Knecht’s

This past weekend we walked through our woods with temperatures more like March than January. Even though it was fun to see “green” during January, we can’t help but be a little worried with plants waking up in January. Below Gabby is exploring next to the bright green moss on the hillside.

Since we live in the woods, we see deer all the time during the winter months when they are moving around more in search of food. I have wanted to go searching for shed antlers and this year - finally did and we found two sheds. I was so excited. The one pictured here has the ends of the antler nibbled off a little from the squirels.

With temperatures now in February being forecast for a cold wave - still take the time to go for nature walks. Discover the magic that awaits you in the woods or along a river or even the city street.

Leif’s article for this week’s Northfield News entitled Pruning Out Double Leaders appears in the Saturday, January 28th, edition in the Home & Garden Section of the paper.

This picture shows the damage done to a tree after a windstorm has snapped off one of the double leaders in a tree.

These two photos first show a tree with a double leader, and the same tree with the leader having been pruned out.

Labels: Yard and Garden Notes by Leif

Leif’s next article in his series about pruning for the Northfield News is titled How to Make Correct Pruning Cuts and will appear on January 21, 2006. The following pictures accompany the article in the News. Click photos to enlarge.

This is an incorrect pruning cut.

This is a correct pruning cut.

This is an incorrect pruning cut.

Watch for our updated Photo Gallery by the end of the month with an album on pruning.

Labels: Yard and Garden Notes by Leif

Leif’s new article for the January 14th, 2006, Northfield News is titled: Pruning trees: reasons why you need to prune.

Check out Leif’s articles every weekend in the Saturday Northfield News in the Home and Garden Section (Sec. C) of the paper.

Labels: Yard and Garden Notes by Leif

The mild weather with the appearance of the sun yesterday offered the perfect opportunity to prune the Oak trees in our meadow. Oak trees are one of the trees that you should avoid pruning during the growing season. Oak wilt is spread by the little black “picnic” bugs that may congregate on an open wound on the oak tree, and then the disease can migrate through the root system. Also, when roots of Oaks touch underground, they can spread Oak Wilt.

In late fall, winter or early in the spring before the arrival of our insect friends, you should plan on pruning your Oak trees. As always, be sure to wear eye protection. Please check out our library for articles provided from the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association on a variety of subjects - one being pruning.

Last week, nine of us from Knecht’s Nurseries took part in the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association’s annual convention held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. There were three education packed days where our employees were able to attend seminars on landscaping, landscape design, info for garden centers and for business management. We took in seminars that offered ideas for companion plants, as well as what’s new and exciting. Two from our staff, Leif Knecht and Heidi Gervais, were presenters at the first seminar - “My Favorite Plant”.

Sharon Decorah, Shar Jacobsen, Richard Middleton and our landscape division manager, Jim Westlund, take in the seminar on My Favorite Plant. We feel that the educational oppportunties offered at the convention as well as the networking with others in the industry, is so very valuable. This is an excellent way to get pumped up for spring.

The tip for January would be to prepare. Prepare for the next gardening season. Are your garden tools sharpened and cleaned up for use this spring? How about your lawn mower? If you haven’t already sharpened the blade and cleaned it up, now is the time to spend a few minutes getting it ready.

The gardening catalogues start arriving soon and the dreaming begins. We will be updating our plant lists shortly with the changes to our plant inventory this year. If there are certain plants that you are interested in and do not see on our inventory list - please contact us. In most cases, we are able to find it you!

Sweet Gardening Dreams!

Now is the time to really take a look at your winter landscape. Are there areas that offer some great winter color? Do you have areas that need some help? This photo shows the winterberry shrub which surrounds a flowering crabapple. The red berries of the winterberry offer bright red and gold/orange colors against the backdrop of the winter snow.

As I look out the office window right now, I see the clump of ornamental grass we have in our display bed which adorns the perennial bed rather than just being a pile of snow from the snow plow. Look around your neighborhood and surrounding areas the next time your venture out.

Some plants that offer winter interest are the flowering crabapples and Mountain Ash - both of which have persistant fruit which cling to the branches offering up winter color. The rose bushes - with their brightly colored rose hips. The highbush cranberry - again with brightly colored berrries. My favorite are the dogwoods. The bright red, orange and yellow stems of the dogwood shrubs are magnificent against the bright white snow!

You can’t plant here in Minnesota this time of year - but you can certainly start planning your landscape for spring!