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.
Cool gardening tips for hot days
JACKSON, Mo. – Both gardeners and their plants need extra care when it’s hot outside, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Donna Aufdenberg.She reminds gardeners to take care of themselves first so they can tend to gardens and flowerbeds.Consider gardening in the early morning and late evening to avoid high temperatures and harsh sun.
Plant a peck of sweet peppers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Bearing fruit ranging in color from red, orange and yellow to purple, white and chocolate-black, sweet peppers are the Easter eggs of the vegetable garden, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Gardeners, baseball fans swing into summer
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Whether you are a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals or the Kansas City Royals, you can show your true colors in a baseball-themed garden this summer, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.
Gladden a late-summer garden with gladiolas
Add vibrant color to your late-summer garden with gladiolas, from planting tips to flower care and corm storage for next year.
Poppy: A remembrance of fallen heroes
The red poppy symbolizes remembrance of soldiers who died in combat, inspired by John McCrae's 1915 poem "In Flanders Fields."
On patrol for critter control
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Pest control in the garden might conjure images of a season-long battle with bugs, weeds and diseases. But sometimes four-legged “friends” such as deer, rabbits and squirrels can inflict far more damage, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Munch a bunch of edible flowers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Edible blooms give flower power to spring meals, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund. Edible flowers add nutrition, texture and color to your plate, Warmund says. They can be candied, stir-fried, added to butters, steeped for teas and added to breads, soups, sauces, desserts or salads.
Dogwood: Nature's little showoff
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Few spring scenes are as spectacular as the annual display provided by dogwood trees in the Ozark woodlands,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.Inconspicuous for most of the year, these diminutive denizens of our forests outdo their towering neighbors with spectacular exhibitions of color before most other species leaf out, Trinklein says.
Weekly Garden Hour resumes
The Weekly Garden Hour returns with expert advice on lawn care, gardening, diseases, and insects. Join free virtual sessions every Wednesday at noon.
After the bloom fades, Easter lily can see new life
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Easter lily used for spring decorations can provide beauty and fragrance for another season.After blooming ends, plant Easter lilies outside as soon as the ground can be worked, says University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Jennifer Schutter. The following year, they will bloom in June and have a sweet fragrance.
Bells of Ireland: A St. Patrick's Day favorite
COLUMBIA, Mo. – St. Patrick’s Day is a time to celebrate Irish culture and everything green, including leprechauns and shamrocks. While shamrock is a well-known symbol of good luck, another interesting plant associated with good fortune is bells of Ireland, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.
Planting seeds of thought for choosing seeds
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As winter sets in, gardeners thumb through seed catalogs in anticipation of next year’s gardens.But not all seed sources are created equal, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Katie Kammler.Choose a reputable source known for disease-free seed, high germination rates and good results, says Kammler. Consider the variety selection, seed treatments and organic versus non-organic.
Poinsettia: America’s No. 1 potted flower is relative newbie to the holidays
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Poinsettia is America’s most popular flowering plant, with annual sales approaching $200 million. Despite its close association with the Christmas season, however, it’s a relative newcomer as holiday home decor, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
'Leaf' it to nature for compost and nutrients
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some gardeners take a hands-off approach to leaves. But leaves left on lawns can pack down into a tight mat, preventing sunlight from reaching the grass, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Leaves also trap and hold moisture, which increases the potential for disease. However, tree leaves can be a valuable asset to gardeners who want to start a compost pile or add nutrients to lawns,…
Heirloom apples are ripe for the picking
COLUMBIA, Mo. – September is prime apple picking time in the lower Midwestern states.Not only are new cultivars available in stores during September, but many heirloom apple cultivars are at their peak in farm markets and U-pick operations, says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
Conditions are right now for cracking, splitting tomatoes
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Gardeners might notice that their tomatoes are cracking or splitting now.“This is a common problem when there are widely varying soil moisture conditions, especially during the hot, dry days of late summer,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Budding flower business benefits from drip irrigation
HUNTSVILLE, Mo. – When Amanda Quinn quadrupled the growing space at her Randolph County flower farm, she didn’t want to quadruple the time spent watering flowers.Quinn, owner of “bloom: Cut Flower Farm,” contacted University of Missouri Extension specialist Dan Downing for advice about drip irrigation systems. She had attended an MU Extension demonstration of a drip irrigation system last year at a flower farm in La Plata.