If you enjoy plants, yard and garden work, learning new things and helping people, consider becoming an Extension master gardener. This volunteer program has been in Platte County since 1983, and we currently have 21 active volunteers. New volunteers join in January and early February.

Extension master gardeners are trained volunteers. In Nebraska, they assist University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in extending lawn, landscape, and garden information to youth and adults in their communities.

A master gardener might answer plant questions at the Extension office or at a master gardener booth, help with a 4-H gardening workshop, assist at the county fair, work with a local community garden or demonstration garden, or help plan an educational bus tour. Some volunteers design their own volunteer activities.

If you think you need to be an expert gardener or have many plant growing experiences to become an Extension master gardener, this is not the case. You only need to be interested in learning more about plants, meeting new people, and have the time to participate in training and volunteer outreach.

New volunteers are asked to complete 40 hours of education and return an equal number of volunteer hours throughout the year. After the first year, and once the first 40 hours are completed, returning volunteers are asked to complete 12 hours of continuing education and 12 to 20 volunteer hours annually.

Along with education about a variety of plant topics, master gardeners receive a handbook on plant care and additional literature on many plant topics. They learn about a variety of garden and landscape opportunities across the state and nationally through the International Master Gardener conference.

Additional benefits are meeting people with similar interests, sharing plants, discussing gardening successes and failures, and learning from each other, as well as the opportunity to share information with- and help others.

If you enjoy learning about plants, but do not have the time needed to become a volunteer, the lawn and garden classes are open to the general public to attend for a fee. You can choose which topics you are most interested in and attend only the sessions that are of interest to you.

Lawn and garden education sessions are held Tuesday evenings from 6:30-9 p.m. beginning Feb. 11. Topics to be covered this year are Integrated Pest Management, Diseases of Herbaceous Landscape Plants, Turfgrass Care and Management, Landscape Pollinators and Pollinator Friendly Plants, Plant Propagation, and Landscape Weed ID and Herbicide Update.

Classes are also held Thursday mornings from 9 a.m.-noon beginning Feb. 13. The topics this year include Pruning Trees, Shrubs and More; Vegetable Gardening, and two others sessions that are yet to be arranged.

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Become an Extension master gardener

Peyton Manning. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

(CBS)When the dust settled in the NFL landscape on Sunday, Peyton Manning appeared to have eclipsed Drew Brees 2011 passing record.

Manning completed 25-of-28 passes for 266 yards, good for 5,477 yards on the season one more than Brees record.But the NFL is now reviewing a 7-yard completion to Eric Decker with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter.

According to a report from ESPN, one camera angle implies the pass to Decker is a lateral, which would make it a running play. Another angle, however, shows Decker catching the ball at the Broncos 48-yard line, with Manning slightly deeper than that.

If the play stands, Manning keeps his record. If the NFL determines the play was in fact a lateral, Manning would finish with 5,470 yards, which would be the second-highest season total in league history.

Manning already broke Tom Bradys single-season touchdown record with 55 touchdowns this season.

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NFL Reviewing Peyton Manning’s Passing Record

Delawareans are encouraged to give their recycling spirit a boost after the holiday season by delivering their Christmas trees to one of many yard waste recycling facilities located throughout the state. Many of the facilities will accept the trees for free.Please note that Christmas trees are no longer accepted for recycling at any Delaware State Park locations.

Christmas trees will be accepted from familiesfor recycling until Jan. 25 at the facilities listed below. Trees will not be accepted from commercial haulers or tree vendors without prior approval. Artificial decorations, including hooks, wire, tinsel and ornaments, as well as wood and metal tree stands, must be removed from all trees before dropping them off for recycling.

Many Delawareans have been recycling their Christmas trees for many years, and we encourage everyone to establish or continue this eco-friendly tradition, said Bill Miller, program manager in the states Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Section. Recycling these trees that are a product of nature is a wonderful way of giving back to the environment.

Christmas tree recycling saves valuable landfill space. At least 18 percent of residential waste is composed of grass, leaves, brush, trees and other lawn maintenance and landscaping materials. Prior to Delawares yard waste ban, these materials - considered a resource for composting and reuse rather than waste - were deposited in landfills, taking up valuable space and limiting local markets for mulch and compost products.

Many companies such as waste haulers and landscapers also collect Christmas trees. Regular trash haulers may offer one-time collection for Christmas trees in January. For a partial listing of entities that collect Christmas trees and other yard waste, go towww.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste and click on Yard waste collection options.

Christmas trees, stripped of all decorations and detached from tree stands, can be dropped off by Delaware residents for free at any of the following locations:

Blessings Greenhouse, 9372 Draper Road, Milford; 302-393-3273; hours: Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesday, Jan. 1

Blue Hen Organics, 33529 Fox Run Road, Frankford; 302-732-3211; hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Jan. 1

Grizzlys Landscape Supply Service, 18412 The Narrow Road, Lewes; 302-644-0654; hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Jan. 1

Kaye Construction, 22288 Coverdale Road, Seaford; 302-629-7483; hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed through Jan. 1

Continued here:
Christmas tree recycling carries on statewide

Growing Together

The fruits of American viburnum can persist all winter, providing beauty and food for wildlife. David Samson / The Forum

Don Kinzler

Landscape talk in late December in North Dakota might seem a bit odd, but we have a seasonal golden opportunity. Rather than viewing six months of landscape dormancy as a season half-empty, lets relish it as half-full.

I realized the beauty of winter landscapes when we sold Christmas trees years ago. In mid-December, sales wound down, and I would look out our windows to the large display plantings that Mary and I had developed. I was struck by the quiet beauty of the shrubs and trees, their twigs and bark, shapes and colors against the snow. Evergreens contrasted with redtwig dogwood. The shaggy bark of river birch was exotic. Snow-covered benches and fences completed the scene, which would have been a photographers dream snapshot. It was serene and amazingly intriguing.

The simple beauty reminded me that we can embrace the winter landscape and enjoy its offerings. Best of all, it can be experienced looking out a window from the comfort of our home. Plus we dont need to mow the lawn yet, and the first weeds are still months away.

Lets accomplish two winter landscape tasks.

First, we can spend time looking out the window to appreciate existing nature while reawakening our sense of horticultural awe.

Second, we have the opportunity to do some thought gardening to plan improvements to our winter wonderland. When spring arrives, the last thing on my mind is our yards appearance in the dead of winter. So I should make notes now for spring implementation. Otherwise, I wont remember and it wont happen.

There are six principles for developing or improving a winter landscape:

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Growing Together: Tips for creating a beautiful winter landscape

Patio and porch containers of summer can be repurposed for holiday and winter focal points of interest.

They can be filled with evergreens and other natural materials to create interest in the same spots where the petunias grew this past summer. You may be surprised how quickly a few containers will dress up the cold and dormant winterscape. Here are some tips for keeping porch containers working through the winter.

Less is more. During the winter, there is less competition in the outdoors to draw the eye, so use fewer containers for more impact. If you normally have three pots flanking each side of your door, then scale back to one or two. Or make two large containers and minimize the amount of materials in the remaining ones.

Thriller, filler, spiller still applies. Even though the materials may be different in winter, use the same formula used to combine plants in the growing season. Use a tall element like dogwood branches for thriller, rounded items like dried pods, cones or dried flowers for filler.

Plan an easy transition from holiday to winter decor. By removing red bows or glass balls of the holidays, the rest of the container can keep the seasonal interest going until its time to plant pansies.

Scavenge your landscape for materials. Many of the components for winter containers might already be in your yard. Create your own sustainable scavenger hunt and look for:

Berries, such as red cotoneaster, blue or green juniper and orange currants.

Cones from evergreen trees and shrubs.

Seed pods and dried plants like yarrow, hydrangea or Echinacea.

Colorful deciduous branches that can be cut such as red-twig dogwood or others with an interesting shape like sumac.

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Landscape Logic column: Containers create quick winter decor

Liz Ball

Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree.

-- Herman Hesse

Landscape gifts

Just because we are transitioning into a winter season, do not assume home landscapes are doomed to become dull and unattractive. Whether the landscape is covered with snow or not, the plants there still can offer a lot of beauty and interest.

Why not make a point of noticing how your plants, and those in neighbors yards, are showing off this winter? Start now to spot fluffy or dry seed heads on ornamental grasses, dried flower husks on trees and shrubs, cones on conifers and interesting peeling, patchy or striped bark visible on woody plants that have lost their leaves.

Some plants reveal colorful yellow or red stems, others have branches that weep or are contorted. There will be berries on vines and shrubs. Some plants display interesting buds for next springs flowers all winter.

As the winter season progresses, yes, you will start to see flowers from bulbs and certain plants such as native witchhazel trees, hellebores and winterhazel. A winter of observation will assure you that with plants, there is never a dull moment.

Do you know?

-- Homeowners spend upwards of $500 a year on yard and garden care. Continued...

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Yardening

Creating curb appeal is one of those landscaping areas where you want your front yard to stand out from surrounding yards without being totally out of place from the rest of the neighborhood. Keep that in mind while looking at these pictures.

Along with this gallery, there are several examples front yard landscape designs and curb appeal in the designs gallery. There's also one rather interesting idea that I created that's worth taking a look at. See: curb appeal.

You'll find it much easier to come up with an idea if you don't try to find an exact match for your yard. Gather ideas from several sources and mix and match. Generally, most yards are unique in shape. It can be very frustrating to try and find an exact example of your front yard.

This gallery is free to visitors of The Landscape Design Site. Also see my original pictures gallery for more photos, examples, and plans.

Click On Image For Larger Photo

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View As Slideshow Below

Find A Landscape Designer Or Contractors

Original post:
Front Yard Landscaping For Curb Appeal

Q: Before all this snow came and covered the ground, I saw plants that looked like dandelions. However, I remembered that there are other weeds that look like dandelions and wondered if they may be a problem. What can I do about them?

A: There are several weeds that are common and in their juvenile stage look much like dandelions. London rocket (a common relative of mustard), prickly lettuce and some sowthistle seedlings may be what you observed. They will survive the cold weather and can be problems in your garden next year. Some are perennial and others are annual weeds. Your local NMSU Extension Service office can help you identify these weeds and determine appropriate measures to manage specific weeds.

London rocket, a mustard weed, is a host known to overwinter curly top virus which will infect your tomatoes and chiles next year. For that reason, it is important to eliminate as many of them as possible from the vicinity of your garden (from as much of your property as possible). It is recognizable by the mustard oil fragrance of its crushed leaves. It is not prickly like some of the other weeds mentioned.

Prickly lettuce and sowthistles are in the sunflower family because they have flowers with the same structure as sunflowers, but their flower heads are much smaller. They are often prickly and when the leaves and stem are broken usually exude a milky sap. Some are annual and biennial weeds and some are perennial. This characteristic determines how you must manage these weeds. They are not as notorious as the mustards for spreading disease, but they are not good plants to allow near your garden.

With the annual weeds such as mustards, prickly lettuce and some sowthistles, the key is to remove them before they can form seeds. This may be done with herbicides, but manual removal is often fairly easy to accomplish by cutting the top from the root with a hoe or another garden implement. The mustard weeds should absolutely be removed before you plant tomatoes and chiles next spring.

The perennial weeds are a little more difficult to manage because they can regrow from a small piece of root left in the ground. Some of these weeds can have an extensive root system, so physical management by hoeing and tilling becomes more difficult, but not impossible. There are also herbicides that may be used to manage these weeds, but it is critical to use the proper product and to use it carefully according to the label direction. Your NMSU County Extension agent can help you determine the best method for managing your weeds and minimizing problems in your garden. You will also find that the book, Weeds of the West, published by the Western Society of Weed Science is a good reference for helping you identify the weeds in your garden and landscape.

Send your gardening questions to Yard and Garden, Attn: Dr. Curtis Smith, NMSU Agricultural Science Center, 1036 Miller Rd. SW, Los Lunas, NM 87031. Curtis W. Smith, Ph.D., is an Extension Horticulture Specialist emeritus with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

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Yard & Garden: Some destructive weeds mimic dandelions

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. With just more than 2 minutes left in the New Mexico Bowl, Washington State held an eight-point lead against an opponent that had been outmanned and outclassed throughout the game and had no timeoutsleft.

Fans eyed the exits, reporters across the social media landscape wrote the game off as over and just about everyone in the stadium was certain that WSU had alreadywon.

Everyone, including theCougars.

We got too complacent; kind of thought we won the game early, senior Justin Sagote said after the Cougars 48-45 loss to ColoradoState.

CSU linebacker Shaquil Barrett

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Colorado States Jake Schlager, right, recovers fumble by WSUs Teondray Caldwell (34) on late kickoff returnSaturday. (Full-size photo)

TimePlay Score

2:52Grayson 12-yard TD pass to Vaden. Roberts converts the PAT45-37

The rest is here:
WSU blows 8-point lead over CSU with 2 minutes left - Sun, 22 Dec 2013 PST

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. With just more than 2 minutes left in the New Mexico Bowl, Washington State held an eight-point lead against an opponent which had been outmanned and outclassed throughout the game and had no timeouts left. Fans eyed the exits, reporters across the social media landscape wrote the game off as over and just about everyone in the stadium were certain that WSU had already won. Everyone, including the Cougars. We got too complacent, kind of thought we won the game early, senior Justin Sagote said after the Cougars 48-45 loss to Colorado State. CSU linebacker Shaquil Barrett

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Associated Press photo

Washington Staterunning back Theron West (24) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Marcus Mason during the first half of the New Mexico Bowl NCAA college football game against ColoradoState (Full-size photo)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. With just more than 2 minutes left in the New Mexico Bowl, Washington State held an eight-point lead against an opponent which had been outmanned and outclassed throughout the game and had no timeouts left.

Fans eyed the exits, reporters across the social media landscape wrote the game off as over and just about everyone in the stadium were certain that WSU had already won.

Everyone, including the Cougars.

We got too complacent, kind of thought we won the game early, senior Justin Sagote said after the Cougars 48-45 loss to Colorado State.

CSU linebacker Shaquil Barrett forced a fumble, recovered it himself, and the Rams promptly scored, tying the game on the two-point conversion by running a delayed handoff to Donnell Alexander known as the Statue of Liberty play.

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Colorado State rallies to beat WSU, 48-45 - Sat, 21 Dec 2013 PST