Northern Gardener - November/December 2021

7 F A N TA S T I C G I F T S F O R N E W G A R D E N E R S

Gardener Northern

A MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION

Wild ABOUT ROSES

BUILD A HOBBY

greenhouse

Seeds

THE BEAUTY OF

U.S. $4.99 Can. $5.99 Display until December 31

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

FESTIVE and fresh

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 l VOLUME 149 l NUMBER 6

Table of Contents 20

26

Wild About Roses

Seed Season

BY LAURA SCHWARZ

BY SUSAN DAVIS PRICE

Minneapolis gardener takes her love of roses to the street.

Leave seeds standing for birds and winter views.

31 New Beginnings

A front yard reimagined with less lawn, more style.

BY GAIL BROWN HUDSON

IN EVERY ISSUE 2 Director’s Note 4 MSHS News: Classes, calendar and more.

36 Growing Under Glass Even without heat, this northern gardener stretches the season with a greenhouse.

BY JENN HOVLAND

12 Northern Natives: Wood betony.

By Beth Stetenfeld 13

By Design: Savoring silver.

By Diane McGann 14 Garden Solutions: Mulch update.

By Laura Schwarz 15 Plant to Pick: Say no to burning bush.

By Debbie Lonnee 16 Kitchen Garden: Gardener gifts.

By Samantha Johnson

40 Nordic Flavors

For a taste of Scandinavia, try these hardy varieties.

BY SAMANTHA JOHNSON

18 DIY: Holiday amaryllis.

By Eric Johnson 19 Pollinators: Words matter.

By Rhonda Fleming Hayes 44 Northern View: Grieving in the garden.

By Beth Probst

ABOUT THE COVER: Coral Knock Out® roses thrive in the North. Meet an avid rose grower, page 20. Photo by Tracy Walsh

PHOTO: TRAVIS BONOVSKY

MSHS Board of Directors Laura Wagner, Chair Mary Marrow, Vice Chair Del Hampton, Treasurer Renay Leone, Secretary Nan Eserkaln Debra Kvamme Paul Markwardt Judy MacManus Amee McDonald Mary Hockenberry Meyer Rhys Williams

A NOTE FROM

MSHS Staff

The Director

H

ibernating is highly underrated.

When I “retired” at age 41 to become a stay-at-home dad and organic farmer, it was October and I thought there would be nothing to do until the spring thaw. So, I played with my children, took a lot of farming courses and slept (a lot!). As I decompressed from a first-life of work, my body slid into the rhythm of short, cold winter days and long, blissful nights.

You’re already laughing at me. You know there’s plenty for a gardener to do over winter: organize all those seeds we saved, sharpen the tools, care for the plants we brought inside to overwinter, and of course, indulge in winter sowing.

Of all the MSHS webinars I took over the past year, learning to start seeds in milk-jug mini greenhouses in the snow was, for me, the most exciting. (Watch for our January/February 2022 issue of Northern Gardener for an updated howto on winter sowing.)

All that’s a long-winded way of bidding a farewell to a hot, dry year of

Minnesota State Horticultural Society

Lara Lau-Schommer, Education and Outreach Director

outdoor growing, and a hearty thankyou-muchly for the many ways we’ve worked together in 2021. It wasn’t the easiest year—from jumping worms to the resurgent delta variant that threw a wrench into our Minnesota State Fair get-back-together—but you stuck with us as learners, volunteers, donors and social media followers. In so many ways, we have been “growing, together.”

I hope you will consider closing 2021 with a donation to continue supporting our essential community programs, such as Garden-in-a-Box and Minnesota Green, both of which expanded this year to support new gardeners, underserved communities and community gardens across the state. Please also consider supporting other gardeners in your life with the gift of a membership or subscription to this beautiful, slumberpreventing magazine.

651-643-3601 l info@northerngardener.org

2

Rick Juliusson, Executive Director

— Rick Juliusson (he/him) Executive Director

@mnhort

Becky Swee, Communications and Marketing Director Diane Duvall, Development Director Courtney Tchida, Community Programs Director Ann Londrigan, Membership Associate Joel Hoeger, Bookkeeper Emma Krasky, Quaker Volunteer Service Fellow Betsy Pierre, Advertising Sales Manager

Northern Gardener Magazine Mary Lahr Schier, Editor Debbie Lonnee, Horticultural Editor Julie Jensen, Copy Editor Barbara Pederson, Designer Joe Luca, Newsstand Consultant Copyright 2021 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. (ISSN) 1529-8515. Northern Gardener is published bimonthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/June, July/Aug, Sept/ Oct, Nov/Dec) by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. 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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UPCOMING EVENTS

MSHS Calendar Easy Sustainable Steps to Gardening Green Tuesday, Nov. 9, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. $5 members, $10 nonmembers Location: Your computer Instructor: Gail Brown Hudson

Become a smarter gardener! Awardwinning garden writer and photographer Gail Hudson shares small, simple changes anyone can make to grow more sustainably and help our planet. Learn ways to plant more sustainably, how to become more “water-wise,” green reasons to reduce the size of your grass patch, reducing the amount of plastic (pots especially!) in your garden, the problem with peat, and how to design a sustainable garden. Just changing your perspective a little means the future is greener already!

Holiday Wreath Making Tuesday, Nov. 16, 6:30 – 8 p.m. $42 members, $48 nonmembers Location: Bad Weather Brewing Co., 414 Seventh St. W., St. Paul

Wreaths make fabulous holiday décor.

Join us for an evening of fun and decorate a wreath for your front door or give it as a gift.

We will all work with the same wreath kit, which includes a ribbon, bauble sticks, pinecones and trimmings. We will lead you through a fun process of thinking creatively and individualizing your wreath. You’re welcome to bring additional items to add extra personality to your wreath! Please bring a wire cutter and ribbon scissors, if you have them.

Registrants receive a complimentary Bad Weather beer or soda.

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

Make-and-Take Evergreen Container Class Saturday, Nov. 13, 3 – 4:30 p.m. $45 members, $55 nonmembers Location: Wagners Greenhouse, 6024 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis Instructor: Chris Gueorguiev, manager of Wagners Garden Center

Simple and attractive evergreen arrangements add beauty and color to your front door all winter long. After a brief presentation, you will work with various greens, including red and white pine, cedar and balsam, to create an eye-catching evergreen container.

Also included is your choice of red or yellow dogwood twigs for added height and color. Additional products available for purchase include natural elements, such as winterberry, pinecones, pods and birch branches, as well as colorful baubles for added glitz and glam. Please bring your gardening gloves and pruners and wear a mask.

Chris Gueorguiev is a manager at Wagners Garden Center in Minneapolis. She has been with Wagners for 21 years, and her passion is container gardening for all seasons.

Growing Natives from Seed Thursday, Nov. 18, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. $5 members, $10 nonmembers Location: Your computer Instructor: David Woods, conservation program director for Urban Roots

We’ve been collecting, cleaning and swapping seeds this fall; now, let’s learn how to propagate them for planting next year. Explore cold stratification techniques, including which seeds need it and how to do it, along with indoor and outdoor seed starting methods. This is the final class in this season’s MN SEED Native Plant Community Science Project series.

David Woods is the conservation program director for Urban Roots. He leads youth interns in conservation projects ranging from habitat restoration, rain gardens and pollinator work to engage the community in our local parks.

See all upcoming classes and register at northerngardener.org/classes.

UPCOMING EVENTS / MSHS NEWS

Landscape Design Basics

MSHS NEWS

Five sessions: Mondays, Jan. 24, 31, Feb. 7, 14, 21; 6 – 9 p.m.

Cost: $149 members; $159 nonmembers.

Price includes 15 hours of instruction, a comprehensive course packet, lab materials and a set of basic landscape design tools.

Deadline for registration: Jan. 14 Location: Your computer Instructors: Julie Wiesenhorn and Jim Calkins, University of Minnesota Extension

Northern Gardener writer wins two awards

This five-session workshop is your opportunity to learn the theory and basic principles of sustainable landscape design and avoid the mistakes commonly made by novices and professionals alike.

The curriculum is comprehensive and has been specifically developed to allow participants to use their own property as a class project by designing an entry garden, a deck/patio garden or other landscape space.

Each workshop session will culminate in a hands-on, take-home assignment that will allow participants to put pencil to paper and apply the techniques learned to their personal landscape project in preparation for the next class and the next steps in the landscape design sequence. The workshop will also include time for personalized critiques of your ideas during the last four sessions as you develop your designs.

Community Events

Northern Gardener contributor Kathy Purdy recently won two Silver Awards from GardenComm, the international association for garden communicators, for articles published in Northern Gardener in 2020.

She received the awards for her articles on fall-blooming colchicums, which appeared in the September/ October 2020 issue, and on very early blooming bulbs, which appeared in January/February 2020.

Congratulations, Kathy!

Garden Market Craft Sale Washington County Master Gardeners Saturday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Bayport Public Library, 582 Fourth St. N., Bayport.

The theme of this year’s sale is “Where Nature, Creativity and Sustainability Meet.”

You’ll find nature- and garden-themed crafts, handmade by master gardeners, their family and friends, just in time for your holiday shopping. In addition to gifts, you will find house plants, dried botanicals, a silent auction, free seed giveaway and live music. Funds raised support the work of the Washington County Master Gardeners.

Contact: washingtoncountymg.org.

FUNDRAISING

Ask the Experts Men’s and Women’s Garden Club of Minneapolis Tuesday, Nov. 9, 7 – 8 p.m.

Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum and Reception Center, 3600 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.

Join the Men’s and Women’s Garden Club of Minneapolis and its expert gardener members as we discuss gardening from A to Z. Bring your challenges and questions to the panel!

Tentative meeting site is at the Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum and Reception Center; however, for up-to-date information and Zoom meeting link, go to gardenclubmpls.org/calendar/events.

Breeding Mini Paphiopedilums Orchid Society of Minnesota Saturday, Nov. 20, 1 – 3 pm Bachman’s Garden Center, Heritage Room, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The speaker this month is Ross Hilla of Deerwood Orchids. Ross has been tending orchids since the 1980s but really got bitten by the bug in 1999. He then started crossing orchids in 2004 and has created over 180 crosses. He specializes in miniature complex Paphs and compact Paphs.

Contact: orchidsocietyofminnesota@gmail. com.

Support the Hort with Holiday Gifts We’re happy to partner with these retailers. When you shop with them, you can support MSHS. Shopping at Amazon is a simple and automatic way to support MSHS at no cost to you. Shop at smile.amazon.com, and you’ll find the same low prices, selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com. This retailer donates .05 percent back to MSHS. Purchasing bulbs or the perfect gift for your favorite gardener is easy at Brent & Becky’s Bloomin’ Bucks. You’ll find a great selection of books, gloves, tools and bulbs, delivered to your doorstep and Brent and Becky’s donates 25 percent of your purchases. Visit brentandbeckysbulbs.com/bloominbucks and choose MSHS from the dropdown menu.

Target Circle is our corporate partner that gives back thousands of dollars each year to MSHS when you shop at Target stores in person or online and cast your vote for the hort. Over 10,000 supporters cast 57,000 votes in our summer cycle. Look for future Target Circle opportunities in your bimonthly enewsletter, Field Notes for Northern Gardeners.

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

5

MSHS NEWS

And the Winner Is…

CONTAINER GARDEN WINNER

northern gardeners, you did not make our job judging the Great Gardening Contest 2021 easy. After poring over your photo submissions, scoring your entries against our criteria and even engaging in some healthy debate, we crowned our 2021 champs. The stiff competition in our second annual garden photo contest only proves what we already knew—you all can grow!

Container Garden: Simone Schneegans (@plants_are_my_people) Our routine Instagram scrolling ground to a halt when we laid eyes on Simone Schneegans’ giant stump planter. Packed with cascading Dorotheanthus, heaping piles of Tradescantia and Lysimachia and a splash of begonia, this monster cottonwood stump-turnedcontainer was a (heavy!) gift from a friend. “I love to reuse and repurpose old things in the garden and provide a safe, chemicalfree place for wildlife,” Simone says.

She uses house plant cuttings in containers, homemade compost and organic fertilizer, even handpicks “hundreds of infuriating Japanese and potato beetles this year—woof!” Despite pests, heat and drought, Simone’s container garden thrived, lighting up her front drive with pops of chartreuse and purple foliage and pink and white begonia blooms.

Public Garden: Gethsemane Community Garden (Kristin Fair, @piperboots and @gcgarden_mpls) The “gateway” entrance to downtown Minneapolis was once a littered eyesore. But a team of local gardeners had a different vision, transforming this highly visible corner into 22 private garden plots and a community Giving Garden, full of flowers, herbs and vegetables. Now, this land produces 1,000 pounds of fresh produce each season, all donated to The Shelf of Hope food pantry in Minneapolis.

Gardener Kristin Fair describes the gardens as “a labor of love in a part of the city that has seen its share of hardship and neglect.” Tended primarily by residents of downtown Minneapolis, the patches produce cucumbers, peppers, okra, basil, lilies, daisies, coneflowers and cosmos for pollinators. “Not a day goes by without passersby stopping to enjoy and remark on the garden’s bounty and beauty,” she says. A swinging gate invites anyone to wander in and grab a ripe cucumber or pepper for snacking or dinner that night. “We’re also working on creating signs that will show when veggies are ready to harvest, for those in the community who aren't familiar with gardening practices,” she says. Dry soil surrounded by hot concrete and wind tunnels between buildings are just some of the challenges facing an urban garden, but with regular watering, mulch and care, the gardens burst with blooms and produce in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

HOME GARDEN WINNER

Home Garden: Laura Stone (@laura.stone.96199) Laura moved to a half-acre of land on Lake Superior in 1986. Two small buildings and an orchard quickly became her life’s project—she’s spent the last 35 years restoring what was once a commercial fishing property to natural lakeshore habitat packed with native plants.

Honeyberries start the season followed by apples, crabapples, anemones and others to serve the bees and monarchs until the swamp milkweed blossoms. She’s planted a feast of various flowers and fruits that support hummingbirds and other pollinators all season long.

Since the North Shore is a migratory flyway, Laura carefully maintains “their local restaurant,” serving up fresh apples, crabapples and other berries to nourish birds on their journey. She also shares her flowers and produce with neighbors and offers tours, inspiring her community to grow along with her.

Her best advice to anyone just starting out? Brighten the corner where you are, she says, echoing lyrics from a World War II song her father shared as guidance. “A garden is a good place to start,” Laura says.

We couldn't agree more.

PUBLIC GARDEN WINNER

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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THIS SEASON IN THE GARDEN

TIPS & TRICKS FOR YOUR

late fall garden LATE FALL TIMELINE

Garden to Table

NOVEMBER

Recipe from the kitchen of Beth Jones (@chef_beth_jones), executive chef at Campus Club of the University of Minnesota, who loves to create dishes featuring

For more seasonal gardening tips:

fresh, locally grown produce.

northerngardener.org/ seasonal-guide.

DIRECTIONS

FO R THE DRESSIN G :

Preheat oven to 400.

3 medium delicata squashes, seeded and cut into ½ inch thick half moons 3 tablespoons sunflower oil 1 teaspoon Aleppo chili flakes FOR THE PUMPKIN SEEDS:

2 teaspoons sunflower oil 1 medium red onion, cut into thin julienne strips 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1 small bunch kale or other greens, chopped (optional) 2 teaspoons maple syrup Pinch of coarse sea salt

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix the sunflower oil and chili flakes in a small bowl, then rub onto the delicata squash, coating the skin and cut sides.

Roast for 15-20 minutes until just soft and nicely caramelized.

Heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the red onion over medium heat until brown and slightly crisp. Add the pumpkin seeds and cook, while stirring, until they begin to pop. Optional: Add chopped kale and cook 2-5 minutes, until slightly wilted.

Drizzle in the maple syrup and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle on the sea salt and remove from the heat.

Place the cooked squash on a platter and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seed mixture and serve warm or at room temperature.

Find more recipes with garden-fresh ingredients: northerngardener.org/recipes.

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

DECEMBER

INGR EDI E NTS

FOR THE SQUASH:

Build your own 3-by-6-foot cold frame to extend the growing season on both ends. To learn more, visit northerngardener.org/ cold-frame.

Don’t let cooler temperatures fool you—continue watering until the ground freezes to prepare plants for winter and spring.

ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH with SPICED YOGURT SAUCE

1 cup plain yogurt, preferably Greek ¼ cup chopped cilantro ½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin 1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander 1 small clove garlic, crushed and minced

Take a soil test so you’re ready to supplement with any needed nutrients first thing come spring.

With leaves and blooms gone, take this opportunity to survey the bones of your garden. Look for opportunities to add winter interest, such as perennial grasses, evergreens, crabapples and red or yellow twig dogwoods.

Start (or dust off) a garden journal.

Fill a notebook with plant tags, seed packets, photos and notes on what grew well and wish-list plants to try in spring.

Store winter squash for mid-winter meals (see recipe at left). Leave 2 to 4 inches of stem attached when harvesting. Place in a warm, sunny spot to cure for up to two weeks and then store in a cool, dark basement for up to a couple months. Learn more here: northerngardener.org/ cure-winter-squash.

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Nativars Fall in

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WAYS TO PLANT NOW

Tulips

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Give them a full year of valuable growing tips and inspiration from cold-climate gardening pros with a subscription to Northern Gardener magazine.

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@mnhort

MSHS NEWS

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS In 2021, the Garden-in-a-Box program supported more new gardeners than ever before, with 659 garden kits reaching children and families in 38 counties throughout Minnesota.

Diligent watering was the key to success for most groups during the hot, dry summer. Many groups partnered with food shelves, master gardeners, childcare facilities, treatment centers, Snap-Ed educators and school staff to grow and share their harvests. Participants of all ages enjoyed the fruits of their labor, snacking on and cooking with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, strawberries and more homegrown produce.

MSHS' Courtney Tchida (left) meets with Backus Community Center Garden-in-a-Box leaders.

Pine Bend Elementary School has a thriving school garden program.

A Moonbeams & Mudboots gardener plants herbs.

We’re Growing, Together In Douglas County, gardeners tended herbs and flowers.

Gardeners from the Familias Juntas Dream Catchers group in Iona in southwestern Minnesota

A Mora student shows off cilantro.

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

MSHS NEWS

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Giving Back Makes Communities Work “gardening has been part of my life since my grandmother had my sisters and I weeding in the heat and humidity on her farm among rows of green beans, carrots, cabbage and peppers that seemed miles long,” says Annette Roth, a Society level member.

“In summer, she would talk about how good the veggie du jour would be at lunch and in winter she would remind us of the hard work we did over summer.”

Annette has never been far from gardening. She grew up in Victoria, near the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, where her father worked at the Horticultural Research Center.

She worked at the arboretum during college and had the opportunity to meet arboretum co-founder Leon Snyder. Working at the arboretum, she realized how challenging growing in cold climates was and the value of education for northern gardeners.

That is one reason she supports MSHS as a member, volunteer and Heirloom Circle member. “Your magazine tells the truth about those challenges,” she says. “I know when I read about a plant in Northern Gardener, it’s going to work in my garden.”

Annette has experience with milder climates. She and her husband lived in California and Arizona before moving back to the Twin Cities in 2006. “California? Ha! You can grow anything there, all year round. They have no idea,” she says. The West Coast also lacked community gardens and an emphasis on sustainable gardening. “The hort society is so good at modeling sustainable gardening and the value of growing together,” she says. “We have to support agencies that are looking out for our children and grandchildren.”

Annette and her husband’s move back to Minnesota coincided with the planting of a garden at her sister’s

“

The hort society is so good at modeling sustainable gardening and the value of growing together.”

– Annette Roth

church, which was supported by Minnesota Green. After joining MSHS, Annette volunteered at the Minnesota State Fair and the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show, which she says gave her a deeper sense of community and an opportunity to share ideas that provide inspiration for her Robbinsdale gardens.

“I’m planting lots of raspberries, dahlias, clematis, roses (the oldfashioned varieties), hostas and as many veggies as I can fit,” she says.

Annette decided to include the society in her estate plan by joining the Heirloom Circle two years ago. As a fundraiser for St. Mary’s University, she understands the value of philanthropy. “Giving back makes communities work,” she says. “We are all in this together.”

Green Valley AD

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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NORTHERN NATIVES

BETH STETENFELD

Wood Betony

when you see wood betony in the wild, you’ll likely see its “host” plants alongside it. It’s a partially parasitic plant with a taproot and lateral roots that attach to the roots of grasses, asters and a few other plants. Because of this, it’s often used in prairie restorations to discourage invasive species.

Wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis) can grow and thrive on its own, and it doesn’t have a major impact on the growth of most nearby plants. Also, its roots have a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that helps it gather nutrients.

Very showy when in full bloom, its bright flowers and fernlike foliage make a statement, especially when growing in a colony.

From the top, each cluster displays a swirling pinwheel shape.

Flowers range in color from bright yellow to brownish-red.

Common pollinators include queen bumblebees, mason bees, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths. The flowers, with upper and lower lips, encourage pollinators with long tongues. The lower lips function as landing pads for insects.

Pedicularis means “louse” in Latin. The name was based on the early, false belief that when ingested by livestock or when cattle grazed in pastures populated with these plants, wood betony caused lice infestations. Because of this, some of its common names include the word “lousewort.” It is thought to be poisonous to sheep.

Wood betony has no serious insect or disease problems. Fernlike foliage emerges early in the spring, beginning with a reddish coloring and in the shape of a rosette. Buds and flowers follow soon after, in April through June, and brown, angular fruits form after pollination. Native American and modern populations have used various parts of this plant for a wide variety of ailments.

A great companion to plants that bloom later in the season,

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

after it fades back, wood betony is often found in the wild near other colorful native prairie and open woodland plants, such as spotted St. John’s wort (Hypericum punctatum), bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) and partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata). Grasses and sedges are also good companions and serve as host plants for this semi-parasitic plant.

Wood betony tends to grow in patches—growing in and along the edges of prairies, and often along the edges of trails and woodlands. While mature plants can handle some drought, they prefer moderate moisture and may reseed under optimal conditions. In northern zones beyond its hardiness, it may reseed itself for the following growing season.

Seeds can be sown in the soil in the fall, or stored in a cool, dry place, but they must be held chilled and damp for four weeks before planting. Dormant bare-root seedlings also can be purchased for planting in early spring.

While not as short-lived as many native spring ephemerals, this one is just as dramatic with its attractive early foliage and cheery spiral blooms. And it offers early, high-quality nectar to native bumblebees and other pollinators.

(Note: Another plant with the same common name “wood betony” is Stachys officinalis. While also beautiful and a worthy garden plant, it is not native to North America.)

At a Glance: Wood Betony Hardiness: USDA Zone 3.

Native Habitat: Prairies, open areas, upland woods in Eastern North America; from Manitoba south through New Mexico and Mexico, and east through Quebec and Florida.

Size: 6 to 16 inches tall; 12 inches wide.

Site: Dry to moderate soil; prefers welldrained loamy to sandy soils.

Propagation: Seeds, dormant bare-root plants or seedlings. Semi-parasitic and can be difficult to establish. Best grown in conditions that approximate its native habitat.

Cultivars and Other Species: Pedicularis species are native to North and South America, Europe, Asia and Iceland. Species native to Minnesota include P. canadensis and P. lanceolata (swamp lousewort). P. canadensis subspecies include ssp. canadensis and fluviatilis.

—B.R.S.

Native-plant enthusiast Beth Stetenfeld is a garden blogger and writer, and a master naturalist volunteer and instructor.

BY DESIGN

Savoring Silver

The Perfect Foil

Gardeners most often choose silver plants to act as foils to bright colors, pastel hues or dark leaves, but silver foliage offers a host of other benefits as well. Silvery-gray draws the eye to its location in the garden, so it can help you emphasize a particular plant grouping or object.

The color shines at night, softening and mellowing its partners and blending the garden together. Silver also helps to combine colors that you might find conflicting, such as lime and magenta, pastels next to brights, or royal blue and orange.

Silver plants are the perfect edger. A silver band of lamb’s ear or mugwort (Artemisia) will outline a pleasantly

curving garden bed. Gray leaves also coordinate beautifully with the silvery colors often used in hardscaping and home facades.

I hadn’t realized just how many great plants have silvery hues until I started taking stock. The artemisias—a large genus of fragrant plants offering hundreds of species choices—come first to mind. With these plants, the foliage is the star, as the flowers are few and intermittent. Because each variety offers a special characteristic, I have several and am in the process of making better use of them, pulling them from the far reaches of my garden and bringing them front and center. The popular Artemisia ‘Silver Mound’ is a soft froth of glinting foliage, a perfect companion for adjacent plants. It’s the one you’re most likely to find in your neighbors’ gardens. ‘Silver Brocade’ has broad leaves and is about 8 inches tall. It lays on the ground, making a super border plant.

Upright ‘Powis Castle’ reaches 3 feet in height and creates a dramatic backdrop for other perennials.

‘Silver King’, another upright version, is silvery-white and spreads quickly. It works well as a fast-growing groundcover on steep sunny slopes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL NOBLE

Why are some gardens so stunning?

Silver is one reason.

DIANE MCGANN

glancing through a recent garden design book, I noticed that some photos jumped off the page. They showed colorful, mostly purple blooms silhouetted against frothy silver foliage.

Why did these scenes elicit a “wow?”

It had to be the shimmering silver backdrop that made the scene so vibrant.

It was effervescent. It was magical. And with some planning, it would be mine.

After researching silver shrubs that thrive in the Upper Midwest, I purchased Iceberg Alley® sageleaf willow. Iceberg Alley grows 6 feet tall and wide, and in a few years, it should provide that silvery haze I so admired. Along with pussy willows, it’s one of the few chromecolored shrubs to withstand winters in Minnesota. It’s hardy to USDA Zone 2. I’m also reassessing and rearranging other silver-leafed plants already in my garden, hoping to use them to greater effect.

Plants with silver foliage hail mostly from regions that are hot and dry. Their shimmering gray surface is an adaptation that allows the plants to survive high temperatures and little rainfall. These plants thrive in bright sunshine but can usually handle light shade as well.

SILVER INSPIRATION If you’d like to view the images that sparked my venture into silver, see Spirit of Place: The Making of a New England Garden (Timber Press, 2020) by Bill Noble.

—D.M.

More Than Mugwort

But silver foliage isn’t limited to artemisias. Lamb’s ear, a garden stalwart, hosts purple fronds in summer and thrives in problem areas such as dry shade and poor soils. If you’re seeking shimmering annuals, reach for dusty miller or licorice plant. Russian sage, Japanese painted fern and some lavenders offer nearly silver foliage. Rose campion (Lychnis spp.) sports silver stems. If you have room for a conifer, your choices expand to include a few silvery spruce, fir and juniper varieties.

My garden is full of deep maroons and bright chartreuses. Now that I’ve discovered silver, it has entered the mix in a big way. Can you think of a color that doesn’t look great when backed by a silver haze? I haven’t found one yet.

Diane McGann is a Stillwater-based master gardener and an awardwinning garden writer.

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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GARDEN SOLUTIONS

Mulch Update

My Results

Some readers were skeptical that this method would succeed, so I thought I’d report back with my results. After one full growing season, the turfgrass and weeds (including lots of creeping charlie) were killed by the wood chips.

The wood chips themselves have been breaking down slowly, so they were very helpful in retaining soil moisture during this past summer’s drought. In spots where the wood chips are still deep, I’ve been raking up the top layer to redistribute them around my gardens, leaving a few inches of mulch behind to help with weed suppression and moisture retention. Underneath the remaining mulch is a decomposing layer of organic material left over from the shoots and roots of the original turfgrass.

Some readers insisted that the wood chips would not continue to suppress weeds over time. That’s true, but the initial wood chip application was only meant to kill an existing section of turfgrass or perennial weeds. Wood chips aren’t intended to be a miracle

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LAURA SCHWARZ

when i wrote about arborist wood chips last year, several readers expressed their doubts about my experience. If you missed that column, here’s a brief synopsis: I killed a section of my yard’s turfgrass to create a new garden bed. Rather than physically remove the sod or smother it with weed killer or plastic, I buried it under 8 to 12 inches of mulch in most areas. I used arborist wood chips, which are wood chips created when arborists cut down a tree. They are often available for free.

This practice is recommended by a group of horticulture researchers who call themselves “the Garden Professors” online. The Garden Professors recommend using arborist wood chips to transition lawns to garden beds because this method doesn’t disrupt air and water flow throughout the soil, ultimately improving soil conditions and increasing microbial activity.

Arborist wood chips suppress weeds well, but not forever.

product that eliminates weeds forever.

Yes, new undesirable plants will eventually return, but current research shows that thick layers of arborist wood chips are especially effective at controlling weeds, specifically when applied and maintained at a level of 4 to 6 inches. At this depth, the mulch prevents seed germination and weed seedling survival through a combination of light reduction, allelopathy and reduced nitrogen levels where the soil and mulch meet.

When using arborist wood chips in large quantities, be sure to leave space between woody plants’ trunks and the mulch—they shouldn’t be touching.

Another common concern with arborist wood chips is that freshly mulched wood hasn’t decomposed at all, so any insects or diseases that the former trees might have harbored could spread to healthy plants.

The Garden Professors reference studies showing that this concern is unwarranted: infested wood chips will not transmit pathogens to healthy trees. Most fungi found in wood chip mulches are not the same types of fungi that cause plant diseases. Plus, healthy plants in healthy soils are not vulnerable to fungal pathogens in the same way that stressed plants in poor soil conditions are. In healthy soils, beneficial and neutral fungi will usually outcompete pathogens.

Not for Everything

Arborist wood chips aren’t recommended for vegetable gardens or annual flower beds. My veggie and dahlia beds have benefited from annual mulching with compost and marsh hay. Marsh hay may be challenging to find, but ask around. I’ve used straw in the past but found it to have a lot of weed seeds. However, the straw seedlings are easy to identify and pull out, so they’re more annoying than problematic. In these annual beds, a few inches of hay or straw is perfect for keeping weeds down and maintaining consistent soil moisture. The hay and straw break down in a single seaon, adding important organic material to your gardens, too.

Overall, I’m happy with the success of my mulching experiment.

Aside from the effects of drought this summer, my new garden bed is thriving. And, it was much easier to haul in some mulch than to haul away and dispose of the sod. For more information on using arborist wood chips, go to the website of Washington State University (wsu.edu) and search for “arborist wood chips.”

Horticulturist Laura Schwarz gardens and writes in Minneapolis.

PLANT TO PICK

i’ve been writing the plant to pick column for many years, and this is the first time that I am going to tell you a plant not to pick!

I’ve been a horticulturist working in the nursery industry for 40 years now, and burning bush (Euonymus alatus) has been a landscape staple for the entire time. Beloved by northern gardeners for its great rounded habit, cool corky bark and incredibly red fall color, many of you may have one or more of these shrubs in your yard. Unfortunately, it has been deemed a “noxious weed” by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and will soon be unavailable for purchase.

These decisions are not arrived at lightly. Much research is done on the invasiveness of a plant and a committee called the Invasive Species Advisory Council—which is composed of representatives of industry and state departments of natural resources, agriculture and forestry—studies possibly invasive plants and ultimately makes a recommendation to the commissioner of agriculture. Burning bush is seedy, and with the help of birds, its seeds have found their way into natural areas, where the plant outcompetes native species.

For that reason, the invasive species committee recommended the noxious weed designation a couple of years ago.

It put in place a plan for the nursery industry to phase out the sale of burning bush over a three-year period. That plan started in 2020, and will conclude as of Dec. 31, 2022, when no Euonymus alatus, or any of its cultivars (‘Rudy Haag’, ‘Compacta’, ‘Grove Compact’, Fire Ball®

and others) may be sold in the state of Minnesota. As of Jan. 1, 2023, burning bush will be classified as a restricted noxious weed. There are no sterile cultivars on the market.

So, what does this mean to you as a northern gardener? Purists will recommend that burning bush be removed from established landscapes.

You will have to decide if you want to go that route. You won’t be able to buy it in Minnesota garden centers in 2023, and I doubt you’ll find plants available in 2022 as most retailers understand that this plant is going away.

Do you remember the harsh winter of

2019 where many Euonymus alatus were winter damaged— some to the point of death, Burning some dead to the bush in fall ground? Maybe that was a sign. I felt it was important for Northern Gardener readers to understand what is happening with burning bush.

Next issue I’ll get back to something exciting to add to your garden!

Debbie Lonnee is a long-time Minnesota gardener who works in the horticulture industry.

Where service is always in season!

Heidi's

Burning Bush Alternatives Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Serviceberry (Amelanchier), especially ‘Regent’, ‘Autumn Brilliance’, Standing Ovation™ Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), especially Little Devil™ —D.L.

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763.420.2909 • 755 County Road 16, Corcoran • growhausmn.com Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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PHOTO: DEBBIE LONNEE

Say No to Burning Bush

KITCHEN GARDEN

Gardener Gifts

Plant markers are one of my favorite gifts to give and receive. You can never have too many plant markers, and there are plenty of types and styles ranging from utilitarian to unique.

Try Etsy for gorgeous handmade plant markers (some artisans will even customize the markers for you) or shop your local garden center for other options. If you’re in the mood for a creative DIY project, craft your own handmade garden markers for a truly one-of-a-kind gift that your recipient will cherish.

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

the holiday season is here, and if you’re like me, you’re probably on the hunt for those extra-special gifts for loved ones. It isn’t always easy. If you are looking for something for a new gardener, you’re in luck. Here are some gift ideas that are sure to please any new gardener on your list.

Garden herb kits make a splendid gift for new gardeners. Getting started in any new hobby can sometimes feel intimidating. Eliminate the guesswork and help them start small with an

herb kit. These kits are perfect for a windowsill yet still bring the delight of growing things into the new gardener’s kitchen. You can find herb kits in decorative planters, which elevate the humble herbs into works of art in the kitchen. Plus, herbs are a wonderful and welcoming way to begin gardening.

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Seeds might not immediately come to mind when you’re thinking of gift ideas, but they are a great way to share your expertise with a new gardener. Choose your favorite plant varieties and assemble a collection of tried-and-true recommendations, including all the basics for a bountiful kitchen garden. Take the gift a step further and include handwritten notes related to each variety, explaining your experience and advice.

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Herb kits are available in many sizes and styles.

Minnesota State Horticultural Society

Practical gifts like garden gloves, rain boots, trowels and soaker hoses are immensely useful and always appreciated. Try to think of what you would have used most as a new gardener and then fill that need.

Another often-overlooked idea: a rain gauge. A decorative rain gauge is a lovely and practical addition to any kitchen garden. (Bonus idea: a watering can. It seems so basic but it makes a charming gift.)

Books on gardening make especially nice gifts at the holidays when winter weather keeps us indoors. Gardening books help pass those long winter days and can provide endless inspiration.

When choosing a book as a gift, consider your recipient’s location (gardening books related to their region or state can be helpful), or consider their areas of interest (herbs? tomatoes? heirloom beans?). Or choose a book related to garden design and structure or a book with basic

MARY LAHR SCHIER

A garden journal makes a sweet, personal gift and allows any new gardener to record and preserve memories from their first forays into gardening. Garden journals are also well-suited to wintertime and are fun to fill with plans for the coming season.

gardening information that will answer all of a new gardener’s most pressing questions.

Samantha Johnson is the author of several books, including Garden DIY, (CompanionHouse Books, 2020).

And finally, gift cards from your favorite seed company or garden supply center make great gifts, especially if you’re shopping at the last minute. (I’m not the only one who does that, right?)

GIVE THE GIFT OF GARDEN KNOW-HOW AND COMMUNITY Did you know 18 million people started gardening in the past two years? You may know one of them, and this holiday season is a great time to give them the gift of garden inspiration, information and community.

MSHS recently launched a new program geared for gardeners who are most likely to reach for their phone when they have a garden question. Our digital membership package is only $20 a year and includes a quarterly guide filled with practical, seasonal information and advice, discounts on MSHS products and classes (many will be free), and occasional meetups and events. It's the perfect gift for gardening minimalists and newbies.

Go to northerngardener.org/ membership to purchase your gift.

Also check out northerngardener. org/shop for other T-shirts, tools, gloves and other garden gear for yourself or others. ­—Eds.

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Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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DIY

Holiday Amaryllis forcing an amaryllis bulb to bloom in time for the holidays is indoor garden magic. It’s thrilling to watch as the stalk slowly emerges. When it opens, it brings an explosion of color and drama. If you time it right, it can make a spectacular holiday centerpiece.

I enjoy the ritual of growing amaryllis almost as much as the result. Bulbs take from four to six weeks from planting to bloom, depending on how much sun they receive and how warm a location they’re in. Bulbs are typically available starting in October everywhere from garden centers to grocery stores. Wherever you purchase yours, pick the largest bulb you can find. It will produce the most blooms for you. Avoid bulbs with soft spots or excessive blemishes. Some bulbs may have sprouted, which is fine, but if you wish to delay planting to time your bloom with the holidays, go with an unsprouted bulb and keep it cool and dark until it’s time to plant. Pre-potted bulbs are also available.

Planting and Growing

MARY LAHR SCHIER

Amaryllis do well in cylindrical containers that allow an inch or so of soil between the bulb and the container walls and at least 1½ inches beneath the bulb for root development.

A container with drainage is a must to keep the bulb from sitting in

water. Pot the bulb with a high-quality potting soil—a variety with fertilizer incorporated is fine—and plant with the top third of the bulb exposed. Water well after planting and whenever the top inch or so is dry. Fertilizer is not necessary.

Place the potted bulb in a sunny window and wait for it to pop. You may have to stake your flower stem to keep it from sagging. A cylindrical container helps with this by giving you ample depth to anchor a wooden or wire stake. Savor each day of the beautiful bloom.

After Blooming

Some gardeners like to keep their bulb and force it to bloom again the next year. It’s an easy and satisfying process. As with outdoor bulbs, let the flower stalk die back and turn brown before removing it. The stalk is feeding the bulb for next year. You will then care for your amaryllis like any other house plant through the summer, as it forms its long, narrow leaves. Keep it watered and fertilized along with your other indoor plants.

Although amaryllis do not require a dormant period to bloom, you will need to let it go dormant to prompt it to bloom when you’d like. Three months before beginning the bloom process again, move the potted amaryllis to a cool, dark location for a month. Do not water and allow the leaves to die. After the first month, take the bulb out of its pot, remove the dried leaves and roots and store it in the refrigerator crisper drawer for two months.

Do not store with other fruits and vegetables that can release gases that will affect its blooming. Four to six weeks before the desired bloom time, bring the bulb out of the refrigerator, repot with fresh soil and wait for the new blooms to appear.

Minneapolis-based Eric Johnson is a garden designer and writer. His website is gardendrama. wordpress.com.

'Magic Green' amaryllis

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

POLLINATORS

ah, nextdoor, the hyperlocal website that aspires to promoting neighborly connections. It’s a treasure trove of lost cats, found dogs, plumber recommendations, plumber complaints, rants and raves, dining tables for sale and, for me, the occasional column idea.

Recently someone on Nextdoor asked for a plant recommendation.

I was surprised at how many people commented, deeming certain plants “invasive.” None of the plants recommended were actual invasives, and a few of the plants mentioned are valuable native plants, some especially good for pollinators. They might be vigorous growers when planted in favorable conditions, but not invasive as defined by the USDA or various state departments charged with regulating and restricting problematic plants.

While there is no law against describing a plant as invasive, doing so can be misleading or worse, communicating inaccurate information about plants and diluting the message on plants that are truly harmful or destructive.

When it comes to pollinators, invasive plants are a threat because they disrupt and displace native plants that are critical for the survival of pollinators and other wildlife. Invasive plants vary from region to region. They do not respect human borders, but are sometimes contained by climate or geography. A warming climate may unleash more invasive plants that will eventually creep into our northern gardens.

More recently on a gardening discussion board, people shared about “plants they would never plant again.”

While some used the word invasive, many also characterized plants as “aggressive,” “spreading,” “vigorous” and “thugs.” Those are better ways to describe plants that are growing successfully but not where the gardener wants them. Lots of folks love it when daffodils naturalize but not so much when wild violets do it. But guess which one is important to certain pollinators?

RHONDA FLEMING HAYES

Words Matter

LEARN MORE Garlic chives strike fear in the hearts of many gardeners. It spreads aggressively by seed; however, it is not considered invasive.

It’s ironic that when some plants thrive, we no longer like them. Suddenly they are common and therefore undesirable. There are many situations where those spreading characteristics are helpful, but not always. It’s important to do our homework before planting and learn which plants will “behave” for the specific situation gardeners want.

It all goes back to, wait for it … the right plant for the right place.

Words matter when we talk about plants, and I think it’s crucial we leave the word invasive for plants that are officially designated as invasive and to have a general idea of why and where they are damaging to our ecosystems.

It’s one more way we can protect and support pollinators.

Minneapolis-based Rhonda Fleming Hayes is the author of Pollinator Friendly Gardening (Voyageur Press, 2016).

For Minnesota’s invasive species lists, search dnr.state.mn.us/ invasives. Here are some useful definitions from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: Native Plant: A plant that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem.

Naturalized Plant: A nonnative plant that does not need human help to reproduce and grow in an area where it is not native.

Invasive Plant: A plant that is both nonnative and able to establish on many sites, grow quickly and spread to the point of disrupting plant communities or ecosystems.

Nonnative Plant: A plant introduced with human help (intentionally or accidentally) to a place or habitat where it was not previously found.

Noxious Weed: Any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops, livestock, poultry or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States, the public health or the environment.

—R.F.H.

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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Wild ABOUT ROSES

Minneapolis gardener takes her love of roses to the street.

Story by Laura Schwarz l Photos by Tracy Walsh

Traditional rose gardens are often private affairs, regimented spaces enclosed by fencing, hedges or trees that protect the precious blooms. Passersby are lucky to catch glimpses of colorful flowers from afar, despite a rose’s inherent demand for admiration.

The formal rose garden, it seems, requires an invitation.

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

Page 20, left to right: Coral Knock Out® shrub rose; Maggie’s house, surrounded by roses; buds of ‘Snow Pavement’ rugosa rose.

Right, top: Easy Elegance® All the Rage shrub rose Middle: Maggie Lofboom Bottom: ‘Girls’ Night Out’ hybrid tea rose

But on a summer’s day in North Minneapolis, people walking through the Cleveland neighborhood might find themselves immersed in rose blooms as they traversed the city sidewalk. Maggie Lofboom’s gardens envelop you with the warmth of a familiar friend. There are no trees, shrubs or barriers separating the roses from the people, and that’s exactly the way Maggie likes it.

Maggie’s boulevard garden is a stunning selection of rugosa, shrub and old garden roses, surrounded by groupings of perennials chosen for their complementary multi-seasonal interest. Deep purple bearded irises, chunky upright sedum, tall Oriental lilies and silvery ‘Valerie Finnis’ artemisia are unexpected yet harmonious companions for the roses.

The sloping banks leading from the sidewalk along her front walkway are covered in even more shrub roses, their dark foliage smartly contrasting with airy Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta ‘Montrose White’ flowers and the bold colorful leaves of at least three Sunsparkler® sedum cultivars. In the midst of it all, hundreds of allium bulbs bloom, their sweet whimsical globes providing pollinators and beneficial insects with an early source of pollen and nectar.

If the bright colors and textures of Maggie’s front rose borders aren’t welcoming enough, there’s Maggie, whose vivacious energy radiates as she greets several neighbors during our garden tour. “I love it when people stop to talk garden with me,” she says. “If it’s possible to be out in my gardens, you can find me there. We have a lot of people out and about [in the neighborhood], so it’s been fun to see old friends and make new ones.”

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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Wild About Roses A Growing Collection

Maggie has lived and gardened at her house for eight years, acquiring roses along the way. Her collection currently numbers more than 90, including varieties of hybrid tea roses, miniatures, grandifloras, floribundas, polyanthas, old garden roses, shrub roses and species roses. As we walk among them, Maggie volunteers interesting snippets about each plant’s growth habit and breeder, as well as the history behind some of her old garden roses.

The term “old garden rose” refers to any rose that existed before 1867, the year that the first hybrid tea rose was introduced. Some old garden roses date as far back as the Greek and Roman empires. Maggie’s apothecary’s rose, for example, is an old garden rose that was grown by herbalists throughout Europe during the Middle Ages. The apothecary’s rose is from the Gallica class of old garden roses. Gallicas are tough, cold-hardy plants with exceptional flower fragrance, though they bloom only once each season.

Maggie’s old garden roses live mostly on her boulevard, where the pavement keeps their suckering growth habit in check. (She affectionately calls it “Rose Jail.”) Her favorite old garden rose is another Gallica called ‘Charles de Mills’, and it’s truly a traffic-stopper.

People walking by her house usually pause to ask Maggie about this rose when it’s blooming, just because the flower is so unusual and gorgeous. The blossoms are dense bundles of petals whose colors vary from deep pink and lavender to wine and crimson, depending on the weather and age of each flower.

‘Charles de Mills’ old garden rose

‘Madame Anisette’ grandiflora rose

Resources for New Rose Gardeners Growing Roses in Cold Climates by Richard Hass, Jerry Olson, and John Whitman, University of Minnesota Press, 2012 Twin Cities Rose Club: twincitiesrose.org Online rose database: helpmefind.com/roses —L.S.

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‘Moore’s Striped’ hybrid rugosa rose

“

The term “old garden rose” refers to any rose that existed before 1867, the year that the first hybrid tea rose was introduced. Some old garden roses date as far back as the Greek and Roman empires.”

Since Maggie’s front yard slopes sharply toward the sidewalk, she planted it with shrub roses, a stalwart group of hybrid plants that require minimal care and no additional winter protection. This part of her collection includes roses from foreign breeders like David Austin and Parkland alongside selections from Minnesota-based Bailey Nurseries’ familiar Easy Elegance® series. The Austins are modern versions of classic English roses, fragrant peonylike flowers on strong, shapely stems. The blush-colored blossoms of ‘Lady of Shalott’ practically glow on warm June evenings.

But Maggie’s favorite roses come from the German breeder Kordes. The Kordes breeding program strives to create naturally healthy, disease-resistant roses that don’t need any fungicides to thrive. The resulting shrubs are also vigorous and cold-hardy, and they flower abundantly throughout the growing season. In Maggie’s experience, Kordes roses need a few years to establish. By year three, “they are just beautiful monsters,” she says. Her collection includes Madame Anisette™, Earth Angel™, Summer Romance™ and Dark Desire™.

Hybrid Teas in Minnesota

In her backyard, Maggie is transitioning her vegetable garden into a bed for hybrid tea roses. Hybrid teas are the quintessential cut-flower rose, known for producing large, perfect flowers in countless bold colors. They’re also the finicky, cold-sensitive plants that can give growing roses in Minnesota a bad name. Since hybrid teas aren’t hardy, gardeners must take extra measures to protect them from our region’s harsh winter temperatures. The Minnesota Tip is a well-known, reliable method in which gardeners dig a trench next to each rose, gently loosen the plant’s root ball, and then tip the entire thing into the trench before covering it completely with soil.

‘La France’ is the first recorded hybrid tea rose.

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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Wild About Roses

Last fall, Maggie tried a new protective method for her hybrid tea roses: she covered them with a concrete curing blanket, a special insulated tarp used in construction for helping concrete set in cold weather. She learned about this option from a fellow member of the Twin Cities Rose Club, and she considers her first attempt a success. Although a few of her hybrid teas didn’t survive the winter, the rest were especially robust this season. Maggie plans to use the concrete curing blankets again this upcoming winter.

Hybrid tea roses need consistent soil moisture and regular fertilizer to produce their huge showy flowers. In caring for her roses, Maggie follows the fertilizer recommendations from the book Growing Roses in Cold Climates (University of Minnesota Press, 2012).

It recommends alternating applications of a 20-20-20 water-soluble granular fertilizer with applications of fish emulsion. Each is applied every other week from spring through the middle of August. Maggie recommends Two Mikes Green Fin Plant Care fertilizer, a local product made from invasive carp species found in Minnesota waterways.

“

If there’s something I would love to communicate about roses, it’s that there is a rose for everybody.

It’s a huge family.”

– Maggie Lofboom

Of Pests and Pollinators

Unfortunately, roses are Japanese beetle magnets, and Maggie is no stranger to this pest’s devastation. “Japanese beetles are heartbreakers,” she says.

But Maggie stays up-to-date on the most recent developments in Japanese beetle control, and she’s optimistic.

First, there’s the winsome fly, a natural parasite of the Japanese beetle that has made its way to Minnesota from the East Coast, where populations were established to combat Japanese beetles in the 1920s. The winsome fly lays its eggs on adult beetles, and the hatching larvae burrow into their hosts, eventually killing them. Maggie has seen winsome fly eggs on Japanese beetles in her gardens both this year and last, so she’s tried to attract the flies by planting alyssum, dill and other annuals whose small shallow flowers are easy for flies to access.

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

‘Alain Blanchard’ old garden rose

‘Incognito’ miniature rose

Then, there’s TriStar®, a new insecticide with preliminary research indicating good control of Japanese beetles without significant pollinator harm (when it’s applied according to the label). Maggie used TriStar on her own roses this summer, and she noticed Japanese beetle carcasses piling up beneath the plants. Anecdotally, she’s confident that there are just as many bees around in spite of the new chemical. She’s careful to spray late in the evening, when bees aren’t usually foraging. Although Maggie admits she’s looking forward to additional research on TriStar, she’s excited by what she’s seen so far.

A Rose for Everybody

Rose foliage adds its own beauty to the garden.

‘Summer Romance’ floribunda rose

One of the best things about touring Maggie’s rose gardens is experiencing her whole-hearted belief that rose growing is an egalitarian venture. “If there’s something I would love to communicate about roses, it’s that there is a rose for everybody,” she says. “It’s a huge family.

They don’t have to be difficult. They don’t have to be hard to manage or a lot of work. Roses grow everywhere— deserts, beaches, really arid mountain climates—and breeders are responding to people wanting roses that look nice [without any] fuss. You can get roses that look a lot like your classic hybrid teas that are shrub roses. They grow here! You don’t have to do anything with them!” Her enthusiasm is contagious.

Maggie encourages first-time rose gardeners to be fearless: “Please know that every gardener [leaves] a trail of dead plants,” she says. “You try something, [and] if it doesn’t work, it’s not necessarily because you didn’t do it well enough. Contact the Twin Cities Rose Club, buy Growing Roses in Cold Climates, and don’t be afraid.”

Although it might be impossible for anyone to love roses as much as Maggie Lofboom does, she’d be thrilled if we all tried.

Laura Schwarz is the Garden Solutions columnist for Northern Gardener.

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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Seed Season Leave seeds standing for birds and winter views.

I

n years past, gardeners “put the yard to bed” come autumn. The sight of petals dropping was the signal to get out the clippers. We cut the browning stems, limp dahlias and withering perennials to the ground, making the beds one flat space. We assumed that the level earth was the best preparation for the winds and snow of winter and thought that this cleanup was a necessary and virtuous garden chore. Of course, the vista was boring, but in time snow would cover it. Unless plants are diseased, we now know this was not necessary nor virtuous.

Cutting back so thoroughly ignores nature’s encore, the

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

Story by Susan Davis Price l Photos by Travis Bonovsky

quiet beauty of seed heads, grasses, berries and vines covered in frost. They offer a muted palette of soft buffs and brown, with occasional silver and red notes. Swaying in the winds, they add movement to a still landscape. Because the seeds must endure snow, wind and storms to carry germplasm safely to spring, they are often in hard, durable packages. In the dead of winter, they are encouraging reminders of summer’s success. It’s a pleasure to notice my puffy clematis seed heads or the fall color of Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) when the ground is brown or white. Their hues of purple to burnt orange are a welcome shade in a monochromatic landscape.

Birds Need Seeds

The seeds of our plants carry, too, a bonus for birds and other wildlife at a time of year when pickings are thin. The harsh weather and reduced food supplies mean winter is naturally difficult for wildlife. As we know, the numbers are down for birds, insects and other critters—all important to the health of our gardens and the health of the planet. Small animals can shelter in the stems and peck and nibble at the seeds. Some feed on the insects found there.

Birds will feed on the seeds of New England aster and the huge heads of sunflowers. Not surprisingly, sunflower seeds rank high with most seed-eating birds—cardinals, chickadees and goldfinches, to name a few. For many birds, the dried inflorescences of ornamental grasses furnish essential food and the stems provide wildlife habitat. Birds also find nesting material in these dried plants in spring.

In addition, leaving stalks and stems can be a boon to the garden. They help slow the winds and capture the snow, which might otherwise blow away. That layer of snow is protection for the plants and for the soil, so we’d best be a little relaxed about garden cleanup and look forward to a quiet scene. We can always cut the stems down when they become a nuisance or an unattractive sight.

Page 26: Common milkweed seedpods Page 27, top: Rose hips withering Above: An American tree sparrow perches on beebalm.

Right: Seed heads of butterfly weed emerge from snow.

Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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Seed Season Seedy Second Acts

In late autumn, the verdant colors from flowers and foliage give way to the stripped-back elegance of texture and form.

Structure and intricacy are the gifts they bring. Then we enjoy an array of seedpods in fantastical shapes as contrast to the snow.

Think of the glistening seed capsules of honesty (Lunaria annua) and stiff upright umbel shapes of ‘Autumn Joy’ (Sedum spectabilis) sedum. Globe thistle (Echinops) spikes provide interesting texture when bloom time has passed.

Their flowers hold up well to rain and snow and continue to look good in those conditions.

Both coneflower (Echinacea) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) have cone-shaped, dark chocolate seed heads that look like pompoms on a stick. Their prickly seed heads are food for a variety of birds. They are a counterpoint to the swirling fluffy balls of clematis. Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccafolium), a tall, erect plant of the prairies, produces a thistlelike flower cluster that turns purple and then dark brown in fall.

Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina, ‘Gold Plate’) is a fall and winter star with its strong stems and flowers floating above the autumn borders. Their 4-to-6-inch wide, flat-topped flowers add architecture to garden beds and make landing pads for the birds and the insects that hide inside.

Rose hips, the round or oval, orange and red fruit that forms on rose plants in late summer and fall, bring a bright pop of color against the plant’s green leaves. To ensure the formation of hips, stop pruning in late August and allow the blossoms to fall off naturally. The long blooming shrub rose ‘Bonica’ has bright orange hips that last for weeks. Rosa rubra has showy scarlet fruit, which makes a spectacular fall display. Rosa glauca produces globose, dark red hips after flowering.

Good hips are frequently found on Rugosa roses.

Once the flowers of allium (Allium giganteum) fade, their globeshaped seed heads, reminiscent of fireworks, can be a compelling attraction. Many are long-lasting, adding unusual textures to the garden and flower arrangements. You can clip the stems and bring them inside where they will last for months. Wind blowing the tall stems of joe-pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum) will make them sway like a living curtain.

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Page 28, top: Frost decorates little bluestem plants.

Page 28, bottom: Blue vervain seeds Left: Boxelder seeds hang in a cluster.

Below: Grasses are highlighted by the low winter sun.

Many grasses have large, elaborate flower heads that reach their full glory in fall and winter as the seeds ripen and scatter. Switch grass (Panicum virgatum) is topped by finely textured, pink-tinged flower panicles in summer, hovering over the plant like a cloud. They gradually darken to a lovely golden color. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) has orange fall and winter foliage with silvery white flowers. When there is room for a large plant, consider silver spike grass (Spodiopogon sibericus). These 5-foot-tall, rounded grasses have dense foliage, which can turn yellow, orange, burgundy-red or brown in fall, depending on moisture.

Bring Seed Heads Indoors

A number of plants dry well, making attractive additions to the window box or indoor seasonal displays. Every year, I place Autumn Joy sedum and dried hydrangea blossoms in the pots on my front steps. Inside, my Fire Light® hydrangea blossoms hold their shape and pink color atop a side table. These get no special treatment, simply a clipping.

Even simpler, you can just leave the seed head and plant in the ground until they have become dry and stiff.

A number will hold their shape for months. A friend keeps her penstemon stems with their teardrop-shaped capsules and her balls of allium in a vase all winter. The ‘Husker Red’ stems of penstemon have an attractive burgundy color. I have had stalks of little bluestem in a pottery jar for years.

The dried arrangement looks as it did when first clipped.

Plants can also be dried by clipping the stems, tying them with string and hanging them upside down in a dry, sun-free space until they are stiff.

Closets are great for that.

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Seed Season Of course, not all plants fade attractively. Some are mere blobs of gray or brown vegetation. Some plants produce a large number of unwanted seedlings; so certainly, remove those seed heads. Some are no longer attractive once battered by rain or storm. You can always be selective, clipping some seed pods and keeping others. Remember, flowers are a short-term beauty. Give your plants the opportunity to please you for months. The ones mentioned here are simply a sample of the many shapes and colors to be found as flowers dry in fall. Watch your garden to find ones that are interesting to you. You’ll discover many more.

St. Paul-based Susan Davis Price is a long-time contributor to Northern Gardener.

Late Bloomers

Allium l spectacular, airy seed heads on spiky stems, many dry well.

Baptisia (Baptisia australis) l gray-black seedpods that rattle in the breeze.

Black-eyed Susan l chocolate seed heads, favorites of finches.

Coneflower l showy, cone-shaped pods—hence the name “coneflower.”

Grasses l most grasses, including little bluestem with silvery white flower heads, switch grass with reddish brown to red foliage, and silver feather miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’), which has beige plumes and upright form.

Joe-pye weed l the seeds blow away in the wind, tall stems will sway.

Money plant l translucent, papery seed heads.

Penstemon l decorative, very firm, tear-shaped seed heads.

Rose l bright orange or red balls (hips) that persist in winter.

Sedum l umbel-shaped seed heads, look especially good in a group.

Sunflower (Helianthus) l seeds for a host of birds and other small creatures.

Turtlehead (Chelone) l wonderful light brown seed heads that look like an open turtle mouth.

Yarrow l flat flowers and seed heads floating above the border.

—S.D.P. Above right: Seeds of golden alexander plants Left: Common milkweed in winter

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NEW

BEGINNINGS

The finished entry garden is lush and welcoming.

A front yard reimagined with less lawn, more style.

Story and photos by Gail Hudson

You don’t have to be a gardener to recognize a well-planned, well-designed landscape. We know it when we see it—the design draws your eye along pleasing lines, features attractive plants and combines all those other wonderful qualities that gel into a beautiful landscape.

This past summer, I felt I’d finally

succeeded (for the most part) with my own front yard. It gives me joy every time I look at it. After a lengthy process of designing and planting, I watched the extensive renovation project transform the landscape right outside my front door.

From spiky green and white grasses to silvery-purple coralbells to the Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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New Beginnings

During the Landscape Designs Basics workshop, the author tried out different approaches to her front entry before settling on the final look.

n, the Before the redesig

entry had an old

re lawn.

walkway and mo

Twice a year, [Jim Calkins] leads a five-session homeowners’ workshop over 2½ months for MSHS and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

bright white and soft green balls of hydrangea, the garden now offers a mix of colors, textures, plant heights and seasonal interest. The big secret is to embark on a thoughtful and comprehensive process to create a sustainable landscape, as Jim Calkins puts it, “that’s going to withstand the test of time so that it’s going to improve over time rather than go downhill.”

Calkins is a production and landscape horticulturist with extensive experience in landscape design installation and management. Twice a year, he leads a five-session homeowners’ workshop over 2½ months for MSHS and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. In fall of 2019, I took the Landscape Design Basics workshop, and the experience gave me the fresh perspective I needed after several decades of gardening in my front yard, despite the

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fact that I had done design projects for others.

The biggest challenge of the class, he says, is for people like me to make significant changes to their existing landscape. “They kind of want to keep what they have,” Jim says, “and it’s the effort involved, the potential cost involved.” It’s the first part of that explanation that kept me from doing more—we are comfortable in our own gardens. But now that I’ve done it, I can say it’s absolutely worthwhile to give your landscape a new beginning!

landscape to function.

For example, do you need an area for a patio or deck? How about some lawn for your kids or your dog to run around on? What about a path from the house to a shed or garage? Then, the next question is, how much are you willing to do to maintain it?

Other considerations to help a landscape perform well include making sure the design is environmentally sound, which considers the site conditions, storm water management, and more; that it’s cost effective; and finally, that it is visually pleasing. That’s right—plants are last on the list.

The Process

My Garden Wish List

To help you start down the garden path of re-thinking your landscape, my “breaking news headline” about the landscape design process is that choosing the plants (the fun part) does not come first. Rather, the process begins with considering how you want your

The basis for your plan is a thoughtful assessment and analysis of your site.

This involves making an accurate, detailed drawing on graph paper of the location and outer walls of the house including windows and doors, indicating the surrounding topography (slopes and

Choosing plants that met her goals­—low-maintenance, shade tolerant, filled with pinks, purples and chartruese—was an important step in the design process.

orientation), showing access to things like water and utilities, and identifying what trees and plants you want to keep, among other things. A soil test is also key to preparing the site properly. Poor understanding of the site conditions is a common mistake.

My husband and I drew up our list for what we needed and desired for our front yard—everything from maintenance requirements (low) to the overall color scheme (pinks, purples and chartreuse).

We also needed new front steps and a new front walk that would function better. The old steps were steep and crumbling with a big gap at the bottom. I wanted ample space to put flowering containers around the front door. A 1960s narrow sidewalk in front of the house was dated and restricted the area for foundation plants. These make up the “hardscape”—a term landscape designers use for walkways, patios, retaining walls, the driveway and structures surrounding the house.

After a $14,000 investment into bluestone and red brick steps and walk, and thousands more to replace aging gutters for better control of rainwater coming off the house, we finally had the framework to draw the garden beds and fill them with herbaceous plants and shrubs.

“The change in the hardscape makes a huge difference,” said Calkins, when he saw my before and after photos. “It almost makes it a different house. And that’s typically something we’d recommend people do first … but it’s one of those things because of the cost involved, that people won’t do.”

Light conditions had changed, too, thanks to a now full-grown Norway red maple. Under the dense shade canopy in front of the windows, three large, straggly arborvitaes were removed and their stumps ground. A dwarf Alberta spruce at the corner of the house had suffered extensive winter burn and needed replacing, too.

PLANT CHOICES

New steps and sidewalk were added first.

Ready to Plant The workshop guided me through the process from creating a simple drawing with “bubbles” to suggest what could go where in areas of the yard to a final detailed drawing and plant list. I decided to keep my shade-loving hostas and native plants around the base of the maple. The plant grouping provided good color and texture and was suited to the shady conditions and sandy loam soil.

I extended the flowing bed lines so they wouldn’t stop at the sidewalk, incorporating a small slope on the other side and bringing the landscape together. Large slabs of irregular bluestone provided a curving, informal path for us and the mail carrier across the front of the house but it would be hidden

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PHOTOS: DAVID HUDSON

New Beginnings

Above: Spacing plants for their mature size is key to helping them thrive and be at their best. Here the author measures carefully before planting lungwort.

from street view by low-growing lungwort (Pulmonaria ‘Raspberry Splash’) and Brunnera ‘Sea Heart’.

I added new “bones” to the landscape in the form of shrubs to provide winter interest. Dark green spreader yews (Taxus x media ‘Nigra’) create a backdrop for more colorful plants. A pyramidal Green Mountain boxwood adds an accent along the sidewalk and a columnar Emerald Fountain® Canadian hemlock anchors a corner.

It grows 6 to 10 feet tall and will be in good proportion with the house.

The curb appeal plantings sure to be

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noticed by those walking by include a combination of a silvery ‘Northern Exposure’ coralbells hybrid, lime green Aralia ‘Sun King’ to bring light to the shady yard and the bright pink plumes of Astilbe ‘Maggie Daley’. These are embraced by the bright green Japanese sedge ‘Ice Dance’ (Carex morrowii) with creamy edges and the soft lavender catmint ‘Junior Walker’™ (Nepeta x faassenii).

A pair of Incrediball® hydrangeas sets off the front steps, echoed by a trio of Little Lime® hydrangeas in an adjacent bed and a showy, pink-blossoming rhododendron ‘Olga Mezitt’. Its shiny,

green-lobed foliage turns mahogany in the fall.

I edited a garden bed on the north side of the house, keeping coneflowers, a baptisia and shade-tolerant allium plant but adding a mass of Bergenia ‘Red Beauty,’ which turns deep red in the fall, ‘Paris’ coralbells with mint green and silver frosted leaves, drought-tolerant ‘Chocolate Shogun’ astilbe and some red-stemmed lady ferns for a lacey texture contrast.

Finally, my design shrunk the lawn to a more sustainable size, reducing maintenance and mowing. I cut away

Left: Astilbe ‘Maggie Daley’ adds color to the shade garden.

Below: Japanese painted fern, hosta and European wild ginger are among the shade plants that surround the front-yard maple.

the turf, outlining the beds with a hose, but in larger spaces, it’s good to use a string and a stake to “draw” curving beds. I carefully measured each plant for its mature size before planting.

Smaller shrubs that would take a while to grow will be surrounded by annuals or perennials I’m willing to move later.

Taking Stock

In spite of a very dry summer, my garden has flourished. “You’ve thought on the landscape scale and tied everything together both with spaces and the use of plants,” Calkins says. He suggested

adding another shrub or two next to the maple tree for “structure in the wintertime,” and perhaps using mulch around the steppingstones instead of grass, which requires a bit more maintenance.

While no garden is ever completely finished, this is a beautiful, sustainable space that I hope will continue to look good for years to come.

Gail Brown Hudson has a Master’s degree in horticulture from the University of Minnesota. She is an Emmy® award-winning journalist, writer and video producer, as well as an avid gardener in Minneapolis.

Resource Puzzled about which plants to use in a landscape redesign? A plant database, such as the University of Minnesota Extension’s Plant Elements of Design, (landscapeplants.extension. umn.edu), can help. “It gives you a broader palette of plants to consider,” Jim Calkins says. “Instead of coming up with one or two, you come up with five or six or 10 that would work and that just gives you more options.”

—G. B. H.

Left to right: Aralia ‘Sun King’ with ‘Nigra’ yew, a dark green spreader; Heuchera Northern Exposure™; ‘Silver Ice Dance’ Japanese sedge; and Little Lime® hydrangea

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growing glass UNDER

Even without heat, this northern gardener stretches the season with a greenhouse.

Story and photos by Jenn Hovland

g

rowing in a hobby greenhouse in Minnesota doesn’t have to be a costly venture with heating through the winter months. Even without heat, a greenhouse can help you extend the growing season, get an early start to spring by sowing seeds or propagating plants, grow varieties you can’t find elsewhere, harvest herbs and cool-season vegetable crops long into the autumn, and provide a winter respite on a sunny January day.

Here’s a tour of my custom-built greenhouse and a glimpse of my growing year.

My quest for a greenhouse came from decades of indoor seed starting, first under grow lights in the basement, then in a large sunroom. Later, I purchased a pop-up

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Greenhouse Uses Seed sowing and plant propagation

SPRING

Grow varieties that I can’t find elsewhere Grow perennials from seed Grow plants that need extra heat, like tomatoes, peppers, and melons Grow and harvest herbs and vegetables into the autumn Tuck potted plants in overnight when there’s a threat of frost Winter respite —J.H.

style greenhouse online. It was fine but I wanted more. Because I had worked for several years at retail and research greenhouses in the Twin Cities, I felt confident to make the leap to a permanent structure.

Building the Greenhouse

The greenhouse is 8 feet by 12 feet.

Construction took place in the summer and fall of 2019. We created footings by digging post holes and filling them with concrete. A 4-by-6-inch treated wood foundation was laid on top and connected with J-bolts. From there, the wooden frame was built out of treated and painted pine 2-by-4s. The lower portion of the walls are covered with brick veneer panels inside and out, while the upper portion of the walls, the peaks and the roof are glazed with ¼-inch tempered glass panes. We left room for a vent in one peak and used a vintage screened door with a removable storm-door panel on the opposite end for air flow.

For the floor, we compacted the soil and laid a weed-barrier fabric. A brick walkway runs down the middle from the

EARLY SUMMER

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Growing Under Glass SUMMER

Melons thrive in the greenhouse.

door to the back wall, and the rest of the floor is covered with the same gravel I’ve used elsewhere in the garden for paths.

My husband also built two staging tables that run the length of the greenhouse.

They sit on either side of the brick path in the gravel areas. These were built from 2-by-4s and reclaimed lath to allow for drainage when watering plants.

Though it has no heat, there is electricity for a vent fan and a digital thermometer. For heat, I rely on the energy of the sun and seasonal weather patterns, selecting my greenhouse plantings to maximize my growing season. In 2020, I used the greenhouse for 39 weeks—from early March to early December.

Overnight temperatures in the greenhouse are consistently 5 degrees warmer than the outside temperature year-round. Daytime temps can easily reach the 60s on a sunny January day regardless of the outside temperature.

Summer daytime temps tend to be the same as the outdoors because I use a shade cloth, the vent fan and a technique called “damping down,” where you water the surfaces, primarily the floors, to create a cooling effect.

Spring in the Greenhouse

My greenhouse growing season starts in March, with cool-season annuals and

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Peppers have fewer pests indoors.

vegetables that can tolerate a light frost.

I start these plants indoors in late January or February. When the first set of true leaves appear, I harden them off by setting them in the greenhouse for the day and returning them inside at night.

This process takes 5 to 7 days and then I keep them in the greenhouse overnight, watching the daily and nightly temperatures. Each plant variety can withstand different temps, so do your research online or in books about greenhouse growing. Sweet peas and pansies, for example, can take temperatures below freezing and therefore can stay in the greenhouse even if the outside temperature dips into the 20s.

March plants include lettuce, peas, pansies, snapdragons, sweet peas and dusty miller.

April sees more annuals, the start of perennials from seed, Alocasia and dahlias from tubers as well as various cuttings. I continue to watch the weather and move plants inside the house if temperatures dip too low. As the plants grow, I pot them into 2- or 4-inch pots. Keeping them in the small cell packs would stunt their growth and lead to poor performance in the garden, so it’s a critical step to move them on to larger pots.

May is a busy time. The days are warmer and venting the greenhouse is a daily task. The warm-season annuals,

Melons ripen off the ground.

such as cosmos and zinnias, can be started now. It is a bittersweet time.

I enjoy the lushness of the full greenhouse and am excited for the plants to get out in the garden. But when they are gone, I experience empty-nest syndrome—a feeling that spring is over.

Summer Growing

In June, more plants move in but not to the capacity of the spring greenhouse.

I continue to seed perennials and biennials such as wallflowers, foxgloves and angelica. I also collect tiny volunteer seedlings from around the garden and give them the warmth and protection of the greenhouse before planting them into their permanent locations later in the summer.

In July and August, container-planted peppers, tomatoes and melons, such as Minnesota Midget and Sugar Baby, get moved into the greenhouse to ripen in the heat. New sowings of lettuce, arugula, spinach, carrots, radishes and peas are started from seed for harvest in the autumn. Once established, these plants will tolerate temps in the upper 20s and low 30s. In August and September, I start taking cuttings of annuals such as fuchsia, salvia and coleus. They will get started in the greenhouse but will be moved inside to winter over once the temperatures are below 50.

Fall Cleanup

I maintain and clean the greenhouse as needed—it is absolutely necessary to remove diseased plants and plant debris as soon as possible. But September is the month I have chosen to do a thorough cleaning and any necessary repairs. The weather is warm enough to move plants outside for the day while I clean the glass, wipe down cobwebs, remove debris and clean surfaces. Clearing clutter and washing things down will prevent pests or diseases from overwintering. I do a little rearranging in September, too, and bring in a couple of wicker chairs and cushions to sit and enjoy the greenhouse during the cooler months. The vegetables and herbs go back into the greenhouse and I also like to have a few pots of pansies to enjoy.

From October until early December, I enjoy checking on plants and harvesting fresh produce as needed. For the holidays, I string up lights in the greenhouse and hang a wreath made from the garden on the door. It’s a beautiful glowing snow globe in the darkness of winter.

AUTUMN

Winter Quiet

During January and February, I keep a path shoveled through the snow from the house to the greenhouse. A sunny day will bring the temperature into the 60s and, even though there is nothing growing in the greenhouse, it is a wonderful spot to read or write and to dream of the garden to come in the next season.

Is my style of greenhouse growing extra work? Perhaps, but it is a labor of love and the greenhouse is a special place where I can escape the busyness of life and enjoy my passion.

WINTER

Jenn Hovland is a lifelong gardener, certified floral designer and owner of Studio Louise Flowers in Stillwater. Detailed building plans for the greenhouse are available for purchase for $10 by emailing Jenn at jenn@ studiolouiseflowers.com.

Resource: Four Season Harvest (Chelsea Green Publishing, 1999) by Eliot Coleman details many techniques for

growing through the winter using cool-season plants. Coleman gardens in Maine and his book is the basis for my own experimentation in the cooler months of growing in the greenhouse. —J.H. Northern Gardener l November/December 2021

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N rdic Flav rs For a taste of Scandinavia, try these hardy varieties.

By Samantha Johnson

ne day, while reminiscing about the fun I’ve had with previous vegetable garden themes—like my year of growing blue vegetables or the time I focused on French veggies—I landed upon the idea of a Scandinavian-themed vegetable garden. I am 56 percent Swedish, (tack så mycket), so it appealed to my sentimental side.

It also appealed to my practical side. After all, the general climate of Scandinavia is not vastly different from our Midwestern climate. It seemed reasonable that varieties from Sweden, Norway and Denmark would feel right at home in my neck of the woods.

Between 2 and 3 million Scandinavians immigrated to the United States before 1920. Many of them settled in the Midwest, and many of them brought along vegetable seeds from their homelands. Fortunately, many of these beloved varieties have endured through the decades to find a place in our northern gardens today. Here’s what I’ve been growing to celebrate my Scandinavian roots—you may want to grow these tasty vegetables, too, no matter what your heritage.

Swenson Swedish Peas PHOTO: DANIEL JOHNSON / ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK

I discovered Swenson Swedish peas while browsing the Seed Savers Exchange catalog. The peas originated in Småland, which is the province in southern Sweden where my great-grandmother was born in 1903. Seeing the connection to Småland was enough for me and soon I had the seeds in my hands.

I’ve grown a lot of different varieties of peas over the years and Swenson Swedish peas are easily among the cream of the crop. They are snow peas and produce prolifically, and the pods possess a superior flavor. They’re delicious when harvested young and roasted with onions or even just by themselves. Plant them early in spring and be sure to provide a trellis for them to climb.

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DAN IEL J

OH

N

N SO

Between 2 and 3 million Scandinavians immigrated to the United States before 1920.

Swedish Blå Orta Peas

DANIEL JOHNSON

You’d think one variety of Swedish peas would be enough for any garden, but not so! I’d heard of Swedish Blå Orta peas, yet when trying to find seeds, I came up empty-handed. I did, however, learn that some people believe the beautiful, blue-podded Blauwschokkers pea is the same variety as Swedish Blå Orta peas. And since I have long been a fan of Blauwschokkers peas, I was happy enough to go along with that idea. Blauwschokkers are stunning in the garden with two-toned flowers and indigo blue pods. You can harvest early and eat them pod and all, or let them mature and use the dried peas in soup, as is often done in Europe.

Norwegian Pencil Beans I love the story of Norwegian Pencil beans. A Norwegian family from Minnesota grew the beans for generations, and then the family donated the seeds to Seed Savers Exchange. In 2018, the Norwegian Pencil bean seeds were returned to Norway where a Norwegian agronomist recognized the seeds as a lost variety.

Norwegian Pencil beans are pole beans that can be used as snap or dry beans. I wish I could provide a personal report but I was unable to locate seeds to purchase. I’ll keep trying, though!

Cylindra Beets

PHOTO COURTESY OF BURPEE

Seed sourcing is not a problem with Cylindra beets!

This immensely popular Danish variety is available from many seed companies, and it’s a favorite for its cylindrical shape, sweet flavor, vibrant color and versatility in the kitchen. They’re sometimes known as Formanova beets, so keep that in mind when seed shopping. You can direct sow the seed when the soil temperature is above 45 degrees or start them in a cold frame or indoors five weeks before the last frost.

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Nordic Flavors HT ET AB IZ EL CH RA

Jenny Lind Melons

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

No Scandinavian-themed garden would be complete without growing Jenny Lind heirloom melons. While this variety didn’t originate in Sweden, it was named for the famed Swedish singer. Seed is available from many companies. The melons do well in cooler weather and are ideal for northern gardens. As fruits develop, place them on a board or tarp to prevent rotting. The 1- to 2-pound fruits have sweet, juicy green flesh with a hint of pink.

Danish Ballhead Cabbage This popular cabbage is a Danish variety that was introduced in the United States in 1887 and produces nicely uniform 8-inch heads. It requires 90 to 100 days to mature, which isn’t always possible here in our northern climate, but the quality of this variety makes it worth trying! Its impressive size has contributed to its popularity, as has its excellence as a storage variety.

Swedish Brown Beans

I like to think that my great-grandmother would be proud of my attempts at growing Scandinavian vegetables, but the truth is that she much preferred desserts to garden fare. Still, when I held those Swenson Swedish pea seeds in my hand, I thought of my grandma and Småland and how food connects us all.

Wisconsin-based Samantha Johnson is the author of several books, including Garden DIY, (CompanionHouse Books, 2020).

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

My great-grandmother was too busy perfecting her rice pudding recipe to introduce me to the tradition of baked Swedish Brown beans or Bruna Bönor, but I wish I’d discovered the bean tradition earlier. What’s more comforting than a bowl of beans baked with smoked meats and a sweet sauce? The Swedish Brown bean is a bush variety with a compact growth

habit that produces a delicious brown bean. The beans have a flavor that’s frequently described as “nutty.”

The humble rutabaga is closely associated with Sweden and is believed to have originated there, the result of a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. A member of the Brassica family, rutabagas go by many names, including Swedish turnip, yellow turnip or even just Swede.

Rutabagas aren’t wildly popular in North America, but they are surprisingly versatile and useful in the kitchen. They’ll happily star in soups, stews or casseroles, or you can try your hand at an authentic Swedish dish called “rotmos,” which translates to root mash.

Like other Brassicas, rutabagas grow best in cool temperatures and full sun. Plant them in late May or early June for a late fall harvest. Unless you have a root cellar, keep them in the ground as long as possible. Their quality and considerable vitamin content won’t diminish.

—S.J.

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MICHELLE BRUHN

You Say Rutabaga, I Say Swedish Turnip

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NORTHERN VIEW

Grieving in the Garden father-daughter bonds take many shapes. For me, gardening offers moments to reconnect with my dad. At 42, I became an orphan one Christmas Eve. The story is complicated, but the void in my heart is easy for any daughter to understand.

As I write, it’s the spring following his death, and I find myself looking to the soil for answers. My dad and I shared a love for making things grow.

As a child, gardening season started at the local feed mill. I’d watch Dad slowly count out the exact number of seeds he’d need and place them gently in a brown paper sack. When it was time, we’d plant the seeds in rows marked by twine. We’d round out our plantings with small tomato and cucumber plants from the local greenhouse. And then, we’d wait.

“Is it time?” I’d ask in earnest every day. “Nope. You must be patient.” I’d see those initial white blossoms morph into tiny pea pods knowing that someday we’d pick our first super sugar snap pea. Green beans soon followed, with juicy cherry tomatoes, bi-colored sweet corn and bright red raspberries. Endless rows of cucumbers were soon ready to be canned in Mom’s secret pickle recipe. Dad made it seem simple.

Years later, after my mother died, I tried to replicate that gardening magic at my first home. Without the loving eyes (and regular watering) of Dad, the plants died. I discovered that cheap soil, no fertilizer and an unfenced garden in an area heavily populated with deer spelled disaster. I moved several times over the next few years, and each move

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Minnesota State Horticultural Society

marked a new opportunity to garden. snatched from my son’s hands.

But, something always got in the way.

“You might get this gardening thing And when it did, Dad would share his down, yet,” he’d say, before giving a bounty with me. As time went on, Dad’s friendly suggestion on how to improve declining health limited his gardening— my outcomes. “You just need to so I doubled down on mine. be patient.”

I plotted my vision of the perfect During his rapid decline, I knew we garden. Every year involved more. My were out of summers. There would husband tried to keep up with my grow- be no more garden banter about how ing demands for raised beds, additional to make things better. His parting fencing, watering systems, fruit trees words of “I’m proud of you and I love and perennials. We trucked in fresh you” captured a lifetime of love in a manure. Despite being on a small lake single moment. lot, the project quickly became unmanIn the first days and weeks, I wonageable. I planted dered how to mark his what was easy and legacy. Do I plant a could grow no mattree or an entire apple ter what. orchard? A garden statue?

You might get this After my son was Planters? My dad loved gardening thing down, blueberries. I thumbed born, my priorities shifted yet again. through countless yet. You just need to The balancing act mail-order catalogs be patient.” of being mom, looking for the perfect daughter, wife and tribute. I searched Pinprofessional caught terest. But each time I up with me. Mint took over parts of the was overwhelmed with grief. garden. Left untrimmed, my raspberry Spring arrived in the north woods. bushes spread wildly. Critters nibbled I found myself longing to solve this my asparagus to nubs, and my unfertillegacy question so I could check grief ized lingonberries dried up. off my to-do list. Instead, bare ground I finally stopped trying to do too looked back at me. I returned to the much. I scaled the gardens back to four basics. Prep the soil. Fertilize it. Plant it 4-by-4-foot beds and a small plot of with what you love. Water it. Nurture it. raspberries, sweet peas, sunflowers and Each time, it gets a little easier. mint. A few fruit trees remained and Turns out, grief, like gardening, needs deer-resistant perennials surrounded an patience. easily maintained rock garden. I fertilized and watered. Dad was an amputee Beth Probst writes and then, and he gladly accepted my single, gardens in northern simple offering of sweet cherry tomaWisconsin. She blogs at toes and a few sugar snap peas that I circletouradventures.com.

“

www.mnponds.com 763-458-8104

thank you for installing a beautiful water feature in our state fair garden. five stars and two (green) thumbs up!

– your friends at mshs

Discount Partners

Create. Maintain. Repair. Plants.

SAVE WITH OUR 2021 DISCOUNT PARTNERS!

Society and Affiliated members of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society receive a membership card and access to a long list of discounts with our trusted partners across the Upper Midwest. Find each partner’s unique discount offer, address and website online: northerngardener.org/discount-partners.

101 Market - Otsego Abrahamson Nurseries – Scandia, Stillwater MN & St. Croix Falls WI Anoka-Ramsey Farm & Garden – Ramsey Arden Hills Nursery – Shoreview Axdahl’s Garden Farm & Greenhouse – Stillwater Bachman’s – Apple Valley, Eden Prairie, Fridley, Maplewood, Minneapolis & Plymouth Beier’s Greenhouse – Grand Rapids Beisswenger’s – New Brighton Blue Sky Flower Farm – offer online only Blue View Greenhouse, Rice Lake WI – NEW Cedar Brook Garden Center – New Prague Como Park Zoo & Conservatory – St. Paul Costa Farm & Greenhouse – White Bear Lake Countryside Lawn & Landscape – Zumbrota Dan & Jerry’s Greenhouse – Monticello Duluth Flower Farm, Duluth – NEW Dundee Nursery & Landscaping – Plymouth Ecological Design – Minneapolis EggPlant Urban Farm Supply – St. Paul Fair’s Nursery – Maple Grove Farmington Greenhouse – Farmington Fiddles & Fronds – Minneapolis Flower Power Garden Center & Fred Holasek & Son Greenhouse – Lester Prairie Forest and Floral Garden Center – Park Rapids Garden Divas – River Falls WI *Locations are in MN unless otherwise noted.

Gordy’s Gift & Garden Center, Hermantown – NEW Green Lake Nursery – Spicer Green Space, LLC. True nature Design – Minneapolis Green Valley Greenhouse – Ramsey Hartman Garden Center & Landscaping – Victoria Hedberg Supply – Stillwater & Plymouth Heidi’s GrowHaus – Corcoran Home Sown Gardens – Eagan Hugo Feed Mill & Hardware – Hugo Jean’s The Right Plant Place – Perham Kelley & Kelley Nursery – Long Lake Kelly’s Cottage Garden – Park Rapids Kern Landscape Resources – St. Paul Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping – Northfield Landscape Alternatives – Shafer Lilydale Garden Center – Lilydale Living Sculpture Trees – Sunfish Lake Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery – Maple Grove Mickman Brothers – Ham Lake Minnesota Landscape Arboretum – Chaska Mother Earth Gardens – two Minneapolis locations Nagel Sod & Nursery – Medford Nature’s Garden World – Fergus Falls Nelson Nursery and Garden Center – Zimmerman

Otten Bros Garden Center & Landscaping – Long Lake Pahl’s Market – Apple Valley Paisley Gardens – Northfield Patio Town – Brooklyn Park, Burnsville & Oakdale Pleasant View Gardens – Long Lake Sargent’s Nursery – Red Wing Schulte’s Greenhouse and Nursery – St. Michael Seed Savers Exchange – Decorah IA Seven Sisters Greenhouse – Prescott WI South Cedar Garden Center – Farmington Terra Garden Center – Lakeville Terrace Horticultural Books – St. Paul The Garden By The Woods – Chanhassen Wagner Garden Centers – Minneapolis & Hugo Walker Art Center – Minneapolis Winter Greenhouse – Winter WI

The Minnesota State Horticultural Society is a 501c3 nonprofit. We are thankful for our Discount Partners and members. Your support powers our mission to deliver valuable programs, education and resources to northern gardeners of all skill levels and backgrounds.