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Establish a home orchard
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - High fuel costs and other economic burdens have spurred increased interest in vegetable gardening. Interest in home fruit production is also increasing, said a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
Asian ladybugs can be beneficial predator on other insects
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Asian lady beetles, or ladybugs, may seem like a nuisance as they seek warmth in your home, but they can be helpful as predators on other insects."They are beneficial because both the immature larval and adult stages feed on aphids, mealy bugs, scales and other soft-bodied insects," said Mary Kroening, University of Missouri horticulturist.Adults can live up to three years. As winter approaches, the adults seek a…
Increasing the winter survival rate of alfalfa
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - While the harvest of corn and soybean is underway, perennial crops such as alfalfa begin the cold-hardening process. Producers can increase the ability of plants to withstand cold temperatures by implementing several key strategies, said a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist."First, a four- to six-week fall rest period is recommended for alfalfa stands," said Julie Abendroth.
Fall is time to clean up your garden, plant trees and shrubs
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Fall is a good time to clean up your garden and plant trees and shrubs, said a University of Missouri horticulturist."The key factor in plant establishment is root growth, and the faster the roots grow into the back-fill area of a new plant, the more successfully the plant will become established," said Mary Kroening.
Working with horses helps cancer survivors
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Therapists and counselors have used equine-assisted therapy to help people with learning, physical and behavioral problems. Now it's being used to help cancer survivors cope with the challenges and fears they face after treatment.
MU researchers help high school teachers bring Missouri River history to life
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Students at Frederick Douglass High School in Columbia are learning about the Missouri River and its history through a series of field trips and activities developed by their teachers in collaboration with researchers from the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources.
Put your pasture lease agreement in writing
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - High commodity prices provide an opportunity for landowners to increase their income by converting pasture to crop production. This has created urgency among cattlemen to secure grazing land for their cattle and other livestock, said a University of Missouri Extension agriculture business specialist.
Cool-loving Chinese cabbage grows well in Missouri autumn
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The warm, sunny days and cool nights that come with a typical Missouri fall provide ideal conditions for growing cool-loving vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, said a University of Missouri horticulturist."Chinese cabbage is a cool-season vegetable that grows best under short days with temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees," said David Trinklein.Temperatures above 75 degrees tend to cause bitterness and soft heads.
Preserve fall harvest's bounty
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - With plenty of moisture and mild temperatures, a bumper crop of fall produce is available. A University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist suggests ways to make the most of this abundance.
Drunk drivers make Halloween scary
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Sometimes on Halloween night the scariest face you'll see isn't wearing a mask, it's behind the wheel of a car.Children 12 and under are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween as on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids USA."On Halloween nights, statistics on pedestrian accidents skyrocket," said Gary Maddox, director of the University of Missouri Extension Law Enforcement…
Disregard for safety behind most ATV accidents in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. - In Missouri, all-terrain vehicles accounted for at least 111 accidents with 19 fatalities in 2007, according to a University of Missouri study. "The vast majority of ATV incidents occurred because of the operator's disregard for safe vehicle practices and operating procedures," said Ryan Saucier, MU doctoral student in agricultural systems management.
Healthier eating for the holidays
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - You can eat healthier this holiday season if you make a few simple changes to recipes, said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition specialist."You can still enjoy your favorite holiday foods while providing your family with healthier and more nutritious alternatives," said Karen Elliott, who suggests 10 ways to reduce sugar, fat and salt in recipes:
Enjoy your poinsettia beyond the holidays
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - The popular Christmastime plant, the poinsettia, is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the diplomat and botanist who in 1825 brought the plant to the U.S. from southern Mexico. These semi-tropical plants aren't ideally suited for Missouri's climate, but a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist has some tips for enjoying your poinsettia year-round.
Quail numbers on the rise at MU Extension research farm
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The past year hasn't been kind to the northern bobwhite quail in Missouri. Ice storms left many to freeze or starve and heavy rains washed away nests and drowned hatchlings.But quail numbers are actually on the rise at a University of Missouri research farm that has served as a laboratory for practices that integrate habitat for bobwhite quail into modern farm operations.
Consumers should think twice before investing in a water filtration system
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Consumers should look closely at their needs before investing in a water filtration system, said a University of Missouri Extension water quality specialist."Many consumers spend money for unneeded and costly filtration systems that offer little real health benefits," said Bob Broz.Public water supplies in this country provide some of the safest and cleanest water in the world at very low cost, he said.
Planning, sticking to a budget eases holiday shopping stress
COLUMBIA, Mo. -Families feeling financial stress can reduce holiday shopping anxiety through planning and by following a few basic tips, said a University of Missouri Extension personal finance specialist.Suzi McGarvey offers these suggestions for keeping holiday spending under control:
Simple strategies to avoid mindless eating
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - If you're like most Americans concerned about diet, you're familiar with that guilty feeling when you decide to eat a second helping or have an extra-large slice of pie. But a lot of overeating can happen without us being fully aware of what we are doing, said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist."Countless environmental influences can lead to this mindless form of…
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Holiday cactus can provide years of color
COLUMBIA, Mo. - While poinsettias are the most popular blooming holiday plant, if you are looking for a plant that can bloom for many years to come, try a holiday cactus, said a University of Missouri horticulturist.
Avoid heat-related illness
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Even if you think you’re getting used to the triple-digit temperatures, you need to watch out for signs of heat-related illness. Forms of heat-related illness include heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, says Tammy Roberts, University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.
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The noise, noise, noise, noise
COLUMBIA, Mo. – This could be a noisy summer for southeastern and western Missouri. A brood of 17-year periodical cicadas will emerge in northwestern Missouri (Kansas City and St. Joseph), and a brood of 13-year periodical cicadas will surface in southeastern Missouri (Cape Girardeau).
Check home inside and out after spring storms
MOBERLY, Mo. – Spending few hours now on spring home maintenance can save you many hours and dollars later, says a University of Missouri Extension housing specialist.Tom Fuhrman says it’s time to take care of any problems caused by winter weather and spring storms to protect your investment.
For something different, consider growing citrus trees indoors
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Home gardeners who want to try something different might want to grow a sour orange or other citrus tree indoors, said a University of Missouri fruit researcher."There are many different types of citrus trees that can be grown indoors," said Michele Warmund.
Bulbs forced to bloom indoors require special care for replanting in your garden
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Bulbs forced to bloom indoors during winter months need special care for replanting in your garden, said a Missouri horticulturist."Outdoor planting of forced bulbs after they have faded is never a sure thing," said Mary Kroening, an MU Extension horticulture specialist. "Forced bulbs that have bloomed indoors have been through an exhausting process and may not re-bloom in your garden."
Higher-priced compact fluorescent light bulbs pay for themselves in the end
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Consumers may feel sticker shock when paying $4 to replace that burnt out 50-cent incandescent light bulb, but that pricey new bulb can last for years."While Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) cost more than incandescent bulbs, they last up to 10 times longer and use about one-fourth the energy. CFLs are the kind of light bulbs people take with them when they move," said Barbara Buffaloe, University of Missouri Extension…
Landowners should make sure that abandoned wells are properly sealed
COLUMBIA, Mo. - With spring and warmer weather soon drawing children outdoors, it is a good time for farmers and rural landowners to check abandoned wells."There are an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 of these wells in Missouri. If left unplugged, these are a physical threat to children and a potential source of groundwater contamination," said Bob Broz, a University of Missouri water quality specialist.