know it and grow it
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistAugust 01, 2016Last week I wrote about working on my bearded iris to address the iris borer issue. I lifted the entire clump of each variety and found borers in just one of the three, and that clump had just a few of the rhizomes affected. I found three of the critters, and they are ugly. Getting to that task as soon as I discovered the symptoms of spots on the leaves hopefully eliminated the other borers…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJuly 25, 2016Today my flower gardens are absolutely glorious! This is the color I envision and plan for all through the cold, dark days of winter ... so enjoy every moment while it lasts. If you are feeding your planters, they should be at their peak of color now. If you have one or two plants that seem to be determined to take over the space, prune them to keep them in bounds. Sweet potato vine is one that…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJune 14, 2016It is Monday … again. I’m amazed at how fast these summer days disappear! I always seem to have three more things to do than I can possibly accomplish in a day, but I give it my best shot. So I understand your dilemma about finding time to keep up with all the gardening tasks required to keep the garden looking great and the produce harvested and utilized. Hot and dry weather this week caught…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJune 07, 2016We have had wonderful moisture for our flower and vegetable gardens and our season is about two weeks early. If you have hostas, I’m suggesting that you be on the lookout for slugs. These slimy critters eat irregular-shaped holes in the leaves, and if you don’t attack them early on, you will have those “holy” leaves to look at for the rest of the season. Slug baits are very effective as a…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMay 23, 2016For those people who love mowing their lawn, this has been a great spring. For those people who hate mowing the lawn … well, the rest of us can tell. Proper mowing is one of the keys to a healthy lawn. Set your mowing height at 3 or 3 1/2 inches tall. Taller grass forms a deeper root system. The stronger plants are better able to fight off insects, disease, and weeds. Mow often enough so that…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMay 16, 2016Spring is always a time of transitioning from winter to summer and this year has been no different. The weeks of warm weather have teased us into thinking we were pretty much past the last frost, but then reality scared us … maybe me especially … my casualties were limited, but there were some where the wind removed the protection. And so we go on. The new growth called candles have fully…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistApril 11, 2016Today I want to introduce you to a couple of relatively new plants for hanging baskets. The first is begonia bolivensis. There are several named varieties of this begonia: Santa Cruz Sunset and Crackling Fire are a couple of common cultivars. The name to watch for is bolivensis. This begonia does great in full sun or part shade and the color show is nonstop and fabulous! The plants do not vine…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistApril 04, 2016A relatively new annual flowering plant I’d like to feature today is the SunPatiens. Impatiens have been the flowering annual of choice for shade areas, but the old varieties were not happy growing in bright sun. This ”new and improved” class is happy, in fact, prefers bright sun. There are three classifications: spreading, compact, and vigorous. Compact varieties will grow 12 to 14 inches tall…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMarch 28, 2016Here is another of my favorite annual flowers for great all-summer color. Gerbera daisies are a very easy plant to grow. I enjoy the “happy” look of their flowers which just keep coming all summer. The color range covers everything but blue. In previous seasons the only plants available for bedding plant growers were the dwarf or compact varieties. The beautiful long-stemmed varieties were…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMarch 14, 2016As we transition from winter to spring, we have to anticipate some variability in our weather and temperatures. A couple of really warm days and some folks are ready to plant potatoes. But the calendar is a better indicator than our emotions. None of us has the crystal ball, but the law of averages is what it is, so be reasonable about your expectations. I talked last week about getting our…
By George BonnemaMarch 07, 2016I have finished my hibernation! It amazes me that when we finally get to see the sun in the morning after weeks of cloudy weather, we realize that our daylight hours have increased dramatically. That mean it’s time for gardeners to get to work ... that means me, and I’m loving it! If you have houseplants that need repotting, the next 8 weeks is the best time to get that accomplished. I know that…
By George Bonnema, LuverneOctober 19, 2015It is Monday, and I don’t know what the weather has in store for us for the week, but our topsoil is dry and I am concerned. Perhaps it will rain before the ground freezes, but I don’t know if the rain will be sufficient to give our shrubs and shallow-rooted trees enough moisture to keep them healthy through the winter. A good soaking now will ensure that will not be a problem later. That…
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 21, 2015Earlier in August I wrote about the problem of spotted wing drosophila, a newly arrived fruit fly that attacks our soft-skinned fruits. I was approached last week by a person who had read the article, and they were not picking their raspberries for fear of the fruit being infected by this insect. This is totally the wrong approach to deal with spotted wing drosophila. Not picking the fruit…
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-…
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