Garden Maintenance – Spring Cleanups
Spring cleanups are starting. Even though spring is my favorite time of the year, cleanups are not my favorite thing to do. Especially as I get older, cutting back grasses, perennials, and shrubs, and leaf pick ups just do not sound as inviting as they once did. I still love working here, but more and […]
2021 Year in Review – Landscape Problems
Every December, I put together a Year in Review post about things that have happened during the previous 11 months. First up is our annual review of the pests, diseases, and abiotic problems in the landscape. 2021 opened without the services of our arborist and tree trimmer Nick. After conference, it was decided to put […]
Spiders in the Garden
When I was young, I had a horrifying experience with a spider inside the house. A brown recluse crawled down my face in the bathtub. It took me more than 15 years to get over my fear of spiders, both inside and out. Now though, I love spiders (with the exception of house dwellers and […]
Creating A Meadow Garden in Your Landscape
I have mentioned the meadow garden many times now. Why do you think that is? I love the native prairie and the application of prairie into the landscape is not an easy one for most homeowners. But you can create a meadow garden in almost any landscape. The meadow is similar to a glade, in […]
Armyworms in the Garden
But what are armyworms? These moth caterpillars are so called because they gather into groups or “armies” while feeding. At least, the fall armyworm does. There are 3 common species of armyworm in the Central Great Plains and 2 that are important pests in the lawn and landscape. Armyworms are members of the Noctuid Moths, […]
Flying Flowers and More
But what are flying flowers? When I was growing up, I used to love poring over the photos in Birds & Blooms Magazine, which I read at my Grandma’s house. In the magazine, they had a section called flying flowers, which were photos of butterflies. I learned a lot about butterflies and gardening that way. […]
Dragonflies and Damselflies as Mosquito Control
Attracting beneficials like dragonflies and damselflies to the garden is not as hard as you might think. But there are many factors that we need to look at. What is the difference between dragonflies and damselflies? What is the life cycle of mosquitoes? Should I just spray for mosquitoes? Do I need to put in […]
Beneficial Insects – An Introduction
Beneficial insects are garden friends who help us out when we are not aware of them. Most of the time, insects are out in the garden, eating pests before we see anything bad happening. Having a guide to look at when you are trying to identify insects in the garden is important. Knowing which insect […]
Hostas – Growing for Success in Shade
Hostas are one of America’s favorite shade garden plants. We have seem to have a love of plants and shade, and so hostas fit right in. There are some 6100 registered hosta cultivars across the world. They originate from Northeast Asia, mainly from Japan, China, and Korea. Being successful with hostas is a lot easier […]
