image from Pinterest.com 

Another morning of clear, blue sky.  It looks nice out, but I am going to wait till I go out and see what it feels like after yesterday when that wind was so cold.  Temperature is at 37F(3C).  High today is 67F(19C).  So, I would say it is going to be an awesome day.  ENJOY, and stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends for April 17 Thursday will have almost the same temperature as us 71F(21C).   Remember this is their fall season.  Enjoy and also stay safe. 
 
Another new plant Sun Dipper Tomatoes Are a Sweet Snacking Tomato but read how tall it gets, so needs to be stacked.  It is not one for a container.  Give it a try!  Looks fun to eat. 
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‘Sun Dipper’ tomatoes are a new small-fruited variety with a curvy, elongated shape that makes them perfect for munching by hand, especially with a dip. The plant is resistant to common tomato diseases and pests. This tomato plant is relatively compact and it ripens fruit fairly early in the season, with the harvest continuing over many weeks.
Fruit: 'Sun Dipper' tomatoes are elongated fruits with a shape slightly like the number 8. Their flavor is sweet, like a cherry tomato. Maturing to about 2 inches long and ripening bright orange, the first fruits are ready to pick 60 to 65 days after transplant.
Habit: This tomato plant reaches 5 feet or taller, with a 4 foot spread. It is an indeterminate tomato, meaning that the plant will continue to grow, flower and set fruit as long as conditions are favorable. (This is the opposite to determinate tomatoes, varieties that stop growing at their mature height and produce flowers and fruit in one flush.)
How to grow it: 'Sun Dipper' is resistant to fusarium, nematodes and tomato mosaic virus. Its needs are typical of any garden tomato plant: full sun, fertile soil and even watering. In most regions 'Sun Dipper' seeds should be sown indoors about six weeks before the typical last frost date. Seedlings can move into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Initial harvest can be expected 60 to 65 days after transplanting. Because this is an indeterminate tomato, it will require sturdy wooden stakes or a tomato cage for support.
Taken from https://www.hortmag.com/edible-gardening/sun-dipper-tomatoes
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 seedsnsuch.com 

Good morning.  Looking outside this morning at 7:30 AM the sky is clear and blue.  The temperature is chilly at 36F but supposed to warm up to 56(14C) What is going to happen again is the wind. NW at 20 MPH that will make it feel cooler.  For us in the greenhouse, with the sun shining it will be warm.  When I talk about the wind, I think of one of our church ladies that doesn’t like the wind.  Sorry for that but we have it.  Stay warm, stay safe
 
Australia family and friends for April 16 Wed. They will have a high of 79F( 21C) with partly cloudy conditions and wind gusts up to 11 mph.  It sounds like to me a pleasant fall day.  Enjoy the day, stay safe.
 
We are growing this basil this spring, but I will order in different kinds from Swift Greenhouse.  You have asked what is new this year.  Here is one. 
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New! Exceptional citrus basil.
Very slow-bolting, incredibly productive basil with bright lemon flavor. Plants are very upright and densely packed with bright green glossy leaves. A beautiful and tidy towering plant. Long, strong stems and profuse leaf production make it excellent for both bunching (from a field planting) and growing in pots. Compared to Mrs. Burns' Lemon basil, Everleaf Lemon has a sweeter, more complex flavor; glossier leaves; a taller, more productive plant habit; and, is much later to flower. Ht. 20–24".
Grow a Never-Ending Supply of Heavenly Basil
Is there anything better than harvesting bundles of fresh Basil from your garden and bringing them inside to wash them and strip the leaves from their stems? It anoints your hands and fills your kitchen with the overpoweringly wonderful scent that is the essence of summer freshness.
Basil's rich floral bouquet, tinged with hints of clove and licorice, is essential in pasta sauces, pizzas and pesto, and is a flavorful adornment for mozzarella cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, Garlic and silky olive oils.
Growing a bountiful supply of Basil is an easy and inexpensive luxury. Just a few seedlings will yield more Basil than you could possibly use (though you'll try.) Its fresh, delicate leaves, rich in volatile oils, bruise easily, which is the reason why bunches of Basil often appear so sad and defeated in the grocery store. Growing your own is the way to go!
Taken from kitchen garden seeds
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 Becky's Greenhouse 

        Good morning….clear, blue sky and it is already 43 degrees so what is the high today.66F(18C) Just enjoy and be outside.  Stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends for their Sunday April 13 high today of 77F(25C)  with cloudy conditions.  Enjoy your Sunday with mild fall weather.  Stay safe.
 
Here is a picture of my planting gals on Thursday.  Val, Nancy and Janet.  They did an awesome job.  They got baskets planted and all the easy wave petunias.  Becky’s Greenhouse Adventures #3 is we plant as much as we can in 4 packs.  Easy wave petunias are one of them in super 4 packs.  You get 4 plants for the price of $5.99
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We have several colors and combinations
Easy Wave Great Lake  Blue, Violet and white
Easy Wave Navy velour Blue purple black flowers very deep color
Easy Wave opposite attracts  coral reef and violet
Easy wave South Beach  coral reef, red and violet
Easy Wavy Blue  dark purple-navy hue
Easy Wavy Formula mix blue, neon rose, pink passion, red, silver, violet and white
Easy wave Peppermint Mix red, white
Easy wave Red  red 
Easy wave  red, white and blue 
Easy Wave petunias grow 2’ to 3’ in the garden.  Wave petunias which we have had for a very long time  grow 3’ to 5’.  Easy wave petunias are a type of petunias that a low maintenance, drought -tolerant and have a vigorous spreading habit.  They produce colorful, showy blooms that last from spring to frost.  These petunias thrive in the full sun.
I need to go and open the greenhouse doors as it is warming up quickly.  I will enjoy planting today as it will be nice and warm.  It will be watering everything today but that is what makes the plants grow sun, heat and water.  You enjoy your 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 

image from blogspot.com

      Good Day as our family would say from Australia.  It is partly cloudy, but looks like clouds are moving in for the day.  Still good temperature at 54F(12C) Wind out of the NNW.  So, stay warm, for us in the greenhouse stay cool, and stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends are having an awesome fall.  76F(24C) for their April 11 Friday. Evelyn said she has gone back to the Botanical Garden to volunteer this fall.  It is a lovely garden in Sale.  It is a hidden gem for sure.  Enjoy and stay safe.
 
Is your rhubarb coming up yet?  That is always a sign of spring.  Here is how to grow it and if you have a patch of rhubarb to take care of it.
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What grows for 10 years or more, suffers from almost no pests, and is refreshingly easy to care for? It’s rhubarb! This perennial vegetable has tart-flavored ruby or green stems used to make pies, crumbles, cakes, jams, and sauces.
About Rhubarb
Rhubarb originally came from Asia. It was brought to Europe in the 1600s and to America shortly thereafter. It thrives in areas with a cooler climate, making it popular in northern gardens. Rhubarb is easy to grow but needs a dormancy period to thrive and produce an abundance of huge stalks. Rhubarb does best where the average temperature falls below 40ºF (4°C) in the winter and below 75ºF (24°C) in the summer.
The stalks are the only edible part of the rhubarb plant. These have a rich, tart flavor when cooked. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are toxic. They contain an irritant called oxalic acid, so be sure that they are not ingested.
What’s lovely about rhubarb is that it’s a perennial: A healthy plant will remain productive for 10 years or more. For that reason, rhubarb should be planted in its own space in any corner of the garden where it can grow undisturbed. Rhubarb grows well in soil amended with plenty of well-rotted manure or compost; this has inspired some gardeners to plant it near their compost piles!
With its ruby or green stems and umbrella-like leaves, rhubarb also adds height and structure to your garden, along with a splash of gorgeous color that will return year in and year out.
Rhubarb grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade.
Choose a site with soil that is well-draining and fertile. Good drainage is essential, as rhubarb will rot if kept too wet. Mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter into the soil. Rhubarb plants are heavy feeders and need this organic matter. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Rhubarb gets big! It can grow to 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Make sure you choose a site where it won’t be crowded.
When to Plant Rhubarb
Rhubarb can be planted in late fall or early spring.
Plant rhubarb crowns after dormancy have set in in the fall, and you’ll have rhubarb cropping in the spring!
In spring, plant crowns when the soil is workable, when the roots are still dormant, and before growth begins (or as plants are just beginning to leaf out). If you have a temperature gauge, soil temperature should be 50°F minimum.
Spacing for Rhubarb
How to Plant Rhubarb
Plant 1-year-old rhubarb crowns, which you can find at a garden center, or nursery, or order online. Plants will be sold as bare-rooted specimens or young plants already growing in pots, ready for transplanting. (Rhubarb can be grown from seed, but this is not recommended.)
Before planting, eliminate all perennial weeds in the planting site.
Dig large, bushel-basket-size holes.
Space rhubarb plants about 2 to 4 feet apart and 3 to 4 feet between rows.
Plant crowns so the eyes are about 2 inches below the soil surface with buds facing up.
Water well at the time of planting.
Growing
Overcrowding is a common problem with rhubarb and can lead to subpar growth. Dig and split rhubarb roots every 3 to 4 years. Divide when plants are dormant in early spring (or late fall). Divisions should have at least one large bud on them.
Mulch generously with a heavy layer of straw to retain moisture and discourage weeds.
Water your plant well and consistently. Rhubarb needs sufficient moisture, especially during the hot, dry summer days.
Remove seed stalks as soon as they appear, as they will only drain energy from the plant that could be used to produce stalks or roots.
Each spring, apply a light sprinkling of a fertilizer (10-10-10) when the ground is thawing or has just thawed. See your local frost dates.
In the fall, remove all plant debris. Once your ground freezes, it’s best to cover rhubarb with 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch, preferably well-rotted compost. By adding nitrogen to the soil, you’re preparing the rhubarb plants for a good spring season.
Harvesting
Do NOT harvest any stalks during the first growing season. Harvest sparingly in the second year. This allows your plants to become properly established.
After a plant’s third year, the harvest period (rhubarb season!) runs 8 to 10 weeks long, lasting through mid-summer.
Harvest stalks when they are 12 to 18 inches long and at least 3/4-inch in diameter. If the stalks become thin, stop harvesting; the plant’s food reserves are low.
Grab the base of the stalk and pull it away from the plant with a gentle twist. If this doesn’t work, you can cut the stalk at the base with a sharp knife. To prevent the spread of disease, be sure to sanitize the knife before cutting. Discard the leaves.
Always leave at least two stalks per plant to ensure continued production. You may have a bountiful harvest for well over 10 years without replacing your rhubarb plants.
It was once believed that the entire rhubarb plant became toxic as summer temperatures rose. This isn’t true, although summer-harvested stalks usually have a tougher texture than those picked in the spring. Nevertheless, after midsummer (July), it’s best to leave stalks on the plant to allow them to gather energy for next year’s growth.
How to Store Rhubarb
Cut the rhubarb stalks and refrigerate in a covered container. Or, tightly wrap stalks in plastic or aluminum foil and refrigerate. Rhubarb can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
Cut rhubarb stalks into pieces, place them in a covered container or zip-type plastic bag, and put them in the freezer. Frozen rhubarb will last about a year.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/rhubarb
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  

Profusion Zinnias image from Pinterset 

Magellan zinnias image from Ball Seed 

      Good morning.  Looks like the clouds are moving in.  We could have some rain.  High today is 57F(14C).  Stay warm, stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends for April 10 Thursday 71F(21C) with cloudy skies.  To be looks like a fall day for them.  Stay safe and enjoy.
 
The planting gals have planted zinnias into packs.  We do some of these for the Mason City public garden beds.  We have several colors of the Profusion Zinnias, and colors of the Magellan Zinnias.   In the article that I have posted it talks about planting seeds, and you can do that.  But for our purpose at the public gardens in Mason City it is to have instant plants and color sooner.  When you have the plants, then the weeding is easier than if you plant the seeds and have to wait for the zinnias to get bigger for weeding. 

These bushy Profusion Zinnia plants, 14 to 18 inches high and 20 to 24 inches wide, are simply smothered nonstop all season with cheerful, 2-inch daisy-formed blooms. The petals are a bold mix of scarlet and orange, some looking almost striped while others a wash of both bright sunset tones. The petals surround a bold, eye-catching central eye of frilly golden—a very unusual combination for zinnia, and absolutely magnificent in a large planting. And large plantings are just what this landscaping series is designed for—unlike the cut flower or bedding varieties, Profusion is a dense, bushy, many-flowered little plant that covers ground and fills the garden with color.
One of the colors we have in 4 packs:  Profusion Fire Zinnia is highly tolerant of mildew and other foliage diseases, and laughs at heat, humidity, and drought. We are proud to give Profusion our highest recommendation for garden-worthiness.
Zinnias are one of the easiest annuals to grow and attract butterflies to the garden. They are the perfect cut flower, the more you cut, the more you get. Profusion Fire Zinnias thrives in the sun and heat of summer and ask only for well-drained soil. Space the Profusion Fire Zinnia plants generously to prevent overcrowding. When cutting the blooms for the vase, trim off all the foliage; unlike the blooms, it does not age well. Direct sow or start ahead indoors.

Magellan zinnias A magnificent blend of extra-large and fully double, 4-5 in. zinnias formulated from the following Magellan series varieties: Magellan Cherry, Magellan Coral, Magellan Ivory, Magellan Orange, Magellan Pink, Magellan Salmon, Magellan Scarlet and Magellan Yellow. The 14 in. tall plants branch freely from a young age - no pinching is required.

Now I will talk about Becky’s Greenhouse Adventures:  I am going to include this as adventure with your shopping.  We grow as many plants as we can in 4 packs, large or small.  It will give you more for your $, and more to plant.  We use a standard 4 pack for small and large super 4 packs.  Depending on how they grow for you to put into the garden is how I decide what size container to use.  Other growers use small 4 packs, or just plants into single pots.  I just want you to look at what you are shopping for.  Here at Becky’s Greenhouse, we want to give you the best plants at a reasonable price.
Becky's Greenhouse Adventure #3 
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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Zinnia Flowers by Catherine Boeckmann
Zinnias create a massive burst of color in your garden from summer through the first hard frost of fall. They are annual plants that are best planted from seed. Perfect as cut flowers, they’re also food for butterflies
Zinnias are annuals, so they’ll grow for one season to produce flowers and seeds, but the original plant will not come back in subsequent years. They have bright, solitary, daisy-like flower heads on a single, erect stem, which makes them great for use as a cutting flower or as food for butterflies.
The most popular zinnia species is Zinnia elegans, which has been bred to produce a great number of unique varieties.
Zinnia flowers come in three main kinds: single, double, or semi-double. The distinction between these forms comes from the number of rows of petals and whether or not the center of the flower is visible:
Single-flowered zinnias have a single row of petals and a visible center.
Double-flowered zinnias have numerous rows of petals, and their centers are not visible.
Semidouble-flowered zinnias are somewhere in-between, with numerous rows of petals but visible centers.
In addition to these forms, zinnia flowers come in a number of shapes, including beehive, button, and cactus. The plants also come in different heights: taller varieties are best for the background of a garden bed, while shorter varieties work well along a border. There’s a zinnia for every garden!
Plant zinnias in an annual or mixed border garden. Smaller zinnias are suitable for edging, windowboxes, or other containers.
Planting
Choosing a location that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day) is essential to getting plentiful blooms throughout the season. Additionally, a site that offers good air circulation will help to prevent foliar diseases such as powdery mildew later in the season.
Zinnias are able to adapt to most soil conditions, but the ideal soil will be rich in organic matter and well-draining. Soil pH should ideally be between 5.5 and 7.5. If soil is amended with compost (humus), the flowers will grow more quickly.
Zinnias will grow in a minimum daytime temperature of about 60°F (16°C), though a range of 74°–84°F (23°–28°C) is preferred.
After the zinnias flower, cut off the old flowers (a process called deadheading) to encourage more flowers to form.
Zinnias are annuals and will die with the first hard frost of fall. However, if you want them to reseed, let the last flowers of the season mature fully and scatter their seeds.
Zinnias generally take 60 to 70 days from seed to flower (though it depends on conditions and variety). They work great in a flower bouquet!
To save zinnia seeds for replanting, simply collect a few blossoms that are at least halfway brown and let them dry in a paper bag until the seeds shatter.
Find the dark, pointed seeds at the bases of outer petals, with more along the center of the flower.
Dry on a paper towel until hard and almost crisp.
Store in a paper bag in a dark, dry location until you plant again in the spring.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/zinnias
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 Becky's Greenhouse

       It is clear blue sky…but wait it is cold out 22F ( -5C).  Dress warm.  It is going to warm up today and all week with chance of rain.  High of 51F(11C) stay warm stay safe
 
Australia family and friends for April 9 Wed is going to have a great fall day.  68F(20C)   partly cloudy for them.  Enjoy your weather, stay safe.
 
I have been asked when I am open.  During the week, I would say now.  We are planting so someone will be there.  I will be open April 21st Monday after Easter and every day till the end of June.  Monday thru Saturday 9-6, Sunday 1-6. 

What do you have?  Seed potatoes, onion sets are in.  The pansies look amazing and if you want some for your Easter décor stop in and pick them up. The pansy baskets are looking great and have lots of color.  All the early vegetables look good as in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower.  They all will need to be hardened as they are still in the hot greenhouse. 
Trees and shrubs will not be delivered till the end of April.  The same with the perennials.  I will let you know when they are here.   I will post pictures of these later today when I am at the greenhouse.    
We are starting a new Becky’s Greenhouse Adventures.  When you come you will always receive a gift.  Each week it will be a different gift.  Adventure #1
Adventure #2
We have area bars and grills in our area towns.  Their places look amazing, their food is awesome and there is great service. Here they are:  Stop at the greenhouse and then continue your adventure at one of these places to eat. 
Pat’s Bar and Grill, Marble Rock, Kitchen open 7AM-9PM, breakfast served all day with a full menu of other meals. Closed on Sunday
Back Roads, Aredale Kitchen hours Wed, Thursday, Friday 5PM-9PM, Saturday 8AM-9PM, Sunday 8AM-7PM
Block 10, Sheffield, Tuesday through Friday 8AM-2PM closed Saturday, Sunday
Aces Bar and Grill, Rockford Tuesday – Saturday Kitchen open 11:30 AM, Sunday 11AM-11PM
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I will be listing more adventures from Becky’s Greenhouse.  Our main adventure right now is planting.  Becky’s Greenhouse is soon going to be full of color for your garden planting.   
I am off to work on that.  Springtime and all that time are spent outside.  It is a great time.  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 Becky's Greenhouse 

Here we go another week.  We are busy trying to get plants into pots for your spring planting.  I can’t tell you enough how the plugs look great.  It makes planting them so much easier when the plants look good, have good roots and are healthy to start growing right away. 
The weather is going to be a little cooler today after a great day on Sunday.  But it looks like a couple of cooler days and then it warms up again in time for the end of the week, and the weekend.  High today is 41F(5C)           Stay safe, stay warm
 
Australia family and friends are having a very mild fall.  Their high temperature for Tuesday April 7 is 67F(19C). Looks like this is normal for their fall.  Stay safe, and I think it is comfortable for them. 
 
Just got in an order of house plants, and these trailing succulents.  I have a string of pearls, and I think string of bananas.  I will have to do more research and see what the last one is. 
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Growing, Caring, and Propagating the String of Pearls Houseplant by Lauren Landers
A true treasure of a plant, string of pearls are unique and easy-care succulents with graceful, trailing stems and rounded, bead-like leaves that look like glistening green pearls strung on a string. Perfect for adding vertical interest to home decors, string of pearls are relatively easy to keep, and they always impress when their long stems are displayed in hanging baskets or pots placed on a high shelf. If you’re ready to add these gems to your collection, this guide will dive into the basics of how to grow, maintain, and propagate string of pearl plants!
About String of Pearl Plants
Also known as string of beads, string of peas, or rosary vines, string of pearls belong to the Asteraceae or daisy family and they come from the Cape of South Africa. In the wild, string of pearl plants grow as ground covers on dry, rocky soil, and their spreading stems root when they touch the earth and form dense mats over time.
As houseplants, string of pearls are usually displayed in hanging baskets indoors or pots, but they can be grown in wide trays if you want to mimic their natural habitat!
When well-maintained, string of pearls grow quickly, and their stems can grow up to 15 inches per year and stretch over 3 feet long! These plants also occasionally bloom in summer and produce white daisy-like flowers that emit a heady cinnamon-like scent. Unfortunately, blooming is rare indoors, but string of pearls still demand attention with their distinct, pea-shaped leaves that come in green or variegated shades.
Like other succulents, string of pearls use their fleshy leaves to hold onto moisture and resist drought, and they don’t need to be watered often. In fact, string of pearl plants can quickly develop root rot in soggy soil and die away. To avoid issues, grow these plants in bright light, water sparingly, and keep them away from your “furry friends”—they’re toxic to pets!
Planting
Although string of pearls grow rapidly, these succulents have shallow roots that don’t need to be repotted often. For best results, repot string of pearl plants when you bring them home and about every 2 to 3 years after that. When repotting, choose a container that’s just one or two sizes larger than your existing pot and make sure your growing container has drainage holes in the base!
Spring is the best time for repotting, but houseplants can be repotted in any season as long as they’re not in bloom.
Be sure to handle string of pearl plants with care when repotting. Their stems and leaves are fragile!
Choose a well-draining potting mix intended for cacti and succulents, or make your own DIY potting mix using 3 parts potting soil and 1 part coarse sand.
To repot your plant, add several inches of potting soil to the base of your new growing container, locate your string of pearls in the pot so that it’s at the same depth it was growing in its old container, fill in any empty space with more potting soil, firm the soil around your plant’s roots, and water well to help your string of pearls settle in.
If you break any stems while repotting, use the broken stems to create new plants with soil propagation!
Growing
String of pearls are short-lived plants that only live for about 3 to 5 years. However, you can keep these plants around a lot longer by propagating new plants from stem cuttings and providing your plants with the right balance of light and water.
Light
Like other succulents, string of pearls need at least 6 to 8 hours of bright light per day to grow, but direct sun can sometimes damage their leaves. Keeping these plants in west- or south-facing windows that receive bright sun in the morning and filtered light in the afternoon is ideal. They do well under grow lights too.
Water
String of pearls are highly susceptible to root rot and overwatering them is the surest way to do damage. To avoid overwatering, keep these plants in well-draining pots and only water them about once every 2 to 3 weeks or when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry. If possible, water your plants from the bottom to keep their leaves dry, dump out plant saucers after watering, and water your plants more if their leaves look wrinkled or flat.
Fertilizer
Although string of pearls have a fast growth rate, they don’t need much fertilizer. Just provide them with a monthly dose of organic, liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength in spring and summer.
Humidity
One of the best things about string of pearl plants is that they don’t need a humidifier, and they’re perfectly content with standard indoor temperature and humidity levels. In fact, these plants don’t like high humidity and they shouldn’t be misted!
Seasonal Care
String of pearls can be placed outdoors in filtered light in summer, but they should be brought back inside before temperatures dip below 50°F. These plants need more attention during the active growing season and they should be watered sparingly and not fertilized at all in fall and winter. Throughout the year, prune away damaged, discolored, or sparse stems with sterilized pruners and trim overgrown stems, if needed, to keep your plants more compact.
Although string of pearls rarely flower indoors, you may be able to trigger blooming by placing your plants in a frost-free and well-lit spot that stays at around 40°F during the winter. When the weather warms in spring, provide your plants with a dose of fertilizer, and they may just bloom!
Propagation
String of pearls only live a few years before they die away. But you can keep your plants growing by propagating their stems to create new string of pearl plants. This is also the best way to salvage plants with root rot!
Take 4 to 5 inch long stem cuttings, ideally in spring or summer.
Make your cuts at a leaf node, carefully remove the lower leaves on the stem cuttings, and allow the cuttings to dry for a day or two.
Plant the cut stem ends about 1 inch deep in pots filled with damp, well-draining potting mix. Keep the leaves above the soil line.
Move your cuttings into bright, indirect light and wait a few days to start watering. Then, water your cuttings just enough to keep the soil damp, but not soggy, and they should root in about 3 to 4 weeks!
If you love the curious look of string of pearls, you’re in luck. These plants are closely related to other “string plants” that look just as pretty in hanging baskets or pots!
String of dolphins have a similar vibe to string of pearls, although their fleshy leaves are longer and look like dolphins in mid-jump.
String of bananas are another succulent option with elongated leaves and trailing stems that stretch up to 3 feet long.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/how-care-string-pearls-plant
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 pxhere.com 

       Cloudy morning, and I think the clouds will be here all day. Temperature is chilly with a high today of 49F(9C) winds going to be lighter today small chance of rain.  Stay warm, stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends, April 5th Saturday for them. High of 62F(16C) with wind so looks like it might be cooler for them.  There is a sheep grazier warning out.  Stay warm, stay safe. 
 
I have been telling you this for a long time not to be in a hurry to put in the garden.  Interesting things to look at how to know when to plant this spring.  I know, we are all ready to get out there and have that fresh produce. Another thing is the condition of the garden soil, if too wet you will be fighting the lumpy ground all season.  Wait till the ground doesn’t clump in your hand, that is a sign it is too wet. 
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Springcasting: When to Plant as Defined by Plants!
Don't be Tempted to Start Planting Too Soon! By Robin Sweetser
Don’t be tempted to start planting too soon! Average spring frosts are just a rough guide. Springcasting is a way to predict and track the progress of spring across the continent—as defined by plants. See when spring “officially” makes it to your neck of the woods.
During an unusually warm stretch of weather in March, I was greatly tempted to start planting. Thankfully, I did not succumb to that temptation because the next week turned cold, cold, cold.
How do you know when to plant? Spring frost dates are a rough guide. But also keep in mind that a frost date is not an “actual” date; it’s a probability of frost based on decades of historical information. Think of it as a future estimate of your last frost date.
Taking Soil Temperature
Taking my soil temperature to gauge when it is safe to plant is something I do every spring but I recently found out from a Master Gardener that I was doing it wrong. I usually took the reading in late morning to early afternoon. Not a wise move since by then the sun has had a chance to warm the soil and give a temperature on the high side.
For a more accurate reading, it is recommended that we take the temperature 2 inches down at 9 AM every day for at least 5 days in a row and then average the numbers to get a picture of soil warmth after a cold night. When the soil is 40 degrees or above it is safe to start planting your cold weather crops like peas, radishes, spinach, etc.
Springcasting is a way to predict and track the progress of spring across the continent. Knowing when different local plants—such as dogwood and lilac—leaf out and blossom is the natural way to determine when to plant.
Look at these maps website to see if spring—as defined by plants—has “officially” made it to your neck of the woods yet.  Here is the link.  Very interesting so give it a look.  https://www.usanpn.org/data/maps/spring
To forecast spring, the Phenology Network tracks the first leaves and the first blossoms on lilac, dogwood, and honeysuckle plants across the nation. By studying phenomena like the flowering of native plants, we also learn about the emergence of insects and pollinators and the migration of birds and animals.
This is a citizen science project that you can take part in. Called Nature’s Notebook, you can sign up to add the plants and/or animals you wish to observe from a list of over 1400 species being studied.
Comparing Cloned Plants
Another way to track spring is to compare cloned plants. The Phenology Network invites you to participate in project by planting a lilac and/or dogwood to observe them over 6 weeks each year to compare growth and blossoming with previous years. Things like leaf emergence, bud break, full flowering, and seeds are noted.
Why cloned plants? They are genetically identical, so no matter where they are grown in the country, you will be comparing identical plants or “apples to apples.” The Phenology Network tracks 2 specific varieties: ‘Appalachian Spring’ dogwood and ‘Red Rothomagensis’ lilac.
Appalachian Spring’ dogwood has natural resistance to dogwood anthracnose.
We all know about the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. Three hundred Yoshino cherry trees were given to the U.S. by the mayor of Tokyo in 1912 as a gift of friendship. Cherry blossoms are a classic indicator of how quickly spring is traveling from south to north. The blooms have peaked as early as March 15 (1990) and as late as April 18 (1958).
Yoshino cherry trees in bloom in Washington, D.C.
The Yoshino cherries have white single blossoms with just a hint of pink. There are also Kwanzan cherries growing in the Tidal Basin area of Washington, DC that bloom a little later. They are darker pink and have multi-petals.
Why cherry blossoms? These trees are very sensitive to temperature changes. If the temperature drops below 28°F for 30 minutes or more, it can kill the blossoms.
These early bloom times are attributed to global climate change. If flowering plants blossom too early, the pollinators they rely on may not have emerged yet, which is bad for both bug and plant. Since 1921, the peak bloom time has shifted 5 days earlier.
When the forsythia blooms, plant peas, onion sets, radishes, and spinach.
I live further north than many of my fellow gardeners. So, I have been faithfully taking my soil temps this week, and they are rising each day but I am also keeping an eye on the forsythia in my yard. The buds are coloring up and elongating. As soon as they start to open, I will know it is time to plant. That little bit of phenology has served me well over the years.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/springcasting-when-plant-defined-plants
Till next week, 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
April 3, 2025
Good morning.  Cloudy sky right now 

image from clipground.com

Good morning.  Cloudy sky right now at 8:00 AM, but I think they are clearing out today.  Overall, today looks like a perfectly normal day for early April.  High today of 49F(9C).  Enjoy, stay warm, stay safe
 
Australia family and friends for April 4th will have 70F(21C) with a clear blue sky and a little wind.  Sounds like a perfect fall day for them.  Enjoy and stay safe.
 
You know we are in full production of planting the little plug plants for the spring season.  What we have planted looks good.  I have been keeping the plugs growing.  I was asked if I still enjoy doing this and watching what we all have planted grow that is the greatest enjoyment.  It is work, but it is so worth it. 
I enjoyed this article because I think there is some true in that “ Gardening keeps me young.”  Enjoy and have a smile or two about it while you read. 
​
Gardening Keeps Me Young
Think about everything you’ve learned over the years, and how long it took you to learn every bit of it. See, if we were talking recipes, I’d have five people telling me how to make a recipe the way they like it before even trying it, but in the gardening realm, we’re all just trying to learn from one another because every season we start off new, and become experts on our own gardens just before it ends and we start from scratch all over again. We glean insight into what may work this year, in the hopes it might work again next year, or we might start over and do something else the next year. Trying to “perfect” a garden is impossible, but we can always grow and learn more!
Today’s author writes, “It takes years to figure out the nuances of soil fertility, crop rotation, vacation planning, and all the other factors of horticultural success, and the garden gives us regular reminders that we never know everything.”
Gardening Keeps Me Young  Well, relatively.By John Hershey
As diehard football fans may re-member, a while back the Denver Broncos had a quarterback by the name of Tim Tebow. There was some controversy at the time over some of his opinions and whether he had “intangibles” (like a throwing arm). I didn’t follow it closely, but he seemed like a nice young man. To me, by far his most outlandish statement was a remark in an interview about helping his father in the garden as a kid:
“It was way too big. My dad did it for misery. It was like a half-acre garden. It was ridiculous to work in that.”Though he was a gifted athlete and a big celebrity, young Tim lacked the maturity to appreciate his old man’s wisdom. Perhaps dating Miss Universe distracted him from the fundamental truth: there’s no such thing as a garden that’s way too big.
I know this because I got my start in a community garden, where elders were revered as repositories of the knowledge we beginners needed to succeed. Without their guidance, I’d prob-ably be direct-seeding tomatoes in hard pan in late June. So I’ve always respected senior garden mentors. I even grow elderberries.
In a culture designed to appeal to the 18-35 cohort and glorify attractive young athletes, entertainers, and bachelorettes, the gar-den is one of the last places in our society where age is honored.
It takes years to figure out the nuances of soil fertility, crop rotation, vacation planning, and all the other factors of horticultural success, and the garden gives us regular reminders that we never know everything. Last year my corn shot up beautifully to knee-high, then just stopped growing, as if it thought the Fourth of July was the finish line rather than an intermediate checkpoint. I have no idea why, so I obviously still have much to learn. This is one of the things I have in common with Thomas Jefferson, who put it this way: “Though an old man, I am but a young gardener.”
That’s me. After a couple of decades in the garden, I’m still learning from my mistakes.
When my kids were little, I tried to get them interested in gardening by growing vegetables together. They had some fun and liked the carrots, but over time they adopted a more Tebowist view. Not until they were older did I realize we should have been growing candy: strawberries, raspberries, musk melons. They love these treats from the garden now, but they must think, So what was with the kale and turnips all those years?
As I get closer to being an old man, I’m holding on to Jefferson’s concept of remaining a young gardener in other ways. Certainly the exercise, fresh air, and healthy food rejuvenate us. And I used to feel young relative to the other gardeners. When I started gardening, it seemed like a hobby reserved mainly for older people. Since I had not yet built up the proper soil or expertise, my weedy plot was no match for my elders’ effortless abundance. But I regained that great feeling we usually have only in young adulthood, of starting an exciting new endeavor with a long bright future ahead. Just at the time of life when I started to feel older than everyone—not just sports stars, but my doctor, the adolescent TV newscasters, the other people in line at the dispensary—I was happy to find a place where I was the naïve yet ambitious upstart. (I’m just kid-ding about the dispensary.)
Now the garden fork has been passed to a new generation. Many young people, passionate about environmental and food issues, are getting into gardening. This seems to be happening to me generally. Everything I’ve always liked to do is suddenly popular among millennials: Gardening, drinking IPA, play-ing ukulele, falling off the traditional career path and ending up in the gig economy. I’ve inadvertently become hip—I mean, a hipster.
The new interest in gardening among the young gives me hope for the world, and hope that my clumsy efforts might still pass my love for growing healthy food to my own kids. Perhaps I have planted seeds that will germinate in them years later. Surely an older and wiser Tim Tebow now attributes all his success to the work ethic and nutrition he got in that absurdly large garden.
With all these 20-somethings sharing their garden skills on YouTube, I’m clearly moving into senior status myself. This shocking realization hit home when my wife listed my hair color as “gray” on my online fishing license application. Apparently “silvery blond” was not on the drop-down menu.
But I’m OK with this. In the garden, we don’t mind getting older so much, because it’s a place where we can feel wise and productive our whole lives. Aging is inevitable, but the garden is a good place to do it. It’s even my retirement plan: I’m planting plum trees now so they’ll start bearing plenty of fruit just when I enter my prime prune-eating years. ❖
Taken from  John Hershey, published originally in 2021-22, in GreenPrints Issue #128. Illustrated by Tim Foley
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.net

      ​WOW we had snow. We have wind, and we have cold temperatures.  It is going to be cloudy all day, so being in the greenhouse will be ok, but not as nice when the sun shines.  We will have a high today of only, wow I am surprised is 58F(15C) with gusty  wind and strong storms this afternoon.  When I saw the weather map this morning, the storms looked like they were south and east of us.  We will see. 
 
Australia family and friends for April 3, high of 70F(20C). They have 35% of rain.  But just like us they are thankful for rain after a hot dry summer.  Stay cool, stay safe.
 
The saying goes : Spring will come when it snows on the Robins’ tail 3 times. So what that means is that once Robin comes back, it will snow three times and then the winter will be all over.
Now my question is to you.  Has it snowed three times on the Robin Tails?  I was asked that yesterday and I haven’t been counting.  Let us know. 
Stay safe, stay warm, and spring is here if the Robin tail  has three snows on it. 
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