< Back Winter is a Perfect Time to Start Seeds Valerie Rogotzke, Dakota County Master Gardener On a chilly February day, the thought of blossoming flowers and growing vegetables seems like a far-off dream. Despite this, February is the perfect month to begin planning your summer garden and organizing a plan for indoor seed starting. Read this article to learn the why, what. how and when for starting your own plants. On a chilly February day, the thought of blossoming flowers and growing vegetables seems like a far-off dream. Despite this, February is the perfect month to begin planning your summer garden and organizing a plan for indoor seed starting. WHY: Many annuals need an early start in order to maximize their blooming time in summer. Long-growing vegetables need to be started indoors in order to be harvested before the first frost. EQUIPMENT NEEDED: seed trays and potting mix seeds, of course! heat mats to raise the temperature of your soil seed tray covers to help maintain humidity and temperature (or plastic wrap) grow lights (optional) plug-in timers for grow light WHAT: Not all plants benefit from being started as seeds indoors. Many are at their best when sown directly. Always check your seed packets to see what is recommended for each plant. HOW: PREPARE your setup with a heating mat under your seed tray, filled with potting mix and covered by a humidity dome. Grow lights can be plugged into timers in order to mimic long summer days, with 12+ hours of light, but do not plug your heating mat into a timer—heat should be on at all times. PLANT your seeds according to the seed packet instructions, WATER, and COVER your tray with your humidity dome. WATCH your seeds germinate and grow! The first growth you will see are not true leaves, but cotyledons. All plants are categorized by these: a seedling with one is called a monocot and a seedling with two is called a dicot. ADJUST the closeness of your grow light to your seedlings—about 4” is best! If your light is too far away from the seedlings, they grow tall, spindly, and weak as they strive to get closer to the light. These “leggy” seedlings often will not survive, so prevent your seedlings from reaching that state. WATER as needed, and also remove the humidity covers as needed. Too much humidity can create an environment in which molds can grow. THIN seedlings as needed. If many seedlings are too close together, they will not grow at their best. FERTILIZE only once a week, and use fertilizer mixed at only ¼ strength. TRANSPLANT seedlings into larger containers as they grow. As you move them, lift by the root ball by using a spoon or plant tag for support. Never hold by the stem, but if necessary to steady the plant, lightly hold the plant by a leaf. HARDEN OFF seedlings when it is a few weeks before they will be moved out of doors. Each day, set plants outside for a few hours in the warmth of the afternoon. Begin by placing them in the shade for a short time, and gradually increase their exposure to the sun until you’re ready to transplant them to the garden. MOVE plants outdoors! WHEN: This can be the most daunting aspect of seed starting! If you are planting several different things, this can feel a bit like a juggling act. Grab a notebook and a pen to jot down notes from your seed packets on how many “days to harvest” or “days to bloom” for each plant. Consider making yourself a seed-starting calendar to keep beside your trays. Specific varieties will vary, but in general, you can follow these guidelines: EARLY FEBRUARY (14-15 weeks indoors): geraniums, pansies, leeks, onions LATE FEBRUARY (12-13 weeks indoors): dusty miller, larkspur, lobelia, celery EARLY MARCH (10-11 weeks indoors): coleus, dahlia, heliotrope, petunias, rudbeckia, snapdragons, verbena, broccoli Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce LATE MARCH (8-9 weeks indoors): cleome, hollyhocks, phlox, alyssum, eggplant, okra, peppers EARLY APRIL (5-7 weeks indoors): amaranthus, aster, bachelor buttons, calendula, morning glory, ornamental basil and kale, tomatoes LATE APRIL (3-4 weeks indoors): cosmos, sweet peas, zinnias, sweet potatoes As always, you will learn what works and what doesn’t work in your own garden by trying things out. There isn’t only one correct way to practice indoor seed starting, and everyone’s set-up is a little different. For more information about growing plants from seed in your home, visit the Dakota County Master Gardener You Tube site. Here is one “how-to” video . Happy planting! Photo Credit: Valerie Rogotzke (1), Jim Lakin (2,3)

< Back October - “Fall”ing for Compost Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener Composting - an important word and process we want to teach our children, but how do we do this in a fun and educational way? Composting is a natural way of recycling so let’s invite the children in our life to not only continue recycling the paper, cans and acceptable plastic items, but also begin learning about and “recycling” the natural items we see all around into a rich compost we can use to make our plants grow. What an incredible way to teach children to care for our environment! Let’s get started on creating a child’s very own compost container, which then can be turned into a bigger composting container in the future. Composting - an important word and process we want to teach our children, but how do we do this in a fun and educational way? Composting is a natural way of recycling so let’s invite the children in our life to not only continue recycling the paper, cans and acceptable plastic items, but also begin learning about and “recycling” the natural items we see all around into a rich compost we can use to make our plants grow. What an incredible way to teach children to care for our environment! Let’s get started on creating a child’s very own compost container, which then can be turned into a bigger composting container in the future. Supplies Needed : Large Plastic Water/Pop Bottle or Comparable Container Utility Knife, Push Pin/Tack or Small Nail Small Dish or Tray to set Bottle into Greens (ex. vegetable and/or fruit food scraps, non-fertilized grass clippings) Browns (ex. sticks, leaves, sawdust, pine needles, clean cardboard) Spray Bottle with Water Long dowel, long handled Spoon or Narrow Trowel Sunny spot - on shelf, counter, windowsill Patience Composting is a natural way of helping the environment using our home and garden waste to create compost that can be used in our gardens and plantings. By placing waste items together (greens & browns) and allowing them to break down or decompose we help to cut down on the food and yard waste scraps we throw away on a day-to-day basis. Composting also provides wonderful benefits as a gardener as a way of natural recycling…turning items we typically would throw away and turning them into usable soil for our future plants. Starting small and educating our “Little Sprouts” about the importance of the how-to’s of composting and letting them create their own compost container benefits us all. If using a large plastic water/pop container, please have an adult cut the top of the bottle off just as it begins to round downward. Next, if age appropriate, allow your “Little Sprout” to use the pin/tack to push through the bottom of the bottle/container to make a few small holes. If the plastic is too thick or the child is too small, please have the adult place holes in the bottom of the container. A small dish or tray will catch any moisture that escapes from the bottom. What about the browns and greens? Composting is like cooking with a recipe. Just like when baking cookies, various ingredients are needed and the same is true with creating a successful compost. To create a successful compost both greens and browns are needed in addition to water and the natural process of decomposition. “Greens” are simply the moist ingredient that provides nitrogen and moisture that helps things grow. Greens include fruit and vegetable scraps, fresh grass clippings, coffee and tea grounds and eggshells. Yes - “Greens” don’t necessarily need to be green. “Browns” are the items we add to the compost that provide air pockets in the pile, increase bulk and are full of carbon. The brown items include dry leaves, cardboard and plain paper (no shiny paper, tape or printing on cardboard), non-died wood chips, twigs, sticks, sawdust and pine needles. Again, all materials don’t necessarily need to be brown, but for the most part browns are brown. What not to use in my home compost: dairy, fish, meat and fats should be avoided. Next is the real fun…layering the browns and greens (In a larger compost bin the ratio of browns to greens is 2-1, but in our small compost bin just try your best.). The container used does not have to be filled to the top in that composting is about adding layers as you go and as you produce green and brown compostable items. In the container place brown materials first. Spray the layer lightly with water and then proceed with a green layer followed by another brown layer. Spray a light mist and place another green layer followed by brown. Repeat until you have filled your compost bin to the top or have decided to stop. Don’t forget to mist the brown layer each time. Once you have reached the level of compost in the container, place it in a sunny location. As the elements added decompose with the help of good bacteria and fungi, you will begin to see the actual breakdown of the elements involved. But your “Little Sprouts” job is not done. The compost needs to be turned so take a small dowel, trowel or spoon and turn the compost. Turning the compost can take place every 2-3 days. The slow process of decomposing takes time so be patient. It can take months for the greens and browns to turn into the perfect compost, but it is worth the wait. When the product being created is a dark color, falls apart and smells like soil, then your compost is ready. Remember, greens and browns can continually be added to the container so keep it up. Overtime, wonderful compost will be created and can be used in your garden or around your flowers. Happy Fall Composting! Photo credit: pexels.com (1,2,3)

< Back I Forgot to Plant My Garlic in October! Planting Garlic in March Michelle Scullard, Master Gardener 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. Didn’t get around to planting garlic this past fall? You can still get a garlic harvest this summer but you have to be quick and get that garlic in the ground as early as possible in March. As soon as the ground is thawed, you can plant those garlic cloves. Usually, garlic is planted in the fall in mid-to-late October, after the first killing frost. It is covered with straw or leaves and in the spring, emerges as one of the first green plants. Luckily, Minnesota springs are cool, so planting garlic in March still allows the garlic to go through the cold period it needs, although it is much shorter. Your garlic bulbs may be a little smaller, but you will still be able to harvest your own garlic. And there is nothing like eating fresh garlic from your own garden! You should not plant the garlic bulbs from the grocery store as those are usually from California and do not grow well in Minnesota. You can look at seed catalogs or nurseries for garlic to plant and some may still have some seed garlic. There are two types of garlic; hardneck and softneck. Types of hardneck that grow well in Minnesota include Rocamble, Purple Stripe, and Porcelain. Softneck varieties that do well in Minnesota are Artichoke and Silverskin. They produce bulbs with more cloves and are the type of garlic you can braid. Garlic is very easy to plant. To plant, take a bulb of seed garlic and break it into the individual cloves. Dig a small hole and place the clove pointed side up and cover with soil. You do not have to remove the papery skin that covers it. You can plant garlic close together, which allows you to plant a large crop in a small space. Plant in double rows that are six inches apart and plant the double rows 30 inches apart. You will want to plant in well-drained soil that has a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. You will want to cover with three to four inches of straw or leaf mulch to add an insulation layer. You do not have to worry about uncovering them as the garlic will push through organic cover. Controlling weeds is important as weeds can easily overwhelm the young garlic plants. Leaving the insulating straw or leaves that you used to cover them when you planted can help suppress weeds and keep in moisture. Water weekly to a depth of one inch. Insects that can affect garlic include onion maggots, bulb mites, and aster leafhoppers. The aster leafhoppers can cause the disease aster yellow. Make sure to practice a four-year rotation to help reduce insect and disease problems and only plant firm, healthy cloves purchased from reliable sources. Scapes are a bonus that grow at the end of the garlic stalk in early June. The hardneck garlics generally produce the scapes; rarely will the softnecks produce them. The scapes are the curved part of the stem at the top of the garlic stock. You can cut them when the green stalk starts curling. Cook them by sauteing them in oil, making pesto, or adding to dishes such as quiche. You can find recipes for scapes on the internet. There are mixed opinions on cutting the garlic scapes, however, as some people believe it affects the size of the garlic bulb. If you choose to leave the scape, a small garlic bulb grows on the end that will have small white and purple flowers. These can be harvested to use as garlic seeds for a future growing season. Garlic is harvested in late June to late July when the lower leaves begin to brown and about half the upper leaves are still green. You can also harvest a bulb and cut it in half to see if the cloves fill out the skins. If you are planting your garlic in March, you will likely be harvesting more toward end of July. Once you have dug up your garlic bulbs, leave about six inches to a foot of stem and knock off any soil. You then will need to allow the bulbs to cure for three to four weeks in a warm, dry, and airy place. You can place them over a screen or hang them so air flows around them. Once cured, cut the stems off and any remaining roots. You will want to store the bulbs in a cool, dry location. Garlic will keep for several months. You can eat the garlic as soon as it has cured. You can also save some to plant in the Fall after the first killing frost. For more information: Growing Garlic, UMN Extension Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2)

< Back Low Cal Jerk Chicken Tacos? Joy Johnson, Master Gardener 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. By the time March rolls around, we’ve all probably given up on our New Year’s resolutions, but if you are still trying to lose your extra ‘Covid 19 lbs’ like I am, here’s a low calorie (272 calories in two tacos), delicious recipe that pops with flavor. I made my own jerk seasoning, which is listed here, but you can purchase a jar of jerk spice as an alternative. Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Tacos with Caribbean Salsa Serves 8 Ingredients for jerk seasoning: 2 T onion flakes ½ tsp each of Thyme, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, salt, nutmeg, sugar ¼ tsp black pepper 1 T dried parsley (this is the only ingredient that actually came from my garden – hey, it’s March) Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 T jerk seasoning Kosher salt 2 ½ lbs boneless chicken breasts 2 T lime juice ½ c orange juice 2 T chopped fresh cilantro Ingredients for Caribbean Salsa : 2 large mangos, peeled, diced into ½ pieces 1 avocado, peeled, diced into ½ pieces 2 T chopped red onion 2 T chopped fresh cilantro 2 T lime juice ¼ tsp salt Black pepper 12 extra thin yellow corn tortillas Process for the Chicken : Combine the garlic, jerk seasoning, and ½ tsp salt and spread it over the chicken. Put the chicken, the lime and orange juices, and cilantro in the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Process for the Salsa : In a medium bowl, combine the mango, avocado, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Pour any liquid left in the slow cooker into a bowl, then return the chicken to the slow cooker. Add 1 cup of the reserved liquid, just enough to moisten the chicken, and season with 1/8 tsp salt and black pepper to taste. Heat the tortillas in a skillet set over medium-high for about 30 seconds. Fill each with 1/3 cup of the chicken and 2 T of salsa. Photo credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4)

< Back Explore the Virtues of Wild Ginger for your Garden Kristina Valle, Master Gardener Many gardeners love a good cookbook for the bounty we grow. But what about recipes? Now that we’ve rounded the corner from April to May, it’s off to the races, back to the garden centers to do some window shopping and more often than not, bring home a new addition (or 20). As I continue to develop my garden, now entering its 4th growing season, I reflect back on what has worked, what can be removed and gaps I need to fill. This season I am focusing on ground covers, specifically Wild Ginger, which can be added as a beneficial plant, address a difficult site, and create a point of interest in the garden. Note - Wild Ginger is inedible and should not be confused with the Ginger that you might find in a grocery store. This Minnesota native plant has soft, heart-shaped leaves with a smaller heart-shaped cutout where the leaf meets a fuzzy stem. Wild Ginger will grow approximately 8 inches in height, making it perfect to be placed in front of leggy plants and has a spreading nature of approximately 15 inches. Hardy to Zone 2, this tough plant can make it through some of the worst winters and come out the other side healthy and thriving. Wild Ginger does well in both shade and part shade locations making this plant optimal below the canopies of more mature trees or in north facing gardens. Gardeners should use caution though, if planting in a space that receives a lot direct sunlight, as the leaves could burn. Wild Ginger can tolerate some drought but prefers moist, not wet, well-draining soil. A true “set it and forget it” plant, pruning will not be necessary unless you are clearing away dieback or want to create a more compact spread. Wild Ginger is a slow growing plant that spreads underground, through rhizomes. In the early spring, shallow lateral root systems make division and transplanting easy. This versatile plant is used as a unique ground cover that provides many solutions and benefits in a garden. Best Suited Spaces Rain Garden Shade Garden Woodland Garden Native Plant Garden Problem Solver Erosion control on slopes Ground Cover Weed Suppressant Early Pollinator The first thing that caught my eye when I considered Wild Ginger was its attractive spreading nature. If there is one thing gardeners are not fond of, it’s weeds. This workhorse plant will push out competing non-native, invasive spreading plants and weeds, giving you more time to enjoy your garden and less time fussing over uninvited guests. At first glance, you might not suspect that Wild Ginger contributes to early pollination, but it does! Hidden beneath the leaves of this ground cover plant, you will discover a brownish purple jug shaped flower that sits near the base of the plant. This flower can attract some lesser-known pollinators, such as ants and pollinator flies which are looking for food sources as the snow begins to melt. Diversity is the key to a healthy garden. Consider adding some Wild Ginger to your landscape, it will not disappoint, and be sure to check out our article on Gardening in Shade to discover some other shade loving ground cover options. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1) & Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Wisconsin Extension (2)

< 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 June - Fun With Fairy Gardens Carolyn Plank, Master Gardener 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. Fairy gardens have become increasingly popular. So, exactly what is this fairy garden craze all about? 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. Throughout history, tales have existed of flower fairies. Flower fairies are nature spirits who care for flowers, plants, and trees. They have their own distinctive personality derived from her plant which determines their aesthetic, mood, and character. It’s also said that whenever a seed sprouts, a flower fairy baby is born. They live and sleep on their chosen flower, plant, or tree and as they grow the fairy grows too. ( www.pickupflowers.com ) Fairies are attracted to spaces filled with life. They can occur under, in, and around trees such as oak, elders, yew, holly, yellow elm, and many more life sustaining trees. Flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds also attract fairies such as pansies, bee balm, petunias, foxglove, sunflower, columbine, tulips, snapdragons, cosmos, and violets. Even foliage creates shadows and hiding spaces for shy fairies. Emphasize the natural as they’re very nature oriented and will be attracted to your efforts and set-up homesteads near you in nature. ( GardeningKnowHow.com , Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist, 3/25/21) There are unlimited fairy garden ideas available, both inside and outside … only limited by your imagination. Release your inner child and step into the fairy world by creating your own enchanted garden. Create a small magical spot in your garden, a special place to focus on the small details of nature, and to explore the range of your imagination. The idea is to plant certain flowers that fairies would like or build them a little house to calm a malicious fairy or receive good luck from a grateful one. There are numerous containers you can use to create a fairy garden, and you will see them listed throughout this article. Other elements you can use for your fairy gardens include birdhouses, toad stool houses, water fountains, small streams, bowls of water, statuary that honors elves, fairies, and gnomes. I remember being at the Arboretum during my intern training and they had a gorgeous set-up for a massive fairy garden. I made one for inside our home which took virtually a few hours to make. So, give it a shot … you’ll find the fun and magical mystery of creating your very own fairy garden. Photo credits: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (1, 2), Julie Harris (3), Carolyn Plank (4)

< Back No More Stringy Petunias! Susan Ball, Dakota County Master Gardener Petunias! Bi-colors, tri-colors, bright colors, stripes, ruffles . . . What’s not to love? If you’ve seen petunias in July and August you know what’s not to love. Starting off full and fluffy, as the summer wears on petunias drop their blooms, grow long and scraggly and much less lovable. Read this article to learn what to do to keep your beautiful petunias looking full and fluffy. Petunias! Bi-colors, tri-colors, bright colors, stripes, ruffles . . . What’s not to love? If you’ve seen petunias in July and August you know what’s not to love. Starting off full and fluffy, as the summer wears on, petunias drop their blooms, grow long and scraggly and much less lovable. So, what to do? Yank them out and put new ones in? Give up on them and replace them with a hardier plant, maybe a marigold? However, between replacing petunias and giving up on them altogether there is a third option: pruning them. Read on to learn how to prune petunias successfully. Pruning petunias will keep them full and fluffy all summer long. There is some work involved, but replacing petunias with more petunias or other flowers is also work. And not only that, it’s expensive and it involves running around to big box stores and nurseries to see if either one has any decent flowers left. In addition, pruning your petunias keeps your original design and color scheme in place and involves only minutes of work throughout the summer. To keep petunias blooming prolifically we must remember their mission, in fact the mission of all plants: to perpetuate the species. When the bloom on a petunia drops off its pod it creates a seed which will hopefully go on to create another petunia. Having accomplished its mission, the petunia dies in peace, leaving behind leggy and scraggly branches without flowers. The point of pruning is to send the opposite message to the petunia: you have not completed your mission. You have not set seed (because I have cut off all your seed pods). You must keep blooming, staying full and fluffy, until I decide to stop cutting them off (usually sometime in September, or sooner if we have an early frost). See the photo where the woman is about to cut off the pod where the bloom once grew? You must trim the petunia BEHIND THAT pod, which holds the seed, to convince the petunia she still has work to do and must continue to produce blooms. Petunias have many blooms and their seed pods often hide underneath the bottoms of branches, behind other blooming flowers. If you leave pruning them until they start to look “scraggly”, you may spend anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours pruning your petunias. It’s a tedious mission of search and destroy. There is an easier way . Buy a small pair of pointed scissors with colorful handles (so you can spot them in the soil) available at the Dollar Store or Michaels. In fact, buy one for every pot and bed of petunias if they are at some distance from each other. Stick the scissors point down into the pot or bed next to your petunias. Any time you are out in your yard inspecting or admiring your garden, check your petunias for spent blossoms and spend a minute or two cutting off the empty pods. A minute or two every day or so equals enough time to keep your petunias glorious all season. You can also prune for shape and form. If, in spite of your consistent pruning, your petunias develop leggy branches, find a junction where there is new growth and cut off the branch in front of the new growth . You can also prune any branches that are not keeping to the design or shape you wish. Again, find a junction where there is new growth and cut off the branch right in front of it. Do this consistently and the work will be minimal. Your petunias will outdo themselves producing blooms to complete their mission and you will enjoy full and fluffy petunias all summer! References: https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/growing-petunias https://icultivate.net/how-to-prune-petunias / https://www.epicgardening.com/prune-petunias/ https://www.gardendesign.com/how-to/prune-petunias.html Photo Credits: UMN Extension (1,4 ), Susan Ball (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 Helping Houseplants Stay Healthy this Winter Jim Lakin, M.D., Master Gardener 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. Healthy plants look better. They have less insect problems. Their chances of making it through the winter and out onto the patio next spring increase. So, what can we do to help them out? First grow plants in the best possible conditions. Here you will have to do a little research on the preferences of each plant. Match the plant to its light, moisture and temperature requirements. If a plant is struggling with too little light, too much moisture or too warm or cold a temperature, it will not do well. Second, fulfill your plant’s nutritional requirements. Is your fellow a big feeder or not? Generally speaking, fertilize at half the “recommended dose” for a given plant at the intervals suggested. Fertilizers will be most effective when applied while the plant is actively growing. Third, water your plants properly. This is a biggie! More plants ascend to heaven (or descend to the compost) from overwatering than any other cause. Over-watering combined with poor drainage can encourage root rot and pest problems. If you water on a schedule, say every Tuesday whether they need it or not, you’ll set yourself up for this problem. Water when the soil is dry, say,halfway up your index finger. Also don’t let your plants stand in water. Water at the base of the plant, not on the leaves. Fourth, keep your plants clean. Remove dead leaves, stems and flowers. Don’t let them pile up on the soil surface where they can harbor insect pests. Fifth, use new, sterile potting soil when potting plants. Avoid outdoor garden soil. It probably is chock full of weed seeds and insect eggs. Plant in clean pots and wash off the roots before planting bare-rooted purchases. Finally, inspect your houseplants frequently for insect pests. They most often tend to congregate on the underside of leaves. Early detection is key. If you do suspect that bugs are beginning to set up shop, check out “Managing Insects on Indoor Plants” on the University of Minnesota website: https://extension.umn.edu/product-and-houseplant-pests/insects-indoor-plants It’s a great aid for diagnosing and treating pest problems. Observe these few simple procedures and you’ll go a long way to having happy house plants and home bodies! Photo credits: University of Minnesota (1, 2)

< Back Newby’s Flower Garden Marjorie Blare Margie Blare continues her advice to Newby gardeners who may want to start a flower garden but don’t know how to start. Margie Blare provides advice about what you need to consider when starting a garden. It may be more than you think. Read this article to start your flower gardening adventure. Newby looked wistfully across the street at the neighbor’s yard. Right now, it was brown and dead-looking, but Newby knew that in a few short weeks there would be an exuberant display of flowers, and that the shrubs and a tree would be blooming. Newby , “I wish my yard could be more than just the grass and the shade tree that I have, but I don’t know anything about flowers. In a flash of green, Green Thumb appeared! Greenthumb , “I can Help! What is the purpose of your flower garden?” Newby , “Umm, flowers?” Greenthumb , “Do you want big showy display, a formal garden, A wildflower or native garden? or maybe just a pop of color in some areas?” Newby , “Ah, I’m not sure.” Greenthumb , “Let’s look at your house and yard. You need to know how many hours of light your garden will get. The north and east sides of your yard generally get less light than the south or west. Many flowers need full sun, which means a minimum six hours of direct light. Newby : Here’s my house and yard. Greenthumb , Container gardening is a good way to dip your toes into flower gardening and great for pops of color). Check this site out for information on container gardening: https://extension.umn.edu/managing-soil-and-nutrients/fertilizing-and-watering-container-plants For a wildflower garden check out this site: https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/mes/sustainable-wildflower-seed-production/scarification-and-vernalization With in-ground beds this year, you will want to get a soil test. Check out this site to see how to take a soil sample, how to interpret the results, how to determine the soil texture (sandy, clayey, loamy) and how long it takes for your soil to absorb water. The results will let you know what kind and how much fertilizer and organic matter your soil needs before you plant. https://extension.umn.edu/managing-soil-and-nutrients/soil-testing-lawns-and-gardens Newby , “I think I’d like in-ground raised beds.” Greenthumb, “ Since you want raised beds you can use high quality soil to fill them and not have to worry about a soil test for at least a couple of years. Check out this site: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/raised-bed-gardens Greenthumb ,” Now it’s time to choose your flowers.” Newby , “How do I do that?” Greenthumb , “A good way to start is with catalogs. When you find a flower that takes your fancy, you can find out how much sun/shade each flower needs. You will find out things like when to sow outside or start them inside https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors what kind of soil, how dry or wet it should be. Another good way is to visit a local nursery. The tags on the plants will give you the same information, and other questions can be answered by nursery staff. You can also call the Arboretum Yard and Garden line ((612-301-7590) to have a Master Gardener answer your questions. All this information will help you determine where to place your raised beds and what to plant in them. Greenthumb , “Happy Gardening Newby!” Photo Credits: Marjorie Blare (1-8,10-11), University of Minnesota Extension (9)

< 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)