Natures nocturnal creatures


Thu. Oct. 29, 2020

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

When I lived out east, the night before Halloween was called “Mischief Night”, the night the older kids went out and soaped windows, tee peed trees and got into trouble!  Halloween lore from 1970 to 2000….. (this link tells the story… but also has swear words!)

What creatures create nighttime mischief in our backyards?

The top prankster has got to be that cute little bandit, the Raccoon!  From tossing our garbage to making their  … [Continue reading]

Orchid love indoors and out


Wed. Oct. 28, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Orchid love indoors and out

While there are plenty of “grocery store” orchids (mostly phalaenopsis)  there are also a number of native orchids for our Upper Midwest area.

Yes, natives in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  In fact, the Showy Lady’s Slipper is Minnesota’s State Flower. Found living in open fens, bogs, swamps, and damp woods where there is an abundance of natural light, there are 17 orchid species that grow in Minnesota. The feminine-looking ‘Lady Slipper’ orchid grows slowly,  … [Continue reading]

Storing chemicals


Tue. Oct. 27, 2020

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

So many of us had record snowfall. It IS 2020, so why not! However, that means we may not have finished putting away those chemicals.

While there’s a big movement against the use of chemicals for our landscapes (gardens, etc.), there are still plenty of folks who use them.    Proper storage also INCLUDES your organic products.

If you’ve got chemicals in dispensers, it’s best to use them up according to directions, then rinse out your sprayers  … [Continue reading]

Garden chores left undone? Snow and cold alter plans


Mon. Oct. 26, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Garden chores left undone? Snow and cold alter plans

So my area had 8.5 inches of snow last week.

I was caught with my tools out! And with the wagon out and with several more garden chores to do! I know I wasn’t the only one. Many of you have asked what will happen to your yard, is it doomed because we didn’t get to those fallen leaves or cut off the hosta foliage or properly prepare our  … [Continue reading]

Pumpkin seeds


Fri. Oct. 23, 2020

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

Carving pumpkins is a tradition for nearly everyone I know.  When I was little, my mom would save the seeds, rinse them, soak them in a salt-laden bowl of water overnight and then bake them.  They were a treat then, but my taste is a bit more sophisticated now!

My taste is a bit more sophisticated now and I don’t soak them in salt water!

I lightly salt mine then spread them on a baking sheet,  … [Continue reading]

The season of Pumpkin Spice and pumpkin pickin’


Thu. Oct. 22, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Season of Pumpkin Spice and pumpkin pickin’

Love it or hate, it’s pumpkin spice everything season.  I have a friend who grinds her teeth every time the pumpkin spice comes out at her favorite coffee shop, another who can’t wait for the pumpkin spice creamer and sends her husband to buy as many as a husband is willing to do!  About 3 bottles worth.  In case you’re interested here’s a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte!

I happen  … [Continue reading]

Tool attention


Wed. Oct. 21, 2020

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

One of the last tasks of the gardening season is tool attention. You’ve been abusing your trowels, shovels, pruners and hoes all season, leaving them scattered about your yard and gardens to let mother nature do what she will to them.

Maybe you haven’t cleaned them off properly or sharpened your pruners.  Regardless of who’s been naughty or nice to their tools, it’s soon time to clean them up and get them ready for storage.

  • Consider
 … [Continue reading]

Sustainable landscape ideas


Tue. Oct. 20, 2020

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

My Yard and Garden news from the University of Minnesota came with a really interesting article I wanted to share with you. Julie Weisenhorn with the Horticulture Department has had 30 years of gardening in her yard and has developed considerations for a sustainable landscape design.

Now is the time to really look at your landscape. Weisenhorn suggests grabbing a clipboard and heading outside to take notes of what you want and need to  … [Continue reading]

Update on Lilac blight


Mon. Oct. 19, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite show: Update on Lilac blight

Earlier this season I talked about lilac blight. So many of my listeners had issues, including me! The University of Minnesota received a bunch of calls of those brown, yellowed leaves and dying branches on mature plants.

The Horticulture department determined that the culprit is a fungus (Pseudocercospora) that causes leaf blight, something I had mentioned on my Facebook page.

The fungus, which lives in soil and plant debris, was found in most samples. Normally  … [Continue reading]

Email grab bag day


Fri. Oct. 16, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Email grab bag day

We’ve had some lovely days and the plant sales are REALLY tempting. If you’ve gone plant sale shopping recently and now don’t have time to plant, don’t panic.  Find a spot in your landscape and plant those perennials still in their pots. Sink them into the ground up to the pot level, keep watered till the ground freezes and mulch. 

Then come spring, after you’ve decided where you want to plant them, dig them  … [Continue reading]