Vegetable garden tips for June


Thu. Jun. 9, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Vegetable garden tips for June

June is an exciting month for vegetable gardeners!  We’ve got our warm season plants in the ground and we’ve already been munching on salad greens!

I have two tomatoes, two peppers, some garlic growing from 2021, thai basil, regular basil, oregano and parsley… the sunflowers are starting to grow. Will show this in another post when they’re really showing off!

You can start successive plantings of beets, peas and shorter season crops. Also  … [Continue reading]

Shrubs, shade and dogs


Wed. Jun. 8, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Shrubs, shade and dogs

Want shrubs? Got shade? Got dogs? Hmmm, could be an issue.  One shrub that won’t work is the Yew…

It’s toxic to nearly everything. The seed inside the berries is toxic to pets and people. This from Science Direct: The taxine alkaloids contained in yew berries, needles or bark are poisonous. The lethal dose for an adult is reported to be 50 g of yew needles. Patients who ingest a lethal dose frequently die  … [Continue reading]

Ants – again


Tue. Jun. 7, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Ants – again

 If there’s one creature I really wish would social distance it’s ANTS. They were bad last year and are back in abundance this year.

They’ve lifted some sedums and hollowed out some of my Karl Forester grasses.

I tried the non-toxic diatomaceous earth, a fine white powder that sticks to their bodies and dries them out. It killed some and sent the rest of them fleeing. No suitcases necessary, they just scurried down a  … [Continue reading]

Audible gardens – for the birds


Mon. Jun. 6, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Audible gardens – for the birds

With the exception of hummingbirds, most of us plant gardens for beauty, fragrance and taste, not thinking too much about songbirds.

Birds sing for 2 reasons, for territory and for mating.   Native plants attract native insects which native birds eat. Seed eaters tend to go for native grasses and flower heads.

Follow this LINK for the bigger picture from the UofMN. And more on a native plant list HERE. These lists  … [Continue reading]

Ode to Creeping Charlie


Fri. Jun. 3, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Ode to Creeping Charlie

Creeping Charlie ever present in our lawns will be, blooming purple flowers, oh so pretty to me.

Ode to the weed that creepingly reseeds with stem and rhizome. Not content to stay in place, Creeping Charlie, sets a pace to cross your lawn, it’s a race.

Embrace the creeper or let loose on the leaper?

Creeping Charlie really doesn’t spread as quickly as, say the dandelion, but it is annoying to those with lovely  … [Continue reading]

Perennial supports


Thu. Jun. 2, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Perennial supports

We may have gotten a late start but we gardeners are up to the challenge!  And so are our perennials. Most of them are a hardy bunch, however some do need support from time to time, especially in windy locations. Today’s ‘Bite is about options.  PS, these work for annuals too!

Stakes are good for tall perennials like Hollyhock, Foxglove and delphiniums.  I’ve used bamboo stakes and artwork too!

Place your supports in the ground at  … [Continue reading]

Gooseberries and Currants


Wed. Jun. 1, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Gooseberries and Currants

Amid the world of raspberries and strawberries come a couple of tarts worth a go!

Gooseberries and Currants are closely related, they’re also prevalent in Minnesota.  They’re tolerant of most types of soil, some shade tolerance but fruit best in sun.  Don’t plant under the shade of a tree as they’ll compete too much for moisture.

The gooseberries you mostly see are green but the University of Minnesota came up with this cultivar in 1957.   … [Continue reading]

Planting (and eating) rhubarb


Tue. May. 31, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Planting (and eating) rhubarb

My dad LOVED rhubarb. And my mom made a LOT of pies and froze a lot of cut-up rhubarb for winter. This perennial is well worth growing.

Rhubarb needs full sun, well drained soil and a nice layer of rich compost each year. It’s best to plant rhubarb in the spring. Some cultivars recommended by the University of Wisconsin Extension include ‘Canada Red’, ‘Cherry Red’, ‘Crimson Red’, ‘MacDonald’, ‘Valentine’ and ‘Victoria’.

It’s best to  … [Continue reading]

Memorial Day and the Poppy


Mon. May. 30, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Memorial Day and the Poppy

Garden Bite would like to thank all those who serve in the United States Military and their families.  We remember those who gave everything.

Today is the day we reflect and remember our Soldiers.  Memorial Day, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday of May was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union andConfederate soldiers who died.  By the 20th  … [Continue reading]

The 3 ‘illers of container planting


Fri. May. 27, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The 3 ‘illers of container planting

We’re headed into Memorial Weekend, the traditional time when cold climate gardeners really start planting.

I started with something simple:

With climate change, many have already indulged (and then we had 38 degree nights…). Of course, there’s always room for more!

Plant love overload is REAL, people! To help with ideas, use the tried and true three ‘illers:  Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers for easy plant combos.

Thriller – big, bold and beautiful.   … [Continue reading]