When selecting perennials, it’s important to choose plants that are suitable for the planting site. Perennials that grow well in moist to wet soils include,
All varieties of the common garden impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) and interspecific hybrids with an Impatiens walleriana parent (such as Fusion and Butterfly impatiens) are susceptible to Impatiens downy mildew. Garden balsam…
The most widely grown rhododendrons in Iowa are the Weston hybrids. Introduced by the Weston Nursery in Massachusetts, these cultivars possess excellent cold hardiness. Weston hybrids include ‘PJM’ (lavender pink flowers), ‘PJM…
A key to successfully growing grass in shady areas is to select the proper turfgrass species for the site. Kentucky bluegrass is the most widely grown turfgrass in Iowa. However, most Kentucky bluegrass varieties do not perform well…
Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of direct sun each day to produce a good crop. Leafy vegetables, such as leaf lettuce, spinach, collards, Swiss chard, and kale, can be successfully grown in areas that receive 3 to 4 hours of sun.…
Newly planted rhubarb will initially produce small, spindly stalks during its 2 year establishment period. The stalks of large, old plants may be small and spindly because of overcrowding. Poor plant vigor due to poor cultural…
A vascular wilt may be responsible for the wilting of the tomato plant. The initial symptoms of Verticillium and Fusarium wilts are wilting of the plant leaves during the heat of the day. Affected plants often recover in the evening…
The bitterness in cucumbers is produced by the compound cucurbitacin. Cucurbitacins are normally found in the leaves, stems, and roots of cucumber plants. The cucurbitacins spread from the vegetative parts of the plant into the…
Poorly-shaped fruit are usually the result of poor pollination. Poor pollination may be due to cool, wet weather and improperly applied insecticides that limit bee activity. When insecticides are necessary, select an insecticide with…
Leafcutting bees are probably responsible for the holes in the rose foliage. Leafcutting bees resemble honey bees, but are often darker in color. Female leafcutting bees make nests in rotted wood or the stems of plants. The…
Snow molds may be responsible for the brown spots in your lawn. Two snow mold diseases, gray snow mold and pink snow mold, occur in Iowa. Gray snow mold is caused by two species of the fungus Typhula, while pink snow mold is…
Martha Washington or regal geraniums (Pelargonium x domesticum) produce beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, cool (50 to 60°F), night temperatures are required for flower formation. Few flowers form during the summer…
Smooth, oakleaf, bigleaf and climbing hydrangea all flower well in partial shade, but when in too much shade may not bloom well. Panicle hydrangea requires at least partial shade to set flowers and often blooms best in full sun. Most hydrangeas…
The browning of the inner foliage is probably due to seasonal needle drop. It’s normal for evergreens (pine, spruce, fir, juniper, arborvitae, etc.) to shed their oldest (innermost) needles in fall. The innermost needles gradually turn yellow or…
Cucumbers will not cross-pollinate with squashes, pumpkins, muskmelons, or watermelons. Cucumber varieties may cross with one another. However, the quality of this year’s crop is not affected. (An exception is the cross-…
Beans produce perfect and self-fertile flowers so they readily and easily pollinate themselves. Only beans in the same species are capable of cross-pollinating. So, pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) can cross with other varieties of bean…
It would be nice if life could be that simple, but the relatively small area you can treat (compared to the grassy sites in the surrounding area) will not have any impact on the following year’s adult population. Japanese beetle adults are very…
