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Just as drought has caused havoc in many lawns, we’re also seeing damage in trees. Even very drought tolerant trees like eastern red cedar and Colorado spruce have extensive damage or have been killed completely. Death of branches or a whole tree are very obvious and visible effects, but drought can also cause damage... Continue Reading →
What happened to our April showers? The Lincoln area received only 0.59 inches of rain – measured at the Lincoln Airport - instead of our normal 2.69 inches for April. May is not looking good either – only 0.49 inches so far, compared to our normal 4.91 inches. I cringe to think what the rest... Continue Reading →
For 2023, the National Garden Bureau’s shrub of the year is Spirea, which unfortunately often gets overlooked during the spring buying-rush as old-fashioned and uninteresting. In reality, spireas are tough, easy-to-grow shrubs and a workhorse in modern landscapes. Spireas offer a wide range of colorful foliage ranging from blue to yellow, red to orange,... Continue Reading →
Dropping soon onto a patio near you – let me introduce the ash sawfly. Or maybe you’ve already been introduced to this insect; your Nebraska Extension office has been getting questions about this little greenish “songbird Snickers bar” all week! Here’s the bottomline, this is ash sawfly and it isn’t going to kill your... Continue Reading →
We fertilize our lawns regularly each year, but do trees need fertilization, too? Actually, in most cases - no. Most Nebraska soils are fertile enough to support good growth of trees and shrubs without the need for additional fertilization. And in particular, trees surrounded by a fertilized lawn don't need additional fertilization. Healthy trees have full-size, medium to dark green... Continue Reading →
Severe lawn thinning and drought damage. Image by, Sarah Browning, Nebraska Extension. Last summer's dry conditions were hard on lawns and this spring many unirrigated lawns are showing dead patches or thinned grass stands. These areas are pretty easy to spot now. Look for patches not greening up as they should. Or areas with a large percentage... Continue Reading →
Lancaster County ended 2022 under very dry conditions – approximately 11 inches below normal rainfall. Dry conditions continued throughout winter bringing us into spring with the entire state still experiencing drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Lancaster county is currently classified with “severe drought” conditions. To find the drought conditions for your location at... Continue Reading →
Home gardeners are itching to get outside and will soon be buying bedding plants – both annual flowers and vegetables - from local garden centers and greenhouses. Selecting strong, healthy plants, along with proper care and planting, will help insure a successful start to the gardening season. Select short stocky plants with dark green foliage.... Continue Reading →
Correct timing on pest control measures is key to successful management, but that’s difficult when symptoms from the insect or disease attack don’t show up until after the window for control has passed. This week, we’ll look at three common pine tree pest problems which need to be addressed early in the growing season. They... Continue Reading →
After waiting all winter for a new growing season to start, when spring finally does arrive it seems to hit us hard and fast. Then before we know it, spring is gone and we’re in the middle of summer. There are many tasks to accomplish in the spring landscape. To help you develop a plan... Continue Reading →
Eastern Nebraska tends to have high soil pH, also known as alkaline soil, which can cause problems for some plants, like river birch, pin oak, big-leaf hydrangeas and blueberries to name a few. Alkaline soil changes the availability of certain plant nutrients, often making them less available, resulting in deficiency symptoms. Other conditions contributing to... Continue Reading →
Is this the year you want to plant a home vegetable garden? If so, it's time to get your plan together for this summer's garden. Home vegetable gardening is a popular hobby for a number of reasons. Some people garden for exercise and some for the enjoyment of harvesting flavorful produce that can be eaten... Continue Reading →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 