Local Interest

Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator in Dodge County 

Urban dwellers either praise or curse the black walnut (Juglans nigra). Some find the tree troublesome because of the nuts they drop, the juglone (a natural herbicide) secreted into the soil to kill nearby plants, and the increased number of squirrels in the neighborhood. Supporters of black walnut like the tree because it is native, well adapted to the precipitation and temperature variations of Midwest weather, is stately, grows valuable wood and nuts, and provides food for wildlife.

Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Educator in Dodge County

Does the woolly bear caterpillar forecast the weather?  Stories on websites, podcasts, blogs, newsfeeds, television, and radio like to add to the speculation, but could it be possible this furry caterpillar that rolls up into a ball when disturbed is just that—a furry caterpillar that rolls up into a ball when disturbed?!

Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator in Dodge County

If you are a creature of tidiness, here is a thought to ponder. Cutting back the foliage of flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, and small shrubs is damaging to native bees that overwinter in the hollow stems of plants.  Moisture seeps down through the open ends, killing the eggs, larvae, and pupae of native bees that are set to emerge as adult bees come spring.

Nebraska Extension has four excellent opportunities for full-time faculty positions located in Columbus, Schuyler, Fremont, and Lincoln, NE.  As active participants in the Nebraska Water and Cropping Systems (WICS) Team, the educators' primary responsibility is to develop and deliver educational programs and resources within a geographic area. To view details of the position and create an application, go to http://employment.unl.edu, requisition F_210170.

The attached document has the information you need to apply for this employement opportunity.  

Garden Update
Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension in Dodge County

This is the time of year when fungi become the topic of conversation. What most people find alarming is the speed with which conks, mushrooms, and puffballs develop. In some cases, it is literally overnight. What is visible are the sporulating structures—the part of fungi that produces the next generation.  A good way to think of this is plants make seeds to produce the next generation, fungi produce spores. These spore-producing structures are varied and fascinating, and most people who ask about them are wanting to eat them.

Garden Update
Kathleen Cue, Nebraska Extension Horticulture Educator in Dodge County

It is not unusual for some plants to blossom out of season.  Magnolia, crabapple, lilac, and forsythia are notably spring-blooming plants, but stressful growing conditions can instigate a type of dormancy that pushes flowering to later in the season. Lilacs are a great example this year. 

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