george bonnema
By george Bonnema, LuverneOctober 05, 2015If you have been “vacationing” indoor plants outdoors for the summer, now is the time to begin to acclimate them for their return to indoor conditions. The houseplants have been used to summer’s long days with light coming from all around them, but indoors they will have to adjust to what available light comes through a window. So bring the plant in to where it will be for the winter for a…
By George Bonnema, LuverneSeptember 14, 2015These early autumn days of a really warm daytime temperature and a cool night are ideal for flowers to develop their best color. At this time, planters are full to overflowing with growth, and that much foliage requires a lot of water and food to keep the color coming strong. Many of my pots require a drink every day, and I am trying to be faithful. Exceptional color is my reward. If you have a…
By George Bonnema, LuverneAugust 31, 2015I just walked over to some of my shrub roses and was shocked to see that black spot had attacked with the intention of taking off every leaf! This summer has been ideal weather for every form of blight and fungus because of our high humidity and the onset of dew lasting from dust through mid morning. A wet leaf surface is required for these disease spores to invade the tissue, and in every 24-…
August 24, 2015I had a friend ask me what it would take to make a Christmas cactus bloom. Their plant was several years old and was a large plant but it never produced a single flower. Christmas cactus, like a poinsettia plant, initiate flower buds when the days get shorter and the nights get cooler in late summer to early fall. This is a natural process of the season change and the plants read it like an…
August 17, 2015It just seems like many crops are maturing earlier than they normally would. However, when I look back in my archive of garden advice, we’re not too far ahead of a typical season. Summer always becomes a blur because we have waited so long for it to arrive and then we’re back to facing another winter. Well, that is where a camera becomes our encouragement. If your planters or perennial…
August 10, 2015Two years ago Corrine and I attended a seminar in Fairmont for small fruit growers facilitated by the University of Minnesota staff. He mentioned a new fruit fly that was already confirmed in Rock County. Drosophila has moved east from California since it was discovered in 2008 and is now a threat to all of our soft-skinned fruits, namely strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, plums, grapes…
By George Bonnema, LuverneAugust 03, 2015It is August … already! This is the month to transplant, move or thin our German bearded iris. The plant will continue to grow in the direction the rhizome is pointing, so keep that in mind when you are replanting them so that someday you won’t have to move the house to make room for the iris. Also, the rhizome must be exposed on top of the ground. The roots form on the sides and bottom of that…
By George Bonnema, LuverneAugust 03, 2015It is August … already! This is the month to transplant, move or thin our German bearded iris. The plant will continue to grow in the direction the rhizome is pointing, so keep that in mind when you are replanting them so that someday you won’t have to move the house to make room for the iris. Also, the rhizome must be exposed on top of the ground. The roots form on the sides and bottom of that…
By George Bonnema, LuverneJuly 27, 2015My garden has excellent soil for growing melons, and the vines are loaded with fruit. Often I’m asked how to know when a melon is ready to pick. When the tendril opposite the stem to the fruit dries up, the melon is ripe. Then you want to harvest that melon soon or it will rot or be attacked by bugs … the bugs always seem to know when to harvest! If you’re buying a watermelon, look for a…
By George Bonnema, LuverneJuly 20, 2015At this point in summer, our potted “gardens” of flowers are developing marvelous color. In a couple of my pots, I have a plant or two that are becoming a bit aggressive about how much space they want, so I get my pruning shears and give them some needed discipline. That must be done to keep everything in balance and I will probably have to do the same a couple more times during the season. In…
By Geroge Bonnema, LuverneJune 29, 2015I have never seen die-back in spirea like I observed this spring. However, most have recovered and are blooming beautifully. I want to remind you to shear those flower heads off after that first flush of blooms and the new growth will give them a fresh look for the rest of the season. If you have noticed medium-sized white butterflies floating around in your garden, they are the source of the…
By George Bonnema, LuverneJune 22, 2015Each new growing season brings its own unique set of circumstances that determine which pests and diseases will be evident in our gardens. This year I am seeing a lot of fire blight in fruit trees and cotoneaster hedges. This virus is devastating to plants it attacks. As bees travel from flower to flower during the blooming season, they can move the virus, and the blossom is an open door for…- By George BonnemaJune 16, 2015If you have rudbeckia goldstrum, the perennial black-eyed Susan, and you are noticing angular black spots on the leaves, your plants are being attacked by a fungus called septoria leaf spot. To prevent that disease from totally destroying the beauty of the plant, you need to spray both upper and under sides of the leaves with a fungicide. I use Daconil and it protects the uninfected foliage. The…
By George Bonnema, LuverneJune 01, 2015My roses are looking like I’ll begin enjoying marvelous color in a week. I also noticed a few holes in the leaves. I applied systemic fertilizer/insecticide several weeks ago and those little green worms that tried to feast on the leaves got eliminated before they did much damage. The worms are the same color as the leaves and are on the underside of the leaf. If they are not controlled, they…
By George Bonnema, LuverneMay 25, 2015Is it safe to plant yet? I’ve heard that 50 times this spring and the varied weather pattern almost made me a liar! The prediction for frost didn’t hit the mark for most gardens, but my garden is the lowest point in town and we had frost twice. It’s frustrating because the 10-day forecast would indicate lows in the 40s. So I covered and uncovered and covered and uncovered, and in spite of the…
By George BonnemaMay 11, 2015It is Sunday afternoon and we have just had a beautiful shower of much needed rain. That will make a huge difference on everything you have planted in your garden … and a few things you didn’t plant … like weeds! We use our grass clippings for mulch and other than my hoe, that is the best weed control I have. The layer of grass blocks sunlight which many weed seeds need to germinate. It also…
You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.