WEATHER - Tomato Gurus

Enjoy Vibrant Colors & Bolder Tomato Flavors This Year, Regardless of Varieties

This year, many tomato varieties have exhibited muted colors and less bold flavors than in previous years. Gardeners across the country are noticing this change and wondering what could be causing it. The weather can play a large role in how tomatoes look and taste. In Minnesota, cool wet weather

WEATHER

Growing Tomatoes: Combining Weather, Soil Composition and Fertilization for the Perfect Bumper Crop

It is no secret that the weather has a huge impact on tomato plants, and this year has been no exception. With more early season rain than last year, the difference in production was quite noticeable. But what really makes the difference? Temperature plays an important role, as tomatoes don't

GARDENING

How to Prep and Plant for a Successful Garden in 2020 After a Trying Year in 2019

Gardening can be a difficult pursuit, and 2019 was an especially trying year for many gardeners. Cold wet spring weather brought on disease, while frost persisted until mid-June. Hot summer weather caused tomato plants to drop their blossoms, followed by snow in October. Sugar beet farmers had 30% of their

WEATHER

Having an Unusual Spring? Here's What to Expect in Your Garden

This spring has been an unusual one. With late cool weather and little rain, the conditions have been dry but also extremely hot for May. This has led to less pressure from foliage diseases, as well as a lack of pests in general. The only pest that has been spotted

GARDENING

Get Ready for Spring Gardening - Planting Tips, Weather Forecasts and More!

As the slow march to spring continues, many gardeners are preparing their plants for hardening off and transplanting. Many herbs such as thyme and summer savory are ready to go out on the front porch. Peppers were started in March but some are taking longer than others to come up.

GARDENING

Gardening by Trial and Error: Unexpected Weather Changes Can Challenge Your Plants

Gardening can be a tricky business, especially when Mother Nature throws in some unexpected surprises. Last week, the forecast was for an overnight low of 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but unfortunately it dropped to 31 with a lot of frost. This weather change caused damage to young brassicas and other plants

GLOBAL WARMING

Unusual Weather Pattern Results in Early Asparagus Spears: Is Global Warming to Blame?

Uh oh... 1st Asparagus Spears Poking Up - Global Warming to Blame? It's not normal for the first asparagus spears to be poking up this early. In 2017 they poked up on February 27th and last year it was February 19th, but last week Pickles spotted the first few already!