< Back Green Beans for the Holidays – Should You Plant Pole or Bush Green Beans Next Year? Are you one of the 20 million people who enjoyed green bean casserole for Thanksgiving dinner? If you plant green beans in your garden this summer, you can preserve and use your home-grown green beans in your next Thanksgiving meal. In this article, you will learn more about your green bean planting options and how to choose which beans to grow and enjoy. Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Master Gardener Many of us choose to adorn our holiday tables with the classic Green Bean Casserole (French cut green beans, fried onions, and mushroom soup). For trivia types, this casserole was first created in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly while employed at the Campbell Soup Company. As of 2020, Campbells estimated that approximately 20 million U. S. Thanksgiving dinners include this dish each year. That’s a lot of beans! And a reason to contemplate growing green beans next gardening season and then freezing them for the holiday season. Read more to determine if you should plant the Pole or Bush type green beans. Green Beans are also referred to as Snap Beans or String Beans and are a member of the wax bean family. And not to confuse people, but string beans can also be yellow, red, striped, and even purple (the purple disappears when cooked)! Growing green beans in your garden has many benefits; to name a few: · Easy to grow especially for young children as the larger seed size makes it easier to plant and the long green bean makes it easier for them to see to harvest; · Excellent companion plant to tomatoes as they put nitrogen back into the soil; · Can be grown in smaller spaces but require full sun; and · Excellent source of nutrition (low in calories, high in antioxidants including Vitamin C and fiber). In general, there are two types of these beans for gardeners to consider: Pole vs. Bush beans. Pole Beans, simply put, are vining plants which must be supported by a trellis, pole, or fence. They can grow up to 6 to 7 feet long. Bush beans are low growing plants that grow 1 to 2 feet tall only. So which type is better to plant: Advantages of Bush Beans: · No trellis or pole is required; · Great for compacted, raised beds; · Have a shorter production time (usually harvest within 50 to 55 days vs. 55 to 65 days for pole beans) · Produce all their beans within a short time (2 to 3 weeks) which is great for freezing and can stagger planting times for additional harvests Advantages of Pole Beans: · More productive than bush beans (in a 10-foot row space, pole beans can yield 8 pounds of produce compared to bush beans at 4 to 5 pounds) · Have a longer harvest window if you prefer to eat them fresh (continually harvest them). · Less susceptible to diseases such as powdery mildew · Have a better flavor than bush beans (sweeter and starchier) · Easier to harvest (gives your back a break) · Excellent companion plant to corn and squash/cucumber or with a teepee system you can plant lettuce, parsley, or radishes in the center. So, while you are enjoying your holiday feast, remember to dream about the upcoming planting season and decide if you are going to plant pole vs. bush string beans next year! Sources: · Green Bean Casserole, Wikipedia.org · WebMD Health Benefits of Green Beans. November 28, 2022 · JohnnySeeds.com About Pole Beans · Iowa State Extension and Outreach, Which is more productive, bush or pole green beans? Photo credits: www.Flickr.com (1,2), Davidbach.net , All Creative Commons (3)

< Back Planning Your Garden for Next Year Begins Now! The active, outdoor gardening season is coming to a close. After you clean up your garden and put your clean tools away, take some time to reflect on how your garden performed this season. Aren’t there always some improvements to be made? What sort of corrective or preventive strategies might you implement to make next year even better? Read this article for a reminder of some gardening fundamentals that may help you attain gardening success next year. Alyce Neperud, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern The active, outdoor gardening season is coming to a close. After you clean up your garden and put your clean tools away, take some time to reflect on how your garden performed this season. Aren’t there always some improvements to be made? What sort of corrective or preventive strategies might you implement to make next year even better? The Master Gardeners in Dakota County grow gardens that trial vegetable and flower varieties for the UMN Extension. Much of the produce from these gardens is delivered to local food shelves so success is important. These gardeners also review garden wins and disappointments as they consider future practices. In early fall I chatted with Master Gardeners at one of the seed trial and community gardens about their gardening practices. Of course, every year is different. While drought was an issue last year, this year the impacts of a very wet year were top of mind. Even so, the team kept returning to fundamental practices. This article will encourage you to look at your garden through the lens of these practices. And I’ll share some reflections from the seed trial garden. Fundamental Practices 1. Start with quality seeds and plants Locate reputable sources through research. Look at their growing practices and ask other gardeners for their favorite sources. Are your plants suitable for our northern climate? ( Hardiness zones 5a (in some places) and above ) Look for disease resistance or tolerance, especially if disease has been a problem. If purchasing plants locally, look for signs of insects and disease. “Reject any plant with dark, discolored or soft sunken spots on leaves, stems or roots.” UMN Extension 2. Maintain a healthy, living soil - Add organic materials to your soil in combination with soil testing. Know your soil. UMN extension recommends testing every 3-5 years. I am 100% convinced I need a soil test for my garden because the same plant that struggled in my garden produced beautiful red peppers in a new garden bed! You can obtain a soil test through the UMN soil testing lab for a small fee. The test will give you the estimated soil texture, pH (acidity), percent of soil organic matter and levels of phosphorus(P) and potassium(K). There are optimal levels of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus, and Potassium for plant growth. For example, too much nitrogen can stunt growth and, in some plants, may encourage leaf growth but delay fruiting. Finally, the soil test will recommend soil amendments and fertilizers that address any deficiencies that are found. Add organic matter as needed. A common practice is to add a couple inches of compost each year. Consider cover crops . Do frequent health checks - disease and pests can establish very quickly. Remove diseased material immediately and clean your tools. Only fully composted disease-free compost should be returned to the garden. Rotate Crops. Diseases are usually shared within a plant family. Did you know peppers and tomatoes and eggplant are in the same Solanaceae (nightshade) family? UMN extension references: Soil testing for lawns and gardens Compost and soil organic matter: “The more, the merrier?” Living soil, healthy garden 3. Maintain moist but not water-logged soil Moisture is tightly coupled with soil health. Saturated soil can lead to nitrogen loss and flooding can prevent the roots from taking up oxygen and other nutrients. Assess watering practices in the garden - Watering from above can cause disease to splash up from the soil and over saturate plant material. Soaker hoses are one option to minimize spread of diseases. Improve drainage as needed – One strategy to control water is raised beds. Forming raised beds ensures good drainage, which is more crucial for some plant families. An example of this is the Gourd family (Cucurbitaceae): cucumber, melon, summer and winter squash, pumpkin and gourd. Use mulch wisely. Mulch keeps soil moist longer and helps maintain healthy soil by limiting loss of nutrients from runoff. Use mulch that is both disease and chemical free (e.g. wet mulch may be diseased and avoid grass clippings from a treated lawn). UMN extension references: Watering the Vegetable Garden Raised Bed Gardens Fertilizing and Watering Container Plants 4. Maintain airflow between plants - Be generous with spacing. Provide appropriate structure to maximize airflow and keep produce off the ground. Take into consideration the weight of produce and the spacing increments; for example, a pole bean loves twining around a string, peas love some chicken wire and tomatoes need a good strong cage. Get these in place early and keep an eye out, as plants often need ‘training’. Prune as needed. An indeterminate tomato plant, for example, will keep growing. Prune plants if crowding impacts airflow and sunlight. UMN extension references: Trellises and Cages to support garden vegetables Preventing Plant Diseases in the Garden 5. Invite pollinators in Combining vegetables and flowers in one area is becoming more common. Mixing not only helps with plant pollination but provides more color and variety, keeping the garden beautiful and supporting beneficial insects. See article “ Companion Gardens are the Best ” And finally, what reflections on the year did the seed trial and community garden gardeners come up with? In general, it was a very wet year and overall production was lower than previous years. Beans struggled early but rebounded in late summer as the sun returned and the soil was no longer saturated. Despite valiant efforts to manage squash beetles and limit impact of mildew and other disease, squash and cucumber plants eventually succumbed. Tomato and pepper plants started slow but were very productive in the long run despite some tomato blight. A mulch of loose, not too dense straw was a good choice and plants were spaced for sufficient airflow. Cocoa mulch smelled delicious but became wet, compressed and slick from the rain. Flowers and pollinators were abundant and admired. At the end of September, the team is still delivering quality produce to the food shelf: And that is success! I hope in this recap of gardening fundamentals you will find a couple of helpful strategies to try next gardening season. Each year is a bit of an adventure - expect the unexpected, learn and be willing to adapt. Happy gardening! If you need assistance beyond the articles provided, try these resources: Contacts for yard and garden: Ask a Master Gardener Diagnose problems in the yard and garden caused by insects, diseases and nonliving factors: What’s wrong with my plant? Photo Credits: Alyce Neperud (1,3-8), University of Minnesota Extension (2)

< Back Shade Gardens Susan Ball, Dakota Gardener Master Gardener Shade – a gardener’s headache? Does your garden require full sun to be beautiful? NO! While most flowers do require hours of full sun, there are attractive foliage plants and even colorful flowering plants that flourish in shade. As you start to plan your garden for 2025, this article gives you lots of ideas for how to make the most of the areas of your yard that are a bit sun challenged. Shade. A gardener’s headache. All the beautiful and brilliantly colored plants require hours of sun. What’s left is dull and colorless. Not true! While most flowers do require hours of full sun, there are attractive foliage plants and even colorful flowering plants that flourish in shade. First off, know that there are different levels of shade, from part to deep. Deep or full shade means a spot never gets direct sunlight, or only a very short amount of mild, morning sunshine. Part shade means about 4 hours of sun—but mostly morning sun, not blazing-hot afternoon sun. To garden successfully in the shade, know the size of your planting area, your cold hardiness zone (in Dakota County and most of middle Minnesota that would be zone 4), your shade level and your soil conditions. You also need to know if you want to grow perennials - which regrow every year - or annuals - which live for one growing season and then die. (You can grow both). With this information in hand, you can select your plants. If you haven’t heard of that shade “staple”, the hosta, know that hostas - perennials with leaves in many color combinations and textures - are not only easy to grow but can survive in deep shade. They even have flowers, usually violet but white as well. While many hostas prefer part shade - particularly those with gold tones and those with edging or centers of white or cream - “blue” hostas need deep shade to protect the waxy coating on their leaves. Hostas can grow in a wide range of soils, although they prefer moist soils rich in organic matter. While spring is the preferred planting time, hostas can be planted all summer. Be sure to give them extra water then so the roots develop without drying out. Other shade plants include Lenten rose, Jacob’s ladder, astilbe, Dutchman’s breeches and its relative, bleeding hearts . . . and shrubs such as hydrangeas and rhododendrons. Many native plants, especially the spring blooming ones, are also shade lovers. Lenten Roses , also known as Hellebores , are shade plants producing delicate, long-lasting flowers in late winter and early spring. They need little to no moisture and are hardy to zone 4. These are the pluses. Although lovely, a major minus is that these flowers hang downward under their leaves so you must practically stand on your head to see and enjoy them. They can be found at nurseries or ordered online. Dutchmen’s breeches (their delicate white flowers look like breeches hanging on a clothes line), their relative Bleeding hearts and lily of the valley, tiny, bell-like flowers with a beautiful fragrance, are other spring perennials you might want to add to your shade garden. All are hardy in zone 4 and require similar conditions: shade, little to no moisture and well-drained soil. Bleeding Heart Then there are native plants, most of which thrive in shade. Spring Beauty, which, as the name suggests, blooms in the spring, Lady’s Slipper, Jack-in-the Pulpit, Trillium (big white flowers) and May Apples all love shade. Generally, not available at big box stores, look for these charming natives at native plant nurseries or online. There are also summer blooming shade flowers to consider. Brunnera is a perennial with tiny blue flowers that loves shade but does not tolerate droughts or dry soil. As long as you water it and keep it away from too much sun, it will bloom beautifully. It is hardy to zone 3. Jack Frost Brunnera Another perennial with tiny flowers, coral bells , also grows in shade and has a variety of colored foliage. This delicate blooming plant joins foam flower, Jacob’s ladder and astilbes, additional summer blooming shade perennials. All of these plants need to be well-watered, especially when growing under tree shade (which can dry them out). Foam flowers have small, poofy flowers that grow in clusters and like partial and full shade. Be careful not to underwater or overwater foamflower - both are fatal. Jacob’s Ladder has attractive blue and purple flowers and has the added bonus of being rabbit and deer resistant. Astilbes grow large (up to 5 feet depending on the variety), and have showy plumes of tiny flowers in shades of pink, red, white and royal blue that will liven up any shady area. They are also, reportedly, deer resistant. If you are looking for a shade loving plant that will also attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden Black Bugbane is your flower. These fragrant, tall, fluffy flowers sport dark purple leaves that will turn white by the end of the summer. Grow them in partial to full shade with medium moisture. Then there are the annuals. Among those you may want to consider are coleus , a leafy plant with incredible colored leaves: pink and green, purples and yellow and dark reds and almost everything in-between. Impatiens are another pretty annual in multiple colors - red, pink, orange, white and violet. These plants bloom well in shade but are susceptible to dry conditions so be sure to keep them well watered. Shade begonias , with similar colored flowers - except orange and violet - have smaller flowers but are studier plants, tolerating some dryness. Coleus Heartbreaker There are beautiful shrubs that tolerate partial to full shade as well. Check out white hydrangeas, single and double flowered rhododendrons and their relatives, the azaleas . All these shrubs have beautiful and abundant flowers in multiple colors and can be found at most big box stores. Shade, even deep shade, is no reason for a gardener to despair. With planning, a combination of annuals, perennials and shrubs will provide texture and color in shade from spring through fall. REFERENCES “HOSTAS”, https://extension.umn.edu/search?q=hostas in Minnesota Sansone, Arricca, “25 Best Shade Perennials That Thrive Out of the Sun”, https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/garden-ideas/g24882877/shade-perennials/ ? Spring Hill Nursery, “Astilbes”, https://springhillnursery.com/pages/astilbe_growing_tips_and_benefits Spring Hill Nursery, “Jacob’s Ladder”, https://springhillnursery.com/products/touch-of-class-jacobs-ladder ? Weisenhorn, Julie, GARDENING IN THE SHADE, https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/gardening-shade Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1,5), CallyL, Pixabay (2), www.flickr.com (3,4)

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

< Back A Versatile Understory Tree: Eastern Redbud Jim Lakin introduces us to another stunning, not-too-big tree native to Minnesota – the Eastern Redbud. This lovely specimen welcomes spring with rosy-pink pea like flowers and ends the growing season with large, heart shaped yellow leaves. It would make a lovely addition to your garden. Read on to learn more. Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener Last month we talked about one lovely understory (i.e. not too big) tree, the Serviceberry. Another stunner that you might consider is the Eastern Redbud. Eastern Redbud ( Cercis canadensis ) is a small, graceful tree native to the eastern and central United States. It is one of the first natives to bloom in the spring when it presents a stunning display of rosy-pink pea like flowers that bloom close to the branches and even on the trunk. The result is a spectacular springtime show. The leaves that follow are large and heart shaped, assuming a clear yellow color in the fall. As Cercis canadensis is a member of the pea family its fruits are brown to black pods, typical of the Fabaceae or legume family. If you are considering a Redbud, you should plan on planting in the spring, probably in mid to late May here in Minnesota. It grows best in full to part sunlight in a moist well-drained soil. It is pretty tolerant of both acid and alkaline soils and is hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9. The Eastern Redbud can grow to 20 to 30 feet tall with about a 25-foot spread. It has a tendency to form multiple trunks, so if you are going for a single one, some pruning will be necessary. In planning your placement, redbud makes a great specimen, patio or lawn tree. If you plant daffodils or tulips around it, they will bloom at approximately the same time and put on a really impressive show. In case you’re thinking Eastern Redbud is too good to be true, it isn’t. It’s a relatively short-lived tree, about 20 years. It is also susceptible to several pests including leaf spot and verticillium wilt. The latter can be controlled with deep-root watering, careful pruning and fertilization. Deer and rabbits love redbud as much as we do, so it is best to apply plastic trunk guards for the first two to three years until established. On the plus side they do attract hummingbirds and a number of butterflies as would be expected from a native perennial. Caring for your Eastern Redbud should include regular watering, about once a week to 2 to 3 inches especially in the first two years. A good thick mulch helps, but keep the mulch about 1 to 2 inches away from the trunk. Fertilization requirements are usually light. A soil test can help to determine if there are any deficiencies. As we said redbuds do well in full sun to part shade. However, you should avoid placing the tree in a real scorcher of a location as they do better with a bit of shade in excessively hot environments. Thus, with a little bit of care your Eastern Redbud will become established and richly reward you each spring. Photo Credit: Penn State Extension (1), www.messersmith.name (All Creative Commons) (2)

< Back Hum along with HUMMINGBIRDS, NATURE’S FLYING GEMS BJ Hansell, Dakota County Master Gardener 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. About 12 million years ago, hummingbirds migrated to North America and have evolved into 366 distinct species covering North America, Central America, South America and in the islands of the Caribbean Sea. That’s correct, they are no longer found in Germany. East of the western border of Minnesota, the only hummingbird routinely found is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Migrating from their winter homes in Central America, these tiniest of all birds fly across the eastern coast of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico, arriving in Minnesota around the 10th of May. The journey to their northern nesting sites may be upwards of 2,000 miles; with wings beating greater than 50 times per second and a heart rate of up to 1,200 beats per minute, it’s not hard to imagine how much energy they require to make such a journey. For this reason, it’s imperative that food for these miniature migrators be available as they arrive. Native plants that bloom in late April to early May are a critical part of the habitat for both those that stay and nest locally as well as those that continue to central Canada. Early season bloomers like Virginia Bluebells, Jacob’s Ladder, Woodland Phlox, Wild Columbine, Beardtongue, Paintbrush flower and Fire Pink, provide the sweet nectar needed to replenish the weight lost on their arduous journey. As spring turns into summer, it’s helpful to have blooming plants like Wild Bergamot, Scarlet Beebalm, Wood Lily, Tall Larkspur, Prairie Blazing Star, Fire Weed and Butterfly Milkweed in your garden to provide the nectar needed to feed the hatchlings. Plants that attract small insects are also helpful as those are the only source of protein for these small creatures. In fall, as the birds prepare to fly 2,000 miles and return to their winter habitat, late season flowers like Orange Jewelweed, Cardinal Flower, Royal Catchfly, and Great Blue Lobelia, will help them ‘carb up’ for the flight back. Additionally, as the hummers gather nectar from plants, they also perform the duties of pollination in order the insure continued growth of their favorite foods. Of course, it is helpful to supplement their diet by having one or more hummingbird feeders in your yard; especially if you don’t have early season bloomers. When purchasing a feeder, remember that the birds don’t care how fancy it is, but they do care that it is red, that it has a perch so that they may rest while feeding, and that it is easy to clean. The ‘nectar’ is easy to make: one cup of granulated sugar in 4 cups of water is a perfect ratio. NO RED DYE should be added as they are attracted to the feeder, not the food. The water should be changed, and the feeder cleaned with hot soapy water every 3 – 4 days to ensure mold doesn’t grow in their food. Please keep those feeders out until at least late-September to provide a meal to any late-season wayfarers heading south from Canada. West of the Mississippi, you can find other species of Hummers: Allen’s and Anna’s, Black Chinned and Costa’s, as well as the Rufous; many of them stay in their habitat year-round, providing one more reason to escape to warmer climates during our long, cold winters. For few things can stir our imagination and sense of wonder at nature, few things can bring that broad smile to our faces, as seeing this winged marvel: the Hummingbird. References: ● https://anokamastergardeners.org/gardening-articles/planting-for-hummingbirds ● https://bigthink.com/the-past/da-vinci-helicopter/ ● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought-Sikorsky_VS-300 ● https://science.ebird.org/en/status-and trends/species/rthhum/abundance-map ● https://westernhummingbird.org/hummerguide/https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/summertime-in-the-united-states-of-hummingbirds/# Nathan Wall / Macaulay Library . ● https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=astu Photo 1 credit: Nathan Wall / Macaulay Library . Photos 2, 4, 5 - Doug Hansell Photo 3, credit: Audubon 2025 calendar, Corey Raffel

< Back To Till or Not to Till One sure sign of spring for me as a young man was my father-in-law rototilling his vegetable garden. He’d fire up his trusty TroyBuilt and belching smoke and fumes, pulverize a good portion of his back yard. The resultant fluffy black soil seemed to invite planting. Jim Lakin, MD, Master Gardener One sure sign of spring for me as a young man was my father-in-law rototilling his vegetable garden. He’d fire up his trusty TroyBuilt and belching smoke and fumes, pulverize a good portion of his back yard. The resultant fluffy black soil seemed to invite planting. Thinking has changed over the years, however. Many soil scientists are questioning the wisdom of unbridled tilling. We’ve come to realize that garden soil is more than a receptacle for water and plant nutrients. Rather it is a living entity harboring billions of microbes and minerals most of which are highly beneficial to plant growth. It also is a complex structural milieux, permitting the passage and retention of water, the movement of oxygen and other gases of plant metabolism. Tilling can disrupt these structures and destroy many of the microbes beneficial to plant growth. Over time this can lead to soil compaction, reduced water holding capacity and erosion. Paradoxically, it also can bring weed seeds to the surface to germinate. That’s not to say that the time-honored process of tillage is without benefit. It does create an even seedbed. It warms the soil in spring and helps to work in compost and other soil amendments. So how can you achieve these desirable results from methods other than tillage? In starting a new garden, a rototiller will make quick work of existing vegetation. However, the same result can be obtained by solarization or occultation. Solarization is achieved by placing a sheet of clear plastic over the future garden area and letting the sun fry any plants underneath. I prefer occultation, a fancy term for smothering plant life under black plastic. A black plastic tarp covering a field for occultation If you are trying to start a garden on heavily compacted soil, say an area that’s been run over by heavy mower for years, tilling may be the best solution. However, if the soil is workable consider using a broadfork. This is a dandy tool to reduce compaction in a new or existing garden without breaking up the soil aggregates. A broadfork has several metal tines on a bar with a couple of handlebars on each end. Stand on the bar and use your body weight to plunge the tines into the soil. Lean back and pull the tines through the soil. The creates soil aeration without turning it over or breaking it up as a tiller would. A seven-tine steel broadfork A broad fork in action Weed management has been a traditional role for tillers. The problem is they bring weed seeds up from the ground as they turn in grown weeds and their seeds. The end result is more annual weeds over time. If you reduce tillage this favors the dominance of perennial weeds which can be hand pulled or reduced by solarization or occultation as we talked about. Working in amendments of compost, manure, commercial fertilizers or cover crops is an important process to replenish your garden soil’s fertility. Traditionally this had been done with a tiller although there are good alternatives. We’ve already talked about the broadfork. Alternately a tilther can be used. This is a modified light tiller that only tills the top two or so inches of the soil. Being much shallower than the traditional tiller it can work in amendments while being much less destructive of the deeper soil structure. Want to learn more? Check out these links to the University of Minnesota Extension for alternatives to tillage: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/reducing-tillage-your-garden for solarization and occultation: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/use-suns-energy-kill-weeds Happy planting! Photo of Black Plastic Tarp on Field, Courtesy of Haley Rylander, Cornell University Photo of Seven-Tine Steel Broadfork courtesy of Bully Tools Broadfork at Gemplers.com Photo of Broadfork in Action courtesy of Seven Tine Unbreakable Broadfork at Way CoolTools.com

< Back How To Prepare New Fruit Trees for the Winter Months Amanda Drews, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Here are some steps you can take throughout the year for the greatest chance of success no matter what Mother Nature throws at you! During the growing season - thin the smallest fruits from your tree to encourage growth of larger fruits (cherries are an exception). If too much fruit is on the tree, nutrients are more dispersed leading to smaller fruit this season and less fruit for the following year. For apples and pears, thin to 1-2 fruits per spur for every 6 inches of branch. For apples, this is done before the fruit is the width of a marble in June or July. Make sure there aren't any ripe fruits left on the tree so limbs do not break from the extra weight. Your fruit tree is going to need some training to become fully winter hardy and survive the cold temperatures. Hold off on the fertilizer after July. This includes any lawn areas within 20 feet of your tree. You don’t want to stimulate growth and delay the hardening-off process. This gradual process starts up in the buds and ends in the trunk. At the end of the season (October and November) - clean the fallen fruits and leaves off the ground around your tree. Skipping this step creates more opportunities for fungal disease and insect issues for the following spring. Keep this type of litter out of your compost pile to reduce disease in your yard overall in case pathogens are present. Adding 3 inches of organic mulch around the base of your tree helps retain water and will insulate the soil around your plant’s roots. Think of it as tucking in your plant with a nice mulch blankie but not too tight! Make sure to keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk and continue to provide adequate amounts of water until the ground is frozen. If the weather turns too cold too quickly, the tree can be damaged. There can also be damage if the weather turns unseasonably warm in the winter. White plastic guards or tree wrap should be applied to the trunk in November. These will help reflect the sun’s rays so the tree’s cells don’t wake up on those nice warm and sunny days, re-freeze and damage the trunk’s tissues. Just make sure to take those guards off again in the spring so it doesn’t create a haven for fungi. Take a moment and put a reminder in your calendar right now! Plum tree protection Cut down any plants at the base of your tree or around your shrub to prevent unwanted creatures from nibbling on the trunk during the winter. Bury ¼ inch mesh galvanized hardware cloth up to 4 inches in the ground to prevent small rodents from nibbling and girdling the trunk of the tree. Imagine there’s snow on the ground and how high a rabbit (not a rodent but equally as destructive) could reach. Leave enough room with meshing for the tree to grow into over a few seasons as well as any stakes for new trees the first year. Large fencing and tubes can be used to minimize deer browse and antler rubbing. Once temperatures have plummeted, enjoy your time off from tree care! In the late winter or early spring, after the severely cold temperatures have passed, it’s time to prune your fruit trees. For trees less than three years old, opt for later rather than earlier. Young apple tree needing pruning With some preparations and a little luck, you’ll be enjoying the fruits of your labor this coming growing season! Resources: https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-apples https://extension.umaine.edu/fruit/growing-fruit-trees-in-maine/preparing-trees-for-winter/ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/10/how-do-i-prepare-my-backyard-fruits-winter https://extension.umn.edu/find-plants/fruit#stone-fruits-2394860 https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/watering-newly-planted-trees-and-shrubs https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9598-fruit-thinning https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/white-tailed-deer-damage#netting%2C-tubes-or-other-protective-structures-1880562 Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,3), Amanda Drews (2)

< Back Buttonbush (Queen of the Wetlands) Jim Lakin, M.D., Master Gardener Buttonbush is a great shrub for naturalizing in wet areas and attracts butterflies. Read more about its attributes. We have some wonderful marsh lands on our property. Among the Giant Blue Lobelias and the Cardinal flowers, there’s a delightful shrub that stands out, the Buttonbush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis ). This is a native perennial plant to much of the Eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and East Texas. You’ll find it in a range of wetland habitats including swamps, floodplains, mangroves, around ponds and margins of streams and even moist forest understories. It grows as a deciduous shrub or small tree, running from three to ten feet in height. It has glossy green leaves which appear in the late spring. Its unique fragrant white to pink bloom, shown in the first picture, gives it its common name. Buttonbush usually blooms from June through September although this period may be shorter further north. It was introduced commercially in 1735 as a source of nectar for commercial honey production. Thus, it’s other common name, Honey Bells. Buttonbush forms an important link in the wetland ecology. A number of waterfowl eat the seeds and wood ducks use the plant as nest protection. We’ve had a pair in our pond for several years that seem to regularly avail themselves of our buttonbushes building material. Deer browse the foliage which surprisingly is poisonous to livestock. Darn deer eat anything! A number of native as well as honey bees feed on the nectar as do hummingbirds. The plant acts as larval host to Titan Sphinx, Walnut and Hydrangea Sphinx moths. It can be used in butterfly gardens, as a naturalizing plant or to control erosion in difficult, moist areas. It’s great for naturalizing. To grow Buttonbush, select a fairly moist environment. As you might imagine it has a pretty high water requirement even though it likes shade to part shade. It is a spreading multi-branched shrub with an irregular crown which produces balls of white flowers resembling pincushions. As it can get a bit lanky, plants in a more formal setting might need to be pruned from time to time. It is a rapid grower and spreads by suckering. It is said to be hardy from Zones 5 to 11 although a number of plants do just fine in Zone 4. For Minnesota gardeners it might be wise to consider planting in a protected area and mulching in the fall at least for the first year or two. Getting a local specimen is also important. Buttonbush is an otherwise hardy ornamental perennial. It’s a native that is an attractive addition to any moist shady area. Photo credits: Jim Evans, Wikimedia Commons (1), C. Fannon, University of Texas (2)

< Back A Pest Above the Rest – Japanese Beetles Kristina Valle, Master Gardener 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. I moved back to Minnesota in the fall of 2018; I had not lived here since I was 6 years old. I was excited to be closer to family and to finally, put down some roots. My husband I had built a house and, over the winter, dreamed about how we would fill our blank landscape in the spring. In early May, I began shopping around at local nurseries and was drawn to and purchased a few flowering crabapple trees. I spent the rest of the month filling in the garden and by June, I was able to sit back and enjoy a complete yard. In early July, it was time to weed the garden. As I worked along the base of one of my crabapple trees, I bumped the trunk, which dislodged several bugs that I’d never seen before. Under closer examination, I realized that my crabapple had been taken over by these bugs. The Japanese Beetles had found my tree and were heavily at work, eating the once beautiful leaves. Japanese Beetles are an invasive species that feed on the leaves, flowers and fruits of approximately 300 different types of plants. They are around one-half inch long and have a metallic green head and thorax with copper-brown wing covers. Like all pests, Japanese Beetles find some plants more attractive than others. Some of the more susceptible plants include: Crab Apple Roses Grapes Linden Cherry Plum Apple Birch Elm Raspberry Currant Basil Virginia Creeper Hollyhock Marigold Corn Silks Soybean Adult Japanese Beetles typically arrive in our gardens at the end of June or early July and continue to feed on leaves through the month of August. While the beetles feed, they emit a specific odor that attracts more beetles to the plant or tree. The damage caused by the beetles varies but the pattern remains the same. Japanese Beetles “skeletonize” the leaves which means that they feed on the plant tissue between the veins, creating a lace appearance. An established, healthy plant can withstand heavy feeding with only cosmetic damage done to the leaves, while younger, unhealthy plants may experience restricted growth or possibly death if the feeding is significant. During this time, the beetles are also mating. Females will burrow a few inches into the soil, several times during the summer, to lay a total of approximately 60 eggs over the season. The eggs hatch about 2 weeks later and begin to feed on the roots of grass. Dryer soil conditions can help make the soil less favorable and may reduce the amount of new Japanese Beetles the following year. As temperatures begin to cool, the grubs burrow deeper into the soil to overwinter until the following spring. As temperatures rise, the grubs move closer to the surface of the soil and feed on the grass roots until they reach their adult phase. There are many ways that we can minimize the damage caused to our plants by Japanese Beetles. Here are some control options: Netting You can cover smaller plants with cheese cloth or other fine netting to prevent access to the leaves. This will allow light and rain to filter through without exposing the leaves to the pest Manual Hand picking or shaking Japanese Beetles off the plants into a bucket of soapy water. While laborious, this is effective, especially if done in the early morning or in the evening when the beetles are sluggish. Chemical If you visit your local nursery, you will find a variety of chemical options that are designed to minimize the presence of Japanese Beetles. Remember to read the label – it’s the law! Follow best practices: Do not spray the plant on a windy day Wear long sleeves, pants, protective eye wear and gloves Wear a face mask to prevent inhalation Ensure that the chemical will not harm beneficial insects in your garden Traps Commercial traps are readily available in many stores; however, this method is not recommended or effective. Traps may attract more beetles than are actually caught. Traps put other plants at risk that the beetles may have avoided in the past. Plant Selection Consider adding plants to your garden that are not attractive to Japanese Beetles: Boxwood Clematis Chrysanthemum Conifers (e.g., arborvitae, spruce, fir, pine) Daylily Geranium Gingko Japanese Tree Lilac Forsythia Common Lilac Magnolia Red and Silver Maple Oak White Poplar Redbud Rhododendron Yew My first summer back in Minnesota left me with a lot of frustration, and I spent some of the winter months trying to understand how to prevent these pests from entering my garden in the upcoming spring. I learned a lot, but mostly, acceptance. As gardeners, pests, whether welcome or not, are part of the package, part of the experience that makes what we do always challenging, always an adventure. References: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/japanese-beetles#non-chemical-management-options-1591111 https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/dont-fall-japanese-beetle-trapping-trap Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1, 2, 3, 4)

< Back Cool Season Vegetables for Spring Planting Marjory Blare, Master Gardener There are a number of “cool season” vegetables that can be planted outdoors in early spring. Get a head-start on your planting by starting your seeds indoors and planting them out when the temperature is right. Cool season vegetables can be planted out much earlier than, for example, tomatoes or peppers. You can seed indoors as much as six to eight weeks before the last frost date! Read this article for valuable information about seeding and planting “cool season” vegetables. Cool Season Vegetable Wisdom Here are some tips for growing “cool season vegetables:” The best way to get an early harvest is to prepare your garden in the fall. But if you didn’t, you can make up for it by first cleaning up any debris and then warming the soil with black plastic. If you want to get out in the garden ASAP, row covers and low tunnels can help to create a warmer growing environment for your plants. The last frost for Dakota county is around May 2nd. The northern half of Dakota county is zone 5a and the southern is 4b, make sure your seeds are rated for these zones. Specific crops vary, but the ideal temperatures for cool-season vegetables are in the 50°- 60° range for the first month of growth. Use a soil thermometer to check soil temperature. Use the right set-up to start seeds indoors: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lighting-indoor-plants#types-of-grow-lights-2651610 and visit the Dakota County Master Gardeners YouTube channel for videos on seed starting. Starting spring crops under lights can provide a few weeks of optimal growing temperatures. The transplants will be able to photosynthesize better because of a greater leaf area. Your plants will usually mature more before temperatures get too hot. Older plants are better able to withstand feeding damage from early spring insect pests like flea beetles and cabbage maggots. Cool season vegetables such as Arugula, Chinese cabbage, Bok choy, Peas, and Parsnips can be direct-seeded as soon as the soil is workable. “Omero” cabbage Chinese Cabbage, Bok Choy, Spinach and Swiss chard can be started under lights or direct-seeded. Gurney’s ‘Goliath’ Spinach Cauliflower is best planted mid-summer for a fall crop. Harden-off your seedlings before planting them out: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors#hardening-off-seedlings-1179860 There are many edible, cold-tolerant flowers, and herbs, that can be started under lights. Take a look at the chart below for some great ideas. Vegetable Days to Harvest Start seeds Transplant Varieties Broccoli 85-100 7-Mar - 21-Mar 18-April ‘Green Magic, ‘Super Dome’, ‘Jade Cross’ Brussels Sprouts < 100 7-Mar - 21-Mar 18-April ‘Gustus’, ‘Hestia’, Cabbage 78 22-Feb - 4-April 4-April - 2-May ‘Ruby Perfection’, ‘Tendersweet’, ‘Omero’ Collards 60-80 8-Feb - 7-Mar 4- April ‘Tiger’, ‘Ole Timey Blue’, ‘Cascade Glaze’ Green Onions 8-10 weeks 25-Jan - 8-Feb 4-April ‘Feast’, ‘Deep Purple’, ‘White Spear’ Kale 25-65 22-Feb - 7-Mar 4-April ‘Rainbow Lacinato’, ‘Dazzling Blue’, ‘Black Magic’ ‘Toscano’ Kohlrabi 45-60 22-Feb - 7-Mar 4-April ‘Kolibri’, ‘Kossak’, ‘Purple Vienna’ Leeks 80-145 8-Feb - 22 Feb 18-April ‘Tivi’, ‘Electra’, ‘Titian’ ‘Varna’ Lettuce 30-70 29-Feb - 14-Mar 4-April - 11-April ‘Esmerelda’, ‘Little Gem’ ‘Red Salad Bowl’, *Find more information on dates at: https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/seed-planting-schedule-calculator.html For Master Gardener-recommended varieties of many vegetables and flowers, here is the link to 42 years of University of Minnesota Extension seeds trials: Tivi Leeks Now is the right time to plan for starting seeds indoors! Happy gardening! Photo Credits: Photo 1 – Marjory Blare, Photo 2 – Natalie Hoidal, University of Minnesota Extension, Photos 3 – 5 – Marjory Blare

< Back Turkey Wild Rice Soup Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener 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. It’s chilly outside and a bowl of rich, warm Minnesota style soup along with flavorful sides will certainly warm you up. The soup can be made with any type of milk, including non-dairy. I love using Minnesota grown wild rice, it is so flavorful and has a wonderful texture. Make sure to thoroughly cook it following package directions. I don’t have anything growing in the garden right now, but I do have delicious turkey stock and cut up turkey meat, both light and dark, frozen from the holidays. I dried a lot of parsley prior to frost, so that can be added to the soup too. I have fresh sweet potatoes from the garden stored and I’ll roast those to serve along side this soup. A cold turkey croissant sandwich with fresh greens is one of my favorites. A very special treat for this meal, is my daughter’s home-made goat milk cheese. It has a sharp pungent flavor and is delicious atop a nutty cracker with a dollop of cranberry sauce. Ingredients ½ cup butter cubed 2 carrots, finely chopped 2 celery ribs, finely chopped 1 medium onion, sweet white, chopped ½ cup all-purpose flour 4 cups turkey broth (or chicken) 2 cups wild rice, cooked 2 cups cubed cooked turkey 2 cups half-and-half cream 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 1.2 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper Process In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour until blended; cook until bubbly. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Roasting Sweet Potatoes Ingredients 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup honey 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon Salt Process Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender. Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil. Photo Credits: www.flickr.com (1), Joy Johnson (2)