Every year since 1998, the Missouri Botanical Garden has partnered with other regional horticultural institutions to select Plants of Merit, which are easy to grow, noninvasive, ornamentally attractive, less susceptible to common problems like insects or diseases, and reasonably available to purchase. Last year, to provide a full picture of what works and what doesn’t…
Category: Home Gardening
Plants of Merit 2020
Every year since 1998, the Missouri Botanical Garden has partnered with other regional horticultural institutions to select Plants of Merit. Plants of Merit are chosen for outstanding quality and dependable performance in Missouri, southern and central Illinois, and the Kansas City metro area. To qualify as a Plant of Merit, the plants must be easy…
Mini Victory Gardens: Growing Vegetables in Containers
There are many appealing reasons to grow your own vegetables at home. They’re fresh and flavorful, you’ll save money on your grocery bill and avoid trips to the store, and it can be very rewarding.. But if you live in an apartment or don’t have a large yard, you might feel like growing your own…
Growing a Victory Garden
During World War I, Americans were called to help the war effort at home by growing their own vegetables in “Victory Gardens” that aimed to reduce pressure on the public food supply. And they answered that call, not once but twice. By World War II, more than 20 million Victory Gardens were supplying Americans with…
Cooking with Weeds
A “mess” is a breakfast dish of German origin that involves fried chunked potatoes, onions, and whatever else you have to throw in. It’s a Sunday morning tradition in our house. In this example, I throw in wild plants available free in my own backyard. Field garlic. Photo by Wendy Applequist. This is field garlic,…
Growing Wild
Interested in stocking your home garden with native wildflowers? Shop the largest selection of native Missouri wildflowers available in the St. Louis area at Shaw Nature Reserve’s annual spring and fall wildflower markets. As spring flowers pop up all around, you may be eager to bring some of that beauty to your own backyard. Classic…
Growing Vegetables from Scraps
As people around the world are spending more time at home, interest in home gardening is growing. Specifically, many are looking to grow their own vegetables at home. If you’re thinking about starting a vegetable garden, you could get started using scraps from vegetables you’ve used from cooking. Regrowing food from leftovers is a smart…
Preventing Food Waste at Home
As many of us stay at home in an effort to practice social distancing due to COVID-19, the only trip out of the house is to the grocery store. A priority for many is how to make the food in the kitchen stretch as far as possible before the next trip to the store. Learning…
White Redbud Has History at the Garden
Missouri’s native trees put on quite a show in spring, led by the fuchsia flush of the Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). This understory tree can be found in parks, home landscapes, and along roadsides throughout the state. The dense clusters of tiny pink blooms are a reminder that warmer weather and longer days have finally…
The Perks of Plants
Whether you’re quarantined or just following the “stay at home” order, many of you are spending more time inside right now than you’re used to. All the time in your home may have you reconsidering decor, or looking to add something new. Might we humbly suggest houseplants? Houseplants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors,…
Planning Your Garden
Being stuck inside may have you dreaming of planting your summer garden in the warm sunshine. We’re still a few weeks away from the prime planting season — the best time to start is after Mother’s Day — but now is the best time to plan your garden. Planning your garden is a crucial first…
Finding Your Mulch Match
As winter melts into spring, gardening may be at the top of your mind. Although you may be thinking more about the prettier side of planting, like the bright blooming flowers, the mulch in your yard is important, too. Mulch offers many benefits including retaining soil moisture, regulating soil temperature, suppressing weed growth, preventing compaction,…