A favorite fruit from my childhood that my mother grew in her garden that I’ve never had much luck with is cantaloupe. I don’t know if it was the variety she grew or if there was something magical about the soil, but my mom could grow the biggest, sweetest cantaloupe that I had ever seen. Or was is muskmelon, as my grandmother called it?
     As a young child, this confused me! As it turns out, both my mom and grandmother were right, but my grandmother was more right!
    All cantaloupes are muskmelons, but not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. A true cantaloupe has a warty looking rind and will not slip easily from the vine when ripe. These are widely grown in Europe.
     A muskmelon, like my mother grew, has a pronounced netting on the rind, is fragrant, and slips easily from the vine when mature. Despite these differences, the U.S. Department of Agriculture only uses the term “cantaloupe” to describe both true cantaloupe and muskmelon, thus the terms are often used interchangeably in U.S. markets. They are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with other viny plants like gourds, squash, and pumpkins.
     Cantaloupes were first cultivated in the Near East and were growing in areas from Turkey to China, including north-west India, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. Cantaloupes were cultivated by American Indians near the present city of Montreal in the 1500’s and the vicinity of Philadelphia in the 1700’s. Commercial cantaloupe production did not begin in the United States until the 1870’s and was initially centered in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Worldwide, the United States is the 8th largest producer of cantaloupes/other melons.
     Around 1.5 billion pounds of cantaloupe are grown annually from California, Arizona, Indiana, North Carolina, and Texas, with California and Arizona producing over 80% of the total.
     When shopping for a fresh cantaloupe, look for one that is somewhat symmetrical and feels heavy for its size with a stem end that feels slightly soft. The color should be a creamy, light yellow orange with little to no green. Ripe cantaloupe should smell sweet-especially at the stem end- and a little musky.
     Because of the high water content, cantaloupe, like most melons, is low in calories. Cantaloupe is an excellent source of beta carotene and Vitamin C, both powerful antioxidants that show promise in cancer prevention and supporting the immune system. It is also rich in potassium, folate, and fiber. 
     Cantaloupe and all melons should be washed well before cutting, as the knife can easily transfer bacteria from the outside to the inside flesh. Cut melon should also be refrigerated after cutting, as it can create a prime environment for bacteria to grow.
     Cantaloupe is a common ingredient it a fruit salad or it can be served with cheese and meats for a light summer dinner. Cantaloupe can also be pureed for a cold soup or even mixed with juice or sparkling water for a refreshing beverage. For a fun, kid-friendly summer treat, this fruit kebob recipe is best when served chilled.
     Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region
 

     May rains helped make June a great month to add new plants to your landscape and more variety to your vegetable and herb gardens. The possibilities are limitless. Here are a few suggestions:
    Peonies: Long-lived Perennials- Peonies are putting on a beautiful show in our region now. They are a traditional flower of Memorial Day.
In the 1800s, when the holiday was called Decoration Day, peonies were one of the few flowers in bloom in late May and were widely used to adorn the graves of fallen soldiers, said David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
     Today, they line the sidewalks and backyards of older homes and often serve as reminders of where farmsteads once stood. Peonies stand the test of time—lasting years, decades or even a century when undisturbed.
     Peonies thrive with relatively little care, and their self-sufficient nature makes them one of America’s most treasured garden flowers for weddings, fresh bouquets and grave decorations.  
     They come in a range of colors including white, pink, and deep red. They are deer-resistant and, for the most part, pest-resistant.
    The nectar inside peony buds can attract ants, which are not harmful to the plants. After peonies bloom, the ants move on to find a new food source.
Unlike most perennials, peonies rarely need to be divided, and they can be challenging to transplant, said Trinklein.
     Peonies do best when planted in sunny parts of your yard and in loamy soils. Space 3-4 feet apart in an area that receives at least six hours of sun per day.
    Avoid these mistakes with peonies:
• Avoid planting in areas that get a lot of wind because peonies can become top-heavy when budded or flowering; stems can droop on the ground.
• Avoid moving plants unless absolutely necessary. If you must move, do so in the fall after they have gone dormant.
• Do not use an insecticide to kill ants on peonies.
• Fertilize sparingly. Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, results in fewer flowers.
    Cut peonies do not last long, but when buds are immature (immature flower buds have the consistency of a marshmallow when gently squeezed), they can be cut and stored for later use. 
Cut at an angle, put stems in water and cover with cellophane. Store in the refrigerator and bring out later and allow to bloom.
     Sweet Potatoes: A Nutritious and Versatile Vegetable Crop- Sweet potatoes are definitely a warm season crop. They can be planted until mid-June and harvested in the fall. They need well-drained soil and full sun. Rooted stems, called slips, are sold at garden centers and nurseries now. Plant so that all the roots are covered by soil. Keep the sweet potato bed or row weeded until the plants get established.
     Once they start growing and vining, the abundant leaves shade out most weeds and help keep the soil moist. Harvest in September to early October before a frost or freeze occurs. 
     Sweet potato leaves are edible, too. They can be prepared with a range of cooking methods similar to spinach. Here is an interesting article from University of California- Davis on using sweet potato leaves, which includes a simple recipe and instructions- https://horticulture.ucdavis.edu/blog/cooking-sweet-potato-leaves-for-nutrition
     Basil: A Fragrant and Edible Addition to your Garden. Basil loves warm temperatures. It also prefers a sunny location. Add basil to your yard by planting it in containers, in an herb garden, or mixed in with your vegetable or flower garden. 
     Basil comes in a wide range of flavors, from the traditional Sweet Basil to the licorice-flavored Thai Basil. Here is a link to a University of Minnesota Extension article on adding basil to your gardening repertoire- https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-basil#choosing-basil-varieties-932110
 
For more gardening information, contact Cathy Bylinowski, MU Extension Horticulture Instructor, bylinowskic@missouri.edu, 816-252-5051.
 

     May is a great time to start a vegetable or ornamental garden, to plant shrubs and trees, and to take care of the lawn. Here are some tips to help you get started on a wide range of gardening activities:
 
Outdoor ornamentals:
     Pinch back mums to promote compact, bushy growth.
    Lightly side-dress perennials, including spring bulbs, with a 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer, being careful to avoid the center or crown of the plant.
    Some common ground covers suitable for sunny locations include Ajuga, creeping phlox, and creeping juniper.
     Do not remove spring bulb foliage prematurely or next year's flower production will decline. Foliage should be left to feed the bulb via photosynthesis. Bulbs can be moved or divided as foliage dies. Bulbs can also be marked for fall transplanting and division.
     Prune blooming shrubs right after flowers have faded if needed.
Check for newly hatched bagworms on evergreens and conifers. For more information, see MU Extension Guide g7250 The Bagworm in Missouri https://extension.missouri.edu/g7250.
 
Vegetable Gardening:
     Plant tomatoes in warm soils.   
Mulch around plants and use support stakes or cages at planting time.
     Control caterpillars on broccoli and cabbage plants by handpicking or use biological sprays such as B.T. (bacillus thuringiensis) or Spinosad.
     Watch for striped and spotted cucumber beetles now. Both may spread wilt and mosaic diseases to squash and cucumber plants.
     Remove rhubarb seed stalks as they appear.
     Plant peppers and eggplants after soils have warmed.
     Plant sweet potato slips now.
     Begin planting sweet corn at two-week intervals. For good pollination, plant in block formation with a minimum of 4 rows. Isolate sweet, supersweet and popcorn varieties to prevent cross pollination by separating varieties by 250 feet apart or a difference of 14 days.
     Plant multiple plantings of cilantro or keep bloom heads cut off. It tends to go to seed quickly.
Herbs planted in average soils need no extra fertilizer. Too much may reduce flavor and quality at harvest.
     Scout for insect and disease problems in the garden. If you use a pesticide, please follow the directions on the label.
 
Fruit Trees and Berries:
     Follow fruit tree spray guide by the University of Missouri Extension. For more information, see MU Extension Guide g6010 Fruit Spray Schedule https://extension.missouri.edu/g6010.
     Don't spray insecticides while fruit trees are in bloom. Protect pollinators. Fungicides, however, can still be sprayed.
     Keep on top of weeds in the strawberry patch. They can quickly get out of hand. Weeds are detrimental to strawberry plants.
     Begin training new shoots on fruit trees. Prune unwanted shoots as they appear.
     Mulch blueberries with pine needles or aged sawdust.
     Continue thinning peaches and apples to promote large fruit size and prevent limb breakage.
 
 
 
Lawns:
 
Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass
    Mow lawns at 3.5–4 inches, frequently (once a week) if lawn is quickly growing. Do not mow too short!
     Restrict nitrogen applications to 0.5 lb. Nitrogen per month or less, particularly quickly available soluble forms.
     Apply postemergence broadleaf herbicides for summer weeds. If needed, start postemergence control of crabgrass, goosegrass or nutsedge near the end of the month.
     Watch for first brood of sod webworm which is rare. Apply curative insecticides only if needed.
 
Zoysiagrass
    Wait for lawn to completely green up prior to mowing at a height of 1.5–2 inches.
     Later in the month, monitor for large patch disease which is prevalent in wet springs.
 
 
Mulching and Weed Control:
     Four to five layers of newspaper will serve as an effective mulch in the garden. Water the newspaper as it is applied and cover it with sawdust or straw to weigh it down, to reduce the white glare and prevent it from blowing away.
     If weeds get out of control this summer, consider smothering them out with black plastic or heavy cardboard weighted down to keep the wind from blowing it away.
     Have fun gardening this month! Enjoy the cool and sunny weather. Get ready for summer!
     Visit the main MU Extension website to find more horticulture information- https://extension.missouri.edu/
     To subscribe to the free online monthly newsletter Missouri Environment and Gardens and other MU Extension garden related publications, visit this website- https://ipm.missouri.edu/subscribe/
 
 
 

​     Outside of lettuce or other types of leafy greens, peas are one of the early season garden goodies I look forward to every year. While some people might find the shelling of peas a tedious task, I prefer it to snapping beans and find it rather satisfying to ‘zip’ open the pod to get to the treasure inside.
     For most purposes, peas may be classified as garden or English peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas. English peas are further divided into smooth or wrinkled seed varieties. Smooth-seeded varieties are starchier, while wrinkled varieties are sweeter and are commonly used for home and commercial growing. 
     Snow peas are meant to be harvested as flat, tender pods before the peas inside develop at all. Sugar snap peas have been developed from garden peas to have low-fiber pods that can be snapped and eaten along with the slightly mature peas inside. The starchier smooth-seeded varieties are used to produce ripe seed kernels that are fractured to be used to make split-pea soup. The Southern pea, or cowpea is an entirely different vegetable that is planted and grown in the same manner as beans and legumes.
     In the mid 1900’s, studies by Gregor Mendel working with seven characteristics of pea plants (plant height, pod shape and color, seed shape and color, and flower position and color) laid the foundation for modern genetics by identifying dominant and recessive traits in organisms.
     Peas are the seed of the Pisum sativum plant, which originated in the Mediterranean region of Greece, Syria & Turkey. They are a frost-hardy, cool-season vegetable grown wherever a cool season of sufficient duration exists. Today, most production occurring outside of the United States is in colder regions like Canada, Russia, England, and France. The highest producing states in the US are Washington, Montana, and North Dakota.
     No matter how you roll them, peas are nutrient-dense packages of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals (especially iron, potassium, folate and vitamins A and K). A half-cup of cooked green peas contains 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, 12 grams of carbohydrate, and 641 IU of vitamin A.
     On the flip side, peas also contain phytic acid and lectins, which are often referred to as anti-nutrients, that may interfere with nutrient absorption and promote bloating in some people. To minimize these effects keep serving sizes to around 1/3 to ½ cup, eat them fully cooked instead of raw, and try sprouted or fermented preparations.
     Peas can be enjoyed alone as a side dish, or added into soups, stews, or salads. Green peas can even be baked (tossed with a little olive oil and spices) on a baking sheet for a healthy, crunchy snack. Combining fresh peas with grape tomatoes, the pasta dish below can be served warm as a hearty main dish or chilled as a salad by thinning the cheese mixture with lemon juice.
    Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region
 

​     I’m always looking at other people’s yards and admiring their gardens, trees, and flowering shrubs. If I see an attractive plant that is new to me, I try to figure out what it is, if it will grow in my yard, and where I can get one.
This spring, take some time to enjoy the flowering trees and shrubs in your neighborhood, nearby parks, even in the woods and green spaces around you.
     If you see some you like, now is a great time to figure out what they are and if they will grow in your yard. Spring is also a good time to plant new flowering trees and shrubs to enjoy for years to come. Here are several spring-flowering trees and shrubs that grow well in western Missouri:

     I decided to take a step away from my comfort zone with this month’s installment of Plants on Your Plate and reached out to some of my southern-rooted friends for some insights. Growing up on a dairy farm in south-central Kansas, green beans, corn, and carrots were the most common vegetables at our table.
     The only kind of ‘greens’ I encountered happened at school lunch in the form of canned spinach, which I usually tried to sneak into my empty milk carton. Grown-up me still isn’t a fan of canned spinach, but I do love a good spinach salad. I have also discovered that my family likes kale and swiss chard, so I decided it was time to try something new…and chose collard greens!
    In the south, the term ‘greens’ refers to vegetables whose leaves are eaten when cooked until tender and can include mustard, turnip, beet, and collards. Collards are a member of the brassica family and a ‘cousin’ to cabbage and is sometimes referred to as tree-cabbage or headless cabbage.  
     Most historians agree that collards originated in Greek and Roman gardens around 2000 years ago, though some will go as far back as 5000 years. British settlers brought seeds to the colonies in the 17th century. Today, South Carolina is the top producer of collard greens in the United States and in 2011, declared them the state vegetable.
      Collards, like most leafy greens, are full of powerful nutrients including vitamins A, C, K, and folate, as well as the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium, and of course dietary fiber.
     These key nutrients show promise in the risk reduction and prevention of heart disease and certain cancers, as well as beneficial to eye health, digestive health, healing damaged tissues and preventing neural tube defects in developing fetus’.
     Collards can be grown year-round, but the best quality crops appear in the cooler temperatures in early spring and late fall. When selecting collard greens, look for deep green leaves that are sturdy and free of any wilt or yellow areas, indicating lack of freshness. 
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to a week for optimal freshness.
     Prior to cooking, fresh greens should be soaked and swished several times in cold water to remove sandy grit. Collards can be cooked in a variety of ways, and usually starts with trimming out the tough center vein. Leaves can be blanched and stuffed, like stuffed cabbage rolls, or finely chopped and added raw to salads.
     For a truly southern flavor, greens are cooked ‘low and slow’ for several hours with a smoky meat like ham or bacon. The recipe that follows has a shorted cooking time and uses a leaner meat choice, but still produces a delicious flavor. I hope you will step outside of your comfort zone and give it a try!
     Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, programming in Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/jackson
 

     It might be hard to believe now, but the icy, freezing winter weather will be over in the weeks to come. It will be time to start thinking about spring vegetable gardening! Begin the garden season with some planning.
     You can use the MU Extension Vegetable Planting Calendar to help guide you to success-
https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6201
     This publication will help you know what to plant when and other helpful gardening planning information.
If you want to start your own cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts transplants, now is the time to begin. These cold tolerant cole-crops (cabbage-related crops) take about 5-8 days to germinate when in a warm (75-77 degrees) conditions.
     As soon as they germinate, move the seedlings to a well- lit location. You will need a sunny south window, fluorescent lights set up on shelving units to create a bright propagation area, or a greenhouse.
     Seedlings that do not get enough light, get too tall and often fall over. They will not mature into plants that produce good crops.
     If you do not have adequate light to start your own transplants, you can wait and purchase cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower transplants at garden center stores soon. In Central Missouri, transplants for cole-crops can be planted outside in a sunny spot in the vegetable garden, from mid-March through mid to late April.
     If temperatures well below freezing are predicted, you can cover them with newspaper, sheets of plastic, even bed sheets overnight for protection. Or you can cover the plants with floating row cover that can be kept on to help keep insect pests out.
    Floating row cover is a spun polyester fabric that lets light and rain in and creates a microclimate underneath next to the soil that is several degrees warmer than the outside temperatures.
     When the snow and ice melts, and garden soil is moist and crumbly, you can direct-sow cold tolerant crops such as arugula, lettuce, radishes, and sugar snap peas outside.
     Onions are a good spring crop, too. They will be available at garden centers in early spring, as onion sets, which are small onion bulbs, or as onion plants.
 
     Early spring is also a great time to plant ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies, and violas. These visually attractive plants love the cool weather and can be planted along flower bed borders, among the vegetables, and in containers. They will provide a wide range of color until the temperatures get hot in late June and July.
     Do you have more gardening questions? Field Specialists in Horticulture will hold the next free Horticulture Town Hall on March 10, 2021. Here is the link to register- https://ipm.missouri.edu/townHalls/
Choose the horticulture option to join in an informative discussion on many gardening topics.
     The Gardener Hotline is another way to get reliable gardening information. It is staffed by trained Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Greater Kansas City. The phone number is 816-833-TREE (8733).  You can also email gardening, landscaping, and other horticulture questions to them at mggkc.hotline@gmail.com.
     Feel free to contact Cathy Bylinowski, MU Extension Horticulture Instructor, bylinowskic@missouri.edu, if you have more gardening questions or need more information on MU Extension Horticulture programs.
 

​     One of my favorite fresh vegetables to reach for in the midst of winter is broccoli. Though not a locally grown product - right now at least - broccoli is grown year-round in California. Broccoli is native to the Mediterranean region, where it has been cultivated since Roman times. The first commercial broccoli crop grown in the U.S. was started in California in the 1920’s, but broccoli did not become a significant crop until after World War II. Today, California grows more than 90% of the broccoli in the United States and is the third largest producer in the world.
     Broccoli is a member of the Brassicaceae plant family, also known as cruciferous. Other familiar plants in the family include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi. The word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which means "the flowering crest of a cabbage".
     Broccoli is an excellent source of a multitude of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C and K, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus. These nutrients are essential for eye, skin and bone health, heart health and cancer prevention. It is also a good source of folic acid, a nutrient important for pregnant women and the developing fetus. Broccoli is also rich in an assortment of phytonutrients, particularly glucosinolates and sulforaphane, which are being researched for their role in cancer treatment and prevention. All that nutrition is wrapped in a low-calorie package, as one cup of raw broccoli contains about 50 calories, and also provides 2.5 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of protein.
     Unfortunately, a downside of cruciferous vegetables is that the sulphur-containing compounds can be bitter, especially when overcooked. Proper cooking can be the difference maker for the palatability of many vegetables, so consider your preparation methods carefully. For a quick and tasty preparation, try roasted broccoli. Simply toss florets with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and oven roast on a foil lined baking sheet at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with a sprinkle with parmesan or squeeze of fresh lemon juice after cooking. If you have a little more time and are feeling inspired, the salad below is a beautiful combination of colors, flavors and textures.
     Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, covering Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region
 

​     As my husband and I completed the end-of-season garden clean-up, I found myself a little sad that our little garden plot had come to an end. Granted, I still have plenty of spaghetti squash in the basement and a pantry full of pickles and salsa that are the evidence of our efforts, but I will miss the goodness of a just-picked tomato or cucumber.
     As I found myself pondering the fresh produce options over the coming months, I decided to ask my Facebook friends for their ‘go-to’ fruit and vegetable choices during the winter. Some of the responses were humorous, others were inspiring, but I saw a theme when it came to fruit choices.
     By far, the most common fruit was some form of citrus…and why not? Though not a local food option, citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit are easy to find year-round, even during a Midwest winter.     
     Citrus fruits are a rich source of Vitamins A and C, antioxidants that may reduce your risk for heart disease and certain cancers. Vitamin A is also beneficial for eye health and Vitamin C aids in wound healing and helps the body’s absorption of iron. Vitamin C supports the function of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Though popularly thought to prevent the common cold, research does not support this theory.
     However, taking increased doses of vitamin C during a cold can slightly reduce the length of the illness, typically by about one day. As a water-soluble vitamin, Vitamin C is readily absorbed into body tissues for immediate use. 
     Because they are not stored in the body, water-soluble vitamins need to be replenished regularly in our diet. Any excess of water-soluble vitamins is excreted in urine. The Linus Pauling Institute, a lead Vitamin C research institute at Oregon State University, recommends that generally healthy adults consume 400 milligrams of vitamin C daily.
     Oranges and orange juice are usually the first foods thought of when Vitamin C is mentioned. One large orange contains about 100 milligrams of Vitamin C and has about 65 calories, while 6 ounces of orange juice has about the same about of Vitamin C and contains about 100 calories. 
     About 70% of the oranges in the US are grown in Florida. The first citrus was planted by early explorers in the 1500’s, perhaps even by Ponce de Leon, and have been grown commercially since the 1800’s. But there are even options within the family of oranges.
     According to US Citrus, the main types of oranges are Blood oranges, with a deep red flesh; Valencia oranges, which are sweet and juicy (and grown in California); Bergamot oranges that are used for Earl Grey tea as well as perfumes, Navel oranges, which are the most common variety though not the sweetest; and Mandarin oranges, the small, sweet, easy to peel variety popular among children.   
     I guess I’m a big kid, because I prefer clementines, a specific type of mandarin. They are very common in the winter months and their easy peel skin and sweet-tart flavor make them a favorite for many people. Not only are they a quick and healthy snack, they are a great addition to salads.
     The recipe that follows is a popular one with my family and our cooking class participants.
 

Houseplants
     Weeks 1-4: To clean heavily encrusted clay pots, scrub them with a steel wool pad after they have soaked overnight in a solution consisting of one gallon water with one cup of white vinegar added. After the deposits are removed rinse the pots in clear water. A brief soak in a solution of one gallon of water with one cup household bleach added will help sanitize the pots.
     Weeks 1-4: Some plants are sensitive to the fluorine and chlorine in tap water. Water containers should stand overnight to allow these gases to dissipate before using on plants.
     Weeks 1-4: Wash the dust off of houseplant leaves on a regular basis. This allows the leaves to gather light more efficiently and will result in better growth.
     Weeks 1-4: Set the pots of humidity-loving houseplants on trays filled with pebbles and water. Pots should sit on the pebbles, not in the water.
     Weeks 1-4: Allow tap water to warm to room temperature before using on houseplants.
     Weeks 1-4: Fluffy, white mealy bugs on houseplants are easily killed by touching them with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.
     Weeks 1-4: Insecticidal soap sprays can be safely applied to most houseplants for the control of many insect pests.
     Weeks 1-2: Quarantine new gift plants to be sure they do not harbor insect pests.
     Weeks 2-4: Amaryllis aftercare: Remove spent flower after blooming. Set the plant in a bright sunny window to allow the leaves to fully develop. Keep the soil evenly moist, not soggy. Fertilize occasionally with a general-purpose houseplant formulation.
 
Ornamentals
     Weeks 1-4: Gently brush off heavy snows from tree and shrub branches.
     Weeks 1-4: Limbs damaged by ice or snow should be pruned off promptly to prevent bark from tearing.
     Weeks 1-4: Check stored summer bulbs such as dahlias, cannas and gladioli to be sure they are not rotting or drying out.
     Weeks 1-4: To reduce injury, allow ice to melt naturally from plants. Attempting to remove ice may damage plants further.
     Weeks 1-4: Use sand, bird seed, sawdust or vermiculite to gain traction on icy paths. Avoid salt or ice melting chemicals as these may injure plants.
     Weeks 1-4: Make an inventory of the plants in your home landscape. Note their location and past performance. Plan changes on paper now.
     Weeks 2-4: Sow pansy seeds indoors now.
 
Miscellaneous
     Weeks 1-4: Avoid foot traffic on frozen lawns. It may injure turf grasses.
     Weeks 1-4:  Keep records of your garden this year.
     Weeks 1-4: Store wood ashes in sealed, fireproof containers. Apply a dusting around lilacs, baby's breath, asters, lilies and roses in spring. Do not apply to acid-loving plants. Excess ashes may be composted.
     Weeks 1-4: Check all fruit trees for evidence of rodent injury to bark. Use baits or traps where necessary.
     Weeks 1-4: Cakes of suet hung in trees will attract insect-hunting woodpeckers to your garden.
     Weeks 1-4: Brightly colored paints applied to the handles of tools will make them easier to locate in the garden.
     Weeks 1-2: Seed and nursery catalogs arrive. While reviewing garden catalogs, look for plants with improved insect, disease and drought-tolerance.
     Weeks 1-2: Old Christmas trees can be recycled outdoors as a feeding station for birds. String garlands of peanuts, popcorn, cranberries, fruits and suet through their boughs.
     Week 1: Christmas tree boughs can be used to mulch garden perennials.
     Week 1: If you didn't get your bulbs planted before the ground froze, plant them immediately in individual peat pots and place the pots in flats. Set them outside where it is cold and bury the bulbs under thick blankets of leaves. Transplant them into the garden any time weather permits.
     Weeks 2-4: Try sprouting a test sample of left-over seeds before ordering new seeds for spring. (Roll up 10 seeds in a damp paper towel. Keep moist and warm. Check for germination in a week. If fewer than half sprout, order fresh seed.)
     Week 4: Swap seeds and information with gardening friends.
 
     Gardening Calendar supplied by the staff of the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening located at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. (www.GardeningHelp.org)
Call MU Extension in Jackson County, 816-482-5650, for more gardening information.