Fruit trees will soon be blooming, marking the beginning of another growing season. Many diseases become active during blooming, so it’s time to prepare to protect your trees and ensure a good harvest. Brown Rot After harvesting, gardeners are often disappointed to find apricot, peach, cherry or plum fruits quickly develop a soft fuzzy brown... Continue Reading →
Flooded Fruit & Vegetable Gardens – Is It Safe to Plant and Harvest this Year?
Even though this year’s flooding occurred in March before most garden crops were in the ground, there is still cause for concern when considering harvesting perennial crops and planning this year’s garden. Flood waters many be contaminated by any combination of sewage, river or creek water, farm run-off or industrial pollutants. Bacteria, parasites, viruses and... Continue Reading →
Hiring a Lawn Service
Do you like to mow, fertilize and control pests in your lawn? Some of us do, some don’t.
Poultry Alternative – Try your hand at raising Coturnix Quail!
Chickens, ducks and geese aren’t the only birds well suited for acreages. Other species of poultry do very well under similar conditions and like the mentioned birds, can provide you with meat and eggs. Coturnix Quail, pronounced “kuh-tur-niks”, are an excellent bird for acreage owners who might be limited on space and desire a small... Continue Reading →
Be Mindful of Flooded Areas When Hunting Morels
As morel mushroom hunting season approaches, be mindful of food safety. It’s important to remember flood waters don’t carry just water. There is a host of unsavory things that are downright dangerous— ▪Human disease pathogens from raw sewage, ▪Pesticides carried from farm fields and lawns on soil particles and plant residue, ▪And rubber and petroleum... Continue Reading →
Soil Temperatures and Spring Preemergence Herbicide Applications
Warm temperatures in April have had many homeowners wondering about this year’s first spring preemergence (PRE) herbicide application. When is the right time to apply in spring? If you've waited, that's good - but it's almost time. PRE Herbicide Residual Pre herbicides act by killing newly germinated weed seedlings, which come in contact with the... Continue Reading →
Pruning Hydrangeas
Pruning Hydrangea “How do I prune my hydrangea?” This is a common question from gardeners each spring. No wonder it’s confusing - there are several hydrangeas species commonly grown by Nebraska gardeners, with a different pruning strategy and timing for each. But which pruning method should be used on your plants? The first step is... Continue Reading →
Plants to Grow Confidence
If you want to learn how to garden, plants are the best teachers and the best way to start is to just go ahead and plant. Choose your space carefully, you will want to plant it where you will visit often and where you will enjoy working. Observation throughout the year is a good way... Continue Reading →