Pick up know-how for tackling diseases, pests and weeds.
Farm bill, farm marketing, agribusiness webinars, & farm policy.
Find tactics for healthy livestock and sound forages.
Scheduling and methods of irrigation.
Explore our Extension locations around the state.
Commercial row crop production in Arkansas.
Agriculture weed management resources.
Use virtual and real tools to improve critical calculations for farms and ranches.
Learn to ID forages and more.
Explore our research locations around the state.
Get the latest research results from our county agents.
Our programs include aquaculture, diagnostics, and energy conservation.
Keep our food, fiber and fuel supplies safe from disaster.
Private, Commercial & Non-commercial training and education.
Specialty crops including turfgrass, vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals.
Find educational resources and get youth engaged in agriculture.
Gaining garden smarts and sharing skills.
Timely tips for the Arkansas home gardener.
Creating beauty in and around the home.
Maintenance calendar, and best practices.
Coaxing the best produce from asparagus to zucchini.
What’s wrong with my plants? The clinic can help.
Featured trees, vines, shrubs and flowers.
Ask our experts plant, animal, or insect questions.
Enjoying the sweet fruits of your labor.
Herbs, native plants, & reference desk QA.
Growing together from youth to maturity.
Crapemyrtles, hydrangeas, hort glossary, and weed ID databases.
Get beekeeping, honey production, and class information.
Grow a pollinator-friendly garden.
Schedule these timely events on your gardening calendar.
Equipping individuals to lead organizations, communities, and regions.
Guiding communities and regions toward vibrant and sustainable futures.
Guiding entrepreneurs from concept to profit.
Position your business to compete for government contracts.
Find trends, opportunities and impacts.
Providing unbiased information to enable educated votes on critical issues.
Increase your knowledge of public issues & get involved.
Research-based connection to government and policy issues.
Support Arkansas local food initiatives.
Read about our efforts.
Preparing for and recovering from disasters.
Licensing for forestry and wildlife professionals.
Preserving water quality and quantity.
Cleaner air for healthier living.
Firewood & bioenergy resources.
Managing a complex forest ecosystem.
Read about nature across Arkansas and the U.S.
Learn to manage wildlife on your land.
Soil quality and its use here in Arkansas.
Learn to ID unwanted plant and animal visitors.
Timely updates from our specialists.
Eating right and staying healthy.
Ensuring safe meals.
Take charge of your well-being.
Cooking with Arkansas foods.
Making the most of your money.
Making sound choices for families and ourselves.
Nurturing our future.
Get tips for food, fitness, finance, and more!
Understanding aging and its effects.
Giving back to the community.
Managing safely when disaster strikes.
Listen to our latest episode!
Make your plans during the winter months.
The newest gardener can avoid the most common garden problems by following basic recommendations.
Decide what vegetables you wish to plant. You might find it helpful to draw a garden diagram to find out if you have enough space to grow needed quantities. Don't forget repeat plantings! Some vegetables may be planted each month. This will greatly decrease the amount of space needed and keep the garden full for its most efficient use.
Choose a variety well adapted to Arkansas. Recommended varieties for Arkansas can be found in the Home Gardening Series fact sheets. Other good varieties are available and should be used where past performance is proven.
Many gardeners tend to stop after they have harvested their spring-planted crop. This is a missed opportunity. Many crops that are normally planted in the spring grow as well or better in the fall. While insects and diseases are sometimes more of a problem in early fall, yields and quality are often better than in the spring.
Many new cultivars are resistant to diseases and are heavy producers. If you have favorite cultivar that works well for you, continue to use it but you may wish to experiment with small plantings of new cultivars.
Home Gardening Series fact sheets on individual vegetables will list cultivar recommendations. In addition, new seed catalogs and web sites will list many cultivars. If a cultivar is designated to be an All-American Selection (AAS) it has been tested and found to be widely adapted.
Some vegetables require a cool growing season and must be planted early enough to mature before hot weather or late enough to mature in the cooler fall months. Others require warmer or even hot weather and longer periods to reach maturity.
Many factors should be considered when selecting the garden site. The size of the garden is determined by the available space, the number of members in the family and how the vegetables will be used.
A raised bed is a convenient way to garden where soil is limited and there is poor drainage. The raised bed can be turned into a covered cold frame to extend the growing season.
Beds can be constructed for physically impaired gardeners who cannot bend over, or are in a wheel chair. Extension's AgrAbility program offers a number of resources for the home gardener with disabilities.
Raised beds are made from any material that can be stacked at least 12 inches high and is non-toxic. Landscape timbers, used railroad ties, and lumber are commonly used materials. Concrete blocks, bricks and stones are also used.
Build a frame that can hold a depth of at least 12 inches of soil. Do not make the beds any wider than you can reach the middle of the bed.
Locate your raised bed on top of an area with drainage.
Want to see a demo? Watch our video How to Build a Raised Garden Bed!
The perfect container for tomatoes, peppers, okra, and basil is the 5 gallon bucket. Drill holes in the bottom of the bucket for drainage. Add 1 cubic foot of a soil-less potting mix. Amend the soil as needed with lime, Epsom salt, and fertilizer.
Use a tomato cage to keep the plants elevated.
Container gardening can also be an easy way to beautify your landscape.
Wide-row planting is simply broadcasting seeds in bands anywhere from 10 in. to 3 or more feet wide instead of a single band on each row. With the wide row system, more space is producing vegetables and less space is used for cultivation between the rows.
Another way to use space for more intensive production is interplanting or companion cropping. Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or okra between rows of early cool-weather crops. The early crops will mature and be out of the way before the later crops would be crowded.
Use vegetables that require less space than others. The following vegetables make small plants and can be closely planted in the row: radishes, turnips, lettuces, beets, spinach, chard, arugula, cilantro, mustard, Pak choi (also called bok choy or Chinese cabbage), scallions, and onions.