Lawn care does not stop when summer ends. To the contrary, when it comes to routine turf maintenance the late summer to early fall months are a critical time for cool season lawns. Cool season lawns are a group of turf species comprised mainly of Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue. If [...]
“Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits.” - Henry David Thoreau Here in Minnesota, we are no strangers to the nobility of the apple that Thoreau wrote about many years ago. In fact, we celebrate this world-renowned fruit so much so that our state university has been breeding many delicious, new cultivars for decades. [...]
“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” - George Bernard Shaw We were reminded by our parents to eat our vegetables and, in turn, we often find ourselves encouraging our own families to eat up these colorful, tasty, and undeniably nutritious plants. Vegetables are an amazing source for many of the vitamins [...]
Cover Windows to Minimize Appearance When possible, use curtains, screens, awnings, or other types of window coverings to reduce the reflections in a window. This will be especially helpful during the late afternoon and evening hours when sunlight provides the harshest shine and birds are making one last trip to their favorite feeders before nightfall. [...]
Watering Plants While Away A week's vacation at the beach might be a welcome break for you, but the absence of a doting gardener can wreak havoc on your indoor and outdoor plants. Here are some tools, tips and techniques that will help plants thrive while you're away, so you can come home from your [...]
We try to pick and nurture plants to be comfortable in our area, but can never totally take into account what the weather has in store for us every summer. Many garden problems are entirely dependent on the weather. While hot and dry weather comes with its own set of difficulties in maintaining a [...]
“If it could only be like this always - always summer, always alone, the fruit always ripe…” - Evelyn Waugh One of the fruits that has captured the attention of kitchens and gardens everywhere is the muskmelon. This fruit is sure to impress, unlike some other trendy foods that have been the center of [...]
Most of us have our share of complaints about the insects and pests that come with the summer season, but few are so universally hated as the mosquito. Our favorite summer activities often involve enjoying ourselves outside - barbequing with family and friends, catching the evening on the patio with a beverage in hand, [...]
“Time will pass and seasons will come and go.” - Roy Bean Throughout the gardening season, we want our yards to be full of perfect perennials from start to finish. The warmer weather and longer days has us eager to enjoy our outdoor spaces - and we delight in [...]
“The late afternoon sunlight, warm as oil, sweet as childhood…” - Stephen King, Carrie One of the most frequent gardening concerns we hear is about sunlight - and for good reason. It’s arguably one of the most important factors in your garden! Getting sun exposure just right can be the difference between your beloved [...]
