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 it can cause to trees, shrubs, fruit trees, spring bulbs, perennials, vegetables, and other plants is provided.
Garden Trivia
True or False? You should always plant potatoes on Good Friday.
One of the easiest ways to propagate a prized perennial is to divide the plant into two or more smaller plants. Below are tips and recommendations for dividing perennials in your garden including information on why, how, when, and how frequently to divide. Included are guidelines for specific perennial species common in Iowa gardens.
To successfully establish trees in the home landscape, it's important to follow proper planting techniques. Follow these steps to plant and care for containerized or balled and burlapped (B&B) trees.
With warming weather, many insects are beginning to emerge from winter dormancy. When attempting to manage paper wasps in homes and other human spaces, we often start to think about managing them when populations are already annoyingly high and when management is more challenging. The earlier we think about managing paper wasps, the more likely we are to remove issues with minimal effort.
All-America Selections has been trialing edible and ornamental plants for over 90 years, presenting awards to entries that will impress home gardeners with their performance regionally or nationally. There have been plenty of exciting new winners that merit a place in your garden that will be highlighted in this series.
Other Items of Interest
Garden Trivia Answer
False.The best time to plant potatoes is mid-April. Does this mean you never plant potatoes on Good Friday? No, you of course can plant potatoes on Good Friday when Good Friday is in the middle of April! Learn more about planting and caring for potatoes in this publication: Potatoes.
