Planting the Plains: Bringing Global Crops to the High Plains

By Anthony Reardon

Published May 29, 2026 at 6:00 AM CDT

Want to get out of a gardening rut? Try growing some nontraditional plants from other parts of the world, such as chayote, and with a few adjustments for our warmer and drier climate, you might find a few new favorites in your fall harvest!

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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: Using Pesticides

Anthony Reardon

Do you expose your plants to chemicals to help keep bugs away, or do you just deal with the nuisance of insects on your food before you harvest it? Pesticides can make a measurable difference in your garden, but it helps to know what types you’re using. This week, we’ll talk about active ingredients in the products available at your local gardening store, and how to understand which are appropriate for your needs!
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Planting the Plains: ‘Listening’ to the Weeds

Anthony Reardon

Weeds don’t exactly seem like they’re all that helpful in a garden, but sometimes they can end up giving you some useful guidance. In this week’s episode, we’ll talk about how to learn to “listen” to what the weeds are trying to tell you!
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Planting the Plains: Stressing on Transplant Stress

Anthony Reardon

It’s just about time to transplant your plants into the outdoors, but…do you notice that chill? Not the outdoor temperature, but the panic of realizing that some of your plants won’t survive the process of moving to the outdoors? For what it's worth, some plants are better able to handle the process, and we’ll talk this week about which, and methods to help minimize the stress on your plants this year.
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Planting the Plains: Thinning Fruits and Vegetables

Anthony Reardon

It may seem counterintuitive to contemplate the idea of thinning out your fruits and vegetables…after all, why wouldn’t you want as much of your crop as possible? But by removing some, you’ll give the other fruit more room and nutrients to grow, making for a better harvest in the long run. This week, we’ll talk about the hows and whys of trimming for maximum effect in your garden!
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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.