Plants for Winter Interest in the Garden
Now that winter is finally upon us, I like to look at my garden and think about the future. Right now, the snow is settled over the landscape, and I can see what looks good in it. Plants for winter interest are definitely needed. But we also want plants with multiple season interest. If we […]
Dry Streams – Adding Functionality to the Garden
Dry streams are a way to hide or transform water using locations within the garden. These areas are not rain gardens, but low and sloped spots that water runs through quickly after a rain. It might be the location of the downspout outflow, a sloped spot in a level lawn, or a drainage swale used […]
A Look Through My Garden in 2021
My garden. Each year, I open up my garden to all of you, via the internet. 2021 was an interesting year, both in the garden and elsewhere. In my garden, the heat of summer played a big part in the amount (or lack thereof) of maintenance which I did. I am already changing some of […]
Preparing the Garden for Winter
If you are like me, you have a large chore sheet for the garden, before winter sets in. Besides my 70 some maintenance customers, I have a large 1 acre (so far) garden to prepare for the cold months. And only about 6 to 8 weeks to do it all. Read on for helpful hints […]
Blazingstar – September Plant of the Month
Blazingstar is our September Plant of the Month. These perennials are one of my all-time favorite flowers, because the first one I learned to identify bloomed around the time of my birthday, in September. Since then, I have learned about the many species of blazingstars, which start flowering as early as July and continue into […]
5 Easy to Grow Perennials that are Underused
There are 5 easy to grow perennials that are vastly underused in our landscapes. As a landscape maintenance foreman, I travel across Northeast Kansas and Southeast Nebraska. While doing so, I observe multiple landscapes and their plantings. What I have found is that most landscapes use the same plant pallette, though different cultivars. It is […]
Plant Sucking Insects
This is quite a literal statement; there are a number of small insects that suck plant juices. This damage to the plant stresses them, often causing mottling or stippling, and is difficult to treat without insecticides. Let us delve in to the world of plant sucking insects. Insect Mouthparts – Piercing/Sucking There are a number […]
Planning Next Year’s Vegetable Garden
This year has seen many new gardeners as people run to find things to do while quarantined. I have seen a run on seed sales, and tons of new questions on all kinds of garden problems, from insects to picking times, to diseases, and more. As we wind down this year, we need to begin […]
Garden Tips for August
Now that we are in the dog days of summer and August, what is there to do in the garden? Yes it is hot, but there are still things that need done before we head to vacations. What needs done the most in August? In the vegetable garden, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and more (especially zucchini) […]