The warmer weather we had this week felt really nice after the polar vortex the week before! I even heard weatherman were calling this last week “spring-like”. Well, before you know it, spring will be here, and it will be time to start the growing season again. Here are a few pieces of information and tips to get a jump start on planning for the season to come.
Are you thinking about planning a windbreak this year? The Kansas Forest Service offer slow-cost tree and shrub seedlings for use in conservation plantings. Plants are one to two years old and sizes vary from 5 to 18 inches, depending on species. Orders are accepted from now through the first full week in May each year, but order early to insure receiving the items you want. Orders are shipped from the second week of March through May 5. Approved uses for these plants include windbreaks, wood lots, riparian plantings, wildlife habitat and Christmas trees. They may not be used for landscape (ornamental) plantings or grown for resale.
All items are sold in units. Each single species unit consists of 25 plants. For example, a unit of Eastern red cedar has 25 trees per unit. Though a single species unit is most commonly purchased, four special bundles are also available including a songbird bundle, quail bundle, pheasant bundle and wildlife mast bundle. For details and an order form, go to: https://www.kansasforests.org/public_saps/Welcome.aspx Order forms are also available from local K-State Research and Extension offices. (WardUpham)
Now is a Good Time to Design Your Landscape
The dark, cold days of winter are a good time to dream and plan for the upcoming growing season. Have you always wanted to landscape your home but didn’t know where to start? We offer a number of publications available to help you accomplish your dream. This collection includes everything from general landscaping publications such as “Residential Landscape Design,” to specific works such as “Energy Efficient Landscaping,” “Landscaping the Farmstead,” “Naturalistic Landscaping” and “Low-Maintenance Landscaping.”
You can download printed publications free of charge from http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=600 or request printed copies from your local K-State Research and Extension office. There may be a small charge for printed copies of larger publications.
Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Barton County K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910