< Back What the HECK is a CARDOON??? Had any cardoons as your vegetable lately? What’s a cardoon you say? You won’t be alone if you have never heard of this vegetable. It is more commonly grown and eaten in Mediterranean countries. However, this vegetable can be grown in Minnesota and is available in some grocery stores at this time of year. Read this article if you are interested in a vegetable that offers something different. Susan Ball, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Invited to see someone’s “cardoons”, I wouldn’t know whether to expect a company of gerbil-like creatures romping around in a cage or necklaces made of rare berries. But imagine being presented with a dish of leaves and stalks and invited to eat the cardoons! Cardoons, it turns out, are vegetables, similar to globe artichokes. Grown from Portugal to Libya and Croatia, cardoons, with their artichoke-like flavor, were popular in ancient Greek, Roman, and Persian cuisine through the Middle Ages. They were also used in colonial America and early modern periods in Europe. Once almost entirely a Mediterranean vegetable, cardoons recently returned to the American market. Although not as common as their cousin the artichoke, you can usually find them at farmers' markets, specialty grocers, and upscale grocery stores when they are in season . Unlike artichokes, the tender young leaves and undeveloped flower stalks are eaten, not the flower bud. A winter vegetable, cardoons arrive in stores around December and hang around until early spring. They can keep for weeks in the fridge. Buy them firm and pale. Most of the top leaves will be chopped off already, making them look a lot like celery, although MUCH longer. Cardoons are perennials up to zone 7 and sometimes zone 6 (if mounded with soil during the winter), so they are grown in Minnesota as annuals. They require at least 8 hours of sunlight, and they prefer well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6.5–7.0. Add compost or well-rotted manure to improve the soil. Cardoons need a lot of space to spread - plant them 2–3 feet apart in rows 3–6 feet apart. Tall varieties may need staking. Cardoons are easy to grow from seed so they can be started indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost, or you can buy container-grown plants. Cardoons need 100 days to grow from seed to harvest. Propagate cardoons by seeds, suckers, or root division. Both plants and seeds are available online. Blanch the stalks before harvest. Accomplish this by tying up the outer branches a foot or so from the top of the plant and piling soil up around the plant as it grows. This keeps sunlight from reaching the stalks which then keeps chlorophyll from forming, making the stalks more tender and easier to cook. Cardoons can be prepared a number of different ways, although – be forewarned - all of them are labor intensive. The tough ridges of the outer stalks must first be removed and many recipes require hours of soaking. But cardoons can be eaten raw, dipped in hummus or nut butter, the leaves tossed in salads, the stalks cut in pieces, fried, (after being peeled, soaked, poached and breaded), or added to stews, especially those cooked in crock pots. Additional ways to prepare cardoons after initial trimming and blanching include: Cardoons Gratin , in which they are baked with olive oil and cheese. Delicious and well worth making if you only plan to eat cardoons once in a great while. Cardoons in a bechamel sauce. Cardoon risotto . Silky, rich, and the slight bitterness of the cardoons really balances everything nicely. Blanched with bagna cauda , a garlicky-anchovy sauce. Excellent as a canape . In a salad , tossed in a vinaigrette. Simple and good. Use only the innermost stalks, washed well and sliced thin. Fried . An excellent if simple dish. Also, an unusual appetizer, especially coated in chickpea flour and fry with olive oil. And finally - are you ready for this ? - the cardoon’s flowers can be used to make cheese . The enzymes in its dried flowers, when mixed with milk, curdle, albeit slowly. Which results in a rennet which is creamier than calf’s rennet. Portugal, where the cardoon is popular, produces several cheeses using its rennet because of its earthy and tangy flavor. If you enjoy cooking unusual foods, and don’t mind a long preparation time for something really different and tasty, cardoons are for you. Enjoy this ancient and unique vegetable! REFERENCES “Cardoon, Cynara cardunculus”, https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/cardoon-cynara-cardunculus/ “Cardoon”, https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/cardoon.html Shaw, Hunter, “Growing and Cooking Cardoons”, https://honest-food.net/contemplating-cardoons/ Smith, Annabelle K., “What the Heck Do I Do with a Cardoon”, Smithsonian Magazine , https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/what-heck-do-i-do-cardoon-180950301/ Photo Credits: www.flickr.com (1), Inpraiseofsardines.typepad.com (2)

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

< Back 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 Eating Winter Melon Looking for a comfort food that can come straight from your garden? Try this recipe using winter melon. Winter melon, also known as ash gourd, is a fruit native to parts of Southern Asia. The fruit grows on a vine and matures into a round or oblong melon that is approximately the same size and color as a watermelon. When it is ripe, it’s exterior turns a greenish-powdery ash-color. It tastes a bit like cucumber and is delicious in the soup described in this article. Anita Oakman, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern Winter melon, also known as ash gourd, is a fruit native to parts of Southern Asia. Winter melon grows on a vine and matures into a round or oblong melon that is approximately the same size and color as a watermelon. When it is ripe, it’s exterior turns a greenish-powdery ash-color. The fruit tastes somewhat like cucumber. It is said to have various health benefits and has been used in Asian medicine and cuisine for centuries. This recipe comes from an Asian-American vlogger named Yi who touts it as being a childhood comfort food for when you have a cold - a sort of “remedy for what ails ya”! Traditional Winter Melon Soup Ingredients: 1 lb winter melon, cut into 1” square pieces 1 lb ground pork Pork seasoning : 1 egg 1.5 tbsp cornstarch 1/4 tsp salt 1 large piece ginger, peeled and sliced 1 smaller piece peeled ginger for grinding or mincing Soup seasoning : 1 tsp olive oil 1 large piece ginger 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn (optional) 1 tbsp Goji berries 2 tsp salt 1 tsp sesame oil Chopped green onion for garnish Directions: Crack egg into ground pork in medium sized bowl. Season pork with salt and one-half teaspoon cornstarch, mixing in ground or minced ginger until pork sticks together well. Pour olive oil into large saucepan on low heat, add sliced ginger and optional Sichuan peppercorns and heat until mixture becomes fragrant. Add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the saucepan. Form small meatballs from pork mixture and place into saucepan over increased heat, cooking until soup comes to a boil and meatballs are cooked well. Remove excess grease off top of soup. Carefully add chunks of winter melon to soup, cover saucepan, and let boil for 15 minutes. Stir in Goji berries, salt, and sesame oil. Serve garnished with chopped green onion. Taken from Yi’s Szechuan Kitchen: https://sichuankitchenrecipes.com/2023/11/19/authentic-chinese-winter-melon-soup-recipe/ Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ash-gourd Photo credit: Anita Oakman (1)

< Back Healthy Lawn Care Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Dakota County Master Gardener Believe it or not, fall is the best time to repair your existing lawn. And, with climate weather changes, it is also a good time to consider what type of lawn you want to have in the future. Sometimes it can be perplexing as to where to begin. If you are interested in lawn care, please read this article. With climate change, doing the same lawn care, may not yield the same results. The first step is to evaluate your existing yard. Evaluate your existing yard status. What type of soil do you have? Through the U of MN Extension, you can get a soil text. See this website for details. https://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/testing-services/lawn-garden Are some areas of your lawn difficult to mow because they are on a slope? Should you consider replacing this part of the lawn into a pollinator garden with some shrubs and/or pollinator flowers or create a no-mow bee lawn? What type of sun do you have on the various areas of your lawn? There are grass seed mixes for Shade, Part-Sun, and Sunny areas. Not all grass seed works for every section of your yard. Many nurseries have various seed mixes available for sale. Prior to spending money on seed, take stock as to what type of sun/shade is in each area and measure the dimensions so you know how much seed to buy. If you are renovating areas of your yard, question why the existing grass did not thrive? Shady areas especially dense shade is hard to maintain grass. Fine fescue grasses work best in shady areas, but if it is really dense, even that may not grow thick. Another option is to create a pathway and plant some native shade plants instead of having a lawn. You can even consider sedges. What areas of your yard get walked on a lot or have damage from pets? The type of grass mix you put down can make a difference for those areas. Critters such as voles and moles can be a lawn culprit. For more info about voles/moles, go to this link. https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/vole-damage Do you have areas of your yard that get excessive salt from the road or driveway? You may need to prep the soil differently in those areas prior to planting or even consider a rain garden bed in those areas. How much work are you interested in doing to maintain your yard? Watering and mowing are a lot of resources. Should you consider a fine fescue grass mix that uses less water and doesn’t need to be mowed as often or potentially a bee lawn? There are lots of things to consider before starting on your lawn renovation. Sometimes it is easier if you take just a section of your yard at a time. It does not need to be done in one season. The U of MN Extension has a Lawn Care Calendar that focuses on what months are best to plant seeds, when to fertilize, and when to lay down seed. See this link for the calendar. As stated early, late August to Early September is the best time to put down new grass seed if you are starting a new area specially. Spring is the second-best time. But if you are wanting to thicken or repair your lawn, putting down seed in late October to November (once it is too cold for grass to germinate) is great for dormant seeding. Preparing the soil for lawn repair. Does your grass have an excessive amount of dead grass called thatch that is killing the grass? If so, it might need to be dethatched before applying new seed. Grass seed has to have contact with the dirt to be successful in germination. Dethatching machines can be rented for large areas. Hand raking works for small repairs. If you have clay soil, sometimes, you need to consider aerating your lawn on a periodic basis (annually or every few years). This can be done by renting a machine that will remove soil plugs from your lawn. Once the lawn has been prepped, laying down seed is the next step. Seeding in late August to September requires consistent watering when the soil is dry (several times a day). Dormant seeding in November does not require watering. The seed will germinate in early Spring. Purchasing sod is another option for new lawns especially but is more expensive and still requires consistent watering in the early stages. There are many things to consider with lawn care maintenance and repair. This website has additional information if you are interested in learning more. Photo Credits: University of Minnesota Extension 1,2,3,4

< Back Ethnic Heritage Food Joy Johnson, Master Gardener With the onset of cold weather, embrace your comfort food roots. Joy Johnson shares two of her family’s comfort recipes. Try them and they may become your new comfort food recipes. With the onset of cold weather, my thoughts and appetite go back to the “good old days” when I was a kid. The foods my mother, grandmother and aunts prepared always seemed to be just what I needed. Today we call that ‘comfort food’, going back to what made you feel good as a kid. Thinking back to those wonderful meals, I realize that I have a divided gastronomic family. Half of it is Hungarian and half of it is German. I have terrific recipes from both sides of the family. One year we grew over 30 cabbages. My young daughter and her friend were having such a fun time planting, that I just let them keep going and didn’t realize what I huge harvest we’d have. We fermented over 30 quarts of sauerkraut that year. The soup recipe below is a delicious one to try if you have homemade sauerkraut. It works well with the store-bought kind too. I think it’s fun to try new recipes, especially if they are someone else’s ‘tried and true’ ones, because then you know they’ve been taste tested and honed to perfection over the years. Here are two family tested recipes, one from my Hungarian side and one from my German side. Hmmm, it’s kind of funny, but my mom started serving them both at the same meal, with additional Hungarian dishes on the side. That’s now our newish family tradition, a delicious mixture in one comforting and very satisfying meal. Sauerkraut Soup (from the German side) 1 quart sauerkraut; rinse, squeeze, chop 1 pound Polska Kolbasi sausage ½ cup rice (I use brown rice) Brown flour for thickening (2/3 cup flour toasted in 3 tablespoons butter. Stir constantly until flour turns golden brown) 1 teaspoon caraway seed Cut sausage into bit size slices, cover with water and cook a few minutes to remove fat. Remove slices from water, save water, refrigerate so fat will harden. Remove hardened fat from water and discard. Add sauerkraut and caraway seeds to this water, cook about 15 minutes, add sausage slices, cook 10 minutes, whisk water into the browned flour in a separate bowl until smooth, add a little of this to the soup, add rice. Cook slowly until the rice is done. DON’T add all the browned flour mix at once, see how it thickens, it varies depending on how much water you started with. Bobyka (from the Hungarian side) Take any white bread recipe (or frozen bread dough works). Take a portion of the dough, place in palms of your hands, rubbing back and forth, make it like a rope about a half inch in diameter. Cut into 1-inch pieces and roll them into balls in the palm of your hand. Place on a greased cookie sheet (or cover it with parchment paper). Bake until golden brown at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Immerse them in boiling water for just a few minutes ‘til softened, not too long or they will fall apart. Melt ¼ cup butter, add dough balls (bobykas), add about 1 tablespoon ground poppyseed and about 1 tablespoon honey. Serve warm. They taste like little breadsticks.

< Back Preserving Your Harvest Tori Clark, Master Gardener Many of the vegetables you have been growing all summer are ready to harvest in September. Unfortunately, most things can only be stored fresh for a short period of time even in perfect conditions. If you have the time and the inclination you can harvest more of your garden and preserve it to enjoy long after the growing season has passed. Late summer means harvest time in Minnesota gardens! You can harvest vegetables and more at peak ripeness, but most things can only be stored fresh for a short period of time even in perfect conditions. You have eaten your fill, but the garden keeps on giving so if you have the time and the inclination you can harvest more of your garden and preserve it to enjoy long after the growing season has passed. Options for preserving fruits, vegetables, and herbs include freezing, drying, canning, pickling, and more. Each option has its benefits and drawbacks and some options are better for preserving different types of food. The University of Minnesota Extension has a series of short, informative food preservation videos to get you the information you need to safely preserve your vegetables, sauces, jams, and salsas to enjoy later. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1)

< Back The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats By Daniel Stone Who knew that the life of an “agricultural explorer” could be both fascinating and suspenseful. Read this review of book, “The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats” to learn why food exploration can be exciting! Reviewed By Valerie Rogotzke, Master Gardener A century ago, the American table was a simpler place. Vegetables and fruit were limited to what could be grown in the home garden or found in a grocery store. Some of the items missing from that world? Kale, mangoes, avocados, seedless grapes, zucchini, soybeans, pistachios, Meyer lemons, and more. Then along came botanist David Fairchild (1869-1954), the Indiana Jones of the plant world. In his book The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats (2018), author David Stone uses Fairchild’s journals, letters, and photographs to document the extraordinary journeys of the man who changed American culinary life forever. This is a riveting tale of exploration and horticulture, of espionage and diplomacy, of the finest German hops and the famed cherry blossom trees of Washington, D.C. Fairchild’s story takes him from Kansas to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he works with a meager budget assisting the American farmer fighting crop fungus. Then a chance meeting with a wealthy benefactor named Barbour Lathrop allows the young man to leave his post and travel as a private citizen, circling the globe on a mission to ship back samples of exotic plants and seeds as an “agricultural explorer,” as he refers to himself. Fairfield’s team transports both plants completely new and foreign varieties of species already known in the United States. Along the way, Fairchild and his team escape dangerous situations, face political resistance from multiple governments, and cross paths with famous figures like the Wright Brothers and Alexander Graham Bell. When Fairchild settles down at the age of 34, he founds the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which introduces over 200,000 new plant species and varieties to the country. This book is highly recommended to foodies, gardeners, and history buffs alike. It can be found in the Dakota County Library system.

< Back Shoreline Planting Mary Gadek, Dakota County Master Gardener Aaah…lake life in Minnesota is in full swing! As we motor, paddle or splash around, notice the shorelines of our lakes, rivers, streams or ponds. Some are full of natural, native plantings, while others are neatly fashioned by lawns or riprap rock. This article explores why we care about our Minnesota shoreline plantings and what are best practices for the homeowners and the plants and animals living there. Shoreline Plantings Are Important According to the Minnesota DNR, Minnesota has 11,842 lakes, and 69,200 miles of natural rivers and streams, along with 13 million acres of lakes, streams and wetlands, totaling about one quarter of the area of the entire state. As we relax in the cool, summer lakes, ponds or rivers of Minnesota, we gain heightened awareness of the reasons to protect, preserve or restore the shorelines: The vegetation provides critical habitat for our local creatures and plants; Many water edges are susceptible to erosion due to slopes and/or wave action; Runoff from the shore may need filtering before entering the water; and, Plantings contribute to the scenic beauty of the water's edge. Shoreline plantings offer the following benefits: Roots hold soil and help stabilize slopes by trapping and using water that would otherwise run off. Roots increase soil porosity, allowing water to infiltrate rather than run off. Vegetation filters out nutrients and pesticides that could otherwise reach a lake or stream and cause algal blooms or excessive plant growth. Filter strips are vegetated areas of land next to shorelines that help minimize runoff to a lake or stream. The most effective filter strips include a variety of low plants, shrubs and trees, preferably native or existing vegetation. Photo Credit: Mary Gadek Shoreline Restoration Restore your shoreline to achieve the discussed benefits by doing some or all the following steps: If starting with bare ground, use a plastic free erosion control blanket for slopes and close to shores. Utilize mass plantings of trees, shrubs and plants to more quickly stabilize the soil. Generally, native perennials are recommended for their resilience and adaptability. Have awareness of the considerations of turfgrass near shorelines: https://extension.umn.edu/shoreland-properties/caring-shoreland-lawns-and-gardens Minimize use of riprap to areas where use of rock is the only solution, and with a gravel base to encourage plants to establish within the rocks. Suggestion if utilizing rip rap: add some cuttings of shrub willow, dogwood or elderberries in the spring, with the cuttings establishing roots in the moist soil. https://extension.umn.edu/lakes-and-wetlands/shoreland-properties#building-and-landscape-planning-1904260 For erosion or minimizing wake activity at the water’s edge, stake down plastic free coir logs, willow wattles or other brush bundles. https://bsalwmp.org/shoreline-stabilization/ A resource for suggested Minnesota trees and bushes: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/shoreland/shoreline-trees-shrubs.pdf A resource for suggested Minnesota flowers, grasses and plants: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/shoreland/shoreline-herbaceous.pdf Non-native plantings are just fine to use, especially if they provide garden benefits, such as erosion control with quick rooting and extending pollinator options to the garden. https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/whats-name-non-native-species-not-same-invasives For both native and non-native plants, avoid adding any invasive species, (defined as species that are not native to Minnesota AND cause economic, social or environmental harm or harm to human health). See the MN DNR list: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/index.html Together we can take care of and enjoy the extensive shorelines of Minnesota and the infinite beauty! Photo Credit: Mary Gadek

< Back Cat-Grass Learn how to grow your own! Many cats like a little salad now and then – cat-grass that is. Grass is not a necessity if your cat its eating a well-balanced diet. But cats can enjoy it and grass provides environmental enrichment for an indoor cat. With the help of the child in your life, you might want to grow some cat-grass as a treat for your cat. It’s also a fun and easy activity. Marjory Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener The reasons cats eat grass are not clear. According to Lori Teller, at Texas A&M University, “[o]ne theory is that cat grass is a source of fiber that can either act as a mild laxative or trigger vomiting[.] When cats lived in the wild, they may have eaten grass to trigger vomiting to rid their stomachs of the non-digestible parts of the prey they ingested. It is also thought that the chlorophyll contained in the grass could serve as a mild pain reliever and help keep the cat’s breath fresh.” Regardless of the scientific reason, with the help of the child in your life, you might want to grow some cat-grass as a treat for your cat. It’s also a fun and easy activity. Kitties are not horticulturists, so left on their own outside, they don’t necessarily distinguish between safe and dangerous plants. [See this list for a helpful list.] But inside, different grasses - rye, oat, wheat, barley, alfalfa, and orchard grass can be grown for cat-grass. Since I have never grown my own cat-grass, I interviewed Brianna Gohde, a Master Gardener from Ramsey County and cat-grass grower. Margie: Where do you get your seed? Brianna: You can buy cat grass seed from most pet supply stores (check the back of the seed packs for grass type(s)) or from reliable seed source catalogs in the “cover crop” or “grains” sections for a specific type. Margie: How do you start cat-grass from seed? Brianna: I treat cat-grass seed the same way I would any other seeds, though I overseed the container so that the plants grow densely. Like with any other plants started from seed, I check the seed pack for seed depth recommendations. I water just enough to keep the soil moist. It’s better to keep it on the dry side to avoid pests. Sticky traps and cats are not a good combination! To keep your cat from knocking over the container, I like to double-pot and use a string to go around both to keep them anchored. The grass grows above the strings, so it doesn’t bother the cat. Margie: Do you have a special set-up to grow it? Brianna: I use generic potting soil and tap water without problems. The grass grows best if it’s in a sunny place. I don’t often put mine under grow lights, but when I have, the grass grows in faster and looks nicer. It takes about two weeks to get tall enough for the cats to be interested in it. Margie: Do you have a favorite variety? Brianna: I have grown wheat, rye and oats. My cats haven’t noticed any difference between the types of grasses. Margie: How long does it last? Brianna: The grass starts looking bad after a couple of weeks of cat attention, but may go as long as a month, with regular care from a human. The cats often lose interest once the grass gets more than 1-foot tall but you can trim the grass down to 6-8” a few times and keep it looking tidy. Some of the grass turns yellow (as older leaves die) and some dies due to overcrowding. Compost it whenever the cat’s attention wavers or it starts looking awful. Hopefully this encourages folks to give it a try. It's a cheap thrill and an easy holiday present for kitties. Try growing this treat for your cat! Photo Credit: Marjory Blare (1), Brianna Gohde (2,3)

< Back Braiding Sweetgrass – Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and Teachings of Plants Gail Maifeld Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, is a union of personal biography, science and biology. Kimmerer is an active member of the Patawatomi citizen community. She shares indigenous knowledge and encourages individuals to seek a healthy relationship with their surroundings. Braiding Sweetgrass , by Robin Wall Kimmerer, is a union of personal biography, science and biology. Kimmerer is an active member of the Citizen Patawatomi Nation. Braiding Sweetgrass is a book of essays on Native folkways with plants and their roles in human life. It was originally published in 2013 and was reissued in 2020 with new illustrations. In her book, Kimmerer shares indigenous knowledge and encourages individuals to seek a healthy relationship with their natural environment. The reader is introduced to Skywoman, who tells the story of sweet grass which, in Anishinaabe belief, was the first plant to grow on earth. Sweetgrass holds a “sacred role” and represents an important component of “global ecosystems,” which gives rise to the possibility of a positive relationship between humans and the natural environment. Man should listen to Skywoman rather than the monster Windigo that speaks to us to consume. Man should learn from the indigenous peoples who learned from watching plants, trees and water interact - how plants support each other, how the roots of the cottonwood tree support the shoreline and how cattails purify the water. Kimmerer combines heritage with the knowledge of native peoples and science. How would you be feeling if you couldn’t speak your native language? Eat familiar native foods? Wear native clothing? As a member of the Patawatomi Nation, Kimmerer shares the beauty and necessity of native language and tradition. Native storytelling is a tradition that illustrates the delicate layering of science and culture. Storytelling focuses on a balance between environmental passions and science. If you are yearning for a book of optimism about humans’ relationship with the environment in a world on fire, Braiding Sweetgrass is for you. Or, as a book of gratitude toward nature and a culture of reciprocity toward nature, Braiding Sweetgrass will soothe your soul. Photo Credit: Braiding Sweetgrass Book Cover (1)

< Back Find Plants for Tough Sites Have you ever fallen in love with a plant that you know in your brain won’t grow in your garden but your heart made you buy it anyway? You bought that sun-loving plant and planted it – full of hope - in your shady garden. Didn’t work out? Unfortunately, wishing, and even tender loving care, can’t make a plant grow if it is in the wrong garden space. Fortunately, this article tells us about a resource that can help you find just the right plant for even tough garden sites. Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Dakota County Master Gardener Over my many years of gardening, one of the most important, yet difficult lessons that I seem to have to re-learn time and time again, is that a plant will thrive best if it is planted in a location where it gets the type of sun, moisture, and soil required for its species. It is so tempting fall in love with a sun-loving plant and convince yourself that you can make it grow in your garden – the one that is all shade. Unfortunately, wishing, and even tender loving care, can’t make a plant grow if it is in the wrong garden space. For those of us whose gardens consist of poor soil conditions or natural landscape impediments, it is especially difficult to find plants that will be successful. So, how do you know which plants will thrive in your clay or sandy soil or on your steep backyard slope? Finding the right plants for your area can be challenging, but not impossible. Fortunately, the University of Minnesota Extension has produced a free, easy and thorough reference guide that can help you meet the challenge. Click on this link to access “The Best Plants for 30 Tough Sites,” written by Minnesota Master Gardeners and Extension Educators Mary Meyer, Deborah L. Brown, and Mike Zins. The reason why I like this guide so much is that it provides extensive lists of plants and their characteristics for those areas that can be limiting. Rather than waste money buying plants that do not fit your situation, use this guide to find plants that can grow successfully. The reference guide covers: Alkaline Soil Annuals 3 Feet or More Annual Vines That Grow Quickly Boulevard Gardens: Perennials and Small Trees Broadleaf Evergreens Clay Soil Cold Tolerant Annuals Compacted Sites: Trees Crevice Plants Deer Resistant Plants Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants, Shade or Under Trees and Trees Fragrant Annuals, Perennials, and Shrubs Indoor Low Light Knot Gardens Lakeshore Native Plants Long-Blooming Perennials Rain Garden Plants River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas Self-Seeding Perennials Septic Mound Plants Shade: Shrubs, Small Trees, and Tall Perennials Steep Slopes Trees That Produce Minimal Litter Under a Black Walnut Tree While the guide does not show a picture of each plant, it does provide you with a place to start looking. I have used this guide many times and I hope it helps you find that perfect plant for your landscape. Photo Credit: learn.e-limu.org (All Creative Commons) (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2), Ideengartencrimmitschau.blogspot.com (All Creative Commons) (3)