October perennial care or not…


Tue. Oct. 2, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  October perennial care or not…

We just had some crazy wild weather where I live in southeastern Minnesota.  There’s still debate over whether it was 10 tornadoes or 6, nonetheless,  we’re all feeling grateful that no lives were lost but firewood is going to be real cheap next year!

The Old Farmers Almanac says our Upper Midwest weather for the winter is going to be a little warmer and drier.  We shall see!

Aside from storm cleanup, there  … [Continue reading]

Virus and Fungal spots on fruit – can I eat that?


Mon. Oct. 1, 2018

Click on the link below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Virus and Fungal spots on fruit – can I eat that?

Last week I told you about my listener with watermelon mosaic virus,

this type of virus and others like it, can create some pretty weird things on squash and melons including funky fungal growths, sunken spots and scabs.  The question becomes, can you eat that fruit?   For my listener, Sandee, who has the WMV…. she sent pics, and yes, you can eat that fruit. … [Continue reading]

Protecting young fruit trees


Fri. Sep. 28, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Protecting young fruit trees

Harvesting ‘Honeycrisp’ apples from your backyard is a slice of heaven here on Earth!  But the bunnies love their bark.  Young fruit trees are especially vulnerable to rabbits.  Trees that are 3 years old and younger.

Protect those trees this winter with a simple solution.  The plastic white spiral guard.  Google tree guard and there are a multitude!

This prevents rabbits and voles from getting to your bark and the white reflects the suns  … [Continue reading]

Apple trees in Cold climates


Thu. Sep. 27, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Apple trees in Cold climates

Oh, apple season, how I love you!  Shall I count the ways or just name some spectacular cultivars.  ‘Honeycrisp’ comes first to my mind.

For those of us in cold climates, growing apples wasn’t always easy but with a lot of research by places like the University of Minnesota, that started breeding apples in 1888, we can grow some delicious apples!

I remember, gosh it’s been decades already!, going to the MN  … [Continue reading]

Peony division


Wed. Sep. 26, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Peony division

Digging and dividing peonies!  It will soon be that time of year.  Wait for the tops to be killed by frost, cut the stems to near ground level then, using a spading fork, dig out the rhizomes.

Make sure you dig a hole wider than the plant to avoid damaging the root system.  Take out the entire clump with as much of the root system as possible, cut it into smaller pieces, leaving at least 3  … [Continue reading]

Transplanting trees


Tue. Sep. 25, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Transplanting trees

This is the 2nd best time of year to transplant trees.  Once the leaves start to drop, you can safely move it.  Keep in mind, if your tree is larger than 2 inches in diameter, you may want to get a professional to do it.

For you do-it-yourselfers, first thing to do is loosely tie the lower branches to prevent damage and keep them out of your way as you dig a trench around the tree  … [Continue reading]

Watermelon mosaic virus


Mon. Sep. 24, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Watermelon mosaic virus

A listener sent me an email with the coolest looking design on her watermelon!  I thought she was very talented!

Turns out, Sandee Rettke of Martin county, was looking to find out WHY there was such an intricate design on her watermelon in the garden.

This is the fun part and sometimes, frustrating part, of gardening.

With a bit of research, turns out that this lovely mosaic on her watermelon, was just that…  it’s called  … [Continue reading]

EAB and using dogs for detection


Fri. Sep. 21, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  EAB and using dogs for detection

A fellow employee just asked me what could be wrong with his Ash tree.  The top canopy was dying. UH OH! That’s one of the major signs of Emerald Ash Borer.  

So I told him to look under the bark and check for the squiggly lines from the larvae.

Turns out EAB is killing his tree, and he has a lot more, as do his neighbors.  

He lives in a community of  … [Continue reading]

Downed trees – was it a strong wind or did it start long ago?


Thu. Sep. 20, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Downed trees – was it a strong wind or did it start long ago?

The above photo was taken a couple of blocks from my house this week.  It was blown up by lightning.  A show that I was enjoying with amazement, until I found out this happened!  Then I was supremely grateful that no one was injured, her home is fine, her car not so much!

With all the high winds recently from storms, there have been  … [Continue reading]

Spicebush


Wed. Sep. 19, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Spicebush

Fall is here with the celebration of the autumnal equinox coming on Saturday!  I love this time of year for many reasons including the fact that it’s a good time to plant trees and shrubs.  If you’d like to try something with a bit of splash and spice, think Spicebush.

This is a multi-season interest plant that flowers before the leaves show up.  The citrus yellow blooms are aromatic and reminiscent of forsythia. Both the male and  … [Continue reading]