Shrubs for Birds – Andrew’s Top 10
Planting shrubs for birds is about as much fun as moth hunting, for me anyways. I do not know what I love more, plants or insects, but they both provide me with a lot of joy. And the fact that I get birds to come for both is a bonus. But what shrubs are best […]
Wasps – Friend or Foe?
Wasps are often regarded as the terror of the landscape. Now that summer has officially arrived, and the 4th of July is over, gardeners are spending less time outdoors, and more time resting. But when they are outdoors, they do not want to be bothered by wasps. However, this is also the time when our […]
Planting for Pollinators – June and July
What to plant, what to plant? If you are preparing for a succession crop of flowers for pollinators, then June and July might be your biggest months. There are a plethora of plants to pick from. As we have discussed before, pollinators can include bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, bugs, ant, wasps. hummingbirds, and even […]
Favorite Natives (And Nativars) of the Author’s Garden
How many favorite natives can you have? I have been gardening for more than 30 years, and adding natives into my gardens from the very beginning. At my parent’s home in North Central Kansas, I recognized several natives which made their way into my container gardens, and eventually into the landscaping I did for my […]
Aphids in the Garden and Landscape
Aphids can be a real tricky problem to manage. These tiny little pests are one of the most annoying insects in the garden, if you let them be anyways. Most of the time, you will not even see them, because it is only when populations explode that we see pests at all. And aphids can […]
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 […]
Best Shade Loving Shrubs for the Garden
My work as a landscape consultant often puts me in a place where I have to answer questions on which plant to put where. And shade loving shrubs are high on that list. Many home gardeners can easily come up with half a dozen full sun shrubs, but shade loving? No. Here in Northeast Kansas, […]
Aster – October Plant of the Month
Aster is our October Plant of the Month. When it comes to fall flowers, asters and goldenrods really outshine everything else. But because asters come in shades of purple, white, blue, and even pink, they are more memorable than the plain yellow goldenrods. Both are great for pollinators in late summer and into autumn, but […]
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, […]
