Goodhue County Horticultural Society

10/11/2026

Fall color:

Fall color from the ground up!By Arboretum Curatorial TeamSep. 28, 2026 Categories Arboretum Magazine Web Extra Share this post Looking for the best leaf-peeping spots at the Arboretum this fall? To see the widest range of autumn color and seasonal texture, the Arboretum’s Curatorial team encourag...

10/03/2026

Did you know?

🎃🔪 Pumpkin & Squash Harvest: Don't Skip the "Curing" Secret! 🔪🎃

Happy first weekend of October, Goodhue County!

If your garden patches are full of pumpkins, butternut, or acorn squash, you might be wondering exactly when and how to harvest them so they last through the winter months.

According to the University of Minnesota Extension, the key to long-term storage success isn’t just how you harvest—it's how you "cure" them

Curing is a science-backed process that dries out excess moisture, thickens the skin, and heals minor scratches on your squash so bacteria can't get inside.

Here is your quick checklist for a flawless autumn harvest:

☀️ 1. The Finger-Nail Test:How do you know they are ready? Try gently pushing your thumbnail into the skin of the squash or pumpkin. If it’s mature and ready for harvest, the skin will be tough, and your nail won't leave a puncture mark. Always finish harvesting before the first hard, killing frost hits our area!

✂️ 2. Leave a Handle:Never pull a pumpkin or winter squash off the vine by its stem—this can break the seal and lead to quick rotting. Instead, use sharp pruners to cut it away, leaving 2 to 3 inches of stem attached.

💨 3. The Curing Secret:For pumpkins, butternut, and spaghetti squash, place them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated room (around 70°F to 80°F) for 10 to 14 days. A sunny porch, warm garage, or kitchen table works beautifully!Exception: Acorn squash should not be cured, as warmth can cause them to become stringy and lose quality. Store them in a cool spot immediately!

📦 4. Long-Term Winter Storage: Once cured, move your prize pumpkins and squash to a cool, dark, and dry location (like a cool basement corner or pantry). Kept around 50°F to 55°F, well-cured squash can easily last you well into the winter months for delicious soups and baking! Spend some time gathering your colorful harvest this weekend and give them the proper cure .

💬 What kind of winter squash did you grow this year?

Share your harvest photos with us in the comments below!

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09/27/2026

Fall tasks:

🌷🍂 End-of-September Garden Alert: Time to Plant Spring Bulbs & Water Deeply! 🍂🌷

As we wrap up September in Goodhue County, the weather is cooling down, but our gardening tasks aren't quite finished!

The Goodhue County Master Gardeners want to share two essential end-of-the-month tasks recommended by the University of Minnesota Extension:

🌱 1. Plant Your Spring-Blooming Bulbs; Late September through mid-October is the absolute best window to plant daffodils, crocuses, and allium.

Why now? Planting now gives the bulbs enough time to establish strong root systems before our brutal Minnesota ground freezes.

Quick rule of thumb: Plant your bulbs at a depth that is 2 to 3 times their height, with the pointed end facing up!

💧 2. Water, Water, Water Your Trees and Shrubs! Even as the autumn weather cools, don't pack away that garden hose just yet.

Why it matters:

Dry soil cools down much faster than moist soil. If your trees and perennial shrubs go into winter dehydrated, their roots are highly susceptible to severe frost and cold damage.

Pro-tip: Give your newly planted and established trees a thorough, deep soaking once a week rather than frequent, light waterings.

Let's check these two crucial tasks off the list this week to ensure a vibrant, healthy landscape next spring!

09/25/2026

“Garden Art -Let the budding artist flower out of you” a talk by Philippe Gallandat on Monday, October 19 at 7 pm at First Presbyterian Church, Red Wing. Gallandat is the owner of Swiss Gardens, a landscape design/built company. He won the 2006 St. Paul Golden Bloom Award – category Art in the Garden and the 2011 Joseph Priley Award for excellence in community beautification.
Free and open to the public. Enter the church by the doors on West Avenue, under the carport.
Photo from Joyce Malinowski's garden.

09/23/2026

Leave the leaves:

🍁🍂 Rethink Your Fall Clean-Up! Leave the Leaves for Local Pollinators🍂🍁

Are you getting ready to clear out your garden beds for the season?

Before you reach for the rake, the Goodhue County Master Gardeners want to share a research-based tip from the University of Minnesota Extension: Keep some leaves on the ground and leave your perennial stems standing!

A perfectly manicured winter yard can accidentally wipe out the beneficial insects that keep our gardens thriving.

Here is how a little "healthy mess" helps:

🦋 Winter Insulation: Many Minnesota butterflies, moths, and beneficial insects overwinter directly in leaf litter. Fallen leaves act as a natural blanket protecting them from harsh freezing temperatures.

🐝 Native Bee Habitats: Up to 30% of our native bees nest in the hollow stems of perennials like coneflowers and raspberries. Cutting these to the ground throws away next spring's pollinators!

🌱 Free Mulch: As leaves break down, they enrich your soil and naturally suppress w**ds come spring.

Quick tips for a pollinator-friendly fall:

Move leaves off your lawn and pile them as mulch over your flower beds instead.

If you must trim plant stalks, leave them 12–15 inches high to keep nesting sites safe.

Wait until spring temperatures are consistently above 50°F before doing your final yard cleanup so insects can safely emerge.

Let’s give our local pollinators a helping hand this winter! 🌸🐝

👉 Looking for more expert advice? Visit the UMN Extension Yard and Garden Guide for seasonal tips

09/19/2026

Don't forget Monday's meeting "All about Lilies" at 7 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Red Wing. Enter through the doors under the car port.

09/19/2026

Lots to do:

09/18/2026

Get digging:

:🌿 September Plant Magic: Multiply Your Perennials for Free!

🌿Goodhue County gardeners, put down that end-of-season rake for just an afternoon—your garden isn't clocking out yet!

September is one of the absolute best times on the Minnesota gardening calendar to divide and conquer crowded perennials.

Here is the science-backed scoop from the University of Minnesota Extension on why late summer/early fall is prime time:

🔬 The Science:

Why September Works So Well

Energy redirection: When a plant finishes flowering, it no longer funnels precious energy into blooming. Dividing non-flowering plants allows them to focus 100% of their energy on regenerating vital root tissue.

Cool air, warm soil: Cooler autumn temperatures and shorter days lower transpiration (water loss) and heat stress on plant foliage, while soil retains summer warmth that stimulates active root expansion.

The 4-to-6-Week Rule: In northern climates, fall divisions need 4 to 6 weeks before the ground typically freezes to anchor in and establish their root systems before winter dormancy hits.

Early-to-mid September hits that sweet spot perfectly!

🌸 Who to Divide in September (and Who to Wait On!)

Divide Now (Spring & Early-Summer Bloomers): Peonies (Paeonia), Siberian iris (Iris sibirica), Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale), and daylilies.

Fleshy-rooted perennials and rhizomes thrive when divided in fall because their stored root energy fuels rapid establishment. Tough staples like hostas can also be divided now.

Wait Until Spring (Late-Summer & Fall Bloomers): Asters, goldenrods, sedums, and hardy chrysanthemums are busy flowering now. Let them finish their show and divide them when new growth emerges in spring.

Leave Undisturbed: Perennials with single, deep taproots or woody crowns—like butterfly w**d (Asclepias tuberosa), false indigo (Baptisia), and columbine—resent root disturbance and should generally be left alone.

🛠️ Quick Steps for SuccessWater ahead: Water the garden a day or two in advance so the root zone is well-hydrated.

Lift gently: Dig deep outside the plant's drip line with a spade or garden fork to keep the root ball intact.

Split smart: Pull clumps apart by hand, tease with back-to-back garden forks, or cut clean slices through dense crowns with a sharp spade or garden knife. Ensure each division has 3–5 healthy shoots and plenty of roots.Replant & quench: Replant at the exact same depth as before, settle the soil, and water thoroughly until freeze-up to protect tender new feeder roots.Got a friend or neighbor looking to start a garden bed?

Splitting perennials is the best way to share the wealth!

👉 Learn more detailed plant-by-plant division guides directly on the UMN Extension Dividing Perennials Guide.

What overgrown favorite are you dividing in your yard this weekend?

Tell us below! 👇

09/16/2026

New lawn?:

🎙️ Just Tuned In to the podcast episode we posted on the 13th??

Here’s Your Deep Dive Into September Lawn Science!

🚜If you listened to the podcast we dropped back on September 13th, you heard all about why fall is the absolute best time for Minnesota lawn care.

We are officially right in the middle of the MVP month for home turf.

As promised on that episode, here is your quick-reference, science-backed companion guide from the University of Minnesota Extension to help you execute your weekend lawn action plan.

🔬 The "Why Now?" Cheat SheetOn the show, we broke down how September completely outperforms spring for fixing up bare or thin turf.

Here is why the U of M turf scientists agree:

The Perfect Balance: Warm soil speeds up seed germination, while cool air lowers heat stress on tender new seedlings.

Zero Competition: Summer annual w**ds like crabgrass are actively dying out right now, leaving your new grass seed with plenty of room to thrive without aggressive springtime w**d battles.

Deep Root Reserves: Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues naturally shift their energy underground in autumn, storing up essential carbohydrates to survive a long Minnesota winter.

Here are your priority steps for this week:

Overseed Thin Spots: Rake out dead thatch, expose the bare dirt, and scratch up the soil surface.

After broadcasting your seed, ensure good seed-to-soil contact by rolling or lightly tamping it.

Keep the top layer consistently moist!

Core Aerate: If your heavy Goodhue County clay soil feels like concrete after a busy summer, aerating now lets oxygen, water, and nutrients reach the root zone while the grass is actively growing.

Mow High: Keep that mower blade set around 3 inches. Taller grass means deeper roots and built-in shade to prevent opportunistic w**d seeds from waking up next spring.

Fertilize Smart: Early fall is the prime window to support root health, but always use a soil test as your guide.

Remember, Minnesota law restricts routine phosphorus applications on established lawns unless a test proves you need it.

Skip the guesswork this season—getting your hands dirty this weekend means a thick, lush carpet next May!

What part of the episode are you tackling first? Drop a comment below or tell us your biggest lawn frustration this season!

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09/13/2026

Lots of good links: