115: Seed Starting

Is it time to put the garden to bed for winter? Not quite!In this episode of the PlantNebraska Podcast, Hanna is joined by Rachel Anderson, horticulture educator with Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, to talk about getting your yard and garden ready for winter.From the must-dos (yes, unhook those hoses!) to recommended tasks and things you can skip altogether, we cover vegetable gardens, perennial beds, lawns, trees, and more. We also talk about leaving the leaves, protecting young trees, building healthy soil, planting spring bulbs, and why your lawn probably doesn't need that extra application of fertilizer.The goal? Focus on ecosystem health rather than a picture-perfect yard, and give yourself permission to enjoy the changing seasons.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraska Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.Learn more about PlantNebraska: https://plantnebraska.org

This week on the PlantNebraska podcast, Hanna and Sarah talk about creating fall and Halloween color in Nebraska gardens—from native plants and interesting seedheads to dark foliage, fall containers, pumpkins, grasses, and even a little garden lighting. They share ideas for making your garden interesting in the daylight and after dark, plus tips for slowing down fall cleanup so you can enjoy all those textures, colors, seedheads, and leaves a little longer. Whether you're decorating for Halloween or simply trying to enjoy your garden all the way through Thanksgiving, there's something here for you. Listen and get inspired to make your fall garden a little more magical! For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast Plant Sale Dates For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraska Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about PlantNebraska: https://plantnebraska.org

Hell strips are tough—but they can also be some of the most interesting and visible spaces in a landscape. Hanna and Sarah talk about the challenges of planting between the sidewalk and street, from utilities, snow and salt to foot traffic, parking, visibility and corner-cutting. They also share plants that have worked in their own hell strips and ideas for making these spaces welcoming to neighbors and wildlife.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedInLearn more about PlantNebraska: https://plantnebraska.org

Is your landscape a mullet? You know the look: business in the front, party in the back! In this episode of the PlantNebraska Podcast, Hanna and Sarah continue their Parts of the Yard series by looking at the front, back, and side yards and how each space can serve a different purpose.The front yard is often the more public-facing space, but that doesn't mean it has to be formal or boring. The backyard might be where the parties, vegetable gardens, dogs, kids, grills, and gardening experiments happen. And then there are the side yards: those weird, narrow, shady, sunny, utility-filled spaces that can be some of the hardest parts of the landscape to figure out.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Fall is for planting trees! In this episode, Hanna and Justin Evertson talk about some of their favorite trees and shrubs for fall color in Nebraska, from reliable red oaks and sugar maples to lesser-known gems like blackjack oak and shining sumac. Plus, they share tips for getting new trees established this fall.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind-the-scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about PlantNebraska: https://plantnebraska.org

In this episode of the PlantNebraska Podcast, Hanna and Sarah tackle some of the garden problems they've encountered and share how they decide which problems are worth fixing, which ones can simply be tolerated, and which ones call for a chainsaw.From flopping plants and excessive rain to weeds, irrigation, heat stress, and plants that refuse to bloom, this conversation is full of practical problem-solving strategies and plenty of personal gardening stories.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

This week on the PlantNebraska Podcast, Hanna and Sarah welcome Master Gardener and PlantNebraska board member Meaghan Spitz. Whether you're growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, or native perennials, Meaghan shares practical advice for getting started without spending a fortune. Learn which plants are easiest from seed, which ones require patience, where to find unusual varieties, and why seed starting is more about experimentation than perfection.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

This week on the PlantNebraska Podcast, Bob joins Hanna and Sarah to share everything you need to know about collecting native plant seed. Learn how to tell when seed is ripe, how to clean and store it properly, and simple tricks that improve germination success. Whether you're collecting coneflowers, penstemons, milkweeds, or even acorns, this episode is packed with practical tips you can use this season.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Most gardeners own dozens of tools—but if we're honest, there are only a handful we reach for over and over again. Hanna and Sarah empty out their garden tool bags to share the tools they actually use every week. From classic favorites like trowels and pruners to surprising specialty tools, you'll hear what makes each one indispensable.For full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Summer gardens are putting on a spectacular show, so we're taking a tour through what's blooming right now and what's just around the corner. In this episode, Hanna and Sarah share the plants bringing color to their own landscapes and offer ideas for extending color into late summer. From native prairie favorites to reliable garden classics, this plant list is full of ideas to keep your garden in full color through the summer heat.Help us make the podcast better! Tell us about your podcast listening experience and we'll send you a small thank you gift, we'll also enter you in a drawing for a larger prize: https://unlcorexmuw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3eXDaXJQrzpfsrAFor full show notes, including a list of all the plants we mentioned in this episode, visit: https://plantnebraska.org/podcastPlant Sale DatesFor early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/cw/plantnebraskaSend us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org