Douglas County Kansas Master Gardeners

The Dg Co Extension Master Gardener 2026 micro-grant guidelines and application are now up on the Extension website!
https://www.douglas.k-state.edu/news-events/hort-nat-newsevents/micro-grant.html
Non-profit education and service organizations are encouraged to apply for $ to support new and expanding food or pollinator gardens.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CxYo4hGYZ/

Celebrating 50 years of preserving food! Just before the Lawrence Farmers Market was founded in 1976, there was resurgent public interest in food preservation methods like home canning. Extension programs around the country started training Master Food Preservers to each people how to safely preserve food, like today's Master Food Volunteers through K-State Extension in Douglas County (tag them if possible).

Today, many of our vendors sell products that preserve the bounty of fresh Kansas produce in jellies, jams, fruit butters, pesto, and more. There are also ample opportunities to shop for fresh produce around the Market that you can pickle, can, dehydrate, and preserve yourself to enjoy when the season is over! Don't wait to shop - you can buy tomatoes and freeze them to can later when the weather is cooler. Ask vendors about their favorite food preservation recipes, and don't forget that you can access great resources to preserve food safetly at home like the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.

So wonderful to see FPL families in the new gardens! Thank you, FPL, for all you do.

Douglas County Kansas Master Gardeners mentors, Bishop Seabury Academy mentees, Vintage Church adult mentors, Vintage Church youth mentees and FPL families recently participated in several Kansas Volunteer Commission supported days of service where they worked together to create safe, welcoming and edible outdoor spaces for families living at FPL's Mt. Hope Shelter.

Activities included building raised garden beds and flower boxes, learning about gardening techniques and planting fruits, vegetables and flowering plants to eat, support bee pollination, and improve environmental health!

Thank you to everyone who made this project possible! With your help, Mt. Hope families are now adding fresh herbs, fruits and veggies to their family meals as well as enjoying the beautiful flower boxes and flowers!

Permission to be Lazy! Dry, hot days slow turf grass growth. Mow by growth rate not a schedule. Cut only 1/3 of the plant height: mowing a 4" lawn can be delayed til it is 6"! Skip the fertilizer until Labor Day as well... you lawn will thank you. More info:
https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/programs/lawn-garden/healthy-yards-and-native-gardens/healthy-yards-and-environment/air-quality/docs/Mowing_Your_Lawn.pdf

https://lawrencekstimes.com/2026/07/17/douglas-county-fair-2026pre/?

Plan your week at the 2026 Douglas County Fair The 2026 Douglas County Fair will bring back crowd favorites like the demolition derby, a carnival, pony rides, co****le tournaments and more.

The Kansas City Gardener magazine is a monthly publication and a good source of information. You can pick one up at the Lawrence Public Library or the Douglas County Extension office, and it is available online https://kcgmag.com/magazine/

Empowering our community, one harvest at a time! 🌱 Our Fairgrounds demo vegetable and high tunnels not only educate, but also yield a bounty of fresh produce, which our Master Gardeners proudly donate to Just Food and other local charities, nourishing those in need.

This year's weather has been on our side, and with a little know-how, you can unlock a bountiful tomato harvest! 🌞 Check out our expert tips to ensure a successful season: https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/common-tomato-problems-part-1