Gardening ideas & tips for the average gardener.
Please submit photos, tips and ideas to:
Email submissions: business@thedrummer.com   in subject line: From the Ground Up
Mail submissions:
               From the Ground Up
               C/O The Drummer
               PO Box 159
               Buffalo MN 55313

*All photos & Submissions become the property of The WCJP & The Drummer. Your submission gives us the right to publish your information/photos.

From The Ground Up

'Focused wandering' cultivates mindfulness

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Spring is a wonderful time to begin observing nature’s small changes, so we thought we’d have a little fun with a phenology-inspired bud break photo celebration. Learn how to take photos of nature using iNaturalist. Post your favorite...

What's digging up your yard?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu While vertebrates are doing the most visible damage, the white grubs they’re after are the root of the problem. In some Minnesota lawns, instead of the grass greening up, the grass is being torn up. People are reporting lawns ripped up...

Cold-hardy roses without all the fuss

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Roses bring beauty to any landscape, but not every Minnesota gardener wants to get all scientific about them. And who can keep up with deadheading? University of Minnesota Extension has been a part of the national American Rose Trials for...

Let pesticide applicators know where your specialty crops are

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu The DriftWatch program provides a simple way for crop producers to communicate information about their crop locations to pesticide applicators. Growers do this by posting their fields on the online FieldWatch Map. Pins in the map mark the...

Two upcoming outreach events about grants and loans for small farms

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota Farmers Union are hosting two outreach events about grants and loans for your farm. Learn about programs for small, direct market, and emerging farmers in MN. These events are free and...

A patchwork of new experiences for Minnesota beekeeper

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Lucy, 2, enjoys outdoor time on one of many quilts made by her bee-enthusiast father, Willie Gabbard. You could say Willie Gabbard’s love of honey bees is in his very fabric. He has even made a quilt that diagrams a hive’s eggs, larvae...

The benefits of planting native species

Spring and summer present ideal growing conditions for many plants, making these seasons an ideal time to tend to lawns and gardens. Though it's easy to succumb to the temptation of exotic plants, avid gardeners and eco-conscious planters recognize the significance of native plants. Novices may not...

Is tropical milkweed bad for monarchs?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Tropical milkweed blooms With sobering news about monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations, many gardeners are intent on growing more habitat for these interesting creatures. One type of milkweed advertised to support...

As snow recedes, white grub damage is revealed

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu White grubs are the immature form of Japanese beetles. Now that most Minnesotans can see the lawns again after a record-breaking winter, some aren’t too happy with what the melt has revealed. In the metro especially, people are...

The basics of fertilizing a lawn

Spring marks the return of lawn and garden season. Lawns often bear the brunt of winter's wrath, so spring is a great time to nurse them back to health, and fertilizing can be an essential component of that process. Fertilizing a lawn can be intimidating. An array of fertilizers, with each...