Category: Home & Garden

May can be a challenging time in the flower garden. After the fireworks of the spring bulb displays, which need little in the way of a supporting act, only the earliest perennials are usually in flower. The intense purples of honesty (Lunaria annua) and sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis), the delicate flowers of the Geranium phaeum varieties, and a smattering of alliums add much needed color. But spring umbellifers can help unite these early blooms and sometimes provide a punchy moment in the borders, too. Here are some of our favorites.

Today we’re visiting with Suzanne Pearce in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

My husband, Bruce, and I submitted photos to GPOD in 2021 (Spring in British Columbia). At the time I did not include photos of our lower garden, so here are a few. Bruce passed away on May 30 last year, and I find that the garden certainly eases the ensuing grief.

In addition to beautiful plants, the garden boasts this absolutely stunning view.

In these four different views of the lower garden walkway, the bright blue footbridge serves as a highlight.

Pink garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8) shows off in the garden with tall, fragrant, butterfly-attracting flowers.

Bearded irises come in a bewildering array of colors, but it’s hard to beat the beauty of this clear blue one (Iris hybrid, Zones 3–8).

These oriental poppies (Papaver orientale, Zones 3–8) have huge, brilliantly colored flowers.

More views from the lower garden include garden phlox showing off alongside hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 5–9) and various perennials.

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

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To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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Big Leaf Hydrangeas

Big leaf hydrangea, H. macrophylla, is a large species that encompasses three main groups: lace cap, mophead, and mountain.

Lace Cap

Lace caps differ from the classic round ball of flowers that has become synonymous with the word hydrangea.

It has a flattened “corymb” of showy blossoms surrounding a center of small buds. This species is well-suited for USDA Hardiness Zone 6 and above. Here are two you’re sure to love:

1. Cherry Explosion

With H. macrophylla ‘Cherry Explosion’ you get cherry pink/red blossoms surrounding a center of pale pink buds that burst into tiny stars.

They may tend toward lavender in more acidic soil. An excellent choice for containers and borders, this compact beauty reaches two to three feet tall in Zones 4 to 9, where it prefers full sun to part shade.

‘Cherry Explosion’

This shrub is appreciated for being able to tolerate cold. It blooms on both old and new wood, and with deadheading, puts on a showy display from spring into fall, when its leaves darken to burgundy.

It has an average growth rate, and is useful as a tidy, low-profile hedge plant.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

2. Double Delights ‘Wedding Gown’

Part of the H. macrophylla Double Delights™ series, ‘Wedding Gown’ has a flattened “corymb” flower head with a double ring of impressive blossoms surrounding a double-bud center.

Suitable for Zones 5 to 9, it’s a compact two to three feet tall at maturity, making it a suitable candidate for large container gardening.

Double Delights™ ‘Wedding Gown’

This type prefers light shade. It blooms on both old and new growth, so with deadheading, it should bloom from spring through to fall.

Its growth rate is average, and the white color is not affected by soil acidity.

‘Wedding Gown‘ is available from Plants by Mail.

3. Endless Summer ‘Twist-n-Shout’

Endless Summer® ‘Twist-n-Shout,’ aka H. macrophylla ‘PIIHM-I’ is a blue lace cap that tends toward pink in less acidic soil and reaches a medium stature of three to five feet tall.

It’s called “endless” or “reblooming” because it produces flowers on both old and new wood from summer through to frost, facilitated by deadheading.

Endless Summer® ‘Twist-n-Shout’

This type exhibits outstanding heat and cold tolerance in Zones 4 to 9. It likes a bit of sun and grows at an average rate.

Use it as a specimen planting, to create a hedge of moderate height, or in large containers.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

Mophead

The mophead is what most people picture when talking about hydrangeas. They have fluffy balls of blossoms in shades of blue, pink, or purple.

They are pH sensitive and tend to be pinker in alkaline soil and bluer in acidic soil. Flowers bloom on old wood.

This type grows best in Zones 5 to 11. You may need to provide winter protection like burlap, a covering of mulch, or a sheltered location in Zone 5.

Popular varieties include:

4. Big Daddy

With enormous flower clusters that measure from 12 to 14 inches across, H. macrophylla ‘Big Daddy’ is a fast-growing variety that is either pink or blue depending upon soil acidity.

Its mature height is between five and six feet. From early summer to fall, it puts on a show, blooming on both old and new wood, facilitated by deadheading.

‘Big Daddy’

Suited to Zones 6 to 9, this heat-tolerant variety tolerates full sun in cooler regions, and benefits from partial shade in warmer climes.

Consider pruning it like a dwarf tree for a single specimen planting, or mass several for an island of fluffy, pastel color.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

5. Cityline Paris

H. macrophylla Cityline® Paris is one of the Cityline® series of dwarf plants with smaller-stature flowers for Zones 5 to 9. Its color is deep pink/red in alkaline soil and tends toward purple in acidic.

Mature height is just one to two feet, with no pruning necessary.

Cityline® Paris

If you’ve got a city patio, this is your dream container plant. In gardens, it makes a friendly, low-profile hedge or border plant.

This plant grows at an average rate and blooms on old wood from early through late summer. It prefers full to part sun, resists mildew, and tolerates salt.

Plants are available from Burpee.

6. Edgy Hearts

A sweetheart of a compact shrub, H. macrophylla ‘Horheart’ aka Edgy® Hearts features unique pink petals edged with white that resemble hearts and combine to form 10-inch flower heads.

In more acidic soils, they tend toward blue. Both fade to green.

Edgy® Hearts

With a mature height of two to four feet, this is a perfect candidate for containers, hedges, or specimen plantings in Zones 5 to 9.

This type prefers a location with full to part sun, where it can grow at an average rate. Blossoms form on old wood from early to late summer.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

7. Endless Summer ‘The Original’

The first in the Endless Summer® series, this re-blooming type sets buds on both old and new wood for summer to fall flowers.

It likes full sun and exhibits better cold hardiness than many cultivars. This type tops out at a modest three to five feet, for the perfect specimen planting.

Endless Summer® ‘The Original’

This is a pH sensitive variety that may have blossoms that are blue or pink, depending on the soil, in Zones 4 to 9.

It grows at an average rate and benefits from deadheading to prolong blooming.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

8. Everlasting Revolution

Everlasting® Revolution (H. macrophylla ‘Hokomarevo’) features a virtual palette of colors with an antique appearance as flower heads mature to shades of fuchsia pink or violet blue, accented by lime green.

Everlasting® Revolution

Everlasting® series plants bloom on both old and new wood for color from spring to fall.

Deadheading encourages reblooming.

This compact style reaches a petite two to three feet, and is an excellent choice for patio containers, hedging, or small garden specimen plantings.

Grow it in Zones 5 to 9 in a location with full sun to part shade, where it can grow slowly.

Plants are available from Burpee.

9. Everlasting Jade

Another in the Everlasting® series, H. macrophylla ‘Hortmaja’ also has an antique appearance like the cottage garden blossoms of a bygone era.

The flowers start out bright green in spring, fade a bit in summer, and become green with red edges in fall. It’s a petite style that tops out at a mere two to three feet, for a pretty pot specimen or garden edging.

‘Everlasting® Jade’

In Zones 5 to 9, provide a location with full to part sun, and expect growth at an average rate.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

10. Harlequin

The ‘Harlequin’ mophead is an absolute stunner that can be the centerpiece of any perennial flower garden.

Six-inch blooms with pink to lavender florets edged with white bands will ensure that this variety gets center stage. And it does well in part shade, ideal for backyards with large, mature trees.

‘Harlequin’

Harlequins reach three to five feet and grow up to four feet in width. This cultivar does well in Zones 5 to 9 in areas protected from intense full sun.

Find them at Burpee.

11. Nikko

H. macrophylla ‘Nikko’ is a classic “Dutch” blue variety that reaches a height of four to six feet. Blossoms tend toward pink in more alkaline soil.

This fast-growing option is well suited to hedging, mass planting, or specimen display.

‘Nikko’

Best in Zones 6 to 9, this type prefers full sun to part shade.

It blooms on old wood from early to late summer, and its dry blossoms are noted for holding their color well into the fall.

Plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

12. Tilt-A-Swirl

Tilt-A-Swirl®, aka H. macrophylla ‘QUFU’ is a stunning choice for those gardening in Zones 5 to 9. It’s an especially cold-hardy shrub with vivid color and a long growing season.

Two-tone blossoms in eye-catching lime and magenta bloom on both old and new wood for a color-changing show from summer to mid-fall.

Tilt-A-Swirl®

Reaching three to four feet tall at maturity, this is a prime candidate for beds, borders, and containers.

It grows at a slow to average rate and does best with partial shade, because too much sun tends to reduce its color vibrancy.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

Mountain

The mountain type, H. serrata, is actually a different botanical species with smaller lace cap-style flower heads and smaller leaves that mimic the larger big leaf varieties.

It does well in Zones 6 to 9, and even in Zone 5 with winter protection.

One cultivar to consider is:

13. Tiny Tuff Stuff

If you’ve got a small patio, Tiny Tuff Stuff™, aka H. serrata ‘MAKD’ is the one for you. At a maximum height of 18 to 24 inches, this reblooming blue lace cap will have pink blooms instead in more alkaline soil.

It offers noteworthy cold hardiness and blooms on both old and new wood from early to late summer.

Tiny Tuff Stuff™

Suited to Zones 5 to 9, this type requires full to part sun. It grows at an average rate and does not need pruning.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

14. Pink Dynamo

Pink Dynamo™ (H. serrata ‘JPD01’) is a mountain hydrangea suitable for Zones 5 to 9. It’s a lace cap style with three- to six-inch flower heads that thrives in full sun to part shade.

Each flower head consists of a ring of sterile vivid pink florets with white centers, surrounding a flattened center of fertile pink-purple buds that open to miniature pink-white blossoms.

Pink Dynamo

Not pH sensitive, the flower color of this variety is consistent across all soil types.

Pink Dynamo™ is especially cold hardy and blooms on old wood. The foliage is deep green with a burgundy hue.

Topping out at two to three feet, it has an erect, somewhat rounded, and compact growth habit.

This is an excellent choice for the back of a border, a friendly hedge, a specimen planting, or a large container attraction.

You may find it to be a bit leggy, so low plantings in front may show it to best advantage. Bloom time is from late spring through summer.

Find this variety now at Nature Hills Nursery.

Oak Leaf Hydrangeas

The oak leaf species, H. quercifolia, has leaves that resemble those of oak trees and redden in the fall. Flowers are produced on old wood.

It’s native to the US and has white, conical, single or double blossomed flowers that turn pink with age.

It is cold hardy to Zone 5 with winter protection, and performs best in Zones 5 to 9. A few especially nice cultivars are:

15. Gatsby Pink

Known for its ability to thrive in sun or shade, and in soils of various quality, Gatsby Pink®, aka H. quercifolia ‘JoAnn’ is a winner.

Blooming on old growth, it boasts conical clusters of vibrant pink blossoms in summer that deepen in color in fall, when its leaves turn from green to purple and red.

With mature heights from six to eight feet, this stunner looks great in Zones 5 to 9.

Gatsby Pink®

Select a location with full to part sun and expect an average rate of growth.

Consider pruning to a tree-like appearance and using this cultivar to flank a driveway for high visual impact, as well as mass or specimen plantings.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

16. Ruby Slippers

A dwarf oak leaf type, H. quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ has conical blossoms that adorn shrubs of three to four feet tall at maturity. They open white and turn ruby red during early to midsummer.

The foliage deepens to reddish-brown and the bark exfoliates attractively in the fall.

‘Ruby Slippers’

This is a fast-growing variety that requires partial shade and does best in Zones 5 to 9. Too much sun may be counteracted with extra water during dry spells.

In addition, shrubs in Zone 5 may benefit from cold-weather protection, like burlap wraps and mulch, because buds form on old wood.

Plants are available from Burpee.

Panicle Hydrangeas

The panicle kind, H. paniculata, has conical blossom clusters called panicles that start out white and fade to pink. Blossoms form on new wood.

This species grows beautifully in Zones 4 to 8, and possibly Zone 3 with winter protection.

A wide variety of beautiful cultivars are available, including:

17. Berry White

Berry White® (H. paniculata ‘Renba’) sports conical clusters of blossoms that start out white and gradually deepen to dark pink, with a striking two-tone effect during the transition. It’s best suited to Zones 3 to 8.

Colors vary with soil pH and climate, making for interesting hues.

Berry White®

This especially cold, drought, and pollution-tolerant variety blooms on new wood from early summer to mid-fall.

It reaches a height of six to seven feet, for use as a dramatic focal point, individually, or en masse. Provide a location with full sun and anticipate an average rate of growth.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

18. Bobo

Bobo® (H. paniculata ‘ILVOBO’) is a dwarf variety with white, conical flower heads. There are so many, and they are so large, that they make the bush look one giant, fluffy flower.

It reaches a compact height of two to three feet, making it a solid choice for container gardening and low-profile hedging.

Bobo®

This fast grower requires full sun to part shade. It blooms on new wood from midsummer to fall.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

19. First Editions Vanilla Strawberry

From creamy white to pink and red, the cone-shaped blooms of H. paniculata ‘Renhy’ are sure to delight.

They are not pH sensitive and put on an impressive show from summer into fall. And as they fade, they add interest to the early winter garden.

First Editions® ‘Vanilla Strawberry’

At a mature height of six to seven feet tall, this makes an attractive specimen or hedging plant that provides vertical interest.

Provide full sun to part shade for this color-changing attraction.

Plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

20. Little Quick Fire

Little Quick Fire® (H. paniculata ‘SMHPLQF’) is a dwarf variety for Zones 3 to 8 noted for its cold tolerance. Its upright, cone-shaped blossoms start out white and deepen to pink and red.

It’s not pH sensitive, and blooms on new wood from early summer into fall.

Little Quick Fire®

At a modest three to five feet at maturity, this kind offers versatility, performing equally well in large containers, beds, borders, hedges, and mass plantings.

Choose a location with full sun where this fast grower can take off.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

21. Pee Gee

If you’re looking for one of the largest varieties, you’ll love ‘Pee Gee,’ H. paniculata ‘Grandiflora.’ With a mature height of between 10 and 20 feet, you may leave it full, or prune it to form a single-stemmed tree.

It thrives in Zones 3 to 8.

‘Pee Gee’

Select a location with full sun to part shade for this fast-growing giant. You’re sure to love its conical clusters of blossoms that grow on old wood and reach between 12 and 18 inches across.

They start out white and deepen to pink from midsummer into fall, for a gorgeous addition to the landscape.

Plants are available via Nature Hills Nursery.

Smooth Hydrangeas

The smooth type, H. arborescens, produces white “snowballs” that may reach a foot in diameter, and is often called a snowball bush. Flowers grow on new wood.

This species prefers a somewhat sunny location and thrives best in Zones 4 to 9. You can read about growing it here.

Some varieties to consider are:

22. Annabelle

If you remember a hydrangea bush from your childhood, this may be the one.

This is known as the classic “snowball” in my locale, with its white, fluffy flower heads ranging from eight to 12 inches across.

This US native shrub grows well in Zones 3 to 9. It is very cold tolerant.

‘Annabelle’

The best location for this shrub is one with full to part shade.  It flowers on new wood from early summer to fall, and can withstand a good bit of pruning.

The maximum height at maturity is three to five feet, making it a versatile addition to beds, borders, and containers.

Note that it does tend to get a bit floppy and may require staking.

Plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

23. Incrediball

H. arborescens Incrediball® is a series of summer bloomers that boast heavy blossoms up to 12 inches across. It starts out lime green, transitions to white, and then back to green again.

Flowers open on new wood. It has sturdy branches that are not prone to drooping.

Incrediball®

Suited to Zones 4 to 9, this one requires full sun to part shade. It is a US native shrub with an average growth rate.

Plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

24. Invincibelle Limetta

Invincibelle Limetta® is a dwarf stunner in the Invincibelle® series is a summer bloomer that starts out green, turns white, then back to green.

It reaches a petite height of only 30 to 36 inches. Display it in containers or use it to create a friendly hedge.

Invincibelle Limetta®

Cultivate this little lovely in Zones 3 to 9. Choose a location with full sun to part shade. It grows at an average rate.

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

Climbing Hydrangeas

The climbing species, H. anomala subsp. petiolaris, is a slow-growing, long-lived vine that may exceed 50 feet over the years.

Train it along a fence or up a trellis, or let it meander as a unique flowering ground cover.

Fragrant flattish “corymb” flower heads that bloom in June resemble small white lace caps. This species is ideal for Zones 4 to 8.

25. Petiolaris

H. anomala subsp. petiolaris is a vine variety with fragrant white flowers that resemble small lace caps. It is a slow-growing plant that takes several years to flower.

Anticipate at least 30 feet of growth, and plan to provide support. Keep in mind that the vines may leave marks where they cling.

H. petiolaris

This type grows in Zones 4 to 8 and blooms on old wood from late spring to early summer. It benefits from winter protection like burlap and mulch in cold regions.

It grows in full shade, but flowers better with some sun. Some pruning may be required to keep it manageable, and it is somewhat drought tolerant.

Many climbing types are sold without mention of a particular cultivar. They generally have solid green leaves.

Monrovia used to offer a ‘Miranda’ variety that featured variegated green, white, and yellow leaves, but it hasn’t been available for several years.

Plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

Tough, reliable, and easily cultivated, these multistemmed deciduous shrubs or small trees are orderly in growth habit and highly versatile in the landscape.

They’re also long-lived and can grow for over 100 years.

With early, mid-, and late season selections, it’s possible to plant for an extended season that lasts several weeks. And there are even reblooming varieties that flower all summer!

Common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are winter hardy, and typically require a cold winter in USDA Zones 3 to 7 to set flower buds – but there are other species and several newer hybrids which can thrive in the warmer climates of Zones 8 and 9 as well.

The sweet blooms are also highly attractive to important pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, but deer leave mature plants alone.

If your garden needs some trouble-free, fragrant flowering shrubs, join us now for a look at how to grow and care for lilacs.

Here’s what’s coming up:

What Is a Lilac?

Syringa is a genus of flowering shrubs in the olive family Oleaceae, with around 25 species and hundreds of cultivars.

The common lilac, aka English or French lilac, S. vulgaris, is a species native to the rocky slopes and hills of the Balkan Peninsula in eastern Europe, while most other species are native to temperate regions of southeast Asia.

Widely cultivated for its beautiful, perfumed flowers in the spring garden, these deciduous shrubs or small trees generally reach mature heights of three to 20 feet, depending on the cultivar.

However, the Japanese tree lilac (S. reticulata), among the largest species, can grow as tall as 40 feet. You can read all about it in our guide to growing and caring for Japanese tree lilacs.

Plants colonize readily and each year produce several secondary shoots, or suckers, around the base which can eventually form a small thicket if not selectively pruned out.

The large single or double flower panicles bloom in shades of magenta, mauve, purple, rosy-mauve, and white, and there are a few lemon yellow cultivars as well.

Lilacs flower in spring, and there are early, midseason, and late season selections as well as recently introduced reblooming varieties that flower intermittently throughout summer.

The simple leaves are heart-shaped or oval in shades of light to glaucous green.

Cultivation and History

The genus name Syringa comes from a Greek word for tube or pipe, syrinx, thought to reference their pithy but easily hollowed stems.

According to Greek myth, the river nymph Syrinx escaped the attentions of the lusty satyr Pan by turning herself into a bush of hollow reeds (lilac), from which he made his first set of panpipes.

The word lilac comes to us from an old French variation of the Persian lilak or nylac, meaning blue or bluish.

By the 15th century, lilacs had spread west along trade routes through Europe and came to North America with the early colonists. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were known to grow them in their gardens.

Propagation

The easiest ways to propagate lilacs are to transplant suckers from a parent plant, or to root stem cuttings.

The season before transplanting, check that the suckers’ leaves are the same as those on the parent plant.

If they’re not, the parent scion is grafted to rootstock of another variety, and propagated suckers will not be true to the parent.

This is sometimes true of tree form plants, and it was once common to graft lilac with privet rootstock.

You can also propagate lilacs by sowing seed or air layering.

From Suckers

Transplant suckers in late winter or early spring when the plants are still dormant.

Choose healthy, strong suckers at least one year old, with their own roots, and growing a minimum of 24 inches away from the parent shrub.

The further away they are, the less chance there is of damaging the parent when you dig.

Create a planting hole eight inches deep with a 16- to 24-inch diameter.

Amend the soil with a couple shovelfuls of organic matter such as compost and mix well. Stir in a bit of bone meal to aid with healthy root growth.

To lift suckers, use a clean, sharp spade and push straight down about eight to 10 inches out from the stem.

Circle the stem with several cuts, severing the stolon (or runner) where it attaches to the parent plant as you go.

Slide the spade under the root ball and pry gently to lift it out.

Set your sucker inside the prepared hole, carefully spreading the roots on the bottom and setting the crown at the same depth as in its original location.

Backfill with soil and firm in place. Water gently but deeply.

From Softwood Cuttings

Cuttings are a bit less reliable, but propagating new plants with these is still doable. Plan to cut a few more than you’ll need to improve your chances of success.

It’s best to take cuttings in early summer after flowering, and you should avoid using old wood for propagation. Instead, choose new growth that has ripened for at least a month, flexible stems that are about as thick as a pencil.

Take cuttings in the morning when temperatures are cooler and plants are well-hydrated.

Use clean, sharp garden shears to cut four- to six-inch stems just below a leaf node.

Remove the bottom leaves but leave the top cluster in place. To help with rooting, dip the stripped portion of the stem in rooting hormone powder. Shake gently to remove the excess.

Fill a six-inch pot with a starter soil mix and water until it’s moist but not wet.

Insert two or three stems per pot, covering all nodes where leaves have been removed, spacing them evenly and firming them in place.

Place in a warm, bright location out of direct sun, such as on top of a heat mat near a window. Cover with a perforated clear plastic bag to retain humidity. Keep the soil moist but not wet.

Cuttings should root in four to eight weeks, which is indicated with the appearance of new growth.

Once rooted, move pots outdoors to a protected location with bright, indirect light and allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.

Provide rooted stem cuttings with protection against freezing temperatures for their first winter, then plant out the following spring.

From Seed

The most time-consuming method, it will be quite a while before you see blooms on lilacs started from seed. But this can be a fun way for avid growers to develop their own unique varieties.

Immediately after collection from mature plants, sow the fresh seed into small containers with drainage holes, filled with seed-starting mix. Cover lightly, and water well.

Containers can be placed outside in a protected area to cold stratify the seeds. Keep the soil moist, and be on the lookout for seedlings to sprout in the spring.

Via Air Layering

Branches growing near the ground are perfect for starting new plants – but again, this is not the best option if you wish to see quick results, and rooting can take months or even years.

Bend a healthy, pliable branch to the soil and pin it down with a rock, wire, or floral clips. Continue caring for the mature plant as you normally would, and roots will develop where the branch has made contact with the soil.

To speed this process, some growers will wound the branch by scraping the outer bark where it will make contact with the soil, and then dip it in a powdered rooting hormone. Loosening the soil or slightly burying branches that you wish to root can also help to speed things up.

When strong roots develop, clip away the branch, dig it up, and transplant.

How to Grow

Lilacs are best planted in the fall before freezing temperatures arrive, or in early spring after the soil thaws.

They thrive in a full sun location in humus-rich, well-draining, slightly alkaline soil with a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. They can tolerate a little shade but too much results in fewer blooms.

Prepare the planting site by digging a hole the same depth of the root ball and twice as wide.

To enrich the soil, mix in generous amounts of well-rotted compost or aged manure. Add a small handful of bone meal for healthy root growth.

Set the plant in the hole with the crown positioned about an inch above the soil line. Backfill with enriched soil and firm in place.

Most lilacs sold today are not grafted, and this is more common with tree forms. Some gardeners recommend planting grafted specimens with the graft point below the soil to encourage the scion of your selected cultivar to develop roots.

Bare root specimens should be soaked in water for an hour before planting, spreading the roots out in the hole over a small mound of soil before backfilling.

Water deeply, providing one to two inches of water per week throughout the growing season for the first two years in the absence of rain. Mulch can be used around the root zone to retain moisture.

From the third year onwards, water during bud set and flowering, and only when you go without rain for a month or longer otherwise.

For container growth, choose compact or dwarf varieties. Learn more about care and cultivation in our guide to growing lilacs in pots and planters.

Growing Tips

Lilacs are generally low-maintenance, but the following tips can help ensure healthy, floriferous growth:

• Plant in full sun – six to eight hours daily – for the showiest displays.
• Ensure the planting site is well-draining as Syringa doesn’t do well in soggy conditions.
• Each year, allow a few suckers to remain and grow, eventually cycling out old or overgrown stems.
• In areas with mild winters, help plants enter a state of dormancy by withholding water starting in late September. Resume watering again in February.

Along with these growing tips, a little annual maintenance can help to keep them at their best.

Pruning and Maintenance

For their first two years in the garden, fertilize lilacs in early spring with a 5-10-10 NPK formula.

After that, the shrubs generally require only a two- to four-inch layer of organic mulch applied over the root zone in early spring.

In fall, some gardeners broadcast garden lime over the root zone. This helps to maintain a slightly alkaline pH and intensifies flower colors.

Wood ash can also be used to increase alkalinity. But be sure to do a soil test first – there’s no need to supplement naturally alkaline soil.

To direct more energy into bud formation for the following year, deadhead faded flowers as soon as they begin to droop and wilt. But don’t wait too long or you’ll be removing next year’s nascent buds.

For annual maintenance, prune to size or thin shrubs as needed to improve airflow by cutting back branches right after flowering, using clean, sharp garden shears.

Cut back at a 45-degree angle, cutting just above an outward facing leaf bud.

Also, remove most suckers when you see them by cutting just below the soil level.

As shrubs mature, it’s a good idea to select and allow a few of the strongest and healthiest suckers to continue growing – these will be used to replace old, underperforming stems when needed, and they will begin to produce flowers in two to three years.

Select suckers that are further away from the parent plant if you can, to avoid root disturbance when you transplant.

To rejuvenate shrubs that have become leggy or those with declining flower production, remove up to one-third of the lankiest stems by cutting right to the ground in early spring while they’re still dormant, selecting canes that are at least two inches in diameter.

Repeat each spring for the next two years.

Species, Hybrids, and Cultivars to Select

With hundreds of selections available, you’re sure to find the right lilac – or several – for your garden!

Here’s a sampling to get you started. And for more ideas, be sure to read our guide to 23 of the best lilac varieties.

Be on the lookout for leaf mining moths, lilac borers, and thrips.

Tiny scale insects may also attack lilacs, and these insects are often confused for cotton-like or waxy growths on branches, leaves, and stems.

If groups of scale are clustered in a single location, prune and destroy the branch where they’re located. Otherwise, spray with neem oil and repeat as needed until plants are problem-free.

These plants may occasionally suffer from blight or armillaria. But the most common disease issue for lilacs is powdery mildew, which is caused by fungal pathogens in high humidity.

The best prevention method is to choose resistant varieties.

Improving air circulation is the best treatment for infected plants. Thin mature plants annually if powdery mildew is a recurring problem in your area.

Best Uses

Lilacs are outstanding as stand-alone specimens anywhere their color and fragrance can be enjoyed.

Plant beside entryways, in foundation plantings, around patios, and under windows to enjoy their scent indoors as well.

Large shrubs also make attractive hedges and privacy screens. And compact or dwarf varieties are excellent for containers and planters or in smaller city and courtyard gardens.

They also make a sweetly scented cut flower and are a staple in cutting gardens.

This fungus can inhibit a who’s who of fungal soil-borne pathogens, including Fusarium (wilts), Rhizoctonia (root rot), Sclerotinia (blight), and Pythium and Phytophthora (damping off).

Trichoderma works best on plants that are not thriving. If your plants are already at their peak, you may not see an effect from adding this microbe.

However, if conditions are suboptimal, yield increases have ranged from 10-20% to as much as 300%.

The guide below describes exactly how this fungus improves plant growth, and provides you with tips on how to best use it.

How Trichoderma Interacts with Plants

Plant Root Colonization

Once in the soil, this fungus colonizes the roots of plants. By growing on the roots and in the rhizosphere, it forms a physical barrier to prevent the growth of fungi that would otherwise cause disease on the plant.

Plants frequently produce chemicals to defend themselves, and Trichoderma is resistant to many of them, which helps it to colonize the roots. And it does this without interfering with other microbes that help the plants, such as mychorrhizae or Rhizobium (bacteria that fix nitrogen).

Biofertilization

Trichoderma can improve plant health even in the absence of pathogens. The fungus grows best in soil that is acidic, and it helps create such an environment by secreting organic acids.

These acids have an additional effect that greatly benefits the plants – they can solubilize phosphates and mineral ions, such as iron, magnesium, and manganese. These means they facilitate dissolving of these minerals, making it easier for the plants to absorb them. Such nutrients are often in short supply in the soil.

The increase in the yield of the plants is greater when the soil is really poor to start with.

Stimulation of Plant Defense Mechanisms

You may not know that plants have immune systems. They are able to sense invasion by pathogens and activate cascades of responses to produce chemicals to protect themselves.

Trichoderma has been shown to be able to activate plant defense responses, which enables the plant to control some infections above the ground, but their effects are not limited to just soil-borne pathogens. An example is Botrytis, a debilitating aboveground fungus that is sometimes controlled using Trichoderma.

How Trichoderma Interacts with Other Microorganisms

Part of what makes Trichoderma such an effective biocontrol agent is that it uses a diversity of mechanisms. That makes it highly difficult for its target organisms to evolve resistance, since they would have to become resistant to a number of different mechanisms simultaneously.

Parasitism of Other Fungi

Trichoderma can directly parasitize other fungi. First, it attaches to them. Then it coils around them and produces structures that can penetrate them. In addition, this fungus produces enzymes that break down the fungal cell walls. This process is known as mycoparasitism, with myco meaning fungi.

Most fungal cell walls contain chitin, and strain T-22 in particular produces large amounts of an enzyme called chitinase that can degrade the cell walls of its opponents.

Trichoderma protects itself from the chitinases it produces.

Antibiotic Production

In addition to physically parasitizing other fungi, Trichoderma can attack them chemically. It does so by producing chemicals that are toxic to the fungi. Some of these compounds are volatile and travel through the air.

The chitinases and antibiotics act synergistically, and affect the target fungus more strongly than the production of either one alone.

Competition

The soil is a fiercely competitive place, and microbes most commonly die by starvation. Trichoderma is unusually skilled at taking up nutrients from the soil compared to other organisms.

It can derive energy from complex compounds, like chitin from fungi or cellulose from plants, that are difficult for other organisms to break down.

One compound that is typically scarce in the soil is iron. Some strains of Trichoderma produce specialized compounds called siderophores that bind with iron and make it unavailable to other fungi, totally inhibiting their growth.

The Global Biocontrol Fungus

Trichoderma species are found in most types of soil around the world, and control other fungi in the soil using a variety of mechanisms. These range from direct parasitism to the production of antibiotics.

Fifteen years of research at Cornell University produced the powerhouse Trichoderma harzianum strain T-22, which can be used on an immense array of crops.

Renowned for its prolific harvests, zucchini is a beautiful and delicious vegetable that’s usually easily cultivated – but blossom-end rot can quickly turn your zucchini dreams into disappointments!

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Blossom-end rot is a disorder typified by fruit that softens and decays on the blossom edge, first turning yellow then brown and black as it progresses.

This ailment is most often associated with growing tomatoes, but it’s a common problem with eggplant, peppers, and summer squash as well.

The cause is a lack of calcium.

And counterintuitively, the solution isn’t to add more calcium to your soil because it probably has plenty already.

No, the main culprit is poor irrigation. This can be further complicated by overfertilizing and/or misuse of supplements, like Epsom salts.

Happily, this disorder is quickly solved with some basic maintenance, such as correcting the soil pH, proper fertilizing practices, and regular, deep watering.

So if you’re ready for an abundant harvest this year, let’s dig into the causes and treatment options for zucchini blossom-end rot.

Here’s what you’ll find up ahead in this guide:

Blossom-End Rot Basics

Blossom-end rot starts as a deterioration in cell walls that makes the flesh above the blossom soft and discolored.

The scientific name, apical necrosis, says it all…

“Apical” refers to an apex, or the blossom end. And “necrosis” means the localized death of living tissue.

As the rot progresses, the tissue dies, starting with the lower two to four inches of the fruit. It turns yellow, then brown or black, and takes on a soft, mushy texture.

Quite often, the remaining piece of an infected fruit looks good and you might be tempted to trim out the bad to use the rest. Unfortunately, the fragrance, taste, and texture are often significantly diminished and affected pieces should be discarded.

While throwing away your veggies is hard, the good news is that your plant can be saved and rejuvenated to produce healthy new fruit.

As mentioned, a lack of calcium is the cause of cell breakdown and it’s usually not due to soil deficiencies. The real problem is poor irrigation.

Here’s how it plays out.

Water, Soil, and Calcium

Healthy soils contain the three primary plant nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – as well as important secondary macronutrients including calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

Calcium, as calcium pectate, is needed for building cell walls in fruits. The calcium and pectin combine to form salts that keep the cell walls turgid, or sturdy and rigid.

When calcium is deficient, new growth at the tips of leaves, roots, and shoots is negatively impacted, with visually apparent distortions in growth.

Most soils naturally contain ample calcium, but for plants to benefit, it first needs to be absorbed from the soil by the roots and transported to other plant tissues via the xylem.

If the water supply is scarce or spotty, calcium can’t be drawn from the soil, which results in cell breakdown.

Because the blossom edge is the furthest extremity from the roots, it’s the last to receive nutrient-laden water, and the first to suffer when it’s lacking.

And due to zucchini’s large root system, with a generous taproot that grows as long as three feet, deep and regular watering is crucial for healthy plants and fruit.

If you’re unsure about the mineral composition of your soil, have your garden soil tested.

Should your soil be deficient, gypsum (calcium sulfate) or calcium chloride can be used to raise calcium levels without altering the soil’s pH.

Fertilizing Needs

For the fruit to receive adequate overall nutrition, it’s important for plants to grow in fertile soil with plenty of organic matter such as compost or well-aged manure.

After planting, feed with a balanced, all-purpose formula such as 10-10-10 NPK.

Avoid fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, which inhibits the uptake of calcium and produces ample foliage but reduces fruit production.

Use a liquid or water-based product applied monthly during the growing season, or scatter slow-release pellets at planting time and again in midsummer.

Burpee Enhanced Organic All-Purpose Plant Food

Burpee’s Enhanced Organic All-Purpose Plant Food has a formula of 5-5-5 NPK and lasts for up to three months. Four-pound bags are available from Burpee.

Also, avoid using products like Epsom salts when planting – it doesn’t cure blossom-end rot and may actually exacerbate it.

Epsom salts, or magnesium sulfate, contain no calcium, and excess amounts of magnesium in the soil also inhibits calcium uptake.

To find out more about their feeding habits, be sure to read our guide to fertilizing zucchini plants.

PH Levels

Zucchini grows best in organically rich, fertile soil with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

Use a soil pH meter to determine if your soil is acidic or basic.

If it’s too acidic, or reads below 6.0 on your meter, sweeten the soil with garden lime, also known as limestone or calcium carbonate.

It takes approximately three to five ounces of lime per square yard to raise acidic soil levels, depending on the soil’s composition and texture.

If the soil is too alkaline (basic) or above 7.5, work in garden sulfur before the planting season.

Follow the package instructions for the correct amounts, usually around six to eight ounces per square yard depending on the soil structure.

Soil Moisture, pH, and Light Meter

This 3-in-1 meter can be used to quickly test pH and moisture levels, and is available at Home Depot.

Water Requirements

Maintaining regular watering and consistent soil moisture is imperative for preventing blossom-end rot.

This is because water is the key to making nutrients like calcium available to the roots. And it’s also needed for the process of transporting them via the xylem to where they’re needed.

Zucchini performs best in soil that’s consistently moist but not wet, and it needs to be well-draining. In overly wet or waterlogged soil, plants can develop other problems like root rot.

To get the lowdown on how to manage other common summer squash issues, check out this guide to troubleshoot 11 potential zucchini problems.

If you need to improve your soil’s drainage, raised beds are a good option to keep water moving freely and they give sprawling plants plenty of room to spread.

Or, at planting time, you can mix in a couple of shovelfuls of gritty material into your soil.

Materials such as landscape sand, pea gravel, perlite, or stone chips help to keep the soil porous, reduce compaction, and allow water to percolate evenly throughout the medium.

For healthy fruit, ensure even moisture levels and water regularly during dry weather, providing one to two inches of water per week.

Water plants deeply and uniformly to ensure that all the roots receive the water needed to transfer and transport calcium from the soil.

Avoid overhead watering to minimize the spread of unwanted pathogens and use a soaker hose or drip irrigation for easy, effective watering.

Add a timer for convenience and regular applications, then watch your blossom-end rot problems disappear!

Digital Hose Timer

This digital hose timer from Rain Bird is an easy and popular choice that can be programmed for seven days – you can find one at Home Depot.

Growing Tips

Keep the following tips in mind for producing plentiful harvests:

• Plant crops in humus-rich and well-draining soil.
• Irrigate regularly to maintain uniform soil moisture.
• Provide plants with a summer mulch of chipped bark, leaves, newspaper, or straw to help retain moisture in the root zone.
• Feed regularly to ensure growing plants receive adequate nutrients.
• Another cause for underdeveloped or decaying fruits is poor pollination. Let’s look at what happens in this scenario.

Check out our complete guide to growing zucchini for more information.

Maybe It’s Poor Pollination

Summer squash plants produce both male and female flowers, and for squash fruit to fully develop, pollinators need to transfer pollen from the male flowers to the female ones.

If the female flowers don’t receive adequate pollination, fruits begin to grow and then suddenly wrinkle up and die or drop from the vine, which is known as fruit abortion.

Cool, rainy weather is often responsible for poor pollination because it inhibits pollinator activity.

If your plants are suffering from poor pollination, you can wait for dry weather to arrive to improve pollinator numbers or you can pollinate plants by hand.

There are two easy ways to hand-pollinate:

The first is to take a male flower and strip away the pretty yellow petals, then push the stamens into the female flower, gently swirling the male flower to deposit pollen on the female’s pistil.

The other method is to use a small, soft-bristled artist’s paintbrush. If you have none at home, pick up inexpensive, natural bristle art brushes at your local dollar store.

Pollinating with a small paintbrush is the preferred method as it’s the gentlest and causes no damage to plants.

Use the brush tip to carefully collect pollen from the male’s stamen then transfer it to the female’s pistil. Repeat every other day over the course of a week to be certain of successful pollen transfer.

To ensure there are ample pollinators to do the job naturally, plant flowering companions with your zucchini.

Good flowering companions include alyssum, beans, borage, dill, marigolds, mint, nasturtiums, oregano, peas, and rosemary.

Plump, Perfect Fruits

For copious amounts of plump, perfect fruits, you need healthy plants – and problems like blossom-end rot must be eradicated!

Use a balanced fertilizer to feed plants, and provide them with an acceptable soil pH.

Then water regularly and deeply to ensure your plants receive the calcium needed for healthy, strong fruit production.

Have your plants suffered from zucchini blossom-end rot in the past? Feel free to use the comments section to share any questions you might have.

And for even more success in the zucchini patch, be sure to read these articles next:

Statice blooms are easy to grow, attract beneficial pollinators, and are known for their long-lasting and colorful blooms. If you live in a mild-winter area, it may even become a short-lived perennial. In addition, statice is on many florists’ lists of favorite filler flowers. In this blog, I’ll guide you through how to grow statice from seed all the way to harvesting and using the cut flowers. Let’s get started!

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Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.

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A Little Bit About Statice Flowers:

The botanical name for statice is Limonium sinuatum, and it is a popular plant in the plumbago family. Statice produces clusters of small, colorful flowers that bloom throughout the summer and fall months.

Statice first forms a large rosette, followed by several thick stems topped with the statice flowers and calyxes.

One of the most attractive features of statice is the long-lasting flowers. The blooms can last for several weeks or even months, depending on the conditions. This makes it a popular choice for cut flower arrangements, dried flower arrangements, and even as a border plant in gardens.

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Starting Statice Seeds Indoors:

Transplanting statice (not direct sowing) is recommended. Statice seeds should be started indoors about 6-8 weeks before the planting date in your area. 

I use statice seeds from Johnnny’s seeds (not sponsored) with excellent results.

Statice seeds typically germinate in 5-14 days at 70°F (21°C).

• To start, sow the seeds in a container with well-draining soil and keep them moist but not soggy.
• Light aids germination; cover statice seeds lightly.
• Place the container in a warm spot with plenty of light.
• Harden off seedlings before planting outdoors. 

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When to Plant Statice Outside:

In cold-winter areas, transplant statice outside on your last frost date. Mild-winter areas often plant statice in the late fall or early spring. 

Dates for planting statice in the low desert of Arizona:
Start statice seeds indoors from September – October. 
Plant statice transplants outdoors from mid-October through November. 

Established statice plants are somewhat frost-tolerant.

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How to Plant and Care for Statice as it Grows:

Choose a location with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight and rich, well-draining soil. Amend the planting area with compost if desired. Space the plants 12″-18″ (30-45 cm) apart, and water them lightly after planting.

If using square foot gardening, plant one statice per square.

Statice plants require minimal care once established. Water them deeply every 7-10 days, and ensure the soil is evenly moist but not saturated. Fertilize occasionally with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer meant for flowers. If you aren’t harvesting flowers for cut flowers, deadhead them to encourage new blooms. 

Statice plants grow 24″-30″ (60-76 cm) tall and usually don’t require staking.

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Harvesting Statice for Cut Flowers:

Harvest statice blooms for cut flowers once they are fully formed and have reached their vibrant color. Cut the flower stems at the base of the plant and remove any leaves or small branches.

Arrange the flowers in a vase with fresh water; they’ll last for weeks.

Statice flowers are perfect for drying and using as dried flowers. The papery texture of statice becomes more pronounced when dried.

To dry statice stems:

• Gather the stems into small bunches.
• Tie stems together with string, a rubber band, or floral wire.
• Hang upside down, allowing adequate spacing between bunches.
• Drying time varies due to the length of stems and conditions. Decrease drying time by increasing temperature or adding air movement with a fan.

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How to Use Statice Flowers in Arrangements:

Statice blooms look beautiful alone or when paired with other flowers in a bouquet or arrangement. They add a pop of color and texture to floral designs and are perfect for adding height and structure. Statice flowers can also be used in wreaths and dried arrangements.

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How Long Does Statice Last in the Garden?

Although usually grown as an annual, statice plants can last several seasons in the garden in mild-winter climates. The most abundant blooms will be from early spring through summer. 

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Learning how to grow statice is a fun and rewarding gardening project. From planting seeds indoors to harvesting cut flowers, statice is a low-maintenance plant that adds color and beauty to any garden bed or floral arrangement. Happy gardening!

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If this post about how to grow statice from seed was helpful, please share it:

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Bamboo has to be close to being the world’s most useful plant:

Good for building, good for fishing poles, good for fences, good for support stakes, good to eat, good for burning in a rocket stove, good for curtain rods, good for making mats, good for almost everything.

Yet people hate it.

I don’t get the people that are so scared of “invasive” plants. That fast-growing tendency means you get higher yields faster. Maybe you want lame plants that take like 10 years to grow. I don’t. I want fast production of useable material!

Bamboo is the bomb.

Share this post!

Salsola soda

There are foods that you get a single bite of, and you just know you’d be willing to do anything for more. Agretti was one such vegetable for me.

I first had it lightly tossed in olive oil, sea salt, and lemon as a side dish at an Italian restaurant.

I wasn’t even done with my meal before I was thinking about the next opportunity to get my teeth on it again.

I know, not very “living in the moment” of me, but I was hooked and I needed my next fix.

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This led me on a journey to find seedlings I could purchase, which proved to be impossible in my area.

Later, I learned how to germinate the seeds so I could have all the agretti I wanted, but not before discovering some excellent alternatives, such as samphire – another vegetable that I would eat every single day if I could.

Now, I still dream about my next chance to eat agretti, but that opportunity is usually later that same day after I go grab a bunch out of my garden, rather than having to search far and wide while waiting weeks or months.

If you’re looking to grow this plant, no doubt you’ve been bitten by the agretti bug, too. Welcome!

Growing it is much easier than you might expect, though there are a few things you need to get right to succeed.

This guide will explain all that and more. Here’s what to expect:

Looking to become your own personal agretti source? I totally feel you.

What Is Agretti?

Salsola soda, opposite-leaved saltwort, opposite-leaved Russian thistle, barba di frate, monk’s beard, roscano, lischi, barilla plant, glasswort, land seaweed… Whatever you call agretti, it’s one unique plant.

By the way, lots of other plants go by the name saltwort, so don’t confuse them. The suffix “wort” simply means plant, so any plant that thrives in salty environments may be labeled as saltwort.

The samphire I mentioned above, for example, are plants in the Salicornia genus, which can all be called saltworts. Really, any species in the Salsola, Sarcocornia, Suaeda, or Tecticornia genera can go by the name, so be sure to check the botanical name to be sure before you buy.

You can find S. soda across the globe, though it originated in parts of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Now, it has naturalized in most coastal parts of Europe, as well as the Pacific coast in North and South America.

In some areas with brackish water, it’s even considered to be potentially a nuisance or invasive. If only it were invasive in my yard… (I kid, I kid!)

On the east coast of North America, you’ll usually find its close relative S. kali instead.

The more drought-tolerant Russian thistle was introduced in the late 1800s and has also spread across the western US, becoming extremely invasive in desert regions where other plants can’t compete.

S. soda grows to about two and a half feet tall with a central stalk and opposite leaves that look a bit like fleshy rosemary leaves.

It forms small yellow flowers in the summer at the base of the leaves, which give way to fruit after successful pollination. The fruits that contain the seeds are buoyant in water, so they float along until they find a new spot to set up shop.

Cultivated plants have much longer leaves than wild ones, which tend to be short and stumpy.

You can let this plant do its thing in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, but those in Zones 7 and below will need to grow it as an annual.

Cultivation and History

This plant – which, in case you haven’t already gotten the hint, I’m a huge fan of – is popular in Italian and Spanish cuisine, and it’s commonly cultivated or foraged there.

People in Japan caught onto the fantasticalitude (definitely a real word) of this plant’s near relative S. komarovii, and it’s a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine.

Brits recently caught onto the joy after chef Jamie Oliver sang the praises of S. soda. The rest of the world? They’re still mostly waiting to catch onto Salsola. And they’re missing out.

Why isn’t it more appreciated elsewhere? This plant first became popular in Spain and Italy, where it was cultivated, burned, and refined to make soda ash.

The alkali soda ash was a key element in making stuff like glass and soap, so they needed a lot of it, and agretti fit the bill.

The saltier the soil the plant grew in, the more sodium in the plant, and sodium bicarbonate is what artisans and soapmakers were after.

In the early 1800s, we figured out different ways to make soda ash, and thank goodness, because that’s when the plant started becoming a popular part of cuisine in the area where it was cultivated.

S. soda is still cultivated all over the place in Spain and Italy today, but not so much elsewhere. Unless you grow your own!

Propagation

If you live in Italy, Spain, or Portugal, you might be able to find seedlings at the store. Otherwise, you’ll probably have a hard time. But no matter!

You can propagate agretti from seed, even if you don’t have a salty marsh for the seeds to float around in.

Or, if you have a friend growing this marvelous veggie already, you can divide some of their plants.

From Seed

Agretti seeds are a bit of a challenge to start.

The catch is that the plants need cool weather to grow well, and the seeds don’t stay viable long enough to be sown in the fall, so they must be started in the spring.

If you live in a region with short or hot springs, you’ll need to start the seeds indoors.

Germination rates are low and only about half of the seeds you sow will germinate.

The solution? Just sow twice as many as you need. If you end up with more seedlings than you need, you can toss the extras out. Or call me, and I’ll generously take them off your hands.

Sow seeds in place after the last projected frost date but when there are at least 50 days ahead with temperatures under 75°F or so. If you don’t have 50 days of springtime weather above freezing but below 75°F, start seeds indoors to get a head start.

Either way, the seeds should be sown about a quarter-inch deep. Water carefully so you don’t disturb the seeds.

Sow them in cells filled with seed-starting mix, and add a few seeds per cell. Thin them out to one or two seedlings per cell after they germinate.

Place the containers under grow lights for at least eight hours per day and keep the soil consistently moist.

I’m a huge fan of CowPots because they’re biodegradable and made out of waste, so they have a low impact on the environment.

They also reduce the risk of transplant shock because you don’t need to remove the seedlings from their containers to transplant, you just put the container straight in the ground.

CowPots Biodegradable Pots

Arbico Organics sells six-cell trays in packs of three, 50, and 120.

Assuming you did everything right, within one to three weeks (depending on the light and temperature), you should start seeing sprouts. 

From Divisions

After a few years of growth, these plants tend to spread. You can dig up some of the clumps and replant them.

To do that, take a spade and force it directly down into the clump. Lift the spade back out and dig down on the sides of the plant, about an inch out from the drip line.

Stick the spade back into the first slice that you made and use the leverage to work the clump out.

Replant as you would a seedling.

Transplanting

Whether you start seedlings indoors or manage to find some at a nursery, the process for transplanting is pretty straightforward.

If you don’t have loose, rich soil, fix sand or clay by working well-rotted compost in six inches down. Dig a hole twice as wide as the growing pot and gently remove the seedling if it’s not biodegradable.

Set the seedling in the hole and fill in around it with some of that amended soil.

Plants should be placed eight inches apart. Water well so the soil feels like a well wrung-out sponge and keep it that moist at all times.

How to Grow

Agretti grows along the coastline in brackish water, but that doesn’t mean you need to move to the seashore to grow this delicious plant. Though, if you decide to, I don’t blame you one bit…

Marvelous old monk’s beard can grow perfectly well in your garden with fresh water.

As you might imagine, it’s tolerant of overwatering, but it can also handle some drought. However, with drought periods, the leaves tend to grow shorter and more bitter.

Try to aim for something right in the middle. Keep the soil consistently moist but not wet. As a general rule, be extra careful not to water the leaves of these plants. Water at the soil level.

Agretti isn’t particularly prone to diseases, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry by introducing too much moisture to the foliage or splashing the leaves, right?

Agretti loves the sun. Let it bask in at least six hours per day, more if it’s available.

Some plants, like nightshades in the Solanaceae family, grow better next to agretti. That’s because monk’s beard sucks up sodium from the soil.

Plant them together, and then whip up a side dish of agretti, tomatoes, and chilis once everything is ripe.

There’s no need to fertilize your plants and it’s best to keep the soil somewhat neutral. But really, a pH within the range of 6.0 to 8.0 is fine.

Agretti grows well with other moisture-loving plants, such as asparagus, celery, watercress, peppers, and most brassicas, including cabbage.

Avoid herbs and veggies that like it dry. Sage and agretti will never be best friends.

Growing Tips

• Plant in full sun.
• Keep the soil moist and water at soil level.
• Don’t fertilize plants.

Managing Pests and Disease

Honestly, if this delicious wonder was difficult to grow, I’d still grow it. I think it’s that delicious. Lucky for me, it’s pretty unbothered by pests and diseases.

Pests

There are just a few common pests that might make a meal of your crop:

Cabbage Loopers

Cabbage loopers (Trichoplusia ni) don’t just feed on cabbage, despite the name.

They like all kinds of herbaceous plants, including agretti. We have a helpful guide that will talk you through identifying and addressing a cabbage looper infestation.

Slugs and Snails

I’ve heard contradictory information about slugs and snails nibbling on agretti.

Some people, including me, say that mollusks don’t care at all about the plant. But others say that slugs will go for the young leaves.

If you find that’s the case, use your go-to slug solution or check out our guide to find tips for managing slugs and snails.

Disease

I’ve never encountered a disease when growing agretti, and no one I know who is growing it has either. It’s pretty resistant to disease, it seems.

It’s possible to drown the plant, though. I know, that seems weird, but Salsola soda grows in areas with loamy soil and moving water. Stagnant water and heavy clay will smother the roots, depriving them of oxygen.

Don’t overwater, and don’t plant in clay soil, and you should be fine.

Harvesting

Snip off the leaves as they grow. They’ll grow back as long as the weather is favorable, and you can have a few more harvests before the end of the growing season.

Usually, you can bring in your first harvest about six weeks after sowing the seeds, when the leaves are about four inches tall.

Once you cut the leaves down, the plant branches, and you get thicker growth for the next time around.

At the end of the year, you can pull the plant up roots and all or just cut it down to a few inches above the ground and wait for it to return the next year.

Or, if you don’t mind missing out on the last harvest of the year, let the plant go to seed. While it doesn’t self-seed aggressively, you’ll probably see a few new plants the following year.

Preserving

If your agretti cup runneth over, you can freeze the leaves.

Just blanch them quickly in boiling water for a minute and then dip them in ice water to stop the cooking process.

Dry the leaves, stuff them in a resealable bag, press out any excess air, and toss them in the freezer.

You can also quick-pickle them by rinsing them, packing them in white wine vinegar, sugar, water, and your favorite spices, and sticking them in the fridge in a jar. They’ll last for weeks this way.

Otherwise, wrap the leaves in a paper towel and stick them in a plastic bag. Store them for up to a week in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. I mean, if they last that long.

At the end of the year, when you do your last harvest, keep the roots attached (as they do in Italy) and wrap them up as described above.

They’ll last for several weeks in the fridge when they have the roots attached.

Recipes and Cooking Ideas

I’ve heard agretti described as tasting somewhat like spinach.

I guess that sort of captures the base flavor, but it’s slightly more bitter with a saltiness that tastes like the ocean, not like something out of a salt cellar.

It’s sort of like a milder seaweed with a more toothsome bite.

So long as you don’t cook it for too long, it has a fleshy, crisp texture that snaps pleasantly between the teeth.

Speaking of cooking, you can eat the young leaves raw, but the older leaves should be cooked briefly. This isn’t a vegetable you need to dress up to make it tasty.

It’s as simple as sauteing it with some olive oil, lemon, and maybe a little salt and pepper, and you’re done.

The leaves are fantastic fried up in an air fryer and dressed with some salt and olive oil. Try agretti instead of popcorn next time you’re watching a movie at home. Trust me, it will be a hit.

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Herbaceous vegetable	Maintenance:	Low
Native to:	Africa, Asia, Europe	Tolerance:	Moving water, drought
Hardiness (USDA Zones):	8-11	Soil Type:	Loamy, (loose, rich)
Bloom Time:	Spring, summer	Soil pH:	6.0-8.0
Exposure:	Full sun	Soil Drainage:	Well-draining
Time to Maturity:	50 days	Attracts:	Bees
Spacing:	8 inches	Companion Planting:	Asparagus, cabbage and other brassicas, celery, peppers, watercress
Planting Depth:	1/4 inch (seeds), same depth as original container (seedlings)	Avoid Planting With:	Lavender, rosemary, sage
Height:	24 inches	Order:	Caryophyllales
Spread:	18 inches	Family:	Amaranthaceae
Water Needs:	Moderate	Genus:	Salsola
Common Pests and Disease:	Cabbage loopers, slugs and snails; root rot	Species:	Soda

Agretti Is Worth its Weight in Gold

Agretti is amazing. My mouth is watering just writing this guide.

I’ve heard it described as difficult to grow from seed, but if you just plan to start twice as many seeds as you think you’ll need, it’s really not much of a challenge at all.

Once you have it going in the garden, your job is basically done.

Now it’s time for the good stuff. Tell me how you like to use your agretti. Do you cook it up simply? Toss it in a stir fry? Nibble it raw? I need the details. Share in the comments so I can try them all.

Looking for some more not-so-common herbs and veggies to add to the mix? Give these guides a read next:

When shopping in the soil section or looking for soil ingredients, you may become confused about the difference between sphagnum vs peat moss. They’re not one and the same! Let me set the record straight and break down the differences and when to use each.

Is Peat Moss the Same as Sphagnum Moss?

Many people will use these terms interchangeably; I’ve certainly been guilty of this. The confusion makes sense since peat moss is often also called sphagnum peat moss. But just that one word of peat means very different things.

Both peat moss and sphagnum come from the same plants. Sphagnum actually refers to the genus of the plants, where there are over 380 species of sphagnum. However, the difference between sphagnum moss vs peat moss is the part of the plant being used.

Sphagnum moss is the top layer of moss, while peat moss is the layer of decomposed moss that’s been compressed.

Let’s break down each a little more!

Sphagnum Moss

Sphagnum moss refers to many different sphagnum species. This moss grows on top of damp soil or a bog, thriving in wet climates. Most commercially harvested moss comes from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland.

The top layer of the moss is harvested, dried, compressed, and then bagged to be sold to us plant lovers. The texture of sphagnum moss is very light and fluffy. It almost feels like a sponge when wet. It can appear as varying shades of green, grey, and brown.

Sphagnum moss can take about 5-6 years to grow, so harvesting must be done carefully to avoid disrupting the surrounding environment.

What do you use sphagnum moss for?

Sphagnum moss is usually sold as either long-fibered or milled. The long-fibre strands is the sphagnum moss in its natural form, while the milled is finely chopped moss. When you hydrate the moss, it greatly expands.

Many people use sphagnum moss for different applications. It’s common for indoor plants, especially aroid plants and orchids. It mimics their naturally moist and airy growing environment.

It’s also commonly used for terrariums, the backing of fresh wreaths, and to line hanging baskets.

Peat Moss

Peat moss is decayed sphagnum moss and other decaying organic materials like surrounding plants, animals, and insects. The peat moss is harvested below the sphagnum moss, going to the deeper layers of those boggy environments.

Peat moss accumulates very slowly, taking upwards of thousands of years to make due to the lack of air to aid with decomposing. It compresses the moss, creating a very light and highly absorbent dirt-like soil amendment.

While a popular ingredient for commercially sold soil, there are many sustainability issues regarding peat. The very slow regeneration process makes it highly unsustainable. The peat moss also comes from highly sensitive ecosystems, and the complicated harvesting process often disrupts the local environment and releases tons of stored carbon.

I dive deeper into why peat isn’t a sustainable option in my soil recipes post if you want to learn more about why I don’t use it in my garden and try some peat-free recipes instead.

What do you use peat moss for?

Peat moss is mostly used for outdoor gardening rather than indoors. It’s often mixed into store-bought blends for both gardening beds and containers.

People love peat moss because it’s excellent at retaining moisture. Since it comes from this spongy moss that grows in wet climates, it helps soil that’s dry and also lacks airflow.

Peat moss is also very acidic, so it can help change your soil’s acidity.

Sphagnum Moss vs Peat Moss

So which one is better for you? Let me break down the main positives and negatives of sphagnum moss vs peat moss.

Sphagnum Moss

• Neutral pH
• Excellent water retention (spongy)
• Great for seed-starting and aroid plants
• Lots of airflow
• Good for propagating
• Doesn’t contain significant nutrients. Must be combined with a material like leca.

Peat Moss

• Inexpensive garden amendment
• Acidic pH. It may require lime for neutralizing.
• High in tannins
• Excellent water retention
• Major sustainability issues
• Needs rehydration or it makes soil stiff when dry.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sphagnum Moss and Peat Moss

More Posts to Read

Don’t let our silly drama scare you off. G. sempervirens is a colorful and beloved vine that is native to the southeastern and south-central United States as well as to Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico with nary a homicide to its name.

Even deer are smart enough to leave this one alone, so you needn’t fear for the lives of your neighborhood foragers.

Climbing 10 to 20 feet up and over fences, trellises, walls, and anything else that gets in its way, this evergreen vine – hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9 – is a favorite for the cheerful color and heady perfume of its inch-long blooms borne on wiry reddish-brown stems.

The appearance of its bright flowers is often taken as a sign that winter is coming to an end.

Homicidal tendencies aside, does this beauty sound like it might bring some much-needed drama to your garden? Here’s what you’ll learn in this article:

Of course, every potential murderer has a list of aliases, and this one is no exception.

Yellow jessamine, Carolina wild woodbine, evening trumpet flower, poor man’s rope, and Carolina jasmine are among the known pseudonyms attached to this plant.

On the scientific side, it might go by Bignonia sempervirens or the misspelled Bigonia sempervirens.

Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist known as the “father of modern taxonomy,” first classified Carolina jessamine as Bignonia sempervirens in 1753.

However, French botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu shook things up in 1789 with the publication of “General Plantarum,” wherein he defined groups of plants differently than Linnaeus had.

This included Jussieu reclassifying Carolina jessamine into his newly created Gelsemium genus.

The other two plants in this three-plant genus include the also-poisonous G. rankinii and G. elegans.

Gelsemium was once classified in the family Loganiaceae but was reclassified into Gelsemiaceae in 1994.

In addition to Gelsemium, the Gelsemiaceae family includes two other genera: Mostuea and Pteleocarpa.

Mostuea consists of nine small flowering shrubs. Two, M. brasiliensis and M. muricata, are native to Brazil, while the others, including M. brunonis and M. adamii, are native to tropical Africa.

Just one plant resides in Pteleocarpa: P. lamponga, a medium-sized tree native to southern Thailand, parts of Malaysia, Sumatra, Singapore, Borneo, and Bangka.

In doing so, the state’s General Assembly said, “It is indigenous to every nook and corner of the State; it is the first premonitor of coming Spring; its fragrance greets us first in the woodland and its delicate flower suggests the pureness of gold; and its perpetual return out of the dead of Winter suggests the lesson of constancy in, loyalty to, and patriotism in the service of the State.”

There you have it: language as flowery as the plant itself.

A 2013 paper by William King, Dr. Leo Pezzementi, Dr. H. Wayne Shew at Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Ala., says that research suggests that the alkaloid chemicals in Carolina jessamine, “when diluted to low enough concentrations, may be effective analgesics (pain relievers), anxiolytics (anxiety reducers), and anti-cancer drugs.”

But more studies are required to confirm the plant’s effectiveness as a medicinal agent, according to the trio.

Plant the seeds in a well-draining growing medium, and place the pots or trays indoors, in a place where they receive bright light throughout the day.

Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate in seven to 10 days, then water twice a week.

If you’ve started your seedlings in the fall, they should be ready to transplant outdoors in the spring, while it’s still cool.

If you start seeds later than fall, you’ll be better off letting them mature in their containers until the next fall before setting them out.

Fill a pot with good drainage with a good-quality growing medium. Insert a pencil into the soil and remove it to create a hole to receive the cutting.

Strip the leaves from the bottom third of your cutting, dip the cutting into powdered rooting hormone, and place the cutting into the hole in the prepared container.

Keep the growing medium evenly moist, in a warm area with indirect light, until the cutting begins to root. This should take about 10 to 12 weeks.

After you see growth, you can reduce waterings a bit. In autumn, feed the plants once a month with one teaspoon of NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer per quart of potting mix. In winter, reduce the quantity of fertilizer to one-half teaspoon.

Keep your new plants in a protected place until early spring, and then transplant outdoors when it’s still cool.

Keep in mind that you may not see newly rooted jessamine cuttings bloom for the first three years.

Layering

Yet another propagation method takes advantage of jessamine’s willingness to put down roots wherever it comes in contact with soil.

In summertime, simply trail a vine along the ground, burying five-inch segments at regular intervals, leaving eight to 10 inches between buried segments. For even better success, administer a small, slanting cut a quarter of the way through the portions of the stem you intend to bury.

Give your layered length of vine some extra water – twice a week.  Once the segments have rooted, cut the mother vine to separate the rooted portions.

Carefully dig up the rooted portions and replant as desired, as described in the seedlings and transplanting section above.

It’s also drought tolerant to an extent, but again will perform much better if watered regularly. And the same can be said for soil. It will survive in poor soil, but is much happier in organically rich soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

Not sure what type of soil you have? Conduct a soil test to understand whether these plants will do well in your soil, or if you need to amend it.

Many years ago, I planted two jessamines in not-good soil (I was younger and dumber then). One of the plants lasted a few years before succumbing; the other lasted many years but never really did much in terms of producing foliage or grand floral displays.

The second one finally bit it this past August when I failed to water it often enough.

Want to see better results than I did the first time around?

Fertilize Carolina jessamine in late spring after the plant flowers. Use a moderate amount of a slow-release balanced fertilizer. Don’t over-fertilize, as this will reduce flowering.

If you’re planting for ground cover, space plants three feet apart; if you’re looking to cover a vertical space, space the plants four to eight feet apart.

Oh, and be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves for the trimming process, as some people experience contact dermatitis from touching the plant. (See? I bet you’ve been so lulled by its charms so far that you forgot it’s also a bit evil.)

If you’re growing jessamine as a ground cover, keep the vines trimmed to about three feet long, but be sure to do the spring trimming only after the bloom period.

Aphids are tiny, sap-sucking insects that may be green, red, brown, yellow, or black. They harm plants by sucking essential fluids from leaves and other plant parts.

Use insecticidal soap to kill these pests, or get rid of minor infestations with a strong spray from a garden hose. See our guide to learn more about controlling aphids in your garden.

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Perennial evergreen vine	Flower / Foliage Color:	Yellow; dark green
Native to:	Southeastern and south-central United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico	Maintenance:	Moderate
Hardiness (USDA Zone):	7-9	Tolerance:	Drought (but plant won’t flower or fill out as much)
Bloom Time / Season:	Early to mid-spring	Water Needs:	Moderate, consistent moisture
Exposure:	Full sun, partial shade	Soil Type:	Organically rich
Time To Maturity:	3 years	Soil pH:	6.0-7.5
Spacing:	Ground cover: 3 feet apart; climbing vine 4-8 feet apart	Soil Drainage:	Well-draining
Planting Depth:	Same as transplant container	Companion Planting:	Swamp jessamine
Height:	10-20 feet	Uses:	Structure ornament, ground cover
Spread:	20-30 feet	Family:	Gelsemiaceae
Growth Rate:	Fast, once established	Genus:	Gelsemium
Attracts:	Butterflies, hummingbirds, other pollinators	Species:	sempervirens
Common Pests:	Aphids	Common Disease:	Leaf spot

Lethal but Lovely

It’s easy to live with this deadly beauty; just don’t eat it. And be sure to warn children against mistaking the attractive blooms for those of honeysuckle.

The spectacular allure provided by these twining vines outweighs the easily avoidable risks associated with growing them.

1. August Moon

A cultivar of H. sieboldiana, ‘August Moon’ has heart-shaped green-gold leaves with rippled margins that fade to yellow in the fall, and white to pale lavender flowers that bloom in the summertime.

I’d like nothing more than to gaze at the colorful foliage of ‘August Moon’ in the daytime, with a good book and a glass of sweet tea at hand, and to be able to marvel at the full Sturgeon Moon when it rises at night. #hostagoals

‘August Moon’

With an average height and spread of 24 by 24 to 36 inches, and a medium growth rate, this cultivar is suited to Zones 4-8.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

2. Blue Mouse Ears

You’d be hard-pressed to find a cuter name than ‘Blue Mouse Ears,’ and this little sweetie lives up to his name with a height and spread of just 6-8 inches, and round blue-green leaves.

He bites back, in a sense, with thick leaves that are resistant to slugs.

And with lavender flowers that are showier than those of some types, rising on scapes up to a foot in height, the hummingbirds and butterflies will be happy to see this little guy.

‘Blue Mouse Ears’

Plant this miniature, clump-forming cultivar as a ground cover in Zones 3-8.

Plants in 4-inch pots and bare root plants are available from Burpee.

3. Color Festival

If you’re tired of solid hues or even bicolors, this tricolor hosta is the answer.

Mostly white leaves or pale yellow-green leaves, with yellow accents and dark green margins, provide colorful interest in the garden. I love the way each leaf of this variegated cultivar is different.

Known for its fragrant pinky-lilac flowers that the hummingbirds will love, with scapes soaring to 24 inches above the ground, ‘Color Festival’ is a drought tolerant variety best suited to Zones 3-8.

‘Color Festival’

With a height and spread on the smaller side of the scale, this type will reach 16-18 inches in height at maturity, with a spread of 12-16 inches.

Live plants or bare roots ready for planting are available from Burpee.

4. Curly Fries

As someone who had never eaten a curly fry until I entered high school and discovered that my cafeteria offered them daily, you better believe I made every effort to make up for lost time, with lots of Heinz ketchup on the side and a smile on my face.

You won’t want to eat these (probably? Young hostas are technically edible and eaten in a variety of styles, most commonly in Japan – just don’t let your pets get to them, since they are toxic to cats and dogs).

But the chartreuse, rippled, narrow leaves that this plant features will add a touch of whimsy to your garden space, whether you feel they’re worthy of their potatoey moniker or not.

‘Curly Fries’

With an arching mounded habit, and lavender flowers in the summertime, this tiny cultivar reaches a height of 6-16 inches and a spread of 12-18 inches. It’s best suited to Zones 3-9.

Plants in 4-inch pots or bare root plants are available for purchase from Burpee.

5. Empress Wu

Burpee claims this is “very possibly the largest hosta you can buy.” And her claim to fame is a height of 3-4 feet with a spread of 5-6 feet. That’s per plant.

‘Empress Wu’ isn’t messing around, and she has a commanding presence.

In fact, the real Empress Wu Zeitan was the only female emperor to rule China, and she reigned long, long ago, during the Tang Dynasty.

Taught to read and write as a child, which was particularly unusual for young girls at the time, she was known for her beauty and joined the royal court as a concubine to Emperor Taizong as a young teenager.

Originally responsible for the royal laundry, she was quickly promoted to the position of secretary to the emperor.

She later married his son, then took control after he died, put her sons in charge, and then took them right back out of charge when she saw fit.

Get it, girl. (Okay, she allegedly also murdered her daughter… her story is complicated, but she fought the man in a truly awesome and historic way.)

But I digress…

Her deeply veined (the plant’s, not the real-life empress’s), glossy green leaves with a tinge of blue when they sprout in the spring are 28 inches long and 25 inches wide, and she sports lavender flowers on short scapes that peek just above the leaves.

‘Empress Wu’

This cultivar has a semi-upright, mounding habit. Give her five years, and she’ll grow to be a giant in Zones 3-9.

Shadowland® ‘Empress Wu’ bare root plants are available from Burpee.

6. First Frost

With leaves that look as if they were kissed by the first frost of winter by the end of the season, this sport of ‘Halcyon’ starts with deep blue leaves with gold, irregular borders that fade to pure white in the fall.

Named the 2010 Hosta of the Year by the American Hosta Growers Association, ‘First Frost’ also features pale lavender flowers that grow on tall 28-inch scapes.

This variety is known for being resistant to pests, with a medium growth rate.

‘First Frost’

At maturity it will reach 12-15 inches in height with a spread of 36 inches, given the conditions that it likes best in Zones 3-9.

Plants in quart-sized containers are available from Nature Hills.

7. Fragrant Bouquet

Bi-colored apple-green leaves edged in white aren’t the only thing to love about this cultivar. Unlike many other varieties, its large lavender to cream-colored flowers are highly fragrant, hence the name.

Pollinators like hummingbirds love these, and ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ will thrive in shaded gardens or areas with morning sun in Zones 4-11.

‘Fragrant Bouquet’

This cultivar reaches 18-24 inches in height at maturity with a spread of 24 inches, and a quick growth rate.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

8. Francee

If you’re a fan of hostas with those classic white-edged leaves, and you thought you had too much sunshine to make this beloved plant work in your space, ‘Francee’ is your friend. And you’re not alone – this is a beloved H. fourtunei cultivar.

A vigorous grower with a mature height and spread of 18 inches by 36-48 inches, ‘Francee’ has dark green and white heart-shaped foliage and tiny trumpet-shaped white to lavender flowers.

She also boasts a mounding habit, and is drought tolerant once established, in Zones 3-8.

‘Francee’

Plants are available from Nature Hills Nursery in #1 containers.

9. Frances Williams

If you’re on the lookout for a giant cultivar to make a splash in your shade garden, this might be it. She’s more diminutive in size than ‘Empress Wu,’ but her story is another one for the ages.

A sport of ‘Elegans,’ this is one of the best-known hosta cultivars.

Named after Frances Rope Williams, one of the first landscape architects to graduate from MIT and a lover of hostas, she wrote about them and helped to connect hosta fans with each other wherever she could. Her work led to the formation of the American Hosta Society.

Williams once discovered a variety that she thought was particularly special at a nursery in Connecticut in 1936. Originally named H. sieboldiana ‘Aureomarginata,’ it was renamed by the famed British gardener George Robinson at Oxford University.

Large green leaves with chartreuse edges that look as if they were painted with watercolors are a standout feature of this cultivar, and they can grow to be over a foot each in either dimension!

Not to mention the height and spread of this plant at maturity – we’re looking at 12-24 inches tall, with a 48 to 60-inch spread.

Give ‘Frances Williams’ plenty of room to grow, and she will stun with white flowers in the summer, and leaves that fade to yellow in the fall.

This plant grows slowly and is best suited to Zones 3-9, perfect for filling in a large empty space in your garden.

Keep an eye out for what’s known as “spring desiccation burn,” a condition known to plague blue-green and gold hostas with large leaves, like this one.

With too much sun exposure combined with high winds and freezing nighttime temperatures in early spring, gold sections lose their pigment, turning clear, drying out, and eventually dying.

‘Frances Williams’

Provide a little extra protection for this and similar cultivars during unexpected springtime cold spells to ensure healthy foliage later in the season.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills.

10. Gold Standard

With large color-changing leaves spanning 8 inches in length and 5 inches across that begin deep chartreuse with mottled green edges and morph to golden yellow and cream through the summer(!), this shade-lover is an excellent option for Zones 3-8.

It does nicely in well-draining containers as a specimen plant, with small, pale lavender flowers in midsummer.

You can expect this popular cultivar to reach a height of 12-24 inches at maturity, with a spread of 3-4 feet.

‘Gold Standard’

As for the growth rate of this type, it’s somewhere down the middle. Standard, even.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

11. Golden Tiara

As if its stunning, tiny, and thin green and gold heart-shaped leaves weren’t enough, ‘Golden Tiara’ is rather unique among hostas as a variety not only known for its profusion of dark lavender flowers, but for its ability to rebloom if it’s deadheaded after the first flush of blossoms.

With a clumping habit and a compact form, this cutie is also tinier in stature, reaching a height of just 6-12 inches at maturity with a spread of 24-36 inches. And it grows quickly, to boot!

‘Golden Tiara’

Plant ‘Golden Tiara’ in Zones 4-8 for best results.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

12. Halcyon

This is one cultivar that I can’t say with certainty that I ever recall seeing in person (I’ve known a lot of hostas in my day, but I’m bad with names, and they have a tendency to mumble).

But its unique hue reminds me of that of the Statue of Liberty, a well-aged green copper patina that some plant marketers apparently choose to describe as “ocean blue.”

Halcyon was also the name of my college yearbook, and my undergraduate studies were filled with halcyon days of sunbathing in courtyards, stopping to smell the nodding blooms in the rose garden, wandering in the woods, and splashing in the creek.

Sometimes I went to class, too.

Apparently, this word is more specifically associated with a period of time around the winter solstice that’s known for calm weather, named after the halcyon bird of Greek mythology who was said to quell the wind and calm the sea.

There’s a lot to unpack there.

Whatever color you see personally when you look at these, or whatever memory you associate it with, there’s no doubt about it – ‘Halcyon’ is truly something special.

With thick, spear-shaped, textured leaves that are purportedly slug resistant, pale lavender flowers known to attract hummingbirds, and a mounding shape reminiscent of a spilling fountain, Nature Hills Nursery claims this is “one of the best hostas available.”

In Zones 4-8 (or 3-8, depending on who you ask), you can expect a mature height of 12-26 inches and a spread of 30-36 inches.

‘Halcyon’

Winner of the Award of Merit granted by the American Hosta Society in 1997 (the second-highest honor awarded by this organization after the Benedict Medal for Garden Performance, named for noted hosta hybridizer Dr. Herb Benedict), this oldie-but-goodie is sometimes described as a vigorous but slow grower, while others claim it has a medium growth rate.

You’ll have to be the judge when you purchase this one for your own garden. Let us know in the comments below how you rate its pace!

Find ‘Halcyon’ plants in #1 containers at Nature Hills Nursery or bare root plants from Burpee.

13. Hudson Bay

I’m not sure whether Henry Hudson caught a glimpse of any hostas during his travels in the early 1600s, before his ship the Discovery was trapped in the ice and his crew mutinied. It doesn’t seem likely.

And that’s a pity, really. Hostas are lovely, after all.

This hybrid cultivar that bears the name of the Hudson Bay adds a stunning touch of ocean blue-green to the garden with tricolor variegated leaves, and cream to lavender colored flowers in early summer.

And you don’t need to be on the Dutch East India Company’s payroll to be able to afford adding a few to your landscape.

‘Hudson Bay’

In Zones 3-9, Shadowland® ‘Hudson Bay’ reaches 24-26 inches in height at maturity, with a spread of 20-26 inches and a mounded habit.

Bare root plants are available from Burpee.

14. June

‘June’ strikes me as the queen of the suburban housewives of the hosta bunch, prim and proper and very put together with a little sparkle that keeps your interest.

Winner of the 2001 American Hosta Growers’ Hosta of the Year award, she’s bright and just a touch dramatic, with variegated lime green and gold leaves with blue-green borders and accents.

That foliage is so impressive, her lavender blooms are almost an afterthought (but of course she thought to put on just the right accessories for your summertime garden party).

‘June’

Diminutive in stature with a height of 6-10 inches, a mature spread of 16-20 inches, and a clumping habit, this medium-paced grower will brighten up those shady garden corners in Zones 4-11.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills.

15. Magic Island

Want to run away to a magic island? We all do, sometimes.

Instead, plant a few of these and you can gaze off into the middle distance while the spiky blue-green edged, creamy yellow leaves of ‘Magic Island’ wave in the breeze. Take a few deep breaths and feel your stress melt away while this cultivar reminds you of sandy beaches and big waves.

There’s a lot of ocean imagery weaving its way throughout these descriptions, and I realize that. But who can resist a sea of blue-green hostas in landlocked Pennsylvania, or wherever you find yourself on a long summer’s afternoon?

The foliage is thick with a cupped shape, and lavender flowers bloom in the summer. This type has an upright mounding habit with thick, slug-resistant leaves.

‘Magic Island’

Best suited to Zones 3-8, ‘Magic Island’ will reach a height of 10-14 inches at maturity with a spread of 16-20 inches.

Plants and bare roots are available from Burpee.

16. Minuteman

During the time of the American Revolutionary War, the Minutemen pledged to take up arms at a moment’s notice, if and when it came to that.

I’d much prefer to guard my garden with more peaceful sentries, ones with heart-shaped, gently cupped green leaves bordered in white.

This is the ‘Minuteman’ for me, and he’ll make a lovely addition to your shady or partial sun beds and borders.

A sport of ‘Francee’ with an appearance similar to ‘Patriot,’ his thick leaves are a darker hue of green.

‘Minuteman’

Pollinators will love his lavender flowers, and slugs will find it tough to munch through his thick leaves. In Zones 3-8, this type reaches a moderate height and spread of 26-30 inches by 20-24 inches.

Plants and bare roots are available from Burpee.

17. Patriot

This particular ‘Patriot’ is not “true blue” but rather features glossy green leaves with large, bright white margins. And it wears its heart on its (s)leaves, so to speak, as this is the shape that they have.

Okay, I might need to go back to the drawing board on that one…

A 1997 winner of the American Hosta Growers’ Hosta of the Year award and a sport of ‘Francee,’ this is another standout.

‘Patriot’

With lavender flowers, a mounding habit, a mature height of 12-22 inches, and a spread of 36-48 inches, ‘Patriot’ thrives in Zones 3-8.

Plants are available in #1 containers from Nature Hills.

18. Regal Splendor

A sport of ‘Krossa Regal,’ this kingly cultivar has a similar habit, with blue-green leaves edged in yellow, and lavender flowers in late summer.

Winner of the 2003 American Hosta Growers’ Hosta of the Year award, it makes a stunning addition to gardens in Zones 3-9.

To bring out and maintain its color, plant in an area with morning sun and afternoon shade.

‘Regal Splendor’

Plants reach 2-3 feet in height with an equal spread at maturity, with a medium growth rate.

Plants in #1 containers are available from Nature Hills.

19. Wide Brim

Green leaves with deep blue-green centers and irregular cream and gold margins are the main feature of this attractive cultivar, with lavender summertime flowers.

But its mounding form and clumping habit make it perfect for growing en masse to fill in wide swaths of your shaded landscape. The foliage fades to yellow in the fall.

Will these leaves remind you of stylish hats strewn across the yard? Hard to say. But if you capture a video of any of the local wildlife trying ‘Wide Brim’ on for size, please send us a clip!

‘Wide Brim’

This cultivar reaches 12-20 inches in height at maturity with a spread of 32-36 inches and a medium growth rate. It’s best suited to Zones 3-8.

Plants are available in #1 containers from Nature Hills.

This hardy perennial grows quickly and easily, has beautiful flowers, and best of all, it can provide a completely free nutrient-rich source of fertilizer which can be used all season long.

See detailed information on how to grow and harvest comfrey here.

Comfrey is a rich source of all three of these macronutrients. It actually has more potassium than composted manure.

Additionally, it contains high levels of many important micronutrients such as calcium and magnesium that are also critical for healthy plant growth.

Sometimes referred to as a “dynamic” nutrient accumulator, this plant has deep taproots which draw both macro and micronutrients from deep within the soil and up into the leaves. These nutrients accumulate in the leaves where they are stored.

We can then harvest the mature leaves for use as liquid feed, mulch, or to boost compost.

Harvest Comfrey Leaves

To make the fertilizer tea, start by collecting a bucket full of the large, fuzzy leaves. I suggest you wear gloves when you harvest them, as the hairs can be a bit irritating to your skin.

When the leaves are at least 2 feet tall, use a garden knife or shears to cut them down to a couple of inches above the soil. Harvest the outer leaves first so the plant can continue growing.

Snip the stems off from the leaves you’ve harvested – it’s the greens you want.

Next, place them in a bin or a bucket, pushing them down firmly. I usually use a simple 5-gallon bucket. You can put a couple of large rocks or bricks on top to weigh them down, and then fill the bucket with water.

You can chop or shred the leaves to speed up the process.

Make sure to always cover the bucket. This will keep away pesky insects, prevent dilution from rainwater, and most importantly, keep your whole garden from stinking!

To make a very strong tea, leave the bucket to steep for a long time. Recommendations are from anywhere in a 3- to 6-week range. Once leaves have broken down into a slurry paste, you will know that the tea is ready.

In a pinch, any amount of time will give you something useful. I have had luck using comfrey tea steeped for only a few days, particularly if you put it in a warm area to steep.

Just sniff around for that telltale stinky aroma, which is a good sign that the leaves are breaking down and the nutrients are being released.

The final product will be a greenish brown liquid and some very nasty, mushy leaves.

How to Use Comfrey Tea Fertilizer

Once you are ready to use the liquid feed, scoop or strain out the decomposing leafy gunk from the bottom of the bucket.

Throw this leafy goo into your compost pile, or use it to side dress other crops such as potatoes and tomatoes.

Before use, you need to dilute the tea with water, as it can be very strong, and end up burning the plants. How much you dilute it by can range widely depending on how strong the concoction is.

The darker the liquid, the more you should dilute it. I have seen recommendations for dilution ranging anywhere from 1:2 to 1:15 parts tea to water.

If you have steeped it for a full 6 weeks and you have a full 5-gallon bucket of liquid, I would recommend a 1:10 ratio, but if you only steeped for a few weeks, 1:4 would likely be fine.

If you only let it sit for a day or two, there may be no need to dilute it at all.

Alternative Methods

You can also try a quick-steep method, which is similar to how you might make tea for drinking. Just pour boiling water over comfrey leaves and let the concoction sit for up to 24 hours. Strain out the foliage and dilute by half prior to using.

Or you can try continuous batch brewing, using a bucket with a nozzle at the bottom. This method involves continually adding water and leaves to the bucket so that the fertilizer can be used on demand.

Every time you want to use some, just lift the nozzle to pour out the desired amount, and then top off the whole thing with more water and leaves to keep it marinating.

Another technique is to drill holes in the bottom of a bucket and place a second bucket underneath it.

Pack foliage in the inner bucket, weigh it down, and cover. After a few weeks, it will decompose into a black goopy mass. Collect the drippings in the bucket below and dilute to about 1:15 parts tea to water.

Closed Loop Gardening

Comfrey is truly one of my all-time favorite plants. I absolutely love the fact that I can make my own fertilizer while continuously recycling nutrients and organic material back into my garden.

Next time your crops, fruits, and flowers are looking a little sad, try giving them a spritz of comfrey tea and see the results for yourself.

Collaborative post

A vibrant and bustling metropolis, the city of Dubai has become a hotspot for local and international investors looking for attractive real estate opportunities. Over the past few decades, Dubai has transformed itself into a world-class destination that’s home to some of the most luxurious and cutting-edge real estate developments found anywhere in the world.

With a strategic location, a growing population, and a stable government and economic environment, Dubai has become one of the most popular cities for international property investment. In this article, we explore some of the key reasons why the Dubai real estate market is so popular with an ever-growing number of international buyers.

Central and accessible location

One of the key reasons why Dubai is such an attractive destination for real estate investment is its strategic location. Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, Dubai is a hub for global trade, commerce, and travel. The city’s central location, along with an award-winning airport and carrier, makes it an ideal destination for both business and leisure travellers. It therefore comes as no surprise that as a result, Dubai has become one of the best connected and most visited cities in the world.

Dubai also has an advanced and constantly improving internal transportation infrastructure. This includes a sophisticated road network, a metro system, and a network of waterways that connect the city to other destinations within the region and beyond.

Stable political and economic settings

Another big reason why Dubai has become a popular among international property investors is its stable political and economic environment. The UAE is one of the most politically stable countries in the region, with a government that has a clear drive and vision for the future of the country.

The city has made significant investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and technology, which has helped drive economic growth and overall development. Furthermore, the UAE has a very diverse and multicultural population, which has helped to create a welcoming and tolerant environment for expats and foreigners.

Tax-free environment

Dubai is also known for its tax-free environment, which is a major attraction for international buyers. The city has no personal income tax or corporate tax, making it an attractive destination for businesses and investors alike. Additionally, the city has a relatively low cost of living compared to other major cities around the world, which has helped to attract many expats and foreign workers.

Luxury lifestyle

Dubai is famous for its hot weather, white sandy beaches, and an array of ultra-luxury residences and hotels. The city is home to some of the most luxurious real estate developments in the world, including the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree that is home to some of the world’s most exclusive villas.

The Dubai real estate market is comprised of a wide range of properties, from luxurious villas and penthouses to stylish apartments and townhouses. It’s a mature market that caters to a diverse range of buyers, from first-time buyers to some of the world’s highest net worth individuals.

Innovative real estate developments

Never a city to do things by halves, Dubai has become well known for its innovative and often record breaking real estate developments. The city is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world, including the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, and the world’s only 7-star hotel, the stunning Burj al Arab. These world-renowned developments have not only transformed the city’s skyline, but have also helped to create new and exciting real estate opportunities for investors. The Dubai real estate market is constantly evolving, with new developments and communities being launched on a regular basis.

Low property transaction costs

The fees associated with buying and selling Dubai real estate are considerably lower than that of most western countries. This is especially true when compared to the transaction costs non-residents are charged in other countries.  The total cost associated with acquiring a property in Dubai is around 6.5% of the total purchase price. The cost of selling is almost not existent. This is a huge benefit for would-be buyers as it not only means their costs are lower, but it also provides a superior level of flexibility to buy and sell quickly and more often.

Return on investment

Along with ultra-low transaction costs, Dubai’s real estate market is also known for providing good rental yields and strong price appreciation. This makes it an attractive investment opportunity for both property investors looking for quick gains, as well as buy to let investors looking to generate passive income. According to recently published data, the average rental yield for apartments in Dubai is around 6.5%. When compared to an average of 3.9% in London and 3.6% in Sydney, it not hard to see why Dubai is such a desirable option.

With so many attributes working in its favour, the current popularity of the Dubai property market shows no signs of changing any time soon. If anything, with a world becoming more and more connected, the appeal of Dubai and everything it offers looks to only be getting stronger.

Today on the GPOD we’ve got photos from Laurel Prothro, gardener at Arrington Vineyards in Nashville, Tennessee.

We just went through an exhausting reset of the hardscape, removing masses of dead laurels after the catastrophic freeze we had earlier in the year. We had to remove our main front and center deodar cedars (Cedrus deodara, Zones 7–8) at the entrance to the Lodge and Cellar Patio. OMG, what a big deal. It was so sad, but we will see now what we come up with.

Pots are lined out for a new planting in front of the saloon at the vineyard.

Those new shrubs are going to look great!

This two-tiered plant by the walk is very cool, and the half-barrel really fits with the look of the vineyard buildings.

Beautiful begonias (Begonia hybrid, Zones 10–12 or as an annual) bring a bit of color to a mostly foliage container planting.

‘Scarlet O’Hara’ peony (Paeonia ‘Scarlet O’Hara’, Zones 4–8) is one of the better peonies for southern climates, where peonies tend to fail.

There is no parking by this beautiful hosta, but you can stop to admire it as you walk by!

An edging of marigolds (Tagetes, annual) provide bright, summer-long, brilliant color to this bed.

In these views around the vineyard, smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens, Zones 3–9) is blooming in so many places with masses of white flowers.

If you want to see more from Laurel, check out her Instagram: @unmasterfulgardener

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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Ivy leaf pelargonium, Pelargonium peltatum

Let’s first clear the air about the ongoing name debate regarding pelargoniums versus geraniums. If you look online, most articles mention the ivy leaf type as a geranium and not a pelargonium. However, I chatted with expert and owner of Geraniaceae Nursery Robin Parer, who has been selling plants in the geranium family for the past 40 years, and according to her, the debate was settled all the way back in 1792. “Botanists proposed a change in name for pelargoniums coming out of South Africa to Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, based on distinguishing floral characteristics that differentiated them from the geraniums growing as wild flowers all over Europe. Geraniums and pelargoniums were seen to have floral characteristics in common but were different enough to be separated into different genera,” she tells me. Robin goes on to share that the gardening public, however, didn’t go along with this nomenclature, and, alas, “here we are 231 years later, still calling pelargoniums by the ‘wrong’ name.”

For me, regardless of this family feud, I adore the ivy leaf types for their classic look, loose habit, and charming flowers. Please keep reading to learn more about ivy leaf pelargoniums.

Photography by Donn Reiners, courtesy of Geraniaceae Nursery.

A handful of flowers color my childhood memories: gardenias (intoxicating scent), fuschias (dangling buds that I use to pop) and, of course, both geraniums and pelargoniums (classic petal power). I learned about the ivy type when I started designing gardens and especially when I began creating container gardens. I truly appreciate them for their variety of colors, which can blend into any color scheme, their ability to weave and politely mingle through other plants, and their knack for spilling over and softening pot edges.

Coming in a dizzying array of colors and sporting five-lobed leaves reminiscent of ivy (hence the common name), these sweethearts have looser inflorescence and a more relaxed habit than zonal varieties. Ivy leaf pelargoniums start showing up in nurseries in the spring, and this is the best time to snatch them up and get them into your garden.  Their fast growth is a plus—buy these plants in 4-inch sizes and they quickly fill a space and start blooming right away.

You can find traditional ivies that have thick fleshy leaves, but they tend to flower less than the trailing types that can have variegated or straight green leaves and single-type flowers. Thanks to collectors, growers, and nurseries, a variety of shapes, sizes, and forms exist. Robin doesn’t grow the latest varieties that you can find in garden centers or nurseries, focusing instead on heirloom varieties. “I am keen on keeping the heirloom plants in cultivation for their wide range of colors, their history, and their general interest. Some of these plants go back to the 19th century.”

Robin grows 124 ivy-leaf varieties and a few of her favorites are:

Pelargonium ‘L’Elegante’ from 1868 with variegated leaves in white green and pink and white flowers.

‘El Gaucho’ from 1945 with light purple double flowers.

‘Balcon Royale’ with red/orange flowers, ‘King of the Balcons’ with pink flowers, and ‘Mini Lilac Cascade’.  Apparently The Balcons are the pelargoniums you see in window boxes throughout Europe, most often as single flowers with five petals in red, white and pink.

‘Sugar Baby’ and ‘Nutmeg Lavender’ are both small and compact.

Cheat Sheet

• Lovely when added to hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers, where their long, cascading habit can show off. Less commonly, they’re planted on the edge of retaining walls.
• The stems and flowers can be delicate so avoid planting these near busy walkways where they can be bumped into and disturbed.
• Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies love to visit the long-blooming flower clusters.
• Mildly toxic to small children, cats, and dogs.
• Perfect plant companions are Campanula, Myers fern, Lomandra and Fuschias.

Here’s what’s ahead in this growing guide:

So, which plants are the most valuable additions to your garden? Let’s find out!

The Best Cultivars to Grow

With so many tempting species and cultivars available, choosing the best seeds for your garden plots may seem impossible. I have found that growing one or two of each of the following provides our meals with a broad range of flavors, textures, and colors:

Butternut

This large peanut-shaped squash can grow rather large, to a foot or more at peak size.

It has tan skin that’s thinner than other varieties, sometimes with lighter stripes going lengthwise down the fruit. Inside, a strikingly bright orange fruit provides a sweet and nutty flavor.

Many recipes that call for sweet potatoes can be interchangeable with this cultivar. I adore it steamed with a little butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.

Read more about growing butternut squash here.

Acorn

This is a smaller squash with a mild, sweet flavor.

Due to the odd folds in the exterior, it can be difficult to get the edible portion out of the peel without wasting any – something important to keep in mind that may influence the way you prepare and serve it.

A three-pound acorn can feed one or two people. Baked in the oven, it’s often served in horizontal slices cut straight across the fruit to show off the pretty scalloped design, or halved and stuffed.

Kabocha

Last year was my first time growing this somewhat ugly breed, also known as a Japanese pumpkin.

With a thicker skin that resembles a rind, it also has quite a few seeds inside. With less edible flesh to work with, you’ll want to set aside some extra space in the garden to grow more of this special squash.

Spaghetti

While almost all squash vines can stretch to cover many square feet, they vary in the number of fruits they can put on. Acorn squash, for example, can produce up to 24 pounds of fruit per vine, while butternut only delivers around six.

If space is limited, it makes sense to choose the most productive plants, and nurture them as well as you can.

The Perfect Plot

Squashes are traditionally grown in hills, or in the last row of the garden, where they can sprawl away from the more well-behaved vegetables.

In my own garden, I also like to locate them near some sort of sturdy structure, such as a livestock paneling fence or other heavy wiring. They will be more likely to latch on to this structure and put the weight of the plant and fruit upon it – instead of crushing your other plants.

You can also choose to locate your hills away from everything else. A lone plant can do very well in a corner of a yard or along the back area of a homestead.

We have actually dedicated a good half-acre to growing nothing but vining plants, including squash, pumpkins, and watermelons!

Wherever you decide to grow yours, just be certain that your plot is within reach of watering, and has access to full sun.

Hills can be created using a hoe or small spade. Create the mound of dirt to be at least 24 inches in diameter, spaced 4-6 feet apart for your bush-type plants. Increase the distance to 8-10 feet for the more traditional vining variety.

For gardeners who pay close attention to the pH of their soil, you can’t go wrong with a range of 5.8-7.0 pH. Squash are hardier than some plants, and if the soil is rich in humus and has good drainage, they should thrive.

One other way to ensure a fruitful fall harvest is to add compost to each hill base. Dig hills 18 inches deep. Then, alternate 6 inches of compost with 6 inches of soil, repeating until the mound reaches your desired height.

This method will provide extra nourishment to plants throughout the very long growing season.

Sowing Smarts

Because they need 70-100 days to mature (depending on the variety and the weather), it may make sense to start your seeds indoors.

It is recommended to start your seeds in peat pots that can go directly into the ground when the weather warms up. This will cause the least amount of stress to new seedlings.

For complete step-by-step instructions, see our guide to starting seeds indoors.

If you choose to start seeds early, do so two to four weeks before the last frost day.

Some growers like to soak their seeds overnight, because it softens the outer seed covering and allows for faster and easier germination.

Seeds should be put in the starting container 1 inch deep and on their sides, with a narrow edge facing up.

A light watering should be done on the first day, and then every two to three days after that. Germination should take place within 7-10 days.

When it’s time to move your darlings out to their hills, remember to plant them at the same level that they have been growing inside. If you bury them too deep or two shallow, you risk killing them.

Most years, I prefer to sow seeds directly into the garden after the last frost. While this means a later harvest for my growing zone, it usually results in stronger plants and a larger harvest. I put two or three seeds into each hill, about one inch into the soil.

Thin to just one plant per hill after germination. Use scissors to snip the spares, rather than pulling.

This is important, since pulling one may disrupt the entangled roots of the neighboring seedlings.

Routine Maintenance for Plants

Once the seedlings are 3-4 inches tall, it’s a good idea to mulch around them. Mulching keeps the weeds down and helps the soil to retain moisture. I like to use a mixture of leaves, recycled cardboard, and commercial much.

Regular watering is needed during the hottest days, especially since these will be growing in full sunlight.

If you see leaves start to wilt at all, it’s imperative to water slow and deep until they perk back up. You can also choose to add fertilizer every two to three weeks.

To avoid a possible powdery mildew attack, keep the water off the leaves and vines. Try to keep the soil moist (like a squeezed out sponge) but not dripping wet.

Soaker hoses are a good option for this type of watering, allowing a hands-off approach for the busy gardener.

An Ounce of Prevention

During every stage of growth, it’s important to keep an eye out for all the pests and diseases that may gravitate toward your vines.

The most important weapon in your arsenal is healthy soil. Squash, like all the cucurbits, have many enemies in the form of insect pests: squash bugs, squash vine borers, striped cucumber beetles, flea beetles, and seed corn maggots.

It’s best to avoid letting these pests get at your vines by using floating row covers.

You can also choose to use your own organic pesticide to keep them under control. Diatomaceous earth is a formidable defense against most pests.

Squash can also be susceptible to diseases such as alternaria leaf spot, septoria leaf spot, black rot, gummy blight, and powdery mildew.

Gardeners have also found success planting radishes around the perimeter of each hill. Many pests that love squash also hate radishes, and radishes are a cheap deterrent. Companion planting at its finest!

Just be sure to skip harvesting these radishes, and allow them to grow tall. If you like, you can harvest the seed pods after they flower, and add them to salads.

Pollination Among the Vines

The first flush of big flowers that open will almost always be males.

If it looks like you have plenty of bees and butterflies around to fertilize your blossoms, it’s okay to harvest some of those blossoms yourself, as they are edible (I’ll cover a little more on this later, so keep reading!).

You can tell the difference between a boy and girl squash by lifting her skirt. A female blossom has a bulge – a potential squash – between the blossom and the stem, just waiting for fertilization. Male blossoms grow on long, thin stems.

In order to grow to full size, the female blossoms must be thoroughly pollinated. If you don’t see plenty of bees dipping in and out of your blossoms, you might want to try a little matchmaking.

How is this done?

The best time to initiate pollination is around midday, when the female blossom is fully open. Follow these steps to give your squash a boost:

1. Peek inside your boy blossoms, looking for a bloom that is so ripe and full of pollen that if you lightly touch it, the pollen will adhere to your fingertip.
2. Gently clip the blossom off, and carefully carry it to the female blossom.
3. Touch the male blossom to the female’s sticky stigma in the center of her blossom.

While this type of hands-on treatment is not usually necessary, this extra step can increase your squash harvest, especially in urban regions where bees and other pollinators may be scarce.

Vine Management

If you’re just learning how to grow these wonderful edibles, you’ll probably start to wonder, “What is all this nonsense about vines taking over the garden?”

I’m here to warn you that they really won’t take off until August – and then you’d better be ready with a plan!

When fruit begins to appear, cut off the vines’ runners. This will encourage the plant to put its energy into growing fruit, not producing more vines.

Squash usually grow two main vines that head off in opposite directions. Each of these vines will produce a secondary vine, which also produces fruit. These secondary vines will also sprout “tertiary” vines that you will want to remove.

To avoid the spread of disease amongst your vines, don’t handle them at all when they are wet.

Be very careful when handling vines at all times, as they can easily crack or break, and root systems can be destroyed from accidental uprooting. Small fruits will need to be protected from impact, as well.

This is also a good time to remove foliage around the fruit if it is blocking the sun. Remove no more than one or two leaves per plant. The vine still needs its leaf system to function productively, so you never want to defoliate your plants more than is necessary.

The Long-Awaited Harvest

Winter squash have very hard skin, but it takes a while for them to fully mature. Leave them on the vine until you can’t press your thumbnail into the skin, which is usually around the time of the first frost.

To remove, simply clip your fruit from the vine and (if weather permits) allow them to cure in the field for one to two weeks.

In areas where the frost is fast-arriving, you won’t have time to do this. Bring your harvest in anyway, and allow them to sunbathe in a sunny location in your home, such as a windowsill, for 2 weeks.

Squash should be stored at 55-61°F in a dry space. Do not wash harvested squash, but simply rub away any loose dirt. Be careful not to handle the stem area, but rather, hold it by the body.

A well-cured, dry, and blemish-free squash can be kept in a cellar or other dark pantry area for three to six months! You can then wash and prepare what you need for eating when you’re ready to enjoy it.

Got too many squash on your hands? This is a wonderful problem to have!

As a mom of six, we rarely have this issue. But we still try to bless our neighbors and friends with extras, especially if they have any blemishes and won’t store well over the winter. Sharing is the best way to use them up quickly.

Luckily, squash is so versatile! It can be boiled, steamed, baked, or roasted. You can freeze it, and you may pressure can it. You can eat it in soup and in casseroles, whole or pureed. And you can make it into an entree, side dish, or even dessert.

If you’re a fan of pumpkin seeds, you’ll be pleased to know that all types of winter squash seeds can be prepared in the same way! They make a protein-packed, crunchy snack for lunchboxes. Don’t forget to use them as an ingredient in trail mixes and granolas, too.

Edible Blossoms

Male squash flowers are a tasty delicacy that you can prepare at home. Just be certain you don’t take too many out of the garden at once. You will typically find that there are far more male blossoms on your plants than females, so your vines can likely spare a few.

Harvest the blossoms at midday, when they are open wide. Snip each stem about an inch away from the flower. Wash gently and well by filling a bowl with cool water, and swirling them in it.

Blossoms can be kept fresh in the refrigerator in a bowl of ice water until you’re ready to use them. Twirl them dry in a salad spinner, or by twisting each one between your fingers, and lay them out to dry on paper towels.

Blossoms are excellent battered and fried, but they also make lovely little purses that you can stuff with just about anything. Here’s one of my favorites, and it’s a super simple recipe: try some minced fresh herbs, a bit of lemon zest, some salt and pepper, and ricotta. So delicious!

Other Recipe Ideas

Winter squash recipes are abundant and filling. They are appropriate to serve at any time of year, but they are especially welcome during the colder months when you’re craving something warm and comforting that will fill you up.

You can stuff winter squash with any number of tasty ingredients, but this recipe for Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apples, Nuts, and Cranberries from our sister site Foodal combines the sweetness of seasonal fruit with the nutty textures we associate with fall and family holidays.

One-pot meals are so appropriate for fall and winter, when you’re ready to fill a casserole dish and fire up the oven, or set up the slow cooker on the counter on a Sunday afternoon. Deliver deep flavors with acorn squash as the star in this Chicken Cassoulet from The Gingered Whisk.

There are many adaptations to this classic treatment of pumpkins, butternut, acorn, and other winter beauties. Customize this recipe for pureed squash from Foodal to please your palate in any number of flavor variations. (It’s not just for Thanksgiving – especially when you grow your own!)

Are you ready to learn how to grow pot marigold? Here’s what I’ll cover:

What Is Calendula?

Pot marigold, Calendula officinalis, also known as calendula or English marigold, is a member of the Asteraceae family, which includes asters, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, and true marigolds.

The blossoms of C. officinalis resemble the true marigold flowers of the Tagetes genus which includes the French marigold, T. patula, and the Mexican (sometimes called African) marigold, T. erecta.

In spite of the common name “pot marigold” C. officinalis is not a true marigold.

This annual herb can grow up to 24 inches tall, depending on the variety, and produces vibrant flowers in shades of orange, yellow, or peachy-pink that bloom from early summer through fall.

In medieval Europe, it was known as “poor man’s saffron,” and was used to add flavor and color to soups and stews. The flowers were blended into soothing salves and stirred into restorative elixirs.

Estimates place its introduction to the United States at the time of the European settlers’ arrival in the 1600s. During the civil war, many doctors carried dried calendula flowers in their medical bags to stop bleeding and help wounds heal.

In addition, this plant is a well-respected “beneficial botanical,” with culinary and medicinal uses.

C. officinalis is on the FDA List of Substances Generally Recognized as Safe, and scientists from around the world have conducted extensive studies, describing its properties as “bioactive and free radical scavenging” and “protective and cytotoxic.”

The flowers contain anti-inflammatory triterpenes and antioxidant flavonoids and are widely used in herbal remedies. They can be infused in oil or in creams and applied topically to wounds and other skin complaints.

Often used to help prevent infection and speed up the healing process, calendula creams and ointments can be applied to everything from burns to cuts, acne to diaper rash.

Dried or fresh flowers can also be made into a soothing tea to alleviate the symptoms of colds and flu.

The flowers have a peppery, slightly tangy flavor, and can be sprinkled on soups and stews, or added to salads for a vibrant pop of color.

Pot marigold’s bright orange pigment can also be used to dye fabric.

Propagation

If you’re looking for a flower that makes a colorful splash in the garden from spring through summer and well into fall, this is the plant for you.

C. officinalis is easy to propagate from seed, or you can pick up nursery starts at your local garden center, to get a jump on the growing season.

From Seed

Pot marigold can be sown directly in the garden in spring after the last frost has passed. Gardeners in Zones 7 to 11 can sow seeds in fall.

Prepare a garden bed by clearing away debris and adding some fresh compost, and then either broadcast seeds or create rows, planting every six inches.

Cover the seeds with quarter to half an inch of soil, tamp down gently, and water thoroughly. Seeds should germinate within a week.

You can thin the seedlings when they have one or two sets of true leaves.

From Seedlings or Transplants

I like to start seeds indoors, so my C. officinalis cultivation is usually underway by late March, in Zone 5.

You can start seeds six to eight weeks before last frost. Prepare seed trays or small containers with a well-draining potting soil and sow quarter-inch deep.

Keep them moist but not waterlogged until germination.

When all danger of frost has passed, and seedlings have at least two sets of true leaves, harden them off by placing them outdoors in a sheltered location for an hour or so per day, gradually increasing the time over the course of a week.

After hardening off, transplant the seedlings or nursery starts outdoors, six to 12 inches apart in a garden bed amended with compost.

Keep transplants moist and weed-free until well established.

How to Grow

Calendula grows best in filtered sun or part shade, and tends to thrive in cooler temperatures.

In warmer areas, be sure to plant it where it will receive some shade in the hottest part of the day – or grow it in pots that you can move around.

Plants prefer organically-rich soil, but will tolerate most soil types, provided it is well-draining.

Keep soil evenly moist, but be careful not to overwater, as they do not like wet feet. Established plants will tolerate some dry spells.

In hot regions, you can apply a layer of mulch around the base of your plants to help retain moisture and keep the soil cool.

As the plants grow, pinch back leggy stems to encourage a bushy growth habit, and deadhead spent blossoms to ensure a continuous display of color throughout the growing season.

Pot marigold is an annual that self-sows readily, so if you don’t deadhead the flowers and your climate is accommodating, you may find that it behaves like a perennial – coming back year after year.

If you want your plants to self-sow, remove spent blossoms sporadically, or not at all, to allow seed to form and scatter naturally.

If you prefer to grow your C. officinalis in containers, select a pot that’s at least six inches deep, with drainage holes in the bottom. Allow six inches between plants, if you are growing more than one, or use multiple pots.

Use a good quality, well-draining potting soil, and remember that containers dry out quicker than garden soil, so you may need to water more frequently.

Slugs

These slithery little pests leave behind a trail of slime as they eat large holes through foliage. When left to their own devices, they can even eat entire leaves.

Mostly a problem in wet weather, slugs can be hand picked in the evening. You can also use beer traps to catch them.

Just dig a cup sized hole and place a cup half filled with beer inside to lure the slugs. Diatomaceous earth can also be sprinkled around the base of plants to deter slugs.

Learn more about how to manage slugs and snails in your garden here.

Whiteflies

These small soft bodied white flies feed on the undersides of leaves. Similar to aphids, whiteflies also produce honeydew, which can encourage mold.

Whiteflies can also be removed with a strong blast of water from a hose.

If an infestation becomes serious, you can also spray a homemade insecticidal soap of water mixed with a few drops of dish soap or use neem oil.

Read more about combating whitefly infestations.

Get a comprehensive list of calendula pests and control measures here.

Disease

Pot marigold isn’t prone to disease, but there are couple that can cause problems.

The main issues you may face include:

Aster yellows

This disease is caused by an organism called a Phytoplasma and is spread by leafhoppers.

It causes stunted leaves and flowers, and ultimately leads to the death of your plant.

Floating row covers or light colored mulches can discourage leafhoppers and reduce the spread of this disease.

There is no cure for aster yellows, so remove and destroy infected plants, do not place them on the compost pile.

You can earn more about aster yellows in this guide.

Calendula Smut

This fungal disease, caused by Entyloma calendulae, affects leaves, creating yellow, brown, and black spots with dark borders.

The thick lesions can be seen on both sides of the foliage.

Water at the base of plants to prevent excess moisture on the flowers and foliage, and remove debris at the end of the growing season to help reduce the risk of fungal spores overwintering in dead plant matter.

Powdery mildew

This fungal disease primarily affects plants in humid weather, and causes a white or grey coating to appear on the surface of leaves, and may cause foliage to curl.

Maintain proper spacing between plants to encourage good air circulation, and prune infected foliage.

Homemade sprays made with vinegar, dish soap and baking soda, or milk can sometimes be effective at controlling powdery mildew on plants.

Harvesting and Preserving

Flowers can be picked continually throughout the season.

You can harvest whole flower heads for use in herbal preparations that soothe and heal, for a refreshing tea, or to use as a tangy garnish.

In midmorning or early afternoon after the dew has dried and flowers are fully open, cut or pluck the flower heads.

If you are not using them immediately, individual petals may be separated, dried, and stored in an airtight container in a dry location.

To dry the petals, spread them on a screen and place in them in a dark, dry location for a few days.

Improperly stored flowers are prone to molding or bleaching. Before use, inspect petals closely for any signs mold, which may develop as the result of moisture buildup, and discard any that are affected.

You can also preserve your flower petals in oil.

To make a calendula-infused oil, chop the dried flowers into small pieces and place in a jar. Cover with olive oil or any carrier oil you prefer, and make sure the flowers are completely submerged.

Place a lid on the jar and store in a dark pantry for four to six weeks, shaking daily. Strain out the flowers and enjoy the oil in cooking, as a massage oil, or use in recipes for herbal salves and creams.

See our guide to making and using calendula oil for more tips.

Recipe Ideas

The petals can be enjoyed raw or cooked and can be used to add color and flavor to any meal.

Sprinkle as a garnish atop salads, cold drinks, or on poultry. Add the flowers to wraps, cook some into your next quiche, or blend in soups and stews.

Calendula tea is deliciously warming, and especially beneficial to relieve the symptoms of lingering colds, sore throats, and infections. Mix with other herbs like echinacea for a real immune system boost!

To make calendula flower tea, infuse three to six grams of fresh or dried flowers in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy!

Be sure to check out our guide, “Common Uses of Calendula (Pot Marigold) Flowers,” for more ideas.

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Annual flowering herb	Flower / Foliage Color:	Shades of orange, red, gold/green
Native to:	Mediterranean region, north Africa, parts of Middle East	Maintenance:	Moderate
Hardiness (USDA Zone):	2-11	Tolerance:	Poor to average soil, light frost
Bloom Time / Season:	Summer	Soil Type:	Average, organically-rich
Exposure:	Filtered sun to part shade	Soil pH:	6.0-7.0
Time To Maturity:	50-60 days	Soil Drainage:	Well-draining
Spacing:	6-12 inches	Attracts:	Bees, butterflies, hoverflies, parasitic wasps
Planting Depth:	1/4-1/2 inch (seeds)	Companion Planting:	Asparagus, cabbage, lobelia, salvia, tomatoes
Height:	9-24 inches	Uses:	Cut flowers, cooking, herbal remedies, tea
Spread:	12 inches	Family:	Asteraceae
Water Needs:	Moderate	Genus:	Calendula
Pests & Diseases:	Aphids, slugs, whiteflies; aster yellows, calendula smut, powdery mildew	Species:	officialis

In this growing guide, we’ll learn about the types of peas available to home gardeners, when and where to plant them, and most importantly, when to harvest and eat them.

Here’s what’s in store:

What Are the Different Types of Green Peas?

Broadly, there are two categories of this vegetable: non-edible pod, commonly called shelling, field, or English peas, and edible pod, which includes snow and snap peas. You may see the later described as P. sativum var. macrocarpum.

And within these two categories, there are dwarf – or bush – types, which reach a height of 16 to 30 inches at maturity, and the tall – or telephone – types, which can grow from three feet all the way up to eight feet, or sometimes taller.

The dwarf cultivars tend to produce their crop all at once, much like a determinate tomato, whereas the tall varieties bear fruit over a longer period.

Some gardeners prefer the easier harvestability of taller varieties.

You can often get away without trellising bush varieties, whereas with the tall ones, you’ll almost certainly need to provide support.

Shelling types must be shelled before the green orbs within are eaten, either raw or cooked. Their shells are fibrous even when the pods are very young.

In contrast, the two types of edible pod peas, snow and sugar snap, are both grown to be eaten before the pods mature fully.

Let’s look further into the history of these types of peas and learn the advantages of each for home gardeners.

Cultivation and History

All peas are members of the legume family, Fabaceae, and the first plants were domesticated around 6,000 BCE.

They’re one of the cultivated vegetables with debatable provenance, but most historians and botanists agree peas originated in an area spanning Thailand, Burma, the Middle East, and Ethiopia.

What we now consider shelling types were grown in Africa and Asia as early as 1,000 BCE, and the Ancient Greeks and Romans put them to culinary use starting at about that time.

The edible pod peas came on the scene much later, with snow peas dating back only to the 16th century and sugar snaps, a cross between snow peas and English types, being introduced in 1979.

Learn more about their origins and how they differ from English types in our edible pod pea guide.

The three varieties all have their own positive traits and delicious uses on the home menu. Let’s take a look at how they could feature in your garden and at your dinner table.

Propagation

When you’re impatient to get your hands in the dirt in spring or anxiously awaiting your first vegetable harvest, all types of peas are good plants to start the growing season with.

They are simple to grow from seed, and you can plant them up to six weeks before your last average frost date.

In fact, you’ll want to plant them as early as possible. When temperatures exceed 70°F, growth and pod production decline. And once the temps hit 85°F, it’s adios, P. sativum.

Peas also make an excellent cool-weather crop to plant later in the season for a fall harvest.

Plan to sow about two months before your average first frost date if you opt for an autumn crop, counting backwards by the number of days to maturity for your selected cultivar to make sure you’ll have enough time to bring the plants to harvest.

Sow the seeds one inch deep and three inches apart for vining varieties or four to five inches apart for the bush varieties. You may want to soak the seeds overnight to speed germination.

Tamp the seeds down firmly and water them in afterward. Keep the area moist but not wet until the seeds germinate. This should take about seven to 10 days, but it might take longer in cooler temperatures.

If they’re available in your area, you can buy seedlings to get a head start on propagation or start the seeds indoors following instructions from our guide.

This isn’t the optimal approach, though, since the plants don’t withstand root disturbance easily. You can learn about other vegetable varieties best sown outdoors instead of inside in this guide.

Backfill with loose soil, making sure the soil surrounding the root ball stays level with the surrounding soil surface. Cover the upper edges of the cell with soil so it will disintegrate more quickly without drying out.

If you’ve already planted seeds in ordinary cells or other pots you had on hand, you may lose a few seedlings to transplant, but you may luck out and have a 100 percent survival rate.

Increase your odds of transplant success by watering the cells the night before transplanting, and tilting them over on their sides to ease them out of the containers.

Work with one plant at a time and be gentle!

How to Grow

P. sativum is a frost-hardy, cool-weather crop. Plant in full sun.

Make sure the plot is weed-free ahead of sowing. You don’t want the seedlings to have to compete with any weeds, especially not aggressive varieties that have gotten a head start.

If you live in an area with warm summers, you’ll want to get your seeds in the ground as early as possible so they can mature and produce pods ahead of the warm weather.

Peas prefer well-drained soil with lots of organic matter worked in ahead of time. They’re happiest in soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.

Add mulch to your planting area to help retain moisture at the drip line.

Once they are a few inches tall, layer a couple of inches of shredded newspaper, straw, or grass clippings around the seedlings, being careful not to let the mulch touch the stems.

These plants need a good amount of water, especially when forming pods. If you get an inch of rain weekly, you’re in good shape. Anything less than that and you’ll have to supplement.

If soil tests warrant it, you can feed with phosphorus. But these plants gather their own nitrogen, so they don’t need supplements of that nutrient.

Once the plants start growing, your chores are mostly over.

No pruning is necessary, though you may want to pinch the top of vines or bushes to encourage sturdier stems. You can eat the tips, too, much as you would lettuce.

You’ll want to keep the garden area free of weeds by pulling any interlopers by hand. Using a hoe, you risk pulling the plants up with the weeds.

Once they’ve reached four or five inches tall, and started attaching to their supports if they’re vining varieties, you can quit weeding.

At this point, the peas are sprinting to grow to maturity, and the weeds won’t pose as much of a threat. Nor do you want to risk uprooting the plants instead of the weeds when you’re so close to harvest time!

Growing Tips

• Grow where the plants will receive full sun.
• Sow the seeds up to six weeks ahead of the last average frost in your area.
• Allow enough time for the plants to mature and produce before temperatures exceed 85°F.
• Mulch with a couple of inches of grass clippings or pine straw when the seedlings are a few inches tall.
• Vining types require supports, which should be installed when you sow the seeds or shortly after they germinate.

Prevention is key: Most of these maladies can be avoided if you rotate P. sativum and other legumes with other crops on a three-year schedule, provide well-draining soil, give them ample and consistent water, and plant them in weed-free beds.

With that said, you should still anticipate powdery mildew, a floury fungus that can weaken plants and eventually kill them.

It’s more prevalent the later you plant and can be prevented by sowing resistant varieties and planting in the spring, not the fall.

Learn other strategies for dealing with powdery mildew in our guide.

When you take care to destroy or till plant debris at season’s end and diligently rotate crops, you can usually avoid another pea enemy: fusarium wilt, which is caused by the fungus Fusarium culmorum.

Turn to our guide to growing snow peas for more information on various pea ailments and available countermeasures.

Harvest and Storage

Any pea can be picked as a “shoot,” meaning you clip the top few inches at a joint in the stem.

Because the vines are the most tender and delicious when the plant is very young, some gardeners plant extra seeds just to harvest the tendrils and shoots before the pods even form.

They’re delicious added to fresh early-season salads.

These greens are sweet and tender, and can be enjoyed fresh from the vine or stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge for a few days.

As for the main event crop, harvest English types before the peas have completely filled the pod. These veggies should be shelled and eaten as soon as possible – they will last only two to three days in the refrigerator.

You can also allow the English types to fully mature and dry on the vine and then harvest the dried peas for use in soups or to plant next year.

Snow peas should be picked as soon as they reach edible size. Consult the seed packet for optimal size at maturity, depending on your selected cultivar.

Pick sugar snaps while tender, as soon as the pods swell.

Snow and snap peas will remain tasty for as long as a week in the refrigerator. Just wait to wash them until you’re ready to eat.

Keep in mind: some varieties will need to have the strings removed before cooking.

Preserving

Some gardeners can show enough self-restraint that they’re able to preserve their entire English pea crop.

But it’s also fun to crack open a few shells and eat the contents fresh on a late spring evening.

If you have enough to preserve, the best option is ordinarily freezing the orbs after blanching them for about two minutes in boiling water, dunking them in an ice bath to preserve the bright green color and halt the cooking, and draining them to freeze.

The same method works for freezing snow peas, only reducing the blanching time to one and a half minutes. Or, you can cook them into a stir-fry recipe and freeze portions in airtight containers.

Snap peas won’t maintain their texture if you cook them too long before popping them in the freezer, but you can blanch them for about a minute, and the process will yield decent vegetables to keep in the deep freeze until winter.

You can cook any frozen peas without thawing them first, but this approach works best when quickly cooking stir fry or simmering a stew and adding them at the last minute.

Thawed snap peas will not retain their crisp texture and are not suitable for a green salad, but they can still work added to pasta in the last 30 seconds of cooking and then drained with the noodles to form the basis for a pasta salad.

It’s tougher to save English peas by canning them. Their low acidity rules out water-bath canning and pressure canning can be tricky.

They are good candidates for dehydrating, though, as part of a vegetable soup mix or on their own. You can also consider dehydrating snow or snap peas as snack chips.

Reference Foodal’s Ultimate Guide to Dehydrating for the how-tos.

Recipes and Cooking Ideas

These green bits of goodness are wonderful sources of protein, fiber, and iron, and we’ve collected some recipes that are as tasty as they are healthful:

Let’s start with a fresh pesto pasta salad from our sister site, Foodal. English peas combine with other garden delights – basil and spinach – to create a refreshing summer salad.

Another salad from Foodal, made with black rice and a red wine vinaigrette, combines a hearty grain with greens, radishes, carrots, and our tasty emerald orbs.

If snow peas have caught your fancy, they’re delicious steamed for a few minutes, and served with a dab of seasoning and maybe some melted butter as a side dish.

Or add them to an Asian-inspired entree like Foodal’s recipe for 15-minute chicken chow mein.

Or how about using part of the harvest for this knock-your-socks-off grilled veggie and soba noodle salad, also from Foodal?

Snap peas can be briefly roasted as a side dish, but they really shine as part of a charcuterie board or added fresh to a crudite platter or green salad.

The cool thing about growing your own supply of any variety of P. sativum is that you’ll have enough of a harvest that you can tinker around and come up with your own favorite recipes.

The fast-growing kohlrabi plant is a unique cool-weather crop that is easy for beginners.

But learning how to grow kohlrabi at home starts with understanding what it needs to thrive. This detailed guide is designed to teach you just that.

Everything you need to grow kohlrabi is included here, from where and when to plant, to details on watering, sun, soil, fertilizer, temperature, pest control, harvesting tips, and much more.

Quick Kohlrabi Plant Care Overview

Scientific name:	Brassica oleracea
Classification:	Vegetable
Common names:	Kohlrabi, German Turnip, Cabbage Turnip
Hardiness:	Biennial zones 3-10
Temperature:	40-75°F (4.4-23°C)
Flowers:	Yellow or white, second year of growth
Light:	Full sun
Water:	Keep soil evenly moist, never allow to dry completely
Humidity:	Average
Fertilizer:	Compost or balanced liquid fertilizer, spring or fall
Soil:	Rich, well-draining, fertile
Common pests:	Cabbage loopers, cabbage worms, flea beetles

Information About Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) is a biennial vegetable native to northwestern Europe, and a member of the cabbage family.

It produces a single above-ground swollen stem, or bulb, that can be white, purple, or green. From that grows upright, slender stems topped with blue-green leaves.

All parts of the plant are edible, and the bulbs are sweet, crisp, and juicy. The flavor is similar to a mild turnip, which is how it earned the nicknames German turnip and cabbage turnip.

They grow quickly, averaging between 45-60 days to maturity. If you leave the stem in the ground after harvesting, they can regrow to flower and set seed the following year.

Different Types Of Kohlrabi Plants

There are many varieties to choose from that range in different days to maturity, to color, and size. No matter which one you pick, they all can be cared for in the same way.

Some of the most popular varieties are:

• Early Purple Vienna – This rich purple kohlrabi is easy to grow, sweet, and ready to harvest in about 60 days.

• Early White Vienna – This small kohlrabi is white, mild, and more heat tolerant than others. Ready in about 55 days.

• Gigante – This variety is best planted in very early spring or the fall due to its long growth time of 130 days. The bulbs grow large, averaging about 10”.

• Grand Duke – This green-skinned variety is ready in 50 days. It’s popular because it can stay in the ground longer without becoming tough.

Hardiness

Kohlrabi prefers the cool weather of spring and fall. It’s a biennial in zones 3-10 and can survive lows down to 25°F (-4°C).

The bulb will become inedible in the heat of summer when it stays consistently above 75°F (23.9°C) outside.

How Does Kohlrabi Grow?

Each kohlrabi plant produces a single swollen edible stem (often called a bulb) just above the soil line that is topped with long upright blue-green leaves.

The second year the plant will produce flower stalks with yellow or white blossoms and then set seed.

How To Grow Kohlrabi

Before we get into the details of plant care, let’s first chat about where and when to grow kohlrabi. Determining the right time and location is an important first step in a successful season.

Where To Grow Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi needs plenty of sunlight, space, and healthy soil to grow. A garden plot, raised beds, or large containers are all good options.

If you want to grow yours in a pot, be sure to choose one that’s at least 16” wide and deep with drainage holes to prevent overwatering.

When To Plant Kohlrabi

Cool weather is key for growing kohlrabi. Plant it in the early spring, fall, or even winter in climates that don’t experience temps consistently below freezing.

Direct sow seeds as soon as the ground is workable in the spring, about 4 weeks before the last frost, or 6 weeks before the first frost of fall.

Otherwise start them indoors 2-3 weeks prior to that to get a jumpstart on the growing season.

Kohlrabi Plant Care & Growing Instructions

Now that you know when and where to grow kohlrabi, it’s time to talk about how to care for it. The information in this section is key to creating the ideal environment for it to thrive.

Sunlight

Choose a full sun location for your kohlrabi. They need at least 6 hours of direct sun a day to grow well.

If they get too much shade they may grow a lot of healthy leaves, but the bulb will either be small or not form at all.

In hot, arid climates, protect the plants from the intense afternoon sun. A shade cloth works great for that.

Water

Consistent and even soil moisture is important for kohlrabi to form the round swollen stems. They should never dry completely, and need between 1-1.5” of water a week.

However it’s important to avoid overwatering to the point of making the soil soggy, which can lead to issues of rot and mold.

It’s also important to avoid periods of drought because the bulb can crack once the plant rehydrates.

Temperature

Cool weather is also very important. It’s key for the bulb to form, and increases the sweetness. The ideal temperature range is between 40-75°F (4.4-23.9°C).

Anything below 24°F (-4.4°C) can kill it or trick the plant into thinking the season has ended, and may cause premature bolting when the weather warms again.

Temperatures above 75°F (23.9°C) will lead to tough, bitter, or misshapen bulbs.

Fertilizer

Kohlrabi is not a heavy feeder, especially when it’s growing in fertile, healthy soil. But the occasional feeding will give it a little boost.

Use a balanced, organic liquid fertilizer like compost tea or fish emulsion monthly during the growing season.

Or side-dress the plant with slow-release granules, well-rotted manure, or compost once per month until harvest.

Soil

The ideal soil for growing kohlrabi is rich and well-drained, with a pH between 6.0-6.8, which you can test with a probe meter.

Amend garden soils with compost before planting, or use a potting soil that’s rich with organic matter for containers.

Pest Control Tips

Healthy kohlrabi doesn’t have many issues with pests, but occasionally they can be affected by flea beetles, cabbage loopers, and cabbage worms.

Hand pick large insects and drop them into a bucket of soapy water to kill them. Check the underside of leaves for eggs or cocoons and remove them immediately.

Row covers, plant collars, yellow sticky traps, and insecticidal soap can also be used to deter or get rid of pests. I make my own by mixing 1 teaspoon of gentle liquid soap with 1 liter of water.

Disease Control Tips

Diseases like clubroot, black rot, and mildew are the most common issues for kohlrabi. Wilting and yellowing leaves, or white or black spots on the foliage are signs of disease.

The best methods for managing them is to ensure each kohlrabi plant has plenty of air circulation and is in well-draining soil, and that the bed is clear of any plant debris.

Tips For Harvesting Kohlrabi

Harvesting your kohlrabi at the right time is important for the best flavor and texture. You can get all the details in my post about how to harvest kohlrabi, but here are the basics.

When the bulbs are 2-3” in diameter it’s time to harvest them, unless you’re growing a variety that’s specifically meant to be larger.

In most cases allowing them to get too big leads to a woody, tough, and bitter flavor.

The leaves are also edible. You can pick them as soon as they’re large enough. But never remove them all before the stem is ready, the plant needs them to build enough energy to form the bulb.

Use a sharp, clean pair of heavy duty pruners, and cut at the soil line beneath the swollen stem, or simply pull the whole plant because it won’t produce another bulb.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Kohlrabi is fairly easy to grow, but no plant is problem free. If you run into one of these more common issues, the tips below will help you get back on track.

Woody / Tough Texture

Heat above 75°F (23.9°C), age, and inconsistent watering can all lead to a woody, tough texture.

Don’t leave kohlrabi in the ground once it’s reached the ideal size for harvesting. Keep the soil moist, without making it sodden or letting it dry out between drinks.

Use a shade cloth to shield them from the hot afternoon sun if it’s gotten too warm for them.

Kohlrabi Tall Not Round

Improperly shaped bulbs are caused by temperatures that are too hot or cold, spacing issues, inconsistent water, too much shade, or soil nutrient deficiencies.

Thin seedlings to about 9-12” apart to allow enough space, make sure they get at least 6 hours of full sun, keep the soil evenly moist, and add nutrients to it with a granular fertilizer or compost.

Leaves But No Bulb

No bulb at all is caused by overcrowding, low-quality soil, temperatures outside the ideal range, lack of sunlight, or improper watering.

Ensure the soil stays evenly moist and top-dress with fertilizer granules or compost. Give each plant 9-12” of space, and ensure they get at least 6 hours of sun per day.

Plant them as soon as your garden bed is workable in early spring, or once temps have cooled in the fall.

Kohlrabi Cracking / Splitting

Inconsistent watering is the number one reason why the bulbs crack or split open. It’s often caused by a period of drought, followed by a surplus of water.

Instead of allowing the soil to dry between drinks, apply 1-1.5” of water throughout each week so it stays consistently moist. Use a simple gauge probe to check it if you struggle with this.

FAQs

Here I’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions about growing kohlrabi. If yours isn’t listed, please add it to the comments section below.

Does kohlrabi come back every year?

Kohlrabi will grow back the second year if you leave the stem that’s beneath the bulb in the ground after harvesting. However as a biennial plant, it won’t grow another edible bulb. It will instead produce flowers and set seed the second year, then it won’t come back again.

Is kohlrabi easy or difficult to grow?

Kohlrabi is easy to grow once you understand the proper timing, environment, and care needs. It requires cool conditions, rich soil, consistent watering, and plenty of sunshine. High temps and dry weather can make it more difficult to grow.

How long does it take for kohlrabi to grow?

The specific amount of time it takes for kohlrabi to grow is dependent on the variety. But on average it will reach maturity sometime between 45-60 days.

How many kohlrabi do you get per plant?

You will get one kohlrabi per plant. Though they can grow back a second year, they will not yield another bulb, and instead the plant will flower and go to seed.

If you’d like to learn how to make the most of your space and get as much homegrown food as possible, then my Vertical Vegetables book is perfect! It will teach you all you need to know, has tons of gorgeous photos, and includes 23 DIY projects you can build for your own garden. Order your copy today!

Learn more about my Vertical Vegetables book here.

More About Vegetable Gardening

Share your tips for growing kohlrabi in the comments section below.