General seed starting


Tue. Mar. 3, 2020

Click below to listen to my  2 min. Garden Bite radio show: General seed starting

We cold climate gardener are an optimistic bunch! I often call us Extreme Gardeners. As we hit Meteorological Spring,  we’ll be planting seeds indoors for an early start.  Be aware of HOW early you start some seeds. Right now (early March) you’ll plant seeds that take a long time to germinate. Check the info below!

What do you need:

  • a place to put your seedlings!
  • sterile containers or peat pots or those peat pellets
  • soil-less
 … [Continue reading]

Microgreens – what are they and how do I grow them?


Mon. Mar. 2, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Microgreens – what are they and how do I grow them?

Microgreens are all the rage, or seem to be. But what are they and how do you grow them? First off, they are not sprouts (germinated seed), they’re edible immature greens, harvested with scissors less than a month after germination, when the plants are up to 2 inches tall. Microveggy.com has a larger comparison chart and more information. Simply said, sprouts grow more like a fungus, microgreens  … [Continue reading]

Small space garden plants


Fri. Feb. 28, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Small space garden plants

 I have a raised bed for my vegetables but I also plant in pots. This year I’ll be doing more of that as I also have to move some boulevard plants due to street mill and overlay.

Anyhoo, a great cuke option is ‘Patio Snacker’ it’s the perfect size to plant in a 15 inch pot with a trellis for the 3 to 5 foot vines to grow on. It’s fruits are 6 to  … [Continue reading]

GMOs vs hybrids


Thu. Feb. 27, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: GMOs vs hybrids

Hybridizing, genetically modified and genetically engineered.  Hmm, is there a difference?  Well, yes. VERY basically, hybrids are created “in the field”, while genetically modified are created “in the lab”.

Modifications aka genetic mutations take place in every living thing naturally.  When 2 people have a baby, there’s some mutation going on.  Not sure that’s real romantic but, I hope, you catch my drift.

Hybridizers have been modifying plants since agriculture began, it used to  … [Continue reading]

The dilemma of decision making in landscaping


Wed. Feb. 26, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The dilemma of decision making in landscaping

I have a corner of my house where I’d like to get rid of a very large and impressive yew. One of my friends thinks I’m crazy but the darn thing is at least 7 feet in diameter and about 3 ½ ft tall. I’m looking to replace it with something thinner and taller which would allow me to place other plants around it

There are plenty of small crabapple trees  … [Continue reading]

Our backyard ecosystem


Tue. Feb. 25, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Our backyard ecosystem

Our gardens support so much more than the plants and our bellies!  They support wildlife we don’t even see, including some we really don’t want to see and some we wish weren’t there!

However, it’s an ecosystem that relies on each other. Let’s consider that term, ecosystem. What’s the definition?

The “sort of” simple explanation is a system, or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their  … [Continue reading]

Planting a rainbow of vegetables


Mon. Feb. 24, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Planting a rainbow of vegetables

Different colors of vegetables and fruits offer different nutritional value.  Although continuing studies are being done on the full value of these power-packed plants, here’s a primer for you.

Here’s a quick overview of what the colors offer:
  • RED – lycopene and anthocyanins – may reduce risk of cancer and heart disease
  • ORANGE/YELLOW – carotenoids – good for your eyes, good for your heart
  • GREEN – lutein – good for your eyes, protect
 … [Continue reading]

Hostas are bad A&s


Fri. Feb. 21, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Hostas are bad A&s

Hostas are backbone of nearly every shade garden, and for good reason! We can count on this plant no matter what!

There are big ones, little ones, large leafed, wrinkled leaf and so many varying shades of green and cream and even blue, that it will make your head spin! Get this, there are 6,100 registered cultivars or varieties according to the American Hosta Society with many more likely to exist that are not  … [Continue reading]

New weeds for the Midwest


Thu. Feb. 20, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: New weeds for the Midwest

As if we didn’t have enough! HA! Each year the Department of Agriculture adds new “weeds” to their lists. There are specifics on how these weeds are classified. While this comes from the Minnesota Dept. of Ag, it goes for all of the Midwest, in fact, Wisconsin put the hex on one of them a while ago!

“Prohibited Eradicate – Most serious threat; remove all parts of the plant above and below  … [Continue reading]

Pussy Willows are for pollinators


Wed. Feb. 19, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Pussy Willows are for pollinators

This native shrub provides some of the earliest flowers which means pollen for our native bees and honey for we humans! The foliage is also host to native butterfly caterpillars!  And they love cold climates! 

Catkins are typically downy, pendulous, composed of flowers of a single sex, and wind-pollinated.

 

Pussy Willows (the native variety is Salix discolor) are fast growing, up to 15 to 20 feet tall and prefer wet sites but  … [Continue reading]