I am off to Kansas
some time this next month to cover Globalflyer, Richard Branson and Steve Fossett's
latest grand scheme to fly around the world in a jet plane, solo, without refuelling
(Richard is the reserve pilot), for Guardian Unlimited. It should be interesting from a journalistic
point of view as I'll be writing and blogging, but from a horticultural standpoint, I am wondering what
there will be to observe in Salina in February. Can any US garden bloggers advise?
When I lived in Louisiana a few years ago I never failed to be awed by the sight of stunning, colourful Caladiums - in the UK a tender and difficult to grow houseplant - being used as a foliage bedding plant, and bananas growing in friends' back gardens. Thanks to Don for the winecups suggestion in the comments on the post below: I'll look out for them but I suspect it may be too wintry for much to be blooming in February ....
Of course, you will check weather.com for the temps and presence of snow. Right now we have over a foot on the ground and they are predicting a high of 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Kansas is a good deal further south that upstate NY, but it's also further inland. As far as seeing something growing, I think your best bet would be to find the nearest botanical garden--but I don't think you'll see native plants if you do. They would be dormant this time of the year. I don't know how the British amazon compares, but I saw a number of interesting books when I typed Kansas+garden and Kansas+gardening into the States' amazon search box. If you want to see native Kansas plants in February, that's probably your best bet. But I am speaking as an ignoramus--I've never been to Kansas.
Posted by: Kathy | January 27, 2005 at 03:34 PM
Corn grows in Kansas. And wheat. Most of Kanas is part of the fertile midwestern plains. The state flower is the Sunflower, or at least they use the sunflower an awful lot to promote the state.
Posted by: Don | January 27, 2005 at 05:06 PM
One of the original American branches of my family settled in and still lives in Kansas. They were creative Frenchmen and originally grew goldfish and waterlilies. Seriously! They did very well for themselves, back in the late 1800's and early 1900s. I even have pictures.
The other half of that family thought life as a Kansas dirt farmer was too tough and moved back to Brooklyn. Guess corn wasn't his thing, nor goldfish and waterlilies. Somewhere I have a newspaper clipping about one of the family members reminiscing about her family's first winter there, living in a ramshackle "house" and burning cornstalks to keep warm.
Kansas is flat, and flat, and windy, and flat, and big on agricultural products, and flat. Very different growing environment than Louisiana, which is more lush and "tropical". Enjoy your visit.
Posted by: Gabrielle Adams | January 28, 2005 at 10:39 PM
Most (All?) U.S. states have "extension departments"
from the U.S.D.A. (US Dept. of Agricuture) the
[State} Dept of Agriculture, and the local land-grant
University, (often the [state] State Uni, and not the
University of [state]. These provide farmers and
gardners with advice and information.
They have calendars of planting for local people.
Linkname: Welcome to K-State Research and Extension
URL: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/
Linkname: Agriculture Extension Services
URL: http://www.oneglobe.com/agriculture/extnsion.html
Posted by: DampFinger | January 31, 2005 at 05:05 AM
Well I see that this is a very old post that I came upon by google, but for others that find this such as I did, I have some advice. East of Salina towards Manhattan and such are the Flint Hills, the only break in the flatness of Kansas, and its beautiful, go there.
Posted by: Jeff Kan | June 13, 2010 at 05:16 PM