…and more that I’m not listing here. We have a crazy collection of plants!
Giant white sweet potato (limited!):
We also have some of CJ’s forged hand sickles:
The handles are now made from sustainably harvested invasive Bradford pear wood. Hahaha!
The sale is THIS SATURDAY
We take both cash and credit cards. Also, we always need pots, and we’ll take any trade-ins we can use from one-gallon size up for $0.50 store credit per pot.
Recycle your pots – get free plants.
Like yacon!
Freshly harvested yacon roots
The market is friendly, and there are woodworkers and beekeepers and bakers and painters and all sorts of interesting vendors there. There are also other nurseries worth seeing along with ours.
Learn how to grow sweet peas with these 5 tips, and add beautiful and sweet-smelling blooms to your garden. Sweet peas are a relatively easy flower to grow and can add beauty, fragrance, and charm to any garden.
Sweet peas growing in Butchart Gardens
I first saw sweet peas at The Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, and I was blown away by their beauty. When I grew my own, I was blown away by something else… the smell! I wish you could smell them. People often tell me this flower (and the smell!) reminds them of their mom’s or grandma’s garden.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
5 Tips for How to Grow Sweet Peas
1. Plant sweet peas early in the season
The best time to plant sweet peas depends on your location and climate, but in general, sweet pea seeds can be directly sown into the ground in early spring or fall, when the soil temperature is around 50-60°F (10-15°C).
Sweet peas prefer cool soil and bloom best before the weather gets hot. In zones 7 and colder, start seeds indoors and transplant sweet peas as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in. Don’t wait until after the last frost.
In mild winter areas (zone 8-10) like the low desert of Arizona, plant in the fall from October through January.
Start seeds indoors: September – January Plant seeds or transplants outside: October – February
Flowers to Plant Outside & Seeds to Start Indoors Each Month in the Low Desert of Arizona. • PLANTING GUIDE: Each month lists annual flowers and bulbs to plant outside & seeds to start indoors. • BLOOMING GUIDE: Photos show what may be in bloom that month.
2. Choose the best type of sweet peas for your area and preferences
Many sweet pea varieties are day-length sensitive, meaning they grow best in certain areas of the country. Choose a type that will grow well in your area. The fragrance differs between types as well.
3. Plant and care for sweet peas as they grow
Choosing a location:
In most areas, choose a location in full sun. Sweet peas prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day and has good drainage. If your summers are very hot such as in Arizona, choose a location that gets morning sun and some afternoon shade.
Sweet peas grow well in soil amended with plenty of compost and organic matter. Sweet peas prefer soil a bit on the alkaline side; amend with lime if soil is acidic.
How to plant sweet peas:
Plant seeds 1 inch deep, 2-3 inches apart. Thin to about 5 inches apart when seedlings are 2-3 inches tall so that each plant has enough space to grow and receive enough nutrients.
Mulch around the base: Mulching around the base of the sweet pea plant can help retain moisture in the soil and reduce weed growth.
Provide regular water and fertilization: Sweet peas need regular watering and fertilization to produce healthy plants and abundant blooms. Water deeply and consistently, and fertilize every few weeks with a balanced fertilizer.
Watch for pests and diseases: Sweet peas can be susceptible to pests and diseases, such as aphids, slugs, and powdery mildew. Look for any signs of infestation or disease and take action as needed.
Pruning sweet peas:
Pinch off the tips of young plants: When the young plants have developed four to six leaves, pinch off the top one to two inches of growth. This will encourage bushier growth and more blooms.
Remove dead or damaged growth: As with any plant, it’s important to remove dead or damaged growth. This will help promote healthy new growth and prevent disease.
Remove spent flowers: As mentioned earlier, removing spent flowers (deadheading) can help prolong blooming and encourage the plant to produce more flowers.
Cut back after the first flush of blooms: Once the first flush of blooms has faded and if temperatures are still cool, you can cut the plant back by half to encourage new growth and more flowers.
Don’t prune too hard: While pruning can be beneficial, it’s important not to prune too hard or too late in the season. Pruning too hard or too late can remove next year’s blooms and weaken the plant.
4. Give sweet peas support as they grow
Most sweet peas can grow to heights of 8-10 feet. Put trellises in place before you plant so as not to disturb the roots. Guide young plants to the trellis and then tendrils will find supports and climb.
Remember to choose a support structure that is sturdy enough to hold the weight of the sweet pea vines as they grow. It’s also a good idea to provide support early on in the sweet pea’s growth to avoid damaging the plant later on.
Ideas for supporting sweet peas:
Trellis: One of the most common ways to support sweet peas is to use a trellis. You can buy a trellis or make your own from wood or bamboo stakes. Train the sweet pea vines onto the trellis as they grow.
Netting: Another option is to use plastic netting, which can provide support for the sweet pea vines as they climb. You can attach the netting to wooden stakes or plastic poles.
Arches: If you want to create a unique look in your garden, consider using arches to support your sweet peas. You can buy metal or wooden arches, or create your own from bent PVC pipes.
Fences: If you have a fence in your garden, train the sweet pea vines to climb up it. You can also attach netting or string to the fence to help support the vines.
Obelisks: Obelisks are tall, narrow structures that can provide support for sweet peas. You can buy obelisks or make your own from wood or bamboo stakes.
Hanging baskets: Sweet peas can also be grown in hanging baskets. Plant the sweet pea seeds in the bottom of the basket and train the vines to climb up the sides and over the top.
5. Tips for encouraging more sweet pea blooms
To prolong sweet pea blooms, you can take a few steps:
Deadhead regularly: As the sweet peas begin to fade or wilt, remove them to encourage the plant to keep producing more flowers. Harvesting sweet peas regularly can help promote more blooms and prevent the plant from becoming too leggy or top-heavy.
Keep the soil moist: Sweet peas prefer well-draining soil that is consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, and make sure the soil doesn’t dry out completely.
Fertilize regularly: Sweet peas are heavy feeders and can benefit from regular fertilization if you have a long growing season. Use a balanced fertilizer every 3-4 weeks if desired.
Provide support: This will help the sweet peas produce more blooms and help prevent the plant from becoming tangled or overstressed.
Keep them cool: Mulch around the base of the plant to help keep the soil cool and the roots moist.
Harvesting tips for cut flowers
Once blooms begin, harvest at least every other day to encourage blooming.
Blossoms will not open more once cut; harvest when all but the top few blossoms are open.
Harvest blooms in the morning.
Put stems in water right away.
Blooms last 5-7 days; adding sugar or a floral preservative will increase vase life by a few days.
Unharvested blooms will develop seed pods, and blooms will stop. Save seeds to plant the following season. Be aware that hybrid varieties may not be true to type when saved.
Overall, sweet peas are a relatively easy flower to grow and can add beauty, fragrance, and charm to any garden. Provide them with the right growing conditions and support, and you’ll be rewarded with a stunning display of flowers.
Comment below if you have questions about how to grow sweet peas, or share varieties of sweet peas you’ve tried and loved.
One of the worst sights you can ever see in the garden is a plant that has been browsed by deer. (Sidenote: we don’t love the gentle word “browsed” in this instance. A more appropriate term might be “obliterated.”) If the munching is particularly bad, that perennial, tree, or shrub becomes unrecognizable. And in many cases, this can mean instant death to your prized specimen. With deer pressure increasing from coast-to-coast, we decided it’s time to highlight some of our favorite deer-resistant plants. Yes, we’re from deer-ridden New England, but rest assured that we’ve included plants in this episode that will thrive from Texas to Michigan, and everywhere in between.
Guest: Karen Chapman is a landscape designer in Duvall, Washington, and the author of Deer-Resistant Design: Fence Free Gardens that Thrive Despite the Deer.
Danielle’s Plants
Photo: Walters Gardens, Inc.
‘Childhood Sweetheart’ hellebore (Helleborus ‘Childhood Sweetheart’, Zones 4-9)
I’ve known artist Emma Kohlmann since she was a kid and am a huge fan. I’m not the only one. Her beguiling, dreamlike paintings were discovered on Instagram 10 years ago when she was in her mid-twenties and she now has an impressive CV of shows near and far (she’s represented in NYC by Silke Lindner and in Copenhagen by V1 Gallery).
Emma began by self-publishing zines and continues to make printed matter (with her sister, Charlotte Kohlmann, she runs Mundus Press in Northampton, Massachusetts, where the two live). Emma also frequently collaborates with other creatives—with Simone Bodmer-Turner, for instance, she produced a sell-out line of vases, and she’s currently designing tableware for a major Danish brand. Emma Kohlmann Watercolors, a large-format monograph on her work of the past decade, is being published any minute by Anthology.
Today, we’re featuring her latest collab: the Emma Kohlman Lamp Collection for online art and design shop Slow Roads. The brand’s founders, Catherine Costanza and Evan Dublin, supplied Emma with custom canvas lampshades to paint. They sized the shades to pair with vintage tree root lamps that they ferreted out on road trips in Upstate New York, Seattle, and California, and carefully restored. The sculptural collection debuted on the Slow Roads site on March 11, with prices starting at $1,450. Take a look. There are only six lamps (and three have already been sold), so speak up if you want one.
Above: Here are the just-finished shades in Emma’s studio, in a former paper mill in Western Massachusetts. Emma grew up in Riverdale, in the Bronx; she studied at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. and has lived in the area ever since (but has friends and toeholds around the world).
Emma typically works spontaneously without advance sketches, and has developed her own benevolent universe of reclining figures, floating faces, plants, and animals. She painted the lampshades with watered-down acrylics; each is one-of-a-kind and displays evolving patterns and scenes.
Above: Catherine and Evan of Slow Roads are artist-designers themselves, based in Rochester, NY; their shop showcases contemporary and vintage housewares, all rooted in nature. Like the shades, each of the lamp bases is a one-off. This one is Lamp 4.
We’re in Simcoe, Ontario, today, where Linda Walsh is sharing photos of a beautiful garden that has been almost 40 years in the making.
Part of having a mature garden is incredible mature tree specimens—like this absolutely breathtaking ‘Suminagashi’ Japanese maple (Acerpalmatum ‘Suminagashi’, Zones 5–9). All Japanese maples have great fall color, but this variety takes it to another level.
In the spring, a redbud (Cerciscanadensis, Zones 5–9) shows off with tiny pink flowers.
In this view out into the garden from a distance, a PJM rhododendron (Rhododendron hybrid, Zones 4–8) catches the eye with a huge display of pink flowers.
A Japanese maple grows at the edge of one of the koi ponds. The white flowers in the background are from a flowering dogwood (Cornusflorida, Zones 5–9).
The flowering trees on the left with the yellow flowers is the native cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata, Zones 5–9).
Weeping copper beech (Fagussylvatica, Zones 4–7) has dark leaves that contrast with those around it.
Lacecap hydrangeas (Hydrangeamacrophylla, Zones 5–9) have more-delicate blooms than the mophead type.
Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangeaarboresecens ‘Annabelle’, Zones 3–8) is a double-flowered selection of the species that is native to much of eastern North America.
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
As the flowers start to bloom and temperatures start to rise, it’s time to give your mobile home a refreshing makeover for spring.
Whether you’re looking to enhance the aesthetics, improve functionality, or simply breathe new life into your space, there are plenty of simple yet effective ways to freshen up your mobile home. Here are some expert tips to help you usher in the season with a renewed sense of vitality.
Declutter and organise
As a first step towards making any other changes, you should start by clearing and organising your mobile home.
Remove any extra objects that you have stored during the winter months. Donate, recycle, or throw away items you no longer need, then look for efficient ways to keep things tidy and stored away. An orderly environment creates an instant impression of more space, and is also more welcoming. If you’re buying your first mobile home, consider auto salvage lancaster.
Bring in natural light
Increasing the amount of natural light in a mobile home helps to create a living space that will be more pleasant to spend time in.
Washing the windows inside and out is an easy way to make the most of natural light. You could also consider buying new curtains or venetian blinds that let the light through, but still provide privacy.
Update your decor
You can add freshness and style to your mobile home through changes in your décor.
Replace heavy winter textiles such as blankets and throw pillows with lighter cottons and linens in pastel shades or floral patterns. You could also be inspired by nature and add some fresh flowers, potted plants or vibrant artworks to bring a hint of springtime beauty to your mobile home.
A fresh coat of paint
A fresh coat of paint can work wonders in transforming the look and feel of your mobile home.
Choose light, neutral colours to make the space feel larger and more open. Consider painting an accent wall in a bold, spring-inspired hue to add visual interest and personality.
Upgrade your outdoor space
Your springtime update is not limited to your mobile home interior. If it’s a static home, you can tidy up the patio, adding comfortable chairs, colourful cushions, and outdoor rugs to create a pleasant sitting area. Planters and baskets are another low-cost way to spruce up the exterior space.
Deep clean your mobile home
Spring is a good opportunity to get your mobile home as clean as it can be by removing whatever dust, dirt, and grime remains.
Focus on areas that are often overlooked, such as baseboards, light fixtures, and air vents. You could even rent a carpet cleaner or get a professional deep clean of carpets and upholstery.
Check for maintenance issues
Spring is the perfect time to deal with any problems that have appeared during winter. Walk through your mobile home and look for signs of wear, including worn out taps, draughty windows, or cracked siding. Taking care of the above-mentioned issues will not only mitigate more serious problems in the future, but also prepare your home for enjoying the new season.
Conclusion
Implement these easy, but powerful tips, and you’ll be well on the way to a refreshed mobile home. Sorting out and organising the space, refreshing your interior, and tackling small repairs are all great ways to give your living space a new lease of life. It’s not just about aesthetics – it’s also about creating a comfortable and functional living space that enhances your quality of life.
Are you a normal person who wants to grow food? When you search online, it all seems too complicated! But if you give up, what if something happens to our supply lines? What if we have an economic downturn? What if you can’t feed your family?
Wouldn’t you like to know how to grow food without feeling like you need a triple doctorate’s degree in chemistry, horticulture and soil science?
You might think you need expensive raised beds or complex aquaponics systems, purchased soil, piles of mulch and exotic tools and fertilizers – but you don’t. You’ve been sold a bill of goods.
In this book you’ll learn how to cut through the complexity and just grow food using simple and time-tested methods. You’ll discover how to find easy-to-grow varieties, and you’ll learn how to simply put food on your table without expensive and time-consuming methods.
If you have a little land, a little time, and the desire for a healthier life, you can put fresh produce on the table, grow an abundance of hearty roots and greens in your backyard, and stop feeling overwhelmed about gardening.
This book shows you how.
Free your mind and embrace simplicity with Minimalist Gardening.
If you could take a leisurely stroll across all of the countries near the equator, in all the tropical and subtropical areas, you might be lucky enough to witness the 2,000 or so begonia species in existence growing in their native habitats in the wild.
From misty oceansides to high-elevation forests, they come from a diverse range of climates.
It would be an exciting adventure to check them all out. The only problem is that you probably wouldn’t be able to tell what type you were looking at from one to the next…
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Okay, so you probably won’t go on a world-round wander anytime soon, but even if you’re just shopping at your local nursery, it can still be next to impossible to identify the various begonias out there if you aren’t some sort of expert.
Heck, even the experts struggle.
Is this one of those wax hybrids with big blossoms? Or is this the kind that doesn’t flower well but has gorgeous foliage? Maybe it’s both?
We’re going to help you figure out how to identify begonias based on a few key characteristics.
After examining the foliage and stems, you’ll be able to confidently narrow down what you’re looking at, no expert knowledge required.
Here’s what we’ll discuss to help make that happen:
While the characteristics of the flowers and leaves are the most obvious things we can look at on a plant, the stems and roots can give us an even better idea of the species of begonia.
We can use all four elements to make an educated guess about the identity of a particular plant.
Though they vary wildly in appearance, all begonias have alternate leaves with stipules, which are tiny structures that grow at the base of a leafstalk.
Stipules. Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
They all have separate female and male flowers, plus some other qualities that only botanists will really care about, like inferior ovaries and centripetal stamen initiation.
Most commonly cultivated varieties have asymmetrical leaves, fleshy stems, and fairly prominent flowers. But there are exceptions. B. bogneri looks more like grass, for example, and you might not even notice the flowers.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to memorize all this! The important thing is to be able to take a look at the leaves, stems, and flowers, plus the roots, if you can.
Begonias are actually classified by the American Begonia Society by the kind of roots they have: fibrous, tuberous, or rhizomatous. Of course, all types have some fibrous roots, but this category refers to those that solely have fibrous roots.
Let’s talk about that group first. Then, we’ll talk about the different leaves you might come across and how to categorize them.
Fibrous Rooted
Fibrous-rooted begonias have purely fibrous roots without any tuberous or rhizomatous roots.
But you don’t need to dig up the plant and examine the roots to determine if that’s what you’re looking at. There are other clues.
Look at the stems and leaves for a hint.
If your plant has stems that look kind of like bamboo, meaning they are straight, have long internodes, and have little bumps where the leaves emerge from, you have a cane-like type.
Cane-Like
Cane-like begonias have become much more popular in recent years. I think that has to be because they’re easygoing, and many have eye-catching foliage.
Obviously, this group stands apart because of its cane-like stems that give it some resemblance to bamboo. Beyond the cane-like stems, you can look to the leaves to help define this group.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Most of the cane-like types on the commercial market have some amount of silver spotting on the top surface and purple on the underside, with most having some purple on the upper side of the leaves as well.
The leaves emerge from a swollen node on the stem, another characteristic that lends to the bamboo-like resemblance.
For example, angel-wing begonias like the wildly popular B. maculata, with its long leaves speckled in shiny silver dots, are in this group.
If you see the characteristic angel-wing leaf shape, it’s probably in the cane-like group, though many rex types have this as well.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Within this group, there are three types: ‘Lenore Olivier,’ mallet, and Superba. There are around 80 species and thousands of cultivars in the cane-like group.
Most of them are grown for the foliage, but some have large cascading clusters of pink, red, white, or orange blossoms.
All Superba types have lobed or cleft leaves, silver markings, and purple coloration. Those of the mallet type are maroon or dark pinkish-red, and those of ‘Lenore Olivier’ are smooth-edged and solid green.
If you’re in the market for one of these, you can bring home a beautiful B. maculata plant with its polka-dot foliage in silver, green, and red from Costa Farms.
Historically, this has been the most popular group. Also known as wax begonias, these can be identified by their thick, succulent, waxy leaves.
The foliage is usually green or bronze, but some cultivars are variegated or even have white young leaves.
Gardeners love these because they bloom nonstop in bright pink, white, and red. Plus, they’re relatively drought-tolerant, and seed propagates readily.
Most that you’ll come across at stores are hybrids, and B. cucullata is usually one of the parent species.
The deep bronze leaves of ‘Viking XL’ are enough to recommend it, but the vibrant, inch-wide, red flowers steal the show.
Multiple stems growing out of the ground point to the shrub group.
It’s a little hard to define this group just by the foliage. The leaves can be smooth and shiny, or hairy and velvety. So, look at the stems first.
B. metallica.
There should be lots of them, rather than a single or small number of stems. Those stems should also have lots of branches.
Because the foliage is so diverse, this group is subdivided by leaf type. These groups are:
Bare
Distinctive
Hairy
Miniature
Bare types are hairless (glabrous). Hairy, of course, have fine hairs on either or both sides. Miniatures have tiny leaves on correspondingly small plants.
Distinctive is kind of a catch-all group for the plants that have unusual or uniquely interesting leaves, like heavily lobed, palmate shapes.
The shrub group is primarily grown for the foliar display, but some have pretty, long-lasting flowers, usually in white but sometimes pink or red.
Examine the growth of B. metallica, as pictured above, to get a good idea of what they look like.
Thick-Stemmed
This group is identified by, of course, the thick stems, but also the leaf growth.
As the stems age, all the lower leaves drop off, leaving just those at the tip of the stems. The foliage can look like that of those in any other group.
Leaves can be waxy, hairy, velvety, or smooth, and smooth-edged, toothed, or lobed. They can be green, bronze, red, or purple, and might have silvery markings.
Common hybrid cultivars and species include B. ‘Bangles,’ B.egregia, B. ludwigii, B. rigida, B. ‘Rudy,’ B. venosa and B. vitifolia.
These are some of the most difficult types to grow because they’re picky about their conditions, so you don’t see a lot of them.
While you can pinch them to encourage branching, they typically only produce one or two stems with no branches, which makes them less visually appealing to some growers. That’s another reason why they aren’t common.
Trailing-Scandent
As you may have gathered, this group is defined by its trailing, arching growth habit.
Some can be trained as climbers and some will trail over a wall or pot. Many have beautiful flowers, though others are grown for their foliage alone.
The leaves are typically round, heart-shaped, or oval, with smooth or toothed margins.
The surface can be smooth or hairy, and it might have raised areas. Most have relatively small leaves. The flowers are usually pink or red.
B. convolvulacea, B. glabra, B. molleri, B. radicans, B. solananthera, B. thelmae, and their hybrids are the most common types.
Rhizomatous
If you were to dig down just below the soil surface and do some exploring, you’d find succulent, horizontal roots for all of the begonias in this group.
These rhizomes are actually an extension of the stems of the plant growing underground.
Rex-Cultorum
This is, by far, the most common type of rhizomatous begonia. These can be identified by looking at the foliage.
It’s colorful with green, purple, red, silver, or any combination of these. They can also have reflective silver markings.
This type can be confused with cane-like begonias, and the only way to be certain is to look at the roots.
Most of these are cultivars of B. rex, of which there are over 4,000, but there are lots of hybrids, too. These are grown for their foliage and not so much for the blooms, which are small and lack color compared to many others.
The plants in this subgroup might be mistaken for cane-like types at first glance. Beyond the different roots, these plants tend to branch out more than the cane-like types.
Look at B. diadema for a good example.
Tuberous
Tuberous begonias form large tubers as a storage mechanism to get them through the dry season. These are typically grown for the large flowers.
Now, don’t confuse ”tuberous begonias” (B. x tuberhybrida) with those that have tuberous roots.
Tuberous begonia is the common name for tuberous hybrids, but there are many species that have tuberous roots as well.
The × tuberhybrida members of this group have the largest blossoms of all begonias, as well as the biggest range of flower colors and patterns.
The foliage is typically large and round. The leaves are dark to medium green on the upper surface and lighter green on the underside, with or without red veins.
Of course, there are variations, with some with toothed or lobed margins, but that’s the most common.
Augustia
There are 12 species from tropical East Africa in this group, all with tuberous roots.
B. dregei.
B. dregei and B. sutherlandii are the most common in cultivation.
B. dregei has green foliage with some amount of red or purple, and plants might have white or silver spots. B. sutherlandii features pale green foliage with pink or red-tinged veins or edges.
Bolivian
B. boliviensis, known as Bolivian begonia, has leaves with a dark green surface and paler green undersides, both with fine hairs.
They can be lanceolate to ovate and are always asymmetrical. Some have a toothed margin.
These plants have a pendulous growth habit and vibrant red flowers.
Elatior
Also known as Cheimantha, Hiemalis, or Reiger, this subgroup is made up of tuberous hybrids, and it’s kind of a catch-all for those that don’t fit in other groups.
Many have B. dregei, B. grandis, B. x semperflorens, or B. socotrana in their lineage.
Many are winter flowering and have masses of pink, salmon, or red blossoms. You’ll often find them sold as holiday, Christmas, or yule begonias.
Identifying Begonias by Their Leaves
You absolutely can not identify a begonia by the leaves alone. There are just too many species with similar-looking leaves. But they are a good place to start your investigation.
Note the most defining characteristic of the foliage and go from there.
Waxy Texture
Plants with thick, waxy leaves are usually wax types. It’s right there in the name, after all.
Less commonly, they can also be rhizomatous species or cultivars, or thick-stemmed fibrous types. Assume it’s a wax begonia unless there is some other indication that hints otherwise.
Silvery Spots, Stripes, or Marks
Those with silvery markings are usually either fibrous cane-like or thick-stemmed types, or rhizomatous rex.
Tuberous augustia types can also have these markings.
Angel Wing Shape
Some have leaves that look like the angel wings depicted in classic paintings by Michelangelo Caravaggio, Raphael, Vernet, and Thayer.
The leaves typically appear singly, so you have to imagine that the poor angel lost one wing somewhere along the way.
If yours has this leaf shape and it’s attached to a cane-like stem, you can be sure you have a rhizomatous, cane-like type.
Many are hybrids or cultivars of B. aconitifolia, B. coccinea, B. listadaand, or B. maculata, to name a few.
Fern-Like Leaves
There are a few types out there that look a bit like ferns. Fern begonia (B. bipinnatifida) is, by far, the most common.
Given its adoration for hot, humid environments, it has gained a stellar reputation as a terrarium plant.
This rhizomatous type has fleshy green and maroon leaves.
Strappy Leaves
Not all begonias have wide leaves. Some are narrow and strappy, resembling those of lilies or even grass.
B. herbacea and B. lanceolata are rhizomatous, and often confused with one another, while B. komoensis and B. bogneri have tubers.
Peltate Leaves
Some begonias have leaves that look like little umbrellas, with the petiole attached to the underside of the leaf somewhere near the middle.
These include the rhizomatous B. leprosae, with its hairless, asymmetrical green leaves and small flowers, as well as B. sudjanae with its light green, hairy asymmetrical foliage.
Palmate Leaves
If the leaves of the plant look like the palm of a hand with an odd number of finger-like leaflets, it’s probably fibrous B. aconitifolia, tuberous B. dregei, fibrous B. luxurians, rhizomatous B. palmata, or one of the many rex hybrids.
So Many Begonias, So Little Time
Alright, so even the most experienced begonia grower struggles now and then to figure out what they’re looking at, but hopefully, you feel a bit better equipped to get out there and identify away.
As long as you can look at the roots, stems, and leaves, you’re armed with the tools you need to do some sleuthing.
What do the leaves and stems of your plant look like? Are you having trouble narrowing it down? Let us know in the comments and share some pictures with us, and maybe we can help!
Kat asks how she can grow food at her HOA-restricted home:
“I am in central Florida in Ocala and have a shady back yard and a sunny front yard however the homeowners assoc. does not allow growing in a front yard. I am wondering what food I could grow that does not need a lot of sun. I could set up some pots on my lanai which gets some sun but not full sun. As for the sides one east/one west, there is a small patch on the west side only. Any ideas you can share?”
The Legislature intends to encourage the development of sustainable cultivation of vegetables and fruits at all levels of production, including for personal consumption, as an important interest of the state.
(2) Except as otherwise provided by law, a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state may not regulate vegetable gardens on residential properties. Any such local ordinance or regulation regulating vegetable gardens on residential properties is void and unenforceable.
(3) This section does not preclude the adoption of a local ordinance or regulation of a general nature that does not specifically regulate vegetable gardens, including, but not limited to, regulations and ordinances relating to water use during drought conditions, fertilizer use, or control of invasive species.
(4) As used in this section, the term “vegetable garden” means a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated for human ingestion.
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.
This should mean that you can tell the HOA that you are planting vegetables in accordance with your rights under Florida law.
Some years ago I gave a gardening talk in an upscale Florida neighborhood with an HOA, only to discover that almost all the plants I recommended and grew were not on the “approved list.” This list contained almost nothing but ornamentals of very limited usefulness. The denizens of this blighted town were reduced to guerrilla-gardening garlic chives amidst the liriope grass and hiding sweet potatoes in the English ivy.
Maxim: It is better to live in a trailer on your own poison ivy-infested sand than in an HOA with pickleball courts and manicured oleanders.
Because you can plant the ground at your trailer. And the sound of pickleball is driving people mad.
Now, the state of Florida has changed the law on gardens, and you should be able to bring that law to your HOA, and then put in a garden.
However, if you can’t manage to beat the HOA and grow some food, here are some tips for growing food when you live in an HOA:
1: Use Pretty Pots
Who could deny you a pretty vine growing in a nice pot on your patio? Do they need to know it’s an ube yam climbing that trellis? Nope. It’s Filipino ivy!
You can also grow potatoes in pots, as well as herbs, sweet potatoes, beans, taro, chaya, greens, etc.
2: Grow Plants that Look Like Ornamentals
Garlic chives fit among the liriope, of course, and sweet potatoes grow in the ivy, but you could also plant lemongrass instead of an ornamental grass, edible flowers instead of non-edible ones, fruiting shrubs instead of non-fruiting ones, etc. Some things hide quite nicely. Think “edible landscaping” instead of row crops.
3. Guerrilla Garden
I met a couple at one of our plant sales a few weeks ago. They told me they were growing edibles in a lot just behind their HOA neighborhood. We’ve gardened on a 1/4 acre lot a couple blocks from our apartment when we were renting – maybe you can do something similar.
4. Borrow Land
Do you go to church? If so, there’s almost certainly someone in your church that would let you borrow some land to garden on. Do you know any retirees? Perhaps they’d like a vegetable garden but aren’t able to grow one themselves. Help ’em out, and share the produce. Volunteer anywhere? Perhaps you can start a community garden.
5. Fight the Man
Or at least, learn to work with him. Maybe your HOA leadership isn’t as evil as they seem and they might let you build a garden after all. Or perhaps there’s some empty space that could be allocated to growing food. A lot of people love organic produce. If you’re winsome, maybe you can convince the board to rekindle their love of life and allow some gardening. Alternately, you can seize control of the board in a coup, then throw all the garden-haters out of helicopters.
Back to Kat’s question: if she’s not able to plant a vegetable garden for some reason, many vegetables will grow in Florida with only a few hours of sun as our solar energy is quite intense.
We once grew yard-long beans against the north side of a rental house in Citra and got a yield even without any direct sun. Just the reflected sun off the baking-hot backyard was enough. If you have deep shade, gingers will grow, and probably some greens, but it gets hard to grow roots and fruits.
The best way to find out, of course, is to try.
First try taking that law to your HOA, however. Or call a legal expert and see if it says what it looks like it says, because to my non-legal eyes it’s a trump card.
Finally, you could move. Living in an HOA isn’t conducive to self-sufficiency, especially if you’d like to expand into raising chickens and/or taking control of more of your diet with dairy and meat animals, or rows of grain corn, or sprawling patches of delicious pumpkins.
Getting ready to welcome your baby into the world can be stressful, as you naturally want everything to be perfect. It’s a busy time, but it’s definitely worth deep cleaning your house and getting it in order before you bring your newborn home.
Here’s a quick guide to help keep you on track and prepare your home for the new arrival.
Declutter your house
You’ve probably got things in your house that you don’t need or use any more. Now is the time to organise and declutter your living space; doing it before your baby’s arrival will create a clean and safe home for them.
Before you start to declutter, try making a checklist of the messiest rooms in your home. This will ensure you don’t miss anything and focus on the biggest wins. A great tip is to get rid of bigger items first, such as furniture, and then move onto smaller items.
Once you’ve cleared out unnecessary items, organise your belongings in designated areas. Baskets and storage furniture are great for keeping everything tidy and easy to find.
Get rid of cobwebs and dust
Even if they are not always visible, cobwebs are commonly present in the corners of ceilings. You probably don’t pay much attention to the tops of your furniture, so you might find a layer of dust on there too.
To get rid of cobwebs easily, use a long-handled duster or a vacuum attachment to reach the corners of the ceiling. Make this a regular step in your cleaning routine to prevent their reappearance.
When it comes to the dust collected on furniture, this can require a bit more effort, especially in kitchens where grease may be involved. Start by wiping excess dust away with a clean cloth, then use warm water and your usual cleaning product to remove the rest of the dirt.
Deep clean fabrics
A deep clean of the fabrics in your house includes your sofa, curtains and carpet.
Fabric items can contain lots of dust and dirt collected over time that isn’t always visible at first sight. You might want to consider asking for professional help for your sofa cleaning to remove germs and bacteria that could be dangerous for your newborn. Carpets are also a hard job when it comes to deep cleaning, so it’s a safe choice to leave this to professional cleaners as well. You can still contribute to the cleaning process by choosing to wash curtains yourself.
Clean the furniture
Your cabinets can quickly become greasy and dirty, especially in the kitchen. To prevent germs, they need to be cleaned regularly.
You can create your own cleaning product using warm water and a liquid soap or vinegar. You can also buy a wide range of safe cleaning products designed for specific materials like wood to prevent any damage.
For regular cleaning, when you don’t have much time to dedicate to this step, consider furniture wipes to make the job easier and quicker.
Vacuum and mop floors
To ensure a proper clean of your flooring, you need to move the furniture and prioritise the areas you usually don’t have easy access to. You may be surprised by the dirt under your cabinetry and sofa, for example.
Vacuuming and mopping are both essential steps to integrate into your cleaning routine. Your flooring represents a trafficked area of your house, and it’s easy to bring germs inside any time you enter while wearing outside shoes. This is particularly important when your baby starts to crawl.
Sanitise your baby’s nursery
Your baby’s nursery will be a place where both you and your baby spend a lot of time, so it needs proper cleaning. Make sure you avoid any substance that contains toxic chemicals and conduct some research on baby-safe options.
After a deep clean of flooring, furniture and walls, you need to sanitise using non-toxic substances that are still powerful enough to eliminate germs and bacteria from your newborn’s room. It’s also a good idea to implement a no-shoe rule to keep contamination to a minimum.
The bottom line
Getting your home ready for your new baby can feel like an endless process, but if you get organised with the cleaning it can feel less daunting. Remember that you can always ask friends and family for help, or even contact professionals to make sure your house is spotless before your newborn’s arrival. By making a plan and asking for help when you need it, you’ll be all set and ready to welcome your baby into a lovely home.
It is the straight species, though, that hold the most promise. “In my opinion, species tulips are the future, and an exciting one,” says Polly. They can be naturalized in grass or gravel, taken indoors in small pots, or placed in a tulipière (this one above is made by Katrin Moye). Species tulips are the past as well: “also known as wild or botanical tulips [they] are the forerunners of all tulips grown in gardens today.”
The tulips that we mainly think of as classic are a bit like standard King Alfred daffodils or Pink Lady apples; the mainstream selection is narrow in comparison to the huge variety of species and historic cultivars. This book will persuade you that these are worth seeking out, and there is not much detective work to be done, if you consult Polly’s lists toward the back.
Above: Naturalized under globe-pruned pear trees, Tulipa clusiana ‘Peppermintstick’, is offered widely and easy to grow.
Successful, multiplying colonies of species tulips in a garden are the result of trial and error, while attempting to replicate their original conditions. Sometimes they need to be moved around before they find the right home. Tulipa clusiana is recommended for beginners. T. clusiana ‘Peppermintstick’ grows at the front of a border in Polly’s walled garden; its looks are a mix of diffidence and artifice that annual tulips cannot match. “It has obviously been introduced, but it looks completely natural and at home.”
Above: Naturally spreading, yellow Tulipa sylvestris is one of the original, un-hybridized wild tulips.
In gardens, Tulipa sylvestris is best placed among spring herbage and flowers that are not also bright yellow, so that its shape and subtle coloring, with brown-green stems and sepals, can be seen at their best. It’s shown here with Narcissus ‘Thalia’ and dark hellebores in woodland beds. Rough ground is more accommodating than a flower bed, though, as they spread through underground stolons. With a similar profile and intensity of color, Tulipa sprengeri is a throbbing, warm red species flower that may find itself radiating alone, or mainly against green. Polly grows them with irises.
We live in Simcoe, Ontario, just north of Lake Erie. Our Hardiness Zone is 6a, but because of our forested property we have a bit of a microclimate and are able to grow some plants that would not do well in this area otherwise. We have been gardening here for almost 40 years and have been featured in many Canadian magazines. We have two koi ponds; building the last one was a huge undertaking, as many rocks had to be brought in. The pond features two skimmers, a bog with an undergravel blowout system, and a large waterfall. We have VERY large koi, and they eat a lot. We also have peacocks, Pete and Pat, and have enjoyed seeing them raise their many offspring.
Recently we have experimented with growing cucumber and umbrella magnolia (Magnolia acuminata and Magnolia tripetala, Zones 4–8) from seed and are anxiously awaiting our first blooms. We have over 25 maples, but the most stunning is the ‘Suminagashi’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Suminagashi’, Zone 5-9), with a brilliant fall color.
Linda wasn’t kidding about the size of those fish!
View of the garden from the windows of the house
Peacock pen with azaleas (Rhododendron hybrids, Zones 5–9)
Mariessi viburnum (Viburnumplicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’, Zones 5–8)
Front hillside garden looking up toward the house
Koi pond surrounded by beautiful stonework
Saxatile alyssum (Auriniasaxatilis, Zones 3–7) greets spring with clouds of yellow flowers.
A rhododendron in the PJM hybrid group (Rhododendron ‘Olga Mezitt’, Zones 4–8). The PJM hybrids are some of the easiest and most adaptable rhododendrons to grow, and they always flower heavily.
A rhododendron gets ready to burst into bloom.
Northern Lights azaleas (Rhododendron hybrids, Zones 3–7) were bred to be able to withstand extreme winter cold and still flower heavily each spring. As you can see, the colors are pretty wonderful too.
Many of our castor bean plants (Ricinuscommunis, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) have produced enormous leaves, and we have taken to making concrete decorative leaves from them!
A painted concrete castor bean leaf
We’ll be back with more photos from this beautiful garden tomorrow.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
This article zeroes in on one aspect of tulip care: watering.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
This is easy. Let’s get started!
Tulip Bulb Planting Protocol
Sow bulbs in the fall while they are dormant because they need a winter chilling period to stimulate spring blooming.
They require a planting depth two to three times as deep as their height. If sown too deeply, they may fail to bloom; if too shallow, they may heave out of the ground during winter freeze and thaw cycles.
Once in the garden or pot, apply a well-balanced, slow-release fertilizer, like a 10-10-10 NPK, for perennial varieties that readily naturalize. For those cultivated as annuals, you may skip this step.
Finally, thoroughly wet the growing medium. As mentioned above, well-draining soil is essential, or they may rot long before spring.
Unless there is a drought, it is unlikely that you will ever need to soak the soil again.
Jumpstarting Spring Growth
The next occasion for adding moisture is when the leaves sprout in the spring.
Moisten the ground or potting medium if it isn’t already wet from rain.
Use a hose or watering can and aim it at the soil, not the new shoots. Prolonged foliar wetness, especially in partially shaded locations, may promote the development of fungal conditions and is best avoided.
Warming temperatures and moisture trigger foliar growth followed by budding and blooming.
Supplementing the Rain
If the forecast regularly calls for rain, you will likely not have to water again during the growing season.
If it doesn’t rain for a week or so, moisten the soil so it doesn’t dry out. Remember to avoid direct contact with the flowers and leaves.
When in doubt, it’s better to err on the side of too little rather than too much water. As mentioned, bulbs are prone to rotting. Soggy earth and yellow leaves are telltale signs of oversaturation.
Conversely, if you are away and come home to find there’s been a drought, thoroughly saturate the soil.
Potted plants are more likely to suffer as containers dry out faster than the ground. Signs of stress include wilting and brown leaf tips.
Withholding During Dormancy
As blooming finishes, deadhead entire spent flower stems before the petals lose all their color. Leave the remaining foliage in place to feed the bulbs for next year’s display.
Continue to provide supplemental water in the absence of rain until all of the foliage is brown and withered. At this point, dormancy begins and moisture is no longer required.
Moisture Management Is a Must
Knowing how and when to water tulips is essential to successful cultivation.
Let’s recap our discussion:
Provide a location that drains well. After planting, thoroughly wet the growing medium.
Every spring, moisten the earth when new shoots appear. Avoid watering shoots, leaves, and foliage throughout the growing season, especially if you grow in partial shade.
If it doesn’t rain during the week, moisten the soil.
Thoroughly saturate the garden or pot in the event of a drought.
When the foliage withers and dormancy begins, discontinue supplemental watering.
When incorporating bulbs into an existing landscape, consider the cultural requirements of the plants already in place. If they are likely to require supplemental water during the summer, you may find that your bulbs rot.
Instead, opt for locations with established shrubbery, other moisture-sensitive bulb flowers, or native perennials to minimize the risk.
Do you have any watering suggestions? Please share them in the comments section below.
Are you looking for advice on how to grow tomatoes in pots? This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about planting, caring for, and harvesting your own delicious tomatoes.
Nothing beats the taste of homegrown tomatoes! The flavour is on another level compared to shop-bought tomatoes, and being able to pick them from the garden and enjoy that wonderful taste straight away is really special. They’re an easy crop to grow, and you don’t need loads of room to do it.
How to grow tomatoes in pots
Whether you’re a beginner who is just getting started with growing your own fruit and vegetables, or an experienced gardener looking for a few extra tips, this guide to growing tomatoes in pots has you covered.
We’ve included advice on growing tomatoes from seed, choosing pots, planting, feeding, watering, harvesting, and dealing with common problems. You’ll also find our top picks of tomato varieties for containers and hanging baskets to help you choose your plants.
Why grow tomatoes in pots?
Growing tomatoes in pots is a great option for lots of reasons.
If you’re limited on space in the garden, or don’t have a garden at all, you can still enjoy a delicious homegrown tomato harvest.
If you don’t need a huge tomato harvest, you can avoid a glut by just growing one or two tomato plants in pots.
If you’re new to gardening, growing edible plants in pots is a great way to get started.
If you don’t have lots of time to dedicate to gardening, container plants are much lower maintenance than a big vegetable patch.
Containers can be placed at a range of heights. This is fantastic if gardening at ground level isn’t an option for you, and also allows you to maximise the vertical space you have available.
Growing in pots and containers is a brilliant way to get kids involved in gardening. The smaller scale is easier for little hands to manage, and less daunting too.
Growing tomatoes in containers gives you more control over the growing conditions. You can dictate the type of soil and location of your pots, manage pests more easily, and also avoid any soil-borne diseases that are hanging around in your garden soil.
The best tomato varieties for pots
When you’re growing tomatoes in pots and hanging baskets, it’s important to choose the right tomato variety. Some are just too big to be grown in pots.
Here are our top picks for the best tomatoes to grow in pots. If you can’t find them in garden centres or hardware stores, try online plant or seed companies.
Sungold produces an abundant crop of delicious orange cherry tomatoes. This is one of the larger varieties on our list so it’s best suited to bigger containers.
Gardener’s Delight is a great option for containers, producing lots of cherry tomatoes with minimal fuss. Like Sungold, it’s a larger variety and suited to bigger pots.
Minibel is very compact at 30cm and suitable for small pots as well as hanging baskets.
Micro Tom is a teeny variety that’s ideal for small containers.
Red Alert reaches around 45cm tall and produces a good crop of cherry tomatoes.
Glacier is a salad tomato variety which grows to around 120cm high.
Astro Ibrido is a plum tomato variety which reaches around 90cm tall.
Marmalade is a beefsteak variety that grows to 60cm and produces impressive heirloom tomatoes with bags of flavour.
The best tomato varieties for hanging baskets
Tumbling Tom is a cherry tomato with a sweet flavour and a trailing habit.
Heartbreaker is a dwarf variety that reaches 30cm and produces heart-shaped cherry tomatoes. A cute option for a stylish hanging basket.
Garten Perle is another great cherry tomato for hanging baskets.
Micro Tom is well-suited to hanging baskets as well as pots.
Terenzo will also trail if you want it to, making it a great option for hanging baskets as well.
The best pots for growing tomatoes
The right pot can make all the difference to your success when growing tomatoes. Here’s what you need to think about when choosing containers for tomato plants:
Material: The majority of plant pots are either plastic or terra cotta, and tomato plants will grow well in either of these. If you’re buying new pots for growing tomatoes, do try to avoid plastic and opt for a more eco-friendly alternative such as bamboo, fabric pots, or terracotta. You can also grow tomatoes in a growbag or tomato bag.
Size: What size container is best for growing tomatoes? This will depend upon the type of tomato plant you want to grow, and the amount of room you have. As a guide, your tomato pots should be a minimum of 5 gallons (22 litres) capacity. A 5-gallon bucket will have a diameter of around 12 inches (30cm). Some tomato varieties will need bigger pots than others, so bear this in mind when choosing your plants.
Depth: Aim for pots that are at least 12 inches (30cm) deep for your tomatoes.
Drainage: Make sure there are good drainage holes in the bottom of the container. Tomato plants won’t thrive if their roots are waterlogged.
Shape: This is pretty much up to you! Traditional plant pots are round, but there’s no reason why you can’t use a different shape or an attractive planter to grow your tomatoes. You can even use a hanging basket to grow tomatoes – more about that option later. Whatever you choose, just make sure those drainage holes are present in the bottom of the pot.
Pots for tomato plants: our top picks
*Fabric grow bagshave carry handles and are easy to store when not in use. They also allow you to avoid plastic and garden more sustainably.
*Self-watering pots have a reservoir in the bottom to provide your plant with a more consistent supply of water.
*Metal hanging baskets with coir liners allow you to grow tumbling tomatoes around the sides and an upright variety on the top.
*Hanging bags are great for tumbling tomato varieties.
Is it better to grow tomatoes in pots or grow bags?
Grow bags are a popular choice when it comes to growing tomatoes, but there are some disadvantages to using them instead of pots.
Pots are available in a range of sizes, allowing you to provide enough compost for your hungry tomato plants. Grow bags, on the other hand, are only usually sold in one or two sizes, which makes them less flexible when it comes to the volume of compost used.
Traditional grow bags also inevitably involve plastic, whereas with pots you can avoid this environmental impact.
The other thing to bear in mind about grow bags is the quality of the compost they are filled with. Some are less than great. With pots you can dictate the quality of the compost used.
Can I grow tomatoes in a compost bag?
Yes, you can use a bag of multipurpose compost instead of a grow bag to grow tomatoes. The compost will be pretty similar in both.
Do tomatoes prefer deep or wide pots?
The extensive root system on tomato plants is usually more wide than it is deep. For this reason, it’s important to use a pot that provides as much width as possible.
How to grow tomatoes in pots from seed
While you can buy small tomato plants and pot them on, it’s fun (and cheaper!) to grow them from seed. You will also have access to a wider range of tomato varieties if you grow from seed.
Here’s how to grow tomatoes from seed.
Planting tomato seeds
You will need:
Fill your pots or trays with compost, and tap it down lightly.
Sow your tomato seeds onto the top of the compost. One or two seeds per pot or module should be enough.
Sprinkle a small amount of compost over the top of the pots to cover the seeds.
Water your pots or trays carefully. Heavy watering can wash away your seeds.
Add a plant label to each pot or tray.
Put your pots or trays in a warm place; a sunny windowsill is great. You can also place a clear lid over them to help the seeds germinate quicker.
Check your pots every couple of days, and water if necessary.
Potting on tomato seedlings
As you tomato seeds grow, they will need to be moved into larger pots. Doing this will ensure they continue to have access to plenty of nutrients until it’s time to plant them out.
Add compost to the bottom of your large pot.
Carefully remove the tomato seedling from its pot or tray.
Remove the first set of leaves at the base of the stem.
Place the tomato plant in the larger pot, and add more compost to firm it in. The first set of leaves needs to be slightly above the top of the compost.
Add a plant label to each pot.
Water your plant.
How to plant tomatoes in pots
The best time to plant tomatoes out in the garden is after the last frost date. In the UK this planting time is usually in May.
Follow these planting tips to give your young plants the best chance of thriving:
You will need:
Fill your container with compost.
Carefully remove the tomato plant from its pot.
Place the tomato plant in the container, and add more compost to firm it in. The first set of leaves needs to be slightly above the top of the compost.
Water your plant thoroughly, then move it to its growing location.
How to plant tomatoes in hanging baskets
The process of planting tomatoes in hanging baskets is similar to planting them in pots, but there are a couple of extra steps that you can take to really help your plants.
You will need:
Mix some slow-release fertiliser and water retaining crystals into your compost. The plant food will help to keep nutrient levels up, while the water retaining crystals will prevent the basket drying out as quickly.
Fill your basket with potting mix.
If you’re growing trailing tomato varieties, make holes in the side of the basket liner where you want to plant them.
Carefully remove each tomato plant from its pot, and firm it into the basket. The first set of leaves needs to be slightly above the top of the compost.
Water your basket thoroughly, then move it to its growing location.
Is multi purpose compost OK for tomatoes?
Tomato plants will grow happily in multi-purpose compost. However, they are hungry plants, and will eventually use up the nutrients in the compost. For this reason, you need to feed container-grown tomatoes regularly with a plant food designed for edible crops.
Where to grow tomatoes in pots
Tomato plants like direct sunlight and warm temperatures. Choose a location that’s in full sun and quite sheltered for your container tomatoes. A minimum of six hours of sun a day is ideal.
Providing support for tomatoes in pots
Some varieties of potted tomato plants are small enough to not need any support, and obviously the trailing varieties don’t need any either. But if you’ve chosen a larger variety you will need to add some form of support structure to your pots in order to keep the plant healthy and avoid damage.
Here are a few options to consider:
Watering container grown tomatoes
Any plant that is grown in a pot is much more reliant on you when it comes to water. The plant will have limited access to water from the soil, plus pots dry out quicker than a garden bed. All of this means your container grown tomatoes need regular, frequent watering.
They key here is consistency; try to avoid irregular watering, big gaps between watering, and just drowning your plants every now and then.
Inconsistent watering can cause all sort of problems, including poor growth, diseases, and a small harvest.
Always water tomatoes from the bottom. Water the soil, not the plant. Watering from above increases the risk of diseases.
Can you overwater tomatoes?
Yes, you can. While tomatoes are thirsty plants – especially in warm weather – it’s possible to overwater them.
What does an overwatered tomato plant look like?
Signs that a tomato plant is dealing with excess water include:
Wilting leaves
Yellow stems and/or leaves
Saturated compost
A green or white crust on the soil surface
Root rot
What does an underwatered tomato plant look like?
Signs that a tomato plant isn’t getting enough water include:
Curling leaves
Wilting leaves in the morning
Yellow leaves
Dry compost
Poor growth
Feeding tomatoes in pots
As we’ve already mentioned, plants that are grown in containers will eventually exhaust the nutrients in their compost. Add in the fact that tomatoes are heavy feeders, and that means you should definitely feed your plants if you want to maximise your harvest.
When should I start feeding tomato plants?
As a rough guide, your potted tomato plants will exhaust the compost in around six weeks. After this point, you should start feeding them. If you see flowers forming, it’s definitely a good time to feed your plants.
Choosing tomato fertiliser
For best results, it’s a good idea to use a *tomato feed that’s specifically designed for tomato plants. These will have the right ratios of nutrients to support optimum growth and fruiting.
Tomato feed is available as concentrated liquid fertiliser, granules, and ready to pour liquid.
How often should you feed tomatoes in pots?
Always follow the instructions on your plant food when feeding tomato plants. Usually the recommendation is every two weeks, but do check the label.
How to maximise your tomato harvest
Having invested time and effort into growing tomatoes in pots, you will naturally want to get the best harvest!
Here’s a quick checklist of easy ways to help your plants produce a bumper crop.
Use good quality compost.
Grow your tomatoes in a sheltered, sunny spot.
Support the main stem of your plant to prevent damage.
Water regularly from the bottom of the plant.
Feed your plants regularly.
Pinch out side shoots as the plant grows – this makes the plant focus on fruit, not extra growth.
Harvest ripe fruit regularly – this can speed up ripening on the remaining fruits.
Tips for harvesting tomatoes
When it’s time to harvest your juicy tomatoes, here are some tips to help you get it right.
To pick your tomato from the plant, either gently twist it until it comes away from the stem, or snip off the stem close to the fruit.
Pick ripe tomatoes as soon as possible. Leave them too long and you risk splitting (or having them pinched by birds and squirrels!)
It’s fine to harvest tomatoes that aren’t fully ripe and finish off the ripening process on a sunny windowsill indoors.
If you’ve got a bit of a glut and want to slow down ripening, pick your semi-ripe fruit and store it somewhere cool. You can also try freezing whole tomatoes, or turning them into sauce and freezing that. And if all else fails, you can always share your harvest with friends and family!
Common issues with container tomatoes
Like all plants, tomatoes are prone to a few issues. Here’s a quick guide to problems you might encounter, and what to do about them:
Flower drop: flowers form, but fall off and fruit do not develop. Pests, low nutrients, lack of water and fluctuating temperatures can all cause blossom drop. Make sure your plant is fed and watered regularly, inspect it for pests, and consider moving the pot to a location that has more stable temperatures.
Blossom end rot: black patches on the bottom of the fruit, caused by lack of calcium in the soil or a soil pH that is too low. This isn’t often an issue for container grown tomatoes.
Powdery mildew: white, powdery substance on leaves, caused by lack of air flow. This commonly affects tomatoes grown in a greenhouse. Improve air circulation to deal with it.
Blight: leaves turn shrivelled and brown, stems may develop brown patches, fruit develops soggy patches. Common in warm, damp conditions. Do not reuse compost from plants affected by blight.
Viral diseases: spots or stripes on the fruit. Inconsistent watering, lack of nutrients, and high temperatures can encourage viral disease to spread.
Sunscald: yellowish or white areas on the fruit, caused by the sun. Don’t remove lots of the plant’s foliage as this will provide natural shade.
Wilted and/or yellow leaves: usually caused by over or under watering.
Cracked fruit: caused by inconsistent watering. Water your plants regularly.
Aphids: damage to leaves and flowers. Deter aphids by encouraging their natural predators, which include ladybirds and lacewings.
Great companion plants for tomatoes
There are some plants that you can grow alongside tomatoes that will help them to thrive. Doing this is known as companion planting.
Companion planting works by taking advantage of synergies between plant species. Put simply, growing certain plants alongside each other can help to deter pests, provide nutrients, aid pollination, suppress weeds, and prevent diseases. In the case of edible crops, all of this can also increase your harvest.
Folks often say that tomatoes are the gateway plants to becoming a gardener. The idea is that people get truly hooked on this hobby of ours once they grow something they can eat. And homegrown tomatoes . . . well, there’s something truly magical about picking a handful of ‘Sun Gold’ cherry tomatoes and popping them into your mouth.
But tomatoes weren’t my gateway plant. That honor belongs to peonies.
I grew up in a family that gardened quite a bit, but most of our energy was spent on the vegetable beds. That meant there were obligatory chores that came from the maintenance of those plots, like endless hours of weeding in the hot August sun. Perhaps it’s because of these core traumas—I mean memories—that I never looked to tomatoes as a reason to start gardening for myself. Instead, it was while watering 2-gallon pots of ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peonies at the local garden center that I caught the gardening bug. I fell instantly in love with the huge, fragrant, blousy blooms of that alluring perennial. Using my next paycheck, I purchased one and brought it home to plant. The rest is history.
As the years went by, I became a homeowner, planted a garden, moved, planted another garden, and so on. But I always made sure to have a few peonies in the mix. I’ve heard all the arguments against them: a short bloom time, a susceptibility to botrytis, the large price tag, etc. To me these are all things that can be overlooked. Peonies are stunning while in bloom, and if you stagger your varieties, the show can extend for several weeks. A little garden cleanup in fall around their crowns, and diseases can easily be avoided. And if you think peonies are expensive, I have two words for you: Japanese maples.
And let us not forget that peonies are reasonably deer resistant, which you can read more about in 32 Plants for Sun and Shade That the Deer Won’t Devour. In that feature article, author Karen Chapman extols the virtues of numerous plants deer avoid, and one of those happens to be her favorite peony, ‘Coral Charm’.
In another feature article, Dwarf Tomatoes Produce Abundant Fruit With a Small Plant, you’ll read all about Scott Daigre’s affinity for dwarf tomatoes. For Scott (as for many of you, I’m sure), tomatoes were the gateway plant into gardening. He has maintained that youthful adoration into adulthood, writing books and lecturing extensively on the subject and even orchestrating Tomatomania!, the world’s largest tomato seedling sale.
I’d still take a peony any day over a tomato plant—and that’s saying something, because I love BLTs. True garden beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.
However, find me a deer-proof tomato and maybe I’ll rethink my stance.
—Danielle Sherry, executive editor
Issue 217 coming soon!
See the articles Danielle references in her letter:
Imagine it—stocky, handsome tomato plants that need less-aggressive staking, rarely exceed 5 feet in height, and offer fruit choices in different sizes and colors. Want more? OK, they taste delicious. Plus, the larger members of this crew can match the production of their more traditional brethren. A dream, right? Nope. Not only is this a reality, but it’s trending. Welcome to the new world of dwarf tomatoes.
The first dwarf tomato appeared on the scene in France circa 1850. Neither determinate nor indeterminate, it was a genetic dwarf—a whole new classification. It didn’t garner much attention at the time, but new dwarf plants continued to appear in catalogs throughout the 20th century. During those years, gardeners looking for “patio-size” plants found a limited list of small-fruited options that were almost always red. That changed in 2004 when Patrina Nuske-Small and Craig LeHoullier initiated the Dwarf Tomato Project. They involved hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of amateur hybridizers in a collective effort to create a new realm of open-pollinated dwarf varieties that replicate the heirloom experience but are smaller and more accessible. The first results of their exciting work became available in 2010, and the production of dwarf varieties has skyrocketed since then.
There are many reasons to grow dwarfs
These plants are sturdy, more compact, and ideally suited to smaller gardens. The growth rate is half that of their larger counterparts. Dwarf tomatoes are perfect in containers, making them more versatile. Plus, they are easier to care for. Every year I get panicked midseason emails: “Help! What do I do with this 10-foot-tall tomato plant?” Even the largest of the dwarf varieties only rises to around half that height; moreover, pruning and staking needs are minimal, and plants are easier to tie and tend.
Get your buckets ready, and don’t let the smaller size of these varieties fool you. Dwarf plants can produce like champs and provide you with lots of tomatoes. And did I say that the fruit is delicious? Not OK, not passable, but drop-dead delicious. Flavors vary from variety to variety, of course, but are just as tasty as all of the classics we grow each summer. The list of advantages goes on and on. But however you look at it, dwarf tomatoes are a win for gardeners everywhere.
How dwarf tomatoes are created
New dwarf varieties appearing on the scene these days are most often crosses between a dwarf parent and a classic larger-size parent. Many of the new dwarfs carry the genes—and thankfully all the good taste—of favorite tomatoes such as ‘Paul Robeson’, ‘Cherokee Purple’, and ‘Brandywine’. As hybridizers test new crosses out in the field, they select for dwarf genetics, plant quality, size, taste, fruit color, striping, and other variables based on their goals. After they select a promising seedling, it will be grown out and selected for those qualities for seven to nine generations until all the fruit produced is consistent with the chosen form. The variety is then stable and can be called open-pollinated.
Microdwarfs
These varieties seldom grow over 12 inches tall and are stocky, full plants. Occasionally, certain varieties will reach 18 inches tall.
For a super-small option, turn to this golden gem
Photo: courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.
Name: ‘Orange Hat’
Habit: Determinate
Days to maturity: 60
A tomato that will be at home on a windowsill, on a sunny table on the patio, or alongside your petunias in a shared pot? Yes, yes, and yes. This tiny wonder is a handsome-looking plant that only reaches 6 to 9 inches tall and produces sweet, bright-orange cherry tomatoes that are perfect for salads or snacking.
It’s disease resistant and brilliantly colorful
Name: ‘Yellow Canary’
Habit: Determinate
Days to maturity: 60
Delicious golden fruits are borne on this small plant that’s perfect for small spaces and the edges of your raised beds. ‘Yellow Canary’ rarely reaches 12 inches tall. It produces fruit throughout the growing season and offers extra disease resistance to verticillium wilt and fusarium wilt.
A new red cherry that gets going early
Name: ‘Veranda Red’
Habit: Determinate
Days to maturity: 55 to 60
This sturdy and attractive microdwarf hybrid produces exceptionally tasty red cherry tomatoes. While it might grow larger than other microdwarfs, it typically tops out at 12 to 15 inches, making it still quite manageable. ‘Veranda Red’ produces generously over a long season and starts fruiting extra early.
What type is it?
Classification and labeling often vary among seed purveyors and retail providers of dwarf tomatoes, but don’t be confused if they abandon the indeterminate and determinate labels altogether. Some modern dwarf varieties are labeled indeterminate or determinate, and many gardeners base their choices on those descriptions. But the whole class of these plants is smaller, having more of a determinate growth pattern, while many will happily produce fruit all season long like indeterminates. Most will not be classified as either.
I generally like to categorize dwarf tomatoes in three groups: microdwarfs, minis, and tree types. You might think of them as small, medium, and large.
Minis
A midrange option, minis usually top off at 20 inches tall. Less common is a cultivar that reaches 3 feet in height. Some plants exhibit a trailing habit, making them perfect candidates for a hanging basket, a large container, or even the top of a retaining wall.
A crack-resistant tomato with low acidity
Name: ‘Golden Hour’
Habit: Indeterminate
Days to maturity: 80
‘Golden Hour’ offers big production and great flavor, producing 1- to 2-ounce roma-shaped fruits that are yellow with some purple anthocyanin striping. They turn an amazing golden orange when ripe. This variety resists cracking, keeps for a long time, and has a sweet flavor with fruity notes and lower acidity. These fruits make a legendary sauce. ‘Golden Hour’ tops out at 20 inches tall.
Finally, a paste tomato for containers!
Name: ‘Dwarf Melanie’s Ballet’
Habit: Neither indeterminate nor determinate
Days to maturity: 70
This 2- to 3-foot-tall plant offers tender pink paste/roma-type fruits earlier in the season. This very productive variety was the first paste-type tomato introduced by the Dwarf Tomato Project. The 2- to 4-ounce fruits are meaty and dense with thick walls and thin skin, providing a delicious, old-time flavor.
For a purple-black selection, choose this velvety selection
Name: ‘Dwarf Velvet Night’
Habit: Neither indeterminate nor determinate
Days to maturity: 70
A hugely prolific black dwarf variety, ‘Dwarf Velvet Night’ produces formidable 2- to 3-ounce fruits on a 2-foot-tall plant. These larger cherries have a well-balanced, sweet, and earthy flavor with other complex notes typical of this color group. Clusters of five or six tomatoes abound all over this plant early in the season and continue for months.
TIP: Put the pruners down
Because dwarf tomatoes are smaller, removing precious new branches can limit fruit production. Avoid pruning the microdwarfs and minis altogether. However, removing some large or poorly positioned leaves on the tree types may be a smart move. Be aware that rugose foliage prevalent on some varieties can get heavy and weigh down some branches.
Tree Types
These tomatoes exhibit a more familiar upright growth pattern, typically reaching 3 to 5 feet tall, with some nearing 6 feet. But the plants are generally heavily branched and sturdier than a classic tomato.
A tomato with funky shapes but consistent flavors
Name: ‘Delta Dwarf’
Habit: Neither indeterminate nor determinate
Days to maturity: 90
Bushy and growing up to 6 feet tall, ‘Delta Dwarf’ offers tasty 3- to 6-ounce fruits with a superb balance of acidic and sweet flavors. These fruits, which vary in size and shape, are often flattened, lobed, and colored green with red stripes. Marbled and very aromatic when fully ripe, they are perfect for burgers, slicing, or a unique sauce. This plant produces well in containers or the ground.
Consider this bicolored slicer for a tropical taste
Name: ‘Dwarf Suz’s Beauty’
Habit: Neither indeterminate nor determinate
Days to maturity: 85
A beautiful mix of red and yellow, these slicers can reach 14 ounces but average about 10. ‘Dwarf Suz’s Beauty’ is very tasty, with the rich, thick, juicy fruitiness typical of bicolors. The stocky plants reach 3 feet tall and produce generously for such a large-fruited variety.
Large, smooth-textured fruits make this variety a winner
Name: ‘Boronia’
Habit: Neither indeterminate nor determinate
Days to maturity: 70
This rugose dwarf grows from 3 to 4 feet tall and produces gorgeous medium to large (4 to 16 ounces) oblate-shaped fruit that are deep rusty-rose in color, often with darker shoulders. They are meaty with an intense flavor. This tomato resembles ‘Cherokee Purple’ but has the heirloom ‘Paul Robeson’ as one of its parents.
Rethink the tomato cage
Keeping tomatoes upright increases circulation and helps prevent fruit blemishes, pest damage, and sunscald, encouraging overall health. But dwarf tomatoes don’t need as much support as their larger cousins. The amount of support you offer and the form it takes will depend on the size of your plant.
Microdwarfs
Tiny micros don’t need much help staying upright, and you won’t stake them as much as brace them. I’ve seen savvy gardeners repurpose chopsticks or skewers to great effect with these plants. Additionally, growing them next to each other can provide some natural support.
Minis
These midsize dwarfs require more support than microdwarfs. The tools you use will be familiar but easier to handle, since you’re tending to smaller plants. You know those light, standard-size tomato cages you abandoned many years ago? They can actually work for the smaller and midsize dwarfs.
Tree Types
Larger dwarf plants benefit from heavier cages or multiple stakes or poles, especially when fruit set is intense. You know the drill—you just won’t have to work as hard at it as you would with larger plants. If you’re doing your job right, some varieties will often get so heavy with fruit that additional late-season staking is advised. I hope you have that problem!
Scott Daigre is the owner of Powerplant Garden Design in Ojai, California. He also owns and operates Tomatomania!, the world’s largest tomato seedling sale.
Deer have always munched on garden plants, but due to continued loss of habitat and natural predators, deer populations and their garden-devouring forays are on the rise across the United States and Canada. Dealing with plant loss due to deer browsing can be both frustrating and costly (as deer seem to be able to read price tags and only eat the most expensive plants). Among the best strategies for contending with this issue, however, is to pick plants that deer won’t eat in the first place, and to avoid the ones they will.
Generally speaking, deer steer clear of plants that are toxic, have a strong fragrance or a bitter taste, or have fuzzy, prickly, or fine-textured leaves. But if deer are hungry enough, they will eat just about anything. In a gardener’s endeavor to select suitable plants, it is easy to lose sight of the intended design in favor of prioritizing deer resistance. I like to encourage gardeners to consider the plant attributes they are looking for before they head to the nursery. Is it fragrance or a particular color that you are after? Is it screening or a spreading habit? With those goals defined, you should then explore deer-resistant plants that meet those criteria. Finally, be aware that it is often flowers and buds that are eaten, so you should try seeking out plants that offer colorful leaves (in addition to any seasonal flowers) to ensure that your garden always looks its best even when little is in bloom.
There are many classic plants that deer eat but a gardener facing deer pressure may wish to grow. If you are longing for the signature look or attractive attributes of one of those “deer food” plants, there are many alternatives with similar traits you can use instead.
It’s a hard reality to accept, but deer love roses. Many gardeners dream of growing these old-time favorites, whether for their color, their perfume, their ability to clothe a pergola, or simply because they can rekindle childhood memories. Roses are so versatile; there are both bush and climbing forms, and most thrive in full sun to partial shade. When considering an alternative that the deer will ignore, be sure to evaluate which attribute—fragrance, form, or something else—is most important to you.
Herbaceous peonies are the perfect substitute for roses if you are seeking beautiful, fragrant flowers that you can cut for arrangements. Many also have attractive foliage that enhances the garden from spring through fall—something that few roses can offer. ‘Coral Charm’ is one of my new favorite peonies. The color is neither too orange nor too pink, making it an easy companion for most garden plants, and the luscious semi-double flowers have a pleasant perfume as they mature.
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Photo: courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection
Fool Proof™ gardenia (Gardenia ‘Leesix’, Zones 7–10)
Thriving in average, moisture-retentive garden soil, these mounding shrubs are summer stars with their blue, pink, or white blossoms that often last into fall. They prefer full morning sun and dappled afternoon shade, especially in warmer climates. Sadly, deer love them as much as gardeners do and will happily eat every single flower, leaving behind just tattered stalks and torn leaves.
Alternative plant: All That Glitters® arrowwood viburnum
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Midwestern United States
More than just an alternative to bigleaf hydrangea, this shrub offers several additional qualities. Clusters of white flowers in spring mature to shiny blue fruit in fall that the birds enjoy but the deer leave alone. All That Glitters® grows to a similar size as bigleaf hydrangea and adapts to partial shade or full sun. This plant would make a stunning low-maintenance hedge with its glossy green foliage, offering an attractive backdrop for bright, deer-resistant perennials such as coneflowers or black-eyed Susans.
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Photo: courtesy of Karen Chapman
Summer Ruffle™ rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus* ‘Aarticus’, Zones 5–9)
Photo: courtesy of Karen Chapman
Lil Miss Sunshine® bluebeard (Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Janice’, Zones 5–9)
Available in a rainbow of colors and ranging in height from 1 to 5 feet tall, daylilies are as popular with collectors as they are with everyday gardeners. Unfortunately, they are just as desirable to deer, who will eat every last bud, leaving gardeners with a sad mound of strappy leaves and ragged stems.
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern North America
Coneflowers are the best alternative to daylilies if you are looking for a comparable color range. The long-blooming PowWow® series offers some of the strongest-performing cultivars out there, with Wild Berry being my favorite. Butterflies and bees love the daisy-like flowers, which are also ideal for cut-flower arrangements. The drought tolerance of this plant is a welcome bonus. Leave the seed heads to stand through winter, and enjoy watching the antics of birds as they forage for snacks. Even in small gardens I recommend planting these in groups of at least seven for the best impact. Planting en masse also helps to reduce the appearance of any minor taste testing that deer might attempt.
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Photo: Michelle Gervais
‘Goldsturm’ black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’, Zones 3–9)
Photo: Michelle Gervais
‘Zagreb’ threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’, Zones 3–9)
Who can resist adding a selection of spring-flowering bulbs to their garden? Tulips are popular for their wide range of cheery colors, which are especially welcome after months of gray. Before I had to share my garden with deer, I used to plant dwarf varieties in all my container gardens and choose taller selections to plant in the landscape. I quickly realized that wasn’t an option when several deer families began to see them as their preferred spring breakfast buffet.
Alternative plant: ‘Red Beauty’ crown imperial fritillary
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Native range: Southwestern Asia
For show-stopping color that can be seen from across the garden, ‘Red Beauty’ crown imperial fritillary is the perfect choice. With its unexpected tropical vibe, it screams, “Spring is here!” Plant these bulbs in groups of at least five for the best effect. I like to place them on the sunny edge of my woodland border, where late-emerging perennials will hide their fading stems.
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Photo: Joshua McCullough
‘Jetfire’ daffodil (Narcissus ‘Jetfire’, Zones 3–9)
Photo: millettephotomedia.com
‘Woodstock’ hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’, Zones 4–9)
Appreciated for their bold foliage, hostas come in a variety of colors and exciting variegations. They thrive in shade and moisture-retentive soil; unfortunately, slugs also relish such conditions, and they love hostas almost as much as deer do. The fight against hosta pests is a relentless, thankless battle, and I’ve given up and pulled more than a few of them out of my garden over the years.
Conditions: Partial to full shade; well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern Europe
One of the first perennials to emerge in spring and one of the last to die back in fall, ‘Hadspen Cream’ brunnera has large, mid-green, heart-shaped leaves with thick, creamy margins that shine in the shade and are reliably ignored by both deer and rabbits; they are just occasionally damaged by slugs. Early spring sees sprays of blue forget-me-not-like flowers dancing above the foliage. Be aware that seedlings are unlikely to come true to type and so are best removed. The mother plant will spread slowly from rhizomes to create a thick carpet.
I love almost everything about ninebarks: spring flowers, beautiful foliage colors, fall interest, peeling bark, and low maintenance. The only thing not to love is that deer consider them a tasty treat. Unless these shrubs are tucked at the very back of deep borders, my local herd will seek them out, trampling over everything to reach them.
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Native range: Korea, Japan, northern China
Weigela is always my first choice for a ninebark alternative if foliage color is a prime consideration. Drought tolerant and reliably deer resistant, weigela thrives in conditions similar to those preferred by ninebark, and multiple varieties are available in different heights and colors. Wine & Roses® has lovely dark purple leaves, and its tubular, deep-pink blooms entice hummingbirds. This shrub features nice fall color and, like ninebark, is easy to care for.
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Photo: Joshua McCullough
Black Lace® elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’, Zones 4–7)
Photo: courtesy of Karen Chapman
‘Ogon’ spirea (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’, Zones 4–8)
Columnar varieties of this conifer are a popular choice for privacy screening, especially where space is limited, because they grow to 15 feet tall and just 3 feet wide. Many builders and homeowners plant these as an expansive green fence. Deer, on the other hand, see arborvitae as a blank canvas to try out their sculpting skills and will carve them overnight. There are some good alternatives that will defeat the deer, but I always recommend that rather than planting a monoculture of any one species for a hedge, you incorporate a variety of evergreens. This gives you some reassurance that if the deer decide this is the year to taste-test one plant, your garden design will still hold up.
Native range: Western North America This tree is a close approximation to columnar arborvitae since it is also an evergreen conifer of a similar size and thrives in similar conditions. However, it is reliably deer resistant. ‘Blue Arrow’ features striking powder-blue foliage. While this juniper will stay tall and skinny and is perfect for screening, it will take on a pyramidal shape as it matures. Its base can easily reach 4 feet wide, with the uppermost tip being much narrower.
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Photo: millettephotomedia.com
Chinese podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki, Zones 7–9)
Photo: courtesy of Karen Chapman
‘Goshiki’ osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’, Zones 6–9)
This dense, broadleaf evergreen is popular as a foundation plant, tolerating both full sun and partial shade. All varieties are considered low-maintenance shrubs and take well to shearing, making them popular for hedging, topiary, and even container design. Unfortunately, they are also beloved by deer.
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Native range: Japan
If your aim is to plant a low-growing hedge, ‘Little Missy’ boxwood could be a perfect deer-resistant choice. This shrub has a naturally rounded habit, but it also takes to shearing if you prefer a more formal appearance. And while many older varieties of boxwood are susceptible to boxwood blight, ‘Little Missy’ has demonstrated excellent resistance.
Try These Too:
Photo: millettephotomedia.com
Gem Box® inkberry (Ilex glabra ‘SMNIGAB17’, Zones 5–9)
Photo: courtesy of Karen Chapman
Thunderbolt® box honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida ‘Golden Glow’, Zones 5–9)
Tip: Check your plant for deer resistance online
One of the best online resources I have come across for researching deer-resistant plants is the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) website. You can type in the common or botanical name of hundreds of popular plants to determine their level of deer resistance, from A (rarely damaged) to D (frequently severely damaged). Check it out here: njaes.rutgers.edu/deer-resistant-plants
Have you ever noticed that most streets are tall, mighty oaks, maples, spruce, and pine? Very few fruit trees are planted on public property, despite their ability to provide plenty of food. Here’s why cities don’t often plant fruit trees, but how urban orchards may be the solution.
If you were to ask me what my dream world would look like, you bet the cities would be covered in greenery. Fruit trees would be the star of the show, lining every street where we could all take one big juicy bite as we walked by.
This isn’t the first time I’ve discussed replacing street trees with edible ones. Many people worldwide are dealing with food insecurity and looking for reliable green spaces to help.
City and street trees seem like the obvious solution, right?
Well, it’s a little more complicated than planting a peach tree and letting anyone who wants a bite have one. Here are some of the many reasons why cities don’t plant fruit trees.
In Vancouver, many of the streets are lined with cherry blossom trees. Don’t be fooled by the name! They don’t produce fruit.
Fruit Trees Are Messy
One of the main reasons we love fruit—how juicy it is—is also a big reason why we don’t plant fruit trees on public streets. They’re just plain messy!
If no one picks the fruit, it will create a mess on top of cars, sidewalks, and streets, and all that fruit will also get tracked inside.
And when you have lots of available fruit on the ground, you’re going to attract wildlife. This can mean more bugs, pests, rodents, and even larger mammals like deer or bears.
More fruit and nuts will attract all kinds of wildlife.
Not Enough Infrastructure
To keep away the mess, someone needs to be there to harvest all the fruit or clean it up if people aren’t going to pick the fruit themselves.
A good fruit tree requires a lot of maintenance and pruning to achieve the best shape and to direct attention from the tree to growing food. And we all want to make sure they look good.
If you have city trees by your property, you already know that they are neglected by the city. Getting the manpower needed to maintain these trees costs a pretty penny.
Besides paying for labour, cities will need more equipment to maintain and harvest these trees efficiently. Which, yes, costs more money.
Dogwood fruits are bitter and astringent, but birds love them.
Cleanliness of the Fruit
One of the best parts about growing your own food is that you know exactly what went into making it. As an organic gardener, I want to keep my plants as far away from herbicides and pesticides as possible.
But with food grown on public land, I don’t get much of a say. Cities can spray whatever they want on the fruit, and they likely would keep maintenance easy and pests low.
There is also the matter of pollution. Now, this depends on where the fruit trees are planted. But if they’re close to busy streets, they might be covered in soot from exhaust. The pollution can also make its way into the fruit itself, as the trees look for ways to get rid of what it’s absorbing.
It’s easier to trust food you’ve grown in your own garden.
Poor Growing Conditions
It’s no secret that the sidewalk strip is not an easy place to grow things. They don’t call it the hell strip for nothing! The soil here is often compacted, salty, and polluted, leading to an unhealthy tree more susceptible to disease and sub-standard growth.
The plants are also more susceptible to damage from higher street traffic and have to battle with concrete and asphalt to grow good roots.
Because of all this, cities often plant hardy trees on streets. These trees don’t mind the poor growing conditions and will thrive and provide shade.
Fruit trees tend to be small, and larger trees can actually help lower temperatures. Cities are big heat islands, where the paved roads and pathways combined with the buildings amplify and trap the heat. The more surfaces that are covered in green and shade, the fewer heat islands there are.
So, How Do We Improve Food Security With Fruit Trees?
City fruit and nut trees are definitely an option, and many cities have started planting more of them. I’ve spotted many folks in my own neighbourhood collecting chestnuts!
Edible cities and edible parks are becoming increasingly popular. These are public lands with edible trees, bushes, and vegetables that anyone is welcome to. Most will take formerly overgrown or derelict areas and make them useful for the community.
Urban orchards are another similar practice. Like community gardens, these are orchards where people collectively maintain fruit trees and harvest their own fruit. For instance, The Orchard Project is a big charity that focuses on creating more urban orchard hubs in the UK.
Most of these programs and initiatives rely on volunteers to do the maintenance, not city workers. Volunteers will take care of the plants, harvest the fruit, and help distribute it to those who can benefit most.
Urban orchards are great for those who don’t have access to a garden for themselves.
Why Are Urban Orchards Important?
Fruit and nut trees are some of the most amazing things you can grow. They are a staple in food forests and other edible landscapes. Once established, they provide a generous bounty for many years and require very little input.
When accessible, they’re one of the best ways to produce plenty of food and help reduce food insecurity.
The Philadelphia Orchard Project is a great example. They have over 68 partner sites where they produce 200-300 pounds of produce a week. With their harvests, they donate to food pantries and sell produce at farmer’s markets at an accessible price.
Fruit trees also allow people to access and harvest culturally significant foods. There are so many edible plants out there that we’re not eating simply because they’re difficult to find in a grocery store. As a bonus, diversifying what we eat is great for the environment, too.
Native edible trees are some of the best options to include in urban orchards and city streets.
Final Thoughts on Fruit Trees
I’m a big fan of fruit and nut trees. If you are lucky enough to have an edible city tree, consider stepping in and lending a hand to its care and harvest. And if you don’t have one, consider planting one by your fence line. This allows others to enjoy a bite or two as they pass by!
If you can’t harvest it all for yourself, share your bounty with the community. I’m positive plenty of people will jump at the opportunity for organic, local fruit.
Back in 2006, Rachel and I had two children and were living in a little rental house we could barely afford. i was struggling as a freelancer, and trying to stay near my family in Ft. Lauderdale. For a while, we kept our heads above water with my audio editing skills, but then one evening I got a phone call. My main client was no longer financially able to stay afloat. This meant that we weren’t going to be able to stay afloat either – at least not in Ft. Lauderdale! The housing boom had driven prices through the roof and there were rumblings of financial ruin on the horizon.
To stay financially solvent, we moved to Central Florida and rented a little trailer in a park surrounded by orange groves. There I worked hard to grow food in the terrible sand – every bit of food we grew helped our budget, so gardening was important! After more financial issues hit us – and after we had another baby – we moved up to Tennessee where I had some freelance connections. I took odd jobs, ranging from painting houses to working in a warehouse. We got some audio editing jobs, but they weren’t enough. For a while, I even tutored ESL students at a local college.
In Tennessee, I learned more about gardening, this time in zone 6/7. We grew all we could, composted all we could to feed our gardens, and we lived on next to nothing. We had a wall unit keeping one room of our house cool when it was over 100 degrees outside, since we couldn’t afford to cool the entire house, as tiny as it was. We had a single car and the budget was tight.
Now I realize how much those days taught us – and how they shaped my life as a gardener. We didn’t grow for fun, though we enjoyed growing. We grew because it helped us stay fed. Potatoes, tomatoes, healthy greens, piles of compost… this was our life. And it still is.
Those experience led me to write the book Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening – and the events of 2020 cemented what I wrote in that book – and also turned it into a bestseller on Amazon.
Life is complex and fragile, so our food gardening should be simple and antifragile.
If you’re a normal person who just wants to have success with growing food, no matter what craziness is going on in the world… get Grow or Die – it will help you find food security.
