Category: Home & Garden

One of the most challenging microclimates in Mountain West gardens also happens to be one of the most common, particularly in mature, treed landscapes—dry shade. Most plants adapted to grow in the shade of trees originate from portions of the world with more precipitation. In drier regions—like much of the Intermountain West—this creates a challenge: The same trees that shade our gardens compete with them for water.

There are two main ways to address the challenges dry shade presents to the gardener. The first, and the simplest, is to be sure you add a hearty layer of mulch to the garden. Mulch improves moisture retention and builds soil, both problem areas for shade gardens in our region. The second and perhaps even more important reason is to ensure that your plant choices are well-adapted to their site.

Ground Covers for a Dry-Shade Garden

The following is a list of plants that might be new to you and that provide year-round interest to these challenging and surprisingly unforgiving dry shady spaces.

Appalachian sedge (Carex appalachia)

Zones: 3–7

Size: 6 inches tall with a 12- to 18-inch spread

Conditions: Partial to full shade; medium to medium-dry soil

Native range: North America

One of my most commonly used shade plants is Appalachian sedge (seen above). Growing as an exceptionally fine-textured tuft of bright green foliage to 1 foot high and somewhat less wide, plants vary in form from graceful with long, arching leaves, to refined and vase-shaped. This grasslike plant is rated to Zone 3 and remains fresh looking with almost no supplemental water. I use it liberally to add foliar contrast to large-leaved hellebores (Helleborus sp. and cvs. (Zones 4–8), lungworts (Pulmonaria sp. and cvs. Zones 3–8), and the like. Tugged on by even a soft breeze, the foliage on this Carex adds an element so often missing from our shade gardens—movement. Crucial to this plant’s access to my garden is its long-term temperament; never running and only lightly seeding, Appalachian sedge shows up here and there, forming handsome bands and loose clusters with just a little editing.

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‘Orange Queen’ epimedium (Epimedium × warleyense ‘Orange Queen’)

Zones: 4–8

Size: 15 to 20 inches tall with a 10- to 15-inch spread

Conditions: Partial to full shade; medium to dry soil

Native range: China

With their interesting foliage and flowers to match, I’m surprised every year when epimediums fail to gain a stronger foothold in our market. Sometimes referred to as barrenworts, these Old World natives are actually small members of the barberry family. More refined than their stateside relative Oregon grape-holly (Berberis aquifolium, Zones 5–8), epimediums produce a flush of glossy, heart- or wing-shaped leaves, often with serration or attractive bronzing in early spring. They will retain these leaves through milder winters.

In spring, plants let fly a volley of fantastical, four-petaled, pendant flowers. Ranging from white to pink and yellow to almost red, these spidery blooms are impossible to miss, bobbing on 1- to 2-foot wiry stems. Among those I’ve grown, ‘Orange Queen’ has been well suited to the Mountain West. It was also the only plant in my partial-shade garden still in good shape after a particularly nasty 2018 hailstorm.

Tip: Shop for epimediums by your soil pH; each species and hybrid has a unique, preferred band, often indicated in the plant description. Broadly speaking, those from Japan prefer acidic soils, while those from China and the Mediterranean are more pH variable.

 

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Baby cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium)

Zones: 4–7

Size: 6 inches tall and 6 to 12 inches wide

Conditions: Partial to full shade; medium to dry soil

Native range: China

The most diminutive plant on this list, baby cyclamen is a plant with big impact in shady spaces. Adapted to most soil pHs and textures, these tough tubers will grow nearly anywhere provided their soil is never waterlogged. Not only do they provide unusual, patterned, spade-shaped leaves, but they lead with a flush of soft pink or white, recurved flowers. Interestingly, baby cyclamen goes dormant in summer. A tactic to endure seasonal drought in its native Mediterranean climate, this can be concerning to Rocky Mountain gardeners. Don’t be alarmed if plants seem to disappear as heat hits, as they’ll be back and blooming in a few months.

Mail order makes sourcing these plants a breeze. Cyclamens ship well while dormant, and the same is true for epimediums. For the best selection, including new-to-horticulture species and Epimedium hybrids plus Cyclamen with incredible, silver-variegated foliage, look online. However, both of these genera can occasionally be found at local nurseries. As for the sedge, while plants mail just fine, they can be found with some regularity at nurseries in our region. If all else fails, you can always scatter seeds of Appalachian sedge on snow in winter where you’d like to grow a stand of the stuff.

Perhaps most importantly, don’t let a drought in inspiration put a damper on your shade gardens. Trying new plants and garden styles remains one of the most surefire ways to liven up a dark corner of the garden.

 

See more tips for gardening in the Mountain West

More on dry shade gardening

Plants for dry shade in the Mountain West

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Bryan Fischer lives and gardens at the intersection of the Great Plains and the Rockies. He is curator of plant collections at the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins, Colorado.

For centuries, gardeners have been observing how various plants can be impacted by their vegetative neighbors. In the vegetable garden, our great-great-grandparents passed on their discoveries that tomatoes and basil get on together a lot better than, say, onions and beans. And so experiential wisdom has been passed through the generations. With new chemicals and mass marketing, some of these basic observations have been overlooked in recent decades. But with the undeniable changes impacting Southern California weather and gardening, we are rediscovering the advantages of companion planting—wisdom that has been scientifically proven over time, attributing chemical reactions as well as physical soil improvements and even the attraction of beneficial organisms to the pairing of symbiotic plants.

Here are some companion plant combinations that help our favorite Southern California edibles thrive with a little help from the neighboring plants we choose for them.

Pair artichokes with peas and sunflowers for nutrient support and sun relief

Artichokes grow happily as big, bold, architectural plants in our local gardens. Their huge buds cook into unique, nutritious meals when steamed, while some can be left on the plant to open as gorgeous, electric indigo-tipped, paintbrush-like flowers. To give your artichoke a boost of nitrogen, plant peas around its base and allow the peas’ vining stems to wind through the stately artichoke plant. You can also add tall sunflowers (Helianthus annuus cvs., annual), a non-nutrient-competitor, on the west-facing side of your artichokes to provide some dappled shade in hot, inland gardens.

Chase tomatillo insect pests away with a mix of vegetables and herbs

Tomatillos are favorites in Hispanic recipes and, though related to tomatoes, are even happier than their cousins to bask in our intense summer sun. Surround them with friendly onions, peppers, and peas to chase away insect pests. Basil, parsley, and colorful nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus cvs., annual) also make helpful neighbors that repel bad bugs and attract good bugs and pollinators.

Combine squash and marigolds to keep squash bugs at bay

Squashes are super-easy, prolific, and ideal growers in SoCal. Our long growing season is perfect for big crops of winter squash, while summer squashes bask in our bright sunshine and fruit abundantly. What are not welcome are squash bugs, aphids, and other pest insects. Interplanting marigolds (Tagetes spp. and cvs., annual) will add a colorful touch to the garden while discouraging those enemies. To combat destructive squash bugs specifically, plant tansy (Tanacetum vulgare and cvs., Zones 3–8).

Tomatoes and asparagus help protect each other

Here’s an interesting pair of well-loved edibles that have a mutual caregiving relationship. Asparagus plants repel our local tomato nematodes, while tomato plants discourage asparagus beetles. Partner them both with cilantro, parsley, and basil, and both will also benefit with fewer worms, flies, beetles, and aphids.

Onions and garlic paired with many vegetables will help deter pocket gophers

Onions and garlic love SoCal. They have been cultivated here and shipped all over the country for a century. Besides being culinary staples, they have other benefits. Our ravenous pocket gophers are less interested in them than most other plants, and their scent repels many insects that damage tomatoes, eggplants, and brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc.). Keep peas, beans, asparagus, and sage away from them, though. Garlic has been known to harm beneficial bacteria on beans and sage.

Colorful flowers draw in wanted pollinators

Adding flowering plants to your vegetable garden is beneficial too. Flowers add color and attract pollinators. Three easy-to-grow annuals are marigolds, petunias (Petunia cvs., annual), and nasturtiums. (All parts of nasturtium are also edible.) They will cheer up the vegetable garden and attract pollinators while discouraging hornworms, aphids, beetles, and a host of other pests. Marigolds additionally attract hoverflies, native pollinators in SoCal. Nasturtiums will help keep hordes of slugs and snails from attacking tall growing vegetables too.

Many herbs make excellent companion plants

You have probably noticed that herbs show up a lot as recommended companion plants. Strongly scented plants often repel pests. Here is a quick reference for the services they can provide—while offering their flavorful, scented leaves for multiple uses in the kitchen, throughout your home, and, of course, in the garden. All do well in our lean soils, and most of them thrive in our strong sunshine or partial shade. Try some of these as repellents for bothersome insect and critter pests too.

1. Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum and cvs., Zones 5–9)
2. Lavender (Lavandula spp. and cvs., Zones 5–9)
3. Mint (Mentha spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9)
4. Catnip (Nepeta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8)
5. Sage (Salvia officinalis and cvs., Zones 4–8)
6. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus and cvs., Zones 8–10)

Here in Southern California, most soils are dry and calcareous. Wind is also drying, and over the years, water supplies have been dwindling—despite a few winters that started with plentiful precipitation. We need to give our plants every chance to grow well. And with the cost and availability issues at grocery stores these days, why not focus on helping our food plants help each other—and us?

 

—Jane Gates has more than 35 years of professional experience designing and gardening in Los Angeles and is the author of All the Garden’s a Stage: Choosing the Best Performing Plants for a Sustainable Garden.

There was a time when I used to eagerly await the arrival of seed catalogs in the mail each winter. Then I’d sit in the window and fold down the page edges after marking the packets I wanted with a highlighter. Now I do all my ordering on the internet, but my mission is still the same—to line up my planting menu for my vegetable garden for the year. I especially love to try new things, so besides tried-and-true varieties, edibles such as odd pumpkins and cool tomatoes like ‘Dark Galaxy’ also make it onto my shopping list. A few years ago, I added flowering annual seeds to my order when I had some extra space to fill. I tossed the flower seeds into the garden and pretty much ignored them—until I noticed them blooming. Wow! It was an incredible show for very little effort. That was the beginning of my love for growing flowers from seed.

Here are six of my favorite flowering annuals to grow from seed. They are easy to grow in the Northwest and can easily fit into the vegetable garden or a mixed border. They can all be started indoors under lights or on a windowsill and be ready to put into the garden after the last frost has passed. If you start the seeds in late winter or early spring, using a cold frame can help the transition between indoors and outdoors.

1. Sweet peas are wonderfully colorful flowering vines that can be directly sown in spring

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus cvs.) are one of my favorite annual vines. They can be directly sown in the ground even in the coldest spring, started indoors, and moved out early in the spring, or planted as fall seedlings. Soak the seeds in water overnight before sowing, and keep them moist as you wait for them to sprout. Germination takes about 14 days. Provide full sun to partial shade and support for the vines. Also, keep the pods picked and they will bloom throughout the year until a hard frost. I grow mine on a big trellis with a species rose (Rosa sp., Zones 2–8). The sweet peas are great for covering the trellis after the rose is finished blooming in June. This year my sweet peas of choice were a solid blue container variety called ‘Electric Blue’ that only grows 3 to 4 feet tall, and a taller variety called ‘Blue Streamer’ with incredible frosted-blue blooms streaked with white stripes and spots.

2. ‘Kilimanjaro White’ marigold helps repel insects and looks beautiful in the garden

‘Kilimanjaro White’ marigold (Tagetes erecta ‘Kilimanjaro White’) is a fairly large flowering annual that is more than just another pretty flower. As a marigold, it is known to attract beneficial insects and repel cabbage-worm moths and mosquitos. The lovely 2-inch-diameter creamy white blooms are striking on 18-inch-tall plants and can be picked and enjoyed inside. Rather than starting the seeds indoors, I like to sow them directly in my vegetable bed. Place them in full sun and good, moist soil, and protect them from slugs when they are young seedlings. After flowering, the developed seeds can be saved at the end of the season and used again the next spring.

3. ‘Queeny Lime Blush’ zinnia provides a riot of color in the garden and in a vase

If you are looking for a gorgeous cut flower, look no further than ‘Queeny Lime Blush’ zinnia (Zinnia elegans ‘Queeny Lime Blush’). The flowers are without parallel, reblooming and sturdy, and are a great addition to mixed bouquets or all together alone in a vase. ‘Queeny Lime Blush’ grows to 25 inches tall and provides a riot of color on each fully double bloom with lime-green to red ombre petals and a beautiful red center. The seeds can be started early indoors or sown directly after the last frost. Just be sure to give them full sun and good, moist soil as well as slug protection as the seedlings mature.

4. ‘Pride of Gibraltar’ honeywort offers unique blooms that benefit bees and butterflies

‘Pride of Gibraltar’ honeywort (Cerinthe major ‘Pride of Gibraltar’) is a fascinating annual. The rangy stems sprout up without much help and will reseed. The flowers, indigo-violet bells, hang from bronzy blue bracts above gray-green leaves. The plants can be 24 to 30 inches tall and are great in a garden setting with full sun to partial shade. The flowers are also excellent in bouquets. The seeds can just be shallowly placed and covered over with a little soil. I like honeywort at the corners of my veggie beds because they spill nicely over the raised blocks. The flowers also attract bees and butterflies.

5. ‘Royal Flush’ sunflower is wildly fun with different-colored blooms on the same plant

No garden is complete without sunflowers (Helianthus annuus cvs.). I have grown several varieties, but ‘Royal Flush’ is my new favorite. This wildly fun selection has various colors on the same plant—resulting in the feeling that you are getting numerous plants for the price of one. The bronze-yellow, orange, and sunny yellow blooms grow on strong stems that reach up to 5 to 6 feet tall in full sun and moist soil. The seeds can be sown directly after the last frost. As with the other annuals, be sure to protect the young seedlings from slugs and birds.

6. Dahlias from seed cost less for the same big, beautiful blooms

I’m a huge fan of dahlias (Dahlia spp. and cvs., Zones 8–11) and have been buying and growing them as potted plants or tubers for years. Last year I decided (on a fluke) to try starting dahlias from seed. Among my early experiments was a cactus-flowered mix from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I started the seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. I grew them in my greenhouse and then put them in my cold frame to harden off. They looked a little gangly, so I pinched them back a little. They didn’t look great when I put them in the ground, but I tossed some slug bait around them and left them to fend for themselves. I wandered by the bed a week later with a couple of stakes to help them along. By the end of the summer the plants were amazing—5 feet tall with loads of blooms on good strong stems. They looked every bit as lovely as the tubers I overwintered from the previous year and planted at the same time. The added benefit was that I could choose the ones I loved and dig the tuber for next year.

When starting any plants from seed, check the seed packet for the growing instructions for both in-ground and inside. This approach is an incredibly easy and inexpensive way to test out new plants and discover new favorites for your garden. If you have never tried growing flowers from seed, I encourage you to try it. I didn’t think I had the patience or focus to watch over tiny seedlings. I was wrong, and it’s really fun. Just be careful—it can be addictive.

To learn more about growing plants from seed, check out The Science of Seed Starting.

 

—Susan Calhoun is the owner of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

As another gardening season kicks into gear, one of the more unsavory, yet necessary, tasks is scouting for problematic, common invasive plants. These undesirable plants typically infiltrate our gardens, meadows, and woodlands. Their presence is not only unwelcome, but it also impacts and challenges our more desirable plants and precious ecosystems. In cases where we are fostering or caring for native plantings, these problematic nonnatives gobble up real estate at the expense (and health) of “good guy” plantings, and aggressive control is warranted.

The first step in this process is proper identification of these thugs and then a committed plan for control. Perhaps you’ve inherited populations of these plants and aren’t sure where to start. Don’t put off your initial battle, though, as the reproductive rate for all of the plants mentioned in this article is robust and there is no time to lose.

I’m not a huge fan of chemicals, but in battling all of the plants on this list, I’ve had to lean on herbicide use in most instances. I was sure to thoroughly research product options, recommendations, application details, timing, and safety precautions prior to any use; avoiding damage to neighboring desirable plants was always a goal. Thankfully, there are significant resources you can explore in supporting your control plan(s).

The first step in combating invasives, however, is knowing who the culprits are. Here are some of the notorious herbaceous and woody plant thugs that have taken up residence in the Midwest (and beyond) that should be on your radar for removal. They all spread by seed, have hardy dispositions, and are displacing native vegetation. I encourage you to do your own research on the recommended (and safest) removal practices for each of these plants in your situation.

Garlic mustard is a biennial invasive that needs to be removed at the root

Native to northeastern Europe, garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata, Zones 3–8) has marched across a good portion of North America and is distributed throughout the northeastern and midwestern United States. This biennial weed is found in 30 states and three Canadian provinces. The spread of this plant by seed (which can remain viable for up to seven years!) is tough to keep up with, but the goal in selectively eradicating garlic mustard is to leave the desired plant community intact.

Control efforts require many years of commitment, observation, and action. Removal can be accomplished manually or with targeted foliar herbicides. Removing the plant should include the taproot, and plants should be bagged, particularly those in the second year of growth that will flower and reseed quickly in spring. Don’t ever compost garlic mustard. Herbicide applications on the first year (rosette) stage can be accomplished all season long. Rely on proper identification and targeting, and follow recommendations for any chemical use from your local extension office.

Dame’s rocket is a deceptively beautiful biennial thug

Introduced to North America in the 1600s, dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis, Zones 3–8) is a Eurasian biennial that has naturalized across the landscape after originally being used as an ornamental plant. A member of the mustard family, dame’s rocket reseeds prolifically and is frustratingly still used in some “wildflower mixes.” Habitats invaded by this plant include open woodlands, prairies, roadsides, ditches, and other disturbed areas.

Frequently misidentified as a phlox (Phlox spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9), dame’s rocket has fragrant flowers (white, purple, or pink) with four petals in a cross pattern, whereas phlox flowers have five petals. Hand pulling of smaller populations is possible, although fall application of herbicide on the basal rosettes when still green and vulnerable is effective. Cutting and disposing of emerging flower stalks can mitigate some reseeding issues, but be sure to research proper identification and suggested control efforts for this beautiful thug.

Purple loosestrife is a perennial invasive that takes over wetlands

Present now in almost every state, purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria, Zones 3–9) has the most destructive impacts on the ecology of aquatic systems by displacing native wetland plants. Introduced to the East Coast in the 1800s, this rhizomatous spreader also established quickly by seed. Undisputedly beautiful in summer bloom, one plant can create up to 2 million seeds!

Research appropriate aquatic formulations of herbicides that can be sprayed in midsummer through early fall when identification is easiest due to the flowering structures. Manual digging for small populations can work, but even small root sections or remaining stem sections will grow. There is some promising work being done in Wisconsin and elsewhere in terms of biocontrol that introduces insect enemies to combat the growing population. Minimizing site disturbances when combatting purple loosestrife populations is vital, as is continued follow up and observations.

Common buckthorn is a regrettably introduced tree formerly used as a hedging plant

Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica, Zones 3–8) is an extremely aggressive tree that has created dense thickets, along with other species of nonnative buckthorn, in many states. It has become burdensome to target and remove simply due to immense and concentrated populations. Introduced by European colonists in the early 1800s as a hedging plant, common or European buckthorn quickly escaped cultivation and continues to be distributed far and wide by birds. The seeds remain viable for many years, and this tree outcompetes and overshadows much of our native understory in woodland situations. There is lots of research out there on best practices for removal, which undoubtably leads to a significant amount of “elbow grease” in an ongoing war. Click here for some excellent information from the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension.

Multiflora rose is a thorny invasive nightmare with long-lived seed

This is another case of good intentions gone sour. Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora, Zones 3–9) was introduced to the eastern United States in 1866 as rootstock for ornamental roses. Beginning in the 1930s, the U.S. Soil Conservation Service promoted it for use in erosion control and as “living fences” to confine livestock. The seed distribution of this plant is extraordinary, with seed viability of 10 to 20 years, necessitating a lengthy commitment for removal. Targeted herbicides and proper mechanical removal have been researched, and those methods can be found in a variety of resources. Watch those thorns!

Japanese barberry is an out-of-control invasive landscape shrub

First imported in 1875 as an ornamental, Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergia, Zones 4–8) continues to be cultivated in earnest, with seed spread by birds. This hardy shrub (and its many cultivars) is still a very popular landscape plant in many locations. Surprisingly shade tolerant, barberry is quick to establish from seeds in woodland settings. The plants can also root where stems touch the ground, and the heavy, low shade from barberry inhibits the growth of native plants. Minimizing damage to desirable plants when eradicating barberry should be a priority, and the best treatment seems to include a soil-line cut followed by chemical treatment.

Burning bush may have great fall foliage, but it’s highly invasive

Introduced in 1860 as a landscape shrub, burning bush (Euonymus alatus, Zones 4–8) is a native of northeastern Asia, Japan, and Central China that continues to be sold and promoted widely for its durability, hardiness, and exceptional fall color. Reseeding of this plant (by bird distribution) has become problematic in many locations, with “seed shadows” of newly seeded offspring also seen under larger, fruiting plants. Manual and chemical controls exist but require diligence and commitment. The red fall color, even on small seedlings, is a great way to identify this invader in the fall months.

 

—Mark Dwyer is the garden manager for the Edgerton Hospital Healing Garden in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and he operates Landscape Prescriptions by MD.

Photos: Mark Dwyer

Blackberries are a rewarding crop to grow and one that tolerates the high heat of the Southern Plains. In recent years, improvements in pest resistance and reduced chilling requirements of dormant blackberry plants have expanded areas of production of blackberries in southern gardens. An extensive breeding program at the University of Arkansas has yielded improved blackberry varieties quite adaptable to the home garden. These selections grow on upright, erect stems that do not require trellising, and many cultivars are thornless. They also demonstrate excellent resistance against double blossom/rosette disease, once a serious problem, particularly for commercial production.

While blackberries are heat tolerant, you will need to water plants regularly for quality fruit production. Plants also benefit from a thick mulch layer year-round to conserve soil moisture, manage weeds, and prevent winter injury to crowns in cooler regions.

Considerations for Selecting a Blackberry Variety

While flavor is always a top consideration when selecting blackberry varieties for the garden, there are many other traits to consider.

Thornless varieties

The presence of thorns deters many gardeners from growing blackberries. If you fall into that category, consider one of the many thornless varieties available, such as ‘Ouachita’ (Zones 5–9) or ‘Osage’ (Zones 6–10) blackberries.

Growth habits

Manage a blackberry plant in the landscape based on its growth habit. There are three types of growth habit:

• erect
• semi-erect
• trailing

Varieties that are semi-erect or trailing require a trellis for support. For this reason, erect blackberries have gained in popularity, especially among home gardeners. You can grow erect blackberries in a hedgerow, as they do not require trellising. You can also plant them among ornamental plantings, provided you allow access for harvest.

Chilling hours

Understanding chilling hours is of great importance for southern gardeners. Different blackberry varieties have different chilling requirements. If plants do not receive the required number of chilling hours, they may experience delayed or erratic blooming and reduced fruit production.

Chilling hours are a particularly important consideration for Texas gardeners when selecting blackberries adapted to their region. The term “chilling hours” refers to the minimum period of cold weather a plant requires before it will produce flowers. This chilling or rest period is measured in chilling hours, an accumulation of time below a critical temperature (approximately 45°F).

Southern growers should consult a map of chilling hours or contact their local extension agent to determine the average chilling hours for their location.

Blackberry varieties with low chilling hours

• The blackberry variety with the lowest known chilling requirements is ‘Kiowa’ (200 hours, Zones 5–9), a thorny, erect variety with very large berries that is well suited to Texas gardens.
• ‘Rosborough’ (300 hours, Zones 6–9), an older erect, thorny variety produced by Texas A&M University, is recommended for eastern and south-central Texas.
• For a thornless variety, consider planting ‘Arapaho’ (400–500 hours, Zones 5–9), which produces high-quality, medium-size fruit over a four-week season.

Fruit production

Blackberry stems grow for only two years before they die and are replaced by new stems. The first-year canes are called primocanes, and second-year canes are called floricanes. Traditionally, most blackberries produce fruit only on floricanes.

Floricanes flower in spring and produce a fruit crop from early to mid-summer. Note that chilling hours only affects fruiting on these floricanes, which go through a winter dormancy period. ‘Ouachita’ is one of the most popular floricane-producing varieties on the market and an excellent choice for home gardeners.

An innovation in blackberry breeding introduced primocane-fruiting blackberries, which flower and fruit on first-season canes. The primocanes produce fruits in late summer (timing varies with cultivar), with many varieties fruiting well into fall. Overwinter primocanes to produce a second crop the following year on the second-year floricanes. Not only does this provide growers with an extended harvest season, but it also allows gardeners in locations with variable chilling hours in winter to reliably produce a crop on primocanes.

Blackberry varieties in the Prime-Ark^® series (Zones 5–9) are primocane producers. Among the most popular is Prime-Ark^® 45. This erect, thorny variety produces large, tasty berries and can be managed to produce a primocane and floricane crop. It has an estimated chilling requirement of 300 hours. For a thornless selection, consider Prime-Ark^® Freedom.

Blackberries are long lived and, with proper care, can produce a delicious crop for years to come.

 

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Kim Toscano is a horticulturalist based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She previously hosted Oklahoma Gardening, a weekly PBS television program produced by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

Photos: Kim Toscano

Did you know you can grow your own kiwi pretty easily in our part of the South? Kiwi plants can be slow to get started but are generally long-lived vines. They require a little extra care because they are fruiting plants, but if you’re a kiwi fan, it’s worth it.

With patience and strong supports, kiwis are worth the effort

Fuzzy kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa and cvs., syn. A. chinensis, Zones 7–9) are mostly dioecious. This means you need a male plant and up to four females for good fruit set. ‘Tomuri’ is a popular male and ‘Vincent’, ‘Saanichton’, and ‘Hayward’ are popular female varieties. Plant the vines about 15 feet apart, and make certain you label them. If something happens to one, you will need to know what to replant, especially since kiwi vines can be slow to flower, taking three to five years.

Kiwi produce big vines that need a strong support system to grow on. Unlike grapes, which can be grown on a single wire, kiwis are better on a wider frame with five to seven supporting wires spread out like a table for them. They can also be grown in the landscape on very sturdy arbors. They have attractive big leaves, yellow fall color, and very fragrant flowers. In the winter, the unusual curling brown vines are sculpturally attractive.

Regular feeding and winter protection get the best kiwi results

To keep your plants producing good fruit, it is important that they be well fed. We apply a balanced fertilizer twice a year in February and June. Kiwis have few problems in our area other than an occasional leaf disease. Otherwise, they are fairly low maintenance. We prune them in the summer when we can see and avoid the fruit, or in the winter when they are completely dormant.

The fruit ripens in October. It can be allowed to stay on the vine until soft, or it can be harvested once it is ripe but before it is soft. The latter may be the case if we have an unexpected early freeze. Storing fruit works better if it is harvested when ripe but still firm. It can be stored for months in the refrigerator. Kiwis are one of the few fruits that sweeten as they are stored.

In our area, we are near the top of the growing region, so winter protection is usually necessary. To protect the trunks in case of very cold nights, we wrap them in 2-oz. frost cloth ahead of the first hard frost. The roots rarely freeze, but the trunks can freeze, and that means a year or two of waiting for flowering again.

Even though kiwis take a little time and commitment, they provide a deliciously worthwhile reward.

 

—Shelley and Jason Powell own and manage Petals from the Past, a garden center in Jemison, Alabama.

Soil is a complex structure made up of mineral solids and organic matter interwoven with aggregates and open pore spaces. The open spaces between soil particles are just as important as the solids; pores allow air, water, and dissolved nutrients to travel through the soil, nourishing beneficial microorganisms and plant roots. As you begin your spring planting, keep soil health at the top of your mind with these practical tips. 

3 Tips for Healthy Soil

Get to know your soil’s solids 

As most gardeners know, the minerals that are in your soil play a large role in how it functions. Your soil’s texture is determined by the mix of sand, silt, and clay particles that it contains; it is fixed by your region’s geology and climate, and it is not easily changed. To learn more about the makeup of your local soil, visit the USDA Web Soil Survey.

You can also learn quite a bit about your soil from simple observation. Dig up a sizable soil clump and examine it. Good soil structure feels crumbly or granular. You should see visible clumps, loose pieces of soil mingled with clinging plant roots, and decaying organic matter. Soils with adequate organic matter, around 5%, tend to be less compacted, with a good, open structure.  

On the topic of soil compaction, it is important to wait until garden soil is relatively dry in spring before digging, tilling, planting, or stepping on it. Soil is especially susceptible to compaction when it is wet or saturated. Compacted soil has fewer of the vital pores that allow plant roots to grow freely and find water, air, and nutrients.   

Feed your soil a natural diet   

One of the most important components of healthy soil is organic matter, which is largely made of carbon from decomposed plant residues. Amending your soil with organic matter is easily done by top-dressing beds with it or mixing it into the top few inches of garden soil. Amending your soil in fall will allow time for the materials to decompose over the winter months, but you can add fully decomposed matter to your soil at any time. As planting season approaches, consider getting a soil fertility test, which will tell you if your soil has an overabundance or deficiency of macronutrients. Use the test results to determine whether or not to apply fertilizer. If the test results indicate that the soil’s pH should be adjusted, follow the guidelines provided to ensure that you apply the proper amount of lime or sulfur needed. 

Commonly used organic soil amendments include: 

• shredded leaves 
• homemade compost 
• compost from spent mushroom substrate, often called mushroom manure or mushroom soil 
• peat moss 
• aged or dried animal manure 
• humus 

Different types of organic matter have different characteristics. For example, aged compost or dried manure contains many more nutrients than peat moss. Peat moss has an acidic pH and holds more water than compost.   

Protect your soil with mulch 

 Properly mulching garden soil with organic materials has many benefits: 

• Mulch retains soil moisture and rainwater.
• It moderates seasonal temperature extremes.
• It suppresses weed growth.
• As it decomposes, mulch adds nutrients to the soil and improves soil structure.

Suitable organic mulch materials include shredded natural wood or bark, shredded leaves, screened compost, pine needles, chipped pine bark nuggets, and coarse wood chips.  Nonorganic mulches, like stone and landscape fabric, do not benefit soil in the same way that organic materials do. 

Spring is a good time to mulch garden beds.  Apply an even layer of mulch that is 2 to 4 inches on top of the garden bed soil. Consider any remaining mulch from last season as part of this depth measurement to ensure you do not put down too much.  Keep the mulch layer 3 to 5 inches away from the bases of shrubs and trees, since excessive mulch piled up against a wood plant’s base will cause root problems.   

 

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—Thomas J. Mrazik is a horticulturist, a garden writer, and the owner of Goodly Gardens in Worcester, Pennsylvania. 

 

To read more about soil health and what you can do to support it, check out this article by Bob Schindelbeck from Cornell University’s Department of Soil and Crop Science here: Put the Life Back Into Your Soil 

The second chapter of FG’s Gardening Basics Project Guide is dedicated to soil. You can find it here: All About Soil

 

In today’s time-pressured world, it can be difficult to find the time to attend to our favorite hobby.

To help ease the pressure of everyday life, we’ve identified 7 low-maintenance plants for a typical British backyard garden. These beauties will keep your garden looking stunning with minimal effort, so you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor without breaking a sweat.

Identified below are simple carefree plants you can buy at your local plant nursery.

Nasturtium

With a little patience and dedication, it’s relatively easy to grow flowers from seeds, and Nasturtiums are probably the easiest of them all. Their annual plants and in the right frost-free conditions can re-seed themselves. Once the plant loses its luster, you can easily collect the plant, provide a shake and the mature seeds will fall from the plant for germination the following year. Just add a little topsoil over the seed so the native animals don’t digest them.

Whether used as ground cover or a trailing plant in a hanging basket, these colorful flowers will add a touch of simple charm to your outdoor spaces. Whichever option you choose, they’ll need sandy, neutral, or slightly acidic soil.

Although Nasturtiums can grow in partial shade, full sun is best. Place them where they’re sure to receive at least six hours of sunlight a day. This plant is fairly water-wise but performs best in soil that is kept a little moist. Water it deeply at least two to three times a week.

They are resistant to pests and diseases, and they self-seed, meaning you can enjoy their beauty year after year without having to lift a finger. It has been stated, aphids might attack the plant.

If you notice that your nasturtium plant is producing more foliage than flowers, your soil’s nitrogen levels are likely too high. 

Lavender

Lavender is a water-wise perennial herb and perfectly low maintenance. This herb is treasured for its potent fragrance and delicate purple flowers all over the world, from the UK to the Mediterranean countries.

This butterfly and bee-friendly plant is ideally suited to both garden and pot cultivation. If you choose to grow it in pots on the patio, remember that it needs full sun to bloom and thrive. Propagation from cuttings is far easier than germination from seed, but it can still be done with minimal effort.

It’s best to water it on demand until it becomes properly established where you’ve planted it. Take care not to underwater it during the initial stages though, as this will limit the root formation.

Lavender prefers well-draining, loamy, nutrient-rich soil. It cannot tolerate acidic soil, so don’t plant it in soil with a PH of six or less.

This is another plant resistant to pests and diseases, and it can be left to grow wild or trimmed back for the more manicured garden setting.

Recommend Lavandula intermedia ‘Grosso’ is a large growing French hybrid lavender with dark blue flower spikes in mid-summer. An impressive profuse bloomer ideal for drying or culinary use.

Hydrangea

For a plant to be low-maintenance, it also needs to be winter hardy. Hydrangeas fit the bill, surviving the winter in most areas of the UK. However, they’re more likely to survive the winter cold in pots under shelter than in open soil. With regular pruning, they grow rather well in pots. When grown in open soil, they don’t require much pruning or maintenance.

Keeping them in shade will reduce flowering, so choose a sunny spot for them. Known for their high-impact appearance with their showy blooms of white, pink, and blue, you’ll want to maximize flowering potential.

Hydrangeas require consistent moisture but the exact amount of watering depends on the particular variety you plant. About three times a week is usually sufficient. The amount of cold they’re exposed to will affect their need for sunlight. An average of 4-6 hours of sun per day is sufficient in summer.

Although they are perennial shrubs, many gardeners believe they are annual plants because they failed to thrive in their local conditions. Most varieties only bloom once a year, but they have a long bloom time. Don’t neglect them even when they are not blooming, they will come back to life.

Calendula

Another hallmark of a low-maintenance plant is its ability to grow in all types of soil.

Calendulas, also known as pot marigolds, are annual plants that can grow in soil with a neutral, basic, or even slightly acidic PH. They’re not commonly plagued by pests, and they can even help to keep pests at bay in your vegetable patch. Like lavender, calendula prefers full sun and well-drained soil rich with organic matter.

Once established, calendula plants don’t need very much water to grow. Calendula flowers add a splash of cheery yellow to your backyard garden to brighten even the most dismal of days. Their fragrant leaves also attract butterflies to your garden.

To prevent the plant from becoming leggy, periodically pinch it back to promote more robust growth. They self-seed so you can expect to enjoy these plants year after year without much effort.

Geranium

The Geranium is hardy and easy to grow from seeds or cuttings, making it a worthy contender for our low-maintenance plant list. They come in a variety of beautiful colors to brighten up your garden.

Geraniums don’t need a lot of water, but they do need regular watering. Don’t allow the soil to stay consistently damp, as it will encourage the growth of mildew. Reduce the watering in times of heavier rainfall.

The perennial Geraniums, bloom all year long. They enjoy well-drained, moderately rich soil and at least six hours of sun a day for optimal results. They can grow naturally and require little pruning or intervention.

If conditions have not been ideal, cutting the plant back after flowering and moving it to a sunnier spot can encourage another burst of blooms.

Coneflower

Looking for a plant that needs minimal care after flowering? Coneflowers, also known as Echinacea, are a perfect choice. You can find them in shades of pink, purple, and white.

Coneflowers are herbaceous perennials that pretty much take care of themselves. They’re even considered fairly deer-resistant which is good to know if you have deer roaming about nearby.

This flowering plant needs little water, and average well-drained soil, but plenty of sunlight. You’ll know they aren’t getting enough sun if your coneflower plants become leggy with fewer blooms. They are also disease and pest resistant. Under the right conditions, they have a long bloom period, and look delightful in pots in your backyard.

Once flowers have died off, leave them intact and the plant will re-seed itself for the next flowering season.

Sheep’s Fescue Grass

While we agree that every garden needs at least a few fragrant herbs and pretty flowers, grasses are the ultimate low-maintenance plants. Common in mountain pastures and native to the UK and Europe, Sheep’s Fescue grass is water-wise and tolerant of cold making it sustainable and cost-effective.

This semi-evergreen grass will fill in the blank and uninteresting spaces in your backyard and give you a soft carpet underfoot. It can tolerate many soil types, and full sun to partial shade. Novice gardeners often fear that taking care of a lawn will be too much effort. That’s why this grass is a perfect choice. It requires very little mowing as it’s slow-growing, making it even more low-maintenance.

We spent almost all day yesterday working on a space for a new plant nursery.

We had a mimosa tree and three big popcorn trees to remove and cut to pieces, as well as a citrus tree that was completely killed by the nasty cold back in December. It’s important to remove the known invasive trees to ensure the state doesn’t get on our case, and so we’re not potentially spreading problems.

We’ve now spread out my favorite high-quality nursery fabric and are sorting through our plant collection and beginning to propagate again.

I decided to use the space in front of the old servant’s quarters. That little cottage needs some work and eventually I hope to use it as a guest house for family and friends, but for now, it’s just sitting. And the space in front of it is quite convenient to the main house and gardens.

Tomorrow we’ll run a water line and set up a new spigot to make irrigation easier.

Though book sales and YouTube ad revenue are good to have, having a working, local, food-creating business seems to be wise in these weird times. I don’t trust the way things are going and it’s prudent to have back-ups.

Plus, I really enjoy having a plant nursery. It’s not just an economic decision. It’s a wonderful business, connecting people with beautiful and useful plants.

Right now we’re propagating mulberries, willow, apples, an improved elderberry variety, black walnuts and goji berries.

Today we’ll add even more. I’m interested in hunting down the best wild native blueberries I can find this season and propagating some of those. Wouldn’t it be cool to use some native food-bearing plants in our home gardens?

The next step is to get our state license and inspection so we can sell legally.

Which means we need a name.

Alabama Food Forests?

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To gardeners, spring is the signal of something big to come. It kicks off our season. For the next several months we will primp and preen our beds to maximize their beauty and relish in their good looks. But as all our plants start waking up in April and early May, it can be hard to really focus on the “design” elements. Many of us are often just happy to see any signs of life, never mind if those newly emerging plants look good together. That’s why today we’re focusing on plant combinations (of two, three, or perhaps even four) that look incredible in spring when grouped together. There’s a mix of annuals, perennials, and even a few shrubs in this array. But, when massed in close proximity, the effect is just as stunning as your peak season pairings. Many of you listeners asked us to broach planting design in an episode, so here we are, answering your call!

Expert guests: Matt Mattus is a regional reporter for FineGardening.com. The author of two gardening books, he gardens in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Danielle’s Combos

Combo 1:

‘Mango Charm’ tulip (Tulipa ‘Mango Charm’, Zones 3-7)

‘Peach Flambe’ heuchera (Heuchera ‘Peach Flambe’, Zones 4-9)

‘Peach Melba’ horned violet (Viola cornuta ‘Peach Melba’, Zones 6-9)

Combo 2:

Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis, Zones 3-8)

Fingerleaf rodgersia (Rodgersia aesculifolia, Zones 5-7)

‘Halcyon’ hosta (Hosta ‘Halcyon’, Zones 5-9)

‘Nelly Moser’ clematis (Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’, Zones 4-9)

Carol’s Combos

Combo 1:

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia, Zones 3–8)

Interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana, Zones 3–8)

‘Toffee Tart’ heuchera (Heuchera ‘Toffee Tart’, Zones 4–9)

‘Palace Purple’ heuchera (Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’, Zones 4–9)

Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum, Zones 5–8)

‘October Moon’ Japanese shrub mint (Leucosceptrum stellipilum ‘October Moon’, Zones 5–8)

Combo 2

‘May breeze’ woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘May Breeze’, Zones 4–8)

‘Wanda’ primrose (Primula ‘Wanda’, Zones 3–9)

Creeping mazus (Mazus reptans, Zones 5–8)

‘Ogon’ grassy-leaved sweet flag (Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’, Zones 5–9)

Siberian cranesbill (Geranium wlassovianum, Zones 5–8)

Expert’s Combos

Melancholy toadflax or fairy lights (Linaria tristis, Zones 4-8)

‘Café au lait’painted tongue (Salpiglossis ‘Café au lait’, annual)

Poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii, annual)

‘Penny Black’ baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii  ‘Penny Black’, annual)

‘Jelly Bean Fiesta Marigold’ monkey flower (Mimulus ‘Jelly Bean Fiesta Marigold’, annual)

Assorted pansies in browns, reds, rusts (Viola × wittrockiana and cvs., Zones 5-9)

Desert bells (Phacelia campanularia, Zones 5-10)

Belarina® Series primroses (Primula cv., Zones 4-8)

Ah, summer! The perfect time of year to relax outside with friends and family by packing a picnic. But what’s that buzzing around the food? Hey, these guys weren’t invited! If wasps and yellow jackets are driving you bananas while trying to enjoy a meal outdoors, then you will love this 15-minute DIY wasp trap using a recycled bottle. That wasp won’t know what hit it.

I’m a pro-insect kinda gal. I get excited when I see a snail cruising along my stepping stones or ants feeding on the sap from my peonies. It makes me happy to see that my garden is a thriving ecosystem. And bugs are a part of that ecosystem.

Did you know that wasps are also extremely important pollinators? Figs wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the fig wasp! They also play a part in the food chain, eating other pests you wouldn’t want to see in the garden.

But, I won’t lie that finding that tenderness for wasps is harder. They can get nasty and territorial, and when a nest takes over an important part of the garden, it may be time to take some action.

I have not one, but TWO awesome wasp traps you can make for outdoors as well as inside. The recycled bottle wasp trap’s simple yet ingenious design is easy to make with a humble plastic bottle from the recycling bin. This design makes it easy for pests to enter, but they can’t find their way out.

This post will cover…

Insect Bait Recipes

You can use either of these traps for more than just wasps! The trap can be customized to attract different pests depending on the bait you use to lure them. Here are some suggestions.

House Flies

Flies enjoy rotting meat and decaying material. Add raw meat or fish and water to the trap. Set it in a sunny location where flies are prevalent. The sun will quickly spoil the meat and release the perfect aroma to attract flies.

Wasps

Wasps look for protein sources early in life and switch to preferring sugary treats at the end of their life cycle. At the beginning of wasp season, place cooked or raw meat or fish in an inch of water. At the end of the season, dilute some jam or mashed fruit in a bit of water.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs

Place a small, battery-operated LED light at the bottom of the bottle and set it in a dark place. If the light is waterproof, you can add water to drown the stink bugs. If the light isn’t waterproof, don’t use water. They still won’t be able to get out of the trap, but you will have live stink bugs to contend with in the morning.

DIY Hanging Wasp Trap for Outdoors

This first wasp trap is the ultra-simple method. It works great to hang outdoors from tree branches, fences, awnings, or wherever else your wasps tend to hang around.

Materials

• Plastic bottle with a raised dimple in the bottom
• Box cutter or drill
• Twine or wire
• Beads and yarn to decorate (optional)

Make It!

1. Choose a bottle for this project that has a bottom with a raised center. The goal is to create a trough in the bottle around the hole to hold the liquid. The center must be raised enough to allow the wasp to fly in, then get trapped and drown in the liquid-filled trough around the hole.

2. Using the box cutter or drill, make a hole about 3/4″ in diameter in the bottom of the bottle, where it is raised up.

3. Decorate the bottle with twine, yarn, beads, and whatever else you have lying around. Wind twine or wire around the neck of the bottle and tie in a knot above to hang the bottle from a tree.

4. Fill the trough inside the bottle with a bit of jam dissolved in water. Late in the season, wasps are looking for a sweet treat (while earlier in the season they want proteins).

You’re done! Bye bye wasps.

Homemade Indoor Wasp Trap

Here’s another awesome wasp trap that works great for surfaces. You can use this homemade wasp trap for indoors or outside on the patio table.

Materials

• Plastic bottle
• Box cutter or scissors
• Wasp bait such as raw meat or jam

Make It!

1. Cut a plastic bottle all the way around the diameter approximately one-third from the top with scissors or a box cutter.

2. Invert the top of the bottle and set it inside the cut bottom part of the bottle.

3. Add 1 inch of the insect bait recipe of your choice to the bottom part of the bottle. Be sure that there is at least 1 inch of water or liquid to drown the insects, but that solid food also pokes out above the water.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wasp Traps

And that should do the trick! Remember to keep these homemade wasp traps away from areas you often frequent to avoid any stings.

More Posts to Read

Recently, I wrote about a chic Brooklyn condo for Remodelista (see Industrial Revolution: A New Red Hook Condo In Tune with the Neighborhood’s History). Among the many cool pieces of furniture in the home was one particular standout: an appealingly rustic, cushion-y woven chair.

Turns out it’s part of the “Icapalli” Tule Collection (icpalli means a throne in Aztec culture) by txt.ure for high-end Mexican furniture brand Luteca—and Remodelista wrote about back in 2017. Each piece features handwoven tule (Schoenoplectus acutus, a giant species of sedge), using a technique that dates back to the Mayan civilization. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, txt.ure built a workshop and began training indigenous craftspeople to make the pieces.

Here’s a look at the modern collection with an ancient history.

Photography via Luteca, unless otherwise noted.

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Cherry Ong is taking us along on more of her visit to Centennial Park Conservatory outside of Toronto. She visited in March, when it was still snowy outside but full of life and beauty inside.

Featured in the tropical greenhouse were these gorgeous botanical mannequins wearing beautiful gowns of living plants.

This mannequin’s dress is made of sturdy succulents, and the hair is Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides, Zones 7–12).

This one changes it up, with sedum hair and a scarf of Spanish moss draped around its neck. Succulents and airplants like Spanish moss are great choices for this kind of living sculpture, as they’ll thrive with little soil (or no soil at all in the case of airplants), so the whole structure can be lighter and easier to work with.

I think this is the cardboard cycad, Zamia furfuracea (Zones 10–12). It is endangered in its native Mexico, but popular as a houseplant or greenhouse plant.

The viciously spiny trunk of floss silk tree (Chorisia speciosa, Zones 10–12)

This explosion of lush, tropical growth is perfect for escaping the Canadian winter.

Screwpine (Pandanus tectorius, Zones 10–12) is growing into a living sculpture in the greenhouse.

Though it was still cold out, these metal sunflowers were blooming outside the conservatory.

Back inside, numerous flowers were tucked in amid the tropical foliage. Tall amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrids, Zones 9–12) flowers here look right at home.

 

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.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

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Osmanthus fragrans is an evergreen broadleaf shrub or small tree that belongs to the Oleaceae family and is native to Asia, particularly in South China, Taiwan, Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan, and the Himalayas.

The botanical name osmanthus is derived from the combined Greek words osme, meaning fragrant, and anthos, which means flower.

This plant is also well-known for its other common names, including:

• Fragrant olive
• Fragrant tea olive
• Sweet osmanthus
• Sweet olive
• Tea olive

Commonly grown as a large indoor plant, Osmanthus fragrans is increasingly popular as an ornamental plant in the landscape due to its attractive evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers.

In this article, we will discuss the important growing and care tips of Osmanthus Fragrans to ensure your plant thrives in your garden.

Osmanthus Fragrans Care

Size and Growth Rate

Osmanthus Fragrans is a medium-sized evergreen shrub that can reach up to 10′ to 15′ feet tall and wide in cultivation. However, this plant may grow up to 20′ to 30′ feet tall and 10′ to 14′ feet wide in its native habitat.

Its growth rate is moderate with an upright form, and it can reach its mature size in about 10 years. However, the growth rate may vary depending on the growing conditions, including soil type, temperature, and moisture.

Moreover, this evergreen shrub features elongated leathery, dark green leaves that are either smooth or finely toothed.

Its smooth and attractive bark is grey-grown when exposed.

Flowering and Fragrance

Sweet osmanthus produces small but extremely fragrant flower clusters that appear in leaf axils in spring or sporadically year-round in late fall.

The aromatic flowers come in a wide variety of shades, including white, creamy yellow, pale yellow, or orange-yellow. However, the flower color may vary depending on the variety. Some may bear reddish hues, orange, and gold.

In addition, these dainty, fragrant flower clusters cover this densely branched shrub.

One of the most distinctive features of Osmanthus fragrans is its fragrance, which is often compared to apricot, peach, or jasmine, filling the entire garden with its aroma.

Moreover, this plant also features a purple-black drupe fruit containing a single hard-shelled seed, which matures about six months after flowering in spring.

Light and Temperature

Osmanthus Fragrans prefers full sun to partial shade but can tolerate shade.

This plant requires about 6 hours or more of direct sunlight daily, while it only needs about 2 to 6 hours of direct sunlight only part of the day.

In hot southern regions with warm climates, it’s best grown in part afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch.

This evergreen shrub thrives in warm temperatures but can withstand temperatures as low as 10° degrees Fahrenheit as it’s winter hardy there. However, it may suffer frost damage below 20° degrees Fahrenheit.

To protect the plant from extreme weather conditions, provide a sheltered location and mulch around the base.

Generally, the Sweet Osmanthus is also hardy in USDA zones 8 to 10.

Tea Olive Shrub Watering and Fertilizer Requirements

Osmanthus Fragrans needs average but regular watering, especially during the growing season. This will help prevent the soil from drying out.

Remember to provide about 1 inch of water per week during the growing season.

However, ensure you’re not overwatering because it can lead to root rot and other problems.

Remember, young Tea olives should be regularly watered for the first year or so.

Once established, your Sweet Osmanthus is somewhat drought tolerant and only needs watering when there is no weekly rainfall. However, be sure to supply supplemental watering in hot, dry months.

For fertilizer application, feed your fragrant plant with a slow-release fertilizer or a time-release shrub and tree fertilizer in the spring and summer to promote healthy growth and flowering.

When moved inside for the winter, potted plants will also need light feeding, preferably complete fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen.

However, your tea olive shrub doesn’t need any fertilizer before winter begins because frost will damage new growth.

Soil and Transplanting

Sweet olive grows best in fertile, well-drained soil but may grow well in moist soils with good drainage.

This plant can also grow easily in any good garden soil, and heavy clay soils or sandy soils are tolerated.

However, ensure the soil is not soggy because this plant cannot tolerate wet soil.

Remember, the soil should have a slightly acidic to neutral pH, between 5.0 to 7.5. But if you have highly alkaline soil, you can add elemental sulfur to lower the pH.

When transplanting Osmanthus Fragrans, it’s best done in the spring or fall when the plant is dormant. Before transplanting, prepare the new planting hole by digging a hole twice as wide as the root ball and incorporating organic matter.

Growing in the Landscape

Osmanthus Fragrans is a versatile plant that can be grown in various settings, including hedges, foundation plantings, and mixed borders.

When planting in the landscape, provide enough space for the plant to grow to its mature size and plant in a location that receives partial shade to full sun.

When growing in containers, use a well-draining potting mix and provide regular fertilization and watering.

Environment

To create the optimal environment for Fragrant tea olive, plant it in a location that receives partial shade to full sun and protect it from extreme weather conditions.

Provide regular watering and fertilization to promote healthy growth and ensure the soil is well-draining.

Moreover, Osmanthus Fragrans is also susceptible to pests and diseases, so monitoring the plant regularly and taking preventative measures is crucial.

Grooming and Maintenance

Osmanthus Fragrans only require minimal pruning, but occasional grooming can help maintain its shape and promote healthy growth. It can also be pruned into an espalier, small, or a tree.

Do so by removing damaged or dead branches in early spring to improve air circulation. This will also help prevent pests and diseases.

Clipping off the plant’s growing tips will also maintain the compact size and encourage bushiness.

However, refrain from pruning too much because it can hinder the plant from blooming, which usually takes about two years to resume good flowering.

How To Propagate Sweet Osmanthus

Sweet Osmanthus can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or layering.

Propagation by cuttings is the most common method, and it’s best to take it in late spring or early summer.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Take a 3- to 4-inch-long semi-hardwood stem cutting using clean, sharp pruning shears.
• Don’t forget to remove the bottom leaves.
• Then, dip the stem-cutting bottom in the rooting hormone.
• After that, root it in a well-draining rooting medium.
• Remember to place the cuttings in a bright outdoor location but avoid direct sunlight.
• Once you see developing roots and new growth, your Sweet olive plant is ready to be transplanted.

In contrast, layering propagation involves bending a low branch to the ground and burying it in the soil to promote root formation.

Fragrant Tea Olive Pest and Diseases

Fragrant Tea Olive is virtually pest and disease-resistant but can be susceptible to a few common issues.

Therefore, monitoring the plant regularly to identify any problems early and take corrective action to prevent further damage is important.

Here are examples of common insect pests that attack the Fragrant Tea Olives:

Scale Insects

These small, oval-shaped insects feed on the plant’s sap, causing yellowing and wilting of the evergreen leaves.

Scale insects can be treated using insecticidal soap, Neem oil, or horticultural oil. It can also be controlled by regular pruning.

Spider Mites

These tiny, spider-like insects also feed on the plant’s sap and can cause the glossy leaves to turn yellow and brown. It also leads to leaf discoloration.

Spider mites can be controlled by regular pruning, increasing humidity, and using insecticidal soap.

Aphids

These small, soft-bodied insects can be found feeding on the underside of the leaves, causing them to curl and distort.

Aphids can be treated by using insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.

Moreover, here are common diseases that Sweet Osmanthus may be susceptible to:

Leaf Spot

This fungal disease causes brown spots on the leaves, leading to defoliation and weakened growth.

The leaf spot can be prevented by ensuring the healthy plant has proper air circulation and avoiding overhead watering. If the disease is already present, treat it with a fungicide.

Root Rot

This disease is caused by overwatering and poor drainage, making the roots waterlogged and susceptible to fungal infections.

To prevent root rot, ensure the soil is well-draining, and avoid overwatering.

Powdery Mildew

This fungal disease appears as a white powdery substance on the leaves stems, and flowers, causing them to become distorted and stunted.

Powdery mildew can be prevented by ensuring the plant has proper air circulation, avoiding overhead watering, and treating it with a fungicide.

Sweet Olive Uses in the Landscape

Sweet Olive is a popular ornamental plant in the landscape due to its attractive foliage and fragrant creamy white flowers.

It’s an extremely long-lived plant, making it an excellent choice as a hedge or screen, foundation planting, or as part of a mixed border.

It also works well in a country, Asian, and cottage gardens as privacy hedges or espalier.

You can also enjoy this plant’s delightful fragrance when placed near patios, entrances, and pathways, as it fills the space with its sweet scent.

Moreover, Osmanthus fragrans also make a lovely houseplant or container plant. It also looks great in specimen plantings within natural areas or flower beds.

The plant’s butter-yellow flowers and leaves are also used in tea, and the plant has medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine.

Conclusion

Osmanthus Fragrans is a versatile and beautiful plant that can enhance any landscape with its attractive foliage and white blooms intoxicating fragrance .

You can enjoy this lovely plant in your garden and landscape by providing the plant with the proper growing conditions, including light, temperature, watering, and fertilization, and taking preventative measures against pests and diseases.

Read on to learn how to identify and control cedar apple rust in your garden or home orchard.

What Is Cedar Apple Rust?

Cedar apple rust (Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae) is a fungal disease that depends on two species to spread and develop.

It spends a portion of its two-year life cycle on Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana).

The pathogen’s spores develop in late fall on the juniper as a reddish-brown gall on young branches of the trees.

As the spring showers begin, the galls grow and release spores, which are carried by the wind to infect apple and crabapple trees. There, they develop into a disease that causes red spots to occur on the leaves, and that can deform the fruit.

The damage done to the leaves greatly affects the apple trees’ ability to gather sunlight and nutrients from the air, damaging its health and fruit production, and in some cases causing death.

Symptoms on Juniper

This fungal pathogen starts life on junipers as an aeciospore that the wind carries from apples to its new host in the late spring or early fall. A brown gall develops the following summer and fall.

During the spring rains 18 months later comes a metamorphosis that rivals that of Kafka’s. Instead of turning into a cockroach, the galls swell and grow spurs called telial horns that are brown at first but turn bright orange in the rain.

Apple cedar rust is straight out of the disco era with its large galls and radically orange telial horns that protrude in all directions. To make them even more outrageous, the telia are gelatinous.

If conditions are right, these telial horns produce another type of spore that produces yet another kind of spore, which is blown back to infect apple leaves and fruit. As few as 4-5 hours of rain at 50-75°F is time enough to produce a severe infection on apples.

Symptoms on Apples and Crabapples

Instead of galls, infected apple and crabapple trees manifest circular yellow spots on the upper surface of their leaves soon after bloom. Later in the summer, brownish cylindrical tubes with hairs sticking out appear underneath the yellow spots, or on the twigs and fruit.

These tubes produce the aeciospores that will complete the cycle by infecting the needles of junipers.

At the least, the infected fruit may be of marginal quality. Worst case scenario – they drop off the tree.

In addition, a severe infection can cause your tree to drop its leaves! If that happens for several years in a row, your apple tree could be in peril.

Cultural Controls

Since the juniper galls are the source of the spores that infect the apple trees, cutting them is a sound strategy if there aren’t too many of them.

While the spores can travel for miles, most of the ones that could infect your tree are within a few hundred feet.

The best way to do this is to prune the branches about 4-6 inches below the galls.

You will want to disinfect your pruning shears, so you don’t spread the infection. Dip them in 10% bleach or alcohol for at least 30 seconds between cuts.

Should You Treat Junipers?

Although the galls don’t do much damage to junipers, treating them with fungicide can help prevent their spores from spreading. This can also help to reduce the amount of cedar apple rust on your tree.

The time to treat the junipers is before the galls produce their teliohorns, or when they are producing the aeciospores.

You can treat them with a liquid copper product like you would with apple trees.

Unfortunately, you need to treat them repeatedly from mid-summer until fall, which can be expensive.

Other Fungal Rusts

Additional rusts plague apples and crabapples in addition to other types of fruit. These other fungal diseases have life cycles similar to that of cedar apple rust, but their telial phases are less dramatic.

Cedar-hawthorn rust (Gymnosporangium globosum) affects pear, serviceberry, and quince.

Additional alternate hosts include Rocky Mountain juniper, common juniper, and prostrate juniper. Its telial phase is short and stubby, and its spots on apple or crabapple leaves are initially yellow and then turn orange.

Cedar-quince rust (G. clavipes) affects many plants in the rose family.

Additional alternate hosts include common juniper, prostrate juniper, Rocky Mountain juniper, and savin juniper. In this case, the galls are much less noticeable – basically swellings on the juniper twigs. The telial phase looks like oozing orange scum.

And unlike the other rusts, the cedar-quince fungus typically infects thorns, new twigs, and fruits on its fruit host. These infections are much less dramatic, too, with spots that are barely noticeable.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could just plop some seeds into the soil, add water, and have yourself a dozen new orchids?

Unfortunately, growing orchids from seed isn’t nearly that easy. It’s what we’ll classify as an advanced growing technique.

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If starting peas is one of the easiest home gardening projects, orchids would be on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Basically, peas are a one in terms of difficulty, and orchids are an 11 on a scale of one to 10.

Now, don’t abandon all hope and just decide to grow violets instead. I promise, you can do it. It just takes some special tools and some patience.

Orchid seeds don’t have an endosperm, which is the structure that provides most seeds with nutrients until they germinate. They’re also itty-bitty. Working with them is like trying to sow really temperamental bits of wheat flour.

To make up for that lack of endosperm, orchid seeds rely on fungi to help them germinate. It would be extraordinarily difficult to find the exact species of fungus that your particular orchid needs, but some smart folks have figured out a few workarounds.

That’s what we’re going to talk about in this guide. Here’s the a quick rundown of the coming attractions:

How to Start Orchids from Seed

In nature, orchids release tons of their tiny seeds into the wind to land on trees, the ground, and other plants, where some of them form a mutually beneficial relationship with mycorrhizal fungi that helps them to germinate.

The fungi help the orchids obtain and transport nutrients, and the orchids help provide the fungi with moisture and nutrients in return.

Scientists can recreate this process in the lab and you can send your pods off for what is called flasking, if you want.

This is a similar process to what we’re going to describe here. The difference is that they already have all the fancy equipment and experience to do the job for you.

The average home grower will need to use a much simpler process than what is used in the lab.

Instead of inoculating seeds with mycorrhizal fungi in a sterile lab, you’re going to use specially formulated orchid propagating agar, a type of jelly made from algae mixed with nutrients and yeasts.

The process takes months or even years before you will have little seedlings growing in individual pots. But on the bright side, one single pod can result in thousands of viable plants, so the effort may pay off in a big way.

As we jump into this project, I want you to establish a mantra: sanitize, sanitize, sanitize.

If any bacteria or the wrong type of fungi (and most of them are the wrong kind) gain access to your seeds, the project is done for.

Also, don’t forget, you can do this! Here we go…

Pollinate Your Plants

You can buy seeds, but make absolutely sure that you obtain them from an extremely reputable source. Orchid seeds can easily be contaminated by bad fungi and bacteria.

If you can’t find a reliable source or if you want to have control over the whole process, harvest them yourself.

In order to produce seeds, the orchid flowers must be pollinated.

Unless you’re growing yours outside, you’d need to have the right species of bees, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, gnats, or birds flying around in your house to pollinate the flowers!

I’m going to guess that’s probably not the case for you, so you’ll need to lend the usual pollinators a hand.

You can pollinate a single orchid, but cross-pollinating between two different plants is better, if you have two available that are blooming at the same time.

To pollinate, grab a toothpick and take a good look at the flower. There are five petals surrounding a protruding central part that contains a cap and lip. The cap is at the top, and the lip sits below that.

To pollinate, take a clean toothpick and place it just below the cap.

Gently pry off the front of the anther cap, which holds the pollen. It’s easy to fling the pollinia, or the masses of pollen grains, away as you pry off the cap, so do this slowly and gently.

Once you have the cap off, it will carry two little yellow packets, assuming you didn’t fling them off into the wild blue yonder.

Each little packet of pollen is known as a pollinium, which is a cluster of pollen rather than the loose powdery stuff common on other species.

Pollinia are sticky, which makes it easy to pry them off and get them to stick onto the toothpick.

Use tweezers to hold the anther cap away from the pollinia, which should still be attached to the toothpick.

Stick the pollinia up into the stigma, either of the same flower, one on the same plant, or one of another plant entirely, and you’re done.

The stigma is the part right behind the anther that you just pulled the pollen out of.

Now that it’s fertilized, the stem at the base of the flower will start swelling and will eventually develop into a ripe pod filled with up to three million seeds.

By the way, if you’ve ever slit open a vanilla pod, you’ve already seen what an orchid pod and seeds look like.

If you’ve cross-pollinated between several different flowers, make sure to label everything so you know what’s what.

Depending on the species, the pod will be ready in anywhere from one to 10 months. It will turn brown when it’s ready.

If you wait too long, the pod will split open on its own, so try to pluck it just before this. If you notice the seam starting to form a crack, that’s the perfect time to harvest.

Harvest the Seeds

Snip the pods off the plant and place them in a container. Add some bleach, put a lid on top, and shake the container to lightly coat the seeds.

Let it sit for at least 10 minutes but not more than 30. Remove the pods and lay them out on a clean towel or fresh paper towel to dry them out. This kills any pathogens on the pod’s skin.

To harvest the seeds, use a sanitized scalpel or craft knife to split the pod. Scrape out the seeds and place them in a small, sanitized container or on fresh wax paper.

Those closer to the flower end tend to germinate better.

Some people like to rinse the seeds in hydrogen peroxide, but that’s not necessary if you’re working in a clean environment. It does help, however, to use a drying agent to preserve the seeds unless you plan to use them right away.

Next time you open a package and a silica packet drops out, save it for your orchid seed projects.

Silica Desiccant Packets

Or you can buy two-gram packets from USPak in packages of 100 on Amazon.

Store the seeds in a cool, dry, dark spot or in the refrigerator crisper drawer until you’re ready to use them, for up to a year.

Set Up Your Growing Spot

Once you’re ready to sow the seeds, find an indoor spot where you can maintain a temperature between 50 and 85°F with bright, indirect light exposure for at least eight hours a day, or for up to 14 hours. The more light, the better.

If you can’t provide that – and few of us can during the winter – add some supplemental lighting.

It also needs to be humid in the room once you open up the flasks.

Unless the humidity is naturally at least 60 percent or above in your home or workspace, you’ll need to use a humidifier of some sort.

I have a friend who works in her kitchen and boils a teakettle with the lid open for this, so feel free to get creative. Most of us will just purchase an electric humidifier since they’re a bit easier to control.

Gather Your Supplies

In keeping with our mantra, start out by collecting your sanitizing and sterilizing equipment.

You need some soap, rubber gloves, isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach. You’ll also need a clean pot, and a heat source. Plus, you’ll need some growing flasks.

For all parts of this process, use distilled water or tap water that you’ve boiled and allowed to cool. Keep a sanitizing mixture of one part bleach and nine parts water handy for cleaning up spills, along with a clean rag and cotton swabs to do the cleaning.

You’ll also need a clean scalpel or craft knife, tweezers, and a few syringes or droppers. Some tongs are also useful to help you nab stuff out of the hot water or oven.

Your seed-starting container should be clear, tall, and narrow. Most people opt to use flasks with rubber stoppers.

You can buy a set of flasks that are all the same size, or buy a set with various sizes and see what you like best.

I find Erlenmeyer flasks to have the best shape because the neck is fairly short and the surface area of whatever you add to it is relatively broad.

Don’t feel like you’re limited, though. Any jar that can be securely sealed is fine.

Corning Pyrex Flasks

If you want to experiment, Corning Pyrex has a set of clear glass flasks in five different sizes with narrow necks and rubber stoppers available on Amazon.

Boil these and the ends of your tongs for a few minutes before you fill them. Rubber stoppers should be steamed for 10 minutes rather than being submerged. Any time you sterilize something, let it cool and dry on a clean towel.

Finally, you need some agar media and fertilizer, but not just any old agar.

Buy some agar formulated specifically for propagating orchids because these contain the nutrients that orchid seeds need to germinate. You can find this type of agar online at specialty supply stores.

Make note of whether you’re growing a terrestrial or epiphytic type and choose the agar medium accordingly. Most orchids are epiphytic, but you want to be sure because they require different agar mediums.

If you want to go all the way, use a glove box for the next steps.

Glove boxes are enclosed systems that let you slide your hands inside a pair of gloves so you can manipulate items inside the sterile enclosure without introducing bacteria. Any local or online shop that sells lab supplies will carry these.

They can be expensive, but if you plan to make this a regular thing, it’s worth investing in a glove box. They’re handy if you’re into growing mushrooms from spores, too. You can also find instructions online to construct your own. Otherwise, remember: sterilize, sterilize, sterilize.

Before you start, sterilize all your tools with either bleach or heat.

If you heat your tools in the oven to sterilize them, make sure the oven reaches a temperature above 350°F and hold it for 15 minutes.

Otherwise, submerge the equipment in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Don’t put anything in the oven or into water that could melt, though.

Prepare the Medium

Follow the manufacturer’s directions for prepping the agar. This typically involves adding some distilled or coconut water.

Some mediums come pre-sterilized and already mixed, so you can get straight to growing, but I find it’s better to be safe and prepare your own unless you really, really trust the source.

Pour a half-inch of agar into each of the sterilized flasks. If some agar spills on the inside or outside of the neck of the container, wipe it off with a clean rag or cotton swab soaked in your sanitizing bleach solution.

It’s a good idea to use more than one container to increase your odds of success. That way, if one becomes contaminated, you won’t lose all of the seeds you’ve worked so hard to grow.

Sterilize your tools before you pour the agar into the containers so everything is ready once you’ve finished, but don’t sterilize too far in advance or your tools risk becoming contaminated.

Sow the Seeds

Work somewhere without any wind or breezes. Close those windows and turn off those fans. These seeds are tiny and they’ll fly away.

Put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in with the seeds in their sterilized container (or place them in a sterilized container if you kept them in wax paper) and swish them around for a few seconds.

Pour some distilled water into the container and use a sterilized dropper or syringe to fill it with water and seeds.

Release the mixture into the flask, distributing them across the surface of the agar.

Your goal is to evenly cover as much of the agar as you can, so if your syringe or dropper isn’t long enough, you may need to gently tilt the container to get things where you want them.

Don’t stress too much, though. The water will naturally want to redistribute itself across the medium, so drop those seeds in, tilt the container around a little, and it should be fine.

If any seeds stick to the inside or outside neck of the container, wipe them away with a clean cloth or cotton swab dipped in your bleach solution.

Seal the flask.

Care for the Seeds

Place the flasks under grow lights or near a north-facing window with at least eight hours of bright, indirect light exposure per day.

Most orchid seeds need about 12 to 14 hours of light per day to germinate, so most people will need to use grow lights.

Depending on the species, it can take months for the seeds to sprout and develop roots.

Do not open those flasks. It might be tempting, but you will introduce foreign elements no matter how careful you are.

Transplant the Seedlings

When the roots are a third of an inch long, prepare by filling a few small containers with orchid bark. You’re going to want to use tiny pots to help reduce the likelihood of root rot.

Two-Inch Plastic Pots

These two-inch plastic pots that are available on Amazon in packs of 100 are just right.

Look for an orchid bark mix that is somewhat fine. Some bark mediums are chunkier than others, so find one that specifies that it’s small rather than using medium or large chunks.

Organic Orchid Potting Bark

Try this bark from Kitsypartsy, which can be purchased at Amazon in four-quart bags.

Fill the pot to within about an inch from the top. Take a sanitized pair of tweezers and gently tease a plant from the agar.

Rinse the roots clean with room-temperature distilled water by swishing them around in a bowl.

Lay the roots of the seedling on top of the bark. Gently fill the pot up the rest of the way with more bark. The roots should be covered entirely. Repeat with the remaining seedlings.

Water the bark with that good old distilled or boiled and cooled water and place the plant somewhere with bright, indirect light or artificial light exposure for at least 12 hours per day.

Remember, your growing space needs to be humid, so if you can’t maintain sufficient humidity in the room, tent plastic over the plants.

After the plant has grown several sets of leaves, you can move it to its regular spot.

You Can Do It

I know, it sounds like a lot, but you should now feel confident enough to give propagating your own orchid seeds a shot.

It’s not so much that the process is complicated, but you have to be so careful to avoid contaminating the seeds and growing medium. Just remember your mantra (sanitize!) and all will be fine.

Be sure to come back and tell us how it’s going. Did you run into any trouble? What magical hybrids did you create? Share with us in the comments.

If you’d like to learn more about orchids while you wait for yours to mature, read these guides next:

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Homemade strawberry jelly is so simple to make, and this recipe is delicious. You can make it from scratch using just a few simple ingredients and tools.

If your strawberry plant has produced more fruit than you can eat, or you find a good deal on them in bulk at the grocery store, then it’s time to try this recipe for making your own jelly.

Below, I’ll show you how to do it with easy steps so you can make your own at home. Nothing’s better than enjoying strawberry jelly on warm toast in the morning.

Best Types Of Strawberries For Homemade Jelly

Most strawberries work well for this jelly recipe. However, Earliglow is a great variety to use because they have a sweeter flavor.

Regardless of what kind you choose, ensure they are ripe, fully red, and nice and plump for the best flavor.

Strawberry Jelly Vs. Strawberry Jam

The main differences between strawberry jelly and strawberry jam are the texture and the processing steps.

Jelly is made from straining the juice. It doesn’t contain any fruit pieces, so the texture is smooth with a gelatin consistency.

Jam is made using the fruit, which is either chopped, crushed, or pureed. The consistency is looser, and it has more texture because of the addition of fruit chunks. Get my strawberry jam recipe here.

How To Make Strawberry Jelly

This homemade strawberry jelly recipe is so refreshing and versatile. You could eat it right after making it, keep it in the fridge, or can it for later use.

It tastes delicious on toast, spread onto a peanut butter sandwich, or topped on a batch of freshly baked waffles. Or you could add it to your favorite desserts, such as cheesecake or ice cream.

With a few simple ingredients and common kitchen tools, you will be on your way to making your own in no time.

Strawberry Jelly Recipe Ingredients

I created this simple strawberry jelly recipe to be easy to assemble using only 3 common ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it.

• Strawberries – This is the star ingredient for the recipe. Choose fresh, ripe strawberries that are plump and vibrant red in color for the best results.

• Sugar – This adds extra sweetness and enhances the natural flavors of the fruits. It also interacts and gels with the pectin, which enhances the strength and consistency of your jelly.

• Pectin – This helps to create the thick jelly consistency we’re after. In this recipe we used regular powdered pectin, but you could substitute for one with no sugar added if you’d like.

Tools & Equipment Needed

Below is a list of all the items you’ll need to make this strawberry jelly recipe. Gather everything before you start to simplify the process.

Tips For Making Strawberry Jelly

Below are a few tips to help you be successful in making your own strawberry jelly.

• Keep in mind that your strawberry jelly needs to boil fast because if you do it too slowly, it risks destroying the pectin and affecting how your jelly forms.

• Be sure to test the thickness using a cold metal spoon. You’ll know it’s thick enough when it falls slowly from the spoon. If it’s not thick enough, keep simmering it until it is.

Preparing Strawberries For Making Jelly

Before you begin making your strawberry jelly, rinse the fruits to remove any dirt and debris. Then hull them to remove the green top.

Make sure to cut off any parts that are white, discolored, or bruised, as these can alter the flavor in a negative way.

Then you’ll need to cook them and mash them up to release the juices. After the cooking time is done, you’ll strain out the strawberry flesh and fruit pieces so all that’s left for making your jelly is the juice.

Can You Make Strawberry Jelly Without Added Pectin?

No, you can’t make strawberry jelly without added pectin. They are naturally a moderate to low pectin fruit, especially when ripe.

So, for the juices to properly gel and thicken into jelly, you’ll need to add pectin.

Can You Make Low Sugar Strawberry Jelly?

You can make low sugar strawberry jelly by modifying my recipe if you want to. But you need to add some sugar to offset the bitter flavor of the pectin, and also gel with it to thicken the texture.

You can try replacing the sugar with the same amount of stevia, or a ½ cup less if it’s too sweet. If you do that, then use only 3 tablespoons of low sugar pectin rather than the regular kind.

You can also try reducing the amount of sugar to 3 cups and adding 1 cup of honey.

Can You Can Strawberry Jelly?

Yes, you can can this strawberry jelly recipe if you’d like. Since the fruits are naturally acidic, it’s safe to use the water bath method for canning.

Simply clean and prepare your jars, then fill your water bath canner and bring it to a boil.

Fill the hot jars with hot strawberry jelly, leaving ¼” of headspace, and fasten the lids and bands on top.

Process the jars for 10 minutes in the boiling water bath, adjusting the time for altitude if necessary.

How To Store Strawberry Jelly

Keep your jars of freshly made strawberry jelly in the fridge, or enjoy it right away. You could also freeze it.

If you chose to process yours in a boiling water bath, you can store the sealed jars in a cool, dark location, like a pantry or cupboard.

How Long Does Strawberry Jelly Last?

Your homemade strawberry jelly will last for 3 weeks in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Sealed jars will stay good for 12 months in the pantry. Make sure to always check that the lid is still sealed tightly before eating it.

Related Post: How To Can Strawberries The Right Way

FAQs

Below are my answers to some of the most common questions I get asked about making strawberry jelly.

Why isn’t my strawberry jelly setting?

There are two common issues that can keep your strawberry jelly from setting: over cooking it and recipe measurement errors. It’s important to always follow the exact measurements for all of the ingredients, and make sure to cook it at the proper temperature, as too high of heat damages the pectin’s ability to gel.

Why is my strawberry jelly more like jello?

Your strawberry jelly can become more like jello if you use too much pectin in the recipe, or when you overcook it. If it becomes too thick, you can thin it out by slowly mixing in water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Can you use frozen strawberries for jelly?

Yes, you can use frozen strawberries to make jelly. Just be sure you allow them to fully thaw first.

How can you thicken strawberry jelly?

You can thicken your strawberry jelly by adding more pectin. I recommend using the no-sugar variety for this, to avoid adding more sugar. Start by whisking in 1 tablespoon, then test for thickness. If it’s still too thin, add 1 more tablespoon. Generally you should only need to do this once or twice to achieve the thickness you are looking for.

Making your own homemade strawberry jelly is so easy using this simple recipe. Before you know it, you’ll have jars ready to enjoy anytime you find yourself craving it.

If you want to learn all there is to know about growing your food up rather than out, my book Vertical Vegetables is exactly what you need. Plus you’ll get step-by-step 23 projects that you can build in your own garden. Order your copy today!

Learn more about my Vertical Vegetables book here.

More Garden Fresh Recipes

Share your tips for making strawberry jelly or your favorite recipe in the comments section below.

Recipe & Instructions

Molucella laevis

For a funky-looking annual that’s just unusual enough to be totally awesome, how about giving some bells of Ireland a ring?

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As a former plant sciences major, I’ve taken my fair share of plant identification quizzes.

Some species are tough to identify, especially if their relatives are included in the assessment. Others, such as bells of Ireland, are distinctive enough to ID right away, no brain-racking required.

They look so unique, after all.

With upright stalks that bear clusters of small white flowers surrounded by light green calyces, it’s near-impossible to mistake Moluccella laevis for anything else.

Whether in a garden or floral arrangement, this beauty truly stands out in a crowd.

Given their one-of-a-kind aesthetic, it’s only natural to want some bells of Ireland for your own collection.

And after giving this guide a read-through and giving our tips a try, you may discover that you’re a natural at growing them.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What Are Bells of Ireland Flowers?

It’s a valid question. I mean, they certainly don’t look like the stereotypical, stock-image blooms you might find after doing a Google image search for “flower.”

Aka Irish bells, shellflowers, and Molucca balms, bells of Ireland flowers are half-hardy annuals from the mint family suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 11.

This means M. laevis can handle the cool air and soil temperatures of early spring that tender annuals cannot, but lacks the resistance to light springtime frosts and freezes that hardy annuals have.

This upright-growing plant reaches a mature height of one and a half to three feet, and a mature spread of one to one and a half feet.

It produces tall, showy spikes of tiny, white, fragrant flowers that bloom from midsummer to fall, which are encased in large, conspicuous, bell-shaped green calyces.

The fragrance of the blooms is uniquely distinctive, with a minty, sweet freshness that is reminiscent of apple, or perhaps lime green Skittles.

These calyces form in tightly-packed clusters along the square-shaped stems, with a ring of small, sharp thorns beneath each cluster. Oppositely arranged, scalloped leaves protrude from between the calyx clusters on long petioles.

As the plant desiccates at the end of the season, its green hue turns to attractive shades of white or pale beige. And beneath the plant’s crown lies a long and sensitive taproot, which can make transplanting a bit of a challenge.

In spite of their common name, bells of Ireland don’t actually hail from the Emerald Isle, but rather, from regions of western Asia including Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and the Caucasus.

It’s probably safe to say that the Irish part of their common moniker was a marketable reference to the plant’s green hue, a color often associated with Ireland.

The origin of the Latin name, however, is a bit more clear-cut. Bestowed by Carl Linnaeus, the genus name Moluccella is named after Indonesia’s Molucca Islands, where bells of Ireland were originally thought to be from.

The species name laevis means smooth – an accurate descriptor of the plant’s surface.

First cultivated in the 1570s in Belgium, bells of Ireland have been lovingly grown by horticulturalists ever since.

Besides their ornamental beauty in the garden, M. laevis is used in perfume making, and is a verdant favorite in floral arrangements, both freshly cut and dried.

In the language of flowers, i.e. floriography, bells of Ireland represent good luck, making them the perfect gift for those embarking on new beginnings.

Propagation

As anyone dining at a sushi restaurant knows, it can be tough to make a satisfying decision when you have a smorgasbord of options in front of you.

Luckily, you just have two viable avenues for propagating bells of Ireland: from seed or via transplanting.

From Seed

If this is your first attempt at growing bells of Ireland, you’ll need to acquire seeds from an external source, such as a vendor or a friend.

If you have M. laevis already growing in your garden, you can simply gather seeds from your existing specimens once they’ve dried.

To do so, wait until the “bells” attain a crinkly texture and a pale beige or white hue before plucking the calyces from the stem. Wear gloves and be mindful of the thorns.

For hand protection, check out these puncture-resistant gardening gloves from Garrett Wade, available in green, orange, and blue.

Puncture-Resistant Gardening Gloves – Green

When you look into a plucked calyx, you’ll notice the seeds at the bottom.

Turn the calyx upside down, take the bottom between your fingers, and roll it between your fingers over an open cup. Repeat with each plucked calyx until you’ve harvested all of your seeds.

The seeds themselves are small, dark, and roughly pyramid-shaped, almost like four-sided dice.

Leave them out to dry for a week or so, place them in a labeled envelope, and then store them in the refrigerator. You now have sowable seeds!

About 10 to 12 weeks before the local last frost date, fill three-inch containers with a 50:50 mixture of peat moss and perlite, and sow the seeds just below the media’s surface.

Lightly water the media, seal the tray in plastic, and leave it in the fridge for two weeks, keeping the media moist all the while.

After two weeks, unseal the containers and bring them out into a well-lit indoor area. Keep the media moist, and give the containers a quarter-turn each day to prevent lopsided growth.

Once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 40°F and daytime temperatures are consistently between 50 and 60°F, your bells of Ireland seedlings are ready to harden off for transplanting outdoors.

Take your containers outdoors into direct sunlight, and leave them there for 30 to 60 minutes before bringing them back indoors.

Add an additional 30 to 60 minutes each successive day until the plants can spend a full day outdoors.

Now it’s transplanting time!

Via Transplanting

Prior to transplanting, prepare well-draining and fertile planting sites, and be sure to space them 10 to 12 inches apart. Dig holes that are just as deep and a bit wider than each transplant’s container.

Whether you’re working with a transplant that you’ve purchased, one you’ve grown yourself, or one that you’ve lifted from elsewhere in your garden, it’s essential to be gentle with the root system.

While keeping a hand on top of the container near the plant’s crown, flip the container over and gently ease the transplant out.

With the transplant and media removed from the container, gently place them into the hole.

Backfill the hole with adjacent soil, water it in, and keep the surrounding soil moist. Repeat for each transplant, and you’re good to go!

How to Grow

All in all, growing and caring for bells of Ireland is pretty simple.

Climate and Exposure Needs

As half-hardy annuals, bells of Ireland won’t survive the winter. You’re free to utilize these bad boys in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 11, but they won’t be at their best in high heat or humidity.

M. laevis prefers full sun, but it can tolerate partial sun and partial shade exposure. In windy sites, you may have to stake your specimens to keep them upright.

Bamboo Stakes

For some support, how about these two-foot bamboo stakes? They’re sold in packs of 25 on Amazon.

Soil Needs

The ideal soil for M. laevis is well-draining and fertile, although this species can actually tolerate lean soils.

Working an inch or two of organic matter into your garden beds in early spring is a surefire way to provide that sweet, sweet fertility.

A pH that’s about neutral is optimal, so shoot for a range of 6.5 to 7.5.

Water and Fertilizer Needs

These flowers love to sit in moist soils, so be sure to give your bells of Ireland a nice drink whenever the surface feels dry to the touch.

Either that, or choose a naturally moist yet well-draining planting site that doesn’t need supplemental irrigation.

EZ-Gro Liquid Fertilizer

Each month during the growing season, apply a general-purpose, balanced fertilizer such as this all-purpose, 20-20-20 NPK liquid plant food from EZ-gro, sold in one-quart containers on Amazon.

Growing Tips

• Full sun exposure is preferable, but partial sun and partial shade are tolerable.
• Aim for a pH of 6.5-7.5.
• Be sure to maintain soil moisture.

Maintenance

Aside from the watering and feeding that you’ll be doing throughout the season, there are a few other tasks you should add to your M. laevis routine.

These guys are capable of self-seeding, so you can either pull or transplant any lil’ bells of Ireland that pop up in subsequent seasons, if you wish.

Alternatively, you can cut the stems before seeds form in late summer to early fall when they begin to dry if you don’t want the seeds to scatter naturally.

If you time this just right – i.e. as the calyces lose their flexibility and become firm – you can also use the dried blooms in floral arrangements.

Cultivars to Select

Don’t get it twisted, folks. A regular M. laevis – available in seed form via Eden Brothers – is pretty much perfect.

Bells of Ireland Seeds

However, there’s one cultivar that has a lot to offer, and it’s one I’d be remiss in ignoring.

Pixie Bells

There’s an issue that can plague the standard bells of Ireland: lankiness.

It’s a skinny-stemmed plant, yet it can grow up to three feet tall. This can leave your unstaked bells of Ireland buffeted around by winds, or prone to drooping as the shoots collect moisture buildup from rainfall.

‘Pixie Bells’ solves the problem with the reduced height and increased stem stockiness that a plain ol’ M. laevis lacks.

Instead of a maximum height of three feet, this variety’s verticality only reaches 20 to 24 inches.

And with its stronger stems, ‘Pixie Bells’ can withstand greater amounts of wind and water before flopping over, if they even flop at all.

If I may speak in terms of Nintendo’s “Super Mario Bros.” franchise, this cultivar is the Mario to the standard species’ Luigi – shorter and stouter, and more capable of beating Bowser.

‘Pixie Bells’

Okay, maybe not that last part. But ‘Pixie Bells’ is definitely a winner!

Packs of 30 ‘Pixie Bells’ seeds are available for purchase from Burpee.

Managing Pests and Disease

Thankfully, M. laevis doesn’t leave gardeners with much to worry about in the ailments department. It’s resistant to deer and rabbits, and many pests and diseases don’t pose a threat.

But to keep your bells of Ireland looking wonderful, one must know of a few potential issues that could arise.

Insects

The great thing about proper pest management? It also doubles as disease prevention, since insects can often vector disease-causing pathogens as they feed.

Aphids

Measuring 1/16 to an eighth of an inch long, aphids are soft-bodied, translucent, and pear-shaped, with a light green hue that may be tough to make out on a light green plant.

Aphids will settle onto the shoots of plants and extract delicious fluids from the phloem with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Infested structures may exhibit chlorosis and stunted growth, especially if the aphid infestation is heavy.

Spider Mites

With oval-shaped bodies covered in translucent bristles, these puny arachnids are tough to spot with the naked eye.

But you’ll probably notice the webs they weave on infested plants, which can be a bit of an eyesore.

As evidenced by tiny white punctures, spider mites suck out vital plant juices, resulting in localized chlorosis and desiccation.

For control of spider mites, forceful water sprays or direct sprays of insecticidal soap are your best bet.

Bonide Insecticidal Soap

For the latter, a quart of multipurpose insecticidal soap is available to purchase from Bonide via Arbico Organics.

Disease

As a general preventative measure for warding off diseases, try your best to garden in a sanitary manner.

This means using sanitized tools, disease-free soils, and pathogen-free M. laevis specimens.

Cercospora Leaf Spot

Caused by species of Cercospora fungi, this disease riddles the leaves of infected specimens with small, brown, round to angular spots. Not merely cosmetic, these spots interfere with photosynthesis.

To prevent this problem, gather and dispose of adjacent garden detritus where the fungus can overwinter, and be sure to avoid overhead irrigation, which can promote the moist conditions that the causal fungi love.

When you “spot” symptoms in mild cases of infection, remove infected leaves and pitch them – don’t compost them.

A severely infected specimen should be lifted and disposed of. As the causal fungi can persist in the soil for up to two years, avoid planting in contaminated sites for at least two years after infection.

Crown Rot

With a name like “crown rot,” this disease is somewhat self-explanatory.

At the soil line, the plant’s crown does its job of holding the stem upright while transferring water and nutrients between the roots and the shoots.

But in oversaturated soil conditions, the crown is vulnerable to attack from various pathogens such as Fusarium, Phytophthora, and Rhizoctonia species.

If infection occurs, the crown can rot out, leading to stunted growth, root necrosis, and eventual plant death.

Prevention is the best cure for crown rot: ensure that soil oversaturation doesn’t occur.

This means watering less often, providing better drainage, or both. Lift and destroy any specimens where the majority of the crown and root system are rotted out.

Best Uses

Just like potatoes do, bells of Ireland hit the spot in a variety of circumstances.

In the garden, they work amazingly in mixed borders with other annuals.

Their unusual aesthetic fits nicely within the beautiful chaos of a cottage garden, and their upright form provides many opportunities for complementary plantings within containers.

More of a florist than a landscaper? Whether gathered fresh or allowed to dry, M. laevis is a knockout in floral arrangements.

When bestowed either with or without other flowers, bells of Ireland are a beautiful way to wish somebody good luck!

After cutting the dry stems, remove the thorns and leaves before hanging them up to finish drying in a well-ventilated area.

If you want some fresh bells of Ireland for living arrangements, you should cut them when the calyces are about half open.

Make each cut diagonally, so that the stem can take up water while touching the bottom of a vase or other container. Remove the thorns and leaves, and voila! They’re ready to go.

Regardless of the specific application, bells of Ireland compliment purple hues quite well. Feel free to pair them with ornamental alliums, butterfly bushes, or even purple-leaved coleus!

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Half-hardy annual flower	Flower/Foliage Color:	White blooms in light green calyces/light green
Native to:	Iraq, Turkey, Syria, the Caucasus	Water Needs:	Moderate
Hardiness (USDA Zones):	2-11	Maintenance:	Low
Bloom Time:	July-September	Tolerance:	Partial shade, poor soils
Exposure:	Full sun	Soil Type:	Moist, fertile
Time to Maturity:	2-3 months	Soil pH:	6.5-7.5
Spacing:	10-12 inches	Soil Drainage:	Well-draining
Planting Depth:	1/4 inch (seed), depth of root system (transplants)	Attracts:	Bees, butterflies
Height:	1.5-3 feet	Uses:	Containers, cottage gardens, cut flowers, dried flowers, mixed borders
Spread:	1-1.5 feet	Family:	Lamiaceae
Growth Rate:	Rapid	Genus:	Molucella
Common Pests and Diseases:	Aphids, mealybugs, slugs, spider mites; root rot	Species:	Laevis

Give This Green Plant the Green Light

With so many potential plantings vying for your attention, it’s understandable that you might approach a new one with caution. Why should you choose this one over the others?

If you didn’t before you read this guide, you probably understand by now what makes bells of Ireland so special. It’s impossible to deny the special, distinctive beauty of Molucella laevis.

Bursting with questions or remarks? Then head on down to the comments section!

Curious about other members of the Lamiaceae family? Here are some minty guides for your perusing pleasure:

I’M OPENING my garden on Saturday June 3 from 10 AM to 4 PM as part of a weekend of events in my Hudson Valley, N.Y., community, that also includes the spectacular garden of Peter Bevacqua and Stephen King nearby and many other events.

Here at my Copake Falls garden all day with a truckload of irresistible botanical goodies will be Broken Arrow Nursery. They will be accepting advance phone orders, too, between now and Wednesday, May 31, if there is something special you simply must have. Their website; phone is (203) 288-1026.

All ticket sales from my garden will be donated to two local nonprofits I love: the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program in nearby Ghent, N.Y., and Turtle Tree Seed in Copake.

And there’s much more:

Those of you who read my “New York Times” garden columns will remember the story I did about the Bevacqua-King garden in Claverack, NY (above). It’s a dramatic juxtaposition of formal and wild, and a must-visit, and will be open from 10-4 on June 3, too. Plus: a sale of gently used garden and cooking books will take place there.

All ticket sales and book-sale proceeds will be donated to the Claverack Library.

We’re also delighted to welcome Annie Novak of New York Botanical Garden, a leading expert on soil health and composting, who will do a morning soil class and an afternoon one on composting nearby.

There are a total of 20 events locally June 3 and June 4; the whole list is on The Workshop Experience Weekend website, a collaboration among a few neighbors (including me!). We hope you’ll make a day (or weekend) of it.

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