Today’s offering is from Bill Marvin, a landscape designer living in Skokie, Illinois.
My background is graphic design, and I don’t consider myself a master gardener. I think I’ve just scratched the surface of what there is to know about plants. The landscaping for my yard was never designed. It just evolved over 25 years between needing a garden and bringing home struggling orphans from my projects. The color from flowering plants still amazes me.
Daffodils (Narcissushybrids, Zones 3–9), hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis, Zones 4–8), and azaleas (Rhododendronhybrids, Zones 5–10) light up the springtime front yard.
This is a summertime view from my studio. Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–8) and ‘Pink Diamond’ hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’, Zones 3–8), and rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus, Zones 5–8) get ready to bloom.
These ‘PJM’ rhododendrons (Rhododendron ‘PJM’, Zones 4–8) are delightful under my studio window.
This blossom is a Blue Chiffon rose of Sharon and one of my favorites.
I have turned the backyard into a wildlife habitat, and one of the essential features is running water. The large and small birds that come to the feeders love taking baths in the stream.
Lots of hostas (Hosta hybrids, Zones 3–9), with a backdrop of ‘My Monet’ and ‘Wine and Roses’ weigela (Weigela florida, Zones 4–8)
I replaced some dying white pines (Pinus strobus, Zones 3–8) with a ‘Baby Blue’ blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Baby Blue’, Zone 2–7) and a ‘Fat Albert’ spruce (Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’, Zones 2–7). They are both over 15 feet tall now and a pleasure to watch grow and change every year. The ‘Karens’ azalea (Rhododendron ‘Karens’, Zones 5–8) in front adds spectacular color every spring.
These young mallards were hatched and incubated at home before being released in the yard. They were very friendly with my dog and cat. I released them into the wild after three months.
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.
Grass (Poaceae family) is a curious thing – on the one hand, it’s a weed that some people love and some hate. On the other hand, some types of grass are edible or even beneficial.
Take, for example, Cymbopogon nardus (sim-buh-POH-gon NARD-us), a perennial plant from Sri Lanka that’s become one of the most important sources of citronella oil.
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This is where this plant gets its common name of citronella grass, although it’s also sometimes referred to as Ceylon citronella.
Note that this common name sometimes refers to the entire genus, but this species is the one most people refer to when talking about citronella grass.
Citronella Grass Care
Size and Growth
This fast-growing grass can reach a height of up to 6’ feet and a clump size of around 4’ feet across.
Its long, lanceolate leaves give off a citrus scenery when bruised or crushed.
Flowering and Fragrance
While not common indoors, citronella grass may bear flowers from summer into fall.
These are usually a light brown to pink coloration and are somewhat unremarkable in size.
Light and Temperature
While your lawn may love lots of direct sun, citronella grass is a bit more sensitive and can scorch in the midday sunlight.
Try planting it with full exposure to the east or west but some partial shade at midday. Dappled sunlight is also an excellent option.
If growing indoors, an eastern or western window where it can get at least 6 hours of direct light or 8 hours of filtered light will work great.
However, be sure to use a sheer curtain or avoid putting it directly in a southern window.
A moderate humidity level is perfect for this plant, ranging from 40% to 70% percent.
Avoid anything higher, as this can lead to fungal infections, and note that it will need more frequent watering in arid conditions.
Citronella grass is generally grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12, although it can actually handle a wide temperature range.
Brief exposures down to 32° degrees Fahrenheit won’t cause serious harm, but prolonged exposure or temperatures lower than this can harm or even kill the plant.
At the other end of the spectrum, it can tolerate up to 90° degrees Fahrenheit but may scorch or dry out at higher temperatures.
North of zone 10, many people like to grow this grass as an annual.
It can also be cut back to 3” inches and brought inside to a sunny window or placed under grow lamps to keep it thriving throughout the winter.
Watering and Feeding
Citronella grass likes moist soil, but that doesn’t mean you have to drown it.
Instead, wait to water the plant until the top 2 to 3” inches of soil is dry.
You can test this by sticking your finger straight down into the ground, as each knuckle is approximately 1” inch from the next.
Keep in mind this plant may need to be watered as often as daily or as little as once per week, depending on how much direct sunlight the grass receives or how humid its environment is.
This is why you don’t want to water on a schedule.
When watering, the soak and dry method work very well for this plant in both a container or the ground.
Avoid using overhead watering to reduce the risk of fungal infections. This is a very forgiving grass and only needs to be fed once in the spring.
As with most grasses, a high-nitrogen mix works best, and you can generally use the same fertilizers you would use on your lawn.
Soil and Transplanting
While some grasses can grow in almost any soil type, citronella grass needs something more loose, such as sandy or loamy soils.
It also prefers a surprisingly acidic soil pH of 5.8 to 6.0, which means it may not be compatible with many other garden plants.
This can be mitigated by creating a barrier around the plant at least a foot deep so the soil inside and outside of the barrier won’t mix.
Peat moss, perlite or vermiculite, and sulfur are all good things to add to maintain proper drainage and pH levels.
While many people further south will want to grow citronella grass in their yard or garden, those further north (and some in the south) may wish to grow this plant in pots.
While this can make it possible to grow the plant in cooler climates or on patios, it does mean you will need to repot them every once in a while.
You’ll want a fairly large container to start, with a gallon being a great starter size.
When you see the plant has run out of room to spread, it’s time to give it a new container a size larger.
You will also want to repot every 2 to 3 years to ensure it has fresh soil.
Remember, grass can be fragile, so while using a trowel to loosen the soil around the pot’s edges, you don’t want to pull at the grass itself. Instead, tip the pot and gently slide the grass out.
Grooming and Maintenance
As this is a type of grass, there’s very little need for any type of maintenance.
If you’re growing indoors (or there are local ordinances that affect ornamental grass size), you can trim the blades down to shape or a desired size without harming the plant.
How To Propagate Cymbopogon Nardus
As with most grasses, division and seeds are the two easiest ways to propagate this plant.
However, some have also reported success using stem cuttings.
Citronella Grass Pests Or Diseases
While somewhat sensitive to too much direct sunlight, not much will harm this plant.
In fact, your biggest problems are water related, such as root rot, fungus gnats, or fungal infections.
However, you should be aware that this grass is considered mildly toxic to humans and pets.
While not life-threatening, consuming this grass can cause several uncomfortable symptoms, including:
Hypothermia-like symptoms
Lack of muscle coordination
Muscle weakness
Vomiting
Note also that some people may have a skin sensitivity or allergy to citronella grass, although this isn’t very common.
Cymbopogon Nardus Uses
One of the most obvious uses of this plant is to repel mosquitoes and several other pests.
The essential oil is extracted for several commercial uses, such as citronella candles.
You can also break off leaves and rub them on your skin for some instant bug repellent.
When potted, this plant makes a lovely accent for patios and decks and can be brought inside for the winter in cold climates.
One of my earliest gardening memories is discovering that a dried marigold flower contains dozens of marigold seeds. I couldn’t believe my luck – free seeds! I planted one of those seeds and was hooked on gardening. If you learn the basic principles for how to save seeds, I think you’ll be hooked too.
When a plant produces seeds, that typically completes the plant’s life cycle. Harvesting and saving seeds from your plants is a simple process, a great way to save money, and very rewarding.
Learning how to save seeds gives you a nearly-continuous supply of seeds that are adapted to your area at little or no cost.
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
6 Tips for How to Save Seeds
1. Learn a little seed terminology before you save seeds
A basic understanding of how seeds are pollinated and produced will help you succeed at seed saving.
Self-pollinating crops typically pollinate themselves without help from insects or other plants. Self-pollinating plants, such as beans, peas, and tomatoes, are suitable for first-time seed-savers.
Open-pollinated plants, such as pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, and corn, will cross-pollinate, meaning the seeds from one variety can be affected by pollen from a neighboring plant. If you are growing more than one type of open-pollinated plant near each other, do not save seeds from the resulting fruit as they may have cross-pollinated.
Armenian cucumber cross-pollinated with cantaloupe
Hybrid plants – Do not save seeds from hybrid plants. Hybrid plants (F1) are two varieties that have been cross-pollinated to produce a third variety with desired traits from the “parents.” Seeds from hybrid plants will not be “true to type.”
Heirloom seeds – Most heirloom varieties are good choices for saving. The seed has often been handed down for several generations (generally at least 50 years).
2. Save seeds from only the best plants and fruit
Do not save seeds from diseased fruit or plants. When you save seeds, you select which traits you want to continue. Choose the best tasting and healthiest fruit and plants from which to save seeds.
Hyacinth Bean SeedsLuffa Seeds
3. Seeds for saving must be fully developed on the plant or vine
The perfect time to pick a plant to eat is often not the best time to pick a seed. Seeds need extra time to develop and become viable. The life cycle of the plant concludes with producing and developing seeds. Be patient and let the seeds develop and mature on the plant.
Artichoke Seeds
4. Learn how to harvest and dry both “wet” and “dry” seeds
Wet seeds, such as tomato and cucumber seeds, need to be fermented to remove pulp and the germination-inhibiting sac that surrounds each seed in the fruit.
Cucumber seeds after fermentation. Viable seeds sink to the bottom of the jar.
To ferment wet seeds:
Gather supplies. You’ll need a knife, spoon, glass jar, bucket, sieve, and coffee filter.
Cut the tomato or cucumber in half. Using the spoon, scrape the seeds into a glass jar and add water to the jar.
As the seeds ferment, the pulp separates from the viable seeds. Stir to prevent mold forming.
Once the seeds have fermented, add water to the mixture and mix. The viable seeds will sink to the bottom and the pulp will remain at the surface of the water. Pour off pulp. Repeat until the water is clear.
Drain into a sieve and rinse with water. Seeds should feel rough, not slippery.
After the coating is removed, rinse seeds and spread them out on coffee filters. Allow the seeds to completely dry out. Should take 1-2 days to completely dry.
Cucamelon seeds before and after fermentation
Wet seeds that do not need fermentation includemelon, eggplant & ground cherry. Remove seeds from the fruit and wash them under running water.
Hollyhock from bloom to seeds
Saving dry seeds is often simple. Harvest the pods and heads in a brown paper sack. Once the seed pods are completely dry, shake out or crumble the pods to remove the seeds. Let the seeds continue to dry in a brown paper sack for a few weeks until completely dried out. Examples of dry seeds: Sunflower, hollyhock, artichoke.
Artichoke seeds are harvested after the bloom fadesSunflower seedsPurple hyacinth vine seedsLuffa seedsNasturtium from bloom to seedsSunset cosmos from bloom to seedsBorage from bloom to seedsZinnia from bloom to seedsPoppies from bloom to seeds (the seeds are inside of the heads) Chamomile from bloom to seedsRoselle from calyx to seed harvestMarigold from bloom to seedsDill from bloom to seeds
5. Once seeds are thoroughly dry, store saved seeds correctly
Drying out the seed is an important part of saving seeds. Seeds that haven’t dried properly often become moldy. Place seeds in paper envelopes, or for longer storage, store them in mason jars. Be sure to label seeds with the type of seed and the date harvested. Store seeds in a dark, cool, and dry place.
Sunflower, marigold, and hollyhock seeds
6. Share your saved seeds with others
Set aside some seeds to plant next year, and then share the extras in a seed swap or donate them to a local seed library. Garden seeds also make great gifts for gardeners.
Seed library at Mesa Public Library
Did you learn something from this article? Please share it with others and begin observing the plants around you. Also, watch the life cycle of your plants. For instance, how do they make seeds? Can you save them?
Which seeds do you have success in saving? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Seeds before planting at local school garden
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I partnered with Kellogggarden.com to bring you this article about saving seeds.
Grow bags are easy to store when not in use. Clean them out by spraying off well, and then fold them up and let them dry.
Unlike most containers, grow bags allow plants’ roots to breathe. Happy roots mean a happy plant. This is one of the biggest advantages of grow bag gardening.
The ability to move grow bags easily to the best location. Look for a sunny spot in cool climates or give them shade in hot climates.
Disadvantages of gardening in grow bags (and what to do about it)
Grow bags require more watering than traditional pots and the soil can dry out quickly.
Larger grow bags can be hard to move when full of soil.
To make grow bags easier to move, choose good quality bags with heavy-duty handles and get help. Be sure of the location before filling it.
Grow bags require more frequent fertilization than raised beds or in-ground beds. Similar to other containers, plants grown in grow bags require more frequent fertilization.
Use a half dose of a liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season for most crops.
Gardener’s Best Potato Grow Bag from Gardener’s Supply
5 Tips for Successful Grow Bag Gardening
A big thank you to Cindy for sharing these pictures of her successful grow bag garden.
1. Choose the right plants to grow in grow bags
Because grow bags limit the size of the roots and available water, some plants are better suited to grow in grow bags than others.
When choosing which plants to grow in grow bags, look for “dwarf” varieties. These are smaller versions of full-size plants that do better in grow bags. Also, select “bush” or “compact” varieties rather than vining types.
Crops that grow well in grow bags include:
Herbs that grow well in grow bags include:
2. Use oyas or self-watering grow bags for thirsty plants
Wondering which size of grow bag to choose? Look at plant spacing guidelines for the plants you would like to grow. The chart below gives general guidelines about the size of grow bag for common vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
When using this mix, the soil remains light and airy; it does not get crusted or compacted. Plants’ roots need oxygen and water, and roots love this mixture.
It is important to fill bags all the way up with soil to take advantage of the room inside the grow bag.
5. Put your grow bag in the best location
A major advantage of gardening in grow bags is the ability to put the bag in the best location based on the sunlight it receives.
A big thank you to Cindy for sharing these pictures of her successful grow bag garden.
Most plants grow best with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. Morning sun is preferred, and a little afternoon shade is ideal, especially if you live in a hot climate.
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Are you looking for gardening classes for yourself?
Trying to figure out how to start a garden can be overwhelming. You ask yourself questions like “What do I do first?”, “How will I know what to plant?”, and “If I put time and money into a garden, will it be worth it?” Let me help you get started and take away some of the uncertainty of how to start gardening.
On the other hand, you may have been gardening for a while and found that you have a basic understanding of gardening principles, but you’re looking for more in-depth information. You may be looking for ways to make your garden more productive. Thegardening classes I teach may be what you need to take your garden to the next level.
I offer monthly online gardening classes in “Growing in the Garden Academy” through Patreon
“Growing in the Garden Academy” includes a monthly live online gardening class where we cover seasonal topics. I also share what I’m planting, fertilizing, harvesting, and starting indoors (the “Low Desert To-Do List” for my garden) twice a month.
When you join “Growing in the Garden Academy” you gain access to recordings of all past classes.
Each month, there is a new class with topics chosen by current members of GITG Academy.
I teach in-person classes frequently throughout the Phoenix Area
I offer in-person classes regularly throughout the Phoenix Valley. If you sign up for my monthly newsletter, I first announce my upcoming classes there. In-person gardening classes are always a lot of fun. I love answering questions and want to make sure everyone walks away learning something. We often learn from one another during class.
Upcoming In-Person Gardening Classes (open to the public)
Click on the class name to sign-up or register for classes. See the link for details about each class.
Are you looking for gardening classes for your organization?
I’m passionate about helping others learn how to garden. Teaching gardening classes is one of my favorite ways to do just that. Whether taught in-person or virtually through “LIVE” online classes, everyone learns together in a fun, relaxed setting.
“I reached out to Angela Judd about teaching gardening classes for the Mesa Public Library after hearing a glowing review of her expertise from another staff member. We set up two classes – Fall Gardening in Arizona and Composting and In-Bed Vermicomposting Basics – to present to the community on two separate nights within a two-week timeframe. The night for Fall Gardening in Arizona was amazing! The library saw a full house of eager gardeners of all levels; wanting tips, tricks, and overall information on how to plant a successful garden in the fall. Angela’s presentation was abundant in advice, covering anything and everything a gardener of any caliber would need. The following week, when she presented her Composting and In-Bed Vermicomposting Basics class, the library again saw a large community of gardeners who were either currently composting and/or vermicomposting or wanting to begin and did not know how to start. Once more, the wealth of knowledge that shined through in Angela’s presentation was seen. With such high praises and a wonderful reception, I can’t wait to have her back at Mesa Public Library for even more classes!”
Brianna Mesa Public Library
In-person gardening classes in the Phoenix valley
Online group gardening classes available
Online group classes are an excellent option if you don’t live in the Phoenix metropolitan area but would still like gardening classes. The classes are easy to arrange on your platform, or I can set up a class for you using CrowdCast. Live, virtual classes allow everyone to ask questions and participate in real-time.
“I reached out to Angela to teach our employees a live, virtual class on composting. Angela was responsive and willing to work with me on how I wanted the class to be done. She did a fantastic job teaching our employees about composting. She had a great deck that she put together, and was happy to answer any questions our employees had.
We recently had Angela back for another live, virtual class teaching us about container gardening and again, she was fantastic! The class was extremely informative, well thought out, and again she was happy to answer all the various questions from our employees. It’s amazing how much she knows about all things gardening! I truly cannot recommend Angela enough; she is a wonderful teacher, great to work with, and we can’t wait to partner with her again in the future!“
Allston Program Manager, Employee Engagement & Community T-Mobile
I’m also available for media appearances
Is there a topic you would like your audience to learn more about? I’m happy to answer questions and discuss seasonal topics and current gardening trends.
In-studio televised gardening presentation with Arizona Midday“Gardening in Arizona” television segment with Arizona Midday“Fall Gardening in Arizona” television segment with Arizona Midday
We visited our friends Erick and Collette at their farm a couple of weeks ago to pick up a couple of piglets.
While we were there, we checked out how they were keeping pigs so we could get some ideas of our own.
Their pigs are kept behind a low fence of hot wire in the woods. Some of them are moved from place to place, basically making them into bushhogs, where they clear the forest layer and munch on acorns and smilax roots.
Others were kept in a large enclosure, like these piglets.
When the land was cleared for a house, Erick told me they used heavy equipment to take out some giant tree stumps, which they stacked at the edge of the woods.
Later, he realized that this would be a good area to fence in some pigs.
The tree stumps are huge and piled up in a mass, giving the pigs lots of places to hide from the sun and tunnel and play.
It reminds me of a zoo. My little ones really enjoyed watching the piggies run around the stumps and hunt for the corn we threw them.
Later that afternoon, Erick drove two piglets over to us and we are now the proud owners of multiple pounds of future bacon.
These are a mix of Red Wattle with (probably) Guinea. For the last week we’ve been enjoying giving them all our food scraps and spoiled milk. They eat like… pigs.
In recent years I have become much more aware of how very bad the industrial food supply is, so we’re doing everything we can to divorce ourselves from it.
I’m using the pigs to clear some land in the new food forest as they grow. We’ll probably be butchering sometime this coming fall.
Another difference between these varieties is their size – early potatoes will generally be smaller than maincrop or late season types. But this is not always the case, as fingerling types generally fit into the late season category.
Potatoes referred to as “new” don’t really have their own type, but rather, they are harvested early when they are small.
Whether you’re craving a waxy yellow-fleshed spud, a thin-skinned red, or something white or blue, we’ve got a top pick that you’re sure to love! Time to check out our roundup…
1. Elba
‘Elba’ is a perfect all-rounder, with flaky skin and moist flesh that’s ideal for boiling, baking, and mashing alike.
This cheerful yellow-colored potato is as beautiful as it is vigorous and virus resistant. It’s also resistant to early and late blight, and scab.
The ‘Kennebec’ is a very popular all-purpose potato.
With its smooth, thin skin and creamy texture, what’s especially great about this spud is that it maintains its shape when cooked – making it ideal for use in salads, curries, soups, and stews – while at the same time containing just enough starch to be mashed or fried without issue.
If you’re looking for a unique-tasting tater, look no further.
‘Red Gold’ offers a delicious nutty flavor quite unlike any spud you can find in the grocery store. With yellow flesh and raspberry-red eyes, this is also a very pretty potato.
Another winner in the all-rounder category, this early season red variety comes with the added advantage of having especially thin skin, making it a very appealing choice whether harvested at the new stage or grown to maturity.
As long as you eat the skins, this spud is loaded with antioxidants, making it a highly nutritious variety. Russets have a floury, fluffy texture with flavorful skins.
What’s more, this cultivar is high yielding, meaning there’s sure to be more than enough to go around when your harvest comes in.
Thanks to its low starch content, this spud is ideal for salads, slicing, and making into chips.
Producing taters that reach four to five inches in length at maturity, ‘Rio Grande’ has rust-brown skin and white flesh, and is ready in just 59 to 65 days.
‘Magic Molly’ is an enchanting cultivar that is sure to cast a spell on you.
As rich in color as it is in taste, this type is deep purple both inside and out. And it will even retain that beautiful color when boiled. Prepare to make some culinary magic with this vibrant variety!
Burpee describes this potato as “edible art,” and I couldn’t agree more.
This unique bicolor type really is remarkable. With skin that’s marbled with vibrant purple and white, ‘Masquerade’ is really something that has to be seen to be believed.
This is a very popular pomme de terre where I’m currently living in France, to the point that Burpee describes this French variety as a “culinary superstar of European haute cuisine.”
So, what makes this cultivar so popular with the notoriously food-loving French? Well, its flavor is subtly sweet and mildly nutty, almost like a mixture of chestnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds.
With wine-dark skins and succulent purple flesh, these violet, sweet, buttery spuds add a splash of color and interest to your plate, and they’re perfect for frying.
‘Purple Majesty’ thrives in full sun and matures in 85 days, producing spuds three to four inches long.
You’ll be sure to strike gold with this super-popular golden yellow cultivar.
Developed in the 1960s in Canada, this hybrid variety has quickly become a firm favorite, thanks to the fact that it offers the best of all worlds – it’s waxy enough to stand up to boiling, but fluffy enough to make a marvelous mash.
That being said, the best way to cook ‘Yukon Gold’ in my opinion is unquestionably via roasting in the oven.
When roasted, it creates a formidable combination of crackly crunch on the outside, and creamy, buttery goodness on the inside – and trust me, I’m English, so if there’s one thing I know, it’s roasted taters!
‘Yukon Gold’ is an early variety, ready in only 65 days, and it requires full sun conditions. This type is noted for its disease resistance, including resistance to scab.
Pickled asparagus is so delicious with my easy recipe. In this post I’ll walk you through how to make it in just a few simple steps, and with a handful of common ingredients.
Homemade pickled asparagus is easier to make than you might think, and you don’t need any fancy ingredients or equipment.
This recipe is the best – it’s tangy as you would expect, but also slightly sweet, with a bit of a kick of spice.
Below I will show you everything you need to know in order to make your own pickled asparagus, plus I’ll give you a bunch of tips for the best end result.
Homemade Pickled Asparagus
If you’ve ever tried homemade pickled asparagus, you know first hand that it tastes way better than store-bought.
You can use it for making fancy appetizers, as a quick side dish for dinner, over a fresh salad, or simply eat it right out of the jar.
The good news is that you can whip up a batch whenever you have a craving, and you don’t need any special tools or ingredients.
What Does Pickled Asparagus Taste Like?
This pickled asparagus recipe tastes wonderfully tart, but also slightly sweet with a hint of spice.
The texture is a bit softer than a raw spear, but still has a nice satisfying crunch to it.
Getting ready to eat my pickled asparagus
How To Make Pickled Asparagus
To make my simple pickled asparagus recipe, all you need are a few common ingredients, which you can easily find at any grocery store.
But everything is customizable, so you can experiment to figure out the perfect combination that you love the most.
Making homemade pickled asparagus
Pickled Asparagus Ingredients
The great news about this recipe is that it’s quick and easy to make, and only calls for a few simple ingredients.
Fresh asparagus – For the best crunch, use it straight out of the garden if you can. Otherwise choose the freshest bunches they have at the market. The crisper it is, the crunchier your pickled asparagus will be.
Garlic gloves – This adds flavor to the spears and enhances the richness of the brine.
Fresh dill – Not only does this offer an extra tangy zest, it also helps to balance out the acidity of the brine. If you can’t find fresh, you can substitute with ⅓ the amount of dried instead.
White vinegar – In addition to being a preservative, this gives the recipe that tart flavor we’re looking for.
Sugar – The added sweetness helps to balance the tartness of the vinegar. If desired, you can experiment and adjust the amount based on your preference.
Pickling salt – It’s best to use pickling salt, rather than trying to substitute. The grains dissolve easier than table salt, and results in a clear liquid, versus cloudy and murky.
Black peppercorns – This adds an earthy hint, resulting in a bolder and slightly spicy touch.
Onion – Compliments and enhances the flavors, and also adds a slight sweetness and a savory depth to the recipe. I recommend using either white or yellow onions only.
Chili pepper flakes – The red chili flakes add a little bit of heat to the recipe. But if you don’t like the extra spice, then you can omit it.
Mustard seed – This will add a sharp zingy, yet slightly earthy flavor to your pickled asparagus.
Water – This is the base and adds extra volume to your brine. You can use tap or distilled water.
Ingredients for my pickled asparagus recipe
Tools & Equipment Needed
This pickled asparagus recipe doesn’t call for any fancy equipment. You’ll just need a few items that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Tips For Pickling Asparagus
For the best pickling success, be sure to use the freshest and crispiest asparagus spears you can find. If it’s wilted or shriveled, the end result will be mushy.
I recommend following my recipe exactly the first time you make it. But it’s completely customizable if you want to experiment later on.
For example, if you want your spears spicier, you can add more pepper flakes. Or if you want them sweeter, add more sugar and reduce the amount of pepper.
Canning Pickled Asparagus (Optional)
Because the brine contains vinegar, you could can your pickled asparagus in a water bath.
After putting the lids and bands on the full jars, simply place them into a boiling water bath canner.
Cover the canner and process the jars for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 additional minutes.
Then use a jar lifter to remove them, and allow them to fully cool for 24 hours before storing them in a cool and dark location.
Jars filled with pickled asparagus
Using & Storing Pickled Asparagus
There are many different ways you can use your pickled asparagus, so have fun and get creative with it.
It’s delicious eaten alone, served as a side dish to dinner, or placed on appetizer trays. You can even wrap the spears in bacon, or ham and cream cheese for a delicious snack.
How Long Does Pickled Asparagus Last?
This pickled asparagus will last in the fridge for up to 1 month, for the best flavor and texture.
If you choose to can it, then it will stay good for about 18 months, when stored in a cool, dark location.
Appetizers made using pickled asparagus
FAQs
Below are some of the most common questions I get asked about making pickled asparagus, along with my answers.
Do you have to blanch asparagus before pickling?
No, you do not have to blanch asparagus before pickling, it can be used raw.
Does pickled asparagus need to be refrigerated?
Yes, this pickled asparagus needs to be refrigerated. If you want to keep it longer, you could can it in a boiling water bath.
How long before you can eat pickled asparagus?
You don’t have to wait too long before you can eat your homemade pickled asparagus. It’s best when you let it sit for at least 2-3 days to allow the spears to marinate and absorb all of the flavors of the brine.
Making your own homemade pickled asparagus is quick and simple, and oh so delicious! This recipe is sure to become a family tradition.
If you want to learn all about growing your crops up rather than out, my book Vertical Vegetables is just what you need. Plus you’ll get 23 projects that you can build in your own garden. Order your copy today!
Share your favorite pickled asparagus recipe in the comments section below.
Recipe & Instructions
Yield: 4 quarts
Pickled Asparagus Recipe
This pickled asparagus recipe is quick and easy to make with only a few common ingredients. They’re perfect to use on an appetizer tray or a simple dinner side dish, or eat them right out of the jar.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 3 days
Total Time 3 days45 minutes
Ingredients
Brine Ingredients:
Ingredients To Add To The Jars
Instructions
Rinse and trim asparagus – Rinse your asparagus and pat it dry. Then remove the hard bottom ends and discard them.
Pack the jars – Fill each wide-mouth quart jar jar so the spears are tightly packed, but not crammed in. If necessary, trim the bottoms so each spear is short enough to fit into the jars, while allowing for a ½ to 1 inch of head space.
Make the brine – Combine the water and vinegar in a cooking pot, and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then add the sugar and pickling salt, stirring until dissolved. Turn off the burner, and allow the brine to cool for 15-30 minutes.
Pour brine into jars – Using a canning funnel and large ladle, pour the pickling brine over the asparagus spears until they are fully submerged, leaving ½” of headspace. Then fasten a new lid and a band on top.
Let them marinate – For the best results, place the jars into the refrigerator for 2-3 days so all of the flavors can marinate together before eating them.
Notes
It’s best to let the jars sit in the fridge for at least 2-3 days before eating your pickled asparagus. That way the spears have time to marinate and absorb all of the flavors.
I need to let you in on a little secret: With minimal effort, you can grow pineapples right in your own garden.
And I don’t blame you for wanting to – the taste of commercially produced pineapple pales in comparison to freshly picked, homegrown fruits.
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Commercial produce is often harvested prior to full ripeness to keep it from deteriorating in shipping, spending days or weeks in boxes or crates as it’s transported to your local store. This can result in harder flesh that is acidic and tart.
Growing your own at home means cutting out the shipping process, allowing you to give the fruit more time to ripen before harvest.
This additional time can increase sugar content while improving texture and richness of flavor at harvest time. You may never want to buy a pineapple from the store again after tasting the difference.
Even though they’re native to tropical climates, pineapples make a good choice for container growing almost anywhere, and can be grown by simply rooting the crown foliage from an existing fruit to propagate a new plant.
In warmer zones, they can be planted outdoors in the ground.
No matter which method you use, it can take some time for fruit to form – at least two years before your first pineapple is ripe for the picking.
Luckily, these plants also add unique visual interest to the landscape while you’re waiting.
Increase your yield without waiting ages by adding several plants to the landscape or garden, if space is available.
This is easily done when offshoots are produced since they can be rooted much like succulents. We’re going to cover it all!
So, let’s get to it – what does it take to grow pineapple at home? Here’s everything you’ll find up ahead:
What Is a Pineapple?
If you don’t know much about the unique anatomy and growth habits of A. comosus, you are in for a treat! Ready for a crash course in botany?
The first thing you should know is there are no pineapple trees. These plants produce long, grassy leaves that sprout from a central point like many other members of the same plant family.
Pineapples belong to the Bromeliaceae family, otherwise known as the bromeliads. This group also includes Spanish moss, which you might recognize as a signature of the southern United States where it hangs from trees.
Unlike other members of this family, these herbaceous perennials are the only type of bromeliad that is cultivated for food, producing an edible inflorescence. Others are commonly grown in tropical and subtropical environments as landscaping features or ornamental potted specimens.
Some bromeliads are epiphytic, rooting in the crook of tree branches or in spaces in the bark, but pineapples do not fall into this category and must be grown terrestrially.
Native to the rainforests of Brazil, Paraguay, and the West Indies, they’re commonly grown for commercial sale in Mexico, Hawaii, southern California, and Puerto Rico today.
They’re also grown in and exported from parts of Asia and Africa to other parts of the world.
There seems to be some widespread confusion among the general public about where exactly pineapples hail from.
Understandably, many people seem to associate them with the Hawaiian Islands since they’re commonly represented in the culture of the islands and given as gifts of hospitality, much like leis made from plumeria blossoms – another nonnative plant that was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands.
Though the dates of this species’ first introduction to the area is not known, migrants from California, followed most notably by James Dole, produced the fruit on plantations in Hawaii starting in the late 19th century.
The often hot and humid temperatures in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11, and parts of Zone 9, provide the best environment for growing these distinctive fruits – although they can be grown outdoors in almost any Zone as a container specimen that can be relocated to a protected area when temperatures take a nosedive.
Pineapple plants, like other bromeliads, are also xerophytes.
These bromeliads produce long, straplike leaves in a rosette pattern, sprouting from a central stem.
The leaves of most cultivars typically feature saw-toothed margins that can deliver a mild poke if mishandled, whether by the gardener or by kids or pets that venture too closely into their midst.
There are some spineless species and varieties that are close relatives, such as A. lucidus, or the red spineless pineapple. This species stands out not only for its more friendly foliage, but also for its striking crimson red leaves.
Fortunately, despite their pokey nature, all parts of the plant are nontoxic.
Before pineapple plants produce fruit, you’ll note a resemblance to some species of agave or aloe, although the leaves are thinner than those of either of these succulents.
Plants that have 70 or more leaves may produce a thick central stalk that can grow to heights of over five feet. The foliage spreads to well over three feet in mature specimens, sometimes reaching six feet in diameter under ideal conditions.
Bear in mind that it can take two to three years for the first crop to come in, so patience is a must.
A bud forms in the center of the crown at the base of the leaves and will eventually rise on a stalk that holds it above the foliage.
At the top of the stalk, a clustered, terminal inflorescence develops.
The size and structure of the immature fruit resembles that of a colorful pinecone with a tuft of leaves growing from the crown. This structure is typically composed of between 50 and 200 blossoms.
Flowers open in succession from the bottom up beginning about two months after the buds develop. As new blooms open, older ones shrivel.
Blooms are violet to purple at the outer edges and fade to white at the base. They begin to open in the evening with blooming continuing for two to three months.
Pollination is completed almost solely by hummingbirds, although some species are also visited by bats, particularly in their native environments.
First, fruits grow at the top of the stalk like a royal scepter in what’s known as a syncarp, or a bundle of fused blossoms.
After pollination, each flower produces a separate berry – if you observe a ripe pineapple, you can see how each one has formed and fused together to form the fruit’s distinctive diagonal grid-like pattern.
Fruits will continue to mature for four to six months, growing larger and ripening slowly – but they rarely ripen fully post-harvest if picked prematurely.
Each specimen will produce only one primary fruit that’s able to mature fully per season.
While many specimens produce fruits that weigh between five and 10 pounds each, some have been known to reach up to 20 pounds! How many upside-down cakes could you make with that?
After the initial crop of fruit has been harvested, the shoots that are produced may be left to mature and continue producing fruit. This secondary harvest is known as a ratoon crop, and these fruits tend to be smaller in size even when they’re fully mature.
New shoots will often develop on the stalk or sprout from the base of leaf axils. Shoots that grow from the stem below the crown are known as hapas or slips.
Others that appear at leaf axils or sprout from the roots below ground are known as suckers.
It’s possible for any of these structures to remain attached as they continue to produce but they can also be carefully pulled free and replanted separately to propagate new plants.
Replanting reduces the taxing effects on the parent plant of supporting so much growth as well.
Next, let’s talk a bit about origins and common uses for this species, beyond serving up a citrusy sweet treat.
Cultivation and History
As I mentioned, pineapples are native to parts of South America and the West Indies.
There is some evidence that the fruits may have originated in the rainforests of Brazil, with further evidence that crops were grown by indigenous peoples for centuries prior to distribution by foreign explorers.
In the late 1400s, Spanish conquistadors traveling with Columbus observed the strange pinecone-like fruits and assigned them the Spanish nickname “pina,” in reference to this resemblance.
Fruits were harvested and brought along on the return trip to Spain where botanists began cultivating the species in greenhouses.
Because the climate there was not suitable for production of this crop, fruits were scarce, and access was reserved for the wealthy.
Spanish explorers kept crates of pineapples and other fruits onboard their sailing ships, which aided in fending off scurvy, an illness which develops from a lack of vitamin C – though they were not likely aware of the correlation at the time.
By the 1600s, pineapples were widely cultivated throughout Europe thanks to the increasing popularity of greenhouses and solariums.
The Spanish first introduced the fruits to Portuguese Guinea on the western coast of Africa.
Throughout the 17th century, cultivation continued to spread with continued exploration and trade by Europeans further into neighboring African countries and the Middle East, where environmental conditions were ideal for production.
Cultivation of the crop also gained popularity further north in the Americas, from Central America to the United States.
Europeans brought the fruits to the Philippines in the late 1500s where they became an important part of the local culture. Not only a food source, they became a source of textile materials as the long leaves of the plants were woven by skilled artisans into expensive fabric known as nipis.
Ananas varieties were introduced to other parts of the world by explorers and missionaries, such as Don Franscisco de Paula Marin, a Spanish military officer who deserted his ship to settle in Hawaii in the early 1800s.
Until the early 2000s, the majority of pineapples commercially grown and distributed throughout the world were produced in Hawaii, where the Dole company based its operations.
Sadly, commercial production is often dangerous to the laborers who care for the crops.
Due to the high rates of chemical exposure associated with large-scale production, workers often fall victim to a multitude of ailments such as allergies, migraines, birth defects among their children, and more.
Fortunately, home growing eliminates these dangers if chemical interventions aren’t overused.
While many fruits and vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C, there are only a few greater sources than pineapples, at nearly 80 milligrams per cup. Pineapples also contain bromelain, a group of enzymes that help to break down and digest proteins.
Just don’t overdo it when you snack – consuming too much pineapple can result in stomach upset and heartburn in some people due the fruit’s high level of acidity.
It can also interact negatively with certain types of medication, and its bromelain content can lead to a stinging, tingly tongue.
According to a publication of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, bromelain is commonly used to tenderize meat, but is also added to cough medicine and other medications as it has properties that reduce swelling and pain, particularly of the sinuses and digestive tract.
Some self-fertile cultivars have been developed, but most pineapple plants are not self-fertile.
They can be interplanted with other Ananas species if you want them to potentially produce viable seed – but then again, many find seedy fruits to be less palatable or more difficult to process.
Instead of relying on seed for the propagation of new plants, there are several other preferred methods that are both easier and more reliable.
That said, let’s take a look at which methods of propagation work best for the home gardener.
Propagation
Small, brown seeds may be visible inside a pineapple when you cut it up, but it can be challenging to find viable ones, especially if they’re derived from commercially produced crops which are often hybrids.
Since starting from seed is an uncommon method, we’re not going to cover that here.
Instead, let’s talk about the two best ways to propagate new plants at home: dividing suckers, hapas, and ratoons, and rooting crowns.
Dividing Hapas, Ratoons, and Suckers
Begin with a pot that is at least four inches deep with good drainage.
Fill it to the brim with sandy loam – one part potting soil for citrus plants to one part coarse sand is perfect. Don’t compact the soil densely into the pot; it should remain loose and aerated.
Carefully remove an offshoot from the parent specimen, making sure that it has several leaves.
This can often be done simply by wiggling it back and forth until it comes free, but a clean knife can also be used if there is resistance.
Press the shoot into the soil just until the base is deep enough to provide stability and keep it from falling over. Mist the soil and place it in a sunny location where temperatures remain consistently above 70°F.
It can take a couple of weeks for roots to begin to develop, but once they do, you’ll notice new growth forming. Continue to mist the soil when the surface feels dry to the touch, but don’t drench it.
After a healthy set of roots has developed, transplant the new specimen to its permanent location, whether in the ground or in a container.
From Crowns
If you’re starting off with a fruit that you purchased and you want to propagate it at home, using the crown of leaves at the top of the fruit is a great option.
If you’ve cut a pineapple open, you may have noticed that the core is stiffer than the surrounding fruit.
This is because the core is part of the stalk of the plant, which also continues into the base of the crown.
Rooted crowns will often generate a stalk, though this is not guaranteed and it can take several years.
Crowns may be rooted in water or soil. Those started in soil can be grown in the container they’ll remain in to cut out the added step of transplanting.
Since each specimen will produce only one mature fruit per season, you may want to add more than one to your garden, space permitting.
If you’re growing them simply for the novelty, or as a fun project with the kiddos, one might be enough.
Location, Location, Location
Pineapple plants tend to grow rather large – up to six feet in width – so it’s best to allow at least 24 inches of space around plants, preferably 36 inches or more, to provide room for growth and proper airflow.
They can reach up to six feet tall at maturity as well, so overhead space is another consideration. Bear this in mind when choosing a location as mature plants can take up quite a bit of room.
The root system won’t grow very deeply, but because of the size of the mature plant, it’s best not to install yours close to any structures.
And if you’re not a fan of bats visiting your garden, you may want to place them away from the busiest areas – although bats are a vital part of the ecosystem, and they typically avoid contact with humans.
Rest assured that the bat species that are responsible for pollination in the wild rely on a primarily nectar-based diet, such as American leaf-nosed bats of the Phyllostomidae family and Old World flying foxes of the Pteropodidae family.
Choose a location with a slight incline to allow for good drainage as plants from the Ananas genus can not tolerate soggy ground. This is particularly important if you live in a region that experiences very wet rainy seasons.
A location in your landscape or garden with at least eight hours of sun exposure per day is best, but be aware that hot sun exposure for long periods coupled with high temperatures above 90°F can easily scorch the fruit.
If you’re adding a spiny type to your garden or landscape, you may want to choose a location that is out of reach, and away from paths or other high traffic areas.
Growing at high elevations is not recommended as this type of environment increases acidity to an undesirable level. In fact, many fruits grown at higher altitude can experience changes in ripening, flavor, acidity, mature size, and color.
Choosing and Planting Your Specimen
If you are beginning with a nursery specimen, be sure that the one you select is free from pests and disease, and that it has been grown in a pot of adequate size. A large specimen in a small container can be rootbound and unhealthy.
A homegrown specimen should be about eight to 12 inches in height with a developed root system at the time of transplant. Be sure to harden off any transplants that have been grown indoors prior to moving them outside permanently so they don’t wilt or become scorched in harsh sunlight.
Amend the site with compost prior to installing your pineapple plant to provide important organic material and nutrients. Compost can be added every two to three months throughout the year – we’ll cover fertilizing more in the next section.
Create a hole about the same size as the root system and carefully turn the plant out of its nursery container.
Place it in the hole just so the base is level with or slightly above the soil surface and fill in with soil around it, but do not firmly compact it. Water it in well but don’t drench it.
The soil at the site should be a mix of sand and loam, and it should be raked or tilled to loosen it up to a depth of about twice that of the root system prior to planting. Don’t compact it or drench it with water as aeration will be reduced.
If your region doesn’t experience low temperatures under about 50°F or high temperatures above about 90°F, you can plant your specimen directly in the ground.
If growing in cooler Zones like 6 or 7, seasonal low temperatures will result in slower growth or potential cold damage.
Container or greenhouse growing will be necessary to protect them from freezing as exposure to temperatures below about 30°F will almost certainly result in death.
Even though pineapples are intolerant of wet ground, they also dislike prolonged drought conditions, so it’s best to provide consistent watering.
One to two inches of water per week should be plenty in the absence of rain when the soil surface feels dry to the touch, but again, avoid overwatering.
Container Planting
Containers are an excellent choice for growing pineapples in any region.
They have the advantage of being easy to move to shelter as needed in severe weather or relocate to more spacious areas of the yard if they attain a larger than expected size.
For most species, the general rule of thumb is to select a container that is twice the size of the root ball of the specimen, although beginning with a slightly larger one can help to reduce the number of times you’ll have to repot in the future.
The container should have several drainage holes in the bottom to allow excess water to run out rather than collecting, which can lead to rotting and disease.
A pot made of porous material such as clay is the best to use for pineapple plants. One such as this Roll Top Low Ceramic Planter in a 19-inch size is available from Terrain.
Fill the vessel with just enough soil to keep the base of the plant level with the rim of the container.
Use two parts sandy loam from the garden mixed with one part compost added, or equal parts sand, potting soil, and compost. Avoid pressing and compacting it any more than is necessary for stability.
Backfill around the roots with loose soil to the brim. Water in well and make sure to add additional soil as needed if it has settled after watering.
You’ll need to install a stake to support the stalk as the maturing fruit becomes heavier. It’s better to do this early on rather than waiting for signs that the stalk is struggling with the weight, such as leaning to the side.
Relocate the container indoors or move it to a protected area during cold snaps, or through the winter in cooler growing zones.
Be sure to continue to provide adequate light and water until it can be moved back outdoors.
Fertilizing
Fertilizing is a necessary step in growing pineapples. They’re particularly heavy feeders, drawing nitrogen and potassium constantly. Container growing increases the rate of depletion.
If these nutrients are lacking, the telltale signs may become apparent quickly.
Reddening of leaves and stunted growth are common symptoms, as well as thin, weak leaves and stems. Budding and blooming may cease if essential nutrients aren’t available.
Begin by weeding around the growing area thoroughly to reduce competition for available nutrients.
Adding a top dressing of compost every three to six months can help to keep the weeds at bay and boost soil nutrition.
Use a product with a 6-4-6 NPK ratio, such as Dr. Earth Exotic Blend Organic Palm, Tropical, and Hibiscus Fertilizer, available from Amazon in one- and four-pound packages.
Apply about two ounces of fertilizer to young plants every two weeks and gradually increase the amount to the recommended application on the label as the specimen prepares to set fruit.
Dilute any fertilizers used for container-grown plants to 50 percent strength to avoid burning or buildup.
After the stalk develops and the inflorescence appears, discontinue fertilizer application.
Magnesium is another crucial mineral that can be lacking by the end of such a long growth period. A foliar fertilizer spray can provide a much-needed boost.
One such as Bloom City Professional Grade Cal-Mag Fertilizer, available in one-quart, two-gallon, and five-gallon bottles, from Amazon, would be suitable.
Prepare the fertilizer according to package instructions but dilute it to 50 percent strength for use as a foliar spray.
Apply it once every one to two months during spring and summer, in the evening after sunset, for best results.
Forcing Blooms
Even though you could have patience and wait it out for an inflorescence to appear, there is a way to speed up the process that works well enough for commercial growers to rely on it.
In commercial fields, ethylene gas is applied to crops. At home, there is a smaller-scale method available.
When you see at least 70 leaves present on your plant, you can attempt to induce blooming.
Forcing too early often results in smaller fruit with a less desirable flavor. Wait until a cooler season, such as fall or spring, as high heat can have a negative impact on the process.
This next part may seem a bit odd, but stick with me – it works!
If you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree in your yard, you can simply pluck one of the fallen, rotting apples from the ground when you’re doing your orchard cleanup.
If you don’t have any growing, you can leave an apple purchased from the store out on the counter or in a warm place and allow it to begin rotting.
You’ll need one rotten apple and a large, transparent plastic bag per specimen. Place the apple in the center of the rosette of leaves, where the stalk emerges at the base, and cover the entire plant with the plastic bag.
Secure it loosely in place around the stem, under the leaves. Move the container to a shaded location or provide shade overhead.
Leave the bag in place for three to four days. The rotting fruit releases ethylene gasses that act as a stimulant, encouraging induction of the next phase in the life cycle, which is bloom production.
After the third or fourth day of ethylene exposure, remove the bag and the apple.
Move the container back to a sunny location, or remove the shade cover. Blooms should develop soon after, followed by fruit within about six months.
Growing Tips
Pineapples can be grown in-ground in warm climates, but they should be grown in containers in climates with temperatures below 50°F.
Place specimens in areas with a slight incline to allow for drainage and avoid overwatering.
Maintain consistent moisture for best results.
Apply fertilizer regularly throughout the growing season for these heavy feeders.
Pruning and Maintenance
As I mentioned earlier, suckers and ratoon shoots will continuously appear throughout the growing season.
Whether you plan to propagate more plants or not, it’s best to remove new shoots as they develop to allow the energy to be diverted to the primary fruit.
If you’d like to produce a ratoon crop, leave one of the ratoons – or the shoot that develops from the root system – intact so it can grow a secondary fruit.
As I mentioned, this secondary crop will generally be smaller than the first.
Be aware, however, that removing new growth will encourage the production of more new shoots.
These shoots can be removed and used to generate additional crops or discarded if you don’t intend to plant them – or, you could simply give them away to others who may want to use them.
Cultivars to Select
There are many A. comosus cultivars that have been bred to showcase certain enhanced features.
Some of these are self-pollinating, improving the likelihood of bearing fruit, while others were bred for flavor or color, or to withstand temperature variances or resist disease.
Pineapple cultivars are often organized into five main classes or groups – the Abacaxi (aka Pernambuco), Cayenne, Queen, Spanish, and Mordilona – but there are some others that don’t fit into any of these groups.
For trading purposes, commercial cultivars are generally organized into four main groups – Abacaxi, Smooth Cayenne, Red Spanish, and Queen. Even within a particular group, the characteristics of different cultivars can vary widely.
Plants sold in nurseries and online will typically not specify the group a cultivar belongs to.
Let’s take a look at a few different cultivars you can find on the market.
Elite Gold
A. comosus ‘Elite’ features golden flesh, with an exceptionally sweet flavor.
A popular commercial cultivar, this Abacaxi type is self-pollinating. This reduces the chances that fruit may fail to set due to incomplete pollination.
Compact plants reach two to three feet tall and three to four feet wide, making them ideal for growing in containers.
Fruit is typically ready to harvest in early fall. Plant in-ground in Zones 9 to 11, or grow in containers in Zones 4 to 8 and move plants to a protected spot when temperatures drop.
Just as its name implies, this cultivar was developed in Florida – or Immokalee, Florida, to be exact – by the Libby fruit company.
To contend with the cold snaps that central Florida sometimes experiences, A. comosus ‘Florida Special’ was developed to withstand temperatures down to about 30°F.
Another advantageous feature is its ability to self-pollinate. It also has spineless leaves, so there’s no danger of an accidental poke with this variety.
This sugarloaf or Abacaxi cultivar reaches three to six feet in height and spread, producing fruit with golden flesh that ripens in early to mid-fall in most regions.
‘Florida Special’ can be grown in containers throughout Zones 4 to 8 and moved to protection when temperatures dive, or grown in-ground in Zones 9 to 11.
A favorite among consumers who have tasted it, A. comosus ‘White Jade’ isn’t typically available in stores in places where it is not grown locally because it doesn’t ship well.
This cultivar has soft flesh that bruises and rots very easily, and it’s primarily grown in Hawaii. The fruits don’t fare well on that long journey to the mainland.
Because of their scarcity, they’re often much more expensive than most commercially available types. And they’re highly sought after thanks to their softer, less fibrous texture, high sugar content, lower acidity, and edible cores.
Even though it achieves the same three- to-six-foot height and spread as most varieties, like ‘Florida Special,’ it’s safer to include in the landscape than many other cultivars because of its spineless leaves.
While this cultivar is touted as being cold hardy down to 30°F, it’s best to plant in containers in regions with temperatures that fall to freezing or below so plants can be moved to protection.
Unfortunately, there are several maladies and difficulties that can befall members of the Ananas genus. Most of these are restricted to warmer climates.
Herbivores and Omnivores
Most animals will steer clear because of the spines and the relatively small amount of food available, as each specimen only produces one or two fruits, choosing instead to go for easier access and more abundant crops.
However, the occasional, adventurous (or hungry) raccoon, squirrel, rat, or opossum might venture a nibble here and there. If you live in a region where monkeys roam in the wild, they can also pose a problem for this crop.
If hungry animals manage to break through the rind, that fruit’s a goner. There’s no way to salvage a pineapple if it has been chewed. They tend to quickly rot and sour, and will have to be discarded.
For this reason, it’s easiest to plant in containers so you can relocate them out of reach, either inside a greenhouse or enclosed in a protected area such as in the garage or a sunroom.
Otherwise, mesh netting may be an option, although squirrels in particular may not be deterred from chewing their way through.
Insects
Just as with furry, four-legged pests, insects can pose a problem.
There are quite a few that can appear in some environments; however, the most significant pest is the mealybug.
Other pests to be wary of include thrips, beetles, borers, grubs, mites, moths, and termites.
Mealybugs and Other Scale Insects
Scale insects are a group which includes mealybugs.
These are sucking insects (in more ways than one, if you catch my drift) that attach at the mouth to stems and leaves, feeding on juices from the interior.
The pineapple mealybug, or Dysmicoccus brevipes, is very close in appearance to other species that appear on tropical plants such as bananas.
This species is spread by ants, so if you see a trail of them leading across the leaves of your plant, it’s time to investigate.
Pineapple scale (Diaspis bromeliae) and brown pineapple scale (Melanaspis bromiliae) affect this crop as well, causing similar damage.
Signs of infestation include cottony deposits across the fruit rinds and foliage, stunting, and discoloration and die-off of leaves. Excreted honeydew may also attract sooty mold.
Once these pests pierce the flesh of plants, they often introduce disease, which can spread rampantly as the insects breed out of control in ideal conditions. And it doesn’t take much for conditions to be ideal for these guys.
There are fortunately fewer diseases than types of pests to be on the lookout for… but the bad news is that the ailments of concern have no known cure.
Heart Rot
Caused by Erwinia chrysanthemi bacteria, heart rot can appear as soggy lesions on foliage, followed by pitting and rotting of the fruit, and discoloration of foliage and stems.
You may also see sap leaking from the rind of the fruit.
This bacterium is spread by ants and mites, so paying careful attention to infestations can tip you off that there may be a disease issue developing.
As I mentioned, there is no known cure for heart rot.
Once signs are present, it’s best to destroy the plant in its entirety, and refrain from replanting crowns or offshoots from infected specimens.
Place all infected material in a garbage bag and seal it well before disposing of it.
Be sure to sterilize any tools you use to mitigate the issue to avoid spreading the disease to other specimens.
Black Rot and White Leaf Spot
Both of these diseases are caused by the same type of fungi, Ceratocystis paradoxa.
Black rot infections appear as discoloration and dark spots on the rind, sinking into pits of rotting flesh.
Initially, the spots may appear brown and watery, but over time, they turn black and slimy.
There may also be similar brown spots on foliage that develop gradually into grayish spots as the leaves die off.
White leaf spot begins developing in wounded leaves. Cream to light brown spots become visible near damaged areas, spreading quickly during warm periods of rain or high humidity.
As the fungi spreads, the entire leaf may be affected and discolored.
After conditions dry, spots typically fade to white with a papery look and feel. Margins surrounding the spots may remain brown.
The only method of preventive control that’s available for these issues is to spray or dip young plants or separated offshoots in fungicide prior to transplanting.
Bonide Liquid Copper Fungicide is a suitable option. It’s available in ready-to-use 16- and 32-ounce bottles, and 16-ounce concentrate from Arbico Organics.
Once symptoms appear, it’s too late for treatment and the entire plant must be destroyed.
Be sure to wrap it up tightly in a sealed trash bag and disinfect any tools that may have come into contact with the fungus.
Harvesting
Pineapples take several months to mature and ripen. It can be tricky to tell when the best time is to harvest, but there are a few key features to look for.
At the base, where the stem is attached, you may notice a stronger, sweeter aroma emanating from the fruit at peak ripeness. Otherwise, watch for changes in coloration – ripeness tends to bring about a brighter color in the rind.
You may want to pull on some gloves before you pick if you’re growing a spiny type.
Carefully use a sharp knife to cut the fruit free from the stalk as close as possible to the base. Handle the fruit gently to avoid bruising it.
Before you bring your harvest indoors, check the foliage carefully to make sure there are no mealybugs or other hitchhikers bumming a ride that will readily infest your houseplants.
Fresh pineapples can be stored on the kitchen counter for three to five days prior to eating or processing.
Ripening Post-Harvest
If you accidentally break a pineapple off before it’s ripe, it won’t ripen much on its own.
Rather than discarding it, place it in a paper bag with a banana for a day or two, and then check to see if the color has changed.
The ethylene gas released by the banana can help to ripen the fruit, although pineapples picked early may still have a more acidic and tart flavor.
Preserving
It can be a little intimidating the first time you set out to process a fresh pineapple because of the sheer oddity of the specimen.
It’s pokey, you can’t peel it easily, and there are several steps that you must take to transform this pinecone with a mohawk into a bowl of sweet, tasty wedges.
Check out Foodal’s guide to choosing and serving fresh pineapple to learn the best way to process it.
If you’re still feeling a little unsure about using a knife to prepare it, check out this guide to the best pineapple corers and how to use them, also on our sister site, Foodal.
Fresh spears or chunks will last in the fridge for about a week. Keep them in an airtight container and use them as soon as possible to avoid spoilage.
To freeze the fruit, spread chunks on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and pop it into the freezer for about 30 minutes to an hour. Transfer the chunks to a zip-top plastic bag for freezer storage for up to a month.
You can also puree the flesh and freeze it in an ice cube tray if you plan to use it as an ingredient in smoothies, which cuts down on storage space and mess.
This is a great option if you’ve ended up with an overabundance that won’t last long enough to use up.
And don’t forget to save those tops for replanting!
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
There are so many ways to use your harvest.
Pairing pineapple with chicken or pork, like in this sweet and sour pork recipe from Foodal, is a tried-and-true combination that adds sweet yet tart juices to grilled or broiled meats.
Sweet and sour pork. Photo by Fanny Slater.
Rings arranged on a ham, with or without maraschino cherries, is a classic recipe loved by so many at the holidays.
Rings or slices can be arranged on foil or a grill-safe tray and basted with a blend of melted salted butter and brown sugar. A hint of ginger or cinnamon can be included if desired.
Baste well or drizzle the sauce over the slices and place them on the grill at medium heat until it’s just caramelized.
Pineapple curry. Photo by Meghan Yager.
For a meatless alternative, try this pineapple curry from Foodal, which can also be prepared as a vegetarian dish with or without some spicy heat.
For a seriously refreshing taste of the tropics, try a pineapple coconut smoothie! You can find Foodal’s recipe here.
Of course, it’s just as easy to use pureed pineapple to make some simple, frosty popsicles that are perfect for those hot summer days.
The possibilities are endless! Don’t forget to share your favorites with us in the comments below!
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Maintenance
Moderate
Native to:
Brazil, Paraguay, West Indies
Water Needs:
Moderate
Hardiness (USDA Zone):
9-11
Tolerance:
Mild drought
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil Type:
Sandy loam
Time to Maturity:
2 years
Soil pH:
4.5-5.5
Spacing:
24-36+ inches
Soil Drainage:
Well-draining
Planting Depth:
Same depth as existing pot (transplants), depth of root system (offshoots)
Order:
Poales
Height:
Up to 6 feet
Family:
Bromeliaceae
Spread:
Up to 6 feet
Genus:
Ananas
Common Pests and Diseases:
Opossum, mealybugs, monkeys, raccoons, rats, scale, squirrels; Black rot, heart rot, sooty mold, white leaf spot
Species:
Comosus
Get Familiar with This Strange Fruit
If you have suitable growing conditions to add pineapples directly to your garden or landscape, you could easily start with just one plant for the sheer fun of watching it develop.
It’s more than worth it, especially if you have kids who like learning about life cycles.
Or, if you’re looking for a larger crop, it’s pretty easy to use the suckers and ratoons that these plants readily produce to flesh out an entire field’s worth in just a couple of years.
No matter what your plan is, you’re well prepared to begin with all of your newfound knowledge – but we’re still here for you if you have questions.
We’d also love to hear about your experiences with this distinctive species and see your progress in the comments below!
Today, the UAE real estate market is one of the most favoured goals for investors from all over the world. Due to high demand, the price of real estate in Dubai in 2022 was gradually increasing. For the first quarter of this year, the emirate recorded an increase in the cost of accommodation by 7.54% year on year. At the same time, many experts are sure that the cost per sq.m. in luxury apartments for sale in Dubai has not yet reached its maximum value and will gradually rise.
Property in Dubai for investment
Currently, numerous investors prefer more conservative choices for saving and growing prosperity, and are moving from securities to real estate.
Essential benefits of Dubai for investors include:
A good deal for money property.
A wide range of opportunities to purchase, ranging from small studios to luxury villas for sale in Dubai.
An opportunity to purchase housing on the rights of full private ownership.
A high level of profitability (from 4% to 9% per annum) from renting out apartments and houses, in comparison with other cities.
Opportunities for the Dubai real estate market
Speaking about the prospects of Dubai as a city for investment in housing, it is important to pay attention to the thrift of the UAE. In the last year, it has shown stable growth, largely due to the increase in oil prices.
All this actively attracts new home buyers and stimulates the growth of the cost per square metre.
Ownership in Dubai
The UAE is a country where there are certain restrictions on property rights. There are areas where real estate can only be owned by residents of GCC countries.
The territories of the so-called freehold are allocated separately, where any foreigners, including residents of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, can buy a villa, apartment, or other objects based on full private ownership.
In this case, the buyer will be able to dispose of the purchased housing at their discretion (transfer by inheritance, sell, donate, etc.).
What property in Dubai is worth paying attention to?
If you look at specific indicators in terms of prices and locations over the past six months, then in the villa sales sector, The Palm Jumeirah remains the most stable area in Dubai. Here, the average price for property for sale in Dubai fell only 1 percent to 21,243 dirhams ($5,788) per square metre.
In contrast to The Palm Jumeirah, The Lakes is seeing the largest decline in prices, down 6 percent to AED11,210 ($3,055).
Prices at The Springs and The Meadows fell 5 percent to AED 9,223 ($2,513) per square metre, while Jumeirah Park saw an average price drop of 4 percent to AED 8,931 ($2,433).
In the popular low-rise area Arabian Ranches, which is expected to have one of the biggest new build volumes shortly, given this factor, prices fell moderately, namely by 3 percent quarterly, to 8,996 dirhams ($2,451) per square metre.
If you want to purchase real estate to obtain a UAE resident visa, then you should buy a property worth at most nominal one million dirhams ($270,000).
If the value of the property you have chosen is less, then a resident visa can be obtained, for example, through the establishment of a company in the UAE. The recipient of an investor visa can additionally apply for visas for their relatives.
Today, consumers can take advantage of competition among vendors, as well as affordability, and profit from it. In addition, there are a large number of really good residential off-plan payment options available to buyers in Dubai that are hard to find anywhere else in the world. This, coupled with new initiatives that have been taken by the government, could be the reason why there will be an increase in the number of foreign citizens who see Dubai as a long-term place to live, leading to more real estate investment in the emirate.
Real estate in Dubai
If you choose to purchase real estate in Dubai, then before reaching an agency, you can examine the most suitable opportunities for offers from developers and real estate agencies on the website Emirates.Estate. Here you can easily compare costs in euros, dollars and dirhams and choose the most appropriate properties for investment today.
I don’t ski, but I sure do enjoy après-ski pursuits, particularly soaking in a hot tub after a long day of fireside reading (my preferred indoor activity as I wait for my family to return from the slopes). In every winter vacation rental we’ve stayed in, though, the hot tub has been a massive, plastic eyesore.
I recently spotted on Remodelista a stylish alternative to these backyard behemoths—an outdoor Japanese wooden soaking tub. Our home has a small, narrowish sideyard, and this good-looking, compact ofuro (the Japanese word for bath) would be a welcome addition.
In the US, soaking in a hot tub is seen mainly as a recreational activity; in Japan, a long evening soak is considered a healthy everyday ritual to promote circulation and a sense of a wellbeing. The proper way to use it is to scrub your body and wash your hair prior to stepping into the tub to keep the ofuro water clean. (Traditionally, in Japanese households that have ofuro tubs, the water remains as each family member takes turns soaking in it, starting with the eldest. Once or twice a week, the water is drained and refilled.)
Above: This Japanese Wood Hot Tub for 2 comes with a cedar step stool and a wood-fired heater; $5,100 from Northern Lights Cedar Tubs. Also check out Forest Cooperage for Japanese soaker tubs.
Bathers sit in the round ofuro tub as they would on a chair and are submerged to about shoulder height. Traditional versions are made from Hinoki wood, which is naturally water-resistant and has a pleasing lemony scent (check out Japanese-based Bartok Design Co. for information about their handbuilt Hinoki ofuro tubs). Stateside, cedar ofuro tubs seem to be more common. And these days, they are available in different shapes (oval, rectangle, or traditional round) and with multiple ways to heat the water: many manufacturers will allow you to choose from a heater powered by firewood, electricity, gas, propane, or heat pump.
They are generally sized to fit one or two bathers at a time; if you’re in the market for an ofuro tub that seats more, you’ll have to look at custom options. Also consider Scandinavian outdoor hot tubs, which are similar in style and spirit but can accommodate more people.
Lilies are a complicated subject to talk about because they’re one of many plant types whose name isn’t exclusive to a specific genus. For example, true lilies belong to the genus Lilium, yet many of the most popular lilies out there are from other genera.
While this certainly can complicate care needs if you aren’t familiar with what kind of lily you have, it can also impact your entire garden.
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A perfect example of this is regarding deer. Some sources say lilies are deer resistant, while others say they’re a favorite snack.
So what’s the truth, and how do you ensure your lilies are safe? Let’s look at this question and get into some important specifics.
Do Deer Eat Lilies?
Yes, and sometimes, yes. It really depends on the species or cultivar.
And this is where we need to look first at what “deer resistance” means, as well as when a lily is or isn’t resistant, instead of lumping all lilies together.
Understanding The Concept Of Deer Resistance
There’s a common misunderstanding that deer resistance equates to being deer-proof. But, unfortunately, no plant is deer-proof, and a hungry enough deer will risk life and limb to eat whatever plant is available, even if they know it’s toxic to them.
Rutgers University addressed this problem some years back and devised four categories to describe how likely deer will attack a plant under normal circumstances.
The categories are as follows:
A = Rarely Damaged
B = Seldom Severely Damaged
C = Occasionally Severely Damaged
D = Frequently Severely Damaged
It was discovered that many factors affect how likely a deer is to nibble on a plant. For example, they prefer herbaceous plants over woody ones, plants without thorns or spines to those with, and unscented or mildly scented plants over those with a strong odor.
Companion planting (AKA complimentary gardening) is a great way to change how attractive a plant is, and we’ll discuss this in more detail later.
Cornell University has also found that plants that have been irrigated or fertilized are more attractive than unfertilized or unwatered plants.
Not All Lilies Are Equal
We would love to tell you that lilies are all in category A, but the truth is that true lilies are all in category D.
But what about other plants known as lilies?
Tawny daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are a popular snack for deer and are especially vulnerable when used along borders.
Tiger lilies (Lilium lancifolium) are a rare exception to the rule, proving more deer-resistant than other true lilies, and it’s believed that this is due to lower care requirements.
Water lilies are also rather attractive to deer.
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is one of the most deer-resistant types of lily due to its high toxicity.
Liriope is a genus of plants that were once part of the same family as lilies but are now in the asparagus family.
They’re often referred to as monkey grass or lilyturf and are usually ignored by deer. While bearing little resemblance to true lilies, they have blooms, not unlike the lily of the valley, and are sometimes used in conjunction with other lilies.
Companion Planting To Protect Lilies
Obviously, lilies are often a preferred snack, and therefore, you’ll want to protect them.
But what do you do if you aren’t able to build tall fences or otherwise physically block deer from reaching the plants? The answer is in companion planting.
This technique pairs up two or more types of plants that have similar care needs and benefit each other.
Alliums are a popular plant that can help repel deer with their strong scent.
When planning your garden, choose a mix of deer-resistant plants and use those for your border.
Place more vulnerable plants behind the border so the deer will have to move past the plants they don’t like to get to the tastier ones.
One good example is to blend liriopes and alliums along the border, with a second row of bigger deer-resistant plants and your most vulnerable lilies at the back.
The strong sulfuric smell of the alliums will assault the deer’s sensitive nose and mask more attractive odors.
On top of that, the less interesting liriope or woody plants will help draw attention away from the tastier treats behind them.
You can still mix and match so plants visually complement each other, making this one of the best ways to minimize the risk of your plants being attacked.
Just be warned, a starving deer will eat just about anything, so this method isn’t foolproof.
If you live in an area where deer are a particular problem, consider using predator urine crystals, fencing, and other deer deterrents to increase the safety of your plants further.
Hi. I am Barb Mrgich, a Master Gardener from Adams County, Pennsylvania. I have gardened on the same land in Zone 6B for 34 years. For the past 10 years, I have been slowly adding more and more native plants to the point where I now prefer to think of my property more as a habitat than just a garden.
This is gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella, Zones 5–8), a native wildflower. It’s a very colorful, happy flower that attracts lots of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators because of its rich, abundant nectar. Sometimes called blanket flower, it is a short-lived perennial that usually only lives for three years or less. However, its great seed heads produce many seeds. It’s easy to save some to replant.
This has always been one of my favorite pictures of my front yard. There is actually grass—you just can’t see it from the angle of the picture.
Penstemon(hardiness varies by species) is such a pretty spring-flowering native perennial. Most are either pink or white. I love to watch the bees crawl into the flower for a sip of nectar. Penstemons produce large, attractive seed heads. They reseed readily. If you don’t want so many, just snip off the seed heads.
This carpenter bee (see its shiny abdomen?) is sipping nectar from a coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–8). Most garden bees are very docile and will not sting you. Only females are capable of stinging.
This eastern tiger swallowtail is one of our most common butterflies in Pennsylvania. It is nectaring on a zinnia (Zinnia elegans, annual). I like the way its body is striped to match its wings. You can see its proboscis, which it uses like a straw to suck the nectar from the flower.
Notice anything unusual about this picture? It’s a beautiful monarch chrysalis, but it is attached to fennel (Foeniculum vulgare, Zones 4–9), not milkweed (Asclepias spp.) as you might expect. The fennel is growing very close to the milkweed. The caterpillar probably just wandered over and up the tall fennel to go into its chrysalis when it was ready. We searched the fennel plants looking for the chrysalis of a black swallowtail and were quite surprised to find the monarch.
Pussy willows (Salixspecies) rise up against an early spring, clear blue sky. Catkins of the native pussy willow supply some of the first and most important nectar for tiny pollinators. Songbirds are then attracted to the catkins because of all the tiny insects. The birds peck and peck at the insects, often knocking catkins right off the stem of the plant. It’s great fun to watch! The pussy willow is a host for the viceroy butterfly. At the time of this photo, those tiny, threadlike caterpillars were wrapped in a leaf at the base of the bush where they fell last fall. Once the shrub develops its leaves, those tiny caterpillars will crawl up the trunks and begin to eat.
A red maple (Acer rubrum, Zones 3–9) is clothed in snow against a clear winter sky. This red maple is not only a beautiful tree but is also a host to the eastern tiger butterflies that grace my gardens every year.
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.
Hibiscus Dieback Disease is typically caused by damage to the bark of a hibiscus plant’s stem. Damage may be caused by inclement weather, insect damage, pruning, impact, or other events that compromise the plants’ bark.
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Injured bark allows bacteria (Erwinia sp) or fungus (Botrytis) to enter the plants’ tissues and can cause disease. In some cases, bacteria or fungus may be introduced by a spent bloom that does not fall entirely away from the plant.
What Can Cause For Hibiscus To Have Dieback Disease?
If it gets stuck against the plant’s stem and then begins to decay, it will cause stem rot and disease. This is most likely to happen in cool, damp weather when fungal spores are abundant.
Occasionally, bacteria or fungus will take hold in a damp flower. The infection will spread to the plant through the flower’s stem when this happens.
In all of these instances, you may be able to stop the rot from spreading because it starts at a single point on the hibiscus plants’ stem, so the plant is only partially affected.
This is a genuine dieback disease. If you can identify it quickly enough, prune away the damaged tissues and treat the pruned surfaces with the appropriate antifungal or antibacterial product, you should be able to save your plant.
If the infection starts low on the plant (or in the roots) and spreads to the entire plant, you are actually dealing with wilt disease. In this case, you are often better off simply destroying that plant and starting over.
How Can You Tell If Your Hibiscus Has Dieback Disease?
When dieback is caused by bacteria introduced by injury to bark, the bacteria will move through the affected area of the plant and accumulate in the tips of the stems.
In this case, the damage to the plant will begin at the stem tips and spread downward. Existing leaves will fall, and no new leaves will grow. The affected portion of the plant will simply become diseased and unhealthy while yet-to-be-affected parts continue to do well.
If a fungus causes the dieback (e.g., Botrytis cinerea, Botrytis blight, or Gray mold), you will notice that papery, tan spots or gray, fuzzy mold spots mar the flowers.
You may also see round brown or tan leaf spots in the shape of concentric circles. You will especially notice this if affected flowers have fallen, become stuck, and come in prolonged contact with the leaves.
How Can You Treat Dieback Disease?
If your plant is affected in one area by dieback disease, prune the damaged parts off completely and neatly. For outdoor hibiscus, it is best to do this in the springtime.
Follow these steps to prune away diseased parts of your plant:
1. When pruning, remember to use a very sharp, sterile cutting implement. Sterilize the blades between cuts.
2. Before pruning, carefully examine your plant to determine where the infection began. This will be a discolored or damaged area of the stem. You may see that the leaves just above the wound are wilted.
3. To remove the infected part of the stem, look below the wound and identify where the healthy stem begins.
4. Make a clean cut at a 45-degree angle, a quarter inch above a node located on a healthy part of the stem.
5. Put the damaged branch or stem right into the trash. Don’t lay it on the ground or put it in compost, as this will allow the disease to spread.
6. Examine the cut you have made. You are done if the wood inside the branch looks healthy, white, and clean. If it’s dark or streaky, you need to cut it off more. You can continue working your way down the branch until you find clean wood, or to be entirely safe, just cut the whole branch off.
7. When you finish pruning, seal the cuts with canning or grafting wax. Another option is to paint the cut with a Copper biocide. Be sure to follow the packaging instructions when using this product.
How Can You Prevent Hibiscus Dieback Disease?
Practicing good hygiene and plant care habits will help prevent this disease.
Follow these tips to prevent Hibiscus Dieback Disease:
1. Be sure to wash up before handling and pruning your plants. Wear disposable gloves, and change them between plants.
2. Prune away the dead wood, damaged branches, and foliage promptly and neatly.
3. Do not overcrowd your plants.
4. Maintain good air circulation to discourage mold growth.
5. Avoid frequent overhead watering. Water in the morning, at ground level, to keep the soil moist, not soggy. During very dry weather, you can give your plants a thorough shower a couple of times a month on bright, dry days.
6. Be vigilant about insect pests. Deal with them promptly to prevent them from causing damage to your plants.
7. Remove garden debris and weeds near your hibiscus plants.
8. Keep your soil healthy with worm castings, organic matter, and beneficial fungi amendments.
9. Deadhead your hibiscus promptly to remove blooms when they begin to fade.
10. Be sure to cut away the flower stems completely and neatly.
11. Avoid handling or pruning your plants during wet weather.
12. Apply fungicidal products promptly if you notice even the slightest mold development. Recommended products include:
Potassium bicarbonate
Thiophanate-methyl
Copper hydroxide
Mancozeb
Be sure to choose the right product for indoor or outdoor use. Follow packaging directions carefully for best results.
Healthy Hibiscus Plants Fight Off Pests & Disease
If you can provide your hibiscus with the sun, warmth, fertile soil, steady moisture, and shelter from harsh winds it needs to survive and thrive, it is far less likely to become diseased, even if its bark is damaged.
It will also be better able to fight off pest infestation. Take care to provide your plants with the right environment, and follow the tips presented here to protect your hibiscus from dieback disease.
A prolific hybrid, the fruit has a full, sweet flavor that’s ideal for fresh snacking or roasted on the grill.
‘Baby Boomer’ develops fruit in 50 to 55 days on plants that reach 20 to 25 inches. The branches become heavily laden, and a cage or other support is recommended.
Pick up packages of 30 seeds and starter plants from Burpee.
2. Maglia Rosa
Tomatoes don’t get any prettier than ‘Maglia Rosa.’ With two to three-inch ovate fruits in mottled shades of pink and orange, they hang like large clusters of jewels.
These tasty gems are delightful growing in containers, or draping from a hanging basket. Harvest just as they turn pink for an enticing flavor – lightly acidic, rich, and sweet.
The semi-determinate, open-pollinated plants grow 24 to 36 inches and tomatoes ripen in 70 days.
Plants grow to approximately 60 inches and mature in 64 days. Delicious and exotic, these little gems are great for snacks and add rich flavor to bruschetta, pizzas, and salsas.
This variety is naturally disease resistant, and seeds can be collected for propagation.
‘Black Pearl’ has a beautifully rich, deep mahogany color and its heirloom heritage as a hybrid cross of ‘Black Cherry’ provides a delightful, complex flavor – sweet with a rich, tangy bite.
The vigorous vines are laden with dark clusters of one-and-a-half-inch tomatoes that are produced until fall.
Plants grow to 60 inches and require cages or stakes for support. Fruits are tasty for snacking or lovely in bruschetta and pizza, and they mature in 65 days.
A sweet, juicy option with a delicate flavor, the ovate, one-inch fruits of hybrid ‘Green Envy’ ripen to a deep, translucent emerald green.
Plants produce continuously until fall. The firm and meaty tomatoes are well suited to grilling or roasting, and add a light, fresh flavor to salads and salsas.
Sugary sweet with a mild, low-acid taste, ‘Italian Ice’ is a prolific hybrid plant with large clusters of one-inch fruits in a soft, creamy yellow hue.
Large clusters set throughout summer until plants are killed by frost.
The deep coloring comes from the presence of anthocyanin pigments – healthy antioxidants that make for a tasty, guilt-free snack.
The high-yielding hybrid plants produce one-and-a-half-inch fruits with a pronounced, balanced taste and meaty texture that are ideal for salads and the grill.
The vines grow 72 to 84 inches and fruit can be harvested in 65 to 70 days.
Highly nutritious with a high vitamin A content, the fruit is thin skinned but with excellent crack resistance. They’re also resistant to fusarium wilt and tobacco mosaic virus.
The robust hybrid vines are large, growing 84 to 108 inches, and require caging for support. Fruits mature in 62 days.
Sweet and flavorful, ‘Power Pops’ produce bright red one-inch fruits that ripen two weeks before other cherry types.
Part of Burpee’s Boost Collection of veggies, plants are bred for higher levels of antioxidants – with 40 percent more carotenoids and 55 percent more lycopene than your typical commercial tomato.
One of the most popular cherries, hybrid ‘Sungold’ has tangerine-orange fruits with firm flesh that form in long, hefty clusters on highly prolific vines that set until fall.
The one-inch globes have a delicious, sweetly tropical taste.
A sweet favorite for the grill, salsa, salads, and snacks, this prolific plant can reach 90 to 144 inches and requires sturdy caging – vines will grow up and over the top and back down the other side.
This hybrid is resistant to fusarium wilt, nematodes, and verticillium wilt. Fruits mature in 65 days and are perfect for drying, snacks, salads, and even juice.
A flavorful favorite thanks to its high sugar content, ‘Sweetie’ is an heirloom that produces large clusters of fruit early and abundantly over a long season.
The one to two-inch globes are very sweet and can be used for juice and preserves without any additional sugar.
The fruits ripen in 80 days and are delicious fresh, on the grill, or made into preserves. The long vines grow up to 90 inches and require cages or stakes for support.
Seeds can be collected and stored for propagation.
Fun and easy to grow on vigorous vines, these bite-sized gems make a pretty, bountiful crop. And they’re perfect for a healthy snack – a win/win veggie!
For small decks or patio gardens, choose the compact, determinate varieties. And where they have more room to grow, select indeterminate ones – but remember to provide supports like cages or trellises when you plant.
Whatever you choose, there’s something suitable for every location in our collection of the best cherry tomatoes to plant in your garden.
Tell us about your favorites in the comments below. And for more tomato know-how, check out these guides next:
When you hear the word “fern,” you probably picture those arching, lacy fronds growing in the humus-rich understory of forests.
You’re not wrong, but staghorns are also part of this ancient group of plants, which first emerged from swamps before humans populated the earth.
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Staghorns and elkhorns, affectionately called platys, look like some kind of tropical prehistoric beasts clinging to a tree, and I can only imagine the first time a human stumbled on a massive specimen.
I bet their eyes bugged right out of their head. To me, some of the large, crowned species seem like they could be mistaken for lions, grasping the trunks.
In recent years, these ferns have become more and more popular as gardeners have come to appreciate the unique, striking appearance of these species.
I remember a year or so ago when Trader Joe’s briefly carried some staghorn ferns that could be bought for a song, and plant lovers were all abuzz.
It’s easy to see why: They’re fairly easy to care for once you master the art of mounting and remounting, but they often look like you put in years of effort to master the cultivation process.
If you’re ready to learn more about these dramatic plants, here’s everything we’ll go over in this guide:
The first time I tried growing a staghorn fern, I was convinced I would kill it.
They just seem too unusual and exotic to be as easy to care for as, say, a pothos. Turns out, they’re pretty unfussy.
What Is a Staghorn Fern?
There are over a dozen species of ferns in the Platycerium genus that commonly go by the name “staghorn” or “elkhorn” fern.
Typically, those with thinner fronds are called elkhorns, and those with thicker ones are described as staghorns.
It’s pretty easy to see where these names come from.
The fronds distinctly resemble antlers, and the genus name is Greek for flattened (platys) and horn (ceras). There’s really no question about what makes these magnificent plants instantly recognizable, is there?
What sets the various species apart from one another is the amount, shape, and distance between the foliar fronds, as well differences in spore and pup growth.
The most commonly grown species in homes across the globe is P. bifurcatum.
There’s a good reason why this one is so popular: It’s much more forgiving and tolerant than some of the other species, which require very specific conditions to thrive.
Regardless of the species, all of these ferns are epiphytes, which means they grow attached to another plant. They’re not parasites, though. They only use the other plants as a structure to live on, and they don’t take nutrients from it.
They also show evidence of eusociality, which is when a group of organisms live and function in a cooperative group.
Ants provide the most well-known example of eusociality in nature, but a recent study published in The Scientific Naturalist by Victoria University biologist K. C. Burns, naturalist Ian Hutton, and evolutionary biologist Lara Shepherd, found that platys might be the first plants known to exhibit eusocial behavior.
All species also have basal fronds, which are round, heart-shaped, or kidney-shaped non-reproductive fronds that grow over the roots like a shield to protect them. These eventually turn brown as they mature, but they start out green.
Some of these basal fronds will curl upwards to catch food and water as it falls from the forest canopy. Over time, this falling debris forms a sort of compost that the plant uses as a nutrient source.
For the most part, the compost is made up of dirt and dead plant matter, but this plant doesn’t discriminate. Bugs and small dead birds or mammals can also contribute to this nutrient-rich substrate.
The antler-like fertile fronds that grow from the basal shields are called foliar fronds.
These can either be upright or drooping, and they may be long, flat, arching, and branching or forked into several segments along their length.
This shape is thought to be functional, serving to guide water down the length of the frond to the roots, kind of like a slippery slide.
The foliar fronds are green, but they can appear grayish-blue or silver because they’re covered in a fuzzy, dust-like coating of hairs called trichomes.
These hairs help capture moisture in the air for the plant to use, and they reduce the amount of water that evaporates out of the fronds.
The first time I bought a staghorn fern, I figured it had gotten super dusty, so I tried wiping the fronds “clean.” Don’t do that. The plants need these hairs.
Some staghorns produce a single rhizome but most send out pups that form their own rhizomes, so each plant or group of plants, also known as a colony, can become quite large. It’s not unheard of for them to grow over 10 feet wide.
There are three defined species groups for ferns in this genus, known as complexes: bifurcatum (bifurcatum, hillii, veitchii, and willinckii), Malaysian-Asiatic (coronarium, holttumii, grande, ridleyi, superbum, wallichii, and wandae), and Afro-American (alcicorne, andinum, elephantosis, ellisii, madagascariense, quardridichotomum, and stemaria).
Species belonging to these complexes, as described parenthetically above, share certain characteristics and common DNA.
Cultivation and History
Native to tropical rainforests and temperate regions of Java, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia, staghorn ferns have been in cultivation for centuries.
The Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England was famous for their Platycerium during the 1800s, particularly the veitchii species, which was probably named for them.
In our homes, staghorns require attentive care to keep them happy, but certain species have become invasive outdoors in places like Florida and Hawaii.
This gives you an indication of the kind of environment this plant prefers: one that’s warm and humid. It can be cultivated outside in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 and up, but most gardeners opt to grow staghorns indoors.
If you want to see a particularly stunning example of this type of plant in North America, visit the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in California, where they have a massive, half-century-old specimen that’s about 10 feet wide, and weighs about 250 pounds.
There are dozens of hybrids in cultivation too, including the popular P. x mentelosii (a cross of P. superbum and P. stemaria), P. x Lucy, P. x African Oddity (both crosses of P. alcicorne and an unknown parent), and P. x Silver Velvet (a cross between P. elephantotis and P. willinckii).
Propagation
Ferns can be propagated in many different ways, but as you’d expect from a plant that looks so different from other types of ferns, staghorns have unique propagation requirements.
From Spores
Just as with most ferns, staghorns produce spores that you can use to propagate new plants.
The process involves taking the spores from a mature plant when they’re ripe and placing them in a growing medium. Then, you nurture the spores as they mature.
Several species can only be propagated from collected spores because they don’t produce offshoots. We’ll talk about those in a bit.
From Seedlings
Most of us are going to buy little baby staghorns from the store or plant nursery initially. It’s the easiest way to get going.
When you purchase a staghorn fern, most of the time it will be potted in soil, though you can sometimes find them already growing on wood, in baskets, or in special epiphyte displays.
These latter options are usually older, larger plants, and you don’t need to do anything with them in terms of repotting or anchoring to a new substrate. Just start growing them as described below.
For those who purchase their staghorns in soil, you’ll have an extra step to complete. Let them develop in the soil for a little while until some of the basal fronds start to turn brown.
Now it’s time to move them to a better situation. While these ferns can survive in soil, they’ll do much better in a lighter, soilless medium, whether you grow them vertically or with the roots growing down into a medium.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
You could replant them when the basal fronds are still green, but you’ll need to be extremely careful. These green fronds are young and easily damaged.
When you’re ready to move your baby staghorn to a soilless display, take it out of its container and brush or wash away all of the soil.
You can do this at any time of year, but fall is best because the plant isn’t yet growing its new fronds, which are easily damaged when they’re young as noted above.
Wrap the roots in coconut coir or sphagnum moss and secure them with twine, netting, or mesh.
Attach the little package that you just made on your chosen surface, whether that’s a piece of driftwood, the interior of a basket, or something like a moss ball holder.
These moss ball holders from Esterno, which are five and a half inches in diameter and available on Amazon, would make an adorable display for young platys.
After a few years, you’ll want to upgrade to something larger if you choose something of this size.
By Division
If you have a rambunctious little guy, go ahead and divide it up. This is a good job for the springtime.
To do this, carefully lift up the basal fronds and examine the roots. Look for a division with its own rhizome and fronds emerging from it. You want to be sure the pup has roots, fertile fronds, and basal fronds.
Use a knife to gently cut the pup, roots and all, away from the rest of the plant.
Now you can wrap it in a soilless medium as described above in the section on propagating seedlings.
How to Grow
Staghorn fern fronds absorb water, and that’s a major way that these plants obtain their moisture, so they need to grow somewhere that’s humid. At the same time, they also need water at the root level.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Imagine one of these plants in its natural environment – it receives rain regularly, and the humidity level is generally around 70 percent.
If you grow yours in less humidity, you’ll need to water more often to make up the difference. You can also use a humidifier, mist the leaves regularly, or grow them in a humid room like the bathroom.
If you’re growing in soil, you need to be extremely cautious about watering. Wait until the fronds have started to droop slightly and the soil feels dry on the surface and up to an inch down before watering.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Growing without soil? Water whenever the moss or whatever medium you’re using dries out. It doesn’t need to stay consistently moist, but it’s really difficult to overwater a mounted plant since the water just runs right through.
I know it probably feels weird to let a fern become so dry, but the thick leaves can store a lot of water, and the roots are prone to rot. If in doubt, water less often than you think you should.
However, staghorns seem to do better with more water if it’s unchlorinated, so the risk of providing too much water is likely more of an issue related to chemically treated municipal water with too much chlorine rather than too much actual water.
Rain water or reverse osmosis filtered water with a low pH is best.
If you’re growing yours outside, be sure to bring the plant inside before temperatures drop below freezing, or as temperatures approach whatever limit your particular species can withstand.
Most species can survive brief periods with temperatures ranging down to the mid-20s, but not all. And anything but much longer than a few hours of extreme cold will kill them.
Most species need bright, indirect light to thrive. Some can tolerate more or less light, and a few species can even handle direct sun for a few hours.
Gardeners cultivating staghorn ferns outside might need to provide protection using shade cloths during the winter when deciduous trees lose their leaves. Just keep an eye on your plant and gauge how much sun it’s receiving throughout each season.
If you want to take your plants outside during the summer, assuming they aren’t known to become invasive in your area, go for it. Just be sure to bring them back in if temperatures in the evening are going to dip below 40°F.
You might want to harden them off to the outdoors gradually unless you’ve cultivated your indoor plants in lots of light. That way, they’ll have time to acclimate to the brighter light you typically find outdoors, even in shady spots.
If you’ve ever hardened off seedlings, it’s the same process.
Take the staghorn and put it where you intend to grow it, and leave it there for an hour. The next day, make it two hours. Keep adding an hour until you have a full eight hours, and then you can leave your plant outdoors full-time while conditions permit.
During the spring and summer, fertilize once a month with a mild, balanced liquid fertilizer when you water the roots. In the fall and winter, when the plant is dormant, feed once every three months.
I’m a fan of Dr. Earth Pump & Grow because it comes in a handy pump bottle, is mild and balanced, and is made using recycled scraps from grocery store waste.
You might have heard of people feeding their platys by placing a banana or banana peel at the base, and you can certainly do that if you want.
I find it works better on outdoor plants. Indoors, it just smells and attracts bugs. It’s also not a complete food source, so you’ll want to feed with a regular fertilizer as described above as well.
When it comes to choosing a mount, you’re only limited by your imagination and the size of your fern. Most people opt for wood planks, with redwood being particularly popular. You can also use baskets, pieces of cork, driftwood, or coconut husk boards.
You can even find pre-made wood boards that look like miniature pallets. These give you lots of spots to secure your plant and they can be quite large and sturdy.
Growing Tips
Fertilize once in fall and again in winter, monthly in spring and summer.
Humidity around 70 percent is ideal.
Allow the medium to dry out between watering.
Pruning and Maintenance
Now and then, a frond will be damaged or one will dry up and wither. Remove these at the base with a clean pair of scissors or clippers. Otherwise, no additional pruning is necessary.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Remounting, which is the epiphyte version of repotting, is often necessary and should be done in the late fall, just before the new basal fronds start to emerge.
If you see roots growing out of the medium, it’s time to remount.
To remount, remove some of the media from around the roots. You don’t need to take it all away from the roots, just knock away anything that’s loose.
Add more moss, coir, or whatever you’re using. The roots should be padded with a good inch or two of the medium so they have room to grow, and so there’s plenty of medium to catch the water and nutrients you provide.
Then, resecure the root ball and medium with your chosen material (twine, netting, etc.) and place it on or in your support.
Species and Cultivars to Select
When it comes to picking a staghorn fern for your collection, most of the time, you’re going to come across P. bifurcatum species unless you go to a place that specializes in unusual and rare plants.
If the seller doesn’t specify, assume that it is this species.
In addition to P. bifurcatum, the following list includes some of the more common options that work well as houseplants:
Andinum
P. andinum is quite distinctive, with a raised crown of narrow basal fronds and narrow, heavily segmented and lobed, hanging fertile fronds.
These fronds also feature prominent veins. This plant is typically longer than it is wide, and individual fronds can grow up to five feet long.
This is the only plant in the genus native to the Americas, and it grows in the Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia. It’s commonly known as American staghorn.
This fern needs to dry out completely between watering and must have good ventilation. It’s also extremely challenging to grow from spores.
Bifurcatum
As we mentioned, this species is the most common type grown as a houseplant, hence the moniker common staghorn fern.
It grows about three feet tall and wide, on average, though it can be much larger.
The basal fronds are heart-shaped, while the foliar fronds are strappy and forked, each growing up to three feet long.
All species in the bifurcatum complex including this species as well as P. hillii, P. veitchii, and P. willinckii form spores on just the tips of their fronds.
‘Netherlands’ has foliar fronds that grow upright before curling slightly at the ends. It can tolerate direct sun. This is the most common P. bifurcatum cultivar.
If you want to give it a go, grab a live ‘Netherlands’ plant in a three-inch pot from Wellspring Gardens on Amazon.
‘Forgii’ has narrower fronds that are dramatically forked. ‘South Seas’ features long fingers.
Coronarium
P. coronarium hails from Southeast Asia and the East Indies, where it grows on trees tall enough to accommodate its incredibly long foliar fronds, which can reach up to 15 feet long.
This is another challenging species to grow, but once established, it’s much more hardy than other species. In the wild, in its native Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan, the plants usually form rings around the trunk of their host tree.
The basal shields become extremely corky and thick, with long, strappy, branching fertile fronds. Young basal growth has distinct, raised veins.
This species grows separate fertile and foliar fronds with thick stalks. This is something that sets it apart from other species, which form spores on every fertile frond.
This species is considered one of the most difficult to grow.
Elephantotis
The elephant ear or Angola staghorn, P. elephantotis, isn’t for beginners, or for anyone who keeps the thermostat set low.
It won’t tolerate temperatures below 60°F and prefers to be in the 80 to 90°F range.
The massive, heart-shaped shields die in the spring and the dead edges should be removed to promote a tidier appearance and upright growth in the newly emerging shields.
The wide, veined, foliar fronds are deep green and don’t branch or fork at all. They truly resemble green elephant ears.
This species is sensitive to overwatering, but it will perk right back up if you let it wilt between waterings. It also prefers brighter light than most species.
Up for a challenge? Bring home a three- to eight-inch-tall platy pachyderm from Wellspring Gardens, available via Amazon.
Grande
Grand staghorns (P. grande) are just that, with their wide, fan-shaped basal fronds acting as a base for narrow, drooping, unbranched foliar fronds that can grow up to six feet in length.
Though this species doesn’t form pups, a single plant can spread up to four feet wide.
This is a difficult species to grow, unable to tolerate temperatures below 40°F.
It can’t tolerate too much heat, or too much or little water, or too little humidity either. It also is a solitary species, meaning it only has one rhizome, so the only way to propagate it is by collecting spores.
For these reasons, you won’t often find giant staghorns in stores.
Often mistaken for P. superbum, they were once classified as the same species. P. grande is nearly extinct in the Philippines, where it’s originally from.
Hillii
The broad foliar fronds on P. hillii only grow to two or three feet long, but what it lacks in dramatic length, it makes up for in style.
With round or heart-shaped basal fronds and upright, forked fertile fronds, it bears an uncanny resemblance to a mounted set of antlers.
Some cultivars have extremely pronounced veins, and some have long, narrow fingers while others have short, wide fingers on the broad fronds.
It’s a robust, tolerant species that usually sends out copious amounts of offshoots.
‘Hula Hands’ has particularly short and wide fingers, while ‘Jimmie’ has long fingers.
Stemaria
Also known as the triangle staghorn, this African species has large, round, wavy basal fronds and shiny, wide fertile fronds with long fingers.
Each finger can be half as long as the overall length of the main frond. These fingers usually fork multiple times on each frond.
This species does best in lower light. Look for cultivars like ‘Laurentii,’ which can tolerate brighter light, ‘Hawke,’ with its extremely wide foliar fronds, and ‘White,’ which has extremely hairy fronds that almost appear white on the underside.
Superbum
This Australian native is gorgeous, though it’s a bit more difficult to grow than some other species. It has naturalized in Hawaii, but elsewhere with less-than-ideal conditions, it doesn’t always do so well.
If you do manage to keep it happy, you’re in for a real treat. Hobbyists prize this staghorn.
When it’s young, it looks a lot like P.grande – and was once classified as such. The foliar fronds are light green and can grow up to three feet wide and six feet long. The leaves are heavily lobed with lots of long fingers.
As it matures, the shield fronds are also heavily lobed and deeply veined, and may grow up to four feet tall and wide, with raised edges.
‘Cabbage’ and ‘Cabbage Dwarf’ are the two most common cultivars. Both have compact growth that makes them appear cabbage-like. The only difference is in their size.
Veitchii
If you want a staghorn that can handle full sun, this is a good species to choose.
P. veitchii or the silver elkhorn can tolerate full sun and temperatures up to 120°F, as may occur from time to time in its native Australia.
It’s petite, with extremely thin and strappy, finger-like fronds covered in so much hair that they appear nearly silver. The fertile fronds grow upright in bright sun and are more weeping in lower light.
This is one of the most drought-tolerant species, so it won’t scold you if you neglect your watering schedule a bit.
‘Lemoinei’ has brighter green fronds and does well in lower light, though it’s less tolerant of drought. This is probably because those lighter fronds have fewer hairs, so they’re less able to gather moisture.
The ‘Silver Frond’ cultivar has fronds that are more distinctly silver than those of the species plant and, yep, it’s extremely drought-tolerant.
Sound enticing? Bring one home in a three-inch pot from Amazon.
Wandae
P. wandae is known as the queen staghorn, and for good reason.
It’s massive, with a tall crown of upright shields that can reach four or five feet. The fertile fronds hang down and are deeply lobed and rippling.
Sensitive to cold, this Papua New Guinea native needs to be cultivated somewhere with temperatures between 60 and 100°F.
It doesn’t send out pups, and there aren’t many cultivars available, so these can be hard to find.
Because of its size, this staghorn really does better outdoors than it does inside. Plus, more than other species, it seems to need gentle wind to help it develop strong growth.
Willinckii
The Java staghorn comes from Australia, Java, and other parts of southern Asia.
A member of the bifurcatum complex, this fern has tall, deeply lobed shields that rise like a crown. The fertile fronds grow up to six feet long, and they’re narrow and twisting.
‘Bloomei’ has prominent veins and fronds that start out quite narrow but flare dramatically at the tips.
However, note that ‘Bloomei’ is possibly a P. hillii cultivar – the jury is still out. The two species are extremely similar, but this cultivar appears to have more in common with the willinckii species. Isn’t botany fun!?
‘Java,’ ‘Scofield,’ and ‘Little Will’ are some other common cultivars. ‘Scofield’ is a particularly tough and tolerant cultivar, so it’s excellent to grow if you’re just starting with this plant.
Managing Pests and Disease
Given the right environmental conditions, you probably won’t run into pest or disease problems too often. Catch problems early, and they’ll rarely harm your plant much at all.
Insects
There are really just two bugs to watch out for. Mealybugs are the most common, followed closely by scale.
Both insects are in the order Hemiptera and both feed on the sap of plants, causing wilting, yellowing, and browning of foliage.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are flat, sap-sucking insects that are often mistaken for a sign of disease rather than a pest.
That’s because they don’t move very quickly, they tend to cluster in groups, and many species have a white, waxy coating that makes them look a lot like a fungal disease.
On platys, they’ll cluster at the base and drain the sap from the plant. Don’t let them!
Patient gardeners can use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to wipe each insect. This removes the protective covering and eventually kills them.
Platys like a lot of humidity and moisture, but there can be too much of a good thing. Overwatering or poor air circulation can invite fungal issues.
By the way, don’t panic if the underside of the leaves starts to look brown. These are the spores. If the upper side starts to turn brown, it’s usually due to too much light or too much water.
Black Spot
This disease, caused by fungi in the Rhizoctonia genus, is sneaky.
It starts out as tiny black spots at the base of the shields that are hard to see because of the overlapping nature of the basal fronds. These spots eventually begin to turn mushy. Before long, your plant is toast.
The fungi that cause this disease just love a warm, wet, humid spot, so watch out.
If black spot does come to visit your platy, grab yourself some Mycostop tout de suite! Better yet, keep some on hand. It’s incredibly effective against many of the worst fungal jerks.
Arbico Organics carries it in five- and 25-gram packets. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to the letter, and your plant should bounce back in no time.
Root Rot
Root rot is common in many plant species. In staghorns, it’s most common in plants that are grown in soil.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Overwatering often smothers the roots, and they essentially drown. The solution there, of course, is to water less and make sure your pot provides excellent drainage.
In mounted plants, root rot is usually caused by oomycetes or fungi rather than physically drowning the roots. Pythium and Fusarium species are the usual culprits.
It’s hard to see initially because the symptoms start at the roots, turning them brown and mushy. Above the roots, the plant wilts and stays wilted, even after watering.
Once again, get yourself some Mycostop and get to work.
Best Uses
While they can make cute potted specimens, these are really plants that beg to be mounted on a wall or tree.
They look incredibly interesting, and they’ll be happier if they’re grown that way.
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Plant Type:
Evergreen epiphytic fern
Flower/Foliage Color:
Medium green, silver, blue, dark green
Native to:
South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania
Maintenance:
Moderate
Hardiness (USDA Zones):
9-12
Tolerance:
Some drought
Bloom Time:
Evergreen
Soil Type:
Sphagnum moss, coco coir; loose, rich. loamy for potted plants
Have you ever seen a wall full of platys? They’re so cool and so striking.
It’s like a living piece of art, but that extra impact doesn’t really require any extra effort. It’s just a matter of understanding how to keep staghorns happy.
I can’t wait to hear about your platy-growing adventures. What species are you growing?
Did you nab yourself your very first bifurcatum? Or are you opting for something a little different? Maybe you’re challenging yourself with an elephantotis? Fill us in via the comment section below.
Crazy about ferns? Me too!
If you’re curious to learn more about these prehistoric plants, you might want to give a few of our other guides a glance. Here are some good ones to start with:
Do you use essential oils to support your wellbeing or to fragrance your home?
Essential oils used to be mostly associated with spa days and professional aromatherapy treatments, but nowadays they’re a firm fixture in many home routines too. More and more of us are discovering the many benefits that essential oils can have on our wellbeing and home environment on a daily basis.
I started using essential oils for wellbeing and home fragrance a couple of years ago, and quickly became a convert. They’re so convenient and cost-effective, and if you use a quality brand you can avoid the nasty synthetic ingredients that you find in some candles and beauty products.
I’ve been trying out some essential oils from Nikura recently. Read on to find out more about their range and values.
About Nikura essential oils
Nikura is a UK business specialising in high quality essential oils. All their essential oils are 100% pure and natural, ethically sourced, free from animal testing, and vegan friendly.
The range is impressive, with a wide selection of essential oils, essential oil blends and fragrance oils, plus gift sets and starter kits.
What are essential oil blends?
Essential oil blends are made by combining a number of pure essential oils to create a unique fragrance and set of benefits.
Nikura’s range of essential oil blends are created by their expert in-house team, and are designed to target specific wellness needs.
I’ve been using the Essential Oil Blends Gift Set – let’s take a look at it in more detail.
Nikura essential oil blends gift set
The Nikura Essential Oil Blends Gift Set retails at £6.99 and contains five of their most popular essential oil blends. Citrus, floral, warming and earthy blends are all included.
Anti-Anxiety is a blend of bergamot, lavender and ylang ylang essential oils. As the name suggests, it’s good for moments of stress and can be used to support a return to calm.
Citrus Relief combines bitter orange, lime, grapefruit and cypress essential oils to deliver a zesty lift.
Relax and Unwind is a soothing blend of bergamot, lavender and lemongrass essential oils that will help create a peaceful vibe and relieve stress.
Sweet Dreams is designed to improve quality and length of sleep, with a blend of cedarwood, lavender, lemon verbena and ylang ylang essential oils.
Four Thieves has cleansing and protective properties, and contains clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils.
You can use these essential oil blends in lots of different ways. For home fragrance they’re ideal for oil burners and diffusers, or you can add them to potpourri and use them in homemade candles. They’re also suitable for adding to your bath, mixing with an unscented body oil or lotion, and using in homemade soaps. You can even combine them with a carrier oil to create an aromatherapy massage.
My experience of using Nikura essential oil blends
I’m using these five essential oil blends in lots of different ways to support the family’s wellbeing.
The Citrus relief blend is perfect for when you want to focus your mind. I’ve been struggling to get back into the swing of work after the Christmas break, and using this blend in my office is definitely helping me to feel more alert and invigorated.
My eldest has GCSE’s this year, and the tension is already building. I’ve started to use the Anti-Anxiety blend in an oil burner in our living areas, to help dial down the stress and encourage positivity. The Relax and Unwind blend is another good option to help everyone switch off after a busy day. They both make the room smell great too.
There are lots of winter coughs and sniffles in our house at the moment, so the decongestant and cleansing properties of Four Thieves have been helping everyone feel more clear-headed. We’ve used it in an oil burner, and also added a few drops to the bath where the steam really boosts the effects.
The Sweet Dreams blend has a lovely scent, and is perfect for winding down at the end of the day. I’ve added a few drops to potpourri in my bedroom so it can deliver its benefits throughout the night.
I’m glad I’ve discovered the Nikura range of essential oils. I love their credentials, the blends we’ve tried are great quality, and the range caters for pretty much every wellness need. I’m also really impressed with the value for money. The oils are very reasonably priced, and a lot cheaper than many other essential oil brands. I’m looking forward to exploring the range more and adding to my Nikura collection.
You can find out more about the Nikura range here. Which of their products would help to support your wellbeing?
Nikura supplied me with an Essential Oil Blends Gift Set for review purposes. All comments and opinions are honest and based on my experience of using the products.
Knowing when to water your plants is key to having a green thumb. If you have a tendency to forget to water your plants or are a helicopter plant parent with a watering can, you may be watering wrong. Here’s how often you should water houseplants, based on what they’re telling you!
In this post, we’ll cover:
How Often Should You Water Houseplants?
How often you need to water a plant depends on the type of plant you have and the time of year. The best way to determine if it’s time to water is by touching the soil.
Stick your finger in the potting soil up to the first knuckle, or grab a little to do a moisture test. Wet soil will be cool to the touch and stay stuck together in clumps. The dry soil is crumbly and scratchy.
Let the plant dry between waterings, then give it a good deep watering.
Signs It’s Time to Water Houseplants
The soil will be your biggest indicator, but also keep an eye out for these signs in your houseplants:
Plants need the most water during the summer due to the heat and growth season. I check my houseplants 2-3 times a week in the summer for moisture.
During high heat, you may need to water houseplants every other day. This is especially true for wilty plants like coleus or peperomia.
Winter
Just like outside, many houseplants slow down their growth in the winter. This means they require much less water than they do in the summer.
I reduce my houseplant checks to once a week. In most cases, you won’t need to water your plants. But if a plant is by a heater or other source of warmth, it may dry out quickly even though it’s winter.
Succulents
Succulents need a fair amount less water than their tropical houseplants, but it doesn’t mean they don’t need any water.
In the winter, succulents go dormant. During the winter, you typically only need to water once a month.
In the summer, you can water them once a week if they’re in a high-heat location or every other week. They’re fairly drought tolerant, and most people tend to overwater their succulents.
Proper drainage is essential to prevent root rot and water properly. Place your plant in a container with drainage holes.
If you prefer a closed-bottom plant pot, line the bottom with pebbles and landscape fabric to create space for water to drain. Alternatively, you can leave the plant in the plastic nursery container and place it inside a closed-bottom pot.
Frequently Asked Questions About Watering Houseplants
How long can house plants go without water?
Longer than you think! Most plants are fairly drought tolerant and can be in completely dry soil for several days before they show signs that they need watering.
Succulents may live up to 3 months, while adult tropical plants can survive 2-3 weeks. Smaller tropicals can last for about a week.
Definitely not! Watering daily is a surefire way to overwater your plant and bring it to its demise. The only time you may want to water every day is if you have an especially finicky plant and you’re currently experiencing extreme heat. Even then, perform the soil test!
This is a summertime view from my studio. Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–8) and ‘Pink Diamond’ hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’, Zones 3–8), and rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus, Zones 5–8) get ready to bloom.
These ‘PJM’ rhododendrons (Rhododendron ‘PJM’, Zones 4–8) are delightful under my studio window.
This blossom is a Blue Chiffon rose of Sharon and one of my favorites.
I have turned the backyard into a wildlife habitat, and one of the essential features is running water. The large and small birds that come to the feeders love taking baths in the stream.
Lots of hostas (Hosta hybrids, Zones 3–9), with a backdrop of ‘My Monet’ and ‘Wine and Roses’ weigela (Weigela florida, Zones 4–8)
I replaced some dying white pines (Pinus strobus, Zones 3–8) with a ‘Baby Blue’ blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Baby Blue’, Zone 2–7) and a ‘Fat Albert’ spruce (Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’, Zones 2–7). They are both over 15 feet tall now and a pleasure to watch grow and change every year. The ‘Karens’ azalea (Rhododendron ‘Karens’, Zones 5–8) in front adds spectacular color every spring.
These young mallards were hatched and incubated at home before being released in the yard. They were very friendly with my dog and cat. I released them into the wild after three months.
