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This year the National Garden Bureau features Lantana as its annual flower of the year. In the 18th century, lantana was a popular greenhouse plant in Europe and breeding efforts were extensive, resulting in hundreds of available selections. The most commonly available species, Lantana camara, is a tender plant winter hardy to zone 8. Although lantana is not... Continue Reading →
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 take a look... Continue Reading →
“Recipes, instruction manuals, last testaments: by making seeds the plant condenses itself, or at least everything it knows, into a form compact and durable enough to survive winter, a tightly sealed bottle of genetic memory dropped onto the ocean of the future.” Michael Pollan For gardeners who grow their plants from seed, seeds are... Continue Reading →
Many people enjoy growing houseplants, watching them grow or bloom. According to WebMD, the following benefits are a few of those provided by houseplants. Add moisture to the air. Low indoor humidity increases your chances of catching a cold or flu, or having dry itchy skin. Purify the air by removing volatile organic compounds. Good... Continue Reading →
Pantone, a company with world-renowned authority on color, each year selects a Color of the Year. Living Coral, a vibrant warm coral hue with a golden undertone was the featured color for 2019, but for 2020 they have selected Classic Blue, a calming deep blue. Pantone forecasts global color trends and their Color of the... Continue Reading →
Christmas cactus, amaryllis and poinsettias are popular gift plants during the holidays. They are beautiful, and fortunately, are not difficult to grow. Here are a few tips for each, to keep plants healthy until next Christmas, if you gave or received one this year. Poinsettias Many poinsettias hold their leaves and remain attractive after the... Continue Reading →
Winter is a difficult season for roses. Rapid temperature changes, sometimes as much as 20-30° F degrees in 24 hours, is very hard on plants. Unseasonably warm temperatures in January and February, along with repeated freezing and thawing of the soil can do a lot of damage. What can you do this fall to help your roses... Continue Reading →
Planting flowering bulbs is a fall tradition for many gardeners, and there is still plenty of time to get your bulbs in the ground this fall. In eastern Nebraska, bulbs can be planted from late September through the end of October, ideally when soil temperatures are below 60°F degrees. This allows the root system to develop before the ground... Continue Reading →
Garden professionals often talk about sanitation as a way to manage insect and disease problems in a garden or landscape. But what exactly is garden sanitation and how does it help with pest problems? Pest Overwintering Strategies Many disease organisms carry over from one season to the next on infected branches, leaves or fruits. Diseased... Continue Reading →
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 →
Late summer can be a ho-hum time of year for landscape perennials. Colorful flowers of the early spring and summer bloomers are long-gone and mid-summer bloomers are looking ragged after the tough months of July and August. Fall bloomers like asters and chrysanthemums haven’t started blooming yet. One plant that pops out at this time... Continue Reading →
If you live on an acreage, or a large lot in town, or even a medium sized lot in town, you need a shed. Sure, you could store all of your stuff – mower, tools, seed, mulch, lawn art, pots, wood, etc. – in your garage or basement, but depending on where you put it,... Continue Reading →
