Sherri Sanders UADA White County Agent

10/13/2026

WE NEED YOUR HELP REPORTING DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN ARKANSAS!

Are your pastures drying up? Ponds getting low? Have you noticed dry soil, stressed trees, or reduced forage growth?

We need to hear from YOU!

The National Drought Mitigation Center has a reporting tool called CMOR (Condition Monitoring Observer Reports) that allows farmers, ranchers, landowners, and homeowners to report what they're experiencing.

🌱 What can you report?

✅ Dry pastures and reduced forage production

✅ Low ponds, creeks, and livestock water supplies

✅ Crop stress and dry soil conditions

✅ Trees and landscape plants showing drought stress

✅ Other drought-related impacts on your farm or property

📸 You can even upload photos to document what you're seeing!

Why is this important?

Your observations help provide a more complete picture of drought conditions across Arkansas. These reports are available to scientists and the people who develop the U.S. Drought Monitor.

📍 Submit your report here:
https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought

You don't have to be a farmer to participate! We encourage everyone experiencing dry conditions to submit a report.

🌾 Help us tell the story of what's happening right here in White County and across Arkansas. Your observations matter!

You can use the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) system to report drought-related conditions and impacts within the U.S. and its territories. This is a nation-wide service provided by the National Drought Mitigation Center, based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, developed in partne...

10/13/2026

Fall is a Great Time to Divide Perennials!

Have you noticed some of your perennial flowers getting crowded or not blooming quite like they used to?

Fall is a wonderful time to divide many spring- and summer-blooming perennials!

A few tips from the Master Gardeners:

Divide plants several weeks before the ground freezes so roots have time to establish.

Dig up the clump carefully and separate it into smaller sections, making sure each has healthy roots and growing points.

Replant at the proper depth, water thoroughly, and add mulch to help protect the roots.

Daylilies, hostas, and many other established perennials can benefit from occasional division.

And here's the fun part — those extra plants are perfect for sharing with friends and neighbors!

Gardening is always better when we share! 💚

10/12/2026

🍂🐝 A Little Mess in the Garden Can Be a Good Thing!

As fall arrives, many of us start cutting everything back and cleaning out our flower beds. But before you grab those pruning shears, consider leaving a few things standing!

Did you know that many beneficial insects spend the winter in hollow plant stems, leaf litter, and other garden debris?

🐝 Native bees may overwinter in plant stems or underground.

🦋 Some butterflies and moths spend the winter as eggs, caterpillars, or pupae among fallen leaves and vegetation.

🐦 Standing seed heads can provide food for birds during the colder months.

🌿 What should you do?

✅ Leave some healthy perennial stems standing until spring.

✅ Allow a light layer of leaves to remain in flower beds where practical.

✅ Remove diseased plant material rather than leaving it in the garden.

✅ Keep heavy leaf accumulation off lawns to prevent turf damage.

Sometimes doing a little less in the garden can actually do more for the environment!

University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service

10/10/2026

Thinking ahead to next year’s garden? October is a good time to plant garlic in Arkansas! 🧄

Softneck garlic is a good choice for our southern climate. Two cultivars to look for are Mild French Silverskin, which is noted for hot, dry climates, and Italian Late, described as productive and easy to grow.

Keep the bulb intact until you’re ready to plant. Then separate the cloves and plant them pointy-end up, about an inch deep.

10/09/2026

Hummingbirds are amazing fliers! They can hover in place, fly backward, and make quick turns—all with wings beating so fast they’re hard to see.

Right now, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are heading south for the winter. Some make a nonstop flight across the Gulf of Mexico, while others follow the coastline. What a journey for such a tiny bird!

If you’re still seeing hummingbirds at your feeder, keep it clean and filled for the travelers passing through. 🌺

10/09/2026

🍂 Is it autumn color—or drought stress?

We’re beginning to see leaves change, but early color can have more than one cause. Normal fall color develops as days get shorter and nights cool. Drought stress can also cause leaves to change color or drop earlier than usual, sometimes with browning, wilting, or crispy edges.

With White County’s dry conditions this year, drought stress may be part of what we’re seeing. Young and newly planted trees are especially vulnerable. During dry stretches, water them deeply and slowly beneath the canopy.

A little early color doesn’t always mean a tree is in trouble, but keep an eye out for early leaf drop, wilting, or browning.

10/08/2026

I couldn’t be there for our Seasonal Inspiration event, but our Master Gardener group came through like the champions they are! I’m so proud of this wonderful group and grateful for all the time, teamwork, and care they put into making the event such a huge success.

Special kudos to Rose Ann, Kellie, and Vicky for organizing such a wonderful event, and thank you to Nancy Sullivan and Brian Haller for all their help. We’re also grateful to Chris Norwood for sharing his creativity and inspiration, Kathy Algood for donating the beautiful flowers, and Angie Coffman of AW Shrubs for donating plants.

I wish I could have been there with you, but I’m celebrating you from afar! 🌿🌸

10/07/2026

Everything is coming together for tomorrow’s Seasonal Inspiration event featuring Chris Norwood! Our committee has been busy setting the tables and adding beautiful floral touches. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone for a wonderful day of inspiration and fellowship. 🌸

A big thank-you to Kathy Algood for donating the flowers and to everyone who helped get the room ready!

10/06/2026

🍂 A little October color for your garden

It’s not too late to add some color to your flower beds! October is a good time in Arkansas to plant pansies and violas, along with ornamental kale and cabbage. It’s also time to think about spring bulbs—daffodils can go in now, while tulips are best planted later in October or in November.

One more reminder before you get out the pruners: avoid hard pruning spring-blooming shrubs right now. You could remove the buds that would give you flowers next spring.

09/29/2026

More photos from our Commercial Lawn Care Workshop featuring Jason Davis...