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Planting the Plains

Planting the Plains: Sunflowers

By Anthony Reardon

Published July 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM CDT

Looking for a plant that'll provide you with seeds and pollinators, AND help you remove heavy metals from your soil? What you're seeking is the sunflower, and this week, we'll talk about which types to grow (they're not ALL tall and thin...), and how to get the most out of your crop!

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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.

See stories by Anthony Reardon

HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Post-Harvest Handling

Anthony Reardon

You spend so much time and effort for the best growth in your garden, why risk damaging your vegetables just before you eat them? How you handle your cut vegetables immediately after harvesting can make a big difference in flavor and longevity. This week, we'll talk about the best ways to cut them, and how best to store these different items afterward.
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Summer Heat

Anthony Reardon

Spending time in the garden is such a joy, it's sometimes easy to get lost in your work. But here on the High Plains, the summer heat is merciless, and because perspiration can evaporate right off of you in arid conditions, you may not notice yourself losing fluids and beginning to develop signs of heat exhaustion, or worse. This week, we'll talk about ways to stay safe AND keep your garden in great shape!
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Passive Composting

Anthony Reardon

Are you interested in composting, but not interested or able to put in the time required to actively break down your materials? You might be interested in passive composting, which takes more time, but which lets time and the outdoors do the work for you, resulting in the same end result...just more slowly.
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Shade Cloths

Anthony Reardon

Your plants will obviously require sun to grow their best, but how much sun is too much? Some plans can burn if they get too much, so it can benefit them to have some sort of shade or other protective cover, to help reduce the amount of sun they're getting. Shade cloths can be an excellent way to cover plants with materials that let in different amounts of sunlight, to help customize the shade to match the needs of your plants.
Planting the Plains: Intercropping in the Vegetable Garden

Anthony Reardon

Growing your garden can be its own reward, but if you're serious its long-term health, you may want to consider intercropping. Intercropping is a broad term that refers to the practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity. This practice offers numerous benefits, including increased crop diversity, resource efficiency, pest and disease control, and improved soil health!