winter

The deer ate my blueberry bush!

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Deer frequent my backyard hoping to find tasty garden treats. If the wildlife scene in your neighborhood is anything like mine, the only way to keep deer and rabbits off of your fruit plants is some sort of physical protection. If I don...

Preparing your vegetable garden for fall

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Fagiolina del Trasimeno cowpeas saved from my garden this year Fall is an abundant and satisfying season in the garden. Your hard work throughout the season has produced a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Flowers continue to bloom...

How to help houseplants survive a long winter

As fall gradually gives way to winter, gardeners expend ample energy preparing their flowers and plants for the months ahead. Plants may be pruned to increase the likelihood that they will return in full bloom come the spring, while lawns may be aerated so cool-season grasses can get the nutrients...

Fresh veggies are not exclusive to spring and summer

Spring and summer may be the seasons most often associated with gardening. But people who love to grow their own vegetables can do so even when the weather outside is frightful. Various vegetables thrive in cool temperatures. The home and garden experts at HGTV note that some winter vegetables are...

12 weeks of winter: Celebrate spring with a "bird day" cake!

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Bird feeding is a fun activity for people of all ages, and we've already taught you which bird feed to use to encourage various species to visit your yard this winter. And though temps are warming, birds will still appreciate finding...

12 weeks of winter: Take a closer look at snowflakes

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu We've all heard that every snowflake is unique, but did you know that they can be categorized into several broad categories? As you can see from this Field Guide to Snowflakes, there are eight shapes that snowflakes can come in, but the...

12 weeks of winter: Find a "snow angel"

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu We might be getting a little late in the season to have much luck with this week's winter activity—a few days of balmy temperatures can turn a Minnesota winter into spring in no time! But if you happen to live in an area that just...

What does winter injury look like on your lawn?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu The snowmelt is on and we are starting to see our lawns appear in western Minnesota. Lawns will start greening up as air and soil temperatures continue to rise over the next month. Impacts from winter stresses may become visible and there...

12 weeks of winter: Participate in a citizen science project

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu When members of the general public undertake directed scientific work, that's called citizen science! These projects are often done in collaboration with professional scientists and scientific institutions. Participants in citizen science...

12 weeks of winter: Find some winter camouflage

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu The snow flies and some critters turn white. Why does this happen? It seems that if keeping the animal hidden in the snow was the reason for this coloration, more snow-dwelling critters would be white. While white coats can provide...