Care and How-To - Vegetables and Herbs
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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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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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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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Tomatoes are great candidates for growing in containers. This is a great option when space is limited, a suitable full-sun location can only be found where a garden cannot be established (like a patio), or when you do not have access to an in-ground garden plot or raised bed.
Learn all things growing tomatoes in containers including planting, care, harvest, and recommended cultivars.
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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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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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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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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.
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Organic mulches serve several important functions in gardens and landscape plantings.
These many benefits make the use of mulch very beneficial in a wide range of garden settings. When choosing which organic mulch to use, consider availability, cost, appearance, function, and durability.
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Cool-season crops like broccoli and lettuce thrive in fall's cooler weather. Plan your fall garden with seeds and a calendar to extend your harvest.
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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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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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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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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 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 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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Determining when to harvest vine crops, such as melons, squashes, and cucumbers, is not always easy. While some vegetables like tomatoes exhibit clear signs, the proper time to harvest other crops may require a little more knowledge and experience. Learn more about the guidelines for harvesting and storing various vine crops including watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins, and gourds.
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Ornamental corn, or "Indian corn," is popular for fall decor and can be bought at markets or grown in the home garden. Learn more about types, planting, and harvesting this autumn favorite.
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The late growing season is a good time to collect seeds from vegetables and flowers. Seed saving allows gardeners to preserve heirloom varieties or their favorite plants from year to year. Below are the basics of harvesting, preparing, and storing seed from your garden.
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In the spring, many gardeners are anxious to get out and start planting to get an early crop. In the fall, cooler temperatures signify an end to the harvest of many vegetables in the garden. However, if you use cold frames, you can extend the growing season. These simple structures allow you to start earlier and continue to garden and harvest fresh produce later even when temperatures are cooler.