Care and How-To - Ornamental Plants and Flowers
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Nearly every sentiment can be expressed by flowers. Amaryllis—Pride, pastoral poetry; Anemone—Forsaken; Aster—Symbol of love, daintiness...
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Effective methods to get rid of ground ivy in lawns and gardens. Discover non-chemical options, herbicide recommendations, and lawn care tips to manage this persistent weed and maintain a healthy landscape.
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Learn when and how to divide bearded and Siberian irises to maintain healthy, blooming plants plus tips for best growing conditions for both iris varieties.
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Here are several methods you can take to remove grass, each having its own advantages and limitations. Which method you choose depends on the time it takes, the amount of work it requires, and your personal preferences.
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Iowa soils are diverse. Soil pH is one property that can vary widely across the state. It is also one of the most cost-effective and easy-to-manage soil properties that can be modified to improve plant health and crop production.
Learn about how to decrease and increase your soil pH below.
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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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Gardening on slopes tackles erosion and water issues but requires careful planting and irrigation strategies for success. Learn more about gardening on slopes.
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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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Groundcovers are great options for the garden. Their creeping, spreading, low-growing growth habit makes them well-suited for a variety of garden settings and can help reduce weed growth and erosion. Below are several groundcovers suitable for shade or part-shade locations.
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One of the easiest ways to propagate a prized perennial is to divide the plant into two or more smaller plants. Below are tips and recommendations for dividing perennials in your garden, including information on why, how, when, and how frequently to divide. Included are guidelines for specific perennial species common in Iowa gardens.
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Find a native plant well-suited for any spot in your Iowa landscape.
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Late summer and fall are great times for planting trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, lawns, and veggies in Iowa. Follow these tips to establish new plants in your landscape between mid-August and October.
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Groundcovers are great options for the garden. Their creeping, spreading, low-growing growth habit makes them well-suited for a variety of garden settings and can help reduce weed growth and erosion. Below are several groundcovers suitable for shade or part-shade locations.
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Learn how to protect container plants in winter. Discover methods like burying pots, mulching, and using unheated storage to keep roots safe from cold damage.
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Learn how to turn garden flowers into beautiful arrangements with tips on design basics, prepping stems, choosing containers, and using simple tools to create long‑lasting, balanced displays.
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When autumn arrives, several things can be done to prepare the garden for winter and the following growing season. Here is a list of things to do for perennials, vegetable gardens, annuals, trees, shrubs, lawns, and houseplants in the fall.
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Peonies can be left undisturbed in the garden for many years. Occasionally, however, it becomes necessary to move plants.
Learn all about the when and how of transplanting and dividing peonies.
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While annual sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are the species grown for edible seed and oil production, the majority of Helianthus species are perennials. These native species can be wonderful additions to home landscapes. Learn more about perennial sunflowers below.
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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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Roses are grown by millions of gardeners throughout the world for their beautiful flowers. To reduce the confusion of selecting between thousands of rose varieties, roses are classified into various groups. In Iowa, the major groups of roses that can be grown include shrub roses, hybrid teas, miniatures, and others.
Each of these types varies in their season of bloom, winter hardiness, and maintenance requirements. Use the information below about each type of rose to select the best rose for your landscape.