Frequently Asked Questions
Temperatures of 150 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit are required to kill most plant disease pathogens. Unfortunately, the internal temperatures of most home compost piles don’t reach this level and the disease organisms are not destroyed. For many home...
Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) is a warm-season perennial grass. Nimblewill is a thin, wiry grass that is pale green or gray-green. It spreads by aboveground shoots or stolons, often forming circular spots in the lawn....
In windy, exposed areas, straw mulches can be kept in place by placing wire or plastic fencing over the area. The fencing can be held in place with bricks or other heavy objects.
Proper pruning tools for a home gardener include hand shears, lopping shears, and a pruning saw.
3/4 inch and smaller in Diameter
Hand or pruning shears are generally used for cutting stems (branches) up to 3/4 inch in...
Modern roses, such as hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, require watering during hot, dry weather. The frequency depends upon weather conditions and soil type. In most gardens, a thorough watering every 7 to 10 days during...
The Colorado potato beetle is difficult to control. Hand picking is a control option for individuals with small gardens. Hand-pick beetles, eggs, and small larvae from infested plants as soon as possible (practical for a few insects...
Oak wilt is a serious disease that can infect many oak species. It is caused by the fungus B. fagacearum. Red and pin oaks are very susceptible to the oak wilt fungus and can die within 4 to 6 weeks. White and bur oaks...
Bee balms (Monarda species) perform best in full sun. The planting site should receive at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. Plants grown in partial shade won’t flower as heavily and are more susceptible to powdery mildew....
Pumpkins can be harvested when they have developed a deep, uniform orange color and the rind is hard. Mature pumpkins can also be left in the garden/field until the vines are killed by a light frost or freeze.
When harvesting...
The holes were likely created by sapsuckers. Sapsuckers, members of the woodpecker family, damage trees by drilling holes in the trunk or large branches. Sapsucker damage is very distinctive. They drill uniform, 1/4 inch holes...
While more demanding than many other perennials, the Lenten rose (Helleborus x hybridus) can be successfully grown in Iowa. The Lenten rose requires a fertile, well-drained soil in partial shade. Also, choose a site...
Fall clean-up and tillage provide several benefits. Many plant pathogens overwinter in the garden on infected plant debris. Removal and destruction of the diseased plant debris reduces the severity of many diseases. Removal of...
Blueberries can be successfully grown in Iowa. However, they do have special growing requirements.
Blueberry plants require a sunny location and a well-drained soil high in organic matter. Avoid wet, poorly drained sites...
October is the ideal time to plant daffodils, tulips, and other spring-flowering bulbs in Iowa. When planted in October, spring-flowering bulbs have sufficient time to develop a good root system before the ground freezes in winter. If...
Thatch is the layer of dead and living plant material that forms between the soil surface and green vegetation. It is composed of shoots, crowns, and roots. Thatch, to some degree, is present in all lawns. However, when thatch...
Cold hardiness is an important factor when selecting plum varieties for home gardens. Japanese plums are not reliably cold hardy in Iowa. However, several European and hybrid plum varieties can be successfully grown in the state....
Leaves contain high levels of carbon and small amounts of nitrogen. The microbes that decompose leaves and other types of organic matter require nitrogen for their own metabolism and growth. A compost pile composed mainly of leaves decomposes...
The best way to prevent crabgrass infestations in lawns is to maintain a thick, healthy lawn through proper mowing, irrigation, and fertilization. Crabgrass will have a difficult time germinating and surviving in a dense stand of turfgrass...
Selecting the proper planting site is critical when planting fruit trees in the home landscape. While fruit trees can be grown on a wide variety of soils, good soil drainage is imperative. Apples and other fruit trees do not tolerate...
Do not apply a pruning paint or wound dressing to pruning wounds. The application of a pruning paint or wound dressing does not prevent wood decay and may actually interfere with the tree’s natural wound responses.
Oak trees are an...
The yellow-green bugs are probably the adults of the northern corn rootworm. The larvae of the northern corn rootworm feed on the roots of corn plants. The adults (yellow-green beetles) appear in mid-summer and are present until frost...
Potatoes can be harvested when the tubers are small and immature (“new” potatoes) or when the crop is fully mature.
“New” potatoes are dug when the plants are still green and the tubers are greater than 1 inch in diameter. New...
The ‘Sunburst’ honeylocust has distinctive yellow-green foliage. Unfortunately, it is not a vigorous tree. It grows slowly and is susceptible to cankers and mimosa webworms.
Cankers, caused by fungal pathogens, are localized...
Spring is the best time to plant garden mums (Chrysanthemum ×morifolium) in Iowa. Mums planted in spring survive the winter much better than those planted in fall. Spring planted mums have the opportunity to grow and...
The small size of “baby” corn suggests that it’s a special variety. However, most baby corn is actually grown from regular sweet and field corn varieties. The ears are harvested when they are 2 to 4 inches long and 1/3 to ½ inch in...
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