Do Not Over-Fertilize Tomatoes

Though tomatoes need to be fertilized to yield well, too much nitrogen can result in large plants with little to no fruit. Tomatoes should be fertilized before planting and sidedressed…

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Biopesticides: Eco-Friendly Pest Control

Food security and environmental stewardship are two subjects on the minds of most individuals involved with agriculture.  The misuse of conventional pesticides, in many cases, has led to pest resistance,…

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Rabbits in the Garden

Rabbits in gardens are a perennial problem because of the wide variety of plants they can feed on. This time of year, they gravitate to young vegetables and flowers. But…

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Setting Out Tomatoes Early

Gardeners often try to get a jump on the season by planting tomatoes as early as possible. Though this can be successful, there are certain precautions that should be observed,…

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Choosing the Right Pruning Tools

I love garden tools. When I have the right tool in my hand I feel like I can do anything. Without the right tool, working in the garden is a…

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Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable that can be a bit tricky to grow in Kansas. It is native to northern Asia (possibly Siberia) and so is adapted to cold winters…

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A Dozen Tips for Starting Plants from Seed

There are three excellent reasons to start plants from seed. First, you’ll have many more varieties to choose from. Garden centers and greenhouses usually only offer the most popular plants…

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Fertilizing Spring Flowering Bulbs

The best time to fertilize spring-flowering bulbs is when foliage emerges in the spring rather than at flowering. Traditionally, gardeners have applied fertilizer during bloom or a bit after, but…

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2015: Year of the Coleus

The National Garden Bureau has chosen coleus as its ornamental annual to promote in 2015.  Thus, we now are in the “year of the coleus”.  This colorful yet durable plant…

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February Gardening Calendar

Ornamentals Weeks 1-4: Winter aconite (Eranthis sp.) and snowdrops (Galanthus sp.) are hardy bulbs for shady gardens that frequently push up through snow to bloom now. Weeks 1-4: Inspect summer…

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