Garden Bite with Teri Knight

Apple season is in full swing with local orchards now open. For those of us in cold climates, growing apples wasn’t always easy but with a lot of research by places like the University of Minnesota, which started breeding apples in 1888, we can grow some delicious apples! Learn all about these delicious options you can grow in your own yard and when to plant them. 

Not a sexy topic even for gardening, but Oak Wilt is a really lousy fungi that destroys these beautiful trees. Oak will has traveled further north, for the first time showing up in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Wisconsin also has the disease. Oak wilt is caused by a fungus that deprives the tree of water. The fungus isn’t visible, but the symptoms are obvious: the tree’s leaves wilt from lack of water and die. Learn about the disease, "possible" treatments and WHO should do those treatments.

Dogs. Oh what companions they are to we hapless humans. And SO MUCH MORE. Their noses detect bombs, human remains, drugs and so on. Now they're being used to detect Emerald Ash Borer and, just recently, there are a few trained to sniff out the coronavirus. Learn more on today's Garden Bite and be sure to check out my website too. 

On a recent bicycle ride I discovered a little hidden gem I didn't know the name of... so I went searching. Spotted touch-me-not is the common name of a native to the Upper Midwest. Learn more about this plant, how it got it's name and 2 other natives plants discovered on that bicycle ride! Check them all out on gardenbite.com. 

We turn the Autumnal corner at 2:20 central time this afternoon! I just love this time of year.  Sweatshirts and flannels, leaving the windows cracked open at night with that cool air making good sleeping weather. our Fall colors will be muted and now we are, once again, being asked to wear masks.  While challenges continue, let’s just take a moment and celebrate TODAY. Today's 'Bite is about what pondering... listen for more. 

Much of my home state, Minnesota, and western Wisconsin remains in a drought. Yes, we've had rain but it's still not enough to pull us out. Fall is "generally" a good time to put down a herbicide, but because of the dry conditions we need to rethink that! On today's Garden Bite I talk about why this is usually a good time to put down a herbicide for certain types of weeds and why THIS year, 2021, is not. 

Too much produce can become a bit overwhelming after you've canned, preserved, froze and dehydrated a lot of it. Today's Garden Bite is about how to harvest to store your produce, the different temperatures and conditions for the various produce and more. Be sure to visit my website for more details. 

In the drought that we are still experiencing, it's even more important to prepare our plants for the cold winter months. Learn what you need to do to help those trees, evergreens and other plants survive and thrive on today's Garden Bite. 

Beautify and preserve. It’s possible with permeable pavers. Storm water runoff creates a litany of issues including contaminants and pollutants that enter our waterways, destroying habitat and killing wildlife. There are so many ways permeable pavers help our environment! Check it out on today's Garden Bite.

There's still harvesting and enjoying our flowers and planting, there's also time to consider building a new garden bed. As you do, be sure to add organic matter, a soil potpourri, so to speak...