Leaves are not a good winter mulch for strawberries. Leaves can mat together in layers, trapping air and creating space for ice to form. The leaf, air, and ice layers do not provide adequate protection. A leaf mulch may actually…
Many herbs can be successfully grown indoors during the winter months. The best herbs to grow indoors include basil, cilantro, parsley, chervil, rosemary, bay laurel, mint, chives, oregano, thyme, sage, and lemongrass.
The growth and fruiting characteristics of raspberries are unique. The plant’s roots and crown are perennial, while the stems or canes are biennial. A raspberry plant may survive and produce fruit for many years. However,…
Providing enough light for herbs to grow well indoors, especially during the winter months when days are shorter, is difficult. Some herbs will tolerate as little as six hours of direct light a day but most want eight or more hours each day. When…
Hickory nuts need to be exposed to cold temperatures and moist conditions before they will germinate. (The cold-moist requirement is referred to as stratification.) The cold-moist requirement can be met by planting the nuts in the ground in fall…
Harvest herbs indoors as you would if grown outdoors. Most do well with periodic snipping as they are needed in the kitchen. Leafy annual herbs, like basil, chervil, and parsley, can be cut back severely when harvested. Using a sharp knife or…
Common or edible figs (Ficus carica) are not reliably cold hardy in Iowa. The stems of ‘Chicago Hardy’ (considered one of the hardiest edible fig cultivars) are hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit and the plant’s roots are hardy to 15 to 20…
Harvest parsnips in mid- to late November as cool fall temperatures convert starch to sugar and give parsnips their distinctive flavor. After harvest, trim the foliage back to within 1 inch of the roots. Store parsnips at a…
Harvest salsify in mid- to late November as cool fall temperatures enhance the oyster-like flavor of the roots. After harvest, trim off the foliage 1 inch above the roots and store the salsify at a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit and a…
The symptoms are those of peach leaf curl. Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease. The disease is caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans. Infections occur as the peach tree buds begin to swell in spring.
The problem may be improper storage. Acorn-type squashes should be stored at a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Some acorn-type squashes will turn yellow when stored at temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. High…
It’s likely the sweet potatoes were not cured and stored properly. After harvest, sweet potatoes should be cured for 7 to 10 days at a temperature of 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 80 to 90 percent. (These…
"Winter onion" is a general term used to describe onions that can survive the winter outdoors in the ground. The Egyptian onion (also called tree onion and walking onion) produces clusters of small bulbs (called bulblets) at the tops of…
"Winter onion" is a general term used to describe onions that can survive the winter outdoors in the ground. The Egyptian onion (also called tree onion and walking onion) produces clusters of small bulbs (called bulblets) at the tops of…
Light is typically the most limiting factor to successfully growing herbs indoors. Plants will need as much direct sunlight as you can provide. Most herbs need around eight hours of direct light each day when grown indoors. A south-facing sunny…
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) seeds germinate slowly because they possess dormant embryos and slowly permeable seedcoats. Germination can be improved by placing the seeds in a cool, moist environment for 80 to 100 days. The cool, moist…
Just about any herb has the potential to be grown indoors. There are, however, a few species that do better with indoor growing conditions. These herbs tolerate the lower light levels, low humidity, and cooler temperatures indoors, making them…
Many indoor grown herbs are not as strong or as intensely flavored compared to those grown outside. However, basil will always taste like basil whether it is grown indoors or outdoors.
