Lincoln County Conservation District
Home Grown and Local Agriculture
Gardens and Landscapes
Lincoln County is located in the USDA growing zones 6a, 6b and 7a with annual precipitation averaging between 12 and 20 inches. The native plants and crops that grow in our county tend to prefer a high level of sun and can tolerate heat and dry conditions. These conditions can also cause certain weeds and diseases to affect the plants that we want growing. The links provided below will take you to resources for preventing, treating and identifying these concerns, and give you ideas for making
Pollinators are responsible for colorful flower blooms and the fruit and vegetables we all enjoy after harvesting. One way to welcome pollinators to your garden, especially in the heat of the summer, is to make a water station for them. Follow the guide below to create a refreshing, safe place for pollinators to visit your garden!
Runoff Simulation
Runoff Simulation
Water Cycle
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The water you drank this morning might have been the same water that once rained down on a Tyrannosaurus, froze on a woolly mammoth, flowed down the Nile to bring new silt to an Egyptian farm – or filled the bathing pool of Julius Caesar. The water we use now is the same supply that has been on Earth for billions of years. Its quality is renewed again and again by the natural water (hydrologic) cycle.
Water itself is the only substance that exists in liquid, gas and solid form – the keys to the water cycle. Here’s how the cycle works:
Water evaporates from oceans, rivers, and lakes (water in its liquid form) and rises into the atmosphere (water in its gas form) where it condenses to form clouds. Precipitation then falls to the earth in the form of rain (water in its liquid) or snow (water in its solid form) where it flows into oceans, rivers, and lakes and the process begins again.
Water is the most precious renewable resource on Earth, defining our planet as a glowing blue marble floating in the frozen black of space. Life cannot exist without water – this includes humans who cannot live more than a few days without water. Although water covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, freshwater is limited – 97% is saltwater. Of the remaining 3%, less than 1% is the freshwater that flows in our streams and lakes or is stored in our groundwater aquifers
Pollinator Watering Station
Pollinators are responsible for colorful flower blooms and the fruit and vegetables we all enjoy after harvesting. One way to welcome pollinators to your garden, especially in the heat of the summer, is to make a water station for them. Follow the guide below to create a refreshing, safe place for pollinators to visit your garden!
Materials
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Container
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Rocks or other dimensional objects
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Water
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Cuttings or fallen flowers/leaves
Background Information
All insects need water to survive, and while most herbivorous insects get enough hydration from the nectar or plant parts that they eat, during the heat of summer some may search for additional water sources. Carnivorous insects often seek water sources outside their food sources – from dew drops, fruits, the edges of ponds, etc. Honeybees even collect water and bring it back to their hives to regulate temperature and thin their honey. But on a hot summer's day, lower-volume water sources tend to dry up, and large-volume water sources pose the threat of drowning. In this activity, kids create a water source with enough water to outlast a sunny day and enough dry surface from which insects can safely drink. This easy activity requires simple materials and can be done in a garden or other outdoor setting.
Instructions
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Discuss some basic bug biology with kids, drawing connections between our needs and those of beneficial insects like pollinators (e.g., we all need food, water, and safety).
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Have kids collect fresh or fallen flowers and leaves. You can emphasize the importance of gathering in moderation, leaving some flowers and leaves for animals that eat them or use them for habitat.
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Provide kids with a container and rocks (or other dimensional objects like shells or bottle caps). Having kids do this in groups also promotes collaboration and teamwork.
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Instruct kids to cover almost the entire bottom of the container with rocks, leaving small amounts of space between them.
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Explain that the trick to a pollinator water station is to create dry “islands” surrounded by water. That way, wherever a bug lands it both has access to water and a safe, dry spot to pause and rest while drinking. Have kids add water halfway up the height of the rocks (islands) so that water covers the bottom of the container while the tops of the rocks remain dry.
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Lastly, decorate the water fountain by adding sprigs of flowers and leaves to grab the attention of beneficial bugs and add visual interest.
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Place the water station in the shade near flowering plants and check it daily, adding fresh water as necessary.