< Back Make Chile Rellenos from Your Poblano Peppers Joy Johnson, Dakota County Master Gardener Joy Johnson planted a variety pack of pepper seeds that produced an abundance of peppers. In this article, she provides a recipe for using the Poblano Peppers to make Chile Rellenos. She promises that the making is easy and the result is delicious! Chile Rellenos Ingredients: 6 fresh poblano or Anaheim chile peppers 1 - 8 oz. package queso asadero (white Mexican cheese), cut into ¾-inch thick strips 2 large eggs, separated 1 tsp baking powder ¾ cup all -purpose flour 1 cup vegetable shortening or canola oil for frying Process: Preheat the oven broiler; set the oven rack about 6 inches below the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers onto the prepared baking sheet and broil until skins are blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. Use tongs to rotate peppers often to char all sides. Place blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to steam as they cool, about 15 minutes. Remove skin from peppers, then cut a slit down the long side of each one to remove seeds and core. Rinse peppers inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff peppers with strips of cheese. Whisk egg yolks and baking powder in a bowl until combined. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold beaten whites into the yolk mixture. Place flour into a separate shallow bowl. Melt vegetable shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Roll each stuffed pepper in flour, tap off excess flour, and dip into the egg mixture to coat both sides. Gently lay coated peppers into the hot shortening. Fry peppers until lightly golden brown and cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side. Eat and enjoy! Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4,5)

< Back MICRO FOOD Gardening Intrigued by the idea of growing your greens indoors this winter? Gail Maifeld reviews a book that explains how to practice Micro Food Gardening successfully in your kitchen. Jen McGuinness Reviewed by Gail Maifeld, Master Gardener A fascinating introduction to MICRO FOOD Gardening. This type of gardening is for the tiny space gardener, roof top gardener, or small lot garden which focuses on varieties bred for small spaces. MICRO FOOD Gardening: Plant plans and plants for growing fruits and veggies in tiny spaces includes the usual gardening care info about soil choices, watering, seeds, and the use of fertilizers. This form of gardening is all about plants that stay compact and are bred to be grown on the kitchen table, windowsill, or window box. Look for nursery grown plants that specify container gardening. There is a chapter on repurposing pots, planters and containers in unique ways. A strawberry pyramid of three cake pans, or reusing an aquarium are suggested. Each example includes a list of supplies and assembly steps. Many of the projects focus on specific themes such as a salsa garden or a bicycle basket lettuce garden Organized with highlighted lists of supplies and many pictures. An extensive resource list, a table of contents & index result in an easily used book. MICRO FOOD Gardening is an entertaining option for those who live in tiny spaces. Photo Credit: Book Cover

< 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 Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash Marjorie Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener Looking for a special vegetable dish for the holidays? Or, how about a vegetable-main dish combination perfect for cold winter nights? What vegetable could fit the bill better than butternut squash? This recipe will make your mouth water and your tummy full. Ingredients Topping : 1/4 cup crumbled Feta Fresh marjoram, parsley or oregano as a garnish Honey (optional) Filling: 1lb. (uncooked) of your favorite sausage Squash: 1 large Butternut Squash, halved and seeded 2 TBSP Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste or, Garlic salt and smoked paprika. Directions Preheat oven or grill to 400° Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush olive oil on squash halves. Make several cuts in the neck and cube the neck, putting the cubes in the seed cavity. Season to taste with salt and pepper or garlic salt and smoked paprika. 4. Stuff with the sausage. If using the grill, place on an aluminum baking sheet, or whatever you might ordinarily use. Cook cut side up for 40-45 minutes or until done. Top with feta cheese. Drizzle with honey, if desired. Run under broiler for a bit, if you want more color. Garnish with fresh marjoram, parsley or oregano. Enjoy! Photo Credit: Marjorie Blare (1-5)

< Back What Will This Warm Winter Do To My Plants And Is Dakota County Warmer? Some of us enjoyed our strangely warm winter and others of us mourned the lack of snow and cold temperatures. But for gardeners, the main concerns now center around questions like – what effect will the warm, snowless winter have on my plants; on how I prune my trees and shrubs; and what about the bug population? And looking beyond this year, is Minnesota warming? And, if so, what does that mean for the plants I have or will plant? Read this article for some answers to your questions. Marjorie Blare, Dakota County Master Gardener & Julie Harris, Dakota County Master Gardener How Will the Warm Winter Affect My Plants This Year? The lack of cold and snow may have some effect on your plants, shrubs and trees but there are some things that you can do now, and in the future, to mitigate the damage. Which plants are likely to be affected depends somewhat on your fall preparation and on other factors, such as the plant species. Fortunately, the University of Minnesota Extension experts have prepared an excellent article that provides answers to all of these questions. Click this link to access a thorough discussion and practical advice for dealing with the effects of our warm winter. How does the 2023 hardiness zone change affect my garden? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) produces a “plant hardiness zone map,” which is a tool based on average annual extreme winter temperatures. The zone map can help gardeners decide which plants may grow well in their garden. Of course, other factors affect whether a plant will thrive in your garden, notably - soil, sun, water and care. But the zone map is a helpful tool and so is something of which you should be aware. In 2023, the USDA updated the zone maps for the first time since 2012. The 2023 USDA hardiness zone map documents the average minimum temperatures of weather from 1991 to 2020. There are 13 zones in the USDA zone map, divided into 10 degree increments. The larger numbers are warmer zones and smaller numbers are cooler zones. Each zone is also divided into half zones (“a” and “b”) which indicate a 5 degree change in temperature. It’s a pretty good bet that a plant that can thrive in zone 13 is not going to thrive in zone 4. So, the farther south you are the warmer it gets, right? Well, not always. In the 2012 zone map, Dakota county was in the 4b zone . In the 2023 zone map, parts of Dakota County are in 5a (-20 to -15) and others are in 4b (-25 to -20). Significantly, the 2023 map is able to show variations due to “heat sinks” near cities, mountains and bodies of water. In other words, cities tend to hold more heat because they include large areas of concrete and blacktop. Areas of the county closer to the Twin Cities are actually warmer than farther south! But note that more of southwestern Minnesota is now in the 5a zone as well. Being aware of your zone will allow you to make better choices when you buy plants. Plants that were once marginally hardy in the Dakota County area may now have a higher chance of surviving. When you buy a plant at your local nursery, they may have a tag that gives you the zones in which it is hardy. Before, you might have passed over “Reticulated Iris” (zones 5-9). Now, if you live in an area in the (5a) heat sink of the Twin Cities, you might give it a shot. References: blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu Updated USDA hardiness zoning maps Madeline Wimmer, Extension Educator, Fruit Crops Images: The new 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Minnesota (left) and previous from 2... extension.umn.edu A new plant hardiness zone map from the USDA Using data collected from over 13,000 weather stations during a 30-year period, the new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map provides higher resolution and more accurate zonal information. Photo Credits: Photo 1 – Pixabay.com (All Creative Commons), Photo 2 – University of Minnesota Extension

< Back Wild Bergamot, the Bees’ Delight Jim Lakin MD, Master Gardner Watching bees and butterflies hovering over lavender-topped Wild Bergamot on a quiet summer afternoon is a delightful moment. It is just one of the reasons to include this native plant in your garden. Read this article to learn more about the environmental benefits and other charms of this beautiful plant. There are a number of varieties of Monarda fistulosa , differing in their color and odor. As you might imagine it is a popular source of nectar for bees, hummingbirds and butterflies as well as being a larval host for the orange mint moth and the hermit sphinx moth. It has been widely used as a medicinal plant by Native Americans and indeed it is high in thymol, an organic compound with antimicrobial properties. Bergamot grows fairly easily in any good garden soil in full sun to partial shade. Clumps of plants divide easily. It can be grown from seed although stratification (exposure to damp cold air) for a month helps. It is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) although it is not terribly invasive. Bergamot forms clumps which can reach 4 feet. It works nicely as a perennial border but it is at its best in a natural landscape or in a prairie restoration, blooming in late summer. That blooming produces lipped, light to dark lavender purple flowers, arranged in a whorl around a rounded flower head. The seed heads will hold into the winter providing visual interest as well as distinctive bergamot aroma. Speaking of aroma, being a native herb, the dried or macerated leaves can be boiled to produce a fragrant tea. It usually is quite hardy, although Wild Bergamot does tend to develop mildew on the leaves in late summer. This is a purely cosmetic issue and not one to warrant a chemical onslaught. Instead, relax and enjoy bergamot’s showy flowers and swarms of colorful, intriguing insects. Photo credit: My Patriot Supply (1), Jeff Fleming (2) & Julie Harris (3)

< 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 Tips for Safely Growing and Harvesting Vegetables and Fruit in Your Garden Mary Gadek, Dakota County Master Gardener With the warming weather, Minnesota gardeners are starting to plant their edible crops. So, it is a good time to review tips for safely growing and harvesting vegetables and fruits in your garden. The safe garden produce preparation, maintenance, harvesting, storage and serving steps in this article help avoid foodborne illnesses from your garden fruits and vegetables. With the warming weather, Minnesota gardeners are starting to plant their edible crops. So, it is a good time to review tips for safely growing and harvesting vegetables and fruits in your garden. The safe garden produce preparation, maintenance, harvesting, storage and serving steps in this article help avoid foodborne illnesses with your garden fruits and vegetables. Why Safety Tips are Needed Foodborne illness caused by the naturally occurring bacteria, viruses, molds and/or pathogens found on raw produce not carefully washed or prepared can make you sick. (Note: These microorganisms are present in your garden whether you choose to use organic or conventional gardening methods). Additionally, it is also possible to get sick from contamination of produce from chemicals, such as cleaning solutions, fertilizers, pesticides, and heavy metals (lead) and other chemicals that may be found in garden soil or well water. Safely Growing and Harvesting Produce in Your Garden Site Preparation Locate your produce gardens away from manure piles, well caps, garbage cans, septic systems and areas where wildlife or the family pets roam. Use compost safely. Compost is the natural breakdown of organic materials, and also a source of pathogens. To be safe for gardening, your compost must reach a temperature of at least 130°F. Check the temperature with a compost thermometer. Do not use any animal waste, including pet waste, meat scraps or dairy product waste, in your compost bin. Garden Maintenance Use a safe water source, such as from municipal or public water systems. Avoid lakes, streams, ponds and streams as a water source, where they can be polluted by human sewage or animal waste, fertilizers and pesticides from lawns and farm fields, or chemicals from industry. Ground water, the source for well water, is less likely to have microbial contaminants, but test your well water yearly to ensure it is safe. Curtail animals and birds near your vegetation during the gardening season, by keeping pets away, minimizing vegetation at the edges to decrease nesting and hiding places for rats and mice, and stopping feeding of wild animals and birds near your produce garden. Discourage your backyard critters with the use of fencing and noise deterrents. Harvesting Use clean containers, preferably food-grade containers, to set your harvest in. Containers, such as garbage cans or old plastic bags, that originally held chemicals such as household cleaners or pesticides are not food-grade. Use clean hands or clean gloves (that have not been used to stir compost or pull weeds) when picking produce. Do not harvest when you are sick or have symptoms of an illness. Brush, shake or rub off any excess garden soil or debris before bringing produce into the kitchen. Watch out for signs of animals like scat, fur and nibbled produce, and discard the produce that is close to these signs, or that has visible animal feces on it. Storage If you choose to wash fruits and vegetables before storing, be sure to dry them thoroughly with a clean paper towel. (Never wash berries until you are ready to eat them.) If you choose to store without washing, shake, rub or brush off any garden dirt with a paper towel or soft brush while still outside. Store unwashed produce in plastic bags or containers. Keep fruit and vegetable bins clean. When washing produce fresh from the warm outdoors, the rinse water should not be more than 10 degrees colder than the produce. If you are washing refrigerated produce, use cold water. Fruits and vegetables needing refrigeration can be stored at 40° F or less. Fruits and vegetables stored at room temperature (onions, potatoes, tomatoes) should be in a cool, dry, pest-free, well-ventilated area separate from household chemicals. Canning and Preserving: Follow the USDA guidelines and jar instructions for safe canning: https://nchfp.uga.edu Serving Always wash your hands before serving. Always wash your produce before eating. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under cool, running, clean water, even if you do not plan to eat the skin or rind. Never use soap, detergent, or bleach solution to wash fresh fruits or vegetables. These solutions can affect flavor and may not be safe to ingest. Most root vegetables will need to be washed (before going into the kitchen) to remove sand and soil. Use a clean bucket or spray table outside to spray or dunk the produce to remove soil. Avoid bringing the produce into your home kitchen before using, as there is more potential for cross-contamination. Avoid cross-contamination when preparing fruits and vegetables, which occurs when a clean work surface, such as a cutting board or utensil (paring knife) or uncontaminated food is contaminated by dirty work surfaces, utensils, hands or food. If you have leftover produce that has been cut, sliced, or cooked, store it in clean, air-tight containers in the refrigerator at 40°F or less. Fresh, home-grown vegetables and fruit can be a delicious pleasure. Follow these simple rules to make sure they are also safe for you and your family to enjoy. Sources: https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/manual/five-steps-food-safe-fruit-vegetable-gardening/ https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/harvest-your-garden-produce-safely Photo Credit: Mary Gadek (1,2,3)

< Back Dividing Bearded Iris Janelle Rietz-Kamenar, Master Gardener Your spectacular bearded iris have finished blooming. What do you to keep them coming back just as gorgeous next year? Irises need to be divided every 2 to 5 years in order to maintain full, healthy blooms and avoid insects such as the iris borer or diseases such as soft rot. The good news is that it is relatively easy to do! The night before, water the iris to insure moist soil when digging them up. And decide where you are going to put the extra bulbs in your garden after you do divide them. Remember that iris prefer well drained soil and full sun. Use a shovel/pitch fork to dig around the iris being careful to lift clumps while maintaining roots attached to the rhizomes. Gently remove soil from the rhizomes. You can use a garden hose if necessary. Divide the iris rhizomes with a pruning shears or a sharp knife using natural divisions. Make sure that you include part of the rhizome, some roots, and a fan of leaves. Cut the foliage back approximately 6 inches. If the foliage is yellow or you see dark streaks, inspect for iris borer and either discard those rhizomes with the borer or if limited damage, eliminate the borers and save the rhizomes being careful to cut out any damaged parts. Disinfect the cutting tools between cuts to prevent the spread of disease. Remove any older spongy growth. To prevent infection, the rhizome can be soaked for about half an hour in a 10% bleach solution, if desired. They can also be treated with sulfur dust or an insecticide/fungicide if pest problems are severe. These steps are usually not needed. Soaked rhizomes, however, would need to dry in a shady place prior to re-planting. It is also recommended that you allow the cut rhizomes to cure for a few hours before replanting in a cool place. When replanting, give the rhizomes space to grow by planting 12 to 18 inches apart. Make sure the rhizome is planted shallowly on a mound and just cover the rhizome. Avoid planting too deeply. Iris are often planted in groups of three arranged in a triangle, with each fan of leaves pointing away from the other irises in the group. Additional information and step by step pictures are provided on the following websites: Dividing Bearded Iris or Divide Peonies and Iris in August. Photo credits: Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin Extension (1, 2, 3)

< Back Winter Hardy Cacti in Minnesota Sarah Heidtke, Dakota County Master Gardener Cactus – does not only grow in the desert! Who knew? There are cacti that are not only winter hardy, but native to Minnesota? Read on to learn more about how you can grow a cactus garden in your yard. On a cool November day, I found myself standing in front of something I didn’t expect - a cactus garden in Minnesota. This particular garden is a gift from the St. Paul Garden Club and is located right on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Campus, outside the Conservatory & Botanical Collection (free and open to the public most weekdays 9am-3pm). According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, our state is home to three native cacti: Brittle Prickly Pear ( opuntia fragilis ). This cactus may develop a pretty yellow flower but the spikes of this plant are not pretty and no fun. Handle with care as the spikes can easily get stuck in your hand. They cactus is easily spread through the fur, feet, or skin of a passing animal as a piece of the plant will tear away - leading to the “brittle” name. The plant will be carried along by the animal and, at some point, dropped to grow in a new location. Plains Prickly Pear ( opuntia polyacantha ). This cactus has longer spines and pretty yellow flowers. It forms a mat that will spread along the rocks and grassland - or in your rock garden. Ball cactus, also called Pincushion cactus ( coryphantha vivipara or escobaria vivipara . ) This cactus is part of the UMN Landscape Arboretum rare species work because the plant and its native habitat are endangered by land use, including granite mining operations. The Arboretum and conservation partners are leading a project to seed bank and translocate seedlings to protected areas. They are creating educational displays at the Arb, and will eventually train local volunteers to take on the responsibility of monitoring these populations. In their native habitats, cacti prefer rocky soil and drier grasslands. In Minnesota, this environment is mostly found in the western counties. Gardeners can mimic these conditions with well-drained soil in raised beds and rock gardens. Amending the soil with gravel can improve drainage. Cacti are able to store water and nutrients for a long time in their stems, which helps them to survive the extreme temperature and moisture conditions found throughout the seasons in Minnesota. Cacti will often grow in crevices and crannies along rock slabs; they use the heat stored in the rocks when the sun shines to help them survive our cold winters. So, if you are drawn the desert look or are looking for a plant that will grow in your rock garden, consider these Minnesota native cacti for your garden. For more information and photos of Minnesota native cacti, including teacher resources, visit https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/issues/2024/jul-aug/yn.html For more information about the University of Minnesota CBS Conservatory and Botanical Collection, visit cbs.umn.edu For more information about the Arboretum’s rescue projects and conservation partners, visit https://arb.umn.edu/plant-rescues Photo Credits: UMN Landscape Arboretum (1), Sarah Heidtke (2,3,,4),Peter M. Dziuk, Minnesota Wildflowers https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/pincushion-cactus (5)

< Back Using the Last Frozen Vegetables to make Tasty Tacos and Springtime Cake Joy Johnson, Master Gardener It’s May, you may have a few things peeking up in your garden, or maybe you’re like me and nothing is up yet, and nothing is ready for picking. I’m still living off of veggies that I canned, froze or dried last fall. Here is a crowd-pleasing recipe that makes use of my canned tomatoes, frozen corn and ground venison. You can use ground beef or ground turkey too. It also has corn chips on it, and those are a favorite! It’s very easy to freeze fresh tomatoes. Just pull off any stem, wash and put into freezer baggies and put in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, take them out of the bag and run them under hot water, the skins will peel right off by rubbing them with your thumbs. Cut out the stem spot and chop for your recipe. You’ll have that wonderful garden fresh tomato taste. Corn Bread Taco Casserole Ingredients 2 pounds ground venison, beef or turkey 2 envelopes taco seasoning 2 cups diced canned tomatoes, drained 1 cup water 1 cup cooked rice 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles 2 packages (8-1/2 ounces each) cornbread/muffin mix 1 cup whole kernel corn 1 cup sour cream 2 cups corn chips 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese, divided 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained Topping: Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and chopped red onion Directions Preheat oven to 400°. In a frying pan oven, cook venison over medium heat until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. Add tomatoes, water, rice and green chiles; heat through, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare cornbread mix according to package directions; stir in corn. Pour half the batter into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with half the meat mixture, all the sour cream, half the corn chips and 1 cup cheese. Top with remaining batter, remaining meat mixture and olives. Bake, uncovered, until cornbread is cooked through, 55-60 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup corn chips and 1 cup cheese; bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. If desired, serve with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. Char’s Springtime Cake Some of you may have rhubarb peeking up, but due to our very cold early spring, I doubt it’s ready to pick. I had one package of rhubarb left from last fall in my freezer. I pick the last of my rhubarb in the fall just before it frosts and I wash, cut it into small pieces, put it in a freezer container and freeze it until early spring, like now, when I’m dying for a fresh spring taste of something from the garden. This recipe was adapted from one handed down to me from my wonderful step-mom who passed away last August, from COVID. Hers calls for all rhubarb, but since I didn’t have that much in the freezer, I substituted frozen strawberries and blueberries for part of the rhubarb. This was taste tested by family and friends and determined to be a wonderful taste of spring and summer! Directions Blend: 1 c. flour ½ c. butter 5T. powdered sugar Mix and press into a 13x9 pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden at 350 degrees. Mix: 3 eggs 2 ½ c. flour ¼ tsp salt ¾ tsp baking powder Add: 1 ½ cups rhubarb cut into small chunks 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries 1 ½ cups blueberries Pour over crust and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm. Photo Credit: Joy Johnson (1,2,3,4)

< Back Is it Too Late to Plant . . .? Mickey Scullard, Master Gardener Now it’s June and for many reasons, you don’t have your garden planted. Is it too late? This article explains why the answer is a resounding No! There are many vegetables and annuals that have a shorter time to maturation and will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your June labor. Read on to learn how to save your summer planting enjoyment. Now it’s June and for many reasons, you don’t have your garden planted. Is it too late? The resounding and reassuring answer is – No! And the answer is also – it depends. There are many vegetables and flowers that you can plant in June and still get a good harvest. However, there are a few plants that need a long growing season and planting in June might not provide sufficient time for flowers or vegetables to mature. This year, we’ve had a cool, wet spring and many of the perennials (plants that grow back every year) are ‘behind schedule,’ emerging or blooming at least a couple of weeks late. This suggests we already have a delayed planting season and even gardens planted early might be growing slowly or may even need to be replanted if the seeds rotted in the wet soil or tiny plants experienced a frost or freeze. How do you know what you can plant? There are some key items to look at – read the back of the seed packages, if you are sowing seeds, or tags inserted into plants you purchase. The back of the seed package tells you when it is best to plant the seeds, how long before the seed will germinate (when you can expect to see green pushing up out of the ground), and how long to harvest if the seed is going to produce vegetables. If the seed package says 90 days until harvest, you can plant it, but you might not get to pick anything unless we have a long, warm fall. In the picture, you can see Turnips have an estimated 45 days to harvest, so that would work but Parsnips are harvested 95 days after sowing. Even in a good growing year, Parsnips might be a gamble. If the package says the vegetable is a cool season crop, like peas, lettuce, or spinach, you might want to wait until late summer to plant as we are (usually) heading into our hottest growing time in late June, July, and August. You may have missed the spring season harvest, but you have an opportunity to enjoy the vegetable in the Fall. For more information on planting for fall harvest, see the Mid-Summer Planting Guide on the University of Minnesota Extension website. It also has excellent online resources and a handy “at a glance chart” on when to plant: Planting and Growing Guides If you were not able to start seeds yourself for plants needing more growing time than we have in a Minnesota summer, you could consider buying plants from garden centers or nurseries. This will increase your chances of planting late but still successfully growing longer season plants. Flowers don’t have the same timescale on their packages, but you can gather some hints from how the package describes planting. For example, if the package directs you to start the seed inside several weeks before outdoor planting, this may be a flower that needs a longer season than we have in Minnesota. This is not a hard and fast rule, however, as Zinnia packages suggest starting seeds indoors a few weeks before planting. You can successfully direct seed Zinnias – and many other flower seeds – through late June - early July. Just a word of caution: perennials can be sold in seed packets, but will take several years to reach maturity and bloom. To learn whether the flower you want to grow is an annual or perennial, and more information about many types of flowers and flower landscapes, e.g., pollinator gardens, you can refer to - UMN Extension Flowers In the end, especially with seeds, it never hurts to try. One year, I planted sunflowers, cosmos, and zinnias on the Fourth of July – all by seed – and by mid-August, had a pollinator’s paradise and riots of color to enjoy from my deck until Fall. Planting in June is very doable and, while you might have to watch neighbors and friends enjoying their garden harvest while you wait, you will be able to eat your own home-grown vegetables – just a little later. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Extension (2) & Mickey Scullard (1,3)