Garden Variety

When you encounter an insect in a surprising place it can be alarming, particularly if you’re one of the many people who has an uncomfortable relationship with insects. Entomologist Zach Schumm of Iowa State University joins to give us the tools we need to decide if an insect is a pest or something we should leave in peace.

Catalog descriptions and garden center tags can make every cultivar sound like the best one, but firsthand experience can make all the difference. Horticulture specialist Dan Fillius of Iowa State University shares the cultivars he loves to plant and what makes them stand out in a home garden.

When plants start growing and insects start buzzing, plant diseases aren't far behind. There's no way to protect your garden from everything that can go wrong, but there are things you can do to prevent some common diseases. Chelsea Harbach of the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University joins to discuss disease prevention.

When you plant a tree, the hope is that it will remain healthy and strong for decades but the recommendations for what to plant often change faster than the trees themselves, sometimes creating frustration and even controversy. On this Horticulture Day, we talk with Jeff Iles, professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, about how recommended plant and tree lists are created and why they sometimes spark debate.

Spring is the perfect time to start planting fruit trees, bushes, vines and brambles. While it may take some time before you can enjoy the fruits of your labor, choosing the right cultivars can make all the difference in creating a successful home harvest. Randall Vos, an Iowa State University Extension horticulture specialist, talks about how to select the best cultivars for your garden.

A few days of sunny weather in late winter or early spring, and the bugs are immediately back. It raises questions like, how do these tiny creatures survive in subzero conditions? We explore that question with Laura Iles, director of the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center.

Our relationship with fruit trees is a little different than our relationship with other trees. Iowa State University’s Suzanne Slack shares advice about when and how to prune fruit trees, vines and bushes.

Extremely cold temperatures can put pressure and tension on trees as the outside freezes faster than the inside. This can cause cracks in the tree. Frost cracking has been around forever, but only recently has the idea of “exploding trees” gone viral. In this bonus episode, DNR Forester Mark Vitosh joins us to bust some myths and give advice on what to do if your tree does crack.

Some trees, like oaks, need to be pruned during the dormant season to avoid diseases — though you'll likely want to wait for warmer winter days. Mark Vitosh, district forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, joins the show to talk about winter tree maintenance.

African violets are beautiful, endlessly varied and just finicky enough to make growing them a rewarding challenge. Iowa State University horticulturists Cindy Haynes and Aaron Steil talk all things African Violets and share gardening New Year’s resolutions.

Have you got your Christmas tree yet? If you haven't, there's still enough time to check out your local ditch. In this bonus episode, we hear from one caller about his holiday tradition of sourcing his tree from the side of the road.

As winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah and the solstice bring light into the darkest time of year, we’re taking a closer look at the plants tied to those traditions — beyond poinsettias and Christmas trees.

When you buy a Christmas tree at a farm, tree lot, or store, you’re buying an agricultural product. More than 35 million Christmas trees are harvested every year in the United States, and there are approximately 200 Christmas tree growers in Iowa. DNR Forester Mark Vitosh is here to give us some insight into the industry that brings so many people joy this time of year. To further grow your gardening knowledge, sign up for our Garden Variety newsletter.

Our horticulture experts brainstorm solutions for a well-intended caller who gifted his wife a tropical plant in a Midwestern climate.

Storage, sauce and cider. There are a number of ways that we can continue to savor the tastes of apple season into the winter months.