K-State Extension Butler County Master Gardeners

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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. K-State Research and Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Program information may be available in languages other than English. Language access requests and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including alternative means for communication (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, and American Sign Language), may be requested by contacting the event contact Calla Edwards four weeks prior to the start of the event at 316-321-9660 or [email protected]. Requests received after this date will be honored when it is feasible to do so. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request.

Did you know we have a weekly horticultural newsletter about other people's issues, timely tips for that time of year, a...
06/04/2026

Did you know we have a weekly horticultural newsletter about other people's issues, timely tips for that time of year, and general gardening information? Sign up for the Grapevine today: https://forms.gle/8LcfDEuKz33DrcF18

Join us next week on Wednesday, June 10th, for our monthly Lunch and Learn at the Andover Public Library. Bring your pla...
06/03/2026

Join us next week on Wednesday, June 10th, for our monthly Lunch and Learn at the Andover Public Library. Bring your plant questions, issues, and concerns to this interactive program.

Did you know you will need to fertilize your vegetable garden throughout the growing season? Below are some recommendati...
06/02/2026

Did you know you will need to fertilize your vegetable garden throughout the growing season? Below are some recommendations on when.
🫑Bell peppers and eggplants – at first fruit set.
🍅Tomatoes (two side dressings) – at first fruit set and every three to four weeks after.
🍉Cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, and squash – when vines begin to run, then every three to four weeks after.
🍅Okra– at first fruit set and every four to six weeks after.
🌽Sweet corn – when corn is 1 foot tall and again when it is 3 feet tall.
🥔Peas, green beans, and butter beans should not be side-dressed. They are legumes that produce their own nitrogen

There are some great events coming up this week! Check out K-State's Garden Hour on Wednesday, and be sure to check out ...
06/01/2026

There are some great events coming up this week! Check out K-State's Garden Hour on Wednesday, and be sure to check out the Wildflower Walk on Thursday evening!

Yesterday's rain revealed something kinda gross-looking in my flowerbeds this morning. Fuligo septica, also known as “do...
05/29/2026

Yesterday's rain revealed something kinda gross-looking in my flowerbeds this morning. Fuligo septica, also known as “dog vomit slime mold,” grows worldwide on rotten wood, plant debris, and, most conspicuously, mulch. When it first appears, this peculiar species of plasmodial slime mold looks like bright yellow scrambled eggs. When the slime mold dries, it turns brown and begins to resemble dog vomit rather than scrambled eggs. In the 1700s, French botanist Jean Marchant referred to it as “fleur de tan” because of the tannish pigment it develops.

Fuligo septica, like all slime molds, is unrelated to fungi. It grows worldwide on rotten wood, plant debris, and, most conspicuously, mulch. It produces wind-borne spores that can remain viable for years, waiting for conditions favorable for growth. When it is warm and wet enough, the spores absorb moisture and crack open to release cells that fuse into a plasmodium, a mass of protoplasm containing multiple cell nuclei that aren’t separated by cell walls.

Despite its unflattering nicknames, Fuligo septica does not harm plants, people, or animals. You can replace the mulch where Fuligo septica grows, but it will likely return. The best option is just to enjoy it for what it is: curiosity.

We spent some quality time at the Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum cleaning up the flower ...
05/27/2026

We spent some quality time at the Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum cleaning up the flower beds, planting some perennials, spreading mulch, and planting the Victory Garden. Our next project is pruning overgrown shrubs and adding identification markers to the current beds.

Our tip of the week is to start scouting for Bagworms. Bagworms are so named because of the “bag” they create around the...
05/26/2026

Our tip of the week is to start scouting for Bagworms. Bagworms are so named because of the “bag” they create around themselves to camouflage themselves from predators. Young larvae hatch typically in mid-May and leave the bag they hatched from to find foliage to start eating. Larvae typically feed on the plant from which they hatched or one nearby, but they can be carried to other plants via the wind and a long silk thread. Bagworms will eat on almost any plant, but prefer junipers or arborvitae. These insects usually go unnoticed until their bags are 1-2” in size and hang from the plant like little Christmas ornaments.

Control is best two to three weeks after they have hatched to ensure all the larvae have started feeding, typically in the mid to late half of June; however, with this year's warmer temperatures, we will likely need to spray earlier than normal. Several active ingredients can kill bagworms, including BT and spinosad. Be sure to thoroughly cover all the foliage to kill the bagworms.

The K-State Extension Butler County office will be closed today, May 25th, in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen...
05/25/2026

The K-State Extension Butler County office will be closed today, May 25th, in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 26th.

Address

206 N Griffith Street
El Dorado, KS
67042

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 5pm
Thursday 7:30am - 5pm
Friday 7:30am - 11:30am

Telephone

+13163219660

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