with Teri Knight
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The story of the Poinsettia – Flowers of the Holy Night
Happy National Poinsettia Day!
The Poinsettia is a native of Mexico, where it grows like a weed and can reach 10 feet tall. Mexican legend holds that the leaves, shaped like the star of Bethlehem, first bloomed red for a poor girl who wanted to bring a gift to the manger scene at the local church but had no money. Her cousin, who walked to the church … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: A low salt diet for our roads
22 inches of snow in Duluth! Yowza… Well it’s definitely plow time! Road treatments and sidewalk treatments are important for public safety. However…
Did you know that one teaspoon of salt pollutes 5 gallons of water? Neither did I! From the MN Pollution Control Agency – what sodium chloride does
A friend of mine, Sonya Goins, reported this story a few years back. Same good information to know!
An estimated 365,000 … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Oh deer!
Oh, those beautiful Bambis. Have you ever looked a deer in the eyes? Those big brown beauties seem to apologize for destroying your perennials, your trees, your shrubs? Oh, such a love/hate relationship with deer.
Short of hunting in your backyard, what seems to work? An electric fence comes to mind but that’s rather impractical and expensive. So are other fencing options. Kinda Ugly too. Some people swear by Irish Spring. Hanging bits of soap at … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Spotlight on New Jersey Tea and Winterberry Holly
I wanted to highlight a little native shrub that is super tolerant of some lousy conditions as well as being a butterfly and hummingbird magnet. New Jersey Tea is also recognized for being a native bee magnet too.
The shrub is a larval host for Spring Azure, Summer Azure, Mottled Duskywing butterflies. Turkeys and quail consume seeds. New Jersey Tea is part of the buckthorn family BUT, it’s not the … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Gardener gifts 2.0
It’s not too late! To tell your loved ones what the gardener in their life wants for Christmas! Tools, an essential part of gardening! This is the gift to spend the extra dollars for quality. You won’t regret it.
One of the top tools is the Hori Hori Japanese gardening knife. Hori means “digging” in Japanese. This knife has been called the MacGuyver of gardening tools. A brand that comes highly recommended at a reasonable … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The benefits of bats and birds
While some may scoff, bats have benefits. You may not feel that way as you battle one inside your bedroom, however, before killing it, capture it and set it free. Then look for the place in the bats are coming in and seal it up!
Take a look at this site, eXtension, to find great information on finding the bat in your house and how to release them.
Bats won’t suck … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: BEE the change
In May of this year, the Minnesota Governor signed legislation that set aside $900,000 in financial assistance to individual home owners who are willing to install pollinator-friendly native plantings. Yowza. As a taxpayer, I’m not sure where that money is coming from but I am happy to have more pollinator plants. The program helps cover up to 75% of the cost of each conversion project, and up to 90% in areas with a “high potential” … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Christmas tree care
The local nurseries are filled with Frasier Firs, Balsams, Pine and Spruce. Ahh, that smell is awesome!
You learned all about the different types of trees last week, which ones are the most fragrant, ones that can hold a lot of ornaments and ones that have those pretty soft needles. Now we need to talk about the CARE of those beauties you brought into your home.
How to care for your tree!
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Shopping day
Yesterday we packed our bellies, today we’re packing shopping bags, hopefully reusable bags! Fueled up, we’re ready for the challenge of the hunt for the perfect gift at the perfect price. Wahoo, let the season begin!
What do you get the gardener? What do you, the gardener, ask for? Oh the list is endless but here are some of my favorite things!
One of my favorite tools in the garden beside really good gloves is a … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Happy Thanksgiving – what’s on your plate?
As you congregate around the Thanksgiving Table, what are some of the dishes you might be able to grow in your own garden? Maybe some herbs? Potatoes? Sweet potatoes? Green Beans? Pumpkins? And the list goes on!
My friend grew red potatoes! I snagged some from her and used the rosemary I grew and dried and roasted them!
As for decorations, well, if you’ve grown ornamental grasses, then bring some into … [Continue reading]