< Back The Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Native Perennial Workhorse Jim Lakin, MD, Master Gardener Wild Geranium is a pretty, flowering, native plant that serves as an easy-to-grow groundcover. Read on to learn why and how to include it in your garden. Geranium maculatum has been a big favorite of mine for many years. It is a fast, low growing ground cover that spreads rapidly and is easy to propagate by division. It’s tough and does well in everything from part shade to full sun. It’s tough and drought resistant although it does best in moist soil. It’s cold resistant and does well from Zone 3 to 8. What more could you ask for? The flowers range from a showy pink to violet and appear from spring all the way into early fall, especially in those plants in full sun. Plants can grow from one to three feet tall although ours usually top out around 8 to 12 inches making a very nice ground cover or front bed planting, especially in a woodland garden. Wild geranium grows in clumps spreading 12 to 18 inches. They mix well with eastern red columbine and woodland phlox, providing an engaging sequence of blooms throughout the season. Geranium maculatum in bloom It is native to the deciduous woodlands of Eastern and Midwestern North America from Southern Ontario south to Georgia and west to Eastern Oklahoma and the Eastern Dakotas. As is the case with most natives, Geranium maculatum is known locally by many names including alum root, alum bloom, cranesbill, spotted cranesbill, wild cranesbill, spotted geranium, wild geranium and wood geranium. As we said it prefers moist soils and the foliage may yellow in summer if things get too dry. If the foliage seems to be declining during a hot summer, lightly shearing the plant can help to revitalize it. As the season progresses the flowers develop into beaklike fruiting pods that open from the base to dispense seeds. More imaginative gardeners describe these seed pods as resembling the head and beak of a crane. Thus, the common name of “crane’s bill” and the genus name Geranium derived from the Greek geranos or crane. Geranium maculatum “Carolina “seed pods Geranium maculatum is a tough cookie without serious insect or disease problems although leaf spot or rust will sometimes pop up. It is a favorite of many pollinators including butterflies, flies and bees. Large bees including Bumble Bees and Mason Bees are attracted to the showy blooms. Smaller species such as Cuckoo bees, sweat bees and fruit worm bees are often seen among the wild geraniums. The wild geranium makes a terrific addition to the ecology of your woodland garden. Photo credits: Wikipedia (1), Kathy Clark, Ohio State University Extension (2)

< Back Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World Mushrooms – not just for eating anymore. Ren Henry reviews Paul Stamets’ fascinating book about the value that mushrooms bring to the environment. It turns out that mushrooms can help the landscape in ways you probably have never thought about. Paul Stamets Reviewed by Ren Henry What do we use mushrooms for? Mostly we eat them, and that’s about it. Have you ever stopped to think about the other uses for mushrooms? In Paul Stamets’ 2005 book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World , the celebrated mycologist explores the various ways mushrooms can be used in the landscape to help remediate various ecological settings. This is what he terms “mycorestoration”. The book is divided into three parts: first explaining how mushrooms grow, then how mycorestoration works, and finally how to grow specific types of mushrooms. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of the mycelial mat, which intertwines within the soil. Stamets’ view is that the mycelial mat can be used to provide additional nutrients to plants and to more quickly remediate soil after a forest fire. He also provides evidence that some mushroom species are hyper-accumulators of heavy metals and could theoretically be used to clean up waste sites by inoculating the soil with mycelium and harvesting the mushrooms for incineration. He also demonstrates that the use of mycelium when returning old roads to nature speeds up the process significantly. In sum, Stamets’ main point is that the mycelial mat and the mushrooms it produces could be a tool for improving our landscape and remediating ecological disasters in a quick and cost-efficient manner. The book, deals with some technical topics but is easy to read and understand. While somewhat out of date, the website that the text often refers to is still accessible today, with current information. Even sixteen years after publication, the book still has lots to teach about the value that mushrooms can bring to the landscape, even when they aren’t an edible variety. Photo Credit: Ren Henry (1)

< Back A Plain Vanilla Murder and Hemlock Now that your outside garden has been put to bed for the winter, take some time to relax and read some entertaining plant fiction. As reviewer Gail Maifeld explains, reading the mysteries - “A Plain Vanilla Murder” and “Hemlock” by Susan Wittig Albert, is not only fun, it’s educational. Written by Susan Wittig Albert Reviewed by Gail Maifeld The garden is put to bed so put your feet up with two delicious mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert: A Plain Vanilla Murder and Hemlock. Both mysteries incorporate the titled herbs as the premise for the mystery plot and are the two latest books in The China Bayles mystery series. A Plain Vanilla Murder takes place in and around the fictious town of Pecan Springs, Texas. China and Ruby Cox are presenting a workshop entitled Plain Vanilla. China’s workshops are popular but someone at this workshop has a deadly motive. China is puzzled when a dear friend’s daughter disappears, a university professor is found murdered, and a fragile, rare orchid is stolen from the professor’s lab. Much is at stake: plant patent, an orchid that is extinct in the wild, & the life of an innocent girl. Learn about the most taken for granted herb vanilla. Did you know it only grows wild in Chili because that is where the unique insect lives that has the physiology to pollinate vanilla? Hemlock takes China Bayles to the mountains of North Carolina where an old & rare book is missing from the gardening book collection of the Hemlock House Library. This rare book, A Curious Herbal, was written and illustrated in the 1730’s. Hemlock is a compelling mix of mystery and herb lore. A member of the carrot family, hemlock looks like Queen Anne’s Lace and is lethal to humans and animals. The addition of a haunted house, a ghost, the local Hemlock Society, and a shooting, all create an absorbing novel. Learn about Vanilla and Hemlock while enjoying a mysterious romp that includes red herrings and suspicious characters. Photo Credit: Gail Mailfeld (1,2)

< Back Swiss Chard – It’s Like Spinach, But It’s Not Swiss Chard (Chard) is a dark leafy green that can be used raw or cooked. It also freezes well for winter consumption. Chard can be planted any time during the growing season and re-blooms after harvesting. Not only is it nutritious but it looks beautiful in the garden, as well. Read this article to learn why and how to grow Swiss Chard in your garden. Mickey Scullard, Dakota County Master Gardener Swiss Chard (Chard) is in the beet family, ( Beta vulgaris) and is very easy to grow. Like spinach, you can direct seed Chard, however, you will want to wait until all danger of frost is past. Unlike spinach, Chard is not sensitive to day length and does not bolt when the days get longer and it gets hot in early summer. Very rarely, if planted too early while temperatures are cold or cool, Chard may bolt. You only need to plant Chard once in the spring and it will keep re-growing after each harvest through Fall. While spinach will regrow if baby leaves are harvested early, it will eventually bolt in early summer. You do not have to plant or replant Chard for a fall crop (which you may want to consider in late August for spinach) and if you miss getting it planted in spring, you can plant it at any time during the growing season. So, if you haven’t planted it yet, go ahead and get some Chard seeds sown. Swiss Chard seedlings You will want to manage the weeds around Chard to prevent it from having to compete for water and nutrients. Keep it regularly watered. If drought conditions exist, leaf growth will slow. As soon as it has sufficient water again, it will resume growing. To harvest Chard, you can pick the leaves at varying sizes based on your preference. Some people will cut the leaves just above the base of the plant (the crown). The leaves do pick up dirt in the stalks and leaves, so you will want to wash it well to avoid a gritty bite. Simply wash well in cool water. You will be able to harvest Chard into the Fall months, sometimes even after the first snowfall. Chard freezes well, requiring simple blanching in boiling water, followed by a cool water bath, and bagging it in a freezer bag. Nutritionally, Swiss Chard provides many important nutrients such as Vitamin K and Vitamin A. It also provides Vitamin C and magnesium and contains antioxidants including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. It is low in carbohydrates and is low calorie (depending upon how it is cooked). Some studies suggest it can help with blood sugar control, support heart health, reduce blood pressure, and other health benefits. Some articles label it a ‘superfood’. On top of all that goodness, Chard can be a lovely addition to a landscape as the stalks and leaf veins range in color from bright white (Fordhook most common variety), to yellow, gold, green, orange, pink, red, or striped. Some varieties are: “Bright Lights”, “Rainbow”, “Rhubarb”, “Neon Lights”. Paired with annual or perennial flowers, the green, bronze, or purple leaves with their showy veins and stalks add texture and color to containers and flower gardens. Consider adding Swiss Chard to your garden for both its beauty and nutritional values! References: Growing spinach and swiss chard in home gardens https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-spinach-and-swiss-chard#harvest-and-storage-390412 Swiss Chard https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/swiss-chard/ Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/swiss-chard Health benefits of swiss chard: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284103 Allergy Associates of LaCrosse: https://lacrosseallergy.com/resources/diet-and-nutrition-counseling/superfoods/swiss-chard/ Photo Credits: University of Delaware (1), University of Minnesota Extension, Gardening: Swiss Chard (2), University of Wisconsin Extension (3,4,5,6)

< 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)

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