Hubbard County Master Gardeners, University of Minnesota Extension

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Hubbard County Master Gardeners, University of Minnesota Extension Hubbard County University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Office located at the County Fair Grounds in Park Rapids, MN.

Follow us for educational material on gardening. For anyone interested in gardening!

10/16/2026

A big THANK YOU to Linda Warmbold, Deb Menting and Mary Spethmann, three of our Hubbard County Master Gardeners, for planting, caring for, and cleaning up the gardens at the Hubbard County Extension office building all summer long!

We're also grateful to Flying W Gardens for donating the plants and helping with the spring planting. Your generosity and hard work make these gardens possible!

The gardens at the Extension office are a great example of how even shady areas with shallow soil can be transformed into beautiful spaces. Thousands of people get to enjoy them throughout the summer, from visitors to the Extension and Veterans offices to everyone attending the Hubbard County Fair in July.

Thank you all for sharing your time, talents, and love of gardening with our community!

Growing perennial fruit is only half the fun. Once the harvest starts coming in, the next question is: What are you goin...
10/06/2026

Growing perennial fruit is only half the fun. Once the harvest starts coming in, the next question is: What are you going to do with it?

Jerry has spent years growing and experimenting with perennial fruit crops, and a successful harvest can mean a lot of fruit to use in a short period of time.

Depending on the crop and the recipe, fruit can be preserved through methods such as:
• Canning
• Freezing
• Dehydrating
• Making jams and jellies
• Sauces and syrups
• Fermentation
• Fresh storage

Apples, plums, currants, grapes, rhubarb, cherries and other fruits can all become part of a preserved-food pantry.

One of the advantages of growing a diverse collection of perennial fruits is that they don't all ripen at once. Different crops—and even different varieties of the same crop—can extend the harvest season.

Important: When canning, always use a tested recipe from a reliable food preservation source and follow the recommended processing time, method and altitude adjustments. Don't alter the proportions of ingredients in tested recipes.

A perennial fruit garden can provide food not just during harvest season, but throughout the year when that harvest is properly preserved.

Thanks for following along with this series: "Growing Fruit in Northern MN with Jerry." Make sure you follow the Hubbard County Master Gardener page for more gardening information!

Aronia, sometimes called chokeberry, is a hardy native shrub that deserves more attention from northern Minnesota garden...
10/04/2026

Aronia, sometimes called chokeberry, is a hardy native shrub that deserves more attention from northern Minnesota gardeners.

Aronia plants are extremely cold hardy, adaptable and relatively low-maintenance once established. They produce clusters of dark berries in late summer or fall, and the plants can also provide attractive fall color.

Jerry has experimented with growing Aronia as part of his collection of perennial fruit crops.

Aronia can be a good choice for a northern fruit planting because it tolerates a range of growing conditions. Plants do best in full sun, although they can tolerate some shade.

Keep in mind that the berries are quite tart and astringent when eaten fresh. That doesn't mean they aren't useful, though. Aronia can be processed into juice, syrup, jelly, w**e and other products.

When growing aronia, choose a sunny location when possible and provide adequate moisture while plants are becoming established. Allow room for the shrubs to spread, protect young plants from deer and harvest the berries when they are fully ripe for processing.

Aronia is a good example of the kinds of lesser-known perennial fruits that can expand what we grow in northern Minnesota. Hardy, productive and well adapted to our climate, it can be an interesting addition to a home fruit planting.

Elderberries are another fruiting shrub that can do well in northern Minnesota and provide a productive harvest once est...
10/02/2026

Elderberries are another fruiting shrub that can do well in northern Minnesota and provide a productive harvest once established.

Jerry has been growing elderberries as part of his collection of perennial fruits and experimenting with how they perform in his garden.

Elderberries prefer a sunny location with consistent moisture and fertile soil. They can grow into fairly large shrubs, so give them adequate space when planting.

For the best fruit production, plant elderberries in full sun and provide consistent moisture, especially while they are becoming established. Give the plants plenty of room to grow, protect young shrubs from deer and other wildlife, and prune established plants to encourage productive growth.

Elderberries are typically cooked or processed before eating and can be used in syrups, jams, jellies, baked goods and other preparations.

Like many perennial fruit crops, elderberries can provide a harvest for years once established. They are another option for northern Minnesota gardeners looking to add productive shrubs to their landscape.

Want to grow berries but don’t want to mess with acidifying your soil?Consider honeyberries, also called haskaps.These e...
09/30/2026

Want to grow berries but don’t want to mess with acidifying your soil?

Consider honeyberries, also called haskaps.

These extremely cold-hardy fruiting shrubs are well suited to northern gardens and are less demanding about soil pH than blueberries. That makes them a great option if you want to grow berries without adjusting your soil to create highly acidic conditions.

Honeyberries also ripen early, often producing fruit before many other garden berries are ready.

For a successful planting:
• Choose a sunny location.
• Provide adequate moisture.
• Plant compatible varieties for pollination.
• Protect developing fruit from birds and wildlife.
• Give plants enough room to grow.

Jerry has experimented with honeyberries along with a wide range of other perennial fruit crops.

For northern Minnesota gardeners who want a hardy berry without the extra work of acidifying the soil, honeyberries are an excellent option.

Red currants are another perennial fruit that can fit well into a northern Minnesota garden.These productive shrubs prod...
09/28/2026

Red currants are another perennial fruit that can fit well into a northern Minnesota garden.

These productive shrubs produce clusters of bright red, tart fruit that can be used in jams, jellies, sauces, desserts and other preserved products.

One of Jerry's successful experiments has been vegetative propagation of red currants. Once you have a healthy plant, propagation can provide a way to produce additional plants from it.

Red currants also offer some advantages for home gardeners:
• They are perennial shrubs.
• They can produce substantial crops once established.
• They don't require the same acidic soil conditions as blueberries.
• The fruit can be processed and preserved.
• Plants can be propagated from existing plants.

Jerry has had particularly good success propagating his red currants, demonstrating how a single established plant can become the beginning of a much larger planting.

If you're looking for perennial fruits beyond the usual apples and berries, currants are worth considering.

Here's an interesting lesson from Jerry's garden: genetic diversity is an advantage.Jerry has grown wild plum varieties ...
09/26/2026

Here's an interesting lesson from Jerry's garden: genetic diversity is an advantage.

Jerry has grown wild plum varieties obtained through the Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) plant sale. One of the things he has noticed is that these plants don't all ripen at exactly the same time.

Why?

Wild plants can have considerable genetic variation. Different individual plants may have different characteristics—including differences in when their fruit matures.

Instead of having an entire crop ripen at once, Jerry's plum planting gives him a more extended stream of plums to harvest.

That can be a real advantage for a home grower. A staggered harvest means you have more time to eat, process, preserve or share the fruit.

It's also a good reminder that when we're growing plants from seed or working with genetically diverse plant material, we may see more variation in characteristics such as fruit size, flavor, hardiness and ripening time.

Apples are one of the classic choices for a home orchard—but growing them successfully in northern Minnesota requires ch...
09/24/2026

Apples are one of the classic choices for a home orchard—but growing them successfully in northern Minnesota requires choosing the right varieties and paying attention to site and management.

Jerry has been growing apples and experimenting with what works in his northern Minnesota garden.

When selecting apple trees, look for varieties with enough hardiness and a maturity date appropriate for your growing season. A sunny, well-drained site can make a major difference.

Other considerations include winter hardiness, disease resistance, pollination requirements, expected harvest time, pruning and training, and protection from deer and other wildlife.

One interesting part of growing multiple varieties is harvest timing. Different apples mature at different points in the season, allowing you to spread out the harvest rather than having everything ready at once.

With some planning, even a small backyard orchard can provide apples for fresh eating and preservation.

Looking for a fruiting shrub that can handle northern Minnesota? Nanking cherry is one crop worth considering.Nanking ch...
09/22/2026

Looking for a fruiting shrub that can handle northern Minnesota? Nanking cherry is one crop worth considering.

Nanking cherries are hardy, shrubby plants that produce small red cherries in summer. They can be used fresh or processed into jams, jellies, syrups and other products.

Jerry has grown Nanking cherries as part of his collection of perennial fruit crops and has experimented with different ways to propagate and manage his plants.

Nanking cherries can be useful in a home landscape because they are more shrub-like than traditional orchard trees and can also provide habitat and cover for wildlife.

As with many fruiting plants, site selection matters. Good sunlight, adequate moisture and protection from browsing animals can all contribute to success.

Northern Minnesota gardeners don't have to limit themselves to the traditional apple tree. Hardy fruiting shrubs such as Nanking cherry can add another productive layer to the garden.

With the right variety, site, and management, grapes can be grown in northern Minnesota home gardens.Jerry has experimen...
09/20/2026

With the right variety, site, and management, grapes can be grown in northern Minnesota home gardens.

Jerry has experimented with growing grapes and has learned that one of the biggest considerations is choosing plants that can handle our climate. He has also dealt with blight in his grapevines and is now rebuilding his planting.

That experience is a good reminder of why it helps to diversify your garden. When one crop struggles with disease, weather, pests, or other challenges, having a variety of perennial fruits means you may still have something else ready to harvest.

Grapes are vigorous perennial vines, so they need a sturdy trellis or support system. They also require regular pruning to keep the plants productive and manageable.

Some important considerations include:
• Choose varieties suited to northern climates.
• Plant in full sun.
• Provide good air circulation to help reduce disease pressure.
• Install a strong support system.
• Learn the basics of annual pruning.
• Protect plants from wildlife, especially deer.
• Be patient—establishing a productive vine takes time.
• Monitor plants for disease and remove affected material as appropriate.

Once established, a grapevine can produce fruit for years. However, even hardy perennial crops can face setbacks, so growing a diverse selection of fruits can help ensure that your garden continues to provide a harvest.

Address

201 Fair Avenue
Park Rapids, MN
56470

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm
Saturday 8am - 12am

Telephone

(218) 732-3391

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