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
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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
Fresh Lettuce in Space and Back Home
If you enjoy eating fresh, homegrown lettuce instead of purchased lettuce that has part of its fresh quality time in transport, it’s also a consideration at the International Space Station. Fresh lettuce is a premium in space. Growing conditions at the space station that differ with Earth include reduced gravity, more radiation, added food safety … Continue reading
Search for Beautiful Plants that Grow Well Here
Some people like to discover their own new plants. They choose them from seed company catalogs or websites providing seeds nationwide. They read the general growing tips, choose a plant and see what happens when they grow it locally. Some people use the recommendations of regional nursery personnel who have tried many new plants. Some … Continue reading
Dependable Woodland Tobacco
As the growing season ends, some plants have contributed extra for their part in the flower garden. Here, one of them is Woodland Tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris). It’s is an ornamental plant that grows as a direct-seeded annual in this region. It’s a member of the Nightshade family (Solanaceae) that contains potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant. Its origins … Continue reading
A Change at the Nurseries
We celebrate this year at Plant Exchange Blog with a story about a grown son, Mike Gurney, who chooses to come back to his home town to try the family horticulture business. His family name is associated with his grandfather five generations ago, who brought knowledge about how to grow apple and other fruit trees to … Continue reading
What’s Happening At Des Moines Botanical Garden?
A reason to visit the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, is that its outdoor gardens grow many of the same trees, shrubs and perennials that are found in this region. Des Moines is rated USDA Zone 5a and 5b and has an average of 9 more inches of rain each year and a somewhat less … Continue reading
Keeping The Dream Alive
Combining skills and dreams, Dennis and Ann Menke walk home from work to a series of projects, long on dreams and labor in the yard of their retirement home. This view of their backyard in progress is more than six stories above the Missouri River.
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