Skip to navigation Skip to content

Tactical Menu

  • People
  • Counties
  • News
  • Topics
  • Programs
  • Online courses
  • Events
  • Publications
  • Professional education
  • Missouri 4-H

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Topic

Topic

Landscaping : article

'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…

Aid for ailing plants

COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you have the sniffles or a bad infection, a visit to your doctor can usually put things right. Plants can get sick too and the University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic is where you can turn for help.

Alliums: Onion's pretty cousins

COLUMBIA, Mo. – While you’re familiar with onions, garlic, leeks and shallots, which are all members of the genus Allium, there’s a whole group in that genus that are known for their looks rather than their taste. They’re called ornamental onions or alliums.

April is National Gardening Month

COLUMBIA, Mo. – April is National Gardening Month and a good time to plant a garden, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. For those who lacked the motivation in the past to garden, consider these benefits:

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.

Battling Japanese beetles in your garden and flowers

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – Patience and a bucket of soapy water are your best friends when fending off Japanese beetles in the garden, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall.

Beautiful bulbs

COLUMBIA, Mo.– The long, harsh winter coupled with last fall’

Benefits of a well-drained soil

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — An ideal soil is half solid and half pore space by volume, and that pore space should be equal parts air and water. Gardening practices greatly influence pore space in cultivated soils.

Breathe new life into perennials with a little garden surgery

COLUMBIA, Mo.– Some perennials can suffer from too much of a good thing.As it grows year after year, the perennial’s growth clump, or crown, gets so big the plant begins to compete with itself for light, water and nutrients. Eventually this self-competition will mean fewer and less-showy flowers.

Brown cool-season grass not necessarily a sign of disease

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Caring for snow-damaged trees

Learn how to assess and care for snow‑damaged trees safely: when to prune, wait, or call a pro to protect tree health.

Celebrate Thanksgiving with a 'turkey foot' hike

COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you gobble until you wobble at Thanksgiving dinner, take your flock of family and friends for a trek across a tallgrass prairie for a memorable Thanksgiving holiday outing, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.

Check ash trees for emerald ash borer

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The invasive emerald ash borer may eliminate the ash tree from North America. In Missouri, EAB is present in 89 counties and the city of St. Louis.

Clay soil: A mixed blessing, but easily corrected

KIRKSVILLE, Mo.

Coleus: Garden color without flowers

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Consider lawns and shrubs when de-icing walks and driveways

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Salt does more than melt the ice on your sidewalks and driveways.It can harm your lawn and shrubs, says University of Missouri Extension turf management specialist Brad Fresenburg.Too much salt can leave dead strips along sidewalks and driveways. It can kill shrubs and flowers.

Container gardening saves time, space and is easier on the back

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Does that plant ‘fill in quickly’ or is it invasive?

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — When buying plants you sometimes need to read between the lines. When the label says the plant “fills in quickly,” that may be a code word for “invasive.”

Don't overwater heat-stressed plants

COLUMBIA, Mo. –Landscape plants have flourished over an ideal spring. Azaleas and hydrangeas have never looked better, but many of the lush leaves that developed during the mild weather will scorch, turn brown or even fall off when the summer heat returns, said a University of Missouri Extension…

Don’t guess on garden fertilizer

COLUMBIA, Mo.– Don’t add fertilizer to your garden unless you

Fall leaves and faded garden plants make great compost

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Curbside leaf and brush removal dates will be here before we know it. If you dread filling sacks with fallen leaves, a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist suggests a less agonizing and more rewarding alternative.

Fermented mulch can strike 'sour' note with landscape plants

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Fermented or "sour" mulch from large batches hit with too much rain can damage the leaves and stems of annuals, perennials and small woody plants, said a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.

Flowering bulbs brighten spring gardens

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. – Few things thaw feelings of winter’s cold more than spring flowering bulbs, says University of Missouri Extension field horticulturist Katie Kammler. Spring bulbs are Nature’s way of rewarding gardeners for their work in fall, providing early color and blooms before most…

Fragrant plants give gardens an extra dimension

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Home gardeners may want to plant flowers for their fragrance as well as their appearance, said a University of Missouri horticulturist.

Gaillardia: Drought-tolerant color in the garden

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Gardeners can save money, trouble with fall soil test

COLUMBIA, Mo. – If a little is good, a lot must be better.

Gardens will thank you very 'mulch' during summer heat

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mulches benefit gardens throughout the year, but they are particularly helpful during the heat of summer, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.

Getting ready to grow

KIRKSVILLE, Mo.

Great landscapes begin with quality topsoil

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Quality landscapes begin with quality topsoil.Topsoil is the top 3-10 inches of the soil. Most surface soils have higher organic matter content than subsoil, but not all surface soil is ideal for gardens or lawns, says Manjula Nathan, director of the University of Missouri Extension…

Groundcovers: Shady characters for problem areas

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.

Helping your soil be all it can be

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.

Hitchhiking hammerhead worm kills native earthworms

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some Missouri gardeners are finding a new type of flatworm in landscape soils.The hammerhead worm is a “voracious, top-level predator,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Kelly McGowan. “It will eat anything in its path,” she says. It primarily feeds on native…

Hosta steps out of the shadows in 2024

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.

Hot plants that are cool

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Ice melters may harm nearby trees

COLUMBIA, Mo.- Homeowners should be careful when using ice melters close to trees this winter, said a University of Missouri Extension forester. "Nearly all ice melters are salts," said Hank Stelzer. They work by lowering the freezing point of water to well below 32 degrees.

It's all about the slime: Building living soil

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Master Gardener nurtures school garden that fuels love of food, community

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.

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.

Master Gardeners do more than garden

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.

Mature trees and plants can cast shade over once-sunny garden

COLUMBIA, Mo. -Over time, a sunny garden may become a shady one as surrounding trees and shrubs mature. "Landscapes change their degree of shade, making it a challenge to grow garden plants," said Chris Starbuck, University of Missouri Extension horticulturalist.

Mow or compost leaves for best results

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.

Nativars: Superheroes of the plant world

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nativars, superhero plants that possess the virtues of native plants but in a more attractive package, make good choices for landscaped areas. Use nativars as part of your gardening “green movement,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.

Patience can pay off in saving storm-damaged trees

COLUMBIA, Mo.– Homeowners eager to apply aggressive first aid to storm-damaged trees could be removing trees that might have survived.

Patience is lawn owner's friend in March

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Be mellow until the forsythia turns yellow. That’s the advice from University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Lee Miller for applying crabgrass pre-emergent herbicides to lawns.

Practice good garden hygiene by sanitizing tools

COLUMBIA, Mo.– Just like surgeons and dentists, gardeners sho

Pretty pear trees invasive, hard to kill

COLUMBIA, Mo.

Put some thought into choosing the right lawn-care service

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Homeowners should put a lot of thought in selecting the right lawn-care service, said a University of Missouri turf grass scientist."You should always follow some basic guidelines in choosing a lawn-care company," said Brad Fresenburg.

Red, white and blue for the green thumb

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Plan now to use basic design principals to create a patriotic garden this summer, says University of Missouri Extension field horticulturist Gwen Funk.

Safe gardening grows your mindfulness

Gardening enhances physical and mental well-being by providing exercise, time in nature and healthy food. Follow safety guidelines to maximize these benefits.

Sanitize tools for good garden hygiene

COLUMBIA, Mo.– Just like surgeons and dentists, gardeners sho

Soil tests take the guesswork out of fertilizing your lawn and garden

COLUMBIA, Mo.– Many garden and home-improvement stores offer a seemingly endless selection of fertilizers.

Start your engines: Mowing season begins

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Winter is finally releasing its grip, so lawns will be greening up and growing. It will soon be time for one of the most basic homeowner rituals: mowing the lawn.

Tips on watering your garden

COLUMBIA, Mo. – How does your garden grow? No grow or slow grow? It could be your H2O. How and when you water your garden often makes the difference between healthy or diseased plants, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tom Fowler.

Top 10 horticulture tips from veteran MU Extension agronomist

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – During her 23 years as a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist, Pat Miller has answered a lot of questions and looked at a lot of plants. Here are her top 10 horticulture tips.

Truman gardens still bloom with beauty thanks to Master Gardeners

Master Gardeners continue to care for Truman Gardens, preserving its historical beauty with vibrant blooms that enhance the visitor experience.

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

Using trellises for home vineyards

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Good fences make for good neighbors, especially if the fence provides fresh, homegrown fruit every year. “If there is one crop that gardeners have difficulty finding room for in the landscape, it is grapes,” says Marlin Bates, a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.

Volunteer Master Gardeners help others learn to grow

Volunteer Master Gardeners share gardening knowledge through workshops and projects, creating more than $5 million in annual economic value.

Warm, wet weather helps 'dog vomit slime mold' thrive

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fuligo septica, also known as “dog vomit slime mold,” is the latest slimy woodland thing to slither into 2020’s wet spring and summer.

Water deeply and wisely during drought

During drought, water plants deeply and wisely to help them survive dry spells. Follow expert tips for effective watering.

Wet weather triggers mole activity

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Follow the food.That is the mantra of moles as they follow their favorite food, earthworms, and tunnel throughout your yard.

What to do when wildlife treats your garden like a buffet

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Pest control is an important part of establishing an attractive garden. Insects, diseases and weeds are formidable foes, but the damage they inflict often pales compared to the destruction perpetrated by some of our four-legged “friends,” said University of Missouri Extension…

Your garden after the freeze

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - The growing season has ended and many gardeners are heading out to clean up what the frost has left behind. But some gardeners don't bother with fall cleanup.
Displaying 1 - 63 of 63

MU Logo

University of Missouri

Connect with MU Extension

Use our contact form

Find a specialist

Find an office near you

Donate

About us

Careers

Equal opportunity/ADA institution

Español

For employees

Extension councils

Noncredit conversion policy

Permissions policy

Return/refund policies

Shipping policy

Privacy policy

Terms and conditions

MU is an equal opportunity employer.

© 2025 — The Curators of the University of Missouri. All rights reserved. DMCA and other copyright information. Privacy policy