Kids Garden Club program is complete for the second year at the Yankton Boys & Girls Club in South Dakota. Kids learn what plants need to grow, how to plant and tend their garden of favorite vegetables and fruits and new ones to try, hear about health benefits of fresh produce, and share plenty of tasting … Continue reading
Season Favorites
About four inches of snow fell overnight; a reminder that Fall wanes as the holidays approach. Just thinking about a few moments of the past season. The half on/half off leaves of our Japanese maple was a marker for yesterday. A year ago, an early Fall cold event caused the leaves to turn from green … Continue reading
What do You do with Your Dream Place?
“I told Jen one time, if the house ever came for sale and if we were able to do it financially, that this house would be a dream,” Andy Holst said. Andy and his wife Jen Holst of Embroidery & Screen Works, Inc. in Yankton, South Dakota, got the chance. Their home is on the … Continue reading
Fall Color in the Yard
It’s the mid-fall pumpkin time of year. Here at Plant Exchange Blog, it’s an excuse to look for color in the yard and enjoy the cinnamon-pepper air. Our no-special-variety Japanese maple gets to dress in red this year. Sometimes the chill of fall comes too early before the leaves turn. Sunshine and leaves go together. … Continue reading
Flowers Attract People
Even in a city without a hurried pace, it’s a challenge to get people to slow down to see a storefront’s display the business offers. Rita Houska doesn’t sell flowers in her store, but the flowers at the front and employee entrances of her business allow her and anyone to see something beautiful as they … Continue reading
More Garden Diaries
These are some “Garden Diaries” or plant ideas being tried and shared by these gardeners of the region: Kathy Jorgensen, Janette Marker, Marlys Hauck-Fenner, Gary Idt, Gary and Cynthia Jensen, and Marilyn Kratz. Topics include tips for raising sweet potatoes in our region, wonders of easy-to-grow ornamental catmint, propagating and growing prized grapes, living ground … Continue reading
Rocks, Plants and a Dream Yard in Progress
In this week’s Plant Exchange, homeowner Tom Christensen shares how he includes his passion for timeless beauty and variety of rocks he has collected into his plant landscape. Tom and Loretta Christensen live in Yankton’s Historic District in an 1870’s home. Tom continues to renovate their yard, in keeping with the character and craftsmanship of … Continue reading
Look in the Greenhouse at Change of Season
Here at Plant Exchange it’s the end of September and this year the first frost could be within a couple of weeks. Outdoors in this USDA Zone 4-5a region, monarchs and other pollinators are busy gathering nectar in native Agastache, butterfly bush, some zennias, and asters in bloom around the yard. Soon we need to … Continue reading
September ‘Fresh from the Garden’
Welcome to Plant Exchange, where we feature plants of the Northern Plains and people who grow them. Gardens in the area have been in harvest for some time. Here at Plant Exchange, the garden was finally planted in June. Tomatoes are ripe! This is the last of this season’s Chef Staci Pederson ‘Fresh from the … Continue reading
Methuselah Monarchs
As Fall approaches, so many changes are around us. Days are shortening and humans transition into different kinds of activities. Trees display their colors. Pollinators flock to late summer blooming plants such as New England asters, many kinds of milkweed, goldenrod, sedum, and sunflowers, to name a few. We’re glad we have grown some of … Continue reading
