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Is It Spring Yet?
Greetings!
The calendar tells me it's almost mid-April but looking out my window, it seems like early March. We seem to be a good three weeks behind "normal" bloom times, however you might define "normal" for an Iowa spring. (Remember last year, when we were a good three weeks ahead of normal?)
My garden journal tells me that by now, in most years, we'd be surrounded by flowers--daffodils going full tilt, forsythia exploding in brilliant gold, ever-blooming bleeding heart producing tiny flowers before the fern-like foliage is even fully developed, and tulips and hyacinths just starting their colorful display.
Oh well. Such are the vagaries of gardening, especially in the Midwest where the only predictable thing about the weather is that it will be unpredictable.
Meanwhile, I'll try to appreciate that the late spring has given me extra time to finish up those projects indoors. Soon enough, I'll be putting in long days in the garden, trying to get caught up!
Happy Delayed Gardening!
Veronica Lorson Fowler
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Trees, Trees, Trees!
 Thinking about planting a tree this spring? There are some great resources available to you. Best Native Trees I really like this pdf flier from Iowa State on "20 Iowa Native Trees to Plant." Excellent information. Print and tuck it into your garden journal, take it along to the nursery, or if you're tech saavy, link to it or download it to your smart phone so the information is always at the ready. Trees Forever Also check out your local Trees Forever. This Iowa based non-profit is dedicated to planting more trees in intelligent, useful ways. My local Trees Forever here in Ames is offering $50 vouchers for trees in conjunction with attending a 30-minute workshop Saturday, May 4 starting at 9:30 at Lowes. The Des Moines TreeKeepers Trees Forever group also offers events and information. Get on your local Tree Forever's email or contact list to stay up on nifty deals and projects! Discounts on Trees Through Utility Companies Also check out the deep discount Alliant Energy offers for buying a shade tree (helps reduce cooling costs!) Operation ReLeaf offers high-quality trees that would normally sell for as much as $125 for just $25, while supplies last. MidAmerica Energy has a similar tree program. Click here for details. How...ahem, cool is that? Save money; save the planet!
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Advertisement
 Looking for beautiful flowers to grow under that shade tree where "nothing" else thrives? Check out the line of shade perennials from In the Country Garden and Gifts.
Case in point: Bergenia Dragonfly 'Angel Kiss' can brighten any shady area and you can buy it right now for a beautiful display this summer. There are also many other shade-loving perennials available.
Located in Independence, Iowa.
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 Force Spring
You can't force the weather, but you can force some flowers! "Forcing" is a rather brutal name for a lovely process. Just cut branches of forsythia (shown here in my living room), pussy willow, redbud, crabapple, magnolia, witch hazel, and nearly any fruit tree as many as a few weeks before they'd normally bloom. Then put in a vase of water indoors in the warmth. Flowers will open in a few to several days. Click here for details.
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Advertisement
 A New Source for Top-Quality Compost in Central Iowa
I was excited to find out that central Iowa once again has a company that can supply excellent quality compost. It's been hard to find in recent years!
Steenhoek Environmental, located just north of Ames, is family-run business that supplies both pure compost and soil-compost blends. For a fee, they'll
 deliver compost to your home. Or your can drive to their business and fill everything from a truck to 5-gallon buckets. Best of all, mention that you are a reader of The Iowa Gardener and you'll get 5 percent off any purchase over $50!
Call Chad Steenhoek 515-203-0072 or visit their website by clicking here.
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Mother's Day Alert!
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 12. Do you know where your Mother's Day gift is?
If not, let us suggest a signed copy of "Gardening in Iowa," a book that I
wrote for the University of Iowa Press. To make it extra special, if you like, I'll add the inscription of your choice. Order by May 7 to assure Mother's Day delivery. Click here for ordering instructions.
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April
To-Do
 Take advantage of upcoming nice days to get out in your yard and pick up trash and sticks, inspect for winter damage, and just generally check out the state of your garden.
If perennials are sending up a little fresh growth, rake leaves out of flower beds and cut back any perennials left standing.
Edge beds, walks, and drives as desired.
Time to prune most large trees, small trees, evergreens, and shrubs. You can also prune roses now.
Once you can easily work the soil outside, plant directly in the ground seeds of fast-germinating cool-season vegetables, such as radishes, spinaches, and lettuces.
Plant bareroot trees, shrubs, and roses. Click here for a complete list of what to plant when this month and the rest of the year.
The bright yellow forsythia will be blooming soon. When it does, that means its time to sprinkle any preemergent herbicide (kills weed seeds, such as Preen) on flower beds, if you choose to use it. It's also the time to apply a preemergent to your lawns. Or save time with a weed and feed combo!
Stock up! Work off spring fever by buying pots, potting soil, seeds and seed-starting supplies, tools, soil amendments, fertilizers, etc. And get out there and clean up and organize your garage or shed, wash pots, etc.
How's your mower? If you didn't get it tuned up last fall and the blade sharpened, do it yourself now or take it in before the spring rush.
Same for any shears or other sharp cutting or slicing objects, including spades and hoes. If you haven't already, invest in a sharpening stone. It makes all the difference. Click here to learn how.
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Editor's Choice
Garden Events
Floral Design Classes
Reiman Gardens, Ames
6:30 p.m. Learn the basics of floral design while creating beautiful arrangements to take home. Learn the tips and skills used by the pros and create your own one-of-a-kind floral designs. Those who complete all twelve classes will receive a certificate of floral design from Reiman Gardens.
Tuesday, April 16 is the class on bud vase design.
Click here to sign up for one, four, or all 12 of these classes.
Cost for the general public is $40 or sign up for all 12 classes for $400 or pick 4 for $130.
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Garden Quote
"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March."
- Robert Frost,
Two Tramps in Mud Time,1926
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