Arrival of Winter?

This photo is evidence that another of our famous Minnesota winters has begun. I won't be blogging regularly until spring, though I hope to write about the seeds I'm going to order. The seed catalogs will arrive soon, beginning in December. Even with snow on the ground and a few months to wait, I am hopeful about the next season.

End of the Season

My temperature gauge reads 27 F, snow flakes fly, and a trace of slush accumulates on my back deck. It is the official end of the growing season. I was hoping that my magnificent geraniums and marigolds would get a few more days. Call me an optimist...or a Minnesotan.

Planting Bulbs

This first photo is one four foot bed where I planted two Profusion zinnias. This is a great variety, spreading and blooming, well, profusely.
Planting bulbs is easy and the reward is delightful flowers in spring. It's a lost easier than uploading photos! (They are in reverse order.) I planted Siberian squill (Scilla). Being careful to keep the mat of grass intact, I dug a hole deep enough to plant the bulbs three inches deep. I have clay soil so I dug out some of the clay and put in some garden-worthy dirt.
I mixed in some organic bulb food and planted the bulbs.
Next I replaced the lawn on top. In the spring I should have blue flowers peeking through the lawn. I planted clumps of at lease three throughout different sections of the left side of the lawn. Hopefully they'll survive the winter!

Garden Update

The first hints of gold and red touch the leaves outside my window. Fall has arrived even if I'm not ready for it. The marigolds look spectacular and I sigh with relief every time the frost misses us.

In other news, I am moving some hostas to make room for a swath of squill to grow through the grass in the spring.

The joe pye weed topped out at about 6 feet this year. I think the plants like this wet year.

The Sun Chips bag that I put at the edge of a compost pile in the spring is mostly disintegrated. The leftover bits looked a little like pieces of leaves. So it does work, but here in Minnesota it takes some time to completely compost.

Garden Update

Comparing the previous impatiens photo to this one, you'll notice that the flowers have overgrown the pots and steps. They like this spot!

This other photo is one example of the geraniums in pots line the front of the house. I love the "pop" of bright color that draws your eye up to the house.

Cosmos are one of my favorites. I plant them every year, along with other butterfly-friendly flowers.

Raccoons?

Imagine my surprise to find the last blueberries gone! I had placed sturdy metal stakes into the ground. On top of the stakes I have plastic two liter bottles with the bottoms cut out to make climbing (or landing) impossible. I have covered everything, even the top, in netting. Well, something clever pushed the stakes so they tilted in the soft rain-soaked soil. This same something clever pushed the loose netting close to the blueberries, close enough to eat them. I've been outwitted by a wascal.

Impatiens

This was my challenge this year--to grow impatiens from seed. I had success, as you can see in these pots on the shady deck. However, I planted lots of seeds, with only one third becoming plants. After reading about the difficulties of impatiens from seed, I knew that could be a problem, so I over-planted. And I am happy with the results. Will I do it next year? I did save money and I tried a cool variety (Accent Star Mix), so maybe I will.

Sunflowers

These sunflowers are the Earthwalker variety. I have planted them near the mailbox. At first all the blooms faced east, away from the road, but tnow they are looking better. I counted 14 open flowers and 18 blooms (though I shouldn't count my blooms before the blossom!).

Delphinium

One of my favorite flowers is the delphinium. I love the tall spikes that punctuate the garden like an exclamation point. It's hard to photograph the feeling that these plants tower over you, that they glow with color, and that they sparkle with more than one shade of true blue.

Construction Update

Here are some photos from the garden re-construction. I'll call them "during" photos. The boxes are made of cedar and measure four feet by four feet. (The old beds were 16 x 4 and the wood bowed as it aged. You can see the rotted boards-but they lasted over ten years.) On the ground is landscape fabric, the kind that allows water to seep into the ground but keeps weeds out. That's four feet wide. We'll be laying down some cedar mulch on top of the fabric. Many thanks goes to my hubby who has taken great pride in his work and taken a few aspirin for the sore muscles.

Coming Soon

"Trouble-Shooting In The Garden: Discussion and Dessert" is the newest presentation that I will give on Monday, July 12, at 6:30 pm at Richmond Library (Minnesota). I'll have information about what to do about some of the peskiest garden problems.

I am very happy to report that three (yes, just three) cherries survived the frost. Once they ripen, who will get them first...the humans or the animals?

With more problems that I imagined, I am setting up my (our) new computer and soon hope to have some pictures on this site as a regular feature. My wonderful husband digs diligently, creating a fabulous remodeled garden.

Garden Update

Today I ate the first wild raspberry of the season. Yum. We've been eating peapods and lettuce and strawberries.

Yet the rebuilding of the garden is slow work. We have a start, and I have some photos I will upload when we get the new computer. I've had little free time, some bad weather, and an injured foot. I was hoping to get some summer veggies planted, but it may be too late for most. This is driving me crazy, but I am breathing deeply and trying to conjure up patience out of the warm summer air.

Apology and Free Shipping

I have had computer problems, so I am not blogging as I should. I am saving everything on flash drives and hope to get a new computer soon.

In other news, Gardener's Supply Company has free shipping on orders of $75 of more. I have had good luck with the few products I have bought there, though they are more expensive. And shipping is expensive. So if this is a catalog you use, it might be time to take advantage of the offer. Visit gardeners .com or call 1 - 800- 427 - 3363.

Feeling Sad about Apples

I went outside yesterday to see how the apples and the cherry tree were doing. Earlier I thought they made it through the freeze just fine. After all, the blossoms seemed intact, even though all the petals feel to the ground soon afterward. I figured it was just their time to drop. But, doggone it, I don't think I'll have any tree fruit this year (at least at eye level). Thomas Jefferson once said, "Though I am an old man, I am but a young gardener." I understand how he feels. I thought I knew a lot, but I can't be sure that it's the frost that killed the blossoms. It could be something else, though the trees seem healthy otherwise. I wish I knew a way to protect the blossoms from the cold! What would I have done if I were a pioneer and depended on these apples trees as a source of food?

Baby Robins

When looking at the nest, you see nothing. Then the mama robin lands nearby and the little heads pop up, beaks wide open, begging for that juicy bug. We've been watching the robins build their nest and we saw the mama sitting on the eggs. I've noticed that the daddy robin also feeds the babies. And when it's chilly, the mama sits on the babies. Our Sunday morning was spent watching the parents feed the babies. And I find myself watching, distracted from things like laundry and bill paying.

Surviving the Cold

Hopefully all your tender plants survived this weekend's cold snap. I know that I covered as much as I could and as far as I can tell everything seems okay. Crazy Minnesota weather!

The people of Minnesota are hopeful. On Sunday many indulged in their traditional Mother's day shopping spree for bedding plants. I am happy for the nurseries, of course, but I am hoping people store their plants in a warm place since we're up for some more cold nights. Plants from the greenhouse need to be hardened off, meaning gradually exposed to the outdoors. They've been babied at the nursery. If the soil or the temps are too cold, the plants might survive, but they won't thrive.

I realize that many plants will be picked over when I finally go plant shopping, but I have started some specific varieties in my home and I am overhauling my vegetable garden, which won't be done for a while. More on this later...

Kitchen Garden Date Change

The Howard Lake presentation of The Kitchen Garden has changed dates from May 15 to Saturday, June 5, at 11 am. The presentation will change slightly to reflect the later date, mainly because we should be planting tomatoes and such by then (hopefully). Only in Minnesota can we have warm 70 degree F temps followed by snow a few weeks later (predicted for Northern Minnesota Friday).

Weeding

This weekend's main gardening activity was weeding. So far I have two main kinds of weeds--grass from the lawn entering my garden beds and mini trees. We live in an oak forest so I pulled some baby trees and then I removed acorns that the squirrels missed over the winter...handfuls and handfuls of acorns.

In other garden news, the ants are active and exploring my house. I am on crumb patrol nightly.

Also, the strawberries are blooming. The old fashioned lilacs are supposed to be blooming, but they might not be getting enough sunlight. I try to keep up with trimming back the woods every spring and fall, but the crowns of the trees are well beyond my reach.

I love this time of year. I try to sit on the porch even when we've got wind chills. (Sometimes my hands get too cold for me to hold the book I'm reading so I have to call it quits.) Being outside is good for my soul.

Garden Photos

Since some people have asked what my garden looks like, here are some current photos: lettuce, wild plum blossoms, and a tulip.

Greenhouse Manual

For some time now, I have dreamed of a passive solar greenhouse. The dream began in seventh grade for a research project. Now I find myself wandering around the yard, trying to figure out the best placement for maximum sun exposure.

However, since I won't be doing this any time soon (too many trees, not enough cash), I've read "The Northlands Winter Greenhouse Manual" by Carol Ford and Chuck Waibel. The book has practical information for growing food in the depth of a Minnesota winter. It is written in a conversational voice with stories about the greenhouse. Also, readers will find an empowering message: "Yes, you can!"

Upcoming Appearances

Want some free gardening information?

On Saturday, April 24, I'll talk about organic gardening at Fairview Gardens in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, at 10 am.

On Monday, April 26, I'll be at Richmond Library to talk about "The Kitchen Garden" at 6:30 pm.

On Saturday, May 15, I'll repeat "The Kitchen Garden" and also stay for a question and answer session, starting at 11 am at Howard Lake Library.

Hope to see you there!

Bulbs!

The burst of blooming daffodils is ending now. They are truly magnificent. Most of the daffodils I received from my Minneapolis neighbor and I've lifted and divided until I don't know where to put them anymore. This is only the second time in my life when daffodils bloomed on my birthday. The first was when I was pretty young and I can't remember the year. Will this trend continue?

This year the Siberian squill is lovely, the crocuses are slowly disappearing (in a weird way--I suspect rodents), and the pasque flower is a delight (this is the first year). I love spring!

Product Tests and Book Review

I am testing "potato bags," a soft circular bag that claims to have excellent drainage in order to grow potatoes. When I was in England, I picked up some gardening magazines and they were very popular in the ads. One mag tested the product and said it worked well. I've bought the American equivalent and I'll give it a test.

Have you seen the new DK book, The Kitchen Garden? It's a beautiful book and fun to look through. However, the information is not accurate for the Minnesota climate. That's not to say that some of the information cannot be applied here; it's just that it shouldn't be the primary source for the zones 3 and 4 gardens. For example, the book says to harvest rhubarb in March. The only thing we harvest in March in Minnesota is snow (this spring being the exception).

Another garden item this spring is the Sun Chips compostable bag. I put it in one of my compost heaps March 15. I'll post what happens later.

No Fooling

Today is lettuce day. I shall eat some lettuce from my garden. No fooling. I am going to try this overwintering technique again this fall and see if it works again. (It could be a one-time weather-dependent success.)

The crocuses are looking good. I love this time of year because all those bulbs I've planted in the fall and forgotten pop up for a delightful feast for the eyes.

Should I Water?

We've had an interesting spring in Central Minnesota. With the rapid snow melt, some areas flooded. In my yard, we had a mini lake of melted snow and rain. Yet now we are under a burning ban, due to the dry, windy conditions. So this leads to the questions, should I water or not?

Here's what a gardener should consider: Is the soil dry on the surface? How deeply does the soil moisture go? Do I have good drainage in the dry area? When is rain predicted?

For me, I am not going to water what was under water since it is clay soil and retains moisture. Also, I am not going to water the grass.

What I am going to water are the raised beds on a south-facing slope. The soil seems dangerously dry, and I do not want to damage my strawberries and blueberry planted there.

I was lucky enough to hook up my rain barrel during the March thunderstorm, which filled it. I have a feeling that I will use up that water. Rain is predicted for Friday so I will hopefully restock my water supply then.

I've got bulbs and perennials peeking through the garden beds. Spring is definitely here.

Garden Update

While it's chilly today, I took advantage of the recent balmy weather to remove some of the mulch from my garden beds and to trim the trees. We trimmed some oaks so I gathered the branches, some of which were tree-sized themselves. I pruned the apple trees (I have a very difficult time pruning--I never know what to cut and what to keep!). Also, I found some lettuce. Yes, that same lettuce that I nibbled on the first of December last year. I had left my plastic cover in place and the snow covered it. I peaked under the plastic and there were a few leaves growing. I suppose the root systems survived. Will they survive this next blast of cold air? I can only hope. Maybe I'll be eating fresh garden lettuce in March!

Bad, Bad Girl

I am a bad girl. After yesterday's thunderstorm (yes, lightning and thunder and heavy rain!), I hooked up my rain barrel. I know it's too soon, but I wanted all that beautiful fresh rain. Later in the spring, the rain washes tree pollen off the roof, turning my rain barrel water green--a side effect of living in the woods. Now I will carefully watch the temps since I don't want a cracked rain barrel!

Jealousy

Is is possible to be jealous of a country that is shrouded in mist and fog?

Well, I am. When traveling to England and France, I was jealous of the green grass and the daffodils that were just pushing through the ground. After browsing through the gardening magazines I bought in the U. K., I am jealous of their close-knit gardening community, which is probably because they share similar growing conditions, unlike here in the U. S. where we have everything from the tropics to tundra.

Yes, I am green with envy. Mostly I am jealous of the greenhouses--glasshouses--which I have coveted for too long. Really, even if I won the lottery, I wouldn't be able to have one at my home because we have so many trees. The main reason for my jealousy is that I could be working in the garden now.

Yet, if I lived in a different climate, maybe I wouldn't get nearly as much writing done because I'd be outside all the time.

A Flurry of Seed Catalogs

As the snow deepens here in Central Minnesota, a flurry of seed catalogs hits my mailbox. I am definitely not complaining. I love the bright, cheerful colors and the possibilities that each catalog represents. I, too, can have a garden full of healthy produce and a rainbow of lovely flowers.

One complaint I have is the high shipping costs. I will pay more for certain varieties that I want, but I used to buy from several catalogs. Now I choose the seeds I most want, figure out what other packets I can buy, and then cut myself off before the next tier of shipping costs rises. So, catalog companies, your shipping and handling fees are limiting my purchases and limiting the number of catalogs from which I buy. Some things that I consider are if the seed is Northern grown, if the company is mindful of the environment (sometimes that means organic), and if the company is family owned or non-profit or independent of large agribusiness (such as Cargill). I like to vote with my money.

What will I order? I'm not sure. I still have some seeds from last year, and I saved some seeds, too, so my order will probably be smaller this year as compared to last year. Yet I still enjoy perusing the catalogs and dreaming of spring.