Welcome from SW corner of Iowa! What part of Iowa are you from?

I too have blight on my tomatoes! I've read several posting about cornmeal, but haven't tried it yet. I put some straw around some of my plants and sprayed with funguscide. I have too many to use expensive sprays on all of them, so I should try cornmeal on some too!

Denise

Welcome to the forum, I have never heard of the corn meal, have you had success with it?

Hi Buttercup! Welcome to the forum. I'm so lazy this year that I didn't even get any tomatoes put out. (my bad, I know). But when I do put them out, if I mulch around the base of the plant so that when it rains or I water them so the soil doesn't splash back up on the leaves, I seem to avoid the blight. Don't know about using cornmeal, tho. Please keep us posted on its effectiveness or lack of. :) It's the darn black picnic bugs I hate...

Diann
IA Z5a

Denise, of SW, I'm of NE. Have you had lots of rain too?

Hey!

Yes! This past week it's rained every day! The coldest summer in years! LOL We put up a swimming pool this year and I've been waiting for the water to warm up!

How far from Council Bluffs/Omaha are you?

Denise

Hi there !!!! Glad to see some new faces on the forum !! Seems like the Iowa Gardening board doesn't get many visitors. Anyone live near Des Moines ? That's my stomping grounds. I didnt do many veggie plants this yr but I did do an extensive herb garden, and am planning to expand with another bed this weekend. I've loved all the rain but wish I could get the boat out once in a while- seems like it rains every weekend !!

Lily,

I'm envious of your herb garden! I would love to have one, but then I would have to start cooking! LOL I only cook during the winter months, nothing else to do in Iowa. LOL

Denise

If Council Bluffs is on the western coast of the state, I am on the east coast of the state, and on the west coast of the Mississippi, or about 30 miles from it. My lillies are still blooming here, quite a bit later than usual.

Welcome-- this site is a little slow--I hang out in gardenjunk alot. Love all the junk, maybe we should have ia junk (tractors-wierd planters etc.)
debbie

Welcome to the forum Buttercup!
I am from the Des Moines Area. Lots of rain, cool weather, mosquitos, etc. Things are growing very well. I too, didn't get any Tomatos planted this year, but my herb garden is loving this summers weather!
Brad

I have seen on some of the other forums people have weekends where they all meet, trade plants, junk, crafts, seeds, whatever- might be nice to plan something like that in Iowa too !!

Great idea Lily! I would love to meet other Iowa gardeners.

Denise

I think Leslie organizes a plant swap each spring at her place in Morse, Iowa... I've never gone because I'm not organized well enough. I'm still weeding and I haven't gotten to digging and dividing as of yet. :)

Diann
IA z5a

Wow, it's nice to see so many new "faces" here! Welcome!

If you haven't gotten your info yet on cornmeal, it's a topic that's come up on the rose forum under organic growing.

M.

I just found the Iowa forum and happy to hear from fellow gardeners. Here in zone 4 where we have been gardening for more years than I like to admit, I keep trying to cut back but am seriously addicted. My husband is on constant oxygen now so unable to get outside much but when a new rose or lily comes into bloom, I pick the blossom and bring it in to share it's beauty. We have 87 rose bushes and a yard full of flower beds. Each year we dig between 700 to 1000 plants, pot them up in gallon containers and have a two day plant sale. Our yearly customers have become old friends though we may only see them once a year. Even have folks coming from Rochester, MN. for the last two years. Gardeners are wonderful people so am looking forward to hearing from some of you who live in our wonderful state. All of us have something to share whether it be a favorite plant, tip, or story. Four years ago we discovered toad lilies(trycirtis) though some are not hardy to our zone 4. What a wonderful plant! Have lots of them now in our shade garden and started including a few in our plant sale. Am anxiously waiting for the Razzamatazz echinacea to become available at the local nurseries. It's a must have! Hostas also leave us wanting more. Love to hear more about you fellow gardeners out there. Mary

Mary, please let me know where you are and when you have your sale! If you're in my area, I would love to stop by.

Denise

RE: getting together to swap plants, etc. -- Yes, Leslie has a great swap in late May or early June. I think there were about 13 or 14 attendees this year, and we all went home with lots of new plants, info, and a few other items.

It's held near Iowa City, and I would encourage anyone to attend. We have some folks who drive a long distance for the swap, so that tells you how good it is.

Check the Exchanges board in April or May to get in on the fun.

Here is a link that might be useful: Exchanges

I am new to this forum. And I am so excited. I bought my house 2 1/2 years ago, and love it. I have used a lot of ideas out of this forum just as a guest. I am from the Des Moines/Indianala area. And would love to hear from others. I need ideas on how to get crab grass gone. The house next to me is vacant right now, and can't get their weeds to stay out of my yard. I am a flower fanatic and am glad there is somewhere for me to go to share my love of life.

Mary,
My husband and I are retired too. Would love to know when your sale is. Are you near Des Moines?
We also have several gardens but would like to learn more about roses in Iowa. Seems the heat and humidity always gets them.

Maggie4, Check out Buck roses. Dr. Griffth Buck bred roses for Iowas climate. He did his hybridizing at ISU and they have a nice collection of his work. Dr. Buck's roses are finally getting the recognition they deserves, sadly Dr. Buck didn't live to see it.

Diann
IA Z5a

Mama MC..or Denise....I am from Council Bluffs....is that where you are...???

GrowLove...where do you have your sale...?? I would like to know where and when....

patti...(who is not new here...but just haven't been around much)

Sorry to sideswipe the topic, but had to mention that my neighbor here in Ames was a friend of Griffith Buck and has gobs of Buck roses in his backyard. "Grif," as my neighbor calls him, gave him many roses--what is that called, rose trials or something? Trial sites? Or maybe they were just 'extras.' Anyway, the Buck roses in his yard have been around for a long time so they are definitely hardy.

Maggie4, I started growing roses last year. Welcome to the board!

Welcome to the forum, buttercup.

Hasn't this been a wonderful summer? Very short on those blasted hot and extremely humid days. The grass hasn't even turned brown. My poor husband laments that as he looks forward to a three or four week vacation from mowing each summer.

Rhoda
Scott County

Marilou, I bought a "Bucks Rose" last year for my husband. They are wonderful roses! Immune to Iowa weather, but unfortunately for ours, not to rabbits!

About cornmeal, I used it for crown rot on my hostas. Seems to have worked, but I have to reapply every year. I don't know how to get rid of the fungus in the soil. Any suggestions?

For tomatoes, it's recommended to be put on every couple of weeks or at least once a month..see organic gardening forum. Don't know how well it works..I put it on once, and still got some late blight, but am getting lots of good big tomatoes now anyway. Just have to get out there and reapply the cornmeal.. Also they say a tablespoon of baking soda to a gallon of water and a T of epsom salts and sprinkle some of it on soil every month, but be careful it could change the soil ph in large quantities. I haven't tried it yet. Must put a T of epsom salts on each rose bush one of these days though..supposed to be good for them. Looks like Frances might be on the way here..maybe some rain coming in the next few days?