Looks like planting of annual flowers and vegetables will begin in earnest today! Temperatures the week of May 13-18 are forecast to be warm, and it looks like we will be past the greatest danger of frost. As always, hold off on working soil until it is dry enough to crumble when dug, hoed or [...]
It’s happening. The awakening has begun. Anticipation has been building since the oak trees started dropping acorns last September. For some fifteen years I have collected acorns from the mighty oaks of southern Minnesota in order to grow oak trees that have been genetic strengthened by the interplay of our harsh climate, extremely varied [...]
Property owners who notice winter damaged areas on their turf grass should consider skipping the application of crabgrass preventer if overseeding or patch seeding of the damaged areas is being considered. Grass seed will not germinate properly if crabgrass preventer has been applied. The same ingredient that prevents crabgrass seed from growing will also prevent [...]
Autumn Gold’ Ginkgo has the distinctive appearance and outstanding architecture to be a tree that turns heads from its youth through middle age and especially in maturity. Very pest resistant (including Japanese Beetle), ‘Autumn Gold’ Ginkgo grows quite symmetrically with a strong central leader, and almost horizontal layered branching that becomes more a part [...]
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry is a lovely small tree/large shrub that shines in many seasons of the year. Cold hardy all the way to the Canadian border, Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry naturally develops a multi-stemmed structure with strong branches and interesting architecture. Early each spring Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry produces bountiful massess of lacy white blossoms before [...]
‘Firebird’ dwarf white flowering crab is a winner in every way. Extremely disease resistant, ‘Firebird’ dwarf crab keeps nice, clean foliage throughout summer and fall. This is a great improvement over some of the old fashioned flowering crabs. ‘Firebird’ crab requires little pruning to maintain a compact rounded shape, and is covered by a [...]
Firefall Maple is a little known but excellent hybrid maple variety developed with the combined efforts of the University of Minnesota and The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. This homegrown maple is a close cousin of the immensely popular and well known Autumn Blaze Maple and actually has characteristics that some consider superior to Autumn [...]
Winter is a time of stress for most wildlife, and often the most crucial period of the winter is the last few weeks. If wildlife is able to locate at least some type of food in the days just before new vegetation emerges and insects become active, it can mean the difference between life and [...]
Seems everyone I meet these days has something in common. We’re all a bit crazy from the incredibly long tail on the end of this winter, and ready for something, ANYTHING that is different from the abnormally cold, wet, soggy, cloudy, dreary, weather we have endured this March and April. The best medicine [...]
It’s April 14th and I’m looking out the window of our home office on a VERY dreary, 38 degree, late winter (where is spring?) day. Cold rain has been fairly steady most of the day, and it has made only moderate progress melting the snow cover in the woods. The landscape I’m looking at [...]
Sunday, April 7th. Seventeen days have passed since my calendar noted the beginning of spring, and most of the people I meet are wondering if winter will ever end. Some say it will be a miracle if spring ever arrives. I prefer to think of spring as the miracle that happens every year, however reluctantly [...]
Winterburn: When needles/foliage of evergreens brown out in late winter/early spring the conditionb is called winterburn. It is caused by overly harsh winter sunlight, most notably from sunlight reflecting off snow banks in January, February, and March. With light to moderate winterburn new growth will emerge in May/June and once again give the evergreen shrub [...]
Few things are more important for gardening success than healthy soil. If you suspect your soil could stand some improvement, you are probably right, and there is good news for you. Building healthy soil is pretty simple. The bad news is it does require some work. A good first step is to reduce or eliminate [...]
Lilacs have long been a favorite in American landscapes, and with good reason. Lilacs are fairly disease and problem free and bloom heavily year after year if they continue to receive lots of direct sunlight. Lilacs are usually successful because they tolerate most soil types oas long as there is good drainage and plenty of [...]
Very few landscape plants have achieved the popularity and success demonstrated by Autumn Blaze Maple over the last twenty years. Autumn Blaze Maple has attracted millions of buyers with its rapid growth, drought tolerance once established, versatility on many soil types, pleasing shape and stunning red/orange fall color. For property owners who want shade sooner [...]
