Aster Yellows

As with most disease and pest problems, accurate diagnosis is the important part of controlling a problem and doing so responsibly.

In this case, the image shows aster yellows disease on a purple coneflower. Aster yellows is a disease that is spread through insects that suck on the sap of plants. In most cases, it’s the aster leafhopper that is the carrier of the pathogen.

Aster yellows creates distorted flowers with green tufts, chlorosis of the leaves, stunted growth, and green flower petals. Different species may exhibit slightly different symptoms.

It can spread among plants in the Aster family as well as hundreds of other plant species outside of the Asteraceae family. Including lettuce, garlic, carrot, tomato, chrysanthrmum, petunia, zinnia, coreopsis, and perennial weeds like dandelions.

Unfortunately, if you see signs of aster yellows the entire plant needs to be disposed of to avoid spreading the disease. There is no treatment since it becomes a systemic issue and travels down into the roots. Burn your plant or bury it in your compost so it’s completely covered. The disease will not survive once the plant is dead.

You can plant something else as a replacement as it will not transfer through the root system.

Dry and hot summers slow the spread of the aster yellows disease, while cool and moist summers may accelerate transmission.

*Note for MN residents. It is illegal to dispose of plant material in your trash bin. Especially noxious weeds. Letting them die on site is the best way to mitigate further spread. Choose an area, above ground to pile weeds and pull weeds that germinate.

distorted green coneflower afflicted with aster yellows

rudbeckia with yellow and burgundy petals

Plant and Take: Late-Summer into Fall Annual Containers

August 16, 2022 - August 19, 2022
9:00 am - 6:00 pm

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

This late-summer, plant a container full of annual plants that will prolong the colors of the gardening season. This year we will have the best selection of annual plants yet!

Planting Fall Bulbs for Spring Blooms

By planting fall bulbs now, you’ll be greeted with a warm and blooming welcome that will take your breath away. The anticipation of watching your garden come to life with spring blooms is simply thrilling.

When to Plant

Plant your fall bulbs when overnight temperatures start dropping to around 40° F overnight or 6-8 weeks before the ground freezes. Store your fall bulbs around 60° to 65° F and in a dry area before being planted.

Bloom Time

Where to Plant

Wherever you want to plant, make sure the soil is well-draining. Bulbs don’t like wet feet or else they may rot. Add amendments like compost or topsoil to ensure proper drainage. Try not to plant in low-lying areas where water pools and stays soaking wet. Add Bulb Tone from Espoma to your soil when you plant to give them proper nutrients before and after blooming.

Plant bulbs in full to part sun. Check the bulb packaging to see sun requirements as some can take shady areas.

Layout

Bulbs look best in groups. Consider adding them to areas where you already have perennial plants to fill in bare spots. They will brighten that area in spring and then the foliage will be camouflaged by other herbaceous perennials and shrubs as they fill out.

It’s called “naturalizing” when you plant bulbs in sporadic groups throughout your garden to make it look like a meadow.

Bloom Colors

You may like a certain color repeated throughout your yard or if you want to dive into color combinations you can go back to what we learned in art class and use color schemes! Analogous, complementary, monochromatic, and split complementary colors are color schemes that you can build with flowers and other plants!

Common Fall Bulbs at Drummers

Allium – purple pom poms atop wand-like stems.
Crocus – very early color. Some even bloom in snow!
Daffodil (Narcissus) – sunny yellows and white. These are great in groups. Great for forcing.
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) – purple or pink.
Hyacinth – the fragrance that will stop you in your tracks! White, pink, purple. Great for forcing.
Tulip – Huge variety of colors, sizes, and bloom times. Great for forcing indoors for indoor bulb gardens.
Snowdrops – small white flowers that hang like a bell.

Cornell University actually did tests with planting bulbs with other perennials to see how they looked. Click here to see the results!

SPRING PLANTING PARTY 3.10.18 MORNING

March 10, 2018
9:00 am - 10:30 am

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Learn to succeed with annual flowers and then pot up your ideas.

SPRING PLANTING PARTY 3.14.18

March 14, 2018
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Learn to succeed with annual flowers and then pot up your ideas.

Fall Colors Planter Make & Take Morning

September 9, 2017
11:00 am - 11:45 am

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Join Geri and plant annuals in a 10″ whiskey barrel-look container with your favorite fall colors. She will share tips on how to keep your annuals looking good through the fall season. Annuals being used will tolerate a light frost. Also, she will demonstrate a container planting and talk about the plants’ cultural needs. You (more…)

What happened to Grandma’s flowers?

What happened to Grandma's flowers?
March 25, 2017
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Master It! From Master Gardeners!! Join area University of Minnesota Master Gardeners throughout the day and discover answers to four different topics. They’ll answer questions at the end of each session too. Joyce Wilcox will present, “What happened to Grandma’s flowers?” A discussion of problems with growing old fashioned, Impatiens walleriana in your yard and garden. (more…)

Succulents: Their care, propagation and uses

March 25, 2017
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Master It! From Master Gardeners!! Join area University of Minnesota Master Gardeners throughout the day and discover answers to four different topics. They’ll answer questions at the end of each session too. Carolyn Becker will discuss the care and feeding of one of the most popular categories of plants today: Succulents: Their care, propagation, (more…)

Early Spring Perennials

March 25, 2017
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Master It! From Master Gardeners!! Join area University of Minnesota Master Gardeners throughout the day and discover answers to four different topics. They’ll answer questions at the end of each session too. Learn to appreciate the early wonders that can be incorporated into woodland and hosta gardens. Barb Maher gardens on a wooded lot in (more…)

SPRING PLANTING PARTY 3.18.17 AFTERNOON

March 18, 2017
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

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Event Phone: 507-388-4877

Join us in our greenhouse for a memorable garden experience with annuals! Admission to this workshop is free. Payment for containers planted is required. Payment will be due at the end of class after you’ve planted your container(s). Please review pricing below for each container. Yes! You may attend the learning session and not plant. (more…)

SPRING PLANTING PARTY 3.18.17 MORNING

March 18, 2017
10:00 am - 11:30 am

We're sorry, but all tickets sales have ended because the event is expired.

Event Phone: 507-388-4877

This class session is full. Please register for another section, we’d be glad to see you! Join us in our greenhouse for a memorable garden experience with annuals! Admission to this workshop is free. Payment for containers planted is required. Payment will be due at the end of class after you’ve planted your container(s). Please (more…)