Hotline: 816.833.TREE (8733)

Vegetables Category

  • Squash Vine Borer

      ​If you have squash or related plants that suddenly wilt and die, you may have squash vine borer. This insect will bore into the stems of squash, zucchini, pumpkins and gourds. Hubbard squash are a favorite, and butternuts are...

    Continue Reading →
  • Planting Asparagus

    Though it is too early to plant asparagus, it is not too early to make plans and prepare soil. This crop is a perennial and will survive for many years if given proper care. It prefers full sun and a...

    Continue Reading →
  • October Gardening Calendar

    OrnamentalsWeeks 1-4: Continue watering, especially evergreens if soils are dry.Weeks 1-4: Nuts or seeds of woody plants usually require exposure to 3 months cold before sprouting. This may be provided by outdoor planting in fall or "stratifying" in an unsealed...

    Continue Reading →
  • PLANTING MUMS AND OTHER SEPTEMBER GARDENING TIPS

    September, the kids are back in school and just as you wouldn't send your kids off to school unprepared, neither should you ignore the needs of your garden as it heads into fall.  Gardens need special care to help prepare...

    Continue Reading →
  • Harvesting and Roasting Sunflower Seeds

    Sunflowers are usually ready to be harvested beginning in mid-September and into October. Seed heads can ripen on the plant, but they will need protection from birds. Try covering the heads with a paper sack or cheesecloth once the petals start turning brown. Use...

    Continue Reading →
  • Harvesting Winter Squash

    Summer squash such as zucchini and scallop are harvested while immature but winter squash such as acorn, hubbard and butternut are harvested later, in the mature stage, after the rind is tough and seeds have developed. We normally think September...

    Continue Reading →
  • Vegetables: Fall Gardens

    This is the time of year we normally think of planting a fall garden. Crops that can be planted now include lettuce, radishes, spinach, and similar crops. There still is time to raise another crop of green beans along with some...

    Continue Reading →
  • Weird Squash, Cucumbers or Melons

    Occasionally we receive a call from someone who has a squash (or cucumber or melon) that just doesn’t look like what was supposedly planted. They often wish to know if that fruit had cross-pollinated with another vegetable close by. In...

    Continue Reading →
  • Blossom End Rot

    If you have tomatoes with a sunken, brown leathery patch on the bottom of the fruit, you probably have blossom end rot. Though most common on tomatoes, blossom end rot can also affect squash, peppers and watermelons. Not a disease,...

    Continue Reading →
  • Hornworms on Tomatoes

    Hornworms are the largest larval insect commonly seen in the garden. Though usually seen on tomato, they can also attack eggplant, pepper, and potato. The larval stage of this insect is a 3 ½- to 4-inch long pale green caterpillar with...

    Continue Reading →


University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener Program