Close your eyes and follow your nose around the garden. Here are some fragrant-blooming shrubs that local gardening gurus plant to stimulate their sense of smell. Korean Spice Viburnum Susan Mertz of Loma Vista Nursery really likes Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) for its early blooms and easy care. She says, “They are such a useful plant in the landscape
Read moreNinebark? Why not ten or eight bark my husband inquired. These are the type of questions I get when walking through a garden and trying to talk about plants with him. Gladly, this is my chance to wax poetic about plants. Here begins my enthusiasm about Ninebark. Physocarpus opulifolius, commonly called ninebark, is an upright, spreading, somewhat coarse, deciduous shrub.
Read moreExtended wet periods can cause problems with our area soils. Soils in this part of the country, for the most part, tend to have high clay content. Clay is poorly drained and aerated, and holds high levels of water, which can be detrimental to many plants. Identifying water-damaged plants Waterlogged soils exclude oxygen from the roots thus causing decline
Read morePeppers, a highlight in any garden are one of the easiest plants to grow. Bringing a rainbow of colors, a plethora of shapes and different degrees of heat to your table, peppers are an attractive addition to any garden or container. It’s easy to value these plants for looks and flavor alone, but the pepper is a nutritional powerhouse as
Read moreTheir Babies Eat Your Aphids Photos and Text by Tom Schroeder When I say the word “Fly”, you probably do not imagine brightly colored, harmless Flower Flies feeding on flowers in your garden. Their larvae spend the night voraciously eating aphids on your garden plants while you sleep. By modifying a few gardening practices, you can encourage this natural pest
Read moreNot far from several bars at Westport in Kansas City is an oakleaf hydrangea that I have admired for many years. No doubt, it has received substantial abuse from late night revelers wandering back to their cars after hours of fun. Yet, this plant is always beautiful with huge flowers in the summer, gorgeous fall foliage and attractive bark in
Read moreMaking your own nectar couldn’t be easier. In a few easy steps, you can bring these nectar-loving birds to your feeder. Materials: 1/4 cup of refined white sugar 1 cup boiling water bowl spoon Important: Don’t use honey; it can promote dangerous fungal growth. Organic, natural and raw sugars contain levels of iron that could be harmful. Plain white table
Read moreA campaign to register a million public and private gardens and landscapes to support pollinators. The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge (MPGC) is a nationwide call to action to preserve and create gardens and landscapes that help revive the health of bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators across America. We will move millions of individuals, kids and families outdoors and
Read moreBy Dennis Patton, Johnson County Extension horticulture agent Spring explodes with color, making this season one of the best times of the year here in Kansas City. Bright, colorful blooms fill our senses and remind us of the renewal that spring brings. Unfortunately, this colorful display does not last long. The end of a shrub’s flowering cycle triggers the time
Read moreEasy and Tasty Basil Basil likes the warmth of full sun to grow best. Lift transplants carefully by the leaves instead of the stem. Set outdoors only after soil and air temperatures are warm. One chilly night can set plants back. Sweet green basil can be dried, frozen in ice cubes, or used fresh. Blended with pine nuts, oil and cheese, this
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