< Back Sunflowers - Bright, Beautiful and Fun to Grow Summer is upon us and what is better to grow with your child than flowers that are big, bright and beautiful. Sunflowers come in many varieties and heights and “Yes” they can be planted in containers too. Planting sunflower seeds with children is an incredible way to see the entire life cycle of a plant. This article explains how to engage in this fun and easy learning opportunity. Julie Henrichs Summer is upon us and what is better to grow with your child than flowers that are big, bright and beautiful. Sunflowers come in many varieties and heights and “Yes” they can be planted in containers too. Planting sunflower seeds with children is an incredible way to experience the entire life cycle of a plant. Sunflowers are ideal for planting with children because sunflower seeds are large in size for easy handling, tolerates dry or drought conditions and also is fairly low maintenance. Sunflowers are also “giving” plants - bees and bugs benefit from the flowers while birds eat the seeds produced. Let’s Get Planting Sunflower seeds come in all varieties, size and many colors ranging from yellow, orange, bronze, red, burgundy and even white with a variation of mixed petals. Allow your children to choose the type of sunflower to grow and then ask why they chose the one they did? Was it for the height, the extra fuzzy looking flower or simply the color? If you have height restrictions, refer to seed package for height and spacing guidelines. We think of sunflower seeds always being planted in the ground, but they can also be planted in containers. Choosing the best finished container is important and make sure to base the size of container by the plant height. Items Needed: Appropriately sized planting container (base size on final height of plant) with good drainage Sunflower Seeds Potting Soil Water in watering can or spray bottle Plant labels (optional) Gardening Gloves (optional) Let’s get started: Fill containers with potting soil, leaving dirt an inch away from the rim of the container. Once the container is filled, tap down lightly and add any potting soil as needed. Children can poke a small hole with their finger into the soil. Open the seed packet and have your child plant the seeds about 1-2 inches into the soil in the hole. Seeds can be spaced approximately 6-12 inches apart depending on the sunflower seed type. (refer to the back of the package for planting depth and spacing) Cover seeds and tamp down soil Water gently with a watering can being careful not to disrupt the newly planted seeds or spritz the soil with water making sure the soil is wet Set the newly planted containers in full sun. Continue to check the new plantings for watering needs at least once or twice a day. Once the seedlings have emerged, continue to check to make sure the soil remains moist, but not saturated. Seeds start to grow 1-1 ½ weeks after planting. As your sunflower begins to grow it may require staking to keep the plant upright, especially in strong winds. Sunflowers are unique in that they begin as a seed and also end as a seed. The sunflower plant produces a sunflower bloom/head. When the sunflower head starts to turn brown, the sunflowers can be cut off and either they can be left for birds and other insects or they can be dried and then used later. Sunflowers provide so many benefits – a fun and educational gardening experience, a beautiful display and food for birds and insects. Let’s get planting! Photo Credit: flickr.com (1,2), backgardener.com (3)

< Back Strawberry Asparagus Salad and a Challenge! Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s July and some of your vegetables and fruit are ripe for picking – yay! Two of these early products are asparagus and strawberries. And, luckily, they go together in a delicious salad. Read Joy Johnson’s article for an easy recipe. And, keep reading for a more difficult recipe for Strawberry Cucumber bread. If you’re up for the challenge, you will be rewarded with a delicious treat! Did you know that asparagus and strawberries go well together in two ways? One way is to do companion plantings with groups of asparagus inter-mixed with strawberry plants. Because the asparagus grows tall and starts sprouting out of the ground ahead of the strawberry plants, you can grow them together and harvest them at nearly the same time. The second way is to eat them together. Their flavors are complimentary and make a fresh summer salad. Here is a very simple recipe that pulls together in no time. You can jazz it up by adding sliced almonds, poppy seeds, goat cheese or crumbled feta or blue cheese. I didn’t have those ingredients on hand, so I’m keeping it simple tonight! Strawberry Asparagus Salad Ingredients: 2 cups asparagus, cut in pieces and blanched 2 cups strawberries, sliced Dressing: ¼ cup lemon juice 2 TBSP vegetable oil. 2 TBSP honey Directions: Toss the asparagus and strawberries together in a bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Chill before serving. Strawberry Cucumber Bread – If You Like a Challenge! This colorful bread can be served at breakfast or as a dessert or in the middle of the day with a cup of tea or coffee. I came across this recipe when I googled “spring breads”. It has two of my favorite foods in it: strawberries and cucumbers, which I thought was an interesting combination for a quick bread. It was very challenging to make! First, I had to clarify butter. I didn’t start with a small enough pan, so when I had to scrape off the butter foam without dipping my spoon into the clear layer underneath, that wasn’t going to work. So, I dumped it into a smaller pan, which completely negated the instruction to not stir it or disturb the layers in any way. I gently scraped off the foam after waiting an extra hour with the pan over really low heat, and I figured it would re-layer itself if I waited long enough. Then I was supposed to separate the clarified butter from the water, which I could do by pouring it off. Hmm, it all looked the same to me. So, I went back to my computer to get some work done (that I get paid for) and left the pot on very low heat for another hour. When I came back into the kitchen, there was the butter - thick and smooth, but definitely not clear. I scooped it out of the pot so I could measure it and discovered about a teaspoon of water underneath. I did pour that off. I used this butter in the recipe, but I can’t say if it met the definition of ‘clarified’. The next challenge was the baking. It flowed over my bread pan and all over the oven floor. I scraped the bottom rack and the bottom of the oven clean as soon as I discovered it, so it wouldn’t start on fire, which was after about an hour of baking. The bread should have been done at that point. But it wasn’t even close with the hot batter still running over the side of the pan. So, I covered it with a tent of foil in an effort to get the inside baked and not brown the outside any further. I checked it every 15 minutes. It still wasn’t done and was still volcano-ing onto the oven floor. It ended up in the oven for an extra 40 minutes (at least, I went out to rake the lawn!) and then I gave up and took it out. I put it in the microwave for 2 ½ minutes on high to get the inside cooked. The next challenge was getting it out of the bread pan. I let it cool on a cooling rack until it was just warm. I had greased and floured the pan before filling it. I gently went around the edge with a butter knife, sawing through the dark parts where the batter had flowed over the pan. Tipped it over - no movement. I went around the pan with the knife again, twice, then turned it on one side and worked on that side, turned it over to the other side and worked on that side. It finally came free in one piece! Of course, I sliced it and ate a piece right away. It was delicious , especially when I hit a pocket of the strawberry preserves, but I’m not sure it was worth all the effort! Strawberry Cucumber Bread (from Bon Appetite Magazine) modified slightly by me Ingredients: ½ cup strawberry preserves 1 T cornstarch 1T fresh lemon juice ½ c sort of clarified butter, room temp 1 c sugar 2 large eggs 1t vanilla extract ¼ t almond extract 2c all -purpose flour 1 t baking powder ½ t baking soda ½ t salt 2 cups grated and well drained cucumber ½ c chopped walnuts ½ c sliced fresh strawberries, divided Instructions: In a small saucepan, cook strawberry preserves, cornstarch, and lemon juice over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray and sprinkle with flour. In a bowl, beat clarified butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in cucumber, walnuts, and ¼ cup (42.5 grams) sliced strawberries. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan; top with strawberry preserve mixture. Add remaining batter, and top with remaining ¼ cup (42.5 grams) strawberry slices. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4)

< Back Growing Daffodils Sometimes referred to as narcissus, daffodils nodding yellow, white, or variegated heads, are true harbingers of spring. Daffodils are a colorful addition to your garden with few basic steps. Gail Maifeld, Master Gardener How do daffodils grow? Daffodils are a spring-flowering plant that grows from a bulb planted in the fall. In spring the bulbs send up leaves that form buds, each of which develops into a flower or two depending on the variety. The outside of the flower is known as the perianth. This can be a different color than the inside trumpet or corona. Beneath the ground the bulb absorbs nutrients manufactured by the leaves after flowering, which can go on for 7 weeks or longer. The leaves fade, drop to the ground, and the plant goes dormant. Cut the leaves off only after they have fallen to the ground and are brown. Where can daffodils be planted for success? Daffodils do best in full sun, although they can tolerate some shade. If planting under a tree, consider removing lower branches to allow for light. Daffodils require well-drained soil. Rocks or clay soil should be removed and replaced with a mix of quality soil, which should be 1 part peat moss and 2 parts soil. Dig up an area to the depth of 12 inches. Using a shovel loosen soil at the bottom of the trench or hole. Mix new soil into the bottom to create a bed of loose soil for the bulb roots to form. Fill the opening to 8 inches and arrange the bulbs 3-4 inches apart with the wide end of the bulb down and gently press into the soil. Gently cover with soil and water. A 10-10-10 commercial fertilizer or organic fertilizer such as bone meal, blood meal or cow manure can be added. Where can I buy daffodil bulbs? Garden centers, online retailers, and mail order garden catalogs are the usual sources. Bulbs that have a soft base, dark brown or black coloring should not be purchased. Look at the mail order bulbs carefully and return any that are bad. Plant the bulbs as soon as you purchase them or receive them in the mail. Bulbs are alive so heat and humidity can cause damage. Reputable dealers will have the bulbs in a cool well- ventilated area. Mail order catalogs will ship during your areas best planting period, which is mid August thru September. Bulbs need 10-12 weeks to from roots so early October is the latest time to plant. How do I care for daffodils? Water newly planted bulbs frequently during the fall. Gardeners frequently forget to water, which is needed for root development. If spring rains are not adequate, begin watering. Cut back on watering as the foliage fades. Buds begin developing on the bulbs; so begin watering in late summer and continue through the fall. Mulch prevents weeds from growing around the bulbs but if the bulbs are naturalized, mulch is not practical. Fertilize in the spring before new growth appears. Avoid touching new growth with fertilizer and water immediately after the application to wash the fertilizer down to the roots. Daffodils do not need staking but deadheading will result in a more attractive bed. Daffodils are generally insect and disease free. Daffodils make a colorful early spring bouquet. Some are sweet scented. Harvest the flowers just as the bud begins to open and place immediately in water. Do not mix daffodils with other flowers since daffodils release a slime that is toxic. For long lasting bouquets add 5 drops of bleach to the water. With a minimum of garden preparation and plant maintenance, daffodils will reward the gardener with colorful spring joy.

< Back New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus): A Short Showy Shrub Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) is in no way related to Earl Grey or the American mafia. Read this article about how this hardy, long-lived native perennial shrub got its name. Continue reading to learn more about this native shrub’s attributes and how to use New Jersey Tea in your garden. New Jersey Tea ( Ceanothus americanus ) is in no way related to Earl Grey or the American mafia. Its curious name was coined during the American Revolution when its leaves were used as a substitute for the imported English version. Never having tried the concoction, I cannot vouch for either its taste or its safety. I can however, attest to the plant being a hardy, long-lived native perennial shrub. Ceanthus americanus in summer bloom In the wild New Jersey Tea thrives on upland prairies and savannas in full sun to partial shade. It is found throughout eastern and central North America, growing some three feet tall and five wide. Ceanothus americanus is hardy from Zones 3 through 9 so it does well even in Northern Minnesota. It makes an excellent low hedge where privacy is not an issue. New Jersey Tea works especially well on rocky hillsides and slopes. It does require well-drained soil which can be either sandy or loamy. The shrub has a deep tap root which makes it especially drought resistant and low maintenance when established. It is a slow grower, however and will take two to three years to establish itself. Once settled in, New Jersey tea boasts beautifully glossy green leaves topped by frothy white clusters of flowers that adorn the shrub in July and August. Thus, it adds color to the garden at times when not much is otherwise happening. These flowers go on to produce black seed capsules which explode in early fall. The capsule remnants remain on the bush through the winter, adding interest. New Jersey Tea is deciduous and blooms off new wood. Therefore, it can be pruned back in the fall or early spring, if desired. I prefer, however, to leave it in its natural state. Ceanothus americanus foliage As you might expect from such a ubiquitous native perennial, it is quite pollinator friendly. Hummingbirds especially appreciate the smaller insects that are drawn to the summer blooms. It is a host plant for both Spring Azure and Summer Azure butterflies ( Celastrina ladon ) . It is said to be deer resistant although other sources state deer use the twigs as a major food source throughout the year. Frankly, most anything is potential chow for Bambi. Since it is slow growing it usually is available in nurseries only in smaller sizes. Be patient, however and you will be richly rewarded by this lovely plant. Photo Credit: US Fish & Wildlife Service (1), Go Botany (2)

< Back Garlic Butter Brussel Sprouts Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener It’s March and this month green vegetables may be top of mind (thanks to Saint Patrick, I’m sure). Garden seeds are sprouting under their grow lights and we are excited for warmer days to come when they’ve grown large enough to transplant outside into our gardens. In the meantime, here is a recipe for one green vegetable – brussels sprouts. According to the author, Joy Johnson, even the pickiest of brussels sprouts eaters will love this recipe! For this month’s recipe, I’ll admit I used store bought brussels sprouts. I have grown them in my garden, but I have not had any last in cool storage until March. I’ve never tried to freeze them and would welcome any tips on doing that in case I have a bumper crop this year. Usually, we gobble them up fresh from the garden in late fall. This recipe will tickle your taste buds with it’s spicey, smokey flavors that are cooled with a lemon Aioli sauce to drizzle on just before eating. Garlic Butter Brussels Sprouts Ingredients : 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes 4 slices bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated A couple sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish A couple of lemon wedges Process : Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. In a gallon plastic food storage bag, gently shake together the Brussels sprouts, olive oil, thyme and red pepper flakes. Arrange the Brussels sprouts cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Lay the bacon pieces over the sprouts. Roast until the sprouts are deeply browned and the bacon is crisp, 20 – 25 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and the garlic. Remove the sprouts from the oven and pour the butter mixture over them. Return the sprouts to the oven and roast until crispy, 10 minutes. Smokey Lemon Aioli Ingredients: ½ cup mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated ½ to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon smoked paprika Salt Process : In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne and paprika. Taste and add salt as needed. Pile the Brussels sprouts onto a serving plate, sprinkle with the sprigs of fresh thyme, and squeeze the lemon wedges over them. Serve with the bowl of aioli for dipping or drizzle it over them. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,3), foto.wuestenigel.com (2)

< Back Happy Feathered Friends Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Is it important for us to take care of our feathered friends when the weather turns cold and the snow begins to fly? Yes it is, because birds play an important role in the ecosystem of our garden from weed and pest control to pollination and fertilization, plus birds are fun for all ages to watch. Now it’s time to help the birds stay strong and healthy throughout the Winter with only a few simple supplies needed. Supplies Needed: Pinecones (find pinecones in nature) Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Sun Butter Bird Seed (smaller seeds are best) String, Twine, Yarn Popsicle Stick/Hands/Butter Knife (dependent on age of participants) Plate/Tray/Large Piece of Thicker Paper Making the Bird Feeder: Place the birdseed on a plate, tray or large sheet of thicker paper and set aside. Choose a pinecone from the ones collected. Carefully take a 1-2 foot piece of string, twine or yarn and begin wrapping it around the pinecone leaving an end that can be used to hang the pine cone from a tree or post. Next, take a popsicle stick, butter knife or your hands and spread peanut butter, almond butter or sun butter onto the pinecone. Spread enough “butter” onto the pinecone so there are lots of spots for the birdseed to stick. Now it is time to get messy! Take the pinecone and roll it in the birdseed making sure to coat as much of the pine cone as possible. Once you have completed coating the pinecone in birdseed the next step is to hang it outside. Remember to place the Pinecone Bird feeder in a spot where the birds feel protected from predators. Once you have found the right spot, sit back and enjoy the birds. Photo Credits: www.flickr.com (1,2), www.Pexels.com (3,4)

< Back Harvesting and Preserving Herbs Harvest time is such a fun time of the year. There are so many herbs to harvest and preserve for the upcoming winter months. Some share their bounty year after year, like tarragon and oregano, and others, like basil and marjoram, are planted in spring for a fall harvest. Shari Mayer, Master Gardener I’m always playing with herbs in my yard, tucking them into the landscape, my gardens, and containers. Wherever they end up, as fall approaches, my attention turns toward harvesting. I’ll share a couple of harvesting techniques that have worked well for me over the years. Personally, I tend to wait as long as possible before the final harvest. Oftentimes I find myself gathering armfuls of herbs to bring indoors in a race against inclement weather, especially my frost-sensitive herbs. Looking at mountains of plant material all over my kitchen counters and in buckets makes me sometimes wonder what I was thinking way back in the spring! Anyway, here are some techniques that help me prolong the fresh herbs for cooking and make short work of processing. These methods preserve the flavor and essential oils, which is what it’s all about. First, prepping for harvest is important. I don’t like to waste an enormous amount of time washing and drying herbs once they are inside, so I try to use the gift of rain. This washes the majority of dust, dirt and debris from the herbs. It also ensures they are hydrated just prior to harvest. If no rain, then I achieve the same effect with a garden hose. My favorite way to process a lot of herbs is what I refer to as the ‘slurry’ method. I’ll use basil, since it is a perfect example. Basil does not like temps below 50 degrees F, and discolors to an unappetizing brown if cold and wet. This method preserves the color and makes it super simple to use in cooking. The key to a slurry is the ratio of fresh, packed herbs to oil. Use a 4:1 ratio. The process is simple. Two cups packed leaf material and ½ cup oil (my favorite is olive). Do not use woody stems. Using a food processor, start pulsing the leaf material, and slowly add the oil until incorporated. The mixture should be thick and pourable, but not runny. Fill ice cube trays and freeze the mixture. Once frozen, store in freezer bags. I mark the bags with ice cubes that equal 2 cups of herbed cubes. This is the base amount to make one recipe of pesto. If you want to make a pesto, just thaw, and add the remainder of pesto ingredients to it. Otherwise, for cooking, just pop an ice cube or two as needed or desired. The slurry method works well also with water as an oil substitute. Another favorite technique of mine is to make herb bouquets. I just go outside and collect herbs as you would cut flowers, and bring them in and arrange the herbs in vases. If the herb is annual, such as basil, I will cut it right at the ground level and bring the whole plant inside. If it is a perennial, such as tarragon, then just bring in a number of branches. They last for weeks this way, and provide fresh herbs for your cooking well into fall. I find the varied greens of the herbs are as beautiful as flowers. There are so many ways to preserve herbs, but these are a couple of my favorites. Here’s to fall bouquets of green! Photo credits Emily Murphy, “ PassthePistil.com ” (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2, 3, 4)

< Back Holiday Gift Plants Susan Ball, Dakota County Master Gardener Looking for a gift for that person who has everything? Do you need a gift for someone but the thought of braving the mall makes you light-headed? How about a potted plant? And no, it doesn’t have to be the lovely but ubiquitous poinsettia. Unless you are able to score one of the pink and white or yellow cultivars, or a poinsettia with “double bracts”, give the lovely but pervasive poinsettia a pass. You want a potted plant that says “I picked this out especially for you.’’ The good news: there are a number of holiday plants for you in addition to ways to customize the plant to make it look extra special. Small potted Norfolk Island pines and fragrant rosemary can be given as miniature trees to be enjoyed indoors and decorated for the holidays. For the flower-loving crowd, paper white narcissus, amaryllis bulbs, cyclamen, and Christmas cactus make colorful holiday gifts. You can make your gift plant even more special by taking it out of that plain plastic pot it usually comes in and giving it in a creative container. Picking out your plant First, make sure the plant has healthy foliage and no roots coming out of the pot. If you are buying a flowering plant, pick one that hasn't fully bloomed yet. You don’t want it to look lovely in the store; you want it to look lovely in your recipient’s home. Be sure to include care instructions. If instructions have fallen off, or were never there in the first place, you can put the name of your plant in a search engine and print out the information that pops up. Norfolk Island Pine : These are small trees that are very popular as decorative table-top holiday trees. Norfolk Island pines are not true pines; they are members of a pre-historic family of conifers called Araucariaceae, an incredibly diverse and widespread plant family during the Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods. While this tree can grow quite large in its natural habitat, Norfolk Island pine is slow growing. After about a decade, it may eventually reach 5 to 8 feet tall as a houseplant. Norfolk pines need very bright light and humidity. If the plant is not thriving, it is likely not receiving sufficient light or humidity. Norfolk Island pines don't appreciate being too wet. Instead, fill a saucer with water and rocks or gravel, then place the potted plant on top, making sure the pot is not sitting directly in water. Bingo! You’ve created a little high-humidity microclimate. When you find the spot in your house with the right light for your plant, don't forget to turn the plant every week or so to keep it growing straight and upright. [insert photo 1] Cyclamen: This cool-season plant is often used as an accent indoors. With its dark green to silvery leaves and recurved twisting flowers in shades of red, pink, or white, cyclamen makes a lovely holiday gift. It grows best in a bright location without direct sunlight. When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. Water whenever the soil feels dry. Do not get water on the crown of the plant. High humidity, especially during winter, is crucial. Keep cyclamen on a tray of water with a layer of pebbles or something else to form a shelf for the cyclamen pot to sit on. Do not let the cyclamen itself sit in the water. Feed it with a low-nitrogen fertilizer every couple of weeks while in full leaf. Avoid drafts as well as hot, dry air (as in air conditioning and heating vents). As the flowers begin to fade, gradually allow the plant to dry out for 2-3 months. It is going dormant and excess water will allow it to rot. During the summer, dormant cyclamen can be kept indoors, in a cool, dark spot with good air circulation or outdoors, in a shady spot. You can repot with fresh soil and a slightly larger pot while the plant is dormant. Begin watering again in September. By then you’ll probably see new growth starting. Make sure you bring the pot back indoors before a frost. There are many wonderful cyclamen hybrids available and since they stay in bloom for a long time, you can choose your plant while the blossoms are open and know exactly what you are getting. Amaryllis: These subtropical bulbs are popular gift plants because they can be forced to produce stunning flowers during the holiday season. Amaryllis is grown in pots indoors throughout the country. The trumpet-shaped blooms grow up to six inches across, and several flowers often appear in succession. Flower color ranges from reds, oranges and pinks to pure white. Still others are spectacularly striped and multi-colored. You can purchase pre-potted bulbs at many garden centers or you can buy bulbs separately and plant them in a pot that you select. Once planted and watered, bulbs should bloom within six or eight weeks. When purchasing bulbs, keep in mind that the larger the bulb, the larger the flowers. Also remember that flower stalks can be top heavy, so make sure the container you select is heavy enough to counter balance the weight or add a layer of gravel to the bottom of the pot to make sure the plant does not tip over when in bloom. Plant the bulb in the center of the pot in well-drained potting media, taking care to press firmly around the bulb so that it is well seated. Encourage early flowering by keeping at least one half to two-thirds of the bulb above the soil line. Water thoroughly and place the pot in a cool, bright spot. No further watering should be necessary until the bulb sprouts. When it does sprout, move the pot to a spot with direct sunlight and keep the soil moist but not over-watered. Fertilizer is not necessary at this point. Once the bloom opens, remove the plant from sunlight to prolong the life of the flowers. Amaryllis, like many other types of lilies, contains various toxic alkaloids and can cause poisoning if consumed. Keep away from pets! If your recipient is a fan of tulips, daffodils, crocus and/or hyacinths, you can also pot up some of these spring bulbs and create a bulb garden for a beautiful holiday gift. Paper white narcissus : These bulbs are great alternatives to the ever-popular amaryllis. Paper whites are also quite easy to force. Unlike most spring-flowering bulbs, paper white narcissus bulbs don't require chilling prior to flowering. This makes these lovely flowers perfect for gardeners with less experience forcing bulbs. Native to the Mediterranean, “paper whites" produce clusters of small white, yellow, or orange flowers (despite their common name). The extremely fragrant flowers are produced on stems that are 12 to 18 inches tall. With a sweet scent that can fill a room, it should be noted that the yellow flowers are particularly fragrant. For other heavily fragrant paper whites, check out 'Erlicheer' and 'Omri,' which produce completely white flowers. 'Galilee' is white and cream, while the flowers of 'Avalanche' have white petals and yellow central cups. 'Constantinople' also has a yellow cup, but produces semi-double white petals, meaning that the flower stamens transform into yet more petals, causing a fuller appearance. When purchasing bulbs, look for ones that are blemish free and firm. This will help you avoid problems related to basal rot. Basal rot causes decay starting at the roots and spreads upwards inside the bulb. On the surface, affected plants become dwarfed and the flowers are abnormal, not what you are looking for, especially in a gift plant. If you are buying your paper whites already planted there is, of course, nothing to do, unless you want to root them (see below). However, if you decide to buy the bulbs and pot them yourself, look for a pot that is 3 to 5 inches deep and has holes in the bottom for drainage. Paper whites need a potting mix that is well draining. The bulbs should be planted with the pointed ends up. When you are planting them, plant enough bulbs in the pot to fill the space without the bulbs touching each other. Make sure the tips of your planted bulbs are exposed. Alternatively, the bulbs can be planted in gravel, pebbles, or marble chips instead of soil. If you decide to do this, fill a pot or bowl up halfway with pebbles and place the bulbs on top of the pebbles. Then add more pebbles until the bulbs are about two-thirds covered. Finally add enough water so that the bottoms of the bulbs are touched by the water, then maintain this water level. Full flowering takes about 4 to 8 weeks after planting. Once planted, place them in a sunny, cool location; when grown in an area that is too warm or has too little light, the leaves and flower stalks will grow too tall and flop over. Too much sun will cause the flowers to deteriorate. Gift them as they are just starting to bloom. Christmas cactus : Thanks to its name, colorful blooms, and low-maintenance reputation, the Christmas cactus is another holiday gift option. Like poinsettias, Christmas cactus start the flowering process when the days become shorter and the nights become cooler. In order to flower, Christmas cactus typically need at least twelve hours of darkness. Keep Christmas cactus away from artificial light during the night from October through December if you want it to bloom during the holiday season. Place in a closet at night or put a box or bag over it to trick it into thinking it is outside and the nights are getting longer. Christmas cactus ( Schlumbergera bridgesii ) grow best in bright, indirect light. Place them within six feet of a south, east or west-facing window. Fertilize every one to two months during the growing season (April to September). Use a well-drained potting medium and only water the plants when the upper inch of soil feels dry. Christmas cactus prefers to be a bit root-bound, so be sure not to choose a pot too large for your plant. Pruning the plants will encourage branching and flowering, but don't prune beyond mid-summer. You can use the trimmings to propagate new plants. Just place cuttings that have two or three jointed sections in well-drained sterile media. Keep them moist and in bright indirect light until roots form and new growth appears. Christmas cactus can be prone to bud drop, so avoid extreme environmental changes. Keep them away from drafts or heat sources (vents, fireplaces, or televisions). Avoid letting the plants get too dry between waterings. The stems and roots can rot if the soil holds too much water, so be sure to use a well-drained potting medium and water only when the potting medium begins to dry out. Rosemary: Rosemary is a pungent, evergreen herb that's great for cooking and very easy to grow. You can use it fresh in meals or dry it for later use. This herb can live out its life in a pot in the kitchen long after the holidays pass if given good light, or planted in the garden. Rosemary is often used to season meats like pork, chicken, and lamb, but it's equally delicious when used on roasted potatoes or in soups or rustic breads. It is also an attractive, drought-tolerant plant that works well in containers and landscape beds. It blooms in winter and spring with small pink, lavender, or blue flowers, depending on the cultivar. It can reach up to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide when planted in the ground but will remain smaller if pruned or planted in containers. Rosemary can also be found for sale pruned as a holiday topiary , shaped as a Christmas tree. Outdoors, rosemary demands a well-drained soil and at least six hours of sun. This plant is originally from the Mediterranean, so it prefers dry conditions and suffers when watered too frequently. It is best to buy rosemary plants from a garden center, since it can be difficult to start rosemary plants from seed or cuttings. How to Make Your Holiday Gift Plant Extra Special Change out the pot. Garden centers, even big box stores, have interesting containers you can buy. Removing your gift plant from the plain plastic container or common tin foil it came in to something more interesting is a statement worth making if you have the time and money. Not only can you select your own pot or container, you can also decorate it yourself. Boring plastic pots can be transformed with spray paint in a more interesting color that compliments your plant or the room where it will be displayed, if you know. Or using a few rounds of painter’s tape in various sizes you can also create interesting stripes, patterns and/or abstract designs in single or multiple colors. Add color to a clay pot by making it a mosaic, decorating it with broken tile, broken glass, dishes or pottery. Just keep in mind that these will make the pot heavier. If you prefer the look of old terra-cotta pots, you can try these tricks: rub a new pot with wood stain to give it an antiqued look or coat a pot with plain yogurt to give it an earthy patina. You can also make your own container, personalizing it for your recipient. Anything can be used - the only thing that limits your container selection is your imagination. Taking common objects and turning them into garden features makes a great personal statement. Everyday items, such as coffee mugs, watering cans, or even boots make great plant containers. Whether buying or making, here are the basics: a good container should be large enough to provide room for soil and roots. You don't want your plant standing in wet soil, so make sure the container you choose has enough drainage holes. You also want your container to be attractive without competing with the plant it holds - the plant should be the star. The only exception to this, in my opinion, is a gift of foliage or a plant of all one color, like a Norfolk pine or rosemary. In those cases, an ornate or highly decorated pot might be the perfect choice. All gift plants bring welcome holiday color and cheer to the homes that receive them. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! References “Choosing a Container for Your Plant”, gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/types-of-gardens/choosing-a-container.html “Grow Amaryllis Indoors for Stunning Holiday blooms,” https://extension.umn.edu/news/grow-amaryllis-indoors-stunning-holiday-blooms “Growing and Caring for Amaryllis”, https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/amaryllis “Growing Bulbs Indoors”, https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/growing-bulbs-indoors “Lighting for Indoor Plants and Starting Seeds,” https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lighting-indoor-plants and Pine” “Rosemary,” https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/rosemary.html “Say Will You Be Mine with Flowering Plants”, https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/say-will-you-be-mine-flowering-plants “Tips for growing succulents in containers,” https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/tips-growing-succulents-containers Photo Credit: christmasstockphotos.com (all creative commons) (1), plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com (all creative commons) (2), University of Minnesota Extension (3), www.flickr.com (all creative commons) (4), shopping.yahoo.com (all creative commons) (5), mx.pinterest.com (all creative commons) (6)

< Back Extend the Growing Season with Greenhouses Mickey Scullard, Dakota County Master Gardener The doldrums of winter are upon us and gardeners are drooling over seed catalogs and dreaming of fresh vegetables and riots of flower colors. But spring planting is still several months away. This is an excellent time to research gardening season extenders such as greenhouses, cold frames, and low tunnels. They could help you start your growing season sooner in the spring and last longer in the fall. To determine which one(s) will best meet your growing needs, there are some key questions you will want to ask yourself and information you’ll want to consider. This article explains the basics and provides helpful resources to move your from – that’s interesting to – I’d like to try that in my yard. The doldrums of winter are upon us and gardeners are drooling over seed catalogs and dreaming of fresh vegetables and riots of flower colors. But spring planting is still several months away. This is an excellent time to research gardening season extenders such as greenhouses, cold frames, and low tunnels. They could help you start your growing season sooner in the spring and last longer in the fall. To determine which one(s) will best meet your growing needs, there are some key questions you will want to ask yourself and information you’ll want to consider. A greenhouse can be described as a place to grow plants inside. Greenhouses can be heated or unheated. They are usually made of glass or plastic to enable light to shine through and they have a roof. Using the sun, the greenhouse captures heat and light. This then generates warmth for plants to grow. Greenhouses also allow gardeners to control the environment because plants grown inside the greenhouse are not subject to the wind, variable rain amounts, and temperature extremes. You may be able to manage pests like insects more easily, and that means you can use fewer pesticides. And if you, like many of us, are plagued by rabbits or deer, you may be able to keep them away from your plants, too! Unheated Greenhouses An unheated greenhouse allows a gardener to start plants earlier in the spring and extend the harvest season longer into the fall months, but it will not be usable during the winter. To use a greenhouse all year in Minnesota, it needs to be heated. Heated greenhouses increase the costs not only of construction but also for operation. (More on heated greenhouses, known as “Deep Winter Greenhouses” below.) Determining the purpose of the greenhouse will help you decide which option is best in terms of function and costs. Greenhouses may be standalone or may be an added structure to your house, garage, or sheds such as a lean to. They need to be placed in a location that receives full sun. Next, you need to determine the building materials, which will be based on whether you want a heated or unheated greenhouse. Size may be dictated by your available space, availability to sunlight, and how you hope to use your greenhouse. Sizes can range from tabletop greenhouses to a tent-like shelf structure to large buildings with room for several people to work simultaneously. Greenhouses need to be anchored so they don’t fly away or tip over. They need ventilation to provide air flow but also to vent excessive heat so plants don’t burn or keep warmth in on colder days. Flooring needs to allow for drainage and prevent weeds from growing. And once the structural items are addressed, shelving and benches to hold the plants and other supplies will need to be selected. If a greenhouse doesn’t fit in your budget, you may consider these options, which may be less expensive, to extend your growing season. For individual plants, you could use a cloche, which is sometimes called a bell jar. It protects individual plants from cold temperatures and other weather extremes. Cold frames, which are essentially mini-greenhouses, can be created using old windows, doors, or other building materials, with glass or plastics. They are an excellent method for starting some seeds, especially the cool weather loving plants like lettuce, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower. They can also be used to get seeds started indoors used to being outside without full exposure to the cold, wind, or rain. Another option you may be less familiar with is low tunnels, which are usually temporary structures that basically create a barrier to the elements like wind, cold, excessive rain, and pests. They can be built with PVC pipe, electrical conduit, or rebar that are used to create hoops that are covered by plastic. The plastic can be purchased at home improvement stores or local hardware store and is recommended to be between 0.8-2 mil. Deep Winter Greenhouses Greenhouses in Minnesota must be heated to be usable year-round, unless they are constructed using Deep Winter Greenhouse (DWG) methods. This is a new approach to creating a year-round growing environment in the cold North, enabling gardeners and producers to grow vegetables in a non-heated structure. Building a greenhouse with heat and operating the heating source, as well as the maintenance costs, can become costly and often make them unobtainable for the majority of home gardeners. The University of Minnesota Extension calls DWGs passive-solar greenhouses that use energy from the sun to generate heat. This lessens the need to use traditional heating methods. This is accomplished by careful alignment of the building structure in an east-west position. The south facing direction is built out of a glazing wall, which can be angled based on the latitude of the site to maximize solar energy. This is advantageous for northern climates especially on very cold days. Inside the DWG, the air heats up, is blown underground, and stored in a thermal mass made of soil or rocks, essentially acting like a battery. While this does create a great growing environment, DWGs are not suitable for all plants. Plants that do best grow in minimal light and include lettuces, herbs, Asian greens, sprouts, and brassicas e.g., bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, choy sum, kohlrabi, napa cabbage, rutabaga, turnip. The initial set-up costs for DWGs, with an estimate of $18,583 to build ($33 per sq ft) with annual costs ranging from $35 to $2,148 depending on what fuel sources are used, how many seeds are purchased and quantity and type of soil and amendments are used. There Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and Center for Sustainable Building Research have created a DIY version of the DWG Starting a DIY Deep Winter Greenhouse Operation on a Budget . Aimed more toward farmers than backyard gardeners, it may still provide some information that may be useful on a smaller scale. The RSDP also provides blueprints, construction manuals, resources, and information on other types of solar greenhouses. This has been a very brief overview of greenhouses and other growing season extenders. To learn more about different types of greenhouses, structural options, building materials, and alternates to greenhouses like cold frames, low tunnels, and cloches, explore these links: Very Small Greenhouses for Backyards from University of New Hampshire Extension The Hobby Greenhouse from Oklahoma State University Extension Extending the Growing Season in Your Garden from University of Minnesota Extension Extending the Garden Season from Utah State University Yard and Garden Extension References Garden Gate, March 2024 University of Minnesota Extension University of New Hampshire Extension Oklahoma State University of Extension Utah State University Yard and Garden Extension University of Minnesota Extension Deep Winter Greenhouses: https://extension.umn.edu/growing-systems/deep-winter-greenhouses This article contains numerous additional resources, guides, cost-benefit analysis, and information Winter Greenhouse Enterprise Analysis: https://extension.umn.edu/community-research/winter-greenhouse-enterprise-analysis A report detailing eight enterprises in the Upper Midwest New deep winter greenhouse design available for download: https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2024/12/new-deep-winter-greenhouse-design.html Deep Winter Greenhouses grow fresh greens year-round: https://extension.umn.edu/source-magazine/deep-winter-greenhouses-grow-fresh-greens-year-round National Center for Appropriate Technology: https://attra.ncat.org/topics/greenhouses/ Photo credits: Oklahoma State University Extension (1), University of Utah Yard and Garden Extension (2,3,5), University of Minnesota Extension (4,6)

< Back How to Pick the Best Perennials for Your Garden Karna Berg, Master Gardener and Julie Harris, Master Gardener May is the month when gardeners’ dreams turn to planting. We dream of a garden filled with interesting, colorful flowers all season. In order to achieve these benefits, you must pick the right perennial for the right spot in your garden. That means you need to start your selection process at home, before you set foot in your garden center which will be filled with tempting plants that may or may not grow successfully in your garden. This article will help you choose the best perennials for your garden. May is the month when gardeners’ dreams turn to planting. We dream of a garden filled with interesting, colorful flowers all season. And while we can achieve season-long color by planting annuals every year, there is much to be gained by planting perennials that will return year after year. Filling your garden with perennials is more economical than planting annuals every year, perennials – especially native perennials – are beneficial to our environment, and with some planning, perennials will provide a colorful display all season. In order to achieve these benefits, you must pick the right perennial for the right spot in your garden. That means you need to start your selection process at home, before you set foot in your garden center which will be filled with tempting plants that may or may not grow successfully in your garden. Zone Awareness A beautiful plant meant for Arizona or Washington will not like it here in Minnesota. Perennials that are likely to make it through our Minnesota winters need to be identified as Zone 3 or 4. We are all tempted by a Zone 5 plant now and then, and some of them will make it in a sheltered spot or with some babying, but the risk is that just when that plant gets to its mature size, a nasty winter it doesn’t like comes along and it’s a goner. Light Matters Then there is the issue of light. If you put a shade loving plant in a sunny spot, it may make it but will require more watering and could disappoint you with burned leaves and wilting flowers. If you put a sun loving plant in a shady spot, it will not be happy. It may live a few years but never look like the picture on the tag that made you bring it home. So, consider the amount of sun in the spot in your garden calling for a new plant. If the tag says full sun, that spot should get 6 - 8 hours of direct sun every day. If the tag says part sun or shade, the spot should get 3 - 6 hours of direct light. Any plant that will make it in less than 3 hours of direct sun a day should be marked for full shade. Soil Hospitality Most plants will do well in “loamy” (equal parts sand, silt and clay) soil but most of us in Dakota County will not have such hospitable soil. If you have a lot of clay in your garden, know that it will hold water for extended periods of time. If you put a plant there that loves to have its feet dry out between watering, it may not do well. The opposite is also true, some plants like a lot of water and wet feet. They would probably do better in that clay. As for sandy soil, it will drain quickly, so those water loving plants will not be happy. Get to know your soil and learn which plants are likely to prosper in it. It is also important to know if your soil has the nutrients necessary for plant health. You can get your soil tested at the University of Minnesota and take steps to improve your soil test, if necessary. Bloom Time Most perennials will bloom for 2 – 4 weeks in a season. If you want to have plants blooming in your garden all season, pay attention to what time period a plant will bloom. You don’t want all the perennials in your garden to bloom in June or July. With a little research, you can plant a variety of perennials that will bloom at different times throughout the season and give you the color show that you desire. But don’t discount characteristics of plants other than blooms that can provide beauty and interest. Many plants have a beautiful structure or interesting leaves or a different leaf color that can provide interest even when the plant is not blooming. Resources to Choose the Best Plants for Your Garden Fortunately, there are easy-to-use resources to help you select the best perennials for your garden site. Try this University of Minnesota Extension site for plants that do well in a variety of conditions. And, check out these award-winning Minnesota-friendly perennials . For a good reference book on Minnesota plants, try - Perennials for Minnesota and Wisconsin , by Don Engebretson and Don Williamson, published by Lone Pine Publishing USA. We all experiment at times, trying a plant in a spot that’s iffy. Sometimes they make it sometimes they don’t. That’s part of the fun of gardening. But for a sure thing, it pays to pay attention to the rules! While nothing will make a plant fool proof, at least it then has a better chance of thriving. Photo credits: Karna Berg (all)

< Back Shrub Pruning in Late Summer Sally McNamara and Janet Poore, Master Gardeners Some shrubs can be pruned later in the summer but not all of them. Some plants must be pruned right after they bloom so as to not cut off the beginning of next year’s blooms. Learn when it is okay to prune the shrubs in your yard. This article will tell you what you need about grooming your shrubs to keep them healthy and looking their best. Please note that this article discusses late summer pruning. Once Fall arrives, pruning should cease, except for storm damage of course. Pruning in fall encourages growth which will not harden off properly before temperatures fall, exposing that growth and the connected branch to injury or death. Late summer pruning is done for two reasons: 1) damage or disease removal and 2) shrub renovation. Those shrubs that bloom in the spring should be pruned right AFTER blooming so as to NOT cut off next year’s blooms. Lilacs, forsythia, mock orange, azaleas & rhododendron are examples of shrubs to be pruned after blooming in the spring. If renovation is more desirable than next year’s blooms, they can be pruned over the summer or even in the prime pre-spring pruning window. Renovation is often best undertaken when the actual shape of the leaf-covered plant is visible. Plant material damaged by storms, hail, pets, sports in the yard, etc. should always be removed for safety reasons and to limit input points on the plant for disease or insects. This is true in every season. Unless there is disease in the pruning, this material can be discarded with regular yard waste. Plants damaged by disease should be pruned to minimize the spread of the disease. Use the U of M Extension site to identify the problem. After pruning diseased material, sterilize tools and gloves used to halt the spread of the disease. Hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes, Lysol, Pine-Sol and Listerine are all good disinfectants. Diseased material should NOT be put in the regular yard waste but should be placed in a plastic bag, sealed and set in the sun for several days before discarding in the regular trash. Late summer is a less busy time in the garden and is a good time to assess how your shrubs are working in your landscape. If some have become a little “aggressive” or even (horrors!) “shabby,” now is a good time to rein them in. Most deciduous shrubs can be pruned at this time to improve their shape and size. Note that this is NOT true of evergreens except Yews! Evergreens should only be pruned in the spring when their candles are present. The pruning goal is to reduce the plant to the size desired and thin out from the inside, removing inner branches to increase airflow through the plant which encourages healthy growth. Remove the oldest, woody stems right down to the base. One caveat - hedges are often prime nesting places for birds so check for “residents” before taking on that hedge. Wait until the fledglings have taken wing. Some plants which react well to late summer pruning: Roses - encourages fall bloom Alpine currant Barberry Burning Bush - Euonymus alatus Bush honeysuckle Buttonbush Coralberry Cotoneaster Dogwoods Elderberry Fothergilla Gro Low Sumac Ninebark Potentilla Privet St. John’s Wort Smokebush Viburnum Spirea Willow Yew Notice that hydrangea is absent from the list. Pruning hydrangea depends on the type of plant and varies widely. Also, most hydrangeas are in best bloom in late summer. Julie Weisenhorn has a good description of hydrangea pruning on this U of M Extension website . Remember that there are right and wrong ways to prune bushes. For advice about proper methods of pruning, look back at our article from the March 2022 Garden Buzz - March is a Great Time to Prune Many Trees and Shrubs – currently found on the Master Gardeners in Dakota County website. Some shrubs can be pruned later in the summer but not all of them, so get to know when it is okay to prune the shrubs in your yard. Photo Credit: www.forestryimages.org (creative commons) (1)

< Back Newby’s Vegetable Garden Marjorie Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener Spring is the time when many homeowner’s thoughts turn to gardening. New (or not so new) homeowners may want to start growing their own vegetables but are hesitant because they don’t know how to start. In this clever article, Master Gardener and experienced vegetable gardener, Margie Blare provides loads of good advice to the “Newby” gardener about how to start a vegetable garden. Read this article to start your vegetable gardening adventure. Once upon a time, there was a new gardener named Newby . One day Newby thought, “I would like to have a vegetable garden. Then I’d know where my food comes from and how it was grown. I wonder how I can do that?” With a flash of green, a figure appeared. “I can help!” exclaimed Greenthumb . Newby : “Hi Greenthumb , I have questions like, where should I plant my garden?” Greenthumb : “It depends! Choose a spot that gets 6-8 hours of full sun each day. To minimize weeding, consider a raised bed. Keep it simple, perhaps four 2 X 6s nailed together to make a 3 X 8 foot bed. At this width, you can easily reach across it. And, if that spot doesn’t work, you can move it next year.” Newby : “Can I just use the soil from my backyard?” Greenthumb : “It depends! You should get a soil test; watch this video to find out how. Soil tests let you know how much and what kind of fertilizer is needed. It will tell you how much organic matter is in your soil and will give recommendations for healthy plants, with no adverse effects on the environment. You can fill a raised bed with quality soil if your native soil is poor.” Newby : “So, I just put the seeds in the ground?” Greenthumb :” It depends! Some need to be started indoors and others do best when directly seeded.” Read the seed package learn what each type of seeds need. Newby : “When should I plant my garden?” Greenthumb : “It depends! Some crops are cool season; such as peas, spinach, lettuce, and many more. Others are warm season; such as cucumbers, beans, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, squash and melons. You need to read the seed package. You can also check out this seed-starting calculator .” Newby : “My neighbor’s tomatoes got all black last year. How can I prevent that?” Greenthumb : “It depends! Check out ‘What’s Wrong with my Plant?’ on the University of Minnesota’s website to find pictures of various diseases and insects that may be affecting your veggies. There are recommendations on what to do. Having good sanitation and plant spacing prevents a number of pest problems. You can also ‘Ask a Master Gardener’ at (612) 301-7590. Leave a message and a Master Gardener will research your questions and get back to you.” Newby : “I heard my neighbor talking about zones. What are they?” Greenthumb : “Plant hardiness zone maps show the temperatures of various places in the state and nation. It is necessary to know your zone when buying small fruits like strawberries and raspberries, and perennial vegetables such as rhubarb, horseradish and asparagus, to make sure the plants you buy can withstand the winters in our area. See the map above to find out your zone.” Newby : “Thanks Greenthumb!” Greenthumb : “Happy Gardening!” Photo Credits: Marjorie Blare (1,2,4), Hardiness Map (3)