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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.
![Small grey trees with twisted vertical branches against a snowy woodland area.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/willow-ScarletCurls-winter.jpg?h=8120fdbf&itok=EHdFIJjT)
February and March are good months for pruning some of our woody landscape plants.
![Two green tomatoes on the vine.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/green-tomatoes_0.jpg?h=c0835d05&itok=DC2MOrNw)
Thinking about growing Brandywine tomatoes, burpless cucumbers, daikon radishes, Chinese cabbage or purple eggplant this year? Check out the Minnesota Master Gardener seed trial results before buying seeds.
![bee on crimson clover](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/5-24-21Bee%20on%20clover.jpg?h=7d98a9ed&itok=9T3Q1sfd)
Cover crops provide nitrogen for growing healthy vegetables without over fertilizing. Our new video highlights the many benefits of summer cover crops and how to grow them easily in your home garden.
![Two tan deer in a green wheat field with buildings and a dirt road in the background and a sign in the forefront that says "University of Minnesota Living Laboratory."](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Deer-on-campus.jpg?h=7d00314b&itok=n9DF4HFW)
Reduced wildlife habitat can make even the most skittish animal turn to alternative food and habitat sources - including our home landscapes.
![Red and white lily-like flowers amidst other plants by a large window.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Amaryllis-in-window.jpg?h=616c2941&itok=OjcUXzIq)
A forgotten amaryllis can surprise you with how it bounces back.
![Man in winter clothing using a snowblower to remove snow from a driveway and blowing it onto a birch tree and two large spruce trees.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/snow-removal-yard.jpg?h=7fd71791&itok=cpqWW7mg)
Weather extremes and variability during Minnesota winters can cause cold damage to plants. You can prevent some of it.
![a large yellow and black cicada killer wasp](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Cicada-killer.jpg?h=8399bbc1&itok=6M2PbBZ-)
The last few years have brought a new appreciation for the wide diversity of bees in Minnesota. Wasps have a similar diversity, and arguably provide even more beneficial services than bees do.
![adult squash bug on leaf](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/squash-bugs-1_0.jpg?h=8d3d8d8a&itok=RGtOe3i-)
Where have all the bugs gone? Both our insect friends and foes have different strategies for surviving a Minnesota winter.
![orange butterfly with brown edges and white spots. It rests upon some goldenrod flowers](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/regal%20fritillary%20by%20Larry%20Reis.jpg?h=2987c0c9&itok=psbq4uI7)
Dakota County is the home base for Sam Talbot, an Extension educator who is helping to reintroduce the prairie violet.
![Small, red crabapples hang from a branch covered in snow.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/crabapples-snow-1.jpg?h=7cb859a2&itok=67tt6ckh)
Happy holidays from the Extension horticulture team! Here's a rundown of giving ideas for you and your favorite gardener.
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