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3. New Home Landscape Design Publication Available
By Steven Rodie, UNL Landscape Horticulture Specialist
A new extension publication entitled Home Landscape: Understanding the Basics of Landscape Design (EC-1254) is now available through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State University. The full-color, 32-page booklet focuses on the basics of landscape design for residential sites of any size, including acreages. A variety of information is covered, including identification of home use areas, design principles application, plant selection, consideration and selection of design assistance, and stepping through the design process.
The publication price is $6.50, plus shipping and handling. It may be ordered/purchased through county extension offices or through the UNL Extension Publications shopping cart website, https://middleloup.unl.edu/zen/, and click on "Lawn and Garden".
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4. Acreage Landscape Sustainability
By Steven Rodie, UNL Landscape Horticulture Specialist
With spring just a few months away, many acreage owners are anxious to get started on outdoor landscape projects. Specific tasks, such as new tree planting, a vegetable garden expansion, or solving a drainage problem, may top this year’s to-do list. Regardless of how straight-forward each project seems individually, however, it never hurts to step back and carefully consider the “big picture” of your acreage setting. If you’ve just moved in, or are just now getting to the landscape after several years of indoor priorities, now may be a good time to consider your property in its entirety.
One of the most important benefits derived from a “big picture” viewpoint is the potential for enhanced sustainability. A sustainable acreage landscape is typically very self-sufficient and although not maintenance-free, requires significantly fewer inputs than a traditional acreage property. A well-designed sustainable landscape successfully integrates landscape uses, features and environmental conditions into an enjoyable, beautiful, personalized and more affordable outdoor setting.
The information below summarizes some of the principles that should be considered in the design and implementation of acreage landscapes. For additional information, refer to:
Nebguide G1205- Landscape Sustainability, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1405/build/g1405.pdf
For additional information on design and planning for acreages, refer to:
A Place In The Country- An Acreage Owner's Guide, http://lancaster.unl.edu/acreageguide/
- Windbreaks and shelterbelts conserve energy, control drifting snow, provide food and shelter for wildlife, screen unwanted views, filter dust and noise, and create microclimates which benefit plant health.
- Berms (gradually sloped mounds of soil) help define landscape spaces by creating sloping "walls" along pathways or between different areas, elevate plants for better visibility, and improve drainage and growing conditions for plants in poor soil.
- Ornamental grasses tolerate a wide variety of conditions, provide food and cover for wildlife and offer year-round visual interest. Many of these ornamental grasses are native to the Great Plains.
- Groundcover plants used on steep slopes eliminate dangerous turf mowing conditions, lessen precipitation runoff and soil erosion, and provide additional visual interest and biodiversity.
- Grouping similar plants into masses creates a stronger visual impact and interest in the landscape, copies natural plant community structure, and produces stronger edges in the landscape which are important for both aesthetics and habitat.
- Selectively use higher maintenance turfgrasses in areas of high visibility, access and use.
- Use lower maintenance turfgrasses and prairie or adapted grasses in areas of low use and access (not necessarily low visibility).
- Use organic mulch in all planting beds to increase soil water retention, reduce weeds, visually strengthen bed lines through the color and texture contrast between the mulch and turf, minimize short-term swings in soil temperatures, and enhance soil structure and organic matter content.
- A properly designed, installed and calibrated irrigation system minimizes uneven or wasteful water application.
- Group plants with similar water needs to avoid over or underwatering.
- Use drip irrigation for shrub beds and other beds to minimize water waste.
- Properly select plants for the conditions in which they are placed (example: sun and wind exposure, soil type and soil moisture conditions). Properly selected plants will ensure a healthy landscape with minimal need for chemicals or additional management.
- Landscape "vertically" as nature does. Placing small plants and groundcovers under small trees under large trees enhances both visual and biological diversity.
- Creating wildlife habitat draws birds and other animals, which add to the aesthetics of the landscape and offer biological control of unwanted insects.
- Composting garden waste and applying the resulting organic matter in the landscape improves growing conditions and recycles valuable resources.
- Using recycled and/or local-source building materials (plastic lumber, prairie fieldstone, etc.) can help develop markets for recycled products, lessen product and installation costs and visually tie developed landscapes to the character of natural landscapes.
- Manipulating microclimates by using overhead vines, shade structures and trees enhances the livability of outdoor spaces.
- Raised beds improve access to plants, make it easier to manage the soil, and improve growing conditions by increasing soil aeration and drainage.
- Where feasible, use plantings to connect developed landscapes with natural landscape areas. These integrated landscapes are considered more environmentally valuable than small, scattered areas of vegetation.
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5. Conservation Subdivision Design
By Steven Rodie, UNL Landscape Horticulture Specialist
Selecting the location of an acreage property is a critical step in assuring a quality landscape setting for acreage owners. Homeowner desires for privacy, views, access to nature, wildlife and solitude can strongly focus “shopping” for just the right property. Acreage developments (especially those that reflect traditional subdivision design in a “large-lot” configuration) can vary widely in their overall design quality, which may significantly affect the setting for each individual lot.
Conservation Subdivision Design is a land development concept that can simultaneously maximize the livability of acreage developments, enhance property habitat value and environmental quality, and reduce development costs/increase profitability for the developer. Although the concept has been used successfully in many areas of the Midwest (in particular, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois), the idea has seen limited implementation in growth areas outside of Nebraska cities and towns. Developers, planning authorities, and land use regulations are beginning to embrace conservation subdivision standards, but the greatest catalyst for change will likely be increased interest from knowledgeable acreage owners who appreciate and seek out well-designed rural residential developments.
For those who are contemplating the purchase of an existing acreage or property to build a new residence, locating in a conservation subdivision or development can significantly enhance quality-of-life and property value over time.
The following resources provide additional information on Conservation Subdivision Design:
An Innovative Tool for Managing Rural Residential Development: A Look at Conservation Subdivisions, http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/tracker/Summer2002/conssubdiv.html
Residential Cluster Development: An Overview of Key Issues, http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/components/7059-01.html
Cluster Conservation Development, http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lcr/LGIEN2000-0010.html
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6. New Acreage Living Publication Available
By Dr. Richard Stowell, UNL Animal Environmental Engineer
A new book entitled Living on Acreages: What You Need to Know is now available from Midwest Plan Service ( Iowa State University). The book is for everyone thinking of moving to an acreage or currently living on one. It provides a valuable instruction manual and reference to everything from building and landscaping in the country to maintaining rural property. The cost of the publication is $20.00 plus shipping and handling.
Additional information, including instructions on how to order, is available at:
Midwest Plan Service from Iowa State University, http://www.mwps.org
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7. Rethinking Shelter Plantings
By Justin Evertson, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
Since the first settlements in the region more than 150 years ago, trees and shrubs have been planted to protect people, livestock and soils from the harsh Great Plains climate. Although shelterbelts are typically associated with farms and ranches, they are also used to protect and improve important community features such as parks, schools, large public properties, acreages, subdivisions and commercial areas. Shelterbelts also provide habitat for wildlife, they help reduce snow drifting and help screen unsightly views.
Shelterbelts became very common in the Great Plains during and immediately following the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. Such plantings were promoted by state and federal governments to help prevent soil erosion and improve crop production. The shelterbelt design has changed little from that era. Most still consist of just a few species of plants, including a row or two of evergreens, planted in straight lines. Time has proven this traditional method of design to have several shortcomings:
- A lack of plant diversity can lead to large sections of a shelterbelt dying quickly when certain diseases, insect pests or weather events impact a planting. Recently, this has become a very serious problem in southeast Nebraska with the sudden loss of many Scotch pines (Pinus sylvestris) from Pine Wilt Disease. Scotch pine has become the most commonly planted tree around farms and acreages and it is possible that millions of trees in the region could die in the coming years.
- Evergreens planted tightly in rows can suffer from several needle blight diseases in the more humid air of eastern Nebraska.
- Species choices often do not reflect soil and topographical changes that occur within the planting line of many shelterbelts.
To help improve the long-term success of shelterbelt plantings in and round communities, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum has developed the following design recommendations. The suggestions are reflected in the accompanying design drawing and recommended species lists.
- Shelterbelts should contain a broader diversity of trees and shrubs than they have in the past. This does not mean planting one of everything, but rather the use of several species in complementary groupings. A good rule of thumb is to limit any single species to no more than 20 percent of the total planting.
- In the more humid air of eastern Nebraska, evergreen trees are often more prone to foliar diseases. This is especially true where trees are planted tightly together, as in many older shelter plantings. For this reason, new shelterbelts in eastern Nebraska should never be a solid wall of evergreens, but should include many deciduous trees and shrubs. In fact it is very possible to have an effective shelterbelt here with no evergreens at all.
- In the more arid western Nebraska, evergreens are less prone to foliar diseases and in general are better able to survive the frequent drought conditions than most deciduous types. As such, evergreens will likely be a larger component of a shelterbelt in the western part of the state.
- Several species of deciduous trees and shrubs hold their leaves well into winter or have denser branching that allows them to block more winter wind. Such plants can be used as alternatives to evergreens and include white oak, swamp white oak, shingle oak, boxelder maple, wayfaringtree viburnum and American plum, among others.
- Species selection should better reflect soil conditions. More specifically, species selection should change when soils move from dry uplands to wetter bottom areas. Many shelter plantings go up and down slopes without any change in species.
Recommended Species
Certain plants lend themselves better to the tough conditions of a shelterbelt where they are often expected to survive on natural precipitation only. The following is a partial list of some of the most reliable species that can be used in shelter plantings. An E indicates plants suitable primarily to the eastern third of the state while a W is for plants that are better adapted to the more arid environment of western Nebraska. All others are considered to be adaptable to most of the state.
Medium/Large Deciduous Trees
Acer ginnala – Amur maple (E)
Acer miyabei – Miyabe maple (E)
Acer negundo – Boxelder maple
Acer tataricum – Tatarian maple
Aesculus glabra – Ohio buckeye
Amelanchier alnifolia – Serviceberry
Catalpa speciosa – Northern catalpa
Celtis occidentalis – Hackberry
Eleagnus angustifolia – Russian olive (W)
Euonymus bungeanus – Winterberry euonymus
Gleditsia triacanthos – Honeylocust
Gymnocladus dioica – Coffeetree
Juglans nigra – Black walnut
Malus spp. – Crabapple
Phellodendron amurense – Amur cork tree
Populus deltoides – Cottonwood
Ptelea trifoliata – Waferash (E)
Quercus bicolor – Swamp white oak (E)
Quercus gambelii – Gambel oak
Quercus macrocarpa – Bur oak
Quercus muehlenbergii – Chinkapin oak (E)
Ulmus spp. – Elm hybrids
Ulmus americana – American elm |
Evergreen Trees
Abies concolor – Concolor fir
Juniperus spp. – Cedar/juniper (W)
Picea abies – Norway spruce (E)
Picea glauca – Black Hills spruce
Picea pungens – Colorado spruce
Pinus aristata – Bristlecone pine (W)
Pinus banksiana – Jack pine
Pinus cembroides – Pinyon pine (W)
Pinus flexilis – Limber pine
Pinus heldreichii – Bosnian pine (E)
Pinus mugo – Mugo pine
Pinus nigra – Austrian pine
Pinus ponderosa – Ponderosa pine
Pseudotsuga menziesii – Douglasfir |
Tough Shrubs
Caragana arborescens – Siberian peashrub
Cercocarpus montanus – Mountain mahogany (W)
Cornus drummondii – Roughleaf dogwood
Cornus mas – Corneliancherry dogwood (E)
Cotoneaster acutifolia – Peking cotoneaster
Juniperus spp. – Juniper
Prunus americana – American plum
Prunus tomentosa – Nanking cherry
Prunus virginiana – Chokecherry
Rhus spp. – Sumac
Ribes spp. – Currant
Rosa rugosa – Rugosa rose
Sambucus canadensis – Elderberry
Shepherdia argentea – Silver buffaloberry
Syringa spp. – Lilac
Viburnum lantana – Wayfaringtree
Viburnum lentago – Nannyberry viburnum (E) |
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The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum offers gardeners a unique, cutting edge selection of plants, most of which are hard to find. These include native wildflowers that are new to horticulture, trees propagated from native and hardy Nebraska seed sources and trees produced in smaller, more affordable sizes. To find out more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and their plants, go to http://arboretum.unl.edu or call (402) 472-2971.
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8. Electricity Can Kill
By Sharry Nielsen, UNL Extension Educator
It’s an awesome force that has modernized rural America. For some of us, electricity has always been a part of our lives, doing a thousand chores in the blink of an eye. But electricity can also be a killer.
Electricity always seeks a “path to ground” or a place to stop and release its power. It will travel through any good conductor, including metal, live tree branches, water, and people until it grounds. Whenever you are using electricity, be sure you do not become the “path to ground”.
Overhead power lines carry very large amounts of electricity to serve homes and farms. They are NOT insulated. That means any object coming in contact with them could act as a path to ground.
If you are raising an aluminum ladder to take down holiday decorations or put up permanent decor, moving tall equipment, climbing in live trees with power lines running through them, or working on the roof of a building that is crossed by power lines, the potential is there for YOU to come in contact with power lines and become a path to ground. If you have ever been shocked by an electric fence wire, you know the concept, EXCEPT power lines carry lethal amounts of current.
Practice the “10' Rule” to maintain a zone of safety around power lines. The rule says to keep a 10 foot clearance distance from any power line. That means no farm implements parked in this area, no hay stacked here, no irrigation or other pipe stored within this area. Nothing should be within that envelope of safety that could produce a path to ground.
During ice storms or blizzards, when power lines may be down, always consider a downed line to be energized and dangerous. Don’t try to move it. Do not touch water near the line. If the power line falls across your home or vehicle, stay inside and call for help. Teach everyone in your household the importance of electrical safety and follow safety practices without fail.
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9. More Harm Than Good- Winter Feeding of Deer
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Feeding wildlife during winter when the snow is deep and the temperatures are very cold seems like the thing to do. But State Game Divisions across the nation feel supplemental winter feeding is not a good thing. In fact they feel it can be a very bad thing. Even with the many deer we have in Nebraska it is best to let them make their own way.
Below is a web site giving the reasons why you should not feed deer:
More Harm Than Good, http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife_Journal/WJ_sample_stories/WJ_f01_More_Harm.pdf
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10. Birds Need Water In Winter
By Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator
Water in a birdbath, small backyard pool or pond attracts birds and supplies water needed for drinking and bathing. Although in winter some birds may get water from snow, snowmelt is chilling. Heated birdbaths can be especially important to birds during winter months, when little unfrozen moisture is available.
Choose a birdbath that isn’t too deep. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the best birdbaths mimic rain puddles- shallow and with gradually sloping sides. This makes it easy for birds to wade into the water. A maximum depth of no more than two inches is ideal. Look for a birdbath made of tough plastic so it won’t crack and is easy to clean. And remember to keep your birdbath clean and the water fresh.
Birds seem to prefer birdbaths placed at ground level, but if you are concerned about neighborhood cats you can raise the bath 2-3 feet above the ground. Place clean sand or gravel in the bottom of the basin to give birds a sure footing. Arrange a few perches in the birdbath, using small branches or stones. These give birds a place to perch and drink without getting wet, and are especially important during winter.
If possible, place your birdbath near trees or shrubs, giving birds a place to hide if predators show up. Birds with feathers wet from bathing don’t fly well, so woody shrubs offer a place to sit and preen until their feathers dry off.
Heated birdbaths come in a variety of styles, including those on pedestal bases and some that attach to deck or porch railings. Each has a built-in heating element that is thermostatically controlled to keep the water temperature above freezing. Heated pedestal birdbaths have an extension cord running up out of sight through the center of the pedestal while mounted birdbaths have the cord tucked under the bowl. Removable, immersion heaters can be added to existing, unheated birdbaths to keep the water from freezing. Or a lightbulb placed in a flowerpot beneath an unheated birdbath will provide more than enough heat to keep the water from freezing.
Finally, the sight and sound of moving water is irresistible to many birds. Birdbath drippers are a new innovation meant to attract even more birds to your bath. Commercial drippers or sprayers are available, or you can make your own. Simple punch a small hole is a plastic container, such as a liter soda bottle, and hang it so that the water drips into your birdbath.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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11. How many acres of grass will I need to graze my horse from May 1 until Nov. 1?
There are two issues here. One is the number of acres and the other is horse grazing practices which need special attention in pasture management. A 1000 -1300 pound horse would require 4 acres of good brome or native grass pasture for the season. Horse pasture management needs to address hoof traffic, close grazing of select areas on a repeated basis, and the fact that horses can clip grasses very close. A paddock area of at least a half acre where winter feeding and daily exercise is done will help save the grass. Cross fenecing to allow at least 45 days rest is very helpful in allowing grass to recover between grazing passes.
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12. Our pond was supposed to attract wildlife, but now beavers are blocking the outlet and muskrat are destroying the banks. What can we do?
What you need is a experienced trapper with the proper licenses from the Nebraska Game and Parks to help keep the population in control. There are two ways to locate qualified persons in your area. First, ask around from friends and neighbors and hunting partners. A second good choice is to ask the NRD (Natural Resource District) which serves your area. Since most NRD's have watershed structures to manage, they know the trappers who have interest on a first name basis.
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13. What causes the hard, black swellings on the branches of my ornamental cherry tree and what can I do about them?
A fungal disease called Black Knot is causing the development of galls on your tree. If there are only a few, then pruning out the affected branches is usually sufficient for control.
For more information visit:
Seasonal Landscape Problems- Black Knot, http://extensionhorticulture.unl.edu/Current/BlackKnot.shtml
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