June 6, 2023
Growing Squash in Iowa
Summer and winter squash are some of the most popular vegetables in the home garden. Summer squash can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, steamed, or cooked in various dishes. Winter squash can be baked, steamed, or boiled.
Learn all about growing squash below.
Growing Coneflowers in Iowa
Coneflower is the common name of several genera of plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) including Echinacea, Ratibida , and Rudbeckia. They make excellent garden plants and are native to North America, including several species in Iowa. In general, they grow in full sun, prefer dry to medium soils, and tolerate drought conditions well. Coneflowers often freely reseed in the garden. They are wonderful additions to pollinator gardens and are highly attractive to butterflies. Learn more about some of the coneflowers you can grow in your garden.
Growing Ferns in Iowa
Ferns are great additions to the Iowa shade garden. They are often found in shaded, damp forests in both temperate and tropical areas of the world, but many have adapted themselves to survive in a variety of environments. The ferns that will grow in Iowa range in size from less than 1 foot tall to more than 3 feet tall. Ferns can be used as focal points, or as background or filler plants in shady garden beds.
AAS Winners are Great New Plants for Your Home Garden
All-America Selections has been trialing edible and ornamental plants for over 90 years, presenting awards to entries that will impress home gardeners with their performance regionally or nationally. There have been plenty of exciting new winners that merit a place in your garden that will be highlighted in this series.
Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic Dos and Don'ts
We’re well into the growing season in Iowa. We are in full swing in the Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic (PIDC) as Iowans begin noticing different plant or insect issues in their home, yard, and garden. While we have information on our PIDC webpage about services that we provide, with some sample snafus this spring, we figured it was time to write a brief newsletter article to remind you here, too.