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Grow it, Minnesota Podcast

Now Available!

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Lee Reich was a ton of fun to interview on the Gro

Lee Reich was a ton of fun to interview on the Grow it, Minnesota podcast about figs. We both endorsed the benefit of having a "burly" person in your life to help with garden chores!

In this clip, he clarifies that figs are not tropical plants, but subtropical. This means they do best with a bit of rest in the winter—though not outside in the kind of temperatures we're having now! If you have a cold (30-45 degrees) but not frigid place to keep them, you can grow figs really well in pots. Of course, you need a burly person (or a good garden cart!) to move them around during the year.

Link to the entire podcast in bio and stories.

#growingfigs #mnpodcast #gardenpodcast #growingfruit #northerngardening #coldclimatefruitgrowing

On this sunny 🌞 Saturday these plants are stand

On this sunny 🌞 Saturday these plants are standouts in the south-facing front window. I just could not toss the coleus in the fall, and despite big struggles making the transition indoors, it looks great now. Considering taking cuttings for containers next spring. I’m guessing the discount amaryllis will bloom in late February. What’s brightening your day?
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#wintergardening #coleusplant #indoorplants #amaryllisflower #waitingforblooms #mngardening

I just finished a blog post for @mnhort about the

I just finished a blog post for @mnhort about the 2022 color of the year, 'Very Peri,' which is a vibrant periwinkle. I'm pro purple, and looking through my photos realized there are a lot of periwinkle elements in the garden. While a bright orange or yellow really wakes up a design and shades of green are soothing, purple, periwinkle, lilac, lavender—whatever rosy blue hue you like—has its own charms. Also many of my purple flowers are popular with pollinators. From front to back here: 'Whisper Blue' catmint, 'Blue Prelude' catmint, Geranium maculatum, Veronica, Twilight Prairie Blues baptisia.

I’m seeing lots of periwinkle hydrangeas coming in the next year or two too. Link to blog post in bio and in stories.

#veryperi #periwinkleplants #coloroftheyear #northerngardener #coldclimategarden #minnesotagarden

Packing up a few books to sign at the @mnhort boot

Packing up a few books to sign at the @mnhort booth at the Northern Green Expo today. This trade show is a great chance to see what’s new in plants and gear used by pros in Minnesota and beyond. The Hort society is also selling used gardening books for great prices, so if your a student or pro attending the show, stop by and say hello!
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#northergreenexpo #gardenwriter #mnhort #landscapingpro #coldclimategardening

The first issue of Northern Gardener for 2022 came

Our big snowfall melted but we’ve got a light co

Our big snowfall melted but we’ve got a light cover and it’s clinging to all the plants left standing in the garden. Winter interest is rarely colorful but there’s beauty in the textures of dormant plants, and there’s likely pollinators and other life resting in the stems if the plants.

Shown: sweet joe-pye weed, Alpina Blue Dancer clematis, Amber Jubilee ninebark (tree form) and St. Francis.
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#minnesnowta #wintergarden #decembergarden #joepyeweed #clematis #ninebark

Usually I wait until January (when it's really col

Usually I wait until January (when it's really cold!) to visit the Como Conservatory, but this year I went for the holiday flower show. The show features poinsettias in unusual colors, accented with rosemary topiaries, flowering hibiscus and holiday trees and lights. It's magical. The rest of the conservatory is great, too, filled with lush plants, the sounds of water and places to sit and rest.

The conservatory (and the zoo) are absolute treasures for St. Paul, the Twin Cities and Minnesota. The park is free to everyone, though donations are gratefully accepted. If you have not visited in awhile (or since you were a kid watching Sparky the Seal), make plans to do so now or during the winter. Como requires reservations to space out crowds and masks are necessary. A great option for holiday guests or just a chance to get away from the holiday hustle.

Link to a blog post about the show is in bio and on stories.

#comoconservatory #holidayflowershow #poinsettias #myStPaul #newpoinsettias

It pays to check your mail, even the mail slot you

It pays to check your mail, even the mail slot you thought no one used!

Back story: our house was built in the 1930s, and it has a slot for mail. It also has a mailbox, which is what the carrier uses. Today, we found out that some of our neighbors had been using the slot to drop things off. The slot drops into our very cramped coat closet, so . . .

Today we sorted our “mail,” which included an old Christmas card, some notices of events, the 2016 notice of what we owe for alley snow plowing and this drawing from one of the neighbor kids.

Putting this up on the fridge because we DO like baseball and planting flowers 🌸. And surprises.
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#onthefridge #flowerpower #baseballandplants #goodneighbors

Thanksgiving cactus is a bit behind schedule and w

Thanksgiving cactus is a bit behind schedule and won’t be putting out too many blooms this year. Still, glad to have something blooming as we move toward the shortest day of the year!
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#cactiofinstagram #thanksgivingcactus #indoorgardener #mngardener #decemberflowers

My sister has really got the holiday spirit and th

My sister has really got the holiday spirit and the creative touch. She built this beautiful wreath for her house, plus three containers, a couple of window boxes and a bunch of swags! Whew. With the leftovers, she was nice enough to make an extra pot for in front of my house, too. (Third photo)

If you have the desire and maybe some foraged materials, making your own is fun and can be a money saver too. My sister’s bows, wire and some of the faux materials are in their third season. We tend to be a little slow in putting up our holiday decor, but now that I’ve got a pretty pot, I’m getting in the spirit, too.

I’m considering adding lights to my holiday container. Yea or nay?
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#holidaycontainer #homemadewreath #minnesotawinter #holidayhomedecor #northerngardener

So, how cute are these? They’re part of a new pl

So, how cute are these? They’re part of a new plant series from @panamseed called Kitchen Minis. I’m giving them a test run to see how they hold up in a cold, dark Minnesota November. I moved them to the living room for maximum light, and like them as decor!

The idea is you buy these as plants, kind of like an edible bouquet, and enjoy the peppers 🌶 and tomatoes 🍅 during the off-season, or if you don’t have garden space. The peppers are Taquito (a hot one) and the micro tomato is called Red Velvet. I’m looking forward to eating a fresh tomato in December.

Eventually they’ll be available in lots of stores so you can pick them up on your way to a party as a host or hostess gift.

I’ll let you know how long they last and how they taste!
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#kitchengardening #trialplants #kitchenminis #microtomato #hotpepper #gardenwriter #mngardening

Hanging on. . . . #lastblooms #rudbeckia #aster #

Hanging on.
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#lastblooms #rudbeckia #aster #northerngardener

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