5 Common Composting Questions

Fall leaves will soon be coming down, providing gardeners with an abundance of organic matter. Why not put these materials to good use this fall and start a home compost pile? Composting is easier than you think and finished compost is an excellent soil amendment to improve the growth and health of your garden or landscape plants. Here are five... Continue Reading →

Rose of Sharon for Fall Color

Let’s face it – most of our flowering shrubs are showy in spring. In order to avoid the lack of color, interest and appeal, incorporation of summer/fall flowering shrubs such as rose of Sharon will infuse color as well as an interesting arching architectural structure to the landscape.

Chinkapin Oak

The summer months are great, but they can be hot. Being outdoors in the summer months is preferred, but when it gets too hot, it can be difficult to sit outside. Shade trees can really relieve the heat of outdoors. Temperatures underneath the shade of trees can be 10-15 degrees cooler or more, according to... Continue Reading →

Summer Gathering for a Winter’s Day

Bob Henrickson, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, plantnebraska.org Many gardeners plant “everlastings,” flowers and herbs that maintain their color and form when dried, specifically with the idea of using them in craft projects. Included in wreaths or other displays, they extend the beauty of summer’s bloom. There are many plants that hold their shape and color well,... Continue Reading →

Harvesting & Drying Herbs

Do you have beautiful herbs in your garden and want to preserve them for use this winter?  August and September are the time to get started drying your herbs. Harvest herb stems for drying from stems that are in the bud stage, but have not yet flowered. This is the stage at which leaves contain the highest amount... Continue Reading →

Gooseberries

Gooseberries are one of those unusual fruits not grown by many home gardeners. But they certainly are worth consideration for home fruit production, especially if you’re creating an edible landscape and need plants with good ornamental appearance as well as food production. Gooseberry plants can be used as a foundation shrub or hedge, having nice... Continue Reading →

Almost Time for Fall Lawn Seeding

The best time to seed cool season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, is between August 15th and September 15th, so its time to start your site preparation. Getting your seeding done as early as possible is really important, because each week of delay in seeding translates into 2-4 additional weeks required for the grass... Continue Reading →

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑