Seed starting tips
Starting vegetable and flower plants from seed has its advantages. The most notable being the greater number of varieties to choose from. Besides seed, only a few other supplies are needed, such as potting medium, containers, and a light source.
Generally, the best seed starting medium is one that contains no true soil, often called a soil-less mix. Commercially available seed starting mixes are usually composed of peat, vermiculite, and maybe some perlite. These mixes are sterile, lightweight, contain no weed seed, and readily available to the home gardener.
Many types of containers can be used for seed starting. If you like to recycle, try using gallon milk jugs and cut the top off so the bottom measures two to three inches in height. You could also use plastic cups or egg cartons. Traditional containers made of plastic or biodegradable materials can be found at your local garden center. It is important that seeding containers have drain holes. If needed, punch or cut holes in the bottom to allow excess water to drain.
Fill containers with potting mix and lightly tap on a table to settle. Thoroughly water the potting mix and add more if needed. Look at the seed package to determine the proper planting depth. After planting the seed, lightly water to insure good seed to soil contact. Cover seed containers with loose fitting plastic wrap or some other transparent material. Doing so will help keep the seeds moist. Remove the cover after seeds have emerged.
Seedlings generally need more light than a window can provide. However, large south facing windows may be suitable. If light is in short supply, use a light-emitting diode (often referred to as LED) or fluorescent shop light suspended over your seedlings. Ideally, the light should be two inches above the plants. Plants will need approximately 12 to 16 hours of light each day. A simple way to accomplish this task is to plug your light into a timer so the light will turn on and off automatically.
Seed should not be started too early or too late. Starting too early results in overgrown plants that usually do not grow well when planted outside while starting too late will yield small plants that may not survive when planted outside. Early February is the time to seed geranium and onion. Early March is the time to seed petunia, broccoli, and cauliflower. Additional information about when to plant flowers and vegetables can be found at http://z.umn.edu/seedstarting
Seed starting is a project the whole family can enjoy. Only a few supplies are needed and many plants can be grown from one package of seed.
If you have gardening questions please call me at the University of Minnesota Extension office, Clay County at 218-299-7338, 1-800-299-5020 or nels1657@umn.edu. Check out our website at https://local.extension.umn.edu/local/clay
The University of Minnesota, including the University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Prune shade trees now
Dormant pruning during the winter months is an excellent time to prune many shade trees. One advantage of dormant pruning is the absence of leaves allows the branching patterns of the trees to be seen.
Crossing branches and weak crotches are easily found and corrected during the winter months. However, be selective in removing branches. Do not top the trees by removing a large portion or all of the branches in an attempt to increase vigor. The opposite is true, as a topped tree will put forth a lot of weak sucker growth that destroys the characteristic shape of the tree and actually decreases the vigor of the tree.
Pruning cuts should be made so that only branch tissue is removed. Branches should be removed from the main stem by pruning them just beyond the branch collar. The branch collar grows from the stem tissue around the base of the branch. Leaving the branch collar intact will help hasten wound closure. Wound dressings or pruning paints are not necessary and may actually retard wound closure.
Some shade tree species, like maple, birch, walnut, and ironwood may “bleed” large amounts of sap in the spring from pruning wounds made in the winter. This sap flow does not seem to harm these trees and can be ignored. An alternative is to prune these species in late spring or early summer after their leaves are fully expanded.
An exception to early pruning is fruit trees. The best time to prune crabapple and apple trees is late in the dormant period, sometime in March or the beginning of April. Pruning these trees early in the winter can cause drying and dieback at the pruning sites, especially if the winter is harsh.
Before pruning any tree, become familiar with proper pruning procedures. If you are not confident about the way to properly prune a particular tree or if the tree is large and personal safety may be a concern, contact a certified arborist. Source: Carl Hoffman, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Emeritus.
If you have questions please call me at the University of Minnesota Extension office, Clay County at 218-299-7338, 1-800-299-5020 or email me at nels1657@umn.edu. Check out our website at https://extension.umn.edu/local/clay
The University of Minnesota, including the University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Prune out cankers and galls now
An important late winter gardening task is pruning to remove diseased branches. Winter is the best time to prune for several reasons. Diseased and damaged branches are easily seen when leaves are not present. Winter temperatures are not ideal for the fungi and bacteria that cause disease in trees and shrubs. The pathogens will still be present but at much lower levels than during the growing season. By pruning out infected branches now, gardeners can significantly reduce the risk of the disease spreading within the plant and to neighboring plants once the growing season begins.
A gall is an unusual overgrowth of plant tissue caused by a pest or pathogen. Fungi and some bacteria can cause galls to form on branches of trees and shrubs. Galls can be round, oblong, or irregular in shape. They are made of wood but may have discolored bark due to the infection. Galls can girdle a branch and kill all leaves and shoots beyond the gall. Some trees and shrubs will tolerate galls and will not suffer any damage as a result.
A canker is an infection of the sapwood and living bark caused by a fungal or bacterial plant pathogen. Cracked, discolored, or blistered bark in an isolated area of a branch indicate that there is a canker. In some trees and shrubs a thick hard layer of resin or sap may cover the infection. If the bark is peeled back, reddish brown discoloration of the wood can often be seen.
A canker will eventually grow to encircle the branch, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients. This results in death of the branch, and any shoots and leaves beyond the canker. In some diseases, the canker can progress into the main trunk and result in death of the tree.
To remove cankers and galls, examine the tree carefully to find any branches with discolored, cracked or blistered bark or with any unusual tumor like growths. The infection will extend beyond the visible discoloration of the bark so the pruning cut should be made at a minimum of 4 inches below symptoms of disease. The tree will “heal” the pruning cut most rapidly and easily if the cut is made just above a bud or a branch union.
All branches with galls or cankers should be removed from the area and burned or buried. Pruning tools should be cleaned with undiluted Lysol (active ingredient 0.1% alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium saccharinate) or a 10% solution of household bleach in water. This article was authored by Dr. Michelle Grabowski, former UMN Extension Educator.
If you have gardening questions please call me at the University of Minnesota Extension office, Clay County at 218-299-7338, 1-800-299-5020 or nels1657@umn.edu. Check out our website at https://local.extension.umn.edu/local/clay
The University of Minnesota, including the University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
