I had the opportunity to interview TV/radio host, author and gardening expert Melinda Myers several years ago when she was in Iowa for the Winter Gardening Fair. Just months later, she sent timely information on coping with flooded landscapes as Eastern Iowa was inundated by floodwaters. Melinda, who has a new book coming out this […]
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Category: gardening
My “issue” with hoarding
I shouldn’t be ashamed to admit this. I mean, it could be worse. Some people hoard “stuff.” Others stockpile food or even guns. Every fall, my annual hoarding tradition begins when I get the rake out of the garage. The object of my obsession: leaves.
Photo gallery: Last gasp of autumn
I feel somewhat cheated. After enduring an especially hot Iowa summer, it seems we’ve jumped straight into winter. It’s rare that we would get a full three months of fall, as the calendar dictates, but it would have been nice to have more than a week or two, (or was it just a day or […]
Ready for the big freeze? Five ways to p...
We shouldn’t be surprised that in mid-to-late October, we have a frost warning in Iowa. Normally, we would have seen at least a light frost by now, if not already a killing freeze. In fact, this map from The Weather Channel shows that Iowa is already past the average date of the first freeze. Here […]
Iowa mystery caterpillar looking for an ...
UPDATE: Laura Jesse, entomologist with Iowa State University Extension, said while she is not 100 percent certain from the photograph, it appears the mystery caterpillar is what several of us suspected: a white-lined sphinx moth. “They have a lot of variability,” she noted, and sent along this link: http://bugguide.net/node/view/3071 Previous post: A Homegrown reader is […]
Upcoming Backyard Abundance classes help...
Wouldn’t it be nice to step outside your door to harvest what you need for dinner? And wouldn’t it be even better if that food could grow with minimal effort? Iowa City-based Backyard Abundance is offering a series of classes that show you really can have it both ways. Read more from Backyard Abundance Director, […]
Homegrown Harvest contest reminder
We finally received some much-needed rain in Iowa, but even before that, I was hearing about this year’s abundant harvest season. Tomatoes and other vegetables are productive and gardeners who want to show off the season’s bounty can do so in the Homegrown Harvest contest. Entering is simple. Just post a photo or describe your […]
Win a one-year Iowa Valley Food Co-op me...
UPDATE (Oct. 1) – Congratulations to Stacey Lindsay, whose name was drawn as the winner of the Homegrown Harvest contest! Thank you to all of who participated here and on the Homegrown Facebook page!! ———————————————— What gardener isn’t proud of a bumper crop of blueberries, mouthwatering melon or a flawless Fuzzy Bomb tomato? Now is […]
Brucemore Garden and Art Show returns Sa...
CEDAR RAPIDS – You can’t walk away from the Brucemore Garden and Art Show without learning something new, and often, buying something new, as well. Gardening experts offer tips on raised beds, insect identification, heirloom vegetables and much more, while vendors sell garden art, pottery, jewelry and other artwork.
Are you seeing Naked Ladies?
It’s that time of summer. Not the one where people shed their clothes, though that might be happening somewhere, too. This is the magical moment when naked ladies, also known as surprise or resurrection lilies, simultaneously appear after being nearly invisible for the majority of the season.