Last week, I wrote about the top five trees for climate change that a St. Paul city forester recommends. They included some longtime favorites of mine, such as serviceberry and Kentucky coffeetree (actually a Minnesota native despite its name). The forester also suggested a few other trees that may seem like more unusual choices. But several of them are on…
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In real estate, the mantra is “Location. Location. Location.” For northern gardeners facing urban conditions and a changing climate, the advice to follow is “Diversity. Diversity. Diversity.” Choosing a variety of trees that can handle salt, weird winters, difficult storm events and new insect predators is the best way to ensure your landscape remains healthy and vibrant. That is the…
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If you watch home improvement shows, you’ve probably heard the host say, “This house has good bones,” as he/she looks over a royal mess of a house. Having good bones means the house is solid—its walls are square, the original construction was done with care, it has good proportions, a bit of personality and is the kind of space that…
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In my prior garden, I had the room and the setting to take a relaxed attitude toward composting. I built a cage for food and yard waste, tossed things in there and once or twice a year, gave it a turn with the garden fork. It took a couple of years, but I had nice compost. In my new, urban…
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There are many reasons to grow herbs and many herbs to grow. But most gardeners confine themselves to just a few favorites: basil, mint, chives, rosemary, oregano and thyme. In her book Beyond Rosemary, Basil and Thyme: Unusual, Interesting and Uncommon Herbs to Enjoy, Minnesota author Theresa Mieseler encourages gardeners to expand their herb knowledge and adventurousness. Mieseler owned Shady…
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