25 Sep 2010

Autumn Yellowing of Conifer Foliage

It's almost October.  In our Northland this is the time dramatic changes take place in the outdoors.  Actually, the changes begin  in late  June when the days begin to shorten.....The changes go  unnoticed until "autumn". ....Until  this past week.  Visually, "the  fall" is here. Every fall we get calls from friends regarding changes they notice on the foliage of  their pines or arborvitaes.....or on any of our conifers, for that matter, the trees and shrubs commonly called evergreens. ...

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20 Sep 2010

Sixty Years Ago Most Minnesotans Farmed and Gardened

While I am at this post reaching into the memory of days gone by, I think it is important to note this additional recollection from  my childhood. In the 1930s and 1940s the major occupation in Minnesota was farming.  Most Minnesotans did not live in the Twin Cities.   Suburbs did not exist.  Small town life flourished.  Small town people grew gardens, usually the vegetable and fruit ones.  Farmers Seed and Nursery Company was in business...

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20 Sep 2010

Some Peculiarities of Our 2010 Growing Season

Spring came very early in 2010.  Do you remember?  April was very pleasant and mild, even warm.  May was coolish. I remember as a child in the early 1940s an April Easter Sunday was featured with ice and snow nearly everywhere.  The days would be sunny, but wintery and cold. I much prefer our current delivery of Spring.   I am rooting for a Zone 5 growing zone.  We are almost there.   One would think most...

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14 Sep 2010

Clients Invited to Garden Open House, September 18th at 2:00 PM

We at Masterpiece are going to have a special day this coming Saturday, September 18th starting at 2:00 PM at our home landscape garden.   And I am going to be on the schedule to share some observations about the most honored art form of them all, the gardened landscape. We are celebrating Client Appreciation Day at our Minnetonka home landscape garden, 14624 Woodhill Terrace.   Prizes and refreshments will be part of the program.  But the...

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