Bad tasting bulbs – they’re a good thing


Thu. Aug. 30, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Bad tasting bulbs- they’re a good thing

Why would bad tasting bulbs be a good thing?  Because deer, squirrels and other rodents list them as last choice on the buffet called your garden!  Colorblends President Tim Schipper is a 3rd generation bulbsman out of Connecticut and he shared a list of bulbs that are a feast for our eyes but not on the squirrels menu.

  • daffodils
  • snow drops
  • snow flakes

All three of these bulbs contain lycorine, a  … [Continue reading]

Fall bulb planting


Wed. Aug. 29, 2018

Click below to listen to my  2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Fall bulb planting

Wowzer…  it’s already nearing Fall!  I do love Fall.  I am also inundated with tantalizing new tulips and all things bulbs!

Don’t those look like they should be in a wedding!!!!  Hey Glenn….  he’s a friend who operates The Gardens of Castle Rock with his wife, Michelle!

I’m an advocate of buying locally first.  See what your local nurseries have to offer before you place an order.  The catalogs, such as White flower Farm,  … [Continue reading]

Those helpful hints and tips


Tue. Aug. 28, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Those helpful hints and tips

I’m dreaming of the smell of roasting tomatoes, jalapenos and garlic wafting through the house.

This year, I’ve been disappointed with my tomatoes due to the slow start and I also used determinate plants, so they stopped producing.  However, the flavor of the ‘Red Racer F1’, a 2018 AAS winner is very good.

I may have to supplement my tomato supply with Farmers market finds which will include some jalapenos!  While I’ve forgotten  … [Continue reading]

Wild Cucumber


Mon. Aug. 27, 2018

Click on the link below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Wild Cucumber

It has draped itself over everything!!!  I have never seen so much Wild Cucumber.  Yes, that’s that vine that is covering fields, trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers along nearly every rural road through Minnesota, Wisconsin and parts east,west and south!

It’s Latin name is Echinocystis lobata. The name Echinocystis comes from the Greek echinos for “hedgehog” and cystis for “bladder”, appropriately describing the spiny fruit.

A vining native annual in the cucumber or  … [Continue reading]

Planting cover crops


Fri. Aug. 24, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Planting cover crops

Let’s talk green manure.  No, I’m not talking about an animal with a gastrointestinal issue but cover crops.  These are plants with a purpose.

They can help with soil erosion, weed control and even fix what’s ailing your soil.  ps Some interesting information from thelaundrylady on interplanting cover crops!

This time of year, you can plant oats or annual ryegrass which will grow in cool weather and keep the weeds out, then die before winter.   … [Continue reading]

Resurrection lily


Thu. Aug. 23, 2018

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

I moved into my current home in July of 2012 and found a plant I’d never seen before. It’s always an adventure to find plants the previous owner chose to plant,  and deciding what you’ll do with those gifts.

For me it was the Resurrection Lily.  The previous owner told me that I wouldn’t see this flower coming and I didn’t.  I renovated the area in 2013 and have continued to do so.  In the process  … [Continue reading]

Asparagus


Wed. Aug. 22, 2018

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

I was never a fan of asparagus until I had dinner one night at a very lovely golf club.  I don’t golf, I eat, drink and drive the cart.  Anyway, that lovely dinner got me thinking about planting this perennial that’s prized by many.  Frankly, I was THAT kid at the table who would try to sneak peas into my napkin, or sit at the table until everything was cold and my mom put my plate in  … [Continue reading]

Glory in the grasses and GB video introduction


Tue. Aug. 21, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Glory in the grasses and GB video introduction

As we head toward Fall, one of my favorite seasons, the native grasses really start to show off!  There IS Glory in the Grasses!

‘Big Bluestem’ is a grass and a true prairie plant.  It’s long stems are nearly 7 feet tall and sway beautifully in the wind.

Several flower spike at the tops of the stem are covered with pairs of tiny flower clusters.  If you separate the stalks  … [Continue reading]

What’s a native plant “community”?


Mon. Aug. 20, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  What’s a native plant “community”?

Gardeners are always talking plants, it’s what we do!  There’s also a lot of talk about planting native species, creating a native “community”.  What does that mean?

I interviewed Phyllis Root not too long ago, she wrote “Searching for Minnesota’s Native Wildflowers – a Guide for Beginners, Botanists and everyone in between”.

It’s a great read for anyone in the upper midwest.  She also explains what a native plant community DOES.

There are  … [Continue reading]