Jamie Seitz

Des Moines

writer. wannabe Judy Blume. #InTheWeeds columnist for @gardengatemag. author of WEIGHT OF WATER- OUT NOW from @FireIceYABooks/ @MelangeBooks

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Articles

Terrified of Topping Dahlias

2 weeks ago | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

The scariest part of growing dahliasWhen you’re a first-time dahlia farmer (like me), few things are as terrifying as snipping off the center bloom — or “topping” — your dahlias. In early spring, you check every tuber for signs of growth while they are waking up. Then, you plant them carefully in the soil, praying there is no damage to the neck of the tuber.
Should I Become a Master Gardener?

1 month ago | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

Time to level-up my gardening skillsSomeone asked me this year if I was a Master Gardener. I answered truthfully, no, I was not, but if I’m honest, part of me wanted to shrug my shoulders and say, “Who can know these things for sure? Maybe I am?” One thing you should know about me is that I enjoy a title and a tiny bit of prestige. Of course, I want to earn the title — no free rides or faux degrees wanted here.
How Many Hydrangeas Are Too Many Hydrangeas?

Mar 23, 2025 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

A life-changing trip to Martha’s vineyardSince I was a teenager and read Summer Sisters by Judy Blume for the first time, I have wanted to vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. A few summers back, I convinced my family that we should drive cross country and spend a week on the island. It was everything I hoped it would be and more, because Judy Blume would never steer me wrong. We did all the island things.
An Afternoon at The Botanical Garden

Feb 18, 2025 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

Winter escape to the Des Moines Botanical GardenOn a particularly frigid winter day last year, my youngest daughter and I decided to spend a Sunday afternoon at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden’s geodesic domed conservatory. We each packed a book, a sketchpad, and some pretty markers and pens and set off for a few quiet hours soaking in the warm temperatures surrounded by flowers and foliage.
Backyard Tornado

Jan 14, 2025 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

Backyard tornadoMidwesterners are used to severe weather in spring and summer. I’m no stranger to scooting down to the basement to take cover during a storm. But last July, a tornado came a little too close for comfort, zipping right down the street from my house and through my neighborhood. First and foremost, no one was injured, and there was no significant damage to the homes in my area aside from some missing shingles or siding.
Digging for Garden Treasure in the Backyard

Dec 9, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

Digging for garden treasureIt all started when we decided our kids had outgrown the trampoline in our backyard. It took six people 15 minutes to lift it over the fence to give it to our neighbors with young kids. An hour later, my honey and I already had rudimentary plans to put in a patio and fire pit where the trampoline had been. Lucky me, there was also space for my newest gardening experiment: dahlias. It began in the way most projects start on a sunny Sunday morning.
Gardening in Flip-Flops

Nov 12, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

I love to garden in flip-flopsIf I could go through life without ever having to wear shoes or socks again, I’d be the happiest version of myself. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the ’80s and ran barefoot from May until September as a kid. But I’m in my mid-40s now, so my feet aren’t as youthful as they used to be. For years, I’ve gardened in flip-flops, which I truly believe is how Mother Nature intended.
How I Started Growing Dahlias

Oct 8, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

My journey growing dahliasEvery season, I add a little something to my backyard garden; a pretty perennial, a new rhubarb patch, adorable solar string lights, etc. But this winter, I had my best idea yet. While researching a writing project, I learned about dahlia farms in The Netherlands and was beyond intrigued. The dinner plate dahlias especially caught my attention. What winter blues couldn’t be cured by gorgeous, brightly colored blooms the size of my head?
Cucumber Trellis Flop

Sep 10, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

Trial and error with cucumbersI watched cucumber trellis growers online for several seasons with envy. What a brilliant way to save space in raised garden beds and make it look fancy! Finally, I was sold and decided to try it in my garden. At first, the cucumber vines did precisely what they were supposed to do: They climbed. They crawled. They wound their adorable little tendrils right up the trellis in record time.
At War with Squash Bugs

Aug 13, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Jamie Seitz

Squash bug takeoverDo you remember last year when I told you the adorable story about how I grew perfectly gorgeous Brussels sprouts only to have them destroyed by squash bugs? And remember how I said I would try it again next year and the following year, and I was all sweet, positive, and hopeful about future outcomes? Now I’m in a full-blown war with squash bugs in my garden. After the Brussels incident, I did what I knew to do to get rid of those garden pests.