When is the best time to seed a new lawn?
Mid-August to mid-September is the best time to establish a lawn from seed in Iowa. Late summer planting has several advantages over spring seeding. The seeds of cool-season grasses germinate quickly in the warm soil of late summer. Once the seeds germinate, the warm days and cool nights of early fall promote rapid turf growth. Also, there will be less competition from weeds as few weed seeds germinate in late summer and early fall. How do you harvest, dry and store onions? Harvest onions when the majority of the tops have fallen over. Carefully pull or dig the onions with their tops on and cure (dry) them thoroughly in a warm, well-ventilated area for 2 to 3 weeks until the outer layers (scales) become dry and papery. Then cut off the tops about 1 inch above the bulbs. Place the onions in mesh bags, old nylon stockings, or wire baskets and store them in a cool (32-40°F), dry location. The storage life of onions is determined by the variety and storage conditions. Good keepers, such as
