Lawns need about one inch of water per week. During the hottest part of summer, they may need one and a half inches. Do you know how much water your irrigation system applies? Lawns require uniform watering so one area is not under watered while another is overwatered. Do you know if your system waters uniformly? Lawns are best watered deeply but infrequently. Do you know what this means and if you’re watering program meets this recommendation?

Currently most of southeast Nebraska is in the ‘Moderate Drought’ level on the drought monitor. As we move into the spring and summer we could see the drought continue and irrigation will be critical.

We don’t think about our outdoor plants much in the winter months. Once plants go dormant for the year many people believe that they need nothing until spring, but that isn’t the case, especially in years with low or no snow or rain throughout the winter months. And this year it has been very dry with little snow cover. The Beatrice area has only received a little over 1 inch of precipitation since October, compared to just over 3 inches in normal years. 

Winter Watering

It’s definitely getting colder outside. Winter isn’t officially here yet, but it is on its way. This is the time of the year where we give up on plants, but there are some things to consider prior to winter to ensure their survival.

Winter Care of Turf

In spring 2021, many gardeners and landscape managers in eastern Nebraska had severe plant damage to boxwood shrubs. In many cases, entire plants were dead. In others, all branches above the protecting snow line were brown, dried and dead. Although boxwood was not the only type of plant showing damage in spring 2021, why was the damage so widespread on this species?