Author: jmeyeren

  • Hello world!

    Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing! Read more

  • Elderberry

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    Elderberry (Sambucus genus) is a plant that grows as a shrub although it can be pruned and trimmed into a single stemmed tree.   Only two parts of the plant are edible, ripe berries and its blossoms.  The ripe berries are high in antioxidants known as anthocyanins.  Consume the berries when ripe only after being cooked.  The wood, roots, bark, leaves and stems Read more

  • Borage

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    Borage: Borago officinalis  The reason I have Borage is for its use in companion planting.  Companion planting is a strategy to improve your garden by having plants near each other that offer particular benefits.   Borage confuses the mother moths of the tomato hornworms and manduca.  Borage is thought to protect legumes, spinach, brassicas (such as cabbage) and strawberries.    Borage Read more

  • Hazelnut

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    Hazelnut is also known as cobnut or filbert nut.  From what I have learned some consider all three names to be the same plant while others claim there is a difference.  There is a history of what they are called due to the language and culture the word for the plant comes from.  Filbert is used by the Read more

  • Chives

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    Chives are perennials that survives winter down to –40 degrees F (USDA zone 3).  Chives are native to North America and Europe.  I planted mine from seeds.  The tops die back in winter but the bulbs in the ground survive and grow back the next spring.  The scapes or stocks are edible. These scapes are the typical green pieces Read more

  • Sunflower

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    I like Sunflowers for many reasons.    The blossoms are beautiful and bees love them.  I originally planted a few varieties.  One with large blossoms and the others with smaller blossoms.  The blossoms open mid to later summer providing blossoms for the bees and native pollinators.  They grow well in many different soils.  They also come up Read more

  • Sand Cherry

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    Sand Cherry are available in two varieties. Wester Sand Cherry (Prunus Besseyi) is a shrub also known as Bessey’s Cherry.  See weblink: https://unlgardens.unl.edu/prunusbesseyidocuments  It is very closely related to the Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila). Sand Cherry is native to North America.  It is widespread from eastern Canada to Saskatchewan to the west.  It is in the northern USA from Maine to Montana and as Read more

  • Daffodils

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    Daffodils (Narcissus) come up in early spring.  Their blossoms are wonderful to see indicating spring is here!  These early bloomers are great for filling in the early spring habit with blossoms for native pollinators and bees.   Daffodil bulbs are planted rather deep and therefore are deeper than most other plants.  This allows other plants to be planted in the same area Read more

  • Siberian Pea Shrub

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    Siberian Pea Shrub (Caragana arborescens) is a perennial legume shrub.  It fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil in a similar process to clover, alfalfa and beans.  I have planted them along my garage where there is a bank consisting of sandy pit run used as fill upon which my garage is built.  Siberian Pea Shrub blooms with small yellow flowers that produce seed pods with small Read more

  • Lupine

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    Lupinus, commonly known as lupin or lupine, is a flowering legume plant.    Lupine fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil.  The process is similar to other legumes such as clover, alfalfa and beans.  Lupine can improve the soil and benefits the plants around it.  This plant has very colorful flowers and many different colors varieties exist.  These flowers attract bees, beneficial insects, butterflies and hummingbirds.  Read more