YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES
Greengirls are back!
Posted on April 1st, 2008 – 7:00 AMBy Connie Nelson
Look out your window? What do you see besides the snow? Could it be? Why, yes, it is! It’s the Greengirls! Your favorite (second favorite? third favorite? In the top 10?) garden bloggers!
This is no April Fools Day joke. We’ve earmarked our seed catalogs, ordered more than we can possibly plant, and can’t wait to hear about your spring plans.
As soon as the snow melts, Jaime (the original Greengirl) is going to dig up more of her yard and plant some early veggies and some ornamentals including Himalayan blue poppies.
City-girl-turned-country-farmer Robyn already has her chickens. (Now all she needs is a coop.)
And me? Lazy gardener that I am, I’m planning to rip out the overgrown shrubs that have engulfed my house and plant something lovely. (Not sure what quite yet. Any suggestions?)
In our fourth season on the blog, we’ll be telling tales fresh from our gardens and asking you to share stories from yours. We’ll also be introducing a Gardener of the Week feature, a mini-profile of local garden all-stars (send your nominations to greengirls@startribune.com).
Since you can’t get out in your garden now (unless you shovel your way there), tell us what you’ve got planned this winter wonderland!
39 Responses to "Greengirls are back!"
I plan on taking the leap from container garden to a full-fledged, in-ground one. I just need to add a few truckloads of dirt to the backyard.
Anyone know how deep the frost is still around the metro area?
Well, the bunnies in my yard actually made my plans for me this spring. I had major damage to two arborvitae trees, 3 mature spirea bushes and one hydrangea bush - the bunnies munched them to death. The arborvitaes are bare (I’m talking no wood even) from the ground up about 2 feet (thanks to the snow for giving them a boost up) and the others are down to the ground to about 6 inches. So, if anyone has any suggestions for replacements that would be rabbit proof, I’m all ears (okay, no pun intended).
yay…i’m ripping out my hideous chain link fence and planting a hedge. any opinions on what makes a good hedge? I plan to include some lilacs interspersed with something evergreen. I have too many plans this year. I remember that last year I planted some stuff in containers by mid-april, which was too early but I couldn’t help myself.
Jeff,
I just got off the phone with DNR climatologist Greg Spoden. He said that the ground in the metro area is still frozen — and likely to stay that way for a while. The snow cover we got is slowing down the “frost out,” which usually takes place around the first week of April. (FYI: Spoden said that the frost typically leaves the soil a week to 10 days before ice leaves the lakes.)
Bottomline: It may be a little while before you can dig in the dirt!
Welcome back Greengirls! I have been checking over the winter awaiting your updates on seed starting or signs of spring at the blog.
I goofed off getting some daffodils and cammas in the ground last fall so I potted them up and they are on the deck so technically I guess I am forcing them. My ground is not accepting water yet so I would guess, depending on the spot ( how far is it from the house, other heat absorbing areas) we still have a foot or more to defrost.
Don’t hate me, but I need the frost to hang in the ground for a wee bit longer. I’ve got a couple of dead Chinese elm trees that need to come out before we can get building my chicken coop (Coupe DeVille). But that requires getting big equipment into the yard. And out of the yard. Big trucks stuck in the mud = no good.
I was hoping that this snow was going to soak in. In fact, when anyone complained about the snow I said, “Think of the soil moisture.” After talking with that climatologist, I’m gonna have to come up with another argument in favor of the snow. How ’bout: “It looks so pretty!”
Hey Deb W!
Good to hear from you! I got some bulbs from a girlfriend which I didn’t get in the ground until November. I should’ve waited for spring, but I wanted one last hurrah in garden.
What a mistake!
The ground was semi-hard, my hands were frozen and half way through my bulbs, it started to sleet.
someone besides me has had to have started their veggies!!I have peas,beans and 2 kinds of cukes that have just started to pop in the little make shift grren house!
welcome back girls looking forward to reading your blog.
I’m converting from an “in-the-ground” garden to garden boxes this year. Menards currently has Cedar lumber on sale, so I’ll be picking some up this week to start construction. I hope to get them finished by the 15th, so I can get my early season veggies into the ground.
I planted some daffodils last fall in October. Thought it was late enough. But I found out over the weekend that they had sprouted last fall (under the first snow cover? since I never noticed them last fall) and frozen until now of course. Are they dead and done? Anybody experiencing that too?
Another question—-I am planning to install some simple growing light structure over my 30″x50″ table so that I could start some plants from seeds in my basement. Any suggestions on where to buy the growing lights? And what work the best?
. . . but you may get great blooms, just the same, Jaime! You take a risk planting bulbs late in the fall, but it’s better than not planting them at all. ‘Course, you could force. But I usually get carried away when I start potting up bulbs and sticking them in the frigde. I never leave room for food!
Welcome back, Greengirls! I’ve spent the last month or two poring through gardening books, making gardening spreadsheets (yes, I am a nerd) and dreaming of spring. Seeing y’all’s return is one sure sign. 
As much as I can’t wait to get in the garden, I’m kind of glad winter is hanging on. I have lost spring flowers in the past by having them bloom too early and then freezing out.
YAY, spring must be in the air cause I am writing a story for my paper in Delaware about container gardening, which is a totally selfish proposal for a story because I want to amp up my apartment gardening this year.
I started last year and it was okay–my chives actually survived the winter on my porch and are still blooming–but this year I want to do more. I’m a mad scientist now.
Of course, I’m in Delaware, so I am zone 7a, (I think MN is 2a?)but I still love the Green Girls and hope you can help me in my adventures too.
Shruti,
Don’t make it any worse than it is!We’re not zone 2! We’re zone 4! (Okay, okay, parts of northern Minnesota are zone 2, but that’s way up north.) Whatcha planting in your containers? I won’t even be thinking about containers for another couple weeks. So, of course, I’m jealous of you!
Hey Shruti!
I’m always worried about container gardening in containers? Is the plastic safe? Is the terra cotta full of chemicals? Until they make planters out of Sig bottles, I’m going to trade my Home Depot finds for some galvanized steel tubs like this local gardener:
http://myorganicpatio.blogspot.com/2007/06/transformation-on-patio.html
Don’t forget to send us a link to you story!
Last year was my first year trying to garden, and in typical rookie fashion, I took on WAY more than I could chew. This year, my goal is to plant one of the side gardens of my house. It had HORRIBLE bushes that we ripped out last year.
The roots are still left (sticking 6 inches out of the ground) and the space is also covered in landscaping rock.
Any suggestions on an easy to plant garden for a full sun area? I think I will have my hands full trying to kill the roots…any suggestions for that?
Thanks for coming back Greengirls, I missed you all winter!
Talk after this last snow fall is that we will have a very cool summer. I have a patio that has a seating area around it that I plant waxed begonia’s and potato vines every year. Anyone know of something similar (low maintenance) that can take cooler temps?
Hey Allison, glad you’re revved up for year 2.
You might want to consider ripping out the roots of those bushes rather than trying to kill them. Killing them (no matter how you do it) won’t make them disappear. If you rip them out, they’ll be gone. And you’ll likely have to dig out the landscape rock — as well as the landscape plastic or fabric you’ll likely find underneath the landscape rock and accumulated muck. It’s a nasty job, but think of the great sense of accomplishment you’ll have when you’re done!
Hey Allison!
Sounds like you and I will be in the same boat this year. The east side of my house needs a major face lift.
For full sun, I got two words for you: Prairie plants! Native grasses are beautiful, lower maintenance, and attract a tons of native birds and butterflies.
If you want a cleaner look (some folks don’t dig the prairie plants as much as I do), there are some pretty sweet native shrubs, too. I bought a couple books this fall at the Arboretum for ideas: The Best Plants For 30 Tough Sites and Native plants for Northern Gardens (I can’t find it on Amazon… I’ll have to double check the title at home).
Now is a great time for research so you know what to look for at the spring plant sales!
Just arrived home from the Polynesian Resort in Florida yesterday…It was so beautiful there, I am inspired. This year I would love to fill my containers with hibiscus. Last year I had one beauty and I think it cost me over $20. Can I start some baby hibiscus indoors this month? Any ideas who might sell them?
Jaime, I’ve never heard of any chemicals in terra cotta. (It’s just a fancy name for clay. Which is a fancy name for baked mud.) Galvanized is neat, but beware: In full sun, it can get quite hot and it does transfer heat to the soil and your plant’s roots. Some folks recommend using some kind of liner (ie another pot) between your potting soil and any metal container, to avoid big temperature fluctuations in the soil. Just a consideration . . .
Amy Liu,
I’ll be posting tomorrow on seed starting. I am totally addicted!
Hey KimW, glad to hear you had an inspiring vacation! Hibiscus are such great plants, aren’t they? I love those big, flat flowers. Most garden centers will sell them during the season, but I’ve never seen them cheap.Logee’s Tropical Plants (www.logees.com) has a nice selection of hibiscus under $20. If you want to shop locally, check out Tropical Plants Unlimited. They usually have hibiscus. Also, you may want to try planting one of the hardy hibiscus. They can cost a little more, but can be overwintered outdoors. Look for pink-flowered `Fantasia’ and `Sweet Caroline,’
red-flowered `Fireball’ and the stunning `Kopper King,’ which
boasts white-pink flowers along with rich, copper-colored foliage.
YOU MUST try square foot gardening,
I took a class last year, then started 3….
it’s the only way to go - you can do several, above ground, minimum weeding…very decorative and it goes anywhere…check it out…
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/
I bought the book and used it constantly…there’s no dirt involved so plan ahead…
you can have several harvests, grab ingredients for a fresh salad on the way home from work…
it is the BEST - trust me….
Hey Amy,
Your daffodils should be OK. They’re tough little buggers. They may not bloom this spring, but they most likely will live (thru the summer) to bloom again. You don’t need special grow lights. Regular fluorescent tube lights work great.
Interesting thoughts about “green” gardening in terms of chemicals and stuff in containers. I have some faux-terra cotta containers from last year so I may have to consider something different.
Thank you for all the feedback. I will get some books and keep everyone up to date on the progress!
Welcome back Greengirls!
I have over 150 seedlings in my makeshift grow-room, I can not wait for it to be warm enough to put them out! This year, my obsession is with green flowers and almost-black flowers like Alcea Nigra Hollyhocks (is it possible to be a garden-goth?)
Amy Liu, I used Cool White florescent bulbs from Home Depot but I’m sure that the Greengirls will have opinions on which lights are best
Started vegetable and flowers from seed for the first time ever this year inside and AM SO GEEKED OUT to have little sprouts. Like I’m seriously obsessed with them. Even if they never sucessfully transplant, the joy they have brought this loong winter in their little greenhouses (reused KFC meal containers, black bottom, clear top and cheapies from Menards)is worth it… I have the bug so bad that when I ran out of money at Aldi and had to put something back I protected my hosta bulbs over food. The cashier thought I was nuts. Is this the support group? And yes, I was VERY embarassed. But I’ll have hostas! And I have trays of sprouts! Let the green begin!
Hey Frugal Jo, all I can say is you rock! Oh, and take care hardening your seedlings off when the time comes. Being an impatient gardener, I usually just stuck my defenseless little seedlings outside as soon as it warmed up a tad. I didn’t bother trying to slowly acclimate them, as recommended by the experts. It ended, sadly, in disaster. So, don’t do what I did. Good luck to you!
Danika advised on my setup, and I too used the cool white bulbs. Almost everything is growing really well. I have the challenge of a yard that’s nearly all shade, but I spent the winter studying shade garden tips/plans/ideas and I’m ready now to conquer a very plain yard and utterly transform it! I’ll take before and after pics.
I’m spending my entire “Economic Stimulation” check on plants this year.
For my cheapskate grow light set up I used a mix of warm white and cool white, this is supposed to mimic full spectrum daylight. I strongly suspect that ANY light is better than window light and close ( 4 to 6 inches) is a good thing. Don’t forget to put on the fan or at least wiggle them around to get strong stems.
Really, a fan is important? How long each day do you run it?
I’m glad you’re back. A couple of my Spring indicators are running two weeks behind last year. Looks like that will give me more time to plan.
This will be the year I try not to spend too much at the plant sales in May.
Hah!
The fan is important because the stems of the plants need the breezes to make them strong, not spindly. Turn the fan on low and keep it n the same timer that the light is on.
Peter, I totally understand. I had spring fever so bad this March, I ordered over $150 of seeds and starter potatoes!
Greengirls Connie Nelson, Robyn Dochterman and Jaime Chismar are dishin' the dirt from the backyard garden and beyond. Whether you're a greenthumb or greenhorn, they're eager to learn from your misshaps, mistakes -- and most importantly, your sweet successes -- all growing season long.
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