Current Issue: September 17, 2024
Featured Content
Featured Publication: Growing and Overwintering Tender Perennials
FAQ of the Week: How can I identify the apple tree variety in my backyard?
Bloom of the Week: Chrysanthemum
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Yard & Garden: Cool Season Annuals
Yard & Garden: Tomato Problems
Pest of the Week: Creeping Charlie
Task of the Week: Bring houseplants back indoors before frost
Garden Variety Podcast: Iowa's fields of green are turning gold

How to Grow Perennials from Seed

Growing perennials from seed provide a cost-effective way to get a diverse mix of perennials. Learn about collecting and sowing seed, breaking dormancy, and the germination requirements of several common and easy-to-grow-from-seed perennials.

Garden Trivia


True or False? The beautiful fall colors we see in trees and shrubs appear because the compounds that create yellows, oranges, purples, and reds are revealed when the green chlorophyll that was masking them dies.


Read on to see the answer!

Gardening in the Air Virtual Symposium Returns in 2024!

The 2024 Gardening in the Air virtual symposium is on Saturday, October 19, 2024. It features presentations from three tracks, including Gardening in a Changing Environment, Edible Vegetables, and Nature Critters. Learn more about this free educational opportunity and register to attend. 

Ripening of Green Tomatoes

As the growing season winds down, many gardeners have abundant green tomatoes that won’t ripen before frost. Green tomatoes can be harvested and ripened indoors using these steps.

Late Summer and Fall Lawn Care

There are many things to do to the lawn starting in mid-August through October. To keep lawns healthy and thriving, adjust mowing height, aerate, seed or overseed new and thin lawns, remove fallen leaves, water as needed, and fertilize.

Winning Flowers Perfect for Your Pollinator Garden


A few All-America Selection winners perfect for adding to your pollinator garden next year include a celosia, blanket flower, and Mexican sunflower. Read more about these winners in this article.

Other Items of Interest

Garden Trivia Answer


True and false! Some of the colors are revealed and other are created. In the fall, the plant restricts the veins to the leaf, cutting off resources. The carotenoids that create the yellow and orange colors are present in the leaves throughout the growing season and are revealed when the green chlorophyll is no longer produced and dies off. The red and purple anthocyanins are produced and accumulate in the leaf because the veins are cut off. Learn more in this article: The Science Behind Fall Color.

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