Indoor plants, or houseplants as they are often called, will soon respond to longer day length and return to a period of active growth. This period of active growth is a good time to propagate plants if you wish to do so and usually begins around mid-February. Although it’s a little early to ...

Old wives’ tales, myths and misconceptions perpetuate in the garden world thanks to self-proclaimed experts, clever marketers, and well-meaning friends, family and neighbors. Sorting out bad information from good is a challenge at times, especially with regional and seasonal variations. Start ...

The arrival of the new year is a good time to set goals and make a plan for yard and garden tasks for the year. Maybe you have new trees to plant, old trees that desperately need pruning, a landscape bed ready for renovation, or this will finally be the year to start a vegetable garden. ...

Have you ever looked at a plant in your landscape or garden and wished you had labeled it when you planted it? Or perhaps you know they are tomato plants, but have forgotten which varieties are which? Many gardeners share your plight. Labeling plants as they are planted can prevent forgotten ...

Feeding birds is a fun way to benefit wildlife and attract these creatures to your yard for your viewing pleasure. Winter is an especially good time to get started by feeding the cardinals, chickadees, titmice, finches, juncos, woodpeckers and other species that are year-round or winter ...

Home mushroom growing kits can be a fun way to get fresh mushrooms, teach children about fungi and satisfy the desire to garden in the cold winter months. Mushroom kits are fairly easy to find right now as a novelty gift item, or they are widely available online. When deciding what types of ...

Plants kept in homes, offices and other indoor locales brighten the space, clean the air and generally make the people around them feel better. Indoor plants can be especially welcoming in the short, dreary days of winter. Satisfaction with them depends a lot on the health of the plant, though, ...

People keep asking when Donna Osness and her husband are going to sell the house. But for her five children, nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, the Osness home on University Drive is the heart of the holiday season. “Of our grandchildren, I don’t think any of them have spent ...

Greenery and winter-flowering plants are a great way to spruce up your home (literally) over the cold and bleak winter season and to add cheer for the holidays. The options can be overwhelming, though, and results short-lived if plant material is mistreated. The difference is in the details. ...

The Lawrence area has already experienced two winter precipitation events this year that have warranted the use of de-icers to keep roads and sidewalks safe for travelers. Although necessary in many instances, de-icers can be detrimental to plants, especially when used repeatedly over the ...

Birds depend on water for survival, and Kansas’ typically dry winters can make it hard for them to find what they need. You can help year-round resident birds by setting up a winter-safe birdbath, heated dish or other water source to provide the water they need throughout the winter. In ...

Deciduous trees put on a glorious show of color this fall in the Midwest, but now they are fading and dropping their leaves in their final preparation for the arrival of winter. As welcome of a sight as the fallen leaves are for some, they can also be a hassle when it comes to maintaining the ...

Shovels, rakes, pruners and other garden tools are essential for completing many of the tasks associated with gardening. Caring for them by cleaning, sharpening and applying a protectant extends the life and ensures they remain in top-notch shape for years to come. This fall, as the gardening ...

Fall is a good time to amend soil in existing landscape and garden beds and prepare new beds for planting. The type of soil typically found in yards in the Lawrence area could definitely use improvement before planting to get plants off to a good start. Established beds also need attention from ...

Fall’s cooler temperatures and shorter days have many creatures preparing for winter and spending more time indoors. Unfortunately, that means some of them are hoping to move into your house for shelter, especially mice, spiders and a variety of insects. The next few weeks are a good time to ...

Designing a beautiful home does not need to be difficult. The tall one-story, open-floor home of Tami and Mike Nevels shows how. The construction for their sleek three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home in East Lawrence finished in the fall of 2017, with the Nevels moving in last September, ...

Garlic is easy to grow and requires only a little space and care. It performs best when planted in late September to mid-October in Kansas and other places with seasonal temperature changes, so now is the time. Bulbs will be ready for harvest next year in late spring to midsummer depending on ...

Next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-7, is the 14th annual Kaw Valley Farm Tour, featuring 33 farms in northeast Kansas. Visit one farm or several — the tour is open house-style, so tourgoers can come and go as they please during the designated hours. This annual fall event is a great ...

Acorns are beginning to shed from oak trees with fall’s arrival in the Midwest. To some, the acorns are a welcome sign of cooler days to come and can even provide entertainment by attracting wildlife. To others, acorns are a nuisance as they fall on roofs, fill gutters, cover the lawn and ...

Paints and polyurethanes come in a variety of finishes from glossy to matte. Understanding a little about the shine, or lack thereof, can help inform decorating decisions. • When using paint or polyurethane, keep the product well mixed throughout the application. Polyurethane’s natural ...