Category: October 2017

Brainy Babies – Fall Program Offerings

Brainy Babies in an interactive child + parent story hour for children birth through age 3. Through playful learning activities, each child and adult will grow and learn together. The interactive series encourages and stimulates learning while enhancing the relationship between adult and child. Brainy Babies programs are scheduled to take place at the public libraries in Kensington, Lincoln, and Sylvan Grove throughout the fall. The Post Rock District is also involved with the Sprouts 0-3 program at the Osborne library. For complete details about Brainy Babies visit:

http://www.postrock.k-state.edu/events/.

  • October 16 – 5:15-6:15pm – Kensington Community Library
  • October 18 & 25 – 5:30-6:15pm – Sylvan Grove Public Library
  • November 9 & 16 – 5:30-6:15pm – Lincoln Carnegie Library

By:  Nora Rhoades

Fall is the Perfect Time to Plant a Tree

You may have heard the Chinese Proverb “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now.”  Trees offer shade and beauty in our landscapes as well as reducing utility costs and providing food sources and habitat for wildlife, and the fall season is an excellent time to plant trees. In the spring, soils are cold and may be so wet that there isn’t enough oxygen for adequate root growth. Fall soils are warm and moist which encourages growth. When planted in fall, the tree becomes established well before a spring planted tree and is able to withstand summer stresses.

Learn how to pick the perfect tree at:

http://www.postrock.k-state.edu/docs/answers-column/horticulture-answers/Newspaper%20September%208%202017%205%20Steps%20to%20Planting%20a%20Tree.pdf

To learn how to properly plant a tree, watch this short video:

By: Cassie Homan

Youth Enrichment Offerings

The Post Rock District has a variety of opportunities to collaborate with educators and community leaders. Our supplemental activities will provide hands-on learning for students and help you meet academic standards. Youth enrichment offerings are scheduled with the presenting agent on a first come, first serve basis throughout the school year. To view the 2017-2018 youth enrichment offerings contact your local Post Rock District Office or visit http://www.postrock.k-state.edu/4-h/youth-enrichment/index.html.

By:  Nora Rhoades

Painted Lady Invasion

If you take a walk outside in the Post Rock area, chances are you will see a painted lady butterfly fluttering around you.

Often confused with the Monarch butterfly, painted ladies have been invading our streets, lawns, and gardens. Painted lady butterflies are an intense reddish- orange color that varies from butterfly to butterfly. They have a somewhat pointed forewing that has distinctive white dots in the upper regions. Monarchs, on the other hand are a lighter orange color with a more recognizable black, orange, and white pattern on their wings. An easy way to tell if you are looking at a Monarch or painted lady is to determine the butterflies size. Painted ladies have a wingspan of about 2 to 2 ½ inches, monarchs are almost double the size with a wingspan of 3 to 4 inches.

Learn more at:

http://entomology.k-state.edu/doc/extension-newsletters/2017/KSInsectNewsletter%2025.pdf

By: Cassie Homan

Tips for Creating a Household Inventory

In 2017, throughout Kansas we’ve already experienced drought, wildfires, a spring blizzard, flooding, tornadoes, hazardous wind, and extreme heat advisories. Disasters do not plan ahead, but that doesn’t mean you can’t!

Being prepared for the disasters that may affect your home, business and community is important. Taking inventory of what you have and recording it is a good place to start. After all, you do not know where to get back to if you don’t know where you started, right?

Checkout “Tips for Creating a Household Inventory” on the Post Rock District Blog.

By:  Nora Rhoades

Fall Mums

Nature always gives us signals as seasons change. When summer starts to shift toward fall, the leaves begin to change colors. Another sure sign that fall is right around the corner is the arrival of colorful and beautiful fall mums in garden centers.

Now is the time to plan how and where to use these plants effectively around your home and landscape. A newer trend for growers is to mix colors in containers, so be ready for even more decisions.

Watch this video for information on how to get your mums to last through the winter:

By: Cassie Homan