Not a member yet? Join our community of northern gardeners for access to exclusive content, classes and discounts. Join now!
Illustrations by Taylor Tinkham You can winter sow so many wonderful plants in milk jugs—simply follow the seed packet instructions and pay attention to the…
purple lovegrass is hard to ignore at the peak of its showy blooming, in mid- to late summer. While in other seasons it supports and…
Ah, autumn! The season of harvest, apples, and fallen leaves. Although the growing season is wrapping up, there are a variety of native wildflowers that…
A sure sign of unseasonably dry weather? The Minnesota Horticultural Society has been flooded with calls about watering, so let’s dig in. Question: Are perennials…
Minnesota’s arrowhead region is snugly situated between lake Superior to the south and Canada to the north. This neck of the north woods is home…
Are they best for bees? A pollinator conservationist questions the value of this Minnesota innovation. This article first appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of…
July is the month our gardens oft experience a spike in issues. From pests to weeds to fungi, lots of unwelcome guests find their way…
blue cardinal flower (lobelia siphilitica), also called great blue lobelia, can be a fussy plant to start, but once it finds a favorite spot, it…
When I first heard the term “gravel garden,” it created an image of a garden with gravel mulch or a xeriscape in the desert. Not…
Fall is a great time to plant rain gardens, as the cooler temperatures make it pleasant to work outside and plants have time to establish…
Have you considered adding native prairie plants to your garden but held back? Perhaps you want to grow them, but you have limited sun. Or…
A nasty invader, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) can be difficult to recognize and hard to get rid of. Several varieties of thistle grow in the…
Ask gardeners how they feel about thicket creeper and you’ll likely get a range of answers. It’s a tough, spreading plant, so it can overtake…
When you see wood betony in the wild, you’ll likely see its “host” plants alongside it. It’s a partially parasitic plant with a taproot and…
Zigzag goldenrod (solidago flexicaulis) is one of the few goldenrods that thrives in partial to full shade. Most sources agree that it will grow well…
Seeing a prairie or a meadow full of blooming compass plant (Silphium laciniatum) in mid-to-late summer is an optimistic sight. Among the three species of…
Your garden can be a place to watch the incredible drama of an insect’s life unfold. But it’s helpful to know what to look for….
Minnesotans are actively working to restore and manage native ecosystems on its public lands, especially prairies, wetlands, forests and other native plant communities. These projects…
Invest in a few basic tools to increase your chances of successful transplants. Quality propagation tools are the backbone of gardening success; they ensure clean,…
Featured above: Many tender rose varieties are grafted to hardier stems to help them survive in northern climates. Want to grow your garden without spending…
Successful plant propagation starts long before you make your first cut. By combining the tips below with the advice from recent Northern Gardener articles on how to…
I was backpacking with a friend along Wisconsin’s Ice Age trail during a hot spell in June. I had taken some time away from my…
Not a member yet? Join our community of northern gardeners for access to exclusive content, classes and discounts. Join now!
