Don’t hold back when creating curb appeal Story and Photos by Richelle Stafne One way to know you have curb appeal is when passersby stop to photograph or discuss “what you’ve got going on” or when cars slow down or stop in front of your home to admire or capture an image with their cell …
A gardener profile of John Monroe Story and Photos by Nellie Neal If you’re lucky enough to be invited, try not to gawk as you enter John Monroe’s backyard. It’s almost certain you’ve never seen a marvel quite like his innovative vegetable garden. This man grows food with great zest, tons of fresh produce that …
A teaching and demonstration orchard Story and Photos by Jeff Wilson, Ph.D. In the northern part of Mississippi, situated on the grounds of the North MS Research and Extension Center in Verona, lies a beautiful teaching and demonstration orchard and vineyard. As it heads into the growing season, this garden has already provided gardeners with …
Get big returns for little work by growing your own cherry tomatoes Story by Karen Ott Mayer One of the most satisfying gardening endeavors comes from the smallest of vegetables and returns a big, prolific investment. Cherry tomatoes offer every gardener, but especially beginners, a fun, flavorful way to grow produce. These little gems also …
Story by Denise Pugh Nothing says springtime quite like a dogwood tree in full bloom. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is native to the eastern United States. Virginia and North Carolina claim its bloom as their states’ flower, and Missouri claims the dogwood as its state tree. This tree is often associated with Easter according to …
The weird science of horticulture Story by Rick Snyder, Ph.D. Every science has its anomalies, its weirdness. It is not at all difficult to find example of some of these in horticulture. Today we’ll talk about some of the more recent standouts you may have seen in the news. Mini-Tomatoes Most of us grow beefsteak …
A passionate affair of exciting and unusual plants Story and Photos by Richelle Stafne I love visiting other people’s gardens to see what they are growing. It’s especially fun when I find new and interesting plants, or plants that I had forgotten. Even in my own garden it brings joy to hear someone say, “Ooh, …
A quick guide to growing summer vegetables Story by Jeff Wilson, Ph.D. Mississippi is fortunate to have a long growing season, usually lasting from mid-April to late October. This can even be longer in the more southern and coastal areas of the state. As you prepare for this season’s vegetable garden, here are a few …
A gardener profile of Loy Moncrief Story and Photos by Nellie Neal Loy Moncrief gardens like he does everything else – with a deft combination of hard work and high purpose. Stewardship comes naturally to him and it shows in more than two decades of beautification efforts in Jackson and Hinds County. These days, Loy’s …
Story by Denise Pugh February is the month of valentines and hearts, and a great month to add the native shrub hearts-a-bustin’ to your landscape. Hearts-a-bustin’ (Euonymus americanus) is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub native to the Southeast. This shrub is found growing naturally in light shade as a woodland understory plant. However, I have found …
