Community landscapes across Nebraska are getting a

financial boost from the Greener Towns program. Over

$79,000 is being distributed in 2020 to support 8 projects

in seven communities. “The economic impact is significant,”

said Rachel Anderson, coordinator of the program, “but the

way these projects bring people together to improve their

community may be even more important.”

The wahoo shrub grows naturally near streams and in the low woodlands of eastern Nebraska. In the

garden it is a great native substitute for the popular burning bush euonymus and is one of our most

shade-tolerant shrubs. In full sun, it becomes a dense, clumping shrub which, over time, can grow

into an attractive small tree. It’s easy to grow in rich, organic soils, but will tolerate a wide range of

soils unless they are wet and poorly-drained. In spring the tiny little purple flowers are often hidden

by the foliage, but they lead to showy, rosy-pink fruit capsules in fall. The fruit display continues after

the leaves drop, often into December. The dark green leaves turn reddis

The things we love we try to pass on. For many of us, and maybe especially for gardeners,

birdwatching is one of those interests. It’s easy and inexpensive to do, can be done almost

anywhere, gets you outdoors, helps you focus and can be inspiring and energizing.

If part of the goal with your landscape is to offer better habitat for wildlife, it’s best to have regionally

native species as the dominant elements. Besides their lengthy provision of food for all stages of wildlife

sustenance—from dried seeds and berries throughout the entire winter; to abundant summer foliage,

flowers and fruits; to early spring nectar sources for pollinators—trees and shrubs also offer the largest

and most varied shelter for wildlife.

The pawpaw grows naturally in the wooded slopes along the Missouri river in extreme

southeastern Nebraska. In the garden it is easily grown in average, medium to wet, welldrained soil in full sun to part shade. It will often spread by root suckers to form thickets,

so it’s best planted in confined areas where it can form an attractive colony of small trees.

Though pawpaws will grow in deep shade, they will be more open, slower-growing and have

less flowers and fruiting. Their cup-shaped, purple flowers emerge before the foliage in spring

and give way to edible banana-like fruits that mature in October. The fruits can be eaten raw

or used in the same way as bananas. The handsome leaves are up to 12” long and slightly drooping for an interesting, tropical look. In

late fall the leaves often turn a rich, buttery yellow.

GOTHENBURG— Nurseryman Jeff Kennedy of Kennedy Landscape Services in Gothenburg

received an award from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum at a reception in Lincoln Dec. 6.

The Jim Kluck Honor Award which he received recognizes individuals or organizations who

have contributed to statewide landscape efforts. It was given in honor of Kennedy’s efforts

as a nurseryman and at the Ehmen Park Arboretum.

CLARKSON—Bluebird Nursery, Inc. received an award from the Nebraska Statewide

Arboretum at a reception December 6 in Lincoln. The President’s Citation recognizes

outstanding contributions toward horticulture and impact both regionally and nationally.

I want to take this time to thank everyone that was able to make it

to this year’s conference. We had a very good turnout and I enjoyed

networking with old friends and meeting new ones too. If anyone

has any ideas on subject matter for next year’s conference, I would

gladly welcome you to send your ideas to the main office. We look

at and evaluate all suggestions to strive to make a better conference

for everyone. We had a very good line up of speakers this year and

I do hope to see everyone there next year. All of us on the board

values everyone’s busy work schedules so next year, we are looking

at moving the conference back a couple weeks to the first part of

December.

On November 7th over 100 attendees gathered for the 2019 NNLA Winter

Conference. The event took place at the DC Centre in Omaha, Nebraska.

The conference featured four sessions with

two concurrent sessions running during each

timeframe. One track highlighted a business

topic and the other a more industry-specific

topic. Business sessions included: generational

differences, automowers, culture change, and

building your brand. The other track included

sessions on: climate change, invasive plant issues

and prevention, and year-round tree identification.

A networking reception was held at the end of the

day to cap off the conference.

Lee Olson

Lee has been in the landscape and nursery industry for over 23 years and has served on the Nebraska Certified Nurseryman

Committee for over 12 years. He received the Nurseryman of the Year award in 2010 and has been an active member of

NNLA since the mid 90’s.

Horticulturist Lucinda Mays will present the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum’s Young Lecture Nov.

8 in Lincoln.

Mays has a long history of caring for landscapes. From hosting the Victory Garden television series

in the 1990s to facing High Plains challenges like fire, snowstorms and drought at Chadron State

College, her talk will focus on our reliance on plants for survival, beauty and connection.

Many weeds love bare ground, and new plantings offer this in bounty. Here are

some tips to help you prevent undesirable plants from getting a foothold in years

one and two.

● Start a routine. The growing season gets busy, and it can be tempting to leave

weeds for “next week.”

If having control of your landscape is a thing you want (or have—is that possible?), this article

probably isn’t for you. But if, like many of us, you’ve given up on control and simply enjoy

whatever blossoms come your way, here’s a few plants that offer serendipity through the

seasons.

Most gardeners like spending time outdoors and prefer garden chores to indoor ones.

But even the most hardcore gardeners have yard chores they’d prefer not to do. What

are the worst chores, and which ones are the most enjoyable? An informal survey

revealed quite a bit of consensus. Maybe, with a little forethought, we can spend more

time doing the things we enjoy and less on the chores we dislike.

Fall is the perfect time to scout for Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). This exotic

invasive insect has not been found in Nebraska. But the Nebraska

Department of Agriculture encourages everyone to keep an eye out

for this pest.

Earlier this spring, the Downtown Lincoln Association and Brian Munk

donated three white oak trees to the Taylor Arboretum in Taylor,

Nebraska. Brian Munk was on hand to plant the trees.

Free noon brownbags related to plants and landscapes are held every first Thursday

at the Jayne Snyder Trail Center, 228 N 21st Street in Lincoln. The fall 2019 topics are:

This “all things green” series of brownbags is sponsored by the Nebraska Statewide

Arboretum, UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lincoln Parks &

Recreation and the Lincoln Downtown Association.

In bloom, this prairie native attracts a myriad of native bees and other beneficial insects. It’s a

tall perennial topped with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers from late summer into fall. The unique

flowers have fan-shaped petals that end in three teeth and a big, ball-like center packed with tiny

flowers. It grows easily in medium to wet soils in full sun, but also tolerates dry conditions once

established. Its tall stems can become floppy with the weight of fall flowerheads, so cutting it back

in late spring will reduce height and encourage more branching and flowering. Another common

name is sneezeweed, not for the effects of its pollen (which is not wind borne and does not cause

hayfever) but for its use in pioneer days as a snuff that promoted sneezing. This dependable native

is avoided by deer and rabbits, another plus