WDSE >> THIS IS LITERALLY CRAWLING WITH BEES.

>> I THOUGHT, A PINK ONION, WHY NOT TRY IT?

>> OUR HOSTILES DO WELL IN MINNESOTA.

THEY LIKE OUR JUPITER.

>> WE HAVE THINGS BLOOMING FROM EARLY SPRING TO LATE FALL.

>> IT IS FUN TO IMAGINE WHAT THIS PLACE WILL BE LIKE IN A FEW YEARS.

WE HAVE JUST GOTTEN STARTED.

♪ SHARON: HELLO, AND WELCOME TO GREAT GARDENING.

I’M YOUR HOST SHARON YUNG.

AND AS USUAL WE HAVE OUR EXPERTS WITH US.

THEY ARE HORTICULTURIST AND EDUCATOR BOB OLEN, AND GARDEN PROFESSIONAL DEB BYRNS ERICKSON.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM GARTNER’S ACROSS OUR REGION WHO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR OUR EXPERTS.

WE HAVE PHONE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS.

HERE TO RECEIVE YOUR QUESTIONS THIS EVENING.

CALL LOCALLY 218-788-2844 OR SIMPLY E-MAIL US AT ASK@PBSNORTH.ORG.

WE’RE TAKING QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE SHOW TONIGHT, SO CALL OR EMAIL US NOW WHILE WE BEGIN TONIGHT’S SHOW WITH A LOOK AT THE WEATHER IN OUR REGION.

>> SO WHERE IS THE NOW -- WHERE IS THE SNOW?

BOB: THAT LOOKS LIKE LIQUID WATER AT THIS POINT.

I THINK WE ARE COMING ALONG.

WE HAVE SOME MOISTURE IN THE NEXT WEEK, WHICH IS VERY BENEFICIAL.

AND AH, THERE WE GO.

NICE REFLECTION THERE.

THERE WE GO.

THAT WAS PROBABLY SHOT TODAY.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER.

THERE ARE SOME OF THE FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING EMERGENT, LILIES -- EMERGING, LILIES, BUDS.

EVERYTHING NOW SHOULD GO DOWN IN THE GROUND.

I THINK THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR THIS YEAR’S GROWING SEASON BECAUSE WE CAME IN PRETTY DRY.

SHARON: NOW THAT WE’VE SEEN WHAT THE WEATHER IN OUR REGION LOOKS LIKE, LET’S TAKE A TOUR OF WHAT THE MORGAN PARK GARDEN CLUB WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH LAST SUMMER, GUIDED BY COMMUNITY GARDENER AMY JOHNSON.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK.

>> WE ARE PART OF THE DULUTH HARDENING FLOWER -- GARDENING FLOWERS IS 80, AND OUR MORGAN PARK GARDEN CLUB TENDS FOUR FLOWER GARDENS IN MORGAN PARK.

DULUTH GARDEN FLOWER SOCIETY HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1917.

IT HAS BEEN UNIFYING THE CITY OF DULUTH FOR THESE MANY YEARS, OVER 100 YEARS.

IN EACH COMMUNITY THERE ARE GARDEN CLUBS.

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET A PICTURE OF THAT SIGN OF THE GARDEN CLUBS AND THE DIFFERENT NAMES AND COMMUNITIES THEY BEAUTIFY.

WE HAVE FOUR FLOWER GARDENS, ON E HERE, ONE AT OUR COMMUNITY CLUB, ONE AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE AND ONE AT OUR MAIN ENTRANCE.

WE START OFF EARLY IN THE SPRING, BECAUSE IN ORDER TO HAVE PLANTS AND SHRUBS FOR OUR GARDENS, THE DULUTH GARDEN FLOWER SOCIETY HAS A PLANT SALE EVERY MEMORIAL WEEKEND AND WE START EARLY DIVIDING PERENNIALS AND GETTING THEM READY AND GROW THEM FOR THE PLANT SALE.

WE HAVE MEMBERS DOING THAT.

WE HAVE MEMBERS HELPING AT THE PLANT SALE.

EARLY IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER SEASON, WE CLEAR OUT THE GARDENS AND PREPARE THE GARDENS FOR PLANTING.

SO THEN WE WILL PLANT AND PRUNE BACK THE SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS THAT NEED CARE, AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, UNLESS WE HAVE WATER, THE PLANTS DON’T GROW, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS THAT VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO WATER THE FOUR GARDENS.

WE HAVE A 350 GALLON WATER TANK THAT THEY USE IN TRUCKS AND HAUL IT AROUND AND POWERED BY A LITTLE RV PUMP AND WATER THE FOUR GARDENS.

WE HAVE PLANNED WORKDAYS WHERE WE WEED AND CLEAR OUT THE DEAD FLOWERS SO THEY BLOOM ALL SUMMER LONG.

WE HAVE A SIGN-UP THAT A COUPLE PEOPLE TIME TAKE A WEEK TO DEAD HEAD AND WEED THROUGH THE SUMMER JUST TO KEEP THINGS GOING, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T DEADHEAD, THEN THE FLOWERS WON’T COME BACK.

WE DO THAT ALL SUMMER LONG, THEN IN THE FALL, WHEN WE HAVE TIME WHEN THE FLOWERS ARE ALL SPENT AND IT IS TIME TO PUT THINGS TO BED, WE HAVE ANOTHER MAJOR WORKDAY PROJECT.

AND MOWING THE LAWN, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT MOW THE LAWN.

IF THE LAWN IS NOT KEPT NICE, IT DOES NOT LOOK VERY GOOD, SO ALL THE GARDENS HAVE SOMEONE TAKING CARE OF THE MOWING.

YOU CAN SEE IT IS A LABOR-INTENSIVE ACTIVITY.

TO PLEASE THE EYE, WE PLAN SO WE HAVE COLOR IN BLOOM ALL SEASON LONG FROM EARLY SPRING TO FALL.

IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON WE HAVE TULIPS AND DAFFODILS BLOOMING, AND CONTINUALLY THROUGH THE SUMMER WE HAVE FLOWERS THAT ARE BLOOMING.

SOME YOU CAN SEE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT SPENT, AND SOME ARE STARTING TO BLOOM.

WE HOPEFULLY HAVE CONTINUOUS BLOOM SO THAT WHOEVER IS WALKING OR DRIVING BY OR MIGHT BE HAVING A GREAT OR BAD DAY MIGHT GET INSPIRATION BY LOOKING AT THE BEAUTY OF THE GARDEN.

BOB: I JUST HAVE TO THANK AMY AN D HER GROUP.

THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN MORGAN PARK.

THANK YOU, AMY, AND THE ENTIRE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT MAINTAIN THOSE GARDENS.

SHARON: WELL SAID.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

WE’LL BE BACK TO VISIT AMY AND THE MORGAN PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN LATER IN THE SHOW.

BOB, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS THIS WEEK?

BOB: I SAW THAT WATER THERE, AND WE ARE GETTING A LITTLE RAIN RIGHT NOW.

A DRIZZLE, BUT WE WILL CALL IT RAIN.

THAT MAY BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE FOLLOW ANY NUMBER OF SOURCES WHEN YOU PREDICT THE WEATHER FAR OUT, IT’S DIFFICULT.

BUT NOAA, THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, JUST CHANGED THE FORECAST FOR OUR METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST.

IT WAS GOING TO BE JUST AVERAGE, BUT A WEEK AGO THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND.

THESE ARE THE NEW MAPS FOR TO MERGERS, ABOVE AVERAGE -- FOR TEMPERATURES, ABOVE AVERAGE IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURE.

THIS SURPRISED ME A BIT.

THE MOISTURE WILL BE BELOW AVERAGE.

CONSEQUENTLY, HOT AND DRY IS WHAT WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR.

THAT COULD BE GOOD FOR US IF IT DOES NOT GET TOO HOT OR TOO DRY, BUT WE WILL HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT KIND OF GROWING SEASON.

HERE IS A FEW TIPS.

BIG ON ORGANICS.

YOU WANT TO GET ORGANICS AT THE SOIL LEVEL.

HOLD ANY MOISTURE.

SO COMPOST, GREEN THE NEWER -- GREEN MANURE, AND DON’T OVERTILL.

ANYTIME YOU TILL, YOU ARE TAKING MOISTURE OUT OF THE SOIL.

THERE ARE NO TILL TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE EFFECTIVE.

MULCHING GOES AT THE TOP OF THE SURFACE.

WHEN YOU MULCH, THAT WILL HOLD AND RETAIN THE MOISTURE.

LOVE ORGANIC MULCHES, WOOD CHIPS, PINE NEEDLES, THEY ALL WORK, BUT WE DON’T WANT TO GET THEM IN TOO EARLY.

WE WANT THE SOIL TO WARM UP FIRST.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT APPLICATION IN MID JUNE TO EARLY JULY.

YOU CAN USE BLACK POLYS.

THEY WILL HOLD IN MOISTURE AND CONTROL SOME OF THE WEEDS.

YOU WANT TO MONITOR YOUR SOIL MOISTURE.

WE FOUND MOISTURE IRREGULARITY CAN LEAD TO CERTAIN PROBLEMS.

YOU DON’T GET THE SAME KIND OF PRODUCTIVITY, SO YOU WANT A NICE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF MOISTURE.

JUST STICK YOUR FINGER IN THERE.

THAT IS THE POOR MAN’S POTENTIOMETER FOR MONITORING SOIL MOISTURE.

STICK THE FINGER IN.

IF IT IS DRY DOWN AN INCH AND A HALF, GET WATERED OUT THERE.

THINK ABOUT DRIP IRRIGATION, PERFORATED HOSES.

YOU WANT TO WATER IN THE MORNING SO IT DOES NOT EVAPORATE, SO THOSE PLANTS ARE NOT WET COMING INTO THE EVENING.

YOU WATER IN THE EVENING, WE COULD HAVE A DISEASE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

I MENTIONED CONSISTENCY.

THAT WILL BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

YOU WANT TO BE CONSCIOUS OF IT.

EVEN IF YOU NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH MOISTURE IN THE PAST,, HOT AND DRY YOU COULD GET GOOD RESULTS, BUT WATER WILL BE CRITICAL.

ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF A HOT, DRY SEASON, TOMATOES, PEPPERS, SWEETCORN, BUT MORE CHALLENGING, MELON, WE COULD GROW GOOD WATERMELONS, MAYBE GOOD CANTALOUPE.

TAKE A LOOK AT SWEET POTATOES.

GOOD CROP THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY DO LIKE IT WARMER AND DRIER.

SHARON: THANK YOU, BOB.

NOW, THOSE OF YOU AT HOME, KEEP EMAILING AND CALLING IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

LET’S GET TO A COUPLE RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE A VIEWER THAT WANTS TO PLANT A ROW OF WHITE MOUNDING PETUNIAS BUT IN THE PAST HAVE NOT HAD LUCK FINDING A HEARTY, STURDY MOUNTING PETUNIA IN WHITE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

DEB: MY OPINION ON WHITE, AND WHITE ALMOST IN ANY FLOWER CATEGORY IS THEY CAN BE SOME OF THE WEAKER STRAINS OF COLOR.

THERE IS SOME NICE MULTI-FLORALS.

IF YOU GET A SMALLER COMPACT MULTI-FLORAL WHICH HAS SMALLER BLOSSOMS, THERE IS THE CARPET FLYING SERIES.

THEY ARE JUST NICE, TIDY, AND TIGHT.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DEADHEAD THEM.

THEY WILL PERFORM NICELY INSTEAD OF THOSE SPRAWLING GRAND LAURA LARGER FLOWERS -- GRAND FLORA LARGER FLOWERS THAT HAVE A BIG SPACE ON THEIR NODES, YOU HAVE TO BE PINCHING THEM AND TAKING THE FLOWERS OFF.

BUT THE MULTI-FLORALS ARE MUCH EASIER TO MANAGE.

BOB: SOUNDS GOOD.

SHARON: LISA WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO CONTROL HORSE TAIL IN THE GARDEN AND IN THE YARD.

BOB: THERE IS A GOOD QUESTION.

[LAUGHTER] IF SHE CAN FIGURE IT OUT, SHE CAN LET US KNOW.

IT IS A VERY ANCIENT PLANT THAT REQUIRES VERY LITTLE WATER, VERY LITTLE NUTRIENTS, SO THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD YEAR FOR IT.

A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

YOU CANNOT EVEN CONTROL IT SOME OF OUR HERBICIDES IF YOU ELECT TO USE THEM.

ONE THING WE OBSERVED IS IF YOU ENHANCE THE GROWING CONDITIONS, IN OTHER WORDS GET THAT ORGANIC IN THERE, FERTILITY IN THERE, ENCOURAGED THE GROWTH OF YOUR ACTUAL VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS THAT YOU WANT TO GROW, AND FOCUS ON THEM, THE EQUIS SEAT OF DOES NOT COMPETE AS WELL IN A HIGH MOISTURE ENVIRONMENT.

I WOULD TRY THAT.

YOU CAN TRY DIGGING AND PULLING.

THERE IS AN EXTENSIVE UNDERGROUND RHIZOME SYSTEM.

YOU WILL FEEL GOOD SHORT-TERM, BUT THEY ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE AND VERY ANCIENT.

TRY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT.

FEED IT, TREATED IT WITH KINDNESS AND OFTEN TIMES -- TREAT IT WITH KINDNESS AND OFTEN TIMES THE FLOWERS YOU ARE TRYING TO GROW WILL PROSPER AND THE HORSE TAIL WILL FADE AWAY.

SHARON: ONE WANTS TO KNOW WHY YOU CANNOT FIND ONIONS IN DULUTH ANYMORE.

BOB: WHEN THAT WENT AWAY, WE ALL SHED A TEAR.

COPA IS A HYBRID, SO THERE ARE TWO PARENTS.

ONE LINE RAN OUT AFTER YEARS.

SOMETIMES THE GENETICS CHANGES, SO THEY COULD NOT GET ACROSS.

BUT WE HAVE A REPLACEMENT CALLED PATTERSON.

THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE PATTERSON PARK WE HAVE.

SPILT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT -- SPELT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

IT IS EXCEPTIONAL.

KEEPS VERY NICELY AND IS NOT TOO SHARP.

PATTERSON WOULD BE THE VARIETY THAT IS A VERY GOOD REPLACEMENT FOR COBRA.

SHARON: SAM HAS A CHRISTMAS CACTUS THAT IS VERY SENTIMENTAL, POTTED MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO.

CHRISTMAS CACTUS PADS ARE TURNING YELLOW, SOME ARE FALLING OFF.

IS THIS A WATER OR NUTRIENT ISSUE?

DEB: I FEEL IT IS A WATER ISSUE.

A LOT OF TIMES ON PLANTS YOU CAN TELL, IF YOU HAVE A FEW OF THE SAME PLANTS, A BRIGHTER, LIGHTER YELLOW WILL BE OVERLY WET, AND A DARKER GREEN WILL BE MORE DRY.

THE CHRISTMAS CACTUS, IF THEY JUST REPOTTED IT FIVE YEARS AGO, SO DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE CONTAINER, IF THEY OVERPOTTED OR NOT, IT COULD BE TOO MUCH MOISTURE.

I WOULD DO THE FINGER PROBE AND CHECK THAT FIRST OF ALL.

AND REPLACE IT WITH A DRY, ARID SOIL.

BOB: BE CAREFUL IF YOU SET THAT ONE OUT, BUT THE DEER HAPPEN TO LOVE THOSE.

I LEARNED THAT THE WRONG WAY WITH AN HEIRLOOM CHRISTMAS CACTUS.

SHARON: THOSE DISMISSED CACTUSES DO HAVE SENTIMENTAL VALUE.

-- CHRISTMAS CACTUSES TO HAVE SENTIMENTAL VALUE.

NEXT, WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE LOCAL DIRT.

DO YOU HAVE A GREEN THUMB AND A CAMERA?

GREAT GARDENING WANTS TO SEE WHAT YOU’RE GROWING.

THE LOCAL DIRT IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR GARDEN WITH THE REST OF THE NORTHLAND.

FROM YOUR BACKYARD BLOOMS TO TOMATOES ON THE BALCONY, IF IT’S GROWING IN THE NORTHLAND, WE WANT TO SHARE IT.

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO ASK@PBSNORTH.ORG AND YOU CAN BE FEATURED IN A FUTURE EPISODE AND LET EVERYONE KNOW HOW BEAUTIFUL YOUR GARDEN IS.

WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU’VE GOT GROWING THIS SEASON.

AND, WE’D LOVE TO FEATURE THE BEST OF LAST GROWING SEASON AS WELL ON THE LOCAL DIRT.

WE’VE GOT A LOT MORE GARDENING TO TALK ABOUT.

DEB, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IN STORE FOR US THIS WEEK?

DEB: I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET AHEAD OF THE FUNGUS ACT QUESTION, BECAUSE WE GET THAT QUESTION EVERY YEAR.

THIS TIME OF YEAR, WHEN PEOPLE ARE SEEDING AND WHEN PEOPLE CAN SEE SOME GROWTH ON THEIR PLANTS, THEY MIGHT THINK THEY CAN WATER THEM FREELY.

WATER IS REALLY WHAT CAUSES FUNGUS GNATS.

IF YOUR SOIL IS TOO WET, YOU END UP WITH FUNGUS GNATS, IF THERE IS A LOT OF ORGANIC MATERIAL IN THERE.

IT CAN COME IN YOUR SOIL.

IT CAN COME IN WITH PLANTS.

YOU CAN TRY TO CONTROL IT BY ALLOWING THE SOIL TO DRY OUT AND LET THE PLANTS GET DARKER GREEN.

DON’T LET THEM REALLY WILT TOO BADLY.

DO A LIGHTER WATERING.

AND WARMER TEMPS, IF YOU HAVE THEM WARMER AROUND YOUR PLANT, IT CAN USE THE MOISTURE A LOT QUICKER IF THE PLANTS CAN TOLERATE THE WARMER TEMPS.

MORE LIGHT WILL HELP THEM TRANSFER RATE THAT MOISTURE -- TRANSPIRATE THAT MOISTURE UP AND GET IT OUT OF THE SOIL.

DON’T OVER PLANT.

IF YOU ARE PUTTING IT INTO ANOTHER CONTAINER, DON’T PUT TOO BIG OF A CONTAINER FOR A SMALLER PLANT, BECAUSE THAT IS WAY EASIER TO OVERWATER.

A NEW TREATMENT I FOUND INTERESTING IS YOU CAN TAKE YOUR STICKY TRAPS AND TRY TO CONTROL THE ADULTS AND CATCH AS MANY.

YOU CAN TELL HOW BAD THE BEST PROBLEM IS BY -- THE PEST PROBLEM IS BY HOW COVERED YOUR STICKY TRAP IS.

IT IS REALLY A NUISANCE, IS ALL IT IS.

IT GENERALLY DOES NOT DO A LOT OF HARM UNLESS YOU HAVE A REALLY BAD INFESTATION.

YOU CAN TELL THAT BY YOUR STICKY TRAP, BY HOW MANY THERE ARE ON IT.

IF IT IS GETTING TO BE TOO MUCH, NOW THEY SAY YOU CAN USE THE BT IN THE MOSQUITO BITS.

THAT TO ME IS NEW AND HAS WORKED FOR ME.

BY MIXING IT INTO THE SOIL, OR YOU CAN MAKE A TEA OUT OF IT.

IF YOU ARE WATERING YOUR PLUG TREES, YOU CAN MAKE THE TEA OUT OF IT.

THE BITS ITSELF, THEY KIND OF LOOK LIKE A PEARL LIGHT -- PEARL ITE AND VERMICULITE, NATION.

ONCE YOU MAKE YOUR SOIL REALLY LIGHT, ADD THE BT TO IT, SO WHEN YOU WATER IT, IT WILL GO INTO THE SOIL AND KILL THE LARVAE.

IT ALSO LIGHTENS THE SOIL AND MAKES IT DRIER.

YOU CAN ALSO MAKE IT INTO THE TEA TO WATER WITH IT.

IT DOES PRETTY GOOD CONTROL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MANY IS TOLERABLE TO YOU.

IT IS REALLY A NUISANCE THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN A LOT OF DAMAGE FROM.

BOB: CAN WE TALK ABOUT BT?

DEB: OH RIGHT.

BOB: THESE ARE GOOD BIOLOGICALS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE.

DEB: IN THE SOIL, ANYWAY.

BOB: THE SOIL IS WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

THIS IS THE ONLY THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON FUNGUS IN THE SOIL.

THE BIG ONE IS THE ONE WE USED IN A NAME BRAND.

THAT WON’T BE EFFECTIVE HERE, NOR WILL BT SAN DIEGO WHICH WE USED TO CONTROL THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE LARVAE.

MOSQUITO CONTROL IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

SHARON: GOOD ADVICE.

NOW WE ARE GOING BACK TO MORGAN PARK TO FINISH OUR TOUR OF THEIR COMMUNITY GARDEN.

>> I GREW UP ON A FARM IN SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA.

I LIKE TO PLAY IN THE DIRT.

I GET TO MEET LOTS OF NICE NEIGHBORS.

WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE ALL LOVE GARDENING, AND WE DO IT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE LIKE TO SHARE THAT BEAUTY WITH OTHERS.

IT IS FUN TO WORK TOGETHER.

I’M NOT A GOOD SITTER, SO I WOULD RATHER BE WEEDING AND PLANTING THAN SITTING.

THERE IS A LOT OF BENEFITS.

A LITTLE BIT LAST HERE, THE BLUE.

YOU CAN SEE THE FOXGLOVE THAT ARE LIVING.

OVER HERE ARE SOME FOXGLOVE THAT HAVE ALREADY BLOOMED, BUT WE WILL LET THOSE MATURES SO WE CAN SAVE THOSE SEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR.

THESE ARE A TYPE OF ALLEY.

IN THE FRONT, SOME SHORT KSENIA -- ZENIAS.

SEVERAL LILIES BLOOMING HERE THAT ARE SO COLORFUL.

THE PINK AND THE RED.

THESE ARE BEGONIAS.

IN THE FRONT, SNAPDRAGONS.

A TYPE OF A PERENNIAL SUNFLOWER.

AND MORE FLOCKS HERE AND HERE.

THERE IS PEPPERED HYDRANGEA SHRUBS THAT WILL BE BLOOMING.

THIS IS THE BURNING BUSH.

IT WILL BE FLAME RED IN THE FALL.

THIS IS THE SUNNY SIDE.

ON THE BACKSIDE WE HAVE SHADE LOVING PLANTS JUST TO TOLERATE THE SHADE VERSUS TOLERATING THE HOT SUN.

THE GARDENS AT OUR COMMUNITY CLUB IS MORE OF A SHADY AREA.

WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY HANDS AND HOURS TO DO IT, SO THAT GARDEN IS MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT SO IT HAS MORE SHRUBS AND SHADE LOVING PLANTS.

THE GARDEN AT THE ENTRANCE, IT’S LARGER THAN THIS ONE, SO WE HAVE PERENNIALS AND ANNUALS THAT WE PEPPER IN TO MAKE SURE THERE IS LOTS OF BRIGHT COLOR.

OUR NEW GARDEN, AN OLD GARDEN ON THE OTHER ENTRANCE, WE WILL BE DOING A COMPLETE MAKEOVER INTO A NATIVE POLLINATOR GARDEN.

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT FOR A TIME IN TENDING IT.

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME ON YOUR HANDS AND WANT TO GARDEN, YOU CAN LOOK UP THE DULUTH GARDEN FLOWER SOCIETY OR DGFS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AND VOLUNTEER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN.

YOU WILL MEET A LOT OF FRIENDS AND LEARN HOW TO GARDEN.

SHARON: ISN’T IT GREAT TO SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE DOING?

REMEMBER, THERE’S STILL TIME FOR YOU TO CALL OR EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS.

LET’S ANSWER A COUPLE MORE.

WE HAVE A VIEWER THAT IS INTERESTED IN TRYING A TREE.

WHAT ARE YOUR OPINIONS?

BOB: I THINK IT IS IT IS ASPEN THAT IS MORE MARKETED.

I DON’T THINK IT IS ANYTHING THAT SPECIAL.

DEB: JUST GOOD MARKETING.

SHARON: PENNY INTO LIVE WANTS TO KNOW THE ONE PLANT YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GROWING THIS SEASON, AND WHY.

BOB: OH WOW.

DEB: MINE IS EASY.

MY BIOLUMINESCENT PETUNIA, THE FIREFLY.

I GO OUT AT NIGHT AND LOOK AT IT.

IT TAKES A LOT OF HOURS OF SUN TO GET A GOOD SHOW AND YOU HAVE TO LET YOUR EYES ADJUST TO IT.

AND IT IS SLOW, IT IS POKEY, IT IS A WHITE PETUNIA.

IT IS SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING.

BOB: I HAD TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

IF IT IS GOING TO BE WARM AND DRY, I LOVE THESE PEPPERS, RED IMPACT.

NOT A NEW VARIETY, NEW TO US.

BEAUTIFUL ROASTING PEPPER.

IF I COULD SNEAK ANOTHER WHAT IN, -- ANOTHER ONE IN, I WILL GO BACK TO SWEET POTATOES.

THERE ARE A COUPLE GREAT VARIETIES.

THERE ARE GEORGIA JET, WHICH HAVE NOT SIZED UP MUCH FOR US.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THOSE.

THEY ARE VERY COLD SENSITIVE, SO YOU WILL HOLD THEM.

YOU WILL NOT PUT THEM IN WATER WHEN YOU ORDER THEM, YOU WILL FEDERATE.

DON’T REFRIGERATE, PUT THEM IN WATER.

DO NOT REFRIGERATE.

WAIT UNTIL ABOUT THE THIRD WEEK IN JUNE.

THEY ARE VERY COLD SENSITIVE.

IF WE HAVE A WARMER SEASON, WE WILL TRY WARM SEASON CROPS.

SHARON: IS AVAILABILITY GOOD AT THIS TIME FOR STILL GETTING SWEET POTATOES?

BOB: WE ARE SO LATE, SO THE REST WILL GET STARTED EARLIER, BUT AGAIN I WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL.

I WOULD PUT THEM IN WATER, BUT I WOULD NOT PUT THEM IN THE FRIDGE.

THAT COULD BE A BAD MISTAKE.

DON’T LET THAT WATER TRY UP.

SET THEM UP LIKE ANOTHER TRANSPLANT.

MOST OF THEM COME FROM GEORGIA OR TENNESSEE.

THEY ARE A NICE CROP, PARTICULARLY IF IT IS WARMER AND DRIER, SO WE WILL TRY THOSE.

SHARON: BONNIE WANTS TO PLANT A PURPLE FLOWER TO REDUCE MOWING HER LAWN.

IN LOOKING FOR ONE THAT GROWS TIGHTLY SO SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO WEED.

BOB: I’M JUST CHUCKLING BECAUSE A PURPLE FLOWER THAT GROWS IN YOUR LAWN.

[LAUGHTER] DEB: SHE WANTS TO REPLACE HER LAWN?

SHARON: JUST REDUCE.

DEB: THERE ARE SOME NICE LAME HIM THAT HAVE PURPLE FLOWERS.

LAMIUM CAN TAKE THE FULL SUN AND LIKE TO CRAWL, SO YOU COULD MIX THAT.

BOB: I THINK SHE WANTS TO REPLACE THAT.

THERE IS LOTS OF TALK ABOUT BEE LAWNS, BUT IT IS THE PURPLE THAT IS DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING.

THERE ARE OTHER VARIETIES.

PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT THE WHITE CLOVER, MIX THAT IN WITH YOUR GRASS LAWN, YOU CAN MOW THAT LOWER.

THIS DOES NOT GIVE YOU THAT PURPLE COLOR.

BUT THAT COULD BE A NICE SUBSTITUTE FOR THESE OTHER SPECIES.

SHARON: SO SANDY WANTS TO KNOW TWO THINGS.

WHEN SHOULD YOU PUT PHEROMONE PACKETS OUT TO PREVENT THE IPS BEETLE, AND TWO, WHEN SHOULD YOU START CANNIBULBS INSIDE?

DEB: BULBS YOU CAN START INSIDE RIGHT NOW.

EASY.

BOB: FOR THE BEETLES, YOU WANT TO BE VERY ALERT.

I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE STABILITY.

WHEN THINGS ARE IN FULL FLOWER, PROBABLY LOOKING AT ABOUT JULY 1.

SHARON: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ONE LAST QUESTION FROM WAYNE, WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT MILKWEED SEEDS?

DEB: I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN ALREADY.

IT IS A FALL THING.

COMPLETELY NATURALIZED.

BOB: THEY NEED IT COLD.

DEB: YOU COULD START THEM RIGHT NOW.

GET THEM IN THE FREEZER.

BOB: OR AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

A MONTH FROM NOW.

SHARON: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING ON GREAT GARDENING.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED TODAY’S EPISODE.

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS ANSWERING THE PHONES TONIGHT.

AND OF COURSE, A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR GARDENING EXPERTS, DEB BYRNS ERICKSON AND BOB OLEN, FOR SHARING THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE.

WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME WITH EVEN MORE TIPS TO HELP YOU GROW A BEAUTIFUL AND SUCCESSFUL GARDEN THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.

GOOD NIGHT!

♪