Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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Over the last 12 months, I’ve received more than 600 emails, text messages, phone calls and other forms of communication where people asked me a question related to trees and forests. Yes, I actually track those numbers. One of the more interesting questions came a few weeks ago and it was pretty simple. How much is a mature shelter belt worth? Oh, where to begin? The question was straightforward, but a simple response was impossible. There are too many unknowns. What resource is being protected? Soil and/or crops? A farmstead? Livestock? Is a...
Do you want to hear a deep, dark secret? I didn't use to be a fan of daylilies. This confession is sheer heresy because I now oversee one of the largest public collections of daylilies in the United States. North Dakota State University is home to the American Daylily Society Historic Daylily Collection and has approximately 2,000 cultivars. In my former ignorance, I used to think daylilies were rather pedestrian because you see them everywhere. Now, I have an incredible appreciation for them....
In my youth, I worked for a well-known Minnesota garden center. My co-workers and I would be frequently asked why a customer’s dahlia, geranium or other prized ornamental plant wasn’t blooming. Without fail, we would sell the customer a high phosphorus fertilizer to stimulate flower production. In my current position as a North Dakota State University Extension horticulture specialist, my job is to give objective, evidence-based recommendations to help home gardeners. Thankfully, I am not expected to promote product sales but rather to deb...
As a North Dakotan, I appreciate the end of the gardening season. By fall, I am weary of weeding gardens, watering container plantings and mowing the lawn. Having just visited Georgia, I was reminded that southern gardeners don’t get the reprieve that we do. We have the luxury of taking an extended break from garden and lawn chores. By spring, our enthusiasm is renewed and we can’t wait to dig in the soil. With our autumn freezes, it is time to put the garden and lawn to bed for the long winter. Here are some tips to make gardening in spr...
