< Back Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme Stacy Reeves reviews Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme, a book that describes the many ways to enjoy a variety of herbs. The book talks about seventy herbs both common and uncommon. It includes history, growing tips and recipes to help you enjoy herbs that you can grow in your own garden. Stacy Reeves, Master Gardener Theresa Mieseler’s book, Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme, is aptly named. After many gardeners’ first plants of the season, their next thoughts often move to next season, next harvest, and how to go beyond. My personal beyond has always been something edible in my garden, but Mieseler highlights the many uses of herbs, such as for flavor, garnishes, spiritual and cultural rituals, medicines, and aromas. Though the author is Minnesotan she details herbs from all over the world and includes an outline of growth habits, favorite uses, and even offers some recipes. The pictures included in the book are beautiful and aid the author’s explanations of the varieties. Walking through a seed catalog can be delightful. However, Mieseler's inclusion of her farm, grandfather, and even the weather as characters made the book more interesting to read. She recounts the herbaceous varieties she’s loved over the years and why she would recommend them. Readers are sure to learn new things about both familiar and unfamiliar herbs. Photo Credit: Theresa Mieseler (1)

< Back There Is Science Behind Lawn Care Janelle Rietz-Kamenar Believe it or not, the snow will melt soon and your thoughts will turn from shoveling to lawn care. Do you continue to use a lot of fertilizer and water on your lawn with mixed results? Are you concerned about the impacts of climate change affecting your lawn? Are you overwhelmed with all the lawn work in the Spring? If you said yes to any of these questions, click the link to learn more about the Science behind lawn care and how it can help you, your lawn and the environment. Do you continue to use a lot of fertilizer and water on your lawn with mixed results? Are you concerned about the impacts of climate change affecting your lawn? Are you overwhelmed with all the lawn work in the Spring? If you said yes, to any of these questions, click the link to learn more about the Science behind lawn care and how it can help you, your lawn and the environment. The University of Minnesota turf specialists have for years studied various methods of lawn care in order to achieve the best results with the minimal amount of human, water, and fertilizer resources needed. As it turns out, the best time to plant new grass or reseed your lawn is actually in early Fall not Spring. Dethatching and aerating your lawn are also best left for Fall. Spring is the second best time to plant new grass or re-seed your lawn. The U of MN Extension has developed an extremely handy lawn care calendar to make it easier to follow the science behind lawn care. Following this calendar will produce better results with less effort and hopefully, fewer chemical applications. The trick with Spring is practicing patience as you see your lawn emerge from the snow. For example, many people add fertilizer too early in the Spring. This will just encourage the grass to grow when it’s dormant or when growing should be slow. One of the most common Spring problems is grey snow mold. This has the appearance of whitish dead patches. The blades of grass are usually matted down with a fungal fuzz. This disease thrives on extra fertilizer almost as much as the snow so adding fertilizer will make it worse. Instead, to treat snow mold, rake the matted grass in order to allow for additional air flow. It will take time for the fungus to die and the grass to grow back, but generally, a fungicide is not needed. Also note that once the weather has turned warm, don’t spray for weed control. It’s too late and will increase the chance of damaging your lawn. Climate change is having an impact on our environment and one way to help your lawn is to consider adding some fescue grasses to your lawn mix during Fall re-seeding. Kentucky bluegrass is gorgeous but also needs a lot of water compared to fine fescue, for example. Another option is to consider adding a raingarden in order to retain the water runoff in your yard versus the storm sewers. Improved technologies have been developed such as “smart” irrigation controllers, soil moisture sensors and more efficient sprinklers to more effectively manage water use. If you do have a sprinkler system, please check it every Spring by running through a short cycle to make sure the sprinkler heads are in good working condition and not wasting water. The bottom-line is there is science behind lawn care and following a lawn care calendar and best practices can achieve a better result with fewer resources needed. Resources https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lawn-care-calendar https://extension.umn.edu/news/practice-patience-spring-lawn-care https://turf.umn.edu/help-lawn-water-conservation Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1, 2, 3)

Subscribe to The Garden Buzz Don’t miss out on the Garden Buzz, the Dakota County Master Gardener’s monthly newsletter bringing you interesting, timely, research-based information on best practices in consumer gardening and caring for the environment. Look for: Master Gardener events What to do in your garden each month Interesting plants that might add value to your garden Plant diseases, insects, or other problems that you might encounter Garden tips Ideas for sharing the joy of gardening with the children in your lives Recipes, gardening books, and other ways that MGs can help you to have a healthy, happy garden. And more!! ​ Get "The Garden Buzz" First Name Last Name Email Sign Me Up Thank you for subscribing to The Buzz!

< Back The Minnesota Lawn Guide: Attaining and Maintaining the Lawn You Want Gail Maifeld The Minnesota Lawn Guide, by Melinda Myers will give you tips on growing the perfect lawn in Minnesota. Whether establishing a new lawn, restoring an existing one or fixing spots, this easy to read book will help answer all your questions. Fall is cleanup time for the garden. The drought of the 2021growing season has been a challenge for all gardening. Watering restrictions presented challenges for lawn care. Melinda Myer’s book, The Minnesota Lawn Guide, provides fall procedures that would be helpful to revitalize a lawn. Written in plain language the author addresses variable weather, unpredictable rain, and long harsh winter effects on grass. Good soil is the foundation for a healthy lawn so a soil test is recommended. Individual chapters about watering, fertilizing, mowing, turf varieties, and the best seeds are included. THE MINNESOTA LAWN GUIDE is a necessary reference for the new lawn process, lawn restoration, and spot restorations. Melinda Myers is a well-known PBS presenter, has 13 years experience at the University of Wisconsin Extension Service, and is editor/columnist for Birds & Bloom Magazine.

< Back Imagining Your Garden’s Possibilities January is a month of fresh starts, a time to renew and begin again. Whether you were pleased or frustrated with your garden in 2021, the new year is a great time to dream about your 2022 garden’s possibilities. Valerie Rogotzke shares some thoughts about how to reimagine your garden. Valerie Rogotzke, Master Gardener January is a month of fresh starts, a time to renew and begin again. This might not seem to be the best time to be thinking about the garden for Minnesotans, but the frozen ground outside gives gardeners a reprieve from weeding and a chance to imagine possibilities for the future. Perhaps your dream garden evokes a specific place. Imagine an English cottage garden with meandering borders bursting with colorful perennials and a bench under an arbor of hardy wisteria, like one of Gertrude Jekyll’s horticultural masterpieces at Hestercombe House or Lindisfarne Castle . Picture a formal French garden with manicured hedges and a water fountain, like the grounds of Vaux-le-Vicomte or the Tuileries in Paris. Envision a Japanese garden such as Kenroku-en or Koraku-en with winding stone paths through mossy undergrowth, evergreens in abundance, and a pool of still water. Which small elements from these styles could be transplanted to Dakota County? Perhaps your dream garden serves a particular function, providing you with flowers for cuttings, bees for pollinating, or vegetables for eating. To have flowers for bouquets all through the growing season, gardeners must plant with an eye to the calendar, making sure there are options peaking in each month. In addition, it is helpful to have flowers of different scales when assembling arrangements, with larger blooms like dahlias and roses balanced by smaller blooms or ornamental grasses to fill the vase. To encourage bee populations, begin to dig around in the UMN Extension program’s resources on choosing the best pollinator-friendly plants for our area and creating habitat and nesting sites for pollinators. To maximize your success with vegetables and fruits in your garden, take some time now, in winter, to take stock of what has been growing in your garden and what you would like to cultivate this year. Perhaps you have always wanted a small plot of asparagus or a pizza garden with basil and tomatoes. Maybe it’s just time to try something new: sorrel, maybe, or endives? Browse the U’s vegetable guides for ideas and tips for healthy vegetables. A vegetable garden need not be a grand ornamental potager like the kitchen gardens of Villandry – just consider what things you want to eat. Perhaps your dream garden includes time-intensive projects that will not be ready in a year or two, like espaliered apple trees . Perhaps you’d like to rewild an area of your land to encourage native prairie growth , build an Elizabethan knot garden out of interlocking hedges, or develop a natural dye garden with madder and indigo and coreopsis in order to dye fabrics. Whatever your dreams are for your garden, do your dreaming now and dream big! There will be time to prune these dreams back later when practical concerns are considered but January belongs to the imagination. Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1, 2, 3)

< 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 Your Answers to Rain Barrels - To Use or Not to Use You may have considered a rain barrel for your yard but wondered whether it was right for you. Rain barrels have environmental benefits but there are pros and cons to using them in your garden. This article provides some helpful information to help you decide whether to invest in a rain barrel for your garden. Linda Holt, Master Gardener You may have considered a rain barrel for your yard but wondered whether they were right for you. This article explains some of the pros and cons of using rain barrels to provide water to the plants in your garden. You will want to decide whether a rain barrel will fulfill your garden’s specific needs to the extent that will make it worth the expense and upkeep. A few of the Pro’s for using a rain barrel in your yard include: 1. The cost of water is going up and the ability to use municipal sources to water your landscape are becoming more limited. Harvesting rainwater may lower your water bill. 2. Rain barrels are a good way to “maximize environmental value” by reducing run-off into the streets and the pollutants that are picked up along the way that are feeding into our streams, rivers and lakes. 3. The rain water is a great alternative for the ornamental plants in your yard as well as indoor plants. 4. This water source can be utilized any day of the week. 5. Rainwater may contain minerals that are beneficial to plants; However, there are some cons to rain water usage: 1. The water is not safe for drinking nor should it ever touch the edible parts of any plants grown for consumption. The rainfall is collected from a roof / gutter system, the runoff of which may include various “harmful pathogens” resulting from bird fecal matter, rotting leaves, etc. 2. To collect enough water for your purposes you may need multiple rain barrels. 3. Some upkeep is necessary to keep your rain barrel in good shape. Most rain barrels hold around 50-55 gallons of water. In order to determine how much rainwater you can expect from your rain barrel, you must estimate the amount of run off from your particular roof. This requires a thoughtful determination of the square footage of the roof area multiplied by the rainfall in inches and a conversion factor that converts the inches of rainfall to gallons per sq foot. This calculation can be found at: https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g2220/build/g2220.htm Rain barrels can be purchased from various retailers or on-line and come in a variety of shapes and designs. They can also be self-built. There are many DIY rain barrel ideas that can be found on the internet if you prefer to build your own. As mentioned in the above online publication, rain barrels are best dark-colored or opaque as light colored barrels allow sunlight in encouraging algae growth. Rain barrels come complete with a hose guide, overflow tube and screen (to keep critters and debris out) and are relatively easy to install. You will want to position the rain barrel under a drain spout so that the run-off from the roof will flow into the rain barrel. The overflow tube prevents the barrel from overflowing and directs the excess water to a garden bed or base of a tree. You can attach a drain tube to the overflow tube to reach the area of the garden that you wish to receive the water. Cleaning a rain barrel should be done annually in the fall when they are removed and stored away for winter, however, you may need to do it more frequently if they grow algae and get smelly. You should drain the barrel and remove any remaining debris. Scrub the inside of the barrel with a long-handled brush using water and detergent then rinse thoroughly. Including a rain barrel in your landscape may be just the answer to your irrigation concerns. The University of MN extension department has a handy article for you to peruse when giving consideration to this subject. You will find additional information at: https://extension.umn.edu/water-wisely-start-your-own-backyard/rain-barrels Photo credits: University of Minnesota (1, 2)

< Back Early Spring Blooming Plants Deep in the doldrums of winter, everyone is anxious for spring weather to arrive so that, once again, they can dig in the dirt planting flowers and vegetables. To entice us even more, we’re seeing bulb plants in the stores for sale so we can enjoy them at home until spring finally arrives. In this article, I’ll talk about some of the most popular spring blooming plants for your garden. Carolyn Plank, Master Gardener Deep in the doldrums of winter, everyone is anxious for spring weather to arrive so that, once again, they can dig in the dirt planting flowers and vegetables. To entice us even more, we’re seeing bulb plants in the stores for sale so we can enjoy them at home until spring finally arrives. In this article, I’ll talk about some of the most popular spring blooming plants for your garden. CROCUS is one of the first bulb plants to peak its head up in early spring. They are a very reliable plant and frost tolerant. They grow 3-6” tall and are available in multiple colors in shades of purple, orange, pink, and white. They like full sun to part shade and prefer a slightly neutral soil pH of 6.0-7.0, but well-draining soil is very important. DAFFODILS are also an early spring plant best known for their bright yellow trumpet shaped flower. They grow in clumps and unlike tulip bulbs, they have little appeal to wildlife. Planting them amongst snowdrops, hyacinths and tulips provides a wonderful array of colors. They tolerate full sun to part shade with a slightly neutral pH soil (6.0-7.0). DWARF IRIS is a fragrant miniature plant that blooms early in the season and grows to about 6-8”. They bloom in two waves in various shades of dark to light blue, and purple making them ideal for borders. They prefer full sun to part shade, good soil drainage, and spread through underground rhizomatous stems filling the garden with beautiful spring blooms. HYACINTH loves full sun to part shade in a well-drained soil with pH close to neutral (7.0). This plant is well suited to Zones 4-8 and range in height from 6-12”. This plant has a very fragrant flower with tiny blooms resembling bunches of grapes. TULIPS bloom early in the spring season along with daffodils and crocus. They do best in full sun and well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-6.5. Colors include orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow and numerous multi colors that grow to 12-18” tall. EASTER LILY – Lilies are very flamboyant with beautiful flowers and an intensely sweet fragrance. Easter lilies are white in color although there are numerous types of lilies such as Asiatic and Oriental hybrids that come in many colors. The lily is an upright perennial that ranges in height from 2-8’ tall. Don’t forget, once that easter lily is done blooming, cut the stems down and plant the bulb in the garden so you can enjoy it again next spring. Lilies grow best in slightly alkaline (6.5-7.0) moist, well-drained soil high in organic matter. Fall is the time to plant the bulbs for most of these plants, so, if you haven’t planted any of these spring delights in your garden yet, I hope you are inspired to do so this year. Then look forward to a rainbow of color in the spring. Photo Credits: Carolyn Plank (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2), Julie Weisenhorn, University of Minnesota Extension (3), Woodies Garden Goods (4 - Creative Commons License) (4), Pixnio (Creative Commons License) (5), MaxPixel (Creative Commons License) (6)

< Back Ground Cover Plants May Be Just What You Need Kristina Valle, Master Gardener Whatever stage your garden is in, there is one plant that you can always find space for but is often an afterthought in the garden. This article will guide you through the uses, care, and selections of our Perennial Plant of the Month: Ground Covers. Walking through the gates of your local nursery is sure to stir up feelings of excitement and inspiration. After a long, gray winter, it’s hard not to be pulled towards all the colors and textures that were missing over the season and imagine where you could find room in your garden to fit them all. Maybe your garden is well seasoned and as summer progresses, bursts at the seams. Or maybe you’re in the beginning stages and there is a lot of space left for your plants to mature. Whatever stage your garden is in, there is one plant that you can always find space for but is often an afterthought in the garden. This article will guide you through the uses, care, and selection for our Perennial Plant of the Month: Ground Covers. Each year, many of us fill in open spaces with annuals, however, you can save yourself time and expense by investing in some ground covers. This season I plan to fill a 50+ foot long by 5-foot-tall rock wall with as much creeping phlox as I can get my hands on. There is nothing better than having early signs of spring cascading over and across your landscape and knowing that it will return year after year, lusher and more vibrant than the year before. Beauty isn’t the only benefit that comes from incorporating ground covers into your garden. It may surprise you to learn that there are several ways ground covers can also help solve some common landscape challenges. Bugleweed USES On Slopes Many homeowners in Minnesota live on a property that has some level of slope, or perhaps a hilly, hard to mow area. Ground covers are a terrific option not only for erosion control, but to add something beautiful to your property where it might be challenging or unsafe to provide upkeep with a mower In Shade In mature landscapes, where spreading canopies cast wide shadows across the lawn, ground cover can be used to fill in spots where other plants won’t grow. They are also very happy growing over tree roots In High Traffic Areas If you’re looking to add some greenery to an area where kids and pets frequently run through, look no further than ground covers. Certain ground covers are durable enough to withstand foot traffic while maintaining form and sometimes even releasing a fragrance when disturbed Weed Control Weeds are opportunists. Adding ground cover to an open area gives weeds little hope in maturing when they must compete with a healthy carpet of ground cover In Gaps Rock walls and gaps between steppingstones are ideal locations to add ground cover which will help soften the rough landscape edges As Companion Plants Looking for a low growing perennial to keep the roots of your clematis cool? Add some ground cover plants! Kamtschaticum Sedum CARE As a low maintenance plant, ground covers don’t ask for much and in many cases, once established, can handle challenging soil and site conditions. Pruning is usually not needed unless you’re cutting out dead stems or spent flowers, or you need to tame a section for aesthetics or function, for instance clearing part of a path. SELECTION Before selecting a ground cover, be sure to consider your hardiness zone, soil and available light for the plant. No matter what your ground cover interest or need, you’re sure to find a ground cover plant that will fit the bill. Here are some ideas to get you started. Evergreen Creeping Phlox Candy Tuft Bugleweed Cotoneaster Bearberry Creeping Juniper Siberian Cypress Sedum Evergreen Periwinkle Bearberry Flowering / Fragrant Creeping Thyme Various varieties of sedum Sweet Woodruff Bugleherb (Bugleweed) Creeping Juniper Snow-in-Summer Soapwort Tolerates Light Foot Traffic Scotch Moss Bugleweed Creeping Jenny Large Fillers Lambs Ears Hosta Groundcover just may be the practical and economic answer to your gardening need. I little plant may go a long way. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (1,3) & Julie Harris (2)

< Back Garden in the Minnesota Winter with “Winter Sowing” Itching to get planting? Even in our cold Minnesota we can start our spring gardens. Winter seed sowing is possible using homemade miniature greenhouses and plenty of snow. Here's how... Linda Stein, Master Gardener What is Winter Sowing? During the winter months we can not only dream about the flowers and vegetables that we want to add to our gardens next spring, but we can also actually start those plants through a process referred to as winter sowing. Winter sowing is a cost effective, low maintenance method of starting seeds in the winter for spring transplant. It is also a wonderful method, for those who have limited space, to start plants indoors since the containers are kept outdoors. Many annual and perennial seeds require a cold period to germinate, a process referred to as hardening. In late summer, these seeds fall to the ground. During autumn, they slowly get covered with leaves and other materials. They then remain in the soil over the winter. Exposure to cold temperatures and moist conditions breaks dormancy and the seeds germinate when temperatures increase in the spring. Winter sowing replicates nature’s process in a controlled environment. A wide variety of plants can be started using winter sowing. These include native plants such as milkweed, purple coneflowers, liatris, penstemon, Black-eyed Susans and perennial plants such as dianthus and phlox. You can also plant cool season annuals, cool season vegetables and a variety of herbs. Creating Your Miniature Greenhouse Plastic containers such as gallon milk jugs or plastic food containers can be used to create a miniature greenhouse that will reside outdoors and act as a house for your plants until they are ready to place in the outdoor gardens. They should have transparent lids so that sunlight can shine through and an opening that will allow rain and snow to reach the soil and the seeds it contains. Ideally the whole container should be transparent. The “greenhouse” needs to be deep enough to hold 2-3 inches of soil and tall enough to allow for a few inches of headspace so the seedlings have plenty of room to grow. B efore planting, thoroughly clean the container. If using a milk jug, discard the cap. Cut around 3/4 of the jug just below the handle so you can fold back the top portion of the jug to plant and make several holes in the bottom of the jug to allow extra moisture to drain. After planting, reposition the top portion of the jug and secure it with duct tape. If using a food container or other plastic container cut holes in the top to allow snow to reach the soil when it’s placed outdoors and cut holes in the bottom for drainage. Fill your container of choice with 2 - 4 inches of potting soil, not gardening soil. Moisten the soil and allow to drain. Planting S ow seeds on the surface of the soil or a depth prescribed for the specific plant. Cover the seeds laid on the surface with a layer of soil and gently pat down. Perennials and hardy annuals seeds require a consistent period of moist, cold temperatures before germination occurs in spring. So, these should be planted in January or February in Minnesota. Tender plants including annuals and vegetables can be sown later in spring (March or April) as they do not require a cold period in order to germinate. Place the container outdoors where it will be protected from strong winds but where snow can reach it. The seeds require the moisture from the rain and snow. They should experience all the weather conditions they would in nature. Forget about your containers until the spring when the seedlings begin to grow and put out shoots. Once these seedlings emerge, monitor often. Even during the cold temperatures, the inside of the milk jug can heat up quickly and cause seedlings to wilt. If this happens, you may need to leave the container opened during the day but closed in the evening. Once temperatures warm up in spring, the top can be removed during the day and then put back on at night. Transplant your seedlings to the outdoor garden when the soil reaches appropriate temperatures for the specific plants you have grown. Have fun winter gardening in Minnesota! References : Winter Seed Sowing, https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/winter-seed-sowing Youth Gardening Activities Series, Winter Sowing Seeds, https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/ym105 Staring Seeds in Winter, https://extension.psu.edu/starting-seeds-in-winter Photo credits: Lori Voll-Wallace, Penn State Extension (2), Illinois Extension (1)

< Back Pound Flowers for Summer Fun By Brenda Hansell, Master Gardener Many of the flowers you have enjoyed throughout the summer will soon fade away. Even cut flowers last only a few days in the house. Here is a fun way to preserve flowers and entertain the children. Flower pounding is an easy activity for most any age. Adult guidance and assistance will vary from child to child. When complete, my granddaughter jumped up, threw her hands in the air and shouted: “YAY, ART!!” (‘nuf said.) Read this article to learn how to share this fun activity with the child in your life. Materials: Watercolor paper (optional card stock) Parchment or wax paper Masking tape Hammer or mallet Fresh flowers Steps: 1) Gather the flowers. Bright colors such as red, yellow, and blue release more intense pigments. 2) Trim off the stems close enough to the base of the flower to permit it to lay flat while keeping the bloom intact. Use some of the leaves as well. 3) Flowers with large centers, such as cone flowers, will require removal of the thick center. Use only the carefully placed petals. Otherwise, there will be too much dark pollen “explosion.” (Though it does create a rather interesting, abstract appearance!) 4) Work on a hard, flat surface 5) Arrange the flowers face down on the watercolor paper. 6) Carefully cover with the wax paper 7) Press down firmly on the wax paper and tape in place 8) To get the feel of how firmly to pound & which flowers transfer best, you may want to try one or two “practice flowers” on a separate paper. (This is an optional step.) 9) Using firm pressure begin pounding the flowers, working in from the edges 10) Carefully, lift the wax paper to check the transfer 11) Continue pounding until desired effect is achieved. 12) Some pieces of petals and leaves may stick to the paper. Gently use your fingernail to scratch them off. 13) Frame and admire the finished piece of ART! Note, some folks embellish the print with colored pencils or fine painted brush strokes. Photo credits: Branda Hansell (all)

< Back Winter Chicken Stew (And a Special Valentine Treat) Joy Johnson, Master Gardener The ice and snow have buried your garden under a cold blanket. Picking fresh veggies and herbs from your own plot is a distant memory and a future hope! You can still make tasty nutritious meals for your family using your garden produce, just open your freezer. Here is a recipe for a delicious chicken stew that will make great use of your frozen vegetables and herbs. Follow that up with this special sweet Valentine’s treat. Last October I dug up all the carrots and parsnips before the first hard frost. I washed, peeled, sliced, blanched, and froze containers of them. They’ve been sleeping in my freezer and now it’s time to wake them up with herbs, (also frozen or dried from my garden) in this flavorful, healthy chicken stew. I love using a crock pot for this recipe. It must be set on the low setting for the chicken to absorb the flavors and not taste dry. Country Style Chicken Stew Medium Crock Pot 2 tsp olive oil 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 oz. portobello mushrooms, cubed (or one small can of mushroom stems and pieces) 14 oz. fat-free chicken broth ¼ cup dry white wine 3 golden potatoes, cubed into bite size pieces 15 oz can great northern beans, rinsed and drained 2 cups frozen sliced carrots (or 4 fresh ones) 1 cup frozen sliced parsnips (or 2 fresh ones) 8 cloves garlic, minced ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp of each of these dried spices: thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, oregano (if using frozen, use about a pinch of each) 1 bay leaf ¼ cup dried parsley (you can also use frozen, just chop it finely) Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and mushrooms, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Combine the chicken mixture with everything else listed in a medium sized crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW until the chicken is cooked through, the potatoes are tender, and the flavors are blended, 6 to 8 hours. Serves 4. Serve the chicken stew with these colorful sweet scones Just for My Valentine Sweetheart Scones 2 ½ cups flour (can use ½ whole wheat) 1/3 cup sugar 1 Tbsp Baking Powder ¾ tsp salt 6 Tbsp butter 1 egg ½ cup milk ¾ cup dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries (a little grated orange rind is great with the cranberries) Top with 2 tsp milk and tsp sugar before baking. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl or food processor combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender or food processor cut in butter until mixture represents coarse crumbs. Mix eggs with fork in a separate bowl and then add ½ cup of milk and blend into the flour mixture. Stir in cranberries or your choice of berries. Form dough into a ball and gently knead on a lightly floured board five times. Pack dough in to ¾ in thickness and use a butter knife or cookie cutter to cut 8-10 heart shapes. Brush each heart with milk and sprinkle with sugar Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with Raspberry preserves. Photo credits: Joy Johnson (all)