A flourishing garden can be the crown jewel of any home, and somewhere you can escape the hectic pace of everyday life. Even the most unassuming patch of land can be transformed into a vibrant haven teeming with life and colour. All it takes is the right care and attention to detail, and a once-bare landscape can become a beautiful work of art.
To truly bring out the best in your garden, you need to focus not only on its aesthetics, but also on nurturing the plants, flowers, trees, and soil that make up its foundation.
To help you get on the right track, this article explores various aspects of garden care that can help transform your outdoor space. Read on to discover tips and tricks for successful gardening.
Selecting the perfect plants for your garden
Choosing the right plants for your garden is crucial in creating a harmonious and thriving ecosystem.
Start by considering your local climate, as different plants thrive in specific temperature ranges and weather conditions. Equally important is your garden’s sun exposure. Some plants flourish in full sunlight, while others prefer partial shade. You can either do your own research or visit your local garden centre and ask for advice.
You should also think about the size and growth rate of each plant, ensuring that they have adequate space to develop without overcrowding their surroundings. Mixing various textures, colours, and plant types can create visual interest and make your garden look more dynamic. Don’t forget to include native plants, which usually require less maintenance and are adapted to local pests and diseases.
Nourishing your greenery
Healthy soil is essential for plant growth, as it provides the necessary nutrients, water retention, and support for their roots. First, assess your soil type – sandy, clay, or loamy – as each has its own characteristics that influence water drainage and nutrient availability. Adding organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure to your soil will improve its structure and fertility.
You should also monitor your garden’s pH levels to ensure optimal conditions for nutrient uptake. Most plants prefer slightly acidic to neutral soils (pH 6-7), but some species may have unique requirements.
Maintaining adequate moisture levels
Proper watering is critical in keeping your garden healthy and vibrant. Overwatering can lead to root rot and suffocation, while under-watering may cause wilting and stunted growth. Observe your plants’ individual needs; some may require consistent moisture, while others prefer drier conditions.
Water your plants deeply but infrequently to encourage the development of strong, deep roots. Early morning is the best time to water, as it minimises evaporation and prevents fungal diseases caused by damp foliage. Consider using drip irrigation systems or water-conserving mulch to maintain adequate moisture levels without waste.
Encouraging healthy growth
Regular pruning and trimming can be incredibly helpful if you want to transform your garden. It can promote healthy growth, maintain your plants’ shape, and prevent disease by removing dead or damaged branches. For deciduous trees and shrubs, winter is an ideal time for pruning; however, flowering plants should be pruned after their blooming season to avoid disrupting their growth cycle.
Always use sharp, clean tools when pruning to make precise cuts that heal quickly. Be mindful not to remove too much growth at once; a general rule of thumb is to remove no more than one-third of a plant’s branches in a single session.
Protecting your garden from unwanted guests
Pests can wreak havoc on your garden if left unchecked. That’s why you should keep a close eye on your plants and regularly check them for signs of infestation.
If you notice anything, act promptly to control pests before they cause significant damage. Employ organic methods like introducing beneficial insects, using companion planting, and applying homemade remedies whenever possible.
Enhancing your garden’s aesthetics
Accessories and decor can elevate your garden’s visual appeal while adding functionality. Consider incorporating pathways, seating areas, or focal points like fountains or sculptures to create a sense of depth and intrigue. Choose materials that complement your garden’s overall theme and style for a cohesive look.
Lighting is another essential element that can enhance your garden’s atmosphere during evening hours. Using a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting will highlight your garden’s best features and create a safe, inviting outdoor space.
Gardening tools and flowers on the terrace in the garden
Adapting and preparing your garden for changing weather conditions
As the seasons change, so do your garden’s needs. Be prepared to adapt your care routine according to the weather. This may involve adjusting watering schedules, applying seasonal fertilisers, or protecting plants from extreme temperatures.
Additionally, plan ahead for seasonal tasks like planting bulbs in autumn, or pruning dormant trees in winter. Staying organised and proactive will ensure that your garden remains healthy and beautiful throughout the year.
Conclusion
As you can see, deciding to transform your garden into a stunning oasis requires knowledge, patience, and dedication.
Fortunately, by understanding and addressing your garden’s unique needs through proper plant selection, soil care, watering, pruning, pest control, and seasonal adaptations, you can create an outdoor sanctuary that brings joy to both you and the surrounding environment. You’ll definitely have to get your hands dirty, but the results will be worth the effort.
I thought you might enjoy a few pictures of my Westminster, Maryland, spring flowers.
Named for Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame, lewisia (Lewisiacotyledon, Zones 5–8) is native to the mountains of western North America and has gorgeous flowers in the spring.
Gardens are perfect places to sit and remember loved ones lost. Behind the bench, a Japanese maple (Acerpalmatum, Zones 5–9) is just leafing out.
Spring is in view! The window boxes are overflowing with blooms, and daffodils (Narcissus hybrids, Zones 4–8) are showing off in the front beds.
New life is showing everywhere, as daffodils bloom and fern fronds begin to unfurl.
A bit of garden art is tucked into the lush greenery of spring.
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.
Of the many Arts and Crafts gardens around the hills of the Cotswolds and the Malverns in England, the outdoor arrangement at Kelmscott Manor is the most tangible: a simple walled rectangle, marking a set of enclosures surrounding an Elizabethan mini manor. Rented by the designer and thinker William Morris during his lifetime (and later bought by the family), receipts show that plenty of plants and trees were put in before Morris’s daughter, May, bequeathed the property to Oxford University in the 1930s, with the stipulation that there be “no modernization.” This saved Kelmscott’s essential character— and almost destroyed it. By the time the Society of Antiquaries took over in the 1960s, the stone house (and stone roof) was resting on rotted beams and soft earth, weeks away from imploding.
A recent £6-million investment has allowed the manor to sing once more, with original Morris and Co. furniture and vibrant hand-blocked William Morris papers adorning the walls as they used to. Curious to visit before any further cash injections move the focus to the garden, we set off toward Lechlade (about two hours from London). The weather report was straight out of William Morris’s poem ‘Kelmscott Crab Apples’: “Fair was the spring but amidst his greening/ grey were the days of the hidden sun.”
Above: Kelmscott is a farmhouse that grew into a manor and was the summer house of Arts-and-Crafts agitator William Morris, co-leased at first with the artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
“The garden is quite unaffected and very pleasant, and looks in fact as though it were a part of the house; at least the clothes of it,” wrote William Morris in 1871, adding: “which I think ought to be the aim of the layer-out of a garden.” When Morris came to the village of Kelmscott, Oxfordshire, he was a man of strong opinions on many subjects besides gardens, an eminent Victorian who rebelled against the excesses of the Victorian age. He was also frantically busy: In addition to running the home furnishings company for which he is most famous today, thanks to his time at Kelmscott, he nurtured other interests like protecting old buildings, running a printing press, embroidering, designing patterns for papers and textiles, exploring natural dyes, and writing best-selling poetry. Polymath does not even cover it: “If a chap can’t compose an epic poem while he’s weaving tapestry,” noted Morris, “he’ll never do any good at all.”
Above: In the 1665 addition, Kelmscott’s singular lead drainpipes project rainwater away from the house foundations.
William Morris loved Kelmscott so much that he used the name for the Kelmscott Press, and renamed his rented London house, Kelmscott House. Both places were connected by the meandering river Thames. He liked the idea of traveling by river from one house to the other, which he did (just the once; it took a week) with his wife Jane and two children, Jenny and May. The willows that fringe the edges of the Thames were clearly an inspiration—the pattern Willow Boughscontinues to be a best-seller—while other patterns, such as Kennet, Wandle and Lodden were named after tributaries of the Thames (and are still in production).
Morris’s housemate, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood co-founder Dante Gabriel Rossetti, initially loved Kelmscott too, especially during the first summer when Morris removed himself to Iceland. Rossetti’s decades-long affair with Morris’ wife left a strong legacy in the Pre-Raphaelite canon, with his many drawings and paintings of Jane among his best-known work. However, living alone in the cold stone house in winter, surrounded by watery flood meadows, was not so fun and Rossetti’s mental health deteriorated rapidly. He was gone after three years.
Above: The orchard was replanted with Victorian varieties of apple and plum trees when the manor was rescued by the Society of Antiquaries in the late 1960s.
Jane Morris, one of the most recognizable of the Pre-Raphaelite “stunners,” was discovered by Morris and Rossetti at a theater in Oxford, where they were painting murals at the Oxford Union. The friends both fell for her, but Rossetti was already married (to the doomed Ophelia model Lizzie Siddal). Jane was a working-class girl from the university city whose father was a stable man and mother was a servant. When she became Mrs Morris, she was a quick study; Kelmscott villagers described her accent as “queenly.” It’s not difficult to see William Morris as a variation on Henry Higgins, with Jane Morris a precursor to Eliza Doolittle. Morris was a committed socialist like the Pygmalion playwright George Bernard Shaw, who was a longterm family friend.
Edible flowers, such as borage, nasturtiums, and violas, are becoming increasingly popular in cooking. Not only do they add flavor and color to dishes, but they also bring a unique flair to any meal. I’ll share essential growing tips, the most popular edible flowers, their uses, when to harvest them, how to store them until you’re ready to use them, and any precautions or other tips you should be aware of when using edible flowers.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
Edible Flower Growing Tips
Most edible flowers are simple to grow if you understand the basics:
Focus on having good soil and amending with compost.
Most edible flowers require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Learn about the specific types of flowers you would like to grow and learn the best time to plant in your area for the best success.
Flowers to Plant Outside & Seeds to Start Indoors Each Month in the Low Desert of Arizona. • PLANTING GUIDE: Each month lists annual flowers and bulbs to plant outside & seeds to start indoors. • BLOOMING GUIDE: Photos show what may be in bloom that month.
Most Popular Edible Flowers (and the best tasting ones!)
(For growing tips click on the edible flower name to go to my blog post about that flower.)
Some of the most popular edible flowers includeviolas, roses, borage blossoms, squash blossoms,nasturtiums, calendula petals (also known as pot marigolds), chamomile blossoms, daisies, lavender blooms/buds (not leaves), hibiscus petals/flowers (not leaves), elderberry blossoms/flowers (not leaves), elderflower heads (not leaves).
Many of these edible flowers have sweet or subtle flavors that can enhance the taste of different dishes like salads or desserts. Some of the most flavorful options include:
Arugula (peppery, milder than the greens)Viola (floral, mild wintergreen or cinnamon flavor)
Most Popular Uses & Unusual & Creative Uses For Edible Flowers
The most common uses for edible flowers are garnishes on salads or desserts; however, there are many other creative ways to use them! For example:
Using borage in ice cubes
Adding rose petals to tea
Sprinkling violets over ice cream
Adding calendula petals into soups
Cornflower blossoms in rice
Freezing elderflower heads into popsicles
Making squash blossom quesadillas
Infusing simple syrup with lavender buds
Making herbal jams with hibiscus petals and honey
The possibilities are endless!
As I enter the world of consuming edible flowers, I rely on others’ experiences and recipes to help me make the most of each flower’s flavors.
“The Edible Flower” by Erin Bunting and Jo Facer contains more than 50 recipes using edible flowers.
These tried-and-true recipes encourage me to be more adventurous in my quest to use more flowers in my cooking.
When To Harvest Edible Flowers & How To Store Them Until Ready To Use
Harvesting edible flowers at the right time – usually when the blooms are just beginning to open – ensures they will be at their peak freshness and flavor when you consume them.
It’s also best to harvest edible flowers first thing in the morning when their moisture content is at its highest.
Once you harvest your edible flowers, you can store them in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use them. Put edible flowers in an ice bath to cool them quickly and preserve their freshness.
Any Precautions Or Other Tips To Be Aware Of When Using & Consuming Edible Flowers
Growing and Using Edible Flowers
When it comes to consuming edible flowers, it’s essential to ensure they have been grown organically without pesticides or other chemicals to be safe for consumption. Additionally, not all parts of some plants may be safe for consumption, so you must know which parts are okay before eating them!
When you learn which flowers are edible and how to use them, you look at your garden with new eyes. Whether decorating cakes with pansy petals or infusing syrups with lavender buds – there’s no limit on what one can create with edible flowers.
If this post about growing and using edible flowers was helpful please share it:
A home is where a person can relax after a long day of work or school, and since this is an essential part of someone’s life, it’s only fitting that they know how to take care of it. Part of taking care of a home is doing repairs and performing maintenance from time to time on your home’s essential components, such as; plumbing, electrical systems, and HVAC.
To perform these repairs and maintenance, they must create a way of accessing these essential components, as most of the time, these are hidden behind your walls, under the floor, and sometimes above the ceiling. Installing an access door is a solution to access these parts in such situations. One product to remember when discussing an excellent access door is the Babcock-Davis removable drywall access door, a high-quality drywall access door perfect for a residential or commercial setting.
What is a Drywall Access Door?
A drywall access door is a device you can install on a residential or commercial establishment to provide access and storage to an establishment’s essential parts, such as; HVAC, plumbing, and other electrical components. From its name, “drywall,” this access door is best for drywall applications in the building.
A drywall access door has its unique build and functionalities. Still, it also comes in other varieties with special engineering and uses available for the user’s needs.
Why Use Drywall Access Doors?
Out of all the access door types, why should you choose a drywall access door for your construction project? Using these access doors provides benefits upon installation or purchasing them. For starters, drywall access doors are budget-friendly, even in their other varieties. Hence, buying these for your construction project is no hassle, and you’ll have an extra budget for emergencies.
Another reason for choosing drywall access doors is that they are durable and robust due to the materials used and the manner of their creation, making them long-lasting and dependable. Along with its durability is the aesthetics that drywall access doors possess. These devices can hide your building’s important fixtures, keeping it free from unwanted wires and pipes that might cause problems not just aesthetically, all while keeping it simple and versatile. Here are some variations of drywall access doors that provide their aesthetic to the table:
Flush
Plaster Bead Flange
Drywall Bead Flange
Exposed Flange
Hidden Flange
Drywall Access Door: Installation Tips
Installing a drywall access door is a bit tricky but easy to do, so here are some tips on installing these excellent access doors:
1.) Create A Flawless Plan
An excellent way to start your installation project is to make a plan around anything regarding the installation process. Create emergency plans for an emergency to solve the crisis with ease. Here’s a list of some things you might want to put on your goal:
Dimension of the access door
Type of insulation needed
Material of the access door (steel, aluminum, or plastic)
Budget
The best place to buy access doors
Working schedule that includes the starting date and proposed completion date
2.) For Ceiling Applications
Drywall access doors also have ceiling applications, but it’s a new set of installation rules up there. Using a ladder and deck is fine, but there is a way to make the installation more manageable, and that is by using a drywall lift. A drywall lift is a type of construction apparatus that aims to lift drywall so one man can do it quickly.
If drywall lifts make installing drywall easier, it also makes it easier to install drywall access doors in the ceiling. Drywall lifts are a tad expensive and need a big room for storage, so owning one is a hassle, but luckily some stores rent this equipment so that you can use them even without owning one.
3.) Procuring the Right Tools and Materials
When installing drywall access doors or any construction project, it is best to have proper tools and materials so the work goes as planned. A perfect example is getting a suitable compound, which is essential during drywall access door installations.
Here are some of the tools needed to install a drywall access door:
A drywall access door with the correct dimensions
Measuring tape
Pencil or Markers
Handsaw
Full caulking gun
Drill and Screws (if needed)
Flashlight
4.) Making the Hole
When making the hole for the access door, a good tip is to create a test cut on the drywall first, then see if you are following your marked measurements. This strategy is an excellent way to keep you in your proposed measure for the installation. Another good tip is to cut a little outside the trace you made for cutting so you can have a little room when applying the drywall access door.
5.) Using The Caulking Gun
Upon using the caulking gun, ensure you have a reserve in case something goes wrong such as a clogged tube or a weak or damaged spring. Another tip for using the caulking gun is to ensure the proper application of the adhesive in the frame and let it dry properly after application.
6.) Finishing Touches
After applying the door to the frame you installed, all that is left to do are the finishing touches. Inspect if there are cracks, scratches, and deformations you might have missed during installation, and rectify those as soon as possible.
If there are no such problems, use now sandpaper to smoothen the surface until it’s ready for the paint you desire. The last thing to do now is to apply the color you want but remember to use a primer before the final coat to prevent paint bubbles in your drywall access door.
Final Thoughts
Installing a drywall access door will surely enhance accessibility in your house. Accessibility to the house’s essential fixtures is an excellent way to take care of it, so getting one is advisable now. With the information mentioned above, it is enough to convince you that installing drywall access doors is very rewarding.
For long years, flood disasters have been responsible for about 2/3 of natural catastrophe costs in the US, leaving massive damages, especially to properties. Hence, it’s crucial to equip your structure with flood-tight utilities that prevent water from penetrating your area.
One of the practical components to help you withstand flood calamities is the flood-tight floor access door. In this blog post, you’ll discover the advantages it can bring to your floor spaces, and we’ll also share some products you can consider installing according to your area’s needs.
Introducing the flood-tight floor access doors
A flood-tight floor access door is a panel type typically installed in areas susceptible to flooding, such as basements, underground structures, or low-lying areas. These doors are made with watertight seals to resist floodwater pressure.
It can also contain various materials, such as steel, aluminum, or stainless steel, and you can encounter this door in different sizes and shapes, depending on the application’s specific requirements. You can operate this access door manually or using electric or hydraulic systems.
Furthermore, it can also be equipped with additional features such as locking mechanisms, ventilation systems, or insulation materials to improve their functionality and performance.
Installing flood-tight access doors in a building can deliver a range of benefits to your structure, including:
Protection against floods: Flood-tight access doors’ primary purpose is to prevent water from entering a building during floods. They have watertight seals that can withstand high-pressure water and prevent it from entering the building. It can help minimize damage to your property, potentially saving property and lives.
Prevention of hazardous materials: During floods, sewage and other dangerous materials can enter buildings through openings such as doors and windows. Flood-tight access doors prevent these materials from entering your establishment, providing additional protection for occupants.
Structural integrity: Flood-tight access doors are your reinforcement tool to withstand the pressure of floodwaters. Experts designed them to remain intact and grant protection even in extreme conditions, helping to prevent the collapse of buildings during floods.
Customization: Flood-tight access doors can be customized to fit seamlessly into the design of the building. You can purchase these panels in various sizes and shapes and equip them with additional features such as locking mechanisms, ventilation systems, and insulation materials.
Energy efficiency: Flood-tight access doors can help improve the sustainability of your building. They can be insulated to reduce heat loss or gain, which can help reduce energy costs. It can be vital in areas prone to floods, where heating and cooling costs can be high.
Peace of mind: Floods can be stressful and cause anxiety for building owners and occupants. Flood-tight access doors give a sense of security, knowing their objective is to protect against floods.
Compliance with regulations: In some areas, laws or building codes may require installing flood-tight access doors. Adhering to these regulations can help ensure building occupants’ safety and prevent property damage.
Several types of flood-tight access doors are available in the market. Each possesses unique features and applications. Some of the most common types of flood-tight access doors are the following:
Steel flood access doors: Made of steel, the steel flood access doors can withstand high-pressure water and debris during floods. Experts designed them with steel plates, and owners can optionally upgrade their features with high-end locking mechanisms for added security.
Aluminum flood access doors: Aluminum flood doors are lightweight and corrosion-resistant, making them ideal for coastal areas or locations with high humidity. Moreover, you can customize them to fit any opening and stand firm against high-pressure water.
PVC flood access doors: PVC flood doors are made of plastic and are lightweight, making them easy to install and handle. They are typically used in residential or low-traffic areas and are ideal for flood-prone regions.
Composite flood access doors: Composite flood doors contain a combination of steel and fiberglass. They are commonly designed to look like traditional doors and can be customized to fit any opening.
Flood gates: Installed outside the building, experts built flood gates to close off openings such as garage doors and storefronts. They can be made of steel or aluminum and strongly resist high-pressure water and debris.
Flood barriers: Flood barriers are temporary or permanent barriers that you can install around the perimeter of a building to prevent floodwater from entering. It can consist of sandbags, inflatable tubes, or other materials often utilized in areas where frequent floods occur.
Flood vents: Lastly, you can install flood vents in walls or foundations to allow floodwater to flow in and out of the building. It can also consist of metal or plastic, used primarily in areas with high flood risk.
Properly installing flood-tight access doors is essential for ensuring their effectiveness in protecting against floods. Here are some steps to follow for accurate installation:
Step 1: Choose the correct type of door
As mentioned in the previous answer, various kinds of flood-tight access doors are available in the market. Choose the type of door best suited for the specific needs of the building.
Step 2: Measure the opening
Measure the opening where you intend to install the door. Make sure to gauge both the height and width of the opening accurately.
Step 3: Prepare the opening
The opening where you aim to install the access door should be cleaned and leveled before installation. It will ensure that the door fits accurately and that the seals are effective.
Step 4: Install the frame:
You must install the door frame first. Ensure the frame is level and securely anchored to the wall or floor. The frame should be the same size as the opening, and you should attach it with the appropriate hardware.
Step 5: Install the door
After installing the frame, you should fit the door into the frame. Make sure the door fits correctly and that the seals are tight. Remember to anchor the door to the frame using suitable equipment.
Step 6: Install additional features
Depending on the specific needs of the building, and additional features such as locking mechanisms, ventilation systems, and insulation materials, you may need to apply these features further.
Step 7: Test the door
After installation, it’s best to test the door to guarantee its water tightness and can withstand high-pressure water. You can conduct a water test by spraying the door with a high-pressure hose.
Step 8: Regular maintenance
Flood-tight access doors require routine inspection and maintenance to ensure efficiency. During the analysis, the inspectors will check for signs of wear and tear and any necessary replacements. Regular testing and maintenance can help ensure the door’s effectiveness in protecting against floods.
Protect properties from inevitable calamities.
Installing flood-tight access doors in a building can help protect your establishment against floods and other hazardous materials. Moreover, it can improve energy efficiency and grant peace of mind, as you can guarantee your property’s security and safety, reducing the impact of floods on their structures. In addition, building owners can also safeguard and potentially save the lives of the occupants.
“Last year I had a lot of work done by Farmside Landscape and Design in Sussex including retaining walls, paver walkways and driveway, re-grading everything and coordinating septic installation with Wantage Excavating. The owners, Miles and Lisa Kuperus were a pleasure to work with and they did an incredible job. I would recommend them wholeheartedly. If you want to see what they did, PM me and we can find a time.”
We’ll start with red because these tend to have the “classic” tomato flavor. Those old-reliable red tomatoes are often a bit sweeter than they are acidic, but they’re balanced overall.
Typically the most acidic types, they’re moderately complex, though this varies dramatically from one red type to another.
Of the red tomatoes, hybrid varieties rather than heirlooms tend to be the most acidic of all, with the petite cherries and plums being the sweetest of the reds.
‘Celebrity,’ ‘Rutgers,’ and ‘Long Keeper’ are more acidic.
If you want something sweet, ‘Supernova Cherry’ has more sugar, packed in a gorgeous marbled skin.
The coloring in black tomatoes appears when green and red pigments are combined, and the flavor reflects this color mixture.
These types have a balanced blend of sweet and sour and a high number of volatile organic compounds, resulting in a complex flavor.
These also tend to have just a hint of saltiness with slightly less acid than red ones.
If you’re looking for a tomato to eat raw, either on its own or in a salad, black types are the way to go. Their complex flavor is just perfect as the main ingredient in a dish.
If you’ve never dipped your toe into the black category, ‘Cherokee Purple’ is the perfect place to start.
‘Cherokee Purple’ looks redder than some black types, depending on the growing conditions, but the flavor is all black and purple. It has somewhat smoky notes with a sweet, complex base.
It’s clear why this beefsteak type is extremely popular. Add it to your garden by nabbing a small packet or ounce of seeds from Eden Brothers.
‘Black Prince’ has a nice, round shape, and with one bite, you’ll be treated to a mosaic of flavors on your tongue and enticing aromas.
‘Carbon’ is one of my favorites, and not just because the extra dark skin is visually appealing.
All that dark pigment makes it extremely flavorful, as if you’ve taken all the great stuff about black tomatoes and concentrated it.
‘Black Krim’ is particularly salty in a pleasant way.
It’s hard to find a prettier tomato than ‘Indigo,’ if you ask me. The skin is beautifully mottled red and black with that intriguing black tomato flavor
Or, if you want a sweet snack with the complexity of a black type, visit Burpee to grab a live plant or 10 seeds of ‘Midnight Snack.’
Pink
Pinks are often grouped with reds in terms of flavor, but they’re notably less acidic, while they still feature more acid than the other colors on this list.
They’re a bit milder with fewer VOCs than reds. They also have a bit more sugar.
‘Pink Brandywine’ has all the best of a pink type with huge fruits that weigh up to a pound each.
True Leaf Market carries seeds of this standard-bearer in 250-milligram, quarter-ounce, one-ounce, four-ounce, and one-pound packs.
‘Arkansas Traveler’ isn’t as bothered by drought and extreme heat as some tomatoes, with the classic pink flavor. ‘Mortgage Lifter’ is legendary, with large, one-pound fruits with a sweet, rich flavor.
Then there’s ‘German Johnson,’ which was bred from ‘Mortgage Lifter.’ It’s meaty, pretty much seedless, and seemingly custom-made for slicing and serving in sandwiches or burgers.
Burpee has packets of 30 seeds available if you’re dreaming of this juicy wonder.
Orange
Orange tomatoes are fruity, with mild to moderate acidity.
They’re usually some of the sweeter types, though not quite as sweet as yellows. They lack the complexity of red and black types, with lower concentrations of VOCs.
That makes them perfect for things like salads or popping in your mouth fresh, since they’re fruity, bright, and sweet.
‘Juane Flamme’ is a perfect example of what the orange types can taste like. It’s fruity, light, and nicely balanced between sweetness and acid, with just enough tartness to make it not candy sweet.
‘Persimmon’ is beautiful, with one-pound, peachy-colored fruits with pale green shoulders. It’s not just a pretty face, though. It has a rich, fruity flavor and few seeds to get in the way of enjoying it.
‘Sweet Tangerine’ has a classic orange flavor on early-ripening, disease-resistant plants. Sound like one you want to try?
As you might imagine, tomatoes with stripes or patches of secondary colors have characteristics of both colors in terms of flavor.
In general, these lack the intense acidity of reds and have a ton of sweetness.
But of course, it all depends on the specific coloration. A black-speckled yellow cultivar like ‘Indigo Kumquat’ is sweet and tart with a hint of smoky complexity.
‘Mr. Stripey,’ on the other hand, with its orange and red stripes, is mainly sweet with hardly any acidity.
By the way, if you’ve never tried ‘Mr. Stripey,’ you should. It’s a classic for a good reason.
‘Striped German’ is marbled yellow and red with a bright, fruity flavor.
‘Green Zebra’ is incredibly sweet with a subtle tang. It’s worth growing it just for the flavor, but the sharp contrast between the green and yellow coloring makes it a striking addition to a salad.
Slice it, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle some feta cheese on top, and you have a stunning dish that looks like it took a lot more work to create than it actually did.
Burpee, which carries this option as a live plant or in packets of 20 seeds, says their garden interns voted for this cultivar as one their favorites out of hundreds of options.
It has the balanced flavor of a red variety with the savory complexity of a black tomato in a petite two-inch package.
Burpee carries another exceptional option called ‘Shimmer.’
It’s gorgeous, with green and red stripes and flecks of golden yellow that give it its name.
This primarily sweet plum-sized fruit is ideal for salads and sandwiches.
Green
When we talk about green varieties, we don’t mean unripe tomatoes.
Unripe tomatoes can be delicious when prepared well, but right now, we’re referring to those that ripen to a green color.
These have what can be perceived as a spicy bite, and they have more sweetness and less acidity than reds. Unripe fruits, on the other hand, lack sweetness and are extremely tart and acidic.
‘Aunt Ruby’s German Green’ has a luscious green hue, though it will take on a bit of blush if you leave it on the vine to become overripe.
The massive fruits can weigh a pound or more, but you don’t sacrifice size for flavor. It’s a sweet and fruity cultivar.
‘Cherokee Green’ is fun because these look like they’re unripe and you expect the firm texture and tang of an unripe fruit, but when you take a bite, you’re treated to a rich, sweet flavor with a touch more acid than other greens.
Widely regarded as one of the best-tasting green types out there, Eden Brothers has small packets or 250-count packages of seed available so you can bring ‘Cherokee Green’ home.
‘Green Envy’ looks more like a gem than a tomato, with deep emerald coloring that can sometimes take on a shimmery blush hue.
For a sweet, sweet treat, buy some ‘Cherry White’ seeds from True Leaf Market. They have 250-milligram, quarter-ounce, one-ounce, four-ounce, and one-pound options.
Taste the Rainbow
Knowing how the various pigments influence the flavor of tomatoes means you can pick the perfect option for your dinner without having to steal bites of the fruit while you’re standing in the supermarket.
That said, I encourage you to try samples next time you’re at the farmers market to really get to know all the different flavors.
It’s one thing to read about how something tastes, but it’s a lot more fun to learn by doing.
Did we miss any of your favorites here? What color do you tend to lean toward? Share with us in the comments.
Hopefully, next time you head to the store or market, or when you’re planning your garden for the coming year and selecting seeds to purchase, you’ll feel prepared to make a more informed choice.
Are you searching for great sunflower puns and funny sunflower jokes? We’ve rounded up a brilliant selection to save you time and put a smile on your face.
The best sunflower puns and sunflower jokes
Whatever the weather, these family-friendly sunflower puns and jokes about sunflowers will bring some sunshine to your day.
You can use them to entertain the kids, caption your social media posts (along with our nature hashtags), add them to floral greetings cards, or simply enjoy them yourself.
Cool facts about sunflowers
Sunflowers are amazing!
Sunflowers originate from North America.
In the 1500’s Spanish explorers introduced sunflower seeds to Europe.
The Latin name for sunflower is Helianthus. This is derived from the Greek word Helios, which means ‘sun’, and the latin word annuus, which means ‘annual’.
Sunflowers follow the movement of the sun during the day – which explains their common name.
Sunflower oil and sunflower seeds are well-known as foods, but sunflower stalks, leaves and roots are also edible.
The seed-packed heads of sunflowers provide a feast for wildlife.
The world record for sunflower height is currently 9.17 metres. That’s about the same height as a three storey house!
Growing sunflowers in your garden
Sunflowers are easy to grow from seed, and a great gardening project for kids. You can also get the whole family involved with a fun height competition. Our guide to growing sunflowers in pots will help you with this project.
Brilliant sunflower puns
Ready to celebrate this amazing flower? Let’s get started with some classic sunflower puns.
Advice from a sunflower: be outstanding in your field
Turn your face to the sunflower
Blooming bright
A multitude of suns
It’s a sunflower-y day
All suns blazing
Once and floral
These blooms are sun-stoppable
Shine and dandy
Flower of strength
Solar flower power
Feeling a bit seedy
I was going to preserve my sunflowers, but I realised I have more pressing issues to deal with.
Great sunflower puns for instagram
Here are some perfect sunflower puns for instagram posts and tiktok videos.
Sunflower power
Girls just want to have sun-flowers
Here comes the sun…flower
Rise, shine, and hold your head high
All helios broke loose
The sunny side of life
Put the petal to the metal
Sunflowers so bright, I gotta wear shades
Sun and games
On the sunny side of the street
Go with the sun-flow-er
These flowers really re-sun-ate with me
Sunflowers are sow beautiful
Tick, tick, bloom!
When all is said and sun-flower
I decided to plant sunflowers in my garden. Then I realised I haven’t botany.
More cute sunflower puns
Raise a smile with these cute sunflower puns.
Follow the sun-flower
You grow girl
Plant smiles, like a sunflower
All you seed is love
Hello sunshine
Blooming lovely
My favourite colour is sunflower
Get up and glow
Rise and shine
Bloom baby bloom
I’ve got sunflowers on a cloudy day
We’re all golden inside
Blooming with joy
Choose to shine
Sunflower child
I never really liked planting sunflower seeds, but after a while, they really grew on me.
Hilarious sunflower jokes
These kid-friendly sunflower jokes will get everyone laughing.
Why is a sunflower like the letter ‘a’? Because a ‘b’ always goes after it.
What do sunflowers do when they get cold? They wear plants.
Why is it so hot? Because there’s a sunflower nearby.
What did the sunflower say when it heard a joke? Stop pollen my leg.
Why didn’t the sunflower bloom? It was a bud omen.
What do you say to a sunflower that looks ill? Are you feeling bouquet?
Why couldn’t the sunflower ride a bike any more? Its petals broke.
What did the bee say to the sunflower? Hello honey.
Why did the rose stop dating the sunflower? She only saw him as a frond.
Silly jokes about sunflowers
How about some really silly sunflower jokes to get the kids giggling?
What happens if you talk to sunflowers about maths? They end up with square roots.
How do you grow the best sunflowers? Through trowel and error.
Stealing sunflowers is an awful crime. It’s de-flor-able.
What do you get if you cross a bike with a sunflower? Cycle petals.
Why didn’t the bird eat the sunflower seeds? They were im-peck-able.
What happens to a sunflower when it gets embarrassed? It turns rosy.
How does a sunflower whistle? Through its tulips.
What do you say to a sunflower to make it go faster? Floret.
What happens when you take a picture of a sunflower? It can photo-synthesise.
Why do pokemon like to eat sunflower seeds? Because they like to pick and chew.
Someone keeps sending me sunflowers with the heads cut off. I think I have a stalker.
Fantastic sunflower quotes
Sunflowers have also inspired lots of writers – check out our sunflower quotes roundup for some beautiful words about these impressive blooms.
Kids love riddles – and the adults usually can’t resist them either! Here are some sunflower riddles to get those brains working.
This type of plant, very tall it can grow, it gives seeds and oil, its colour is yellow.
This lovely plant, sounds like something in the sky, it’s very yellow, and can grow ten feet high.
I’m something yellow, I grow tall like a tower, I’m used for seeds and oil, I sound bright – I’m a …..
I’m yellow, but I’m not a banana. I can grow ten feet tall, but I’m not a giraffe. I have seeds, but I’m not a lemon. I provide oil, but I’m not a vegetable. What am I?
Have you enjoyed these sunflower puns?
If these sunflower jokes and sunflower puns have hit the spot, we’ve got plenty of other family-friendly jokes for you to enjoy.
After watching Geoff Lawton’s recent video on making fast compost, I was inspired to get my own pile together. It’s been planned for a few weeks, but we’ve been busy with other things.
Fortunately, we were able to find a source for two half-rotten bales of unsprayed hay. We also have our own Grazon-free cow manure now as well. I was planning to make a nice, big compost pile out of them, using the layering method of alternating “greens” and “browns” in the mix.
Geoff’s video reminded me that I also had some comfrey we could use to “activate” the pile, so I threw that in as well.
Once again, I must press home how valuable home dairy cows can be. Milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, pasture mowing and improvement, beef – plus, something like 40lbs per day of high-quality garden fertilizer.
Since most manure sources are now contaminated with long-term persistent herbicides, raising our own cows became a priority. Now, we can’t imagine being without them. The extra milk feeds the pigs and is sold, plus we always have manure available to feed the gardens.
Also, the grass clippings from the yard are really coming in now.
We have a used zero-turn mower which we use to cut a few acres of grass. If you cut a nice little circle in the grass, then rotate around it repeatedly in larger, then back again in smaller circles, all the time pointing the grass-blowing side of the mower inwards, you can quickly create large piles of nice, green, grass clippings to use for mulch and compost. The clippings we are using in this pile have dried out in the week since they were cut, which is not as ideal as fresh green ones, but they should still get quite hot in the compost pile.
An additional tweak which is not necessary, but probably beneficial, is sprinkling in some lime and some kelp meal.
In a conversation I had with Noah Sanders, he shared that he had seen studies on the bioavailability of nutrients being greatly increased via passing them through a compost pile rather than through direct application on crops. Lime in a compost pile allegedly becomes much more effective while requiring a lesser initial quantity.
The sun fell before we were able to complete the pile yesterday, but we got it to about twice the height of what you see in today’s photos. We also dumped some partially digested material from a previous compost pile, along with some paper plates and bones and other things, plus scattered some clay and ashes through it. The clay will make the compost “stick” better, and form long-term humus.
Hopefully we’ll get it done tomorrow morning, making it tall and wide and covering it with a tarp to cook.
After that, we’ll turn repeatedly and water it again and again until we get garden gold.
For a long time we just didn’t have all the materials to make huge piles and reap lots of compost. Now that spring is here and we’re on a spacious piece of land with grass, cows, spoiled hay and more – we can make things happen.
Even multiple years after writing Compost Everything, I’m still fascinated and excited about compost. Every project feels like magic.
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a native North American woodland plant that goes by many names: mayflower, mandrake, and my favorite, raccoon berry. This low-growing, two-leafed plant loves the rich, moist, shady soil of forests. And while not a shrub, they are part of the barberry family (Berberidaceae).
Above: Each mayapple plant has two large leaves and one flower growing underneath them. Photograph by Judy Gallagher via Flickr.
The Native Americans used the plant for medicinal purposes, mainly as a purge and to rid themselves of parasites; the plant is extremely poisonous, though, and can be fatal. Some literature says the fruit, once ripe, is edible. However there is much discussion as to when the fruit is fully ripe, whether or not it’s not poisonous or just mildly so, and lastly whether or not you can eat the seeds. In other words, don’t risk it.
Above: The plant bears a single fruit after blooming, sometime between July and September. Photograph by Jack Pearce via Flickr.
Mayapples are unique looking plants that can be a beautiful point of interest in your native woodland garden during the spring and early summer. The fruit is eaten by deer, raccoons, and box turtles.
Mayapples are easily identifiable by their two large leaves that look like a cross between a duck’s foot and an umbrella.
They can grow between one and two feet tall, and their single white flower is pollinated by bumblebees and butterflies.
They go dormant in the mid to late summer.
Due to their toxicity, they are deer-resistant, but the deer will eat the fruit.
Keep children and animals away from the plant.
In Florida, they are a protected plant.
They can be planted under black walnuts since they tolerate juglone.
Keep It Alive
Above: En masse, mayapples are an appealing ground cover. Photograph by Judy Gallagher via Flickr.
Mayapples love shade and moisture. If you have ferns in your garden, chances are that mayapples will be happy there, too.
They enjoy acidic soil and are relatively pest-free.
They spread by rhizomes and can form large colonies.
It’s best to purchase a couple of plants from a responsible and reputable source rather than trying to start by seed, which is fairly difficult. You will need a few plants, since they do not self fertilize, if you want to see the ‘raccoon berry’.
See also:
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Pussy willow (Salix discolor, Zones 4–8) stems bent into a beautiful trellis elevate this planting of pansies (Viola × wittrockiana, cool-season annual) and bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangeamacrophylla, Zones 5–9).
Bigleaf hydrangeas and a dramatic arch made of pussy willows make a bold statement in this window box.
Pussy willows have flexible stems, so they can be bent and shaped into beautiful structures like this. The silvery fuzz is the newly emerging flower spikes that burst open first thing in the spring.
In this close-up, you can see that there is a metal framework under the structure that the willow branches have been attached to. The attention to detail here is incredible!
In this spring container, purple and white tulips (Tulipa hybrids, Zones 3–8) are the stars, with their colors echoed by the rest of the planting and set off by yellow-green variegated ivy (Hederahelix, Zones 5–9) and moss.
Two-level containers feature bold blue hydrangeas on the bottom and pansies on top.
White pansies dominate this container, with a few pops of other color to accent the white.
A euphorbia (looks like Euphorbia × martinii ‘Ascott Rainbow’, Zones 6–9) takes center stage here, backed up by pansies, ranunculus (Ranunculusasiaticus, Zones 8–10 or as a tender bulb), golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachianummularia ‘Aurea’, Zones 3–9), and nemesia (Nemesia hybrid, annual).
A dress made from pansies
And here’s Howard himself, posing with one of his stunning containers.
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.
Peach trees are a popular fruit tree for backyard gardeners who enjoy growing their own fresh organic produce. Not only do peach trees provide a beautiful and fragrant addition to a garden, but they also produce a deliciously sweet and juicy fruit that can be enjoyed fresh, canned, or baked into pies and desserts.
However, growing organic backyard peach trees requires some knowledge and effort to ensure that the trees are healthy, productive, and free from pests and diseases. In this article, I will answer the top questions that you may have about growing organic backyard peach trees, providing valuable insights and practical tips for success.
Table of Contents:
What are the best varieties of peach trees to grow organically in a backyard garden?
There are several varieties of peach trees that are ideal for organic growing and can yield delicious fruit. When selecting peach trees for your backyard garden, choose varieties that are well-suited to your climate and soil conditions. It is also important to choose disease-resistant varieties to minimize the use of pesticides and other chemicals. By choosing the right varieties of peach trees and practicing organic growing techniques, you can enjoy delicious, homegrown fruit that is healthy and free of harmful chemicals.
I recommend the following varieties of peach trees for your backyard garden:
Redhaven Peach Tree:
Redhaven is a popular variety of peach tree that is ideal for backyard gardens. It is a hardy tree that can withstand extreme temperatures and requires minimal maintenance. Redhaven peach trees produce large, juicy, and flavorful fruit that is perfect for eating fresh or canning.
Elberta Peach Tree:
Another popular variety of peach tree is the Elberta peach tree. This tree produces large, yellow-fleshed fruit that is ideal for canning, freezing, or eating fresh. Elberta peach trees are hardy and can tolerate a wide range of soil and climate conditions.
Elberta Yellow Peach
Reliance Peach Tree:
If you live in an area with a short growing season, the Reliance peach tree is an excellent choice for your backyard garden. This variety of peach tree can produce ripe fruit in as little as 85 days, making it ideal for cooler climates. The Reliance peach tree produces sweet, juicy fruit that is perfect for snacking.
Saturn Peach Tree:
If you are looking for a unique variety of peach tree, the Saturn peach tree is an excellent choice. This tree produces flat, doughnut-shaped fruit that is sweet and juicy. The Saturn peach tree is also relatively disease-resistant, making it an ideal choice for organic growers.
Saturn Peaches
Harrow Diamond Peach Tree:
The Harrow Diamond peach tree is a hardy variety that can tolerate colder climates. This tree produces medium-sized, freestone fruit that is sweet and juicy. The Harrow Diamond peach tree is also resistant to most peach tree diseases, making it an ideal choice for organic growers.
What type of soil is best for growing organic peach trees?
When it comes to growing organic peach trees, the type of soil you have is crucial. I can tell you that the right soil can make all the difference in the world.
First and foremost, peach trees require well-draining soil. This means that the soil should be able to absorb water quickly, but also allow excess water to drain away. If the soil is too compact or heavy, it can lead to waterlogging, which can damage the roots and cause the tree to die.
The ideal soil for growing organic peach trees should be loamy, which means it should be a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Loamy soil is perfect for growing fruit trees because it retains moisture well, while also allowing for proper drainage. Additionally, loamy soil is rich in nutrients, which is essential for the healthy growth of peach trees.
Another important factor to consider is the pH level of the soil. Peach trees prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 6.0 to 6.5. A soil test can help you determine the pH level of your soil, and if necessary, you can adjust it by adding lime to make it more alkaline or sulfur to make the soil more acidic.
What is the ideal spacing for planting peach trees in a backyard garden?
When it comes to planting peach trees in a backyard garden, the ideal spacing can vary depending on a few factors. I have had plenty of experience with peach trees and can offer some valuable insights.
First, consider the size of the peach tree at maturity. A fully grown peach tree can reach heights of up to 20 feet and have a spread of 15-18 feet, so it’s essential to give them enough space to grow without overcrowding. As a general rule of thumb, peach trees should be spaced approximately 15-20 feet apart to allow for adequate sunlight, air circulation, and nutrient absorption.
Overcrowding can lead to competition for resources and can negatively impact tree health and fruit production. As a grower, I have learned to be patient and give my trees the space they need to thrive. It is a lesson that applies not only to gardening but also to life.
However, if space is limited in your backyard garden, you can still plant peach trees closer together by using dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties. Dwarf peach trees typically reach heights of 8-10 feet and have a spread of 6-8 feet, while semi-dwarf trees can reach heights of 12-15 feet and have a spread of 10-12 feet. By choosing these smaller varieties, you can space peach trees as close as 8-10 feet apart without sacrificing growth or fruit production.
What are the common pests and diseases that affect peach trees, and how can they be prevented or treated organically?
The first and most common pest that affects peach trees is the peach tree borer. The larvae of this pest tunnel into the trunk of the tree and feed on the inner bark, causing the tree to weaken and eventually die. The best way to prevent peach tree borers is to keep the trunk of the tree healthy and free from damage. This can be achieved by avoiding mowing or weed whacking around the base of the tree, as this can damage the bark and create an entry point for the pest. Additionally, wrapping the trunk of the tree with a protective barrier such as cardboard or fabric can also discourage the peach tree borer from laying eggs on the bark.
Another common pest that affects peach trees is the oriental fruit moth. This pest can cause damage to the fruit itself, as the larvae feed on the inside of the fruit, causing it to rot and drop prematurely. To prevent this pest, keep the orchard clean and free from fallen fruit and debris. Additionally, using pheromone traps can help to monitor the activity of the oriental fruit moth and prevent infestations from occurring.
In addition to pests, peach trees are also prone to several diseases that can affect their growth and productivity. One of the most common diseases is bacterial spot, which causes small, dark lesions on the leaves and fruit of the tree. To prevent bacterial spot, keep the orchard clean and free from debris, as the bacteria can survive on fallen leaves and fruit. Additionally, spraying the tree with an organic copper-based fungicide can help to prevent the spread of the disease.
Another common disease that affects peach trees is brown rot, which causes the fruit to rot and drop prematurely. To prevent brown rot, keep the orchard clean and free from fallen fruit and debris. Additionally, spraying the tree with an organic fungicide such as neem oil can help to prevent the spread of the disease.
How do I prune peach trees for optimal growth and fruit production?
The first step in pruning peach trees is to identify the branches that need to be removed. These are usually the ones that are growing straight up or crossing over other branches, as they can block sunlight and prevent air circulation. It is also important to remove any dead or diseased branches, as they can harm the overall health of the tree. Once you have identified the branches that need to be removed, use sharp pruning shears or a pruning saw to make clean cuts. Cut at a slight angle, about 1/4 inch above a bud or another branch. This will help prevent damage to the tree and promote new growth.
When pruning peach trees, maintain an open center, which allows sunlight to reach all parts of the tree and promotes even growth. To achieve this, remove any branches that are growing towards the center of the tree, leaving only those that are growing outwards.
Another important aspect of pruning peach trees is thinning, which involves removing some of the fruit to promote larger, healthier fruit. This should be done when the fruit is about the size of a dime, and you should leave about 6-8 inches between each fruit. Thinning not only promotes larger fruit but also reduces the risk of branches breaking under the weight of too much fruit.
Prune peach trees in the winter when they are dormant. This allows for better visibility of the tree’s structure and promotes new growth in the spring. Winter pruning should be done after the coldest part of the season has passed, but before the tree begins to bud.
Prune the tree lightly each year, rather than heavily every few years. This helps to maintain the tree’s shape and promotes consistent fruit production year after year.
What are some tips for storing and preserving fresh organic peaches from my backyard garden?
Canning is an excellent way to preserve peaches.
Firstly, it’s important to know when your peaches are ripe. Ripe peaches are fragrant and slightly soft to the touch. If they are still hard, they need more time to ripen. On the other hand, if they are too soft, they may be overripe and prone to spoiling quickly.
Once your peaches are ripe, you can store them at room temperature for a day or two. If you want to store them longer, it’s better to refrigerate them. Make sure they are not touching each other as this can cause bruising and spoilage.
If you want to preserve your peaches so you can enjoy them for months to come, you can freeze them. First, wash the peaches and remove the pit. Then, cut the peaches into slices or chunks and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and leave it there until the peaches are frozen solid. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag and store them in the freezer.
Another way to preserve your peaches is by canning them. To do this, you will need to sterilize your jars and lids by boiling them in water for a few minutes. Then, prepare your peaches by washing them, removing the pit, and cutting them into slices or chunks. Place the peaches in the sterilized jars, leaving some space at the top, and add a simple syrup made of sugar and water. Seal the jars and process them in a hot water bath for the recommended time based on your altitude. See our primer in canning.
Lastly, if you want to dry your peaches, you can do so by slicing them and placing them on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the oven at a low temperature (around 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit) for several hours until the peaches are dried and leathery. Make sure to check on them regularly to prevent burning.
There are several ways to store and preserve fresh organic peaches from your backyard garden. Whether you choose to refrigerate, freeze, can, or dry them, handle them with care and follow proper techniques to ensure their quality and freshness. With these tips, you can enjoy your peaches long after their season has ended.
Author’s Bio: John Hammond is a seasoned backyard fruit tree grower with a degree in horticulture. Hailing from the Midwest, John’s love for gardening and cultivating fruit trees began at a young age. He is an expert in his field and his advice is highly sought-after by fellow gardeners and fruit tree enthusiasts. John continues to push the boundaries of fruit tree cultivation and has recently started experimenting with new grafting techniques.
Have you ever had a houseplant fail to thrive despite your efforts to provide it with the best possible care?
You may be able to solve this problem with a simple wave of a magic wand – er, that’s to say – a light meter!
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This seemingly magical tool can help you to understand when your houseplant simply isn’treceiving the correct amount of light.
And if you are on track to create a veritablecollection of houseplants, then you might start looking for additional spots in your home to locate them. A light meter can help to determine whether each houseplant will flourish in a given location – or if it might flounder.
We’ll go into more specifics as to why you might want to add this tool to your indoor gardening routine. But first, let me tell you what else to expect in this article.
We’ll talk about what to consider when choosing a light meter, go over the basics of how to use these gadgets, and last but not least, dig into how you should interpret the results you gather.
In short, we’re also going to focus on the practicalities – how to use these devices to keep your plants feeling happy and looking lush.
Ready to get started?
Why Use a Light Meter?
Before we get started, let’s cover some basics.
Plants convert light into food for themselves via the marvel of photosynthesis, but just how much illumination is needed varies from plant to plant.
Depending on where the plant evolved, low or medium light might be recommended if its natural habitat was shady, such as with philodendrons.
On the other extreme, a plant such as hens and chicks may need several hours of direct sunlight each day – what we gardeners refer to as full sun.
It’s not hard to find illumination guidance for specific types of houseplants – usually categorized as bright, medium, or low light.
Seems easy enough!
But unfortunately, there can be a huge disconnect between what we humans may perceive to be bright, medium, or low light levels, and what our houseplants are actually experiencing.
That’s because the human eye easily adapts to different brightness conditions.
This means our subjective perception of the illumination in our homes may be vastly different from the quantifiable amount of illumination to which our houseplants are objectively being exposed.
In other words, what Iperceive as medium brightness may only be low light when measured quantifiably – and this can make a huge difference to a houseplant!
Another potential problem is that some guidelines for houseplant light exposure specify situating plants next to or a certain number of feet from north-, south-, east-, or west-facing windows.
But windows come in many different sizes – and this can affect the amount of sunshine passing through those windows significantly.
So do any outside obstructions near those windows, such as nearby buildings and trees.
Positioning houseplants based on such recommendations may give the plant the right amount of sun if you’re lucky – but it may not.
And we haven’t even factored in time of year and latitude yet!
Let’s take a quick look at these issues, starting with the time of year.
Paint a quick mental picture of your home. If you have deciduous trees in front of the windows, more sunlight will enter your home in winter than it does in summer.
However, if you have evergreen trees in front of the windows, the seasonal changes in illumination won’t be as great.
Now, let’s factor in latitude as well.
Let’s assume that my home and yours each have the same amount and type of obstructions around them, that our windows are the same size, and that it’s a clear day for both of us.
The total amount of sun entering my west-facing windows on a winter afternoon in northeast Utah will be less than that entering yours if you live somewhere further south, such as Austin, Texas.
That’s because the sun is lower in the sky during the winter in my location, and it sets further to the south than it would for someone based in Texas, thanks to the tilt of the Earth’s axis.
Likewise, I would potentially be getting moresun through my west-facing windows than someone living even further north, such as in the Pacific Northwest.
Luckily, we can put these hypothetical comparisons aside and bypass these conundrums. Here’s where our handy meters will come to the rescue, allowing us to replace our subjective assessments with objective ones.
Meter with fern leaf cactus. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Before I started to use one of these devices, I had tried situating a series of well-selected houseplants in a corner of my home that I thought provided low light exposure.
But after I got my trusty light meter, it revealed that this corner is actually much darker than I thought. The luminosity level there was not just “low,” it was closer to “put-plant-here-and-watch-it-slowly-die” darkness.
To be honest, each plant I put in that location was sending me signals that it was unhappy, but I really wanted to situate a houseplant there, so I kept trying with different options.
Now that I know how dark it actually is, I’ll reserve that spot for displaying non-living objects rather than one of my vegetative housemates, since the area doesn’t receive enough sunlight, and it’s not the best fit for a grow lamp.
Choosing a Light Meter
Now that we have plenty of motivation to use one of these devices, let’s learn a bit more about the different options.
When choosing a light meter, you have a few different categories to consider before deciding on a specific model. Here’s what you need to know:
Analog vs. Digital Meters
Some meters are analog, meaning they don’t require batteries or electricity, while the vast majority of them are digital, and usually powered by nine-volt batteries or coin cell batteries.
Analog options are few and far between, and they are fairly basic devices they don’t come with many bells and whistles. Rather than a digital screen, they have an analog dial display and often feature knobs instead of push buttons.
Some indoor gardeners may appreciate the simplicity of analog devices, while others may find them wanting. And some of them have a limited measuring range.
Digital meters, on the other hand, offer many more features.
Light meter with variegated hoya, displaying a measurement in lux. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Some digital devices provide measurements in foot candles and lux, while the others measure PAR (photosynthetically active radiation).
On the other hand, analog light meters measure only in foot candles or lux – none of them are equipped with sensors to measure PAR.
Next, we’ll dig into the difference between these two categories and the pros and cons of each.
Lux and Foot Candle vs. PAR Meters
Once you start comparing differences between digital meters, you’ll find two main types – those that measure in foot candles and lux, and those that measure PAR – which, as a reminder, stands for photosynthetically active radiation.
Earlier in this article I said that plants need light to feed themselves. What they actually need are photons, particles of light.
Why am I telling you this?
Because the main difference between these two categories of devices is that PAR meters measure photons, and those that measure lux and foot candles don’t.
That doesn’t mean lux and foot candle devices don’t have their usefulness, but it will be helpful to understand their limitations.
Lux and Foot Candle Meters
If lux and foot candle meters don’t measure photons, what do they measure then?
These devices use a sensor, typically a silicon photodiode, to measure light as humans(not plants) perceive it, in units known as foot candles or lux.
The term “foot candle,” is a bit archaic, much like talking about the term “horsepower” for cars.
A foot candle is a unit of measure used to denote the amount of light emitted by a candle falling on a surface exactly one foot away from the light source at all points, and this is equal to one lumen per square foot. This is an imperial unit of measurement.
The metric equivalent of foot candles are “lux,” which is the amount of light emitted by one candle falling on a surface exactly one meter away at all points.
Beyond the fact that referring to candle illumination sounds a bit outdated in the modern world, the problem with these meters (when it comes to using them with plants) is that they favor green light waves rather than blue and red light waves.
That’s because the human eye is more sensitive to green light and less sensitive to red and blue light.
Again, these meters measure light as perceived by humans – you may be familiar with them as a photographer’s tool.
Plants, on the other hand, are sensitive to blue and red light waves, but they are somewhat less sensitive to green waves. For the most part, plant foliage reflects green light waves back rather than absorbing them, which is why foliage looks green.
(There are some exceptions, of course – red-leaf lettuce, for instance, reflects red waves. And many blue-tinted plants are found in desert habitats – they reflect blue waves rather than absorbing them, a boon to the plants in hot climates because those waves are hotter.)
Agave plants have blue foliage to keep cool in hot, arid climates.
In essence, foot candle and lux light meters aren’t as accurate with measuring blue and red waves of the visible light spectrum.
This means they lose a lot of accuracy when measuring luminosity from LED bulb. Many of today’s grow lights use white or color LED bulbs that emit blue or red waves.
Does that mean we should just throw foot candle and lux devices out the window and forget about them?
No, because they do have their advantages.
For starters, light meters that measure in lux and foot candles are budget friendly, easy to find, and there are many different models available.
These meters tend to work great for measuring natural sunlight – they just aren’t as accurate when measuring LEDs.
Another advantage is that the vast majority of public-facing horticultural sources such as houseplant cultivation books, and guides provided by university cooperative extensions, refer to luminosity requirements measured in foot candles.
Digital light meter displaying units in foot candles, next to burro’s tail succulent. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
With most options, you won’t have to buy either a foot candle or a lux device – most of these meters allow the user to switch back and forth between either lux or foot candles (abbreviated as “fc” or “ft-c”) like you might between Fahrenheit and Celsius on a digital thermometer.
And by the way, the conversion between the two units if you need to do it manually is roughly ten lux to one foot candle if you round down, making conversion easy.
Once you’ve decided that this type of device is what you need, a great model to start with is the Dr. Meter LX1330B Digital Illuminance Meter.
This light meter measures in foot candles or lux, allowing users to toggle back and forth between the two units.
It can measure illumination in a range of 0 to 200,000 lux or 0 to 20,000 foot candles. In order to move between dim and bright sources, a range button is used – you’ll learn more about this shortly.
The LX1330B has a detached sensor wand that is connected by a coiled cord, meaning you can hold the photo sensor separate from the device, turning it at odd angles if needed, while still being able to see the readings easily.
You can find the Dr. Meter LX1330B Digital Illuminance Meter available for purchase via Amazon.
PAR Meters
We’ve seen that foot candle and lux meters are designed to measure perceived brightness, while PAR meters actually measure photons. Photosynthetically active radiation is light used for photosynthesis ranging between 400 and 700 nanometers.
Quantum PAR devices assess light conditions as usable by plants more accurately than meters that measure foot candles and lux.
That makes PAR devices with quantum sensors useful for gardeners using grow lamps in their indoor gardening setups, since these lamps often emit light waves that plants can perceive well, but humans can’t.
Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) are units used to express PAR measurements. PPF is measured in micromoles per second (μmol/s) and one micromole is equal to about 602 quadrillion photons.
PPFD denotes the number of photons landing on a specific area in square meters per second (μmol/(m^2/s)).
As for potential downsides, these devices tend to be pricier than their foot candle counterparts and these units of measurement (PPF and PPFD) are not often used in public-facing horticultural domains.
They are more common and used more regularly by agricultural professionals and horticultural researchers in their work.
If you are growing crops indoors, or are using LED lamps to help illuminate your houseplants, you may want to consider a PAR meter.
One of my favorite PAR meters is the Spot On from Innoquest. This pocket-sized device has a measuring range of 0 to 6,500 micromoles per square meter per second, and is powered by a coin cell battery.
This light meter works great for taking “spot” measurements of conditions at a given time, but also has a default 24-hour mode in which it calculates a daily light integral, an average of how much luminosity is received per day.
Purchase the Spot On Quantum Par Meter from the FGI Store via Amazon.
You can learn more about these specific models and more of our favorite light meters, including analog, digital, and PAR devices in our roundup of the best light meters. (coming soon!)
How to Use a Light Meter to Care for Houseplants
Once you have the meter and it is powered up, be sure to select the unit of measurement you want to use if the device has more than one available, as is the case with those whose displays may show either lux or foot candles.
Next, choose the range if necessary. Changing the range moves the decimal point, measuring in increasing or decreasing orders of magnitude by a power of 10. If you are testing very bright conditions – near windows, for instance – you want the decimal point to move towards the right, effectively testing within a bigger range.
Selecting range. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
On the other hand, if you are testing dim conditions, you can select the range to be much smaller, moving the decimal point towards the left.
If the value on the display seems too low for what you are measuring, check to see which range you have selected – there may be a “x10” or a “x100” displayed below the value, meaning you need to multiply the number you see on the display by 10 or 100 to get your result.
For instance, you may be seeing “5.00” on the display, but if “x100” appears below this number, you’ll know the value is actually 500.
And if there is a cap on your sensor, make sure to remove it. Otherwise, you won’t be measuring anything at all!
Sensor with cap on. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Once you have selected your desired settings and removed the sensor cap, you’re ready for action.
Hold the sensor close to the plant’s foliage, directed towards the window or lamp.
You’re trying to determine what the plant is receiving in terms of exposure, so you want to point the sensor towards the light source, not towards the plant.
It’s also important to remember that sunlight is dynamic, meaning it is constantly changing. The values appearing on the meter display will fluctuate, giving you an idea of how much illumination the plant is getting via natural light at any given moment.
Sensor next to orchid cactus, positioned pointing towards window on a sunny day, displaying a reading of 740 fc. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
You’ll find that the part of the plant closest to the window or lamp will display a higher reading than areas further from the window or lamp, as the light intensity decreases.
To try to get a good idea of what the whole houseplant is being exposed to, place the sensor in the middle of its canopy, but still pointed towards the source of illumination.
Measuring illumination for the same orchid cactus on a cloudy day, displaying a reading of 380 fc. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Also, take measurements on different days and record your observations. Cloudy and sunny conditions will provide different results.
A great way to record these values is by making notes in a gardening journal.
Your light meter may have a hold button – this allows you to hold the reading for a given measurement, which is useful if you want to make notes after you capture a certain value.
This button will freeze the value on the screen until you press it again.
Hold button. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Your meter may also have a peak button.
Using the peak button will cause the value displayed on the screen to pause at the highest number read by the sensor.
Pressing the peak button again will typically unpause the sensor, and it will resume adjusting to new luminosity conditions based on changes in exposure in real time.
Peak button.Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
Be sure to also read the user manual that comes with your meter, since different models may have different functions and options.
Interpreting Results
Now that you have an idea of how to use this type of device, don’t just take one measurement and think you’re done.
Try measuring the same area at different times of day, under different weather conditions, and at different times of year.
This Christmas cactus is exposed to about 60 fc on a cloudy winter afternoon, compared to about 300 fc on a sunny winter afternoon. Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
You can then take these numbers and calculate an average.
Yes, you can geek out and get really scientific about this. You might even go so far as to take measurements every day of the year at the same time and then calculate an average from those figures. Go for it if you have the time and stamina to carry out such a project!
Or you can just take these numbers, and make an educated guess.
Is it mostly sunny in your area? Mostly cloudy? A mix of both?
If it’s mostly sunny, then the readings you noted on sunny days are going to be the ones that are more important for you, while if you are consistently getting a lot of low readings on your display, the houseplant may need to be relocated or provided extra illumination with a grow lamp.
Once you have some values noted, see if those numbers correspond to the recommended brightness conditions for your houseplant.
Opinions differ on which precise ranges of foot candles correspond to which brightness ranges for indoor houseplants, but here’s a starting point to reference, in which plants will not just survive but actually flourish:
With values of 500 to 1,000 fc, you are safely within the bright light houseplant category and can choose from a wide variety of houseplants such as birds of paradise, fiddle-leaf figs, and some succulents, such as jade plants.
Over 1,000 foot candles is considered very high, and in this range plants will be getting some direct sunlight, where you can grow gardenias or herbs such as basil indoors.
Keep in mind that many plants can survive in more than one brightness range, but in general, they will produce more foliage and have better overall growth with the most illumination that can be tolerated.
For instance, even though cast-iron plants and snake plants can tolerate low light, that doesn’t mean they’ll be happiest in it. (And yes, I’m speaking from experience!)
Also consider that these ranges are general recommendations – you should expect some variation among different cultivars.
Many hoyas, for instance, tolerate conditions in the low to medium range, but variegated cultivars may wither in such conditions, requiring more light than darker leaved varieties.
Other variegated plants that don’t have thick, succulent flesh may become bleached, sun scorched, or burn to a crisp in very bright light.
As we’ve seen, using a light meter with our houseplants can be like the difference between night and day for their health and happiness.
Just don’t forget – it’s not enough to just wave the wand (well, okay, the sensor, if you insist) – you may need to relocate your houseplants based on the results you’ve observed!
Are you convinced that using one of these devices will be a game changer for you and your houseplants? Are you still trying to figure out how to use yours? Are you already a convert to the magic of light meters? We want to know – give us the details in the comments section below!
With showy and colorful rose-like flowers from June to first frost, Portulaca grandiflora, or moss rose, is a favorite for its easy cultivation and fast growth.
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A bright and beautiful sun-loving plant for borders, containers, and edging, these tough succulents are also drought and heat tolerant – which makes them an excellent choice for rock gardens and xeriscapes or as a ground cover for hot, dry areas.
The single or double flowers come in pastel shades or intense hues of mauve, orange, pink, red, white, or yellow with petals of a delicate crinkly texture.
Closely related to common purslane (P. oleracea), portulaca is highly useful in poor soils where other plants struggle, and handy as a fast grower for filling in bare spots.
And it’s highly attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies but is left alone by the likes of deer and rabbits.
Resilient and built for heat, are you thinking your garden needs some moss rose this summer?
Then join us now for all the details on how to grow portulaca!
Here’s everything we’ll go over up ahead:
What Is Portulaca?
Moss rose, Portulaca grandiflora, is a succulent species of flowers in the Portulacaceae family.
Multi-branched and low-growing, the rose-shaped flowers grow on terminal tips and are held above prostrate stems in small clusters.
The light green, needle-like leaves are plump and fleshy for water storage.
Flowers measure up to one and a half inches wide with single or double, crepey petals surrounding clusters of bright yellow anthers.
Moss rose comes in richly saturated colors of fuchsia, magenta, mauve, orange, salmon, peach, pink, red, purple, white, and yellow, with some bicolors that have contrasting splashes and splotches.
And there are also cultivars in the same palette but in more subdued, pretty pastel shades.
These fast-growing succulents have a creeping or trailing habit. They grow up to nine inches and can spread up to 24 inches, but 12 to 14 inches is more common.
Some compact varieties have a tidier form, growing six to eight inches tall with an eight-inch spread.
With species plants, the flowers are nyctinastic, meaning they only open in bright sunlight, then close at night and remain closed on cloudy days. However, most of the newer hybrids are bred to remain open even with cloud cover.
After flowering, small kernel-like seed pods form containing tiny black seeds that disperse freely once ripe, reseeding in favorable conditions.
It should also be noted that portulaca contains calcium oxalates which can be toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Cultivation and History
Moss rose, also called Mexican rose, portulaca, rock rose, purslane, sun rose, and eleven o’clock flower – for its punctual habit of opening at 11 a.m., when the sun is high in the sky – are native to the rolling plains of Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay.
This species has escaped cultivation in many areas and naturalized in mild regions of the Americas, Australia, Europe, and other frost-free locations.
The genus name Portulaca derives from the Latin word for little door (portula) and is thought to refer to the way seed pods open, like a flip-top.
The species epithet, grandiflora, is a combination of Latin words meaning large flowered.
Grown as an ornamental annual in temperate areas, moss rose is hardy only in USDA Zones 10 to 12.
Most seeds are sold in packets as colorful blends and mixes in single or double flowering forms.
And unlike other Portulaca species, such as P. oleracea and P. umbraticola, moss rose is not considered edible because of its bitter taste.
Propagation
Moss rose is easily propagated by sowing seed or rooting cuttings.
From Seed
Seeds can be sown early indoors and transplanted out once nighttime temperatures remain above 60°F, or direct sown in the garden. Blooms appear about 45 days after sowing.
To start seeds indoors, sow six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area.
Fill seed cells, trays, or small pots with a finely textured compost or starter soil mix.
Carefully scatter the small seeds over the soil and just barely cover with one-eighth of an inch of soil – go easy with the cover soil as they need some light to germinate.
Water lightly and place trays in a bright location. Maintain temperatures of 70 to 75°F.
Keep the soil lightly moist and seeds will germinate in seven to 21 days.
Once seedlings have two sets of leaves, thin plants to one per cell or three inches apart.
When the seedlings are three to four inches tall, harden them off for at least one week by placing them in a sheltered spot with afternoon shade for increasing amounts of time each day.
Hardening off helps to toughen plants and reduces the chance of transplant shock and sun scald.
To direct sow outdoors, wait until soil temperatures reach 65°F.
Clean and rake well-draining soil amended with compost or manure. Add granite chips, landscape sand, or pea gravel to improve drainage if needed.
Scatter the tiny seeds evenly over the soil surface – mixing the small seeds with landscape sand can help to distribute them more evenly.
Barely cover the seeds with soil and water gently. Keep the soil moist until they germinate.
Once seedlings have two sets of leaves, thin to three inches apart. As the plants mature and spread, thin to 12 inches apart.
From Cuttings
Take four-inch cuttings from the outside perimeter of plants, choosing nonflowering stems.
Pinch out spent flowers or seed heads and remove leaves from the bottom half of each cutting. Dip in rooting hormone if desired.
Fill four-inch pots with a moist, finely textured compost or starter soil.
Insert stems up to the first set of leaves and firm the soil gently around them before watering lightly.
Place pots outdoors in a bright, protected location with afternoon shade and keep the soil lightly moist. Roots should form within seven to 14 days.
After new growth appears, gradually move plants into full sun then plant out in containers or the garden.
How to Grow
Moss rose gives the best performance when grown in a full sun location in humus-rich, well-draining soil with a gritty or sandy texture, and slightly acidic to neutral pH of 5.5 to 7.0.
Once established, plants do well in dry, lean soils, but they flower best if planted in humus-enriched soil and receive regular moisture.
Prepare the planting site by amending the soil with a shovelful of well-rotted compost or manure.
Mix in a shovelful of granite grit, landscape sand, or pea gravel to improve drainage if needed.
Set seedlings in place with the crown just below the soil surface and backfill, gently firming in place. Space 12 inches apart.
Water gently to settle, then water again when the top inch of soil is dry and allow the soil to dry thoroughly between water applications.
After plants are established, when they reach double their planting size, water only when the top two inches of soil dries out. The shallow root systems of moss rose are susceptible to root rot in wet soils.
In areas with hot, dry soil, moss roses can go longer without water, but they take on a leaner, leggier form and produce fewer flowers as they get by on internal moisture stores – water as outlined for plump, floriferous plants.
For container growth, use pots and planters with drainage holes. I cover the holes with a two-inch layer of drainage materials such as broken pottery or pebbles.
Fill containers with a humus-rich and well-draining soil with a sandy or gritty texture.
Our succulent soil recipe is ideal for potted P. grandiflora. Mix in one or two tablespoons of bone meal to promote healthy roots.
Set plants in place and gently firm the soil over the root zone.
Place containers in a full sun location and water when the top inch or two of soil is dry.
For mixed container plantings, ensure all other plants have the same low water and full sun requirements.
Growing Tips
Moss rose is an easy-care species and the following tips help ensure productive, healthy plants.
Ensure the soil is well-draining.
Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between water applications.
Plants are not heavy feeders and require little supplemental feeding if the soil has been enriched at planting time.
Pruning and Maintenance
At planting time, amend the soil with compost or manure as outlined in How to Grow above, or scatter a balanced, slow-release fertilizer over the soil.
Avoid overfertilizing, as this can result in lush foliage but fewer flowers.
A granular organic all-purpose plant food with a 5-5-5 NPK is available at Burpee.
A second feeding can be applied in midsummer if plants are grown in lean or poor soil.
Flowers are self-cleaning and don’t require deadheading but they can be removed to prevent unwanted self-seeding. Otherwise, seeds can be collected at any time throughout the summer as soon as they ripen.
Plants can be pruned in midseason should they become leggy or straggly. Use the trimmings to quickly start new plants.
Use clean, sharp scissors or shears to cut plants back by half for a tidy appearance and to promote full growth.
After pruning, apply a half-strength solution of a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer with a balanced formula, such as 10-10-10 NPK – use a half-strength solution so plants quickly produce new growth but don’t become lanky.
Avoid overwatering and wet soil which can cause root rot.
Cultivars to Select
P. grandiflora seedlings are readily available in the annuals section of your favorite garden center or you can purchase seed to start your own.
Seeds are most often sold in mixed blends of single or double flowers – the following selections all offer double blooms.
This Double Blend is a compact variety with flowers in brilliant colors of cherry, orange, red, rosy-pink, white, yellow, and pastels that grow four to eight inches tall and spread eight inches.
The Color Carousel Mix has a trailing habit that features double flowers in fantastic shades of hot pink, scarlet, and sunshine yellow on plants growing six to nine inches tall and spreading 12 to 14 inches.
Double Mix spreads and trails with flowers in bright shades of fuchsia, orange, scarlet, white, butter yellow, and sunshine yellow. Plants grow up to eight inches tall and spread 12 to 14 inches.
Slugs and snails can also cause damage as they chew through leaves and foliage.
Locate plants in full sun to minimize visits from slugs and snails, and handpick to dispose of any you see. You can find plenty more tips for dealing with these hungry gastropods in our guide on how to protect your garden from slugs and snails.
Generally disease-free, root and stem rot can be a problem in wet soil.
Ensure plants are grown in well-draining soil and allow it to dry to a depth of one to two inches between water applications.
Best Uses
Moss rose makes a bright and durable choice as a bedding plant or seasonal ground cover.
These plants make a bold statement when massed as an edger in beds and borders, and being heat lovers, they make a smart choice for bordering heat-absorbing areas like asphalt, bricks, and concrete.
Fast growing, they’re excellent when interplanted with spring bulbs, quickly filling in bare areas with color as the bulbs die back.
The creeping, colorful habit makes a pretty choice for tucking between rocks, flagstones, and pavers, or stuffing into cracks in a rock wall. Note that they cannot handle foot traffic.
Moss rose makes a sensational trailer, dripping bright colors over the edge of hanging baskets, patio pots, and window boxes or cascading down rockeries and over retaining and rock walls.
Their drought tolerance makes this species a natural for bare or hot areas where other plants struggle and in xeriscapes as well.
Use standard size varieties for trailing, spreading, or spilling and the compact ones for stuffing and tucking.
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Plant Type:
Flowering succulent
Flower / Foliage Color:
Mauve, orange, pink, red, white, yellow/ light to mid-green
Native to:
South America
Water Needs:
Low
Hardiness (USDA Zone):
10-12, annual in other regions
Tolerance:
Deer, drought, lean soil, rabbits
Bloom Time/Season:
Summer
Maintenance:
Low
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil Type:
Lean to humus-rich and gritty
Time to Maturity:
45 days (from seed0
Soil pH:
5.5-7.0
Spacing:
10-12 inches
Soil Drainage:
Well-draining
Planting Depth:
1/8 inch (seeds), crown just below soil surface (transplants)
Attracts:
Bees, butterflies
Height:
Up to 9 inches
Uses:
Containers; cut arrangements; gravel, rock, and xeriscape gardens; naturalized settingBorders, containers, edging, rock gardens, low irrigation and xeriscape gardens
Spread:
8-20 inches, depending on cultivar
Family:
Portulacaceae
Growth Rate:
Fast
Genus:
Portulaca
Common Pests and Diseases:
Aphids, slugs, snails; root rot, stem rot
Species:
Grandiflora
Colorful and Easy
Fast growing, brightly colored, and drought tolerant, moss rose is an excellent choice for many garden settings.
These easy-care annuals aren’t demanding as long as they’re planted in well-draining soil with full sun. And they can also be grown as perennials in Zones 10 to 12.
Give them these conditions, and you’ll enjoy flowers all summer long – even in the hot, dry spots where nothing else grows!
How do you use P. grandiflora in the garden? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
It’s impressively brown after a couple of weeks. Looks like it could use a few more, though. Those wood chips are tenacious.
I love his “activators.”
We have a pile of fresh shredded/chipped pine, which is quite fine, and really doesn’t like to decay. We also got two big rolls of unsprayed hay, and we have plenty of cow manure, plus a bunch of grass and weed clippings I cut last weekend.
Today’s goal is to build a nice, big compost pile of our own. The gardens will appreciate it!
When we think of resilient plants, we don’t often think of the vegetable garden. Veggies require the most care and resources and often wouldn’t last without us. But by adding some hardy vegetable plants to the mix, your garden will be more likely to survive unexpected weather conditions.
When I first saw Kim Stoddart and Sally Morgan’s book, The Climate Change Garden: Down to Earth Advice for Growing a Resilient Garden, I immediately knew I wanted to discuss it. They have a similar approach to me about gardening, where we need to work with our natural ecosystems and climate rather than trying to fight it.
Kim and Sally had some amazing suggestions about some of the more hardy, resilient vegetable plants we can grow as we navigate these changing climates. Because, more often than not, the vegetable garden is the place in our yard that requires the most maintenance and is sensitive to these weather extremes.
So, whether you’re experiencing more cold or heat than usual, these resilient plants for climate change are perfect for the vegetable garden.
For hundreds of years, gardeners have followed weather patterns to plan and plant their gardens. We often rely on information like average frost dates or temperature highs to help us do so.
While we once used to look at the traditional thirty-year historical data average, it’s no longer a tool we can use. It seems we’re breaking records every other month regarding temperatures.
Instead, gardeners will need to work with their unique microclimates. Every garden is unique, and a yard even twenty minutes away might experience different weather conditions than yours.
Rather than relying on historical data, you’ll have to become more attuned to your home garden’s temperature and sunlight levels to determine which plants to grow and how long the growing season will be.
“We have already established that it’s no longer gardening as usual, and while this undoubtedly presents challenges, it also offers great opportunities,” says Kim and Sally. “There’s no turning back the clock, and the development of personal resourcefulness inside better enables us to deal with hostilities on the outside.”
For instance, colder regions can capture heat in thermal masses or greenhouses, while warmer regions can cool plants using shade and water. It’s all about working with what we’ve got!
Perennial herbs like rosemary are also great additions to the hardy garden.
The Best Resilient Plants for Climate Change
Perennials are one of the best ways to create a garden full of hardy plants that will have a higher chance of handling the elements.
Kim and Sally recommend we dive deeper into the relatively unknown world of perennial vegetables. “Their longevity enables them to stand firm against more challenging conditions. With their deeper root structure, they seek out moisture more effectively during a dry period and absorb an excess of rainwater during storms, to the benefit of the plants around them.”
Below, I’ve listed plenty of perennial vegetables and some annuals that are absolutely some of the most resilient plants for climate change.
Rhubarb is an extremely-low maintenance perennial vegetable with an early harvest time.
1. Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
“Easily grown from seed or planted on from bought-in crowns, this delicious perennial will, when established, keep on providing for many more seasons.”
As Kim and Sally mention, asparagus will take a few growing seasons before you can actually harvest from it. But since asparagus tends to be one of the pricier produce in the grocery store, it’s a worthwhile investment of your garden space and effort.
Asparagus can keep returning for up to 30 years, making it a worthwhile vegetable to put in the effort. Try pickling some like this asparagus.
2. Walking Onions
Allium cepa ‘Proliferum Group’
“This variety of onion will gradually ‘walk’ around your veggie patch as it produces bulbs on the end of its foliage, which eventually bend over and plant themselves in the surrounding soil,” says Kim and Sally.
This strange phenomenon is what makes walking onions one of the weirder alliums out there, but also really fun to grow. You can then harvest and eat these bulbs.
Alliums typically only flower for a few years, so you may have to get some more bulbs afterward.
3. Artichoke
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus
Not only are artichokes tasty, but they’re also a beautiful ornamental in the garden. They can produce for up to five years and can get very large upon maturity.
Kim and Sally recommend the Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus. “These plants have a strong survival instinct and produce tubers deep in the ground. New plants can always be expected to emerge with gusto in the spring.”
These Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, have edible tubers that taste slightly nutty, somewhere between an artichoke and a water chestnut.
When you don’t harvest artichokes, they open and have beautiful purple flowers.
4. English Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
This heat-loving ornamental can make your garden look and smell amazing. It’s also extremely popular with pollinators, making it a great addition for wildlife as well.
Since it’s native to the Mediterranean, it doesn’t mind hot, dry summers and cool winters. Drought tolerance is a great quality when looking for hardy plants.
I love using lavender for its aromatherapy benefits since it’s known to calm and relax. I use it in various projects, from soap to dryer bags. It’s also an edible flower, which you can use for drinks or baking. Or you may find it in the famous herbs de Provence mix!
Make sure if you’re using it for culinary purposes, you grow English lavender.
5. Oca
Oxalis tuberosa
If you like potatoes and yams, maybe you should try oca. Just like potatoes, oca is crunchy when eaten raw and becomes a starch when boiled.
“These highly colourful small South American tubers are becoming more readily available for planting, thanks in large part to certain seed and plant suppliers and their work championing the growing of this nutritious plant,” says Kim and Sally.
6. Peppers
If you live in a hot climate or are experiencing hotter-than-average summers,try growing peppers. These heat mongrels will actually taste spicier when they get lots of sun.
Since peppers aren’t good with cold, start them indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date to give them a jumpstart on the growing season. This way, you’ll be sure to harvest them before cold weather.
A mini greenhouse can help keep temperatures for heat-loving plants if it gets cool.
7. Perennial Kale
Brassica oleracea
Kim and Sally are big perennial kale fans. “These plants, also known as a cottager’s kale, would have been common in vegetable gardens in the past. They are damaged by caterpillars in the same way as other brassicas, but being perennial, they have the resilience to bounce back as if nothing has happened.”
I love that brassicas (cabbage, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale) get tastier after a frost. You can plant them in the spring, harvest them in the summer, plant them again, and then harvest them again in the winter.
Yes, even the annuals! Brassicas like cooler climates, and the winter crop I find usually tastes better than the summer one.
Most kale varieties are actually biennials. In the winter, the roots prevent the plants from freezing by sending sugars up the cells to the leaves, making them taste sweeter.
8. Lettuce
I’m always growing lettuce. It’s one of my absolute go-to’s. When the price of lettuce skyrocketed, I knew I could easily grow more than enough for myself and my family.
While not necessarily a hardy plant, lettuce is easy to grow for those who aren’t super savvy in the garden. It’s easy to make a cut and come again lettuce garden, where you can constantly have a supply of fresh greens.
Even if you don’t have a big garden, you can grow lettuce in containers on patios, decks, and even indoors.
I also like to use umbrella cloches to help extend the season, allowing me to grow lettuce outside earlier and later than typical.
9. Rhubarb
Rheum x hybridum
In the spring, I love turning to my rhubarb plant as one of the year’s first harvests. I make pie, muffins, crumbles, compotes, and even sorbet with it. It’s a very low-fuss vegetable that produces tons of edible stems.
“It may not be glamorous, but this stalwart ‘fruit’ is very weather hardy and reliable,” says Kim and Sally. Once fully established, it will reappear like clockwork each spring, year after year, and can handle regular spring pickings.”
10. Leeks
Allium ampeloprasum
Leeks are another vegetable that gets tastier after the frost. You can harvest them as long as they don’t freeze in the ground. So, if you live in a climate where the ground doesn’t freeze, leeks can be a year-round offering.
Freshly picked leeks and rhubarb at the farmer’s market.
11. Sorrel
Sium sisarum
This multi-use plant is very easy to grow, often enjoyed for its delicious roots, raw or cooked. They taste somewhat like a carrot or parsnip, with a little more nutty flavour. Sorrel is a perennial herb up to zone 5, sometimes even considered a weed.
“This zesty leaf provides a valuable addition to any veggie patch. Its leaves are delicious in any number of dishes, and it requires little to no care whatsoever,” says Kim and Sally.
12. Root Vegetables
Root vegetables like carrots, beets, parsnips, and turnips can have a very long growing season, withstanding the cold for a long time. You can eat them as long as you can pull them out of the ground.
You can even plant these root vegetables in late summer or fall for a second round or after your garden has more room.
If you don’t harvest them before the ground freezes, you can leave them in there during the winter. Talk about some resilient plants! Come spring, when the ground begins to thaw, you can harvest them before they grow for spring. They’ll still taste great.
Root vegetables are always a great comfort food in the fall and winter, and with a little ingenuity, they can be eaten fresh nearly year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions About Climate Change Agriculture
How does climate change affect agriculture?
Agriculture production relies almost entirely on weather conditions, and climate change is increasingly making it more difficult to predict these conditions. This leads to longer droughts, increased flooding, incorrect growing temperatures, and destructive natural disasters, leading to barren land and failed crops.
Does gardening reduce carbon footprint?
Absolutely! First of all, growing your own edible plants reduces plastic, transportation emissions, and the use of pesticides and herbicides.
However, you also want to grow consciously. For instance, be mindful of your water consumption and use water conservation methods, practice no-till gardening, avoid the use of chemicals, use peat-free soil mixes, plant native species, encourage wildlife with practices like leave the leaves, and SO much more. This is what I call regenerative gardening.
Do community gardens help climate change?
Sustainable growing techniques can be applied to all kinds of gardens, including community gardens. This includes the type of soil you use, how you water, what kind of plants you grow, and the materials used to build structures. Growing any kind of food locally also reduces the number of emissions used in transportation.
Does planting a tree help climate change?
Removing trees from urban landscapes is one of the worst things to do. Planting just a tree or two in your landscape can make a huge difference.
Trees feed the soil, create biomass, sink carbon, provide habitat for wildlife, provide food and medicine, and protect us from climate effects such as wind, sun, heat, and rain. Their shade helps keep the ground cool, reducing evaporation and the need for supplemental watering. They can help cool down your property and increase drought tolerance.
In the small neighborhood of Windsor Terrace in South Brooklyn, spring is a very pretty thing. Flanked by the green expanses (and landmarks) of Prospect Park to the north and the undulating hills of historic Green-Wood Cemetery to the south, the quiet neighborhood has some contextual advantages, in terms of verdure. A grab-bag of architectural styles decorates the tree-lined streets, from limestone Beaux Arts to columned Greek Revival, and wood frame to concrete, but Windsor Terrace seems most associated with the brick row houses whose porches and modest front gardens spill over onto sidewalks, adding layers of botanical appeal to the streetscape. Small apartment buildings have their own tended gardens, and above it all, the moulded cornices of older buildings, framed by foliage and blossoms, make looking up a requirement.
Above: Dark tulips lean towards the sun under leafing-out trees.Above: The bells of Solomon’s seal are shown off against layers of spring green.Above: Even tree beds are stuffed with lily-of-the-valley, whose ephemeral scent lasts a week, and is gone.Above: Epimedium planted behind a retaining wall is at rare eye-level, for close appreciation.
Above: Hellebores and the new leaves of Virginia creeper make a happy color-pact, with Phlox subulata and wrought iron.Above: A stoop planter with violas and Heuchera have a frank conversation with the red door.Above: Lilac introduces a turquoise entry-way.Above: Azaleas become regal with a Doric columned backdrop.
My name is Pam Zimmerman, and I garden in State College, Pennsylvania (Zone 5b).
I’ve been gardening at this home since 2006. I have shade in the front of the house and sun in the back gardens. I’m challenged by black walnut trees along the back of my property and deer roaming through my backyard. I’m planning to do more experimenting with native plants to attract more birds and pollinators and because I’ve learned that many native plants will survive near black walnut trees.
In May, one of my garden beds displayed a bearded iris (Irishybrid, Zones 3–8) originally from my aunt’s garden and transplanted through the years from other gardens at other homes. The rest of the bed is still green, waiting its time to flower.
The same bed in early July featured the Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Becky’, Zones 5–9) and coreopsis (Coreopsis verticilata ‘Moonbeam’, Zones 3–9) in full bloom.
Later in July, the Shasta daisy and coreopsis started to fade, but garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8), hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata‘Limelight’, Zones 3–8), dahlia (Dahlia ‘Debra Renae’, Zones 8–10 or as a tender bulb), Russian sage (Salvia yangii, Zones 5–9). I like to start some annuals from seed or seedlings in large pots and then transplant them into the garden where there are bare spots after the perennials are done blooming. I continue to “tuck in” plants all summer. Here you can see annual zinnias (Zinnia elegans), snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) and white angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia).
Salvia (Salvia nemorosa, Zones 3–8) with purple spikes bloom next to a happy clump of chives (Allium schoenoprasum, Zones 4–8).
Peonies (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 3–8) take center stage with glowing blooms, their warm color echoed by the other plants around them.
In early summer, the container of annuals echoes the blooms of the perennials in the garden beds behind them.
In this tapestry of flowers, bright lantana (Lantana camara, Zones 9–10 or as an annual) echoes the glowing colors of the big daylily (Hemerocallishybrid, Zones 3–9) behind it.
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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