Care and How-To - Problems and Pests
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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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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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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.
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In Iowa, the weather in spring is often erratic. Below-freezing temperatures in April and May can follow unseasonably warm weather in late March and early April. The cold spring temperatures can affect plants in gardens and home landscapes. The good news is that cold temperatures shouldn't affect most plants long-term. How to manage cold temperatures and the damage they can cause to trees, shrubs, fruit trees, spring bulbs, perennials, vegetables, and other plants is provided below.
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Iowa soils are very diverse and so are the chemical characteristics that make up these soils. Soil pH is one property that can vary widely across the state both naturally and due to how we manage the field or garden. 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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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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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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Discover how to care for succulents and prevent common issues like overwatering, insufficient light, and pests. Early detection ensures healthy growth!
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Heavy amounts of snow and ice on the branches of trees and shrubs can cause considerable damage. Improper removal of ice and snow can increase the amount of damage to trees and shrubs. Learn about how to manage ice and heavy snow on trees and shrubs.
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Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable crop to grow in the home garden. Many diseases, disorders, and insect pests can affect tomatoes during the growing season.
Learn more about managing the common problems found with tomatoes in the home garden including blights, wilts, blossom end rot, viruses, fruit cracking, tomato hornworm, and more.
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Growing indoor plants is a rewarding hobby that yields beautiful results. But when problems arise with your indoor plants, it can be challenging to determine how to fix them. Learn what to do when your houseplants have problems.
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Swarming occurs when a large group of honey bees leaves an established colony and flies off to establish a new colony in response to crowding within the colony. Swarming usually occurs in late spring and early summer and begins in the warmer hours of the day.
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Diseases on houseplants can cause much concern. Houseplant diseases are often caused by poor environment and care. Address primary issues like overcrowding, low light, and overwatering to prevent diseases.
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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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Growing indoor plants is a rewarding hobby that yields beautiful results. But when problems arise with your indoor plants, it can be difficult to determine how to fix them.
When encountering a houseplant problem, ask yourself, Are the environmental conditions appropriate for this species?
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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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Bumpy, rough, uneven lawns are annoying, difficult to mow, and potentially dangerous. Learn about the factors that cause rough, bumpy lawn and how to manage them.
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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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Oak trees are valuable assets in the home landscape. Occasionally oak trees need to be pruned for health, safety, and appearance reasons. Pruning oaks makes them more valuable to infection from the fungus that causes oak wilt. By pruning oaks properly, you can reduce that risk and keep trees healthy.
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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.