Horticulture and gardening : article
Discover how gardening can strengthen your immune system, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being through nature and physical activity.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – With spring around the corner, University of Missouri Extension field horticulturist Kelly McGowan urges gardeners to consider how they can help monarch butterflies.
Can’t identify that pesky insect eating your zucchini plant? How do I start a compost pile? What’s the easiest fruit to grow in the Ozarks? Christian County Master Gardeners have the answers for callers to its gardening hotline at the county Extension office on the Ozark Square.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the world enjoys the 2024 Olympic Games this summer, the use of performance-enhancing substances will be under close scrutiny. University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein notes that garlic was given to the original Olympic athletes in ancient Greece…
Cut open a seed and you’ll see a miracle.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Too many gardeners go all in when it comes to planting a vegetable garden by planting the entire garden at once, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo.
Learn how to extend the life of Valentine's Day flowers with a simple homemade preservative and expert tips to keep them fresh longer.
Extend the life of Valentine's Day flowers with expert tips and a homemade preservative recipe using soda, mouthwash, and dish soap.
Discover the benefits of wildcrafting in Missouri, including plant identification tips and preparation methods for edible spring greens
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fruit and vegetable growers can learn about produce safety and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification at workshops in early 2018.
GAP certification training will be held Jan. 18 and Feb. 16 in Olathe, Kan., and Jan. 26 in St. Peters, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some Missouri trees are producing a gooey, orange slime that seeps and grows.Bright orange tree slime brings wonder to the woods after cool, wet spring days, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall.
HANNIBAL, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will hold a Specialty Crop Block Grant workshop 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, in Hannibal
HILLSBORO, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will hold a Specialty Crop Block Grant workshop 6-9 pm. Monday, Jan. 29, in Hillsboro.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many landscapes have problem spots where nothing grows well or looks attractive, such as the area below a large tree with a dense leaf canopy.
MEXICO, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners and Grow Well Missouri partner to plant seeds of hope in food pantry clients at Mexico’s Help Center.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The colorful sweet pepper is the Christmas ornament of the vegetable garden, bearing fruit that ranges from red, orange, yellow and white to purple and chocolate black.
Growing
COLUMBIA, Mo. –During August, homeowners may notice signs of grubs, an unwelcome annual visitor to healthy, green lawns.“The earliest symptoms of white grubs feeding on turf grass roots are wilted patches,” said Brad Fresenburg, University of Missouri Extension turf researcher.
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Twilight gardens delight the senses of sight and smell by adding another dimension to the gardening experience, says Gwen Funk, University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
HANNIBAL, Mo. – A northeastern Missouri farm is making sunflower oil amid a global shortage linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The flowering dogwood tree celebrates its 70th birthday as the Missouri state tree in 2025.
There is no better place to celebrate than Missouri’s Ozark woodlands from mid-April to early May when the dogwood is in bloom, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David…
ST. LOUIS – With a little bit of planning, gardeners can enjoy small amounts of fresh produce throughout the season by succession sowing, says University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Eliza Pessereau.
COLUMBIA, Mo.– Selling timber can be very profitable. While it depends on the quality of the timber, prices are higher than they’ve ever been.
“A standing tract of timber can bring anywhere from $300 to $700 per acre when it is harvested,” says University of Missouri Extension forestry specialist…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The cranberry keeps a low profile most of the time, but this time of year it shines as the crown jewel of holiday dinners.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Few plants can boast colorful, long-lasting flowers and attractive foliage the remainder of the year, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
PARIS, Mo. – Healthy communities grow in bountiful gardens.A partnership between University of Missouri Extension and groups in the Mark Twain Lake area is teaching people in Monroe County to grow and use fresh produce.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Picky eaters can turn every meal into a battle of wills. If it’s too green, too crunchy, too soft, too orange or just any vegetable, they will not eat it.
Enhance your garden's health by improving soil structure with organic matter like compost, manure, and peat moss for better plant growth and water retention.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Homegrown herbs may earn their keep better than any other crop in the garden, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
POTOSI, Mo. – Beginning farmer and 25-year Army veteran Eric Work’s calendar is full of educational programs offered by University of Missouri Extension.
Heroes to Hives provides veterans with beekeeping training, fostering camaraderie and a renewed sense of purpose.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – In 2024, University of Missouri Extension will add a fourth site for Heroes to Hives, a free program that offers military veterans professional training and community development skills centered around beekeeping.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The combination of prolonged high heat and dry weather potentially threatens fish ponds, says a University of Missouri Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Producers should take care to choose an appropriate site for a high tunnel, according to University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein. He spoke to agriculture educators recently at MU’s Bradford Research and Extension Center.
ST. PETERS, Mo. – A high tunnel workshop will be held 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the University of Missouri Extension Center in St. Charles County, 260 Brown Road, St. Peters.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “We are in a food production revolution,” University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein told agriculture educators recently at MU’s Bradford Research and Extension Center.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Perhaps no plant brightens a shady area more than hosta, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. The hardy perennial that thrives in shade is low-maintenance and easy to grow.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
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.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Long before plug-in air fresheners and scented candles, people used plants to make their homes more livable by masking unpleasant odors.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Espalier (pronounced “is-PAL-yer”) is a centuries-old art of growing plants in two dimensions, or on a single plane. Most people have areas in their gardens where an espaliered plant would fit, either as a way to spruce up a barren wall or as a screen, said a University of…
COLUMBIA, Mo. –Look no further than your back yard for inexpensive fall centerpieces.
That’s the advice from Kim Martin, manager of Tiger Garden, the student-run floral shop on the University of Missouri campus. The shop celebrated its grand re-opening recently with special events and workshops.
Enhance your garden's beauty by dividing and replanting overgrown iris clumps every 3-4 years to promote vibrant blooms and healthy growth.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Most Missouri lawns have had plenty of water during this year’s cool, wet spring, so homeowners may not be thinking of how to properly irrigate those lush, green lawns now that the year’s first summer heat blast has arrived.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
Related story: Proper pruning prevents problems
COLUMBIA, Mo.– Now that the leaves have fallen, it’s time to think about pruning your trees.
OLATHE, Kan. – Until recently, Midwest farmers who grow fresh fruits and vegetables were limited to a relatively short growing season. However, increasing use of high tunnels, also called hoop houses, means farmers can extend their growing season.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The best part of the holidays for many families is choosing and decorating the Christmas tree.
KINGSTON, Mo. – The “Leave the Leaves” movement could just as easily be called “Save the Pollinators,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Manoj Chhetri.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–There are a lot of vegetables out there for home gardeners in the Midwest to try beyond the standard offerings at the garden center, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.Marlin Bates suggests gardeners look into some of the lesser-known members of the…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Want to make your garden or flower bed even more green this year? Forgo those plastic planting pots and go biodegradable.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Winter-hardy perennial flowers likely will survive April’s historic low temperatures across Missouri, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Their tender annual counterparts, however, may not be so lucky.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Managing soil moisture is an important part of successful vegetable gardening in the Midwest, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. While tomatoes are the most popular choice for high tunnel production, many other vegetables, fruits and flowers flourish in the controlled environment of high tunnels, said University of Missouri Extension regional horticulture specialist James Quinn.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – March is the ideal month to plant two of the hardiest and most nutritious vegetables a home gardener can grow easily: cabbage and kale, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Those who have planted gardens feel that they have “done something for the good of the whole world,” wrote American author Charles Dudley Warner in 1871.
Includes sidebar, “Tips for gardening with children.”
ST. LOUIS – A Master Gardener nurtures little minds and mouths at Sacred Heart Villa, a preschool in St. Louis.
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.
MEXICO, Mo. – A national tomato growers supply company honors a Missouri Advanced Master Gardener this spring by selling tomato seeds she saved for decades.
ST. LOUIS – Master Gardener Paul Whitsitt takes the farm to the city and the city to the farm.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – St. Louis area Master Gardeners may be as well known for their community spirit as for the beautiful and bountiful gardens they tend.
HILLSBORO, Mo. – Master Gardener chapters throughout Missouri are accustomed to donating produce from home and community gardens to those in need.
The Master Pollinator Steward program starts May 5, teaching ways to protect pollinators vital to our environment and food supply.
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. –Tiny versions of edible greens are four to six times higher in nutrient value than their mature counterparts, according to new research presented at the recent Missouri Livestock Symposium in Kirksville.
COLUMBIA, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri’s array of soils and topography allows producers to grow an extensive list of vegetables, from leafy greens to cucurbits.
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – Missouri farmers may have grown the peanuts that you enjoy in holiday candies like peanut brittle or peanut clusters.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – During this National Volunteer Week, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall notes that volunteers across the state are the backbone of the Missouri Master Gardener Extension Program.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many of the world’s finest wines and whiskeys begin in Missouri’s hardwood forests.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The dogwood tree’s stunning beauty echoes from the Ozark hillsides in April.The spectacular show of color bears witness to why the dogwood is worthy of being Missouri’s state tree, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Use it to steal a kiss, but keep it away from children, pets and yourself. Every part of mistletoe, an evergreen plant with white berries, is highly toxic.
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – This is peanut harvest time in the Missouri Bootheel. Interest in the versatile legume has grown among Bootheel farmers since 2018, says University of Missouri Extension soils and cropping systems specialist Justin Calhoun.
BETHANY, Mo. – Although many in Missouri think about mushrooms when the morels are at their peak in April, people who grow mushrooms at home or commercially need to be thinking about them much of the year, says a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some gardeners take a hands-off approach to leaves in the fall. But leaves allowed to remain on lawns can pack down to form a tight mat that prevents sunlight from reaching the grass, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
COLUMBIA, Mo.–There’s probably no more common cultural practice than mowing the lawn. University of Missouri Extension specialists warn against overdoing it.
ROCKY COMFORT, Mo. – More than vegetables grow in Fue Yang’s high tunnels. It is where opportunity grows for area Hmong farmers.Yang runs a teaching farm for University of Missouri Extension, Lincoln University and the Webb City Farmers Market. The collaborative effort is part of a grant from the…
When Hal Donaldson was a young man, he got to meet Mother Teresa.“What are you doing to help the poor?” she asked him.Well, I better not lie to Mother Teresa, he thought to himself, so he said, “I’m not really doing much of anything.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Thirteen-year-old Jack Murphy is out to make a difference in his Kansas City neighborhood.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Kelly McGowan is on the hunt for the elusive Ozark woodland swallowtail, a pollinator unique to the Ozark region of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will offer a seven-part webinar series in January and February on how to manage vegetable crops for maximum yield. The series runs 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 6-Feb. 25, 2025.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is offering online town hall meetings led by agronomy, livestock and horticulture specialists.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension has released its latest crop and livestock enterprise budgets tailored to help Missouri farmers and ranchers plan for a productive 2025.
University of Missouri hosts a webinar to assist farmers markets in addressing COVID-19 challenges, featuring innovative strategies from three Missouri markets.
CLARENCE, Mo. – Pam Stenger keeps memories of her grandmother’s flower garden alive by offering floral bouquets through a Community Supported Agriculture subscription service.
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.
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…
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Like humans, plants can get sick and need someone to diagnose their illnesses, says Peng Tian, the new lab director of the University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri’s Plant Diagnostic Clinic now offers a digital diagnosis service to quickly identify plant health problems.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic has received a grant to help Amish and Mennonite farmers in several Missouri counties identify and manage plant pest problems through early next year.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri researchers, under the direction of MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley, are finding that pigweed seed is popping up in birdseed in alarming numbers.
“It’s pretty shocking,” graduate student Eric Oseland told those attending the annual Integrated Pest…