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
Grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers in limited space with straw bale gardening, even on poor soil.
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
Transform clean milk jugs into mini-greenhouses to start seeds and jump-start your garden.
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
Discover how flowers convey emotions and messages, making Valentine's Day bouquets speak beyond words.
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
Spring bulbs add early color with minimal care. Plant, water, and enjoy daffodils, tulips, crocus, and more in your garden.
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
Learn how mowing or composting leaves can enrich soil, control disease and support healthier lawns and gardens.
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?
Unseasonable blooms occur as plants respond to hot, dry weather and fluctuating fall temperatures.
Pumpkin: An ancient vegetable still in vogue today
Discover pumpkins’ rich history, decorative appeal, and nutritional benefits, from ancient staple to modern fall favorite.
Plant bulbs now for a colorful spring
Plant spring-blooming bulbs now to ensure vibrant flowers and healthy roots next season.
Sedum: Pollinators love this easy-peasy purple and pink plant
Sedums are low-maintenance, late-blooming plants that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators with vibrant purple and pink flowers.
Dahlias dazzle and delight as gardens dim
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As autumn approaches, many garden flowers show the ravages of a long, often brutal summer. However, it’s at this time that dahlias are most spectacular, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Warm days and cool nights associated with late summer and early fall cause dahlias to produce flowers with intense, dazzling color.
Missouri growers are sweet on honey of a berry
Honeyberry, a hardy shrub thriving in Missouri's diverse soils, offers early spring fruit with antioxidant-rich berries resembling a blend of raspberry and blackberry.
The woods: Missouri's other place to shop for food
Discover Missouri’s woods for wild fruits, nuts, and edible plants that add flavor and nutrition to your meals.
Hang the moon with twilight gardens
Create a twilight garden with white, fragrant, night-blooming plants for evening beauty and pollinators.
What to do when wildlife treats your garden like a buffet
Guard your garden from deer, squirrels and groundhogs with natural sprays, noise or visual tricks—or by adding fencing for reliable protection.