a peaceful refuge in your yard - local.extension.umn.edu · morels, anyone? for freezing or drying...
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YARD & GARDEN NEWSLETTER- MAY 2016
A Peaceful Refuge in your Yard Mary Hollingsworth, MN River Valley Master Gardener
If you are a garden or nature enthusiast, you
may know of the healing power of plants and
nature. Being around a natural outdoor
environment helps us to feel better relaxed and
peaceful. A wonderful stress reducer! A peace
garden is a green space that provides relief of
stress and a sense of wellbeing. Green is known
as a relaxing color.
How much space you have and location is a
factor on enclosing an area to make it your oasis.
Make it simple and easy to look at often, keep in
mind what attracts birds, butterflies and bees for
listening and observation pleasure.
Shady Refuge at Master Gardener Barb Maher’s home
Photo: K. Hulke
Habitat is important is well. Cobblestone
pathways, small ponds, a bird bath, water
fountain with colorful leaves, small trees,
hedges, and trellises make a refuge area. An
informal spiral of self-seeding cottage garden
flowers along a path is an easy start. Japanese
themes woodland area and moss gardens are
examples of peaceful themes. Using a pergola
with climbing scented roses or honeysuckle for
example in the center of your lawn with a bench
makes for a simple peaceful space.
Taking a little time to plan some work can give
you the peaceful place you desire in your own
backyard.
Sunny spot at Good Counsel Hill in Mankato Photo: K. Hulke
UM Extension- Blue Earth County 204 South Fifth Street
Mankato, MN 56001 507-304-4325
Master Gardener
Opportunities Available: ACES SCHOOL GARDENS ASSISTANCE
The ACES after school summer program, in connection with the Mankato Schools, will be planting gardens at six area elementary schools. The ACES summer staff will supervise the students doing the gardening, but they need our help to train those 15-20 staffers.
Training will be held on Friday, May 20, and Master Gardener help is requested.
Diane will be organizing the day, and needs some MG assistance. In addition, ACES has asked if Master Gardeners would help by adopting a garden or two to visit weekly during the summer to ensure that things are going smoothly.
The garden plots will be 4x12 raised beds at six schools: Kennedy, Rosa Parks, Eagle Lake, Franklin, Roosevelt and Hoover.
Please contact Diane to assist: 507-384-1745, or [email protected]
SUMMER GARDEN HELP AT THE CHILDREN'S SCIENCE MUSEUM IN MANKATO
Summer Adopt-A-Garden at the Children's Museum of Southern MN.
Rochelle Koberoski at the Children's Science Museum, 224 Lamm Street, Mankato, is looking for some Master Gardener expertise at their outdoor "farm" this summer. They will be planting and growing vegetables in three 4x4 raised beds. They need someone to help plant & maintain a garden, and to teach a one- hour composting lesson at one of their education days this summer.
If you are interested in being involved, please contact Rochelle at 507-344-9107 or email at [email protected]
ASSISTANCE AT THE VINE LANDSCAPING
Our friend Darlene Shorn and another Master Gardener have been caring for the VINE Community Center landscaping since it was planted three years ago.
There is an opportunity to help with this effort this summer. The landscape is planted with perennials and other repeat performers, soothe task is as simple as keeping things clean and checking it regularly. If you would like to help, please contact the Extension Office at 507-304-4326 or Darlene.
GRAFTING AND TOP WORKING COURSE AT HOCH ORCHARD
This Course gives the rare opportunity to see top-worked trees of different ages and stages of growth. Not only will participants learn basic bench grafting techniques with different grafting tools, they will also learn how to top-work old trees to new modern varieties.
Saturday May 7th, 9:00 to 3:00 at Hoch Orchard near La Crescent Minnesota
$50 per orchard or family with one set of handouts and one lunch
$25 for a student or student group with one set of handouts and one lunch
$15 for extra lunch and break snacks. This is a local lunch made with products from the farm that includes a tasting of our wine and cider. No deli box lunches here!
Jake Overgaard, our Winona County Extension Educator, will give some background and history of grafting.
Harry Hoch and the orchard staff will help with grafting and tours.
Following is a link with additional information
and registration details: http://z.umn.edu/15k6
Master Gardener Program MN River Valley Master Gardeners
Morels, anyone?
We've gotten calls at the Extension Office this week asking about morels, and also inquiring about how to preserve them or sell them. UM Extension Educator Gary Wyatt has put together some great information about the wild morels we gather and love to eat: The morel mushroom (also called yellow morels or sponge mushrooms) is known around the world but is most prevalent in North America and found from Texas to Alaska, in each state.
Morel mushrooms are probably the most recognizable and sought after edible mushroom. Note that there is a “false” morel that is poisonous. See identification cues from the Minnesota Harvester Handbook’s fact sheet. Morels emerge annually in the spring when there has been adequate rainfall. In southern MN they can be found in late April through May depending on the rainfall and temperature, northern MN may see morels into June.
Morels can be found in many landscapes but most
commonly are found in woodlands or woody edges.
Morels prefer to grow under or around decaying elms,
ash, poplar and apple trees. Other preferred sites
include south facing slopes, burned (forest fire) or
logged woodlands and disturbed areas.
When harvesting wild mushrooms it is recommended
that you pinch or cut the stem just above the soil and to
leave the base of the mushroom in the soil. Harvest
only healthy specimens and leave the ones which are
too small or too mature. Mushrooms should smell fresh
and earthy; do not pick those with soft spots or
bruising. An onion bag makes a terrific container for
collecting mushrooms.
When you get the mushrooms home, wipe them with a
damp cloth or soft brush to remove dirt, debris and
insects. Refrigerate the cleaned morels in a paper bag
or waxed paper at 34-35 degrees. Water contact or
plastic bags can hasten the mushrooms' deterioration.
Fresh mushrooms will keep in the refrigerator for 2 -3
days. If you cannot eat them in that time frame, they
can be rinsed, trimmed and steamed to prepare them
for freezing. It's not recommended to freeze them raw
or to dust with flour before freezing. Additional details
for freezing or drying morels for storage can be found in
the University of Alaska's Extension
publication: https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/publications-
db/catalog/hec/FNH-00020.pdf
To learn and socialize with Minnesotans who love to
hunt and eat mushrooms, the Minnesota Mycological
Society provides mushroom
camaraderie: www.minnesotamushrooms.org.
Warning: Many wild mushrooms are poisonous and
can be fatal. Positively identify the mushroom you pick
and plan to eat. An old mushroom hunters’ axiom
states “When in doubt, throw it out”, this is a good rule
to follow. If you believe you have ingested a poisonous
mushroom, immediately contact Poison Control
(1-800-222-1222), and save an uncooked sample of
the mushrooms you consumed for the purpose of
identification. This can be critical for determining the
proper course of treatment.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the
Minnesota Department of Health does have regulations
on harvesting and selling wild mushrooms in MN. This
link will provide details of the state's requirements:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/food/food-safety/food-service-industry/regulations/wild-mushrooms/
The morel mushroom is currently the only wild
mushroom that may be sold directly to markets,
restaurants, or consumers in Minnesota. No
mushroom identification experts have been certified to
sell any wild mushrooms except morel mushrooms at
this time. In most cases, to be licensed to sell
mushrooms you need to complete an approved
mushroom class. You then show proof of completion to
the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to
receive a license to sell mushrooms. For further details
contact Ann Walters, MDA at: [email protected]
Enjoy this wonderful weather and good luck with your
hunt!
Extension Corner
May 14th, 2016
9am—11am
Caledonia Curling Club
600 Hope St. 1 block north of Madison Avenue - behind Walgreens Corner of Caledonia & Hope Street
*Purchase Plants (Cash or Check Only) *Ask a Master Gardener
your gardening questions Proceeds go to the many community projects that the Extension Master Gardeners conduct throughout the year
Annual Plant Sale
Minnesota River Valley Extension Master Gardeners
Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Statewide Conference 2016 Our Plants, Our Planet, Our Volunteers
June 24 & 25, 2016 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Register Now! Bundle and Save! Friday & Saturday, June 24 & 25 • $160 Master Gardeners (also Master Naturalists and Tree Care Advisors)
• $190 general admission Includes Arboretum Admission and Friday evening entertainment
ONLY - Friday, June 24 OR ONLY – Saturday, June 25 (One day admission) • $85 Master Gardeners (also Master Naturalists and Tree Care Advisors) • $100 general admission Includes Arboretum Admission and Friday evening entertainment
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