Radio Show: Clay soil
Who hasn’t had THIS dilemma somewhere in Minnesota?  Clay soil!  When people ask how they can change their clay soil, I tell them the real question is WHAT can I plant in clay soil?

It’s always a great idea to add compost or manure to your soil but to try to change the basic soil structure is nearly impossible and a lot of work.  So….

Clay soil tolerant perennials:

• Daylilies offer loads of choices with differing bloom color, heights and bloom time
• Russian Sage
• Columbine – lovely in part shady areas
• Liatris prefers full sun
• Sedum with a large selection of choices too
• Purple Coneflower
• Black-eyed Susan
• Monarda aka Bee Balm
• New England aster
• wild cranesbill
• Grasses include ‘Karl Forester’ and ‘Little Bluestem’

Clay tolerant shrubs:

• lilacs
• Dogwood ‘Red osier’
• Black Chokeberry
• Dwarf bush honeysuckle

CATCH A NEW EPISODE OF “DIG IN MINNESOTA” THIS SUNDAY AT 9AM ON THE CW TWIN CITIES.  Ch. 23

Radio Show: Bumper Crop grafted tomatoes
Today is a special Garden Bite.  I talked with my friend Scott Mozingo from Burpee Home Gardens about their new grafted tomatoes.  Bumper Crop grafted tomatoes provide a summer’s supply of fruit,       promising 50 percent higher yield than traditional heirloom varieties.   By increasing resistance to soil-borne diseases and tolerance to hot and cold weather, Burpee Home Gardens helps gardeners to get more from their heirlooms — more fruit, more flavors and an extended harvest time.

Burpee Bumper Crop

Burpee Grafted tomatoes

You can get 50% more delicious fruit of an heirloom variety planting Burpee’s new grafted tomatoes.  Be sure to follow the planting directions, these are one tomato you do NOT want to plant deep.  It’s important to keep the graft above the soil line.  Check out this video for more instruction.  Bumper Crop grafted tomatoes

Burpee has grafted two of my personal favorite heirloom varieties, ‘Black Krim’ and ‘Big Rainbow’.  Check your local garden center for Burpee’s Bumper Crop tomatoes.

Radio Show: Mud pies are good for kids (and adults)
Finally, research confirms dirt’s good for you…  even eating it is okay.  Well, so long as you don’t over indulge!

There’s a certain bacteria in soil that reportedly raises serotonin levels in the brain leading to a more relaxed and happy kid (or adult).

The National Wildlife Federation reports that bacteria along with parasites and viruses help build strong immune systems.  Kids that are kept in an ultraclean environment are more likely to suffer from asthma and allergies.

“The Garden is no place to stress for success but to soak up some sun and renew your Spirit” by Teri Knight

SO, get out there and GET DIRTY!!

Radio Show: Hankering for Hydrangea
Bounce down any street in Minnesota and you’ll likely meet a lot more smiles now that the weather has finally turned!  Oh, I know we could have severe weather but our bodies have been waiting for these warmer temps and our fingers itching to get into the soil!

I’ve been tempted by a couple of hydrangea.  ‘Incrediball’ is an apt name for this gorgeous arborescens.

The green to white to green blooms on this baby are an enormous 4 times the normal size.  This is a fast growing hydrangea arborescens that will reach 5 feet tall and wide.  But don’t expect that the first year.  Let it adjust!  I’ve read several reviews of ‘Incrediball’ and they were all very good.  Hardy to zone 4, Minnesota can rock this plant!  The shrub flowers from June into September in sun to part sun.  Then enjoy the drying flowers past winter.  And here’s another bonus, it doesn’t flop over.

For another beauty, this one from our own Bailey Nurseries here in Minnesota, comes a paniculata named ‘Vanilla Strawberry’.

Hydrangea ‘Vanilla Strawberry’

‘Vanilla Strawberry’ was named the top plant in 2010 by the American Nursery and Landscape Association.  It’s flowers start as a milky white then progress to strawberry red a couple of weeks later, staying that color for nearly a month.  New flower heads continue opening into late summer, which means you’ll see all three color stages at any one time. The blooms are borne on red stems, creating quite a contrast against the green leaves.   ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ can grow to 7 feet tall with a 5 foot spread and flowers from July to September.

If you feel you must have a blue hydrangea, then know you will have to amend the soil from the start and every year thereafter.  Not that people don’t do that, but, for me, I’d rather grow a plant that works in the soil I have.  The year after ‘Endless Summer’ came out, Master Gardeners were calling it Endless Bummer because it did so poorly.  One of the reasons was it’s penchant for more moisture than most hydrangeas need.

Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer’

Aside from making sure this hydrangea gets plenty of moisture, you need to amend your soil to retain the blue color of the flowers.  In Minnesota, most of us have more alkaline soil which turns the flowers pink.  For blue, the soil needs to be more acidic.  Your soil’s pH must be between 5 and 5.8.  It would make a good large container planting.  You have more control over the soil.  Elemental sulfur is used yearly to keep the flowers blue.

Radio Show: Fertilizing annuals and perennials
Yes, there’s a difference.  Because annuals live their entire life cycle in one season, they do well with more fertilizer treatments.  Also, if they’re in containers, the fertilizer runs out much quicker.  Perennials have the advantage of establishing their roots deeper in the soil and the fertilizer lingers longer.

The Donahue sisters compete with each other creating containers

Always follow package directions OR use less!  Never use more.  For great blooms, use a 10-20-10 fertilizer.  The middle number is phosphorus and is responsible for fruits, blooms and roots.

N = Nitrogen – foliage

P = Phosphorus – blooms/fruits and roots

K = Potassium – overall plant health

If it’s fantastic foliage then go for a 20-10-10 fertilizer.  You can rarely go wrong with an all-purpose fertilizer such as 10-10-10.  Perennials could use a little power boost each Spring, so now would be a good time to fertilize them.  You can always top dress your plants as well.  Adding compost right on top of the soil works for water retention and gives them some macro and micro nutrients.

Coreopsis ‘Route 66′

If you’re perennials look pooped they may just need some fertilizer.  They could be overcrowded too.  Typically MOST perennials need to be divided every 3 years.

NOTE:  the new WAVE petunias and pansies could do with a little more fertilizer because they grow so fast, and to such beautiful lengths.   Plant them with slow release fertilizer and give them an extra boost every couple of weeks, especially if they’re in containers.

Radio Show: lawn care
Spring done sprung!  Wahoo….

• Go ahead and rake your lawn but still be fairly gentle with those grass roots, unless you have mostly weeds, then metal rake away!
• You can reseed your lawn  but make sure you’ve got good seed to soil contact and you’re using the right seed to fit the area’s sun/shade conditions.

• 

  lawn prep

• Late May or early June is the first time you should put fertilizer on your lawn.   If you fertilize too early, you’ll wind up with more shoot growth than root growth.  In other words, you’ll have a top heavy lawn which might not be able to support itself.

repaired lawn

• The best time to fertilize is late October or November.  By that time, plant growth will have slowed down and nutrients will go into the roots and crowns rather than into new leaves and you’ll come out next year with a healthier lawn which will reduce weeds!  But I know lots of folks want that pretty green lawn now… so, go ahead and fertilize first in late May and then in July and finally in late October.
•  Your fertilized lawn or any lawn, to look it’s best, should receive an inch of water a week.  It’s especially important to water if you’ve fertilized as you don’t want to burn your lawn.  Another thought is to use less fertilizer than the package says.  Never use more.
• Set your mowing height at 3 to 3 ½ inches .  Mow often so that you’re removing no more than a third of the height each time.  This reduces stress on the plants and allows you to leave the grass clippings on the lawn which will add nitrogen, moisture and organic matter to the soil.
• Also vary the direction and pattern of mowing, that’ll reduce wear and tear on your lawn.

Radio Show: Gooseberries and Currants
Amid the world of raspberries and strawberries come a couple of tarts worth a go!

Gooseberries and Currants are closely related, they’re also prevalent in Minnesota.  They’re tolerant of most types of soil, some shade tolerance but do best in sun.  Don’t plant under the shade of a tree as they’ll compete too much for moisture.

The gooseberries you mostly see are green but the University of Minnesota came up with this cultivar in 1957.  ‘Welcome’…

Gooseberry ‘Welcome’

A tried and true abundant producer.  Red, sweet-tart berries ripen on long curving branches in late spring or early summer.  Eat fresh or use in pies and jams.  Fruit freezes well.  More shade tolerant than other varieties.   Hardy to -40°F.   Grows to 3 feet tall and about 5 feet wide.

In 1933 the University of Minnesota created ‘Red Lake’ currant – it’s still the top seller.

Currant ‘Red Lake’

Greetings Garden Biters…  Friday is National Public Garden Day and I had the opportunity to visit with someone I’ve admired for many years!  Paul James, the Garden Guy.  The gardener behind “Gardening by the Yard” – a show I watched religiously for tips and for the enthusiastic, natural, FUN way Paul gardened.

Paul James and me

Paul gave a lively presentation at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on Wednesday evening and I had the opportunity to talk with him beforehand.  Here’s a snippet of why he’s at the Arb.

Paul James on National Public Garden Day

I’ll have more of our nearly 30 minute interview on future Garden Bites!  Paul talks about his old show, what it meant to him, climate zone change and a whole lot more!

Celebrate National Public Gardens Day on Friday, May 10, by visiting Minnesota’s premiere public garden, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Gate admission will be free for all visitors on this special day. This year, the Arboretum is attempting to break the world record for the “Largest Tree Hug” at noon in the Shade Tree Exhibit on Three-Mile Drive! The current record is 702 people, set by the Forestry Commission (UK) in Delamere Forest in Cheshire, United Kingdom. Come help break the record!

Tentative schedule of events:

• All day: Free gate admission for all visitors
• 10 a.m.-noon: book-signing with author Jim Gilbert in the Gift Store. *Special Arboretum books will be free with qualifying purchase in the Gift Store.
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: “Arboretum Department Expo” in the Visitor Center for visitors to learn more about the staff. Spin-the-wheel for prize giveaways.
• Noon-1 p.m.: Record-breaking attempt at the Largest Tree Hug in the Shade Tree Exhibit on Three-Mile Drive. Those interested in participating are asked to begin arriving at 11:30 a.m. onward. A picture will be taken of this attempt and participants will sign a record book.

If you’ve never been to the Arboretum you are truly missing out.  I have been a member of the Arb for nearly 20 years and LOVE exploring this Minnesota treasure in every season.

Dig In Minnesota will be shooting new episodes at the Landscape Arboretum to air coming up in late May!  Stay tuned and please find Dig In Minnesota on Facebook and Garden Bite on Facebook to see more better pictures of Paul James!  He’s quite a charmer!

Radio Show: Perennial support
Some day when our gardens are growing, we’ll have perennials that will need a little extra support!

Stakes and Twine (I prefer old nylons) are good for tall perennials like Hollyhock, Foxglove and Delphiniums.

Bamboo stakes and nylon

Flower  hoops are good for Sedum, Asters, Euphorbia and Peonies too!

Flower hoop

I found these curved linking stakes at Gardener’s Supply for any size plant and you can place them after the plant has grown…

Curved linking stakes

This one I found at Lee Valley.  It’s not cheap but worth a look-see:

Peony support – Lee Valley

These half-round supports came from Gardener’s Supply and work well for Baptisia, Russian Sage, Heliopsis and Boltonia as well as Blackeyed Susans.

Half round support

And finally a look at Loop stakes for Gladiolas, Phlox and Lilies or any single stem flowers.  I found these at Kinsmen Company

Loop stake – stem support

Radio Show: Baseball and a Rose
What in the world would those 2 have in common?  Well, let me tell ya!  I just saw a beautifully unique rose offered by White Flower Farm that made me think of baseball.

Rose ‘Ketchup and Mustard’

Here went my line of thinking:  ketchup and mustard go on a hot dog, the only place I generally eat a hot dog is at a Twins game – therefore the theme of today’s Garden Bite.  Baseball and a Rose!  Check out the above link directly to ‘Ketchup and Mustard’.

This is a zone 5 rated floribunda rose which means it will require extra attention.  As you know, I don’t care much for fussy plants but this one was so beautiful I had to share it and, well, it IS baseball season!  Go Twins!

Another baseball themed rose is called ‘Home Run’ from Proven Winners

Rose ‘Home Run’

Like its father (Knock Out), ‘Home Run’ has excellent resistance to black spot.  Unlike Knock Out, ‘Home Run’ is also completely resistant to powdery mildew and has a higher level of tolerance to downy mildew as well.  This baby is low maintenance and blooms all summer.  Hardy to zone 4

NOTE:  Due to the ridiculous Spring we’ve had, my crew and I at Dig In Minnesota have had to postpone shooting new television episodes for a couple of weeks.  Expect new stuff mid May!