Do you grow witch hazel? It is a beautiful ornamental in the home garden, and it can be harvested to make a simple, healing facial toner that reduces inflammation, acne, and fights signs of aging. In addition to that, the plant is hardy and easy to care for. Read on to find out how and why to grow this stunning, healing little tree and how to harvest and use it at home.
This post will cover…
Meet the Witch Hazel Plant!
Witch hazel has that name because it was once popularly used for water witching, or the practice of using a branch to locate water underground.
Nowadays, witch hazel plants are prized for their anti-inflammatory and skincare properties, as well as their showy wintertime blooms. A spritz of witch hazel on your skin after the shower helps tone skin and reduce redness and inflammation.
Witch hazel plants can get up to about 15 ft. at their tallest. These small trees produce beautiful, dramatic flowers in shades of yellow and red that look like starbursts. When a witch hazel flowers, it looks like a fireworks display, which is all the more stunning because it happens in winter when there is not much other colour in the garden.
You can also harvest the bark and use that to make your own distilled witch hazel water to use as a facial toner or to add to natural beauty recipes.
Witch hazel flowers look like small starbursts.
Growing a Witch Hazel Bush in the Home Garden
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis spp.) is categorized as a small tree or shrub that spans from 5-15 feet wide and up to 20-30 feet tall. There are a few common witch hazels worth noting: American witch hazel (H. virginiana), Chinese witch hazel (H. mollis), and Ozark witch hazel (H. vernalis).
H. virginiana blooms in the late fall and is listed in herbalism resources as a medicinal herb. H. vernalis blooms in January-March. H. mollis is more common in horticulture as these fragrant shrubs bloom in the late winter with larger flowers and a large variety of ornamental blooms from white to deep red.
Its base is a dense, multi-stemmed trunk that twists decoratively and creates a lovely ornamental structure. Hardy in zones 5-8, witch hazels bring gorgeous colour to the fall and winter garden. The flowers bloom can be found blooming near me (in the Pacific Northwest) in January, but you may smell the spicy, citrusy scent first! Witch hazel is easy to grow and care for if you follow these simple steps.
Witch hazel produces slightly twisted branches.
Planting Witch Hazel
Choose a sunny or partially shady location that is sheltered from wind to plant your witch hazel. This fragrant winter bloomer is ideal for planting near the front door so you can enjoy the pop of colour and the fragrance when you pass by.
Witch hazel is fairly hardy and tolerant of most sun conditions. If you live somewhere warm, opt for partial shade.
Witch Hazel Care and Pruning
Witch hazel plants need quite a bit of moisture, especially when the plants are young and still getting established, so check the soil frequently and water as needed.
Prune all damaged and dead wood on the plant once a year and remove suckers in the fall. Witch hazels generally do not need a lot of attention when it comes to pruning, as they have a naturally neat branch structure. Just clean them up a bit as needed, and they will be fine.
Be sure to hang on to the branches you have pruned, as these are what you can use to make a wonderful natural astringent (read more at the end of this post).
For more information on pruning, check out these posts:
Witch hazels also take well to espalier training if you wish to grow them in a small space.
Save witch hazel branches to make your own astringent.
Harvesting and Drying Witch Hazel
While you may just want your witch hazel for ornamental reasons, you can also harvest the bark and use that to make a gentle astringent for skin.
To harvest the bark, clip off some of the plant’s smaller branches in the spring or fall. You can remove up to a fifth of the plant without damaging it, but don’t harvest more than that at one time.
Remove all leaves and flowers from the harvested branches and use a sharp knife to peel the bark away from the branches.
You can either use the bark right away or dry it by spreading it out in a single layer in a drying tray or shallow basket in a dry location that has good air circulation. When the bark is completely dried (it will feel crispy to the touch), store it in an airtight container for future use.
Use the bark fresh or dry it to make into an astringent later.
Witch Hazel Toner
Witch hazel toner can also help to heal bruises, cuts, scrapes, insect bites, rashes, and other skin problems and can be added to many natural beauty recipes to give them healing properties.
A spritz of witch hazel on your face when you get out of the shower acts as a natural toner. Spraying it on recently shaved skin helps to prevent ingrown hairs and bumps. Don’t even get me started about how great it feels to reduce the inflammation on rashes and sunburns!
Most witch hazel toner comes from the American witch hazel (H. virginiana) or from Ozark witch hazel (H. vernalis).
I keep a bit of witch hazel toner in a small atomizer in my bathroom medicine cabinet to spray on my face after the shower, and my legs and underarms after shaving. It has a neutral pH of 5, so it’s wonderful as a toner as well as to calm down red and inflamed skin, whether it’s from cuts, scrapes, blemishes, redness, or razor rash from shaving.
Witch hazel toner can be found online and in most natural grocery stores like Whole Foods. Just look on the shelves for a natural brand of witch hazel without alcohol and add it to your own atomizer.
I use a witch hazel formula with rose added because rose tightens up pores and gives you the appearance of a fresh English Rose, but if you have acne or skin disorders on the face, then an aloe formulation may be more helpful.
Make your own witch hazel toner using the bark from American witch hazel.
Herbal Recipes That Use Witch Hazel
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
If there was one plant that embodied the spirit of Christmas, poinsettias would be at the top of the list! These cheerful red blooms may be all over, but did you know how they became associated with Christmas? Here’s the fascinating history behind the plant, plus how to care for poinsettias.
Poinsettias are everywhere we look throughout the holidays. They are for sale in pretty much any store you walk into, are a standby for school fundraisers, and can be seen in many people’s houses over the season. December 12th is even National Poinsettia Day in the United States!
Native to Mexico, the poinsettia has a deep history in the Aztec culture before it became the Christmas icon it’s known as today. Its history as a tropical plant also means many of us struggle to keep poinsettias happy and healthy during and beyond the holiday season.
That’s where I come in! I’m going to share some tips on how to care for your poinsettia, style it, and keep it alive after the holidays.
In this post, we will cover…
Poinsettias are abundant and inexpensive during the Christmas season.
All About Poinsettias
Poinsettias have become such a universal symbol for Christmas and winter that many people don’t realize that they are actually tropical plants that grow as large shrubs in the wild. By learning how to care for poinsettias and paying attention to detail, you can create a stylish poinsettia display that showcases these fiery crimson beauties.
Botany
It can be hard to picture poinsettias growing in the wild since we are so used to seeing them as houseplants. The poinsettia plant, Euphorbia pulcherrima, is native to western Mexico, where it grows into a large shrub or small tree.
The large red “petals” are actually bracts, and the small yellow centers are the flowers. Colourful bracts and small flowers are also seen on other common flowering shrubs and trees like dogwoods and hydrangeas.
Poinsettia “flowers” are actually bracts.
History and Association with Christmas
The plant was originally known to the Aztec people as cuetlaxochitl. They used the plant as medicine to reduce fever. They also commonly used it for making a red dye that coloured cosmetics and textiles.
In the wild, poinsettia naturally begins to bloom in December as a result of longer nights. Missionaries took notice of the plant in the sixteenth century and its star-shaped bracts that bring to mind the Star of Bethlehem.
The timing and shape of the poinsettia are believed to be where the original connection to the holiday came from. And you can’t deny that the red and green colours fit in perfectly!
There is a Mexican Christmas tale about the origin of the poinsettia that tells the story of a young peasant girl named Pepita who could not afford a proper offering for her Christmas prayer, so she placed a bundle of weeds on the church altar instead.
The weeds began to bloom red and turned into beautiful, large, star-shaped flowers. In Mexico, the plant became known as Flor de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve flower).
In the nineteenth century, Joel Roberts Poinsett, the United States’ first ambassador to Mexico and an avid gardener, fell in love with growing poinsettias and sent some back to his home in South Carolina, introducing them to the U.S. for the first time. The plant got its common name from Poinsett.
Joel Roberts Poinsett also has a legacy of being a slave owner and played a role in the displacement of Native Americans, leading some to reject the common name of poinsettia in favour of the original name cuetlaxochitl.
A wild poinsettia shrub.
Selecting a Pointsettia Plant
When it comes to growing poinsettias, most people purchase the plant rather than growing it from seed or propagation. They’re everywhere during the holidays and are rather affordable, too.
Begin by purchasing a plant that looks healthy. Choose one that is full and does not have discoloured leaves or other signs of disease.
I know that you can buy poinsettias in all kinds of colours now, such as blue, rainbow, and even glitter-covered ones, but I am just not a fan. If it is not some shade or combination of red and white, it is definitely dyed.
Poinsettias are beautiful when left natural, and I think that dyed flowers just look artificial and tacky, plus I don’t especially want to bring any harsh dyes into my home. The fewer chemicals, the better!
Leave the fake colours and pick a gorgeous natural poinsettia instead. You can find them in fiery red, white, cream, blush, or with candy-cane stripes!
Avoid unnaturally coloured and dyed poinsettias.
How to Care for Poinsettias
Light Requirements
Place poinsettias in a bright room that gets lots of natural light, but keep the plant out of direct sunlight. Remember, it’s a tropical plant that is used to getting plenty of sunlight.
Place it somewhere away from drafty windows or heat sources since dramatic changes in temperature can harm the plant.
Watering Requirements
Water only when the soil feels dry to the touch. Water thoroughly when you do. I water my poinsettia roughly once a week.
Temperature and Humidity
Poinsettias are tropical plants, and can be more finicky than most. So while it needs plenty of indoor lighting, to shouldn’t be by a drafty window. You want to keep it somewhere where the temperature is stable, ideally between 18°C to 21°C (65°F to 70°F).
If you live in a dry climate, consider misting your poinsettia somewhat regularly. You can also use a DIY humidity tray.
Avoid placing poinsettias by heat registers, as this can dry them out.
Styling Poinsettias
Taking a little bit of time to re-pot your poinsettia once you get it home makes a huge difference. Plant it in a decorative ceramic pot, something plain, or even a salad bowl—anything other than leaving it in that shiny foil wrapping it comes in will make it look SO much more sophisticated.
Take your poinsettia out of the foil wrap and into a salad bowl for easy decor.
How to Keep Your Poinsettia Alive
You can get reblooms every year IF you properly care for your poinsettia. The idea is to mimic greenhouse conditions. After Christmas, continue to water and care for your poinsettia as mentioned above.
Like any plant, it will shed its flowers when it’s done blooming. The bracts will start to fade and fall off. Give your poinsettia a good trim after it finishes shedding.
After the bracts have fallen, it’s also time to start fertilizing. I apply my houseplant fertilizer roughly once a month from spring through summer. The poinsettia can become leggy with all these nutrients and not enough light, so feel free to trim the stems back to six inches.
This may also be a good time to repot the plant, as its soil becomes quite compact in its original nursery containers.
How to Encourage New Poinsettia Blooms
Beginning October 1st, your plant needs to be in total and complete darkness from 5 PM to 8 AM (or 14 hours a night). Any kind of exposure to light, from streetlamps to a tiny night light, can disrupt the process. A closet is a good place to store it, along with a bowl of water for humidity. During the day, return it to a bright, indirect spot and continue with regular watering.
Do this until the last week of November (8 weeks). By then, you should begin to see the red buds coming in. You can stop placing the plant in total darkness and leave it in its usual spot. Your poinsettia doesn’t need any fertilizer during its bloom time.
Your poinsettia should produce the same coloured bracts as the previous year.
Poinsettia Toxicity and Safety
A lot of people avoid having poinsettias in the house because of the fear that they are dangerous to cats and dogs, but the plants are not as poisonous to pets as is commonly thought. They can only cause serious harm if ingested in huge amounts (your furry friend would have to eat hundreds of plants to be in real danger, according to studies).
They can cause some unpleasant tummy aches, though, so it’s best to keep them out of reach of pets anyway. For more on plants that can be harmful to dogs and cats, take a look at this post.
The milky sap can cause skin irritation to some people. If concerned, wear gloves when pruning your poinsettia.
I’m not worried about my cat, Magic, munching on poinsettia.
FAQ on Poinsettia Care
How often should I water poinsettias?
Water your poinsettias once they are dry to the touch or you notice wilting. Let them dry out completely between waterings. It’s important to have drainage for your poinsettia so it’s not sitting in water.
Do poinsettias like sun or shade?
A tropical plant from Central America, poinsettias like it hot. Give them as much bright, indirect sunlight as possible indoors. You want to make sure that they do not touch any window panes with their leaves, as it can easily damage them, as can drafty windows.
How long can I keep my poinsettia alive?
Your poinsettia is designed to make it through the holiday season. It can stay red for a couple of months with the right care, but it will eventually drop its red leaves and turn green again. If you plan on keeping your poinsettia, you can cut back the plant to 6 inches and continue with the care.
They’re difficult to get to turn red again, but you can follow the care outlined above and aim for Christmas red again!
What is the “short-day” / darkness requirement for poinsettias?
To get a poinsettia to rebloom (change its bracts’ colour), it needs to experience cooling temperatures and shorter daylight. It requires 12-15 hours of total darkness over 6-8 weeks during the fall season. This includes artificial light. If this doesn’t occur naturally in its environment, you can move the poinsettia to a dark room, like a closet, or place a large cardboard box over it for 12-15 hours.
More Winter Flowers to Grow
Rose Morris is a professional writer and Editor with an MA in English Literature. She is a member of Room Magazine’s editorial board, has written for The Malahat Review, Western Living Magazine, Concrete Garden, and elsewhere.
Rosemary can be used in so many different ways, from culinary recipes to natural beauty to pest control, and it has long been renowned for its healing properties. This plant is easy to grow and propagate, and a delicious addition to many culinary creations. Follow this essential guide to rosemary for the best tips on how to grow, care for, preserve, and use this hardy wonder herb.
Rosemary thrives in dry, rocky conditions, so it is a great choice to grow in a rock garden or on a wall. This is because it is native to the Mediterranean, where it grows wild along rocky ocean cliffs—the plant gets its name from the Latin “rosmarinus,” which means “sea mist.”
When rosemary was brought to England in the fifteenth century, it became known as a symbol of loyalty and was often given as a token of fidelity from a bride to her groom on their wedding day.
It has since travelled all over the world and become one of the most common—and well-loved—herbs for home gardens.
Let me share all of my rosemary tips and goodness with you!
Healing Rosemary Benefits
Rosemary is known for its antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties—in the sixteenth century, it was often burned to disinfect rooms that had previously been occupied by sick people.
It is also purported to have anti-stress properties and to improve focus and memory, so grab a sprig of rosemary and rub it between your hands to release the aroma if you need to study or get some work done.
Rosemary is often used as a natural painkiller for nausea and headaches by rubbing the fresh herb or diffusing rosemary essential oil.
A rosemary leaf can even help with your breath. Chew one leaf as a natural breath freshener, or add some to a batch of homemade dog cookies if your pampered pooch wakes you up in the morning with a kiss.
Rosemary is also a great herb for hair, and is a primary ingredient in this hair serum.
How to Grow Rosemary
Plant rosemary seeds about eight to ten weeks prior to the last frost of the spring. Plant in an area with well-draining soil. Rosemary can grow quite large (up to four feet tall with a four-foot spread), so make sure that you give it enough room between other plants
Be careful not to overwater, which is a common mistake with rosemary. Remember that it likes dry conditions and only water when the top two inches of soil feel very dry to the touch.
Perennial herbs like rosemary are great additions to the hardy garden.
Rosemary Plant Care
Pruning: trim rosemary back after it flowers (cut off the top inch or two of each flowering sprig) and be sure to prune regularly to keep the plant from becoming leggy.
Pests and Disease: root rot is common. To prevent it, provide good drainage and air circulation and don’t overwater. Whitefly and spider mites are common pests on rosemary plants. Prevent them by keeping your rosemary healthy and strong (they can’t do much damage to an already healthy plant), and get rid of them with a solution of water mixed with soap or neem oil applied directly to the leaves.
Propagation: snip a piece of new growth (the stem should be soft and green as opposed to woody) about five inches long. Strip off the lower leaves, place the cutting in a jar of water with a plastic sandwich bag over top for protection. When roots begin to develop, remove the cutting from the jar and plant in soil. You can also use rooting hormone to help your cutting along, if you wish. For more details on propagation, head over to this post.
Overwintering: Rosemary is hardy to Zone 6 or 7, but you can also overwinter it indoors if you would like to have fresh rosemary to use all winter long.
To overwinter outdoors, remove any weeds from around the base of the plant, give it a good prune, and cover with a two-to-four-inch layer of mulch to insulate and protect it from cold winter temperatures. See more tips on overwintering herbs.
Harvesting and Preserving Rosemary
Harvest up to one-third of the plant at a time. Try to trim the new, green stems, as opposed to the woody stems.
You can use rosemary fresh, tie the sprigs into a bundle and hang them up to dry, or store them in an airtight container for future use.
How to Use Rosemary
There are endless ways to use rosemary in cooking, natural beauty recipes, and around the home. Here are a few ideas:
Recipes
Aromatherapy and Beauty
Put a pot of rosemary or a rosemary candle on your work desk to improve focus.
My whole haircare routine revolves around rosemary, thanks to it stimulating and restoeative herbal properties. Here are all my rosemary haircare recipes: conditioner, hair serum, and dry shampoo.
Gargle with rosemary tea for a natural homemade mouthwash.
Relieve congestion by adding fresh or dried rosemary to a bowl of boiling water and breathing in the steam.
Add a bundle of rosemary to the shower to really wake you up in the morning! Or add it to a sugar scrub to exfoliate while you breathe in its energizing scent.
Home and Garden
Whether you use it for cooking, crafting, or healing, you won’t regret adding a rosemary plant to your garden!
More Helpful Tips for Growing Herbs
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Chances are, you’ve seen packets of stevia in your local coffee shop. But did you know that the stevia plant can be grown in your own backyard? Here’s everything you need to know about how to grow, harvest, and enjoy stevia leaves at home.
Stevia has become all the rage lately, and for good reason! It is a no-calorie, plant-based sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Green stevia leaves can be grown in the home garden and harvested to make a huge number of sweet-tasting recipes that won’t spike insulin or cause inflammation like sugar does.
I love the flavour of green stevia, and I regularly give visitors stevia leaves from my garden to taste. They often have the same look after tasting it: a combination of “Wow, that’s sweet” and “Hmmm, it doesn’t taste like sugar.”
That’s because people tend to think of stevia as a diet product or a sugar replacement. Even though it is often marketed that way, the stevia plant is an herb with a wonderful flavour and a great many uses. If you are trying to kick a sugar addiction, stevia very well may help, but it should also be appreciated for the herbaceous, green, sweet flavourthat is uniquely its own.
Jump ahead to…
How Growing Stevia Saved My Life
After I gave birth to my son, my hormones got all messed up, and I felt awful. I went to talk to my doctor about what could possibly be making me so tired, puffy, sluggish, and craving food all. the. time.
It didn’t make any sense to me.
I exercised regularly and followed the Canada Health guide for eating a balanced diet: everything in moderation, lean meats, a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, low fat, and whole grains. I was doing everything right.
But I felt terrible.
And I was always starving.I craved sugar like it had an all-powerful control over me, and I couldn’t figure out why. When I asked my doctor if I could possibly be insulin resistant, she said, “Oh, you most certainly are.”
I was shocked! I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me this before? Can’t you do something about it?” She replied that what you do about it is what I was already doing: following a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Clearly, that was not working.
I became insulin resistant after the birth of my son.
Saying Goodbye to Sugar
I changed my diet dramatically by cutting out all sugar: sugar, honey, maple syrup, and even fruit. Yes, even fruit.
I also cut out anything that my body could easily convert to sugar: carbs. Then, I cut out all grains and all starchy vegetables as well. Finally, I added more healthy fats into my diet, organic and grass-fed meats, and lots and lots of green vegetables.
These changes made an enormous difference in how I felt almost immediately. At first, I felt horrible. I was so sick and felt like I was going to die as I detoxed from sugar.
But then, after a few weeks, I started to get much better. I had more energy than I’ve ever had in my life. I felt much lighter and less puffy. And I lost a ton of inflammation, which helped to reduce my chronic pain dramatically.
How I Reversed Insulin Resistance
The numbers showed why I felt so much better. When I first had my blood tested, it showed a very high level of insulin resistance, and I looked like I was well on my way to developing diabetes. Within 6 months of a sugar-free diet, I’d cut that number in half. Within a year, I had completely reversed the insulin resistance. And then my doctor asked me to teach her what I had done!
It took a ton of willpower to cut out sugar for good. No sugar. At all. Not even on my birthday. Yup, that’s right, no birthday cake.
Living sugar-free is not easy. Sugar is in absolutely everything. It’s part of every celebration and social gathering. And it’s the first thing that your body wants when you’re hungry. Your body knows to ask for that quick fix of something sweet so that it can give you a burst of energy. And it tastes so good. So, so good.
I was committed to kicking sugar in all its forms so I could stop the cycle of insulin resistance and build a better life. I wanted to have the energy to be able to raise my son. And live a long life to see him grow up.
Needless to say, cutting out sugar has been a lifesaver for me. But also, it can be a bummer to have to pass on your favourite treats. I looked into how I could use something herbal and natural to create recipes that I loved that don’t replace sugar but are even better. That taste delicious, sweet, and green – just how I want to live my life!
That’s where stevia (and the stevia plant!) comes in.
The stevia you grow tastes very different than the stevia you get at the grocery store.
All About the Stevia Plant
There used to be controversy around stevia, particularly in the United States, where it was banned because there were not enough studies to say whether or not it was safe to consume. Even products like aspartame and other artificial sweeteners (oh, and sugar) were deemed safe to be sold on the market.
I won’t go into the politics behind sugar and sweeteners because there are more than enough resources out there to shed light on those issues. I can only speak to how everything that I do for my own personal health and the health of my family has to make sense and feel good to me.
In short, when I can grow an herb in my garden organically, I have a lot more trust in its safety than I do in man-made or synthetic products.
Many people don’t realize that stevia is actually a herb.
Stevia Plant Vs Powdered Stevia
The stevia that you buy at the grocery store is very different than the stevia plant you grow in your garden.
When I first tasted stevia, it was in a powder form from a packet, and it tasted quite bitter and very sweet. Honestly, I did not like it at all. But when I started growing the stevia plant in my garden, I experimented a lot to find ways that it could help me feed my sweet tooth while doing good things for my body.
As an artificial sweetener, stevia is often either a clear liquid extract or a white powder. Essentially, what’s been done is the sweet component of stevia has been extracted and added to either a powder or a liquid like alcohol or glycerin so that it dilutes the sweetness and helps to remove some of the bitter aftertastes.
Green stevia, or Stevia rebaudiana, is what you’ll grow in the garden. It grows like an herb with serrated-edged leaves and is native to South America. Indigenous peoples of South America have used the stevia plant for hundreds of years, both medicinally and as a sweetening agent.
The flavour of green stevia leaves reminds me of a bit of green tea mixed with sweeteners. It is quite sweet, so a little goes a long way. Over the past three years that I have been growing and testing out stevia in various recipes, I have learned how to harvest and prepare it so that I don’t miss sugar one bit. And, more importantly, stevia helps me to stay away from sugar so that I don’t fall off the wagon.
Stevia rebaudiana has a herby and earthy sweet taste.
Benefits of Stevia
I’m not the only one who noticed a change! In a 2010 study, stevia has been shown to significantly lower insulin and glucose levels. The plant can help to keep blood sugar levels in check. And as a nonnutritive sweetener, it has no calories.
When you look at stevia as a herb, you see it in a whole new light. The herbal properties of stevia help to scrub away the biofilm in the gut, which can hide bacteria and cause digestive problems. The stevia allows your good gut flora to neutralize the bad flora. Plus, you’re not adding sugar and therefore avoiding a bad bacteria gut party.
Most of all, it works well to kick that sugar habit. Since it’s so much sweeter than regular sugar, a little goes a long way. One stevia plant can provide you with more than enough sweetness for your daily cravings.
Stevia leaves have not been approved by the FDA for commercial use, so you can only grow and use stevia leaves from your garden. Little research has been done on using stevia leaves. But in my experience, they’re a wonderful alternative and have made all the difference in kicking my sugar habit.
Dried stevia can be ground into a powder to easily top desserts.
How to Plant Stevia
Grow green stevia in full sun in containers or in loose, loamy, well-draining soil. Space plants 18” apart so they can fill out and grow 12-36″ tall. Like basil, if you continue to pinch the plant back and use the top leaves, it will become bushier and fuller with stronger stalks.
Stevia can be grown from seed in the winter or from rooted cuttings. As far as herbs go, growing stevia takes a little more effort than most. They require some heat to get started, and it may take a few practice seedlings.
Green stevia can overwinter in zones 8 and above, although the older the plant, the tougher the leaves become. It’s better to start new cuttings or new seeds each year for the freshest stevia.
Prune back your stevia plant a few times throughout the growing season to prevent flowering and to encourage branching. Once the plant flowers, the leaf flavour becomes less appealing. Similar to most herbs and vegetables that you eat for their leaves, once the plant energy starts to go into flowering, the leaves become bitter or less flavorful.
Grow new stevia plants each year for the best flavour.
Where Can I Buy Stevia Plants?
Stevia plants are now usually available at your favourite garden center in the herb section. Since most plants from garden centres have been treated with pesticides, don’t eat the stevia leaves right away. Wait for new growth, prune back your stevia plant, and enjoy the new (untreated growth) for consumption.
If you prune back your stevia plant a few times in the year, you’ll have plenty to use fresh and in recipes throughout the summer months.
Check out the delicious coconut ice cream and melon dessert that Chef Andrea from Burdock & Co made from my garden stevia when I hosted a garden-to-table event there last year.
Remove the leaves from the stems and use the leaves to make fresh tea or liquid extract. You can also dry the leaves by tying the stems and bundles and hanging them in a cool, dark place until the leaves dry.
In the fall, harvest the entire plant after the weather has dipped. Cooler temperatures enhance the sweetness of stevia leaves.
Harvest green stevia in the morning when it has the highest sugar content.
Stevia leaves are used as a garnish for this hibiscus iced tea as well as a natural sweetener.
Drying and Storing Stevia
To dry stevia, cut the stems and bundle them together with garden twine. Hang them upside down on an herb drying rack in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight. When there is no moisture left, you can remove the leaves and store them in Mason jars or grind them into a powder.
Use the leaves only, discarding the dried stems.
How to Use Stevia Plants
Now that you have your stevia plant harvested and dried—what do you do with it? Depending on the form of the stevia, you can use it for many different things, including smoothies, coffee, and even baking. Dried stevia powder, the leaves themselves, and a liquid sweetener are all great ways to use the herb.
Homemade Green Stevia Powder
To make a green stevia powder that can be used in baking recipes, take the dried leaves and put them in a powerful blender or food processor (I use the “dry ingredient” attachment on my Vitamix) to create a very fine powder.
Even though this powder may be quite fine, it will not dissolve in liquids. Instead, it will just float to the top, so you probably won’t want to use it in your morning coffee. I like to use it in baking and in recipes where it is dispersed throughout, like in a mousse.
Stevia powder will not dissolve like sugar. Keep this in mind when using it.
Stevia Sweetened Tea
Use fresh or dried stevia leaves to sweeten tea. Add one small bit of leaf to hot water in combination with your other tea herbsto add a natural, earthy sweetness.
Stevia will not steep in cold water so the water must be warm in order to release the sweetness. Always keep in mind that stevia is so much sweeter than sugar that you only need a little bit as it will go a long way.
One fresh leaf per cup of tea is usually all I need for a little bit of sweetness.
Making an extract involves adding the stevia leaves to a liquid to draw out the flavours. You then strain out and discard the leaves, leaving you with a sweet stevia extract that is easy to use in liquids like tea, soda, smoothies, and other recipes where powdered stevia would not dissolve.
I like this recipe for making stevia extract because you can make it in alcohol, but there are also instructions on how to dealcoholize it if you wish.
Use fresh or dried stevia as a garnish.
I hope that the stevia plant changes your life for the better as it did mine. Let me know in the comments how you use stevia, and feel free to share your favourite recipes!
More Herbal Growing Guides
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Echinacea is an easy-to-grow plant that will add a pretty pop of colour to any space. Not only is this plant pollinator-friendly, but it makes for a beautiful cut flower too! Here’s how to plant, prune, and care for coneflowers.
Echinacea has a very special place in my heart and my garden. There’s so much to love about these gorgeous spiky flowers. They are drought-tolerant and won’t complain about poor soil.
They are extremely low maintenance once established and produce a ton of eye candy that brings an added pop of colour to the garden.
Echinacea also makes wonderful cut flowers, attractive pollinator plants, is an important food source for birds in the winter, and they have medicinal properties to help us build our immunity.
With all these wonderful benefits, Echinacea surely deserves a permanent spot in your garden!
Jump ahead to…
Echinacea comes in a wide range of colours.
Coneflower Varieties
There are so many hybrid varieties of Echinacea now available. This ornamental seems to be a favourite of breeders as new coneflowers are popping up every year.
New varieties are being introduced every year that have new or brighter colours, taller or smaller plants, different growing habits, more prolific blooming, and double blooms.
Coneflower can refer to multiple varieties of echinacea.
Here are a few new varieties to look out for in garden centres. I was able to see these in person this year through tours and garden trials, and I really love how they have performed.
Evolution ™ Fiesta Coneflower – spicy coral petals that fade to a more romantic muted tone as they age. From Monrovia.
Echinacea Sombrero® Sangrita has vibrant red-orange petals and a burgundy flower stem from Darwin Perennials. Note: in my garden, the colour came out much more orange than red.
Echinacea Sombrero® Granada Gold has a bright yellow colour that doesn’t fade and a yellow cone that holds some of its hues when dried, making it really nice for dried flower arrangements. From Darwin Perennials.
Growing Echinacea
Coneflowers are very low-maintenance once they are established. Here are a few things you can do to get them started off right.
Starting Coneflower Seedlings
I love coneflowers not just for their beauty but for how easy they are to grow. They’re hardy all the way to zone 3, making them a bright and manageable perennial.
You can begin sowing Echinacea seeds indoors for 8-10 weeks before transferring them outside. After 10-21 days, they should germinate.
You can also direct sow them in early spring or early fall. Seeds should be sown shallowly at approximately 3m (1/8”) deep.
Space them out 12-15”. They look stunning when planted in mass!
Light
Pick a location with the brightest light that you have. Echinacea loves bright light and thrives in full sun. However, the plants will tolerate partial sun as well and still produce plenty of flowers.
I have a lot of shade in my garden, and I try to pop in as many coneflowers as I can anyway. They still bloom in the shade but are less floriferous and can tend to flop over.
Watering
Echinacea is also very easygoing when it comes to watering. Water them well to establish new plants in the garden and encourage deep roots. Once established, they won’t need any supplemental watering unless you are in periods of extreme drought.
Coneflowers are known for being drought-tolerant.
Coneflower Care
Fertilization
Coneflowers don’t need any special fertilizers throughout the year. Plant them with some well-rotted compost, and then add compost again in the spring.
Follow your normal soil-building strategies, and you won’t have to add any supplemental nutrition for the plants.
Propagation
Echinacea grows a long taproot, which helps it suck up water from deep down in the soil and gives it that hardiness. This taproot also means that they aren’t a good perennial to divide.
Allow the plants to clump, and if you want to plant more, start them from seed, cuttings, or grab a new transplant.
Pruning
These low-maintenance plants don’t need pruning throughout the year, but you can prune them to increase blooms and extend bloom time.
Echinacea is already quite a long-blooming plant, starting in midsummer and going all the way into mid-fall in my Zone 7 garden. If you’re lucky enough to have a large space with a collection of plants, you can really extend the bloom time by cutting back some of the plants in midsummer.
Cutting back the plants delays blooming, so you can either cut back all your plants for a late summer and fall display or only cut back some of the plants and stagger the bloom times for an even longer season. Fiskars makes some wonderful pruners that come in handy and cut through the thick stems with very little effort.
Should I Deadhead Coneflowers?
If you want to increase the size of newer forming blooms, you can deadhead Echinacea. If you follow the stem down to the first set of leaves, you might see flower buds forming.
Echinacea bud blooming. Cut just above it to deadhead the plant.
This is a perfect time to go in and remove the flower above. Cut the stem right above the new flower growth, and you can add the bloom to a flower arrangement.
Deadheading is simply cutting off the older flowers, which encourages the plant to put energy into producing the newer flowers rather than producing seeds on the old flowers. Learn more about deadheading flowers here.
Use sharp pruners when deadheading your echinacea.
When the second wave of flowers blooms, I keep them in place for fall and winter as the birds LOVE to snack on the seeds. The seed heads dry with a spiky cone above a tall stem. I dry the cut flowers for their seed heads to use in crafts and leave the rest in the garden for winter interest.
Leave the flower heads to grow on the plant in the fall.
Echinacea Uses
Echinacea has been used medicinally throughout the ages. The following information is from Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health.
Echinacea pallida and E. angustifolia are primarily wild Echinacea that can be found on the edges of wooded areas. The most common and easy-to-grow Echinacea for gardens is E. purpurea.
These three varieties are most commonly used as medicinal plants. The roots, leaves, and flowers all have healing properties. Echinacea is a powerful immune-system booster that has no side effects and is safe for children, the elderly, and everyone in between.
Echinacea is known as a medicinal plant.
To use Echinacea as a medicinal plant from your garden, ensure that you are growing an organic plant that has not been sprayed or treated with pesticides or herbicides.
The entire plant can be used to make a tincture that’s handy to have around in cold-and-flu season. Take it frequently in small doses at the first sign of a virus, but stop taking it once you get better, as its effectiveness wanes if it’s used too frequently.
Pink coneflower.
How to Make Echinacea Tea
For the tea, you can use the flowers, leaves, roots, or stems of the plant. I like to use the flower petals and leaves. Harvest your coneflowers when the flower heads are fully mature.
You can choose to use either fresh or driedEchinacea. If using fresh, you’ll need 2 tbsp of the flower. For dry, you’ll need 1 tbsp. Let your Echinacea steep in boiling water for 15 minutes. Then, strain the flowers, roots, or leaves from the pot and drink away.
Coneflowers spread by self-seeding. In the fall, if you leave the seed heads, some will drop. Tons of wildlife enjoy these seeds, so most will get eaten up. Whatever doesn’t may germinate the next spring. If you wish to stop the seeds from spreading, simply deadhead the spent blooms in the fall.
Are coneflowers perennials?
Echinacea is an extremely hardy plant that acts as a perennial in most zones. It flourishes in zones 5-8, but can also be grown as low as zone 3. Higher zones will benefit from the drought tolerance of the plant, but may stillneed some supplemental watering.
When do coneflowers bloom?
Coneflowers will bring plenty of joy to your summer and early fall garden. They bloom from July through September.
Do deer eat coneflowers?
Echinacea are considered deer-resistant plants. While deer may occasionally munch on them, they would prefer other plants in the area before eating Echinacea.
European wool carder bee on Echinacea
More Flowers to Grow
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
The perfect combination of sweet and spicy, ginger is a unique flavour that I just can’t get enough of. Whether you want to recreate the spiciness of ginger ale from your childhood or want freshly grated ginger for delicious curry, you can easily grow ginger in the garden or in the home. This guide covers everything you need to know about how to grow ginger so you can have an endless supply of the favoured spice.
Photo courtesy of Tasha Greer
One of the best things about sharing my love of gardening online is that I get to meet so many fellow gardeners! Over on Instagram, I met with the lovely Tasha Greer from Simplestead and we chatted over Instagram live about her book, Grow Your Own Spices. After the talk, I was completely obsessed with the idea of growing ginger!
I’m not a huge spice grower, instead opting to grow mostly herbs and other healing plants. But I invited Tasha to talk about ginger with me, and she gave me some great advice if you’re thinking of adding some spice to your garden.
This guide covers points and tips on how to grow ginger root directly from Tasha’s book. In it, she covers more than 30 different spices anyone can grow. Be sure to check out Grow Your Own Spices if you’re interested in growing tons of spices.
We all love it, but what is this funky, wrinkly thing we like to grate? Ginger, Zingiber officinale, is a plant grown mostly for its rhizome, although technically, the whole plant is edible.
Mostly used for culinary purposes, it has a spicy yet sweet taste. You can find it in curries, in baking like gingerbread, as a spicy zest to salad dressings, and in some very popular beverages.
Medicinal Properties of Ginger
Gingerols are the active components in the plant that give it a distinct spicy/sweet flavour. The components are also responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties and are even used to treat arthritis.
Medicinally, people know ginger best for easing an upset stomach. The virucidal properties aid in destroying viruses, making it a useful tool for your medicine cabinet,
“The most effective way to receive this medicine is through the use of its fresh juice,” says Tasha.
The easiest way to do this is to process the root with a juicer. Then, place the liquid in ice cube trays, and store it in the freezer to have an easily accessible antiviral remedy on hand. Add water, honey, and a squeeze of lemon to cut the spiciness as needed.
Remove the skin prior to using ginger.
How to Grow Ginger
Growing ginger differs a little differently than the average plant since we’re growing it from a rhizome rather than a seed. Here’s what you need to know!
Choosing a Rhizome
The easiest way to grow ginger is by taking a piece of rhizome from existing ginger to grow another. Sounds easy right? To get the best possible ginger harvest out there, the key is to select the right rhizome to get you started.
You probably would recognize ginger just by its touch. They are firm, knotty-looking rhizomes that have rough skin. Most of the ginger you find in the grocery store are Chinese cultivars. The flavour tends to be milder, and it will have a thicker skin to help with shelf life.
Technically, you can plant any ginger as long as it isn’t old or diseased. It’s worth noting that ginger purchased from the grocery store may have a growth inhibitor sprayed on it to stop it from sprouting early. Ideally, you want to source your ginger from an organic grower or your local farmer’s market.
Avoid any pieces that look shrivelled and dry. You want a plump piece of ginger with lots of eyes (growth buds). It should be 4-6 inches long with multiple arms.
Here’s Tasha’s advice for choosing a rhizome:
“Mature rhizomes that have been through natural senescence will produce the best yields. Senescence typically happens in fall after plants have had a long growing season.” Senescence is the life stage in which a plant’s metabolism slows before it dies.
Baby ginger rhizome. Photo courtesy of Tasha Greer
Planting
Most gardeners choose to start their ginger indoors and then transplant it outside as it warms up. Once you have your rhizome, pay attention to where the eyes are. If you have post-senescence ginger ready to go without eyes, store it in a warm location until the eyes appear.
Cut the ginger into pieces approximately 1 to 1 ½ inch wide. Each of the pieces will need an eye. Once cut, let it sit for 1-2 days until a slight crust has formed.
When planting, fill a pot with good quality potting soil until it is 2 inches from the top. Add in some slow-release fertilizer and place your rhizome in it approximately 1 inch deep,healthy eyes facing upwards.
Top off with some compost. Space any rhizomes 12 inches apart. It will grow up to 4 feet tall, so be sure to accommodate this type of growth.
Water the plant well and keep moist until shoots have emerged. This takes anywhere from 1 week to 1 month. Ginger prefers filtered light, not direct light. Under a tree where it will receive dappled light is a great spot to have it.
The plant can only survive when there is no frost. It can be planted in early spring after the danger of frost has passed or any time of year if you live in a warmer zone. A tropical plant, ginger likes heat and humidity. It will grow best in temperatures above 65°F or 18°C.
Tasha’s advice? Here’s what she has to say!
“When growing in the ground, periodically hill the soil from the outer edges of your rows around the root area to encourage the rhizomes to plump. Stop fertilizing if plants flower.”
Start your ginger in containers. Photo courtesy of Tasha Greer
How to Grow Ginger Indoors
You can easily grow ginger indoors, too! All you need is your leftover scrap or cut piece of ginger to get it started. Soak the rhizome overnight just in case it has a growth inhibitor, especially if you sourced it from a market.
In a pot, follow the same planting instructions as above. The pot needs to be large enough to accommodate the size of the rhizomes as they grow.It should also drain well, as ginger is prone to root rot if it sits in soggy soil.
When planting, only place one piece of ginger in each pot. Let it sit in indirect light in a warm part of the house. Watch and wait!
How to Harvest Ginger
Remember senescence? This is when the plant begins to slow down before it dies. The leaves will start to turn yellow and brown. This usually occurs when the plant gets less sunlight, and it cools down, signalling the ginger to grow more rhizomes to begin to store energy for the colder season. This is also when the rhizomes grow their protective skin. And you guessed it…it’s when we’re ready to harvest!
Ginger takes some time to grow. Baby ginger can be harvested after 6-8 months. You want to harvest the ginger before it reaches senescence. Mature ginger, on the other hand, takes more than 10 months and you want to harvest after senescence has occurred. Be sure to save the best rhizome (fat and healthy-looking) to use for future planting.
Tasha says you can also trick the ginger into an early harvest. “To initiate premature senescence, cut the top few inches of leaves to reduce photosynthesis. Then harvest in 2–3 weeks.”
When harvesting, you can dig out and use the whole rhizome. Alternatively, you can cut away a piece of the rhizome if the plant is still growing. In this case, cut a piece that is at least 2 inches from the stock. The rest of the plant will continue to grow.
Now that you know how to grow ginger at home and harvest it, it’s time to enjoy it. Be sure to check out my recipe for homemade ginger ale. It tastes so much better than the canned stuff!
FAQ About Growing Ginger Plants
Where does ginger come from?
Interestingly enough, we have no idea where ginger originally comes from. According to Tasha, “It’s considered a cultigen, or a plant that exists as a result of human cultivation. We don’t know its origin or when humans started using it. We only know that it would not exist without us.”
How long does it take to grow ginger?
Mature ginger takes about ten months to harvest after planting. You can have baby ginger after 6-8 months.
Can you grow ginger from a piece of ginger?
Yes, and this is the fastest way to do it. Choose a plump and healthy looking rhizome to start. Cut it up into pieces that are about 1 to 1 ½ inches big. Make sure each piece has an eye (the little growth bumps). Let it sit for 1-2 days until a slight crust has formed, then it’s ready to be planted.
With their iconic vibrant petals and reputation for hardiness, it’s no wonder sunflowers are one of the best selling flowers year after year. These easy to grow plants come in numerous varieties depending on what colours and sizes you need for your garden or arrangements. If you’re ready to add this staple to your summer garden, this post covers everything you need to learn about how to grow sunflowers.
Sunflowers just might be the perfect low-maintenance yet eye catching addition to your garden. These striking plants are a staple, and they’re easy to grow.
You’ll find sunflowers at the florist stand of your local farmers market and lining fences in your neighbourhood during the heat of summer into the early fall.
While the bright yellow flowers of the common sunflower (or Helianthus annuus) are classic, different variations can add contrasting colours to your garden. You can even grow a variety of sizes, making them a great choice for arrangements!
Here’s what I’ll be talking about today…
This giant sunflower was a Mother’s Day gift from Kiddo, who was approximately 5 in this photo!
Meet the Sunflower
Native to North America, sunflowers are best known for their vibrant yellow petals, which resemble rays of sunshine.
Besides their decorative function, sunflowers can be used to increase the production of other crops, such as corn and squash, in a method similar to the Three Sisters’. This is a method of companion planting that indigenous people of North America have been doing for thousands of years.
When it comes to learning how to grow sunflowers, there are two types you should know: single-stem and branching.
Single-stem or non-branched sunflowers are recognizable by their long, straight stems, which make them useful for floral arrangements. These plants produce one flower per seed, and the sizes can vary depending on how far apart they are planted. Species of single-stem sunflowers include the Marley and Procut Bicolour varieties, as well as the Sunrich Series.
Large sunflowers tend to be single stem.
Branching sunflowers, which include the Chocolate, Greenburst, and Starburst Panache varieties, produce more flowers over a longer period of time, with multiple stems in a more bushy growth pattern. As a result, they require more room to grow.
There are also some species of perennial sunflowers.
If you are hoping for a garden that doesn’t require planting each year, these would be a great option. Though smaller than the large yellow blooms you’re used to, perennial sunflowers can still add a pop of brightness to your low-maintenance garden.
Branching sunflowers have many off-shoots, as you can see in this picture.
How to Grow Sunflowers
Whether you’re hoping to add a festive touch to an already established garden or sowing your first seeds, their beauty and hardiness make sunflowers a great choice. If you’re ready to get planting, this grow guide has everything you need to know.
This collage was one of the very first photos I shared on Garden Therapy 15 years ago!
When and Where to Plant Sunflowers
Though sunflowers are typically associated with the late summer and early fall, they can be planted in the spring as soon as the weather warms up and frost is no longer a concern.
I prefer to get my sunflowers started inside due to the fickle nature of spring in Canada and the abundance of slugs in my ecosystem. If you’re doing the same, plant your seeds 2-3 weeks before you plan to transplant them into the garden. You’ll know they’re ready to be moved outside, when your sprouts are 3-5 inches tall.
You can also plant your seeds directly in your garden. I find that when I directly seed them, either the birds eat the seeds or the slugs eat the sprouts. So make sure to protect them with netting or a cloche until they are about five inches tall.
Whether you’re planting inside or outside, make sure to fully cover your seeds with soil, as sunflowers (ironically) sprout in the dark.
Sunflowers don’t require any special soil, so whatever garden or potting soil you’ve got will do.
Sunflower stalks typically grow thick enough that they don’t need support, unless they’re not getting enough sun.
Light
As the name suggests, sunflowers need plenty of light. In order to thrive, they require at least 8 hours of direct sunlight. That shady spot next to your fence is not the place to plant these light-loving flowers.
If sunflowers don’t get enough sun, they become leggy and weak, being more likely to snap.
Water
Sunflowers require the most water after they’re first planted, so water your sprouts often to keep the soil damp.
After your sunflowers are established, they are considered a low-maintenance, drought-resistant plant. Water them regularly, but don’t worry if the soil dries out between waterings. During intense heat, they may need some extra moisture.
This teddy bear sunflower was in my GardenTrends seed collection.
Pruning
If you’re growing single-stem sunflowers, there is no need to worry about pruning.
For branching varieties, I recommend pinching your plants back to 4 leaves once they grow to be 12-18 inches. If you’re harvesting your sunflowers, cutting the blooms from the base of the stem can also help encourage new growth.
When the seeds are fully ripe, they begin to loosen from the head. You can cut the sunflower and save the seeds for next year.
Common Pests and Diseases
Your sunflowers are most vulnerable in the early stages of germination. This is one reason to consider starting the seeds indoors and transplanting them into your garden.
However, if you’ve opted to plant your seeds directly in the ground, covering the sprouts can help protect them from birds, deer, and other animals. I like to use lightweight netting or cloche, but any sort of chicken wire or fencing will do the trick.
I also recommend changing where you plant your sunflowers each year to help prevent disease.
Once grown and gone to seed, sunflowers can be a great food source for pollinators.
How to Grow Sunflowers in Containers
Planting sunflowers in pots can be a great option if you have limited outdoor space.
Many varieties will grow well in a container or bag as long as it has drainage holes. Just keep in mind these sunflowers will be smaller than those planted directly in the ground.
Make sure the pot is large enough to accommodate the mature sunflower, even when it’s a dwarf variety.
How to Harvest Sunflowers
If you’re growing sunflowers in hopes of decorating your kitchen table, I highly suggest choosing a pollen-free variety to save yourself the cleanup and avoid ruining that new pastel tablecloth.
You can harvest your sunflowers as soon as the first petals start to unfurl. To extend the life of your sunflowers without adding any chemical preservatives, make sure to remove the leaves from the stem, leaving only the top leaf.
Your beautiful sunflowers will last about a week in a vase. Keep in mind that a warm environment will speed up the flower’s opening. If you’re saving them for a specific occasion, you can place them in a cooler area of your home to slow down the blooming process.
Place your sunflowers away from sunlight and heat to prolong their vase life.
FAQs About Growing Sunflowers
Do sunflowers really track the sun?
While sunflowers do respond to light, they don’t move in the way you’re probably picturing. In other words, their heads do not rotate throughout the day along with the sun.
Contrary to popular belief, sunflowers only respond to light before they flower. During this stage, more growth occurs on the sunniest side of the stem, causing the flower to eventually tilt to one side, usually east.
How far apart do you plant sunflowers?
Spacing your seeds correctly is an important part of learning how to grow sunflowers. For branching sunflowers, 18-24 inches is the ideal space between seeds, as these types of sunflowers grow large quite quickly.
The spacing of single-stem sunflowers is up to you, as you can control the size of your sunflower blooms by changing the spacing of seeds. I find leaving 4-6 inches of space between seeds gives me the perfect flowers for bouquets. If you’re hoping for larger sunflowers, just space your seeds out more.
What is a good sunflower germination temperature?
Sunflower seeds like warm soil temperatures of about 21-25℃ for optimal growth. Make sure to wait until the weather has warmed and the overnight frost has passed. If you live in a cooler climate like I do, you may want to consider starting your seeds inside.
How long should it take for a sunflower to grow?
Once your seeds are in the ground or a pot, it won’t take long for them to start growing. You’ll likely notice sprouts poking through in just a few days.
From there, depending on the variety, your sunflowers will start blooming 2-3 months later. Some types of sunflowers take up to 110 days to grow flowers.
If you ask someone to name a flower, chances are they’ll say a rose. One of the most sought-after and beautiful flowers to plant in the garden, growing a rose bush is practically a right of passage for a gardener. Read this guide to learn how to plant, care for, and use your rose bush. Soon enough, you’ll have your own rose garden!
I have a confession…I’m not a big fan of roses. Coming from a gal whose last name is literally ROSE, I’m sure you’ll find this surprising. But the love for roses was just never there!
When I first moved to my current house, the back garden bed was nothing but a wall of roses and raspberries. I’m talking a 5-foot-tall wave of thorns! With thick gloves on hand, I ripped them all out and gave them away.
I transformed the garden into something else entirely. Now, you’ll find it the home to my wildlife pond and hopscotch steppingstones.
It wasn’t long before I regretted my decision to remove the roses. Along my healing journey, I learned all about the herbal properties of roses. And when I realized just how amazing they were besides their beauty, I fell in love.
Roses make for beautiful cut flowers, and they taste like delicate summer. They are extremely forgiving to grow and take well to hard pruning.
Amazing for the skin, I can’t harvest them fast enough. Whenever I head back to my original home of Alberta (known as Canada’s wild rose country), I make sure to gather some petals from wild roses and dry them. Once dried, they get featured in all my rose recipes.
But enough talk about the love of roses (for now!). If you’re here, it means I don’t have to do much convincing!
Jump ahead to…
Meet the Rose Bush
There truly is a rose for every occasion and person out there. With over 150 species and thousands of hybrids, roses have held their position as one of the world’s most beloved flowers. This isn’t a new thing, either. It is believed that the cultivation of roses began 5,000 years ago in China!
June’s birth flower, everyone has come to know red roses as a symbol of love and romance. However, roses come in nearly every colour, each of which has its own meaning. White roses represent purity and innocence, while yellow roses symbolize friendship and joy.
Different coloured roses have different symbolism.
Of course, in the garden, we have our own way of classifying things. Most gardeners classify roses as one of the following:
Heirloom roses: also known as old roses, heirloom roses refer to anything cultivated before 1867 (the arrival of the hybrid tea rose). These roses are lush, extremely fragrant, contain lots of petals, and are disease resistant.
Modern hybrid roses: these roses are what you will find today, made from hybrids of tea roses. When you think of a rose, this is likely what you picture. Modern hybrids are very hardy, disease-resistant, and long-blooming. These roses tend not to have a strong scent.
Wild roses: native to the northern hemisphere, you can easily find these roses in the wild. Extremely fragrant, they’re characterized by single blossoms of 5-petals. They bloom in early summer.
Most old and climbing roses bloom once a year in the spring. Some roses will have repeat blooms later in the season. Many modern roses, however, have been bred to bloom continuously throughout the summer.
While the famous saying encourages us to stop and smell the roses, not all roses smell. Some have a more old-fashioned smell while others are more modern. The best smell? Wild roses. The closer we stand by them, the better!
Not all roses smell, so consider this when choosing your varieties.
Rose Benefits
You may be surprised what this flower, known for its beauty, is capable of! Roses used to be grown more for medicinal and culinary uses (yes, they’re edible) rather than for their beauty.
In my opinion, roses are best used for skin care. Full of natural oils, roses help moisturize and even your skin tone. The anti-inflammatory properties reduce redness and puffiness around the face. As a natural astringent, it also has antibacterial properties, making it good for clearing out acne-causing bacteria.
The astringent qualities and antioxidants also help to support skin tissue. This makes rose a helpful sidekick in combatting fine lines and wrinkles! You can also fight age spots and discoloration with roses. Rosehip oil especially aids with this.
Speaking of rose hips, this is the rose plant’s seed pod. Just like the flower, the rose hip has plenty of benefits to offer. Rose hips have high levels of Vitamin C—even more than oranges.
They’re also rich in Vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K and contain calcium, silica, iron, and phosphorus. You’ll find them packed with plenty of antioxidants, particularly bioflavonoids, which strengthen heart and blood vessels.
You’ll notice how much the wildlife enjoys feasting on rose hips. You can also feed them to chickens, horses, dogs, and wild birds for a treat!
Selecting a Rose Bush
When it comes to selecting a rose bush, you have two options: potted roses or bare-root roses. Potted roses are great for beginners. They’re available at every garden centre and can be found throughout the season. Potted roses are easy to plant and establish quickly.
Bare-root roses look like a bunch of dead sticks when they first show up. Don’t fear! These rose bushes are still dormant and haven’t leafed out yet. With bare-foot roses, you tend to have more selection and varieties to choose from. For those who want lots of roses, they’re also more economical. They just need a little more work before planting.
Both options will offer plenty of varieties and different sizes, colours, and types of blooms. Research your specific variety before planting.
Planting a Rose Bush
When you get your bare-root roses, plant them right away. They’re often available and shipped in early spring while they’re still dormant. Plant them by late spring to get the best results. As long as potted roses are well watered, they can be planted anytime. Early spring after the last frost or in fall, six weeks before the first frost, is best.
If you’re planting bare-root roses, soak them in a bucket of water for 8-12 hours before planting. Prune back the roses so that each cane (main branch) has 3-5 offshoots.
In the meantime, scout out your rose bush location. Roses like full sun and well-draining soil. Planting by a house, fence, or structure can protect roses in cold climates. Be careful not to crowd roses and ensure they have enough room to reach full maturity.
When planting, wear thick gloves to protect yourself from those nasty thorns. Dig a hole twice the size of the container or roots. Mix in compost. If planting from a container, “tickle” the roots before planting and filling the hole.
Give the plants a good soaking after planting, and you’re all done.
Wild rose bush.
How to Care for Roses
Now that you’ve got roses in the ground, here is everything you need to do regarding rose bush care to keep your roses blooming nonstop!
Soil
Roses may be thirsty plants, but they want soil that drains well. Ensure soil has adequate drainage but also that it can retain moisture long enough for the roots to enjoy it. Overall, they like loose and loamy soil. You can achieve this by adding soil amendments to your already planted roses.
In an ideal soil world, roses would prefer slightly acidic soil. 6.5 is just right. You can easily perform an at-home soil pH test if you don’t know the acidity of your soil.
Water
New rose bushes need frequent watering. When watering, be sure to soak all the roots. Less frequent, heavy waterings are better than less frequent shallow waterings. Remember to water at the base of the plant to avoid any water fungal diseases.
Those in dry summers may need to water their roses more often to protect them from the heat. A layer of mulch around the base of the rose can help to conserve water. It also helps to overwinter the rose bush in the fall.
Once established, the roses need very little supplemental watering.
Sunlight
If you can, place your rose bush somewhere that receives morning sun. This burst of sunshine in the morning will help to dry the morning dew on the leaves and prevent diseases.
Rose bushes need at least six hours of sun a day. Six to eight hours is the golden zone. Roses planted in the partial sun may weaken over time and produce fewer blooms.
In hot climates, you may want to place your rose bush somewhere sheltered from the hot afternoon sun.
Prune
Roses take extremely well to pruning. I’ve seen old and struggling rose bushes come back to life the next season after heavy pruning. If you do choose to heavily prune your rose bush, do so in the spring, just when the plant begins to wake up and leaf out. Don’t worry; the blooms come later in the season.
Don’t prune too hard in the autumn, as this can damage the rose and affect its ability to overwinter. Feel free to prune lightly during the summer, though never during intense heat. Don’t hesitate to clean up old or diseased branches.
Some roses also benefit from deadheading. Once a week, remove spent flowers by cutting them back to the nearest leaf. Be sure to leave some roses behind later in the season so you can enjoy some rosehips.
Other types of roses are self-cleaning and won’t develop rose hips. These blooms drop off automatically.
When pruning, make sure to sterilize your pruners before cutting.
Pests and Diseases
While most roses are bred to be disease-resistant, that doesn’t mean they’re entirely in the clear. Roses are often affected by powdery mildew. This fungal disease appears as a light grey or white cast on the leaves. It thrives in warmth and humidity.
Roses can also be affected by black spot, a fungal disease with black or brown spots on top of the leaves. You may also see botrytis blight, which is a grey fungus that causes the blooms to drop or turn brown.
The best way to avoid disease?
Remove dead leaves and branches.
Space out your roses for proper air circulation.
Avoid getting the leaves wet by watering the rose at the base.
Rose bushes may also be infested by aphids, Japanese beetles, and spider mites. Deer also enjoy munching on the scrumptious buds, so try planting them in a deer-safe area whenever possible or use a strong companion herb such as lavender to hide the smell.
Things to Do With Roses
Besides enjoying these beauties in your garden, here is what you can do with the blooms.
If you want to reap the glorious benefits of roses for your skin, it all starts with rose water. Not only can you drink it, but you can use it as a toner, a makeup remover, in the bath, as an air freshener, in baked goods, and so much more.
Toner is such an important part of a skincare routine, and it often gets skipped. Helping to balance the pH of your skin, this rose toner gives you an extra boost after washing your face.
I make my toner out of rose water and witch hazel.
There’s no denying the romantic and sweet scent of rose. Use it to your advantage and also apply the benefits of rose to the skin with a batch of this beeswax massage balm with rose.
Keeping up with the love and romance, you can use rose petals to add some ambience to the bath. These rose petal bath bombs are also infused with rose essential oil for some extra aromatherapy.
Rose petals retain their colour very nicely when dried.
One of my go-to lotion recipes, this rose face cream is nice and light on the skin. It hydrates my dry, sensitive skin without causing any clogging. I may have to give this face cream credit for my youthful appearance!
Put the scent of rose to the test with this natural rose deodorant spray. I’m highly against putting anything I can’t pronounce on my skin, even when it comes to the armpit! Honestly, don’t underestimate the confidence of having rose-scented armpits.
Roses and lavender make a wonderful scent combination.
Roses should ideally be planted in the spring after the last frost or in the fall six weeks before the first frost.
If planting bare-root roses, you will want to plant them as soon as you get them (after soaking). With potted roses, you have a little more time to get them in the ground as long as they stay hydrated.
Do roses like sun or shade?
Roses are sun-loving flowers. They prefer 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. This will get you more blooms and a healthier, stronger plant. If you live in a hot climate, protect the roses from the hot afternoon sun in their location.
How do I pick roses?
Roses are one of the most popular cut flowers around. Roses are best picked immediately after the bud stage when the flowers are just beginning to open. Harvest roses in the morning after the dew has dried so they’re hydrated and not under any heat stress.
Before getting started, wear gloves to protect yourself from the thorns. With sterilized pruners, cut the rose at a node (where the leaf meets the stem).
Before placing them in a vase, recut the ends to eliminate any air bubbles. Cut at an angle. Remove any leaves that would go under any water, as this leads to bacteria. If you want, you can also remove the thorns using a rose stripper or by cutting the thorns with a pruner. Change the vase water every other day.
If you’re looking for a vibrant, beginner-friendly addition to your garden, zinnias are an excellent choice. With large blooms and a variety of colour and size options, these beautiful flowers are easy to grow and harvest. They’ll look beautiful in your garden and in a vase! If you’re ready to get planting, here is everything you need to know about how to grow zinnias.
If you’ve ever taken a stroll through a flower garden or even the floral department at your local grocery store, you’re likely familiar with zinnias. Known for their vibrant colours, these flowers are a popular choice for gardeners and florists alike.
Not only do zinnias come in a variety of colours and sizes, but they are also known for producing multiple blooms. West Coast Seeds recently sent me some zinnia seeds, so you can bet I’m going to be on a zinnia kick here soon.
So, if you’re like me and want to adorn your dining room table with freshly cut flowers, these plants can provide a magnificent addition to your arrangement all summer long. If you prefer to leave your petals outside, you can even grow zinnias in pots.
These hearty, low-maintenance plants are perfect for newcomers looking to grow something beautiful and an old standby for more experienced gardeners.
Zinnia flowers come in all kinds of colours and combinations.
Meet the Zinnia
Zinnias are recognizable by their full, round blooms that come in just about every colour under the sun. It was these bright hues that earned them their original Aztec name, which translates to “plants that are hard on the eyes.” Native to Mexico and Central America, the flowers got the name zinnia from German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn, who brought the plant to Europe in the 1700s.
Now, the zinnia is popular for many reasons. Their colour and size varieties make them a versatile medium for florists and the perfect aesthetic choice for gardeners looking to curate their flowerbeds. They can also help improve the overall health of your garden as they attract pollinators, such as bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
If you’re looking to take advantage of this easy-to-grow flower, there are many zinnia varieties to choose from. One of my personal favourites is the Oklahoma salmon variety. As the name suggests, these zinnias boast muted pink and peach hues, which make a lovely, warm addition to any garden or bouquet.
If you’re looking for a more vibrant flower, the yellow flame zinnia might be for you. Its gradient of yellow, orange, and magenta evokes a fiery sunset. The queen series is another popular family of zinnias, available in striking green, red, and purple varieties.
Zinnias are annuals, but grow into large plants quick.
How to Grow Zinnias
Zinnias are known for being the intro to cut flowers, as they’re quite simple to grow and hardy to cutting. If you’re foraying into growing a cut flower garden, then this is the perfect place to start.
When and Where to Plant Zinnias
If you live in a warm climate, you can plant zinnia seeds directly in the ground as long as you wait at least two weeks after the last frost. Here in Canada, I prefer to start my zinnias inside. When the sprouts are 3-5 inches, they can be planted outside.
I found that my zinnia seeds sprouted QUICK. They should be moved outside within three weeks maximum after germinating, as otherwise, they can get leggy. Zinnias tend to be one of my last flowers to sow indoors.
They are heat and sun lovers, so you don’t want to get them in the ground until things are starting to warm up.
Whether you start them indoors or plant them straight in the ground, your soil should be well-drained and have a neutral pH. Place your zinnia seeds a few inches apart and press them about ¼ inches into the soil.
If you want true-to-seed zinnias, you’ll have to buy them rather than save them.
Light
Zinnias require full sunlight, so be sure to place them in a bright location in your garden or yard. They require at least 8 hours of daylight, but more is even better for these light-loving plants.
I’ve planted them in an area with partial shade before, and the slugs were quick to start munching.
Water
While established zinnias can survive mild drought, hydrated plants produce the most impressive blooms. Once zinnias are planted in the ground, they can be watered deeply once a week.
If you choose to leave them potted, give them a drink when you notice the top inch of soil has dried out.
Zinnias are pretty low maintenance in terms of cut flowers.
Pruning
Pruning is key when learning how to grow zinnias as they are considered a cut and come back flower. This means the more you prune, the more opportunity they have to grow and produce more flowers.
When the stems reach about 10 inches you can start to pinch the tops of them. Harvesting your zinnias is also a great way to encourage growth. If you prefer to leave the flowers, remove the blooms once they start to droop or dry out.
Deadheading will encourage more blooms to grow.
Common Pests and Diseases
Zinnias are fairly resistant to pests, but common insects such as aphids and spider mites can occasionally cause damage. Lighter-coloured varieties are more susceptible to pests, so you may want to harvest these flowers earlier in the season to help avoid damage.
A more common problem with zinnias is powdery mildew, especially in hot and humid areas. Leaving extra space between your seeds can help avoid this problem by providing more airflow. If your zinnias are affected by powdery mildew, baking soda and vinegar solutions can provide a simple and natural remedy.
Zinnias attract pollinators.
How to Grow Zinnias in Containers
If you have limited outdoor space or just prefer to do your gardening in planters, growing zinnias in pots is a great option. Start by selecting a suitable pot. I recommend one that’s at least 12 inches to accommodate the growth of your zinnias. Make sure it has drainage holes.
Fill your chosen container with potting soil, making sure to dampen it before adding the seeds. Zinnia seeds should be placed a few inches apart and gently pressed into the soil. In two days to a week, your seeds will begin to sprout.
After 4-6 weeks, you can place your pot in a sunny spot on your porch, garden, or yard, adding water when the first inch of soil is dry.
Make sure to thin out your seedlings if growing in a pot.
How to Cut Zinnias
You can check if your zinnias are ready to be cut by paying attention to the stem. Carefully shake the stem, holding it about 8 inches below the flower. If it bends, your flowers aren’t quite ready to be cut. If the stem is firm and stays upright, cut from the base of the stem.
When cutting, carry a bucket of water with you so you can place them right in water when harvesting the flowers. Cut in the morning, as this is when the plant is the most hydrated.
Zinnias are considered a “dirty” flower, so adding a drop or two of bleach to the water can help to keep it clean.
Once you place them in a vase, your zinnias will provide a beautiful floral arrangement for 7-10 days.
Refresh your cut flower water every other day to keep them fresh.
FAQs About Growing Zinnia Flowers
Do zinnias come back every year?
Zinnias are annuals, so you’ll need to plant new seeds each spring. Luckily, they’re easy to take care of once you learn how to grow zinnias, and the vibrant blossoms are worth replanting.
You can also save the seeds from your previous zinnias, and it’s quite easy to do so. After the flower head has almost dried on the stem, cut it and allow it to dry completely on a counter. Separate the papery seeds from the flower head and petals and store them in a cool, dry place for next spring.
How do I keep zinnias blooming all summer?
If you want zinnia blooms all summer, I recommend succession planting. During the early summer, plant a new crop every 2 or 3 weeks. This will give you zinnias steadily throughout the season. Also, make sure to stay on top of deadheading to encourage the plant to produce new flowers.
How do you keep zinnias short and bushy?
Pruning is key to caring for zinnias, and it can help achieve the look you’re going for. Once your zinnias grow to about 10 inches, you can pinch the tips of the stems. This will help achieve the bushy look you’re going for.
Though it might seem counterintuitive, cutting back your zinnia will help encourage growth, so make sure to thin out the plant once it starts blooming. If you’re not planning to cut the flowers for an arrangement, remove dried-up flowers regularly.
Will rabbits eat zinnias?
Rabbits do not typically eat these flowers, especially the Zinnia elegans and Z. augustofolio varieties. In fact, zinnias are known to deter rabbits, so if you have a problem with bunnies snacking on your garden, planting Zinnias could be a helpful solution.
Zinnias truly are one of the best cutting flowers to grow, being so easy yet so prolific. If you have any more questions about how to grow zinnias, leave them in the comments below.
It seems like as soon as summer hits, everybody starts talking about growing lavender, and for good reason! This herb is beautiful, edible, smells amazing, and has great health properties. What’s not to love!? Here’s what you need to know about growing lavender.
Lavender is a gorgeous ornamental with a dazzling fragrance. Its wonderful, delicate flavour adds depth to many different types of recipes, and it is one of the most popular ingredients in natural beauty recipes and aromatherapy.
All of that, plus it is hardy, drought resistant, beneficial to bees, and deer and rabbits leave it alone.
And it’s by far one of my all-time favourite flowers. The bees love it, I love it!
Lavender can be a bit tricky to grow and keep properly so that it is tidy and healthy, but this essential guide to growing lavender will provide you with a few tips that will help keep your lavender in top shape for years to come and the know-how you need to prune, propagate, and use this versatile garden staple.
Here’s what I’ll be covering today…
Bumblebee visiting some Spanish lavender.
Types of Lavender
While there are many varietals in different sizes, scents, and colours, lavender plants fall into two main categories: English and Spanish.
English Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Easily identifiable by its gray-green leaves, long slim purple flower spikes, and breathtaking fragrance, English lavender comes in different shades of purple as well as white and pink varieties.
It is actually native to the Mediterranean but grows well in England’s climate, which is why we know it as “English lavender.” This type of lavender is regularly used as a culinary ingredient (it is one of the herbs in the famous herbs de Provence mixture), aromatherapy, and natural beauty recipes.
English lavender with buds about to bloom.
A few popular varieties of Lavandula angustifolia are:
‘Hidcote’
With its silvery leaves and strongly scented flowers, it’s no wonder that Hidcote is the most popular variety for growing lavender in home gardens.
‘Munstead’
Munstead is also no wallflower in the fragrance department, but the plant stays a bit more neat and tidy with a compact habit. This lavender has the best flavour for cooking with.
‘Thumbelina’
Small-space gardeners will love Thumbelina, a dainty beauty that grows only 12” tall and yet will bloom up to three times a season!
Spanish Lavender
Lavandula stoechas
Spanish lavender can be identified by its slender leaves and plump, pineapple-shaped flower tops which are more pinkish-purple than most English lavender.
Legend has it that Spanish lavender was used by ancient Romans to perfume their baths, but it is not commonly used for aromatherapy today.
Spanish lavender is more often planted as an ornamental and to attract bees. Bees prefer Spanish Lavender to English lavender because its flowers are bigger and more open, which means they are easier to pollinate.
Spanish lavender is more pinkish purple.
How to Care for Your Lavender
Growing lavender is easy once it’s established and in the right location. Here’s what you need to know to keep your lavender plant happy.
Location and Sunlight
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean, so it likes cool winters and hot, dry summers reminiscent of its native climate. It needs sandy, well-draining soil and full sun. Lavender is drought-resistant and hardy to zone 7 or 8.
Water
Lavender requires very little water once established. When you first plant your lavender, water regularly.
In its second year, you won’t need to provide any supplemental water. It’s hardy to drought and used to the hot hot heat.
Younger lavender plants will need more supplemental water than older plants.
Pruning Lavender
Pruning is the number one thing you can do to keep your lavender happy. You can always tell an older lavender plant that was never pruned as the base becomes bare and the outer parts leggy.
Proper pruning keeps your plant healthy and neat and promotes growth, branching, and blooming. Lavender blooms on new stems, so pruning early or late in the season will be most beneficial. Start pruning in the second year after planting, and repeat each year after that.
First, follow the 4 Ds of pruning. Then, you can cut back up to one-third of the plant at a time, taking care not to cut into the woody stems. Pruning new growth promotes more new growth, whereas cutting into the woody stems will just cause those stems to die.
If you like the plant to be neat and tidy, then lavender should be pruned three times throughout the season:
Prune once in early spring, just after the new growth appears
Prune again in summer after the first bloom
Prune a third time in the fall after the second round of flowers has finished
You don’t have to prune all three times; you can prune only once or twice a season if you want the plant to grow wilder and leave all of the flowers for the bees. It’s all about personal preference!
Prune once the bees are done with the flowers.
Harvesting Lavender
You can also harvest lavender buds for crafts and recipes. If you time it right, pruning and harvesting can be the same thing, but they can also be very different. The purpose of pruning is to maintain the shape of the plant, and harvesting is the act of removing the flower buds for another use.
Spanish Lavender doesn’t require harvesting.
The key is to harvest lavender BEFORE they open fully. See the picture below for reference, as the one on the left is still in bud form while the others have started to bloom already.
Growing lavender in bulk is easy when you know how to propagate. You can grow a garden full of lavender from just one plant by taking a cutting and rooting it following this technique.
Take a Cutting
Using a sharp knife, cut a straight piece of stem with no flower buds on it. Cuttings should be about three to four inches long. Remove all of the leaves from the bottom two inches of the cutting, and scrape the skin off of the stem on one side of the bottom two inches with your knife.
Cuttings are best taken after the plant has finished flowering.
Plant the Cutting
You can either dip the cutting in rooting hormone first to help encourage root growth, or else just plant it straight into a pot of good, well-draining soil. Lavender roots easily so root hormone is not necessary, but may help.
Poke the cutting two inches deep and pack the soil lightly around it so that it stands up straight on its own. For a mini “greenhouse,” simply cover the cuttings with an upside-down plastic Ziploc bag. Place cuttings in a sunny spot and water when the soil feels dry.
Soon, you can have a whole lavender field of blooms!
How to Use Lavender
After harvesting and, if you wish, preserving your lavender, there are a myriad of uses for it. Lavender can be used fresh or dried in floral arrangements, baking, cooking, and cocktail recipes, aromatherapy, and natural beauty recipes, and is a useful supply to have on hand for many crafts.
