Butterfly garden renovation


Fri. Aug. 6, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Butterfly garden renovation

 Last year my street was redone. That meant digging out all the plants in my butterfly garden and overwintering them in my vegetable garden.

I replanted them this year and found that I needed to purchase additional plants due to transplant shock and other factors. 

I did some other rearranging as well. Moving prairie dropseed to the area, planting seeds of an annual, Partridge Pea, that reseeds each season and finding some other shorter plants  … [Continue reading]

Right plant, right place


Thu. Aug. 5, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Right plant, right place

Master Gardeners are available all over the country.  Despite our shorter growing season in the Upper Midwest, we love our gardens. Maybe because of it!  As a result we field a lot of questions about why a plant isn’t thriving. 

One of the first things we try to determine is whether the plant in question is in the right place. That’s the MG motto, Right plant, Right place! 

In a different home I lived  … [Continue reading]

Got clay? Why that’s not a bad thing


Wed. Aug. 4, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Got clay? Why that’s not a bad thing

There are many gardeners who have clay soil.  Most lament that fact but Proven Winners says you can learn to love it,  it just takes a bit of knowledge and a bit of elbow grease.  What IS clay soil?  It’s sticky and absorbs water slowly, when it dries out it can be crusty, lumpy and hardpacked. So far not lovin’ it.

HOWEVER, Clay soils are more fertile than many other  … [Continue reading]

Tomato dehydrating and roasting


Tue. Aug. 3, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Tomato dehydrating and roasting

My tomatoes have been producing like crazy. There’s one thing good about this heat.

I have started dehydrating my ‘Grape Juliet’ grape tomatoes and my ‘Supersweet 100’s’. They are fantastic this way.

The heating process intensifies the already delicious flavor. I then freeze them. I use them on my salads, in egg dishes, on pizza, in sauces and just about anything else! I just slice them in half. Spray some olive oil cooking spray  … [Continue reading]

Edible weeds


Mon. Aug. 2, 2021

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

 With this drought,  what if you could just EAT your yard? I’ve noticed PLENTY of weeds.

Plantain for one. You can use the young leaves like spinach or lightly stir fry the old ones. Some people blanch them, freeze them and use them in soups and stews.

Purslane is prevalent too. Disclaimer, make sure you KNOW what weeds you’re eating. 

Purslane leaves and stems are a nice addition to salads, you can also steam them or  … [Continue reading]

Landscaping mythbusters


Fri. Jul. 30, 2021

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

Landscaping is what YOU make it. Form, function, color, site conditions and your imagination are all factors. Weather plays a role too…

Today, though, I’m going to bust a few myths I’ve been hearing over the garden fence.

I’ve addressed this one recently but am now seeing people shaving their lawns with the mower. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to mow less frequently, it means you’re killing your lawn!

Another one, there are no straight lines  … [Continue reading]

Pinching, is it rude?


Thu. Jul. 29, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Pinching, is it rude?

It certainly depends on what you’re pinching! 😉

Pinching, pruning, deadheading are all a good thing FOR THE MOST PART.  I would caution you to quit pinching your Mums right now.  If you don’t you might now have any flowers coming for fall.

Pinching your herbs is a great way to keep them growing bushier.  You want the leaves more than the flowers.  So pinch, prune or use scissors to cut back the flowers.   … [Continue reading]

Ground plum and the constant desire for more plants


Wed. Jul. 28, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Ground plum and the constant desire for more plants!

I recently posted on Facebook my admission of an addiction to plants! A friend responded:

Yup! Sums it up nicely!  So how am I connecting ground plums and the desire for my plants? Well, I saw this darling and had to get it….

Last year I planted this darling little native called Ground Plum. Latin name not quite as pretty, Astragalus crassicarpus…  is fabulous for bee lawns. This  … [Continue reading]

Who (plants) hangs out with who (more plants)


Tue. Jul. 27, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Who (plants) hangs out with who (more plants)

I love getting questions from listeners and suggestions for Garden Bite topics. A listener asked about what plants get along with each other and what plants might not…  Invasive plants don’t play well with others. 

IF you don’t mind a plant creating your garden, then buy that invasive or “easy spreader” as they are referred to in plant catalogs.  If you want creative control, then be careful. 

Now, who are  … [Continue reading]

Hardy Kiwi vine


Mon. Jul. 26, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Hardy Kiwi vine

Have you ever thought of growing kiwi? Me either. I mean, come on, we live in zones 3 and 4! BUT, Hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta and Actinidia kolomikta) is the cold-hardy cousin of the vine that produces the familiar kiwi fruit sold at grocery stores.

Hardy kiwi is much more cold-tolerant and can be grown in zones 3, 4, or 5.  Primarily it’s grown for it’s heart-shaped leaves but it also delivers that tasty  … [Continue reading]