< Back You’ve Cleared the Buckthorn - Now What?? Sarah Heidtke, Dakota County Master Gardener Buckthorn! It’s not native to Minnesota but it has made itself quite comfortable here, hasn’t it? Read on, as Dakota County Master Gardener Sarah Heidtke discusses some actions to take for buckthorn management after you’ve cleared this invasive plant species out of your property. You’ve put in the work to clear your property of buckthorn. Congratulations! According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, buckthorn management is going to be a multi-year commitment. Why? Well, viable seeds in the soil can germinated for two years, and additional seeds can come in thanks to birds and other wildlife. Buckthorn freshly cleared The next steps to keep re-infestation of this invasive plant under control fall under three categories: Add more desirable new plants to minimize bare ground where invasive plants can take hold. Manually remove new buckthorn sprouts that come up - especially in the spring when they are easier to pull and again in the fall. Prioritize any berry-producing plants and if you can, work with your neighbors so that they do the same. Use herbicides for larger plants, following all labels and instructions. Buckthorn replacement species Determining what to plant next depends on your site conditions. University of Minnesota’s May 2024 “A guide to forest understory revegetation to help manage buckthorn and other invasive plants,” offers some great advice and a list of seed mix retailers. The goal is to out-compete new buckthorn sprouts, so seeding soon after large buckthorn removal is best. If the tree canopy has at least 10% of visible sky looking up from the ground, cool season grasses and wildflower seeds can germinate and grow quickly, making it harder for new buckthorn seeds to sprout. More shade-tolerant wildflowers can help suppress buckthorn in darker wooded areas, but you’ll need to be diligent about pulling buckthorn sprouts while the native plants get established. Native shrubs such as high-bush cranberry, nannyberry, chokecherry, pagoda dogwood, gray dogwood, elderberry, American hazelnut and black chokeberry are all identified by the University of Minnesota as healthy replacements for buckthorn. Buckthorn sky canopy Keep removing new buckthorn plants! Once all buckthorn has been cleared from your land, plan on walking your property to find and pull new buckthorn plants. The best time to find buckthorn is fall and early spring, when most plants other than buckthorn will be without leaves (MN DNR). Prioritize removing all of the berry-producing vegetation, in order to limit the ability of the buckthorn to expand. If the plant is too big to pull, the MN DNR suggests cutting the plant a few inches above the soil, and then preventing photosynthesis by either covering the stump with a can or dark bag or leaving a higher stump and continually removing any new green sprouts. See more instructions here . Buckthorn sprouts There are times when some property owners consider chemical herbicides as the best option for larger plants. Mid to late fall is ideal for applying herbicide, as the plant's sap flows toward the roots, allowing for maximum absorption. Since buckthorn keeps its leaves longer than most plants, you can minimize harm to other species that are dormant for winter (UMN Extension). Always follow product labels for safety and application directions. The label is the law. For more information on best practices for herbicide application, please refer to UMN Extension here: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/fall-good-time-remove-buckthorn . If you are treating near water, the MN DNR requests that you first contact the aquatic pesticide enforcement specialist for advice on less harmful herbicides for aquatic species. Buckthorn management is both a continual task and a community effort. Several cities in Dakota County also offer resources: Eagan https://cityofeagan.com/buckthorn Apple Valley https://www.applevalleymn.gov/679/Buckthorn Burnsville https://burnsvillemn.gov/818/Buckthorn Mendota Heights https://mendotaheightsmn.gov/537/Buckthorn-Removal Farmington https://cityoffarmington.hosted.civiclive.com/government/departments/natural_resources/weeds___plants/buckthorn Additional online references: https://mitppc.umn.edu/sites/mitppc.umn.edu/files/2024-06/Guide-to-forest-understory-revegetation-buckthorn-2024_3.pdf Buckthorn management does take commitment but know that you are building a healthier environment and growing some lovely plants in its place. Photo Credit: Sarah Heidtke (1,2,4), University of Minnesota (3), Michael Schuster, PhD University of Minnesota (4)

< Back Virginia Creeper: Groundcover and Climber Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardener Looking for a native vine as ground cover in a shady area? Do you want it to cover a tree, a rock wall or an unsightly outbuilding? As explained in this article, Virginia Creeper may be the plant for you. Not only is it versatile, it has many virtues including a beautiful rosy color in the fall. Few native vines are as versatile as Virginia Creeper ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia ) . Do you want a ground cover in a shady area? It’ll do it. Do you want a vine to cover an unsightly outbuilding? It’s at your service! This native workhorse goes by a number of labels, including Virginia creeper, Victoria creeper, Five-Leaved Ivy, or Five-Finger. Virginia Creeper is a species of flowering vine in the grape family, Vitaceae and native to eastern and central North America. It’s commonly found in our own Minnesota woods. It’s not to be confused with Boston ivy, a Japanese import covering the hallowed halls of the Ivy League and Wrigley Field. The latter is invasive and not nearly as decorative as our own native son. Virginia creeper is easy to grow. It is happy in full sun or deep shade in most any well drained soil. Although it seems to prefer a moist, acidic soil. Given time it can grow as long as 50 feet. As it grows by tendrils with adhesive disks at their ends, Virginia creeper can stick itself to whatever it is growing on. So, it can cover almost anything without benefit of a trellis. If you have a low-value tree in the landscape it is perfectly at home growing up its trunk or limbs. We have it growing up a flood light post to great effect. As mentioned above, it also can act as a fine ground cover on a difficult, steep slope. In addition to its versatility and durability, Parthenocissus quinquefolia is a very showy plant, creating a wonderful cloak of green during the spring and summer which turns a fiery red in the fall. Fall also brings a show of blue-black berries which are inedible for us but an important source of energy for birds beginning their migration southward. Another ecological plus is the rich nectar produced by its modest green-white flowers. It is greatly favored by both bees and hummingbirds. Virginia creeper is usually available in most nurseries. There are a couple of cultivars commonly found in the trade: “Star Showers” which has a variegated foliage and “Yellow Wall” whose foliage turns yellow in the fall rather than the red of the species. Either cultivars or species should perform well in most all of Minnesota. Photo Credits: University of Wisconsin-Madison (1,2)

< Back Getting Your Squash Across the Finish Line You are nearing the squash finish line for fall and winter squash. To ensure you get to enjoy the fruits of your squash labors this summer, there are still a few things you should do. Your squash vines, which once ruled the garden with massive green leaves, are now showing their age. As summer transitions into autumn, squash plants face a unique set of stressful challenges. Understanding these late-season concerns—and taking immediate action—can mean the difference between a bumper harvest and a rotting disappointment. Read this article for helpful tips for a great squash harvest. Mickey Scullard, Dakota County Master Gardener There are three major concerns: powdery mildew, late-season blossom end rot, and a final wave of pests. This article will review these three issues and end with tips for knowing when your squash is ready to pick. ( https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash ). Powdery Mildew Photo credit: University of Maryland Extension https://extension.umd.edu/resource/key-common-problems-squash/ The first concern is powdery mildew. It is a fungal infection often caused by overwatering, and inadequate air flow. It lives in plant debris and may spread from other infected plants. Powdery mildew on flowers, for example, will not infect squash as the fungi are host specific. But the presence of powdery mildew on another plant is a warning that conditions are prime for infections to occur on other plants. Warm days and cool nights that may still be humid contribute to the development of powdery mildew. If you don’t address it, it can speed up leaf death and that can expose your still developing squash to sunscald. Loss of leaves can also starve the plant as it now lacks the ability to generate energy needed to support the ripening squash. To avoid this problem in future years, you will want to ensure good end of season garden clean-up by removing and destroying infected plant debris as it can host spores that survive over winter. Source : https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/powdery-mildew-vegetables/ Blossom End Rot Photo credit: University of Maryland Extension The next concern is blossom end rot. You may have heard of this problem in relation to tomatoes but it is a problem that occurs in several other vegetables, including squash. The cause of blossom end rot is a calcium deficiency due to inconsistent watering. Plants need water to help them move the calcium into their system. The way to prevent blossom end rot is to continue to water your plants consistently as your squash is forming and ripening. Late Season Pests Photo credit: University of Maryland Extension Finally, continue to be vigilant about pests on your squash plants. Squash bugs and cucumber beetles are focused on getting ready for winter and are seeking shelter and sugar. They often gather in large groups under the yellowing squash leaves and may even be found on the skin of the squash, which will result in rinds that are scarred. Other articles in previous Garden Buzz issues have discussed the types of pests that may be of concern, including squash bugs, and how to prevent and manage them, e.g., hand picking them off. Problem Solving You can take actions to lessen end of season problems that may threaten your squash harvest. First, prune your squash plants for sunshine and airflow. Grab your shears and aggressively remove dead, yellow, or heavily mildewed leaves. Open up the canopy. This increases airflow to dry out morning dew and allows the weaker autumn sun to hit the fruit directly, accelerating the ripening process. Leave as much healthy foliage as possible so squash are not completely exposed to the sun. To avoid having your squash rot as it rests on the ground, prop them on something like a brick, flat stone, or upside-down containers. This can help break up the ‘pest highway’ and reduce the risk of fungal rot. Harvesting and Storage You’ve done everything you can to protect your squash and finally it is time to harvest them. But when is the right time? You can ‘Perform the Thumbnail Test’ by pressing your thumbnail firmly into the rind. If it leaves a deep indentation or punctures the skin, the squash is not mature enough to store and must stay on the vine. If the skin is rock-hard and resists your nail, it is ready for harvest. Always cut the stem with pruners, leaving a two-inch "handle" to prevent rot from entering the fruit. Harvesting your winter squash is only half the battle. To ensure your squash stay fresh and delicious well into winter, you must properly cure and store them. This process thickens the skin, heals minor scratches, and concentrates the natural sugars. To cure winter squash, move them to a warm, dry room with good air circulation for 10-14 days. Ideal temperatures are between 70°F and 80°F (21°C to 27°C). Lay them in a single layer. Do not let them touch each other. Acorn squash is an exception , as heat destroys its quality. Instead of curing it, move it straight to storage. Once the squash is cured, store them in a cool, dark, and dry space like a pantry, root cellar, or unheated closet. Keep the room between 50°F and 55°F (10°C to 13°C). Never let them freeze, and avoid cold garage floors and bare concrete floors because they draw up moisture. Instead, store them on shelves or in slatted crates. When stored properly, you will be able to enjoy your: Acorn Squash: 1 to 2 months Spaghetti Squash: 2 to 3 months Butternut Squash: 3 to 6 months Hubbard & Pumpkins: 5 to 6 months Follow these end of season tips and enjoy your home-grown squash!

< Back Potentilla - A Hardy, Cold-Loving Workhorse Shrub Jim Lakin, MD, Dakota County Master Gardener Potentilla is a beautiful and useful native shrub. You may be familiar with the many cultivars of Potentilla that are on the market. But the native Potentilla has benefits that the cultivars do not. Read this article about the qualities of native Potentilla that may make it appealing for your garden. Dasiphora fruticose is known by a several common names: Potentilla , Shrubby or Bush Cinquefoil, Golden Hardhack, Shrubby Fivefinger, Widdy, Tundra Rose and Kuril Tea. Also, it is marketed as a number of attractive cultivars. The native, species plant is a quite hardy shrub doing nicely as far north as Zone 2. Thus, it is native to the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere, often growing at high altitudes in mountains. It does wonderfully well and is long-lived in central Minnesota. Your author has had a fine patch with southern exposure which has done very well for over 30 years. Potentilla is a deciduous native perennial which grows to 3 to 4 feet being 4 to 5 feet wide. It is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae and produces a multitude of showy yellow flowers in summer into the early fall. It grows well in both clay and sandy soils. This could be a consideration for many parts of the Twin Cities. It will tolerate drought but does best in moist soils. In the wild it congregates in swampy, moisture-retentive soils. It will tolerate part shade, but does much better in full sun, especially if you want abundant flowering in summer. Potentilla is both deer and rabbit resistant. So, if you have “critter” problems, this would be a good choice for border, hedge or foundation planting. Potentilla will spread by rhizomes (underground runners) so it can invade adjacent beds. If it is acting as a woodland border plant, mowing will control spread. Potentilla as a flowering hedge The native is known to attract butterflies and is pollinator friendly. Data on pollinator attraction is scarce on the cultivars of Potentilla such as “Crème brulé”, “Marmalade” and “Happy Face”. There are over 130 named cultivars! As a general rule, they tend not to be as ecologically friendly as the native plant. You pay a price for a pretty face! Since Potentilla is hardy, disease resistant and low maintenance it is found in a wide variety of industrial and commercial plantings. If you are looking for such a ‘happy camper” for your landscape project, this would be a great choice. Photo credits: Walter Siegmund, Wikpedia (1), Oregon State University (2)

< Back Find Award-Winning Plants for Your Garden Julie Harris, Dakota County Master Gardener Aren’t we all interested in buying the best plants for our gardens; plants that will grow and prosper in our Minnesota growing conditions? There are many ways to research and find such plants. However, this article will discuss two sources of perennials and annuals that have won awards for their excellence in our region. Read this article to learn more about which plants the industry experts think are outstanding for our gardens. Minnesota gardeners are, of course, interested in planting the best perennials, annuals and edibles in their gardens. We all want our plants to be have characteristics like hardiness, disease and pest resistance, low-maintenance, beauty, and being pollinator-friendly. There are many ways to find plants that have these characteristics. You can research plants on websites like the University of Minnesota Extension and others. You can also go to the Dakota County Master Gardener annual plant sale every May for a reliable selection of plants. But this article will talk about two organizations who provide information about award winning plants in our region. The Perennial Plant Association and the All-America Selections are professional organizations whose purpose is to evaluate perennials and annuals for excellence and provide that information to you, the consumer. Perennials Perennial plants of the year have been named annually since 1990 by the Perennial Plant Association. The association is a non-profit organization made up of horticulture professionals from the United States and Canada. The professionals include growers, retailers, landscape designers, educators and others. Each summer, hundreds of these horticultural professionals vote for the Perennial Plant of the Year. The award is based on features such as: low-maintenance, pest and disease-resistance. You can find the winners on the association’s website . Search the winners by USDA Hardiness Zone and level of sunlight needed. Here are some winners in Zone 4: 2026: Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks,’ a big bluestem ornamental grass 2025: Pycnanthemum muticum, a clustered mountain mint 2024: Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana,’ a purple garden phlox 2023: Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush,’ a black-eyed susan 2022: Schizachyrium scoparium, Little Bluestem Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks Look for these and other winners at your local garden centers. Annuals All-America Selections (AAS) is an independent, non-profit organization that tests new, never-before-sold varieties of annuals and edibles for home gardeners. The mission of AAS is to identify new garden varieties that have superior performance and to provide that information to consumers. AAS was the brainchild of W. Ray Hastings, president of the Southern Seedsmen’s Association of Atlanta, Georgia, way back in 1932. The concept was to encourage seed companies to set up trial grounds throughout the United States, where varieties would be grown and judged by skilled, impartial judges. Currently, the trials are conducted in about 80 sites throughout the United States and Canada. The judges are volunteer professional horticulturists. Judges are asked to evaluate plants on a set of characteristics, such as: earliness, disease-resistance, uniqueness, etc. There are three types of awards: the standard AAS National Winner for varieties that achieve superior garden performance compared to other like varieties on the market; the AAS Regional Winner for varieties that perform well in specific regions; and the AAS Gold Medal Award, given only occasionally for a breeding breakthrough. AAS does not advertise its awards. Winners can be found in consumer magazines, newspaper articles, garden blogs, garden club bulletins and cooperative extension agents – and publications like the Garden Buzz. AAS also has nearly 200 display gardens in 55 locations around the country. In Minnesota, you can find AAS display gardens at the University of Minnesota, Falcon Heights, the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and at Central Lakes College in Staples, MN. You can access information about the winners on the AAS website . The website lists all of the historic winners and allows you to search the winners by category, year or region. For seed-buyers, the website helpfully provides the name of the breeder. Here are some winners from our region (Heartland) over the last six years: 2026 Tomato - BadaBing! F1 - Solanum lycopersicum – Breeder: Frogsleap Farm, distributed by A.P. Whaley Seed Company Tomato BadaBing 2025 Basil - Piedmont - Ocimum basilicum – Breeder: Garden Genetics/Seeds by DesignP 2025 Petunia - Dekko Maxx Pink - Petunia hybrida - Breeder: Syngenta Flowers Petunia Dekko Maxx Pink 2025 Nasturtium – Baby Gold – Tropaeolum minus - Breeder: Takii Europe 2025 Nasturtium - Baby Red - Tropaeolum minus - Breeder: Takii Europe 2025 Nasturtium - Baby Yellow - Tropaeolum minus - Breeder: Takii Europe 2025 Pepper – Pick-N-Pop Yellow – Capsicum annuum – Breeder: Semini Home Garden 2023 Tomato – Zenzei F1 - Solanum lycopersicum - Breeder: Bayer/Serminis 2022 Tomato – Pink Delicious - Solanum lycopersicum - Breeder: Bayer/Serminis Look for these plants at your local garden centers or search online for distributors from whom you can order seeds. Garden with the best! Picture credits: Ed Lyon, Midwest Groundcovers (1), All America Selections (2-3)

< Back There's Always Next Year - Season End Reflections Fall is a logical time to reflect upon how your garden fared during the growing season. What went right, what went wrong, what lessons were learned? This season presented ample opportunity to learn some gardening lessons. Conditions tested even the most experienced gardeners and the most established gardens. Read about some of the problems that one Master Gardener tackled this summer and some lessons learned. Kristina Valle, Master Gardener Fall is a logical time to reflect upon how your garden fared during the growing season. What went right, what went wrong, what lessons were learned? This season presented ample opportunity to learn some gardening lessons. Conditions tested even the most experienced gardeners and the most established gardens. Here are some of the problems I tackled this summer and some lessons learned. Fickle weather in 2021 First, spring 2021 didn’t just come early this year, it came and went in a flash. As the air warmed and hinted that winter was over, I, like other eager gardeners, welcomed the chance to get a jump on the season. I proceeded with caution though, as spring in Minnesota can often be unpredictable. Sure enough, weeks of early warming were followed by very cool temperatures. Lesson re-learned -wait to put out those tender annuals and tomatoes. Japanese Beetles With a couple of growing seasons under my belt, I felt well equipped to apply some proactive measures to my gardening skills this spring. In mid-April, I walked through my garden daily, watching for the buds of my crabapples to start waking up and make subtle changes each day as they neared full bloom. Last year, they bloomed on May 6 th , but this year, they bloomed a week earlier. I wondered if this meant that the Japanese Beetles would emerge a week earlier as well, and sure enough, they did. Luckily, I had decided to net their favorite tree. Unfortunately, the crafty beetles improvised, turning their attention to the two other crabapples in my yard that they had ignored in previous seasons. Lesson learned - have a plan. Timing is key and netting is a great option for smaller trees. Unfortunately, I didn’t have nets large enough for the more mature trees in the yard and will be taking alternative measures next spring to protect my crabapples. For more information on Japanese Beetles, please refer to my article on Japanese Beetles on the Dakota County Master Gardeners website. Dogs I naively assumed that this season would mirror the previous year and that my biggest challenge, once again would be the Japanese Beetles. But as we eased into the summer months, weeding and taking general care of the garden, the family decided that it would be a good idea to adopt a new dog, giving our existing dog a new playmate. Good for the dog, not so good for the garden. We were not prepared for the destruction that she would bring down upon our yard and gardens. The new dog enjoyed digging, racing through mulched beds, leaping into hydrangeas and drinking from the birdbaths. Between the two dogs, we had a combined weight of 140 pounds barreling through the gardens. Lesson learned - Sadly, dogs do not have the same respect for gardens as we do; however, there are a couple measures you can take to pet-proof your landscape: create a “living fence” of dense shrubs to protect more vulnerable plants, install fencing around a garden bed and finally, consider container gardening. Drought By June an unexpected and prolonged heatwave brought on a drought that stressed many lawns and gardens. I did my best to make sure that my plants were being watered adequately but frequent time away from home created pockets of neglect that became increasingly evident as the season progressed. Finally, at the end of August, the rain arrived. The lawn started to show signs of healing and flowers returned to their usual vigor. I had planned on having some new landscaping completed in August but it had been pushed back to September due to the hot, dry weather. By mid-September, after several days of good, soaking rain, new flowers beds were created, new trees were planted and some existing plants found more suitable places in the landscape. Lesson learned - Don’t panic. Many lawn grasses will go dormant under drought conditions. The first time you notice your lawn showing signs of drought stress, provide deep, infrequent watering (being sure to adhere to any water restriction guidelines in your area). Mowing higher will allow better moisture retention for the soil. Finally, do not apply any fertilizer to lawns experiencing drought stress as this will create additional stress for your lawn. Once the rains return, you should notice that your lawn returns to life. For any areas that remain brown and dry, they are likely dead and will need to be reseeded with dormant seeding sometime from late October to mid-November. Looking Ahead As I look back at my experience over the past growing season, I know that I will have a lot to think about over the upcoming winter. But, honestly, I’m ready for winter, for a break from a season of troubleshooting, to give myself and my garden a rest. These days I am focusing on providing my gardens with water to get them ready for winter, removing dead plants, mulching and taking lots of pictures so I know what plants are what when they emerge in the spring (I always forget!). In retrospect, it would be easy to say that my garden struggled this year, due in part to my own choices. For anyone else whose gardens didn’t quite live up to expectations this year, remember . . . “There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.” - Janet Kilburn Phillips Here’s to a winter filled with grand designs and a spring ready for our ambition! Photo credits: Photo 1 - Luan Akin, Tagawa Gardens Photo 2 – University of Minnesota Extension Photo 3 – Irish News Photo 4 – University of Minnesota Extension

< Back Eradicating Invasive Honeysuckle in the Minnesota Landscape Amanda Drews, Dakota County Master Gardener Minnesota has several species of native honeysuckle but beware - there is a chance the honeysuckle you have at home may be one of the four non-native species of bush honeysuckle that are invasive in a Minnesota landscape! This article tells you how to tell the difference and what to do about these invasive plants. Minnesota has several species of native honeysuckle but beware - there is a chance the honeysuckle you have at home may be one of the four non-native species of bush honeysuckle that are invasive in a Minnesota landscape! Here’s how to tell the difference and what to do about this invasive plant. Photo by Amanda Drews invasive honeysuckle thicket The invasive honeysuckle species taking over Minnesota woodlands crowds out native plants in much the same way as buckthorn. The plants send out chemical signals to inhibit the growth of nearby plants, have an early leaf out in the spring that shades the plants that do start to grow, and produce berries that have little nutritional value to birds. Areas with large amounts of honeysuckle make attractive bedding sites for deer and consequently, the deer ticks that cause Lyme disease come right along with them! The invasive species to watch for include the Amur ( L. maackii ), Tartarian (Lonicera tatarica ), Morrow’s ( L. morrowii ), and Bell’s ( L. x bella ) honeysuckles . If you are looking to eradicate invasive honeysuckles in your landscape, your first step would be to identify it. You don’t necessarily need to know which specific species it is. A good rule of thumb to rule out any of the invasives over our native honeysuckles is to look at the stems. If a plant over 2 years old has a hollow brown pith (core) it’s one of the four invasive species. So, get snapping and check your honeysuckles! Photo by Amanda Drews hollow stem of invasive honeysuckle In the spring when the ground is moist and right after leaf formation, you can try manually pulling or digging honeysuckles out. Just be sure you get the entire root crown removed. If you need to, you can spray the leaves with glyphosate but you must do it before other surrounding plants leaf out. Just as with buckthorn, the fall is the most effective time to treat with herbicides since plants will be pulling nutrients down into their roots. After cutting the stumps down to the ground, immediately spot treat the top with glyphosate or triclopyr as directed on the product label. Another effective treatment is using basal bark spray with triclopyr ester . If you are able to do prescribed burning, that will kill the top of the shrubs and seedlings but you will likely have to do repeat burns. Photo by Amanda Drews flowers of invasive honeysuckle To prevent the honeysuckle from returning, replant the area as soon as possible. winterberry, pagoda and gray dogwoods, common elderberry and black chokecherry are good substitutes for filling your spaces back in. Photo by Amanda Drews berries of invasive honeysuckle If you plan to replace your invasive honeysuckles with natives or just want to add some to your yard, there are two types of honeysuckles recommended by the University of Minnesota Extension to plant in Minnesota. The Southern bush honeysuckle ( D. sessilifolia ) which is a zone 4 plant and our native Northern bush honeysuckle ( Diervilla lonicera ) that is hardy to zone 3. These honeysuckles have several attractive features. Both tend to be adaptable to varying light levels as well as soil types, are good for erosion control and neither has serious pest problems. So, feel free to plant honeysuckles in your yard just be cautious about the type you are introducing into your garden. Photo by Amanda Drews Honeysuckle thicket before blooming Resources: https://extension.umn.edu/trees-and-shrubs/bush-honeysuckle https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/bush-honeysuckles.html https://extension.umn.edu/my-minnesota-woods-news/scouting-invasives-species-fall https://mipncontroldatabase.wisc.edu/search?name=Morrow%27s_honeysuckle&habitat=7&season=8 https://news.wisc.edu/invasive-shrubs-increase-spread-of-tick-borne-disease/ Photo Credits: Amanda Drews (1-5)

Subscribe to The Garden Buzz Don’t miss out on the Garden Buzz, the Dakota County Master Gardener’s monthly newsletter bringing you interesting, timely, research-based information on best practices in consumer gardening and caring for the environment. Look for: Master Gardener events What to do in your garden each month Interesting plants that might add value to your garden Plant diseases, insects, or other problems that you might encounter Garden tips Ideas for sharing the joy of gardening with the children in your lives Recipes, gardening books, and other ways that MGs can help you to have a healthy, happy garden. And more!! Get "The Garden Buzz" First Name Last Name Email Sign Me Up Thank you for subscribing to The Buzz!

< Back Let Your Yard Take Flight with Bats Cherise Skeba, Dakota County Master Gardener Attract bats to my garden? Why would I want to do that? To understand why, you must read this fascinating article about the benefits of bats in the urban, suburban or rural garden. Learn more about how bats help to reduce the pesky mosquito population and benefit your garden soil. Learn how to attract local bat species and provide shelter for them. Beyond the benefits bats provide to our environment, they are interesting creatures as this article explains. If you want to reduce the insect pests in your garden or simply enjoy a more insect-free evening in your yard, consider gardening techniques that attract bats. Each Minnesota bat consumes about 1500 mosquito-sized insects each night, a meal equal to between 25% and 100% of the bats’ body weight. [1] Reduction in the mosquito population by bats has led to the reduction of mosquito-borne diseases, including the West Nile virus. Bats also come with the added benefit of natural, organic fertilizer – i.e. bat guano – that automatically helps fertilize your lawn and can be captured to help fertilize your garden. Beyond the gardening benefits of bats, bats devour enough insects every night to reduce agricultural pesticide use in the U.S., saving farmers about $3.7 billion dollars a year. In a similar fashion, bats eat forest insects that help preserve trees planted by the lumber industry [2]. In addition, bat research has led to advancements in navigational aids for the blind, use of sonar technologies and new medications (e.g. vampire bat saliva helps manage blood clots). [3] Read on to learn more about bats, gardening to attract bats and bat houses. Minnesota Bats (primary citation [1]) There are eight different bat species found in Minnesota, 42 species in the U.S. and over 1400 species around the world [4]. If you see a bat in Dakota County, you are likely observing a Big Brown Bat which is the most common bat species in Minnesota. Big Brown Bats are 4 to 6 inches in length and like most bats are very light, weighing 12 to 15 grams (less than 0.06 pounds). Their wingspan ranges from 12 to 14 inches in flight and they can often be seen flying 20-30 feet above ground near treetops. Big Brown Bats will swoop through the air and to the ground to capture their preferred meal of flying and ground beetles. However, Big Brown Bats are feeding generalists and will devour many insects including mosquitoes, flies, stink bugs, wasps, moths and leafhoppers. [5] Big Brown Bats have long golden-brown fur on their backs with lighter fur on their bellies. They also have large pointy snouts, bright eyes and large rounded ears (see image A). Big Brown Bats are prevalent in Dakota County because they have adapted to urban living and can often be found roosting in buildings and other man-made structures. Big Brown Bat Each pregnant Big Brown Bat has a baby (called a “pup”) in June or July and will nurse their pups for 4-5 weeks. Big Brown Bats hibernate from November through April and generally will not travel more than 50 miles from their summer roosts to their winter hibernation site. Big Brown Bats are the only known Minnesota species that can hibernate in buildings to survive the winter. Other Minnesota bat species must find a cave or other underground habitat or must migrate over winter. The other species of bat that you may encounter in Dakota County is the Little Brown Myotis, also known as the Little Brown Bat. Little Brown Bats have also adapted to urban areas and may be found in buildings and other man-made structures. Little Brown Bats are 3 to 4 inches in length and weigh 7 to 12 grams (less than 0.03 pounds). Their wingspan ranges from 8 to 11 inches in flight and they are often seen flying a few feet above water or near the top of bushes. Their preferred food is water insects like mayflies and midges. In addition, Little Brown Bats will eat mosquitoes, little flies, moths and beetles. [6] Little Brown Bat Little Brown Bats have short brown fur on their backs with lighter fur on their bellies. They also have small snouts, small eyes and pointed ears (see image B). Little Brown Bats hibernate in caves or mines and mate just prior to hibernation or during hibernation. Sperm is stored over the winter with female ovulation occurring just as the bats awake in the spring. Pups are born in May or June and are nursed for 3-4 weeks. Little Brown Bats will skim over the surface of water to drink or catch water insects. Therefore, proximity to water is important for Little Brown Bats. Little Brown Bats were the most prevalent bat in Minnesota but the species has been decimated by disease in recent years with a 90% population loss. The remaining species of Minnesota bats include the Eastern Red Bat, the Evening Bat, the Hoary Bat (Minnesota’s largest bat), the Northern Long-Eared Bat, the Silver-Haired Bat and the Tri-Colored Bat. It would be uncommon in Dakota County to observe any of these six species of Minnesota bats since they mostly live in forested areas and have not readily adapted to urban areas. Gardening to Attract Bats (primary citations [7]-[9]) Attracting bats to your yard starts by attracting the insects that bats eat, especially nocturnal insects. Moths may be the most well-known nocturnal insects and will be more prevalent in gardens that contain native plants with open blooms at night. Bee Balm, Evening Primrose, Goldenrod, Phlox, Purple Coneflower and Yarrow are good examples of native Minnesota flowers that have open blooms at night. A more comprehensive list of plants that attract moths has been supplied by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. [10] Gardeners may be leery about attracting moths because of the perceived damage that moths inflict on plants. Moths do not eat plants; moth larvae eat plants. You can reduce the damage that moth larvae cause to garden plants by planting milkweed and native grasses in a remote location where the grasses can provide food and shelter to the moth larvae. The University of Minnesota has created a list of native grasses and the insects that the grasses attract. [11] Many insects create their homes in dead tree branches and dead trees. Therefore, you can increase the insect population and attract bats by allowing dead tree wood to remain in your yard. To attract beneficial beetles that are the favorite of Big Brown Bats, maintain a compost pile, keep piles of leaves, plant taller grasses, stop mowing part of your lawn and plant clover which attracts beetles. A couple of simple things that all gardeners can do to attract beetles is to maintain a container of rotting sticks and dead leaves and/or a mound of dirt without plants where beetles can make their homes. [12] In addition to attracting insects, additional tips that can help attract bats to your yard include: Plant native, flowering vines at the base of walls or fences. The vining spaces serve as temporary protective bat roosts when bats are flying at night. Minimize use of pesticides which can poison the insects that bats eat. Avoid using treated lumber in your yard because the chemicals may be absorbed by bats that come in contact with the lumber. Keep cats out of your yard since they will hunt bats. Provide a large-surface water source for the bats if a natural water source is not available. Install a bat house. Access to bat guano is an extra benefit to having bats in your yard. Always wear gloves and a mask when handling bat guano and wash your hands and clothes after working with bat guano. Bat guano has an NPK of about 10-3-1 and is a longer lasting fertilizer that is not easily washed away with the rain. Using bat guano that you collect rather than buying bat guano fertilizer helps conserve bat populations since store-bought fertilizers generally require people to disrupt bat caves. You can differentiate between bat guano and droppings from other animals by squishing the poop and holding it up to a light. Bat guano will glitter due to the remains of hard insect shells that cannot be digested by bats. If the poop you find is dull, it is not bat guano. Moderate amounts of bat guano may be added to your compost pile and may accelerate the decomposition process. In addition, gardeners may sprinkle bat guano in the garden or make bat guano tea to spray on leaves to protect the plants from fungal diseases. You can make bat guano tea by wrapping ½ cup of bat guano in cheese cloth and letting the guano stew for three days in a gallon of water. Excess bat guano may be disposed of at The Recycling Zone in Eagan and should not be added to any curbside pickup bins. [13][14] Interesting Bat Facts and Myths Bats are the only mammal capable of true flight. [19] Bats can live to be over 30 years old in the wild but the average life expectancy is between 6 and 7 years. About 50% of bats die during their first winter. (a) Female bats typically have one baby per year with little reproductive decline as they age. Gestation time varies based on bat species, temperature and precipitation. Minnesota bat gestation times range from 40 to 70 days. (a) Some bats in warmer climates eat nectar, helping to pollinate plants such as agave which is critical in the production of tequila. There are also bat species that eat fruit, fish, frogs and lizards. [4][19] Bats do not drink the blood of humans. However, there are three species of vampire bats primarily found south of the U.S. that will bite animals such as livestock and lick their blood. [20] Brown bats use echolocation to detect objects up to 30 to 66 feet away. Bats are not blind and may use vision to see beyond their echolocation boundaries. [15] Bats do not sweat but will drink water, lick themselves, or sometimes urinate on themselves to cool off. [15] Bats may enter a state of “torpor” to conserve energy during cooler hours. Bats take 40 minutes on average to emerge from torpor and be able to fly, which puts bats at risk from predators or other negative disturbances during the torpor period. Torpor is different from hibernation in that torpor can last a few minutes to a few hours whereas hibernation can last the entire winter season. [21] Bats reduce their energy expenditure by 98% during hibernation, lowering their heart rate from 200-300 beats per minute to 20 beats per minute. [21] Bats prefer to fly where there is protective cover within 30 to 90 feet. Bats will rarely cross more than 300 feet of open space since it makes them vulnerable to night-flying predators such as owls. [15] Seeding a bat house with bat guano to attract bats is a myth and has not been proven to help attract bats to a new bat house. [16] Some bats will somersault in the air when approaching a roost in order to land up-side-down which is their normal position while roosting. [15] An estimated 200,000 to 500,000 bats are killed each year by wind turbines. This number is expected to grow as use of wind energy grows. Scientists do not fully understand why bats do not naturally avoid wind turbines. [4] Less than 0.5% of bats contract rabies each year, making rabies a rare disease among bats. [15] Rabies is even more rare in humans with fewer than 10 cases a year reported in the U.S. Humans may contract rabies if bitten or scratched by a rabid animal or directly exposed to fluids of a rabid animal. [22] Humans should avoid approaching bats and should never touch a bat without wearing gloves and possibly other protective clothing. As a precaution, pets should be vaccinated for rabies if bats live nearby. Bats are more closely related to humans than to mice. [19] Guidelines For Bat Houses (primary citation [15]) If this article has convinced you about the benefits of bats in your area, you may want to consider a bat house. A bat house may be beneficial if some natural habitat features exist and: the natural habitat is not sufficient to support the local bat population, or you are trying to increase the local bat population, or you plan to move bats out of a local building (never disturb bat roosts during March through August, the gestation and lactation months). Not all bat species will utilize bat houses but Minnesota’s Big Brown Bats and Little Brown Bats have been observed in bat houses. Generally, if a bat species is willing to live in a building, the species will also be willing to live in a bat house. Bats may occupy bat houses from early spring through early autumn. Bats do not overwinter in bat houses but instead find more suitable hibernation habitats (e.g. caves, mines, buildings) to protect themselves in winter. When considering a bat house, first assess the area for natural habitat that my attract bats. Natural bat habitats include a nearby body of water, large tree canopy cover for bat protection, sufficient sunlight to warm the roost and an abundance of flying insects. Bats naturally roost in tree crevices and cavities where tree rot, birds (e.g. woodpeckers) or other animals have created holes in the wood. Bats prefer roosting in live trees but will also roost in dead trees. Little Brown Bats will sometimes roost under peeling or loose tree bark. Bats may also roost in caves, mines and rock crevices. Bats require multiple roosting sites in an area because mothers and their pups roost separately from males and non-maternity females. In additions, multiple roosting sites are needed to accommodate microclimate changes – e.g. bats may move to a cooler site on hot days. Bats usually adopt a primary roost along with several secondary roosts and have been observed to switch roosts as often as every 2 to 3 days. However, mothers and babies will remain in a roost longer during the maternity and lactation periods and typically return to the same maternity roost year after year. If you install a bat house, will the bats come? Bats identify new roosts while foraging at night. Attracting bats to new bat houses will be more successful if bats are observed close to the planned bat house site before a house is installed. About 50% of urban bat houses and 60% of all bat houses are inhabited by bats. These figures rise to 80% for bat houses that are at least 25 inches tall with the highest inhabitant rates observed for multi-chamber maternity houses and rocket houses. Of the inhabited houses, 50% were inhabited in the first year with 90% inhabited within the first two years. A small percentage of houses were inhabited in the three-to-five-year range but you may want to consider relocating and/or upgrading your bat house if the house has been empty more than two years. [16] Note that bats may treat your bat house as a temporary migration site or a short-term secondary roost site. Both of these uses are important for bats but may make it challenging to verify that bats occupy the house. Install a bat guano catch container beneath your house or install a camera near the bat house to better determine if bats are using your house. Follow the guidelines noted below regarding bat house placement and design to maximize your chances of having bats move into your bat house. Locate bat houses in sites that meet the natural habitat requirements as much as possible – i.e. multiple houses with diverse designs should be placed where there is water and trees nearby, with some houses in sun and other houses in part shade. Bats may overheat in bat houses on sunny, hot days so bats need nearby cooler houses to survive the heat. Ideally, three bat houses should be installed in the same general area (less than 300 feet apart), with one facing east (morning warmth), one facing south (all-day warmth) and one facing west (evening warmth). North-facing houses will likely be too cold to attract bats. Bat houses may be attached to buildings (retain the most heat at night), to poles or to trees that have tall, pole-like trunks that are clear of branches. When attaching a bat house to a building, use 2” to 4” spacers behind the house to reduce the amount of bat guano that may land on the building. Bat houses attached to trees will generally be used by bats as secondary houses due to shade and lack of clearance around the house. Poles or trees should be wrapped with metal or another surface that discourages ground predators from climbing into the bat house. Bat houses should be installed at least 10 to 16 feet above ground level with 10 feet of clear space below the bat house since bats usually drop from the house and then take flight. Remove any thorny bushes or plants with burrs found underneath the bat house to protect the bats from potentially getting tangled in harmful plants. If water containers (e.g. bird baths, cattle troughs) are near bat houses, ensure that each container has rough sides or some device that would allow bats to crawl out of the water. Do not install bat houses close to wires, poles or tree branches that could interfere with bat flight or where predators may wait to attack bats as the bats emerge from their houses. Avoid sites that are noisy, dusty (e.g. near dirt roads) or subject to industrial pollutants. Do not put bat houses where there is artificial light at night (e.g. near a streetlight). Find alternative sites if local insects are regularly subject to pesticides or other substances poisonous to bats. Avoid sites with high human traffic where bats may be vulnerable to human interference. Finally, steer clear of windy sites, especially around wind turbines that are known to be lethal to bats. Once you have selected a bat house site, you may choose to purchase or build your bat houses. Good bat houses will be much larger than bird houses (typical size is 35” x 18” x 7”) and should contain multiple interior chambers that allow bats to move to the best microclimate within a house at different times of the day. Bat houses should be taller than they are wide and contain a few vented chambers which also helps create multiple microclimates within the bat house. Bat houses should not be built with chemically treated wood because bats may absorb or ingest the chemicals during grooming. However, the exterior of bat houses must be waterproofed, seams should be caulked and a roof should be installed to protect the bats from precipitation. Bats have shown a preference for dark-colored exteriors but secondary bat houses may be lighter colored to accommodate a cooler interior. Wooden bat houses should be constructed with screws rather than nails since nailed seams are more likely to gap open as wood ages. bat houses The interior chambers of bat houses should include grooved sides which aids bats when crawling around the bat house. Screening or other similar material is not recommended for the interior of bat houses since bat guano may become lodged in the screen. Bat houses should be inspected monthly when inhabited and cleaned once-a-year during winter when bats are hibernating at a different site. Spiders, spider webs, wasps and wasp nests should be removed from the bat houses during the annual cleaning. Although some wasps may survive in concert with bats, wasp nests may grow large over the years and take over too much space in the bat house. The bat house may be washed out with water or a 5%-10% bleach solution which can reduce parasites. If you want to build a bat house, free bat house plans with detailed instructions are available from Bat Conservation International [17][18]. If you want to purchase a bat house, be cautious when exploring non-specialty retailers. You may get a higher qualify bat house if you buy from organizations that have been certified by Bat Conservation International such as BatGoods.com ( http://www.batgoods.com/category/Bat-Houses-by-BCM-58 ) or Fly By Night Inc. ( http://www.flybynightinc.org/houses_files/bhbuy.html ). Bibliography (a) “Bats of Minnesota”, Minnesota DNR, 2025 http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/bats.html [2] USGS, FAQ: “Why are bats important?” http://www.usgs.gov/faqs/why-are-bats-important#:~:text=By%20eating%20insects%2C%20bats%20save,53%20billion%20dollars%20per%20year . [3] “The Benefits of Bats”, Bureau of Land Management, http://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/benefits_of_bats_brochure.pdf [4] “State of the Bats, North America 2023”, Bat Conservation International http://digital.batcon.org/state-of-the-bats-report/2023-report/ [5] “Big Brown Bat”, National Park Service, http://home.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/big-brown-bat.htm#:~:text=Numerous%20feeding%20studies%20of%20big,Whitaker%20and%20Hamilton%2C%201998 [6] “Little Brown Bat”, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, http://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/little-brown-bat/ [7] “Creating a Garden for Bats”, Bat Conservation International, March 2023, http://www.batcon.org/creating-a-garden-for-bats/ [8] “Night Shift Pollinators”, Minnesota State Horticultural Society, June 2021 http://northerngardener.org/night-shift-pollinators/ [9] “Bats & Blooms: Creating a Bat-Friendly Native Plant Garden”, National Wildlife Federation, http://gardenforwildlife.com/blogs/learning-center/bats-blooms-creating-a-bat-friendly-native-plant-garden?srsltid=AfmBOorPeLd4w409QCgIl-bdZG3ZqArTpV6i4aUkXEuN7LTurgZpfjy2 [10] “Native Plants for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects: Midwest Region”, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, http://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/22-025_01_NPPBI%E2%80%94Midwest_web.pdf [11] “Native Grasses Benefit Butterflies and Moths”, University of Minnesota Extension, http://grasses.cfans.umn.edu/sites/grasses.umn.edu/files/files/native_grasses_benefit_butterflies_and_moths_0.pdf [12] “Gardeners urged to help beetles”, The Wildlife Trusts, http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/gardeners-urged-help-beetles#:~:text=Build%20a%20beetle%20bank%20%E2%80%93%20Adding,Beetle%20%C2%A9northeastwildlife.co.uk [13] “The Scoop on Bat Poop”, Bat Conservation International, http://www.batcon.org/the-scoop-on-bat-poop/ [14] “How to Use Bat Guano Fertilizer Safely in Your Garden”, Epic Gardener, http://www.epicgardening.com/bat-guano/ [15] “Best Management Practices for the Use of Bat Houses in U.S. and Canada”, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada produced in cooperation with US Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, September 2023, http://iris.fws.gov/APPS/ServCat/DownloadFile/241311 [16] “Attracting Bats”, Bat Conservation International and Colorado State University, http://sam.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/05/attractingbats.pdf [17] “Four-chamber Nursery Bat House”, Bat Conservation International, http://www.batcon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4-Chamber-Nursery-House-Plans.pdf [18] “Two-chamber Rocket Box”, Bat Conservation International, http://batcon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RocketBoxPlans.pdf [19] “Beneficial bats help control insects in the garden”, Oregon State University, May 2023, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/beneficial-bats-help-control-insects-garden [20] USGS, FAQ: “Do vampire bats really exist?” http://www.usgs.gov/faqs/do-vampire-bats-really-exist [21] “How Bats Survive Minnesota Winters”, Three Rivers Park District, http://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/how-bats-survive-minnesota-winters [22] “Bats Lead in U.S. Rabies Risk”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019 http://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/media/releases/2019/p0611-bats-rabies.html Photo credits: Minnesota DNR. http://images.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/animals/mammals/bats/big-brown-bat.png (1), Minnesota DNR. http://images.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/animals/mammals/bats/little-brown-myotis.png (2) , Conservation Society Canada, produced in cooperation with US Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. http://iris.fws.gov/APPS/ServCat/DownloadFile/241311 (3)

< Back Best Time to Prune Trees Faith Appelquist, Master Gardener Although trees are quite resilient and may be pruned anytime, there are both practical as well as biological reasons to prune or not prune during certain times of the year. Although trees are quite resilient and may be pruned anytime, there are both practical as well as biological reasons to prune or not prune during certain times of the year. If it is between opening up a wound to heat or opening to the cold, opening the wound to the cold is best. Optimally, the perfect window would be past February and into March. The chance of frostbite on the sensitive cambium is less, and the sap is not rising. When certain species are trimmed during the growing season, such as American Elms or Oaks, pheromones (scents) are given off at the wound, attracting insects that can carry fungus on their bodies that can infect these trees. These trees are best pruned in the fall or early spring. Deadwood should be pruned anytime because it is a health and safety issue. Deadwood is food for decay organisms and the quicker it is removed from a tree the sooner it can start closing the wound and preventing the spread of decay. If the tree was planted for its spring flowers, such as magnolia, dogwood, crabapple, you will want to wait until after it has flowered to prune. Otherwise you prune flower buds off and reduce the abundance of flowers that spring. For certain species such as maples and birches, I would trim these in the summer to minimize sap oozing or ‘bleeding’. Pruning during full leaf is fine, but dormant season is probably still best for tree health.

< Back Growing Terrific Tomatoes Unknown Master Gardener 1) Purchase Healthy Plants Buy from local grower Bushy, disease free plants (no yellow leaves, no spots on leaves, stems) Disease resistant. Check tag: VFH. V=Verticillium, F=Fusarium wilt, N= Nematode resistance. Select local varieties, buy more than one variety 2) Good Soil Have soil tested. Call: 612.625.3101 Add good amount of organic matter - well-rotted manure, compost Watch PH Plant in pots? Change soil every year to prevent diseases Go to www.extension.umn.edu and click on GARDEN for more information 3) Location, location, location Minimum of 6 - 8 hour of sun ideal Near water source Rotate crops every year on a 3 year cycle Keep good records 4) Plant Correctly Don’t rush the season (plant 10 days AFTER the last frost date in your area) Harden off plants Don’t plant when soil is wet – stay out of garden when wet Pinch off lower branches, leaving few at top of plant, all fuzzy hairs of stem will become roots. Plant sideways in trench Dig out a shallow trench Remove lower stems and branches Lay entire plant down in trench on side Cover with soil 5) Don’t Crowd Plants Tomato plants get very large Need air circulation which will help dry leaves and prevent disease Will have more tomatoes when given adequate space to grow 6) Fertilize Plants Feed with balanced fertilizer Beginning after first fruit set 7) Mulch Soil Mulch is fabulous garden tool: Helps prevent weeds Will hold moisture in soil Helps prevent water splashing on leaves which helps prevent disease Mulch soil a few weeks after planting Types of mulch: wood chips, newspaper (not color), straw, grass clippings (no chemicals) 8) Water Plants regularly and deeply: Tomatoes require consistent moisture to produce a crop of smooth and unblemished fruit A tomato is 95% water! Need lots of water to grow and develop fruit Should receive 1 to 2 inches of water a week. No overhead watering…no sprinkler. Water splashes on leaves and causes soil to splash on leaves. Soaker hose is best Water plants at base Soak the soil thoroughly when watering. Frequent light watering will encourage weak root system. Watch container plants…anything in pot. plastic heats up quickly may need to be watered twice a day 9) Keep Plants off the Ground Staking plants will help reduce losses due to leaf diseases Keep fruit off the ground Round metal cage (heavier metal the better) Metal stake in ground/ Metal cage Use twisty ties to hold up branches to cage…be gentle Easier to pick tomatoes when ripe…do not let over ripen. 10) Clean Up Garden Area after Harvest Some pathogens over-winter on infected plant debris Important to dispose of: rotted tomatoes infected plants infected leaves infected weeds Leaf fungus can persist in soil Tomato Dictionary Determinate : Tomato plants whose vines make little or no growth once fruit is set. Most of the fruit develops at the same time. Indeterminate: Vines keep producing new shoots, blossoms and fruit throughout the growing season. Heirloom Tomatoes are open pollinated plants. They often do not produce as many tomatoes as hybrids, but typically taste better. Hybrid Tomatoes are plants that have been controlled breeding and have some good qualities such as disease-resistance bred in them. LINKS UMN Extension – Disorders of Tomatoes UMN Extension – Growing Tomatoes, Peppers & Eggplants in Minnesota Home Gardens

< Back Red Pine (Pinus resinosa): Star of the North Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener What tree is as Minnesotan as hot dish or dessert bars? It’s red pine, of course. This state tree is not for the small lot but will be a striking addition to the larger lot or farmstead. Read more about this stately native in this article, the last of Jim Lakin’s series on native trees for Minnesota gardeners. It’s the state tree of L‘Étoile du Nord , which, of course, is the state motto of Minnesota. Indeed, red pine is as Minnesotan as hot dish and dessert bars. So where does this venerable conifer fit into the landscaping picture? It probably is not the best choice for a small lot, growing 65 to 115 feet in height with about a 3-foot trunk. In larger lots or farmsteads, however, stands of the tree it can make a striking addition or serve as an admirable windbreak. It is native to the Upper Midwest with a range from Newfoundland west to Manitoba and south to Pennsylvania with populations down the Appalachian mountain range. It is sometimes called “Norway pine.” It is hypothesized that this name came from early Norwegian settlers mistaking it for the Scotch pine found back home. At least that’s what the Swedes say! a stand of red pine Red pine grows in full sunlight, shooting up straight and true. This growth feature made it especially attractive to lumbermen of the early 19 th century, leading to the great lumber baron fortunes of that period (and the despoliation of countless acres of Minnesota woodland). Interestingly, red pine is self-pruning. Thus, you don’t see dead branches below the canopy in forests. The needles are long, dark yellow-green and brittle. Pine cones are classic 1 ½ to 3 ½ inch long and broad. The bark forms reddish-brown plates as the tree matures; thus, the name red pine. reddish brown bark of red pine In sighting red pine, be aware that you may get by with part sun, but it is quite intolerant of full shade. It is hardy from Zones 2 through 5, so that means all of Minnesota. It will grow on nutrient-poor, sandy soil unfavorable to most species. It likes average moisture in well-drained loam. Although it is grown, plantation style in straight rows for the lumber industry, red pine is also abundant in our northern forests. It serves as nesting habitat for eagles as well as other birds. In cold, northern climates, red pine has few problems. However, in warmer climates as seen in the southern part of the state, it may fall prey to a number of insect pests and diseases. Needle cast, needle blight, root rots, bark cancer and rusts may be issues. Budworms, sawflies, pine beetles, tussock moth and pine needle miners can plague the tree. red pine cone So, if you have the appropriate site, consider red pine. A healthy, established stand will be a stately joy for many years. Life spans up to 500 years have been reported for this hardy Star of the North! Photo Credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1-3)