|
Plant, Plant, Plant!
Greetings!
 With all the rain we've been having, I've been a weeding
fool. A good rain makes the soil softly yielding so I can efficiently pull deep-rooted trees and the tiny, fragile roots of creeping bellflower--my absolutely worst
weed.
Now
it's time to turn my attention to planting. Sure, I've got done some radishes, lettuces and pansies, but with Ames' frost date
just a couple weeks away, (somewhere between May 10 and 15), it's time to get
serious. I need to amass several flats of marigolds, impatiens, salvia, and more
to tuck in here and there in my perennial beds.
The
real task will be finding a tree. Arbor Day is April 30, the same day my nephew Collyn turns 13. I'll be in Kansas visiting but ssshhh.
Don't tell him. For his birthday gift, I'm buying him a tree!
I
know this sounds like deepest plant geekiness. And, in fact, it is. But
he'll be planting it on his family's farm. Some day, I hope, he'll be an old man and stand there, appreciating the spreading tree--his
tree--that he planted when he was a boy.
Yours in hopeless botanical nerddom,
 Veronica Lorson Fowler |
|
Advertisement
|
Water Thirsty Plants Less!
 Save water and time and keep even those perennials that
can't seem to get enough water well hydrated.
When
planting astilbe, ligularia, cannas, hydrangeas, and others, lay a piece of
plastic at the bottom of the planting hole. Water will stay right at the roots!
Click here for more details.
|
What Tree For You?
A tree is an investment that will last for decades if not
centuries.
Yet
every tree in your yard, I've found, has its set of advantages and
disadvantages. Know what you're getting so you don't end up for years cursing your
choice or eventually cutting it  down in frustration.
To
plant the right tree in the right place, check out information from the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Interested
in a tree native to Iowa? Click here.
Looking
for a tree to plant along the street in Iowa? Click here.
|
Advertisement
|
Don't Plant Those Marigolds Yet!
 Wait until the last average
frost date to plant outdoors those annuals that can't take any frost, including
marigolds, impatiens, tomatoes, peppers, basil, and more.
That's
May 10 for southern Iowa and May 15 for northern Iowa. Planting them any
earlier is a gamble that we'll get a late frost and your investment will get
zapped.
You
can, however, plant all trees, shrubs, perennials, and cool-season annuals now.
Click here for a printable listing of What to Plant When in Iowa.
|
|
 Crabapple Wallpaper
The Iowa Gardener co-creator and photographer extraordinaire,
Benjamin Allen, shot this in his front yard in Des Moines. Click here to do a simple download and save it as your computer wallpaper!
|
|
Garden Quote:
"Walking through puddles is
my favorite metaphor for life."
- Jessi Lane Adams
|
Advertise with The Iowa Gardener
Your business will reach thousands of avid local gardeners with some of the most reasonable rates around. Click here for advertiser information, which includes a publishing schedule, or email us at info@theiowagardener.com. |
|
|
Sponsored Links
Iowa City Landscaping and Garden Center No one offers a more complete line of high-quality, aesthetically pleasing garden décor products. Choose from ˇ Home accessories ˇ Interesting pots ˇ Cool fountains ˇ Romantic candles ˇ Plant care products ˇ Seeds ˇ Seasonal decorations. If it's related to gardening, it's a good bet we have it! Ted's Garden Center, Cummings This
one-of-a-kind spot has topiary, unusual trellises, interesting garden
art, container "recipes," and more. Spring
Fling continues this week with some of the best deals of the season. May 1 take
a class on Pots with Pizazz at 10 am-noon or on Patio Produce at 1-3. Bring mom out on
Mother's Day weekend May 8-9 for a FREE bouquet and chocolate
while supplies last. Call on Anne Larson
The Garden Coach! Up to your elbows in potting soil and plants? Iowa Gardening Coach Anne Larson makes house calls! Fill in that bloom time gap, add pizazz to your color scheme, or update your foundation planting. 515-865-7483. |
Garden To-Do List
For a printable version of this list for April, click here.
 The last average frost date is almost here! It's May 10 for
southern Iowa and May 15 for northern Iowa. That means you can plant anything
outdoors now and not worry about it getting damaged by cold.
So
tuck in those tomato plants, peppers, basil, and other annual edibles and flowers
after that date.
Plant gladiolus corms, canna rhizomes, and tuberous begonia
tubers now the soil is adequately warm.
Finish up planting of lettuces and spinach from seed.
You can continue to divide perennials that bloom in the summer or
fall now, as needed or desired. Hold off on dividing those that bloom in late
spring until either after they bloom or this fall.
Finish up pruning trees, shrubs, evergreens, and
roses now as desired.
Continue to plant trees, shrubs, and roses now. However,
avoid planting bare-root roses and other bare-root plants after the middle of May.
Continue to plant perennial edibles that like cool weather,
such as rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, and asparagus.
Wait to plant the seeds of corn, squash, cucumbers, and
beans. They like warm soil. Plant these the last week of May in southern Iowa,
the first week of June in northern.
If you choose to use a preemergent weed killer, such as
Preen, in your beds and borders, now is the time to apply it. Organic versions
are also available. Look for products that also fertilize.
You can mulch now, though I like to wait until the soil warms
up more --which is usually about the time the daffodils are all fading.
If you like, erect supports for peonies now while they're
small. Once in flower, they tend to flop badly, especially after a rain. You
can buy grow-through supports, or just use smaller-type tomato supports.
Don't remove
the browning foliage of tulips and daffodils until it pulls away easily. The
plants need it to rejuvenate for next year.
Now is a great time to build a raised bed. Click here to find out how.
|
Garden Events
Friday,
April 30Learn to Plant Trees for Arbor DayBrenton
Arboretum 4:30-6:30 pm. Learn to
properly plant trees on Arbor Day! $5.
Saturday and Sunday May 1-2Polk County Master Gardeners Plant Sale, Des
Moines Botanical Center
8 am-4:30 pm Saturday; 12:30-4:30 pm. Sunday. Annual flowers
and vegetables, hardy and tropical perennials, and others. Saturday, May 1May Day Play DayBrenton
Arboretum 1-3 pm. A treasure map leads children on a
nature discovery tour. Look for tadpoles, make a fort and use a compass. $5.
Click here for a listing of more garden events. |
|
