MAN: The following program is a production of Ozarks Public Television.

MAN: Welcome to a Sense of Community.

I'm Jennifer Moore.

Tonight's guest is teaching us some tricks of the trade for starting and maintaining a healthy garden, even for those of us who might not have a green thumb.

Kelly McGowan is a horticulturist who oversees the master gardener program in Greene County.

And she's joining us to talk about tips, perks, and challenges that come with growing a garden in the Ozarks.

[music playing] ANNOUNCER: Welcome to a Sense of Community.

Sense of Community is a public affairs presentation of Ozarks Public Television.

JENNIFER MOORE: We're glad to have you joining us tonight.

And we'd just like to begin with a note and a reminder that we are following social distancing guidelines in our studio.

The guest tonight are spaced out a lot farther than we would be if we were not in a pandemic.

And the rest of our crew is wearing masks.

And we have just taken ours off for the time being.

But, Kelly McGowan, thank you so much for joining us.

We're so excited to have you for the show.

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, thank you for having me.

JENNIFER MOORE: So we're talking about gardening in the Ozarks.

I have to admit, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

Although, I do not have a green thumb.

It does not come naturally to me.

And I would love for you to begin by telling us what are some of the most basic and simple ways that ordinary folks can get into gardening if they are not already established in a garden?

KELLY MCGOWAN: OK. Well, I'm a firm believer that everyone has a green thumb.

You just have to keep at it, keep practicing, keep experimenting.

And find something that works for you.

So I just encourage people to give it a try even if they've never gardened before.

So here in the Ozarks, we are challenged with rocky soil.

If you've ever tried to dig a hole in our soil, it's very rocky.

And that can be frustrating.

And although our soil is rocky, it is very fertile as well.

So we're able to grow about anything.

But if you want to overcome rocky soil conditions, growing in containers is a great first step that anyone can do.

And as far as growing in containers, the larger the container, the better.

JENNIFER MOORE: OK.

So when you say containers, we're talking about flower pots.

We're talking about different pots that you could put around your house inside or out, right?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yes.

JENNIFER MOORE: So what are some things that grow really well in containers that are pretty easy to get started in?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, flowers, of course, grow well in containers.

They look very nice.

But you can also grow vegetables in containers.

And some of our classic vegetables that people think of as being these huge plants, there are actually miniature or dwarf versions that do well in containers.

So if people are limited on space or they just have an apartment balcony, they can get some kind of dwarf varieties of vegetables such as tomatoes and grow those in containers.

But really, if it's a large enough container, you can grow about anything.

JENNIFER MOORE: OK.

So what's the range?

OK, we talk about tomatoes.

But when you say you can grow about anything in a container, I'm curious what are a few other things?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, peppers would work really well.

And there's lots of different kinds of peppers.

There mild.

There's hot.

So grow things that you like to eat.

That's one of my other number one tips.

Grow things that you and your family will actually eat.

But peppers, eggplant, smaller versions of zucchini and squash-- you can even do cucumbers and work up some kind of a trellising system.

Because they do like to climb-- but really about anything.

JENNIFER MOORE: What are some tips for staying on a budget when you are getting into gardening?

Because it can add up if you're buying plants and depending on all the other things that go along with it.

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah.

Well, that is a great question.

Because I am a big proponent that gardening does not have to be expensive.

Now, it certainly can.

But it doesn't have to be.

And when we're talking about planting containers, you can use things that you already have around the house-- buckets, mineral tubs that are used to feed cattle.

As long as they have drain holes in the bottom and they drain well, you can use about anything that you have.

One thing that I would recommend people spend a little bit more money on is a good quality soil.

And you can buy it bagged at places that sell gardening supplies.

But just make sure that you start with a good quality soil.

Because lower quality soil tends to compact really well.

Plants don't grow as well in it.

So just keep that in mind.

So let's talk about soil.

Because I've heard that's super important.

So for vegetable gardening, for example, what are a couple of the most important things to keep in mind when you are getting the soil ready to plant?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yes.

That's a great question.

Whether you're growing in containers or the ground, you want to think about weed control.

And one of my favorite things to do in the vegetable garden is to put down some kind of a mulch layer-- whether it be wood chip mulch or straw or the plastic covers that you can put down over your soil, anything that you can do to not have just bare soil that's exposed to the elements.

So put down a good mulch layer.

It's healthy for the soil.

It's healthy for the plants.

It helps to retain moisture.

And that is a good place to start.

JENNIFER MOORE: OK, great.

OK, so what about if you don't have much sunlight in your backyard or front yard?

I have that situation myself.

So what are the options for people without a lot of sunshine?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah.

Well, that's a very common issue.

People don't have a lot of sunshine.

So what can they grow?

Vegetables need full sun.

And the definition of full sun is six to eight hours a day.

So for most homeowners, at least some part of their yard will get either morning sun or afternoon sun.

So you can still be successful with at least six hours of sun if you want to grow vegetables.

But there are some vegetables that will do well in more shady conditions.

And lettuce is a great example of that.

It doesn't need a lot of sunlight.

It does need some.

So maybe try something like that.

And there are a wide variety of flowers that will do well in shady conditions.

JENNIFER MOORE: Oh, OK. Great.

So let's talk about timing in terms of planting and prepping a garden.

So we're here in mid-May.

And is it too late-- I presume not-- for people to get started on a summer or even fall garden at this point?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah.

Well, mid-May is my favorite time to start planting summer vegetables and summer annual flowers.

Because, as everyone knows, our weather can be kind of iffy in the Ozarks.

And a lot of times, we will get late frost and freezes.

Mid-May is a pretty safe time to go ahead and put those warm-season plants in the ground.

And so if people have not planted yet, it's not too late go ahead and do it.

JENNIFER MOORE: So we are still in a global pandemic.

And I'm really curious to hear how that has impacted either gardening as a trend or as a hobby?

What are you hearing?

What are you seeing on that front?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Oh, wow.

When the pandemic hit last year, we saw a huge increase in the number of people wanting to grow their own food and as a hobby.

It's a hobby that you can do at home.

You don't have to be around a lot of people.

And some of our local places that sell gardening supplies, they were selling out of seeds and supplies and plants.

So the pandemic has really made people think about where their food comes from, wanting to get back to their roots.

Maybe their parents or grandparents gardened.

And we have just seen such a huge interest in it.

And I really encourage people to do it.

JENNIFER MOORE: Yeah.

What are people growing?

I mean, what are some of the most common things you've seen people growing during the pandemic specifically?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, mainly flowers and vegetables.

There's a balance between both.

But I guess mainly vegetables, people want to learn how to grow vegetables.

They want to experiment with new things that they've never grown before.

So, certainly, the increase in vegetable gardening has occurred and is very exciting.

I'm all for people growing their own food.

JENNIFER MOORE: I have heard that there are some unique things to the Ozarks region in terms of gardening.

And I'm sure that stems back all the way to farming.

And Native Americans knew that obviously.

But what, besides all of the rocks, are some of the unique things that the Ozarks is known for to gardeners?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, I teach a lot of classes on gardening.

And in most of my classes, I have a few people that are new to this area.

They've moved here from another state.

And one thing that they might not realize is that we have really hot, dry summers.

And they will need to water their plants during the summer.

And so that is certainly something to keep in mind.

As we get into June, July, and August, you will really have to keep an eye on your plants and make sure they're getting sufficient water.

JENNIFER MOORE: I said I didn't have a green thumb.

But you're mentioning watering plants throughout the summer.

And that was one of my childhood jobs I recall now-- watering fruit trees.

And they're grown now.

They're beautiful on the farm I grew up on.

But I'm curious in terms of buying and planting actual trees-- that may get a little out of gardening-- but I have heard that if you plant a tree in the spring, you do need to water it all throughout the summer.

And can you confirm that?

Am I correct on that?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah, yeah.

That's a good point and something that we should definitely mention and.

So you can certainly plant trees in the spring.

But, again, young trees are going to need a little TLC during the summer.

They need sufficient water to put down a good root system.

We often recommend planting trees in the fall just because the weather is not as harsh.

They're able to establish a good root system before we go into winter.

And it tends to be a little bit gentler on the trees.

But certainly, you can plant them in spring.

There's more of a selection at that time.

Just make sure to keep them watered.

JENNIFER MOORE: You are a master gardener.

You oversee the master gardener program in Greene County.

And I'm wondering do you ever have any challenges yourself of frustrations of things that don't grow well for you?

And if so, would you share those with us?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Oh, absolutely.

So with my job, with University of Missouri Extension, I work long hours.

But I also love to garden.

And sometimes just the time part of it, finding time to garden and tend my plants, can be a big challenge.

But some of the plants that I have had the most trouble with is-- sometimes, I struggle with roses.

Roses are not hard to grow.

But they do need a little bit of TLC.

And I encourage people to grow roses.

But just keep in mind that you're going to have to take care of them a little bit more.

One thing that I am really interested in right now is lavender.

I actually have a lavender research project.

And I am putting together a set of growing guides for people in Missouri that want to grow lavender.

Typically, lavender has been a challenging plant to grow.

It needs really well-drained soil.

And sometimes that's a challenge to achieve.

So that can be a challenge.

It's been a challenge for me.

But hopefully, I'll learn more about it.

And I can help others grow it as well.

JENNIFER MOORE: Wow.

So you've mentioned what has been challenging for you.

What is very easy to grow in the Ozarks?

What do you find that people plant in the ground and walk away from?

Or is there any such plant like that?

Obviously, they all need some water and good soil.

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah, there are lots of plants like that.

I love old-fashioned flowers-- the ones that you see on old homesteads.

The house may not be there anymore.

But you still see flowers-- peonies, lilacs, daffodils, those, I just absolutely love those.

So those are some of my favorites.

And vegetables are easy to grow.

People are scared to try vegetables.

But they're pretty easy to grow.

Tomatoes can be a little challenging.

You ask about challenging plants.

Everyone struggles with tomatoes sometimes.

But, again, don't give up.

Vegetables are usually typically easy to grow and just a great choice.

JENNIFER MOORE: And if people have questions in the region, I know that many neighborhoods in Springfield have their own community gardens.

And one good place to go is the actual, the neighborhood associations.

Does the new extension have any classes or resources?

Or if people wanted to learn more about becoming a master gardener, what do they need to do?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah.

Well, the University of Missouri Extension is a great resource for all kinds of different things.

But when it comes to gardening, we accept phone calls, emails, office visits with people bringing in samples.

Here in Springfield, our Master Gardeners of Greene County have a hotline.

And they assist with those issues as well.

So reach out to your local extension office.

There's one in every county.

And we can certainly help people out.

JENNIFER MOORE: OK, great.

And we'll be sure to leave some of that information at the end of the program.

Speaking of things that grow easily in the Ozarks region, I'm wondering if you can talk at all about native plants and maybe identify some of what they are and what that means exactly when we refer to native plants.

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah.

Well, thank you for mentioning native plants.

Because often, people don't think about those.

But there is a big interest in native plants right now for a few different reasons.

Native plants, ones that are native to this area, they're acclimated to our climate.

So they're able to withstand periods of drought.

They're able to withstand temperature fluctuations, weather pattern changes, cold winters, hot summers.

And they're a great choice for the home landscape.

Some of our typical landscape plants don't provide a lot of benefits for pollinators and wildlife.

But our native plants do.

Our native plants are designed to provide berries for wildlife or nectar for bees and butterflies.

So it's just a good choice all the way around and a great choice for homeowners.

JENNIFER MOORE: And they just roll with the punches of Missouri weather.

Because they're from here.

So what are some thoughts about sustainability, if you have any, on how gardeners can approach gardening with sustainability in mind?

Any tips or tricks on that front?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yes, absolutely.

I am all for a sustainable garden whether it be vegetables or flowers.

Sustainability in a couple of different ways-- from an environmental perspective, I really, really encourage people to limit the use of chemicals in their garden.

There are lots of things that we, as gardeners, can do to prevent it from getting to the point where we have to use chemicals.

There's a series of steps called integrated pest management.

And I know that sounds complicated.

But it's really not.

There's things we can do to prevent disease and insect issues from becoming a problem to where we have to spray.

And your local extension office can help you with some of those.

So there's the environmental sustainability of gardening.

But there's also the sustainability of us as human beings.

It has to be a project that we can do without getting overwhelmed.

And I think if someone is new to gardening, just start out small, something that you can handle, something you're not going to be overwhelmed with.

Because if it's not fun, you're not going to want to do it.

JENNIFER MOORE: So going back to what you said about sustainability for the environment, what are some of those ways that people can get rid of weeds or prevent pests without using chemicals?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, One of my favorite ways is to just scout regularly.

Go out to my garden.

Walk around every two or three days and just take an evening stroll in the garden.

And try to notice if there's any diseases or leaves that don't look right or any insect pests.

Now, I will say something about insects.

Most insects, like 98% of insects, are harmless or even beneficial.

People see insects in their garden.

And they automatically think they're bad.

And that's not the case.

Very few things are considered insect pests.

And having insects nibble on your plants isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Certainly, there are some we don't want eating our plants.

But most are totally harmless.

So just doing regular scouting, contacting your extension office if you have a question, keeping weeds under control, going out at least once a week and pulling weeds before they get really large can be enormously helpful.

JENNIFER MOORE: So you mentioned that you love flower gardening.

I'm wondering if you can tell us the difference between perennials and annuals in terms of flowers?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Sure.

Well, a perennial is a plant that comes back every year.

There are woody perennials like shrubs and trees that just kind of go dormant in the winter time.

And then we have herbaceous perennials that die back to the ground and then resprout from the root system.

But perennials come back every year.

And annuals do not survive our winters.

So they will have to be replanted every year.

And that's a lot of what we're seeing in stores right now in the little six-pack planters-- vegetables and flowers.

Those have to be planted every year.

JENNIFER MOORE: I want to rewind a little bit to something you said about roses, how they need some extra TLC.

I'm wondering if you can elaborate on that.

And what do roses need in terms of care?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yeah.

Well, I love roses.

I think they're a beautiful, romantic, old-fashioned flower.

They look great in the home landscape.

But they are susceptible to diseases like black spot.

And black spot is a fungal disease.

And it happens when the foliage of the rose plant remains wet for too long.

And that can happen if there's not enough space around the rosebush.

And it's not able to dry out like it gets dew on it overnight.

And then it should be able to dry out quickly in the sun.

So we want to prevent wet foliage.

And if you do see black spots on your leaves, doing good sanitation, picking up diseased leaves is very, very helpful.

JENNIFER MOORE: I'm curious what led you to choose gardening as a career path.

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, I grew up-- my parents and grandparents had huge gardens.

And when I was a kid, I hated it.

Because I had to water and weed.

And I hated it.

But then when I became an adult and got married and had kids, I kind of returned to that and just discovered that I loved it and decided to pursue a degree in horticulture from Missouri State University.

And it led to a job with MU Extension.

I love my job.

I get to work with homeowners.

I get to work with commercial fruit and vegetable producers.

So if people are interested in horticulture or gardening or agriculture as a career path, I just encourage you to do it.

It's something that I'm passionate about.

And when you have a job that you're passionate about, you don't get up dreading to go to work every day.

JENNIFER MOORE: In terms of Ozarks culture and the history-- and I know that that's not your field, but I also know that you're familiar with the Ozarks culture in terms of relying on the land.

And it does seem that there's a real historical and cultural tie to growing your own food here.

Do you find that that is still really prevalent in a lot of Ozarkers?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Oh, absolutely.

And even for younger generations, they might not do it themselves but their parents and grandparents did.

And they remember that.

And they want to try their hand at it.

So absolutely.

You know, I think to my grandparents and my parents-- we grew up in the Ozark region of Arkansas.

And I didn't even think about it as a kid.

We grew most of our food-- fishing, hunting.

I mean, we were pretty self-sustainable and didn't give it much thought.

But now there's certainly an interest in being more self-sufficient.

And we're just seeing a huge increase in that.

And then to bring it back full circle to what we started out talking about.

And that is just basic, simple home gardening-- whether it's containers or small pot-- there are some pretty unique benefits to gardening.

And I'm wondering if you can just talk about any of those on the mood and health?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Yes.

Well, we all know that eating vegetables is good for our bodies I mean, there's no doubt about that.

So being able to have fresh, organic food from your backyard is certainly good for our bodies.

But working with plants is good for our soul as well.

And there's actually studies that have been done that show that spending time in nature or getting your hands dirty or planting a garden, there is mental health benefits to that.

There is stress relief benefits to that.

So it's good for us in that sort of way as well.

I know when I'm working in my garden, that's just a good time to kind of be by myself and decompress and think through things that are going on.

And you just feel so much better if you spend time doing that.

JENNIFER MOORE: And lastly, we only have about 30 seconds or so.

But I'm wondering if you can talk about using raised beds as opposed to containers and how complicated is that?

What the benefit for it?

KELLY MCGOWAN: Well, raised beds are a great option.

They are a popular option, very common here because of our rocky soil.

You can add in your own soil mix, which I like kind of a top soil compost mix for raised beds.

But they're easy to maintain.

You can sit on the side of it.

You're not down on your hands and knees.

So there's just a lot of great benefits.

JENNIFER MOORE: Kelly McGowan, thank you very much for joining us.

KELLY MCGOWAN: Thank you for having me.

JENNIFER MOORE: And we hope that you have learned some helpful tips tonight.

Thank you so much for watching.

We are going to leave you with some websites and phone numbers where you can go to learn more.

And we hope you have a wonderful night.

Thanks for watching.

ANNOUNCER: Here is where you can find more information about the topics covered in this program.

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