Care and How-To - Annuals
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Learn how to protect plants from frost and freeze damage in fall and spring. Get tips on covering plants, using cold frames, and when to bring plants indoors for the season.
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Find a native plant well-suited for any spot in your Iowa landscape.
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Reusing plastic, clay, and other containers is a great way to save money and reduce the amount of plastic waste that goes into landfill. Plastic containers cannot be recycled in traditional single-stream home recycling programs and, unfortunately, programs to collect and recycle plastic pots are not common.
Proper cleaning and disinfecting of pots requires just a minimum amount of effort, yet can mean the difference between the success or failure of containerized plants, plus it allows you to reuse containers and reduce plastic waste. Follow the steps below to clean and disinfect used containers.
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Germination requirements (light and temperature) vary among the different annuals and vegetables. The various crops also differ in the length of time from seed sowing until the seedlings are planted outdoors. Below is germination and growing information for commonly grown annual flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
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Ideal for adding color to shaded areas in your garden, learn how to care for impatiens, from planting and watering to managing common issues like downy mildew. Explore different varieties, including New Guinea impatiens and double impatiens, and understand their growing conditions. Perfect for containers, hanging baskets, and beds, impatiens are a versatile choice for any gardener.
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Organic mulches serve several important functions in gardens and landscape plantings.
These many benefits make the use of mulch very beneficial in a wide range of garden settings. When choosing which organic mulch to use, consider availability, cost, appearance, function, and durability.
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There are many annuals well-suited for the shady areas of your garden. Learn about the options you can use in containers, baskets, and flower beds in shade and part-shade locations.
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Hanging baskets are a great way to decorate porches, decks, and other outdoor areas of the home. They make great gifts and are readily available in garden centers every spring. Whether your hanging basket has just one or many blooming plants, care is required for the best blooms throughout the growing season. Below are some tips for growing and maintaining hanging baskets.
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Impatiens thrive in shady areas, making them perfect for flower beds and containers. Learn how to grow these versatile annuals from seeds!
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Drip irrigation is a water-efficient method for vegetable gardens, delivering moisture directly to roots, saving time, and reducing disease risks.
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Learn how to grow petunias from seeds indoors. Tips on timing, containers, sowing, germination, and care for successful petunia seedlings before outdoor planting.
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Sunflowers are great additions to the garden. Find the best cultivars for your garden and learn how to grow and harvest sunflowers at home.
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A healthy garden has properly spaced plants. Use this guide to help determine how many plants you need based on their recommended spacing.
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Many resources are available to help you be successful in starting seed indoors for your garden.
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Driving through Iowa, you'll find many eye-catching native and non-native plants thriving along roadsides. Here are some of the common species you'll find.
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Proper storage conditions for seeds are essential to maintain viability and good germination at planting time. You can test the germination rate of your seeds to be sure they are viable and worth the time to sow and grow. More information about storing seeds, testing seed germination rates, and the expected viability of common vegetables can be found below.
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There are many different options for containers that can be used to start seedlings.
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Discover the versatility of annual geraniums! Learn about types, care tips, and pest management for vibrant blooms in your home landscape.
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Growing transplants at home requires good seed, proper temperature, moisture, light, and care. When things don't go right, follow best practices to avoid poor germination, spindly growth, and other issues.
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They may be small, but marigolds are mighty annuals in the garden and landscape! Marigolds are noted for their cheerful yellow, golden, and coppery flowers and their durability in the landscape.