Osteospermum, image from Ballandscape.com 

Jester Millet, image from plantsaddicts.com

Gerbera Daisy, image form ballseed.com 

​Clear, blue sky this morning but it is cooler out at 31F(-.5C) high today of 58F(15C) Sun now but predicted followed by cloudy skids this afternoon.  We will see.  Stay safe, stay warm.
 
Australia family and friends March 27, Thursday 71F(21C) They too will have cloudy conditions. The humidity is at 83%.  Stay cool, stay safe.
​
I planted these plants yesterday.  I am always learning too. That the Osteospermum and Gerbera Daisy are from the same family.  Now I will ask you which one you like.  These are new for me to grow.  Right now the plants look really well, and they are starting to bloom.  In a 4 ½” pot it Is delightful that they are starting to show color.  This is what I love to see color, and the green little plugs growing. 
 
Hawaii Sunset Mixture Osteospermum
Common Name : African Daisy  Blooming Season : Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring
Plant Habit : Mounded Characteristics : Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Low Maintenance, Frost Tolerant Water : Medium Fertilize : Once a week Spacing : 10-12" (25-30cm)  Height : 10-14" (25-36cm) Width : 14-20" (36-51cm) Exposure : Sun  General Information : In the garden, the full, well-branched plants show off beautiful flowers. Great choice for mass plantings and containers.
Full Shade to Full Sun  (Can Grow In Most Sunlight Conditions)
Pennisetum glaucum ‘Jester’
Pennisetum glaucum ‘Jester’ is an outstanding ornamental grass for all gardens. This annual grass has nodding, ribbon-like foliage tinged with maroon. By fall, its bottlebrush inflorescences transform into large, cylindrical seed spikes that are deep reddish-brown in color. Growing 3-4 feet tall, Jester Ornamental Millet has attractive upright growth. It is an excellent plant for fall and winter interest, as its dried foliage remains standing through the cold months.
Jester Ornamental Millet adds vertical structure to gardens. Its deep foliage color makes it a good companion to colorful flowering annuals. Use this plant as a dramatic focal point in mixed beds or grow several of them as a backdrop for shorter annuals and perennials. Jester Ornamental Millet can be grown in containers as a thriller. Its seed heads attract numerous birds.
Plant Jester Ornamental Millet in full sun for more intense burgundy foliage. Expect more green foliage when growing this plant in partial shade. Jester Ornamental Millet needs average, well-drained soil and will tolerate sandy soils. Once established, it is drought tolerant but benefits from supplemental watering. Fertilize Jester Ornamental Millet soon after planting with a balanced fertilizer. If desired, trim back the dried foliage in the fall.
Jester Ornamental Millet is a warm-season grass, meaning that it grows rapidly in the summer heat. This fast-growing annual starts growing in late spring or early summer and will turn brown during cool weather. Hardy to zones 8-11, Jester Ornamental Millet is best treated as an annual in cooler zones and will not grow successfully indoors over the winter.
Plant Jester Ornamental Millet 10-16 inches apart from other plants. This grass is best grown in containers of at least a gallon or more, especially in mixed container plantings.
Gerbera Jaguar Salsa Mix, and scarlet variety
Common Name: Transvaal Daisy, African Daisy  Plant Habit: Upright  Height: 8 - 10" (20 - 25cm)  Width: 6 - 8" (15 - 20cm)  Exposure: Sun  General Information: Produces 3 to 4-in. (8 to 10-cm) blooms over short, thick stems and a compact rosette of leaves. Very uniform series flowers up to 10 days faster than comparable varieties, producing 3 to 4-in. (8 to 10-cm) bloom over short, thick stems and a compact rosette of leaves. Well-suited to 4.5 to 5-in. (11 to 13-cm) pots.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse 

image from greenhousegrowers.com

image from ballaustralia.com 

      Good morning.  8:00 AM   Cloudy skies today high of 52F(11C) chances of rain tonight.  This is typical spring weather.  Stay safe, stay warm.
 
Australia family and friends for March 26, Wed. with a pleasant day of 72F(22C).  Clear conditions.  You enjoy, stay safe, stay cool. 
 
I am almost asked what I am growing this year that is new.  Here are two that I planted yesterday.  Australia family, do you see that this eucalyptus is native to southeast Aust. 
 
StyX Eucalyptus
Attractive, large, silvery-blue leaves have the typical eucalyptus fragrance. Fast growing, vigorous plants have extraordinary branching. Great for containers, bedding and landscapes. When used as a cut or dried flower, it has a vase life of approx. 7 to 10 days
Plant Details:
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus globulus
Common Name: Gum tree
Exposure: Sun
General Information: Attractive, eye-catching plant with large, silvery-blue leaves. Fast growing and vigorous with extraordinary branching.
Grower Information:
Attractive, eye-catching plant with large, silvery-blue leaves. Fast growing and vigorous with extraordinary branching. True-to-type tested. Native to southeastern Australia.

Dichondra silver surfer new variety of dichondra
Diascia/ Dichondra  ‘Silver Surfer’
• Use: Silvery green foliage looks great in containers. Slightly cupped, disc-shaped leaves cascade along delicate silver stems and can grow up to 5 feet long! Vigorous but not over whelming, dichondra plays well with others. Excellent
branching means it can also work well as a ground cover. Fantastic in hanging baskets. • Exposure/Soil: Full– part sun. Moist, well-drained soil, but
not soggy. Use slow-release fertilizer two times a year. Water regularly, when top 3 in. of soil is dry.  • Growth: Long silvery stems, sometimes reaching 2-4” tall and 10-12” wide feet or more, bear silvery, small leaves.  • Hardiness: Zone 10-11; Annual • Foliage: Rounded fan shaped silver-stemmed foliage with a cascading habit.  • Flower:  Not known for flowers.
See what I plant today and I will share with you.  Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365 Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse 

image from Medineplus 

      Clear, blue sky this morning, sun rise was a very red sky.  It is great to see the sun.  It is cold out at 26F(-3C) reach a high today of 51F(11C) sunny this morning, clouds moving in this afternoon.  Wind has diminished since yesterday so looks like a good day.  Do enjoy spring, stay safe, and stay warm 
 
Australia family and friends for March 25th, will have high today of 69F(21C) with partly cloudy skies.  Sounds like a great fall day for them.  Stay cool, stay safe. 
 
Now that spring is here, we will feel some sort of allergies. These authors give ideas to help with them, but it might be a little hard to follow when all we want to be is outside to work.  Just read for information about why you are suffering from allergies. 
​
Which Trees Are Offenders and Tips to Limit Discomfort  by George and Becky Lohmiller
Spring brings beautiful trees and flowers, but it also wreaks havoc on those with allergies.
What Causes Seasonal Allergies?
The biggest seasonal allergy trigger is pollen. March and April are the months when tree pollen begins to take off in the United States. Your immune system mistakes the pollen entering your nose as a danger, which causes the release of natural histamines, triggering the symptoms that allergy sufferers know all too well: sneezing, itchy eyes, coughs, and runny nose.
Which Plants Cause the Worst Allergies?
It’s the wind-pollinated plants that cause the most problems for allergy sufferers. Their small, dull, inconspicuous flowers produce clouds of tiny, light, pollen grains that are blown aloft for great distances and can easily penetrate window screens.
To increase the chances that at least some pollen grains will reach the appropriate female flowers, plants produce many more grains than are needed—and some end up on our hair, on our clothes, and, alas, in our eyes and nasal passages.
Insect-pollinated plants, on the other hand, have brighter flowers and heavy, sticky pollen grains that tend to stay put and cause few allergies. Instead of the wind, they rely on pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to move their pollen from one flower to another.
The Biggest Offenders
Pollen counts are highest in the spring and fall. Trees, grasses, and weeds are responsible for most windblown pollen. The worst offenders are:
Oak, maple, beech, elm, cedar, mulberry, sycamore, hickory, birch, poplar, and box elder trees, which all produce pollen in the spring.
Most lawn grasses; grass pollen emerges in the spring and continues through summer.
Common weeds such as lamb’s quarter, pigweed, and ragweed, which may produce a million pollen grains on just one plant. Some weed pollen begins in the summer; ragweed, a major allergen, causes problems in late summer and fall.
Not an offender: Goldenrod, which blooms along with ragweed, is often blamed for allergies, but causes few problems because it relies on pollinators to spread its pollen, not the wind.
There has been a huge increase in hay-fever sufferers in recent years, partly due to a growing interest in fruitless and seedless “litter-free” trees that won’t drop as much debris on the lawn or sidewalk. Many of these are male trees that may be litter-free, but are definitely not pollen-free. To make matters worse, fewer female trees are being planted, so less pollen is being caught. Instead, it falls to the ground, where it can be stirred up by mowers and foot traffic.
How Does Weather Affect Allergies?
Allergy seasons are generally worse when there are earlier-than-expected temperature increases. Warmer temperatures mean that plants bloom earlier, filling the skies with pollen—lots and lots of pollen.
Specifically, these are the conditions which affect the severity of an allergy season:
A Warm Winter: Winter allergies are usually mold allergies. When winter is warm, there is usually a record amount of mold. Winter has just ended, and the mold is still around.
A Warm Spring: Warm, early spring temperatures encourage plants to bloom early. Trees release their pollen as soon as it starts to warm. 
Dry Weather: Rain usually washes pollen out of the skies; in dry weather, we do not benefit from “nature’s shower.”
Windy Weather: If you live in a windy area, pollen is more easily carried through the air and pollen counts are high.
You can avoid the worst if you prepare early. Start medicines a couple weeks before allergy season in your area and check this National Allergy Map to keep tabs on pollen counts. Then take a deep breath and go outside and enjoy the beautiful flowers!
How to Limit Allergy Discomfort
For gardeners or anyone who has allergies but loves the outdoors, there are steps that can be taken to limit discomfort:
Plan your outdoor activities when pollen counts are lowest, such as in the late afternoon or during cool, wet weather.
Be especially wary during the morning, when pollen is often emitted in larger amounts.
Dry, windy days distribute pollen farther, whereas rain washes it from the air, lowering pollen counts (but encouraging mold, which causes some people more headaches).
Plant only all-female trees and shrubs.
Limit grassy areas by planting insect-pollinated ground covers.
By carefully choosing the right plants and gardening when pollen counts are low, you can make your space a healthier and more enjoyable place to be, which is nothing to sneeze at!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/how-plants-and-weather-cause-allergies till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse 

image from blogspot.com 

       Good morning, we have a clear, blue sky.  It is cold out at 24F (-4C) it is to warm up to 49F(10C) which all would be what it should be for this time of year.  Enjoy, stay warm, stay safe
 
Australia family and friends for your March 23, Sunday high of 73F(22C).  You enjoy, stay cool and stay safe.  Also, it is Tom McAdam’s birthday for our brother-in-law.  Have a good day, Tom. Golf for today?  Love and hugs
 
I grew up in Northeast Iowa Waukon but had family at Lansing.  I remember going to Uncle Ted’s in the spring, and he would have walked in the woods and found some of these wildflowers.  Names I grew up with.  He was always so pleased that he found them. Go for a walk in the woods to see the first wildflowers! Called “spring ephemerals,” these tiny flowers emerge in early spring and disappear when the tree canopies fill out. They have descriptive names: trillium, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, and Virginia bluebells, to name a few. C A sure sign of spring in my area is when the bloodroot blooms.

​10 Spring Ephemerals: The First Wildflowers by Robin Sweetser
Go for a walk in the woods to see the first wildflowers! Called “spring ephemerals,” these tiny flowers emerge in early spring and disappear when the tree canopies fill out. They have descriptive names: trillium, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, and Virginia bluebells, to name a few.
A sure sign of spring in my area is when the bloodroot blooms. Like other spring-blooming ephemerals, this tiny wildflower makes use of the short time before trees leaf out and block the sun on the woodland ground. They fit most of their above-ground life into a few weeks in April and May then fade away until next spring.
 What are Spring Ephemerals?
We call these early wildflowers ephemerals because most, if not all, of their growth dies back when temperatures start to warm. They are perennials that grow from underground corms or rhizomes. They can put on such an early show because they have stored food in their bulbs from the previous year’s growth.
Don’t let their small, delicate appearance fool you. These lovely wildflowers are tough. They are perfectly adapted to the harsh growing conditions of early spring, utilizing the high levels of moisture and nutrients in the soil of deciduous forests at this time of year. Moist soil helps moderate the extreme difference between day and night temperatures; and by growing low to the ground, they are out of the range of cold, drying winds.
Spring-blooming ephemerals bloom for only a few precious weeks; they need to complete most of their life cycle in the early spring before the trees, shrubs, and plants leaf out and take the available light.
Since there are not too many flying insects active this early in the spring, many ephemerals are pollinated by specialized beetles or ants. Others have evolved to look or smell like rotting meat to attract any flesh-eating flies that might be out early. Ants not only pollinate some of the plants but also disseminate the seeds.
10 Common Spring-Flowering Ephemerals
When you are walking in the woods keep an eye out for some of these delightfully delicate wildflowers and assume the proper attitude of reverence by getting down to their level to observe them up close and personal.
1. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) is a gorgeous native wildflower found in moist woodlands and river flood plains. This ephemeral perennial plant comes up early in the spring. Purplish pink buds open to sky-blue flowers with a delicate, sweet fragrance. The tubular flowers are beloved by pollinating bumblebees and other long-tongued bees but are visited as well as by several types of butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
Unfortunately, bluebells are considered threatened in its native range due to habitat destruction and flooding.
2. Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) look just like white pantaloons hanging upside down to dry. They are also called soldier’s cap or butterfly banners and are related to bleeding hearts. The upside-down blossoms protect the pollen from wind and rain. Only the female bumblebee, with her long tongue, can reach the nectar deep inside the long spurs and pollinate the flower in the process.
3. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has pure white flowers with leaves that wrap around the stem and bud, trapping warm air. Bloodroot gets its name from the red sap the leaves, stems, and roots exude when broken.
The petals appear before the leaves unfurl, and at night, they close up to protect the center from rain or frost.
 4. Eastern spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) have five-petaled flowers with dark pink veins and long, succulent leaves. Below is a light pink spring Beauty.
5. Trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is the earliest blooming lily, bearing small yellow trumpets with recurved petals. The purple splotches on its leaves resemble the markings on a brook trout, giving it its name.
6. Red trillium (Trillium erectum) are all about threes. The plant has three heart-shaped leaves, three large red petals, and three green sepals. This has earned it the name trinity flower, but it goes by many common names, including stinking Benjamin, for its repulsive odor of rotting flesh meant to attract the flies that pollinate it and wake robins since it usually blooms around the time the robins return.
7. Starflower (Trientalis borealis) is a plant of sevens—seven leaves, seven petals, seven stamens, and even seven seeds in each capsule. These bright white flowers spread by underground runners and will form a nice carpet if undisturbed.
8. Wood anemones (Anemone quinquefolia) have a pliable stem that can survive strong winds. Its white blossoms have no nectar or scent, and the plant is wind-pollinated, giving it the common name windflower.
9. Round-lobed hepatica (Anemone americana) is an early bloomer; its buds have hairs that act as insulation. It is easy to miss because its tiny flowers appear among last year’s withered leaves. The blossoms can be dark violet, white, or a range of pastel colors, including pink, lavender, and pale blue. Its flowers are self-fertile and don’t need an insect to pollinate them.
10. Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenate) is one of the earlier spring wildflowers of moist forests and woods; the name refers to the tooth-like projections on the underground stems (actually leaf scars from the previous season’s growth). The leaves and rhizomes are edible (with a spicy flavor inspiring the common name of pepper root).
The early spring wildflowers are what our native insects need to survive; many of them require a specific plant species, similar to how the monarch needs milkweed.
Now, let’s go back to our lovely wildflowers! Enjoy them in their natural surroundings. Never dig them up and try to transplant them into your own garden. Many species, like trout lilies, take upwards of 8 years to flower.
Just enjoy a walk in the woods and the chance to see these wildflowers during the few short weeks that they flower. As the name “ephemeral” suggests, their beauty is fleeting.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/10-spring-ephemerals-first-wildflowers
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse

I planted these at the end of Feb. and the first of March.  The black and white plant has to have attention.  images from Becky's Greenhouse 

​GOOD morning looks like a day of lots of sunshine.  High temperature is 51F(11C)  which is our normal temperature for this time of year.  A mix of sun and clouds this morning with clouds making it way this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower.  This is what we get in the spring, snow, wind and then rain.  Stay safe, and stay warm.
 
Australia family and friends for Saturday March 22 will be having partly cloudy conditions expected. Wind gusts are up to 3 MPH.  Their temperature high will  be 72F(22C).  Enjoyable temperature for sure, enjoy, stay safe, and stay cool.

The pictures are of the flowers I have planted at the end of Feb. and the first part of March.   They are growing very nicely and look at the color.   I will celebrate National Flower Day by planting all day long.  I can do that with this greenhouse we have.
​
A Holiday for Flowers? Why Not!  By Catherine Boeckmann
March 21 is National Flower Day. What is spring without flowers? Pollinators, birds, and life wouldn’t exist without these beauties. See three fun ways to bring flowers into your garden—plus, our prettiest flower pics!
When is National Flower Day?
Fittingly, National Flower Day falls on March 21. This date aligns closely with the spring equinox, the first day of spring. What better way to celebrate the new season than by kicking it off with a day full of flowers?
While the date of the spring equinox can shift from year to year, this holiday always occurs on March 21. The vernal equinox is a symbolic day of renewal and new life—and the unofficial start of the gardening season.
What is National Flower Day?
This is a fun holiday to celebrate the beauty and importance of flowers. Flowers not only bring joy to our lives but also pollinate, have culinary and medicinal purposes, and help sustain our entire ecosystem.
What to Consider When Starting a New Flower Garden
We’re unclear about National Flower Day’s history. Of course, there are National Tree Days; National Arbor Day is celebrated in the U.S. every year on the last Friday in April. Another floral day is on October 7, when President Ronald Reagan declared the rose the U.S. national flower.
Why Plant Flowers?
The pollen and nectar from flowers feed our bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and insects. All those fruiting vegetables—from tomatoes to zucchini—wouldn’t exist without flowers. So flowers also feed us!
In addition, flowers have surprising health benefits, including helping us sleep, calming our minds, and increasing positive feelings. See the healing benefits of flowers.
Flowers also help control pests in your vegetable garden
And, of course, flowers add color, scents, and texture to our gardens, stimulating our senses and adding artistic beauty to our lives!
Fun Flower Ideas for the Garden
1. Do you want a flower garden that delivers continuous blooms from spring through summer and into the fall? We’re excited to share this new flower color guide, which tells you the best flowers to plant to get color all season and fill those “bloom gaps.” See the Best Flowers for Continous Color Flowers All Season.
2. What is your favorite flower color? Some of us love the rare blues. Others love the color of orange flowers, which add sizzle to the garden, brighten up dark corners, and attract hummingbirds. See our new flower color collections—and pick your favorite!
3. Flowers have a language all their own and mark milestones such as weddings and funerals. See a list of flower meanings and create a garden or a special bouquet that symbolizes your feelings—for Mother’s Day or any special occasion.
A flower bouquet with flowers that have meaning.
We hope that you enjoy the healing beauty of flowers—and commit to adding some flowering blooms to your life!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/national-flower-day
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer, or Becky’s Greenhouse

Larry pushing snow on this first day of Spring. 

      Happy First Day of Spring.  It is here.  We are busy planting for your gardening season.  Becky’s Greenhouse will be open April 21, 2025.  NOW I might freak out for all the planting to do before that.  We can do this, we can do this, we can do this.  We got 8” of snow on top of rain, hail and sleet.  It is very heavy snow.  Larry moved some of it yesterday and will finish cleaning it up today, but the snow has refrozen, so it is crunchy out.  We had what was predicted with a blizzard and all.  But now the next 10 days are warming up and just rain.  Spring is here.  The temperature today is 41F(5C) This is our normal temperature for this time of year.  Hope the storm you were safe and now stay warm.
 
Australia family and friends…Happy First Day of Autumn whoops that was yesterday for you.  Today is March 21, 2025. So confusing with the time and the seasons.  It looks like it is raining for you, which I am sure you will be enjoying.  High for you is 65F( 17C).  It looks like fall weather for you.  Stay safe and enjoy. 
 
Rosemary is a popular herb to grow but if you have it inside you might have this problem.  Here is information about that. 

The first person is the writer from Food Gardening Network. 
I love Rosemary. It’s easy to grow. It’s hardy. And it tastes great in so many dishes. But I also regularly end up with powdery mildew on rosemary plants – especially when I bring them indoors. Even though this seems to happen more frequently indoors, it’s not unheard of to end up with powdery mildew on rosemary plants outside, either. While powdery mildew won’t usually kill a rosemary plant, it can substantially weaken it.  However, this is a relatively easy condition to deal with. Here are several natural solutions.

7 Natural solutions for treating and preventing powdery mildew on rosemary plants
The Missouri Botanical Garden explains that powdery mildew can come from several different species of fungi. The mildew gives plant leaves a dusty, silvery appearance and can interrupt photosynthesis. They also emphasize the fact that if you do notice powdery mildew on any plants, isolate the plant right away, so the mildew doesn’t spread.   As you can imagine, the best way to deal with powdery mildew on rosemary is to prevent it in the first place. Here are some ways you can do that.
 1. Circulate air. Air circulation happens naturally outdoors unless your plants are too close together. Indoors, an open window or small fan can help keep the air moving, so the fungus isn’t able to establish itself on the rosemary leaves.
2. Keep your plants healthy. Just like it’s more difficult for cold and flu viruses to impact healthy humans, healthy plants are also less susceptible to diseases.
3. Keep leaves dry. Damp conditions are ideal for fungi, therefore, one way to prevent powdery mildew on rosemary and other plants is to keep the leaves dry. This is helpful for both indoor and outdoor plants, as is the next tip.
4. Keep your rosemary in a sunny spot. Rosemary likes plenty of sunshine. Fungi do not. While this is easier to achieve with outdoor plants, a sunny windowsill can help your indoor rosemary plants, too.
5. Ensure it has the right soil. As a native of the Mediterranean, rosemary does best in looser, drier soil.
As with any plant disease, prevention is ideal. However, if you find a case of powdery mildew on rosemary plants, here are some additional steps you can take.
6. Baking soda solution. Is there anything baking soda can’t do? In all seriousness, though, baking soda is a perfectly natural treatment for powdery mildew. Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and a few drops of dish soap into one gallon of warm water. Spray both the rosemary and the soil in case there is any fungus hiding out there. One thing to note, however, is that the residue from this baking soda mixture can look similar to powdery mildew.
7. Neem oil. This is our go-to for so many plant pests and diseases, both indoor and out. Two tablespoons of neem oil and a few drops of dish detergent mixed into a gallon of water should do the trick.
Bonus Treatment: Milk. Okay, I haven’t used this approach to treating powdery mildew on rosemary or any other herbs, so I can’t vouch for it. However, this solution seems to be making the rounds in gardening circles. If it’s on the internet, it must be true, right? I’ve seen recommendations for mixtures of 1 part milk to 2 parts water, 1 part milk to 5 parts water, and 1 part milk to 9 parts water, so do what you will with that.
Taken from Food Gardening Network
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse 

image from OldWorldGardenFarms 

       WOW I can’t say enough how we are having a weird color in our sky right now this morning at 9:00 AM.  It is gray color.  It is windy out and it is raining out.  We are to have the rain this morning and snow this afternoon.   It’s a chaotic forecast with a strong low moving directly overhead.  Extremely strong winds, strong storms, and snowfall with white out conditions are all possible.  All I am going to say is stay safe, stay warm.

Australia family and friends for March 20, 2025, is their Autumn Equinox.  They are to have rain and will be 80F(27C). I am sure they will enjoy the rain.  Stay cool, stay safe. 

Here are some gardening myths you might find interesting.  Food for thought!
​
7 Common Gardening Myths a Pro Gardener Wants You to Kick This Year By David Beaulieu
When a gardening myth dies hard, you can bet that it is either because people want to believe it (perhaps it makes their lives easier or it just "sounds right") or because there is a kernel of truth in it just big enough to make it convincing. However, adhering to such myths may be ruining your gardening experience. Learn about seven common gardening myths to kick this year.
You Need a Lot of Space to Grow Vegetables
When you picture a vegetable garden in your mind's eye, you may see a large expanse with long rows of crops or huge squash vines sprawling carelessly in all directions.
Indeed, vegetables such as winter squash do take up a lot of space. But it is a myth that you even need a garden plot (in the conventional sense) to grow many types of vegetables. Urban gardeners with no yards to speak of often grow vegetables in containers.
You Can't Garden on Land With Inadequate Soil
Soil can be inadequate for our gardening needs in many ways, including the following:
It can be low in fertility It can be soggy It can be compacted . Fortunately, it is a myth that any of these circumstances make it impossible to garden. In each case, one answer is to install a raised bed.
Compost Piles Attract Rats
It is a gardening myth that compost piles will necessarily attract rats or any other truly problematic pests. It is true that the vegetable kitchen scraps you put in your compost bin may draw, for example, opossums and birds. But these animals are unlikely to cause you problems. If you do find too many rodents visiting your pile, you may want to use a repellent: Some gardeners, for example, apply peppermint essential oil to cotton balls and place the cotton balls in open glass containers adjacent to the compost bin. Let experience guide you and make adjustments along the way. If you find that eggshells or large quantities of stale bread attract rats, stop putting those particular items in the compost; then you should be all right.
You Can Eliminate Weed-Control Chores With Landscape Fabric
There is a place for landscape fabric, but it is a myth that you can totally eliminate weed-control chores with it. One problem with landscape fabric is that you need to protect it from UV rays by covering it with mulch.  But a bark mulch, for example, will eventually decompose. At that point, it essentially becomes a soil that weed seeds will sprout in.  If you neglect such an area for too long, you will find that the weeds' roots will have penetrated right into the landscape fabric. That makes for a real mess to deal with, should you ever decide to revitalize the area.  So don't just lay down landscape fabric and mulch and then forget the area: monitor it for weeds, and pull any weeds as soon as you see them.
The Best Time to Prune Shrubs Is During Dormancy
This is a case of a myth that has a kernel of truth to it. Indeed, depending on the circumstances, the dormant period can be an ideal time for pruning.  It is less likely that plant diseases will exploit the open wound left from pruning during the dormant period, for example.  But this falls into the "gardening myth" category because it is an over-generalization. Informed pruning requires you to proceed on a plant-by-plant basis.  If you prune early bloomers during the dormant period, for example, you will be removing flower buds and depriving yourself of spring flowers.
Struggling Plants Need More Fertilizer
Plants can struggle for many reasons. Your garden may have insufficient drainage or the wrong soil pH for them, etc. In such cases, applying fertilizer will not solve the problem.  A related gardening myth is that if some fertilizer is good, more is better. Excessive fertilizer can actually harm your plants.
Plants With Wilting Leaves Need More Water.
It is a gardening myth that the presence of wilted leaves on a plant necessarily signals insufficient irrigation. Other factors can cause leaves to wilt.  Fungal diseases are often the culprit when you see leaf wilt on your plants. Unless you address the disease problem, no amount of watering will revive your plants.  In fact, overwatering may have contributed to the problem in the first place. Fungi thrive in moist conditions, and improper watering techniques can offer an open invitation to fungal invasions.
Top Tips for Successful Gardening
Pay attention to USDA zones: When buying plants online, make sure they are suited to your USDA zone.
Think, "Location, location, location": You should think of your planting plots as being divided into sunny areas and shady areas. Some plants will be suited to the one, others to the other. Another factor in deciding where to plant is the soil's moisture content. Some areas have sharper drainage than others and will dry out faster; others have soil that remains moist for longer periods of time. There are suitable plants for each of these areas. Guided by factors such as sunlight and moisture levels, group together plants that like the same growing conditions.
Make use of organic matter: Start a compost pile. Add suitable organic matter to it regularly, such as kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and raked leaves. Get into the habit of working finished compost into your soil. Doing so will give you a crumbly soil that drains well yet holds water long enough for your plants' roots to make full use of it.
Taken from https://www.thespruce.com/common-gardening-myths-to-kick-this-year-
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365 Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse 

image from publicdomainpictures.com

     We are going to have another day of nice weather, and another winter storm is coming tomorrow. .  We could have snow, wind and blizzard like weather. We will have to see what happens.
The temperature today is 64F(17C) windy with few clouds. Winds out of NNW 22MPH   Stay safe.

Australia family and friends March 19, Wed weather for them will be 80F(27C) partly cloudy skies  Stay cool, stay safe. 
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This snowstorm isn’t going to be a sign of Spring.  Here are five signs of spring.  Larry noticed that there are little holes in the ground, so the frost must be out and the nightcrawlers are coming up to the surface.
5 Signs of Spring: Birds, Peepers, Tree Buds, and More  by Catherine Boeckmann
We adore the slow, fat, gentle bumbles. The first bumblebees are the queens who survived the winter months. If you wish to attract bumblebees and butterflies, have available flowers and plants.
Every year, we patiently look for the first signs of spring—birds singing, butterflies migrating, and forsythias budding, Tell us: What are you observing in your neck of the woods?
Even if it’s still winter and the ground is covered in snow, observe closely! There are always subtle signs that spring is on the way. For example:
1. Birds are singing!
Backyard birds are among the best predictors. A weather proverb states, “Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring,” and this appears to be true in the northern tier of the United States.
Signs of Autumn: Flying Birds, Falling Leaves, and Fading Sunlight
Bluebirds do not come north until all chance of winter has passed, and they are assured an ample food supply. → Hear the sound of a bluebird.
We started hearing birdsong in mid-February from chickadees, titmice, and red-winged blackbirds. The cardinals sing their “cheer, cheer, cheer” to say we are turning a corner.
Many migrating birds are arriving as many as 2 weeks earlier than decades past (and some never leave!).
As the days gradually become lighter and temperatures lift, the chorus will become louder. In March, a chorus of birdsong fills the air as the migrating birds return. Warblers, sparrows, yellowthroats, and finches are more favorites. You may hear the knock of woodpeckers, too! Even ducks start to return to our lakes.
What bird sounds do you hear?
2. Trees are budding, and the sap is flowing!
Observe the buds on your trees. Some of the first trees to bud are the willows and silver maples, followed in March by the red maples.
Mmm … there’s nothing like the taste of maple syrup, liquid gold! The first to notice seems to be the squirrels, who start poking around the trees, looking for oozing sap.
3. Peepers are peeping
As soon as the ponds and wetlands thaw—as early as mid-March—listen for the spring peppers (Pseudacris crucifer) and the western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata). These tiny amphibians sing loudly, creating quite a chorus at dusk!
Like its name, the spring peeper tends to call a high single “peep!” Put all those spring peepers together, and it’s a “peep, peep, peep, peep!” The call of the chorus frog is hard to describe. It sounds a little bit like someone is running their thumb along a comb.
These tiny frogs live beneath logs or underground, are freeze-tolerant, and tend to like moist, wooded areas, ponds, and wetlands.
As they emerge from hibernation and begin to spawn, look for the appearance of small jelly-like egg masses. While it may seem like there is an overabundance of tadpoles, most (up to 90%) do not survive due to predators.
4. Fresh, soft scents
Ever notice that alluring smell of spring? The Earth is awakening, and it smells more, well, earthy. With warmer weather, misty mornings and soft, wet smells fill the air.
5. Butterflies and Bumblebees Return
As warmer weather returns, you may start to see butterflies and bumblebees return. Both are pollination wizards.
To encourage butterflies to live in your garden, include food sources in the form of host plants for caterpillars and nectar plants for butterflies. See our article on plants that attract butterflies to the garden. We adore the slow, fat, gentle bumbles. The first bumblebees are the queens who survived the winter months. If you wish to attract bumblebees and butterflies, have available flowers and plants.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/5-signs-spring-birds-peepers-and-tree-buds 
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse

image from freeclipartof.com 

      Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Our day here in Dougherty is going to be very nice.  Temperatures return to near 70F(21C) with stronger winds and a high fire danger.

We will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a soup supper tonight in our Irish community of Dougherty.  One day a year, I am Becky O’Litterer.  Stay safe all of you. 

Australia family and friends have celebrated March 17th, they are into March 18th.They too will be having temperatures in the 70F( 21C).  Evelyn said there are times when she would call dad, and the temperatures were similar.  Today is one of them. Enjoy and stay safe.
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What should a greenhouse grower talk about on St. Patrick’s Day but shamrocks and 4-leaf clovers.  This is enlightening.  
Shamrocks and Four-Leaf Clovers: What's the Difference?
Many of us remember hunting for that elusive “four-leaf clover” as children, and we’ve all seen that green shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day. That brings us to today’s garden musings. Let’s talk about what a shamrock really is—and what it isn’t!
The shamrock is a symbol that we commonly associate with St. Patrick’s Day and with Ireland. It can be seen all over St. Patrick’s Day decor, representing the rebirth of spring. Sometimes, the shamrock is depicted as a four-leaf clover, but this isn’t quite accurate. Traditionally, a shamrock is a three-leaf clover.
Why three leaves and not four? According to legend, St. Patrick used a three-leaf shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, with one leaf representing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, respectively. More recently, the four-leaf clover has also come to represent the Holy Trinity, with the fourth leaf symbolizing God’s Grace.
In Ireland, the plants that are most often associated with the name “shamrock” are the suckling clover (Trifolium dubium) and the white clover (Trifolium repens). Both clovers are native to Europe but can be found throughout the world today. Their genus name, Trifolium, means “having three leaves”—an appropriate description!
White clover is thought to be one of the “true” shamrock plants.  Shamrock [refers to] any of several similar-appearing trifoliate plants—i.e., plants each of whose leaves is divided into three leaflets. Plants called shamrock include the wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) of the family Oxalidaceae, or any of various plants of the pea family (Fabaceae), including white clover (Trifolium repens), suckling clover (T. dubium), and black medic (Medicago lupulina). Wood sorrel is shipped from Ireland to other countries in great quantity for St. Patrick’s Day.
As kids, we would spend hours searching for that lucky four-leaf clover—and often come home empty-handed! A four-leaf clover isn’t a special variety of clover; it’s just an unusual mutation of a three-leaf clover, but it’s a “lucky” symbol because it’s so hard to find. In fact, your chances of finding a four-leaf clover are 1 in 10,000! That’s where the luck comes in, apparently. According to popular lore, if you do find a four-leaf clover, giving it to someone else doubles your luck.
Traditionally, four leaves were considered lucky because they reflected the shape of a cross and were thought to be magical or sacred. Eve supposedly took a four-leaf clover with her when she was banished from the Garden of Eden, too.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that carrying a four-leaf clover would enable you to see fairies, recognize witches and evil spirits, and be protected from the evil eye. Even dreaming of clover was supposed to bring good luck.
Superstitions aside, clover is a valuable plant in many ways. Bees and other pollinators can’t resist their flowers (red clover is especially attractive to bumblebees), and the plants can be turned into the soil as green manure, too. Additionally, the roots host nitrogen-fixing bacteria that enrich the soil, and the plants are high-quality forage for many animals. The reasons to grow clover are endless!
In recent years, the idea of growing clover has been making a comeback. White clover (Trifolium repens) is well known for crowding out broadleaf weeds while growing harmoniously with grass. It will thrive in areas that drain poorly or are too shady for a conventional lawn, making it a great grass alternative.
As a legume, clovers have the ability to convert nitrogen into fertilizer using bacteria in their root system (a process called nitrogen fixation), practically eliminating the need for additional fertilization.
Despite today’s push for perfectly green lawns (which often involves a lot of chemicals), clover was not always viewed as a weed. The University of Minnesota Extension Service points out that, until relatively recently, it was standard practice to include clover seed in lawn seed mixes:
Until the 1950s, clover was included in lawn seed mixes, as it was regarded as a prestigious lawn plant. It may be considered an attractive, low-maintenance ground cover that is soft to walk on, mows well and will fill in thin spots in a yard.
Today, it seems clover is returning as a more eco-friendly lawn alternative. Since it is nitrogen-fixating, it can supply its own nutrients to poor soil. Overseeding clover seed into your existing lawn is an easy way to establish a clover lawn. For lawns, the most popular is the white clover because it is relatively low growing, tolerates close mowing, and outcompetes weeds.
The last piece of the shamrock puzzle is a houseplant that also goes by the name “shamrock.” It usually crops up in grocery stores and nurseries around St. Patrick’s Day. This plant is not related to clover (the “true” shamrock) but is in the same genus as wood sorrel (Oxalis).
Oxalis are native to many regions of the world, but they’re most numerous in the tropics, which is where the houseplant species come from. Depending on the species, they can have green or purple leaves and white or pink flowers, and some cultivars, such as ‘Irish Mist,’ have green leaves flecked with white. The whole plant is photophilic, meaning the leaves and flowers close up at night and open wide again in the morning.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/clover-shamrocks-and-oxalis-whats-difference
Till next time, Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse 

​ Illustrations by Jack Vaughan.

Good morning, a storm has passed and over with my 10:00PM we had the wind, we had the rain, but fortunately we kept our electricity.  Reports are coming from Franklin, Cerro Gordo and Worth County that they lost electricity.  At one point, it became very quiet after all the lightning, then I got nervous.  The rain came down then and I was glad that was all it was.  How was the storm for you?  Today the temperature is still warm at 42F(5C) That should be our high today. Back to our normal temperatures for this time of year.  Low tonight of 24F(-4C).  It is to be windy again WNW 30 MPH to 20 MPH.  It will be cloudy all day.  Stay safe, stay warm.
 
Australia family and friends for Sunday March 16 will be 74F(22C) with 90% of rain.  But I am sure they are thankful for the rain. One of their alerts is for Sheep Glazier warning, severe weather and Evelyn told me it was because of the amount of rain and the sheep are in open pastures with no shelter.    
 
I found this funny story about gardeners.  I thought you might enjoy it.  Have to see what the non-gardener said at the end that easier than gardening. 

A Gardening Romance in Bloom  By Pat Stone
 Is there such a thing as gardening romance? If you’ve heard me talk about my wife Becky, you know there is. Becky and I both love the human connection gardening brings, and we both love sharing stories.
Speaking of stories, I once met a woman who said she had a black thumb. She was a bit defensive about the whole thing and told me it was cheaper to buy produce at the market, and more lovely to buy cut flowers at the end cap of the grocery store. When I saw her again ten years later, she was growing the most prolific tomato garden I’ve ever seen, and even taught me a few tricks for keeping aphids at bay. I swear she even told me she hated tomatoes when we first crossed paths… I nodded off after that.
There is a certain kinship you form with other gardeners, so upon our second encounter we had plenty in common, and more of a yin and yang relationship rather than oil and water. That’s the feeling I get from today’s piece, The Joy of NonGardening. It’s a hilarious nod to exactly these types of exchanges that non-gardeners and gardeners have every day.
“What kind of mulch do you like?”
“Oh, gravel, I suppose. Noisy party, isn’t it? Let’s go somewhere.…”
But sometimes they end in gardening romance!
When you read this story, I think you’ll have both cringed and laughed equally like I did. But don’t worry, the author, Jeff Taylor, gives us a perfectly happy ending that will warm your gardening heart.
A Gardening Romance for the Ages
The following gardening romance story comes from The Weeder’s Reader: GreenPrints’s Greatest Stories. Gardening stories like these always warm my heart because I can’t think of anything better than connecting over a well-loved plot of soil.
What happens when a born gardener and a born nongardener meet.  By Jeff Taylor
Some people are born gardeners, and some are not. When representatives from these two groups meet, they slam together like magnets, for some reason. There’s instant rapport:
“What kind of mulch do you like?”
“Oh, gravel, I suppose. Noisy party, isn’t it? Let’s go somewhere.…”
Sometimes they marry. The born gardener brings seed catalogs on the honeymoon, and the born nongardener is told stories of the art of grubbing in the dirt to make vegetables. Far into the night, they discuss mulch and fertility. Like vampires, born gardeners recruit fieldhands by biting their necks.
A newly recruited fieldhand myself, I would soon discover that sweat, like tomatoes, also comes in quarts. Hitched up to a one-person mechanical plow, I began my education in vegetable manufacture. Right off, I learned that it was easy to concentrate, zen-like, on one thought only while turning a hectare of hardpan into clods. “This,” I thought, “is hard work.”
Slowly, our garden took shape. To my eye, it looked like loose dirt with expensive filth in it. But we worked an entire day to shape it, shoulder to shoulder. The next day, while the chiropractor worked on me from shoulder to shoulder, she planted. We spent that night discussing the little things that make a marriage, like surviving a coronary infarction and sharing the elephant liniment. The difficult part was over, she said. Now all we had to do was water and weed a few hours every day, and relentlessly kill every insect on earth.
Perhaps many great thinkers have enjoyed murdering slugs and bugs, but I was quite content to let them live.
“But they’re eating our chard,” Joy said. Which brought us to our first crisis of opinion: My wife had planted many beds of debatable vegetables. Frankly, I had expected only an acre of tomatoes and three or four good-sized corn trees. Eating our chard didn’t strike me as a capital crime; and anyway, I added with an airy laugh, chard should only be eaten during wartime or famine. And ditto for turnips, double ditto for squash, and definitely ditto squared for daikon radishes.
She asked me to elaborate.
“Well,” I said, “let’s start with chard. Its very name sounds like a term for the residue left in the waste treatment pipes of a paper mill. And it tastes exactly like it sounds.”
“Oh, come on,” she said.
“And turnips: Children are forced to eat them solely for the discipline and vitamins, swallowing forkfuls of backtalk and grey turnip casserole. But they taste no better, 30 years later. The gun has not been invented which, when pointed at me, would cause me to suck on a turnip.”
“Nonsense,” she said. “As for squash, they are merely for giving away to the needy or suckers. Or you can slice ’em up, dry them, and eventually use them in compost recipes. Their orange flesh is only edible if drenched in butter and fed to the dog.”
“Give me a break,” she said.
I’m happy to report that we didn’t have a fight right out in the middle of the garden. That sort of thing shows no class at all. We went inside first.
Born nongardeners should be advised that a day of reckoning comes, spread out over several weeks. This is called “The Harvest.” Fears of tomato and corn shortages prove baseless, for even a small garden in the hands of a born gardener will yield enough to feed West Bangladesh. We picked and pulled and shelled and peeled and dried and canned and blanched and froze from can’t see to can’t see, and still the garden upchucked more bounty. We laid in a lifetime supply of turnips and chard and squash and zucchini, enough to gag every growing child in Christendom, and still it came forth. Even Joy was concerned.
sketch of gardener following directions“You know what we plumb forgot? Eggplant. Next year we’ll have to …”
From my bed of pain and weariness, I looked up. My knuckles were swollen to the size of walnuts, and my body craved the solace of the grave. I had worked like a sharecropper’s horse, and so had Joy. Surely there was something else we could raise. Anything else would be easier than this.
“Let’s have children,” I said, innocently. “Lots of them.” ❖
Taken from By Jeff Taylor, published originally in 1990, in GreenPrints Issue #2. Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer, or Becky’s Greenhouse