We talk about them all the time, but what exactly is a sedge? Why can’t we call them grasses? Why do we love them so much? Bob Henrickson joins us this week to answer all our sedge questions!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

We love grasses, native, ornamental, even annual! It's hard to imagine gardening in the Great Plains without them. They create the base and backdrop for native flowers while creating a sense of place in a prairie state. Grasses are also critical habitat for butterflies, moths, and other pollinating insects.

Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Find us on Patreon for early episode releases and extra photos

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Need help planning a summer vacation or family trip? Justin Evertson (Green Infrastructure Coordinator) and John Woodworth (Community Forester) join us to talk about our favorite trips to public gardens across the state.

Through the American Horticultural Society's reciprocal admissions program, NSA members can receive perks like free admission, free parking, entrance to special exhibits, and other discounts at over 380 public gardens across North America!

Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Need help planning a summer vacation or family trip? Justin Evertson (Green Infrastructure Coordinator) and John Woodworth (Community Forester) join us to talk about our favorite trips to public gardens across the state.

Through the American Horticultural Society's reciprocal admissions program, NSA members can receive perks like free admission, free parking, entrance to special exhibits, and other discounts at over 380 public gardens across North America!

Learn more about becoming a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

This information and scripts for emails and phone calls are available here: https://plantnebraska.org/how-to-help/advocacy.html

The President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 “Skinny Budget” threatens to eliminate the U.S. Forest Service’s State, Private, and Tribal Forestry (SPTF) programs—a move that would have devastating consequences for communities, volunteer fire departments, landowners, and forests across Nebraska. 

These programs directly support wildfire prevention, volunteer fire departments, reforestation, community forestry, forest health, and rural economic resilience. Their elimination would leave Nebraska communities without the resources, tools, and partnerships needed to protect lives, property, and the environment. 

These programs provide funding for various community forestry activities, including: 

• NFS technical assistance to help communities make informed decisions, such as tree inventories, inventory software access, evaluation of at-risk trees, arborist training, municipal staff training, tree board assistance, ordinance drafting, forest management support, and much more.   
• Support for programs like Tree City USA, Tree Care workshops, and events.  
• Arborist support includes low-cost or free CEU trainings and arborist prep. 
• Forest health diagnostics and monitoring.  
• Pass-through funding for initiatives like the Free Tree for Fall Tree Planting program and the IRA. 

In addition, federal funding provides: 

• Equipment and training for volunteer fire districts 
• Wildfire mitigation funding 
• Forest management activities. 

You can take immediate action to help preserve these essential programs by: 

1. Contact Nebraska's Congressional Delegation 

Reach out to your Representative and U.S. Senators by phone, email, or letter and urge them to protect funding for SPTF programs in the FY 2026 budget. 

You can find contact information for Nebraska’s federal delegation here: 

• Senator Deb Fischer: https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/?p=email-deb 
• Washington, D.C. office (202) 224-6551 
• Senator Pete Ricketts: https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact/share-your-opinion/  
• Washington, D.C. office (202) 224-4224 

• Find your U.S. House Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative  
• District 1: Congressman Mike Flood: https://flood.house.gov/contact  
• Washington, D.C. office  (202) 225-4806 

• District 2: Congressman Don Bacon: https://bacon.house.gov/contact/  
• Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-4155 

• District 3:  Congressman Adrian, Smith: https://adriansmith.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact  
• Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-6435 

2. Share Your Story 

When you reach out,  please be specific and personal. Share how these forestry programs have made a difference in your life, community, or work. Whether you are a fire chief, city leader, landowner, or citizen advocate, your voice and your experience are powerful. 

Please consider including: 

• How your community has benefited from SPTF-supported projects or funding. 
• How these programs have helped prevent wildfire or improve forest health. 
• What the consequences would be if this funding is lost. 

We know our listeners enjoy learning about plants they should consider or try each year and we like to make those lists based on a theme. We've done pollinator habitat, we've done other wildlife, we've done shrubs, etc. This year we're going through our team (at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Nebraska Forest Service) and sharing everyone's signature, or favorite plants.

Anyone who regularly designs landscapes, helps people select plants, or influences what is planted in public spaces eventually ends up with a toolbox of their favorite species. These are our tried and true, dependable problem solving plants- or just our favorites to see growing.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Plants are often used to screen visually, for protection from wind, and to limit sound pollution from roadways. One of the most common questions we get is how to select trees, shrubs, grasses (and even perennials) for use in a screen or ‘Living Fence’. Today we’re discussing some of our go-to plants as well as the framework for designing a living fence or creating a visual screen.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

Thanks to the Lied Center, we had the opportunity to meet Dr. Tyson over Zoom and ask him two questions related to his Cosmic Perspective talk! He will be at the Lied Center tonight for a sold-out show. This week we’re partnering with the Lied Center to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day, check out the show notes for our tips and events.

We hope to see you at Spring Affair this weekend!

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: ttps://plantnebraska.org/podcast

For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska. https://www.patreon.com/NebraskaStatewideArboretum

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NebraskaStatewideArboretum on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

This week, we're Growing Deeper into a topic introduced in an episode of our Plant Talk webinar series (watch here). Keystone species, an idea discussed by entomologist Doug Tallamy in several of his books, are a foundation of healthy, functioning habitat. Today we're discussing some of the keystone species of the Great Plains and how understanding this theory impacts the way we design urban greenspaces.

You don't want to miss the full show notes this week, they are packed full of great (and a few funny) links! https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org

This was by far been one of the most popular episodes we have recorded. It's practical, it's helpful, and it brings us hope of spring and new projects. Whether you are a new or longtime listener, we hope you enjoy this look back at how to prepare a new garden bed or get ready to replant an old one. An insider tip: as gardeners we're always in a hurry to get outside so we often shorten well used phrases like "preparing a new bed" to "bed prep".

We talk about everything from killing and removing turf to improving your soil and composting. We also share our favorite garden tools and how to maintain them, so they work for you and not against you.

For more in-depth show notes visit Bloom Box: Growing Deeper at: https://plantnebraska.org/podcast

Send us your questions at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail.

Follow us @NEBloomBox on Facebook and Instagram

Follow us @growingwithbloombox on Pinterest

Learn more about Bloom Box: https://plantnebraska.org/bloom-box

Learn more about the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: https://plantnebraska.org