Plant of the Week: American Bittersweet
American bittersweet is our Plant of the Week for the last week of September. This woody, native vine is a valuable plant for wildlife and for home decorators. Bittersweet is native east of the Rocky Mountains, throughout the United States and Canada. It is not the fastest grower, putting on at a rate of 4 […]
Prepping for Feathered Friends
As winter looms in the background, many of us gardeners who have cleaned our landscapes of wilted hostas, frozen daylilies, and dead annuals look forward to the influx of feathered friends that come to our landscapes in winter in search of food, water, and a safe place to spend the cold months. If you live […]
Using Berries in the Landscape
As autumn leaves begin to litter our yards with colorful tones, the bright berries of fruits and shrubs shine among the leafless branches. Using berries in our yards provides for both us and wildlife. Besides the fruit, many berry bushes have alternate interest in their flowers, bark, and fall color. Using berries in limited numbers […]
6 Great Shrubs for Autumn Color
Fall is almost here and I am chomping at the bit to put in our autumn arrangements. My wife has been decorating for fall in the house and I will be adding all sorts of goodies to the porch and yard. Flags to go up, mums brought in, and pumpkins galore. In these last few […]
The Eastern Kingbird
The Eastern Kingbird is a mighty songbird in the presence of American prairies. This migrating songbird can be seen in open fields, along streambanks, and on the edges of wooded areas, perched on fence posts and power lines. They are waiting for insects to pass by for their meals. These little birds are voracious eaters […]
Color the Yard Purple
Autumn is a time for color, lots of color. Just mentioning the word autumn evokes a sense of feeling of colors, of sweeping reds and oranges, brilliant yellows, and glowing bronzes. But what of the color purple? The color of royalty? It can be difficult at best to find something purple or lavender in the […]
Hackberry…A Tree Which Belongs
The common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a commonly mistreated tree. When I was in younger I disliked this tree greatly,, partly due to its readiness to produce hundreds of seedlings in our garden. While at Kansas State University, a hackberry tree seemingly fell down on its own at one of the sororities. I am sure […]
