Spring is officially here and that means gardening season will soon be well underway (and for some of you, it never really left).
Earlier this month we asked our Facebook followers to share their favorite gardening tips for the chance to win a garden-themed prize pack, complete with our Garden Series scratch tickets.
Check out some of the tips from fellow Minnesotan gardeners below to help grow your luck in the garden this year:
- "Consider sending a sample of your soil to the U of M Soil Testing Lab every 3 to 5 years. It’s a free service that will tell you the composition of your garden soil and what nutrients it may be missing." - Craig
- "Start seedlings inside now to plant in your garden in May. It’s cheaper and more rewarding to watch them grow!" - Barb
- "A little bit of work every day goes a long way. That’s true for gardens and life!" - Brent
- "Stale beer in tiny containers will attract and drown slugs." - Terri
- "Do not put kids in charge of watering when you go on vacation." - Linda
- "Use grass clippings in between your garden rows and around plants. It keeps the weeds away and conserves water. Your garden will also smell amazing." - Nancy
- "Don’t forget to include a pollinator garden; the hummingbirds and bees will thank you." - Chrissy
- "Trim the small non-productive branches from the lower portion of your tomato plants for better fruit production." - Beth
- "Don’t let your dog help you plant your plants. They will take the small sticks, aka the plants, and use them as chew toys." - Amanda
- "Rotate crops each year (for example, one year plant the tomatoes on one end of the garden; the following year plant them in a different area of the garden)." - Lisa
- "Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day. Water either in the morning or at dusk to avoid burning your plants. Be kind to your plants and show them lots of love." - Lori
- "Let others garden, and buy veggies from your local farmer’s market." - Dug
For additional tips, or for answers to your gardening questions, visit the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener website.
Happy spring!
