Cool-season grasses common in Iowa lawns, including Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and fescue, naturally turn brown and in summer enter dormancy when rainfall or irrigation is scarce. Although the foliage dies back, crowns and roots remain alive. Most healthy lawns can survive dormancy for four to six weeks without water and recover when moisture returns...

Alternatives to No Mow May

No Mow May has become a popular option for those seeking to support pollinators in their yards, but how effective is this practice? ISU’s Yard & Garden examined the pros and cons of No Mow May and found that there are many potential drawbacks to this practice...

I spent an afternoon earlier this May visiting a conservation wetland while planning a tour for an edge-of-field practice workshop.  It was my first visit to a wetland this year and what immediately caught my attention wasn’t one specific feature, but the sense of joy I felt being there...