It’s a bouquet of lilac flowers, the lowest ones in reach, shades of lavender, the kind you bury your face in, to experience the fragrance of blossoms and sun-warmed leaves. Held with two hands with a drawing, signed in big letters, is an unforgettable Mothers’ Day. When driving by the rows of lilacs against evergreens … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
South Dakota State University Extension Garden Hour starts May 4th Hosted by Dr. Rhoda Burrows and Dr. John Ball with occasional special guests The weekly garden topics show, Tuesdays from May 4th – the end of September, is about gardens in South Dakota and the region as they progress through the season. Drs. Burrows and Ball have … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
Loess Hills Wild OnesHealing the Earth one yard at a time.https://www.facebook.com/LoessHillsWildOnes Sioux City area Dawn Snyder, Woodbury County (Iowa) Education Programs Director, takes us on a virtual tour of the wildflowers in Fowler Forest via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 2, 2021. Dawn has tons of information and fun facts about these native spring … Continue reading
Wild Plums of Spring
Wild Plums are in bloom! These days are a great time to trek around your environs to see all the changes occurring with plants. On the Northern Plains, we wait well past the calendar date to see spring reflected in plants. Some trees bloom first, and others leaf out before blooming. A few do both. … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
Green Thumb: Summer Gardening Series Virtual from Sioux City Master Gardeners in Woodbury County are partnering with the Sioux City Public Library to provide education to the community. These sessions are free to the public and will take place virtually throughout the summer. Two sessions will be taking place in May. May 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.: … Continue reading
Where Do Tomatoes Originate?
Welcome to a couple of “Dibbles and Bits” at Plant Exchange blog. The first is about the origin of tomatoes, followed by what influences the Ginkgo tree to live so long. The quest for the tastiest and then largest tomato is part of the garden season lore. Finding the “roots” of tomatoes may help in … Continue reading
Regional Plant-Related Event
Backyard Farmer with Nebraska Extension Educators from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln airs Thursdays on Nebraska Public Television from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Program topics come from the growing season and responses to questions sent from around the state.
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day— April 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange on the Northern Plains. We’re USDA Zone 4b-5a and having a couple of weeks of cool temperatures after an early spring warming. We’re featuring a few perennials and trees in bloom now. Hellebores have been in bloom since last month when it snowed, and the sturdy and droopy flowers fit this … Continue reading
Which Echinacea Coneflowers are Better?
Echinacea or coneflower is a perennial native flower staple in this Northern Plains region (USDA 4b-5a) for its beauty, long bloom season, hardiness in dry periods, ability to overwinter, and pollinator attraction. A bit more growing information about Echinacea may be useful. In the past decade, more cultivars of Echinacea have been developed to give … Continue reading
Would You Like to Try a Garden Cover?
Spring is here! The first naturalized daffodil to bloom! The weather beckons to start the garden season on the Northern Plains. Likely ahead, at least a month, is unsettled weather with gusty winds, roller coaster temperatures, and grab-a-book-and read-outside days. Maybe you’d like to consider a garden cover for some root vegetables in early spring. Garden … Continue reading
