Indoor Plants ​ The Vacation is Over Your orchids have been enjoying an invigorating respite outside, but like all good things, it must come to an end. Orchids, like any indoor plant that has summered outdoors, have the potential of picking up nefarious bugs and potential diseases that you don’t want to bring into your indoor growing area. It is better to go on the offensive while they are outside because there are more treatment options available to combat the offenders when the orchids are outside. Read this article to learn how to return your orchids (or other house plants) indoors after their summer vacation. Read More ​ Give Your Orchid a Vacation Orchids are like school children. They have been cooped up in your house all winter. They have treated you well, stayed healthy, and maybe even treated you to blooms; for that they deserve something special: a vacation! It is easy; you don’t need a travel agent, an airline reservation or even a hotel room: just set them outside. Read this article by avid orchid grower, Paul Wood, to learn how to safely grow your orchids outside in the summer. Read More ​ How to Select an Orchid Have you been intrigued about orchids but don’t know where to start or how to keep them alive? Or, are you already an orchid grower but want some expert tips? This article on orchids is the first of three by orchid expert, Paul Wood. The first article provides great advice about how to choose the right orchid for you. Read on to learn how you can begin to be an orchid grower – and lover! Read More ​ Moving Houseplants Outdoors for a Summer Vacation You have been enjoying your indoor plants during our long, cold winter. But soon it will be time to think about transitioning some of those plants outdoors. March might seem a bit early to think about moving your indoor plants to the outdoors but plants do require a transition time and warm weather will be here sooner than you think. There are many reasons that you might move your houseplants outdoors for the summer. But there are several things to consider to ensure that your plants flourish as a result of this move. Read More ​ Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants Did you know that Americans spend roughly 90% of their time, on average, indoors according to US EPA report? As a gardener, perhaps it’s time we focus on our indoor space and the benefits and types of plants we could have indoors. Click on this link to learn more about Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants. Read More ​ Pet-Safe Plant Choices There are a lot of us in Dakota County and beyond who love both plants and our pets. Not all plants are compatible with the dogs and cats who live with us. Read on to find out about safer plant choices to make for our furry family members - and a few plants to keep away! Read More ​ Propagating House Plants Winter blahs got you down? Bring more green into your home by propagating your houseplants. It’s easier than you think for many plant varieties, and it’s a fun way to spend part of a gray day. Read More ​ The Short-lived Beauty of Blooming Cactus Various cacti can provide gardening pleasure in Minnesota both outside in the summer and inside during the cold weather. There are thousands of varieties of cacti, many of which are different and exotic, in other words, pretty cool. But there are some tricks to growing cacti successfully. Here are some tips on growing healthy cacti and getting them to re-bloom. Read More ​ African Violets African Violets are one of the most popular houseplants because they require little maintenance and, cared for properly, bloom several times a year. But, as with any plant, they do have specific needs that you must know and pay attention to in order to provide the color and pleasure that you are hoping for. Read this article to understand how to achieve a happy, healthy African Violet in your home. Read More ​ Houseplant Pests Discovering and controlling pests on your indoor plants is an important step for keeping your indoor garden healthy and happy. The information in this article will help you keep these unwanted visitors off your plants and out of your home. Read More ​ Helping Houseplants Stay Healthy this Winter Chances are, you’ll be spending more time indoors over the next few months. So will your green and growing friends – your houseplants. It makes sense then to get to know how to keep them healthy. Read More ​ Holiday Cacti Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are beautiful flowering holiday plants Read More 1 2 1 ... 1 2 ... 2

Perennials Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricate): A Big Punch in a Little Packet It’s that beautiful carpet of pastels appearing in moist woodlands across the Midwest in the spring – Woodland Phlox. Otherwise known as “Sweet William,” this native plant has many reasons to be at home in your garden. Read more about the virtues of Woodland Phlox and then decide if you will grow it from seed or as an established plant. Not only will you enjoy this plant but pollinators love it as well. Read More Straight Info on Zigzag Iris: Iris brevicaulis There are many beautiful varieties of iris that you can choose from for your garden. This article discusses one type of iris that may not be as well known but definitely deserves your consideration - the zigzag iris. The zigzag iris is a native usually found in moist areas of the wild. When they bloom in the spring they put on a striking display of blues and yellows. If you are looking for a gorgeous springtime accent to your pond or stream side or the more moist areas of your garden, Zigzag iris is sure to be a stunning addition. Read More Yes, You Can Grow Shade-Loving Plants Many people think that shade just creates problems for the garden. This article explains how wrong that can be. Read on to learn more about which trees, shrubs and perennials can prosper in your shady garden. Read More Azaleas - a beautiful addition to the garden Azalea shrubs are a beautiful addition to the garden. The University of Minnesota developed a winter hardy azalea – ‘Northern Lights’ - which is now available in many different colors. In this article, you will learn how to care for azaleas, some of the lore about them, and why you will want them in your yard. Read More Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava) One benefit of climate change is that it allows us to grow plants that have previously been out of our growing zone. One of those plants is Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava). A Zone 5 plant, Yellow Honeysuckle is likely to grow well in the southern part of Minnesota. As Master Gardener Jim Lakin explains in this article, Yellow Honeysuckle is a beautiful, vining plant that you should consider for your garden. Read More Virginia Creeper: Groundcover and Climber Looking for a native vine as ground cover in a shady area? Do you want it to cover a tree, a rock wall or an unsightly outbuilding? As explained in this article, Virginia Creeper may be the plant for you. Not only is it versatile, it has many virtues including a beautiful rosy color in the fall. Read More Transplanting Peonies My grandma’s peonies have accompanied me every time I have moved. They are a treasured memory of my grandma, one of the people who influenced my love of gardening. Every spring, the beautiful and huge pink and white blossoms open, sending their scent out to tickle my memories and remind me of spending time with grandma in her garden. But occasionally, peonies need to be transplanted. Read this article to learn how to divide and transfer peonies the right way. Read More Purple Clematis (Clematis occidentalis): Beauty Reaching Upwards If you are a fan of clematis, you know that there are dozens of varieties to choose from. In this article, Jim Lakin states the case for the “good old native purple clematis.” It’s on of Jim’s favorites. Read his article to understand why. Read More Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa): Best Friend to Many Pollinators Watching Monarch Butterflies flit among the plants in our gardens is among the simple joys of summer in Minnesota. But, as we know, the population of this beautiful butterfly is diminishing. One of the likely causes is loss of habitat – not enough available plants that the larvae and butterfly need for fuel. As this article explains, the Butterfly Milkweed is a native plant that Monarchs favor. For that reason and more, you may want to add this plant to your garden next year. Read More Goldenrod Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) – A Much Maligned Masterpiece Read More Native Grasses for the Home Landscape Native grasses, sedges and flowers can be stunning at any scale; from vast prairie to small garden. In addition to the visual appeal, they provide essential habitat for many native insects and birds. The vegetation of the mesic prairie ecosystems that once covered much of southern and western Minnesota included a profusion of flowering plants and grasses. These resilient plants adapted to survive cold winters, hot summers, flood and drought and are still excellent choices for most of Minnesota. This article shares the benefits of and considerations for making native grasses a part of your landscape. Read More Grow Beautiful, Healthy Roses in Minnesota The rose is one of the most cultivated and popular flowers in the world. Myths and poems are attached to roses which have been popular for centuries. They are prized for their colors, beautiful scents, and size of blooms, from miniature to large. But as any rose grower knows, roses also have a history of being hard to care for and, of course, all forms have thorns. But developments in rose breeding have minimized many of problems associated with growing roses and maximized their attractive qualities. This article will explain how to grow beautiful roses successfully in Minnesota. Read More 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4

Gardening by the Month ​ January, A Perfect Time to Re-Design Your Landscape 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. Read More ​ Winter is a Perfect Time to Start Seeds On a chilly February day, the thought of blossoming flowers and growing vegetables seems like a far-off dream. Despite this, February is the perfect month to begin planning your summer garden and organizing a plan for indoor seed starting. Read this article to learn the why, what. how and when for starting your own plants. Read More ​ February - Starting Seeds Indoors If you want to grow plants from seed for your garden this spring, February is the time to start – planning and planting. There is a little more to it than dropping a seed in soil. Read More ​ Lop & Lose While March is the ideal time to prune most trees and shrubs in your garden; note that it is NOT the time to prune those that bloom in the spring. Pruning your spring blooming trees and shrubs may kill blooms that are forming. These plants should be pruned right after they bloom in the spring. Read this article for valuable information about pruning some of your most beautiful spring blooming shrubs. Read More ​ Snowdrops for the Early Spring Garden Are you a gardener that loves to have flowering plants staggered throughout the growing season? Then perhaps you should consider planting snowdrops in your yard. They are the first spring bulb to bloom and they are known to pop up amongst the snow melt. They usually bloom before larger daffodils and tulips. Read More ​ Master Gardener Seed Trials – Choose the Best Varieties It’s March and you may be thinking about starting vegetable or flower seeds for your garden this summer. First, you have to decide what to grow - beans, basil, zinnias, tomatoes? But there are several different varieties of each of these plants. So, how do you know what variety to plant? You can look through the seed catalogs or go to the garden store and peruse the many different varieties on the racks. Confused? The University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners can help. Read More ​ I Forgot to Plant My Garlic in October! Planting Garlic in March Are you a garlic lover? Yes, you can buy it at the grocery store but garlic grown in your own garden is so good. Garlic is normally grown in late fall BUT not to worry, if you act quickly, you can plant garlic in March and harvest it in July. Read this article to learn more about planting garlic in the spring or the fall. Read More ​ There Is Science Behind Lawn Care 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. Read More ​ April - What To Do About Winter Damage As we think beyond winter to spring, you may encounter winter damage to some of your plants. In this article, Karna Berg reminds us how to give your plants a boost going into winter and how to deal with winter damage in a way that will allow plants to recover and, ultimately, flourish. Read More ​ Companion Gardening It’s April and we are starting or continuing to plan our gardens for the new season. Most of us consider the amount of sunlight we need, flower size and color and, probably, our favorite plants. But many of us do not take into account how various plants interact with each other - “companion planting.” Companion planting considers how to enhance the garden or impact plants by growing them in close proximity to each other. Companion planting has the potential to enhance your garden, reduce the need for pesticides, promote stronger plants and take maximum advantage of the space available. Read this article to learn more about why and how to use companion planting in your garden. Read More ​ Cool Season Vegetables for Spring Planting There are a number of “cool season” vegetables that can be planted outdoors in early spring. Get a head-start on your planting by starting your seeds indoors and planting them out when the temperature is right. Cool season vegetables can be planted out much earlier than, for example, tomatoes or peppers. You can seed indoors as much as six to eight weeks before the last frost date! Read this article for valuable information about seeding and planting “cool season” vegetables. Read More ​ Earth Month is for Everyone! It is now April and that means EARTH MONTH! While many of us think about growing, planting, tending, and gardening all year long, if you are like me, that doesn’t always include water conservation, energy conservation, cleaning up my neighborhood, etc. The month of Earth Month is a reminder that we can do better to help preserve and cherish planet Earth. For the little ones in our lives, it is never too early (or too late) to teach them how to become better caretakers of mother nature. Please read on to find activities to do with the young people in your life during the month of April (and the other 11 months too!). Read More 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4

< Back The Backyard Parables: Lessons on Gardening, and Life “The Backyard Parables: Lesson on Gardening, and Life,” is a gardening memoir of sorts writing by Margaret Roach. Roach, a former editor-in-chief of the ‘Martha Stewart Living’ magazine, quit her job to tend to her gardens full-time. In this delightful book, Roach dispenses both gardening and life lessons. Read this book review to learn more. Reviewed by Linda Holt, Master Gardener “The Backyard Parables: Lessons on Gardening, and Life is a gardening memoir. You may recognize the author, Margaret Roach, as the former editor-in-chief of the ‘Martha Stewart Living’ magazine. Her up-state New York garden has been featured several times in that magazine. She left this high-powered position to work fulltime on her gardens. Within this book she shares her journey in that effort including her gardening wins and losses - made humble by mother nature and various animals, including woodchucks and deer to name a few. Her garden story is told both from a practical and spiritual perspective, therefore the use of the word ‘parable’ meaning: “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson”. Roach’s memoir is broken into 4 parts or chapters, as she describes the ‘life’ of her garden. She begins with ‘Water (Winter), the crucial time period that the important work of planning the garden and purchasing the seeds begins. Within each chapter she includes sidebars where she shares her wisdom regarding the lessons she has learned over her 25 years as a gardener. Within this chapter is an amusing tale where she attempts to rescue frogs located within her garden ponds. The device meant to keep the occupants of the pond alive during the long, cold winter failed to work. So, she trudged out in the ice-cold darkness of her thigh high snow filled yard to be a savior to her beloved frogs. Quite an entertaining story follows. The next section is ‘Earth (spring)’, the third section is entitled ‘Fire (summer) and the fourth is ‘Wind (Autumn)’. Within each section she shares gardening lessons learned along the way that correspond to the evolution of the garden and how that relates to our changing selves. It is a truly delightful book and best experienced by reading slowly and thoughtfully. Enjoy! Photo Credit: Margaret Roach (1)

< Back The Magic of Snow Connie Kotke Nothing beats the beauty of a snow-covered garden. Falling or drifting snow creates interesting sculptures on our benches, arbors, and paths. Evergreens look brighter, and trees with ornamental bark are showing off against a white background. Crowns of sparkling white form on sedum, ornamental grasses, and other perennials we left standing in the garden. Snow is useful to gardeners in other ways, too. Learn more! Making the Most of a Snowy Winter When everything is covered in snow, the landscape is peaceful and still. The snow sparkles, and everything seems clean and pure. Yes, it’s cold! But aside from moving to a warmer climate, we can take advantage of the many benefits snow delivers to Minnesota gardeners. Most importantly, snow cover insulates your valuable plants from wind and sub-zero temperatures. Most winter damage to plants occurs when we don’t have sufficient snow cover. This is especially important for roots, which do not become dormant in the winter as quickly as stems, branches and buds. A good snow cover moderates the temperature of the soil. That’s good, because the roots of most trees and shrubs in Minnesota die at temperatures below 10 degrees. If you planted some new trees, shrubs and perennials this fall, you’ll want to wish for a deeper snow cover to protect those newly-formed roots. Snow also protects plants from the freeze/thaw cycles that heave them out of the ground. This happens because of the way snowflakes are shaped. There are small spaces in each one that are filled with air. As they pile up, the result is low heat conductivity so the daily temperature permeation into the snow is reduced and the plants are protected from really cold temperatures. Snow helps preserve moisture in the soil during winter and provides water to the soil as it melts in the spring. This slowly waters the emerging perennials. Here are some other ways to use the snow: Insulate your garden planters. If you overwinter any potted plants outdoors, shovel or blow snow onto the planters to protect the roots. Snow acts as a natural barrier to shield the ground beneath it from the really cold wind gusts. When it warms up, the snow will melt and act like a slow-release drip irrigation system. Snow insulates your garden planters and moistens the soil as it warms up. Collect snow in rain barrels. As it melts, use it to water spring ephemerals, moisten compost, and incorporate leaf mulch into the soil. It’s free, it’s clean (no chlorine or other chemicals added to our city water), and delivered free to your door. Some people call snow “the poor man’s fertilizer.” As it falls through the atmosphere, nitrogen and sulfur attach to the flakes. When the snow melts, these elements are released into the soil and absorbed by plants. Nitrogen is essential to plant growth. With everything covered in snow, your birdfeeders will lure more birds and other critters closer to your home. It’s easier to see them, too, with a heavy blanket of white in the background. For more information, check out this University of Minnesota resource: Protecting Trees and Shrubs in Winter - Protecting trees and shrubs in winter | UMN Extension Photo Credit: Connie Kotke (1), Mike Darcy, Black Gold (2)

< Back The Power of Edamame Edamame is a recently popular vegetable that deserves a place in your garden and kitchen. Rich in protein, antioxidants and fiber, it has many health benefits. Edamame can be eaten in many different ways. Read more about this powerful vegetable in this article. Marjory Blare, Master Gardener Edamame is a name for immature green soy beans. It has been enjoyed in Asia for a long time and now it is catching on in western cuisine. In the U.S., you will find it in the frozen vegetable section. It will be in the pod and is meant to be steamed or boiled. The pod isn't edible, but the beans slip out easily after cooking, to be eaten immediately or used in other dishes. They are good cold too. In addition to tasting good, there are some promising health benefits. A life-long diet rich in soy has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer. Edamame can reduce the LDL (bad cholesterol) if soy protein replaces animal protein. Isoflavones found in edamame can have an effect similar to estrogen, and may reduce menopause symptoms. Edamame is low on the glycemic index making it attractive to people with type II diabetes. It is a good source of vitamin C, calcium and iron. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-edamame Edamame can be eaten raw or cooked, tossed in a salad, mashed with garlic on toast or put into pasta or hot dishes. You can find dry-roasted, salted edamame snacks that are vegan, gluten free, Kosher, and non-GMO. If you grow you own, you can make your own snacks! With all these benefits it is great to learn that edamame is also easy to grow! Many seed catalogs will carry Tohya seed (an early variety, 78 days to maturity), but there are also Karikachi (85 days) and Chiba (83 days) varieties. The last and first frost dates for Dakota County are May 8th and October 10th. Knowing these dates and the days to maturity will help inform your choice of variety. Plant the seeds about 6” apart and 1” deep, after the last frost date. They do not respond well to being started indoors and transplanted. They need well-drained soil and don't like wet feet. They have very few pests and most vegetable varieties have been bred for resistance to aphids and Phytophthora root rot. The plants can be up to 2.5 feet tall, the pods are about 2.5” and contain 2-3 beans. Most pods ripen at nearly the same time, but if you leave the smaller pods they will get bigger later. They are open-pollinated, so it is possible to save seed. Try this is recipe from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension: Crispy Edamame Ingredients: 1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans) 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Directions: ● Preheat the oven to 400° F (200°C). ● Place the edamame into a colander and rinse under cold water to thaw. Drain. Spread the edamame beans into the bottom of a 9 × 13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese over the top and season with salt and pepper. ● Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is crispy and golden, about 15 minutes. Read more at: https://lenoir.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/02/dont-be-afraid-of-the-little-green-bean-2/ Growing edamame is easy and rewarding. Eating it is delicious! Give it a try! Photo credits: www.ourfood.nl (1), www.flickr.com (2), Pumpsandiron.com (2)

< Back Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life This month, we are excited to recommend “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life,” by Barbara Kingsolver, a must-read book for gardeners interested in learning more about the connections between food, sustainability, and community. Kingsolver takes readers on a journey through a year of eating only locally grown or produced food, providing practical advice, personal anecdotes, scientific facts, cultural history, and recipes to explore the complex web of issues surrounding food production and consumption. Her engaging writing style and thoughtful insights make this book both inspiring and informative. Reviewed By Kelly K. Vriezen, Master Gardener "Every little bit of action adds up to something big." ~ Barbara Kingsolver “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” is a beautifully written and insightful book by Barbara Kingsolver that is a must-read for any gardener interested in sustainability and the environment. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, this Winner of the James Beard Award for Writing and the Indies Choice Book Award for Adult Nonfiction is a personal account of Kingsolver's family's journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle by growing their own food and eating only locally sourced products. The book is divided into chapters that are organized according to the seasons, detailing the challenges and successes of growing and preserving their own food. Kingsolver's writing is both engaging and informative, weaving together anecdotes, scientific facts, and cultural history to create a rich tapestry of the issues surrounding food production and consumption. She shows how our current industrial food system is unsustainable and harmful to the environment, and how growing and eating locally can be a powerful act of resistance and renewal. Her emphasis on the importance of soil health and biodiversity is particularly poignant, and she offers practical advice on everything from food preparation to composting to seed-saving to raising chickens. Also included are recipes and seasonal menus that are sure to spark your interest. One quote from the book that will particularly grab the reader’s attention is: "Our vegetables and fruits, long-lost flavors, are gradually returning to our tables. These local foods also offer a new kind of economic stability to small farmers and communities." This quote captures the essence of what is most compelling about Kingsolver's book - the idea that by growing and eating locally, we can not only improve our health and the health of the environment, but also build stronger, more resilient communities. Overall, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” is a thought-provoking and inspiring book that is sure to resonate with gardeners and anyone interested in learning more about the connections between food, sustainability, the environment, and community. It will change the way you shop for food and the way you look at the food you eat. Kingsolver's engaging writing style and thoughtful insights make this a must-read book for anyone passionate about gardening and local food. Photo credit: Book Cover

< Back Wild Blue Violet (Viola sororia): One Name, Many Faces Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardner For lovers of that special harbinger of springtime, the wild violet, there are many fascinating and rewarding varieties to choose from and enjoy. In this article, Jim Lakin, describes various varieties and explores why you may want to add this native perennial to your woodland garden. I long ago realized I do not have the patience to be a taxonomist. The wild blue violet is a case in point. The battle raged among botanists for years as to whether or not to split a number of similar plants into separate species or to combine them into one. The “lumpers” finally won out over the “splitters” and today Viola sororia is the moniker for some quite different plants. We’ll discuss that in a bit. Wild blue violet as a native perennial found in almost all of Eastern North America including the entire Midwest. It is a woodland plant, loving humus-rich soils and tolerating a high amount of shade. Most varieties are pretty easy to grow in any rich soil that is moist in the spring when they flower. If the soil becomes dry in summer the plant may go dormant. A number of varieties freely self-sow although many propagate by rhizomes. Indeed, some varieties can be aggressive growers even moving into grass lawns. Nonetheless, they can be a wonderful addition to other woodland flowers in a shade garden. Wild blue violet can be an important ecological niche plant, hosting several fritillary butterflies as well as attracting a number of specialist bees and other pollinators. Happily, the fritillary butterfly which the plant hosts can keep the more invasive violet varieties in check by feeding off them during the butterfly’s larval stage. Mind though that this larval caterpillar emerges from its egg in the fall and overwinters in the surrounding leaf-litter. If you rake up the leaves in your wildflower garden in the fall, you will destroy the caterpillars before they can trim back the violets by feeding in the spring and subsequently emerge as fritillary butterflies. Viola sororia is variable in its form and behavior. Flowers are usually royal blue but the color can vary from light blue to white on one end of the spectrum to a deep navy on the other. Among the recognized strains is the woolly blue violet. This fellow is covered by short woolly hairs upon its stem, producing springtime flowers of a deep blue-violet. He is found in woodland flood plains and in upland oak-hickory woods. In the garden he is usually well behaved with limited self-sowing. Viola bloom color can vary Butterfly violet or dooryard violet is one of the largest and most aggressive strains of Viola sororia. It is a larger plant (one foot) and self-seeds freely. It can shadow out smaller wildflowers and even invade lawns. If you adopt a live-and-let-live attitude, however, the Fritillary butterfly caterpillars usually will keep the dooryard violet in check and have a good meal in the bargain. And you may have some spectacular butterfly watching later in the summer. Finally, there is a variety known as the Confederate violet. It forms a blue to grey flower with speckles. There are a couple of commercially marketed strains: “Freckles” with speckled blue flowers and “Rosie” a rosy-white form. For lovers of that special harbinger of springtime, the wild violet, there are many fascinating and rewarding varieties to choose from and enjoy. Photo credits: North Carolina State Extension (1), University of Minnesota Extension (2)

< Back Garden Alchemy Many gardeners love a good cookbook for the bounty we grow. But what about recipes for good gardening itself? Garden Alchemy by Stephanie Rose (of Garden Therapy) brings us recipes for all kinds of DIY gardening - from soil & fertilizer to propagation and natural pest management. Read on for a review of this great guide, including 80 “recipes and concoctions!” By Stephanie Rose Reviewed by Sarah Heidtke, Dakota County Master Gardener Garden Alchemy covers a wide range of natural solutions for indoor and outdoor gardening. Free plants by propagating root cuttings? Yes, please - see page 49! Houseplant tea, anyone? How about a great primer on worm food and compost? Minnesota gardeners can certainly appreciate natural pest management to bring in the birds, bees and bugs we want while deterring the pests we could do without (see page 112 for fungus gnat sand or page 119 for trapping stink bugs!) This book is a fun read - learn about the time the author offered to host plants for a charitable organization in her sunny front yard and ended up with 300 unmarked plants arriving all at once. It’s also a great growing guide to keep on hand. The solutions are based on natural science and documented experimentation of learning through plants. Ms. Rose begins with a discussion of soils and mulches - including how to test the chemistry and structure. She offers many recipes, written in cookbook form, for mixing and amending the soil based on the growing needs. The ingredients are mostly simple and found at home or a local garden center. The same is true of the natural fertilizer concoctions she offers later in the book. There are several fun activities for gardeners of all ages - think seed strips, diy pots, and bird feeders. Many can be completed in a short afternoon. The pictures are beautiful and add to the clear instructions throughout. “It’s getting your hands dirty that will give you the definitive answer how best to grow plants in your unique garden.” As Master Gardeners, we do our best to answer garden questions with science-based advice. Sometimes (often?) the answer is “it depends.” Truth be told, there are a lot of variables that go into gardening. This book makes it fun to learn about our gardening space and experiment with growing solutions. Educated trial and error, with a good dose of patience, are unavoidable parts of the process to, as the author says, “work to build on the foundation Mother Nature has created.” The Canadian author, Stephanie Rose, also has a great website full of advice that works for northern gardeners - gardentherapy.ca I encourage you to check out both the book and the website for great information! Your garden will thank you. Photo Credit: Book Jacket (1)

< Back Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Master Gardener Did you know that Americans spend roughly 90% of their time, on average, indoors according to US EPA report? As a gardener, perhaps it’s time we focus on our indoor space and the benefits and types of plants we could have indoors. Click on this link to learn more about Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants. Did you know that Americans spend roughly 90% of their time, on average, indoors according to US EPA report? As a gardener, perhaps it’s time we focus on our indoor space and the benefits and types of plants we could have indoors. Read on to learn more about Indoor Allergen Friendly Plants. I thought this article would be simple to write, but as it turns out, it is a much more complicated topic than I thought. Many gardeners understand the psychological benefits of having living plants around us. According to the American Horticultural Society, indoor plants can improve air quality through air purification, reduce stress, improve productivity, and bring beauty to your home. However, some people who have asthma or other lung conditions need to choose what type of plant, if any, is best for them. If you are concerned about allergens in your home, potted plants can be a challenge as the soil, if not properly watered, can create mold. Mold is created in soil from overwatering with limited air circulation and not enough sunlight. The Mayo Clinic suggested that if you do have potted plants in your home, you can put aquarium gravel over the dirt to contain any mold that could develop. Removing dust from your plants periodically also helps with allergies. Flowering plants can also be a challenge for people with airborne allergens. In my research I discovered the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale System (OPALS). It is a standard which considers the likelihood a plant will cause pollen allergy symptoms. Plants are ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most allergenic. This system can be used for trees, shrubs, and other plants (indoors and outdoors). While researching, I did discover that there were many lists to cross reference and it was confusing as some of the lists said they were allergen friendly and other lists said they were not. So, I am including some of the most common plants that showed up on multiple lists realizing that this is a limited list. There are some colorful plants that produce pollens which are heavier and stickier. These plants will be less likely to cause irritants. Another suggestion is to consider cross referencing this list with a plant list that can cause skin rash sensitivities or are harmful to pets. Snake Plant (also called Mother-In-Law Tongue) Peace Lily Parlor Palm Areca Palm Lady Palm Bamboo Palm Dracaena Golden Pothos Dragon Tree (also called Marginata) Rubber Plant Philodendron Brasil Aloe Vera and other Succulents Horsehead Philodendron Dumb cane String of Pearls So, if you have been avoiding houseplants because of concern about allergies, know that there are houseplants out there that can provide the greenery, color and other benefits of houseplants this winter. Reference: “Healthy Living: How a Lab Founded with Mayo Clinic is Fine-tuning the Indoors”. By Liv Martin, September 13, 2021; Minnesota Monthly. https://ahsgardening.org “The Joys and Benefits of Indoor Gardening” Mayo Clinic website: “Allergy-proof your home” By Mayo Clinic Staff House Digest, “15 Best Houseplants for People with Allergies” by Kailen Skewis, October 16, 2022 Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “Smart Gardening: Tips for an Allergy-Friendly Garden”, AAFA Community Services, 4/18/18 Good Housekeeping, “10 Best Indoor Plants for your Health According to Research”, by Erica Sweeney, Juley 29, 2022 https://zyrtec.com/indoors “5 .“Best Allergy Friendly House Plants” Https://plantify.co.za Https://flonase.com/allergies , “Best and Worst Indoor Plants for Allergies” Photo Credit: Commons.wikimedia.org-Creative Commons (1), Gardening.stackexchange.com-Creative Commons (2), www.flickr.com-Creative Commons (3)

< Back To Every Weed (Turn, Turn, Turn) There is a Season (Turn, Turn, Turn) Marjory Blare, Master Gardener As you get excited about the growing season really getting going, you may also be seeing weeds popping up amongst your more intentional plantings. Wondering what you can do to keep those weeds in check? Read on for information from Master Gardener Marjory Blare on identifying weeds and some ideas for managing them. Weed: a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants. It is late spring, and I stand looking with satisfaction at the bucket of prickly lettuce seedlings at my feet, but make the mistake of glancing back at the hillside of shrubs and perennials. With a wilting feeling, I start seeing the vast number of Purselane and Spotted Spurge seedlings. By mid-summer Lambs Quarters, Redroot Pigweed, and Ragweed (achoo!) will have germinated. I know that come early fall I will be seeing Horseweed and Pineapple-weed. Identifying weeds can give you information on how to get rid of them, which are invasive, which are edible and which ones toxic or irritating to humans and/or animals. Knowing which weeds you have can tell you if you have compacted soils, rich soils or soils deficient in various nutrients. They can be annual (come up every year from seed), perennial (overwintering roots), or biennial (weeds that form a basal rosette the first year and produce flowers and seeds the second year). Weeds commonly germinate in the spring, some germinate in the fall, and there are others that come up just when you think your flower beds, pathways and gravel drives are weed free. Then, oh dear, there are the ones that can germinate, set seed and germinate again! Here are a few weeds you might encounter. For more resources on identifying and managing weeds: If you have a plant and want to know if it's a weed, this UMN Extension link will help you. https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/weed/ Here is the Extension site for lawn weeds and what to do about them. https://extension.umn.edu/lawn-care/lawn-weeds The DNR has this site to help you identify invasive weeds, and what to do about them, including reporting certain weeds to the DNR. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/index.html Here is one link to edible weeds, but, look for the coming Buzz article on edible weeds. https://my.chicagobotanic.org/tag/edible-weeds/ Weeds of the Upper Midwest by Teresa Marrone This is a book highly recommended by Dakota County Master Gardener Sally Macnamara “I know a weed when I see it. Although identifying a weed is not strictly necessary, it can be satisfying to know the enemy.” - Marjory Blare Photo Credit: Marjory Blare (1,3,4,5) & istock.com/photos/common-purslane (2)

< Back Winter Wild Bird Care – How to help our feathered friends survive in the frozen north BJ Hansell, Dakota County Master Gardener On September 22, the path of our Sun crossed the equator, headed south. We all know what’s coming to Minnesota: longer nights and lower temperatures. Our beautiful gardens are dying back, leaves are changing to stunning colors before dropping and blowing away, and many of our warm weather birds are departing for warmer climes. But some birds say in Minnesota year-round and other birds fly south to our state from the Arctic. We all enjoy watching beautiful, colorful birds in the winter. Here are some ideas for helping our winter resident birds make it through a Minnesota winter. While hummingbirds and orioles will be following the sun to the south, many birds will be heading south from the Arctic, to winter here. Others have adapted to staying year-round. As the temperatures drop, so do the food sources many birds rely on. While seeds may be available, protein in the form of insects is not. Providing those important foods and water, not only helps maintain a healthier bird population, but brings the joy of watching birds at our feeders; the bright red flash of the Cardinal, the raucous call of the Blue Jay, the gregarious flitting of chickadees. What a lovely way to brighten our bleak mid-winters. Here are some ideas for helping our winter resident birds make it through a Minnesota winter. Common Winter Residents We can surely be grateful that so many species have adapted to winters in Minnesota. Downy, Hairy, and Pileated Woodpeckers remain, as do Cardinals, Finches, Blue Jays, Nuthatches, Robins, and Chickadees. All of these birds will frequent backyard feeders as a source of a meal. Additionally, those harbingers of winter weather, the Dark-eyed Junco will feed on some seeds scattered on the snow. Bird Feeders-One type does not fit all Imagine sitting at your dinner table. Your chair is turned 90 degrees to the right and you must twist your upper body to face your plate. This is why some birds, usually smaller, are able to easily eat from a feeder that has short posts as perches while Cardinals and Jays find “fly-through” and “hopper” feeders, ones where they can perch facing the food easier to use. Cylinder feeders that have a tray to catch seeds that fall can be used by all of these birds. Unless you enjoy feeding squirrels, the feeders should be pole mounted at least 5 feet off the ground and 8 feet from a tree. A baffle on the pole will prevent squirrels and raccoons from climbing the pole and eating the food you specifically purchased for the birds. There are squirrel-proof feeders available as well. Keeping your bird seed dry and the feeders clean is imperative. Bird seed that gets damp could freeze, making it difficult for birds to eat. Furthermore, damp seed is prone to turning moldy and could make your birds sick. Bird feeders that are not cleaned regularly may harbor disease like mycoplasmal conjunctivitis which may lead to blindness and death. Domes for the feeders can help keep the seed dry and cleaning feeders at least monthly will reduce the likelihood of spreading disease. Glass, metal and plastic feeders should be cleaned with a diluted bleach solution (1:10) then thoroughly rinsed and dried. Wooden feeders can be cleaned with a weak vinegar and water solution Goldfinch with mycoplasmal conjunctivitis Bird Food – lots of fat and carbs, please It is quite easy to plan for winter bird feeding. The three main choices of food are large seeds, small seeds, and suet. Large seeds include black-oil sunflower, striped sunflower, safflower, peanuts, shelled corn, ear corn and cardinal mixes that contain sunflower, safflower and peanuts. About 80 to 90 percent of seed used in Minnesota is comprised of black-oil sunflower seeds and cardinal mixes. These have the greatest appeal to the broadest variety of winter birds and contain a high energy content. Small seeds like cracked corn or milo (sorghum) attract house sparrows and so it is best to avoid them. Nyger seed, a heat-treated thistle, is an excellent all-winter staple for American goldfinches, common and hoary redpolls, house and purple finches, and pine siskins. Furthermore, Dark-eyed Juncos will eat Nyjer scattered on the snow while squirrels will not! Suet provides high energy nutritional benefits. Pileated woodpeckers seem to prefer their suet on solid platforms instead of suspended feeders. Chickadees, woodpeckers, and nuthatches all benefit from a suet feeder. Water – it’s not easy to get A Black-Capped Chickadee weighs less than ½ ounce. It’s not hard to imagine the amount of energy it would expend to melt snow if that were its only source of water. Water is a critical ingredient of a winter-feeding program. The water needs a heating element and a thermostat. Several excellent birdbaths with heating elements and thermostats are available from bird-feeding supply stores. Five Best Winter Bird-Feeding Practices Select the best seed for the season. High fat and energy foods are important to get birds through the winter's cold nights. Water for drinking should be available. Remember snow requires energy to melt and energy is in short supply. Have multiple foods at multiple feeders. Suet, cylinder, hopper, and fly-through feeders can hold different foods and will attract different birds. Provide protection from predators. Having your feeders near bushes or a tree-line will give backyard birds a place to duck and cover should a hawk or cat come by. Maintain good feeder site hygiene. Clean and disinfect your feeders monthly to prevent diseases from spreading. Helping birds through the harsh Minnesota winters is both rewarding and enjoyable. It is a winter “win-win” for both the birds and us. Photo Credit: flickr.com (1), Douglas Hansell (2,3)