The 'soy of gardening' includes edamame
COLUMBIA, Mo. – You may have seen edamame in grocery stores or on salad bars and not known what it is, says Todd Higgins, University of Missouri Extension specialist in horticulture. Edamame is a type of soybean grown for direct consumption by people. Edamame (pronounced eh-duh-mah-may) translates from Japanese as “beans on a branch” since they are often sold with the pod still attached to the stem.
Easter lilies toxic to cats
Easter lilies and similar flowers are highly toxic to cats. Even small amounts can cause kidney failure. Keep these plants away from felines to ensure their safety.
Extension horticulturist named Conservationist of the Year
Todd Higgins was honored as 2025 Conservationist of the Year for promoting soil health and conservation practices across northwest Missouri.
March is the time to plant hardy, heady, healthy cabbage and kale
COLUMBIA, Mo. – March is the ideal month to plant two of the hardiest and most nutritious vegetables a home gardener can grow easily: cabbage and kale, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Both are attractive in the garden, with colors ranging from pale green through dark blue to deep reddish purple. Flavors range from mild to strong, and both lend themselves to dishes both raw and cooked.
Kick-start the gardening season by turning it inside out
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It is hard to think about gardening when the weather is cool. “However, now is the perfect time to start seeds of certain garden plants indoors so they will be ready for transplant when warmer weather arrives,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein. By kick-starting the growing season, you will have flowers and produce earlier, said Trinklein.
Harvest all season long with succession sowing
Plan garden sowing in waves—plant seeds at intervals, rotate sites, vary varieties—to enjoy fresh, staggered harvests all season.
St. Patrick's Day: Time to rock your shamrock knowledge
CARROLLTON, Mo. – If a leprechaun leaps from the faerie den this St. Patrick’s Day to ask if you know a shamrock from a clover, what will you answer? “If you said the shamrock is a clover, you’re in luck,” says University of Missouri Extension field horticulturist Kathi Mecham. In short, all shamrocks are clovers, but not all clovers are shamrocks.
Plant now for seeds of success
Plant seeds indoors now for a head start on a successful garden. Follow simple steps to grow healthy plants and enjoy a vibrant harvest.
Overcome poor soil, lack of space with straw bale gardening
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Straw bale gardens are becoming popular with growers plagued with poor soil or limited garden space, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Straw bale gardening combines container gardening and raised-bed gardening into one green-thumb package.
2025 is the Year of the Pea
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Gardeners looking for hap-pea-ness can look no further than the pea. The National Garden Bureau has declared 2025 the Year of the Pea. Few vegetables match the culinary delight of peas fresh from the garden, said David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. “You might say it is a VIPea in the spring garden,” said Trinklein. When given an early start, growing peas is easy peasy.
Turn milk jugs into mini-greenhouses
JACKSON, Mo. – One of your best gardening tools may be in your recycling bin, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Donna Aufdenberg. Use specially prepared milk jugs to jump-start your garden by winter sowing, a method of starting seeds in late winter for spring transplanting.
This Valentine's Day, be a love bug
Show Missouri insects some love this Valentine's Day by supporting pollinators and reducing pesticide use.
Colorful flowers, sweet treats and relationship tips for Valentine’s Day
Explore flower-gift ideas, homemade preservative tips, pollinator appreciation, strawberry love lore, pet safety, and romance advice.
The language of flowers blossoms on Valentine's Day
COLUMBIA, Mo. – More than a century ago, the floral delivery service FTD adopted the slogan “Say it with flowers.” It turns out you can say quite a bit with flowers, notes University of Missouri Extension state horticulturist David Trinklein. Floriography, the language of flowers, refers to communicating cryptically through the meaning or symbolism of certain flowers and flower colors.
Prune fruit trees in midwinter
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The best time to prune fruit trees in Missouri is midwinter, according to University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Debi Kelly. “There are many reasons to prune fruit trees, and you want to do it before bud break in the spring,” said Kelly, who held a workshop on pruning Jan. 25 at MU Jefferson Farm and Garden in Columbia.
Flowering bulbs brighten spring gardens
STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. – Few things thaw feelings of winter’s cold more than spring flowering bulbs, says University of Missouri Extension field horticulturist Katie Kammler. Spring bulbs are Nature’s way of rewarding gardeners for their work in fall, providing early color and blooms before most annuals and perennials. While spring is their time to shine, bulbs need cool weather to flower. They require a chilling period after being…
Give Valentine's Day flowers some TLC
Learn how to extend the life of Valentine's Day flowers with a simple homemade preservative and expert tips to keep them fresh longer.
Gardening boosts your immune system
Discover how gardening can strengthen your immune system, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being through nature and physical activity.
Start plant care now for 2025 holiday blooms
Amaryllis and Christmas cactus gifts can rebloom next year with proper early care—begin now to set the stage for holiday blooms.
Nut with two names comes out of its shell during holidays
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Given most nuts ripen late in the year, they have long been associated with the holiday season,” said David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. It also is one of the few times when consumers see what nuts looks like in nature. Most often, nuts are purchased with their shells removed and ready for use. One of the nuts likely found in the bin or bag of mixed nuts at a supermarket is…
Squash: Always the bridesmaid, never the bride at Thanksgiving
Squash, rich in history and nutrition, was enjoyed at the first Thanksgiving but often plays a lesser role in today's holiday meals.
Mow or compost leaves for best results
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some gardeners take a hands-off approach to leaves in the fall. But leaves allowed to remain on lawns can pack down to form a tight mat that prevents sunlight from reaching the grass, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Leaves also trap and hold moisture, which increases the potential for disease.
Gardeners can save money, trouble with fall soil test
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If a little is good, a lot must be better. That’s often the approach home gardeners take when plants and flowers don’t do well, says University of Missouri Extension soil scientist Manjula Nathan. But adding more fertilizer and topsoil without testing the soil may be a waste of money. It also can be bad for the environment because excess nutrients often leach into water supplies.
Why are some spring plants blooming now?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturists are fielding questions about plants that are blooming and leafing out of season. MU Extension horticulturist Debi Kelly, who serves as the state extension Master Gardener coordinator, says she’s noticed many social media postings about spring-blooming flowers and shrubs, especially irises and lilacs, budding and blooming in fall.
Pumpkin: An ancient vegetable still in vogue today
COLUMBIA, Mo. – This fall, millions of Americans will purchase a vegetable they, unfortunately, are very unlikely to eat, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. In the United States, this colorful member of the gourd plant family is used primarily for decoration, but many people throughout the world use pumpkin as a staple in their diets, Trinklein said.