Master Gardener: The Bonanza, A Pill for Cabin Fever

Posted 3/21/01

Master Gardener: The Bonanza, A Pill for Cabin Fever

By Jerry Vitalis, Chisago County Master Gardener

As I was writing this article, I was listening to Jim Gilbert on WCCO radio. He is a schoolteacher in one of the Twin City suburbs. He is a naturalist whose main interest are birds, as well as having a weekly radio program. Jim was saying that last year the maple trees were running on March 3 and by mid-March, most of the area lakes were open. He also stated that bird watchers shouldnít be concerned about the late spring, bird migration this year. In fact, one can hardly base anything on the past couple of winters. I realized that I have been doing that by rushing the season, based on the last three winters.

So rather then climbing the walls due to cabin fever, order your apple trees. Although they won't be planted for a couple of months, putting in your order will assure you that you can get the variety you want. Two of the apple varieties developed out of the University of Minnesota are the Honeycrisp and the Zestar. Honeycrisp is a mid-season apple that is overtaking the Harelson, as Minnesotaís most popular apple variety. Zestar, Minnesotaís newest release, is a tasty, crisp apple that ripens in late August. When I started my orchard more than twenty years ago, standard apple trees were recommended because they had a better chance of surviving our harsh winters. The two disadvantages of the standard tree is that they take at least five years before you have any fruit and they grow so tall that they are hard to manage. Since that time, more durable rootstock has been developed. Now it is recommended you order dwarf or semi-dwarf trees. They grow smaller for ease of managing pests, pruning and harvesting. Also, you may have some fruit as early as the following year.
I do some trial planting of vegetables for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and I received my seed packets last week. One of the vegetables I will raise and evaluate is broccoli. The instructions tell me to plant the seeds in mid-March to be transplanted into the garden in early May. This means that any of the cabbage family seeds should be planted now.

Speaking of seeds, avoid plant diseases by soaking old flats and containers in nine parts of water to one part of liquid chlorine bleach before using them. Rinse thoroughly after they have soaked for half and hour. Fill them with fresh, lightweight potting soil right from the bag.

I donít need to tell you that March snowfall could be wet and heavy, bending evergreen branches and mashing down early bulb foliage. Plants usually resume their normal forms as the snow melts. If you are concerned about evergreens, use a shovel to scoop snow off gently to relieve some of the weight, providing you can reach the branches.

We have received several calls at the Extension Office about pruning fruit trees. I donít know if it was due to my article on pruning apple trees or just another sign of cabin fever. Whatever the reason, it gives me a great opportunity to remind you one more time about our 3rd Annual Spring Bonanza, which will be held at Fairview Medical Center in Wyoming on March 24, 2001 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jim Birkholtz, owner and operator of the Pleasant Valley Orchard, can answer any of your questions on fruit trees. Mike Zins from the University of Minnesota, is the main speaker and he will do presentations on Lasting Landscapes. Several other presentations and many of the area landscape services, nursery and greenhouse services will be there to answer your questions.

If you have any questions regarding this article and would like to contact the Master Gardener, please contact the Extension Office at (651) 674-4417. Hope to see you and meet you at the Bonanza.