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Planting the Plains

Planting the Plains: Winter Watering Wisdom

By Anthony Reardon

Published October 30, 2026 at 6:00 AM CDT

Some folks might be able to skip watering during the winter where they live...but here on the High Plains, you'd do well to keep an eye on the moisture in your soil, or things might get a bit more dry than your trees would like!

Winter seems like the time when you can relax, and not have to worry about keeping up with your yard and garden, right? Well...not exactly. As you may have noticed, it gets dry here on these High Plains, and in this week's episode, we'll talk about the importance of continuing to water during the cold months, and how much is too much!

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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: Leaves, Not Litter!

Anthony Reardon

These cooler fall temperatures make the leaves change color, but it also makes them fall off your trees! You could see this is just another nuisance that needs to be raked and thrown away, or...you could see them as free yard supplies provided by nature. This week, we'll talk about perspective, and how to make the most of this (usually) abundant resource!
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Surveying Soil Structure

Anthony Reardon

Your soil might not need amending, but how do you know? And do you know much about how your soil is structured? Knowing this, and how to treat it if you've got a lot of clay in your yard, can really make a huge difference. This week, we'll talk about this, and the value of compost in improving your conditions!
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Fall Garden Check-in

Anthony Reardon

Fall is a good time to handle a few maintenance items in your garden, but it's also a good time to make some notes on what grew well and what didn't, and the more things you track in those notes can also make a difference. Learn more in this week's episode!
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: The Fall Finish Line

Anthony Reardon

Yep, it's fall once again, and time to think both about what you can do to clean up this year's garden, and also what you can do now for next year's garden. Check out this week's episode to hear how you can get across the finish line this fall!
HPPR Features

Planting the Plains: Preparing for a Freeze

Anthony Reardon

As the weather cools down, and we await the appearance of frost formed overnight, it's time to consider what you can do to ready your plants for the coming changes. This week, we'll talk about how to prepare for a freeze!