KC Gardens

How to fertilize vegetables this month

3 days, 22 hours ago Tip of the Week

So… how are your vegetables growing? With the cool April and May they probably got off to a slow start. But recent rains and warmer temperatures have kicked their growth into high gear. For Dennis Patton’s tips on what you should do next…

Plant annual flowers by soil temperatures

1 week, 2 days ago Tip of the Week

What a wild and crazy year it has been, especially if you compare it to last year. Last year the season was ahead by about a month. This year we are behind average by a couple of weeks. Dr. Alan Stevens, our K-State Extension specialist and lead for the Prairie Star Annual Flowers research, offers some very good advice. Unfortunately it may come too late, as many of us have probably rushed to plant the annuals. To read more…

Dealing with water-logged soil

2 weeks, 3 days ago Tip of the Week

After a dry 2012, it’s great to have this much rain. But now what do we do about our drenched soil? It matters, Dennis Patton says this week, and he offers some tips for planting in this rainy time.

When to divide perennials

3 weeks, 3 days ago Tip of the Week

Should you divide those perennials that are starting to come up? This week Dennis Patton gives some simple questions to answer, and if you answer any of them yes, it’s time to divide! …

Extension Master Gardeners publish book with practical tips

1 month ago Tip of the Week

Gardening in the Midwest can be a messy business. Plants sprawl and topple, weeds vine and tangle, and grass dies when the excessive rains of spring are followed by the heat and drought of summer. Untangled: Straight Talk from Passionate Gardeners, a newly published book from the Extension Master Gardeners of Johnson County, Kansas, will lead home gardeners through these twists and tangles with its practical tips, real-life experiences, lessons learned and heartfelt stories.

Gear up before gardening

1 month, 1 week ago Tip of the Week

Gardening isn’t as simple as waiting for a warm day and plunging in — you need to prepare a little. This week Dennis gives some good advice on what you need to protect yourself from the elements and the sudden hard work of gardening. To read more…

Random thoughts from the vegetable garden

1 month, 2 weeks ago Tip of the Week

It’s been a different spring with cool temps and wet soil. What does that mean for your vegetable gardening? Dennis Patton tells you this week in his tips. To read more…

Lilacs – the smell of spring

1 month, 3 weeks ago Tip of the Week

Lilacs have long been part of the American tradition, and their sweet smell always brings back spring time. But lilacs also prompt some questions about how best to grow them. To read Dennis Patton’s tips on lilacs this week …

10 rules for planting trees

1 month, 4 weeks ago Tip of the Week

The snow will melt soon and tree-planting season won’t be far off. This week Dennis Patton offers some basic rules for planting trees successfully. To read more…

When will spring arrive?

1 month, 4 weeks ago Tip of the Week

When will the snow ever go away? Normally we have most of spring crops such as onions, potatoes and lettuce planted by the end of March. The snow should melt later this week but the soils will be wet and cold.

Here is my latest fear and that is we will have no spring. We will go from cold to hot without the mild spring conditions. If that happens then our spring gardens will suffer.

So here is hoping to the late arrive of summer conditions. Gardeners are always hopeful- Dennis

Time to control crabgrass

2 months ago Tip of the Week

It may still feel like winter but it’s actually time to think about contolling crabgrass with an herbicide. This week Dennis Patton explains how and when to apply a product to keep your lawn looking great once warm weather really arrives. To read more …

It’s potato planting time

2 months, 1 week ago Tip of the Week

St. Patrick’s Day — Sunday — is the traditional date for getting potatoes planted. And there are lots of reasons to try potatoes in your own garden. To read Dennis Patton’s tips for growning potatoes …

Avoid temptation – don’t work soil while it’s wet

2 months, 2 weeks ago Tip of the Week

Gardeners must be the some of the most fickle people. Only a month ago we were complaining about the lack of moisture and how it was going to affect this year’s crops. Now, only a few weeks later, and after 2 feet of snow, we are asking the question, when am I going to be able to plant the garden? To read more from Dennis Patton…

Repotting your houseplants

2 months, 4 weeks ago Tip of the Week

As you daydream about the garden under all that snow, don’t forget to take good care of your houseplants — and that includes repotting them. In fact, an ideal season for repotting is approaching. For some good advice on how and when. read Dennis Patton’s tips this week…

Flowers for Valentines Day — How does that happen in winter?

3 months, 1 week ago Tip of the Week

Dr. Cheryl Boyer, assistant professor of nursery crops at Kansas State University, has penned another perfect article that I think is worth sharing. The following is her take on how Valentine’s Day flowers end up on your office desk or kitchen table. Enjoy - Dennis