Immunity Garden – a rainbow of vegetables


Mon. Feb. 15, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Immunity Garden – a rainbow of vegetables

There are an estimated 18 million new gardeners! The pandemic provided time and quarantine. It also has people considering an Immunity Garden. While this is not a new subject for Garden Bite, planting a kaleidescope of colors, a rainbow of roughage, is trending for 2021!

Different colors of vegetables and fruits offer different nutritional value.  Although continuing studies are being done on the full value of these power-packed plants, here’s a  … [Continue reading]

The Message of Roses and more


Fri. Feb. 12, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The Message of Roses and more

Valentines Day is Sunday. You’ve decided you’re going with Roses. What message would you like to send to your sweetheart?  Red, of course, is the most popular color choice and is easy.  It means ‘I love you’.  Simple yet sophisticated.

But what of the other colors?

  • Coral represents desire
  • Lavender means enchantment.  This is a good choice for a newer relationship or love at first sight!
  • Pink stands for perfect happiness
 … [Continue reading]

For the love of Hosta


Thu. Feb. 11, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: For the love of Hosta

Hostas get a bad rap sometimes. I have a friend who hates them. Well, all she had were the plain old green ones. But there are SO many more! Colors, textures, sizes and shapes.

The 2021 Hosta of the Year for one! Shadowland ‘Wheeee’! It’s as fun to look at as it is to say! This delightful hosta has extremely ruffled foliage. 

Its green leaves have cream margins that widen as the  … [Continue reading]

Size does matter – when planning your garden


Wed. Feb. 10, 2021

Click below to listen to my  2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Size does matter – when planning your garden

Urbanites have joined suburbanites who joined those with some acreage, into the vegetable growing trend.  From urban apartment dwellers to folks moving out to hobby farms to community gardens. That’s great but I still want folks to consider SIZE.

My intent is to help you make the best choices so you can fully enjoy your veggie garden.  What I don’t want to see happen is people becoming overwhelmed and losing  … [Continue reading]

Prepare to Prune


Tue. Feb. 9, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Prepare to Prune

We’re in late winter now, heading into the Spring home stretch.  Gardeners! Prepare your pruners! That is if you can get to those trees and shrubs through the piles of snow!  Cold temperatures provide the best time to prune because the plants are dormant, their sap flowing less freely and the insects are not a bother.

Timing is everything! Do NOT prune any spring blooming shrubs now, however, it IS a good time to prune  … [Continue reading]

Buckthorn, bunnies and blue pee?


Mon. Feb. 8, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Buckthorn, bunnies and blue pee?

Years ago, I lived on 5 acres in Lakeville, MN.  While wandering through our woods, I discovered smurf blue stains in the snow!

Since the property had been deigned a “farm dump”, we lovingly cleaned it up.

But after spotting that blue stain, we thought “oh no, there’s a bubblin’ crude but it ain’t oil!  What the heck is it?”. It’s not like we went out there to spit out our mouthwash, or  … [Continue reading]

New gardeners and a philosophical take on gardening


Fri. Feb. 5, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: New gardeners and a philosophical take on gardening

With Covid-19 came a huge increase in new gardeners. Gardening offers so much more than the flowers, the vegetables, the shrubs and trees.

It’s enjoying the sunshine, the playing in the dirt, the thrill of creating something and watching nature do her magic. It brings an appreciation for our planet that we don’t always see in busy lives.

It’s my hope that this slow-down in running from here to there  … [Continue reading]

EAB, wasps and replacement trees


Thu. Feb. 4, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: EAB, wasps and replacement trees

Emerald Ash Borer is alive and well. So many cities that planted all Ash trees are now faced with Ash tree removal and naked boulevards. 

This is a good reason to use diverse plantings. Scientists working to contain EAB with progress using a type of wasp. The parasitoid wasp flies through the forest, heavy with eggs, following the scent of beetle infestation.

She locates a promising tree, lands and finds beetle larvae feeding  … [Continue reading]

Cankers and galls, oh my!


Wed. Feb. 3, 2021

Click on the link below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Cankers and galls, oh my!

Do you suffer from galls or cankers?

I just have to grin when I hear that.  The thought of some medication commercial coming up with side effects so horrific, I’d rather have a canker!  Maybe …

With all the leaves gone on our trees and shrubs, it’s a good time to take a careful look at their branches for galls or cankers.

Cankers and Galls [University of Minnesota Extension] This  … [Continue reading]

Milkweed and more milkweed!


Tue. Feb. 2, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Milkweed and more milkweed!

Milkweed, THE monarch magnet!

But it’s not just the common milkweed.  There are, in fact, several options. I’ll get to those.  Part of the massive decline of the monarch is weather related.  Early, warm springs tend to be associated with low monarch numbers. Habitat loss, is the number one reason for the decline.

While the common milkweed is easiest to grow and smells wonderful, there is also the ‘Rose Milkweed’ which prefers the soil  … [Continue reading]