Publications

The ISU Extension Store offers a number of publications for purchase or in a free downloadable PDF document. Publications related to flowers, lawn care, vegetables, trees and more can be found below to help you navigate to the information you need. The drop down menu will guide you to several categories containing publications, all relating to horticulture. If you have additional questions on a certain plant or problem browse our Frequently Asked Questions!

Understanding Pesticide Labels
Detailed descriptions of all parts of pesticide labels provided. The label is the law. As a buyer, you assume responsibility for the consequences if the product is used in any way different from the label directions.
Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardens and Landscapes
Identifying and encouraging naturally occurring predators and parasites is a useful gardening skill. This fact sheet describes 10 beneficial insects and also offers other tips for preventing insect and disease problems.
Therapeutic Gardening: Creating Raised Bed Planters
Raised beds and planters make gardening accessible for gardeners of all abilities. Use this information to decide where to put your bed or planter, the materials that will be needed, and the types of plants to consider.
Therapeutic Gardening: Resources
Resource list for making gardening easier and more accessible, including books, organizations, web sites, and selected educational programs.
Therapeutic Gardening: Benefits for Healthcare Facilities
Therapeutic gardens for healthcare facilities benefit residents, staff, and visitors. Find out details of how to plan and maintain these features.
Therapeutic Gardening: A Factor in Choosing Healthcare Facilities
When choosing a healthcare facility, consider the outdoor environment. Well-designed landscapes provide therapeutic benefits to physical, emotional, and mental health. Here are nine features to look for.
Therapeutic Gardening: Gardening Tips for Older Adults
Here are descriptions of several simple ideas and inexpensive tools that can help people continue gardening as they grow older.
Garden Tips Guidelines to Seasonal Chores
Learn to properly maintain your garden all year round. Includes information on what steps to take with your lawn, fruits, trees and shrubs, flowers, herbs, houseplants, and/or vegetables in the early and late part of each season.
Finding a Certified Pesticide Applicator for Emerald Ash Borer Treatment
A useful guide to finding certified pesticide applicators who can treat for tree and shrub pests, including the emerald ash borer.
Rainwater Catchment from a High Tunnel for Irrigation Use
Make high tunnels more profitable for crop production by installing a system to catch, store, and reuse the rainwater from periodic rain events. The authors describe system components, give approximate costs, and detail year-round maintenance procedures. Also described is a drip irrigation system.
Ornamental Water Features for the Midwest
Water gardens are appealing to many, but the climate in the Midwest presents some specific challenges. This book examines the many considerations to building a water garden in the Midwest and includes basic guidelines for construction, maintenance, and selecting plants.
Growing Organic Vegetables in Iowa
Organic production and consumption has increased over the past 20 years. Learn how to raise organic vegetables - including strategies for composting, pest management, and disease management.
Organic Apple Production in Iowa
New and experienced organic apple growers will find recommendations in this guide for managing insect pests, diseases, and weeds. Tips about marketing opportunities also are included.
Flowering Plants for the Late Summer Garden
Highlights some of the best August-flowering plants for zones 4 and 5. All listed plants have been proven performers in Iowa and Nebraska gardens.
Sustainable Home Landscapes
Sustainable landscapes require less time, money and other resources. This book provides information on creating an environmentally friendly, economically feasible, and beautiful landscape by placing the right plant at the right place.
Iowa Vegetable Production Budgets
This enterprise budgeting tool can help vegetable growers estimate the costs and revenue associated with producing a product. Growers with multiple enterprises can use total sales as the basis for estimating the cost of planting, growing, harvesting, and handling key crops with a series of worksheets.Specific crops include: Asparagus, basil, green beans, carrots, eggplant, garlic, salad greens, snow peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, raspberries, strawberries, cherry and heirloom tomatoes.
Home Landscape Questions
A 2-part questionnaire helping you analyze your landscaping site and to assess your family's needs and wants for the project.
Home Landscape -- Understanding the Basics of Landscape Design
Whether you want to do-it-yourself or are working with a professional, this guide offers a step-by-step approach to understanding the design process. Color photos and diagrams show how to use basic design elements to create a pleasing and functional space. Included worksheets can assist you in analyzing your site. An additional resource list and convenient index are also found inside.
The Garden Guide to Midwest Annuals and Perennials
An easy-to-carry guide (5"; x 8 1/2") for home gardeners and visitors to public gardens in the Midwest. Color photos and basic information about growing 300 annual and perennial flowers, Buck roses, ornamental grasses, herbs, vines, and even water plants. Symbols help to identify sun/shade requirements and indicate special uses (containers, butterfly gardens, etc).
Pruning Ornamental Shrubs
Understand how plants grow, why pruning is necessary, and which tools to use to remove the mystery surrounding this routine horticulture practice.
Growing Dahlias
Includes photos and detailed information about dahlia types, plus tips on planting, growing, and preparing for flower shows.
Perennials for Sun
Hundreds of perennials prefer the bright light and accompanying heat that define sunny sites. This full color publication gives growing characteristics for more than 100 perennials that thrive in the sun in zones 3 to 5. Special features include 140 color photos, plant descriptions, specialty plant lists, and other tips.
Perennials for Shade
If you think hostas are your only choice for shady gardens, think again. This full color publication gives growing characteristics, plant descriptions, and other tips for more than 70 perennials for shade gardens in zones 3 to 5. Special features include 130 color photos, bloom time comparisons, and specialty plant lists.
Las Coles (en español)
“Cultivos de col” es el término general que se utiliza para describir el brócoli, las coles de Bruselas, el repollo, la coliflor, la col rizada, la col rizada y el colinabo. Aprenda sobre los cultivares de coles, la siembra, los rendimientos, el cuidado durante la temporada de crecimiento, los posibles problemas y la cosecha y el almacenamiento.. Spanish version of Cole Crops
Tomatillos (en español)
Los tomatillos son una parte tradicional de la cocina mexicana. Descubra información sobre cultivares de tomatillo, siembra, fertilización, cuidado, problemas potenciales y cosecha y almacenamiento. Spanish version of Tomatillos.
Tomatillos
Tomatillos are a traditional part of Mexican cooking. Discover information on tomatillo cultivars, planting, fertilization, care, potential problems, and harvest and storage.
Garlic
Grow garlic in your home garden. Learn about garlic cultivars, planting, fertilizing, maintenance, potential problems, and harvest and storage.
Melones (en español)
Encuentre más información aquí sobre sandía, melón y melón dulce. Lea sobre los cultivares de melón, la siembra, la fertilización, el rendimiento, el riego, la polinización, los problemas potenciales y la cosecha y el almacenamiento. Spanish version of melons
Melons
Find more information here about watermelon, muskmelon, and honeydew melons. Read about melon cultivars, planting, fertilizing, yield, irrigation, pollination, potential problems, and harvest and storage.
Maiz Dulce (en español)
Los fitomejoradores durante la última década han mejorado significativamente la calidad del maíz dulce. Lea sobre tipos de maíz dulce, cultivares, plantación, polinización, fertilización, cuidado, cosecha y almacenamiento, además de información sobre el cultivo de maíz tierno. Spanish version of Sweet Corn
Sweet Corn
Plant breeders over the past decade have significantly improved sweet corn quality. Read about sweet corn types, cultivars, planting, pollination, fertilization, care, and harvest and storage plus information about growing baby corn.
Papas (en español)
La patata es uno de los cultivos hortícolas más importantes del mundo. La publicación analiza los cultivares de papa y sus usos, la siembra, el cuidado, los problemas potenciales y la cosecha y el almacenamiento a corto y largo plazo. Spanish version of Potatoes
Potatoes
The potato is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world. Publication discusses potato cultivars and their uses, planting, care, potential problems, and short and long-tern harvest and storage.
Onions
Onions are easy to grow and often yield well. Learn details about cultivars, planting, maintenance, harvest, and storage.
Peppers
Learn about different pepper cultivars, planting, potential problems, harvesting and storage, and pepper hotness in your home garden.
Selling Fruits and Vegetables
Before investing resources into growing and selling fresh produce, use this publication to first help evaluate personal skills, market conditions, financial resources, and overall project feasibility.
Growing Fruit in Iowa
Several species of fruits can be grown successfully in Iowa. Consider hardiness and pollination when selecting varieties for home use and commercial production that are best adapted to Iowa growing conditions.
Understanding Thatch in the Home Lawn
Moderate thatch formation is a normal development in lawns; however, problems can occur when the thatch layer is excessive. Learn about thatch's beneficial and detrimental aspects, causes of thatch, and related insects and diseases.
Tips for Athletic Field Management on a Limited Budget
Those responsible for athletic field turf management will find 10 useful tips on how to operate more effectively and efficiently.
Growing Grapes in the Home Garden
Home gardeners can successfully grow grapes in Iowa. Whether you are growing a backyard garden or beginning your own vineyard, basic requirements include a good planting site, hardy varieties (cultivars), and proper culture. Also recommended Grape publications are: RG 0502 - Pruning Grapevines PM 1375 - Midwest Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide
Growing Raspberries in the Home Garden
Home raspberry growers will find expert advice for cultivar selection, site selection, planting, and training and trellising plants. Also included are pruning guidelines for summer-bearing and fall-bearing red raspberries and pruning guidelines for black and purple raspberries. Also find tips for managing weeds, fertilizing, and harvesting.
Irrigation Water Quality for Container-grown Plants
This fact sheet provides target ranges of elements for growing most greenhouse and nursery crops, growth concerns, and interpretation of test results and suggestions for correcting irrigation problems.
Nonchemical Alternatives for the Home Lawn
Homeowners can enjoy healthy, attractive lawns without the use of chemical pesticides. Included are lawn care practices can help establish a healthy, dense lawn that is able to fend off most pest attacks.
Growing Hostas
Introduction to growing and using this popular perennials including plant characteristics, propagation tips, and possible insect or disease problems.
Responsible Phosphorus Management Practices for Lawns
Following specific phosphorus management practices for turfgrass can help reduce potential pollution in surface water and groundwater.
Harvesting and Drying Flowers
Enjoy flowers all year long in dried arrangements, on wreaths, or in potpourri. Learn which plants are suitable for drying and find out about havesting and preservation techniques. Includes many color photos.
Groundcovers
Select the best ground cover for your yard. Discover what type of plants work best in your area. Special features include 92 color pictures, 43 plant descriptions, and other tips.
Forcing Flower Bulbs
Use bulb forcing to bring the bright colors and fragrant aromas of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, and other spring flowering bulbs indoors with you during winter. Find tips for choosing bulbs, planting, chilling, and after bloom care.
Growing Garden Peonies
Basic information about types of peonies and how to grow them including tips on planting, fertilizing, and seasonal care.
Small Sprayer Calibration
Pesticides must be applied at the labeled rate to achieve consistent results. Taking the time to properly calibrate the sprayer can improve the performance of the product, diminish the possibility of injury, and reduce pest control costs.

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