Master Gardener Sue Morris: Fellow gardeners report flower successes, challenges with vegetables

More garden stories this week from area master gardeners.

Deb Nelson, a master gardener from rural New London, reported that her late planted pots were still doing well into fall. The petunias and geraniums never quit.

Most of her flower seeds did well even though they were slow. Thankfully the deer left them alone.

She said she didn’t weed as much because of the heat and air quality, but this didn’t seem to bother the perennials. She commented that it may have been why she had asters and snapdragons.

Kate Selseth, master gardener from Willmar, reported that she didn’t have great success with her vegetables. Heat over a weekend that she was out of town was a problem. She moved her herbs to a cooler spot and they did well. The sun was very harsh on her garden this year.

Master Gardener Sheila Ruka reported that the garden this year was a battle of the bugs and they almost did her in. Corn rootworm bugs and grasshoppers got fat from her dahlias, eating the buds right before they opened so it was hard to see what color they were supposed to be.

Her potatoes endured the grasshoppers, and then Colorado potato beetles and last but not least, everyone’s favorite — the dreaded aphid. She has dug a few plants and has nice potatoes despite the abuse they had to suffer all summer.

On a lighter note, Sheila’s tomatoes, beets and brassicas did well. Sunsugar tomato is always a hit in her garden and was very productive. Her lilies bloomed beautifully and the delphiniums she started from seed looked lovely too.

Master Gardener Mary Hagen from Belgrade enjoyed growing a tall verbena (verbena bonarienses) annual as a great blue color container spike. It was 20 inches tall and a monarch magnet.

Ines Sastre-De Jesus, master gardener from Spicer, grew Fuchsia triphylla (Gartenmeister Fuchsia) for the first time and it produced flowers the entire season, blooming into fall. The long red-orange tubular flowers were very attractive, providing a striking focal point in the garden.

Although it is recommended as a border summer annual, she thinks it works better as a “thriller” in a large pot. She wouldn’t use it in a basket, as other fuchsias are commonly grown, because this one grows about 1-2 feet tall.

The hummingbirds visited it frequently, but unfortunately it does not provide any nectar. Ines said she would still grow it again because of its continuous flowering.

When looking out the office window this morning, I see the beautiful blue color of monkshood flowers. Although they are so pretty, it reminds me that winter is approaching. Monkshood is the very last thing to bloom in my flower bed each year.

When writing this, I haven’t had frost yet but seeing these blooms, I know it can’t be far away. Seeing these flowers also reminds me of Ervin Bosch, a fellow Fahlun Township farmer, who generously shared them with me many years ago.

I hope that each of you have flowers, shrubs or trees in your yard that reminds you of friendships you have had over the years.

Master Gardener Sue Morris has been writing a column since 1991 for Kandiyohi County newspapers. Morris has been certified through the University of Minnesota as a gardening and horticulture expert since 1983. She lives in Kandiyohi County.