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

Once you have a plan, its time to select your plants.

Once you have a basic outline of the environmental conditions of your landscape and defined goals of what services you want the landscape to provide, it is time to begin researching plants that will deliver results. In this week’s article, we will focus on native trees and shrubs.

Most people don’t think of trees as flowering plants, but they are actually some of the earliest spring-blooming plants in Ohio! Tree blooms are some of the earliest nectar and pollen sources for Ohio bees. Adding native flowering trees and shrubs to your landscape can be an excellent way to provide long-term benefits to the wildlife in your ecosystem.

Some tree species to consider that are native and provide wildlife benefits include Continue reading Native Trees & Shrubs for Ohio Landscapes →

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

Before selecting plants consider the goals for your native plants.

Interest in utilizing native plants in residential landscapes is on the rise and OSU Extension encourages the practice of considering native plant choices for landscape plants when they fit the site conditions and goals of the grower. Native plants in Ohio settings would be plants that were documented to have been present across the state prior to European colonization. These plants are adapted to local conditions, pressures, and threats. As a result, they typically require fewer inputs to thrive than introduced species.

Native trees, shrubs, flowers, legumes, and grasses are all options for incorporation in landscapes. Over the next few weeks, this article will cover some of the considerations for each category of plants and suggested plants for use in Southeast Ohio. The first thing we will cover is understanding Continue reading Utilizing Natives in the Landscape →

Are you ‘winterized?’

In this issue:

• Best defense against animal damage
• A Message from our MG Coordinator
• Community food drive a success
• Learning Never Ends project
• MG Newsletter win awards
• Sherman House update
• Seasonal Holiday spending tips
• Winter recipes for potato soup and bird suet
• Featured Book: Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries by Cynthia Riggs
• Ohio Plant Hardiness Map & All about the new U.S. Plant Hardiness Map
• Yerba Maté (part 2)
• Forcing bulbs in winter
• In/Around the Garden

Find the entire newsletter linked here in PDF.

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

A fresh tree can draw up 2 qts or more water on the first day in the tree stand.

Bringing the outdoors in as decoration is a popular tradition this time of year. For some, décor that looks like real plant material is a must and for others, real is the only way to go. I respect both options but given the choice, I will go for real evergreen material for our tree, wreaths, swags, and garlands. If you like to keep it real for the holidays like I do, keep on reading.

There is something special about a live tree at Christmas. Most are pleasantly fragrant, each is unique, and a wide variety of choices are available to suit your preferences. When selecting a tree for your home here are some helpful tips that you can keep in mind for a Continue reading Keeping it Real for the Holidays →

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

Check out this easy recipe for suet!

If you are looking an activity to do with conservation in mind, check out this super simple recipe for songbird suet that we made recently at a Deerassic’s Wild Wednesday session. It has just three ingredients and can be easily adapted for making batches big or small.

Easy Suet for a Crowd

Ingredients Continue reading Easy Suet for a Crowd →

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

Some mice are more tolerable than others!

If you are opening your home for company this Thanksgiving, you are probably doing some tidying up and rearranging in your home this week. I hope your company brings you joy and I wish you safe travels everywhere you go.

Often during these tidying up times, we find that we have had some unwelcome company visiting our homes as the weather gets cooler.

The moment of alarm and disgust when you discover that a rodent has been visiting your living space is fairly common in the month of November. Even if you have a brand-new home and are an immaculate housekeeper, rodents may still find a way to sneak inside and Continue reading Unwelcome Company →

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

Old pumpkins never go to waste!

Pumpkins are winter squashes with a hard rind that protects their flesh and seeds inside from the elements until a critter is ready to eat it and spread the seeds. The elements are beginning to change, both weather wise and décor wise. The real pumpkins we’ve been using for decorations may not last much longer. If you are ready to swap out your pumpkins for evergreens, don’t throw them in the garbage! They still have value.

If your pumpkins are structurally sound and you have the means and determination, you can wash the rind, slice open the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and cook it! Roasted pumpkin can be used for savory or sweet recipes for meals. If prepared without additional ingredients, it can be Continue reading Don’t Let Your Pumpkins Go to Waste →

This guy and many of his cousins will soon be seeking refuge in your home!

Soybean harvest is in full swing in Ohio. Something that coincides with this event is the movement of the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) from the fields to our human inhabited spaces. Stink bugs are a diverse group of insects that feed on a wide range of plant material. The BMSB is especially irritating to humans because when fall approaches, the seek refuge from the cooling temperatures in our homes.

This stink bug is native to China.  The six-legged, triangle-shaped bug first appeared in North America in 2001, likely after hitching a ride in boxes or packages. They do not pose a threat to human health, but they certainly Continue reading Stink Bug Season is Here!! →

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

The very versatile pumpkin!

Hello, October! It’s so good to see you!

Yes, I am one of those typical people that love the autumn season best compared to the other three. There are so many reasons why. I could go on and on, but I will spare you the full list. At the top though are enjoying a few of my favorite Ohio agricultural commodities that are in their prime. Corn and soybean harvest is starting, and they are huge economic drivers for the state, but it is time for apples and pumpkins to really shine! Ohio is a prominent producer of both. Don’t forget all the other beautiful and tasty squashes that are at perfection in October.

A few things to remember about pumpkins and other Continue reading It’s Pumpkin’s Time to Shine →

Master Gardeners have been busy!

In this issue:

• Whether to save an evergreen
• Connie’s Corner, A Message from our MG Coordinator
• Wagnalls wins award
• Lithopolis Honey Fest
• Smeck Farm Harvest Festival
• Ag Center scarecrow
• MG table at Fairfield County Fair
• Pollarding
• Insects in the home
• H+ummingbirds’ migration
• Tree Ferns
• All about Dodders
• Holly and Yerba Mate
• Wild Species Tulips
• Favorite garden tool
• Featured Book: American Home Landscapes by Denise Adams and Laura Burchfield
• The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
• Norfolk Botanical Gardens
• In/Around the Garden

Find it in PDF linked here.