Care and How-To - Vegetables and Herbs
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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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Here are several methods you can take to remove grass, each having its own advantages and limitations. Which method you choose depends on the time it takes, the amount of work it requires, and your personal preferences.
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Harvesting vegetables at the right time boosts taste and quality. Timing varies by type, with some needing daily or weekly picking. Check this guide for details.
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Garlic is a staple in the kitchen and can be easily grown at home. Learn more about planting, caring for, harvesting, and storing garlic in the vegetable 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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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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Proper storage conditions for seeds are essential to maintain viability and good germination at planting time. You can test the germination rate of your seeds to be sure they are viable and worth the time to sow and grow. More information about storing seeds, testing seed germination rates, and the expected viability of common vegetables can be found below.
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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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Growing popcorn in the home vegetable garden is a fun and rewarding. Learn more about planting, caring for, harvesting, drying, and storing popcorn in the home garden.
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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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Germination requirements (light and temperature) vary among the different annuals and vegetables. The various crops also differ in the length of time from seed sowing until the seedlings are planted outdoors. Below is germination and growing information for commonly grown annual flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
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October is pumpkin season! Whether its pumpkin pie or pumpkin spiced lattes, cute décor or scary jack-o-lanterns, many of us enjoy pumpkins when autumn arrives.
Below is information on how to select pupmkings, as well as how to grow, harvest, and store pumpkins at home. Answers to common pumpkin questions are also below including: What is a pumpkin? What is canned pumpkin made from? What is pumpkin spice?
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Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are the most popular vegetable in the home garden. There is nothing quite like a tomato fresh from your garden!
Learn all things growing tomatoes including planting, care, training, pruning, harvest, recommended cultivars, seed saving, growing in containers, and how to deal with common problems.
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Debunk the myth of cucumbers, squash, and melons cross-pollinating. Learn how pollination works in cucurbits and improve your garden's flavor!
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Most seeds germinate when the soil temperature is between 68° and 86°F. Once germination occurs, the optimum growing temperature for the seedling is about 10°F cooler than the optimum germination temperature.
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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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Explore the essentials of growing rhubarb in Iowa! Discover cultivars, planting tips, care, harvesting methods, and how to manage pests and diseases.
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While typically considered a vegetable suitable for vegetable gardens in the southern United States, sweet potato is a vegetable that can thrive in the hot and humid Iowa summers. Learn more about growing sweet potatoes in your home garden.
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This guide helps schedule vegetable planting for efficient space use with date ranges for sowing, planting, and harvesting in all parts of Iowa.
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Cover crops are beneficial in the home vegetable garden. They improve soil fertility, suppress weeds, and enhance soil health. Learn about all aspects of using cover crops at home, such as timing, goals, and termination methods.