Gardening ideas & tips for the average gardener.
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From The Ground Up

Late summer bur oak blight

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu A recent increase in questions from homeowners about sick oak trees have revealed their concerns about oak wilt. But another major disease that shows symptoms in August is bur oak blight or BOB. BOB is specific to bur oaks, but not all bur...

How to Combat White Grub Lawn Infestations

If you are seeing unsightly brown patches in your lawn, you might be having a problem with white grubs. White grubs are soil-dwelling larvae of beetles. The adult beetles emerge in late-June and lay eggs in the turf during July. The eggs hatch in two to three weeks and tiny white grub larvae begin...

Fall care for tender and hardy bulbs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu “Bulbs” is a general term gardeners use when referring to true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, and tuberous roots. All of these are storage structures for plants and hold nutrients and water to support the plant during the growing season...

Controlling buckthorn: the who, what, where, when and how

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Understanding the basics of buckthorn biology will help you to control its spread so that you have a healthy woodland and crop field. Despite the invasive nature of buckthorn, many landowners have had success in controlling it, but only...

Fall maintenance tips for a healthier spring lawn

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Vole damage in a lawn In Minnesota, we can usually expect fall to come at the end of September or beginning of October. Fall freeze dates can start as early as September 22, which means the air temperatures drop to 32 degrees F....

Preserving winter squash and pumpkins

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Pumpkins and squash can be preserved for later use by freezing, canning or drying. They should have a hard rind and stringless mature pulp. Small size pumpkins (sugar or pie varieties) make better products. Freezing Freezing is the only...

Making jams, marmalades, preserves and conserves

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Jams, marmalades, preserves and conserves are fruit products preserved by sugar. These products differ in gel consistency, ingredients and how the fruit is prepared. They are easy to make at home. Jams are made from crushed or ground fruit...

Another invasive insect confirmed in Minnesota

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed that European chafer (Amphimallon majale) has been found for the first time in the state. This invasive insect is a severe pest of turfgrass. First found in the U.S. in New York...

Harvesting and storing home garden vegetables

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu One of the joys of summer is homegrown sweet corn, picked right outside your back door and plopped straight into a pot of boiling water or onto the grill. The advantage of having a home garden is that you can pick and savor your...

Planting vegetables in midsummer for fall harvest

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Quick facts Know the average first frost date in your area will help you calculate when to plant these late vegetables. Some vegetables will tolerate some frost and keep growing even when temperatures are in the low forties. Others cannot...