nature

Use deicing salts with care

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Evergreens are particularly susceptible to deicing salt damage especially when planted close to streets. Winter weather inevitably brings slippery conditions on streets, driveways, sidewalks and parking lots. Deicing salts are used to...

Fruit gardening: What can I prune right now?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Wait until January or February to prune grapevines. As we clean up our gardens for winter, many gardeners have been asking when they can start pruning their fruit trees and shrubs. There is something satisfying about having everything...

NEW! "Growing Asparagus in Minnesota" guidebook

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu A new asparagus spear emerges in spring. Photo: Annie Klodd We are excited to announce the release of a new production guide, Growing Asparagus in Minnesota. This publication is the culmination of a 2-year collaboration between...

How to prepare your trees for winter

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Trees can experience many stresses during the winter months including lack of water, sunscald, wildlife damage and winter injury. Young trees (one to five years old) should be watered throughout the year, until the soil freezes. ...

Hunters and foragers can help reduce invasive species

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Barberry Your favorite season in Minnesota may depend on what you like to hunt or forage. If you forage for morel mushrooms and ramps, spring might be your favorite season. If you are a deer or game bird hunter, then fall is important...

Blue gentian: A favorite late fall bloomer for bumble bees

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Blue gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) is sometimes called "closed bottle gentian" because of its unusual flower form. This native of northeastern North America, from the Dakotas to the East Coast and through eastern Canada, requires the...

Reducing tillage in your garden

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Tillage provides many useful services in the garden but can contribute negatively to soil health. Intensive tillage disrupts microbial communities and breaks up the soil structure. Over time, this leads to compaction, reduced water holding...

Five native grasses for great fall color

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This has been a wonderful year for fall color in trees, shrubs and grasses. Here’s a look at five grasses that are good selections for putting on a show in your garden in the fall. Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium The red...

Timely Tip

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Timely tip: If the early snow left you with plants standing in your gardening, it’s a good thing! These plants will provide seeds for overwintering birds and stems for stem nesting bees, and improve your winter view thanks to the plants’...

Snow and Cold Weather Complicate Fall Mulching for Strawberries

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Photo: Three inches of snow covers the ground west of the Twin Cities, October 20, 2020. Annie Klodd Between cold temperatures and snowfall this week, it can be confusing to decide when to lay down mulch for strawberries. Straw...