Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 79
One of the sure signs of autumn is fall foliage in the landscape as woody plants prepare for winter. Here are some things that you can do to prepare your trees for the long dormant season: 1. PLANT. Fall is a great time to plant trees. While selection at nurseries may be limited, trees are often on sale in the fall. Cooler temperatures enable plants to acclimate to a new home without the stress of high air and soil temperatures. However, trees need time for roots to establish – at least a month before soil temperatures dip below 40 degrees. S...
Summer is winding down and it's time to take notice of the things that represent Nature's summer-best before they're gone for the season. Right outside my office window is a display of purple coneflowers, now in full bloom. It's a magnet for countless types of marvelous creatures, including bees and butterflies and even an occasional hummingbird. One of the showiest visitors over the past few weeks is the Canadian tiger swallowtail, a large native yellow and black butterfly with tails on each...
American elm is North Dakota's state tree. Elms were a natural choice for planting in communities and windbreaks because it is one of our tough native species. It is these tree canopies that, with their beautiful vase-shape, form leafy "tunnels" along elm-lined streets. Then, the unthinkable happened: Dutch elm disease (DED) entered the U.S. in the 1920's and found its way to Mandan in 1969. It was first identified in the Netherlands, hence the name. From there, it spread quickly to other countries, including the U.S. DED has spread to every co...
If you are looking for something a little different to grace the landscape of your yard, consider planting a honeylocust tree–specifically, 'Northern Acclaim' thornless honeylocust. While the species is native to eastern states of the U.S. and is covered with thorns, 'Northern Acclaim' is a cultivar selected and developed by the NDSU Woody Plant Improvement Program. As the descriptive name implies, this selection does not have thorns and is proven to be hardy for our harsh winters. The tree's m...
Thanks to another grant from the N.D. Forest Service, the city of New Rockford is home to dozens of new trees. Participating homeowners planted seven different types of trees in June, and lindens were among the favorites. American linden, also known as basswood, produces a soft wood that is used for furniture, boxes, tongue depressors and for carving things like duck decoys. This tree is native to the eastern United States, with the eastern third of North Dakota marking the western-most native range of the species. While cottonwood reigns as...
While apples are the favorite backyard fruit grown in North Dakota, a surprisingly wide variety of fruits can grow and produce abundant harvests in the northern plains. Since 2006, the Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation project at the NDSU-Carrington Research Extension Center has evaluated both common and unusual fruit crops to determine selections that are desirable, hardy and productive in North Dakota. Hardy cultivars of apricots, cherries, plums and pears are now common North Dakota orchard...
It's hard to imagine the 4th of July without fireworks! The first official celebration occurred on July 4, 1777 – one year after the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence – with a display of fireworks and firing of cannons and guns. The fireworks tradition has continued ever since, with the addition of family get-togethers, picnics and parades. Like many inventions, fireworks were created by accident. Around 800 AD, a Chinese alchemist mixed sulfur, charcoal and saltpeter in an att...
The last full week of June is named as "National Pollinator Week." Don't worry if you missed it – there are reasons to celebrate pollinators all year long! Pollinators include bees, insects, birds and other animals that move pollen from one flower to another, thereby fertilizing plants and enabling them to reproduce. With food crops, the ripened ovary of a flower becomes a fruit (or vegetable) which we are able to consume. Foods and beverages produced with the help of pollinators include blueber...
We've needed moisture here in the Great Plains. We've prayed and hoped for rain, and now we're getting it – in some places, more than enough. But during the last couple of weeks, what's dropping from the sky is more than rain. At first glance, you might think the green vegetative debris in the streets is grass clippings from lawn mowers. A closer look reveals the green along the curbs is not grass, but it is leaves – leaves from green ash trees, the most abundant tree along city streets in nea...
Well, that seems obvious. But there is a point to this statement and we'll get to that. We've been through a long winter and gardeners have long waited to get their hands into the soil. Tomatoes are the most popular garden vegetable. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of eating a tomato right off the vine, in a salad or as the base for some great fresh salsa! Serious gardeners start the process months before growing season, perusing seed catalogs for just the right seeds – and maybe t...
Tree planting can take place anytime during the growing season. With the cool, rainy season we are experiencing, now is a great time to get some trees in the ground! Trees provide shade, wildlife habitat, beauty in the landscape, and add value to your property. It's tough being a tree in North Dakota, so follow these tips for a successful planting: 1. Locate logically - Select a site that will provide space for the tree – above ground and below. Roots need space, too. Select a sma...
Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer season. This is a time for celebrating graduations, the end of the school year and family get-togethers. But at the root of this weekend holiday is the somber remembrance to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many communities host formal Memorial Day programs and Americans...
Communities across North Dakota celebrate Arbor Day as a sure sign of Spring! The state's official designated Arbor Day is the first Friday in May – but communities can celebrate Arbor Day whenever it is best for them. Cities with Tree City USA designation (54 communities scattered across North Dakota) must declare an annual Arbor Day event to maintain status as a Tree City. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, first celebrated in Nebraska in 1872. Tree enthusiasts in North D...
As we pick up the pieces following North Dakota's most recent blizzard, just how does this storm compare to others across the northern plains that have made the record books? (Note: this article was written during the midst of this 2022 storm so comparisons are yet to be made). With no modern technology to forecast the weather, people had no advance warning of threatening weather events. The Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888 "came out of nowhere" during the middle of a warm January day. School...
Maple syrup is not typically thought of as synonymous with North Dakota. Snow, yes. Cold, yes. But maple syrup? First of all, you need sugar maple trees, right? Usually, but we like to "do what you can, with what you have, where you are..." Another one of those Teddy Roosevelt quotes. So here we are, in North Dakota with sugar maples growing right across the Red River in Minnesota. While we are not home to native sugar maples, we can claim one native maple: Manitoba Maple – known to most of u...
Don't look now, but March 1st marked the meteorological beginning of spring. When I was a kid, spring clearly started on March 21 (the vernal equinox – when the sun and the equator celebrate a secret handshake), a much more likely date for closing the door on winter in North Dakota. Apparently, meteorologists rule when it comes to marking our seasons. The most familiar holiday for the month is St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17 which marks the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ire...
How are you feeling? This week a local television news reporter proclaimed February 2022 as “the longest shortest month, ever!” It’s enough to make even the toughest North Dakotan sick. Sick with cabin fever. Hang on – with a little luck and cooperation from Mother Nature, we can soon trade cabin fever for Spring Fever. Warm temperatures (yes, a relative term) and melting snow trigger the malady. Spring is “just around the corner” and we should plan for getting back into the garden. NDSU Extension has prepared the 2022 round of Spring Feve...
The story of George Washington and the cherry tree tells of the time the young future President of the United States chopped down his father’s favorite tree. As the story goes, George had received a hatchet for his sixth birthday and enthusiastically went about testing the useful gift. When his father discovered that his cherry tree had been damaged, he confronted George who bravely replied, “I cannot tell a lie…I did cut it with my hatchet.” All ends well as the father embraces his son, exclaiming that his honesty was worth more than a thous...
Just when you may have reached a milestone in dominating your New Year's resolution to cut out sugar, Valentine's Day appears on the calendar. There are ways around it – you can celebrate with a card (thanks, Hallmark) or go for the gold, literally, with jewelry. Flowers are perfect for some. But the most iconic, sweetest way to show affection is with a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Valentine's Day has a long history that evolved into the sharing of gifts and cards, but the first elaborate b...
It's been a long winter. We've had our fair share of cold, snow, and even unseasonable rain, turning roads and streets into treacherous icy sheets. Look outside and your eyes are met with a sea of white – unless you look more closely... Evergreens or conifers (the trees produce cones, hence the term "conifer") provide a hint of spring with subtle hues of green. While short-needled Colorado spruce trees are not native to North Dakota, they are one of the most common trees found in communities a...
Nearly every month of the year has its holidays – some of them to celebrate joyous religious occasions, others to commemorate historical landmarks. And then, some are just plain whimsical. Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2, the almost-midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. This point in the calendar year has been significant for centuries, as cultures anticipated the birth of farm animals and planting of crops. German immigrants to the United States carried with them a...
Breakfast is often stated as the most important meal of the day. On a cold morning, a warm bowl of creamy oatmeal flavored with cooked apple and brown sugar really hits the spot! That is, if you are an oatmeal fan. Many people enjoy apples in baked goods: pies, muffins, cobblers and crisps. Dried apples are a great portable snack for camping and hiking – and can easily be made at home with a dehydrator or an oven. Caramel apples are a treat reserved for county fairs and the circus. Bobbing f...
Birdwatching has grown to be one of the most popular hobbies in the U.S. North Dakota is noted as a birdwatcher's paradise, with wide-open spaces, featuring habitats that range from grasslands to prairie potholes to forests. The state is home to a surprising abundance of 376 different species! (see a checklist on the N.D. Game and Fish website) An easy method of birdwatching in the winter is to simply look out the window into your own backyard. Bird feeders are a sure way to attract a variety...
WINTER. If this season is defined by cold, snowy weather – then we have arrived. The local weather reports warn us to protect our bodily extremities (our head, hands and feet) from exposure, risking the chance of frostbite. With the harsh temperatures, how are plants on the Northern Plains able to survive? The process for woody plants acclimating to winter begins in late summer as the days become shorter. Fewer hours of sunlight and cooler temperatures trigger the loss of chlorophyll (one of the magic ingredients involved with photosynthesis) i...
Happy New Year! If you are someone who feels compelled to make New Year’s Resolutions, here are some painless resolutions to make you happier and healthier: Become a PLANT owner. We are months away from tending plants in our flower beds and gardens, but how about plants in your office or home? Research shows that just the presence of indoor plants can lower human stress levels. One study found that actively caring for plants calmed the autonomic nervous system and lowered blood pressure. When people work near plants (an outside view through a...
