Get in the Garden

Liz Potasek

Editor

The season is starting early—it's time to dig in with local plant sales and resources.

Ack! It's April 4, and the dandelions are already winning in my garden. I've been delighted by the early arrival of rhubarb, chives and my perennials, but it's a little heartbreaking to be losing the battle of weeds so early in the spring.

As my garden begins to sprout, I've noticed that a size-able group of my perennials are a little slow in "waking up," and I'm not entirely sure they made it through this weird winter. Since I'm still rooting for their survival, I've begun to start dreaming about their potential companions (or replacements in the worst case scenario), so I'm already marking my calendar with local plant sales:

Shady Acres Herb Farm
One of my favorite destinations for herb, fruit and vegetable plants is opening early this year! Stop by on April 10 to visit the greenhouses and gift shop. I have Shady Acres Rosemary growing in my kitchen window, and its scent has reminded me of summer all winter.

Birch Island Woods Plant Sale
The Friends of Birch Island Woods group is planning its 11th annual plant sale, where gardeners can expect to find a large variety of perennials, vegetables, fruits and more. Explore its bounty from May 4–13 at Camp Eden Wood in Eden Prairie.

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Auxiliary Plant Sale
This popular plant sale attracts gardeners from around Minnesota searching for unusual plants, as well as everyday Minnesota-hardy work horses. You'll also find a variety of plants introduced by the University of Minnesota. Check it out from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. May 12–13 at the Arboretum.

Other Garden resources:

Pass your love of gardening on to the next generation with Bachman's Kids in the Garden workshop series. The next event is this Saturday (April 7), and classes are scheduled monthly through December at the Eden Prairie Bachman's. Class fee: $5. For details (and to register), click here.

Last spring I blogged about the release of the revised and updated edition of Growing Perennials in Cold Climates, which was co-written by Mike Heger of Ambergate Gardens in Chaska. My copy has been much-loved after only one season of use—it's a must-have resource for Minnesota gardeners. Ambergate Gardens opens for the season on May 1 (and it's a must-stop shop for gardeners of all stripes).

This spring, the University of Minnesota Press sent me a copy of Atina Diffley's book, Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works. While I haven't had a chance to get beyond the book jacket (having a 3-month-old baby doesn't give me much time to read these days), I'm looking forward to cracking the book. Difley, who founded Gardens of Eagan (now located in Farmington), is a pioneer in the organic food movement, and her memoir chronicles Gardens of Eagan's success and the challenges she and her family faced as organic farmers. If nothing else, I'm hoping Difley's story will give me a better perspective on my own battle against weeds.

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