Thanksgiving finds the staff at Sunnyside in a reflective mood – looking back on a fast and fun year and anticipating a restful two month winter break come Christmas. While Sunnyside will shut down for Thanksgiving Day and each staff will enjoy turkey time with their families, we got together to compile a brief list of things we are thankful for that we would like to share:

- A beautiful year – from a near perfect gardening May, to a not unbearably hot July and August to a mercifully mild November.

- Great Neighbors and Good News - We’ve enjoyed a great partnership with France 44 this year and are thankful for their help in orchestrating some of our fun events here. We are also thrilled to learn we will have a new neighbor next year – Linden Hills Co-op will be moving into the old Almsted building, bringing great food and hip neighbors.

- Our Jobs – Congruent with popular belief, working at Sunnyside is the best job in the world –outside in the sun with a small and intimate crew of wonderful people and working with…

- Our Unbelievably Awesome Customers - The one thread that ran through each staff members thanks was our customers. Plants may be mood-improving and peaceful to work with but let’s face it - they get quite boring and are incapable having a conversation (although this fact doesn’t stop Todd for trying from time to time). We are truly blessed to be situated in this small corner of paradise in Southwest Minneapolis and are heartily thankful that your wonderful patronage has helped make our humble garden center a hip, cool and vibrant small business for almost eighty years now.

We thank you for a wonderful year and look forward to making next year another great one, and continuing to build relationships with our great patrons.

Halloween has come and gone.  So now it is time to start thinking about…Spring?  Yes, that’s right:  Spring.  Forget about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve for a moment.  The most popular question during spring at Sunnyside Gardens is this:  What caused my evergreens to brown over the winter? The brown, dead appearance of evergreens in spring time is referred to as winter burn, which is caused by loss of moisture in the needles during winter and late fall. With a little winter protection (starting now), your evergreens will be green instead of brown at the start of spring.

What is winter burn? Winter burn is the browning of foliage due to rapid moisture loss.  The plants can’t replace the loss of water because the ground is frozen.

What causes it? Everything!  Winter damage is mainly caused by scraping winds and cold temps.  But snow, ice, salt, bright sun and animals can also cause large amounts of damage.

What kind of damage will happen? There could be scald, browning, die back, root injury, and heaving.

How do I prevent winter burn?

1.)Water all season, up until it freezes and put an application of wilt stop on the foliage.

2.)Avoid direct sun and windy locations.

3.) Wrap burlap around evergreens or build a screen.

4.)Plant evergreens that have proven resistance to winter burn.  For example, evergreens such as ‘Rushmore’ arborvitae, ‘Techny’ arborvitae, and various junipers are great.

Some plants aren’t as tough as others. This can be a grim fact to face for northern gardeners. We invest our sweat, lower backs and money into certain plants only to see them crumple and die by the cold hands of our Minnesota winter. Our topsy-turvy winters dish out unpredictable snow cover. Weaker plants that aren’t given added protection and do not have a substantial layer of snow pack can succumb to the frost, winds, and fluctuating extreme temps. In our icy Midwest environment, any new perennials (and some old ones) can benefit from the cozy comforts of winter mulching.

Why mulch? To protect plants from the damaging cycle of freezing and thawing. The vast swing of warm and cold temperatures can destroy roots quickly.

When do I mulch? Apply winter mulch when the ground is frozen and will stay frozen for the winter. Mid November is usually the target time.

What do I mulch with? Hay, straw, or leaves.

Hay or Straw? Both will do the job. Straw is golden in color, doesn’t pack down, and is a great insulator. Hay packs down, but can have seeds from weeds or grass. Sunnyside sells both straw and marsh hay.

Leaves? Leaves are a good mulch to use and are readily available.

How much mulch to use? 4-6” deep around the base of the plants.

Which plants should I mulch? Any plant that is tender (some zone 4s are weaker than others), newly planted perennials, or plants that are susceptible to winter damage.

What do I do with my zone 5 plants? The immediate Twin Cities area is listed as a Zone 4. With plants that are Zone 5, an extra heavy layer of mulch is needed. Fence in the plants and fill the area with mulch, ensuring the plant will be protected and the mulch will stay for the entire winter.

What about rabbits? If the cold doesn’t kill the plants, the rabbits will. These pesky creatures feast all winter on shrubs, perennials, and trees. If rabbits are a severe problem, use the combination of chicken wire and either Liquid Fence, Shake Away, or pepper spray.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

• a pie pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• one half teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
• one half teaspoon salt (optional)
• 4 large eggs
• 1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk
• 1 pie crust

Once you’ve picked out your choice pie pumpkin wash the outside with warm water. Using a serrated knife carefully cut the pumpkin in half. Next, like preparing a pumpkin for carving, remove all the seeds and the dangly orange stuff. (I like to save the seeds for roasting) Now steam the pumpkin in a steamer for twenty to thirty minutes or until the pumpkin is nice and soft and separates from the skin with ease. Scoop the pumpkin out of the skin – you should be able to do so in fairly large scoops if the pumpkin is cooked enough. Next puree the pumpkin with either by hand or in a blender. Mix the pumpkin with the sugar, spices, eggs and evaporated milk in a large bowl. Now fill the crust with the pumpkin mix about 1/2″ inch to ¼” from the top and cover with crust. Bake at 425 for the first 15 minutes, then turn down to 350 for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife can be inserted and emerge clean. Cool the pie and EAT!!!

Late October is a delightful time here at Sunnyside – we tuck our perennials in for their winter slumber, JR brings back his infamous Arnold Schwarzenegger impression, we help kids find their perfect Halloween pumpkin, and, of course, the fun, silly and much anticipated Pumpkin Derby. A tradition started years ago, the derby involved staff decorating pumpkins, figuring out how to attach wheels and racing them down a large ramp to see whose pumpkin could roll the furthest. Over the years we’ve seen many creative entries, from pumpkin trucks to pumpkin birds, some of them functional, some not, but always had a great time.

This year we would like to invite all our awesome and creative customers to join us for the derby which will be held Saturday October 24 at 3:00. Bring in a pumpkin you decorate and figure out how to attach wheels so the pumpkin will roll down a ramp (hint: the pumpkins that roll straight are usually the top performers.) Skateboard wheels, toy trucks, shopping carts are good examples or easy to find derby parts, but use your imagination – the joy of the derby isn’t who wins but the creativity and fun going into making your pumpkin (although there will be prizes for the derby winner and the most creative entries).

So bring your creativity, silliness and pumpkins, or just come as a spectator – either way it will be a rockin’ good time.   October is a lively time at Sillyside, I mean Sunnyside.

As Midwesterners, it is a bittersweet reality that our longest season is winter. And this can bum out even the sturdiest of Minnesotans. Our spring time is short lived and is usually sprinkled with a combination of snow, ice, and sunshine. Summer comes and then is gone, leaving us engulfed in humidity and mosquitoes. Fall arrives and we all dash around the Lakes, visit the apple orchards, and rake the lawn in the last fading splinters of sunshine. For Minnesotans, the mother of all seasons is always looming in the distance. Winter comes and we tear out all the plants and call it good. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Outdoor decorating for winter can be just as festive and colorful as summer planting. With the use of tree tops, dogwood, curly willow, berries, and evergreens, your home and containers can sparkle even in the deepest cold.
Since winter is our longest season, why not invest in some tree tops? They are low maintenance, easy to plant, and resilient. The very first shipment of tree tops for the season has just arrived at Sunnyside Gardens. They are fresh cut by local farmers in northern Minnesota. Stop in and check’em out. So just as the winter blahs are starting to creep in, plant some tree tops and enjoy the evergreen beauty all season long. You’ll be happy.
What: Sunnyside Gardens Tree Tops (bundles of ten)
Small 2’ Bundles: $24.99 (or $21.99 for 3 or more)
Large 4’ Bundles: $44.99

Why prune? The proper pruning of shrubs is a vital component to the longevity of your landscape. Pruning is the act of removing any portion of your plant for a specific purpose such as health, appearance, or bloom. Although pruning varies with each variety of shrub, every garden no matter the size can benefit from seasonal pruning maintenance. By removing dead or dying branches, a gardener can reduce the risk of insect infestation, disease (mold, etc.), and encourage more blooms.

When do I prune? The timing is everything.

-If your shrub blooms off of old wood in the spring (magnolia, forsythia, rhododendron, azalea, lilac), prune immediately after it flowers. If you prune in mid to late summer you’ll chop off the following year’s buds.

-If your shrub blooms mid-summer or late summer (potentilla, rose, weigla, mock orange), prune in the spring.

-For shrubs and vines that only bloom off of new growth (clematis, spirea, hydrangea), prune before the growing season heats up.

-Shrubs grown for their foliage or colorful stems and branches (sumac, smoke bush, purple sand cherry, ninebark, dogwood, barberry, willow), should be pruned before the growing season.

-Evergreens such as arborvitae, juniper, yew, and hemlocks can be pruned up until mid summer.

-For overgrown or older shrubs, remove one-third of the oldest and thickest stems and trunks, cutting them down to the ground. This will promote new growth.

How to prune? To shorten a branch or stem, cut it back to side branches or cut ¼ inch above the bud.

Tools? A bypass pruner, lopping shears (long handled), or saw.

Winter Interest? Some shrubs like dogwood, hydrangea, and winterberry offer gardens a splash of color and texture in our long snowy months. Leaving them up will not hurt them.

Introducing….the Sunny Bus

Jim and Sarah and the Sunny Bus

My new friends here at Sunnyside have been getting on my case to get online and write you some choice words introducing myself. I admit I’m not one for the cell phones and these internets, but like Jimi Hendrix and chicken cordon bleu, I can dig it

I rolled off the line in 1973 - the same year George Foreman beat Joe Frazier for the heavyweight title, Marlon Brando won the Oscar for the Godfather and a computer was the size of a living room. Now Brando is gone, Foreman’s selling grills, and I’m writing this on a laptop - but guess what – I’m still trucking. I admit I’ve “had some work done” but nothing beyond a little engine retooling and a new orange paint job. And hey, if you had as many miles on you as I do you’d need a little work too. My odometer maxed out at 99,999 miles a long time ago but considering what I’ve experienced, let’s just say I’ve been there and back, baby and I can still go from 0 to 60 in only six minutes.

I’ve spent the last two years parked up on the North Shore outside Duluth - serene but boring, I enjoyed the scenery but seldom had my engine revved. When I saw Mike and Sarah in their Sunnyside orange I knew it was destiny - and from the moment Sarah turned my key I knew I had found a new home. The wind was blowing something fierce that day, my friends, and poor Sarah was so nervous that I would tip over she nearly fainted, her legs quivering as she switched my gears for the first time in years.

Pulling onto the Sunnyside lot for the first time was a cosmic experience. The colors, man, the colors- from the shinning pottery to the bountiful and bodacious flowers it was as if I had been transported back to the innocent age of my youth. I had finally arrived home at a place where flower power is still in full effect.

Come on by and meet me in person here at Sunnyside or at one of the “Meet-ups” Mike and I are putting on. Last month we drove to Lake Harriet and gave away free mums. At first I thought, Mike, man, giving away mums for free! But seeing all the smiles and the fun people were having only reinforced my notion of the Flower Power emanating here at Sunnyside.

This weekend Sunnyside Gardens is (g)hosting a Spook-tacular Pumpkin Party to kick off the month of October. Sunnyside will have kid games, refreshments, pumpkin decorating, and much more on Saturday October 3^rd and 4^th.

Along with the Party in the Pumpkin Patch, it is also the final weekend of the Last Leaf Sale. All pottery, perennials, shrubs, and evergreens will be 40% off. Sunnyside is also currently stocked with fall blooming mums, Halloween pumpkins, hay and straw bales, cornstalks, and gourds. So this weekend, make sure to stop on down for some ghoulish good times at the Sunnyside Pumpkin Patch.

What: Sunnyside Gardens Party in the Pumpkin Patch

When: Saturday October 3^rd and Sunday October 4^th

Time: 10 am- 4pm

Kid Activities:

-Pumpkin Bowling

-Jack Puck (shoot mini pumpkins with hockey sticks!).

-Bean Bag Toss

-Pumpkin Painting

-Tattoo Parlor

-Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin (It’s huge! You gotta see it!)

Refreshment: Honey Crisp Apples, popcorn, root beer, bottled water

Sale: Last Leaf Sale (all pottery, perennials, shrubs, and evergreens)

In an on-going effort to go Green, Sunnyside Gardens has enrolled in the Green Industry Plastic Recycling Program. Working in a partnership with the MNLA and Choice Plastics, Sunnyside accepts garden industry plastic containers, pots, trays, and small packs that will be recycled and processed for future use. During the summer of 2009, Choice plastics accepted 350,000 pounds of plastic and ground up 200,000 pounds. The program is wildly successful and Sunnyside is committed to doing the right thing for its loyal customers, the community, and the environment.

What: Sunnyside Green Industry Plastic Recycling Program

Where: Sunnyside Gardens

3723 West 44^th Street

Mpls, MN 55410

(612) 926-2654

When: Now through October 1^st, 2009. Program will relaunch June 2010

Time: During store hours only. (Please do not leave loads of used garden center plastic after hours.)

How: Bring used garden center plastic to Sunnyside and check in with any available Sunnyside employee

Fall Planting -

Fall in Minnesota- got to love it– the kids are off to school, the cool breeze coming from our many lakes washes away the summertime blues and our green city becomes alive with color as the leaves begin to turn. It’s a perfect time to enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee outside, enjoy the cool weather and … Garden!

Did you know that fall is also the perfect time to plant all shrubs trees and perennials? While the air may be cooling down, the soil temperature is warmer in fall than it is in spring – creating the perfect environment for fast, strong root growth. The shorter days and colder nights reduce the severity of transplant shock, and since many insects are going dormant for the season the risk of insect attack and disease are significantly reduced. Serious gardeners also enjoy fall plantings because any gardening done in fall reduces the multitude of springtime chores – fill those blank spots now with shrubs, trees or perennials and sit back and watch your garden grow anew in spring. In addition, Sunnyside is offering a deal for all those interested in fall gardening – from now until the end of the year all of our perennials, shrubs and evergreens will be progressing from 20% to 30% to 40% off.

Sure there are some hurdles in front of you when you commit to turning asphalt into a lovely landscaped retreat for 12 days.  Level the sloped surface?  Sure!  Keep the hundreds of living plants watered in August heat?  No problem!  Place dozens of giant boulders?  No sweat!

We are thrilled for the opportunity to meet folks from around the state and beyond and to let them

know what a neat business we are.  We want introduce you to OUR STORE!!!  Sunnyside is a real urban gem.  We have brilliant staff, hard working everybody, and quality plants and products.  Need something unique?  We can get it for you!

Our landscape crew is always up to the challenge, whether creating a retreat for millions, or sculpting your personal space into an oasis for all seasons.

Although Japanese Forest grass, or Hakonechloa, received the Perennial of the Year award this year I still insist that it is the most underrated perennial in the Minnesota landscape. Simply put – anyone with a shade garden needs some Hakonechloa - essentially the only perennial grass that can tolerant shade, and fortunately one with the most striking foliage color.

Native to the mountain regions of Honshu Island, Japan, Hakonechloa comes to Minnesota ready to add texture to our shade gardens. My favorite feature of the Japanese Forest Grass is that can add movement to a normally stolid shade garden on a windy day. The bold yellow of the foliage also provides a perfect contrast with many shade garden mainstays – especially blue leafed hostas and Cimicifuga (bugbane). Hakonechloa is also excellent for edging retaining walls as it cascades over the wall and looks especially stunning contrasting grey stone.

I will admit that I stole this idea from a arboretum in Wisconsin but the idea stuck with me so I will share it – use Hakonechloa in pots! Simply plant a medium to large sized blue hosta in the pot with several Hakonechloa around the base of the plant. This creates the uniquely stunning effect of the Hakonechloa growing out from under the hosta and the color contrast is simply spectacular. Since the resulting plant is a foliage pot it will maintain its beauty all season and be a constant conversation piece.

2009 Perennial of the Year – Hakonechloa! A must have!

Getting kids interested in gardening isn’t easy, so try sparking their interest by attracting butterflies.

Making a butterfly garden is as easy as planting, watering and watching. As an added bonus, the brightly colored perennial flowers that attract butterflies make excellent cut bouquets for in and around your home.

For a successful butterfly garden you will need a warm sunny site for the nectar rich plants to grow. Note: The butterflies also need heat to become more active and generally only feed in the sun.

When shopping for plants, remember it is best to plant in clusters to obtain the bright splash of colors and intense fragrances that really attract these beautiful pollinators.  Select from some of my list below.

• Choose Echinacea planted with Asclepias (butterfly flower), and Coreopsis and Yarrow planted together to lure butterflies early in July.

• Some midseason blooming buddies are Agastache, Phlox and Monarda. Odds are that you are going to love visiting your blooming perennials as much as your winged friends do.

• Sedum, Rudbeckia (Black-eyed-susan), Liatris and Physostegia for Fall will give you an extended opportunity to attract butterflies and offer them a continuous supply of nectar throughout their short adult life.

• Most importantly, you will need to plant a few “host” plants for the caterpillars to enjoy as a snack and to use during metamorphosis into butterflies. So, please tolerate the chewed up leaves on a couple of plants like Asters, Turtlehead, or Asclepias . (They also really love Parsley!)

**Do skip the chemicals. Insecticides will kill the caterpillars and no caterpillars = no butterflies.

Oh, and did I mention its sweet, sweet fragrance?

I tend to get excited about Russian Sage - after all, where can one find a perennial that gets up to four feet tall, features huge clusters of airy blue flowers, is super hardy to Minnesota, attracts butterflies,  is drought tolerant and blooms from late June into fall?

Perovskia is neither Russian nor a sage…

Native to Afghanistan and Tibet, Russian Sage was named for Russian general V.A. Perovsky.

• The plant is as graceful as its botanical name is unpronounceable. With an upright growth habit Russian Sage produces a slightly woody, almost shrub-like look, with attractive grey leaves.

• This spectacularly performing perennial does great in hot dry locations and, once established, can go without water for some time.

• Russian Sage is remarkably unbothered by pests or diseases and is markedly deer resistant.

• Good companion plants include Black-eyed Susans, sedums, ornamental grasses, coneflowers and Joe Pye weed. In my garden I have several three year old Russian Sage plants providing the backdrop for Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’ and groundcover sedum, creating a killer look that blooms mid-summer.

Sunnyside is featuring store-grown Russian Sage in large 2 gallon pots for an instant and established addition your garden. Russian Sage is THE ideal late-season perennial garden filler!

Gardening at the Lake

Low maintenance, winter hardy and deer resistant plants for cabin.

Why not incorporate some easy maintenance beds to your favorite family get away? If you enjoy plants from a distance when on full retreat at the shoreline, take note of a few of my favorites.

Cabin gardening can be even more rewarding than urban gardening at home. The key is to select low maintenance, winter hardy plants that are deer resistant.

I selected a few perennials with different bloomtimes to provide lasting color all season! For starters, Salvia ‘May Night’ and Dianthus ‘Neon Star’ work well together offering a striking combination of blue spikes and neon pink flowers. As the spring blooms of ‘May Night’ begin to fade, cut them back and allow Nepeta ‘Walkers Low’ to take over the show. ‘Walkers Low’ looks beautiful paired with red, white or pink Astilbe, lending color to your Fourth of July garden.

Don’t forget the Daylily ‘Stella d’ Oro’ to give a hot summer show of color.

These are a few of my must haves:

Hardy Asiatic and Oriental lilies will bloom beautifully during July. Starting in Mid- July Hardy garden Phlox should be just opening and the Liatris and the Echinacea will be spiking up and ready to show their color lasting well into August. Fall will bring the late season color of Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ and the pink spikes of Chelone (Turtlehead).Saving the best for last, ornamental grasses! Miscanthus ‘purperescens’(Flame Grass), Calamagrosotis ‘Karl Forester’ and Blue fescue are all hardy grasses that will add height and texture to any perennial garden.

Caring for your tomato plants

1. Plant your tomatoes 12-24” apart, in rows if you are planning a large planting.

2. Plant in a sunny location as the tomato plants need as much light as possible to grow and fruit in our short season.

3. Water your tomato garden slowly and make sure to give the soil a good soaking, as there is little or no value in giving it a light watering that only wets the soil surface.

*Using tomato cages is a good idea, as this gives your plant support, especially later in the growing period when your large, juicy tomatoes can begin to weight the plant down.

*Only YOU can prevent blossom end rot!  (That nasty black spot on the bottom of the tomato.)  Use a fertilizer high in calcium and be sure to never let the tomato plant stress from lack of H20.

*And as someone who would willingly do battle against a rabbit for just one fresh tomato, keeping the critters away from your tomatoes is important.  There are plenty of organic solutions to the critter problem – just come and ask us in the garden center if the critters are bothering you and we’ll give you tips on keeping your precious tomatoes safe!

Tomatoes the Italian Way

When you see the tomatoes redden on the vine you’ll know its time to mangia! (eat!)  While biting into a tomato like an apple is never a bad thing using your tomatoes to cook a multitude of foods is the great strength of our red Mediterranean super food.  In honor of the mustached waiter that shared with me the great Italian secret of Fresco I will share this simple recipe of fresh, Italian pomodoro sauce:

•    Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in large frying pan
•    Add two cloves minced/chopped fresh garlic and fry lightly
•    Add four-six fresh tomatoes, chopped/crushed/blended – experiment with the consistency to taste and peel tomatos if you want a smoother sauce
•    Add LOTS of sugar –I suggest adding what you think an appropriate amount would be and then doubling it.  Eventually you will be able to add sugar to taste but in my experience more is better.
This comprises the base of tomato sauce in Italy.  I know it seems too simple, but I’ve watched two amazing Italian cooks just use this for their sauce.  Freshness is indeed the key ingredient.  The beauty of this base it that you can add anything – meat, fresh herbs, fresh vegetables, a splash of red wine… whatever you fancy.  And after you’ve learned to cook the Italian Fresco way, you’ll never be able to walk down the grocery store isle again without wincing at the sight of packaged Prego or Ragu or any other horrible bottled sauce.