Wild turkeys found some ash tree seed nourishment after the heavy winter snows. Even in winter, keeping up with Emerald Ash borer information is worthwhile. More than four years ago, Yankton heard the alert when an Emerald ash borer was identified in Omaha and Sioux Falls ash trees. With highway travel and rivers linking the cities, … Continue reading
Dibbles and Bits
Of course, it is easy to leave climate change concerns to others. Today’s post is a thumbnail about how climate change can impact plant growth and then a possible step we can take toward sustaining ourselves and our gardens. The photos are from a time to think at Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, a state … Continue reading
Citrus Winter Treat
Where’s the fun on this snowy winter day? For local turkeys, the birdfeeders are empty, so they keep on looking for something new. At Plant Exchange blog in the dead of winter, we crave the stored sunshine and Vitamin C of citrus fruits and like discovering more about them. Sumo Mandarin is a special treat, … Continue reading
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day—January 15th
Welcome to Plant Exchange Blog on the Northern Plains, USDA Hardiness Zone 4-5a. Snow, cold, and fluctuating temperatures outside result in plants wintering in dormancy or adapting antifreeze features. Blooming plants are uncommon until at least near spring. While blooms are hard to find outdoors now, indoors, some enjoy the challenge of continuing care for … Continue reading
Try Strawflowers Again
Strawflowers (Xerocurysum bracteatum), also called Paper Daisies or Golden Everlasting, are a commonly found summer annual that blooms from summer to frost in this region. Colors include red, orange, pink, purple, yellow, white, and others. The herb is rather avoided by chewing mammals. Native to Australia and a perennial there in about USDA Hardiness 8-11, strawflowers … Continue reading
Palms From the Land of Milk and Honey
Palms are trees that grow in the full sun of warm and dry or humid climates, such as the Middle East, northern Africa, the European Mediterranean, Mexico, California, Florida, and Arizona. Not here on the Northern Plains. Waving palm fronds at a Palm Sunday church service and eating dates in a Christmas fruitcake is a … Continue reading
Blue Spruce Defends Itself
You may find a green tree like this nearby. The Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pugens) is found in many yards and in public spaces in the region. This one is about 30 ft. tall and nearly twenty years old. Evergreen trees add green to the winter landscape, while deciduous trees have lost leaves and are dormant … Continue reading
Eastern Redcedar—Prized and Despised
Trees are highly regarded in this region of the Northern Plains. Yankton proudly introduces travelers to a “Tree City USA” with signage at the edge of town. But Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806) and the earliest photos before statehood portray the land as a sea of waving grasses, except for trees in river valleys and … Continue reading
Precious Water Resource
This week, a news story aired about the nearest large city exploring additional sources of drinking water. Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in the middle of the United States, has experienced the second year of drought, and aquifers need to be recharged. Water is a precious resource for humans, plants, and animals. Also this week, a … Continue reading
Dibbles and Bits
This week, we’re considering two of the many amazing features of plants—adaptability to where they are planted and drawing pollinators. Specialized plant roots help bulbs and corms grow at the correct depth. Tulips are a spring favorite and many were planted earlier this fall in our region. Guides are helpful to find the correct depths … Continue reading
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