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Just as drought has caused havoc in many lawns, we’re also seeing damage in trees. Even very drought tolerant trees like eastern red cedar and Colorado spruce have extensive damage or have been killed completely. Death of branches or a whole tree are very obvious and visible effects, but drought can also cause damage... Continue Reading →
For 2023, the National Garden Bureau’s shrub of the year is Spirea, which unfortunately often gets overlooked during the spring buying-rush as old-fashioned and uninteresting. In reality, spireas are tough, easy-to-grow shrubs and a workhorse in modern landscapes. Spireas offer a wide range of colorful foliage ranging from blue to yellow, red to orange,... Continue Reading →
As spring gets closer, questions about how to best maintain our gardens come to mind. A very common question I receive each spring is "How do I prune my hydrangea?" Pruning HydrangeaNo wonder it’s confusing - there are several hydrangeas species commonly grown by Nebraska gardeners, with a different pruning strategy and timing for each.... Continue Reading →
Evergreens, both trees and shrubs, enliven the winter landscape, providing form, texture and color during a time when our landscapes are sparse. If your landscape is too bare and brown right now but you don't have room for a new tree, consider the addition of evergreen shrubs – there are many great options from which... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
Woody floral plants include any woody plant species having colorful or unusually shaped stems, buds, flowers, fruits or leaves. They are given the name "woody florals" because they are often sold to florists for use in flower arrangements. But they also bring interest and color to the home landscape or can be used in home... Continue Reading →
During landscape clean up at season’s end, it’s a good time to assess your plantings’ performance and make plans for next season. If problems occurred, how did they present? Were scattered, unrelated plants affected? Or were all plants in one section of the landscape showing symptoms? How problems present can give a clue as to... Continue Reading →
This summer has been hot, hot, hot! Lincoln had 54, 90+ F days from May through August 31st. In unwatered portions of the landscape many are seeing cracked soil - a good indication conditions are dry. One of the most common questions right now at the Nebraska Extension office, is tree and shrub leaf problems... Continue Reading →
High temperatures and dry conditions have resulted in many lawns turning brown in the last few weeks, but all plants suffer during hot, dry conditions not just lawns. So far, we’ve had 24 days of 90+ degree heat this summer from June 1st to July 24th. Lancaster County had a rain deficit of 0.75 inches... Continue Reading →
The common lilac is a tough, reliable shrub that may reach a height of 15-20 feet. Plants begin forming flower buds in fall, which overwinter, then bloom in late spring, which makes pruning a challenge since most woody plants are pruned during the dormant season. How and when should plants be pruned to keep them... Continue Reading →
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 →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 