Earthworks Gardens, St. Peter, Minnesota

Earthworks in New Ulm?

2012-01-28T08:10:00.002-06:00

This morning 2 of our representatives (doesn't that make it sound professional) are attending the 'hearts beat back project' in New Ulm this morning. It is a Farmer's Market Promotion Program to expand the availability of fresh, locally grown fruits & vegetables. Yup, I'm all over that! Planning to add New Ulm Farmer's Market route on Thursdays for sure, possibly Saturdays. So would this meeting be a good time to tell them about all of breads and gooey rolls I plan to bring over?

New Dayliles at Earthworks

2012-01-27T17:06:00.000-06:00

August Frost above, so pretty. Large 6" near white blooms rimmed in gold. August Frost is a robust late heavily budded late bloomer. This plant is 34" tall and a Tetraploid.

Raspberry Suede above has rich raspberry red 5" blooms. This flower has thick velvety sunfast petals. Plant is not too large at 28," and it is a Tetraploid.

Above is Summer Blush, and elegant but tough plant. Sweetly fragrant blooms are nearly 5" across, thick, ruffled & diamond dusted. Plant is a 29" tall Tetraploid. Flower is pale yellow with a well defined muted rose eye.

Yes, this one is also a daylily. Meet 'Siloam Peony Display.' This 18" plant produces and elegant display of large fully double fragrant flowers. Petals are very ruffled, peachy colored & diamond dusted. This plant is a re-bloomer, and is a Diploid.

What is 'diamond dusted?' Petals will have shimmer to them, just like they were sprinkled with the dust of diamonds!
So what is Tetraploid & Diploid, and what does it matter?
Daylilies are one or the other. Diploid is the 'regular' daylily with 22 chromosomes. A Tetraploid has double the chromosomes - 44. Consequently, tets are larger plants that have thicker leaves & stems, large flowers are more robust then diploids. Diploids are also very good plants, and will have flowers that are more dainty but all are reliably hardy here in Minnesota. We will have all of these and about 100 others for sale this season.

Mums the word!

2012-01-24T19:06:00.002-06:00

Fall is for garden Chrysanthemum! Above is the mum 'Quarterback.' The first 4 shown are are from the 'football series.' Years ago, it was customary to wear a mum corsage to football games. Quarterback is a dusty rose color, 16" tall and 22" wide. These mums are perennials to zone 4, but often short lived. I have had some that are 8 years old already. Fall care of mums likely plays a determining factor in whether they live or die.

Homecoming mum

Stadium Queen's orangey red incurved blooms are 6-7" across. The plant is 16" tall and 22" wide. This beauty blooms mid September.

Centerpiece is a gorgeous 'spider' mum with rich pink color. The plant is 24 x 24." and blooms early Sept.

Notice the quill type petals.

Mellow Moon is very hardy. Beautiful 5" cream colored flowers blooming in mid-September. Plants are 16" tall and 22" wide.

Brilliant sunny yellow gold 4" blooms. Plant is 20 x 20" and blooms early September.

Mums are very shallow rooted plants, and need watering if rain is not adequate, 1-2" per week.

Mum plants that go into winter in drought conditions like last fall, have a greater chance of dying. Plant tips for mums: plant early in the season so plant gets established. After Aug., only purchase plants that are least 1 gallon so you are transplanting a decent size root system. Use several inches of straw or bark mulch around crown of plant. Mulch will greatly help in reducing soil moisture loss. Mums should be planted in full sun and are great in bouquets. Not all mums are hardy to this zone. You will usually see non-hardy mums in big baskets for fall decorations. I say "why throw them away?' Buy perennials...even if they only last a few years, still a better value then a 2 month display. Earthworks will have all of these and many more available by mid-summer.

Behold, the tree trunk.

2012-01-22T15:58:00.001-06:00

Being a good caregiver to trees is so important. They offer us shade, clean the air and give us the sound of breeze. It takes so many years to grow a decent size tree, replacing one can take a very long time. Above, in my 'simple' drawing I have illustrated a few points about the tree. The space between the trunk and where the edge of the canopy is called the 'dripline.' This is where the rain drips off the tree (where did they come up with that?) In many cases the root zone will be twice that distance from the trunk. Realizing how far out the roots can go, might stop us from inadvertently destroying them with digging or frequent driving over the root zone area. This diagram would represent a mature tree.

Why do roots come out of the ground? These are the lateral roots and they will grow towards the best conditions. In compacted soil, that may be cruising along the surface. Should these be buried up? No, just leave them. Could you? Yes, but do not bury more than a couple of inches or you could suffocate the roots.Eventually, they will likely move up in the soil again. Some types of trees and older trees are more likely to have exposed roots.

A cut away of a real tree. Why did they do that anyway, poor thing! Good example of where the roots located.

Where oh where am I to go to find adequate water and nutrients. I could almost cry for some of these poor trees. Let me see, sidewalk on one side, asphalt on the other. Obviously this tree is trying it's best by bringing so many roots to the surface. A tree in this situation would appreciate some extra water now and then.

This poor tree above likely had a good portion of it's root system trimmed off to install this brick wall. The tree obviously looks older than the brick. The root system also 'anchors' the tree in place, remove half of it's anchors......watch out below. This tree will likely be the first on the block to blow over in a storm. Another problem is, they have removed 1/2 it's vascular system. That's like taking out 1/2 of our blood veins and expecting us to be okay. (to put it bluntly)

Another tree trunk no no. NEVER bury up tree trunks with a raised bed like this. The trunk, all the way down to the buttress, needs to be exposed to air. The buttress, is where the tree flares out at the bottom. Over time the trunk can rot at the crown due to the contact with wet soil. Although I don't sell trees, I love them. I have been trained as a "Woodland Advisor", a program instructed by the MN DNR and the U of M.
Watering trees: Often we plant them and walk away. Trees should be watered deeply every 7-10 days the first year, unless rain is adequate. Adequate is 1-2" per week. Trees that have been planted for 2, 3 or even 4 years still can use extra water if not enough rain. We are really in a drought right now, at least by St. Peter. If this continues, I would recommend watering all the trees you have in your yard asap in the spring. My favorite yard trees? Autumn Blaze Maple (Acer freemanii) and the Heritage River Birch (Betula nigra).

Bees.....I need them.....but not always.

2012-01-20T09:21:00.001-06:00

I need them and I don't. The vegetable crops at Earthworks count on the bees for pollination. As the bee moves pollen from flower to flower, they become pollinated. Once the flower is pollinated, the flower begins to decline as the fruit forms behind it, either a tomato, cucumber or melon etc. These 'fruits,' yes - cucumbers, pumpkins etc are botanically speaking 'fruits' of the plant. They are technically the enlarged ovary of the plant. In cool, cloudy weather, bees are not as active and less flowers may get pollinated. Gardeners often wonder if plants 'cross' in the garden, and the answer is no. You may occasionally get an oddball plant however. In a controlled situation, hybridizers can manipulate pollen/fertilization. That is how hybrids are created. The flowers I grow for cut bouquets react the same as the flowers of vegetable crops. As soon as the bees visit and pollinate them, they decline. So because of an abundance of bees in the field, my window of time to pick my flowers is smaller. Need them for veggies, not for cut flowers. Bees are very important to our food supply. About 70% of all our field crops are bee pollinated.

Garden soil & the potted plant.

2012-01-18T18:43:00.000-06:00

Good garden soil is comprised of 5% organic matter 45% minerals, and the rest is pore spaces for air and water, as shown in the diagram of the previous blog entry. Garden soil should stay right there...in the garden. Here is why you shouldn't use it in a pot, basket or container. Soil has a complex capillary system that likely goes to China, maintained by earthworms mining the soil and soil dwelling insects. When you remove a shovelful of soil, you disconnect it from it's established capillary system. What you will have in a week or so is a substance that looks like soil, but feels like concrete. Your lovely geraniums will soon be stressed when the 50% of air spaces it needs are non existent. The best thing to use for containers is 'potting soil.' Try to buy a product that is not to light in weight, go for medium weight or blend it with some heavier products. Peat moss is usually a main ingredient in potting soil. Peat moss is an unusual product. It is good at 'holding' water, but once it dries out, it becomes impervious to water, and is difficult to re-wet. Ever watered a container that you knew was dry and the water just ran through? Yep, peat moss. If this occurs you almost need to weigh the container down in a pail of water or a wheelbarrow full of water to force it to soak up water. Strange stuff, so the lesson is: try not to get a product that is mostly peat, and don't allow the containers to totally dry out. If you can't correct the drying out issue, get a different potting mix and add a few inches to your pots and mix it in. Watering containers, unlike watering garden beds, should be daily if needed. Pots in the shade may only need water once every other day. Unlike garden plants, potted plants cannot stretch their roots to find water, all they get is what you give them.

Watering....should be simple, right?

2012-01-15T17:07:00.000-06:00

Watering the garden should be so simple even a kid can do it. However, watering is one of the garden tasks most likely to go wrong. Simply put - too much or not enough. Let's talk about seeds first.When they are first planted, they should be kept moist, not soaked until sprouted. Some seeds like beets and flowering sweet peas benefit from soaking overnight before planting. After seedlings emerge from the soil, they should be watered about 2-3 times a week until they are about 2 weeks old. Water using a breaker head on the garden hose or your thumb as my staff is showing above.

When planting transplants in the garden, you can see how using one the 3 good methods is more beneficial to retaining the water then just smooth exposed soil. (click on above diagram to enlarge) Using mulch material can reduces water lost to evaporation by 90%. That, my friends, makes it so worth the time. Not only does it reduce the water loss, but because it retains it, the plant has a more continuous moisture available without being soaked daily. The straw mulch also reduces water splash back on the plant, reducing disease problems and keeping the fruits clean. The general rule on watering for most plants is 1-2" per week. Factor in rainfall. It is best applied in 2 applications in 7 days. Water seldom and deeply, make those roots look for water which increase the root base. A gentle sprinkle everyday encourages shallow roots system. If you water everyday, stop! I know I know, people love to water!

Above is a diagram of perfectly watered soil. In daily or overwatered soil, the 25% of air spaces, would also be filled with water. Plants need air, just like people. The top of the soil, the part we see, will always look dry first. That doesn't mean that 1" deep it is dry. Dig around before watering, to determine if the soil is dry beneath the surface. Excessive much water as fruits are ripening can also dilute the flavor of melon as they are 'sugaring up,' and also cause fruits to split like tomatoes.

Symptoms of overwatering shown above, soft yellowing tissue. Crunchy and yellow is usually dried out (opposite problem). Avoid getting foliage wet when watering. Always water at the base of plants. Disease can spread by water/rain running off one diseased plant and splashing on another. Of course they get wet when it rains, but if 50% of the water they get is from the gardener, than at least we are reducing the run-off issues by 50% with careful watering. It's not really complicated, like anything, just developing better habits!

Garden Bed Design

2012-01-12T11:04:00.002-06:00

Where does one start? How do I decide what shape, what size, which plants? These are all things Diane can help you with at Earthworks.
Some basics:
Size: needs to be at least large enough to make an impact, usually a minimum of 4' wide. Step back from the house & size it up. Usually folks tend to make the garden too tiny.
Shape: Think mow lines! You don't want to have to get the weed whip out for the 'one spot.' Typically a very formal house that is very symmetrical, looks best with cornered gardens and straight lines, contemporary homes do best with free flowing lines.
Which plants? Some considerations are, sun & wind exposure, soil type, height. Plants that are too short, have little impact, save them for your containers.
What colors? Too many colors look messy. As you can see in the photo, I have used the 'principle of repetition. Less types and colors, repeated throughout the bed, easily moves your eyes throughout the garden. It offers continuity vs. a hodge podge garden of the gardener that just couldn't decide! In this garden I have iris in about 6 areas, phlox in 3 areas, baby's breath in 5 areas, and about 200 tulips and bulbs. The year after this photo was taken, I edged the bed next to the patio block with daylilies. The year after that, the 06 tornado hit my house. We had to dig up what we could and the rest got run over by equipment tearing down the house. The patio block was covered with plywood which really helped to preserve it from being ruined by equipment tires. The pathway thru this garden was made of slices of a tree!
They only last 3-5 years before they start to rot. It's difficult to cover all your need to know here, but hopefully some of these tidbits of info will get you started thinking....one day closer to spring!

So tell me...What is Earthworks?

2012-01-10T10:12:00.004-06:00

According to my stat counter details, more than 1/2 of my daily visitors are new people to the blog, and likely some folks new to Earthworks located outside of St. Peter, Minnesota. At Earthworks, we grow and sell perennial plants that are HARDY for this region. We have several acres in perennials including 2 acres in iris, the largest grower in southern Minnesota. We sell produce, plants, bouquets and baked goods at the Mankato Farmers Market located at the Madison East parking lot. We are there Tuesday & Thursday from 3:30-6 pm and on Saturdays from 8-12. We are planning to also be at the New Ulm Market on Thursdays.

In the spring, Earthworks also sells annual vegetable & herb plants. We usually avoid the 'heirlooms' as most of your disease problems will occur with that type. Not only do we grow from seed or divisions 98% of what we sell, I can also share all the information you need for growing success.

Earthworks offers 'hands on' classes, held at a variety of places. Class subjects are flower & vegetable gardening, landscape, fruit trees and berries, fresh floral design, and dried flower arrangements & wreaths.
Diane also is a guest speaker for area groups, and at the Minn. Regional Hort Society.
We also offer at my home baking and soup making classes of which I have openings for a Feb. class. Details for all upcoming classes can be found at our website http://www.earthworksgardens.com/ We also have walking field tour classes at the farm location, learning about dividing perennials, insect & disease issues, pruning etc.

Earthworks grows and sells beautiful 'bodacious' bouquets in a vareity of sizes: the armload, the handful and the mini. We also will cut pails of flowers for weddings & celebrations. We grow about 1/2 acre in annual flowers every year just for cutting and we also cut from our acres of perennial plants. In the fall we also offer branches, pods, bittersweet, rose hip branches & drieds. Our bouquets are sold at the Mankato Farmers Market and the St. Peter Food-Co-op. You can also place a special order with a minimum, call or email for details. 507-382-9337 earthworksgardens@gmail.com

Mid May to mid June our 2 acres of iris are open for daily touring and ordering all of your favorites. Orders are dug mid-summer. We also have numerous potted iris for sale...no waiting! We sell potted plants, herbs, vegetables, berries from our farm location spring - fall. Our hours will always be posted on this site & on our farm sign. We close if weather is bad or very muddy (we are a field without shelter). Before venturing out in questionable weather, give me a call or check here to see if we are closed. During our business hours, you are welcome to take a foot tour through our 10 acre plant farm, bring your lunch! Directions, location & business hours, are posted on the right hand column.(we do not live next to the field) We open early in May. The new winery, opening May 2012, Chankaska Farm Ranch Winery (located off hwy22) is about about 1.5 miles from us, make it a day trip to visit both of us!

Yum. Last year, Earthworks added a bakery line to the Farmers Market. It went fabulous! We bring numerous varieties of loaf bread, buns, sweet rolls, cookies, cupcakes, 6" cakes, turnovers, scones and our famous brownies. Visit our stall early for the best selection.

Our Ciabatta bread is our most popular bread, and the next favorite item is our Cinnamon Rolls. Try them and you will see why! We do not sell bakery items or bouquets from the field, as we have no shelter out there, but we always seem to have plenty of wind. This winter, we baked several days for holiday orders. send me your email to get on next years list. Please join our blog as a follower!

Hostas

2012-01-09T17:28:00.000-06:00

Hosta's, Americas favorite shade loving plant. These plants are very carefree and once established they will rarely need you. You may think they all 'look alike,' until you see them together. The leaves in the above photo would be considered 'puckered.' There have been some recent introductions that are more sun tolerant.

The hosta above is Krossa Regal. A very blue hosta with what is called a 'vase' or upright shape. This plant can up to 40" tall, very large. These leaves are great in bouquets for fillers. The leaves will last a week or more in a vase. Blue hostas that are located in too much sun, can appear scorched and more green in color.

Hostas have a range of sizes from tiny plants called "Mouse Ears" to large plants that are 4' tall. Their leaves can be striped, multi-colored, yellowish or blue.

The stems of hosta flowers are called 'scapes.' Often, plants will list the foliage height & the scape height. It is not unusual for the scapes to be 1-2 feet or more taller then the foliage base. Many flowers are very fragrant, including 'Fragrant Bouquet' which is one of the hosta Earthworks grows. Flowers are great in bouquets, but try to pick when they just starting to open. Once the flowers are 'spent,' (wore out & dead!) you can safely cut the stem back anytime of year. The flowers are white or some shade of lavendar. Even though they can have broad leaves, they are not a 'broad leaved plant,' but actually are a grass plant - related to the lily. Several years ago, I did a 2 day internship at Shady Oaks Hosta Nursery in Waseca. I got to spend 2 lab days learning about tissue culture and cutting up tiny plants. At the time, in order to introduce a new hosta, the differences had to be noticeable with the naked eye from 9 feet away. Interesting standard!
Care of hostas: they love cool shady and moist soil. Keep in mind if planting under trees, the tree hogs most of the water, so watering 1-2" a week would be helpful. Slugs are the biggest insect issue. If you have long rippy holes - that is the work of slugs. The BEST remedy: slugs are out and about 30 mintues after dark. Take a flashlight and a salt shaker into the hosta bed, and when you see the slugs, sprinkle with salt and they almost disappear before your eyes. Gotcha.

Baking and Soup Class

2012-01-08T21:27:00.002-06:00

Trying to fill the last 2 classes of the season.
Baking Class Feb 4th, 4-6 openings
Soup Class Feb., date to be determined 4-5 openings
any interest email call or FB me. More details found at my website under classes
http://www.earthworksgardens.com/
507-382-9337
ddenise58@msn.com

Winner?

2012-01-08T21:23:00.002-06:00

Do we have a 'follower' winner? We are at 15,152 on the stat counter. If you were checking the numbers and you were the 15,150 number, and a 'follower' please advise so I can send out your $20 gift certificate.

Leaf Diseases...that kill our plants.

2012-01-05T21:49:00.004-06:00

This is a perfect visual to understand how a microscopic spore spreads in the plant tissue. This is how it starts folks. So now imagine hundreds or thousands of these spores landing on your leaves. It's easy to understand how it spreads so quickly. "Before I knew it the entire plant was affected!" Yup.
How can we lessen our chances...let me count the ways.
1. Start by buying plants that are disease resistant. It should be listed on the plant tag or seed packet.
2. Heirloom plants offer little or no disease resistant, hybrids typically offer resistance to multiple
    diseases.
3. Never compost or till under vegetable matter from the garden. Spores travel by wind & water. The
    closer potential problems are, the more likely they will revisit you, and revisit you, and revisit you.
4. By the time we actually 'notice' the problem, it's advanced. You can remove some of the affected leaves,
    being careful not to touch good leaves or you are the infector! If a plant has disease on 30% of it, pull
    it up and get it in the trash.
5. The best option is to use a fungicide, especially if your garden has a history of problems. A fungicide
    spray is only a preventative so start a spray program right after planting. See how it creates a barrier
    (gold shaded section in the diagram on the left). After you have an issue a fungicide cannot help. You can
    purchase fungicide at most garden centers, and most will require a couple of applications. But if it saves
    the garden, it's worth it. I have heard that skim milk, mixed with water, (1 part milk & 4 parts water) also
    works. Get it now, so you are ready later!

In about 2 days we should have a winner (if you are a follower) see Jan. 1st posting for details. Don't forget to notify me it it says 15,150 when you log on, I will not know who it is unless you tell me!

Alliums...get'em here!

2012-01-03T10:08:00.006-06:00

Alliums are a diverse genus of plants we love for different reasons. This genus includes, onions, garlic, chives, shallots, leeks, asiatic lilies, and the flowering alliums shown here. Above is Allium albopilosum, common name is 'Star of Persia.' This beauty blooms early from May-June. The huge flowerheads are 10" across, and the plant is 14-24" tall.

This tiny headed beauty is Azureum 'Azure Blue.' These flowers are only 1.5" across and bloom in June on 24" stems. A very striking cornflower blue color.

Above is Allium multiblubosum (no common name). I love love this one in bouquets. This awesome flowerhead is 3-4" across on 18-24" stems. On these flowerheads, it is really obvious how they are comprised of tiny flowers in these round clusters.

Above is Allium aflatunense 'Purple Sensation.' Big 4" flowerheads on 24-30" stems. These gorgeous guys bloom May-June. All these types of alliums are like tulips, the foliage dies back and basically dissappears after it's bloom period. Knowing that, they are great to locate in the perennial bed that fills in over the summer - so you won't notice the bald spots in the garden.
These are all fully hardy here and will increase in blooms every year. Unless you are an experienced bulb mover, I would not recommend digging and dividing these, just give the plenty of space to begin with. The best time of year to dig and divide is in the fall, after the foliage is totally gone...so where are they? You will likely find them after your shovel just cut thru them, get my point? =)

Alliums prefer full sun. I have not had rabbits bother these in my area, must be the onion flavor. Plants need little to no care once planted. Earthworks will have all of these and more for sale in May. To see details on the 'follower' gift certificate contest, see my Jan 1st. posting below.

Almost 15,000 visits to my blogspot!

2012-01-01T09:25:00.004-06:00

I think that's great! If you are an avid follower, then you know I have on occasion offered some 'gift' for being the one to reach a certain number. Since I want to give new folks a chance too....whomever is the 15,150 visitor will win a $20 gift certificate for any of our plant related products. (sorry, does not include Ciabatta bread) Every time you visit the blog, check the number on the 'stat' counter, if it says 15,150 you win. Please contact me by leaving a message here or by email. It will only 'count' you once per half hour, so you can't pop on and off. ddenise58@msn.com
Did I mention you must be a "follower" to WIN? Sign-up today!

Peonies, blooming in about 5 months.

2011-12-30T09:02:00.008-06:00

Above is "Madison." A rather new peony to Earthworks. All peonys are categorized as a type:
Japanese, Bomb, Double, semi-double, single, cactus or dahlia type. As the hybridizing continues, I am certain they will add more. "Madison" is a Japanese type. This type has a very open look with a outer layer of guard petals, and upright stamens in the center. Most obvious when it is a two-toned flower. Madison is not this dark in our field. Colors can vary slightly depending on soil conditions, and of course the photographer and time of day, sunlight etc. Best to see them in person at my field.

This is "Coral Charm" above. Yes, that is my hand on the left side of the photo, this flower is HUGE. This type is semi-double. They are huge plants and early bloomers. Coral Charm & Coral Supreme both have very sturdy stems, making them perfect for cutting.

Photo above our peony section in 2009. We moved the 'patch' in 2010, so it should be fully recovered this year. We use floral netting to keep the flowers from falling over due to rain or from their own weight. What about the ants? Peonys do NOT need ants to open. The ants just happen to like the sweet waxy coating on the buds. Their feeding is harmless, however the biting from the large black ants is not. I do not have ants in the field, but I sure do at my home gardens. Before cutting those ant laden stems, I bang my pruners against the stem, and many of them will fall off, less biting. ouch. The suffering I endure for your bouquets!

Above is "Moon River," and this type is a double. Loaded with petals. I rarely cut a peony that is already open. For maximum vase time, cut at 'hard marshmallow' stage. When the bud is starting to show color & feels like a marshmallow that spent the night on the kitchen counter, it's perfect. Often, folks tell me when they bring their OWN flowers indoors they never last. It seems the common denominator is this: right before the flower is nearly dead, they cut it to bring it in to give it a few more days. Doesn't work that way!

Above is "Cheese Country." Not sure how they come up with some of these names. This peony was developed in Wisconsin, so that might explain this one! This is a Japanese type. What is unique with this one is the pink 'petaloides' that come out of the center. Seeing this often on the newer varieties. All of these shown here are for sale this spring, already potted and tucked under straw. You can view more at my peony blog & website (click at right).

Care of peonies:

planting: a potted peony can be planted anytime thru late October.

dividing: the BEST time is after hard frost thru mid October. an experienced propagator may also have success with April divisions

spacing: given plenty of room 3 square feet, they will never need to be divided. If the plant gets crowed and the number of blooms decline, that would be your indicators it needs dividing.

air flow: peonys can sometimes get foliar diseases, nothing deadly, and not necessarily every year. Allow for good spacing so foliage stays dry, always water at the base, not the foliage, you can use a fungicide if you already have known issues in your garden.

planting depth: CRITICAL. The eyes of the plant can be no deeper than 2" below the soil surface. If planted to deep, it may not bloom. If your plant is established, 2-3 years and no blooms it is likely too deep, dig up in late fall and replant. The pink 'growing points' or 'eyes' will be obvious. Some folks sell such tiny plant divisions (usually mail order) that they won't bloom for several years anyway.

site selection; prefer full sun, in a shady location plant may survive but not thrive.

watering: water in after planting, then again once a week if no rain until ground stays frozen, roots are growing! Once established, water 1-2" per week, minus rain, apply in 2 waterings not daily!

fertilizer: you can sprinkle some around in early spring, but if you have healthy soil, nothing extra should be needed.

fall clean-up: never remove foliage until after hard frost has killed it back. Until that point the foliage is making food for the root system. Turn off the lawn mower...you know who you are!

cages: great to use to support heavy blooms. Purchase newer varieties with 'sturdy stems' and even after rain, flower stand.

disbudding: To create huge blooms, remove all the smaller buds in any cluster, leaving only the largest. Also, on young plants that only have a few buds, pinch all or most off. The plants puts a huge amount of energy to making the flowers, divert it to the root system for the plants future instead.

ants in the flowers: If you cut open flowers, ants may be inside the flower. You can safely dunk the open flower in a bucket of cool water (outside of course) and most of the ants will float out.

Summary: Peonys are one of the 'backbones' of any perennial garden. They look best planted in groups. They are long lived and carefree. Every garden should have some of these beauties!

And so it begins again...

2011-12-27T10:31:00.003-06:00

The circle of the small farmer. One would think we have all winter to just hang out, read books, go to lunch, not so. To get the seeds/plants you want, you need to order the fall before or certainly by February. It's hard to get excited about plants this time of year, but I'll be happy in the spring that I took the time. I usually order seeds & plants from a couple of sources. The majority of the plants I order, go directly in the ground for at least a year, then they are divided and sold. This gives me a year to test their hardiness. I, as a consumer, also am discouraged when 'perennial' plants slated for our zone (4) do not survive the winter. Sometimes I am also surprised by the Pink Buddleia that has survived our winters that is slated for zone 6. I am hoping for some snow cover soon. I gambled and did not cover the iris this winter, tired of all the weed seed the straw leaves behind.

Evaluating the Landscape

2011-12-21T14:38:00.002-06:00

This is the best time of year, especially without snow, to evaluate your landscape. Without all of the foliage, plants and weeds in the way, you can look at the bare bones of your yard and gardens. Yes, you can do this in the warm months as well, but planning changes is a fun winter project so you can get on it in the spring. Things I would suggest to look at:

-pruning, get it done!

-flower beds, time to re-do or move? More than 30% weeds, start over.

-turf areas, uneven, sparse too weedy? Again 30% weeds....start over.

-fencing, trellis, arbors: need repair, replacing or painting?

-rock mulch, time to revamp? switch to bark mulch, much easier in the long run for upkeep.

-time to add new trees or shrubs?

-time to add more to, or move that lonely peony stuck in the middle of the yard by itself?

Pruning

2011-12-12T10:16:00.006-06:00

Pruning, how, when, where, how much....oh forget it. That is what usually happens. Pruning can be intimidating, because you can literally ruin a tree with a single cut. Never 'top' a tree, which means removing the main center stem (leader). Above is a hydrangea in Feb. before pruning. Below is after pruning. Pruning back hard, close to the ground, will produce longer - straighter stems for the next year. Soft pruning - 6" or so, will produce shorter new growth, with smaller clusters of flowers.

After pruning above. This would be considered a soft or light pruning. Cutting all stems back evenly is called 'heading back,' as was done here.

Coral Bark Willows above. These plants are only 3 years old and were no bigger than a rooted stick when planted. To create a fuller plant, we need to prune back to the ground. The harder you prune back, the more the plant responds with thicker growth.

Coral Bark Willow, pruned hard, all the way back. No, this will not kill the plant. Once this type of plant is as thick as you would like, no further need to prune.

Some basic pruning tips for woody plants:

-the harder back to the ground you prune, the more of a response you should get. This drastic pruning is best in late fall or by March, not during active growing periods.

-evergreen shrubs should be trimmed lightly (no more than 1/3 of new growth at a time) no more than 3 times a year, and only it they need it to shape them

-evergreen trees should be allowed to grow natural, unpruned

-evergreens trees should have branches pruned off the bottom of the tree 1-2 feet off the ground to allow for air flow

-flowering shrubs should be pruned back shortly after (within 2-3 weeks) flowering, regardless of time of year. Using Lilac as an example, flowers in the spring. By late summer, the flower buds for the next spring are already set. So, if you prune lilac in the fall, you will prune next years flower buds off.

I'll address more about tree in the future.

Tree trunk care

2011-12-06T20:44:00.003-06:00

What? Do tree trunks really need maintenance? In many cases yes! When trees are younger they need more care, then most grow out of it.....just like kids!

Perfect example above of 'sucker growth.' Prune these out as they appear, cutting as close to ground level as possible. If the main tree ever dies, and all you have is 'sucker' growth, remove or continue to cut back. The growth is likely from the 'rootstock' of your tree that was 'likely' grafted. SO - the rootstock growth will never be by itself, the tree you had. This growth usually subsides as the tree ages.

What is this? The bottom brown portion is where the bark was stripped off the tree trunk by a hungry rabbit. Avoid this fatal damage by wrapping trees with 'tree wrap,' yes, there is still time. Wrap the trees 4-5 ft up if possible...think 4 ft. snow drifts with rabbits sitting on top of them. I wrap the trunks starting at the bottom, wrap up to the bottom branches, wrapping the first set of branches and tape the end with duct tape. Plastic tubes are also available, and here is why I don't like them: the edges are usually sharp, and you can easily scratch the thin bark on small trees, putting them on and taking them off. And...if you fail to remove the paper in the spring, it won't hurt the trunk as much as a plastic tube left on for 5 years too many. Example of a perfectly edged & mulched tree. Mulch should never be heaped directly around the trunk. The trunk needs to be exposed to air & sun. Also, rodents can live under mulch and munch with their damage hidden. A thin layer of rock mulch is okay. Be mindful not to install excessive heavy materials over the root zone of the tree, which overtime can help to compact the soil and the tree smothers. Repeated driving over the rootzone can also kill it overtime. So the construction that you did years ago, can eventually cause the death of tree years later. This system of landscaping also eliminates ruining trunk bark with weed whips & lawnmowers.

Frost Cracks. These occur on the S-SW side of young trees that have thinner bark. Wrap them until they are 5-6 years old. This group of trees include Lindens, Locusts, fruit trees & Maples.

What happens? In Feb. & March, when we get those warm days, the SW side of the tree warms up, thaws out and fluids move.....then the sun goes down.....freezing temps arrive and the fluids freeze, expand and crack! Wrapping keeps the direct sun off the trunk. Sometimes people paint whitewash on the SW side of the trunk to reflect the sun (may be practical in a large farm planting or orchard) I have seen folks tack a thin long board on the SW side of a trunk too. Not to pretty.

Excessive case of frost crack, called 'sunscald.' This occurs when tissue with repeated damage eventually dies and sloughs off. A little preventative maintenance can go a long way. Wound paint is no longer recommended to use. If this was my tree, I would replace it. In the Mankato area, I have gotten tree wrap at Drummers Garden Center.

Siberian Iris

2011-12-03T07:04:00.006-06:00

Siberian iris, are one of the most carefree, taller garden flowers. Given proper spacing, a 6" pot of these beauties can grow into a plant 1-2' across in a couple of years. "sibs" as they are commonly called, bloom right after the tall bearded iris. Bloom period lasts about 1 month. Their color range is white, yellow, pink, blues & purples. Sibs have thin, but sturdy grassy foliage, adding that 'swish' to the garden on breezy days. Unlike regular iris, they are seldom bothered by iris borer.

Above is 'White Swirl.' This iris has a very long bloom period. All sibs will last cut in a vase one week or more, with the water changed daily. Clumps of sibs should be divided every 3-5 years. The more space they start with, the less frequent you have to divide. Keep in mind, the longer you wait to divide, the harder it is to dig that plant up.

"Pink Haze" is above. So pretty. Even after it rains, these flowers hold up well.

Plant info:

height: 24-40"

locate: in full sun to 1/2 shade

water: prefers moist location, but once established will tolerate drought

insect & disease: nothing major, very carefree

fertilizer: average to none in healthy soil

hardiness: some of the toughest plants around, maybe winter mulch 1st winter

fall care: cut back tops after hard frost

Earthworks will have all of these and more available in pots this spring and lots in the field for cutting.

Class openings

2011-12-01T09:45:00.002-06:00

I still have 4 openings for baking class Sat. Dec. 3
and 2 openings for baking class Sat. Jan 7
and 4 openings for soup making class Jan 21
check out the website for more details, call or email
www.earthworksgardens.com
ddenise58@msn.com
507-382-9337

Tomato Plant issues

2011-12-01T08:38:00.004-06:00

I know you aren't really thinking about growing plants in December. However....during the off season is when I have more time to blog and explain gardening tips & issues. I will not be teaching gardening classes this coming spring, possibly again in 2013, so listen up ! =0 Both photos here are of late blight on tomato fruit & foliage. There are many different diseases-blights-mildews that garden plants are susceptible to, but the steps for cure & prevention are basically the same.

How do problems spread? They all have their own mode of travel. Some spores like that of late blight travel on wind, some live in the soil and travel by water after it rains, some issues like 'potato scab' are soil borne diseases which can be initiated by horse manure. Once you have it, it NEVER goes away.

How can we prevent some of these problems?

-start with healthy plants

-choose resistant varieties

-allow correct spacing for air flow, 3-4 sq. ft. per tomato plant

-place straw mulch around the bottom to prevent moisture loss, and reduce splash back on

plants from rain & hand watering

-always water at the base of the plant, keeping foliage dry when possible

-water in the morning if you have a choice, this allows the plant to dry off better, vs. staying

wet through the cooler nights

-never use sprinklers, they waste water and are perfect disease spreaders

-water only 2 times weekly, applying 1-2" total per week, minus rain

-do not water daily!

-soon after planting (within days) start a regular spray program w/a fungicide. REGULAR &

TIMELY applications will likely prevent most of your plant issues. Fungicides are only a

preventitive....once you have problems it's too late. You can find fungicides at the garden

centers.

-crop rotation is not that effective for home gardeners. Unless you garden is 1/4 acre, you are

still dealing with a basic monoculture

-remove diseased fruits & leaves as you notice them, careful not touch good leaves with your

hands until washing or you will be spreading it around. When 30% or more of the plant is

affected, pull up and get in the trash.

-NEVER till until your garden debris or compost veggie plants. The average compost heap is a brew pot of disease & insect eggs just waiting to re-infect your garden in the spring. Burn or disppose in the trash. Tilling under just helps to 'winter' it over until you till it up again in the spring, and the cycle begins.... You will often at this blog, read about NOT composting. I find it is the hardest point to hammer home to gardeners, because that is what grandma did, and they have done for years! It is the single biggest correction you can likely make to help improve your bottom line in the garden, and it's easy to correct. I am not against 'correctly' running a compost heap that will heat up in 2 weeks and break down. The problem is the correct layering & percentages of green & brown materials, the regular turning & watering. It is really simple, but seldom happens correctly and instead becomes a toxic heap. If all this sounds like too much work, just stop the farm or market next year and get our tomatoes!

Still time to cover plants if needed.

2011-11-28T09:23:00.005-06:00

Who needs to get covered in the winter and why do we do it? If you started with plants that are for zone 4 or colder regions like zone 3, and planted them timely....they should not need to be covered. A zone 4 plant should be able to withstand our winter climate as it is. Trouble is....the same plant can be found in multiple sources that will all have a different zone listed. Zone 5 is south of us, starting mid Iowa. Zone 3 is north, starting by the metro area. If I find conflicting zones listed, I check about 3-5 sources on line, looking for an information site, not a sales site. In theory.....zone 3 plants here should never need mulching and zone 5 will always - and still they may not make it-wrong plant for our climate. There is our course always exceptions. Case in point; my Pink Delight Buddleias rated as zone 6 (think southern Missouri), that not only they survived 2 winters here, but survived in 2 gallon pots! Amazing.
There are different reasons to 'winter mulch' plants.
Plants that were installed late in the season: 6" of mulching these will help to insulate the surrounding soil, keeping it warmer longer, to allow a little more time for root growth. This will be especially helpful to plants that you perhaps moved or divided too late or too small in the season.
Plants with shallow root systems like strawberry & mums: mulching helps these types when spring rolls around. The freezing & thawing that we have in the spring, warm days & freezing nights, pushes the plants out of the ground - a process called 'heaving.' The mulch material helps to keep the temperature directly near the plant more even until spring is really here.
Plants the can be semi-evergreen like some types of daylilies, ground covers, geranium etc: winter mulch helps to keep these types from drying winter winds if no snow cover is present.
Another good reason to cut back in fall - no foliage to dry out.
Mulch does not keep plants from freezing, most years the ground freezes several feet deep. But thick mulch 6-8," allows gardeners to manipulate the area just enough to help our plants along.
Mulch should be materials that drain & dry quickly like straw, hay, chopped corn stalks or pine needles. Leaves stay wet and compact. If you must use leaves, a least put a thin layer of 2" of the other materials first, so the leaves don't have direct contact.
It's not too late to cover plants and we can't always count on snow to 'cover' them for us. And yes, I would still give the evergreens and perennials a shot of water, you'll thank me in the spring!

Coreopsis

2011-11-21T10:18:00.003-06:00

kor ee OP sis: I love SOME of these. Coreopsis have several different species, some are definately more hardy than others. The flowers have a 'composite' type flower, often referred to as 'daisy type.' Many types have 'cut' looking edges on their petals, these are 'lancelota' types. Nearly all older terms describing plants & plant parts are in Greek. But often we can easily recognize similarities in words. 'Lancelota,' to us means lance or lancing = cut edge.

Above is Coreopsis 'Cutting Gold.' I grow this super hardy type from seed. I plant them in late winter, and by late summer they will fill a 2 gallon pot in one season. That is very good growth for a perennial. I field grow these plants as well as their thick stems make a beautiful addition to our bouquets. Flowers on this plant are 2-3" across. Cutting Gold has a main bloom period in early summer, cut back it will have a smaller re-flush. This type is 24-36" tall, so good for back of border.
Threadleaf types seem to be 'unhardy' for our zone (4). At least that has been my experience. On the threadleaf types, their foliage is very 'threadlike' skinny and the plant looks (to me) like a caterpillar ate the foliage off. I prefer full, lush plants, so even on their best day, I wouldn't be a fan of this type. Coreopsis mostly come in yellows, golds & oranges. There are also some whites, pinks & bi colors.

Plant info: Full sun, regular water needs, no insect or disease issues.

Bergenia

2011-11-20T19:15:00.003-06:00

ber GEN ya: I love this plant! It's common name is 'Pigsqueak.' Supposedly rubbing its thick glossy leaves between your fingers emits a sound like a pig squeaking. Yes, I've tried it...didn't work for me...but I can't whistle either, so who knows! Bergenia blooms at the same time that tulips, very nice together in a vase. Often times, they won't even freeze back all the way in the winter, very tough. Below is the summer foliage color. Even after flowering period, plant stays nice looking during the summer.

Below is the early spring and fall foliage color. Very attractive reddish green. Plant is not large, so front of border works nice. They look best in groups of 3 or 5. Good companions with ferns, astilbes & hostas.

Plant info: 12-15" tall

location: at least shade from afternoon sun, full shade okay too

water: regular to extra

flowers are pinkish or purpley & blooms early spring

easy to care for given the shade they need.

Still no significant rain....

2011-11-16T21:45:00.002-06:00

Although most herbaceous & woody perennials have lost their foliage, their roots are still looking for water. Evergreens especially still need to be watered in this drought situation. A medium size evergreen (15 ft.) could use 50 plus gallons of water twice a week until the ground stays frozen. Any new trees or shrubs should get a few drinks too. Often our established, older trees are overlooked, because they are 'established.' What would you rather have die of thirst, your 3 year old maple tree or your 40 year old maple tree? Water those trees!

Echinacea

2011-11-15T22:04:00.004-06:00

Echinacea's are also known as coneflowers. They have become very popular over the last several years. In the beginning...there was only purple, and now there are numerous colors available. Whites, corals, oranges, maroons, yellows & pinks.

Many of the newer varieties should be grown w/caution. Some are as not hardy as they claim. We are zone 4 here in southern Minnnsota. A plant that is zone 5, will rarely survive here. Zone 3 is north of us, so they should always do good here. When trying some of the new varieties, buy one and winter it over first to see how it does. I had some of the 'sky series' and they survived but did not thrive, and increase.

Love this color. I grow several kinds from seed, started in early spring. They get field planted mid-late summer. The next spring some are dug and potted for sale. There are all different types of cones, small - large, flat - conical. I like to use coneflowers in bouquets, and I also like to pick off all the petals and just use the cones in small bunches. In late fall after petals had dropped, stems can be cut and cones spray painted to use in holiday decorations or stuck in your Christmas tree.

Plant Care;

plant in full sun (at last 6 hours per day)

water; average to dry

soil; well draining and lean (meaning not to rich with fertilizer)

care; very little once established, prairie type plant

divide; every 3-5 years if needed

Fall clean-up

2011-11-09T19:16:00.002-06:00

If you haven't cleaned up the perennial garden yet this fall, looks like you might have one nice weekend left. Cutting your perennials back in the fall is a good idea. Get all that disease, leaf spot, mildew and rotting foliage out of the garden and in the trash. Sanitation is vital to a healthy garden. If you want to cover your plants, use something that drains quickly; straw, hay or pine needles. Some leaves are okay on top of the straw, hay etc., but leaves compact and do not drain well and can cause the crown of plants to rot. If your plants are for zone 4, they shouldn't need winter cover, but if newly planted this year, it's a good idea. Sometimes folks like the dead plants left to 'catch' snow, and that's ok, but I prefer to not risk the disease issues. Plus....I prefer to cut back plants when they are still crispy and not soggy & smelly in the spring.

What about that vegetable garden? The BEST thing you can do, is to pull or rake out those plants and throw away. They should not go in the compost unless you have a barrel. Why? Nearly every insect pest and disease issue winters over on the plant material from your garden. Tilling it in, just winters it over for next year. Putting in the compost heap doesn't work to kill insect eggs & disease unless you are correctly 'workin' the pile. Which is frequent turning, watering, adding the correct amount of carbon & nitrogen material so the whole pile reaches 212 degrees within 2 weeks. See the problem? More work than most people can do. So your backyard pile is more likely a insect-disease breeding community! An enclosed barrel at least contains the problems better and breaks down the material quicker.

Dianthus - next in the plant education series

2011-11-07T09:57:00.004-06:00

Above is the variety Rose Magic. There are 300 species in the genus Dianthus. Each species can have numerous 'varieties' as well. Dianthus can be annuals (living one season in our zone) Bi-ennials (living 2 seasons in our zone) or perennials, (living more than 3 seasons in our zone). Rose Magic is a true perennial, having lived 4 years in my field already and showing no decline.

Sangria Splash is shown above. Photo does this beauty no justice. Brilliant color, these always sold fast. This type has a very loose & open habit. In Greek, Dianthus translates to 'god flower.'

Tiny Rubies shown above. Sooooooo cute, you want to hug them, but you will have to settle for just petting them. These dianthus get tiny little stems with tiny little flowers on them. Pretty when in flower, but the dense round shape really steals the show. Tiny Rubies has survived 3 winters at Earthworks. Dianthus are also called 'pinks.' Not due to their color, which can also be white, but to the distinct cut edge that the flowers have. Pinking means - a perforated, punched look, or reference could be to that of a 'pinking' shears. Historians are not sure, so how can I be? Dianthus are also called 'Sweet William,' (often incorrectly used) which is one of the 300 genus's of dianthus. Tall, florist type carnations are also dianthus. They are 'annual' types that are challenging to grow in zone 4.

Plant info:

-some of the dianthus are fragrant, often a spicy clove scent

-foliage, can be silvery, blueish or green

-flowers color: white, pink, reds, yellows, purply and bi-colored flowers

-short-lived, many perennial dianthus are shortlived, lasting 3-5 years before disappearing

-perfect plant for the 'cottage garden'

-plants prefer full sun

-well drained location, average water needs

-cut back plants after hard frost

-if perennials start to decline, digging, dividing & re-planting can maybe revive! But sometimes

dying out is their life cycle

-plants are normally 6-18 tall depending on type, so front of border best

-great as a cut flower, long lasting in the vase

Sleep tight...don't let the field mice bite!

2011-11-05T09:08:00.003-05:00

Might not look like a lot of work is bring represented here, but it took about 2 weeks to get all these plants in their new home for winter. No idea how many....100 feet of them, with lots more on the way for spring. Many of these plants have been 'potted up,' meaning from one size pot to a larger pot. The peonies were recently dug & potted, and some new varieties (10) just came in this fall. Half of the new guys went in pots, the other half in the field to 'grow on.' (just think Mark...10 new peonies to choose from!) All the plants get freshened up with potting soil, a new tag, severe hair cut, fresh mouse bait tucked in between plants, organized by type and covered w/6" of straw for winter - yet to be done. I seldom have lost a plant over winter this way. You can be assured if they survive in a pot over winter, they will certainly survive planted in your garden. On the outside of this now 'naked' hoop, we have planted bittersweet vines & porcelain vine. Fencing has been tied on in hopes that the vines will scramble up and eventually cover most of the house, providing some well needed shade for hot summer days. Even 'full sun' plants weren't meant to be in pots in the full sun all summer, even with daily water, they can decline. The vines were moved from another part of the field, and have a large base, so hoping for some instant result! Now I know why we never got the fencing up for the vines were they have been for 5 years....because they were going to be moved. It's all making sense now!

REAL Geraniums

2011-11-03T21:00:00.005-05:00

These are hardy perennials, not the annual geraniums....which are really pelargoniums, not geraniums! Lovely rounded plants with early summer bloom. Geraniums come in pinks, blues, violet & white.The foliage of some geraniums turn a scarlet red in the fall. Other types are call 'scented' geraniums and their foliage is very fragrant (not like smelly red pelargoniums). Some perennial geraniums are called 'cranesbill,' which refers to the seed head which it resembles.
Gorgeous color! flowers are small, about 1" across, but plants are loaded! A ball of color. These plants are best used in a group of 3, or spaced throughout the garden. They would work well as an edging plant too.
Plant info;
-most hardy to zone 3-4
-locate in full sun or part shade (mostly sun)
-average moisture
-die back may occurr in hot or dry summers - if this starts, cut back hard (50%) and
plant will reflush
- plants are rounded in shape, from 14x14" to 24x24" depending on variety
- no real disease or pest problems
We will have a variety of these available in spring 2012.

Welcome Tradescantia to your garden!

2011-10-31T22:03:00.005-05:00

Commonly called 'Spiderwort,' Tradescantia is a tough native plant. This plant comes in white, pink, purple & blues. The one shown is 'Concord Grape.'

Small flowers are 3 petaled and bloom only one day, but there are so many blooms you don't notice! Plant is 'self cleaning' meaning that you don't need to deadhead spent blooms. Foliage is kinda like zigzag daylily leaves. Good plant for edging.

Plant info

-size 15-18 x 15-18"

-flowers - 1.5" across

-full sun to 1/2 shade location

-moisture - average - to above avg. water (especially in full sun)

-bloom time - early to mid summer, blooms for 8 weeks!

-attracts butterflies

-no real insect pests or disease issues

-full hardy to zone 4

-die back - plant may decline late summer if low on water, cut back - keep moist and plant

will re-bound

-easy to dig & divide as plants mature

-plants are related to Wandering Jews, however Spriderworts do not 'wander,' they stay put!

Earthworks will have Concord Grape available in 2012.

(yes, Deb I have featured 2 purple plants in a row, are you checking the yard for space?)

November Bakery List

2011-10-28T21:52:00.002-05:00

If you are interested in receiving an order blank for November, send me your email address and I will forward it to you. Baking on Nov. 9 & 23. ddenise58@msn.com

Welcome to Earthworks Plant Education Series!

2011-10-28T19:32:00.004-05:00

Let's get down to business. The off season is when I have time to add more to the blog than occasional blab. I am going to feature 1-3 plants per week. Starting with perennials. I also encourage you to post questions. I will also blog about the other farm stuff inbetween plant features.

My first choice: is Buddleia (BUD lee a)

common name is 'Butterfly Bush.' (note-butterfly WEED is Asclepias, often confused)

Buddleia comes in all the colors shown here and white. This plant is rated for zone 5, not our zone 4. However, I have wintered this over in my open unprotected field 4 years in a row. I also wintered over "Pink Delight" in pots. Even if it only lives one season....they are so worth it.

Buddleia is sometimes called 'summer lilac.' This is obvious, as the flower color & shape looks similar. Flower heads are 6-12" long. My plants start blooming in July and go until hard frost, the most prolific flower producer in my field.

Butterflies cover these plants during their bloom period, especially the monarchs in late summer. Buddleia are sweetly scented, similar to vanilla, but a fragrance all their own.

Think the above photos looks unreal? Like it couldn't be possible? So many gorgeous clusters on one plant? My plants get very close to getting this loaded.

Above is Pink Delight, so pretty.

Plant Information:

-Install plants in well drained soil, can tolerant dry/wet periods once established

-Full Sun (8 or more hrs. of full sun daily to thrive)

-Water at installation, then 2x weekly during the growing season (1-2" per week total, minus rain)

-Prune back hard-at the end of the season, cut it back to 3" from the crown. It will rapidly re-grow to a large plant in one season. Mine get about 5+ feet tall in one season, for real!

-height 5-7' and space about 3' apart

-foliage is silvery green

-dividing is not recommended as these are woody plants, best to just buy more plants!

-pinching back new growth, especially on newer plants will encourage more branching

-Cutting flowers: cut in the morning when flowers are cool. Select trusses that are more mature with nearly all of the flowers open. If cut too young (see topmost photo w/many flowers unopened) flower head will collapse. Mature stems cut during the heat of the day may also collapse initially. Place stems directly into water after cutting, and keep out of the sun. Stems may take 24 hrs. to recover. You can always just snip out the collapsed tip. Often, I use just the main developed flower on the stem, and the smaller side ones get stripped off on the shop floor. That's the life of a bouquet flower stem! It's not complicated. Each type of flower has it's peak cutting stage, it's just a matter of knowing when the time is right for maximum vase life.

-seasonsal pruning of spent flowers will encourage blooming

-loved by good insects & hummingbirds, deer resistant.

Earthworks plans to have a variety of these gems for sale next spring.

Back to reality....and the farm!

2011-10-24T09:27:00.002-05:00

Whew. Vacation went by sooo fast, except for the 48 hrs. spent driving to Florida & back. I can tell when my hands are recovering from a busy season of work when they are only 'asleep' half the night. So what's going on at Earthworks this time of year? Well, we are working on re-labeling the iris, a yearly task as the 'permanent' sharpie does fade! We are also just starting to cut back the iris and remove all of the foliage out of the area to be burned. The foliage is where all the iris borer eggs are laid, so get rid of it! Also, I am "potting up" already potted plants to larger containers. They will winter over under 6" straw. About 2 more weeks of working weather, then it is really difficult to get motivated to work outside when it's in the 40's. Yes, I get whimpy about the weather!

On vacation

2011-10-11T17:46:00.001-05:00

Thanks to my customer friends for a great year!!! Time to take a break, see you in about 10 days!!!
Diane

Last Market today!!!!

2011-10-08T07:08:00.002-05:00

For this season. Stop by for some fresh bread, scones, rolls etc. Last day for the bread share, still need 9 to sign-up today to run it.

Me & my peonies

2011-10-03T08:05:00.004-05:00

Last week I got 7 new varieties in, some went in the field and some in pots for early spring sales.
We dug some of most of our 40+ varieites last week and are in the process of potting them up too. Moved sib. iris last week, 18 rows all about 60 feet long, yes...that's alot. They were moved to the corner of the field, where the roads turns sharp, and water (what's that?) when it rains, puddles there, Perfect for Siberian Iris. They don't need to be in standing water, but will tolerate it.
on another note: WHEN you get hard frost in your garden, that's when you should cut back your perennials and GET THE DEBRIS OUT OF THE GARDEN! AND DO NOT TILL IN YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN FOLIAGE THAT IS FULL OF DISEASE & INSECT EGGS. COLLECT IT...THEN BURN OR THROW IN THE TRASH. More on why you shouldn't compost this later......

See you Sat.

2011-09-30T20:15:00.002-05:00

at the Mankato Market from 8-12. I'll be up all night making the goodies for you, so don't dissappoint me by staying in bed! Only one more Sat. after this and "I" will get to sleep on Friday night for the first time since May. Wow! Classes are filling up, so don't delay if you are interested!. Find the info at my baking blog or at my website....yeah, hard to keep up with all my web stuff!
www.mybakingclasses.blogspot.com or www.earthworksgardens.com

Skipping Thursdays Market in Mankato

2011-09-28T20:39:00.002-05:00

Sorry you won't have my bread for supper. But this is a taste of what will come to pass if you don't sign-up for my 'winter bread share!' Seriously though, I have waaaaaay to much work to do on the farm, and not much time to get it done. With 40 mph+ winds predicted for tomorrow, I 'm afraid it would blow my bread right off the table anyway! See you Saturday. For my cinnamon roll addicts, consider ordering a dozen to throw in the freezer, 30 seconds in the micro, just like new! Must order by Thursday this week for Sat., same for next week-Oct. 8th my last market day for this year.

Digging peonies today

2011-09-28T09:05:00.002-05:00

Planning to dig the peonies today, and we'll call you when we have your order ready. A little rain would be nice, soil is like a rock. Good thing for equipment, especially this plant digging bucket on the bobcat. Yesterday we moved bittersweet plants and planted them next to the 'skeleton' of 100' hoop. The idea being that the vines will crawl up and over, giving the perennials inside the hoop some shade. Even though they are full sun plants, standing around in the sun in a black pot all day is too much stress. Only natural 'plant' coverings out there for the future. Obviously plastic or tarp material is just too wimpy for our location. Still picking away at cleaning up the iris beds. Looking for folks to hire to pull weeds! Call me. 507-382-9337

Saturdays MFM line-up

2011-09-23T11:29:00.002-05:00

Hey folks,
This Saturday I will have some fall decorator plant materials. Rose hip branches, curly willow, purple majesty millet, Sweet Annie (so fragrant!) & whatever else I can find. Oct. 8th is the deadline for signing up for my 'Bread Share.' If you will miss my cinnamon rolls this winter....they freeze very well, and re-heat in the microwave. Consider ordering 12 or more for winter! We are only at the Mankato market until Oct 8th, our last day for the year!

Peony orders

2011-09-18T21:58:00.001-05:00

We will be digging the peony orders the week of Sept. 26th. It's still a little soon as the plants have not died back at all yet, we barely got frosted last week. Don't worry it's too late, the timing is right on for peonies! We will contact you as soon as they are ready!

It was a beautiful day to work outside!

2011-09-18T21:54:00.002-05:00

Perfect weather for field work today - cloudy, cooler & no humidity! Got the rest of the Siberian iris dug and in the shed. They will be re-planted in 10 days or so. Dug huge plants of 'Walkers Low Nepeta' for Chankaska Creek winery. They filled up a big trailer, so fragrant. I will enjoy seeing them blooming at the winery this spring. I am taking back the iris plots from the weeds starting this week. Fun fun. not.

The flowers doth decline.......

2011-09-16T13:31:00.003-05:00

Every year about this time, it is mixed emotions. YAHOOO, the garden is done........and DANG IT is that I get to pick for the year? This was not the best season for field plants, partly mother natures fault, too much rain then not enough. Partly this farm gurls fault for spending too much time baking and not enough time tending the garden. Between me & Kelsey we only have 4 hands, so only so much can get done when you are a small business. There is always next year to plan better from the year of learning we just had.

Saturday at the market we will have likely the last of the fresh bouquets & dried fall bunches. Our last market day this year will be Saturday, October 8th, the deadline for signing up for the bread share. If you haven't tried our almost famous Ciabatta bread or our cinnamon rolls, you still have a few chances!

Yippeeeee!!!!

2011-09-14T20:57:00.002-05:00

Our website is open!!!! Now you can order plants on line (after Jan. 1)
Register for classes and sign -up for winter bread share. Check it out!
www.earthworksgardens.com

Today's project....picking!!!!

2011-09-14T10:38:00.003-05:00

Will it really frost Wed.? Guess we will all find out Thursday morning. So a fun filled day of picking is planned (as soon as it warms up.....what a whimp I am getting to be!) Normally, there are 2 weeks between the first and 2nd hard frost, so you may want to cover up some things as well as pick. Hope I don't fall through any of the cracks in the field, really could use some rain here. If you have planted anything this year including trees & shrubs, I hope you are watering once or twice a week, and keep it up until the ground freezes. Even when the leaves fall off the woody plants and the crown freezes down on herbaceaous plants, the root systems - although shutting down are still growing. So if that shrub is dead in the spring it may be from lack of water going into winter not its hardiness. Especially water the evergreens if this drought continues. Their leaves (needles) stay on and transpire (breathe) all year long, so they really need to go into winter plumped up, speaking of which........

Small Scale Farming.....it's not for whimps.

2011-09-10T18:06:00.005-05:00

Farming on a small scale, like us - 10 acres is more work than running a large acreage of rotational crops like field corn and beans. Have you seen a big farmer doing any field work that WASN'T from the tractor? Small diversified crop farms can be so much more complicated. I have 100-200 plant types to know about, their specific cultivation, insect & disease issues, planting, harvesting etc. All of the our annuals I start from seed and grow on in the hoop at my house in late winter. Watering & weeding are likely the 2 biggest field chores, avoid either one and your rewards dimish quickly as the weeds flourish with neglect. (where are my 200 tomato plants?) Starting to replant some of the perennial crops right now. Moving the Siberian iris to the corner of the field that is often wet & under water, perfect spot for them. It really is too late to dig & divide most perennials in your garden, but our transplants are 3 gallon size or more, so different risk level. We have a 'plant digging bucket' on the Bobcat...really saves the feet from digging (is that whimpish?) The majority of our perennials are to big to be shovel dug now! One plant per day is not quick enough for me. We got a new field cultivator, so setting up the future rows/plots rows for the new heaven sent tool. Hoping to one day 'farm' more of my crops from the tractor seat. Yes, I drive. I can back-up equipment too! =)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls.

2011-09-09T09:18:00.002-05:00

Need I say more?
They have become VERY popular Saturday mornings at the Mankato Market. Usually sold out by 9:30 ( I bring 48 of just those!) So 2 weeks ago........I decided to try Strawberry Cream Cheese Rolls instead. NOT to the delight of my raspberry lovers! Won't make THAT mistake again! For tomorrow, the usual bread line up: Ciabatta, Topped Flat Bread, Dill pickle buns, whole wheat buns, wheat breads, cinnamon rolls, fruit turnovers etc.
new tomorrow: Green olive & red onion loaf rounds.

Yes, I have been neglecting the blog!

2011-09-07T21:57:00.002-05:00

Not on purpose though. I am a girl who loves work, and more work, from morning till night. No I am not running from anything, not trying to compensate for anything, I just LOVE to work...plain and simple. It's a curse really...no relaxing here....what a waste of time!!!!
So that's what I have been doing - WORKING with little to no computer time!
Today, most of Earthworks got bush hogged to the ground. (a bush hog is a big mower that goes behind the tractor for my non-farmer friends!) A little earlier than usual, but gotta do the work when you can. In the process of repotting plants, moving patches of Siberian iris, hand weeding tall iris beds, and picking the last of the veggies and lots of raspberries. Giving up on the plastic for the big hoop house. Planning to move bittersweet and porcelin vines to grow on the hoop frame to create some shade for the potted plants. Whew. In my free time I am still baking for the Farmers Market in Mankato T & TH from 3:30-6 pm and Sat. from 8-12. Stop by!

What's New?

2011-08-26T07:57:00.004-05:00

Melons are finally ripening, corn is plowed under - no crop, weeds are freely seeding, basil is in abundance....I am welcoming fall. Fall, my favorite season after a long hard & hot summer. Time for a break. My farm/plant work takes me into Nov. & starts again in late Feb., so not as much of a break as one might think. I am already looking forward to baking classes this winter.

Back to the current world: We will be at the Mankato Farmer's Market from 8-12 on Saturday.
Cinnamon rolls, Strawberry Cream Cheese Rolls, Ciabatta Bread, buns, turnovers, loaves & our crazy popular flat breads w/a variety of toppings, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, basil, carmelized onions, herbs, sea salt, cracked pepper & of course cheeses! Stop by & get some. Our most popular stuff is usually gone before 10.....just saying!

Weed Fest

2011-08-21T12:46:00.002-05:00

No, not smoking it... pull & spraying them at Earthworks. Worst year yet. But when I am baking 4 days a week...that's what happens I guess! In all my 10 or so years of farming crops, this is definately the poorest in terms of veggie harvest & annual flower production, but the best for weeds - who are not as fussy as cultivated plants about water/temps etc. Yippee. It's going to be a long fall trying to get plants dug for next year & the iris beds cleaned up. I am NOT covering with straw this year. If I lose a few iris whimps...then so be it. The straw brings with it all the thistle & other weed seeds, and the seed heads from the straw also readily germinate & propagate. ugh.

Tuesday...see me at the market

2011-08-15T19:37:00.002-05:00

I know I don't write much in the summer on the blog, more about what we have & where. I am so busy, I passed myself on the road the other day =). Seriously, it has been another very busy summer, most days I spend at least 12 hrs. working at or on something related to my business. Who's retired? Winter, when you follow me less... I write more! We have an educational Farm Tour coming up on August 22, next Monday night. It's a approx. a 2 hour walking tour discussing plant disease, insect issues, mulching, weed issues & getting the garden ready for winter! (yes, I said it) Just show up at Earthworks 6 pm, it is $8 per person, w/refreshments afterwards. Rain date Tues the 23rd.

Saturday Specials....

2011-08-12T09:05:00.002-05:00

We will be at the Mankato Market 8-12. Our daylilies will be buy one, get one 50% off.
We will have double the Raspberry Cream Cheese Rolls, lots of sweets, cakes & cupcakes,
fresh blackberry turnovers, breads & buns galore. Stop by and get some fresh goodies!
Our flower bouquets will be ready to go home with you as well.

Farm Tour coming up on August 22nd, click on class blog at right for more details.

Tuesday...see me at the market

2011-08-08T20:28:00.002-05:00

I'll be in Mankato from 3:30-6. First stopping at Keystone Assisted Living. I'll have some beautiful blooming daylilies, buy one get one 50% off. I will have my sister Joan along selling her pots and painted bricks for the garden whimsy. Grandson Gavin is making his debut as 'grandma's helper.' He want to earn money for a lap top. Did I mention he is 6? WT....
Should be a fun day, I'll have him bag! Stop by for our breads, cinnamon rolls and fresh flowers!

Saturday Specials....

2011-08-05T19:44:00.002-05:00

We will have daylilies, buy 1 that is 1 gallon or larger at full price, and get a 6" square dayliliy free! Now that's a bargain!

Bread & rolls, buns & such....maybe I list later....I need 6 more hands!

Still time to join for the FREE iris.

2011-08-05T10:57:00.002-05:00

At 3 pm I will pull the list of members that will get a free iris for being a follower of Earthworks.
You can pick them up at the Mankato Farmers Market starting tomorrow, Sat. Aug 6th, and also Sat. Aug 13, from 8-noon. Also on Tuesday Aug. 9th & 16th or Thurs Aug. 11th from 3:30-6 until Aug. 16th.
We are processing the orders right now and will call you ASA they are ready!

Market today

2011-08-04T07:51:00.002-05:00

In Mankato from 3:30-6. Stop by the my bakery goodies! We will also have daylilies, buy one get one 1/2 off, iris rhizomes to choose from and gorgeous bouquets! Madison East Mall parking lot. My Farm Tour is coming up on the 22nd, email or call to get signed up, have about 10-12 so far! 382-9337 ddenise58@msn.com Click on class link in right hand column for more details.

Iris Orders

2011-08-02T20:54:00.002-05:00

Hey Folks,
We have 1/2 of the iris orders dug, and as soon as they are processed we will call you, all of the orders will be done by the 15th. We are one person short this week, so may not get them all done this week, as I am doing the weekday markets.

Farmers Market today

2011-08-02T07:28:00.002-05:00

See you in Mankato at 3:30-6, Madison East Mall parking lot.
Daylilies, buy one get one 1/2 off.
Cinnamon rolls, bread, cookies, applesauce spice cake etc.

Friday is the final day to join my blog & get a FREE iris.

2011-07-31T08:20:00.002-05:00

We will be starting to dig the orders tomorrow Aug 1st, so expect a call this week. Because we are closed at the field location, we will bring the orders to the Mankato Farmers Market, or you can pick up at my house which is 1.5 miles from the field on Lake Emily. We do NOT live next to the field! If you would like a FREE iris, you need to join by Friday Aug 5th at 3 pm, that's when I will pull the list. You can pick up your iris at the market as well. The 1st Sat. we will have them at the market will be Aug. 6th. After that, we will have them there Tues & Thurs from 3:30-6 as well. We also have baskets of iris at the market & the St. Peter Food Co-op to shop from. Reminder from your order form: You must pick up by Aug. 31 or we will plant them back - no refund. That is the very latest they can be planted with reasonable success. We want to "cultivate" successful gardeners! I have seen them for sale in November in ---mart store, do they have a clue or really care?

Daylilies on SALE

2011-07-29T14:39:00.004-05:00

Catch us at the Mankato Farmers Market Sat from 8-12. Daylilies are on sale, buy one get 50% off. All colors, types & sizes. Fill in those empty garden spaces. Garden reminder: you can safely plant 'potted' perennials as long as you can dig in the soil, into Oct. AND you are keeping the rootball intact.
If you intend to divide them before planting, cut the top back 50%, divide and re- plant by mid August. Too much bad info out there saying you can divide late into the season. A real experienced person, using large divisions (gallon size or larger) likely can. But most gardeners need a wider margin of error, better to be safe! When you divide often all of the soil ball falls off, 'that's the problem.' The rootball is made up of soil and all the root hairs that take up the water. When the rootball is destroyed the plants drinking system is gone. Even though you water after planting....the plants needs to redevelop these root hairs before it can take up water again. Gardening can be so complicated!
My main wholesaler from Michigan won't even ship bareoot plants after mid-August. Beings they ARE the largest wholesaler of herbaceous perennials in the U.S., I am going with and passing on their advice. =)

New Hours

2011-07-28T07:10:00.003-05:00

Starting today we 'closed' at the field location until spring. Our farm, like many in the area are producing less vegetables than usual this year due to weather conditions. So in order to streamline our work and locations find our stuff here:
1. Mankato at the Farmer's Market Tues & Thurs from 3:30- 6pm
& Saturdays from 8-12 (Madison East Mall)
2. Tuesdays at Northpoint, 1:00pm & Oak Terrace 1:30pm, both in N. Mankato
3. Wednesdays, The Wilds at 1:30 & the Benedictine at 2:30, both in St. Peter
4. Thursdays at Keystone at 1:15 pm in Mankato
5. Our bouquets and perennials plants are for sale 7 days a week at the St. Peter Food Co-op.
You are welcome to shop any of the above locations.

Closed today...too muddy

2011-07-27T08:16:00.004-05:00

The rain still falls at Earthworks, which was really needed. Should be open Thursday from 1-6.
Our truck with our Bakery items will be at the Benedictine in St. Peter at 2:30 today under the carport in front, anyone welcome to stop by and get baked goods, including our world famous Ciabatta bread & Cinnamon rolls. We will also have lettuce, green beans, plants & flower bouquets. Need lots of dill for pickles? Give me a call. 382-9337
My newest creation....Almond Joy Macaroons. They will be for sale today at the Benedictine and this Saturday at the Mankato Farmers from 8-12 at the Madison East Mall. Coconut lovers unite!

Daylilies a'bloomin

2011-07-26T20:11:00.002-05:00

The daylilies are just gorgeous this year despite the thistle! If you have a 'brown' thumb, dayliles are the plant for you. Next to impossible to kill. This photo taken today, they seem a little early this year, must be the plentiful rain. My favorite one is Imperial Lemon, soooo pretty. Tall too. The flower scapes are nearly to my shoulder.

Working on my website

2011-07-24T14:28:00.004-05:00

Real Purple Star Daylily (above)

Siloam Amazing Grace Daylily (above)

Spellbinder Daylily (above)

Beautiful day! Finally great weather, hope it lasts. Working on my website, adding my plant info. Too late to have it ready for ordering iris this year, but I am working on getting the peony info loaded as we don't dig them until late Sept thru October. We will only except Paypal for payment on the website, and paypal accepts most major credit cards. Currently in full bloom are our daylilies, stop out to see them, many potted and ready to go.

Open Mon- Fri 1-6.

Saturdays MFM line-up for July 25th

2011-07-22T14:48:00.003-05:00

Bev is in the truck, waiting for you to pick her up at the market tomorrow! Very popular pink.

April Jewel, in short supply, so arrive early to get her.

Our #1 seller for 2010. So Gorgeous. Everyone loves orange after you see this gal!

Stargazer Lilies. So beeeeutiful! We have lots of these in gallon pots. Lots of other plants including $5 shade plants any size.Our gorgeous bouquets in 3 sizes: armload, handful & the new 'mini.' We will also have some herb bouquets, a mix of dill, lime basil, sweet basil, summer savory, & parsely. A bucket full of dill stems for pickles. Also green beans & salad mix.

And....drum roll please..... the bread line-up:

Cinnamon Rolls & Orange rolls, (not sure about the raspberry rolls this weekend)Fresh Blackberry turnovers, Carrot cakes, Chipoltle & cheddar buns, Dill pickle buns, Bacon & Cheese buns, herb & onion, Ciabatta (of course)

My new creation is called a 'sweet bun,' for just eating plain, w/butter or jam. This weeks will be a granola blueberry sweet bun.

I'll try to add the rest of the stuff as I dream it up....got a bunch of new grains at the Food Co-op today, not sure what I might come up with.

Farmers Market today

2011-07-21T13:00:00.002-05:00

Catch us at the MFM from 3:30-6 today. Fresh Ciabatta bread, herb & onions buns, whole wheat bread, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, cookies, banana bread, key lime bars, peanut butter bars.....and of course plants, onions, green beans & lettuce.

White Lilies Anyone?

2011-07-19T22:58:00.002-05:00

We have 2 of our potted white lilies currently in bloom and both are for sale at the St. Peter Food Co-op. Our rack of perennials is next to the entrance door. Above is an asiatic lily, Montana White. Below is a longiflorium Lily and its name is White Heaven. Both gorgeous. Use white flowers near your house or in a narrow garden, they tend to 'fade away' in the back yard, keep'em where you can smell 'em! Flowers are huge, about 7" and only $7 a pot.

Join my BLOG by Aug 1st to receive a free iris.

2011-07-18T22:17:00.002-05:00

Since we are delaying the iris dig until Aug 1st, I will extend the chance to join this blog and get a free iris until Aug 1st. I am sure with this heat and ample soil moisture the side shoots will fatten up quickly. Tomorrow night, when it's cooler (ya, right) Kelsey and I will be applying insecticide in the iris field to kill any iris borers. It's a powder mixed in the watering tank, and we just have to 'water' the iris, and the roots absorb it. It's a systemic (meaning in the system of the plant) so any insect feeding on the plant will be KILLED. So sad to think of all those iris borers dying 48hrs. after application. No we are not 'organic' with our ornamental plants....we need to have a crop to harvest. Much easier said than done.

Good week to be CLOSED at the field location.

2011-07-18T10:38:00.002-05:00

We were out working this morning, already stifling heat. Therefore, we will be closed this week and doing indoor work. We will only be out to water the containers in the morning. If you are in need for plants call me. Going back out to bring the 'shadies' home and place them in some shade. Sorry for any inconvenience, but we would like to avoid heat/sun stroke this week.
We plan to attend the MFM on Tues & Thursday from 3:30-6 & Sat. from 8-12. We are also at the Benedictine in St. Peter Wed. from 2:30-3:30, anyone can stop by - we are outside under their drive through canopy. Keep cool folks & keep your pets inside! =)

Attempting to be open Monday

2011-07-18T07:17:00.002-05:00

Another super hot day on board. We will attempt to be open, however may close if it is too hot. May not seem so bad driving by in your air conditioned car & hoping out for 10 minutes, but working in this, or even just standing in it for hours, is more than humans are designed to do. =)
Please call ahead the next couple of days, same story all week long. 507-382-9337

Are you a 'first year gardener?'

2011-07-16T20:08:00.003-05:00

Be advised first year gardener....this is not a normal year. I think from talking with folks, the biggest reason they give up gardening is frustration. What could possibly b frustrating? Let me count the ways. This year the weather, too much rain at a time & not enough consistent sunny days w/o scorching heat. This year was also a very cold spring, too late to successfully start many crops and have a reasonable harvest. Of course, weeds are bothered by none of this. The best time to cultivate & weed is before you even see them, shuffle hoeing the germinated weed seeds, disturbing them enough so they can't get growing. The weeds weakest point is usually as they are going to seed as they put so much energy into seed development, yaay. Now, a heat wave is forecast. Never water plants in the garden daily, containers -pots may need daily water.
Water deeply 2" per week, and include rain into to the equasion. Being an experienced gardener/farmer for many years, it is tough to get a very unproductive year for veggies and marginal for the annual flowers. TG for my reliable perennial bloomers, bothered little by the weather. Don't give up gardening based on this year, it can't get worse...right?
Educational farm tour scheduled for Aug. 22, great hands n way to learn about growing veggies fruits & flowers. Click on classes link at right.

Sorry, Closed again...check out Sat.

2011-07-15T10:53:00.002-05:00

It was pouring pouring pouring here again off and on all morning. Mudslide galore! Maybe should rent out the field for a mud wrestling event...anyone want to sign up?

The Imperial 'Queen' has taken her place in the back of the kitchen. It will increase my baking capacity immensely. Currently, I can only bake 3 - half pan sheets in the Wolf Range, and 8 - half pans can fit in the Imperial. Full double oven and deeper capacity. Yahoo! Baking time will improve, however I still only have 2 hands!

Line-up for Sat. at the Mankato Farmers Market from 8-12, Madison East Mall
For sure list:
Ciabatta Bread, reg. & rosemary garlic
Strawberry Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls (debuted last Sat., to rave reviews)
Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel Nut Rolls
Dill Pickle Buns
Whole Wheat Brown Sugar Buns
Hawaiian Bread & Buns
Herb & Onion Buns
Dakota Sunflower Bread
Hot Dot buns
Brownies

Hoping to get to it list:
Orange rolls
French Breads
Hoagie rolls
Seeded white buns
Cuppie cakes
Banana something
and who knows what else

Sounds like it will be too humid to make any bars, they get soggy right away, dang weather!

Phone number

2011-07-14T12:52:00.002-05:00

No time is good to chnage a phone number....back to my original number before the pool incident.
507-382-9337

Closed today

2011-07-14T08:42:00.003-05:00

Yes, rain has done us in again. We hope to open Friday!

IRIS DIG:
We will have a few kinds of iris rhizome available Sat at the Mankato Farmers Market from 8-12. Despite ample rain, the sideshoots are not developed enough yet to start digging the orders. Even though we have had some hot days, not enough consistant sun to get them iris growing to their mature size. I predict we will start digging the orders first part of Aug., and we will be done by the 15th.

Old phone number back

2011-07-12T22:17:00.001-05:00

My new, old number is back in action 507-382-9337. It never dried out after the pool incident.
Disregard 382-9870, it's dead for now. Plan to revive it soon.

Closed the rest of today

2011-07-12T13:13:00.002-05:00

Too muddy for one and all.
Me being the one you being the all.

However, our goods will be at the Mankato Farmer's Market from 3:30-6 today.
Bouquets, 3 sizes.
Plants
Bakery: Ciabatta Bread, Toasted Onion Buns, Brown Sugar Whole Wheat loaf bread - 2 sizes.
Cinnamon rolls, Caramel rolls, Fruit turnovers, brownies, orange cupcakes
Sweet & Salty Roasted Almond cookies (my own new creation)
Foccacia: with garlic-carmelized onion-parmesan or pesta parmesan (new for us)

Bringing in the back up recruits.

2011-07-11T21:31:00.002-05:00

Cleaning up the Imperial and getting her ready to give me a hand in the kitchen. Good thing I have plenty of room for this girl. It's all coming together now... why I still have this range...why I have never done anything with the space in the kitchen behind the fireplace....
Soon the comforting scent of cinnamon will be wafting from this range again.

Classes & more Classes

2011-07-11T11:17:00.002-05:00

Just scheduled my baking classes for fall 2011 into 2012.
And added 2 soup making classes & 1 class on stews & chilis.
See all the details at www.mybakingclasses.blogspot.com

Also, I have a summer bouquet class coming up Aug 9th, a fall dried floral class Sept. 13, assuming their are enough flowers left!

Educational Walking Farm Tour on August 22.

Click on right hand link for Classes for more details.

Digging the iris

2011-07-10T17:09:00.004-05:00

We will start digging the orders July 18th, and contact you the same day. We can bring your order the MFMarket if you like. All my members will recieve a free iris, but you must join this blog July 18th, that's when I'll print a member list. Members can pick-up their free iris rhizome at the field, and I will also bring some to the MFM, Saturdays only. If you are dividing your own iris, you can start anytime if the side shoots are plumped up. You should cease dividing by Aug. 15th. I HOPE to have baskets full of iris rhizomes for sale next week @ the MFMarket on Saturday. Stop by and get some of the "Queens" of the garden.

1/2 sale on bakery stuff

2011-07-10T10:44:00.002-05:00

Hey folks, have a few things left from yesterday, 2 - 6" chocolate cakes & 1 -6" banana cake - now $3.50
Some breads and shortbread caramel bars, and small bouquets for $5, at the HOUSE today not the field. Call if interested. 507-382-9870.

2011-07-09T20:37:00.001-05:00

What's that blooming ditch plant? Elderberry!

2011-07-09T20:16:00.011-05:00

The Elderberries are seen blooming around in profusion right now. One of my faves! I have fond memories of picking elderberries with my Dad...except for the mosquitoes by the river where we picked. His favorite to make was elderberry jelly........the best. I remember seeing him fashion a sling full of fragrant cooked berries between 2 kitchen chairs in one of mom's flour sack dish towels with the juice dripping out. I must make some this year. I am getting a vision here...elderberry jelly on warm, crusty Ciabatta toast! Elderberry wine is also very tasty.

Elderberries - Sambucus is a native plant to North America. Earthworks has Sambucus Canadensis for sale in 1 gallon pots, $8 or 9 bucks. They rapidly grow to 10-12'. Their fruit is valuable to wildlife, over 120 birds eat their fruit, hopefully not all at once. They have few if any pest/disease problems, other than getting some fruit before the birds do. The plants can hop around the garden, so not the best choice for a very cultivated area unless you are an avid weed puller. Back of border or fronting a wood area best. They will grow in full sun or part shade and prefer a little more than average moisture...has that been problem this year?

Elders in bloom, very pretty. Wonder how they'd look in bouquet?

Open at the field 1-6 Mon - Sat.

Saturdays MFM line-up for July 9th

2011-07-08T10:18:00.002-05:00

Bakery line-up for Sat: (proposed...)
Cinnamon Rolls
Orange Rolls (Mark take note)
NEW Raspberry & Cream Cheese 'Sinamon' Roll
Caramel nut rolls
Danish (maybe)
Brownies with & w/o nuts
Shortbread caramel bar
Banana cakes 6" frosted
Coconut Macaroons
Brown Rice Bread
Ciabatta Bread (get it before it's gone)
Ciabatta Herb & Garlic
Dakota Sunflower
10 Grain
Asiago Cheese Bread
Parmesan Pepper Braid
Mediterannian Black Olive
French loaves
Buns: Bacon Cheeseburger, herb & onion, whole wheat, dill pickle, white w/seeds
Hot dogs buns
French hoagie rolls
I hope to have all of these......but I really don't start baking breads until 7 pm, only so much time!

Plants:
ALL SHADE PLANTS JUST $5, MANY SIZES.

See you at the Market 8-12, we are open at the field today from 1-6.

Thursday already?

2011-07-07T13:36:00.003-05:00

We have our baked goods & plants headed to the MFM today from 3:30-6.
Ciabatta bread, Multi grain rounds, herb & onion buns, 'sin-a-mon' rolls, caramel rolls, lemon pound cake, fruit snack cakes, shortbread caramel choc. bar, snickerdoodles & coconut macaroons. Also: green beans & snap peas, lettuce w/optional nasturiums flowers - peppery radish taste & very colorful in salads.

I would like to shout out a big THANK YOU to everyone who is supporting our baking efforts.
Nice to work inside out of the sun periodically. Foccacia Bread is the next to conquer. Any terrifc bakery type recipe you would like to share?

All shade plants $5 till gone, at the market & field.

Was today a Holiday?

2011-07-04T20:44:00.003-05:00

Oh yeah, forgot I am self-employed, no paid time off or even un-paid time off. (yes, I know I chose this!)
So much work got done today, that's a good thing...weeds were getting big.

Our small shade hoop is officially now just a 'hoop.' The storm the other night ripped it again for the 6th and final time. I am so ^%&*#+&^ sick of wind! New plan: attach chicken wire to the skeleton of a hoop, and this fall plan to move my bittersweet plants over to the hoop and let them scramble over. They get about 25 ft. in length, should make good shade in a year or so. Year 4 or 5 they will likely get too heavy and collapse the structure....I'll deal with that then.

May actually do this on both our 'naked' hoops, seems they don't want to keep their clothes on!

The good news for you is all of our shade plants are on close-out for $5, hostas, Lady's Mantle, Heuchera's, Astilbes, Goat's Beard, Bleeding Hearts ect. We will have them Tues., Thurs, & Sat at the MFM, and at the field M-F from 1-6. Get'em while they last.

@Mark, thanks for the nice compliments, I really appreciate it. I tried to post on your comment 3 times and it wouldn't let me, and this is the second time I had to post it here. What's up with that? Each time my repsonse has gotten shorter & shorter..... =)
I also LOVE the orange rolls, so gooey!

SO HOT!!!

2011-07-01T13:02:00.003-05:00

As soon as we water, we will be closed until Tuesday for the holiday weekend. It is waaaay to hot to be out there today!

At the Mankato Market Sat., 8-12. We will have our line up of fresh baked goods & lots of buns for the weekend grilling. Also a few beets & kohlrabi, assorted lettuce & spinach, our gorgeous bouquets & plants.

Rethinking my transplant opinion....

2011-06-28T20:50:00.003-05:00

First the tomato transplant: for years I have been saying "smaller is better" for tomato transplants. This year, I planted smaller transplants from 6 packs and also very large plants from 6" pots. The large plants took right off and are beautiful, and the small plants, well are still small. This is of course no scientific experiment, they are in different locations in the garden, watering not identical etc. Typically larger transplants get to beat up from wind before they adjust, but I trench plant mine sideways to avoid breakage & damage. Often times, the plants are not potted up timely at the nursery and there are too rootbound (which can slow & stunt growth) I was careful to be timely with this task! Most transplants you purchase have been grown/kept indoors, very protected. Mine were grown subjected to wind, so they were thicker & tougher.

Vine crop transplants: again for years I been telling folks, start them from seed! My transplants always got so beat up and rarely survived. Experimenting this year with these as well. I planted squash, cukes, melons etc. in peat pots, as there is no root disturbance when planting. I kept the peat pots outside. This way, when the seedlings emerged they grew stronger and thicker right away to withstand the conditions. They transplanted into the field w/o any problems or set backs. They are way ahead of the plants sowed directly in the field. Another surprise for me.

What is the magic? For both of these I attribute the success to the fact these transplants were grown outdoors in the same climate that they will be growing on in. Not California grown transplants, then shipped here.

There's always something new to learn!

Last nights class

2011-06-28T07:08:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for class last night, hope you have a great time & learned a few things. The sun is shining today so head out to Earthworks for some blooming perennials.
We are also at the Mankato market today from 3:30-6, plants, bouquets & fresh bread, cinnamon rolls etc.

Educational Farm Tour tonight @ 6 pm.

2011-06-27T08:14:00.003-05:00

They're back! Just when I thought I outsmarted them. Striped/spotted cuke beetles.

A very hard to control insect, the CPB. Colorado Potato Beetle. Not a problem for you since you don't grow potatoes? On the list of their favorite salad bar items are also: pepper plants, tomato & eggplant. Learn how to do combat with these critters tonight at my walking tour garden class.

$8 per person, call, email or just show up by 5:50. Tour starts at 6.

Summer Hours

2011-06-26T14:16:00.001-05:00

Same as last year this time. Closed Sat. & Sun, Open M-F 1-6 pm.

Monday Night Class

2011-06-26T14:12:00.002-05:00

Educational walking farm tour on Monday night, Jun 27 from 6-8:30. If case of rain or mud, it will be on Tuesday the 28th. We will spend approx. 2 hours walking thru the field discussing veg/flower crops, insect-disease-weed issues, how to prune shrubs & divide perennials. Call or email if you plan to attend. $8 per person. 507-382-9870

REALLY? Is that the sun I see?

2011-06-24T09:40:00.002-05:00

Unreal, can it be true. Five minutes at a time. What a season! Farmers of late have laughed at the old cliche of the corn being 'knee high by the 4th of July,' as that WAS the old standard. Lately it's been more like shoulder high by the 4th.......this year......well, ankle high?

Closed the rest of today

2011-06-22T13:13:00.003-05:00

We were open for 2 hours despite the 1.5" of new rain. Then....it started to pour again. Dangerous mudslides and flooding in unexpected areas in the field. Been a tough year to be a 'real' plant nursery, did all the others guys already know this???? =)
Get my fresh bread, pastries & strawberries at the Benedictine today at 2:30. Under the front canopy at the entrance. We are there every Wed. at 2:30, and you are welcome to shop! The Benedictine is the blue building behind & north of the new Riverside Hospital in St. Peter.

Not a good year for Strawberries

2011-06-20T12:54:00.005-05:00

If this is your first year expecting berries (installed plants last year) don't be dismayed. This is NOT a normal season for berries. If you had good luck, consider yourself lucky. Two factors in play here: too much rain & a couple of scorching days which 'bake' the berries on the vine. Even if they have ample water (has that been a problem?) they are still exposed the sun & heat. Younger plants will have their 'berries' more exposed as the leaf canopy may not be as large as it should be next year. Even the ugly, small berries can make great jam, not so pretty in a pie.

Seen a few spittle bugs on the leaves this year. (posted above in photos )They will be hiding under a small pile of froth. It looks like some guy just spit on the plants. We know a lady wouldn't do that right? Under the froth will be a small lime green insect with dark eyes. Very easy to catch & smash and doesn't leave much residue on your hand. =) They are a 'piercing/sucking' insect. Poking a hole the leaf and sucking out the water/nutrients. They won't kill a plant, but destroy them, large population would not be good.

Pouring Rain.....closed again.

2011-06-20T09:02:00.001-05:00

It was already muddy with the 1" of rain Friday night, the rain Sat. morning, and now just pouring from the sky here on Lake Emily. Shut it off!!!!

We are supposed to have a group of 60 kids to the field tomorrow, don't think that will happen!

Closed the rest of today

2011-06-18T13:18:00.001-05:00

Too much rain coming down. We got another 1" of rain on the overnight. geez.

Saturdays MFM line-up for June 18th

2011-06-17T13:31:00.002-05:00

Ciabatta bread
Ciabatta Rosemary Garlic Bread
Dakota Sunflower Bread
5 Rice Bread
Country French Bread
Rye Bread
Italian Rolls (brat style)
Dill Pickle Burger Buns
Bacon-Cheese Burger Buns
Honey Wheat Burger Buns
Onion Herb dinner rolls
French dinner rolls
Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel Rolls
Banana muffins
Fruit Turnovers
Carrot Cake
Almond Pound Cake
and....a few more things that I have'nt decided on yet!