Frequently Asked Questions
The key to watering newly planted balled and burlapped and container-grown trees is to keep the plant’s rootball moist for several weeks after planting. Water newly planted trees every day for 4 or 5 days and then gradually reduce the...
Cultivation and mulches are the most practical weed control measures for home gardeners. Cultivate the raspberry plantings frequently during spring and summer. To prevent injury to the roots of the raspberry plants, don’t cultivate...
Weed control is essential to insure optimal plant growth and fruit production. Weeds compete with the strawberry plants for water, nutrients, and sunlight. Weeds also reduce air circulation which results in fruit and foliage staying...
Tomato varieties are classified as determinate or indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes are small, compact plants. They grow to a certain height, then flower and set all their fruit within a short period of time. The harvest...
Select short, stocky plants with dark green foliage. Avoid tall, spindly plants. Small to medium-sized transplants become established in the garden more quickly than large ones. Short, stocky vegetable transplants are often more...
Annual flower and vegetable plants started indoors or purchased from greenhouses should not be planted directly into the garden. The intense sun and strong winds may damage or kill the tender transplants. Plants should be “hardened” (...
Carefully remove plants from plastic cell packs by gently squeezing the bottom on each compartment. Plants in plastic pots can be removed by tipping them on their sides and tapping the bottom of the pots.
If possible, plant...
Home gardeners can lower their soil pH by adding sphagnum peat moss to the soil. Sulfur can also be used to acidify the soil. Sulfur should be incorporated into the soil a year before planting as it reacts slowly with the soil. ...
Early spring is the best time to plant dormant, bare-root blueberries. Soak the roots of bare-root plants in water for about an hour before planting. Prune back the plants by half by removing the small side branches and by heading...
Sow seeds 1 to 1½ inches deep and 2 inches apart. Peas can be planted in single or double rows. Double rows should be spaced about 6 inches apart. Double rows allow bush cultivars to cling and hold up one another. Place...
Early spring (late March to early May) is the best time to plant strawberries in Iowa.
Potatoes grow best in well-drained, fertile soils. The planting site should also receive at least six hours of direct sun each day.
Bush cherries are very cold hardy and can be grown throughout Iowa. Bush cherries include Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa), Hansen’s bush cherry (Prunus besseyi ‘Hansen’s), and several cherry hybrids. Their fruit...
Spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, bloom in spring on the growth of the previous season. The plant’s health or condition determines the best time to prune spring-flowering shrubs.
Neglected, overgrown spring-...
Summer-flowering shrubs, such as potentilla, Japanese spirea, and panicle hydrangea, bloom in summer on the current year’s growth. Prune summer-flowering shrubs in late winter or early spring. The pruned shrubs will bloom in summer on...
All shrubs flower. However, the flowers of some deciduous shrubs, such as winged euonymus (burning bush), alpine currant, and fragrant sumac, are small and inconspicuous. These shrubs possess attractive foliage, fruit, bark, or some...
Prune narrow-leaved evergreen shrubs, such as juniper and yew, in early April before new growth begins. Light pruning may also be done in mid-summer. Avoid pruning narrow-leaved evergreens in fall. Fall pruned shrubs are more...
Plant tuberous begonias outdoors after the danger of frost is past. In central Iowa, mid-May is an appropriate planting date.
Plants started indoors or purchased at a greenhouse should be hardened outdoors 7 to 10 days before...
Tuberous begonias perform best in moist, well-drained soils in partial shade. Choose a site sheltered from strong winds. In the home landscape, locations that receive morning sun and afternoon shade are often excellent planting sites...
Only a small number of evergreen trees perform well in Iowa. Some evergreens, such as Scotch pine and Austrian pine, have serious disease problems and are no longer recommended for planting in Iowa. The most reliable evergreens for...
Perennials that tolerate dry soils include yarrow (Achillea spp.), wormwood (Artemisia spp.), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), false blue indigo (Baptisia australis), threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis...
The most widely grown rhododendrons in Iowa are the Weston hybrids. Introduced by the Weston Nursery in Massachusetts, these cultivars possess excellent cold hardiness. Weston hybrids include ‘PJM’ (lavender pink flowers), ‘PJM...
There are more than 900 species and innumerable cultivars of azaleas and rhododendrons. However, only a small number perform well in Iowa. To be successful, the Iowa gardener must select cold hardy cultivars, choose suitable planting...
Proper site selection is important when planting azaleas and rhododendrons. Azaleas prefer partial to full sun. Rhododendrons perform best in protected sites in partial shade. Areas that receive morning sun and afternoon shade...
Home gardeners can lower their soil pH by adding sphagnum peat moss to the soil. (The pH of sphagnum peat moss generally ranges from 3.0 to 4.5.) When planting azaleas and rhododendrons, dig a wide, shallow hole. Backfill with a...
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