< Back Have a Sunny Garden? Try These Perennials Kristina Valle, Dakota County Master Gardener Do you have an area of your garden that receives 6 to 8 hours of sun each day? If so, you will want to plant “sun perennials” in that space. Perennials that prefer a sunny location should thrive in your yard, assuming, of course, that you provide them with healthy soil, ample water, and some tender loving care. Read this article for profiles of “sun perennials” for every season between the frost dates. Calling all sun worshipers! Since I have a north facing house position, my front yard is mostly shady. Most of the plant color in my yard is found in the back yard, where the southern light creates the perfect environment for my sun-seeking perennials to blossom. In this article I will feature my top 3 full-sun-perennials for each season, that will ensure a constant show of color in your garden from last to first frost. The plants featured below perform best in full sun, which is defined as 6+ hours of direct sunlight a day. Spring These early bloomers pop up in our gardens as winter gives way to spring, seeking out the sun that has already begun to warm the soil. Yarrow This is the most eager plant in my garden and the fern-like leaves are already pushing through the soil. I especially love this hard-working plant for its ability to choke out weeds which it succeeded in doing last year in a problem area of my garden. The plant comes in a variety of colors and heights that are sure to suit any color scheme or garden size. It is important to note, however, that it can be aggressive so plan carefully. Bloom Duration : early spring to late fall. Fernleaf Yarrow Creeping Phlox My rock wall signals the first colors of spring as the matted green leaves appear, giving way to bright, florescent shades of pink, purple, and white flowers. This is a great ground cover and can be tucked in between rocks in an alpine garden. You can get a second bloom later in the growing season by deadheading any spent blooms. Bloom duration : 3-4 weeks Salvia Perennial Salvia is a great addition to the garden if you want to support our early pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Salvia is a drought tolerant choice that holds steady through our dry spells. It needs at least 8+ hours of direct sunlight a day to thrive. Depending on the variety, this plant can range in size from 1’ to 5’, giving you multiple options for garden placement. To encourage multiple bloom cycles, trim off the spent flowers, or if it is under blooming, you can cut the plant back mid-summer to encourage more blooms. Bloom duration : 6-8 weeks in spring and then after a haircut, into late summer/fall. Summer By the time summer rolls around, the heat is reaching new heights and as we have seen in the past few years, rolling drought puts a lot of strain on our plants. Luckily, these sun-loving perennials are built to withstand some weather-related strain. Common Milkweed Beautiful and fragrant purple/pink poms top off THE host plant for the Monarch butterfly. Even planting one milkweed plant in your yard will help support future generations of this at-risk butterfly. Once hatched, the young caterpillars will feast on the leaves so be cautious using chemicals around this plant. Common Milkweed is best placed in the center or the back of your garden due to its height, which averages around 3’-5.’ The seeds pods should be collected at the end of the season to prevent reseeding. Bloom duration : June – September. Hardy Geranium - G. Rozanne If you are looking for a sprawling, prolific bloomer, this is your plant. The violet-blue petals persist through the heat of summer and into fall, attracting bees and hummingbirds. This low maintenance plant really pulls its weight in the garden, but if it starts to lag, you can prune it back mid-season to rejuvenate it. Stunning along a border, or in the garden where you can create a cascading effect. Blooming Duration : Early Summer – Late fall. Coneflower (Echinacea) A garden staple, the coneflower supports pollinators in spring and summer, and provides seeds to songbirds (like Goldfinch) throughout the fall and winter months. When choosing a coneflower, opt for a less showy bloom with a single blossom to attract more pollinators. Think of the center of the flower as a landing pad. If it is obstructed by a complex petal structure, pollinators may find the flower less attractive and move on in search of flowers easier to access. To ensure a long bloom season, deadhead the spent flowers to promote a second flush of blooms. Blooming Duration : July – September. Autumn Cooler temperatures are followed by fading flowers and the promise of garden cleanup before the snow flies. Luckily, the color show does not have to end. These plants will round out the year with their warm, vivid colors. Aster Aside from its striking color amid a dulling floral background, this plant plays a critical role in continuing the nourishment of late season pollinators. Great for filling out a space in the garden that is abundant in spring and summer bloomers, to keep the color rolling into fall. You can cut these down to the ground once the first frost arrives or wait until spring to allow birds to enjoy the seeds through winter. Blooming Duration : August – October Sedum As a member of the stonecrop family, Autumn Joy Sedum is unique. The taller varieties, which can grow up to 24”, have large succulent leaves and tight clusters of flowers that deepen to rose or salmon as the temperatures cool in the fall. This variety is perfect in a garden where spring and summer blooming flowers have faded. Creeping sedum is used as a ground cover and is well suited for rocky landscapes with dry soil conditions where it is harder to grow other types of plants. Blooming Duration : Late summer into fall. Autumn Joy Stonecrop Hardy Mums A true sign of fall, this beautiful plant comes in a multitude of colors and is prized for its late season blooms. It is important to note that there are two distinct types of mums: the “hardy mum” and the “florist mum.” “Florist mums” are typically found at the end of the season at grocery or hardware stores. They are not adapted to our winters and are mainly a short-lived decorative plant. A “hardy mum” may need to be sourced out of a catalogue or special ordered from your nursery and should be planted in the spring to encourage root establishment through the year. Once established, you will be rewarded with a reliable display of color into fall each year. Bloom Duration : Late summer – Late fall. It is important to remember that while there are many plants that are versatile in their light requirements, with the ability to exist in a range of sun exposures, plants do have a best sun exposure which should be adhered to as much as possible to ensure that your plant is in a space where it can reach its full potential. These sun perennials need full sun to perform their best and to delight you year after year. Photo Credit: Pixabay.com (All Creative Commons) (1), Mike Myers, Flickr.com (All Creative Commons) (2), University of Minnesota Extension (3), Stockbridge School of Agriculture ( UMass.edu ) (4), Penn State Extension; extension.psu.edu (5), Horticulture and Home Pest News; iastate.edu (6), UW Arboretum ( wisc.edu ) (7), PNW Plants ( wsu.edu ) (8), Illinois Extension (UIUC) (9)

< Back County Hosts Seed Collection for Dakota County Master Gardener Volunteers Sam Talbot From backyards to boulevards, native plants are popping up throughout Dakota County. The burgeoning interest from homeowners to include prairie species in their gardens, coupled with incentive programs, such as “Lawns to Legumes” -- has created a novel demand for native seeds and how to grow them. In partnership with Dakota County Parks, Master Gardeners are uniquely poised to help bring pocket prairies to local neighborhoods. As the tallgrasses and wildflowers turned to seed in the fall, volunteers and University of Minnesota Extension staff met in the county parks to operationalize those efforts. Sam Talbot, then a University of Minnesota Extension Educator, joined two groups of Dakota County Master Gardener Volunteers (DCMGVs) in late-September to collect native plant seeds from restored prairies at Lebanon Hills and Whitetail Woods Regional Parks. The first group met at Lebanon Hills Regional Park’s Equestrian Trailhead and the other, at Whitetail Woods. In each location, the Master Gardeners—Jo Kapke, Pat Peschman, Roger Grabowski, Robert Hatlevig, Kathy Anderson, Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Pat Ramel, Christina Libaire, Mary Beth Kufrin, Sue Light, Margie Blare, Katie Possis, and Marie Stolte—looked out over tall grasses that swayed hypnotically in a stiff wind. Sam explained that they were looking at some of the county’s earliest restored prairies. They were planted when restoration efforts allowed for seed to be sourced throughout the Midwest. Today, the county collects and uses native seeds from its own remnant prairies (or the seeds of those plants’ descendants) or buys native seeds from within 150 miles of Dakota County. The goal is to grow the same types of plants that have successfully supported local insects, mammals, and birds for thousands of years. Seed collectors should always have permission before collecting seeds from any site. Since the seeds from these older restored prairies aren’t used as a source for new restorations, DCMGV was allowed to collect them. Some of the gathered seeds would be cleaned and packaged, then placed in the Master Gardeners’ free seed library at Farmington Library for any county resident to grow. The rest of the seeds were grown in individual DCMGV homes over the winter and sold at the DCMGV May Plant Sale . Proceeds from the sale support 30 of DCMGV’s programs, including children’s and community gardens throughout the county; raingardens created in conjunction with the City of Mendota Heights; and a new vegetable garden grown cooperatively with the County Juvenile Detention Facility in Hastings. Free seed library at Farmington Library In the fall, it’s much more difficult to identify plants, especially after the flowers (and sometimes, the leaves) have faded and dried. And when many species of plants fill a prairie, it helps to know how high to look and what to look for. Sam arrived early and cut stems to show the seed-bearing structures with leaves and seed heads. Each stem stood in its own bucket, along with an envelope with the species name. He answered questions about plant height and where they might be found in the vast prairie, then explained that no more than one third of the seeds on each plant should be gathered. The rest would feed wildlife over winter or fall and potentially reseed. Cup Plant seeds Seed shapes and sizes differ wildly. Cup plant’s seeds are roughly triangular and black with a brown ring around the edge; they are about an eighth of the size of a dime. Prairie cinquefoil’s are tiny as sesame seeds and white, with multiple capsules per stem. Wild bergamot’s almost invisible brown seeds sit loosely in hollow tubes that are packed together on a single seed head, just waiting for the wind to rustle and spread them. With a better understanding of what they were looking for, the DCMGVs headed out into the prairie. Each volunteer gathered one type of seed in a bucket, then took a different bucket to collect. Wild Bergamot seed heads At the end of the evening, buckets were emptied into envelopes. Sam brought all of the seeds to Lebanon Hills to dry. In winter, he hosted another DCMGV event to clean those seeds, removing chaff, leaving only the seeds for planting. “These events were such a great way to connect the Master Gardeners with the County’s natural resources,” Sam said, “and to explore our restored prairies through a completely different lens. I’m excited to continue our native plant conversations this winter as we discuss the next steps in the propagation process.” Photo credit: Dakota County Master Gardeners (1,2), flickr.com (3), Courtney Celley/USFMW (4)

< Back Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) Jim Lakin, MD, Dakota County Master Gardener Not every evergreen looks like it’s out of a Rudolph’s Christmas special. Jack Pine is one of them. But this native pine tree has many other virtues to consider if you are looking to add evergreens to your landscape. It is adaptable to good and poor soils, sun or shade and an attractive host to wildlife. Read this article to learn more about this interesting evergreen. Not every evergreen looks like it’s out of a Rudolph’s Christmas special. Jack Pine is one of them. It tends to be short and bushy, especially in poor soils; not the classic Holiday Tree. Yet in spite of that, it has many virtues for the landscaper. Its bushiness makes it an excellent windbreak or privacy screen, especially if you are planting it in difficult soils or part shade. In rich soil, however it can achieve 30 to 50 feet in height, spreading 20 to 30 feet in width. Jack Pine provides an excellent habitat for wildlife, producing abundant cones and providing good cover in winter. If you are naturalizing a large plot, this tree is a good choice. Jack Pine grows across the northern forests of North America, penetrating to Central Minnesota, although some strains will do well even further south. Indeed, the tree will grow from zone 2 through 6. It is, however, sensitive to pine wilt in these more southern locations. Virginia Pine, a close relative, is a better choice in the Southern Midwest. Since Jack Pine does grow well in poor soils, it is often a pioneer plant in burned off or disturbed areas. If you have access to a pure Jack Pine forest, blueberries frequently proliferate in the understory. Making for great foraging! Jack Pine is easy to grow from seed, although sometimes the cones have to be burned to force seed release. The tree requires full sun although it will thrive in relatively poor soils. With two short needles per bundle, it produces a lovely fine texture. In the winter, needles tend to turn a golden green, forming a nice contrast to the true green needles of other evergreens. In environments with cold winters, Jack Pine is relatively maintenance free. Further south, as noted, some difficulties can occur. Root rot and certain rusts are potential problems. So, for you folks Up North, this one’s for you! Photo Credits: Missouri Botanical Garden (1-2)

< Back Lettuce, the crunchy cold-loving crop! Jess Nguyen, Master Gardener Intern What leafy vegetable could be a more fitting staple of summer than the humble lettuce, which makes up the backbone of a refreshing salad and adds a fresh crunch to any picnic sandwich? Cultivation of lettuce dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who used the plant as an important food crop and seed oil source. Today, there are hundreds of varieties of lettuce grown across the globe. Keep reading to find out how you can grow this quick-growing crop in your own garden. What leafy vegetable could be a more fitting staple of summer than the humble lettuce, which makes up the backbone of a refreshing salad and adds a fresh crunch to any picnic sandwich? Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) is an annual cool-season crop that grows well in the spring and fall. Lettuce is a fantastic candidate for succession planting in your garden, as your lettuce harvest will be ready once the summer starts to warm up and can then be replaced by heat-loving plants. Lactuca sativa has hundreds of varieties (wow!) that can be categorized into different types. Some commonly-grown categories are as follows: Non-heading lettuce, which includes loose-leaf lettuce varieties; Soft-headed lettuce, which includes varieties such as butterhead lettuce; Ruffled-headed lettuce, which includes French crisp/summer crisp/Batavia lettuce; Tall and compact head lettuce such as Romaine lettuce; Dense, solid head lettuce, which includes iceberg lettuce. For beginner gardeners, loose-leaf lettuce tends to be the easiest type of lettuce to grow! Lettuce seeds are very small and require loose, well-draining, and well-tilled/non-clumpy soil to effectively germinate. Adding compost to your soil before sowing lettuce seeds will help the lettuce to produce large and well-shaped heads. Lettuce prefers cooler temperatures; a soil temperature range between 45°F and 65°F (7°C and 18°C) is ideal. Sow lettuce seeds on the surface of the soil, 1/4 to 1/2 inches deep. When choosing a spot to grow lettuce, pick an area that gets five to six hours of sunlight. In hotter temperatures, lettuce benefits from an area that gets shade in the afternoon. An easy method to control the quality of your starting soil and the growing environment would be to start lettuce plants indoors. You can start seeds when you would otherwise not be able to: when the temperature is still too cold in spring to plant and when the temperature is too hot in the summer for lettuce to thrive! Sow seeds about four weeks before you intend to transplant them. Thin seedlings to encourage the largest plants to thrive. Harden your seedlings before transplanting. In the spring, transplant lettuce about a week after the last frost, when freezing temperatures no longer persist. In the fall, transplant lettuce about two months before the first frost date. For direct sowing, sow seeds in the spring as soon as the soil is workable; this should be two to four weeks before your last frost. For fall harvest, sow lettuce seeds about three months before the first frost date, which for Minnesota tends to occur around late August. Soil in late summer can be cooled to suitable temperatures by covering with damp hay to shield the soil from the sun before planting. Rows of lettuce should be 18 to 30 inches apart. Thin seedlings to the appropriate spacing based on the variety that you’ve planted. For example, most loose-leaf varieties recommend seedlings spaced four inches apart, while Romaine lettuce should be planted eight inches apart. Lettuce has very shallow roots, so frequent watering is important for growth. Soil should remain moist but not be overly-wet, which can lead to disease. Thankfully, it is easy to see when your lettuce needs water–look for the obvious signs of wilting that tell you to water the leaves to cool down your lettuce plants. Some common pests for lettuce plants include cutworms, which can cut seedlings and lettuce plants off at the soil line, causing seedlings to die and growing plants to wilt. Cutworms should be hand-picked off of the plants, and collars that extend two inches into the soil surrounding the plants can help deter the worms from further damage. Slugs, which cause holes in lettuce leaves, should also be removed from the plants by hand. Aphids are a pest that can stunt the growth of the lettuce causing yellowed and misshapen leaves and can also cause disease. Remove aphids by blasting them with a water spray, or by introducing biological controls such as ladybugs into your garden. One common problem when growing lettuce is bolting, which is caused when lettuce plants grow in temperatures that are consistently above 75°F. Bolting is when lettuce plants produce a central stalk to flower, which causes the leaves of the lettuce plants to become very bitter and unsuitable for eating. Long days and intense sunlight can also cause bolting. Therefore, for most areas in Minnesota, the months of June, July, and August have conditions that are too hot to grow lettuce effectively. Use these months for heat-loving plants instead! Harvest lettuce when the leaves are full-sized but still young, as mature leaves tend to go bitter. In the spring, leaves will have the best flavor before the weather becomes hot and dry. In the fall when cooler temperatures benefit lettuce, beware of prolonged freezes, which can damage your harvest! You can harvest lettuce by removing outer leaves (which can also be done as the plant is still growing) or by cutting the plant at or slightly above the soil line. Store your lettuce in a loose plastic bag in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use your lettuce, rinse the lettuce thoroughly in cool water, then dry the leaves using a salad spinner or a towel. Wilted lettuce can be revived by a soak in an ice-water bath to maintain crispy, crunchy leaves all summer long. For more information about growing lettuce, see this article by the University of Minnesota’s Marissa Schuh and Jill MacKenzie. Did you know that you can grow lettuce even during the coldest winters, using indoor hydroponics systems? Learn more about hydroponic lettuce in this article by the University of Minnesota’s Natalie Hoidal, Amanda Reardon, Leah Worth, and Mary Rogers. Links Used “Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens” https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio “Small-scale hydroponics” https://extension.umn.edu/how/small-scale-hydroponics#lighting-2644462 Photo credits: Wikimedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Red_leaf_lettuce_J1.JPG (1), pxhere https://c.pxhere.com/photos/c6/a2/lettuce_vegetables_food_eat_vitamins-1018166.jpg!d (2), flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/506693397 (3)

< Back Canada Anemone, A Hardy Native Groundcover James Lakin, M.D., Master Gardener Looking for a low maintenance, vigorous, hardy and attractive groundcover? Consider the native Canada Anemone. If you have a difficult slope that never grows grass, a clay or sandy patch that defies seeding with bluegrass or fescue, consider the Canada anemone. Anemone canadensis is otherwise known as meadow anemone, crowfoot or round leaf anemone. It’s a tough guy, found native throughout the Upper Midwest, most commonly on river banks, flood plains or low moist meadows. It provides an excellent groundcover in medium to moist soils. Although it will self-seed, it spreads primarily by rhizomes. This it does rapidly and will form good coverage in two growing seasons with proper conditions. As it is a vigorous grower, it can muscle out other low growing plants unless managed. If you need to contain this anemone, garden edging that goes 6 to 8 inches into the ground should do the trick. Once established, its attractive bright green foliage is graced with lovely white flowers in May, June and early July. The plant’s height usually is less than one foot and it can be mowed lower. It does well in full sun to partial shade. It seems that the cooler the environment, the more sun it will tolerate. Canada anemone settles in nicely in a variety of clay, sand or loam soils. It is hardy to Zone 3 through 6 to 7 although it prefers the cooler, more northern climes. Drier soils and hotter temperatures further south than central Illinois can be a problem. The plant’s name derives from Greek mythology. The nymph Anemone, like the plant, was quite a looker. She attracted the devoted attentions of the God of the West Wind, Zephyr. Unfortunately for all concerned, Zephyr was married to Chloris or in Roman nomenclature, Flora the goddess of flowers and springtime. Needless to say, Flora was miffed at Zephyr’s philandering. She terminated the relationship by turning Anemone into the eponymous flower. Ancient Greece being the strongly patriarchal society that it was, legend is silent as to how Zephyr fared. Like Zephyr, you would be well advised to exercise circumspection in your choices. In selecting ground covers most nurseries offer a variety of aggressive Asian or European imports, commonly Vinca minor or periwinkle. Vinca like so many other non-natives can escape cultivation and invade natural areas. Although Canada anemone is also a hardy grower it strikes a balance in the wild and coexists with other native species in a balanced ecology. Another significant benefit of planting a native such as Anemone canadensis rather than an import is Anemone’s contribution to pollinators. The flowers offer both abundant nectar and nutrient-rich pollen. Vinca , in contrast provides little attraction to native pollinators. For a low-maintenance, vigorous, hardy and attractive groundcover you could do well to consider the native Canada anemone. Photo credits: US Forest Service (1, 2)

< Back Butternut Squash – The Best Flavor of All Winter Squash? December marks the beginning of winter – the time of year when winter squash seems like just the right vegetable to enjoy. Butternut squash is often described as having the best flavor of all winter squash. After you enjoy eating butternut squash this winter, you will want to grow some of your own next spring. Read on to learn how to grow butternut squash successfully. Marjory Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener How to Grow Butternut squash Soil is the first consideration when growing vegetables. It is always a good idea to start with having your soil tested. The University of Minnesota has a testing service than can be accessed here . For best yield and quality, the soil pH range for vine crops is between 6.0 and 6.5, which is slightly acidic. Raised beds are recommended as they ensure good drainage. You can seed vine crops directly into the garden, but they need warm soils of about 65°tested at 2” down. Follow directions on the butternut squash seed package for seed depth and row spacing. To start your butternut squash inside, plant seeds in pots or cells at least two inches wide and deep. Seedlings take about four weeks from seeding to planting out. They need two to three true leaves before transplanting. Harden off seedlings started indoors before planting them in soil that is at least 65°F Read more about starting seeds indoors at this University of Minnesota Extension website. Now that your squash is in the ground, they need at least one inch of water each week. Trellised plants may require watering more often. Water deeply by using a drip hose, soaker hose or careful watering of the soil making sure to keep the leaves dry. Poor fruit set and tasteless fruit can be due to rainy, cloudy or cold weather, when pollinators are not active. Heavy rainfalls can lead to oedema, which causes scabby, raised bumps on the fruit. If you want to use mulch, such as straw or compost to control weeds, wait until the soil is at least 75°F because the mulch can inhibit further warming. When the vines start to spread out, side dress with high-nitrogen fertilizer. Consult your soil test for amounts. The first blossoms often drop from the vines. This is not a problem, since the first blossoms are male, the female flowers, which open later, have a swelling at the base called the ovary. After pollination, the fruit develops. After your butternut squash is ripe, pick it before a hard freeze for best results. A light frost that kills the vine will usually not harm the fruit. Cut the fruit from the vine, leaving a few inches of stem attached. Be careful not to cut or bruise the fruit. After cutting squash from the vines, you should “field-cure” them in place for a week or two in dry, sunny weather. This dries and toughens the skin for longer storage. If the weather becomes cold or rainy, cure the squash indoors in a well-ventilated, warm (80°F) place. Storage Winter squash should be stored in a cool (55°F) place, with good air movement. If you don’t have a good place to store them, you can freeze mashed squash, dry slices in a dehydrator, or can it. Check this site for more information about preserving winter squash. Butternut squash can be made into many dishes, from soups to roasted or candied cubes. Check out our Garden to Kitchen article this month for a mouth-watering squash recipe. Bon appétit! Photo and Drawing Credits: Marjory Blare (1,2,3)

< Back American Holly (Ilex opaca): Deck the Halls! Jim Lakin MD, Dakota County Master Gardener American holly is a tree that breathes festivity! In winter’s white silence, American holly radiates merriment showing red berries on olive green leaves. Boughs often find their way into Christmas wreathes. But this tree is also a great year-round addition to the landscape. Read this article to learn why. It may be August but I’m getting stoked up for the Holidays, thinking about American holly ( Ilex opaca ), a tree that breathes festivity! In winter’s white silence, American holly radiates merriment showing red berries on olive green leaves. Boughs often find their way into Christmas wreathes although this tree is a great year-round addition to the landscape. American holly grows to a height of 15 to 30 feet. Native to the Eastern Coast and nearer Midwest, northern cultivars have spread across Iowa and up into Southern to Central Minnesota. When purchasing American Holly, do be careful to select a cultivar that has proven its hardiness in the Midwest. If you have any questions about that, you might consult the website of the Dawes Arboretum in Columbus, Ohio. They have an excellent collection of over 200 cultivars adapted to the Midwest. Mature American holly When selecting your specimen, you must be mindful that American Holly is dioecious. In other words, there are boy trees and girl trees. So, a male tree must be in the neighborhood for female trees to produce fruit. There are a number of hybrids available commercially. They do grow more rapidly than the native variety. However, they are far less hardy. A severe Minnesota winter can reduce their leaves to a dingy brown, not so festive for Christmas. If you are patient, the native cultivars will slowly grow and demonstrate remarkable hardiness. A few points for siting should be kept in mind. American holly is hardy only to Zone 5. So, in Minnesota it is best to select a protected site from the winter winds. Also, it requires full sun to part shade to thrive. Our hot summers can also affect the tree, so it’s best to site is where it enjoys the afternoon shade. Well-drained soil is a must. It does best in a neutral to acid soil, so amendments should be made if your soil is alkaline. fruit of the female tree If care is taken and patience exercised, American holly will provide great rewards. This stately and colorful tree will bring joy and lift the spirits for many a Holiday Season. Photo Credit: Missouri Botanical Garden (1,2)

< Back Black Chokeberry: Showy but Well-Behaved Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardener As the snow starts to melt and a few green tufts of grass peak out, it’s a great time to start thinking about planting native shrubs. If you have an area that needs screening for privacy, a walkway or border to delineate, a property line that needs a hedge, you would do well to think about a native shrub. Over the next three months we’ll talk about some great options. One very attractive choice is black chokeberry ( Aronia melanocarpa ). A. melanocarpa has been quite popular with the dietetically conscious in that it is rich in antioxidants and, even better, will not make you choke. Although it does have a distinct aftertaste which some find bracing and others, not so much. With the right recipe, the berries can make a tasty jam or jelly. In any event, you don’t need to eat the plant to enjoy it. It is an attractive woody perennial which is well behaved. It makes a great ornamental shrub, especially for a traditional garden. May flowers Black chokeberry grows in the wild from eastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa eastwards across the Midwest. It is cold tolerant from Zone 3 to 8. Although it grows naturally on sandy soils it can easily be transplanted to a variety of environments ranging from sand to clay. It does well in full sun to light shade. Once established, black chokeberry produces, in May, clusters of attractive, showy white flowers with pink stamens that rise above the petals. They go on to form inky, glossy black fruit in late summer. The berries remain on the shrub through the winter providing interest against the snow. The leaves are usually a deep shimmering green which transforms into bright red in fall, setting off the glossy black fruit. Black chokeberry usually grows 3 to 6 feet tall. Although it is a well-behaved shrub, it will send off root suckers to form colonies. If you are going for a more formal look they can be easily removed. Ripe Fruit Black chokeberry is usually a very low maintenance plant once established. It is disease resistant to most blights although occasional leaf spot is sometimes seen. It is a versatile landscape plant which can be used in formal gardens although it also does well for naturalizing where suckering is not an issue. Its tolerance of boggy soils makes it a great addition to pond or stream margins. There are several cultivars available in nurseries. “Professor Ed” is one notable. Often , on-line sites specializing in native perennials of the Midwest can provide hearty specimens. black chokeberry in a naturalized setting Photo Credit: Missouri Botanical Garden (1,2,3)

< Back The Sensory Garden Kristina Valle, Master Gardener Memories are often tied to our senses and for many of us, our first or favorite memories occurred in a garden. This article will discuss how to create a sensory garden that will enliven the senses, spark old memories, and hopefully make some new ones for first time visitors. For me, the smell and taste of chives brings up one of my first memories. As a toddler, I would walk around my parent’s vegetable garden and happily munch on a chive that my father handed me as he scanned the garden for ingredients to use in our dinner. The smell of a tomato vine brings me back to when I would visit my grandparents and was asked to go harvest a few tomatoes for the salad we were going to have for lunch. The sound of wind moving through trees, or a slow-moving creek reminds me of time spent playing in a forest, completely carefree. A sensory garden can be any size and can be created all at once or in stages. Let’s explore the different senses and what we can add to our gardens to create a unique sensory experience. Taste Herbs can be started from seed or purchased as mature plants and can be grown in either your garden or in a pot. Here are a few examples of plants that will bring taste into your garden space. Herbs: Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Mint, Oregano, Cilantro Vegetables: Carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, spinach, kale, squash, radish Touch Focus on different textures that you can incorporate into your space. Lambs Ears: a favorite among children Succulents : these can be kept in pots or grown in your garden (some are Minnesota hardy!) Feathered Grasses: run your fingers through the grasses as you walk through your garden Spongy Moss: resilient, unique texture Tree Bark: smooth, peeling or textured Smooth Rocks: stepping stones Tactile Elements : pots, planters, ornaments Smell Some plants give off a beautiful fragrance when the wind comes through or when you brush past them on a walk. Even something as simple as fresh cut grass can be counted as an element within this sense. Lavender: the aroma can help soothe and decrease stress – it is also a great pollinator Herb garden: rosemary, mint, basil, and many others can produce a scent when you rub your hands over the leaves Creeping Thyme: you can release the scent of this plant either by rubbing the leaves between your fingers or by stepping on them as they are often used as a ground cover plant Sight One of the greatest rewards in gardening is being able to sit back and observe a space that you’ve created. There are several ways to bring your garden alive that can be enjoyed through each season. Spring & Summer Different types of bird food and feeders will attract a variety of birds A bird bath or water source with the sound of running water will attract birds Milkweed will attract Monarch Butterflies to your yard and if you’re lucky, they will lay eggs on this plant. Some other plants that attract Monarch Butterflies include: Goldenrod, Butterfly Bush, Cosmos, Lantana, Lilac, Zinnia, Asters, Purple Coneflower, Yarrow and Coreopsis Plant climbing plants over arbors and trellises Include plants with different textures and variegation Incorporate a bench to observe your garden Fall & Winter Some native grasses, like Little Blue Stem, will move from green to blue in the summer and then to red in the fall Burning Bush is another plant that will signal the changing season, becoming a vibrant red in fall As the days get shorter, Autumn Joy Sedum will bring a rosy, pink shade into your garden Enjoy the bright red branches of a Dogwood shrub throughout the cold, gray winter months If you have hydrangeas that bloom on new growth, consider leaving their stems and flowers intact throughout the winter for additional winter interest Sound Sound can be added or attracted to your garden. Water Feature: this will create the sound of water and will also attract birds looking for a place to get a drink and to splash in a bath Beneficial Insects: planting pollinator plants will attract busy buzzing bees as well as other pollinators throughout growing season Ornamental Grasses: wind will move through the grass creating movement and a soothing sound Bird Feeders: attract songbirds by offering a variety of seed mixtures Gravel Paths: listen to the crunch of the gravel as you walk the path through your garden Wind Chimes: add a windchime to your garden to create a beautiful tune as a summer breeze blows through The benefits of creating a sensory garden go far beyond simple enjoyment. These gardens are good for sensory stimulation and development, have calming effects, encourage curiosity and allow for reflection and stress reduction. As Master Gardeners we look for ways to engage with our community and their love of gardening. Master Gardeners have created a program called “Growing Connections” that works hand in hand with the Alzheimer’s Association and focuses on sensory gardening activities. Check out our website for information about Master Gardener events and programs. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2,3)

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

< Back Square Foot Gardening Do you want to grow vegetables in your garden but you don’t have a lot of space or you only have one sunny spot or your soil isn’t conducive to growing or you just want a few vegetables for your family? Square foot gardening may be your answer. This approach will save time, work, space, and water. And, you will produce some delicious vegetables for your family. Read this article for more information about why square foot gardening may be for you and how to get started. Mickey Scullard, Dakota County Master Gardener With a short growing season, gardeners want high yields of fresh produce from their vegetable gardens, yet many people have limited space suitable for growing. “Square Foot Gardening” is a method of gardening with the underlying premise of producing a greater variety of vegetables in a small space. It is also intended to make gardening more accessible to a greater number of people. According to the Square Foot Gardening Foundation website , this method is, “estimated to cost 50% less, use 20% less space, 10% of the water, and 2% of the work”. They state there will be almost no weeds and you save time and effort because you don’t have to dig, rototill, or use heavy equipment, and fertilizers aren’t needed. It almost sounds too good to be true! However, many people have used this method successfully for 25 years. In the U.S., our standard gardening approach is to plant in rows. This is how many of us have done it for generations, passed down through our families. We have developed tools that support this approach for watering and weeding between the rows, using mulch papers or rototillers small enough for a row. We have row markers, seed tapes, and many other gardening supplies that support the row gardening approach. According to Bartholomew, this approach makes gardening harder than it needs to be with much of the growing space given over to aisles between the plants, resulting in a need to constantly weed those non-growing areas. He also argues that planting in rows results in overplanting. He uses the example of planting cabbages, suggesting few people find it useful to have 30 cabbage heads ripening at the same time. Square foot gardening suggests a different approach that carefully spaces plants to efficiently use space, manage the size of the harvest, and allow for successive planting, e.g., growing multiple crops in one growing season. Instead of sowing seeds and then having to thin the plants, this approach suggests placing the seeds at the distance you’d thin the plants. For example, if the seed packet says thin to 6 inches between plants, you can just space your seeds out that distance in all directions within the square. You can put a ‘pinch’ of seeds in each planting site to increase the chances of germination and instead of thinning, snip out the unneeded plants. This lessens the chance of disturbing or weaking the roots of the plant you are keeping. Most square foot gardens are 4 feet x 4 feet raised beds. They can be other sizes; however, you will want to make sure you can reach all areas of the bed without stepping on the soil. Stepping on soil compacts it, which makes it more difficult for plants to grow. The soil in the raised bed should be a mix of compost, vermiculite, and peat moss. The location of the square foot garden is important, with sufficient sunlight important and access to a water source. Bartholomew suggests placing it near the house so you always have a visual on your growing plants. Within the 4 x 4 space (or whatever size bed being used), a grid of 1 foot x 1 foot squares are laid to mark out each plot. In a 4 x 4 bed, you will have 16 squares in which to plant. The number of plants or seeds you grow in each square is dependent on the full size of the vegetable or flower. For example, in the 1 ft x 1 ft square, you could grow one tomato, or four heads of lettuce, or eight bunches of swiss chard, or sixteen carrots, or thirty-two radishes. Once you have harvested the vegetable, a new crop can be planted. Since one of the other premises of Square Foot Gardening is reducing the need for fertilizer, Bartholomew says you only need to add a shovel of compost prior to each new planting. Square foot gardening will meet the needs of many gardeners. However, those wanting to produce large harvests for canning, freezing, and other methods of preserving, may not find they get the quantities they want using this method. For those wanting a manageable amount of produce, this may be a great way to help limit the amount grown, although if you grow a zucchini plant, you will probably still need to sneak around after dark ‘bestowing’ your bounty on your neighbors’ doorsteps. References: Square Foot Gardening Foundation: https://squarefootgardening.org/ All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew Square Foot Gardening. Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia Square foot gardening: a formula for successful intensive gardening. Michigan State University Extension Photo credits: Master Gardener Program of North Virginia (1), Michigan State Extension (2)

< Back Mindfulness in the Garden with Kids Sarah Heidtke, Master Gardener Winter is a lovely time to experience and appreciate nature. The muted colors and slower gardening pace allow us the opportunity to take in and observe our natural environment more closely. Observing nature in winter with the children in your life enhances the experience. Watch your children, not only learn, but interact joyfully with the peaceful winter world around them. Read this article for tips about how to experience mindfulness in our natural spaces with children. We have heard about the mental and physical benefits of time spent in nature. Winter is a time when many of the colors of the warmer seasons are muted, and there is a hush as snow covers the garden and landscape. Mindfulness speaks to an intentional approach to experiencing our natural spaces - both outdoors and inside. We can do this in all seasons, but winter is a great time to slow down and focus before the explosion of sensory stimuli we anxiously await in spring. DO Here are five ways to practice mindfulness in the garden with kids. 1. Get up close to different textures and take some time to really look. Ask your child partner what they see once the leaves have fallen and we can find the contrasts between the bark, stems, and other organic materials against the snow on the ground. 2. Continue on a walk to visit dormant perennials and bulbs you may have planted last summer and fall. Ask your child partner what they think is going on with the plants underground. 3. Calmly look around your garden. Do you see or hear signs of the creatures that spend the winter there, such as nests or tracks in the snow? What do you think it feels like for those creatures in their winter homes? 4. Find a quiet place to sit - on the ground or on a garden bench perhaps. Close your eyes and listen to the garden while taking some slow breaths in - counting 1, 2, 3 - and out - 1, 2, 3. Do this a few more times before continuing your mindful garden walk. 5. Color awareness: take some time to observe colors in your winter garden - maybe some red branches of a dogwood, or brown leaves, or even some faded yellow flowers. Can you see why some plants and trees are called evergreens? How do you feel when you look at the plants around you? Winter weather making it difficult to get outside? We can practice mindfulness in our indoor gardens too. Take a slow tour of house plants, and pause to breathe deeply at each one. Ask your child partner for their observations of color, shape, or even what they would call the plant Plant a few seeds in a pot or tray and place in a warm, bright spot. Make a practice of visiting the seeds and any sprouts, and just taking time to observe what you see. Take some cuttings of plants - such as Trandescantia - and place in a clear glass or vase of water. Pay attention to any roots that grow and ask the child how this helps the plant. Most importantly, mindfulness in our gardens and other natural spaces allows our children of all ages to slow down and practice awareness in a busy world. It’s okay if they find treasures or want to make a drawing along the way, but the focus is on the present - a good skill for gardeners of all ages! READ And here are some books to read with your child gardener: Sing a Season Song , written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Lisel Jane Ashlock At Dakota County Library: https://search.dakota.lib.mn.us/client/en_US/default/search/results?q=sing+a+season+song On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Season-Song-Jane-Yolen/dp/1568462557/ref=sr_1_2?crid=14CIL143WDVQ9&keywords=sing+a+season+song&qid=1640814878&s=books&sprefix=sing+a+season+song%2Cstripbooks%2C152&sr=1-2 If I Were a Tree , written by Andrea Zimmerman and illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong At Dakota County Library: https://search.dakota.lib.mn.us/client/en_US/default/search/results?q=If+I+were+a+tree On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/If-Were-Tree-Andrea-Zimmerman/dp/1620148013/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RITY8K7B18WU&keywords=if+i+were+a+tree&qid=1640814994&s=books&sprefix=if+i+were+a+tree%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1 (Making Tracks) Park by Cocoretto (Board Book) At Dakota County Library: https://search.dakota.lib.mn.us/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=park+cocoretto&te=&lm=NONDIGITAL On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Park-Making-Tracks-Cocoretto/dp/1786282933/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ANJRGNFUF6L8&keywords=park+cocoretto&qid=1640815429&s=books&sprefix=park+cocoretto%2Cstripbooks%2C93&sr=1-1 Photo Credit: Sarah Heidtke