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Composting is easier than you think and the finished compost is an excellent soil amendment to improve the growth and health of your garden or landscape plants. But still, sometimes things can go wrong! Here are six quick answers to common composting questions, to help solve your composting woes. Fall leaves are a good high carbon... Continue Reading →
All plants - trees & shrubs, turf, ornamentals, fruits and vegetables – all require the same 17 nutrients to grow. Three of these - carbon, hydrogen and oxygen – plants get from air and water, but the remaining 14 nutrients are absorbed from the soil. Plant nutrients are classified as either primary, secondary or... Continue Reading →
All-America Selections (AAS) announces its 2024 national award winners - six flower and two vegetable selections. National awards are given to plants with consistently great performance across the United States. AAS is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the testing and introduction of new flowers and vegetables varieties for the home gardener. Plants are trialed... Continue Reading →
Many gardeners have questions at this time of year about spring pruning. So, here are some common questions you may have been wondering about and your answers. Will early pruning cause fruit tree leaf and flower buds to develop earlier and possibly be damaged by normal spring frosts? Should pruning still be done... Continue Reading →
Browsing garden catalogs and planning the coming year's garden is a pleasant way to spend a winter day, despite the danger of setting off a massive case of spring fever! But choosing from the abundance of vegetable varieties in even a few catalogs can quickly become a challenge. Beginning gardeners, especially, may have difficulty... Continue Reading →
We know fall has arrived when pumpkins begin decorating porches and our favorite pumpkin spice foods appear in stores, including - new this year - Pillsbury pumpkin spice rolls and Philadelphia pumpkin spice cream cheese. Pumpkin pie, and other pumpkin desserts, are favorites at many holiday celebrations. Diversity among pumpkin varieties is incredible! With sizes ranging from... Continue Reading →
Productive fruit trees with an abundance of high-quality fruit don't just happen. They result from good cultural practices, including pruning. However, fruit tree pruning is often neglected by the home gardener either due to a lack of pruning skills and knowledge, or due to fear plants will be damaged or killed by incorrect pruning. There... Continue Reading →
We've had our first touch of cold weather, with night temps falling to the upper 30s on October 6th and 7th , but no hard freezes yet. Of course, we're at the end of the gardening season. But if you have tender plants, and you want to keep them growing a while longer, it's important to pay... Continue Reading →
Tomatoes and pumpkins are two vegetables we get calls on in the fall. We haven't reached the growing season's end yet, but it's only a few weeks away. If there are still tomatoes or pumpkins in the garden to harvest, follow these recommendations to ensure a successful end to your harvest season. As tomatoes ripen,... Continue Reading →
Many gardeners think vegetables can only be planted in spring, but they can also be planted in fall with either of two goals in mind: harvest in fall or winter, or harvest in spring from cold-hardy plants that have overwintered. No matter which harvesting plan you’re shooting for, planting usually starts in... Continue Reading →
To obtain quality fruit from your garden, it’s important to harvest the fruits at the right stage of maturity. Knowing when to harvest tree fruits is an exercise in judging several factors: flesh firmness, flesh color, skin color, flavor and number of days from full bloom. The ideal harvest time for apple and pear cultivars... Continue Reading →
Late summer and fall are an exciting time in the garden. Harvest is in full swing, perennials can be divided, lawns can be overseeded, and so much more! It’s a shame to miss this window of opportunity to “upgrade” your landscape. There’s work to be done – that’s for sure – but focusing on the... Continue Reading →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 