December Gardening Tip—from GARDENING IN IOWA AND SURROUNDING AREAS

"When leaving on vacation, keep potted plants healthy by watering well and covering them with a clear dry-cleaning bag. The plants will stay watered for up to three weeks."—Darlene Lorenz, Independence Garden Club

Gardening in Iowa and Surrounding Areas, by Veronica Lorson Fowler with the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa

October Gardening Tip—from GARDENING IN IOWA AND SURROUNDING AREAS

"Do not cut down the tops of asparagus until it's been killed by frost. The longer the tops remain, the more food will be stored in the roots to produce next spring's crop."—Marshalltown Garden Club

Gardening in Iowa and Surrounding Areas, by Veronica Lorson Fowler with the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa

September Gardening Tip—from GARDENING IN IOWA AND SURROUNDING AREAS

"If deer are a problem in your garden, plant daffodils and forget tulips. Deer relish tulips but won't touch daffodils."—Arleen Troester, Colesburg Garden Club

Gardening in Iowa and Surrounding Areas, by Veronica Lorson Fowler with the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa

August Gardening Tip—from GARDENING IN IOWA AND SURROUNDING AREAS

When harvesting onions for storage, let the tops hang below the bulbs on the edge of a table. When the onions have dried, trim them to within one and a half inches of the bulb. Twist the stub very tightly. This helps the onions keep better.
—Martha Shibe, Marshalltown Garden Club

Gardening in Iowa and Surrounding Areas, by Veronica Lorson Fowler with the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa

July Gardening Tip—from GARDENING IN IOWA AND SURROUNDING AREAS

"To make sure your tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and squash get enough water, sink into the ground a few inches from the plant a large tin can with the top removed and holes punched into the bottom. When watering, water the soil around the plant and also fill the can."—Leone Sauer, Quasqueton Garden Club

Gardening in Iowa and Surrounding Areas, by Veronica Lorson Fowler with the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa

April Gardening Tip—from GARDENING IN IOWA AND SURROUNDING AREAS

"To contain plants that spread quickly and can become invasive (such as mint and lily-of-the-valley), plant them in a piece of sewer pipe or a bucket or plastic pot with the bottom cut or knocked out."
—Lucille Keeling, Federated Flower Art Club, Cedar Falls

Gardening in Iowa and Surrounding Areas, by Veronica Lorson Fowler with the Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa