We'll remind you of the stories that appear on this page and offer gardening tips throughout the season. We send to your email once a month — and maybe twice when the season is in full swing!
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Be observant
It’s been a different sort of winter. As gardeners, we need to pay close attention to what is happening in our landscapes as spring arrives.
- Watch for insects (see Marissa Schuh’s article).
- Feel your soil and water it if it's dry, followed by mulching (leaf mulch works great).
- Prune off winter dieback.
- And keep good records on how your plants are performing.
![Hydrangea shrubs with pink and white flower heads.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/hydrangea-paniculata-Limelight.jpg?h=d9c81cde&itok=uOp3MYGQ)
Hydrangeas are one of the most popular blooming woody shrubs in Minnesota landscapes. How and when to prune them depends on the shrub.
![Long, rectangular area on a larger grass lawn, marked by stakes and string outlining smaller squares. Some squares have patchy grass growing and others have seed, fertilizer and other materials in them.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/fine-fescue-research-35-days.jpg?h=511ed2e9&itok=g7b_3UQI)
We often see dead patches or bare spots as the snow disappears and lawns green up. This can be caused by a number of winter stresses. Here are some things to consider when choosing products or DIY approaches to patching these areas.
![Spinach plant with flower head in garden.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/bolting-spinach.jpg?h=a7de37bf&itok=iQfTErC5)
Bolting, lack of head formation, and bitterness in Brassicas, lettuce and spinach are common problems with cool-season spring vegetables. Find out how to deal with them.
![Row of raspberries trellised with wire in a home garden.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/raspberry-trellis-home-garden.jpg?h=f8ad73a0&itok=Wvl3l1ak)
Raspberries are easy to grow and maintain, and start producing fruit in the first or second year. If properly trellised, you can keep the canes and fruit off the ground and leave enough walking space on each side for harvest.
![Community garden with fenced plots and large out building in the background.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Chisago%20-%202018%20-%202.jpg?h=9ebe9075&itok=q4XnzVhf)
CDC guidelines are still in place for community gardens but have been revised. See the updated safety protocols for COVID-19.
To fertilize or not to fertilize? We explain the why, when, what and how of feeding your garden and house plants to keep them healthy and growing throughout the season.
![Various perennial plants growing in a timber wall along a building.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/perennials-retaining-wall.jpg?h=bcb68932&itok=LpBI_0I6)
Choosing plants that grow well in your current site conditions is the key to a healthy and long-lived landscape that looks great. Both air and drainage help create a good growing environment for plant roots.
![Wasp eggs on the back of a hornworm crawling on a leaf.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/tomatohornworm2_600px.jpg?h=1400f0de&itok=oG9lZs75)
While cover crops usually do not attract more pests to your landscape, they can attract different insects or make certain diseases worse. We'll help you narrow down which cover crops to plant while maximizing their pest-fighting skills.
![Salt damage on a patch of grass near a sidewalk.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/salt_damage.jpeg?h=367e2c38&itok=e5ni9-i1)
Lawns will start greening up as air and soil temperatures rise over the next month. Impacts from winter stresses may become visible as the snow melts. Here are a few general indicators to explain winter injury.
![Dying aloe plant with white cottony bugs on it.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/dying%20aloe%20plant.jpg?h=ed26bcd0&itok=5eLlQ19F)
As our days lengthen and warm up, we turn our thoughts to gardening outdoors. But remember that your houseplants still need care. There are several things you can do to prevent pests and diseases on your houseplants.
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