Plant Exchange Blog

Welcome to Plant Exchange where we highlight plants of the Northern Plains and people who grow them. A commonly grown perennial is the native cone flower, studied for its medicinal qualities as well as grown for its ornamental beauty.

An old saying “Don’t put all the eggs in one basket.” may have some truth for gardening. Pests, disease, occasional floods or drought are some of the reasons gardeners diversify how they grow plants in a season.

Deer, rabbits and other small animals are a challenge for growing produce in the country of this region. While most produce is grown within a fence, another way also helps grow root vegetables in clay soil that is tough to amend and hard to dig at harvest time.

The row cover is an alternative way to grow some produce. The cover is a synthetic material purchased to fit comfortably over the plants you grow. One source of row cover material is Johnny’s Select Seed. The cover needs to be sturdy enough to hold up to wind and other conditions for the growing season, yet thin enough to allow adequate light for the produce you grow there. Small diameter, flexible PVC plastic pipe is found at a hardware store and can be the bones that hold the row cover off the growing produce.

Row covers can be used to extend the season in fall and spring. In the video to follow, the row cover is used as a visual to block animal pests. The loose amended soil in this raised bed is also favorable to easily grow root crops; an alternative for clay soil.

Here’s the video showing one alternative way to grow produce under a row cover:

Want to describe an alternative way you have found to grow produce? Just comment below.

Thanks for catching our weekly Plant Exchange post. If you want to be sure not to miss one, as a “Follower” you get a notice of new posts. Thanks to all for your “Likes” that tell us your plant preferences. Have a fun summer day!