National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center

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Looking for local nursery & garden center?

CALL US with your favorites.

Also check out:

Iowa Nursery & Landscape Association Member Listing

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Sources of Iowa Grown Tree & Shrub Seedlings, IA DNR Forestry

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A list from nurserytrees.com

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Mystery Email Plants:

Diffenbachia, aka "Dumb cane"

Dracaena sp., aka "Corn plant", probably Dracaena marginata

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Outdoor activities next week, sponsored by our local Sierra Club

Invasive Species Removal

Volunteer at Yellow Banks County Park for invasive species removal beginning in April every Monday night at 6 p.m.  Meet at the maintenance shed just inside the park and wear heavy work shoes or boots, sturdy gloves, long sleeves and long pants.  Difficulty level: Moderate.  Contact Penny at 262-1224 to sign up or to check on weather conditions.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6: 1:30 PM

Clive Greenbelt Hike

Meet at the shelter in Greenbelt Park off the 100^th Street entrance.  Cabin fever relief!  There is usually a lot of wildlife along the trail or through the woods.  Boots are recommended.  Call George at 745-7563 for questions.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13: 10 AM

Spring Fever Symposium at the Iowa Arboretum

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Amorphophallus update - BLOOMING!

Aaron's VooDoo Lily (Amorphophallus konjac) is almost ready to bloom!

and the bloom smells like rotten meat!

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Spring is on its way!

Tulips emerging in Aaron's yard

and Crocus blooming!

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Planting Asparagus in the Home Garden,Richard Jauron,

ISU Extension Horticulture & Home Pest news

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Local Nursery Recommendations

Wagner Nursery

from Wendy:

Spencer/Spirit Lake area , Del's(Spencer) & Ferguson's- in Fort Dodge , Eddie's - in Ames , Holub's - in Cedar Rapids area, Cedar River Garden Center & Culver's Garden Center & lastly near Sac City ,Thistle Down.......yes I get around nursery wise & there are a lot more I visit throughout the season - there's a small 1 by Alta Iowa that was hauling water last year because their well went dry - I hope they open this year because I really like some of the annuals they usually carry.

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Hardy bamboo listing from the Iowa Gardening Forum on GardenWeb

Pansies in the Snow

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Some of our Favorite Early Spring Blooming Plants

 - Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mas)

 - Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis)

 - Siberian Squill (Scilla sibierica)

 - Danford Iris (Iris danfordiae)

 - Pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens)

 - Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)

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Gardening for Butterflies and Other Welcomed Insects

Who are these welcomed insects?

            Butterflies and moths (of course)

            Bees (honey, bumble, mason, and others)

            Dragonflies and Damselflies

            Lightning Bugs

            Pest Predators (Praying Mantis, Beetles, Lady Bugs & Other Beetles)

 How do you welcome them?

            Water source – (remember puddles not ponds)

            Shelter

            Create plant corridors

            Get the neighbors involved

            Change some gardening practices

                        Reduce clean up in fall

                        Reduce tilling

            Reduce turf

            No pesticides!

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What is Baby Corn? Washington State

Jim has grown the BONUS Variety from Shumway.

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Retiree Ordered to Stop Mowing

Guest: Susan Appleget-Hurst

American Horticulture Society Book Awards

Siouxland Garden Show

KSOI 91.9 FM for Southern Iowa Gardening With Susan
  

Applehurst website

Applehurst Facebook page

Groth's Gardens

Stupice Tomato

The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener

Guests: Holly & Joel Gettys

Rain Barrels Iowa

Holly and Joel Gettys

4240 Clinton Avenue

Des Moines, Iowa 50310

rainbarrelsiowa@gmail.com

515-276-6267

Store hours March through September:

Thursdays & Fridays 11-6, plus Saturdays 10-4, and by appointment

Save-the-Rain.com, a calculator

How Much Water Comes Off Your Roof?

Turf Type Tall Fescue

Guest

Ann Marie VanDerZanden   

Professor and Director ISU Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Department of Horticulture

106 Horticulture Hall

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 50011-1100

Phone: 515-294-5075     Fax: 515-294-0730

Email: vanderza@iastate.edu

Sustainable Home Landscaping

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Flora Grubb Gardens, Bayview District, SanFrancisco

The "Carburetor Garden" sits on the hood of the Edsel Garden

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Annual Pruning Workshop

Berry Patch Farm, March 9, 12:30 -2:30PM

fee includes handouts & refreshments: $15.00/person or $20/family

dress for the weather

62785 280th Street

Nevada, IA 50201

515-382-5138    or     877-382-5138

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Other San Francisco Gardens

Annie's Annuals

Marcia Donahue

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Cooking Eggs on Composite Decking

Special Guest Today: Sarah Rummery - Manager of Horticulture, Reiman Gardens - Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Fun Bulbs at Reiman Gardens To Try Forcing as recommended by Sarah

Peruvian Squill - Scilla peruviana

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Define "Bulb"

Acutally the many plants we refer to as having "bulbs" have other bulb-like sturctures like corms, tubers, rhizomes, or tuberous roots.  The more appropriate term would be Geophyte

Geophyte (j-ft) n. a perennial plant propagated by buds on an underground storage organ, such as a bulb, corm, tuber, or rhizome.

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Spring Bulbs to Look For!

Sarah suggests some early spring bulbs, planted in the fall that may be popping up soon outside

Siberian Squill - Scilla siberica

Crocus - Crocus vernus

Snowdrop - Galanthus nivalis

Snowflake - Leucojum aestivum

Striped Squill - Puschkinia scilloides

Winter Aconite - Eranthis hyemalis

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Forcing Spring Bulbs

Maybe you found a few extra bulbs your forgot to plant this fall - you could still try this.  Or just make plans for next year!

Forcing Spring Bulbs - Rhode Island Extension

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Forcing Spring Branches

You can clip and bring in branches of some of your favorite early spring blooming shrubs and force them to bloom.  A great way to add a touch of spring a little early.

Great plants for this include: Forsythia, Magnolia, Redbud, Serviceberry, Witchhazel, Crabapple, and of course.....Pussy Willow

Here is more information on Forcing Spring Branches from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln

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Summer Bulbs

There is still plenty of time to order and plant these spring planted, summer blooming bulbs.

The hardy ones

Asiatic Lily - Lilium - specifically, a nice cultivar called 'Commander In Cheif'

Ornamental Onion - Allium - although many plant their bulbs in the fall - this link will take you to the beautiful star of persia allium (Allium christophii)

Crocosmia - Crocosmia - hardy to zone 5

The tender ones

Caladium - Caladium

Canna - Canna

Gladiolus - Gladiolus

Dahlia - Dahlia

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Pruning Fruit Trees

A nice overview from North Carolina State University - Pruning Fruit Trees

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Got a Sick Plant? Contact the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University

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A Snapshot of Home Gardening in the United States