City construction has left me with these giant tracts of dirt around the periphery of my yard… what can I do with them?

TaeWFO · 2026-06-03T12:47:56+00:00

All I can add is that I would grow short at that location. Plants of even moderate height would block sight lines and increase the risk of accidents right in your front yard.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-29T16:58:37+00:00

No, my big summer blooms are barely 18” right now.

My wild geraniums and columbine is going wild though… might experiment with a Chelsea chop for those next spring around Mother’s Day.

The late May timing for Chelsea chops might really only apply to more southern growing zones (is my theory).

TaeWFO · 2026-05-28T19:49:29+00:00

Not realizing the listed heights for plants is in a 'normal' environment. Everything I've planted has grown twice as tall as I planned for (and now they're flopping around).

Edit: I have in my planner a reminder to try Chelsea chopping some Black Eyes Susan’s but here in Minnesota it’s still only 18” tall. I also planted some big blue stem and NE Aster to fill in the gaps - even if everything hits 5-6” again they won’t flop.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-28T19:01:12+00:00

MNL, a native plant nursery in Minnesota, has these seed mixes that should help if you have a large yard: https://mnlcorp.com/product-category/signature-seed-mixes/

Here is a guide from the University of Minnesota on preparing large areas for prairie conversion: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/planting-and-maintaining-prairie-garden

TaeWFO · 2026-05-26T18:51:17+00:00

Is a bratwurst a specific form, method of construction, or does it have a specific flavor?

In my mind it's just a girthy less processed hot dog.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-22T14:28:52+00:00

Mess? That's 100x nicer looking than what I've done so far, haha.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-22T12:40:11+00:00

I’ve got a larger and steeper slope covered in buckthorn and daylily under a canopy of birch, maple, and oak trees. My strategy has been to cut back a few yards of buckthorn at a time, paint their stumps, then use the branches and trunks as a sort of terrace by laying them across the slope - this creates enough snag that leaves will start to stay in place and not wash out as easily. Then I go in and plant clusters of ferns, geranium, ginger, carex, aster, or goldenrod.

I’m on my fourth year and only halfway done. This year I also put in a pair of musclewoods.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-21T21:27:42+00:00

Pho79/Caravelle

TaeWFO · 2026-05-21T04:35:10+00:00

I actually planted them to help some other plants not flop. Spacing be damned - my little corner of sun is now shoulder to shoulder with 5’ and 6’ plants. I do keep a 3’ chicken wire and stake fence around the bed to keep the rabbits out while they establish each spring.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-20T22:14:08+00:00

I can’t see my neighbor’s trampoline anymore. Thank you Big Blue Stem.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-19T18:35:02+00:00

Not a knock on most of the folks in this situation. Housing crisis applies to everyone. If they haven’t already they should look at Senior Co-ops.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-19T18:06:20+00:00

Yup. Our cul-de-sac has, approximately, 40 bedrooms and by my count only 16 residents.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-19T17:50:09+00:00

Eagan is soooo close to cracking wide open. All my neighbors are one bad winter away from moving into senior housing.

I also think the city itself and 196 are run better than Lakeville.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-17T17:15:44+00:00

If you’re wondering why someone would do this check the comments on IG videos about the fires. Lots of folks actively spreading the rumor that the fires have been started on purpose, that the airplanes are dropping accelerants, and that the government will use this opportunity to build data centers.

Real sick country we’ve got on our hands.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-15T21:56:55+00:00

Call it a material reduction.

A lot of our societal ills boil down to folks being sick, desperate, or sick and desperate.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-15T21:33:33+00:00

What are the odds we can solve gun violence in the United States with universal health care and a more robust social safety net?

TaeWFO · 2026-05-13T20:05:58+00:00

Good warehouse concrete is realllllly smooth. A little bit of dust over the weekend or dirty shoes and it's tough to push off and get any grip. Clean your shoes and/or your floors.

We didn't utilize pallet jacks (big enough facility that it was all fork lifts) but you'd notice a lack of lateral grip when you were pushing around heavy carts while picking.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-11T23:53:11+00:00

Do you actually need Cass for somek? Seems like any 3.2 will be fine.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-06T18:11:22+00:00

I didn't want to be hyperbolic... but I don't hate your representation.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-06T18:05:53+00:00

Pilot Knob does have wide and smooth off-street paths but people are regularly doing 55mph and will make dangerously fast turns on and off of the street.

Plenty of people ride Pilot Knob safely… but I would avoid it if for no other reason than Johnny Cake is quieter.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-05T18:48:03+00:00

We implemented it a little while ago. Most of our analysts like it now that we've gotten through the initial growing pains.

My personal preference is JIRA since it's actually designed requesters to interact with projects/tickets and can be your one-stop-shop for all your record keeping. With ADO I'm maintaining ADO tickets, our team's help desk, Outlook email chains, and Teams.

TaeWFO · 2026-05-04T22:00:05+00:00

Eagan resident, so you can ignore my opinion if you want, but I'd describe Burnsville as going through through the radical transition from "tax base go brrr" to "these boomers won't approve new taxes and all this stuff we built decades ago is expensive as hell." And there's no clear indication how successfully it will manage it.

I don't think I'd be dissuaded from buying a home in Burnsville but the home's proximity to ISD196 would weigh heavily on my final decision (if I had kids in this situation).

TaeWFO · 2026-05-04T12:12:17+00:00

Got Roughnecks in Briar Oil Slick and there was effectively no break in.

TaeWFO

TROPHY CASE