Frequently Asked Questions - Ornamental Plants and Flowers
In addition to their landscape uses, daylily leaves and flowers are edible. Edible materials should be gathered from only those plants that have not been sprayed with any pesticides.
In certain situations, a gardener can use herbicides to supplement other weed control strategies. Several factors limit the usefulness of herbicides in the home garden. Most home gardens contain a variety of plants in a small area. This restricts…
Peonies are usually sold as bare-root or container-grown plants. Bare-root plants (often sold via mail-order) are best planted in late summer or early fall. Container-grown peonies (often sold from local garden centers) can be planted…
Symptoms of herbicide damage vary and depend on the type, formulation, concentration, mode of action, source, and amount of herbicide, as well as the plant species affected, application method, equipment used, and weather conditions during and…
Mulches control weeds by preventing the germination of weed seeds. Established weeds should be destroyed prior to the application of the mulch. In addition to weed control, mulches help conserve soil moisture, reduce soil erosion, prevent…
Ornamental grasses are low-maintenance perennials. Most thrive in sunny sites and there are species that can grow in dry, well-drained, or wet soils. While small in the nursery, many can get quite large in just a couple of years, so check the…
Keeping ahead of weeds and controlling them when they are small is essential for good weed management. This requires persistence throughout the entire growing season to remove weeds as they emerge. There are essentially two types of weeds in our…
Cultivation and hand pulling effectively control most annual weeds. It is very important to destroy these weeds while they are small before they produce thousands of seeds, guaranteeing a weed problem for many years in the future.
Weedy vines are fast growing plants, getting very large in a relatively short amount of time often climbing and covering other garden plants. If left to grow, they can smother other plants blocking out light and killing the desirable plant.
Most garden areas, including the lawn, vegetable garden, and perennial garden, perform best when they receive an inch of water each week. When this is not supplied by rain, the gardener must do it using a hose, bucket, or sprinkler.
Knowing the area of the garden bed or lawn is necessary for applying fertilizers or pesticides, determining how much mulch is needed, or determining the number of plants needed to fill a space.
The late growing season is a good time to collect seeds from vegetables and flowers. Seed saving allows gardeners to preserve heirloom varieties or their favorite plants from year to year. Once harvested, the seed will need to be cleaned to…
Once seeds are collected and properly cleaned, they need to be stored. Proper storage conditions for seeds are essential to maintain viability and good germination at planting time.…
Most garden areas, including the lawn, vegetable garden, and perennial garden, perform best when they receive an inch of water each week. When this is not supplied by rain, the gardener must do it using a hose, bucket, or sprinkler.
Pinch chrysanthemums 2 to 3 times from spring to mid-summer. Remove the stem tips when the shoots are 6 to 8 inches tall. New lateral shoots will develop along the stems. Pinch again when these new shoots reach a length of 6 to…
Bearded irises should be divided every three to five years. If not divided, plants become overcrowded and flower production decreases. July or August is the best time to dig, divide, and transplant bearded irises.
Part shade garden areas receive 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Some annuals thrive in these conditions, and others may grow best in full sun but tolerate part shade. For these species, they may have fewer flowers or a more…
Many annual flowers perform best when they have a consistent supply of moisture throughout the growing season. However, some annuals are tolerant of dry conditions. After they’ve been planted, drought tolerant annuals may need to…
Many of the best perennials for full sun are native to the prairie. Some Iowa native prairie plants that make good additions to the home landscape include:
Dozens of native prairie and woodland perennials are wonderful ornamental additions to the landscape. These plants are all native to the state of Iowa. The list includes plants that grow in a wide variety of conditions, from sun to…
If plants are damaged by herbicides, they may or may not recover, depending on the severity of the damage. All that can be done is to wait and see what happens while providing good care for the plant. …
Tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, and other spring-flowering bulbs usually begin arriving in garden centers and other retail businesses in late August. Spring-flowering bulbs purchased in late summer should be stored in a cool, dry place (such as…
