I’ve had several customers this week asking about growing pumpkins—and when to plant for a Halloween harvest. So here’s some information about pumpkins… Pumpkins are members of the cucurbit family—that means they are related to squash, cucumbers, and melons. They were a food crop cultivated by Native Americans long before the European settlers ever arrived. … Read more
I don’t want to jinx us but I think spring is finally here to stay. There are a lot of gardening activities going on right now by everyone. It seems everyone is trying to do catch up all at the same time. Our extended forecast looks very promising with some good temperatures and rain in … Read more
So many people are out now taking advantage of warm sunny days to plant their vegetables, I thought I’d re-run my blog from a couple of years ago on preventing diseases in your vegetable. It’s a whole lot easier not to get a problem in the first place… Unfortunately, our commonly grown garden vegetables are … Read more
This Friday, April 27, is NATIONAL ARBOR DAY. This is a day set aside to celebrate the value that trees add to our lives and to promote tree planting and care. Arbor Day began in Nebraska 145 years ago. At the time Nebraska was mostly prairie land. During its first celebration in 1872, it is … Read more
Last week my blog was about supporting our wildlife. I concentrated this blog on our need to support our beloved hummingbirds. I learned a lot when writing the blog. Now, I want to continue this theme with supporting our wildlife and concentrate this blog on our bees. There is so much that we can learn … Read more
Horseradish brings up visions of rare roast beef, doesn’t it? But it’s also a very versatile vegetable that can be used many ways. The young tender leaves can even be used like arugula in salads or on sandwiches. Horseradish is a perennial that is related to cabbage, broccoli, arugula, etc. It has been cultivated for … Read more
Starting late last month, the ruby-throated hummingbird has migrated back into our area. The hummingbird needs our help. Like so many species of wildlife, the hummingbird is plagued by the loss of habitat. However, we can plant a haven to support our hummingbirds. As pollinators, the ruby-throated hummingbird, which is a joy to see, are … Read more
Did you know that dahlias were originally grown as a food crop? They were cultivated as an edible by the Aztec Indians who roasted and ate the tubers. It’s said they taste like a cross between a carrot and a potato. As a matter of fact, they were originally introduced to Europe in hopes they … Read more
Are you wondering when spring will finally get here? It sure has been a challenging year so far for gardening. We had one of the coldest January on record which did a lot of damage to many of our beloved broadleaf evergreen plants. February was the 4th warmest on record. Many plants came out of dormancy … Read more
April is National Gardening Month. No wonder–Forsythia, redbuds, Bradford pears, daffodils, and tulips are blooming everywhere you look. Right now my own yard is a riot of color—the lush rose pink of the redbud, the sunny yellow of the forsythia and daffodils, the little patches of rich blue muscari and light blue starflowers, and the … Read more
