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Broccoli hails from the Mediterranean region and has been enjoyed there since Roman times. Other European regions eventually caught on and broccoli was popularized in France as “Italian Asparagus” in about 1650. The English adopted it about 70 years later. We have been broccoli fans across the US since the 1920s when ice-packed broccoli heads... Continue Reading →
Don't be fooled by plastic flowers glued on to these cacti. Image by Sarah Browning, Nebraska Extension. It grates on my gardener’s soul to visit a big box store this time of year and see shelves of cacti each with a flower - in an array of colors - because (spoiler alert) most are glued-on... 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 →
Aside from this year’s four national flower winners, All-America Selections (AAS) has chosen three vegetable award winners – two national winners and one heartland regional winner. National awards are given to plants with consistently great performance across the United States. Regional winners showed outstanding performance within a specific section of the county. All-America Selections... Continue Reading →
All-America Selections (AAS) announces four national flower award winners this year. National awards are given to plants with consistently great performance across the United States. To see pictures of these and other great plants visit the All-America Selection website. Coleus ‘Coral Candy’ is a new release from PanAmerican Seed’s Premium Sun coleus series and the first seed-propagated... Continue Reading →
It will be time to start pruning fruit trees later this month. As pruning begins, it's important to have a good skills at identifying fire blight symptoms and have a multi-pronged approach for control, especially in very susceptible trees. Pruning and sanitation are important control strategies, but improper cleaning of pruning equipment between cuts can... Continue Reading →
t's too early to begin fruit tree pruning now, but it's not too early to prepare. For homeowners with only a few fruit trees - who can choose the ideal time for pruning their trees - it's best to wait until just before new growth begins. This is typically late February into March. Wounds heal... Continue Reading →
Many gardeners struggle with their property’s shaded areas. True, turfgrass won’t grow in heavy shade (anywhere with less than 6 hours of direct, full sun), but there are many plants which prefer either partial or even full shade. All it takes is a shift in your landscape vision for shaded areas to go from thin,... Continue Reading →
Looking through all the beautiful tomato pictures in a seed catalog, how do you choose the best cultivars for your garden? Every gardener knows nothing is more disappointing than to raise a tomato plant, finally have it loaded with fruit, when suddenly it wilts and dies. One way to prevent this disaster is to choose... 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 →
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 →
One plant irrevocably tied to the holiday season is mistletoe, bringing to mind the image of greenery hung over a doorway in anticipation of a kiss. The white-berried plant we decorate with during the holidays, commonly known as American mistletoe, is one of approximately 1,300 mistletoe species worldwide. All have a very interesting life history, including some... Continue Reading →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 