Green thumb a little frosty?
Gardening doesn't have to stop during Minnesota's cold winter months!
Enjoy and care for cut flowers and plants indoors while looking forward to spring. The
University's Minnesota Gardening Calendar 2007 offers tips for year-round gardening pleasure:
- In February, select favorite flower and vegetable seeds from mail order and internet catalogs. Some may be direct-seeded once the ground warms in May. Others need additional time (usually eight weeks) growing indoors under lights before they're ready to transplant into the garden.
- By March, resume fertilizing houseplants because days are longer, the sun is higher in the sky and sunlight is more intense. Use a product higher in nitrogen (the first number of the analysis) if plants are grown primarily for their foliage. For flowering plants, pick a product that's balanced (all numbers the same) or lower in nitrogen. Either way, always mix and apply fertilizer at half-strength.
- Throughout the winter months, make foraging for winter food easier for birds by selecting landscape plants that offer fruits, seeds, nectar or insects. Keep bird feeders filled.
For reliable information about insects, plant diseases, gardening activities and landscaping in cold climates, visit www.extension.umn.edu
It's not too late to order the Minnesota Gardening Calendar 2007
Gardeners have relied on this calendar for monthly gardening tips for over 15 years knowing that the information they count on comes from the University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.
Enjoy beautiful photos celebrating each month, practical and proven indoor and outdoor gardening tips for this region and a special section on how to attract birds to your garden year round