Gardening ideas & tips for the average gardener.
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               From the Ground Up
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From The Ground Up

Figuring out nutrients for your lawn and garden

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Spring is when our thoughts turn to green lawns, emerging flowers and sprouting veggies. So, it's a good time to sort out how to best feed all those plants to make sure we have lush yards and gardens this summer. Extension as a few new...

How rising food demand is affecting farming

The population is growing and so is its demand for food to fuel those extra bodies. Harvard Business Review reports the global population has quadrupled over the last century. It's predicted that, by 2050, the population will exceed nine billion people. The world is not able to feed all of its...

Prepping for syrup season

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu In Minnesota, sap usually runs from about March 15 to April 20. Sap begins running when the temperature is mild during the day and freezing at night, but it’s a small window—too cold and the sap won’t have started running, and too warm (...

Free soil testing for 100 vegetable farms

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Extension is offering soil testing in high tunnels and fields at 100 vegetable farms across the state. Participants will receive complimentary soil tests that include a basic soil series (texture, organic matter, pH, phosphorus, potassium...

Upcoming Webinar for Farmers Looking to Sell to Schools

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Farmers, food hubs, distributors, and other interested partners are invited to attend an informational webinar on March 29th from 2:30 - 3:30 to learn more about the Farm to School Grant Program and how to work with schools. This webinar...

The basics of regenerative agriculture

Climate change poses a threat to various industries, not the least of which is the agricultural sector. Agricultural industry insiders recognize that the changing climate has been forcing farmers and agricultural organizations to adapt and adjust for decades, and that need to be flexible won't...

Winter is a good time to prune trees and shrubs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu February and March are good months for pruning some of our woody landscape plants. By now, trees and shrubs are dormant. The ground is also solidly frozen, making it easier to reach branches and remove them. And with the exception of...

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in 2023

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu HPAI or avian flu never left the United States in 2022 like it did in 2015. So it’s likely that by the end of March, Minnesota will again start to see the virus affect chickens, turkeys and wild waterfowl. Our guidelines to reduce avian...

Green farming is growing

Farmers have been pressured to increase production to meet the demand of a growing population. This may require employing more efficient measures to ensure maximum output. Unfortunately, efficiency doesn't always mesh with sustainability, so commercial operations have had to make some modifications...

Incorporating summer cover crops into your garden

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu One significant challenge for gardeners who use organic practices is to provide enough nitrogen to meet vegetable needs without over-applying phosphorus. Last year, we shared our findings that most home gardens are over-fertilized; the...