Planting the Plains: Houseplant Health

By Anthony Reardon

Published May 3, 2023 at 2:03 PM CDT

I've experienced many plant questions in my day. But when it comes to houseplants, the question is almost always the same: How do I keep them alive? The answer to this, predictably, can be complicated, but it'll start with considering the native environment of the plant you're working with.

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Planting the Plains Planting the Plains

Anthony Reardon

Anthony Reardon is the Horticulture – Small Farms Extension Agent for Johnson County, Kansas.

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HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: More Benefits in Dormancy

Anthony Reardon

At the end of the season, it can be tempting to clean up your entire garden of all detritus from old plants, but leaving the seed pods, plant stems and other materials can have some benefits, and this week, we'll talk about how to make dormancy work for you!
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Planting the Plains: Cleaning Your Lawn Tools for Winter

Anthony Reardon

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Planting the Plains: Acclimating Houseplants

Anthony Reardon

Most of us like to give our plants a treat during the warmer weather, and so we'll bring them outside to soak up some extra sun. But of course, the weather will cool again at some point, and the process of moving a plant indoors and outdoors should be done with some consideration of how the conditions will be changing. We'll talk about a few things to think about in this week's episode!
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Planting the Plains: Noting the Learning Moments

Anthony Reardon

At the end of the season, it's never a bad idea to spend some time reviewing what worked for you and what didn't, and actually making some notes on which varieties overproduced or disappointed you. You won't necessarily remember in future years, and over time, this practice will give you a fair bit of data points on which to help base your future research. We'll talk more about how to keep track of this information in this week's episode!
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Composting Leaves

Anthony Reardon

Well, it's that time again, and while no one loves raking the leaves, they do give you some great organic material for your garden, if you bother to handle it properly. This week, we'll review some easy steps to follow in order to get your leaves to turn into good humus, to make the best fertilizer for your spring garden.