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 […]
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, […]
Rudbeckia – August Plant of the Month
Rudbeckia, aka black or brown-eyed Susan, is our August Plant of the Month. Native to North America, rudbeckias are favored in both the old world (Europe) and the new (America) for their long bloom period and adaptability. There 23 species across the continent, but only 7 that we are concerned with. Black-eyed Susan’s have been […]
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. […]
Meet the Pollinators : Skipper Butterflies
What are skipper butterflies and why are they separate from other butterflies? Skippers are often termed as an intermediate group between butterflies and moths. What does that mean? It mean that they have characteristics of both groups within Lepidoptera. Skipper butterflies have furry bodies similar to moths, but fly during the day and sit at […]
Baptisia – May Plant of the Month
Baptisia is our May Plant of the Month. May is a month of beautiful flowers, of trees, shrubs, and perennials in the central Great Plains and Midwest. Our gardens are loaded with many wonderful blooming plants. So why choose baptisia over all the others? Also known as blue false indigo or wild indigo, this native […]
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 […]
Build a Butterfly Garden in 9 Steps
Building a butterfly garden should be on the list for every gardener. You can make your entire garden and landscape a butterfly garden or you can create a small, postage stamp garden specifically for butterflies. Anyone, even balcony gardeners can have a butterfly garden. You can have your own pollinator paradise in 9 easy steps. […]
Coneflowers for the Garden
Coneflowers have long been one of the most widely planted flowers in our gardens. I have seen an explosion of cultivars in the last 15 years, making it very difficult to choose which to grow. It seems as if you get a favorite, then its pulled for a new color and size. But, with so […]
