Foliage on Spring Flowering Bulbs

Tulips, daffodils, hyacinth and crocus are great for spring color. Nothing says spring like these bulbs. In order to keep them coming back strong year after year, one or maybe two steps are required after bloom. What are they?

Winter Damage and Herbicide Drift

Winter Damage February’s deep cold separated the marginally hardy plants from those that weathered the winter without problems. The lower portions of stems of some trees and shrubs, protected by the snow, flowered as usual and are sending out new leaves. Unfortunately, the portions of plants not protected by snow remain lifeless or are slow…

Read More

Plant Not Where You Want It?

It happens all the time; good looking plants are interspersed in your landscape, just not where you want them or where they are best suited. This is especially true for folks who just bought a home, spent their time and money fixing the deck and changing out the curtains, and have now turned their attention to the landscape.

Cut Back, Clip Off

There are times in a landscape’s life when it’s important to clip off certain plant parts. This is one of those times, particularly for bulbs and roses.

Lawns, Kids & Pets

Many families that have a lawn to care for also have children and pets. Are they mutually exclusive? In short, no. However, if you want the 3 of them to thrive and the kids/pets to be safe, there are some common sense guidelines to follow.

Aerating vs. Power Raking

One of the most common questions we get in the horticulture department of Nebraska Extension is “hey, should I aerate or power rake my lawn?”. We hate to answer the question with “it depends”, but that’s really the answer, because each procedure is done for a different reason.

Staking Newly Planted Trees

Confusion surrounds the healthiest way to stake newly-planted trees to stand up to fierce winds while fostering good root growth. The old method, seen much too often still, of snaking wire through a section of garden hose to wrap around trunks and branches is highly injurious to trees. This ill-advised technique digs into tree conductive…

Read More

Watering During Turf Establishment

If damage from voles, skunks, ice, cold temperatures or other factors have left your lawn a bit on the thin side, mid-spring is a good time to thicken up the stand.

Made for the Shade – Perennials

One of the most important considerations for putting the right plant in the right place (RPRP) is the amount of sun that an area receives. In shady spots, many options are available, as long as consideration is given to just how shady it is.