During the holidays, poinsettias become the decorative plant of choice for many. And many green thumbs who enjoy working with plants are eventually tempted to save a poinsettia after the holidays with the intention of getting it to re-bloom the following year. Christmas cactus and Amaryllis plants also make great houseplants - easy to grow... Continue Reading →
Keep Gift Plants Under Wraps
A holiday plant can be the perfect gift for many occasions, but to ensure a beautiful, healthy plant use care when selecting and transporting your gift. Selection When choosing a poinsettia, look for a full, well-branched plant with good color development in the showy bracts and dark green leaves. A fresh poinsettia will have little or... Continue Reading →
Extension Master Gardener Volunteers – Now Accepting Applications for 2023 Program
A frosty winter day is a great time to stay indoors and enjoy a good book, a warm fire in the fireplace and a hot cup of cocoa. But for gardeners, winter is also time to dream and plan next summer’s gardens. Soon gardeners will be looking through mail-order catalogues, making up their 2023 plant and seed orders. But for Nebraska Extension Master Gardener volunteers, winter is also a time... Continue Reading →
Chrysanthemums Brighten Up the Fall Garden
Mums are the stars of the fall perennial garden. They bloom profusely and continue blooming even after frosts have zapped tender annual flowers. They are now available at garden centers in a wide range of colors including white, yellow, orange, bronze, red, purple and pink. “Chrysanthemum” is now a common name for this large group of plants.... Continue Reading →
Plan for Late Summer Color with Asters
Late summer and fall can be a dreary time in the landscape, with little else but coreopsis and Black-eyed Susan blooming. So it's a good idea to plan, and plant, now for color in your fall gardens. Asters are an excellent plant to add for additional fall color. Two species of aster, which are both... Continue Reading →
Trees, Shrubs and Vines for Sandy, Dry Conditions
When the soil around your home or getaway cabin is less than ideal, you can fight it by planting trees and shrubs that aren't well adapted to the site or select plants that do well in the conditions your landscape provides. Although many locations in Nebraska have clay soil, sandy soil is also very common... Continue Reading →
Tender, Summer Flowering Bulbs for Nebraska Gardens
In any discussion of ‘bulb’ plants, the most important distinction to make is between hardy and tender bulbs. Hardy bulbs, including tulip, daffodil, crocus, etc., are planted in the fall and can be overwintered in the ground. Tender bulbs, like gladiola, dahlia and canna, are planted in the spring and must be dug up each... Continue Reading →
Start Your Garden Right with Healthy Transplants
Transplants are the way to go with tomatoes, peppers and dozens of other vegetables, as well as many of the annual flowers common in Nebraska gardens. Transplants give long-season crops a head start before being put out in the garden and a chance to produce before fall frost. Annual flowers grown from transplants begin blooming... Continue Reading →
2022 All-America Selection Flower Winners
This article is provided by All-America Selections, including pictures and plant information. Visit them at all-americaselections.org for additional information and pictures. All-America Selections (AAS) announces six flower award winners this year, including two Gold Medal winners and four National winners. Gold Medal awards are reserved for breakthroughs in plant breeding, signally a plant with a completely unique feature not previously found in similar plants. So Gold... Continue Reading →
National Garden Bureau Announces Its 2022 “Year of” Plants
This week let’s look at the National Garden Bureau’s three additional featured plants for the year - Gladiola, lilac and salad greens. Deluxe Gladiolus from Jung Seeds Year of Gladiola - Bulb0K, for all those experienced gardeners out there, no - gladiola isn’t a true bulb. It’s a corm, but it is included in this... Continue Reading →
National Garden Bureau Announces Its 2022 “Year of” Plants
Since 1980 the National Garden Bureau has promoted their “Year of” plant program, with the goal of educating and inspiring gardeners to try new crops. Over the years, the program has grown to include six plant classes – houseplant, bulb or bulb-like, annual, perennial, vegetable and shrub – with one specific plant per class featured each year.... Continue Reading →
Rudbeckia ‘Sunbeckia Ophelia’ Best of Show
One of the most enjoyable ways for gardeners to get through the dark, cold days of winter is to begin planning next summer’s gardens. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at plants - annuals, perennials, edibles, trees and shrubs – to consider for addition to your gardens this summer. First, we’ll look at the... Continue Reading →