< Back Make Seed Tape with Your Child Marie Stolte, Master Gardener Growing your own vegetables has many benefits. It is a source of delicious food, of course. But it is also a source of wonder for adults and children alike. You can share the wonder with the child in your life by planting vegetable seeds. In this article, learn how to create and plant nice, straight rows of perfectly spaced garden vegetables by using seed tape. A perfect gardening activity for you and your child or grandchild. It’s easy to plant nice, straight rows of perfectly spaced garden vegetables when you use seed tape. You can buy seed tape, but it’s much more fun to make your own, using seeds for vegetables your child enjoys eating, plus a few household items you probably have on hand. You will need: Seeds Single-ply toilet paper (you can separate the paper layers if it is two-ply) Toothpicks Ruler Marker 2 tablespoons of white flour 1 tablespoon of water 1. Choose seeds that have time to mature in Minnesota. Minnesota has a shorter growing season than many states, so select varieties of seeds that will mature more quickly. To find out how long the growing season is where you live, consult the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Final Spring/First Fall Freeze & Frost Date Propabilities . Then, compare that timing with the “Days to Harvest” on seed packets or online—the average number of days from planting until it’s time to harvest, according to Oregon State University. 2. Prepare the toilet paper. Roll out the toilet paper, tearing it off in two or three-foot lengths. If the toilet paper is two-ply, separate the layers. Fold the paper in half along its length, creasing the folded edge, then open, creating a furrow. 3. Measure and mark the toilet paper. Refer to the seed packet to find the spacing distance between seeds. If the distance between seeds should be 2”, use a ruler to measure and mark in the furrow every 2” from one end of the toilet paper strip to the other. 4. Make homemade edible glue, and use it to affix a seed at each mark on the paper . Mix the 2 tablespoons of white flour with 1 tablespoon of water to make glue. Dip a toothpick in the glue, pick up one seed, and place it on each mark on the toilet paper strip. 5. Seal and roll. When seeds have been placed on all the marks on the paper, place more glue dots along one long edge of the toilet paper. Fold the paper on the crease, covering the seeds; press along the long edge. Allow the glue to dry for at least two hours. Then, roll up each strip of toilet paper. Store in a cool, dry spot until planting time. After the last frost date in your area, roll out the tape in your garden bed, cover with soil to the planting depth on the seed packet, and water. Then, watch the magic begin. Photo Credit: Marie Stolte (1,2,3) & www.thegardeningme.com (4)

< Back A Tree for All Seasons: Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp) Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardener For the smaller yard, a smaller tree can be just the right touch. A forty-foot oak might be a bit overpowering, but a so-called “understory tree” can be the perfect landscaping accent to make the house appear to be a welcoming homestead. One excellent candidate is the native Serviceberry. Over the next three months we’ll take a look at several native understory trees that could well fit the bill for that yard accent piece. One excellent candidate is the Serviceberry . It actually is a group of about twenty different species grouped under the genius Amelanchier . As you might expect such a heterogeneous group goes by several names in addition to serviceberry, including shadbush, shadwood or shadblow, sarvisberry (or just sarvis), juneberry, saskatoon, sugarplum, wild-plum or chuckley pear. They comprise a group of deciduous-leaved shrubs and small trees in the rose family. The complexity of genus and variety arise from Serviceberry’s propensity to hybridize. So, much variation in size and coloration exists within the genus. That’s why you should read the descriptive information carefully for whatever variety you select, to make sure its characteristics fit your needs. The origin of the name is up for grabs. One story has it that Serviceberry started blooming in early spring at the same time that the valleys in the Appalachian Mountains became passable and circuit-riding preachers could again hold church services. Another maintains that the blooming of Serviceberry announced the time that the thawing ground could again be broken so as to allow graves to be dug and those Dear Departed that had been in “cold storage” for the winter could be interred with proper services. A less colorful, and probably more reliable, proposition has it that the genus was named after the European Sorbus , a genus also of the rose family with a number of similarities. Serviceberry's outstanding fall color Amelanchier is native to most of North America, being more prolific in the Eastern states and provinces. They can grow as either a shrub or tree ranging in height from 6 to 25 feet with similar widths. Depending on the variety, they are hardy from Zones 2 through 9. Blooming in early spring, most produce beautiful five-petal blossoms ranging from pink to white to yellow. Although the blooms usually last no more than one to two weeks, the plant produces vibrant blue/green foliage which turns a brilliant bronze in the fall. After blooming, clusters of berries form on mature plants, ripening to a deep red, then purple, during the summer. The silvery bark provides a striking accent in winter. Like most native perennials, Amelanchier is a great favorite of pollinators. Serviceberry will form multiple stems However, such a desirable plant is not without its needs. Both deer and rabbits like to browse most varieties, so you should consider placing protective guards around the young trees for the first couple of years. Many insects and diseases that attack orchard trees also affect this genus, in particular trunk borers and rusts . In years when late flowers of Amelanchier overlap those of wild roses, pollinators may spread fire blight. Serviceberries do well in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight) to part shade (2 to 6 hours). They do best in a moist, loamy, self drained soil that is a bit acidic. Some species do well in boggie areeas and can look great near ponds or streams. They look well in boarders to naturalized areas. Planting is done best in the fall or, preferably, in the spring. A thick mulch applied around the plant will help it establish itself. You’ll want to keep the mulch away from the bark itself, however. Water well and apply a bit of all –purpose fertilizer in the spring and you should be well on your way to having a dazzling year-round garden gem. Photo credits: Dan Mullen www.flickr.com (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2,3)

< Back June - Fun With Fairy Gardens Carolyn Plank, Master Gardener Fairy gardens are a great way to experience gardening with your children or grandchildren but – grownups love them, too. It’s said that if you plant a fairy garden, something magical happens. Years drop away, stress leaves you and you’re transported into the world of make believe. Nothing brings out the inner child in us more than when we plant a fairy garden. This article will inspire to experience the joy of fairy gardens. Fairy gardens have become increasingly popular. So, exactly what is this fairy garden craze all about? It’s said that if you plant a fairy garden, something magical happens. Years drop away, stress leaves you and you’re transported into the world of make believe. Nothing brings out the inner child in us more than when we plant a fairy garden. Throughout history, tales have existed of flower fairies. Flower fairies are nature spirits who care for flowers, plants, and trees. They have their own distinctive personality derived from her plant which determines their aesthetic, mood, and character. It’s also said that whenever a seed sprouts, a flower fairy baby is born. They live and sleep on their chosen flower, plant, or tree and as they grow the fairy grows too. ( www.pickupflowers.com ) Fairies are attracted to spaces filled with life. They can occur under, in, and around trees such as oak, elders, yew, holly, yellow elm, and many more life sustaining trees. Flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds also attract fairies such as pansies, bee balm, petunias, foxglove, sunflower, columbine, tulips, snapdragons, cosmos, and violets. Even foliage creates shadows and hiding spaces for shy fairies. Emphasize the natural as they’re very nature oriented and will be attracted to your efforts and set-up homesteads near you in nature. ( GardeningKnowHow.com , Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist, 3/25/21) There are unlimited fairy garden ideas available, both inside and outside … only limited by your imagination. Release your inner child and step into the fairy world by creating your own enchanted garden. Create a small magical spot in your garden, a special place to focus on the small details of nature, and to explore the range of your imagination. The idea is to plant certain flowers that fairies would like or build them a little house to calm a malicious fairy or receive good luck from a grateful one. There are numerous containers you can use to create a fairy garden, and you will see them listed throughout this article. Other elements you can use for your fairy gardens include birdhouses, toad stool houses, water fountains, small streams, bowls of water, statuary that honors elves, fairies, and gnomes. I remember being at the Arboretum during my intern training and they had a gorgeous set-up for a massive fairy garden. I made one for inside our home which took virtually a few hours to make. So, give it a shot … you’ll find the fun and magical mystery of creating your very own fairy garden. Photo credits: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (1, 2), Julie Harris (3), Carolyn Plank (4)

< Back Common Backyard Weeds of the Upper Midwest, by Teresa Marrone A perfect companion for any gardener. Weeds, by Teresa Marrone, helps in identifying weeds, determining their purpose and usefulness, if any. Review by Sally McNamara Field guides are such a good idea and Teresa’s is one of the best I’ve used. Even better, Teresa Marrone is a local author - she resides in Minneapolis. Her other guides are to be recommended as well. A little history of Field Guides paraphrased from Wikipedia: Perhaps the first popular field guide of plants in the United States was the 1893 How to Know the Wildflowers by Mrs. William Starr Dana (Frances Theodora Parsons) . Mrs. Dana’s reference was for the lab rather than a portable book for the field. It was arranged by taxonomic order and had clear descriptions of species size, distribution, feeding, and nesting habits. Before her, in 1890, Florence Merriam published Birds Through an Opera-Glass , describing 70 common species. From this point into the 1930s, features of field guides such as changing the size of the book to fit the pocket, including color plates, and producing guides in uniform editions that covered subjects such as garden and woodland flowers, mushrooms, insects, and dogs were introduced by Chester A. Reed and others. In 1934, renowned ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson (1908–1996), using his fine skill as an artist, changed the way modern field guides approached identification. Using color plates with paintings of similar species together – and marked with arrows showing the differences – people could use his bird guide in the field to compare species quickly to make identification easier. His inaugural volume was the classic 1934 book A Field Guide to the Birds. Peterson Field Guides are essentially the standard today. Back to WEEDS . Field guides are designed for identification when out and about. Clear photos, good descriptions, easily skimmed subtitles, notes about habitat, and necessary warnings are expected. Teresa delivers all this well but WEEDS offers more: comparisons to similar plants for detailed ID, notes on how to eradicate (if possible) and, my personal favorite, “ What’s It Good For? ”. Many weeds are edible by us or useful for medicinal purposes, serve as a key food source for other creatures, serve purposes such as erosion control or producing good dyes, or are a source of soil regeneration. Or are just plain attractive and effective as a ground cover. She manages to pull out the good in almost every “weed”. I have found that her guide covers the weeds we are likely to see here. Other guides I have are more comprehensive, intended for a larger region, but take more effort to locate the plant that I am seeing. Personally I credit black medick (Medicago lupulin) , (pp. 42-43) a legume and prolific seeder, with transforming a garden area that was once practically concrete to the best soil in my yard. Over several years of growing, dying, decaying and reseeding for a repeat, these plants broke up the soil and added nitrogen to it. Today they are hardly present as other plants have thrived in their place. As is said, a weed to one, is not so much that to another. Photo credits: Book cover (1), book exerpt (2)

< Back Fermenting Your Own Hot Sauce Joy Johnson, Master Gardener Sometimes just experimenting with your vegetables makes you a winner. Read about how to grow the peppers and make the hot sauce that won over Joy Johnson’s “hot sauce crazy” family members. The men in my family love hot sauce. They put hot sauce on burgers and brats, eggs and ham, enchiladas and tacos, potatoes and pasta, the list goes on and on. They even give each other hot sauce for Christmas. Whenever one of them travels, they bring back sample bottles of hot sauce made in the city they visited. Since they often don’t care for all of the vegetables that I grow in my garden, I thought I would outsmart them this year. I planted a package of “Mixed Hot Pepper” seeds that I got from a Burpees catalog. I figured I’d finally found vegetables they would eat from my garden. The peppers got off to a slow start in my basement under a grow light in February. A few of them grew to 3-5 inches in height. Most of them stopped growing at 2 inches and were very thin. I was not very hopeful as I gingerly transplanted them outside into the garden at the end of May. But I watered them and fertilized them. Then I completely ignored them for a month while I prepared the rest of the yard for our son’s wedding. One day, weeks after the wedding was past, I walked down to the pepper patch and there were tall, healthy plants covered with peppers! I was delighted. I recognized the Jalapenos, because I’d grown those before. I wasn’t familiar with any of the others. After doing some research, I learned that I had Anaheim, Hungarian Wax, Cayenne and Ancho peppers. The colors ranged from red to orange to yellow to green. They were beautiful and I was so excited. I decided to ferment my own hot sauce. I picked all the peppers and filled two 17-quart bowls. One tip my daughter had shared with me - don’t mix the red ones with the green ones. Your hot sauce will turn out a very ugly green-brown; most unappetizing. So, I separated the greens into one pile and the reds, yellows and oranges into another pile. The hot sauce turned out great! I gave bottles of it as Christmas gifts. Here is the recipe. Oh, one more tip – wear gloves when picking, washing and slicing the peppers (and don’t rub your eyes, no matter what!) Homemade Fermented Hot Sauce 1 ½ pounds peppers of your choosing (a mix of sweet peppers and hot peppers), tops and stems removed, halved 6 cloves garlic peeled 4 cups filtered water 4 teaspoons sea salt 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, optional Instructions: Place the peppers and garlic in a clean wide mouthed quart canning jar. Set aside. To make the brine, heat the filtered water and sea salt in a medium saucepan until the salt has dissolved completely. Let cool to room temperature. Place the peppers and garlic in a clean glass jar. Pour the brine over the peppers and garlic, completely submerging them. If you run out of brine, you can make more by mixing 1 cup of warm filtered water with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Cover the jar with folded cheese cloth and secure with a rubber band. Place in a warm, dark spot for 5-7 days or until the brine looks cloudy and small bubbles begin to appear when you tap the side of the jar. When the fermentation time is up, strain the brine, reserving it. Place the fermented peppers and garlic in a blender and add in 1 cup of the brine, plus the apple cider vinegar, and honey or maple syrup, if using. Blend until completely smooth adding in additional brine to reach the desired thickness. Transfer to a bottle and store in the fridge for 3-6 months. Bottles with stoppers are available at Hobby Lobby. The hot sauce turned out great! The men in my family love it. My son in law even said it is the best hot sauce ever. I ended up with a green sauce made mostly from jalapenos and underripe other varieties. And a red sauce made from all of the red, yellow and orange peppers. They taste quite different, but both are hot and delicious. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4)

< Back March is a Great Time to Prune Many Trees and Shrubs Sally McNamara, Master Gardener Don’t let the fact that there is still snow on the ground deter you from getting outside and pruning the trees and shrubs in your yard that need it. Late winter and early spring is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. This article will provide some advice on how to go about it to make your plants and yourself pleased with the result. Don’t let the fact that there is still snow on the ground deter you from getting outside and pruning the trees and shrubs in your yard that need it. Late winter and early spring is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. This article will provide some advice on how to go about it to make your plants and yourself pleased with the result. Believe it or not, the biggest mistake with pruning shrubs is being too conservative. While it is certainly possible to REMOVE too much, most pruners LEAVE too much. The other major mistake is not using sharp, effective pruning tools. Cutting is easier and better for the plant with the right size sharp tool. Disinfecting tools with a disinfecting wipe between plants is ALWAYS a good idea to prevent any potential for disease spread. There are 5 reasons to prune: 1) Remove diseased, damaged or dangerous material 2) Develop a strong framework for growth 3) Improve air circulation and fruit production 4) Improve a plant’s shape 5) Control size - although planting the right-sized plant initial is a better solution Timing Most pruning of both trees and shrubs is best done in late winter/early spring when the plants are just coming out of dormancy, the form of the plant without the leaves is visible, and the sap is beginning to flow. Sap moving into the pruning wounds helps the healing process and prevents drying out of the plant material. Winter winds will extract moisture from the plant through the pruning cuts so fall is NOT a good time to prune. The one big exception to this rule is maples and birch which can be pruned after the spring sap flow has slowed. Spring flowering plants should typically be pruned AFTER they flower. Summer and fall bloomers are best pruned in the late winter/early spring. Pruning during the growing season opens the plant to disease and insect damage. Oaks especially should not be pruned between April and August to avoid the picnic beetle which spreads oak wilt. Plant material damaged by storms, etc. should be removed as soon as possible if it could cause harm to people or structures. Diseased or insect damaged material should be removed to limit spread of the problem. Discarding of diseased material should be done with care - bag and discard in the trash for small amounts. Transfer to a facility that composts material to a proper temperature for larger quantities. Proper cuts The magic words in pruning are “branch collar” followed by “branch bud”. Using the t hree-cut method to remove most of the branch weight before complete removal is important on large branches to prevent ripping the bark down the tree. Branches should always be cut back to the branch collar and cut cleanly at that point. Cutting further in or leaving a stump out decreases the tree’s ability to grow protective bark over the wound and increases the chance of disease and insect damage. Smaller branches should be cut at a bud point to encourage growth and not leave material for decay. When pruning away dead material, prune well back to living material. General pruning of shrubs should be done to improve overall plant health. Recommended. Removing old growth to the trunk or soil results in a refreshed plant, such as pictured below. Discouraged. Shearing the plant encourages more growth in the top part, limiting light and air to the interior, causing dead inner branches. An excellent reference book on pruning is ESSENTIAL PRUNING TECHNIQUES: Trees, Shrubs, Conifers by George E. Brown and Tony Kirkham. So, put on your warm jacket and boots and give your trees and shrubs a proper haircut before the warm days of spring! Photo credits: theiowagardener.com (1), Alden Land Nursery Livermore CA (2), thisoldhouse.com (3, 4, 5)

< Back Let’s Grow Cranberries! What is Thanksgiving and Christmas without the sweet and tart flavors of cranberries? Did you know that 20% of the cranberry harvest is consumed Thanksgiving week! Wisconsin is the number one producer of commercially grown cranberries in the U.S. while Minnesota has only one commercial cranberry farm in the state. But have you ever asked yourself if you can grow cranberries in your garden? Read this article, if you are interested in growing or just learning more about cranberries. Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Dakota County Master Gardener Wisconsin is the number one producer (or 60%) of commercially grown cranberries in the U.S. For Wisconsin, it’s a $1 billion industry covering more than 21,000 acres with over 250 farms. By contrast, Minnesota has one commercial cranberry farm in the state located a few hours north of the Twin Cities. But have you ever asked yourself if you can grow cranberries in your garden? If you are interested in learning more about what it takes to grow cranberries, read on. Large Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is a native plant whose berries are similar to what we purchase in the grocery store. The native woody perennial plant grows naturally in bogs and sphagnum swamps which are common throughout central Minnesota, eastward through the Great Lakes, up into New England and parts of Canada. It prefers full sun. The plant height is only 4 to 6 inches! The fruit is 1/3 to 2/3 inches in diameter. Cultivated varieties of this plant found in the stores are even larger. The flowers are white to pinkish (size ¼ to 3/8 inches long) that resemble a small lily. The bloom season is June through August. The leaves are leathery and evergreen and measure 1/3 to 2/3 inches long. The cranberry native plant can be grown in Dakota County but the soil has to be amended significantly in order to do so. Much of Dakota County has clay and alkaline (pH around 6-7) soil. Cranberries prefer acidic soils with a pH of 4.0 to 5.5. They like moist, well-drained sandy soil so you need to emulate this environment. Their roots, however, do not like standing water. So, planting them in a sunny, raised bed location where you can add compost and sand will create the desired environment for them to grow. Plant cranberries in early spring or early fall. Plant them 2-3 feet apart to allow for growth and spread. Please note that the cranberry plant roots, called stolons (runners), sprawl out horizontally and create dense mats. Because of the shape of their flowers, cranberries do not usually self-pollinate but rely heavily on bees. They produce green berries which turn white and eventually a deep red when ripened. It usually takes 60 to 120 days to fully ripen (average 80 days). Even though they can create dense mats, you still need to weed and prune them as well as maintain their acidic soil. Commercial growers will vary the planting and harvesting processes based on the fruit’s end use such as fresh fruit, dried cranberries, juice or sauces. They will be dry harvested for fresh fruit with a mechanical picker similar to a lawn mower which rakes them up. More often, commercial cranberries are wet harvested, which means the ground is flooded with 6 to 8 inches of water. Then specialized tractors with agitators and rollers will loosen the berries from the plant and allow the berries to float on top of the water where they are loaded onto a conveyor. A home gardener will obviously pick them manually. While this article has focused on the native Large Cranberry, it should be noted that Minnesota also has another native plant called Vaccinium oxycoccos (Small Cranberry). Moreover, you may have heard of American Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum opulus var. americanum) which is not a cranberry at all but a berry-like drupe that turns translucent red upon maturity and has a single seed in it. The fruit tastes similar to a cranberry, hence the name. They are a great shrub though, especially for windbreak plantings. It may be a challenge but if you want to supply your own cranberries for next year’s holidays, do some research and give it go. https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/impacts/files/2024/09/WisconsinCranberriesSupportingaBillionDollarIndustry.pdf https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2019-11-12-cranberries https://minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/large-cranberry https://minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/small-cranberry https://minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/american-highbush-cranberry Photo Credits: Peter Dziuk, Minnesota Wildflowers (1-2), Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association (3)

< 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 Delectable Strawberry Shortcake (and a Bonus Rosemary Recipe) Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener It’s August and our gardens are in full growth mode, what a delightful exciting growing time of year. One of the most popular fruits that are ripening now is strawberries. Joy Johnson offers a mouthwatering recipe for strawberry shortcake. And – a repeat of a former favorite rosemary recipe. What a great time of year for eating fresh food in Minnesota! It’s August and our gardens are in full growth mode, what a delightful exciting growing time of year. I had doubled the size of my vegetable garden this spring and am enjoying even more abundance of fresh fruits and veggies. Unfortunately, last year’s torrential rains wiped out my raspberry and strawberry patch, so I don’t have any of my own berries this year. I am thankful so many people share their bounty at local farmers markets because one of my all-time favorites is strawberry shortcake. Here is a recipe for whole wheat shortcakes, they are heartier than the lightweight store-bought chiffon cakes. I prefer them and enjoy serving them in a bowl and adding a little almond milk to the bottom for the short cake to soak up. Since I planted blueberry bushes last spring, I enjoy a sprinkling of those on top of the whipped cream. You can never have too many berries! Strawberry Shortcakes Ingredients: 1-quart strawberries, cored and sliced 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup shortening 2 cups white whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup almond milk Sweetened Whipped Cream Process: Mix strawberries with 1 cup sugar; let stand 1 hour. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut shortening into flour, 2 T. sugar, the baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk just until blended Gently smooth dough into a ball on lightly floured board. Knead a bit, until it’s well combined, but not sticky Roll out gently to about ½ inch thick Fold the dough over on itself and gently roll out again just to loosely stick the folded dough together. Cut with a knife or biscuit cutter into rounds or squares. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Split apart while still warm, stack in a bowl with strawberries and whipped cream I met one of our new Master Gardener interns while working on a project team a couple weeks ago. We, of course, got to chatting about food and using herbs we grow. She requested a reprinting of my recipe for Rosemary Shortbread, since she wasn’t a Master Gardener when this recipe was first published in the Garden Buzz years ago. The Rosemary shortbread is a mouth-watering treat and definitely worth repeating. I hope you all enjoy it. Rosemary Shortbread Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt 1 cup unsalted cold butter, cut into 1-inch chunks 1-2 teaspoons rosemary, chestnut or other dark, full-flavored honey Process: Heat oven to 325 degrees In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, rosemary and salt. Add butter and honey and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprocess. Dough should not be smooth. Press dough into an ungreased 9-inch baking dish. Prick all over with a fork. Bake until gold brown, 35-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares, bars or wedges while still warm. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1), pixabay.com (2)

< Back Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera): A Speedy Giant Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardener You may not be familiar with the Tulip tree, June’s native tree of the month, because until now our climate was not suitable. Although climate change is an existential threat to our planet, or at least to our species, it has made growing tulip trees a possibility in southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities. Aside from its intriguing name, the Tulip tree has lots attributes that make it an attractive option for your garden. Read this article to learn more. Although climate change is an existential threat to our planet, or at least to our species, it has made growing tulip trees a possibility in southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities (USDA Zone 5). Although native to the Eastern Midwest, it has been planted widely in more western regions and has become a candidate for Minnesota. It is hardy through zone 5 but with a bit of pampering will do all right in Zone 4. Why pamper? Because it is a gorgeous shade tree. In zone 5 or warmer it grows rapidly to 70 to 130 feet with a width of 30 to 60 feet. It then can live on for centuries. In Zone 4 it is a shorter plant but that may not be a drawback. The tulip tree rewards with spring-time flowers that resemble tulips. tulip tree flower It provides generous shade in summer with its smooth green broadly lobed leaves. In fall the tulip tree will put on quite a show with shimmering gold and yellow colors. The native tulip tree is quite pollinator friendly, attracting bees and hummingbirds when flowering. Later in the season, bobwhites, rabbits and squirrels feed on the seeds. Tulip trees are also known as ‘yellow poplar,’ and ‘tulip poplar’ although they are members of the magnolia family, Magnoliaceae. The tulip tree has quite a history. They were popular with early settlers for railroad ties and fence posts because of the strength of the wood. Native Americans as well as Daniel Boone used the wood to construct canoes. tulip tree If you want to give the tulip tree a go, select an area with full sun (at least 6 hours per day). Also, you’ll want a moist soil with good drainage. It is quite pH tolerant doing well in either acid or alkaline conditions although you would do well to amend the soil with quite a bit of compost when planting. It’s okay to plant from spring to late fall. You will want to mulch the roots quite a bit as they are shallow. Also, a growing tree needs lots of water, so keep an eye on it throughout the summer. As these guys get tall quickly, you will want to be careful where you site your specimen. After the first season, you should see rapid growth of a relatively maintenance-free shade tree for you and you family to enjoy for generations. Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons (1,2)

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

< Back Gai Lan: The Versatile Chinese Broccoli Expand your vegetable choices with Gai lan. Also known as Chinese broccoli, Gai lan is a leafy green vegetable that is a staple in Chinese and Asian cuisine. It is a close relative to broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Its harvest time and preference for cooler growing conditions makes it a great vegetable option for spring and fall in Minnesota gardens. Gai lan has its own unique flavor profile and texture compared to American broccoli. Read this article to learn more about this healthy and flavorful vegetable. Vida Dam, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli, is a leafy green vegetable that is a staple in Chinese and Asian cuisine. Its scientific name is Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra , making it a close relative to broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Its harvest time and preference for cooler growing conditions makes it a great vegetable option for spring and fall in Minnesota gardens. Gai lan has its own unique flavor profile and texture compared to American broccoli. What is Gai Lan! Gai lan is a cruciferous vegetable with thick, glossy, blue-green leaves, thick and juicy stems and small, yellow or white flower buds. It is also commonly known as Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale, gai lan, kie lan, jie lan, guy lon at Asian markets. Unlike the large head of common broccoli, gai lan is harvested as individual stems. Its flavor is a fascinating blend of bitter and sweet, with a satisfying crunch depending on harvest time. The entire plant, including the leaves, stems, and flower buds, is edible and highly nutritious. Gardening with Gai Lan! Similar to many of its relatives, gai lan prefers cooler growing conditions and will bolt during high heat conditions. Gai lan can be started inside and transplanted in spring for an early summer harvest. Gai lan can also be a succession crop with direct seed in late July harvesting in late September and October. The crop prefers full sun, fertile and well-drained soils. But note - before the florets arrive or before it blooms, please harvest the crop. The stems are more tender, crispy and not as fibrous when harvested before the florets arrive. Usual harvest is the full stem with the leaves and florets. Cooking with Gai Lan! Gai lan is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, calcium, and iron. All parts of the vegetables from stem, leaves, and flowers are edible for dishes. It is a very versatile vegetable that can be stir fried, blanched, steamed and garnished in soup to name a few options. In a chinese restaurant and during dim sum, people may come across gai lan in a cantonese style where it is blanched and drizzled with oyster sauce. Clean gai lan like any other greens, removing the bottom portion of the stem that is appearing tough. Leverage a vegetable peeler for extra thick and tough skins at the bottom of the stem. For big stems, feel free to halve them before cooking. For leaves, discard any thick, wilted, and any leaves that are not dark green. For the buds, individuals can choose to keep or remove per personal preference. A few referenced recipes are below from the Tufts University: Cantonese Gai Lan Stir Fry Chinese Broccoli and Shiitake Rice Stir Fry Sauteed Chinese Broccoli with Garlic Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli If you haven’t already done so, expand your culinary horizons and try Gai lan for a tasty and healthy meal. Resource Links: Tuft University - basic information https://nesfp.nutrition.tufts.edu/world-peas-food-hub/world-peas-csa/produce-recipes/chinese-broccoli#:~:text=Chinese%20broccoli%20has%20broad%20blue,with%20a%20sometimes%20spicy%20flavor . Australia Horticulture: Asian Vegetables - basic information https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/horticulture/vegetables/commodity-growing-guides/asian-vegetables/g-l/gai-lan-embrassica-oleracea-var.-alboglabraem Singapore plant details - more information about Plant https://gardeningsg.nparks.gov.sg/page-index/edible-plants/kai-lan/?hl=en-US Mygardenlife: facts about growing the vegetable https://mygardenlife.com/plant-library/guy-lon-chinese-broccoli-brassica-oleracea-var-alboglabra Photo Credits: Vida Dam (1,2) www.artofit.org (3)