Extension Connection
October 2022
We have NEWS for you!!
Find something you would like to share? Go ahead and forward this email to folks that might be interested to learn more about all that Extension has to offer.
Questions and comments can be directed to mnext-Carlton@umn.edu or call our office at 218-384-3511.
A note from your Educator
Best,
Mercedes
Carlton County offices will be closed on October 5th and morning of the 6th.
Spotted around the County
Community Connect class update
The Community Connect classes that the Extension Office has hosted for the past 8 years are back and the word around town is they are better than ever! On a nice September evening at the Esko Town Hall Community Garden, Master Gardener Kathy Rahkola (above) gave direction on how to start a bee lawn. Extension Educator, Mercedes Moffett presented information on how to winter your vegetable garden and Alyssa Bloss of the Carlton County SWCD talked about what to leave in your landscape over winter to preserve pollinators.
Upcoming topics to include home preservation, growing mushrooms, fruit tree care and composting.
If you would like to be added to the notification list, call or email Ann at rustx048@umn.edu or 218-384-3511 ext. 1. Hope to see you there!
Master Gardener Recruitment Underway
The Carlton County Master Gardeners are actively seeking new members for the 2023 gardening season! If you love nature and green spaces, like learning new things, and want to give back to your community, why not become a Master Gardener volunteer? All you need is a passion for volunteering in your community to promote healthy landscapes, healthy people, and a healthy planet. The University of Minnesota has trained thousand of Master Gardeners, who each year contribute more than 140,000 hours of service in Minnesota communities.
The Master Gardener group in Carlton County consists of 32 members and offer a wide variety of services to the community such as: Community education programs, on-site lawn and garden clinics, community and pollinator garden consultations, garden tours, questions and answer booths, plants sales, and horticulture judging at county fairs and more.
New applicants have until October 31st to apply. For more information please contact Ann Rust at 218-384-3511 ext. 1 or rustx048@umn.edu.
Storing your Vegetable Harvest
- Cool and dry (50-60°F and 60% relative humidity)
- Cold and dry (32-40°F and 65% relative humidity)
- Cold and moist (32-40°F and 95% relative humidity)
For cold conditions, 32°F is the ideal temperature. This temperature is not easy to attain in most homes. Expect shortened shelf-lives for your vegetables as storage conditions deviate from the ideal temperature. This shortening of their life span can be up to 25 percent for every 10°F increase in temperature.
- Basements are generally cool and dry. If storing vegetables in basements, provide your vegetables with some ventilation. Harvested vegetables are not dead; they still breathe and require oxygen to maintain their high quality. Protect them from rodents.
- Home refrigerators are generally cold and dry (40°F and 50-60% relative humidity). This is fine for long-term storage of garlic and onions, but not much else. Putting vegetables in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator will provide cold and moist conditions, but only for a moderate amount of time. Unperforated plastic bags often create too much humidity, which leads to condensation and the growth of mold or bacteria.
- Root cellars provide cold and moist conditions. As with basements, provide ventilation and protection from rodents when storing vegetables in cellars. You can use materials such as straw, hay or wood shavings for insulation. If using such insulation, make sure that it is clean and not contaminated with pesticides.
- Some vegetables, such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, require cool (55°F) and moist storage. These conditions are difficult to maintain in a typical home. Expect to keep vegetables requiring cool and moist storage conditions for only a short period.
To determine the temperature storage, shelf life, and location to best store each variety of vegetable, please check out the extension website: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/harvesting-and-storing-home-garden-vegetables#asparagus-876910
When to pick your apples
Instead of waiting until a frost, use a few simple, smart guidelines to decide when to harvest your apples.
By: Annie Klodd, Extension educator - fruit production, and Matt Clark, associate professor of horticulture
Click on the following link for the complete article. https://z.umn.edu/836x
Battling Buckthorn
Attend the NE Forage and Grassland Council Bus Tour
MN Beef Expo October 20-23, 2022
Bee Lawn Planning
Soil Test Data Update
Around the County Reveal
Interested in learning more about Carlton County 4-H news and events?
Carlton County Extension Staff
Tracey Hartung, Administrative Specialist thartung@umn.edu
Katie Siltanen, 4-H Educator silta006@umn.edu
Mercedes Moffett, Agriculture Educator, moffe029@umn.edu
Ann Rust, Vol Coord & Horticulture Assist rustx048@umn.edu
Email: mnext-Carlton@umn.edu
Website: https://local.extension.umn.edu/local/carlton
Location: 317 Chestnut Avenue, Carlton, MN, USA
Phone: 218-384-3511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UofMNExt