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1 week ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Integrated Pest Management has issued its first pest alerts of the growing season. MU Extension state field crops and forage entomologist Ivair Valmorbida says corn and wheat growers should be on the lookout for early season pests, including black cutworm and true armyworm. Significant numbers of black cutworm moths have appeared in some regions, with predicted cut dates for the first week of May in Missouri.
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2 weeks ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension horticulturists ask the public not to plant unsolicited seeds received in the mail. MU Extension horticulturist Kelly McGowan says she has had recent reports from Springfield-area residents who have been mailed seeds they did not order.
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2 weeks ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The flowering dogwood tree celebrates its 70th birthday as the Missouri state tree in 2025. There is no better place to celebrate than Missouri’s Ozark woodlands from mid-April to early May when the dogwood is in bloom, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
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3 weeks ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A favorite spring flower, the Easter lily, should be kept away from cats. If ingested, it could kill them. The perennial plant’s white, trumpet-like flowers might not sound the warning that all parts of it are highly toxic to felines. Tim Evans, University of Missouri Extension veterinary toxicologist, said even small amounts of Easter lilies can be deadly to cats. Eating the leaves or flowers or licking pollen grains can lead to kidney failure within days.
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3 weeks ago | 
m.farms.com | Linda Geist
By Linda GeistSoil testing and proper fertilization are key to productive warm-season forages in Missouri, says Rudra Baral, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomyIn a new publication, Baral gives guidelines for soil testing and fertilizer management for warm-season forages in Missouri. “Maintaining healthy forage for livestock requires understanding the specific needs of soil and grass,” says Baral.
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3 weeks ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. – You may have seen edamame in grocery stores or on salad bars and not known what it is, says Todd Higgins, University of Missouri Extension specialist in horticulture. Edamame is a type of soybean grown for direct consumption by people. Edamame (pronounced eh-duh-mah-may) translates from Japanese as “beans on a branch” since they are often sold with the pod still attached to the stem.
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4 weeks ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. — March is the ideal month to plant two of the hardiest and most nutritious vegetables a home gardener can grow easily: cabbage and kale, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Both are attractive in the garden, with colors ranging from pale green through dark blue to deep reddish purple. Flavors range from mild to strong, and both lend themselves to dishes both raw and cooked.
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1 month ago | 
newspressnow.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. — It is hard to think about gardening when the weather is cool. “However, now is the perfect time to start seeds of certain garden plants indoors so they will be ready for transplant when warmer weather arrives,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein. By kick-starting the growing season, you will have flowers and produce earlier, said Trinklein.
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1 month ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. — It is hard to think about gardening when the weather is cool. “However, now is the perfect time to start seeds of certain garden plants indoors so they will be ready for transplant when warmer weather arrives,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein in a press release. By kick-starting the growing season, you will have flowers and produce earlier, said Trinklein.
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1 month ago | 
muddyrivernews.com | Linda Geist
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Drought is costing Missouri agriculture significant amounts of money. Since the 1980s, Missourians have had 16 drought disasters costing $1 billion or more, says University of Missouri Extension state climatologist Zachary Leasor. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates the total cost of these disasters is between $10 billion and $20 billion. Leasor refers to it as “persistent drought,” the kind that doesn’t go away with a couple of good gully washers.
