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Help for the Home Gardener

 

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Visit the Center for Home Gardening

Stop by the Center for Home Gardening and get your gardening questions answered by our expert staff and Master Gardener volunteers at the Plant Doctor Desk, or check out our houseplant display and other home gardening resources! Be sure to also take a stroll through our 23 outdoor demonstration gardens, which include a vegetable and fruit garden, cut flower garden, an experimental garden, and a newly renovated native prairie garden.

Plant Doctor Desk (Walk-In)

April–October open daily, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

November–March open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Horticulture Answer Service (Phone & E-mail)

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon

Phone: (314) 577-5143

E-mail: plantinformation@mobot.org

January Gardening Tips

  • Be sure to keep houseplant foliage dust-free. This will allow the leaves to get the most light possible. 

  • After the Amaryllis have bloomed: remove spent flowers and set the plant in a sunny window to allow the leaves to fully develop. Keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize occasionally with a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer.  

  • Be sure to check houseplants often for common pests and treat accordingly: aphids, spidermites, scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, and fungus gnats. 

  • Allow ice to naturally melt off, as it can cause branches to easily break. Prune off broken or damaged branches promptly to prevent the bark from tearing. 

  • Check fruit trees for evidence of rodent injury to bark. Use baits or traps where necessary.   

  • Sow pansy seeds indoors now. 

  • Be on the lookout for seed and nursery catalogs. Now is an excellent time to start planning this year's garden. 

  • Christmas tree boughs can be used to mulch garden beds. 

More Gardening Tips