​Growing GREENS, which can be served raw, wilted, blanched, sautéed, or grilled.
 
The Asteraceae family has some of the best-known salad greens:

• Lettuce, a mild-flavored leafy annual, is available in many types, textures, colors, and shapes.
• Chicories like endive and radicchio are perennial herbaceous plants that punctuate savory dishes with a bitter flavor.
• Dandelion greens also offer a unique flavor and health benefits.

The Amaranthaceae family includes another popular green:

• Spinach, a leafy annual, is harvested at any stage from baby to full-size leaves.

Don’t overlook the Brassicaceae family for superior flavor and cold hardiness:

• Arugula, also called “rocket”, is a spicy-flavored leafy annual with a strong following among greens lovers.
• Kale is a nutrient-rich green, leafy, cruciferous vegetable.
• Mustard Greens offer a zesty and colorful dimension to salad mixes.

For added flavor and visual appeal, think beyond the aisle of standard greens:

• Asian Greens offer a wide array of shoots, leaves, and choys (thick white stalks) that bring a unique look and flavor to salads.
• Chard, aka Swiss Chard, is a green leafy vegetable with large leaf stalks typically prepared separately from stems.
• Herbs, from basil, cilantro, watercress to dill and more, can take salads and entire meals to the next level.
• “Tops” are the tender greens of beet and turnip.

Greens are all unique in how they grow best, so follow planting instructions on the package for each variety to ensure a bountiful and continuous harvest.

Most greens prefer full sun and cool weather (50 to 75°F). Soil that’s evenly moist, but not too wet, yields the best greens. As a general guide, spinach, kale, and mustard greens can be sown six weeks before the last frost, followed by lettuce and chard three weeks later. You can choose to transplant seedlings to get a jump on the season or sow seeds directly into the garden or containers. To ensure a continuous harvest, reseed as often as every few weeks depending on the variety. Note, store seed in the fridge in an airtight container to extend longevity.

To prepare outdoor soil, consider mixing in 1 cup of organic fertilizer for every 10’ row. For containers, choose one that is large enough that it won’t easily dry out. Fill with quality potting mix and consider mixing in peat and coir (coconut fiber). Planting depth varies by variety, so be sure to read seed package instructions.

After germination, thin seedlings to desired spacing. If your goal is baby leaf, keep the spacing fairly dense. If you’d like to harvest whole heads, ensure spacing of 4”-8” apart within a row.

For baby leaf, you can start harvesting when leaves are 3-4” tall. Many varieties will tolerate “cut-and-come-again” harvests. Allow full-size heads 3-5 weeks after transplant to mature. Once leaves reach maturity, harvest right away to encourage new growth and another harvest in just a few weeks.

Leafy greens will have different flavors at different stages of harvest. Experiment to find out which flavor works best for you!  As much as possible, monitor for over-exposure to heat and water to avoid “stressed greens” that taste bitter rather than fresh. When plants bolt (or send up flower stalks), pull them up as the quality will start to diminish after this.

In our colder region, hardier greens like kale, mustard and spinach extend our season, and row cover protection can help achieve an earlier first harvest in the spring and a later final harvest in the fall.
 
Use your fresh salad greens in unexpected ways. Red Butterhead makes a fabulous and healthy burger wrap. Grilled Romaine? A tasty twist on an old favorite. Wilted spinach? It’s incredible. Massaged kale? Pair bitter greens with a sweet dressing and your favorite soft cheese for a gourmet flavor combination. Sturdier greens like romaine, kale, and chicory hold up well when mixed with grains, nuts, and thick dressings. Choose a theme and create a new and interesting salad mix every time. Try it and you’ll be hooked!
 
Credit to https://ngb.org/year-of-the-salad-greens/

Contributed by:  Vicki Gee-Treft

​Popular with pollinators, Phlox is a wide-ranging North American native perennial and a common fixture in woodland, prairie, and meadow landscapes from Florida and Quebec to Alaska. Phlox is a genus with a multitude of species, heights, bloom times, and garden applications.  A tubular flower with five petals is common with colors between white, pink, magenta, purple, and blue across the genus, as well as some species showing notable orange or red coloration. Through all of the diversity, Phlox can be loosely grouped into two types: spring bloomers and summer bloomers.

Spring Bloomers Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox, Moss Pinks) and other early-spring blooming species are low-growing, ground-hugging plants. Typically native to rocky, well-drained environments, when put in a garden without restriction, they become carpets of color, tending to spread as ground covers.

Summer Bloomers Most first think of Tall Garden Phlox, a clump-forming perennial that blooms in midsummer and is among the tallest of this species with perfectly formed large, rounded flower panicles that top each stem. Newer summer-blooming varieties tend to bloom a bit earlier, rebloom after the first flowers when trimmed back, have a more mounded shape and a stoloniferous habit.

Gardening Tips:

• Phlox do well in full sun and a sandy loam soil that has good drainage
• With watering, Tall Garden types thrive with consistent water, which also helps to prolong flowering and encourage rebloom. Once settled in, Creeping varieties have low water requirements, only needing supplemental water when the days are at their hottest and longest.
• To decrease the likelihood of powdery mildew, keep plants well-spaced for adequate airflow and water with a hose at the base of the plant or with drip irrigation to avoid wet foliage. Mildew manifests as a white fuzz on the surface of the leaf that is both unsightly and will negatively affect its long-term health.
• Summer blooming plants can be encouraged to rebloom with consistent watering, adequate nutrients/fertilization, and deadheading, which also curtails self-seeding. 
• Fall is the best time to divide and replant Phlox, every 3-5 years to reinvigorate the plant and improve garden performance.

Some species of Creeping Phlox are evergreen. On these plants, winter dieback should be cleaned up in spring or early summer after they have finished blooming.
 
Credit to https://ngb.org/year-of-the-phlox/
 
 Contributed by:  Vicki Gee-Treft

​Enjoy the fragrance and beauty that lilacs bring in spring.  Today with about 30 different species, varieties have been developed for heat tolerance, reblooming flowers, compact size and even growing happily in a container on a balcony.

Clusters of small, four-lobed flowers are developed into cone-shaped to narrow pyramid clusters (panicles, i.e., branched inflorescence) that stand out from the green heart-shaped leaves. These flowers can be single or double in every imaginable shade of lilac and purple to hues of red, pink, blue, yellow, cream and white—even picotee (white-edged, deep purple ‘Sensation’). Its color may also change from bud to bloom as the flower matures.

Lilacs grow best in full sun, with good drainage and fertile, slightly alkaline soil. Begin with testing soil drainage by digging a hole 8 inches across and 12 inches deep and filling it with water. If any water remains in the hole after an hour, choose another planting area. After following the planting directions on the tree’s label, water lilacs regularly for the first couple of years—at least 1” of water a week.

Ongoing maintenance: Cut off spent flower-heads within a month after bloom to help set more flowers for next year. Cut off root suckers to keep the common lilac from spreading into a colony. Prune out any dead or broken branches from storm or winter damage.  Pruning annually is not necessary, but to rejuvenate an overgrown plant or one that blooms sparsely, cut 1/3 of the oldest branches back to 12-15” from the ground. Do this over a 3-year period to refresh the plant without sacrificing blooms.

Powdery mildew can be unsightly but generally does not harm the plant. You can make a spray of 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a gallon of water with a couple of drops of Ivory liquid. Spray it on the leaves, but not if the temperature is over 80°. The alkalinity of the solution helps to kill the fungus.

Early Spring maintenance: Apply granular organic fertilizer at the base of the plant and water it in well. Buds are set the previous year, so the fertilizer feeds this year’s leaves and next year’s blooms.

Fall maintenance: If your soil is very acidic, add garden lime. Rake fallen leaves from around the plant, and if you had powdery mildew or any disease, bag leaves and toss in the garbage.

Did you know, the stems of the common lilac have a spongy pith that can be removed, leaving hollow tubes that were used to make pan-pipes? In 1753, Carl Linnaeus first described the lilac genus, Syringa, from the ancient Greek word syrinx, meaning pipe or tube.

Credit to https://ngb.org/year-of-the-lilac/

Contributed by:  Vicki Gee-Treft, Master Gardener Volunteer

The care of peperomias depends on the species or cultivar chosen. All of them are a bit succulent, so watch the watering routine closely, putting your finger in the soil to monitor the top 50% of the soil and not wanting it too wet. Liking tighter spaces, it can be planted in a snug pot with a fast-draining potting medium, adding perlite and/or orchid bark for best results. Also, clay pots work well as water escapes through the porous pot sides. Generally, plants with thick, fleshy leaf variegation will stay brighter in a higher light situation. (See website below for descriptions of popular varieties.)
 
Within the Piperaceae family that provides the pepper spice in our foods, Peperomia, however, is not for human or pet consumption.
 
Credit to https://ngb.org/year-of-the-peperomia/

Blog written by:  Vicki Gee-Treft, Master Gardener Volunteer

Contributed by:  Jill Schmalz-Washkuhn, Master Gardener Volunteer

Seed starting indoors can be a great way to satisfy that craving to get out into your garden before Mother Nature cooperates, however, there are some rules of thumb to follow to keep that thumb green. Read on to discover seven common mistakes on starting seeds indoors, based on great insight from Kerry Michaels as well as our own Pam Davies:   

1. No window view: Unfortunately, windows are typically not the best place for young seedlings as they can be drafty, the glass conducts cold, and nighttime temperatures can drop fast. Even that south-facing window likely is not a great option.
2. Let the Light Shine: In addition to consistent temperature, seedlings do best with consistent light. A cool, white fluorescent double-bulb hanging fixture suspended 2-3 inches above the seedling trays for 12 to 16 hours per day is ideal. One option is to purchase large fluorescent shop lights outfitted with one warm bulb and one cool bulb. Suspend the lights from chains so that you can raise the lights higher as the seedlings grow. Keep the lights as close to the seedlings as possible without touching them (2 to 3 inches). When seedlings first appear, keep the lights turned on for 12 to 16 hours per day.
3. Applying Too Much or Too Little Water: The amount of water you use is one of the biggest factors in the success of seedling growth. It is key to keep the sterile seed-starting medium damp but not wet. To increase your chances of success, you can create a mini-greenhouse to keep soil moist: cover the container with plastic until the seeds germinate. Also, water from the bottom to enable the seedlings to soak up water through the container drainage holes. Add water slowly for 10 to 30 minutes, and use your finger to touch the top of the soil to ensure that moisture has reached the top of the container. Be sure to check soil moisture at least once a day. There are also self-watering systems available. 
4. Keep it Cool, but Not Too Cool: Most seeds must be kept warm -- about 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit -- to germinate. One favorite option is to place the seedlings on top of the refrigerator. Another option is seed-warming mats that are placed under the seed trays.
5. Too Much Too Soon! Be careful not to expose the seedlings to too much sun and wind when you take them outdoors for the first time. The sun in late May can be tricky as temps may still be cool but the sun is powerful and can burn even the hardiest of plants. Begin hardening in a sheltered spot in shade then dappled sun for a few hours the first few days, increasing exposure until the plants are reveling in their new environment. Also, there is no need to fertilize during the hardening off phase, but watering is a must!
6. Take the Temperature! Before planting in the garden, be sure that soil temps are warm enough to encourage root growth and to avoid shock. The warmer the better is a good rule of thumb. Your beds should be fully warmed and the soil turned to a depth of at least 8 - 12 inches, depending on what you are growing. In plant hardiness zones 3b-4b, our average last frost is May 24-30. Keep in mind when choosing seeds, especially when sowing directly into the garden bed, that our growing season here in Northwest Wisconsin is roughly 100 days. Hardy plants such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage, onions, leeks and parsley can take ground temps as cold as 40 degrees but if they have been started indoors and are not used to those temps you might want to wait until the ground warms a bit more. You can sow these seeds directly into the ground at these soil temps. Tender plants will need soil temps of at least 50 to 65 degrees. Basil, tomatoes and peppers, need the warmer soil temps. Squash, pumpkins, and sweet corn can take the cooler, while cucumber and muskmelon like the middle range.
7. Giving Up Too Soon! Starting seeds can be difficult, but it is a process filled with lessons learned that will only improve your efforts in the future. Growing plants from seeds takes dedication, attention and time, but can be extremely worthwhile.

Additional resources:
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors#hardening-off-seedlings-1179860

Author:  Kimberly Kayler

Although the days may be getting longer and we often see hints of spring this time of year – usually followed by another cold blast – we all know that planting season is coming. To this end, you may be considering starting your seeds indoors, which is a great option. Seed packets, starter mix and containers will have started appearing in the stores in late January and February. Seeds will sometimes be discounted this time of year as well.  However, there are many rules of thumb to follow related to starting seeds indoors. Read on for some great tips by Kerry Michaels as well as our own Pam Davies:  

1. Don’t Get Over-Zealous! Since most plants are ready to go outside four to six weeks after you start the seeds, it is key not to start too early!
2. Spring Cleaning! Whether you buy new or reuse your equipment, it is key to sanitize your containers before starting. Wash them in hot soapy water and rinse well or just submerge them in a tub of water with 10% bleach for a few minutes. You may even consider pre-filling your containers in the fall with a mixture of potting soil and starter mix and arrange them in the trays. 
3. They Are Finicky! Know your seeds as they can be finicky when it comes to how deep they are planted. Some seeds need complete darkness to germinate while others require light. Proper planting depth is usually provided on the seed packet. A general rule of thumb is to plant seeds two to three times as deep as they are wide.
4. Don’t Sow too Many!  If you are new to sowing seeds indoors, start off slow. If you sow more seeds than you can reasonably maintain, it will become challenging to nurture the seedlings into adulthood. Depending on the type of plant you want to grow, you might be able to direct-sow seeds in outdoor containers or in the ground when outdoor temperatures warm up. It also is a good idea to label your containers.
5. Watch Your Water Levels! Keeping the soil moist is essential for starting seeds and to nurture seedlings. However, though the soil should be visibly wet, it should not be sodden. As it dries out note the change in color of the soil. A spritzer also can be used to keep the soil moist, spritzing twice a day or more. A small fan can be used if needed to keep air moving and prevent fungus. Once your seedlings have several sets of true leaves (more than just the first two cotyledon leaves), you can start thinking about fertilizing. A weak (1/4 strength) all purpose, water soluble fertilizer applied once a week will do just fine. Over fertilizing can kill the young seedling so less is better.  
   
   

Now comes the “hard” part. When the seedlings are large enough to plant outdoors, you need to prepare them for the transition by hardening off. Hardening off involves exposing your plants to the elements gradually, preparing the seedlings for outdoor conditions like wind, rain and sun. To begin, place your seedlings outdoors for one hour, and then bring them back indoors. Gradually increase the amount of outdoor time every day for 6 to 10 days. You will need to make some judgment calls based on the outdoor temperature and the fragility of your seedlings. If it is a particularly cool day or very rainy, you will want to decrease the time of that hardening-off session.
For more information, read past articles on this topic:
https://www.northcountrymgv.org/blog/seed-starting-indoors 
https://www.northcountrymgv.org/blog/more-on-starting-seeds-indoors  +  https://www.northcountrymgv.org/blog/still-more-on-starting-seeds-indoors  

Author:  Kimberly Kayler

Scale & Mealy Bugs They come in various colors and can be armored, soft, or woolly. Piercing-sucking insects that create honeydew and make things sticky.  Populations quickly increase and control is difficult.
Control of scale and mealybugs: 1) Light infestations can be addressed with a Q tip dipped in rubbing alcohol, 2) Attempt to scrape off insects? 3) Use insecticidal soaps…or something stronger, 4) Remove infected plant tissues, 5) Submerge the entire plant in water? 6) Throw the plant away

Note about homemade insecticidal soaps: "New and improved" and concentrated liquid detergents with "grease cutters" and other ingredients have a high potential for being phytotoxic to plants. Proceed with caution. It’s better to go with a product that has been specifically developed and is labeled for your plants. 

APHIDS: Just like your garden aphids, but may have a waxy coating.   They create honeydew, like scale and mealybugs.  Scout and catch them early! Control of aphids: 1) Remove plant parts with the worst infestations, 2) Hose down plants or wash them off, 3) Use insecticidal soaps

SPIDER MITES: Related to spiders, Suck plant juices and cause yellowing and browning of plant tissues, If populations are high, you will also see webbing. Control of spider mites: Attempt to increase humidity in the home, Periodically wash down houseplants with a strong spray of water; including the lower leaf surfaces, Use miticides labeled for use on indoor plants
 
FUNGUS GNATS: Small flies that infest soil, potting mix, and organic matter, A nuisance pest Larvae primarily feed on fungi and organic matter, but also chew roots, Do not damage mature plants, Can have a generation every 17 days when temperatures are right.  Controlling fungus gnats: Target the larval stage, Reduce moisture and organic matter let media dry down between waterings, Use yellow sticky traps to catch adults? Repot using pasteurized potting mix, Will kill flies and the algae and microorganisms they feed on, Place chunks of potato on the plant surface to attract larvae, Consider using nematodes, predatory mites, or Bti (Mosquito Bits, Gnatrol)
 
WHITE FLIES: Tiny, white, moth like insects, Female adults lay eggs on the undersides of the plant’s foliage and the nymphs feed on the foliage, The nymph and adult stages feed by inserting their short, needle like beaks into foliage and sucking out plant sap. Heavy often cause stunting or yellow of leaves, leaf drop, and a decline in plant health.
Management: 1) Prevention is the best management strategy, 2) Check newly purchased plants and plants brought indoors from the garden or patio in the fall, 3) Begin control measures at the first signs.4) One way to reduce the whitefly population on an infested plant is to wash the undersides of the leaves with a moist cloth or sponge, 5) Use yellow sticky traps, 6) Insecticides specifically labeled for use on houseplants can be used, 7) Discard heavily infested plants
 
SCALE: Sucking insects both soft shelled and armored, Soft shell will produce honeydew, Heavy infestations may cause leaf yellowing, stunting, and dieback
Management: Scrape off, if possible, Wash off or crush any visible scale insects, Treat with an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil labeled for houseplants, Can use systemic houseplant insecticides, Heavily infested plants should be discarded
 
FOLIAR Disease:
Bacterial and fungal leaf spots: Decrease stress, Remove infected leaves and plant parts: Powdery mildew: Increase circulation around the plant; lower humidity, Remove infected leaves; Viruses: No cure; destroy plant
 
GENERAL DEFOLIATION: Likely causes: Sudden change in temperature, Transplanting shock, Sudden change in light intensity, Over watering, Lack of light

BROWNING LEAF TIPS: Likely Causes: Improper watering (such as water being too cold), Exposure to cold drafts, Insect attacks, Excess fertilizer, Floride or Boron deficiency (allowing water to sit for day before watering can help reduce floride.)

ABNORMAL LEAF COLOR: Likely Causes: Over watering, Lack of fertilizer, Insect attacks, Improper light
SPOTTED LEAVES: Likely Causes: Over watering, Burning from direct sunlight, Disease
 
REPOTTING: tips on when a plant might need repotting:

1. Roots begin to grow through the drainage holes,
2. Roots appear on the soil surface,
3. Soil mass is filled with roots,
4. New leaves are smaller than normal,
5. The plant wilts between normal waterings,
6. The plant keeps tipping over due to height

Repotting is best accomplished when the plant is actively growing, typically in spring or early summer which encourages new growth:  1) Gently knock/tip the plant out of its container and look at the roots, 2) If the plant is root bound, cut and/or unwind any circling roots, 3) If there is a salt buildup (crusty white residue) on the media surface, remove it carefully by scraping away the top inch of media, 4) Replant into the new container using fresh potting mix, 5) Make sure the plant is re potted at the same depth it was grown in the old pot, 6) Leave a little room at the top of the pot to allow for easy watering, 7) Press the soil around the roots and water immediately

PRUNING: All houseplants (with the exception of palms and Norfolk Island pine) can be top pruned to encourage new lateral growth. The best time to prune is in Spring, when growth usually occurs.
​
DUST CONTROL: Keep houseplants clean by carefully washing foliage. Washing leaves with water or cleaning with leaf polish is not recommended on plants with hairy leaves. Rinse plants off with room temperature water in a shower or sink. Use a soft, damp cloth to wipe foliage. Leaf polish products should be used sparingly and only on plants with firm foliage.

Master Gardener Vicki Gee Treft writes about what she learned from a "HOUSEPLANTS" course presented by Katie Dunker from the Colorado State University Extension.  ​

We have tomatoes with a noticeably short "Days to Maturity" rating. Since our plants are well started when you get them you will have about a 15 to 30 day  head start on the how long you will have to wait for your first crop depending on a number of variables including how you harden off the plants before planting, what the soil temp is when planting, how much sun, wind and moisture the plant gets, and what the daily high and low temperatures are. Days to maturity is a rating to help us determine what plants are best suited to our zone (3-4) and the limitations that makes on the plants we raise.

Most of the varieties we offer will continue to set fruit until frost kills the plant. Others which are called "determinate" will set fruit until the plant reaches it mature size. Once these ripen the plant will die back. All determinate varieties that we offer are indicated.

The earliest varieties tend to be the cherry tomatoes. We offer:

• SOLD OUT-Sungold 55-65 days This is an F-1 hybrid that is exceptionally sweet, an orange gold cherry tomato that will bear right through the season.

For mid-sized early tomatoes, we have:

• SOLD OUT - Early Girl will give you crimson red fruit in about 57 days with a good tangy taste.
• SOLD OUT -Sweet Valentine, a great container plant, yields mid-sized heart-shaped red fruit in about 60 days. Determinate.

Large slicing tomatoes take longer to maturity. We offer:

• SOLD OUT German Johnson pinky-red fruit can reach up to 1.5 pounds and has few seeds in about 76 days. It is productive with some disease resistance.
• SOLD OUT Beefsteak yields bright red ribbed fruit up to 2 lbs. in about 80 days. Consistent moisture will help prevent these giants from cracking during ripening.
• SOLD OUT Cherokee Purple if a flavorful deep pink to purple tomato with a sweet aftertaste. Fruits up to one pound in about 80 days.

​
If you have experienced "early blight," watch for our article on early blight and how to avoid it in a coming post.

​Please note:  This year’s plant sale will have a “twist” from prior years, as we are requesting pre-orders from February through May 1 or until supplies are sold out. There will be a new pickup location at the City of Spooner Front Street Public Parking Lot (north of the Canoe Heritage Museum) on May 21. The sale is pre-order only with pick-up on Saturday May 21st, 2022, from 8:00 am - Noon. The pre-order form is available on our website at www.northcountrymgv.org/plantsale and at the Spooner Memorial Library, Shell Lake Public Library, Larsen Family Library in Webster, the Sherman Weiss Library in Hayward and the Washburn County Tourism office.
 
Article submitted by Roseann Meixelsperger MGV