Show Date: 30 Sep 09
This is a fun project to do with the kids and get your yard cleaned! 

Pot of Yard Gold

Pot of Yard Gold 2

You’ll need:
• Terra cotta pot
• Pruning shears
• Twine
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Twigs/branches of various lengths, diameters and textures
• Pine cones
• Acorns
• Your imagination

Be sure to supervise the kids around those glue guns!  There are no limits, just remember that these pots are not permanent.  If you have them exposed to the elements, they will deteriorate.

Show Date: 29 Sep 09
When trees are planted in the wrong spot they start to take away from the beauty of your home rather than add to it.

Once the leaves start to drop you can safely move trees.  Listen to my podcast for complete instructions on “how-to”. 

Tree transplanting guide

The above guide tells you how deep and how wide you should dig the hole to safely move your tree according to it’s diameter. 

Once you’ve moved your tree, water it well up until the ground is frozen.  Don’t leave it soggy just hydrated!

Show Date: 28 Sep 09
Get ready, get set, get salt in your yard!

MNDOT salt truck

As salt trucks season your yard this winter you might consider these salt tolerant plants.

Shrubs:  Alpine Currant, Common Snowberry, Rugosa Rose

Trees:  Honeylocust, Poplar, Jack Pine, Ginkgo

Perennials:  Road salt tolerant perennials [MN Master Gardeners]

Show Date: 25 Sep 09
White plastic spirals around young fruit trees help protect them from critters and winter damage.

white spiral tree guard

The white reflects the sun so the bark doesn’t heat up too much.  If that happens, the sap will flow inside and then when the sun disappears and it’s cold, there’s a chance of the sap freezing which can damage the young tree. 

Don’t allow the spiral to be tight around the trunk and make sure it’s in the soil down about 2 inches.  You can organic products like “Hot Wax Pepper” or “Ropel” to deter deer and rabbits.

flaky mature bark of a Pear tree

Once your fruit tree has rough, flaky mature bark, neither the winter sun or critters can damage it!

Show Date: 24 Sep 09
This is the last week to put down a broadleaf herbicide.

Dandelions, plantain lily, white clover and wild violets are actively growing right now and that’s the time to GET ‘EM!

Now is not the time to put down fertilizer. Wait till late October.

Show Date: 23 Sep 09 
For zone 4 folks, the middle of October is a good time to plant garlic.  If you live in zone 3 then the end of September works best. 

Garlic parts!

Garlic grows best in sandy loam soil.  Make sure pointy side is up! 

Growing Garlic in Minnesota [U of MN Extension]

Show Date: 22 Sep 09

Boxelder bugs on Cimicifuga

 Plugging up your cracks can help cover your home from an invasion of the boxelder bug! 

Use caulk, expanding foam, small wire mesh and/or steel wool to cover cracks and crevises around windows and doors. 

Use ½ cup of laundry detergent in a gallon of water and spray your siding where they’ve congregated. 

Once BB’s are in your home, you can vacuum them up or just wait for them to die, which they will do in a few days.  

They do NOT reproduce in your home! 

Boxelder Bugs [University of MN Extension]

Show Date: 21 Sep 09
DVSM is descriptive! 

DVSM day one

DVSM day two

DVSM day three

This fascinating fungi creeps, crawls and changes color, form and texture within a couple of days and then moves on.

Show Date: 18 Sep 09 
Our ‘Edelweiss’ grapes have delivered!    

Grapes 'Edelweiss'

But are we making jam or jelly? Jam is made with the fruit, jelly is made with fruit juice. It may sound silly but I did not know that!

So what else didn’t I know in the great fruit spread vernacular? Here’s all you need to know on the subject:

Jams, Jellies and more [University of Ohio]

Here’s a lot more information on processing grapes for fruit spreads:

Grape Jams & Jellys [pdf]

Show Date: 17 Sep 09
Tomatoes have been later this year.  A lot of that has to do with the cooler temps this season. 

You may also need to rotate your crops.  Tomatoes and peppers need to be moved around so that the soil borne pests and diseases won’t have a continuous meal year after year. 

Your winter squash is ripe when the fruit is a deep, solid color.  Leave 2 inches of stem attached if possible when cutting from the vine. 

Grapes and apples are really coming into season now.  Jam is already being made!