'Leaf' it to nature for compost and nutrients
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some gardeners take a hands-off approach to leaves. But leaves left on lawns can pack down into a tight mat, preventing sunlight from reaching the grass, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Leaves also trap and hold moisture, which increases the potential for disease.However, tree leaves can be a valuable asset to gardeners who want to start a compost pile or add nutrients to lawns,…
Heirloom apples are ripe for the picking
COLUMBIA, Mo. – September is prime apple picking time in the lower Midwestern states.Not only are new cultivars available in stores during September, but many heirloom apple cultivars are at their peak in farm markets and U-pick operations, says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
Conditions are right now for cracking, splitting tomatoes
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Gardeners might notice that their tomatoes are cracking or splitting now.“This is a common problem when there are widely varying soil moisture conditions, especially during the hot, dry days of late summer,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Budding flower business benefits from drip irrigation
HUNTSVILLE, Mo. – When Amanda Quinn quadrupled the growing space at her Randolph County flower farm, she didn’t want to quadruple the time spent watering flowers.Quinn, owner of “bloom: Cut Flower Farm,” contacted University of Missouri Extension specialist Dan Downing for advice about drip irrigation systems. She had attended an MU Extension demonstration of a drip irrigation system last year at a flower farm in La Plata.
Cool-loving Chinese cabbage grows well in Missouri autumns
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The warm, sunny days and cool nights of fall in Missouri provide ideal growing conditions for cool-season vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.“The Chinese cabbage group, which includes napa and bok choy, grows best under short days with temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees,” Trinklein said.
Perennial of the Year steeped in American patriotism
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When American colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in 1773 as a political protest, they faced a dilemma. What could they use to make tea, since the continued drinking of British tea would be deemed unpatriotic?
MU Extension horticulturist searches for rare Ozark butterfly
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Kelly McGowan is on the hunt for the elusive Ozark woodland swallowtail, a pollinator unique to the Ozark region of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas.
MU Master Gardener blooms with floral subscription service
CLARENCE, Mo. – Pam Stenger keeps memories of her grandmother’s flower garden alive by offering floral bouquets through a Community Supported Agriculture subscription service.
Watermelon: The food of angels
COLUMBIA, Mo. – July, National Watermelon Month, is the time to celebrate this thirst-quenching, vitamin-rich garden delight.Mark Twain wrote that one who has tasted watermelon “knows what the angels eat.”“Aptly named, watermelon is 92% water,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. It is part of the gourd family, which also includes cucumber, squash, pumpkin and muskmelon.
Celebrate Christmas in July with painted leaf poinsettia
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Plant lovers who can’t wait until December for Christmas poinsettias can celebrate in July. Although not as splashy as its winter relative, painted leaf poinsettia is a mid-year gift, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.
Gooseberry: Small but mighty
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Gooseberry grows as a small deciduous shrub with edible fruit,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.Gooseberry clubs once popular
Healthy communities begin with healthy food
PARIS, Mo. – Healthy communities grow in bountiful gardens.A partnership between University of Missouri Extension and groups in the Mark Twain Lake area is teaching people in Monroe County to grow and use fresh produce.
Peonies thrive on neglect, can live more than 100 years
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Peonies serve as the traditional flower of Memorial Day. Their huge, lavish blossoms stand as fragrant sentinels in country cemeteries, conjuring memories of times and people past.In the 1800s, when the holiday was called Decoration Day, peonies were one of the few flowers in bloom in late May and were widely used to adorn the graves of fallen soldiers, said David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension…
Low temperatures leave plants in the cold
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Winter-hardy perennial flowers likely will survive April’s historic low temperatures across Missouri, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.Their tender annual counterparts, however, may not be so lucky.MU Extension horticulturists across the state answered numerous calls from concerned gardeners about freeze damage to their flowers and flowering shrubs as temperatures dropped into the 20s.
A masterpiece of inclusion: Ferguson Farmers Market community garden
FERGUSON, Mo. – Many dabble in the art of gardening, but Ron Brown takes its meaning to a new level. One of his masterpieces is the accessible garden he has designed for participants in United Cerebral Palsy Heartland’s day programs.
From overlooked plot to community hub: Wildwood YMCA gardens
WILDWOOD, Mo. – For Jodi Smedley, being a Master Gardener is about much more than gardening. Through her work with the Wildwood YMCA, Smedley has realized the impact gardening can have on everyday life and the community as a whole.
Master Gardeners do more than garden
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Patience is lawn owner's friend in March
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Be mellow until the forsythia turns yellow.That’s the advice from University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Lee Miller for applying crabgrass pre-emergent herbicides to lawns.“The forsythia bloom has been used as a phenological indicator on when to apply pre-emergent herbicides and it’s a fairly easy and obvious sign,” he says.
Pansy: Not just another pretty face
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nothing says spring like the shining faces of pansies.But pansies aren’t just for spring, says David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
Grant aims to improve lavender growing in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missourians may learn more about lavender thanks to a grant to University of Missouri Extension from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.The $39,274 grant will determine standardized growing practices for lavender in Missouri.It is one of four grants recently awarded by the Missouri Department of Agriculture to MU Extension. Federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant…
Norfolk Island pine: A houseplant for the holidays and beyond
NEVADA, Mo. – If you don’t have time or space for a large Christmas tree, consider a Norfolk Island pine.“Many stores sell these evergreen houseplants during the holidays,” says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Pat Miller. “These easy-to-grow plants often come decorated and are perfect for gift-giving or to keep for yourself.”
Poinsettia: America's most popular flower
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Poinsettia is our nation’s most popular potted flowering plant. What makes this remarkable is that most poinsettias are sold between the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.Despite its short sales period, poinsettia contributed $170 million to the U.S. economy last year, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Native to southern Mexico and Central America, poinsettia has become symbolic…
Tropical plants can overwinter indoors
COLUMBIA, Mo. – You may not get to take a tropical vacation this year, but you can bring the tropics inside your home.With the right light and temperature, it is possible to keep tropical patio plants indoors for another summer of enjoyment.“The colorful flowers, ability to tolerate hot temperatures and carefree nature of tropical plants make them a welcome addition to the home landscape,” said University of Missouri Extension…
Missouri’s fall foliage color show begins soon
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall color is kind of like Christmas morning, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. “You don’t know if you are going to get an orange or a lump of coal in your stocking.” Some years are better than others, he says, and about once a decade, colors really pop. “Unfortunately, because of the recent warm weather that followed a rather dry late summer, it does not appear as if 2021 will be one…
Flower math: Divide and multiply
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is the perfect time to share the love of flower power with neighbors, friends and family, says David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.As spring-flowering bulbs such as tulip and narcissus grow, they produce offshoots adjacent to the original bulb. When these bulb clusters become overgrown, flower numbers usually decline. This is a good indication it is time to rejuvenate the bulb cluster…