Celestial gardening aka Biodynamics


Tue. Dec. 22, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Celestial gardening aka Biodynamics

Celestial gardening sounds a bit mystical.  It is.  It’s also working, according to some experts. Biodynamics, it’s more scientific name, uses the movements of the moon and stars to guide planting and cultivation.

Think that’s a stretch?  Consider how the moon creates ocean tides.  Suddenly it’s not so “out there”.  Well, celestially speaking it is!  ;-)

Biodynamic gardeners plant by the lunar calendar, they also use raised beds believing that this enlivens the soil.  Herbs  … [Continue reading]

Conservation Districts – why are they important?


Mon. Dec. 21, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Conservation Districts – why are they important?

The United States has 3,000 Conservation Districts.  Many are called Soil and Water Conservation Districts. They are an important part of working with climate change by working with millions of cooperating landowners and operators to help them manage and protect land and water resources on private and public lands in the United States.

The association was founded on the philosophy that conservation decisions should be made at the local level with  … [Continue reading]

Small scale hydroponics


Thu. Dec. 17, 2020

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

The University of Minnesota has a great guide to growing greens indoors. Small scale hydroponics.  Click on that link for complete information on hydroponics through the UofMN Ext. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. The plants use less water than soil-based systems.

To grow them, you need the plants, of course, a container, water, a way to anchor the plants, nutrients and a light source. It’s even possible to grow vegetables  … [Continue reading]

Striking houseplant choices


Wed. Dec. 16, 2020

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

How about a rattlesnake in your house?  Houseplant that is!  Since we’re mostly indoors now, our houseplants serve as our “nature respite” in the warmth of our homes!

How about adding a little bite, with the striking foliage of the Rattlesnake Plant also known as Calathea lancifolia. It’s leaves are various shades of green with wavy edges and a reddish-purple underside.  The leaves alone can grow to 30 inches!   As a native of Brazil, this  … [Continue reading]

Holiday plants and their meaning


Tue. Dec. 15, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Holiday plants and their meaning

Since we talked about holiday cacti yesterday, I thought it would be fun to share some tidbits on other holiday plants. One thing I forgot to tell you yesterday is that the Christmas cactus stands for answered prayer, the perfect symbol for 2020.

Ahhh but for 2021, Holly may be in our thoughts! Holly stands for good luck! The ancient Romans and Greeks were the first to deck their halls with  … [Continue reading]

Holiday cacti


Mon. Dec. 14, 2020

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

 Every year there’s a lot of social media chatter about those holiday cacti. Is it a Thanksgiving cactus, a Christmas cactus, an Easter flowering cactus?

The main thing we can all agree on is how lovely they are and it gets even better. Some of these plants have lived over 100 years! Can you imagine how many flowers they’ve shown off during that time!

Although true cacti, these plants are native to rainforests. The need  … [Continue reading]

The story of the Poinsettia – Flowers of the Holy Night


Fri. Dec. 11, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The story of the Poinsettia – Flowers of the Holy Night

Tomorrow, Dec. 12th, is designated 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  … [Continue reading]

2021 AAS winners


Thu. Dec. 10, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: 2021 AAS winners

The 2021 AAS plants are being introduced and I’m going to share some beauties and a tasty fruit. Wow, wow, wow is how one judge describes a new zinnia Profusion red/yellow bicolor.

This gorgeous annual plant starts the season with a bold vibrant red center ring surrounded by golden-yellow outer petals. As the season progresses, the aging flowers morph into soft, beautiful shades of apricot, salmon, and dusty rose! Yowza! From late spring  … [Continue reading]

What is AAS and how did it begin?


Wed. Dec. 9, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: What is AAS and how did it begin?

With the huge increase in new gardeners this past year, I wanted to explain AAS. Their selections are a great resource for new gardeners!

All America Selections was started in 1932 by a man named Ray Hastings.  He encouraged all seed companies to set up trial grounds, cooperatively test new varieties and agree to develop marketing efforts for new vegetables and flowers. He recommended a national network of trial grounds  … [Continue reading]

Ironwood tree


Tue. Dec. 8, 2020

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

If you have a lot of shade but would love to have a tree in your landscape, consider the native Ironwood tree. Ironwood is a common understory tree throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin’s upland deciduous forests.

Highly shade tolerant, it is slow growing in understories where it rarely grows into the canopy. Its branches are often broadly horizontal and retained fairly close to the ground.

In open sunnier sites it will grow more quickly and could reach  … [Continue reading]