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A Peek at Spring
Greetings!
 I woke up the morning after the final game of the girls' state basketball championship and noted happily that we had apparently missed the traditional snowstorm that always seems to happen that weekend. Well, wrong. Late that morning, a mixture of freezing rain and snow blanketed much of the state. Ugh. But I don't care what the weather is doing. It's spring. Little green shoots are coming up in my garden and trees are just starting to bud and there's pussy willow in full glory on my kitchen table. It's spring. Because, dang it, I said so! Happy Gardening,  Veronica Lorson Fowler |
In The Country Garden
and Gifts Workshops
Take a weekend morning to relax and putter with plants at either of two workshops at In the Country Garden and Gifts just outside of Independence. It's reknown for its hostas and its water garden plants.
Sign up for a Saturday, April 18 workshop making a succulent dish garden. Perfect for any sunny, baked spot on your deck or patio. Or on Saturday, April 25 explore the cool world of carnivorous bog plants and create a dish garden with pitcher plants, Venus fly traps, sundews, and more. Cost for each is $40 and includes dish and plants. |
The First Flower in Iowa!
Congratulations to the winner of our "first flower" contest. Anne Chambers of Sidney, Iowa, sent in this shot of snowdrops blooming in the garden. It was shot February 26. Wow! Anne gets a free copy of the book I wrote, "Gardening in Iowa." |
Prune-O-Rama
 Now is a great time to get started on pruning. I personally like to wait until things juuust start budding out a little to see what's live and what's not (especially with roses). But right now, while plants are almost completely dormant, is also very good.
How do you prune? Check out these links:
Pruning Basics
Pruning Tools
How to Prune Shrubs
How to Prune Small Trees
How to Prune Large Established Trees
How to Prune Evergreens
How to Prune Roses
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Cutting Back Perennials
Some of you have emailed me on how to "prune" perennials. Well, actually, perennials aren't pruned; they're cut back. Cut back perennials in the fall or the spring-there are two schools of thought on the best time. But no matter when you do it, basically just cut them back to a couple of inches.
Tip: Use an electric hedge trimmer to cut back perennials. You can find one for about $30 and it's my favorite tool for slicing right through dead ornamental grasses, baptisia, Siberian irises, and other woody or otherwise hard-to-cut-back perennials. It reduces cutting back my extensive perennial beds from several hours to under 1 hour. And no blisters!
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Pick Up Some Pansies
Pansies are one of the few garden flowers that can take a light frost or even some snow. They're great to plant at the end of the March in windowboxes, planters, or a big pot by the front door (I find they don't thrive as well in the cold, semi-frozen ground). These cool-season annuals will be great until June's heat hits. Then they get leggy and brown and it's time to pull them out and replace them with warm-season annuals, such as marigolds or petunias.
So keep an eye out or call around to find out who is carrying them. Then take them home and enjoy their bright colors while so much of the world is still brown and gray.
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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
 When your flower beds and borders start sending out new, green growth, begin pulling away debris, leaves and any winter mulch you layered on.
Prune as desired. In our last newsletter, I said to wait until July to prune oaks, but I should clarify: You can also do it now. However, do not prune oaks from April through June or you'll be encouraging oak wilt disease.
Do you have a compost heap? If not, start one now. It's invaluable. And if you already have one, but have too much stuff in it, consider creating a small pit for composting. Clever and a major space saver!
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Garden Events
Spring Break Festival For Kids!
Des Moines Botanical Center
Tuesday, March 17- Thursday, March19
Spring break activities with games and prizes and more! Runs
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
How to Prune and Restore Crabapple Trees Workshop
The Brenton Arborteum, Dallas Center
Saturday, March 14
9:00-11:00 a.m., free but preregistration
is required.
Iowa Flower, Lawn, and Garden Show
Des Moines, State Fairgrounds
Friday, March 20-Sunday, March 22
Display gardens, lots of vendors for plant lovers from across the state
Easter Brunch in the Gardens
Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha
Easter Sunday, April 12
Enjoy an elegant lunch in a beautiful setting. $25 per adult. Make reservations by April 8.
2009 Siouxland Garden Show
South Sioux City, Nebraska
Friday, March 20-Saturday, March 21
Exhibits, presentations, how-to sessions, and commercial exhibitors.
Please send us your group's upcoming garden events!
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Sponsored Links
Reiman Gardens
Ames
Especially when there's snow and ice outside, the butterfly house and indoor tropical garden
are warm and wonderful. Heirloom Gardens
Van Meter
An amazing array of more than 500 varieties. I love this place's taste in plants! And the display gardens are a treat to stroll through.
Skycrest GardensAmes This mom-and-pop operation sells garden plants, including a good selection of water garden plants, from their driveway. Marilyn Kenney's display gardens are beautiful and husband Tom's water gardens are impressive. Limited hours. |
Quote of the Week
"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."
- Doug Larson
Green Bay (Wisconsin) Press-Gazette newspaper columnist
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