Regional Plant-Related Event

Yankton area Seed Library free presentation will be May 14th at the Yankton Community Library. The May 14, 2024 presentation by Dan Johnson will center on invasive nursery plants.  What are the dangers of invasive plants and which plants should you avoid purchasing? A reminder that there will be ONLY ONE presentation at 2:00.  There will be no … Continue reading →

We Like Trees

If you enjoy plants and live among trees, the grasslands of the temperate Northern Plains can be intriguing. Trees are particularly fascinating if you live where grasses dominate the landscape except for along waterways. In spring, a right-of-way along a street in Yankton, South Dakota, is adorned with bouquets of crabapple trees. The oldest known … Continue reading →

Lilacs and Climate Change

The light fragrance in the air, some trees growing new leaves, and the swath of lavender for several hundred feet leading to Lewis & Clark Recreation Area are predictable signs of spring in this region.  Lilacs remind me of smiling youngsters with handpicked bouquets for their favorite adults at a park picnic.  The common lilac (Syringa … Continue reading →

What Draws Us to Gardening?

Experiencing Nature’s palette unfold is part of gardening for some of us. Winter is receding, and spring appears to have arrived. The contrast of winter native grass and new green grass at the Lewis & Clark Recreation Area shows this well for me. Nature still provides winter food for wildlife as other plants around us … Continue reading →

Plant Environmental Defenses

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 →