No doubt there are certain reported health benefits to a little dark chocolate now and then, but maybe this year, an alternative is in order for your loved one. Here’s a short list of good ones: *A potted plant – pots of Boston fern, rosemary, African violets, orchids and sweet bay can last…
Tag: hot topic
Green Tomatoes
It is hard to believe that summer has come to an end. I almost sound like a broken record saying that this year was challenging. Nebraska was hit with historic weather that impacted every corner of the state. Portions of the Omaha area was hit with hail late May that made us replant our vegetable…
Bee Hotel
At some point in time you have probably seen a bee hotel at your favorite garden center. They usually have bundles of bamboo inserted into a structure. Most of them are brightly painted and whimsical in appearance. North America is home to around 4,000 bees. Most of them nest in the ground but around 1,200…
Hail of a Day
For many of us in the Omaha area we woke up early May 28th to a thunderous roar of hail. Depending on the location in town the size of the hail stones ranged from pea to quarter sized. Our back yard it was quarter sized and lasted for about 10 minutes. Large leafed plants took…
Flooded Vegetable Garden Plots
Looking forward to the vegetable garden this spring, it’s easy to think that now that the flood waters have receded, our gardening season can carry on as usual. While many of the callers to Extension are aware of potential dangers of gardening on a flooded site, the exact way forward is a little unclear. Here…
Winter Water
The weather the past few days in the Omaha Metro area has been fantastic! If you had a chance to get out this past weekend I am sure you saw people taking full advantage of the weather. Many of us went for a walk or took down Christmas decorations on the house. But how many…
Composting—Even in Winter
Whether you are new to composting or an old hand at it, there is a technique that can, or already does, work best for you. My favorite composting adage is one supplied by Roger Swain, former host of public television’s The Victory Garden: “Throw some green stuff in, throw some brown leaves in, throw in…
The Wreath
December 15 is National Wreaths Across America Day. Wreaths, being the circular arrangement of plant twigs, leaves and fruits that they are, have been ubiquitous with Christmas. Historically, however, the wreath has long been representative of Mother Earth and the sun. With no beginning and no ending, the circle itself is symbolic of infinity. Today,…
Going Native?
Hello friends – Work has been a little hectic and Its been a few weeks since I have posted my last blog. Inspiration struck the other day when I had posted a picture of my globe thistle (Echinops sp.) in flower on a Facebook page. Someone posted that it was pretty but it was not…
Cicada Killer Wasps
The cicada killer wasp is one wasp that shouldn’t be feared by humans. Granted, some wasps are scary, particularly because we know their stings can be ferociously painful. Then, too, the size of the cicada killer wasp is intimidating—the female is two inches long and the male is 1 ½ inches. These wasps, however, are…