Category: Home & Garden

The work of planning the garden in as much as it consists in deciding what and how much we shall plant and where we shall plant it-may very well be done long in advance of the season of active operations. Indeed, it is a distinct and pleasurable advantage to make the long winter evenings supplement the long summer days by devoting a portion of them to the seed catalogs and other garden literature.

The selection of varieties of vegetables to grow should be largely influenced by those, which form one’s daily fare throughout the season. Vegetables which are seldom purchased-unless it is because of there high price or scarcity-may not profitably be cultivated in the home garden. But in the case of high-priced products, then the home garden demonstrates its economic value as enabling one to indulge in otherwise unattainable luxuries. Plainly, then, one should grow in abundance those things of which most consumption is made. There will be a demand for those vegetables which come earliest in spring-rhubarb, asparagus, radishes, lettuce, and such quick-growing things; and for vegetables which may be stored in the basement to increase the none-too-generous variety of the winter larder potatoes, parsnips, carrots, squash, and the like. Sweet corn, beans, peas, and beets, especially those for early greens, cabbage, cauliflower, and tomatoes, will be indispensable summer products, which must be provided for.

A little study of the catalogs or of the instructions under the heading of various vegetables elsewhere on this homepage will show the height of these, the period at which they are in season, and the distance apart they should be planted, and this data will furnish the necessary information as to quantity of seed or number of plants required for a given area.

If the land devoted to the kitchen garden is comprised in the boundaries of a city lot the arrangement will, necessarily, be somewhat different than that which would prevail in the country, where the garden occupies more ground and is more or less retired from observation.

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The Easiest Organic Vegetable Gardening System
– Highly recommended.

Jonathan White, Environmental Scientist and Gardener, has produced a simple and easy-to-understand system of growing organic vegetables, in any backyard, with just 8 hours of effort per year.  This ecologically-based method produces massive yields with minimal effort.  It’s ideal for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike.

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Kitchen Garden
How to grow Collard Greens plants with celery seeds
How to grow Collard Greens from seed
How to grow Onions
How to grow Broccoli
How to grow brussels sprouts
How to grow cabbage plant
How to grow Cauliflower
How to grow Leeks from seed
How to grow lettuce from seed
How to grow parsnip plant
How to grow Zucchini
How to plant a carrot
How to plant Artichokes
How to plant Asparagus
How to plant a bean plant
How to plant Egg plant
How to grow Kale plants with kale seeds
Gardening Support
How to grow parsley plant from parsley seed
How to grow a pea plant from a pea seed
How to plant and grow a potato
How to grow Radish from seed
How to grow Rhubarb plant
How to grow savoy cabbage
How to grow shallots
How to grow spinach from seed
How to grow Turnip Rutabaga
How to grow corn from seed
How to grow tomato plant from seed
How to grow Turnip plant from seed

ROOT VEGETABLES

ROOT crops are now generally considered just as essential to the welfare of our bodies during the winter months as are beans, corn, and peas during the summer months. Incidentally, while it is true that some of these root crops, like beets and carrots, are more tender if stored in cans rather than sand or soil, it cannot be denied that, in the process of canning, their valuable vitamin-carrying qualities are appreciably diminished. Hence, in suggesting varieties, I have been governed by their keeping qualities under cellar-storage conditions rather than by their suitability for canning purposes.

In connection with the root crops, according to their relative vitamin-carrying qualities, turnips rank first, carrots second, and beets last. Since kohlrabi and rutabaga, or Swedish turnip, are members of the turnip family, it is safe to say that they have at least as much nutritive value.

As fifty percent. of all Americans, regardless of class, are over-fed and under-nourished, and seventy-five per cent. of all diseases that attack the human body are directly or indirectly traceable to this cause, a more thorough knowledge of the nutritive value of the various vegetables would undoubtedly help us all to better health. In these statements I am sustained by a medical authority on the subject of nutrition, or rather mal-nutrition. The “tired feeling” that attacks many of us in late winter and early spring is evidence that our bodies are ill-nourished. And, since such symptoms are most prevalent during that season, it is obvious that, with all our steadily advancing knowledge of nutrition, we are not, as yet, fortifying ourselves sufficiently against winter.

The chief causes of ill-nourishment are a lack of a proper amount of vitamines and an abundance of roughage. Fat, carbohydrates and protein will sustain life. They are, however, not alone sufficient to cause the human engine to function to perfection. Roughage is needed to remove accumulations of impurities; vitamines are the factor needed to create the strong red blood essential to disease resistance.

The preparation of the ground for root crops should be deep and thorough, and plowing is preferable to spading. All weed roots which are not thoroughly buried by the plow and show above ground after dragging should be pulled out by hand and consigned to the compost heap. The ground should be disc-harrowed, dragged, and raked to as fine a condition as possible. I like to have the ground lie a few days after being prepared before planting, in order that it may settle somewhat, and if a rain follows the preparation, all the better. Land moist from rain will not need to be tramped down over the seed, as will be absolutely necessary in the case of dry soil.

As a general thing, root crops should not succeed each other, but be rotated with vine or leaf crops.

Root crops leave nothing in the soil and take largely from it. Vines and other forms of vegetables leave a large proportion of the growth to be returned to the soil, and are, for this reason, less exhaustive of fertility. Of course this is not of as much moment on the limited area of the kitchen garden, whose fertility is easily maintained by the application of animal fertilizers and the humus from a compost heap.

BEETS

Sow beet seeds as early in the spring as the ground may be worked up fine and mellow. Light, well-enriched soil suits them best. The seed should be sown in drills, one foot apart, sowing the seed an inch deep and treading down the rows. When the plants are large enough, thin out to stand four to six inches apart in the rows; keep them free from weeds and the soil soft and mellow by frequent cultivations. If wanted for greens, sowings of seed may be made every two weeks up to the middle of August, or, if but an early crop of greens is wished, the ground may be used for late peas when the beets are out of the way.

The regulation packet will sow twenty feet of row. For a constant supply sow a fifteen-foot row every week from the middle of April until August first. One ounce each of an early mid-season and late sort provides enough beets throughout summer, fall and winter.

 

CARROTS

Are one of the economic vegetables, being not only exceedingly wholesome and toothsome, but, like the sweet corn, possess the advantage of being edible in root and top, the green tops being much relished by cows and horses, and the peelings and any surplus roots forming a most valuable addition to the winter ration of horse and cow. The juice of the yellow carrot, when expressed by grating the raw root and pressing the juice through a cloth, makes an excellent and harmless color for butter, giving it the much-prized golden tint of early grass butter in the spring.

A good story is told of a mother who took an anemic daughter to a famous physician noted for his bluffness and brevity. A brief inspection, a briefer “claret,” and a wave of the hand dismissed patient and subject. A month or six weeks later the mother returned accompanied by a blooming daughter, and at the physician’s nod of approval, the mother, becoming loquacious, explained that she “gave them to her three times a day cooked and raw.” “Raw!” exclaimed the physician in amazement. When it transpired that his brief directions of claret had been understood as carrots, and they had been liberally supplied with the result of perfect recovery, whether through the medium of faith or the medicinal qualities of the vegetable, remained a matter of individual experiment, but it is an item in favour of the carrots that they are of no uncertain tonic value to animals.

To grow carrots in perfection requires a rich, deep, sandy loam, thoroughly prepared and deeply cultivated. For an early crop, the seed should be sown in April or May in drills, one foot to fifteen inches apart, scattering the seeds as thinly and evenly in the rows as possible and tramping them down. For a late crop, the seed may be sown as late as July 1st. As soon as the plants are large enough, they should be thinned to stand four inches apart in the rows and must be kept clear of weeds and well cultivated. A little nitrate of soda drilled into the soil along the rows will greatly hasten the growth, or the nitrate may be applied with a watering pot by dissolving it in water. Phosphate worked into the rows before sowing the seed is a help to rapid growth when the animal fertilizer is limited, but is not necessary in well-fertilized land. For table use, the varieties known as Oxheart, Chantenay, and Paris Forcing, all commonly classed as bunching carrots, should be selected. Danvers Half Long is a very smooth, attractive sort, and, if well cultivated and thinned sufficiently, will grow to large size and prove profitable for stock as well as for the table, as even when large they are never coarse.

ONIONS

The most practical manner of growing onions in the kitchen garden is by the use of sets, which may be set out early in spring in shallow drills twelve inches apart and the sets four inches apart in the drills. The ground must be deeply dug and thoroughly pulverized, and when the onions are up so they can be seen, hand weeding through the rows will be necessary. The hand-cultivator may be used to keep the space between the rows free from weeds.

Care must be taken not to allow the mature onions to form seed, as this will render them unfit for food, the seed stalk forming a woody center in the onion, which resists all efforts to cook tender. By watching the plants and breaking off all blossom stalks as they form, the onions will remain fit for use when stored for the winter.

There are no onions, however, so tender and delicate for table use as those grown from seed, which may be sown in the open ground early in March or April and thinned out to stand three or four inches apart in the rows. Or they may at first be thinned to stand from one to two inches apart, and as soon as large enough. for the table, use as young, green onions ; every other onion may be removed, allowing the remainder to mature for winter use.

A method of culture we have found very satisfactory is to sow seed in drills in August in very finely prepared ground, which must be kept well cultivated and free of weeds. A mulch of straw or other coarse litter as protection during winter should be given after the setting in of cold weather, and this should be removed in spring. Seed sown at that season gives an abundance of early onions of the tenderest and best quality, and the entire crop may be gathered in time for another sowing of seed in the following August. Onions succeed well when grown year after year on the same ground, and when the bed is well cared for one or two years, it gets in excellent tilth and is easily kept free from weeds.

By sowing onion seed in frames and transplanting in April, onions of immense size may be produced, and the labour is not much greater than that required by planting in the open ground, thinning, and giving the necessary preliminary weeding. In setting the young onions, which are very small and tender, a shallow trench is dug and the plants laid against the side of it at intervals of four inches, the earth being then filled in and pressed down against them with the hoe. The table herewith gives the acknowledged leaders among onions for home and market garden.

ONIONS OF MERIT

One packet each of an early white, large early yellow and late red generally supplies all the onions for moderate use in an average family. A packet sows 25 feet of row which, on good soil, yields 1/2

bu. of ripe onions.         An ounce of seed will sow 200 feet of row.
	BULBS		AVERAGE
	DEVELOP	SHAPE	WEIGHT
VARIETY NAME	FULLY	OF	PER BULB
	IN	CLASS	(OUNCES)
White Portugal	110 days	Semi-round	4
Southport White Globe	120 days	Globe	5.5
Flat Yellow Danvers	108 days	Semi-round	4.5
Yellow Globe	116 days	Globe	6
Southport Yellow Globe	126 days	Globe	7.5
Prize taker	135 days	Globe	7
Red Wethersfield	135 days	Semi-round	7.5
Southport Red Globe	135 days	Globe	7.5
Australian Brown	125 days	Semi-round	5.5

ONIONS AND THE MILD “BERMUDAS”

It is a fact that those varieties of onions which may be grown to extraordinary size are really not Bermuda onions at all, but certain types of Spanish onion. The Bermuda onions proper are small to medium sized flat bulbs, averaging not more than two and a half inches in diameter by one inch through. No amount of extra start can make them grow any larger because they are a very early variety, ripening within sixty days from the time seeds are sown. They are of three kinds, namely, the Bermuda Crystal Wax, a pure white bulb;

White Bermuda, a yellow skinned fellow; and Red Bermuda, the rosy-coloured companion of the other two. These Bermuda onions are notorious for their mildness and for their poor keeping qualities. There is one member of this type, however, originally from Italy, Giant White Italian Tripoli,which, after naturalization here, is called Mammoth Silver King. This is the giant variety of the pure white, flat onion; and if started under glass, it will grow to a weight of from two to three pounds.

However, even that variety is not as interesting a specimen of giant onion as the misnamed “Bermuda onions” which we see displayed on the fancy fruit stands throughout the country, and which are giant, globe-shaped, yellow-skinned fellows.

The original of this tribe was a European variety called Yellow Zittau Giant which in due time gravitated to America, and about twenty-five years ago, was introduced as American Prize-Taker. Just about the same time, the well known house of Vilmorin in France “discovered” a very much milder flavoured onion of yellow, globe-shaped type in Spain, cultivated it for a few years in France, and offered it then under the name of Giant Spanish. The late W. Atlee Burpee introduced this variety into America, and it subsequently won its place as Gigantic Gibraltar, differing from Prize-Taker in having a deeper green top, and proving more resistant to blight and mildew.

Subject as it was to considerable variation of soil, moisture, and weather conditions, this Gigantic Gibraltar in the process of better adapting itself to loamy and mucky soils became somewhat modified. This modified form is now offered by some people in the trade as Giant Denia onion.

In the meantime, working along entirely different lines, a prominent English seed concern, starting with Yellow Zittau Giant as a foundation stock, evolved that great exhibition onion called Ailsa Craig, which today plays a very important part in every vegetable exhibit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Summarizing the recognized varieties of onion that may be suitably grown for exhibition specimens, we therefore have :

1. American Prize-Taker, practical for cultivation on the clay soils pretty generally throughout the country.
2. Giant Denia, thriving perhaps best under irrigation, and in sections having well drained soils and a high altitude, though it also does well on muck.

1. Ailsa Craig, capable of the greatest growth of any, but by far the most exacting in regard to its conditions of growth. It does particularly well on the Pacific Coast; also on deep, heavy clays and on loamy soils.

PARSNIPS

Like the carrot, they are an ornamental feature of the garden and may be grown to edge rows or beds of other vegetables if desired; they should occupy a prominent position in the garden, as their growth is lower than most other garden crops, and the beauty of the fern-like leaves makes them attractive at all times. They have not the bright color of the parsley, being much darker in foliage, but they offset that vegetable and contrast beautifully with the red foliage of the beets.

They are one of the earliest vegetables to be started in spring, and so are out of the way before the main crops must be gotten into the ground, which is a distinct advantage. The seed should be sown in drills, like the carrot, making the drills a little farther apart—about fifteen inches—and dropping the seed as evenly and sparsely in the rows as possible. The seed should be planted about one-half of an inch deep and the earth pressed down above it. The soil should be rich and deep and the after cultivation thorough and constant. As soon as the seed has germinated and the little plants large enough to distinguish, all weeds should be removed from between and each side of the rows, the cultivator taking care of those between the rows. When the plants are three or four inches high, thin out to stand six inches apart in the row. The plants pulled up may be used to plant additional rows or to fill in any vacant places in the present rows.

While the quality of the roots are much improved by leaving in the ground over winter, enough for immediate use may be stored in damp sand or earth in the cellar, or they may be dug and piled in pits in the ground and covered with a mound of earth and boards to shed rain, but the cellar will be found more convenient, as in case of severe weather it will be found almost as difficult to get into the heaps as to dig the roots from the open ground.

The best variety to plant is the Large Sugar or Hollow Crown, and one ounce of seed will plant one hundred feet of drill.

POTATOES

Growing potatoes in a back or in a typical suburban garden is usually not advised because it is urged that, given the same amount of space, other crops are apt to be more profitable. That is true if potatoes are not really “grown” ; yet it is in fact possible almost any season, if you meet every requirement of this exacting crop—for it is exacting —and do your part in making conditions favourable, to dig hills where eight to fifteen smooth, high-quality potatoes roll out. And then potatoes are worth while.

If you are planting only a few rows or a few bushels of seed it is most important that every potato has a record of high performance back of it, or in other words that it comes from good seed, of a variety suited to the locality and that it be planted free from disease and kept that way as far as possible. Irrespective of the variety, by all means get certified or hill selected potatoes for your seed, and be sure they are not potatoes merely sold for seed.

Many a grower has found that high prices are not always a reliable guide in buying seed stock.

There are a few outstanding varieties from which the gardener should select the type he wishes to plant. For cool, moist regions and a deep rich soil with plenty of rainfall and cool weather, Green Mountain for late planting will give large yields of the highest quality; for the early planting Irish Cobbler, a blocky white-skinned tuber, will prove admirable. Where the crop has to contend with hot, dry periods during the summer, nothing will give better results than some variety of the “Rural” group. Among these are to be found such common favorites as Rural New Yorker, Carmen No. 3, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Golden Petosky. Here, too, such early varieties as Early Ohio and Irish Cobbler will give general satisfaction. If a few of the earliest type are wanted, a row or two of Triumph will give edible potatoes a week or ten days before Irish Cobbler or Early Ohio.

After having located the potatoes for seed, and while waiting for winter to pass, it is well to select the place for the potato patch. A rich, loose, sandy loam will give best results. It should be full of organic matter. To make sure of this, if possible, cover it during the winter with well rotted manure to a depth of two or three inches and plow or spade early in the spring, later thoroughly mixing up the soil and manure and working the soil just previous to planting to a depth of about eight inches. Thorough pulverizing of the soil will afford a loose plant bed, unlock the necessary plant food, and help to retain an abundance of moisture so necessary for big yields.

For early potatoes the earlier they can be planted the better, while the late ones can be planted from May until July, depending on the locality. When the tubers are dormant, preferably at least a month before planting, treat them for scab and other disease carried on the outside of the tubers. This consists in immersing the tubers in a solution of corrosive sublimate for an hour and a half, but no longer. Place the potatoes to be treated in a wooden barrel or other container and cover with the poison solution. The amount needed will vary with the quantity of potatoes to be treated, but an ounce of corrosive sublimate powder dissolved first in a quart of boiling water and then added to seven and one half gallons of water will be sufficient to treat a couple of bushels.

After soaking the tubers for an hour and a half take out and spread them out to dry. Potatoes so treated should never be eaten or used for stock food.

After treating, place them in a cool place and about three or four weeks before planting time spread them out on the floor of a room or crib where they will be exposed to the light each day. Of course they must not be allowed to freeze. In a short time the vigorous tubers will produce tough green sprouts which will grow about a quarter of an inch long and then cease growing. Tubers which produce fine spindling sprouts or none at all should be discarded. Green-sprouting potatoes in this manner will make early potatoes mature ten days earlier and give a more uniform vigorous stand. For late potatoes remove from storage and spread out in the light where they first begin to show signs of sprouting.

In cutting, the slice under the stem end should be cut off first, cutting about one half inch deep. Then examine the cut surface, if it is white it may be used for seed, but if it has dark spots in it, about a quarter inch under the skin, discard; for this is an indication of wilt, a common potato disease which causes the early death of the plant. After making this initial cut the tubers should be cut into pieces about the size of a hen’s egg with at least one green sprout to each piece.

It is best to plant immediately after cutting, one piece in a place in rows twenty to thirty inches apart, spacing the pieces about twelve inches distant in the row.  For small gardens rows may be placed as close as eighteen inches. Cover the pieces from three to five inches deep and keep the soil loose over the patch until the growths appear. Level cultivation, all the time keeping a shallow dust mulch, will conserve the moisture and keep the plants growing vigorously.

When plants are eight inches tall spray them thoroughly with Bordeaux into which lead arsenate has been placed. Bordeaux mixture is made in small quantities by dissolving three level tablespoonfuls of copper sulfate in about a quart of hot water and then pouring into a large jar or wooden bucket and adding sufficient water to make three quarts. Next mix ten level tablespoonfuls of hydrated lime with a quart of water and pour into the copper sulfate solution, stirring all the time. This is Bordeaux ready for use. To control the potato bugs stir into this quantity six level tablespoonfuls of powdered lead arsenate. To make larger quantities all that is necessary is to multiply the amounts of the various ingredients.

Bordeaux will stimulate the plants and keep them green and vigorous after unsprayed vines have died. When poison is added, potato bugs are controlled at the same time. At least three applications of Bordeaux should be made, about ten days to two weeks apart, during the growing season. By thorough spraying, many Indiana farmers have secured from twenty-two to thirty-five bushels more potatoes per acre.

At digging time it is a wise gardener who goes into his patch and selects a few of the most vigorous hills with a large number of smooth uniform potatoes for his seed stock another year. These should be kept in a cool, moist place during the winter.

RADISHES

For very early use, the seed may be sown in hotbeds or frames and a second crop sown in the open ground, in a sunny, sheltered position, in April. The seed may be sown at intervals of two or three weeks up to the first of September. Sow in thoroughly prepared ground in shallow drills ten inches apart and thin to stand two inches apart in the rows, permitting, of course, more space for the larger summer and winter varieties.

There are three reasons why radishes grow “pithy”, i. e. : (1) improper soil, (2) growing the wrong variety for a given season, (3) not thinning out.

First, as to the soil. The “ideal” for this particular vegetable is a well enriched loam, with a slight admixture of clay; one that is rich in humus and almost devoid of clay will grow as brittle and as handsome a radish as any one may want, but it will be practically tasteless. On the other hand, in a stiff clay devoid of humus the development of the radish will be so slow that it becomes woody or, during a sudden hot spell, spongy and pithy; and it also tends to make side roots.

For all practical purposes radishes may be divided into early, mid-season, and late sorts. Among the early varieties some of the best behaved are Rapid Red, Crimson Giant Forcing, Scarlet Globe, Sparkler, French Breakfast, Long Scarlet Short

Top, and White Icicle. It is a peculiar fact that the handsomest radishes are also the ones showing the most fickle tendencies. Among those named, Sparkler (which is the finest strain of Scarlet Turnip White Tip) , and French Breakfast, its olive-shaped companion, will become pithy much more quickly under contrary conditions of soil and season than any of the rest.

Long Scarlet Short Top has a white-tipped associate, Long Brightest Scarlet or Cardinal. Within the short period of twenty-four hours, on rich muck soil I have known this latter to turn from a perfect looking, though comparatively tasteless crop, to a pithy, useless one. So rapid is the deterioration of this variety that the growers themselves frequently are not aware that the perfectly good radishes they marketed yesterday are unfit for market to-day.

The varieties named, and in the order given, with fair soil and weather conditions, should become ready for use in from eighteen to twenty-five days, up to May 1st.

There are really only three varieties that deserve to be called heat-resisting, mid-season sorts. One is Chartier, or Shepherd, which is a long red radish, ready for pulling from July 1st to 15th from seeds sown May 1st to 15th. Other claims to the contrary notwithstanding, I have found Long White Vienna, or Lady Finger, no better than Icicle.

The other two varieties that will really stand heat are White Strasburg and White Stuttgart, both white-skinned, firm-fleshed, summer varieties, differing somewhat in shape and—though very little—in time of maturity. From seeds sown early in May they will give good returns during August, when every other variety goes on strike.

There are two distinct classes of the large-growing winter kinds : one that keeps well and one that does not. The Chinese varieties, of which White Chinese, or Celestial, and Chinese Rose Winter are the best-known, will grow woody or spongy after December 1st, no matter what soil produced them. On the other hand, the European varieties of the Spanish type will require longer to develop and will not grow so large, but will be firm-fleshed until away late into spring. Now just as there is a likelihood of planting early radishes too late so also may the mistake be made of planting the winter varieties too early! In the latitude of New York the best time is about July 1st to 15th; i. e., when you would sow winter turnips. An earlier sowing may yield a larger root, but not one fit for the table.

The last, though not the least important, point in radish growing is the need of proper thinning out and transplanting. Most home gardeners ( and even professionals, for that matter) seem to forget that good radish seed, such as is sent out by every reliable seed house, grows better than 90 per cent. In consequence about ten times as much seed in a row as that row can hold in the way of well-developed radishes is usually sown.

Even when planted with the greatest precaution, every row of radishes will hold too many seedlings; and crowded rows, while not directly responsible for pithy roots, help a great deal to bring this condition about. Therefore, thin out determinedly; allow for the small round kinds one to two inches apart in the row; for the long and mid-season varieties, at least four inches apart in the row, six inches being better for both White Strasburg and White Stuttgart; winter radishes should be at least six inches apart; for the Chinese varieties, eight inches is better.

RADISHES FOR ALL SEASONS

One packet sows 30 feet of row. An ounce each of an extra early round and long white, plus a packet of a summer and winter variety, will pro-vide for the whole year.

VARIETIES	FIRST ROOTS BEADY IN	50% READY DAYS LATER	SIZE OF TOPS WHEN OF EATABLE SIZE
Extra Early Scarlet Turnip	30 days	7 days	8-10 small leaves
White Box	32 days	10 days	large
Sparkler	27 days	6 days	6-8 medium leaves
Hailstone	24 days	5 days	6 small leaves
Snowball	25 days	5 days	6 small leaves
Rapid Red	22 days	4 days	4-6 small leaves
Crimson Giant Globe	26 days	7 days	8-10 large leaves
Vick’s Scarlet Globe	31 days	10 days	8-10 large leaves
White Olive Shaped	25 days	7 days	6-8 small leaves
Scarlet Olive Shaped	25 days	9 days	6-8 medium leaves
French Breakfast	25 days	7 days	6 sm all leaves
Icicle	35 days	8 days	8-10 large leaves
Long Scarlet Short Top	40 days	5 days	8-10 large leaves
Cincinnati Market	40 days	10 days	8-10 large leaves
Lady Finger Chartiers	42 days 40 days	10 days 10 days	big tops big tops
White Chinese or Celestial Round Black Spanish	67 days 75 days	72 days 90 days	large leaves and tops med. leaves, large top

SALSIFY OR VEGETABLE OYSTER

Salisfy requires the same culture as carrots and parsnips. Sow early in spring in drills fifteen inches apart, scattering the seed an inch deep and treading down the rows. Thin to stand four to six inches apart in the rows and keep clear of weeds and the soil well worked and mellow. Salsify maybe used in the fall or left in the ground over winter, being used early in spring, when it first appears in market. A supply for the winter may be dug and kept in boxes of moist earth or sand in the cellar if desired. When left in the ground, it should be dug before growth begins in the spring. It succeeds best in a light, mellow soil. The Mammoth Sandwich Island is the best variety to grow, Long White is also a good variety.

TURNIPS

Are usually grown as a catch crop to follow.after some other crop which has failed to prosper or has matured and been gathered. For winter use, they need not be sown before the middle of July or the first of August. Any good garden soil will grow the turnip, as it is not particular as to soil or location. For garden culture, the seed should be sown in shallow drills fifteen inches apart and the plants thinned to stand four to six inches apart in the row.

Popular sorts to grow, among the early kinds are Snowball, Purple Top Strap Leaf and Purple Top White Globe. The most widely planted among the better keeping winter sorts or Rutabagas is American Purple Top Yellow.

 

 

How do I get my garden ready for Fall planting?

Before you can plant anything new, you should do a simple soil test to make sure the Ph is still up at above 6.0 If not, add 1 pound of lime per 100 square feet for each .5 below that number. Hydrated lime will work quickly to correct the Ph for fall vegetables. Remove all of the dead plants that are no longer producing fruit. Most can go into the compost pile but any plant material that had diseases or insect problems should be disposed of to avoid carry over to the next season.

Add an inch or two of good rich compost and rototill the beds but make sure to remove any weeds carefully so that seeds are not spread out all over your garden. Any portion of the garden that is not going to plant until next spring should be covered well with hay or black plastic or you can plant a cover crop of clover or rye grass to turn under in the spring for additional nitrogen.

What comes in, what goes out?

Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, Cauliflower, Peas, Lettuces, and greens of all types can be grown in the Fall. Most are frost tolerant and some can withstand freezes and even snow on the ground. Cabbages can grow huge but live over until early spring. All types of Salad greens can be planted and harvested at various stages.

Even Tomatoes and Bush beans can be grown in a fall garden by planting early varieties in July or August; they will be able to produce fruits before the first frost! Plus fried green tomatoes are a delicious way to finish off the leftover fruits. Many bush bean varieties take only 50-60 days to mature and Cherry and salad sized tomatoes can be ripe in 55-70 days. Try to avoid the large beefsteaks which take longer than 85-90 days to ripen.

Peppers generally ripen in the south very quickly in our hot dry months of August and September so leave them in the ground for as long as they are producing. Well watered plants will continue to fruit through the fall months. Peppers are also easy to freeze for storage and are great flavorings for soups when the weather is colder. After Peppers die back from the first frost, pull the plants out and set aside that area for Potatoes in early spring. Cover the row with a heavy layer of hay straw to begin to break down and lighten the soil.

Lettuces and Greens are full of nutrition and thrive on cooler nights. Plant them while it is still warm and watch them get larger as the temperatures drop. Spinach, one of our favorites, can be grown in even the coldest areas, all winter long with a covering of special lightweight fabric placed over the plants. Carrots can also be grown during the fall months, pull what you need for vegetable soup and Thanksgiving dinner, and leave the rest in the garden until you need them.

Garlic and Shallots are best started in the fall months, around September to mid-October, and left to overwinter. Spring will bring a harvest of huge bulbs ready to pull around late May to early June. Plant bunching or green onions in early fall and plan to harvest them in November leaving room for bulbing sweet onions to be planted in January – March.

Even if you do not plant fall vegetables it is a good idea to do the following steps to get your garden ready for next spring.

Growing Tips — Fall Garden Conditioning

Preparing your garden for next year is very important. If done properly it allows you to use fewer chemical fertilizers and create a more loamy, light, soil with lots of microorganisms that will dig and digest organic material all winter long. This adds fertility to your garden that would have to be added in next spring at a slower and more expensive rate. For example, adding dead leaves to your garden makes for sweeter tomatoes next spring and provides better drainage at the same time. Here are some other mulching materials which can be added to your soil to improve consistency and fertility:

Dead Leaves (the more the better, pile them on!)

Old Hay straw (watch out for seeds in hay)

Compost from grass, kitchen and garden clippings (half dried and half green, not too much green stuff)

Worm Castings, good black compost made rich by worms

Pine needles (make sure you add lime to correct the Ph as these can make your soil more acidic)

Cottonseed meal

Egg shells (these add calcium which is needed by vegetables)

Manures (horse, cow, chicken or rabbit, no more than a inch or two depending upon the animal)

Green Manures **Green manure is actually just plants which grow well during the off-season and dig down deeply with their roots, then are turned under in spring to breakdown before planting. This type of composting creates organic material in the soil, does deep digging for you, and can even add nitrogen if you use bean type (legume) plants. Red Clover and Annual Rye grass will grow in the winter months and when turned under, will release nitrogen as it breaks down.

Lime (to correct Ph in heavy rainfall areas, lime is almost always needed every year)

Most importantly, old gardeners know never to leave the soil uncovered for the weeds to take over and soil to compact.
Use natures direction and get those raked leaves back into the soil or compost heap and out of those plastic bags!

Growing Greens in your Garden

Healthy and Nutritious, greens are really the easiest vegetables to grow. You can even grow them with only a half day of sunshine or in containers with fantastic results. No staking, no pruning, no fuss and no bother.

Best Vegetables for Fall Growing:

Arugula – Fast growing leafy greens for salads or pizza or pastas.

Beans and Peas – While not exactly winter crops, beans and peas love the cooler weather of fall and fast maturing varieties will grow and harvest before your first frost.

Beets – Easy to grow for the tops as greens or wait just 60 days and harvest the root for soups and stews.

Kale – Very nutritious leafy greens on huge plants that over-winter easily even in cold climates.

Collards – Another leafy green similar to kale but with larger, stronger flavored leaves.

Lettuces – Easy to grow in areas with milder winters, they will grow throughout the fall season and can be extended by covering with a light fabric.

Spinach – Delicious and sweet when the weather cools off, spinach will also grow through the winter under a light cover.

Bunching Green Onions – easy to grow and long-lasting, you will harvest them similar to large chives.

Broccoli – Incredibly delicious when you grow your own. Broccoli grows a central flower head and continues with side shoots that can harvest after the main head is cut.

Cauliflower – Cauliflower planting must be timed well in order to develop large heads but they are sweet and delicious when grown fresh.

Mustard – Spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast-growing vegetable that can be harvested quickly and eaten all through November and into December.

Cabbage – Huge plants make good sized heads, watch for the number of days to maturity for best results.

Pac Choi – Perfect vegetable for fall production the stalks are tender and tasty.

Endive – Attractive frilly leaves with a slight peppery taste which can be braised or eaten in winter salads.

Swiss Chard – Very easy to grow and delicious to eat braised with a little garlic or in a soup or stew. Leaves can get quite large and will produce all winter long in mild areas.

Brussels sprouts – Best from transplants these are wonderful little cabbages to grow. Check days to maturity for best results in your growing area.

Divided the vegetable crops grown in gardens into the following headings for ease of reference them in this order:

1. Root crops
2. Legumes (peas and beans)
3. Brassica crops (cabbage and related crops)
4. Potatoes
5. Salad crops
6. Other crops
7. General problems—planning

(a) ROOT CROPS

Beet

Q. A lot of my beet roots ‘bolt’, i.e. run to seed before the roots are properly developed. What can I do to prevent this?

A. The bolting may be due to sowing too soon. If an early sowing is made with the idea of pulling the young roots when about golf-ball size the plants can be left fairly thickly in the rows and some plants will nearly always send up flower stems. It is not such a problem with this early crop as with main crop beet. The latter should not be sown too early, mid-May is time enough.

Beet needs to be grown in rich soil without any check, but even so, there is often a tendency for some plants to bolt, and research work is being done to produce strains of seed which are less likely to bolt than those in use at the present time.

All one can do as yet is to sow in well-prepared soil which has been well manured with organic manure in the previous year, and water freely in dry spells.

Q. Which of the root crops can stay in the ground all winter, in other words, which need not be lifted and stored?

A. Parsnips are amongst the most hardy and will stand even severe frost. The roots cannot be lifted when the soil is frozen hard, so when frost threatens lift a few roots and keep them indoors in a cool place, for use as required.

Beet must be lifted and stored. Carrots are best lifted, although they will stand a few degrees of frost. Swedes will also stand some frost, but it is best to lift and store as described later. The same applies to turnips.

Onions must be lifted in September or late August and stored indoors in a dry cool shed or building on shelves on wire-netting racks or in ropes.

To make a rope of onions, first take a thick piece of string about 3 ft. long and tie it to a nail or hook so that the bottom hangs at about the level of one’s chest. Tie an onion to the base, securing the remainder of the old stalk to the string. Next lay a bulb on top of the first one and secure to the string by twisting the remaining stem around the string as shown in Plate 6. If the remaining stalk is so short that it cannot be twisted around the string tie it to the main string. Continue until the ‘rope’ of bulbs, is 2 ft. or so in length.

One of the easiest methods of storing root vegetables on a small scale in winter is in peat in an orange box. If such a box with three partitions can be obtained, and carrots, beet and turnips are being stored, a separate compartment can be used for each. If a two-partition box is obtained then more than one vegetable can be stored equally well in a section.

Lay 2 in. of dry peat in the bottom of the box, then a layer of roots, either carrots, beet or parsnips or turnips, on top. Cover with an inch of peat and continue in this fashion. The important point to bear in mind is that the roots must be fairly dry when stored. Store only sound specimens, and do not bump or bruise them at any stage.

The box must be kept in a frost-proof shed, garage or building and if there is any doubt about the frost-proof nature of the building being used, cover the box at top and sides in severe frost with sacks, old curtain material, old carpet or mats.

Q. I plan to try some onion sets this year for the first time. I want small or medium-sized onions, not monsters. At what distance shall I plant the sets?

A. Plant the sets at 6 in. spacing for medium-sized bulbs. Plant in well-prepared soil in a shallow drill for preference, so that the depth of planting is such that the tips are just showing above the soil. Do not press hard on the tops of the bulbs between thumb and finger when planting, as this may cause damage later.

(b) LEGUMES

Q. My runner beans do not set a good crop, they produce ample flowers, but all or most of these drop off, and although the plants themselves and growth generally are satisfactory, the crop is poor.

A. Research work is being done on this problem at the present time, and the findings to date indicate that the causes previously thought to be responsible may not in fact contribute to this problem.

At one time it was felt that cold weather or cold wet weather, or cold winds, were at least partly responsible, in that in such weather conditions bees and other pollinating insects were less active.

In a dry summer it is easy to say that lack of water at the roots cause bud drop, but similar flower-bud drop can and does occur in the wettest of seasons.

It is suggested that if some of the flowers are picked off when there is a mass of bloom on the plants the next batch of buds to open will set more satisfactorily than if all flowers are left.

Q. Do I have to leave 2, 3 or even 5 ft. between rows of peas? It seems a waste of space to me.

A. Where space is short, and peas are a popular crop, it is possible to save room by growing two rows closely together. I find that if a dwarf variety is grown in a 4 in. wide drill another such drill can be sown alongside. The first variety should be an early, and the second a main crop or at least a later variety. Careful attention to staking is needed, but if sticks of sufficient height to deal with the later sort are used the two rows can be taken without difficulty.

A good combination of varieties is Kelvedon Wonder for the early sowing, with Onward for the later batch. The main point to watch is that there is a marked difference in height in the varieties chosen, and also a difference in season.

Q. If I take out trenches to grow celery can I use the same sites for different crops next year?

A. If selected vegetable crops are grown in heavily manured trenches, e.g. celery and runner beans, the residue from the farmyard manure or compost left from the preceding year is still valuable, and full use should be made of the same site for other crops which will respond to being grown in these conditions.

Peas or leeks will do very well in last season’s celery trench area, as will dwarf beans. Cauliflower is another crop which can be borne in mind. After runner beans and after lettuce has been taken, I like to grow outdoor tomatoes, or to plant the tomatoes amongst any lettuce that still remain. Sweet corn will also do well in such a site.

Where a trench is used for a second time no more farmyard manure or compost is needed for the above crops, but apply 4 oz. to each square yard of trench area of a balanced fertilizer, like 3 parts bone meal, 2 parts hoof and horn, and part sulphate of potash.

Dig the trench area as deeply as possible, thus mixing in any rotted manure or compost that remains, and make it fairly firm if there is any tendency to loose or ‘puffy’ conditions.

(C) BRASSICAS

`Browning’ of Brussels Sprouts This trouble, which causes a brown discoloration inside the buttons, can be serious. The full causes are not fully understood. It may be due to a check in growth. Possibly because of too much nitrogenous feeding and not enough potash, and also due to spells of dry weather.

`Blown’ sprouts A common problem with Brussels Sprouts, and one which often causes annoyance as it comes at the end of the growing season when little or nothing can be done about it, is loose buttons, i.e. sprouts themselves are not firm and are not properly formed. At one time this was often put down to loose soil, i.e. soil not sufficiently firmed at planting time. It is true that part of the trouble may be so caused, but I do not think that it is the whole story.

I have sometimes noticed that plants set rather shallowly tend to give blown sprouts, as they are called. This condition may also be due to overmuch nitrogenous feeding early in the growth. It is true that adequate nitrogen is needed, as this helps to give color to the sprouts for one reason, but overmuch should be avoided. If there has been trouble previously with blown sprouts try reducing the amount of nitrogenous fertilizer, and giving extra potash, e.g. 2 oz. of sulphate of potash to the square yard, as well as a general fertilizer mixture as a base dressing.

Q. It seems a waste of ground to plant Brussels Sprouts 3 ft. apart each way. I know there are dwarf-growing varieties which can be set at 2.5 ft. spacing, but what will happen if I plant ordinary varieties at, say, 2 ft. spacing?

A. Under garden conditions in rich soil you can certainly plant at 2 ft. spacing. The plants will tend to be rather tall and upright growing. On the whole the individual sprouts may tend to be rather smaller than usual, but for ordinary household use this is a good thing. Strip off any yellow lower leaves from time to time in autumn and early winter.

Q. Which winter greens (winter brassicas) will stand severe weather best? I find that in a hard winter I lost most of my sprouts and spring cabbage. I want to avoid time and labor wasted in growing a crop which may be lost anyway.

A. In a very severe winter with as much frost as 30 degrees, i.e. temperatures of 20F., and with prolonged periods of severe frost, many brassicas may be killed, especially if the position is exposed and plants are in the teeth of freezing winds.

The Kales, e.g. Curly Green, Cottager’s Kale, are amongst the hardiest of the winter brassica group.

Q. I am not sure about growing spring cabbage, especially the difference between ‘greens’ and ordinary cabbage.

A. Which sort of spring cabbage do you prefer? If large heads, i.e. well-hearted plants, are required then plant at 18 in. spacing between the rows and 15 in. between the plants in the row. If small, half-hearted, tender ‘greens’ are preferred, then plant at much closer spacing, and here, 9 inches square is a suitable distance. It is possible to compromise and plant at this close spacing, but only cut alternate plants in the rows, and alternate rows, thus leaving some plants to heart up fully.

In any case, always leave a few plants in the seed bed over winter, as they may be very valuable in early March for planting up as a separate batch, to follow on after the main batch. If the winter has been very severe such a late-planted batch will be even more valuable.

For planting out in autumn earmark the site which was used for the main-crop onions, or, better still, the strip which was occupied by runner beans, particularly if these have been grown in a trench. Use small or medium-sized plants, never large plants.

(d) POTATOES

Q. I have just taken over another garden, and find that my potatoes, when cooked, have a peculiar taste. Why should this be?

A. There are several reasons why there should be such a taint or odd flavor, and in some cases I have met this trouble where it was not possible to pinpoint why there should be a peculiar flavor.

One possible reason is taint caused by certain soil insecticides. The same sort of taint can arise with carrots. In one instance I recall having this odd flavor trouble myself in a garden which was very low-lying and adjoining a marshy area of land.

I am not sure whether there can be chemicals in disinfectant in strawy manure from stables if such manure was used for potatoes, but it is a point to keep in mind. If tubers are affected by the disease called ‘Scab’ they sometimes have an odd ‘earthy’ flavor.

Q. If large seed potato tubers have to be cut what are the important points to bear in mind?

A. The variety Majestic heals the cut surfaces slowly, and some of the cut sets may die off. Each half of the cut tuber must have a ‘sprout’. It is best to cut the tuber in half lengthways, for nine-tenths of the length, whilst the tubers are still in trays, i.e. being `chitted’ (sprouted). At planting time just break off the remaining portion. The cut tissue will have healed over by then. If cut at planting time I put the cut sets in right away, but do not plant them in very dry soil.

Q. How can I grow some really early potatoes outdoors?

A. Set some sprouted tubers of an early variety like Home Guard one to a five-inch whalehide pot in January. Stand them in a cold frame but cover the glass at night time with sacking in cold spells.

Harden off for seven to ten days, then plant out of doors, at I ft. spacing, but not until danger of frost has passed, usually in Mid-May. The foliage will need to be covered at night if frost threatens.

(e) SALADS

`Bolting’ of lettuce Lettuce often tend to ‘bolt’, i.e. run to seed, in the summer months, especially in hot dry weather, particularly when no watering is done.

A new variety which has been raised for its slow bolting character is called Buttercrunch. I grew this for the first time this season, and found them very satisfactory.

Q. What is the least quantity of lettuce to grow at one time to feed a family of four who are keen on salads and where a long season of use is wanted?

A. I would suggest that a yard-long length of drill is sown every week from early March to early August, say twenty weeks in all, or for a slightly longer period in the south.

Sow the seed thinly on each occasion, i.e. setting the seeds about an inch apart, and thin out the small plants when large enough to handle to 6 in. spacing. This will give small or medium-sized lettuce and aims at six usable lettuce to each yard of row, or roughly one a day, for family use.

If you feel that slightly more than this will be required, make the weekly sowing 4 ft. rather than 3 ft. The important point is to make these small sowings regularly. Use a summer variety for either crinkled leaves or smooth leaves or vary the sowings using some of each type.

(f) OTHER CROPS

Q. I know that early sticks of rhubarb can be obtained by standing some large drain-pipes over the crowns, but I have none. What can I use as an alternative?

A. The largest old buckets you can find, even if there are no bottoms left in them. Pack some straw or some bulky compost around the sides of the buckets. Use straw only if nothing else is available and cover the top of the bucket as well.

This forwarding as it is called (rhubarb is forced under glass or in rhubarb sheds) should only be done on well-established crowns, not on oneor two-year-old crowns.

Q. Why do the small fruits of marrows rot off before they are properly formed?

A. This trouble is usually worst in a wet season when the plants are making a lot of leaf growth or are growing very vigorously. Matters are made worse if the plants are growing on a heap of manure or compost and excess nitrogen plus wet weather causes the fruit to rot, often directly due to the disease Botrytis.

I find it best to grow marrows in soil or in soil with not overmuch manure or compost added. If growth is still very strong, and the weather wet, remove some of the leaves with a sharp knife from the centre of the plant to give rather drier conditions at this point, plus a better air circulation.

It will also help to add some extra potash in a wet season using sulphate of potash at 2 oz. to the square yard prior to planting.

Spraying the plants in wet weather with fungicide is a help. Any damaged fruits affected by the grey fungus spores mould of Botrytis should be picked off and burned to prevent further spread.

(g) GENERAL PROBLEMS : PLANNING

A commonly asked question under the heading of planning is ‘Shall I just fill up my garden with a fairly wide range of summer and winter crops and just use what we can, or set out to grow given quantities of certain crops only, i.e. budget as near as possible for what we need ?’

The first major point to settle is whether main-crop potatoes are to be grown. If the garden is large, then the answer may well be ‘yes’. If it is small or medium size it is usually better to cut out all main-crop varieties of potato and to grow only a few rows of early varieties.

Next, decide which vegetables are least liked, or not wanted at all. Then pick out the most popular crops, i.e. those which can be grown given most space.

There are usually a few very popular crops, e.g. onions, lettuce, Brussels Sprouts, spring cabbage. One usually has to allow for roots for storage, and a fairly generous supply of winter brassicas.

Many of these latter crops can follow summer crops so that the same piece of ground can carry two crops in the same season. Cropping and planning can be made easier by grouping the main types of crops together, e.g. potatoes, legumes, brassicas, salads and root crops, and giving each group a strip or plot to itself.

Storing your own fruits and vegetables at home at the end of the growing season, following a few simple guidelines, will enable you to have food of good nutrition and flavor into the fall and winter.  It is a good way to keep extra produce you can’t eat right away from the garden, and to save money later at the grocery store.  Even if you don’t grow your own produce, you can buy it locally during the season at farm stands and farmers’ markets for home storage.

Successful storage begins with a proper selection of varieties and harvesting.

• Select to store those varieties best suited for this.  Catalogs often have this information.
• Harvest fruits and vegetables at their proper stage, usually peak maturity.
• Don’t harvest produce that has signs of disease, or insect damage that can lead to rots.
• Leaving an inch of stem on most vegetables reduces water loss and rots.
• Handle produce carefully to avoid cuts and bruises, again which can lead to rots.

Storage conditions for produce fall into four groups.  Cold (32 degrees F) and moist (95 percent relative humidity) should be used for many including asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts (leave on stalk if possible), cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, sweet corn, lettuce, parsley, peas, spinach, and grapes.  Cool (45 to 50 degrees) and moist should be used for snap beans, cucumbers, eggplant, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes.  Cool and dry (65 to 70 percent relative humidity) should be used for garlic and onions.  Warm (55 to 60 degrees) and dry should be used for hot peppers, pumpkins, and winter squash.

How long should you expect for storing these crops in this manner?  On the low end are from two to four weeks for asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and most green leafy crops.  One to two months, possibly more, are typical for leeks, parsley, and pumpkins.  Moderate storage times of between three and five months are typical for apples, cabbage, mature carrots, parsnips, late potatoes, winter squash, and sweet potatoes.  Lasting longest in storage are garlic and onions (six to seven months).  Others really don’t store well so should be eaten fresh, including corn on the cob (two to three days in husks, less if husked), and cucumbers (one week).

In addition to proper temperature and humidity conditions for each fruit or vegetable, the following tips will lead to the longest storage.

• Keep stored produce in a dark, well-ventilated area.
• Although moist conditions are good for many, wet conditions are not and can lead to rot.
• In general, don’t wash produce until ready to use.
• While many like it cold, none should be allowed to freeze or go below freezing.
• Protect stored produce from mice, chipmunks, and other animal pests.
• Store fruits and vegetables separately as fruits can pick up the flavors of vegetables stored nearby.  Also, fruits give off ethylene gas which speeds up the ripening of vegetables.

Indoors, areas that provide the correct storage conditions can be used such as a basement room, unheated room or garage, porch, attic, extra refrigerator, or bulkhead.  Outdoors is good for vegetables requiring cool to cold conditions, such as in root cellars, earthen mounds, or outdoor structures such as sheds.  Two drawbacks to outdoor storage are the greater chance of freezing, and damage by animal pests.   More ideas on storage, and conditions for each crop can be found in leaflets from Cornell Cooperative Extension (www.gardening.cornell.edu).

STORING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus
University of Vermont

EARLY SUMMER TIPS FOR THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Mulching, staking, pest and disease control, and succession planting are some of the early season tips for vegetable gardens.

Reduce the weeds in walkways in your garden by covering the soil with some type of mulch. Several sheets of moistened newspaper topped with hay or straw are attractive and work very well, especially if you move your planting areas around a bit from year to year. Landscape fabric topped with wood chips or gravel is a good choice if the walkways are permanent. Try to avoid the habit of tilling to remove weeds because the process brings up weed seeds from deeper in the soil and exposes them to the light they need to grow.  Over time, tilling also destroys soil structure.

Indeterminate tomato plants, such as the beefsteak ‘Better Boy’ or the cherry type Sun Gold, will produce many suckers. A sucker is a new shoot that starts where a branch connects with the main trunk. Removing suckers will decrease the number of fruits produced, but the remaining tomatoes will be larger and will ripen sooner.

Set your tomato supports in place before plants get too large. Smaller determinate (bushy) varieties can be supported with small cages, but larger indeterminate (vining) varieties need large cages or tall stakes. Secure cages with stakes so they don’t topple.  If tying shoots to a cage or stake, use soft twine, plastic tape or Velcro tape that you can buy just for this purpose.  You can recycle old socks, pantyhose, towels or the like by cutting them into strips for plant ties.

Blossom end rot shows up as dark sunken spots on the blossom, or non-stem, end of tomatoes, peppers, and squash. It’s caused by a calcium imbalance in the plant.  The soil may have adequate calcium, but the plant isn’t able to take up enough to supply the rapidly developing fruit. To minimize the problem keep soil evenly moist, apply a layer of mulch to conserve moisture, make sure the soil pH (acidity) is around 6.5, don’t over-fertilize, use a fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus, wait to plant until soils are warm (roots can’t take up nutrients well in cold soils early in the season), and avoid damaging plant roots while cultivating.

Coffee grounds, diatomaceous earth, and even sharp gravel can deter slugs and snails. Spread any of these materials in a ring around individual plants. Wrap pots or plant stems with copper tape to keep slugs from crawling up.  Put out saucers of beer (slugs are attracted to them and drown).  You may get control merely from a board on the soil where slugs may hide during the day and can be gathered up there, as well as in rolls of damp newspaper.  Inspect foliage and pick off any insects that have already passed the barriers.

Young cucumber, melon, and squash plants are easy prey for cucumber beetles. As the seedlings grow, these yellow-striped or spotted beetles emerge to feed on their foliage. The beetles also spread bacterial wilt disease. To control them in a small planting, suck them up with a portable vacuum cleaner or spray beneficial nematodes on the soil.

Floating row covers can be anchored over crops until they bloom to keep these insects away.  Such row covers also provide control from other insects such as the squash vine borer on this crop, cabbage insects on this and related “brassica” crops like broccoli, the leek moth on this crop plus its relatives the onions and garlic, and flea beetles on many vegetables.   Install covers soon after planting, and remove them prior to flowering so pollinators can get to the flowers.  Support covers over crops with hoops that you can purchase for this, or hoops of heavy gauge wire or flexible plastic pipe. Row covers generally come in three weights or thicknesses—the lightest weight is most common for insect control as it lets the most light to the crops underneath.

If you haven’t sown warm season crops yet, or still have room in the garden, consider succession plantings—sowing at intervals of one to three weeks apart to spread your harvest, and not have all of a crop ripen at once.  The exception would be if you wanted to just harvest all at once, then freeze or can all you didn’t eat.  Using succession plantings, you can eat from your garden all summer.   Until about mid-summer, radishes and spinach can be sown at 7-day intervals, bush beans and peas at 10-day intervals, beets and turnips at 14-day intervals, and carrots and cucumbers at 21-day intervals.

Baby greens, radishes, and spinach can be sown at 7-day intervals until late summer. Shade lettuce, if possible, during the late afternoon to keep young plants cooler, or grow them next to larger plants that provide some shade.  You’ll need to water these crops more often on these hot days than you did in spring and early summer.

If you haven’t “thinned” seedlings (removed excess ones) yet, the ideal time is when they have at least 2 “true” leaves—these are not the original couple of “seed” leaves that look quite different.  Generally, gardeners sow more seeds that are needed as it is so easy, or to make sure that enough germinate.  So they need to be thinned for adequate spacing to minimize diseases and maximize growth.

Leafy plants such as lettuce and spinach can be thinned by removing unwanted plants with your fingers.  If you’ve sown them in blocks rather than rows, gently run a flexible rake through the bed to thin it.  Root vegetables such as onions and beets will end up with deformed roots on remaining plants if they’re disturbed.  Long-rooted vegetables such as carrots and turnips will end up with forks in roots if they’re disturbed.  To thin such root crops, cut excess seedlings off with small scissors at the soil line.

If you’re growing potatoes in the soil when they’re about a foot high “hill” them up with soil around the stems until just the top few inches of the plant is showing.  Some gardeners will add additional soil a few weeks later.  Such hilling is needed to keep the tubers from being exposed to light and turning green.  If you’re growing potatoes in large 15-gallon grow-bags, if you only had them one-third to one-half full-on soil when planting, make sure to top them up with additional soil (I use a mix of potting soil and compost) to within a couple inches of the bag top.

A good project for rainy days or nights is to research in books and online what problems your vegetables might encounter, and controls.   Then watch for these regularly—at least once a week.  Keeping up with weeding is a great opportunity to inspect your crops for pests and problems, is much easier than having to deal with weeds out of control, and you’ll be rewarded with healthier plants and better harvests.

Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus
University of Vermont

Timely harvest of vegetables sown or planted outside early in the growing season, and ones that generally mature rapidly or during cooler temperatures results in the best flavor and longest harvest period. Many of these also make good fall crops, started later in the season.

Snap asparagus spears off at ground level when they are six to ten inches tall. Harvest over a period of six to eight weeks, as long as they are pencil thin.

If you planted beets in spring, July may be too late to harvest. Begin harvest when beets reach one inch in diameter, with the main harvest when beets are two to three inches across. Young beet greens are great harvested and cooked too. Harvest fall beets before a moderate freeze (24 to 28 degrees F), or mulch heavily for continued harvest through fall.

Cool crops are ones that you started outdoors during the cool of spring, and that like cool temperatures to grow well. They also can be planted in late summer for a fall crop. Harvest broccoli before flowers start to open, while the individual flower parts (florets) are still tight and dark green. Harvest cabbage when heads are solid. If you wait too long, heads may split. To help prevent this, and to delay harvest, a trick is to pull up on the head until you hear the upper roots snap. When cauliflower heads (curds) are two inches across, tie outer leaves above the head with rubber bands to keep them white. You can then harvest in a couple weeks when heads are larger.

Begin harvest of carrots when they are one to two inches thick. Refer to packet or catalog information for your specific varieties. Harvesting also can be used to thin carrots so some can grow larger. Harvest spring-sown carrots before the heat of July, and late-season carrots before the ground freezes in late fall.

You can harvest leaf lettuce as soon as leaves get to the size you want. Harvest only outer leaves, letting more grow from the inside. Regular picking of leaves extends the harvest season, as does sowing successive crops two to three weeks apart. Spinach can be harvested similarly, or you can harvest the whole plant. Once days get longer than 14 hours, or in heat, spinach will grow tall and bloom—called “bolting”. For this reason, it is often grown in the fall, as well as it being able to tolerate temperatures in the teens to low 20s.
For green onions, harvest when they get to the size you desire. For dry onions, harvest them when they are between one-quarter and one inch across for table use (eating).

When garden pea pods are light green and full, but before they yellow, is the best time to harvest. On the other hand, harvest snow peas when the seeds start to show in pods but before they fill out.
Harvest radishes when they are one-half to one inch across. Finish harvest before the heat of July, or for fall crops before the ground freezes in late fall.

Only harvest stalks of rhubarb, not leaves, as the leaves contain oxalic acid which can be toxic. Pick when stalks are one-half to one inch in diameter.

As soon as turnips reach one inch across you can begin their harvest. They, too, are a good fall crop and will withstand several light freezes, as can kale. Frost, in fact, improves the flavor of both. If left too long, or grown poorly, turnip stems may become woody. Harvest kale when leaves are the size of your hand.

Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus
University of Vermont

6/1/17
Distribution of this release is made possible by University of Vermont and Green Works—the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association.

What to know about vegetable beans.

BEANS: THE PRINCIPAL TYPES

Full Details of How to Grow These Nutritious Vegetables

Beans as a group constitute one of the largest vegetable food crops; their culture is extensive and widespread. They mature crops quickly when used as green vegetables, thrive successfully in most temperate and warm climates, and are valuable items in the diets of many peoples, especially when the seeds are used in a dry state. Of considerable importance is the fact that the pods and the seeds in the green stage are well adapted to preservation by freezing at low temperatures. The general classification of Beans for marketing purposes is as follows: String or Snap Beans, Shell Beans, Lima Beans, Soy Beans and Broad or Fava Beans. Most Beans belong in the genus Phaseolus. Exceptions are the Soy or Soja Bean, Glycine hispida, and the Broad Bean, Vicia Faba.

Snap, String, or French Beans

The green-podded varieties are represented by both dwarf or bush kinds and climbing types.

The number of varieties listed for sale is large and varies in different localities. Recent years have seen the introduction of many of the stringless varieties which are superseding the slender, long-podded kinds formerly favored and grown as exhibition specimens. Popular now, but not necessarily new ones, are Bountiful, Stringless Greenpod, Tendergreen, Valentine and Dwarf Horticultural; the last-named may be used as a Snap Bean in the young stage, as a green Shell is Bean when partly mature, and later as a dried Shell Bean.

Climbing varieties include Kentucky Wonder, excellent as a Snap Bean and of wonderful flavor, which crops for a long period provided the beans are not allowed to mature; Horticultural Pole is the climbing counterpart of Dwarf Horticultural and may be used in a similar manner. The Scarlet Runner, a favorite and standby in Europe, prolific and of excellent quality, is grown to some extent in the United States but not in any appreciable quantity.

Wax Podded or Butter Beans.

These are varieties of the Snap or String Beans, described above, that have yellow pods. While in some demand as a “green” vegetable, they are not grown to the extent that the green kinds are; from these, the Wax Beans differ slightly in flavor. Both bush and climbing varieties are cultivated and are represented by Golden Wax, Pencil Wax, Brittle Wax among the bush varieties and by Golden Cluster Wax and Kentucky Wonder Wax among the climbers.

Methods of Cultivation.

Beans of the Snap types are tender subjects and consequently should not be sown until danger from frost is past. They respond to good cultivation and succeed in most soils; a light, friable, loamy medium is best suited to their requirements. Acid soils should be brought to a neutral or slightly alkaline condition by liming. Preparation of the ground should begin during the fall or winter season by plowing or digging to a depth of 10-12 in., if possible, and by incorporating with the soil well-rotted manure and bone meal or superphosphate to ensure good fertility.

The seedbed should be prepared in spring when the soil is in good workable condition by discing or light cultivation, drills being made for the seeds 24-36 in. apart. The seeds should be dropped in the rows from 3-6 in. apart (the closer distance for the earlier season planting) and be covered with 1-1 1/2 in. of pulverized soil. A side dressing of fertilizer, applied at this time, will benefit the growing plants if it is cultivated into the soil at the first operation.

Beans of the climbing varieties need supports to which to attach themselves. Suitable support may be afforded by strong brushwood, poles arranged as a fence, or strings. Cultivation to control weeds and conserve moisture should be carried out methodically and periodically. Successive sowing every ten days or so to ensure a continuous supply of Beans throughout the season should be made until it is too late to sow with a fair expectation of the crop’s maturing before frost. Under no circumstances should one walk or work among Snap Beans when their foliage is wet; to do so encourages the spread of disease.

Lima Beans

These are important food crop and are grown in many sections. They require a longer growing season than Snap Beans, some 80-90 days. Rather more tender and susceptible to injury from cool or excessively rainy weather than Snap Beans, Lima Beans are a decidedly warm-weather crop. Many varieties, both of Bush Limas and of the climbing types or Pole Limas, are offered by the trade. The Bush or Dwarf Lima is favored for early sowings, germinating more reliably and also maturing quicker than the Pole kinds. The Pole Limas are heavier croppers, however, and have a more extended season.

Fordhook Bush, Henderson’s Bush and Burpee’s Bush are grown extensively and are all excellent. Leviathan and King of the Garden are standard Pole kinds. The Caroline or Sieva Bean is a small-seeded Lima Bean favored by many people and is popular for canning and freezing. It is a wonderful cropper, stands rainy weather better than do the large sorts, and is less liable to suffer from mildew. It may be had both in Bush and Pole varieties.

Methods of Cultivation.

It is entirely impractical to sow seeds of Lima Beans until all danger of frost has passed and the weather has become warm and really settled. Soil preparation may follow that advised for String Beans. Good ground is necessary and, in order to facilitate germination of the seeds by providing as warm a seedbed as possible, sowings of the Pole varieties are usually made in hills (groups of a few seeds spaced at wide intervals), except in the warmest sections.

Single poles, some 7 ft. or so of which should be above ground, are set 3 ft. apart in rows, the rows being not less than 4-5 ft. apart. Hills are drawn about the poles with a hoe, or maybe plowed in ridges and then formed about the pole, a sprinkling of fertilizer is worked into the hill and 5 or 6 beans are sown at a depth of 1 in. or so.

Later, should all the seeds germinate, they may be thinned out so that 3 or 4 plants remain. In the warmest and most congenial parts of the country, where climbing Limas are grown in quantity as field crops, no supports are provided; the vines are permitted to trail on the ground. In order to grow Limas successfully by this method, care must be taken to keep the growth within limits until the plants are well advanced, so that weeds can be controlled by cultivation. A favorable climate is also necessary for this method of Bean culture.

Other Shell Beans

Under this heading are grouped those Beans grown exclusively for use as dried Beans. These are mostly of the String Bean type. They form valuable articles of diet and are grown in great quantities as field crops. Navy or Pea Bean, Yellow Eye and the Kidney varieties, particularly Red Kidney, are standard sorts.

Soy or Soja Beans

This Bean, which was mildly popular both as a Green Bean and Shell Bean some few years ago, has not taken its place as a major vegetable. The variety Bansei is the one generally grown for this purpose. The Soy Bean is a valuable article of food and is used considerably in the preparation of oils, flour, seasoning and sauces. The flour prepared from it is widely used with other flours and food mixtures. It is cultivated in the same way as are Lima Beans.

Broad or Fava Beans

Popular in Europe, the Broad Bean occupies a place in the diet there somewhat approaching that of the Lima Bean in America. It does not compare in quality and flavor, however, with the Lima Bean, but is valuable because it withstands much colder and damper climatic conditions, and comes into bearing early. Fava Beans grow some 3-4 ft. in height, carry many pods, each 6-7 in. long, and vary considerably in minor characteristics according to variety. Windsor and Longpod are staple varieties.

The Fava Bean needs cool weather for its development. When grown in the East it is very essential that the seeds be sown just as soon in the spring as the ground can be worked. They should be set 8 in. apart in double drills (8 in. between drills) with each set of double drills spaced 3 ft. from the next. Alternatively, they may be sown the same distance between seeds in single drills spaced 2 ft. apart. The soil should be rich and deeply prepared.

When the lower trusses of flowers have faded and set their pods, the tip of each plant should be pinched out. This encourages the development of earlier and finer pods and serves to some extent to discourage black aphids, which are a serious pest of this vegetable.

Fava Beans thrive in the Canadian Maritime Provinces, in British Columbia and in Washington and Oregon. In California and some other parts of the South, they may be grown in winter.

Eupatorium spp.

Are you ready to explore the fascinating world of boneset (Eupatorium spp.)? Read along as we give you the knowhow on growing and caring for these plants in your garden.

In our comprehensive care guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about bonesets, from intriguing origins and fascinating history to practical tips on cultivation and propagation.

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Imagine the joy of nurturing your very own thriving boneset plants in your garden, where each delicate blossom tells a story of nature’s beauty.

We’ll share essential insights on how to grow these plants successfully, revealing the tried-and-true techniques that will ensure your garden flourishes with vibrant colors and breathtaking blooms.

But it doesn’t stop there! We’ll guide you through the art of pruning and maintenance, helping you shape your plants into stunning focal points that will leave your neighbors in awe.

Worried about pesky pests and stubborn diseases? Fear not! Our expert advice will empower you to effectively manage these challenges, keeping your Eupatorium healthy and thriving.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting your horticultural journey, our personal tips and tricks will empower you to create a garden masterpiece with boneset.

So, grab your gardening gloves and join us!

What Are Bonesets?

Eupatorium is a genus of flowering plants that brings together a diverse group known as bonesets or thoroughworts.

Within this genus, you will discover a wide range of species, each with unique characteristics and contributions to the botanical world.

Boneset plants are known for their distinct appearance and charming presence in the garden. These plants produce clusters of small, fluffy flowers that form eye-catching inflorescences, featured on tall and sturdy stems.

As the flowers fade, they often give way to small, dry fruits or seed heads, adding an interesting element to the plant’s overall aesthetic.

You may notice that they look very similar to joe-pye weed (Eutrochium spp.). Joe pye-weed was formerly classified in the Eupatorium genus, and in 2012 was reclassified as Eutrochium.

Together, the flowers and fruit of boneset plants create a visually appealing display that attracts pollinators and adds beauty to any garden or landscape.

Species in the Eupatorium genus are members of the Asteraceae family, commonly referred to as the Aster family, and the genus contains approximately 60 species.

These plants are native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere, though some species can be found in tropical South America, Mexico, and the West Indies.

Most of these plants are herbaceous perennials, but some tropical species can grow into tree-like or shrubby forms.

Of the many species that exist within this genus, the most common boneset known and grown in home gardens is E. perfoliatum.

Cultivation and History

The Eupatorium genus was named after the Persian king Mithridates VI, also known as Mithridates Eupator Dionysus.

Around 120-63 BCE, he was the king of Pontus, a region which is now part of Turkey.

However, the exact reasoning behind using his name for this genus is not entirely clear and may involve some speculation. 

The broader reason for this name association involves the way in which the king fits into the herbal lore regarding a concoction called mithridate, which was used historically as a poison antidote.

His story includes experimentation with a vast array of poisonous plants to develop immunity that could possibly have included Eupatorium species.

Some suggest that these plants were named after him in connection with some poisonous Eupatorium species that existed within the genus, such as white snakeroot, E. rugosum. This species has since been removed from this genus and renamed Agertina altissima.

The most commonly known species of boneset is E. perfoliatum. Also known as common or American boneset, feverwort, or thoroughwort, it is known for its medicinal uses as a diaphoretic and analgesic.

It was commonly used in alleviating fevers or cold symptoms, and healing broken bones. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Native Americans used this herb as well, and considered it a cure-all for many ailments.

When gardeners and herbalists think of the term “boneset,” this species is the one that comes to mind. You may be wondering whether a plant can be medicinal when it comes from a genus known to include poisonous species. Well, good question.

This species of boneset is known to be mildly toxic when ingested in large doses due to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. But at the same time, this is also one of the reasons why this species is valued for its medicinal qualities.

While it’s a favorite to many herbalists, some recommend staying away until more research is available regarding safe dosage.

Propagation

Eupatorium species can be propagated in a couple of ways, mainly by division and sowing seed.

The specific propagation method selected may vary depending on the species you are working with.

From Seed

To propagate boneset from seed, you must first collect ripe seeds from a mature plant or purchase them from a reputable supplier.

Suppose you are in the perfect place at the right time and find E. perfoliatum growing wild in your area. What an opportunity to collect some seeds!

The seeds naturally ripen about a month after flowering and should be collected when the heads are split and dry, and the seeds begin to float away.

Late in the season, look out for fuzzy flowers that have started to turn brown – this means the seeds are ready to be collected.

If collected a bit earlier, you can dry the seed heads by spreading them out in a protected place where they won’t blow away, or you can place them in an open paper bag for approximately one to two weeks until they have dried out completely.

Shake to remove the seeds from the dry flower heads.

It is okay if the fluff remains attached, as it will not affect germination. Store these seeds in a dry, cool place until you are ready to sow them.

If you choose to sow directly into the ground, you will want to do this in the late fall to provide a period of cold stratification.

If choosing to plant in the spring instead, mix the seeds with some moist sand and store them in the refrigerator for 60 days before sowing outdoors.

Sow seeds one to three feet apart and 1/8 of an inch deep in the soil. Water them in well, and maintain soil moisture in the spring.

Seeds can also be started indoors. Fill a flat with seed-starting mix and scatter your seeds onto the surface of the soil.

Slightly compress the soil and lightly moisten it. Place in bright, indirect light and provide consistent temperatures of 70 to 85°F.

You should expect to see seeds germinate in around two to three months, maintaining soil moisture during this time.

Indoor seedlings may be transplanted outside as soon as they have reached several inches in height.

Be sure to harden them off to outdoor conditions first, gradually increasing exposure over the course of about a week.

From Cuttings

Softwood cuttings will root quite easily, usually within a few weeks. It’s best to take cuttings when plants are not flowering, in late spring or early summer.

Dip cut ends in rooting hormone if you wish, and plant in a pot or tray filled with a well-draining potting medium. A mix of perlite and peat moss works well.

These need the same light exposure and temperature range as what’s required for seed germination. Water them in, and maintain soil moisture.

When your expected frost date has passed in your area, rooted cuttings can be transplanted directly into the soil.

From Root Divisions

When plants have matured, they can be divided in the fall as they go dormant, or in spring as shoots appear at the base of the plant.

Using a shovel or spade, carefully cut through the crown (the base of the plant) and the fibrous mass between two stem buds. You will want to choose a section with one intact bud, which will grow into a new shoot, and a cluster of roots attached to it.

After you have selected a section, gently separate it from the main plant by cutting through the roots.

Immediately replant this new division at the same depth, and keep it watered well until established.

From Seedlings/Transplanting

Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, they can be transplanted into moist potting mix.

Since bonesets spread when they grow, they will need a large container about 12 to 15 inches in diameter with drainage holes.

Wait to plant out until nighttime temperatures remain above 65°F. Seedlings may take up to a year before they are large enough to be transplanted outdoors permanently.

For planting in the ground, space transplants about 16 inches apart for smaller bonesets, or 30 to 54 inches apart for larger species.

How to Grow

In USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8, bonesets grow as perennials. They can be planted in full sun to part shade.

Depending on the species, they are best planted in moist, well-drained soils and can grow in chalk, clay, loam, or sandy soils.

Since sandy soil drains quickly, be sure to amend it before planting with water-retentive organic materials such as compost.

They prefer a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and constant moisture. If you ever wonder if your boneset needs water, you can use the fingertip test.

Do this by inserting your finger about an inch deep in the soil – if it’s dry, water it. Too simple, right? Do not let your water-loving boneset dry out completely!

Growing Tips

• If growing in sandy soil, provide extra water or amend with organic materials.
• Bonesets love to be planted in damp areas of the landscape and close to ponds and wetlands.
• These plants perform best in soils with only average fertility.

Pruning and Maintenance

Some gardeners recommend cutting plants back to the ground in the fall, even though the above-ground foliage will die in winter.

This decision often boils down to your maintenance preferences and aesthetic purposes.

You can go ahead and cut back plants once dieback occurs as the cold weather sets in, or some gardeners will also wait and cut them down to the ground in early spring.

Overall, it is recommended to prune plants back again in the summer before they flower, as this encourages abundant blooms and new growth.

Keep in mind that deadheading will not help this plant rebloom, though it will help control seed spread and plant overgrowth. Bonesets focus on seed production rather than continuous flowering.

Bonesets do not have to be fertilized and they can grow in average, ordinary soil. Giving too much fertilizer can actually cause stems to fall over due to leggy growth.

If you do apply fertilizer, do so once in early spring when you see new growth starting to emerge. I like to dissolve a balanced, granular fertilizer in water for 24 hours to create a diluted solution, and apply that to the soil surrounding the base of plants.

Make sure to add water before and after you apply the fertilizer to help it to settle in.

Species to Select

When it comes to selecting the right species of boneset for your garden, you have a range of options to choose from.

Each species brings its own unique characteristics and qualities that can enhance your garden landscape.

Here are some top Eupatorium species that are well-suited for different gardening preferences and purposes.

Cannabinum

Native to Europe, this wildflower is popular in England, and its leaves resemble those of hemp. This is where it gets its nickname, hemp agrimony.

Loved for its beautiful, tiny pink flowers that appear from summer into fall, this perennial grows up to four feet tall and spreads about four feet wide.

The aesthetics of this flower go well in a mixed herbaceous border, along a pond edge, or in a cottage garden scheme.

E. Cannabinum

E. cannabinum grows in moist and well-draining soil with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. Plant it in full sun to partial shade in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9.

Amazon has 20-seed packets available.

Perfoliatum

Native to North America and Canada, E. perfoliatum is a white flowering plant often favored for its medicinal qualities.

This plant grows best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8, blooming from July to August.

It can withstand a wide range of conditions and is low maintenance, grows well in full sun to partial shade, and can tolerate full shade.

E. Perfoliatum

E. perfoliatum forms clumps of unbranched stems, spreads up to four feet wide, and grows up to six feet tall. This species is moderately deer resistant.

Earthbeat Seeds sells100-seed packets.

Serotinum

Also known as late boneset, E. serotinum provides gardens with late-season white flowers from late summer to fall.

Native to eastern and central North America, it performs best in full sun to part shade in fertile, moist, well-draining soils.

It grows up to six feet, though the size of the plant is significantly affected by moisture levels.

E. Serotinum

Plant it in wildflower and native plant gardens, prairies, meadows, and naturalized areas. This species is moderately deer resistant.

Find 50-seed packets on Amazon.

Managing Pests and Disease

Luckily for gardeners who choose to grow boneset, these species are not generally preferred food sources for vertebrate pests.

Mammals, birds, and reptiles do not typically target them as food options.

Usually considered resistant to pests and diseases, you shouldn’t experience issues with many of these insects described below, if any.

Let’s take a look at a few pests that it may still be possible to find.

Flea Beetles

These shiny-coated beetles will feed on foliage, producing “shotholes” in the leaves.

They won’t cause fatal damage to your boneset but infestations can cause plants to look unhealthy and bring their overall quality down.

Getting rid of them couldn’t be easier – mix one teaspoon of mild liquid soap with one liter of water.

You will spray it on the adult beetles, and this homemade insecticidal soap kills them on contact with no residual effects.

You can also use neem oil, spraying the plant leaves to get rid of the pests and discourage them from feeding.

Yellow Sticky Traps

Placing yellow sticky traps in your garden can help to trap flea beetles as well. Find yellow sticky traps available via Amazon.

Read more about dealing with flea beetles in our guide.

Lygus Bugs

Lygus species, also known as tarnished plant bugs, will use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on the reproductive structures and plant sap of your boneset.

Their presence can cause damage to leaves, buds, flowers, and developing fruits. This damage can manifest as distorted growth, necrotic spots, or stippling of the foliage.

One of the best parts about nature that any gardener can appreciate is the circle of life seen in the form of natural enemies and biological control.

Sometimes we can be hands-off and allow nature to do its job.

Like other insects, lygus bugs have natural predators such as parasitic wasps and predatory insects, which will help keep populations from reaching pest levels.

Sawflies

These insects feed on the leaves, causing skeletonized foliage or defoliation. They will show up for a feast without ever sending you an invite.

While this is one party you don’t want to have to show up to, infestations will not cause severe enough damage to your plant regarding health, but they will affect your plant’s appearance.

Fortunately, you have plenty of ways to get rid of these partygoers.

If you are up to it, a simple crush can eliminate them, or drop them in insecticidal soapy water.

This homemade sawfly killer combines four teaspoons of neem oil, a gallon of water, and a little liquid soap.

You can also spray some on the leaves and other affected areas. Make sure to reapply after it rains.

Best Uses

Bonesets are highly valuable plants that serve multiple purposes in the garden.

They not only attract and support a diverse range of pollinators but also contribute to the creation of beautiful rain gardens, effective erosion control, and various other landscape applications.

With their versatile nature, they can be cultivated in different settings, making them suitable for a wide range of garden styles.

They can be incorporated into borders, native plant gardens, meadows, prairies, and wildflower gardens, adding both aesthetic appeal and ecological value.

Additionally, bonesets can thrive in containers, woodland gardens, water gardens, and even herb gardens, adapting well to diverse growing conditions.

Beyond their ornamental and ecological benefits, bonesets also possess medicinal properties, which are of interest to gardeners and herbalists.

Their historical use in traditional medicine has led to their inclusion in herbal practices today, where they are valued for their potential therapeutic qualities.

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Perennial herbaceous plants and woody shrubs	Flower/Foliage Color:	Pink, white/emerald green
Native to:	Temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere	Maintenance:	Low
Hardiness (USDA Zones):	3-8	Tolerance:	Disease, insect pests, a variety of soil types
Bloom Time:	July-October	Soil Type:	Chalk, clay, loam, sandy
Exposure:	Full sun to partial shade	Soil pH:	6.5-7.0
Time to Maturity:	1 year (from seed)	Soil Drainage:	Moist, well-draining
Spacing:	1-3 feet(seed), 16-54 inches (transplants)	Attracts:	Bees, butterflies, other beneficial insects; birds
Planting Depth:	1/8 inch (seed), root ball level with or slightly above soil (transplants)	Companion Planting:	Aster, green coneflower, interrupted fern, joe-pye weed, palm sedge, royal fern, swamp milkweed
Height:	Up to 6 feet	Uses:	Beds and borders, bog gardens, cottage gardens, meadows, ponds, prairie gardens, rain gardens, streams
Spread:	Up to 4 feet	Family:	Asteraceae
Water Needs:	Moderate	Genus:	Eupatorium
Common Pests and Disease:	Aphids, flea beetles, lygus bugs, sawflies, spider mites; root rot	Species:	Altissimum, capillifolium, fortunei, maculatum, perfoliatum, serotinum

Beauty, Benefits, and a Blossoming End

The remarkable genus of bonesets offers beauty, versatility, and benefits to both gardeners and the environment.

With its attractive flowers, ability to attract pollinators, suitability for various garden settings, and resilient and low-maintenance nature, boneset is an attractive choice for many garden enthusiasts.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, incorporating boneset into your landscape can bring joy and contribute to the overall health of your garden ecosystem.

So, why not give boneset a try and experience the wonders it can bring to your outdoor space?

Do you have experience with bonesets already? Please comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

Are you a big fan of wildflowers? Then check out these articles next:

Flower heads are approximately one inch in diameter and consist of a single layer of sparsely arranged blue rays surrounding a yellow center disc.

The shade of blue may vary from deep to pale, or it may be slightly purple.

In this article, you’ll learn how to grow and care for vigorous sky blue aster in your outdoor living space.

Cultivation and History

Listed as an endangered species in New York, sky blue aster is prized by native plant enthusiasts.

According to the New York Natural Heritage Program, a botanist by the name of John Leonard Riddell was the first to name the lovely blue flower he found growing by the Olentangy River in Ohio, in 1835.

He identified it as Aster oolentangiensis, misspelling the river reference. Later it was reclassified Aster azureus as a member of the Aster genus, which contained over 500 species at the time.

During the 1990s, research revealed that the US native asters have their own unique evolutionary history, and as such they were reclassified into different genera.

Of the “new” genera created, the largest of these is Symphyotrichum. Today we know the sky blue aster as S. oolentangiense.

These changes illustrate a fine tuning of aster nomenclature and a reinstatement of the original geographic reference.

Propagation

To cultivate sky blue aster in your garden, you can sow seeds, take cuttings, or divide existing plants.

From Seed

Because this is a native species, you may rest assured that if you collect seeds at season’s end, provided they are viable, they will produce exact replicas of the parent plant from which they came.

Start seeds indoors about four weeks before the last average frost date in your area. It’s recommended to use seed-starter peat pots that can be planted in their entirety to minimize root disruption. Sow 2-3 seeds 1/4 inch deep in each pot.

Keep the soil lightly moist, but not saturated. Use a heat mat if necessary, to maintain an even temperature of approximately 70°F – the seeds should germinate in 10-14 days at this temperature.

Once the seedlings have at least two sets of true leaves, and all danger of frost has passed, you can start hardening them off in preparation for planting.

To do this, place them outdoors in a location protected from wind, and over the course of a week, gradually leave them out for longer periods before transplanting.

Alternatively, you can direct sow in the garden after the last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in a full sun location.

Some gardeners have also had success sowing seeds in fall. They overwinter in the ground, go dormant, and germinate in spring when temperatures warm up.

You can thin your seedlings to 24 inches apart when they have 2-3 sets of true leaves.

From Cuttings

Another way to start plants is to use clean, sharp shears to take soft tip cuttings from mature plants in spring. Take a 2- to 5-inch cutting, remove the lower leaves, then dip the cut end in powdered rooting hormone.

Place the cutting in a mix of sand and vermiculite or perlite, and keep it in a bright location indoors, out of direct sun. Roots should develop in one to two months, and they can then be transplanted into the garden.

From Divisions

In addition, you can divide existing plants. Carefully dig one up and slice straight down through the roots with a clean, sharp shovel. Remove the “division,” and transplant it elsewhere.

This is best done in the spring after all risk of frost has passed.

To learn more about how to do this, see our full guide to dividing perennials.

From Transplants

You may also find mature plants or seedlings in season at a local nursery. Simply transplant them to the garden as soon as possible after purchase, preferably in the cool morning hours, to avoid heat stress.

Plant seedlings or transplants at the same depth as the root ball.

How to Grow

You’re going to love this plant’s easy-going temperament. It prefers full sun but tolerates light shade, and grows in any type of soil, provided it drains well.

Its preferred soil pH is slightly acidic, but anything in the 5.5 to 7.5 range is acceptable. Conduct a soil test, and follow the recommendations in your report.

A little organic matter, like compost, can boost acidity, while garden lime can reduce it.

Mature dimensions are 24 to 36 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide. Allow 24 inches between plants for optimal airflow.

You can plant in the ground or in large containers. For container growing, choose a pot with a diameter of about 18 inches. This species is known to thrive in shallow, rocky soil, so a pot depth of 12 inches should be adequate.

Once established, plants do well with about an inch of water per week. Use a rain gauge to determine if you need to provide supplemental water.

These plants exhibit a fair amount of drought tolerance, and it’s better to err on the side of being too dry rather than too wet. Standing water can cause root rot.

However, container plants are likely to require supplemental water, as pots dry out faster than the ground. Adding a layer of mulch over the soil in containers is an excellent way to help with moisture retention.

As for fertilizer, I tend to stay away from it with native plants that are known to be vigorous growers.

But amending with a dose of a slow-release, balanced granular product, such as 10-10-10 (NPK), at planting time and each spring thereafter is an option that some gardeners have adopted.

If you have amended your soil with compost prior to planting, extra fertilizer is unnecessary.

Pruning and Maintenance

Aster is one of those plants that you can fuss over or leave alone, depending on your expectations.

If you plant it where spreading and self-sowing are acceptable, and you don’t mind it getting a little “leggy,” you may be happy to leave it alone.

Alternatively, you may want to prune plants by about 1/3 in early summer, to encourage a dense, compact shape.

You can also deadhead spent blossoms to inhibit self-sowing. And every three years or so, you may want to divide your plants to reduce density, increase airflow, and contain spreading.

Whether you adopt a hands-off or hands-on approach, at season’s end you may cut down the stalks, or leave them in place for wildlife habitat and winter interest.

Native plants usually hold their own against weeds, however, this is another area where you can choose to take action or simply leave things alone.

Minimizing weed growth around plants reduces competition for water and creates a less appealing environment for disease-carrying insects. Keeping weeds at bay also helps to ensure adequate airflow.

Managing Pests and Disease

As a native plant, S. oolentangiense is not prone to problems with insects or diseases. However, sometimes rainy summer weather can have an adverse effect on dense plants, causing a buildup of humidity, the breeding ground for powdery mildew.

At the first sign of grayish leaves after a wet spell, apply an organic fungicide according to the package instructions, or prune away affected stalks by cutting them at their base.

If you have a problem with powdery mildew on mature, well established plants, you might consider dividing them to increase airflow.

Another condition to watch out for is aster yellows, a disease borne by the sap-sucking aster leafhopper.

Apply an organic insecticidal soap if you notice tiny, green, hopping insects and punctured leaves.

Yellowing and deformity may indicate the presence of this incurable condition, and warrant the destruction of affected plants.

Best Uses

One way to showcase this blossom-laden, texturally-rich perennial is to give it room to spread naturally, along rustic paths, fences, and property perimeters.

Another is to give it a job as middle-height anchor in a garden bed or border, filling gaps between lower-story ground covers such as sweet alyssum and seasonal favorites like chrysanthemum, Montauk daisy, and strawflower, and shrubs like azalea and hydrangea.

Or, interplant it with goldenrod, New York and New England aster, red valerian, and speedwell for a butterfly meadow.

S. oolentangiense is an excellent choice for erosion control, as its root system consists of ground-hugging rhizomes that keep soil from washing down gravelly slopes. It’s also able to withstand a fair amount of salt exposure.

And as a drought-tolerant native plant, it’s ideal for xeriscaping, a landscape style focused on low-resource, minimal maintenance plantings.

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Herbaceous perennial flowering plant	Flower / Foliage Color:	Various shades of blue; green
Native to:	Southeast Canada to northeast Mexico	Maintenance:	Low
Hardiness (USDA Zone):	3-8	Tolerance:	Drought, poor soil, salt
Bloom Time / Season:	Late summer to fall	Soil Type:	Average, rocky soil
Exposure:	Full sun to part shade	Soil pH:	Slightly acidic, 5.5-7.5
Spacing:	24 inches	Soil Drainage:	Well-draining
Planting Depth:	Seeds 1/4 inch; transplants same depth as pot	Attracts:	Bees, birds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects
Height:	24-36 inches	Companion Planting:	Azalea, chrysanthemum, goldenrod, hydrangea, Montauk daisy, New England and New York aster, speedwell, sweet alyssum, red valerian
Spread:	18-24 inches	Uses:	Borders, erosion control, mass plantings, naturalized plantings, xeriscaping
Growth Rate:	Fast	Family:	Asteraceae
Water Needs:	Dry to moderate	Genus:	Symphyotrichum
Pests & Diseases:	Aster yellows, powdery mildew	Species:	oolentangiense

Sky Blue Aster Fits the Bill

If your late summer-to-fall landscape is just begging for color, texture, and moderate height, choose sky blue aster to do the job.

As a native perennial, it requires minimal water and maintenance, and once established, mostly fends for itself.

With its rhizomes and self-sowing habit, it readily naturalizes, for friendly hedgerows, border gardens, and open meadows with masses of blooms.

SUMMER HAS just officially arrived, and with it a whole new to-do list of tasks aimed at keeping the garden going in the best possible shape all season long. We are succession-sowing vegetables, of course, as the spinach and early salads fade, and probably already pulled the pansies in favor of summer annuals in the pots.

But there’s always more to do in other parts of the garden, too.

On the list are some strategic summer pruning tasks, and a likewise strategic plan for deadheading or otherwise reducing self-sowers (like celandine poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum, above) so there’s not too much of a good thing, for instance. Plus there are perennials in need of haircuts.

My friend Ken Druse, author of 20 garden books and a longtime gardener in New Jersey, calls a lot of it not full-scale cleanup exactly, but editing. And that’s our topic today, with his help.

Read along as you listen to the June 26, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

the start-to-summer cleanup, with ken druse

 

 

Margaret Roach: Hi, Ken. Are you ready to edit-

Ken Druse: Oh, Margaret, you’ve made such wonderful promises. Can I go now?

Margaret: O.K., bye. It’s all done. Yay.

Ken: Oh, boy.

Margaret: Oh, my goodness. Well, I call June the month of the shaggies, like it’s a dance or something, “the shaggies,” [laughter] because it’s like things spring went over the hill, right?

Ken: Spring? Well, I thought May was really long and slow, and June is like gone.

Margaret: Yeah, yeah. And things can look shaggy and need a haircut, but it’s sort of like “where to begin?” because we already did the big cleanup, and we know we have another one at the end of the season. But this is something different. Like you go say “editing,” it’s like a fine-tuning, right?

Ken: Yeah. Perhaps it’s the first or second fine-tuning of the season. It doesn’t really ever stop, but I know what you’re saying. There’s a lot of things that are happening right now that need our attention.

Margaret: Well, for instance, if you have spring blooming perennials, which a lot of people do, especially both of us are Northeastern gardeners, and it’s a popular time of the year with a lot of things that bloom earlier on and bulbs, you have a lot of stuff that’s faded, herbaceous stuff that’s faded. So that’s one layer of tidying or whatever. So maybe that’s the most familiar and the most obvious, me to start there. What are some of the things-

Ken: What do you mean by dated?

Margaret: Faded. Faded.

Ken: Oh.

Margaret: Faded. Faded. Yeah.

Ken: Faded? Oh, my goodness.

Margaret: Faded. Yeah, faded. Yeah. They’re all faded, and-

Ken: Oh, yeah. Like all the daffodil foliage and all that stuff?

Margaret: Yeah, exactly, exactly. Now mine, in that case, for instance, I have big masses of Narcissus, and they are not fully withered yet on their own. So I would not clean those up. And usually for me that’s around July 4th.

Ken: Well, it depends; when they turn yellow.

Margaret: Yeah, yeah. And just on the average here, it’s around the early July period.

Ken: Well, there’s some here that have already… I guess maybe they’re the earliest ones have yellowed. But there’s one that I look at every single day, and it’s completely green, and it looks just fine. But those are restoring the bulbs. They’re making carbohydrates for that underground… We need to have that foliage green as possible.

Margaret: Right. So to intrude in the name of cosmetics would be a bad idea. Whereas don’t you have some perennials that… Like I have euphorbias, for instance, early, the polychroma types and so forth the most common of the kind of chartreuse, early spring euphorbias, those are all stretched up and done. And with a nice haircut, they’ll make like a mound again.

Ken: Yeah. Lungwort, Pulmonaria [above, at Ken’s], it blooms, and then the foliage gets kind of black at the tips and black spots. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed that.

Margaret: Yeah, absolutely.

Ken: Because you can actually cut that way back to like two inches, and it’ll have a flush of gorgeous new growth.

Margaret: Yeah. And the perennial geraniums, for me, because I rely a lot on them. I use Geranium macrorrhizum, the big root geranium [below], as a groundcover that can take almost any situation, even dry shade, but sunny spots even, I used it in. And that kind of stretches up at bloom time in May into early June. And then the choice is right now whether to sort of really haircut it, like almost with hedge shears held down low, to really cut it way down, which will remove the spent blooms as well as tighten up the foliage again, or whether to just pick out the spent blooms, or whether to turn a blind eye [laughter].

Ken: Turn a blind eye. Right. As you’re saying that, I’m thinking that’s a really good idea. I should do that [laughter], but I don’t.

Margaret: Right, right.

Ken: That’s one plant I let alone because it does so well on its own.

Margaret: Well, and I have a couple of places where it’s kind of near and narrower. It’s along the front of a bed near and narrower spot, not super-narrow, but when it’s at its full stretched up late June height and width, it’s kind of billowing out and up too much, and it makes the space feel dwarfed. It’s out of proportion. So I sometimes do it right in the very front beds near the front path to make it feel less congested. And then it comes back nice and tight for the rest of-

Ken: Ding, ding, ding. Garden forensics. You have more sun than I do, although you probably don’t grow that in full sun. And I don’t have any full sun, but I’m thinking all this stretching and everything, and I just realized mine are growing in a wall, rock wall.

Margaret: Oh, that’s funny.

Ken: So it doesn’t elongate really. I guess it’s compact and dwarfed by not having a lot of soil and moisture. And it does fine. It’s covered with flowers, but I can just enjoy it and forget it.

Margaret: So I also grow Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’ [foliage detail, above].

Ken: [Makes rude noise.] Uh, it’s funny how-

Margaret: Why do you make that noise when I say one of my favorite plants?

Ken: I can’t believe it’s one of your favorites. I got mine from Robin Parer, oh gosh, at least 20 years ago, and it was ‘Samobor,’ the one with the really nice zone on the leaf.

Margaret: Yeah, it’s actually S-A-M-O-B-O-R, not samovar like a coffee machine [laughter].

Ken: Oh, ‘Samobor.’

Margaret: ‘Samobor.’

Ken: Now I know. But first year I had the black zone. The next year I had probably 20 plants almost all green. And I’ve been weeding that plant out ever since. It is a weed for me. And this year I’m going to just try to deadhead it, and only take it out when it’s in the way. But it’s everywhere. And it’s funny how that can be, how a plant can be your favorite and it can be a bane for me, although it’s not the worst, but-

Margaret: Right. And so for me, ‘Samobor’ with that chevron of dark, purple-y black on the foliage, on that typical sort of geranium foliage-

Ken: Espresso. We’re not talking about the machine, but the color is.

Margaret: [Laughter.] Right, right. Espresso, good. So for me, they’ve stayed true. I get some variation in the seedling population, but not really.

Ken: Amazing.

Margaret: I’ve had them probably 25 or more years, and it stayed in the same area. I haven’t had it spread around particularly far. And I love it because of that sort of purplish on the leaves. I love it as a sort of mixed groundcover mixed in with some of the purple heucheras or whatever.

But the thing is when it blooms, it pushes those flowers way, way up above the mound of the variegated foliage [above], like super-high, like knee-high, and then kind of the plant just sort of falls apart. And you have to cut the flower stalks, at least, down to get a nice flush, another mound of fresh foliage. So that’s sort of one of those “must” jobs for me, because it really looks horrible. I mean, that one, it’s not an optional one.

Ken: Maybe by doing that, you’re stopping what happened here, which is it just taking over.

Margaret: Well, because I’m basically deadheading before any seeds spread.

Ken: Right, right.

Margaret: Yes, yes. Exactly.

Ken: It has flowers all along that spike that are maybe the size of a penny, sort of, but they’re very pretty colored. I love the browns. It’s kind of a eggplant color sort of, and they’re adorable, but then they make their little fruits, and then they spill their seeds, and then they choke out their neighbor.

Margaret: Well, the common name for Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’ is the mourning widow, like at a funeral, because she has those drooping, little dark, dark, dark, dark, dark flowers, like she’s in mourning and has her head bowed.

So, yeah, so I mean, speaking of plants that we don’t agree about, not that we don’t agree about everything, dear [laughter], we both grow certain Corydalis, and I think we have different opinions about those as well, which ones are thugs and which ones are more well-behaved. Again, in different situations, plants behave differently, which Corydalis do you grow, because that’s something else that if there’s too much or whatever, I might be tidying it up around now.

Ken: Well, almost everybody grows Corydalis lutea [above], the one with the yellow flowers. And it blooms for months, and it’s a little aggressive. It self-sows around, and I didn’t have it for years. And Lois Carswell from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden gave me a little plant, and now I have more than I would want. But I have one here that’s called Corydalis ochroleuca [below at Ken’s], and it has ivory-colored flowers, and it doesn’t bounce around like lutea.

Margaret: So interesting that that’s the case, because for me, the thug would be the one that’s… And I don’t know how you’d really pronounce it… cheilanthifolia?

Ken: Yeah, that’s a nuisance.

Margaret: That’s total thug for me. So the yellow one, lutea, I have plenty, but it’s not extreme. I always have plants, but there’s not tons of them. So it’s just funny.

Ken: And you can grab it with your hands and just pull it out.

Margaret: Absolutely. Easy, easy, easy, easy. Yeah, and I know we both have a lot of columbine. I have so much now, and it’s not like I ever planted it, that I can remember.

Ken: I went through the garden this year and just reduced it by 90 percent, because I still have too much. And a couple of ones that were beautiful or double or pink or special… I found one that has gold foliage that just appeared, and there’s one that I got from Wave Hill from seed. I think it’s called something like ‘Irish Elegance’ or something, and it has white double flowers, and it’s been in the same place now for its third year. Because they’re really short-lived; they usually don’t last more than two years. But I have cleaned up so much of that. I’d probably have a pound of seed if I let the seed happen.

Margaret: Right.

Ken: You think “Oh, it’s so nice,” and then it’s out of control.

Margaret: Right. So that’s something where, even though it seems extreme, I am pulling out some plants, the whole plant, before they set seed.

Ken: Right. I’m doing that, too.

Margaret: I’m deadheading some that I really like the color-

Ken: Right.

Margaret: And I hope it’ll continue for another year or whatever in that color, in that spot or whatever. You know what I mean? So I’m using multiple tactics on the same species of plant.

Ken: Well, thinking about things that I can grow and you can’t and you can grow and I can’t, I can’t grow Verbena bonariensis. And I know it’s a hardy annual, I guess, and it’s beautiful. You’ve done… I don’t know if you’re still doing it, but that was gorgeous by the pond.

Margaret: And so each year, and that’s with a lot of these self-sowing things that are in a slightly warmer climate, they’d probably be… I don’t know what they’d be [laughter]. But, yeah, so I always have some patches of it, and it migrates slightly, unless I am careful to edit, like what we’re talking about, edit and keep it in…

For all my Angelica, same thing, Angelica gigas, the same thing. It’s tempting sometimes when you see all this bounty of a plant you love like Verbena bonariensis or like Angelica gigas to think, “Oh wow, I’ve got so many. This is so great.”

But we need to edit because we need to think of about the outlines of next year’s garden as well. If we just let it get bigger and bigger… Same with the columbines, we could end up with columbines in every crack and crevice and bed and border, right?

Ken: Right. And I really Verbascum, the mulleins [above, at Ken’s], not like the roadside one, but the ones that are like candelabra and they have lots of yellow flowers and they bloom for months. And like Angelica, if you think… Well, what I’m saying is it pops up in the path.

Margaret: Yes, yeah.

Ken: So either you have to kill it or attempt to move it. And if you get it right away when it’s first appearing, you can move it, but it’s not up to its most vigorous self because it has a long taproot. But I imagine that’s similar with Angelica. Have you ever moved plants and saved them? Of Angelica?

Margaret: Yes. And I’ve given them to people also, but I do them when they’re very young. So I don’t wait until it’s really established. I think that would be very, very hard to… I don’t think it would work to dig it out.

Ken: So that’s a biennial, and verbascums are biennial. And then there’s hardy annuals like the poppies. We can talk about them in a second, but I’m wondering do you think the Angelica sprouts the same year that it blooms and then carries a little rosette over winter? Or do you think it has to wait till next spring?

Margaret: The Angelica gigas [below]?

Ken: Yeah, yeah.

Margaret: It does not bloom on a first-year plant. No.

Ken: Right. But if you sow the seeds, or if they self-sow, do they germinate this year, same year? Or do they have to go through a winter?

Margaret: I feel like… Oh, I can’t answer that. I know I always have tiny, little plants, and I always have really big plants that are in their second year. You know what I mean?

Ken: Yeah. No, I know just what you mean. Sorry to ask you such a hard question, really.

Margaret: Yeah. Sorry. I’m trying to imagine. I’d have to actually sort of test that. But Nicotiana, that’s the other thing that I have a lot of. And-

Ken: You said you had a mat of them.

Margaret: Well, that’s the thing, is that’s something that, as you know, I mean, you know better than I do, because you propagate, you grow a lot of things from seed, it’s like dust, the seed of Nicotiana, right?

And so if you have a bunch of those in a bed for sort of your summer… I have a lot of them in between where we were talking about those geraniums, like the Geranium phaeum, which is never going to be as full after its haircut as it was earlier in the season, in the spring, pre-bloom and at bloom time. So I have things like Nicotiana that self-sow in among those and give me like this second act in summer into fall. Well, that’s fine, except like you said, sometimes every single one takes, every dust-like seed. Every single one grows.

Ken: Right.

Margaret: And I do, I have mats. Now, what do you do when you have a really successful self-sower and you don’t want to get rid of it and you want to edit it? What do you do about that?

Ken: Oh gosh, someday in my lifetime I will throw away a plant [laughter], but I haven’t done it yet really. I can hardly think of it. So I’ll move them. Some will make it. Some won’t make it. And there’s no room for any of them.

It’s just like I’ve been working with primrose, with my candelabra primrose, because we had that thing we tried them over winter, and it was so successful, but what am I going to do with a thousand primroses?

Margaret: Right, right. Well, and what-

Ken: To answer the question, I planted them, and that’s crazy. So I grew them from seed, and I prick the little seedlings out, and they had to go through a winter first before they would germinate. Then I planted them on the bank of the canal, and it’s crazy. Anyway, it’s crazy.

Margaret: So well, we should move on to some woody things, too, but before we do, I was going to say you just are reminding me, you said something like who needs a million primulas or whatever?

Hellebores: I have a couple of big beds of hellebores, of the orientalis or x hybridus types that bloom in late winter and early spring. And those are prodigious self-sowers. And so next to the mama plant, there’s going to be lots and lots and lots of-

Ken: Under her leaves. And I remember when we paid $35 a plant, and we were so excited. This was probably 20 years ago, maybe more. And then I even went through a whole thing where I stratified the seed, it went through a winter. It went through a second winter…warm, cold, wet, dry, the whole thing. And then I lifted a leaf a few years later, and they’re as thick as lawn underneath there.

Margaret: Right. So they sow themselves very like a mother hen with a lot of chicks underneath her skirt [laughter], so to speak. And so what I’m doing now at this time in my garden career, I don’t want any more hellebores. I’ve got plenty. And so when-

Ken: Especially if they’re just white or pink and less than special.

Margaret: Right. When I do cleanup and when I’m weeding and when I’m just around in the garden at any time where they are, from spring cleanup on through the whole year, if I see a bunch, I just pull the whole thing out and discard it. So some friends have asked for some, and I’ve said, “Hey, just bring an empty flat, and we’ll have some potting soil, and you can stick those little babies in a flat,” like what you’re saying, pricking off one-

Ken: I just take a shovel, and they get the whole thing [laughter]. With several plants.

Margaret: Right. So what about, I mean, there are things, woody things too that need attention now, don’t you think? I mean, for instance, spring-blooming, the lilacs: In July-ish where we live, they’ll start the process of making the buds for next year that they’re going to carry over the winter. So either you prune them from just after bloom to July, or you run the risk of diminishing the flowers for next year. At least that’s the theory, so-

Ken: Because some of them make fruits. Some of the flowerheads stay green, and then you probably can see them if you look at the lilacs, little green fruits on them just turn brown and are unsightly. So in any event, those should go, and that’s-

Margaret: Well, I do that right after they finish blooming, when the blooms fade. But I’m just saying people may not have gotten to it all, and it’s sort of like this is the last bit of that window without potentially removing flower buds for next year, which will happen later in the summer. So are you doing any other pruning, any other woody stuff now?

Ken: Well, some things, if you prune them a little late, they’ll push new growth that’ll get fried. It comes out, and then it gets burnt by the sun. So I try to get all that done.

I don’t have any of the Viburnum dilatatum anymore, which is a very popular plant because it has red berries, and we like the red berries, and so do the birds. And then that plant, which is kind of invasive, and it’s certainly an exotic, gets around. So I’m growing a couple of native and local viburnum. And I know that some people think I’m a native Nazi, but it’s that I don’t want to contribute to bad things. And then, again, I-

Margaret: Right, so, again, you’re talking about the doublefile viburnum, which has become invasive in many regions of the country? Yes.

Ken: Right. And then you and I talk about Hesperis matronalis every year. People call it phlox, of course.

Margaret: The dame’s rocket, a herbaceous plant now we’re talking about. Yes.

Ken: Right. It’s a hardy annual, I guess. Maybe it’s biennial, or short-lived perennial. And that’s everywhere, covers the roadsides, because this used to be farmland, and it’s a European farm weed. But when I see it and it’s bringing color to a little spot and it smells so good, especially at night, I leave it until it stops flowering, and then I pull the whole plant out, which I know is dangerous [laughter].

Margaret: Right, because it could sow some seed.

So just so we don’t run out of time, I just want to kind of go through the woody stuff because I know that there are, for instance, in my apples, my crabapples, even my old magnolia, which it happens in some of the spots: I get those water sprouts. And things that are grafted, like my old crabapples, down at the base I get those suckers. I think that’s the other thing, is we have to go look for certain things like, again, fruit trees and so forth. They’re going to do that, and it’s a good time to take all those off, I think, if you can get in there. My espaliered Asian pair on the back of the house [above, in need of another trim up top]–

And don’t you have some topiaries or hedges or whatever that keep pushing out more, more, more, like my espalier does?

Ken: Not like your espalier, but I do have magnolias, and they do exactly that. And I have a little topiary schnauzer [above] that is a Taxus, a yew. And really, I should prune that every two weeks. It’s a nice thing to know about Taxus: It has unlimited buds, dormant buds, and some things don’t, but you have to keep up with it.

And I have a pruned beech tree that I have to keep after because it has a shape that I like. And if I don’t keep after it, it

makes these kind of whips out that go into outer space.

And I was noticing with the climbing rose, that it makes new canes and flowers at the same time, which is kind of unusual. But I have to train those new canes to go where I want them to be, so those I don’t cut off.

Margaret: Right. So one of the other things is that sometimes you get these, especially in a beautiful variegated thing, you get one green sprout, like a reversion. And those should come out whenever they occur.

But can you give us the two-minute version of your wisteria care, your how to get wisteria to bloom thing? Because that’s always a good reminder. You’re harsh with it, aren’t you?

Ken: Well, one could say that. And it works.

Margaret: Yeah. So tell us.

Ken: Because people ask me all the time, “How can I get my wisteria to bloom?” So I prune the wisteria about every two weeks. It sends out these long, wiry stems, new growth, and I prune them back to about one or two nodes that are facing in the direction I want it to grow. And I do that every two weeks until the beginning of August.

Margaret: Wow.

Ken: And then I stop, and it’s in a place where I just pass by it. It’s really perfect. And they bloom. So I consider it the secret to success: harsh treatment.

Margaret: Right, right. Yeah. I’m just trying to think of any other things, if I have any other things that I’m still-

Ken: You made me think of so many things that… Poppies, and-

Margaret: Yeah. Let’s just put in a word for that. I mean, one real quick one is I love the wood poppy. It’s an Eastern native. It’s not native up in New England where I am, but that I grow it as an ornamental. It’s Stylophorum diphyllum, the wood poppy, or celandine poppy.

Ken: Or celandine poppy. Right.

Margaret: Yeah. And the thing about that is it makes so many seedlings that what we were talking about before with some of the other overly enthusiastic creatures, that’s actually my really big task this week. That’s what I’ll be doing in the garden this week, is I’ll pull out half the plants probably, and with the others I’ll pull off a lot of the very beautiful, fuzzy seedheads before they ripen fully and explode. [Above, deadheaded seedpods to discard, or share with friends.]

Ken: And explode. Right.

Margaret: So that’s a combination where I’m not just “deadheading.” And some of the plants, they yellow around now. And I don’t know why one does it and another doesn’t; it must be age of the plant, but some of them I cut to the ground. So there’s just the rosette left. So it’s kind of a mixed approach, but at any rate, that’s another one. If people are growing it, it’s a wonderful plant, but you’ve got to have a firm hand with it.

So of course, we’ve run out of time again [laughter]. When are you going to be up here to help me?

Ken: After my second surgery.

Margaret: Okay, okay. All right. Well, good. So I will talk to you soon. And thank you for making time today from your chores.

Margaret: Yes, I’ll talk to you soon.

prefer the podcast version of the show?

MY WEEKLY public-radio show, rated a “top-5 garden podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper in the UK, began its 14th year in March 2023. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station in the nation. Listen locally in the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Eastern, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the June 26, 2023 show using the player near the top of this transcript. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

This post is done in partnership with Ball Horticultural, which not only produces amazing plants, but also throws a mean party. Thank you so much to Ball for a fabulous night.

If you ever wondered how many container combinations could be made with a dozen or so plant options, I can offer an answer: Way more than you might think.

It’s an interesting insight into how gardeners’ tastes vary and how what we do with plants will always be specific to our own tastes and preferences. 

I had the opportunity to “research” the topic of container gardening recently when Ball Horticultural (family-owned, woman-run, international horticultural company responsible for some of the gardening brands you know well like Wave Gardening, Beacon Impatiens, Burpee Home Gardens and more) asked me to invite some of my local gardening followers for a potting party. Basically, they threw a gardeners’ dream party for a bunch of plant nuts.

There was tasty food, a fabulous cucumber-watermelon mojito (or a mocktail version) and friendly folks all around, but the highlight was the chance to dig into the load of plants, including some new releases for next year, and have every guest create their own dream container. 

THE PLANTS

The Ball team brought an a great selection of plants for partiers to choose from, with a focus on plants featuring the Pantone Color of the Year Viva Magenta, such as Sombrero Poco Hot Pink Echinacea from Darwin Perennials, or the plants that are easy on your pocketbook and will last the whole summer, such as Hula Begonia from PanAmerican Seed. The Jurassic Rex begonias were absolutely stunning, and, as the Ball team pointed out, make great houseplants that are more interesting than your average green plant. 

Party-goers were welcome to pick a pot from a selection provided by Heyden’s Gardens, the local garden center where the event was held, and then “shop” the racks of plants provided by Ball. It was so interesting to see what people gravitated toward.

There were some plants that emerged as clear favorites. Angelonia Alonia Big Snow, a stout little upright number, seemed to end up in many container, as did ‘Blue Spear’ lavender‘Blue Spear’ lavender. One table of partiers all used both of these plants in their containers and then went different directions for other accent plants. Some went with a  mostly white look, adding in Easy Wave White petunia, which maintains a nice, neat habit. Others went for the classic combination of white, blue and yellow by adding in Bee’s Knees Petunia, a fabulous soft yellow Petunia that is also an All-America Selections winner.

Shade containers were equally creative and varied, but many featured the absolutely spectacular Jurassic Rex Begonia series, which I fell in love with last year after I saw them at the Gardens at Ball display gardens in West Chicago, Illinois. They are certainly substantial enough to fill a container on their own, but some gardeners at the potting party added in Hula Begonia (which I grew last year and also gets quite sizable) or Beacon Impatiens, which are downy mildew resistant Impatiens walleriana, which, until Beacons came along, made the plant inappropriate for growing in many areas because the non-Beacon version could, and often was, wiped out in a matter of days when affected by the disease.  

And then there were others who went a completely different direction. One gardener created an edible container featuring Quick Snack cucumber, a 2024 introduction for the Kitchen Minis line of potted vegetables appropriate for growing indoors or in small areas. She added in Everleaf Thai Towers basil (a sister to my very favorite must-grow basil Everleaf Emerald Towers) and an Easy Wave petunia for a bit of color.

IT’S A PARTY!

Ball knows how to throw a party, so there was a fabulous spread of delicious bites, but also a refreshing watermelon cucumber mojito (here’s a similar recipe if you want to try it), poured out of a watering can, in keeping with the theme.

But what was even better was watching a group of gardeners, most of whom didn’t know each other, just enjoy creating something with plants together. And boy did they create. Check out their designs.

CONTAINER OBSERVATIONS

Studying all these container designs was so interesting and I left with a great appreciation for how certain plants could really shine in their role in a container. A few notable observations:

• Alternanthera Purple Prince is an excellent uniter. Used with white and blue combinations, but also with hotter color combos, it worked as the perfect accent in every scenario.
• Don’t sell polka dot plant (Hypoestes) short. It was incredible at punching up shade containers without competing with the stars of the show. 
• Combining annuals and perennials is a fabulous way to change up a design but still have season long interest. The containers that incorporated Sombrero Poco Echinacea, which is shorter growing and therefore excellent for containers, along with more common annuals, were so interesting. 
• Bring in the edibles. A lot of party-goers incorporated Everleaf Thai Towers basil right in with annuals and it was not only beautiful but also practical.
• Don’t underestimate plants that start small. Having grown both Beacon Impatiens and Hula Begonia, I can attest to how wonderfully these plants fill out when they have a bit of time to grow. But you’ll often find them in smaller sizes when you buy them, which isn’t a bad thing because they can be a bit fragile for transportation. I know that the people who used these in their designs will have an incredible display in a couple weeks.

THE PARTY’S NOT OVER

Needless to say an excellent time was had by all and I’ve never seen people leave a party happier than when they walked out with their fabulous containers. Many party-goers have great gardening Instagram accounts and will hopefully be showing how their containers look as they grow on. Follow the hashtag #ballpottingparty on Instagram so you can catch the updates.

I think I’ve found the perfect party theme. Gardening together with new and old friends is a true joy. Thanks, Ball Horticultural, for bringing people together through plants and the occasional party.

Are you a gardener who loves growing cucumbers but struggles with them in the summer heat? In places like Arizona, the heat is often too much for the cucumbers to handle, they dry out, and if they do grow, they are often bitter.  Cucumbers grow best with a long warm (but not hot) growing season.

This blog post will cover valuable tips and information to help you grow delicious, crisp, and juicy cucumbers in a hot summer climate. Everything you need to know from planting to harvesting. So, let’s get started!

Growing cucumbers in hot summer climates like Arizona can be a challenge.

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Choose the Right Variety of Cucumber When Growing in a Hot Climate

To overcome the challenges of growing cucumbers in hot climates, the key is to plant cucumbers early in the season and plant short-season varieties that will ripen before the hottest days of summer.

Choosing the right variety of cucumbers is crucial in a hot summer climate. There are many varieties of cucumbers, but some are more tolerant of heat and drought than others.

Some recommended varieties include Triumph, Poinsett, Marketmore 76, and Lemon. I’ve also had success with Diva, Japanese and Armenian. These varieties are known to produce good yields even in high temperatures and dry conditions.

Armenian types are actually a melon that tastes like a cucumber. They are especially suited to hot desert areas and will produce throughout the summer.

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How and When to Plant Cucumbers

Start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before your last frost date, or sow them directly outdoors once the soil has warmed. Plant cucumbers outside when soil temperatures have warmed up to at least 60°F(15°C), typically late spring or early summer.

Planting dates for the low desert of Arizona:

Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid over-watering to prevent diseases. Cucumber seeds generally germinate within 7-10 days. Plant a group of 3 seeds every 12 inches (30cm); when seedlings have three leaves, thin to 1 plant every 12 inches (30cm). Good companion plants for cucumbers are bush beans, corn, and cabbage.

Cucumbers thrive in well-draining, fertile soil enriched with organic matter like compost. Choose a location with plenty of sunlight, as they require at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily.

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Provide Support for Growing Cucumbers

It’s best to provide a trellis or some form of support for cucumbers as they grow. This helps keep them off the ground and keeps the fruit clean and free from rot. Trellising the plants also gives other crops room to grow, as cucumber vines can quickly take over a raised bed.

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Provide Ample Water and Shade for Cucumbers Grown in Hot Climates

Cucumbers are thirsty plants and require ample water to grow well. In hot summer conditions, they require more water than usual. So make sure to water them regularly and deeply. You can also provide them with shade by using shade cloth or by planting them near taller plants. This will prevent them from getting scorched by the sun and keep them cool.

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How to grow cucumbers in hot climates? MULCH them!

Mulching your cucumber plants is an excellent way to keep the soil moist and cool during hot summer months. Use organic materials like straw, leaves, or compost to cover the soil around your cucumber plants. This will help retain moisture, reduce water loss due to evaporation, and keep the soil temperature cool. Learn more about mulching in this blog post.

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Understand cucumber pollination

Cucumber plants have two primary pollination types: self-pollinating and cross-pollinating.

Self-pollinating cucumbers, also known as parthenocarpic varieties, do not require pollen transfer to produce fruit. Examples of parthenocarpic cucumbers include ‘Diva’, ‘Socrates’, and ‘Tyria’, which are ideal for indoor or greenhouse growing conditions since they can produce fruit without the presence of pollinators like bees.

Cross-pollinating cucumbers rely on the transfer of pollen from male to female flowers within the same plant or between different plants. Examples of cross-pollinating cucumbers are ‘Marketmore 76’, ‘Straight Eight’, and ‘National Pickling’. This process typically requires the assistance of pollinators, such as bees, to ensure successful fruit production. If you find that female fruits are withering and not being pollinated, consider hand-pollinating them.

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Watch Out for Pests and Diseases

Healthy plants are more resistant to pest infestations, do what you can to keep your plant healthy. Keep a close eye on your plants and look for signs of damage, such as wilting, yellowing, or holes in the leaves. Check for pests like aphids, spider mites, and cucumber beetles.

• Practice organic gardening principles to encourage beneficial insects.
• Check plants and undersides of leaves daily. Handpick beetles and remove their eggs. Early detection and intervention can prevent severe damage and make controlling pests easier.
• Use a strong stream of water to dislodge spider mites from the leaves. Make sure to target both the top and underside of the leaves. Repeat this process every few days until the infestation is under control.
• Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth on the affected plants. This natural powder can help kill spider mites by damaging their exoskeletons. Be careful not to over-apply, as it can also impact beneficial insects.
• Avoid over-fertilizing, as excessive nitrogen can encourage spider mite outbreaks.

To prevent diseases, avoid watering the leaves and provide good air circulation around the plants.

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Harvest Your Cucumbers at the Right Time

Harvesting cucumbers at the right time is important for the best flavor and texture. Cucumbers should be picked when they are firm but still slightly tender. Cucumbers are best harvested when small, and the flower is still attached.

Overripe cucumbers can get bitter and lose their crispness. So keep a close eye on your plants and harvest regularly to keep the fruits coming.

Harvest cucumbers in the morning when temperatures are cool. Cut the stem or twist rather than pulling at the fruit to break off. Immediately immerse them in cold water to disperse “field heat” to increase the quality and life of the picked fruit.

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Use homegrown cucumbers in a variety of ways

Enjoy cucumbers in simple ways, such as raw slices for a crunchy snack or added to salads. Cucumbers also work well in cold soups like gazpacho or blended into smoothies for extra hydration and nutrients.

Pickling is another popular method to preserve and add flavor to cucumbers. For a creative twist, use cucumber slices as a base for appetizers by topping them with spreads, cheeses, or smoked salmon.

Store whole cucumbers in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, wrapped in foil or a plastic bag. Typically, they stay fresh for up to a week. Once cut, store cucumber slices in an airtight container to maintain their crispness and consume them within a few days.

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Growing cucumbers in a hot summer climate can be a challenge, but with the right techniques, you can still enjoy a bountiful harvest. Choose the right variety, provide ample water and shade, mulch your plants, watch out for pests and diseases, and harvest your cucumbers at the right time.

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If this post about how to grow cucumbers in hot climates was helpful, please share it:

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But let’s not forget the flowers and ornamental fruits, each of which deserves an eyeful of aesthetic admiration.

Add attractiveness to wildlife and some cultural toughness to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a real winner.

Ready to start on your cherry laurel journey? This guide will show you how.

Here’s what we’ll be discussing:

What Are Cherry Laurel Shrubs?

A member of the Rosaceae family, Prunus laurocerasus is a stunning evergreen shrub that originates in southeastern Europe and Asia Minor.

Hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 8, cherry laurels typically reach mature heights of 10 to 20 feet, with spreads of about 20 to 30 feet.

Although these multi-stemmed plants are typically grown as shrubs in the landscape, they can also be pruned to look like low-branching trees.

P. laurocerasus boasts densely-packed, medium to dark green foliage that’s glossy up top and a bit pale and matte underneath.

Individual leaves are usually two to six inches long, each with an oblong to elliptical shape.

Come spring, white flower clusters emerge from light green buds.

Growing two to five inches long, each is made up of many small, five-petaled, and botanically perfect flowers, i.e. these bear both male and female parts.

The fragrant blooms attract insect pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

By midsummer, the blooms give way to small, rounded, purple to black drupes, which are quite tasty to birds. Within each fruit lies a round, tan seed that ripens in fall.

But before you get any ideas, you should know that the entirety of a cherry laurel shrub contains cyanogenic glycosides such as amygdalin, the leaves and seeds especially.

These are not edible. If ingested, you could develop a grab bag of possible symptoms such as weakness, convulsions, shock, and respiratory failure.

Therefore, I wouldn’t recommend that you, your pets, or your livestock go snacking on a cherry laurel.

Cultivation and History

Before we dive into P. laurocerasus any further, let’s examine its name.

Prunus originates from the Latin prunum, meaning “plum” – another member of the Prunus genus. The species name laurocerasus comes from the Latin words “cerasus” and “laurus” for “cherry” and “laurel,” hence the common name.

Beyond its native lands, the cherry laurel was all but unknown for a long time.

That is, until sometime in the mid-16th century, when a traveler to Genoa, Italy established some specimens in a local garden.

P. laurocerasus was introduced into Northern Europe around the year 1576 CE, thanks to the horticulturally influential Carolus Clusius.

This Flemish botanist and doctor – the man responsible for bringing many significant plants to Europe, from the tulip to the potato – received a dying cherry laurel from Constantinople, revitalized it, and made yet another mark on the horticultural world.

By the mid-1600s, P. laurocerasus had become a popular choice for espalier in estate gardens.

Come 1730 CE, it had become more trendy to let cherry laurel groupings grow a bit more wild and untamed. Throughout this time, its popularity in England earned the plant its “English laurel” moniker.

P. laurocerasus soon found a non-ornamental application: a foliar extract, dubbed “laurel water,” was used to add a delightful almond-y essence to various foods and drinks.

Unfortunately, this aroma was due to the presence of hydrogen cyanide, which led to a few high-profile poisonings in the 1700s. After that, the extract’s culinary appeal understandably vanished.

The shrub has since been introduced to North America, where it has surfed the ups and downs of ornamental landscaping trends. But for the most part, it’s a beloved shrub. For the most part…

It’s worth mentioning that this shrub has some invasive tendencies.

Its seeds are spread far and wide by birds, it vegetatively spreads via suckering, and its cultural requirements, while making it easy to cultivate, can also make it hard to kill.

All of this could potentially displace native species as well, so it’s best to always double-check your local laws and invasive plant lists prior to planting.

If you’re located in the Pacific Northwest, you should take particular heed.

The plant is on Washington’s monitor list, which keeps tabs on suspected noxious weeds, while the Native Plant Society of Oregon has P. laurocerasus listed as a medium- to high-impact species in terms of its effect on native habitats, alteration of ecological functions, and tendency to form monocultures.

Propagation

Do you want to propagate some cherry laurels? The best means of doing so are from seed, cuttings, or via transplanting.

From Seed

To gather seeds, collect ripe fruits in the fall. Remove the pulpy drupe from around the seeds, and leave the seeds out to dry.

Alternatively, you could purchase seeds from a reputable vendor and skip all of that harvesting nonsense.

Once you have your seeds, let them soak in water for 24 hours to scarify them.

After that, place the seeds in a baggie of moist sand before leaving said baggie in the refrigerator for 60 to 90 days. Make sure to keep the sand moist all the while!

Once your seeds are stratified, remove them from their sandy baggie. Carefully, though – it’s likely that the radicals may have already emerged.

Sow the seeds an inch deep into a 50:50 mix of peat moss and perlite, whether in a seed tray or individual three-inch containers.

Moisten the media and expose them to bright, indirect light indoors, ensuring that the media is kept continuously moist.

After the final frost in spring, the seedlings should be ready for direct sowing outside.

But first, harden off the seedlings by leaving them outdoors for 30 to 60 minutes before bringing them back inside. Add a half to a full hour of exposure each day, until they can handle a full day of being outdoors.

At this point, the seedlings can go in the ground, whether into a seedling bed or their forever homes.

Alternatively, you could grow them in outdoor containers, at least until they outgrow five-gallon ones that are easy to maintain.

From Cuttings

If genetic variation isn’t your thing, then rooting cuttings is the propagation method for you! This allows you to create clones of the parent plant.

After eight weeks of light exposure and constant moisture, the cuttings should be well and truly rooted.

At this point, you can transplant them directly in-ground or into outdoor containers. But make sure to harden them off first, using the above protocol.

From Seedlings/Transplanting

Prepare well-draining, fertile soil with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. Exposure-wise, these plants can handle full sun, full shade, and everything in between.

A good idea would be to try and balance light and climate – specimens in USDA Zone 6 should receive more sun, while those in Zone 8 could probably use some more shade.

Space these sites are about as far apart as your specimens are expected to spread at maturity. Container-grown transplants should have at least an inch or two of elbow room between the roots and the container’s sides.

Dig holes about as deep and a bit wider than the transplants’ root systems.

For some added fertility, feel free to mix the dug-out soil with some organic matter such as compost or rotted manure prior to backfilling.

Once the transplants are in their holes, alternate backfilling with watering until transplanting is complete. At this point, pat yourself on the back – ya done did it!

How to Grow

Now that you’ve got a cherry laurel or two in the ground, let’s discuss how to keep them happy throughout their stay in your garden.

Climate and Exposure Needs

P. laurocerasus has a fairly narrow hardiness range: USDA Zones 6 to 8.

But within these zones, the sky’s the limit in terms of placement options. These shrubs can handle full sun to full shade, salt spray, wind, and even atmospheric pollution!

For optimal growth, try to hit an equilibrium of sorts with the light and climate. Warmer Zone, less light. Cooler Zone, more light. 

Soil Needs

Rich fertility, a high drainage capacity, and an acidic to neutral pH are solid ingredients for the ideal cherry laurel soil. Specifically, a pH range of 5.0 to 7.0 works quite nicely.

As for the soil nutrients, working an inch or two of organic matter into the root zone every spring goes a long way.

Water and Fertilizer Needs

A cherry laurel prefers to sit in moist soils. Therefore, you should water whenever the soil feels dry about three inches down. For an approximation, a finger’s length should suffice.

Pruning and Maintenance

The evergreen leaves of a cherry laurel don’t exhibit the autumnal color change and mass fall that deciduous ones do.

But broadleaf evergreens such as P. laurocerasus do cyclically drop their oldest leaves each year, so you may want to rake those up as desired.

Additionally, maintaining a couple inches of mulch above the root zone will help to retain moisture while also suppressing weed growth.

Depending on the desired shape, you can prune your cherry laurels in many different ways.

A controlled shearing, keeping it low and spreading like a bushy ground cover, shaping it to be tall and treelike… you have options.

Save this big, shape-altering pruning session for early spring, and feel free to go nuts – these plants can tolerate heavy pruning.

This variety is also free-flowering, meaning its bloom time is longer and less limited to a certain period of time.

In a bloomless pinch, you can distinguish it from other cherry laurels by examining the leaves – they’ll point more upward, often at a 45- to a 60-degree angle. How’s that for variety?

Schipkaensis

Another hard-to-pronounce cultivar, ‘Schipkaensis’ is well worth learning the phonetics of. Either that, or you can refer to it by its nickname, “skip laurel.”

Another free-flowerer, ‘Zabeliana’ is a low-growing bloomer that any gardener would enjoy.

Managing Pests and Disease

Cherry laurels do attract wildlife, but most animals don’t give these plants any trouble.

A deer-resistant shrub, P. laurocerasus doesn’t have to deal with many pests and diseases. But the problems that it can suffer from are well worth knowing about.

Proper cultivation leaves plants more capable of dealing with health threats, so be sure to grow your cherry laurels properly!

Insects

Bugs aren’t the most sterile of creatures, as they can easily vector diseases while they feed. But that’s the great thing about proper pest management – it can also help to prevent disease!

Peach Tree Borers

Also known as Synanthedon exitiosa, peach tree borers primarily attack species of Prunus in the landscape, cherry laurels in particular.

The wasp-like adults are a steel blue to black in hue, while the larvae have white to pinkish to light brown bodies and darker-colored heads.

After the female adults mate and lay their eggs in summer beneath the bark at plant bases, the larvae hatch and bore their way up into the shrub, leaving reddish-brown frass in their wake.

This feeding continues all the way through fall and winter into spring. Come summer, the larvae pupate into adults, and the cycle continues.

Bored-through tunnels often exhibit gummosis, or an oozing of thick, jelly-like sap.

These tunnels can damage the vascular tissues of the plant, leading to wilt and leaf chlorosis. Young plants can be girdled and killed, while older specimens can usually sustain moderate infestations.

It’s important that you prune and destroy infested branches when you happen to notice them.

If there are only a few larvae present, you can dig them out with a sharp blade or kill them with a wire poked through the feeding tunnels.

White Prunicola Scale

A species of armored scale, Pseudaulacaspis prunicola can be found on the twig and branch bark of infested specimens all year long.

These circular white scale insects puncture and extract vital plant fluids with their piercing-sucking mouthparts, which can cause chlorosis, leaf drop, and stunted growth. If infestations are heavy enough, entire branches could die.

Necrotic branches should be pruned and destroyed. More moderate infestations can be swept off of infested plant surfaces using a brush.

Cherry Shot-Hole Disease

Are the leaves of your Prunus species exhibiting round, tiny holes about an eighth of an inch in diameter? If so, you may be dealing with cherry shot-hole disease.

Often caused by the fungus Blumeriella jaapii or the bacterium Xanthomonas pruni, cherry shot-hole disease is prone to occuring in warm and wet springtime conditions.

Symptoms start with brown to reddish-brown leaf spots, which later drop out of the foliage and leave holes behind.

This is mostly a cosmetic issue, and one that’s quickly hidden by the growth of new leaves. But photosynthesis will definitely be hindered some, leading to reduced growth and vigor.

You won’t usually need to do much besides promptly pruning out afflicted leaves and raking up fallen ones – your specimens should recover in time.

You could also improve airflow by pruning the crown, if you desire.

Root Rot

Ah, root rot: the bane of many moisture-loving plants.

Although the roots of cherry laurel love themselves some soil moistness, they also need oxygen.

But when the roots are chronically deprived of O2 thanks to oversaturated soils, they can suffocate and die. And don’t even get me started on the pathogens that overly-wet conditions could encourage!

These rotted roots can cause all sorts of issues above the soil line, from chlorosis to necrosis.

The best way to avoid this problem is to prevent it entirely, so make sure you don’t overwater, and provide well-draining soils!

Best Uses

As you can imagine, the aesthetic gifts of a cherry laurel lend this shrub to many landscaping applications.

Its dense foliage makes the shrub a fantastic screen, hedge, or foundation planting. Whether placed together in a grouping or alone as a specimen, P. laurocerasus isn’t picky.

The flowers can attract many pollinating insects to your landscape, while the fruits can draw beautiful birds to feed from and nest within the plant.

And I’ve even heard that the leaves make a solid leafy backdrop for floral arrangements, if that’s your thing.