Is it too late to be planting my tomato plants?

Don't plant your tomatoes until at least May 15. If you live further north, wait another 10 days at least. To you who have planted tomatoes already, you certainly are taking a chance with Mother Nature. Once it warms up slightly, there still is plenty time to plant many things in the garden.

Is this the time to apply corn gluten meal on my lawn to control crab grass and dandelions?

Yes, if you live in southern Minnesota. However if you live in central or northern Minnesota, then you still can apply the CGM at a later date. We have applied this product for 13 years on our lawn, with no extra fertilizer. This product has 10 percent nitrogen and this will keep your lawn green. If you have a lot of dandelions and lots of crab grass, it may take up to three years for improvement to your lawn. The university continues to recommend 20 pounds per 1,000 square foot. Either a drop fertilizer spreader or a fan type spreader will work.

My neighbor's lawn always looks so nice. I would like mine to look as nice, what can I do?

First of all, when was the last time you applied either fertilizer or corn gluten meal on your lawn. You may want to take a soil test to see what really is needed on your lawn.

If you mow your lawn to make it look like a golf course, remember the golf courses use a different type of grass than a homeowner uses. If we have a limited amount of rainfall, a short cut lawn will show dryness earlier. Raise the mower deck to at least 3 1/2 inches. The taller the grass the deeper the roots will go into the soil for more moisture. Try these ideas and let me know your success by mid-August when we usually are lacking rain.

Has anybody seen any humming birds and orioles in their back yard?

There have been several reports of orioles, but no humming birds yet. The mixture for the humming birds and orioles is four parts water and one part white sugar. Let this come to a near boil and let cool before putting this in a clean container. Let me know when you see these little birds.

Do the mourning doves go back to their nesting area year after year?

I believe they do, as we have a mourning dove in the same spot where we had two hatchings of one pair last spring and summer. In the case at our place last year, nearly as soon as the first hatching left the nest, the female laid two more eggs and these soon hatched too. We found that both the male and female took turns sitting on the nest. It appeared the female sat on the nest all night, with the male taking his turn early in the morning, while the female was off the nest getting something to eat.

Can I plant strawberry plants in a high container garden?

The last two years, we have grown both tomatoes and strawberries in a container that is about 25 inches in height. This works well for the gardener having problems walking in the garden area.

Have you had the opportunity to buy vegetables at a farmers market?

If it is fresh fruits and vegetables that you crave, then a stop at a farmers market is what you need. Gardeners who have greenhouses, and who got a jump start on vegetables may have some ready to harvest as you read this column.

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Attend a plant and bulbs exchange in your area. This is a good way for young gardeners to get started.

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As I mentioned before, after changing computers, I lost many e-mail addresses from gardeners throughout Minnesota. Please send me an e-mail to get you added to my e-mail address book.

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Hank Wessels is a Master Gardener in Watonwan County. He welcomes questions and comments from readers. He may be reached at 601 1st St. SW, Madelia, MN 56062, hwdw@madtelco.net or (507) 642-8479.