Indoor Plants Humidity and Indoor Plants Are you filling your winter gardening needs by growing houseplants? If so, you’ve probably noticed that the air in our homes is dryer during the winter months. That not only affects us, but it also can have a significant impact on your plants. This is especially true for tropical plants . . . and many house plants do originate in tropical settings. In this article, Master Gardener Linda Stein provides advice about how providing humidity to your plants can help them through the winter. Read More Terrariums - A Garden in a Bottle Are you looking for an easy way to enjoy a live project with your child or grandchild over the Winter? How about creating a simple Terrarium that not only will be easy to care for but will also add a living garden to your home. All you need to begin is an open or enclosed glass or plastic container and a variety of planting materials. Read More Is it Time for Houseplants? It’s December. Everything in the garden is dead or hibernating. Assuming you did your fall clean-up in the yard, cleaned and sharpened your tools for next year and planted your spring bulbs, there is nothing to do in the garden. Feeling lost? Maybe it’s time to consider houseplants. Read More The Vacation is Over Your orchids have been enjoying an invigorating respite outside, but like all good things, it must come to an end. Orchids, like any indoor plant that has summered outdoors, have the potential of picking up nefarious bugs and potential diseases that you don’t want to bring into your indoor growing area. It is better to go on the offensive while they are outside because there are more treatment options available to combat the offenders when the orchids are outside. Read this article to learn how to return your orchids (or other house plants) indoors after their summer vacation. Read More Give Your Orchid a Vacation Orchids are like school children. They have been cooped up in your house all winter. They have treated you well, stayed healthy, and maybe even treated you to blooms; for that they deserve something special: a vacation! It is easy; you don’t need a travel agent, an airline reservation or even a hotel room: just set them outside. Read this article by avid orchid grower, Paul Wood, to learn how to safely grow your orchids outside in the summer. Read More How to Select an Orchid Have you been intrigued about orchids but don’t know where to start or how to keep them alive? Or, are you already an orchid grower but want some expert tips? This article on orchids is the first of three by orchid expert, Paul Wood. The first article provides great advice about how to choose the right orchid for you. Read on to learn how you can begin to be an orchid grower – and lover! Read More Moving Houseplants Outdoors for a Summer Vacation You have been enjoying your indoor plants during our long, cold winter. But soon it will be time to think about transitioning some of those plants outdoors. March might seem a bit early to think about moving your indoor plants to the outdoors but plants do require a transition time and warm weather will be here sooner than you think. There are many reasons that you might move your houseplants outdoors for the summer. But there are several things to consider to ensure that your plants flourish as a result of this move. Read More Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants Did you know that Americans spend roughly 90% of their time, on average, indoors according to US EPA report? As a gardener, perhaps it’s time we focus on our indoor space and the benefits and types of plants we could have indoors. Click on this link to learn more about Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants. Read More Pet-Safe Plant Choices 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! Read More Propagating House Plants Winter blahs got you down? Bring more green into your home by propagating your houseplants. It’s easier than you think for many plant varieties, and it’s a fun way to spend part of a gray day. Read More The Short-lived Beauty of Blooming Cactus Various cacti can provide gardening pleasure in Minnesota both outside in the summer and inside during the cold weather. There are thousands of varieties of cacti, many of which are different and exotic, in other words, pretty cool. But there are some tricks to growing cacti successfully. Here are some tips on growing healthy cacti and getting them to re-bloom. Read More African Violets African Violets are one of the most popular houseplants because they require little maintenance and, cared for properly, bloom several times a year. But, as with any plant, they do have specific needs that you must know and pay attention to in order to provide the color and pleasure that you are hoping for. Read this article to understand how to achieve a happy, healthy African Violet in your home. Read More 1 2 1 ... 1 2 ... 2

Annuals & Bulbs Planting Bulbs with your Growing Sprouts As the leaves fall and the temperatures begin to tumble, don’t forget to plant your favorite bulbs with a young gardener. Tulips are a perfect choice to plant in early November as long as you can dig in the ground. Daffodils’ ideal planting season is up until mid-October, but if the temperatures are warm and the ground workable, daffodils can be tried also. Your Growing Sprout will delight in the spring display. Read More Sunflowers - Bright, Beautiful and Fun to Grow Summer is upon us and what is better to grow with your child than flowers that are big, bright and beautiful. Sunflowers come in many varieties and heights and “Yes” they can be planted in containers too. Planting sunflower seeds with children is an incredible way to see the entire life cycle of a plant. This article explains how to engage in this fun and easy learning opportunity. Read More Spring in September Plan Now to Start 2025 Blooming in Color Spring begins this month! I know, it’s September, but on a gardener’s calendar, this is the month to begin planning for an awakening of eagerly blooming sprouts and a palette of spring colors. Whether you are a “bulb-beginner” like me or a bulb enthusiast looking to expand on some gardening ideas, continue reading as we discuss the what, where, when, how, and why of spring blooming bulbs with a few design tips planted along the way. Read More BULBS 101 Snowdrops and daffodils are harbingers of spring, the first flowers to appear after the snow has melted and the days start to lengthen. For many of us, these early bulbs are a wake-up call, reminding us that the growing season is beginning. Of course, if seeing daffodils makes us want them in our own gardens, it’s too late for this year! For many Minnesota gardeners, bulbs have been in our yards for decades. However, if you’re new to bulbs or would just like a more in-depth look at them, this Bulb Primer is for you! Read More Protecting Bulbs for Winter Autumn in Minnesota is the time to prepare your bulbs for next year’s growing season, whether that is tucking in your hardy bulbs for their winter sleep (and protecting them from foraging critters!) or retrieving your tender bulbs for indoor storage to spare them from the harsh cold. Read on to learn more about what to do this season for beautiful blooms next year! Read More Overwinter Geraniums the Correct Way As the end of the growing season appears it may be sad to think of your beautiful geraniums’ endless show of color coming to an end. Fear not! While non-hardy geraniums are considered annuals, overwintering your prized plant indoors can carry them through to the following year, giving you a jump start on spring and saving you some money if you usually replace them each year. But beware – it’s not quite as simple as carrying your geranium pot inside and waiting for spring. This article talks about two ways to overwinter geraniums in a way that will maximize your chance of success. Read More What Can Alliums Do For Your Garden? As fall approaches, you might be thinking about planting bulbs that will provide you with a beautiful display in the spring. In this article, Marjory Blare explains why you should consider planting Alliums for that purpose. You may be familiar with varieties of allium used for cooking (for example, onion, garlic, scallion). But there are many ornamental alliums with many different features and colors. Read this article to learn more about the virtues of alliums. Read More The Ws (plus an H) of Bulbs The great thing about planting bulbs is that they will bloom year after year. Here's what you need to know to grow bulbs successfully in your garden and look forward to early spring color. Read More Glorious Amaryllis Amaryllis is a beautiful plant with large, stunning blooms that can be grown as a houseplant year-round. Get ready for some beautiful inside blooms and learn all about growing Amaryllis this winter. Read More Zinnias: Vibrant Accents to a Northern Garden You know that zinnias provide a beautiful flourish to the summer garden. The varieties and colors are endless and can be enjoyed from late Spring into the Fall. But did you know that growing Zinnias from seed is both easy and rewarding? Read this article to learn why you might want to grow your own zinnias from seed this year. Read More Early Spring Blooming Plants Deep in the doldrums of winter, everyone is anxious for spring weather to arrive so that, once again, they can dig in the dirt planting flowers and vegetables. To entice us even more, we’re seeing bulb plants in the stores for sale so we can enjoy them at home until spring finally arrives. In this article, I’ll talk about some of the most popular spring blooming plants for your garden. Read More Harvesting and Preserving Herbs Harvest time is such a fun time of the year. There are so many herbs to harvest and preserve for the upcoming winter months. Some share their bounty year after year, like tarragon and oregano, and others, like basil and marjoram, are planted in spring for a fall harvest. Read More 1 2 1 ... 1 2 ... 2

Gardening by the Month Happy Feathered Friends 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. Read More Guarding the Gardener: Cold Injury Most Minnesotans spend the month of January by a nice warm fire, or at least by a nice warm TV. Not so, the avid gardener! There are things to do, last minute trimming, tipping a floribunda rose that you missed in October, cleaning up all those dead stalks that didn’t get clipped. But working outside in Minnesota in January can lead to cold injury. An unwary gardener can easily lose bits and pieces of his anatomy out in the yard if he's not respectful of the cold. Read this article to help yourself to keep safe in the winter “garden.” Read More January, A Perfect Time to Re-Design Your Landscape When January brings us huge snowdrifts and blustery winds do you think of Spring? Yes, it’s the perfect time to be thinking about your flower and vegetable gardens and begin making plans for re-designing your landscape. If you have these thoughts, then click on the link to learn more about basic landscape design concepts and current 2024 trends in landscaping. Read More Winter is a Perfect Time to Start Seeds 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. Read More February - Starting Seeds Indoors If you want to grow plants from seed for your garden this spring, February is the time to start – planning and planting. There is a little more to it than dropping a seed in soil. Read More Extend the Growing Season with Greenhouses 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. Read More Lop & Lose While March is the ideal time to prune most trees and shrubs in your garden; note that it is NOT the time to prune those that bloom in the spring. Pruning your spring blooming trees and shrubs may kill blooms that are forming. These plants should be pruned right after they bloom in the spring. Read this article for valuable information about pruning some of your most beautiful spring blooming shrubs. Read More Seed Bombs - An Explosion of Color The calendar has turned to March and the excitement builds in anticipation for Spring, but wait, I can’t plant seeds outside yet. Don’t worry, DIY seed bombs are a great way to get your hands dirty and also introduce your children and grandchildren to a way of transforming a barren or hard to grow area of your yard into a beautiful flower spot. Read More Snowdrops for the Early Spring Garden Are you a gardener that loves to have flowering plants staggered throughout the growing season? Then perhaps you should consider planting snowdrops in your yard. They are the first spring bulb to bloom and they are known to pop up amongst the snow melt. They usually bloom before larger daffodils and tulips. Read More Master Gardener Seed Trials – Choose the Best Varieties It’s March and you may be thinking about starting vegetable or flower seeds for your garden this summer. First, you have to decide what to grow - beans, basil, zinnias, tomatoes? But there are several different varieties of each of these plants. So, how do you know what variety to plant? You can look through the seed catalogs or go to the garden store and peruse the many different varieties on the racks. Confused? The University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners can help. Read More I Forgot to Plant My Garlic in October! Planting Garlic in March Are you a garlic lover? Yes, you can buy it at the grocery store but garlic grown in your own garden is so good. Garlic is normally grown in late fall BUT not to worry, if you act quickly, you can plant garlic in March and harvest it in July. Read this article to learn more about planting garlic in the spring or the fall. Read More April is Here! No Worries - Quick Seed Germination The first day of spring has come and gone, but it is still too early to plant seeds outside and maybe too late to start seeds inside? Or is it? Let’s try this quick germination activity with the little ones in your life to get a jumpstart on your flower or vegetable garden. Read More 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 6

A Pest Above the Rest – Japanese Beetles It’s July and our gardens are in their prime! But wait, what is that insect on my beautiful roses? And why do the leaves on my raspberries look like skeletons? Read this article about the dreaded Japanese Beetle and what you can do to minimize the damage they cause. Read More Bird Feeding Bird-feeding is for all of us who enjoy and love watching birds. Inside this article you’ll find information on bird-feeding tips, preventing disease in your bird feeders and an update on the AVIAN (HPAI) bird flu that disrupted this summer’s bird-feeding habits. Read More Boxelder Bugs It’s cool but sunny outside and I would like to walk into my front door but the door and wall are covered with black and orange bugs! They are boxelder bugs and they are looking for a warm home for the winter. Read how to manage these nonharmful but annoying pests. Read More 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 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 Hum along with HUMMINGBIRDS, NATURE’S FLYING GEMS In 1485, Leonardo da Vinci designed the first helicopter, though it was never built. 454 years passed before Igor Sikorsky finally developed an aircraft that could fly forwards, backward, straight up and straight down, and hover in air. Hummingbirds, meanwhile, have existed on our planet for roughly 42 million years and fossils of these aerial acrobats, dating from 30 – 35 million years ago, were unearthed in Germany in 2004. Those fossils reveal that the early ancestors of these birds, that capture our awe today, also hovered and flew in any direction they pleased. Read More Identifying and Attracting Beneficial Insects Now that the plants in our gardens are starting to bloom, we are also seeing insects on those plants. Some of those insects are certainly pests but others are actually beneficial. We know how pollinators are beneficial insects - many of the foods we enjoy rely on pollinators for fruit and seed development. But how do we identify other insects that are beneficial to our gardens and landscapes in other ways? Read this article to find out! Read More 1 2 1 ... 1 2 ... 2 Diseases, Pests & Wildlife

Recipes & Cookbook Peppers, Peppers, Peppers! Unfortunately, we have reached the time of year when fresh vegetables from your own garden are not available. If you were a diligent vegetable gardener, like Joy Johnson, you will be rewarded with a freezer full of fall harvested vegetables like peppers and tomatoes. In this article, Joy offers two recipes – pepper steak and stuffed peppers – that will be delicious whether the vegetables came from your garden or the supermarket. Just enjoy! Read More Cooking with Native Plants It’s just past harvest season in most of Minnesota, but depending on the weather in your area, you may still be harvesting brussels sprouts, potatoes or pumpkins. This time of year, Master Gardener Joy Johnson thought you might enjoy trying some recipes from two of Minnesota’s Native American cultures – Chippewa Blueberry Wild Rice Pudding, Ojibwa Baked Pumpkin, pumpkin seeds. Yum! Read More Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake Is there a food more identified with October than pumpkin! Of course not! So, here is Joy Johnson’s delicious recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake. Joy says she is targeting adults with this recipe but kids will love it, too! Read More Summery Chicken Salad and Easy Swedish Dessert If you grow vegetables in your garden or frequent farmers markets, you know that September can yield a bountiful crop. Yes, you might be thinking about canning, freezing, sharing or drying some of your harvest but this month’s recipes give you the opportunity to enjoy many of your fresh vegetables in a delicious, smokey chicken salad and traditional Swedish dessert. Yum! Read More Delectable Strawberry Shortcake (and a Bonus Rosemary Recipe) It’s August and our gardens are in full growth mode, what a delightful exciting growing time of year. One of the most popular fruits that are ripening now is strawberries. Joy Johnson offers a mouthwatering recipe for strawberry shortcake. And – a repeat of a former favorite rosemary recipe. What a great time of year for eating fresh food in Minnesota! Read More A Recipe for Your Early Vegetables Warm weather, warm spice, warm dinner! It’s wonderfully warm out and Joy Johnson’s garden is in all its glory. Zucchini, yellow squash, early tomatoes, spinach and sweet peppers are starting to ripen. It’s time to cook up a delicious turkey curry, with a homemade blend of spices. The fragrance will whisk you away to far off India. It’s a warm way to include all your early vegetables or farmers market purchases in one dish. To cool off, add a minty fruit salad. Read More Bright, Fresh and Easy Spring Salad There is nothing like a fresh salad made from ingredients grown in your own yard. If you were as ambitious as our author, Master Gardener Joy Johnson, and started your own lettuces earlier this year, you could enjoy this spring salad with your home-grown lettuce. Not to worry though, this salad can be enjoyed with grocery-bought, or perhaps, farmers markets ingredients also. This salad says – welcome spring! Read More Spring is the Time for Wedding Soup Spring is the season for weddings which prompts Master Gardener Joy Johnson to think about Italian Wedding Soup. Myth buster: it’s not called Italian Wedding soup because it’s served at Italian weddings; it’s called wedding soup because the flavors in it marry so well together! Read and learn how to make this soup part of your soup rotation – any time of the year. And, as a bonus, learn how to make Apple Butter to enjoy with your soup! Read More Roasted Spiced Cauliflower Cauliflower has taken the nation by storm. 40 years ago, no one had hardly heard of it, now it seems like everyone has their favorite way to eat it from crunchy and raw with dip or as pizza crust! Cauliflower is a mild flavored, versatile vegetable, so it adapts well to many recipes. It is easy to grow in your garden, but make sure you are diligent in watching and controlling for pests who love to enjoy it too. This recipe heats it up with a mind-blowing array of spices, serving it with cool and creamy Burrata cheese and a crunchy topping of browned nuts/seeds and herbs. It’s a real flavor explosion and impressive to serve as a side dish. Read More Garlic Butter Brussel Sprouts It’s March and this month green vegetables may be top of mind (thanks to Saint Patrick, I’m sure). Garden seeds are sprouting under their grow lights and we are excited for warmer days to come when they’ve grown large enough to transplant outside into our gardens. In the meantime, here is a recipe for one green vegetable – brussels sprouts. According to the author, Joy Johnson, even the pickiest of brussels sprouts eaters will love this recipe! Read More Give Dandelion Another Chance Not just a weed – dandelion is an edible plant worth your consideration as a culinary addition. Although, most of us spend time and products on eliminating dandelions from our yards, the truth is that dandelion is edible (so long as they have not been subjected to toxic chemicals) and can provide a tasty delight for your table. Read this article to learn more about edible dandelions and how you might enjoy them. Read More Turkey Wild Rice Soup It’s chilly outside and a bowl of rich, warm Minnesota style soup along with flavorful sides will certainly warm you up. Luckily, Joy Johnson has provided a luscious recipe for wild rice soup made with Minnesota grown wild rice. If you had Joy’s foresight, you could add dried parsley to the soup and roasted sweet potatoes from your storage cabinet. Hungry yet? Read on to learn how to warm your kitchen (and tummy) with these recipes. Read More 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4

Gardening with Kids Autumn Leaves This page introduces books and fun activities that will help your child to understand why leaves change color and learn that leaves have some things in common with humans. Read More Bleach Dying Dark T-Shirts We’re always looking for activities for our children or grandchildren in the summer. A fun summer project to do with children, or adults for that matter, is bleach dying. It’s cheap, fairly easy, fun and educational. In this article you will learn how to use plants from your garden to create a fun and pretty design through bleach dying. Read More Caring for Indoor Plants with Young Children Even as the weather gets cold, we can still enjoy plants with our little ones. Click here to discover how to help your young child be successful in caring for indoor plants independently. You will learn how to set up the materials needed and show your young child how to dust, prune, identify, and water indoor plants Read More Create Frozen Luminarias Frozen luminaries are both fun and beautiful to create. This article will give you suggestions on using materials you may have around the house and in your winter garden to create a frozen luminary. Read More DIY Suet/Seed Feeders for our Feathered Friends As I write this, it’s nearly Halloween. Outside there is a flurry of activity. A multitude of birds including blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers (both hairy & downy), house and gold finches, juncos, and my absolute favorites - chickadees, are flitting about. They voraciously attack and consume seeds and nuts in preparation for the rapidly approaching winter. Read this article to see how you and the child in your life can help our feathered friends. Read More Exploring Autumn Nature with Your Child Summer may be over but winter isn’t here yet. Now is a great time to have some outside fun with the children in your life. Take advantage of these last days of fall to show your children how to enjoy what autumn nature has to offer. Here are some ideas for how to make the most of this time of year. Read More Fall Scavenger Hunt Come join the adventure of a fall scavenger hunt as a Junior Fall Garden Detective! Teach the child in your life how to detect the arrival of autumn in Minnesota. Read along here for a guide to gathering clues and using some scientific observations in an outdoor search to confirm fall’s arrival. Read More Harvest Time with Kids! It’s time to get the kids in your life ready for harvesting all of the bounty around us. Whether you’ve been tending plants all summer or want to visit any number of “pick your own” locations in our area, harvesting is a great way to connect children to produce right where it grows. Read More How to Prepare Your Garden for Young Children Whether it’s children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or other little ones, it’s great to include them in the garden. Gardens are a place to grow fruits, vegetables, or flowers, and enjoy nature. Who better to enjoy gardens with than young children? But those little hands and minds can have a hard time if the garden is not designed with them in mind. This article will discuss how to design your garden considering the needs of little ones and how to prepare activities so they can be successful gardening and grow a joy for it. Read More It’s August - What Can You Find in Your Garden? The days of August bring a time for not only harvesting and additional plant and flower care, but it offers a chance to go out exploring in your garden with the kids in your life. It can be as simple as flower color or texture recognition to plant, fruit, bug and vegetable identification. Items found can be crossed off a list, collected for further exploration or even better - eaten fresh. Ready, set, explore! Read More Junior Fall Garden Detectives The blustery days of fall yield a kaleidoscope of leaves across our Minnesota yards and parks. Have your children ever wondered why these leaves transform to new colors in the fall? Help your child become a Junior Fall Garden Detective by gathering clues, using some scientific observations and then searching outside to solve this mystery of why leaves change colors in the fall. Read More Junior Spring Garden Detectives CALLING ALL JUNIOR SPRING GARDEN DETECTIVES! Do you know a child who has wondered how we know it is finally spring in Minnesota? After the long, cold days of our Minnesota’s winter, every child eagerly awaits the arrival of warm breezes, extended daylight and splashable puddles of spring. Help that child become a Junior Spring Garden Detective by gathering clues, using some scientific observations and then searching outside to solve this mystery of spring’s arrival. Read More 1 2 3 1 ... 1 2 3 ... 3

< Back Avoid Overbuying Seeds Gardening season is over for this year. Or is it? Are you already dreaming and planning for next year’s garden? Soon it will be time to buy seeds. But don’t let your enthusiasm lead you to overbuying seeds. The best way to avoid overbuying is to use a systematic process for planning, purchasing, and storing seeds. Read this article for some tips to help you plan wisely. BJ Hansell, Dakota County Master Gardener Before you shop Create a garden map . Sketch out your garden space and calculate the total area in square feet. Measure the size of your beds and sketch what you want to plant in each area, accounting for spacing. Asking a neighbor, friend or family member to assist with measuring helps this step flow smoothly. How much space do you have for direct sowing? Or will you begin with indoor seedlings, shelves and grow lights? The University of Minnesota Extension has many resources for planning successfully. Vegetables . Choose plants your family will eat. Look beyond the attractive photos in catalogs and focus on vegetables you know you will consume. Start with a few favorites and limit yourself to just two or three new vegetables per season. Flowers . Choose plants to provide color and variety throughout the growing season. If you are just starting a new or replacement decorative garden, chose perhaps three or four types. For example, plants you have seen growing well near you. For me, I like flowers that remind me of family gardens of my youth. Check your existing inventory . Before ordering, sort through the seeds you already have. Organize them in labeled containers to know what you have and what you need. When storing, check the shelf life. Remember that some seeds have a shorter shelf life than others. For example, onion seeds are only viable for one to two years, while tomatoes and peppers can last for several years. Calculate your needs . Rather than buying a large packet, determine the quantity you need based on the number of plants you want. For example, if you want four plants, you will only need about five seeds, assuming a 90% germination rate. Some seed companies offer online calculators to help. It’s fun to spend the gardening off-season planning and buying seeds. But holding your enthusiasm in check will help you to avoid some buying waste. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2), www.gardenorganic.org.uk (from all creative commons) (3)

< Back Peppers, Peppers, Peppers! Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardeners Unfortunately, we have reached the time of year when fresh vegetables from your own garden are not available. If you were a diligent vegetable gardener, like Joy Johnson, you will be rewarded with a freezer full of fall harvested vegetables like peppers and tomatoes. In this article, Joy offers two recipes – pepper steak and stuffed peppers – that will be delicious whether the vegetables came from your garden or the supermarket. Just enjoy! It’s December and your garden is (or will be) sleeping under a blanket of snow. However, if your harvest back in October was anything like mine, you may have a freezer full of tomatoes and peppers. Pepper steak is a delicious, warming winter recipe that uses lots of tomatoes and peppers, either fresh or frozen. It’s spiced with ginger, garlic and soy sauce with optional crushed red pepper flakes if you like extra heat. Serve it on a bed of rice or dip your favorite hearty crusty bread into the ample juice to soak up every last drop. I had so many tomatoes and peppers that I quintupled (5x) this recipe, and it turned out great. Pepper Steak Ingredients: 1 pound sirloin or round steak sliced thin against the grain ¼ cup soy sauce divided 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided 2 large bell peppers cubed, (red, green, yellow, orange or all of them mixed) 1 large onion sliced into wedges 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 3 cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced or grated ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 2 large tomatoes cubed (or several small) Cooked rice for serving Soy sauce for serving Process: Pour 2 tablespoons soy sauce and sugar over sliced steak. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. In a small bowl or 2 cup measure, combine the cornstarch, beef broth and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Whisk until blended. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook until browned around the edges. Turn the beef slices over and continue cooking for about 2 minutes more. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and more sliced beef until all meat is browned. Pour the last tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add the bell pepper, onions and black pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender and slightly charred, for about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Sauté, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, for about 1 minute. Return the cooked beef to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and the beef broth mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in the tomatoes and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Garnish with additional black pepper and serve over hot cooked rice. Pass additional soy sauce for serving if desired. Stuffed Peppers Ingredients 1 pound ground beef 1 yellow onion, diced 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 cup uncooked brown instant rice (Standard rice is fine but will take longer to cook) 6 bell peppers, any color 15-ounce can diced tomatoes 8-ounce can tomato sauce 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup shredded cheese, divided Instructions Cook rice according to the directions and set aside. In a large pan, sauté the onions until they become translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds. Cut off the tops of all six bell peppers and remove the membranes and seeds. Set aside. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the rice and half the cheese and stir. Fill each pepper completely with the mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Optional – a can of enchilada sauce over the top can be a delicious addition. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Freeze any extra mixture for later. To freeze, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Then transfer to a gallon-size freezer bag. Thaw overnight and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Photos Credits: Joy Johnson (1-4)

< Back Holiday Gift Plants Susan Ball, Dakota County Master Gardener Looking for a gift for that person who has everything? Do you need a gift for someone but the thought of braving the mall makes you light-headed? How about a potted plant? And no, it doesn’t have to be the lovely but ubiquitous poinsettia. Unless you are able to score one of the pink and white or yellow cultivars, or a poinsettia with “double bracts”, give the lovely but pervasive poinsettia a pass. You want a potted plant that says “I picked this out especially for you.’’ The good news: there are a number of holiday plants for you in addition to ways to customize the plant to make it look extra special. Small potted Norfolk Island pines and fragrant rosemary can be given as miniature trees to be enjoyed indoors and decorated for the holidays. For the flower-loving crowd, paper white narcissus, amaryllis bulbs, cyclamen, and Christmas cactus make colorful holiday gifts. You can make your gift plant even more special by taking it out of that plain plastic pot it usually comes in and giving it in a creative container. Picking out your plant First, make sure the plant has healthy foliage and no roots coming out of the pot. If you are buying a flowering plant, pick one that hasn't fully bloomed yet. You don’t want it to look lovely in the store; you want it to look lovely in your recipient’s home. Be sure to include care instructions. If instructions have fallen off, or were never there in the first place, you can put the name of your plant in a search engine and print out the information that pops up. Norfolk Island Pine : These are small trees that are very popular as decorative table-top holiday trees. Norfolk Island pines are not true pines; they are members of a pre-historic family of conifers called Araucariaceae, an incredibly diverse and widespread plant family during the Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods. While this tree can grow quite large in its natural habitat, Norfolk Island pine is slow growing. After about a decade, it may eventually reach 5 to 8 feet tall as a houseplant. Norfolk pines need very bright light and humidity. If the plant is not thriving, it is likely not receiving sufficient light or humidity. Norfolk Island pines don't appreciate being too wet. Instead, fill a saucer with water and rocks or gravel, then place the potted plant on top, making sure the pot is not sitting directly in water. Bingo! You’ve created a little high-humidity microclimate. When you find the spot in your house with the right light for your plant, don't forget to turn the plant every week or so to keep it growing straight and upright. [insert photo 1] Cyclamen: This cool-season plant is often used as an accent indoors. With its dark green to silvery leaves and recurved twisting flowers in shades of red, pink, or white, cyclamen makes a lovely holiday gift. It grows best in a bright location without direct sunlight. When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. Water whenever the soil feels dry. Do not get water on the crown of the plant. High humidity, especially during winter, is crucial. Keep cyclamen on a tray of water with a layer of pebbles or something else to form a shelf for the cyclamen pot to sit on. Do not let the cyclamen itself sit in the water. Feed it with a low-nitrogen fertilizer every couple of weeks while in full leaf. Avoid drafts as well as hot, dry air (as in air conditioning and heating vents). As the flowers begin to fade, gradually allow the plant to dry out for 2-3 months. It is going dormant and excess water will allow it to rot. During the summer, dormant cyclamen can be kept indoors, in a cool, dark spot with good air circulation or outdoors, in a shady spot. You can repot with fresh soil and a slightly larger pot while the plant is dormant. Begin watering again in September. By then you’ll probably see new growth starting. Make sure you bring the pot back indoors before a frost. There are many wonderful cyclamen hybrids available and since they stay in bloom for a long time, you can choose your plant while the blossoms are open and know exactly what you are getting. Amaryllis: These subtropical bulbs are popular gift plants because they can be forced to produce stunning flowers during the holiday season. Amaryllis is grown in pots indoors throughout the country. The trumpet-shaped blooms grow up to six inches across, and several flowers often appear in succession. Flower color ranges from reds, oranges and pinks to pure white. Still others are spectacularly striped and multi-colored. You can purchase pre-potted bulbs at many garden centers or you can buy bulbs separately and plant them in a pot that you select. Once planted and watered, bulbs should bloom within six or eight weeks. When purchasing bulbs, keep in mind that the larger the bulb, the larger the flowers. Also remember that flower stalks can be top heavy, so make sure the container you select is heavy enough to counter balance the weight or add a layer of gravel to the bottom of the pot to make sure the plant does not tip over when in bloom. Plant the bulb in the center of the pot in well-drained potting media, taking care to press firmly around the bulb so that it is well seated. Encourage early flowering by keeping at least one half to two-thirds of the bulb above the soil line. Water thoroughly and place the pot in a cool, bright spot. No further watering should be necessary until the bulb sprouts. When it does sprout, move the pot to a spot with direct sunlight and keep the soil moist but not over-watered. Fertilizer is not necessary at this point. Once the bloom opens, remove the plant from sunlight to prolong the life of the flowers. Amaryllis, like many other types of lilies, contains various toxic alkaloids and can cause poisoning if consumed. Keep away from pets! If your recipient is a fan of tulips, daffodils, crocus and/or hyacinths, you can also pot up some of these spring bulbs and create a bulb garden for a beautiful holiday gift. Paper white narcissus : These bulbs are great alternatives to the ever-popular amaryllis. Paper whites are also quite easy to force. Unlike most spring-flowering bulbs, paper white narcissus bulbs don't require chilling prior to flowering. This makes these lovely flowers perfect for gardeners with less experience forcing bulbs. Native to the Mediterranean, “paper whites" produce clusters of small white, yellow, or orange flowers (despite their common name). The extremely fragrant flowers are produced on stems that are 12 to 18 inches tall. With a sweet scent that can fill a room, it should be noted that the yellow flowers are particularly fragrant. For other heavily fragrant paper whites, check out 'Erlicheer' and 'Omri,' which produce completely white flowers. 'Galilee' is white and cream, while the flowers of 'Avalanche' have white petals and yellow central cups. 'Constantinople' also has a yellow cup, but produces semi-double white petals, meaning that the flower stamens transform into yet more petals, causing a fuller appearance. When purchasing bulbs, look for ones that are blemish free and firm. This will help you avoid problems related to basal rot. Basal rot causes decay starting at the roots and spreads upwards inside the bulb. On the surface, affected plants become dwarfed and the flowers are abnormal, not what you are looking for, especially in a gift plant. If you are buying your paper whites already planted there is, of course, nothing to do, unless you want to root them (see below). However, if you decide to buy the bulbs and pot them yourself, look for a pot that is 3 to 5 inches deep and has holes in the bottom for drainage. Paper whites need a potting mix that is well draining. The bulbs should be planted with the pointed ends up. When you are planting them, plant enough bulbs in the pot to fill the space without the bulbs touching each other. Make sure the tips of your planted bulbs are exposed. Alternatively, the bulbs can be planted in gravel, pebbles, or marble chips instead of soil. If you decide to do this, fill a pot or bowl up halfway with pebbles and place the bulbs on top of the pebbles. Then add more pebbles until the bulbs are about two-thirds covered. Finally add enough water so that the bottoms of the bulbs are touched by the water, then maintain this water level. Full flowering takes about 4 to 8 weeks after planting. Once planted, place them in a sunny, cool location; when grown in an area that is too warm or has too little light, the leaves and flower stalks will grow too tall and flop over. Too much sun will cause the flowers to deteriorate. Gift them as they are just starting to bloom. Christmas cactus : Thanks to its name, colorful blooms, and low-maintenance reputation, the Christmas cactus is another holiday gift option. Like poinsettias, Christmas cactus start the flowering process when the days become shorter and the nights become cooler. In order to flower, Christmas cactus typically need at least twelve hours of darkness. Keep Christmas cactus away from artificial light during the night from October through December if you want it to bloom during the holiday season. Place in a closet at night or put a box or bag over it to trick it into thinking it is outside and the nights are getting longer. Christmas cactus ( Schlumbergera bridgesii ) grow best in bright, indirect light. Place them within six feet of a south, east or west-facing window. Fertilize every one to two months during the growing season (April to September). Use a well-drained potting medium and only water the plants when the upper inch of soil feels dry. Christmas cactus prefers to be a bit root-bound, so be sure not to choose a pot too large for your plant. Pruning the plants will encourage branching and flowering, but don't prune beyond mid-summer. You can use the trimmings to propagate new plants. Just place cuttings that have two or three jointed sections in well-drained sterile media. Keep them moist and in bright indirect light until roots form and new growth appears. Christmas cactus can be prone to bud drop, so avoid extreme environmental changes. Keep them away from drafts or heat sources (vents, fireplaces, or televisions). Avoid letting the plants get too dry between waterings. The stems and roots can rot if the soil holds too much water, so be sure to use a well-drained potting medium and water only when the potting medium begins to dry out. Rosemary: Rosemary is a pungent, evergreen herb that's great for cooking and very easy to grow. You can use it fresh in meals or dry it for later use. This herb can live out its life in a pot in the kitchen long after the holidays pass if given good light, or planted in the garden. Rosemary is often used to season meats like pork, chicken, and lamb, but it's equally delicious when used on roasted potatoes or in soups or rustic breads. It is also an attractive, drought-tolerant plant that works well in containers and landscape beds. It blooms in winter and spring with small pink, lavender, or blue flowers, depending on the cultivar. It can reach up to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide when planted in the ground but will remain smaller if pruned or planted in containers. Rosemary can also be found for sale pruned as a holiday topiary , shaped as a Christmas tree. Outdoors, rosemary demands a well-drained soil and at least six hours of sun. This plant is originally from the Mediterranean, so it prefers dry conditions and suffers when watered too frequently. It is best to buy rosemary plants from a garden center, since it can be difficult to start rosemary plants from seed or cuttings. How to Make Your Holiday Gift Plant Extra Special Change out the pot. Garden centers, even big box stores, have interesting containers you can buy. Removing your gift plant from the plain plastic container or common tin foil it came in to something more interesting is a statement worth making if you have the time and money. Not only can you select your own pot or container, you can also decorate it yourself. Boring plastic pots can be transformed with spray paint in a more interesting color that compliments your plant or the room where it will be displayed, if you know. Or using a few rounds of painter’s tape in various sizes you can also create interesting stripes, patterns and/or abstract designs in single or multiple colors. Add color to a clay pot by making it a mosaic, decorating it with broken tile, broken glass, dishes or pottery. Just keep in mind that these will make the pot heavier. If you prefer the look of old terra-cotta pots, you can try these tricks: rub a new pot with wood stain to give it an antiqued look or coat a pot with plain yogurt to give it an earthy patina. You can also make your own container, personalizing it for your recipient. Anything can be used - the only thing that limits your container selection is your imagination. Taking common objects and turning them into garden features makes a great personal statement. Everyday items, such as coffee mugs, watering cans, or even boots make great plant containers. Whether buying or making, here are the basics: a good container should be large enough to provide room for soil and roots. You don't want your plant standing in wet soil, so make sure the container you choose has enough drainage holes. You also want your container to be attractive without competing with the plant it holds - the plant should be the star. The only exception to this, in my opinion, is a gift of foliage or a plant of all one color, like a Norfolk pine or rosemary. In those cases, an ornate or highly decorated pot might be the perfect choice. All gift plants bring welcome holiday color and cheer to the homes that receive them. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! References “Choosing a Container for Your Plant”, gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/types-of-gardens/choosing-a-container.html “Grow Amaryllis Indoors for Stunning Holiday blooms,” https://extension.umn.edu/news/grow-amaryllis-indoors-stunning-holiday-blooms “Growing and Caring for Amaryllis”, https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/amaryllis “Growing Bulbs Indoors”, https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/growing-bulbs-indoors “Lighting for Indoor Plants and Starting Seeds,” https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lighting-indoor-plants and Pine” “Rosemary,” https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/rosemary.html “Say Will You Be Mine with Flowering Plants”, https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/say-will-you-be-mine-flowering-plants “Tips for growing succulents in containers,” https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/tips-growing-succulents-containers Photo Credit: christmasstockphotos.com (all creative commons) (1), plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com (all creative commons) (2), University of Minnesota Extension (3), www.flickr.com (all creative commons) (4), shopping.yahoo.com (all creative commons) (5), mx.pinterest.com (all creative commons) (6)

< Back Is it Too Late to Plant . . .? Mickey Scullard, Master Gardener Now it’s June and for many reasons, you don’t have your garden planted. Is it too late? This article explains why the answer is a resounding No! There are many vegetables and annuals that have a shorter time to maturation and will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your June labor. Read on to learn how to save your summer planting enjoyment. Now it’s June and for many reasons, you don’t have your garden planted. Is it too late? The resounding and reassuring answer is – No! And the answer is also – it depends. There are many vegetables and flowers that you can plant in June and still get a good harvest. However, there are a few plants that need a long growing season and planting in June might not provide sufficient time for flowers or vegetables to mature. This year, we’ve had a cool, wet spring and many of the perennials (plants that grow back every year) are ‘behind schedule,’ emerging or blooming at least a couple of weeks late. This suggests we already have a delayed planting season and even gardens planted early might be growing slowly or may even need to be replanted if the seeds rotted in the wet soil or tiny plants experienced a frost or freeze. How do you know what you can plant? There are some key items to look at – read the back of the seed packages, if you are sowing seeds, or tags inserted into plants you purchase. The back of the seed package tells you when it is best to plant the seeds, how long before the seed will germinate (when you can expect to see green pushing up out of the ground), and how long to harvest if the seed is going to produce vegetables. If the seed package says 90 days until harvest, you can plant it, but you might not get to pick anything unless we have a long, warm fall. In the picture, you can see Turnips have an estimated 45 days to harvest, so that would work but Parsnips are harvested 95 days after sowing. Even in a good growing year, Parsnips might be a gamble. If the package says the vegetable is a cool season crop, like peas, lettuce, or spinach, you might want to wait until late summer to plant as we are (usually) heading into our hottest growing time in late June, July, and August. You may have missed the spring season harvest, but you have an opportunity to enjoy the vegetable in the Fall. For more information on planting for fall harvest, see the Mid-Summer Planting Guide on the University of Minnesota Extension website. It also has excellent online resources and a handy “at a glance chart” on when to plant: Planting and Growing Guides If you were not able to start seeds yourself for plants needing more growing time than we have in a Minnesota summer, you could consider buying plants from garden centers or nurseries. This will increase your chances of planting late but still successfully growing longer season plants. Flowers don’t have the same timescale on their packages, but you can gather some hints from how the package describes planting. For example, if the package directs you to start the seed inside several weeks before outdoor planting, this may be a flower that needs a longer season than we have in Minnesota. This is not a hard and fast rule, however, as Zinnia packages suggest starting seeds indoors a few weeks before planting. You can successfully direct seed Zinnias – and many other flower seeds – through late June - early July. Just a word of caution: perennials can be sold in seed packets, but will take several years to reach maturity and bloom. To learn whether the flower you want to grow is an annual or perennial, and more information about many types of flowers and flower landscapes, e.g., pollinator gardens, you can refer to - UMN Extension Flowers In the end, especially with seeds, it never hurts to try. One year, I planted sunflowers, cosmos, and zinnias on the Fourth of July – all by seed – and by mid-August, had a pollinator’s paradise and riots of color to enjoy from my deck until Fall. Planting in June is very doable and, while you might have to watch neighbors and friends enjoying their garden harvest while you wait, you will be able to eat your own home-grown vegetables – just a little later. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (2) & Mickey Scullard (1,3)

< Back Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava) Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener One benefit of climate change is that it allows us to grow plants that have previously been out of our growing zone. One of those plants is Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava). A Zone 5 plant, Yellow Honeysuckle is likely to grow well in the southern part of Minnesota. As Master Gardener Jim Lakin explains in this article, Yellow Honeysuckle is a beautiful, vining plant that you should consider for your garden. Although Lonicera flava is not usually native to Minnesota, it does grow wild in Illinois and Iowa. With climate change, it would be well worth your while to give this beauty a go. Yellow honeysuckle should do well in the southern part of the state which is rapidly becoming USDA region 5. In the Twin Cities, planting in a fairly sheltered area would be prudent. You folks up in Duluth probably are doomed to disappointment. Once established, Lonicera flava is a hardy fellow through Zone 5 and should give years of spectacular yellow flowers in the mid to late spring. Yellow honeysuckle is a long-lived native perennial. It does best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Beware, however. This sunlight reduction will reduce the number and intensity of blooms. As the vine grows some 10 to 20 feet upwards, you will want to plant it adjacent to a trellis, fence or other sturdy support. A three to six foot spacing between plants is recommended. For the first season after planting, you will want to keep the plant moist although subsequently Lonicera flava is moderately drought resistant. A good covering of mulch helps a lot. Speaking of mulch, it is a good idea to mulch yellow honeysuckle heavily in winter especially in more northerly regions. Don’t heap the mulch around the stem, however, to avoid encouraging rot. The vine also tends to be disease resistant, although occasionally aphids will camp out on the leaves. It also is not the first choice of deer or rabbits on the buffet line. In short, it is a low maintenance plant. Although yellow honeysuckle will fit into most any landscaping scheme, it looks great in an informal or naturalized setting, especially as a border plant in woodlands. It forms tubular, fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers in whorls which attract hummingbirds and many butterfly species with their nectar. The plant will form small round orange to red berries in the late summer into the fall, providing food for birds and many small mammals. Thus, yellow honeysuckle is a big plus to the ecology of your garden. Photo Credits: elmostreport.blogspot.com (All Creative Commons)), Missouri Dept. Conservation (2)

< Back Goldenrod Jim Lakin, MD, Master Gardener Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) – A Much Maligned Masterpiece I just hate to see goldenrod blooming. My eyes and nose itch. I sneeze like crazy…” I’ve often heard this complaint, wrongly hurled at a beautiful and ecologically important group of native plants. The problem is these late-summer blooming beauties unfurl their golden flowers at the same time that the relatively inconspicuous ragweed releases its allergy-causing pollen into the air. It is ragweed pollen, not the flowers of goldenrod, which creates all the misery of fall hay fever season. (Read this month’s “Gardener Beware” article for more on ragweed and hay fever.) Unlike ragweed which is wind-pollinated, goldenrod is dependent upon visiting insects to spread its pollen from plant to plant. Consequently, goldenrod produces abundant, nectar-rich flowerings to attract the pollinators. It thus is a very important source of late-summer and fall nectar for these vital insects, when little else is available, save for the asters. So, if goldenrod is so great why don’t we see it more in gardens than in vacant lots? As you might expect there is some debate as to whether or not goldenrod is a native plant to be cherished or a common weed to be eradicated. When you get right down to it, that’s a pretty subjective decision. One man’s weed is another’s treasure. Most goldenrod is leggy or “weedy”. They can be pretty aggressive spreading by seed and underground rhizomes. They will take over from less robust plants. Therefore, you have to be careful where you plant them. Some folks consider them “inappropriate” for formal garden settings. So, if your home turf is severely suburban, your neighbors might look askance at a front lawn patch of goldenrod. As you’ve probably guessed, my own aesthetics are a bit more on the wild side. I find Solidago sp. a great addition to fall landscape color in our wooded acreage. They are great for tough spots where most other perennials are reluctant to grow. They attract a variety of butterflies and bees in late August and September. Their seed heads are an important source of nutrition for birds during the winter months. Now that you’re ready to get in the goldenrod game, here are a few of my favorite species: Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) is very hardy, reaching 1 to 2 feet. And yes, its stem does grow in a zigzag pattern. Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa) will grow in areas with wet, boggy soil although is prefers good drainage. It gets 3 to 5 feet tall. Old field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) only grows ½ to 2 feet in contrast to its taller cousins. All goldenrods prefer full sun but will soldier through light shade. They have very few natural pests and really don’t require fertilization on all but the poorest soils. A little fertilizer or compost in the spring will boost their height. You should water newly planted goldenrod weekly. In subsequent years they get by with help only in the driest periods of summer. As I said, Solidago can spread. Planting it in a confined bed will help. Some folks suggest digging it up every couple of years before the roots become established. Another suggestion is to deadhead the flowers before they form seed, although this deprives birds of a vital food source in winter and early spring. So if you are up to a little naturalization, Solidago is the thing. The birds and the bees will thank you. References: extension.umn.edu Grow your own birdseed Most gardeners are nature lovers and therefore love their feathered friends. In your selection of plants to grow, have you ever considered growing your own birdseed? https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solidago-nemoralis/ Photo credit: Native Plant Trust: Go Botany (1)