looks like cloudy, raining at Becky's Greenhouse 

I came over early to water and to my surprised it RAINED.  DARN just drying out from the sun and wind.  How is your garden? Is it drying out enough for you to work in it?  I know the weeds are growing faster than your vegetable plants. 
Val and Natalie worked for two days to moved out lots of the plants. Now it will be on me to keep them watered.  The bedding plants look great.  We planted a yellow wave petunia that is blooming, and we have the black petunia any ideas what to use them together.  We also have red wave petunias to work with the black.
We have lemon grass still here. Also herbs that you plant to help keep away the mosquitos such as basil, lavender, thyme, fennel, rosemary and mint.  Celebrity tomatoes along with amish paste which is a nice Roma shape tomato but bigger.  We have big boy, big beef, yellow boy, beefmaster, Cherokee purple, Juliet, red large cherry, chocolate sprinkles, early girl, marzito, midnight snack, patio and supersweet 100. 
We have sweet bell peppers as in California wonder, Jalapeno, Baron, big bertha, Candy cane, garden salsa, king Arthur, and purple beauty .
We have seed potatoes here, along with red, white and yellow onion sets.  They are on sale for $4.00 and very nice onions.  Still time to plant these.
Supertunias, wave petunias, regular petunias.  We have red and blue salvia.  Impatience and begonias are in the greenhouse as it is shaded for them from the sun.  Marigolds you can’t go wrong, zinnias are in bloom for instant color. Million bells a nice selection of them as in calibrocka.  ( I probably didn’t say that right, but you know what I mean) Several colors of coleus, geraniums are bright and blooming, yellow and red snapdragons catch your eye along with dianthus which are all easy annuals to grow. Alyssum in white and purple, moss roses.
We have air plants, carnivorous plants, sensitive plants, cactus, along with house plants that you can grow.   Lots of succulent plants with several trays at $1.00 and up.  Hanging baskets are all ready to go into your garden. Perennial wagon is full of all kinds of plants coneflowers, holly hocks, lilies, plants for the butterflies, shasta daisy, rudbeckia, hen and chicks, coral bells,hosata just to name a few.  We work hard to have a nice selection for you from bedding plant annuals, to the perennials, vegetables and all in between.  Not so common plants, that you can use in your garden and home. Trees, bushes, peonies, raspberries, apple trees we also carry. 
            What can I say we are here to help with your gardening needs.  Open Monday thru Saturday 9-6, Sunday 1-6.
Thanks to all of you that have come, thanks to all that will be coming.  Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from Becky's Greenhouse

GOOD morning, what a lovely, perfect morning it is.  I do believe it will be like that all day.  Clear, blue sky with little wind, and after all the rain the green is everywhere.  Enjoy and take time to look around you as it is looking like spring. 
I have been hearing this a lot….” MY cucumbers, squash, or pumpkins didn’t come up.”  This year is the year we need to follow the rule after June 1st.  You can plant the vine plants from June 1st to the 15th for a very successful crop.  They don’t like cool or cold nights, and we have been having them.  Last year, we had a very warm May so you could plant them in May, and they would have come up.  But not this year.   Here are the conditions that you need for have any vine plants (cucumbers, squash, watermelon) come up.  Do you notice that the soil temperature should be 70 degrees?  That is the clue for success. 
I started mine 10 days ago and put on the propagation pad(heat pad) and they came up in 3 days.  Well water is the key also. 

     When to Plant Cucumbers
For an early crop, sow cucumber seeds indoors for about 3 weeks before you plan to transplant them outside into the ground. Provide bottom heat of about 70ºF (21ºC) with a heating pad or place the seed flats on top of a refrigerator or water heater. Sow two seeds an inch deep in each pot, then water well. Once the seedlings emerge, remove the weakest to leave one per pot.
Outdoors, cucumbers should be sown or transplanted into the ground no earlier than 2 weeks after the last frost date. Cucumbers are extremely susceptible to frost and cold damage; the soil should be at least 70ºF (21ºC) for germination. Seedlings set best at that temperature, too. (In cooler climates, warm the soil by covering it with black plastic prior to planting.)
Make successive plantings (every 2 weeks) for continued harvests through the season. In warm soil, cucumbers will grow quickly and ripen in about 6 weeks.
Hope this helps, so just need to be patient.  Plant the cucumbers by June 15th and you will have a crop.  I promise.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/cucumbers#:~:text=Cucumbers
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

tomatoes 

images from Becky's Greenhouse

Good morning…it was a summer like day on Saturday with the outside temperature near 90 degrees, and we had 90 degrees in the greenhouse. Today is cooler as we have full cloud cover.  Inside the greenhouse it is 72 degrees so much nicer to work inside.  Outside is 67 degrees.  Easier on watering, that is for sure. High today of 74 with a low of 60.  Looks like some rain Monday and Tuesday,…I was to have 4-hers here on Monday and Gardeners of North Iowa on Tuesday.  I am thinking we need to reschedule both.  Enjoy today, work outside in your gardens, and stay safe.

I have two kinds of hardy hibiscus.  They are Cherub light pink, and purple heart red/dark foliage.
What I was looking in the article was this advice with the plant coming up in the spring.  Hibiscus don’t like cold nights, so it might be June before it comes up.  I would leave the old stocks from the fall through the winter so you know where the plant is.  When it starts to come up then prune off the dead stock.  You need to be patient with the hibiscus coming up in the spring. 
​
Planting, Growing, and Pruning Hibiscus  by Catherine Boeckmann
With huge, colorful dinner-plate size flowers, perennial hibiscus plants add a bold, tropical effect to the garden. They are also highly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds! Here’s how to plant, grow, and care for hibiscus flowers.
About Hibiscus
There are many types of hibiscus. This growing guide covers perennial hibiscus grown for their strikingly beautiful, big, disc-shaped, hollyhock-like flowers that can measure up to 12 inches across!
Perennial hibiscus can grow up to eight feet tall, but dwarf varieties are only two to three feet tall.
PLANTING
When to Plant Hibiscus
Hibiscus can be purchased as young plants from nurseries and are best planted in the spring. Or, they can be rooted from a cutting in the spring.
Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site
Choose a site that gets full sun; they’ll grow in partial sun but will not flower as well.
Hibiscus prefers well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter and neutral to slightly acidic soil.
To avoid breakage of the long stems, plant hibiscus where they won’t be exposed to strong winds.
How to Plant Hibiscus
Plant potted hibiscus plants so that their stems are just at the soil surface.
To root a cutting in the spring, cut off a branch 5 to 6 inches long and strip off lower leaves. Plant the cutting in a pot with a mix of three parts sand and one part peat. Roots should form within a few weeks. Transplant the cutting from the pot into the ground.
The hibiscus species that die back each year can be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. Consider the potential height and width (up to 12 feet and 10 feet, respectively) of a mature plant before planting.
Water the plants well at the time of planting.
GROWING
How to Care for Hibiscus Shrubs
Hibiscus needs frequent watering, especially when young and new. When watering, do so deeply and thoroughly, drenching the plant.
Mulch around the plant to retain moisture and to provide winter protection for the roots.
To encourage rebloom, either remove the spent flowers before they form seed heads or prune plants back by one-third after a flush of bloom is finished.
Perennial hibiscus will freeze back to the ground each winter; cut old stems to the ground.
Hibiscus blooms on new wood (this year’s growth), so pruning is best done in the spring.
In early spring, remove dead stems from established plants and apply a balanced fertilizer.
Over the growing season, hibiscus can benefit from a fertilizer that is high in potassium, medium to medium-high in nitrogen, and low in phosphorus, as the plant can be sensitive to phosphorus.
Mature plants can be divided in the spring, not fall.
WIT AND WISDOM
The plant has been used to soothe headaches, aching limbs, coughs, and inflammations.
Hibiscus tea is made from parts of a different type of hibiscus, Hibiscus sabdariffa—also known as Roselle or Florida Cranberry. It’s native to West Africa but is now grown across Central America, the Caribbean, and even Florida. In Victorian times, giving a hibiscus blossom to a person meant that the giver acknowledged the receiver’s delicate beauty.
Clean up all plant debris to avoid fungal diseases which can cause leaf spots. Don’t crowd plants, and keep mulch from touching the stems to avoid blight.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/hibiscus
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

images from Becky's  Greenhouse

Here we go, another awesome spring day.  Blue sky with fluffy clouds, temperature at 71 at 10:00 AM…. We have plants.  We are working on getting some of each kind out on the racks but haven’t gotten there yet.  When you come, know that you must come into the greenhouse to see all of it.  Outside, inside, on wagons, on tall racks.  Remember the perennials and some of the annuals I have gotten from Swift’s Greenhouse, but all the rest has been grown out of this greenhouse. 

Swift’s greenhouse dropped off 2 carts of plants mostly perennials that I didn’t have.    The question for me is where will I put them?  We will find a place.

Memorial planters are being planted as I write this.  Starting at a little small oval for $8.50 up to the big ovals.   We will have 4 different sizes with different prices for them.  We have many one quart pots of annuals starting at $6.00 for another idea for the cemetery.

Vegetables are ready for you.  Tomatoes and peppers ready to go into your garden.  You are going to ask about cucumber, squash, watermelon plants.  We are growing some but just coming up.  One reason is I don’t want you to plant till the  first of June.  Reason why the vine plants don’t like cool nights, then they will be attack by bugs as they don’t grow very well.  After June 1, the soil, the air temperature is warmer and they will do right well.  I have had some tell me they had to replant all ready because the vine plants( cucumbers, squash, watermelon) didn’t come up.  I have been hearing some potatoes too.  Not too late to plant them either with the onions.

Baskets are still in the greenhouse ready for you to take home. Trees, shrubs are here.  Herbs are on the 2nd wagon ready for you.  Succulents we have marked are $1.00 or $2.00 more marking will happen with more succulents to be put out.  Geraniums, vinca vine, spikes, colored grass for the spiller, filler and thriller.

Proven winners’ selection of our top one being the Supertunia bubble gum.  Also have 3 other colors of them.  Wave petunias are very colorful and in a super 4 pack.  Lots of annuals as bedding plants in the 4 packs.  If you buy 12 -small 4 packs then you get the flat for a special price, like getting 2 packs free.  48 plants all together. 

Nice little selection of houseplants and ferns.  They are in the growing stage as planted in a 4 ½” pot so reasonable priced for you to grow.  Carnivorous plants were planted in sphagnum peat moss so hopefully they will grow well.  You need to keep them well watered. 
I did order some asparagus crowns so have them here for you to plant.  I have glad bulbs for you to plant.  How about Kale?  Small colored peppers?  Air plants will be here on Wed. 
​
All this counts as towards your punch card.  For every $100.00 you get $7.50 off plants.  Many of you are doing this. 
Hours Monday thru Saturday 9-6, Sunday 1-6. So stop and see us at Becky’s Greenhouse.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  641-903-9365
 

image from glowingvale.com 

WOW I have had many gardeners come and it is lots of fun for me to see all of you.  You don’t need to worry I have lots of plants left.  In fact, just started moving out of the greenhouse which is very full.  Thursday May 16, the third load of perennials will be dropped off.  The first wagon is full where will I put them?  We have the shade cloth on so the greenhouse is very comfortable. 
I can’t say it enough how nice the plants all look.  Just so ready to plant in your garden.  I am glad to get more outside so they are hardened off and don’t have that greenhouse wilt.  They are ready to go into your gardens, and start to grow.
I still have seed potatoes, onion sets and onion plants, along with fingerling potatoes.  Bulk seeds at .25 a teaspoon or .50 a tablespoon depending on the vegetable seeds you are getting. 
Trees and bushes look great. We have annuals and vegetables in single packs, put have more in a small 4 pack or large 4 pack.  Get more plants for your money.  It all depends on the plant and to be honest with you the cost of that plant for me to plant.  Stop in and see what we have.  Monday thru Saturday 9-6,  Sunday 1-6.  See you.


Back to the garden program on May 8th in Greene. Another question asked “ Why doesn’t my hydrangea bloom.”  I had no idea so here is what I found out.  First I would have asked what kind is it.  You can look at the different kinds and then find the reason why not blooming.  Do you know the answer?
Here's Why Your Hydrangea Didn't Bloom   By Megan Hughes 
Your hydrangeas not blooming around the time you see other hydrangeas with flowers will make you wonder, "What's going on?" If your plants look generally healthy, the good news is that the problem can usually be remedied, and you'll enjoy bouquets of flowers from your hydrangeas again. Here are seven common reasons why you'll see hydrangeas not blooming. Once you figure out what's causing your plant not to flower, use the tips in this guide to fill your garden with plenty of hydrangea flowers again.
How to Make Hydrangeas Bloom More, Depending on Type
1. Pruning at the Wrong Time
Pruning at the wrong time of year is the most common cause of hydrangeas not blooming. Pruning at the right time begins with determining what type of hydrangea you are growing. Here’s a trick: if your hydrangea doesn't bloom in spring and instead blooms exclusively in mid- to late summer, it is likely a smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) or panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), and it produces flower buds in spring. Because smooth and panicle hydrangeas develop flower buds and bloom all in the same growing season, they can be pruned in very early spring.
Hydrangeas that bloom in spring and early summer are likely bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) or oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia). These hydrangeas bloom from flower buds that formed the previous summer or fall. The best time to prune bigleaf and oakleaf hydrangeas is early summer, right after they finish blooming.
What to do: Prune your hydrangea at the right time, and you’ll avoid cutting away flower buds. If you do make a pruning mistake, let the plant bounce back and bloom the following season before doing any more pruning.
2. Winter Injury
Oakleaf and bigleaf hydrangeas form flower buds in late summer and fall for the following spring. The tender flower buds must survive winter to bloom in spring. Blasts of extreme cold and ice damage can kill flower buds. In Zone 5 and below, susceptible hydrangeas flower best with winter protection. Hydrangeas in Zone 6 can benefit from winter protection, too.
Dry conditions in fall also contribute to winter damage and subsequent lack of flowers. Any type of hydrangea that goes into winter with dry stems and roots is likelier to experience winter injury.
What to do: First, water plants deeply in the fall. Protect tender flower buds of susceptible hydrangeas from extreme cold. You can do this by building an insulative cylinder around the shrub in late November, using sturdy stakes and chicken wire or burlap. Fill the cylinder with leaves or straw. Remove the cylinder and leaves in early spring.
3. Deer Damage
Tender stems and fleshy buds serve as a welcome snack for deer. Hydrangeas are commonly browsed by deer year-round. Winter browsing will eliminate flower buds on oakleaf and bigleaf hydrangeas, while browsing during the growing season will strip away the flower buds of panicle and smooth hydrangeas, resulting in hydrangeas not blooming when you expect them to.
What to do: Protect plants with a barrier or a deer-repellant spray. Barriers, such as a fence or netting-style wrap, are often effective but unattractive. Deer repellant is invisible and usually effective. Sprays must be diligently reapplied after every rain. If deer become insensitive to a particular spray, try a different brand.
4. Too Much Nitrogen
Nitrogen fertilizer promotes deep green leaves but few flowers. Avoid fertilizing your hydrangea with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Even if you don’t fertilize your hydrangea, it can still be affected by excessive nitrogen because of nearby turf. Lawn fertilizer is often high in nitrogen and can wash into the soil around hydrangeas.
What to do: To encourage flower production, fertilize hydrangeas with a product high in phosphorus rather than nitrogen.
5. Late Freeze
A late freeze in spring can kill developing flower buds. Hydrangeas are especially susceptible to a late freeze if the preceding growing days have been mild and the hydrangea is actively growing.
What to do: Pay close attention to the weather forecast in spring. If a late freeze is predicted, protect your plants from frost with sheets or blankets. Secure the cover to the ground with brick, rocks, or anything heavy.
6. Not Enough Light
Hydrangeas grow best in bright morning light and part shade in the afternoon. Plants growing in too much shade will result in hydrangeas not blooming on elongated, floppy stems.
What to do: Move a hydrangea planted in too much shade to a brighter growing location. The best time to transplant a hydrangea is early spring.
7. The Type of Hydrangea
Some types of hydrangeas have a reputation for being finicky when it comes to blooming, even when there is no sign of winter damage, deer have not munched the plant, pruning was done at the right time, and excessive nitrogen is not the problem. One year, they unfurl flowers with abandon; the following year, only a blossom or two will adorn their leafy stems.
Bigleaf hydrangeas most often fall into this category of unpredictable bloom patterns. Additionally, if you have a potted florist hydrangea, these plants have been forced into bloom out of season (Mother's Day hydrangeas, for example) and are intended to bloom once indoors. These hydrangeas are unlikely to rebloom even if you plant them outdoors.
What to do: Choose a hydrangea that generally blooms regularly, such as panicle, smooth, or oakleaf types.
Get the Most Out of Your Cut Hydrangeas
Cut hydrangeas are possibly the biggest bonus of growing hydrangea plants in your garden. Their colorful and abundant blooms bring a happy detail to indoor spaces, but they are notorious for lasting for a brief time. To keep your hydrangeas fresh for longer, use these tips:
Submerge your blooms in room-temperature water for 30 minutes. Hydrangeas are able to absorb water through their flowers, so this trick gives them the moisture boost they may need.
Stick the stem ends in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then plunge them into cool water to revive the blossoms.
Cut the stems at an angle and change the water every day to keep your hydrangeas fresher for longer. You can also try dipping the stems in alum to keep them free of bacteria.
Taken from https://www.bhg.com/hydrangeas-not-blooming-7496888
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell  641-903-9365

image from ag.ndsu.edu

      Hi, rainy day in Dougherty and North Iowa.  Mason City had 2” of rain last night, I don’t know what we got but it is wet out.  I was at Greene Library last night ( May 8th) for a gardening program.  What a great crowd.  I knew many of the guests and I think we had fun.  I did anyway.  Question was asked how do I get rid of Japanese Beetles?  I didn’t know, but when I went to the Old Farmer’s Almanac site look what I found.  There is a product to spray on the plants for them, and do it early.  Also a product to put on the ground to take care of the grubs which what they hatch from.  Take a read, and hope it helps Renae. 
​
How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles in the Garden
Prevent Japanese Beetles from Eating Your Plants!  By Catherine Boeckmann
Japanese beetles are iridescent green insects that pose a big threat because they feed on a wide variety of plants. The trick is to start early.
What Are Japanese Beetles?
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) do not discriminate regarding what types of plants they feed on, though they do have favorites (like roses). In fact, they are classified as pests to hundreds of different species. They are one of the major insect pests in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, causing monumental damage to crops each year.
To manage Japanese Beetles in yards and gardens, the trick is to start early! Once these insects are present in large numbers, the problem is very difficult to manage.
Start at the grub stage! BTG or Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae (e.g., products such as grubGONE!) uses naturally-occurring soil bacteria. This bacillus ONLY targets certain lawn insect pests, such as Japanese Beetle grubs, before they become destructive adults. The grubs ingest the spores and the natural yet powerful BTG proteins as they feed in the soil.
It is as effective as a chemical pesticide and works within days to weeks of application but is NOT toxic to beneficial insects, such as earthworms, bees, and pollinators; it will not harm people, pets, animals, or plants. BTG will kill not only Japanese Beetle grubs but also a variety of other destructive beetle larvae and grubs, such as Chafers, Oriental Beetles, and Billbugs, throughout the spring through fall seasons.
To deter an infestation of adult beetles and kill the beetles that do infest your edible or ornamental plants, you can use BTG or Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae as a spray (e.g., product beetleGONE!). Like with the grubs, BTG effectively kills the adult beetles through a combination of the BTG protein and spores. One key to success is to start applying early: at the first signs of the adult beetle. Farmers and growers have stated that they believe BTG may reduce the attraction by early-arriving beetles of more beetles by inhibiting the effectiveness of the early arrivals’ use of their beetle-attracting pheromones.
This product can be mixed in water and sprayed on edible garden plants, ornamental plants, and trees to kill Japanese Beetle adults or put into turf to kill the grubs. It can also be used dry as a mix into potting or garden soil to control beetle grubs. The product is registered with a zero-day pre-harvest interval, therefore, you can treat for beetles and pick your food the same day. There are no label restrictions for use around bees or flowering plants; therefore, it can be safely used while pollinators are active. There is also no toxicity to fish or aquatic life.
2. Hand pick early: Look for beetles in mid-to-late June or early July. In the early morning or evening, when beetles are more sluggish, knock beetles into a bucket of soapy water. Yes, it’s time-consuming, but it’s also the most effective way to kill these pests. Just be diligent. When you pick them off, put them in a solution of 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent and water, which will cause them to drown. Do this daily, as the chemical trail of beetles attracts more beetles.
3. Protect with row covers: Use row covers during the 6- to 8-week feeding period that begins by mid-to-late June in the North and mid-to-late May in the South. Row covers will keep the pests out, but they will keep pollinators out, too; be sure to remove netting or covers if your crops need to be pollinated. Do not cover plants in bloom that require pollination (i.e., fruits); after the plant sets fruit, then cover it with netting.
4. Spray Neem oil if early: Deter feeding by adult beetles by spraying plants with Neem oil, which contains potassium bicarbonate. Adult beetles ingest a chemical in the neem oil and pass it on to their eggs, and the resulting larvae die before they become adults. Neem oil is effective for several days, but repeat applications are needed, especially after rainfall. Neem oil is not effective once you have beetles in large numbers. Neem is low risk to bees and other beneficial insects but can be harmful to fish and aquatic life, so don’t use it near lakes, rivers, and water.
 5.Do NOT use traps. They attract beetles, but research has proven that more beetles fly toward the traps than are caught. You’ll be pulling beetles in from all over town and end up with a worse problem.
6. Choose the right plants: There are some that Japanese Beetles seldom damage, such as boxwood, clematis, chrysanthemum, conifers, daylily, geranium, ginkgo, Japanese tree lilac, forsythia, common lilac, magnolia, red and silver maple, oak, white poplar, redbud, rhododendron, and yew. See our list of the Best and Worst Plants for Japanese Beetles. Dispersing the beetle’s favorite plants throughout the landscape, rather than grouping them together, can also help.
 7. Introduce natural enemies: You can also attract native species of parasitic wasps (Tiphia vernalis or T. popilliavora) and flies to your garden, as they are predators of the beetles and can be beneficial insects. They will probably attack the larvae, but they are not very effective in reducing the overall beetle population.
8.  Use companion plants: Avoid attracting beetles with companion planting. Try planting garlic, rue, or tansy near your affected plants to deter Japanese beetles. (Roses love garlic is a popular expression.) All herbs and other aromatic plants make wonderful companions. Scented geraniums (Pelargonium), rue (Ruta), feverfew (Tanacetum), parsley (Petroselinum), and thyme (Thymus) all may help ward off Japanese beetles as well as aphids. Try ornamental and culinary sage (Salvia), anise-hyssop (Agastache), Russian sage (Perovskia), lavender (Lavandula), yarrow (Achillea), oregano (Origanum), catmint (Nepeta) and calamint (Calamintha). Four-o’clocks (Mirabilis) and larkspur (Delphinium) are said to act as decoys by attracting rose-loving Japanese beetles to eat their poisonous leaves, but they do not kill the beetles.
9.  Beware of insecticides: If you wish to use insecticides, speak to your local cooperative extension or garden center about approved insecticides in your area, and be aware of whether you’re killing the very pollinators that bring fruit and flowers!
For example, Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn®) provides two to four weeks of protection and is low risk to bees. But most dusts or sprays are highly toxic to honeybees, native bees, and other pollinators. If application of these materials to plants is necessary during the bloom period, do not apply during hours when bees are visiting the flowers (late morning through mid-day). Apply sprays in the morning, never in full sun or at temperatures above 90ºF. If your plants start to wilt, rinse the leaves immediately with clean water.
 Nip rose buds and spray rose bushes: Note that insecticides will not fully protect roses, which unfold too fast and are especially attractive to beetles. When beetles are most abundant on roses, nip the buds and spray the bushes to protect the leaves. When the beetles become scarce, let the bushes bloom again. Timeliness and thoroughness of application are very important. Begin treatment as soon as beetles appear, before damage is done.
Information about these insects.
Before the beetle’s accidental introduction to the United States in the early 1900s, the Japanese beetle was found only on the islands of Japan, isolated by water and kept in check by its natural predators. In 1912, a law was passed that made it illegal to import plants rooted in soil. Unfortunately, failing to implement the law immediately allowed the Japanese beetle to arrive in this country.
Most entomologists agree that the beetles entered the country as grubs in soil on Japanese iris roots. In 1916, these coppery-winged pests were first spotted in a nursery near Riverton, New Jersey. By 1920, eradication programs were dropped; the beetle proved too prolific and widespread.
How to Identify Japanese Beetles
Japanese Beetles are ½ inch in length with distinct metallic blue-green heads. They have copper-colored backs, tan wings, and small white hairs lining each side of the abdomen. Japanese beetles usually feed in small groups.
Prior to becoming adult beetles in late June, they are 1-inch-long, white, c-shaped grubs that live in the soil and feed on the roots of many plants. These grubs are often a problem in lawns.
Once adults, Japanese beetles live only 40 days, but they are voracious. Japanese beetles attack plants in groups, which is why the damage is so severe. Most feeding starts in mid-to-late June in the North and mid-to-late May in the South.
Signs of Japanese Beetle Damage
Japanese beetles feed on a wide variety of flowers and crops (the adult beetles attack more than 300 different kinds of plants), but in terms of garden plants, they are especially common on roses, as well as beans, grapes, and raspberries. Here’s what to look out for:
Unhealthy, Brown Patches in Lawn
First come the Japanese beetle grubs (larvae), which damage grass when overwintering in the soil. The grubs feast on the roots of lawn grasses and garden plants. This can cause brown patches of dead or dying grass to form in the lawn, which will pull up easily thanks to the weakened roots.
Skeletonized Leaves and Flowers
Then come the adult Japanese beetles which chew leaf tissue from between the veins, leaving a lacy skeleton. You’ll know right away when you see leaves that are “skeletonized” (i.e., only have veins remaining). (Mexican Bean Beetles can also leave foliage skeletonized, though, so be sure to identify the beetle by their appearance as well.)
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/pest/japanese-beetles
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365
 

taken from Becky's Greenhouse

Stinker says HI.....

image from windyacresnaturalfarmblogspot.com

​Good day fellow gardeners.  Sun is shining after we had rain last night with thunder, lightning, and wind.  Mild temperature out 69 at 1:35 PM. tonight a low of 46.  Lovely spring day.

First thing first I found asparagus roots, and they are ordered 100 plants. They will be shipped here next week.  Call to make sure when they come if you were askig for asparagus. 

​feature Coleus plants today. 
Height:  20 inches
Spacing:  14 inches
Kong Mosaic Coleus' attractive large serrated pointy leaves remain light green in color with showy creamy white variegation and tinges of dark red throughout the year on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant. The flowers of this plant may actually detract from its ornamental features, so they can be removed as they appear. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Mass Planting
Border Edging
General Garden Use
Container Planting
Hanging Baskets
Kong Coleus will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 14 inches apart.
The Kong series coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides), a variety released in 2004, won't thrive in full sun. The brilliantly colored leaves – described as being as big enough to cover your face – prefer shade with only a touch of morning sun.
Kong Coleus is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.  Give them a try.
Taken from https://www.gardenguides.com/80673-care-kong-rose-coleus.html
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-93-9365

images from Becky's Greenhouse  outside

image from inside Becky's Greenhouse

     All the pictures here is what we have grown out of this greenhouse.  Looking good, I would say.  
    I have been asked if I can get certain plants.  Here is what I have been asked for and they are here.  Hibiscus is the hardy kind, we have Cherub light pink, Purple Hearts red/dark foliage. Clematis Montana Ruben Pink, Piena Elegans small double rose purple, Purple star.  Hollyhocks Purple rain, and radiant rose.  Do you have wave petunias?  Yes, in a large 4 pack and many different colors.  Peony Felix Crousee, Pink Hawaiian Corla, Raspberry charm, Red Charm.  Raspberry bushes in Heiritage and Nova.  Rhubarb plants will be here next week. (Week of May 5th )We have Lemon grass.  I will be ordering perennials at least next week,( week of May 5th) so if there is something you are looking for just ask, and I can see if I can get it.
The perennials made it yesterday.  Trees/shrubs are here.  Annual packs have grown and look really good. ( if I say so myself). Tomatoes and pepper plants have an awesome thick stock for planting in your garden.  We have lots of premium annuals from Proven Winners to Plant Peddler( which we have grown here, just the plug came from these growers) and also from Swift Greenhouse. 
As I have always said to you, most of the annuals and vegetables have been grown in our greenhouse.  With that the wagons will be filled, and the greenhouse is still full.  We are growing more so need to move out more plants. 
We have grown geraniums, spikes, hanging baskets.  Our bedding annual plants are in a 4 pack two sizes.  Super packs or regular packs…we strive to save you money and not having everything in single pots.  We have planted some of the annuals in quart size pots so they are ready to go into your garden fully grown. 
Succulents are growing and still planting more.  They start at $1.00 and more.
Seed potatoes, onion sets, onion plants, bulk vegetable seeds most of them .25 per teaspoon or the tablespoons .50 savings for you.
Just planted some carnivorous plants. As you can see, we have a variety of plants for you. More than I have written about.  I will be glad to see you. See you soon.
When you come remember your punch card as we honor them forever.  For $100, you get $7.50 off.
Hours are Monday thru Saturday 9-6, Sunday 1-6. 
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from quotesgram.com 

      It is cool today as the temperature at 2:30 is 56 degrees but feels like 53.  It is cloudy and still raining a bit. Tonight, low will be 39. This is a typical spring day.  Stay warm.  Now next week, it will be warmer than normal, so I will be saying stay cool. 
Slowly we are getting the plants outside that are ready. Now they are on tall racks, and hopefully on next couple of days I will get them on the long wagon racks.  Greenhouse is full, and still more planting to do.  I just told Larry I am really pleased on how the plants look.  They look great.  For you the gardener when you come it will be the Bibical Way, “Seek and you shall find.”
​
Yes, we have onions.  We have red, white and yellow onion sets.  This year they came in large bags, so we have rebundle them into small bags.  I am so pleased on how they are.  Nice size and so much better than buying them in little bags.  I think you will think the same thing.
We have onion plants.  Here is the description of what we have.
Patterson Onion Plants
Yellow, globe shaped, slightly pungent, hybrid
Size Potential: 3-4″
Storage Potential: 8-10 months
Days to Harvest: 110
Yellow, Storage, Hybrid
Patterson continues to provide the longest storage potential our varieties offer. This variety  provides great storage potential, firmness, large size potential, great uniformity, and high yield.
Red Candy Apple Onion Plants
Deep Fed, Flat Globe Shape, Sweet, Hybrid
Size Potential: 3″
Storage Potential: 2-3 months
Days to Harvest: 85-95
Red, Sweet, Hybrid
 Red Candy Apple has proved to be a reliable red intermediate day onion year after year. Although slightly smaller in size, Red Candy onions can be pushed to grow larger in long days areas with additional nitrogen. Allow to grow to full maturity as Red Candy Apple finishes strong. When planted in short and intermediate day areas, it produces larger bulbs. Makes a great red bulb to be sold early at the farmers’ market in all areas. What it lacks in size, it will make up in appearance and flavor. Contains a higher concentration of quecetins, an antioxidant compound that helps delay or slow damage to the cells and tissue of the body.
Sterling Onion Plants
Dixondale Farms exclusive!
White, globe shaped, mildly pungent, hybrid
Size Potential: 5″
Storage Potential: 6 months
Days to Harvest: 100-110
Description
Sterling is a consistent performer with tall, vigorous tops that may help protect against sun scalding. Its uniform bulbs range in size from jumbo to colossal. Sterling is resistant to foliar disease and bolting.
When you come and you ask how do I grow big onions?  Or grow the onion that you eat small?  I will show you the way to plant to get each of them.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365