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

The unique pollination systems of cucumbers, melons, and squash

You've likely all seen the images of what grocery store shelves would look like without pollinators. While many fruit and vegetable crops require pollinators to set fruit, cucumbers, melons, squash, and other plants in the cucurbit family have one of the most complex pollination systems of any...

Prepare for apple maggots

While early July means different things to different people, if you are an apple grower, it reminds you that this is the beginning of apple maggot season in Minnesota. This pest spends the winter as pupae in the soil and begins to emerge as adults starting about July 1. Why are they are pests?...

How to bring beneficial bees back

Bees, birds and butterflies play integral roles in pollinating many of the crops humans rely on for sustenance. The National Pollinator Garden Network, through the National Wildlife Federation, recently launched the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, an effort to increase the amount of nectar and...

Managing soil crusting

We've seen some very heavy rains followed by hot weather over the last couple of weeks. These conditions can cause crusting on the soil surface. In this brief overview, I'll discuss how / why crusts form, and how you can respond in the immediate and longer term. At this point in the season, most...

Reasons for Small Fruit Size in Strawberries

Small fruit size in strawberries is a common occurrence in Minnesota berry farms. Troubleshooting the cause of the problem and addressing it will help ensure higher marketable yields and happy U-Pick customers. There are several potential causes of small or deformed strawberry fruit. These...

Horticulture Oils: Use and Safety

Horticultural oils are widely used to mitigate insect pests in a variety of settings such as ornamental trees, landscape plants, greenhouses, fruit trees, and orchards. But what are they, what are their appropriate uses, and what precautions should you take when using them? What are horticultural...

Emerald ash borer active now through Sept 1

Minnesota Department of Agriculture reports the emerald ash borer (EAB) to be active from May 1 through September 1. EAB is responsible for destroying millions of ash trees across the US including in Minnesota. MDA Certified Seal Some things you can do to prevent the spread of EAB: Do not...

Summer Snowflake: A late spring favorite!

Sad to see your tulip garden fading? Here's a late spring flowering bulb that's often overlooked for perennial gardens. Summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, band putting on looms in late May and can put on quite a show. It is a long-lasting perennial in the Amaryllis family, similar to daffodils,...

Tunnels and holes from moles and voles

If you have rodents making tunnels in your yard, it’s important to figure out which critter is the culprit so that you can use the proper management practices. Vole and mole damage look quite different from one another, so they should be easy to identify and then manage appropriately. In the home...

3 perennial gardening pointers

Gardening is an engaging hobby that can provide a host of benefits, some of which may surprise even the most devoted gardeners. For example, the Harvard Medical School notes that just 30 minutes of gardening activities burns 135 calories, making gardening a fun and simple way to incorporate more...