1. Beginning Gardening
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator.
Beginning gardeners often encounter many terms that are new or confusing. Two helpful guides for beginners will benefit the beginner. These are guides with pictures and line drawings to make the terms very understandable.
Garden Terms: Plant Classification,
http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/ec1258.pdf
Garden Terms: Reproductive Plant Morphology- Seeds, Flowers, Fruits,
http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/ec1257.pdf
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2. Evaluating Your Garden Landscape
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
One of the first steps in gardening is planning where to plant. Beginner gardeners will have more success if they plan ahead. So start off on the right foot.
People who are new to gardening often start with annuals and perennials. Success with these plants can lead to success with other plants such as vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
- Perennials in Water-Wise Landscapes, G1214, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1214.pdf
Drought-tolerant perennials can help conserve water, reduce watering maintenance and still provide multi-season color and interest.
- Annuals for Nebraska Landscapes I: Flowering Plants, G1774, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1774.pdf
Annuals are non-woody plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season and allow different colorful landscape displays to be created from year to year.
- Annuals for Nebraska Landscapes II: Foliage, Grasses, Fruit and Vines, G1775, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1775.pdf
While most annual plants are grown for their flowers, some can be grown for their foliage, fruit and trailing growth habit.
- Beginning Vegetable Gardening (From Cornell U.), http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/chemung/publications/beginning-vegetable-gardening.pdf
Growing your own fresh produce can be a rewarding experience. In addition to the satisfaction gained from growing your own food, growing your own vegetables allows you to control which pesticides will be used in the process.
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3. Composting In Place
By Paul Hay, UNL Extension Educator
Composting is the most economical way to reduce grass clippings going into the landfill while preserving natural resources. Composting can be done without ever making a pile. You can compost in place. Or you can make a pile and include cuttings from perennial beds, groundcovers, garden refuse, leaves, and other annual plant residue.
Compost is nature's way of recycling by returning vital nutrients to the soil. Compost is the end product of decomposed organic material like grass clippings, leaves, wood and brush chips with soil. The key to a healthy compost pile is to keep it simple.
Grass clippings are best handled by composting in place using a "Don't Bag It" approach. Mow the grass using the one-third/two-thirds rule. That is cut often enough to cut no more than one-third of the foliage off in any one mowing. The two-thirds of the plant remaining will not miss a beat in keeping the plant and the roots growing. The grass clippings can just drop back to the lawn or a mulching blade can be used to create finer clippings. Handling leaves in this way will not create a problem for the lawn.
Do grass clippings create thatch? Research has shown that grass roots are the primary cause of thatch, not grass clippings. Thatch is composed primarily of roots, lower stems, rhizomes, and other plant materials. These plant materials contain large amounts of lignin (fibrous material) and decompose slowly. Grass clippings are approximately 80-85 percent water with only small amounts of lignin, and decompose rapidly.
Do grass clippings spread lawn diseases? Improper watering and fertilizing have a much greater impact on disease spread than grass clippings ever will. If a desirable environment for turf grass disease is present, infestation will occur whether clippings are collected or not!
Will grass clippings make my lawn look bad? If a lawn is properly mowed, watered, and fertilized, grass clippings will actually produce a healthier looking lawn. It is important to cut the lawn frequently to produce small clippings that will decompose quickly. If a lawn is not cut frequently and clippings are left on the lawn, it will produce a "hay-like" look which can be unsightly. In these cases, which usually occur because of excessive rain, vacations, or heavy work schedules, collect the clippings for one mowing and put them in the compost pile in your yard or dry them and use them for mulch.
If you chose a compost pile- carbon is the energy element. Fresh grass clippings have lots of water, quite a bit of carbon, and some nitrogen (20 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen). Good compost materials need a 30:1 C/N ratio. Which means we need more carbon material added to grass clippings for a compost pile to work properly. Wood chips, ground straw, leaves, dried garden refuse are all good candidates.
Compost should be layered, clippings, dry refuse, a few shovelfuls of soil or older compost then more grass clippings. Moisture level should be 40-60% moisture but not wet. Dry materials mixed with wet grass clippings or letting the grass clippings dry a bit in thin layers before composting helps to adjust the moisture. If there is odor you are either to wet or have to much nitrogen. Of course the end result is compost with magic properties to make the garden and landscape sparkle.
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4. Winter Garden Activities
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Holiday Gifts for the Gardener
If there's a problem person to buy for on your holiday gift list, chances are he or she's not a gardener. You don't have to look far for gift ideas for people who like to grow plants.
Wood Ash
Putting wood ash in the garden seems like a good idea. However, there are some serious drawbacks to doing this.
De-icing Salts
De-icing salts used to melt snow on walkways and streets can cause damage to plants. Here is a guide to making choices in what to use.
About Garden Catalogs
Browsing the catalogs and planning the coming year's garden is a pleasant way to spend a winter day, in spite of the danger of setting off a massive case of spring fever. But choosing from the abundance of vegetable varieties in even a few catalogs can quickly become a challenge. Beginning gardeners, especially, may have difficulty picking varieties to plant because they don't have the benefit of gardening experience and a list of favorites.
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5. Christmas Tree Selection and Care
By John Hay, UNL Extension Educator
With an increased popularity of fresh trees for the holidays, it is important to select one that is fresh and take steps to prevent it from drying out before the holiday season has passed. This reduces the potential for fires, aids in cleanup... and makes it more pleasant for whoever has to crawl under the tree to distribute the gifts found there. (OK, the last one is a family tradition and since I have the profile that most closely resembles Santa Claus... never mind!)
Follow these steps to assure the tree you are buying is fresh:
- Gently pull on the needles. They should be tightly attached to the twig.
- Shake the tree vigorously or bounce the butt on the ground. If green needles fall, look further. Dead, brown needles falling from inner parts of the tree may have been shed years ago and are less of a problem.
- Once you have chosen a fresh Christmas tree, do your best to keep it fresh. A tree can stay fresh and healthy for several weeks if it is well cared for.
- When you get home, cut about an inch off of the butt end (preferably at an angle) to aid in water absorption. Get the cut end in a container of plain water quickly.
- If the tree will not be put up right away, store in a cool shady place outside with the butt submerged in water.
- Mist the needles daily until the tree is decorated.
- When the tree is brought in the house, saw the butt end again with a square cut. This will help the tree stand up and will also aid in water absorption.
- Use a sturdy stand with a large water reservoir so it won't dry out. A fresh tree can use one quart of water or more a day, so water daily. A tree is beginning to dry out if its water use slows or stops.
- Keep the tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, TVs, radiators, and air ducts. Never use lighted candles or have open flames near your Christmas tree.
Following these guidelines on selecting and caring for your Christmas tree helps ensure a safe and happy holiday.
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6. Decorate Your Christmas Tree Naturally
By Bob Henrickson, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Whether you’re creating eye-popping mantle displays, gorgeous wreaths or topiary trees, natural crafts make holiday decorating more fun. A holiday glow begins from the time you start planning your designs and gathering materials.
| Make this holiday season special by creating your own natural craft ornaments for your Christmas tree, and family members of all ages can get involved. Your tree will be unique because of the materials you work with and the personal touches you add. You may even decide to grow certain plants next year specifically for crafting tree ornaments |
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If you want nature inside for the holidays, it’s best to begin collecting early. For the best decorations, keep your eyes open year-round for items from wooded areas, meadows or right in your own yard and garden. A large Christmas tree seems to devour small ornaments, so this is a perfect way to use up old or faded natural materials that still have some structure. You can spray paint them silver or gold to give them a warm holiday glow. Here are some fun and unique ways to bring the outdoors inside for the holidays.
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Seedpods can create some beautiful decorations, and there’s no limit to where you can find these. Seedpods of black-eyed susan, wild beebalm, Chinese lantern, prairie bushclover, Siberian iris, Penstemon, poppies, love-in-the-mist and milkweed are just a few examples. |
Pinecones are about the easiest to collect, especially in late fall. All you need to do is fasten a small hook or paper clip into the back of the cone, tie a small bow onto the hook and hang on the tree. You can also create shimmery pinecones by spray painting them silver or gold, or adding glitter or fake snow. Cluster different cones together for variety, along with fresh evergreen branches.
Acorns: Gather different sizes and cluster them together, hold with glue (you may want to spray them with a gloss sealant), add your bow and hang. Or consider stringing them along with black walnuts or other nuts you’ve collected. Different varieties of nuts in the shell can be grouped and glued together and hung with a bow, or spray painted gold to add some sparkle.
Use dried flowers to create small bouquets or little nose gays . Create small bundles of dried materials, secure with floral tape or tie with raffia. Use silver king Artemisia, white statice, sweet annie, feathery dried grasses or goldenrod as backing or filler material. Dried rose buds, strawflowers, gomphrena and others can be included for a splash of color. Or glue dried flowers on small styrofoam balls to create colorful ornaments.
Osage orange or hedge apples, gathered in the fall, can be transformed into ornaments with their decorative seed patterns. Cut the large fruit into ½” thick slices, allow to dry in the oven and spray paint both sides gold. After they dry, simply insert ornament hangers and hang on the tree. Whole o sage oranges, tucked into a wire egg basket, add an old-fashioned feel to the home.
Holly, bayberry, coralberry or rose hips are always a nice addition, especially if there are a lot of red berries on your sprig. A bow on the stem can be used as your hanger.
Dried fruit is a real attraction on the tree, like homemade stained glass windows. Use slices of orange, apple, pear, lemon and grapefruit. Slice your fruit 1/8” thick, dip in a solution of one part lemon concentrate and one part water, making sure the fruit is well-covered. Line several cookie sheets with brown paper bags and heat at 175 degrees for two hours, then turn fruit over and leave in oven another 1½ hours.
Pomanders are wonderfully fragrant, natural room fresheners. Oranges , kumquats, limes and lemons covered with clove studs and rolled in cinnamon and orris root or left in a bowl overflowing with spices, including bay leaves and lavender, is a definite attention getter.
In the autumn, it’s not hard to find little strawberry ears of corn that can be hung in clusters on the tree with a cup hook in the back and a bow to brighten them up. You can spray paint dried okra seedpods and small gourds to complete the harvest scene.
If you have access to bark from a white birch tree, lay the bark flat on a table, use a cookie cutter and trace the shape, cut out and put a small hole in the ornament, tie a bow and hang on tree. The salmon-colored bark of river birch can also be peeled off and glued onto the sides of a tiny birdhouse made of cardboard.
Why not gather several empty bird nests and rest them on branches to finish the natural look? You may even want to add small eggs to the nest, dyed to highlight the color theme of your tree.
There are many natural beauties out there for your natural Christmas tree; and there won’t be another Christmas tree like it in the whole world!
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7. Rural Roadways: Practice Safety First
By Sharry Nielson, UNL Extension Educator
Did you know there are 40% more fatal crashes in rural areas than in urban areas?
The reasons vary: There is a perception that there is less risk on country roads, so seat belt use is lower. Drivers share the roads with large, slow-moving farm machinery they may not be able to see or may not be able to stop for in time. Youth without drivers’ licenses, and sometimes without needed instruction, operate farm equipment on rural roads.
Some people use the back of a pick-up as passenger space – never a safe choice. Railroad crossings may not be marked or lit, and the noise of farm machinery may drown out the sounds of an approaching train. Driving conditions on rural roads may be bad to treacherous due to lack of signs, obstructed views, narrow or no lanes, animals or other factors not found in urban areas.
There are ways to avoid being a rural roadway statistic, whether you are driving a vehicle or operating farm machinery.
If you are a driver:
- Learn to drive all vehicles safely. Teens should practice with supervision before going it alone.
- Obey all traffic laws, signals, and signs, slowing on hills and curves where you may not be able to see farm machinery.
- Buckle up. In any kind of crash, a seat belt could save your life, and you are at greater risk on rural roads.
- All passengers, even in pick-ups and trucks, should use seat belts.
- Never ride in the bed of a pick-up or truck. There is no protection of any kind in event of a collision, and a person may be thrown out even at slow speeds.
- Be alert to farm machinery sharing the road. Give them enough room to operate safely.
If you are a machinery operator, whether the machine is large or small:
- Learn to operate any machine you will be using safely. Teens need instruction and practice before operating machinery on their own.
- Obey all traffic laws, signals and signs. Be especially careful on hills and curves.
- Use tractors equipped with roll-over protective structures (ROPS). Seat belts help keep you in the protected zone.
- Be prepared to yield the right-of-way to other vehicles.
- Do not allow extra riders on farm equipment, unless there is both a seat and seat belt for them.
Taking time to prepare all drivers and machine operators for driving on rural roads can make a difference. Parents need to role model safe behavior for their teens who are beginning to use the roadways, as well as for passengers in their vehicles. Driving on rural roads does not have to end in tragedy.
Adapted from “Buckle Up or Eat Glass”, a program about rural roadway safety written by Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.
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8. Jump Starting a Dead Vehicle
By John Hay, UNL Extension Educator
Jump starting a vehicle with a dead battery is not only a chore, but can also be dangerous if not done properly. Dead batteries are more prevalent in winter because cold temperatures tend to sap available power. For example, in 80 degree weather a battery has 100 percent starting power. However, at 20 below zero, the battery has about 30 percent starting power.
Before jump starting, check battery cables to make sure they are well secured and free of corrosion. Then identify the positive and negative terminals on both the dead battery and the battery to be used for the jump start.
Take extreme caution throughout the process to prevent a possible explosion. The ignition spark must be kept as far away from the electrical connections as possible because the battery releases combustible gasses. Also, an operator should open the battery caps (if possible) to make sure the solution inside the battery isn't frozen. Never attempt to jump start a frozen battery because explosions are more likely to occur.
To begin the jump start, connect the jumper cables to the positive terminal on the dead battery and then to the positive terminal on the live battery. Next, connect the cables to the negative terminal of the fully-charged battery.
The final connection causes a spark, so the cable should be kept away from the dead battery's negative terminal. Instead the cable should be attached to the frame or body of the dead vehicle to give the spark distance from the dead battery. Never hook the jumper cables directly to a starter, especially on a tractor; if the vehicle is in gear it could start and run over the person initiating the jump start.
Once the vehicle is started, reverse the process to take the jumper cables off of the vehicles. Remember to keep the spark away from the batteries, and the vehicle should be ready to go.
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9. Preparing a Snowblower for Winter Use
By John Hay, UNL Extension Educator
Before using a snowblower for the time this season take a few precautions to prepare the machine and the operator for the task. First, make sure the snowblower has clean oil and a full tank of gas. It is also a good idea to check the snowblower's belts to make sure they have good tension and that the blades are in good condition.
Once the snowblower is ready for use, you should dress for safety. Wear good shoes or overshoes to help prevent falls. Dressing in layers allows you to peel clothing as your body temperature rises.
If heavy snow clogs a snowblower's blades, never attempt to clean it out by hand. Once a blade is freed it can sever fingers. Instead, turn the snowblower off and then use a stick to dig out packed snow.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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10. My Horse University Presents "Broodmare Nutrition", December 6
My Horse University, a national online program based at Michigan State University, is proud to sponsor FREE live web presentations given by experts in the fields of equine science and veterinary medicine. These events cover topics that are important to you and can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. Please join us!
| Date |
Time |
Program |
| Dec. 6 |
7 p.m. EDT |
Broodmare Nutrition |
| Jan. 16 |
7 p.m. EDT |
Conditioning Your Horse for the Show Season |
| Feb. |
date & time TBA |
Reducing Risks on the Horse Farm |
| March |
date & time TBA |
All About Vaccines |
| May |
date & time TBA |
The Unwanted Horse |
December 6 , Broodmare Nutrition- After your mare is pregnant what do you do next? Most novice breeders have a great deal of concern about the nutritional program that the mare requires to deliver a healthy foal. It is not as difficult as you might guess. It is important to provide all of the nutrients necessary to provide for the maintenance of the mare and the development of the foal, but most of the changes in nutrient requirements occur in the last trimester of pregnancy. If good quality feeds are used, feeding the brood mare is not as overwhelming as the novice may think. Presenter: Dr. John Shelle from Michigan State University
Register online, http://www.eventpresenter.com/msu/
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11. Alternative Energy for Home, Farm and Acreages, December 6
Plan to attend this free seminar on Alternative Energy for Home, Farm and Acreage on Thursday, December 6th, from 1-5 p.m., at UNL's Agricultural Research and Development Center headquarters near Mead, NE.
Topics and Presenters:
- Energy Conservation In Homes and Buildings, by Shirley Niemeyer, UNL Housing and Environment Specialist
- Small Wind, Solar, and Photovoltaics for Home or Business, by John Dixon, Dixon Power Systems
- Net Metering for Renewable Electricity, by Rich Andrysik, Lincoln Electric Systems
- Ethanol and Biodiesel Blends, by Loren Isom, UNL Industrial Ag Products Center
- Modern Methane Production, by Crystal Powers, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
For more information contact:
John Hay
UNL Biological Systems Engineering
(402) 472-0408
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12. Equestrian Academy, Begins January 22
Helping horsemen become more
knowledgeable horse owners is the goal of the 2008 Equestrin Academy. Participants can attend these programs in several ways. Come to the live presentations that will be held in Chase Hall on UNL's East Campus, or contact your local UNL Extension office for a satellite downlink in their office. Finally, DVDs of the entire series will be available for purchase.
Tentative Course Schedule:
| Jan. 22 |
Preventative Equine Management: Proactive Practices, Chris Ludlow, Specialist Equine Purina Mills
Movement and Conformation: How the Two Affect Each Other, Sherm Tegmeier;
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| Jan. 29 |
Can animal chiropractic help your horse?
Joint health and therapy, Dr. Kelly Stich, DVM, Lincoln, NE; |
| Feb. 5 |
Understanding how the equine hoof functions.
Managing your horse’s hooves for long term soundness, Nate Allen, Central College College; |
| Feb. 12 |
Horse Judging Trends and Fads – where we’ve been and where we’re going, Kathy Anderson, UNL Extension Horse Specialist
Drills for Developing quality horsemanship hands and seats (video taped segment) |
| Feb. 19 |
Reducing your trailer loading and trailer headaches, Gary Stauffer, Extension Educator
Is there a career in the horse industry for you??, Monte Stauffer, Extension Educator |
| Feb. 26 |
Inter-workings of the equine digestive system: Feeding plans to optimize your horse’s performance, Katie Young, PhD., Sunrise Equine Services |
Brochure (pdf)
Course Fees:
Live Class or Satellite:
Whole course $60 per participant, pre-registered; or $15 per session
DVD purchase: Whole course $75; or $20 per session (plus shipping)
For more information, contact:
Dr. Kathy Anderson (402) 472-6411
Fran Minnaert (402) 650-6150
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13. From Recipe to Reality Seminar, January 26
The Food Processing Center is offering a one-day seminar for all individuals interested in exploring the idea of starting a food manufacturing business. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
Contact Jill Gifford at (402) 472-2819 or jgifford1@unl.edu for an information packet. For more information, visit the UNL Food Processing's Food Entrepreneur web site.
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14. "Strengthening Family Treasures" Daughter/Mother Camp, February 22-23
A retreat designed for 5th grade girls and their mothers (or grandmothers or other adult females), “Strengthening Family Treasures, Daughter/Mother Camp,” will be presented Friday, Feb. 22, 5 pm to Saturday, Feb. 23, 5 pm at Camp Carol Joy Holling, near Ashland. The retreat is sponsored by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
This camp is 2 days and 1 night of fun, educational and confidence building activities. As middle school approaches, this is an opportunity to:
- Enhance effective communication including expressing emotions
- Learn more about body image and sexuality
- Explore techniques to handle peer pressure and stress
- Discuss the importance of individual family values
Dates: Friday, Feb. 22, 5 pm to Saturday, Feb. 23, 5 pm
Location: Camp Carol Joy Holling, near Ashland, NE
Cost: Fee is $100 per pair (4 people per room) or $135 (2 people per room) — each room has two double beds. Cost includes meals, snacks, lodging in modern cabins, and program materials.
For more information or a registration form, call Maureen Burson at 402-441-7180.
Brochure & Registration Form (pdf)
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15. 4-H Horse Stampede, March 3
Mark your calendars! The 2008 4-H Horse Stampede has been scheduled for Saturday, March 8. Entries are due Thursday, February 1, 2008
More information
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