The growing season is not the only time you can enjoy your garden! This winter as you plan on what to add to your garden, keep these tips in mind to introduce winter interest to your garden to allow it to be enjoyed even on the coldest days! Select something […]

There are many tropical plants like elephant ear, caladium, cannas and dahlias that can be overwintered with just a little planning and effort allowing you to grow these wonderful, colorful tropical plants in your Iowa garden year after year while stretching your gardening dollar in the process! To overwinter tropical […]

This time of year we start to see pumpkin spice everything – lattes, cookies, cakes, the list goes on and on. Apart from the pumpkins themselves, many of us are not very familiar with the plants that make up the spice blend that has become so synonymous with everything autumn. […]

Most gardeners have heard many times over the years the benefits of adding organic mulch to the garden. The heat of the summer reminds us of the importance of mulch for moisture retention in the soil and tempering fluctuating soil temperatures. This additional organic layer can help suppress weeds as […]

The woody shrubs in our gardens help add structure, height, and create a backdrop for the colorful perennials in the garden. These staples don’t always play a supporting role in the landscape. While many woody trees and shrubs bloom in the spring, there are several great selections for Iowa that […]

Spring is full of blooming trees and one of the most popular for the upper Midwest is the flowering crabapple (Malus spp.). These ornamental trees are reliably winter hardy and often have multi-season appeal with white, pink to red flowers in spring and often colorful red, yellow, to orange fruit […]

Bare root trees and shrubs are an economical way to start new trees and shrubs, especially hard to find plants from mail-order sources. For many gardeners the idea of establishing plants from bare root is intimidating. Despite this, planting bare root at the appropriate time is a very good way […]

Many houseplants such as coleus and begonia can be propagated by stem cuttings. This process is easy – just follow these steps below: Start with a moistened, well-drained potting soil. Sand or perlite works well too. While some plants will root in water, others will rot. Roots that develop in […]

The Orangery display in the Hughes Conservatory features citrus trees. These plants can be a beautiful and bountiful addition to the home if provided with the right conditions. Use these tips to grow your own citrus tree in your Iowa home. Start with dwarf varieties. Meyer lemon, Ponderosa lemon, Persian […]

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are popular gifts for the holidays. While growing them from the bulb the first year is easy, many gardeners are a little perplexed on what to do once the first flower stalk fades. Follow these tips to get that gift of color started and then to get it […]