Lawn and garden

Features

USDA updates plant hardiness zones

In the first overhaul of the map in more than 20 years, many areas are finding that warmer winters now allow plants that formerly only neighbors to the south could enjoy.

Blast furnace summer turned some evergreens to everbrowns (PDF)

Some 8-foot-tall Green Giant arborvitae trees on campus are completely dead.

Your garden after the freeze

The growing season has ended and many gardeners are heading out to clean up what the frost has left behind. But some gardeners don't bother with fall cleanup.

Overwintering tropical plants

Many tropical plants thrive in the heat and humidity of a typical Missouri summer and can make great outdoor patio plants. But as temperatures drop in the fall, conditions can quickly become deadly.

MU Master Gardener program forms state association

Online training will nurture Missouri green thumbs.

Herbicide injury appearing in evergreens

A new herbicide is the suspected cause of damage to evergreens and other landscape trees. Lawn-care professionals began using the product this spring.

Remedies exist for trees wounded by storm

Repair may be in order to keep storm-damaged trees healthy and less susceptible to disease and insects.

Pull it or leave it?

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if that unfamiliar plant is a weed or not. Other times you know it's a weed but not the name. WeedID Guide can help identify them at various stages of growth.

News

• USDA updates plant hardiness zone maps for first time since 1990
  Tuesday, January 31, 2012
  CLAYTON, Mo. – Gardeners are familiar with the ubiquitous map that graces the back of seed packages and care labels that accompany most perennials.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• The secret's in the soil
  Tuesday, January 31, 2012
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – A healthy garden starts from the ground up.
• New potential pest raises big stink, upsetting farmers and homeowners
  Tuesday, January 3, 2012
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new, stinkier stink bug may hitchhike into Missouri this year to destroy crops and upset homeowners, says a University of Missouri Extension entomologist.
  
  Media available: 2 photos
• Missourians urged to report drought information online
  Thursday, October 27, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Has drought affected your farm, business or community? Missourians can help scientists and decision-makers assess, plan for and respond to droughts by using a simple online tool to report local conditions, said a University of Missouri Extension climatologist.
• Fighting moles is an uphill battle
  Friday, October 21, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Moles have been extra busy this autumn, and you can almost see the resentment rise in homeowners as they survey their spoiled yards.
• Chrysanthemums offer antidote to colorless fall flower beds and gardens
  Wednesday, October 19, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo.– Flower beds and porch fronts need not languish as summer flowers succumb to fall’s cold touch.
• Plant Dutch bulbs now for springtime surprise
  Wednesday, October 19, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. — Now is the time to prepare for some of the earliest arrivals of spring: flowers borne by Dutch bulbs.
• Don't throw away those pumpkin seeds
  Tuesday, October 18, 2011
  BUTLER, Mo. – One of the best rewards during pumpkin carving season are the seeds. They can be roasted, boiled, dehydrated and even microwaved. They make a healthy snack or a tasty addition to salads, soups, sautéed vegetables and baked goods.
• Pumpkin, pumpkin big and round
  Thursday, October 13, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – The dark orange pumpkin is a mainstay in American culture. Washington Irving’s "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" gave us chills as the headless horseman hurled pumpkins at his hapless victims. Thanks to the genius of the late Charles Schulz, we shared Linus’ anticipation while he awaited the arrival of the Great Pumpkin.
• Overwintering tropical plants
  Thursday, October 6, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo.– Many tropical plants thrive in the heat and humidity of a typical Missouri summer and can make great outdoor patio plants. But as temperatures drop in the fall, conditions can quickly become deadly.
• Farm to School program thrives in its second year
  Wednesday, October 5, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Rick Boudreau’s deliveries may seem ordinary, but the boxes of local produce he carries into Columbia elementary schools help students eat healthier.
  
  Media available: 5 photos; 1 videos
• Fall leaves and faded garden plants make great compost
  Tuesday, October 4, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Curbside leaf and brush removal dates will be here before we know it. If you dread filling sacks with fallen leaves, a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist suggests a less agonizing and more rewarding alternative.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• MU Master Gardener program forms state association
  Friday, September 30, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Every garden needs tender, loving care, and the same goes for the program that helps Missourians learn vital skills to tend those gardens.
• MU Extension in the palm of your hand
  Friday, September 30, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Access to University of Missouri Extension expertise is now mobile.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Breathe new life into perennials with a little garden surgery
  Wednesday, September 28, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo.– Some perennials can suffer from too much of a good thing.
• Using trellises for home vineyards
  Monday, September 19, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Good fences make for good neighbors, especially if the fence provides fresh, homegrown fruit every year.
  
  Media available: 2 photos
• Remedies exist for trees wounded by storm
  Thursday, August 18, 2011
  GALENA, Mo. — Repair may be in order to keep storm-damaged trees healthy and less susceptible to disease and insects, says a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.
• August surprise: Lycoris
  Thursday, August 4, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo.– For Missouri gardeners, August may be the cruelest month. Plants are showing wear and tear from summer heat, the luster of once-showy plants is beginning to fade, and there’s still plenty of work to do.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Risk of West Nile virus remains low despite mosquito boom in flood areas
  Tuesday, August 2, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mosquito populations along the Missouri River have skyrocketed due to recent flooding.
  
  Media available: 1 video
• New herbicide suspect as evergreen deaths pile up
  Friday, July 22, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new herbicide may be taking the green out of many evergreens.
  
  Media available: 2 photos; 1 videos
• Snakes on a flood plain
  Friday, July 22, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Floods and severe storms can leave more than just people homeless. Displaced snakes, rodents and other nuisance wildlife often will seek shelter and food in areas close to people, said Bob Pierce, MU Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.
• Horseradish: This cool root packs heat
  Monday, July 18, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – Chili peppers get all the attention these days, but don’t overlook humble horseradish if you’re looking for ways to spice up a dish, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. It might even help you cope with the heat.
• Japanese beetle scourge hits fields and lawns across Missouri
  Wednesday, July 13, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – If the leaves of your roses, shrubs or soybeans look like swiss cheese, the culprit could be Japanese beetles.
  
  Media available: 1 photo; 1 video
• Would corn by any other name taste as sweet?
  Thursday, May 26, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo.—Nothing is quite like sinking your teeth into this year’s first ears of sweet corn.
• Thinking beyond the green bean
  Thursday, May 19, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Green beans are a staple in many vegetable gardens. A University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist suggests making room for other types of beans as well.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• New MU website helps ID common weeds
  Friday, May 6, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new website from the University of Missouri Weed Science Program can help you identify weeds that might be invading your field, pasture, garden or lawn.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Herbs: A valuable and simple addition to the garden
  Thursday, May 5, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Homegrown herbs may earn their keep better than any other crop in the garden, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
  
  Media available: 2 photos
• Plan to grow enough to preserve
  Tuesday, May 3, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Instead of tending to a garden that will only provide fruits and vegetables during the season, consider growing enough to preserve, suggests a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
  
  Media available: 1 photo
• Consider summer cover crops for your garden
  Thursday, March 17, 2011
  BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Most gardeners think of cover crops as plants that occupy space during the winter, but cover crops also can be useful during the summer months, said a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
• The plant doctors are in
  Tuesday, March 8, 2011
  COLUMBIA, Mo. – The weather is warming up, people are thinking about getting plants into the ground, and the University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic is open for business.

Websites

The following are general-interest lawn and garden Websites from the University of Missouri. Browse the menu on the left for sites on more specific lawn and garden topics.

• College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
• Master Gardener
  Provides in-depth horticulture training for Missourians who wish to spread their knowledge of gardening.
• Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory
  Analyzes soil, plant, water, manure, compost and greenhouse media.

You may be interested in these external websites:

• eXtension Master Gardener

Publications

The following are general-interest lawn and garden publications. Browse the menu on the left for more specific lawn and garden publications.

• CB2, Grounds for Gardening Guide Book
• CB19, Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual
• EQM105F, Yard and Garden Care: How It Affects Your Health and Environment (Fact Sheet)
• EQM105W, Yard and Garden Care: How It Affects Your Health and Environment (Work Sheet)
• G6954, Soil Testing for Lawns
• MG1, Missouri Master Gardener Program Policies and Procedures
• MG2, Plants and Their Environment
• MG4, Soils, Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management

You may be interested in these related publications:

• G6956, Making and Using Compost
• G6957, How to Build a Compost Bin
• G6958, Grass Clippings, Compost and Mulch: Questions and Answers
• MP205, Extension Publications Catalog
• MP555, Horticulture Soil Sample Information Form
• MP906, Community Gardening Toolkit
• MWPS21, Home and Yard Improvements Handbook