home > Lawn and garden

Lawn and garden

Features

Lawn and garden
Disease problems dog trees around state

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that takes hold in tree species like maple and sycamore in spring. It is characterized by brown or black splotches that causes leaves to fall off in bad cases. Read more

A problem with patches

A front yard full of disease can be an embarrassment, but fertilizing and watering can worsen fungal diseases in lawn. Watch the video. Read more

Managing your garden's soil moisture doesn't have to be difficult

Too much moisture early on can stunt plants and prohibit good root zone development, reducing productivity. On the other hand, too little moisture later in the season can lead to reduced productivity. Read more

Lesser-known plants that deserve a place in the vegetable garden

There are a lot of vegetables out there for home gardeners to try beyond the standard offerings at the garden center. Read more

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.Read more

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. Read more

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. Read more

News

  • Know your enemy: MU website helps ID common weeds
    Thursday, May 24, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – When weeds invade your field, pasture, garden or lawn, you want to use the right weapon for fighting back.
    Media available: 2 photos
  • Watermelons in the home garden
    Tuesday, May 22, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Most plants in the vegetable garden need just a few square feet of space to grow well. Members of the squash family, called cucurbits, are the exception.
  • Expand your tomato experience
    Friday, May 18, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Tomatoes reign supreme as the No. 1 home garden vegetable for a reason.
    Media available: 1 video Watch the video
  • Disease problems dog trees around state
    Friday, May 18, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Two diseases this spring are making trouble for some tree species around Missouri.
    Media available: 2 photos
  • Top 10 horticulture tips from veteran MU Extension agronomist
    Wednesday, May 16, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – During her 23 years as a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist, Pat Miller has answered a lot of questions and looked at a lot of plants. Here are her top 10 horticulture tips.
  • A problem with patches
    Monday, May 14, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – A lawn can be a source of pride when healthy and green, but a front yard full of disease can be an embarrassment.
    Media available: 2 photos; 1 videos Watch the video
  • Thinning fruit in the home orchard
    Monday, May 7, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Sometimes fruit trees try to produce more fruit than is good for the plant. Poor fruit size and flavor, plant stress, and alternate bearing can result when certain types of fruit trees aren’t properly thinned.
    Media available: 2 photos
  • Quail, pollinators, farming featured at June 21 field day at MU Bradford Research Center
    Thursday, May 3, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – You can learn about the birds and the bees June 21 when University of Missouri’s Bradford Research Center hosts a field day on bobwhite quail and native pollinators.
  • As temperatures rise, gardeners look to warm-season vegetables
    Monday, April 23, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Home gardeners can finally put their green thumbs back to work on garden mainstays like tomatoes and peppers.
  • Benefits of a well-drained soil
    Thursday, April 19, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — An ideal soil is half solid and half pore space by volume, and that pore space should be equal parts air and water. Gardening practices greatly influence pore space in cultivated soils.
    Media available: 1 photo
  • To seed or to transplant?
    Tuesday, April 17, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – A fundamental and often overlooked decision in planting a garden is whether to directly seed a crop into the soil or to place transplants of a crop into the garden, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
    Media available: 1 photo
  • It’s time for asparagus
    Friday, April 13, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Asparagus is always a welcome sight in spring as a first opportunity for fresh vegetables straight from the garden. It is important to know how to prepare and store fresh asparagus for the best taste and maximum freshness, says a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.
  • Get into a two-week planting schedule
    Friday, April 13, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Too many gardeners go all in when it comes to planting a vegetable garden by planting the entire garden at once, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
    Media available: 1 photo
  • Lesser-known plants that deserve a place in the Midwest vegetable garden
    Tuesday, March 27, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–There are a lot of vegetables out there for home gardeners in the Midwest to try beyond the standard offerings at the garden center, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
    Media available: 1 photo
  • Field day schedule set for 2012
    Monday, March 26, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Droughts, floods, spring deluges, and late and early frosts are all possibilities that face Missouri farmers—sometimes in a matter of days. While no one can control the weather, you can learn the best ways to prepare for it and adapt to it at CAFNR’s Field Days across the state.
    Media available: 3 photos
  • Spring pruning: Subtraction with a plus
    Friday, March 23, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Trees, hedges and bushes…. When spring comes, the impulse is to hand out haircuts.
  • Managing your garden's soil moisture doesn't have to be difficult
    Monday, March 19, 2012
    BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Managing soil moisture is an important part of successful vegetable gardening in the Midwest, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
    Media available: 2 photos
  • A cool beginning to spring gardening
    Friday, March 9, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Red, ripe tomatoes might be the most common image of gardening, but cool season vegetables are the true bastion of spring.
  • Start seeds indoors to jump-start spring gardening
    Friday, February 17, 2012
    COLUMBIA, Mo. – Seeds hold infinite potential for a seasoned gardener.
  • 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.
  • 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 Watch the video
  • 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.
  • 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 Watch the 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 Watch the video
  • 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 Watch the 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

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.

You may be interested in these external websites:

Publications

You may be interested in these related publications:

MU Extension near you

Calendar