The Official Newspaper for Foster County

Articles written by Kelsey Deckert


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  • Dakota Gardener: Move over pumpkins, give gourds the spotlight

    Kelsey Deckert, Horticulture Agent, NDSU Extension, Burleigh and Morton Counties|Oct 21, 2024

    It's October and the spooky season is upon us. Yards are decorated, kids are figuring out their costumes and it's all things pumpkin. Pumpkin spice is in full swing. Here in Bismarck, Papa's Pumpkin Patch is already halfway through its season and pumpkins are getting many makeovers in homes. As I drive around the Bismarck area, it dawned on me that the spotlight shouldn't just be on the pumpkins. In the background of many porches and around the mailboxes are gourds! Though we focus on pumpkins...

  • Dakota Gardener: Lithops, a unique succulent

    Kelsey Deckert, Horticulture Agent, NDSU Extension, Burleigh and Morton Counties|May 6, 2024

    As a gardener, many of us browse through catalogs and websites of local greenhouses. It is a source of inspiration and a great way to try something new to grow. I love succulents! I especially love having them in my office because they're low maintenance. They work well in my office as I'm quite busy and can forget about them, but they will continue to thrive. I recently discovered lithops, or living stones, through a local greenhouse's Facebook page. I was completely intrigued looking at the...

  • Dakota Gardener: A pumpkin-on-a-stick

    Kelsey Deckert, Horticulture Agent, NDSU Extension, Burleigh and Morton counties|Nov 6, 2023

    Last week was a great reminder of the unpredictability of our weather in North Dakota. Many of us were hoping for a snow-free Halloween for trick-or-treating and not having to break out the winter gear to collect as many sugary treats as possible. I currently have sad-looking, snowed-covered pumpkins on the porch. Gardeners were blessed with an extended growing season and now is a great time to reflect upon it. I wrote a column in the beginning of the year about New Year's resolutions and...

  • Dakota Gardener: Bountiful harvest, plenty of love

    Kelsey Deckert, Horticulture Agent, NDSU Extension, Burleigh and Morton Counties|Sep 11, 2023

    We are in full swing of harvesting in our gardens. Although our growing season got off to a slow start, most gardens in the Dakotas are producing an abundance of tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers and other produce now. This is a great opportunity to express our love with our family and friends by sharing our bountiful harvest. It feels wonderful to share, but there is only so much produce that family and friends are willing to take off your hands. We all know the running joke of leaving zucchinis...

  • Dakota Gardener: A great rose for North Dakota

    Kelsey Deckert, Horticulture Agent, NDSU Extension, Burleigh and Morton counties|Jun 12, 2023

    I love going to greenhouses and seeing the colorful flowers for sale. With all the varieties available, I struggle with deciding which plants will come home with me. I like to grab different flower packs and hold them up together to see which ones will complement each other. Although the choices at a greenhouse seem endless, there is one flower that is always guaranteed a spot in my shopping cart: moss rose. It's bright, easy to grow and thrives here in the Dakotas. My love for moss roses...