Got gardening questions? Contact the Hortline at (515) 294-3108 (Monday-Friday; 10 a.m. - 12 noon & 1-4:30 p.m.) or send an e-mail to hortline@iastate.edu. For more gardening information visit us at Yard and Garden Online at www.yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
When is the best time to water a lawn?
Early morning (5 to 9 a.m.) is the best time to water a lawn. A morning application allows the water to soak deeply into the soil with little water lost to evaporation. When watering is completed, the turfgrass foliage dries quickly. Watering at mid-day is less efficient because of rapid evaporation and strong winds may cause uneven water distribution. Strong, mid-day winds may also carry water onto driveways, sidewalks or streets, wasting considerable amounts of water. Watering lawns in late afternoon or evening may increase disease problems.
Why is blood grass no longer available at garden centers in Iowa?
Imperata cylindica ‘Red Baron’ (commonly called blood grass) is a widely planted ornamental grass with attractive wine-red foliage. Unfortunately, ‘Red Baron’ occasionally reverts back to its normal green-leaved form. The green-leaved Imperata cylindica can become an invasive weed. Because of this potential threat, Imperata cylindica ‘Red Baron’ is no longer available in Iowa and numerous other states.
I recently found several small, round, green objects resembling miniature tomatoes on my potato plants. What are they?
The small, round, green objects are the true fruit of the potato plant. While potato plants may bloom heavily in late spring, most of the flowers dry up and drop from the plant and don’t develop into fruit. The fruit that do develop are relatively small and inconspicuous and often go unnoticed by most gardeners. The variety ‘Yukon Gold’ fruits more heavily than most other potato varieties.
Potato fruit are not the result of cross-pollination of tomatoes with potatoes. Tomatoes and potatoes belong to the Solanaceae or Nightshade Family. Plants within a family share certain characteristics. The flowers on tomatoes and potatoes are similar. The shape of the fruit is also similar. While similar in shape, potato fruit are much smaller than those on tomatoes.
Potato fruit are of no real value. The small fruit should not be eaten as they contain a poisonous alkaloid (solanine). The fruit are not useful for planting purposes as potatoes don’t reproduce true from seed.