Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog on the Northern Plains (USDA Zone 4-5a). After a summer of drought, today we received 3.9 inches of rain that fell steadily in the morning and afternoon, and we are grateful. The Joe Pye Weed that can tolerate much more moisture than it’s received is in full bloom, along with Echinacea. In … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
Wild Ones Loess Hills Chapter Sioux City area See on Facebook Email: LoessHillsWildOnes@gmail.com We’re having a fall plant sale! August 27 & 28, 20229 a.m. to noon (or until we’re sold out!)2801 S. Cecelia St, Sioux City(The home of our co-vice presidents Tom & Cheri Stewart and theJuly 2022 Yard of the Month! Plan some time to … Continue reading
Native Plant Sense
Lewis & Clark Recreation Area entrance sign welcomes visitors with pup tents and large recreational vehicles. They see a field of native grasses in the distance, limestone-like visitors will see glow along Missouri River cliffs at sunrise, and native Liatris or blazing star, soon to bloom purple at the state park. When you garden with … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
A Pollinator Garden A Masters in the Garden Session Sponsors: Minnehaha County Master Gardeners Date: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 Time: 6:30pm-8pm … Continue reading
Garden Vegetables this Season
Perennial coneflowers and yellow gaillardia are having a party in the early August flowerbed. But let’s look at the progress of plants in the vegetable garden since early June. Beans have been bearing for about three weeks. We prefer planting several varieties of bush green beans due to unexpected pests or diseases. Fresh beans are … Continue reading
Coneflowers and Cultivated Cousins
Coneflowers (Echinacea purpura) are common in flowerbeds and public spaces in this region. People find that the perennial Echinacea grows well yearly, has few diseases or pests, and requires modest maintenance once established. As the coneflower is native here, its appearance is authentic with other successfully growing plants on the Northern Plains. Like other native … Continue reading
Outdoor Container Garden Nursery
Garden flowers or vegetables you plant together in a container take a little time to look their best before they are displayed. These succulents are an example. Container flowers and vegetables mature at different times, and it’s handy to have a dedicated space, a nursery, with adequate sunlight and water nearby to care for them … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day-July 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog. We’re along the Missouri River on the southern edge of South Dakota on the Northern Plains, USDA Zone 4 and 5. We have high temperatures in the 90’s, like some other areas. This season, a goal is to add more colorful perennials to flowerbeds. I enjoy trying to grow some … Continue reading
Plant Adaptations are Amazing
A friend mentioned that each of his garden corn plants has three stalks, likely because of temperature and rain fluctuations this season. Most plants are fixed in their environments but show exceptional capabilities of adaptation and procreation. Three examples come to mind. Finding the environment and methods for wildflowers to grow in native grass is … Continue reading
Our Garden Isn’t Perfect
The July 4th holiday is about a gardening midpoint in this four-season region. By now, pop up greenhouses have few early season orphans left and landscape design magazine grade blooms and veggies are primarily found in nurseries that grow plants. Many gardening options are still available to start or continue gardening this season. Perennial delphiniums bloom … Continue reading
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