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...because all the best garden advice is local

April 7, 2016
  Veronica with dafodils
 
  
Spring seems to be playing peek-a-boo this year. One day sunny and gorgeous; another day cold and wet. One hour sunny; next hour sleet.
   But oh well. Each day the sun feels warmer, stays around longer, and more plants in my garden are bursting into bloom. I deem thee officially Spring!
   When it's not too cold, or too windy, or too wet, or too dark, I grab the opportunity to get out there and start all those spring gardening tasks--raking, trimming, pruning, edging, and even a little planting. (Check out our handy-dandy to-to list to the right.)
   Strategically, I've scheduled a brunch for old college chums at my house on the last day of April. There's nothing like company coming to give me a deadline to get everything in ship-shape!
 
Yours in busy gardening, 
Veronica Lorson Fowler
 
Wonderful But Weedy
 
A few years ago I planted some beautiful Siberian squill bulbs in my garden. They're no bigger than a marble, and spread rapidly with gorgeous blue flowers. Now they are threatening to take over my hosta bed, and have somehow migrated to other parts of the garden (probably when I was moving around other plants and soil).
   So this month I have the odd task of ripping them out of spots where they don't belong so they don't take over those areas, too. It' true--a weed is just a plant, however beautiful, in the wrong spot!
           

Grass Seed Basics
 
Whether you are planting a new area or simply overseeding your existing lawn to thicken up the grass, check out these helpful grass seed planting tips:
   * Use grass seed that you purchased this growing season. Old grass seed from last year will germinate poorly, if at all.
   * In spring, plant grass seed when temperatures are regularly up in the mid-60s. They sprout best when it's neither too warm nor too cold.
   * Make sure your seed gets regular moisture for the first two weeks. If possible, plant right before a rainy spell. Otherwise, water daily until grass is about an inch high
 

 
Home Recipe to Prevent Mildew 
Powdery mildew doesn't show up on plants until late summer. But then the gray, powdery stuff starts showing up on roses, lilacs, asters, bee-balm, and more.
   It can be controlled only by prevention. Once it shows up, it's too late.
   So mix together this scientifically proven mixture of baking soda, soap, and water and spray on plants a few times now to prevent problems later. 


Garden Quote  
 
"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul." 
--  Luther Burbank

Issue: 126
Monthly To-Do
 
 Not sure what to plant when in your Iowa garden? Click here for a complete listing.

 Be careful about working the soil when it's too wet. It may stick together and then dry into hard clumps that will be difficult to break apart.

 If you haven't already, rake away any leaves from around perennials. They're sending up fresh new growth that will be suffocated if covered.

 Edge beds, walks, and drives as desired.

 Time to prune most large trees, small trees, evergreens, and shrubs. You can also prune roses as soon as they start to send out little red branch buds.

 Plant directly into 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.

 Prevent diseases and insects on fruit trees by spraying with horticultural oil, also called dormant oil. Do so when there is little wind and temps are in the 40s.

 The bright yellow forsythia is blooming soon. 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 now on pots, potting soil, seeds and seed-starting supplies, tools, soil amendments, fertilizers, 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.

 As your bulbs come up, make a record of where to plant new ones this fall. Take pictures or write it down or draw it on a piece of paper. Keep them someplace where you can reference them next fall--a garden journal perhaps?
Editor's Choice 
Garden Events  
 
May 5-8
Parties, plant sales, demos, and lectures are the highlights of this three-day celebration of gardener's favorite season.!