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Five smart gardening habits for Kansas City’s unpredictable weather

Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization

This collection of stories guides gardeners in Kansas City to adapt their gardening habits amid unpredictable weather.

Learn how dormant seeds in winter need specific treatments to wake up in "Your seeds are sleeping through this winter." Explore how protecting stems and leaves can extend the food yield from your garden in "Don’t toss those carrot tops." Discover how applying mulch strategically helps during dormant seasons in "Ready to put it to rest?" Find tips on choosing the right plant varieties that resist pests in "Here’s why variety, the spice of life, will also help with a healthy vegetable garden." Read the stories below.

In Kansas City, gardeners will likely face several issues in your vegetable garden with this heat and humidity. But here’s the good news: Variety can be a key component in mitigating these problems.

NO. 1: HERE’S WHY VARIETY, THE SPICE IS LIFE, WILL ALSO HELP WITH A HEALTHY VEGETABLE GARDEN

The right plant in the right location can help you beat insect problems, blossom-end rot, powdery mildew, heat and drought stress. | Published May 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Anthony Reardon

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

NO. 2: 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. 3: 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

If you’ve collected milkweed seeds, you may need to treat them to imitate the outdoor winter conditions.

NO. 4: YOUR SEEDS ARE SLEEPING THROUGH THIS WINTER. TAKE THESE STEPS TO HELP THEM WAKE UP

Many plant species adapted to cold environments will need a dormancy-breaking treatment. | Published January 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Markis Hill

Many people focus on the florets of broccoli, harvesting the main heads and the successive side shoots. However, the stems are also edible.

NO. 5: DON’T TOSS THOSE CARROT TOPS: LEARN TO STRETCH THE BOUNTY OF YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENS

Plant parts like melon rinds, broccoli stems or even sunflower stems can be consumed. | Published March 7, 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.