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Current Issue: April 8, 2025
Featured Content
Featured Publication: Asparagus in the Home Garden
FAQ of the Week: When should I plant potatoes?
Bloom of the Week: Pansies
Problem of the Week: Crabgrass
Task of the Week: Watch for late spring freezes
Garden Variety Podcast: Lettuce help you with your vegetable garden

Ornamental Vegetable Gardens

Vegetable gardens are not always known to be the most attractive garden spaces, but this doesn’t mean they can’t be. Get tips on how to create a vegetable garden pretty enough to be in the front yard!

An attractive vegetable garden surrounding a wooden corner bench.

Garden Trivia


What term is used to describe growing rhubarb in complete darkness?


Read on to see the answer!

Staked newly planted trees.

Spring Garden Tasks for Trees and Shrubs

As winter fades and spring arrives, several things can be done to prepare trees and shrubs for the upcoming growing season.

All About Scientific Names

Botanical or scientific names can seem confusing, but they actually eliminate confusion by providing a universal way to refer to plants. Learn about all the components that make up a scientific name and how to write one appropriately.

Pink roses surrounding a plant tag reading Rainbow Knock Out Rose Rosa RADcor.
Lenten rose or Hellebores plants in the garden.

Lovely Lenten Roses


Lenten roses, or Hellebores, bloom early with nodding, colorful flowers, and evergreen foliage. They thrive in partial to full shade, prefer well-drained soil, and resist deer and rabbit damage. Numerous cultivars offer diverse colors and make them a cherished addition to landscapes.

Notes and Photos: Garden Clues that Help Solve Plant Health Problems

Monitoring and keeping track of your garden will help you detect small irregularities before they become major. Explore the ways a plant disease diagnostician recommends keeping records of your garden.

A person using a smartphone to take a photo of strawberry plants.
Wilting poinsettias on a table in a greenhouse.

Watering Plants in Containers and Plug Trays

While watering is one of the more common tasks we do when caring for plants, it’s often one of the most misunderstood. Successful watering comes from using a combination of techniques to accurately determine when and how much to water.

Basics of Spring frost damage prevention for strawberries and apples


Spring frost damage in strawberries and apples can have significant consequences for yield and fruit quality. Learn about a few of the protective measure options growers can use to mitigate damage.

Four white strawberry flowers. Three of the flowers have black centers indicating frost damage.
Other Items of Interest

Garden Trivia Answer


Forcing. Forced rhubarb is more tender, sweeter, redder, and ready to harvest earlier than traditionally grown rhubarb. Learn more about forcing rhubarb in this article: Growing Rhubarb in Iowa: Forcing.

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Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic

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