Care and How-To - Trees and Shrubs
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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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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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Hardwood cuttings is a propagation method done while the plant is dormant from the shoots that developed during the previous growing season. Learn more about this type of vegetative propagation if you want to propagate any trees, shrubs, or vines in the home landscape.
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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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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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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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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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Occasionally the need arises to move trees within the home landscape. Follow these tips to move small, young trees successfully.
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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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How to propagate deciduous shrubs and trees using softwood cuttings. Discover timing, techniques, and care tips for successful rooting.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Growing trees from seed can be fun. However, the seed of most tree species won't germinate immediately when planted because they are in a dormant state. Dormancy must be broken before the seed can germinate.
Learn about the germination requirements for several specific tree species.
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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.