Gardening ideas & tips for the average gardener.
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               From the Ground Up
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From The Ground Up

Building biodiversity in your forest: Cavity trees, snags, and deadwood

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Pine tree with cavity drilled by a woodpecker. Photo: Dale Wade, Rx Fire Doctor, Bugwood.org Forests are home to many species of trees, plants, and wildlife. A healthy mix of species helps forests withstand stress, which is essential as...

Crop planning deep dive: sweet corn

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Choosing varieties & when to plant Consistent sweet corn emergence is more likely when seeds are planted when the soil is warm enough. Photo: Marissa Schuh, University of Minnesota Extension. While regular field corn...

Crop planning deep dive: pondering potatoes

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Our biweekly crop by crop growing season prep series continues. This week we are digging into potatoes. Cutting seed: impacts on yield, tuber size, and disease pressure Due to the warm spring weather, many growers are getting ready to...

Fruit update - April 30, 2025

This fruit update contains information about… Apples Growth stage update: tight cluster. Pest highlight: European red mites (ERM) + Beneficial insect highlight: Predatory mites Grapes About grapevine foliar and fruit diseases. Additional fruit crop growth stage updates: Tart cherry, Pear,...

Fruit update - April 24, 2025

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This article marks the beginning of the 2025 UMN Fruit Updates, where information is gathered and shared in real time about current happenings and production requirements for fruit crops in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. These articles...

Crop planning deep dive: Mind your Peas and Beans

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Our series on the issues Minnesota's major vegetables continues. This week we want to inoculate you with information on common issues and considerations in peas and beans. Inoculating peas and beans Peas and beans are legumes. They...

New crop planning tools - how much to plant and when

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Extension has a new set of tools to help you plan just how many plants or beds you need to achieve your yield or market goals. Let's say you have a contract for 300 lbs of tomatoes, or 150 lbs of carrots, or that you hope to sell 25 lbs of...

Wise watering strategies to help a lawn thrive

A number of factors can affect how well a garden or lawn takes root. Watering is a key element of any landscape care strategy, and one that homeowners should educate themselves about if they want to maintain a lush, healthy lawn throughout spring and summer. Homeowners hoping to keep their lawns...

Crop planning deep dive: Raising Root Vegetables Right

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This week we dig deeper into root vegetables. By planning ahead and anticipating challenges, you can get ahead of common problems that limit yields. Get your stew mix ready, let’s talk carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips. Image...

Humane ways to address uninvited garden guests

A beautiful garden is a wonder to behold. After a homeowner toils in the yard amending the soil and planting, it's imperative that a garden be given the best chance to thrive. However, the natural wildlife that shares the space might see that newly cultivated land as the perfect place to enjoy an...