Planting the Plains: Companion Planting

By Anthony Reardon

Published January 24, 2025 at 8:00 AM CST

Companion planting...when it comes to which plants help to benefit or protect each other, there's a lot of misinformation out there. Don't let this affect you; this week, we'll look at the truths and falsehoods, so your garden can be its best without being held back by common "knowledge".

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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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Planting the Plains: Storm Damage in Vegetable Gardens

Anthony Reardon

Gardening on the High Plains can be a fun and rewarding experience, but let’s face it…we get some pretty rough storms, the kind that can leave some lasting damage. Some plans can recover fairly well from this damage, but in other cases, it can be wiser just to start over with a new plant and focus on its welfare. This week, we’ll talk about how to make those choices, and what other forms this damage can take.
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Planting the Plains: Too Much Organic Matter

Anthony Reardon

It’s commonly understood that adding organic matter to your growing soil can benefit your plants, but what’s less understood are the ways that too much organic matter can lead to worse results. This week, we’ll talk about how to make sure you’re not overdoing it in your garden!
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Planting the Plains: Early Pest Awareness

Anthony Reardon

There are few things as disappointing as finding your garden overrun with bugs, feasting on your plants before you’ve even had the chance. You can help to prevent this by keeping an eye on things early in the growing season, and this week, we’ll talk about how to recognize the signs and how to effectively treat these annoying pests!
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Planting the Plains: Making Your Own Compost Tea

Anthony Reardon

Compost tea isn’t a beverage, but it’s a great way to use the nutrients from your composting to make an easily spreadable liquid you can apply almost anywhere. This week, we’ll talk about how and why you may want to consider making a batch, and seeing what it can do for your garden!
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Planting the Plains: Nurturing Spring Seedlings

Anthony Reardon

It may seem counterintuitive, but maybe…don’t plant EVERY seed in your seed packet. At least, not right away. This is just one of the things that isn’t always obvious when you’re getting ready to plant your garden, but there are lots of “conventional wisdom” tips that don’t get widely shared, and maybe aren’t as commonly known as they should be. We’ll talk about this and some other things to consider this week, as you get your seeds started this spring!