< Back Lettuce, the crunchy cold-loving crop! Jess Nguyen, Master Gardener Intern What leafy vegetable could be a more fitting staple of summer than the humble lettuce, which makes up the backbone of a refreshing salad and adds a fresh crunch to any picnic sandwich? Cultivation of lettuce dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who used the plant as an important food crop and seed oil source. Today, there are hundreds of varieties of lettuce grown across the globe. Keep reading to find out how you can grow this quick-growing crop in your own garden. What leafy vegetable could be a more fitting staple of summer than the humble lettuce, which makes up the backbone of a refreshing salad and adds a fresh crunch to any picnic sandwich? Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) is an annual cool-season crop that grows well in the spring and fall. Lettuce is a fantastic candidate for succession planting in your garden, as your lettuce harvest will be ready once the summer starts to warm up and can then be replaced by heat-loving plants. Lactuca sativa has hundreds of varieties (wow!) that can be categorized into different types. Some commonly-grown categories are as follows: Non-heading lettuce, which includes loose-leaf lettuce varieties; Soft-headed lettuce, which includes varieties such as butterhead lettuce; Ruffled-headed lettuce, which includes French crisp/summer crisp/Batavia lettuce; Tall and compact head lettuce such as Romaine lettuce; Dense, solid head lettuce, which includes iceberg lettuce. For beginner gardeners, loose-leaf lettuce tends to be the easiest type of lettuce to grow! Lettuce seeds are very small and require loose, well-draining, and well-tilled/non-clumpy soil to effectively germinate. Adding compost to your soil before sowing lettuce seeds will help the lettuce to produce large and well-shaped heads. Lettuce prefers cooler temperatures; a soil temperature range between 45°F and 65°F (7°C and 18°C) is ideal. Sow lettuce seeds on the surface of the soil, 1/4 to 1/2 inches deep. When choosing a spot to grow lettuce, pick an area that gets five to six hours of sunlight. In hotter temperatures, lettuce benefits from an area that gets shade in the afternoon. An easy method to control the quality of your starting soil and the growing environment would be to start lettuce plants indoors. You can start seeds when you would otherwise not be able to: when the temperature is still too cold in spring to plant and when the temperature is too hot in the summer for lettuce to thrive! Sow seeds about four weeks before you intend to transplant them. Thin seedlings to encourage the largest plants to thrive. Harden your seedlings before transplanting. In the spring, transplant lettuce about a week after the last frost, when freezing temperatures no longer persist. In the fall, transplant lettuce about two months before the first frost date. For direct sowing, sow seeds in the spring as soon as the soil is workable; this should be two to four weeks before your last frost. For fall harvest, sow lettuce seeds about three months before the first frost date, which for Minnesota tends to occur around late August. Soil in late summer can be cooled to suitable temperatures by covering with damp hay to shield the soil from the sun before planting. Rows of lettuce should be 18 to 30 inches apart. Thin seedlings to the appropriate spacing based on the variety that you’ve planted. For example, most loose-leaf varieties recommend seedlings spaced four inches apart, while Romaine lettuce should be planted eight inches apart. Lettuce has very shallow roots, so frequent watering is important for growth. Soil should remain moist but not be overly-wet, which can lead to disease. Thankfully, it is easy to see when your lettuce needs water–look for the obvious signs of wilting that tell you to water the leaves to cool down your lettuce plants. Some common pests for lettuce plants include cutworms, which can cut seedlings and lettuce plants off at the soil line, causing seedlings to die and growing plants to wilt. Cutworms should be hand-picked off of the plants, and collars that extend two inches into the soil surrounding the plants can help deter the worms from further damage. Slugs, which cause holes in lettuce leaves, should also be removed from the plants by hand. Aphids are a pest that can stunt the growth of the lettuce causing yellowed and misshapen leaves and can also cause disease. Remove aphids by blasting them with a water spray, or by introducing biological controls such as ladybugs into your garden. One common problem when growing lettuce is bolting, which is caused when lettuce plants grow in temperatures that are consistently above 75°F. Bolting is when lettuce plants produce a central stalk to flower, which causes the leaves of the lettuce plants to become very bitter and unsuitable for eating. Long days and intense sunlight can also cause bolting. Therefore, for most areas in Minnesota, the months of June, July, and August have conditions that are too hot to grow lettuce effectively. Use these months for heat-loving plants instead! Harvest lettuce when the leaves are full-sized but still young, as mature leaves tend to go bitter. In the spring, leaves will have the best flavor before the weather becomes hot and dry. In the fall when cooler temperatures benefit lettuce, beware of prolonged freezes, which can damage your harvest! You can harvest lettuce by removing outer leaves (which can also be done as the plant is still growing) or by cutting the plant at or slightly above the soil line. Store your lettuce in a loose plastic bag in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use your lettuce, rinse the lettuce thoroughly in cool water, then dry the leaves using a salad spinner or a towel. Wilted lettuce can be revived by a soak in an ice-water bath to maintain crispy, crunchy leaves all summer long. For more information about growing lettuce, see this article by the University of Minnesota’s Marissa Schuh and Jill MacKenzie. Did you know that you can grow lettuce even during the coldest winters, using indoor hydroponics systems? Learn more about hydroponic lettuce in this article by the University of Minnesota’s Natalie Hoidal, Amanda Reardon, Leah Worth, and Mary Rogers. Links Used “Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens” https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio “Small-scale hydroponics” https://extension.umn.edu/how/small-scale-hydroponics#lighting-2644462 Photo credits: Wikimedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Red_leaf_lettuce_J1.JPG (1), pxhere https://c.pxhere.com/photos/c6/a2/lettuce_vegetables_food_eat_vitamins-1018166.jpg!d (2), flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/506693397 (3)

< Back Root Veggie Tart Joy Johnson, Master Gardener Root veggies are popular to grow in home gardens, easy to store, and very nutritious. This “Root Veggie Tart” was a winner with Joy Johnson’s entire family. A delicious and nutritious vegetable treat with fresh or stored root veggies. I made this tart for Easter dinner last spring and taste tested it on 24 of my relatives. Since everyone loved it, from oldest to youngest I thought I’d share it with you. The veggies I used were ones that had been stored over the winter from last fall’s crop, but I’m sharing it now, since you may have fresh root vegetables that you are harvesting. I made a large batch, but you can scale it down to family size quite easily. Feel free to add or subtract root veggies using what you have on hand, it tastes just as good no matter the mix of veggies. Ingredients : 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 huge, sweet potato or 3 smaller ones, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch lengths 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 onion, peeled and cut into small pieces ¾ cup olive oil ¾ cup sugar 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 2 teaspoons dried sage. If you have fresh sage, use 1 Tablespoon of leaves 4 oz. goat cheese 1 ½ 9-inch pie dough rounds. Roll together into one piece large enough to cover your casserole dish. Preparation: Preheat oven to 400. Put the cut-up veggies in a large zip lock bag, pour in the olive oil and seal bag. Rotate bag until all veggies are coated with oil. Dump out onto one or two rimmed baking sheets, single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in the oven to roast until golden around the edges and tender, 30-35 min. Let cool. While the veggies are roasting, make the glaze: Cook sugar in 6 tablespoons for water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is slightly amber colored, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vinegar and a pinch of salt, swirling pan to combine. Quickly pour the glaze into the casserole dish, tilt and rotate to evenly coat. Scatter the rosemary and sage over top. Put all the veggies into the casserole dish on top of the glaze. Wiggle them around and press them together gently. Crumble the goat cheese over the vegetables. Drape the rolled-out pie crust over the vegetables in the casserole dish, tuck the edges of the crust down along the inside edge. You may need to use a butter knife to gently push the crust between the veggies and the edges of the dish. Bake until crust looks dry, about 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and bake until crust is golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Dale’s Grapefruit-Basil Martini Here is a delicious cocktail that my brother came up with on the same day I made the veggie tart. It was delicious and refreshing. 3 parts fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice 1 part grapefruit vodka (Dale uses Citron – the one with no added sugar) ½ part Elderflower liqueur (Dale uses St. Germain) ½ part fresh lime juice ½ part simple syrup to taste (1 part sugar, 2 parts water) 1-2 sprigs fresh basil 2-3 drops grapefruit bitters Muddle basil in the grapefruit juice and refrigerate for 24 hours in a Mason jar. Stir or shake periodically. After 24 hours, strain out the basil (a few remaining green flecks are okay). Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with basil sprig (which really provides more of a basil punch!) Photo credits: Joy Johnson (all)

< Back Make a Cayenne Pepper Wreath for the Holidays Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s a great idea to grow vegetables in your garden to eat and share. But some vegetables lend themselves to other creative uses. Read this article to learn how to make a beautiful and useful holiday wreath with cayenne peppers. The Dakota County Master Gardeners participate in the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners’ annual vegetable seed trials. Master Gardeners receive selected vegetable seeds, plant them, grow them and record data about the growing experience. I participated in the project for the first time this year. It was a great learning experience. One of the seed types I chose to grow was cayenne peppers. I started them indoors in March and was blessed with about 60 plants that germinated and grew to transplanting size. I transplanted them outside in late May. In early September the peppers were at their peak of production. I harvested and taste tested all of the varieties and recorded my data for the seed trial project. But at the end of the season, I had a LOT of peppers. What was I to do with all of them? Well, I fermented 2 gallons of hot sauce and bottled it in cute little bottles and gave it away as Christmas gifts to all of my friends, family and co-workers. But I still had a lot of peppers left. Being the frugal person that I am, I can’t bear to waste anything, so I decided to make a wreath for the holidays. I spent 3 long evenings sewing peppers onto a straw wreath with florist’s wire. I pushed each piece of wire through the base of the stem of the pepper and then wrapped it around the straw wreathe to anchor it. Pepper after pepper, row after row. A pattern started to develop. I made a green ring by facing the stems toward each other. I tried to fill all the gaps. Some of the peppers were quite long and heavy. The wreathe as a whole ended up being quite heavy. I hung it in my kitchen on a secure hook, for about a month. The peppers began to dry and shrivel up. This changed the look of the wreath. When I needed a pepper for cooking, I could just snip one off. After about 3 months the peppers became so dry that the stems wouldn’t hold the florists wire any longer and they began to fall off. This isn’t a permanent wreath, but it was a fun accent for a few months. If you try this, make sure you wear gloves and don’t touch your face when handling the peppers. You can also make garlands or hanging ropes using onions and garlic. I did that years ago; again, they last for a while, but as they start to dry out, they fall apart. Photo credits: Joy Johnson (1,2,3)

< Back Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana) Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener Are you a clematis lover? Do you have a fenceline, large arbor or a slope to cover? If so, this article explains why you might want to consider the native clematis Virgin’s Bower. This is a vigorous grower and produces beautiful white flowers that appeal to humans and pollinators. Easy to grow and vigorous once established, this climbing beauty is native throughout the Midwest. It is also known by the names “love vine,” “traveler’s joy,” “wild hops” and “Virginia Virgin’s Bower.” Less complementary monikers include “devil’s darning needles” and “devil’s hair.” One thing to be cautious of when selecting this plant is to not confuse it with its non-native cousin, Sweet Autumn Clematis ( Clematis terniflora ). The latter plant is highly invasive and will run amok! Virgin’s Bower is a pretty good grower in and of itself. So be careful where you plant it, as it can be invasive in a garden setting. vigorous Virgin’s Bower in home landscape Virgin’s Bower self-seeds and will root anywhere a shoot touches the ground. It is hardy through Zone 3 and does best in full sun, although it is tolerant of light shade. Virgin’s Bower is a woody vine that can grow to 8 to 15 feet. It tolerates a range of well-drained soils from moist to dry, clay to sandy. As you might imagine, Virgin’s Bower does best in natural landscapes. It is great for planting along fence lines or on large arbors. It creates a welcome habitat for pollinators in mid-summer and early fall. Virgin’s Bower also does well as a ground cover on any steep slopes you might be trying to cover. Plants are dioecious, being either male or female. So, check with your nursery when you buy, to assure flowering. If you do, you will be treated to a blanket of white flowers in mid-summer into early fall. The female plants form single dry seeds (achenes) in the fall which persist into winter. These silky, plumed seeds are one of the great ornamental assets of the plant. caterpillar on Virgin’s Bower flower in September If you are a clematis lover, as am I, you will find Virgin’s Bower a low maintenance, vigorous yet charming addition to your collection. Photo Credits: Peter M. Dziuk, Minnesota Wildflowers (usage authorized) (1), © Mary Free, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (usage authorized for educational use) (2-3)

< Back Cooking with Frozen Vegetables (And a St. Patrick’s Day Nod) Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s not too early to order seeds for your vegetable garden this summer but first, you need to use up all those vegetables left over from last summer that are sitting in your freezer. Joy Johnson’s Minestrone soup will help you do just that. Add some Irish soda bread for a great St. Patrick’s Day meal. The ground is still frozen in Dakota County and I don’t have anything growing in my garden. However, I have received some seed catalogs already and I’ve even seen a rack of seed packets for sale at the store. You may be thinking about starting some vegetable plants early indoors. It’s always so fun to see the little seedlings sprout. I just realized that if I’m going to grow more vegetables this year, I need to clean out my freezer and use all the ones I froze last year. I have been using my frozen produce all winter long, see my past recipes! But I do still have a variety of veggies in my freezer. I like to cook in large batches so I have food to share with other family members, or just so I don’t have to cook for a few days, and we can live on leftovers. I have a recipe that I’ve been making for years that uses my frozen veggie stash and makes plenty to share. A bonus – everyone who has eaten it has loved it. The recipe is flexible, so if you don’t have one of the veggies, or you want to add in something that is not listed, feel free to experiment. This recipe is from The Saint Paul Farmers Market Produce Cookbook. Minestrone Soup 6 cups beef broth 1 (15 oz.) can great northern, cannellini or lima beans 1 large potato, peeled and dices 2 carrots, sliced 2 ribs celery, sliced 1 white or yellow onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 1 ½ cups green cabbage, chopped 1 cup zucchini, cubed 1 cup green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths ½ lb. spinach or Swiss chard, chopped 3 cups Italian plum tomatoes, chopped ½ cup small shell macaroni or other pasta, uncooked ½ tsp each dried oregano and rosemary (or 1 tsp. each, fresh or frozen, chopped) 1 tsp dried basil (or 2 tsp fresh or frozen chopped) 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper Grated Parmesan cheese In a large stockpot, bring beef broth to a boil. Add cannellini beans, potato, carrots and celery. Simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté onion, garlic and green pepper for 5 minutes. (If using frozen peppers, no need to sauté). Add to broth mixture and simmer another 15 minutes. Add cabbage, zucchini, green beans, and spinach or Swiss chard. Simmer 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, pasta, oregano, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer another 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Makes 15 servings. A bread that goes well with Minestrone, and gives a nod to Saint Patrick’s Day, is Irish Soda Bread. The recipe that I’m sharing with you here is an authentic Irish recipe. My elderly neighbor who is 100% Irish has verified that it is a true Irish soda bread because it has raisins and caraway seeds. Irish Soda Bread 3 ½ cups flour 2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 ½ cup raisins Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together these wet ingredients: 1 1/3 cups buttermilk 2 eggs beaten 4 Tbsp melted butter ½ tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp vanilla 1 Tbsp carraway seeds Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well blended. Grease and flour baking dish. I use an actual Irish soda bread pan, it’s like a 9” round cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons (1) & Flickr (2)

< Back Butterflies, Skippers & Moths - How Many Can You Find? Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener Summer is in full swing and with summer comes butterflies, skippers and moths. Have you seen any while you have been outside at a park, in your yard or simply walking from place to place? Minnesota is home to approximately 150 types of butterflies and skippers and also thousands of moths which is great news. Let’s learn the difference between each and then see what we can do to provide what each needs to thrive in MN. Peck’s Skipper; Photo credit: www.flickr.com ] Every winged insect that looks like a butterfly may not actually be a butterfly, but instead may be a skipper or a moth. How can I tell them apart? Butterfly: Wings are colorful and more vibrant in color Antennae are thin and have knobs at the end Butterflies only fly during the day When resting, butterflies hold their wings upward vertically Skipper: Erratic flying pattern - fast and quick Body is fuzzy and look more like moths Heads are large and wide and eyes are further apart Antennae tips are curved sharply/hooked and are thicker at the top and narrower at the bottom Wings are stronger but smaller and are usually more triangular shaped than butterflies Moths Bodies are thicker and very fuzzy Moths fly at night mostly Moths are usually a dull color - not colorful Wings are held flat against their body when resting Antennae are branch like and look like hairs Reverdin’s Blue Butterfly; Photo credit: www.flickr.com A fun activity to do with your “Growing Sprouts” is to spend both a bright sunny day outside exploring and looking for butterflies and skippers who may be more active on sunny and less windy days and then look for moths in the evenings. Count how many of each you can find in one day and try to identify the differences in their characteristics. Can you get close enough to see the fuzzy body of the moth versus the hooked antennae of the skipper? Giant Swallowtail Butterfly; Photo credit: www.flickr.com When exploring butterflies, skippers and moths, did you see what type of diets help them survive? Is there more we can do to provide nutrients and help butterflies, skippers and moths survive? Yes - we can do simple things in our own backyard and encourage others to do the same. Explore these ways to have your “Growing Sprout” help out the butterflies, skippers and moths in your area: Plant annuals and perennials that provide nectar (nutrients). Examples include: dill, Mexican sunflower, marigolds, parsley, petunias, bee balm, joe pye weed, verbena, violets, zinnias, wild lupine, nasturtium, milkweed, blanket flower . . . just to name a few. Provide protected areas all year through which include bushes, tall grasses, water sources and areas out of the wind. Minimize or stop using pesticides - build soil and plant health more naturally. Monarch butterfly and child; Photo credit: www.flickr.com Enjoy all the ways to begin to plant and explore with your “Growing Sprouts” to invite more butterflies, skippers and moths into your backyard and continue to keep track of what you see.

< Back September - Seed Saving Shari Mayer, Master Gardener Seed saving is a fun and rewarding experience—especially when you see the fruits of your labor the following year! We are approaching harvest time in Minnesota, so now is the perfect time to think about harvesting seeds. Read this article for some tips to help make your seed saving productive! Seed saving is a fun and rewarding experience—especially when you see the fruits of your labor the following year! We are approaching harvest time in Minnesota, so now is the perfect time to think about harvesting seeds. Below are some tips to help make your seed saving productive! If you grow to eat the plant, and want to save seed for the next season, make sure you plant extra. Choose to either eat the plant or save the seed, but don’t expect to do both. If the plant you want to save seed from has an ‘F1’ on the label—don’t bother. This is a hybrid plant and you will not get the results you are looking for. Try heirloom varieties instead. Seeds are not created equal. Breeders pick the plant that is most desirable and stands out for a particular trait or traits—the largest, earliest blooming, tastiest, etc., for the next season. Once you have your seeds, go through and separate out the smaller, cracked and/or misshapen seeds. Use the unblemished ‘perfect’ seeds first. Seeds are ready for harvesting once fully ripe—if you pick too early the seed will not germinate. ‘Fully ripe’ for seed harvesting is usually when the plant is almost dead, or the fruit/vegetable is almost to the rotting point, or brown, dry and splitting open. Seeds need to be fully dry before storing for the following year(s). The moisture content needs to be very low, or mold/rotting can occur, spoiling the seed. Storage for seeds should be in breathable envelopes (I use coin envelopes), and kept in a cool dark place. Avoid humidity and damp places. Seeds are viable for a number of years, but it is best to use seed within a year or two of harvesting. There are methods to determine viability for seeds if you have them for longer, but expect the germination rate to drop each year. Self-pollinating plants are great seed saver candidates (think tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas) for beginners. Plants which cross-pollinate are a little trickier to harvest seed from (cucumbers, squash, corn, melons, for example). Extra measures need to be employed to ensure seeds are not contaminated from similar varieties planted too close. Try growing just one variety, or keep similar plants far away to minimize being compromised by wind and/or insect pollination. Seeds from wet, fleshy plants (tomatoes, melons, etc.) are a little more involved than from a seedhead or pod. The seeds are encased in a gooey substance that needs to be removed and thoroughly dried before storing. Just put the seeds in some water and let it rot/ferment for a few days. This helps remove the coating and improves germination. Just rinse and let dry completely and then store as usual. If you would like more information, the book Seed to Seed , by Susan Ashworth, is highly recommended. Happy Harvesting! Photo credits: U of M Extension (1, 3), Natalie Hoidal, U of M Extension (2)

< Back Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash Marjorie Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener Looking for a special vegetable dish for the holidays? Or, how about a vegetable-main dish combination perfect for cold winter nights? What vegetable could fit the bill better than butternut squash? This recipe will make your mouth water and your tummy full. Ingredients Topping : 1/4 cup crumbled Feta Fresh marjoram, parsley or oregano as a garnish Honey (optional) Filling: 1lb. (uncooked) of your favorite sausage Squash: 1 large Butternut Squash, halved and seeded 2 TBSP Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste or, Garlic salt and smoked paprika. Directions Preheat oven or grill to 400° Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush olive oil on squash halves. Make several cuts in the neck and cube the neck, putting the cubes in the seed cavity. Season to taste with salt and pepper or garlic salt and smoked paprika. 4. Stuff with the sausage. If using the grill, place on an aluminum baking sheet, or whatever you might ordinarily use. Cook cut side up for 40-45 minutes or until done. Top with feta cheese. Drizzle with honey, if desired. Run under broiler for a bit, if you want more color. Garnish with fresh marjoram, parsley or oregano. Enjoy! Photo Credit: Marjorie Blare (1-5)

< Back Don’t Overlook These Early Spring Native Perennials Julie Harris, Dakota County Master Gardener When we think of early spring plants in Minnesota, we generally envision bulb plants, such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths or allium. But don’t overlook the many beautiful native wildflowers that also bloom in early spring. This article will feature six of these plants. They may deserve a place in your garden or look for them as you stroll through local parks or public gardens. When we think of early spring plants in Minnesota, we generally envision bulb plants, such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths or allium. But don’t overlook the many beautiful native wildflowers that also bloom in early spring. This article will feature six of these plants. They may deserve a place in your garden or look for them as you stroll through local parks or public gardens. Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale) Snow Trillium Snow Trillium, a Minnesota native, is one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the spring, often appearing while snow is still on the ground. It has delicate white three-part petals about an inch across. The plant is only about 4 inches tall. Snow Trillium grows best in well drained soil and light shade. Pasque Flower (Anemone patens) Pasque flower Pasque Flower is commonly found in prairies or along hiking trails. Often one of the first perennials to bloom, it has 1 ½ inch, soft, lavender to white petals and fuzzy stems. The leaves form a mound 10-12 inches tall. Pasque Flower grows in well-drained soil and full sun. The plant remains attractive throughout the summer. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested but still it has been used medicinally. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) Bloodroot “Who does not know the bloodroots – babes in the wood – each closely wrapped in the swaddling blanket of a quaintly fashioned grayish-green leaf?” Eloise Butler , 1911. Bloodroot blooms in March and April and dies back in early summer. It has white petals around golden centers and stands 3 - 8 inches tall. There are 6 – 12 petals which reach a total width of 1 – 2 1/3 inches. Its odd name comes from the red sap in its roots and stems. Bloodroot is found in woodlands with moist to dry soil and spreads from rhizomes. Bloodroot needs sunlight before the tree canopy leafs out but then requires shade. All parts of the plant are poisonous in large quantities but it has an extensive history of medicinal use. Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) Skunk Cabbage emerges early in the season, generating its own heat to melt the snow surrounding it. It isn’t a particularly showy plant and does emit an unpleasant scent when crushed but its reddish-purple flowers are an important supporter of early-season pollinators. The heat that it generates helps to attract pollinators. The plant will grow 2 – 3 feet in height with the curled-cabbage-like-leaves appearing after the flower emerges. It can be found in bogs and stream edges. Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis) Hepatica Hepatica, is a lovely early spring perennial with star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple and white. The flowers are ½ - 1 inch wide and the plant grows about 12” high. The leaves are evergreen, turning to a purple color in the fall. It is often found in wooded areas alongside Bloodroot. Hepatica is in the buttercup family and goes by the common name “liverleaf” or “liverwort.” The common name comes from the leaves’ resemblance to the human liver. The leaves can be poisonous if ingested and do not appear to have any medicinal value. Many pollinators are attracted to Hepatica during their month-long blooming period. Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) Dutchman's Breeches flowers Dutchman’s Breeches is named for its white, pant-shaped flowers that dangle upside down over dainty leaves. They bloom in March and April and are a favorite of early-season pollinators. The plant grows 4 – 12 inches tall. The flowers have pale red to yellowish stalks, white with yellow or pink-tinged centers about ¾ inches long. The yellow-green or grayish-green leaves have a sharp point and die back in mid-summer. Dutchman’s Breeches prefer dappled sunlight in rich soils under a tall tree canopy. The plant may be harmful if ingested and can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. However, parts of the plant have been used to treat skin diseases. If you do not have these lovely early perennials in your yard, you can find many of them in parks and nature areas around the twin cities. Of course, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Hennepin County has been host to nearly all of these wildflowers for decades. So, look forward to taking a walk in nature within the next few weeks and look for these native beauties. Reference: https://mplsparksfoundation.org/early-spring-blooms-7-plants-to-spot-in-minneapolis-parks/ https://friendsofeloisebutler.org/pages/seasonal/mcearlyspring.html www.hort.extension.wisc.edu Photo Credit: G.D. Bebeau; www.friendsofeloisebutler.org (1,2,3,4,6) University of Wisconsin Extension (5)

< Back Raccoon Grape: Ampelopsis cordata A Tough Customer in the Beds Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener This month marks the beginning of a series by Master Gardener Jim Lakin on native vines. First up is the Raccoon Grapevine (Ampelopsis cordata). Raccoon Grapevine is quite a vigorous vine plant which, if managed well, will reward the grower with a spectacular display. Read this article to learn more about this hardy vine. You’ve probably never run into Raccoon Grape in any landscape manual. That’s because it’s a tough customer and will take over everything in its path. It puts out runners rambunctiously and self-seeds abundantly in disturbed soils (like a cultivated garden bed). Planted in harsh sites with poop, drought-prone soils it can spread to spectacular effect; however, I have had some in a potentilla bed next to the house. I let it spread up the banister, creating a lovely effect. Two or three times a season, however, I have to get into the bed itself and tear out the vine to give the potentilla a chance. It requires a little effort but the effect is spectacular. diagram of grape leaf and berry Now that you have been warned, let’s talk about the distribution and growth characteristics of this fellow. Raccoon Grape is common across the Midwest along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. You’ll find it in hedgerows and disturbed soils all over lower Minnesota. It is said to be hardy through Zone 5, although it has done very well in our gardens in the south suburban Twin Cities. The vine is tolerant of a wide variety of soils and will grow vigorously from seed. Indeed, its strong point is its ability to go “where no plant has gone before”. Raccoon Grape leaf The flowers of Raccoon Grape are unremarkable but visited by a variety of small insect pollinators. The grapes are inedible but appear in early fall in a wide range of colors, ripening from a fuchsia pink to aqua and finally navy blue. They are big hits with songbirds and, you guessed it, raccoons. The leaves turn a sunny yellow in the fall. Raccoon Grape berry So, if you are careful in placement and not afraid of curbing the vigor of Racoon Grape, this can be a hardy, strategic addition to difficult spots as well as a beautiful accent to arbors or fences. Photo Credits: Missouri Department of Education; https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/raccoon-grape (1), www.missouriplants.com (2), Kansas Native Plants; https://kansasnativeplants.com/guide/plant_detail.php?plnt_id=153 (3)

< Back Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardener Jack-in-the-Pulpit is a shade requiring native plant best grown in rich, moist woods or marshes. Read about this unique and fascinating long-lived perennial here. It takes a special kind of plant to survive near our marsh. The ground ranges from damp to soggy, the shade is at best partial but mostly deep once you step a foot or two into the surrounding woods. Yet it is in this challenging environment that Jack in the Pulpit is most content. This unusual but long-lived native perennial is found in moist woodlands throughout most of the eastern half of the United States. It is prevalent throughout Minnesota and most of the Upper Midwest, hardy up through Zone 3. The flower is 3 to 4 inches tall and about 2 inches across. It is made up of a 2- to 3-inch-long club (the “Jack”, or spadix) sitting in a tubular base with a hood (the “pulpit”, or spathe). The spadix is light to reddish green. The spathe is light to purplish green and often dotted with white or purplish stripes. Plants are either male or female but you can’t tell without peering into the “pulpit”. It is there that either the staminate (female) or pistillate (male) organs are to be found. Speaking of gender, Jack in the Pulpit is rather fluid in that department. A given plant can change sex from year to year. Apparently, this is a function of how successful they were or were not in pollinating during the previous season. Once the plant decides if he/she is to be a boy or girl for the season its structure differentiates accordingly. Males tend to be smaller than females. They sprout from an underground corm which can send out runners producing additional plants. Consequently, Jack-in-the-Pulpits are usually found in colonies with a tall female plant surrounded by smaller male plants. The male plant has a hole in the bottom of its spathe (“pulpit”) which provides an easy exit for pollinating insects, usually small flies or gnats. In contrast, females have no such exit in their spathe, forcing a would-be pollinator to squirm around a bit to get out. This increases the likelihood of pollen being deposited on the staminate structures within the spathe. Pretty clever interior design! Jack in the Pulpit can be grown from seed but it takes four to five years before the plant flowers. So, if you are thinking of planting some, you might consider buying a corm instead of seed. Once mature, the female plant produces flowers in late spring to early summer. When fertilized smooth green berries are produced. In late summer they ripen to a deep red as the leaves wither. These berries are about a quarter inch in diameter appearing in ovoid shaped clusters which can be up to 2 inches long. Each berry contains one to seven small seeds. These prove tempting to many woodland birds, including wild turkeys, who eat the ripe berries and excrete the seeds. So, if you have a moist shaded spot in your garden and are looking for a suitable native perennial, the unusual but showy Jack in the Pulpit may just be your guy. Photo credits: Flickr.com (1, 2)

< Back The Short-lived Beauty of Blooming Cactus Joy Johnson, Master Gardener 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. A long time ago, I thought growing cactus would be a piece of cake. Just set the little cactus I’d picked up at Home Depot on the window sill, ignore it for six months and then give it a little water. I thought I would be extravagantly rewarded for all my effort. NOT! Within a month the cactus had shriveled up and died. I did some research, mostly to convince myself that it really wasn’t all my fault it had died, but I found out it was. Short and sweet, here is what I’ve learned about growing cactus over the years. First, they need a growing medium that is 60% sand/small gravel and 40% cactus potting soil. Second, it is best to grow them in a traditional, non-glazed clay pot with a clay saucer underneath the hole in the bottom of the pot. This allows them to dry out thoroughly between waterings. Third, they should be watered once a week, not flooded, but enough to get the soil thoroughly wet. Don’t water them if they are not all the way dry. Fourth, they need light. In the winter my cacti (all 52 of them) are in my house in front of south and west facing windows. They go semi dormant in the cool basement and only need ¼ cup of water every two weeks. This allows them to rest. In the spring, I bring them upstairs, where there is more light, and give them a little cactus fertilizer (half the recommended dose) with every other watering. When outdoor day time temperatures are above 65 degrees and all chance of frost is past, I move them all outdoors. If possible, a week in a shaded area is a good transition before placing them in full sun. Because I have so many, they don’t all get treated to shade before being placed in the full sun, I simply don’t have the space. A few have gotten sunburned spots on them, but all have survived. It doesn’t matter if they get poured on by a summer thunderstorm. They seem to love the extra moisture, as long as they are in pots that drain and can dry out. I occasionally fertilize them during the summer, but not too often. It’s important to place them out of harm’s way, where they won’t get blown over, or bumped by passersby. In June and July, you may be rewarded by these stunning blooms. They only last 24 hours, but they are simply breath taking. This year, we had one cactus that bloomed in both June and July (usually they only bloom once a year). Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus also enjoy being outside in the summertime. Make sure they aren’t in full sun, they definitely like it a little shady. We have one large cactus that I call a dragon’s head cactus because it’s flowers really look like a dragon head with its mouth wide open. Every summer I’ve put it outside, it gets tiny brown spots all over it. I bring it in before the first frost and it rewards me with blooms in January. The brown spots fade once it’s been in the house for a month or so. I’m thinking it doesn’t like being outdoors, even in the shade. But I like the extra space I have in the house during the summer once all 52 cactuses have been moved to their outdoor summer homes! I don’t know the scientific names for all our cactuses, many seem to have been mislabeled, simple called “Euphorbia” or my favorite, “cactus”. We just enjoy them, after all a cactus by any other name will still look stunning. Photo credits: Joy Johnson (1, 2, 3)