By Jeff Bradshaw, Extension Entomology Specialist, Panhandle Research & Extension Center
Local Interest
By Robert Klein, Emeritus Extension Professor, UNL West Central Research & Extension Center
Cody Creech, Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist, UNL Panhandle Research & Extension Center. Amanda Easterly, Research Assistant Professor, HPAL
By Laurie Stepanek, NFS Forest Health Specialist
When freeze warnings are posted, gardeners carefully cover susceptible garden vegetables and flowers with blankets, sheets, buckets, and garbage cans. But larger shrubs and trees must fend for themselves. The freeze this past weekend left many woody plants across the panhandle with brown, drooping leaves and shoots.
“The first few weeks of May were unusually warm, which pushed a lot of new growth on our trees,” said Chrissy Land, Western Community Forester with the Nebraska Forest Service. “This new growth is very susceptible to freeze. I noticed damage on a wide range of trees: oak, ginkgo, Kentucky coffeetree, honeylocust, catalpa, redbud, and ash.”
Join us in June by attending the Cheyenne & Deuel County 4-H Summer Workshops
Choose one or all of the following workshops. Youth will make exhibits that can be entered in the Deuel or Cheyenne County Fair.
Love Bug Pillow Cricut Wall Hanging Light House Pour Painting, Wood Welcome Sign & Wood Flowers Wooden Truck Welcome Door Hanger Photography Bug Camp Stacking Birds Painting Paint Stick Mirror Epoxy Coasters Design CampThis project is open to all youth of 4-H age and it will give them the opportunity to learn about growing, harvesting, and exhibiting this unique flower.
The Special Gardening Project lets 4-H members try their hand at growing unusual vegetables and flowers. The project allows experienced 4-H gardeners to grow something fun, new, and different while letting those new to gardening get their feet wet in this project area.
The focus of the 2022 project is the Rubenza Cosmos. The flowers of the Rubenza are unique, the petals change color as they age. Pollinators and beneficial insects are attracted to the blooms all summer long. These cosmos make great cut flowers. Be sure to enjoy a bouquet of Rubenza indoors.