Pollinators All About Those Bee Houses Bee house? Pollinator palace? Bug hotel? Check out some ideas for building pollinator real estate with the child in your life and find out why we may want to invite pollinators into our yards and gardens! Read More Aster and Hyssop – Pollinator Magnets One of the goals for many gardeners is to have plants blooming in the garden all season. With a little planning, Minnesota native plants can help you fulfill this challenge. But having blooms in your garden all season isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, blooming native flowers are a constant food source for pollinators. This article focuses on two late summer plants loved by pollinators - Asters and Hyssops. Read More Attracting Monarch and Swallowtail Butterflies to your garden One of the sweetest events in a Minnesota June, is the appearance of butterflies in the garden. These delicate creatures are not only astonishingly beautiful but a key link in a healthy environment. In this article, you will learn about the life cycles of two butterfly species - Monarch and Swallowtail; along with what plants to grow to encourage them to take up residence in your garden. Read More Bees - Friend or Foe? Is There a Way I Can Help? As the weather warms, we are faced with the question -” Are bees my friend or foe?” What is your first reaction when you see a bee? Do you stand still and watch in amazement as a bee flies around or do you wave your arms, scream and run the other way. Little eyes are watching our reaction so before you turn and run, let’s teach our children and grandchildren to respect bees and remember how important bees are to us and how we can help them exist by making a Bee Bath. Read More Bug Hotels and Pollinator Habitats Insect populations are at risk around the globe, with 40% of all insect species in decline and roughly one third of all species endangered. Between the loss of habitat, climate change, and the extensive use of pesticides, our bees, butterflies, and beetles are dying off in unprecedented numbers. This seems an overwhelming problem, but it is one that all gardeners can begin to remedy. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” No matter the size of the garden, every gardener has steps they can take in order to make positive changes for the insects we all need to keep our planet healthy. Read More 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 Common Milkweed (Asclepius syriaca): An Uncommon Beauty If a plant has adapted to its environment such that it is easily grown, it often suffers the fate of being called “common”. That is a disservice to Asclepius syriaca or “common milkweed”, which is anything but “common”. Indeed, its value to pollinators is uncommonly great. It attracts hordes of butterflies and other pollinators. Read this article to learn more about this important staple in pollinator gardens. Read More Do All Bees Sting? On one hand, a gardener’s tiny friend, the bee, is usually a docile doer of good, buzzing around from plant to plant, pollinating to provide a bountiful harvest in the future. On the other hand, many fear the small insect with the mighty sting. But do all bees sting? If you are curious, click on the link to learn more about our little friend, the bee. Read More Fragrant Plants If given a single flower right now, would your first reaction be to smell it? Scents can be so powerful. It can instantly unlock a memory and transport us to another time. Maybe the aroma of lilacs brings you back to playing in the backyard with your childhood best friend. Or the smell of basil, reminds you of your grandmother’s pesto. The fragrance of plants can enhance your garden and contribute to a sensory experience. It is easy to understand why we humans would want to be around good smelling plants and flowers, but have you ever wondered why plants have scents? Read More Get to Know our Minnesota State Bee Did you know that the Minnesota state bee is the rusty patched bumble bee? This designation is intended raise awareness about the role of pollinators in Minnesota’s environment and preserving their habitats. Unfortunately, while historically, our state bee appeared widely in North America, it is now on the endangered list. In this article read more about the rusty patched bumble bee and the important role that you can play in Garden Scavenger Hunt preservation efforts. 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 1 2 1 ... 1 2 ... 2

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 Beware of Ticks! But What if There Were No Ticks? We are well into tick season and unfortunately, the Minnesota Department of Health has observed an increase in Emergency Department visits related to tick bites over the past few months. We may be tempted to yearn for the eradication of ticks from our environment. Who needs them! This article provides a refresher on how to reduce the likelihood of receiving a tick bite and also explores the impact on the environment if ticks did not exist. Beware what you wish for! 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 Creating a Butterfly Habitat Would you like to attract a variety of butterflies to your garden? Different plants and environments attract different types of butterflies. So, if you really want to focus on particular butterflies, you can do it by planting appealing plants and creating welcoming environments. Read this informative article about what you need to do to attract butterflies to your garden. 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 December - Feed The Birds That Live in Your Neighborhood Winter is upon us and as the temperatures drop and the snow begins to fall, our feathery friends need our help finding food. The first step is to understand what birds you have in your neighborhood. Different birds eat different foods. Observe with your young gardeners what birds frequent your area to determine the best way you can help. There are many different make-at-home birdfeeders but let’s get started on making mini frozen bird feeders that can be made, frozen and set out for our feathery friends this winter. Read More Don’t Let Powdery Mildew Haunt You! Powdery mildew is a very common garden fungus. This fungus was even more prevalent last year when our abundant rainfall increased our summer humidity. If you experienced powdery mildew in your garden during 2024, what can you do, if anything, to ensure the fungus does not continue to haunt your garden this year? Read this very informative article to understand what powdery mildew is, how it affects plants, what you can do to prevent it and how to control it when it happens. 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 Eradicating Invasive Honeysuckle in the Minnesota Landscape Minnesota has several species of native honeysuckle but beware - there is a chance the honeysuckle you have at home may be one of the four non-native species of bush honeysuckle that are invasive in a Minnesota landscape! This article tells you how to tell the difference and what to do about these invasive plants. 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 Grow Pear Trees Successfully In Your Back Yard Pear trees can be just as easy if not easier to grow than apples! Find out how in this article. I am sorry to report that Partridges are a mostly ground-dwelling bird, so you’ll likely not see any in your trees. Read More 1 2 3 1 ... 1 2 3 ... 3 Diseases, Pests & Wildlife

Friendly Master Gardeners ready to answer your toughest gardening questions can be found at Farmers Markets during the spring, summer, and fall in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, and Lakeville. During the winter, you can find them at winter markets in Eagan and Apple Valley. A complete listing of dates, locations and times can be found on our Event Calendar. 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 Check out our YouTube channel! Dakota County Master Gardener YouTube

< Back Getting Your Squash Across the Finish Line You are nearing the squash finish line for fall and winter squash. To ensure you get to enjoy the fruits of your squash labors this summer, there are still a few things you should do. Your squash vines, which once ruled the garden with massive green leaves, are now showing their age. As summer transitions into autumn, squash plants face a unique set of stressful challenges. Understanding these late-season concerns—and taking immediate action—can mean the difference between a bumper harvest and a rotting disappointment. Read this article for helpful tips for a great squash harvest. Mickey Scullard, Dakota County Master Gardener There are three major concerns: powdery mildew, late-season blossom end rot, and a final wave of pests. This article will review these three issues and end with tips for knowing when your squash is ready to pick. ( https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash ). Powdery Mildew Photo credit: University of Maryland Extension https://extension.umd.edu/resource/key-common-problems-squash/ The first concern is powdery mildew. It is a fungal infection often caused by overwatering, and inadequate air flow. It lives in plant debris and may spread from other infected plants. Powdery mildew on flowers, for example, will not infect squash as the fungi are host specific. But the presence of powdery mildew on another plant is a warning that conditions are prime for infections to occur on other plants. Warm days and cool nights that may still be humid contribute to the development of powdery mildew. If you don’t address it, it can speed up leaf death and that can expose your still developing squash to sunscald. Loss of leaves can also starve the plant as it now lacks the ability to generate energy needed to support the ripening squash. To avoid this problem in future years, you will want to ensure good end of season garden clean-up by removing and destroying infected plant debris as it can host spores that survive over winter. Source : https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/powdery-mildew-vegetables/ Blossom End Rot Photo credit: University of Maryland Extension The next concern is blossom end rot. You may have heard of this problem in relation to tomatoes but it is a problem that occurs in several other vegetables, including squash. The cause of blossom end rot is a calcium deficiency due to inconsistent watering. Plants need water to help them move the calcium into their system. The way to prevent blossom end rot is to continue to water your plants consistently as your squash is forming and ripening. Late Season Pests Photo credit: University of Maryland Extension Finally, continue to be vigilant about pests on your squash plants. Squash bugs and cucumber beetles are focused on getting ready for winter and are seeking shelter and sugar. They often gather in large groups under the yellowing squash leaves and may even be found on the skin of the squash, which will result in rinds that are scarred. Other articles in previous Garden Buzz issues have discussed the types of pests that may be of concern, including squash bugs, and how to prevent and manage them, e.g., hand picking them off. Problem Solving You can take actions to lessen end of season problems that may threaten your squash harvest. First, prune your squash plants for sunshine and airflow. Grab your shears and aggressively remove dead, yellow, or heavily mildewed leaves. Open up the canopy. This increases airflow to dry out morning dew and allows the weaker autumn sun to hit the fruit directly, accelerating the ripening process. Leave as much healthy foliage as possible so squash are not completely exposed to the sun. To avoid having your squash rot as it rests on the ground, prop them on something like a brick, flat stone, or upside-down containers. This can help break up the ‘pest highway’ and reduce the risk of fungal rot. Harvesting and Storage You’ve done everything you can to protect your squash and finally it is time to harvest them. But when is the right time? You can ‘Perform the Thumbnail Test’ by pressing your thumbnail firmly into the rind. If it leaves a deep indentation or punctures the skin, the squash is not mature enough to store and must stay on the vine. If the skin is rock-hard and resists your nail, it is ready for harvest. Always cut the stem with pruners, leaving a two-inch "handle" to prevent rot from entering the fruit. Harvesting your winter squash is only half the battle. To ensure your squash stay fresh and delicious well into winter, you must properly cure and store them. This process thickens the skin, heals minor scratches, and concentrates the natural sugars. To cure winter squash, move them to a warm, dry room with good air circulation for 10-14 days. Ideal temperatures are between 70°F and 80°F (21°C to 27°C). Lay them in a single layer. Do not let them touch each other. Acorn squash is an exception , as heat destroys its quality. Instead of curing it, move it straight to storage. Once the squash is cured, store them in a cool, dark, and dry space like a pantry, root cellar, or unheated closet. Keep the room between 50°F and 55°F (10°C to 13°C). Never let them freeze, and avoid cold garage floors and bare concrete floors because they draw up moisture. Instead, store them on shelves or in slatted crates. When stored properly, you will be able to enjoy your: Acorn Squash: 1 to 2 months Spaghetti Squash: 2 to 3 months Butternut Squash: 3 to 6 months Hubbard & Pumpkins: 5 to 6 months Follow these end of season tips and enjoy your home-grown squash!

< Back Keeping Your Garden Looking Good in the Fall You are nearing the squash finish line for fall and winter squash. To ensure you get to enjoy the fruits of your squash labors this summer, there are still a few things you should do. Your squash vines, which once ruled the garden with massive green leaves, are now showing their age. As summer transitions into autumn, squash plants face a unique set of stressful challenges. Understanding these late-season concerns—and taking immediate action—can mean the difference between a bumper harvest and a rotting disappointment. Read this article for helpful tips for a great squash harvest. Liz Townley, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern By the time we get to the State Fair and Labor Day weekend, your garden might be looking as tired as you feel. What happens to your garden is often a reflection of your time, energy and dedication to your craft. I get it, you weathered the heat waves, the constant watering, spraying for pests, and now, you are just tired of giving attention to what’s left blooming or showing any signs of life. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Fall can be a time for renewal and added vigor to your gardens. How many times does it look like you have fought the good fight keeping your annuals up and in swoops a deer that chomps off all the flowerheads? Or the heat waves have caused your plants to look leggy or under distress? If you have ever done a room renovation in your home, it might just be time for a garden renovation, often called ‘The August Reset.’ Ideally, you would like to see something always blooming. Fall flowers and foliage can team up to give you those final weeks of glory. Photo credit University of Minnesota Extension Plan and reset Generally, we think of garden planning as a spring activity. But fall is a perfect time to take note of what plants worked and what did not and make some late-season adjustments. You can see where animals and insects took some care to ruin leaves, produce, and roots. Maybe it is time to move a plant that is not doing well now that the temperatures are cooling down. Do you like the colors in your fall garden or are you finding yourself staring at the traditional fall colors of yellow, orange and rust? They can be just beautiful. Yet, adding some nontraditional colors can add a little flavor to your garden: reds, purples, whites and even pinks! Think about rosy Autumn Joy Sedum, purple Aster, pink mums, or purple Turtlehead. Ornamental Kale can add an interesting look to the fall garden. It may be too late to start from seed for most plants. Although some plants can come up quickly under the right conditions. Just be aware of propagation time to not disappoint yourself! Stay in the zone. See map below: Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension And don’t discount the role of foliage to add interest and even color to your garden, try variegated hostas, sedum, Japanese painted fern, or brunnera. Many shrubs turn into shades of red in the fall, such as: fothergilla, hydrangea, viburnum, dogwood, black chokeberry and sumac. With some planning, you can keep your garden interesting well into the fall. Try cutting back a plant to extend its final surge in growth Some plants – perennials and annuals – will thrive after being pruned back in summer. The best candidates for the one-third prune approach are perennials that bloom on new growth: catmint, salvia, geranium, coreopsis, veronica, and bee balm. Annual blooming flowers like petunias, calibrachoa, lobelia, and verbena - these are the trailing/mounding types that genuinely get leggy – can be rejuvenated with a good trimming. Herbs fall into this same camp, since they also flower and flush out new growth continuously. Basil, mint, oregano, thyme, and tarragon all respond beautifully to a good midsummer trim. Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension Leafy greens thrive in fall temps Here are some leafy greens that are candidates for August planting: kale, bok choy, spinach, chard, mustard greens, and lettuce. They flourish in early fall’s cooler temperatures and are ready to harvest in about 45 days. They are ideal for trellising or raised bed edges. Flowering plants that will work for the fall season Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension Try these suggestions to get some last-minute glory for those cool morning and hot afternoon seasonal shifts. It is always important to get things established before that first frost hits. Purple Coneflower Black Eyed Susans Blanket Flower Obedient plant Salvia Swamp milkweed Hardy Hibiscus Shasta Daisy Whatever, you try, document it for next year. No sense in making the same mistake twice. Weather can be a bit unpredictable during the fall season, so make note of those irregularities. Gardening is more like an artform sometimes. Whatever you choose: greens, flowering, native or nonnative, annuals or perennials, don’t forget to include plants that feed the pollinators as they go into hibernation or migration. They will thank you for your choices of flowering plants. Check out this link to a University of Minnesota Yard and Garden article for pollinator friendly plants. Remember to forge your inner artist and design away! Source: Gardeners swear by the one-third pruning rule to revive tired flower beds MSN Story by Debbie Wolfe Source: 11 heat-loving flowers that keep blooming all August Southern Living - Mary Marlowe Leverette Source of photos: University of Minnesota Extension Office website 2026

Contact Dakota County Master Gardeners Volunteers We would love to hear from you! Visit our Speakers Bureau page if you are interested in having a Master Gardener speak to your group. Use the contact form on this page. Submit Thank you for contacting Dakota County Master Gardener Volunteers. One of our volunteers will respond soon. Contact Information Dakota County Master Gardener Volunteers 4100 220th St W #101 Farmington, MN 55024

Gardening Resources Check out all the resource available for your learn more about gardening and get your questions answered. Annuals & Bulbs Books & Other Resources Diseases, Pests & Wildlife Edible Plants Garden Prep & Care Gardening by the Month Gardening with Kids Indoor Plants Lawn Care Perennials Pollinators Recipes & Cookbook Trees & Shrubs Ask a Master Gardener

Annual Plant Sale Saturday, May 16, 2026 8:00 a.m. - Noon Rain or Shine Western Service Center 14955 Galaxie Avenue Apple Valley, MN Plan to gather your gardening friends and bring a box or wagon to bring home healthy, Minnesota-grown plants at reasonable prices! Click here for a list of available plants. Shop our wide variety of sun and shade perennials, natives, and woodland plants, grasses, groundcovers, and other landscape plants, along with herb and veggie plants too. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, The Buzz , to receive information about all our events and garden information.

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. Events & Workshops What We Do Extension Master Gardeners use up-to-date University information to provide education and horticulture resources. Teaching classes to youth and adults Speaking to groups Participating in community events and projects Conducting research Answering gardening questions online and by phone Partnering with other state and county organizations Learn more about the state Master Gardener program or how to become a Dakota County Master Gardener: State-wide Extension Master Gardener Volunteers program Dakota County Extension Master Gardener membership

< Back April - What To Do About Winter Damage Karna Berg, Master Gardener 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. As you adjust to the cold of our winter, are you already looking ahead to spring? Before we know it, it will be here. In April, we start uncovering a few plants, anxious to find them poking their noses out of the mulch and leaves. Unfortunately, as we continue that process, we find plants that have not made it through the winter or have winter damage. What do we do? Hopefully, you watered your plants, especially trees and shrubs, as long as you possibly could in the fall. That gives them a better chance of making it through the winter. And also, you provided your perennial beds with a nice blanket of mulch and leaves. In fact, as the first snows hit us, we can carefully shovel some of that snow under the lower branches of our conifers to act as a cushion and help the branches stay upright when the ice or extremely wet snow falls on them. While it is tempting to try to remove snow and ice from our plants after a heavy snow, it is generally not a good idea. The only exception to that is for conifers. If you can safely brush some of the snow off those branches, it will help them stay upright. But no matter our fall attempts to prevent winter damage and death, we usually have some of it when spring comes. It’s just hard to avoid all damage, particularly with our erratic weather patterns that bring warm days in March to fool our plants. So, what can we do in spring? First, don’t take off the mulch and leaves too early no matter how tempting that may be. Wait until all chance of severe cold has passed. We all remember that late snowfall or cold. Also, walking on our gardens and lawns too early can cause foot damage. Then, start to assess damage winter caused in your garden. On trees and shrubs (often the plants that experience the most damage), remove dead, dry and damaged foliage. If you find broken branches, cut them back to the stem or back to the first live bud you find. Always leave a little distance from the stem or bud when you do this trimming. And if a limb is bent down but doesn’t appear dead, it may be possible to prop it up and see if it recovers. Again, in our perennial beds, hold back from uncovering them too early. But don’t wait too long or you’ll find pale green limp plants trying to get to the sun. If you have covered your perennials with mulch and leaves, most have probably made it through the winter. Now it’s important to remove those leaves. If not, they will smother the plants and cause mold in your garden. Also, the dreaded jumping worms, which live mainly in the top two inches of soil, love those leaves and will feed on them voraciously. Let’s not give them any reason to fall in love with our garden. Once you have babied a plant along, hoping it will come back to life but it doesn’t, just remove it from your garden. Then plant a native plant in its place. Our native plants are best at dealing with our Minnesota winters. And are also great for pollinators. Remember, when fall comes, water a lot but don’t fertilize your plants. Watch your use of salt during the winter. Then, hope for the best and enjoy spring! Photo credits: Rebecca Finneran, MSU Extension (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2, 3)

< Back November - Creative Uses for Plants Beyond their Prime Joanna Kapke, Master Gardener When we put our Northern gardens to bed for winter, sometimes we just want to be done: move our growing indoors for the winter, or even take a break from growing entirely! But there are fun and useful things we can do instead of just cutting, pulling and tossing into the compost. Plants can provide us with usefulness and beauty even when they are no longer growing. When we put our Northern gardens to bed for winter, sometimes we just want to be done: move our growing indoors for the winter, or even take a break from growing entirely! But there are fun and useful things we can do instead of just cutting, pulling and tossing into the compost. One practical and sustainable use of dead plant material is to use old sunflower stalks for trellises. A traditional teepee trellis is one method to try and you can watch this video from the MI Gardener to see another option. Ornamental uses of last season’s plant material abound! When some of your plants are still holding onto a hint of their fall colors, cut yourself a bouquet. The colors aren’t summery and vibrant, but they are certainly seasonal. Curing winter squash and gourds? Use them as a sunny table’s seasonal decoration. We plant certain varieties of plants specifically for their ‘winter interest’. So why not enjoy the plant indoors in winter too? Dried grasses and seed-heads make a great winter bouquet if harvested before wet winter snows bury them. For more information on preserving plant materials, check out this Purdue University publication . When we winter-prune our shrubs, trees and vines, think ahead to next year before tossing the trimmings. Dogwood branches are the most obvious plant to save for decorative purposes. Their signature red, yellow and even coral branches look great in outdoor winter greenery decorations. They can also be paired with pansies in the spring or included in dried flower arrangements. Use the trimmings from hardy kiwi, clematis, grapevines or other woody vines for wreaths or garden orbs. Check out the U of MN Extension Pruning Guide for more information on when to prune trees and shrubs. Are you ready to look ahead to next year’s plantings with additional uses in mind? Consider planting scarlet runner beans. The beans can be eaten raw when small, cooked once the actual beans have formed and then preserved as dried beans when the growing season ends. You can let the seed pods dry on the vine, but you can also harvest the beans fresh from the pod. Shucking the large beans is especially entertaining for kids as the beans inside are often shades of vibrant pink and purple. When the beans are totally dry, they are black with purple spots! The dried beans can be used as sensory play objects for small children and then planted again the following year. In addition, the vines have seemingly never-ending blooms of red flowers that attract hummingbirds. Plants can provide us with usefulness and beauty even when they are no longer growing. Photo credits: Joanna Kapke (1, 2, 3)

< Back Growing Ginger Carole Dunn, Master Gardener Growing ginger is relatively easy, and it can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Read this article to learn the steps to grow ginger successfully. Growing ginger is relatively easy, and it can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Here are the steps to grow ginger: Choose the right ginger: You can buy ginger roots from the grocery store or garden center. Look for pieces that are plump, with firm skin, and have several eye buds, which are small yellowish tips on the surface of the ginger. Prepare the soil: Ginger prefers well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Add compost or well-rotted manure to the soil to improve fertility and drainage. Plant the ginger: Cut the ginger into small pieces, making sure each piece has at least one eye bud. Plant each piece about 2 inches deep, with the eye facing up, and space them about 6 inches apart. Water regularly: Ginger needs to be watered regularly, but make sure not to overwater it as it can cause the root to rot. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Provide warm temperatures: Ginger grows best in warm temperatures. Ideally, the temperature should be between 70 - 80 °F during the day and 60 -70°F at night. Provide shaded light: Ginger prefers partial shade and indirect sunlight. If growing indoors, place the ginger in a bright room with indirect sunlight. Harvest ginger: Ginger takes about 8 – 10 months to mature. Once the stems begin to turn yellow and die, it is time to harvest. Carefully dig up the ginger roots without damaging them. By following these steps, you can grow delicious ginger at home! Photo Credit: www.flavorexplosions.com (all creative commons)