GARDEN & HOME Sow in the fall! Poppies are a celebration of spring! Poppies are a harbinger of spring. Their delicate blooms are vibrant show-stoppers in the garden. There are several different kinds of poppies, many of which can be grown in any climate. Even if they aren’t perennial in your area, they usually reseed, returning in even greater numbers the following year. California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are native to the...
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GARDEN & HOME This Flower Has An Incredible History The story of sunflower (Helianthus Annuus ) is indeed amazing. The wild sunflower is native to North America but commercialization of the plant took place in Russia. It was only recently that the sunflower plant returned to North America to become a cultivated crop. But it was the American Indian who first domesticated the plant into a single headed plant with a variety of seed colors...
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WHAT ARE TOMATO HORNWORMS? IN THE GARDEN If you’ve ever grown garden tomatoes, chances are you have dealt with these green caterpillar pests. They can be found in most any region of the US and can ruin your tomato crop in record time; they also feed on eggplants, peppers, and potatoes. They can blend in quite easily with the green foliage and feed non-stop, creating spotty and chewed leaves and fruit. “Tomato hornworms...
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Fun in the sun, shade and night! Get the whole family outside with these fun and sometimes whimsical ideas for your backyard. DIY a Seating Area Furniture can be an expensive investment for backyards, but there are options for make-it-yourself benches, chairs, and tables. Here is one of our favorite budget landscaping ideas: low-cost concrete blocks, dry-stacked and covered with a foam pad, offer lots of seating in a high-traffic spot outside...
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IN THE GARDEN Encourage Vigorous Growth By Becca Badgett The rose of Sharon shrub flowers on growth from the current year, allowing optimum opportunities for when to prune rose of Sharon. Pruning rose of Sharon shrub may be done in late fall or winter after leaves drop or in early spring before buds form. Rose of Sharon pruning done later than early spring may cause the loss of some blooms, but those that are not removed will be larger....
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Sun loving and beautiful In The Garden Looking for that rock-solid perennial to deliver no-full color in the landscape year after year? Consider adding hardy hibiscus. This plant delivers on all points in Kansas and the Midwest: bold flowers, nice foliage and easy care. Hardy hibiscus is a durable perennial that is often confused with its tropical cousin. Hibiscus are members of the mallow family, which have large circular open-face flowers....
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