St. Paddy's Day is a dud for planting spuds in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The admonition for gardeners to plant their potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day is probably good advice for some parts of our country, but not for Missouri, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.“It is a few weeks too early,” he said. Wait to plant potatoes until soil temperatures warm to above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
New petunias pack a punch of color
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Bursting with color and relatively low-maintenance, petunias are a longtime favorite of gardeners. But that wasn’t always the case.
![Beets are nutritious and easy to grow.Photo by Evan Amos [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons](/sites/default/files/styles/flexslider_full_no_crop_300x200/public/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/NewsAdmin/Photos/Beets-Bundle.jpg?itok=MitTW0ox)
You can whip potatoes, but it's hard to beat beets
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Few vegetables elicit less excitement from the average gardener than beet. Once relegated to pickling or making borscht, beet is enjoying greater respect due to its reported health benefits, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Give Valentine's Day flowers some TLC for flor-amore
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Valentine’s Day flowers, like love, can stand the test of time if given a little TLC. Call it flor-amore.Proper care and a homemade preservative provide an extended warranty of sorts to make certain flowers last up to twice as long, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Ashes to ashes
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ashes produced by wood-burning fireplaces or stoves are an excellent example of the idiom “don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.“When collected and spread on the garden, they are an excellent and free source of calcium and other plant nutrients,” Trinklein says.
Master Gardener training begins Feb. 26 in Hillsboro
HILLSBORO, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension in Jefferson County will hold Master Gardener classes Monday evenings at Jefferson College’s Hillsboro campus.Weekly classes will be 6:30-9:30 p.m., Feb. 26 to May 7, said MU Extension horticulturist Debi Kelly.
Amaryllis: Plan now for show-stopping blooms next year
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Among indoor flowering plants, few match amaryllis in grandeur, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.Its blooms are spectacular in size and come in many colors and patterns. “In addition to being colorful, it is relatively easy to re-bloom. It can continue to give pleasure to its recipient for many years,” Trinklein said.If you received an amaryllis as a holiday gift, plan now so it can…
Plant turnips in late July
COLUMBIA, Mo. – An old Missouri saying advises, “On the 25th of July, sow your turnips, wet or dry,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Nature's multipurpose utensils
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Our ancestors couldn’t go to the hardware store or shopping mall to buy utensils and other household essentials. Instead, they improvised with items found in nature.
Garden critters: 'Frenemies' in grow places
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Cute critters by day. Thieves by night.
Cover crops improve garden soil
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “You don’t need a green thumb to be a good gardener, but it certainly helps to have good soil,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
MU Master Gardeners build mini-greenhouses
VERSAILLES, Mo. – Ozark Prairie Master Gardeners know that good things come in small packages.That is why mini-greenhouses are growing throughout the Lake of the Ozarks region.The mini-greenhouses are the brainchild of Dan Britton, president of the Ozark Prairie Master Gardeners chapter in Morgan County.
Soil testing kits available at local MU Extension centers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Submitting soil samples to your local University of Missouri Extension center is easy, says Manjula Nathan, director of the MU Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory.Now is the best time of the year to submit samples to the accredited lab. Soil tests help farmers, gardeners and lawn owners find what fertilizers they may or may not need, says Nathan.
Christmas cactus: A gift that keeps on giving
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The summer they were married, Dan and Earlene Britton received a cutting from a Christmas cactus belonging to Earlene’s grandmother Naomi Ingrum. Thirty-six years later, the Brittons and the cactus continue to do well in spite of coast-to-coast moves and climate changes.
Hyacinth's fragrant punch makes scents
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Few flowers pack the fragrance punch of hyacinth.
Winterize roses in December
COLUMBIA, Mo.