Grow it, Minnesota

With the drought in Minnesota moving from moderate to extreme, gardeners are wondering how to take care of their trees. In this episode, arborist Jake McDougall of Davey Tree Service talks about how to tell if your tree is experiencing drought stress, best ways to water and the value of mulch for keeping moisture on trees.  We touch on a few tree pests and some of Jake's picks for resilient trees in our climate.

To Learn More: 

• Climate Hardy Trees for the North
• More Trees for Climate Change
• Effective Watering Strategies for Northern Gardeners
• More about Davey Tree Service
• The Northern Gardener: From Apples to Zinnias
• Follow Grow it, Minnesota on Instagram
• Follow Mary on Instagram

David Zlesak, plant breeder and professor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, is my guest today, talking about the American Rose Trials for Sustainability or A.R.T.S. program. In this program, roses are evaluated all over the country for their ability to thrive without fertilizer, pesticides or fungicides. Regional winners are named each year and there are more than 20 roses that are "Local Artists" for Minnesota.

David talks about the program, his favorite roses, tips for planting roses (hint: go deep) and our favorite rose nemisis, the Japanese beetle. If you love roses or think you would like to plant them but worry they are too hard, this is the episode for you.

A.R.T.S. Program in Minnesota (Plus Rose List)
More Sustainable Roses for the North
All Local Artist Roses for the North

Duluth Rose Garden
Lyndale Park Rose Garden

Mary's Blog
Follow Mary on Instagram
Follow Grow it, Minnesota on Facebook

Learn all about growing herbs indoors from author Susan Betz, whose latest book is Herbal Houseplants: Grow Beautiful Herbs Indoors (Cool Springs Press, 2021). Susan talks about the special needs of indoors plants, understanding why some plants have shorter seasons, the value of sending houseplants outdoors for a summer vacation and more. Susan is an herb expert and a generous gardener.

Links and Resources

• Herbal Houseplants book
• Susan's website
• Follow Susan on Instagram
• Richter's Herbs
• Renee's Gardens Herbs
• African Power Cress
• 'Mt. Carbide' Lemon Leaf Plectranthus
• My Northern Garden
• The Northern Gardener: From Apples to Zinnias
• Follow Mary on Instagram

Author and blogger Jen McGuinness talks about her new book, Micro Food Gardening (Cool Spring Press, 2021). The book includes information on how to grow food in containers, indoors or out, and it features 30 micro food gardening projects, from a cake stand for growing strawberries to how to grow basil in a muffin pan! Jen is known all over the internet as Frau Zinnie. You can follow her blog or check out her photos on Instagram.

To Learn More:
Small varieties Jen recommends: 

• Little Prince eggplant
• Cayanetta F1 pepper
• Hahms Gelge Micro Dwarf tomato
• Micro Tom tomato
• Purple Lady bok choy

Mary's blog
Mary's book
Follow Mary on Instagram

Longtime Minnesota plantsman and author Mike Heger joined me to talk about bulbs, particularly those that grow well in the summer. Mike covered the basics of bulbs and talked about planting and caring for bulbs that grow well in a northern climate. He even mentioned a few favorite bulb cultivars.

To Learn More

MSHS Summer Bulb Sale (order by April 16, 2021)
Growing Perennials in Cold Climates
Mike's Favorite Rabbit Repellent

More about Martagon Lilies
Planting and Care Tips for Summer Bulbs
Growing Gladiolus in Minnesota
Growing Dahlias in Minnesota

Mary's Blog
The Northern Gardener: From Apples to Zinnias

Maddie Poling of Sacred Space Gardens joins me to talk about rain gardens: why they are important, how and where to install one, which plants to choose for sun and shade and more. Maddie's company provides sustainable garden services to commercial and residential customers, including designing and installing rain gardens.

To Learn More . . .
Maddie's Videos on Rain Gardening
Rain Garden Alliance
Favorite Minnesota Native Plant Nursery
Plant List for Rain Gardens of All Types

My Northern Garden blog
The Northern Gardener book
Northern Gardener magazine

Amy Kainz—known as Milkweed and Daisies on Instagram—is a Central Minnesota gardener who started growing flowers from seeds to save money. Amy offers great tips on starting seeds indoors and out to expand your garden and how beginning gardeners should approach the process. Her one-half acre garden is a Certified Monarch Way Station, too.

How to Become a Certified Monarch Waystation
Prairie Moon Nursery (Amy's and Mary's favorite source for native plants)
Botanical Interests Seeds (Amy's go-to seed source)
Cold Stratification of Seeds

7 Easy Annuals to Grow from Seed
Tips for Creating a Monarch-Friendly Garden
A Short Essay on Pansies
Mary's Instagram
Mary's Blog
Northern Gardener magazine

Community gardener, blogger and local food activist Michelle Bruhn of Forks in the Dirt joins Mary for a conversation about companion planting. Michelle is teaching an online class on the topic later this month. You can also enter a book giveaway of Jessica Walliser's new book, Plant Partners, by commenting on the Grow it, Minnesota Facebook page or Instagram page. Check out the links below for more information on companion planting.

To Learn More
Michelle’s Favorite Cover Crop
Perennial Plants and Pollinators for the Vegetable Garden
More About the Three-Sisters Garden
Companion Planting Class, March 15
Forks in the Dirt
Follow Michelle on Instagram

From My Northern Garden
How Some Plants Add Nitrogen to the Soil
Bringing Insects into the Vegetable Garden (video)
Mary's Book

Sowing seeds using the winter sowing method has been one of the most popular trends in gardening over the past decade. Master gardener and professional photographer Michelle Mero Riedel walks us through the hows and whys of winter sowing, which she uses for perennial plants, and spring sowing, a similar method she uses for herbs, annual flowers and vegetables.

To Learn More
Michelle's Upcoming Class at Marine Mills Folk School
Riedel Photo
Michelle's Garden
Winter Sowing Handout

Mary's Blog
Follow Mary on Instagram
Northern Gardener magazine
The Northern Gardener book
Blog Post on How to Winter Sow Native Plants

Herbalist and author Matthew Alfs joins Mary for a discussion of his new book, Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of the Midwest, Third Edition (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2020. We discuss plants Minnesota gardeners may be familiar with as weeds or garden plants and their edible and medicinal properties.

Disclaimer: Ingestion of any wild plant requires care in identification, selection and processing. Some plants may be toxic. Please take all reasonable care and consult a physician or other health care provider before using wild plants medicinally.

To Learn More

Matthew's book
Matthew's virtual book talk
Who was Euell Gibbons?
Stalking the Wild Aspargus

Mary's blog
Mary's book
Follow Grow it, Minnesota on Instagram
Follow Mary on Instagram
More about stinging nettles
More about anise hyssop