Category: Landscaping

Anticipating Shade Needs

Trees are among our most permanent landscape plants. Some can live and enhance a landscape for over 100 years. It’s important that you select shade trees carefully, as you’ll be planting them not only for yourself, but for future generations as well.

Tree Tips for Mid-Fall

In order to keep them thriving in the landscape, at least 5 management practices should be conducted at this time of year.

Turf Tips for Mid Fall

When summer turns to fall, cooler temperatures, more frequent rain storms and a few other changes follow along. In order to maximize turf performance and recovery from summer stressors, consider these management actions:

Container Plantings Winding Down

It’s the end of September in eastern Nebraska, which signals the very near end of patio plantings and container plants in the out of doors. There are several reasons for this:

Seven Sons in Fall

In the fall, there are just simply fewer landscape plants that offer great appeal. Sure, goldenrod, asters, plumbago, turtlehead, sedums and mums should be a part of just about any landscape, but the ratio of spring and summer bloomers is probably about 3:1 or even more. For that reason, let’s highlight one more fall appealing plant – the Seven Sons tree/flower/shrub.

Euonymous, Anyone?

In this case, you might want the shrub or vine, euonymous, but not the common euonymous scale insects that often infest them. In fact, in some landscapes, the scale infestations are so common that budding horticulturists and entomologists often think that the symptoms and signs are a natural occurrence, as in “they’re supposed to be there”.

Emerald Ash Borer – What’s the Status?

Many of our clients have been asking about this question in recent weeks. Thus far, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestations have been confirmed in 9 counties in Nebraska. They appear to be on the slow gradual trajectory that has been observed in states such as Michigan, Illinois and Ohio, and is expected to become more and more common in the next 3-4 years.

Watering New Trees and Shrubs

Many new trees and shrubs are planted in April, May and June. By far, the two most important considerations are implementing the proper techniques for planting and watering.

Hedges Are Bad, But if you Must…

Ask any classically trained horticulturist, and they’ll tell you – hedges are bad. Why? This approach to plant care runs afoul of all of the proven plant health techniques that are used in gardening.