JR Johnson Supply

USDA TO LAUNCH HIGH TUNNEL PILOT STUDY TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF LOCALLY GROWN FOODS

2010-01-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

3-Year Project To Verify Effectiveness Of High Tunnels In Natural Resource Conservation

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2009 - Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced a new pilot project under the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative for farmers to establish high tunnels - also known as hoop houses - to increase the availability of locally grown produce in a conservation-friendly way. Merrigan and other Obama administration officials highlighted opportunities available for producers in a video posted on USDA's YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vtMJgp0no, which shows high tunnels recently installed in the White House garden.

"There is great potential for high tunnels to expand the availability of healthy, locally-grown crops - a win for producers and consumers," said Merrigan. "This pilot project is going to give us real-world information that farmers all over the country can use to decide if they want to add high tunnels to their operations. We know that these fixtures can help producers extend their growing season and hopefully add to their bottom line."

The 3-year, 38-state study will verify if high tunnels are effective in reducing pesticide use, keeping vital nutrients in the soil, extending the growing season, increasing yields, and providing other benefits to growers.

Made of ribs of plastic or metal pipe covered with a layer of plastic sheeting, high tunnels are easy to build, maintain and move. High tunnels are used year-round in parts of the country, providing steady incomes to farmers - a significant advantage to owners of small farms, limited-resource farmers and organic producers.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide financial assistance for the project through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the EQIP Organic Initiative, and the Agricultural Management Assistance program. NRCS will fund one high tunnel per farm. High tunnels in the study can cover as much as 5 percent of 1 acre. Participating states and territories are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Pacific Islands, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

To sign up or learn more about EQIP assistance for high tunnel projects, contact a local NRCS office.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

How, What, and When to Water

2009-06-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

from Star Tribune...

It takes more than a watering can and good intentions to keep your plants hydrated during a dry spell. Here are some tips and tricks to watering well.

To gardeners, Minnesota's weather always seems unpredictable. This spring, we've had a doozy. We started the season with a moisture deficit, which has only gotten worse for the southern half of the state, including the Twin Cities. Though perfect for picnics, the dry weather poses a major challenge for most of our garden and landscape plants. It affects everything from the smallest flowering annuals, which wilt easily, to our majestic shade trees, which are more prone to insect pests and diseases when stressed by drought.

Set priorities
When we have long dry spells, it's wise to set priorities for watering. First on the list should be young trees and shrubs that were planted in the past year or two. Water them thoroughly once or twice a week, depending on how hot it is. To help them retain moisture, mulch them with several inches of wood chips or shredded bark, starting an inch or so out from the trunk or stems and extending over the root area.
Newly seeded or sodded parts of the lawn are also a high priority for water. They require shallow, but frequent watering while their roots become established. Aim for twice daily at first, then gradually shift to deeper, less frequent watering as the roots grow stronger. Don't allow newly seeded or sodded grass to go dormant. It's not resilient enough to handle it.

Flowers and vegetables
More gardeners are growing their own vegetables this year, many for the first time. Vegetables need regular, deep watering not only for productivity, but to avoid misshapen or bitter-tasting produce. How often you water vegetables depends on the soil in which they're growing. In general, the sandier the soil, the more frequently you will have to water it. When you water, soak the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Don't wait to water until you see plants drooping. Repeated wilting can be very damaging.

Most flowering annuals need regular watering to maintain their good looks. Some - including moss rose (Portulaca), blue salvia (Salvia farinacea), flowering vinca (Catharanthus), gazania and California poppy - are more drought-tolerant than others.
On the other hand, perennials - especially those that are well-established - typically have deeper, more developed roots. That means you usually can wait longer between waterings.

Whether you're growing flowers or vegetables, adding a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch will help conserve moisture, which will in turn keep the soil cooler and further reduce moisture lost to evaporation. When you're mulching vegetables or areas of the garden that are still developing, use straw, dried grass, chipped leaves or pine needles. You can use a more permanent mulch, such as wood chips, shredded bark or cocoa bean hulls, around perennials that won't be disturbed for a few years.

Lawns
Before the early June rains, many lawns in the Twin Cities had already turned brown and crisp. It is possible to let your lawn go dormant, but not all grasses come out of dormancy well. Lawns containing common Kentucky bluegrass varieties withstand summer dormancy better than most newer "improved" bluegrass varieties. Also, while your grass may go dormant, many weeds don't. Tough weeds will continue to grow, making further inroads in your lawn.

Instead of risking dormancy, keep your lawn healthy by watering it regularly. When you water your lawn, you also water the feeder roots of nearby trees.

The best way to water is to soak the soil to a depth of about 6 inches (less if you have an automatic irrigation system and can run it every two or three days). Here's an easy test for when to water: If you walk on the lawn and your footprints in the grass don't spring back up, it's time to water.

When and how to water
It makes a difference when you water. It's most efficient to water early in the day, when temperatures are lower and winds are calmer. You can water at night, but plants will stay wet longer, which makes them more vulnerable to fungal and bacterial diseases. If you have sprinklers on an automatic timer, set them to start just before sunrise. Plants will dry rapidly once the sun comes up.

It doesn't hurt plants to water them in the heat of the day. In fact, it can help cool them. But it's not an efficient way to water because a large percentage of the water evaporates. So if your plants look droopy on hot afternoons, water lightly, then follow up with a thorough watering the next morning.

Try to water the soil rather than the plant itself. Soaker hoses and drip or trickle irrigation systems do a better job than sprinklers do in getting the water where it's most needed. Sprinklers, however, are far better than hand watering. It's difficult to deliver enough water to a lawn or garden when using a hose or a watering can.

Take care with container plants
In hot, windy weather, container plants can dry quickly. Water them in the morning when it's still relatively cool, and check them again in the late afternoon to see if they need to be watered again. Be sure to saturate the soil thoroughly by applying water until it runs through the containers' drain holes.

Frequent water can flush nutrients out of the soil, so you may need to fertilize more often. If you didn't use a potting soil with fertilizer in it or a slow-release fertilizer when you planted, add water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks if you're watering daily.

Deb Brown is a garden writer and former extension horticulturist with the University of Minnesota. To ask her a gardening question, call 612-673-7793 and leave a message. She will answer questions in this column only.

Got Plastic Pots? Recycle 'em

2009-05-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

from Star Tribune

Gardening is green, but garden waste is not. Horticultural plastic pots take up a lot of space in landfills and don't readily decompose. But they can be recycled. Just gather up all those unwanted pots, cell-pack trays and hanging baskets you've accumulated, and bring them to a participating garden center for recycling.

The Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association has brought back its popular recycling program this season, now through Nov. 1. The plastic will be re-used after it is processed and distributed to manufacturers looking for recycled plastic.

Gardeners can drop off cleaned plastic garden pots, polystyrene cell pack trays and hanging baskets, with metal hangers removed. Only plastic pots, trays and baskets will be accepted; no clay pots or household plastic.

Some garden center drop sites will accept garden plastic all season, through Nov. 1. Participating Twin Cities metro-area centers include: Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply (Forest Lake), Bloomingon Garden Center (Bloomington), Down in the Valley Nursery (Buffalo), Hermes Floral Garden Center (St. Paul), Linder's Garden Center (St. Paul), Lotus Lawn & Garden (Chanhassen), Malmborg's (Brooklyn Center and Maple Grove), Mickman Brothers (Ham Lake), Minnesota Green (Shakopee), Minnesota Valley Garden Center (Shakopee), Mom's Landscaping and Design (Shakopee), Mother Earth Gardens (Minneapolis), Otten Bros. Nursery and Landscaping (Long Lake), Peterson Produce (Delano), Prairie Restorations (Scandia and Princeton), the Mustard Seed (Chaska), Turtle Creek (Owatonna), Uncommon Gardens (Minneapolis) and Wagner Greenhouses (Minneapolis).

Other participating garden centers will accept plastic for recycling only on June 20-21 and Sept. 19-20. For a complete list, visit www.gardenminnesota.com.

KIM PALMER

Veggies in Pots

2009-05-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

from: Star Tribune
Last update: May 5, 2009 - 1:14 PM

Even if you don't have a garden plot you can grow your own incredible edibles. All you need is a container, plants, patience and plenty of sun.

PICK YOUR POT• Make sure it has drain holes.
• Clean and dry it before you use it.
• Choose a pot suited to your site. Plastic is lightweight and helps retain moisture. Clay lets roots breath, but can dry out quickly in hot sun. Wood insulates from the heat, but avoid any wood that's been treated with chemicals toxic to plants. Avoid metal. It can heat up and damage plant roots.

GO BIG
When choosing a container, bigger is better. Small containers dry out quickly and plants can cause plants to become root bound.

FILL YOUR POT
Don't use garden soil. It tends to compact and can harbor insects and diseases. Buy a mix designed for containers or make your own mix of peat moss, vermiculite or perlite and completed compost.

WHEN TO PLANT
Cool-weather veggies (peas, radishes, beets, broccoli, carrots and salad greens) should be planted early in the season. Warm-weather veggies (cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, squash and other vines) should be planted in mid- to late May. Planting too early can stunt their growth and reduce your harvest.

LOCATION, LOCATION
Most vegetables need at least six hours of sun a day. Plants that bear fruit require the most sun. If possible, pick a spot that offers some shelter from the wind.

FEED
Container-grown crops need fertilizer. Use a potting mix that contains fertilizer, mix a slow-release fertilizer into the soil when you plant or use a water-soluable fertilizer weekly. To go natural, consider using composted manure, fish emulsion, seaweed extracts or alfalfa, bone or blood meal.

WATER
Water when top inch of soil is dry. You may have to water daily while plants are developing, then twice a day when they bear fruit. Flush the soil of excess salts weekly by watering (without fertilizer) until water drains freely from the pot.

GROW UP OR OUT
Vining vegetables (cucumbers, squash, some peas and beans) can cascade over their containers or be trained to grow vertically by using stakes, a trellis or placing the pot near a railing or fence.

HOW MUCH TO PLANT
A 1-gallon pot (8 inches):
• one cherry tomato plant
• one cabbage
• one rosemary
• two Swiss chard plants
• two to three green bean plants
• two to three smaller herbs (basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley)
• four to six spinach plants or six lettuce plants
A 2-gallon pot (10 inches):
• one eggplant
• one broccoli or cauliflower
• two cucumbers
• two peppers
• four to six beets or carrots
• eight to 10 radishes
A 3-gallon pot (12 inches):
• one tomato (Patio, Jet Star, Early Girl or Celebrity are good in pots)
• one zucchini
• one summer squash

Sources: Larry Cipolla, Executive Board member of the Hennepin County Master Gardeners and chair of State Master Gardeners Advisory Board; Mary Hockenberry Meyer, professor and extension horticulturist with the University of Minnesota; University of Minnesota Extension Service.

Gardeners in Chief?

2009-04-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

After success in the White House, the homegrown-food movement lobbies First Families nationwide.

By KIM PALMER, Star Tribune

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has a lot on his plate these days. But a garden-advocacy group thinks he needs something more: home-grown veggies.

Urging states to plant food-producing gardens at governors' official residences is the next mission for Eat the View (www.eattheview.org), a group that spent most of 2008 lobbying for a presidential veggie plot.

That effort was successful. Last month, Michelle Obama publicly dug up part of the South Lawn to put in a vegetable garden, the first at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt's Victory Garden during World War II. The 1,100-square-foot garden will be organic and fertilized with White House compost, and its produce will be used for the Obamas' family meals as well as for formal state dinners.

Eat the View can't take all the credit for the Obamas' new garden, although its "This Lawn Is Your Lawn" campaign played a part, said Roger Doiron, founding director of Kitchen Gardens International, the nonprofit network behind Eat the View. Food scares, the local-food movement and the troubled economy all combined to put vegetable gardening back in the spotlight. "An aligning of the planets made it possible, and we were happy to be one of those planets," he said.

High-profile advocates have been lobbying for a presidential veggie plot for years, Doiron noted. "Michael Pollan [author of 'The Omnivore's Dilemma'] deserves more credit than he's gotten. He wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times in 1991 suggesting that we remove some of the White House lawn and put in a garden. Alice Waters [the chef who founded California's famed Chez Panisse restaurant] made some headlines in the mid-'90s during the Clinton administration" with a similar plea.

Eat the View used today's technology, including social-networking tools, viral video and an online petition, to create a complete online campaign. "What made this effort successful was that there were 100,000 Americans asking for it," Doiron said. "We need to get closer to our food, for our physical health and the health of the planet. We're trying to get this rippling across the country. We will be reaching out to governors next, to encourage First Families at the state level to follow the Obamas' example."

The Minnesota Governor's Mansion on Summit Avenue in St. Paul has gardens, but grows no veggies, said a woman who answered the phone there. "We have discussed it," said the woman, who declined to give her name, saying she wasn't an official spokesperson for Pawlenty. "But we don't know where we would put it. It's kind of a shady spot."

Digging Obama's Garden?

2009-03-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

The Obamas have decided to dig up a 1,100 square foot patch of the South Lawn at the White House to plant an organic vegetable garden. The garden will be the first at the White House since Elenor Roosevelt's victory garden in World War II.

While the garden will provide food for the first family's meals, they're collectively looking at the bigger picture. "My hope is that through children, they will begin to educate their families and that will, in turn, begin to educate our communities" Michelle Obama explained.

For starters, 23 fifth graders from the Bancroft Elementary School in Washington will help the first lady dig up the soil in a spot that will be visible to passers-by. They will also help harvest and cook the veggies, berries, and herbs from the garden. After all, the student have had a garden at the school since 2001.

The garden itself will include 55 varieties of vegetables grown from organic seedlings with a total cost $200. Cilantro, tomatillos, and hot peppers will be grown for their love of Mexican cuisine. Red romaine, green oak leaf, butterhead, and galactic are among the varieties of lettuces that will be present in the garden. There will also be spinich, chard, collards, black kale, multiple varieties of herbs, and a berry patch for desserts.

The organic garden has taken on political and environmental symbolism to those who believe that growing food locally and organically can lead to healthier eating habits and reduce reliance on industrial farms that use oil for transportation and chemicals for fertilizer.

Six Considerations for Choosing a Hobby Greenhouse

2009-03-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

By: Roger Hintze

Thinking of purchasing a hobby greenhouse? Here are a few things to consider before you take the leap.

Are you going to be using the house the year around, and in what type of climate? The reason for this is to know the R value (insulation) of the material that covers the house. If it is really thin and the winter temperature is going to fall below freezing or more you might want to consider what it's going to cost to heat the house. Some of the choices available include glass, single wall polycarbonate or twin or triple wall polycarbonate. The multi-layer polycarbonates are the better choice for northern climates.

Where are you going to place the house? Is it in an area that receives adequate sunlight? Many of the flowering plants require at least six hours of sunlight per day. If you place the house too close to the north side of a building or other stable object remember that the angle of the sun will decrease as the season moves toward December and shadows will become longer. Think ahead as to where you want the entrance door to face. If you are planning on operating the house during the winter you may not want to place the entrance door on the north side. Houses generally are placed with the length oriented in an east-west fashion. This takes advantage of the low angle of the sun in the winter.

Are you going to need a building permit from your local government? Check with your city or county offices for existing building codes.

Heating and ventilation considerations are important. If you will be installing a heating system you will need to decide on your source of energy -natural gas, LP gas, electric or fuel oil. You will need to size the heater, which is calculated according to the type of your house covering and the extreme external temperatures encountered during the heating season. As for ventilation, moving the air within the house is usually not enough. You will need a wall mounted fan that pulls in fresh air from the outside and an opposite mounted fan to exhaust the hot air to the outside. Another choice would be movable roof vents, which can be thermostatically opened when the temperature reaches a pre-determined level. Fans will also need to be sized according to the amount of the air volume in the house.
Foundations. Houses will need to be secured to the ground so that they don't blow away in windy weather. There are several choices to do this. Foundations can be made by pouring a cement slab, driving anchor stakes into the ground or attaching the house to a wood beam base.

Additional considerations. If you are installing heating and/or ventilation, supplemental lighting or devices for adding humidity you will need to run electrical power to the house. If you are operating the house the year around and don't want to physically carry pails of water you will want to install a pressurized water source. In areas where it doesn't freeze you can run surface pipes or hoses from a main source of water. Unless you are growing plants in the ground there will be a need for some form of benches on which to place your plants. In order to cut down on the intense summer sun you have a couple of choices-woven shade cloth made with various percentages of shade or liquid reflective shade compound that can be sprayed onto the roof. Finally, there will be a need for plant containers, soil mixes and fertilizers. And, you will need a source for seeds and living plant material. Be informed too, that you will never have enough space. Consider purchasing a house for which there are available incremental additions that can added to your existing space.

Roger Hintze has BS and MS degrees in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Minnesota and has been employed by J R Johnson Supply for 40 years. J.R. Johnson Supply headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota is a horticulture supplier and has over 30,000 items available in its on-line store. Specialties include soil media, containers, pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation equipment, nursery supplies, greenhouse supplies, organic growing supplies, generic chemicals, and landscape or retail garden center supplies. In additional to hobby greenhouses, Jr Johnson is selling a number of products for the garden hobbiest, including raised garden beds, backyard compost bins, compost aerators, rain barrels and compost tea brewers

Friday Fact #20

2009-01-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Saguaro Cactus, found in the Southwestern United States, doesn't grow branches until it is 75 years old.

The Secret of Rooting Cuttings

2009-01-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

The secret of rooting cuttings can be summed up in two words.

“Timing and technique”.

When you do your cuttings is every bit as important as how you do them. So if you do the right thing, at the right time of the year, your efforts are sure to bring success. Through this article you will learn both.

"Rooting Hardwood Cuttings of Deciduous Plants"

Hardwood cuttings are much more durable than softwood cuttings which is why hardwoods are the best technique for the home gardener. A deciduous plant is a plant that loses it’s leaves during the winter. All plants go dormant during the winter, but evergreens keep their foliage. Many people don’t consider Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and and Mountain Laurel evergreens, but they are. They are known as broad leaf evergreens. Any plant that completely loses it’s leaves is a deciduous plant.

There are three different techniques for rooting cuttings of deciduous plants. Two methods for hardwood cuttings, and one for softwood cuttings. In this article we are only going to discuss rooting cuttings using the hardwood methods. If you are interested in softwood cuttings, you'll find a very informative article at http://www.freeplants.com

Of the two hardwood techniques is one better than the other? It depends on exactly what you are rooting, what the soil conditions are at your house, and what Mother Nature has up her sleeve for the coming winter.

I have experienced both success and failure using each method. Only experimentation will determine what works best for you. Try some cuttings using each method.

When doing hardwood cuttings of deciduous plants, you should wait until the parent plants are completely dormant. This does not happen until you’ve experienced a good hard freeze where the temperature dips down below 32 degrees F. for a period of several hours. Here in northeastern Ohio this usually occurs around mid November.

Unlike softwood cuttings of deciduous plants, where you only take tip cuttings from the ends of the branches, that rule does not apply to hardwood cuttings of deciduous plants. For instance, a plant such as Forsythia can grow as much as four feet in one season. In that case, you can use all of the current year's growth to make hardwood cuttings.

You might be able to get six or eight cuttings from one branch. Grapes are extremely vigorous. A grape vine can grow up to ten feet or more in one season. That entire vine can be used for hardwood cuttings. Of course with grape vines, there is considerable space between the buds, so the cuttings have to be much longer than most other deciduous plants. The average length of a hardwood grape vine cutting is about 12” and still only has 3 or 4 buds. The bud spacing on most other deciduous plants is much closer, so the cuttings only need to be about 6- 8” in length.

Making a deciduous hardwood cutting is quite easy. Just collect some branches (known as canes) from the parent plants. Clip these canes into cuttings about 6” long. Of course these canes will not have any leaves on them because the plant is dormant, but if you examine the canes closely you will see little bumps along the cane. These bumps are bud unions. They are next year’s leaf buds or nodes, as they are often called.

When making a hardwood cutting of a deciduous plant it is best to make the cut at the bottom, or the butt end of the cutting just below a node, and make the cut at the top of the cutting about 3/4” above a node. This technique serves two purposes. One, it makes it easier for you to distinguish the top of the cutting from the bottom of the cutting as you handle them. It also aids the cutting in two different ways. Any time you cut a plant above a node, the section of stem left above that node will die back to the top node. So if you were to leave 1/2” of stem below the bottom node, it would just die back anyway. Having that section of dead wood underground is not a good idea. It is only a place for insects and disease to hide.

It is also helpful to actually injure a plant slightly when trying to force it to develop roots. When a plant is injured, it develops a callous over the wound as protection. This callous build up is necessary before roots will develop. Cutting just below a node on the bottom of a cutting causes the plant to develop callous and eventually, roots.

Making the cut on the top of the cutting 3/4” above the node is done so that the 3/4” section of stem above the node will provide protection for the top node. This keeps the buds from being damaged or knocked off during handling and planting. You can press down on the cutting without harming the buds.

When rooting cuttings this way it helps to make the cut at the top of the cutting at an angle. This sheds water away from the cut end of the cutting and helps to reduce the chance of disease. Once you have all of your cuttings made, dip the bottom of the cutting in a rooting compound. Make sure you have the right strength rooting compound (available at most garden stores) for hardwood cuttings. Line them up so the butt ends are even and tie them into bundles.

Select a spot in your garden that is in full sun. Dig a hole about 12” deep and large enough to hold all of the bundles of cuttings. Place the bundles of cuttings in the hole upside down. The butt ends of the cuttings should be up. The butt ends of the cuttings should be about 6” below the surface. Cover the cuttings completely with soil and mark the location with a stake, so you can find them again in the spring.

I know this sounds crazy, but rooting cuttings this way does work. To increase your chances of success you can cover the butt ends of the cuttings with moist peat moss before filling in the hole. Make sure you wet the peat moss thoroughly, then just pack it on the butt ends of the cuttings.

Over the winter the cuttings will develop callous and possibly some roots. Placing them in the hole upside down puts the butt ends closest to the surface, so they can be warmed by the sun, creating favorable conditions for root development. Being upside down also discourages top growth. Leave them alone until about mid spring after the danger of frost has passed.

Over the winter the buds will begin to develop and will be quite tender when you dig them up. Frost could do considerable damage if you dig them and plant them out too early. That’s why it is best to leave them buried until the danger of frost has passed.

Dig them up very carefully, so as not to damage them. Cut open the bundles and examine the butt ends. Hopefully, you will see some callous build up. Even if there is no callous, plant them out anyway. You don’t need a bed of sand or anything special when you plant the cuttings out. Just put them in a sunny location in your garden. Of course the area you chose should be well drained, with good rich topsoil.

To plant the cuttings, just dig a very narrow trench, or using a spade, make a slice by prying open the ground. Place the cuttings in the trench with the butt ends down. Bury about one half of the cutting leaving a few buds above ground. Back fill around the cuttings with loose soil making sure there are no air pockets. Tamp them in lightly, then water thoroughly to eliminate any air pockets.

Water them on a regular basis, but don’t make the soil so wet that they rot. Within a few weeks the cuttings will start to leaf out. Some will more than likely collapse because there are not enough roots to support the plant. The others will develop roots as they leaf out. By fall, the cuttings that survived should be pretty well rooted. You can transplant them once they are dormant, or you can wait until spring. If you wait until spring, make sure you transplant them before they break dormancy.

There really is no exact science when it comes to rooting cuttings, so now I am going to present you with a variation of the above method. This method still applies to hardwood cuttings of deciduous plants. With this variation you do everything exactly the same as you do with the method you just learned, up to the point where you bury them for the winter.

With method number two you don’t bury them at all. Instead, you plant the cuttings out as soon as you make them in the late fall, or anytime during the winter when the ground is not frozen. In other words, you just completely skip the step where you bury the cuttings underground for the winter. Plant them exactly the same way as described for method number one. As with all cuttings, treating them with a rooting compound prior to planting will help induce root growth.

Hardwood cuttings work fairly well for most of the deciduous shrubs. However, they are not likely to work for some of the more refined varieties of deciduous ornamentals like Weeping Cherries or other ornamental trees. Rooting cuttings of ornamental trees is possible, but only using softwood cutting techniques.

Now let's discuss rooting cuttings of evergreens, using hardwood techniques.

Hardwood cuttings of evergreens are usually done after you have experienced two heavy frosts in the late fall, around mid November or so. However, I have obtained good results with some plants doing them as early as mid September, taking advantage of the warmth of the fall sun. When doing them is early, they need to be watered everyday.

Try some cuttings early and if they do poorly, just do some more in November. Hardwood cuttings of many evergreens can be done at home in a simple frame filled with coarse sand.

To make such a frame, just make a square or rectangular frame using 2” by 6” boards. Nail the four corners together as if to make a large picture frame. This frame should sit on top of the ground in an area that is well drained. An area of partial shade is preferred.

Once you have the frame constructed remove any weeds or grass inside the frame so this vegetation does not grow up through your propagation bed. Fill this frame with a very coarse grade of sand. The sand used in swimming pool filters usually works. Mason's sand is a little too fine. If you have a sand and gravel yard in your area visit the site and inspect the sand piles. Find a grade that is a little more coarse than masons sand. But keep in mind that most any sand will work, so just pick one that you think is coarse enough. If water runs through it easily, it's coarse enough.

Make sure you place your frame in area where the water can drain through the sand, and out of the frame. In other words, don't select a soggy area for your cutting bed. Standing water is sure to seriously hamper your results.

Making the evergreen cuttings is easy. Just clip a cutting 4-5 inches in length from the parent plant. Make tip cuttings only. (Only one cutting from each branch.) Strip the needles or leaves from the bottom one half to two thirds of the cutting. Wounding evergreen cuttings isn’t usually necessary because removing the leaves or needles causes enough injury for callous build up and root development.

Dip the butt ends of the cuttings in a powder or liquid rooting compound and stick them in the sand about 3/4” to 1” apart. Keep them watered throughout the fall until cool temperatures set in. If you have some warm dry days over the winter, make sure you water your cuttings. Keep in mind that sand in a raised bed will dry out very quickly. Don't worry about snow. Snow covering your cuttings is just fine, it will actually keep them moist, and protect them from harsh winter winds.

Start watering again in the spring and throughout the summer. They don’t need a lot of water, but be careful not to let them dry out, and at the same time making sure they are not soaking wet.

This method of rooting cuttings of evergreens actually works very well, but it does take some time. You should leave them in the frame for a period of twelve months. You can leave them longer if you like. Leaving them until the following spring would be just fine. They should develop more roots over the winter.

Rooting cuttings of the following plants is very easy using this method. variegated Euonymus varieties, Taxus, Juniper, Arborvitae, Japanese Holly, Boxwood, and English Holly. Rhododendrons and Azaleas prefer to have their bottoms warmed before they root.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by, http://gardening-articles.com. If you use this article the above two links must be active.

Basic tips for propagation

2009-01-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

Basic tips for all types of propagation:

1. Timing: Use a calendar or planner as a reminder of when to plant seeds. As different seed varieties need to be planted at different times, this will help the success of your propagated plant material.

2. Keep Records: Good clear records allow you to look back at when you planted each variety to help track their progress. Also make notes on the success of different techniques or operations you use throughout the propagation process. This will be extremely valuable information for future growing seasons.

3. "Harden Off": Seedlings and cuttings should be hardened off before transplanted into the garden. Young plants are very tender and can be damaged very easily. Toughen them up (process referred to as hardening off) to make the indoor to outdoor transition successful. Here are the steps:

Days 1 and 2: Put the young plants outdoors in a shady location. Make sure they are watered and keep them there for several hours then bring them back inside.
Days 3 and 4: Increase the time that you put the plants outside in the shade.
Days 5 to 7: Gradually move sun-loving plants into brighter light after they're well adjusted to the shade. Start with an hour of sun.
Days 8 and beyond: You'll know if the plants are ready for transplanting when they can be out all day without burning or wilting.

Friday Fact #19

2009-01-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

The fastest growing tree grows 2.5 feet per month

Secrets of Fertilizing

2009-01-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Fertilizing to Create more Blossoms on Your Flowers, Flowering Shrubs, and Trees

by Michael J. McGroarty

The secret to making your flowering trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials bloom more is in the numbers. All fertilizers have analysis numbers on package.
These numbers represent the percentage of each chemical the contains.

For example, 12-12-12 is a typical garden garden fertilizer that would contain 12% nitrogen, 12%phosphorous, and 12% potassium. The quick explanation is; nitrogen produces vegetative, or top growth, phosphorous produces flower buds, fruit, and root development, while potassium builds strong healthy plants.

Most lawn grasses are vigorous growers and therefore require significantly more nitrogen than the other plants in your yard. A lawn fertilizer would have an analysis of 26-3-3, indicating a fertilizer high in nitrogen. You would not want to use a fertilizer containing such a high percentage of nitrogen on landscape plants because it would be very easy to burn them. You must also keep in mind that many lawn fertilizers contain broad leaf weed killers, and most ornamental plants have broad leaves. The fertilizer doesn’t know the difference, and it will damage or kill ornamental trees and shrubs.

During the summer months the growth rate of most plants slows down, and when plants are not actively growing, they need very little nitrogen. Although not vigorously putting on new growth, many plants such as Dogwood Trees, Rhododendrons, and Azaleas are quietly working to produce flower buds for next year. Annual and perennial flowers are also busy making new flower buds.

To encourage flower bud production you can apply a fertilizer that contains a small percentage of nitrogen, a higher percentage of phosphorous, and a little potassium. I recently purchased a liquid fertilizer with an analysis of 5-30- 5, ideal for flower production. Because the product is sold as a bloom producer, the manufacture also added a little chelated iron, manganese, and zinc, all good for your plants as well.

Most garden centers and discount stores carry similar products. I chose a liquid fertilizer because liquid fertilizers are absorbed both through the roots and systemically through the foliage, so they work quicker. I used a sprayer that attaches to the end of the garden hose to apply the fertilizer, but do not use the same hose end sprayer that you use for lawn fertilizers. There could be residual weed killer still in the sprayer.

About those hose end sprayers. I purchased one that is supposed to
automatically mix the proper ratio for you. I used it to apply a general insecticide, and it worked, but it sure seemed like I went through a lot more insecticide than I needed. When I used it for the fertilizer the screen on the little pick up hose inside the jar kept getting clogged with the tiny solids in the fertilizer. I recommend using a solution of one part liquid fertilizer to one part water in the sprayer jar, and applying at a heavier rate.

Watch the liquid in the sprayer jar, and if it isn’t going down remove the lid and clean the little screen by spraying it with water from the garden hose. Read the application instructions on the container to determine how much fertilizer to apply, and how often. A fertilizer high in phosphorous will increase flower production. You will see a difference.

Remember the golden rule of applying fertilizers. “Not enough, is always better than too much.”

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com.

How to read a seed catalog

2008-12-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

It's going to be that time before you know it. The holiday season has passed and we've settled into the cold winter longing for spring. Here's some tips to help you with your choices as the seed catalogs begin to arrive.

By Kathy Anderson

Long before the first daffodils of the year come into bloom, seed catalogs are delivered to our mailboxes to herald the arrival of Spring. A good seed catalog contains so much information, it can sometimes be overwhelming for a novice gardener to decide which seeds to buy for their garden. Today I’ll explain how to interpret catalog descriptions for vegetable, herb and flower seeds.

Let’s start with vegetable and herb seed descriptions, since they’re fairly straightforward. A typical catalog listing for these seeds will look something like this description for lettuce seeds:

“Black Seeded Simpson (45 Day) Crisp, tender and sweet. Heat resistant. Pkt. $1.25”

In this description, “Black Seeded Simpson” is the name of the lettuce variety. “45 Day” refers to the average length of time from when the seeds germinate until the plant matures and is ready to harvest. Keep in mind that this number should be used only as an estimation. The actual maturity time will vary slightly with your particular growing conditions and the weather. This number is a rough guide and should be used mostly as a comparison with other varieties and when planning when to plant successive crops.

That’s pretty simple, right? But catalog descriptions aren’t that cut and dried for every vegetable.

Take sweet corn, for instance. The catalog description may indicate the length you can expect each ear to be at maturity, and even how many rows of kernels to expect on each ear. But you may also see some odd letters after the names of the corn varieties offered in some catalogs. EH, se, sh2, su…it’s like a secret code. Actually, these letters tell you a little about the flavor you can expect long before you ever bite into the first sweet, tender ear.

First of all, when you see any of these designations after the variety name, you’ll know you’re looking at a hybrid corn variety. These hybrids have been developed for certain desirable characteristics, such as flavor, tenderness, or durability for shipping.

An “su” hybrid is a normal sugary hybrid. They tend to be creamy and sweet, but they don’t store well. An “su” hybrid should be eaten within a couple of days of harvest. This would be a good choice for a home garden, but a poor choice for a commercial corn grower. They tend to not cross pollinate with the neighbor’s corn.

An “se” variety is a sugary enhanced hybrid. These varieties have a smooth, butter texture, very tender kernels and a longer harvest period. Sugary enhanced hybrids also tend to not cross pollinate readily, and need not be isolated from your neighbor’s corn.

Supersweet hybrid corn is designated as “sh2”. These varieties have a gene that enhances their sweetness and produces firm, crisp and juicy kernels. The texture is not as creamy as “se” or “su” varieties, but supersweet varieties do hold their flavor for up to ten days after harvest, making them a good choice for commercial growers. Supersweet corn will cross pollinate readily with other corn varieties, resulting in starchy kernels, so it’s best to plant supersweet varieties at least 25 feet from other corn in your garden.

Now let’s talk about flower seeds.

Flowering plants are categorized as either Annuals, Biennials or Perennials. Annuals will complete their entire life cycle in one growing season. Their seeds are planted in the spring, the plant grows rather quickly and blooms that same season. Marigolds and sunflowers are examples of flowering annuals.

A biennial plant will spend its first growing season establishing itself and storing energy. But it’s not until the following growing season that a biennial will bloom. Foxgloves and hollyhocks are biennials.

Perennials are plants that will continue to grow year after year without being replanted. They typically go dormant over winter and grow back from their roots the following spring. Astilbe, hostas and daylilies are examples of perennials.

Before choosing seeds from a catalog, you’ll need to know which growing zone you live in. Growing zones, also known as hardiness zones, are based on the average minimum temperatures for each zone. A growing zone map is included in every good garden catalog, making it quite easy to identify your garden’s hardiness zone. Growing zones with higher numbers are in warmer climates, while growing zones with lower numbers are in the north.

For all perennials, biennials, trees and shrubs, catalogs will indicate the range of zones in which the plants will perform consistently. For instance, Blue Fountains delphinium is listed as hardy in zones 3-7. This plant would not be likely to survive a long, cold winter in zone 2, nor would it tend to grow well in the heat of zones 8 or 9.

For best results and the most satisfaction from your gardening efforts, always choose seeds for plants that are hardy to the growing zone you live in. Buy seeds from a reputable company and avoid discounted seeds left over from the previous year. Most seed companies print planting instructions for each seed variety right on the back of the seed packet. By following these instructions carefully and choosing your seeds wisely, you’ll be well on your way to having a terrific garden.

Kathy Anderson has been an avid gardener for many years and has grown tomatoes by the acre, along with many other vegetables, flowers and landscape plants. Kathy recommends http://www.freeplants.com as a great place to learn more about gardening. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com. If you use this article the above two links must be active.

Friday Fact #18

2008-12-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

The world's largest flower, Rafflesia, can measure up to three feet across.

Backyard Bouquets

2008-12-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

December 2, 2008
Star Tribune

When it comes to holiday decorating, spruce tips have become as common as candy canes, red ribbons and poinsettias. If you like the classic look, you may want to opt for spruce tips for your window boxes, containers, mantel or tabletop. But if you're ready to branch out, consider harvesting evergreens from your own back yard. Winter is a good time to prune evergreens. And if you prune now, you can use the trimmings for decorations that don't cost a dime. Using your own greens may also make you greener.

Although they look like miniature Christmas trees, spruce tips come from white or black spruce, many of which grow in northern Minnesota wetlands. While reputable dealers harvest only side branches that don't interfere with the tree's continued growth, there have been complaints that main branches have been cut and sold. Cutting a main branch would mean harvesting -- or killing -- the whole tree.

You can steer clear of any controversy by taking cuttings from any of these common evergreens you are growing:

Arborvitae or cedar: These flat, lacy branches add a deep green color to any arrangement. Many of them also have tiny brown cones that add texture and interest. These long-lasting greens look great when paired with rough-textured juniper or spiky spruce.

Juniper: Thick, narrow juniper branches offer a distinctive shape, bold texture and blue berries that look frost-nipped. Sometimes these tough plants change color in the fall, taking on a beautiful bronze, reddish or golden color.

Pine: Whether the short needles of mugo or Scotch pine or the longer needles of white pine, these branches can last for several weeks indoors. When you cut, be sure to choose smaller side branches that won't interfere with the growth of the tree.

Yew or taxus: Although these soft, dark green needles last a long time indoors, the branches are usually long and narrow, making them harder to use. Consider them as an accent to your arrangements. Remove any red berries before you bring the branches indoors. They are poisonous.

Blue spruce: Small spruce branches add color and spiky texture to indoor arrangements, but spruce are best used as accents because they tend to drop their needles. Cut only smaller side branches, avoid the growing tip, unless you are shaping the entire plant.

Hemlock: While the tiny, soft needles of hemlock look attractive, they're not a good choice for cut-evergreen arrangements because they drop their needles quickly.

As long as you're out in your yard with your pruners, nip a few branches from your red twig dogwood or crabapples for color.

Mary Hockenberry Meyer is a professor and extension horticulturist with the University of Minnesota.

Friday Fact #17

2008-12-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

The oldest bristlecone pine tree is 5,000 years old

Friday Fact #16

2008-11-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

The largest edible fungi is 8' 8" tall. YUMMY!

Friday Fact #15

2008-10-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

There are over 350 varieties of ladybugs in the world.

Seasonal Mulching 101

2008-10-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2008
Star Tribune

Most gardeners know that putting a layer of mulch around their plants in summer is a good idea, but many get confused about what winter mulch does, how it should be applied and when it should be removed.

MULCH FOR SUMMER

Summer mulches can be applied any time, from early spring throughout the growing season. Organic materials that easily break down, such as compost and dried grass clippings, make ideal summer mulches. Bark, woodchips and cocoa bean hulls also perform well in most gardens.

We mulch in summer to:

• Conserve soil moisture.

• Cover the soil so weeds don't germinate.

• Protect plant roots from tilling.

• Even out fluctuating soil temperatures.

• Improve soil fertility and structure by adding organic matter.

MULCH FOR WINTER

The enduring myth about winter mulch is that its purpose is to prevent plants from freezing. But winter mulch is supposed to be applied after the ground freezes. That's because its job isn't to keep the cold out, but to hold it in. Here's why:

Freezing is not as harmful to plants as freezing and thawing, especially if we have a series of freezes and thaws throughout the winter. Repeated freeze/thaw cycles can force perennials to heave up out of the soil, damaging or killing the growing crowns of the plants.

Applying winter mulch when the ground freezes keeps the ground more evenly frozen, which helps protect plants.

WHEN TO APPLY

Typically, the ground freezes in early to mid-November in the Twin Cities. But in some recent years, the ground hasn't frozen until December. That has encouraged some gardeners to rely on snow, nature's mulch, to protect their plants.

Snow can work well as a mulch if it falls just as the ground is freezing, accumulates to a depth of 10 inches or more and stays all winter. But if the snow melts, it leaves unmulched plants exposed and vulnerable.

Instead of counting on snow, play it safe and mulch by mid- to late November.

THE BEST MULCHES

Good winter mulches hold air spaces, which prevents the mulch from compacting, which in turn allows the plants to breathe. Chopped leaves, straw, evergreen branches and pine needles all make for good mulches. And you can harvest some of them from your own back yard and stockpile for later use.

Some gardeners simply rake the leaves from their lawns onto their perennials. That can work OK if you have trees with small leaves, such as locust, or lots of evergreen needles. But oaks, maple and linden leaves should be chopped (a lawn mower works well) before they can be used as a mulch.

When you mulch perennial and bulb beds and around newly planted shrubs and trees, use a thick layer of mulch, about 8 to 10 inches.

REMOVE IN SPRING

You can start removing mulch gradually in spring, usually in early to mid-April when severe weather is past. Removing the mulch slowly will allow the ground to thaw slowly, which helps protect plants from the often erratic high and low temperatures we can experience at that time of year.

Mary Hockenberry Meyer is a professor and Extension Horticulturist with the University of Minnesota.

Friday Fact #14

2008-09-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

There are more than 1,000 varieties of tomatoes currently being grown in the U.S.

Friday Fact #13

2008-09-12T12:40:00.001-07:00

A Humming bird is the only bird known that can fly backwards.

Bring Back The Victory Garden

2008-09-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

How about this??

ADVOCATES URGE WHITE HOUSE TO LEAD BY GROWING VEGETABLES ON FRONT LAWN
By Virginia A. Smith
The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA — Roger Doiron has an idea for the next eater-in-chief: Bring back the victory garden!

He wants the next president to plant an organic vegetable garden on the front lawn of the White House, one that would supply fresh produce to the first family and local food cupboards; set an example of self-sufficiency, healthy eating and sustainability for the whole country; and make a statement about what we grow in front of our homes.

He calls this vision "Eat the View," and here's the statement it (he) makes:
"People are starting to rethink what a healthy landscape looks like. It's not the TruGreen chemical lawn anymore. It's a landscape that's more multipurpose, that combines beauty and utility."

Fans are signing an online petition on Doiron's Web site (www.eattheview.org) and watching his entertaining video on YouTube — set to "This Land Is Your Land," sung by Woody Guthrie and Bruce Springsteen, it chronicles his own "white house" front lawn being transformed into an edible landscape. Doiron, his wife, Jacqueline, and three sons live in a white house, all right, a Cape Cod on one-third acre in his hometown of Scarborough, Maine. He calls this place "the belly of the suburban beast," and this is where he hopes his vision will catch on, one lawn at a time, all over the country.

Don Irby of South Coventry Township, Pa., dug a 45-by-60-foot organic vegetable garden this year because he wanted better-tasting,less-expensive, safe-to-eat fruits and vegetables. He did it in his front yard not to make a political statement but because "that was good, level ground with good sun."

He likes the idea of a victory garden at the White House that the public could see and emulate. "I would love it, the front yard of the White House. We could get back to our roots," says Irby, who's in high-tech software sales.

His corn hit eight feet by mid-August. He's also had success with asparagus, raspberries, beans, eggplant, beets, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, zucchini and pumpkins.

However, some municipalities and homeowners' associations legislate to prevent the incursion of front-yard vegetables.

Even if no one objects to peppers and sprouts in front of the White House, Doiron says the president should keep it neat: "Aesthetics matter a great deal."

Having a garden at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. isn't a new or radical idea. Several presidents were farmers, and horticulturists and flower gardens have a long history there. And though it hasn't been as fully documented, many first families "probably had vegetable, herb or kitchen gardens," according to historian Rose Hayden-Smith, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, whose dissertation topic is national war-garden programs during World War I.

"Early presidents were responsible for providing for their own households and feeding dignitaries," Hayden-Smith says. "But in general, the history of vegetable gardening at the White House got lost because it's so ordinary."

Wartime gardens were the exception. They got a lot of attention, starting with "liberty gardens" during Woodrow Wilson's administration.

"Most people don't realize that the victory garden program is a World War I program," Hayden-Smith says, mainly because the country's most famous victory gardener was first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who inspired millions to grow their own food during World War II.

"Her victory garden was a visible symbol that the family was pitching in, doing their bit and making a sacrifice," Hayden-Smith says.

Doiron wants to resurrect that spirit with front-yard gardens, which, in these oil-conscious times, mean less grass to mow and fewer "food miles." Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto," estimates that most of what we eat in this country has traveled about 1,500 miles to get to us.

"Food miles" was an unknown concept when Doiron was growing up; his family had the typical "tomato and cuke garden" out back. His gastronomical awakening came in the 1990s in Brussels, where he was working for the nonprofit environmental group Friends of the Earth.

During the week, Doiron was immersed in the global. On weekends, he was out in the country with his Belgian in-laws, enjoying everything local.

"I was realizing that the Europeans were really onto something when it comes to food," Doiron recalls

In 2001, Doiron and his family returned to Maine; two years later, he started Kitchen Gardeners International to promote "the localest food of all, globally." His virtual community now numbers 7,000 "from Alabama to Azerbaijan," and his thinking has evolved into "Eat the View."

Yet while it's engaging, the idea of an edible lawn isn't a universal no-brainer. Scott Guiser, an educator with the Penn State Cooperative Extension in Doylestown, outlines a couple of objections:

First, some veggies aren't pretty, and "to pretend they can be a functional part of a front-yard ornamental landscape is a stretch," he says.

Two, "bashing lawns as useless and environmentally unsound is a tired old story."
"I don't think that trend's going to take off," Guiser says.

John Adams was the first president to live in the presidential mansion, not yet known as the White House.

According to "The White House Garden" by William Seale, Adams had a vegetable garden readied for planting the next spring. By then, however, there was a new president, farmer and horticulturist Thomas Jefferson.

Presidents since have planted ornamental flowers, shrubs and trees, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. Woodrow and Edith Wilson grazed sheep on the White House lawn, auctioning off the wool to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I.
And Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt ripped out part of the lawn for a victory garden. "It was a real garden, very large, very visible," historian Hayden-Smith says. "It really engaged American citizens," she adds. "Thousands and thousands of people wrote Mrs. Roosevelt personally, describing their gardening experience or asking for seeds or tools."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

For more information on edible landscaping, visit:
Eat the View (www.eat theview.org).

On Day One, which solicits ideas for the next president (www.ondayone.org).

Kitchen Gardeners International (www.kitchen gardeners.org) or the National Gardening Association (www.garden.org/ ediblelandscaping).

YouTube, to watch Doiron's video; search for "This Lawn Is Your Lawn."

Back Yard Bedtime

2008-09-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

By Jeff Gillman, Special to Star Tribune

September 10, 2008

Fall is when the garden starts to wind down. It's also when we tend to forget that we have gardens. But we can't afford to turn our backs on our flowers, grass and trees now. Winter is on its way, and if we don't properly prepare our plants, they can end up with frozen roots or sun scald. Here's how to help your plants get set for winter.

Water

One of the best things you can do for your plants in fall is to water them. Once the ground freezes, plants have a difficult time taking up water, so they need a good dose of water before winter sets in.

If we continue to have dry weather, make sure to water once or twice a week through the fall. And remember, watering is especially important for young and newly planted trees and shrubs.

Lawn care

If you fertilize your grass only once a year, fall is the time to do it. Likewise, if you're planning on reseeding thin areas of your lawn, you should do it as soon as possible. (The best time to seed typically is mid-August to mid-September, but for the past few years, warmer-than-normal autumns have allowed us to seed a little later than usual.)

Just don't fertilize and plant grass seed at the same time. Because fertilizer can damage young roots, wait at least two weeks after fertilizing to seed.

Mulch perennials

For tender perennials such as butterfly bush and other plants that are marginally hardy here, you can start to put down a layer of mulch during the next few weeks. Mulch will help insulate the roots, protecting them from the bitter cold that invariably comes our way. You can wait until the first hard frosts to mulch hardy perennials.

Straw and hay are great for mulch because their hollow stems hold an insulating layer of air. Dry leaves also work well. Spread at least 6 inches of mulch over your perennial and bulb beds.

Take care of trees

Our dry summer may have left some trees heading into fall stressed by drought. So make sure your trees are well-watered throughout fall. Unless we get rain, water well once a week until the trees lose their leaves. (After that, deciduous trees lose some of their ability to take up water.)

A layer of mulch spread around the base will offer all the protection most established, large trees (more than 8 inches in diameter) need.

However, smaller trees and those with thin bark can benefit from tree wraps. Tree wraps made from thick brown paper are the most common. Unfortunately, they're also the least likely to provide any protection. A better choice would be the white spiral plastic wraps. They work well against critters and do a good job of protecting tree trunks from sun scald, where the sun heats the bark of a tree during the winter and injures it. If you use a wrap, be sure to remove it at the end of winter.

Early fall is a good time to plant trees. In addition, if you buy trees in fall, you may be able to take advantage of discounts at garden centers.

One note of caution: There are a few tree species that don't handle fall planting as well as others. Oaks, birches, hawthorns and fruit trees prefer to be planted in the spring. If you do decide to plant one of these species, make sure you select container-grown trees or balled-and-burlapped trees that were harvested this spring. They're more likely to thrive than trees that have been recently harvested.

While it's possible to plant trees right up until the first frost, it's wise to plant before temperatures drop into the 30s. That will give the roots a little time to develop.

Jeff Gillman is an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota. He's also the author of two books, "The Truth About Garden Remedies" and "The Truth About Organic Gardening" (Timber Press, $12.95).

Friday Fact #12

2008-08-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

The Daisy got its name because the yellow center resembled the sun. It was commonly known as the "day's eye" and over time, was eventually called daisy.

Planting Under A Tree

2008-08-01T06:19:00.001-07:00

By Deb Brown, Star Tribune

July 22, 2008

Q: Several years ago, we planted a paper birch in our front garden. Now it seems as if the tree roots are choking out the plants. I don't want to get rid of the birch, but I love my flowers. What can I do?

A: Planting a tree in a garden can create several challenges.

As the tree grows, it will produce more shade. That's a good thing if you're trying to grow ferns, woodland wildflowers or shade-loving annuals such as impatiens. It's not such a good thing if you're trying to grow sun-loving perennials. If you want to keep the tree, you may have to put in more shade-tolerant plants as the garden grows shadier.

Another challenge: As the tree's root system grows and spreads throughout the garden, it will increasingly compete with plants for moisture and nutrients. Birch is a shallow-rooted tree, but any tree you plant will develop lots of roots in the upper 10 or 12 inches of soil. These feeder roots are responsible for taking in the water and dissolved minerals needed to maintain good health and growth. The taller the tree, the more widespread its roots.

Here's how to make it work:

• Don't plant too close to the trunk of the tree. Instead, spread a layer of organic mulch (such as wood chips or shredded bark) from the trunk of the tree several feet out.

• Choose plants that thrive in partial shade, rather than sun-lovers.

• To minimize damage to tree roots, start with small plants. Planting perennials rather than annuals also will help.

• When you plant, put a little slow-release fertilizer into each planting hole.

• Mulch around the plants and water the entire area thoroughly and frequently. (Remember, tree roots extend well beyond the ends of the branches.)

Once you achieve the right combination of plants and maintenance, you should be able to enjoy both the tree and the garden surrounding it.

Alternatives to bluegrass

Q: The Kentucky bluegrass in my back yard always dries up in the heat of summer. I'd like to replace it with something that can get by on less water. I've thought about prairie plants, but most of them grow too tall. I need something that stays shorter, maybe 4 to 6 inches. Any ideas?

A: If you want short plants so you can walk on them, you're probably out of luck. Grasses are the only groundcovers that can reliably handle much foot traffic.

Some grasses (zoysia comes to mind) are much more tolerant of heat and dry conditions than Kentucky bluegrass, but they aren't tolerant of cool weather. They won't green up until very late in spring, then they turn brown as soon as temperatures grow nippy in fall. Kentucky bluegrass greens up early, and usually stays green right up to the first snowfall. So, if you're not able to water in summer, the choice is between a lawn that might be brown most summers and one that's brown in spring and fall.

Consider groundcovers

If you don't need to walk around your back yard, if a flagstone or concrete path will do, then there are many groundcovers you could try. Goldmoss sedum (Sedum acre) and wineleaf cinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata) do well in sunny, dry conditions. Barrenstrawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides) and goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) do well in shady, dry sites.

For an excellent website on hardy groundcovers (titled Ground Covers for Rough Sites), go to www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1114.html.

Keep in mind that most groundcovers will be taller than 6 inches and they tend to be aggressive spreaders -- which is why they make good groundcovers.

Hardy shrubs

Another possibility would be to add shrub beds to the back yard, which will reduce the size of the lawn. Some native shrubs tolerate dry conditions quite well once they're established, as do some old-fashioned favorites such as lilacs and honeysuckles.

Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) and sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) are drought-tolerant shrubs that do well in sun or partial sun. Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) does well in shade.

Deb Brown is a garden writer and former extension horticulturist with the University of Minnesota. To ask her a gardening question, call 612-673-7793 and leave a message. She will answer questions in this column only.

Friday Fact #11

2008-08-01T06:16:00.000-07:00

While the radish of today is quite small and used primarily as a garnish, the ones grown by the early Greeks and Romans often weighed between 40 and 100 pounds!

Friday Fact #10

2008-07-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

Peas have been around a long time. Early archeologists have found them in cave dwellings dating back to 9750 B.C.

Poisoning pests may not be best for your garden

2008-07-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

By JEFF GILLMAN

Take a few steps into your garden and look closely. You'll see ecology at work, though not necessarily in a way that may please you: insects, bacteria and fungi eating your plants.

You might be surprised to hear that this is normal. Insects and diseases are supposed to go after your plants. In fact, a little bit of munching is a sign of a healthy garden. The problem is that most people have trouble figuring out how much munching is too much -- and when they should turn to a pesticide for help.

Only you can decide whether to use poison to control garden pests, but there are some rules of thumb that can help you make that decision. Before you reach for the spray bottle, ask yourself these questions:

What's eating your plants?

Never apply a pesticide if you can't identify the disease or insect that is attacking your plants. Many pesticides are designed to do very specific things. If you spray a pesticide without knowing what the problem is, it's likely that you'll be wasting money (pesticides aren't cheap), killing beneficial insects and bacteria that may have been helping to control other problems and needlessly introducing a poison into the environment -- one that could be toxic to you, your children or your pets. If you don't know what the problem is, don't apply a pesticide. It isn't worth the risk.

How much abuse can a plant take?

A few holes or discolored leaves don't mean a plant is on death's door. Most plants can afford to lose about one-third of their leaves without suffering too much. That's because plants don't have sprays to protect them in their natural environments, so they produce more foliage than they need to survive. If your plant hasn't lost many leaves, spraying may not be worth it.

Does the spray control the problem or just the symptoms?

Plants that are over- or under-watered or over- or under-fertilized often look sick and can attract insects and diseases. Spraying these plants can help control the pests, but it won't address the real problem, which is that your plants aren't healthy.

Read up on any plants that are having trouble. Are they getting the right sun exposure? Have your soil tested to make sure it can sustain what you want to grow.

Or go to a garden center and pick up a water-sensing product. They can tell you whether the soil is too wet or too dry for your plants. (As a general rule, soil should be slightly moist, but not wet. Soil that regularly stays wet more than a couple days won't be good for most plants.)

Is the pest still there?

Too many gardeners use pesticides after the pest has already done its damage and is long gone. Applying insecticides to tent caterpillar nests that are empty or to control holes created by hornworms that have left to form pupa is a waste of money and insecticide. If you can't see the insect, then don't apply the insecticide.

Is the problem likely to get worse?

It can be a good idea to use a pesticide not because a particular pest is bad now, but because it is likely to get worse. For example, if you apply an insecticide when tent caterpillars are small, you'll spray a smaller area and use less insecticide than if you waited until they were larger and had done more damage. This is also true with many diseases. Black spot on rose is best treated before it gets bad. If you're going to try to control it, control it early.

Do I have to do anything?

Applying a pesticide is your choice, but you never need to apply one. Pesticides are poisons. If you're uncomfortable with pesticides, then don't use them. It's as simple as that.

If you are going to use pesticides, be sure to follow the directions on the label, which are designed to help keep you safe while making it tough on garden pests.

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Jeff Gillman is an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota. He has written two books: "The Truth About Garden Remedies" and "The Truth About Organic Gardening" (Timber Press, $12.95).

Friday Fact #9

2008-07-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

For a healthy pasture, the tiny animals living below the surface should weigh more than the cows grazing on it.

Edible Petals

2008-07-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's summer time so lets brighten up our meals and add presentation to our summer cooking. Many chefs are adding creativity to their cooking by sprinkling flower petals on their dishes. You can do it too!

Here are a few edible flowers to get you started:

• Calendula (Calendula officinalis). Also known as pot marigold, this flower enjoys a long association with food because its orange petals were used to color cheddar cheese and as an alternative to expensive saffron. It grows easily in rich, fast-draining soil in full sun. The flowers are single or double - usually orange, apricot, cream or yellow in color. They tolerate light frost. Beware of slugs and snails. Flower petals good in cooking, leaves nice in salads; tangy, savory flavor. Calendula petals also hold their yellow or orange color when dried. Scatter your extras over an old screen and let them dry for use this winter to accent soups and stews.

• Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus). The common name of this plant is bachelor's button. It's a tall, slender plant with gray-green leaves and brightly-colored thistle-like flowers, usually bright blue. Plant in full sun, well-drained soil. Sow by seeds; seedlings do not transplant easily. Flowers used in cooking; sweet, spicy, clove-like flavor.

• Daylily (Hemorocallis species). Dried golden daylily petals are a traditional ingredient in Chinese hot-and-sour soup. The flavor of lighter-colored blossoms is preferred over dark ones. The flowers usually bloom for a day only, hence their name. This cold-hardy perennial likes good soil in light shade or full sun. Fertilize a little, keep fairly moist. Flowers and petals used in cooking; mild onion flavor.

• Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis). Use only the red-flowered plants of this perennial for cooking. Likes full sun, well-drained, moist soil. Flowers and juices used in cooking; slightly acidic taste, cranberry flavor.

• Lilac (Syringa vulgaris). This cold-hardy, flowering shrub needs fast-draining soil and sun. Use its flowers in cooking; lemony, floral flavor.

• Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia/T. signata). Drought-tolerant annual that likes full sun and well-drained, fertile soil. Sow by seed for showy flowers that you pick to encourage continual blooms. Spicy, herbal or lemon flavor, depending on the variety.

• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). These flowers have long been favored in salads and also make exceptional bedding plants due to their pinwheel-shaped leaves. Nasturtiums grow easily from seeds, making them a very affordable choice. They flourish in well-drained, moist soil in full sun. The plants self-seed freely and can become invasive, although delightfully so. It's a great companion plant to deter cucumber beetles and whiteflies. The leaves, blooms and flower buds are all used in cooking; buds are used as capers; sweet, peppery flavor.

• Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana). Pansies, violets and violas are all closely related. In medieval times, entire salads were made of viola plants, flowers and onions. The viola's cute, facelike flowers are an exceptional garnish with the smallest blossoms used whole in salads. They're popular for decorating desserts. These plants thrive in cool weather, fade in heat of summer and rebloom in autumn. They prefer rich, loamy, well-drained, moist soil and full sun or light shade. Picking flowers encourages longer flower production. Both petals and whole flowers are used in cooking; very mild sweet wintergreen flavor. Note: Dark-colored flowers turn your tongue that color, albeit temporarily.

• Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana). A member of the myrtle family, this perennial shrub prefers rich, well-drained soil, a sunny location and warm temperatures. The petals of the creamy white flowers are used in cooking; ripe fruit flavor.

• Pinks (Dianthus caryophyllus). These cottage-garden perennials offer some of the most detailed petals of all. Flowers range from white to pale pink to vibrant pink to purple. Give plants well-drained soil in full sun. Petals with the bitter white area are removed and used in cooking; sweet, clove flavor. They are great as whole-flower garnishes, too.

• Rose (Rosa rugosa, damascena or galica). Aficionados claim the old rose varieties are the most fragrant and flavorful. If you're a novice, grow new carefree types like Flower Carpet and Knock Out roses. They like well-drained, moist, rich soil in full sun. Use petals or rose hips in cooking; sweet floral flavor, stronger with stronger fragrance.

• Society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea). This perennial prefers well-drained, rich soil in sun or partial shade. Leaves and flowers used in cooking; mild garlic flavor.

• Squash blossoms (Cucurbita pepo). Flowers are yellow, the plant a vine. Grow it in full sun with enriched soil. Flowers perfect for stuffing or cut up in a dish; flavor is mildly vegetal.

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Sources: Maureen Gilmer, horticulturist and host of "Weekend Gardening" on the DIY Network; Kathy Van Mullekom, staff writer, Newport News (Va.) Daily Press; Holly Hayes, Mercury News staff writer.

Friday Fact #8

2008-07-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

The average hummingbird weighs less than a penny and feeds on an average of 1,500 flowers per day.

The Benefits of a Raised Bed

2008-06-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

by: Holly Hayes, Mercury News

What are the benefits of gardening in raised beds? Let us count the ways:

Warmer soil, sooner: Since the soil is above ground level, the sun warms it faster in the spring, which means you can plant earlier and get better seed germination.

Oh, my achin' back: Soil in raised beds is easier to work and plants are easier to tend. You bend over less, which takes less of a toll on the back and knees. Raised beds make it possible for older gardeners and people in wheelchairs to enjoy this wonderful hobby more.

Controlling the soil within: Most Bay Area gardeners do regular battle to lighten up our heavy clay native soils. But in a raised bed, you are in charge of what goes in it. Top-quality topsoil and organic compost will give you a rich growing medium for most vegetables and ornamental plants. Or you can control for plants that prefer acid or alkaline soil.

Good drainage: Fluffy soil has excellent drainage, so rains drain off better and standing water is eliminated.

Protection from critters: Lining the bottom of your raised bed with hardware cloth makes it more of a chore for burrowing pests such as gophers and moles to get to your plants. Roots will grow right through the barrier. And if your pests are of the winged variety, raised beds are easy to cover with bird netting - or garden fabric to exclude insects. Lightweight garden fabrics admit as much as 85 percent of sunlight and can be left on.

Armor against nippy nights: Some garden fabrics protect plants from frost damage down to 28 degrees.

Don't tread on me: Soil in a raised bed doesn't become compacted because (ideally) you're not walking on it - which makes it easier to work in the spring and throughout the growing seasons.

No wasted space: A properly configured raised bed - no wider than four feet - allows access on all sides, which means you can use high-density plantings and boost your yield. If the bed is accessible only from one side - if it's built against a fence, for example - limit the width to three feet so you can reach in - not step in - to tend it.

Looks count: Raised beds look neat and tidy.

Monday's Myth #6

2008-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Don't water during the day, because water droplets on the leaves will focus the sun's rays and burn holes in the leaves.

Not true! It's not a great idea to water in the middle of the day, especially with sprinklers, because evaporation rates will be way up and you'll waste a lot of water. But your leaves will be just fine.

Friday Fact #7

2008-06-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Lettuce is a member of the daisy family.

Fertilizer Facts

2008-06-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

By Jeff Gillman

June 17, 2008

Q Do I need a fertilizer?

A If you're a composter and add an inch or so of completed compost to your garden every year or two, you probably don't need fertilizer. Fertilizer might give your plants a bit of a boost, but when compost is used regularly it typically provides all the nutrients most plants need.

Q Do I need to fertilize my trees if I've already fertilized my lawn?

A Probably not. The grass won't be able to take up all of the fertilizer that you apply. Some will make it through the ground to the roots of the trees in or near your lawn.

Q Should I add a high-phosphorus "starter" fertilizer when I plant?

A No. There are several fertilizers that contain high levels of phosphorus for promoting root growth at planting. And while it's true that plants need some phosphorus, most of the soils in and around Minnesota contain plenty of phosphorus. So the extra shot of phosphorus that you're adding with this special fertilizer is not only useless, it also may be dangerous for new plantings. Fertilizer is a salt and it may burn the plants' roots.

When you're transplanting, watering -- not fertilizing -- is what's important. Make sure the soil around the plant stays moist, but not wet. For most plants, a thorough watering at planting, then once or twice a week for two to three months (depending on rain) should be good.

Q Should I use a liquid or a slow-release fertilizer?

A That depends. Liquid fertilizers are readily available to the plant, but tend to move through the soil quickly. Slow-release fertilizers aren't as quickly available, but feed the plant for a longer period. In most cases, slow-release fertilizers are better because they need to be applied less frequently. However, if you want plants to grow fast, then liquid fertilizers are fine.

Q What nutrients should I look for in a fertilizer?

A On the front of every container of fertilizer you should find three numbers, such as 10-0-5. These numbers indicate the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer.

The numbers themselves are less important than the ratio of the numbers. In most cases, a ratio of about 5-1-2 is right for most situations. (Lawn fertilizers usually include no phosphorus because it can lead to pollution in lakes and streams.)

Generally, nitrogen will make plants grow faster. But phosphorus and potassium also are important, especially if your plants are growing in containers. Other nutrients can be important as well, so it's wise to buy fertilizers that include micronutrients (nutrients that plants need in smaller quantities than nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Two micronutrients to look for, especially for containers, are calcium and magnesium.

Q What about organic fertilizers?

A There are plenty of great organic fertilizers as well as a few bad ones. One reason people use organic fertilizers is to avoid wasting natural resources, such as coal and natural gas, which are used to make synthetic fertilizers. However, some organic fertilizers use natural resources, too. Guano (a special aged manure), greensand and rock phosphate -- all of which are mined -- are ingredients in some organic fertilizers.

The best organic fertilizers are from renewable sources such as corn gluten meal (which also is used for turf and will help control weeds), seaweed extracts and fish emulsions. These fertilizers also contain more micronutrients than many synthetic fertilizers. And they tend to release their nutrients more slowly than most synthetic fertilizers. They can cost more than synthetics, though.

Jeff Gillman is an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota. He's also the author of two books, "The Truth About Garden Remedies" and "The Truth About Organic Gardening" (Timber Press, $12.95).

Friday Fact #6

2008-06-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

What are the 10 most popular home grown vegetables in the USA and Canada? According to a survey, the top 10 are:

1. Tomatoes
2. Peppers
3. Cucumbers
4. Onions
5. Beans
6. Lettuce
7. Carrots
8. Sweet Corn
9. Radishes
10.Cabbage.

The Dirt: Time to fertilize the lawn

2008-06-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

By: Connie Nelson, Star Tribune
May 20, 2008

If you didn't fertilize your lawn last fall, you might want to do so now that the grass is actively growing. If you'd like to grow a "greener" lawn, consider a natural fertilizer that contains corn gluten meal, soybean meal, blood meal or feather meal.

Other ways to go green with your grass:

• Keep grass longer (2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches) to encourage deeper roots, which help grass plants survive hot, dry weather.

• Leave grass clippings on the lawn, where they break down and add nutrients to the soil.

• Water deeply rather than often. (Most turf grass requires an inch of water per week.) But be sure to factor in rainfall when you're thinking about watering.

Monday's Myth #5

2008-06-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

Botanical insecticides are natural products toxic to pests but harmless to other living things.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Plant-derived poisons are only sometimes less toxic to man than synthetic agrichemicals.

Friday Fact #5

2008-05-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Eighty percent of the world's rose species come from Asia.

Monday's Myth #4

2008-05-27T05:52:00.002-07:00

When it comes to garden chemicals, if a little bit is good, a lot is better.

This myth is not only false but dangerous. Doubling or tripling the dose of any garden input can have disastrous results. Weed killers used in this manner can injure plants you never intended to harm, not to mention leaving long-lived residues in soil. Over-use of insecticides may kill beneficial bugs, harm plants, and render vegetables unfit for consumption. Doubling the recommended rate of any pesticide increases the chances of poisoning people by inhalation, absorption through the skin, and by other routes.

Friday Fact #4

2008-05-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

One tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equaling 11,000 miles of car emissions.

Gardening is therapy

2008-05-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Working with plants can do more than lift the spirits. It can be an effective therapy for many chronic diseases.

Program seeds a path to healing

By KARLEE WEINMANN, Star Tribune
May 14, 2008

Wes Buss gingerly patted the dirt around his newly transplanted tomato plant. His hands seemed to know just what to do.
They didn't tremble. They didn't fumble. They didn't give up.
Several years ago, when his Parkinson's disease began to make it difficult for him to tend to his many gardens, Buss built sidewalks and a ramp to ease his scooter's path around the yard. But let the disease prevent him from gardening? "I'll never be ready," said the 73-year-old Twin Citian.
Buss was just the kind of person Jeannie Larson had in mind 16 years ago when she started a therapeutic horticulture program through the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The idea was to use plants to improve the body, lift the spirits and stimulate the mind.
Each year the number of people who have turned to Larson's therapy has grown, swelling to 5,500 last year. And Larson has learned to tailor gardening tasks to the person and the condition.
For a Parkinson's sufferer such as Buss (who attends Larson's once-a-week sessions at Struthers Parkinson's Center in Golden Valley), working with plants can free up movement and minimize depression.
"It's not like I have a one-size-fits-all program," said Larson, program manager for the Center for Therapeutic Horticulture. "I go to where a person is and then I say, 'OK, I can make this work for what your interest is.' "
Developing the program has been a personal and professional journey for Larson, who has dyslexia. She's found that being with nature helps her focus and brings her a sense of peace.
It's those qualities that can turn gardening from a pleasant occupation into a therapeutic aid, said Larson. Plant-filled environments stimulate the senses, unlike some traditional therapies, and help people engage with and concentrate on the activities they're doing.
Larson manages five consultants, all of whom have formal education in horticulture therapy-related fields, as well as about 30 volunteers. They bring programs to metro-area group homes, eating-disorder treatment centers and more. Some people drawn to the therapy are lifelong green thumbs; some are greenhorns when it comes to plants.
Four paths to healing
With each different condition, Larson considers how "four domains" of her program -- the physical, psychological, intellectual or social aspects of gardening -- can be applied to help.
For people with Parkinson's, planting can lessen the characteristic tremors.
"Working with plants, their mind gets into another topic instead of focusing on decreasing the tremor in their hand," she said.
And because Parkinson's often is accompanied by depression, accomplishing easy gardening tasks can be especially rewarding.
"I gear my programs toward success. They're dealing with very small, doable situations," Larson said.
Li-jung Lin, a doctoral student who works with Larson, said she has seen participants' outlooks transform as they work. "The plant has very special healing effects for people," she said. "When you touch it, smell it, you want to take care of it."
That's the case for Curtis Johnson, 77, a Struthers attendee. A lifelong gardener, Johnson volunteered at the arboretum for 12 years before his Parkinson's was diagnosed.
Now, he goes to Larson's sessions.
"I like seeing things grow," he said.
Seeking recognition
Horticulture therapy has faced a bumpy road to become a legitimate therapy option that insurers will support. (While some practitioners use the technique, they're usually reimbursed through physical or occupational therapy programs, Larson said.)
Larson hopes to change that with her Ph.D. research, which is meant to help standardize certification. A certification test would be "the crown jewel for insurance companies to validate this therapy," she said.
According to Larson, legitimizing the therapy could mean wider interest and use.
"Of course, I'm always hoping for that," she said. "It has such a holistic approach, and I think we're re-embracing our connections with nature."
Karlee Weinmann is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for the Star Tribune.

Monday's Myth #3

2008-05-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Fall is the best season for pruning.

This is false for several reasons. Shrubs and trees store carbohydrates (food materials) in their branches and leaves, so fall pruning can reduce their cold hardiness.

Azaleas and other spring-flowering plants would bloom poorly if pruned in fall, as next year's flower buds are present at that time. Such plants are best pruned in spring right after petals fall.

Friday Fact #3

2008-05-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

The inside of a cucumber on the vine measures as much as 20 degrees cooler than the outside air on a warm day.

Monday's Myth #2

2008-05-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

Moss growth in lawns means a need for lime.

This is not necessarily true. There are others factors responsible for moss growth such as excessive shade, poor drainage, and low fertility.

Friday Fact #2

2008-05-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

The amount of money spent by Americans in lawn care annually is $6 billion.

Enviro 911!

2008-05-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

Recycle your PLASTIC GARDEN POTS, POLYSTYRENE TRAYS &
HANGING BASKETS at your participating local garden center this season!

Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association is offering their popular recycling program this year! Bring in your plastic pot(s) to participating garden centers to be recycled. Most drop sites are taking these containers from April 15th- November 1st.

Please note:
• Do not bring household plastic or clay pots.
• Dump all soil and remove metal hangers.
• Some garden centers will only take plastic on June 21 and 22 and September 20 and 21.
• Each garden center is ONLY able to take PLASTIC pots, trays & baskets.

Click here for more info!

Monday's Myth #1

2008-05-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

Mushrooms sprouting in lawn= poor soil!

Mushrooms are the above-ground growth of fungus organisms living in soil. Some fungi live on buried lumber, dead roots, or fine particles of organic matter while others live in harmony with tree roots, assisting in the uptake of water and nutrients. The sudden appearance of mushrooms does not mean the lawn needs lime, fertilizer, or anything else. If you do not want them sprouting in lawns or gardens, use a rake to dispose of them. There is no chemical control for mushrooms.

Friday Fact #1

2008-05-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

With the inception of our new blogspot comes a little fun fact (Friday Fact) that we will post every Friday following a horticulture wisetale we'll dub as "Monday's Myth", of course being posted every Monday. Here goes:

Friday Fact #1:

The largest tomato ever grown weighed 7lbs 12oz.

See, isn't that fun??

Organic vs. Conventional Farming

2008-05-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a very interesting article in regards to a study done by Cornell University. Beyond the feel-good nature of organic culture, studies such as this are building a strong case for the bottom line:

Organic farming produces same corn and soybean yields as conventional farms, but consumes less energy and no pesticides, study finds

By Susan S. Lang

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Organic farming produces the same yields of corn and soybeans as does conventional farming, but uses 30 percent less energy, less water and no pesticides, a review of a 22-year farming trial study concludes.

David Pimentel, a Cornell University professor of ecology and agriculture, concludes, "Organic farming offers real advantages for such crops as corn and soybeans." Pimentel is the lead author of a study that is published in the July issue of Bioscience (Vol. 55:7) analyzing the environmental, energy and economic costs and benefits of growing soybeans and corn organically versus conventionally. The study is a review of the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial, the longest running comparison of organic vs. conventional farming in the United States.

"Organic farming approaches for these crops not only use an average of 30 percent less fossil energy but also conserve more water in the soil, induce less erosion, maintain soil quality and conserve more biological resources than conventional farming does," Pimentel added.

The study compared a conventional farm that used recommended fertilizer and pesticide applications with an organic animal-based farm (where manure was applied) and an organic legume-based farm (that used a three-year rotation of hairy vetch/corn and rye/soybeans and wheat). The two organic systems received no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Inter-institutional collaboration included Rodale Institute agronomists Paul Hepperly and Rita Seidel, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service research microbiologist David Douds Jr. and University of Maryland agricultural economist James Hanson. The research compared soil fungi activity, crop yields, energy efficiency, costs, organic matter changes over time, nitrogen accumulation and nitrate leaching across organic and conventional agricultural systems.

"First and foremost, we found that corn and soybean yields were the same across the three systems," said Pimentel, who noted that although organic corn yields were about one-third lower during the first four years of the study, over time the organic systems produced higher yields, especially under drought conditions. The reason was that wind and water erosion degraded the soil on the conventional farm while the soil on the organic farms steadily improved in organic matter, moisture, microbial activity and other soil quality indicators.

The fact that organic agriculture systems also absorb and retain significant amounts of carbon in the soil has implications for global warming, Pimentel said, pointing out that soil carbon in the organic systems increased by 15 to 28 percent, the equivalent of taking about 3,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per hectare out of the air.

Among the study's other findings:
In the drought years, 1988 to 1998, corn yields in the legume-based system were 22 percent higher than yields in the conventional system.

The soil nitrogen levels in the organic farming systems increased 8 to 15 percent. Nitrate leaching was about equivalent in the organic and conventional farming systems.

Organic farming reduced local and regional groundwater pollution by not applying agricultural chemicals.

Pimentel noted that although cash crops cannot be grown as frequently over time on organic farms because of the dependence on cultural practices to supply nutrients and control pests and because labor costs average about 15 percent higher in organic farming systems, the higher prices that organic foods command in the marketplace still make the net economic return per acre either equal to or higher than that of conventionally produced crops.

Organic farming can compete effectively in growing corn, soybeans, wheat, barley and other grains, Pimentel said, but it might not be as favorable for growing such crops as grapes, apples, cherries and potatoes, which have greater pest problems.

The study was funded by the Rodale Institute and included a review of current literature on organic and conventional agriculture comparisons. According to Pimentel, dozens of scientific papers reporting on research from the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial have been published in prestigious refereed journals over the past 20 years.