HOLE IN THE BOTTOM CAN BECOME A PLANTER.

>> WHEN WE MOVED HERE, THIS WAS JUST A HAYFIELD.

>> IT GIVES YOU THAT INNER PEACE.

IF IT IS A BAD DAY, GET OUT TO THE GARDEN.

♪ SHARON: HELLO, AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER EPISODE OF "GREAT GARDENING."

I'M YOUR HOST, SHARON YUNG.

TONIGHT, WE ARE COVERING SOIL HEALTH TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR THE GROWING SEASON.

PLUS, WE'RE TAKING A TOUR OF A GARDEN IN MOOSE LAKE, MINNESOTA, WHICH FEATURES PLENTY OF ECLECTIC DECOR.

AS USUAL, WE HAVE OF OUR GARDEN EXPERTS WITH US.

THEY ARE HORTICULTURIST AND EDUCATOR, BOB OLEN.

AND GARDEN PROFESSIONAL, DEB BYRNS ERICKSON.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM GARDENERS ACROSS THE REGION WHO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR OUR EXPERTS.

VOLUNTEERS FROM THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS PROGRAM ARE HERE TO ANSWER THE PHONES WHEN YOU CALL IN.

CALL LOCALLY OR TOLL-FREE, 218-788-2847, OR E-MAIL US AT OUR NEW E-MAIL, ASK@PBSNORTH.ORG.

LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS TODAY.

THE SNOW IS GONE BUT WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH GROWING YET.

BOB: WE DO HAVE GREEN AND THE LANDSCAPES.

IT IS GORGEOUS OUT.

SHARON: BOB, YOU WANTED TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON SOIL HEALTH.

BOB: IT REALLY DOES START WITH THE SOIL.

WE USE THE EXPRESSION GROWING FROM THE GROUND UP.

YOU REALLY WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE SOIL RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING TOO MUCH PLANTING, THAT WILL WAIT LONGER UNTIL SOILS WARM UP.

WE HAVE SOME SAMPLES HERE THAT WE WILL SHOW YOU IN A MOMENT THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE TYPES OF SOILS THAT WE HAVE READ AND WE HAVE TWO TYPES OF SOIL, ORGANIC AND INORGANIC.

THE ORGANIC COMES FROM PLANT MATERIAL.

INORGANIC COMES FROM ROCK.

WE HAVE A GOOD EXAMPLE, WE ARE FORTUNATE IN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF PETE WHICH IS UTILIZED.

THIS IS PLANT MATERIAL THAT STARTS THIS PROCESS OF PRODUCING PEET.

WE HAVE PETE MOSS.

IT ACTUALLY DEGRADES IN A BOG AREA WHERE THERE IS NOT A LOT OF OXYGEN SO IT DOES NOT GET COMPLETELY DECOMPOSED.

THIS IS COURTESY OF DEB.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEET.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND IT IS THE BASIS FOR A LOT OF OUR POTTING SOIL MIXES.

THEY ARE PEET-BASED.

SO WE HAVE PEET MOSS, PEET AND OUR SOIL MIXES.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE INORGANIC.

WE HAVE SAND, WHICH PEOPLE ARE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH HERE.

WE HAVE SAND AND AN INTERMEDIATE SIZE, IT IS ALL ABOUT PARTICLE SIZE.

SO WE HAVE SILTS.

AND WE HAVE THE SMALLEST PARTICLE SIZE, THESE ARE THE C LAYS IN THE AREA.

EACH ONE OF THESE COMPONENTS HAS SOME ADVANTAGES.

THE NICE ADVANTAGE OF SAND IS THAT WATER WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH IT READILY.

CLAY, IT REALLY HOLDS AND RETAINS NUTRIENTS.

WHAT WE REALLY LIKE IS OUR LAST SAMPLE HERE.

THIS IS A COMBINATION OF THESE THREE SOIL PARTICLE TYPES SO WE GET THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS.

IT GIVES YOU SOME OF THE ORGANIC, SOME OF THEM BUS PROPERTIES OF ALL THREE OF THESE SOIL TYPES.

THEY ARE A COMBINATION OF ALL THESE SOIL PARTICLE SIZES.

WE HAVE SOMETIMES A CLAY LOAM, A SANDY LOAM.

THEY ARE A COMBINATION.

THAT IS WHAT THE TERM LOAM REFERS TO.

SHARON: LET'S GET TO SOME QUESTIONS.

PAT IS ASKING ABOUT A PORCUPINE THAT IS CLIMBING THE MATURE COTTONWOOD TREE AND EATING THE TWIGS AND BUDS.

IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN DO TO DETER THE PORCUPINE AND IT IS HARMING THE TREE?

BOB: PORCUPINES ARE REALLY TOUGH.

THEY CAN KILL A TREE.

COTTONWOOD, I HAVE SEEN THEM IN WHITE PINES.

IT IS TOUGH TO CONTROL SHORT OF DISPOSING OF THEM.

DEB: CALLING A TRAPPER AND HAVING THEM TAKE CARE OF IT.

BOB: THEY CAN BE A CHALLENGE AND YOU NEVER WANT TO LET A DOG NEAR THEM.

THEY CAN BE DETRIMENTAL.

SHARON: JOEL IS WONDERING WHERE HE CAN BUY FAST-GROWING PINE TREES IN THE AREA.

DEB: THE COUNTY IS A GOOD SOURCE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL ROOT, YOU GET THAT TREAT IN AND IT WILL GET GROWING QUICKER THAN ONCE YOU ARE JUST TRANSPLANTING THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.

BOB: I THINK IN MOST CASES, HE WANTS TO GO THROUGH HIS STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

BECAUSE HE HAS THE LATER SANDS IN THAT AREA, ALL THE PLANTS WILL GROW PRETTY QUICKLY.

CHECK WITH THE DAM APARTMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

SHARON: THANK YOU.

GOOD QUESTIONS.

LAST SUMMER, WE VISITED KAREN JOHNSON IN MOOSE LAKE, MINNESOTA.

SHE SHOWED US HER HOSTA AND FLOWER GARDENS, AS WELL AS SOME QUIRKY ITEMS THAT MAKE UNIQUE GARDEN FEATURES.

>> I AM KAREN JOHNSON.

I LIVE IN MOOSE LAKE.

WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, OUR FLOWERBEDS AND GARDEN HAVE CHANGED A LOT OVER THE YEARS.

THERE WAS NO GARAGE.

AND THE HOUSE HAD NOT A SINGLE PLANT.

OVER THE YEARS, THAT HAS CHANGED.

OUR HOSTA DO WELL IN MINNESOTA, THEY LIKE OUR TEMPERATURES.

I LIKE MY HOSTA A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.

WHEN THEY DO GROW AND SPREAD, I HAVE AT TIMES DIVIDED THEM, BUT I LIKE THEM WHEN THEY GET BIG AND FILL IN YOUR FLOWER BED.

THEY CAN GET BY WITH A LITTLE MORE DRYNESS.

THIS ONE IS WOLVERINE.

THE STRIPES, THE YELLOW IS SO BRIGHT WITH THE TWO SHADES OF GREEN.

AS YOU CAN SEE, I LIKE TO PUT LITTLE EMBELLISHMENTS IN THE FLOWERBEDS, SO THAT WE HAVE THE PLANTS.

HERE WE HAVE A MUSHROOM AND A FLYING BIRD.

THIS PLANT ALSO LIKES THE SHADE AND THAT COMES IN THE ONES AND TALL ONS.

-- SHORT-TERM ONES AND TALL ONES.

I LIKE THE SWAN.

I LIKE THINGS TO ADD INTEREST TO YOUR FLOWER BED.

I HAVE A MASON BE HOUSE.

YOU DRILL THE HOLES AND THE BEES COME ALONG AND FILL IT IN.

IN THE SPRING, YOU NEED TO DRILL THE HOLES OUT AGAIN FOR THE NEWBIES.

-- NEW BEES.

>> IS THAT AN OLD MAILBOX?

>> YES, IT IS.

MY NEIGHBORS THROUGH IT AWAY AND I ASKED IF THEY MINDED IF I TAKE IT OUT AND AND THEY SAID NO.

WE HAVE A BIRD IN IT TO MAKE IT INTERESTING.

THE BIRDS WILL SPREAD IT.

IT SMELLED SO WONDERFUL.

SHARON: BOB, LET'S CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT SOIL.

BOB: WE HAVE A FEW SLIDES HERE.

DO NOT OVERLOOK THE SOIL, IT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING.

YOU WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE STRUCTURE AND QUALITY.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES, INORGANIC VERSUS ORGANIC.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS.

THE ORGANIC CAME FROM PLANTS, THE INORGANICS CAME FROM ROCK.

TEXTURE IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.

YOU CAN MODIFY ALL OF YOUR SOILS.

YOU WANT THE WATER TO DRAIN, YET NOT TOO FAST.

WITH LOAM, YOU GET THE BEST OF ALL THE COMBINATIONS.

YOU WANT TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS OF NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY.

PLANT NUTRITION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE 18 NUTRIENTS OUT THERE.

WE ARE NOW BEGINNING TO SEE SULFUR DEFICIENCIES BECAUSE WE NO LONGER HAVE SULFUR COMING FROM OUR COAL BURNING ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANTS.

SO THAT IS ANOTHER TEST.

THE ONLY WAY YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AT, LET US TAKE A SOIL TEST.

WE CAN MAKE UP FOR ANY DEFICIENCIES.

OUR SOILS ALWAYS BENEFIT FROM ORGANICS.

WE GET ALL OF THIS BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY.

A HEALTHY SOIL HAS LIGHT TEXTURE, IT IS POROUS, IT CONTAINS NUTRIENTS.

FROM THE NUTRIENTS WE GET THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY.

IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR NUTRIENT RELEASE AS THE PLANTS BEGIN TO GROW LATER.

SHARON: LET'S GET TO SOME MORE QUESTIONS.

OF YOU WERE AS WONDERING IF THEY CAN SAVE THEIR RHODODENDRONS THAT WERE CRUSHED BY THE HEAVY SNOW.

THAT IS FROM TERRY IN THE WOODLAND AREA.

BOB: YOU ARE GOING TO TRY TO SUPPORT THEM IF YOU CAN.

THE RHODODENDRONS AND THE AZALEAS, THEY DO LIKE ACIDITY.

A LITTLE BIT OF AN ACIDIFIED FERTILIZER.

STEAK THEM UP, PRUNE GENTLY, DO NOT CUT THEM BACK, THEY WILL RECOVER ON THEIR OWN.

SHARON: BRENDA HAS JUMPING WORMS IN HER COMPOST.

SHE DOES NOT WANT TO GET THEM INTO HER GARDENS.

WHAT CAN SHE DO TO KEEP THEM FROM SPREADING?

BOB: IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT JUMPING WORMS.

WE HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH A TRUE JUMP IN WARM.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE SHE IS.

I WOULD DRAG CLEAR POLY OVER THEM AND STILL ARISE THEM.

-- THAT WILL SOLARIZE THEM.

I WOULD DISPOSE OF THEM.

DEB: YES, DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

AND DO IT RIGHT AWAY.

JUST GET ON IT.

THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE WORST IT WILL GET.

SHARON: KAREN IN DULUTH IS WONDERING HOW SHE CAN GET RID OF BUCKTHORN ALONG THE DRIVEWAY?

IT IS GROWING INTO HER ORNAMENTAL TREES.

BOB: IT IS TOUGH AND INVASIVE.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A CRACK AT THAT?

DEB: YOU CAN TRY TO DIG IT OUT.

BOB: YES, YOU CAN DIG IT OUT.

FRANKLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO GET TO VERY AGGRESSIVE REMOVAL PROGRAM.

IF YOU CUT IT DOWN WITH A CHAINSAW, YOU WILL HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO TREAT THE STUMP.

THEIR LABEL FOR THE SIZE FOR -- THERE ARE ARE LABELED PESTICIDES FOR CONTROL OF THAT.

IT IS VERY INVASIVE AND IT CAN BE CONTROLLED, BUT YOU WILL PROBABLY USE SOME KIND OF A LABELED HERBICIDE.

SHARON: LINDA IS WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT [INDISCERNIBLE] DEB: I LOVE MY BEES.

WE DID IT LAST YEAR AND IT WAS SO HARD TO CATCH UP FROM.

IT IS JUST A MESS WHEN YOU TRY TO CATCH BACK UP TO IT.

IT IS DIFFICULT.

I ADMIRE SOMEONE WHO CAN MANAGE IT.

MAYBE YOU CAN DO IT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE GRASSES SLOW TO COME UP.

LAST MAY, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

BOB: IT CAME OUT OF APPLETON, WISCONSIN.

THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE IF YOU DO NOT MOW ANYTHING, YOU HATE JUNE 1 AND YOU HAVE ALL THIS GRASS, IF YOU GO TO A HIGH MOW MAY, THE DANDELIONS WILL STILL FLOWER UNDERNEATH AS WELL YOUR CLOVERS AND THEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS BIG MESS AT THE END TO CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS.

SHARON: WE HAVE OF YOU WERE THAT HAS A RED SYLVIA THAT HAS BLACK SPOTS ON THE LEAVES.

WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO I TREAT IT?

DEB: SHE HAS BLACK SPOTS ON RED SYLVIA THAT SHE STARTED ON SEEDS?

IT CAN COME FROM BEING GROWN TOO TIGHT AND WATER BEING ON THE LEAF.

YOU CAN ENVIRONMENTALLY TREAT IT BY SPREADING IT OUT, TREATED WITH SOME PESTICIDE -- FUNGICIDES, BUT, I WOULD BE GUESSING THAT IF SHE JUST SPREAD IT OUT THAT IF SHE JUST AIRED IT OUT, GOT IT INTO THE SUNSHINE AND SHE CAN TAKE OFF THOSE LEADS THAT HAVE BLACK SPOTS IN THE PLANT WILL NOT HAVE TO KEEP TRYING TO REPAIR IT.

ENVIRONMENTALLY, SHE CAN TREAT MOST OF THAT.

BOB: UNLIKE YOUNG SEEDLING, THEY CAN BE -- ON A YOUNG SEEDLING, THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS.

SPREADING OUT, DOING ALL THE CULTURAL THINGS YOU POSSIBLY CAN , MINIMIZE OVERWATERING.

TRY TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT UNTIL THAT SEEDLING CAN GET STRONGER AND LARGER.

SHARON: DEBBIE IS WONDERING HOW SHE MENDS THE SOIL TO GROW A METAL OR A PRAIRIE?

BOB: DOES SHE REALLY WANT A MEADOW OR A PRAIRIE?

WE ARE REALLY NOT VERY COUNTRY HERE.

IT IS NOT ADVISABLE JUST TO PUT UP HER TREATMENTS OUT THERE.

INSTEAD LOOK FOR SOME OF YOUR NATIVE MATERIAL.

THEY DO NOT NEED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL NITROGEN.

I WOULD BE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NATIVE MIXES.

DEB: I AM NOT SURE IF SHE BOUGHT A MIX AND IT WAS NOT FOR OUR AREA.

YOU HAVE TO READ WHAT IS IN IT AND MAKE SURE IT WILL WORK LONG-TERM FOR US.

SHARON: THANKS BOTH OF YOU FOR THE INSIGHTS.

JUST A REMINDER FOR OUR VIEWERS, GREAT GARDENING IS STILL ACCEPTING PHOTOS FOR "THE LOCAL DIRT."

IT'S OUR SERIES WHERE WE SHOW OFF YOUR GARDEN PHOTOS LIVE ON AIR.

YOU CAN SEND YOUR GARDEN PHOTOS TO OUR NEW E-MAIL, GREATGARDENING@PBS NORTH.ORG.

OR YOU CAN MESSAGE YOUR PHOTOS TO OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE AT GREAT GARDENING PBS NORTH.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE WHAT YOU'VE GROWN!

MOVING ON.

DEB, YOU WANTED TO COVER AN INTERESTING TOPIC TONIGHT, RIGHT?

DEB: IT IS CONTAINER GARDENING.

GROWING IN CONTAINERS, WHETHER IT IS VEGETABLES OR JUST ORNAMENTALS.

IT STARTS WITH THE CONTAINER, ANYTHING THAT WILL HOLD SOIL AND HAS GOOD DRAINAGE.

THE LARGER THE CONTAINER, THE EASIER OF THE CARE WILL BE.

LARGE CONTAINERS ARE MORE STABLE IN THE WIND AND WITH PETS, YOU CAN ALMOST USE IT AS A HOSE GUIDE.

YOU JUST HAVE TO SET IT OUT AND NO WHERE IT IS GOING BEFORE YOU START TO FILL IT AND TRY TO MOVE IT.

THE SECOND THING IS THE SOIL.

IN A LARGE CONTAINER, YOU CAN USE GARDEN SOIL AND TOPSOIL ON THE BOTTOM, BUT I WOULD USE THE BEST PEET MIX ON TIME THAT IS NICE AND STERILE.

AND ALWAYS TOPPED IT WITH THE CLEANEST, LIGHTEST SOIL MIX SO THAT YOU CUT DOWN ON WHEAT GERMINATION.

-- WE GERMINATION.

-- WEED NUMBER THREE IS PLANT SELECTION.

FIGURE OUT WHERE THE CONTAINER IS GOING TO GO.

PUT YOUR CONTAINER WHERE YOU WANT FOR SON OR SHADE.

YOU CAN ALSO USE PERENNIALS ARE SMALL SHRUBS TO BULK UP FOR THE SUMMER.

THEN PLANT FOR THE FALL.

THEY CAN PLANT DIFFERENT TEXTURES THAT ARE KIND OF UNUSUAL IN THE CONTAINER.

FOURTH IS THE WATERING.

IN A LARGER CONTAINER IT IS EASIER TO DO BECAUSE OF WATERING.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE FIRST PLANTING YOUR CONTAINERS, DO NOT CONTACT THE SOIL.

LET THE WATER DO THE WORK FOR YOU.

PUT YOUR SOIL IN LIGHTLY AND WATER THOROUGHLY WITH THE FIRST WATER.

THE FIRST WATER IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU CAN LET THEM SET UNTIL YOU SEE THEM GROWING OR DRAINED OUT, THEN YOU CAN WATER THEM AGAIN.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE CONTAINER.

THE BIGGER THE CONTAINER, THE FEWER THE WATERING'S, THE LOWER THE MAINTENANCE.

THE SMALLER ONES WILL NEED THEM DAILY.

WINDY AND SUNNY LOCATIONS NEED MORE WATER.

WE ALWAYS APPLY ALL SLOW RELEASE -- A SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER, SO THAT WHEN THE PLANT IS GROWING, THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE FERTILIZER.

ALSO, WE LIKE WATER-SOLUBLE.

YOU CAN WATER IT DOWN TO MAKE A LIGHT BLUE COLOR OF IT.

OR YOU CAN USE A ONCE A WEEK AND DO HEAVIER FERTILIZING WITH YOUR WATER-SOLUBLE SPIRIT THAT WILL GET THE BIG BLOOMS COME IN.

THE MORE BLOOMS, THE MORE WATER YOU WILL NEED.

YOU CAN DO A LOT IN THE CONTAINER.

YOU CAN GROW A LOT OF STUFF.

BOB: THE OTHER THING THAT I MIGHT MENTION HIS LOOK FOR THOSE WATER-SOLUBLE FERTILIZERS TO HAVE SOME TRAITS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEET MIXES.

LOOK FOR THE TRACE NUTRIENTS.

DEB: IF YOU ARE USING REAL SOIL AND NOT JUST SOIL FREE MIXES, THEY ARE A GREAT BUFFER SO YOU WILL NOT SEE THAT NUTRITIONAL IMBALANCE.

IT HELPS TO KEEP YOUR PLANTS HEALTHY.

SHARON: THANK YOU.

LET'S WRAP THINGS UP WITH A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE OF YOU WERE THAT HAS GERANIUMS.

WHEN CAN THEY GO OUTSIDE?

DEB: I WOULD BE CUTTING THEM BACK NOW.

YOU CAN GO AS MUCH AS HALF WAY BACK RIGHT NOW.

IT WILL DELAY THE BLOOM, BUT IT WILL BE MUCH HEALTHIER AND PRETTIER LOOKING IN THE LONG RUN.

BOB: GERANIUMS DO NOT HAVE A STORAGE STRUCTURE.

CUTTING THEM BACK NOW WILL DELAY THE BLOOM UNTIL PROBABLY AFTER JULY SO BUY SOME NEW MATERIAL EVERY YEAR.

THEY WILL BLOOM EARLY AND THAT YOU WILL EVENTUALLY -- THE NEW STUFF YOU BUY WILL BLOOM EARLY.

YOU KEEP ROTATING IT THROUGH THIS KIND OF CYCLE.

SHARON: THAT'S ALL FOR "GREAT GARDENING" TONIGHT.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS -- ON INSTAGRAM @GREATGARDENINGPBSNORTH, AND ON YOUTUBE AT YOUTUBE.COM/GREATGARDENING, WHERE YOU CAN FIND TONIGHT'S EPISODE POSTED TOMORROW.

THANKS, BOB AND DEB.

YOU TWO WERE GREAT TONIGHT.

BOB: WE ENJOYED THE EVENING.

SPRING IS FINALLY HERE AND IT FEELS GOOD.

SHARON: FROM ALL OF US HERE AT "GREAT GARDENING," WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, AND ENJOY THE GARDEN.