Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Top 3 Garden Topics for 2021
The University of Minnesota Extension, as all state university extensions do, answer a LOT of gardener questions. This year, the U identifies three top topics of 2021, so far.
Sick maples and stressed evergreens topped the list. I just snapped a photo of a maple that is overproducing seed (called masting), dropping leaves and changing color. This really started last year. Sunscald also caused issues due to our winter weather and planting too deeply.
Our evergreens suffered winter damage.
Insects are always a big topic. Last year it was murder hornets, which we’ve yet to see anywhere in the Upper Midwest, what you MIGHT have seen is the wasp known as the Cicada killer.
And, by the way, wasps are also beneficial insects in other ways.
Invasive species takes a top spot as well. Jumping Worms in particular were high up on the list.
These worms can damage plants by how they change soil structure. There’s no effective treatment recommended yet. The U of MN urges gardeners and landscapers to be aware and examine any bagged mulch and soil. And, of course, your own, if it looks like coffee grounds, that could be a problem.
And then there’s Emerald Ash Borer. It’s still on the rise in the Upper Midwest and killing our ash trees.
EAB homeowners guide that includes identification and what to do if your Ash tree is infested. Click on this link for what to plant instead of ash trees.
