Care and How-To - Trees and Shrubs
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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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Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is a valuable tree in Iowa. Harvest in late September, hull immediately, dry for 2-3 weeks, and store kernels in the freezer.
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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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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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The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring (March or early April)
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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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Shrubs enhance landscapes with beauty and function. Proper pruning is essential but is sometimes overlooked. Learn how to overgrown shrubs to get them back to their former glory.
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The predominate colors of the home landscape in late fall and winter are white and various shades of gray and brown.
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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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Occasionally the need arises to move trees within the home landscape. Follow these tips to move small, young trees successfully.
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A shrub that flowers in winter? That sounds unlikely but witch hazels do just that - even in Iowa! Witch hazels (Hamamelis) are a group of shrubs that typically have the first (or last depending on what you are growing) blooms of the season in the garden.
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Some plants in the landscape need a little extra protection to make it through the winter months. Here is what you need to know to successfully overwinter plants in Iowa.
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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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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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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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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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February and March is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs in Iowa. The absence of foliage at this time of year gives you a clear view of the tree and allows the selection and removal of appropriate branches. Also, when pruned in the late dormant season the walling-off, compartmentalization, or sealing of wounds can begin as soon as growth starts in the spring giving the tree the most time to recover from the pruning cut.
Iowa State University has many resources available to help with pruning all your woody plants.
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Newly-planted trees need active and frequent care during the entire establishment period. In USDA hardiness zones 4 and 5, the establishment period lasts about 12 months per inch of trunk diameter. For a two-inch caliper tree, this translates into a 24-month establishment period. Good cultural practices during this period help reduce transplant stress and create a favorable environment for tree growth.
Consistent and proper care during the establishment period is the most important thing you can do to succeed with your new tree.
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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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How to propagate deciduous shrubs and trees using softwood cuttings. Discover timing, techniques, and care tips for successful rooting.