
Digging into Dirt
My husband and I spend quite a few dinner times tossing around blog ideas. When I found out that we were scheduled to attend a soil conference, I couldn’t resist throwing out a few potential titles. I offered a few real gems like “Let’s Talk Dirty” and “I’ve Got Dirt on You.” By the third …

Planting in a Changing World - Part 2: Climate Change
Gardening has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother had beds of iris and grew roses in her St. Louis back yard, my father had a thriving vegetable patch in the former ash pit of our home and my grandmother always had annuals blooming next to her kitchen …

A Dry Fall Threatens the Landscape
Kansas City and the surrounding areas are currently experiencing what the state climatologist is calling “abnormally dry conditions.” Entering into the month of December, the area has consistently seen warmer than usual temperatures combined with rainfall amounts averaging 4.5 inches below normal. These near-drought conditions can cause stress to turf, trees and broadleaf evergreens. In …

It's Time For A"Long Winter's Nap"-- For Your Yard
With the temperatures staying so warm this fall — 70 degrees on December 2nd here — I’ve postponed some of my usual end of season yard tasks.With the weather so consistently warm, I was afraid that I would do more harm than good by following my usual routine. To be on the safe side, I’ve checked …