Becky's Greenhouse

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

Didn’t see this coming. It is raining out. Might be a little hail. But it is small. Everything is outside the plants Shouldn’t be big enough to hurt. Rain is good for the plants.

How about you? Stay safe. Becky

06/10/2026

Rain is over, storm has moved to the east, and southeast. They are having tornado warnings. Looks like we will get some more rain tomorrow. We will see.
question for you. What is this plant? answer tomorrow. Have a safe evening. Becky

06/10/2026

Why is my kohlrabi growing all leaves, no bulbs?

​Good morning. Back to watering. It looked like early we were to get some rain, but it didn’t happen. Now storms this afternoon see what happens. Stay safe all. And stay cool.

Australia family and friends for Thursday June 11 will have 96% chance of rain. With a high of 63F(17C). I would think they would like that. I will ask? Stay warm, stay dry, stay safe.

Question asked about kohlrabi just growing leaves. They thought they got the wrong seed, but this is what I found out. Hope they follow me on this posting. Several reasons so have to play detective which one it is.

Why Kohlrabi May Grow Only Leaves
If your kohlrabi plant is producing only leaves and no swollen stem, it’s usually due to environmental stress, improper planting, or nutrient issues that prevent the plant from developing its characteristic edible stem.
Common causes:
Too much heat or drought – Kohlrabi is a cool-season crop that thrives in temperatures between about 7–24 °C (45–75 °F) In hot, dry weather, especially in summer, plants may stop forming the swollen stem and focus energy on leaves instead. In hot climates, fall planting is recommended to avoid this.
Poor soil or nutrient deficiency – Kohlrabi has a high nitrogen requirement. If the soil lacks nitrogen or other nutrients, the plant may prioritize leaf growth over stem development. Ensure fertile, well-draining soil with organic matter added regularly.
Overcrowding or poor spacing – If plants are too close together, competition for light and nutrients can reduce stem formation. Kohlrabi should be spaced about 15 cm (6 in) apart
Pests or diseases – Insect damage (e.g., cabbage aphids, beet armyworm) or diseases (e.g., black rot, downy mildew) can stress the plant and halt stem growth
Harvesting too early or too late – If you pull the plant before the stem has fully formed, you may only get leaves. Conversely, if it’s left too long, the stem may become woody and fibrous
What to do:
Plant in cooler seasons (spring or fall) for best results.
Maintain consistent moisture and fertilize with a balanced, nitrogen-rich fertilizer
Keep plants well-spaced and free from weeds.
Inspect for pests and treat promptly.
If the plant is still young, it may recover with better conditions; if it’s mature and stressed, the leaves can still be eaten like other greens.
In short, kohlrabi without a stem is often a sign of heat stress, nutrient imbalance, or poor growing conditions rather than a genetic defect. Adjusting temperature, soil, and spacing should help the plant develop its edible stem.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]
641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 Beckysgreenhouse.com Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse

06/09/2026

What does deadheading mean?

​What happened to June 8th. I thought I had posted but I must have dreamed that. Today is going to be a rough day. This morning it is humid, hot and sun Is out. One thing I will get done today is watering outside. I ran the tank of water all ready and only did 5 wagons. Now it is 5:00 PM and I am finishing the last wagon. I changed the filter on the pump this morning and that made more water come out, so that is why the tank got emptied. Had to wait for the tank to fill up to prime the pump again.
A gardener asked today how I get all to bloom and all the color. I said water, water and more water is what I am doing. I will get over here early tomorrow and start it all over again. Inside greenhouse it was 98F, and outside today the high was88F(31C) but feels like 94F. Stay cool, stay safe.

Australia family and friends for their Wed June 10 will have a high of 66F(14C) with a 90% chance of rain. Damp, cold winter day for them. Stay warm, stay safe. Evelyn wrote about her gardening this time of year. “I have planted beet seeds in the garden and onion seeds in some punnets. My garlic is growing nicely too. My blueberry bushes are blossoming and firming fruit Stay warm, stay safe

Deadheading is the practice of removing spent or faded flowers to encourage more blooms, improve plant health, and maintain a tidy garden appearance. What is Deadheading?
My note is that I tell the kids. Rule of thumb you deadhead down to the nearest leaves. That means geraniums would have a long stem. Where are snapdragons the leaves are close to the top.
Deadheading involves removing flowers that have finished blooming before they produce seeds. This redirects the plant’s energy from seed production to new growth and additional blooms, prolonging the flowering season and enhancing overall plant vitality. It can be done by pinching with fingers for soft-stemmed plants or using pruning shears or scissors for larger or woody stems
Benefits of Deadheading Encourages More Flowers: By preventing seed formation, the plant channels energy into producing new blooms, often resulting in a second or extended flowering period
Improves Plant Health: Removing spent flowers reduces the risk of fungal and bacterial diseases that thrive on decaying plant matter Maintains Garden Aesthetics: Deadheading keeps plants looking fresh and prevents petals from dropping and creating debris Controls Unwanted Spread: For self-seeding plants, deadheading prevents excessive spreading and helps manage garden layout
How to Deadhead Pinching: Use fingers to remove flowers on thin-stemmed plants, cutting just above the first set of healthy leaves Pruning: Use sharp garden shears for larger flowers or woody perennials, cutting back to the nearest leaf node or lateral bud Shearing: For plants with clustered blooms, removing up to one-third of the plant can be effective, ensuring no new buds are accidentally cut
Timing and Frequency Start early in the season, around late spring, and continue regularly throughout the growing season.
During peak summer, deadhead every 3–7 days to prevent seed formation and maintain continuous blooms
Stop deadheading 4–6 weeks before the first frost to allow plants to harden and provide seeds for wildlife
Plants That Benefit Most
Annuals and repeat-blooming perennials respond best to deadheading. Common examples include: Roses, Petunias, Geraniums, Marigolds, Zinnias, Dahlias, Cosmos, Coneflowers, Lavender, Salvia, Snapdragons, Coreopsis, Shasta Daisies, Black-Eyed Susans, Pansies, Yarrow
Plants That Don’t Require Deadheading Some plants are self-cleaning or produce ornamental seeds and fruits. Examples include: Impatiens, Petunias (self-cleaning varieties), Begonias, Vinca, Lobelia, Sweet Alyssum, certain shrubs and trees
Tips for Effective Deadheading
Use clean, sharp tools to prevent disease spread Cut just above a leaf node or lateral bud to encourage branching and new blooms Dispose of spent flowers properly, composting healthy material and discarding diseased blooms Observe plant-specific needs, as some perennials benefit from leaving the last blooms for seed or winter protection
Deadheading is a simple yet highly effective gardening practice that can dramatically improve the health, appearance, and flower longevity of your garden. Regular attention ensures vibrant, continuous blooms and a tidy, thriving landscape
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 Beckysgreenhouse.com Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse image from NorthfortyNews.com

06/07/2026

What is tickling the roots when we are planting?

Is it going to rain? Are we going to get any? I am writing this at noon on Sunday. It is humid out, but it is also cloudy so not too bad. When I came out this morning it was hard to breathe as it as that humid. Rain this afternoon, and during the night. Then the humidity, sun will come out. I don’t like what Tuesday and Wed will bring. With those high temperatures and humidity, I will be watering all day and everything twice. But after Wednesday cooling down. If you need flowers and vegetables, we have them here for you. Stay cool, stay safe.

Australia family and friends for their Monday June 8th will high of 62F(17C) but a low of 37F(3C). Nights are getting colder for them. Stay warm, stay safe.

What do I mean by tickling the roots? I have told this to every 4-H group and garden group for years. “Tickle the roots. “One adult man came to be at the fair, and reminded me that I told him that at one of the 4-H bucket workshops years ago.

Tickling Roots Before Planting: When and How to Do It
Gently loosening or “teasing” roots before planting can improve establishment, but it should only be done when roots are circling, compacted, or root‑bound.
Why Loosening Helps
When plants are grown in containers, roots often follow the pot’s shape, forming dense, circular loops. This “root circling” can lead to girdling roots—roots that wrap around the plant’s base and restrict water and nutrient flow biologyinsights.com+1. Loosening the root ball breaks this pattern, encouraging new roots to grow outward into the surrounding soil, which improves anchorage, water uptake, and long‑term health Research shows that up to 85% of landscape failures in nursery stock are linked to undisturbed, circling root systems lifetips.alibaba.com. Loosening also exposes more root surface to soil contact, aiding mycorrhizal fungi colonization and nutrient absorption.
When to Avoid Loosening
Seedlings or very fine‑rooted plants (e.g., some native trees, beeches, ericaceous plants) can be stressed by excessive root disturbance If roots are healthy and not circling, loosening offers no benefit and may cause unnecessary stress.
How to Loosen Roots Safely
Inspect the root ball before planting. Signs of root‑binding include:Roots protruding through drainage holes Dense, rope‑like roots encircling the pot Solid, unyielding root mass with little soil visible.
Gentle “teasing” (for mild circling): Use fingers to pull outer roots down and outward, breaking the circular pattern without damaging them Scoring (for moderately dense roots): Make shallow vertical cuts (¼ inch deep) around the root ball and a cut across the bottom to stimulate new outward growth Aggressive cutting (for severe root‑binding): Remove the densest bottom third of the root ball, then break apart and splay the remaining roots Soak if needed: If roots are too compacted to separate, soak the root ball in water until roots float apart
Best Practices
Loosen roots just before planting to avoid drying out the root system Avoid over‑disturbing fine‑rooted or mycorrhiza‑dependent species For large plants, consider professional root‑ball preparation to minimize stress. Bottom line: Tickling roots before planting is beneficial only when roots are circling or compacted. Use gentle teasing or scoring to redirect growth outward, which boosts survival and long‑term health.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 Beckysgreenhouse.com Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse

06/06/2026

Boy it is warm out. Not much breeze. Too much too early. Hopefully tomorrow with the clouds and even predicted rain will be more pleasurable to be in this greenhouse. 93 in the greenhouse. 84 outside. I tell you the begonias like the heat. But with shade cloth on they have shade not much sun. Hope all of you are staying cool. I will be here tomorrow 1-6.

06/05/2026

This is what I come to work and see. Becky's Greenhouse

Afternoon. We had .6 inches of rain which is great. Only 2nd time I haven’t had to water since plants went out in April. I will be watering tomorrow with this heat, humidity and sunshine coming out. Stay cool, stay dry.

Australia family and friends for their June 6, Saturday will have 62F(16C). It should be warmer for them but wind gusts up to 14MPH might make for a cooler day. Stay warm, stay safe.

Here are pictures of what I walk over every morning to see. Pretty proud of it. You remember, I am a grower. We plant, we water, and in this miracle house they grow. I buy in the perennials, some annuals and vegetables, all the trees and shrubs. All of that you see other than the previous items comes out of this greenhouse.
We plant for you. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story. Open Monday through Saturday 9-6, Sunday 1-6. Plenty of time to still plant.

Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 Beckysgreenhouse.com Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse

06/04/2026

It just rained a little. First time this growing season we have had rain during the day. All the rain we have gotten has been at night. Now the sun is out. That was 15 minutes ago. Now it is raining again. Stay dry and stay safe.

t just rained a little. First time this growing season we have had rain during the day. All the rain we have gotten has been at night. now the sun is out. More is coming.

Austalia family and friends for their Friday June 5th will have 58F(15C) the lowest feels like temperature were 39F(3C) around 3AM. That will be cold for them. Also, they are having 60% chance of rain. Stay warm, stay dry, stay safe.
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​Good afternoon, we have thunder, we had a few rain drops but looks like more coming around 4:00. It is cloudy out, so it is nice inside the greenhouse. When the sun was out it was very warm in here. So I can work inside this afternoon. Yesterday I worked outside which was comfortable. I am continuing to water to get them good and wet and when it does rain it will just add more to it.
How is your garden? I still have some very nice tomatoes, peppers and vegetables. Not too late to plant at all. We moved out the vine plants, soo they are hardening off ready to go into your garden. The wagons are full of blooming plants, and they all looks so good. I am very proud of how the plants are looking. We have worked hard to get them at this stage and will continue to work hard to keep them watered and safe.
Hope we all get rain, and stay safe with the wind.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 Beckysgreenhouse.com Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse

06/04/2026

Here is Wed. June 3rd post.
WOW 6:00 PM and I am starting this post. I had help here today, so moved more outside to fill up the wagons. I started to water at 8:30 AM, and now still watering 2 more wagons. It sounds like rain for the next 2 days, but also more humidity so it will take more to water the plants. Help was here and she planted day lilies. Now they are growing inside the greenhouse miracle house. See how they will do.
Natalie moved the trees which we had in two places all together along the store wall. It will be easier to water and for you the gardener to check them out. I hope tomorrow to list what we have in trees and shrubs for your landscaping. We will put large pots filled with dirt to hold them up as they have been falling for me on tomorrow’s list. Next week the West Fork Winner’s 4-H club will plant them. These will be taken to the Franklin Co Fair to decorate the fairgrounds. It is a process isn’t it.

We moved out the vine plants so they will be hardened off to go into your garden. Squash, watermelon and cucumbers. I guess that is it. Continue to water, continue to plant. We plant for you.
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 Beckysgreenhouse.com Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse