Hedges can be boring – in some ways, that’s the point of a hedge. They are a straight line of the same plant, trimmed to a neat shape that creates a dividing line in a landscape and a backdrop for more exciting plantings. That’s all good, but why not mix up the plants in a ... Read More about Hedge Planting Ideas: Mix It Up! The post Hedge Planting Ideas: Mix It Up! appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Mushrooms Growing in Straw Bales I haven’t planted anything in the straw bales yet, but... Final Exam for New Plant Introductions I’m one of those lucky garden writers who gets ..read more

Ready to get started with growing from seed? Now is the time! Here are my 10 best tips for seed starting success, gleaned over years of seed starting and many failures! 1) Don’t start too soon. It is soooo tempting to start seeds in February, when you are bored, indoors and eager to garden. Unless ... Read More about Quick Tips for Seed Starting Success The post Quick Tips for Seed Starting Success appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Getting Ready for Seed Starting Looking at a forecast that includes several days of 60... Book Review: Made from Scratch Jenna Woginrich’s Made ..read more

Prairies are complicated spaces, filled with plants, insects, mammals and microbial life, all competing and collaborating. Perhaps that is why so many books that I’ve read about creating prairie-style spaces (often called natural garden design or matrix planting) leave my head spinning. Benjamin Vogt’s soon-to-be-released book, Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design, offers ... Read More about Prairie Garden Advice You Can Use The post Prairie Garden Advice You Can Use appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Book Review: 10,000 Garden Questions and Ask the Garden Do ..read more

Winter in Minnesota may be cold, but at least it’s sunny. That’s something gardeners can take comfort in and use to create a more interesting winter garden. As I am writing this, the temperature is hovering around 0 degrees F but the sun is bright as can be, reflecting off the snow. Cathy Rees, who ... Read More about Playing with Light in the Winter Garden The post Playing with Light in the Winter Garden appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: January Light Like a lot of northerners, I find our low-light times... What Makes A “Perfect” Winter in Minnesota? I was talking with a g ..read more

During a recent podcast on growing roses sustainably, David Zlesak talked about how to deal with Japanese beetles and a new predator for the beetles that has arrived in Minnesota. The post Out-Smarting Japanese Beetles (And Some Good News) appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Two Things You Did Not Know about Japanese Beetles I’m one of the fortunate few Minnesota gardeners who —... Normandale Japanese Garden Tour Most (maybe all) master gardener and garden club garden tours... Habits for Healthy Plants Most people know that habits make a big difference in ..read more

I started growing lilies in containers out of pure frustration. I had planted some gorgeous orange-red lilies I’d gotten from the MSHS Bulb Sale in my garden borders. Every time the bulbs stems or leaves popped up, a rabbit was there to munch it down—for a couple of years, I never saw a bloom. Then, ... Read More about Growing Lilies in Containers The post Growing Lilies in Containers appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: A Favorite Plant: Martagon Lilies I was introduced to martagon lilies only in the past... Why Grow Tomatoes in Containers? This is the first year that I am gr ..read more

During my recent interview with Michelle Mero Riedel about winter sowing—a budget-friendly way to start seeds outside in winter—she drew a distinction between winter sowing and spring sowing. Winter sowing is done between now and about March 31—and most of the seeds you are starting are for perennial flowers, those that will come back year ... Read More about Winter Sowing for Flowers and Vegetables The post Winter Sowing for Flowers and Vegetables appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: How to Use the Winter Sowing Method to Start Seeds Outdoors It’s still a bit early for starti ..read more

Last frost. First frost. Frost free. Hardiness zone. For vegetable gardeners, frost dates are important in determining when you should plant and what you should plant. During my recent interview with author Niki Jabbour on the Grow it, Minnesota podcast, we talked about how she decides when to plant seeds or transplants in her under-cover ... Read More about Frost Dates in the Vegetable Garden The post Frost Dates in the Vegetable Garden appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Book Review: Keeping Vegetable Gardeners on Track If growing more vegetables is one of your New Year’s ..read more

The most recent Grow it, Minnesota podcast is all about creating a landscape for wildlife, especially birds. Mark Moeller, a certified arborist from Davey Tree Expert Co., was my guest and he suggested about a dozen of the best trees for birds in the North. Here are his top picks: Arborvitae: If you want lots ... Read More about Best Trees for Birds in the North The post Best Trees for Birds in the North appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Best Climate-Hardy Trees for the North In real estate, the mantra is “Location. Location. Location.” For... Shrubby Things and How to Attr ..read more

I suspect there are a lot of folks like me out there, who have a loved one who won’t be home for the holidays because of the pandemic. If that loved one happens to be a gardener, fear not! There are lots of gifts for gardeners that are easy to ship. I recorded a special ... Read More about Gifts for Gardeners That Are Easy to Ship The post Gifts for Gardeners That Are Easy to Ship appeared first on My Northern Garden. Related posts: Unusual Gifts for Gardeners in the North It’s the time of year when lists of gifts for... Three Gifts Especially for Northern Gardeners Tis the season for lists o ..read more