Spring lawn care in a strange Spring (2018)


Mon. May. 7, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show:  Spring lawn care in a strange Spring (2018)

April 2018 was fraught with freezing rain and snow and nothing like spring showers.   That means lawn care practices have been pushed back much later this year.

As we get into the swing of things with the growing season, the University of Minnesota has several considerations for lawn care practices this spring.  Go over your lawn LIGHTLY to clean up debris like packed down leaves, sticks and pet poop.

Preemergent  … [Continue reading]

Dividing perennials


Fri. May. 4, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show:  Dividing perennials

GBTK 5-4-18

Now’s the time to divide your perennials.  GENERALLY speaking, perennials can be divided every 3 years.  Hostas are one of these plants!  The plants below were too large for division.  Divide when the plants are peaking up about 4 inches or so.

hostas

I divided these hosta multiple times when I lived there and moved some out to wooded gardens.  A garden fork is your best friend for digging up plants.  You do minimal root  … [Continue reading]

The Dandelion Divide


Thu. May. 3, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  The Dandelion Divide

GBTK 5-3-18

Dandelions have appeared amid the warm temperatures we’ve “finally” had.  My husband and I battle every year, I call it the Dandelion Divide, over the use of chemicals.  Rather than battle, why not just eat them? This will age me but do you remember Euell Gibbons?  A proponent of eating wild foods, his line was “all parts are edible”, that would be true for the dandelion.  

From the roots to the flowers, from  … [Continue reading]

Muscling in on Ash tree replacement


Wed. May. 2, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Muscling in on Ash tree replacement

As we approach Arbor Day on Friday, we remember the demise of the American Elm tree due to disease…

and decades later we’re in the midst of the end of the Ash tree due to Emerald Ash Borer.

The best defense is diversity.  More and more cities are offering multiple choices for planting boulevard trees.  I’ve talked about Ash tree options before but, as I was reading my Northern Gardener magazine, I  … [Continue reading]

Some zucchini love


Tue. May. 1, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Some zucchini love

Years ago, while out tending to my garden, I came across a 2 foot monster!  It was long, thick and green… it was an enormous zucchini squash.  I had so many, I was begging people to take them. So then I just quit planting that prolific producer.  But, this winter in particular, I kept yearning for my chinese 5-spice zucchini bread, alas, I could find NO zucchini in my local grocery store.  Seriously!?!  Oh how  … [Continue reading]

Finally started seeds – AAS winners for 2018


Mon. Apr. 30, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Finally started seeds!  AAS winners for 2018

If you’re following my Garden Bite facebook page, you know I started seeds last week.  Finally!!  I’m trying out one of those small portable greenhouses on my porch.  Even the tomatoes and peppers, with the hope that it holds enough heat.  Based on my scientific calculation of sticking my arm in there during 35 degree weather, I think it’ll be fine!  So, what seeds did I start?

I was given several  … [Continue reading]

The poop on manure


Fri. Apr. 27, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  The poop on manure

Manure happens!  And in abundance but fresh manure should never be put on a veggie garden!  You can buy composted manure at most garden centers.

creekside cow manure

Temperatures in a compost pile should reach 130 to 140 degrees to kill weed seeds and pathogens.  It should stay at that temp for at least 5 days.  Most folks stay away from pig manure.  It’s best to stick with dairy, sheep, horse or poultry manure.

Never use dog  … [Continue reading]

The information superhighway – Mycelium


Thu. Apr. 26, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:   The information superhighway – Mycelium

It’s an information superhighway that speeds up interactions between a large, diverse population of individuals. It allows individuals to communicate and help each other out. But it also allows them to commit new forms of crime. You thought I was talking about the internet, not so, I’m talking about mycelium!

The mycelium of a fungus spreading through soil (Credit: Nigel Cattlin / Alamy)

 Mycelium are the thin threads of fungi that link roots  … [Continue reading]

Shrubs for clay soil


Wed. Apr. 25, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Shrubs for clay soil

Clay soil, that thick, glue-like stuff, many of us have but wish we didn’t.

So what’s good about clay soil…  give me minute… okay, found some…

Clay soils are more fertile than many other soil types; each tiny clay particle is packed with places to hold on to water and fertilizer.

Plants can get a firm grip, their roots are more stabilized. So, with a clay soil you water less, fertilize less, get a  … [Continue reading]

Trees and grass – are they a match?


Tue. Apr. 24, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Trees and grass – are they a match?

I learned something the other day and wanted to share.  My friend, Faith Appelquist, is an arborist with her own company Treequality.  She put out a newsletter discussing grass and trees.  She says,   trees and turf grass were never meant to live together…. WHAT???

Trees evolved in the forest with twigs and leaves as a ground cover.

Grass evolved in the prairie with full sun all around.

So what  … [Continue reading]