Care and How-To - Problems and Pests
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Learn how to manage and repair lawn damage caused by skunks and raccoons searching for grubs. Explore effective strategies including grub control, exclusion methods, repellents, and lawn repair techniques.
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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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Hedge apples, from the Osage-orange tree, are yellow-green fruits popular for decoration. They are often touted as being an effective pest deterrent but in reality this myth doesn't hold up well.
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Lilacs are suffering from Pseudocercospora leaf spots and other diseases due to humidity and stress. Fungicides are not warranted. Good pruning and care are key to managing these issues.
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Corn gluten meal is an organic herbicide and fertilizer that prevents weed seed germination. To be most effective, proper timing and use are essential. Learn more about using corn gluten meal as a herbicide.
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Whenever sprays are applied, it is important to follow label directions. Often the product label will direct to spray at certain developmental stages in the tree’s annual growth cycle. Many of the most effective management steps occur in spring, well before the apples form and ripen.
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Wood chips and shredded bark are commonly applied to landscape areas to control weeds and conserve soil moisture. Wood chips and shredded bark are organic matter. The decaying organic matter provides an ideal environment for some strange-looking fungi or fungal-like organisms when weather conditions are favorable. Fungi that occasionally grow in landscape mulches in Iowa include stinkhorns, slime molds, and bird’s nest fungi.
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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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Shedding, peeling, or splitting bark on trees in the landscape can be a concerning sight.
Understanding what is causing the bark loss is an important first step to preventing further damage.
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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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When Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses begin to green-up in spring, some home gardeners are dismayed to see brown spots in the lawn. In some cases, the brown spots are dead patch.
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Poison ivy causes allergic reactions when you come in contact with it. Learn more about safely removing this weedy vine from your garden.
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Many trees and shrubs thrive in Iowa's fertile, well-drained soils. Most trees and shrubs, however, don't like wet soils. Fortunately, some plants tolerate wet soils better than others.
When selecting trees and shrubs for the home landscape, gardeners should select plants suitable for the site. Wet sites can be a challenge. However, the trees and shrubs listed below will perform well in wet soils.
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Late-summer wasps and yellowjackets damage ripe fruit and annoy pickers. Harvest promptly, remove overripe fruit, use traps early, and destroy nests when needed.
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Deer, rabbits, mice, voles, and other animals can cause a lot of damage to trees and shrubs over the winter months. Prevention is key to managing these garden pests. By taking steps in the fall, you can prevent damage from occurring over the winter.
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Suckers are vigorous upright growing stems that form at the base of a tree or from the root system causing stems to appear inches or feet from the base of the trunk. They are problematic because they can reduce flowering and fruiting, alter the form of the tree, harbor pests and diseases, and look unsightly.
Learn about what causes suckers to form and how they can be managed in the home landscape.
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Crabgrass is a difficult to manage weed in the lawn. Learn about control of this annual weed, including when to apply preemergent herbicide for the best control.
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Several factors cause branch dieback on trees. Correctly diagnosing the problem(s) is the first step in managing an unhealthy tree. Below are some common causes of branch dieback on trees in the landscape. Use this guide to evaluate your tree and determine the likely cause of the branch dieback.
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Trees enhance landscapes but can damage sidewalks and roads with their roots. Understanding and addressing this can prevent hazards and costly repairs.
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Crop rotation is an important and beneficial factor when planning a vegetable garden. Problems with diseases, insect pests, and soil fertility can increase when the same crop is planted in the same area in successive years. With careful planning and consideration, crop rotation can reduce issues with diseases and pests and balance the soil's nutrients. Learn how to best rotate your vegetable crops at home.