Brrr!!

Of course, spring in Minnesota means crazy temps. Last week we had 60 degrees, and today it's barely above freezing. The daffodils have about an inch of stem peeking up out of the ground. Rhubarb is actually making an appearance, as are some of my asiatic lilies. I'm just hoping it really hits 70 degrees next week as is currently forecast. Wouldn't that make a nice spring break.

There is still a lot of raking to do in the lawn. As I was out there today (freezing, I might add!), I was thinking about how to expand the shade garden by the road. I read a great article about martagon lilies in Northern Gardener this month. Too bad they're hard to find and take even longer to come to bloom. But in ten years I'll have wished I had taken the time to plant some now. It seems from my little research that they're fall planting bulbs. I would love to connect with some Minnesota gardeners who have had success with these flowers.

It's time!

I was able to get out in the gardens a little this weekend and clear out the leaves that I used to cover everything for the winter. I cut back old growth as I had left everything as is (except for the lilies) for the winter so birds could find some winter seeds. I discovered the following already peeking up to say hello:
daffodils
creeping yellow sedum
geum
pink mallow
bee balm
evening primrose
jacobs ladder
Autumn Joy sedum
bachelor button
rudbekia


Tomorrow I'm hoping to get in the shade garden to see what good stuff is coming along there. So much fun!

March Thaw

Wow, have we been having gorgeous weather! It's been above 60 degrees the last two days here with lows above freezing. All of our snow has melted and I'm waiting to see signs of daffodils peeking out through the layer of leaves in the garden. It's tempting to start poking around but I know I could do more damage than good right now until the ground thaws.

Spring Fever?

Spring fever in February is dangerous. Today I went to town and came home with herb seeds and potting soil. The kids and I planted a little herb window-garden. Some fresh basil may help me yearn for the growing season less, but I doubt it.

I've also been pouring over reading material related to reestablishing a natural shoreline for here at our house. When I look out the kitchen window to the front yard in the spring and summer there are always plenty of colorful flowers in bloom, but out the back door along the lake, nothing but a barren hillside with a bunch of brown, spotty grass. I envisioned a rock garden there but think that some natural plantings may be a better alternative that would require not quite as much sweat and toil!

Seeds!!

I just ordered the following from Gurney's for the garden this summer based on a list the U of MN Extension Service put out with vegetables that grow well in our area along with feedback from Rita about what Joe had success with in the past at their place:

Sweet Slice Hybrid Slicing Cucumber
Sugar Ann Snap Pea
Perfected Detroit Beet
Danvers Carrot
Jade Bush Beans
Classy Hybrid Pickling Cucumbers

I'll get the following seeds locally: lettuce, herbs (Basil, Dill, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro). We'll probably plant some potatoes and onions as well, and we should be able to get those form the co-op.

I'll get the following plants from my favorite greenhouse - Young's Greenhouse of Sturgeon Lake: Roma tomatoes, Early Girl tomatoes, Black Brandywine Tomatoes, Brandywine Tomatoes, Peppers (green & jalapeno, and maybe banana if they have them), and broccoli.

Community Garden

I had a nice visit with my neighbor Rita yesterday. Rita and I are going to do a true community garden at her place. She has a huge backyard garden that was her husband's passion. He passed away three years ago and she would love to see things growing there again. I would like to garden more but haven't the space or sunshine here for a good vegetable plot, so we're going to garden at Rita's this summer. We want to plant more tomatoes and cucumbers for salsa/sauce and pickles respectively. Rita would like some beets for pickling as well. Add to that some carrots - she shared pictures of amazing carrots that her husband Joe used to grow - and some potatoes and onions, and we've got the start of a nice vegetable garden! Sugar snap peas, bush beans, some herbs, getting spring fever just thinking about it!

Strawberries

My neighbor and I were just discussing that we both have non-productive strawberry patches. Here's where it would be nice to have some followers so I could get some feedback! I was about ready to give up on my own little patch but she talked about how her husband was the gardener and she just hasn't known what to do for those strawberries since he passed away, so it would be nice to be able to help her bring the plants back to life.

So... strawberries in Northern Minnesota. What do I need to know? Probably time to pull out my MN Horticulture Society Month by Month Garden Guide.