Dishing the Dirt

SHERBURNE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS

DECEMBER 2020 From the Potting Shed… IN THIS ISSUE Did you finish your fall clean up? This has been a start and Potting Shed 1 stop and start again fall season. I know I still have leaves I’d Clippings 1 like to clean up. Unusually warm temperatures and a week Weed of the Month 2 later, temperatures that were definitely cooler than What’s Coming Up 3 average. We had record snow early in the season and now the ground is bare. Most of us would say that is what the weather is like in Minnesota. As gardeners we know we just have to roll with it. With the busy-ness of the holidays I’ve opted for another kind of change and provide a “lite” version of the newsletter this month. Some of the usual content, but without a CONNECT WITH feature article it’s quicker for you to read. It also allows me some time to again adapt to US! the ever-changing circumstances of the Covid19 pandemic. If you are looking for something to do while waiting for spring, check out What’s Coming Horticulture Hotline: 763.765.3080 Up for information about online gardening classes recorded earlier this summer but still available for viewing. Email: mnext- Thank you to all of you who read this newsletter. This has been an unusual year in so [email protected] many ways and we all appreciate being able to continue to support you in your gardening

adventures even if it’s been in different-than-normal ways. Extension Office: 763.765.3075 Get gardening and get growing, Website: www.sherburnecounty The Sherburne County Master Gardeners mastergardeners.org/

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Clippings… Despite the record snowfall of November, there is little left. With no snow cover you may be thinking about mulching some of your perennial plants. Make sure you wait until the ground is frozen before putting on any mulch. The purpose of winter mulch is to keep the Editor: Brigette Gatzke plant frozen until next spring. With the up and down temperatures, the crown of the plant Sherburne County Master Gardener freezes and thaws repeatedly and causes winter kill. Waiting for the ground to freeze has been a bit tricky this year of course. Hopefully in December we will see more consistent temperatures that will freeze the ground and allow for the application of winter mulch. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION PAGE 2 OF 3 DISHING THE DIRT – SHERBURNE COUNTY – DECEMBER 2020

Weed of the Month …ONE GARDENER’S WEED IS ANOTHER GARDENER’S WILDFLOWER…

Parthenocissus inserta or Woodbine, also called Virginia creeper, grape creeper.

Part of the Vitaceae or Grape family, cousin to grapes and sibling to the better-known Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia.

Native to most of North America this robust woody vine grows in sun to shade, preferring rich loam soils. It will climb trees (dead or alive), ramble along fences and scramble along the ground. In some cases, it can grow so dense it covers the ground. Growing up to 50 feet, the vines start out smooth and green and eventually turn brown and woody. The leaves are the most noticeable, having a large palmate shape with 5 leaflets. Each leaflet is oval with a pointed tip, lots of visible veining and toothed along the edges. The leaflets can be up to 6 inches long making the overall leaf up to 12 inches across. The leaves start out shiny and bright green maturing to a dull, dark green. In the fall the leaves turn a brilliant red color. It blooms midsummer with small ¼ inch greenish yellow flowers which are not showy and often missed. Flowers turn into shiny green berries about 3/8 inches in diameter. By fall the berries turn dark blue. The berries contain seeds which is how this vine spreads. Opposite the leaf stem is a branched cluster of tendrils that wrap themselves onto fences or branches or work themselves into crevices or cracks on the ground or in tree bark. Woodbine and Virginia creeper are nearly identical and often confused with each other or simply grouped together as the same plant. The main difference between Woodbine and Virginia creeper is that Virginia creeper has discs or pads at the ends of the tendrils that adhere to surfaces. Woodbine does not have these pads. Therefore, Virginia creeper can grow up the side of a building or a dead tree with no bark and Woodbine can only grow on trees with bark so that it has a crevice to cling. Virginia creeper tends to climb more, and Woodbine tends to scramble on the ground more. Various native pollinators flock to the flowers despite their small size and lack of show to us humans. Both Woodbine and Virginia creeper are host plants for various moths. Birds and other wildlife may eat the berries, leaves and stems. Sources differ on the toxicity of the berries so I’m going to tell you they are poisonous to humans and you shouldn’t eat them.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION PAGE 3 OF 3 DISHING THE DIRT – SHERBURNE COUNTY – DECEMBER 2020

If you need to remove it, cut the vine at the base and carefully remove it from any structure it has climbed on. Be careful not to damage buildings or fences when removing the tendrils. The root system is woody and can be pulled, dug up, or cut and the cut stem spot treated with an herbicide to prevent re-sprouting. Read and follow the directions on the label of any herbicide. Spraying the whole vine and leaves with an herbicide is not recommended since the overspray may damage or kill any underlying plants.

For more information, check out my source for this article: https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/woodbine https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/virginia-creeper https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/va_creeper.htm

Branhagen, Alan. Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden. Timber Press, Inc., 2016. What’s Coming Up with the SCMG

Gardening 101 Series This past summer, the Sherburne County Master Gardeners and Big Lake Community Education teamed up to hold online gardening classes which were recorded and are still available for viewing. While the classes were held live with Zoom software, it is not needed to watch the recordings. Each session consists of a presentation about the topic with questions at the end of the session. A printable handout is available for each session. If you have gardening questions about the topics feel free to contact us using any of the methods listed below.

Session dates and topics: May 5 – Site, Soil and Seedlings May 19 – Worm Castings, Soil Testing and Proper pH June 16 – Hardening, Planting, Fertilizing and Composting July 21 – Plant and Garden Maintenance August 18 – Pathogens and IPM (Integrated Pest Management) September 15 – Harvest Image courtesy of biglakemn.org October 20 – Putting Your Garden to Bed

To check out these classes, follow this link: http://www.biglakemn.org/547/Gardening-101-Series

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION PAGE 4 OF 3 DISHING THE DIRT – SHERBURNE COUNTY – DECEMBER 2020

Physically distant, but still working for you! We are still here to help you with your gardening questions and problems. Send them to us the way that works best for you. Contact us by email: [email protected] Submit your question online on our website: www.sherburnecountymastergardeners.org Find us on Facebook, search for Sherburne County Master Gardeners! Call our Horticultural Hotline: 763-765-3080; leave a message and we will respond within 3 days.

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