Trees are an investment – consider them carefully


Mon. May. 18, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Trees are an investment – consider them carefully

Tree selection is a big deal, they’re an investment in dollars and time. There are lots of considerations, one of those is the mature size of the tree you select.

There are lots of considerations, one of those is the mature size of the tree you select. Oftentimes, homeowners don’t see the 4 ft. sapling they planted 4 feet from the foundation growing to 40 feet tall! That’s NOT a  … [Continue reading]

Plants to repel mosquitoes


Fri. May. 15, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Plants to repel mosquitoes

Squiter season’s already here. I smacked one last weekend behind my ear, he’d already had quite a drink from the blood on my hand… and then I had a listener ask me about plants that repel mosquitoes. Good idea! Thanks for the idea, Avis!

There are some… perennials even! But let’s start with the annuals for our cold zones.

First is basil, one of my all time favorite herbs! Basil also keeps flies away  … [Continue reading]

Creating a bee home


Thu. May. 14, 2020

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

Creating a HOME not a hive… for the bees.

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 Extension’s Bee Lab.

You can use your dried plant stems.  They must be dead! Not the bees, the stems.   … [Continue reading]

Cool season crops and other May to-do’s


Wed. May. 13, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Cool season crops and other May to-do’s

We had a cool spell, you should know we would… Still, you may have gotten those radishes in the ground we talked about last week.

You can also plant kale, one of the most nutrient dense plants on the planet, a true Superhero. And there’s spinach too, scallions and onion sets. Oh and then there are beets!

Here’s a Planting Guide from the University of MN Ext. on when to  … [Continue reading]

Vegetables in containers


Mon. May. 11, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Vegetables in containers

Especially this year, folks are wanting to plant vegetables. But maybe your lawn isn’t big enough or you live in an apartment with just a balcony or maybe your sun conditions aren’t ideal, so what do you do?  Plant in containers!

What size container should you use?  What TYPE of container?   Certain containers create issues for your plants.

Tomatoes are super popular and grow well in containers but they need size! University based information says  … [Continue reading]

Mother’s Day and flowers


Fri. May. 8, 2020

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

Happy Mother’s Day a little early…  Today would have been my mom’s 88th birthday!

This day was started by Anna Jarvis, it’s a totally American holiday. Jarvis eventually spent all her inheritance to get rid of the holiday after it became too commercialized for her taste!

This was when my mom and I would go shopping to fill her whiskey barrels with annuals. 

It’s a splendid day to spend time taking in the sights and scents of your  … [Continue reading]

Fertilizing annuals and perennials


Thu. May. 7, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Fertilizing annuals and perennials

Many of us have made our way to our local Garden Centers! Stocking up on things to do outside where social distancing works so well! Of course then we had a drop in temperatures and some of your plants had to be covered!

Generally, I’ve not been one to add a lot of chemicals to my gardens which includes fertilizer.  However, to boost the bloom and get the foliage flashing –  fertilizing is the  … [Continue reading]

Kids and gardening in the time of Covid


Wed. May. 6, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Kids and gardening in the time of Covid

 At the time I recorded this, Minnesota’s Stay At Home order was to be lifted on May 4th. It was extended to May 18th. Social distancing and keeping in check the virus means gardening is the place to be! And gardening with your kids is a great activity for several reasons! First, who doesn’t love playing in the dirt?

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

Road work and removal of plants


Tue. May. 5, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Road work and removal of plants

 I live on a corner where both roads are getting redone. They need it! But, that means I needed to dig up all the plants in my corner butterfly garden. This is the start of their 4th year, so there was plenty of spreading.

In fact, I was able to share some of those plants with my neighbors! In particular the monarda. It really did offer me the chance to divide them  … [Continue reading]

Yew removal and what’s to be


Mon. May. 4, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Yew removal and what’s to be

 I had a yew that had taken over a corner of my house. An arborist friend of mine said, it’s beautiful, don’t get rid of it. One gardener’s dream is another’s nightmare.

 I didn’t want that heavy looking thing there anymore! So… with a truck, a winch, a log chain, a teenager! We got ‘er done.

A 10k winch loosened it but ended with pulling it by the truck!

The next question,  … [Continue reading]