– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

Lilacs are most often shades of purple but can also be white, pink, or nearly blue.

Lilacs are already actively blooming in Southeast Ohio! According to my records of lilac bloom times, they are a bit earlier than I’ve seen in the past three years or so. Lilac bloom time will forever be stamped in my memory for comparison because last year when we brought our baby Naomi home from the hospital, the lilacs were just starting to bloom along our deck. Their delightfully sweet fragrance wafted in through the windows while I held that precious newborn close and soaked up everything about spring. That was May 13, 2022. That memory is just one reason I love lilacs.

Lilacs are most often shades of purple (my favorite color), but can also be white, pink, or nearly blue. They often cross-pollinate with one another creating hybrid seed and spread easily by root suckers, giving planted areas a Continue reading My Growing Love of Lilacs →

It really is best for your garden’s long-term health to resist the urge to work the soil when it is still wet. Whether you use a tiller, plow or just a garden spade, working wet soil can badly compact soil, and the negative effects will last for many years.

Working wet soil will pack soil particles tightly, leaving less room for water and air to penetrate. Compacted soil also makes it more difficult for plant roots and gardening equipment to move through the soil. The compression forms tight clumps of soil that become hard as rocks upon drying and are difficult to break up. In addition to making it difficult for plants to grow, compacted soils also tend to drain more slowly, in turn delaying the ability to work the soil after the next rainfall.

Once compacted, it will take many years to rebuild a healthy soil structure, requiring annual applications of Continue reading Resist the Urge To Work Wet Soil →

TAKING A WALK IN THE WOODS….

There are few plants that scream “Spring is Here!” louder than Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica. A definite fan favorite, this plant is a real treat to see this time of the year; not only because it’s a true beauty, but also because of its ephemeral nature….it won’t be here long! 

Spring ephemeral wildflowers are unique because they occupy a very narrow blooming window. This is a time after the soil begins to warm but before the tree canopy fills. Because of this lack of leaf canopy, at least 50% of the sunlight is reaching the forest floor. This percentage will decrease considerably in mid-May as trees and shrubs leaf out.

Other spring ephemerals you may be familiar with include pink lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium acaule), Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans), wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), and Ohio’s state wildflower, great white trillium (Trillium grandifolium). You have to give these plants credit, as they have figured out a way to fill a niche – when, frankly, it is a hard time to be a plant!  If you would like to take a walk in the woods , virtually with OSU Extension’s Carrie Brown, here’s the link you need https://youtu.be/qo4lu4mNSVY

 Virginia bluebells grow in partial to full shade and prefer woodlands with moist, rich soils. Large stands of this erect, clump-forming perennial can be found statewide in stream floodplains, touting tubular flowers that begin as pink buds before expanding into blue trumpets. These blooms are extremely showy and are a favorite among bumblebees and other native long-tongued bees, as well as several species of butterflies and moths. 

Plants grow up to 2 feet tall and exude a sweet, light fragrance. However, don’t blink, as this species is short-lived in the spring, withering back to Continue reading Taking a Walk in the Woods Virtually!! →

Grand White Trillium

Spring is a special time of the year to be in the woods! Many of its early occupants such as our state wildflower, Grand White Trillium, are ephemeral in nature and won’t be here long! Join OSU Extension Educator, Carrie Brown, and enjoy these beauties from the comfort of the Fairfield County Ag Center as we embark on a virtual spring wildflower hike and more.   Come and join the virtual Spring Wildflower  Walk on Thursday, April 13 at 2:00 p.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center.   Class is free and open to  all interested.  Call OSU Extension in Fairfield County 740-653-5419 to reserve your seat.