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!
Want to be alerted when new articles are published? Sign up for Yard & Garden News.
Start seeds now for warm season crops
Warm season vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant as well as some herbs like basil, oregano and marjoram should be started indoors 6-8 weeks before our last frost date (mid to late May for southern and central Minnesota, and late May to early June for the north). Use a germination mix from your garden center or mix your own and plant in plastic pots or peat pots. Keep seedlings warm and moist, and use grow lights as needed. For more tips, see Starting seeds indoors.
February and March are good months for pruning some of our woody landscape plants.
Avian flu never left the United States in 2022 like it did in 2015. So it’s likely that by the end of March, Minnesota will again start to see the virus affect chickens, turkeys and wild waterfowl.
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.
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.
Holiday cacti are often handed down through generations and can live for more than 100 years. Wild cacti are endangered, so be sure to buy them from a reputable source.
Reduced wildlife habitat can make even the most skittish animal turn to alternative food and habitat sources - including our home landscapes.
A forgotten amaryllis can surprise you with how it bounces back.
Weather extremes and variability during Minnesota winters can cause cold damage to plants. You can prevent some of it.
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.
Where have all the bugs gone? Both our insect friends and foes have different strategies for surviving a Minnesota winter.
Get the Yard and Garden newsletter
Subscribe
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.