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.
Garden Trivia
True or false? You should prune a tree right after planting to promote new growth.
There are several species of Allium or onion that are grown exclusively for their flowers instead of their bulbous structures. Ornamental onions (common name for many species) are not planted in the vegetable garden but in beds or borders with other perennial flowers.
Hanging baskets are a great way to decorate porches, decks, and other outdoor areas of the home. They make great gifts and are readily available in garden centers every spring. Whether your hanging basket has just one or many blooming plants, care is required for the best blooms throughout the growing season. Here are some tips for growing and maintaining hanging baskets.
Periodical cicadas are a unique group of cicada species that emerge in unison in 13- or 17-year cycles depending on the specific brood. In 2024, two broods, a 13- and 17-year brood, will be emerging, and some regions will experience both broods at the same time. This co-emergence has not happened with these two broods for 221 years. Here's what you should know.
Fire blight, a disease of apples and pears caused by a bacterium, first strikes by infecting flowers. During peak bloom in Iowa this year, conditions were near perfect for the disease to spread and cause symptoms. Learn more about fire blightand how you can help ISU researchers this year.
Other Items of Interest
Garden Trivia Answer
False. Severe pruning reduces the tree's ability to manufacture food and actually slows plant growth. Newly planted trees require only corrective pruning. Remove structural defects, such as double leaders and dead, broken, or crossing branches. Learn more about the care of newly-planted trees.
