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WCCO's Smart Gardens

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WCCO's Smart Gardens

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  • 20 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 39 min
  • English
  • Yesterday · 38 min

    House Plant…Pests?

    House plant pests - the need to know. We’re joined with an expert on this topic, University of Minnesota horticulturist Laura Irish Hanson. You can hear her give a workshop on house plant pests on 10/3. Register at hennepinmastergardeners.org! Plus, Umn Extension Educator Jon Trappe walks us through his tips for grass seed and fall weed maintenance. For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • September 12 · 38 min

    Becoming a Master Gardener, Arborviates and Dahlias, and more!

    A lot to get into with Master Gardener Theresa Rooney as time is ticking down on summer and your outdoor gardening projects! Right away, we give Theresa the floor to share more about the Master Gardener program and the step by step process of that! We try to tackle as many of your garden questions and issues as we can! Today we talked about dahlias, weed and feed, different Arborvaite varieties, some troubleshooting lilac bushes late in the summer, Creeping bentgrass removal, (yes we also got the Creeping Charlie question) and much much more! For any gardening questions you may have visit extension.umn.edu

  • September 5 · 39 min

    Last minute seeding, grass and garden treatment before the winter!

    You can smell it in the air - summer is ending and once again we discuss those last minute seeding and winterizing processes. We also dive in to talking fern beds, nitrogen addition, coloration of your lawn, white spruce troubleshooting, crabgrass issues, raking vs. leaving those leaves and brush out into the winter, Creeping Charlies, getting blueberries planted before its too late, dormant seeding - that and more with University of Minnesota Horticulturist Mary Meyer and University of Minnesota Turfgrass expert Eric Watkins. Be sure to check out their website with a plethora of tools and guides on your gardening and lawn project - just visit extension.umn.edu

  • August 29 · 39 min

    Drought maintenance and when to winterize those gardens!

    While the drought continues, we do have some rain for your lawn and garden this Saturday morning! We also have the two experts to answer your questions for any lawn and garden project - lawn and turf expert Jon Trappe and U of M extension horticulturist Julie Weisenhorn who join Laura on the WCCO Radio porch! We discuss drought of course, also - raspberry plants, Creeping Charlies, boulevard garden questions, rodent control with your yard, when to put hibiscus and other gardening to rest for the winter as edge closer to the fall temps! That and so much more as we pack in a lot this hour on WCCO’s Smart Gardens! Be sure to check out the massive and multifaceted extension website at extension.umn.edu!

  • August 22 · 39 min

    The Drought Continues…

    Laura is joined in studio this morning with UMN Extension horticulturist Laura Irish Hanson. This season’s drought has been difficult, but Laura has tips on how to keep your gardens alive. Don’t forget to water your trees! And when is the best time to water our plants? Clue: you can stay in your pajamas. Plus questions about apple tree termite infestations, tomato blossom end rot, butternut squash just in time for fall. For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • August 15 · 40 min

    Watering Tips

    Laura is joined this morning with UMN Extension horticulturist Mary Meyer! She takes questions regarding watering during these drought conditions, maintaining Mexican Marigolds, and the most interesting questions she’s answered from the “Ask a Master Gardener” feature on the University of Minnesota Extension website. Plus the Minnesota Horticultural Society is celebrating its 160 anniversary! Mary tells us about the fun things to expect at the MN State Fair to commemorate the big anniversary. For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • August 8 · 36 min

    Lawns are growing and so is everything else!

    Laura is joined this morning with not one but two garden experts: UMN Extension horticulturist Julie Weisenhorn and UMN Extension Educator Jon Trappe. Jon in particular knows about his Quack Grass and we have many questions about how it spreads. Julie weighs in on peach tree maintenance for an ambitious caller trying to grow peaches in MN! Plus Julie previews all the fun events coming up at the Arboretum. For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • August 1 · 40 min

    Things are going (growing) crazy!

    Master Gardener with UMN Extension Teresa Rooney answers questions about pole bean control, tree pruning, magnolia scale, and critter control. Also a gentle reminder to clean your pruners, especially if you’re going from plant to plant. For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • July 25 · 39 min

    Garden party!

    University of Minnesota horticulturist Laura Irish Hanson is in studio to chat about all things horticulture. Plus questions and answers about Japanese Knotweed, Magnolia Scale treatment, fern takeovers, and garden veggies! For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • July 18 · 39 min

    Garden care vs aesthetics

    We chat with University of Minnesota horticulturist Laura Irish Hanson about the best time to fertilize, moth and grub treatment, mowing tips and more ! For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • July 11 · 37 min

    Fertilizing your garden, tomatoes, mulch, bugs and Summer Harvest Days!

    With more of the summer heat on the way - plenty of time to get into those garden projects and we have Julie Weisenhorn, retired horticulturist with the University of Minnesota to help with any questions you have! We begin with some fertilizer questions, the weekly Creeping Charlie troubleshooting, perfecting the harvesting of tomatoes including Laura’s own personal experience and some questions on tomato growth - this, more on Summer Harvest Days coming up at the Arboretum and much more with Julie! If you have any questions on your garden or planting project - reach out to Julie and others - you can also access that extension website which is very multifaceted and helpful visit extension.umn.edu!

  • July 4 · 38 min

    Hydrangeas, tomato plants, tree care and repair and more!

    We begin the show talking about hydrangeas, tomato plant troubleshooting, rhubarb, applying GrubX to the lawn - how long can it last? oak tree trouble, insect damage to plants and gardens - this and much, much more with our friend Theresa Rooney, Master Gardener with Hennepin County and also the University of Minnesota! If you have a gardening question or want more information on some of the helpful tools you can access just visit extension.umn.edu

  • June 27 · 39 min

    Preparing your garden for the heat!

    With the heat on the way we want to keep our outdoor and garden projects in check - we chat with University of Minnesota horticulturist Mary Meyer - We get into everything from transplanting Rhododendron, Creeping Charlies, keeping your garden protected, Aster yellow disease, clematis and much, much more with Mary! For any gardening questions with your project visit extension.umn.edu

  • June 20 · 37 min

    Foodscaping, Utilizing the ‘Ask a Master Gardener’ and more!

    Plenty as always to get into with our Smart Gardens program and we begin discussing what is foodscaping, including a fun event at the University of Minnesota - Foodscaping at the Arb where you can plant and plan your growing project with the help of master gardeners. Of course, we answer some of your questions on creeping charlies, crabgrass, trimming stems, branches, zinnia plant problems, blight on the apples and more with our friend Julie Weisenhorn. Learn more from horticulturist Julie Weisenhorn at extension.umn.edu !

  • June 13 · 40 min

    Pests in your gardens, growing those veggies and learning gardening!

    We are in the thick of gardening season in Minnesota and we have so much to get into with Master Gardener Theresa Rooney with the University of Minnesota. Whether it is pests getting into your gardening project, fertilizer tips, asparagus plants on the move, arborvitaes caretaking, unwarranted trees popping up as well - and much, much more! Theresa shares an upcoming ‘Learning Garden Tour’ going on with Hennepin County in July where you can get face to face learning experiences with experts on gardening! You can reach out to Theresa and other gardening and horticulture experts with your gardening questions at extension.umn.edu !

  • June 6 · 37 min

    Asparagus growth, pruning pests and more!

    It is a new era with Smart Gardens as Laura Oakes takes the helm for the first time and we dive right into it with your questions regarding asparagus, pruning, many people experiencing pests as well! That, tree questions, transitioning from spring to summer in the garden and more with Laura Irish Hanson - to learn more from horticulturist Laura Irish Hanson at extension.umn.edu

  • May 30 · 40 min

    Gardeners Say Goodbye to Denny

    After years of helping our lawns and gardens we say goodbye to Denny Long as he heads into retirement. Should we begin to be concerned for our lawns and outdoor plants with a stretch of dry weather? Managing ground ivy or creeping Charlie. Keeping clover away from the yard. Preventing grubs from taking over your lawn. Keeping ants out of your yard. The right cutting height for a lawn. Learn more from horticulturalist Julie Weisenhorn and Lawn and Turf expert Jon Trappe at extension.umn.edu.

  • May 23 · 42 min

    Seeding and Growing as Summer Begins!

    We are LIVE from By The Yard Furniture showroom in Jordan, MN and we chat with horticulturist Mary Meyer with the University of Minnesota on a variety of gardening and lawn care topics - from tomato maintenance, ant problems, catmint planting, hydrangea seeding and much more! For any questions regarding your gardening project or lawn care questions visit extension.umn.edu !

  • May 16 · 39 min

    Bareroot Planting Basics, Killing Dandelions, Getting Peonies to Bloom

    Apple scab update. Bare root planting. Germinating rhubarb seed. Keeping critters away from your plants. The best way to kill dandelions. Preventing Lily of the Valley from spreading. Getting control of a clover outbreak. Best time of day to uncover plants. How to help peonies bloom. Bringing hydrangeas back to life. Waiting for peppers and tomatoes. Getting control of quack grass. Learn more from horticulturalist Laura Irish Hanson extension.umn.edu.

  • May 9 · 37 min

    Pepper and Tomato Planting, Protecting Apple Trees, Lawn Mowing Tips

    How to handle a lawn with high phosphorous. When to start planting peppers and tomatoes. Keeping bugs off of apple trees. Low maintenance plants. Start spraying for creeping Charlie. Why grass may be a different color. Maintaining grass when mowing the lawn. Adding compost to raised beds. What to after grubs are found in your lawn. Frost is still a factor with planting. Learn more from Master Gardener Teresa Rooney at extension.umn.edu.

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