Search

Hello, again! Years ago, we got the City of Wichita Parks Department “secret” soil recipe from Jim Grimes, the city's lead gardener. Jim shared with us the ingredients that helped make the flowerbeds in the parks perform so well. With park locations all over the...

Hello, again! What a fun weekend at the garden centers for ChileFest 2025 this past Saturday. Selling out of our Pork Chile Verde as well as our Hatch Green Chile Cheeseburgers was exciting and good for those fortunate enough to get their fill. The recipe...

Hello, again! We’ve all had the conversation about what defines a fruit and what defines a vegetable. By now, we know that a tomato is a fruit, a beet is a vegetable and a banana is an herb (and a vegetable; it’s complicated). Anyway, botanically...

Hello, again! Sometimes it’s tough to make the seasonal color change in our flowerbeds at this time of the year. Many of our annuals are at their peak now and it’s tough to remove them and add fall color. My lantana looks pretty good now,...

Hello, again! The official fall season starts this Saturday, September 23rd. While I enjoy all of our 4 seasons, fall has to be my favorite. Mild daytime temperatures and cooler nights make it pleasant to be outside for most any activity. I’m ready to get...

Hello, again! We are like kids on summer vacation asking our parents, ‘Are we there yet?’ and ‘How much farther?’ Except around the store the past few weeks it’s been, ‘How’s the Hatch green chile crop this year?’, ‘When will the peppers arrive?’ and ‘When...

Hello, again! To me, planting Dutch spring flowering bulbs is like cooking. First of all, unless the cook really messes up, most meals are pretty good. I remember eating food from Jeremy’s Boy Scout campout days where the scouts would dump everything into a big...

Hello, again! I know I've said this before, but I think about it at this time every year. I bet, at one point in our lives, we have all wanted to open a hamburger stand. My dream was to open the carry out across from...

Hello, again!  Hopefully with the recent moisture we have received my potatoes planted last month will be sprouting soon. I'm confident, but it’s a bit like watching water boil, so this morning I had to scratch the earth to see what was going on with...

Hello, again! August is always a special month at the garden center. It’s a transition time going from summer to fall, our Dutch bulbs will be here soon, and as we start to experience cooler days, I’d consider starting fall grass seeding. But before all...

Hello, again! Each year in early spring I think about my Great Uncle Dan Binford, who was a Quaker. He was from Haviland, Kansas where his parents helped establish both the Quaker Church and Friends Academy. A gentle giant of a man, I remember Uncle...

Hello, again!Kansas gardeners know that success starts with choosing plants that can handle our extremes, from hot summers, cold winters, wind, the occasional drought, and even prairie fires. This is why planting perennials, especially those with roots in our native prairies, is one of the...

Hello, again! From adding a rich, savory base to soups and sauces to supporting heart health, garlic has been prized for centuries. Garlic (Allium sativum) contains allicin, a natural compound that gives it both its pungent aroma and many of its healthful properties. Studies suggest...

Hello, again! Have I got an opportunity for you! I can get you in on the ground floor of an investment that I’m sure will pay off. They say history repeats itself, and I just have a gut feeling it’s about to happen again. What...

Hello, again! Late February can be a challenging time weather-wise. We’re so close to the official start of spring on March 20, but winter just doesn’t seem to let go. Remember February 21, 1971? It felt like we got two feet of snow in Wichita!...