Saving Prairie


Tue. Dec. 28, 2021

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

Tallgrass Prairie are among the most decimated and threatened natural plant communities in the Midwest and the world.

The tallgrass prairie ecosystem is dominated by native grasses and wildflowers, but the most dominant species defining the prairie are big bluestem, Indian grass and switchgrass.

Their root systems stretch many feet into the soil, leaving deposits that enrich the soil and keep it from blowing away. That deep, rich, fertile soil was easily transformed into crop land  … [Continue reading]

New plant introductions for 2022


Mon. Dec. 27, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: New plant introductions for 2022

Oh wow, I came across some new annuals for 2022 from plant breeders in a trial by Costa Farms! A new begonia called ‘I’Conia Scentiment Peachy Keen’ is from Dummen Orange, a plant breeder out of Ohio that I’d never heard of. Well, they’re all over the world! Their slogan “Uniting the world through the language of flowers”. 

It’s mounding foliage carries striking, frilly two-toned double flowers of orange and peach that  … [Continue reading]

Twas the Night before Christmas – garden style


Fri. Dec. 24, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Twas the Night before Christmas – garden style

It’s Christmas Eve and that means I bring you my gardeners version of an old classic poem written in 1823 by Clement Clarke Moore. I wrote my version well over a decade ago but it still holds true for me.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,

not a plant was stirring not even a sprout. 

The seedlings were hung by the glow of a grow light … [Continue reading]

American hazelnut


Thu. Dec. 23, 2021

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

While the American chestnut was for humans the American hazelnut is really for wildlife.

I planted them on some property years ago primarily for the wildlife including pheasant, turkey, deer, woodpeckers and little mammals. Okay squirrels LOVE them and that’s a bit of an issue but give the other wildlife time and they’ll find their way to the nuts.

The American Hazelnut, corylus americana, is native to the eastern half of the U.S. except for  … [Continue reading]

Winter seed sowing


Wed. Dec. 22, 2021

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

Now that we’re officially in winter and many of us have snow on the ground, let’s talk about winter seed sowing! Prairie Moon Nursery encourages this method. I encourage you all to seek out native plant nurseries in your area. Prairie Moon is located in Minnesota and serves several states as does Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin! 

They are a native seed and plant company out of Minnesota. I have ordered seeds and plants many times  … [Continue reading]

Winter solstice and Celestial gardening


Tue. Dec. 21, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Winter solstice and Celestial gardening

 Today marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the first day of astronomical Winter.  For 2021 it happens at 9:59am central time. The Farmers Almanac has some interesting tidbits on the winter solstice celebrations. 

This is all thanks to Earth’s tilted axis, which makes it so that one half of Earth is pointed away from the Sun and the other half is pointed towards it at the time of  … [Continue reading]

The American Chestnut – demise and rise


Mon. Dec. 20, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The American Chestnut – demise and rise

Christmas week is upon us! In just days, all the effort you put forth for the holidays will climax into a frenzy of wrapper ripping, face stuffing, joyous abandon! Hopefully… it IS 2021… HOWEVER, part of the Christmas tradition of years past was a bit calmer – roasting chestnuts.

Years ago the American Chestnut was the most important tree in eastern North America. Supplying excellent lumber and tasty nuts that  … [Continue reading]

Seed ordering


Fri. Dec. 17, 2021

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

 The plant and seed catalogs for 2022 are starting to arrive. I just received one from a company I’d never heard of, Seeds N Such. I did a little research and found some mixed reviews. That got me thinking about how we order things and our own expectations.

I prefer to buy locally whenever possible. Many nurseries carry seed packets from companies they’ve already vetted. That’s not to say you shouldn’t order something you’d like  … [Continue reading]

Knock it off? Snow, that is


Thu. Dec. 16, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Knock it off? Snow, that is

Well, we got snow!  Now what about those evergreens?

Should I knock it off or not?  That is the question some folks in the northland ask when faced with snow and ice covering their conifers and other shrubs and trees.

Our first instinct is to knock that stuff off, set the branches free, however, you might do more harm than good.  And put your own safety at risk.

The ice that can  … [Continue reading]

Gardener gifts for “the Littles”


Wed. Dec. 15, 2021

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Gardener gifts for “the Littles”

As you go about your gift shopping don’t forget the little gardeners in your life. Plastic has become passe unless it’s recyclable. And even then, most of the plastic garden tools of kids just isn’t worth buying.

In comes metal and wood tools styled to fit childrens hands. And bonus, they’re sturdier! There are a couple of companies worth checking out.  EverEarth has a Childrens Gardening Bag With Tools set containing a  … [Continue reading]