Horticulturists Richard Jauron and Willy Klein of Iowa State University Extension provided the following timely tips on preparing perennials for the winter: Many perennials make it through winter just fine with no special attention. But in Iowa gardens, some perennials require a little attention just before the ground freezes. How should I prepare mums for [...]
continue »
I’ve purchased plants from garden centers, mail order catalogues, box stores and garage sales, and always, it’s those I’ve bought from locally grown sources that thrive the best. One of my favorite plant sales is coming up on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The Linn County Master Gardeners plant sale will be 8 a.m. to noon [...]
continue »For several hours last weekend, I channeled “The Old Man and The Sea,” doing battle in my backyard with a hosta that refused to yield to my shovel. I merely wanted to move the plant — overgrown and wedged between a fence and a rosebush — but by the end of the ordeal, didn’t know [...]
continue »If you’re stuck indoors today, Linn County Master Gardener, Lisa Slattery, offers a good suggestion on battling cabin fever: Its seed catalog time! It’s like Christmas all over again for gardeners. The seed catalogs are full of beautiful pictures and luscious descriptions of plants that sound perfect…and easy to grow. This is true, to some [...]
continue »More about recycling – this time on how to repurpose your gently used Christmas tree, courtesy of Linn County Master Gardener, Claire Smith: Seven to ten years and lots of tender loving care produced the beautiful, ideally shaped, majestic, emerald colored pine or fir tree that graced your living room this year. So, now that [...]
continue »Linn County Master Gardener, Claire Smith, describes how to prep your Christmas cactus to bloom, as well as overwintering strawberry beds and transplanting perennials. Oh! My! Can we really be talking about Christmas in September? Yes, because a blooming Christmas cactus is definitely a bragging rite. Flowering of the Christmas cactus is controlled by [...]
continue »A cheap way to drive blog traffic, I know. But the more I can do to draw attention to one of my favorite perennials, the better. Besides, how many times does a garden writer get to use naked in a headline? Called Naked Ladies by some, my preferred name for these tall, slender [...]
continue »The following is by Linn County Extension Master Gardener, Claire Smith: Well, we need to do a little repair work. The recent thunderstorm decimated part of my new zeroscape. The force of the water relocated some huge rocks and washed away a lot of mulch. Fortunately the Hosta were still in bloom so I hadn’t [...]
continue »The following is by Linn County Master Gardener Claire Smith: Over the road and across the highway to the garden center I go. The car knows the way, never to stray……………….. I told myself I already have enough plants for this year. Can gardening be addictive? Unfortunately I read somewhere that June is the [...]
continue »The following is by Linn County Master Gardener, Claire Smith: My daughter’s garden is going to amount to a hill of beans. Her first family garden last year was so much fun that they planted another. Michelle dug a hole for a tomato and as she picked up the plant, two year old Charlie [...]
continue »
