Search Results for: clay soil

Lupines

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]

Time saving garden products

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Time saving garden products

We’re all busy but we also love to garden! Sometimes our garden chores get away from us. In come some time-saving garden products approved by members of the National Garden Bureau, including ME!

Do you have poor soil? Maybe NO soil? Consider Garden Soxx, a mesh containment system that’s similar to container growing—but without the container.

You place GardenSoxx® where you want to grow, fill the mesh with your own compost or potting  … [Continue reading]

2022 – The Year of the Phlox

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: 2022 – The Year of the Phlox

The National Garden Bureau chose Phlox as the 2022 perennial of the Year! I have creeping phlox and I just planted a pink garden phlox late last year.

I’m excited to watch it this year!

Phlox are one of the classic American perennials and one of the earliest North American natives to enter cultivation. Colors range from white to pink to magenta, purple and blue.

There are roughly 2  … [Continue reading]

April Fools Day and busting garden myths

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: April Fools Day and busting garden myths

It’s April Fools day! To celebrate, let’s pull some tall tales out of the Garden Myth bucket. 

 

Wound dressing is one of the top myths. 

We used to think that trees, like humans, needed some sort of “bandaid” after they’ve been cut.  Not so, in fact, there are times that those wound dressings may even inhibit the plant’s ability to heal itself.  Tars, emulsions and waxes can dry and crack.   … [Continue reading]

Fresh From the Garden – Organic guide and myth busting

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Fresh From the Garden – myth busting

Years ago, I had a chance to interview John Whitman, he’s the author of a  vegetable gardening tome called “Fresh from the Garden – an organic guide to growing vegetables, berries and herbs in Cold Climates”.

It is packed with information on vegetables I grow and those I’ve never even heard of! 

He also shares garden myths:

  • Some people are born with a green thumb!  He says, nope.  Good gardening
 … [Continue reading]

Long-lived perennials

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Long-lived perennials

 If you’re looking to plant and be done with it, consider some long-lived plants. That said, no plant lives that long without some care which may include division. Peonies, which are perennials, come to my mind first.

They will likely far out last you! It takes them 2 to 3 years to produce blooms but they can live over 100 years. Hardy to zone 3 there are various varieties for bloom time and flower shape.  … [Continue reading]

Scarlet leatherflower

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

Since it feels like we’re living in Texas, I thought I’d bring up clematis texensis, also  called Scarlet Leatherflower.

While a Texas native, it offers a possibility for those of us in zone 4b. Different from the clematis we’re used to, which prefer shade on their roots, this little beauty loves a southern or southwestern exposure and at least 6 hours of full sun. 

It’s also drought tolerant and blooms only on new wood.  That  … [Continue reading]

April Fools Day and garden myth busting

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: April Fools Day and garden myth busting

Pulling tall tales out of the myth bucket!

Wound dressing is one of the top myths. We used to think that trees, like humans, needed some sort of “bandaid” after they’ve been cut.

Not so, in fact, there are times that those wound dressings may even inhibit the plant’s ability to heal itself. Tars, emulsions and waxes can dry and crack.

If water gets behind the crack, it can promote disease  … [Continue reading]

Scarlet leather-flower

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Scarlet leather-flower

So how does a Minnesotan see the state of Texas… oppressively hot? Yup! That made me think about this plant, clematis texensis also known as Scarlet Leather-flower , a native of Texas. Since our temps have been in the low 90’s…. this guy seemed appropriate to talk about!

So why do I bring it up?  Somewhat because I’m feeling like we’re in Texas lately, but the other reason is that this Texas native offers a possibility  … [Continue reading]

Garden myth busting

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

It’s April Fools day! To celebrate, let’s pull some tall tales out of the Garden Myth bucket.  

Wound dressing is one of the top myths. We used to think that trees, like humans, needed some sort of “bandaid” after they’ve been cut.  

Not so, in fact, there are times that those wound dressings may even inhibit the plant’s ability to heal itself. Tars, emulsions and waxes can dry and crack. 

If water gets behind the  … [Continue reading]