with Teri Knight
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Soil – the Foundation of Life
I know, I know, I’m talking about soil again! I do, because it IS the foundation of life! From dust to dust!
Soil holds the keys to a plant’s ability to take up nutrients, water and oxygen. Soil also acts as a filter for rainwater, cleaning it as it makes it’s way into our aquifers. If you prepare your garden beds, you give your plants the best chance to, not only survive, … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Soil testing
If you really want to get down and dirty, get a soil test. Well, as soon as the soil is warm and dry enough to grab samples!
I know you’ve heard me say this before, but as we begin our planting season, it’s one of the best things you can do for your plants and yourself.
The University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin will give you a comprehensive report on what your soil … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Lawn spots – Fido, Fifi or Snow mold
After one wicked winter, we’re warming up, flood waters are hopefully receding for most folks and the frost is moving out! As we lumber out into our lawns, carefully, we may find what’s left behind by our dogs…
Urine and your lawn don’t get along. You can buy a lawn repair kit at most garden centers or you can mix your own. The best grass seed is a mix of … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Frost dates and the Year of the Pumpkin
Throwing seeds of lettuce and radishes on your soil right now is fine, they germinate in soil temps of about 35.
Most cool season crops germinate when soil and air temperatures are at least 40 degrees and above. Those crops include carrots, beets and cole crops like broccoli and cauliflower. Seed germination guide from the University of Nebraska. Please note the MINIMUM, OPTIMUM and MAXIMUM rates vary considerably. Your best … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Best planting practices for trees and shrubs
We used to tell you to plant trees and shrubs at the same level they came in in their container. The great part about horticulture is that we are continually learning!! NOW, the best advice is to take a look at those plants. Turns out that some of those plants come with too much soil on top of their graft of trunk flare.
So, what does that mean? It means you … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Planting slopes
If you’ve ever had to push a lawn mower up a hill you’ve probably thought, what can I plant to get out of this horrendous chore! You’re not alone, folks are always asking about what they can plant on slopes.
That’s a tough one. You’re looking for plants to prevent soil erosion and yet the site is usually difficult to work on for anything including maintenance. Adding a mix of shrubs, grasses, perennials and hardscape items … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Raingardens
I’m super excited… I live on a corner and both my streets are getting ripped up and redone! Oh boy…. okay, so that part is a pain in the butt, what I found out was that I qualified to have a raingarden installed! If you’re City is redoing your road, be sure to check with them to see if they have programs like that! I’ll keep you posted on the adventure… it won’t happen till mid summer. … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Garden myth busting
It’s April Fools day! To celebrate, let’s pull some tall tales out of the Garden Myth bucket.
Wound dressing is one of the top myths. We used to think that trees, like humans, needed some sort of “bandaid” after they’ve been cut.
Not so, in fact, there are times that those wound dressings may even inhibit the plant’s ability to heal itself. Tars, emulsions and waxes can dry and crack.
If water gets behind the … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show: Easter lilies – selection and preserving
Easter will be later this year… April 21st! But that leaves you plenty of time to select a beautiful Easter Lily and preserve it for some time!
This Christian Holy Day is marked by cherished traditions including the Easter Lily. The beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers of lilium longiflorum symbolize purity, hope and life – the spiritual essence of Easter – a time of renewal. They’re often given as gifts!
When choosing an … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Of poo and perennials
Oh boy, those warm temps we had made getting out in the garden very tempting. But be careful! Make sure you’re not mucking around in spongy soil. This is the snow next to our back porch! It slid off the roof of the sun porch….
I did cut back some perennials I’d left up for winter, at least the ones I could get to!
If you have the opportunity, meaning your landscape isn’t filled … [Continue reading]