Landscape Design Using Evergreens
In this Elements of Landscape Design Series post we are focusing on landscape design using evergreens as a sustainable plant that is one of the most versatile plant groups. Partnering evergreens with shrubs and perennials. Evergreens create structure, pretty living privacy screens, backdrops, form, texture and rhythm. A single evergreen can be a focal point Read More »
Juglone Toxicity Info – Resistant and Susceptible Plants
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) and Butternut trees and closely-related species produce a toxic substance, Juglone, which can be harmful to plants growing in areas nearby the trees or their root systems which can be 50’-60’ radius for large trees. Juglone toxicity inhibits respiration in susceptible plants and the effects can include stunted, retarded or deformed Read More »
Animal Repellents and Plant Protection
We all love animals but sometimes they go where we don’t want them to or damage our landscapes and gardens. They can chew, eat, scratch, and damage plants throughout the year. When animals get hungry, they may not spare much. Protecting your plant investment is about protecting them from extensive damage that will severely stress Read More »
Starting a Vegetable Garden & Resources
Congrats on starting your vegetable garden journey! There has been a huge increase of people wanting to grow their own food as well as flowers, pollinator plants and converting lawns to native species so you’ll find a large community, including us, that can help you with all your trials and celebrate your successes. This post Read More »
Spring Blooming Shrubs
These shrubs bloom during the early growing season and are great design backbones to any garden or landscape. Add these spring blooming shrubs behind a summer blooming garden to have sequential flowering. All blooming shrubs require part-sun to full-sun for best bloom production.
Weather acclimation of plants
Acclimating plants grown inside or in a greenhouse is called hardening off. Hardening off thickens the cuticle of their leaves to avoid access moisture loss and strengthens tender young plants. If you are planting potatoes, onions, asparagus, strawberry bare roots, or anything completely under the soil you do not need to take these steps. Slowly Read More »
Spring Flowering Perennials
These perennials bloom during the early growing season and are a welcome sight after a long-cold winter. Mix these spring flowering perennials in with your summer and fall-blooming flowers for a show of sequential blooms all gardening season. We hope you have found a perennial that caught your eye! Look for the perennials above in Read More »
Deicing Salt Tolerant Plants
When you live in a state that has snow and ice it’s inevitable that part of the yard will be exposed to deicing salts when the snow melts. As the snow melts the salt is incorporated into the ground water that the plants use when the ground thaws. The accumulation of salt will inhibit the Read More »
Plant fall bulbs indoors for late winter blooms!
Be ahead of the spring and get indoor blooms in late winter! Forcing fall bulbs to bloom indoors is a simple way to enjoy color before there is any outside. Watch our YouTube video to get visual examples and quick instructions. First time forcing bulbs? Try Daffodils or Hyacinth first. Bulbs that work best with Read More »
RELAXATION TIME
It’s end of summer relaxation time and to treat yourself before winter comes! 10 Treat Yourself Ideas: Go get MN grown apples and make an apple pie and other baked goodies! Find local MN grown apples near you. Read at a local park. Have a campfire with friends and eat s’mores. Sit quietly and enjoy Read More »
Container Rescue Steps
Mid-summer is a great time to clean up or redo your annual containers. Here are a few steps to follow to refresh and rescue your annual containers.
Pollinator Planting Guides
Support for pollinators is a joint effort – a partnership. As of July 2022 Monarchs are now on the endangered animal list. As a flagship pollinator – one that attracts attention because of it’s beautiful colors and easier tracking methods – this news is a wake up call that we are losing pollinators at a Read More »
What to plant for a pretty spring yard
Planting spring flowering plants in the fall creates an even prettier spring yard! Flowering spring bulbs can even show their blooms when snow is melting on the ground. Here is a list of plants that give us a show early-to-late spring. From spring through fall, anytime you add plants, you’ll be happy you did because Read More »
Bring houseplants indoors for winter
As the temps start to cool and the leaves start to fall outside, we need to start bringing in your houseplants to create a plant oasis to enjoy all winter long. Once the overnight temps are consistently dropping below 50°F, bring your houseplants indoors to avoid damage and stress to your plant. If you have Read More »
Easy Fall Planting
Fall is the second-best time to plant – with some saying it’s the best! We typically have late-summer and fall sales. Check out current plant sales here. LATE-FALL SOWN PERENNIAL SEEDS Sow perennial plant seeds, that need stratification, after a hard frost – below 25 F. Stratification is the process of seeds being in a Read More »
Plants improve your space!
Plants are a wonderful addition to our lives because they connect us with nature, which improves our mental health. Here are the top 5 reasons that plants improve your space. 1. Breathe Easier Indoor plants will improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide, benzene, and up to 90% of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can be found in Read More »
Late Summer through Fall Garden and Landscape Tasks
It’s late summer and fall is around the corner. Slowing down, enjoying time in the garden and eating delicious fresh produce are the reasons this is a fulfilling time of year. If you are wondering what you can do in the garden, here are a few garden and landscape tasks and tips. PLANT CARE Watering:Keep Read More »
Minimize Japanese Beetle Damage
Japanese Beetles are serious pests in both the adult and the larval grub stages. We will cover identification and steps to minimize Japanese Beetle damage from adults and grubs. The adult beetles are above ground, feeding, mating and laying eggs from mid-June to early August. The white ‘C’ shaped grubs spend the rest of the Read More »
LAWN DORMANCY AND WATER CONSERVATION.
IT’S NOT DEAD. IT’S DORMANT. It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s an important message. If you see brown turf grass like this *image*, don’t worry. What we should worry about is what drought means for the water supply and our ground water level. We’re happy to give you good news! The same as dormancy Read More »
Top 8 ‘Tough as Nails’ Perennials
When it comes to plants, reliable is a characteristic we love! This is our top 8 ‘tough as nails’ perennials that will come back every year and tolerate a wide array of conditions. We would like to mention, even though they are tough, it doesn’t mean they can be completely neglected of nutrients, sun, and Read More »
Blight Resistant Tomatoes and Prevention
All fresh tomatoes are great but those of you who are looking for tomatoes that are blight resistant, look no further! Brief description of blight: Blight causes sudden yellowing, wilting, spotting, or browning of new leaf growth, fruit, stems, or the whole plant, depending on the severity. It spreads by fungal spores that are carried Read More »
Digging Deeper – Late Spring Gardening
“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.” – Gertrude Jekyll, On Gardening This post is about late spring/early summer gardening tips and things to Read More »
Early Spring Yard and Garden Tasks
The desire to start gardening and enjoy outside is hard to suppress. Each spring will bring us new weather patterns and it’s best to take Nature’s cues when it comes to accomplishing these yard and garden tasks YARD AND GARDEN TASKS: 1. Wait to clean up dead perennial matter until temps are consistently around 55F-60F. Read More »
Seed Starting
Welcome new gardeners! Late winter and early spring is the time to start seeds indoors. Our last frost date is projected as May 1- May 15th. The last frost date is what you work from when planting your seeds indoors. Keep your eye on the weather and it will help you know when you can Read More »
Shamrock Plants – Luck’o the Irish!
This post is dedicated to the lucky Shamrock Plant! The official plant of St. Patrick’s Day! Oxalis Info You may call them Shamrock plant, but it’s latin name is Oxalis regnellii. These plants are part of the wood sorrel family, Oxalis, and you can even see other cultivars in the wild that are hardy in Read More »
Choosing a Christmas Tree
We start the season of festive greenery early at Drummers Garden Center and Floral. Christmas Trees, as well as spruce tops, wreaths, garlands, and evergreen bundles including cedar, pine, and juniper are in around mid-November. We know some of you wave your magic wand of decorations as soon as you can and others fully enjoy Read More »
Winterizing new evergreens and trees
Wrap New Trees We recommend new trees, also known as saplings, are wrapped with a protective tree wrap or vinyl guards end of October to help protect against sun scald and frost crack. If you tree does experience winter damage it’s not necessarily terminal for the tree but can increase chances of disease and insect Read More »
Planting Fall Bulbs for Spring Blooms
Receive an early welcome to spring with tulips, crocus, daffodils, and more when you plant fall bulbs during the fall. When to plant: When the overnight temperatures start dropping, around 40°overnights or 6-8 weeks before the ground freezes. Store the fall bulbs around 60 to 65 degrees F in a dry area before being planted. Read More »
Fall Landscape Shrubs for Autumn Color
Don’t overlook these shrubs that will give you a wonderful show and variety to your garden in the fall! We can help you look ahead into the fall (summer isn’t over yet!) and pick out some plants that have wonderful autumn color. Here are a just a few examples of shrubs that have pleasant fall Read More »
TOP 5 TIPS for Summer Plantings
1.MOST IMPORTANT! – WATERING Proper watering is vital to plant survival. Proper watering doesn’t mean watering everyday. At least 1″ of water a week spring through fall season is the recommended amount. Frequency will vary depending on type of soil you have. For example, clay soils need infrequent yet thorough watering. This is because the Read More »
Step-by-Step Amaryllis Bulb Planting
Amaryllis bulb planting is super simple and one of the easiest houseplants to take care of after they are done blooming. Watch our quick video on how to plant a single Amaryllis bulb or read the steps below! Find the after blooming care instructions on he bottom of this post. After Blooming Care: As you Read More »
Spruce Top Style Ideas
Styling a spruce top container can be a lot of fun but sometimes daunting if there are so many options! That’s why we put together three styles for you! Add or take away what you want or grab the whole decoration bundle while in the store when you are getting your evergreens! Without any further Read More »
Poinsettias
Originally red, poinsettias are available in a huge variety of sizes and colors. The best tips for keeping poinsettias in good shape are: keep them out of drafts, allow them to dry slightly between watering, and be sure to empty excess water from the bottom tray or cover provided when you purchased it. Here is Read More »
Easy Care Houseplants
Connecting with nature is important especially since it’s easy to be disconnected from it these days. Houseplants in the home or office have proven to improve mental health and keep that connection with nature. We get that not everyone can be a perfect plant parent and take care of ALL varieties of houseplants. This gallery Read More »
Top 10 Perennials 2019
Back in January of this year, the full-time staff went to the Northern Green Conference up in the Twin Cities for continuing education and to see what is new for this year in landscaping and gardening. One of the more popular sit downs was the Top 10 lists of perennials, shrubs, and trees. Since June Read More »
Vacation needed! Tips to help your outdoor plants while you’re away.
We all need to get away once and awhile! Some plants may do just fine with a longer vacation away like succulents and established drought tolerant plants. There are others, especially plants in containers, that need more attention before you leave and while you are away. Here are a few ideas if you will Read More »
Acidic Soil Loving Plants
Three Plant Needs Water, Sun, and Soil (Nutrients). Where does soil pH level come in? Plants need nutrients and have a balanced relationship with elements in the soil which will contribute to the health of plants. Plants also have pH level preferences. The soil pH level can affect the uptake of nutrients. Depending on the Read More »
Gardening by the Moon – A Fascinating Lore
We have all heard of the moon effecting the water tides but have your heard of it effecting soil moisture? From The Farmers Almanac, gardening by the moon “is an age-old practice of completing chores around the farm according the the moon phases and that the moon governs moisture.” Growing in Popularity It is growing Read More »
Winter Houseplant Basics
It can be a tough time for our plant babies due to the cold, dryness indoors, and lack of sunlight but it doesn’t take much to keep your plants healthy if you know what they are needing at this time. Winter houseplant basic care in the winter is simple and the rules below should help Read More »
Holiday Houseplants
These Holiday houseplants are great for a fresh finishing touch to your decorations or great to give as a gift! With some care these houseplants can live all year-long, year-after-year. 1. Poinsettia When you see Poinsettias, you think Christmas! The bright colored foliage of the Poinsettia instantly adds the joy of the Holiday season into Read More »
Living Soil – What is it?
Living soil is all about diversity. Diversity of fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and earthworms breaking down organic matter that produces nutrients for plants to use. Who knew it was all of those things that makes a soil healthy…a living soil! First, let’s talk about healthy fungus and bacteria. Mycorrhizae is “a fungus that grows Read More »
Beneficial Bugs
We may view bugs as a nuisance because they are eating our plants or intruding in and around our homes. The Spotted Wing Drosophila or Japanese Beetle are two examples of pesky bugs that can cause damage to our beloved plants. I could go on and on about bugs that cause us major gardening headaches Read More »
What to do with all those Herbs!
We plant a variety of herbs and then we realize we have an over-abundance of herbs towards the end of growing season! This quick list of ideas might help you when you when we want to try a new cultural dish, add some freshness to cooked or baked dishes, or maybe you want to have Read More »
Creating Winter Interest
The garden and landscape is an important feature of the home even in winter. Consider what you will look at through your windows as you cuddle indoors. Here’s a great article from the Minnesota Horticultural Society’s Northern Gardener Magazine to guide your thoughts as you design your landscape to include interesting things to look at Read More »
Plant Toxicity – A list of plants safe for pets.
Among the questions many of us have when we set out to purchase a houseplant or landscape plant is whether or not it will harm pets. Nobody wants a sick or injured pet or a veterinary bill. Check out the ASPCA’s extensive list of plant toxicity. Their database sorts by cats and dogs. Furthermore, you Read More »