On the Heels of Arbor Day – May is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. Once the site has been analyzed for adequate room and the purpose of the tree has been identified (shade, fruit, screening, color), it’s time to focus on getting the roots in the ground. First Things First First, dig…
Author: grobigred
Bird Feeding Problems
Bird feeding is huge! It’s one of the top 5 outdoor activities and really grew in popularity recently as property owners of all sizes became more in tune with their landscapes during the pandemic.
As my colleague Dave Robson with the University of Illinois indicates, when you try to provide food for songbirds, many other outdoor creatures consider themselves invited to the feast. Following are some suggestions for reducing problems from squirrels, mice, rabbits and other critters.
Seeing Spots? Could be the Lawn…
If you’re seeing spots before your eyes, it could be some sort of dizziness syndrome, or it could be that you’re looking at your lawn, and it’s got a particular fungus disease…which shows up as spots. Actually, there are several lawn maladies that show up as spots, but one in particular, especially at this time of year – Dollar Spot.
Arbor Day 2022
That the idea for a National Day of Recognition for trees came from a prairie state speaks to the importance of trees and spring tree planting. Not just lovely to look at, trees provide benefits: Roots to hold the soil, fruit and nesting places for wildlife, shade for our homes (reducing cooling costs by 25-30%!),…
Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteers
A shout out of appreciation goes to Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteers (NEMGV) as we celebrate National Volunteer Week, April 17-23. NEMGVs are volunteers, recipients of Nebraska Extension’s research-based education, which covers the gamut of horticulture topics, from insects to trees, and everything in between. NEMGVs are committed to their communities, volunteering their expertise to…
Winter Care of Houseplants
If you grow your own fresh air, you appreciate the liveliness houseplants bring to the indoors during the long winter months. On days when I’m feeling blue, nothing lifts my spirits like taking care of my houseplants. Removing dead leaves, looking for any insect pests that I missed when bringing them indoors last fall, pinching…
Blooming Lilacs in October!
It is not unusual for some plants to blossom out of season. Magnolia, crabapple, lilac, and forsythia are notably spring-blooming plants, but stressful growing conditions can instigate a type of dormancy that pushes flowering to later in the season. Lilacs are a great example this year. To better understand why this happens, it is helpful…