Lily: More than just an Easter plant
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you mention the word “lily” to most people, they’ll think of the Easter lily. Although an attractive potted plant, that pure white beauty struggles somewhat in Missouri’s climate if planted outdoors, said David Trinklein, state horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
Plant these 'Fab 4' for flowers galore
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein says it is time to plant some bulbs indoors for later enjoyment outdoors.
Master Gardener works to help prevent diabetes through fresh food
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener Toni Gatlin can’t change genetics, but she hopes to change the eating habits of children to help prevent diabetes. About 37 million Americans – around 11% of the U.S. population – have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health problems linked to diabetes affect the eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves, says MU Extension health and safety…
Companion planting: Positive partnerships that produce more
CARROLLTON, Mo. – Some things just go together like biscuits and gravy or peanut butter and jelly. Likewise, plants have companions that produce best when planted side by side, says Kathi Mecham, a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist in Carroll County. With gardening season ahead, Mecham suggests considering how plants can benefit each other. Plan so that “function and beauty” go hand in hand, she says.
MU Master Gardeners 'Dreams' team grows love of gardening, education
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City and Master Naturalists use gardening to teach students to grow healthy food and dream big. The Extension Master Gardener group, called Urban Green Dreams, works with Kansas City youths using Eating From the Garden, a research-based MU Extension program for fourth and fifth grade students.
Don't trash the ashes
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The phrase “waste not, want not” goes back to a time when the essentials of life were difficult to obtain, but it continues to be good advice today, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. It applies even to ashes produced this time of the year by wood-burning fireplaces and stoves. “When collected and spread on the garden, wood ashes are an excellent and free source of calcium and other…
Tuesday Tip videos bring gardening tips alive
Get expert gardening tips in short, engaging videos covering topics like plant care, pest control, and seasonal advice for gardeners at every level
Give Valentine's Day flowers some TLC for extended enjoyment
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Valentine’s Day flowers will last longer if kept watered and fed, said University of Missouri horticulturist David Trinklein. Trinklein’s tips and homemade preservative recipe provide an extended warranty of sorts to make certain flowers last up to twice their normal lifespan.
African violets help chase away winter blues
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Just in time to brighten the dull, dreary days of winter, the National Garden Bureau has named African violet as its houseplant of the year for 2024. The choice is an excellent one, says University of Missouri Extension state horticulture specialist David Trinklein. African violets thrive in most interior settings, provide nearly continuous color and are inexpensive.
A flood of support
ST. PETERS, Mo. – From flood-ravaged fields to productive gardens, University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners in St. Charles County show how volunteers help communities flourish.
Engineering firm volunteers at KC urban garden maintained by MU Extension Master Gardeners
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Food and hope for the hungry are growing in the heart of downtown Kansas City. Since 2016, professionals from Dialectic Engineering have grown fruit and vegetables on a once-vacant city block. Produce goes to After the Harvest for use at a nearby community kitchen run by Nourish KC, a group that fights food insecurity.
Turn up the flavor and nutrition by planting turnips
COLUMBIA, Mo. – You may not be able to squeeze blood from a turnip, but you can easily grow this tasty and nutritious vegetable.“Turnip is an underappreciated and underused fall vegetable crop,” said David Trinklein, horticulture state specialist for University of Missouri Extension.Plant turnip seed in late summer
Rotten tomatoes star in garden horror show
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Your beautiful tomato plant is setting fruit and soon has nice green tomatoes. Then, to your horror, a dark sunken spot shows up at the bottom of the fruit.You might think an insect or disease has attacked your plant, but such is not the case. Old-timers referred to the problem as “sooty snoot.” Today, it is called blossom-end rot. It is a physiological disorder caused by a calcium imbalance.
Gardens: Fast food for hungry critters
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cute critters by day, gardeners’ worst enemies by night.Most gardeners know the frustration of having a beautiful garden decimated by wildlife, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Magnolia flowers tantalize the senses
Discover the allure of magnolias, from the early-blooming star magnolia to the native cucumber tree, each offering unique beauty and fragrance.
Horticulturist plants seeds of hope in community
Horticulturist Donna Aufdenberg donates plants to community gardens, Master Gardeners, 4-H, church gardens, and youth groups in four Missouri counties.
Extension Master Gardener program turns 50
COLUMBIA, Mo. – 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Extension Master Gardener program at Washington State University. What began with 300 volunteers in Washington state has grown to more than 84,000 volunteers across the country, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist and state Master Gardener coordinator David Trinklein.To commemorate the event, March 20-26 of this year has been designated National Extension…
Pansy: The smiley face flower
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “If ever there was a flower that brings a smile to people’s faces, it has to be pansy,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.This delightful, cool-loving garden flower bears blotched petals that resemble a face smiling back at those who admire it. Midwesterners enjoy pansy’s unique palette of colors and delicate fragrance in spring and fall, Trinklein said.
Spring flowers shine from bulbs planted in the fall
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you think autumn is the time to put away your gardening tools for the year, think again. It’s bulb-planting time.“Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths won’t greet you in the spring if they’re not planted in the fall,” said David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. Spring-flowering bulbs need 10 to 14 weeks of cool temperatures to induce flowering.
Let the gourd times roll
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is the time to harvest, cure and store ornamental gourds, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.“Gourds are thought to be among the first domesticated plant species, dating back to as early as 13,000 B.C,” Trinklein said. “Through the years, dried gourds served many purposes – as ladles, birdhouses and luffa fibers used in diverse items such as oil filters, life preservers, scrubbing…
Sunflower: The story of this summer goddess begins with search for love
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The sunflower’s story begins with a tale of unrequited love.According to Greek mythology, the water nymph Clytie fell in love with the god of the sun, Apollo, who dazzled the earth as he drove his golden chariot across the sky each day. When he rejected Clytie’s affection, it nearly drove her mad. She spent days without food or water as she searched the heavens and waited for Apollo to appear.
Fall flowers usher out summer in a blaze of color
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is time for the changing of the guard in flower beds and containers. As some summer flowers shout their last hurrah, others gradually fade into the background.
Lasagna gardening: Layers and layers of goodness
JACKSON, Mo. – As traditional gardening season takes a bow, lasagna gardening makes a grand entrance. Lasagna gardening is no-till, no-dig gardening that uses materials typically thrown away such as kitchen and yard waste, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Donna Aufdenberg. Aufdenberg says lasagna gardening is environmentally friendly and frees the gardener from tilling, weeding and digging. Gardens also…
Golden rule for dorm room plants: Keep it simple
COLUMBIA, Mo. – One way to spruce up a college dormitory room is to add plants, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.Dorm rooms can appear a bit bare and dreary, Warmund says, but plants can add color and provide a pleasant atmosphere. “After spending the day in lecture halls, a plant-filled dorm room can be a nice place to study or relax with friends,” she says.
Time to transplant irises
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Now is the time to transplant one of America’s most popular flowers, the iris.Although irises can be transplanted at any time, they do best when established in the landscape from August to mid-October, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.