A reader shares a tip about seed-starting with benefits anytime you plant this season. An article on design for outdoor container gardens has a practical bent. An overlooked ironwood tree is highlighted. All subjects in the June 2023 Fine Gardening magazine are available for browsing at the Yankton Community Library. We bring our twist to today’s Plant Exchange Blog. >>>Tiny seeds can be hard … Continue reading
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Garden Bloggers Bloom Day-April 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog in South Dakota on the Northern Plains, USDA Hardiness Zone 4b-5a. Winter has been a lingering guest this year, but looking for the first signs of Spring is always worthwhile. Our first daffodil of the season is ready to bloom. Hellebores, usually in flower at least a half month ago, are beginning … Continue reading
Seeds of Value
Seeds hold the plant’s potential to become a standout vegetable crop or an ornamental that attracts many pollinators. Many people value, protect, and seek to preserve seeds, including those in seed libraries, seed banks, and with an international seed vault. Seed libraries in this region may show how gardeners can save open-pollinated seeds from plants … Continue reading
When Do We Plant the Garden?
With delayed spring weather this year, soil temperatures must be warmer to germinate most seeds. To find the approximate soil temperature in our area, the Mesonet at www.climate.sdstate.edu shows current soil readings for select locations around South Dakota. At Beresford, today’s bare soil temperature is 34 to 44 degrees F. The soil warms more slowly than average … Continue reading
Dibbles and Bits
Butterflies and bees are nowhere in sight on this snowy day in March. Still, the flowers and vegetables that we consider for spring depend on pollinators. Today’s features include thinking bees, Monarchs, and native plants that draw pollinators. Thinking Bee: From the first bees we see on fruit trees, to summer zinnias, to cucumbers in the … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day March 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog on the Northern Plains, USDA Hardiness Zone 4-5a. Today is a melting day from several snowfalls. Here, we are still in late winter, not yet showing signs of spring. Lacking a single plant in bloom out or indoors, I noticed a past local Star Magnolia tree photo that does bloom in early … Continue reading
Dibbles and Bits
Inching toward warm spring days, we look at right plant choices for the right location with native origin plant examples. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pupurea) is a drought-tolerant perennial of the daisy family that grows from a tap root. Echinacea is native to eastern and central North America prairieland open woods and is common in yards of … Continue reading
Bleeding Hearts of Coming Spring
Asian Bleeding Hearts (Lamprocapros spectabilis) are perennials that tolerate this region’s cool springs and changeable weather well. They begin to grow along with daffodils and bloom into the summer among plants like hostas in a bed of nutrient wood chips. A partial or full-shade plant that grows to about 30 inches tall, this one is situated … Continue reading
Dibbles and Bits
With additional snow cover locally, the USDA average last frost date (April 27th- May 3rd in this region) is not top of mind. Before planting, we consider spring drought preparations, a drought-tolerant bee balm, and what’s left at the low water mark. Drought may continue into spring in this area, and lawn grass displays a lack … Continue reading
Before the Spring “Last Frost” Date
Even with snow cover, the pre-spring gardening tempo is beginning to accelerate. An hour longer daylight in the evening makes it harder to ignore the past holiday plants, seed catalogs, and winter is over soon stack of books. These are some gardening thoughts here at Plant Exchange Blog. 1. This local region’s average last-killing frost is … Continue reading
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