Feeding your shrubs


Tue. May. 22, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Feeding your shrubs

Yesterday we established that it’s a good idea to feed your container plantings and your other herbaceous plants, just don’t burn them.  Apply according to the label or LESS.

As for shrubs, well, they could use some food too but there are some caveats, we’ll get to those.

Keeping plants healthy also helps lower opportunities for disease and insects to do damage.

A caveat to fertilizer response is the environment your shrubs are grown in.   … [Continue reading]

The poop on fertilizing plants


Mon. May. 21, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min  Garden Bite radio show:  The poop on fertilizing plants

First let’s establish that there’s no poop involved in fertilizing!  Manure does not add much for nutrients into the soil, it fluffs it.

On to the whole fertilizing thing.  I’m notoriously bad at this, so, in that vein, I’m going to help you AND me!

Proven Winners, one of the top plant breeders, says it’s really important to feed your container plants.  That makes sense, they’re roots can only go so far and  … [Continue reading]

The dirt on plant shopping


Fri. May. 18, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  The dirt on plant shopping

When plant shopping, bigger is not always better.  Tis better to bloom in your garden than in the garden center.

If you see a little wilting it could be a sign of a root problem.  Look for plants with good color on the leaves.  Look under the leaves for any possible insects.  If you have a plant loupe, bring it with you!  You’ll look ultra cool, I promise.  ;-)

Plant loupe

Seriously, in some of the  … [Continue reading]

Caladium beauty


Thu. May. 17, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Caladium beauty

The shady garden always seems to be the toughest for finding color pop and circumstance.  Enter the caladium.  Talk about adding pizzazz to a gloomy dark corner.

The name ‘Freida Hemple’ doesn’t SOUND like it would bring delight to the dark corners of your garden but let me tell you, this Caladium is jazzed up with big gorgeous red leaves ringed in green.

‘Fanny Munson’ adds bright pink with crimson veins and ‘White Christmas’ is just  … [Continue reading]

Blueberry – the antioxidant super hero


Wed. May. 16, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Blueberry – the antioxidant super hero

I’ve talked about blueberries before, in fact, a long time before as you’ll see from this video I did YEARS ago!  Cut me some slack!  😉

The Blueberry is a tasty  antioxidant  superhero and a lovely shrub with rockin’ fall foliage.

It does offer gardeners in the upper midwest a bit of a unique challenge as they like a more acidic soil, a pH of 4 to 5.5 is ideal.  For those  … [Continue reading]

Creating a bee home


Tue. May. 15, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Creating a bee home

Yesterday I chatted on about neonics, today, let’s build a bee home.  Let’s first establish they’re not going to sting you but don’t place them on your house either.

Certainly planting flowers is a must, but so is a nest for them.  Thirty percent of bees are cavity-nesting, they’ll live in hollow stems or holes in wood.  There are pre-made nests but these are often more cute than useful, says the University of Minnesota  … [Continue reading]

EU says PU to Neonics


Mon. May. 14, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  EU says PU to Neonics

In late April of this year (2018), the European Union banned all outdoor use of neonicotinoids [National Geographic] aka neonics.  It’s expected to be enforced by the end of 2018 and will mean they can only be used in closed greenhouses.  Total Ban on neonics [The Guardian]

Now the definition of PU…. Click here for the explanation!

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides in both the U.S. and globally and have been  … [Continue reading]

Diggin’ dirt’s good for grades, mucking in mud is marvelous for our minds


Thu. May. 10, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show: Diggin dirt’s good for grades and mucking in the mud is marvelous for our minds

I know… a super long title but I couldn’t help myself, it’s how I roll.

Remember when you were a kid and mud seemed to call your name?  It still does for me!  But our kids and grandkids aren’t feeling it as much as those of us over the age of 40!

Turns out, that while we weren’t trying to be healthy, diggin’  … [Continue reading]

Planning for variables and Kalettes?


Wed. May. 9, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Planning for variables and Kalettes?

If you follow my Garden Bite facebook page, you saw a video I shot after the wind dumped my portable greenhouse I had placed on my 3 season porch.

I’d just planted seeds a week before and had yet to see the tomatoes and peppers sprout but 3 annual type flowers were sprouting…  I scooped up the seed starter mix and put it back into the containers but, there will be surprises!  It’ll  … [Continue reading]

A plea to ERADICATE Siberian Squill – not mine


Tue. May. 8, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show:  A plea to ERADICATE Siberian Squill  – not mine!

While most of us welcome this darling little blue Siberian Squill, they are listed as invasive on the Minnesota wildflowers website with a message to ERADICATE in all capital letters.

This is a classic case of gardening gone awry. Siberian Squill was brought to the U.S. as an ornamental and is still sold in Minnesota and elsewhere, but it has also escaped into the wild and become invasive. It  … [Continue reading]