Care and How-To

Flowers and Their Meanings: The Language of Flowers

Nearly every sentiment can be expressed by flowers. Amaryllis—Pride, pastoral poetry; Anemone—Forsaken; Aster—Symbol of love, daintiness...

All About Amaryllis

Discover how to grow and care for amaryllis bulbs, from potting and forcing to after-bloom care. Learn about various types, colors, and cultivation tips!

Guide to Selection and Care of Poinsettias

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is one of the most popular potted flowers in the United States and one of the most beautiful symbols of the holiday season. These colorful plants can be found in nearly every household or business during the December holiday season. Careful selection and proper care of these festive plants will insure enjoyment during the entire holiday season.

How to Prune Grapevines in the Home Garden

Late winter or early spring is the perfect time to prune grapevines.  Pruning grapevines is important to obtain maximum yields of high-quality grapes.  The steps for pruning are straightforward.  Learn more below.

How to Protect Plants from Frost and Freeze

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.

Mistletoe and Holly During the Holidays

Using mistletoe and holly as decoration during the holidays is a long-standing tradition.  These classic evergreen plants are not commonly grown or found in Iowa, but their use and traditions around the holiday season make them familiar plants.  Learn more about these interesting plants and the traditions and folklore that surround them.

All About Hedge Apples

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.

All About Holiday Cacti

Holiday cacti (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter) are easy-to-grow, long-lived plants that thrive with minimal care. Learn about the best growing conditions, how to care for them, dealing with potential problems, and how to get them to rebloom each year.

Growing Succulents Indoors

Succulents generally make good indoor plants because they require little care.  They are grown for their attractive leaves, stems, growth habit, and/or flowers.  The many different colors, shapes, and sizes of succulents and the fact that many are small in size make them highly collectible. 

Trees and Shrubs with Colorful Fruit in Fall and Winter

Brighten winter landscapes with evergreens and shrubs bearing colorful fruit like crabapple, holly, and viburnum.

Overwintering Unplanted Trees, Shrubs and Perennials

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.

Spray Schedule for Home Apple Trees

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.

Easy Low-Maintenance Houseplants

Looking to buy a houseplant?  Try starting with some of these easy-to-care-for, low-maintenance indoor plants.

Propagation of Trees, Shrubs, and Vines from Hardwood Cuttings

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.

How to Clean and Disinfect Plant Containers

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.

How To Change Your Soil's pH

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.

All About Air Plants

Air plants grow and reproduce without any soil. The watering method and frequency for air plants looks much different than the typical houseplant.

Proper Time to Prune Trees and Shrubs

The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring (March or early April)

How to Harvest, Crack, and Store Black Walnuts

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.

Guide to Selection and Care of Christmas Trees

Many Americans decorate their home with an artificial, live, or cut tree for the holiday season.  Learn more about some simple guidelines that will help ensure an enjoyable and safe holiday season, including where to buy cut trees, types of trees available, how to select, store, and care for the tree, as well as how to best recycle or dispose of it.