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Fall is the best time of year to plant new trees, from early September through late October. Fall's cooler temperatures and increased rain allow trees to establish their root systems quickly, giving them a jump-start on spring growth. Tree root growth continues late in fall, until soil temperatures drop below 40°F. But growing healthy trees,... Continue Reading →
The ground is still covered with leaves in many neighborhoods, but don’t throw them away - put them to work for you. Even if you only have a few leaves and little time, consider bag composting. Bag Composting Bag composting is perhaps the easiest composting technique. Its a passive method, so leaves break down slowly, but much... Continue Reading →
Every summer an unusual type of insect makes an appearance in many landscapes. Actually, there is a small group of insects, called twig girdlers or twig pruners, that cause similar damage in a variety of trees. But fortunately, these insects are not a serious problem and their activity doesn't have serious consequences for the trees. But... Continue Reading →
In our modern landscapes, trees often get planted as lone individuals surrounded by a sea of lawn. This is less than ideal for trees—and vice-versa. Trees typically grow in forests where little grass is present. When trees are placed in lawns and those lawns are excessively fussed over (and we Americans love to fuss... Continue Reading →
In mid-June of 2021, many parts of Nebraska received sixty, seventy and eighty mile per hour winds that caused major damage to a variety of trees, especially Bradford pear, elm, cottonwood, river birch and silver maple. Normally hardy trees were damaged as well; in most cases the ones that had poor branch angles, co-dominant leaders and cracks were especially harmed as well as those planted too deeply.
This spring, there have been many questions about something sticky falling from trees. There are a couple possibilities for this phenomenon, but a common culprit this year seems to be a higher than normal number of aphids. Aphids are very small soft-bodied insects, typically 1/16 to 1/8 inch in length. They have a mouth like a straw, which is inserted into plant leaves or... Continue Reading →
If your landscape has a history of bagworm problems, it’s time to start looking for the next generation of young insects. They will soon be hatching. The insects and their cocoons can be hard for gardeners to spot since they look so much like a natural part of the plant. Many people don’t realize the pointed oval... Continue Reading →
Lightly shaded areas receive 3-5 hours of direct sun per day
Dothistroma needle blight is one of the most common fungal diseases of pines in Nebraska, resulting in sparse trees with thin canopies. Older, inner needles are affected first causing premature needle drop. Many species of pine are affected by this disease, but in Nebraska it's found most commonly and causes the greatest amount of damage on Austrian and Ponderosa... Continue Reading →
Unseasonably warm, mid-70 to nearly 90-degree temperatures in early April lured trees, shrubs and perennials out of dormancy. Many trees and shrubs have been blooming for the last two weeks, only to be threatened by normal late April frosts. April 14-15, Lincoln nighttime temperatures dip to 27°F and 26°F degrees, respectively. April 19-22, had nighttime temperatures of 31°F, 32°F, 29°F and 23°F degrees, respectively. Gardeners always have concerns... Continue Reading →
Fruit trees are blooming, or will soon be, marking the beginning of another growing season. Many diseases become active during blooming, so it’s time to protect your trees and ensure a good harvest. Brown Rot After harvesting, gardeners are often disappointed to find their apricot, peach, cherry or plum fruits quickly develop a soft fuzzy brown rot. This is caused by a very common... 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 →
