Garden The Plains

11/21/2025

What have you been designing this Fall season? Here is an idea for your Thanksgiving table. Combine Ilex berries, assorted mums, asters and billi balls with sunflowers and hypericum berries. Use a collar of to-scale leaves. This is a simple way to bring color and joy to your celebration.

11/21/2025

Potted Evergreens

If you are looking to transplant this from a container, two things to consider:
1)Do not pull it out of the pot by the trunk. That can damage the connection to the root system. Lay the container on its side and roll it while pressing on the sides. That will loosen the root ball from the pot.
2)Before you plant the evergreen, check the soil level at the base of the evergreen. The soil may be 2-3 inches up on the trunk. Continually soil along the trunk, or even mulch, will retain moisture and, over time, decay the bark.

When you do plant the evergreen, the root ball should be planted at the same depth it was originally growing in the pot. If the roots are planted too deeply, your tree will not do well and may not survive being established.

Photo credit: Linda Langelo

11/20/2025

Mums

There are two types of mums, which are Florist and hardy mums. Florist mums can be used for cutting and are meant to be annuals. Hardy mums or garden mums grow in zones 5-9. Some cultivars are hardy and some are killed by early spring frost.
Here are three varieties that are hardy mums:
Bienchen grows 3' tall x 3' wide, needs full sun, and has blooming yellow flowers. 1st photo
Bronze Elegance 2' tall x 3' wide partial shade-full sun. It does not need full sun and can grow in half a day of shade. Blossoms are pinkish in color with a yellow center.
Coppersmith 2' tall x 3'wide needs full sun.

Photo credit: Epicgardening

11/19/2025

Dahlias

I know it is early, but keep your eye out for what you might want to plant in 2026. Dahlias are popular and sell out fast. You want to purchase them in early spring so you get what you want.
Be sure to get them from a reputable and reliable dealer. You want healthy tubers. There are times with mass-produced tubers can carry the risk of crown gall or leafy gall and then infect the dahlias you have. They can also be mislabeled.

Photo credit: Lucky Jenny Flower Farm

11/18/2025

CRUSADER® Hawthorn

This one is thornless! It is not fussy about pH, which is great for the eastern plains with high alkaline soils. It takes it wet or dry in an average garden soil.
It has fantastic fall color. It needs full sun. It grows to 12-15 tall x 12-15 wide.
This hawthorn blooms on old wood and needs very little pruning.

Photo credit: Proven Winners, Color Choice.

11/17/2025

Proper Pruning
Here is a detailed picture of the correct way to remove a limb so that the cells around it can grow over to close it.

Photo credit: research gate

11/14/2025

Birch in the Landscape

Birch in front of Colorado Blue Spruce can create a stunning effect in the landscape. Paper birch, Betula papyrifera, though it is native to North America, is water-loving and not resistant to drought.
As our climate begins to bring us warmer and drier winters, these birch may have a harder time surviving.

Photo Credit: Linda Langelo

11/13/2025

KODIAK® Orange Diervilla-- A Pollinator Plant
This plant tolerates dry shade, which we have a lot of on the plains. This grows in zones 3-8. It is a native bush honeysuckle.
In the fall, it turns bright orange -reddish foliage. It has brilliant color in the spring, is the yellow flowers.
It does well in full sun, part shade, or full shade.
It is 4'tall x 4' wide in maturity.
This attracts pollinators such as native bees.
Photo credit: Proven Winners

11/13/2025

Plant Select - Jim Klett

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=plant+select+program&mid=FB4439AC73C746CD31D5FB4439AC73C746CD31D5&FORM=VIRE

Watch videos instantly on Bing—enjoy direct playback, discover related clips, and dive into trending content all in one place.

11/12/2025

How Do I Overwinter Plant Select Plants

Here are 3 simple tips to help your fall-planted perennials, shrubs and trees better manage their first winter, so they're more likely to thrive next spring.

11/11/2025

Plant Select Grasses
Watch this video by Grace Johnson from Chatfield Garden/Denver Botanic Garden

Best Ornamental Grasses for Waterwise Landscaping

https://youtu.be/Pa2jxkWHYE4?t=39

Looking for beautiful ornamental grasses that use less water and are tough as nails? In this video, Horticulturist Grace Johnson of Denver Botanic Gardens Ch...

11/10/2025

KODIAK® Orange Diervilla-- A Pollinator Plant

This plant tolerates dry shade, which we have a lot of on the plains. This grows in zones 3-8. It is a native bush honeysuckle.
In the fall, it turns bright orange -reddish foliage. It has brilliant color in the spring, is the yellow flowers.
It does well in full sun, part shade, or full shade.
It is 4'tall x 4' wide in maturity.
This attracts pollinators such as native bees.
Photo credit: Proven Winners