Cold weather wines turn Icy


Thu. Nov. 21, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Cold weather wines turn Icy!

Hardy grapes developed by the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin-Madison have been instrumental in the explosion of wineries in the Upper Midwest. In just 8 years, Wisconsin went from 18 wineries to 120! In Minnesota there are 37 wineries. Among them is something very unique, Ice Wine. 

Owner and grower at Indian Island Winery, Ray Winter, explained, “You have to leave the grapes till they’re frozen solid in the vineyard.  … [Continue reading]

Christmas cactus or not


Wed. Nov. 20, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Christmas cactus or not

 Is your cactus flowering? There sure are a lot of them working overtime by the looks for the pictures on Facebook!  How long has it been in bloom? If you thought it was a Christmas cactus, I hate to burst your bubble but it’s likely a Thanksgiving cactus.   Yup, there’s a difference!

For years I had a Christmas cactus of my mom’s.  Or so I thought. Then one day I was looking at information  … [Continue reading]

Festive containers


Tue. Nov. 19, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Festive containers

I love creating my festive containers! I decided to do it on a weekend day that was not supposed to be THAT cold… whatever! I went to my local nursery and bought the “ingredients”, spruce tops, cedar branches and various other evergreens, and new this year for me… eucalyptus leaves!

I also used my own hydrangea flowers, ornamental grasses and berry branches from a friend who pruned for a local business. I really love using natural  … [Continue reading]

Where’s “global warming” in the Upper Midwest?


Mon. Nov. 18, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. GardenBite radio show: Where’s ‘global warming’ in the Upper Midwest?

Why is it so cold here if there’s global warming? Why doesn’t that global heat come to the Upper Midwest? It’s bleepin’ cold out! Just a few things I heard last week as we experienced temperatures below zero.

One of the local meteorologists, Paul Huttner, was pondering that and explained that, while October was the warmest recorded around the globe, it certainly wasn’t in the Upper Midwest!

Huttner says one key  … [Continue reading]

Types of feeders


Fri. Nov. 15, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Types of feeders

Yesterday was about the food, today is about the feeder!

There are numerous feeders out there.  Which ones work?  Well, they all do but which ones keep the squirrels at bay?  Ha!  None of them forever, unless you have them rigged for an electric shock when they touch it.

Someone I know actually did that!  He had fashioned a shocker that he could operate by remote control from the kitchen when the blackbirds would flock  … [Continue reading]

Foods for the birds


Thu. Nov. 14, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Foods for the birds

There’s nothing like calming your spirit after a slushy, bumper to bumper ride home than watching the brilliant Red Cardinal feasting on bird food out your window.   Bird Notes from Cornell U’s Ornithology lab is a great read on feeding birds.

For your enjoyment, make sure you locate the bird feeders where you can see them keeping in mind that birds want to feel safe.  So an area that will provide quick cover should  … [Continue reading]

Battling buckthorn


Wed. Nov. 13, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Battling buckthorn

It’s that time of year…  although the cold and snow are early, the Buckthorn shrub/small tree still holds it’s leaves.  Which makes it a great target!  This terribly invasive shrub is easily visible this time of year as it holds it’s leaves and berries longer than most.

Buckthorn takes over our native plants and shrubs and is NOT good for birds. It’s not poisonous, it just doesn’t give them any nutrition as they don’t absorb it.  … [Continue reading]

Tucking the tools away and a Japanese Lilac update


Tue. Nov. 12, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Tucking tools away and a Japanese Lilac update

Some of us have already experienced January type temperatures and snow before you had a chance to tuck your tools away! Don’t let that stop you, you still have time!

I barely made it myself with disconnecting my hoses but I have to mention, it’s a lot easier with the quick disconnect I got from Dramm.

I also love the new hose protector they came out with. I sort  … [Continue reading]

Field Exercises – Healing through nature


Mon. Nov. 11, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Field Exercises – healing through nature

Today is Veterans Day and I want to honor all those who have served our Country, those gave their lives and for those who have come back from war with injuries that include PTSD, I use that term simply because most folks understand it.  I will say, however, that there are many that disagree with the Disorder piece of it, and would prefer to call it simply Post Traumatic Stress.

The stress  … [Continue reading]

Highlighting Liatris – Blazing Star


Fri. Nov. 8, 2019

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Highlighting Liatris – Blazing Star

Among the native plants I purchased from my local Soil and Water Conservation District for my butterfly garden was the Liatris. This marvelous pollinator plant is also called Blazing Star or Gayfeather. 

It’s tough, it’s dependable and, among it’s species, is a monarch magnet! Yes, the monarch butterfly which favors milkweed, also adores Meadow Blazing Star. The links explain the Latin names of the plants.

Rough (or Button) Blazing Star is hardy  … [Continue reading]