Watering and caring for container plants


Tue. Jul. 19, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Watering and caring for container plants

It’s been hot, it’s been humid and our containers are looking a bit bedraggled. 

It’s mid-Summer and, in my area, we are entering a week in the 90’s. I’m in zone 4. We don’t particularly care for weather this hot. It’s also going to be mostly dry.

I just bought a couple new containers and found some bargains on annuals.

Right about now your petunias are likely getting a bit leggy, you  … [Continue reading]

More on JB and the beetle trap


Mon. Jul. 18, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: More on JB and the beetle trap

I know I just talked about this last week but I have been asked multiple times about those traps. PLEASE, do NOT use them. They only attract more beetles. The ONLY time they may be worth it is if you are on a good size piece of land and you place the trap FAR away from the plants you want to protect and NOT near a neighbor’s place.

The University of  … [Continue reading]

What’s keeping birds from your landscape?


Fri. Jul. 15, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio/podcast show: What’s keeping birds from your landscape?

 I have been so fortunate to get quite a show from the variety of birds in my landscape. From Downy woodpeckers to Blue Jays to Chickadees, Catbirds, several Cardinal couples, finches and more.

This spot is excellent for bird watching. the french lilac gives birds a place to sit, honeysuckle vine has been planted to attract more hummingbirds. My neighbor’s Oak tree is great cover, there’s my crabapple to the left not  … [Continue reading]

Painted Ladies and Red Admirals


Thu. Jul. 14, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio/podcast: Painted Ladies and Red Admirals

 I love seeing the butterflies flitting about. Monarchs have been given lots of attention but there are a couple of other types of butterflies that deserve some love.

My Northern Gardener magazine highlights 2 of them. I love Painted Lady.

They are more fascinating as they are found everywhere but Australia and Antarctica. Their migrations are big enough to be spotted on radar! Rhonda Fleming Hayes explains in the article that this is  … [Continue reading]

JB is back – darn it


Wed. Jul. 13, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: JB is back – darn it

Last year I spread grub control on my lawn to help with Japanese Beetles. I was feeling really good about it having not seen any Japanese beetles until I found them on my native leadplant.

Dang… while I DO believe, at least so far, that the grub control applied last year in late August. There have been none on the ‘Music Box’ rose which was loaded with them last year.

I found  … [Continue reading]

Rearranging your garden – Plan B


Tue. Jul. 12, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Rearranging your garden – Plan B

Last weekend I had plans for a lot of yardwork. I DID have a LOT of fun… pouring sweat and filthy. However, I also needed a Plan B.

This is the story of what gardening is about! Adapt and pivot. I’ve had 3 rose bushes in a place where there had been a really lousy looking Russian olive tree. It was removed in 2012. There is one rose, ‘Music Box’, that is  … [Continue reading]

The Jade plant


Mon. Jul. 11, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The Jade plant

 A friend of mine is moving and had a jade plant he couldn’t take with him, so he gave it to me! Thanks, Earl.

Having always wanted one, I was eager to learn more about caring for it.

Jade plants, also known as Lucky plant, are succulents. They prefer about 4 hours of sunlight, that means a south facing window. The afternoon sun of a west window may burn them.

Plant Jade in well-draining soil,  … [Continue reading]

Lupines


Fri. Jul. 8, 2022

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

Lupines always make me think of the North Shore. Riding motorcycles through Bayfield, Wisconsin, I was thrilled to see all the fantastic lupines blooming! 

After coming home and doing some research, I learned there’s the purple lupinus perennis, also known as the western lupine, which is a smaller native to Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Lupinus perennis Wild Lupine from Prairie Moon Nursery. You can purchase the plants from them.

And then there’s the “other one”, lupinus polyphyllus,  … [Continue reading]

Good bug, Bad A!! bug


Thu. Jul. 7, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Good bug, Bad A!! bug

When you hear crickets, what’s your first thought?  The joke bombed, yes, but after that?  Loud and fairly ugly bugs? 

Think again.  Think nutrient cycling.  These guys are called detrivores.  They eat detritus, the plant parts that have died and fallen off the plant.  They then rid themselves of the plant in their waste which then goes into the soil, enriching it for the other plants.  We can attract them by leaving a  … [Continue reading]

Grilling lettuce and other veggies


Wed. Jul. 6, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Grilling lettuce and other veggies

There was a whole lot of grilling going on in my neighborhood over the holiday weekend! My suspicion is that it was mostly meat, however, grilling your vegetables is mighty tasty. Including lettuce! Grilled Romaine lettuce in particular. The author of “Grill Your Veggies”, Elizabeth Millard, says that the crisp leaves and sturdy stalk of romaine make it perfect for the grill. 

For June, she grills radishes, asparagus and green onion. Peppers and  … [Continue reading]