< Back Growing Ginger Carole Dunn, Master Gardener Growing ginger is relatively easy, and it can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Read this article to learn the steps to grow ginger successfully. Growing ginger is relatively easy, and it can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Here are the steps to grow ginger: Choose the right ginger: You can buy ginger roots from the grocery store or garden center. Look for pieces that are plump, with firm skin, and have several eye buds, which are small yellowish tips on the surface of the ginger. Prepare the soil: Ginger prefers well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Add compost or well-rotted manure to the soil to improve fertility and drainage. Plant the ginger: Cut the ginger into small pieces, making sure each piece has at least one eye bud. Plant each piece about 2 inches deep, with the eye facing up, and space them about 6 inches apart. Water regularly: Ginger needs to be watered regularly, but make sure not to overwater it as it can cause the root to rot. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Provide warm temperatures: Ginger grows best in warm temperatures. Ideally, the temperature should be between 70 - 80 °F during the day and 60 -70°F at night. Provide shaded light: Ginger prefers partial shade and indirect sunlight. If growing indoors, place the ginger in a bright room with indirect sunlight. Harvest ginger: Ginger takes about 8 – 10 months to mature. Once the stems begin to turn yellow and die, it is time to harvest. Carefully dig up the ginger roots without damaging them. By following these steps, you can grow delicious ginger at home! Photo Credit: www.flavorexplosions.com (all creative commons)

< Back Making Something Lovely After the Blooms Have Faded Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener It’s October in Minnesota and most of your plants are no longer blooming. It’s always a bit sad to see your colorful garden fade for the season. But many of these flowers leave behind lovely seed pods or lovely flowers heads. This article shows you how you can take dried plants from your garden and turn them into a beautiful wreath to enjoy inside. It’s October and most of your flowers are probably no longer blooming. Last year at this time I took a walk around my yard and noticed how many lovely seed pods, dried flower heads, and grass stalks were still waving in the fall breeze. Usually, I fill baskets with them or vases (no water) and set them all over the house for natural, soft color pallet decorations. This year I decided to try my hand at making a wreathe. It wasn’t difficult, just took some time. Boy did it make a mess, but that’s what vacuum cleaners are for, right? Since I had so many dried flowers and grasses, I bought a very large grapevine wreathe to use for my base. I thought I would have to hot melt glue the stems to it, or wire them, or sew them, like I did with the cayenne pepper wreath that was featured a few years ago in the Garden Buzz. This time I kept the stems long when I cut everything out of the gardens, and it worked just fine to gently weave them through the grapevine. Take some time to plan your layout, coming up with a pleasing design based on what you have. For the wreathe pictured here, I used Globe Hydrangea, Garlic Chive, Pampas Grass, Pearly Everlasting and a few ornamental thistle heads. It’s a good idea to spray the entire thing with cheap aerosol hairspray when you are done before you hang it up. Spray it outside. This will help hold the blooms and grasses as they continue to dry out over the years. Photo Credits: Joy Johnson (1-4)

< Back Cooking with Frozen Vegetables (And a St. Patrick’s Day Nod) Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s not too early to order seeds for your vegetable garden this summer but first, you need to use up all those vegetables left over from last summer that are sitting in your freezer. Joy Johnson’s Minestrone soup will help you do just that. Add some Irish soda bread for a great St. Patrick’s Day meal. The ground is still frozen in Dakota County and I don’t have anything growing in my garden. However, I have received some seed catalogs already and I’ve even seen a rack of seed packets for sale at the store. You may be thinking about starting some vegetable plants early indoors. It’s always so fun to see the little seedlings sprout. I just realized that if I’m going to grow more vegetables this year, I need to clean out my freezer and use all the ones I froze last year. I have been using my frozen produce all winter long, see my past recipes! But I do still have a variety of veggies in my freezer. I like to cook in large batches so I have food to share with other family members, or just so I don’t have to cook for a few days, and we can live on leftovers. I have a recipe that I’ve been making for years that uses my frozen veggie stash and makes plenty to share. A bonus – everyone who has eaten it has loved it. The recipe is flexible, so if you don’t have one of the veggies, or you want to add in something that is not listed, feel free to experiment. This recipe is from The Saint Paul Farmers Market Produce Cookbook. Minestrone Soup 6 cups beef broth 1 (15 oz.) can great northern, cannellini or lima beans 1 large potato, peeled and dices 2 carrots, sliced 2 ribs celery, sliced 1 white or yellow onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 1 ½ cups green cabbage, chopped 1 cup zucchini, cubed 1 cup green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths ½ lb. spinach or Swiss chard, chopped 3 cups Italian plum tomatoes, chopped ½ cup small shell macaroni or other pasta, uncooked ½ tsp each dried oregano and rosemary (or 1 tsp. each, fresh or frozen, chopped) 1 tsp dried basil (or 2 tsp fresh or frozen chopped) 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper Grated Parmesan cheese In a large stockpot, bring beef broth to a boil. Add cannellini beans, potato, carrots and celery. Simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté onion, garlic and green pepper for 5 minutes. (If using frozen peppers, no need to sauté). Add to broth mixture and simmer another 15 minutes. Add cabbage, zucchini, green beans, and spinach or Swiss chard. Simmer 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, pasta, oregano, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer another 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Makes 15 servings. A bread that goes well with Minestrone, and gives a nod to Saint Patrick’s Day, is Irish Soda Bread. The recipe that I’m sharing with you here is an authentic Irish recipe. My elderly neighbor who is 100% Irish has verified that it is a true Irish soda bread because it has raisins and caraway seeds. Irish Soda Bread 3 ½ cups flour 2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 ½ cup raisins Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together these wet ingredients: 1 1/3 cups buttermilk 2 eggs beaten 4 Tbsp melted butter ½ tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp vanilla 1 Tbsp carraway seeds Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well blended. Grease and flour baking dish. I use an actual Irish soda bread pan, it’s like a 9” round cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons (1) & Flickr (2)

< Back Companion Gardening Linda Stein, Master Gardener It’s April and we are starting or continuing to plan our gardens for the new season. Most of us consider the amount of sunlight we need, flower size and color and, probably, our favorite plants. But many of us do not take into account how various plants interact with each other - “companion planting.” Companion planting considers how to enhance the garden or impact plants by growing them in close proximity to each other. Companion planting has the potential to enhance your garden, reduce the need for pesticides, promote stronger plants and take maximum advantage of the space available. Read this article to learn more about why and how to use companion planting in your garden. As plans are being prepared for our gardens, most of us think about the layout, considering each plant type separately. The planning generally looks at the amount of space needed and the amount of sunlight required by the plant as decisions are made about where to position plants. However, many of us do not take into account how various plants interact with each other, a concept referred to as “companion planting.” Companion planting considers how to enhance the garden or impact plants by growing them in close proximity to each other. Companion planting has the potential to enhance your garden, reduce the need for pesticides, promote stronger plants and take maximum advantage of the space available. Companion planting is not a new concept. It is a tool used in organic gardening and has been used historically by indigenous people. Research has identified varying results regarding the benefits of specific companion plantings. There is only anecdotal evidence of the benefits of overall companion planting. But there are numerous reputable articles on how to incorporate the concept into our gardens. In this article I will identify six potential benefits of companion gardening, using a relatively broad definition of companion gardening. 1. Repelling Pests Consider planting plants that repel pests next to plants that the pests target. According to an article in the University of Arizona Agriculture and Life Sciences Cooperative Extension site: One of the most accepted wisdoms of companion planting is the use of repellant plants to keep bothersome insects away from their favorite vegetable plants. Insects locate their favorite plants through smell and many repellant plants work by masking the scent of their neighbor plants. That is why strong-smelling plants such as basil, onions, garlic, and marigolds are good reliant plants. [1] 2. Attracting Beneficial Insects Conversely, companion planting might be used to attract beneficial insects. The best example of this is the suggestion that a gardener plant flowers that will attract pollinators next to vegetable that will benefit from these insects. Companion planting can also be used to attract insects that will feed on destructive insects. For example one might grow plants, such as carrots, to attract lady bugs that will feed on aphids that might attack your plants. 3. Growing Sacrificial Plants A sacrificial crop is a plant that you add to your garden to attract pests away from the main crop you are growing. The reasoning is that garden pests have preferences for what they like to live on or eat. By planting rows of sacrificial plants near your preferred vegetables, the pests will be attracted to these plants and leave your “preferred plants” alone. 4. Enhancing the Taste of Edible Plants Many people believe that planting herbs such as basil, dill, oregano or marjoram next to tomatoes and peppers may enhance the sweetness of these vegetables . . . and they also add beauty to your garden. 5. Supporting the Growing Needs of Surrounding Plants The growing characteristics of one plant can be used to benefit surrounding plants. For example, plants that grow tall or are supported by trellises can provide shade to plants that prefer limited sunlight. Vining plants and plants with large leaves that cover the ground can reduce weed growth and help retain soil moisture. 6. Promoting Maximum Use of Garden Space In this example of companion planting, you’re considering how to enhance the production of your garden as a whole. By intercropping plants in spaces left when one crop is done producing you can increase the production from a limited space. Radishes mature quickly and do well in cooler weather so they can be planted in the spring. When they are harvested, plants that prefer warmer weather can be planted. And when those plants are done producing, another crop of radishes can be planted in late summer. This is a link to a chart developed by Todd Weinmann of North Dakota State University Agriculture Extension that provides an extensive list of plants that you might consider growing near each other and plants that have the potential to negatively impact the growth of certain plants and therefore should not be planted in close proximity. [1] The Best of Enemies: A Brief Guide to Companion Planting - Part 2, https://cals.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/best-enemies-brief-guide-companion-planting-part-2 Photo credits: www.flickr.com (1), Linda Stein (2), University of Minnesota Extension (3)

< Back Cooking with Native Plants Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener It’s just past harvest season in most of Minnesota, but depending on the weather in your area, you may still be harvesting brussels sprouts, potatoes or pumpkins. This time of year, Master Gardener Joy Johnson thought you might enjoy trying some recipes from two of Minnesota’s Native American cultures – Chippewa Blueberry Wild Rice Pudding, Ojibwa Baked Pumpkin, pumpkin seeds. Yum! It’s just past harvest season in most of Minnesota, but depending on the weather in your area, you may still be harvesting brussels sprouts, potatoes or pumpkins. I thought you would enjoy trying a couple of recipes from two of Minnesota’s Native American cultures. Several Native American cultures consider wild rice to be a sacred component in their culture. The rice is harvested with a canoe: one person “knocks” rice into the canoe with two small poles (called “knockers” or “flails”) while the other paddles slowly or uses a push pole. For these groups, this harvest is an important cultural (and often economic) event. Commercial cultivation began in the late 1900’s in California and Minnesota. Wild rice has a delicious nutty, hearty flavor and a chewy texture. Today it is mainly cultivated in paddy fields, although I’ve seen traditional harvesting areas in northern Minnesota. Wild rice is primarily a source of carbohydrates and contains a moderately high amount of fiber. It also contains a variety of vitamins (Folate, B2 and B6 are the top 3) and minerals (Copper, Zinc and Magnesium are the top 3). Compared to white rice, wild rice is lower in calories, higher in fiber, sugars, fat and protein as well as Omega-3 and Omega-6. [insert photo 1] Chippewa Blueberry Wild Rice Pudding Ingredients : Wild Rice part: 4 cups water 1 cup Chippewa wild rice 1 tsp salt ½ tsp vanilla extract Blueberry Mixture: 1 cup blueberries, dried 2 qts Milk 2 Tbsp vanilla extract 16 eggs warmed to room temperature 2 cups sugar Dash freshly grated nutmeg, to taste Instructions for the Wild Rice part : Wash the Chippewa wild rice Put the water, wild rice, vanilla, and salt in a two-quart saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 45-60 minutes. Simmer with the cover on and stop when you notice the rice is puffy and the liquid has been completely absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and continue cooking with the lid off until any excess liquid evaporates. Set aside. Instructions for the Blueberry Wild Rice Pudding : Oil a large baking pan (13” x 9”) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare blueberries by pouring enough boiling water over them to cover them and let them soak for five minutes. Place the cooked wild rice and blueberries in the oiled baking pan. Heat the milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat, until the milk is scalded. Mix the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl at high speed until the mixture is foamy. Whisk the scalded milk into the eggs until thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture on top of the rice and blueberries and stir it very carefully just until blended. Top with nutmeg as desired. Place it in the oven and bake it for 1 ¼ hours, or until edges are golden brown. Ojibwa Baked Pumpkin Pumpkins are actually considered a fruit, not a vegetable, and belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds. They did not always appear as they appear today. They resembled something like the Crooked-neck squash of today. Native Americans called pumpkins “isqoutm squash” and used them as a staple in their diets centuries before the Pilgrims landed. A non-food use was drying strips of pumpkin, pounding it flat, then weaving it into mats. They would roast long strips of pumpkin and seeds on the open fire, or it could be boiled, baked and eaten. It could be easily stored and dried for extended use through the long winters. Pumpkins were used to feed livestock and still are. When my family lived on the farm, every November we would haul our trailer to the pumpkin farm down the road and load up all their unsold, old, damaged pumpkins and feed them to our pigs. That pork was tender, delicious and low fat with a slight hint of pumpkin flavor. Ingredients: 1 small pumpkin (use a pie pumpkin, like Baby Bear, Cinderella or Dickenson; this is the pumpkin that Libby uses for its canned pumpkin) ¼ cup maple syrup ¼ cup apple cider ¼ cup butter, melted Instructions for the Pumpkin : Preheat oven to 350 degrees Place whole pumpkin in oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours Remove pumpkin from oven Keep the oven on and maintain 350-degree temperature. Cut a hole in the top and remove it Scoop out the seeds Set seeds aside for later eating Scoop out the pulp into a large bowl Add the maple syrup and apple cider to the pulp, mix well Pour back into pumpkin shell Bake for 35-40 minutes Cut into wedges and serve Instructions for the pumpkin seeds : Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Wash the seeds well Spread evenly, without layering them, onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt Back, checking often until seeds are dried Remove from oven and serve Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3)

< Back Chow Mein – A Vegetable “Left-Overs” Recipe Joy Johnson, Master Gardener Joy Johnson is a prolific vegetable grower. She has found this recipe for Chow Mein not only delicious but helpful in making use of the abundant vegetables in her cupboards. Whether using your own vegetable stash or those purchased at the grocery store, you will enjoy this recipe! Are you buried in vegetables from your garden? Like me, can you not bear to weed out plants or seedlings? I am always sure that everything will fit in the garden and that not everything will grow and produce. I am usually wrong on both counts! I have a very full garden with the raspberries hanging over the broccoli and the beets, the cucumbers growing on the fence because there is no room for them on the ground and the tomatoes growing up and over the fence, with no room to walk in between the plants. And then I’m always sure I’m never going to get very many vegetables as they start out few and far between, suddenly I’m buried in bowls full of veggies on my kitchen table! Here is a recipe that I’ve been making for years to use some of my mountain of vegetables. Since the words “Chow Mein” actually mean “left-overs”, I have proven over the years that it turns out no matter what vegetables I put in it (don’t put in tomatoes though) and no matter what quantity of vegetables are used. You don’t have to put in the chicken, and if you want it spicier, you can add Italian sausage. If you need to add more sauce because of the quantity of vegetables, you can easily double that part of the recipe. I often serve it topped with the crunchy Chinese noodles and/or cashews. Chow Mein Prepare and have ready: 1 lb pork, beef, chicken or shrimp. (I usually use chicken) cut in thin slices. 3 c. celery, sliced diagonally 2 c. onions, sliced lengthwise ¾ c. mushrooms, fresh or canned (drain) 3 c. fresh bean sprouts Combine in a small bowl and set aside: 1 T. fresh ginger, chopped OR ¼ tsp powdered ginger 1 tsp sugar 3 T. cornstarch 5 T. soy sauce ¾ c. soup stock or reconstituted bouillon Heat in a large skillet: 1 T. oil. Add meat and stir-fry just until done. Remove from heat. In another skillet, stir-fry in 1 T. oil each vegetable just until slightly cooked. Add each vegetable to meat skillet after stir-frying. Just before serving, reheat meat mixture and add sauce. Cook just until sauce thickens and clears. Serve hot with rice and enjoy! Photo credits: www.angsarap.net/All Creative Commons (1), Joy Johnson (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 SEED SAVING 101 Shari Mayer, Master Gardener Do you have some beautiful plants or vegetables in your garden that you would like to replicate next season? You can make that happen by saving the seeds from that plant and growing them yourself. If you haven’t given seed saving a try, now is the perfect time to start. As the season starts winding down, it’s a great time to look around your garden, assess what you’ve planted, and decide if you would like to grow it from seed next year. Read this article for a few tips on making your seed harvesting a success. Do you have some beautiful plants in your garden that you would like to replicate next season? You can make that happen by saving the seeds from that plant and growing them yourself. If you haven’t given seed saving a try, now is the perfect time to start. As the season starts winding down, it’s a great time to look around your garden, assess what you’ve planted, and decide if you would like to grow it from seed next year. Here are a few tips on making your seed harvesting a success: - Know your plant. Seed saving is not the same across the board. The big takeaway here is heirloom vs. hybrid (F1). Heirloom seed will save true, hybrid seed will not. - Choose the ‘perfect’ specimen. There is variation in your plant, and selecting by size, shape, etc., will make a difference. Sacrifice that perfect tomato, largest flower, or tallest dill—whatever you want to reproduce. - Collect seed when it is ripe. The seed does need to ripen before it becomes viable. This happens in different ways, but generally speaking, you need to let the plant go beyond the growing stage and head into decline. Collect and obtain the seed once it is ripe. - I like to follow the plant’s lead. If the seed dries on the plant (typically a pod or seedhead), wait until it is dry and ready to fall off the plant, or the pods are dry and cracking open. Remove from the plant (threshing), and then remove the seeds from the pod or seedhead (winnowing). - If enclosed in wet fleshy fruit, (like tomatoes, cucumbers, melons), wait until the fruit is almost rotting or well past prime. The seeds have a gooey substance that needs to be removed in order to improve their germination rate. An easy way to remove the ‘goo’ is to soak them in a small jar of water until it ferments (several days) and then strain and dry them. The goo will have separated during this time, and the fermentation process actually helps make the seeds disease free. - Dry your seed thoroughly. Store in paper envelopes—they need to breathe. - Don’t forget to label everything, including the date harvested. - Crossbreeding—if you want your seed to be true to the plant, this needs to be avoided. Plant one variety, or keep the plants far enough away from other plants that can cross-pollinate. This does require knowledge of how the plant pollinates, whether wind, insect or self. Perhaps creating a new variety is of interest—in which case you would want to plant the two parents close enough to create cross-pollination. Do a little background on your plants to achieve your desired outcome. If you are interested in learning more, Seed Savers ( www.seedsavers.org ) is a great place to get started. They have a lot of articles, seed saving charts, and more. Happy Harvesting! Photo credits: University of Minnesota (1, 2), www.Flickr.com (3)

< Back Humidity and Indoor Plants Linda Stein, Dakota County Master Gardener Are you filling your winter gardening needs by growing houseplants? If so, you’ve probably noticed that the air in our homes is dryer during the winter months. That not only affects us, but it also can have a significant impact on your plants. This is especially true for tropical plants . . . and many house plants do originate in tropical settings. In this article, Master Gardener Linda Stein provides advice about how providing humidity to your plants can help them through the winter. You’ve probably noticed that the air in our homes has become dryer during the winter months. That not only affects us, but it also can have a significant impact on your plants. This is especially true for tropical plants…and many house plants do originate in tropical settings. Insufficient humidity may cause browning and brittleness around the edges of the plant’s leaves. Succulent plants, of course, tolerate a lower humidity environment. With this in mind, it’s important to provide added humidity to the non-succulent plants that you are growing in your home. According to an entry in the website from Nebraska Extension, “The Mayo Clinic recommends indoor humidity stay between 30-50% for human health and comfort, but many homes have much lower humidity levels. For plants, humidity requirements vary by species, but generally 70-80% is best.” So in almost all situations, the addition of humidity should be a part of your indoor plant care. There are a number of options available for adding humidity. Use of a Humidifier : A home humidifier is probably the simplest way to increase humidity throughout your home. That will, of course, benefit not only your plants, but also the people residing in the home. However, this method will not increase the humidity level to the amount required by your non succulent plants. Misting : Another option is to mist your plants. Misting is frequently discouraged because the impact is short lived. In addition, water standing on your plant can promote diseases and/or the development of mold. Pebble Tray : To increase humidity, pots containing your plants can be placed on a one-to-two-inch-deep tray filled with pebbles. Add water to the tray. As the water evaporates, it provides humidity for the plant. Grouping plants : Plants located in close proximity to each other can benefit each other. The moisture released by the leaves of the plants can increase the humidity around the group of plants. Use of a bell jar cover : A bell jar placed over a plant can trap the moisture created by water evaporating from the soil and from moisture released by the plant’s leaves. Placement over heat source : If your home has a radiator, floor vents, or a wood stove these can be helpful. By placing plants over these objects, the heat can create the humidity needed by them. Locating plants in a kitchen or bathroom: The two rooms with the most humidity in the house are the kitchen and bathroom. So, if the light available in those rooms is adequate, they are the best location for plants requiring added humidity. So, to promote the health of your house plants, make sure your plants are receiving the right type light, water, fertilizer and soil composition. But don’t forget your plants’ need for necessary air humidity around them. Try the tips in this article for happy houseplants. https://lancaster.unl.edu/houseplants-humidity#:~:text=Grouping plants together can also, pocket of slightly higher humidity. Photo credit: Linda Stein (1-4)

< Back Holiday Cacti Janelle Rietz-Kamenar Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are beautiful flowering holiday plants Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) are two beautiful flowering holiday plants. They are often given as gifts during the festivities. Believe it or not, these plants are native to Brazil, but have been a favorite indoor plant in the United States for many years. They can live a very long time (100+ years). Some people have trouble getting them to bloom and there are a few tricks one needs to be aware of to produce healthy, vibrant blooms. First, holiday cacti like high humidity and bright, filtered light. They need relatively moist soil with 1 part potting soil, 2 parts peat moss and 1 part sand. They do not tolerate standing in water or extreme cold air drafts. Holiday cacti, however, do need shorter days and cooler nights in order to produce blooms. Placing plants in a cool, bright location where daytime temperatures are 65-70 degrees and evening temperatures are 55-65 degrees will encourage bud development after approximately 5-6 weeks. Once the plants have bloomed, reduce the frequency of watering until spring when there is more active growth. These plants are relatively easy to take care of if you follow these instructions. If you are having trouble with your plants blooming there are usually 3 possible causes (assuming the plant is healthy): Indoor air is too warm: lower the room temperature to 55-65 degrees at night, 60-65 degrees during the day. Plant days are too long: this is usually not an issue in Minnesota if near a window but one can put the plant in total darkness for a minimum of 12 hours. Plant does not have enough nutrients to produce buds. Fertilize the plant at half strength with a fertilizer that is lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium (0-15-10). For a more comprehensive article about these plants, check out this website: Common Issues with Holiday Cacti Photo credit: Janelle Reitz-Kamenar

< Back Planting Bulbs with your Growing Sprouts As the leaves fall and the temperatures begin to tumble, don’t forget to plant your favorite bulbs with a young gardener. Tulips are a perfect choice to plant in early November as long as you can dig in the ground. Daffodils’ ideal planting season is up until mid-October, but if the temperatures are warm and the ground workable, daffodils can be tried also. Your Growing Sprout will delight in the spring display. Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener What makes a spring bulb and why would I plant them? Spring Bulbs (Hardy Bulbs) are a plant that stores its complete life cycle in an underground enclosed compartment which contains all of the food needed for the plant to grow and flower. They need cold winter months or dormancy to build up the energy to grow and blossom in the spring. Spring bulbs come back year after year and provide beautiful spring flowers. Have your young gardener pick a sunny spot for your tulip garden and then go to your local gardening center to find just the perfect colors. Your young gardener will enjoy choosing the colors based on their favorite or mix and match for an added boost of color. Collect the Following : Trowel or Bulb Planter Spring Bulbs Garden Spot Gloves (optional) Garden markers (optional) Let’s Get Planting! One way to have your young gardener help is to place bulbs in the pattern desired whether that be by height, color or design. This is a perfect time to allow your young gardener to be creative. After the bulbs are laid out you can start digging the holes needed for each bulb. Spring bulbs should be planted in the ground 2-3 times the height of the bulb. Once the holes are prepared, it is time to plant. But before you place the bulb in the hole, let your young gardener identify the pointy end of the bulb. When planting, the pointy end needs to be planted upward . Begin placing each bulb (pointy side up) into the holes dug and then fill in the holes and pack the soil down. Markers can be placed near the planting area to remind you and your young gardener what and where you planted the spring bulbs. Now comes the hard part - waiting until spring to see the beautiful flowers that were planted. But, oh, what a glorious prize. Photo Credits: Stockcake.com (1), PickPik.com (2), www.pikist.com (3)

< Back Peppers, Peppers, Peppers! Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardeners Unfortunately, we have reached the time of year when fresh vegetables from your own garden are not available. If you were a diligent vegetable gardener, like Joy Johnson, you will be rewarded with a freezer full of fall harvested vegetables like peppers and tomatoes. In this article, Joy offers two recipes – pepper steak and stuffed peppers – that will be delicious whether the vegetables came from your garden or the supermarket. Just enjoy! It’s December and your garden is (or will be) sleeping under a blanket of snow. However, if your harvest back in October was anything like mine, you may have a freezer full of tomatoes and peppers. Pepper steak is a delicious, warming winter recipe that uses lots of tomatoes and peppers, either fresh or frozen. It’s spiced with ginger, garlic and soy sauce with optional crushed red pepper flakes if you like extra heat. Serve it on a bed of rice or dip your favorite hearty crusty bread into the ample juice to soak up every last drop. I had so many tomatoes and peppers that I quintupled (5x) this recipe, and it turned out great. Pepper Steak Ingredients: 1 pound sirloin or round steak sliced thin against the grain ¼ cup soy sauce divided 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided 2 large bell peppers cubed, (red, green, yellow, orange or all of them mixed) 1 large onion sliced into wedges 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 3 cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced or grated ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 2 large tomatoes cubed (or several small) Cooked rice for serving Soy sauce for serving Process: Pour 2 tablespoons soy sauce and sugar over sliced steak. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. In a small bowl or 2 cup measure, combine the cornstarch, beef broth and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Whisk until blended. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook until browned around the edges. Turn the beef slices over and continue cooking for about 2 minutes more. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and more sliced beef until all meat is browned. Pour the last tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add the bell pepper, onions and black pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender and slightly charred, for about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Sauté, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, for about 1 minute. Return the cooked beef to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and the beef broth mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in the tomatoes and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Garnish with additional black pepper and serve over hot cooked rice. Pass additional soy sauce for serving if desired. Stuffed Peppers Ingredients 1 pound ground beef 1 yellow onion, diced 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 cup uncooked brown instant rice (Standard rice is fine but will take longer to cook) 6 bell peppers, any color 15-ounce can diced tomatoes 8-ounce can tomato sauce 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup shredded cheese, divided Instructions Cook rice according to the directions and set aside. In a large pan, sauté the onions until they become translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds. Cut off the tops of all six bell peppers and remove the membranes and seeds. Set aside. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the rice and half the cheese and stir. Fill each pepper completely with the mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Optional – a can of enchilada sauce over the top can be a delicious addition. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Freeze any extra mixture for later. To freeze, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Then transfer to a gallon-size freezer bag. Thaw overnight and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Photos Credits: Joy Johnson (1-4)