Even in the dead of winter in the Upper Midwest, here are some garden-related chores you can tackle ...
March
The ground is finally starting to thaw ...
May
The garden's finally heating up ...
July
Kick back and reap what you've sown ...
September
That summer heat is fading into fall ...
November
Brace yourselves—another winter's coming ...
Fall into Winter
Compiled by the Ramsey County Master Gardeners, these resources provide extensive information on everything garden-related during September-February.
February
Show your garden some love during the Valentine's season ...
April
Early spring to-dos ...
June
Summer's setting in ...
August
Weed, water and harvest ...
October
Leaves, pumpkins and winding down ...
December
And just like that, it's winter again ...
Spring into Summer Webinar
Join Ramsey County Master Gardeners and learn how to wake up your garden!
Getting Started
Dig in!
New to northern gardening? High five! Let us help you find your zone, prep your soil and get started ...
How to Read a Plant Tag
A walk-through of how to read and understand all of the information you might find on a plant tag.
Let's Grow Stuff: Essential Tools
As part of the PBS Wisconsin "Let's Grow Stuff" series, this introductory gardening video focuses on the essential tools for getting started in the garden.
Lyme Disease Awareness and Prevention
Helpful tips for Minnesotans on managing tick bites and preventing Lyme disease.
Garden Planning Handout
Everything you need to know when you're getting started with garden planning for the season.
Basic Garden Terms Explained
A helpful, easy-to-read guide to garden terminology 101.
Find Your Hardiness Zone
Determining the hardiness zone of where you're gardening is key. Read here to find out!
Zone 4 Planting Guide
Check out this handy Northern Gardener Guide to planting in Zone 4 created by MSHS.
What Every Minnesotan Should Know About Tick-Borne Diseases Webinar
In this MSHS webinar, Dr. Maloney provides information about Lyme and other tick borne diseases, as well as strategies to prevent tick bites.
Harvesting and Preserving
Is It Ripe Yet?
Knowing when to pick vegetables for peak taste and texture is a skill many gardeners develop after years of trial and error. Generally, however, vegetables fall into two categories.
Preserving Herbs
As we get to the end of the gardening season, herbs become more precious than ever. What’s your favorite way to preserve herbs for the winter?
Savoring Summer Squash
You’re busily attempting to keep up with the watering and weeding that midsummer necessitates; and all the while, you’re eyeing the ever-growing number of summer squash populating your plants...
How to Store Squash for Winter
When stored properly, winter squash can keep for weeks or months. Read for handy harvest and storage tips!
When To Harvest Vegetables
Generally speaking, picking early and often is the best way to harvest vegetables for maximum production. However, there are crop-specific approaches to harvesting.
Preserving the Harvest from Your Vegetable Garden
You have several options preserving the harvest to enjoy next winter when its home-grown taste will be so appreciated!
Is My Melon Ready?
You may be looking at the wild vines in your vegetable garden and wondering if your melon is ripe yet. Here’s how to tell.
Planting and Care
Summer Bulbs: Planting and Care
Summer bulbs are the show-offs of the garden. They’re big, they’re bright, they’re colorful, some are even a little bit loud—and that’s what we love about them!
Roughing Up Roots for Summer Planting
Whatever plant you buy, it has been sitting in its pot a long, long time. Now is a time when a gardener needs to get rough.
Plants for a Cutting Garden
Author Susie Morris offers her plant recommendations for a stunning cut flower garden.
Top 3 Tips for Fall Bulb Planting
If you have a new garden, fall bulb planting is a great way to add to the spring beauty of your garden before your shrubs and perennials come into their own.
Fall Planting: How Late Can You Go?
Fall is a great time for planting, though as we get past mid-October, the question is how late in fall can you plant?
Grow a Cut Flower Garden
Grow your own flowers for a season of beautiful bouquets! With these helpful tips, you'll be growing your own arrangements in no time.
Sowing and Saving Seeds
Growing Natives from Seed Webinar
In this MSHS Webinar, David Woods, conservation program director for Urban Roots, shares how you can propagate seeds for planting.
Winter and Spring Sowing
How to get started and hints to keep growing.
Our Favorite Seed Sources for Vegetable Gardens
If you’ve tried to start your own vegetable seeds, you’ll find a lot of choices —both for varieties as well as places to buy them. Here are some catalogs that we like.
How to Make Seed-Starting Mix
Gardeners who start a lot of plants from seed or want to control all the elements of their seed starting may want to make their own seed starting mix.
Using Soil Temperature to Decide When to Plant
Consider using soil temperature as a tool to help decide when to plant in your garden.
Collecting Seed
Ready to jump into seed collection? Take a look at these tips from our MN SEED project pros on how to responsibly collect seed.
Vegetables and Perennials for Winter Sowing
Created by Michelle Mero Riedel, this list is a great resource to reference when choosing vegetables and perennials for winter and spring sowing.
Seminario Web de Inicio de Semillas
Courtney Tchida, Director de programas comunitarios. Traducido y presentado en Español por: Milena Nunez Garcia, U of MN Extension SNAP-Ed Educator.
Seed Shopping Tips for Budget-Conscious Gardeners
The snow looks gray and gross, the sun hasn’t been out in weeks, and April seems a long way off. Time for some seed shopping!
When To Start Tomato Seeds?
Yes, the thermometer out my window reads 10 degrees F; today is a good day to start tomatoes from seed. Read to find out why!
Seeds vs. Starter Plants
How do you figure out which seeds to start indoors and which starter plants to buy from the garden center?
Winter Sowing Step-by-Step Instructions
A straight-forward and easy-to-follow guide to sowing seeds outdoors during the winter.
Seed Saving Tools
A comprehensive list of tools, guides, and resources on seed saving.
Guide to Seed Collecting
Check out these quick and simple steps to learning about seed collecting.
Soil Germination Conditions
This resource provides a table of the soil temperature ranges that are optimal for germination of different plants.
Winter Sowing: How to Transplant Video
In this short video, learn how to transplant seedlings from your winter sowing containers.
