How to Prevent Spring Flooding
Warmer temps are almost here – which means lots of melting snow! Every home and yard is different – some pose a bigger risk to your home’s foundation and basement based on how well water drains. If your yard tends to look and feel like a swamp after rain or melting snow, you probably have a drainage problem. With nowhere else to go, water could end up in your basement or foundation, causing costly problems down the road. There are a few ways to mitigate your home’s flood risk: Drain tile is a great way to...
read moreFeeling cooped up? 4 Ways to Get out and Enjoy Winter
Feeling cooped up? 4 Ways to Get out and Enjoy Winter It’s late January, about the time that every Minnesotan gets a little antsy from being cooped up inside for months. Don’t let the cold get you down! Minnesota DNR has plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the great outdoors – just bundle up and be ready to learn something new! 1. Snowshoeing: a great way to get some fresh air and exercise while exploring the tundra landscape! Several times a month, the DNR has snowshoeing 101 classes at various state parks, where...
read moreYour Evergreen Tree Guide!
When you’re out enjoying the Minnesota winter landscape, do you ever wonder what type of evergreen you are looking at? It’s easy to assume that any evergreen is a pine tree, but in fact there are many! The top three types of evergreen trees are: Pine Spruce Fir. The easiest way to tell them apart is to take a look at the needles. Pine needles grow in a cluster from one point of origin. These needles are softer and longer than other trees. In contrast, spruce needles are short and stiff and are attached to their branch from a single...
read more‘Tis the Season for…Gourds?
You may have been seeing them out at local grocery stores next to the pumpkins this fall and wondered – what in the world do I do with that? First, what IS a gourd? It’s in the same family as the pumpkin, and they are all considered “squash” – for some reason in our American culture, pumpkins just got the favored spot! Unlike pumpkins, gourds aren’t edible – but they are great for autumnal decoration! Here are a few ways you can use gourds to add to your fall home décor: Add them to your mantel, perhaps with some foraged berries from...
read moreHow sweet! Minnesota maple syrup (and a new addition to the family, too!)
It’s fall! The air is crisp and colors are changing all around, here in Minnesota. Some of the most brilliant trees this time of year is the Maple. It also gives us one of nature’s sweetest gifts – maple syrup! Did you know this tasty treat is only made in certain parts of North America and nowhere else in the world? Minnesota is one of 19 states in the U.S. where maple syrup is made, and we have many licensed producers as well as numerous hobbyists. Maple syrup is basically made by boiling down the sap of the maple...
read moreRainwater collection: a great way to conserve water and maintain your landscape
Using a natural rainwater collection system, like a rain barrel, to collect and distribute rainwater to your lawn and gardens is a great way to practice sustainability. It conserves treated drinking water, and reduces the amount of water running off your property. Rain water is better for plants and soil because it doesn’t contain the salts and flouride compounds found in treated drinking water. There are several options to gather and reuse rainwater – from a simple gutter/barrel collector setup to a intricate system designed...
read more3 Spring Maintenance Tips for Optimal Growth
It’s officially Spring! Minnesotans everywhere are heading outside to see how their gardens and landscape have fared over this long, snowy winter. If you’re unsure how to get started with spring clean up, here are a few tips to help you give your lawn and gardens a great start this season: 1.Lawn care In early spring, remove turf that has been damaged by plows, disease or salt, and prepare the soil for seeding later in the month. Spring raking removes lingering fall leaves and grass blades that didn’t survive winter, but...
read moreThink Spring! Start planting indoor seeds soon
It’s official. Our latest snowfall put us into record-breaking territory, with more than 30 inches so far in February. Believe it or not, spring is just a few weeks away, and this is a great time to snuggle up with a mug of tea/coffee/hot chocolate and start planning your garden. In Minnesota, you can get a head start by planting some seed varieties indoors as early as this week. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, leeks, eggplant and celery can all be started by seed indoors starting in late February. Starting in early March,...
read moreFall is here! Time for pumpkins, apple orchards, and yard cleanup!
Crisp air, pumpkin spice and apple pie …it must be fall in Minnesota! It’s a great time to visit an apple orchard, go for a hike or take a drive to see the fall colors. It’s also a good time to plant perennials for next year’s landscape. Here’s a fall landscape & garden To Do List: Landscape & Garden To-do List Plant: It’s a great time to plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines, trees in containers and spring-blooming bulbs. Bulbs like lily, hyacinth and iris will bloom in the spring if covered with mulch to protect them from frigid...
read more4 Tips for Caring For Your New Landscape
It’s exciting to improve your property with a beautiful new landscape. Here are some tips to give it the proper care to help it succeed and thrive: Give it Time There is always a period of adjustment when new plants are added to your landscape: 2 – 3 Weeks………………………………Flowering annuals and garden vegetables 1 – 2 Months…………………………….Perennials 1 – 2 Growing...
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