Master Gardener Becky West: Gardens must adapt to survive climate change
Garden classes this year have emphasized the importance of building a “climate-resilient garden.” What does that mean and when should it be planned?
Both questions can be answered by surviving gardens so far in 2025. Climate is definitely changing — and our gardens to survive must also change.
Anticipating some changes goes along with planning, but how many times have you heard a gardener say this year “I’ve never seen that before.” How can you plan without expectation of what should, could be or will be normal? And what is normal?
Tomatoes like nighttime temperatures in the 50-degree range, but we’ve been experiencing temperatures much higher. Extremes are difficult for plants genetically bred to less dramatic temperature swings.
Winter 2024-25 had little snow. That was bad news for plants usually blanketed by snow. When cold temperatures did arrive, many plants were vulnerable and just didn’t survive.
How many garden conversations early in 2025 began: “I’ve never had that plant die over winter.” My garden had first-time ever failure on sedum — Rosy Glow. That’s a low mound-type that is so hardy I fortunately had it in several places.
I’ve been able to snip off and restart a bed, but only a few because even that survivor wasn’t large. I’ve lost track of how many snips I’ve shared over the years with other gardeners. Maybe I’ll have to call in my own replacements!
How to manage with expected climate changes? 1) Keep plants as healthy as possible. Don’t over-fertilize or overwater, adequate. 2) Cover the soil. Mulch preserves ground moisture, maintains even soil temperature, and protects from pathogens splashing up onto plants. 3) Monitor the garden for pests and any plant needs. The best fertilizer for a garden is the gardener’s feet in the garden every day!
The long-term goal for climate adaptation is managing plants that are less vulnerable. Read information on plants before investing.
Gardeners I’ve known, myself included, often tried to push the growing zone. My garden is zone 3, but, with cover, I’ve sometimes been able to grow even zone 5. Now zone 5 isn’t as big a success — or something to brag about.
I’m trying to grow more native and pollinator-friendly plants. Encouraging more pollinators has brought a new plant to my garden — diervilla, a bush honeysuckle. The yellow, tube-shaped blossoms appear early in season and often continue into September.
Growing a diversity of plants and more of each is an additional pollinator benefit. Double blossom flowers are pretty, but offer little benefit to pollinators. Hybrids often are bred to be attention-grabbing to the gardener, but are ignored by pollinators. They want open flowers, flowers that don’t require a lot of work to reach one blossom to the next, and many of the same type close together.
My garden has been ravaged by deer chewing off hosta and tree leaves. I learned this: “If something isn’t eating your plants, then you garden is not part of the ecosystem.” Maybe I don’t want to be this much a part of the ecosystem!
Kandiyohi County Master Gardener Becky West is a guest writer in this week’s column for Kandiyohi County newspapers. To consult with a Master Gardener, call your county Extension office.