Frequently Asked Questions
While pods that are large and bumpy are still edible, they are not nearly as tasty. Green beans (also called snap, string, or wax beans) are intended to be consumed as immature pods with small undeveloped seeds inside. When the seeds inside the...
In general, pole beans are more productive than bush beans simply because they are larger plants. A 10-foot row of bush beans spaced 2 inches apart can be expected to produce between 4 and 5 pounds of green beans, depending on the cultivar and...
Beans produce perfect and self-fertile flowers so they readily and easily pollinate themselves. Only beans in the same species are capable of cross-pollinating. So, pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) can cross with other varieties of bean...
Foliar diseases like leaf blotch and powdery mildew can discolor or spot peony leaves. Peony leaf blotch (Cladosporium) causes irregular brownish-purple spots...
Many peony flowers have double or triple the number of petals – making them too heavy for their stems to support. Therefore, staking the peony stems as they emerge in the spring or as the flower buds are forming will provide the extra...
Peony flowers are harvested for cut flowers when they are in bud, before they open. Flower buds that are showing color and are soft in the center are at the best stage to harvest for cut flowers. After harvest, flowers can be placed...
Ornamental grasses are low-maintenance perennials. Most thrive in sunny sites and there are species that can grow in dry, well-drained, or wet soils. While small in the nursery, many can get quite large in just a couple of years, so check the...
We often use the words herb and spice interchangeably. Herbs and spices are obtained from plants. (Salt is neither a spice nor an herb. It is actually a mineral.) Herbs and spices are used primarily for adding flavor and aroma to food. And both...
Most herbs can be cut and used fresh throughout the growing season. They can also be harvested, dried and stored for use during the winter months.
Many herbs, such as sage, rosemary and basil, are grown for their leaves. These herbs should...
Herbs grow best in the same conditions as most vegetables. Plant in full sun with at least six hours of sunlight a day. While not ideal, some species will grow in part-sun, receiving two to four hours of direct sunlight each day. Herbs will grow...
There are dozens of different species and varieties of herbs that can be grown, but a few are particularly easy to grow in Iowa.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual started easily from seed each spring.
Cilantro (...
The small, brown spots are likely due to iris leaf spot. Iris leaf spot is a common disease of bearded irises. The disease is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella macrospora. The first symptom of iris leaf spot is the appearance of...
It would be nice if life could be that simple, but the relatively small area you can treat (compared to the grassy sites in the surrounding area) will not have any impact on the following year’s adult population. Japanese beetle adults are very...
Of all the hydrangeas that grow in Iowa, only the bigleaf hydrangea can potentially bloom with blue flowers. The flower color of this species depends on soil pH – blue in acidic soils and pink in alkaline soils. In Iowa, most bigleaf hydrangeas...
Snap beans (also called green beans, string beans, or wax beans) should be harvested frequently and thoroughly. Leaving mature pods on the plant decreases yields as the bean plant puts its energy into seed development rather than additional...
Mushrooms are the reproductive or fruiting structures of fungi. Their appearance in the lawn is usually indicative of decaying tree stumps or roots in the soil. In garden beds, mushrooms can appear because they are associated with decaying...
Ash trees infected with emerald ash borer (EAB) do not need to be treated or chipped when removed. If you do plan to keep the wood for campfires or fireplaces use it on your property and do not transport the wood to new locations. Any...
Proper cleaning and sanitization of pruners and other garden tools is important to prevent the spread of disease issues. At minimum when removing disease-infected plant material, pruners should be disinfected between plants. Ideally,...
Control of wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) and poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is the same. Safely removing these weeds from the landscape is important as both species can be toxic to humans and animals. ...
Remove suckers with a hand pruners as soon as they appear from their point of origin. Often this requires pulling a little bit of soil back to find the base and clip it off while still less than 6 to 12 inches in length. If suckers...
Perennial grassy weeds die back to ground level in fall but send up new growth in spring. These weed species have long narrow leaves with parallel veins. They are often in the poaceae (grass) family or a closely related family and are...
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is a native vine common to woodland areas but found frequently growing in gardens and along fence lines. This vine causes an allergic reaction (dermatitis) in most people when their skin comes in...
Hardneck cultivars of garlic will produce a scape or flower stalk from the center of the leaves in mid- to late-May. Removing the scape is advised as it will help the bulb grow larger because the plant will put energy into bulb production...
Weedy vines are fast growing plants, getting very large in a relatively short amount of time often climbing and covering other garden plants. If left to grow, they can smother other plants blocking out light and killing the desirable plant.
...Woody weeds are trees and shrubs that have woody plant tissue. They are perennial and typically classified as eudicots, although some may belong to other plant groups like gymnosperms (conifers). Examples of woody weeds include...
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