< Back Overwinter Geraniums the Correct Way As the end of the growing season appears it may be sad to think of your beautiful geraniums’ endless show of color coming to an end. Fear not! While non-hardy geraniums are considered annuals, overwintering your prized plant indoors can carry them through to the following year, giving you a jump start on spring and saving you some money if you usually replace them each year. But beware – it’s not quite as simple as carrying your geranium pot inside and waiting for spring. This article talks about two ways to overwinter geraniums in a way that will maximize your chance of success. Kristina Valle, Master Gardener It’s never too early to start thinking about final garden projects as we near the end of our growing season. Sad to think of your beautiful geraniums’ endless show of color coming to an end? Fear not! While non-hardy geraniums are considered annuals, overwintering your prized plant indoors can carry them through to the following year, giving you a jump start on spring and saving you some money if you usually replace them each year. But beware – it’s not quite as simple as carrying your geranium pot inside and waiting for spring. This article talks about two ways to overwinter geraniums in a way that will maximize your chance of success. Overwintered geraniums are an early memory of mine. I distinctly remember running down the basement stairs of my grandparent’s home and being struck with the scent of the potted geraniums, lined up across the west facing window; the vibrant colors, a welcome contrast to the bright white winter landscape outside. There are two main ways to overwinter your geraniums, both of which need to be done before the first frost: Potted While my grandparents chose to keep tending to their geraniums through the winter months in their original pots, you might keep your geraniums in planters or heavy pots that would be impossible to move indoors. If you want to keep the plants potted, you can transplant them into smaller indoor pots by carefully digging up the root ball, and replanting into the pot of your choice. Before bringing the plant indoors, check for any pests trying to hitch a ride and remove any dead leaves. Now is also a good time to trim back any dead stems. Place your potted plant in front of a bright window or under florescent lights, and water every 1-2 weeks once the top of the soil dries out. Bare Root The enemy of the bare rooted geranium is moisture. That said, you have two options when you are ready to pull your geraniums in for the winter: 1) you can wait for the soil to dry out before digging up the root ball, or 2) you can dig the root ball out of the soil, tapping off any remaining dirt and then let your plant sit out for a day or so to ensure that all excess moisture has evaporated. As with your potted geranium option, be sure to inspect your plant for any pests and cut away any dead leaves, buds or flowers. The objective for this overwintering method is to encourage the plant into dormancy and not spend any energy into supporting existing or new growth. You also have a few housing options for your plant: 1) paper bag (think landscape or grocery), 2) cardboard box or 3) tied up at the root to hang upside down. Each of these options ensures good ventilation which is critical to help ward off excess moisture and darkness, which will lull the plant into dormancy. Place your bag or box in a cool dry location such as a basement, root cellar or shed – anywhere where temperatures will remain around 55-65 degrees. Check on your plant about once a month to inspect for mold or other disease and manage as needed. Getting Ready for Spring – Breaking Dormancy About 6-8 weeks before the last frost day, inspect your plants and trim them back by one-half to two-thirds. Don’t be alarmed if your plant has lost many or all of its leaves. Plant the geranium in a pot, give it a good watering and set it in front of a bright window. Patience and care should generate the first signs of growth in the coming days and weeks and by time the risk of frost has passed, you’ll be weeks ahead of any store-bought geraniums available to gardeners. Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1)

< Back How to Avoid Problems When Gardening on your Deck Gardening on your deck or patio provides a number of benefits. It enables those in a multi-unit building an opportunity to grow plants outdoors. It provides an opportunity for those with physical limitations to garden. Growing plants on your deck or patio is a strategy for adding beauty and it might provide an opportunity to grow edibles near your kitchen. But gardening on a deck or patio does present its own potential problems. Read this article to learn how to avoid problems and how to deal with them if they occur. Linda Stein, Dakota County Master Gardener Just as there are potential issues to consider when planting in the ground, there are ones that might reduce your potential to have a successful container garden outdoors. Limited Space Not all plants are appropriate for growing in a container. Since most decks or patios have limited space, you want to avoid plants that require a lot of ground space. Consider plants that can grow along trellises or can hang over the edges of your container. Select plants that are recommended for pots and therefore will fit better into small spaces. When buying plants, think about the size when they have been with you for a period of time . . . not the size at the time of purchase. Getting Adequate Sun The direction your deck faces is only one factor to consider when determining how much sun light the plants will receive. In addition, watch for trees or other structures that might obstruct the sun. Remember that the sun’s path changes as we move from spring to summer to autumn. So, trees and overhangs will have a different impact at different times in the growing season. Prevent Other Environmental Factors from Negatively Impacting Plants Heat might be a bigger factor when growing in pots. Darker pots absorb the sun’s rays causing the soil to heat up and dry out more quickly. Consider using lighter colored pots if you are noting that your plants are requiring frequent watering. Also watering your plants mid-day can cool your plants. Consider the impact of wind on your plants and on the pots in which you are growing. If your deck is higher in your building or in a location that is exposed to significant wind there are several things you might consider. · Use clay pots instead of plastic pots since they are heavier. · Select plants that are less susceptible to the wind. The following are characteristics of plants that will more readily survive in windy conditions: o Shorter plants; o Plants with smaller and narrower leaves that would be less likely to be damaged by wind; o Plants with larger root systems that more effectively anchor the plant; and o Plants that like drier conditions since the wind will dry out the soil more quickly. Beware of Pests Pests can find plants even if they are not in the ground. Different pests can be found in the soil of your container, on the exterior of the container or on the plants themselves. Many of these pests may be a nuisance but will not cause permanent damage to your plant. The University of Minnesota Extension’s Yard and Garden website is an excellent source to help identify the specific pests that are impacting your plant and to determine how to address them. Photo credits: Scaniazblogspot.com (all creative commons) (1), www.Kittlingbooks.com (all creative commons) (2)

< Back Harvest Time with Kids! Sarah Heidtke, Master Gardener It’s time to get the kids in your life ready for harvesting all of the bounty around us. Whether you’ve been tending plants all summer or want to visit any number of “pick your own” locations in our area, harvesting is a great way to connect children to produce right where it grows. Kids of all ages can harvest fruit, vegetables, and herbs! Toddlers can pick a strawberry or a cherry tomato with a little guidance, preschoolers can identify beans to pick, and older kids can reach an apple from the tree or gently pull a carrot from the ground. The best part is that they can see right in front of them where the food comes from and how it is growing just before they pick it. It is important for children (especially our youngest ones) to check with an adult before eating anything they find growing to make sure it’s safe. Getting set up is easy! Young harvesters don’t need fancy gear, but some things may help them enjoy the process more: Tools that fit in their hands - think safety scissors for little hands to clip some basil or chives Gloves - not required, but some kids find that a comfortable and well-fitting pair of gloves make touching plants and dirt easier. Something to carry their bounty - a right-size basket, an empty ice cream bucket, a tote bag, or even a cart to push or wagon to pull. Outside activity items like a hat and water bottle help keep little harvesters going. Where to go? Maybe you have your own container garden, tree, or garden bed that you’ve planted, taken care of, and anticipated harvesting with your children so you don’t need to travel far for your harvest. There are also many places that offer pick your own seasonal produce. Check out https://minnesotagrown.com for a fun location - you can filter by plant and geography to plan a harvest outing that works for you and the children in your life. Does your child have access to a school garden? More and more schools are introducing the benefits of growing and harvesting produce to their students and families, including right here in Dakota County! Check out this link for information on University of Minnesota Extension school garden programs (and more great ideas for gardening with kids) here: https://extension.umn.edu/farm-school/school-gardens What to harvest? Some fruits, vegetables and herbs have been available since late spring and many are coming into a bountiful harvest right now in August, and more will continue through our first freeze in fall. Exact times vary year to year, but here’s a great chart from Minnesota Grown to give you an idea of what’s good eating when you are ready to harvest: https://minnesotagrown.com/whats-in-season/ Looking for ways to enjoy those harvests right away with your young harvest crew? How about pairing carrots, cherry tomatoes, and mini peppers with a little ranch dressing for a quick healthy snack? Apple slices with caramel or peanut butter are delicious! In the fall, carve a pumpkin and roast the seeds for another fun treat. For more ideas, try these “One Bite Lessons” from Life Lab: https://lifelab.org/2021/04/one-bite-lessons/ Food Safety Of course, part of setting up healthy habits for children includes safe handling. Here’s a link to more information about ‘Handling Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Safely,” whether you are eating them right away or preserving for later consumption from University of MN Extension: https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/wash-fresh-fruits-and-vegetables The most important part of harvesting with kids is to set them up for healthy habits as they grow up. Having fun with the garden harvest is a great way to explore new foods at their best. Fortunately, we have many options throughout the growing season here in Minnesota. Happy Harvesting! Looking for books to get little ones excited about the garden harvest or to read after you’ve been out picking your favorites? Here are some suggestions, all available at Dakota County Libraries: Garden time [board book] by Jill McDonald. "Teaches toddlers all about gardens--with easy-to-understand facts about how plants grow and how gardening puts food on our tables.” (Provided by publisher) It's Our Garden: From Seeds to Harvest in a School Garden by George Ancona. “Part celebration, part simple how-to, this close-up look at a vibrant garden and its enthusiastic gardeners is blooming with photos that will have readers ready to roll up their sleeves and dig in.” Garden to Table: A Kid's Guide to Planting, Growing, and Preparing Food by Katherine Hengel with Lisa Wagner. For older kids ready to try out some recipes with their harvest. Photo credits: Sarah Heidtke (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), book covers (6, 7, 8)

< Back Lilacs Carolyn Plank, Master Gardener It’s getting exciting out there! Spring has sprung, the snow has melted, and the rain is bringing us much needed moisture to help our lawns green up and our plants to bloom. One of the most anticipated early blooming shrubs are the fragrant lilacs which come in colors from white to pink to lavender. This article will tell you what you need to know about planting, pruning and some common lilac diseases. PLANTING There are several different varieties of lilacs which bloom at various times from April to mid-May, mid to late May, and May to September. They typically bloom for 10-14 days depending on the weather. Lilacs make great hedges, foundation plants and large borders. Once established they can live a very long time. Our lilac bushes lived for over 50+ years until we made the tough decision to remove them. Lilacs thrive in full sun and well drained soil high in organic matter. Too much shade reduces flowering and can increase powdery mildew. Proper spacing increases air circulation and helps prevent diseases. Two to three years after the plant is established, start fertilizing lilacs every few years with an all-purpose shrub fertilizer. New plantings grow fast when young but may take a few years to bloom. In order to ensure repeating blooms in the following year, prune lilacs immediately after blooming. This link will take you to a video from the University of Minnesota - Extension Morris on planting lilacs. DISEASES Lilacs are subject to several different diseases: · Fungal disease causes yellowing/browning of the leaves that will die back. · Lilac borers will cause sawdust, sap and frass (powdery refuse). For more information on lilac borers go to https://content.ces.nssu.edu (North Carolina Extension). · Verticillium Wilt is caused by two fungi and has no cure for this disease. · Lilac Pseudocercospora (leaf spot) . · Herbicide damage causes cupping/browning on one side of the plant and not the other. DISEASE MANAGEMENT Use proper plant care such as watering, mulching and fertilizing to help prevent disease. If you find lilac disease you can try various methods to help the shrub. You can try pruning the diseased areas out of the shrub. Remove the leaves that have fallen so they don’t keep reinfecting the shrub. Watch the plant the following year for permanent damage. If you are unsure what disease is plaguing your lilac shrub, you can send a sample to the U of M Plant Disease Clinic to be properly diagnosed. Another option, if the shrub disease is out of control, is to cut it down to the stump. Most likely, it will shoot regrowth. We did this to our backyard lilacs and the bushes came back beautifully. One last option, which we did with the assistance of a certified arborist, is to remove the diseased plants. We tried to prune out the dead and diseased branches but they looked horrible afterwards. So, we made the difficult decision to remove them all. Now on to replacing the big empty spot. Photo credits: University of Minnesota ( 1, 2, 3, 6, 7), City of Edmonton (4), Wisconsin Horticulture Extension (5)

< Back April Gardening in Minnesota: Early Vegetables and Indigenous Crops Doreen Cordova, Dakota County Master Gardener As spring arrives in Minnesota, eager gardeners can start planting cool-season vegetables outdoors. Despite our short growing season, there are many options for early crops that thrive in our zone’s climate. As spring arrives in Minnesota, eager gardeners can start planting cool-season vegetables outdoors. Despite our short growing season, there are many options for early crops that thrive in our zone’s climate. Read this article to learn what vegetables can be planted in April along with some tips to make sure the planting is successful. Cool-Season Vegetables In mid to late April, you can plant these hardy vegetables: Potatoes Onions Beets Carrots Leaf lettuce Spinach Peas Radishes Kohlrabi Turnips These crops can withstand cooler temperatures and even light frosts. For best results, wait until the soil is workable and not overly wet to prevent compaction. Indigenous Crops Consider adding these native plants to your garden: Wild leeks (ramps) Jerusalem artichokes Groundnuts Wild leeks These indigenous vegetables are well-adapted to Minnesota's climate and offer unique flavors and nutritional benefits. To prepare your soil for planting vegetables in early April in Minnesota Wait until the soil is workable. Test by squeezing a handful - if it crumbles rather than forming a ball, it's ready. Clean up winter debris from garden beds once the ground has thawed. Add 2 inches of compost or organic matter and work it into the top 6 inches of soil. This improves soil structure, adds nutrients, and increases water retention. For heavy clay soil, consider adding some sand to improve drainage. Test your soil pH and nutrient levels. Amend as needed based on test results. Loosen compacted soil using a broadfork or garden fork, being careful not to disturb soil structure. For cool-season crops like lettuce and peas, apply a light organic fertilizer to the top few inches of soil. Use raised beds or cold frames to warm the soil more quickly for earlier planting. Avoid overworking wet soil, as this can damage its structure. Wait for several days of temperatures in the 50s before thorough preparation. Gardening Tips for April in Minnesota Watch the weather: April can be unpredictable, so be prepared to protect plants from late frosts. Prepare the soil: Once the ground has thawed and dried sufficiently, add compost or organic matter to improve soil structure. Start seeds indoors: For crops like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting outside. Use season extenders: Cold frames or hoop houses can help protect early plantings and extend your growing season. Clean up carefully: Remove winter debris slowly to protect overwintering pollinators. Wait for several days of temperatures in the 50s before thorough cleanup. By following these tips and choosing the right crops, Minnesota gardeners can get a head start on the growing season and enjoy fresh, homegrown produce earlier in the year. References: https://www.thompsonfamilyfarmmn.com/blog/2021/04/what-veggies-can-i-plant-in-april-in.html https://atthefarmwaconia.com/plants-and-planters/gardening-advice/cold-crops/ https://extension.umn.edu/news/spring-yard-and-garden-preparation https://northerngardener.org/april-garden-chores-a-careful-dance/ https://www.ramseymastergardeners.org/post/cold-hardy-vegetables-and-flowers-for-minnesota-s-short-spring https://www.jimwhitingnursery.com/garden-advice/spring-planting-tips-for-minnesota/ https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/spring-gardening-dos-and-donts-from-the-minnesota-landscape-arboretum/ https://malmborgsinc.com/blog/minnesota-gardening-guide-april/ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-staple-vegetables-around-world-minnesota https://www.reddit.com/r/minnesota/comments/ua91q3/gardening_tips/ Photo credit: Itoldya test 1-getarchive (all creative commons) (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2), Susan Maher, University of Wisconsin-Madison (3)

< Back Find Plants for Tough Sites Have you ever fallen in love with a plant that you know in your brain won’t grow in your garden but your heart made you buy it anyway? You bought that sun-loving plant and planted it – full of hope - in your shady garden. Didn’t work out? Unfortunately, wishing, and even tender loving care, can’t make a plant grow if it is in the wrong garden space. Fortunately, this article tells us about a resource that can help you find just the right plant for even tough garden sites. Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Dakota County Master Gardener Over my many years of gardening, one of the most important, yet difficult lessons that I seem to have to re-learn time and time again, is that a plant will thrive best if it is planted in a location where it gets the type of sun, moisture, and soil required for its species. It is so tempting fall in love with a sun-loving plant and convince yourself that you can make it grow in your garden – the one that is all shade. Unfortunately, wishing, and even tender loving care, can’t make a plant grow if it is in the wrong garden space. For those of us whose gardens consist of poor soil conditions or natural landscape impediments, it is especially difficult to find plants that will be successful. So, how do you know which plants will thrive in your clay or sandy soil or on your steep backyard slope? Finding the right plants for your area can be challenging, but not impossible. Fortunately, the University of Minnesota Extension has produced a free, easy and thorough reference guide that can help you meet the challenge. Click on this link to access “The Best Plants for 30 Tough Sites,” written by Minnesota Master Gardeners and Extension Educators Mary Meyer, Deborah L. Brown, and Mike Zins. The reason why I like this guide so much is that it provides extensive lists of plants and their characteristics for those areas that can be limiting. Rather than waste money buying plants that do not fit your situation, use this guide to find plants that can grow successfully. The reference guide covers: Alkaline Soil Annuals 3 Feet or More Annual Vines That Grow Quickly Boulevard Gardens: Perennials and Small Trees Broadleaf Evergreens Clay Soil Cold Tolerant Annuals Compacted Sites: Trees Crevice Plants Deer Resistant Plants Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants, Shade or Under Trees and Trees Fragrant Annuals, Perennials, and Shrubs Indoor Low Light Knot Gardens Lakeshore Native Plants Long-Blooming Perennials Rain Garden Plants River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas Self-Seeding Perennials Septic Mound Plants Shade: Shrubs, Small Trees, and Tall Perennials Steep Slopes Trees That Produce Minimal Litter Under a Black Walnut Tree While the guide does not show a picture of each plant, it does provide you with a place to start looking. I have used this guide many times and I hope it helps you find that perfect plant for your landscape. Photo Credit: learn.e-limu.org (All Creative Commons) (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2), Ideengartencrimmitschau.blogspot.com (All Creative Commons) (3)

< Back How Trees Talk to One Another Karna Berg, Master Gardener Have you ever walked in the woods and thought there was someone there, someone talking? Well, if you have, you were right. It was the trees talking to one another. Oak trees are the perfect example. My back yard has a small, wooded area of mostly oak trees. I now feel them talking to each other. Or are they talking to me? Are they saying they need more water? Would like a sunny day? Just what are they saying? As we all know, our trees are under attack from pollution, drought, pests, and disease. And while trees cannot just move to a more hospitable spot, they can help one another deal with all the stresses on them. Scientists have discovered that trees, and specifically oaks, have developed a root system, or network, through which they communicate. That root system is populated by fungus that aids them in this process. Let’s say a pest is moving into the neighborhood. As we know, they move in slowly, often tracked by tree specialists providing warnings to the public on what to be on the lookout for. Well, the trees are tracking the pests as well. And as the pests land on their branches, they signal ahead through the network that their neighbor trees should be prepared. Oaks and other trees will then produce chemicals and enzymes that help to ward off the pests. It sounds impossible, right? But it is true. Some scientists now even believe that trees also communicate through their leaves. If this is as fascinating to you as it is to me, you can read more about it in some of the books I relied on here. They include: “The Life & Love of Trees,” Lewis Blackwell; “The Hidden Life of Trees: What they Feel, How they Communicate,” Peter Wohllenben; and “Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest,” Suzanne Simard. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Photo credits: Julie Harris (1), seeing-nature.de (2)

< Back Stumped by a Stumpery? Deborah Snow, Master Gardener Have you thought about planting a Stumpery in your yard? A what? A Stumpery is basically a stylized shade garden. The garden uses stumps and logs as habitat for shade-loving plants; mainly, ferns, mosses and lichen. Colorful mushrooms may eventually grow and add color and character to the wood. When I tell people how excited I am about creating my own Stumpery, almost everyone asks, “What is that?!” As any gardener, I’m learning along the way. I tell them it’s basically a stylized shade garden. The garden uses stumps and logs as habitat for shade-loving plants; mainly, ferns, mosses and lichen. Colorful mushrooms may eventually grow and add color and character to the wood. So, how did this garden style get started? It came from a Victorian tradition of growing ferns among tree stumps. One of the first documented Stumperies was at Biddulph Grange in England. It was designed in 1856 by Edward William Cook, an artist and garden designer. Estate owner, James Bateman, was a wealthy horticulturalist who exemplified the Victorian passion for collecting plants from around the world. They created the Stumpery by stacking tree stumps into 10 foot high walls and filling the crevices with ferns and other plants. Due to the popularity of ferns during the Victorian era, the Stumpery was adopted as the garden space to display their collection. The Stumpery was emulated throughout England. One of the most famous Stumperies was created by Prince Charles of Wales, now King Charles, and is still a featured part of the gardens at Highgrove, his home in Gloucestershire. I did see a Stumpery in England but you don’t need to go that far. We recently toured a Stumpery at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. I highly recommend a visit there if you’ve never been. What inspiration does a Victorian tradition from England have for American gardeners? A Stumpery is a workable concept for a modern garden. There is beauty in the architecture it provides. Its unique design lends itself to beneficial growing environments for shade-loving plants. Ferns are an obvious choice but any woodland plant could be included. It’s always evolving and that’s exciting to me! As the stumps and logs gradually decompose, the peeling bark provides habitat for insects that will feed the birds and frogs or pollinate the plants in the garden. Then come the mushrooms! I can’t wait for that. Next, I’ll talk about how to create your own Stumpery. It can be large or small. It can consist of several unearthed trees showing the roots or simply make use of logs or driftwood. You will use the arrangement of logs and stumps as an organizing feature. The wood will be equally important as the plants. Shade or part shade will work best and, if possible, plant on a slope for the best viewing. Along the edge of some woods would be perfect. My Stumpery is still very young. I put it together in the fall of 2021 and have added more wood and plants this last season. I’m sure it will get bigger as I learn more and find interesting pieces of wood. I’m always on the hunt. Friends have even contributed stumps. I will share the steps I used to get started. First, I chose and cleared the site. Next, I gathered some wood. I laid cardboard as the base to smother any weeds. I used logs as an outline and piled a mix of garden soil and compost inside. I created a mound since I didn’t have a slope. I partially buried some interesting stumps in and around the mound and covered it with wood chips for mulch. Now I was ready to plant. I’m such a plant collector and all that summer, before I started to build, I collected mostly ferns. I looked for varieties I didn’t already have wherever I went. Any time I saw something differed or unique I bought it. Also, I transplanted some ferns from my other gardens. So now I had a nice selection of plants to tuck in and around the wood. I planted ostrich ferns as a backdrop and started some mosses inside some hollowed out pieces of wood. I have continued putting in plants and stumps all this next season. And of course, me being me, I had to put a fairy garden piece in as well! I’m sure that will grow in the future. The garden looks mostly brown still but should be showing more green in the spring – I hope. I have struggled to keep it wet enough to get the mosses going. They don’t like this hot dry weather pattern we are stuck in. I’m hoping for a rainy spring and I’ll place more mosses. I’m researching best practices for moss and hope to do better next year. So, now you know what I know and I hope you are inspired to get out and build one of your own or at least find a stumpery to visit. There are lots of beautiful photos online to give you a better sense of what a mature Stumpery will look like. Good luck and happy gardening. Photo credits: Deborah Snow (all)

< Back Grow Beautiful, Healthy Roses in Minnesota Gail Maifeld, Dakota County Master Gardener The rose is one of the most cultivated and popular flowers in the world. Myths and poems are attached to roses which have been popular for centuries. They are prized for their colors, beautiful scents, and size of blooms, from miniature to large. But as any rose grower knows, roses also have a history of being hard to care for and, of course, all forms have thorns. But developments in rose breeding have minimized many of problems associated with growing roses and maximized their attractive qualities. This article will explain how to grow beautiful roses successfully in Minnesota. Roses have had a reputation as high maintenance and difficult to grow in Minnesota. Historically, this has been true of the beautiful “hybrid tea” varieties. Remember the “Minnesota tip?” Hybrid garden roses are still grown in Minnesota and are more susceptible to Minnesota winters. However, over the years, rose breeders have come up with hardy roses for northern climates. “Hardy” roses grow in USDA Zones 3 or 4, need no covering through the winter, are disease resistant, require minimal pest and disease control and bloom profusely. Hardy shrub roses have been developed to meet these criteria. The shrub rose of today is a sturdy, minimal care plant. Shrub roses have excellent disease resistance and are low maintenance with reblooming flowers all summer. But to receive the most from a rose, plant it in full sun (6-8 hours) with moist, well-drained soil. Roses should be planted after the last spring frost or in the fall, six weeks before frost. Prepare a hole wide enough for the roots. Roses don’t like to be crowded so plant 3 feet apart to allow for growth. A general fertilizer or specialty rose fertilizer can be used. Fertilize in the spring to encourage new growth. Stop fertilizing in late July so the rose will begin to harden off. This prepares the plant for the winter cold. Some roses can be grown in containers. Create a hole in the pot twice as wide as the roots, spread the roots and fill pot with soil. Make sure to water thoroughly. Some roses tolerate some shade, but no rose will bloom in full shade. Shade will also make the rose more susceptible to pests and disease such as black spot, powdery mildew, and downy mildew. There are remedies for these problems, and some varieties are genetically resistant to mildew. Common pests that affect roses are Japanese Beetles, aphids, and spider mites. A garden center will have products to remedy these pests but read the product label for use. Also, read the label on the rose bush when purchasing, for information about their resistance to the above diseases and where the rose plant will grow the best. Research the American Rose Society’s lists for which roses grow in your location. Unfortunately, deer are also rose fans. They like to munch on rose bushes despite the thorns. A fenced barrier may be the only effective deterrent. Gardeners love fragrant roses. Fragrant rose petals are often used to make perfumes. Unfortunately, with a focus on disease resistance, hardiness, ease of planting and other growing characteristics, breeding roses for fragrance took a back seat. Not anymore! Easy Elegance “Yellow Brick” has a beautiful aroma and Knock Out rose has a faint floral smell. Plant these varieties along a deck or walkway to enjoy the fragrance. These are some of the breeds of roses that are successfully grown in the north: Knock-Out-Rose - This rose comes in a variety of colors, reblooms all summer and doesn’t require dead heading. This said, your rose garden will look tidy if some dead heading is done. This rose is a medium size shrub so will fit in a border or around annuals and other perennials. Knock-Out-Rose Drift Rose - This is a recent variety of shrub rose. Bushes have tiny flowers and are a good ground cover. Easy to incorporate in a border or on a hill. Easy Elegance Rose - This rose is known for its fragrance and easy-care qualities. They are bred to be disease resistance and tolerate windy conditions. Given a sunny spot in a garden this rose will thrive and reward the gardener with a wonderful fragrance. Cuthbert Grant Shrub Rose Several years ago, the University of Minnesota introduced the Northern Accents series which includes ‘Ole,’ ‘Sven’ and ‘Lena.’ These are “ever-blooming” shrub roses that tolerate Minnesota winters well. The University Minnesota Extension continues to be part of the ongoing “American Rose Trials for Sustainability.” This project’s goal was to identify roses that had a scent while grown under minimal care conditions and to produce roses that would survive without pesticides, fertilizer, and winter with only mulch and snow covers. Roses that would not need to be tipped, buried or use a Styrofoam cap. Information gained in these trials informs the work of rose breeders. A rose is an attractive companion to borders of evergreens, perennial beds of baby’s breath and annuals like verbena. Plant one of the above varieties to enjoy all the favorable qualities of a rose bush. For inspiration in choosing roses for your garden or just to enjoy their beauty, visit the two rose gardens at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. These gardens display 400 varieties of hybrid garden roses and hardy shrub roses. Credits: University of Minnesota Extension, extension.umn.edu University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, extension.illinois.edu Minnesota State Horticultural Society; https://northerngardener.org/great-plants-for-northern-gardens-day-11-hardy-roses/ Photo Credit: www.flickr.com (All Creative Commons) (1), Gail Maifeld (2,3)

< Back Purple Clematis (Clematis occidentalis): Beauty Reaching Upwards Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener If you are a fan of clematis, you know that there are dozens of varieties to choose from. In this article, Jim Lakin states the case for the “good old native purple clematis.” It’s on of Jim’s favorites. Read his article to understand why. I must admit, I’m a big fan of clematis. I have over a dozen varieties running up wire fences around the back garden, blooming at different times of spring and summer, effortlessly providing an ongoing show of color and form. Yet, of all the flashy varietals, good old native purple clematis remains a favorite. It’s tough but fairly easy to grow. Once established, it is vigorous but long lived, a dependable but showy workhorse. Purple clematis, sometimes known as “Purple Virgin’s Bower” is native to most of the upper East Coast and Midwest, extending up into Eastern Canada, so it is hardy all through Minnesota. In the wild it is found in "calcareous cliffs, rock ledges, talus slopes, gravelly embankments, rocky woods, and clearings" (Flora of North America, Volume 3. 1997). As you might imagine, the vine is not too picky about soils and will do well in a variety of environments, although you should make sure it has decent drainage. Clematis will need support to climb on as the plant will send out several shoots that can grow as tall as 12 feet although usually 4 to 6 feet. As a woodland plant it is mostly found in partial sun environments but usually tolerates full sun. This perennial woody vine blooms in May and June although it can appear a bit earlier in southern Minnesota. It produces gorgeous blue-violet to pinkish purple flowers 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long. Several pollinators have been recorded visiting purple clematis, most frequently bumble bees. In late summer into fall, fruiting bodies are formed from the flowers. The styles elongate to form “tails” about 2 inches long, upon which green to rusty brown seeds form which are spread by the wind. There are, at present over 200 cultivars of clematis, which are wondrous in their variety and well worth growing, if you have the room. However, a great place to start is with the simple elegance of the native species, Clematis occidentalis. Photo credits: Minnesota Wildflowers, K. Chayka (1), Minnesota Wildflowers, P.M. Dziuk (2)

< Back Eating Bitter Melon Anita Oakman, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern What’s the big deal with bitter melon? I mean, it’s bitter even when it’s mature! What would compel someone to eat it? Believe it or not, this bumpy and sometimes spiky little vegetable has been eaten for centuries by various cultures around the world who have learned to embrace and even enjoy that bitterness. At the same time, they have also reaped its nutritional benefits. Read on to learn more about the benefits of bitter melon and how to enjoy eating it! Bitter melon has long been used in traditional medicine to treat various kinds of ailments, most notably diabetes. In developing countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America it has also been used to treat dysmenorrhea, eczema, gout, leprosy, psoriasis, gout, and even scabies. In developed nations, recent animal and clinical studies of bitter melon extract have shown that it has potential therapeutic benefit in diabetes and obesity related metabolic dysfunction.1 Does the above information encourage you to give it a try the next time you see it at your local farmers’ market? Maybe the following recipe will. I consulted with my favorite Filipino friends, Teddie and Leila Maasin, to find a recipe that could be enjoyed by someone trying bitter melon for the first time and they shared this one (with my edits ): Vegetable Fritters 4 cups of prepared vegetables to include the following: 1 thinly sliced Chinese bitter melon 1 shredded medium sweet potato (I used a Murasaki sweet potato ) 1 large, shredded carrot 1 chopped medium onion 1 to 2 cups chopped spinach or celery leaves ( or whatever leafy greens you have ) 2 beaten eggs 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup cornstarch Black pepper to taste Vegetable ( or peanut ) oil for deep frying To prepare bitter melon, slice lengthwise, remove seeds and spongy pith, and thinly slice in cross sections. Soak slices for 1 hour in salted water to remove some of the bitterness, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible and place slices in a large mixing bowl. Add and mix in the remaining vegetables, then stir in beaten eggs until well combined with the vegetables. Now would be a good time to start heating your vegetable oil in a deep saucepan or frying pan. (Don’t forget to have a pan cover handy!) In a smaller mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and black pepper to taste. Add this mixture to the larger mixing bowl with the vegetables and mix until you have a vegetable-laden batter. Pre-form patties from this batter, adding flour or water to get them to hold together. Fry patties in hot oil until medium brown, then remove them to a platter lined with paper towels to wick up excess oil. I like to serve these vegetable fritters with sweet chili sauces like these: Obviously, the recipe featured above is not the most healthful of bitter melon recipes due to the deep-frying cooking method. If you’d like to try another, just look for any of the numerous stir-fry recipes available on the Internet. As a bonus, the Journal of Lipids reference article linked below contains a “typical recipe of a bitter melon dish popular in Bangladesh”, called Bitter Melon Fry with Potato. Check it out! 1 J Lipids. 2015; 2015: 496169 Photo Credits: Anita Oakman 1,2,3

< Back How to Choose Just the Right Tree Karna Berg, Master Gardener Trees can add so much character to the landscape of your yard. But it’s important to choose a tree that meets your goals. After all, a tree you plant now may last a lifetime. When deciding to add a tree to your landscape there are many things to consider. This article will help you get started on what you need to research. Once you have decided you’d like a new tree in your yard, the hard part comes. There are so many possibilities to choose from, how does one choose? Here are some basics to consider along with a couple sources to give you more information. Answer these questions before heading to the nursey. First, ask yourself, why do I want a tree? Do you want it for shade, beauty, wildlife, privacy, fall color, fruit or something else? That will help you to immediately narrow your search. Then, consider the character of your home and yard. Do you have a large or small yard? Are there power lines overhead? Do you have sun? How about moisture, is your yard wet or dry? You probably don’t want a tree that will overpower your house, hit power lines, die from lack of sun, or need constant watering. Now, consider the amount of time you want to spend caring for this tree. Do you want to be constantly trimming it, picking fruit, cleaning up the mess it makes, or wrapping it for winter? Or do you want a low care tree? River Birch None of these answers will come just from looking at the tag at the nursery. You must do some thinking and a little research on your own. For example, it is not wise to rely on the tag to tell you how tall and wide the tree will get. It seems that most plants grow larger than what the tag tells you. Here are a few suggestions. If you want a tree for shade, you are looking for a deciduous tree that will lose its leaves in the winter. And you probably want some height. But make sure it is not so wide it hits your house or shades your vegetable garden. There are now some beautiful deciduous trees that get no wider than about 5 feet. If you want beauty, you are looking for an ornamental tree. There are many to pick from. Read about the blooms or other color the tree will provide. Be aware that generally, these trees will do best in full sun. They vary widely in height so pick the size to fit your spot. And be sure to consider the zone listed on the tag. While some gardeners have had luck with zone 5 trees and plants, it is always chancy. A beautiful Japanese maple I had in my yard suddenly died during a winter of extreme temperature changes. And that seems to be the way our winters are going. Crabapple Red Splendor If you want privacy, go for an evergreen tree that will not shed its needles in the winter. A good choice would be a type of arborvitae. While we could not cover all the issues in selecting a tree, the University of Minnesota Extension has some great resources on choosing the right tree. Click this link to find recommended trees for Minnesota, trees for pollinators, trees for shady area and more. And check out this Minnesota Department of Natural Resources site for advice on choosing the “right” tree. Choose well and you will enjoy many years with the new tree in your yard. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2,3)