Thanks to the following South Dakota Master Gardeners who share exceptional plants from 2017 that they’ll consider to plant next year.
Borage (Borago officinalis) is an herb with a blue flower that attracted Eva Bareis as a photographer, is edible and has medicinal properties. Bareis is a Pennington County Master Gardener and lives in Box Elder. She transplanted borage into her children’s garden because the flowers attracted pollinators. Thanks for the photo to share, Eva! We see why you like the flowers.
‘Gigantic Green’ Pepper is selected by Liz Goham of Brookings Area Master Gardeners.
‘Alisha Craig’ yellow onions are selected by Dave Ehlers of Stateline Master Growers of Custer, SD and Newcastle, WY area. Ehlers says they grew to exceptional size, with many over a pound each. He ordered them from Dixondale Farms website and planted them in early spring when chives greened up and garlic started to emerge.
‘Orange Marmalade’ (Crossandra infundibuliformis) is a plant Jackie Driscoll purchased as something new at the end of the planting season. She is a Prairie Potter Master Gardener in Pierre. She says it has lots of blooms and never needs deadheading. The plant starts blooming at the end of a branch and continues after the lower flowers on the branch fade. Thanks for the photo to share, Jackie!
Castor bean is the plant grown from seed that Lois Quatier selects. Quartier is a Town & Country Garden Club member and lives in Yankton. She has grown them before but never this big and tall. What a surprise when she came home from vacation. Thanks for the photo to share, Lois!
‘Vates’ or ‘Winterbor’ Kale (Aleracea acephala) are the kinds of kale that Mary Lerssen of Minnehaha Master Gardeners of Sioux Falls area, chooses as a standout for the season. She likes the mild flavor and tender quality of them. She’ll plant them again because of their taste, great use in salads, easy to grow. She found few pests with her spring and fall harvests.
The article with some South Dakota Master Gardeners contributing their 2017 standout vegetables and flowers was published in the Yankton Press & Dakotan newspaper on November 3rd. If you’d like to see for yourself, here’s the link:
If your want to find out more about South Dakota Master Gardeners or the training to join the group, please go to this link and look under “Gardens” for information: www.igrow.org
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