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

Fruit update - April 24, 2025

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This article marks the beginning of the 2025 UMN Fruit Updates, where information is gathered and shared in real time about current happenings and production requirements for fruit crops in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. These articles...

Crop planning deep dive: Mind your Peas and Beans

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Our series on the issues Minnesota's major vegetables continues. This week we want to inoculate you with information on common issues and considerations in peas and beans. Inoculating peas and beans Peas and beans are legumes. They...

New crop planning tools - how much to plant and when

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Extension has a new set of tools to help you plan just how many plants or beds you need to achieve your yield or market goals. Let's say you have a contract for 300 lbs of tomatoes, or 150 lbs of carrots, or that you hope to sell 25 lbs of...

Wise watering strategies to help a lawn thrive

A number of factors can affect how well a garden or lawn takes root. Watering is a key element of any landscape care strategy, and one that homeowners should educate themselves about if they want to maintain a lush, healthy lawn throughout spring and summer. Homeowners hoping to keep their lawns...

Crop planning deep dive: Raising Root Vegetables Right

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This week we dig deeper into root vegetables. By planning ahead and anticipating challenges, you can get ahead of common problems that limit yields. Get your stew mix ready, let’s talk carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips. Image...

Humane ways to address uninvited garden guests

A beautiful garden is a wonder to behold. After a homeowner toils in the yard amending the soil and planting, it's imperative that a garden be given the best chance to thrive. However, the natural wildlife that shares the space might see that newly cultivated land as the perfect place to enjoy an...

Native plants support wildlife and sustainability in Minnesota gardens

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Echinacea may reseed and produce young plants that usually wait to bloom till their second year. Native plants have naturally evolved in a specific region over thousands of years. They are well-adapted to the local climate and soil...

April garden checklist

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Mystery of the month How do you identify which animal browsed on your shrubs over the winter? Find the solution to our mystery at the end of this article. Pests and diseases Do not prune oaks from April through October. The fungus...

Crop planning deep dive: Brassica bonanza

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu We are reviving and revising a series of crop-specific deep-dive articles we published in 2021. This week we are focusing on crops in the Brassica family, and tips for growing them successfully. By planning ahead and anticipating...

Tips for securing grapevine canes this spring

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Introduction Whether you’re working on a new vineyard block, elongating cordons for further established vines, or replacing winter-injured or declining cordons, tying down canes to fruiting wire is something all vineyards end up doing...