< Back What’s the Buzz about Bee Lawns? Marjory Blare, Master Gardener You may have heard about bee lawns on the news or from a friend or at a county park. And, you may be wondering what that is and why you might want to plant one in your yard. Read this article about bee lawns to help you decide if planting one is right for you. Annual Red Clover Did you know that about 1/3 of the plant-based foods that humans eat are insect pollinated? But pollinators are in trouble due to habitat loss, pesticides and parasites. Butterflies, wasps, flies, soldier beetles, and moths are also in jeopardy. A pollinator lawn provides the high-quality nutrition that pollinators need to survive. A bee lawn can attract over 50 species of bee! A bee lawn integrates low-growing flowering perennials with grasses. They require fewer pesticides, less fertilizer, water and mowing than a traditional lawn. Grasses in bee lawns can include grasses already present in your lawn, but, adding fine fescues and Buffalo grass will reduce the number of mowings needed per year and make the lawn more drought tolerant. “Strong creeping red fescue,” “slender creeping red fescue,” “chewings fescue,” “hard fescue” and “sheep fescue” can be grown with other cool-season grasses in full sun to shaded areas. Red Fescue Another alternative to cool-season grasses are sedges. However, they don’t take as well to mowing. Pennsylvania sedge grows to about 6”. Pennsylvania Sedge White clover springs to mind when thinking of bees, but there are several other good candidates that will spread out the flowering season from spring through fall. “Self-Heal” (Prunella) and “creeping thyme” and “birds foot trefoil” are non-natives that should not be planted near a wild area, but can be used in urban areas. “Ground plum,” “sweet white violets” and “common blue violets” are native alternatives. Self-Heal and Creeping Thyme Bee lawns can be treated similarly to lightly-used traditional lawns. They can be mowed (or not) at 3” or higher and take light foot traffic. Some examples of good places to plant bee lawns are: boulevards, steep slopes, primarily aesthetic areas, rights of way and easements. There are at least two ways to plant bee lawns. One is to start with bare soil (be aware that this area will have a “seed bank” of weeds.) and the other is to overseed. In certain cases, plugs might be a better choice. Click here for information on planting a bee lawn: https://extension.umn.edu/landscape-design/planting-and-maintaining-bee-lawn And here are some additional sites to help you get started on your bee lawn: Here is a site to find bee lawn seed: https://turf.umn.edu/lawn-info/purchasing-seed/bee-lawn-seed Click here to get signage for your lawn: https://bwsr.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/2021-05/Lawns%20to%20Legumes%20yard%20signs_Final_Single_2020_edits_smalllink_new_0.pdf Click here to see the Lawn to Legumes site and apply for a grant to help with expenses: https://bwsr.state.mn.us/l2l Here is a webinar discussing the ins and outs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEiEoSC60Ss Your lawn can “Bee” the change! Photo Credit: Marjory Blare (1,2,3), University of Minnesota Extension (4,5)

< Back Squash the Holiday Host Competition with a Winter Variety We plant, grow, and nurture our vegetable gardens for the healthy fruits of our fall harvest and also as decorations for our Thanksgiving table and décor. As we look forward to preparing deeply satisfying hearty dishes from a bountiful Fall harvest, winter squash holds a special place at the table. Learn more about two special squash varieties – Sugar Pumpkins and Kabocha Squash in this article. Katie Possis, Master Gardener It’s that time of year when our thoughts turn to celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends and the joy of decorating for the holiday. We plant, grow, and nurture our vegetable gardens for the healthy fruits of our fall harvest and also as decorations for our Thanksgiving table and décor. As we look forward to preparing deeply satisfying hearty dishes from a bountiful Fall harvest, winter squash holds a special place at the table. Winter squash are fruit that grow on the vine. They are from the genus Cucurbita from the family Cucurbitaceae. There are, of course, subtle differences that set them apart from each other. This article will talk about 2 of the 12 most popular squash varieties along with interesting recipes that excite the taste buds. Sugar Pumpkins Starting with a favorite - Sugar Pumpkins are nutrient packed. For example: one cooked cup of Pumpkin has 49 calories, 76 grams of protein, 17 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbohydrate; a real booster for the immune system. Sugar Pumpkins have thick skin with sweet flesh and are less fibrous than other winter squash. For a new favorite recipe using roasted pumpkin, check out the recipe Pumpkin With Creme Fraiche, Peanut Rayu, Coriander & Spring Onion. - GIY Ireland Ltd for a real treat. Tip for choosing: make sure your pumpkin is heavier than you expect it to be when you pick it up, the skin needs to be firm and a fingernail should not pierce the skin, the stem needs to look like is has died off and is hard. A pumpkin’s stem is the seal between the stalk and fruit. Never lift the pumpkin by the stem as breaking this seal may cause molds and fungal spores which ensure speedy decay. If the pumpkin has been properly cured, it will be beautifully intact for several months. Proper curing takes a few weeks but it’s worth the effort. The pumpkin needs to be dried in the sun, kept away from rain and moisture. Do this for the top side up for 2 weeks then gently flip over for the bottom side to cure for the next two weeks. The curing process can also be accomplished inside next to a sunny window. As this point, the pumpkin is ready to adorn your front steps or buffet table. Kabocha Squash Second up, Kabocha Squash is a Japanese variety of the Cucurbita maxima species. Often used in Japanese and Korean cooking, this squash has a dark green and orange rind. Known for its nutty, earthiness, and with a kiss of sweet flavor, it is a great choice for cooking. The nutritional value of one cup of cooked Kabocha - 49 calories, 1.8 grams protein, 0.2 grams of fat, and 8 grams of carbohydrate. Great news, this squash has a lower glycemic load than a sweet potato which won’t make the blood sugar spike. A great recipe to try is Korean Braised Kabocha Squash - The Plant-Based Wok (theplantbasedwok.com) Enjoy! Tips for growing: the Kabocha squash can be grown in full sun 6-8 hours on a trellis which gives height and interest to your garden landscape. The trellis will need a minimum of two to three supports hammered into the ground deep enough for the frame to hold the heavy plant laden with large fruit. The benefits of trellising for the plant are great air circulation and room to grow as each plant will need approximately 10 to 15 feet in length. The rich deep green of the Kabocha squash pairs nicely with orange pumpkins, yellow spaghetti squash, and blues of the Hubbard of the winter squash to create a visual feast for the eyes. Photo credits: www.flickr.com (1), Foodblogga.blogspot.com (2)

< Back Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana): A survivor for All Seasons Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener Eastern Red Cedar is a beautiful and tenacious native tree that grows vigorously through most of the eastern United States including the lower half of Minnesota. It is a towering and long-lived tree and is an important food source for birds and mammals. Read this article to learn more about this important native tree. Sometimes, something starts growing somewhere and something inside you says “Let it be.” That’s how I came to gain the acquaintance of Eastern Red Cedar as it popped up beside a boulder on the slope of our west lawn. Rather than pull it out, I watched it struggle, overcome and become the beautiful tree that now graces the west side of our home. Like so many natives, it is a very tenacious fellow and grows vigorously through most of the eastern United States including the lower half of Minnesota. So, it does well through Zone 4. Mature red cedar The tree is known variously as Virginia juniper, eastern juniper or red juniper. Although a slow grower, red cedar can reach as high as 60 feet - although in poor soils it may remain no more than a bush. It assumes a pyramidal or cylindrical shape with reddish brown bark and green needle like leaves. It is a dioecious species (boy and girl trees) with the male pollinating and the female forming dark purple berry-like seed cones. These berries form an important food source for many birds such as cedar waxwings, turkeys and bluebirds during the winter months. A number of small mammals such as rabbits, foxes, raccoons and coyotes also feed off red cedar berries. The tree is a long lived with a several hundred-year life-span, if undisturbed. red cedar berries Red cedar is a pioneer species and will be seen early on in fire ravaged areas. But, a cautionary note - owing to its adaptability and perseverance, it can be invasive and has radically changed the ecology of some grasslands. Also, it acts as alternate host for cedar-apple rust, a potentially destructive fungus for apple trees. Consequently, you might want to keep red cedar away from nearby apple orchards. There are many distinct cultivars of Juniperus virginiana, which you might expect given its vast native range. A recent book by Laurence Hatch* does a masterful job of differentiating and describing them. Whatever cultivar you choose, you will be treated to a tough, faithful coniferous companion for many years. *Hatch, L., Cultivars of Woody Plants: Juniperus virginiana and scopulorum, A cultivar.org Garden Monograph, Cary, NC, 2023. Photo Credits: Farmartin, Wikipedia (1), Humoyun Mehridinov, Wikipedia (2)

< Back Master Gardeners Are in School – Gardens Julie Harris, Dakota County Master Gardener With School Garden Leaders: Deb Oldenburg, Kate Minor, Mary Barnidge and Patricia McCabe A primary purpose of the volunteer Master Gardener program is to educate the community about environmentally sound gardening practices. There is no better audience hear the lessons of why and how to grow flowers and vegetables than children. The Dakota County Master Gardeners put this concept into practice by participating in four “school gardens.” Read this article explaining where, why and how Master Gardeners are in school – gardens. Look for them in your community! A primary purpose of the volunteer Master Gardener program is to educate the community about environmentally sound gardening practices. There is no better audience to teach the lessons of why and how to grow flowers and vegetables than children. The Dakota County Master Gardeners put this concept into practice by participating in four “school gardens.” In partnership with the schools, Master Gardeners teach children at Community of Saints School, Gideon Pond Elementary School, Pine Bend School Garden and Garlough Environmental Magnet School. While each school garden program and process are somewhat different, in general, the mission of these gardens is to provide school-aged children with engaging education about growing produce. Here are their stories. Community of Saints School Garden, West St. Paul This small school garden is a powerhouse producer for a school in an under-served community. Master Gardeners partner with the school kids in the spring to plant over 25 types of crops including vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. Summer program kids from pre-K through 5th grade are provided fun garden education and activities on a variety of [topics including water, weather, pollinators and mini beasts. They learn how to be gardeners and how much work it takes to water, weed and harvest the garden. By the end of the season, we have typically harvested 300+ lbs. of produce which is consumed by students, families and staff. We are currently looking for community partners to help with future projects and maintenance to continue our mission. Garlough Environmental Magnet School Garden, West St. Paul This garden is part of the school's magnet curriculum. It supports projects for different grades. For example, the third grade makes salsa with some of the produce; kinderdergartner/first graders plant and harvest potatoes to make fries. They also grow a Native American “three sisters” garden. Master Gardeners helped to plan and supervise the planting of the garden at the school’s Environmental Explorers’ Fair in May. Students and their families helped to plant the garden along with Master Gardener volunteers. Teachers, staff, parents and students are thrilled with the garden project! Pine Bend School Garden, Inver Grove Heights The Pine Bend School Garden was established in 2018 with a Garden-in-a-Box grant from the Minnesota State Horticultural Society along with a donation from the school's PTSA. The mission of the garden is to create a beautiful, thriving school garden that provides students, teachers, and parents with the opportunity to connect with the natural world, grow and eat fresh produce, and expose them to a hands-on environmental education. There is an after-school garden club available to students in grades 3-5 two days a week in the spring and fall. They receive a short lesson about plants and best gardening practices created and delivered by Master Gardeners. Then they work in the garden planting, maintaining, and harvesting. Parents and students sign up to take care of the garden throughout the summer. The garden is visible and open to all students and the public. The pollinator garden is next to the main entrance and many parents (and neighbors) have commented on how beautiful it is. It is also teeming with bees, butterflies, and birds. The vegetable/fruit garden is in the school courtyard next to the playground. All students walk by the garden to witness the growth and changes. Sometimes signs are created and installed to educate students. Garden club members help lead an all-school assembly in the spring on Earth Day. Produce has been shared with the school in the cafeteria. The garden started small and has grown over the years with the help of in-kinds donations and grants from several community businesses and nonprofits. Gideon Pond Elementary School, Burnsville The Dakota County Master Gardeners have had a long partnership with the Gideon Pond Elementary School in Burnsville. They helped build a garden on school property to provide hands-on education for PreK through 5th grade students about gardening and where their food comes from. Our Master Gardener team teaches the students how to start seeds in the spring, and then how to transfer those seedlings to the garden in early summer. Our garden includes several different types of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. Summer school sessions include a 6-week curriculum (based on the U of MN Children’s Garden in Residence Program) with in-garden instruction on what plants need to thrive, how to deal with the Garden Villains (picking bugs, pulling weeds and deterring rodents/mammals), importance of pollinators and other “garden helper bugs”, purpose of fences, mulch and trellises, sensory evaluation of herbs, plant identification, and garden maintenance and harvesting. This summer we added a class with Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE). Participants include children birth through 5-year olds and their parents. The school is a joy to work with and the students are so excited to learn and participate in the entire gardening experience. It is not uncommon to be greeted by the students with a “Hi Master! Hi Master!” It is a rewarding experience for all involved. Quote from the school liaisons: “Thank you so much! This has been such a fantastic and memorable experience for our (students). We appreciate all that you did to make it fun and educational- not always an easy task.” And thank you to the schools, children and parents for making these gardens a “fantastic and memorable experience” for our Master Gardeners. Photo credits: Deb Oldenburg (1,2), Kate Minor (3,4), Patricia McCabe (5,6), Mary Barnidge (7,8)

< Back Fall Scavenger Hunt by Mary Gadek, Dakota County Master Gardener Come join the adventure of a fall scavenger hunt as a Junior Fall Garden Detective! Teach the child in your life how to detect the arrival of autumn in Minnesota. Read along here for a guide to gathering clues and using some scientific observations in an outdoor search to confirm fall’s arrival. It is time for all Junior Fall Garden Detectives to investigate how we know that fall has returned to our yards and gardens. Let’s find the clues, scientific observations, and evidence your child can collect about fall. Then, participate in a scavenger hunt revealing autumn’s cool air, shorter daylight, and changes in gardens, creatures, and our lives. CLUES As the seasons change from summer to fall, the air temperatures drop and the days get shorter. Look for these clues to determine when the seasons change: ● Air temperatures . The Minnesota average temperatures on September 1 are 77 degrees daytime, 59 degrees nighttime. By November 1, the temperatures have decreased to an average of 50 degrees daytime, 35 degrees nighttime. ● Daylight . From the start of school in early September through the end of September, you may have noticed less daylight each day as you hop on your school bus in the morning until you are playing at the park at the end of the day. Daylight on average decreases by one hour and 15 minutes from August 1 through October 15. The equinox is when the days and nights are said to be equal in length for the entire globe. For the Northern Hemisphere, (the northern half of the world), where Minnesota is located, the fall equinox will be on September 22, 2024, at approximately 7:43 am, kicking off the start of the season. EVIDENCE Some scientific observations, or evidence, of the seasonal changes may include: ● Trees . Trees and bushes are dropping an array of leaves with bright reds, yellows, oranges, and browns. Burning bush (or Euonymus alatus), along with oaks and maple trees create intense red leaves. River birch and yellow poplar trees have showy yellow displays in the fall. ● Plants. Flowers and plants around the yard have lost their blooms and dropped their leaves as their energy returns to their roots below the ground. The final fruits of many plants are ready for harvest, like apples and pumpkins. ● Creatures. The arrival of fall invites the creatures in your yard, or local park, to either migrate to the warmer south or prepare to hunker down for the Minnesota winters by making nests or dens. Birds, like Canadian geese, wood ducks, and the loon, form flocks and fly south. Look up to the autumn sky as the migrating birds fly in a triangular formation to head to warmer locations. Butterflies, like the monarch, partake in a long journey to winter in warm Mexico. You may notice that the butterflies are no longer to be found in the garden. Other animals, insects, and birds remain in Minnesota during the winter by hibernating, or sleeping, in covered areas or under the brush of the colorful fallen leaves and nearby evergreens. Look closely, squirrels are collecting seeds and acorns to save up for their winter meals. SOLVE Now, it’s time for a fun expedition outside in your yard, neighborhood, or local park to search for these clues and evidence of fall and its impact on our daily lives. See the attached printable Junior Fall Detective Scavenger Hunt here for an activity for your child. Read: The Very Hungry Catepillar’s First Fall by Eric Carle, to help the younger child understand the concepts of fall. Buy: https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Caterpillars-First-World-Carle/dp/0593384768/ref=sr_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A2F_T8wwaRnCdivgPFsO5IGQdF9pZTxxKDdCxuOob5ZqKJsb9GrsLZpjRJcRKDZYUNGuHZCHYHX_e8MHQvAJkzW395e8Fx-vGN33AGJElFC0Z90rjHwbxCeAW2LiN9yJ7_WKZFEFEdHzs73L8bOLnimVG-Kyp0ToP86gekzJ3TbV6lm2nXsLTSc9RXsDg8869p7rgyugXEC8AbMsmNIqPx8NLF3aH0GyyaNHQu0G2CV6pzrwh-kBl_hlGAwVcSoWjQ5joGUsi5uXMPuh0mioWjIbNHYFa-O5W8JldhCx2Lo.Yk6T3qxBgI-pxXL1PXwWEEU0LP9Vk1wi_gt3CVSyKPY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Fall+Children%27s+Books&qid=1721076061&sr=8-9 Or go to the Dakota County library and check out the book: ISBN: 9780593384763 Photo Credit: Mary Gadek (1,2,3)

< Back Our State Soil: Lester If you have ever planted anything in the ground, or even just dug a hole, you know how our soil can vary depending on where we live. As a gardener, it is likely you have had your soil tested and amended your soil to provide optimal growing conditions for your plants. Here in Minnesota, mother nature amended some soil on a very large scale and deposited about 400,000 acres of it across 17 counties, perfect for growing crops like corn, soybeans, and alfalfa, right in the heart of our state. Click here to get the dirt on Lester, our state soil. Lisa Olson, Master Gardener It’s 2012, and Lester, named after Lester Prairie, Minnesota where it was first acknowledged, is about to be named the state soil of Minnesota. Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook, summed it up with, “Maybe with this [vote], we’ll stop treating our soil like dirt.” After all, it’s easy to take for granted what’s under our feet. But without soil, clean water and air, we literally can’t live. And by the way, to get right down to the nitty gritty, soil and dirt are not the same thing. Dirt is just that, dirt. It’s what you get on your hands or wipe off the floor. Soil, on the other hand, is a living ecosystem. Let’s dig in and learn what is so special about Lester soil and how it came to be designated as the “Official Minnesota State Soil” by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton on April 28, 2012. It all began about 10,000 years ago when glaciers were sliding south across Minnesota, depositing rocks, pebbles, sand, and other materials along the way. After the ice melted, plants began to grow on the material left behind by the glaciers. The cycle had begun. Plants would grow, die, and become organic matter to nourish new plants that would grow, die, and support the next generation of plants. Forests and prairies eventually grew up and spread across the land. The roots from grasses and trees worked their way through the rocks and pebbles further breaking them down while water flowed into the soil dissolving minerals that had been deposited during the glacial period. The decaying leaves and grass from the forests and prairies added to the layers, called horizons, and continued to increase the fertility of this nutrient rich soil. In addition, the glacial moraines where the soil formed provided well-drained conditions adding to the ideal properties of the soil. In 1985, the Minnesota Association of Professional Soil Scientists put together a task force to select a soil to represent Minnesota. In 1987 they voted to recommend Lester as the state soil because they recognized the significance of this resource. It took a while for Lester to gain its status as the official state soil however. There is always competition with other groups, often schoolchildren, pushing for designations of various state symbols. But finally, after the blueberry muffin became a symbol and the black bear didn’t, and just in time for the Smithsonian exhibit “Dig It!” to arrive in Minnesota, with Lester featured as the state soil, and coinciding with the University of Minnesota celebrating its 100-year anniversary, and 40 years of the Minnesota Association of Professional Soil Scientists – phew! - Lester became official. From the Smithsonian State Soils exhibit Having a state soil provides unique opportunities for education about this precious resource, especially since agriculture is extremely important to the Minnesota economy. As we have learned, soil is one of the basic necessities to support life and we need to care for it. We can’t control drought, but we can control how we plant, protect our resources, and share our knowledge. typical landscape where Lester soil is found Resources for this article: https://www.startribune.com/hot-dish-politics-new-state-soil-is-a-standout/150303445/ https://www.soils4teachers.org/files/s4t/k12outreach/mn-state-soil-booklet.pdf https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/soil/soil-health.pdf https://www.soils.org/files/certifications/licensing/lester.pdf Photo Credit: Smithsonian Institute ( http://forces.si.edu/ ) (1), Minnesota Association of Professional Soil Scientists https://www.soils.org/files/certifications/licensing/lester.pdf (2), Smithsonian Institute ( https://forces.si.edu/SOILS/interactive/statesoils/html/State-Soils/Default.aspx?selection=Minnesota ) (3)

< Back I Forgot to Plant My Garlic in October! Planting Garlic in March Michelle Scullard, Master Gardener Are you a garlic lover? Yes, you can buy it at the grocery store but garlic grown in your own garden is so good. Garlic is normally grown in late fall BUT not to worry, if you act quickly, you can plant garlic in March and harvest it in July. Read this article to learn more about planting garlic in the spring or the fall. Didn’t get around to planting garlic this past fall? You can still get a garlic harvest this summer but you have to be quick and get that garlic in the ground as early as possible in March. As soon as the ground is thawed, you can plant those garlic cloves. Usually, garlic is planted in the fall in mid-to-late October, after the first killing frost. It is covered with straw or leaves and in the spring, emerges as one of the first green plants. Luckily, Minnesota springs are cool, so planting garlic in March still allows the garlic to go through the cold period it needs, although it is much shorter. Your garlic bulbs may be a little smaller, but you will still be able to harvest your own garlic. And there is nothing like eating fresh garlic from your own garden! You should not plant the garlic bulbs from the grocery store as those are usually from California and do not grow well in Minnesota. You can look at seed catalogs or nurseries for garlic to plant and some may still have some seed garlic. There are two types of garlic; hardneck and softneck. Types of hardneck that grow well in Minnesota include Rocamble, Purple Stripe, and Porcelain. Softneck varieties that do well in Minnesota are Artichoke and Silverskin. They produce bulbs with more cloves and are the type of garlic you can braid. Garlic is very easy to plant. To plant, take a bulb of seed garlic and break it into the individual cloves. Dig a small hole and place the clove pointed side up and cover with soil. You do not have to remove the papery skin that covers it. You can plant garlic close together, which allows you to plant a large crop in a small space. Plant in double rows that are six inches apart and plant the double rows 30 inches apart. You will want to plant in well-drained soil that has a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. You will want to cover with three to four inches of straw or leaf mulch to add an insulation layer. You do not have to worry about uncovering them as the garlic will push through organic cover. Controlling weeds is important as weeds can easily overwhelm the young garlic plants. Leaving the insulating straw or leaves that you used to cover them when you planted can help suppress weeds and keep in moisture. Water weekly to a depth of one inch. Insects that can affect garlic include onion maggots, bulb mites, and aster leafhoppers. The aster leafhoppers can cause the disease aster yellow. Make sure to practice a four-year rotation to help reduce insect and disease problems and only plant firm, healthy cloves purchased from reliable sources. Scapes are a bonus that grow at the end of the garlic stalk in early June. The hardneck garlics generally produce the scapes; rarely will the softnecks produce them. The scapes are the curved part of the stem at the top of the garlic stock. You can cut them when the green stalk starts curling. Cook them by sauteing them in oil, making pesto, or adding to dishes such as quiche. You can find recipes for scapes on the internet. There are mixed opinions on cutting the garlic scapes, however, as some people believe it affects the size of the garlic bulb. If you choose to leave the scape, a small garlic bulb grows on the end that will have small white and purple flowers. These can be harvested to use as garlic seeds for a future growing season. Garlic is harvested in late June to late July when the lower leaves begin to brown and about half the upper leaves are still green. You can also harvest a bulb and cut it in half to see if the cloves fill out the skins. If you are planting your garlic in March, you will likely be harvesting more toward end of July. Once you have dug up your garlic bulbs, leave about six inches to a foot of stem and knock off any soil. You then will need to allow the bulbs to cure for three to four weeks in a warm, dry, and airy place. You can place them over a screen or hang them so air flows around them. Once cured, cut the stems off and any remaining roots. You will want to store the bulbs in a cool, dry location. Garlic will keep for several months. You can eat the garlic as soon as it has cured. You can also save some to plant in the Fall after the first killing frost. For more information: Growing Garlic, UMN Extension Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2)

< Back Lasagna Soup Lasagna Soup Too many tomatoes? Basil that needs a recipe? This month’s Vegetable Section features “Lasagna soup” that uses both garden vegetables. As fall days become cooler, we can all use a comforting, hearty soup. Lasagna soup is a hearty meal option and with the addition of focaccia bread and a green vegetable, you will have a comfy meal fit for company. Click on the following link to view the recipe. The site adds information on how to freeze lasagna soup, a crockpot version and other substitutions. There is also a link to a quick marinara sauce. Replace purchased sauce with cooked garden tomatoes. Stew 10 or more medium to large tomatoes and follow the recipe. Bow tie or other shaped pasta may be substituted if lasagna noodles are not on the pantry shelf. Top the soup with the following ricotta/parmesan topping. Lasagna Soup Topping 6 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2cup part skim ricotta cheese 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade Bon Appetit! Photo credits: Gail Maifeld (all)

< Back Picking the Perfect Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin Linda Stein, Master Gardener Picking out and carving pumpkins is a favorite family activity in October. Read on for tips about how to choose and carve your pumpkins and what to do with all those seeds. As October arrives, many children and their families are thinking about Halloween. If your family is like mine, pumpkin carving is an essential part of that event. You can be overwhelmed looking at the vats full of pumpkins at the grocery store or the rows and rows of pumpkins in your nearby pumpkin patch. So , when should you pick your pumpkin and what should you look for in the myriad of options? Pumpkins generally last 8 to 12 weeks after they are picked. However, they will start to wilt within 5 to 10 days after they are hollowed out and carved. So , plan accordingly. How to Pick the Perfect Pumpkin Cooking vs carving - Pumpkins used for cooking or for pie making look similar to those chosen to carve into Jack-O-Lanterns. However, there are differences. These pumpkins are referred to as pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins. They are generally smaller, denser and darker in color. Their flesh is less stringy and sweeter. Larger pumpkins used for carving or decorating are generally known as field pumpkins and besides being larger in size, also have a watery, stringy flesh which doesn’t work as well for cooking. What to look for in a carving pumpkin 1. Color- Color is not an indication of quality of pumpkin. However, you should avoid a pumpkin with blemishes, cracks, splits or soft spots. 2. Stem - Make sure your pumpkin has at least a 1-2 inch stem. If the stem is cut down too low the pumpkin will decay quickly or may already be decaying. And make sure the stem is firm and bright colored. If not the pumpkin might have been picked and stored for an extended period of time. Since it is important to retain the stem, make sure that you don’t risk breaking it off by carrying the pumpkin by the stem. 3. Scratch test - Test for the maturity of a pumpkin by gently pressing your fingernail into the rind. A mature pumpkin will resist scratching. If the surface is easily penetrated, the pumpkin was picked too early and will end up rotting. 4. Poke test - Gently squeeze or press your fingers into the fruit. Pay close attention to the blossom end, or bottom, and around the stem. A fresh pumpkin should be solid to the touch. 5. Tap Test - Your pumpkin should sound slightly hollow when tapped gently. 6. Weight - You want to pick a pumpkin that is heavy. However, a very heavy pumpkin may indicate thicker walls which will be more difficult to carve. Carving Since the pumpkin will start to wilt in about 5 to 10 days, think about carving your pumpkin upside down by hollowing it out from the bottom. That way as the pumpkin begins to wilt, the flesh won’t sink in from the top. If the walls are so thick that they are difficult to carve, you can shave the walls on the inside. Storing Your Jack-O-Lantern should be stored in cooler conditions but avoid frost. Some sources recommend wiping the fruit off with a solution of bleach water to reduce rot and decay. What About Those Seeds? Another family tradition is roasting the seeds collected from the inside of the pumpkin you’re carving. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, dietary fiber, magnesium and Vitamin K. But beware, they are also high in calories. In addition to enjoying them as a snack, WebMD also suggests the following uses: • Add them to smoothies • Mix them into granola, yogurt, or cereal • Use them to add some extra crunch to a salad • Garnish any meal, like soups, chicken dishes, or pastas • Blend them with other ingredients in a dip like hummus, pesto, or guacamole • Bake them into cookies and breads Happy picking, carving and Halloween! References https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/agent-articles/vegetables/how-to-pick-the-perfect-pumpkin.html https://extension.umn.edu/news/scoop-pumpkins-5-fun-fall-facts https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2018/10/04/pick-the-best-pumpkin/ https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-pumpkin-seeds Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1), Sarah Heidtke (2, 3)

< Back What to Do With a Round Zucchini? Joy Johnson, Master Gardener Have you ever been gifted with a vegetable that you didn’t know what to do with? Read this entertaining article to find out what Master Gardener Joy Johnson made with the large, round zucchini she received from a family member. Her clever recipe will inspire you! My brother-in-law stopped by for a visit on Monday. He handed me a round zucchini when he walked in the door with a big grin on his face. I didn’t know what it was at first. It was the size of a cantaloupe, dark green with dark orange stripes. I didn’t believe him when he said it was a zucchini. Have you ever been gifted with an interesting vegetable that you didn’t know what to do with? I gave my neighbor a kohlrabi last summer and she had the same look on her face that I gave my brother-in-law when I handed it to her. I love to share my garden produce and I also enjoy trying new foods and veggies. I watched the large round zucchini for a couple of days as it sat on my counter staring back at me. It seemed friendly enough. I was scheduled to make dinner at my dad’s apartment on Thursday evening. I needed to come up with something I could make at his place that wouldn’t take too long, use too many dishes and utensils but would be healthy and tasty. I grabbed the zucchini, a half-used package of Cotija cheese (that was left from when I made Chile Rellenos), a handful of dried parsley. I stopped at the grocery store and bought a package of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice (Red Beans & Rice flavor). That is something I’ve never used before. I usually make rice from scratch, but that takes time, and I knew I’d need something with a lot of flavors because zucchini is so mild. I also had a couple of slices of leftover ham. Now I just needed some side dishes to serve with the zucchini. I quickly made a lettuce salad and grabbed some leftover butternut squash. So, this was going to be a summer and winter squash supper! Here's my improvised recipe for the large round zucchini. Ingredients: 1 large round zucchini 1 pack Uncle Bens Ready Rice, Red Beans & Rice flavor 1 handful of dried parsley 2 thick pieces of ham, diced ½ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled Process: Slice the top off the zucchini as if you are going to carve it like a Jack-o’-lantern. Scoop out the seeds and stringy middle flesh and discard. Scoop out a little more flesh so you have about a 2-cup hollow. Cover the zucchini with its lid. Cook it in the microwave or oven until it just starts to get tender. It took mine 20 minutes in the oven, then 5 minutes in the microwave. If you bake it in the oven, put it in a pie plate and add water to the pie plate before putting it in to bake at 350 degrees. Dice the extra zucchini flesh that you scooped out. Cook the rice according to package directions, add the diced zucchini, the handful of dried parsley and the chopped ham. You may need to add 1/3 cup water or broth. You don’t want it soupy, but you need to cook the ham and the diced zucchini. Remove the large round zucchini from the oven or microwave. Scoop the cooked rice mixture into the zucchini, stir in the crumbled cheese, put the lid on it and heat it through in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes. Eat and enjoy! Photo credits: Joy Johnson (1,2)

< Back To Till or Not to Till One sure sign of spring for me as a young man was my father-in-law rototilling his vegetable garden. He’d fire up his trusty TroyBuilt and belching smoke and fumes, pulverize a good portion of his back yard. The resultant fluffy black soil seemed to invite planting. Jim Lakin, MD, Master Gardener One sure sign of spring for me as a young man was my father-in-law rototilling his vegetable garden. He’d fire up his trusty TroyBuilt and belching smoke and fumes, pulverize a good portion of his back yard. The resultant fluffy black soil seemed to invite planting. Thinking has changed over the years, however. Many soil scientists are questioning the wisdom of unbridled tilling. We’ve come to realize that garden soil is more than a receptacle for water and plant nutrients. Rather it is a living entity harboring billions of microbes and minerals most of which are highly beneficial to plant growth. It also is a complex structural milieux, permitting the passage and retention of water, the movement of oxygen and other gases of plant metabolism. Tilling can disrupt these structures and destroy many of the microbes beneficial to plant growth. Over time this can lead to soil compaction, reduced water holding capacity and erosion. Paradoxically, it also can bring weed seeds to the surface to germinate. That’s not to say that the time-honored process of tillage is without benefit. It does create an even seedbed. It warms the soil in spring and helps to work in compost and other soil amendments. So how can you achieve these desirable results from methods other than tillage? In starting a new garden, a rototiller will make quick work of existing vegetation. However, the same result can be obtained by solarization or occultation. Solarization is achieved by placing a sheet of clear plastic over the future garden area and letting the sun fry any plants underneath. I prefer occultation, a fancy term for smothering plant life under black plastic. A black plastic tarp covering a field for occultation If you are trying to start a garden on heavily compacted soil, say an area that’s been run over by heavy mower for years, tilling may be the best solution. However, if the soil is workable consider using a broadfork. This is a dandy tool to reduce compaction in a new or existing garden without breaking up the soil aggregates. A broadfork has several metal tines on a bar with a couple of handlebars on each end. Stand on the bar and use your body weight to plunge the tines into the soil. Lean back and pull the tines through the soil. The creates soil aeration without turning it over or breaking it up as a tiller would. A seven-tine steel broadfork A broad fork in action Weed management has been a traditional role for tillers. The problem is they bring weed seeds up from the ground as they turn in grown weeds and their seeds. The end result is more annual weeds over time. If you reduce tillage this favors the dominance of perennial weeds which can be hand pulled or reduced by solarization or occultation as we talked about. Working in amendments of compost, manure, commercial fertilizers or cover crops is an important process to replenish your garden soil’s fertility. Traditionally this had been done with a tiller although there are good alternatives. We’ve already talked about the broadfork. Alternately a tilther can be used. This is a modified light tiller that only tills the top two or so inches of the soil. Being much shallower than the traditional tiller it can work in amendments while being much less destructive of the deeper soil structure. Want to learn more? Check out these links to the University of Minnesota Extension for alternatives to tillage: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/reducing-tillage-your-garden for solarization and occultation: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/use-suns-energy-kill-weeds Happy planting! Photo of Black Plastic Tarp on Field, Courtesy of Haley Rylander, Cornell University Photo of Seven-Tine Steel Broadfork courtesy of Bully Tools Broadfork at Gemplers.com Photo of Broadfork in Action courtesy of Seven Tine Unbreakable Broadfork at Way CoolTools.com

< Back Using the Last Frozen Vegetables to make Tasty Tacos and Springtime Cake Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s May, you may have a few things peeking up in your garden, or maybe you’re like me and nothing is up yet, and nothing is ready for picking. I’m still living off of veggies that I canned, froze or dried last fall. Here is a crowd-pleasing recipe that makes use of my canned tomatoes, frozen corn and ground venison. You can use ground beef or ground turkey too. It also has corn chips on it, and those are a favorite! It’s very easy to freeze fresh tomatoes. Just pull off any stem, wash and put into freezer baggies and put in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, take them out of the bag and run them under hot water, the skins will peel right off by rubbing them with your thumbs. Cut out the stem spot and chop for your recipe. You’ll have that wonderful garden fresh tomato taste. Corn Bread Taco Casserole Ingredients 2 pounds ground venison, beef or turkey 2 envelopes taco seasoning 2 cups diced canned tomatoes, drained 1 cup water 1 cup cooked rice 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles 2 packages (8-1/2 ounces each) cornbread/muffin mix 1 cup whole kernel corn 1 cup sour cream 2 cups corn chips 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese, divided 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained Topping: Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and chopped red onion Directions Preheat oven to 400°. In a frying pan oven, cook venison over medium heat until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. Add tomatoes, water, rice and green chiles; heat through, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare cornbread mix according to package directions; stir in corn. Pour half the batter into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with half the meat mixture, all the sour cream, half the corn chips and 1 cup cheese. Top with remaining batter, remaining meat mixture and olives. Bake, uncovered, until cornbread is cooked through, 55-60 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup corn chips and 1 cup cheese; bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. If desired, serve with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. Char’s Springtime Cake Some of you may have rhubarb peeking up, but due to our very cold early spring, I doubt it’s ready to pick. I had one package of rhubarb left from last fall in my freezer. I pick the last of my rhubarb in the fall just before it frosts and I wash, cut it into small pieces, put it in a freezer container and freeze it until early spring, like now, when I’m dying for a fresh spring taste of something from the garden. This recipe was adapted from one handed down to me from my wonderful step-mom who passed away last August, from COVID. Hers calls for all rhubarb, but since I didn’t have that much in the freezer, I substituted frozen strawberries and blueberries for part of the rhubarb. This was taste tested by family and friends and determined to be a wonderful taste of spring and summer! Directions Blend: 1 c. flour ½ c. butter 5T. powdered sugar Mix and press into a 13x9 pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden at 350 degrees. Mix: 3 eggs 2 ½ c. flour ¼ tsp salt ¾ tsp baking powder Add: 1 ½ cups rhubarb cut into small chunks 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries 1 ½ cups blueberries Pour over crust and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4)