MINNESOTA’S ONLY HOMEGROWN GARDENING MAGAZINE
Gardener Northern
VINTAGE CHARM IN THE CITY
Holiday
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editor’s note a nonprofit organization
The Minnesota State Horticultural Society (MSHS) is a nonprofit, educational and charitable organization established in 1866. Our mission is to serve northern gardeners through education, encouragement and community. For information about subscribing to Northern Gardener magazine or becoming an MSHS member, visit northerngardener.org/membership, call 651-643-3601 or email membership@northerngardener.org.
Minnesota State Horticultural Society
1935 County Rd. B2 West, Suite 125, Roseville, MN 55113-1334 Phone: 651-643-3601 Editor: Mary Lahr Schier, 507-581-4145 Horticultural Editor: Debbie Lonnee Copy Editor: Julie Jensen Design: Barbara Pederson
MSHS Staff
Accountant: Dennis Feit; DFeit@northerngardener.org Development Associate: Diane Duvall; DDuvall@northerngardener.org Community Outreach Manager: Lara Lau-Schommer; LLSchommer@northerngardener.org Communications and Marketing Director: Becky Swee; BSwee@northerngardener.org Garden-in-a-Box Coordinator: Maria Brosofske; MBrosofske@northerngardener.org
MSHS Board of Directors
Mike Heger, Waconia, Chair Joel Karsten, Roseville, Vice Chair Margaret Klis, Minneapolis, Treasurer Laura Wagner, Minneapolis, Secretary
Mary Lahr Schier
Public Gardening
A
s anyone who has ever planted a garden in the front yard knows, gardens that face the street are inherently public gardens. Neighbors stop to chat if they see you weeding; some may even pull one you missed. Folks you don’t know will ask what you are planting and some may comment on your efforts. “You sure like to work hard,” one observer noted as I stood sweating in the garden one day. Our “public” gardens can also be community gardens—in the best possible way. Mark Addicks and Tom Hoch have one of those gardens. Surrounding their renovated historic home near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, the couple have created a garden that is so beautiful that people happily stop by (and donate) when the couple opens their garden for a charity event. Mark and Tom do more than share their own garden. They are stewards of 10 pocket gardens around Minneapolis. They organize neighbors and friends to plant and weed each spring in these small public garden spaces and then watch over the gardens during the
growing season. Through their gardening, they create a beautiful and welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike. In this season of gratitude, I’m grateful for all of the gardeners (and we know there are thousands of you!) like Mark and Tom who make their cities and towns better places to live. Thanks to Gail Brown Hudson for sharing the story of Mark and Tom’s garden with Northern Gardener readers. It begins on page 22. One other note of gratitude: This issue marks the last time Don Engebretson and Lynn Steiner will write columns for Northern Gardener. These two have shared their knowledge, insight and enthusiasm for gardening with our readers for decades. I owe much of my own garden knowledge to reading their articles (and books!) over the years. Thank you, Don and Lynn, and good luck in your new endeavors. —Mary Lahr Schier, editor mary@maryschier.com
At large: Tina Dombrowski, St. Paul Jennifer Ebeling, Maple Grove Del Hampton, Minneapolis Debra Kvamme, Blaine Mary Marrow, Minneapolis Joanne Wahlstrom, Sunfish Lake
Connect with us
Copyright 2019 by MSHS. Printed in the USA on recycled paper. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without permission from MSHS. The information published in Northern Gardener reflects the experiences and opinions of the writers and is not necessarily endorsed by MSHS. Northern Gardener is a registered trademark of MSHS.
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(ISSN) 1529-8515. Northern Gardener is published bimonthly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/ August, September/October, November/December) by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, 1935 County Rd. B2 W., Suite 125, Roseville, MN 55113. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, Minn., and additional post offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northern Gardener, 1935 County Rd. B2 W., Suite 125, Roseville, MN 55113.
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Colorful leaves in late fall
November/December 2019
1
Minnesota State
Horticultural Society
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contents
November/December 2019 | Volume 147, Number 6
in every issue
features
1
Editor’s Note
22
4
MSHS News: Classes,
12
Northern Natives:
calendar and more.
27
Putting the garden to bed—not!
Kitchen Garden: How sweet (potato) it is.
30
By Design: Signing off. BY DON ENGEBRETSON
16
34
Plant communities.
Plant to Pick: First Editions® Parkland Pillar™ birch
37
How-to: Create a holiday centerpiece.
40
Pollinators: Helping monarchs, or are we? BY RHONDA FLEMING HAYES
42
Gardener’s Market
44
Northern View:
Technological tweaks to traditional techniques keep this family’s veggies fresh all winter.
Protein-Packed Garden Get more nutrition from your garden by adding nuts, seeds and legumes that thrive in the North.
Divide and Grow Multiply your garden inventory by dividing perennials. BY SUSY MORRIS
BY ERIC JOHNSON
20
Root Cellar Renaissance
BY SUSANNAH SHMURAK
BY DEBBIE LONNEE
19
Deck your halls (and porch) with handmade holiday-themed containers.
BY MEG COWDEN
Garden Solutions: BY LAURA SCHWARZ
18
Season’s Greetings
BY MARTIN STERN
BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON
15
A historic garden along a Minneapolis lake gets a new, colorful look. BY GAIL BROWN HUDSON
BY LYNN M. STEINER
14
Lakeside Gem
North American Yew This seldom-planted native evergreen shrub shrugs off winter and welcomes birds. BY JANET CASS
Farewell friends. BY LYNN M. STEINER
about the cover
A unified color palette that includes pinks like this astilbe adds charm. See page 22. Photo by Gail Brown Hudson
a nonprofit organization
Northern Gardener is published by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.