< Back Storing Root Vegetables Over the Winter Did you have a bumper crop of potatoes sweet potatoes, carrots, beets or turnips this year? You worked hard this year to produce that crop! Here are some helpful tips on how to store them to last for use all throughout winter and into spring. Joy Johnson, Master Gardener Potatoes Step 1: Dry them . After harvest, remove any damaged potatoes. Leave the rest outside to dry for a couple of hours. Don’t wash them but brush off excess dirt. Step 2: Cure them . Keep the potatoes in a dark, humid place for one to two weeks. These conditions help prevent rot. Indoors near the furnace works best. Spread out the potatoes in boxes and covered with cloth to enhance humidity. If you want to speed up this process, you can lay them out on racks or pallets, make a tent over them with light weight tarps or blankets and turn a box fan on under the tent. This will aid with drying them. Step 3: Choose a spot . For long-term cold storage, find a storage area that’s dry and dark, such as a basement, garage or shed with plenty of ventilation. A temperature of 35° to 40° is good. Step 4: Pack them . Pack the potatoes in a wooden crate, or something similar, with slatted sides and bottom. Alternate layers of newspaper and potatoes until the stack reaches 6 to 8 inches high. Make sure the newspaper covers the open slats so that light can’t get in. Step 5: Keep an eye on them . Check your potatoes monthly and remove any that are beginning to rot. One rotten spud will ruin the lot. Some varieties store better than others—russet potatoes are among the best. Sweet Potatoes and Yams Step 1: Time your harvest correctly . Wait for dry weather to dig up sweet potatoes and yams. Wet tubers attract insects, disease and mold. Wipe all the dirt off, but don’t get them wet. Step 2: Cure them . Lay the tubers in a warm location, similar to potato storage. Let them dry for 10 days to two weeks. Curing ensures excess moisture is drawn out, preventing mildew. Step 3: Pack them . Box up the tubers or wrap them in newspaper. Store them in a cool pantry or closet at 55° to 60°. If no cool place is available, pack them in layers of sand in barrels or crates. The sand cushions and keeps the tubers cool, but not cold enough to freeze. Place the containers in a moderately warm basement or garage. I have a barely heated garage. We keep it around 50 degrees or cooler, so that works well. Carrots, Beets, Turnips, Parsnips Step 1: Trim the tops . Cut off the leafy tops. Left on, they will draw moisture from the vegetable. Brush off loose dirt and remove any damaged ones. Step 2: Pack them . Place the root vegetables, unwashed, in boxes layered with slightly damp sand. I used Rubbermaid totes and buried the carrots, the tops that were exposed sprouted and grew very tall in the dark cool garage, but the carrots still tasted good. Step 3: Store them . Keep them in a cool place. Step 4: Keep an eye on them . Check regularly for spoilage and moisture, which causes rot, or dryness that could cause them to harden and split. Store your root vegetables correctly and you can enjoy your home-grown root vegetables all season! Photo credits: www.flickr.com (1,3), pxfuel.com (2)

< Back The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees By Douglas W. Tallamy, Timber Press, Portland, OR, 2021 Oak trees. Who doesn’t love this bold and majestic tree species in our landscape. In addition to their beauty, oak trees contribute mightily to the health of our environment. To learn more about the mighty oaks, read Douglas Tallamy’s excellent book, ”The Nature of Oaks.” Reviewed by Jim Lakin, MD, Master Gardener Did you know that the seeds we religiously put out for the birds each winter provide scant nourishment for most species? A few, such as doves and finches, are granivores and do just fine. Most birds, however, are insectivores and depend on this supplementation even in winter. So where do all our avian friends get “three hots” in the cold months? Surprisingly, a substantial portion of their winter diet comes from caterpillar stages tucked into the bark of many tree species native to North America. Of these, the oaks are the most efficient in providing larval feed for our feathered friends. Professor Douglas Tallamy provides an in-depth and fascinating account of the massive niche occupied by the various species of oak in the ecology of North America. Tallamy records the activities of the oaks and their many visitors from month to month throughout the year. In addition to being a winter-feeding station for birds, oaks serve numerous insect species as a refuge and feeding reservoir allowing them to complete their varied life cycles and integrate into the complex web of life in the North American woods. Their extensive root system stabilizes the soil and effectively combats erosion. In short, oaks support more life forms and interactions than any other tree species in our northern hemisphere. These giants form a keystone upon which so much of forest life depends. In addition to demonstrating the vital role played by oaks in our ecology, the author provides a useful guide as to which species of oak do best in the varying environments of the US as well as helpful hints in planting and nurturing these invaluable species.

< Back Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World Mushrooms – not just for eating anymore. Ren Henry reviews Paul Stamets’ fascinating book about the value that mushrooms bring to the environment. It turns out that mushrooms can help the landscape in ways you probably have never thought about. Paul Stamets Reviewed by Ren Henry What do we use mushrooms for? Mostly we eat them, and that’s about it. Have you ever stopped to think about the other uses for mushrooms? In Paul Stamets’ 2005 book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World , the celebrated mycologist explores the various ways mushrooms can be used in the landscape to help remediate various ecological settings. This is what he terms “mycorestoration”. The book is divided into three parts: first explaining how mushrooms grow, then how mycorestoration works, and finally how to grow specific types of mushrooms. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of the mycelial mat, which intertwines within the soil. Stamets’ view is that the mycelial mat can be used to provide additional nutrients to plants and to more quickly remediate soil after a forest fire. He also provides evidence that some mushroom species are hyper-accumulators of heavy metals and could theoretically be used to clean up waste sites by inoculating the soil with mycelium and harvesting the mushrooms for incineration. He also demonstrates that the use of mycelium when returning old roads to nature speeds up the process significantly. In sum, Stamets’ main point is that the mycelial mat and the mushrooms it produces could be a tool for improving our landscape and remediating ecological disasters in a quick and cost-efficient manner. The book, deals with some technical topics but is easy to read and understand. While somewhat out of date, the website that the text often refers to is still accessible today, with current information. Even sixteen years after publication, the book still has lots to teach about the value that mushrooms can bring to the landscape, even when they aren’t an edible variety. Photo Credit: Ren Henry (1)

< Back Sunburned plants This article provides advice about how to recognize sunburned plants (sunscald), how to prevent it and what to do if your plants suffer from it. Marjory Blare, Master Gardener Many plants in your vegetable garden can get sunburned! For instance, vegetables and fruit can burn if the canopy of leaves over them is removed or if they are placed outside without being hardened off. House plants will suffer if moved from a shady room to a sunnier room. Sunscald is a synonym of sunburned. How to recognize sunburn/scald Look for: sunken bleached spots on fruits and vegetables; brown areas on pome fruits such as apples; or whitish, yellowish or browned foliage. Some things to do to prevent sunburn or sunscald 1) Harden-off plants before moving them to a sunnier location. Over the course of about 5-10 days, let them have longer and longer exposure to the sun (and wind). This goes for houseplants moving to a sunnier room or outside, as well as seedlings and plants grown in a greenhouse. 2) Plant out on an overcast day, if possible. 3) Water thoroughly before and after planting out. 4) In the case of house plants, research ideal light conditions and then observe the new location for several days in advance of moving them. 5) Water in the morning, and water at the root instead of the foliage. Water on leaves can magnify the sun to cause damage. 6) Be careful to not remove foliage shading immature fruit/vegetables when harvesting; this will let the sun reach areas that aren’t used to it. 7) Research whether your fruit/vegetable will continue ripening after picking and possibly pick them a little early, then promptly get them into the shade or a cooler place. 8) Try a different variety if you notice lots of sunscald this year. 9) Mulch freshly planted starts to conserve moisture, and facilitate root growth. 10) Do not fertilize right away; a high nitrogen fertilizer will direct energy into the leaves before the roots can settle in. 11) Kaolin- based products such as Surround® can reduce the chances of sunburn. Read the label for proper application rates and personal protective equipment. The label for Surround WP® includes language about reducing sunburn damage, but Surround CF® doesn’t. This product covers the surface of the fruit with clay. The clay will reflect the sunlight and reduce the sunlight that reaches the fruit. Kaolin should be applied to the point of near-drip coverage. Be careful to leave enough foliage free of the kaolin for photosynthesis. Check label for organic certification. Read more about the use of Kaolin from Purdue University here: https://vegcropshotline.org/article/sunburn-on-vegetables/ 12) Prune carefully to leave enough foliage to shade the fruit/vegetable. Prune diseased foliage promptly. 13) Water deeply. 14) Sheer curtains in the window can help house plants deal with too much light. 15) Use a shade cloth or bamboo screen to throw some shade during the hottest part of the day, and growing season. Shade cloth differs in the amount of shade that is thrown. A 70% cloth will let 30% of the light through. There is no one, right, answer to which percentage your garden needs. I used an orange snow fence last summer. Some things you can do after a plant shows sunburn/sunscald 1) Move plants (if possible) to a less exposed site. 2) Cut fertilizer rates to half strength until new leaf growth shows. 3) For tomatoes, try to keep temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Tomatoes are native to alpine regions in Central and South America. The hottest days of Minnesota’s growing season can be hard on tomatoes. Try a shade cloth or bamboo screen to keep the tomatoes cooler during the hottest parts of the day. 4) Remove damaged fruit or leaves so that the plant can use its energy to grow more fruits, vegetables or leaves. 5) Be patient. Planning to prevent sunburn/scald before it can happen will lead to a happy productive garden! Read more from UMN here: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/gardens-get-sunburned-too Read more from Michigan State here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/hot_and_sunny_days_promote_sunscald_in_peppers_and_other_vegetables Photo credits: Marjory Blare (1, 3), Dreamtime.com (2), istockphoto.com (4)

< Back A Plain Vanilla Murder and Hemlock Now that your outside garden has been put to bed for the winter, take some time to relax and read some entertaining plant fiction. As reviewer Gail Maifeld explains, reading the mysteries - “A Plain Vanilla Murder” and “Hemlock” by Susan Wittig Albert, is not only fun, it’s educational. Written by Susan Wittig Albert Reviewed by Gail Maifeld The garden is put to bed so put your feet up with two delicious mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert: A Plain Vanilla Murder and Hemlock. Both mysteries incorporate the titled herbs as the premise for the mystery plot and are the two latest books in The China Bayles mystery series. A Plain Vanilla Murder takes place in and around the fictious town of Pecan Springs, Texas. China and Ruby Cox are presenting a workshop entitled Plain Vanilla. China’s workshops are popular but someone at this workshop has a deadly motive. China is puzzled when a dear friend’s daughter disappears, a university professor is found murdered, and a fragile, rare orchid is stolen from the professor’s lab. Much is at stake: plant patent, an orchid that is extinct in the wild, & the life of an innocent girl. Learn about the most taken for granted herb vanilla. Did you know it only grows wild in Chili because that is where the unique insect lives that has the physiology to pollinate vanilla? Hemlock takes China Bayles to the mountains of North Carolina where an old & rare book is missing from the gardening book collection of the Hemlock House Library. This rare book, A Curious Herbal, was written and illustrated in the 1730’s. Hemlock is a compelling mix of mystery and herb lore. A member of the carrot family, hemlock looks like Queen Anne’s Lace and is lethal to humans and animals. The addition of a haunted house, a ghost, the local Hemlock Society, and a shooting, all create an absorbing novel. Learn about Vanilla and Hemlock while enjoying a mysterious romp that includes red herrings and suspicious characters. Photo Credit: Gail Mailfeld (1,2)

< Back Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardener Looking for a small tree to add to your landscape? Consider the Pagoda Dogwood, it grows quickly and offers delicious berries for the birds in late summer. Read more about this attractive tree here. January is a time for planning. Where to put the annuals can be figured out on the fly. Perennial forbs take a bit of thought but you can dig most of them up if you want to move them next year. However, tree placement should be very carefully considered. What looks good now will be there years from now and may not look so good. Short of a chainsaw massacre, you’ll be stuck with the ill-considered tree. Then, of course, you have to consider size. Do you really want a 90-foot white oak in your 12 x 16 courtyard? Fortunately, if you are looking for a small tree, you have many excellent choices, one of which is the Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) or alternate-leaved dogwood. This beauty is a common understory tree which grows rapidly as a youngster, adding a new tier of branches each season. Pagoda dogwood is native to northeastern North America and is found in central and southern Minnesota, Iowa and all the way down to the Ozarks. It does best in well-drained soils and will have difficulty in clay or compacted soils. In the wild it is found in moist woodlands so it is best to plant it where it is protected from the hot afternoon sun. Observing this caveat, it will grow in full sun if there is sufficient moisture, but it will do better in part to near-full shade. One of its most compelling features is the berries produced in late summer, greatly loved by the birds. For good fruit-set, however two separate trees are needed. After a time, some trunks will suddenly die and turn orange. Quick rejuvenation is possible by pruning away the dead trunk. Select a vigorous new shoot from the sprouts that usually emerge quickly. Pagoda dogwood’s horizontal tiers of branches give the tree its name and render it a charming ornamental at the corner of the house or the edger of a wooded landscape. It is great as a bird garden plant. These lovely branches are festooned with clusters of creamy white blooms in the late spring. The resulting berries are bluish black and ripen in late summer, providing welcome nourishment to a variety of songbirds. Come fall, the leaves will turn a striking yellow to burgundy. The popularity of this showy ornamental has been enhanced by the development of a number of great cultivars. You might check your local nursery this spring for such attractive varieties as “Pistachio”, “French Vanilla”, “Gold Bullion” or “Big Chocolate Chip”. Whichever you choose, keep it well-watered and mulched that first year and you’ll soon have a great addition to your landscape! Photo credits: Morton Arboretum (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2)

< 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 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 The Food Explorer (The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats By Daniel Stone Do you ever wonder where the tasty vegetables, fruits and spices we consume come from? No, I am not talking about the grocery store, or your backyard garden. I am talking about where in the world they originated and how they got to North America. Enjoy this review of “The Food Explorer” by Daniel Stone. And I am certain that you will be tempted to click on your Amazon app and purchase the book! Review by Linda Holt, Master Gardener Did you ever wonder where your banana came from? Or how about that juicy navel orange you crave every morning not only for its sweetness but also for the healthy dose of Vitamin C it provides? Avocados, surely, they are a California staple, along with the almonds we enjoy in everything from the true nut to the almond milk used as a substitute for dairy milk (originally brought to California from Spain by the Franciscan Padres). I must admit that I have always been under the false assumption that America just had these treasures in abundance when this country was founded. I, like many Americans, assumed that the variety of food grown in my garden or purchased from farmers markets and grocery stores, has always been a part of our heritage. However, “The Food Explorer,” corrects the false idea that the incredible wealth of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and even cotton, that we enjoy originated in the United States. This fascinating book explains the origin of these plants from many varied countries and jungles around the world. Author Daniel Stone, armed with a multitude of seemingly endless journals, letters and records, shares the delightful and fascinating story of David Fairchild, a late-nineteenth century food explorer and his benefactor Barbour Lathrop, a wealthy, private citizen whom he met aboard a ship bound for Italy. As a 20-year-old botanist, David left his Kansas home to work for the Department of Agriculture. There he studied ways to combat plant fungus. Along with a colleague named Wallace Swingle, he created a new government agency that they called the “Office of Seed and Plant Introduction”. Between the years of 1894 and 1904, David (consumed by his wanderlust for travel) searched the far reaches of the world for the unusual and delectable. Over that time he transported an inventory of over 4,000 plants; including avocados and watermelons from Chili, Soy Beans from Indonesia, Meyer Lemons from China, nectarines from Pakistan, kale from Croatia, hops from Bavaria and pomegranates from Malta to name a few. It wasn’t always easy, as some of the plants would not survive the journey or due to the abundance of plants and the lack of qualified people to handle them at home, some would eventually die before they could be moved and reproduced. Additionally, he suffered diseases, bargained with island tribes and was once arrested. One of the most fascinating things that Daniel Stone contributed to our nation is the introduction of the cherry blossom tree from Japan. After David fell in love with and married Marian Hubbard Bell (daughter of Alexander Graham Bell), he decided to relinquish his extensive travels and purchase a 10 acre parcel located near Chevy Chase Maryland. There he began to fill the space with his favorite trees and shrubs that he found during his travels. Marian had only one plant request: the Japanese flowering Cherry tree that she referred to as “Cherry Blossom.” The consequential history of this famous tree that outlines the DC Capitol streets is quite extensive and is best read rather than condensed herein. David Fairchild did lead an enviable life that was made possible by happenstance and living during a time period known as “the Gilded Age,” a time of rapid economic growth and industrialization. His story, as told by Daniel Stone, is a fascinating read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Photo credits: book jacket

< Back Bug Hotels and Pollinator Habitats Valerie Rogotzke, Master Gardener Insect populations are at risk around the globe, with 40% of all insect species in decline and roughly one third of all species endangered. Between the loss of habitat, climate change, and the extensive use of pesticides, our bees, butterflies, and beetles are dying off in unprecedented numbers. This seems an overwhelming problem, but it is one that all gardeners can begin to remedy. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” No matter the size of the garden, every gardener has steps they can take in order to make positive changes for the insects we all need to keep our planet healthy. Insect populations are at risk around the globe, with 40% of all insect species in decline and roughly one third of all species endangered. Between the loss of habitat, climate change, and the extensive use of pesticides, our bees, butterflies, and beetles are dying off in unprecedented numbers. This seems an overwhelming problem, but it is one that all gardeners can begin to remedy. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” No matter the size of the garden, every gardener has steps they can take in order to make positive changes for the insects we all need to keep our planet healthy. Let’s focus on two insect populations: bees and caterpillars. Bees The majority of flowers and about one third of all crops depend upon pollination. When these populations are threatened, so is food security. For an extreme example, consider the farmers of Sichuan province in China who hand paint pollen onto their fruit trees because insecticides have killed off bee populations. Somewhere between 60-70% of bee species dig burrows in the ground, while the remaining 30-40% nest in cavities such as holes in trees or hollow stems. A Few Solutions for the Home Gardener: For ground-nesting bees, provide areas in your garden with undisturbed soil, keeping insecticides away. For cavity-nesting bees, leave stems of varying lengths (8-24”) over winter and don’t trim back until after spring. Provide a water source for mud-building bees. For bumblebees who need insulation to build nests, provide a brush pile with sticks and leaves. Consider a bug hotel to provide more spaces for cavity-nesting bees—you can build one yourself or find a ready-made bug hotel for purchase. Caterpillars While most gardeners love bees, caterpillars are often seen as a problem in the garden—and for a good reason. Hornworms decimate tomato plants and cabbage loopers devour all sorts of edible greens. However, entomologist and conservationist Doug Tallamy argues that since caterpillars dominate the nesting diets of the majority of birds, these insects are necessary for healthy bird populations. For example, 75% of the food chickadees bring their young is caterpillars. While some caterpillars eat a variety of plants and can be considered generalists, many caterpillars are specialists that only eat one particular plant. Monarch butterflies, of course, rely upon milkweed flowers alone, while goldenrods are eaten by 80-plus different kinds of caterpillars. A Few Solutions for the Home Gardener: Go to Native Plant Finder ( https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants/Flowers-and-Grasses ) to look up which flowers best attract beneficial caterpillars in your area as generalists. Consider specialist caterpillars you want to attract and plant the flower or tree they rely upon. Convert some of your lawn to native wildflowers and grasses. If you don’t have a lawn, try a container garden of native wildflowers. Add a bed of native wildflowers and grasses below any trees that host caterpillars; this provides a soft, protected space for the caterpillars’ transformation. Use mosquito dunk tablets instead of mosquito sprays to control those populations. Even sprays that say they only target mosquitos have been shown to hurt other insects. For More: Bee Lab (University of Minnesota). https://beelab.umn.edu Davies, Dave. “The World's Insect Population Is in Decline—And That's Bad News for Humans,” Fresh Air , (February 24, 2022). https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/24/1082752634/the-insect-crisis-oliver-milman Habitat Installation Guide: Upper Midwest. Xerces Society. https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/15-042.pdf Homegrown National Park. https://homegrownnationalpark.org/ Millman, Oliver. The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2022. Native Plant Finder. https://www.nwf.org/nativeplantfinder/ Photo Credit: John McLinden ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/fogey03/34605941461 ) (1)

< Back January, A Perfect Time to Re-Design Your Landscape Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Master Gardener When January brings us huge snowdrifts and blustery winds do you think of Spring? Yes, it’s the perfect time to be thinking about your flower and vegetable gardens and begin making plans for re-designing your landscape. If you have these thoughts, then click on the link to learn more about basic landscape design concepts and current 2024 trends in landscaping. Landscape design is so much more than picking out the right plants for a given area. It can be so overwhelming at first that many of us put it off and live with our overgrown jungle that was landscaped 20 years ago. But the first step to landscape design is to come up with a comprehensive plan that can be tackled over time making it easier for Do-It-Yourselfers. There are many books written about landscape design but I hope to address some of the basic concepts in this short article. There are five parts to a sustainable design: 1) Functional; 2) Maintainable; 3) Environmentally Sound; 4) Cost Effective; and 5) Visually Pleasing. 1) Functional: What do you need the space to do for you. Examples include: play area for children, garden area, kitchen patio, boat, trash, or firewood storage, utilities, dog kennels, and access to the front and backyard are just a few examples of function that you should consider. 2) Maintainable : Similar to function, maintainable addresses planning for mowing areas so you don’t have to use a trimmer, creating a screen planting to provide privacy, and planning for snow storage and ice/sand/salt usage. How large a space can you take care of. Maintenance is a huge consideration in landscape design. 3) Environmentally Sound: Addresses the need to reduce the amount of fertilizer, pesticides, equipment, water, and labor usage. Rain gardens, plants that require limited mowing and pruning, and eliminating invasive plant species are just a few examples. 4) Cost Effective: You must not only factor in the initial cost of the project but also, the cost of annual maintenance in your design both in materials as well as labor. 5) Visually Pleasing: Yes, of course it needs to look good. This consideration also gets involved with plant selection, what gardeners love doing the most. Planting the right plant that will adapt to the light, water, and soil conditions is imperative in landscape design. While the basic concepts of landscape design remain consistent year over year, design elements do change over time. Below I have listed 5 of the 10 2024 Garden Design trends by GardenDesign.com . These 5 trends seemed to be consistent but not limited to other trend articles that I reviewed: 1) “Enhancing Your Garden with Edimentals” : Edimentals are plants that usually live more than one year such as shrubs, perennials, and trees. Examples include daylilies, currants, gooseberries, elderberries, fennel and asparagus. Including annual edible plants such as kale, rainbow chard, and nasturtiums can also be considered. 2) “Exploring Naturalistic Planting & the New Perennial Movement” : This consists of primarily native plants with a less manicured look to mirror nature, but it doesn’t have to been completely unmanicured. The focus is on a blend of plants that invite pollinators and wildlife. (Read Jim Lakin’s monthly Garden Buzz articles on “native” plants for ideas about plants that are appropriate for Minnesota gardens.) 3) “Preserving Every Drop with Eco-Friendly Rain Gardens” : Yes, establishing a rain garden to limit water runoff into sewers. 4) “Learning to Love Bugs”: Reducing the use of pesticides is the trend here. Becoming more tolerant of bugs and understanding that there are beneficial insects. Note, certain bugs are attracted to specific species (i.e. monarch butterfly and milkweed, rusty patched bumble bees like lupines, asters, bee balm, native prairie plants, and spring ephemerals). But of course, there are bugs that are on the invasive list such as jumping worms, pine bark beetle, and lantern fly. 5) “Adapting and Growing with a Changing Climate” : In the last few months, the USDA published a new plant zone map. Many areas across the nation and in our neck of the woods have become hotter. Adapting for this change in your plant selection process is imperative as you look to designing your future landscape. I hope you can enjoy planning, prepping, and planting your new garden bed(s) in the next few months. Check out our website resources for many articles on the topics discussed above. And spend your January dreaming and planning for your beautiful 2024 garden. Resources: Creating a Home Landscape, You Can Love & Enjoy/Sustainable Landscape Design Basics for Homeowner, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Workshop, James B. Calkins, Ph. D, 2022. GardenDesign.com , Research Garden Design, 2024 Trends in Garden Design by Rebecca Sweet, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ( fws.gov ) Rusty Patched Bumble Bee https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov ; USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Photo credits: www.flickr.com (1,3), gartenideenherbst.blogspot.com/All Creative Commons (2)

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