< Back Pumpkins that will “Melt” Your Heart Julie Henrichs, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern An Amazing Pumpkin Creation for all ages! Are you looking for a fun way to make a unique and stunning looking pumpkin for Fall, but would prefer not to carve one? We have a simple decorative pumpkin idea that takes only a pumpkin of any size, shape or color (faux or real), a handful of broken crayons, a permanent marker, tacky glue, a hairdryer and don’t forget the optional googly eyes. Read on to learn how to make this adorable pumpkin craft for Fall that will “Melt” your heart. Supplies Needed for (1) Pumpkin Creation: Pumpkin - faux or real - any size, any shape - any color (colors really stand out on white pumpkins) 1 bottle of glue (tacky glue is best) Crayon pieces - paper peeled off Surface Coverings as crayons splatter when heated Googly Eyes (optional - size appropriate for pumpkin) Permanent Markers (optional - if choose to draw face on the pumpkin) Hairdryer (to be used under adult supervision) Let’s Get Set: Prepare work surface by covering with cardboard, tablecloth or similar covering because crayons splatter as they melt. Choose the crayon colors randomly or choose crayons to form a pattern of colors. Unwrap all crayon pieces that you plan to use. Kids usually enjoy unwrapping the crayons. On the top of the pumpkin (near stem) place several drops or light strips of glue and then place the crayons you have chosen on the glue. Crayons should be facing up and down. Let the crayons set in place before beginning the melting process. The more crayons used will result in more of the pumpkin being covered. Optional: Choose googly eyes and glue onto the pumpkin or use the permanent marker to draw a face on the pumpkin before melting the crayons. Let’s Get Melting: (adult supervision is required) Once the crayons are set in the glue, you are ready to begin the melting process. Make sure that the pumpkin is set on a sturdy and covered surface Have an adult prepare the hairdryer. Depending on the age of the child, additional adult supervision will be needed or the adult may need to run the hairdryer Turn on the hairdryer and point the hairdryer toward the crayons. The crayons will slowly melt and run down the side of the pumpkin. Caution: crayons may splatter while melting Please remember to only run your hairdryer for a short time to let it cool down and do not touch the hairdryer because it will be hot. Additional crayons can be added to provide various dimensions on the pumpkin. Make sure to let your Pumpkin creation cool. (If you set it in the sun or in a bright area place it on a plate or cloth to prevent damage to any surface.) Enjoy your creation through the Fall Season. If you used a faux pumpkin, then you can carefully pack away your creation for next Fall. Photo Credit: platein28.com/fun-with-melting-crayons-on-pumpkins ( https://platein28.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Melted-crayon-pumpkin-1-1.jpg ) (1), rawpixel.com/search/crayons?page (creative commons) (2), pexels.com/photo/orange-pumpkin-on-hay-field (creative commons) (3), the idearoom.net/halloween-crafts-for-kids (4)

< Back Potentilla - A Hardy, Cold-Loving Workhorse Shrub Jim Lakin, MD, Dakota County Master Gardener Potentilla is a beautiful and useful native shrub. You may be familiar with the many cultivars of Potentilla that are on the market. But the native Potentilla has benefits that the cultivars do not. Read this article about the qualities of native Potentilla that may make it appealing for your garden. Dasiphora fruticose is known by a several common names: Potentilla , Shrubby or Bush Cinquefoil, Golden Hardhack, Shrubby Fivefinger, Widdy, Tundra Rose and Kuril Tea. Also, it is marketed as a number of attractive cultivars. The native, species plant is a quite hardy shrub doing nicely as far north as Zone 2. Thus, it is native to the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere, often growing at high altitudes in mountains. It does wonderfully well and is long-lived in central Minnesota. Your author has had a fine patch with southern exposure which has done very well for over 30 years. Potentilla is a deciduous native perennial which grows to 3 to 4 feet being 4 to 5 feet wide. It is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae and produces a multitude of showy yellow flowers in summer into the early fall. It grows well in both clay and sandy soils. This could be a consideration for many parts of the Twin Cities. It will tolerate drought but does best in moist soils. In the wild it congregates in swampy, moisture-retentive soils. It will tolerate part shade, but does much better in full sun, especially if you want abundant flowering in summer. Potentilla is both deer and rabbit resistant. So, if you have “critter” problems, this would be a good choice for border, hedge or foundation planting. Potentilla will spread by rhizomes (underground runners) so it can invade adjacent beds. If it is acting as a woodland border plant, mowing will control spread. Potentilla as a flowering hedge The native is known to attract butterflies and is pollinator friendly. Data on pollinator attraction is scarce on the cultivars of Potentilla such as “Crème brulé”, “Marmalade” and “Happy Face”. There are over 130 named cultivars! As a general rule, they tend not to be as ecologically friendly as the native plant. You pay a price for a pretty face! Since Potentilla is hardy, disease resistant and low maintenance it is found in a wide variety of industrial and commercial plantings. If you are looking for such a ‘happy camper” for your landscape project, this would be a great choice. Photo credits: Walter Siegmund, Wikpedia (1), Oregon State University (2)

< Back Vegetables of Asian Origin That Thrive in Minnesota Community gardeners are increasingly interested in expanding their growing practices to include crops that originated in cultures other than their own. As Minnesotans, we have some options for growing vegetables that can be used in global cuisines and also promote sustainability. This article highlights three vegetables that originated in Asia, but with the right conditions and care, can also be grown in Minnesota. Logan Caola, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern The vegetables featured here originated in East Asia, a region that includes parts of Korea, China, and Japan. These vegetables have long been staple crops in traditional gardening environments and can adapt well to Minnesota's climate. With seasonal timing planned and soil conditions prepared in advance, we can grow these vegetables successfully. Growing them offers Minnesota gardeners an opportunity to honor global food heritage while diversifying our gardens and diets. Bok Choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) These leafy plants have been cultivated in China for thousands of years and are foundational to East Asian cuisines. Bok choy grows in an upright clump of dark green leaves, with very thick green or white stalks.1 They are versatile in the kitchen; commonly used in stir fries, soups and fermented preparations like kimchi. They can also be used as fillings for dishes such as egg rolls and dumplings. A great ingredient for homemade sauerkraut,2 Bok choy is packed with calcium and vitamins A and C, making it a nutrient-rich addition to the garden. Growing Considerations : As a cool-season vegetable, this plant is well-suited to Minnesota’s spring and fall growing seasons. Seeds can be started indoors or direct-sown in early spring. A second planting in late summer often performs better due to fewer pest issues but plant no later than late July. Soil & Care : They prefer fertile moist soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. They can benefit from row covers that can protect against common pests. Harvesting : Bok choy matures in 30 to 45 days. You can harvest Bok Choy a few leaves at a time instead of waiting for the full head to develop. Bok Choy Japanese Cucumber (Cucumis sativus var. japonicus) This Japanese-originating cucumber is great for both pickling and eating fresh. While this is a warm weather crop, its growing conditions are not too dissimilar from common variety cucumbers! In Japan, these cucumbers are often thinly sliced and served with vinegar, sesame, or miso-based dressings. Planting Tips : Start seeds indoors in late April or sow directly outdoors in late May, after all danger of frost has passed.3, 4 Growing Conditions : Growing with a trellis is optimal as this provides support for vertical growth and encourages airflow. Make sure to water regularly to avoid bitter fruit! Harvest : Pick when 8 to 10 inches long for best flavor and texture. Frequent harvesting over the growing season will encourage continual production. Japanese Cucumber Shishito Pepper (Capsicum annuum) The shishito pepper is a wrinkly small pepper from Japan known for its subtle flavor. These peppers are commonly blistered in oil and sprinkled with sea salt, which brings out their sweet grassy flavor. Its ‘easy to cook’ nature and taste have made it a popular snack food throughout the U.S.! Gardening instructions for more familiar peppers can be followed for this variety as well!5 Starting Indoors : Like most peppers, shishito should be started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost and transplanted outdoors once night time temperatures stay consistently above 55°F.6 Soil & Sunlight : Requires full sun and well-draining soil. Make sure to utilize a balanced fertilizer (if necessary) to ensure continual fruit production during the growing season. Harvest Time : Pick when the peppers are about 3 to 4 inches long and still green. They can be harvested throughout the season. Shishito Pepper These Asian originating vegetables demonstrate that with just a little planning and care, we can grow our gardens to help expand our diets and try new things. Incorporating one or any of these options into your growing space not only broadens your culinary possibilities, but also introduces you to agricultural traditions that have been around for centuries, from all over the globe. While these crops are not indigenous to Minnesota, they perform well in our short growing seasons. Look for heirloom or traditional varieties from seed catalogs specializing in global crops, such as Kitazawa Seed Company , Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds , or Seed Savers Exchange . Remember: As gardeners, we don’t have to go very far to explore the world. References : https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy#harvest-and-storage-790562 https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/how-make-your-own-sauerkraut https://greg.app/when-to-plant-japanese-cucumber/ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cucumbers#insects-3252210 https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-peppers#disorders-3281462 https://www.gardenary.com/blog/how-to-grow-shishito-peppers Photo Credits: www.pexels.com (1), www.flickr.com (2,3)

< Back Food for Thought in the Home Landscape Everyone wants a yard that is both beautiful and functional. For anyone wanting to grow food and make their landscapes more productive, there are many ways to incorporate both, outside of the usual raised beds, berry bushes, and fruit trees. Many more plants and plant parts than you might think are edible, and you can create layered designs to maximize density and diversity. Read this article for ideas and resources that you can put to use in your own yard. Greg Siems, Dakota County Master Gardener Intern When you think of an edible garden, what comes to mind? You might picture some raised beds filled with annual vegetables, a healthy patch of raspberries or rhubarb, or perhaps a small grove of dwarf fruit trees. Beyond these familiar and delicious friends, there are plenty of lesser-known roots, shoots, fruits and flowers that can be incorporated into your home landscape. The University of Minnesota Extension website provides a long of list fruits and flowers that can be grown in Minnesota and incorporated into your home landscape. Of course, only certain flowers are edible, so you must learn which flowers and which parts of a flower are edible. And make sure that the plants you eat have not been treated with harmful chemicals. Some examples of edible flowers listed by the U of M Extension at the above link are: nasturtiums, calendula, squash flower, borage, anise hyssop, bachelor buttons, beebalm and many more. Coneflower and Anise Hyssop If you are interested in exploring edibles and how they can be incorporated in your garden, visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Foodscape . The Foodscape at the Farm at the Arb is a great model of “sustainable landscape design that combines the intentional use of food plants for their edible qualities as well as their ornamental value.” Thankfully, there doesn’t always have to be a tradeoff between a yard that looks good and one that tastes good. Foodscape at the UMN Landscape Arboretum Many of us are limited on space for our gardens. In relatively small urban and suburban lots, our eyes can easily become bigger than our yards when it comes to the wide variety of tasty things we could grow. If so, you should become familiar with the food forest approach. A food forest is made up of a variety of plants that mimic growth patterns found in nature. A food forest typically includes larger food-producing trees, small trees and shrubs, and a floor of annuals, perennial, root and ground cover crops and vines. Food forest projects are often group partnerships which make use of larger growing areas. However, you don’t need room for a full “forest” to take advantage of planting in layers. Making full use of the canopy, understory, and floor is a great way to maximize diversity and yields in your home garden. There are also culinary and medicinal uses for many plants that were not intentionally cultivated. Dandelions are a well-known example; others such as plantain , purslane , and even the dreaded creeping bellflower provide some benefits. Learn more about what to look for at this U of M Extension article on weeds so that the next time you are out weeding, consider if there might be a few things you’d like to try in your next salad! What’s more, if you happen to have a taste for these plants, you can harvest to your heart’s content, knowing that you’re helping to strengthen your local ecosystem in the process. Inspiration abounds for expanding your palate and introducing some exciting new elements to your existing panoply of plants. Check out a few of these other Extension resources for more ideas and information: “Edible Gardens for People and Pollinators” - University of Minnesota Extension “The Incredible Edible Landscape” - Iowa State University Extension “Edible Perennials” - University of Illinois Extension “Foraging for Backyard Edibles” - North Carolina State Extension So, take advantage of this great research and put it to use in creating an attractive and edible garden in your yard. Reference: extension.umn.edu A home for homegrown food at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Ten Master Gardener volunteers were part of the team that built The Foodscape surrounding the new Burton and Virginia Myers Education Center. Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1-3)

< Back How to Care for Blueberry Bushes This Spring Do you love to eat blueberries? No blueberries are better than the ones you grow in your yard. If you are growing blueberry bushes in your yard or want to do so, read this article for some tips on what you can do this spring to help your blueberry bushes flourish. Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener I love to eat blueberries and also wanted to add some bushes to my yard for pollinators and privacy and beauty. So, adding a few blueberry bushes seemed to be a good option. We planted 5 blueberry bushes a couple of years ago and have moved them around the yard a couple of times, trying to find a location where they would thrive. In the process, I’ve learned several things that you can do for your blueberries in early spring before they’ve even budded that will help them thrive. Blueberries have very shallow roots, so remove all weeds and grasses that may have grown up around the bushes, then add a layer of mulch 3-4 inches thick. After that, look carefully at your bushes and prune out any dead or dying branches. Also prune out any conflicting growth; branches that are growing into the center or crossing over or rubbing against other branches. Another thing to do is to step back and look at the overall shape of your bush and prune so it has a balanced look on all sides. For smaller branches, use a bypass pruning shears or snips. For larger more mature bushes and branches, use a pruning saw. You should do this pruning while the bush is fully dormant, and no buds have formed. Blueberries need an acidic soil with a pH between 4.5 -5.5. There are a couple of ways to amend the soil around your blueberry bushes. You can use elemental sulfur pellets available at Walmart, Fleet Farm, Ace Hardware and on Amazon. Wear gloves when you apply. Wait to apply until the soil temperature is at least 55 degrees. Sprinkle 2 handfuls in a ring around the plant, on top of the mulch and then lightly rub it into the mulch. You can also use a fertilizer that has a 5-3-3 balance or get a fertilizer like Plant Tone or Holly Tone. These are usually promoted as evergreen and azalea food (those plants also like a more acidic soil). Only fertilize once this year. Then you should add a layer of compost 2-3 inches thick in a 2-foot diameter ring around your bushes. Make sure your compost smells like grass, not garbage, to ensure that it is fully composted. Next add 3 inches of a natural mulch, not dyed. For example, bark mulch, woodchips, cedar or hay, or pine straw. Mini pine bark nuggets are mildly acidic and can help acidify your soil. Make an 18–24-inch ring around your bushes, 2-3inches deep. The last step is to wet down the entire area. Keep in mind that doing all these things, like adding compost and mulch, won’t last all year. Check your bushes throughout the growing season watching for decomposition, bare soil, and/or weeds starting to creep in. Pull the weeds, reapply a 2–3-inch layer of mulch as needed. Then look forward to a delicious blueberry harvest. Photo Credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1), Joy Johnson (2-6)

< Back Practical Pointers for Planning Your Garden The seed catalogs are here so spring must be around the corner! It’s time to turn the dreams of January into the plans for a new or renewed garden in your yard. Read this article to gain some practical pointers for planning your garden. Let’s get planning! Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s only February but you probably have already received some seed catalogs in the mail reminding us that spring will soon reappear. As we look longingly out our windows, it’s a great time to start thinking about a new or improved garden for your yard. A new garden can replace an existing garden, enlarge or re-shape an existing garden or carve out a completely new space in a neglected part of your property. When designing a new garden, there are some general design principles and other things you should consider. I am old school and prefer to do my thinking with a pencil and a large sheet of paper. It’s a good idea to sketch out the area you have in mind. Ask yourself some basic questions as you sketch. Topography Is the new garden area on a slope? If it is, will you need a retaining wall or terracing? For example, we designed a new garden along the east side of our yard. It has a gentle downhill slope. We wanted to add some contour to our flat front yard and create a visual barrier to block the view of the side of our neighbor’s house. We needed a retaining wall to add height and keep the garden on our side of the land. The wall ended up being 30 feet long and 4 feet wide on each end. It is 4 feet high and made from bricks and large boulders. We filled it with soil and made a small hill, with two depressions and an S shaped curve along the front side for visual variety. Light How much daylight does the area receive? Watch the area over several months and make note of any areas shaded by buildings or trees for more than 6 hours a day. An area that is in the shade for at least 6 hours a day will only support plants designed to grow in the shade. Sun loving plants need a minimum of 6 hours of full sunlight. If you are just starting this process in February, you will need to remember back to June, July, and August to determine the amount of sunlight your spot will receive during the summer. This can be very different than in the winter months due to the angle of the sun and day length. Specimen Plants Do you have any specimen plants in the area that you want to highlight (or plant new in the area)? How can you set it, or them, off? Some ideas are to highlight a specimen bush or tree with a contrasting color of mulch or a contrasting low growing ground cover. We wanted to highlight a weeping pussy willow, which has an interesting shape, but is basically green the entire growing season, so we planted purple Bugleweed around the base. The Bugleweed has tiny purple flower spikes during June, July and into August, so it looks like the Weeping Pussywillow is floating on a purple carpet. Color Palette What’s your color palette? When designing a garden that includes blooming flowers and shrubs, it’s pleasing to the eye to group similar colors together and to plant numerous plants of the same variety. This is called color block gardening and is effective if you have a large area to fill. For example, since our area is long and narrow, we planted one section with weigela which has burgundy leaves and pink flowers for most of the summer. Around one side of the weigela we planted Asian Lilies in a variety of pink hues. Beneath them and trailing down the small hill we planted a low growing creeping sedum which gets tiny pink flowers. This leads us to another design element you should consider. Plant Size Plant size. It is pleasing to the eye to have a variety of heights in your garden. You should use the Rule of Thirds. The plants at the back of your garden should be two-thirds taller than the plants in front of them. In the example given in number 4 above, the Weigela are taller than the Asian Lilies and they are both taller than the sedum. They are in the same color palette as the peonies. The creeping juniper softens the edge of the rock boarder and anchors the color palette with a dark green. A variegated willow with its very pale pink spring leaves is a light back drop at the edge of the garden. Much taller Smokebushes with their burgundy, green leaves are two-thirds taller than the Weigela. Another example from our garden is the row of Arborvitae along the back of the garden that will eventually grow taller than the Ninebark, Forsythia and Weigela that are planted in front of them. In front of those bushes, we have planted a variety of shorter flowers, grasses, and creeping ground covers. Soil Type It is important to look at your soil type. That will be hard to do in February, but when spring comes, it’s a good idea to send in a sample of the soil from your garden area to the University of Minnesota . They will send you back a soil test report that will let you know if you need to add any phosphorus or Potassium to your area. If you google “soil testing University of Minnesota” you will find directions for submitting a sample. Make a Sketch As we looked through all our gardening catalogs and downloaded plant information from various websites, it was easier to visualize our ideas if we cut out the physical pictures of the shrubs and flowers we were considering and taped them on to our paper lay out. We used a 1” = 1’ scale, to get an idea of the size. After taping the pictures on our layout, we sketched a circle around the plant to show the size of the full-grown plant. Be Flexible Flexibility is the last element of design. A flat piece of paper and photos do a good job of preparing you for the final garden look, but the contour of the land will also affect how things look. We ended up redesigning a couple of areas and moving plants around in the spring when planting began to get the look we were going for. Also keep in mind that the mature size of a plant is very different than the seedling you first get from the nursery. Your garden may not look as full as you want it to until the plants have had a couple of years to grow and settle in. Sensory Considerations A couple of other considerations: plant plants with a pleasing fragrance near your front door or other heavily trafficked area, so people can enjoy them. Don’t plant ‘unwelcoming’ plants near your front or side doors. Things with thorns, spikes, trailing branches, or pungent smells are better suited to other areas. Some tall grasses make lovely swishing sounds when the wind blows through them, consider using those near an outdoor seating area or near an entry way for auditory variety. There are many things to consider when planning a garden so enjoy the process. Choose one or two main goals or focus points (is this an edible garden or a cutting garden, or a garden to block an ugly view or a “native-plants-only” garden). Don’t let yourself get pulled off track by all the beautiful plants you see in the catalogs, online and at nurseries. Keep a narrow focus for the first year. You can always add more plants and move plants in the following years. That’s one of the fun things about gardening, plants are always changing and growing. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson

< Back Garden Mulch and Jumping Worms There are many things to consider when choosing which type of mulch to use. Aesthetics is one consideration but mulch that will help and not hurt your garden soil is another. This article will help you select the mulch that's right for your garden. Garden Mulch and Jumping Worms There are several options for mulch or soil covering in our gardens. Choices can be either organic, which are compostable materials that improve soil fertility, or inorganic film coverings that can be black, red, green or silver colored. Inorganic film mulches are often sold in rolls. Mulch can improve our plants and gardens in the following ways: · Moisture retention/water conservation · Soil temperature control and stabilization · Weed suppression – weed growth is eliminated when light is not available · Soil borne disease prevention · Improved soil fertility through decomposition of organic mulches left on the top of the soil · Minimize soil erosion and compaction from heavy rains and help with water absorption · Improved landscape appearance with clean and neat mulch between plants In the spring, gardeners have to decide what type(s) of mulches to use. The best mulch application time is after the plants are established, four to six inches tall, and the soil has warmed up enough for active root growth. Mulch applied too soon will delay root development. Be sure not to touch the plants with the mulch. Many plants such as tomatoes are planted only after the soil is sufficiently warm. For tomatoes and other warm season transplanted plants, it is best to apply the mulch immediately to avoid soil splash-up/soil borne diseases. If you are using an inorganic film, you can add a couple of layers of newspapers under the film to help with weed suppression. The newspaper is a safe, compostable layer. Depth for most organic mulches is two to three inches to provide the positive results described above without becoming too heavy. Mulch applied too deep can cause a lack of oxygen to roots, can yellow foliage, and could provide a space for small burrowing animals to feed on plant stems. In fact, be sure that the mulch is close but not touching the stems! Favorite organic mulches include straw with newspaper under it to prevent light to seeds, compost with newspaper under it, brown decomposing paper rolls, dried grass clippings, and mulched leaves. Other possible organic mulches include cocoa bean hulls, pine needles, and crushed corn cobs. Gardeners who choose to use straw should be sure to buy tight bales that do not have too many seeds. Some gardeners have also successfully used burlap bags, and they can be reused year after year. Mulched leaves may need to be reconsidered this year and in the near future due to jumping worm concerns. Jumping worms are a type of angleworm, but they change the soil texture to make it look like coffee grounds. As they move and eat, they strip the soil of nutrients and kill plants. They are recognizable, in part, by their whipping action. They live in leaf litter on the top floor of forests and hatch in the soil in late spring. All gardeners in Dakota County need be aware of them and on the lookout for them. For more detailed information about them, please read the University of Minnesota article titled “Jumping Worms” . Another excellent article is “Coping with Jumping Worms” by Karen Randall. The damage jumping worms can do should cause gardeners to reconsider the types of mulches that they add to their gardens. At this time, there are no known ways to easily rid the soil of jumping worms once they are present. Inorganic mulches may be considered as alternatives to organic mulches. They do not break down and add nutrient value to the soils, but they help with several of the mulch attributes described above. Black, red, green and silver plastics provide weed control, splash-up protection, and some temperature control. Red plastic used with tomatoes is said to improve crop harvest by 20% because it reflects growth-enhancing light waves from the sun. It can be used with newspaper under it to control weeds and help conserve water. The down side of inorganic mulches, in addition to initial cost, is that they add to environmental plastics and may or may not be reused in a future year. Inorganic mulches can be found either in garden centers or in seed catalogs. Mulch can be a great addition to your flower or vegetable garden. However, take care in choosing a type that will benefit your garden. Photo credits: Janice Gestner (1, 3, 4), University of Minnesota Extension (2)

< Back Protecting Bulbs for Winter Autumn in Minnesota is the time to prepare your bulbs for next year’s growing season, whether that is tucking in your hardy bulbs for their winter sleep (and protecting them from foraging critters!) or retrieving your tender bulbs for indoor storage to spare them from the harsh cold. Read on to learn more about what to do this season for beautiful blooms next year! Jessica Nguyen, Master Gardener Tubers, rhizomes, corms, and true bulbs are commonly referred to using the overarching colloquialism “bulbs.” Bulbs are underground storage structures that carry both the genetic material for a plant for propagation and a food supply to kickstart plant growth. Some examples of bulbs you might have in your garden are daylilies and cyclamen; irises; gladiolus flowers, crocuses, and freesias; daffodils and tulips. Autumn in Minnesota is the time to prepare your bulbs for next year’s growing season, whether that is tucking in your hardy bulbs for their winter sleep (and protecting them from foraging critters!) or retrieving your tender bulbs for indoor storage to spare them from the harsh cold. Read on to learn more about what to do this season for beautiful blooms next year! Know your plant: There are generally two routes for winterizing bulbs, depending on whether the bulb is hardy or tender. Hardy bulbs require the cold winter temperatures to kickstart biochemical processes necessary for their next bloom cycle. They generally bloom in early spring to early summer (think crocuses or daffodils. Crocuses are some of the earliest-blooming flowers that have a bulb structure underground (it’s actually a corm!) Tender bulbs can’t survive the cold temperatures and are planted in the spring to bloom during the summer months (e.g. dahlias, elephant ears, begonias, amaryllis.) Amaryllis hippeastrum Candy Floss In-ground hardy bulb overwintering: for that pleasant spring surprise! Hardy bulbs need the winter chill to flower in the spring, and should be planted in the fall in order to get that necessary cold cycle. Plant your bulbs according to the specific recommended planting depth and spacing for the plant, mark where you’ve planted your bulbs so you don’t forget about them, then watch and wait. Many hardy bulbs are perennials that you may have planted in previous seasons! For hardy bulbs that are already in the ground, trim away foliage in the fall after it has had plenty of time to die back naturally, clear away debris from the previous bloom season, cover the bulbs back up, and leave them be! Planting Crocus Bulbs You should water hardy bulbs up until the first frost, even if the foliage has died down. The wet soil helps to ensure the bulbs don’t dry out or wither before they are able to freeze for the winter. Hardy bulbs can survive the winter chill because even though the air temperature in Minnesota winters can reach incredibly low temperatures and can fluctuate wildly, soil temperatures can stay much more consistent at just below freezing. At these temperatures, moisture in hardy bulbs freezes without damaging the cells of the plant. It is important, therefore, to plant your bulbs at the appropriate depth, to make sure that they are under enough soil to appropriately buffer against the winter cold. See this article by Dominic Christensen on soil temperatures during winter and the buffering effects of snow. Sometimes, bulbs will emerge prematurely due to random periods of warmer weather in late winter, damaging tender growth of the bulb when the temperatures eventually dip back below freezing. For areas that are subject to freeze-thaw cycles (think, that weird February-March time when it is 70℉ one week and -30℉ the next) covering the soil with a 6-inch layer of mulch or straw will protect the bulbs from moisture and temperature fluctuations. Container gardens are more susceptible to freeze-thaw complications, so a protective layer is a must. Critter considerations for bulbs left in the ground: No matter how busy we gardeners are as we prepare our gardens for the winter months, critters are even busier foraging for food to bulk up before the snow falls. There are a couple of ways to keep animals from nibbling on bulbs in autumn, such as: ● Using physical barriers such as row covers, wire mesh, or cages around your bulbs to prevent animals from accessing them. For gardens susceptible to animal attacks from underground, lining the interior of your planting area with a barrier of wire mesh before burying bulbs, may offer protection. Just make sure that the material that you use has openings large enough such that root production of the bulbs is not hindered, while still small enough to block underground wildlife. ● Utilizing planting practices such as mixing in crushed stones into the dirt when you plant your bulbs to deter digging and chewing. ● Hiding evidence of bulbs by clearing away debris from dead foliage; or, by covering newly planted bulbs with a groundcover plant or a layer of mulch. ● Planting only bulbs that are unappetizing to critters, or mixing in your desired bulbs with bulbs that are unappetizing. Some examples of bulbs that animals tend to avoid are daffodils[1] , alliums[2] , hyacinths[3] , grape [4] hyacinths (Muscari varieties,) squills[5] , and snowdrops[6] . TLC for tender bulbs: Many varieties of bulb plants cannot survive our severe Minnesota winters. Some examples of tender bulbs include canna lilies, calla lilies, and caladiums. Dig these bulbs up in the late fall before the first frost, but after the greenery has died off naturally (important for allowing the bulb to gather energy for its next blooms!) They should be stored indoors in a cool, dry place. For these bulbs, avoid freezing temperatures, which can damage the cells of the bulb. It is important to also avoid excess moisture, which can cause mold and rot, while allowing the bulbs to stay plump and retain enough water to survive the duration of storage. Dig up your bulbs and spray or brush off soil that clings to the bulbs. This is important: dry or cure your bulbs for three to seven days at room temperature in an area with plenty of airflow to remove excess moisture before storage. When you touch the cut end of the stem coming out of the bulb, it should feel dry. Otherwise, continue to cure the bulbs. Optional: dust with an antifungal. Store only large, healthy bulbs, as damaged bulbs may not survive storage or may invite rot, and smaller bulbs may dry up before spring. Store bulbs in a container that allows plenty of airflow, such as a wicker basket, or a mesh bag. Bulbs should be stored at an average of 40 degrees without freezing, such as in a cold corner of a basement, a warm fridge, or a temperature-controlled garage. Check on your bulbs periodically (at least once a month) to remove any rotting or molded bulbs, as one bad bulb can spoil the whole batch! https://www.pexels.com/photo/yellow-daffodil-flower-on-brown-soil-8259616/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_aflatunense_%27Purple%27_5_2021_ornamental_onion-_%2851187451616%29.jpg https://pxhere.com/en/photo/995895 https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-xizda https://www.flickr.com/photos/pavdw/17160679352/in/photostream/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Snowdrops_%28Galanthus_nivalis%29_%2825742401103%29.jpg Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1,5), Creative Commons Crocus , Anatomy (2), en.wikipedia.org , all creative commons (3), www.wilsonbrosonline.com , all creative commons (4)

< Back Fall Planting Tips Connie Kotke, Master Gardener Fall is a great time for planting! Fall is a great time for planting! As long as you water consistently until the ground freezes–and continue to water again in early spring–your new trees, shrubs and perennials will take hold nicely. Planting in the fall avoids risks of mid-summer drought and heat stress that can decimate young or transplanted foliage. You can also find some great bargains at your local garden centers. Check out these tips for successful fall planting. Enjoy the fruits of your labor next spring by enhancing your landscapes and garden beds this fall. The key to success is consistently watering these plants until the ground freezes in mid- to late November. Step 1: Walk through your yard with a critical eye. Take notes and photos of areas that would benefit from moving things around or adding some fresh new plant material. Are there holes to be filled? Are there weeks when nothing is blooming? Are there overgrown or declining shrubs and plants that should be replaced? Step 2: Fall is a great time to dig and divide most perennials. And it’s the only time to divide peonies and other spring bloomers. Make a list of plants that are too large for their current space. Decide where to place them based on light, water and soil requirements. Remember, some perennials will take several years to return to full bloom and size after you transplant or split them. Step 3: Aim for early fall to plant new Zone 4 perennials, shrubs and trees (it’s best to avoid pushing to Zone 5 in fall). This allows plenty of time for roots to become established before winter, and they’ll be ready to grow early next spring. How about some instant gratification with new fall color from sugar maples, ginkgoes, burning bushes or other fall-blooming plants? Adding a thick layer (at least 4 inches) of mulch under new trees and shrubs will hold moisture and reduce winter injury. Step 4: Consider planting some spring-blooming bulbs–any time until the ground is frozen. Pair the bulbs with perennials that will fill in the space by late spring or early summer. That way, your bulbs can die back without becoming an eyesore in the garden. Step 5: If you have a vegetable garden, fall is the time to harvest and then direct seed a fall cover crop like ryegrass, rye, rapeseed, oats winter wheat or winter rye. Cover crops improve soil fertility and reduce erosion from winds and rain. Finally, visit your local nursery or garden center for great deals on trees, shrubs and perennials for fall planting. Enjoy! For more information, check out these University of Minnesota resources: Upper Midwest home garden care calendar | UMN Extension How and when to divide perennials | UMN Extension Photo credits: Connie Kotke (1, 2, 3)

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

< Back How Trees Talk to One Another Karna Berg, Master Gardener Have you ever walked in the woods and thought there was someone there, someone talking? Well, if you have, you were right. It was the trees talking to one another. Oak trees are the perfect example. My back yard has a small, wooded area of mostly oak trees. I now feel them talking to each other. Or are they talking to me? Are they saying they need more water? Would like a sunny day? Just what are they saying? As we all know, our trees are under attack from pollution, drought, pests, and disease. And while trees cannot just move to a more hospitable spot, they can help one another deal with all the stresses on them. Scientists have discovered that trees, and specifically oaks, have developed a root system, or network, through which they communicate. That root system is populated by fungus that aids them in this process. Let’s say a pest is moving into the neighborhood. As we know, they move in slowly, often tracked by tree specialists providing warnings to the public on what to be on the lookout for. Well, the trees are tracking the pests as well. And as the pests land on their branches, they signal ahead through the network that their neighbor trees should be prepared. Oaks and other trees will then produce chemicals and enzymes that help to ward off the pests. It sounds impossible, right? But it is true. Some scientists now even believe that trees also communicate through their leaves. If this is as fascinating to you as it is to me, you can read more about it in some of the books I relied on here. They include: “The Life & Love of Trees,” Lewis Blackwell; “The Hidden Life of Trees: What they Feel, How they Communicate,” Peter Wohllenben; and “Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest,” Suzanne Simard. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Photo credits: Julie Harris (1), seeing-nature.de (2)

< Back Zinnias: Vibrant Accents to a Northern Garden You know that zinnias provide a beautiful flourish to the summer garden. The varieties and colors are endless and can be enjoyed from late Spring into the Fall. But did you know that growing Zinnias from seed is both easy and rewarding? Read this article to learn why you might want to grow your own zinnias from seed this year. Jim Lakin, M.D., Master Gardener Not every seed is created equal. Trying to get some of the native perennials to germinate seems to require an Act of Congress. And they’re gridlocked! Not so with the humble but glorious zinnia. In my book, zinnias are some of the most overlooked yet rewarding annuals a Minnesotan could hope for. Although originating in Mexico and the Southwestern U.S., varieties have been developed all over the world. Yet they all still retain their love of warmth and sunlight, a commodity sometimes in short supply up here. Fear not! Simply sew zinnia seeds after the last hard frost and bide your time. As things warm up the seedlings will take care of the rest, producing blooms from late spring, far into the fall. If you have a warm sunny spot inside, you might even consider starting some seeds four to six weeks before the last frost. Unlike some more persnickety plants, zinnias germinate readily. You can set them out in the garden when they get two to four inches tall and enjoy weeks of blooms before the seeds you sewed get in gear. There are many varieties of zinnias ranging in height from 6 inches to 4 feet. I like the older, smaller blooms. They are hardy, fast growing, and tough plants. As I said, they do need full sun and warmth, but ask little else. One fertilization a season usually suffices. They are quite disease resistant. Powdery mildew seems to be the only common malady. It doesn’t look very attractive, but the plants usually survive. To keep them happy and mildew free, select a well-drained location for planting. Zinnias don’t like their feet wet. Mixed zinnias in full summer bloom If you find a variety you really like, consider collecting seeds in the late fall. Just cut off the spent flowers, shake out the seeds onto a sheet of paper, slip them into an envelope and store in the fridge until early next spring to start indoors or sew in the garden a bit later. Either way you will have bold, bright colors to cheer you through the gardening season! Late fall zinnia seed heads ready for harvest Want to learn more about zinnias than you thought there was to learn? Try Eric Grissell’s new book, A History of Zinnias: Flower for the Ages , Perdue University Press, West Layette, IN, 2020. Photo credits: Jim Lakin (1, 2)