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Spring flowering bulb foliage is important for next year's bloom. Bulb leaves such as tulip, daffodil and hyacinth manufacture the sugars and carbohydrates that accumulate in the bulb, producing large flowers. Removing the foliage soon after flowering lowers the quality of next year's bloom, leading to smaller or non-existent flowers. Bulb foliage isn't particularly... Continue Reading →
As I travel the state of Nebraska to teach all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) safety, I am often met with the attitude that kids and adults believe themselves to be indestructible. When talking with those who have first-hand experience with an ATV or UTV accident, however, the attitude is much different. According... Continue Reading →
Earlier this spring, we looked at three ornamental plants promoted this year by the National Garden Bureau – dahlia, snapdragon and hybrid sage, Salvia nemorosa. It’s getting warm enough now (at least most days!) that we can begin planting their final “Year of the…” feature – pumpkin. Pumpkins are a fun plant to grow, especially when gardening with... Continue Reading →
A couple of months ago, I wrote about annuals for color. That article focused on annuals for color in full-sun locations, however there are a lot of great choices for shady locations of your landscape as well or if you live in an apartment with only shade on your balcony or have a patio or... Continue Reading →
One of the most easily recognized insects in the home landscape is the white grub. Almost every gardener has seen white grub larvae in the soil, while installing new plants or tilling the vegetable garden. The term "white grub" actually encompasses the larval stage of several scarab beetles, the most common, and most damaging, being... Continue Reading →
During the busy summer season, our best spring intentions can fall by the wayside. Weeds creep into carefully planted flower beds, trees and shrubs go un-pruned, and fruit trees don’t get sprayed- all for lack of time. Does a beautiful landscape always require hours of intensive care to achieve and maintain? Of course, some maintenance is a must,... Continue Reading →
For many years, Nebraska Extension recommended fertilization of high-quality lawns up to four times each year. We often used memorable dates to help homeowners remember when these applications should be made – Tax Day, April 15; Memorial Day, Labor Day and Halloween. However, turf research is ongoing, and our understanding of how turfgrasses grow and... Continue Reading →
It’s finally summer, time to enjoy the great outdoors, but how do we get kids outdoors when there are so many distractions? As adults we recognize the therapeutic quality of unstructured time spent in nature but that’s not a convincing argument to a kid on summer break who would rather be playing video games. This... Continue Reading →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 