Beginning gardening
Learn how to start your first garden with tips on planning, soil preparation, plant choices, tools, and simple maintenance for success.
Hostas: Emperors of the Shade
Discover hostas, hardy perennials that thrive in shade, offering diverse foliage, fragrant blooms, and easy care for any garden.
Practice patience when preparing garden soil
COLUMBIA, Mo.– Spring is almost here, but gardeners shouldn’t be too quick to start working the soil, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. Spring soil is easily damaged and compacted if worked too soon after melting snow or spring rains. Avoid walking on garden spots or, worse yet, driving equipment on it, said David Trinklein.
Don't let April snow showers dull May flowers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – April’s cold start in Missouri reminds gardeners that planting date is a matter of risk versus reward, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. “Growers who plant early risk crop damage or loss to freezing temperatures,” he said. “However, if the latter does not occur, they are rewarded by earlier produce, which commands more competitive prices at the market.”
Check your home for toxic plants
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It is estimated that more than 700 plant species growing in North America can have harmful effects on humans, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Many plant poisonings occur when curious children are attracted to colorful berries and blooms on plants within their reach. Their low body weight makes plant toxicity higher in children than adults, said MU Extension safety and health…
Hydrangeas, the bold chameleon of plants
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Bold, eye-catching hydrangeas appear at floral shops and garden centers now through Mother’s Day. “Hydrangea’s regal elegance is uncommon among potted plants,” said David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.