There is a wonderful product to give your plants a growing boost. It takes time to work—about two to three months—but it doesn’t require too much effort, nor does it cost very much. For a small garden, you could spend less than 10 dollars. This easy and affordable way to improve your garden’s growth? Green manure. Sadly, it doesn’t come from green cows. In fact, it doesn’t come from any animal at all.
What is green manure?
Above: Red clover, valued for its ability to fix nitrogen, is a good candidate for green manure. Photograph by R.R. Smith via USDA.gov on Flickr.
Green manure is essentially a cover crop, planted in late summer or early fall, that gets tilled back into the soil in spring. It generally consists of plants in the legume family (peas and beans) that improve soil nutrition and structure by fixing nitrogen and adding organic matter. When they are incorporated into the soil, they become an effective amendment.
What are the advantages of using green manure?
Above: At the one-acre rooftop Farm at the Javits Center, clover is grown as a cover crop to create a self-perpetuating food forest. Photograph by Valery Rizzo for Gardenista, from Garden Visit: Farming on the Roof in Hell’s Kitchen.
Andrew Bunting, VP of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society explains: “Benefits include nutrient upcycling, weed suppression, adding organic matter, erosion control, help with soil fertility, and soil structure.” All of which, he says, “contributes to better water filtration, more pollinator habitats, and improved biodiversity. Certain legumes such as hairy vetch, field peas, white, red, and crimson clovers are also able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available in the soil.”
Why not just use compost?
While compost certainly has its place in the garden, Bunting says green manure has an advantage. “Compost does not help with soil structure or weed suppression and bringing pollinators to the garden.”
How to integrate green manure into your home garden?
Above: Hairy vetch, a common cover crop used for green manure. Photograph by Harry Rose via Flickr.
Your local cooperative extension office can help you find the right plant for your use and your climate. Generally, green manure is sown off-season, in the late summer and early fall, with crops that can either overwinter or are winter-killed. Crops such as winter rye and hairy vetch are winter-hardy, whereas buckwheat and field peas are killed by the cold. The plants are allowed to grow for two to three months, then cut down before they go to seed, chopped up, and tilled back into the soil in early spring in time for growing season. Something to keep in mind, particularly if you live in a warmer climate with mild winters: the bed will be out of use for sowing plants until spring and at least one month after tilling.
What plants make good green manure?
Some good suggestions are legumes like crown vetch, hairy vetch, and clovers; grasses like winter rye and sorghum; and buckwheat—all of which germinate quickly. Want to wait a bit and sneak in another harvest? Plant some clover, which can germinate in temperatures as low as the 40s. Whichever you choose, make sure you read the instructions specifically for sowing as a cover crop. Seeds sown for cover crops are sown at a much higher rate than seeds sown for harvest. You want a thick carpet of plants.
Oftentimes landscape designers are called in to execute a one-time overhaul or to create an instant landscape for a site that’s been ravaged by construction. Every once in a while, though, they’re enlisted for more nuanced work, such as when a mature garden needs a new steward and editor. The “before and after” results may not be as dramatic, but the process of refinement can take a garden from good to great. Such was the case when landscape designer and ISA-certified arborist Ashley Lloyd, of Lloyd Landwright, was brought in to usher a garden in lower Westchester into its next chapter.
The garden had been lovingly designed and tended by a fine gardener for many years, but after his departure, weeds had overtaken the property and much of the perennial layer had been lost during construction projects, including a new retaining wall. “The goal was to create layered texture, seasonal contrast, and movement—and to design with the garden’s future evolution in mind,” Lloyd says.
Arriving as the homeowners were in the midst of rethinking the garden, ended up being a gift. “I had time to observe the land—its microclimates, light shifts, drainage patterns—and respond accordingly,” Lloyd says. Building on the existing palette of shrubs and evergreens, she brought in more native and pollinator plants and created moments that would consistently surprise and delight the clients. She also designed dozens of seasonal planters and new outdoor lighting.
Through her years of working on this garden, Lloyd learned that “the best design happens in relationship and collaboration with the land and not from a fixed plan,” she says. Lloyd recently relocated to the West Coast, handing this garden off to its next steward in much better shape than she found it.
Take a tour of the resulting garden, a layered landscape that evolves through the seasons.
Above: “This wasn’t a ‘look but don’t touch’ garden,” says Lloyd. Rather, it was designed to invite interaction, with the client choosing to leave the front garden unfenced, so neighbors could enjoy it too. However, no fencing meant intense deer pressure, so Lloyd focussed her plant palette on those that were unpalatable to deer, including floss flower and allium. “Grasses, including sesleria, really knit everything together there,” she says. Above: Lloyd says she tries to place plants that deer don’t like around plants they prefer; for example, lamb’s ear and allium are positioned to protect asters. As part of a local Pollinator Pathway, the garden is pesticide-free and designed to support bees, birds, and butterflies.
This is part of a series with Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to toxic-free, ecological gardening, on how you can be more sustainable in your landscapes at home.
Time for a bit of good news. More people are growing native plants. According to the National Gardening Association, the number of people buying them has nearly doubled since 2019. And while it can still be challenging to find native plants at garden centers around the country, small, hyper-local native plant nurseries are popping up to meet demand.
Below, we highlight six such nurseries (including three that opened just last year)—Earth Tones in Woodbury, CT; Flosagri in Cold Spring, NY; All Tomorrow’s Prairie in Tulsa, OK; Dropseed in Prince Edward County in Ontario; Redbud Native Plant Nursery in Media, PA; and Long Island Native Plant Initiative in Brentwood, NY—and asked them what lessons they’ve learned growing native plants.
Earth Tones Native Plant Nursery, Woodbury, CT
Above: At Earth Tones, seedlings (plugs) grow in trays and next to it demonstration gardens. “We take inspiration from nature and think about all the different ecosystems and the plants and how that would all work together and look right in the space,” says Turoczi.
When landscape architect Lisa Turoczi was starting out as a designer, she had to travel hours to wholesale nurseries to buy plants for projects. At one nursery she had an epiphany: “I was standing among all these flowers and there was no sound, no buzzing, no birds,” she recalled. The eerie silence was a sign that they were spraying pesticides to keep insects away from the plants. No insects, no birds. That experience provided an impetus to startEarth Tones Native Plants in Woodbury, CT, with her husband Kyle, a wetlands ecologist, in 2004. What began as a small native plant nursery with 20 different species has grown today to offer 400 different species—all geared to their region in the Northeast. They grow everything from seed, including trees and shrubs, and are also propagating ferns by spore to allow for greater genetic diversity. “Plants grown from seed grow faster and are hardier and stronger,” says Turoczi. “They’re basically grown the way nature intended them, rather than forcing a plant to make roots out of its stem.” As for sound? There’s no eerie silence at Earth Tones. You can hear nature’s full chorus.
Redbud Nursery, Media, PA
Above: Landscape architects Snell and McDonald Hanes met at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and took over Redbud Native Plant Nursery in 2020.
“We are landscape architects who really love plants,” says Julie Snell, who, together with Lisa McDonald Hanes, founded the landscape architecture firm Tend in Media, PA, in 2013. They hadn’t set out to buy a nursery, but when Redbud Native Plant Nursery owner Catherine Smith was ready to retire five years ago, they jumped at the opportunity to take up the mantle and reconnect with the plants they love while still keeping their landscape architecture business. “When you’re working as a landscape architect, you can spend a lot of time at the computer,” says Snell. Having a nursery brings the duo back into the garden. They offer design and coaching services at Redbud, host workshops, and have display gardens so people can see, smell, and touch the plants. “We’re educators at heart,” Snell says. “We’re building community through horticulture.”
Long Island Native Plant Initiative, Brentwood, NY
Above: Part of the mission of the nonprofit Long Island Native Plant Initiative is to preserve Long Island’s biodiversity. They have several seed increase plots to increase the seed bank.
“All of our plants originated on Long Island,” says Maggie Muzante, lead nursery manager atLong Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI). The nonprofit grows more than 40 different ecotypic species, ethically collected from seed found in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Its mission is to preserve the area’s biodiversity and to restore habitat. “We grow multiple sessions of the same species from multiple locations in the plot to boost genetic hardiness,” Muzante says. In addition to selling resilient, nursery-grown plants, they also add to the native seed bank and work mostly with a mighty group of passionate volunteers.
This is part of a series with Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to toxic-free, nature-based gardening, on how you can be more sustainable in your landscapes at home.
We all know our choices matter. What we buy, where we shop, whom we vote for—and how we garden. But how do we know what to choose? “We typically think of gardening as a neutral activity,” says Tim Johnson, the CEO of Native Plant Trust. “But over the years, I’ve come to realize that gardening can be a radical activity. It anchors our attention and connects us to a place, making us keenly aware of where we are.” As more gardeners are interested in following sustainable practices, it’s helpful to understand why these practices are important and how they impact our greater community. Perfect Earth Project talked with Johnson recently about what ethical horticulture means, what you can do to “put the landscape back together,” and how to embrace your inner garden radical.
Photography courtesy of Native Plant Trust.
The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Above: “Although Native Plant Trust is known as a scientific-minded organization, I think in reality, our work is about helping people connect their hearts to the natural world,” says Johnson. The plantings in the Curtis Woodland at the Native Plant Trust’s Garden in the Woods, does just that—showcasing a romantic combination of native blooms in spring that’s sure to captivate the hearts of visitors. Photograph by Ngoc Minh Ngo.
Q: How can you be an ethical gardener?
A: We can approach gardening at two ends of a spectrum. We can treat it like an engineering activity, where we’re sort of installing a thing and then trying to hold the thing static. Or we can see it as an extension of our community and self. If we think about what’s important to us, there are opportunities within the garden to live our personal ethics.
I am hopeful that gardeners as a collective are working towards what’s intrinsically better for the environment—moving away from synthetic fertilizers towards soil management or skipping high maintenance cultivars for lower maintenance native plants, for example. The choices I make in the garden are an extension of the choices I make as a consumer, as an omnivore, as a citizen.
Q: How should you go about choosing plants?
A: I first ask myself, what am I looking for a plant to do in the landscape? And generally, this means how attractive is it, what is its shape, and what is its form? But I’m also thinking about the ecological function that a specific plant brings. For example, I have minimal shade, really sandy soil at my home, and really terrible grass. Part of the reason I have really terrible grass is because I refuse to do the traditional thing of keeping it a monoculture by fertilizing and applying herbicides to it and watering it constantly. And so that means that crabgrass moves in and things get challenging. Instead of moving backwards towards chemical-based turf science in the landscape, I am asking, what does my landscape need to thrive?
I’m thinking about three things. For one, adding strategic shade throughout my landscape because more shade means less watering. Two, what are the plants that are going to survive in my sandy soil? Instead of trying to fertilize, I can find plants that work well in a low-resource environment, like prairie dropseed. And lastly I’m thinking about lawn removal. I’ve been planting micro clover, which is a nitrogen fixer, and is also more drought-tolerant than turf grass. Plus, it looks fantastic.
The ethics behind this is I want to reduce resources, mainly the amount of water that’s going into my landscape. I also don’t want to use chemical fertilizers. I want to stick with primarily compost-based ones. In the long run, I’m thinking about the places where I need fertility, how to use plants to develop that fertility over time, and plan for a succession in the garden.
Above: In the summer, Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) attracts butterflies, like this skipper. In the fall, birds will feast on its seeds. “We see huge improvements in the ability of gardens to support wildlife and pollinators in a landscape that is at least 70 percent composed of natives. That number allows me to have, say, Itoh peonies, while I add nitrogen fixing native honey locusts or red buds in my yard,” says Johnson. “I can have the benefit of all these native plant species, which are supporting our native fauna and the region’s ecological processes, and also get all the showiness that I want from a landscape.” Photograph by Uli Lorimer.
On a quiet side street dotted with older homes and industrial buildings in downtown Petaluma, California, is a secret garden: the unexpected Balinese-inspired “backyard” (you’ll understand why this is in quotes as you read on) of commercial photographers Stephanie Rausser and Lawrence Cowell. The space is thoughtfully named “Alchemy,” for the way it seamlessly combines gardening, cooking, and design. “Each element enhances the others to create something greater than the sum of its parts,” explains Lawrence.
Join me as we take a tour of this magical space:
Photography by Stephanie Rausser and Lawrence Cowell.
Above: Lawrence, Stephanie, and their rescue dogs, Stan Lee (smuggled in from Bali) and Chicqui, in front of Alchemy. Their actual home is just a block away.
Alchemy’s slender 34-by-100-foot lot was weed-infested and bordered by droopy fences when Stephanie and Lawrence purchased it in 2005. Originally, the couple intended to build an office there for their photography business, but life and work and kids have a way of slowing—and altering—plans. Not to mention, the space lacked basic essentials like electricity, sewage connection, and water hookup. So, instead of building their office, the couple bought a two-story townhouse a block away that is now both their home and office. “It was a big decision as the townhouse has no outdoor space, but we convinced ourselves it could work if we could make Alchemy work as our ‘backyard’,” remembers Stephanie.
Above: Stephanie and Lawrence remodeled a 1966 Airstream so that friends and family can stay here during visits. It also serves as the property’s restroom, as there is no other bathroom on the property.
Over the past three years, the once neglected space has evolved into more than just a yard. Today it exudes a thoughtful combination of beauty, productivity, and sustainability.
Above: Lawrence feeding the chickens in the homemade coop, complete with a festive disco ball.
Alchemy has become a place to harvest fruits and veggies, collect eggs—and do some serious barbecuing with friends and family. “Our neighbors often see us carrying eggs, flowers, and vegetables from Alchemy to our home down the street,” says Stephanie.
Above: The meandering pathway, according to Lawrence, is a metaphor for life: Things get rocky, life is a bit unpredictable, and you don’t always know what’s around the bend. At the end of it is the gladak he and Stephanie had custom-made in Bali. The pieces were numbered so that the couple would be able to easily assemble it according to the artisan’s instructions. A large patch of comfrey grows on the left and towering sunflowers skirted with California native white yarrow borders the right.
The Javanese design accents were inspired by the couple’s three-year sabbatical in Bali. They, along with their two children, moved to the island in 2017 and promptly fell in love with the region’s unique design elements that are now peppered throughout Alchemy. “We had furniture built in Bali and in October 2o2o, our 20-foot container from Bali arrived. Several of the pieces in the container were especially made for Alchemy, the most important being the gladak [a traditional Javanese wood house] and pergola,” shares Stephanie. The gladak stores all of their utensils, cups, plates, and tools so that they don’t have to haul items all the way over from their home kitchen when they want to dine outdoors. “We have an actual kitchen at Alchemy, with a sink with running water and a propane stove, and the lights run on solar power.”
Gardeners have been moving away from using pesticides in their gardens at a swift pace in recent years, as awareness of their negative impacts spreads (thank goodness!). However, pesticides aren’t only introduced to the landscape via a homeowner’s application: Pesticides, including neonicotinoids (aka neonics), can also hitch a ride on plants you buy that have been treated with them at the nursery. And when a plant is treated with neonics, every part of it becomes poisonous (and not just to the insects it targets, but also pollinators, pets, and humans, too)—and those pesticides can persist for months and even years.
With the turning of the season, I wondered about the bulbs I hoped to plant this fall: Could I be unknowingly introducing pesticides to my yard?
Above: ‘Dream Touch’, ‘Copper Image’, ‘Vovos’, and ‘Palmyra’ tulips from Clare Coulson’s garden. Photograph by Clare Coulson, from Gardener’s Dilemma: To Tulip or Not to Tulip.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a great answer for this,” replied Stephanie Lucas, the director of horticulture for the Madison Park Conservancy, to whom I had reached out because she has lectured on bulbs. “Something like ninety percent of all tulips are still farmed in the Netherlands, and if you think about the amount of pest and disease pressure for that density, it is not at all surprising that farmers will be using every tool in their arsenal to continue to maintain that.” I had hoped that the European Union’s ban on neonicotinoids might mean that bulbs coming from the E.U. were a good bet, but Lucas explains, “The EU has banned a lot of neonicotinoids, but they’re only banned on crops that are considered to be particularly attractive to bees. Eighty percent of crops in the Netherlands remain unaffected by this ban because of that clause.”
Tjerk Dalhuisen, from the Pesticide Action Network (Europe) recently told the U.K. publication Gardens Illustrated, “The mass production of bulbs tends to be really unsustainable. Unfortunately, like in growing many garden plants, very toxic pesticides are used to control pests and fungi. The residues come with the bulbs and in the plants. If you want a lively environment with bees and butterflies, these bulbs don’t belong in your garden or on your balcony. Fortunately, there are organic alternatives, free of synthetic pesticides. Unfortunately, their supply is still limited but growing.”
And it is true that there is a small-but-growing movement of organic bulb suppliers in the U.K., where gardeners can shop at Organicbulbs.com, Organiccatalogue.com, and Organicgardener.co.uk. Stateside, I discovered there are fewer options. Brent & Becky’s is one source several eco-minded gardeners, including Edwina von Gal, the founder of Perfect Earth Project, recommend. The Hudson Valley Seed Co. says that all of the bulbs they sell are “free of neonicotinoids, as well as systemic fungicides and systemic pesticides.” For anyone who purchases bulbs wholesale, A.D.R. Bulbs Inc. says “all bulbs grown at their Dutch facility are neonicotinoid-free.”
On the plus side, Lucas points out that most flowers that grow from bulbs are not favored by pollinators, “Bulbs are cultivated plants. Tulips in particular don’t look remarkably close to their wild cousins…. These plants are so far away from their native place and so altered by human hands that most pollinators don’t recognize them [as food].”
Nonetheless, we do know that neonics can persist in soil for a long time. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation’s paper “How Neonicotinoids Can Kill Bees” residues have been found in woody plants up to six years after soil drench application, an “untreated plants have been found to absorb the residues of some neonicotinoids that persisted in the soil from the previous year.” I could not find research that indicated if neonic-treated bulbs leech into the surrounding soil, so I reached out to the entomologist and ecologist Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, to ask what he knew. Tallamy told me, “We don’t know how far they leach from the plant, so the safest bet is to find a bulb dealer who does not use them.” If you can find organic bulbs, buy them.
Above: Tulip ‘Recreado’ with Geranium tuberosum. Photograph by Maayke de Ridder for Gardens Under Big Skies: Reimagining Outdoor Space, the Dutch Way, from Gardening 101: Growing Tulips the New Dutch Way.
We’re not going to tell you to put a halt on your entire bulb order, but what we home gardeners can do is let our bulb suppliers know that we want more organic and pesticide-free bulbs. “Provide the motivation,” says Tallamy. “Let them know there is a market.” Lucas adds that currently, “there isn’t a financial incentive to do product labeling particularly on a product that costs often less than $0.50 per unit retail.” When ordering your bulbs this fall, consider sending an email or making a call to let your preferred vendor know that you want to buy pesticide-free bulbs, or bring it up at the garden center if you’re shopping there. Gardeners have already persuaded bulb catalogs to carry and promote more native bulbs like Camassia, Brodiaea, and Triteleia, perhaps we can help bulb growers move away from pesticides, too?
We’ve been following Midwesterner by birth, Californian in spirit Louesa Roebuck for more than a decade, describing her as a “fearless forager” in one story, “renegade florist” in another, and “rebel against convention” in a third. During that time, the floral iconoclast relocated from the Bay Area to Ojai, CA, and wrote two books—Foraged Flora and Punk Ikebana—that make the case for floral designs that are more art than arrangement, and more feral than formal. She is currently at work on a third book.
If you’re not familiar with Louesa, this is great place to get acquainted with her eccentric perspective and strong opinions (of which, she concedes, many are unpopular).
Photography by Ian Hughes for Punk Ikebana, courtesy of Louesa Roebuck, unless otherwise noted.
Above: Before she became a floral designer, Louesa worked in the food world (Chez Panisse) and fashion industry (with Erica Tanov), both of which fed her love for California living. Photograph by Sean Jerd.
Your first garden memory:
My most vivid childhood garden memories are of a Victorian gothic yet sweet, very small garden plot behind my ancestral home in Medina, Ohio. My mother’s people built the Victorian house in 1856 or 18765, depending on who’s telling the tale. White wood with dark, almost black, green shutters and trim. There was a generous gray-floored porch that wrapped around three sides, meant for living and even sleeping in muggy Ohio summers. My grandmother ( my momma’s momma); my great grandmother, Lena; and my mother, Maggie, all spent time together in the very old-fashioned English garden behind the house. My family was old-school: NO color in front of house—that was considered very tacky and low-brow. Color and culinary were reserved for the lesser-seen, more hidden bites of the “yard.” Every year, my momma’s momma battled the birds eating her blueberries. Even as a child, it felt too combative and high maintenance to me—I was rooting for those birds to snatch the berries and escape the evil netting.
She grew Monarda, a fabulous pollinator botanical, black-eyed Susans, herbs for the kitchen, and more. The memories have a fairytale quality, complete with dappled summer sunlight, dragonflies, clover in the grass. I would often get lost in the realms of clover. And then, being my gothic family, there was a lot of shadow.
Garden-related book you return to time and again:
Above: Hieronymous Bosch, published by Taschen, collects all of the 15th century painter’s fantastical works into one volume; $200.
Humans behind critters. Or…semi feral verdant. Or…human hands secondary. Or…chill on pruning. Or…herbs herbs herbs.
Plant that makes you swoon:
Above: Heirloom roses from friend Cindy Daniels’ garden and Queen Anne’s lace in a kenzan sitting in vintage ceramic ikebana trays.
It changes with every micro season and with every place. Scented geraniums, jasmine, magnolias, heirloom roses, any herb gone to seed, passion vine and fruit, persimmon (especially in late autumn on the branch), Datura, Solandra, Cobaea, nasturtiums, stone fruit blossoms, wild trillium, Usnea lichen, Queen Anne’s lace, begonia, wisteria, fennel, fennel, fennel!
Plant that makes you want to run the other way:
Anything from the flower mart, covered in poisons, transported, grown under monoculture agribusiness conditions, wrapped in plastic, cut the same length, uniform, painful, and full of toxins. Tropicals flown in and waxed really get me grossed out and worked up.
As a low desert gardener, it’s exciting to learn how to grow a crop that I already use, is good for you, and grows well in warm climates. Ginger definitely qualifies on all three accounts. Learning how to grow ginger is easy, and growing it is even simpler (especially if you live in a warm climate).
Ginger is a heat-loving, tropical perennial herb grown for its bamboo-like leaves and flavorful rhizomes. It is grown as a long-season annual in all but the warmest locations.This article includes information on growing ginger in warm and cool climates, as well as tips for growing ginger in containers and indoors.
Ginger is grown from rhizomes. Rhizomes are fleshy stems that spread horizontally underground and contain several buds or growing points. The ginger rhizomes are planted below ground and send up bamboo-like shoots that give energy to the developing ginger below ground.
Ginger shoots emerge from the ground when the weather is nice and warm in the spring. Throughout the long days and warm months of summer, ginger grows well. As the days get shorter and cooler, the leaves turn yellow, and the ginger begins to go dormant.
2. Purchase and prepare ginger before planting
You can buy ginger online from seed companies, but you can also purchase organic ginger from your local market. I get mine at Sprouts. When purchasing ginger rhizomes for planting, look for light-colored, thin-skinned organic ginger that is plump and firm with several bumpy nodules.
To prepare ginger for planting, cut rhizomes into 2-3″ (5-7cm) pieces (each piece containing at least 2 to 3 nodules). Allow cut ends to dry and heal over before planting.
3. Give ginger plenty of time to grow
Ginger needs a long, warm growing season of about 10 months to grow well.
Zones 8 and warmer generally have enough time to start and grow ginger outdoors. Plant outdoors after your last frost date and when the soil warms in the spring. In the low desert of Arizona, plant ginger in March.
Plant rhizomes with nodules pointing up 2″ (5 cm) deep and 6–8″ (15-20 cm) apart.
Plant 4 ginger per square foot in square foot gardeningGinger sprouting in the garden
In cooler climates, you will need to pre-sprout rhizomes indoors before planting. Count back 10 months from your first fall frost date. This is the time to begin pre-sprouting your ginger.
To pre-sprout ginger, plant rhizomes 2″ (5 cm) deep in small pots on heat mats. Keep warm and slightly moist (but not soggy; it will rot). Once ginger sprouts, provide supplemental lightinguntil it is warm enough to plant outside. Gradually let plants become accustomed to outdoor conditions for a week and then carefully transplant sprouts to larger containers or garden beds outdoors. For more detailed information about how to pre-sprout ginger, read this blog post.
4. Give ginger plenty of warmth
Ginger does not grow well in temperatures below 55°F (12°C). Temperatures below freezing cause damage to the leaves and also kill the rhizomes.
In cooler climates, choose your warmest location to plant ginger. Look for an area that gets reflected heat from a block wall. Consider planting ginger in a container. Containers often heat up more quickly in the spring. Move the container to a sheltered location when temperatures fall.
To grow ginger in containers:
Use a container for growing ginger that is at least 12″ (30 cm) deep.
Container-grown ginger may need more frequent watering and fertilizer.
Harvest container-grown ginger by dumping it onto a tarp or into a wheelbarrow.
In hot summer locations, provide shade for growing ginger. Although it prefers warm soil, intense sun often damages the growing leaves. Look for an area to plant ginger that receives shade naturally, or provide shade for growing ginger.
5. Grow ginger in good soil and fertilize as needed
The best soil for ginger is rich in organic matter and well-draining. Rich, loose soil may provide enough nutrients for growing ginger. Mulching the soil with additional compost or straw helps provide nutrients, control weeds, and retain water.
While ginger is growing, you can add a few inches of compost to growing ginger sprouts, similar to “hilling” potatoes. This can encourage more growth in the rhizomes.
If your ginger is not growing well, consider feeding every few weeks with an organic fertilizer such as liquid seaweed or fish emulsion. Testing your soil will help you determine exactly what the soil is lacking.
Ginger developing below ground
6. Water ginger correctly
Ginger grows best with regular water, especially when the plant is actively growing. Well-draining soil is important as the rhizomes do not like soggy conditions. Do not overwater. As temperatures cool, reduce watering.
7. Harvest ginger at the right time
In cool climates, harvest ginger all at once before freezing temperatures. In warmer climates, harvest ginger after the leaves begin to yellow and die back. Wait to harvest as long as possible for the largest rhizomes.
To harvest, gently dig up the entire plant.In warm areas, you can grow ginger as a perennial. Leave the ginger in the ground and harvest as needed. Plants will go dormant during the cooler months and shorter days of winter, but new shoots will emerge in the spring.
8. Preserve harvested ginger in a variety of ways
After harvesting ginger, rinse it well and cut off shoots and large roots. The leaves can be used in tea.
Store fresh ginger in the refrigerator or freezer in reusable storage bags. Unpeeled ginger keeps for about a month in the refrigerator or for up to a year frozen.
Dehydrate ginger by peeling (young, fresh ginger may not need to be peeled) and slicing. Dehydrate at 95°F (35°C )for 8-12 hours or until ginger is crisp and breaks when bent. I use this dehydrator from Amazon.
Sliced ginger before dehydratingSliced ginger after dehydrating
Store dehydrated slices in a glass jar with an airtight lid. Process small amounts of the sliced ginger into powder. Once ground, the powder will begin to lose flavor, so grind only a small amount at a time.
Process dehydrated ginger in blender to turn into powderStore dehydrated ginger in sealed glass jars
Process peeled ginger (young, fresh ginger may not need to be peeled) with a small amount of water in the blender.This is the blender I use.
Process young unpeeled ginger in a blenderPulse until smooth
Freeze in herb or ice cube trays. Use individual portions as needed. When processed this way, ginger lasts up to a year in the freezer.
Freeze in ice cube or herb traysStore frozen cubes in freezer bags for up to 1 year
If you enjoyed this article about how to grow ginger, please share it.
This is part of a series with Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to toxic-free, nature-based gardening, on how you can be more sustainable in your landscapes at home.
“It really felt like the land called us here,” says Michele Logan of Maranatha, her 73-acre farm in the Somerset Hills of New Jersey that practices and models conservation and stewardship, permaculture, regenerative agroforestry, and water management. From an early age, Logan had a passion for food and nature. “I still remember my grandmother, who had a hobby farm and was an amazing cook, giving me a goose’s egg when I was 10 years old,” she says. “She inspired my love for food and growing food.” The business executive acquired the property in 2015, during a time of personal struggle. She had developed an autoimmune issue, exacerbated by certain foods. Her mother and sister were ill. Healing was needed all around her, and the land seemed to hold a key to that process.
Conventionally farmed for decades, the property was blanketed with invasive species, both accidental and deliberate, such as the Norway maple trees and privet that had been planted as part of the landscaping years back. The farm, situated on a ridge above the north branch of the Raritan River, also suffered from extensive water and soil erosion, and it had been treated with chemicals. “Conventional practices turn soil into dirt,” says Christina Chrobokowa, the ecological landscape designer and founder of360 Earthworks, who Logan hired to help restore the land. The two of them brought in Johann Rinkens, a farmer and ecological designer, ofFields without Fences, who began applying permaculture ethics and principles to the restoration project (“care for the planet, care for people, redistribution of surplus or fair share,” are Rinkens’s basic tenets). “It’s a journey,” says Chrobokowa. “You need to read the land, follow the subtle cues, and take a long view.”
Photography courtesy of Maranatha Farm, unless otherwise noted.
Above: “I love multi-purpose,” says Logan. “I’m always asking, how do we grow plants that look beautiful and are also edible or serve a purpose like holding the earth and slowing down water.” This overhead view of Maranatha Farm shows the utility barn and Giving Garden North, as well as permaculture terraces and orchard. Photograph by North Jersey Drone Shots.
“We let the land lead the design of the farm,” says Logan. To reduce erosion, the team terraced the property, creating an access road to “mitigate and manage the run-off that’s coming down the slope and actually keep it higher in the landscape,” says Rinkens. They also constructed brush dams in gullies and built swales and berms to direct and slow the water. One of the principles of permaculture is to catch and store energy. In addition to solar panels, the team is catching and storing water by “slowing it down, spreading it out through the landscape, and letting it sink in,” says Rinkens. They moved stones from a fallen wall in a fallow pasture to design dry creek beds to channel the water that’s coming from the ridge above the farm into a spillway that’s designed for what Logan calls the “100-year storm.”
Above: “Water management and the topography led our farm design. Our farm access terrace was engineered with a 10 percent pitch towards a channel along the length of the road leading to the spillway that has a French mattress [a structure built under the road that lets water pass freely through] to allow stormwater to perk back into the Earth. A detention basin below the spillway further slows water as it heads downslope,” says Logan.
To promote ecological diversity (another permaculture principle: integrate rather than segregate), they created silvopastures—managed woodlands integrated with trees and herbaceous plants for animals (in this case sheep and chickens) to graze and forage. The trees also offer shade for the animals, which is especially important as the days get hotter. “Providing relief from heat lowers stress levels [in livestock] and makes them more productive,” says Rinkens. In addition, the team worked on a custom seed blend that included native grasses and wildflowers, with attention to varieties palatable to sheep. Voracious eaters, the sheep help control the spread of invasives around the property, while their manure fertilizes the fields.
Above: “One of our newly converted silvopastures shows how we created berms from debris,” explains Logan. “The berms will help slow stormwater as the silvopasture gets established with more native savannah and pasture grasses, as well as the native seed bank that was suppressed by invasive plant species.”
Growing cantaloupes can be a rewarding experience, especially when you enjoy the sweet, juicy fruits of your labor. To ensure your cantaloupes are sweet and bursting with flavor, it’s crucial to follow a few key practices. From choosing the right variety to perfecting your soil and watering techniques, this guide will help you grow cantaloupes that are deliciously sweet and ripe for the picking.
Article Outline:
Choose a cantaloupe variety suited to your climate and growing conditions
Each climate and garden is different; luckily, there is probably a type of cantaloupe that will grow well where you live. Check with local growers or seed companies for their suggestions. You can also use these ideas to help you find the best cantaloupe for your area. If you have a short growing season, look for shorter days to harvest varieties.
* = My favorite varieties to grow in the low desert of Arizona.
When to plant cantaloupe
Cantaloupe prefers warm weather, so don’t plant it before temperatures have warmed in the spring. Cantaloupe does best when direct sown. Sow seeds outside about 2 weeks after the last frost date when soil temperatures are about 65℉ (18°C). In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to plant cantaloupe is from February 15 through July.
In cooler zones, transplants are probably a good idea. Start seeds indoors about 3 weeks before planting outside. Transplant cantaloupe seedlings 1-2 weeks after your last frost date or when the soil is at least 65℉ (18°C) and nighttime temperatures are above 50℉ (10°C). Be careful not to disturb roots when planting to avoid transplant shock.
How and where to plant cantaloupe
Cantaloupe prefers a sunny location with well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Prior to planting, amend the soil with compost and a balanced organic fertilizer. Rich soil produces sweeter cantaloupes.
Plant 2-3 seeds 1/4″ (.6 cm) deep.
Thin seedlings and keep only the strongest seedling in each group.
Spacing:
Space plants 24-36″ (60-90 cm) apart if left to sprawl on the ground.
Space plants 12-18″(30-45 cm) apart if growing up a trellis.
If using square-foot gardening methods, allow 1-3 square feet for each plant if grown at the end of a bed or on a trellis. Allow more room for other areas.
Looking for ways to add vertical space to your garden? This post shares 10 of my favorite ideas. Find even more ways to add vertical space to your garden in this blog post.
How to care for cantaloupe throughout the season
Cantaloupe thrives in warm weather and grows best when it gets regular water and plenty of sunshine.
Water plants deeply to encourage strong root development. Allow the top couple of inches of soil to dry out before watering again.
Mulch cantaloupe plants to help retain moisture, regulate temperature, control weeds, and keep fruit clean.
Male flowers will appear first, followed by female flowers. If female fruit withers and dies, consider hand-pollinating future blooms.
Generally, allowing more leaves to remain on the vine sweetens the fruit, so pruning cantaloupe isn’t necessary. However, there are situations where it’s helpful.
Pruning about one-third of the suckers (side shoots that form along the vine where a leaf, tendril, and flower meet) can help with airflow and disease prevention and make plants easier to the trellis.
Pruning damaged, diseased, or infested leaves can help prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the plant.
Pruning off excess fruit helps you grow larger, sweeter melons. For the most flavor, allow only 1-2 melons per plant.
If you live in a cold climate, remove blossoms that will not have time to develop before your first fall frost. This will allow the fruit already growing to ripen.
Tips for growing sweet cantaloupe that is full of flavor
Don’t overwater while the fruit is growing. Too much water (or rain) produces bland-tasting fruit.
Remove additional fruit once several fruits have formed. Ripening only one or two fruit at a time maximizes sweetness. The more fruit ripening on a vine at the same time, the less sweet it will be.
Do not prune off leaves or shoots. The leaves produce the sugars that sweeten the fruits.
About a week before melons are ripe, cut back watering as much as possible to concentrate the fruit’s sugars.
Harvest cantaloupe at the right time (see chart below).
When to harvest cantaloupe for the sweetest flavor
Once picked, cantaloupe will continue to soften, but it won’t get any sweeter. Leaving it on the vine as long as possible gives it the sweetest flavor. When you grow your own cantaloupe, you can pick it at the peak of sweetness. It is so good!
Not Ready to Harvest
Ready to Harvest
Overripe
Rind is green or gray
Rind is yellow
Fruit cracks
“Netting” on cantaloupe is smooth
“Netting” on cantaloupe becomes rough
Stem has to be forcibly removed from melon
Stem easily separates from melon
Fruit falls off stem
End opposite of stem is hard
End opposite of stem is slightly soft; rind has a little “give”
Fruit is mushy or soft
No aroma
Musky, sweet aroma
Rotten or overripe smell
Green vines
Tendrils around fruit dry out and turn brown
Melons last 3-5 days if left at room temperature. Uncut cantaloupe stored in the fridge lasts up to 2 weeks. Once the fruit is cut, it will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator.
If you enjoyed this post about how to grow sweet cantaloupe, please share it.
Growing onions is so satisfying. However, you may not know what to do when onions bolt. Seeing flower stalks forming on your growing onions can be disheartening.
A bulb on the top center stalk of your onion means it has begun the process of flowering and making seeds. This is called “bolting,” which is terrible news for onion growers.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
What is bolting?
Bolting is the term that describes when a vegetable plant starts to seed or flower before it should. When onions bolt, the bulb part of the onion stops growing and will not mature further. The energy that would make the onion bulb is now directed towards making the flower stalk.
Onions and shallots are a biennial crops, which means that the first year they grow and the second year they flower. When an onion or shallot forms a flower in the first year, it is called bolting.
Why do onions bolt?
An onion bolts in response to stress. Stress can happen in several ways; too hot, too cold, not enough water, or too much water. Temperature fluctuations can cause onions to bolt as well.
Swings in temperature may cause the onion to think it is in the second year of growth when it is supposed to flower.
For example, warm temperatures followed by cool weather can encourage onions to go dormant. Once warm temperatures return, the onion may believe it is beginning its second growing season and produce seeds.
The onion reacts to the stress by putting its energy into reproducing and making seeds.
What should I do when my onions bolt?
Harvest and use (or preserve, see preserving tips below).
Cut off the flower on top, or cut the entire bolting stem, so the onion stops producing seeds. (This won’t restart bulb growth.) You can leave the onion in the ground for a few weeks. The onion won’t continue bulbing or get any larger, but it will “keep” in the ground and can be used later.
Do not wait to harvest until the onion leaves turn brown and fall over (as you do with onions that don’t bolt). Bolted onions may rot or become fibrous if left in the ground too long.
Leave a couple of bolting onions to flower until they produce seeds. Save the seedsto plant next season.
Onion flowers develop into seedsOnion seeds
How do I preserve bolted onions?
Use bolted onions right away, just as you would other onions. Bolted onions will not store well, and you need to preserve them differently than onions that did not bolt.
Here are a few ideas for ways to preserve bolted onions:
Cut up the onions and dehydrate them. Use dehydrated onions whole, or process them into onion powder. Store the dehydrated onions whole for the most robust flavor, and then blend small amounts for powder.
Onions on dehydrating traysDehydrated onions
Slice onions and freeze dry them. (This is my FAVORITE way to preserve onions.) Freeze-dried onions can be stored and used “as is” or processed into a powder. Looking for more information about freeze-drying? Read this post, Freeze Drying Tips for Beginners.
Onions going into the freeze dryerFreeze dried onionsFreeze dried onion powder
What can I do to prevent onions from bolting next time?
You don’t control the weather or other outside conditions that may cause onions to bolt. However, there are a few ways to help prevent bolting in the future.
Choose onions suited to your area. Onions are typically grouped into short, long, and intermediate day onions. Use this map to help determine which type to plant.
Plant at the correct time. Use your local planting guide to determine when to plant.
Onion sets (small bulbs) tend to set more frequently, especially in hot climates. Grow onions from seed or transplant instead.
Onion setsMulti-sown onions from seedOnion transplants
If you would like more information about how to grow onions, read this blogpost.
If this post about what to do when onions bolt was helpful, please share it:
Growing onions is so satisfying. However, you may not know what to do when onions bolt. Seeing flower stalks forming on your growing onions can be disheartening.
A bulb on the top center stalk of your onion means it has begun the process of flowering and making seeds. This is called “bolting,” which is terrible news for onion growers.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
What is bolting?
Bolting is the term that describes when a vegetable plant starts to seed or flower before it should. When onions bolt, the bulb part of the onion stops growing and will not mature further. The energy that would make the onion bulb is now directed towards making the flower stalk.
Onions and shallots are a biennial crops, which means that the first year they grow and the second year they flower. When an onion or shallot forms a flower in the first year, it is called bolting.
Why do onions bolt?
An onion bolts in response to stress. Stress can happen in several ways; too hot, too cold, not enough water, or too much water. Temperature fluctuations can cause onions to bolt as well.
Swings in temperature may cause the onion to think it is in the second year of growth when it is supposed to flower.
For example, warm temperatures followed by cool weather can encourage onions to go dormant. Once warm temperatures return, the onion may believe it is beginning its second growing season and produce seeds.
The onion reacts to the stress by putting its energy into reproducing and making seeds.
What should I do when my onions bolt?
Harvest and use (or preserve, see preserving tips below).
Cut off the flower on top, or cut the entire bolting stem, so the onion stops producing seeds. (This won’t restart bulb growth.) You can leave the onion in the ground for a few weeks. The onion won’t continue bulbing or get any larger, but it will “keep” in the ground and can be used later.
Do not wait to harvest until the onion leaves turn brown and fall over (as you do with onions that don’t bolt). Bolted onions may rot or become fibrous if left in the ground too long.
Leave a couple of bolting onions to flower until they produce seeds. Save the seedsto plant next season.
Onion flowers develop into seedsOnion seeds
How do I preserve bolted onions?
Use bolted onions right away, just as you would other onions. Bolted onions will not store well, and you need to preserve them differently than onions that did not bolt.
Here are a few ideas for ways to preserve bolted onions:
Cut up the onions and dehydrate them. Use dehydrated onions whole, or process them into onion powder. Store the dehydrated onions whole for the most robust flavor, and then blend small amounts for powder.
Onions on dehydrating traysDehydrated onions
Slice onions and freeze dry them. (This is my FAVORITE way to preserve onions.) Freeze-dried onions can be stored and used “as is” or processed into a powder. Looking for more information about freeze-drying? Read this post, Freeze Drying Tips for Beginners.
Onions going into the freeze dryerFreeze dried onionsFreeze dried onion powder
What can I do to prevent onions from bolting next time?
You don’t control the weather or other outside conditions that may cause onions to bolt. However, there are a few ways to help prevent bolting in the future.
Choose onions suited to your area. Onions are typically grouped into short, long, and intermediate day onions. Use this map to help determine which type to plant.
Plant at the correct time. Use your local planting guide to determine when to plant.
Onion sets (small bulbs) tend to set more frequently, especially in hot climates. Grow onions from seed or transplant instead.
Onion setsMulti-sown onions from seedOnion transplants
If you would like more information about how to grow onions, read this blogpost.
If this post about what to do when onions bolt was helpful, please share it:
When mulching your garden, you have many, many choices: shredded hardwood, pine needles, straw, and seashells, to name a few. One of the most common materials used for mulching is wood chips. But not all wood chips are the same. There are bark chips made from the bark of pine trees, which are very attractive and tend to last a very long time. There are industrial wood chips that are made from pallets and waste wood, which is not recommended for use in vegetable gardens due to the possibility of leaching chemicals. And there is one type of wood chips that you probably have never heard of: ramial mulch.
Above: Branches from a lime tree, ready for the wood chipper. Photograph by Arpent Nourricier via Flickr.
Ramial is from the Latin word for branch. Ramial mulch is a type of wood chips made specifically from young hardwood tree branches that are up to about two and a half inches thick. (In some cases, shrubs are also included in this description.) In the late 1970s, Laval University in Quebec researched if there could be a use for this lumber byproduct and they found one. Another name for this mulch is BRF, an abbreviation for its French name, bois raméal fragmenté.
What makes ramial mulch special?
Because the mulch is made from the youngest of branches, it is full of nutrients and minerals, as most of the tree’s resources are directed to those fast growing branches. This makes them an almost a perfect food for your garden. Ramial mulch is essentially a mulch that also works as a soil amendment.
What are the benefits of using ramial mulch?
Above: The lime branches and leaves, post wood chipper. Ramial mulch often contains leaves as well. Photograph by Arpent Nourricier via Flickr .
There are more than a few benefits! First, they are chock full of all the good stuff that goes into making plants grow. Second, they are small, and break down faster than most mulches. And third, fungi and bacteria love it and start to break it down quickly.
What are the cons?
As mentioned above, it’s almost a perfect food for your garden—almost because the process of breaking down the ramial chips “steals” available nitrogen from the soil. And when gardeners hear that, they tend to not like it at all. But with most things gardening, it’s not that simple. Yes, the bacteria take nitrogen from the soil, but they are really just borrowing it. Once the decay process is complete and the chips have become humus, the nitrogen is released back into the soil. Keep in mind, too, that mulch is on top of the soil. Your plants’ roots are deep below the top inch of soil where all of this is happening, meaning established plants won’t be affected.
Where and when should you use ramial mulch in your garden?
You can use it at any time in established beds, but don’t add it to your vegetable beds or beds with seedlings during the growing season because of the nitrogen issue. Wait until you’ve cleared them in the fall to add it. This gives it time to break down and have the nutrients available in the spring.
How do you find ramial mulch?
Since it is a lumber byproduct, ramial mulch can be hard to find if you aren’t anywhere near commercial logging locations or near Canada. You will need to be a bit creative. Contact your arborist. In their process of trimming trees, they could offer you the chipped trimmings. This may also include larger branches. Your local fruit orchard may also be able to provide ramial mulch. Or, you can make your own by renting a chipper and feeding it the prunings from your yard.
Learn how to prevent and treat powdery mildew before it causes problems with the fruits and vegetables growing in your garden. Powdery mildew can spread quickly and, if left untreated, can cause significant damage to infected plants.
Fortunately, there are several methods available to help control and prevent this fungal disease from spreading in your garden. All gardeners should be aware of the signs of powdery mildew and how to treat it quickly and effectively.
What is powdery mildew?
When trying to prevent or control powdery mildew, start by understanding what it is and where it comes from. Powdery mildew is a disease caused by several types of fungi. It first appears as a whitish-gray powdery coating on the surfaces of plants, eventually turning the leaves yellow or brown.
Left untreated, powdery mildew quickly spreads by spores on wind or physical contact. The disease weakens the plant and causes it to become stunted in growth. If not treated promptly, it can sometimes lead to leaf drop or plant death.
What does powdery mildew look like?
Learn what powdery mildew looks like so you can begin to combat it when it first appears. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can infect many plants, including vegetables. It appears as white powder-like spots on the leaves and other parts of the plant.
Roses: New flower buds are covered in white powder. Powdery white or gray coating on the leaves and stems. The infected leaves may curl or become distorted, and the plant may produce fewer blooms.
Raspberries: Undersides and tips of leaves become deformed.
Cantaloupe: Leaves and stems turn brown; poor fruit production.
Peas: White or grayish coating on the leaves can then spread to the stems and pods. The entire plant may be covered in a powdery coating in severe cases.
Zinnias: Mildew covers leaves, buds, and stems. Infected plants may produce fewer blooms or stop blooming altogether.
Squash: White or grayish patches on the leaves, which can then spread to the stems, fruit, and flowers. Infected foliage may turn yellow or brown and fall off the plant. (Tip: Know what you are growing. Many squash varieties have variegated leaves that may look like powdery mildew.)
Apples: White patches on the leaves, fruit, and stems.
Cucumbers: Powdery mildew appears as white or grayish spots on the leaves, stems, and fruit. As the infection progresses, the spots may merge and cover larger areas of the plant.
Phlox: Powdery mildew appears as white or grayish spots on the leaves and stems. Infected foliage may turn yellow or brown and fall off the plant.
Lilacs: Powdery mildew appears as a white or grayish powder on the leaves, which can then spread to the stems and flowers. The infected foliage may become distorted or stunted.
Grapes: White or grayish-white powder or coating on the leaves, stems, flowers, and fruit. The infected leaves may become distorted, yellow, or fall off the plant. If left untreated, powdery mildew can reduce grape yields and quality.
Do these zucchini leaves have powdery mildew?
No. Some types of squash leaves have variegated leaves that, at first glance, may look like powdery mildew. However, it’s merely a color variation. Look closely at the leaves, and you’ll be able to distinguish between the two. The color variation will be consistent on all the leaves, but powdery mildew will appear in patches.
Variegated leaves on a zucchini plant (not powdery mildew)
If you think your leaves may have powdery mildew, check for other signs, such as yellow or brown spots on the leaf surface and white, dusty-looking growth on the top and bottom of the leaves. It’s important to take action if you suspect powdery mildew since it can spread quickly throughout your plant.
Light-colored leaves on a summer squash plant (not powdery mildew)
7 Tips for How to Prevent and Treat Powdery Mildew
1. Plant powdery mildew-resistant varieties.
To mitigate the occurrence of powdery mildew, opt for disease-resistant varieties when planting crops that are vulnerable to this fungal disease. Examples of such susceptible crops include cantaloupe, zinnias, roses, squash, and peas.
By selecting resistant strains, you can safeguard your plants and minimize the impact of powdery mildew. Powdery mildew resistance is marked on seed packages with the designation PMR. Be sure to rotate crops each year, as the same crop planted in the same spot can lead to soil-borne disease problems.
2. Prune or stake plants to improve air circulation.
An abundance of foliage or vines left sprawling on the ground invites pests and diseases. Proper air circulation helps prevent fungal diseases. Prune and trellis plants to allow as much air and sunlight as possible to reach them.
3. Water correctly.
I use these garden grids in all of my raised beds.
Space your plants with enough room for air circulation so that the leaves have a chance to dry out after rain or watering. Also, avoid wetting the foliage when you water, and water in the morning rather than late afternoon or evening.
Water in the morning. Evening watering creates a cool, damp climate that promotes powdery mildew and other fungal diseases.
Using drip irrigation(rather than overhead) puts the water on the soil (where it is needed) rather than on the leaves.
Do not over-water. Let the top inch or two of soil dry out between waterings. Damp soil promotes fungal diseases.
4. Keep plant debris cleaned up to prevent powdery mildew.
Leaves and trimmings from plants can harbor fungal spores that cause powdery mildew.
Rake up and remove debris from around plants. Prune away affected branches to minimize spread. Good air circulation around the plants also helps reduce mildew growth.
5. Use organic options to treat powdery mildew
Choose one (or more) of the following methods. To prevent further infections, continue treatment while warm, humid conditions persist.
Treat the remaining leaves with a baking soda / castile soap solution every 7 days. Use 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) of baking soda plus 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) of liquid castile soap per 1 liter (quart) of water in a spray bottle. Apply as a preventative measure or to halt early outbreaks. Apply after the sun goes down and spray off afterward to prevent leaf burn.
Treat powdery mildew with a milk solution every 7-10 days. The protein in milk may create an antiseptic effect when exposed to sunlight. Use a 40% milk to 60% water solution. Spray on the leaves of affected and nearby plants, lightly coating all surfaces while the sun shines for the best effect.
Mix 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of potassium bicarbonate powder and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of liquid castile soap in 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of water and spray all parts of the plant well. To treat an outbreak, spray plants every 2-3 days. Apply after the sun goes down and spray off afterward to prevent leaf burn.
Any diseased plant parts should be removed and discarded away from other plants. These steps will help reduce the chance of a fungal disease outbreak in your garden.
6. Remove affected leaves or plants, and destroy them.
An effective method for preventing further powdery mildew is to remove and destroy affected leaves as you see them. Sanitize hands, gloves, and tools that come in contact with the diseased leaves. This will help to prevent the spread of the infection.
7. If a plant becomes overwhelmed, consider removing the entire plant.
If all methods fail and you haven’t been able to prevent or treat powdery mildew successfully, consider removing the entire plant.
An unhealthy plant is more susceptible to pests and other diseases.
A diseased plant can easily spread powdery mildew to other plants in the garden.
Remove the entire plant, and do not compost it. Plant another fruit or vegetable in that spot that isn’t as susceptible to powdery mildew.
If this post about how to prevent and treat powdery mildew was helpful, please share it:
What if I told you that you have unlimited access to one of nature’s best fertilizers? And best of all, it’s easy to make and free? Read on to learn all about pee-cycling.
What is ‘pee-cycling’?
Above: A composting toilet in a stylish outhouse by Commune Design. These days, one can buy composting toilets that divert urine for use as a fertilizer. Urine diverting attachments are also available. Photograph by Stephen Kent Johnson, courtesy of Commune Design, from A Hollywood Director’s Refined Off-the-Grid Cabin by Commune Design.
Pee-cycling is essentially upcycling your urine into a fertilizer for your plants. Human urine, which is typically free of harmful bacteria, can be used as fertilizer because it has nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—the “NPK” that’s on the label of your store-bought fertilizer.
This isn’t a new idea. Urine has been used as a fertilizer for millennia. The ancient Chinese, Romans, Egyptian, and Incas, to list a few, all used liquid gold as a fertilizer. Pee-cycling is making a comeback in eco-conscious circles because of its appeal as a natural, renewable resource. The manufacturing of petroleum-based chemical fertilizers is adding to the climate crisis, not to mention runoff from synthetic fertilizers can lead to algae blooms that can kill animals and plants.
Pee-cycling creates a circular model of production and consumption, where waste (urine) is reused instead of discarded. It saves water, since you’re not using water to flush your urine down the toilet. It saves money since it’s a free, renewable resource you can make yourself. And replacing your reliance on store-bought chemical fertilizers with a sustainable, all-natural version means less fossil fuels pulled from the earth and less carbon released into the atmosphere.
And plants seem to love it. In a recent study, farmers in souther Niger found that urine, either used in conjunction with animal manure or alone, increased harvest of pearl millet crop by about 30 percent.
If you’ve gotten this far, and you’re intrigued and want to learn how to do it yourself, here are your next steps. Humans produce one to two liters of urine a day, and collecting is the hardest part of pee-cycling. Those who are committed to pee-cycling may want to purchase a urine-diverting toilet, like the Eco-Flush, which separates solid waste from liquid. Those who are curious but not ready to commit may want to purchase a funnel and container (to create what is essentially a portable potty) from Rich Earth Institute, a Vermont-based nonprofit that advocates for the use of human waste as a resource. The group recommends adding one to two cups of white vinegar or one tablespoon of citric acid per five gallons of urine.
And even more low-commitment option: DIY a collection container by simply reusing an empty, washed milk jug, laundry detergent container, or bucket.
What about bacteria and viruses? Human pee can be pasteurized. Don’t have a pasteurizer handy? Well-aged pee is the answer. Store urine for six months in a cool dark space to kill anything living in the pee, according to the World Health Organization.
How do you use urine in the garden?
If you have a dog, you know that pee can burn grass. The same thing can happen to your garden with human pee. Most plants can use a 1:10 dilution, one part pee to 10 parts water; however heavier feeders, like tomatoes, prefer a 1:5 ratio. Water the diluted mixture at the base of the plants and not the leaves. For more details, check out Rich Earth Institute’s guide on how to use urine fertilizer in the home garden.
Gardening should be as easy as playing in dirt. But if you’re a beginner, you may be intimidated by the seemingly limitless options out there: what to grow, which tools to buy, how to build a raised bed, and so on. And if sustainability is a priority (and it should be for everyone), there’s the added element of making sure what you choose is earth-friendly. Vego Garden, a leading manufacturer of stylish, eco-conscious, and durable modular garden beds, takes the guesswork out of container gardening.
Vego Garden carries everything you need to start a vegetable garden—from actual seedlings (like tomatoes, melons, and more) to garden tools and soil. In the five years since the company launched, Vego Garden has become the leading choice for stylish and long-lasting garden beds. And now, they’ve come up with a new product line designed for indoor gardeners as well.
Here are eight reasons to go with Vego Garden for your growing needs. And read to the bottom for a special Gardenista reader discount.
1. No outdoor space? No problem.
Above: Vego Garden started as a maker of sustainable raised garden beds, but now it’s entered the indoor container gardening market—to great success. The company’s line of Self-Watering Planters received a 2024 iF Design Award as well as a Red Dot Award for its innovative design. The collection includes an herb planter box with trellis, a mini planter box with trellis, as well as a rolling tomato pot with trellis.
2. They’re great for beginner gardeners.
Above: Vego Garden’s planters are all self-watering. Fill it once with water to provide moisture for up to several weeks. A handy water gauge shows the water level—so you’re never at risk of under- or over-watering, both common beginner mistakes.
Although rollie pollies (also called pill bugs or potato bugs) usually eat decaying and decomposing plant matter, occasionally, pill bug numbers are high, and they can wreak havoc on a garden (and your favorite strawberries!). This post shares my favorite natural pill bug control methods.
To my great frustration, rollie pollies have destroyed countless seedlings in my garden. As an organic gardener, I’m unwilling to use pesticides to control pill bug numbers when they get out of balance, so I’ve had to get creative. These are my time-tested and favorite ways to keep pill bugs from killing my seeds and seedlings.
Best Organic Pill Bug Control Methods For the Home Gardener
1. Don’t give rollie pollies in the garden what they want
Pill bugs love strawberries.
Pill bugs prefer damp and dark hiding places. Try not to make life comfortable for them.
Remove wet leaves, fallen fruit, and dead plant matter from your garden. Try not to overwater your garden, as rollie pollies are also attracted to moisture.
This step can be helpful, but if you still have problems, keep reading through the rest of the ways to keep pill bugs from destroying your garden.
2. Set traps to get rid of rollie pollies in your garden
If an area of your garden has an overabundance of pill bugs, setting traps is an effective way to bring the numbers back in balance.Check traps daily, and remove and either discard or transplant the pill bugs to other areas of your yard.
EFFECTIVE WAYS TO TRAP PILL BUGS INCLUDE:
Citrus or fruit traps as a natural pill bug control method
Cut the fruit in half and place it face down in the affected area. The pill bugs will be drawn to the fruit. Check traps in the morning, and dig down a bit to collect the rollie pollies. Fruit can often be used for 2-3 days in a row.
Beer or yeast traps as a natural pill bug control method
Rollie pollies collected from yeast trap
Set a shallow container (such as a pie plate) with the rim flush to the ground; fill with beer or 1-2 Tb yeast dissolved in water. The rollie pollies will be drawn to the beer or yeast, fall in, and drown.
3. Make paper tube, newspaper, or duct tape collars how to get rid of rollie pollies in your garden
Sick of losing my seedlings to rollie pollie damage, I wrapped the stems in duct tape (sticky side out) and it worked! The seedlings are thriving with no pest damage to the stems. This technique is quick, simple, and effective. I’ve also used newspaper and toilet paper rolls as collars effectively.
Duct tape collar as a natural pill bug control method
Duct tape collar to prevent pill bug damage to plants
Wrap a small piece of duct tape (sticky side out) around the stem of a seedling. Bury one-half of the taped stem in the ground, leaving some of the tape above ground as well. Remove the tape when the stem grows larger to keep the tape from suffocating the stem.
Newspaper collar as a natural pill bug control method
Tear a couple-inch strip of newspaper and carefully wrap it around the seedling stem, burying some if possible. As the seedling grows, the paper will fall off — no need to remove it.
Paper collar to prevent pill bug damage to plants
Toilet paper tube collar as a natural pill bug control method
Slide the tube over the seedling and into the soil. It’s best to have the collar buried an inch or two below the soil.
Toilet paper tube collar to prevent pill bug damage to plants
I’ve had mixed success with this type of collar. Sometimes it works. Other times the pill bugs get inside the collar.
4. Overplant to overwhelm the rollie pollies in the garden
Certain crops are best started in the garden from seed,which makes using collar methods ineffective – the seedlings are often eaten before there is anything above ground to protect. When this happens, I usually try overplanting.
For example, instead of planting 1-2 seeds, I plant 3-4 seeds. In my experience, at least one of the seeds is overlooked or somehow protected by the other seedlings and not eaten by the rollie pollies — success!
If more than one seedling survives, thin additional seedlings by cutting at the soil level rather than pulling. (Pulling may disturb the roots of remaining seedlings.)
5. Use Slug & Snail Bait, Diatomaceous earth (DE), or Nematodes to combat pill bugs in the home garden
Using slug & snail bait to combat pill bug overpopulation:
Garden Safe Slug & Snail Bait is OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) Listed. This bait is very effective in areas where rollie pollies are an issue. Use according to package directions. After planting beans twice, none came up. I sprinkled a small amount of this after replanting the third time and had beans emerge within days, undamaged.
Using diatomaceous earth (DE) to combat pill bug overpopulation:
Diatomaceous earth (DE) can be an effective means of controlling pill bug populations around your plants. DE is safe to handle (for animals and pets, too) but not to inhale – wear a mask while using.
DE, or diatomaceous earth, works to kill pill bugs by dehydrating them. Diatomaceous earth is made up of tiny fossilized aquatic organisms called diatoms. When pill bugs come into contact with DE, the sharp edges of the diatoms cut through the bug’s exoskeleton and absorb the moisture, causing the bug to dehydrate and die.
DE is commonly used in organic pest control because it is non-toxic to humans, pets, and the environment. However, to ensure effective and safe usage, it is important to follow the instructions on the product label when using DE.
To use DE for pill bug control, apply a thin layer around their frequented areas, wear gloves and a mask, avoid windy conditions, and re-apply after rain. Apply in the late afternoon when the bugs are active and follow the product label for safe and effective results.
Using nematodes to combat pill bug overpopulation:
Nematodes are microscopic organisms that are often used as a natural method of controlling pests in gardens.
Specifically, the Steinernema carpocapsae nematode is effective at targeting and killing pill bugs. These nematodes are applied to the soil in the garden and penetrate the skin of the pill bug. Once inside, they release a bacteria that quickly kills the pill bug.
Using nematodes for pest control is considered a safe and environmentally friendly option as they only attack specific pests and do not harm beneficial insects or soil quality. However, it’s important to follow the application instructions carefully to ensure the nematodes are introduced properly.
Additionally, nematodes may not be as effective if the soil is too dry or too hot, so it’s important to monitor the environmental conditions in your garden to determine the best time to use this method.
Which natural pill bug control methods should you try in your home garden?
I’ve found the best way to bring pill bug numbers back into balance is by combining these methods. Effective methods for combating pill bug damage in a home garden include reducing favorable environmental conditions, creating physical barriers, using predators, manually removing the bugs, and using natural repellents.
Looking for more information about managing pests?
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Rosemary, a resilient Mediterranean native, is a beautiful ornamental landscape plant, a prized edible herb, and an excellent companion plant for your vegetable garden. Its heat and drought tolerance make it one of the easiest plants to grow.
Although rosemary is easy to grow, it’s also easy to kill. Learn what to do (and what not to do) when growing rosemary with the tips in this article. Here are five tips to help beginner and experienced gardeners get started growing rosemary.
5 Tips for How to Grow Rosemary
1. Don’t plant it in your garden beds full of rich soil
Rosemary struggles when grown in rich soil. Instead, plant it on the outskirts of your garden in native, slightly alkaline soil with a pH level of around 7. The beautiful purple flowers will attract bees and wildlife to your garden.
Flowering rosemary attracts bees
Well-draining soil is essential for rosemary. This means the soil should be able to drain water quickly, preventing the roots from sitting in water for too long. This plant is susceptible to root rot and other moisture-related conditions, which can turn it yellow, wilt, and eventually lead to its demise. Understanding and providing the right soil conditions is key to maintaining a healthy rosemary plant.
Root rot
Rosemary thrives in full sun and prefers temperatures between 70-85°F (21-29°C). It tolerates full sun even in Arizona’s low desert.
Rosemary does well in hot, dry conditions
2. Plant from transplant; rosemary is not easily grown from seeds
Growing rosemary from seeds is notoriously tricky. It’s best to plant transplants. When choosing transplants, choose vigorous plants with healthy leaves. Before purchasing, remove the transplant from the container to ensure it is not overgrown or rootbound.
The best time to plant rosemary will vary depending on your location. It is generally recommended to wait until the last frost has passed before planting. Older plants tolerate frost, but young plants like warm soil to help them get established.
Plant rosemary from fall to early spring if you live in a mild winter climate. In the low desert of Arizona, plant rosemary from October to November and from February through April for the best results. Give plants ample time to establish their roots before the summer heat sets in. This low desert planting guide is available in my shop.
Planting guide for the low desert of Arizona
In zones 8 and higher, rosemary is grown as a perennial and can grow large (several feet (1 m) wide and tall ). Give rosemary room to grow.
Live in a humid area? Provide plenty of airflow; don’t crowd (allow 2-4 feet (.6-1.2 m) in every direction), and ensure it has good drainage. In zones 7 and lower, grow in a container and bring it indoors during the winter.
Terra cotta pots are a good choice for growing rosemary in containers. The porous nature of terra cotta allows the plant to dry out between waterings, which helps prevent root rot.
3. Don’t stress over caring for rosemary
Rosemary thrives on neglect, making it a low-maintenance addition to your garden. Water it often until it establishes, then let it do its thing. Just remember to let the soil dry out between waterings and avoid over-soaking. It’s as simple as that! Read this post, “How to Grow Herbs in Hot Climates,” for more tips about caring for herbs.
An annual light top dressing of compost or mulch in early spring nourishes the microbial life in the soil. Additional fertilizer is not recommended.
4. Harvest rosemary – but not too much!
It’s best not to prune more than ⅓ of the plant at one time.If desired, prune lightly each spring or fall for shape. This means removing the top few inches of the plant to encourage bushier growth. Cutting back more than that or extensive pruning during the year’s hottest months will stress the plant.
Harvest individual sprigs as needed. Young stems have the freshest flavor. Rosemary flowers have a more subtle flavor than the leaves but are edible and make a beautiful garnish.
If you can grow rosemary year-round, use it fresh; there is no need to preserve it. Young stems have the most flavor. I rarely preserve it. However, you can preserve it by drying, freeze-drying, or freezing.
Strip rosemary leaves before drying and storing. Tostrip leaves from the stem, hold the tip and pull it upward through pinched fingers or a grater.
5. Propagate unlimited rosemary from cuttings
Unlock the potential of unlimited rosemary with propagation. It’s a breeze to propagate in late winter or early spring.
Choose young shoots that aren’t flowering and are 6-8 inches long. Remove the bottom half of the leaves and root in water. Change the water every few days to keep the environment oxygenated and prevent rotting.
After a few weeks, you should notice root hairs forming in the water. Pot up the rooted cuttings when several roots are an inch or more long. It’s an exciting process and fun to grow new plants.
If you’re wondering what the best soil for raised bed vegetable gardeningis, that’s an easy answer – “Mel’s Mix”. I didn’t come up with this mix; we can thank Mel Bartholomew, the author of Square Foot Gardening, for simplifying the best soil to use for raised bed vegetable gardening.
After reading Square Foot Gardening for the first time over 12 years ago, I decided to start my own garden. I followed the advice for how to make Mel’s Mix, which he calls “the most important, productive, essential, necessary, critical” ingredient for square-foot gardening success, and it worked!
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
The Best Soil for Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening is Mel’s Mix
What is in Mel’s Mix?
Regular garden soil is too dense for raised bed gardens. Mel’s Mix for square-foot gardening mixes compost, coco coir, and vermiculite, which keeps the soil light and airy.
Mel Bartholomew’s mix for the best soil for raised bed vegetable gardening is simple:
1 part compost – Make your own, or If you live in Arizona, the compost from Arizona Worm Farm is great. If you use bagged, a mix of several different types is best.
Measure each type by volume (cubic feet), not weight.
You can also use up to 50 percent compost to 25 percent each of vermiculite and coco coir.
Compost Coco CoirVermiculite
Great news for Phoenix-area residents
Fall 2020 Arizona Worm Farm (located in Phoenix, Arizona) began selling “Growing in the Garden Raised Bed Mix” that is premixed and ready to go! It is available by the bag or by the yard and also available for delivery. It contains the correct mixture of compost, coco coir, vermiculite, worm castings, and basalt dust.
Growing in the Garden Raised Bed MixGrowing in the Garden Raised Bed Mix
What are the advantages of using this mix for raised bed vegetable gardening?
The benefits of using this soil mix for raised bed vegetable gardening include:
It simplifies drainage – the vermiculite and coco coir absorb moisture; when they are saturated, excess moisture drains away. This means you can’t overwater.
Seeds germinate easily in the mix.
No weeds! It really is true. In the years I’ve been gardening, I rarely see a weed inside the raised beds. The soil remains light and airy; it does not get crusted or compacted. Plants’ roots need oxygen and water, and roots love this mixture.
Adding a balanced organic fertilizer before you plant to your soil mixture for raised beds helps give plants the food they need to grow and thrive in your garden. You are feeding the soil that feeds your plants.
Follow package directions for the amount to add.
Thinking about adding a raised bed? I love my metal garden bed (it comes with watering grids!) from Garden in Minutes.
What’s the best way to combine the ingredients in the raised bed mix?
One way to mix up the ingredients for the best soil for raised bed gardening is to combine the ingredients in batches on a tarp. Once they are combined, contents can be dumped into the raised bed. Once you fill your bed, water the soil very well.
You can also layer the ingredients (lasagna style) in the raised bed, mixing well after each addition.Make up a little extra raised bed mix to use in pots and containers
This raised bed mixture also is a perfect potting soil, so I like to mix up extra of this soil mixture and store it in a large-lidded garbage can. It’s very convenient to have the mix on hand for filling pots and for other areas in the garden.
Add more compost to raised beds each time you plant
Compost
At the end of the season, as the soil level goes down from the decomposition of the compost, add additional compost to bring the soil level back up to the top of the bed. It isn’t necessary to add additional coco coir and vermiculite to your beds each season, as the coconut coir and vermiculite do not break down as quickly. The continued practice of adding compost and feeding your soil each season improves the soil and the harvests.
Test your soil once a year
About once a year after adding soil to your raised beds, it’s important to have your soil tested. A soil test can determine the health of your soil. This is the soil test kit I use. It’s simple to use.
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April’s sunny, warm days and cool nights are perfect for the garden and the gardener. However, this is not the time to procrastinate – warmer temperatures are coming, and preparing the low desert Arizona garden in April for the hot summer ahead is important.
Low desert includes elevations below 3500 ft in the Southwest, such as the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.
Snapdragons and Ranunculus in bloom
What you do in your Arizona garden in April will affect how your garden, herbs, and flowers withstand the heat of the upcoming summer. Look at what’s growing in my Mesa, Arizona garden this month, and see my list of which garden tasks to do and the vegetables, herbs, and flowers to plant in your Arizona garden in April.
Lupine
Vegetables growing in the low desert Arizona garden in April
April is a great month for harvesting carrots planted in the fall. Leave carrots in the ground until ready to eat, but harvest carrots before the heat of the summer if you live in hot places like Arizona (the heat can turn them bitter).
A tip to remember: the shorter-variety carrots are best eaten fresh, while longer carrots are better suited to storage.
Bean seeds do best when sown directly into the soil. Plant them 1 inch deep and space them 2 inches apart. Beans should sprout in 5 to 10 days. Like many other garden plants, beans need plenty of sun to grow properly. Keep the soil moist and well-drained for happy beans.
It’s time to harvest the celery from your garden. Celery doesn’t like hot temperatures, and the flavor will be affected – it will become bitter. The celery will also bolt – meaning the plant focuses on producing seeds. You will see a central stalk become taller and literally “bolt.” If it remains in the ground, it will flower and produce seeds.
StrawberriesArtichokesSummer SquashBeets and Lobelia
Flowers growing in the low desert Arizona garden in April
Nasturtiums put on their big show this month. The beautiful, edible blooms are everywhere! Be sure to save seeds to share with friends and family. Nasturtiums reseed easily; once you plant them, they often return year after year.
Pictured here are Vitex (chaste tree), petunias, and blue plumbago – all of which bloom and are beautiful in Arizona gardens in April.
Flowers to Plant Outside & Seeds to Start Indoors Each Month in the Low Desert of Arizona. • PLANTING GUIDE: Each month lists annual flowers and bulbs to plant outside & seeds to start indoors. • BLOOMING GUIDE: Photos show what may be in bloom that month.
Fruit trees in the low desert Arizona garden in April
Harvest Rio Red Grapefruit (pictured here) begins in December and continues until the heat of summer.
As blossoms become fruit on your fruit trees, fruit should be thinned before it is an inch in diameter—thin fruit within about a month after full bloom. Fruit thinned later than this lessens the chance that fruit size will increase. For more information about how to thin fruit, read this article.
Early-ripening peaches (such as Earligrande, pictured here) may be ready to pick this month. The big delicious fruit is the benefit of all that thinning you did. Enjoy the fruit of your labors, and pick them before the birds get them!
Potato bugs (rollie-pollies) are active this month. Read this post for tips on managing them organically.
Genista Caterpillar on Texas Mountain Laurel. Allow for some damage or use Bt to control if infestation is severe.
Planting:
April is a good time to plant citrus trees and fig trees.
Fruit trees can be planted early in the month so they have time to settle in before the heat of the summer. Look for varieties that require less than 400 chill hours, have early maturing fruit, and are self-pollinating.
April is an excellent time to plant most trees, bushes, and perennials, as well as frost-sensitive plants such as lantana and hibiscus. Plant summer-flowering shrubs. Do not over-plant; be aware of the mature size of the plant and space accordingly.
Think twice before planting cool-season annuals this month. It will be heating up soon, and their time in the ground will be short. Better to plant warm-season flowers when they are available.
As temperatures heat up, annual plants will need more frequent watering. Water to the depth of your beds, and allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering again.
Check containers with a moisture meter or ensure the top inch or so of soil has dried out before watering.
Established citrus treesshould be watered once every 10-14 days.
Water established fruit trees once every 7-10 days.
SEED, TRANSPLANT, OR BOTH? S = Seed / T= Transplant
Flower seeds to start indoors in the low desert in April
(Click the link for seed sources.)
Flowers to Plant Outside & Seeds to Start Indoors Each Month in the Low Desert of Arizona. • PLANTING GUIDE: Each month lists annual flowers and bulbs to plant outside & seeds to start indoors. • BLOOMING GUIDE: Photos show what may be in bloom that month.
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