to pollination and fertilization, plus birds are fun for all ages to watch. Now it’s time to help the birds stay strong and healthy throughout the Winter with only a few simple supplies needed. Supplies Needed: Pinecones (find pinecones in nature) Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Sun Butter Bird Seed (smaller seeds are best) String, Twine, Yarn Popsicle Stick/Hands/Butter Knife (dependent on age of participants) Plate/Tray/Large Piece of Thicker Paper Making the Bird Feeder: Place the birdseed on a plate, tray or large sheet of thicker paper and set aside. Choose a pinecone from the ones collected. Carefully take a 1-2 foot piece of string, twine or yarn and begin wrapping it around the pinecone leaving an end that can be used to hang the pine cone from a tree or post. Next, take a popsicle stick, butter knife or your hands and spread peanut butter, almond butter or sun butter onto the pinecone. Spread enough “butter” onto the pinecone so there are lots of spots for the birdseed to stick. Now it is time to get messy! Take the pinecone and roll it in the birdseed making sure to coat as much of the pine cone as possible. Once you have completed coating the pinecone in birdseed the next step is to hang it outside. Remember to place the Pinecone Bird feeder in a spot where the birds feel protected from predators. Once you have found the right spot, sit back and enjoy the birds. Photo Credits: www.flickr.com (1,2), www.Pexels.com (3,4)

< Back Plants You Wish You’d Never Bought Marjory Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener Good gardening includes doing some research when planning your garden! Sometimes a plant that you bought can turn into a monster that makes you despair of ever getting rid of it. Learn from the mistakes that this author and other Master Gardeners have made when choosing plants for their gardens. Good gardening includes doing some research when planning your garden! Sometimes a plant that looked so appealing in the garden center or catalog, can turn into a monster that makes you despair of ever getting rid of it. Learn from the mistakes that this author and other Master Gardeners have made when choosing plants for their gardens. non-native Honeysuckle Before - When it seemed like a good idea Garlic Chives in bloom, May 1998 Garlic Chives “What a beautiful flower, it looks like lace! Look at all the bees buzzing around it! The leaves are like chives! I can put it in salads!” I was looking at a small neat clump of plant, about 15” high. We had just moved onto a piece of land of about an acre. It came with many plants, and I had brought more from our old house. Yellow Archangel Yellow Archangel We have a wooded area containing poplars and spruce trees, so when I looked through the catalogs, I looked for shade-tolerant plants. I saw a variegated ground cover that had lovely yellow flowers that was supposed to do well in the shade. I bought ten of those. Siberian Squill Siberian Squill I wanted a water feature to go through the woods, but after looking into the cost and the time required for maintenance, I decided that I would make a “pond and stream” of plants. What was blue like water? I found a small bulb that had a delightful blue flower and planted it in my “pond and stream” – Siberian Squill. After – when a good idea became a problem Garlic Chives Garden Chives exploded! - April 2025 I have found out that certain, seemingly well-behaved plants can reach a “critical mass,” explode over your flower beds and then escape to places you never wanted them. Garlic chives have exploded all along the road-bank, which is made of limestone. This makes it very difficult to dig out the bulbs, which must be removed to eradicate the plant. Using an herbicide would kill the shrubs and other desirable plants. On the upside, they do stabilize the road-side. Yellow Archangel Lamiastrum Yellow Archangel exploded! Yellow Archangel has escaped into the woods. It is non-native but but has one redeeming quality – it suppresses Buckthorn – a genuine invasive plant that out competes native species. Siberian Squill Siberian Squill exploded! Siberian Squill has taken over the “pond and stream.” The blue flowers have been sparse and the foliage gets larger every year. This year they have defeated the Lamium “White Nancy,” that fills the pond and stream throughout the rest of the year. Siberian Squill propagates by self-seeding. Here you can see that the squill has escaped into the woods. Not looking forward to digging those out. This plant has the potential to become an invasive plant given its rapid spread and ability to grow almost anywhere. Other Master Gardeners Weigh in I asked some fellow Master Gardeners to reveal the plants that they have regretted buying and here is their list: Plants several Master Gardeners have reason to regret and why # of mentions Aggressive On Invasive or Eradicate List Self -seeds Thorny Got too big Garlic Chives xxx x x Horseradish xx Tea Roses x Rugosa roses xx x x False Spirea x x x Flame Willow x x x Morning Glories xxxxx x Giant Rudbeckia x Obedient Plant x Mugo Pine x Trumpet Vine x Amaranth x x x Yarrow (common) xx x Lemon Balm x x Mint xx x Spoon Tomatoes x Vinca Vine xx x x Giant Anisse Hyssop x Oregano xx x Lily-of-the-valley xxxxx x Creeping Buttercup x x Creeping Bellflower xxx x Ostrich Fern x x Hops Vine x Chinese Lantern x x Creeping Charlie x x Siberian Squill x x Snow-on-the-Mountain x x Barberry x x x Winged Burning Bush x x Japanese Honeysuckle (non-native) x x Garlic Mustard x x The lesson is – do your research before you buy a plant for your garden. You can start with our mistakes! Photo credits: Marjorie Blare (1-8)

< Back You Know It Is Summer When You Have Strawberry Pie Mary Holec, Dakota County Master Gardener Those of you who have established strawberry plants may be harvesting them in June. And, those of you who do not have strawberry plants may be looking forward to enjoying the harvested strawberries beginning in June. And, to carry it one step further, those of you who want to have your own strawberries to harvest next June, should plant young plants in early June. Here is one recipe that makes it all worthwhile. Those of you who have established strawberry plants may be harvesting them in June. And, those of you who do not have strawberry plants may be looking forward to enjoying the harvested strawberries beginning in June. And, to carry it one step further, those of you who want to have your own strawberries to harvest next June, should plant young plants in early June. Strawberries can be a low-calorie snack and they contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. We cannot claim that this recipe can be counted as low-calorie. But we can claim that it is delicious! This is a family favorite during strawberry season! Fresh Strawberry Pie Ingredients: ½ cup butter 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup water, divided 3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin (powder) 1-quart fresh strawberries Directions: Crust : combine butter, flour and 2 tablespoons sugar until crumbly. Press into pie plate and bake at 400 degrees F about 8 – 10 minutes. Cool. Filling : In saucepan, combine remaining sugar, cornstarch and salt with 1/3 cup cold water. Add 2/3 cup boiling water and cook until clear. Add gelatin. Mix well. Pour over 1-quart fresh strawberries. Cool slightly. Add to cooled crust and top with whipped cream. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Eat and enjoy! Photo Credit: www.publicdomainpictures.net , (All Creative Commons) (1), CookingwithRuthie.com , (All Creative Commons) (2)

< Back Chicken Curry Joy Johnson, Master Gardener 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. 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 I have in my freezer from last season’s garden. Chicken Curry – serves 4, over rice [ Ingredients: Spice blend: 1 ½ tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp ground mustard ¼ tsp ground cloves Curry: 1 T olive oil 1 c chopped onion 4 minced garlic cloves 1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger 1 cup chicken broth ¾ cup diced tomatoes ¾ cup sliced carrots ½ cup sliced parsnips ½ cup chopped green peppers Salt Cayenne pepper to taste 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ¼ inch cubes 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water 1/3 cup milk or almond milk 2 T chopped cilantro Directions In a small mixing bowl whisk together all of the spices in the spice blend, set aside. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in onion and sauté until slightly golden brown, about 4 - 6 minutes. Add in garlic and ginger, sauté 30 seconds more then add in spice blend and sauté 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a blender then cover with lid and remove lid insert, cover opening with a clean folded kitchen rag. Blend mixture until well pureed. In the now empty skillet, add carrots, parsnips and peppers, cook 5 minutes until tender. You may need to add a little water or oil. Return the blender mixture to skillet, stir, and heat over medium-high heat. Season sauce with salt and cayenne pepper (start with about 1/2 tsp salt and a few dashes cayenne then add more to taste). Add in chicken. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet with lid and simmer until chicken has cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 8 - 12 minutes. During the last minute of cooking stir in the cornstarch and water slurry if desired, to thicken sauce slightly (or if needed thin with a little chicken broth). Stir in cream/almond milk, then serve warm with cilantro over basmati rice. My husband, who does not like curry, loved this recipe. I think that’s because it doesn’t contain any curry! The spice blend is a fresh, light mixture instead of the pre-made spice purchased at the grocery store. Enjoy! Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (all)

< Back Poinsettias – A Home in Mexico and Dr. Poinsett Gail Maifeld, Master Gardener 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. The poinsettia that adorns mantles, coffee tables, and bookcases across North America is a descendant of a 6-foot shrub from which growers in Scandinavia and California developed the scaled-down varieties that bloom indoors. All poinsettias are winter-flowering shrubs that are noted for the bright red bracts or leaves. Modern plants have bracts that measure 12-15 inches with green leaves. The real flowers are the insignificant, greenish-yellow center clusters. Today plants can be purchased in many colors from white, peppermint (red & white,) pink and others. Keep a Poinsettia at normal room temperature (60-80 degrees) in a bright filtered location such as opposite light filtering blinds. Water only when the foliage droops slightly: the potting soil should then be totally saturated. No fertilization is necessary. Most individuals discard the plant soon after the holidays but with care you can have bright red bracts until April. Some enthusiasts will attempt to follow the strict schedule of taking cuttings or allow the cut back stump to develop new growth. Commercial producers follow a strict routine that is difficult for the home grower to mimic. Poinsettias are short-day plants; the flower and bract formation is prompted by an eight-week period of 14 hours total uninterrupted darkness and 10 hours of light daily. Plants are treated with a dwarfing chemical that reduces stem length, which results in the Poinsettia plant we know today. Poinsettias are readily available so this procedure is not needed to enjoy this beautiful plant. The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola tells the story of a young Mexican girl who had nothing for the manger scene on Christmas Eve. She picked tall green weeds to place around the stable and as the congregation prayed bright red star flowers burst open on the weed tips, casting a warm glow around the manger scene. The people named the plant la Flor de Nochebuena or Flower of the Holy Night. Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the US ambassador to Mexico from 1825-1830, brought the shrub to the United States in 1830 because the bright red leaves, which he thought to be the flower, fascinated him. He took cuttings from shrubs growing near his Mexican residence to his home in South Carolina. The plant was named for Dr. Poinsett as the Poinsettia. Nothing says Merry Christmas like a bright red Poinsettia. Remember to thank Dr. Poinsett for this cheerful holiday plant! For more details on caring for poinsettia, visit this UMN Extension link. Additional sources: Tomie dePaola. The Legend of the Poinsettia. G.P. Putmans & Sons, 1994. Huxley Anthony, Editor. Success with House Plants, Readers Digest,1979.