Many home gardeners choose to avoid the use of herbicides in vegetable gardens since they are growing edible crops. In certain situations, however, a gardener can use herbicides to supplement other weed control strategies. Most…
Cedar-apple rust is likely responsible for the yellow spots on the crabapple leaves. Cedar-apple rust is a fungal disease. The fungus requires both a crabapple or apple and a cedar (juniper) to complete its life cycle. Crabapple…
Thatch is the layer of dead and living plant material that forms between the soil surface and green vegetation. It is composed of shoots, crowns, and roots. Thatch, to some degree, is present in all lawns. However, when thatch…
Periodical cicadas emerge in 13- or 17-year cycles depending on the brood. These broods emerge in specific geographic regions. Occasionally, two broods will emerge in the same year, and more rarely, there can be some overlap in the geographic…
Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses thrive in the cool weather of spring and fall. Hot, dry conditions in summer are stressful for cool-season grasses. Kentucky bluegrass lawns should be mowed at a height of 3 to 3½…
We often use the words herb and spice interchangeably. Herbs and spices are obtained from plants. (Salt is neither a spice nor an herb. It is actually a mineral.) Herbs and spices are used primarily for adding flavor and aroma to food. And both…
In Iowa, adult beetles emerge in mid-June through July. Japanese beetles are similar to other Junebugs in appearance and 3/8 inch long and 1/4 inch wide. The head and thorax are shiny metallic green and the wing covers are coppery red. A…
Do not mow shady areas less than 3 inches in height. Because of the lower photosynthetic rates in shady areas, the turfgrass plants need a large leaf surface to manufacture adequate amounts of food. The recommended mowing height for…
Deadheading or the removal of faded flowers is done to encourage additional bloom on hybrid tea and other repeat-flowering roses. Hybrid tea roses usually have one or two 3-leaflet leaves immediately below the flower. Next (lower down…
Most lawns in Iowa require 1 to 1½ inches of water per week. When watering the lawn, apply this amount in a single application or possibly 2 applications 3 or 4 days apart. Avoid frequent, light applications of water which promote…
The growth in your perennial bed is probably a slime mold. Slime molds are types of fungi. Slime molds feed on bacteria and other organisms in the mulch. They do not harm plants.
Slime molds are usually a temporary nuisance. Within a few…
Foliar diseases like leaf blotch and powdery mildew can discolor or spot peony leaves. Peony leaf blotch (Cladosporium) causes irregular brownish-purple spots on peony leaves in summer…
Blueberry plants should come into full production by the fifth or sixth year. Gardeners can expect to harvest 5 to 10 pounds of fruit per plant from mature highbush blueberries. Half-high blueberries generally produce 1 to 3 pounds…
Mechanical control of weeds through hand pulling and cultivation as well as the use of mulches to suppress weed growth are effective organic options for weed management.
Mechanical control of weeds through hand pulling and cultivation as well as the use of mulches and other cultural control methods to suppress weed growth are all effective organic options for weed management.
When plants produce a chemical that prevents the growth of other plants, it is called allelopathy.
Black walnut is a common woodland and landscape tree in the Midwest that produces an allelopathic compound called juglone which is…
The runways in the lawn were likely caused by the meadow vole. The meadow vole is a small, brown, mouse-like animal. Though common in Iowa, the meadow vole is secretive and seldom seen by most individuals.
Dormant lawns are in jeopardy of dying if dry conditions persist over an extended period. It's best to water the lawn if the turfgrass has been dormant for 4 to 6 weeks. Apply 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water in a single application. This will not…
Pinch newly planted and established mums from spring to mid-summer. Remove the upper 1 to 2 inches of the shoots when the stems are 6 to 8 inches tall. New lateral (side) shoots will develop along the stems. Pinch again when the…
Many settlers in Iowa admired the rose growing wild throughout the state. In 1896, the Iowa legislature selected it as the motif on a silver tea set presented to the U.S. Navy and used on the battleship Iowa. A year later, on May 6, 1897, with…
Tools required to prune grapevines include a hand shears, lopping shears, and saw. Brightly colored ribbons or cloth strips can be used to identify fruiting canes and renewal spurs.
Garlic is distinguished from its other close family members like onions, chives, shallots, and leeks, by its flat leaves and clove-like bulbs which contain several small scales or cloves enclosed in a white or purplish parchment-like sheath.…
Suitable materials for the compost pile include garden debris, leaves, grass clippings, straw, sawdust, and small twigs and branches. You can also add food scraps from produce items, such as apple cores, potato and banana peels, and melon rinds.…
The magic lily (Lycoris squamigera) is a rather intriguing plant. Other common names include resurrection lily, surprise lily, hardy amaryllis, and naked lady. The life cycle of Lycoris squamigera is different from…
