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Stop pruning, keep watering
Pruning plants, particularly trees and shrubs, can cause the plant to react by putting on new growth at the cut point. This new growth is unlikely to fully emerge in time to sufficiently harden off (go dormant) before cold temperatures hit. Unless you have to prune off a broken branch or a branch that is blocking a door or window, avoid the urge to prune.
But keep on watering when rainfall is insufficient (which it has been in the central and southern parts of the state). Water up until the ground is frozen (or you have to turn off your outdoor spigot). Consider emptying your rain barrel onto the root zone of your favorite evergreen tree or shrub. These plants must have enough moisture to hold onto their needles or leaves through the winter.
You can manage invasive woody plants using chemical and non-chemical methods.
Seymour continues to grow. He is headed for the St. Croix Growers pumpkin weigh-off at the Stillwater Minnesota Harvest Fest, Oct. 8.
Most apple varieties available to home gardeners in Minnesota are harvested after mid-September and before Halloween.
If you have included geraniums in your garden this year, you can bring them indoors to save for next year’s garden.
If you are saving seeds, now is the time to start collecting them.
It is time to bring in the houseplants you have kept outside this summer. Here's what to do before you bring them back indoors.
How much will purple carrot-seed moth matter in Minnesota? Reporting this insect can help us figure that out.
We tried out different plant identification apps to see how well they did at ID-ing aquatic plants (including some invasive plants). See how to get the best ID out of the app you choose.
Over-fertilizing lawns and gardens matters for a variety of reasons. When there is excess phosphorus in the environment, it can leach into lakes and rivers, causing toxic algal blooms.
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Permission is granted to news media to republish our news articles with credit to University of Minnesota Extension. Images also may be republished; please check for specific photographer credits or limited use restrictions in the photo title.