After gardening in Iowa for more than a quarter of a century, I’ve learned some hard-won lessons.

When I first moved here from Kansas nearly 30 years ago, I wish someone would have told me these things early on. I would have saved me a lot of work, expense, and heartbreak!

• Iowa is a great gardening climate!

Sometimes I think Iowa’s gardening climate gets a bad rap because our winters are so brutally cold. But we have gorgeous soil and overall ample rainfall, without the brutal heat that prevents growing a large number of plants. Land is relatively available, too, so we have more space than some urban areas. If you want to have a pretty garden in Iowa, it’s very doable.

• The best plants for Iowa are…

The best plants for Iowa aren’t drought-tolerant or necessarily natives or “wildflowers”. They’re plants that can stand extremes of heat and cold, wet and dry. In the land-locked Midwest, we can have a very cold winter followed by a very hot (and humid) summer, not to mention breathtakingly quick changes in the weather.

• Know your natives

Terminology is confusing. A wildflower can be something that grows wild anywhere in the world. Or it can be a plant from another continent that started growing on its own in the wild, the way ditch daylilies have. And be careful about native plants. It may be native to a shady swamp in Florida—hardly a great choice for your front yard in Iowa. Look for natives touted as prairie or Midwestern natives, especially upper Midwestern natives. American woodland natives also are often good choices for shady spots, as long as they’re native to places similar to Iowa. Here’s a great University of Iowa resource for finding native plants in Iowa.

• Snow is good

Except for that bit about having to shovel it from your driveway, be happy about it. It’s often called “white mulch” and protects perennials and roses from extreme cold. Conversely, when we are having a few wonderfully warm days in January and February, beware. Those days thaw out plants and trick them into thinking it’s spring, sometimes prompting too-early growth that will get zapped when the next cold front hits. The freeze-thaw cycle also can heave more shallow-rooted plants out of the ground.

• Read labels with a grain of salt

Plant retailers tend to overstate plant hardiness. Most of Iowan is in Zone 5, with some spots in the northern part in Zone 4 and a tiny bit in the southeast part in Zone 6. If you live in Zone 4, try to find plants that do well in Zone 3. And if you live in Zone 5, try to find plants that do well in Zone 4.

• Reconsider hybrid tea roses

On that note, keep in mind that hybrid tea roses (touted as Zone 5), are often called the most expensive annuals you can buy. They’re beautiful, and are unsurpassed for cutting, but they require mounding and wrapping to last most Iowa winters. Even then, it’s a crap shoot. They are also disease and pest magnets in our climate.

• Compost. Compost. Compost.

Nothing improves soil more than compost. Every good garden must have a compost heap. Or two. Or six. Good gardeners spend lots of time, every year, improving their soil by working in lots of compost. And they work in perfecting their composting skills every year. It’s something you get a knack for.

• Gardeners love to share plants

Take advantage of gardeners’ generosity. Don’t be shy! Some of my favorite plants have been from friends and family, and it’s the best way to have a gorgeous garden on a budget. Plus, if someone has enough to share, you know they are plants that do well in Iowa.

• Much good comes from mulch

Mulch often and well. It conserves moisture, supresses weeds, and prevents certain diseases. There are few plants that shouldn’t be mulched. Mulch perennials, trees, and shrubs with shredded bark mulch. I like to order it in bulk in the spring to save money. Mulch vegetables with newspaper topped with grass clippings.

• Recgonize “negative ornamental value”

Jeff Iles, horticulture department chair at Iowa State, taught me this one. If a plant is struggling and looks ugly, pitch it, cut it down, or dig it up. Plants don’t live forever. (This is especially true of houseplants!) We Iowans are a thrifty lot and hate to get rid of something we paid good money for.

• Kill a lot of plants

Most of the really good gardeners I know—including me—aren’t fazed by killing a lot of plants. They know it’s all part of the learning process—learning about gardening, your climate, and your yard. If you’ve spent a lot of money, it does sting, but don’t label yourself as having a black thumb. Good gardeners expect to lose a good number of plants every year, or plant something that never came up. Embrace it!

— Veronica Lorson Fowler
Ames, Iowa

Other Links Of Interest:

Compost For Beginners In Three Easy Steps

20 Must-have Perennials For Iowa

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