Rain chains


Mon. Jun. 29, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Rain chains

As we all try to think of ways to beautify our homes, rain gutter downspouts probably don’t come up first. I mean, really, what are there? 3 choice colors in corrugated aluminum or plastic at the local big box store!  Could there be another option? Oh yes, they’re called Rain Chains.

From the very simple to, well, Infinity and Beyond……

They look and SOUND wonderful as the rainwater follows the chain into a rain barrel or  … [Continue reading]

When the flowers fade – the foliage flashes


Fri. Jun. 26, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: When the flowers fade – the foliage flashes

A gardener can hardly help themselves to love flowers but foliage really lends color and texture that is capable of showing off flowers then becoming the show itself. And sometimes, in the case of coleus in a container, clearly it’s kickin’ it from the get-go.

Other amazing foliage plants include caladiums, perfect for part shade. They are annuals for us, but worth every penny. 

There are 20 new Heart to  … [Continue reading]

“Murder” hornets


Thu. Jun. 25, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: “Murder” hornets

If this weren’t a crazy enough year, we’ve also heard of something called “murder hornets”. That is NOT a technical term and the University of Minnesota thinks it’s a no-no to say it!

Vespa mandarinia is the world’s largest hornet, measuring between 1½ to 2 inches in length.

 It was found in Washington State in December of 2019. Aside from size, they eat honey bees. Sure, they’ll take other tasty insects but they prefer to eat  … [Continue reading]

Turtle time


Wed. Jun. 24, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Turtle time

They’re crossing the road to get to the other side for nesting purposes. But that means encountering traffic. Let them pass if you can! 

There are 13 species found in Minnesota, (the link on Minnesota shows ALL 13 native species) Wisconsin, (the link on Wisconsin shows all native species) Iowa and North and South Dakota.

Turtles are a crucial member of the freshwater community, keeping waterbodies clean and healthy by consuming decaying matter  … [Continue reading]

Is it a mole? Is it a vole?


Tue. Jun. 23, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. garden Bite radio show: Is it a mole? Is it a vole?

 Moles or voles, neither is great in the landscape. Voles are common in yards. They eat grasses and roots and leave trails. We usually see their small surface tunnels winding through lawns right after snow melt. Voles love munching on small trees and shrubs, they can be a problem with newly planted plants that don’t have protection in winter.

Minnesota Wild Animal Management, Inc. has some good information. They are  … [Continue reading]

Tree talk with Treequality


Mon. Jun. 22, 2020

Click on the link below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Tree talk with Treequality

Last year I had the opportunity to do a video with my Arborist friend, Faith Appelquist, of Treequality. We talk about issues with trees! It’s always important as you spend the dollars for something so important in your landscape.  Check out the improvements just one year later………

My “former” sugar maple tree…

I thought it may have been struck by lightening but Faith pointed out that it was planted poorly.  … [Continue reading]

Summer solstice 2020


Fri. Jun. 19, 2020

Click on the link below to listen to my  2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Summer Solstice 2020

It’s been a turbulent year so far, lots of changes in our lives but tomorrow is the Summer Solstice, it comes every year without fail…

This is the longest day of the year, for some it means the middle of summer, but I would say for most of us in colder climates, it’s more like the beginning of summer!

Cultures have celebrated this day in a variety of ways, mostly centering around  … [Continue reading]

Diagnosing dilemmas


Thu. Jun. 18, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Diagnosing dilemmas

Why do my leaves lay over?  How come they’re yellow?  What are those holes in the leaves? My plant just doesn’t look healthy, what’s wrong?  UGH, the toughest part of gardening is trying to figure out why a plant isn’t thriving!

There are lots of buds on this carpet rose in spite of this little bugger.

Here are some questions that a Master Gardener might ask of you to find out what’s wrong with your plant? … [Continue reading]

Gypsy moths


Wed. Jun. 17, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Gypsy moths

It’s time to go trappin’ for gypsies. The Gypsy moth is an invasive, leaf-eating insect that feeds on about 300 types of trees and shrubs in North America. Just last week I was out mowing a site in Dakota County and the DNR had a trap on a tree out there.

When their populations are high, gypsy moth caterpillars can strip an entire neighborhood or forest of leaves in May and June.

Repeated defoliations may weaken  … [Continue reading]

Watering tips for your lawn


Tue. Jun. 16, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Watering tips for your lawn

With summer, we can see some temps that make lawns crunchy.  The University of MN Extension has some great ideas to train lawn to be water-wise.

They say, water lawns deeply and infrequently to encourage deep rooting. Shallow watering results in root growth in only the top few inches of the soil which means plants will be unable to survive hot dry conditions in mid-summer.

I love Dramm products. This is a  … [Continue reading]