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Welcome to The Iowa Gardener
Greetings!
 Welcome to the first issue of a new garden newsletter, devoted specifically to gardening in Iowa! I've been gardening in Ames now for 22 years and I've learned that unless you live here, you really don't get what it takes to garden in Iowa. You don't get our cold winters, our incredible soil, our (usually) ample rainfall, and the practical, common-sense perspective that Iowans bring to everything, including their yards. In these newsletters, you'll get:  Nifty tips and tricks relevant to our locale that will help make your garden experience easier, faster, and cheaper. Updates from Iowa experts on weather trends and warnings. Updates on pest and disease issues affecting our state. Personalized garden answers to your questions in two business days. (I need my weekends to garden!) See the link below. Information and lists on the newest and best plants for your Iowa garden. Information on upcoming garden shows, plant sales, horticultural events, festivals, and tours. So sign up and keep getting this throughout the growing season! Click here now to sign up for this fabulous freebie. Plus, once you sign up, we'll email you a discount admission to the Reiman Gardens in Ames (the butterfly house this time of year is to die for). And forward this newsletter ( click here) to a friend or two. If they sign up, they'll get a discount on tickets, too! Happy Gardening!  Veronica Lorson Fowler |
Cool Plant Alert
 Last year I grew several Easy Elegance roses, including 'Sweet Fragrance,' shown here. They're remarkable. Bred in Minnesota (perhaps the only state with a climate harsher than Iowa!), they have all the characteristics of low-maintenance roses BUT they also have beautiful, subtle colors and large flowers. (Low-maintenance roses tend to have smaller flowers and extremely bright--some would say garish--colors. Plus, unlike any other low-maintenance roses I know, some have a light but delightful fragrance!
Click here to find a garden center near you that carries Easy Elegance roses!
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Caution with Catalogs!
They're pouring in, the garden catalogs, preying on our snow-addled brains with beautiful pictures and promises of spring. Bareroot trees, shrubs, roses, and seeds are great to order through the mail, but I've had problems with perennials sent through the mail, as well as annuals. Perennials, for me, tend to arrive small and damaged and even I, the experienced Master Gardener, have watched them die where planted. Proceed with caution!
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Word of the Week: Monoculture
A large planting of one type of plant, as with a corn field, a lawn, or a rose garden. Usually discouraged because it's vulnerable to pests and diseases ripping through it at record speed, undeterred by other plants that might be less vulnerable and slow it down. And considered sometimes boring from a landscaper's perspective but perhaps a thing of beauty when sitting behind the steering wheel of a combine.
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Houseplant TLC 
Give your winter-weary houseplants a makeover! First spray them down gently with water in the shower or kitchen sink.
Then aerate the surface of the soil a bit with a fork to allow water and air to better penetrate. Top off with a little potting soil if necessary.
Trim or pinch off any yellowing leaves and otherwise trim up to improve the overall appearance.
And here's a fun tip: Peel a banana and use the underside (the messy part) to moisturize, clean, and add a shine to the leaves. It really works!
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Ask Veronica a Question
If you're a subscriber, email Veronica with your garden questions and she'll do her best to get back to you within two business days. Click here! |
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Garden To Do List:
Get started on planning your spring garden. Check out these lists of the best shade perennials for Iowa.
Wow! How about this snow! But don't worry. Snow is nature's own mulch. It's protecting plants from air temperature extremes. (Ice, that's another story.)
When practical, use kitty litter or sand to increase traction on your icy or snowy sidewalks. It's less harmful to your plants than salt and won't damage the concrete the way salt can.
Get hopping on those on-line and mail-order seed and plant orders. I prefer to buy local when possible, but mail-order does offer wider selection. Inventory is limited, though, so it's smart to order in January.
Hold off on starting seeds. You can't plant most seedlings outside for a few months and they'll get too leggy indoors before that. But get a jump on the supplies you'll need. ISU Univeristy Extension has a great list.
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Garden Events
Des Moines Botanical Center Blues Festival
January 1-31
Every Sunday in January and February a different blues artist
performs in the dome from 1pm - 3pm.
Quad City Botanical Center Chocolate Festival
January 25
Enjoy chocolate samplings, spa, massages, and more.
Des Moines Home and Garden Show
February 12-15
Iowa Events Center, Des Moines
Take in five display gardens, celebrity designer rooms, speakers, and tons of ideas.
Omaha Home & Garden Expo
February 19-22
Qwest Center, Omaha
Satisfy your urge to grow with displays, speakers, and ideas for spring galore.
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Iowa Links of Interest
Reiman Gardens
Ames
Granted, it's practically in my back yard, but this is my favorite place to spend a pleasant, peaceful couple of hours.
Willow Glen Nurseries
Decorah
Some of the most progressive, innovative plant selections available in Iowa! And a gorgeous display garden that's worth the trip to Decorah.
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Sponsored Links
Country Landscapes Ames
Serving all of Iowa. High-quality plants,
very good selection, and an excellent design service, especially with
water features.
Snap! Creative Works A service of Ginger Johnson, creative consultant, blogger, and "solutionist" who can help with brainstorming, unconventional thinking, and connectivity. |
Quote of the Week
"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."
William Blake
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