Gardening With A Purpose

Pollinator Gardens One of my favorite things about gardening is creating an environment that is not only beautiful but also pollinator friendly.  A pollinator garden is a garden that is primarily planted with flowers that provide nectar or pollen to support a diversity of bees, butterflies and other beneficial flower visitors.    There are several things you can do to create an effective and beautiful backyard pollinator garden.   Be sure to plant a variety of native trees, shrubs and flowers

Fungus Amungus

Fungus At this time of year, one of the most common questions gardeners ask is, “Why do my plants have spots and brown leaves?”  Is it too much water? Not enough water? Sun scorch? Insects? No need to panic! Your beloved hydrangea or rose bush, apple tree or clematis, for example, likely has a leaf spot caused by a fungus.  To put your mind at ease, fungus is a common problem that happens to even the most experienced gardeners, including myself. Nebraska’s July weather is part of the problem.

How to make Holiday Arrangements

How To Design a Holiday Outdoor Floral Arrangement Step 1 Fill your outdoor container with media. I like to use the left over soil from spring flower planting. If your container is empty then floral foam works great. Step 2 Add your THRILLER. These are the tall accents that go in the middle of the arrangements. I use birch poles/branches found at the local garden center. Other options include curly willow, red twig dogwood, or a small Christmas tree. Step 3 Add your FILLER. Spruce tips

Seasonal Needle Drop

Evergreen Seasonal Needle Drop Every year, evergreens experience a seasonal needle drop. This is normal to the plants life-cycle. Needles of conifers have varying life spans. The needles do not stay attached to the tree indefinitely. Many of the needles will turn yellow, then brown as they age, & then drop off after one to several years. With some species, this change can be gradual and with others this change can be more rapid. Although this can cause some concern - this is a very natural

Winterizing your Lawn! 3 Easy and Helpful Tips.

Why Winterizing so important?! Find out by reading these 3 easy steps. Fertilization Autumn is a crucial time to fertilize your lawn. Plants stop their top growth during the Fall and start focusing on their root systems.  They begin to store nutrients and sugars for the harsh months ahead. During this process the plant is building its reserves to maintain its health during the Winter.  This determines the quality of health for next Summers lawn! That means, the more "food" (Nitrogen &

Fall Planting Vs Spring Planting

Everyone loves Spring! The cold winter months are gone and it's everyone's chance for new beginnings. We all think of Spring as planting time & we are anxious to get started on new designs and choosing plants, and seeing some color. But, what about the Fall?     We don't always have the same reaction when Fall comes around. We know that winter is around the corner, which means crisp, cool, and sometimes wetter days, which are all part of the season. But, what many of us don't think about is