Gardening

So you want to do something about climate change, but what? We have ideas. Some require a little planning, while others might mean one less thing on your to-do list. (You can skip raking leaves!)

Ottawa city officials are trying to strike a balance between people who want to produce food and the interests of their neighbors

Overland Park is updating city codes to make space for planned native landscapes, which have long been banned as "weeds." That could mean front yard gardens featuring milkweed, blue sage, native flowers and other species that once dominated the northeastern Kansas landscape.

The proliferation of traditional grass lawns have brought problems like flooding, river contamination and pests. But the local ordinances and the rules of homeowners’ associations across the Kansas City area practically insist on Euro-style turf.

Ellen Finnerty dreams of beekeeping and of supplementing the income from her warehouse job by selling products from her garden.

Traditional grass lawns are much less effective at absorbing and filtering stormwater than native plants and trees. The Contain the Rain program aims to increase the number of rain gardens across 16 Johnson County cities.

Kansas City is about a week behind schedule for vegetable planting because of an exceptionally chilly March, but gardeners don't have to wait any longer. Local horticulturist Dennis Patton shares his tips on how to get the most out of your lawn and garden this spring.

The city of Olathe recently launched a pilot program to compost food scraps from residents. While other governments around Kansas City haven't taken that step yet, there are still ways for residents to start composting and help divert food waste away from the landfill.

Foodscaper Matt Lebon runs an edible landscaping business where he introduces the community to the many benefits of growing native plants in your backyard. In the face of climate change, he believes that understanding biodiversity is the key to resilience.

An invasive species of worm is making its way across the Midwest, but not much is known about how to manage them. Some gardeners have taken matters into their own hands.

A species of wiggling worms can jump a foot in the air, and they’ve spread to more than a dozen states in the Midwest, including Kansas and Missouri.

Local homeowners have taken up the cause of No Mow May, which encourages people to temporarily pause their lawn-mowing in order to support the bees, butterflies and moths vital to pollination. In early spring, weeds are some of their prime food sources.