​Welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs.
 
   So we are open yet today as this is my last weekend of being open.  What am I doing, but what you can see in the picture but watering?  It is extremely hot and humid, so want the plants to continue to look nice this is what I am doing most of the day.  Had gardeners yesterday but I understand today is too warm for today.    I will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wed. Closed on the 4th.  I will be around on the 5th, and a little on the 6th if you want to come and get some beautiful plants that we have.  call before coming 641-794-3337 as we have a couple of errands on Friday to do.  Saturday probably working at home as that work has piled up. 
 
     Devotion today is from Isaiah 63:7  I will recount the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His mercy and according to the multitude of His loving kindnesses.
 
     One of the ways Vine's expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words defines, praise, is telling a tale or a narration.  In other words praising God is simple recounting or telling aloud the great things He has done.  Praise is beautiful because it magnifies the goodness of God and strengthens us and all those who hear us, enabling us to deal with some of the more unpleasant things in life.
      If we are doing nothing more than sitting at lunch with a friend and speaking about some wonderful things, God has done with gratitude in our hears, we are praising Him.  In fact, the Bible says God like those conversations, and when He hears them.  He gets out His book of remembrance and records them.  He does not record our murmuring, grumbling or complaining, but He records the words we speak when praise in on our lips.  Talk to someone today about something good Gas Has done for you.
 
Lord I am thankful that my relationship with You is not a complicated list of religious rituals.  I can praise You simply by telling others about Your goodness.  Thank You for Your blessings in my life and I will praise You all day long. In your name we pray AMEN
 
taken from the Power of being Thankful by Joyce Meyer
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 

picture from mnn.com

    ​Welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs..
 
OK kids this is what I have been talking about with science and what we have in Sunday School asking the question why something works or the way it is...Why do fireflies light up?  or sometimes we call them lightning bugs?  
 
Fireflies—also known a lightning bugs—have been captivating humans for centuries with their beautiful lights on summer nights. What makes fireflies glow the way they do?
 The nearly 2,000 species of fireflies worldwide inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The firefly isn’t actually a fly at all, but rather a beetle from the family Lampyridae, which in Latin means “shining fire.” This “fire” that makes fireflies so fascinating is really a method of communication for the insects. They form a beautiful language with light (as opposed to many animals’ languages of sound and scent).
 
Why Do Fireflies Glow?
•Photocytes, or light cells, in the insect’s abdomen are where the glow is produced.
•The light is the result of a chemical reaction known as bioluminescence that occurs when two substances, luciferin and luciferase, react with one another when exposed to oxygen.
•The firefly regulates the flow of oxygen into its abdomen to turn its taillight on or off.
•This cold, living light is almost 100 percent efficient, losing only a fraction of its energy to heat. By comparison, a standard incandescent light bulb is less than 10 percent efficient, and an LED ranges between 40 and 50 percent efficient!
•The main idea of a firefly’s light show is to attract a mate. The males fly around while turning their lights on and off, hoping to get the attention of a flightless female waiting in low vegetation. They try to flash very quickly, because this is what attracts females.
•If a female is impressed by a male’s flickering, she will flash back a response to the twilight glow. The brighter the female’s response, the more interest she has in the male.
•Each species of firefly has its own unique flash that is characteristic of its sex and species.
•Carnivorous females of the genus Photuris are known to entomologists as “femmes fatales.” These fireflies mimic the flashes of females of other firefly genera; the unsuspecting courting male flies in (expecting romance) and is promptly eaten.
•A lightning bug’s light can also serve as a warning to predators. In the same way that bees scream “Danger!” with their black and yellow stripes, fireflies show their toughness with their light. Fireflies even have an advantage over bees, because their warning can be seen in the dark!
 
How to Find Fireflies
•Fireflies like to be out when mosquitoes are out: in cool, damp, dim conditions. This means that you might get chewed by mosquitoes when looking for fireflies. There are some easy ways to protect yourself from mosquitoes, but if you can’t help but be bitten, check out our remedies for bug bites.
•Just like mosquitoes, fireflies like to be near swampy areas or creeks.
•Unfortunately, some common methods of deterring mosquitoes (like using a pesticide) also deter fireflies. If you use mosquito-deterring techniques in your yard, you’ll have to look somewhere else.
•Try to find an area with very little light pollution: a meadow, the edge of a forest, or even your backyard if you don’t live in an urban area. Also, keep the outdoor lighting at your home dim.
•Go out to look for fireflies soon after sunset. If you stand still and watch carefully, you just might see a few!
•Fireflies don’t come out until the warmth of spring, so wait until the spring and summer months of May, June, and July to search for them.
 
How to Attract Fireflies
The best way to attract these blinking bugs is to turn your yard or garden into the ideal firefly environment:
•Fireflies appreciate shrubs and low trees for daytime shelter, so consider planting some to keep them around.
•Fireflies like to hang out in grassy meadows, so if you want them to visit your property, let some parts of your lawn grow out or plant tall ornamental grasses. They enjoy perching on the tips of long blades of grass while searching for a mate.
•Place bird baths in grassy areas or near shrubs; fireflies will appreciate the water source.
•Don’t use mosquito-repelling chemicals in your garden, as these will also repel fireflies.
 
More Fun Firefly Facts
•Fireflies taste horrible to predators like birds and mice. They release a bitter defensive chemical when eaten, which helps to keep predators away.
•All fireflies are bioluminescent as larvae (which is why the larvae are often called glowworms), but not all of them shine as adults. The fireflies that lose their ability to make light use scent to find mates instead.
•Even though a firefly’s light is triggered by oxygen, fireflies do not have lungs. Instead, they inhale oxygen through tubes called “tracheoles.”
•A lightning bug’s flash can be yellow, green, or even blue!
•Fireflies are only about ½ inch long, and they have very big eyes so that they can see the flashes of other fireflies.
•Fireflies (as well as their larvae, glowworms) help to control garden pests like snails, slugs, cutworms, and aphids, so be sure to keep them around if you have them in your garden.
 
Though many people love to catch fireflies in jars and keep them around, fireflies can be much more beneficial in your yard than in your house. Even if you keep them in a jar for a few hours, be sure to release them again. And for the effect of putting lightning bugs in a jar without bothering any of them, try our Mason Jar Lid with Star Lights.
 
Let your love light shine with these dazzling garden friends, and let us know in the comment section if you’ve found lightning bugs in your garden!
taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/fireflies-why-do-fireflies-glow
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

    I was asked to have pictures on my website and just putting them on the blog page didn't work.  So I added these pictures in the section above labeled flowers.  Plants look great yet, and lots of color and they are continue to grow and bloom.  So enjoy!!!!!  I will be adding more of the things we have at Becky's Greenhouse to sell in June and continue to sell in July.  This is my last weekend to be open, but I will be here Monday-Friday in July.  Except when I am at the Franklin Co Fair.  Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netin.s.net

Vine plants like zucchini June 2019

Gazanias in full bloom. June 2019

Geraniums June 2019

Megellan Zinnias June 2019

Inca Marigold June 2019

Begonias June 2019

Profusion Zinnias June 2019

Salvia, melapodium June 2019

succulents June 2019

More succulents June 2019

Herbs  June 2019

  Some of our trees and shrubs  June 2019

Roses June 2019

Hope you enjoy what the pictures look like.  Plants still looking awesome and I will work hard when it is really warm to keep them that way.  Well hydrated is the key.  Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

         ​Good morning, welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs..
 
Question yesterday I have something eating my potato leaves.  Large beetle bigger than a lady bug?    Hope this helps. Becky
 
How to Control the Potato Beetle
If you walk outside, look at your garden and find large holes in potato leaves or the leaves are stripped off leaving only the veins, you most probably have Colorado potato beetles. These pests are the most common culprit in potato infestations. To add insult to injury, both the adult and larvae stages eat potato leaves. Potato plants will survive after losing about 30 percent of their leaves. Identify the beetles in any life stage to make certain of your pest problem and then eradicate them.
 
Identification
1  Examine the tops of potato leaves for signs of the Colorado potato beetle. Adults are yellowish and about 3/8 inch long with orange heads and 10 black stripes on their backs from head to tail. Larvae are about 1/2 inch long and appear like a red slug. They have black spots in two rows on each side of the body. Larvae heads and legs are black.
 
2 Lift up leaves to look underneath them to identify Colorado potato beetle eggs. The eggs are orange-yellow and appear in clusters on the underneath.
 
3  Look closely at potato leaves with large holes in them and young potato shoots that are stripped of all their leaves as they emerge from the ground for both adults and larvae.
 
Potato Beetle Control
1 Pick adult and larvae stages of the Colorado potato beetle off each plant by hand. Place them in a Mason jar and close the lid so it is airtight. Dispose of the jar in the garbage.
 
2  Cut all leaves with damage off with garden hand shears. Place the leaves in a bucket. Cut all potato leaves with eggs underneath them and place them in a bucket. Secure the bucket with an airtight lid. Leave the bucket in a sunny location for about three weeks to kill the eggs.
 
3 Measure and pour pyrethrin concentrated insecticide into a garden sprayer. Follow the specific directions on your package as the amount varies from one brand to another. Most directions include making a gallon of insecticide. If you want to convert this to a smaller amount, divide by four to make a quart.
 
4  Turn a garden hose on and fill the sprayer with water while swirling the sprayer to mix the contents. Fill the water level up to the line on the sprayer for the amount you are making.
 
5  Place the lid on the garden sprayer and turn it clockwise to lock it. Pull the handle on top up and down to pressurize the contents.
 
6  Spray each potato plant on the underside and topside of each leaf. Examine your potatoes weekly for additional pests. Repeat the spraying process if you see more evidence of potato beetles on your crop.
 
Potato Beetle Prevention
1  Remove dead leaves and debris from under plants to discourage pests.
2  Turn the soil in spring with a rototiller before planting to a depth of 6 inches. This process will dig up any beetle pupae that have overwintered in the ground. Pick the pinkish-yellow pupae out of the soil and dispose of them before planting your spring potatoes.
 
3  Rotate potato crops to a new area each season to avoid potato beetles in the ground from a previous crop.
 
4  Spray potato plants and the ground surrounding them with insecticide as soon as the leaves emerge. Examine plants weekly and apply insecticide at the first sign of Colorado potato beetles in any life stage.
 
5   Plant companions of flax, green beans or eggplant to control beetles.
Things You Will Need
◾Mason jar
◾Garden hand shears
◾Bucket with lid
◾Pyrethrin concentrated insecticide
◾Garden sprayer
◾Garden hose
 
Tips
◾Choose a sunny, warm day to apply insecticides, as they work best under these conditions. Rain and heavy dew washes insecticides off plant leaves. Reapply insecticides if an unexpected rain occurs within a few days of application.
◾If you are squeamish about touching bugs, you can use the insecticide without handpicking bugs.
 taken from https://homeguides.sfgate.com/control-potato-beetle-29012.html
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 
  

picture from blueridge.edu

       ​Good morning, welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs..
 
Question asked today 
Becky: This is the first time I grew these plants from seed and which they are lush and growing, there is not a single blossom on them. This is troublesome....so I will be on the lookout for blossoms.
 Do you have suggestions for anything I should do?
 Thank you.
 Raka   HOPE this HELPS....fertilizer is what I would say to try. 
 
 
Chinese okra ("Luffa cylindrica"), also called dishcloth gourd or luffa, is a type of gourd produced on plants that closely resemble cucumber vines.
 The fruits are green and grow up to 1-3 feet long, though they are harvested for food before they reach their mature size. They can be eaten fresh or added to cooked dishes. The inside of this gourd can be dried and used as a cloth, hence its common name.
Chinese okra should be planted in full sun and soil that maintains even moisture without being wet.
 
 Prepare the garden site by cultivating with a garden fork after all danger of frost in spring. Mix 5-10-10 fertilizer with the loosened soil at the rate instructed on the package.
 
 Create hills using a garden hoe. Leave approximately 6 feet between each hill.
 
 Sow the Chinese okra seeds at a depth equal to half their length. Water until the soil feels evenly moist at 2 to 3 inches deep.
 
 Keep the soil lightly moist, but not wet, at all times.
 
 Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the hills once the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall.
 
 Place a sturdy trellis behind the plants when they are 3 to 4 inches high. Train the vines by draping them over the trellis as they grow.
 
 Apply high-nitrogen fertilizer one week after flowers appear. Work it lightly into surface of the soil with a garden fork and water deeply. Do not allow the fertilizer to touch the vine.
 
 Feed the plants again with high-nitrogen fertilizer in three weeks.
 
 Harvest Chinese okra for eating when the fruits are 6 to 8 inches long, approximately 100 days after sowing the seeds. Gather fruits that are to be used for decorative purposes or as sponges about 30 days later.
taken from http://www.seedman.com/GrowingInstructions/edibleluffa.htm
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

picture from vegetablegardener.com

      ​Welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs..Here is a list of plants rabbits will eat, and then plants they don't like.  Hope this helps with that problem.  
 
Rabbit-Proof Plants   By Marie Iannotti
 
Rabbits dine out all year. They are herbivores and can make a quick meal of your garden. They will devour tender shoots in spring and gnaw through bark in the winter. You can tell when rabbits, not deer, have been chewing on your woody plants because rabbits make clean cuts. Deer do not have teeth on the top front of their mouths and must tear off the plants they munch on, leaving ragged stems.
 
Rabbits have large incisors, similar to squirrels and mice. But rabbits have two pairs of both upper and lower incisors, while rodents have only one set. (Rabbits are lagomorphs not rodents.)
 
It would be nice if there were plants that are truly rabbit-proof, but as with other animals, rabbits can surprise you. They do have their favorite foods and those they tend to avoid, but when food is scarce, they will eat just about anything. If you are interested in how to deter rabbits, there are ways to control and deter rabbits from overrunning your garden.
 
 Plants That Rabbits Will Eat 
The entire list of plants that rabbits will eat, or at least sample, is too long to list out everything, the following are rabbit favorites.
Tender, young leaves are the most susceptible, although they will sample many plants in the vegetable garden.
■ Bean
■ Beet
■ Broccoli
■ Carrot [particularly the tops]
■ Lettuce
■ Parsley
■ Pea [especially the leaves and tendrils]
■ Spinach
■ Swiss chard
■ Most tree fruits and berries
 
These plants often sustain the most damage, because they are tender and generally out in the open with no protection.
■ Asters
■ Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
■ Bachelor's button (Centaurea cyanus)
■ Bellflower (Campanula spp.)
■ Clematis
■ Cockscomb (Celosia argenta cristata)
■ Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
■ Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
■ Coral bells (Heuchera sanguinea) [flowers only]
■ Crocus (Crocus hybrids)
■ Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
■ Gazania (Gazania rigens)
■ Great masterwort (Astrantia major)
■ Hosta
■ Lilies (Lilium hybrids)
■ Lupine (Lupinus)
■ Impatiens (flowers mainly)
■ Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum)
■ Marguerite daisy (Felicia amelloides
■ Mountain bluet (Centaurea montana)
■ Pansy
■ Phlox
■ Rose moss (Portulaca grandiflora)
■ Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) [seedlings only]
■ Sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius)
■ Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum)
■ Tulip
■ Violets
■ Wishbone flower (Torenia)
 
Related:Avoid These Plants if Rabbits Are a Problem
Shrubs and Trees
Rabbits prefer tender woody plants with thin bark, so new plants and shoots are at the most risk. If you have a shrub they keep gnawing on and you cannot protect it, tossing a branch or two on the ground might keep them content enough to leave the shrub alone. Rabbits will go for the easy meal. It is better to sacrifice a couple of branches than the whole plant.
■ Apples/crabapples (Malus spp.)
■ Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)
■ Barberry (Berberis)
■ Burning bush (Euonymus spp.)
■ Chokeberry (Aronia spp.)
■ Deutzia (Deutzia sp)
■ Dogwood (Cornus spp.)
■ Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
■ Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
■ Flowering quince (Chaenomeles)
■ Fothergilla (Fothergilla spp.)
■ Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
■ Honeylocust (Gleditsia spp.)
■ Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
■ Ironwood (Carpinus spp.)
■ Juneberry/serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
■ Linden (Tilia spp.)
■ Maple (Acer spp.)
■ Mountain ash (Sorbus spp.)
■ Oak (Quercus spp.)
■ Poplar (Populus spp.)
■ Rose (Rosa spp.)
■ Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
■ Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria)
■ Spirea (Spiraea spp.)
■ Sumac (Rhus spp.)
■ Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
■ Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
 
 
 
 Rabbit-Resistant Plants 
It should be no surprise that plants with strong fragrance or fuzzy leaves like lavender and black-eyed Susan are less popular with rabbits. Unfortunately, these plants will not deter them completely. Rabbits grazing in your flower beds will simply eat around the less enticing plants.
 
Rabbit-Resistant Vegetables
These tend to be either aromatic, thorny, or members of the nightshade family.
■ Artichokes
■ Asparagus
■ Onions
■ Peppers [may eat young plants]
■ Potatoes
■ Squash
■ Tomatoes
 
Rabbit-Resistant Annuals and Perennials
Remember, they may nibble to see if they like it and will eat anything, if they are really hungry.
■ Agastache
■ Ageratum
■ Allium
■ Blue star (Amsonia hubrichtii)
■ Anemone (Anemone x hybrida)
■ Angelonia
■ Artemisia
■ Astilbe
■ Azalea
■ Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)
■ Basil
■ Beard tongue (Penstemon)
■ Bee balm (Monarda)
■ Begonia
■ Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
■ Blanket flower (Gaillardia)
■ Bleeding heart (Dicentra)
■ Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
■ Butterfly bush (Buddleia)
■ Canna
■ Carex
■ Blue mist shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
■ Candytuft (Iberis)
■ Catmint (Nepeta)
■ Columbine (Aquilegia)
■ Crocosmia
■ Daffodils (Narcissus hybrids)
■ Daylily (Hemerocallis)
■ Dead nettle (Lamium maculatum)
■ False indigo (Baptisia australis)
■ Geranium or Cranesbill
■ Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)
■ Geum
■ Ginger (Asarum spp.)
■ Ice plant (Lampranthus)
■ Iris
■ Lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina)
■ Lantana
■ Larkspur
■ Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
■ Maiden grass (Miscanthus)
■ Lavender (Lavendula)
■ Marigold Tagetes
■ Moss pink (Phlox subulata)
■ Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia)
■ Mums (Chrysanthemum) (Not guaranteed)
■ Oregano
■ Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)
■ Poppy (Papaver)
■ Petunia
■ Rosemary
■ Russian​ sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
■ Salvia (Sage spp.)
■ Sea holly (Eryngium)
■ Sea thrift (Armeria)
■ Sedum
■ Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)
■ Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
■ Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica)
■ Speedwell (Veronica spp.)
■ Spider flower (Cleome)
■ St. John's wort (Hypericum)
■ Thyme
■ Tickseed or Coreopsis
■ Verbena
■ Vinca
■ Zinnia
 
Trees and Shrubs Not Often Eaten by Rabbits
■ Black walnut (Juglans nigra)
■ Juniper (Juniperus)
■ Spruce (Picea)
■ Fir (Abies)
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/rabbit-proof-plants-
till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 

      I Samuel 17:37  David said, The Lord Who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear.  He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.  And Saul said to David, Go and the Lord be with you!  

      If we remember the miracles God has done in the past with awe and a thankful heart, we will not so easily fall into worry and fear when we have new challenges to face.  When David was facing Goliath, he remembered the lion and the bear he had already slain with God's help.  Because he remembered what God had done he had no fear of his situation with Goliath.
        Are you facing something right now that looks like a giant in your life?  If so, remember God's goodness, be thankful for what He has done before, and choose to believe He can do it again.  Write down three things that God has done for you in the past and focus on them instead of your problem.  Nothing is impossible for God.  take some time to think about and talk about God's miraculous work.  Then you will find courage filling your heart.  

Lord, with all my heart, I thank You, for the wonders You have done in the past.  And today, I stand in faith, believing that You will work mightily in my life once again.  Thank You for being the same yesterday, today and forever.  IN your name we pray AMEN
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 

       ​Good morning, welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs..
 
Did you know that Beans rival Zucchini for abundant harvests? It's true~if you plant a row of Bush Beans or a Pole Bean tepee or two, expect to be picking Beans every day for weeks on end. You'll have plenty for family dinners and and to freeze for winter, when the taste of homegrown Beans can bring back the summer sun in a single bite. In fact, The sheer abundance of a Bean harvest is just one of the reasons they're one of America's most popular vegetables to grow, second only to the Tomato.
Mid-summer is the perfect time to sow a new crop of Beans. A July planting.  So do some now, and again in July.
Taken from kitchengardenseeds@kitchengardenseeds.com
 
Too late to plant a vegetable garden?
 
Don't miss this!
This is something beginners believe…that they’ve missed the opportunity to have a vegetable garden once Memorial Day has passed. I’ll admit that I’m a little behind on my planting this year. My wonky spring work schedule followed by the rain has thrown me off a little but there’s still plenty of time to plant and harvest vegetables. In fact, I just got my last two tomato plants in just yesterday…no big deal since they were growing in their pots all along. At least now I can stop worrying about them drying out now that they’re all tucked into the garden.
If you spend some time with the vegetable schedule (part 2 here) you’ll soon see that vegetables aren’t something that you “plant in the spring and harvest in the fall”. There is a huge planting season that won’t even start until June and into July.

Summer Sowing
As our early crops of spinach, lettuce and others bolt in the summer’s heat, it is time to rip them out to open up space for the crop we sow in summer. Here’s a little list of “mid summer sowers” and you can refer to your Vegetable Schedule for even more. It is easy to forget the garden in summer but this is your best opportunity to really take advantage of summer heat to get fall crops up quickly for a large fall harvest. Many cool season greens that mature in September taste better than their spring counterparts so summer sowing is a huge opportunity.
• Basil-Sow seeds late June through late July.
• Beans-Sow seeds of quick varieties (generally bush types) until 3rd week of July.
• Broccoli-Sow seeds until mid July.
• Brussels Sprouts-Sow seeds until mid July.
• Cabbage-Plant transplants through mid July.
• Carrots-Sow seeds through mid July.
• Collards-Plant transplants until August 1st.
• Dill-Sow seeds late July to early August.
• Escarole, endive-Sow seeds early July through August.
• Kale-Sow seeds through first week of August.
• Kohlrabi-Sow seeds through first week of August.
• Lettuce-Sow in groups two weeks apart from mid July through September 1st. •
• Mustard-Sow seeds mid July to mid August.
• Parsley-Sow seeds mid June through mid August.
• Peas-Sow seeds in early to mid July.
• Radish-Sow seeds mid July to early September at two week intervals.
• Spinach-Sow seeds late July to early August.
• Summer squash-Sow seeds until mid July.
• Turnip-Sow seeds late June to early August.
Seed packs are cheap so play around with them. There are plenty at the garden center so take some time to read the backs. Pay attention to the “days to harvest” information. As of now we have at least 100 days left until frost. You can have a crop of beans in harvest in 50 to 60 days or radishes in less than 30! Many crops like Brussels Sprouts and Swiss Chard aren’t bothered by frost and can be harvested into October most years.
   I have to say that there really isn’t anything at all difficult about starting seeds directly in the garden…much easier than starting seeds indoors in winter. Some seeds like tomatoes and peppers must be started inside in March but the real value (savings) to be gained from vegetable gardening is from crops that we seed directly in the garden. Lettuce and all the other greens like chard and spinach are good examples. Radishes are also very rewarding since you can sow a row every two weeks and they grow and mature in less than a month.
 
Let’s take a look at beans…according to the vegetable schedule you can start sowing them in early May or anytime through the third week of July. As you can see, there’s plenty of time to start a crop or two of beans.
 
taken from https://blog.timesunion.com/gardening/think-its-too-late-to-plant-a-vegetable-garden-think-again
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 

     ​Welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs..
 
The Knock Out® Family of Roses are easy to grow and don't require special care. Plant them individually among shrubs, annuals and perennials in mixed beds and borders. Plant them in large groups to create a colorful hedge or along a foundation to provide a bright border. For best performance, we recommend cutting them back every year in early spring after the last threat of frost has passed.
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Your rose bush will need at least 6-8 hours of sun each day, so choose a sunny spot to plant.
 
2: Dig a Large Hole
Dig a hole slightly larger than the container. Work the soil at the bottom of the hole with your shovel so that it's loose and aerated.
 
3: Remove Rose from its Container
Remove the Knock Out® Rose from its container. Use your hands to gently loosen the roots at the bottom of the plant.
 
4: Plant your Rose in Ground
Place plant in the hole ensuring that the base of the plant is level with the soil.
 
5: Fill in Soil around Plant
Add soil back to the hole around the plant. Crumble the soil so that it is nice and aerated. If desired, mulch around plant. 
 
6: Water Rose until Established
Water your Knock Out® Rose thoroughly around the base of the plant allowing it to soak in. Repeat as necessary. For the next couple of weeks, check in and water the plant as needed to ensure it stays healthy. 
 
Something I haven't done before except when I am selling the knock out roses is planting in a container.  Here is the directions for that.
 
1: Pick a Pot with Drainage  
Choose a container two sizes larger than the size pot the plant was currently in to give it room to grow. Select a pot with drainage or drill holes in the base to allow water to flow out.
 
2: Place Gravel in Base   
Use 2 inches of gravel in the base of your container to help with drainage.
 
3: Add Potting Soil  
Place multiple scoops of the potting soil to your container.
 
4: Add Knock Out® rose
Remove the Knock Out® Rose from its container. Use your hands to gently loosen the roots at the bottom of the plant. Place in your container ensuring that the base of the plant is straight.
 
5: Fill in Soil around Plant    
Add soil around the plant leaving only 1½  inches at the top of the container.
 
6: Place in a Sunny Spot       
Your rose bush will need at least 6-8 hours of sun each day, so choose a sunny spot to place your container.
 
7: Water Twice a Week       
Water your Knock Out® Rose thoroughly around the base of the plant allowing it to soak in and repeating twice weekly. 
taken from https://www.knockoutroses.com/planting-container Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

      ​Welcome to my Garden show, Gardening and you.  I am Becky Litterer from Becky’s Greenhouse in Dougherty.  This show is about more than just the different aspects of gardening, it’s about how we can help you with your gardening needs.
       I am sharing with you about buying a tree and what you need to consider before you buy them.  WE have some really nice trees and shrubs here for your yard.  Remember with every $100 worth of product you buy you get $7.50 off the price. So most of the trees you would get that instant credit of 7.50. 
    
Planting a tree isn’t as simple as digging a hole and throwing the tree into it. You need to consider your land, the climate where you live, what plants are suitable to your local area. However, if you take the time to think about these factors, you will be able to successfully plant and enjoy a tree or trees for years to come!
 
Consider your goal. Before you begin the process of planting a tree or trees, first consider your ultimate goal. Do you want to add a couple of trees to your property to give it greater curb appeal and increase the value of your home? Or maybe you just want the pure enjoyment of seeing the tree grow and invite wildlife such as birds to sit on its branches. Knowing what you want in planting a tree will help you make the best decisions about everything from what kind of tree best suits your needs to where to plant it. 
 
Think about your local climate. You’ll need to think about the weather in your local area before planting a tree to make sure that you get a species that will survive and thrive in your garden or yard. Using the Plant Hardiness Zone scale can help not only identify your local climate, but also the best types of trees to plant. •The Arbor Day Foundation offers a system of identifying climate for plants called the Plant Hardiness Zones. It divides the United States and Canada into 11 different zones that are based on a 10 degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature.
•Knowing your zone will help you identify the types of trees and other plants that you can plant and expect to grow in the zone’s temperature extremes.
•Know that the Plant Hardiness Zones don’t account for local differences including moisture, soil, winds, and other conditions that could affect the survivability of individual plants.
Consider your land. You’ll also want to consider the terrain on your property before you plant a tree. Factors such as slope, neighbors, drainage and erosion can have an impact on what trees will thrive on your land. •For example, if you live on particularly hilly or steep land, it may not be a good idea to plant trees because their roots may not be able to take proper hold.
•If you’re planting a tree or trees to combat erosion, you’ll want to plant trees that already have a strong root ball so they don’t get swept away at the next rainfall or windstorm.
•Think about what kinds of other trees and plants are there so that the tree you plant not only fits in with the overall aesthetic scheme, but also that the tree has room to grow and won’t kill other plants and trees around it.
•In the United States, you can call 811 before you dig. This will get your underground utility lines marked for free, which will help to prevent damage, injury, and fines.
 
Buy your tree. After you’ve done the background work on your climate, land, and zoning laws, you’re ready to buy a tree to plant. Purchase a suitable tree for the region, climate, and your yard. •Trees native to your area tend to do well, and you won't be introducing a potential invasive plant species. It will be easier to care for a tree that is already native to the area.
•You can find the best species of tree for your area. For example, if you live in northern Canada, planting a palm tree probably isn’t feasible. The Arbor Day Foundation can help you find the best tree for your area simply by putting in your zip code or Plant Hardiness zone into the search engine at http://shop.arborday.org/content.aspx?page=tree-nursery .
So next time I will share on preparing to plant the tree.
taken from https://www.wikihow.com/Plant-a-Tree
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net