Our favorite varieties are 'Purple Dome', the 'Wood's' series which is short and comes in multiple colors, and finally 'Alma Potchke' which is a vibrant bright pink. These varieties vary in size from 16" all the way up to 48" tall. 

Pollinators seek asters as a late season pollen and nectar source, giving bees a last chance storehouse of energy as they prepare for winter dormancy.

 

Asters are also one of the hardiest perennials for our Minnesota area, blooming year after year with little care, showing little concern about the frigid deep freeze temperatures we can experience.

 

Photo courtesy of our friends,

Twin Orchards Nursery.

Fall thinning and dividing of perennial gardens.

Spruce tip designs

for winter color.

Tulips! 

Oh bummer...   the squirrels...

The four-legged pests LOVE tulip bulbs as much as you love the flowers. Below are a few tricks that we use at HLG to help thwart the critters to ensure a luxurious spring bloom.

• Intermix tulips with pest-repelling species such as daffodils (also known as narcissus) and alliums (also known as flowering onions.) Daffodils and alliums are both distasteful to most mammals.
• When the bulbs are in the hole, spray or dust tulips with a 'taste repellent' agent, such as hot pepper wax, to stop pests in their tracks, even if they decide to dig a hole.
• When planting is completed, spray or dust a 'scent repellent' agent, such as bloodmeal or coyote urine (yes, garden centers sell coyote urine!) onto the soil above the bulbs.
• In drastic situations where the pests are very active, or large swaths of bulbs are being planted, standard chicken wire can be spread over the planting bed and covered with soil or mulch.

Utilizing any of these tricks, or a combination of them, will assure that you can look at your spring gardens thinking, 

Chop n' Drop is a method of building soil health that uses deep rooted plants to pull essential minerals from deep under the topsoil, and applying these minerals to the topsoil by chopping the plant tops directly onto the soil surface. As the 'green mulch' decays, it releases the minerals making them available to the desired primary plants.

Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens will be exploring this option in select, naturalized gardens.

KALE AND PORK SOUP -It's the perfect weather for soup. Use your fresh kale and other garden goodies to make this delicious and warming treat!

 

INGREDIENTS

-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

-1 small red onion, diced 1/4' pieces

-3 large garlic loves, minced

-1 tablespoon ginger, minced

-1 Thai chile

-1 cup dry white wine

-1 pound kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

-2 quarts chicken stock

-3 tablespoons soy sauce

-1 sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise

-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

-1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder

-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

-2 teaspoons honey

-2 puffed rice cakes, crumbled

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a pot, add onion, garlic, ginger, and Thai chile. Cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil, simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and chicken stock and bring back up to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the kale is almost tender, 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the soy sauce with the sesame oil and sweet potato. Simmer uncovered until potato is tender, 10  minutes longer.

 

2. Meanwhile, cut the pork shoulder into thin strips. Toss the pork with the lemon juice, honey, and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Let stand for 10 minutes.

 

3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet. Add the pork and sauces and cook over high heat until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the pork to the soup.

 

4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a small skillet until shimmering. Add the crumbled rice cakes and cook, stirring until lightly toasted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the sizzling rice. Serve immediately.

 

Taylor enjoys spending time with his kids, a son, age 1 and a daughter, age 3. He also loves the outdoors, especially camping and "mudding" in his truck.