November 7, 2003
Winter Protection for Roses
Iowa's winter weather can be brutal. Most modern roses grown in the state require winter protection. Exposure to low temperatures and rapid temperature changes can severely injure and sometimes kill unprotected roses.
Bush-Type RosesBush-type roses include hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras. An excellent way to protect bush-type roses is by hilling or mounding soil around the base of each plant.
What is the ISU Plant Disease Clinic Doing for Homeland Security?
There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to prepare for a new Plant Disease Clinic database. The database, which is being developed by a group headed by Will Baldwin at Kansas State University, is called the Plant Diagnostic Information System (PDIS). It will link most of the 50 states (the remaining states will be using an alternate system). Plant and pest identification clinics throughout the country are now part of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN). Iowa is in the North Central Plant Diagnostic Network (NCPDN), the region that includes Midwest states.