Care and How-To - Perennials
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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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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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Find a native plant well-suited for any spot in your Iowa landscape.
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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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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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The slender, tubular flowers are produced in 2- to 3-inch-wide flower heads in June and July. They perform best in moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Spent flower heads should be promptly removed to prolong bloom period.
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Lycoris squamigera, or surprise lily, is flowering bulb with a unique growth habit. Foliage dies back by early summer and pink flowers appear in late summer seemingly out of nowhere (surprise!). Learn more about how to grow these interesting flowering bulbs.
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Hostas are typically easy to care for with few pest and disease problems - but that doesn't mean they don't have any. Learn about the common insect, wildlife and disease issue that face hostas.
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There are several wonderful ornamental grasses that are well-suited for Iowa and the Upper Midwest. Learn more about the native and non-native ornamental grasses to add to your garden, as well as the cultivars to look for in the garden center.
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Many colorful perennials are well-adapted to shady areas of your landscape. Find the best perennial for your shade garden, whether it is partial shade or heavy shade.
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uOne 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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Trees provide many benefits but unfortunately, trees and turfgrass are not very compatible. Large trees cast considerable shade. Trees also compete with turfgrass for water and nutrients. As a result, most turfgrasses have a difficult time growing in the vicinity of large shade trees.
If the grass growing in shady spaces is not looking good, you have a few options to improve the appearance of these areas in your landscape. You can remove the turfgrass and plant an alternative species that will tolerate the shady conditions better. You can also remove the turfgrass and lay down mulch. Finally, if you want to have turfgrass growing in the area you have to change the way you maintain and care for the turfgrass to get it to grow more successfully
Each of these options has its advantages and challenges. Consider each to determine which will work best for your landscape.
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There are several species of Allium or onion that are grown exclusively for their flowersand are not planted in the vegetable garden but in beds or borders with other perennial flowers. Flower heads on ornamental onions appear in late spring to mid-summer. Learn more about these late spring beauties.
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Peonies are easy-to-grow, long-lived, and reliable performers in the garden, but they occasionally have issues. The most common issues with peonies, such as failure to bloom, powdery mildew, and flopping over, are listed below.
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There are several possible causes for peonies to fail to bloom. They include too much shade, recently divided, or premature removal of foliage. Find out what may be keeping your peonies from flowering.
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When selecting plants for the shade garden, don't overlook native woodland wildflowers. Woodland wildflowers are attractive additions to home landscapes and are easy to grow when given a favorable site.
When purchasing plants for those shady areas in the landscape, consider the following woodland wildflowers.
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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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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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Learn more about the many cultivars and species of hosta you can grow in your garden.