Extension Communications 3614 Administrative Services Building Ames, Iowa 50011-3614 (515) 294-9915
7/17/00 Contacts: Cindy Haynes, Horticulture Extension, (515) 294-4006, chaynes@iastate.edu Elaine Edwards, Extension Communication Systems, (515) 294-5168, eedwards@iastate.edu Yard and Garden Column for the Week Beginning July 21 2000 Home Demonstration Gardens By Cindy Haynes Extension horticulturist Iowa State University Extension It's that time of year again. Time to schedule a visit to one of the Home Demonstration Gardens at the Iowa State University Research Farms across the state. Nine research farms will have home garden field days this summer. Dates run from July through September. Attendees will be able to view new and unusual flowers and vegetables, plus sample a few products. As with most demonstration gardens, there will be successes and occasionally a few disappointments. Have you ever tried to grow your own corn for popping? Growing popcorn is increasing in popularity with home gardeners. Popcorn is not only fun to grow and makes a tasty snack; several varieties have attractive ears. Yellow, red, blue and multi-colored popcorn varieties are available. We are growing the varieties Tom Thumb, Mini Blue, Robust, Strawberry and Cutie Pops for a wide assortment of colors and taste. Tomatoes are not always red. This year we are featuring five yellow tomato varieties that vary in size, shape and maybe flavor as well. Visit the gardens and taste Lemon Boy, Yellow Pear, White Wonder, Yellow Stuffer and Garden Peach for yourself. Who doesn't love French fries and onion rings? Potatoes and onions are versatile vegetables that have become staples in our diets. We are growing several varieties of potatoes and onions that vary in color, shape and taste. We are even trying a potato started from seed. No garden would be complete without a few flowers. At the demonstration gardens this year we are growing salvias and gazanias. Come see if they can handle Iowa's summer extremes. Salsa is the number one condiment in the United States. Even ketchup is second to salsa. Growing and making your own salsa is easy. Each garden has a collection of vegetables that are common ingredients in salsa. We plan to prepare several different salsas during the field days. The research farm at Allee inspired us to try something different in many of the gardens this year. We are growing tomatoes organically in straw bales. While they may look a little weird, this could be a great way to grow tomatoes for many home gardeners. Visit us on our field day and check out their progress. You also will get the chance to question the farm superintendents about these plantings. Various topics will be discussed at each farm including, but not limited to, the plants growing in the home demonstration garden. Some farms have a few special activities planned as well. In addition to the salsa garden, the McNay farm has a French cuisine garden, herbs and crazy or unusual vegetables. All the flowers and vegetables at the Allee farm are grown organically. Farm locations and times for the field days are available at your local county extension office. Information also is available on the ISU Extension Web page at www.extension.iastate.edu. Below is a listing of the dates and locations for the home demonstration field days across the state. We kick off the demo garden festivities in Castana on July 25 and end the season in Sutherland on Sept. 9. So visit a farm close to you for new ideas in your garden next year. Date Farm Closest Town July 25 Western Castana Aug. 5 Southeast Crawfordsville Aug. 8 Muscatine Island Fruitland Aug. 9 Allee Newell Aug. 22 Armstrong Lewis Aug. 29 Northeast Nashua Sept. 2 Northern Kanawha Sept. 7 McNay Chariton Sept. 9 Northwest Sutherland -30- ml: isugarden
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