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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.
![Close up of fencing buried under soil and mulch with small green plant inside.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Buried-hardware-cloth-fencing.png?h=b26af281&itok=GJrqCluo)
Winter weather is tough enough on plants. Use these strategies to protect your plants from animal browsers.
![Screenshot of the 2023 USDA Minnesota Plant Hardiness Zone Map - a map of Minnesota with assigned colored zones](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/2023-USDA-Minnesota-plant-hardiness-zone-map.png?h=701f4c72&itok=7X1Ye-Ly)
Using data collected from over 13,000 weather stations during a 30-year period, the new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map provides higher resolution and more accurate zonal information.
![Large bumble bee feeding on a flower.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Male%20Lemon%20Cuckoo.jpg?h=b8642d57&itok=YDGR31Jq)
Rather than create their own colonies, lemon cuckoo bumble bees take over the nests of other bumble bees. Though this sounds aggressive, their behavior can indicate a healthy pollinator ecosystem.
![Chidi Chidozie discussing plants with two women.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Chidi.jpg?h=ed200f32&itok=VS9lyDX_)
University of Minnesota collaboration on traditional plants broadens to include more farmers and gardeners from African nations.
![White, powdery insects under the joint where a leaf meets a plant stem.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/009%20Mealybug%20close%20up%20-%20Jeff%20Hahn%20Univeristy%20of%20Minnesota%20Extension.jpg?h=ca8ee002&itok=UFeTMGpL)
Inspecting and cleaning plants before bringing them back inside can reduce the chances of pests like mealybugs from taking up winter residence in your house.
![Three large borwon hens pecking on a lawn.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Backyard%20chickens_0.jpg?h=a867213f&itok=pzHjNuAo)
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Meeker County as of October 11, 2023.
![Lady bugs crawling on the inside of a window.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/malb-window-hahn.jpg?h=c8c3bf27&itok=CTkeiqu6)
Minnesota is home to a few species of insects with a very specific place they want to spend the winter — in our homes.
![Vegetables with rotting, fuzzy spots lined up on a table.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/phytophthora.jpg?h=cd8c3b75&itok=5eydeZ9V)
Plant diseases that were held back by the drought are rearing up now. How far can diseases spread and what plants are at risk?
![Multi colored carrots placed in a circle with the tips in the center and the greens surrounding the outside of the photo.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/rainbow-colored-carrots.jpg?h=16ce8f19&itok=bmCYfurO)
How do you choose the best tomato or zinnia for your garden when you have so many options to choose from? We'll help you narrow it down.
![Yellow aphids clustered along a plant stem.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/oleanderaphid1_400px.jpg?h=1a61846b&itok=9t5yM_rg)
The combination of dish soap and water is often referred to as the holy grail for managing insects from aphids to Japanese beetles. Does it work?
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