Cool spring temperatures have delayed the arrival of transplants to some area garden centers. Before the rush to pick young flower and vegetable plants, some pointers from a horticulturist might be helpful in selecting plants that improve plant growth and production. The survival strategies of the plants you choose impact their growth and affect how … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day–April 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog on the Northern Plains, USDA hardiness 4b-5a. Spring can be fickle in this temperate climate, with up-and-down temperatures and sometimes inadequate rains to meet seasonal needs. Given these variables, I am grateful to see perennials that overwinter and rise again in spring. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are one of the favorites among early … Continue reading
Daffodils and Sunshine
No wonder Daffodils (Narcissus sp.) are a common sign of spring. We can see the sunshine that flows through them. Daffodils grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8 and beyond in the United States. Their bulbs require cold before they break dormancy, so they are planted in the fall. Daffodils, with their vibrant blooms, emerge and grace sunny areas … Continue reading
A Plant and a Pollinator Study
Angiosperms, or flowering plants, have been evolving or making long-term adaptations to environmental changes for millions of years. The interaction of flowering plants and their pollinators is of commercial interest worldwide as honeybees and their production decline. Today’s topic is a study that begins to show evidence that ties environmental changes to pollinators and their … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day–March 15th
Welcome to pre-Spring on the Northern Plains at Plant Exchange Blog (USDA 4b-5a). We refer to the Hardiness Zone as a range due to the variable open range to protected areas. Erratic conditions, from thirty-degree temperature drops in a day to strong, dry winds and sun scalding, challenge plants that overwinter. The genus Helleborus x hybridus, … Continue reading
Horticulture Leader Recognized
Soon, we will be looking for quality plants for our home gardens. Last summer, I sought red petunias that would attract the hummingbirds that have nested nearby for the past three years. The season before, I was disappointed that the birds avoided the sale petunias I had chosen, but luckily, they visited other flowers on … Continue reading
Starting Seeds to Transplant Outdoors
One way to acquire Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’ for the garden is to grow it from seeds at home. A benefit of starting seeds yourself instead of purchasing the transplants from the greenhouse is that seed catalogs offer additional variety and disease protection choices. Watching germination and early growth of plants adds to the gardening experience for some. … Continue reading
Hellebores are Signs of Spring
Spring approaches and recedes with high temperatures above 60 degrees F. and snow flurries predicted. A cottonwood tree by the river has promising buds, and arrows of snow geese have begun angling north. By 10:00AM, after an overnight frost on these pre-spring days, the sun has warmed all but the shadows of trees. In our … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day-February 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog on the snow-covered Northern Plains (USDA Zones 4b-5a) with northwest winds topping 37 degrees F.. Indoors, one of my favorite houseplants is featured for its foliage and flowers. As winter wanes, we anticipate new hybrids being introduced in plant catalogs. Their availability years from now depends on many factors, including continuing … Continue reading
Resilience can Become a Problem
Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) is found commonly on much of the Great Plains. The tree outcompetes native grasses on the plains. The Eastern Redcedar doesn’t require more water than other trees but often grows in soil lacking adequate moisture for many plants. Its long fibrous roots enable the tree to survive. The evergreen canopy of a … Continue reading
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