3 tips for Kansas City gardeners facing unpredictable weather

Kansas City gardeners can tackle unpredictable weather by adapting simple practices for every season. Before planting, adjust your garden cleanup by clearing last year’s pest hotspots but leaving areas for native bees to nest.

As summer approaches, manage unpredictable rain by watering lawns early before sunrise and avoiding evening watering to prevent Brown Patch fungus. Protect cool-season vegetables like kale and carrots by mulching to regulate soil moisture and suppress weeds. Heading into winter, dig up tender bulbs and add compost to boost soil health for the next growing season.

There are steps you can take to prevent brown patches from taking over your lawn.

NO. 1: DON’T LET BROWN PATCHES TAKE OVER YOUR LAWN THIS SUMMER. HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE DOING WRONG

Brown spots are common on Kansas City lawns because of our high humidity. Here’s how to prevent them. | Published June 21, 2024 | Read Full Story by Anthony Reardon

Were your caladiums impressive this year? They won’t survive the winter, so dig up the bulbs now and store properly.

NO. 2: READY TO PUT IT TO REST? PUT THOSE GARDEN GLOVES ON ONE LAST TIME BEFORE WINTER HITS

Consider this checklist of autumn chores. | Published October 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Markis Hill

Be methodical about cleaning up the yard to ensure our native bees and good insects thrive.

NO. 3: GARDENERS, ARE YOU PREPARING FOR KICKOFF SEASON? TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO BLOCK PESTS

Start with a cleanup of plant debris and weeds from last season, but take steps to ensure our native bee population isn’t disturbed. | Published February 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Anthony Reardon

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.