It’s that time of year again. Christmas lights are starting to shine, adding colorful scenes to yards, waiting to be admired by passersby’s. At Minnetrista, the grounds crew has already put lights on the trees of the Center Building parking lot and down the Minnetrista Boulevard, while others have been busy planning light displays elsewhere on campus.

When we think of trees in our area, there are two basic categories they fall into: deciduous and evergreen. Deciduous trees give us those great fall colors we are now seeing in the leaves, and of course, eventually, those leaves will fall to the ground.

If you have read any of my articles, or have heard me speak, you have probably found out that I love trees. For as long as I can remember, and long before I knew many of their names, I have loved trees. They are the giants of the forest and being among them is always a renewing experience for me.

A little over a month ago, I was looking around making notes about the needs of the gardens at Minnetrista, and I noticed what looked like little bits of cotton spread out on the ground below an oak tree. At first I thought a mower had hit a cigarette butt that someone littered, but after a closer look, that wasn’t what it was. This cottony looking substance was a sign we had a wooly aphid infestation.

Recently, I had a great suggestion from a reader who has been observing the growing and flowering Canada Thistle that is going to seed all over Muncie. She thought it would be a good idea to go over this troublesome weed, and perhaps get folks aware of why and how they should manage it. Great idea!

Nothing says spring quite like a daffodil. After a long winter, their sunny faces popping up all over town is one of the cheeriest sights I know. Add to that their resilience and dependability, and it’s no wonder that the daffodil is one of the best loved spring perennials. But what if you are hungry for something new? Several lesser-known plants exhibit beautiful blooms this time of year. Pair these with daffodils, and both really shine!

I just got back from the annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference. Although I learned many exciting things, one theme emerged consistently—soil, soil, soil. Without healthy soil, we cannot have healthy plants. Here are a few tips for nurturing rich, resilient soil in your garden.

I have written several articles about different plant diseases and pests that the horticulture team has dealt with at Minnetrista. I like sharing what choices we make to combat various plant issues for those of you that might be dealing with the same issue in your own garden—or at least give you a heads up on what might be coming your way.

Earlier in the fall some of my favorite pine trees on Minnetrista’s campus started catching my eye, and not in a good way. The low growing sprawling pine is Hillside Creeper Scotch Pine. It is featured in our Bird and Butterfly Garden and they were covered in white all along many of their needles.

It’s beginning to look a lot like . . . winter! Yes, the holiday season is upon us. Throughout Minnetrista, volunteers and staff are hanging ornaments, lighting trees, and generally decking the halls. Horticulture would be in a pickle without the talented people who have donated their time to help decorate during these past two weeks. This article is devoted to their tips for creating holiday ambiance.

Exciting things are happening at Southside Middle School. Roza Selvey, a sixth grade teacher of Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) is using horticulture as a foundation on which to build her students’ skill sets.

Summer has faded into fall. In the permaculture garden at Minnetrista, our tomatillos gave us buckets of fruit! But we ran into a problem: what to do with the produce that can’t be eaten right away? Luckily for us, the answer was easy–salsa! Recently, the Permaculture Initiative hosted their first canning event and participants made six quarts of tomatillo salsa.

Who doesn’t love strawberries? My impromptu survey of the horticulture staff at Minnetrista indicates that strawberries may be the most popular fruit. Luckily for everyone, fall is the time to spread the wealth! Here is how you can turn one strawberry plant into dozens to share with your friends.

Of the herbaceous perennials at Minnetrista, Joe-Pye weed is one of the skyscrapers, reaching 7–8 feet tall. Although it’s slow to get going—it’s one of the last plants to start growing in spring—its height soon surpasses most plants around it.

About this time last summer, I briefly mentioned a plant disease the gardeners and I were dealing with in the Minnetrista Boulevard planting bed. Called crown rot or southern blight, it was making quick work of hostas.

One year later, I wanted to write about it again, because guess what? We still have it and it is killing more hostas.

Behind The Orchard Shop at Minnetrista, there is a secret garden. Unassuming as it is, you might walk right past it. But take a closer look. This garden is bursting with food! And people! And…dogs? This is the Permaculture Demonstration Garden at Minnetrista, started in partnership with The Permaculture Initiative.

Ornamental grasses can bring height, texture, and color to your garden. They also provide food, shelter, and nesting material for birds and other wildlife. When you stop by your local plant seller, consider trying one of these.