Your backyard from freshare.net

Watermelons in the Home Garden

2012-05-24T14:50:00-06:00

Most plants in the vegetable garden need just a few square feet of space to grow well. Members of the squash family, called cucurbits, are the exception. Available space may be part of the reason most American gardeners limit their production of cucurbits to cucumbers, zucchini and yellow squash, but a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist encourages gardeners…

Disease Problems Dog Trees Around State

2012-05-24T14:41:01-06:00

Two diseases this spring are making trouble for some tree species around Missouri. Fire blight, a bacterial infection, and the fungal disease anthracnose gained footholds in some trees, aided by a stint of cool, wet weather in April and May. “This spring presented a good illustration of the disease triangle, in which you need a susceptible…

MU Expert Offers Tomato Tips

2012-05-24T14:39:00-06:00

Tomatoes reign supreme as the No. 1 home gardening vegetable for a reason. “Our friend tomato is one of the easiest vegetables to grow,” said Tim Reinbott, superintendent at the University of Missouri Bradford Research Center. Hundreds of tomato varieties crowd seed catalogues and gardening centers. Experimenting with new varieties can provide an adventure in taste,…

A Problem with Patches

2012-05-16T21:59:01-06:00

A lawn can be a source of pride when healthy and green, but a front yard full of disease can be an embarrassment. Dead-looking areas of the lawn can be the first sign of two common fungal diseases. Large patch of zoysia and brown patch on tall fescue showed up especially early this year thanks to above-normal temperatures…

Thinning Fruit in the Home Orchard

2012-05-08T15:16:00-06:00

Sometimes fruit trees try to produce more fruit than is good for the plant. Poor fruit size and flavor, plant stress, and alternate bearing can result when certain types of fruit trees aren’t properly thinned. “For gardeners with fruit trees, this process may be difficult, but it’s necessary to avoid these tendencies,” said Marlin Bates, University of Missouri…

As Temperatures Rise, Gardeners Look to Warm-Season Vegetables

2012-04-26T14:19:00-06:00

Home gardeners can finally put their green thumbs back to work on garden mainstays like tomatoes and peppers. Warm-season vegetables need the milder temperatures of late April and early May to ensure successful growth from seedlings to fruitful plants. The average frost-free date-the day when the chance of a late freeze falls to 50 percent-was April 10 for…

Benefits of a Well-Drained Soil

2012-04-25T13:58:00-06:00

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. “Most gardeners don’t have an ideal soil, particularly as it relates to pore space,” said Marlin Bates, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. “We need…

To Seed or to Transplant?

2012-04-19T22:06:00-06:00

A fundamental and often overlooked decision in planting a garden is whether to directly seed a crop into the soil or to place transplants of a crop into the garden, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. “Gardeners typically let this decision to be made for them,” says Marlin Bates. “If transplants of a particular crop are available,…

Get Into a Two-Week Planting Schedule

2012-04-17T17:44:00-06:00

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. “Some fruiting vegetables can produce throughout the season, so it makes sense to plant them all at once,” said Marlin Bates. “Almost all other vegetables, though, can be planted in…

It’s Time for Asparagus

2012-04-17T17:41:00-06:00

Asparagus is always a welcome sight in spring as a first opportunity for fresh vegetables straight from the garden. It is important to know how to prepare and store fresh asparagus for the best taste and maximum freshness, says a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist. “If you are buying fresh asparagus, look for firm,…

Lesser-known Plants That Deserve a Place in the Midwest Vegetable Garden

2012-03-29T15:20:00-06:00

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 Apiaceae (ay-pee-AY-see-ee) family.

Spring Pruning: Subtraction with a Plus

2012-03-27T21:54:00-06:00

Trees, hedges and bushes.... When spring comes, the impulse is to hand out haircuts. Correct pruning can help keep your plants’ size in check, remove undesirable growth and stimulate desirable growth. Spring is a good time for tree and shrub pruning for several reasons, says Chris Starbuck, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “You can…

Soil Test, Calibration, Measurement Will Help Feed Lawn, Not Burn It

2012-03-27T21:49:00-06:00

Not only have flowers, buds, pollen and green grass appeared with the coming of spring, but so have those fertilizer commercials. “Before you follow up on the advertisements’ suggestions, be sure to have your soil tested for free through your local…

Managing Your Garden’s Soil Moisture Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult

2012-03-21T21:37:00-06:00

Managing soil moisture is an important part of successful vegetable gardening in the Midwest, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. “Springtime in our region often brings ample total moisture, but for gardeners with heavy soils, this can be as bad as drought,” says Marlin Bates. Too much moisture early on can stunt plants and prohibit good root…

March Planets in View

2012-03-16T15:37:00-06:00

If you’ve scanned the heavens at night this month, you probably couldn’t help notice a very bright “star” in the western sky. That’s actually sunlight reflecting off the clouds that surround our planetary neighbor, Venus. It’s proximity to Earth makes Venus glow brilliantly in the night sky. The other bright object that appears close to and just to the left…

Can Potting Soil Be Reused?

2012-03-15T13:55:00-06:00

With warm temperatures on the horizon, many gardening enthusiasts are making plans for their spring and summer gardens. With consumers facing rising costs in just about every area of their lives, some gardeners may wonder if it is OK to reuse potting soil. Kim Toscano, host of Oklahoma Gardening, said generally there is nothing wrong with…

What Are Your Trees Worth?

2012-02-24T14:21:00-06:00

This time of year Larry Godsey gets a lot of calls from woodland owners asking for advice about taxes on timber they have sold. Godsey, an economist with the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, usually starts by asking, “What is your basis?” A lot of woodland owners don’t know, and that means they…

Start Seeds Indoors to Jump-start Spring Gardening

2012-02-21T22:10:00-06:00

Seeds hold infinite potential for a seasoned gardener. While it may be easier to transplant the tomatoes, peppers and cauliflower you bought from the local garden store, starting seeds indoors gives you the chance to jump-start your garden with perfect timing. That begins with planting indoors in late February or early March. “Starting from…

Sparing Use of Wood Ash in Garden Can Be Beneficial

2011-12-16T18:55:00-06:00

Soon enough, southwest Missouri will get an arctic blast and homeowners will light of fireplaces and stoves for heat. That also means homeowners will have extra wood ash at some point. If used sparingly, wood ashes left behind after burning wood for winter heat (in wood stoves, furnaces, and fireplaces) can benefit plants and gardens.

Winter Landscape Does Not Have to be Dreary

2011-12-01T13:53:00-06:00

Just because the sky can be drab and dreary in the fall and winter months does not mean the landscaping around your home must be, too. David Hillock, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension consumer horticulturist, said planting pansies along with your spring flower bulbs not only adds to the spring display, but can provide some bright, vibrant color…

Should You Rake, or ‘Leaf’ Well Enough Alone?

2011-11-18T21:56:00-06:00

Wind, weather and time are sending thousands of leaves cascading down onto your lawn. Should you rake, mulch or wait? That depends on your lawn, said Mike Richardson, professor-horticulture with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “Every year, I get lots of questions from my neighbors about mulching leaves, raking them every week, or just waiting until…

Even Evergreen Leaves Change Color and Drop in Autumn

2011-11-08T15:08:00-06:00

During autumn, “evergreen” may be a misnomer when it comes to pines and arborvitae, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “Deciduous trees may get all the attention for their color change and shed in the fall, but this…

Green Tomato Relish Partners Well with Fried Catfish

2011-11-03T15:50:00-06:00

If there is a signature Arkansas food, it may well be fried catfish. And the popular accompaniment to this entrée is green tomato relish. As colder weather arrives, some gardeners have a number of green tomatoes that won’t make it to ripeness. Pick them and head to the kitchen for a session of cooking and canning green tomato…

Fighting Moles is an Uphill Battle

2011-10-25T16:30:00-06:00

Moles have been extra busy this autumn, and you can almost see the resentment rise in homeowners as they survey their spoiled yards. “Even with our dry end to summer, lots of mole activity is showing up, which you typically do not see,” said Brad Fresenburg, a University of Missouri Extension state turf specialist. “That tells us they…

Take Steps Now to Prevent Sunscald on Thin-Barked Trees

2011-10-25T16:18:00-06:00

Homeowners who planted new trees this year, especially ones with thin bark, will want to protect the southwest side of the new tree this winter to protect it from sunscald. Many young, smooth, thin-barked trees like honey locusts, fruit trees, ashes, oaks, maples, lindens, red buds and willows are susceptible to sunscald and bark cracks according…