Mahaska County Master Gardeners

11/04/2025

We loved our tour this summer!

11/04/2025

Have you ever looked at your holiday cactus and wondered which one it is? You're not alone! Many people confuse the Thanksgiving cactus with the Christmas cactus—and it's an easy mistake to make.

Here are a few quick tips to help you identify the different types of holiday cactus.

Do you have a holiday cactus at home? Let us know in the comments what type you have!

Want to learn more? Check out the this helpful information: https://go.iastate.edu/FXXOLQ

Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources AnswerLine

11/04/2025

Whether you call it a hedge apple or Osage orange, this tree has a story to tell.

- The tree is originally from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, the ancestral lands of the Osage Nation. Tribes used the wood, known for being very strong, for tools and bows.

- As European settlement expanded, the Osage orange became a popular tree on homesteads because its thorns were a useful living fence. When dried, its wood has a higher heating value than other species of wood by burning hotter and longer.

- Midwestern folklore extolls the virtues of Osage orange fruit for repelling insects and rodents. But the science has shown it may only repel mosquitoes.

- Why such large fruit? The Osage orange fruit is a relic of times past. Scientists hypothesize that the Osage orange was eaten by the massive herbivores like mammoths and mastodons that roamed North America millions of years ago during the Pleistocene era.

Learn more at https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-11-11-massive-fruit-myths-and-mastodons-osage-orange

11/04/2025

Join us for a festive Porch Pot Workshop on December 5 at the Marion County Extension Office! 🌿
Create a beautiful holiday porch pot with provided greenery and a 3-gallon pot.
📅 Two sessions: 6 PM & 7 PM
💲 Fee: $25
✅ Preregistration required – spots are limited!
👉To register call 641-842-2014 or email [email protected]

11/03/2025

Annuals are fun, but perennials are a better long-term investment. Are you looking for a hardy perennial mum? Seek out your local garden center or greenhouse to source hardy perennial mums that will survive well in South Dakota. The Mammoth series developed by UMN can be a good choice.

Planting & caring for mums:
🌼Choose a spot in full sun with well-drained soil.
🌼 Keep in mind that some varieties of chrysanthemums can grow quite large. The Mammoth mums from Minnesota are aptly named, because a single plant can grow to three feet in diameter and be covered in blooms.
🌼Chrysanthemums can be planted right after you purchase them to enjoy in the fall; although, the plant is using a lot of energy to produce blooms, so plant it as soon as possible to give your mum the best chance of rooting in ahead of winter. Hardy perennial chrysanthemums can also be purchased and planted in the spring months.
🌼Some people will shear the tops of their mums in mid-summer to encourage more branching and more flowers later – this is called pinching. Do not prune mums after August 1st.
🌼After the flowers and plants freeze in the fall, you can cut back the foliage to the base of the plant or leave the foliage to catch snow and protect the plant. If you cut the foliage back, you may want to add some additional mulch after the ground has frozen to protect the small buds that have already formed at the base of the plant. Those buds will grow out to produce the stems for next year.

Learn more: https://extension.sdstate.edu/chrysanthemums-add-color-fall-gardens

10/31/2025

10/31/2025

Despite their tough appearance, pumpkins and squash are easily damaged and can spoil quickly. Follow best practices through harvest and storage to maintain fruit quality, maximize storage life, and prevent food waste. Learn more: go.iastate.edu/IFQGJT

10/29/2025

🌳 Join Us for a Tree Tour in Pella! 🌳

Discover Pella’s most unique and iconic trees on a fun and educational tour guided by Randall Vos our Statewide Field Specialist of Horticulture.

📅 Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM (approx. 1 hour)
📍 Location: Pella, IA (exact starting point shared with map)

Learn about trees highlighted for their size, age, species, and unique features, and help celebrate Pella’s natural history! 🌿

✅ Pre-register to receive your map before it’s posted online by calling 641-842-2014 or emailing Lydia at [email protected]

Have a favorite tree or old photos to share? Send them in — your local knowledge helps make this event even better! 🍂

10/29/2025

Fall is not the time...

Fall is not the time to prune woody trees and shrubs.

Pruning encourages new growth, and when done in the fall, the new growth that develops will not be well hardened off for winter, increasing the potential for winter damage. The best time of year to prune is later winter and early spring (February through March).

Your complete guide to pruning: https://go.iastate.edu/PIMTGY

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources

10/29/2025

Sweet potatoes can add color, sweetness, and nutrients to meals, side dishes, and snacks. There are a number of ways to enjoy sweet potatoes, from baking or boiling to mashing and roasting. Check out these tips on selecting, storing, and adding sweet potatoes to your healthy eating plan. go.iastate.edu/VYVMN9

10/28/2025

Know which ingredients can be canned for homemade soup and which ones to avoid!

✅Can:
- Vegetable soups
- Dried bean or pea soups
- Meat, poultry or seafood soups

🙅Do not add the following to home canned soups:
- Noodles or other pasta
- Rice
- Flour
- Cream
- Milk or other thickening agents

Learn more from the National Center for Home Food Preservation >>> https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-vegetables-and-vegetable-products/soups/

Learn more about canning soups from NDSU Extension >>> https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/home-canning-low-acid-vegetables #:~:text=sieve%20the%20cubes.-,Soups,-Vegetable%2C%20dried%20beans

10/28/2025

October 11, 2019 Authors:: Donald Lewis Accidental invaders are insects that inadvertently enter homes and buildings from the surrounding landscape. Many species are troublesome during late summer and fall as they move to protected locations to spend the winter. Accidental invaders are generally har...