Frequently Asked Questions
Dormant lawns are in jeopardy of dying if dry conditions persist over an extended period. It's best to water the lawn if the turfgrass has been dormant for 4 to 6 weeks. Apply 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water in a single application. This will not...
The appearance of the turfgrass is the best way to determine when to water the lawn. The ideal time to water a lawn is at the first signs of water stress. Turfgrasses that have adequate supplies of water are normally dark green in color. For cool...
Most broadleaf herbicides should not be sprayed on newly seeded turfgrass until after the area has been mowed twice. You can start mowing a newly seeded area once the yard has grown to three inches tall, and you can mow it at 2 to 2.5 inches...
Hand Pulling
Mechanical control of weeds through hand pulling and cultivation as well as the use of mulches to suppress weed growth are effective organic options for weed management.
Using Boiling Water
Pouring...
In certain situations, a gardener can use herbicides to supplement other weed control strategies. Several factors limit the usefulness of herbicides in the home garden. Most home gardens contain a variety of plants in a small area. This restricts...
Mulches control weeds by preventing the germination of weed seeds. Established weeds should be destroyed prior to the application of the mulch. In addition to weed control, mulches help conserve soil moisture, reduce soil erosion, prevent...
Cultivation and hand pulling effectively control most annual weeds. It is very important to destroy these weeds while they are small, before they produce thousands of seeds, guaranteeing a weed problem for many years in the future. Like annual...
Keeping ahead of weeds and controlling them when they are small is essential for good weed management. This requires persistence throughout the entire growing season to remove weeds as they emerge. There are essentially two types of weeds in our...
The length of most hardwood stem cuttings varies from 4 to 12 inches. However, the cuttings of some plants may be up to 30 inches in length. The diameter of hardwood stem cuttings typically ranges from ¼ to 1 inch. Each cutting...
Place the jade plant (Crassula argentea) in a sunny window where it receives at least 4 hours of direct sunlight. The jade plant is a succulent which stores water in its foliage and stems. Overwatering (watering too...
The umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla) is native to rainforests in Australia and New Guinea. In the home, place the umbrella tree in bright, indirect light near an east, west, or south window. Allow the potting soil to...
Several ornamental grasses develop good fall color.
- Switchgrass (Panicum spp.) Switchgrass cultivars with colorful fall foliage include
- ‘Rehbraun’ (reddish brown)
- ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ (burgundy red...
There are several species of fountain grass. Perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is a perennial grass. It is hardy in much of Iowa. Annual fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) is a widely grown...
Early fall is an excellent time to plant Asiatic, Oriental, and other garden lilies (Lilium spp). Plant lily bulbs at a depth equal to three times their diameter. Container-grown lilies can also be planted in spring and...
Asian pears (sometimes referred to as apple pears because of their round shape and crisp, firm texture) can be successfully grown in the southern half of Iowa. Popular cultivars include ‘Chojuro,’ ‘Hosui,’ and ‘Shinseiki.’
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Crabgrass is an annual weed. In flower and vegetable gardens, hoeing and hand pulling are the best control options. When cultivating the garden, avoid deep tillage. The roots of many vegetables and flowers grow near the soil...
Apply a mulch around landscape plantings and garden areas to conserve soil moisture. Mulching reduces the rate of evaporation from the soil surface and also limits weed competition. Organic materials, such as grass clippings, clean...
The bleached appearance may be due to lace bugs. Lace bugs are sap feeding insects commonly found on the leaves of shade and ornamental trees in Iowa. The most commonly affected trees are hackberry, sycamore, and oak. Adult lace...
Most modern tulip cultivars bloom well for 3 to 5 years. Tulip bulbs decline in vigor rather quickly. Weak bulbs produce large, floppy leaves, but no flowers.
To maximize the number of years tulips are in bloom, choose...
Herbicide residues should not be a problem if the grass clippings are thoroughly composted. As an added safety measure, mow the lawn two or three times before collecting and adding the clippings to the compost pile.
“Water grass” is an ambiguous name. Several plants are occasionally referred to as water grass. Two common lawn weeds that are sometimes referred to as “water grass” are crabgrass and yellow nutsedge.
Crabgrass
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Beginning at the base of the plant, harvest the buds (sprouts) when 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Continue to harvest the sprouts higher up on the plant as they mature. Sprouts can be stored in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator...
Trees are valuable assets to the home landscape. Occasionally the services of a professional arborist are needed to prune a large tree or assess the condition of a tree after a storm. For many individuals, selecting an arborist is a...
Garden geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) are attractive flowering plants for beds, borders, containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes. Geraniums are easy to grow and provide color in the garden from May to frost....
After harvesting the potatoes, cure the tubers at a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and high relative humidity (85 to 90 percent) for two weeks. The curing period allows minor cuts and bruises to heal. Thickening of the...
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