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A newsletter by the Renville County Master

Gardeners containing USDA Zone 4 appropriate

information Volume 134 February 2020

Meet the Renville County Master Gardeners

Louise Schweiss Anderson–Fairfax;

Joy Clobes - Fairfax

Teide Erickson - Winthrop Sandy Feldman –

Renville,

Cathi Fesenmaier – Olivia;

Erin Grams – Hector;

Susan Haubrich –

Danube;

Betsy Hennen – Olivia;

Jan Howell – Olivia;

Pam McColley -

Franklin;

Linda McGraw –

Buffalo Lake; Beth O'Keefe –

Morton;

Marie O'Keefe –

Morton

Barbara Stone-

Renville

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and

employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion,

national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation

Master Gardener Meeting

Our first meeting will be at Max’s

Grill in Olivia on February 4th

at

5:00PM 2020. Please join us.

Inside this Issue:

Welcome – Page 2

February Garden Tips - Page 2

Houseplant Care During Winter – Page 3

Choose Plants with more than one purpose -Page 4

Don’t Throw it Out – Page 5

Plant Pussy willows -Page-6

My Hoya Plant– Page 7

What’s Happening – Page 10

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“Help us to be ever faithful gardeners of the spirit, who know that without darkness nothing comes to birth, and without light nothing flowers. ” May Sarton

Visit us on Facebook at:

Extension Master Gardeners - Renville County

This Photo by Unknown Author

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Welcome:

We would like to welcome our new and returning readers back to our Garden Gatherings

Newsletter. This 2020 year we hope to continue to educate and inspire your garden dreams and

needs. We decided this year we would focus an educational article on a houseplant each issue.

We have also heard from many that you would like more house plants at our bi-annual sale at

the Renville County Fair, which will be this August Thursday 6th- Saturday 8th. So, we will

have more house plants, but also many outdoor perennials. If you have friends that would like

to join our newsletter, email their email address to us at mnext-renville@umn.edu and we would

love to add them to our list. Thank you again for being a reader of our newsletter.

Renville County Master Gardeners

February Garden Tips • Inventory and clean tools. Use a wire brush to remove

excess soil. Follow this with steel wool to remove any

rust that formed on metal surfaces. Sharpen the soil

cutting edge of trowels and shovels with a triangular

file. Rub in a couple of drops of oil to prevent further

rusting.

• Visit home and garden shows to get new ideas. The

professionals at these shows can give you terrific design and planting tips. Or check out landscape books

at the library for ideas and pictures.

• Start finalizing your garden plan. List the vegetables your family likes to eat, and remember to include

the ingredients for your favorite recipes. Visit a local garden center and see if they have the seeds you

need to start indoors. Order any unusual or hard-to-find seeds from a reliable company.

• Trees can be pruned during the dormant season, when it is much easier to see the overall shape of the

tree and what needs to be removed. Prune oaks in winter to reduce risk of oak wilt.

• Beat the spring rush and have your lawn mower serviced now.

• It is the time to start impatiens, petunias, wax begonias, pansies and gerbera daisies. They should be

started by mid-February. If in doubt when to start, check the planting dates on the seed packets or

catalogs.

Source: “Month-By-Month Gardening Minnesota & Wisconsin” by Melinda Myers

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Houseplant Care During Winter

By Richard Jauron, Willy Klein, Horticulture specialists, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Growing conditions for houseplants are less than ideal during the winter months. Short days and long nights,

low relative humidity and cold drafts can be stressful to many houseplants. Good consistent care should keep

them healthy and attractive

How often should I water houseplants in winter? In general, houseplants require less frequent watering

during the winter months than in spring and summer. Watering frequency depends upon the plant species,

composition of the potting mix, environmental conditions (temperature, light and humidity) in the home and

other factors. When watering houseplants, continue to apply water until water begins to flow out the bottoms of

the pots. Discard the excess water.

Should houseplants be fertilized in winter? Fertilization is generally not necessary during the winter months

as most houseplants are not growing during this time. Indoor gardeners should fertilize their houseplants on a

regular basis in spring and summer when plants are actively growing.

How can I raise the relative humidity indoors for my houseplants? Many houseplants prefer a relative

humidity of 40% to 50%. Unfortunately, the humidity level in many homes during the winter months may be

only 10% to 20%. Humidifiers are an excellent way to increase the relative humidity in the home. Simple

cultural practices can also increase the relative humidity around houseplants. Grouping plants together is an

easy way to raise the humidity level. The water evaporating from the potting soil, plus water lost by plant

foliage via transpiration, increases the relative humidity in the vicinity of the houseplants. Another method is to

place houseplants on trays (saucers) filled with pea gravel or pebbles. Add water to the trays, but keep the

bottoms of the pots above the water level. The

evaporation of water from the trays increases

the relative humidity around the plants.

What are proper indoor temperatures for

houseplants in winter? Most houseplants

prefer daytime temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees

Fahrenheit and night temperatures of 60 to 65F.

(In winter, day and night temperatures in the

lower range of the aforementioned temperatures

are fine for most houseplants.) Temperatures

below 55F or rapid temperature fluctuations

may harm some plants. In winter, keep

houseplants away from cold drafts and heat

sources (such as fireplaces, furnace vents and

radiators). Also, make sure houseplant foliage

doesn’t touch cold windows.

Source: Iowa State University

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Smart Gardening in 2020: Choose plants with more than one purpose

Quick Fire® hydrangea.

Photo: PovenWinners.com

Winter came early this year with lots of snow and cold temps, but it's

never too early to start thinking about new plants for your garden and

yard. Maybe you've had a shrub that has not lived up to expectations and

you are ready to replace it.

Or you have lost a tree lately and suddenly have a large sunny spot for

planting. Got a fence that needs screening? A vine is a good option.

Regent serviceberry

Whatever your reason, a smart gardening good goal for 2020 is to choose

plants that serve more than one purpose. Here are some favorite multi-

purpose plants in my yard:

The Regent serviceberry shrub (Amelanchier alnifolia 'Regent') has lovely

white flowers, edible fruit and provides pollen and nectar for bees.

Multi-purpose Grasses

Grasses can create waves of texture and show off other plants. Some, like our native prairie dropseed

(Sporobolus heterolepis) and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), also provide food for butterfly larvae.

Sedges (Carex spp.) can be planted under taller plants to reduce weeds and serve as a growing mulch.

Beatlemania sedge

The flowers of one of my favorite plants, Quick Fire hydrangea

(Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk'), turn a deep mauve in late fall, and can be

cut and added dried to floral or container arrangements in the winter.

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Flowers good enough to eat!

Edible pot marigold flowers (Calendula spp.) provide pollinator food, bloom well into fall and the

petals can be sprinkled on salads for a citrusy bite.

Bee-friendly vines

Vines like the new self-fertile bittersweet Autumn Revolution (Celastrus scandens 'Bailumn' PP19811)

serves as food

Calendula flowers

for birds and pollinators and can be cut and twisted into decorative vines.

Unlike Oriental bittersweet, it is not invasive.

In 2020, resolve to choose plants for more than just their good looks as

they can serve multiple purposes in your yard and garden!

Author: Julie Weisenhorn, Horticulture Extension educator

blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2020/01/smart-gardening-in-2020-choose-plants.html

Don't throw it out--make your poinsettia re-bloom!

Poinsettias with a variety of colors and patterns. “How can I make my poinsettia rebloom?” is a common question we hear in January. Poinsettias can be grown as attractive green plants, but most people are interested in making their green poinsettia colorful again and ready for the holidays.

Can I make my poinsettia re-bloom? It is not an easy task, as it requires excluding light from the plant for

a period of time while keeping the plant healthy. The reduction in light prevents the plant from producing chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plant parts green. This changes the bracts to red, pink or white, depending on the poinsettia variety.

An E-Z to follow system of care Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension professor emeritus at the University of Vermont and author of Caring for Your Poinsettia Year-Round, developed an easy-to-follow poinsettia care calendar based on the holidays of the year! For more info, read this article on our Extension web page--be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page: Poinsettia Care after the Holidays and Reblooming Author: Julie Weisenhorn, Extension Educator – Horticulture; Yard and Garden News

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Plant pussy willows, a pollinator-friendly, powerhouse of a shrub!

Pussy willows (Salix discolor), a large 15-20 foot shrub native to

Minnesota and much of northern U.S. is one of the first plants to bloom in

the spring. Pussy willows provide some of the earliest flowers and pollen

for honey and other native bees.

The foliage also supports native butterfly caterpillars. This fast growing

shrub prefers wet sites but will tolerate a wide variety of soils.

What is a pussy willow?

"YouBetcha" Stick Sculpture made out of

willows by artist Patrick Dougherty,

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

Photo: Jim Douglas

Willows are dioecious with only male flowers on 1 plant and only

female flowers on another plant. The male flowers are showier and

what we think of a pussy willow flowers.

The female flowers can disperse and move with the wind…. similar to cottonwood flowers, and may be

a nuisance. Male flowering plants are usually what is sold in the garden centers. You do not need

plants of both sexes to get flowers…planting one male plant will give you showy flowers.

Regardless of flower sex, this species is vigorous grower. Cutting the plants back to the ground will

produce new shoots with many flowers.

Cuttings can be woven to make a wattle fence or garden border, or if you are ambitions look at what

artist Patrick Dougherty has done with the "Youbetcha" Stick Sculpture at the Minnesota Landscape

Arboretum.

A powerhouse, energy-producing shrub

Cornell University is working extensively on willows for bioenergy,

see Willopedia. Wood chips made from willows can be dried and

pelletized to produce heat and/or electricity and biofuels such as

ethanol.

They have a "low nutrient and nitrogen demand compared to other

[energy] crops."

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This shrub produces a dense cluster of stems on each plant, so they can be also planted to form living

snowfences, privacy hedges, riparian buffers or used to restore stream banks.

Researchers have developed many hybrid willows from additional species of fast growing European

and Asian willows that also produce attractive spring flowers.

Read about the chance of invasiveness and the complex chromosome number and seed set of these

willows. To date, no willows are on the invasive plant lists for any state in the U.S.

Where can I buy it?

According to the UMN Plant Information Line, several retail nurseries in Minnesota sell Salix discolor,

native pussy willows, including Gertens, Inver Grove Heights; Outback Nursery, Hastings; Prairie

Restoration, Princeton; Prairie Moon, Winona, Minnesota.

Goat willow or French pussy willow, Salix caprea, is native to Europe and Asia, and has many cultivars

grown for their attractive stem color or shape.

Locally Dundee Nursery lists several goat willow cultivars for sale at their nursery. Check your favorite

garden center in the spring for pussy willows. I look forward to planting 2 or 3 Salix discolor in in the

sunny, native section of my garden this spring.

For more information see:

Pussy Willow - A valuable native plant

--Mary H. Meyer, Extension Horticulturist & Professor

blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2020/01/smart-gardening-in-2020-plant-pussy.html

My Hindu Rope Plant (Hoya Carnosa Compacta) BY: Sandy Feldman Renville County Master Gardener

Some common names for my Hindu rope plant (Hoya carnosa compacta) include the Krinkle Kurl, porcelain flower, and wax plant. Each of these highlights a distinctive characteristic of this unique plant. The Hindu rope plant is native to southern India. Like many other types of hoyas, this species is epiphytic in its natural habitat, which means it’s actually an air plant, and its thick, crinkly leaves are succulent. The plant is a slow-growing plant that is fairly adaptable and doesn’t require a lot of attention.

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These plants have draping rope like vines with contorted leaves. They can be solid green or variegated white and have a waxy glossy appearance. They can have small star shaped flower clusters, unfortunately mine has never flowered.

While a Hindu rope plant may appear to do just fine in low light conditions, particularly if it has solid green rather than variegated leaves, this will cause it to grow more slowly. Also, the plant won’t blossom unless it receives very bright indirect sunlight. I have mine in my west facing bay window on the south side, because I don’t have a south window for my plant and it is probably why I have not seen any blooms.

They like higher humidity levels, so you might want to employ a humidifier, or you can set the pot on a rock-filled trey with water in it to generate the humidity that this plant craves.

During spring and summer, when the plant is in its active growing phase, you should allow the potting medium to become almost dry before watering. During the cooler months, when the plant is experiencing its resting phase, you should cut back even further and only water the plant occasionally.

To water a Hindu rope plant, flood the potting mixture with plenty of water and allow the excess to drain out of the pot, making sure to never leave the plant standing in water for more than 15 minutes, if you are setting it in the sink or using a watering tray.

This light feeder is generally happy with a monthly feeding during its vegetative growth period, which starts in mid-spring and continues throughout the summer.

The most reliable way to propagate is with stem cuttings. Using clean, sharp pruning shears, cut at an angle to remove a section off the tip of one of the plant’s vines that includes at least one pair of leaves. You can either place the bottom portion of the cutting in water, making sure to remove any lower leaves so they are not submerged, or in a dampened lightweight growing medium to root. Rooting hormone may help, but it isn’t a necessity.

The best time to re-pot any plant is in spring to midsummer, when the plant is entering its growing phase. But you should avoid repotting when the plant is in bloom, as it may cause the flowers to fall away. Of course, if it’s an emergency, then you have to do what you have to do to save the plant. Choose a new pot that’s no more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) larger in

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both depth and diameter than the pot you are replacing. But this plant seldom needs to be repotted.

• Soil: Lightweight medium, well-aerated, fast draining growing medium, airflow to the

roots is essential. If you prefer to make your own potting mix, pine bark, sphagnum

moss, clay pellets, pumice pebbles, perlite, coconut coir chips, and loam-based compost

are all great options to consider.

• Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are

a must. Hindu rope plants make great hanging plants. Prefers to have its roots packed

together rather tightly. Seldom need repotting.

• Light: Although this plant will survive in low light conditions, bright indirect sunlight is best

• Temperature: Daytime 70 F (21 C) and above, nighttime 60-65 F (16-18 C)

• Humidity: Higher humidity than average household levels (40-60 percent)

• Watering: Water when the soil is almost dry during growth phase, infrequently during winter

• Fertilizing: Feed monthly with diluted water-soluble fertilizer only in spring and summer

• Propagation: Stem cuttings

https://smartgardenguide.com/hindu-rope-plant-care/

https://www.plantedshack.com/hindu-rope-plant-hoya-carnosa-compacta/

Need to contact us? Call the Renville County Extension Office at

320-523-3713, or e-mail us at mnext-renville@umn.edu

Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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What’s Happening

In our area ; If you are interested in more information, contact a

Master Gardener or email the Renville County Extension

Office at mnext-renville@umn.edu

March 7, 8 a.m.- Gardening Education Day, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph - April 4- Let's Get Growing Gardening Day - Alexandria, April 4, 2020 Gardening Education Day, Sat. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Crow River Golf Club, Hutchinson. There will be four speakers on "Ten Commandments of Growing Roses", "Minnesota Fruit Trees", "Site Specific Perennials" and "Ferns for Minnesota Gardens and Homes". More information coming. May 2, Saturday, the annual Morton Garden Party and this year they are doing "Make and Take" sessions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

At the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum:

Saturday, February 8, 2020; 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

Growing & Repotting Orchids at Home, 150-02-08-

20-02 Steve Gonzalez, American Orchid Society

judge, presenter, and internationally known orchid

expert

Saturday, February 8, 2020;noon-2 p.m.Growing Tillandsias & Bromeliads at Home 150-02-08-20-

03, Steve Gonzalez, American Orchid Society judge,

presenter, and internationally known orchid expert.

Saturday, February 8, 2020;1:30-4:30p.m.Pruning Essentials: Deciduous & Coniferous Trees150-02-

08-20-01,Jim Calkins, landscape and production

horticulturist, Research Information Director - MN

Nursery & Landscape Assn

Saturday, February 15, 10:30 a.m.-noon 150-02-

15-20-02

Saturday, March 14, 1-2:30 p.m. 150-03-14-20

Creating Habitat for Birds and Butterflies in your Yard & GardenSelect a session

Julie Boden, Gardener and Nature Enthusiast

Saturday, February 15, 2020;1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

New Perennials & Exciting Combinations for MN Gardens150-02-15-20-01

Mike Heger, Lecturer and Author of "Perennials A to

Z", Retired Owner Ambergate Gardens

Saturday, February 29, 2020; 9:30 a.m.-11

a.m.Promise of Spring: Forcing Branches to Bloom Indoors; 150-02-29-20 Jim Calkins,

landscape and production horticulturist, Research

Information Director - MN Nursery & Landscape

Assn

Saturday, March 7, 2020;11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Houseplant Patrol: Basic Care, Problem-Solving & Resources150-03-07-20 Julie Weisenhorn,

Horticulture Educator, University of Minnesota

Extension For more information on what’s happening at the

For more information on what’s happening at the Arboretum, please visit

http://arboretum.umn.edu/gardeningclasses.aspx