~by Richard Jauron, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
AMES, Iowa – With decorated trees on Christmas, roses on Valentine’s Day or jack-o’-lanterns on Halloween, plants are at the center of many holiday gatherings and special events. The 2018 Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Garden Calendar highlights these plants surrounding beloved celebrations.
The 2018 Garden Calendar is titled “Celebrating with Plants” and features striking holiday-inspired imagery and stories behind today’s traditions.
“We chose celebrations that have strong ties to plants,” said Richard Jauron, horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
Each month highlights a different tradition or celebration that has plants as a centerpiece.
“Some months were a bit difficult – September, for example – but high school and college football is big in the fall and most play on natural grass fields, so we thought there was a good connection between those sporting events and the surface they are played on,” said Jauron.
“We tried to find those connections each month and highlight the plants that make them so special.”
The large calendar grid also offers space to create a gardening journal to record the progress of your own garden. There are monthly tips that provide timely information for fruits and vegetables, lawn care, trees and shrubs and much more. Whether it be flowers, fruits, vegetables, trees or turfgrass, this annual calendar provides tips on a variety of topics so you can easily know what task should be completed next in your garden.
While the calendar has included gardening tips in the past, Jauron said the 2018 edition tried to provide additional details.
“For each month we have three or four tips that provide readers with information on different garden tasks,” Jauron said. “We wanted to provide additional material this year that might not have been included in the past.”
Cost of the calendar is $7 and can be purchased through the ISU Extension Store or at a ISU Extension and Outreach county office.
