Careful observation of your seedlings will help you determine if the light levels are appropriate. Seedlings that are not receiving enough light will stretch and lean towards the light source. Use a brighter fixture that provides more…
Careful observation of your seedlings will help you determine if the light levels are appropriate. Seedlings that are not receiving enough light will stretch and lean towards the light source. Use a brighter fixture that provides more…
Supplemental lights need to oriented relatively close to the seedlings to be effective and therefore need to be adjustable in height to accommodate the growing plants. For most fluorescent fixtures, the seedlings should be 4 to 6 inches…
While most shrub or landscape roses are winter-hardy in Iowa, there is still typically some branch die-back over winter. Gardeners should prune out the dead wood just as the new buds are turning green and breaking in spring - typically…
Several things can be done to lengthen the vase life of cut flowers.
Begin with a clean vase. Wash previously used containers with hot, soapy water to remove debris and destroy bacteria and fungi that may shorten…
A layer of snow is beneficial to many plants in the garden and landscape. A layer of snow protects plants from extreme cold and the drying effects from sun and wind. A layer of snow also prevents repeated freezing and thawing of the…
No. Pruning stimulates new growth. That new growth will not have an opportunity to properly harden off before winter leaving it vulnerable to more winter damage.
Even established growth that has properly hardened off will see…
Variety and cultivar are two terms often used interchangeably by gardeners and horticulturists, but they are not the same thing.
Both are part of the scientific name. Both appear after the specific epithet (second term in a scientific name…
Materials needed to make hardwood stem cuttings include a pruning shears, rooting hormone, plastic bag, and sphagnum moss or wood shavings. Use the pruning shears to collect cutting material and also cut the shoots to the proper length.…
One of the first signs of spring is the emergence of crocuses, daffodils, and other spring-flowering bulbs. Several other perennials also bloom in early spring and complement these familiar bulbs.
Lenten Rose (…
For most home gardeners, a plug-in shop fluorescent or LED light fixture is the perfect type of light to use for seed starting. When shopping for fluorescent lights, look for high-output, full-spectrum (…
Old garden roses, hybrid rugosas, and other hardy shrub or landscape roses often survive Iowa's winters with little or no winter injury. If there is any winter injury, it can be pruned back to live wood just as the new buds are turning…
Geraniums are relatively easy to grow from seeds. However, geranium seedlings are slow growing. Geranium seeds should be sown in early to mid-February to produce flowering plants for spring. Flowering occurs approximately 13 to…
The growth rate of the seedlings and the outdoor planting date determine when to sow seeds indoors. The crop time (number of weeks from sowing to planting outdoors) for several popular flowers and vegetables are as follows: 10 to 12 weeks…
Petunia seeds should be sown indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last average frost date. In Iowa, late February or early March is an appropriate sowing date for petunias.
Plant tuberous begonia tubers indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the average last spring frost in your area. (Flowering typically begins 12 to 14 weeks after planting.) Start tuberous begonias in pots or other suitable containers. All…
Repeated freezing and thawing of the soil during the winter months can lift up or heave some perennials out of the soil. Heaving exposes the plant’s crown and roots to cold, dry air. Perennials that have been heaved up out of the…
Without adequate light, seedlings become lanky. Tall, spindly seedlings do not transplant well into the garden. For most homes, even the brightest windowsill does not provide enough light and the light is one-sided causing seedlings…
A standard fluorescent shop fixture containing two 40-watt tubes provides sufficient light to grow seedlings indoors. For best results, place one cool white and one warm white tube in each fixture. Place the fluorescent lights no more…