Category: Home & Garden

I don’t collect seeds often in the garden, but I do enjoy eating them. As a vegetarian, they are a great source of nutrition, including protein. Everyone should add these little packets of nutrients and flavor to their diets. Here are my favorites.

Pumpkin Seeds

Hands down, my favorite seed in the kitchen is the humble pumpkin seed. My first encounter with them was as a kid when we carved pumpkins for Halloween. We would pull out the goo, separate out and rinse the seeds, and then my mom would roast them. They lasted as snacks for a week or so.

Now, when I get my pie pumpkins from my local farm share, I always save the seeds for roasting. It’s an easy snack to make. All you need to do is rinse and dry the seeds, mix them up with some oil or melted butter and whatever seasonings you like, and cook them in the oven at about 300 degrees F. (150 C.). Keep an eye on the seeds, mix a few times as they cook, and they’re done when they are golden brown.

Out of season, I get pumpkin seeds from the store. They don’t taste the same because they have been shelled, but they carry the same nutrition: fiber, protein, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, iron, zinc, copper, and vitamin K. I add them to salads, sprinkle them on soup, and eat them with nuts as a snack.

Chia Seeds

These little powerhouses of nutrition also first came to my attention during my childhood. We never had one, but I remember well the ads for chia pets. What I know about those unusual toys now is that they worked because of the high fiber content in chia seeds.

The chia pet relied on the ability of the seeds to turn to a thick gel when added to water. You could then spread the gel over the chia pet allowing it to sprout all over the ceramic animal.

They don’t taste like much, but just one serving of chia seeds has ten grams of fiber, eight grams of healthy fats, and five grams of protein. I add them to cereal and oatmeal. If you try this, remember to add extra liquid because they will soak up a lot.

Sunflower Seeds

One type of seed I have saved, although not for myself, is sunflower seeds. I grew sunflowers at a previous home and saved the seed heads at the end of the season to feed birds and squirrels over the winter.

In the kitchen, my favorite way to eat sunflower seeds is in butter form. It’s a great alternative to peanut butter with a significant amount of protein plus healthy fats, fiber, vitamin E, copper, manganese, and selenium, just to name a few nutrients.

Again, there is a connection to childhood here. Although I don’t eat them this way often as an adult, as a kid I loved the bags of salty, in-the-shell sunflower seeds. I think my parents liked them because they kept us entertained for a while. I would suck the salt out of the shell, break it open to eat the seed, and spit out the shell fragments.

Sesame Seeds

For flavor, there is no better seed, in my opinion, than the little sesame. Toasted sesame seeds have a savory, delicious flavor that goes well in so many types of food. I have made sesame cookies, but I also sprinkle these tasty little seeds on stir fries and baked tofu.

Sesame products are staples in my kitchen. Tahini is like peanut butter made with sesame seeds that makes a great base for salad dressings and hummus. Sesame oil has a deep rich flavor. Just a teaspoon in a savory dish goes a long way.

Sesame seeds don’t have quite as much impressive nutrition as my other favorite seeds, but they are also low in calories, so I use them liberally.

I plant drought-tolerant shrubs in my San Francisco garden. And drought-tolerant trees and drought-tolerant flowers and veggies. California never has much rain in the summers, but, in recent years, the fall and winter rains are also slowing. That has caused several successive years where the state is officially in a drought, making a drought-tolerant backyard essential.

In the years I have gardened, I have come to believe in the power of nature to make it through. But I learned this year that even nature might not be able to work with climate change. And that drought-tolerant plants can’t actually survive a drought.

California’s Drought

The U.S. Drought Monitor – a national weekly map showing parts of the country that are in drought – began in 2000. Since then, California has repeatedly experienced drought. The longest duration of California drought lasted six years, that is, 376 weeks, starting in the end of 2011 and ending in March 2019.

Since 2019, the state has not “recovered” from drought. Much of the period between the middle of 2000 and the current day in 2022 also were times of serious drought. Most of the people I know with gardens have modified them by replacing lawns and shrubs with drought-tolerant plants.

Drought-Tolerant Plants

As a garden writer, I fill my own garden with the plants I recommend to readers: drought tolerant native plants that have evolved to survive the periods without rain. As I explain when I give tours of the San Francisco Botanical Garden, coastal California has always experienced hot, dry summers. It is one of the areas with Mediterranean climates marked by dry summers and cooler, wetter winters.

So our native plants have evolved to tolerate summers without water. California poppies thrive all summer long. California buckeye trees drop their leaves in the heat of summer, going into early dormancy. Succulents store all available water in their puffy leaves to access when there is no rain. My backyard is full of native plants.

Drought-Tolerant Limitations

What I learned this summer is that drought-tolerant plants have their limitations. I spent the hottest part of the summer – from mid-July through August – in San Francisco. While I didn’t water the plants every day, I did give them a drink every week. And when I left for France in early October, the plants were thriving.

Fast-forward to November, when I returned from France. Sadly, the expected rains were short-lived and the predictable San Francisco fog yielded center stage to clear skies and hot sun. The result was not pretty.

Plants I have had for a decade were dead, from the tippity-top of their blossoms to the crispy foliage to the sad, brittle roots. Succulents were burned, brown, shriveled. Poppies were masses of dead, ferny leaves. Even the ever-blooming salvia plants had lost their flowers and could be yanked out, roots and all, with one hand.

So what is the biggest lesson the garden taught me this year? That everything can be broken, and that we humans can’t count on nature to repair all of our mistakes.

Most gardeners have always had a passion for their craft. Others developed their love of plants unexpectedly at some point. But one thing seems to remain constant regardless of when the gardening bug bit – childhood memories. The vast majority of us can at least recall specific memories from our childhoods that include the garden. For me, it was my grandfather and his strawberry patch. I also fondly remember my mother’s large vegetable gardens and canning much of the harvest. Needless to say, gardening is something that kids remember, and it’s also something that can carry on through into adulthood.

Ideas That Can Inspire an Interest in Gardening

For the most part, kids love getting out in the garden. Getting dirty, exploring and learning about their surroundings are all natural aspects of growing up. Granted, there may be resistance in older kids at first, but they generally come around. And there’s no guarantee that they’ll stick with gardening once grown, but they’ll always remember. I struggled with getting my grown kids interested in gardening, even though they’d been around it much of their childhood. But if you start planting the seed at a young age, at some point in their adulthood they will come to appreciate those lessons learned, even if they’ve shown little interest in between.

My daughter, for example, used to love helping me in the garden as a little girl. As time went on, however, life took over and she put gardening to bed. And although she may try to avoid the pastime, you can see the sense of pride and accomplishment written across her face when a plant has survived her neglect against all odds and bloomed. It’s still there… maybe buried deep, but it’s there.

With the grandkids, it seems to just come naturally. They absolutely love the garden and every time they visit Nana, all the plants must be watered. If there’s any fruit to harvest, they’ll take care of that too. They even have their own play area complete with digging tools and a planting bed. So how does one get their kids in the garden? Here are 10 ways to get kids interested in gardening:

• Teach the basics – Begin with soil. Let them dig and play while learning about the importance of soil. Have them search for earthworms and create their own vermicompost in a clear bin where they can watch them tunnel through the soil.

• Give them a garden of their own – Start small but allow your kids to choose an area for their garden and what plants to grow, preferably easy and fun plants like sunflowers, carrots, or radishes. Use this opportunity to teach them about planting and caring for gardens.

• Provide child sized tools – Make sure your kids have their own age-appropriate gardening tools. Show them how they’re used and emphasize the importance of caring for these too, including putting them away after each use, just like they should do when playing with their toys.

• Use themes in the garden – Nothing triggers imagination quite like a theme, whether based on a book character, game, hobby, or whatever. Theme gardens are the perfect way to include all your child’s favorites while stimulating interest and creativity.

• Explore the five senses – Take kids on a nature walk or stroll through your own garden. Have them touch various plants and describe how they feel. Let them describe what they see, hear, smell and taste too.

• Entertain kids with lore – It may sound cheesy but kids can learn about weather and how it affects plants by testing out weatherlore. For instance, flowers are said to smell more intense just before rain. When it’s is in the forecast, go outside and smell the flowers. Do it again once the rain clears. Was there a difference?

• Encourage insects and wildlife – What kid doesn’t love insects, birds and other wildlife? Teach them about their importance in the garden and learn about the local species in your region. Have them create habitat homes for their gardens and plant flowers for pollinators to invite these helpful creatures.

• Recycle things in the garden – Creating a compost pile with kids is a great way to inspire interest in the environment. Reuse grass clippings, leaves, garden waste and kitchen scraps in compost while teaching kids how it breaks down into a healthy amendment for soil. Utilize the same concept with mulch by reusing pine needles or leaves. You can also allow them to get creative with garden containers by reusing ordinary, everyday items.

• Keep a journal – Encourage kids to keep track of plant growth in their garden with a journal. This is also a good way to learn about plants’ parts and their lifecycle by drawing plants and adding labels. They can even write stories about their gardens, like the plants that grow there and the creatures that visit.

• Create a menu from the garden harvest – Don’t forget to include their harvest in tasty dishes. Let your kids create a menu from the food grown in their garden. Fruits and vegetables take on a whole new outlook when it’s something they’ve grown themselves.

Gardens are well known for triggering memories. While most kids in the garden continue harboring a lifelong affinity for plants, even those that aren’t known to garden as adults likely have a positive memory somewhere from their childhood that relates to gardening. All it takes is planting that one seed.

A sweet, juicy slice of watermelon on a hot summer day evokes iconic thoughts of simpler times. Whether you want to capture moments like these or you simply enjoy the sugary embrace of this delectable fruit, growing your own watermelon is a cost efficient way of providing fruit for your family. But if you haven’t had much success growing melon in the past, the reason might be one of these common melon mistakes.

Common Watermelon Growing Problems 

Here’s a breakdown of the 5 most common cultivation issues with watermelons, complete with the solutions needed to correct these melon mistakes:

1. Improper Planting

Poor germination, slow growth or loss of plants can usually be traced back to planting issues with watermelons. To prevent these problems, plant watermelons in loose, organically-rich soil. Work plenty of compost and organic material into the bed to loosen the soil  and to provide the nutrients melon plants crave. 

Watermelon prefers hot weather and many varieties require at least 100 days to produce fruit. In climates with shorter growing seasons, start seeds indoors. The use of biodegradable pots will reduce stress when transplanting seedlings into the garden. Plant watermelon in raised hills once all danger of frost has passed. 

2. Neglecting Weeds

Weeds not only compete with watermelon plants for nutrients and growing space, they also harbor harmful pests and diseases. Watermelon plants have a moderately deep root system, so pulling weeds around watermelons is not as problematic as it is with more shallow-rooted garden plants. 

Use mulch to reduce weeding chores and conserve moisture. Mulch provides a barrier which deters pests and provides a dry resting place for developing fruit. Grass clippings or straw mulches decompose within a year and replenish the soil with beneficial nutrients.  

3. Inconsistent Soil Moisture Levels

A consistently moist, but not soggy, soil helps watermelon plants grow quickly. This keeps the plants healthy by reducing the amount of time for pests and disease to attack. Consistent moisture levels also allow the fruit to steadily increase in size. 

Fruit cracking on the vine is indicative of hot, dry spells followed by heavy rain. Provide supplemental water during dry spells to prevent the soil from drying out completely. The root system of a watermelon extends beyond the base of the plant. Be sure to apply water in a ring around the plant, not just where the stem emerges from the ground.

4. Ignoring Pests and Disease 

Periodically checking the melon patch for signs of diseases or pest damage will allow you to address the issues with watermelons before they become widespread. Leaf damage is one of the most common signs of disease and insect infestation. Missing leaves are more likely due to deer. 

The best way to deter insects and disease is to keep plants healthy and growing fast. If these problems still exist, opt for organic methods of control whenever possible. Chemical pesticides also kill pollinators and can result in poor yields due to low fruit set.

5. Harvesting at the Wrong Time

Picking watermelons too soon or waiting too long are common melon mistakes. To pick melons at the peak of ripeness, look at the curly tendrils nearest the fruit. When they turn brown, the plant is no longer feeding the melon. 

It may sound strange, but one of my favorite root vegetables is the lowly onion. I can relate to this workhorse of culinary veggies. Onions are often overlooked and undervalued, but they are truly the jack of all trades in the kitchen.

How to Use Onions

Sliced onions adorn fresh salads and burgers. Chopped ones add crunchy heat to salsas, potato salad, and dips. Chefs meticulously caramelize onions to add flavor to soups, stews, and meat dishes. Carnival venders even dip them in batter and serve them up with a side of ranch.

What other veggie gets as much mileage in recipes as the onion? These bulbous members of the allium family are one of the cheapest veggies you can buy and one of the easiest to grow. Yet, even gardeners dismiss onions as a serious crop.

We brag about the size of our tomatoes, melons, and zucchini. We tempt our guests to try our hottest peppers. We post pictures of our corn, cucumbers, or carrots on social media. What accolades do we bestow on the onion though?

Planting Onions

Perhaps this injustice exists because planting onion sets is so darn easy. There are no seeds to coddle or nursery-bought seedlings to babysit. We simply buy the bulbs and pop them into the ground when we’re ready to plant. As long as we manage to bury them root-side-down, they grow, and they grow well, even in poor soil.

I’m still envious of the baseball-sized sweet onions my former neighbor would harvest from his field of clay. Yet, I’ve heard onions are heavy feeders. Perhaps, feeding them makes them grow larger, but I can’t say the onions I harvest now are any larger than those from my first few years of gardening before my soil was amended.

Onions From Seed

I will admit, starting onion from seed is a bit more difficult than planting onion sets, but I find my onion seedlings are not as finicky as my baby tomato or pepper plants. I sprinkle the onion seeds in a container of dirt and keep it moist.

The onions germinate and grow in the same container, so there’s no transplanting involved. When it comes time to transfer them to the garden, I plop the entire pack of dirt out and carefully separate the individual plants. Each one gets stuck in a pencil-sized hole about 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) away from its neighbor.

Another reason these culinary workhorses are my fave root vegetable is that growing onions in the garden is easy. After planting, I mulch them with grass once they begin to grow. This deters weeds and prevents soil moisture from evaporating during the hottest part of the summer. Onions have shallow roots and do best when they are kept moist while they are growing.

Onion Harvest Time

Most years, my onions need little else until they are ready for harvest. By now, the grass mulch has dried and shrunk sufficiently to allow the tops of the bulbs to show. This keeps the bulbs from rotting as the tops begin to die back. As long as we don’t have excessive rain, I’ll leave the onions in the garden until the stems are completely dry.

I then dig the onions and cure them in a warm, dry place for two to four weeks. Properly cured, my onions will last most of the winter in my basement. Yet, there is still another reason I love growing onions.
Onions are one of the few crops that can be used at almost any stage of development. Once onion sets start to grow and send up a few green leaves, I begin harvesting green onions. I chopped them for salads, slice them for sandwiches, or place them whole on roasts.

Now, I’m sure there are many gardeners who’d say carrots, potatoes, beets, or parsnips are their favorite root veggie. Can those vegetables stand up to the versatility, easy cultivation, and length of harvest as onions? Oh, I think not!

Every year I am jumping up and down by February, eager to begin ordering plants, seeds, and start little veggies. I am often too early; I am so excited. I also give very little thought to where things should go. After a couple of years here, I think I have this figured out.

Spring Planting

I am a row planter in the vegetable garden, with the exception of beans and corn which cavort together in a rather disorganized fashion. So too, the melons and squash, which tend to take over their area. Yet in spite of my regimented approach to planting vegetables, in most cases, I put things where they will shade another plant. Not a good way to get a bountiful harvest.

This year I have a new plan. I literally charted out where each variety of food will grow. I am hoping this will give me better yields and my watering schedule will be more productive. I have also vowed not to let hybrid squash, which we rarely eat, and sunflowers, run unchecked in the garden. The whole effect is one of verdant abundance but really doesn’t help my maintenance of the wanted foods.

Another thing I am doing this year in the dirt farm is starting a honeybee operation. We rarely see honeybees out here. We have plenty of wasps of various varieties, and I see a ton of bumblebees, but not many honeybees. I am not sure if the local population is decimated due to crop pesticide use or if they are victims of hive collapse or murder bees (which have been seen the last two years out here), but I want to help the poor little things reestablish. I already have some of my gear but am waiting until spring to order my bees. I hope to have some fresh honey and better yields out of my fruit trees and vegetable garden.

Spring Planning

Before I start planting vegetables, I also want to establish a little chicken colony. They will be incorporated into my garden planning, so they have a free range area, but don’t disturb new plants coming up. There is plenty of room to have the hens, bees, and veggies if I adhere to my garden planning. I will have to fence off areas where I am planting vegetables, so they don’t scratch up new seedlings. This won’t be too much trouble, as I have fencing left over from a new fence erected last spring.

The blank space left from our first freeze was a shock at first. It hit so quick and so hard that what was one day a living, green mass of veggies, was in one day, a mushy, dead mess. Once cleaned up, I see it as an opportunity to right some wrongs, plan for the future, and anticipate our spring crops. Adding some more life to the dirt farm will enhance its productivity and give me an opportunity to try something new.

By Kyle McCann | August 19, 2021

Since you’ve worked so hard in the garden this summer we want to show off the fruits (and veggies) of your labor!

Over the next 10 days, we invite you to join the Gardening Know How Virtual Harvest Show by submitting photos of your harvest. You can upload your photos here or on your favorite social media channel by using #GKHHarvestShow when you post.

Submissions from across the GKH Community will be displayed here. After submitting your bounty, scroll through the gallery and vote on your favorite pics. You can also check out the entries on social media, by searching #GKHHarvestShow.

This article was last updated on 03/22/22

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Ronnie “Trey” Williams used to be a baseball coach and president of his local baseball league. Trey began Hood Honey to help bring attention to his friend Sam Booze’s organization “Leaders of Our Future America.” Trey asked another friend Alex, a former player in the baseball league, to help him after seeing Alex’s posts on Instagram. Trey and Sam had a discussion about the things they excelled at. Trey is very good at gardening and coaching, and Sam had the financial muscle to support the project. In the neighborhood where they grew up, Trey and Sam started an organization to create and support future American leaders, starting with an urban farm.

A primary educational focus at Hood Honey is, of course, the honeybees. Bees, their life cycles and honey production bring interest, attention and practical learning to young people in this community. Trey feels the knowledge that’s gained here with the bees builds with the additional experiences involved in gardening. The honey business gives rise to financial literacy, and the layers of learning and wisdom continue to develop from there. The farm exemplifies their mission of black economic development in the Mt Pleasant region.

“Lots” of Opportunities

The Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Trey’s childhood sits right in the middle of Cleveland and has quite a history. In the late 1800s, in lieu of cash, many African American workers were paid with lots on these streets where they built homes for their families. Now, decades later, the neighborhood needs work. Many houses have been demolished leaving bare, empty lots.

In 2021 Trey and Sam privately funded the initial beehive project. They received grant funding from St. Luke’s Foundation, in Cleveland, and put their focus on a few different neighborhoods. That grant was just a start.

The land where Hood Honey resides was once Trey’s grandmother’s property. Trey wants to expand this “campus” to a square mile of these vacant lots, adding chickens, goats and whatever is compatible in this deeply urban neighborhood, with a goal toward food sufficiency and education. There are convenience stores in the area, but no full-service grocery store, so food sufficiency is an issue.

Learning in the Hood

Field trips to Hood Honey prove to be an eye-opening learning experience. Groups of students come in from different schools and organizations to explore and learn. The kids are treated to classes where they learn all about bees and their life cycles and how they produce honey. They also get a tour of the garden.

One of the goals of Hood Honey is to make the garden a true “day care connection” where students can come and be safe and comfortable after school. Here they’ll learn all about gardening and growing their own food, working with the bees and honey production, but perhaps most importantly, they will be learning leadership skills.

Hood Honey’s excess garden produce goes primarily to neighbors. While being resourceful with what’s available in this area, such as donations of wood chips, cut grass from city parks and donations of chairs, garden tools and time, Trey is encouraging folks in the neighborhood to become familiar with the city’s farmers’ markets.

Community Outreach

Trey is hoping the garden will become a CSA site. In the meantime, younger kids plant lettuce and sunflowers, while older kids get involved in beekeeping. They also get the experience of doing a bit of weeding, mulching and watering. Trey and Alex do much of the work along with volunteers, and are hoping for more support as time goes on. The STEM Kids daycare supports the effort with volunteers and students, while Hood honey provides two garden leaders. Trey mentions that there are fifty other areas in the city where similar community garden projects are in some stage of operation.

The important multi-layered work that Trey, Sam, Alex and others are doing here will contribute to the knowledge and motivation of the community, in particular, the kids who whose leadership skills are being honed by this generous, hardworking team of gardener/beekeepers. Gardening Know How’s sponsorship program is happy to support Hood Honey and its goals. Donations to this incredible project are always welcome.

Every year, Gardening Know How awards $1,000 to 20 different, hand-picked garden projects across the United States and Canada. If your community or school garden has a growing, unmet need for more soil, seeds, fertilizers, building materials, or even just help getting the word out about your program, we’re ready and willing to help you meet those needs. As community gardens and school gardening programs spring up all over, we’re happy to do our part to help. Click here to learn more about our sponsorship program.

Interested in learning more about school or community gardens? Visit our Community Garden for Everyone page today.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am now a bird nerd. And not that I didn’t appreciate birds before, but as soon as I installed a bird bath and a bird feeder, the game changed. Now I happily sit and watch the avian action, admire the feathers and frolics, and try to identify the different visitors. (I geek out with Sibley’s Backyard Birds of Northern California  guide). I have also experimented with different store-bought bird food, noticing what made a total mess, what the birds seemed to devour, and what wasn’t cost-effective. This seed journey has led me to the almighty sunflower seed—and then ultimately to the no-waste cracked sunflower seed.

What are cracked sunflower seeds?

These are sunflower seeds (either black oil or white striped) that have the hard, inedible shells removed, so it’s just pure meaty goodness that has been broken into smaller bits. Cracked sunflower seeds are also known as sunflower chips. You can also find whole, hulled sunflowers seeds but I like the cracked ones because the tiny pieces are easier for the small birds to eat. Finches, for example, aren’t equipped with large powerful bills to open tough hulls.

What birds like them?

Most birds seem to love this stuff. The birds that I see visit my filled feeder are goldfinches, pine siskins, sparrows, western scrub jays, oak titmouses (titmice?), and house finches. This is the selection of visitors at my Northern California garden, but elsewhere you can expect birds such as Carolina wrens, pine grosbeaks, white-throated sparrows, and a variety of woodpeckers.

Why are these sunflower seeds better?

Like I mentioned, not only does this seed attract a variety of birds, but there isn’t all the waste and mess associated with other bird food mixes that add filler food like milo and millet (a lot of birds toss millet aside) or incorporate sunflower seeds with the shells on that eventually end up scattered below the feeder. I was never fond of sprouts growing below my feeder from those other bird food mixes. In addition, I want to attract birds, not rats. Whatever little bits of sunflower seeds that fall to the ground are immediately devoured by other birds.

Another benefit to cracked sunflower seeds is that sunflower seeds, in general, are a superior source of fiber, fat, protein and vitamins, plus because they are shelled, the birds spend less energy trying to remove the hulls. This is especially important in the winter when energy is at a premium for our winged friends.

Will cracked sunflower seeds attract squirrels?

You betcha. However, I am one of those pro squirrel people who appreciate their acrobatics, their spazzy behavior and the fact that they seem to take turns eating with the little birds.

Downsides to cracked sunflower seeds?

Well, as expected with most premium items, these seeds are more expensive than whole seeds due to the labor involved removing the shells. However, most bird seed is sold by weight—this way, at least you are not paying for the inedible shells. Also, without their shells, these seeds unfortunately are more vulnerable to heat and moisture and spoil quickly. This means open platform feeders are not advised. I use a tube feeder and clean it regularly to remove sticky and clumped up seeds. But honestly, the extra work and money is worth it.

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Today’s photos are from Nicki Snoblin in Lake Bluff, Illinois.

Since there’s not much going on outside right now, I thought I’d share some indoor photos.

To keep away the winter blahs, I like to have as much color and variety as possible in my indoor plants. Cats are #1 in our house (after the humans), so I have to be careful about plant placement to keep both the plants and the cats safe. I have plastic shelving units in front of the few sunny windows in my house; they’re not classy, but they do the job.

I usually have African violets (Streptocarpus ionanthus) blooming in winter, and the last two years I’ve been fortunate to have orchids bloom as well.

This yellow orchid is Blc. Hsinying Sunbeam ‘#15’.

And here is a purple moth orchid (Phalaenopsis hybrid).

At Christmas this year I had a nice bright poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) along with a few Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera × buckleyi) in bloom.

Close-up of the Christmas cactus flower

I grew some spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’, Zones 8–11) in pots outside last summer, and they were doing so well I couldn’t bear to get rid of them in fall, so in they came. I found other homes for a few of them, and the remaining ones are on a high shelf. I put a mirror behind them in the hope that the reflected light would keep the backs from dying off. In spring I’ll plant the “babies” in my outdoor pots.

In another window I have a few plants that came indoors for the winter.

One, an oxalis (Oxalis triangularis, Zones 7–11), flourished during its summer outdoors, but now the leaves have become spotted. Any idea what may be causing that? Interesting fact: I have had this oxalis plant for 50 years, ever since my college botany professor gave me a few corms. Since the plant periodically dies back and then rejuvenates itself, the original corms are probably long gone, but I still count it as the same plant.

Finally, I overwinter several crinum lilies (Crinum asiaticum) and amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrids) each year. I usually force the amaryllis, but this year I decided to try keeping them at room temperature all winter and will plant them outside in the spring to see if they will bloom. Wish me luck!

 

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Do a Quick & Easy Seed Germination Test

by Arzeena Hamir

If the holidays have pretty much wiped you out, here is a simple activity that will not only save you money but will help organize your garden for the upcoming year.

Like many gardeners, my stash of seeds has accumulated over the years to the extent that I often forget what varieties I’ve bought. Some of these seed packets date back several years so before I take a chance, basing my whole crop of sweet corn on that package from 1997, I do a germination test. A test can be done on as few as 5 seeds but a more accurate prediction of germination percentage requires at least 20 seeds.

I use a very low-tech method of germinating seed: damp paper towels and plastic bags. Moisten one towel and arrange your seed on the sheet. If the seed is large (peas, beans, corn), apply another moist towel on top and roll the 2 sheets together into a tube. If the seed is small, the sheet can be folded over and then rolled onto itself. Once rolled, the paper towel should be placed inside a plastic bag or Ziploc to keep it from drying out. Finally, place the plastic bag in a warm spot (on top of the VCR, in the kitchen, on top of the fridge).

Before rolling the sheets, make sure the seeds are not too close to each other. Seeds that don’t germinate can begin to mould and this mould will infect nearby seeds if they’re too close or touching.

After about 2 days, check the paper towel at least once a day to see if the seeds have started to germinate. If the towels have started to dry out, re-moisten them with a couple of drops of water. Most seeds will germinate within 5 days at room temperature.

The majority of vegetable seeds will keep for at least 3 years if they’ve been kept cool & dry. The types of seed that don’t store well include sweet corn, parsnips, Swiss chard, spinach, and members of the Allium family (onions, leeks, scallions, chives).

The percentage of seed that do germinate in the towel will give you a pretty good idea of how they’ll do in the garden. If only 50% of the seeds germinated in the towel, you may want to consider planting the seed closer together to compensate for the seeds that don’t emerge. Alternatively, you may want to peruse your favourite seed catalogue and replace that seed package.

Finally, being the frugal gardener that I am, I hate to see a germinated seed go to waste. I pot-up whatever I can and keep them growing under lights. In the case of root crops, I plant the pre-germinated seed directly in the garden. I get a much better stand by doing this, especially if the soil is still slightly cold and would have caused un-germinated seed to rot.

Gardening Activities for January

• Cut up your Christmas tree and use the branches as a mulch over perennials and around shrubs.
• Inspect perennial beds for heaved plants during warm periods. Mulch around heaved plants but don’t push them into the soil! Dig and replant them in the spring.
• By mid-month, test your onion, leek and chive seed. Start growing the seeds that do germinate under lights.
• At the end of the month, begin to select flowering tree & shrub branches for forcing. Suggested plants: forsythia & vernal witch hazel.
  

  Controlling Slugs and Snails

  by BZ Riger-Hull

  Slugs and snails are molluscs of the class Gastropoda that literally means ‘stomach foot’. Gastropods, form the second largest class in the animal kingdom, insects are the largest. For the most part they are hermaphroditic. They contain both male and female reproductive organs, allowing them to mate with any mature animal of the same species.

  Slugs are gray to black or brown and soft-bodied, often with a soft hump in the center; snails have a hard calcium shell. Eggs are round, clear, and less than 1/4 in diameter, often with a thick outer shell of calcium carbonate; laid in clutches of three to 50, with some species laying as many as 500 per year. Living throughout North America, particularly in moist, temperate climates. Snails require calcium for their shells, so are less prevalent in areas where this mineral content is low.

  The first step is making your yard and garden less desirable for these creatures. Keep the garden clear of debris that offer moist, dark hiding places and be careful about over watering. Keep an eye on ground covers of ivy and succulents, which are snail and slug, habitat. Wait to mulch until the plants are well established or the temperatures are over 70F.

  Cultivating the soil around your garden beds frequently will help destroy snail and slug eggs before they hatch. Learn to like ground beetles, garter snakes, moles and shrews because they all prey on slugs. Slugs really love Campanula carpatica, Chinese cabbage, delphinium, gentian, hosta, lettuce, lilies, mustard greens, petunias, marigolds, primroses, strawberries, and trillium. This is the short list they like to eat other things too. Here are a few ways to help discourage slugs and snails from eating your garden:

  Invite more birds into your yard by installing a birdbath. Planting a variety of fruit bearing shrubs is a good way to encourage birds to stay in your garden. They have hungry babies and slugs are a wonderful meal. The larvae of some ground beetles and rove beetles eat slugs. You can encourage them to set up house in your garden by providing permanent grass pathways, stones or planks and perennial beds that provide shelter. A garden healthy in organic matter also helps increase their number. Firefly larvae and centipedes will also eat slug eggs.

  Put up barriers to slugs’ travels patterns. When slugs and snails travel they secrete a layer of slime which protects their foot and enables them to travel over a variety of surfaces. Using some of the solutions below will help you to keep the pests out of your garden.
  

  • Crushed eggshells. Their edges are too sharp for the slugs to pass over. Wood ashes are caustic to slugs and snails but in limited quantities won’t hurt your flowers.
    
  • Coarse sand, sawdust, human hair, coffee grounds & garden lime barriers are difficult for slugs to cross.
  • Copper strips, 10 cm/4 inches wide. Place rings around favorite plants Slugs and snails are said to get an electric shock when their ‘foot’ touches the metal and they can’t cross the barriers.
  • Diatomaceous earth sprinkled 3 times a month, more if the rains are frequent. Sand paper, cut a slit to the center and another little circle at the center to accommodate the plant stem. Remains of grapefruit halves turned upside down in the garden and left overnight.
    
  • Raise your garden beds. The surface of a raised bed dries out more quickly from a rainstorm making it a less attractive place for slugs to hang out.
  • Hand picking is an excellent remedy. If the slime on the slugs bothers you use gloves.
  • The old stand by of beer in yogurt containers works well. Cut a rectangular opening on two sides of the yogurt cup just below the opening. The put the lid on and bury the container with the bottom of the slits just above the soil line.

  Varieties of plants that are not attractive to slugs:

  agapanthus	anemone	artemesia	amsonia
  aruncus	astilbe	monarda	begonia
  some campanulas	rudbeckia	dicentra	calendula
  columbine	cosmos	echinacea	daffodills
  geraniums	daylilies	coral bells	dianthus
  ferns	fox glove	nasturtiums	oregano
  lobelia	hellebores	lavender	lamb’s ears
  poppies	rosemary	sage	santolina
  sedum	sundrops	sunflowers	violets
  yarrow

  There are others that slugs and snails don’t like very well especially plants with tough ever green leaves.

  Re-printed with permission from Charlotte’s Gardens.
  A wonderful resource for tips on growing a gorgeous garden, making recipes they will rave about at your next get together and the place to find Gourmet Foods & Botanical Beauty Products. http://www.charlottesgardens.com/?rpol

  Mustard and Turnip Greens with Turnips

  • 2 bunches mustard greens
  • 1 bunch turnip greens with turnips
  • 6 slices of bacon
    
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
  1. Soak all the greens in salt water for 15 minutes. Any unwanted “guests” will die, turn loose and float to the top. Rinse 3 times in fresh water.
  2. Place greens in a large pot. Peel turnips and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and add to greens. Fill with 2 1/2-inches of water; add salt and begin heating.
  3. In separate skillet, fry bacon slices (not crisp, just enough to free most of the fat) and add both bacon and fat to the greens. Bring greens to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 2 hours or until tender. Remove greens to a bowl and using a knife and fork, chop them up, then pour some of the soup (pot-liquor down South) over the greens. Great served with pepper sauce (chili peppers and vinegar).

 

 

Oxalis spp.

If you’ve ever wandered around the garden section of your local grocery or home supply store around St. Patrick’s Day, then you’ve probably seen cute little containers filled with shamrocks.

They’re a whimsical piece of holiday decor for your kitchen table. But as much as I love these adorable plants, they only begin to scratch the surface of what the Oxalis genus is capable of.

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Humble little oxalis plants come in multiple different leaf sizes, colors, and shapes, along with flowers that can be adorably petite or big and bright.

They’re edible, can be used to replace lawns, and require little care once you plant them.

And if you choose a native species, you’re going to improve the overall health of your garden by inviting important pollinators.

And if that doesn’t give you enough reasons to fall for oxalis already, it’s also basically impervious to pests and diseases.

Even if a pest or pathogen is foolhardy enough to bother a patch of wood sorrel, this plant can easily shrug it off.

Isn’t it nice to be able to focus on your fussier plants, knowing there’s an ol’ reliable out there humbly chugging along?

There’s a lot to know about this group of plants that often seem to fly under the radar. We’re going to go over the following so you can become an Oxalis oracle:

A beautiful garden features various focal plants.

You know the ones – the eye-catching roses, hydrangeas, and clematis. But it also needs more subtle background fillers, like grasses, creeping juniper, and, you guessed it: Oxalis.

Obviously, I’m already sold on these plants.

I’ve loved them ever since I first started urban foraging decades ago because they’re instantly recognizable and they’re everywhere. And I’m going to convert you, too. Just try to resist!

Cultivation and History

There are hundreds of species within the Oxalis genus, as well as six subgenera.

Oxalis grows wild on every continent except Antarctica. They’re one of those types of plants that fill in unnoticed, quietly growing nearly everywhere in the world.

Most varieties produce leaves divided into three leaflets, and they’re often confused with clover. But Oxalis species are truly diverse, and highly adaptable.

Depending on the species, they can have taproots, rhizomes, or tubers (actually corms) growing underground, and their leaves can vary widely from single oval-shaped foliage to large leaves composed of five heart-shaped leaflets.

All have a single flower per stalk and one set of leaves per stem.

So, are they shamrocks? Technically, there’s no such plant.

Shamrock is a common term for a small tri-leafed green plant, and it may be used to refer to various Trifolium, Medicago, and Oxalis species.

Oxalis plants are often called wood sorrels, but don’t confuse them with sorrel or broad-leaf sorrel (Rumex acetosa).

These are another type of edible “weedy” wonder that you can forage across the globe or cultivate at home, but they aren’t at all related.

All Oxalis species are edible, but they vary in their palatability. You shouldn’t eat too much all at once, though, regardless of the species. All species contain oxalic acid, which binds to calcium, making it unavailable to your body.

People with gout, kidney stones, arthritis, and/or hyperacidity should probably avoid eating oxalis altogether. The rest of us can enjoy it both ornamentally and as a snack.

They’re full of good nutrients like vitamins A and C, as well as iron.

If you have any cross-Atlantic sailing journeys scheduled, bring some along to recreate the historic experience of ocean travel. The leaves were once a common treatment for scurvy.

These perennials can live for a long time, and they also spread and create new plants quite readily. Oxalis will self-seed and spread underground.

Representatives of this genus haven’t been cultivated extensively.

O. tuberosa is the only species commonly cultivated for food and there are a few species grown and sold for their ornamental leaves or flowers.

The two most common are O. versicolor, which has showy blossoms, and O. triangularis, which has large purple leaves.

We’ll talk about those and more in a bit. But first, let’s discuss how to propagate Oxalis to get started in your garden.

Propagation

Whatever species you decide to grow, I highly recommend choosing a native one.

Unless you’re growing Oxalis for the edible tubers or for flowers specifically, there are so many options to choose from, and there’s no reason not to pick a local species.

Not only is it better for you, in terms of how little care and time you’ll need to dedicate to cultivation since these plants will do best within their native range, it’s also better for local fauna.

If you do want to grow them as veggies or for their flowers, cultivation may be a bit more time-consuming, but you can do that too.

Most are fairly obedient and stay where you put them, though some can potentially become a nuisance. A few species have recently started to invade wild areas, like O. pes-caprae in California.

Check local environmental regulations to see if there are any species of concern in your area before planting a non-native variety.

From Seed

To propagate Oxalis from seed, stroll by any remotely disturbed patch of soil in the spring and casually drop the seeds. There you go! You did it!

I’m joking, of course, but this plant is one of those fascinating species that shoots its seeds out of the pods.

They land nearby and the cycle starts all over again, and this method of reproduction means it’s an easy plant for us to propagate from seed without too much fuss.

The secret is to be sure you’re sowing or sourcing fresh seeds. Older seeds won’t germinate.

Gently rake the surface of the soil and sprinkle the seeds on top, aiming to keep them about an inch apart. Lightly press the seeds into the surface or barely cover with an eighth of an inch of soil.

Sprinkle water onto the soil, and that’s pretty much it. Your biggest challenge will be keeping birds away, as you would do with any type of seed that you sow on the surface of the soil. Tent some chicken wire over the soil if birds are a problem.

From Corms or Tubers

For some species it’s best to propagate the bulbs (actually corms, rather than true bulbs) or tubers. You’ll often find four-leaf and purple shamrock oxalis corms for sale rather than seeds.

To plant these in the garden, wait for spring and dig a small hole for each corm so that it sits about an inch or so deep, leaving about six inches of space between each one.

Lay the corms in the holes. It doesn’t matter if you lay it sideways, upright, or upside down, it will still grow.

Cover the corms with soil and water them in.

By Division

Once a mature oxalis has started to grow and spread, you can divide it.

Stick a shovel firmly into the center of the plant to split it in half and continue halfway around the outside perimeter to dig it out of the ground. Gently lever the loosened half up and out of the soil.

Plant the divided section in a new hole to the same depth, and fill in the hole where you removed the daughter plant with potting soil.

Transplanting Nursery Starts and Seedlings

You can find some species at nurseries during the spring, and of course, you can always transplant those cute shamrocks you find in stores around St. Patrick’s Day – just make sure what you have is actually an Oxalis species.

Specialty nurseries will likely carry at least one native species local to your area if you want to go that route.

You can transplant seedlings at any time of year, but it’s best to do so in the spring or fall. They’ll do best when the weather is cooler and rain is more likely.

Dig a hole about twice as wide and the same depth as the container the plant came in. Remove the seedling from the pot and lower it into the hole.

Fill in around the seedling with potting soil or well-rotted compost mixed with your native soil. The loose, rich soil surrounding the Oxalis plant will give it a good head start.

Spacing varies depending on the species, but on average these need about nine inches on all sides.

How to Grow

Wood sorrel can tolerate pretty crappy soil, but it needs good drainage. If the roots are stuck in soil that’s constantly wet, the plant will die.

Don’t worry too much about sandy or clay soil. Just work in some well-rotted compost or manure and it will be fine.

Or don’t! Really, Oxalis can survive in all but the most extreme soil conditions, but they won’t be as compact or robust if grown in poor soil.

Another exception is if you’re growing this Oxalis to harvest the tubers. Then you want to be sure to plant in rich, loose soil so the root system can expand.

Oxalis can handle a range of soil pH levels but it’s best to aim for something mildly alkaline, ranging from 7.2 to 7.8.

Most species will survive in full sun but they do best in partial shade, especially if that shade is cast on the plants during the hottest part of the afternoon.

These will also keep on trucking in full shade but they won’t look their best, and certainly won’t be as colorful or dense as they could be with more sun.

When it comes to water, you’re going to have to be extremely careful and remain constantly vigilant…

Haha! Just kidding! Once again, Oxalis makes things easy on you. And if you go with a native species, it will be even easier.

Native plants have adapted to the average moisture found in the environment of your local area and you’ll probably only have to water occasionally, if ever. I watered my native plants a couple times this summer because we had an unusually dry one.

If you choose a non-native type, familiarize yourself with its requirements. Most need to be watered when the soil is nearly but not completely dry.

All can tolerate some occasional drought, but they’ll wilt and struggle until they receive the water they need, at which point they’ll perk back up.

Some are more drought-tolerant than others, but again, none of these do well in soggy soil.

Feed your plants once a year with a mild, all-purpose fertilizer. Or, again, don’t.

Any plant that takes over when other plants falter, as oxalis does, is a plant that doesn’t need rich soil. I just toss some well-rotted manure around my plants in the spring and call it a day.

Down to Earth All Purpose Fertilizer

If you want to go the less lackadaisical route, grab a one-, five-, or 15-pound compostable box of Down to Earth’s All Purpose fertilizer at Arbico Organics and apply it according to the manufacturer’s directions in the springtime.

Growing Tips

• Plant in part sun or part shade.
• Fertilize or side dress with manure once a year.
• Don’t let the soil dry out completely.

Maintenance

If your plant starts to look a bit leggy or unkempt, go ahead and prune it back. Go way back, if you want!

You could cut the plant back to the ground in the fall and it will pop back up in the spring. Many species die back like this naturally, anyway.

If you use this plant as a lawn replacement, go ahead and mow it with your mower set on the highest setting a couple of times a year to keep it compact and tidy-looking.

This isn’t necessary, but if you miss the uniform look of grass, it’s a good way to recreate a similar appearance.

Species and Varieties to Select

There are dozens of species of oxalis. To make things easier on yourself, go with a native option or at least one that grows in a climate similar to yours.

All species can be grown as annuals if they aren’t suited to your particular growing zone.

Here are a few recommended varieties for your consideration:

Deppei

Four-leaf sorrel (O. deppei aka O. tetraphylla) is a species that stands out with its four-leaflet leaves.

‘Iron Cross’ has distinctive green foliage with a dark red-purple-brown splotch in the center.

It’s an excellent option if you’re looking for a St. Patrick’s Day shamrock, thanks to its eye-catching pattern and distinctive leaflets.

Grow it as a perennial outdoors in Zones 7 to 10, or as an annual. Four-leaf sorrel grows taller than many other species, reaching heights of over 12 inches.

‘Iron Cross’

Lucky for you, you can pick up 20 corms at Amazon from the Easy to Grow store.

Just watch out, the rest of this species can be a little bit weedy, so you might need to put in some extra effort to keep them in check.

Oregana

Redwood sorrel (O. oregana) is the very best Oxalis there is in the whole wide world, hands down, and I’m not at all biased just because it’s native to my neck of the woods.

Okay, I’m entirely biased. But I think it’s awfully cute, even if it isn’t as showy or tasty as some of the other species out there.

This plant has distinctly heart-shaped trifoliate leaves and produces a single rose-colored flower on each stalk. The blooms hang out all summer, making for an attractive show.

The reason this species is a standout, beyond the bright flowers, is that it forms an extremely dense carpet only about six inches tall.

It’s suitable for replacing lawns, particularly in shady areas. Plus, it won’t go weedy in the right environment and jump out of your yard to spread elsewhere like some of the other species tend to.

Grow O. oregana as a self-seeding perennial in Zones 6 to 9.

Triangularis

O. triangularis is arguably the most common ornamental species in the US, for cultivation either indoors or out.

You’ll see this six- to 12-inch-tall plant adorning tables, bars, and shelves in Irish restaurants and stores around St. Patrick’s Day.

The leaves can range from medium green to dark purple. They have white or pink flowers, and this plant likes it warm. It’s hardy in Zones 8 to 12.

Purple Shamrock

If you’re interested in adding this perennial fave to your garden, grab 20 corms from the Easy to Grow store at Amazon.

Versicolor

Candy cane sorrel is native to South Africa and, unlike most other species, it’s grown for its striking flowers.

Each blossom has five petals that are white on the inside and white with red borders on the outside.

This species grows in Zones 7 to 9 and blossoms from September through early winter.

Managing Pests and Disease

One of the reasons that people use Oxalis as a replacement for traditional turf, in addition to the whole no-mowing thing, is that it’s one tough cookie.

Though there are pests and pathogens that may attack these plants, the chances of any of them becoming enough of a problem that gardeners must resort to treatment are slim to none.

Here are a few to keep an eye out for, that you may encounter:

Insects

Aphids are the only common pest that you’re likely to see on wood sorrel, but they shouldn’t pose a problem.

They can become a concern in large numbers on indoor plants, but don’t worry yourself too much outdoors.

Disease

It’s rare to see disease with these plants.

It’s just not something that happens often, particularly when growing native species in suitable environments. But if you do spot signs of infection, don’t stress.

You usually won’t have to do anything, though disease is almost always an indication that the environmental conditions aren’t ideal.

Improve the growing area as needed for your plants and they’ll take care of themselves.

Be on the lookout for:

Leaf Spot

Leaf spot is the most common issue when growing Oxalis, and it’s caused by Phyllosticta guttulatae, Ramularia oxalidis, and Septoria oxalidis fungi.

When this disease appears, it’s almost always a problem with plants that are suffering from a lack of light in conditions that are too shady, and that are watered by sprinkling the foliage rather than irrigating at the soil level.

If you provide your plants with the right amount of sun, water only at the soil level, and don’t overwater, it’s unlikely that you’ll encounter this issue.

If you do run into leaf spot, relocate your plants or do some pruning to increase airflow and light exposure. Always be sure to water at the soil level.

You don’t need to treat your plants in any way if you take steps to improve the environmental conditions, but be sure to remove and dispose of any heavily infected leaves.

Rust

All species of oxalis are susceptible to rust, which is caused by the fungus Puccinia oxalidis.

The leaves will be covered in yellow-orange fuzzy spots on the undersides, and the upper sides will look curled and discolored.

The fungus favors wet conditions, which is why watering at ground level is best.

You can treat a rust infection with copper fungicide, but if you reduce the amount of water allowed to accumulate on the leaves by using drip irrigation or a directed watering nozzle and irrigating in the morning, this disease should resolve on its own.

If a plant really seems to be struggling, spray it with a liquid copper fungicide once every other week for six weeks.

Best Uses

There are multiple ways to use Oxalis – and I recommend you take advantage of using the plants you’re growing yourself in multiple ways!

A common veggie in many parts of the world, even if you don’t grow the tubers, you can eat the leaves of any species. Some are more tart than others, but they all have something to offer.

The tubers should be ready for harvest in the fall. You’ll know it’s time when the foliage starts to die back.

Dig down beneath the root zone and gently lift the plant up with a garden fork. Shake any loose soil off the tubers, and wait to wash them until you are ready to use them in the kitchen.

The tubers are fantastic roasted in oil or butter. Toss in some garlic, spinach, kale, lentils, and carrots, and you have a meal!

Use the leaves in salads, soups, sandwiches, cocktails, and pasta dishes.

Just remember not to eat too much at a time or repeatedly for an extended period because oxalic acid intake can impact calcium absorption.

If you were to eat an ounce of the leaves in one sitting, you run the risk of making yourself feel extremely sick.

You can also grow oxalis as a low-maintenance ornamental, in beds and borders, or in containers.

Finally, use it as a lawn replacement. Though oxalis isn’t tough enough to stand up to a soccer tournament, it can handle regular foot traffic, and the flowers are prettier than anything a grass lawn can give us.

Plus, there’s always a benefit to local fauna when you ditch the monoculture and include more variety in your landscape. Pick a native species for even greater benefit.

A lot of people spend time and money trying to push this plant out of their lawn. But I say, embrace it! I’ve never seen a grassy front yard blossom all summer long.

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Plant Type:	Herbaceous perennial	Flower/Foliage Color:	White, pink, purple/green purple
Native to:	All continents except Antarctica	Tolerance:	Some shade, some drought
Hardiness (USDA Zone):	3-12, depending on species	Maintenance:	Low
Season:	Spring, summer, fall	Soil Type:	Moderately sandy, loamy, moderately clayey
Exposure:	Partial Shade	Soil pH:	7.2-7.8
Time to Maturity:	3 months from seed (foliage), about 5 months from seed (tubers), depending on species	Soil Drainage:	Well-draining
Spacing:	1 inch (seeds), 9 inches (transplants)	Companion Planting:	Ferns, hostas, vinca vine, wood violets
Planting Depth:	Surface (seeds), 1 inch (corms), same depth as container (transplants)	Uses:	Ornamental, vegetable, lawn replacement
Height:	Up to 2 feet	Order:	Oxalidales
Spread:	Indefinite	Family:	Oxalidaceae
Growth Rate:	Fast	Genus:	Oxalis
Water Needs:	Moderate	Species:	Acetosella, corniculata, corymbosa, deppei, oregana, purpurea, regnellii, triangularis, tuberosa, versicolor
Common Pests and Diseases:	Aphids, caterpillars, crickets, fungus gnats, slugs, snails	Varieties:	Atropurpurea, corymbosa

Oxalis Is an Unsung Wonder

I think more and more gardeners are realizing today that there’s a lot of value in some of the more humble plants like wood sorrel.

Maybe enough of us are just sick of babying our lawns with heaps of fertilizer and weekly mowings, or fussing over ornamentals that seem to have the singular goal of dying as soon as possible.

Some of us are also crazy about lesser-known edibles, especially ones we can forage out of our own backyard.

I hope you feel like an Oxalis oracle (trademark pending) after reading this guide. I can’t wait to hear about how you plan to use your marvelous plants.

Which species are you going with? What will you do with it? Let us know in the comment section below. Recipes are particularly welcome!

Feel like you haven’t gotten enough of these multipurpose wonders? Here are a few other articles about herbs to check out next:

I drove up to Knoxville on Saturday to The Modern Yeoman’s homestead for a fun-filled day of pig butchering.

My brother Brian at Flannel Farms invited me along, and we were joined by some other YouTubers, including The Kraemer Life, Billy at Perma Pastures (who was our lead butcher and teacher) and Sang and his family from Growing Little Country Homestead.

Billy’s video was quite entertaining:

And here’s a longer look at the weekend from our host Sean:

It was a very entertaining day. We’re rendering some beautiful lard right now from some the extra fat Sean gave us.

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Whether you have 20 sq. ft. or 10,000 sq. ft. dedicated to gardening and plants, you can utilize permaculture design! Today, I’m breaking down how you can flip the permaculture zones on their heads and customize them to suit your unique space.

What I love most about hearing from Garden Therapy readers is how different all our gardens are. Some of us are gardening on a deck, while others are cultivating a whole acre. Some have a luscious lot in sunny California, while others embrace the few summer months in Canada.

Recently I talked about permaculture zones. On the surface level, they seem simple to follow. You can easily implement straightforward permaculture zones and designs if you have a homestead.

But the truth is, not everyone has all that space. Most of us, I should say!

My own garden is what I would call urban permaculture design. I’m working in a tight space, but I am doing a lot with what I have.

I wanted to elaborate on how you can make permaculture zones work for your space. No matter what your garden looks like, you can use permaculture design based on the core principles of what each zone represents.

So whatever type of dwelling you live in, I’m covering how you can utilize permaculture design in irregular spaces.

Permaculture Zone Basics

If you’re new to permaculture zones, they are a way of designing your garden to be more accessible. The closer you place plants and garden elements to you and the home, the more often you use them. Likewise, the things farther from your home are wilder places you might not visit every day.

Permaculture zones are not completely set. You can bend them and work with them to suit your unique garden. After all, we can’t all have a bustling homestead!

Tip: Before designing permaculture zones within your garden, read my guide breaking down all the different permaculture zones first!

Permaculture Design for Apartments

The smallest space of them all, many gardeners who live in an apartment think that permaculture zones exist for those who actually have gardening space. But with clever design and a little out-of-the-box thinking, you can adapt permaculture design to any space.

You can create zones within your home. For instance, your living room with houseplants becomes your “home,” a windowsill herb garden your “farm,” and your deck space is your “garden.”  

Here is how to utilize each of these zones for maximum benefits.

Home

Garden

Food Forest

• Visit nearby U-pick farms.
• Support local growers with a CSA subscription box.
• Visit your local farmer’s market for produce and more.

Farm

Woodland

• Advocate for and protect green spaces around you, including local parks, trails, and wild spaces.

Permaculture Zones for Urban Gardens

Urban permaculture will look much like apartment permaculture but with more room. You can use many of the same ideas for apartment permaculture as well!

I personally garden in a small lot in Vancouver. I’ve created a thriving, permaculture-focused garden that utilizes every inch of space.

Most standard suburban lot spaces would look at ¼ acre permaculture zones. This means you would separate your property into a home, garden, food forest, and farm. Each of these would be its own zone. What you access the most place near your house.

Meanwhile, woodland and wild forest would be public spaces beyond your property.

Garden

Food Forest

Farm

Managed Woodland

• Forage from native plants, trees, and mushrooms.
• Respect wild animals.

Wild Forest

• Make an effort to get out of the city at least once a month to visit regional, provincial/state, and national parks.
• Encourage efforts to restore native habitats and wildlife populations.

You can encourage permaculture practices in your community regardless of where you live. A huge part of permaculture design is caring for the earth and the people around you. That’s your community!

Having a voice is essential to changing practices in our communities. If these permaculture practices don’t exist in your space, it’s time to push for them!

Remember that we share this world with many other people, animals, insects, and organisms. We need to make our spaces work for all of us.

Home

• See what local initiatives there are for energy conservation, such as installing green appliances or renovation rebates.
• Participate in online gardening and Facebook groups promoting permaculture practices.

Garden

Food Forest

• Plan a food forest in a schoolyard.
• Encourage your community to plant fruit trees.
• Donate excess produce or food from your garden.

Farm

• Start an urban farm or flower stand.
• Participate in a community garden that focuses on sharing produce and donating to people in need.
• Support local farmers and growers.

Woodland

• Participate in local forest education walks, such as foraging classes, educational programs for kids, birdwatching, and more.
• Help educate the community about the local ecosystem, habitat preservation, and the wildlife that lives there.

Frequently Asked Questions About Permaculture Design

Remember, these are all just some ideas to inspire you. Make your permaculture design unique to your space, and don’t be scared to stretch the line and definitions. If you go in with permaculture practices in mind, it’s a permaculture design.

Let me know other creative ways you use permaculture design in your space. The more we share ideas, the better our gardens will be.

More Posts About Gardening

Collaborative post

In many homes, the hallway is a space that does not command much thought. Rather than viewing it as a room of its own, many people think of their hallway as a thoroughfare, and it can quickly become untidy as a result.

Although people do not tend to spend time in their hallway, it can easily accumulate clutter as people pass from one room to another, and it may not have the appropriate space or storage solutions to deal with mess.

However, there are several reasons why it is important to keep your hallway tidy. In many houses, it is the room that is seen by most visitors – whether they are guests, delivery drivers or anyone else who comes to your front door – and as such, it creates a strong first impression about what the rest of your home is like. A messy hallway can also cause stress, so by taking care of clutter once and for all you can ensure that you are greeted by a comfortable and relaxing space every time you return home.

The first step is to understand what is causing the clutter. There are a few common reasons why mess accumulates that may be useful places to start. It may be that you are disorganised, that you lack storage space, or that you are trying to use your hallway for too many functions at once.

Here, the storage experts at Clever Closet offer suggestions on simple ways you can declutter and keep your hallway tidy once and for all, and suggest some good behaviours to help you maintain this sense of organisation in the long term.

Follow the seasons

If your problem stems from the fact that you are trying to store too many things in your hallway, think of it as a seasonal space. In many homes, the hallway is used to store coats, shoes and other outdoor essentials, but you rarely need access to everything at once.

For example, you might like to wear sandals in summer or have special shoes for gardening, but you won’t need quick access to them during the winter months. Instead, you can store them in another room, and bring them out again in spring. When the temperature falls, swap your summer shoes and jackets into long-term storage and bring out your heavy coats and wellington boots.

This is a great way to quickly free up space. Even if you keep coats organised on hooks or store your footwear on a shoe rack, these solutions can still look messy if they are too full.

Prepare for the unexpected

While you are making space on your coat or shoe rack, consider adding more space than you need. This will give you added flexibility that can help you to keep your hallway tidy over time. It may be visually satisfying to fill the space without leaving any gaps, but this can leave you unprepared for the unexpected.

The most obvious benefit is that when guests visit and take off their coats and shoes, you will have a space to store them alongside your own. When the weather, a special occasion or other circumstances require you to take out a pair of shoes that are in long-term storage, you will have somewhere to put them straight away. This can work successfully as a temporary solution, until you have time to put them back where they belong.

While there is no harm in leaving a guest’s shoes on the floor, or hanging their coat on the same hook as one of your own, this type of disorganisation can break the good habits you are trying to develop, and your hallway may soon be untidy once more.

Account for the weather

This solution is less about clutter and more about cleanliness. No matter how careful you are, there is always the risk that you will bring mud or water into the house after spending time outdoors. After all, you can’t predict sudden changes in the weather, and unless you are prepared for this possibility, dirt can build up very quickly. In fact, some people view their hallway as a buffer that absorbs any dirt or clutter before it can make its way further into the home.

Another challenge here is that if you use a coarse welcome mat to collect mud, or lay down towels or plastic sheets to protect floors, these can look messy in themselves. If possible, you should have a storage solution close to your front door where you can put these items away and hide them from view until you need them. This is often the most efficient way to prevent mess from accumulating without making your home look untidy.

Create more storage space

If your problems with clutter are due to the fact that you are trying to store more items in your hallway than it can reasonably accommodate, you should consider whether you can add more storage space. This may mean installing an additional piece of furniture, although many hallways are too small for this to be a realistic consideration.

One solution is to install an under stairs storage unit. These innovative products transform the unused space under your staircase into an organised storage solution, with drawers that can help to sort things and make them more accessible, and spacious cupboards that are perfect for larger items, including tools and outdoor equipment.

Storing these items under your stairs is convenient because they are easily accessible beside your front door whenever you need them. It is more secure than keeping them in a shed or garage, and prevents the damage that can be caused when they are exposed to the elements.

Get creative

In some cases, this might mean investing in multifunctional items, like benches with hidden storage compartments under their seats, or finding original uses for things you already have. For example, if you store your keys in a bowl or crowded pile on a console table, you could use empty coat hooks to hang them up instead. If you find that gardening tools like spades, hoes and rakes become cluttered too easily, consider storing them in a golf bag to keep them together.

There are many creative approaches to specific storage challenges, and whatever you are facing, it is likely that someone else will have encountered the same difficulty. If your clutter is still unresolved, you can search online for suggestions, and even if you don’t find an adequate solution, you may find the inspiration you need to develop one yourself.

Toward the end of winter our inner garden clocks begin to tick. What can we sow, and soon? Cool-weather crops beckon, and top of the list is the photogenic radish. But are radishes easy to grow? My mother must have thought so, when she handed me radish seeds when I was a kindergartener. They were the first seeds I had ever sown. In my small hand they were big and round, easy to roll and to hold in unpracticed fingers. Absorbed, I dropped them into individual, finger-poked holes. I don’t remember waiting for them to mature, but I do remember the sense of wonder when plump bulbs began to emerge, each one resistant when pulled—fat and red when free of the earth.

I was hooked. Couldn’t read or write, but I could garden. My subsequent radishes never seem to have matched that perfection, although their leaves always look very healthy. So, ahead of the new growing season, I asked two experienced kitchen gardeners to share their radish-growing tips with me.

Read on for some wisdom from the gardens of California and Tennessee.

Photography by Marie Viljoen, unless otherwise noted.

Most radishes can be sown in pre-spring—around six weeks ahead of your last frost date. Winter radishes (like daikon, watermelon radish, and black radish) tend to be sown in fall, before the first frost date, to mature through the coolest months. Radishes can be grown in containers, in raised beds, or in-ground.

In Orange County, Southern California, Randi Rhoades is the Freckled Californian (her informative blog and Instagram handle), a gardener who transformed her home’s barren monoculture of lawn into what she describes as an “edible garden and pollinator paradise.” It is flourishing and diverse, and it took seven years. Her lush Zone 10b garden sees dry summers and wet winters (at least, if all is well). Pomegranates, persimmons, avocados, and artichokes share the productive space along with many other crops, and a slew of radishes, including her favorite winter cultivar, a daikon called ‘Bravo.’

Randi grew up in a home where radishes were “treasured for the greens the most.” They were typically added to soup (“at the end, where they would just wilt,” she explains), and she says that her mom “would specifically seek out the radishes with the best tops at the grocery store.” Now, she thinks radish-thoughts when the weather starts to cool in fall, and especially if rain is in the forecast. “I start to sow radishes directly in the garden,” she says, “and continue to succession-sow them during the cooler months… The rain will water them in well—less work for me!”

Does she find them easy to grow? Yes, and no. Radishes are easy to germinate (they make good sprouts), and are also “definitely a crop where minimal investment is necessary,” says Randi, because they don’t take up much space and they grow quickly. “But issues with bulb-formation can frustrate gardeners.” These could be due to inconsistent moisture: “The seeds, and beginning stages of growth, are so shallow-rooted, that it’s easier for them to dry out compared to other crops.”

And she cautions against over-fertilizing. “This often results in too much nitrogen for your radishes,” explains Randi, “so they tend to form only greens and no bulbs.” Although greens can be a good thing. Remember the soup… (But this could be my problem; I amend spring soil in my pots with organic granular fertilizer. This season, I’ll skip.)

Today’s photos are from Jane Donelon.

Back in 2008 my son, Jim, brought my daughter, Jean, and me some snowdrops (Galanthus species and hybrids, Zones 3–8) from his New Jersey garden. It was our favorite holiday gift. The tradition has continued, and each winter we receive a bucketful of snowdrops that we pot up to enjoy inside. In the early spring when the ground has thawed in Maine, we plant them outside in our garden. The snowdrops have rapidly multiplied; extras have been shared with friends. This year I’m giving them to neighbors. I’m looking forward to our little neighborhood in Brunswick, Maine, soon becoming alive with snowdrops, bringing beauty and joy to neighbors young and old—and food for hungry bees awakening from their long winter’s rest.

The snowdrop tradition begins in 2008 with great joy.

We enjoy them in pots inside during the winter until the soil has thawed, and then they can be planted outside in the garden.

Snowdrops, the first flowers of spring, are blooming along the stone wall. The bees will soon discover them.

Hardy snowdrops are not bothered by snowfalls.

Over time the snowdrops have multiplied and bloom before crocus in the front border.

A clump of double snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis ‘Flora Pleno’, Zones 3–7) bloom along the hillside path near a very dark hellebore (Helleborus hybrid, Zones 5–9).

This special snowdrop cultivar, Galanthus ‘Viridipice’, was purchased online.

Another cultivar—frilly, green Galanthus ‘Blewbury Tart’—joined the collection. Each one is a small treasure.

 

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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Peaches and Nectarines

The peach, Prunus persica, is closely related to apricots, cherries and plums. It was introduced into England in the early sixteenth century via Europe and Persia from China. The nectarine is a natural sport of the peach with smaller, more delicately flavored fruits, which are smooth-skinned, whereas peaches have a rough skin.

Bush peaches are hardy in southern England and within the hardiness climate of zone 7; the protection of a south or south-west wall is needed further north. Nectarines invariably are grown on walls. Both fruits need abundant sunshine and crop to perfection under glass. A well-drained, deep, medium loam soil gives the best results. Soils with a high lime content are disliked; but acid soils should be dressed with mortar rubble.

An application of 0.25kg (2 1/2 lb) per sq m (sq yd) of coarse bonemeal should be given at planting time and an annual summer feed of a balanced fertilizer at the rate of 112kg (4oz) per sq m (sq yd) should be applied. Give the trees a spring mulch of decayed dung if the material is available. Plant one to three year-old trees between mid-October and mid-March, preferably in October or November. Trim any damaged roots, cover them with no more than 10-16cm (4-6in) of soil, tread firm and ensure that the graft union is above ground. Keep the trunks of wall trees 10cm (4in) away from the walls.

Fan trees should be tied temporarily until the soil has settled, bush trees should be staked, putting the stake in the planting hole before the tree. Planting distances are: for fan trees 5m (15ft) apart, and for bush trees 5-7m (15-20ft). Mulch either with compost or strawy manure in March, and rub off the first season’s blossom buds.

Frosty sites are unsuitable as the trees flower in February or early March, and wall trees should be protected with hessian or tiffany at night, though this should be removed by day to allow pollinating insects access to the flowers. Although both fruits are self-fertile, hand pollination ensures a full set. Fan trees, however, often set an excessive crop, and the fruitlets should be thinned progressively so as to leave peaches at one per 10 sq dc (1 sq ft) and nectarines at one per 23cm (9in) square.

Give copious waterings while the fruits are swelling. Leave the crop to ripen fully on the tree, and check daily for ripe fruits by palming off—finger pressure causes bruises. They should be used promptly, for dessert, bottling, canning or jam making.

When pruning it should be remembered that peaches and nectarines fruit on the previous season’s shoots, so prune them hard enough to induce plenty of new growth, at least 30cm (12in) in length annually. However, do not go to the other extreme as excessive pruning induces lush growth and diminished cropping. Cut out any dead wood, crossing branches and a third of the old growth of bush trees in May, cutting always at a strong sideshoot.

Disbud the fruiting shoots of fan-trained trees during April, May and June, retaining one new shoot at the base, tip and middle. Pinch out the growing tips of the last two at five leaves, but allow the basal shoots to grow to their full length. Cut out the fruited shoots after harvest and tie in the replacements in fan formation at 8cm (3in) apart. Over-vigorous trees should be root pruned.

Trees are easily raised from seed but do not come true. Named varieties are Chretien on to seedling peach or plum rootstocks in July or early August. Plum rootstocks are best for heavy soils—’St Julien’ gives medium-sized trees; ‘Common Mussel’ the smallest, coupled with early fruiting, and ‘Brompton’ the largest. Seedling peach rootstocks sucker less than plum rootstocks.

Peaches and nectarines are prone to being infected by many diseases.

A support lets them grow in something closer to their natural form, which makes them healthier. It improves air circulation and allows the leaves to access sunlight better.

Overwhelmed by the number of options out there? Don’t be! We’ve done the work of narrowing them down for you here.

Let’s jump in:

1. Duspro

This support is covered in “forest moss,” which is one of several species that grow in Asia, North America, and Europe.

It forms a thick mat and retains color well. The color blends in with most plants better than the brown coco coir that is common with these poles.

Plus, this handmade support is bendable, so you can create different shapes to wrap vines around. Reviewers say that it holds its shape well, which is something those flimsier products fail to do.

Duspro Forest

It comes in ten-, 25-, 42-, 52-, and 59-inch lengths, each with a 1.5-inch diameter. You can pick one up at Amazon if this sounds like the right choice for your needs.

2. Envelor

If you have a bunch of climbing houseplants, you’re going to need a bunch of poles. I even have one plant that requires multiple supports in a single pot.

If you don’t need anything fancy, a sturdy 36-inch dowel 1.5 inches in diameter wrapped in coco coir will do the job. So, how about 12 of them?

Tall and sturdy enough for larger specimens, these have a long anchor so your climber won’t topple over.

If you’ve ever had a pole fall over and take your plant with it, you know how much that sucks. At best, it damages your plant and at worst, the fall can kill it.

Envelor Coco Moss Totem Pole

There are enough supports in this 12-pack for even the most prolific gardener.

Sound like you? Head to Home Depot to nab yours.

3. Lanney

Lanney supports are fantastic because they stack inside each other so you can extend the height as needed.

While you could bind a taller pole to a smaller one if your plant outgrows its current setup, binding a second one to the side of the first one can be a bit unattractive and it takes up a lot of room in the pot.

Stacking is a great solution that doesn’t force you to disturb your happy plant!

The PVC centers won’t rust or deteriorate, and each pack of four from Lanney comes with zip ties, twine, and tape.

Lanney 4-Pack Coir Stackable Poles

Two 12-inch and two 17-inch poles are included with your purchase.

Both lengths are two inches in diameter, with a built-in anchor. You can stack any of these inside one another for various height options.

Snag one (or more!) packs at Walmart if the stacking system sounds like it will work for you. I know it’s been a lifesaver for me!

4. Mosser Lee

What makes the Mosser Lee design different from many others is that it has a fiber net covering sphagnum over a solid center.

A lot of poles have twine holding the covering on, which is good looking, but it limits where you can tuck the roots in and the moss will sometimes shed.

The net makes it super easy to tuck aerial roots in or tie on some support and it reduces shedding.

Mosser Lee Plant Support

Two metal pins at the base let you anchor the pole into the soil, and seven pins are included to secure plants to the support.

Choose a 12-, 18-, 24-, or 30-inch lengths, each with a two-inch diameter, available at Home Depot.

5. Number One

Coco coir recreates the look of a tree trunk, which is what many epiphytes and vining plants would be growing up in the wild.

If you want to recreate that appearance rather than trying to hide the pole, this option from Number One fits the bill.

Their single option stands a full 45 inches tall, or they sell a two-pack of 25-inch poles.

Number One Bendable Plant Sticks

Either way, you’re getting a bendable wire wrapped in coco coir, along with zip ties, twist ties, and garden tape to make attaching your plant simple.

Bend the pole to make organic shapes, or leave it straight and tall. The long, narrow anchor holds everything in place.

Ready to give your plant its very own tree to climb? Walmart can make it happen.

Once your plants become really massive, two things happen.

First, you get to brag to all your friends and post photos on social media showing off. And second, finding a pole that will work can become a challenge.

RSSCIIUL makes a 63-inch design with a wire interior covered by vibrant green forest moss.

It’s bendable, so you can create shapes to make an even bigger statement with your thriving floral friend.

Plus, the anchor is a full nine inches long so it sits deep in the soil, keeping the support securely in place.

RSSCIIIUL Bendable Moss Pole

Though it’s tall, this option isn’t wide. The pole is just 1.5 inches in diameter.

Are you a proud plant parent looking for support for your larger-than-life monstera? Visit Amazon to bring this one home.

7. Syndicate H&G

This 24-inch pole is square, in contrast to the usual round ones.

This works well for adding support in square pots, especially if you plan to put the pole in the corner of the pot rather than in the center.

The bright green moss adds color to your space, so it’s decorative as well as functional, and two metal pins secure the pole into the soil.

Syndicate H&G

Pick up a 24-inch pole with a two-inch width from Syndicate H&G at Walmart.

8. Taonmeisu

Almost all of the options you’ll find out there have a support on the inside and moss or coir on the outside. But this one from Taonmeisu has a white rigid plastic shell filled with moss.

The exterior is dotted with holes so aerial roots can access the moss, and the extendable pole can grow right along with your houseplant. Plus, the shell helps the moss retain moisture.

Taonmeisu Plastic Plant Pole

The kit includes one 11.25-inch pole and a 6.7-inch one, both 1.5 inches in diameter. It also includes a connector and a four-inch ground anchor. You can find this set at Walmart.

9. Terrain Coconut Fiber

Sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles or funky additions when a tried-and-true, basic option will do.

Terrain’s Coconut Fiber Plant Support is a thick, medium-length, sturdy pole covered in coconut fiber.

Terrain Coconut Fiber

Measuring 18 inches in length and 2.5 inches in diameter with a large anchor, it’s perfect for those shorter, stockier species that need something strong.

Clips are included to fasten the plant to the pole.

Grab yours at Terrain.

10. Terrain Mossy Stakes

These mossy stakes are the perfect option for petite vines like Philodendron micans or to support orchid flowers.

These are unbendable wooden dowels covered in forest moss. Each one is 24 inches tall and half an inch in diameter.

The anchor is long enough to balance the length so you don’t have to worry about tilting or tipping.

Terrain Mossy Stakes

If you use one of these to support a smaller plant that eventually outgrows it, just bind a larger one to the existing stake.

Terrain carries these in packs of six, with clips included for attaching plants.

11. Tzgsonp

This plant support uses coco coir wrapped with twine.

Inside is bendable wire and it’s 25 inches long, so if you dream of making hearts, circles, or other shapes for your vines to climb over, this is an excellent option.

With two pieces per package, your purchase also includes a roll of plant tape, twine, self-locking straps, and green ties, so you don’t have to buy a bunch of accessories separately to fasten your plant in place.

Tzgsonp Bendable Plant Sticks

Ready to make some shapes with an all-in-one support kit? Visit Walmart for everything you need.

Up We Grow

Vining species like to grow upwards. It gives them more access to light and improves air circulation. The fact that a support also helps to make our plants look cool is just a (huge!) bonus.

What are you growing? What kind of pole are you going to opt for? Share with us in the comments!

Looking for some indoor plants to train to grow up your new moss pole? We have a few guides to vining species that you might want to start with: