garden

A Minnesota guide to garden timing

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Amaranth, lettuce and garlic are early cool-season crops. The spring weather we’ve been experiencing lately has confused wildlife, plants, and gardeners alike. Before you rush to plant seeds or seedlings, it helps to pause and plan. In...

March garden checklist

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Mystery of the month Why are these tomato seedlings bent sideways? What should you do if you started seeds and the seedlings have grown poorly? The solution is at the bottom of this article. Pests and diseases Avoid oak wilt ...

February garden checklist

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Mystery of the month Four weeks ago, you started seeds collected last fall from a swamp milkweed in your yard, and they have not germinated. You used the ideal potting mix and container and kept the potting mix moist and warm. What...

Planning and planting a healing garden

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Soft colors and textures, like those of Russian sage, enhance the calm feeling of a healing garden. With this week’s warmer temperatures and rain, many gardeners are eager to jumpstart the growing season. Planning a healing garden is an...

December garden checklist

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Mystery of the month Why isn’t this holiday cactus blooming? The solution is at the bottom of this article. Pests and diseases Read the instructions on any deicing salt containers before applying them to your driveways,...

November garden checklist

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Mystery of the month Severe damage occurred on this pussy willow (Salix discolor) shrub overnight. What would cause this damage in early November? The solution is at the bottom of this article. Pests and diseases Protecting trees...

October garden checklist

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Perplexed about your peonies? Lawn got you down? Tune into our WCCO Radio “Smart Gardens” show on Saturdays, 8-9 a.m., for answers to your lawn and garden questions. Dial in AM 830 on your radio or ask your smart speaker. Or listen to ...

Cultivating curiosity

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Terra Kissel and Dave Tyler, who are Anoka County Master Gardener volunteers at nearby elementary schools, share gardening tips and resources. Planting seeds of learning Two University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners from...

Fall’s hidden architects: funnel weavers in Minnesota gardens

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Funnel weaver spider (Agelenopsis). Photo: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org As autumn settles over Minnesota, gardeners may encounter a silvery shimmer across their lawns and shrubs in the early morning light. On closer inspection, they find...

Tips to tend a garden in late summer

As summer winds down, long stretches of sunlight are dwindling and cooler temperatures are on the horizon. Gardening enthusiasts may wonder how they can manage their backyard gardens as the peak growing season comes to a close. People may not be eager to do much in their gardens come August,...