Your registration includes one 13" container filled with potting soil, one mum, and four other assorted annuals with fall interest.
Extend the growing season!
Introduction: Asparagus is a perennial favorite among garden enthusiasts, known for its delicious spears and early spring harvest. Planting asparagus roots, or crowns, might seem daunting at first, but with the right guidance, you can establish a thriving patch that will produce for years to come. Here’s how to get started on your journey to growing fresh asparagus right in your backyard.
Step 1: Choose the Right Time The best time to plant asparagus crowns is in the early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. Asparagus thrives in cooler temperatures, making early season planting ideal.
Step 2: Select a Suitable Site Asparagus needs full sun and well-drained soil. Choose a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. Avoid areas where water tends to pool after heavy rains. Since asparagus is a long-term crop (it can produce for up to 20 years), ensure the site is somewhere you can dedicate to asparagus for the long haul.
Step 3: Prepare the Soil Asparagus prefers nutrient-rich, slightly alkaline soil with a pH of about 7.0 to 7.2. Prepare your garden bed by digging about 12-18 inches deep and mixing in ample amounts of organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure. This will improve the soil’s structure, drainage, and nutrient content.
Step 4: Plant the Crowns Purchase one-year-old asparagus crowns from a reputable nursery like Drummers Garden Center and Floral. Dig trenches about 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Place the crowns in these trenches about 18 inches apart, spreading the roots out uniformly. Cover the roots with 2-3 inches of soil. As the asparagus grows, continue to fill in the trench with soil until it is level with the rest of your garden.
Step 5: Watering and Mulching Water the newly planted asparagus well to settle the soil around the roots. Keep the area moist but not waterlogged. Mulching with straw or shredded leaves can help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
Step 6: Care and Maintenance During the first year, focus on allowing the plants to establish themselves. Avoid harvesting asparagus spears during this time. Keep the bed weed-free and well-watered. In subsequent years, you can start harvesting spears sparingly in early spring when they are about 6-8 inches tall.
Step 7: Fertilize Annually Each spring, apply a balanced fertilizer to encourage vigorous growth. Alternatively, a top dressing of compost can provide slow-release nutrients over the season.
Conclusion: Planting asparagus might require patience and care initially, but the payoff is tremendously rewarding. With proper preparation and maintenance, your asparagus bed will produce delicious spears each spring for decades. Stop by Drummers Garden Center and Floral for all the supplies you need and expert advice on how to start your asparagus garden today. Happy gardening!
Planting spring bulbs indoors before transferring them outdoors can be a smart strategy for gardeners aiming to enjoy earlier blooms of spring planted bulbs in summer. As the weather warms up, transitioning these pre-planted bulbs outside can expedite the growth process, leading to vibrant and colorful flowers.
Planting spring bulbs at the right time is crucial for gardeners who want to see their garden flourish. Starting early, particularly in the spring, gives bulbs a significant advantage. It allows them to establish their root systems when the ground is still too cold. This early start to planting spring-planted bulbs, can lead to blooms earlier in the summer.
Beginning the growth process indoors is a strategic move for cultivating a successful flower garden. Starting bulbs inside allows you to manage the conditions closely, providing consistent temperatures and controlled watering that might be challenging to maintain outdoors. This protects the bulbs from late frosts and other unpredictable weather patterns that could hinder their development.
For indoor preparation, select a well-draining potting mix and containers with adequate drainage holes to prevent waterlogging, which can cause bulb rot. Place the bulbs with their tips upward and give them enough space to grow without overcrowding. It’s essential to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. By providing these optimal conditions, you can expect a robust root system and sprouts ready to thrive once they’re moved to the garden. This head start is invaluable for gardeners aiming for an early and prolonged display of spring planted flowers.
When the risk of frost has passed, it’s time to transition your sprouted bulbs outdoors to benefit from the natural elements. This process, known as “hardening off,” involves gradually introducing indoor-started plants to the outside environment. Begin by placing the bulbs outdoors for a few hours each day in a sheltered area, gradually increasing their time outside over a week or so. This helps the plants acclimatize to the sun, wind, and temperatures they will face in the garden.
Before planting, choose a spot in your garden that receives adequate sunlight and has good soil drainage. Carefully remove the bulbs from their indoor containers, being mindful not to damage the roots or shoots. Plant them at the same depth they were growing indoors, and water them well after planting to help settle the soil around the roots. With careful attention during this critical phase, your bulbs will seamlessly adapt to their new outdoor home, setting the stage for a bountiful flower garden.
After transitioning your bulbs to the outdoor garden, ongoing care is essential to ensure a beautiful bloom in the summer. Regular watering is important, especially during dry spells, to keep the soil moist and encourage continued growth. However, avoid overwatering, which can lead to bulb rot.
Fertilization is another key component of care. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer, like Bulb Tone by Epsoma, applied at planting and again during the growing season according to the instructions. Additionally, mulching around the plants can help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and keep the root zone cool.
Choosing the right varieties is crucial for a gardener looking to create a diverse and vibrant flower garden. Among the popular spring bulbs are dahlias, lilies, and gladiolus, which come in a range of colors and sizes. Note that some spring planted bulbs do need to be dug up in the fall after blooming as they are not cold hardy in our zone. If you are looking to start a cut-flower garden, spring planted bulb flowers are some of the popular choices for their long-lasting blooms.
By selecting a mix of varieties that bloom at different times, you can create a succession of color that lasts throughout early to late summer months, keeping your garden lively and dynamic.
For gardeners looking to extend their blooming season, incorporating fall bulbs into their planting strategy is a wise move. Fall-planted bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and alliums are planted in autumn but bloom in spring, offering an early burst of color. By planting these in conjunction with spring-planted flowers, you can create a seamless transition of blooms in your garden.
When planting fall bulbs, choose a sunny location with good drainage to prevent water from pooling around the bulbs, which can cause rot. Plant the bulbs at a depth three times their height, and water them thoroughly after planting to encourage root growth before the ground freezes. With the addition of fall bulbs, you can enjoy an extended display of color that begins in early spring and lasts through the summer months, ensuring your garden remains a vibrant and inviting space.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Mycorrhizae, soil texture, water retention…learn the basics on soil health and composition to assist in deciding on what plants will thrive in your soil and how to improve soil health!
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.
Read more on extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/aster-yellows
In this Elements of Landscape Design Series post we are focusing on landscape design using perennials to accomplish your landscape vision.
Incorporating perennials into a garden is a wonderful way to add beauty, diversity, and longevity to your outdoor space. Perennials are plants that live for more than two years, returning year-after-year, and they come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and textures. Here are some steps to help you successfully incorporate perennials into your garden:
Before choosing perennials, take a close look at your garden to determine its conditions. Observe the amount of sunlight different areas receive, the soil type, the moisture levels, and area dimensions. This information will help you select perennials that are well-suited to your specific garden conditions and have the best outcome.
Consider the overall aesthetic you want to achieve in your garden. Are you aiming for a cottage garden with a romantic, informal feel? Pastel colors are the go-to for a cottage garden. Or perhaps a modern garden with clean lines and bold colors? Understanding your design preferences will guide your choice of perennials and their arrangement.
As perennials mature they will fill in the space and one of the hardest things to do when planting perennials is to consider the spacing between the plants when they are at their mature size. Being impatient and filling out the space right away is going to cause problems in the future, as well as increased chances of fungal and disease issues.
As with any garden, perennials require regular maintenance. Be sure to provide proper watering, mulching, and fertilization based on the specific needs of each plant. Regularly deadhead spent blooms and remove any diseased or damaged foliage to promote healthy growth.
Perennials can provide blooms and interest throughout the year. When selecting plants, pay attention to their flowering times to ensure you have a mix of perennials that bloom in different seasons. This way, you’ll have a continuous display of color and texture from spring to fall.
Incorporate perennials with varying heights and textures to create visual interest and depth in your garden. Combine tall, vertical plants like delphiniums or hollyhocks with mid-height flowers such as coneflowers or salvias, and add low-growing groundcovers like creeping thyme or sedum for a layered effect. Depending on the viewing angle, place tall behind mid-height and then low groundcovers.
While flowers are often the main attraction, don’t forget about foliage. Perennials with interesting foliage, such as ferns, coral bells, or ornamental grasses, can add texture and color even when not in bloom. Incorporating a mix of foliage types can provide year-round appeal in your garden.
Group perennials with similar growing requirements together. Consider their preferred light levels, moisture needs, and soil conditions. This will make it easier to care for the plants and ensure they thrive. For example, place sun-loving plants in areas with full sun and moisture-loving plants in areas that retain more moisture.
Use perennials to create focal points or anchor areas in your garden. Select a few standout plants, like ornamental grasses, tall flowering perennials, or shrubby varieties like hardy hibiscus, and place them strategically to draw the eye and add drama to your landscape. Small Hydrangea trees are another great focal point option!
Consider including native perennials in your garden. Native plants are adapted to the local climate and require less maintenance, making them an eco-friendly choice. They also provide habitat and food for native wildlife, helping to support biodiversity. Incorporate native species: Consider including native perennials in your garden. Native plants are adapted to the local climate and require less maintenance, making them an eco-friendly choice. They also provide habitat and food for native wildlife, helping to support biodiversity.
Remember that gardening is a dynamic process, and as your perennials mature and spread, you may need to divide or relocate them to maintain the desired look and prevent overcrowding. With time and attention, your garden will flourish, and you’ll enjoy the beauty and resilience of your perennial plants for years to come.
Read Landscape Design using Evergreens to incorporate the elegant, structural, and continuous color element to your landscape
Summer-bearing raspberries and fall-bearing raspberries are two types of raspberries that differ in their fruiting habits and growth patterns. Here’s some information about each:
Fruit production: Summer-bearing raspberries, as the name suggests, produce fruit during the summer season. They typically bear fruit on the second-year canes (also called floricanes) that grow during the previous year.
Harvest time: The harvest period for summer-bearing raspberries usually starts in early to mid-summer, depending on the variety and climate. The fruiting season typically lasts for several weeks.
Growth habit: After summer harvest, the second-year canes that produced fruit start to decline and should be pruned down to the ground. New primocanes (first-year canes) then grow during the summer and fall.
Pruning: To maintain healthy growth and encourage fruiting, it’s important to prune summer-bearing raspberries properly. Remove the old canes that have fruited, leaving the new primocanes for the next season’s fruiting.
*IMPORTANT FOR NEW PLANTS* Your new small raspberry plants may look like they died if you only had a cane up that was fruiting the last season. Wait for a bit into spring to see if new canes pop out of the soil before digging them up.
Fruit production: Fall-bearing raspberries have a different fruiting habit. They produce fruit on both the primocanes of the current year and the floricanes of the previous year. This means they can produce two crops in a year.
Harvest time: The first crop of fall-bearing raspberries typically starts ripening in late summer or early fall, like the summer-bearing raspberries. However, the primocanes continue to produce fruit until the first frost, allowing for a second crop in the late fall.
Growth habit: Fall-bearing raspberries grow primocanes throughout the summer and fall, and these canes carry the first and second crops. After the second crop is harvested or frost occurs, the entire plant is pruned to the ground in late winter or early spring.
Pruning: Since fall-bearing raspberries bear fruit on both primocanes and floricanes, the pruning process is slightly different. In late winter or early spring, remove all canes that have fruited the previous year, leaving the new primocanes for the upcoming season’s fruiting. This promotes better airflow and prevents diseases.
Both summer-bearing and fall-bearing raspberries require well-drained soil, full sun exposure, regular watering, and adequate spacing for optimal growth. They are generally easy to grow and can provide a delicious harvest of sweet and tangy berries. The choice between the two types depends on your preference for a single abundant harvest (summer-bearing) or two smaller crops (fall-bearing) throughout the growing season.
Compost starting can be tricky. Barb will make your compost journey clear so you know what to do and when to do it. She will cover rapid and slow compost starting methods.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow in your garden and you plant it in the fall!
As of July 2022 Monarchs are now at critically low populations. 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 fast rate. We need to add pollinator plants to our landscapes every year.
Name – Bloom Time
Pale Purple Coneflower – Early-summer
Butterflyweed – Mid-summer
Milkweed – Mid-summer – Emphasis on Common Milkweed since they lay their eggs on it.
Black-eyed Susan – All summer
Joe Pye Weed – Late-summer
Blazing Star – Late-summer
Aster – Late-summer to fall
Monarda fistulosa – Late-summer to fall
Goldenrod – Late-summer to fall
Download image of Drummers “Plants that Attract Butterflies”
Click on a map to download the Ecoregional Planting Guide. Each guide will give you information on specific plant traits that pollinators prefer ( color, odor, pollen, nectar, flower shape ) as well as a list of plants to support pollinators in that region. There are many overlaps in plant varieties in these guides. We wanted to include specific regions because we have customers that are from nearby areas that may live in a different zone.
Mankato is zone 5a (was 4b) and in the Prairie Parkland Temperate Province.
Don’t have room for an in-ground pollinator garden? Check out the portable pollinator garden list from National Garden Bureau.
Sources: Pollinator Partnership. Selecting Plants for Pollinators, Prairie Parkland, Temperate Province. Published by Pollinator Partnership, San Francisco
Pollinator Partnership. Selecting Plants for Pollinators, Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Continental Province. Published by Pollinator Partnership, San Francisco, USA. https://www.pollinator.org/guides#about
“Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food.
They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce.
Without the actions of pollinators agricultural economies, our food supply, and surrounding landscapes would collapse.”
Potato and onion sets will be in the store end of March so it’s a great time to learn more about growing these delicious and easily stored vegetables! Sweet potato starters arrive later in the spring since they need warm soil temps when planting. Veggie Deb will cover the basics of planting these vegetables as (more…)
Learn about starting your own vegetable garden or ask your questions if your garden hasn’t thrived in years past.
This post is about late spring/early summer gardening tips and things to look for that may be showing up soon in your garden.
Don’t forget water soluble fertilizers for container plants. Container plants are in a potting soil that do not contain enough nutrients for all season. Depending on the plant, you will need to add fertilizer to the water or use a slow release fertilize like Osmocote. Follow directions of product and individual plant needs for fertilization. Top dressing containers with compost can also be done to add some nutrients.
Most in-ground soils will benefit from adding organic material like compost and a starting fertilizer like Biotone Starter before planting or Plant Tone after planting. Top dressing the established perennials/shrubs with compost in the spring will give them an extra boost of nutrients. Plants like butterfly bush, delphinium, and clematis like if you put a mound of compost around their root ball.
Newly planted plants in the ground need deep watering so their roots reach down and establish themselves before winter and reduces stress on the plants. Water deeply a couple times a week. If it rains a little (pay attention to how many inches you get with a rain gauge), you can water around your new plants a little more to get water deep into the soil. It helps you conserve water and save time watering. 1″ of water per week is the recommended amount of water. Pay attention to the soil and if it is wet looking, hold off for another day. Best method is to stick your finger in the soil and if it’s dry a couple inches down, it’s time to water.
Remove weeds now while they are small, as they grow quickly. Weeding is easy when soil is damp since it’s easier to pull the whole plant including the roots. Be careful not to walk on soil around your plants to avoid compaction of the soil.
With rain and warming weather you need to be proactive about fungal diseases. It’s best to prevent it, instead of treating it because once it starts, you can’t get rid of it completely. Treat your plants that have a higher chance of fungal issues with a fungicide before you see signs of it. For example, tomatoes usually get blight so best to treat with Bonide Revitalize or Copper Fungicide before it starts. Make sure to water your plants at the base and water in the morning when possible so the water can dry before it cools off at night. Mulch around your plants as well to help prevent fungus from the soil splashing on your plants.
Look for these invasive species instead:
Japanese Beetles: Metallic looking green/bronze beetles flying or munching on landscape plants. They love roses, hollyhock, cherry trees, plums, grapes, blackberries, and linden trees. They can be found snacking on other plants as well. Read more about them here. Incorporate plants that repel Japanese beetles such as catnip, chives, garlic, nasturtium, and white geranium around your susceptible plants. Jumping Worms: Although we haven’t had any recordings of jumping worms in our area, these can be very detrimental to lawns and gardens. There are sightings of these worms in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area so if you are doing any transplanting of plants from that area, purchases of mulches and soils, or any plant swap around our area. Read more about them here so you can know what to do to avoid them or if you see them, how to alert the U of MN Garden Extension. There are no proven ways to eradicate these worms yet.
Getting rid of insects isn’t always easy and great care should be taken if you choose to spray with insecticides, even ones labeled organic. It’s still an insecticide made to kill insects.
*Quick side note about fungus since we have been having cool springs the last couple years. With cool/wet weather you may encounter anthracnose on your plants. If you are seeing brown spots on trees and shrubs early in the spring it may be this.
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 is for bringing the basic info together to start you off. We are always here to answer your questions if you have any if you can’t find what you are looking for email us! Feel free to call or stop in!
Vegetable Gardening Estimated Sowing Dates/Planner (PDF)
You can also read our post about seed starting supplies and steps.
We’d also like to direct you to our Resources page for additonal gardening information.
We like getting our plant and gardening information from multiple sources, just like you do, so we found this webpage that helps you decide on where to plant, soil health, and more information. These steps are not only for vegetable gardens but perennial gardens and landscaping!
Don’t forget to follow us on the Facebook, Instagram and subscribe on YouTube for plant and gardening tips!
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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
1. Wait to clean up dead perennial matter until temps are consistently around 55F-60F. Beneficial insects will be in their dormant state in leaf litter and dead perennial matter. You should wait to clean up dead plant material as late as possible into the spring.
You can top dress with compost as well as mulch around the root zone of your plants when you see perennials emerging.
2. Clean and sanitize your outdoor containers, bird baths, bird feeders, and garden tools. Check out the new garden decor and tools in store!
3. Prune off dead/damaged branches on shrubs and trees. Late winter/early spring is the best time to prune trees, before their buds are formed. Refer to our pruning guide in regards to shrubs and trees.
4. Clean debris from your vegetable garden and top dress the soil with compost at least two weeks before you plant. Avoid compaction of the soil by using designated walkways. Compaction of the soil will reduce the level of oxygen available for plant roots. Lightly till in compost if you notice your soil is compacted.
5. Early to Mid-April, depending on weather and ground temperature, is the best time to put down new grass seed or ground covers like clover. Wait to scatter seed until day temps are 60F+ consistently before spreading seed. Most seeds, including grass won’t germinate until the soil is 55F+. We carry bulk or bagged grass seed from Ramy Seed in Mankato. If you want to forego a conventional grass lawn, get a wildflower seed mix and scatter the seed in mid to late April.
Please note, if you want to do a weed killer in the same area you want new grass, you will have to wait to over-seed grass until summer or fall. If seeding is more important – forgo the crabgrass or weed killer and just use a lawn food
6. Apply crabgrass killer and weed pre-emergents just before we have consistent 60F days. Most products last 6-8 weeks and timing the application with the weather is important or you may need to reapply. Weeds germinate when soil is 55F. There are many turf products, likes Maxlawn Weed and Feed, that contain fertilizer as well as weed killers so you can accomplish both tasks if you have weeds throughout your lawn. Our staff can help you decide what is best depending on what you want to accomplish!
If you don’t mind weeds, use a lawn fertilizer around the time you have to mow for the first time.
Summer blooming bulbs, potatoes, asparagus, strawberries, cold vegetable crops, and onion plants.
Plant summer bulbs when the soil has warmed to above 40F and the soil isn’t soggy. Usually early April through mid May depending on the spring weather. The soil should be rich and well-draining to avoid bulb rot if cooler temps come back.
Find growing instructions in the store!
Smell the soil and see the plants grow new leaves! You can experience new life by starting seeds, also known as sowing, indoors this winter! Each plant packet will tell you when to sow the seeds but most will be started late winter through early spring.
Reasons to start your own plants from seed:
Next, we will cover seed packet info to take note of, supplies you will need to start seeds indoors, caring for seedlings, and hardening off seedlings.
Bonus info about sowing seeds outdoors in the winter is included! It is a must-see if you want to sow perennial plants.
Use the “date to maturity” as a guide for your produce. This will let you know about the time you should be harvesting and if you will need to sow in the winter. Some plants have a LONG growing season and should be started indoors around Feb/Mar to reach maturity. ( ex. peppers, celery, tomatoes, cole crops, lemongrass, and rosemary)
Some plants have sensitive roots and mature fast enough in our climate to be directly sown. Examples are corn, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, sunflowers, nasturtium, beans, radishes, peas, dill, and radishes.
**Hardy perennials may require cold stratification or scarification for proper germination. Read more about starting seeds outdoors in the winter, which is needed for zone 4 and 5 perennial seeds.
AVOID using soil from your yard/garden if possible! It is an easy way to introduce unwanted pests and disease problems for little seedlings. *Most at-home compost piles do not get hot enough to kill harmful pathogens.
Recommended for seeds – Seed Starting Mix. It is a fine textured, soilless medium that is sometimes heat sterilized. It contains no nutrients and is intended for germination only.
When potting up seedlings into containers – Standard Potting Mix. Any potting mix will do! Some may contain nutrients to start feeding your plants but if you have them planted in containers you will have to supplement the soil with fertilizers as they get bigger.
Plug tray, soil pellets or seed starting potting soil, open flat, humidity dome, pots, watering can, heat mat, fertilizer, grow light, and a fan.
Let’s dig into each of these materials and why you need them.
When choosing a size of plug tray, ask yourself how many plants you want to grow. Some plug trays come with smaller plugs and can fit more plants and vice versa. The smaller the plug, the sooner you will need to pot up into larger plug trays or pots.
Usually, these pellets are made of coco coir. To expand the pellets, soak them in water and place the seed in the soil.
With drainage holes: Fill with seeding mix and scatter seeds. Divide and up-pot or plant outside when they are ready.
Without drainage holes: Use under plug trays to catch the water/soil.
Fits over most plug trays and open flats. A short dome is for seed starting, and a tall dome is for propagating cuttings. Domes will need to be taken off after the seedlings are a couple of inches tall.
Use various sizes to start seeds if desired. Pots are good for when you need to divide plants in plug trays and up-pot. Choose the right-sized pot when up-potting! Too big and it may not dry out fast enough, causing root rot.
Raises soil temp 10-20 degrees above room temperature which will speed up the germination process and reduce chances of seeds rotting. The heat mat does not need to be on once all the seedlings have sprouted.
Plants need strong light so supplemental light prevents weak and leggy plants. Get full spectrum/daylight bulbs. There are T8 & T5 fluorescent, Standard Bulbs, and LED options.
Use a timer to make life easier! 14 hrs. of light per day is the standard after seeds germinate.
There is no need to have a light on before seedlings emerge unless the seed packet says “light germinated”.
A light breeze helps grow strong plant stems. The movement of the stem will strengthen it. It will also help prevent fungal diseases from too much humidity.
Seedlings do not need nutrients right away. Wait until they have a few sets of true leaves before adding fertilizers.
A half-strength, balanced fertilizer works well for most plants. We recommend looking up proper fertilization for specific plants grown.
Proper watering is essential. Keep soil evenly moist until germination.
Allow tap water to sit out overnight to dechlorinate when possible. Avoid using soft water.
Know your plant’s specific watering and fertilization needs by reading their packet or researching online.
Find a routine and water early in the day if possible.
After germination, allow the soil to dry slightly between watering. This encourages root growth! Avoid “loving your plants to death”, aka overwatering.
Start putting your potted plants in the shade on a calm day, for an hour or two. Slowly increase time by 1 to 2 hours outside and sun exposure over several days. It usually takes 7-14 days to fully acclimate. Reduce sun exposure again if you see signs of sun-scorched foliage. Make sure you check the soil moisture once or twice a day, depending on pot size.
We carry grow lights, seed starting kits, seedling potting soil, fertilizer, and seeds. Later in the spring, we will have vegetables and herbs that we have grown for you to purchase if you don’t get to start your seedlings.
We want to empower anyone interested to grow their own food, flowers, and other plants and go step by step on seed starting!
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
View the beautiful mature perennials in our display gardens and learn more about each one with our resident Horticulturist.
Join us on Facebook live to ask your plant and garden questions!
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Education is key to being successful with starting your own seeds and being successful in growing your own beautiful vegetables, flowers, and other plants!
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Let’s use water wisely! Dive into what aquaponics is and see how an aquaponics system works and how to start your own!
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.”
It is growing in popularity for various reasons but prominently because people are trying to find ways to stay in touch with nature. If people pay attention to the seasons, weather conditions, and natural patterns they can start to feel more in touch with their environment and surroundings.
There are certain garden centers that plant solely on moon phases and swear by it. We have yet to find current research projects that proves it to be more effective. However, we can find anecdotal evidence of its effectiveness online. To be in touch with your environment and weather conditions is an important part of your gardening success. Even if it is gardening by the moon’s phases or not. On this website , they list some sources of research, anecdotal accounts, and their findings for gardening by the moons phases.
The over arching rule is that people plant specific crops based on the phase of the moon. It is also believed there are better times to prune, build fences, wean animals, fish, etc. What do they mean by better? Everything from better yields, increased growth, stronger fences, juicier meat, and even to more flavorful produce.
The general rules, from The Farmers Almanac website, is “the new and first-quarter phases, known as the light of the Moon, are considered good for planting above-ground crops, putting down sod, grafting trees, and transplanting.
From full Moon through the last quarter, or the dark of the Moon, is the best time for killing weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing, cutting timber, and planting below-ground crops.”
Working on your garden and land by the moon does seem like a good way to keep track of when to do certain tasks. If it produces better yields and healthier plants that would be an amazing bonus!
If you choose to plant by the moon please remember that other planting conditions still need to be paid attention to.
If you have any questions about when to plant something please contact us or stop in and chat about your gardening goals!
DO YOU PLANT BY THE MOON? Email us or message us on our Drummers Facebook page and let us know!
Websites where you can find more information about gardening by the moon:
The Farmers Alamanac
Read about some moon phase gardening research here.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Discover new plants, techniques, thoughts and products for the garden.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Come learn about pollinators of all types and how to provide for them.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Discover the finer points of growing a great home lawn.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Understand the ins and outs of growing herbs.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Discover the basics of growing and caring for annuals.
Event Phone: 507-388-4877
Understand the ins and outs of growing herbs.
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
