“Save the Date” For Missouri Valley Master Gardeners’ Spring Fling Chris Schlenker, Head Gardener at McCrory Gardens presents “New Plant Variety & Trial Review at McCrory Gardens” Look and hear about some of the newest annuals, perennials, and shrubs suitable for our region from Proven Winners, Walters Gardens, Bailey Nurseries, and All-America Selections and ask … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
Save the Date! Grow With Us at the Siouxland Garden Show! Friday, April 3 · 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday, April 4 · 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Marriott Center, 385 East 4th St., South Sioux City, NE (New name, same great space!) $5 daily admission – Children 12 and under free Gardeners (or gardening … Continue reading
Indoor Plant Nursery
On a snowy day in January, come thoughts of growing hardy flower or vegetable seedlings ready to plant outdoors in late May. With the last frost date about mid-May in this Northern Plains region, there’s no rush now to get seeds into the growing medium. In fact, if the results you remember from the last … Continue reading
Bouquet of Ideas
It’s a snowy day at Plant Exchange Blog. The kind of day to think about the yard and flowerbeds for next season and enjoy a peony bouquet of ideas. Below is a suburban city lot in the Midwest. The homeowner skillfully created a soil berm in the flat yard that displays all the flowerbed plants … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day January 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog, USDA Zone 4b-5a, on the Northern Plains. It’s 10 degrees F. this morning with prairie breezes, brief snow showers, and an occasional ground blizzard. Indoors it’s warm and sunny. Our growing amaryllis is a promise of spring just as we near the midpoint of winter. Once blooming, it responds well … Continue reading
Search for Beautiful Plants that Grow Well Here
Some people like to discover their own new plants. They choose them from seed company catalogs or websites providing seeds nationwide. They read the general growing tips, choose a plant and see what happens when they grow it locally. Some people use the recommendations of regional nursery personnel who have tried many new plants. Some … Continue reading
The Plots Thicken
Pollinator plots continue at Lewis & Clark Recreation Area after challenging weed and weather issues of the past five years. Shane Bertsch, District Park Supervisor at Lewis & Clark Recreation Area and Dale Dawson, Conservation Foreman there, planned and implemented large wildflower and native grass pollinator plots at the park entrance. Wildflowers such as these … Continue reading
For You, Reader
Holiday wishes of opportunity and good fortune for all. Thank you, readers, for showing up this year! Thanks to all the contributors that make reading the Plant Exchange blog worthwhile.
Fall Spirit at the Prairie
Earlier this fall, we strolled the path to the top of Spirit Mound. This site is documented by the Lewis and Clark expedition in their Corps of Discovery up the Missouri River. They left their boats and trekked about five miles north on land to see the vista from this spot that they had heard … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day December 15th
Welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day for December 15th. It’s hat and glove weather in our USDA Zone 4-5a, with a little snow on the ground and more today. These native perennials left for birds and other wildlife and winter interest, become more defined against white. Joe Pye weed’s mauve flowerhead is long spent but … Continue reading
