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Watching and feeding birds is a great activity year-round, but especially brightens up the winter months! Nebraska is an excellent place to enjoy bird watching, with nearly 400 bird species across the state including 200 nesting species. Bird feeding can provide regular observation of 15-20 or more bird species which commonly visit backyard feeders. To... Continue Reading →
Failure to protect fruit trees and landscape ornamentals against gnawing rodents, rabbits and deer this fall can result in a nasty surprise next spring: girdled trunks or stems, and broken branches. Late fall is the time to get protection in place and safeguard the health of your plants. Prevention is the only way to protect trees... Continue Reading →
Popular plants can be overplanted in the landscape. Two examples of overplanted tree species in most communities includes ornamental pear varieties, such as Bradford pear, and red maple. Planting lots of one specific plant not only gets monotonous, but can lead to problems. Low diversity plantings, consisting of only a few species, should be avoided for several reasons. All susceptible trees of... Continue Reading →
Want to stay active outdoors, even after the gardening season ends? Then consider becoming a community scientist and joining National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). It’s the longest running community citizen science project in the United States. This winter, 2022-2023, is the 123rd year for the Christmas Bird Count. History of the Christmas... Continue Reading →
Wildlife damage on woody landscape plants is very common, particularly in winter when cold weather and declining food resources make our landscape plants look pretty tasty! Common culprits include rabbits, voles and deer. Today, we’re going to focus on preventing deer damage, but for more information on minimizing the impact of rabbits and voles,... Continue Reading →
We’ve had our first taste of winter but while opinions may vary on the desirability of snow - particularly the amount that falls! - snow actually has several benefits for landscapes and gardens. “Blanket of Snow” Image by Pixabay Soil InsulationThe term “blanket of snow” is a good description for snow’s insulating effect for... Continue Reading →
Wow, it’s great to see the sun, feel the warmth and lose the heaps of snow in my front yard! Although 70 plus degrees in early March could result in problems later this spring, if plants come out of dormancy too soon. But, since there isn’t a great deal we can do about the weather, let’s... Continue Reading →
Conservation plantings of wildflowers and grasses may range in size from a few plants in a home garden, to extensive plantings on a farm or acreage. Usually these plantings are intended to create habitat for butterflies, pollinators, birds or other wildlife. But if the planting isn’t well-maintained, it’s benefits and beauty many decrease over time. ... Continue Reading →
If part of the goal with your landscape is to offer better habitat for wildlife, it’s best to have regionally native species as the dominant elements. Besides their lengthy provision of food for all stages of wildlife sustenance—from dried seeds and berries throughout the entire winter; to abundant summer foliage, flowers and fruits; to early... Continue Reading →
Moving from late fall into winter is a transition period for wildlife. Colder weather and declining food sources make damage to landscape plants and wildlife moving into our homes a significant possibility. Below are tips to help make the transition smoother for both wildlife and us, including tips for enjoying birds at your feeders this winter.... Continue Reading →
We do a lot of preparation for the visitors we’ll see over the holidays but since some of our favorite visitors are birds, they deserve some preparation as well. It’s not the season for planting of course, but there are plenty of things you can do now and some of the preferred plants listed below... Continue Reading →
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 →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 