KCG Mar25 issue

GARDENER

Independently owned and operated since 1996

PUBLISHER

Michael Cavanaugh

EDITOR

Elizabeth Cavanaugh

CONTRIBUTORS

Amy Albright

Matt Bunch

Tracy Graybill

Sean Holland

Lenora Larson

Judy Penner

Anthony Reardon

Sarah Sikich

Anne Wildeboor

Scott Woodbury

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Friends and high places

After our club meeting, my friend Bob and I hang around for a few minutes. Filling in the blanks of what we’ve learned since our last meeting, we check in with each other like friends do. Bob is a longtime gardener, growing the usual selections found in a Midwest vegetable garden. His granddaughter has been by his side every season to assist with all that needs doing, especially the fun part … eating! Her older brother has been making noise about planting his own vegetable garden this year. Bob says “we’ll see about that.” The proof is in the pudding, right?

Our conversation moves on to visiting area garden centers, the availability of seeds in bulk, and our readiness to plant. Something. Anything. That’s what happens this time of year—like a race horse ready to run, gardeners yearn for the day when the soil is workable. I remind my friend to approach spring with caution, knowing the unpredictable nature of the weather. Of course, there is no need to remind Bob of such things. He’s been gardening longer than anyone I know. Bob is wise and kind and an excellent lis-

tener. He’s a good one, my friend Bob.

Incidentally, Mr. Gardener has been determined (that’s putting it lightly) to expel a small (we hope) rodent from a wall of our home. There are plenty of details to share, some humorous and fodder for stories told around the firepit. I would need another page in the magazine to describe the lengths to which this effort has gone. However, recently I returned from the grocery store, and there he was up on the roof breaking rule number one—no ladder when home alone. I paused and took a deep breath, then asked, “Babe, whatcha doing up there??” He says, “I read on Google that mice are excellent climbers and that they can get into the house through the rooftop vents.” Aye yi yi!

Enter our dear friend Jason who lives across the street. A bit younger, more agile, and definitely safer on a ladder, he saw Mr. Gardener outside with the ladder. Without hesitation, he dashed over with support while Mr. Gardener climbed down. Thanks be to God.

Jason is ever willing to offer a helping hand when there is a neigh-

bor in need. He’ll shovel snow, carry wood, or unload mulch from the back of your car. He’ll even help you rig an 8-foot round lighted peace sign from the oak tree. And his smoked ribs are out of this world. Yep, Jason is a good one.

Mr. Gardener and I are blessed to have such beautiful people in our lives. The two mentioned here are just a sampling.

Happy spring to all the friends who make a difference in the lives of others and may your soil be workable soon.

I’ll see you in the garden!

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Question: I’ve been on a soil “health kick” lately, and I’m curious of what I can be doing to my garden soil beyond just testing, amending, and incorporating compost. Any tips for improving beneficial microorganisms?

Anthony’s Answer: When it comes to supporting soil microorganisms, there are numerous actions that can be taken to do so. These range from incorporating other forms of organic matter to minimizing soil disturbance, covering soil, planting cover crops, and even utilizing compost teas. The key lies in combining these efforts to work toward the overall goal of fostering a healthy, thriving soil ecosystem.

While compost incorporation is a good start, other forms of brokendown organic materials, such as aged manure, leaf mold, and crop residues, help diversify the food available for microorganisms – ultimately increasing the diversity of the microorganisms themselves. Many specialty crop growers favor no-till practices, where tilling is kept to a minimum to avoid diminishing soil aggregates. By leaving the soil undisturbed fungal networks and microorganisms can thrive, breaking down nutrients in ways that plants can easily access. In the garden, this minimal disturbance is usually achieved with a shovel or hand tools.

Covering bare soil with mulch, leaves, or straw helps protect microorganisms by preventing die-off caused from sun exposure. Shielded from harsh conditions, the microbes are allowed to persist in a moist, warm, and hospitable environment. Cover crops provide similar ben-

Ask the Experts

efits, buffering the soil from the sun while preventing erosion and fixing vital nutrients.

Compost teas, then, are another excellent tool for boosting soil health. To make one, simply fill a cloth bag (or pillowcase) with compost and

of strategies for supporting microorganisms. Each practice contributes to building a more resilient and fertile foundation for your garden, and when combined, these efforts work together to create the healthiest soil possible.

steep it in water. This simple process not only introduces beneficial microbes to the garden, but also fertilizes the soil. For the best results, aerate the steeping water using a fish tank air stone to boost the tea’s effectiveness. This is an easy and effective task that any gardener can do at home.

Improving soil health is an ongoing process that involves a variety

OBSERVE THEN ACTION

Question: A lot of my gardening friends have mentioned that by observing the behavior of certain plants, I can figure out the right time to plant others or tackle specific garden tasks. Is this really a reliable method, or is it more of a gardening myth?

Anthony’s Answer: The tech-

nique your gardening friends are referring to is called using “phenological cues,” with phenology being the study of the periodic stages in plant and animal life cycles. These environmental cues often align with tasks like planting, fertilizing, or pruning, and they serve as natural indicators for when certain garden activities should take place.

While these cues can be helpful guidelines, it’s important to remember that garden success ultimately depends on creating and maintaining a consistently hospitable environment. So, while they’re useful for timing, it’s best to use them thoughtfully and alongside pro-active problem solving to address any challenges that may arise.

For example, blooming forsythia signals that the soil has warmed enough to fertilize spring bulbs; the budding of spring-flowering shrubs indicates it’s time to prune summer-flowering shrubs for best development; and when maple trees begin to bud, it’s a good sign to start planting cold-season crops, as this also marks the beginning of sap flow.

All in all, yes, phenological cues can be a useful tool to have in your garden strategy. However, they are essentially an indirect way of assessing the growing environment. Factors like air and soil temperature, day length, and water availability can be just as effective, and likely more reliable, since they’re less influenced by external variables. Ultimately, while phenological cues can offer some insight, paying attention to direct environmental factors will ensure more reliable outcomes for your garden.

ANTHONY REARDON Horticulture Agent

The Healthy Gardener

‘Let Food Be Thy Medicine’

In the search for better health, people are beginning to embrace the idea that food can be a form of medicine. Food as medicine is not a new concept. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician to whom “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” is attributed, prescribed healthy food, especially plant-based diets to his patients. Fast-forward to modern times, and we have increasing evidence that the foods we consume do have a direct impact on health. And a powerful component of the food as medicine concept is a diet rich in plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts. Studies show that eating a healthy diet can help prevent or manage a variety of chronic health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, can-

cer, diabetes, and obesity. Our health care providers tell us to include more plant-based foods on our plates regularly. It’s no secret. But how, exactly, does a diet rich in plant-based foods benefit our health?

For one thing, it supports your immune system. Did you know that plants have nutrients you cannot get from any other food source? The vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals help keep your immune system in tip-top shape. A healthy immune system is vital for reducing the risk of cancer, because it can fight off harmful changes in cells before they turn into a disease.

The nutrients in plant-based foods also reduce inflammation in your body caused by pollution, processed foods, viruses, and more. In-

TRACY GRAYBILL Field Specialist

flammation in your body has been linked to cancer, and inflammatory diseases like arthritis. The next time you try to push that spinach or kale to the side of your plate, think again. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, avocados, and berries are also foods that help fight inflammation and support your immune system.

A diet rich in plant-based foods can also help people maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight may protect against cancer, and other chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease. Need to lose a few pounds? Fill your plate with mostly plant-based food, and you’ll remove many of the foods that lead to weight gain. Add in some exercise, and you’ll have a great recipe for weight loss.

But wait! We aren’t done yet. Let’s talk about the fiber that is present in all unprocessed plant foods. Fiber improves your gut health enabling you to absorb the nutrients from food, which in turn supports your immune system and reduces inflammation. Foods with fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. Need fiber? Legumes are a great addition to your plate.

The idea of food as medicine is gaining recognition. And clearly, plant-based foods are the cornerstone of food as medicine and a key building block to good health. With their abundance of nutrients and potential for preventing a host of chronic diseases, maybe it is time to put even more plants on your plate.

Tracy is a Field Specialist in Community Health with the University of Missouri Extension-Community Health Engagement and Outreach. Her role is to link community and campus resources to help implement strategies to achieve health equity. Email her at graybilltl@missouri.edu for more information.

Miniature

Rudbeckia Pawnee Spirit

Salvia Noble Knight

Aquilegia Kirigami Light Blue

White

Miniature Parade Meri

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Transplanting roses may seem intimidating but a necessary garden job from time to time.

I don’t know about you, but I have planted roses in the perfect spot in my garden only to find that, years later as trees grow, and shade encroaches it is no longer the perfect spot. This happened at my home and I let my poor rose bush struggle in the shade for more years than I like to admit. I finally took pity on my rosebush last March and transplanted it to a sunny location. I am happy to report it looks great and bloomed all-season long.

Do you have a rose bush that is struggling in the shade? If you have a rose in a shady location, or you simply want to move it, following are the steps I took to transplant my rose.

1. In Kansas City, March is the ideal time to transplant a rose. Make sure the soil is not frozen so you will be able to dig.

2. Dig the hole for the new location first. Dig a large hole since you won’t know how large the roots will be. This gives the roots room to grow.

3. Next have a large plastic bag or burlap ready when digging the rose.

4. Cut back the rose to about 2 feet from the ground, making it easier to handle, and equalizing the plant to root ratio.

5. Dig about a foot out from the center of the rose so you will get as many roots as possible. You will probably cut some of the roots but that will be ok

Rose Report Steps to transplant

since the rose canes have been cut back to two feet.

6. Immediately wrap up the rose in the plastic or burlap to keep the roots from drying out while you move it to the new location.

7. Place the roots in the hole at the new location making sure the rose is planted at the same depth as it was in the original location. I adjust the hole at this time by either mounding up soil at the base of the hole or digging deeper if needed.

8. Backfill the hole halfway with a mixture of existing soil and compost.

9. Then I mix Mushroom Stuff at a rate of 1 ounce per gallon of water and pour in the halffilled hole. This adds mycelium to the root zone and will attach to the roots helping the rose uptake nutrients.

10. Add additional existing soil and compost filling the hole completely and watering.

11. This is Important! After planting cover the canes of the rose with compost or soil. This step ensures success by keeping the winds from drying out the rose canes.

12. Water your newly transplanted rose every 3rd day unless it is extremely dry then check on it daily and water as needed.

Check out my YouTube Channel Judy Penner to see a video demonstration on how to transplant roses.

On March 29, the Kansas City Rose Society will host a free pro-

JUDY PENNER Rose Garden Consultant

gram, “A Rose for Every Garden” at 10 a.m. in person at the Loose Park Garden Center and on Facebook Live—sign up for the class at https://www.kansascityrosesociety. org/event-calendar-kansas-cityrose-society/spring-rose-workshop.

Laura Dickinson, President of the KCRS and American Rose Society Master Consulting Rosarian will present a program reviewing basic rose care, rose varieties, selecting the best roses for your garden and how new hybrids are developed.

After the program Dana Flemming, Kansas City Parks Department Head Rosarian will demonstrate planting a bare root rose in the Rose Garden. More information on how to plant roses and all aspects of rose care is available at www.Kansas CityRoseSociety.org under the Grow Roses tab. You can ask rose questions by clicking on Ask an Expert or emailing their Consulting Rosarians, certified by the American Rose Society, at RoseHelp@KCRose Society.org.

Judy Penner is an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian and Professional Rosarian since 1987. She has a Rose Garden Consulting business and can be contacted at judyssecretgardens@gmail.com.

-Listen to informative educational speakers

-Purchase locally grown native plants

-Consult with local experts for green solutions

Harmonious Wildflower Pairings Add Je Ne Sais Quoi

When pairing wildflowers, my designs strive for a single outcome, achieving a third look. This is when two (or more) plants come together to forge an eye-catching visual quality that’s greater than the sum of their parts. Like Oreos and milk, Cabernet and Bolognese, or a breath-taking quilt made from a ragbag of worn clothes. In the garden, this third look comes from varying depth, texture, or shape, or by combining colors that bring out a unique quality in different plants.

At times, combinations fall flat, extinguishing visual interest. Like when leaf texture, plant height, and shape are all the same. Or when too much of one color is present, especially yellow or green. But occasionally, by magic or design, plants combine and catch fire, or the opposite, they unite and soothe.

display, even without flowers. The complimentary red and light blue flowers are a vibrant wake-up call to gardeners and hummingbirds in spring. Columbine also enlivens a woodland when paired with wild sweet William (Phlox divaricata).

Here, I offer some combos that are sure to add a certain undefinable, attractive, je ne sais quoi quality to your garden. Like the calming, ethereal pairing of wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) with feathery bluestar (Amsonia ciliata var. filifolia) in full sun. Ethereal because columbine flowers seem to float (on wiry, leafless stems), distorting the perception of depth. Columbine’s mitten-shaped leaves stand out among mounds of needlelike bluestar leaves—a stunning

Other “floating” flowers (with slender, leafless, or tiny-leaved flower stalks) include black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), queen-ofthe prairie (Filapendula rubra), rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium), woodland knotweed (Polygonum virginianum), Indian plantain (Arnoglossum or Cacalia spp.), Joe pye (Eutrochium [Eupatorium] spp.), troublesome sedge (Carex molesta), and the tall ecotype of prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) that originates from Tucker Prairie in mid-Missouri. Where would gardens and gardeners be without the singular beauty of Joe pye? Alone, it is glorious, but when paired with garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), or marsh blazing star (Liatris spicata), it shines brighter. These analogous flower colors tend to soften and sooth. Similar combinations include downy skullcap (Scutellaria incana) with purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea); beautyberry (Callicarpa americana, with its fuschia berries) with aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium); showy eve-

SCOTT WOODBURY Horticulturist

ning primrose (Oenothera speciosa) with Ohio horsemint (Blephilia ciliata); and woodland spiderwort (Tradescantia ernestiana) with wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). Yellow/blue or yellow/purple combinations are complementary show-stoppers in native gardens. Several pairings come to mind, like eastern blazingstar (Liatris scariosa) with Texas green eyes (Berlandiera texana). Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis), eastern bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana), and golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) are a stunning trio. Rough-leaved goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) and New England aster (Symphyotrichum novaeangliae) work well when you have elbow room and need some height. Beautyberry (with its bright berries) and eastern witchazel (Hamamelus virginiana) add a splash of fall color. Purple coneflower pairs nicely with a pinch of threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata) or false

The Color Wheel

The following three color harmonies describe colors that pair well together.

• Complementary colors (across from each other on the color wheel) are vibrant when paired together. Like the colors most associated with Christmas—red and green.

• Analogous colors (next to each other) add a subtle harmony. Think of multiple shades of blue or lavender on a window or door frame.

• Primary colors (red, blue, and yellow), any two paired together express bold harmony. Like the Swedish flag in blue and yellow, or the US flag in red and blue.

Complex plant combinations may have multiple color harmonies on display simultaneously.

Scott Woodbury was the horticulturist at Shaw Nature Reserve for 30 years and stepped down from that position in June 2022. He continues to work on contract for Shaw Nature Reserve to carry out native landscaping education and has launched his own business called Cacalia: Native Garden Design and Wilding. Find suppliers of native seed and plants to enrich your landscaping all year at grownative.org.

Purple coneflower, false sunflower Joe pye, phlox

Photos by Scott Woodbury.

sunflower (Heliopolis helianthoides). Most striking of all, perhaps, is the woodland combo of Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum).

You may be wondering where white or grayish flowers fit in? I think of them as smoky fillers, as if a smoke machine were nestled in the garden. Pale pink or lavender, white and light gray flowers tend to unify a planting. They tie things together by complementing the plants around them, especially plants in the blue to pink range. Visually, I think these light, whitish flowers play with our perception of depth, and subtly lead the eye through the garden, adding an elusive sprinkle of visual interest. These plants include rattlesnake master (Eryngium

yuccifolium), white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana), Culvers root (Veronicastrum virginicum), mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.), goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus), smooth beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), heath and calico asters (Symphyotrichum ericoides and S. lateriflorus), robin’s plantain (Erigeron pulchellum), and the white-flowered forms of purple coneflower and marsh blazing star.

Lastly, here are a few fiery combinations that may get your blood flowing, or boiling! Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) with threadleaf coreopsis or black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) with orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa. (Note that Sullivant’s black-eyed Susan blooms earlier than variety umbrosa.) Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata) with threadleaf coreopsis. Royal catchfly (Silene regia) with purple coneflower and false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides). And if you’re counting fall leaf color, then winged sumac (Rhus copallina) and shining bluestar (Amsonia illustris) or Arkansas bluestar (A. hubrichtii) can’t be beat. A close second is winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata, with bright red berries) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) in autumn.

The possible combinations of native plants are many. Have fun tinkering with these and your own creative pairings. Happy gardening!

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Butterfly milkweed, threadleaf coreopsis

Below: Rattlesnake master, little blue mountain mint

UPCLOSE with Dale Brendel

CANOPY LAWN CARE OF SOUTHWEST KANSAS CITY

THERE ARE GREEN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS DEDICATED TO THEIR CRAFT, MADE OBVIOUS BY THEIR CAREER CHOICE. WE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE INFLUENCES TOWARD THEIR CAREER, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFE.

Mission statement: Canopy Lawn Care was founded with a purpose. To leave people and the planet better than we found them. We’re on a mission to do just that. From our team members to our customers, we treat everyone with the respect they deserve to provide the best care we can to ensure our clients have a healthy lawn. We also strive to reduce not only our own carbon footprint but also those of our customers, through modern, greener and eco-friendly lawn care.

Products/Services offered: Lawn fertilization and weed control, lawn aeration and seeding, lawn disease control and lawn insect control.

Safety for children and pets: We don’t use sludge, urea, chlorine, salts or other toxins like some companies. We use an exclusive blend of organic ingredients like coffee grounds, sea kelp and natural amino acids that activate the carbon in your soil and nourish the eco-system. Our liquid and granular fertilizers are safe for your family, pets and wildlife. In using pre- and selective postemergent weed control, we reduce the amount of herbicide use by 70 percent compared to other companies.

Tell us about your team: As the owner/operator of a small growing business I answer the phone, meet and consult with customers, do the applications and provide all-around customer service. But while we are locally owned and operated, I get support from my franchiser, which has provided me with smart technology that I use to quickly generate free quotes with satellite imagery, and a team of agronomists that developed the proprietary Healthy Lawn formula and is there to assist with high-level expertise as needed.

Background, how long in the green industry? I started the business in January 2024. Before that I worked for many years as a journalist, mostly as a reporter or editor at local community newspapers. Doing that, I developed a strong interest and even a passion for the environment and conservation issues. This January, I was named the new district manager of the Johnson County Conservation District, succeeding the retiring Gayla Speer, who did terrific work in this role for many years. I feel this position goes hand-in-hand with Canopy Lawn Care and our emphasis on healthy soil and natural resources.

Tell us about what inspired you to open Canopy Lawn Care of Southwest Kansas City. Like many homeowners, I strived to have a great looking lawn that was the pride of the neighborhood, but on the second year of conventional lawn treatments I was disappointed how my lawn thinned out and deteriorated thanks to the heavy use of synthetic chemicals and toxins. When I learned about Canopy Lawn Care and its more natural solutions, I thought there was a need in the market and I am proud to offer homeowners a healthier choice.

As an industry professional, what is trending in home lawn care? Homeowners are spending more time and money on their lawns than ever before and have greater expectations. There are also more professional choices in the marketplace, so consumers should do their research and choose companies that best fit their needs and desires along with their budget.

What every gardener/homeowner should know. Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving lawn and vibrant plant growth, whether it is a garden or the front yard. If you treat it like the living ecosystem that it is, and nourish it with vitamins and nutrients, it will produce lush gardens and lawns.

Contact information: Based in Overland Park, providing service six days a week. Call 913-9488848, email swkc@canopylawncare.com; request complimentary quote and get more info at canopylawncare.com/southwest-kansas-city; follow us on Facebook at Canopy Lawn Care of SWKC.

Becoming a Butterfly Gardener

Ablack and white butterfly changed my life forever on a sunny morning in 1994. My nature-loving neighbor had joined me on my porch as the butterfly languidly glided by. I gasped in astonishment as Steve said, “That’s a Zebra Swallowtail.” For the first time, I looked up from my beloved plants and saw butterflies flying throughout my gardens, many sizes, many colors. I had never noticed them before! Immediately I was hooked, but where to start? In 1994 we had no computers or user-friendly internet or butterfly books in our local library. Fast forward 30 years to 2025 and you’ll find a plethora of butterfly information. Available resources include organizations, books, online and even insect ID Apps for your smart phone.

Butterfly Names

As gardeners we experience the frustration of multiple common names for most ornamental plants. Thankfully, butterfliers do not have this problem because NABA (North American Butterfly Association) standardized scientific and common names for butterflies shortly after its formation in 1992. Fortunately, both professional Lepidopterists and hobbyists have so far adhered to these common names. Moths are also denizens of your garden, but their names aren’t standardized. If there is a common name, usually the winged adult is named differently from its caterpillar. For instance, the child of the adult Carolina Hummingbird (or Sphinx, or Hawk) Moth is called the Tobacco Hornworm.

Field Guides

Just as for bird identification, but-

Books remain relevant today despite access to internet resources. The four shown above are excellent resources for you while navigating the world of butterflies.

terfly field guides may be illustrated with drawings or with photographs. Which do you prefer? Authored by Betsy Betros, A Photographic Field Guide to the Butterflies in the Kansas City Region is my “butterfly bible” as it contains far more information than simple identification and serves as my guide to the necessary host plants for each species. Adding to the identification difficulties, butterflies have four life stages, each with a very different appearance. David Wagner’s Caterpillars of Eastern North America provides a photographic guide to common moth and butterfly caterpillars. Identification resources have expanded beyond these paperback field guides to include internet resources like Google, Wikipedia, bugguide.net and apps like Picture Insect to install on our computers and smart phones.

Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden

With the massive loss of habitats in the Midwest, butterflies need gardeners to maintain host plants and

nectar-rich flowers from early spring to the hard freeze in November. NABA defines a butterfly garden as “a habitat that provides the resources to sustain resident breeding populations of native butterflies”, i.e., the garden must include flowers for the adults, host plants for the eggs and caterpillars and plant debris for overwintering eggs, caterpillars, chrysalids and adults. A true butterfly garden focuses on the unique caterpillar food plants for each species of butterfly, not flowers since butterflies are nectar generalists. For in-depth information, I recommend Xerces Society’s Gardening for Butterflies and NABA’s Butterfly Gardening, both available on Amazon. Beware of pre-planned “butterfly gardens” from nurseries. Most plant collections include only flowers and are not truly butterfly gardens. If they do include any host plants, it’s usually Butterfly Weed, a milkweed disdained by midwestern Monarchs. Many other species of butterflies reside in our area; plant for their caterpillars too! Shop wise-

ly at nurseries, or there will be no beautiful butterflies.

Organizations

The best way to learn about butterflies is in the company of experienced butterfly lovers. In addition to the two Kansas City area Master Naturalist organizations, there are two active butterfly organizations. Monarch Watch, housed on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence, focuses on Monarch research and reaches out to the public with a fabulous Butterfly Garden, two open houses, a spring plant sale, and tagging in the fall. Visit their website (www.monarchwatch.org) to learn more. The Idalia Society, a chapter of the American Society for Lepidoptery, has free open meetings four times each year plus field trips to selected butterfly gardens and also hosts NABA butterfly counts. Communication is primarily through email and their Facebook site. Text or call Vice-president Elizabeth Stoakes 816-283-6258 to be added to the email quarterly newsletter.

LENORA LARSON Butterfly Maven

Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener, Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society member, Lenora Larson gardens and hosts butterflies in the cruel winds and clay soil of Paola, Kansas. She may be contacted at lenora.longlips@gmail.com.

Spotlight on Solomon’s Seal underused shade perennial

As a human family, we always seem to grasp onto things that remind us of our childhood, whether it’s a movie, toy, song, or decoration. My fascination with plants began as a child, “helping” my mom and grandparents with their gardening. Some of my favorite plants to this day are the ones I remember learning about as a youth, many of which came from divisions out of my great grandparents’ gardens: Bearded Iris, Old-Fashioned Lilac, and Solomon’s Seal.

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum spp.) is a member of the Asparagus family that typically grows in shaded areas with dappled light. Its graceful, tall, arching habit makes it a unique plant for the landscape, usually reaching a height of 2-3 feet. Slowly spreading by rhizomes over time to create a colony, Solomon’s Seal creates a thick root system that helps it tolerate many conditions, from rich, moist soils to rocky, dry ones. Primarily grown for its foliage, small white, lightly fragrant blooms appear in late spring/early summer and give way to small blue berries. In autumn, the foliage turns a nice golden-yellow giving one last show before winter.

Best planted in areas with soil rich in organic matter in dappled sunlight, Solomon’s Seal will tolerate deep shade. Amending the soil with compost and topping with a light layer of mulch when planting is helpful in getting a colony to establish. Solomon’s Seal is a light feeder and rarely needs additional fertilizer, but the occasional use of a light, bal-

Solomon’s Seal ‘Variegata’

anced organic fertilizer (10-10-10, or similar) can help with establishing a good root system. Though it is drought tolerant once established, be sure to provide supplemental water during dry periods in the first few years of growth. Don’t be surprised if plants go dormant during extended periods of summer heat and drought. If leaf spots or rust appear on the foliage, a dose of copper fungicide will help mitigate the problem.

It seems that for every shade plant, there are 10 sun plants, making it difficult to find unique additions to

SEAN HOLLAND Perennials Manager

shade-scapes. When planning your shady gardens and landscapes, consider adding some Solomon’s Seal into the mix. The graceful, arching stems add a unique, almost tropical look to a woodland or rain garden, especially when planted among shorter Hostas, Heucheras, or even Pulmonaria and Brunnera. Its tendency to colonize makes Solomon’s Seal very useful where decorative erosion control is necessary, and it is one of a few plants that thrives well in deep shade.

As one of the lesser-known gar-

den treasures, plant breeders and growers only have a few different varieties of Solomon’s Seal available, but they are all strong growers and offer unique features to enhance the landscape. The most common variety available at garden centers is ‘Variegata’, which offers a dark green leaf and white margins, similar to a ‘Patriot’ Hosta, and is listed as a Plant of Merit by the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Native garden enthusiasts should consider planting the native species, Polygonatum biflorum, or Giant Solomon’s Seal. Over time, with rich soil and even moisture, this species will spread to create healthy colony. It may even spread into sunny conditions, though it will be less vigorous with more sun.

One of the more rare and unique varieties, ‘Ruby Slippers’, boasts a red stem that holds emerald green foliage. As a recent development in plant breeding, it may be difficult to find at garden centers, but is definitely worth planting if you can find one.

True gardeners know that sometimes gardening is an exercise of patience, whether it is waiting to find a particular plant in stock at your favorite garden center, or nurturing it to maturity in the landscape. Patience pays off in the case of Solomon’s Seal: as it grows, it will provide decades of interest to the garden. To this day, that same Solomon’s Seal graces the area around Mom’s patio, and we can both attest that it is one of the easiest plants we’ve ever grown.

Sean Holland is Perennials Manager at Suburban Lawn & Garden, 135th and Wornall location, in Kansas City, Missouri. You may reach him at seanh@suburbanlg.com.

Photo courtesy of monrovia.com.

Left and Right: Solomon’s Seal ‘Variegata’

Above and Below: Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’

Photo courtesy of

Photo courtesy of waltersgardens.com.

Above: Giant Smooth Solomon’s Seal Below: Polygonatum odoratum ‘Ruby Slippers’

Photo courtesy of waltersgardens.com.

Photo courtesy of monrovia.com.

Photo courtesy of monrovia.com.

Photo courtesy of whitepelicanfarm.com.

Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale in Paola

Now with Comfortable Indoor Shopping

We always sell out of Moon Carrot. Some buy it for the evergreen drought-tolerant foliage, others for the brilliant white long-blooming flowers, and butterfly gardeners offer it to Black Swallowtails. A plant with no vices, only virtues!

Mark your calendar for April 24, 25 and 26! Since the inception of our Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale in 2007, we have suffered at the whims of Mother Nature. Arguably the worst, in 2024, when three days of torrential rains and high winds discouraged shoppers and forced cancellation of the afternoon hours. Although in 2022 a microburst snatched up both of our large tents and deposited one several miles away at the Paola Country Club! You can’t fight Mother Nature, but we finally have a solution: we are moving the sale indoors to the Miami County Fairgrounds, Building #2, 401 Wallace Drive, Paola, KS 66071. This is the 6th time we’ve moved, but fortunately plant lovers always find us. Both plants and shoppers will enjoy the benefits of shelter from the elements. Shoppers will also appreciate the convenience of public restrooms!

Exceptional Plant Selections

The Marais Des Cygnes Exten-

sion Master Gardeners have always focused on native plants plus a combination of favorite and unusual ornamental plants. Since the plants are grown in Kansas, buyers can be confident that their purchases will succeed in our Midwestern clay soil and unpredictable weather conditions. Our local grower uses only organic horticultural methods so no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides have been applied. Our plants are safe for humans, pets, butterflies and bees!

Butterfly host plants will again be featured to feed the caterpillars. Remember, only Monarch butterfly caterpillars can eat Milkweed. The caterpillars of the other 60 species of native butterflies that reside in the Kansas City area are hungry too! We will have a huge selection of butterfly-specific host plants and butterfly expert Lenora Larson will be present to provide resources and consultations to help shoppers choose the plants that attract their favorite species of butterflies.

Seventy percent of the food we eat depends on the services of pollinators, primarily bees. The widespread use of pesticides in commercial agriculture means that pollinators increasingly must depend on us home gardeners for their food. We will offer a special selection of heirloom open-pollinated flowers for your garden’s beauty and for the ease of seed-starting and self-sowing. Plan to add bee-friendly plants to your vegetable garden to increase your harvest of delectable fruits and vegetables.

Other Offerings

In addition to host and pollinator plants, shoppers will find a large selection of native plants, including straight species and selected varieties. Favorite ornamental perennials like hostas, geraniums and clematis will also be available, including the always popular succulents. Colorful annuals and tropicals meet the gardeners’ needs for containers, bedding flowers and houseplants. Native

and ornamental trees and shrubs can provide beautiful shade and birdfriendly habitat. Choose unbeatable homegrown taste with berry canes, fruit trees and vegetable transplants. Gorgeous hanging baskets and patio pots will add instant beauty to your home.

Help for Gardening Questions

Do you need suggestions for challenging sites like dry shade or that wet spot? Do deer and rabbit consider your garden their personal buffet? Which varieties of tomatoes or peppers do best in our area? Extension Master Gardeners will be onhand to answer your questions about plant selection and care. Our expertise ranges from flowers to vegetable growing to prairie habitats, butterfly gardening and houseplants.

See our advertisement in this issue with details on page 13. For more information, please contact the Paola Extension Office at 913294-4306, or visit www.marais descygnes.ksu.edu.

Ornamental grasses, like this Red Fountain Grass, provide 4-season beauty, drought-tolerance and almost no maintenance. Come choose from our collection!

Favorite ornamentals such as this Clematis ‘Ramona’ will be available.

Cultivate a Garden Insectary

Instead of spending time and money applying chemicals to control insect pests in your garden, consider using plants that will attract predator insects to do the job. An insectary is simply a grouping of plants that attracts and hosts bugs. Including the right perennials, herbs, and flowering annuals to create shelter and food sources for predatory insects at different life stages can bring balance to ornamental and vegetable gardens and transform them into self-sufficient ecosystems.

Most gardeners know that butterflies, moths, and bees are essential to flower and fruit production, but the contributions of predatory insects are often overlooked and misunderstood. Although some may not be as cute as ladybugs, this group of insects hungrily devour damaging insect pests, often pollinating flowers as they go.

Native plants provide the best support to a wide variety of wildlife. Gardeners with limited space should look for native keystone species, such as black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), because they attract the most diversity per plant. Many non-native herbs and annuals also provide excellent food and shelter for insects, and clump-forming grasses provide summer shelter and overwintering sites for ground beetles, ladybugs, and other beneficials.

Even organic pesticides can harm beneficial predatory insects, creating a chemically dependent garden. In any food web, predator populations take much longer to recover than prey species. For example, using chemicals to wipe out aphids can

accidentally kill off ladybugs, and just one surviving aphid can produce thousands of new aphids right away — even without a male — while the ladybugs take much longer to return.

Given a few seasons to develop and fully flourish, predatory insect populations will happily munch on pesky slugs, caterpillars, aphids, mites, and more.

Insects have different dietary requirements during various stages of their development, so a diversity of plant material and bloom time are essential to attracting them. Although beneficial insects feast on pest insects, there may be certain points in their life cycle when they can only eat pollen or nectar. To attract these insects to your garden, provide host plants for food and shelter.

If additional pest control is needed, try removing the damaging insects by hand, because this will avoid harming the beneficial species in your garden. Row covers and succession planting of crops can also help avoid the need for chemicals.

Once you have a variety of plants growing without pesticides, you will find many beneficial species settling in. Watch for ladybugs, ground beetles, lacewings, hoverflies, true bugs, and tiny wasps. Allowing insects to grow and thrive in your garden will then lead to more creatures from the food web moving in, like amphibians and lizards, who are another powerhouse for consuming insect pests.

If an imbalance threatens plant survival, research which insects are causing damage and how to correct the situation safely. Be certain you aren’t targeting beneficial insects only because they’re the first

Who to invite, and who they’ll eat ...

aphid midge aphids, thrips, spider mites, fungus gnats

bee fly larvae of grasshoppers, moths, flies, and beetles

damsel bug eggs of many insect pests, leafhoppers, aphids, mites, whiteflies, thrips, spider mites

dance fly diverse diet of pests

flower/crab wide variety of prey insects

spider and jumping spider

garden spider/ grasshoppers, moths and anything else that golden orb spider happens into its web; many other spider species are also excellent garden helpers and should be welcomed

ground beetle slugs, small caterpillars, grubs, weed seeds

hoverfly aphids, mealybugs, and other soft-bodied insects

lacewing scale, aphids, mites, soft-bodied insects

ladybug aphids, mites

minute pirate bug thrips, aphids, mites, scales, whiteflies

parasitic wasp whiteflies, mealybugs, scales, moths, aphids, beetle and fly larvae

soldier beetle aphids, eggs, and larvae of moths, butterflies, and other beetles, spring tiphia, wasp grubs

tachinid fly caterpillars, beetles, fly larvae

bugs you see. Often, predators are on the site of an infestation feeding on damaging pests before you even know there’s a problem.

Use Google Lens and websites like WhatsThatBug.com to identify insects and learn about their life cycles before taking action. Eradication need not be the goal. Instead, aspire to allow a healthy, self-sustain-

ing balance between garden pests and predators.

A garden insectary should be cultivated as an essential component of your garden, much like your water source and compost heap. It can be a difficult leap of faith, but the rewards are great.

So throw out those nasty pesticides — bugs are wildlife food!

Amy Albright and her husband, Doug Davison, own Vinland Valley Nursery, a full service organic nursery and greenhouse that includes a huge selection of native plants and features a U-pick flower garden, workshops and a garden shop just south of Lawrence, KS. Their team includes experienced landscapers, plant growers, and artists, including their three daughters who grew up in the business.

AMY ALBRIGHT Grower/Designer

Healthy Yard Expo

Interested in making your yard more earth-friendly? Come join us at the 13th annual Kansas Healthy Yards Expo taking place March 29th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shawnee Civic Centre, located at 13817 Johnson Drive in Shawnee. This event will be free to attend.

Attendees of the expo will be able to listen to speakers on topics that can help you improve you landscape while also adhering to eco-friendly practices. Johnson County K-State Research and Extension partners with Johnson County Stormwater Management and the cities of Overland Park, Lenexa, Shawnee, and the Unified Government of Wyandotte to host this event.

Find back issues at KCGMAG.COM Grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy our archives. KCGMAG.COM

Visitors to the Expo can:

• Register for door prizes!

9AM-2PM

This expo will offer educational seminars presented by local businesses, non-profits, and city and county departments about practices you can use in your own landscape. “By promoting eco-friendly practices and providing education, we can equip our surrounding communities with the knowledge to support their efforts for cleaner water, cleaner air, and healthier soil all while having your landscape looking it’s best,” said Markis Hill, horticulture agent for Johnson County Research and Extension.

-Johnson county residents bring a soil sample for a free test

-Purchase locally grown native plants

-Consult with local experts for green solutions

March 29

SHAWNEE CIVIC CENTRE

• Free Tree Seedling: First 100 visitors get a free tree seedling, courtesy of the City of Overland Park.

dirt on growing green

• Talk with city representatives to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood and learn about cost share programs for establishing rain gardens and rain barrels.

ª Listen to informative speakers on topics such as native plants, pollinators, vegetable gardening and landscaping.

• Choose from a wide selection of locally grown, organic native plants specially selected to thrive in your garden.

• Johnson County Extension will sell DIY Radon Kits and experts will show you how to test your home here in Johnson County.

• Learn about green house cleaning and cooking with herbs from Extension Master Food Volunteers.

• Visit with Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Master Gardeners, Extension Master Naturalists, nonprofit organizations, and local plant societies for expert advice.

• Kids can enjoy a free puppet show by Stone Lion Puppet Theatre. Performances are at 10:30 AM and 12 PM.

• Kiddos will also enjoy a traveling museum that brings soil to life, in the Soil Tunnel Trailer.

Free soil tests

Knowing your soil nutrient levels to grow healthy plants and protect the water quality in our local streams and lakes is important. Johnson County residents get one free soil test, compliments of Johnson County Stormwater Management and Johnson County K-State Extension. Bring your soil sample to the expo. Learn how to take an adequate soil sample by visiting our website. For more information on the Healthy Yard Expo, visit www.johnson.kstate.edu or call 913-715-7000.

Missouri Wildflowers

Nursery

573-496-3492, fax: 573-496-3003 www.mowildflowers.net mowldflrs@socket.net 9814 Pleasant Hill Rd Jefferson City MO 65109

Meet us at one of these locations in the KC area. Give us your order at least 5 days before a sale, and we will bring it to the location.

Burr Oak Woods Nature Center; Native Plant Sale & Naturescaping Workship; 1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs 64015. March 29 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. Workshop hours 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 816-228-3766

Deep Roots Native Plant Sale at City of Prairie Village Municipal Offices, 7700 Mission Rd. Prairie Village, KS 66208. April 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. deeprootskc.org

Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City MO 64110. Saturday, April 19 & May 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Shawnee Indian Mission Foundation - Native Plant Sale at 3403 W. 53rd St, Fairway KS 66205. Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. shawneeindianmission. org

Native Plant Sale by Burroughs Audubon at 6212 NW Barry Rd. KC MO 64154. Backyard Bird Center 816746-1113. Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Deep Roots Native Plant Sale at Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, KC MO 64110. May 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. deeprootskc.org

It Ain’t Easy Being Green: Creative Ways to Use Greenery in Your Garden

During the month of March, all things are about green. Green makes us think of nature, growth, renewal, balance, and prosperity. Being a result of yellow and blue, it brings the relaxation of blue and the energy of yellow. Sometimes, we take green for granted in our landscapes and containers. Why do we only think of green lawns in our landscape? Let’s explore some green options other than turf grass for our landscapes and some green options to incorporate into our planters.

In a shady or woodland setting, green can brighten or soften the space. Ferns are a vast species, with over 10,000 varieties. Some estimates range as high as 15,000! In our area, there are many that perform reliably in the right location. The Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia) are a large fern, growing two to three feet tall. They prefer part shade to shade with consistent moisture. In a large grouping they can make a statement. Dainty Maidenhair Ferns (Adiantum) have small delicate leaves that are set upon black stems. They work great in shady containers adding texture without overpowering. Ferns and hostas make excellent shady neighbors; the texture of the ferns paired with the big leaves of the hosta are a fantastic combo. I adore the colors that hostas come in, but there are a plethora of beautiful green hostas to choose from. From the massive ‘Empress Wu’ to midsized ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ to the small six inch tall ‘Coconut Custard.’ By bringing green into the shady landscape, you are adding

brightness.

If you asked someone, “What is a green shrub to add to your landscape?” people might say boxwoods or yews. Both of those can be fine, but what are some other options? I absolutely adore the Tater Tot Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) and not just for its great name. It is small in stature, only getting two to three feet tall and three to four feet wide. It is exactly the shape you would expect with the name tater tot, round and wide. It maintains its kelly-green color year round, providing a bump during the drab winter months. Another boxwood alternative is the Inkberry Holly. I really like ‘Strongbox’, which is a great size, getting two to three feet tall and wide. The foliage is very dark and smooth, not sharp like typical holly foliage. It is very dense so good for shaping without having bare spots.

I know that I’m trying to focus on nonflowering shrubs and plants. But I have to admit, Invincibelle Sublime Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is very cool. You get different contrasts of green color with the dark green leaves and large lighter green umbel shaped flowers. Part shade is a perfect location for the Smooth Hydrangea; it can take full sun but can get weepy in the afternoon sun. They are on the larger side getting three to 5 feet tall.

When putting together containers, you should always have a plan of attack. I arrange my plants in the pot before I install them. Making sure everyone looks good together, that I am not overcrowding, and that my colors and textures are balanced. Height is very important to containers. By adding height you are encouraging the eye to hold longer on the container; if everything is

the same height, your eye can just skim past. Cyperus Baby Tut is a wonderful, tall but smallish grass for pots and landscape beds. The slender leaves are about two feet tall and at the top they explode out in a firework-like shape. Prince Tut is its bigger sibling that has a little thicker stem but much finer texture exploding out of the top. The vibrant green color looks great with all color combinations. I especially like it with warm colors because the green balances and cools things down.

For smaller spots or even between pavers, little green plants can break up the industrial, hard-feel of stone. Creeping thyme wants welldrained soil, full to part sun and room to spread. ‘Doone Valley’ is a favorite of mine. I also enjoy the tight mounding ‘Minus’ Thyme, it literally looks like a tight, dense sponge. You should come check it out in the Train Garden at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Thyme also does well as a border or in containers. Irish Moss or Mazus is another small, green cutie. It prefers damp, wet conditions, so it is great at the end of a downspout or along the front border of a landscape bed. Part sun is great for it, you don’t want it to bake in the afternoon sun unless it’s really wet.

As you think about changing your landscape or making additions this spring, keep your eye out for those green gems! They will make your flowers prettier and give your eyes something to rest on. Green brings us peace and tranquility. Let’s prove Kermit the Frog wrong… maybe it is easy being green.

Anne Wildeboor, a Kansas State University graduate in Agriculture/Horticulture, has over 20 years of experience in public horticulture, including roles at Powell Gardens and the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. She loves sharing her passion for plants with the public and working alongside dedicated staff and volunteers.

ANNE WILDEBOOR Horticulturist

Visit the Train Garden at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens for examples of using little green plants to soften the harshness of stone.

Join MU Extension Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City for the 2025 Garden Tour

Seven beautiful gardens in Lee’s Summit will be featured on the tour from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 6 and 7. Tickets are $20 per person, children 12 and under attend free. Tickets go on sale April 1, both online and at select retailers. Cash and credit purchases are available at select gardens on the tour. Please visit mggkc.org/our-projects/ garden-tour/ for complete details. Here is a sneak peek of two of the gardens on our tour.

Viva Vegetables (Garden

1)

This garden perfectly demonstrates that vegetables, fruit trees, native plants, perennials, and annuals can co-exist beautifully in a compact, suburban space. Winding around the house and patio are colorful impatiens, heuchera, hosta, liriope, decorative containers, and flowering bushes. Behind the house are fruit trees and raised beds filled

with cantaloupe, tomatoes, and peppers, framed by an expansive view of a farm field.

The garden owner opened the original tree line on the property to capitalize on the view while preserving the natural setting and habitat for the wildlife in the area. Butterfly milkweed and other natives were planted to provide additional food sources for the birds, bees, and butterflies, and for the added benefit of pollinating the vegetables and fruit. To keep wildlife from feasting on the fruit and vegetables in the beds, the garden owner uses windchimes, spinners and fabric.

Square foot gardening allows the garden owner to grow a variety of vegetables in a smaller space. Raised beds, paths, and pavers make planting and harvesting vegetables easier for gardeners of all ages. This garden owner’s desire to create a wondrous space for people and nature has cre-

ated a bounty for all to enjoy.

Naturally Natives (Garden 2)

Beginning with an interest in natives, this garden developed into a showcase of natives thriving in harmony with traditional plantings in a neighborhood setting. Using the “right plant in the right place” philosophy, research, and experimentation, this garden has become both a beautiful and beneficial space for people and pollinators alike.

The garden owner began with transplants from her daughter’s garden. After attending webinars, viewing catalogs, doing online research, and visiting native growers, the garden began to really bloom. The key to the yearlong beauty of this garden is careful planning. From Virginia bluebells in the spring to New England aster in the fall, this garden blooms nonstop.

Native plants can grow excep-

tionally tall and be unruly. Using cultivars that do not grow as large is one way to successfully integrate natives in the suburban garden setting. To help support the taller natives, the garden owner uses whimsical pieces like art poles, welded animals, and fairy/gnome houses.

Beauty was not the only goal with this garden. Native plants support insects, birds, and pollinators. This garden owner has mixed natives with traditional garden plants to create the best of both worlds, beauty for the eyes and benefits for nature.

Viva Vegetables

Naturally Natives

Garden Club of Shawnee

Upcoming Garden Events

Thurs, Mar 6, 7p; at Shawnee Town 1927’s Town Hall, 11600 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS. K-State Extension Master Gardener Nancy Chapman will give a talk titled “Managing Our Soil for Great Success.” Nancy has presented to our club before, and she is an extremely knowledgeable and engaging speaker. Visitors are always welcome. Members of the garden club will be at the Healthy Yards Expo on March 29 at the Shawnee Civic Center. If you go, and you should go, it’s fun and educational :), be sure to stop by our station and find out about the club! You can also learn about us at our website gardenclubofshawnee.org and our Facebook page.

Greater Kansas City Iris Society

Tues, Mar 10, gather at 6:30p, meeting starts at 7p; at Trailside Center, on the SE corner of Holmes Rd and 99th St, Kansas City, MO.

Heartland Hosta and Shade Plant Society

Sat, Mar 22, Hospitality 9:30-10a, Club Mtg 10-10:45a, Speaker 10:45a-noon; at Woods Chapel Community of Christ, 500 NE Woods Chapel Rd, Lee’s Summit, MO 64064. Topic: Companion shrubs, perennials and annuals for the part shade/ shade garden. Members, Guests and public welcome. See our website: www.heartlandhosta.club and on Facebook: https:// facebook.com/HeartlandHostaAndShadePlantSociety.

Idalia Butterfly Society Sat, Mar 8, 5p; at Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St, Overland Park, KS 66204. Our program will be “Container Gardening with Native Plants: YES You Can!”, given by Michele Livergood (MU Extension Master Gardener) and Carole Tomlinson (Idalia Society Treasurer). Native plants are beautiful, and vital to the bees and butterflies we all love. You CAN provide pollinator habitat without a traditional garden! Doors open at 5 PM for light refreshments and social time; program begins at 5:45p following a brief “business and announcements” session. This FREE program is a wonderful kick-off to your gardening season, and all are welcome. Bring a friend! Questions? Please call/ text 816-283-6258, or email us at idalia-

society@yahoo.com. Also, look for us on Facebook at Idalia Society of Mid-American Lepidopterists.

Kansas City Cactus and Succulent Society

Sun, Mar 16, 1:30-3:30p; at the Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO. Our program will deal with the issue of bugs, both good and bad ones, and how to best deal with them on our plants. We will also share insights about our favorite tools to use with cactus and succulents. So, please bring your bug questions and answers! Also bring your favorite gardening tool. And, don’t forget our monthly show and tell. Please bring a plant you want to show off or have questions about. Everyone is invited to attend and refreshments will be served.

Leavenworth County Master Gardeners

Wed, Mar 12, 11a; at Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Master Gardener Yvonne Willcott will share tips for successful seed starting. This will include planting mediums, containers, lighting, temperatures and preferred seeds to begin your indoor seed-setup station. The meeting is free. Visitors are welcome. For more information contact the Leavenworth County Extension office at 913-364-5700.

Leawood Garden Club

Tues, Mar 25, 10:30a; at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS 66206. Annual Fund-Raising Auction. Our annual, fabulous and fun silent auction is one more way of supporting our altruistic endeavors. There will be gift cards from restaurants, service providers, nurseries, lawn companies and other businesses. Wi will have live plants and planter, plus gift baskets and more. You can participate by donating an item to the auction and/or bidding on the auction items. Check and cash can be used as payment for the purchased auction items.

Raytown Garden Club

Tues, Mar 4, 10a; at Connection Point Church, 10500 E 350 Hwy, Raytown, MO 64138. Program will be “Improve the Well-Being of Our Bluebird Friends,” presented by Jack Corrigan, Certified Master Naturalist, Member of the Missouri Bluebird Society and Ambassador for their Nesting Box Program. Guests are always

welcome. For more information about our club, check out our Facebook page: www. facebook.com/RaytownGardenClub

PLANT SALES | TOURS | ETC

Spring Fling 2025

Sat, Mar 8, 1-4p; at 501 N Dodgion St, Independence, MO (next to Habitat Restore). Join Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City for Spring Fling 2025. MGGKC Speaker’s Bureau presentations will provide information about Adaptive Gardening, Natives in Containers, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Extension Master Gardeners from each of our gardens and projects will have gardening demonstrations and takeaways to inspire your creativity. There will also be activities for children to teach them about plants and beneficial bugs. Our motto is “Helping Others Learn to Grow” and we look forward to giving you the tips and information you need to help your garden bloom. Free to the public, children 16 and under welcome when with an adult.

Flower, Home & Garden Show

Sat, Mar 22, 9a-3p; at Heritage Event & Arts Center, 109 Delaware St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Admission $2 per person. Join us for a fun-filled and informative event! Visit our vendors and shop for flowers, plants, home decor, and garden equipment. Enter win 50/50 raffle and door prizes. Leavenworth County Master Gardeners will be making presentations throughout the event. 913-682-2122; www.heritagecenter-leavenworth.com

Garden Cleanup Volunteers Needed Sat, Mar 22, 9-11:30a; at Kaw Point Riverfront Park, 1403 Fairfax Trfy, Kansas City, KS. Bring water, long pants, work gloves, sturdy shoes. Questions? Contact us at Friendsofkawpoint6@gmail.com.

Kansas City Garden Symposium

Sat, Mar 22, 9a-3:15p; at Rockhurst University Campus, Science Center 115, 54th and Troost Entrance, Kansas City, MO 64110. Three speakers. Four presentations. Lunch. Snacks. Gift bag. Tickets: $99. See website for details and register at gardenersconnect.org.

Eat Local & Organic Expo Sat, Mar 29, 9a-2p; at Avila University.

Free admission, Free Parking. Kick off farmers market season at the Eat Local & Organic Expo! Shop with more than 30 KC Food Circle™ farmers who pledge to meet high standards for growing plants and mushrooms, beekeeping and raising animals. Attendees can talk directly with farmers as they sign up for weekly farm shares, buy transplants for their gardens, and get the freshest early spring products for their dinner tables. kchealthykids.org

Kansas Healthy Yards Expo

Sat, Mar 29, 9a-2p; at the Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Dr, Shawnee. This event will be free to attend. For more, visit www.johnson.k-state.edu or call 913-7157000.

2025 Mid-MO Homestead Expo

Mar 28-29; at Twin Oaks Event Center, LLC in West Central Missouri! Enjoy engaging speakers on foraging, high tunnel growing, and more, live blacksmith demos, knife sharpening, unique vendors, and a seed swap. General Admission is FREE! Premium tickets ($15) offer early access to reserve seats for limited speaker sessions. Tickets through our event page. https:// facebook.com/events/s/2025-homesteadexpo/360047573785897/

African Violet Show and Sale

Sat, Apr 5, 9a-2:30p; at Loose Park Garden Center, 51st St and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64112. Sho-Me African Violet Club presents 39th Annual Show and Sale “Enchanted Violets & Beyond.” NO ADMISSION FEE

Earth Day Celebration

Sat, Apr 19, 10a-2p; at Lakeside Nature Center, 4701 E Gregory Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64132. Celebrate Earth Day with information about the wildlife of Swope Park, learning about preservation while exploring the forest, pond, and marsh around the property, and making wildflower or milkweed seed balls. Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City Children’s Program will be presenting “All About Seeds.” Children will learn about the anatomy of a seed by dissection and observation. They will also discover the ways that seeds are dispersed, and why seeds are an important food source. This event is free to the public, all ages are welcome. For more information visit https://lakesidenaturecenter. org/

Paola Spring Plant Sale

Upcoming Garden Events

Apr 24, 25, 26, New Location INDOOR SHOPPING at the Miami County Fairgrounds Bldg #2, 401 Wallace Park Dr, Paola, KS. Featuring pesticide-free locally grown plants. In addition to the usual selection of butterfly host plants, pollinator flowers and native perennials, there will be ornamental annuals, perennials, herbs, succulents, hanging baskets, trees and veggies. Extension Master Gardeners, including butterfly expert Lenora Larson, will be on hand to assist More info at www. maraisdescygnes.ksu.edu. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdcemg or call the office: 913-294-4306.

Spring Plant Sale

Sat, Apr 25; at Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.

Thyme for Kids Plant Sale

Apr 25-26, Fri 9a-6p, Sat 9a-4p; at Cornerstones of Care—Ozanam Campus Greenhouse, 421 E 137th St, Kansas City, MO 64145. Stock up on plants for your home and garden, while helping children grow and thrive! Our Plant Sale is so much more than a plant sale, and proceeds funnel right back into our horticulture program. Your purchases help fund seeds, supplies, stipends, and more. For more information about the Plant Sale, please contact Stefanie at stefanie.caravella@cornerstonesofcare.org. Visit cornerstonesofcare.org/ plantsale for updates and for additional ways to support the plant sale.

MGGKC Garden Tour

Jun 6 and 7

Hermann, MO 30th Annual Town and Country Garden Tour.

Jun 7 and 8. The Garden Tour includes both a walking tour of gardens in downtown Historic Hermann and a driving tour to gardens in the hills around Hermann. The $20 ticket price includes visits to at least five private gardens; these gardens are both in town and in the country and include a traditional four-square garden and native plants. Tickets will be sold online before the tour at Eventeny and during the tour at Topiaries (138 E. 4th) in downtown Hermann from 10-4 on Saturday and 10-3 on Sunday. Gardens close at 5p on Sat and 4p on Sun. A map to the gardens will be provided starting on Sat Jun 7 at 10a at the Topiaries ticket sale site; those who

pre-purchase tickets will pick up the map at that time as well. The Hermann Garden Club’s website www.hermanngardentours. com provides up-to-date events, ticket prices, links to the online ticket sale site, contact numbers, and photographs of past tour gardens. Visit the FAQS page on the website for answers to all your questions. “Like” us on Facebook at “Hermann Garden Tours.” Go to www.visithermann.com to find information about lodging.

Garden Sampler Tour

Sat, Jun 14, 9a-5p, Rain or Shine. Got the winter blahs? Already scanning the seed catalogs for the newest plants? Save the Date of June 14 for the ever-popular, Garden Club of Shawnee’s Garden Sampler Tour. Visit https://gardenclubofshawnee. org for the latest information regarding our Club and tour event.

CLASSES | WORKSHOPS

Integrated Pest Management

Thurs, Mar 6, 11:30a; in the Sunflower Room of the Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Cory Creed, the Wyandotte County Extension Horticulture Agent, will present Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the Garden, which is designed to help gardeners manage pests, while also minimizing negative environmental impact. Registration is not required. A $10 class fee will be collected at the door. Questions: Call 913-299-9300.

Seed Starting: Peppers, Broccoli, Greens, etc.

Sat, Mar 8, 1p; at Vinland Valley Nursery, 1606 N 600 Rd, Baldwin City, KS 66006. At this workshop you will learn all about starting 8 week vegetables. VVN staff will show you all the steps to give your seeds the best start possible, along with tips on how to care for them as they grow. Mix and match a tray of 24 pots from the seed selection provided. $30.00 per person. Base price includes potting supplies and a dome, plus a variety of seeds to choose from. Additional potting supplies and premium seeds available, priced per piece. Register at vinlandvalleynursery.com.

30th Annual Beginning Beekeeping Workshop Sat, Mar 8, Registration: 7:30-8a; Workshop: 8a-4:30p with breaks and lunch

break; at The New Yellow Rock Barn, 8307 Westridge Rd, Raytown, MO 64138. Presented by Midwestern Beekeepers Association. Cost is $70 for non-members, $55 for members. Learn about Honey Bee Biology, Equipment, Acquiring and Installing bees, Seasonal Management, Bee Diseases, Pest Management, Extracting honey and much more. The complete course includes class, handbook, 1 year association membership, and a monthly newsletter. Breaktime refreshments and Lunch will be provided. www.midwesternbeekeepers.org

Celebrate the First Day of Spring Thurs, Mar 20, Walk in anytime between 9a and 5p at Vinland Valley Nursery, 1606 N 600 Rd, Baldwin City, KS 66006. School’s out! Join us to kick off Spring Break and celebrate the first day of Spring with us by making flower pinwheels and starting your own small tray of veggie and flower seeds. More information at vinlandvalleynursery.com.

Seed Starting: Tomatoes, Eggplant, etc. Sat, Mar 22, 1p; at Vinland Valley Nursery, 1606 N 600 Rd, Baldwin City, KS 66006. At this workshop you will learn all about starting 6 week vegetables. VVN staff will show you all the steps to give your seeds the best start possible, along with tips on how to care for them as they grow. Mix and match a tray of 24 pots from the seed selection provided. $30.00 per person. Base price includes potting supplies and a dome, plus a variety of seeds to choose from. Additional potting supplies and premium seeds available, priced per piece. Register at vinlandvalleynursery.com.

NatureScaping

Sat, Mar 29, 8:30a–12:30p; at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, 1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs, MO 64015. Burr Oak Woods Nature Center’s popular NatureScaping event is back for 2025! At this free workshop, you will learn how to beautify your landscape with some of Missouri’s best natural resources: native plants! There will be educational sessions on native trees, invasive species, gardening for wildlife, and many more. Plus, we will have a native plant sale so attendees can purchase plants and use their new knowledge to start native gardens at home. Registration required; participants must be 18 or older. There is a maximum number of 125 participants.

A sign-up link is available under the title “NatureScaping” (https://mdc.mo.gov/ events?combine_event=&name=burr+oak +woods&county=All&region=702) After the event, the plant sale will be open to the general public from 12:30 to 4p, no registration required. Contact Burr Oak Woods, ph 816.228.3766, or email jada.tressler@ mdc.mo.gov for more information.

A Rose for Every Garden Sat, Mar 29, 10a; at the Loose Park Garden Center, 5200 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO, in-person or on FaceBook Live. Register for the free Kansas City Rose Society program at www.kansascityrosesociety. org under Events. Program, “A Rose for Every Garden” by Laura Dickinson, Master Consulting Rosarian and President of the KCRS. This class will review basic rose care, varieties and how new hybrids are developed, and how to select the best roses for your gardening needs.

The Fruits of Your Labor Thurs, Apr 3, 11:30a; in the Sunflower Room of the Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Presenter is Matt Bunch, Director of Horticulture, Education, and Orchards for Kansas City Community Gardens. He will discuss which types of fruit grow best in the Kansas City area, and how you maintain them, what pests to watch out for, pest management, pruning, cultural requirements, and best varieties for our area. Mr. Bunch also serves as Horticultural Advisor for The Giving Grove, Inc. He has over 30 years of experience from retail/garden centers, residential and commercial horticulture, municipal horticulture, botanical gardens, and non-profit horticulture. He searches out Champion Trees in the Kansas City area and has “re-wilded” his small yard in Waldo while continuing to grow veggies and small fruits. There is no registration required for this class. A $10 class fee will be collected at the door. Questions: call 913-299-9300.

List garden events like classes, workshops, seminars, club meetings, and plant sales for FREE! Send details to elizabeth@kcgmag.com Deadline for the April issue is March 7.

Sign Up Now for the Kansas City Garden Symposium

Three gifted speakers with national reputations are lined up to present programs when the Kansas City Garden Symposium returns Saturday, March 22. All are focused on gardening in Zone 6 climates.

The theme is “Gardening for You, Family and Friends.” Speakers will coach attendees on working smarter, creating an inviting space to enjoy your garden, and adding dash and panache to your space.

The speakers were chosen by the Kansas City Garden Symposium Committee of Marla Galetti, Kathy Hoggard, Renee Miller, Jill Moore, Chuck Robinson and Sue Waltemath. The Kansas City Gardener magazine is a supporter of the event.

The Symposium is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. and be over by 3:15 p.m.

The venue will be one of the large classroom lecture halls at Rockhurst University. This is an auditorium set up for taking notes and interacting with the presenter.

The price for this event remains the same as it has been in recent memory, $99. The ticket price includes lunch and coffee and snacks at breaks. This year, school is in session, so the full Rockhurst University Cafeteria will be in operation, offering a wide variety of entrees, salads, soups and desserts for lunch.

The schedule starts off with advice from Erin Schanen, a YouTube video star and blogger known as the “The Impatient Gardener.” She is going to talk about “Garden Rock Stars and the Rest of the Band.” She is someone who enjoys her garden and having others join her in the fun. She admits she is something of a rule breaker.

Erin has been gardening for more than two decades in her southeastern Wisconsin (zone 6a) garden. She

created TheImpatientGardener.com in 2009. She has created nearly 400 videos sharing the trials of her garden laboratory. She offers advice on creating beautiful landscapes but not letting the work take all the fun out of gardening.

She is on Instagram, where she offers “Inspiration + education for real-life gardeners.”

Erin is featured in a 2022 book, “American Roots,” created by Nick and Allison McCullough, who were presenters at the 2020 Kansas City Garden Symposium, and writer Teresa Woodard. The book focuses on garden designers who are reimagining home gardens. Their books list several others who have been a part of Kansas City Garden Symposia.

The McCulloghs note Erin’s zeal of starting seeds and using annuals in her perennial tapestries and elsewhere. Annuals let her flaunt novelty, stretch the budget, layer on texture, save time and solve problems.

“Her energetic style results in a wonderland of personal garden projects she’s pursued since she and her husband, Rich Riechelsdorfer, moved to the 1-acre property in 2002,” according to the book.

Erin and her mother before her

took Master Gardener training.

For more, read an article from May 2024 about Erin in “Midwest Living” here: Midwestliving.com/ erin-schanen-impatient-gardenerbeautiful-home-garden-8643093 (or https://tinyurl.com/3v79t52r).

Next up will be Natalie Carmolli, a public relations specialist for Spring Meadow Nursery/Proven Winners ColorChoice shrubs. She is creating a new program titled “Creating a Great Escape in Your Own Backyard.” Creating a private oasis offers respite from the chaos of the outside world. However, the key to being truly worry-free is designing a garden that works for you, instead of the other way around. She will offer ideas and inspiration to build your own backyard oasis, create peaceful pockets in your existing garden, or even transform areas into inviting spaces for gatherings and relaxation.

Natalie grew up in the floral industry. She has a bachelor’s degree in the theatrical arts, has earned a Certificate of Mastery in tree and shrub identification from Longwood Gardens. She also has lots of videos online. Find them at YouTube. com/@NatalieGardenPR.

The third speaker is Jan Coppola

Bills, garden designer and professional landscaper who is author of the book “Late Bloomer: How to Garden with Comfort, Ease and Simplicity in the Second Half of Life.” Jan will bringing a two-part session to Kansas City. In “Comfort, Ease and Simplicity,” she plans to talk about how to create a garden area for yourself and to share with friends and family, and how to garden smarter so you can enjoy the product of your efforts. She will have lots of experience-tested gardening advice to help us better enjoy our gardens.

Some 20 years ago, Jan created a Detroit-area landscape design company, Two Women and a Hoe. The other woman suggested in the name of her company is her mother, herself an entrepreneur, as a memorial tribute.

“Our gardens don’t look like other gardens,” Jan says about the gardens she creates for clients. “They are low-maintenance and beautiful. After all, they should be our love, not our labor of love.”

Before her landscaping career, Jan was enmeshed in the corporate world. She has a master’s degree in organizational management.

Natalie Carmolli

Erin Schanen

Jan Coppola Bills

FLOWER, HOME & GARDEN SHOW

Growing Fruit ... Plan for Pests

Growing fruit is… rewarding, difficult, and a learning curve. Many of us grow fruit for exactly these reasons. We want to enjoy a crisp apple, a juicy peach, or a tart cherry that has been grown in our yard, as local as it gets. We know the effort that was put forth; we know what, if anything, was sprayed on it, and we know the fruit is fresh, harvested at the peak of ripeness, not transported or waxed. This is the reward. However, the difficulties, the learning curve, the pests, and how to manage them can often be what stands in the way of growing that fruit.

Before we grow our fruit, we need to understand that what we see in the grocery store is the epitome of perfection, a glowing, shiny, firm, blemish free fruit. We shop and eat with our eyes, and generally in a

market setting we avoid disfigured or blemished produce. However, this fruit has also been coddled, receiving timely nutrition, and 10-20 applications of pesticides (organic or commercial) throughout its short life. For us, the backyard growers, we need to manage our expectations. We can tolerate leaf spots, we can tolerate fruit spots, and yes, we can even tolerate an occasional fruit worm. At some point, we may need to address certain pests, or otherwise, we can lose an entire crop or even a tree.

Fruit pests are numerous. Everything likes a fruit. You can plant an apple tree and get good fruit for many years, but at some point, coddling moths will find your tree. Peaches are even worse; oriental fruit moths and peach tree borers will hone in on the tree. Then there are fungi and

diseases: peach leaf curl, fire-blight, cedar apple rust… The challenges in the fruit growing world are real. Knowing how to avoid pests, how to treat for pests, and how to tolerate pests is necessary.

As a steward of these fruit plants, you need to make informed decisions. Knowing what plants attract what pests is key to understanding how to avoid pests. An example of this is planting apple varieties that are resistant to major apple diseases like scab, fire-blight, cedar apple rust and powdery mildew. This can help ensure less potential spraying and a healthier plant that can put more energy into fruit production. Varieties like Enterprise, Liberty, Sundance, Pristine, William’s Pride, and more have these traits. For more information on varieties go to https://kccg. org/fruit-tree-berry-plant-list/.

Resistance to disease and fungus is one thing, but resistance to insect pests is another. Apples are indeed more prone to coddling moth infestation than pears, but pears are also susceptible but less likely to be infested. Peaches and nectarines are magnets for pests, yet early ripening varieties, such as Harrow Diamond, avoid brown rot and successive generations of oriental fruit moth (OFM) simply by ripening in late June. Simply put, the name of the game is avoidance through variety selection. However, the tactic of avoidance will not work forever, and a pest management plan must be adopted.

A pest management plan should account for IPM (Integrated Pest Management). This involves:

• variety selection

• pest scouting (looking at all

parts of your tree)

• cultural management (pruning, fruit thinning, removing ground-falls, etc)

• proper fertility

• pesticide applications.

This could also involve bagging fruit, a time consuming, but generally spray-free way to protect fruit. Unfortunately, pesticide applications may need to happen, and selecting pesticides that are safe for the crop, the user and the environment is paramount. While Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) approved or organic solutions are recommended, even these may be non-selective and can harm “off-target” insects. Generally, we recommend OMRI approved formulations of dormant oil, neem, Spinosad, Bt, and others. With every pesticide, you must read the label. While this may seem a bit overwhelming, with the right information, you can successfully grow fruit!

Growing fruit may be a learning curve, but you don’t have to go out on a limb alone. Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG) (your local Giving Grove partner) has a bushel of resources to help you navigate pest and disease management in your orchard. Visit our website (www.kccg.org/giving-grove/) for region-specific guidance, best practices, and expert advice tailored to your community.

And if you ever find yourself stumped by a mysterious spot, curl, or critter, check out The Giving Grove’s handy Pest & Disease Identification Tool at https://www. givinggrove.org/field-guide. It’s a one-stop shop to help you nip orchard issues in the bud!

MATT BUNCH | The Giving Grove | SARAH SIKICH

Matt Bunch is The Giving Grove Director of Horticulture and Education for Kansas City Community Gardens and Horticulturist for The Giving Grove’s national network. Contributing to this piece is Sarah Sikich, Marketing & Communications Manager for The Giving Grove. For more information about Kansas City’s Giving Grove program, visit www.kccg.org/giving-grove.

Worm on pear

Photo courtesy of The Giving Grove.

Above: Tree net

Below: Fruit bag

Above: Greater Peach Tree Borer Below right: Peach Tree Borer

Photo courtesy of KCCG.

Photo courtesy of KCCG.

Photo courtesy of The Giving Grove.

Photo courtesy of The Giving Grove.

Photo courtesy of KCCG.

Photo courtesy of The Giving Grove.

Above: Apples with Fly-Speck and Sooty-Blotch (You can eat it, you don’t need to treat it.)

Below: Coddling Moth

GARDEN CALENDAR

March list of what to do in the garden.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

• Prepare soil for spring planting by lightly tilling and adding organic matter such as compost to improve the soil structure.

• Fertilize before planting. Use 3 to 4 pounds of fertilizer, such as 27-3-3 or 25-5-5 per 1,000 square feet or 10 pounds of 13-13-13. Only use the 13-13-13 if a soil test indicates the need for phosphorous and potassium.

• Plant potatoes, peas, onions, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage through late March.

• Plant perennial vegetables, rhubarb and asparagus.

• Now is an excellent time to plant fruit trees, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries.

• Start seeds inside for tomatoes, peppers, and other warm-season vegetables.

• Apply dormant oil to fruit plantings to reduce scale and mite insects.

• Control peach leaf curl before bud break with a fungicide.

• Finish pruning fruit trees, grapes, raspberries and blackberries.

• Remove mulch from strawberries when growth begins.

• Avoid tilling and working wet soils as this destroys soil structure.

FLOWERS

• Plant pansies, snapdragons, kale, nemesia, diascia and other cool-loving annuals.

• Clean up the perennial bed by cutting back foliage and removing the winter mulch layer.

• Divide and plant perennials in the garden.

• Prepare soil for planting by adding compost or other organic matter.

• As growth begins, fertilize gardens. Only use balanced fertilizers if a soil test indicates the need for additional phosphorous and potassium.

• Start seeds indoors under lights for transplanting to the garden.

• Plant new roses.

• Delay removing winter mulch from roses.

• Prune roses starting in late March.

• Cut back ornamental grasses to within 3-5 inches off the ground.

• Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils as foliage emerges or before blooming.

• Build energy in bulbs for next year’s bloom by removing seed pods from spent flowers.

• Control iris borers by destroying old foliage before new growth begins.

• Unwrap mail-order plants immediately and keep them cool and moist until planting.

LAWNS

• Spot spray for dandelions, henbit, and chickweed.

• Apply crabgrass preventer in late March through mid-April for best results.

• Seed thin areas in bluegrass and tall fescue lawns.

• If no fall application of fertilizer was made, fertilize bluegrass and tall fescue.

• Mow grass one-half inch lower than fall to remove winter debris. Do not scalp.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Prune trees, except birch, maple, and walnut, which are best pruned after leafing out.

• Wait to prune spring-flowering shrubs until after they bloom.

• Mulch trees and shrub plantings up to 3 inches deep, keeping mulch away from trunks.

• Fertilize trees and shrubs.

• Plant new trees in the landscape.

• Remove tree wraps from young trees for summer growth.

• Rake and clean groundcover plantings.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Sharpen and repair garden tools.

• Resist the temptation to move houseplants outdoors until the temperatures remain above 60 degrees, even at night.

• Fertilize houseplants for spring growth.

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension recommends environmentally-friendly gardening practices. This starts by identifying and monitoring problems. Cultural practices and controls are the best approach for a healthy garden. If needed, use physical, biological or chemical controls. Always consider the least toxic approach first. Markis Hill is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.

Open Interviews

March 11, 1 - 5 pm 9275 Dunraven St, Lenexa, KS 66227

One free, easy call gets your utility lines marked AND helps protect you from injury and expense. Safe Digging Is No Accident: “Always Call Before You Dig in Kansas” Call 811, 1-800-DIG-SAFE, (800-344-7233) or visit us at www.kansas811.com. Can’t make it? Apply online at SuburbanLG.com/employment

March 18, 1 - 5 pm 4 W 135th St, Kansas City, MO 64145

Hiring for all three stores! Full time, part-time, & seasonal positions available Flexible scheduling.

Hotlines for Gardeners

Extension Master Gardeners are ready to answer all your gardening questions.

CASS COUNTY

816-380-8494; Wed, 9am-noon

DOUGLAS COUNTY

785-843-7058; dgcogardenhotline@gmail.com; Mon, Wed, Fri, 1-4pm

GREATER KANSAS CITY MISSOURI AREA

816-833-8733 (TREE); Mon-Fri, 9am-noon; mggkc.hotline@gmail.com

JOHNSON COUNTY, KS

913-715-7050; Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm; garden.help@jocogov.org

JOHNSON COUNTY, MO

660-747-3193; Wed, 9am-noon

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY

913-364-5700; Leave a message. A Master Gardener will contact you.

MIAMI COUNTY & LINN COUNTY

913-294-4306; Thurs, 8am-noon

WYANDOTTE COUNTY

913-299-9300; Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm

QUESTIONS ABOUT ROSES?

Ask a Rosarian; rosehelp@kcrosesociety.org; www.kansascityrosesociety.org

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

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Address: City, State, Zip: Phone: E-mail: Where did you pick up The Kansas City Gardener? Please enclose your check payable to The Kansas City Gardener and mail with this form to: P.O. Box 8725, Prairie Village, KS 66208 The Kansas City Gardener is published monthly Jan. through Dec. For convenient mail delivery, complete the form below and send with your check for $38.00. You will receive a one-year subscription.

What Will You Grow?

If you’ve never started seeds indoors, why not give it a try? It’s a great way to get a jump start on your veggie garden or fill in flower beds on a budget.

We have kits that make it a breeze. We stock all the supplies you’ll need to start the season including peat pots, pellets, and trays. (We carry a great selection of seeds, of course.)

To learn more about what to get started on now, visit SuburbanLG.com/seeds

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