winter

14 facts about the winter solstice

The winter solstice occurs each year during the month of December in the northern hemisphere. In 2022, the winter solstice will take place on December 21 at 4:48 p.m. EST. Solstices are significant events that occur twice per year. One occurs in the winter and one in the summer. The winter solstice...

ZZ plant brightens up cold winter days

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu When the snow starts falling and winter is at its worst, I enjoy having green plants in my home office. One of my favorites is a humble ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). Basic ZZ plant care Also called Zanzibar gem or Zee Zee plant...

Watering houseplants

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Amaryllis bulbs grow best if the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. If the soil is too wet, the bulbs will rot. People do love their houseplants and are responsible for their survival. However, sometimes TLC (tender loving...

Winter protection for plants

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Rabbits browsing can kill branches by chewing through the cambium layer in bark resulting in girdling. We’ve been encouraging Minnesota gardeners to get ready for winter by watering plants up until freeze, using fallen leaves as mulch...

As temperatures fall, home-invading insects come knocking

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Boxelder bugs, both young (red) and old (black) cluster on buildings on warm days. Chilly mornings and shorter days signal to humans an impending winter. Bugs get the same message, and they head out to figure out where they’re going to...

Keep 'snirt' out of your garden this winter

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Eroded soil and snow, aka “snirt” Before we know it, we will be in “snirt” season. Snirt is what we call a mix of snow and soil. You might see snirt in the road ditch, where it looks like someone poured cocoa mix on top of snow. Despite...

How to prepare your car for winter

Summer and fall can stake their claim as road trip season, and even devoted drivers may admit that winter is generally a less desirable time to take to the open road. The elements factor heavily into that reputation, as fewer hours of daylight, snow and ice are just some of the variables that can...

Prepare your garden for winter's onslaught

Individuals who don't live near the equator or in another warm climate know that winter will rear its chilly head this year. Cold temperatures and snowy conditions may be excellent for skiing and sledding, but gardeners recognize these conditions are not ideal for their plants. The inevitable...

Signs of winter lawn damage

Mother Nature can be harsh on a lawn, and it's up to homeowners to nurse their lawns back to health after they endure the elements. That's often the case when winter ends and homeowners uncover signs of damage to their lawns. Homeowners cannot begin to repair winter lawn damage until they learn to...

Winter is a good time to prune trees and shrubs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu February and March are good months for pruning some of our woody landscape plants. By now, trees and shrubs are dormant. The ground is also solidly frozen, making it easier to reach branches and remove them. And with the exception of...