< Back A Recipe for Your Early Vegetables Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener Warm weather, warm spice, warm dinner! It’s wonderfully warm out and Joy Johnson’s garden is in all its glory. Zucchini, yellow squash, early tomatoes, spinach and sweet peppers are starting to ripen. It’s time to cook up a delicious turkey curry, with a homemade blend of spices. The fragrance will whisk you away to far off India. It’s a warm way to include all your early vegetables or farmers market purchases in one dish. To cool off, add a minty fruit salad. It’s wonderfully warm out, my garden is in all its glory. It’s time to cook up a delicious turkey curry, with a homemade blend of spices. This makes a pot full, so invite the neighbors or grandkids for a mid-summer garden meal. I included turkey as the main protein source, but you could also use chicken, pork or tofu. Brown the tofu after cutting it into 1-inch cubes and add it at the end, stirring gently to warm through. It pairs well with a hearty bread. I made whole wheat sour dough, the recipe for which I’ve shared in a past issue. Turkey Curry Ingredients : 2 Tablespoons peanut oil 1 white onion chopped 4 minced garlic cloves 2 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander ½ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1 cup chopped zucchini 1 cup chopped yellow squash 2 sliced carrots ½ cup each chopped yellow, red and orange sweet pepper 2 – 3 cups cooked chopped turkey, chicken, pork or tofu 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk 2 cups chopped spinach leaves Salt Procedure : Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet; add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until they begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about another minute. Add all the chopped vegetables, except the tomatoes and the spinach. Stir constantly until slightly cooked - about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and coconut milk. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper, simmer for another 8 – 10 minutes or until tomatoes break down. Add spinach and turkey to pan and continue to cook until spinach wilts and turkey is warmed through another 3-5 minutes. Summer Minty Melon Salad A fresh fruit salad is a great side dish. This minty melon salad is a colorful and tasty delight. It hints of a Greek influence with the cucumbers, mint and, of course, crumbled feta cheese. I must confess that I don’t grow my own melons. My garden is too small for the vines and the pests always beat me to them, so I gave up. My hat’s off to you, if you successfully grow melons of any sort – make sure to try this recipe that highlights their juicy sweetness. Ingredients : 4 cups cubed mixed melon 3 cucumbers, seeded and thinly sliced ½ cup fresh basil, sliced if leaves are large 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Juice of one lemon or lime 2 Tablespoons raw honey 2 Tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled ¼ cup toasted pistachios or pine nuts Process : Toasting the pistachios is an extra step, but worth it – it emphasizes the warm flavors. Place them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat and stir constantly until they’re fragrant and a shade or two darker, 3-5 minutes. Watch closely, they can go from perfectly toasted to black and very burned in a flash! (speaking from experience here). In a large serving bowl, combine the melon, cucumbers, and basil, gently toss to mix. To make the vinaigrette, in a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mint and chives. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Drizzle half the vinaigrette over the salad, gently tossing to coat. Add the feta and pistachios, then drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the top. Garnish the salad with more basil before serving. Serve immediately! Photo credits: Joy Johnson ( 1-4)

< Back The Power of Edamame Edamame is a recently popular vegetable that deserves a place in your garden and kitchen. Rich in protein, antioxidants and fiber, it has many health benefits. Edamame can be eaten in many different ways. Read more about this powerful vegetable in this article. Marjory Blare, Master Gardener Edamame is a name for immature green soy beans. It has been enjoyed in Asia for a long time and now it is catching on in western cuisine. In the U.S., you will find it in the frozen vegetable section. It will be in the pod and is meant to be steamed or boiled. The pod isn't edible, but the beans slip out easily after cooking, to be eaten immediately or used in other dishes. They are good cold too. In addition to tasting good, there are some promising health benefits. A life-long diet rich in soy has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer. Edamame can reduce the LDL (bad cholesterol) if soy protein replaces animal protein. Isoflavones found in edamame can have an effect similar to estrogen, and may reduce menopause symptoms. Edamame is low on the glycemic index making it attractive to people with type II diabetes. It is a good source of vitamin C, calcium and iron. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-edamame Edamame can be eaten raw or cooked, tossed in a salad, mashed with garlic on toast or put into pasta or hot dishes. You can find dry-roasted, salted edamame snacks that are vegan, gluten free, Kosher, and non-GMO. If you grow you own, you can make your own snacks! With all these benefits it is great to learn that edamame is also easy to grow! Many seed catalogs will carry Tohya seed (an early variety, 78 days to maturity), but there are also Karikachi (85 days) and Chiba (83 days) varieties. The last and first frost dates for Dakota County are May 8th and October 10th. Knowing these dates and the days to maturity will help inform your choice of variety. Plant the seeds about 6” apart and 1” deep, after the last frost date. They do not respond well to being started indoors and transplanted. They need well-drained soil and don't like wet feet. They have very few pests and most vegetable varieties have been bred for resistance to aphids and Phytophthora root rot. The plants can be up to 2.5 feet tall, the pods are about 2.5” and contain 2-3 beans. Most pods ripen at nearly the same time, but if you leave the smaller pods they will get bigger later. They are open-pollinated, so it is possible to save seed. Try this is recipe from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension: Crispy Edamame Ingredients: 1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans) 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Directions: ● Preheat the oven to 400° F (200°C). ● Place the edamame into a colander and rinse under cold water to thaw. Drain. Spread the edamame beans into the bottom of a 9 × 13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese over the top and season with salt and pepper. ● Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is crispy and golden, about 15 minutes. Read more at: https://lenoir.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/02/dont-be-afraid-of-the-little-green-bean-2/ Growing edamame is easy and rewarding. Eating it is delicious! Give it a try! Photo credits: www.ourfood.nl (1), www.flickr.com (2), Pumpsandiron.com (2)

< Back Fruit Tree Pruning Advice I Could Have Used 30 Years Ago Sally McNamara, Dakota County Master Gardener Are you afraid to prune your fruit trees? Are you confused about when and where to cut branches? Master Gardener Sally McNamara learned some lessons the hard way about pruning fruit trees. She is happy to share the wisdom she has gathered over the years so you don’t have to make the same mistakes. Learn about how to protect your trees and prune them properly to keep them healthy and help you harvest the fruit easier. By the time I learned that apple trees, and fruit trees in general, take well to pruning, my apples and pears were well beyond reach. Fortunately, a family dog scratched all the bark off several of them resulting in death, so we were able to start over. (A chicken wire cylinder would have prevented that - so another lesson learned too late). On the new ones we learned that snow ABOVE the tree wrap makes rabbits happy and trees dead. Build a complete fence around very young trees early - those rabbits are active right after fall planting. Now, late February, early March, is the time to prune most trees, apples included. Spring sap will help heal the cuts and renovation invigorates the tree. Tree structure is visible without the impediment of leaves. If there is disease or death, marking those branches in the fall can be helpful for spring pruning. For apples trees which are intended for harvest, restraining them to reachable heights is an achievable goal, especially while they are young. While cutting the main leader is typically NOT what to do when pruning, it IS the solution to controlling heights in fruit trees. Keeping the branches reaching at an angle reaching outward and not so much up is the goal. When looking at where to cut on any tree, consider how to let light and air in and encourage growth out and up . Cut back to an, outward facing bud on the branch. Cut diagonally above the bud, not leaving an awkward stump to encourage entrance for insects and disease. When cutting major branches, for example dead ones or lower ones, to allow for maintenance underneath, cut back only to the branch collar leaving the collar materials to create a natural growth over the pruning wound. (Maintenance underneath an apple tree would include removing dropped apples and leaves to diminish the chance of disease and insects persisting to the next season.) Geriatric apple trees take well to restoration through dynamic pruning. Go for dead, damaged, diseased and crossing first. Then open up for light and air. This might be a multi-year process as removing more than 1/4 of the tree in any one season is discouraged for the health of the tree. Select upward angled branches - horizontal ones can be wet and vertical ones tend not to fruit. Never forget to take those before and after photos! Fruit pruning is an important topic and the U of M has some excellent resources. Visit the U of M Extension for three short but effective videos. Many late winter/early spring days call us to get outside and pruning is the perfect activity: it needs doing, it requires lots of motion and decisions and signals the start of a new season. Photo Credit: Dyck Arboretum (1), deepgreenpermaculture.com (2), North Dakota State University (3)

< Back Make Chile Rellenos from Your Poblano Peppers Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener Joy Johnson planted a variety pack of pepper seeds that produced an abundance of peppers. In this article, she provides a recipe for using the Poblano Peppers to make Chile Rellenos. She promises that the making is easy and the result is delicious! Chile Rellenos Ingredients: 6 fresh poblano or Anaheim chile peppers 1 - 8 oz. package queso asadero (white Mexican cheese), cut into ¾-inch thick strips 2 large eggs, separated 1 tsp baking powder ¾ cup all -purpose flour 1 cup vegetable shortening or canola oil for frying Process: Preheat the oven broiler; set the oven rack about 6 inches below the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers onto the prepared baking sheet and broil until skins are blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. Use tongs to rotate peppers often to char all sides. Place blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to steam as they cool, about 15 minutes. Remove skin from peppers, then cut a slit down the long side of each one to remove seeds and core. Rinse peppers inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff peppers with strips of cheese. Whisk egg yolks and baking powder in a bowl until combined. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold beaten whites into the yolk mixture. Place flour into a separate shallow bowl. Melt vegetable shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Roll each stuffed pepper in flour, tap off excess flour, and dip into the egg mixture to coat both sides. Gently lay coated peppers into the hot shortening. Fry peppers until lightly golden brown and cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side. Eat and enjoy! Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4,5)

< Back Autumn Abundance: Fall Porch Pots Julie Deane, Dakota County Master Gardener As your summer plants dwindle and spindle, fall is the perfect time to refresh your front porch with a fun fall planter. The best part? You can create a beautiful autumn display by salvaging some of your existing plants and adding a few fall-friendly plants. In this article, learn how to use your existing plants and new fall plants to add some cheer and beauty to your garden. Gather Your Supplies Start with what you have and add a few fall finds: Summer survivors: Assess summer containers for vines and grasses and any blooming plants that fit your fall color scheme and can be reused. Often lantana and black-eyed Susan will continue blooming into fall and can be repurposed in your fall planters. Containers: Empty tired summer planters and repot with a fall theme. Or repurpose buckets, tin pails, old bushel baskets, wooden crates, or any type of basket. Lined with plastic or drill holes for drainage, these make charming, rustic planters. Farmstand finds: Support local farmers and add some corn shocks, gourds and pumpkins. Skewer small pumpkins and gourds on sticks or dowels for added texture. Craft materials: Twine, ribbons, or burlap scraps can dress up your containers and tie everything together. Pick Fall-Friendly Plants Choose plants that love cooler weather and bring out beautiful autumn hues, such as: Chrysanthemums (Mums): Vibrant flowers that bloom in yellow, orange, red, or purple. Ornamental Kale, Peppers and Cabbage: Add texture and deep green, purple, or white accents. Pansies and Violas: Hardy, cheerful flowers that thrive in fall’s mild temps. Asters: These daisy-like flowers come in lovely shades of blue, purple, and pink. Grasses: Varieties like fountain grass or millet provide height and movement, and some are deep purple in color. Trailing vines: Ivy or Creeping Jenny cascade beautifully over planter edges.If you have leftover herbs (like sage or thyme) from summer, tuck them in for texture and fragrance. Assembly Steps Prepare Your Base: Ensure your selected container has drainage holes or line it appropriately. Fill with potting mix. Gather your Treasures: Carefully extract any summer plants that will be reused, protecting the root base as you transplant to the fall container. Gather any other items to add to the planter as well. Arrange Your Plants: Place taller plants, like grasses or kale, in the back or center. Fill around with mums, asters, and pansies for color. Let vines or trailing plants spill over the edges. Tuck in decorative items—mini pumpkins, pinecones, sticks, or even faux leaves. Add Finishing Touches: Secure burlap or ribbon around the rim. Nestle in some twigs, berry branches, hydrangea blossoms, or a small decorative sign for added charm. Tips for Success Cluster multiple planters: Vary heights and shapes for an eye-catching display. Check your summer pots to see if you can re-use some yellow, orange or purple bloomers or some of your vines. Use straw bales to vary the height and add dimension to your space. Water regularly: Fall can be dry, so check soil moisture often. Remember to water at the soil and not on the foliage or blooms for best results. Use what’s plentiful: Gather colorful leaves, branches, or seed pods locally for a natural look. Tuck in hydrangea blooms for a fuller look. Enjoy Your Fall Planters With a little creativity and items already on hand, you can build a front porch planter that celebrates the season in style. Add some straw bales or corn shocks for even more fall flare. Each time you walk up to your front door, you’ll be greeted by a burst of fall colors and textures—proof that a little resourcefulness (and a lot of autumn spirit) can go a long way. Photo Credit: https://momcrieff.com/fall-planter/ (1), www.merrifieldgardencenter.com (2), www.pinterest.co.uk (3), www.gardengatemagazine.com (4)

< Back Roasted Spiced Cauliflower Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener Cauliflower has taken the nation by storm. 40 years ago, no one had hardly heard of it, now it seems like everyone has their favorite way to eat it from crunchy and raw with dip or as pizza crust! Cauliflower is a mild flavored, versatile vegetable, so it adapts well to many recipes. It is easy to grow in your garden, but make sure you are diligent in watching and controlling for pests who love to enjoy it too. This recipe heats it up with a mind-blowing array of spices, serving it with cool and creamy Burrata cheese and a crunchy topping of browned nuts/seeds and herbs. It’s a real flavor explosion and impressive to serve as a side dish. Ingredients 1 large head of cauliflower, leaves trimmed 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Fine pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper Herb Mixture Ingredients 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as basil, dill, tarragon or cilantro. You can also use dried herbs, decrease quantity to 1 teaspoon of each ¼ cup mixed toasted nuts or seeds. I used sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pinenuts roasted in a skillet in 2 teaspoons of butter 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated 8 ounces burrata cheese Process Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Cut away and discard the cauliflower stalk so the cauliflower can site flat on its underside, then cut a cross into the base. Place the cauliflower in a large Dutch oven or casserole dish. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Rub the spice mix all over the cauliflower. Drizzle the cauliflower with 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar and the lemon juice. Pour ¼ cup water into the bottom of the dish. Cover the cauliflower and bake for 1 hour or until fork tender. Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until lightly charred on top. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the herbs, nuts, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes and salt. To serve, slice the burrata cheese onto each plate, place a serving of the blackened cauliflower alongside. Spoon the herb mixture all over the cauliflower and cheese. Photo Credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1), Joy Johnson (2,3)

< Back Create Frozen Luminarias Marjory Blare, Master Gardeners Frozen luminaries are both fun and beautiful to create. This article will give you suggestions on using materials you may have around the house and in your winter garden to create a frozen luminary. Here are two easy winter crafts that you can do with your little ones! Frozen Luminarias You will need: A large shallow container, at least 3” deep, perhaps 18”x14” or so. Vegetation; weeds, twigs, leaves, evergreen cuttings and so on. A pitcher or bucket to pour water into your container A tea candle or an electric candle in a mason jar. (If you choose a real candle you will also need a long lighter such as you would use for a grill. After making sure the candle is firmly fixed in the bottom of the jar, tip it sideways to light.) Make sure you take pictures of the process! Kids enjoy helping to collect the weeds. Cut them a bit longer than your container. Look for bold contrasting shapes. Colors are a bonus but not required. A monochromatic palette also creates beautiful results. Have your child arrange the various pieces in the shallow container. You might have them choose three long pieces, five medium pieces and seven or more short pieces. Cut them to fit the container. Odd numbers of pieces generally result in a pleasing composition. It can be easy to put too much into the container: you want light to be able to show through the finished composition. Don't worry about having the bottom edge all neat, this part will be buried in the snow. Gently pour about two to three inches of water over the vegetation and press down anything that floats, trying to keep them mostly below the surface. You may want to do this yourself, or make sure if your child spills, you've got a towel under it. Letting it soak indoors for a day before putting it outside can help the vegetation become waterlogged and submerge better. Put the container outdoors in a place where snow and/or other debris can't get into it, or alternately, cover it. Don't move it again until it's frozen solid or you will get cracks and air in it. After it's frozen solid, gently tap the frozen piece out of the container. Set it upright in a snow bank, packing snow at the base to help hold it upright. You can place it so that sun streams through it during the day or wait until dark, then light and place the candle behind your frozen weeds. Stand back and admire! Weeds and Buckets You will need: one or more buckets Vegetation, as above. You can use much larger and longer pieces of vegetation.- Enough water to fill the buckets about 4-5" deep. Place the tallest pieces in first, then medium, and finally the shortest pieces around the outside. You will need enough of the shorter pieces to hold the taller pieces upright, although some graceful arching is very pleasing too. Allow the water to freeze and then gently tap to remove. Place on your front porch or wherever you'd like decorations. Photo credits: Marjory Blare (all)

< Back Terrariums - A Garden in a Bottle Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Are you looking for an easy way to enjoy a live project with your child or grandchild over the Winter? How about creating a simple Terrarium that not only will be easy to care for but will also add a living garden to your home. All you need to begin is an open or enclosed glass or plastic container and a variety of planting materials. Preparing the terrarium is not only enjoyable, but picking out the container, pebbles/rocks and a few little decorations to go inside is an added bonus. Choose an enclosed container and create your own low maintenance mini-ecosystem. It begins when you water the completed terrarium (misting is best) and place the cover on. The soil releases water vapor which begins to collect on the walls of the container. This moisture then runs down the side of the container back into the soil and the process begins again. The open container terrarium is not truly a mini-ecosystem, but it does allow for additional interaction including watering and ease of interchanging decorations within the terrarium. Find the following terrarium supplies (check out your local thrift shops, dollar stores & local nurseries): Glass or plastic container of your choice (enclosed or open) Pebbles, aquarium gravel that comes in a variety of colors; (larger stones/rocks can be used for large containers) Activated Charcoal (use especially if making an enclosed terrarium - activated charcoal prevents odors and helps to prevent fungi) Moss - optional but good to use in keeping soil from washing down into gravel/rocks Plants – careful not to choose plants that will outgrow the container Decorations - items that can be placed inside the terrarium Decorative Sand - optional to place on top of dirt for decoration Water & Sunshine (bright indirect sunlight) Terrarium Prep & Planting: Place a layer of pebbles, aquarium gravel or small stones/rocks - 1 to 2 inches deep Spread a quarter to a half inch of Activated Charcoal on top of the pebbles A layer of sheet moss can then be placed over the charcoal and pebbles - this will prevent the next layer of potting soil to seep through Use your favorite potting soil and add about 1 to 2 inches of soil to the terrarium. Time to Plant & Decorate Pick plants based on the size of the container (mini or dwarf plants are available) In enclosed terrariums use plants that enjoy humidity (moss, ferns) Succulents and cacti do well in open terrariums Plants that do well in terrariums - Ferns, dwarf palms, moss, peperomia, polka dot plant and pilea just to name a few. Use a small hand trowel or a spoon to dig small holes for plants Decorate your terrarium with fun small figurines, rocks, sticks and more. Decorative sand can also be spread on the top to provide a decorative finish. How to Care for My Terrarium Place your terrarium in bright indirect light During the Winter months a grow light might need to be used to provide enough light for your terrarium Water sparingly - Don’t overwater Open Terrarium - use a spray bottle or provide small amounts of water with a spoon once a week or when the soil is dry Closed Terrarium - depending on humidity within the container and soil dryness, watering may only be needed every 3-5 months Your terrarium is complete! Enjoy watching it grow! Photo Credits: www.pexels.com (1), www.flickr.com (2,4), Thegardendiaries.wordpress.com (3)

< Back Why Do Soil Testing? Wondering why some plants in your yard aren’t doing well? Can’t figure out what might help? Many questions about why garden plants are not thriving can be answered by the results of a soil test. Read this article to learn why you should do a soil test in your garden and how to get it done. Hint: It’s easy! Linda Stein, Dakota County Master Gardener Wondering why some plants in your yard aren’t doing well? Can’t figure out what might help? Many questions about why garden plants are not thriving can be answered by the results of a soil test. Whether you’re starting a new garden, converting a yard space from one use, such as lawn, to another like a vegetable garden, or just continuing to use an area for the same purpose, a soil test can provide you with information that will promote success. It is recommended you test your soil when changing the use of the area and every three to five years for all other areas. Soil testing is available through the University of Minnesota Soil Testing Laboratory. The basic soil test will provide information on the soil texture, organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, pH and lime levels in your soil. With that information, you will know the specific composition of fertilizer that will benefit your garden. It will also provide you with information that will help you determine the types of plants that will do best in your garden. Soil testing is easy! You will fill out a form that asks what the area will be used for and the results will then provide recommendations specific to that use. A soil sample of two to three cups of soil can be mailed or brought to the Soil Testing Laboratory at the University of Minnesota. The sample should be collected by walking in a zig zag pattern through the space and placed in a clean tub or plastic bag. Separate samples should be submitted for separate areas of your yard. Go to https://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/testing-services/lawn-garden for specific instructions and to obtain the sample request sheet. The cost for a basic test performed at the University of Minnesota is $20. Happy soil makes for happy plants. Your key to happiness may be a soil test! Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2)

< Back How to Prepare Your Garden for Young Children Kristin Beardsley Schoenherr, Master Gardener Whether it’s children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or other little ones, it’s great to include them in the garden. Gardens are a place to grow fruits, vegetables, or flowers, and enjoy nature. Who better to enjoy gardens with than young children? But those little hands and minds can have a hard time if the garden is not designed with them in mind. This article will discuss how to design your garden considering the needs of little ones and how to prepare activities so they can be successful gardening and grow a joy for it. Whether it’s children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or other little ones, it’s great to include them in the garden. Gardens are a place to grow fruits, vegetables, or flowers, and enjoy nature. Who better to enjoy gardens with than young children? But those little hands and minds can have a hard time if the garden is not designed with them in mind. This article will discuss how to design your garden considering the needs of little ones and how to prepare activities so they can be successful gardening and grow a joy for it. Tools for planting and weeding: A little bucket and child sized trowel are perfect for weeding and planting. You can show your child how to dig a hole by putting the dirt into a bucket. Then place the bulb or seedling and pour the dirt back into the hole. Similarly, the set can be used for weeding by digging out the weeds and putting them in the bucket. Don’t forget to show the child where to dump the weeds. Planting seeds: Small children’s fine motor skills are just developing so it’s hard to hold and plant seeds. Putting the seeds in a little cup allows them to securely hold the seeds and choose one to plant. I also find that our daughter steals my kneeling pad, so I have a special little one for her to go get. Watering plants: Choose a little watering can that is small enough for your child to lift and carry independently when full. I like a sprinkle head for outdoor use. If possible, it’s really nice to have a way for your child to fill the watering can on their own as well. Harvesting: Harvest time is the best time! I find that children are likely to at least try the fruit and veggies they plant and harvest. Native strawberries are great ground-cover even in partial shade and provide tons of sweet little berries to pick and eat or freeze for the winter. Have a special little bowl to encourage more collecting and less eating, or collecting and eating. Dining : Don’t forget a sweet little spot to eat your delicious harvest. A Place for Everything and Everything in it’s Place: Have a place to store your child’s gardening supplies that they can reach and access on their own. When we keep this area nicely organized they know how to get their things and can be responsible for putting them away. Let’s be honest, my daughter doesn’t always put her things away on her own, but a consistent set-up will allow her to do this as she matures. We keep out child-sized tools needed for the current season. Here you can see her watering can, dish for seeds, kneeling mat, and gardening tote. The tote includes a child-sized metal trowel, fork, gardening gloves, and bucket. I did not put out the turtle labels that came with the set, and we bought her some better fitting gloves. She truly uses these tools to garden, something plastic and easily breakable would be frustrating. Other seasonal tools might include a rake for leaves in the fall or shovel for snow in the winter. A Children’s Garden: Some children and families enjoy having a designated space for a children’s garden. This can be a place for the child to make all their own choices. I find that children enjoy gardening the whole garden and don’t want to only garden in the children’s area. Little children benefit from quiet moments of independent observation and interaction in the garden. Children love little pathways and other things that make a garden fun like garden art and wind chimes. Consider including elements that are at their level. Gardens can be for playing as well! If children getting dirty stresses you out, have a clean-up plan that the children understand before they get started. We enjoy having a sand box, fairy garden, and swings in our garden as well. I can work while the children do what they enjoy. Photo credits: Kristin Beardsley Schoenherr (1 - 11)

< 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 New Chance Garden Project At Dakota County Juvenile Services Center Mary Galvin, edited by Julie Harris The Dakota County Master Gardeners partner with the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center in Hastings to plant and nurture a garden that teaches important lessons to the residents of the Center and provides produce for the county’s food shelves. The garden is part of the New Chance day treatment program. Male youth have the opportunity to work in the garden with the guidance of Master Gardeners. Read this article to learn more about how this important project serves as a teaching tool for youth and a source of food for county residents in need. The Dakota County Master Gardeners partner with the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center in Hastings to plant and nurture a garden that teaches important lessons to the residents of the Center and provides produce for the county’s food shelves. The Juvenile Services Center is a secured facility that provides detention and treatment services for youth. The garden is part of the New Chance day treatment program. Male youth between the ages of 14 and 17 have the opportunity to work in the garden with the guidance of Master Gardeners. Mary Galvin and Mary Beth Kufrin lead the project for the Master Gardeners. Several other Master Gardeners volunteer their time and knowledge to the project. What once was a small garden surrounded by turf was transformed into a multi-bed vegetable garden area with lovely wood chip borders and paths. Much credit goes to Dakota County staff and the program participants, who did the heavy lifting to make the garden happen. They prepared the area by removing the turf grass, tilling in compost, and laying out the garden bed areas and walkways with wood chips. This is the third year of the project which receives the enthusiastic support of Corrections and County officials, some of whom help with planting vegetables in the garden in the spring. Board Chair, Joe Atkins, Dakota County Commissioner Bill Droste, along with Community Corrections Director Suwana Kirkland, Deputy Director Matt Bauer, and Director of Community Services Marti Fischbach helped with planting the garden this year. The garden generated over 500 pounds of food last year. Most of this was donated to food shelves but some was enjoyed by youth in the New Chance program under the supervision of a nutritionist. Last year, Master Gardeners met with the New Chance participants to see what they wanted to grow. After a lively group discussion that included some general observations regarding our climate, our USDA zone, and growing season restrictions (which make pineapple and kiwifruit difficult to grow here), they made a list of possible produce to grow. Ideas include watermelon, strawberries, and rhubarb, collard greens, sweet corn, and pumpkins as well as garden staples like peppers, tomatoes, summer squash and onions. The participants also learn about pollinator friendly plants such as Zinnia and Swamp Milkweed. From planting day forward, Master Gardeners are in the garden weeding, watering, and harvesting alongside the staff and kids. One Master Gardener recalled how she described to a participant how food crops come from seeds, which grow into plants, which flower and bear fruit/vegetables, which in turn produce seeds. She said ‘it was like watching a light bulb turn on in the kid’s head as they made the connection.’ Other participants initially were anxious about seeing bees and wasps in the garden, but they also were interested to hear how non-threatening most insects are and how pollinators are essential to food production. In short, the hands-on aspect of the garden was an easy and informal way to educate. Dakota County Commissioner Mary Hamann-Roland, who was a driving force behind the garden, has said, “It’s been a great pleasure to work with the kids and staff and see the joy that the kids find in learning, picking and tasting new vegetables and fruit,” “It’s a metaphor,” said Hamann-Roland, “we need to tend to each other and when we do, we help our world grow.” Photo credits: Mary Galvin (1,2), Dakota County Commissioner (3)